Chapter 153
“This… this is…”
The representative of the negotiation team’s pupils shook with anxiety.
Demanding exclusive access to the national buffs the country can provide to guilds! Even for someone with full authority as the representative of the negotiation team, this was not an easy issue to address.
“To be honest, we can provide the growth rate increase. However, expanding the guild’s membership…”
A higher growth rate is only really necessary for specialized guilds, not general ones. However, the expansion of guild membership was different.
The membership expansion buff provided by the country to the top 10 guilds had increased their levels by four steps.
Four steps meant they could accept an additional 20 members, a tremendous effect.
Because of this, guilds that weren’t part of the top 10 had tried everything to break into the top ranks due to the buffs, but they couldn’t disrupt the solid rankings from 1st to 10th due to the buff they missed out on.
“Well… the growth rate increase is something we can provide. I’m sure the top 10 guilds won’t easily give it up. But the issue with membership expansion is that it requires them to change all their entries, so… it’s a bit difficult for us to answer right away.”
“Even if you receive all the membership increase buffs, it won’t increase your level to 40. If you divide them among ten places, the effect of level increase is reduced, and the maximum you can get is about 15 to 20.”
“Oh, I see.”
Even if guilds receive the guild buffs for 10 places, they won’t be able to fully utilize the effect.
Furthermore, if the top 10 guilds significantly reduce their membership, it would complicate matters, so the negotiation team asked for more time.
Seong Jihan smiled faintly.
“So, shall we go to the U.S.?”
“Ah, no! I, uh… What if we negotiate for about half the membership? Even then, the guild membership expansion level would increase by about 10. In return, we’ll give you the negotiation conditions and support that we’ve prepared!”
“Tax exemption? Tax exemption is something… people have to pay taxes to live, you know.”
“Oh! How can we possibly collect taxes from you, Seong Jihan? Besides, there’s another property right next to here that the government was planning to auction off. This, and also…!”
“Hmm…”
Seong Jihan furrowed his brow as if he didn’t seem very interested in the many government supports, including tax exemptions, and only seemed to care about guild membership expansion.
“Oh, guild membership expansion… This is incredibly important! If we give you this, there will be a huge backlash…!”
As the representative of the negotiation team stared at the unyielding Seong Jihan, trying to suppress his frustration.
“Oppa, don’t be like this,” Lee Hayeon, who had been watching from the side, stepped in.
She, who usually referred to him as ‘Boss or Owner,’ called him ‘Oppa’ in a gentle voice as she tried to dissuade him.
“Expanding the number of members… even if we receive it all, it’s just a difference of five levels. So that’s 25 people. Let’s just accept half as the negotiation team suggests.”
“No, I’m not demanding anything unreasonable. They said they’d give us a 10% stake in the AF Guild in the U.S.”
“Oppa… Among the Top 10 Guilds, there’s the ‘Divergent Guild.’ We even have it at our house. Can’t you give us some consideration? The negotiation team says they can give us about half. Good things are good, right? Oppa also wanted to live in Korea!”
“Hmm…”
When Lee Hayeon spoke with a playful tone, Seong Jihan made a contemplative expression for a moment.
‘Could it be… he’s giving in to the persuasion?’
‘If we can convince the guild master, there might be an opening!’
The representative of the negotiation team recalled Lee Hayeon, who had been disappointed earlier about Seong Jihan’s proposed conditions.
To protect the expansion of their membership, it was time to bring out the cards they had originally prepared.
“Our government has also prepared these conditions!”
Rather than Seong Jihan, let’s target Lee Hayeon!
The representative of the negotiation team brought out the material conditions they had prepared without hesitation.
“Oh my, you’re making us feel really burdened with all this…”
Lee Hayeon’s tone had changed to ‘we’ before anyone realized it. The representative of the negotiation team was convinced that Lee Hayeon held the real power, so he continued to suggest support measures with a bitter smile.
“Oh… Oppa, I mean, Boss is a bit stubborn. Is this okay for him?”
