A Wimp’s Strategy Guide to Conquer the Tower (Novel) - Chapter 222
Chapter 222
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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Bong Joo-hyuk.
A name that became the center of all topics after the World Notice.
Joo-hyuk himself experienced it directly too.
To the extent that it could be heard in reality, in cyberspaces like SNS, and even at the dining gathering venue.
As a bottom-tier male, it’s hard to endure.
This was also the reason he tried to hide his identity at first but.
The people he’s most worried about above all are his family members.
When he called to ask how they were doing.
– We are okay for now. What about you? Nothing eventful, right?
“For me, well.”
– Be careful. Hang out together with people when you go outside too.
“Yep! Mom, you too, if anything happens, quickly shout White Tower Entry.”
– Okay.
Fortunately, it seems the things he worried about didn’t happen.
Commissioner Jeon Gwang-il saying he’s personally taking care of the family’s security.
He is a truly thankful person.
‘I should have a restorative herbal medicine compounded for him later.’
Anyway, today’s schedule is exploring the White Tower.
It has been opened up to the 5th floor.
Let’s drop by in order from the 2nd floor.
‘Just up to what floor is the White Tower?’
Is it only the White Tower?
The Black Tower is also like that.
I broke through the 90th floor, but there’s no way to know which floor is the top of the Black Tower.
However, the 91st floor mission.
[The Grand Journey Towards Completion – First.]
‘Completion.’
Inferring from it, isn’t the 100th floor the end?
Because 100 is a completed number in a certain sense.
If so, I just need to climb 10 more floors now but.
However, I must be prudent.
It won’t be easy.
Completion time limit deleted, time separation, save function.
Even at a glance, it’s not a mission to finish overnight.
Perhaps it could take longer than the time it took to climb from the 1st floor to the 90th floor.
Still, the tower collapse time limit is ample.
There’s no need to climb impatiently.
First, after exploring the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors of the White Tower together with the summoned entities via the dimensional transfer elevator.
Eat the elixir Mari will soon transmute too.
In my thoughts, I want to give the elixir to any of the summoned entities, but who would be willing to eat it?
I have no choice but to eat it alone.
Furthermore, Random Summon one more time.
An event to accept a new family member too.
Spending time like that, and if I start feeling bored?
Then I can finally receive the 91st floor Grand Journey first mission.
Ah-ah!
It’s a perfect plan.
In that sense.
“Recruiting personnel for the White Tower exploration. Since it’ll be crowded if too many go, those who will work, work, those who will rest, rest.”
The summoned entities raising their hands flashingly beon-jjeok-beon-jjeok as if they had been waiting.
In the end, I have no choice but to take almost everyone.
The summoned entities who will be on standby in the White Tower are the production class Mari, El, Farmer Duu, and Blood Wolf.
Riding the elevator bustlingly u-reu-reu together with the selected summoned entities and.
When I pressed the button with the number 2 written on it.
[You have selected the 2nd floor.]
Let’s go!
[Currently, the White Tower 2nd floor is in a state where the owner has lost their right.]
[Therefore, you can enter without receiving the owner’s permission.]
‘…There’s no owner again.’
It means they died.
Like Max Kruger, who was the owner of the 1st floor.
[Starting the elevator.]
[10kg of top-grade magic crystals as the operation cost is automatically deducted from the inventory.]
The first time to the 1st floor, it was free.
However, the second time, it’s deducted sharply like a knife.
‘Well, I have plenty of top-grade magic crystals.’
While making a scale trade with the manager of the Earth No. 675 Black Tower, I received a whopping 1,500kg at once.
After that, I also received them as mission rewards in the Dragon section.
‘Well, I have about 2,000kg.’
[The elevator has arrived at the 2nd floor.]
Finally the 2nd floor.
[The stay duration is 24 hours.]
[The owner of the White Tower 17th floor becomes the temporary owner of the White Tower 2nd floor for 24 hours.]
