Ex-level Player With the Greatest Civilization of All Time - Chapter 75

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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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Chapter 75

Resonance Stones….
Did she just say Resonance Stones?
What in the world does she need those for?
Then again, maybe it’s not the kind of Resonance Stone I know about?
A mere Player shouldn’t have any use for them, right?
But… how many Resonance Stones do we even have right now?
Byeon Gi-hyeok’s head was spinning.
It was an oddly sudden request, after all.
But he didn’t let it show.
Instead, he decided to clarify the matter first.
He couldn’t afford any misunderstandings.
“So, you’re talking about the Resonance Stones I know about, yes? The ones used for power transmission?”
“That’s right. Why, is there a problem?”
At least he’d understood correctly….
The real issue was that he didn’t have every scrap of inventory memorized down to the detail.
In other words, this wasn’t something he could answer on the spot.
A thought flickered through his mind.
‘Could Neia be connected to the recent spike in Resonance Stone prices?’
Byeon Gi-hyeok had received several reports on Resonance Stone price fluctuations lately.
The prevailing theory was that short-term demand had exploded, driving prices up rapidly.
But Byeon Gi-hyeok judged that Neia had little involvement in this price surge.
If she’d been hoarding supplies beforehand, she wouldn’t be making such a conspicuous move now.
‘Maybe I can turn this to my advantage?’
Before that, though, he’d need to verify the quantities. According to the reports, the Association already held more than enough Resonance Stones — a surplus, even.
Meanwhile, Neia was acting with such urgency that she was doing the legwork herself.
Give up something reasonable, get back something decent. Best-case scenario.
Still, he didn’t answer immediately.
If he answered without confirming exact quantities and later discovered the stock was insufficient, that would be just as much of a problem.
Better to buy time with a natural, formal conversation for now.
“Resonance Stones, you say… but what are you planning to use them for?”
“That’s something I can’t discuss.”
“Mm… I see.”
Byeon Gi-hyeok spoke with deliberate gravity.
“Give me a little time, if you would. I’ll do my best to give you a positive answer. But it’s difficult to hand over goods without knowing how they’ll be used.”
“That’s fine.”
Before Byeon Gi-hyeok stood to leave, he asked one more thing.
“Oh, and you said ‘as much as possible’ — but how much is ‘a lot’ in your estimation?”
“Just as much as possible. Really, the more the better.”
Neia did have a habit of stockpiling and maintaining reserves.

* * *

Byeon Gi-hyeok stepped out of the room.
A short while later, he returned with a serious expression and gave his answer.
“We should be able to sell approximately two tons of Resonance Stones.”
Two tons.
About one and a half times the amount Neia had initially asked for.
I was about to buy the whole supply.
“Just give it to us.”
Cha Seon-a suddenly interjected.
I watched quietly.
It seemed like letting her handle this would work to my advantage.
“Player Cha Seon-a… just like that? Do you have any idea how valuable two tons of Resonance Stones are?”
“At current prices, that’d be about 150 billion won.”
“Knowing that….”
Cha Seon-a replied to Byeon Gi-hyeok.
“I thought you could spare that much for Neia, couldn’t I?”
“That is….”
“The government tends to support top-tier Players with equipment or elixirs all the time, doesn’t it?”
“But that’s only for Players who’ve signed special reinforcement contracts, strictly speaking….”
“You’re not going to renew your contract?”
Byeon Gi-hyeok’s mouth snapped shut.
This was getting messy because of Cha Seon-a.
Originally, he’d planned to hand things over to Neia with a show of generosity and score points that way.
But now it looked like he was giving in under Cha Seon-a’s pressure—hardly the picture he wanted.
Still, digging in his heels and refusing here wouldn’t help matters either. It was maddening.
“…Very well. In exchange, I have a request. From the next contract for Special Materials onward, I’d appreciate it if the Association could be given a chance to negotiate.”
He’d decided to press Cha Seon-a, who’d made him lose face, while scoring points with Neia instead.
“That is….”
Right on cue, Cha Seon-a pushed her chair back and stood.
That’s what happens when you meddle in someone else’s business.
“…”
The tension between the two was palpable.
I watched just long enough before cutting in to stop Cha Seon-a.
The way things were unfolding, I sensed I could control the flow easily if I stepped in.
‘So that’s why she wanted to tag along.’
Special Materials were something the Association would naturally covet.
Which meant from Kang Min-hyeok’s position, they’d want to monopolize it as much as possible.
It seemed Kang Min-hyeok had been wary of any discussion about it emerging at this meeting.
I declined Byeon Gi-hyeok’s proposal first.
“That won’t work for me.”
My intervention sent opposite reactions across their faces.
Byeon Gi-hyeok, startled, opened his mouth.
“Our Association has done everything we can for Neia’s convenience, so if we can’t even receive that much….”
“Instead, how about this.”
I made a new proposal.
“I’ll take two tons of Resonance Stones for free, and I’d like to purchase more.”
“As I mentioned, the Association’s surplus is currently… Ah, are you asking us to source more for you?”
“Yes.”
An Association would have avenues to procure Resonance Stones from overseas, even as depleted as supplies had become.
After all, they had far more channels than any individual Player or even a Guild.
Byeon Gi-hyeok fell silent for a moment before speaking.
“So what do we gain from this? You’re asking us to give away two tons for nothing, then source more Resonance Stones—which are already hard to find—and provide administrative support on top of it.”
“I understand the Association has faced considerable difficulties since Kang Min-hyeok disappeared. I’m prepared to cooperate as fully as possible regarding that matter.”
Byeon Gi-hyeok had thrown out the Special Materials proposal in retaliation for Cha Seon-a’s interference, but truthfully he’d never been after them from the start.
It was just one potential bargaining chip among others.
Granted, it would yield tremendous profit if it came through.
But with Kang Min-hyeok gone, getting into a territorial dispute with Kang Min-hyeok’s faction served no one’s interests.
All things considered, this proposal was ideal.
More than that—it scratched exactly where it itched.
I spoke to Byeon Gi-hyeok.
“Of course, I don’t imagine I can completely fill the void left by Kang Min-hyeok’s disappearance.”
I could help with things like item collection or clearing special floors.
But the chaos and disorder that arose from the Cheongwol Guild’s paralysis—that I couldn’t solve.
“If you find this unacceptable….”
I was prepared to suggest we simply purchase the Resonance Stones at market rate.
But Byeon Gi-hyeok smiled brightly and spoke.
“Not at all. If Neia steps forward for us, you’re worth ten thousand soldiers.”
“Then the contract is sealed.”
Fortunately, there was no need for that fallback after all.