“Well then, how about this? This support measure…”
“Ugh… I think I can say something at this point.”
Lee Hayeon, whose influence had grown stronger than before, managed to secure many support measures from the government negotiation team.
“Oh. I offered more conditions than I thought…”
“But instead of causing a disturbance with the Top 10 Guilds, it’s better to negotiate like this.”
The negotiation team felt a sense of relief as they agreed to only provide half of the member expansion.
“Well, this should be enough for me to definitely convince Boss. Oh, by the way…”
“…what do you mean?”
‘Oh, by the way…’ Does she want to add more conditions?’
The head of the negotiation team had been anxious from the start.
“Oh. Could you also designate us as the Promising Guild of the Year? Boss values the guild’s growth a lot you know”
“Th-that can be done immediately!”
“Thank you~!”
The last condition Lee Hayeon requested was something the government had actually considered doing earlier. The head of the negotiation team, while anxious, decided to end the negotiation by agreeing to give half of the member expansion and the entire growth rate from the guild buff, in addition to all the conditions they had prepared.
“Sigh. That person is extraordinary. We’ve given away everything we prepared.”
“It’s fine… it’s fortunate that it ended like this. Even if we add up everything, it’s not even 2% of the American First’s stake.”
“That’s true.”
“We need to quickly negotiate with the Top 10 Guilds and prepare for a nationwide announcement. It’s lucky that the negotiations ended in just one day.”
The negotiation team left with a sense of relief, and Lee Hayeon sighed deeply in the conference room.
As she rested for a moment, Seong Jihan and his group entered the room.
“You did well, Hayeon.”
“Wow. Unnie, your acting was amazing. I seriously thought you two were dating.”
“Miss, I was also impressed. I thought your talent was only in hiding your gambling habit.”
“The last comment is a bit of an afterthought, isn’t it?”
Lee Hayeon shrugged her shoulders.
“When you sent me a message earlier during the negotiation process, I was really surprised, Boss. Asking me to pretend we’re lovers and all.”
During the negotiation process a while ago, Seong Jihan sent a message to Lee Hayeon.
-Half of the member expansion buff they will get from them is sufficient. The rest is up to Hayeon’s discretion. Try persuading him by pretending to be lovers.
Lee Hayeon, known to the public as Seong Jihan’s lover. In this negotiation, she showcased their relationship while assisting in convincing Seong Jihan to stay in Korea. In reality, everything was in Seong Jihan’s hands, but from the perspective of the negotiation team that went through the negotiation process, it was impossible to believe that this was what Seong Jihan intended.
“You did 120% better than I expected. Your ‘Oppa’ came out without hesitation.”
“Really? Should we continue?”
“No.”
“Ugh.”
When Seong Jihan firmly declined, Hayeon pouted. It felt like you could prick her with a needle and not get a drop of blood to come out.
“Is it over?”
At that moment, Sophia, who had finished her game, entered the conference room.
“Will you stay in Korea after all?” She asked Jihan.
“Yes. It seems like my homeland is more comfortable.”
“That’s a shame. Jihan, I wanted to live with you.”
She looked around the guild’s conference room.
“Oh. Come to think of it, if I just stay in Korea, the problem will be solved, right? We can be together all the time.”
“No, it’s okay. Go, Sophia.”
“You’re going too far. You keep trying to send me away.”
Sophia complained to Seong Jihan while grumbling.
“Jihan, didn’t I say to you last time? I told you that I would like it if I became the world’s greatest supporter.”
“I did mention it through Seah’s communication, yes.”
“That’s right! Anyway.”
She glanced at Hayeon.
“Can you not be so obvious about it from now on? Especially to the Guild Master.”
“He won’t notice.”
“Why not?? What did I do wrong?”
Seong Jihan looked at the protesting Hayeon and said nonchalantly, “Because gambling addicts don’t look like lovers.”
“No, I’m not… a gambling addict…!”
“Really?”
