Fired Characters from an Idle Game

38. That’s Tempering – (1)

[Outbreak of the Rift has ended.]

[Strengthen your stronghold through the calamities you have subjugated.]

[Time remaining until the next outbreak: 13d 23h]

The fourth outbreak was over.

I couldn’t even feign that there was no damage. Though a 4-Star Calamity hadn’t been involved, the scale was larger compared to the third outbreak, and most of all, the Awakened hadn’t been fully prepared.

There were a considerable number of civilian casualties as well.

The blame for this would naturally be directed at the Awakened Management Bureau.

However, our shrewd Bureau Chief Yoo Jun-seo had already prepared a means to evade his responsibility.

[4K] S-Rank Awakened Yongwang Nam Ju-yeon #Seoul4thOutbreak #Fancam

A vertically oriented video, the kind you’d see from idol videos, was uploaded to the Management Bureau’s official channel—newly created, no less.

The response was, of course, explosive.

Watching the ten million views rack up in an instant, I sighed.

“Damn it.”

Was this situation exactly what Seo Yerin’s media play had been aiming for?

“Hahaha. No need for idols here. Nam Jooyeon, you got some seriously cool shots, huh?”

Kang Sena exploded with laughter as she watched the video. No wonder the Management Bureau was so specific about the outfits.

I sighed. If I stayed silent, Kang Sena would probably start reading the comments aloud, so I quickly got to the point.

“So, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

“Yes. I heard from Yerin. You want to know about the situation in China?”

As if she hadn’t been teasing me just a moment ago, Kang Sena spun her chair around and placed her hands on the keyboard.

She seemed to be reviewing recent reports. Kang Sena, who had been idly playing with her hands, suddenly spoke.

“But why are you suddenly curious about China’s situation?”

Here, I had a pretty good excuse.

Without batting an eyelash, I replied.

“Actor.”

“Actor?”

“I roughly learned that Actor, the Lord of the Abyss, is scheming something in China.”

Not lying.

In reality, Actor, the Lord of the Abyss, was currently eyeing an opportunity to extend his influence into China.

“How did you know that?”

“Well, I tracked him. Through every calamity I possess.”

It was a convenient excuse, but it usually worked.

Moreover, since Seo Yerin’s rescue, Kang Sena had been a staunch ally who unconditionally believed in me.

Without asking further questions, she stroked her chin and explained.

“Actually, there isn’t much interaction between the Chinese Public Security Bureau and the Korean Awakened Management Bureau. With the world in this state, we can’t exactly have peaceful chats like in the old days, can we?”

“That’s true.”

Apparently, most countries were implementing 21st-century isolationist policies.

Even in the most remote rural areas of our country, internet access was unavailable.

Thanks to Melon Musk, some information exchange was happening in a few remote locations, but even that was limited. In China’s information society, represented by the Golden Shield Project, no meaningful information was leaking out.

“For the Management Bureau, the only way to understand the situation in China is to contact citizens residing there or infer the situation from media reports. But, considering China’s characteristics, we can’t simply trust the media, can we?”

“True, that’s a place that can reduce millions of casualties to just hundreds.”

“You’ve nailed it. So, the best way to understand the current situation in China is to ask someone directly involved.”

“The party in question?”

I echoed, and Kang Sena grinned, continuing.

“Nam Juyeon-ssi, I told you before, didn’t I? That the scouts from every nation, all looking to poach an S-Class Awakened, are already here in the country.”

“…Don’t tell me.”

“Yes. That ‘don’t tell me’ is precisely what it is. A Chinese scout? They’d come running at a moment’s notice if we asked.”

Kang Sena wore an expression like she was plotting a mischievous prank.

“Speaking of which, shall we get right to it?”

Kang Sena pushed her chair aside and sat down in front of the computer.

“What are you planning to do?”

“We need to spread bait. Bait that a Chinese scout would snatch up in an instant.”

“Bait?”

“Truthfully, I’ve pretty much pinpointed the accounts of scouts from other countries. And there’s something I do on the side, you see. Scouts are absolutely ravenous for information on Awakened in the country. Pays pretty well, too.”

“…Isn’t that leaking internal classified information?”

“Oh my, since when did you become such a fervent patriot?”

Kang Sena quipped back.

In any case, she was a woman of far greater resourcefulness than I’d imagined.

Kang Sena accessed some sort of clandestine internet page and, under an anonymous account, spread a rumor that S-Class Awakened Nam Juyeon was dissatisfied with the treatment from the South Korean government and desired a transfer.

With the implication that payment was required for detailed information.

I watched the process silently before cautiously opening my mouth.

“But won’t the government or the Bureau be troubled if this news reaches them? Especially if Yu Junseo hears about it, he might have a heart attack.”

“That’s not something Nam Juyeon-ssi needs to worry about. Nor I, for that matter.”

“Don’t you think you… lack a bit of respect for your superiors, Kang Sena-ssi?”

“Try working under him just once. See if your temper doesn’t flare. Besides, that Yu Junseo, he’s brimming with the intent to use Nam Juyeon-ssi in collaboration with the South Korean government. Doesn’t that make you feel wronged?”

“Well, sure, I do feel a bit wronged, but given the circumstances…”

“Nam Juyeon-ssi, you’re just… too kind, should I say? Or too docile…”

Kang Sena sighed deeply as she spoke.

