# Player with Maxed-Out Talent, Episode 88

From the moment the police were unable to subdue the monsters, the plan of the Taeguk Shield was already in disarray. The beautiful ending where they first subdue the monsters with modern weapons and Taeguk Shield finishes them off would no longer happen.

“Aaagh!”

One of the policemen, who had been using the door of the police car as a shield while shooting his handgun, was torn in half from top to bottom.

Splurt!

A fountain of blood sprayed out. The police car, which just moments ago had been protecting the policeman’s body, was now splattered red. It was as though several cans of red paint had been haphazardly thrown at it.

Suddenly, an eerie silence enveloped the scene.

“……”

The ‘Orc-Slopes’ let out hot breaths with grumbles, appearing relaxed. They seemed to intuit that they were the dominant forces in this place.

They moved leisurely, pushing their prey into a state of fear as if they were enjoying the hunt. Kim Tae-chun was either acting under the command of the brave Lion King or merely snorting in his place, but he definitely painted a picture of threat.

For sure, he was not in his right mind.

‘I clearly warned them.’

Despite the warning, they didn’t listen. Another life vanished before my eyes. Could I have saved that policeman if I had acted? The answer was ‘no’.

‘I would have been arrested before saving that policeman.’

It could have been the case that an agitated officer might have shot me. Anyway, what’s the point of talking if no one listens? Humans tend to believe only what they have seen, heard, and experienced themselves.

Thump thump thump thump!

A large shadow passed over my head. It was a helicopter. I could see snipers atop it aiming at the monsters. This was the middle of Seoul’s downtown, and there were many people around. Excessive firepower from heavy weapons wasn’t an option. The snipers were the best they had.

‘It’s useless.’

Even the grandfather of snipers couldn’t do much against monsters at the level of Orcs or higher.

Taeguk Shield’s leader, Song Gi-yeol, also wasn’t completely calm at the moment.

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Status: Slightly Confused/Alert/Wary

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I thought I could just step in and finish things off. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. I said to them,

“Don’t move, all of you.”

The aggro was all on the police at the moment. They were still firing and sniping but by now they should have realized that modern weapons were ineffective. The damage wasn’t accumulating; it was being nullified completely.

“In case the aggro does jump to you, Sunhwa will take the lead and block it. Yell loudly, so I can hear you.”

There’s no 100 percent guarantee. The police officers armed with personal firearms were taking the aggro, but the aggro could jump to the players at any time. I had given them a prep talk for such a scenario.

Sunhwa tilted her head.

“Yell loudly?”

That might draw more aggro. Other monsters might also look this way. She seemed concerned about that. And she was right to be. It was a legitimate question to have.

“Yes, don’t worry, just yell loudly so I can recognize it.”

“Got it.”

The quick-witted Sunhwa responded swiftly, and I slowly walked forward. Someone yelled at me fiercely.

“Hey! I told you not to move!”

It was the man who seemed to be the commander of this place, the same man who had earlier told us to stay put. Although he didn’t have a name tag, I knew his name.

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Name: Park Ji-seok

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I said to Park Ji-seok.

“Mr. Park Ji-seok, if we stay like this, it’s going to be a massacre. I have some business with Mr. Song Gi-yeol over there from Taeguk Shield.”

“……”

I mentioned Song Gi-yeol as a strategy. They may not know Kim Hyuk-jin, but they will know Song Gi-yeol. The protagonist who should have been in this scene, Song Gi-yeol, the third-generation chaebol and leader of the Taeguk Shield guild, was surely trying to figure out how to overcome this situation. He must have seen me approaching him.

A message came through the radio.

-Mr. Song Gi-yeol, the guild leader, asks to see you for a moment.

I shrugged. I moved very carefully, making sure not to draw the aggro as I walked slowly towards Song Gi-yeol.

‘Called with extreme respect over the radio.’

Song Gi-yeol was just the guild leader of ‘Taeguk Shield’. The guild wasn’t that famous yet. For now, he was just a third-generation chaebol. But because Song Gi-yeol had summoned me, the police cleared the way.

‘The power of a Saint is great indeed.’

Well, that’s none of my concern. The greater the Saint, the better for me, since I will have much to gain.

In the meantime, a second victim appeared. Torn apart, an arm flew through the air, spinning around before dropping to the ground with a thud! Blood oozed from the arm.

-We need backup! We have two casualties! It’s an emergency!

I could hear urgent calls for reinforcements. And eventually, I stood before Song Gi-yeol. He might not have made it into the ‘Eight Heroes,’ but he’s still one of the players representing Korea. Not so much for his personal strength or skills, but rather as the representative player who once led South Korea’s strongest guild, ‘Taeguk Shield,’ known to be on the relatively more righteous side.

“There are many eyes watching, it’s gotten to a point where we cannot remain idle. Mr. Song Gi-yeol, the guild leader.”

The journalists were all watching. The need to act had come into play despite the damage it might cause. Of course, I was the one who painted that scene. Song Gi-yeol said to me,

“You seem to have something to discuss with me.”

