Chapter 63
Intermediate God Lee Shin (2)
“I can’t believe he actually won.”
The status-window administrator of Earth No. 1, Lee Shin’s world, smiled in disbelief.
‘Does Lord Lee Shin realize just how incredible this is?’
A Lower God had defeated a Mid-High-Tier God.
And his opponent had been an Evil God, a type of god possessing an overwhelming advantage in World Collisions between lower-ranking gods.
To compare it to a sport on Earth, it was as if an elementary-school soccer team had faced a World Cup national team—and won. The fact that such a match had been arranged in the first place was absurd, yet the elementary-school team had somehow emerged victorious!
‘How much will his worlds grow because of this...?’
Even before this, the worlds Lee Shin possessed had been far too advanced to belong to a mere Lower God. But now, he truly had no rivals at his level.
The dwarves, descendants of the ancient Dwarves, were a race whose attributes were disproportionately concentrated in production. As the price for this advantage, their world had been saddled with penalties such as [Cramped Territory], [Insufficient Resources], [Barren Land], [Poor Coordination], and [Insignificant Combat Power].
That was the result of the law of balance governing the World of Stars.
But those penalties had now become meaningless.
‘With the dwarves’ production capacity, it won’t be long before the new territory is covered in buildings. Once the Day of the Lord arrives, Lord Lee Shin will invest a tremendous amount of divine power and construct Great Buildings. His father will devise an exceptionally efficient and innovative tech tree. Once that happens....’
A vast world and explosive production capacity.
Even if the population skyrocketed as the world expanded, they would have no difficulty securing food. They had druids capable of producing a virtually infinite food supply.
And that was not all. They also possessed an undead legion that could be worked endlessly without rest. Even their military weakness had now been resolved because the Ironmen, who possessed optimal synergy with the dwarves, had been absorbed into the small world.
Was this truly the same world that had been facing annihilation at the hands of the Governor Event until recently?
‘At this point, I should be worried about higher-ranking gods trying to suppress him.’
It sounded absurd for the world of a mere Intermediate God to worry about being suppressed. Worlds that grew explosively over time, like Lee Shin’s, were occasionally subjected to such interference—but that normally happened only among gods belonging to the unequivocally higher ranks.
Nevertheless, the status-window administrator believed the concern was justified.
The potential of Lee Shin’s worlds was simply that overwhelming.
‘I should conceal them properly so higher-ranking gods can’t come and observe them. From now on, I’ll treat them as the main threat and help Lord Lee Shin accordingly.’
Some might have accused her of overreacting.
But there was one reason the status-window administrator thought this way.
‘Gods at a similar level won’t pose any threat anyway.’
What if gods of a “similar level” picked a fight with Lee Shin’s world just as it was beginning to gather momentum?
‘They’ll all follow Beliar into oblivion.’
She was certain of it.
If a collision occurred, Lee Shin’s side would not be the one that needed to worry.
“He’s still on his way?”
“Yes. He said he would be a little late.”
“Hmph. Does he have some urgent business to attend to?”
Hunter Association Chairman Yoon Suil spoke irritably.
“Perhaps he’s planning to arrive after sunrise.”
Anyone could tell that he was being sarcastic.
“....”
Manager Kim Dongseok could only feel uncomfortable.
‘He looks quite displeased.’
The reason Dawn Management had arranged this meeting was simple.
The Fifth Cycle was approaching.
‘The stove league season is almost here.’
The stove league.
The term originated in American professional baseball and referred to the off-season between the end of one season and the beginning of the next. Some people also used the soccer term “preseason,” but “stove league season” was more commonly used in the hunter industry.
There was one reason hunters, despite not being professional athletes, had their own stove league season.
The danger posed by rifts increased every five years. In accordance with that pattern, the public divided the rift eras into the First Cycle, Second Cycle, and so on. In the hunter industry, each five-year cycle was called a season, and most hunters signed contracts on a seasonal basis.
In other words, their contracts lasted five years.
Soon, it would be 2025.
With the beginning of the Fifth Cycle approaching, countless hunters around the world now had to decide whether to renew their contracts with their current countries or organizations—or transfer elsewhere in exchange for better terms.
Before a new cycle began, a fierce but bloodless war took place.
