Ordinary Art Factor [EN]: Chapter 182

“Guild Leader, I, I was wrong. Please don’t do this….”

“Don’t do this to the Deputy Guild Leader. From now on, I refuse all dungeon clear entries in the country. For matters related to dungeon clears, please contact the guild. And I have another schedule, so I’d appreciate it if you could leave.”

“Gu, Guild Leader!”

Isn’t it hot in here?

The Deputy Guild Leader is sweating profusely and doesn’t know what to do.

Well, it’s not like this person is completely innocent… or is he! Yes, he is!

If you lack the ability, you should ask for help from those around you, or at least be quick-witted!

You’ve got one foot in the Awakened world, what are you doing right now? Moreover, do you really not know why you’re here in Jeju?

Why do you think the Head of the Processing Bureau sent you to Jeju!

What? You regret it?

I regret it too.

“Branch Manager.”

“Yes, speak.”

“Take him out for some fresh air.”

“Ah, I understand. Let’s go, Deputy Guild Leader.”

“Guild Leader Jiwon! What, what can I do? If you tell me a way, I will do it.”

“You should have known these things in advance and acted without delay when the situation arose. Don’t ask me. And I’m getting busier and busier, so please leave? Do I really have to show you an unpleasant side?”

“Ahem~ Deputy Guild Leader. Let’s go quickly. Guild Leader Jiwon, I’m leaving!”

“Yes. I won’t go far.”

“Okay. Good work.”

As the Jeju Branch Manager took the sweat-soaked Deputy Guild Leader out, the guys who had been watching the situation each said a word.

“The Head and the Deputy are both the same.”

“Still, the Head is better.”

“No, isn’t it the same since they hired someone like that as the Deputy?”

“That’s true. Anyway, Hyung [Korean honorific for older brother or male friend], you’re not really going to immigrate, are you?”

Immigrate?

What immigration?

Why would I go anywhere after spending my own money to build a house?

Besides, my foreign language skills are limited to ‘Fine, thank you, and you.’

Ah, I can communicate a little more… Never mind. I was just saying.

When someone is really upset, they might think about immigrating once in a while, right?

Don’t you think so? Mr. Big Shot in the Blue House [South Korean equivalent of the White House]?

A little later.

I got a call from Hongchan Hyung on my wife’s phone.

Well, my phone’s battery is disconnected and rolling around on the sofa, so I guess it can’t be helped, but hey… hey, wife. Why are you answering the phone with such a bright smile?

‘…Hehehe. No, it’s really okay. Yes, yes… I understand. I will. Yes, yes… I’ll hand you over. Yes~. Honey, it’s your eldest brother-in-law calling.’

Who the heck is this eldest brother-in-law that I don’t know?

I took the phone that my wife handed me with a beaming smile.

Well, it’s good to see her smile.

Because she might have been crying her eyes out.

‘What did he say to make my wife so happy?’

‘Are you okay?’

‘Why wouldn’t I be?’

‘I heard the situation from Hantteuk. And the things you’re going to do in the future. Is there anything I can help with?’

‘Screw them all.’

‘All of them?’

‘Everyone.’

‘What about the dungeons you’re running?’

‘All of them.’

‘…The losses will be enormous… but it’s probably not that big of a deal. Okay. From this moment on, the Jiwon Guild is temporarily disbanded. Thanks to you, I can take a good rest, so should I be happy about this? By the way, are you going to leave the guys across the sea alone? How are they holding back so well?’

Hey, Hongchan Hyung.

Are you teasing me or praising me right now?

‘Not leaving them alone. I’m just waiting for a while. Did you hear? The note?’

‘Yeah. It’s pretty absurd, but everything except the subject is similar to what I investigated. Except for a few people.’

‘Mine is almost the same too. It seems to be correct. So, I’m going to keep watching.’

‘Okay. Received. It’s almost been 5 minutes. I’ll contact you again later.’

‘Roger.’

‘The moment I hang up, I’m on vacation?’

