Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 936

Minhyuk sighed lightly as he answered, “I lived like there was a time limit on my life. Every day, I would pray and beg that I live one more day, just one more day.”

[Q: What was it like when you first started Athenae?]

“It was enjoyable. I can’t eat what I want to eat because of my eating addiction, but I could eat something delicious in Athenae.”

[Q: What is your life like after you started playing Athenae?]

Minhyuk hesitated, pondering the question momentarily before answering, “I am having fun. I feel very happy. It’s to the point that I feel like I don’t deserve it.”

After a few similar questions were asked, questions specifically tailored for Minhyuk finally appeared.

[Q: What is the Beyond the Heavens Empire to you?]

Minhyuk was the emperor. However, even though he was the emperor, he still answered the question sincerely and honestly. There was not a shred of lie in his answer.

“It’s the place where I can feel alive,” Minhyuk chuckled as he stared straight at the camera. “I don’t know when I’m going to die. But whenever I access Athenae, many people will come to welcome me: the nagging Haze, the grumpy yet adorable Beanie, my grandfather figure, Ben...”

The thought of these people alone was enough to put a smile on Minhyuk’s face.

[Q: What will the Beyond the Heavens Empire be like from here on out?]

“It will grow bigger and stronger. It will become an empire without losing or falling behind the Luvien Empire.”

[Q: Would you be able to say that it’s okay even if the Beyond the Heavens Empire gets destroyed and you lose everything?]

This question was also a question that Ali and Death were asked earlier.

“As long as I gave it my all, I would not have any regrets. It’s just...”

Minhyuk did not know the answers Ali and Death gave to this question. The only thing he did right at this moment was to express his thoughts.

“...I will feel sorry to everyone.”

But if the members and the people of the Beyond the Heavens Empire heard Minhyuk’s words, they would surely shake their heads at him. Ali and Death would not regret it, just like how they answered before.

[Q: Lastly, do you have anything to say to the people of the Beyond the Heavens Empire?]

Minhyuk remained silent for a very long time. He was at a loss for words and did not know what to say. He hesitated, stared at the monitor, and said, “Everyone, thank you very much.”

Crackle, crackle, crackle–

Finally, the video ended.

Valentino returned to his senses and murmured, “I’m so jealous...”

He envied Minhyuk as the emperor and Ali and Death, who were with him. After watching the video, he picked up his phone.

“Yes! I’d rather be his dog!”

He would become a dog that barks when asked to bark and bites when asked to bite. After all, Minhyuk told him he had to become a dog to join the Beyond the Heavens Empire.

Valentino quickly recalled the phone number Minhyuk had told him before he disappeared from the Succession Ceremony in a flash of light. Having made a decision, he called the number in a hurry. However, no matter how often he called, there was no answer, so Valentino switched to texting.

[Minhyuk, this is Valentino. I’m willing to become your dog. If you tell me to bark, then I’ll bark!]

Valentino immediately tried to call Minhyuk again after sending the text message. This was already his fifth attempt.

[The number you’re calling is currently unavailable...]

[The number you’re calling is currently unavailable...]

The call ended with a beep just two seconds after he dialed the number. Yes, the other person had already blocked him.

“Haha...”

Valentino understood. Was there someone that was more vulgar and lowly than him right now? He immediately went to beg the Beyond the Heavens Empire when the Luvien Empire threw him away?! The worst part? Minhyuk had played a trick on him by throwing him a rotten rope, not a golden rope, that he could cling to. Even so, Valentino still did not hate him. He knew this was only natural after all the atrocities and wrongdoings he had done so far.

After drowning himself in alcohol and declaring that he would not call or text Minhyuk anymore, Valentino lay in his bed and began to fiddle with his phone. What was he doing? He was carefully typing out the words that he wanted to send over.

[Are you sleeping...?]

His text looked like the text that an ex-boyfriend would send.

***

[1,413 mages moved to the Beyond the Heavens Empire!]

[310 necromancers moved to the Beyond the Heavens Empire!]

The impact of Minhyuk, Ali, and Death’s interview was immediately evident when Minhyuk logged into the game.

Sitting inside the conference hall with him, Carron said, “Ali and Death’s sincere words have raised the people’s trust and expectations toward Your Majesty. At the very least, these people can tell that they will not regret it if they moved to the Beyond the Heavens Empire right here and now.”

Minhyuk turned to look at Ali and Death in delight. He had asked Carron something before he was interviewed.

–But Carron, don’t force them to answer if they’re reluctant to answer the question. Alright?

