Chapter 98
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Pocket Money Uncle and the Construction Wrap-Up
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Before long, Coin King Kim Jin-seong had picked up a new nickname: Pocket Money Uncle.
It stemmed from an incident a while back when Jin-seong, drunk off his ass, roamed through Ha-kko virtual streamers' broadcasts, showering them with tens of thousands of balloon gifts willy-nilly. The story blew up in the community, and the moniker stuck.
Ever since, whenever Jin-seong popped into any stream, viewers would swarm in like a herd, cracking up and ribbing him.
Pocket Money Uncle has arrived!
Uncle, what're you doing here? Out hunting for Ha-kko again?
Jin-seong just laughed it off and rolled with the reactions.
He'd started with this intimidating "Coin King" whale image that kept people at arm's length, but now he'd morphed into the approachable, playful "Pocket Money Uncle." He secretly found the shift pretty amusing himself.
Meanwhile, he still hadn't burned through even that 1 billion won stash of balloons he'd loaded up for his early showdown with "I'm the Boss." Money was rotting away on him because he couldn't find enough ways to spend it—an absurd irony that left him chuckling in disbelief.
Even more astonishing was how the company he'd thrown together as a mere hobby was exploding in growth, way beyond anything he'd imagined.
Back when he set up J.S. Studio, Jin-seong figured it'd just be a fun little money pit. But now it was carving out a name as the top MCN in the virtual streaming world.
Every week, reading the reports from the head of headquarters and Seok-il, Jin-seong couldn't help but be floored by how the company's trajectory had veered so wildly from his expectations.
"Man, I never planned on things blowing up this big...?"
On top of that, he'd grown pretty tight with Young-su, the streamer he'd collabed with on the broadcast planning—they'd chat and trade jokes over calls now and then. Ye-ji and Ji-ming were hitting him up almost daily, spilling all sorts of little daily tidbits, worming their way deep into his routine.
These days, the community even had die-hard fans live-tracking Coin King's whereabouts in real-time, speculating on his next appearance.
Streams where Jin-seong showed up got instant fan swarms, everyone cheerily chanting "Pocket Money Uncle!" and messing with him in good fun.
His image had evolved from the distant Coin King into something far more friendly and lighthearted: Pocket Money Uncle. And Jin-seong wasn't pushing it away—he was leaning into it, enjoying the ride.
Jin-seong still made the trek to his home construction site every other week without fail.
To the workers, his visits were like a godsend.
Every time, he'd hand out fat cash envelopes for their after-work drinks, showing insane generosity.
In return, the crew poured extra care and hustle into every detail.
Especially in this brutal economic slump, steady work on a massive project like this was a huge blessing for them.
The site sprawled over 2,000 pyeong, packed with multiple facilities, dragging the timeline longer than expected—but the workers' faces stayed lit with smiles.
"Chairman! You're here!"
As Jin-seong pulled up, the site foreman came out beaming with a greeting.
"Oh, Foreman. Long time no see. How's the progress?"
The foreman grinned wide.
"Better than ever, sir—thanks to you, the crew's morale is sky-high, and they're grinding hard. Another month, and we'll wrap everything up."
Jin-seong toured the site, a wave of satisfaction washing over him.
The house, now in its finishing stages, was taking shape into something truly grand.
For safety and security, he'd already locked in a contract with a guard service. Running two companies now—and with J.S. Studio's rapid rise—he couldn't ignore the potential risks.
The house mirrored Jin-seong's personality to a T.
True to his homebody nature, it was loaded with spaces for endless indoor fun, no need to step outside.
The massive garage could park not just his camper van but a whole fleet of vehicles.
It had plenty of dedicated space for the camper, plus room for his daily driver and a bunch of sports cars for mood-boosting joyrides.
The interior brimmed with his tastes and hobbies, rivaling the outdoor areas.
A luxe home theater room, private fitness space for workouts, a cozy study and workshop for unwinding—it was all perfect.
