Customer Recruitment 01

Just yesterday, the sky over Beijing had been completely clear.

Ironically, due to the sandy dust from the deserts of the central-western regions, the air in the heart of Beijing became heavy and stifling in just one day.

“Well, this is manageable, relatively speaking.”

Yunyang was wearing the KF-94 mask that I had shipped to him.

Together, we were climbing the desolate Baiwangshan Mountain, which still bore traces of battle.

Peace had returned to Beijing after Beelzebub’s atmosphere had been cleared away.

Looking at the collapsed buildings, the scattered bones lining the streets, the polluted groundwater, and the contaminated forests, one might wonder how this could be considered peace. But for the people here, merely sweeping away those horrifying insects was a deeply moving achievement.

“It’s going to take a long time.”

This time, we’ll have to prepare for the long haul.

Many people still survived in China, but Beijing had suffered near-total annihilation.

“Keep sweeping over there!”

“Be careful not to kick up any dust!”

They were martial artists.

Volunteering as the city’s cleaners, they gathered the corpses of the dead insects into one place. At the same time, they acted as morticians, transporting the ashes of Beijing’s citizens to their promised resting place.

A single wave of fire would rise soon.

White, acrid smoke would cover Beijing like clouds.

It would become a pure white shroud, mourning the dead.

Yunyang added bitterly.

Perhaps this might be the final ceremony to mark the end of this city.

“This might become abandoned land. After all, the people here are already dead…”

To rebuild a city, human hands were essential.

But the citizens of Beijing had been annihilated, and in a world devastated by apocalypse, it was impossible for the Chinese people from other regions to have the luxury to lend a hand.

To think there would be a labor shortage in China of all places – truly, the world had been turned upside down.

“Still, I’ll visit from time to time.”

With those words, we turned our heads.

A long oval of blue.

After clearing Beelzebub’s gate, I had installed a portal connected to subspace in the heart of Beijing’s second ring.

Beijing had been completely destroyed, but martial artists like Yunyang remained here.

The installation of the portal was at Yunyang’s request.

“I will definitely, absolutely come to assist.”

Yunyang emphasized once more.

He had promised to repay his debt to me during the battle against Beelzebub.

Though there was no immediate major threat, having him and the martial artists as an ally was incredibly reassuring.

Furthermore, the repayment he prepared wasn’t limited to just that.

***

“No, absolutely not, Great Master!”

The martial artists raised their voices in unison.

It was due to Yunyang’s significant announcement.

“I’m only lending it. It’s not like I’m giving it away completely, so what’s all the fuss about?”

As mentioned earlier, all of them were Chinese martial artists, boasting history and tradition.

Naturally, they possessed martial arts manuals, which were the most critical resource for Murim-type awakeners to grow stronger.

The problem lay in their history and tradition.

Most martial arts manuals were unique and closely guarded secrets of their respective schools, imbued with the symbolism and exclusivity of their lineage. These manuals were so precious that even fellow martial artists didn’t share them with each other.

Yunyang lashed out at the martial artists.

“That was before the apocalypse. When we hid in the mountains, nobly upholding the legacy of our ancestors. But now, things are different. When tens of millions of people are facing death, what value can these mere manuals possibly hold?”

Yunyang pointed to Kim Sol and Min-woo, who were sitting on one side of the conference room table, and continued.

“We’ve already seen that martial arts are not exclusive to us martial artists through them. Who among us can deny Lady Kim’s talent? And hasn’t Young Hero Baek also shown sufficient potential?”

‘Murim’ awakening.

It was initially thought to be a concept exclusive to the Chinese, but in reality, it was a vast framework that could also be applied to physical ability awakeners.

For example, Baek Min-woo, who had awakened the Swordsman class, demonstrated that it was possible to incorporate the sword techniques he learned from Yunyang into his skill tree.

Considering that the power of his sword had become significantly stronger than before, the effects were indeed remarkable.

“Ugh…”

“Even so, the secret manuals…”

At Yunyang’s forceful words, the martial artists began groaning in protest one by one.

Meanwhile…

‘…This is really awkward.’

I was also extremely uncomfortable.

I hadn’t even asked for any of this.

I had suddenly found myself stuck between someone who wanted to give me a gift and others who were trying to stop it.

Yunyang maintained his firm decision but looked at me with an apologetic expression.

And then, breaking the flow of the moment, the second-in-command among the martial artists, Long Quan, stepped forward.

Bang!

She slammed a book onto the table with such force that it seemed as though the table might break.

The martial artists collectively gasped in astonishment.

“D… Divine Destructive Fist?”

“Long Quang! Are you out of your mind?”

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

The reaction was far more intense than when Yunyang had declared he would hand over the Jeokgang Sword Technique.

This moment made it abundantly clear just how revered the Divine Destructive Fist manual was among the martial artists.

In contrast, Long Quan’s words were simple and straightforward.

“Do you all have no sense of gratitude? I’m so ashamed right now that I can’t even lift my head.”