* * *

After seeing Byeon Gi-hyeok out,
I rented the reception room and continued negotiations with Cha Seon-a right there.
The woman who’d been my ally moments ago now sat across from me, pen in hand, lost in thought.
I’d made the price for the byproducts public, and it clearly weighed on her.
‘I’m sorry, but I have my own circumstances to consider.’
Running a city meant money hemorrhaged away like water through cupped hands.
The capital I’d secured at auction last time had already dwindled to nearly nothing.
If I didn’t pad my coffers now, I risked the worst outcome imaginable—losing the momentum I’d worked so hard to build and being unable to sustain the city’s operations.
“I understand it’s steep, but I believe Kang-seong has the financial capacity for a figure of this magnitude.”
Five trillion won in total.
Still, accounting for the sum, I’d shown some leniency by not demanding payment upfront.
I’d settle the account as Special Material business revenues came in over time.
‘Even so, it seems to weigh on her, doesn’t it?’
Especially Cha Seon-a, standing in for her father—deciding something this major unilaterally must feel even heavier.
Watching her in the same position Byeon Gi-hyeok had been moments earlier, I suppressed a small twinge of guilt and drove my point home.
Business was cold arithmetic; there was no getting around it.
“I believe I showed good faith earlier, and a decision of this magnitude is what will cement our partnership solid, if you’ll permit me to say so.”
When Byeon Gi-hyeok had wanted a stake in the Special Materials.
My refusal had been deliberate for this very reason.
Grant Kang-seong exclusive rights.
Take a bigger bite myself.
And simultaneously plant the seed of ‘partnership’—a shared sense of community.
“So going forward, I can take it that negotiation rights will be guaranteed to us in any circumstance?”
“Of course.”
Upon hearing my answer, Cha Seon-a seemed to make her decision and picked up her pen.
Scratch, scratch, scratch—
She signed the documents.
I watched it happen and spoke.
“Win-win for both of us, then?”
“Yes… sure.”
Cha Seon-a’s expression was decidedly uneasy.
Special Materials certainly had value, but extracting five trillion won meant direct profit would be hard to expect.
This time around, I’d have to be content treating it as capital for business expansion.
“By the way, have you given any thought to the proposal I mentioned before?”
The condition I’d set for joining the Raiding Party.
I wasn’t asking idly.
The Mir Guild and I had to begin breaking through from the 30th floor immediately.
If she was willing, she needed to join around the same time I did.
“I’ve decided. I’m preparing now. I’m selling off the gear I’ve collected, taking the expensive Water of Lethe, swapping out Skill Cards one by one.”
Skill Cards obtained while climbing the Tower were ordinarily irreplaceable.
Once you chose, the choice was final.
But there was exactly one exception.
The Water of Lethe.
By consuming the potion occasionally released to the market, you could reselect a single card.
But naturally, it was far from common—the Water of Lethe didn’t come cheap—and there was no guarantee you’d get the skill you wanted, making it a staggering waste of money.
So in practice, once you chose, few attempted a swap.
But Cha Seon-a was doing exactly that—tearing it all down and rebuilding.
“So I’ll have money bleeding out in all directions. Father’s already sprouted another wrinkle because of me.”
“Your father’s a great man. Really.”
I played along appropriately, and Cha Seon-a let out a small laugh.
I gathered the documents and stood, speaking to her at the Association’s front entrance.
“Take care, then.”
I turned to leave coolly.
Then I felt a tug at my sleeve.
When I looked back, it was Cha Seon-a holding it.
“Was there something else you wanted to say?”
Cha Seon-a hesitated a moment, then spoke carefully.
“Would you… if you don’t mind, like to grab lunch together?”
It was around two in the afternoon.
I’d told Kang Min-hyeok not to bother preparing lunch.
I’d been planning to grab a bowl of soup on my way out.
But since I wasn’t particularly craving it anyway, I accepted.
“Sure, why not.”

I returned home satisfied, having filled myself with pasta and steak at the restaurant Cha Seon-a had reserved.
The troublesome Resonance Stone had been dealt with as well.
What remained now was another Tower clear.
Though recovering my depleted Power took priority first, I figured that taking some time for rest alongside it wasn’t a bad investment.
“Well, I’m back!”
I was trudging toward the Gate in my one-room apartment when I stopped short.
I’d been about to step through the Gate leading to the Commander’s Room as usual, but something gave me pause.
It was the acrid smoke I’d belatedly noticed—unmistakable, impossible to ignore.

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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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