Chapter 109
News continued to flow out regarding the North Korean climber on the 5th Floor.
A North Korean climber who wanted to defect to Korea had fled to the 5th Floor, and North Korea was demanding that the Public Order Squad hand over the climber’s custody.
There were talks that the atmosphere between the Public Order Squad and the Black Star Society was unusual, and that the Government of Korea was in negotiations with the North Korean side…
It was a peculiar incident that I couldn’t help but take an interest in.
The contents shown on the news were only a part of it, and I was able to grasp the situation in more detail.
[Chicken Sandwich: They say he is a Hard Difficulty 4th Floor climber named Kang Tae-seong.]
It was thanks to Billon.
Was it because it was Korea’s problem?
Even though I didn’t particularly ask, Billon was informing me of everything.
[Chicken Sandwich: They say he was one of the key figures who led this coup d’état in North Korea. However, he was betrayed by Park Gwang-jin, and during the pursuit, he managed to escape to the 5th Floor by taking advantage of a moment when the combat Judgment was lifted.
We will have to continue figuring out the more detailed inner workings, but the US Intelligence Agency has judged Kang Tae-seong’s statements to be trustworthy.
Whether they had a security member directly providing them with information, or if they were receiving shared information from the Climbing Bureau.
Billon thoroughly relayed the progress of the situation in real-time.
[Chicken Sandwich: The North Korean side does not seem to have any will to negotiate.]
[Person123: The Public Order Squad must be in a tough spot too.]
[Chicken Sandwich: That’s right. They say complaints are slowly emerging from within as well. Though the Public Order captain, Alex, is keeping it suppressed for now.]
[Person123: What will happen if the negotiations fail in the end?]
[Chicken Sandwich: Since there’s no other way, the Public Order Squad will eventually wash their hands of it. And since Kang Tae-seong currently understands his situation, they say he is showing a will to survive on the 5th Floor without exiting the Tower.]
In reality, North Korea reportedly knows Kang Tae-seong’s entry location and is preparing for it.
Since the probability of dying if he goes out is very high, he really has no choice but to stay on the 5th Floor.
I felt a bit sorry for him.
From what I heard, it seemed this person named Kang Tae-seong started the coup d’état because he wanted to change North Korea into a livable place.
Well, there’s no way to know if that’s true or not, though.
“Hmm…”
Wouldn’t saying a single word be fine?
It wasn’t like there was no way to help.
But just standing by and watching pricked my conscience too.
Right now, the Korean Government is also said to be in continuous talks with North Korea.
Even if I just posted a single word in the communication window, it might be a huge support for the negotiations.
However, I was worried that it might needlessly provoke the North Korean side…
It was a sensitive issue to just do something on my own.
After contemplating, I decided to ask the Korean Government for their opinion.
[Person123: Could you perhaps let me know what the current situation is?]
I sent a whisper to Section chief Shin Sujin.
* * *
“…It can’t be helped. I know I asked for a ridiculous favor from you at the start.”
“That is not true.”
Shin Sujin shook her head at Kang Tae-seong’s words.
A situation with zero progress for several days.
Kang Tae-seong was continuing to live in the Public Order Squad’s building.
“I am already greatly indebted to the Public Order Squad. I cannot act any more shamelessly, so I will figure things out on my own from now on.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“I’ll have to keep living on the 5th Floor. If I hold out there for a thousand or ten thousand years, won’t those bastards eventually get tired too?”
At this rate, the Public Order Squad and the Korean Government would eventually wash their hands of it.
If North Korea had no intention of yielding, that was the only way.
However, just because it was the 5th Floor didn’t mean it was safe.
North Korean climbers would target Kang Tae-seong, and the Black Star Society might pitch in, but the Public Order Squad couldn’t stick around and keep protecting him forever.
Of course, Kang Tae-seong was a Level 52 powerhouse.
To put it bluntly, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to leave Zone 0 and live in hiding in the monsters' sector.
However, he would have to continue a very exhausting life, no matter what.
Shin Sujin also felt a sense of pity.
She came outside the Tower, finished her report, and checked the communication window.
But then…
“…!”
The One couldn’t help but be startled.
It was because a whisper had arrived from Person123.
[Person123: Could you perhaps let me know what the current situation is?]
…Was he paying attention to this as well?
Shin Sujin gladly informed him of the situation.
How the negotiations with North Korea still made no progress, and what the stances of the Public Order Squad and the Government were.
