Chapter 56: Honestly, I Think He Surpassed Yi Sun-sin
The Korean Hunters barely had time to enjoy their victory.
After getting blindsided, in a sense, by the sudden reactivation of PvP, the Hunters quickly began pouring out their frustration on Hunter Inventory.
[Title: Are They Going to Control the Mana Stone Mine Now Too?]
Content: We were celebrating because we'd just won, then immediately got farmed by rankers. What kind of ridiculous free-for-all is this?
[Comments: 282]
Seriously. Three seconds after the victory announcement, I got vaporized by a laser.
I kind of understand it, though. If prey is gathered in one place and you don't eat it, you'd be an idiot.
We'd probably do the exact same thing if we ever reached their position.
┗ Honestly, I think I would've done the same.
[Title: You Basically Need a Full Squad Leader Set to Mine Mana Stones Now]
Content: Seriously, without Tower Knights equipment, you can't even go near Floor 55 anymore. Forget the Generals. You won't survive against High-Rank NCOs and Officers.
[Comments: 190]
This is why we kept telling the bottom-feeders to get Tower Knights gear, lol. Anyone who still hasn't gotten any can stay at the bottom forever. The ladder's already gone.
It's too late to regret it now.
Realistically, start with a single ring. Even now.
┗ You need Contribution Points to buy even one ring, lol.
┗ Then go hunt monsters. Kill goblins and save up ten points at a time if you have to.
┗ What's the point of getting ten points from a goblin if you lose hundreds whenever you die?
┗ Then just die.
[Title: So Who's the New One-Star General?]
Content: I know one of them is Light, but who's the other one? There were three votes in favor of PvP. I saw Sword and Fist earlier, and they're both still First-Class Officers.
[Comments: 312]
Right? I'm curious too.
Maybe it's some hidden master.
People are saying it might be Heavenly Demon.
┗ Heavenly Demon is mainly a climber. He doesn't really do PvP.
Could it be an A-rank?
┗ A-ranks are impressive too, but not enough to climb ahead of perfectly healthy S-ranks.
Not confirmed, but apparently a Two-Star General gets two votes.
┗ Seriously??? If that's true, the Tower treats the frontrunners insanely well, lol.
┗ Democracy completely destroyed, lmao.
┗ Holy shit. Then does a Three-Star General get three votes???
This time, regardless of whether they supported it or opposed it, everyone could only laugh bitterly.
Some tried to comfort themselves by saying, At least we won.
Others gritted their teeth and swore, Next time, I'll be standing up there too.
However, there was one thing everyone agreed on.
[Title: But Stealing Japan's Stuff Feels So Damn Good LMAO — Recommendations: 1,084 BEST!]
Content: If you can't relate to this, you're not Korean, lol.
[Comments: 2,282]
This is actually so real. Straight facts.
If you can't relate, you're basically pro-Japan, lol.
It wasn't merely that Korea had defeated Japan.
They had taken one of Japan's important resources.
The moment the Resource War ended, articles about it poured out one after another, and the entire Republic of Korea erupted in excitement.
Meanwhile, in the Hunter Association's Special Situation Room.
"Chairman. The Mana Stone reserves in Japan's Floor 55 mine are estimated to be more than twice those of the Korean Tower."
The staff member hurriedly delivered the report.
"Twice as much?"
The Chairman's eyes widened.
"Yes. Even if each floor shares the same concept, that doesn't mean the amount of resources buried there is identical."
The expressions of everyone in the Special Situation Room instantly changed.
This was a resource comparable to the East Sea oil field.
No.
Perhaps it was worth even more.
Nobody said it aloud.
But everyone in the room was making the exact same calculation.
How could they ensure that every resource buried inside the Mana Stone Mine became the property of the Republic of Korea?
"Then the problem is..."
Han Sangho cautiously began.
"We fought fairly in a Resource War organized by the Tower, we won, and the Tower itself guaranteed our rights. However, the problem is that real-world politics and diplomacy don't necessarily work the same way."
The staff member answered with a grim expression.
"That's correct. The Japanese government has already sent an official protest demanding that Korea not lay a finger on the Mana Stone Mine inside the Japanese Tower."
The Chairman snorted.
"Hmph. If they'd taken the East Sea oil field, they'd have happily pumped out the oil, wouldn't they?"
"The Japanese government addressed that point as well."
"What did they say?"
"They claim that if they'd won the East Sea oil field Resource War, they would have simply left it untouched."
BANG!
The Chairman slammed the table.
"What nonsense!"
The staff member adjusted his glasses before continuing.
"They've also implied that they may impose economic sanctions on Korea if we interfere with the Mana Stone Mine."
"Economic sanctions?"
"Yes. They're considering restricting exports to Korea of hydrogen fluoride, photoresist, and fluorinated polyimide. All three are important semiconductor materials."
The Chairman's expression hardened.
It wasn't much of an exaggeration to say that South Korea's economy lived off semiconductor exports.
Even after the appearance of the Tower and the Mana Stone industry had created countless innovations and new industries, semiconductors were still used practically everywhere.
It was even an era where research was underway into technologies combining semiconductors with Mana Stones.
The staff member nodded gravely.
"If shortages of those materials interfere with production at domestic semiconductor manufacturers, the projected economic losses could reach tens of trillions of won."
Silence descended over the Special Situation Room.
The Chairman's insides boiled with anger.
Still, he forced himself to suppress it and asked,
"...What did the higher-ups say?"
