Episode 85. Self-proclaimed No. 1 in Korea
“But is there any reason why they want to hold the Colosseum season qualifiers in their own country while offering this amount of money?”
Baekjun asked Tak Namgyu about the questions that came to his mind.
“As far as I know, even bin Nasir would not use this amount of money for personal hobby… .”
“It’s impossible.”
If you have the wealth of Bin Nasir, there is no problem even if you waste tens of billions, or even hundreds of billions, per day on personal hobbies.
However, the amount proposed by bin Nasir this time is so enormous that it is barely noticeable. So it was a problem.
“I heard this from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and they said that the reason bin Nasir wants to host the preliminary round at the Colosseum is because of strong political intentions.”
Tak Nam-gyu began to honestly explain to Baek Jun.
“Recently, when bin Nasir ascended to the throne, there was a lot of purge of opposition.”
“I heard that too. It is said that both sides hired S-class or higher hunters to fight for the throne.”
“It’s famous.”
The mercenaries who participated in the battle for the Saudi throne at the time were remarkable.
At this time, there was a rumor going around that if the mercenaries who participated joined forces, it would be worth fighting with the United States.
“But during this purge, we killed too many hunters who were popular with the Saudi people. In particular, it was significant that Ziyad, who was gaining national popularity, was purged simply because he was an opposition mercenary.”
“Ah, so I deliberately wanted to divert people’s attention… .”
“that’s right. “It is one of the means to bring back public sentiment, which has currently fallen to rock bottom.”
“It’s similar to the Korean government’s situation a few years ago.”
Tak Nam-gyu smiled bitterly at Baek Jun’s continued words.
In fact, the current president also went through a similar process as bin Nasir.
He, who was prime minister at the time, naturally ascended to the position of president after the former president died mysteriously.
Public sentiment was extremely negative as rumors spread that he may have been assassinated in order to ascend to the presidency. There were even signs of rebellion.
The method adopted by the current president to appease public sentiment was to widely promote the shocking program called ‘Colosseum Survival’ that Baek Jun was planning.
At that time, the criminal hunters who believed only in their own strength and acted as if they were not doing anything were very troublesome.
In an atmosphere where life was disregarded due to the monster upheaval, they looked down on those who could not become hunters and committed major crimes.
The government caught them and punished them harshly, but the number of criminals only continued to increase.
And ‘Colosseum’ appeared like a comet.
A program that gathers together criminal hunters and makes them kill each other, and makes those who survive dedicate their lives to the country.
At first, everyone was opposed to the fact that images of people dying gruesomely were being shown on public TV, but as soon as the program started, it gained near-syndromic popularity and all controversies died down.
As a result, the president was able to turn the criticism directed at him at the Colosseum, and later, with indifference, he eliminated all opposition within government departments, completely eliminating the seeds of rebellion.
Baekjun’s words now implicitly contained such past processes.
Soon, Tak Nam-gyu wiped the smile from his mouth and warned in a solemn voice.
“Watch your mouth. This is inside the Korean government building. I don’t mind saying that in private, but… .”
“sorry. “I will be careful.”
Baekjun lowered his head as if he understood. He didn’t know when he might be bugged, so there was no harm in being careful.
Looking at him, Tak Nam-gyu returned to the original topic he was talking about.
“Anyway, we plan to mobilize all the Hunter Department’s power until bin Nasir leaves Korea again. “This is an order given by the President, so I can’t do anything about it.”
“Of course you should.”
It would be even more strange if the world’s greatest financier, who would bring enormous profits to the government and not just other people, was visiting Korea, and there was no security guard at the national level.
“Still, it has been decided that on-site command will be left to you, so you don’t have to go through the trouble of reporting through me.”
“That’s really good news.”
“Do you know how much I suffered in front of you, President, to get this authority?”
“Thank you very much, Minister.”
“What are you thankful for? If you see it, just say it… huh?”
At that time, Tak Nam-gyu and Baek Jun’s heads naturally turned to the window next to them when they heard a loud noise coming from afar.
“The players have arrived.”
The sight of multiple transport planes flying from the distant sky came into view.
* * *
It was just after noon when the transport plane carrying the survivors from the second round of the preliminary round arrived at its destination, the Hunter Department.