‘I won’t be looking for you first, so go into hiding.’

‘Roger.’

Click.

I hung up the phone and pondered for a moment.

Hmm, temporary disbandment?

That’s a good idea too.

There’s no justification for the state to step in and stop a guild from disbanding, and there’s no room for them to interfere.

Of course, it’s not a real disbandment, but a change of atmosphere.

It would be better if the public spread the news that the Jiwon Guild is disbanding, but it’s not a good look for us to step in directly at this time. Anyway, the Jeju Branch Manager and the Deputy Head of the Processing Bureau have roughly caught on, so they’ll create the scene themselves.

Guessing the things that would happen in the future, I headed to my son’s room to return my wife’s phone.

Jihye, Mihae, Choi Eunji, and Kim Eunhee were surrounding my son, playing with dinosaurs, and my wife was cutting fruit next to them.

“Dad~ look at this. Jihye Imo [Korean term for aunt, used for close female friends of the family] made it for me~.”

A bizarre object made of toy blocks.

“Oh~ you made it well. Is it a dinosaur?”

“…It’s Robert!”

“……”

That’s?

That’s a robot?

Where exactly?

The next day, morning.

I posted something on Facetalk [fictional social media platform] for the first time in a while.

‘…It’s the first time I’ve regretted being Awakened this much.

No matter how much we say it wasn’t us, the atmosphere doesn’t believe us.

We clearly stated that it wasn’t our fault, but no one nodded in agreement.

We were responsible for the world’s greatest mystery, the appearance of dungeons and the deactivation of dungeons?

How?

Doesn’t that make sense?

Nevertheless, many people pointed fingers at us.

I was so frustrated and upset that when I opened my mouth, it was like reading scriptures to a cow [a Korean idiom for wasting your breath].

I realized it this time for sure.

I realized it this time for sure.

So, I’m thinking of quitting.

Take care of your health.’

As soon as I posted the message, countless comments started pouring in, asking what was going on, what happened, saying it wasn’t true, not to be swayed by tabloid rumors, always supporting the Jiwon Guild, and that something was wrong.

And that afternoon, Hongchan Hyung held a press conference at the Jiwon Guild’s Seoul branch office.

The theme of the conference was simple.

‘From this moment on, the Jiwon Guild will suspend all domestic and international schedules and proceed with a temporary disbandment.’

Because of the reporters gathered in front of the house’s main gate, I summoned 500 Juliet units to stand guard.

I told them to subdue and send out anyone who entered without permission, who wasn’t a relative, and whose identity was unclear, and I refused all visits from anyone who came to the house. Well, my phone is still disconnected and rolling around somewhere.

It seems like a not-so-short period of being a shut-in has arrived.

Good. I should watch all the entertainment programs I haven’t seen yet.

Two days later, morning.

I was eating brunch and lying on the sofa in the living room on the second floor, laughing and watching reruns of entertainment programs, when my wife came up from the first floor and spoke in a slightly uneasy voice.

“Honey, turn on the news quickly. Japan is in complete chaos right now.”

“Let it be. Chaos is meant to happen.”

“…A Level 1 Bio Dungeon has exploded? In three places.”

“Really? Oh~ my son used some strength.”

“Son? Seongjun?”

“Ah, no. Anyway, there’s something like that. Don’t worry about it.”

“How can I not worry? The TV is saying that it could explode in our country at any time.”

“Ahem~. Your husband is the strongest Awakened in the world, why worry?”

“St, still.”

“It’s okay. I’ll take care of it.”

“Okay.”

My wife, who had come up in a flurry, seemed relieved by my words, relaxed her expression, and went down to the first floor.

Maybe it’s just my ego, but I am the strongest Awakened in the world, right?

Ah, am I not?

Since there are hidden masters in the martial arts world, if I searched the whole world, there might be a more outstanding Awakened than me.

Anyway, that guy who is not like my son, who is uncertain whether he is my son, who is either my son or a crazy person’s prank, seems to have finally started something.

