Ex-level Player With the Greatest Civilization of All Time - Chapter 34

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 34

“I believe that would be the case.”

Neia’s response was surprisingly composed.
“You already knew?”

“I am the City’s artificial intelligence. To ask whether I ‘knew’ is not optimal phrasing. It would be more accurate to approach this from the perspective of ‘understanding.'”

“Either way—were you aware of it or not?”
“That location was in a restricted-access state until moments ago. Therefore, I was unable to perceive it.”
Fair enough. If Neia had possessed complete knowledge of every detail in the City,
she would have responded more swiftly in the Strategic Weapon Research facility earlier, without all that tedious back-and-forth.
In fact, this conversation now was proof of that.
Still, how could she remain so unruffled despite not knowing?
I’ll admit—it’s impressive.
As I was thinking something to that effect, Neia looked at the identical unit inside the maintenance chamber and asked me instead.

“Is this me?”

I couldn’t answer.
If Neia herself didn’t know, there was no way I could.
Without access to higher-level information, in the current state…
I changed the subject before the atmosphere grew heavier, abandoning reckless speculation.
“Ahem, it looks like there’s nothing particularly special besides this, then?”

“Ah, yes. According to the records, this location is designated for sustaining and recovering life in critical condition.”

“I see.”
I pretended to look around briefly, then hurried out of that place.
“Neia, try not to dwell on this for a while.”

“There is no need for concern. I am the artificial intelligence managing the City. If you were worried about my being unsettled, that is excessive caution.”
“Well then, that’s a relief.”
I spoke to Neia.
“Can you tell me what the next Security Clearance Level requirements are?”

[Security Clearance Level 4]

– Lv.45
– City Operation Rate 10%
– Mana, Magical Power 120
– Strength, Agility 60

I scanned through the requirements and nodded.

“Understood.”

* * *

The Player Association’s reception room.
When Byeon Ki-hyuk had first summoned Baek Jin-sung, Neia’s proxy, to this place, he’d been overjoyed.
A contract with Neia was like finally extracting a tooth that had been aching for years.
And to retain and bind to domestic soil a rising talent who’d been climbing the charts at record speed lately?
He’d had every reason to celebrate—securing her contract had become an achievement in itself, such was the height of Neia’s standing now.
“What do you all think, sir?”
Only until the negotiations actually began, that is.
Byeon Ki-hyuk’s palms were now slick with cold sweat.
Baek Jin-sung had mentioned Neia before today’s meeting and said he’d turn on the broadcast, so it had been agreed to in advance.
But he never thought he’d use it like this.

