I Gave Up Being Stronger

Chapter 284

The recruitment for the second generation of Chul-Soo Land expanded its membership to one thousand. The number one thousand was woefully insufficient compared to the number of people wanting to join the official Chul-Soo Land. This official recruitment ended up with a record-breaking application ratio of 320,000 to one, with registrations closing in just 0.2 seconds. This process sparked some controversy.

-I am selling an official second-generation Chul-Soo Land username.

Resellers flipped usernames for profit.

-Seriously, can we do something about these damned hackers?

Quite a few hackers had joined Chul-Soo Land not as fans of Chul-Soo but to prove their skills.

-I heard someone spent over eighty million Dias to get in.

Some people went to extreme lengths, setting up state-of-the-art servers and hiring numerous people to attempt simultaneous registrations, actions deemed insane by ordinary folks.

-Eighty million Dias? That’s a steal.

-Some spent eight hundred million and still failed. LOL

-I heard about people buying macro programs from hackers. I think a hacker sold ten of them.

-LOL, that program cost one billion Dias.

-WTF? Then that hacker made ten billion Dias?

Setting aside the societal phenomena this had caused, the key point was that many underhanded tactics were used during the Chul-Soo Land recruitment process. Some of the Players capable of deploying such potent tricks to beat the 320,000:1 odds were indeed very skilled individuals.

“I will give you three days. If you don’t apologize formally, I will cut off your tongue.”

“Let’s start by cutting off an arm. I will reattach it this time, but next time, I won’t.”

There were real Assassins among them. Rumors circulated that some Assassins had acquired the official Chul-Soo Land username by killing the original account holders and then stealing their usernames.

“My client has ordered me to castrate you. Physically, that is.”

Some rich clients also hired Assassins. The threats toward Ronaldo were beyond imagination.

“Physical torture is for amateurs.” Some Mages used cruel illusion magic. “Stoking fear is the true way to devastate a human.”

Ghosts haunted Ronaldo every night. Initially, he screamed that Chul-Soo was persecuting him through cowardly means, but those screams were merely empty shouts.

‘The security camera footage is gone?’ Ronaldo was shocked. Videos of him being attacked were being deleted. ‘I almost died so many times!’

Sitting on the toilet, Ronaldo felt something odd. Startled, he stood up to find eyes staring back at him from the toilet bowl. An Assassin was hiding in there.

“W-What are you doing?” Ronaldo shouted.

“People say that the Anus Destroyer from the Earth Server is the original. They’re wrong. I am the original Anus Destroyer.”

“D-Did someone hire you also?”

“No, I came here for my honor.”

At this point, Ronaldo was on the verge of neurosis. He wondered whether he had been happier when he had not been the number one Healer of the United States.

“Please... don’t kill me.”

The Assassins attacking him had only one demand: a formal apology and atonement directed at Chul-Soo.

Ronaldo went to Chul-Soo and kneeled. “I am so sorry... Please, make it stop.”

“What?”

“Assassins are swarming me day and night. I am facing attacks I never could have imagined. Not just Assassins, but Mages, Hypnotists, Spirit Mages, Tamers, and all kinds of madmen having various Jobs are tormenting me! I am truly sorry...!”

Jin-Hyeok tilted his head, puzzled. ‘That sounds... quite thrilling!’

***

Yolin savored a piece of chocolate, immersed in sheer bliss. “This is what life’s about!”

She had thought her previous job was the best there could ever be, but she discovered an even greater paradise here, thanks to Chul-Soo introducing her to the MK Foundation. Her daily tasks were simple: just study everything related to the history of Arvis. If anything special came up, she would note it down.

“And I have an unlimited budget!”

She could now indiscriminately purchase books that she had previously hesitated to buy due to their cost, something she could never have dreamed of at her old job. She was happy that she could indulge in her hobby to her heart’s content and receive a steady salary on top of that.

‘This is amazing!’ Enjoying her work(?) so much naturally led to a significant increase in her efficiency.

“Hm... Garbinu might not have been the Great Demon King from the start.”

According to most history books, Garbinu had been great from the beginning. However, the more she examined the records, the clearer it became that Garbinu had gained fame suddenly after a certain point in time. She gathered all the information she could, enjoying her hobby until she found herself at Jin-Hyeok’s house.

“You know, Garbinu, the sexiest, I mean the most respected Demon King in the history of the universe? The records are not precise, but it seems like Garbinu also devoted a lot of effort to nurturing a Guardian Tree. When you piece together the scattered records, it seems like Garbinu accidentally discovered some kind of powdery substance.”

“A powdery substance?”

Jin-Hyeok had started speaking informally to Yolin. She had begged him to, saying that since Jin-Hyeok was such a gracious boss that he should speak more comfortably to her.

“This is just my speculation. It was from that point that a massive Guardian Tree began to grow in Arvis,” Yolin explained.

“Perhaps it was a substance similar to the Spirit Stone I used?”

“Yes, but it wouldn’t be a Spirit Stone; there are records of Spirit Stones everywhere. It seems like the same method you used to grow the Guardian Tree. I think Garbinu used something similar to a Spirit Stone.”

Jin-Hyeok nodded. It seemed that Garbinu had a secretive method, other than Control Bugs or Spirit Stones, to grow the Guardian Tree.

Yolin overflowed with passion. “I will work hard! I will dedicate my life to the company!”