[The owner’s accompanying persons are also automatically registered as 2nd floor residents. Valid for 24 hours.]
[The White Tower 2nd floor Entry and Exit skills have been temporarily registered for 24 hours.]
Seu-reu-reuk.
The doors opened and.
The revealing scenery.
“Euum.”
“Heo-eo,”
“My word…….”
“…….”
“Haa.”
It was a desolate space.
There was nothing.
No natural environment like a river or a field, no roads or structures either.
It seems the person who was distributed the 2nd floor didn’t decorate it at all after receiving it.
The outside world?
Shall we go out?
“I’ll try exiting.”
“Please put on the Concealment Veil and go out, sir.”
That is obvious.
“White Tower 2nd floor Exit.”
Spot!
The world connected to the 2nd floor.
“…….”
It was like this here too.
A feeling of being dropped in the middle of a desert.
And giant sinkholes visible everywhere.
The holed places looked wider than the proper ground surface.
Joo-hyuk summoned all the summoned entities.
Spot! Spot! Spot! Spot! Spot…….
They were speechless too.
Only frowning.
“Is there really no one?”
“I will try flying a drone, sir.”
Then Crackus.
“No, there is no need to do that. I will take a lap around and come back.”
Oh right! A Dragon can fly.
Quite fast too.
“Could you please do that?”
Peong!
Crackus, who undid Polymorph and transformed into his Green Dragon main body.
Peol-leok-peol-leok!
He spread his giant wings and soared into the sky.
Crackus disappearing, becoming a dot before I knew it.
“Let’s… rest.”
“Ho-e!”
Rajix took out chairs and a table.
Putting down snacks too.
After time passed like that.
Peol-leok-peol-leok.
Crackus flying towards this side.
“Greenie has arrived, sir.” (t/n: Cho-rok-yi – cute nickname meaning Green)
Landing and.
Peong!
Polymorph back to humanoid form.
“How was it?”
“…To the point of giving me goosebumps.”
Just what did you see?
“I flew around for a long time and observed with Dragon eyes, but nothing living existed.”
“…….”
“To say nothing of moving lifeforms, even plants.”
“What about monsters or towers?”
“There were none. Just countless holes, dirt, and stones everywhere. Even the sea and rivers were like that. It properly taught me what destruction is.”
No monsters, and no towers either.
Meaning it is an ended world.
It seems it perished faster than the 1st floor.
“…Let’s go back.”
Before going, a silent tribute conveying an intent of memorial.
To all the lifeforms that lived in this world.
Joo-hyuk unsummoned all the summoned entities, went to the White Tower 2nd floor, and rode the elevator again.
Return to the White Tower 17th floor.
“Hyu-u.”
“Haa.”
“Heu-eum.”
I can finally breathe now.
Don’t tell me the 3rd floor will be the same too?
“…Will you go to the 3rd floor too, sir?”
“Yes, since we’ve already started.”
After resting for about 3 hours.
Boarded the elevator again.
Consumed 10kg of top-grade magic crystals as the cost and.
The 3rd floor?
[Currently, the White Tower 3rd floor owner has lost their right…….]
Owner absent like the 2nd floor.
[The elevator has arrived at the 3rd floor.]
The environment was exactly the same as the 2nd floor too.
To the extent of thinking it was copied exactly as is.
A perished world.
A world where life disappeared.
“…Fuck!”
It’s tragic.
The thought that this place could have been our Earth.
If we couldn’t overcome the 70th floor Kavalan’s curse, it would have ended up like this too.
What should I do?
Stop here?
No, I will go until the end.
However, the 4th floor also had no owner.
[The elevator has arrived at the 4th floor.]
Seu-reu-reuk.
The opening door.
And the sight seen before my eyes.
“Ah.”
A field was neatly spread out.
And at the same time, hundreds of dirt mounds entering my eyes.
“…Are those graves?”
“I, I think so, sir.”
“Is there possibly a person inside that?”
However.
“Hu-e-e-e.”