“No, it’s not that we’re ungrateful…”

Someone tried to voice an objection, but-

“Then what can you offer Young Hero Kim to repay him? How exactly do you plan to repay his help?”

“……”

The voice fell silent almost immediately, and Long Quan continued.

“When Young Hero Kim arrived here, did he demand compensation for providing us with clean air? Did he ask for money after serving us freshly cooked food and clean drinking water? Moreover, how many of you here would still be alive if it weren’t for Young Hero Kim?”

That was a perspective they couldn’t deny.

‘…Every word she says is spot on.’

I stood motionless, unable to nod in agreement, as the situation didn’t allow for such a gesture.

Long Quan concluded her speech.

“All of you should learn from Young Hero Kim. Instead of clinging to things like children, you should give generously like adults, that’s how you truly grow.”

Indeed, that was true.

If you cling to things too tightly, they merely turn into dead stock.

You need to clear out inventory, ship out truckloads of it, before new items can come in.

Perhaps her words resonated.

Plop.

Thud.

One by one, martial arts manuals began piling on top of the Divine Destructive Fist. Not just one or two, but a dozen or more.

Shaking hands.

Had these been originals instead of copies, I wouldn’t have dared to accept them either.

“Ugh…”

Still, there were a few who couldn’t bring themselves to offer up their manuals, but it wasn’t something I could force them to do.

Clap!

All I could do was bow my hands together in the martial artists’ salute of respect toward everyone.

Though this was meant as an act of repayment, these items were clearly of great benefit to me as well.

Meanwhile, there was already a pre-determined way to handle these dozens of martial arts manuals.

◈ Category Item Registration (2)

– You can create a new category to include in the logistics center. (Maximum: 2 times)

(Note: Creating a new category will consume resources.)

I still had the ability to create a new category.

The name would be…

“Pax, create a ‘Martial Arts Manual’ category.”

[Creating a new category will cost 5,000 Mana Stones.]

[Do you wish to proceed with creating the category?]

“Proceed.”

[Understood.]

[5,000 Mana Stones have been deducted.]

[Creating the category…]

[Remaining Mana Stones: 68,616.]

“Place all the martial arts manuals here into the subspace.”

[These items are classified under the ‘Martial Arts Manual’ category.]

[Calculating registration costs…]

Ding!

[The total cost for registration is 4,113 Mana Stones.]

[The cost has been deducted.]

[Remaining Mana Stones: 64,503.]

[Registering…]

[Martial Arts Manual, Seven Star Hand has been obtained.]

[Martial Arts Manual, Divine Destructive Fist has been obtained.]

[Martial Arts Manual, Arhat Step has been obtained.]

[Martial Arts Manual, Golden Summit Nine Forms has been obtained.]

[Martial Arts Manual, Jeokgang Sword Technique  has been obtained.]

[Martial Arts Manual, Sealing Divine Staff has been…]

Dozens of martial arts manuals were swept into the subspace.

The value of these manuals was immeasurable.

They could immediately help Kim Sol and Baek Min-woo grow, and further enhance the combat capabilities of the Joint Command and our other allies.

Moreover, I had heard that while certain martial arts manuals required specialized skills, techniques related to footwork or agility could be partially practiced even by non-physical awakeners.

‘…Ugh.’

Though I had already benefited greatly, I wasn’t planning to stop here.

This was a subspace logistics center.

It was impossible to just take without giving back.

In the large conference room, I returned the manuals I had “taken” to the martial artists, one by one, as they sat around the central table.

Thud. Thud. Thud!

The dozens of manuals they had given me were bundled together.

It became a so-called Complete Collection of Martial Arts Manuals.

Thunk!

Thunk!

With every additional pile of manuals stacked on the table, the martial artists gathered in the meeting room were overwhelmed with a mix of emotions.

The reason was simple.

Each of them had contributed just one manual.

But that one manual had multiplied into dozens upon its return.

I asked.

“You gave me your martial arts manuals, right? But as a result, did you become weaker?”

There was no need for an answer.

Of course, it wouldn’t be easy for them to utilize all the manuals at once, but martial arts manuals were a direct representation of power for martial artists.

Now, that power had been multiplied dozens of times.

However, the truly important message wasn’t about this.

“At least for now, this isn’t about who among us can grow stronger, faster, or more.”

The meeting room fell into a tense silence.

I pointed out the direction we needed to take.

“All of this is orchestrated by the Multidimensional Chamber of Commerce. They’re bringing forces from other dimensions to Earth and turning it all into a money-making scheme.”

“Ah…”

The martial artists let out low murmurs.

They must have heard terms like ‘Bidding Competition’ and ‘Business Rights’ before.

“In this situation, what is truly important to us? Martial arts? Leveling up? Stronger weapons?”

These were all things I already had.

Food, daily necessities, enhanced weapons, potions, magic, and even martial arts manuals.

Everything necessary to survive the apocalypse was already prepared.

But…

“No. What we need is people.”

“……?”

The martial artists widened their eyes.

I even had the ability to install portals.

I could distribute the items I had gathered to places all over the world.

