The Wizard in the Game Is Rewarded in Reality

Chapter 48

A spacious interior.

Numerous journalists and broadcasting officials from around the world had gathered.

After a moment, a man stepped onto the podium. People began to murmur as they recognized him.

“Hello, I am Baek Dong-wook, the master of the Chiu Guild from Korea.”

“The reason for today’s press conference is that we have several announcements to make.”

“Have you succeeded in conquering the 33rd floor?”

A hasty journalist shouted out, even though it wasn’t time for questions.

He was a Chinese journalist.

Baek Dong-wook looked at the journalist for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

“Yes, that’s correct. We have succeeded in conquering the 33rd floor.”

As soon as Baek Dong-wook finished speaking, everyone in the conference room began to murmur simultaneously. Some wrote articles, while others made phone calls.

Bang- Bang-!

Baek Dong-wook stomped his foot to draw attention.

When the room quieted down, Baek Dong-wook smiled and spoke.

“We will take questions after the announcements. So please hold your questions until then. The first announcement, as the Chinese journalist asked, is about the conquest of the Tower of Infinity. Korean awakeners have been staying on the 32nd floor of the Tower of Infinity for over a year. But after much effort, starting with the conquest of the 33rd floor…”

He trailed off, glancing around at the journalists before continuing.

“We have successively conquered the 34th and 35th floors and have now reached the 36th floor.”

Despite the shocking announcement, there is no murmuring like before. No, it has become even quieter. Baek Dong-wook smiles faintly, as if enjoying the atmosphere of silence that has settled in the press conference room.

“The guilds that participated in the 36th floor raid are Chiu Guild, Haedong Guild, Hyeonmu Guild…”

One by one, the names of prominent Korean guilds are called out from Baek Dong-wook’s mouth.

“Lastly, Carpe Diem Guild. A total of ten guilds participated in the 36th floor raid. We are currently constructing a base city on the 36th floor.”

A few reporters raise their hands.

But Baek Dong-wook just shakes his head.

“There is still more to announce. We will take questions after the announcement. We have discovered a place on the 35th floor where rare plants and animals necessary for alchemy reside. We have named it ‘Bern’s Garden’.”

‘Bern’ is the name of the god of abundance on the continent of Azelium.

“Of course, it will be managed by Korean awakeners. And…”

Baek Dong-wook opens the bag he brought to the podium and takes out a few ores. The moment the ores, emitting a faint blue light, are seen in his hands, all the reporters and broadcast officials in the conference room gasp in astonishment.

“Mana stones!”

“They look of very high quality!”

“Has Korea discovered a mana stone mine?”

Baek Dong-wook waits for the reporters’ agitation to subside before speaking.

“We have discovered a mana stone mine on the 36th floor. Compared to the mana stones obtained from the 29th floor mana stone mine, which is managed by the United States, the quality of the mana stones in this mine is significantly higher. This is a mid-grade mana stone, and this is a high-grade mana stone, which can only be found in very small quantities.”

Baek Dong-wook holds out the mana stones in both hands so that the reporters can see them clearly. The screen behind Baek Dong-wook displays an enlarged view of the mana stones.

Cries of astonishment continue to pour out from the reporters’ mouths.

“We will now take questions.”

Numerous reporters raise their hands. White, black, yellow… Reporters from all countries are raising their hands. Baek Dong-wook selects one of the reporters with a raised hand.

“You, the reporter in the red shirt.”

“I am Timothy Adams from the Washington Post.”

“Yes, Reporter Adams. Please ask your question.”

Reporter Timothy Adams stands up.

“First of all, congratulations on the successful raid of the 36th floor by the Korean awakeners. Before my question, is it true that you discovered a mana stone mine on the 36th floor?”

“This is the answer and the evidence. As you can see, you cannot obtain such high-quality mana stones from the mana stone mine managed by the United States.”

Timothy Adams asks his question.

“Since the Great Cataclysm, civilization has been gradually changing. The Tower of Infinity has had a significant impact on the advancement of humanity. As time passes, the limitless potential of mana stones is being proven.”

“That is correct.”

“Then… would you consider jointly managing the mana stone mine on the 36th floor for the sake of humanity?”

The surrounding reporters start murmuring all at once. It was an unexpected question. Some reporters voice their agreement with Timothy Adams’ question.

Baek Dong-wook gazes at the reporters. His body had strengthened as he became an awakener. His vision and hearing had also improved.

‘Japan, China, England.’

Most of those who agreed with Timothy Adams were reporters from Japan, China, and England.

It was expected.

The reason for giving Timothy Adams the first question was to anticipate this situation.

Timothy Adams is a well-known journalist in the United States. He is famous for thinking of the United States as the center of the world and for envisioning an absurd utopia of world management by the United States.

Because of his status as a journalist, he doesn’t say such things in official settings, but he is known for freely expressing his thoughts in private.

“You’re Timothy Adams, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Let me ask you, why has the United States monopolized the 29th-floor mana stone mine until now? Does the United States lack humanity for humanity?”

“······.”

Timothy Adams’ expression contorts.

But like a journalist who makes a living with his pen, he lays out his argument.