Ali and Death had lived rough and difficult lives like him. Sometimes, people were either ashamed of their past or afraid to be exposed to the public. Minhyuk did not want his friends to sell themselves short just for the benefit of the Beyond the Heavens Empire. But the two did not shy away at all. They answered everything that they could.

‘Because they are the ones who overcame their difficulties and got through life.’

Those who overcame their difficulties with their efforts would receive great praise from the masses.

Then, Haze said, “Have you heard from him yet?”

“Not yet.”

“That’s strange. Considering Valentino’s current situation, I was sure he would have already contacted you by now.”

They had heard that God of Shields Valentino’s public execution had been held just a few days before. Although Minhyuk had secretly given the man his number, he hadn’t heard from him. Haze suggested that they sign a contract with Valentino.

Minhyuk went out of his way and even gave a slight excuse for this move. He said, “Some will harbor dislike toward Valentino, but we need to recruit him to develop the Beyond the Heavens Empire.”

Minhyuk was allowed to recruit three talents from the Luvien Empire. He knew that the Beyond the Heavens Empire could not continue recruiting people who suited their taste forever. Now, Valentino, who they did not really like, was on the table. He became a talent that they could take away from the Luvien Empire.

“If he comes here, then we can punish him for his actions,” Minhyuk said as he cautiously glanced at Ali. He specifically said this because the two had recently had some altercations.

But then, Ali said, “Minhyuk, you don’t have to worry too much about me. Honestly, do I have to care about someone I can easily kill in one shot?”

Everyone nodded in agreement to Ali’s words. This was the calmness of the strong.

For Ali, who had completely taken down and neutralized Valentino with Meteor in just one attack, the other’s provocations were nothing but a dog’s barking. It did not bother him at all.

Even so, Minhyuk insisted, “If Valentino chooses to join us, I intend to take all the artifacts and gold he will obtain in Athenae for half a year. Of course, the Beyond the Heavens Empire will also not pay him anything during this time.”

Ultimately, the Beyond the Heavens Empire would still not treat Valentino kindly.

“I will also ask him for three billion to migrate to our empire. I intend to send him to Aveid Territory and make him the territory's lord.”

“Ho...”

“That sounds good.”

The Beyond the Heavens executives all burst out in admiration when they heard that. Aveid Territory was the territory that they had received from the Luvien Empire. The Luvien Empire had only started pioneering it and had not yet completed the process. Because of that, they had to continue sending troops to subjugate the monsters and finish pioneering the entire territory.

In the meantime, they sent the Pinnacle Strong Men to lead their troops. However, they were excellent talents who needed to train their soldiers, so sending Valentino instead of them was a great move.

“So, that means you will make him work until we have completely squeezed out everything from him?”

“That’s right.”

Becoming the lord of such a desolate and dangerous land would be very difficult. But Valentino’s hard work would benefit the Beyond the Heavens Empire once he fully pioneered and developed the Aveid Territory.

“Alright. Let’s move on to more important things,” Haze said as he looked at the guild members.

“Our Beyond the Heavens Empire lacks soldiers specializing in shields.”

The number of the Beyond the Heavens shield-class soldiers was only around 30% of an ordinary empire's soldiers.

“Valentino, who has become the God of Shields, will stand out more as he levels up. On top of that, he had become not only the source of envy but also the idol of many of the shield-class soldiers when he became the God of Shields. Now that he is imprisoned, if our Beyond the Heavens Empire takes him in, many shield-class soldiers would migrate to our empire.” Haze continued, making sure to emphasize the most important thing. “By recruiting Valentino, our Beyond the Heavens Empire’s worth would jump. We would be worth millions of platinum.”

Those words weren’t an exaggeration. Perhaps their empire would be worth more than millions of platinum if they did that.

But then, Minhyuk said, “There’s that. But the most important thing is that he hasn’t contacted me.”

“...”

“...”

The entire conference room turned silent when they heard Minhyuk’s words. Minhyuk was about to open his mouth to break the silence when he suddenly received a notification.

[God and Knight...!]

[Knight Commander Don is currently...!]

Minhyuk was left in shock when he checked the notifications.

He hurriedly jumped up and said, “If Valentino does not reach out to us and give us his offer first, then there’s no need for us to reach out to him and propose a contract. Let’s talk about this later. I have to hurry and go to the Prison of Indolence first.”

Minhyuk finished the meeting in a hurry. He was so hurried that he ended such an important meeting so suddenly.

Not long after, he appeared in the Luvien Empire with Brod beside him.

