God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 222: Episode _Don’t Talk to Me About Suckers (2)

Chapter 222: Episode 222_Don’t Talk to Me About Suckers (2)

3.

The application period for the Rich Territory’s VIP membership had closed. All that was left was the announcement. As everyone waited anxiously, a unilateral notice came from the territory’s administration.

"Due to internal circumstances, the VIP selection will be slightly delayed."

The crowd was confused.

"Therefore, we will be extending the VIP selection period by an additional month."

"Huh?"

What kind of absurd, arbitrary, one-sided, and thoughtless notice was this? Was it acceptable for a service provider to act this way? People were, naturally, baffled and began to protest.

"Isn’t this going too far?"

"Yeah! How can you just extend the period for a membership that’s supposed to be selected biannually?"

There was no real malice in their complaints. Some of them didn’t even meet the expected cutoff for selection criteria. They were simply dumbfounded. And they had every right to be. If a business could change its standards at will like this, customers would lose trust and their willingness to pay would vanish.

Knowing this, the aide explained kindly, "Please keep in mind that our Lord, who must make the final selection for both VIP and VVIP memberships, is currently away. Furthermore, his activities are not for personal gain but for the peace of the entire continent. This extension is also intended to reduce the unfairness between those selected early and those selected later, as the initial period was too short. We ask for your understanding."

The crowd fell silent. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

In short, the decision was final, so don’t argue. Most people acquiesced. It wasn’t an entirely unreasonable explanation. Players might feel one way, but from an NPC’s perspective, how could they argue against a mission for the good of the continent? If demons invaded, their memberships would be the least of their worries; their very homes would be destroyed.

Moreover, among those who received the notice, the number of people hovering just below the unofficially speculated VIP cutoff was greater than those comfortably within it.

"That makes sense."

"One month, huh? I had given up, but maybe I can make it if I try."

"Whew. My bonus comes in this month. I’m going all in."

The tide had turned. This was especially true for players, many of whom had heard the news late and started their efforts later, giving them more fuel for the fire.

But that wasn’t all. The Aide was a pig who knew how to use both the carrot and the stick.

"Ah! Also, our Lord has expressed his sincerest apologies for this change and has stated that he will be adding extra benefits to some memberships."

"...Extra?"

"The details are, of course, confidential, but I can hint that it may involve something along the lines of a dinner with his daughter, who is now the continent’s Saintess."

The crowd was in an uproar.

He said it so casually, as if the words had just slipped out in a jumble of apologies and gratitude. He even perfected the act by glancing around as if to check if the Lord was listening after mentioning it. Of course, the people couldn’t help but fall for it, feeling as if they had just been let in on a massive secret.

"Ha!"

"A dinner with the Saintess..."

"Saintess dinner..."

"Hey, you pervert."

Whatever their reasons, people were fired up. The Saintess’s beauty was already legendary, and not a few had joined the competition late in the hopes of catching even a glimpse of her if they became a VIP.

As the atmosphere calmed, the aide smiled with satisfaction.

Of course, not everyone accepted it. In any crowd, there are always those who want to be heroes. Or those who want to steadfastly protect what is theirs.

"Still! To extend the deadline so arbitrarily! It’s unfair!"

"Hear, hear! Shouldn’t we suspect corruption? We worked hard to meet the cutoff, and now you’re adding another month!"

Perhaps they were courageous. Their arguments certainly had merit. They even aligned well with Simin’s own mindset. Simin, too, knew when to be brave, even if it meant taking a loss or facing death. And if it was about money, he was the type to throw his life on the line to get what he wanted.

"Is that so?" the aide asked.

"It is!"

"Understood."

The protesters were confused.

"If there are any others who have complaints, please step forward now."

The crowd was silent.

"Yes. We will consider those who have just stepped forward to have no further interest in the membership selection, and we will confiscate all mileage points accumulated thus far."

Unfortunately for them, that mindset was for his benefit alone. Simin actually disliked brave people who stood up to him. And the price for that was a purge.

And so, as Han Simin headed for the Black Mage Order, the rumor of a dinner with the Saintess spread throughout the community and the entire continent, kicking off a membership competition for the ages.

*

The Four Forbidden Zones. A hell that rejected the entry of all living things. Yet, a colossal creature was soaring through it with an express pass.

Monsters that ruled the skies swarmed, screeching to intimidate the intruder flying so majestically without their permission, but the creature simply snorted as if it were a joke and retaliated with a roar of its own.

A thunderous roar answered them.

The monsters whimpered.

The majestic form of a black dragon! Any monster that didn’t reside in the Four Forbidden Zones and command a piece of its sky wouldn’t have dared to approach such a magnificent sight. Flying past them, Kardian’s spirits soared.

She let out another roar.