As the transport aircraft unit arrived, the large doors of the underground landing pad near the Hunter Department building began to open wide.
The transport planes began to descend inside the door in the order in which they arrived first.
After landing on the ground and dropping off the participants, the transport planes then ran down the road and moved to the parking lot ahead.
The transport plane Jinseong Kim was on was the last to enter the underground landing pad.
Soon Kim Jin-seong and the participants got off the transport plane.
“Go to the warp magic circle behind the countryside!”
Without even having time to look around for a moment, I followed the agent’s prompting instructions and walked to the huge warp magic circle where hundreds of participants were already waiting.
All the participants who were waiting looked at Kim Jin-seong.
However, only one person caught Kim Jin-seong’s eyes.
‘Shin Woong… .’
Shinwoong, a young man with a sturdy physique, is looking at himself with sharp eyes.
The blood-covered face seen in the highlight video seemed to overlap with his present-day appearance.
[Let’s leave. Everyone, don’t move.]
As soon as all participants got on the magic circle, an announcement was heard, and at the same time, wow! With the sound of mana ringing, the magic circle emitted dazzling light.
At the same time, a thick mana curtain surrounded the more than 400 participants and the elite agents of the Hunter Department who surrounded them.
However, within a few seconds, the mana curtain stopped vibrating and disappeared in an instant.
The warp is complete.
‘This place… ?’
It was at that time that Kim Jin-seong turned his head to figure out where the changed environment was.
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“Waaaa!!”
Suddenly, thunderous cheers erupted from all directions.
The startled participants looked in all directions.
“It’s Kim Jin-seong!!”
“Aaaah!! Jinseong oppa!!”
“It’s Shinwoong! Shinwoong is over there!”
“Wow, look at Kim Jin-seong’s youth. You’re really young… !”
Cheers and screams were constantly heard from the high stands surrounding the participants on all sides.
Many people, regardless of gender or age, were screaming in the large audience.
‘… What is this?’
When Jinseong Kim was confused by a completely unexpected situation.
[Nice to see you again, Colosseum Survival participants.]
The participants began to hear an announcement that echoed throughout the venue.
[This is Jang Seung-wook, Vice President of Colosseum Survival. First of all, we sincerely congratulate all of you who passed the second round of the preliminary round.
Do you know where you are standing?]
None of the participants currently standing did not know the answer to Jang Seung-wook’s question.
This was because the words ‘Jamsil Colosseum Arena’ were written directly above the huge electronic display board in front.
[This is the Jamsil Coliseum arena, where you will risk your lives in a match a week later.
Please take this opportunity to take your time and look around this place, which may be your last.]
‘A week later… .’
[And the people currently in the audience are grateful people who came to see us after hearing about your arrival.
Please say hello to the audience.]
Despite Jang Seung-wook’s words, there were only a few people who readily waved their hands.
Everyone was so nervous that they didn’t even have time to wave their hands.
‘Wow, Mr. ‘A lot of people have really gathered.’
‘I don’t think the stands are even half full yet, but if the atmosphere is already like this, when 100,000 people are full… ?’
‘I wonder if I can fight properly in front of the audience because this is burdensome… ?’
‘Have you seen these bastards, really!’
The participants were looking around the audience with various expressions. Most of them had faces with a look of confusion on their faces.
Kim Jin-seong looked at the audience with a complicated face. But then he raised his hand and started waving it.
“Aaaah!!”
“He waved at me!!”
Kim Jin-seong even smiles and waves to the crowd cheering for him.
Unlike before, it looked very natural.
‘This was also done in Fight Club.’
There may be no other reason for putting the participants in front of the audience. It was like the actions of merchants promoting things before selling them in earnest.
Kim Jin-seong planned to take full advantage of that. Colosseum was a program that had a high probability of helping Kim Jin-seong increase her viewer ratings.
In that case, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring popularity and public sentiment.
When Kim Jin-seong was making such calculations.
Unmanned cameras installed throughout the stadium were continuously filming Kim Jin-sung’s appearance.
The images captured on camera were immediately broadcast live on TV around the world.
* * *
The participants walked out of the stadium to the enthusiastic cheers of the audience.