But Level 1 Bio Dungeons in three places?

Huh… this guy is pretty amazing too?

At this rate, he’s almost as good as me or has higher stats than me… hmm… I take back what I said about being the best Awakened in the world. If even this crazy guy who claims to be my son is this good, how many hidden absolute masters are there…

Could it be that this guy also has something similar to the Bio Dungeon Absolute Skill that I have?

Otherwise….

Three days later.

I was watching the special report on Japan with a mix of exhilaration and concern, with burning, bombed-out city buildings, hundreds of thousands of refugees, thousands of deaths, thousands of missing people, and Japan in a state of economic, physical, and airport collapse, when the Jeju Branch Manager of the Awakened Association, along with Association President Taeseok Hyung, the Director of the Dungeon Processing Bureau, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Presidential Chief of Staff, and the Japanese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, all came to my house at the same time.

After several arguments, I let them into the house, and a Japanese man in his late 50s, not the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs I had met before, politely bowed to me and opened his mouth.

“Please help us, Guild Leader Jiwon.”

Huh?

He speaks Korean really well?

“You speak Korean well?”

“Yes. My minor was Korean… I heard you hate troublesome things. To put it simply, we have prepared 7 trillion won [approximately $5.3 billion USD] to clear the Level 1 Bio Dungeons that have exploded in Osaka, Tokyo, and Yokohama. Please help us.”

“Even if you give me 70 trillion, 700 trillion, I have no intention of going to Japan to clear dungeons again.”

“Gu, Guild Leader!”

The Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs stuttered in surprise at my blunt refusal.

“I cleared the Level 1 Bio Dungeon in Osaka last time, and I definitely felt it this time. I’m sorry, but please take care of your own affairs with your own people. Well, I’m busy, so.”

I left them and got up from my seat and headed to the study on the second floor.

A little later.

‘Knock knock.’

“Brother. Are you there?”

“Come in.”

Taeseok Hyung came into the study with an awkward expression, along with the Director of the Dungeon Processing Bureau and the Presidential Chief of Staff.

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs is seeing off the Vice-Minister.”

“……”

I don’t care at all where that person is, where they went, or what they’re doing?

You didn’t ask. I don’t need it. You don’t have to tell me.

“Are you really not going to help?”

“Put yourself in my shoes. And the Jiwon Guild is disbanding. I want to help, but there’s no way.”

“Ahem. Guild Leader Jiwon. Why are you really doing this? I know that the guild disbandment application is just an act. It seems like the Japanese far-right forces played a little trick….”

“A.t.r.i.c.k.? Did you just say it was a trick!”

Did the Presidential Chief of Staff win it by playing Go-Stop [a Korean card game similar to poker]?

You really don’t know anything, do you?

“Haa… let me ask you just one thing. Is the kidnapping of my wife and son a trick?”

“Ah, no. It’s not that….”

“That’s enough. That’s the government’s position. I understand. Please leave now?”

“Gu, Guild Leader!”

“Pl.ea.se.le.ave.”

“Ahem. Let’s go. The Chief of Staff made a mistake. Brother, let’s talk later.”

“……”

Taeseok Hyung forcibly took the Chief of Staff out.

Haa… really, it seems like I’m being taken for granted because I’m staying still, so that this kind of thing doesn’t happen again… huh? Why isn’t this guy leaving?

The Director of the Dungeon Management Bureau, Mr. Kim Jin-hwan, stood before me, stared silently, and then spoke.

“…Royal Guild.”

“…I know.”

“…Including Representative Nohda Takehiko, a first-term member of the House of Representatives from the Liberal Democratic Party, second-term Akiha Kenya, third-term Onodera Itsunori, Aizawa Akira, and the mid-sized Taros Guild, JJ Guild, Tabu Guild….”

Wait, hold on a second!

Sir! What are you trying to do right now?

“…I’m doing this because I’m on official duty, but I don’t particularly like those guys across the sea either. This has just been me talking to myself. You know?”

