novelraw Chapter 198 : Toward a Broader Stage - (2)
Chapter 198 : Toward a Broader Stage - (2)
Chapter 198: Toward a Broader Stage - (2)
Endless Dungeon.
As the name suggests, it was a tower-type dungeon that one had to ascend endlessly.
There was no clearly defined top floor, and Sanghyun himself did not know where the end was.
That was because, even in his previous life, no player had reached the top of the tower.
The reason was simple.
This dungeon, shaped like a tower, was designed with each floor having a very clear intent.
For example, one floor favored mage-type players, while another would favor swordsman-type players.
Since each floor had a completely different concept, players specialized in only one area would easily struggle.
A key feature was that it strongly emphasized solo play, not team play.
If a mage-type player attempted a floor designed with a concept of magic resistance?
They would be completely unable to clear it. They would have no choice but to give up and descend.
What made Endless Dungeon terrifying was that once a player gave up, they could not attempt it again for a whole year.
On the flip side, the higher one climbed, the more exponentially their experience points increased.
For that reason, name-value players with diverse abilities often experienced explosive growth in the Endless Dungeon.
Out of the two dungeons in the entire world, one belonged to Jerron Decay, and the other to the Nobility Guild.
Han Hyunjeong was saying that Sanghyun might be given the qualification to challenge this special dungeon.
‘This is a bit unexpected.’
It truly was unexpected.
Although it was a tricky dungeon, once one got the hang of it, they could experience storm-like growth.
Of course, it was relatively poor in loot types like Artifacts.
But the immense amount of experience alone more than made up for that.
According to Sanghyun’s memory, in his previous life, Jerron Decay had raised his level by 100 in just five days in the Endless Dungeon.
And that was when he was around level 400.
Considering that after level 400, even with the best strategy, it usually took more than a day to raise a single level—
It was truly insane growth.
And now, an opportunity to enter such a place was being presented to Sanghyun!
“How is it? Are you feeling a bit more motivated now? You looked pretty indifferent earlier, but now your eyes are sparkling.”
“That’s an incredible carrot you’re dangling.”
“Ha, if you had seen the video call I made earlier, you might’ve cried.”
“Why?”
“To be honest, I really hyped you up like crazy. It was borderline worship of Frederick.”
“I feel like I’ve got the best sponsor ever. I never regretted it from the start anyway.”
“Hoho. So, if you ever want to renew the contract, just let me know. I can renew it right away.”
“Really?”
“Of course! I always carry the contract with me!”
Han Hyunjeong quickly pulled out the contract, just as she had said—an extension agreement for her contract with Sanghyun.
Though their relationship was tied by mutual benefit, Sanghyun could clearly feel her sincerity.
‘I’m definitely blessed with good people.’
From the Constellation to the many around him, all the beings protecting Sanghyun held great value in him.
It was all fortune, luck, and a positive sign. That thought naturally brought a smile to his face.
“By the way, is the success or failure of my evaluation in the Ashtaroth Dungeon important to the master as well?”
“Should I be honest?”
“Sounds like your answer already contains a hidden meaning. Haha.”
“It’s important. Because Frederick trusts my judgment 100%. If you succeed again this time, everything about me will be a free pass.”
“You mean future deals will be easier too.”
“Exactly. And Frederick has connections not just in the U.S., but all around the world.”
“Mm. That’s definitely true.”
“Jerron Decay is a rather closed-off person. He’s more of a loner. But Frederick is a total socialite.”
“So, with that kind of metaphor, it’s easy for him to connect across continents or factions from the U.S.”
“Yes. If we compare it to the entertainment industry, he’s like a major agency. He can get you into any gig.”
A rosy prospect unfolded before his eyes.
That was enough.
Even though Han Hyunjeong hadn’t boasted much about her efforts, the fact that Sanghyun felt such immense value meant she really had worked hard.
“Oh right, did you hear about that?”
Just then, Han Hyunjeong changed the topic.
For someone like her to ask if he had heard of something meant it was quite an important topic.
She wasn’t the type to react to random gossip or unverified rumors.
“What are you talking about?”
“About the journalist Park Jungmin.”
“Ah. I didn’t really pay much attention to it.”
Right after Park Jungmin’s corpse was discovered in the Rift—
The news initially focused on the tragic death of Park Jungmin.
Because he had been a well-connected journalist with great interview skills.
Also, as someone specialized in hero-making stories, many people who had benefited from him joined in the mourning.
It was a wave of condolences and memorials.
But the public opinion shifted drastically starting the next day.
That was because Park Jungmin’s house, mysteriously opened by someone, was visited by other journalists who unintentionally stumbled upon a huge scoop.
It was all too coincidental—like someone had intentionally made the information public.
In any case, what was newly revealed to the public was this:
Park Jungmin was a core executive and central figure of the Predator Network, deeply involved in its operations.