***

Valentino finally woke up after passing out drunk last night. The first thing he did when he woke up was check his phone.

[Are you sleeping...?]

[You told me to contact you...]

[Were you just playing with me?!]

He sent messages that would look pathetic to anyone who read them, and he was very disappointed when he realized he had not received a reply. But now that this had happened, Valentino thought of another way. Perhaps whispering to Minhyuk might work.

‘A dog? No. I don’t care anymore. I’d rather go to the Beyond the Heavens Empire even if I get stoned there.’

It was much better than being dragged down from his position and abandoned in this place for a year. Going to the Beyond the Heavens Empire was better, even if he was sure he would get stoned in the streets.

When Valentino logged back into the game, he appeared inside the Prison of Indolence, his ankles still tied to a chain. The first thing he saw was his current EXP. One look, and he could tell that almost 20% of his current EXP had already disappeared.

Valentino bit his lips. Once again, he was made to realize that he was in a very desperate and shitty situation. He quickly opened his whispers so he could contact Minhyuk. However, he was forced to stop in his tracks. He did not know Minhyuk’s whisper code.

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”

Even though he was willing to give everything away, his attempts to join the Beyond the Heavens Empire always failed.

Creaaaaaaaaaak–

Then, at that moment, the prison gates opened. Someone came in and stood in front of Valentino. This person was none other than Minhyuk. Minhyuk stood in front of him just to show him his face. Valentino had come to the Prison of Indolence because he had something to do.

In the first place, Minhyuk did not intend to give Valentino an offer. He was aware that someone who did not want to offer something and reach out to them would never accept any proposal or suggestion the Beyond the Heavens Empire provided.

Valentino’s eyes grew wide when he confirmed that Minhyuk had come inside. He stuttered, “You—you!!! Did you come here to make fun of me, huh?! I called you many times, but you did not answer me! You even blocked me!!!”

“???”

But Minhyuk did not receive any calls.

“Right. You must find me disgusting, huh?! I have done all those things to the Beyond the Heavens Empire, yet here I am begging you to take me in after falling into the abyss!”

“Well, that’s right.”

That was right. However, the Beyond the Heavens Empire was willing to take him in for a price. But Minhyuk could not even interject and tell this to Valentino, who kept yapping himself.

“Wa- wahahahahahahaha! I can’t believe I, Valentino, the greatest tanker in the world and the God of Shields, am being humiliated like this. Right. I’d instead become Valentino, the Beyond the Heavens Empire’s dog. No. I’m even willing to become the person who gets stoned, punched, and kicked.

“???”

“Take it all! I’m even willing to sign a Contract of Submission. Here, I’ll even give you five billion—no! Ten billion!”

Minhyuk initially intended to ask for only three billion from him.

“I’ll even give everything I obtain to the Beyond the Heavens Empire for a year. I will not receive anything in return for that time frame!”

Minhyuk had only wanted him to sign a half-year slave contract.

“And if you ask me to bark, I will bark. If you ask me to bite, then I will bite. I will obey your orders. Fufufufufufufufufufu! I will also build my God of Shields’ Temple inside the Beyond the Heavens Empire. Of course, I will shoulder everything!”

If that happened, the players and NPCs, who worshiped the God of Shields, would gather in the Beyond the Heavens Empire.

“Fufufufufufu...! Yes! I’m offering you a contract of submission and obedience!”

The sound that escaped Valentino’s mouth was strange. Even if one listened to it closely, one would have difficulty determining whether he was laughing or crying.

“???”

Minhyuk just stared at Valentino as the notifications rang in his ears.

[God of Shields Valentino is offering you a Contract of Submission and Obedience!]

[He will surrender everything he obtained to the Beyond the Heavens Empire and will not be given any income for one year!]

[He will shoulder all the expenses and use his money to build the God of Shields’ Temple inside the Beyond the Heavens Empire!]

[He will obey all of your orders!]

‘Such a piece of cake?’ Minhyuk thought as he agreed right away.

Only after receiving Minhyuk’s agreement did Valentino, who was grabbing onto the iron bars, collapse in relief. Yeah, he believed that this was indeed the better choice. He’d rather live like this than rot in here.

At that time, Minhyuk, who had not said much since earlier, opened his mouth and said, “I never received any of your calls, Valentino.”

“Bullshit! 010 1234 5678, wasn’t that your number?! I have been calling that number! What?! Are you making fun of me again?!”

“It’s 1234 5679. The other party must have blocked you because a number from overseas kept on calling them.”

“...”

Valentino was rendered speechless for a very long time.