“If I may be so bold as to offer some advice, Nam Juyeon-ssi needs to recognize that her value is far greater than she thinks. Two 4-Star Calamities, no less. Not the sort of talent that a mere country can bind, you know? You need to brace yourself. There are even countries around the world where Awakened have become the ruling class, you know.”

“Hmm.”

Even saying all that…

Could I, who until recently had barely scraped by with part-time jobs, truly take such a bold step?

“Well, you’ll come to understand through this matter.”

From Kang Sena’s words, an implicit hope radiated that Yu Junseo would suffer severely.

How long had passed like that?

“Ah, a reply. It seems I was being watched closely.”

Sowing bait for the Chinese scout was not difficult.

The b*stard took the bait.

A message arrived with knife-like precision from one account.

[Lao Ying: Can we meet right away and talk?]

“Lao Ying?”

“It means ‘Old Eagle’. What will you do? Shall I accompany you?”

“No. I’m fine alone.”

“Security personnel…”

“You know I dislike such things.”

Kang Sena chuckled and nodded. After exchanging a few messages with Lao Ying, she handed me a sticky note detailing the exact time and place.

“Thank you.”

“No thanks are necessary. I am forever in Nam Juyeon’s debt.”

Wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap pulled low, I emerged into a shadowed alley.

Since the world had fallen to this state, places of business like restaurants were practically nonexistent, so the meeting place with the Chinese scout was a desolate park.

And as expected, the person I was to meet had already arrived.

“…Are you Anonymous-024?”

“Lao Ying? You speak Korean?”

“A little.”

A plain-looking man wearing a black beanie approached and extended his hand.

Judging by his awkward accent, he seemed to be a Joseonjok.*

Well, as long as we can communicate, it hardly matters.

I shrugged, settled onto a nearby bench, and slightly lowered my sunglasses.

“…You, Nam Juyeon!”

Perhaps because of Seo Yerin’s video, my face was already familiar to him.

The man, Lao Ying, yelled in startled surprise, but hastily clamped his hand over his mouth, lest he be overheard.

*Joseonjok: Korean-Chinese

He likely hadn’t anticipated an actual S-Rank Awakened appearing before him, either.

“Now, now, Old Vulture. Let’s not get loud, shall we? Making things difficult for each other will only complicate matters.”

“Y-yes, of course.”

Already, he was addressing me with polite honorifics.

“Before we discuss the contract, I’d like to know about the situation in China.”

“China… the situation?”

“If I’m to enter into a smooth agreement, shouldn’t I be informed of just how dangerous things are over there?”

“We should review the contract first…”

“No, that’s beside the point. I set the procedure.”

“….”

The scout wore a dumbfounded expression.

Could it be he hadn’t expected me to take such a high-handed approach?

But as Kang Sena had said, in most cases, I hold all the cards.

[5★ Scorched Saintess Selene has activated Skill 「Ink-Black Shroud」.]

Furthermore, even if this man, going by the handle Laoying, were to try something, Selene is nearby, shadowing me with her Concealment skill. Mirian would be watching me like a hawk from atop the Tower too.

There are no elements of risk.

Perhaps that’s why. My tone became naturally informal. Overwhelmed by this, the scout stammered.

“To be honest… the situation isn’t good. We’re desperately short on Awakened manpower… and recently, a number of incidents have compounded the problem….”

“Right. I heard about the three 4-Star Calamities that appeared last time. They flattened, what, two cities? Millions dead, they say.”

“Actually, even that… was a heavily doctored report. The actual death toll is four times higher than that….”

Meaning nearly half the population of Korea had perished.

I couldn’t help but exhale a sigh at the scale of it all, bigger than I had anticipated.

“Wait, doesn’t China have its own S-Rank Awakened? How did that much damage happen with them around? Or are they assigned to another region? Considering the land mass is so vast?”

“…Uh, well…”

The scout’s face turned ashen.

The way he was looking around, trying to gauge the room, was suspicious.

He was definitely hiding something. I grabbed him by the collar.

“If you don’t tell me the truth right now, I’ll hand you over to the Management Bureau.”

“Wh-what! There was no mention of that!”

“I’m mentioning it now. The procedure is whatever I want it to be. Of course, throwing you into a Management Bureau cell counts as a procedure. Call it entrapment?”

“…Ugh…”

Lao Ying rolled his eyes, seemingly replaying the moment he’d tried to shake me off and flee.

But I had already manipulated the Status Window, calling forth the 3-Star Calamity, the Faded Wraith, Lucyben.

The instant he saw the Calamity, he gave up easily.

“…The Awakened one, he’s the problem.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Codename: Long Yan. China’s only 4-Star holder. The nation pours resources into him…”

The scout trailed off.

I frowned and gestured at Lucyben. The Wraith drew a semi-transparent blade from within its form.

“Ah, no, I’ll talk! I’ll talk, just…”

“Then get to it.”

The scout squeezed his eyes shut and blurted out.

“J-Just recently! Long Yan suddenly defected!”

“Defected?”

“Yes! He suddenly slaughtered all the Public Security Bureau guards assigned to him… and then, along with a flock of strange crows, he devastated the city…”

“…The reason? Do you know the reason?”

“I don’t know the details. But… I heard from Public Security Bureau… that his face wasn’t human anymore. Like he was some kind of puppet…”

Only one name came to mind.

A Great Calamity specialized in stealth, tracking, interrogation, and brainwashing.

Karne, the Harbinger Mother.

“…Tch.”

I frowned.

It seemed the situation was more serious than I’d anticipated.