But one crucial thing was still missing.

‘We have no customers.’

If Pax had been here, it might’ve joked with a Ding! saying, “Customers are unregistered items!”

Customers.

People who would exchange goods with the logistics center, grow into capable allies, and join the fight against the Chamber of Commerce.

That was what I needed at this moment.

“People. And not just any people, but a large number of individuals who can grow as strong as we are.”

Our task was simple.

First, to save as many people as possible.

Second, we need to train and arm the people we save.

Third, gather all of them to smash the Chamber of Commerce’s plans to pieces.

That was the grand ‘business objective’ that the logistics center needed to pursue.

Swoosh!

Spreading both hands wide, I wrapped up this grand speech.

“So we don’t have time to bicker among ourselves. We need to share everything freely, whether it’s liver or gallbladder. For that purpose, I’ll…”

“I’ll copy your livers and gallbladders infinitely.”

“……?”

Well, the closing line got a bit jumbled, but still, that was the gist of it.

***

The discussion with the martial artists wrapped up successfully.

Now it was time to return to Korea.

I needed to discuss the troubling state of neighboring countries with Yoo Seong-cheol.

So I began preparing to return to the portal located in Incheon.

It was then that Min-woo brought unexpected news.

“…You got a Rank?”

“No, not that it’s appeared yet… but it says I can create one if I pay 1,000 Mana Stones.”

Through the <Dimensional Being Registration Form>, Min-woo had unlocked the option to gain a Rank.

Min-woo explained that after reaching Level 10, he could exchange Mana Stones for an 8th Order Rank and a dimensional account.

What’s more, without a Rank, it was impossible to level up further.

“What about you, sis?”

“I didn’t get any such notification.”

On the other hand, Kim Sol, who had already gained a Rank through her <Registration Form>, hadn’t received any such messages. She had been quietly growing and was already approaching Level 13.

This revealed something else.

“Then the higher your level, the higher your Rank will have to be?”

“Probably, yeah.”

“Then I’m screwed.”

“……?”

Kim Sol was at Level 13, Min-woo at Level 10.

But I was still struggling at Level 5.

The absurdly inflated costs of leveling up were to blame.

Even now, advancing to Level 6 required a whopping 100,000 Mana Stones.

It was as if I were expected to face the coming apocalypse with this ridiculously fragile, glass-like body.

At that moment, Yunyang, the master of the Jeokgang Sword Technique, approached us.

Although he had already said his goodbyes to the martial artists, he came over to personally thank us and bid farewell again.

I asked him about their plans going forward, curious about the future of the martial artists.

“We’ll first need to clean up some of the damage here in Beijing. Once things are somewhat settled, we plan to search for Elixirs.”

“Elixirs?”

“Yes, there are rumors about an awakener in Yunnan who can create Elixirs. We’ll continue learning from the martial arts manuals you’ve shared with us and keep up our training, but if there’s an Elixir to be found, we can’t miss it.”

“Hah… Just one bite…”

Before I knew it, my insatiable appetite slipped out, but Yunyang let out a hearty laugh and patted me on the shoulder.

“Do you think I’d forget Young Hero Jeong-gyeom? Elixirs can be copied too, you know.”

“Of course, right?”

Imagining Elixirs popping out of the portal like BB pellets, we shared a laugh together.

But soon after, Yunyang’s laughter faded, and he added something serious.

“Young Hero, about the Chamber of Commerce we discussed earlier…”

“Yes, what about it?”

“I’ve heard from government sources that a branch of the Chamber of Commerce is soon to be established in Japan.”

“…A branch?”

After the bidding competition.

The Chamber of Commerce’s invasion seemed to be advancing step by step.

Yunyang added,

“Yes. We haven’t been able to figure out exactly what it means either… but if you happen to go to Japan, I hope you’ll be cautious.”

“I understand. I’ll make sure to stay vigilant.”

“And if anything happens, please make sure to let us know. We’ll leave a contact point near the portal at all times.”

He emphasized once more that he would step in to support me whenever I needed help.

“Thank you, Great Master. Then…”

“Yes, I wish you the best of luck.”

With those parting words, Yunyang turned and walked back toward the hotel.

However, I couldn’t take my mind off the mention of the Chamber of Commerce’s ‘branch’.

‘…These bastards, huh?’

They were clearly planning to expand their business operations.

Starting in Japan, their goal was likely to secure the East Asian market.

The audacity of these bastards, daring to eye the territory of the Pax Fulfillment Center, was nothing short of astonishing.

One additional thought crossed my mind.

A branch.

Could it be the Chamber of Commerce’s version of a government office?

If so, wouldn’t it likely be packed with documents and forms that they used among themselves?

If that were the case…

“Could there be… a Dimensional Being Registration Form? Or perhaps an upgraded version of it?”

Gaining a Rank through leveling up was a situation I couldn’t even imagine handling.

Level 10, Level 20, and beyond…

There was no way I could afford the astronomical costs that would require.

So…

“This is making my mouth water.”

I made up my mind to raid their branch and seize any documents they had.

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