Know what?

What is it?

He just rambles on and on to himself and then asks me if I understand? Am I supposed to say, ‘Yes, sir. I understand’?

Well, I guess I have to.

“Yessir~.”

“……”

The Director of the Management Bureau stares at me with curious eyes at my half-hearted response.

Hmm.

“So, you knew.”

“……”

“…Could it be that the current situation in Japan is your doing….”

“Ahem!”

A slightly loud voice echoes in the study.

“Ah, sorry. There’s no way that could be. Of course not. How could that be possible when you’re here… um… so… it’s really not you?”

“Aheyy!”

This guy!

What are you talking about right now!

And why are you even thinking that?

What did you think of me normally that you could accurately describe the current situation with such absurd, illogical, and bizarre speculation!

Sir, you wouldn’t starve even if you just set up a mat outside, would you? [referring to fortune telling]

“I’ll continue to monitor the situation in Japan, but Guild Leader Jiwon should also think about it to some extent. Isn’t this enough?”

“Enough for what?”

“You’re not hoping for a direct apology and compensation from them, are you? That’s going to be difficult. They’re not that kind of people, are they?”

“I really don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“Ahem. Is that so? Just talking to myself. Talking to myself. Good work. See you next time.”

“I won’t see you off.”

“You weren’t going to come out anyway.”

“Correct.”

“Hahaha. As expected, the Guild Leader is someone you can never figure out. Haha.”

The Director of the Dungeon Management Bureau, as if he had air in his lungs, spouted strange nonsense and then walked out, laughing heartily.

Yeah, that’s right.

That guy knows, and I know, but we don’t show it to each other. We’re just talking to each other under the ridiculous excuse of talking to ourselves.

But what?

Wasn’t this enough?

Enough for what? I haven’t even started yet!

It’s been a week since the first-class bio dungeons in Osaka, Tokyo, and Yokohama, Japan, erupted.

The regular TV news is all about news from Japan.

There are reports about the number of casualties and missing people, the economic and physical losses, the decline in national image and credit rating, the possibility of clearing the dungeon respawns, and various opinions about future events. There are also reports that guilds with considerable reputations from countries that supported the dungeon clearing have arrived in Japan one after another, and public opinion is gradually spreading with complaints, dissatisfaction, and questions about why the Korean support guild that cleared the first-class dungeon in Osaka last time isn’t helping.

Three days later.

I don’t know how or through what channels it spread, but it was revealed that the attempted kidnapping of my son and wife was the work of Japanese far-right forces, and protests broke out demanding that the Korean support guild, which could resolve the current dungeon situation, be brought in directly.

The far-right forces initially dismissed it as a baseless rumor, but the CCTV footage of the attempted kidnapping and the black box footage from the vehicles, as well as the entry and exit records of the Awakened individuals belonging to the guilds they support, spread on the internet, and the aftermath snowballed. After two more days, the protests turned into almost riots.

Their offices and vehicles spewing black smoke and burning.

Citizens and protest groups throwing eggs, stones, and trash regardless of the street or location.

This is more entertaining than a TV entertainment program.

I should record this. Ahem.

The next day in the afternoon.

While I was chuckling while reading a fantasy novel that I hadn’t been able to read, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Director of the Dungeon Management Bureau, and the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs came to my house again.

Look at those haggard faces.

Sir, you’re suffering a lot because of unnecessary people. I’m telling you, no matter how much you come to me like this, you won’t hear anything good from me!

Bring the people involved. The people involved!

You’re so clueless… tsk.

“We, we are sorry. Guild Leader Jiwon. We apologize on their behalf like this. Please, just help us this once…….”

“There’s no need to apologize on their behalf, and the Vice-Minister has no reason to apologize. I don’t know if it’s because I’m immature, but I have no intention of helping an organization to which people who threaten my family belong. Not the people involved either. Go back.”

“…Th, then, we will bring them. No, we will arrest them and hand them over to Korea! Would that be okay?”

