Laborer Mr. Kim Reaps Sweet Rewards with Auto-Hunting - Chapter 84

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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 84

[The Manager’s tyranny in rejecting requests without clear criteria is unacceptable. For global peace and stability, the Manager must utilize his abilities fully and provide as many weapons as possible — or so the argument goes.]

– What?
– What is this supposed to mean?
– Who said that?
└ The Japanese government spokesperson just said it at a press conference. Are they insane?

A bombshell of a press conference dropped suddenly by the Japanese government.
Thanks to its inflammatory opening statement,
the news spread across the entire world in an instant.

– Come on, that’s a bit of a stretch…….
– I ran it through AI to summarize and got “Please give us weapons too.” Is that right?
└ 100% accuracy.
– They haven’t drawn a knife yet, but it might as well be armed robbery.
└ They said it’s “unacceptable” — looks like they’re about to draw one.

What was the internet’s reaction?
Mostly condemnation.
The prevailing sentiment was that it didn’t make sense in the first place — but then,

[Cambodia: Prime Minister Chan Sattha announces agreement with Japan’s statement.]
[Laos and Sri Lanka issue statements simultaneously. “We hope the Manager will use his abilities for the public good.”]

Suddenly, several nations joined in.
The mood began to shift, little by little.

– Maybe there’s something to it?
– That’s a fair point.
└ A fair point? Did your brain melt? It’s his own ability — why should it be used for the whole world?
– The way they’re supporting Japan without rhyme or reason seems sketchy. Did they get something out of it?

Of course, condemnation was still the dominant opinion.
But around that time,
the arrival of a major nation joining in reversed the entire dynamic.

[China has committed no wrongdoing against the Manager or South Korea, and yet our requests are rejected repeatedly. There is no reasonable justification for this. Do you think this is fair?]

China — once counted among the Five Great Powers.
Now?
After Wei Jin’s death,
the country could barely fend for itself.

– Now that you mention it, why China specifically?
– Maybe they set conditions? Looking at it, most countries that got rejected besides Japan had similar situations.
└ But when you look at what China said about their conditions, it doesn’t seem to be the case.
– Could it be because the Manager is Korean? Those countries and Korea have always had issues with each other anyway.
└ Hmm…. Personal feelings mixed into something like this doesn’t sit right.

And then,

[I fully agree with Japan’s statement today. While Awakening is an individual ability and cannot be forced, shouldn’t the Manager use his powers to some degree for world peace? — Walter Barrington]

One of the current Five Great Powers.
When Walter Barrington, the Prime Minister of Britain, added his voice,
public opinion shifted instantly.

– Isn’t this a bit much?
– Now that you mention it, that’s true, isn’t it?
– Be honest. When the whole world’s people are hanging in the balance, you’re going to peddle this?
– Hmm…….
– I think the Manager needs to come out and explain himself, don’t you?

The tension in the room kept rising.
Global opinion waited for the Manager and Korea’s response.

…….

Nothing came.
Instead.
Out of nowhere, only startling news emerged.

[Korea: Anonymous Awakened Successfully Clears Level 70 of the Chaos Tower!]

* * *

The shocking news of clearing level 70.
America’s number-one ranked Awakened.
Ralph Carter was stunned.

“What, insane…. They cleared level 70?”

Impossible.
It doesn’t make sense.

“They killed the Vampire Lord.”

Level 70’s landscape.
And the enemy hanging upside down from a tree—the Vampire Lord.
Even now, closing his eyes, it surfaces.
At the same time.

“Ugh…….”

His whole body trembles still.
That’s proof of how terrifying it was.
Even thinking about it fills him with dread.
And someone beat it?

“So the Manager really is… a monster.”
“Still, if the Manager cleared it, doesn’t that mean there’s hope for us too? Right, Ralph?”
“Yeah…, I suppose so.”

The dedicated handler’s expression mixed hope with uncertainty.
Ralph shrugged quietly.
Right.
This is how we have to hold on to hope.