Faced with Seong Jihan’s question, Hayeon couldn’t confidently deny it. Her past experiences flashed through her mind like a lantern procession. Instead…
“She’s a gambling addict.”
Lim Gayeong, who was Hayeon’s bodyguard, admitted.
With a voice filled with more certainty than ever, Seong Jihan said, “Miss, you are indeed one of a kind, a gambling addict.”
“Hey!”
“Thanks to that, I’ve become a free man. But now, I hope you stop… I don’t want to see you deteriorate any further.”
“What do you mean? I’m not a gambling addict. It’s really absurd! I just made some predictions!”
Seong Jihan, after looking at the blushing Hayeon’s face, turned to Yoon Seah, who was beside him.
“Seah, if you bet again, I’ll confiscate Sword Palace.”
“…Alright. Uncle! I really won’t bet anymore.”
“I don’t trust it.”
“Oh, come on! Trust me!”
Sophia sighed as she watched the extravagant party of Koreans.
“Koreans really love gambling.”
“Well… Las Vegas is in the United States! Gambling is your invention!”
“Jihan. I’ll become the number one supporter and come to Korea. Will you accept me then?”
Seong Jihan chuckled as he looked at Sophia, who was nonchalantly ignoring Hayeon’s words.
By the time Sophia becomes the number one supporter, the fate of the world would already be determined.
Whether it would perish or survive.
“If the world is safe, it won’t be hard to accept anything.”
“Is it a promise?”
With a wide smile, Sophia strengthened her resolve and left Korea.
And soon…
[Seong Jihan. Staying in Korea!]
[The major guild undergoes a large-scale expansion reorganization! It has been announced that all increased members due to national bonuses will be Koreans!]
Not only in domestic media but also in international news, they began to cover Seong Jihan’s decision to stay in Korea.
***
[Seong Jihan. Staying in Korea!]
[The government of South Korea has established and implemented massive support policies. However, even if you add all of this, it falls short of 1% of the American First stake…!]
[“The United States always welcomes you.” Sophia leaves Korea after her final interview.]
[The leading guild focusing on growth rate, what are their future plans? “We will focus on the growth of Korean players.”]
To keep Seong Jihan in Korea, the Korean government did its best. Not only the return of Sword Palace but also tax benefits, government support, and the national guild buffs. It was a comprehensive support plan for a small country like Korea. However…
-Seong Jihan, you look like a beggar now, hehe~
-Is that all they got after giving back the Sword Palace?
-If I were Seong Jihan’s family, I would have told him to go to the United States hehe
-Why, what’s wrong with our country?
-He’s just an idiot for accepting support like that!
Compared to the extravagant treatment top players from other countries receive, even ordinary people would find Seong Jihan’s benefits from the country lacking. It should have been more than enough to secure more wealth and honor. Seong Jihan may be satisfied, but the fans were disappointed in the situation. However.
‘This is enough.’
After all, what mattered most to him was his growth rate.
‘I may not be as focused on the national buff because of Martial Soul, but Seah and other players are not the same.’ Seong Jihan recalled the numerous promising players in Daegi Guild.
They were the talents who would support Earth’s ranking when the Space League opened. It was his job, as the Boss of Daegi Guild, to help these people grow as much as possible.
And suddenly, on October 25th, the day when the Gold TOP 100 from around the world were selected and the promotion match took place, Seong Jihan’s name did not appear.
-Why isn’t Seong Jihan here?
-Could it be that he’s not Level 100 yet?
-There’s no way he’s not ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ He leveled up even as a national representative, didn’t he?
-But he didn’t play the game last time because of the negotiations. Maybe he couldn’t participate because he couldn’t level up then?
-It would be a bit disappointing if he doesn’t go to Platinum this time, hehe~
So on the 25th. People were buzzing about Seong Jihan’s absence, but when it became October 26th, everyone saw a new message they had never seen before.
-Player ‘Seong Jihan’ is invited to the Space League Gold TOP 25 Promotion Match.
The Space League. It was a completely new world for the Earthlings, who were currently in a tutorial state.