“……”

“I understand! We will take care of it immediately!”

“……”

As I remained silent without saying anything, the Vice-Minister, understanding this as a sign of approval, hurriedly excused himself, took out his cell phone, and went outside. He was probably calling someone to whisper something.

By the way, I didn’t say anything?

You’re just jumping to conclusions and getting excited. Hmm.

Okay. Since I’m not stepping up to demand it, the first button is buttoned well [a Korean saying meaning the first step is done correctly].

The next problem is when those guys come to Korea… what should I do?

Let’s throw away the old-fashioned idea of bringing them to justice, and there are too many eyes watching to just wipe them all out, and I’ll become a criminal myself, so pass.

Then what method would be the most efficient for those guys….

Um… oh~ oh my… that would work.

Killing two birds with one stone, picking up money while sweeping the yard [another Korean saying meaning doing two things at once], good for both the brother-in-law and the sister-in-law, a brilliant idea of killing three birds with one stone. In addition, ….

I suddenly looked at the Director of the Dungeon Management Bureau and the Minister of Foreign Affairs with a good idea hitting the back of my head.

“…Why? Your expression doesn’t look good, something….”

“Director, and Minister.”

“…I’m uneasy….”

“Yes. Guild Leader.”

“I will go to Japan. But….”

“Are you serious?”

“Re, really? Is the Jiwon Guild stepping up? Yes?”

Oh, you should always listen to what people have to say until the end.

“Minister, you know roughly now, right? About the people who tried to kidnap my family?”

“O, of course. Isn’t that why the Vice-Minister came to apologize on their behalf like this?”

“Apologize for what, it’s not the person involved. Anyway, if those guys disappear all at once, how likely is it that a diplomatic problem will occur?”

“Yes? No murder is allowed! No matter what crime they committed, they were clearly people who played a pivotal role in a country, so how could….”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs was startled and flustered.

“Jeez! Listen carefully. When did I say I was going to hit their heads? I’m just saying they’re missing. For example, they go into a dungeon and go missing, or they go into a dungeon and go missing, that kind of situation.”

“……”

“…Why do you say the same thing twice?”

“Ah, did I? I didn’t have many examples. Anyway, it’s okay if they go missing in the dungeon, right?”

“Of course it’s not okay! Isn’t saying they went missing in the dungeon a death sentence!”

“Aheyy, I’ll stay still. They’re going into the dungeon on their own.”

“Yes? What are you talking about now? Are they going into the dungeon themselves? Why?”

As the Minister of Foreign Affairs tilted his head, not knowing what was going on, the Director of the Management Bureau said a word.

“Because it’s something that happened because of you guys, you’re going to take responsibility and go in to clear it?”

“…What is that… ah~ ah….”

“If I sprinkle a little salt on it [meaning to provoke them], they’ll flutter a little more.”

“As expected, your brain is….”

“Let’s just say it’s the sorrow of geniuses.”

“……”

Ahem. As expected, the Director of the Management Bureau is quick-witted.

As soon as the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs came back inside, negotiations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs continued.

No, what negotiations, it’s a kind of notification that I speak directly instead of the minister. Hehe.

“Most of the current public officials have been detained, but the Awakened individuals belonging to the guilds they support are probably because of the first-class dungeon situation….”

“Ah, I’ll take care of that separately. Of course, I won’t be doing it.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“I’m just saying. So, just gather the heads, excluding the mobs.”

“……”

Is my Korean lacking?

Was the word “heads” not in the Korean language when you were studying?

“Just the heads. Not difficult, right?”

“…Ah, I understand. Then, we will immediately mobilize a chartered plane to go to Japan tomorrow to proceed with the dungeon clearing….”

“Aheyy, it’s not over yet. The heads are a perfectly natural thing for threatening my family, and from now on, we have to talk about my wages for clearing the dungeon, which are very cheap, equivalent to the minimum wage.”

“Wa, wages?”

Why the surprised expression?

Isn’t it natural?