’Forty points now.’ She still had sixty to go before she could get her Dragon Heart back, but at this rate, she felt she could gather them in no time. She hadn’t done much, yet she’d received twenty points at a time. If she could just solve three more incidents that Simin considered important, she would finally be free from this insufferable human.

How wonderful would that be? The day she could break free from her restraints and soar once more. The mere thought of it was thrilling. Exciting, even.

’If I can drag this human into summoning demons to the continent and plunging it into chaos...’

What kind of unexpected events would explode then? Thinking about it, she was even willing to work with Simin after her contract ended—as an equal, of course, not like this. That was how highly she rated him. It was why she was willing to act as his personal taxi, shedding her polymorph without complaint when needed.

’It’s definitely not because of the points.’

In any case, thanks to her speed, they safely reached the coordinates Seolah had sent.

"Wow. If we didn’t have the coordinates, you could fly right past this and never notice. It’s well made," Simin commented.

The Order’s base was so perfectly concealed that it was invisible even as they descended. It was hard to find even after they landed. If they hadn’t known the Black Mage Order was here, and if countless black magic mages hadn’t surrounded him the moment he landed, they truly would have missed it.

"Hello, everyone!"

Surrounded by numerous black magic mages without Squeaker by his side, this should have been a real crisis. But Simin waved nonchalantly. He had faith.

"You’re here?"

Faith in Jeong Seolah, who appeared from among the black magic mages.

"Hey! What are you all doing? Show our guest some hospitality!"

The black magic mages were silent.

No, faith in Kang Yeseul.

4.

Kang Yeseul had done an excellent job of taking over the Order.

"I haven’t completely taken over. Apparently, I have to pass some kind of Test of Selection," she explained.

"Ah."

But that was only because of the black magic mages’ strict rules, which demanded perfect obedience to the hierarchy; she hadn’t completely won them over yet. If he hadn’t just gone through a similar experience at the Grand Temple with Squeaker, it might have taken him a while to understand. But since he was now an expert on the matter, a long conversation wasn’t necessary.

"A selection?"

"Yeah. It’s not like the Grand Temple. The Order has its own prepared test, it seems. I have to pass it."

"What is it?"

"I don’t know. They just said I have to be at least level 100."

The Specialists, who had been biding their time in the Order due to their low levels, had of course seen the movie Simin had released. Communication was smooth. Not that there was much to communicate about.

"We just need to hunt, then," Simin said.

The conclusion was simple. He stood up, speaking as if he were just running to the local supermarket to buy soy sauce. The Specialists rose with him.

What was this confidence? They were intrigued. They had just barely reached level 80. As adventurers’ influence on the continent grew and their levels rose, the variety of combat strategies available to them expanded, making them stronger. It was certainly true that their options for gaining experience had broadened compared to when they were at lower levels. Add Simin’s experience buff to that, and there was no contest.

But it was still difficult. This wasn’t like other games where all monsters had similar patterns, just with more health and attack power. In this game, high-level monsters had advanced AI that allowed them to use complex patterns, attack methods, and even the terrain to their advantage, which could make things even harder. Yet he was acting so nonchalant. They were curious.

"Do you have a way to level up quickly?" Yeseul asked.

"Of course. You have me."

"No, besides that. You look like you have something else up your sleeve."

At her curious question, Simin just shrugged nonchalantly. "What are NPCs for if not to be used? Besides, this is one of the Four Forbidden Zones. We can just take some black magic mages with us and wipe the floor with some monsters. We’ll level up in no time."

They were silent.

It was a very Simin-like idea. But the Specialists’ reaction was cold.

"Why?"

"That won’t work."

"What won’t?"

"Taking them hunting. We already tried. They said it’s not allowed."

For them, who were practically Simin’s disciples and were now just as shameless as him, the idea of using the black magic mages for their own gain was a simple one. It just wasn’t possible.

The reason why was easy for Simin to guess, and he clicked his tongue. "Can’t be helped."

’That must be why they called me,’ he thought. While he was essential for leveling up as quickly as possible, if they could have taken the numerous black magic mages here hunting, they would have been able to formulate a plan without needing to call him.

"Hmm."

Simin, who had been thinking it was no big deal, was now lost in thought. He hadn’t considered this. He’d thought things were going a little too easily lately. Was there no other way? Racking his brain, he pulled out a memory so old it had nearly sunk into his subconscious.

"This was a method I was planning to use for farming, but I guess I’ll have to bring it out now."

The Specialists were puzzled.

"I haven’t tried it yet, so I don’t know if it’ll work, but if it does, it should be useful enough."

Leading the bewildered Specialists, he first climbed onto Kardian’s back. Then he patted her.

"Alright, to the border of the Forbidden Zone."

Kardian took flight.

*