Chapter 119
Yang Tai and the Chinese Communist Party had also seen the video in question.
An absurd defense capable of blocking an attack from an estimated S-rank monster.
If that was true, it would be hard to break with a simple attack.
‘It’s probably excellent equipment. But there’s no way it’s really that good.’
But in Yang Tai’s opinion, the video was clearly exaggerated.
Or it had been staged from the very beginning.
How easy would it be to get camera angles that perfect for a promotional shoot?
In fact, Yang Tai thought there was no need to be so obsessed with this item.
But what could he do? If the higher-ups told him to do it, he had no choice but to comply.
‘Even if it’s real, adding doping on top should make it possible.’
Yang Tai activated the item without anyone noticing.
The ‘Berserker’s Ring,’ which temporarily boosts strength and magical power explosively.
A government-funded legendary item.
It had the drawback of slightly lowering intelligence if worn for too long, but since he’d only land one hit and pull back, it shouldn’t be a big problem.
This was the source of Yang Tai’s confidence to carry out such provocation.
As soon as the item activated, his heart began pounding rapidly.
His physical abilities had doubled.
Yang Tai’s confidence surged.
‘I’m sure of it. Right now, I could even beat a demigod!’
That shield would surely be ground to dust.
Yang Tai threw his fist forward with confidence.
Boom-!
A shockwave burst out with a deafening roar.
Some of the hunters threw up barriers to block the aftermath.
It was the kind of move that would likely earn him a lot of flak later, especially since there were civilian VIPs here too.
But that was low priority for Yang Tai.
The party’s orders were what mattered most.
He only had to finish the mission.
But.
“……?”
Yang Tai’s eyes widened as if they might split open at the sight before him.
The shield was perfectly fine.
Even after taking that tremendous impact, the shield hadn’t moved even a single centimeter.
“How could this be?”
Yang Tai looked back and forth between his fist and the shield, which didn’t have a single scratch.
He couldn’t believe it.
He was under the legendary ring’s doping effect. His attack power should have been stronger than even a demigod’s, shouldn’t it?
The hall buzzed.
“My God, it really doesn’t have a single scratch.”
“Honestly, it was hard to believe until I saw it in person… How on earth did they make this?”
Responses mixed with admiration and shock.
Soon, those reactions turned into ridicule aimed at Yang Tai.
“Look at that. His face is as red as his country’s flag.”
“He’s making an S-rank fool of himself all by himself.”
“Made in China, what else did you expect….”
“That’s what you get for mouthing off for no reason.”
“Leave him be. They make knockoffs all the time, so I guess they think everyone else does too.”
Yang Tai’s face burned.
He couldn’t retreat like this.
If he went back after suffering this humiliation, who knew what punishment would be waiting for him.
Yang Tai’s eyes turned bloodshot.
The Berserker’s Ring dulled rational judgment.
Only anger and humiliation drove him.
This time, I’ll use a skill too.
One hit won’t do it, but if I hit it over and over, it’ll break.
“Hnnngh!”
Yang Tai drew up his mana to use a skill in earnest.
The air turned scorching hot.
People screamed.
“Has he lost his mind!”
“There are civilians here too!”
“Are you trying to destroy the building?”
If an S-rank hunter rampaged indoors, the aftermath would be beyond imagination.
A building like this probably wouldn’t hold up and would collapse.
Fellow hunters would probably be fine, but ordinary unawakened civilians would definitely be hurt.
“What are you doing? Get that lunatic out of here!”
“If this keeps up, I’ll lodge a formal protest with the Chinese government!”
The barrage of criticism brought a little of Yang Tai’s reason back.
Looking around, he saw that several hunters had already gotten to their feet to drag him out.
Yang Tai relaxed his fist.
“… Hmph, lucky.”
Yang Tai muttered, trying to sound casual, and stepped back.
“It’s because I don’t have proper equipment. If I had a weapon….”
What a pathetic excuse.
But Yang Tai couldn’t even finish that excuse.
“Hey, you fucking China.”
With a cold voice, someone stepped onto the stage.
It was the demigod.
The demigod in a white suit stood in Yang Tai’s way.
The difference in their physiques was overwhelming.
“Holy shit. What a disgrace. Truly disgraceful.”
The demigod clicked his tongue and said.
“This is an item I personally approved. Who are you to question it? Want to get hauled out again?”
Killing intent flashed in the demigod’s eyes.
Yang Tai realized it instinctively.
That the man before him was a real lunatic.
‘Shit, fuck….’
A recent incident at the World Hunter Association came to Yang Tai’s mind.
He remembered protesting the ruling that the next floor was impossible to clear, only to faint when a single shout burst his eardrums.
‘What do you mean I could beat him now…?’
The blood that had been warmed by the Berserker’s Ring quickly turned cold.
If he borrowed the item’s effect, could he beat this guy?
No, after taking that pressure head-on again, he understood.
It was impossible. Between them lay a gap no item could bridge.
That was when Yang Tai, unable to say a word, was only breaking out in a cold sweat.
Others who had quickly seen where the room was heading began to stand up and criticize Yang Tai as well.
“Didn’t he come out here just to pick a fight on purpose?”
“China being China. You can tell at a glance.”
“Tsk. They really are still a long way from becoming a developed country.”
Yang Tai’s face darkened, hit right where it hurt.