So, you were trying to use me for free? Wow….

“Ah… I think you’re thinking of wages as a daily rate, but that’s not it. As the situation is what it is, I won’t ask for too much. How much was it last time?”

“I heard it was 7 trillion.”

The Director of the Management Bureau, who had been watching the situation quietly, said a word.

Nice.

“Um… 7 trillion, 7 trillion… since so many people are in danger right now, if I raise my wages here, I’ll get a lot of flak, right? Um… well, it’s equivalent to the minimum wage, but let’s do that.”

“Th, thank you. Then….”

“Hey, why do you keep trying to leave in the middle? I’ve set my wages at 7 trillion, so now we have to set the wages for the support guild members. And the dungeon clear rewards and the ownership of the unit corpses are naturally ours, right?”

“……”

The Vice-Minister has a dumbfounded expression, a speechless expression.

Just blank~.

“Ah~ I keep talking about obvious things, so you have nothing to say~. Then, from a humanitarian point of view, I’ll offer the same guild member wages as the last time I cleared the 1st class dungeon in Osaka. How much was that amount back then? ….”

“It was 2, 2 trillion. Hehe.”

“That’s what they say. So, combining the guild member wages of 2 trillion and my wages of 7 trillion, if you deposit 9 trillion into my account in advance, I’ll work hard to gather guild members from now on. I don’t know if I’ll be able to contact them since they’re all in hiding… By the way, how are the wages? It’s really cheap, right?”

“……”

“Hehe. Hehehe.”

Someone’s mouth is open with blank eyes and their mind is gone, and someone is holding their stomach and trying hard to hold back their laughter, crawling on the floor.

Why? Isn’t it right?

Treat them with an eye for an eye, money for money, and strength for strength, and they’ll think, ‘Ah~ damn! If I mess with that bastard, I’m screwed.’

But, what a pity?

I still haven’t started yet?

After a while.

The dumbfounded, dumbfounded, blank Vice-Minister finally regains his senses and starts to move busily.

Of course, what’s urgent right now isn’t money. Whether it’s 9 trillion or 90 trillion, if it’s just a matter of money, they would have solved the problem by executing it from the national budget first, but right now, the priority is to solve the 1st class bio dungeon situation that they can’t handle on their own.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees and thousands, tens of thousands of casualties and missing people have occurred, the economic losses are not even being tallied, and moreover, the damage is still snowballing.

I don’t necessarily, necessarily, necessarily want money in this situation, but please don’t feel too wronged because it’s compensation for my mental treatment and aftereffects from the kidnapping incident. Still, I calculated it at the minimum wage… hmm.

I should summon the kids in advance.

Where’s my cell phone?

I contacted Han Deuk and summoned the team leader-level guild members.

Well, they live next door, in the back house, or across the street, so it’s not like I summoned them, I just called the neighbors and said let’s have a barbecue party for dinner.

Anyway, our parents and father-in-law, as well as the parents of the team leaders, are mostly on friendly terms, so if we’re going to have dinner anyway, let’s all get together and have a drink of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor]….

Noisy.

Bickering.

Chaos.

The barbecue area in the house is getting more and more messed up.

At first, I was just trying to prepare a simple dinner with the neighbors, but someone brought someone, and someone else called someone else, and the scale gradually grew, and as the scale grew, people’s voices also grew louder.

My father’s hearty laughter and my mother’s voice, which is no less than his, spread around, and my father-in-law and mother-in-law occupy a seat and whisper something to my wife, and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law’s families are laughing and chatting with the team leaders, and my son is running around with my nephews and nieces, and the helpers are constantly carrying food, and when the karaoke machine that someone started starts playing, I left the barbecue area.

I was wrong.

I was going to have a simple dinner and discuss the upcoming schedule with the kids, but it’s almost turned into a party to play and eat.

But what can I do.

My family likes it so much.

No matter how annoying, annoying, and annoying I am, it seems like it would be good to have this kind of time sometimes.