Chapter 397: The Theme Park on the First Floor (2)
“This… this guy! There are things you can say and things you shouldn’t! What kind of nonsense is this?!”
The furious response was only natural.
However…
“It’s fine. It seems Player Kang Jinhyuk is trying to tease us,” Oh Ji-Won calmly said, stopping his aide.
“I’ve heard rumors about your playful nature, but this one stings a bit. The media enjoys tearing us apart, but the things circulating online are far from the truth.”
Despite his composed reaction, Jinhyuk smirked, intrigued.
*Wow. He held back?*
He had deliberately thrown a provocative comment to test the waters, yet Ji-Won maintained his composure. It seemed the saying, “No puppy is born from a tiger,” held true.
“Busy people like you wouldn’t come here just for sightseeing. Well, setting that aside, what business do you have with us? I can’t imagine why you’d involve yourselves with us.”
“It’s nothing serious. Honestly, we’ve put a lot of effort into this event. Having two celebrities here might overshadow us. If there’s anything you need, we’re willing to provide support in exchange for you stepping aside.”
*So, even corporations are eyeing the Tower?*
Jinhyuk had heard the rumors.
*It’s obvious. Participating in this event is all part of their grand debut.*
“Sorry, but there’s something we absolutely need to get here as well. If it’s friendly competition, we welcome it, but anything beyond that will be difficult.”
“Hmm. I’m not an unreasonable person. Surely, building a good relationship with us wouldn’t be a bad thing for you either?”
A veiled threat. Better to align with a powerful corporation than to make enemies.
Ji-Won gestured toward the players flanking him.
“Yes, Executive Director.”
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting Player Kang Jinhyuk in person.”
Two women stepped forward—one with short hair, the other with long flowing locks—both clad in sleek black suits and leather gloves.
*…Strong. Very strong.*
*Hoo.*
Jinhyuk’s eyes narrowed as he assessed them.
“These are rankers from our Red Fang Guild. They may not have climbed the Tower yet, but we’ve selected the most talented individuals in the country and put them through specialized training.”
Future stars, nurtured systematically with scientific support—the epitome of royal roaders.
The two before him were the cream of the crop among these royal roaders.
“So.”
Jinhyuk chuckled.
“Am I supposed to bow my head in awe because you brought some baby chicks to flex your strength?”
“Ba-baby chicks?”
“Did he just call us that?”
The two women bristled with indignation.
If it weren’t Jinhyuk they were dealing with, their swords might have already been drawn. The fury emanating from them was palpable.
Seeing the tension escalate, Ji-Won intervened.
“…It seems we won’t be able to sail in the same boat. But surely, there’s no need for our separate vessels to collide unnecessarily.”
The debut day of Korea Automotive and the Red Fang Guild didn’t need unnecessary drama, especially when their opponent was a celebrated hero like Jinhyuk.
*Unless they’re the ones picking a fight, provoking him further would be unwise.*
How things appeared mattered most in situations like this. Perception could drastically alter outcomes, and Ji-Won understood this better than anyone.
*…If that’s the case, I might as well make the most of this.*
For the debut of the Red Fang Guild, no other figure could draw attention like Jinhyuk. While Jinhyuk’s strength was undeniable, victory often depended on more than raw power.
A sly grin spread across Ji-Won’s face.
*Creating variables… That’s my specialty as someone who thrives in politics and intrigue.*
—
Thanks to the Red Fang Guild and the two BJs, this round of events had become a hot topic.
The attention and viewership exceeded even major guild raids.
With the Veteran Corporation joining the fray, the hype only escalated further.
*-SelfDriven:* *Did you see the Red Fang Guild’s website?*
*-CrazyStuff:* *Yeah. They’re openly dissing the Veteran Corporation. Claimed they’re going to take all seven top events and the final main event.*
*-Raccoon:* *Lol. Desk jockeys who only hold meetings are trying to take on Kang Jinhyuk? Insane.*
*-AshWhite:* *But the rankers Ji-Won brought are no joke.*
*-Revolution:* *It’s not surprising, considering they’re backed by a corporate giant with limitless funds.*
*-Baemuhyeok:* *This is like a Hunter version of Mansour and Manchester City.*
*-LeeWoona:* *This is going to be hard to ignore.*
*-KimTaeYang:* *Ugh, I just want to see the main event already.*
*Hmm. Look at them, huh?*
Reading the chat, Jinhyuk stroked his chin.
What had started as a casual visit to the event was now spiraling into something much bigger. Normally, he might have laughed off provocations like this.
*But now?*
The lines had been crossed far too much to stay quiet.
“I was going to hold back so I wouldn’t seem like a complete thief, but why does the world insist on making me the villain? Hah. The world just won’t leave me alone, huh?”
Jinhyuk’s gaze shifted to the side.
*Kukukukukuku!*
There stood a massive, spinning contraption that looked less like a ride and more like a torture device.
[Event Zone 14: Endurance Challenge on the High-Speed Merry-Go-Round]
Participants: 1,058 – Eliminated: 994
Reward: 500g of Mermaid Shell Pearl Powder (AA Rank)
A hellish wheel spinning at an astonishing 750 km/h.
The skeletal horses pulling the chariot foamed at the mouth, while disorienting magic layered over the ride.
“Ugh…”
“K-kill me…”
Naturally, the players trapped inside weren’t in their right minds.
