Thumbs Up, Level Up

“Hm… So you’re playing hardball. Alright, how much?” Bi-Ga said.

“Hm… You give me a price range.”

“Are you serious?”

As expected, she looked at him like he was crazy.

“Of course. Right now I’m in a bit of a hurry, so I need to make a profit fast. Besides, you can watch me attack the Cyclops with the weapon, then give me your price range.”

“Well, I cannot get all the information I need from just observation. I can do it if I take my time, but as you say, we don’t have much time, right?”

‘Time…yes. Now that I remembered, Ji-Han told me that Bi-Ga knew about the world ending.’

“Then let me ask you something,” Ji-Cheok said.

“Are you thinking of exchanging information?”

“No, not that. What do you want to do when the world ends? Do you want to escape? Or will you act to stop the apocalypse?”

“Looks like you have learned a lot since we met last time, huh?”

She smiled and rolled the candy around in her mouth. The three seconds of silence felt like an eternity.

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“I’m more of the giving-up group. Do you know anything about Preppers?”

‘Preppers? Aren’t they people who believe the world is ending and make preparations to survive the apocalypse? Come to think of it, there were people who were worried about the end of the world without having actual evidence of it happening. There were a lot of them.’

«They are called conspiracy theorists, but I would say they are more like people who have gotten closer to the truth of the world.»

‘Maybe you are right, Cheok-Liang.’

Preppers were the kind of people who built strong shelters to survive inside of it while either producing or stocking on food. It was important to note that they were not like those trying to relocate to another world—instead, they were trying to survive the calamity and keep living in their own world.

‘But how would that even be possible?’

“Are you saying you are a Prepper?” Ji-Cheok said.

“Yes. The world is fucked anyway, and people don’t want to cooperate, so I will just have to survive on my own, but not completely alone. I will have a few people with me, that is what my skills are for.”

«For some reason, I think there is more to it than what she is telling you, Master.»

Ji-Cheok nodded at his words.

‘Is that all you can tell me?’

«I do not think she is lying, though. So I think it is best to go along with her for now, Master.»

‘I think the same.’

Ji-Cheok deliberately smiled.

“Do you think that’s possible?” Ji-Cheok asked.

“Are you telling me to do nothing? Just sit back and relax?”

“Well, there might be a better way, you know. Look at what the worshipers of the Gods are doing.”

“They are willing to become slaves to their Gods. I’d rather die than be a slave.”

‘Hm… I didn’t know becoming a worshiper of a God meant becoming a slave.’

«Most Gods view humans like they view ants. Being treated as a slave might actually be a good thing comparatively.»

‘Is it that bad…? Well, the treatment of the worshipers in the Forest of the Twisted God was terrible, so… Anyway, I can’t believe Bi-Ga has been preparing for the apocalypse in her own way. Even if she can’t tell me everything, it sounds like she gave me a reasonable answer. Hm…’

“What about you?” Bi-Ga asked.

‘I guess it’s my turn to answer her question.’

“I’m trying to stop the destruction of the world.”

“Oh? I could tell that from your actions, but it’s still surprising to hear it from you. I thought you said you saw something when you destroyed the dungeon at the Namsan Tower, didn’t you?”

‘Why does everyone know about this? It’s like they are having an Um Ji-Cheok party, but without me.’

“Yes, I did see it.”

“I have a rough idea of what you saw. And you still believe you could stop it after seeing that?”

“I can do it.”

‘I can do it. No, I have to do it.’

Bi-Ga smirked at his words. She didn’t quite believe him yet.

“I like your ambition. Let’s get back to what we were talking about earlier. What kind of weapon are you going to make? And how are you going to make it? What do you want in return for telling me?”

‘What do I want, you say…’

«I think you should ask for her influence and resources, Master.»

‘Oh?’

«If we are going to build two pillars for the dimensional barriers on the North and South Poles, we need to start making progress now. It is going to take a lot of money and influence, so wouldn’t it be nice to get a head start on it?»

‘I think you’re right.’

“Did you know there is such a thing as dimensional barriers?”

“That’s very out of context, but yes, I know. The Warding Stones are actually a type of dimensional barrier. What about it?”

“We are going to install them on a scale that will affect the entire planet. One at the North Pole, and one at the South Pole.”

Her eyes widened at his words.

“I got this information from a deal with a God. If we can build them, we can prevent the destruction of the world for the time being.”

The end of the Tutorial meant the complete destruction of the dimensional barrier. Conversely, the Tutorial would not end if they could maintain the dimensional barrier.

Of course, he didn’t think they would be able to stay at the Tutorial stage forever, but it could buy humanity enough time to become more powerful.

“How big? And what about the resources?”

“I will send you the details later, but in terms of money, it costs about a year’s worth of the United States’ defense budget.”

They could suspend the end of the world with a year’s worth of the U.S. defense budget.

“Wow, that’s a lot of money.”

“But it’s not impossible if the entire human race comes together.”

“And you think the entire human race is not going to come together, right?”

“Right.”