“I gave prior warning. Modern weapons do not work on those monsters. They neither listened nor believed me. They were all too busy moving for someone’s climax.”

“Are you blaming me?”

“No, Mr. Song Gi-yeol, I’m not blaming you. There’s no reason to blame you.”

I wasn’t trying to shake Song Gi-yeol. I’m making him the hero of this place. The hero will be you. I’ll take the profit.

“Aaagh!”

In the meantime, another scream filled the air.

Awooo!

The Lykanthropes, a hybrid of Lycans and Orcs. One Orc-Slope howled, following it, all the other Orc-Slopes tucked in their legs, sitting down and howling towards the sky.

Awooo!

Awooo!

Their howls, like an emergency siren, permeated throughout the city. The howling was like a requiem for the bloodied humans lying here and there. The noise was incredibly annoying.

“The longer we delay, the more damage we’ll incur. Now we don’t know where the aggro will jump.”

The police and special forces were still attacking, shooting their guns, but even that would soon falter. From that point on, it was uncertain who they would attack. They could leave this place and begin attacking the many ordinary citizens.

‘I will prevent that situation.’

My play style is to secure my profits to the maximum, but to prevent any preventable damages.

[‘Whispering Demon’ watches with amusement.]

[‘Nameless Observer’ observes you.]

[‘Lady of the Scales’ is disappointed in you.]

Whether the Lady of the Scales is disappointed or not, now is not the time for me to step forward. If I rashly entered the bullet-ridden battlefield now, my life would be the first to flee. Bullets do not distinguish between friends and foes.

“Let’s get straight to the point. I plan to turn you, Mr. Song Gi-yeol, into a hero.”

“You mean me?”

“If you minimize the damage here and successfully hunt down those things, you can become a hero. Along with Taeguk Shield.”

That was originally your plan, wasn’t it? That’s what Taeguk Shield originally wanted for their grand debut. I didn’t say the words, but Song Gi-yeol would have understood me.

“However, all items and byproducts from the hunt will belong to me and my party members.”

“……”

“Oh, and from now on, I will be recording all of our conversations. I need a safety measure too.”

I could feel Song Gi-yeol’s psychological state.

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Status: Doubtful/Distrustful/Puzzled

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Sensing that with my ‘Sensory Eye,’ I note Song Gi-yeol’s face remains a perfect poker face. It seems his ability to manage expressions was truly exceptional.

“Just tell the reporters to observe Taeguk Shield guild members’ hunt.”

The monsters that modern weapons don’t work against. The heroes capturing these monsters will be Taeguk Shield’s guild members.

“We’ll stay on standby so that the aggro doesn’t jump towards the citizens.”

“Are you sure they will fall into a groggy state?”

“Do you have any other solutions right now?”

It’s just a meaningless delay. There are times when a leader has to make quick decisions. Now is one of those times.

“Also, I suggest a reward of 100 million won.”

100 million. For Taeguk Shield to achieve their goal, that amount is neither too large nor too small. That’s just about right, in my estimation.

“……You seem overly confident. You seem sure that I will accept your proposition.”

“I’m certain.”

He has no choice but to accept. We could run away from here if we wanted. Who would throw stones at me for running away to save my life? But Taeguk Shield is different. They are a guild carrying the name of ‘Saint,’ the largest in South Korea. If they run from here, they would receive a blow from which they could never recover.

‘Of course, he will accept.’

My offer isn’t all that bad for Taeguk Shield either. Finally, Song Gi-yeol made a decision.

“Why would you make us heroes… No. I have many questions, but I will ask them later.”

He must have many unresolved questions. But the situation has become too urgent. 5 people have already died. Song Gi-yeol knew too well that we couldn’t afford to have leisurely conversations now.

“I’ll answer those queries in due course.”

After talking to Song Gi-yeol, I was sure. While I might be cautious against someone like Chairman Song Gi-young, Song Gi-yeol was someone I could manipulate. Everything was proceeding as I had expected.

‘If things go as I anticipate, our next meeting place will be a police station, won’t it?’

I was following the scenario I had painted to the letter. Going according to my plan. I could even bring Taeguk Shield under my command.

I added one more thing.

“Ah, you do know I’m not alone, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“It means 100 million per head. We operate as a party, you see.”

“……”

“If you don’t like it, there’s nothing I can do.”

Song Gi-yeol must accept. A few hundred million won isn’t all that important to him right now. I knew that well. I counted in my head.

‘Three. Two. One.’

As expected.

“Alright. You must really induce them into a groggy state.”

He didn’t look particularly pleased.

“If this turns out to be an empty boast, I will consider it deception and humiliation.”

He was slightly biting his lip, more cutesy than actually feeling a sense of crisis. Like watching a young child trying to defy an adult.

“Agreed.”

I had gotten what I wanted. Now it was time to deliver what they wanted.

‘Normally, they wouldn’t have caught them.’

If I had come across that number of ‘Orc-Slopes’ normally, I would have chosen to flee without hesitation. That would have been the path where I could survive the most. But now is different. Now, I have a path.

‘Well then, let’s try.’

Let’s see about capturing them.