The merry-go-round, covered in vomit and tears, looked like a portal to hell itself.
But no problem.
Someone had already experienced this kind of hell before.
“Kyaaaaa!”
Alice screamed as the ride spun furiously.
Still, thanks to her past ordeal of being trapped inside Braham’s Ring, spinning endlessly, she managed to endure.
While everyone else was surrendering, Alice stood firm.
*…Grit.*
The mage from the Red Fang Guild showed some determination, but that was all. No matter how tough they seemed, they couldn’t surpass Alice, who had been hardened by real combat experience.
*Let’s see how far you can go.*
*Looks like things are going smoothly on other ends as well….*
Jinhyuk glanced around.
The members of the Veteran Corporation were participating in various events.
At the punching game, Yoo Yeonhwa was in action.
“Hoo….”
She steadied her breathing and channeled all her energy into her fist.
Having completed her second awakening and transitioned to the class [Hwarang], Yoo Yeonhwa was now a globally recognized ranker in martial arts.
*Whoosh!*
Her fist was engulfed in blue flames.
The surging energy condensed into a single point.
*Bang!*
The punching machine half-shattered as her score surpassed the previous high score with ease.
*-twi:* *Wow, is that even a human punch?*
*-MAESTRO:* *That looks like what would happen if a 10-ton truck collided head-on. Chilling.*
*-JoHyunwoo:* *No wonder her videos of punching monsters barehanded are so popular.*
On the other side, Lee Taemin dominated the “Tower Stack” event with his summoned drones.
*Bzzz!*
[Lee Taemin activates Lv16 ‘Carpet Construction’!]
The precision of his machinery easily surpassed the unique abilities of other players.
While others struggled, even with magical assistance, Lee’s drones created a scene reminiscent of a full-scale construction site, leaving everyone in awe.
*-HanJaehee:* *There are only a few rankers in the world who can solo dungeons, and Lee Taemin is one of them.*
*-JongMin:* *Agreed. His drones handle the small fry, and when it’s boss time, he rolls out in a mech like Gundam.*
*-SeoJunFan:* *They’re wiping out every reward in this event, lol.*
The atmosphere was heating up.
In dodgeball, Andrea, who controlled the [Fox Marble], had the upper hand. In tag, Wolyoung’s shadow-shifting abilities gave him a significant edge. In clay shooting, Frey threw spears to shatter every clay target, outclassing players with guns.
*-kil:* *They’re absolutely dominant. Everyone’s incredible.*
*-Darano:* *Dodgeball against a nine-tailed fox? That’s just unfair, lol.*
*-mirra:* *Frey is my future wife.*
*-dark:* *?*
Though Red Fang Guild’s rankers claimed some rewards, Jinhyuk only disregarded the events that didn’t catch his interest.
Efforts required, but with minimal returns—essentially events that weren’t worth the investment.
However.
*-test:* *Whoa! Crazy incident!*
*-Cheongang:* *This makes no sense.*
*-Cel:* *Guys, check Channel 13 right now.*
Something unusual was unfolding in one corner of the event area.
—
“Ugh….”
Chun Yoosung clenched his teeth.
A complete loss.
There were no excuses to be made.
*-Cashy:* *Is this even real right now?*
*-Lsymon:* *This isn’t the whack-a-mole game I remember.*
*-bky:* *Looks like they’ve been eating, sleeping, and breathing whack-a-mole.*
*-Inagye:* *Even so, Chun Yoosung, who holds the title of Sword Saint, losing?*
*-GiSang:* *It’s probably because he used a hammer instead of his sword.*
*-TwinTwinBar:* *This event has two S-tier rewards, and one of them just got snatched from Veteran Corporation.*
[The winner of ‘Whack-a-Mole’ is Red Fang Guild players Lee Yeji and Kim Dahee.]
The event required exceptional reflexes and dexterity, along with the coveted “Limited Enhancement Stone,” one of the main rewards.
That’s why Chun Yoosung had been assigned to it. A reliable ace card.
“Discard the expendable and focus on securing just one. Exactly as the Executive Director planned.”
“I knew you’d show up for this one,” Lee Yeji said with a smirk.
Even if they had to give up everything else, securing a single critical reward to hinder their opponent was enough. That would drag the final main event into a free-for-all mud pit.
Under this premise, Oh Ji-Won had meticulously planned what to obtain and what to forfeit.
He analyzed Jinhyuk and his team’s strengths and weaknesses, predicting where each member would be deployed.
“I’m sorry. This is my mistake,” Chun Yoosung said.
“It’s fine.”
“What?”
“Getting you to apologize isn’t easy. If you’re saying it, you must truly mean it. Besides, I didn’t expect the opponent to just stand still and take a beating.”
Jinhyuk took out [Crimson Lotus] from his subspace inventory.
Upgrading Crimson Lotus was crucial for the battles to come.
For that, retrieving the enhancement stone Chun Yoosung lost was essential.
And soon…
The upcoming main event would allow players to form teams and steal each other’s rewards.
*[The Plunder Battle.]*
No rules. No limitations.
Under certain conditions, players would simply take from one another.
“I need to show them what happens when they mess with my things.”
Jinhyuk grinned.
After all, he had always thought it would be nice to have a wealthy slave on hand.
The justification to fight was more than sufficient.
[The Plunder Battle will begin at midnight.]
The status window glowed ominously red.
