Chapter 75

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Shanghai was once the most prosperous city in China.

A place where over 24 million people lived, it was the largest human population concentration area and a massive city filled with skyscrapers that pierced the sky... However, it had now transformed into the kingdom of the Black Oaks.

Unable to withstand the Third Wave, it was ultimately eroded—transformed into an otherworldly realm.

As a result, an absurd geographical change occurred, turning the warm and humid climate into a dry steppe climate. However, it was not an environment like the Mongolian desert seen on Earth.

It was a land of beasts, where rats the size of elephants and spiders the size of water buffalo appeared, a land of various poisonous plants growing like reeds, and a mysterious land where lightning struck at any moment.

After the erosion, the Chinese government attempted to reclaim the area multiple times but ultimately failed. Currently, they have effectively given up and are merely preparing for the moment when the Black Oaks push out of Shanghai.

Now, this strange region is ruled by the World Boss monster, the Black Oak King Stornax.

At that moment, two vehicles were heading towards the area.

Vroom—

The vehicles were carrying agents from the 59th Department of the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China. This was a secret department unknown to the public, with the main task of interacting with the Black Oak Kingdom of Shanghai, essentially conducting diplomacy with the monsters.

"Director, I can see the Red Wood Great Wall ahead."

At the driver's words, Wang Ping, the director sitting in the passenger seat, lifted his head.

Before his eyes, the 7-meter-high red wooden wall surrounding the old Shanghai city came into view.

This was the border of the 'kingdom' built by the Black Oaks.

"Everyone, be on high alert. Beyond this point, there is no law or recognition... As their vehicle approached, the massive gate in the wooden wall began to slowly open.

Creak—

"Hmm... Now, we are entering the den of the black devils."

Thus, they entered the territory of the orcs, and behind them...

"Hmm..."

Someone had been waiting in a makeshift hut for two hours.

Actually, this hut was originally the first-floor lobby of a 60-story building that once housed a Starbucks. The new rulers, the Black Oaks, had transformed the human building into a nomadic hut.

"Ugh, I tried to endure it, but the stench here is unbearable..."

"Damn, do orcs never bathe in their lives?"

Just as humans have distinct odors by race, the smell of other races is particularly repulsive.

"Hey, everyone, it's best to keep quiet. You don't want an axe in your skull, do you?"

Their leader, Wang Ping, said this with a smirk. But his words were not a joke but a serious warning.

He knew more about the orcs than anyone else, having visited beyond the Red Wood Great Wall many times.

"Instead of attacking you head-on, I will challenge you to a duel, but you will definitely lose."

Still, they were all players of B-rank or higher, and in a one-on-one battle with a regular monster, not a boss, they would not lose.

However, he already knew that the orcs guarding the South Gate of the Red Wood Great Wall were on par with B-rank warrior-class players, and occasionally, A-rank or higher monsters were mixed in.

"Therefore, if any trouble arises, I will pretend not to know, and if blood is shed, I will bury it quietly. Remember, our presence here must not be known to the world."

For a player from a nation to visit the world of monsters was a controversial issue.

Thud— Thud—

At that moment, heavy footsteps approached them, and they all fell silent.

Soon, black creatures appeared, surrounding them with tents.

Standing 2.6 meters tall, with a muscular build that no human could possess, black skin, large fangs, and red eyes...

It was as if the appearance of a demon from legend had come to life before their eyes.

Gulp—

Despite countless battles with terrifying monsters, the players felt their bodies involuntarily shrink at this moment.

Clang—!

The Black Oak threw a massive axe to the ground.

A non-ordinary item, its mere placement cracked the marble floor.

The red eyes of the Black Oak—War General Smact—turned to Wang Ping.

"Wang Feng..."

The deep, gravelly voice, resonating like a large speaker, made their skulls vibrate just by standing before it.

"War General Smact, it's been a while."

"Yes, I have a question."

Straight to the point. Wang Ping knew these creatures did not engage in small talk.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Did you humans say that encountering a group is considered a game and that you receive quests?"

An unexpected question.

"Yes, that's correct."

"Perhaps we have received something similar."

"..."

"A while ago, our shamans received a vision of our path, and the king approved it."

Wang Ping tilted his head, finding it hard to understand.

At that moment, the Black Oak named Smact threw something onto the table.

Clank—

It was a key. A bronze-colored key with intricate geometric patterns...

Wang Feng picked up the key.

- You have obtained the 'Auxiliary Key' of the Ancient Heritage.

The meaning of 'Ancient Heritage' was unclear to him.

At that moment, Smact added a word.

"Have you heard of Laputa, the flying island that appeared beyond the sea on a small land?"

"Surely not..."

"That is the key to enter there."

And...

- (!) A quest has arrived.

'What, a quest?'

- The path of the 'Follower' of the Ancient Civilization...

You have come into contact with a hint of the Ancient Heritage through a special opportunity.

This special item will guide you to an ancient glory.

However, you must either pledge loyalty to the 'Successor' of the Ancient Heritage to gain 'Follower' status, or kill the 'Successor' of the Ancient Heritage to seize the 'Right of Succession.' You must choose one of these two paths.