“Phew…. Thank goodness. Level 70 was giving me a headache.”
“Mm.”

I feel the same way.

The world changed because Ralph cleared level 70.
It wasn’t made public, but….
In truth, America’s situation had been the most precarious.

[All Clear Deadlines for every tower are reset and then reconfigured to three months.]

This applied to the United States as well.
Which means?
Within three months.
No—it means I have to clear floor seventy in just two months now—

“We just have to try. You know how it is—we’re still stuck on floor sixty-seven.”

But what else can we do?
We can’t just sit around and watch Washington disappear.
We have to break through, one way or another.
With that thought, I’d cut back on sleep as well.
Training, and research.
I kept pushing forward, gambling with my life.
And yet time was slipping away—I felt like I was suffocating.

“Do those countries have so much breathing room?

Japan’s the same way, and so is England.
Thanks to them, the whole world’s in an uproar.
It’s absolute chaos.
Even now, every time you turn on the television, they’re passionately debating it.

“They’ve got some nerve.”
“Nerve about what?”
“Those countries openly antagonizing the Manager like that—I don’t understand it. It’s reckless.”

Ralph’s axe and armor.
Without them, could I have even reached floor seventy?
No.
It would’ve been impossible.
And they’re openly hostile to the man who creates equipment like that?
Unbelievable.
I could never do that.

“Especially England—what the hell are they thinking?”

Arthur Brent of England.
Current tower progression: floor sixty-five.
He’d want the Manager’s weapons more desperately than anyone.
Yet he’s taking this stance?

“It’s nothing new. Those English bastards have been playing both sides like bats for days now.”
“Yeah, I know. But even so, against the Manager—how do they think they’ll manage it?”
“That’s probably why they’re using the Prime Minister as a front.”
“Huh?”
“It’s obvious. That snake Arthur—if things go well, he benefits alongside them. If it all falls apart, he blames the Prime Minister and cuts ties.”

No.
That’s not possible.

“Surely not….”

* * *

London, England.
The conference room of the Special National Security Agency, the bureau that manages Hunters.

“As planned, the Prime Minister has expressed support for Japan’s position.”
“Good news for once.”

Arthur Brent, listening to the report, allowed himself a satisfied smile.

Arthur Brent.
Britain’s Ranking 1 and Member of Parliament.
One could fairly say he was the true master of Britain.
But lately, there was one man who’d begun to irritate him.
The Prime Minister, that fool.
He’d already been tiresome enough—different political party and all.
But recently, the man had started throwing his weight around.

“Even if things went a bit sideways after the Manager appeared, what business does a Prime Minister have—”

There wasn’t a single department beyond Arthur’s reach.
The intelligence services included. What did the man think he was doing?
So what did Arthur do?
He leaked false information.
The narrative: this situation would likely force the Manager to bend.
That idiot Prime Minister swallowed it whole.
Apparently delighted, he’d immediately approached Japan to discuss it.

“By now he’s probably thrilled at the thought of using weapons as bait to collar me.”
“Or perhaps he’s considering cultivating a different hunter instead.”
“Well, likely enough. I’ve heard rumors they’ve met several times recently—him and Charles.”

The answer was obvious without asking.
It had to be him.
Britain’s second-highest-ranked hunter after Arthur.
Charles Winchester, who’d cleared the fifty-ninth floor.
With nothing but a weapon crafted by the Manager—

“He’d surpass Arthur Brent and have room to spare. That’s what he’d be thinking.”

Fools, the lot of them.
True.
Anyone could come up with a plausible scheme.
But.

“Will it actually work out that way?”
I’d stake my life on it.
There’s no chance it happens.
The Manager bending to pressure?
Absurd.
If he were the type to yield so easily,
I’d never have suffered the defeats I have.

“Still, won’t this be difficult? Japan, China, Britain—if they’re united, America won’t sit idle either. If we’re not careful, the fallout could be…….”
“Fallout? Ha.”

The head of the Special National Security Agency.
At Edmund Crawford’s concern, Arthur let out a soft laugh.
Difficult?
Hardly.

