Thumbs Up, Level Up - Chapter 294

Ji-Cheok’s factories were mass-producing Qi elixirs. These elixirs were mainly fed to the Hunters associated with Jungjin, but they were also used in the Hunter Awakening School run by the company.

Both cultivation and magic could be taught in order to trigger a forced Awakening. Hunters with better physical attributes learned cultivation, and those who were good with their brains learned magic. Because of this, the Hunter Awakening School of Jungjin was doing very well.

They were raking in the cash. With the money they made, they were buying up real estate and setting up the Great Generals of Protection all over the country.

Meanwhile, Cheok-Liang had been able to negotiate with the government, allowing the company to intervene in various areas of national interest.

Everything was going smoothly. At least Korea was becoming safer.

Mu-Cheok came back from changing his clothes and sat down at the table.

“By the way… Is this the fennec that you used to summon?” Mu-Cheok asked.

“Yes, he is.”

“How did he evolve into a human? I am just curious…”

“It just happened. He’s my advisor and personal assistant.”

“I will leave you two with your meal,” Cheok-Liang said politely.

He brought out the food and disappeared in a flash of light. It was the first time in a long time that Ji-Cheok was able to just sit and eat with his younger brother alone.

“I hope you are not skipping your meals, hyung.”

“Don’t worry about me, I am eating well. So, how are the other teams at Jungjin?”

“Well, they didn’t start off all that great. Thankfully, after giving them the elixirs, they are doing much better. They were already Awakened with great abilities, so their growth rate is faster than others as they learn more cultivation and magic. Oh, and some, like me, are undergoing body modifications.”

“And their skills are well ingrained?”

“I think so. I was Bi-Ga’s first subject, so she and I worked on them together.”

They talked about this and that while eating. Both of them were living a busy, demanding life. The world was falling apart as they spoke, and the time they had to put it back together was certainly not increasing.

With this in mind, Ji-Cheok was grateful to be able to have dinner with the one person he could call ‘family.’ That was why he had to make this work—so that he did not have to live the rest of his life like this.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Finally… It is done.”

“Yeah, it’s finally done. This was only possible because I have been buying skills and raising my proficiency since I became your apostle, otherwise, it would have taken much longer,” Bi-Ga said, putting a piece of candy in her mouth and looking at Ji-Cheok.

In front of them, a giant pillar rose up, seemingly trying to pierce the sky.

It was the Ultra-Large Dimensional Barrier Generator.

There was one at the North Pole, and a second one had just been completed right here at the South Pole.

Antarctica was once again covered in ice, thanks to Ji-Cheok’s diligence in planting devices beneath the ocean that froze the water. Now, a giant black pillar stood at the pole of the frozen continent as well. It had to be the largest and strongest structure ever created by mankind.

“That’s why I wanted to do a groundbreaking ceremony for this,” Bi-Ga said.

“I am assuming you need a lot of Likes too, Bi-Ga.”

“Well, everyone does when they become your apostle.”

“You’re right. Likes are important.”

It was amazing what he could do with Likes. It was almost like being omnipotent, in a sense. Besides, when his apostles bought skills with their Likes, a certain amount came to him. It was kind of like a tax system that benefited him.

“Alright, let’s do the livestream together. That way we can earn more Likes,” Bi-Ga said.

“But the whole world is in chaos right now. Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“That’s all because of you! You informed them of a truth they could not handle.”

“Well, I don’t think so.”

There was no time to argue which truth the world could or could not handle. With less than a year to go, humanity had to prepare to defend itself.

Because once they completed this final quest, they would finally escape the apocalypse. This final battle would undoubtedly be cataclysmic even as it was, but it was bound to end at some point, at least. It was still better than the endless Gate that would open at the end of the Tutorial.

They had to do whatever it took to stop the enemy and survive.

“So, are you going to livestream?”

“Yes. We should do it together. It is a big moment for both of us.”

Now that this dimensional barrier generator was built in Antarctica, there would be no more dungeons popping up all over the world. As for the existing Regenerative Dungeons, they would remain in place until the dungeon Core was destroyed.

Ji-Cheok could not be happier that he no longer had to live in fear of instability.

“Let’s go to set up then.”

“Okay.”

Ji-Cheok followed Bi-Ga.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Um Ji-Cheok’s channel had become one of the most popular channels in the world. He had the highest viewership of any livestream in the world, and people flocked to his channel like moths to a flame even when he went live unannounced.

He had been popular before as well, and in addition to that, he was the one who had broken the news about the end of the world. People around the world would call him the ‘shining star’ or ‘the world’s most popular Hunter.’

Looting and riots had broken out across the globe. However, slowly, the unrest in the Philippines subsided, while South Korea remained intact. Step by step, countries around the world were returning to order.

Ji-Cheok was back on air.

⌜Hello, everyone! Umji, Gumji! This is Um Ji-Cheok!⌟

He was still the same.

Last time, he had worn bunny ears, so this time, he was wearing something more appropriate. Cat ears.

