chapter 178

I’m thinking that it’s not going to be an easy task whatever it was.

“Let’s hear it first. What is it?”

“It’s a confidential matter so it’s a little difficult to say it so easily. How about I tell you if you can assure that you can do it?”

“Hm…….”

This was the first time I heard such a proposal. I did feel like it was possible if it was about something confidential but it’s a situation where the listener is being robbed.

Why did he think that I would accept it without even knowing what it was about I wonder.

“It’s difficult to tell you the specifics but I can assure you that the compensation will be more than satisfying. That I can promise you as the president of America.”

Even if it was the president, there were things he could and couldn’t do.

There’s one thing that I keep no matter what and that’s ‘not leaving my life in others’ hands’.

“I think it won’t be possible.”

I shook my head.

At my words, the chief secretary behind Wholshore glared at me.

His height was a hand taller and had a scary face making me wonder if he was actually an American elite.

It feels like they just picked a scary looking guy from a gangster group.

President Wholshore made a face that seemed to be taken aback.

He had eyes that said that he didn’t know that I’d refuse. No, he was probably not used to being refused.

After staring at me for a while, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Can you not help a little for this country?”

“It’s not my country.”

This type of thing had to be cut down properly. There was no telling what would happen later if there were loose ends.

“Is that so…….”

He let out a rather low sigh.

I somehow got a bad feeling about this. They aren’t planning on detaining me by force at this point right?

America and Korea were still allies and although direct influence has decreased quite a bit compared to the past, they shouldn’t have the right to do as they want to a foreigner.

Of course, I know that they can ignore such things if they really wanted to. However, I was currently pretty famous and I even attended a talkshow that boasted high ratings.

Either way, if I disappeared in such a situation the American government will have to bear quite a burden.

I was worrying so when president Wholshore suddenly opened his mouth with a wide smile.

“Don’t you want to know about the secret of the Alpha system?”

***

Miramar Navy Air Base.

As the place where the western headquarters of the Marine corps was it was also the place where the headquarters of the 3rd Navy Airbase was located.

I had currently boarded the great Air Force 1.

There were dozens of radars that were releasing huge amounts of electromagnetic waves around the airfield.

I wouldn’t know what those were if I didn’t ride the submarine but I now knew.

The most dangerous thing when landing were flying monsters near the airfield and they were placed to prevent those from approaching.

They had such a technology, so I didn’t know why they didn’t pass it on to other countries.

The plane slowly rose to the sky. The ground got far in a short time and I was flying above the clouds by the time I knew it.

“What are you thinking about?”

President Wholshore, who was sitting on the other side, asked.

This place was a reception room within the plane and only president Wholshore and I were in it.

Edward was currently resting at another location.

I answered without lying since there was no reason to do so.

“That radar from before, it’s to repel monsters right?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you not exporting that technology to other countries? It’s not like there’s no trade and isn’t technology trade unrelated to the impossibility of marine transportation?”

“There are of course several reasons. However, they are not as selfish of a reason as Mr. Jun thinks they are.”

“Then what is it?”

President Wholshore opened his mouth with a light smile.

“First, there’s the problem that others won’t approve of a patent.”

“A…… patent?”

“China is a problem more than anything. That side is not trying to approve our patent on that technology no matter what…… It’s a technology that we created by investing a massive amount of funds on so we can’t exactly hand it over just like that no? And there’s also a limit to supplying this technology. And another, the electrical power usage is immense. Finally, there’s also the problem that it’s harmful for the human body.”

“It’s not as easy as I thought I see.”

It seemed fine to forget about the patent problem. One could hide things like this technology as much as they wanted after all.

It would be better to understand it as them not being able to sell it at as high a price as they wanted and so negotiations breaking down.

On the contrary, the electricity problem and physical harm could actually be an issue.

“Either way, could you now give me an answer? Why you came to meet me and what you’re asking of me.”

I had been curious the entire time.

All I had to do was to install the Space Expansion Marble on the plane. I was thinking about making a good amount of profit from it and was planning on getting stronger by piling up items in Korea.

You might ask what I was going to do by getting so strong but a hunter had to become stronger while he can.

More than anything, the atmosphere these days wasn’t normal.

The Baek Gyeong China was creating was one thing and the mermaid ambush was completely out of all expectations too. It wasn’t only the Delta system’s problem. I had a strong feeling that this world itself was shaking.

President Wholshore opened his mouth.

It was an answer unrelated to my question.

“To be honest, we had already predicted the mermaid attack.”

“It might be hard to believe but even if such a thing happened, it wouldn’t be so surprising.”

I had encountered too many surprising things.

The Yellow Sea suddenly appeared, and I even got a USB that could open Red Holes. On top of that, I found a ruin that contained the Alpha system’s data. Also, I also realized that there were people other than me who were looking for it.