* Do you accept the quest? (Y/N)

Given the context, this was clearly a quest related to Laputa in the skies over Seoul.

'Why is this here... Ah, could it be!'

The Black Oaks, being intelligent monsters, could be considered 'NPCs' in the game. Thus, Wang Feng interpreted that the Black Oaks were giving him a quest.

"A few days ago, dwarves, as they are called, opened a 'gate' and appeared on our land."

Dwarves (Dwarf), Wang Feng had heard the name of this race a few times.

'According to the intelligence department, small groups of dwarves have appeared in Russia and Australia.'

Thus, intelligent monsters comparable to humans were appearing in various parts of the world.

"When we killed them, this key appeared, and at that moment, the shamans received a vision. That we would reclaim what our ancestors lost to the builders of Laputa long ago..."

In other words, the appearance of Laputa and the emergence of the dwarf race coincided, and the Black Oaks were given a 'goal' to start moving.

If these simultaneous and special phenomena were intertwined...

'...It means that a major event has begun.'

Wang Feng instinctively felt that these series of events were part of a larger trend.

"Hmm, but Smact... Why are you giving this to us?"

"What we ask of you is very simple. To attack Laputa together."

To attack together, what kind of absurd talk is this...

Wang Feng tried to hide his surprise as he looked at Smact.

"..."

His red eyes showed no movement.

'At least, it can't be a joke.'

This cruel race did not know how to joke...

"Hmm... Well, we don't have a reason to do so..."

Laputa appeared in Korean territory, so it naturally belonged to Korea.

Attacking it meant... war, plain and simple.

"Oh, is that so? Don't you want Laputa, that island?"

"..."

"There's no way you don't. If you say you don't, it's a white lie."

Smact showed his teeth for the first time and smiled.

"Wang Feng, let's be honest. That huge island is a treasure that all of you humans want, isn't it?"

"Especially for your kingdom, which dreamed of being the best in the world but fell, it must be even more tempting..."

Wang Feng reluctantly nodded.

'As expected, these Black Oaks are extremely cunning.'

They were known to be barbaric and ignorant, but that was a lie.

No, they were indeed that way at first. A warrior race that knew only battle and conquest...

However, with their high intelligence, they were quickly absorbing human knowledge.

'And they have a good understanding of our situation after fighting us multiple times.'

As Smact said, China was not in a state of decline but was in a difficult situation.

After the First Wave swept through California, the United States wavered, and China seized the hegemony.

However, a few years later, the Second Wave occurred in Shanghai, shaking China to its core.

Losing Shanghai was just the beginning...

'For three years, we waged a total war to reclaim Shanghai, but it ended in a complete failure...'

As a result, China lost four S-rank players, 25 A-rank players, and 2,355 other players, and the Suzhou region was plundered, leading to a rapid decline in national power.

During this time, several countries, including South Korea, rapidly rose.

Then, a Wave opened in Seoul not long ago.

'At that time... our government secretly rejoiced.'

If South Korea resisted the Wave, the surrounding countries could benefit indirectly.

'...But South Korea perfectly repelled the Wave.'

Thus, the unprecedented reward of 'Laputa' was given to that land.

'Laputa, i.e., magic engineering... It's an important industry that will determine future hegemony.'

Until now, the most important asset was the items 'dropped' from dungeons. However, 'manufactured items' that could rival them were gradually appearing.

In other words, this field will become the core industry of the future, and South Korea will lead in all aspects—economy, defense, diplomacy—while China will decline...

While thinking this, Wang Feng's mind was struck by Smact's deep voice.

"Your secret of interacting with us will be fiercely protected, so you don't need to worry."

Wang Feng belonged to the secret organization 'Dark Star' within the Ministry of Public Security, which aimed to seize power. One of the methods was to form a secret relationship with the Black Oaks, their greatest enemies.

And Smact knew this fact, which is why he made this semi-coercive proposal to Wang Feng.

"Wang Feng, it's a game. A chance to seize the opportunity and become the winner."

Wang Feng had a premonition.

Soon, an inevitable war would break out...

***

Finding a hidden stage is the most valuable opportunity during a dungeon raid.

'Most legendary items and above appear in hidden stages.'

However, finding a hidden stage is an incredibly difficult task, and the reason is simple.

The world beyond the gate, the size of the dungeon, is much larger than expected.

'Here, a C-rank level dungeon is, on average, the size of Jeju Island.'

Therefore, finding a 'hidden stage' within it is like finding a needle in a haystack.

'However, there are hints scattered like a puzzle everywhere.'

Lee Hyun-wook knew the mechanism of the 'puzzle' he encountered inside the dungeon well.

He had his team search the orc corpses. The fact that a hidden quest appeared immediately after they were cleared suggested that the quest trigger was activated at that moment.

Soon...

"Team Leader, I found something unusual!"

Lee Jung-joon discovered something and approached Lee Hyun-wook, holding it out.

"Hmm, it looks like a watch, but what is it used for?"

- You have obtained an unknown mechanical device (special).

- Name: Unknown

- Effect: Unknown

A mechanical device was embedded in a palm-sized circular metal frame.

At that moment, Lee Hyun-wook felt a sense of déjà vu.

'This... I've seen something exactly like this