Chapter 33: Exploiting Contribution Points
How should I put this?
That's so China?
It really made me realize this was the same country that had once gone through the Cultural Revolution.
I guess something like this is possible because they're a communist country.
Though honestly, similar things were probably happening in Third World countries too, just on a smaller scale.
There was nobody powerful enough to tell them to stop.
Floor 25, huh. They actually used their heads.
Floor 25 was absurdly huge, making it difficult to encounter either monsters or people.
It was perfect for something like this.
I couldn't suppress my anger.
Why?
Because I can't do that.
I'm out there personally running around, painstakingly earning every Contribution Point.
But these guys could just click a button and mass-produce High-Rank NCOs?
Cowardly.
Underhanded.
Completely unforgivable.
"Congratulations, Hunter Li Ming."
"Thank you!"
"Then today's work is..."
I waited until the final Hunter became a [High-Rank NCO].
Then I threw Shadow Dagger.
Fwish! Slice!
[High-Rank NCO defeated.]
[Contribution Points x4,800 acquired.]
"...Huh?"
The Communist Party official praising the last Hunter couldn't immediately comprehend what had happened.
Why had Hunter Li Ming suddenly fallen with blood pouring from his neck?
"What was that?"
Fwish! Slice!
"W-What?"
Fwish! Fwish! Fwish!
Slice! Slice! Slice!
Only after another five or six heads fell did the Chinese Hunters understand what was happening.
"A-Attack!"
"It's an Assassin!"
"How dare you interfere with the sacred work of the Party!"
"Who the hell is it?!"
The Party officials and Hunters were furious.
Whoever it is...
If we catch him, he'll be executed.
Because he killed people inside the Tower?
No.
For the unforgivable crime of interfering with the sacred work of the Communist Party.
Even death wouldn't be enough punishment.
Then...
"There!"
Someone pointed at Hyunwoo.
He found me? Not bad.
He probably had an ability similar to that Russian A-rank Hunter.
But these people...
Slice! Splash!
"Aaagh!"
"Ugh!"
"Urk!"
Why are they so weak?
I swung my dagger once, and the heads of four or five nearby Hunters flew off at once.
Finding me only meant they died faster.
They're High-Rank NCOs, though?
Sure, I'd upgraded my gear.
But even accounting for that, they were far too weak.
Are these guys not A-rank Hunters?
The thought suddenly occurred to me.
Maybe they were simply raising low-rank Hunters' ranks without caring about their actual abilities, then planning to overwhelm enemies with numbers.
It wouldn't be strange.
Powerful Hunters are difficult to control.
No need to look far.
Just look at me.
In other words, the Chinese Communist Party's plan was probably...
Raise thousands, maybe tens of thousands of easily controlled low-rank Hunters into High-Rank NCOs...
Then boast internationally,
"Look how many High-Rank NCOs we have!"
I'd say there was a 99.9% chance that was the plan.
I should've come to China sooner!
How was I supposed to know something this delicious was happening?
"You shameless bastards."
Your sweet farming spot...
I'll eat everything inside it and kick it over afterward.
It was ridiculously easy.
It didn't even take ten minutes to eliminate all one hundred [High-Rank NCOs].
"If you guys are still doing this tomorrow, I'll come back tomorrow too."
So please...
Keep doing it tomorrow.
"Are there any other countries doing this? If so, open a Gate there."
[Searching for conditions matching the user's request...]
[Similar operations are currently underway in 36 Towers worldwide.]
What?
"Thirty-six countries? That's unacceptable."
This was an international moral hazard.
Apparently, I had no choice but to teach them all a lesson.
"Open them all. One at a time, starting with the most efficient!"
I stepped through the Gate that appeared.
Beijing, China.
Presidential Office.
"How is it progressing?"
The Chinese President asked while flipping through documents.
"We have currently secured 2,400 High-Rank NCOs."
His aide reported proudly.
"Warriors selected from twenty provinces are being trained into High-Rank NCOs, and progress is proceeding according to schedule. At this rate, surpassing 10,000 within this month is possible."
"Good. Very good. Hahaha."
The Chinese President laughed in satisfaction.
"Ten thousand High-Rank NCOs. That's a number neither Korea nor Japan, nor even the United States, would dare challenge."
"Exactly, Comrade President. Once we officially announce it to the international community, the impact will be tremendous. Hegemony will practically be ours. At the very least, no country in Asia will be able to challenge China militarily."
The President laughed again at the aide's sweet words.
Then...
BANG!
The office door burst open.
"C-Comrade President! Emergency report!"
The President was about to reprimand the subordinate for rudely entering without permission.
But the man's pale face stopped him.
"What's the commotion?"
"One of the Floor 25 High-Rank NCO training facilities... was attacked!"
"...What?"
The President shot to his feet.
"Attacked? What do you mean?!"
"All one hundred High-Rank NCOs there were demoted. Before anyone could respond..."
"What?! Who did it? Who is responsible?!"
His voice thundered through the office.
"W-We are still investigating. It's definitely an Assassin, but..."
The reporter swallowed.
"According to the Hunters on-site, there were likely multiple attackers. Everyone was eliminated in an instant."
"...!"
The President's expression stiffened.
The reporter had concluded there was no way a single Assassin could have caused all this.
Because...
"That's not all."
"There's more?"
"We received reports of similar incidents in Africa."
The same thing had happened in foreign Towers.
The President frowned.
"Africa?"
"Yes. Several countries receiving our support were included. Most were conducting projects similar to ours. The same has been reported in South America."
The President fell silent.