Rajix shaking his head do-ri-do-ri.
“Ho-e, there is nothing.”
Then empty graves?
All those hundreds of graves?
Joo-hyuk and the summoned entities approached close to the place where the graves were.
Metal ingots placed in front of each grave.
And people’s names written on them.
“They’re tombstones.”
Seeing that the fonts are all the same, it seems one person engraved them.
Probably the owner of the 4th floor.
They are probably the names of their family members, relatives, or acquaintances.
They must have all died.
So they must have made empty graves and set up tombstones in front of them with metal ingots rewarded from the tower.
1st floor to 4th floor.
All of them are exactly the same.
All places connected to perished worlds.
To the owners, the White Tower was not a shelter, but a space of guilt.
Because they probably survived alone because they couldn’t obtain 1kg of Topmost-Grade magic crystals.
Aren’t there and that can be issued with High-Grade magic crystals?
Those require completing the initial Permanent Residency Permit issuance achievement.
After that, sub-items are generated as a reward.
In other words, it means you must unconditionally secure 1kg of Topmost-Grade magic crystals to be able to issue trial tickets and monthly rent tickets too.
How would it have turned out for Joo-hyuk too, if there was no Mari?
Since the place where Rajix mined natural Topmost-Grade magic crystals from a mine was the 84th floor, no one other than Joo-hyuk would have been able to come to the White Tower until then.
What if there was no Rajix either?
‘Was the floor where Topmost-Grade magic crystals appeared as a mission reward the 87th floor where the Undead Dragon appeared?’
Only after reaching the 87th floor can one register residency permits.
It is very wicked.
Even though there is a resident registration item in the White Tower menu, the method to actually move people in is fundamentally blocked.
How much must the White Tower owners have wished.
Until Topmost-Grade magic crystals come out as tower rewards.
Diligently climbing the tower once a day.
Harboring a vain hope that they might give it today.
The outside of the 4th floor was no different either.
It completely perished.
“I feel dirty.”
Not only himself, but all the summoned entities did too.
The remaining floor is the 5th floor.
If it’s the same here too…….
‘Shall I postpone it to tomorrow?’
No.
If the 5th floor is identical too, my mood will become gloomy tomorrow too.
It’s better to just finish it all today.
So, even though it’s late at night, after returning to the 17th floor and standing by.
“This is the last of today’s schedule. Please suffer just a little more.”
“We are fine, but Summoner, your mood is…….”
“Well, I’m fine too. Let’s have a drink with me after we finish.”
“That is good.”
Boarding the elevator again.
4th transfer.
The Topmost-Grade magic crystals that went in alone are 40kg.
But Topmost-Grade magic crystals are sufficient anyway.
[You have selected the 5th floor.]
But then?
‘The owner absent message isn’t popping up this time.’
Then?
I’m looking forward to it.
Could there possibly be someone?
The 5th-floor owner, that is.
Dding!
The notification sound of arrival.
Right at that exact moment!
[The elevator has arrived at the White Tower 5th floor Link Gate.]
What?
[Through the Link Gate, you can move to the Dimensional Traveler Exclusive Auction House.]
“Heol!”
“Uh-uh.”
“Did you hear?”
“Yes yes, I h, heard it, sir.”
“This old man heard it too.”
“Hu-e.”
Link Gate?
Dimensional Traveler?
And what is an auction house again?
‘There was something like this in the White Tower too?’
Tti-ring!
[The Dimensional Traveler Exclusive Auction House stay duration is 1 hour.]
The door opening seu-reu-reuk.
And a large oval-shaped translucent membrane that appeared in front of it.
‘So that’s the Link Gate.’
What should I do?
Do I have to try going in there?
At that time, Cossack.
“Bong Summoner-nim, I will try going in first, sir.”
“W, wait!”
There was no time to stop him.
Cossack walking forward crunch-crunch (jeo-beok-jeo-beok) blindly.
It was then.
Cheu-cheu-cheu-cheuk!