“In a world like this, people should fear the Manager far more than America.”
“Pardon?”
“Think about it. America severs the Chinese President’s head from within China? Eliminates the North Korean Chairman? Chaos would erupt. A Third World War could break out—it’d be that catastrophic.”
“Ah…, I suppose that’s true.”
“But what about the Manager? Nobody knows anything about him.”

To be honest.
British intelligence doesn’t know. The United States doesn’t know.
We’re just making educated guesses from circumstantial evidence.

“At this point, even if we did know, it wouldn’t matter much—he’s gotten strong enough that it doesn’t.”

Arthur Brent.
He’d spent enough time in positions of power to know how these things worked.
Damage control. Reading the room. Psychological games.
These were the tactics of the powerless.
The Manager now?
He had no need to read anyone’s mood.

[Breaking News) Korea’s Hunter, the Manager. As of this moment, he has rejected all outstanding manufacturing requests previously accepted. Furthermore, he has announced he has no intention of accepting any future commissions!]

See?

“He acts immediately.”
“Good heavens….”

There was no reason to be surprised.
He wasn’t handling such matters carelessly on his part.
If he’d miscalculated, his operations would be torn to shreds—that much was obvious, so he exercised restraint.
And so.

“That Prime Minister should start preparing to step down. It looks like this situation will be wrapped up soon.”
“This is the ending, not the beginning?”
“That’s right. Ending. Japan touched something it shouldn’t have.”

Japan’s Prime Minister, Miyamoto Hayato.
Why had he gone out of his way to provoke the Manager?
It was transparent as glass.
It had to be political ambition.
In the worst case, even sacrificing Tokyo
would be preferable to bowing to Korea.
But then.

“He should have stopped there.”

Arthur let out a soft chuckle as he reviewed the report that had come from the intelligence service.

[Japanese agents were kidnapping and threatening an employee of Korea’s Awakened Management Bureau when they were shot dead by Hunters belonging to American special operations forces. The objective has been confirmed as an attempt to gather intelligence on the Manager.]

Why American Hunters?
The question lingered only briefly.
The puzzle fell into place immediately.
They’d attached themselves to the Manager.

“Ah….”

He’d been hoping to exploit the situation for himself.
But in the meantime, they’d caused this much of a mess.
Idiots.
Did America lack the sense to know better, or had they simply sided with him?
And as for us.
Would Britain be fool enough not to probe into the Manager?
We simply don’t touch territory we know better than to touch.
Well.
Once you’ve touched it, it’s already too late.

“Turn on the news. There should be a breaking report from Tokyo any minute now.”

* * *

[Breaking News] Korean Hunter, Manager, Rejects All Weapon Manufacturing Commissions Currently in Hand. Furthermore, Declares No Intent to Accept Any Future Orders!

“Ha ha….”

Japan’s Prime Minister.
Miyamoto Hayato let out a hearty laugh.
The Manager.
He’d thought him an extraordinary man.
But this was certainly no ordinary move.
Playing such a radical gambit in this situation?

“The atmosphere has shifted in an instant, and everyone is pointing fingers at us.”
“It’s fine. Leave it be.”

Yes, he had to admit it.
It was more extreme than anticipated.
But still.
He’d drawn up this scenario as well.
Of course the blame would circle back to Japan.
Would the Manager escape unscathed?
Hardly.

– We didn’t say anything—so why?
– This seems a bit excessive.
– The abuse of power is rather severe.

See?
Already drawing criticism.
For now, he’s hidden behind the mask of Manager.
But what if his true identity were exposed?
Could he still carry himself with such confidence then?

“How delightful.”

The Manager?
The world isn’t that simple.
This time, I’ll teach him properly—

Creak!

“Prime Minister!”

What is it?
Has he brought information already?
He turned his head in anticipation.

“A crisis, sir! A Geobukseon has appeared in Tokyo Bay!”

What?
A Geobukseon?
What on earth is that doing here…?

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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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