After hearing the entire explanation, Person123 spoke.
[Person123: May I help you?]
Shin Sujin let out a small sigh.
Considering his character, it wasn’t surprising that he was stepping forward.
Out of consideration for this side, Person123 asked her to inquire about the Government’s opinion.
[Lotus: Understood. I will relay it immediately.]
Shin Sujin immediately returned to the climbing department head.
“…Person123 did?”
The climbing department head asked back, his eyes wide with surprise.
“Are you saying he contacted you directly, Section chief Shin?”
“Yes, because he also knows that I belong to the Korean Climber Bureau.”
Shin Sujin had previously denied having any connection with Person123, but it wasn’t particularly strange that he had contacted her.
After hearing the story, the climbing department head nodded with a stiff expression.
So Person123 was stepping forward after all. The scale of the board was about to get much larger.
The climbing department head immediately relayed Person123's opinion to the Government side.
The Government went into a state of complete emergency.
An emergency meeting was held by the President and his staff, who received the report directly.
This was the first time Person123 had requested communication with the Republic of Korea Government like this.
Perhaps out of respect for the Government since it was a national issue, he had asked for the Government’s opinion on whether he should step forward to help or not.
“…What should we do?”
It was an issue that the Government also had to weigh carefully.
In fact, the Government had been solidifying its stance toward dragging things out like this and slowly washing their hands of it.
The only reason they couldn’t let go right now was because of their international standing; they had no reason to protect Kang Tae-seong while bearing an unreasonable burden.
But the problem was that if Person123 stepped forward, then it would become difficult to back out, and it could also provoke the North Korean side.
However…
“Doesn’t Person123 stepping forward like this mean that he essentially wants Kang Tae-seong’s rescue?”
Considering Person123's character, it was perhaps a given.
To the Government, this also felt like pressure from Person123.
If he had gone out of his way to convey his opinion, and they returned an answer saying he didn’t need to step forward because they planned to give up on Kang Tae-seong…?
Wouldn’t Person123 be greatly disappointed in the Korean Government?
On the other hand, this was also an opportunity.
It was a fact known worldwide that Person123 was Korean, but he had never ever taken a stance favoring the Korean Government until now.
But what if Person123 stepped forward in this issue?
The diplomatic standing the Government could solidify from that alone was immense.
They would have to see to know, but North Korea would likely lean toward accepting the negotiations if possible…
Unless they planned to become a worldwide enemy, would they really threaten them by bringing up nukes?
As a result of the discussion.
The Government decided to ask Person123 for his help.
After the Government’s opinion was relayed like that.
Person123's post went up in the communication window.
[Person123: I would like Kang Tae-seong’s custody to be handed over to the One Republic of Korea. I hope for an amicable negotiation between both sides.]
The One World’s attention was focused.
[Sulfur: Person123 finally intervening…]
[Maximus: Is he stepping forward because he’s Korean after all?]
[Fenrir: It’s a matter of a person’s life, so he probably would have stepped forward even if it was another country’s issue.]
[Rule: North Korea, stop being stubborn~]
[Golden Bell: Whatever it is, just resolve it quickly. Are you going to make Person123 worry about useless things?]
Naturally, public opinion was entirely on Person123's side.
The National Governments, who had been watching the situation while gauging whether Person123 would step forward anyway, immediately took Korea’s side and issued official statements.
“We can no longer take your side either. Negotiate.”
The Black Star Society also changed their stance as soon as Person123 revealed his position.
Since they came out so blatantly without even pretending, the North Korean spokesperson was practically dumbfounded.
Due to the pressure that began pouring in from all directions with just a single word from Person123, North Korea ultimately had no choice but to agree to the negotiations.
* * *
At the end of the negotiations, North Korea decided to hand over Kang Tae-seong.
They had attached some economic conditions, but it was said to be within a range that Korea could sufficiently accommodate.
It was decided that the North Korean side would meet Kang Tae-seong directly and move to the Panmunjom Joint Security Area.
Fortunately, it seemed to be resolving well, but…
Since I had already gotten involved, I decided to tie up the loose ends firmly until the end.
Because if North Korea happened to break their promise, things would likely become chaotic among humans again.
[Person123: Billon, could I get some detailed location information on Kang Tae-seong?]
I obtained Kang Tae-seong’s exact location information from Billon.
I was going to warp to that location in time for when Kang Tae-seong was scheduled to come out of the 5th Floor.
