National destiny: Global tower climbing skills have decreased by 10,000 times.

Chapter 126 High-Speed ​​Escape

Inside a room in an apartment building in Goryeo (Korea).

The door was locked, the curtains were drawn tightly, and only the light from the computer screen shone on the wall.

Takeout boxes were scattered on the ground, some with leftover kimchi.

The phone screen was lit up, showing more than a dozen missed calls, all of which had been blocked.

Jin Shengwu sat in front of the computer, his eyes fixed on the screen, which displayed a mysterious email.

He hasn't gone to the training center for more than ten days, nor has he answered any phone calls.

Because he knew that once he answered the phone or returned to the organization, he would be met with endless scolding and pressure.

Over the years, only he himself knew that the so-called "third in the world" and "national champion of Korea" were nothing but pretty empty titles.

For him, it was just a heavy shackle that made it impossible for him to breathe.

He knew in his heart that from beginning to end, he had only been a tool to be exploited. All that talk of "for the future of Great Korea" and "you're a national player, you should dedicate yourself to esports" was just empty rhetoric.

He'd heard these words countless times. In the Korean esports scene, his wins didn't elicit any praise; it was as if everything was taken for granted.

But if he loses even once, the sky will fall.

A torrent of insults will come crashing down on him, and he will be labeled with all sorts of accusations such as "ruining Korean esports" and "disgraceful."

Even the label of "treason".

He can only gain temporary peace by winning, and winning continuously.

It all stemmed from the agreement he signed back then, that wrong decision: 70% of all his professional income would go to the team organization.

From then on, he dedicated his life to the team and to "Korea eSports".

And who would have thought that the world's third-ranked player wouldn't even be able to pay off his debts? He works for an organization, but he still has to be mindful of his boss's mood every day.

Most importantly, he will always be the "perennial runner-up." When people talk about esports in Korea, the first name that comes to mind is always another one.

The name weighed heavily on him, like a mountain, making it hard to breathe and impossible to overcome.

In the eyes of the people of Goryeo, it seems that being number one is enough, and everyone else, including him who is "number two," is not important.

"I've had enough—" Jin Shengwu sighed.

He had been staring at the letter on the screen with the distant address for a long time.

He had read the contents of the letter more than a dozen times: as long as he was willing to go to the United States, he could directly serve as the vice chairman of the United States Esports Committee.

The promise of a million-dollar annual salary from the Eagle Nation allowed him to escape the shackles of debt and start a new life.

Money isn't the most important thing; the most important thing is that he no longer has to be at the mercy of anyone!

In Korea, he was merely a tool to be exploited, a lowly team member unable to repay his debts, and a "shadow" following behind others.

Once he arrived in the United States, he became the vice president, a man above all others, wielding immense power!

"Fine, didn't you say I betrayed my country? Didn't you like to say I dragged down Korean esports?"

He let out a fierce breath, moved his finger across the mouse, and clicked on the ticketing website.

Three days later, at an international airport in the United Kingdom.

A man in a dark gray overcoat walked out of the arrival gate, took off his sunglasses, and revealed a confident and expectant face.

As soon as he got off the plane, he took a deep breath and exclaimed, "Indeed, even the air in the United States is extraordinary."

It was Jin Shengwu. He was dressed in a high-end, respectable suit, and looked like a completely different person.

He was picked up in a black sedan. The door opened, and a staff member wearing the uniform of the Eagle Nation Esports Association bowed to him: "Mr. Jin, welcome to Eagle Nation."

Kim Seung-woo replied in fluent Vietnamese, "Thank you." His accent sounded like it had been practiced, and it wasn't awkward at all.

As he spoke, he got into the car, and several servants immediately surrounded him to welcome him, ironing his clothes, polishing his shoes, serving him dishes and pouring wine.

This gave Kim Seung-moo a treatment he had never received in Goryeo, and he felt very comfortable and pleased.

Knowing the customs of the United States, he took out a card to pay a tip. The head staff member refused, saying, "No need, Mr. Jin, you are our VIP. The association specifically instructed us not to accept tips."

"Furthermore, your itinerary, food, and accommodation for the next few days will all be arranged and covered by our association."

Kim Seung-woo was very satisfied, because such treatment was reserved for "that person" in Korea.

The name that had weighed on him for years could finally be his equal in the United States.

This gave him more satisfaction than any material benefit, which reaffirmed that he had made the right decision.

A few days later, in the conference hall of the Eagle Nation's Foreign Esports Strategy Bureau.

This was their second strategic meeting.

The long table was filled with people on both sides. On the right were the top ten professional players from the UK, all sitting upright with serious expressions.

On the left are various staff members of the strategy institute, including data analysts, engineers, and strategy researchers, each with a laptop.

Koss sat at the head of the table, a stubbed-out cigar dangling from his mouth, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"The main reason for today's meeting is to continue what we discussed last time," Koss's voice rang out.

"After the first round of operations, we have successfully recruited key players from several countries."

He paused, glancing at the doorway: "The most crucial one is Mr. Kim Seung-woo, who has officially joined our Eagle Nation's camp!"

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing the name. Kos called out towards the door, "Mr. Kim! Please come in."

The door was pushed open, and Jin Shengwu walked in.

He was wearing that high-end suit, and even his hair had been changed from the original Korean double part to a new eagle-style haircut.

He walked with a steady gait, a polite smile on his lips. Upon seeing everyone, he immediately greeted them in fluent British English, "Hello everyone! From now on, I am a British citizen. I'm very happy to be one of you."

The audience immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause. Koss stood up, personally pulled out the deputy chief's chair, and gestured for him to enter.

Kim Seung-woo sat down, and Kos continued to explain: "Mr. Kim Seung-woo has already acquired American citizenship, so you can call him by his American name, Kingson, from now on."

"And from now on, he will be the vice president of our Eagle Nation Esports Association."

As soon as he finished speaking, enthusiastic applause erupted once again. Jin Shengwu nodded repeatedly in thanks, his face beaming with an undisguised smile.

"Hello, Vice President!"

"Hello, Vice President Jin!"

After a brief exchange, Koss turned to the head of the network engineering department: "How's the work on recreating the Dragon Slayer Ranking battle videos, especially for the top ten players, going?"

The head of the network engineering department opened his notebook and spoke quickly: "The basic reconstructions of the other nine contestants are complete, except for..."

He paused.

"Only the address node of the 'Sakura's Second Slash' account appears to have been deliberately sabotaged by a third party, making it impossible to fully trace his replay data."

"Currently, we have only recovered a small portion of the video footage from his last moment in the atrium, which is enough to basically clarify the process by which he punctured his heart."

Upon hearing the name, Jin Shengwu's eyes lit up; he remembered it very clearly.

Although he did not witness it firsthand, he was among the leaders in the cardiac atrial challenge at the time.

He remembered seeing that name standing out at the top of the leaderboard with a score of over 700, far exceeding the second-place finisher.

Hearing that name again now still gives him quite a shock.

Koss's brow furrowed immediately: "What?"

The minister, somewhat ashamed, confirmed with Kos again.

"However—" he added, "we can infer from this that the address information for 'Sakura's Second Blade' is likely also fake, having been tampered with and filled in."

"The person using this account is very likely not a Japanese citizen."