Pa-pa-pa-pat!
A powerful lightning current attacking him as soon as he contacted the Link Gate.
“Ggi-o-o-o-o-o-o-ot!”
Peo-deo-deo-deo-deok!
Cossack thrashed about like a fish pierced by a harpoon.
Did he perhaps get electrocuted?
“Heok!”
If he dies like that…….
“Cossack-ssi!!!”
“Ggi-i-i-i-i-i-i-it!”
“Aigoo!”
“This warrior will save him.”
Gobang grabbing him firmly and.
“Ggeu-eu-eu-euk!”
“Ggi-o-o-o…….”
Barely pulled Cossack into the elevator.
‘Why in the world?’
[Only people equipped with the Dimensional Traveler qualification can enter and exit the Link Gate.]
“This, son of a b… You should have told me earlier!”
By the way, what to do about this.
“Are you okay? You were very surprised, right?”
However, Cossack is still collapsed on the floor and having convulsions.
“Geu-geu-geu-geu-geu…….”
It seems the shock was big.
Do we have to feed him a Healing Potion at least?
“It seems he will die soon. Rather than letting him go painfully, why not cleanly cut off his neck and send him off comfortably.”
No, Princess-nim?
Even if a resurrection is possible.
“This old man will finish him.”
“This magician will burn his central nervous system with flames and…….”
“Shall I just freeze him?”
“His temple with a small bullet.”
“Ho-e!”
“Dimensional Head Farmhand, put the pickaxe away. It’s dirty-dirty (ji-ji).”
Was the encouragement from the summoned entities a strength?
Cossack desperately rolled his eyeballs and suddenly stood up.
“I s, survived, sir. The i, immortal Cossack, sir.”
It’s a relief.
Anyway, it means Cossack didn’t meet the qualification.
“Then who has the qualification?”
The gazes of the summoned entities focusing on Joo-hyuk.
“Hmm.”
Who installed the dimensional elevator?
‘It’s me.’
The person equipped with the Dimensional Traveler qualification.
Ggul-ggeok.
Joo-hyuk swallowed dry saliva.
‘Shall I try going out?’
What if I get electrocuted…….
Joo-hyuk extended his foot outside the elevator door.
Carefully moving his foot, onto the Link Gate.
Hesitantly, hesitantly (ju-chum-ju-chum).
Sneakily, sneakily (seul-geum-seul-geum).
Teasingly, teasingly (ggal-jjak-ggal-jjak).
Seuk-syut-seuk-syut.
Taking it out and putting it in.
Putting it in and taking it out.
‘It’s fine?’
Nothing happened.
“Hyu.”
Jjak-jjak-jjak-jjak-jjak-jjak!
The summoned entities sending applause for Joo-hyuk’s courage.
Confirmation complete.
The person equipped with the Dimensional Traveler qualification is Joo-hyuk.
“…Wait here for a moment. I’ll go in and come back.”
“Please take care of yourself,”
“Don’t go up leaving me behind.”
“Would we possibly abandon Young Master?”
Let’s go.
Didn’t it say it’s an auction house?
A place exclusively for Dimensional Travelers, no less.
The items being auctioned probably won’t be ordinary either.
“Heu-eup!”
Takes a deep breath once and.
Into the Link Gate.
Ssu-uk! Joo-hyuk enters.
And Spot! The environment changed.
“…Wow!”
The place Joo-hyuk is standing in is a long corridor.
And things like lockers attached tightly (da-dak-da-dak) on both walls.
Tti-ring!
[Welcome to the Auction House, new Dimensional Traveler Bong Joo-hyuk-nim.]
[The Dimensional Traveler Exclusive Auction House can be used once a day.]
Meaning I can come every single day but.
Will I have to pay 10kg of top-grade magic crystals as an operation cost every time I come?
[Bong Joo-hyuk-nim’s exclusive auction locker has been established. Please follow the arrow and check it.]
An arrow materialized at his feet.