***

The Guardian Trees that had infused the entire Earth with hope and vitality had ceased their growth. In some cities, the Guardian Trees had completely dried up and withered.

[The Chul-Soo craze is now over.]

[Chul-Soo saving the Earth Server was all a hoax.]

As quickly as hope had flared up, it began to fade just as swiftly. Of course, not all views were negative.

-Soon, the medicine produced en masse in Arvis will be imported to Earth. We just have to hold on until then.

However,

-That may be true for developed countries.

-Will the medicine really reach the poor and powerless nations?

Divisions within Earth continued to emerge.

-Does Chul-Soo have no plan for this situation?

-In fact, this crisis is because of Chul-Soo.

Ronaldo had officially apologized to Chul-Soo, bowing his head, but the world was full of second and third Ronaldos. Some of them had presented different pieces of evidence and insights.

-Isn’t it Chul-Soo’s fault that the System had to rely on such drastic measures?

-None of this would have happened if Chul-Soo had not been here.

Even the Chul-Soo Landers across the universe found it difficult to track down and apprehend(?) anonymous individuals one by one.

Jin-Hyeok was not particularly stressed by people’s reactions. In fact, he was excited by the increased traffic drawn by the controversy. He appreciated learning about the diverse perspectives of many individuals in a single event. However, he felt ambitious about something.

‘The greatest Ruler in the history of the universe, Garbinu...’

Garbinu was universally acknowledged as the strongest Player. Before he knew it, Jin-Hyeok’s goal was no longer Egan Paul or Marshmallow but Garbinu. Being the strongest Streamer simply was not enough for him.

‘To surpass Garbinu, I need to at least be able to do everything that he could!’

Jin-Hyeok became very curious about the secret behind how Garbinu, in an era when technology was far less advanced, managed to grow a Great Golden Guardian Tree.

***

The Blacksmith of Jongno, the one-eyed giant Mulinus, shook his head in disbelief. “So you’re really having dinner with Chul-Soo.”

Katrina’s obsession was indeed terrifying.

“I thought you didn’t mess with heterosexuals?” Mulinus said.

“Who said I am going to do anything with him?” Katrina laughed heartily. His ample and sensuous pectorals quivered. “I just want to admire Chul-Soo. Imagine how ecstatic I would be, just having such a beautiful sculpture breathing in front of me?”

“...”

“It’s called being a fan. Don’t you get it?”

“Not at all.”

“Imagine having the world’s rarest, most beautiful, and purest black diamond right in front of you. Along with the legendary craftsman Toilon’s hammer!”

“Ah!” Finally, Mulinus understood what Katrina was talking about. He grinned with glazed eyes as he thought of a black diamond and Toilon’s hammer.

Leaving him behind, Katrina headed toward Yeonhui-dong. He was dressed in an eye-catching red dress. His figure was so voluptuous that the dress seemed on the verge of bursting. The red dress was clearly inadequate to contain his majestic muscles.

“Hohoho. I can’t believe I’m having dinner with you, Chul-Soo. It’s like a dream.”

“It’s just a dinner. Also, can I record us eating? Is it okay to show your face?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“Of course, just put a filter on it.”

“You mean the one that makes the face slimmer?”

“No! Make me look bigger! I want to show off my muscles! Ah, and! How long are you going to keep speaking formally and keep your distance? Haven’t we become much closer? You can be comfortable around me, Oppa!”

Jin-Hyeok nearly pulled out Miri in response but managed to suppress his anger as the conversation took a crucial turn.

“Ah, didn’t I mention? My family is filthy rich. How rich? I think we’re among the top in the universe. By the way, I have already donated about three million Dias to your livestream!”

Jin-Hyeok decided to forgive Katrina.

***

Jin-Hyeok found it odd that a craftsman with Katrina’s level of skill was sticking around on Earth, a new Server. According to Trituri, craftsmen with such expertise usually had to be booked months, if not years, in advance.

“I’m just here to enjoy my hobby on Earth,” Katrina said. He was indulging in his hobby, not working. He did not calculate profits and losses, and he only took reservations when he felt like it. “My family has been wealthy for generations. One of our ancestors amassed a huge fortune.”

“Really?”

“That’s why I contacted you again.”

Jin-Hyeok was puzzled. ‘What does Katrina’s family wealth have to do with me?’

“I thought that with all the attention focused on you, a Soul Stone might appear.”

“A Soul Stone?”

“Yeah, it’s a legendary but very rare mineral. Have you heard of it?”

“No, it’s the first time I’m hearing about it.”

“That makes sense. Probably only people from our family know about Soul Stones.”

“What is it?’

“I am not sure. Just that it’s what made our family one of the richest in the universe.”

Katrina knew two things about Soul Stones: They always appeared when a large number of people shared the same emotion, and Katrina’s family had become one of the wealthiest in the universe because of a Soul Stone.

“You know about Garbinu?” Katrina asked.

“I’ve been hearing that name quite a lot lately.”

“The sexiest Demon King in the universe. He was incredibly popular at the time. It is speculated that the collective admiration of his many fans might have led to the appearance of a Soul Stone,” Katrina chuckled. “I wonder what my family did with the Soul Stone that made us so rich.”

Considering both Yolin’s and Katrina’s words, Jin-Hyeok thought it was highly probable that Garbinu had used this Soul Stone as fertilizer for the Guardian Tree.

Jin-Hyeok’s eyes sparkled. ‘This is perfect content for my Eltube channel!’

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