The group moved along the underground passage inside the building and arrived at the first basement level of the ‘Colosseum Hotel’ right next to the stadium.
“Welcome, everyone.”
Jang Seung-wook, who had been waiting in advance, stood on the podium and greeted them.
Soon, as the participants lined up roughly, Seungwook Jang winked at the employee next to him.
Then an employee held the microphone on the podium and spoke.
“From now on, we will allocate rooms for you to stay in until the third round of the preliminary round is over. We would appreciate it if agents could guide the named participants directly to their assigned rooms.”
He started calling me while looking at the file document he was holding.
“Kim Hyun-soo, room 701. Lee Ji-seong, room 702. Song Seung-hwan, Room 703… .”
Agents taking participants to the elevator as their names are called one by one.
Kim Jin-seong, who kept hearing his name called, was able to realize one thing.
‘We are being assigned from the lowest floor.’
Jinseong Kim looked at the floor information board near the entrance in the distance.
His eyes caught what was labeled hotel rooms starting from the 7th floor.
The staff continued to assign rooms to participants one by one, starting from the 7th floor.
As time passed, on the first basement floor, where over 400 people had been standing, only about 10 people remained.
‘… ‘These are all familiar faces.’
Kim Jin-seong thought so after seeing the faces of the remaining participants.
Only the most popular stars of the current season 12, who had made a strong impression from the first round of the preliminary round, remained here.
“Shinwoong.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to Shinwoong as the employee called him.
“No. 2940.”
Kim Jin-seong’s eyes immediately turned back to the floor information board at the room number he mentioned.
‘… ‘It’s the top floor?’
Since the rooms were listed as being from the 7th to the 29th floor, Shinwoong was assigned to the highest floor room.
It was completely opposite to the other participants who had been assigned from the lower level up until now.
“Next, Hanmir. No. 2939.”
The remaining participants all seemed to be assigned to the 29th floor.
After everyone moved toward the elevator, only Kim Jinseong’s turn was left.
“Kim Jin-seong… .”
“Ah, I will guide this person myself.”
Jang Seung-wook cuts off the employee who was just about to call his name.
He immediately came down to the podium and stood in front of Kim Jin-seong.
“Please follow me.”
Soon Kim Jin-seong walked behind Jang Seung-wook in the opposite direction of the elevator.
The two stopped in front of the elevator that had ‘VIP only’ written on it.
Two fully armed Hunter Department agents who were standing guard appeared to move out of the way as soon as Kim Jin-seong and others arrived.
Soon the elevator door opened, and Jang Seung-wook, who was inside, pressed the button for the 30th floor.
’30th floor?’
Just as Kim Jin-seong was wondering, the elevator, with the door closed, began to go up at a very fast speed.
Waiting for Kim Jin-seong and others who quickly arrived at the 30th floor were fully armed Hunter Department agents standing on tight guard.
Following their guidance, Jang Seung-wook walked to the end of the hallway with Kim Jin-seong and knocked on the door of room number 3001.
‘What kind of room is this?’
Jinseong Kim looked around with a puzzled look.
He noticed that there were no rooms in the long hallway except room 3001.
At that time, the sound of the door opening was heard.
“welcome. “You can go this way.”
Following the guidance of a beautiful woman who looked like a secretary, the two walked into the room.
When Jinseong Kim walked into a room that looked larger, more luxurious, and more cozy than any room he had ever seen in his life.
“Here.”
Jinseong Kim’s head turned when he heard a familiar voice coming from the living room.
The protagonist of the voice, Baekjun, was sitting in front of an antique table with someone.
‘… uh?!’
Jinseong Kim’s eyes widened when he saw the gray-haired old man next to Baekjun.
Because it was a face he was familiar with.
“Let me introduce you. This is Kim Jin-seong, a season 12 contestant. And this one… .”
“Nice to meet you.”
The old man interrupted Baek Jun and stood up.
He extended his hand towards Kim Jin-seong, who could not erase his surprised expression.
“The Daehan Clan Master, he is called Yonghangil.”
About clan.
The strongest clan in Korea, and the only clan currently representing Korea in the New World.
Yong Han-gil, the master there and acknowledged by everyone as the strongest hunter in Korea, was reaching out to shake hands with Kim Jin-seong.
fantasy,
