Post-apocalyptic world with Bees

Chapter 58

“….”

The part about the Chinese server’s declaration of war.

Honestly, this was something Sung-hyuk expected.

The moment when the first auction was actually in progress.

He had been repeatedly threatened by the ‘Emperor’ and his minions, who seemed to be a Chinese powerhouse, in the 5-star+ room that he had entered with VVVIP status.

‘He seems to have a rather short temper.’

A war declared before the second auction house even opened.

The declaration of war was so abrupt that Sung-hyuk had some idea of what he was aiming for.

‘He’s probably planning to kill me before I can participate in the auction, and steal my items.’

Indeed, it’s a scheme that’s as obvious as eating a pheasant and then eating its eggs.¹

Even if they can’t kill Sung hyuk before the second auction house is hosted, it won’t matter.

The condition of the community message board.

They probably planned to turn him into a public enemy in Korea, but that’s a futile endeavor.

“There’s no one who hasn’t tried honey, but there’s no one who has only had it just once.”

Sunghyuk’s processed honey products.

It’s used as a substitute for potions and doping, and at the same time, some of the items have permanent stat boosts, as well as skin beautification and energizing effects.

As a result, most players have already been aware of its value.

Sung-hyuk.

Without Korea’s Honeybee, there is no future for growth.

In short, Sung-hyuk has become something Korea can’t afford to lose.

【Korea/Green Bean: Calm down, everyone! This is just a propaganda campaign by China to sway public opinion against us. Don’t fall for it!】

【Korea/Earthenware Collector : We need Honeybee’s goods to deal with China, regardless of whether they’re used for killing or eating.】

As if trying to prove that point?

Several figures from South Korea’s previously “official” rankings have come out in defense of Sung-hyuk, highlighting that now is the time to band their support.

Of course, their support for Sung hyuk didn’t come for free.

【Korea/Green Bean : Given the situation, Honeybee. I know it’s a bit rude, but given the situation, I was wondering if you could keep the sales of honey processed products only in Korea for a while. You can leave the price unchanged, but it would be a huge blow to us if our precious supplies were to go to China or other servers.】

Sung hyuk wants to be a major distributor of honey, not only because he’s a beekeeper who collects it, but also because he makes amazing honey products.

This could be seen as a request and a ‘threat’ at the same time.

Honestly, from a business owner’s perspective, it would have been quite off-putting, but Sung-hyuk saw it differently.

” ……Is this laying the groundwork?”

A way to completely wipe out the bad public opinion that was still attached to Sung-hyuk.

In a way, it’s actually quite simple.

A Merchant.

In the world of old, when it comes to selling exclusive items, one way to gain favor with the masses is to give a so-called ” preferential treatment” to a certain client country.

“We can’t beat China in population, so we have to beat them in quality.”

It is common knowledge that China is a country with a large population.

Therefore, in order to compete with such a large population, the only way to counter it is to put quality over quantity.

Moreover, in the current world, having a large population is not necessarily an advantage.

Though there is an Emperor now, there must be many people somewhere in China who do not follow the Emperor’s will.

*Weing~~* *Buuzzz!!*

*BuZzZz!!*

Sung-hyuk’s beekeeping farm, on the other hand, is home to a legion of beautiful bees who always prioritize his well-being, with more than 100,000 bees being born every day.

In other words, the odds are stacked in his favor.

Therefore, Sung-hyuk decided to willingly utilize the groundwork laid by Greenbean, officially known as the top-ranked player in Korea by Neatfreak.

【Korea/Honeybee: China’s actions and words are simply absurd. I just bought something with my legitimately earned coins, and you want to control it? I have no intention of selling my processed goods to anyone who is hostile to me, so I will not sell to China when registering on the exchange.】

The weight carried in the statement of a merchant choosing their customers for sales.

Unsurprisingly, Sung-hyuk’s post was met with outrage from many Chinese players, who vowed to rip him to shreds, and cheers from Korean players.

But Sung-hyuk has no intention of letting the issue die down.

Even if the Korean players are “qualitatively” stronger, it’s impossible for them to win against the Chinese.

The solution is simple.

“There’s no business before the grave.”

Form an alliance with a large number of servers and get their support, rather than 1:1 between China and Korea.

Of course, Sung-hyuk knows that in reality, it is not an easy task.

After all, no one wants to be the next target of the Chinese server by doing something rash.

However, for Sung-hyuk, there were means by which he could coax them in his own way.

______________________________

[Guardian’s Seokcheong Tricolor Honey Wine (★★★★+)]

※ Aging Period Remaining 30 Days ( When the aging period is complete, the toxic effect will be neutralized and the effect of the wine will be adjusted accordingly).

* Category: Consumable

* When consumed, the user regains 6,000 (+1,000) Health and Mana instantly, along with an incredible energy boost and a full satiety. In addition, the user is infused with the ‘Guardian’s Aura of Seokcheong Tri-color Honey Wine’ and all stats are permanently increased by 3 for a single consumption. Consumption to Date 0 / 1

※ Guardian’s Aura of the Seokcheong Tricolor Honey Wine: Increases Max Health and Max Mana by 3,000 (+500) and all stats by 30 (+5) for 6 hours (cooldown 24 hours)

* As a side effect of fusing the Guardian’s keywords, the effects of Seokcheong Tricolor Honey Wine are further increased.

* Description: This is a ★★★★+ grade seokcheong tricolor honey wine engraved with the Guardian’s keyword. The harmony of three types of honey and the richly energizing seokcheong gives it a sweet and premium taste. However, as its toxicity has not yet been neutralized properly, there is a high possibility of side effects such as pain when consumed, and due to its rich energy, continuous consumption is restricted.