“The 29th-floor mana stone mine was the first to be discovered. If a powerful nation didn’t control it, there would have been endless wars.”

He’s not wrong.

It actually happened, and the United States was the victor of that war.

“Because the United States manages it, conflicts have disappeared.”

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“So, you’re saying that Korea can’t manage the mana stone mine properly because it’s not a powerful nation?”

“That’s not what I meant······.”

“Then what did you mean? The United States can monopolize the 29th-floor mine, but the 36th-floor mana stone mine should be jointly managed? What kind of logic is that?”

Korea is not a country to be taken lightly.

Ranked 6th in the world in military power, one of the three countries that conquered the 31st floor. It is also an economic powerhouse ranked at the top.

It’s just that the countries ranked higher than Korea are on a different level, but Korea is not a country to be ignored.

Baek Dong-wook speaks while looking at the murmuring reporters.

“As you said, our Korea is weak. We are worried about whether we can properly manage the mana stone mine. So we are thinking of getting help from others.”

“Who, who is that? Surely not Russia?”

Russia may have declined, but it is still a country with a strong voice in the world.

Baek Dong-wook smiles and shakes his head at Timothy Adams’ question. Then he steps aside. At the right moment, a person steps onto the podium.

A man dressed neatly in a black suit, all the gathered reporters know who he is.

“The head of the Dark Merchant Korea branch!”

“Park Dong-hyuk?”

Yes.

The one who stepped onto the podium was Park Dong-hyuk, the head of the Dark Merchant’s Korean branch. Originally, he wasn’t someone with enough recognition for all the journalists around the world to know him.

But now, it’s different.

Because he is the highest decision-maker operating the Craksha’s Tower Treatment Center. No matter how powerful a person is, no matter how wealthy they are to the extent of saving a country.

Without Park Dong-hyuk’s approval, one cannot use the Craksha’s Tower Treatment Center.

Is that all?

The only place to sell the artifacts and potions that the mysterious awakened one, known as Craksha’s Tower, brings to the world is the Dark Merchant’s Korean branch.

Park Dong-hyuk, standing on the podium, makes a mischievous expression and taps the microphone with his finger.

“Hello? I believe you all know who I am. The reason I am standing here is, as Master Baek Dong-wook mentioned earlier, to help Korea.”

Park Dong-hyuk continues to speak, regardless of the journalists’ murmurs.

“Craksha’s Tower has spoken. Any country or group coveting the 35th floor’s Vern’s Garden or the 36th floor’s Mana Stone Mine discovered by Korea will be banned from using the Mana Addiction Treatment Center.”

“Where, where is such a thing?”

Timothy Adams shouts in astonishment.

A journalist not far from him stands up and shouts.

“Isn’t this too excessive? What kind of tyranny is this, holding patients’ deaths as collateral?”

“Tyranny… You, the journalist over there, you’re from Japan, right? Can we take it that Japan is refusing Craksha’s Tower’s words?”

“That, that’s…”

“There are quite a few Japanese people waiting for treatment right now, so I guess we should remove them from the reservation list first. Ah! By the way, among the reserved patients is the daughter-in-law of Chief Cabinet Secretary Nakayama Hiroki… I guess we have no choice but to remove her from the list?”

“No, I absolutely didn’t mean it that way.”

The flustered journalist quickly sits down and avoids Park Dong-hyuk’s gaze. Seeing this, Park Dong-hyuk smirks and mutters softly, “Foolish.”

“That’s not all. Not only will you be unable to use the treatment center, but all sales of everything Craksha’s Tower makes will also be halted. And if you are caught secretly purchasing and using them, he said, ‘I won’t let it slide.'”

The journalists’ hands become busy.

They are writing articles about what Baek Dong-wook and Park Dong-hyuk said and sending them to their home countries.

The moment the world is turned upside down by the press conference held in Korea.

The mysterious awakened one known as Craksha’s Tower has sided with Korea. The Korean awakened ones, who had been stuck on the 32nd floor for over a year, suddenly conquered up to the 36th floor.

That means…

It means that the United States is no longer the leader in the conquest of the Infinite Tower.

The journalists are not just sending articles. They are also including their opinions on the newly established relationships among the awakened ones and the relationships between countries.

It is the moment when Korea, a small country in Asia, becomes the center of the world.

“The fact that Korean Awakeners have taken over the mana stone mine they discovered does not violate the Union Treaty, which was created by all the countries of the world. Master of the Tower of Kraksha has prepared a gift for the countries that have not yet conquered the higher floors.”

The reporters’ eyes focus on Park Dong-hyuk.

“He said he would reveal the fastest and safest way to reach the 31st floor. And he will also reveal the strategy to conquer the Naga Queen on the 30th floor, which many countries have not yet overcome.”

“Is it true?”

“Will it be disclosed equally to all countries?”

Another uproar ensues.

The 31st floor of the Infinite Tower is the standard that divides the powerful Awakener nations.

“Master of the Tower of Kraksha is a strict teacher, but sometimes he is also like a close friend.”

Park Dong-hyuk says with a bright smile.

“Of course, whether he becomes a strict teacher or a friend depends on you, right?”