Moreover, with his death, the Predator Network’s operations ceased, and information about players harmed by him also came to light.
“It’s really shocking. It’s scary enough that they killed players to steal their abilities. But to think he was running such an organization in secret without ever revealing it…”
Han Hyunjeong’s reaction was also how most people responded.
Scary. The realization that a dark underworld had crept deep into everyday life.
But since Park Jungmin was dead, many thought there wouldn’t be more trouble like this.
‘Scapegoat.’
Sanghyun’s interpretation, able to see through the essence, was different.
Park Jungmin definitely wasn’t the core of the Predator Network.
Someone with skills at that level, the head of the network? Even a passing dog would laugh at that.
Why didn’t the players completely destroy the Predator Network in his past life, even though they knew it existed?
Because of power.
Park Jungmin was, at best, a top-tier player in the level 300 range.
The true mastermind was at least above level 500—already in the realm of ultra-name-value players.
‘They blew it up on purpose. Released a small darkness to hide the bigger one.’
Sanghyun could see it.
Even the information released this time was, to a first-time viewer, large in scale.
The mastermind behind the Predator Network had buried the larger truth by selectively leaking some details.
In other words, they had always been ready to use Park Jungmin as a sacrificial pawn if he ever went down.
‘I might become a target too.’
Although the public didn’t know that Park Jungmin had tried to ambush Sanghyun and died, the Predator Network surely would have realized it.
They must have concluded there was only one reason Park Jungmin died after following Sanghyun into the Rift.
Sanghyun had survived an ambush attempt by both Tory and Nietzsche (Park Jungmin), so perhaps he had unintentionally stimulated the Predator Network—filled with those perverse senses and adventurous spirits—in a different way.
Now, the stage would be America.
It was not only much broader than Korea, but also full of many different eyes watching.
In some ways, America was a place where it was even easier to be targeted by outsiders.
It was a country where gun ownership was permitted, and related incidents occurred frequently.
Naturally, many players died there too.
‘Up above, the Dimensional Forces. From front and behind, the Predators. And from the sides, eyes trying to evaluate me. It’s the perfect storm.’
Sanghyun gave a bitter smile.
Though it was overwhelming pressure, in a way, he liked it as a powerful motivator.
After all, in his previous life, he never even got to feel such pressure.
“If you happen to get more updates later about journalist Park Jungmin, could you let me know?”
“Of course. Our corporation has a separate intelligence department. It’s a piece of cake.”
With a brief pitch from Han Hyunjeong during the lull, Sanghyun also decided to prepare for the worst.
Park Jungmin was dead, but he had only been a small piece of the Predator Network puzzle.
If a bigger piece began to move, the situation could become complicated at any time.
Or even extremely, dangerously so.
At that moment—
At the top floor of the Frederick Tower, named after its owner, the master himself was present.
Frederick Villain.
After hearing that Sanghyun and Han Hyunjeong were traveling via private jet, he was rechecking the information.
Sanghyun from Korea.
Naturally, Frederick hadn’t paid him any attention until very recently.
Why would he care about someone not even considered a name-value player, from the distant Korean Peninsula, across the Pacific?
There were already thousands of so-called promising players within the United States alone.
He had plenty to look at domestically and no reason to bother with foreign prospects.
But.
After the large-scale raid with Do Kyungsoo, when Sanghyun began gaining mass media exposure, Frederick's thoughts changed.
Most importantly, Do Kyungsoo and Frederick had known each other for a long time.
<“You can expect great things from Shin Sanghyun. His level and skills may still be behind mine, but his potential is several times greater than mine. I guarantee it.”>
Do Kyungsoo had given Frederick a very serious recommendation about Sanghyun.
And it wasn't like they were particularly close.
Frederick knew Do Kyungsoo didn’t hand out praise lightly, so he understood the weight of those words.
From that point on, Frederick had kept a close eye on Sanghyun. Gathering intel wasn’t difficult anyway.
And the moment that truly caught Frederick’s interest and made him want to meet Sanghyun in person—
Was the death match against Ma Dongho.
To Sanghyun, it was just about defeating Ma Dongho and confirming his own skill, nothing too significant.
But from an outsider’s perspective, the result Sanghyun had produced was nothing short of shocking.
Hadn’t he cleanly taken down the fourth-ranked name-value player in a top-tier guild?
Everyone had seen that scene through their screens, and Frederick was no exception.
“A brutal initiation. If he passes the evaluation there, I might as well become his sponsor instead of Han Hyunjeong.”
Frederick smiled.
It wasn’t a sly or cheap grin, but the rare joy of discovering a player he truly wanted to invest in.
Of course, it was just anticipation for now.
If Sanghyun failed to showcase his value in the upcoming dungeon raid as a mercenary—
He would simply be discarded as one of the many promising-but-average rookies.
Frederick had seen hundreds like that already.
Until then, however, he would continue to watch with high expectations.
That was the nature of investment, after all.