He was as crazy as when he had first started streaming!

Everyone sent him Likes stemming out of sincere admiration.

-I dunno about you guys, but Umji should stop livestreaming for now.

-This is Um Ji-Cheok!

-Here is my Like!

-By the way, where is that? I see a lot of heavy machinery and snow…

-Isn’t that the North Pole? I remember him building a dimensional barrier or something at the North Pole. I think it’s there.

People didn’t just start giving him Likes. They also started to fill up the chat window. Before he knew it, the number of viewers was skyrocketing.

⌜Anyways! I am here to tell you some great news! Do you see it? Right now, I am in Antarctica! I’m assuming you all know that the ice melted away when the Gate opened here, but now it’s back to being the same old frozen land!⌟

As viewers joined the stream, Ji-Cheok skillfully took them on a tour. The camera spun around to show the entire area. Machine tools, robots, and people were at work. The sky was clear and blue, and there was snow and ice everywhere.

Now, everyone knew that Ji-Cheok was in Antarctica.

-When did that place become normal again?

-Ji-Cheok created an Artifact that created ice and restored that continent.

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↳Oh, right. Now I remember.

-I remember there were giant tsunamis back then.

-If it was not for Umji, my house by the sea would have been swept away.

↳You too? Me too!

-I know Antarctica has been restored, but what is that? That big black thing…

↳I think that’s the same one they built at the North Pole, right?

↳Yup, that’s it. That is the dimensional barrier generator. They said they needed to build one at the South Pole and it would be the end of it.

↳The end of what?

↳They said that there will be no more dungeons popping up.

↳Really???

-Umji is going to save the world!

-Umji is a God! Umji is a God! Umji is a God! Umji is a God! Umji is a God! Umji is a God! Umji is a God!

-Umji, please help me get this job interview, and help me win the lottery!

-Is Umji really going to save the world?

The chat became more chaotic, and the livestream still went on.

⌜Hi. This is Bi-Ga. I made this.⌟

⌜Bi-Ga is as cool as ever! That is one of her great qualities.⌟

⌜Okay, let’s do the opening ceremony, shall we?⌟

⌜Everyone, it is time! The dimensional barrier that will protect the entire planet is finally complete!⌟

As Ji-Cheok commentated the event, Bi-Ga pulled out something. It was a long tablet with a very large red button in the middle.

⌜The dimensional barrier is authorized for launch!⌟

Bi-Ga slammed her fist down on the red button.

The button and the tablet on which it rested glowed in an arcane batten, radiating mana. Then, behind Ji-Cheok and Bi-Ga, a huge black wall appeared, also glowing with circuit-like patterns.

Buzz~ Buzz~ Buzzzzzzzzz~ Buzzzzzzzzzz~

It started to vibrate like a tuning fork—at least to Ji-Cheok’s ear. This sound was something no human could ever hear.

It was the sound of the dimension shaking.

The dimensional barrier that had been crumbling without anyone realizing it suddenly started to repair itself, becoming just as strong as it had been in the beginning.

The sound could be heard clearly by all the divine beings.

The world was being restored, right here, right now. What had been destroyed and scattered to pieces fell into place and solidified.

The vibrations also reached the people of the world, though they couldn’t quite tell what it was that they felt. For reasons unknown, they suddenly shivered, and their hair stood on end.

Everyone, whether watching Ji-Cheok’s stream or not, realized that something fundamental had just changed in the world.

The world was safe.

People could feel that the world was safe.

[The dimensional barrier has been repaired.]

The message actually popped up in front of both Awakened Hunters and non-Awakened civilians.

[The System is evaluating the unusual event.]

Everyone who saw the message gasped.

‘Evaluating? What is that? What is the System evaluating?’

[The System has changed the content of the Tutorial.]

[The dimensions are now revealed.]

[You can now interact with all dimensions.]

[The timer for the final quest of the Tutorial has started.]

[The time remaining until the final quest of the Tutorial has been revealed.]

[Time left until the final quest of the tutorial: 8,267 hours and 24 minutes.]

[After the Tutorial, the System will be upgraded.]

Everyone remembered what Ji-Cheok had said in the past. They thought about how there was only a year left before the final quest of the end of the world.

The words that had set off riots and looting in every corner of the world now turned out to be the inescapable truth, laid out bare right before them.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

⌜The government set up a special budget and announced that it would do everything in its power to protect and defend the country.⌟

⌜What this means is that it’s a total war! Don’t you get it? This is happening! Putting the country’s assets on the line and pouring everything into war is called total war. Do you think the economy matters right now? We will all be dead in a year!⌟

⌜A survey by a leading foreign research organization has ranked South Korea as the number one safe country in the world. Wealthy people from all over the world are now investing in and emigrating to South Korea, and inquiries into emigration for all kinds of other reasons are flooding in—⌟

⌜We are now live at Gimpo Airport. As Incheon International Airport has become too saturated, planes and passengers are flowing into this airport as well. As you can see, it is bustling with people from other countries.⌟