‘I hope nothing happens this time.’
Whenever stove league season approached, incidents and accidents erupted like annual traditions.
Perhaps that was only natural.
Even in sports, fans of various teams burned with rage when their clubs performed poorly during the stove league season. And no one died simply because their team lost a sporting match.
But what happened when a country failed during the hunter industry’s stove league season?
The entire nation was thrown into chaos.
Without competent hunters, a country could not respond to rifts.
And if it could not respond to rifts, people died.
Not metaphorically.
They literally died.
The presence or absence of powerful hunters was directly connected to survival.
In this changed world, hunters were national power.
If a rift opened and a country could not respond, it had to borrow hunters from another nation. Since only hunters could stop rifts, the country requesting aid could not refuse, no matter how high a price the other nation demanded in exchange for saving its people.
And if no one agreed to help?
Everyone would simply die.
That was why governments, agencies, and management companies around the world had no time to rest whenever stove league season approached. A single mistake could cause them to be branded traitors by their entire nation.
Whether politicians succeeded in recruiting competent hunters had an enormous impact on their approval ratings as well.
Countries such as China and Japan did not attempt underhanded schemes against South Korea despite international condemnation for no reason. No matter what they did, all would be forgiven at home as long as they managed to recruit a single exceptional hunter.
Far from being criticized, they might even be treated as heroes!
‘Chanyang was in danger too.’
And it was not only Seong Chanyang. Nearly every reasonably famous hunter had become entangled in some outlandish incident at least once. Several hunters had even been kidnapped.
It was a period akin to walking across thin ice.
That was the hunter industry’s stove league season.
“Hunter Seong Chanyang will be renewing her contract with us, correct?”
Chairman Yoon Suil asked as though tossing out a casual remark.
Seong Chanyang answered with a faint smile.
“Yes. Lord Shin doesn’t seem likely to move abroad.”
“Hmph. That sounds as though you intend to follow Hunter Lee Shin if he leaves.”
“Hmm... If Lord Shin moved abroad, I would follow him.”
She casually dropped a bombshell.
Manager Kim Dongseok’s face briefly turned deathly pale.
‘No, Chanyang. You can’t say something like that....’
She should have kept it to herself!
Kim Dongseok’s throat went dry.
“Hmph. Then we absolutely cannot afford to lose Hunter Lee Shin.”
“Were you planning to let him go?”
“Of course not. We must use every available means to keep him here.”
Heh, heh, heh....
Chairman Yoon Suil gave a sinister laugh.
‘He isn’t planning to resort to dirty tricks, is he?’
Kim Dongseok knew that Yoon Suil was not that kind of person.
What kind of man was he?
Before his injury, he had been a first-generation hunter hailed as a hero of South Korea. Despite looking somewhat like the boss of a criminal gang, he had spent his entire life saving people.
Even when every detail of his past had been investigated, not a speck of wrongdoing had been discovered.
Yoon Suil had also been the first to suggest arranging this meeting. Apparently, he had contacted them the moment he heard that China had tried something underhanded.
‘Still, there’s just something about his face....’
That sinister smile and those eyes that looked as though he were plotting something!
Kim Dongseok could not help feeling worried.
“Why are you shaking your leg so much, mister?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t be nervous. You’ve met the chairman plenty of times, yet you always act like this. I’m telling you, he’s genuinely kind despite his appearance. You look like a gangster too, but you’re softhearted. Last time, you even sobbed while watching an animated movie....”
“No, that’s....”
My face might look intimidating too, but that man is on an entirely different level.
‘Do I really look like a gangster...?’
Kim Dongseok felt needlessly wounded.
Then—
“Sorry I’m late.”
Lee Shin arrived a short while later.
As always, his face was calm and utterly devoid of emotion.
Kim Dongseok found it genuinely impressive.
‘Does Lord Lee Shin truly not experience surprise?’
He had not been nervous in front of the President of the United States, and this time was no different.
He carried himself as casually as if he had come to share a meal with some middle-aged man from his neighborhood!
“So, you’re Hunter Lee Shin?”
Chairman Yoon Suil turned toward Lee Shin.
“I’m finally seeing you in person.”
He immediately rose and strode over.