* * *
“Thank you. I have truly received a great favor.”
Kang Tae-seong expressed his gratitude to Shin Sujin and the other security members.
He had been thinking that he would be stuck living on the 5th Floor.
He never imagined that Person123 would step forward and things would flow like this.
Kang Tae-seong moved to the portal in Zone 0 with the security members.
The North Korean side had agreed to hand over Kang Tae-seong, but they did not accept the condition to withdraw the military equipment they had deployed outside.
Their reasoning was that Kang Tae-seong might harbor ulterior motives and run wild, so they couldn’t receive him without any preparations either.
The possibility of North Korea breaking their promise wasn’t non-existent.
So if that happened, Kang Tae-seong would inevitably die, but…
That much was a burden he had to choose and bear.
Because the Public Order Squad and the Korean Government had done everything they could.
“I hope we can meet again in reality, Mr. Kang Tae-seong.”
After sharing a final handshake with Shin Sujin and exchanging greetings with the security members.
[Would you like to proceed with exiting the Tower?]
Kang Tae-seong exited outside.
The moment his vision changed.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
A bullet bounced off Kang Tae-seong’s body.
Kang Tae-seong didn’t even react and quietly glared at Park Gwang-jin in front of him.
Park Gwang-jin smiled and threw the handgun he was holding onto the ground.
“Relax. It’s a joke.”
“…A joke?”
The exterior of the Pyeongyang urban area.
The military equipment surrounding the area, such as tanks, missile launchers, and drones, as well as the climbers.
Shooting a gun could certainly be called a joke.
Because something like a bullet couldn’t even leave a scratch on the skin of a Level 50 climber. However…
“Let me ask you one thing.”
Kang Tae-seong asked.
“Why did you betray me? What exactly was the dream we shared together to set this rotten country straight?”
The two had been friends since childhood.
Luckily, both became climbers, and he had waited for the right time, harboring the same grand cause of someday overturning this country.
It was a revolution they had achieved like that… but Park Gwang-jin betrayed him at the last moment.
“Even after you are old enough to know better, are you still living in a dream?”
Park Gwang-jin clicked his tongue as if it were a pity.
“Look at reality. The strong ruling over the weak is the natural order of this world.”
“…”
“Overturn my ass… Why would I destroy this paradise with my own hands? Watching that human Ri Hyeok-chol from the side, I only ever had one thought. That I was next.”
Kang Tae-seong let out a chuckle.
“I was a real retard for trusting a bastard like you. Let’s start.”
Park Gwang-jin spoke slyly.
“Start? Right. I should quickly introduce you to Panmunjom.”
Kang Tae-seong glared at him.
“Cut the bullshit. You have no intention of letting me go, do you?”
He fired the gun for one reason.
It was to trigger a combat Judgment so he couldn’t escape back to the 5th Floor.
“You noticed?”
The corners of Park Gwang-jin’s mouth curled up. As if he had no intention of hiding it.
“It can’t be helped, Tae-seong. I know you well, and I wouldn’t be able to sleep from the anxiety. As long as you’re alive, you’ll try to take my life someday. Right?”
“You know me well.”
Park Gwang-jin chuckled.
“It was actually a relief that that guy Person123 stepped forward and made a fuss. If I had just said I’d let you go easily, you wouldn’t have obediently believed it and crawled out of the 5th Floor, right?”
If they broke their promise and killed Kang Tae-seong, the international burden they would have to bear would be huge, even for North Korea, which was already getting hit with every sanction possible.
But Park Gwang-jin-jin considered Kang Tae-seong’s existence a threat far greater than that.
It was right to bear the consequences and deal with Kang Tae-seong definitively.
“I won’t miss you twice. Let’s end this once.”
Killing intent flowed out from Park Gwang-jin and the Climbers.
Kang Tae-seong accepted his death and prepared for his final battle.
And at that moment.
Hwaaaaaa-!
A wave of Great chill spread out.
Park Gwang-jin and the North Korean Climbers, the military equipment surrounding the area, and even the drones flying in the void.
Everything froze in an instant.
“…?!”
Kang Tae-seong, who had hesitated just as he was about to move, put on an expression of shock.
What… just happened?
It was a sight he couldn’t understand even while looking at it.
Suddenly feeling a presence, Kang Tae-seong raised his head, and his eyes widened.
A person was looking down at this side from the sky.