There was nothing they could not build if they all worked together in unity. But Ji-Cheok knew the leaders of every country were going to be skeptical. There was no way they were going to believe this when they were already claiming global warming wasn’t real.

And even if they did believe him, they would never agree to spend that much of their own money.

This was why the world could not unite.

‘Isn’t this the height of stupidity?’

When the world would end, that kind of money would lose its monetary value and the bills would be worth literally less than toilet paper. And from the way things were going, Ji-Cheok knew that most of the wealthy people around the world were aware that the world was going to end. That was how Golden Horizon had come to be, along with organizations like Mount Kunlun.

That was why worshipers of Gods existed in the first place. Unfortunately, there was no way that these people would trust his plan to prevent the end of the world. Even if he used the Power of Truth skill or the Scale of Truth, he did not think it would change the game.

“Hahaha. That’s the reality we live in. Even if you tell me you have a way to do it, it will take more than that to convince the entire world.”

“Even with the knowledge I have gained from the deal with the God?”

“Just because the information is from a God, it doesn’t mean it is true. Even Gods make mistakes. They may be great, but that doesn’t make them omniscient, does it?”

She was right. That was exactly what had happened when he had dealt with Slow Forest Shade.

“Anyway, okay. In exchange for the knowledge you can give me, I will give you a hundred billion won or something. How about that?” Bi-Ga said.

That was like 0.01 percent of the U.S. defense budget. There was a reason why the United States was called the Land of the Quadrillion. Still, it was enough to get the first shovel in the ground.

It was enough to send workers and machine tools to the North Pole, send resources, and start laying the groundwork.

Ji-Cheok also realized that he could actually hire Bi-Ga’s company to do the work.

“Okay. I will email you the knowledge right away. And this is a separate request, but can you do me a favor?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“I would like to hire your company to build the pillars for the dimensional barrier.”

“That’s something I would like to do anyway. I’ll take it.”

“I want you to use the 100 billion won that you were going to give me for the foundation work.”

‘Cheok-Liang, send her the details regarding the dimensional barrier.’

«Yes, Master.»

“Okay, you got a deal,” Bi-Ga said as she snapped her fingers.

Four small beads flew out from behind her back, forming what looked like a portal in mid-air.

‘Wow… What the hell is that?’

“This is a product of science. I’ll see you later~”

She disappeared through the portal.

‘I was wondering how she got here. I had no idea she had such technology.’

«It is not as powerful as your Steps of Hermes, but it is certainly useful, Master.»

‘I can’t believe someone that smart would admit to the end of the world and become a Prepper…’

«I bet she is hiding something. Most likely, she is on the same path as you, Master.»

‘You mean becoming a God?’

«Yes. How would someone like her be satisfied with anything less?»

Ji-Cheok nodded.

«In any case, I believe you will make this happen.»

‘Yeah, I have to.’

Ji-Cheok turned and looked at the resources and the Arcane Circle.

‘Let’s get started.’

He rubbed his hands together and activated his Alchemy skill.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Cyclops Warlord.

He was fifty percent larger than other Cyclops and had mana that was as powerful as a dragon’s. Not only that, but he also possessed the knowledge and skills to lead an army.

He was the commander, religious leader, technology chief, and king.

He was from a superior class of Cyclops. The members of this class were the supreme leaders of their race, a position of great responsibility and power. And the one that stood here was the single most distinguished warrior and commander in the entire Cyclops society.

That was why he was given the title of Warlord—Warlord Kikkul.

They were in a world inhabited by a race they called the Halflings.

They were here to conquer it and rebuild their kingdom.

[How much time do we have, Bishop?]

[We have enough time for the sun to set twice, my lord.]

[When will the defense Arcane Circle be ready, Craftsman?]

[In enough time for one dragon’s breath, my lord.]

One was wearing robes, the other was dressed like a mechanic. They looked very different from those Cyclops who were only wearing shorts, but they were still smaller than Warlord Kikkul.

[Hasten further. The safety of our people is in our han—huh? What is that?]

Kikkul felt something creeping up on him. His gaze turned to the sky.

This was the thing that had allowed him to become a Warlord. His innate ability, [Intuitive Divination], had been activated. And what the skill whispered to him was that, soon, this place would be obliterated!

Normally, he would have listened to his skill and left the area, but right now, he had to defend this place with his life.

[We’re being attacked! Deploy defensive magic! All who can shoot beams, keep your eyes on the sky! The enemy is coming from above! Look, look! No, don’t look, just shoot! There it is! Shoot and destroy it!]

Something was falling from the sky at a tremendous speed.

Kikkul himself channeled his mana into his eye. A beam of destructive light, an innate attack of the Cyclops, began to shoot from the ground into the sky.

It looked like the missiles that humanity had fired at them.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Wow… I didn’t know it was possible to come to outer space by myself…”

«It just shows how much your cultivation has increased.»

“I guess so.”

He looked down from within his sphere of magical protection. Above him was the infinite expanse of space. At his feet…there was Earth.

The Steps of Hermes had carried him all the way here: on a stationary orbit directly above the stronghold of the Cyclops in New Jersey, USA.

‘What an overpowered skill!’