It was clear that if he kept holding out, his reputation would only get worse.
“Mr. Yang Tai, we’ll escort you out respectfully.”
“Let go of me. I’ll walk out on my own!”
Yang Tai disappeared out of the venue as if he were being chased away.
Several security personnel followed behind him to make sure he was completely out of the building.
Once the commotion had settled, the demigod shrugged and said to the audience.
“Now then, the uninvited guest’s been dealt with, so shall we continue? I’d like to see more of this amazing shield.”
At his breezy joke, the stiff atmosphere loosened again.
People laughed and applauded.
The host took the microphone again.
“Sorry for the disturbance. But thanks to that, we’ve clearly proven the performance of our product.”
A blessing in disguise.
Because he’d caused trouble while doubting them, it had ended up becoming their best performance yet.
I bowed my head slightly toward the direction he had disappeared.
Please survive for a long time and keep causing trouble at a level I can handle.
Even while I was thinking such pointless things, the show kept moving along.
“Now then, we’ll finally move on to the part you’ve all been waiting for.”
Soon after, models came out carrying one shield each.
A total of 10 shields.
They looked exactly the same, but different numbers were engraved on the bottom.
From No.1 to No. 10.
“The first model we’ve prepared this time is limited to only 10 units.”
The hall buzzed.
Only 10? There are hundreds of people gathered here.
“These 10 shields are the First Edition—the historic first models that mark the beginning of our work.”
The host paused for a moment before continuing.
“And this model will never be reproduced again.”
A limited edition. The first 10, never to be obtained again.
The look in people’s eyes changed.
“Of course, a regular production model using different materials will be released later. But that too will be limited to around 100 units per year. Naturally, that’s to maintain the highest quality.”
A resolute voice rang through the hall.
“We have no intention of making money by churning out products like mass-produced goods. Each and every one of our items will be a work of art.”
That was when it happened.
A businessman raised his hand high and said.
“One hundred million dollars. I’ll buy the item marked No.1 for one hundred million dollars.”
An enormous amount from the very start.
But the host shook his head.
They had already decided how to sell this item.
“I’m sorry, but we will not be holding an auction.”
“… Is money the problem? Would two hundred million dollars be enough?”
The man raised the price as if his pride had been hurt.
“It’s not a matter of the amount.”
A polite yet firm voice.
“Our items aren’t something you can own just because you have money. Especially this First Edition—it’ll be sold only to people with special qualifications.”
“Qualifications? What qualifications?”
“Those who understand the value of this shield and possess the dignity to match it.”
“What do you mean by that….”
“After today’s showcase ends, we’ll accept purchase applications. After strict screening, we’ll give the chance to buy to only 10 people. Ah, and let me make clear in advance that resale or transfer will absolutely not be permitted.”
The hall was thrown into shock.
They wouldn’t sell it even if you had the money?
And the buyer had to be screened instead?
It was a strategy only someone extremely confident in their product could pull off.
But no one seemed offended.
“As expected, shouldn’t our association be the one to take Number One?”
“Unbelievable. The amount I donate for hunters every year is already ten million dollars! If it’s not me, then who’s qualified?”
“That’s just for tax reasons, isn’t it? Why are you acting like this among people who all know that?”
“… Ahem!”
“Shh, you should respect me. I’m the world’s number one hunter, and I’ve received countless awards and trophies, and….”
“Haha, surely if you have any common sense, you wouldn’t leave our royal family aside and give priority to people with no pedigree.”
In an instant, the venue took on a strange atmosphere.
It had somehow become a battle of pride among VVIPs.
“So how many floors have you climbed, anyway?”
“What does climbing a stupidly high number matter? Rank is what matters.”
“You bastard…”
“I heard your business hasn’t been doing well lately. Do you really have money to spend here?”
“The taxes I pay in a year are more than your entire net worth. Who’s worrying about whom?”
Meanwhile, there was also someone calmly watching all this unfold.
“This is completely backwards.”
Kim Suho gave a hollow laugh in disbelief.
“I was worried about whether she’d do well, but this is beyond my imagination. I’d believe it if you told me she’d been a businesswoman all along.”
“Yeah…. As expected, she’s amazing.”
“At this rate, won’t she become even more famous for business?”
“Who knows…. Somehow I feel like later she might announce, ‘Actually, that was me too,’ and suck up all the world’s attention.”
“So where is she hiding that she won’t even show her face? I thought we’d finally get to see what she looks like.”
Four mages had already obtained the item through connections.
Of course, there was no numbering engraved on that shield, but no one was disappointed by that fact.
Because they knew this was the real First Edition.
Meanwhile, there was also someone moving quietly amid the commotion.
A man disguised as a waiter approached stealthily.
He was heading for the real representative hiding behind the host, not the host himself.
“May I have a word….”
“Who are you?”
I stayed invisible beside the broker and quietly watched the scene.
When he asked warily, the man took out an ID from inside his jacket.
“CIA?”
He was an intelligence agent.
“Could we have a more detailed discussion with you?”
When I first made items, there was a reason I hadn’t started by making weapons.
If some ordinary company sold portable nuclear weapons, nobody would just sit back and let it happen.
I had to admit it. I’d been short-sighted.
If the performance was strong enough, even something that wasn’t a nuclear weapon could catch the attention of Earth’s top dog.