Then—
“I’m sorry!”
“...?”
“...?”
He bent forward at a perfect ninety-degree angle and apologized.
“I heard you were nearly bitten by a rabid dog from China! We should have paid more attention, but we handled everything like complete incompetents. I’m truly sorry. If something had happened to you, Hunter Lee Shin, I would have....”
“Um, it’s all ri—”
“It isn’t all right with me! Hunter Lee Shin, you are the hope of South Korea—no, of humanity itself. We possess such a treasure in our country, yet instead of caring for you properly, we could not even protect you. I’m too ashamed to show my face. Far too ashamed!”
“....”
“I’ve spent every night since then thinking about it. If I were in your position, I would have slapped the Association Chairman across the face. You may beat me as much as you like. Or if there is anything else you want, I’ll compensate you in any way—”
Thud!
As though bowing at ninety degrees were not enough, he even dropped to his knees.
No one present had expected such a thing.
“Hmm....”
Silence descended.
Lee Shin, who had been standing there blankly, finally spoke.
“If you’re really that sorry, please order one takeaway set after we finish eating.”
Hearing his answer, Manager Kim Dongseok had a thought.
“Oh, make it a salmon sushi set.”
Lee Shin was no ordinary person either.
Strangely enough, Lee Shin was the one who had arrived late, yet Yoon Suil was the one apologizing.
‘He doesn’t need to apologize.’
Lee Shin had already read Yoon Suil’s inner thoughts. He knew how much effort the chairman had devoted to protecting him and ensuring that nothing dangerous happened, even though he had never shown it outwardly.
How could someone who had done his best be at fault?
The Chinese government was to blame.
“My God, my God! Oh, the food is melting in my mouth!”
“Mm, it really is delicious.”
After accepting Chairman Yoon Suil’s apology, Lee Shin focused on filling his stomach. As expected of an expensive Japanese restaurant, every dish tasted exquisite.
It was incomparable to the premium sushi sets he usually ordered for delivery.
‘Dad will love this.’
He should probably order another set for his mother as well.
“...We are cooperating with Dawn Management and actively retaliating against China. This time, we will never allow those bastards to escape by cutting off the tail and blaming a few disposable agents. Thanks to you, Hunter Lee Shin, many people are supporting us. That includes the United States government, of course, as well as everyone who has ever used your equipment....”
Chairman Yoon Suil spoke without pause.
Most of what he said concerned how they were responding to China for threatening Lee Shin’s safety, how difficult China’s current position had become, and how much influence Lee Shin now wielded around the world.
‘Honestly, I’d forgotten all about it.’
Too much had happened since then.
The sudden World Collision in particular had caused him to forget China’s scheme entirely. From Lee Shin’s perspective, the World Collision initiated by Evil God Beliar had felt like a far greater crisis than the attack that day.
It might sound strange to say this, but—
‘Nothing that happens here feels truly dangerous.’
Was it because the scale was different?
More likely, it was because of the power Lee Shin possessed in reality. It was practically impossible for him to encounter an unfavorable situation. The entire world seemed to move for his sake....
In any case, for several reasons, events in reality did not feel like serious crises compared to what happened in the World of Stars.
That was why Lee Shin began to feel somewhat sorry as he watched Chairman Yoon Suil constantly gauge his mood without touching any of the food.
In terms of age, the chairman was even older than Lee Shin’s father.
“Chairman, it’s all right. Please eat something.”
“What? No, I....”
“The food is delicious.”
Chairman Yoon Suil looked bewildered.
Lee Shin subtly raised his head and examined the man’s eyes. For a fleeting instant, he peered into Yoon Suil’s inner thoughts.
Then, to allow the chairman to eat comfortably, Lee Shin decided to say something that would put his mind at ease.
“I like this country. I’m not going anywhere else.”
“If other rifts open that the hunters can’t handle and the country is placed in danger, I’ll step in. I won’t be tempted away by more money, and I won’t fall victim to people who harbor evil intentions and try to harm me. None of the things you’re worried about will ever happen.”
“But no one can know that....”
His voice was faint.
Lee Shin answered him.
“I know.”
Then he asked,
“How is it?”
Yoon Suil replied with a dazed expression.
“The food here is excellent.”