– Hmm…
– Is this really the best option?
– Wow, I knew our Association was stingy, but to this degree?
– This is enough to kill any patriotism I had left.
The viewers were questioning the legitimacy of the contract.
Of course, it didn’t seem like Baek Jin-sung had planned this from the beginning.
Or had he?
When exactly had he started thinking Baek Jin-sung was foolish?
What if it had all been calculated from the start?
A chill tried to crawl up Byeon Ki-hyuk’s spine, but he forced it down and acted all the more composed as a result.
Still, watching the viewers scrutinize the contract alongside Baek Jin-sung, he couldn’t shake a deep sense of regret.
‘If only I’d drawn a clearer line from the beginning…’
He’d agreed to the broadcast partly because the Association was in the position of begging, but also because he’d judged there was merit for their side too—a stern warning to other nations that Neia, as a Korean player, had already signed a contract with them. Let no other country even dare approach.
Yet somehow, whether by choice or circumstance, Baek Jin-sung was surrendering the contract entirely to the viewers’ judgment.
He never imagined his miscalculation would yield such consequences.
He hated his past self for the reckless judgment born of blinded ambition.
“This… is the highest contract offer in our history.”
The contract amount had already been raised three times.
Kang Min-hyuk, Korea’s pride before Neia herself.
Even the current domestic Ranker at first place hadn’t received anything close to this.
“How could you possibly not sign at this point?”
Even this sum was an enormous expense for Byeon Ki-hyuk—no, for the Association itself.
If this became public knowledge.
The other players he’d managed with relatively restrictive amounts surely wouldn’t take it without complaint.
Once he started appeasing public sentiment, they’d all demand raises too, forcing renegotiations. Additional expenditures were inevitable. A cascade of costs.
But whether Baek Jin-sung knew of his predicament or not.
The so-called agent was just scratching his head.
“I’d like to, if possible…”
For his part, Baek Jin-sung had troubles of his own.
The situation had already slipped from his grasp.
He had to walk away with what could be universally recognized as the best contract ever offered.
‘Or I’m finished.’
Especially since the order to turn on this broadcast had come directly from Neia.
Which meant, plainly, that he was to bring back a contract without a single flaw or complaint.
If he failed, his partnership with Neia would dissolve into nothing.
So Baek Jin-sung’s approach to today’s contract was nothing short of desperate.
Eyes shut, he swung hard.
“We really should be getting double this, honestly.”
Neia had instructed him to secure a contract with the Association today.
She’d soothed him by saying that since China, Japan, America, and others had already thoroughly botched their approaches to her, he could negotiate comfortably.
But that was something only Baek Jin-sung and Neia knew.
With such a powerful weapon in hand.
If he failed to wring out a decent sum, the look in Neia’s eyes as she regarded him would shift from that of a person to that of an insect.
So he bargained without restraint.
At this, Byeon Ki-hyuk let out a pained groan.
“Ugh… double that comes to over a hundred billion won annually.”
“In exchange, I’d agree to a two-year contract. When the standard is one year, locking in two years is practically giving it away, isn’t it?”
Byeon Ki-hyuk’s thoughts deepened.
A multi-year contract for two years.
That did improve things somewhat.
Later, when smoothing over the existing players’ grievances, he’d have an excuse: the contract had been structured based on potential. A convenient rationale.
Still, his hands trembled.
This level of investment in a single player.
At this scale, signing off alone without approval from higher-ups wasn’t easy.
“Take your time thinking it over.”
At Baek Jin-sung’s words, he stood and asked for understanding.
“I’ll step out to make a call.”
How much time had passed?
Byeon Ki-hyuk returned moments later with a pleased expression.
Baek Jin-sung saw it and thought, ‘That’s done then.’
He’d been genuinely nervous — it was the first time in all his dealings that anyone had ever stood up from their chair mid-meeting.
Had it been that close?
“Please sign here.”
Scratch, scratch.
Baek Jin-sung grabbed the pen before anything awkward could slip out, signed, and rose from his seat.
On the way out after signing the contract.
Under heavy guard, he was leaving through the Player Association’s main entrance when someone blocked his path.
“Uh… uh…!!!”
Baek Jin-sung made such a sound because he knew the faces of the two people standing before him all too well.
It was none other than the mother-and-daughter pair from the Kang Seong Guild.
“Would you have a moment to talk?”