Following it, I discovered one uniquely sparkling among the countless lockers.
‘That’s it.’
The letters written on the locker.
Fascinating.
To think there was such a place in the White Tower.
To be precise, this place probably isn’t the White Tower.
Because it said Link Gate.
Connected to the 5th floor, but a separate, distinct location.
[You can open the locker. Please check it.]
Shall I try opening it?.
When I grabbed the handle and pulled.
‘Eung?’
3 spaces came into view.
Guide plates were also written.
On the topmost space, .
In the middle space, .
At the very bottom, .
Since it said this is an auction house here.
Does it mean you put items to sell on top, and items won from bids come out in the middle?
And the bottom would be bartering.
[Please place the item you wish to sell in the Auction Application space.]
“Hmm.”
Since I don’t know how the system works yet.
I better try doing as instructed for now.
What should I put up?
Among the things in my inventory, what has enough value to sell?
‘As expected, top-grade magic crystals, right. At least this.’
Joo-hyuk carefully took out a few chunks of top-grade magic crystals and placed them in the Auction Application space.
At that moment!
Tti-ring!
[Currency cannot be traded.]
“Euing?”
Top-grade magic crystals are currency?
Oh, items are traded with top-grade magic crystals.
Then what do I put up?
I have nothing but magic crystals and equipment in my inventory though.
Equipment won’t do.
I only put in exactly what I’ll use.
There would be overwhelmingly many in Rajix’s subspace backpack though.
‘I’m in a predicament.’
Is there nothing to put up?
Do I take off the clothes I’m wearing and put them up?
‘…Wait a minute!’
There is one thing to put up.
The most expensive thing among the items he possesses.
The 1 billion won wristwatch he was wearing on his wrist while preparing for the reunion scenario.
Ttal-ggak!
Took off the wristwatch and placed it in the Auction Application space, and then.
Tti-ring!
[You applied for an auction.]
[Please set the initial bid price.]
How much should it be?
It’s just a wristwatch.
There’s no way it has that great of a value.
[If you do not set a bid price, the auction house will arbitrarily assess the value. Do you agree?]
It’s good for me.
“Agree.”
Seu-reu-reu-reuk!
As it disappeared.
[The auction item has been registered.]
[Achievement : Registered an item at the Dimensional Traveler Auction House for the first time.]
[A reward is provided.]
“Oh! C’mon reward.”
[Adding an Auction House Status Board item to the White Tower 17th floor owner’s menu.]
[It is also possible to place bids from the White Tower menu’s Auction House Status Board.]
[However, receiving winning bid items and paying costs and exchanges are only possible in the auction house locker.]
Do I have to go back to the 17th floor and check?
[The Auction House Status Board can also be checked here.]
Really?
[The activation keyword is ‘Check Auction Status’.]
Let’s try it.
“Check Auction Status.”
At that moment!
Tti-ring!
Ju-reu-reu-reu-reuk!
Countless picture icons and letters that float up like holograms before my eyes.
– Secret Art : Twenty-Four Move Plum Blossom Sword Art (二å四手 梅花åŠæ³•).
– Current Bid Price : 3,478kg of top-grade magic crystals.
– Mineral : 100kg of True Gold Ingots.
– Current Bid Price : 2,157kg of top-grade magic crystals.
– Magic Book : Lightning Storm.
– Current Bid Price : 3,022kg of top-grade magic crystals.
– Material : Dragon Heart.
– Current Bid Price : 51,567kg of top-grade magic crystals.
.
.
.
…What is all this?
‘Selling a Dragon Heart too?’
But the bid prices are immensely evil.
I thought I was quite rich in top-grade magic crystals though.
‘I wouldn’t even be able to place a bid with what I have.’
Even if I empty Rajix’s subspace backpack, that is.
And I wonder how much the wristwatch registered for auction will sell for.
‘…They’d give 10kg of top-grade magic crystals for it, right?’
Because I have to at least recoup the round-trip elevator operation cost.