As he wandered the build, Jin-seong couldn't hide his excitement, daydreaming about life ahead.
Quiet solo chill time in a haven stuffed with his favorite things—a fresh chapter was about to begin.
Jin-seong pored over blueprints spread across the desk alongside Im Hye-ji, manager at Semomo House, the home styling firm.
Based on the plans he'd given her, she'd prepped a slew of concepts.
She walked him through them one by one: warm wood tones, sleek modern black-and-white, minimalist yet luxe vibes.
Flipping slowly through, Jin-seong's eyes locked on the consistent black-toned modern setup.
He requested black as the base, with subtle tweaks per room for varied accents and moods, all harmonizing overall.
It nailed the sophisticated, cohesive feel without monotony—exactly his ideal.
Im hesitated tensely at first but quickly nodded with confidence.
This gig was huge for Semomo House, so she double-checked the designs with fierce determination to nail his vision.
Jin-seong and Im Hye-ji methodically clicked through Semomo House's PPT, hashing out details.
First up, she showed the study mockup.
Clean, modern black base with vast windows overlooking river and city—an open, airy layout.
The big desk facing the window, monitor setup, and neat shelves? Jin-seong approved on the spot.
Next, the living room: crisp black-and-white elegance.
Huge wall-mounted TV meshed with premium black storage; plush sofa and minimalist table balanced it perfectly.
Jin-seong nodded—another win.
Then the kitchen: sleek black island bar under stylish lights, oozing luxury. Spacious counter for solo cooking experiments.
Solid choice, Jin-seong said.
The hallways kept it simple and sharp: bright whites balanced with black accents, refined lighting setting a calm entry vibe.
Jin-seong zeroed in on the home gym.
Black base with full-body mirrors for depth, latest gear spread across ample space.
Full workouts at home? He was thrilled.
Finally, bathrooms: unified black walls and floors, chic lights and mirrors adding upscale modernity.
The bath evoked a high-end hotel.
All mockups done, Jin-seong smiled at Im Hye-ji.
"Love 'em all. The tone and concept hit exactly what I wanted. Let's roll with this."
Im exhaled in relief—the project's smooth sail meant a portfolio boost for her firm, and her heart raced with anticipation.
The next morning, the site buzzed with energy.
Semomo House's on-site crew arrived early, inspecting prepped materials, while foreman Park Sung-ho clutched docs, brainstorming with them.
"Foreman, how about lightening this up a bit?"
Semomo's Kim Jung-su, team lead, pointed at the blueprint.
Park furrowed his brow, tilting his head.
"But the client wanted overall black for that modern edge, right? Too bright might throw off the harmony."
Kim paused, then nodded.
"You're right. No greed—stick to the tone, nail points with details."
Im Hye-ji, eyeing the plans nearby, chimed in.
"Foreman, our materials are top-shelf, so black won't feel dim. We'll blend natural stone and metal finishes smartly."
Park grinned.
"True. Working a job like this is gold for us. Client's throwing cash like confetti—materials and furniture are insane."
Kim beamed back.
"Tell me about it. Richest budget I've seen. Materials alone are over 2 billion already."
"And we get to go wild without skimping. Pure joy."
Im added brightly.
They kept communicating nonstop, ramping up the pace.
All day, materials poured in, furniture slotted into place—the interior taking vivid shape.
Even at night, exhaustion took a backseat to passion and hype on every face.
Late afternoon, Kim Jung-su marveled at a wall finish.
"Whoa... this natural marble is next-level. Totally brings the vibe alive."
Park chimed in.
"First time with stuff like this for us. Hope it doesn't ruin us for lesser gigs."
Laughter rippled through the crew.
"Foreman, wish we had jobs like this nonstop!"
The mood stayed upbeat and positive throughout.
Everyone knew this was career-defining work—they moved with pride and responsibility to craft a flawless masterpiece.