Something strange being added to that wasn’t particularly surprising.

“We currently have a method of predicting the movement of monsters through hacking the Alpha system.”

“Then why were you unable to standby at that place ahead of time?”

I thought that the secret of this world wouldn’t ever be solved before I became a hunter. However, there were many things that I saw and experienced until now.

Human beings did not slack off in digging into what this mysterious phenomenon that occurred in this world was at a place I didn’t know and they were moving quickly to fill their own greed.

There was nothing different about America.

No, as one of the most powerful countries, they probably progressed research more actively as high of a population as they had.

“Our prediction was off.”

“I, I see.”

I had no idea how to answer that.

President Wholshore continued after making a light smile as I made an awkward expression.

“To be exact, it would be more accurate to say that it was changed than wrong. Tracking the movement path of the mermaids, we came to a certain conclusion.”

“What is that?”

I said as I felt suffocation in my throat.

“It’s that the mermaids moved with a definite target. Also, that target was none other than Mr. Jun. In other words, you.”

It wasn’t surprising.

I thought that might be so after all. I coincidentally came to America and the San Diego Navy base was at that place. Also, I suddenly got ambushed by mermaids while on a walk.

It was too elaborate to say that it was a mere coincidence.

There was a simpler conclusion to it.

It’s that the Alpha system started to take notice of my existence.

It’s that it was keeping me, who was moving with the support of the Delta system, in check.

50 years ago.

Monsters appeared on this land. They attacked monsters on land, in water, and also in the sky. Due to that, half of the human race died and mankind did their best to recover the damage from that time.

Science stagnated and technology declined.

However, it seems they haven’t been playing around for 50 years.

Even while I was fighting for survival every single day, effort was being made to solve the mystery of the world.

President Wholshore opened his mouth.

“The Alpha system itself is a world. Dungeons, huge amount of monsters, and also a level system to receive better rewards. These kinds of things can’t appear in a day.”

“Are you saying that it’s someone’s plan?”

“I am saying that this entire thing is a meticulously formed program.”

I could certainly understand.

However, who for what purpose did they made that program.

No, there was a problem to solve before that.

Was such a thing really possible?

Was it possible to give rise to such a revolution that stretched across the entire Earth on someone’s thoughts.

If that was possible.

No, if it was possible because it happened then the only ones that could do so was none other than the American government.

Since it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that America was the pinnacle of knowledge 50 years ago.

President Wholshore made a bitter smile as if noticing my line of sight.

“If that had been us then we wouldn’t have gone to meet Mr. Jun.”

“It might be a trickery.”

“Do I look like such a leisurely person?”

His tone was soft but the meaning inside couldn’t be taken lightly.

Is he telling me to shut up and listen I wonder.

Indeed, this is the president of America.

“However, it’s also true that I can’t just trust it just like that.”

I answered as if unaware of it.

President Wholshores’ expression stiffened for the first time.

“Must you make me say such words with my own mouth. That’s correct. America does not know as to where the group that did such a thing is. No, it would be accurate to say that we have no idea. We could only think about avoiding the disaster that couldn’t be after all.”

“Then are you saying that you now know?”

“I can say that I know to some extent now.”

“Where are they?”

President Wholshore slightly leaned his body on the sofa. I finally realized that I had rushed ahead far too quickly.

“There is something that must be asked before that. Why is Alpha aiming at you?”

“I’m not sure. It seems they don’t like something about me.”

“It seems you’re not very interested in Alphas’ identity.”

He wants us to exchange information. However, it was impossible to not mention the Delta system to explain why I was Alpha’s target. I was thinking how I should go about making an appropriate information exchange when president Wholshore opened his mouth first.

“I’ve heard that Mr. Jun uses technology different from that of the original.”

He doesn’t know about Delta but it means that he knows that there’s something different about me.

He would be stupid if he didn’t know, really. There’s the Space Expansion Marble, the monster summoning, and amphibious car that was impossible with the existing items or skills.

However, there were many excuses I could give.

“It was something I obtained from defeating an irregular.”

There are cases where irregulars would drop items different from that of originals. In my case, it was a level 0 skill but there were many cases where it wasn’t.

“Indeed. However, there’s no way a single person could run into that many irregulars no? Since when has Mr. Jun started working as a hunter?”

He should know that much so he was just trying to confirm.

“…… A little over half a year.”

“How many irregulars did you run into in half a year?”

It seems the position of president of America isn’t obtained through playing Go-Stop as expected.

He continued his words.

“The identity of the Alpha system has slowly been revealed over the past 50 years. A few existences trying to hack the system have appeared as well. Even so, the system has never treated someone as an enemy. That is why I am increasing interested in you.”

President Wholshore stared at me as if trying to penetrate me with his gaze.

This guy, he might kill someone just with his gaze.