※ Warning: Stacking of the same line of seokcheong buffs is not allowed.

______________________________

Needless to say, it’s the bee’s way of life: Honey.

As previously stated.

There’s not a person who hasn’t had honey, and certainly nobody who has only eaten it once.

Players on the Asian servers have already been introduced to Sung-hyuk’s honey through the first auction house and have been buying and eating it ever since.

As such, the next step is pretty much decided.

【Korea/Honeybee: As you can see, I’m currently capable of making 4-star+ ranked crafted items, and I have a variety of other crafted items for sale, including this one.】

…..!

A 4-star+ rated consumable.

Sung-hyuk’s behavior of selling an item with such a huge impact.

The community bulletin board, to put it mildly, is boiling over to the point where calling it overheated would not be an exaggeration.

People accused him of lying and asked how a player could give away such an item.

And that the Asian servers shouldn’t lose players who could make such things.

The situation is going according to Sung-hyuk’s plan.

In the midst of it all, Sung-hyuk decided to drop a nuclear warhead that could cause even more chaos,

“Fair judgment. May I ask for your kind favor, Transcendents?”

[The Transcendent Being, the Great Golden Goblin Lord Macherti smiles, baring his golden teeth saying that this looks like fun, and just leave it to him.]

[Transcendent Being, Dimensional Shifter Blanqui nods that he’ll keep an eye on it].

[Transcendent Being, Zion the Forbearer gives you a sly glance].

…..

[Successfully satisfied the conditions for granting a Quest -> Agreement of 3 or more Transcendents, and 150,000 Coins Fee]

[The event quest, Honey Bee’s Reward, has been granted to all players on Asian servers (Excluding Chinese Server)].

______________________________

[Announcement]

※ If you accumulate a lot of points, I’ll reward you with a lot of honey, so you don’t forget. And if I die, you’ll never get to eat these honeys again!

[Event Quest: Honey Bee’s Reward]

※ This quest can be canceled at any time.

* When hunting Chinese server players, you will receive a certain amount of points depending on the level of the target.

* Penalty – When hunting Korean server players, a certain amount of points will be reduced depending on the level of the target. However, the effect does not apply if the target is Evil.

* Duration: End of War

※ The players ranked 1 to 1,000 who earn the most points within the duration period will receive the specified rewards.

* 1st Place: Guardian’s Seokcheong Tri-colored Honey Wine (★★★★+)

* 2nd to 5th place: Choice of Guardian’s Tri-colored Honey Dark Galehound Honey Tea (★★★★-) & Guardian’s Tri-colored Honey Dark Galehound Propolis Cosmetics (★★★★-)

* 6th – 100th: Guardian’s Rubigem Royal Jelly Pills (★★)

……

______________________________

As it turns out, event quests aren’t limited to Server Admins.

‘I suppose the Transcendents don’t want me to die either.’

Sunghyuk had been informed that players can do this as long as they can pay the fees and rewards as well as the consensus of many Transcendents.

Thanks to this information, Sung-hyuk realized that he wasn’t limited to simply engaging in combat directly,

In a world where one never knows who will be an ‘enemy’ or an ‘ally’ in the future, Sung-hyuk decided to utilize this feature.

【Korea/Honeybee: I look forward to the cooperation of many Asian servers excluding China.】

Using barbarians to control barbarians²

The strategy of “using one enemy to control another” is often employed in dealing with powerful adversaries.

And promoting a new product in the form of tastings featuring Seokcheong Honey Wine and Tricolor honey tea.

“It’s always better to sacrifice less and gain more.”

What could be more fuel efficient and effective than this?

* * * read in darkstar translation * * *

A small ball fired by Honeybee.

When it hit the community board on the Asian server.

Players from all over the Asian server went into a frenzy.

【Pakistan/ISIricom: Is this a real thing? Was it possible for players to give quests?】

【Philippines/Lauduria: Do you now realize it? I do now.】

【Japan/Isekai: Wow, so what happens now?】

The first initial reaction is one of surprise that a player is giving them a “Quest” for the first time.

But what follows is a ripple that goes far beyond that surprise.

【Mongolia/Running Horse: But the reasoning of the China Server. Isn’t that a bit strange? If that logic holds, how can they guarantee they won’t invade other places after conquering the Korean server?】

【India/Curry Priest: ……Surely, once they’ve been through one war, it’s easier to start a second one.】

【Japan/Sword of Science Hasegi: lol Come to think of it, if Korea collapses, we’ll be in danger too, right?】

Until recently, it was possible to ignore it because it was between Korea and China, as they were someone else’s problem.

However, it is easy to do things a second time after having done it once.

Moreover, the reasoning behind the Emperor’s declaration of war in this case was rather simple, in a sense.

Certainly, once a war has been fought, there should be after-effects, whether large or small, but it’s different in a world like this.

Being able to kill a large number of players.

In the context of the game system here, it could be summarized as engaging in binge leveling.

And most of all…….

【Korea/Attention Seeker No. 2: And don’t forget, if Honeybee dies, you can’t eat processed honey again. Can you cope with that?】

【Korea/Best Woman: Honey and bee’s plump bodies are the best, everyone!】

【India/I live for Curry and die for Curry: Oh, I can’t stand that.】

【Pakistan/Hidden strength of Dangmu: LOL】

A processed honey product with the keyword of Guardian, which will not be available again if Honeybee dies.

As soon as the Asian servers realized this, they began to formulate their own responses to China.

** ** **

TL/N:

1. Sung-hyuk being the pheasant and eggs his items.

2. Korean term “이이제이” (pronounced as “i-i-je-i”) It is derived from the Chinese idiom “以夷制夷” (yǐ yí zhì yí), which translates to “using the barbarians’ methods to control the barbarians.