* * *

Their sudden appearance left Baek Jin-sung flustered.
In truth, meeting with major players had become routine ever since his collaboration with Neia.
Just today, he’d been facing someone of considerable standing from the Association before heading out, hadn’t he?
But encountering an unexpected major player in the real world like this was, without question, a first.
The fact that Baek Jin-sung hadn’t been particularly worried about such matters until now played a role too.
Since Neia had handled the situation before, nothing like this had happened again.
He glanced around nervously.
Baek Jin-sung confirmed that the Association people were still seeing him off, then, relieved, opened his mouth.
“Look, pressuring me won’t get you a meeting with Neia. Besides, I don’t even get proactive contact from her — it’s all one-way.”
Cha Seon-ah offered an explanation to him, who remained entirely on guard.
“That’s not it. There’s something important I need to convey — if you could just spare a moment…”
“If that’s the case, it’d be better to do it here, don’t you think?”
She hesitated briefly, then seemed to give up and looked toward Cha Seong-hun.
He nodded.
“Understood. The broadcast is off, right?”
“For now, yes.”
Cha Seon-ah took something from her Inventory and set it down.
Baek Jin-sung recognized what it was at a glance.
‘A Hidden Floor Reward Chest…!’
The Hidden Floor Reward Chest was conspicuously large — unmistakable.
Seeing his reaction, Cha Seon-ah smiled and spoke.
“I came to offer my thanks. I should have visited sooner, but I’ve had matters to attend to.”
“So you’re giving this to my brother?”
“Yes, since I received a Life-Saving Grace. I hear your bonds with Neia and Jin-sung are similar in nature?”
Now that he thought about it, there was substance to that remark.
It carried the meaning that she wished to do the same.
“At any rate, please accept it. It’s quite heavy, you know.”
“So you’re really, truly giving it away?”
Baek Jin-sung had good reason to remain skeptical.
What had been setting the Lucid Net auction house ablaze recently? Items from the Hidden Floor, each and every one of them, had been the stars.
True to S-Class Floor rewards, they were fetching astronomical prices, making headlines day after day.
Baek Jin-sung wanted to immediately stash it in his Inventory.
But he hesitated, uncertain whether Neia would want it.
‘Ah, forget it. Brother will decide what to do with it later.’
Why should he be worrying about this?
If he deemed it useless, he could return it then.
He placed it in his Inventory and spoke.
“But are you sure about giving this away?”
The Hidden Floor had been conquered at the cost of risking his life, and this Reward Chest was precisely why.
He might have received material chests depending on circumstances…
“Ah, but I should tell you and Neia something special about this.”
“Which is…?”
“The fact is, as the original quest issuer, you received double the reward, didn’t you?”
Thanks to that, I’d received two reward chests.
“Well, we weren’t able to get a materials chest, but…”
Baek Jin-sung understood why she could hand one over so readily.
Yet the question still lingered.
“I’ll pass it along right away.”
“Ah, and there’s something I’d really like you to mention.”
Baek Jin-sung nodded at Cha Seon-ah’s words.
“Please, go ahead.”
“If possible, be sure to mention this fact on the broadcast — that we provided the Hidden Floor Reward Chests.”
Was she looking for credit, petty as that?
Or showing off connections?
Either way, it wasn’t a trivial sum, and Baek Jin-sung thought she had every right to.
“You must regret parting with it, don’t you?”
Cha Seon-ah laughed as though amused, then spoke.
“Well, our gift doesn’t end there, actually.”
“There’s more?”
“Of course.”
There was a reason behind her words.
“In fact, it’s quite significant. This is probably only about a third of it, maybe?”
“I’m not sure what else you could have prepared, but… I’m grateful nonetheless.”
When Baek Jin-sung extended empty hands, Cha Seon-ah spoke.
“You really are an interesting person. We’re not the ones giving the gift. Our actions will bring others to seek you out.”
Now Baek Jin-sung understood.
Neia was no longer merely a promising newcomer everyone watched — she was someone many wanted to maintain favorable relations with.
And if the Kang Seong Guild, among those who had been saved this time, made such a costly gesture of goodwill?
“Then the other guilds that participated in the raid will have to bring something too, won’t they? For the sake of maintaining ties with Neia?”
Out of sheer competitive necessity, they would have no choice.
“Oh…! Such clever insight!”
“Well, this is about all we can do, but we hope you’ll view us favorably regardless.”
This was the real point.
The stage they’d set.
The tone they were directing — she wanted him to remember that too.
“Of course. I’ll make sure to convey it properly.”
“Then we’re counting on you.”
From this Hidden Floor conquest, Cha Seon-ah had come to a profound realization.
Neia was far more than merely a promising prospect.
True, for now she couldn’t wield influence comparable to established Rankers.
But it would come soon enough.
She wasn’t the only one sensing this.
The entire world was at a crossroads regarding how to position itself in relation to Neia.
Move preemptively to cut down the sprout, or establish a favorable alliance now.
Cha Seon-ah had naturally chosen the latter.
So the expenditure didn’t feel wasteful at all.
If you’re going to wag your tail, better to be at the front of the line.
She’d already reached that understanding with her father.
“And if you need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.”
She pressed forward the business cards her father had given her beforehand, layered with her own.

* * *

Late evening.
Feronta.
I made contact with Baek Jin-sung there as usual.
How the contract had progressed was already all over the internet, and with a day having passed, there was no way I could be ignorant of it — but meeting like this had another purpose besides that.
In any case, I heard of something unexpected during that encounter.
What had happened with Cha Seon-ah.
‘So that’s what occurred.’
I received the reward chests from Baek Jin-sung.
Along with two business cards.
Additional income streams.
Sweet deal.
And I’d gained a reliable ally to boot.
Someone willing to lend a hand when I needed it.
All things considered, not bad at all.
But even so, there was one thing that nagged at me.
‘I’m a bit concerned, though….’
I looked at Baek Jin-sung.
Unlike me, he was still exposed to the outside world.
True, until now there’d been no real enemies to pose a genuine threat.
But as my profile rose, that cushion had begun to erode.
What Cha Seon-ah had done today made that crystal clear.
It was fortunate her intentions weren’t malicious, but…
If there were people who didn’t believe that Baek Jin-sung and I had no private contact, then to them he was the perfect stepping stone—someone to crush on the way up.
If the rumors circulating were true, it was merely a shame.
If we actually were in contact, he became an easy target for information extraction.
‘I’ll need to address this sooner or later.’
Regardless, the main matter was that the chests had multiplied, and that was good.
“That Cha Seon-ah—sharp woman. How’d she come up with something like that?”
“I was impressed as well.”
I was already looking forward to seeing what other guilds would bring once they caught on.
At this rate, we’d have no trouble raising the City Operation Rate.
“Jin-sung, turn on the broadcast.”
“Sir?”
“Let’s open it.”
It was time to execute the real purpose of today’s meeting.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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