Chapter 168
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: The Bee Rental Business
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“...Is this really going to help?”
William wondered, gazing at the small beehive before him.
To be honest, such a reaction was only natural.
The price for a 90-day rental was a staggering 9 million coins.
That was by no means a small sum.
It was enough to deck himself out from head to toe in valuable 4-star equipment from the auction house.
Even for someone leading a fairly large shelter in America, it was a heavy burden, but William decided to look on the bright side.
“Still… it’s Honeybee. I’ll trust him.”
The name Honeybee carried weight, whether through the financial power of distributing the world's best-processed honey products or through sheer military strength.
In any case, just opening a line of trade with him was surely worth the 9 million coins.
Well, even so, he intended to get his money's worth for the hefty sum he'd paid. But that thought was short-lived.
Annoyed by his muttering, Farmer Sam pounded his chest.
“Time is money, so let's get a move on.”
“I know that. Hmm, so he said to open this plug where the crops are? Hey, Sam. You open it.”
“S-shouldn't the leader be the one to open it?”
“This punk only calls me 'leader' when it's inconvenient for him. Shut up and open it! You're the one who said time is money.”
“Damn it. Fine!”
It was a stark reminder that this beehive housed a thousand bees.
Although he had been assured they would be docile as long as they weren't attacked, were Honeybee's bees just ordinary insects?
*Gulp.*
An attempt made with half expectation, half worry.
The plug was opened while the shelter's combat personnel and farmers watched on.
Was it waiting for this very moment?
*Bzzzz~*
*Bzzzzzz~*
A swarm of a thousand bees unfolded their wings and took to the sky.
*Bzzzzzz~*
*Bzz~*
*Bzz-bzz-bzzzz~*
The bees had been waiting inside the hive during the long journey, feeding on the pollen patties Seong-hyeok had provided. Their next move upon emerging was obvious.
*Bzzzzz?*
*Bzz-bzz!*
*Bzzzzzz-!!!*
The search for nectar, the alpha and omega of a bee's existence.
Darting their heads about, the bees spotted the flowers on the crops and charged like barbarian warriors.
*Fwip- Fwip-fwip-fwip-*
*Brrrrrrr-*
The bees' assault on the flowers continued.
Wiggling their plump little behinds, the bees buried their heads in the flowers, their tongues indulging frantically.
*Bzzzzz~*
*Bzz-bzz!*
What else could you expect from creatures that were the very epitome of diligence, who would be offended to be called second-best in industriousness?
After swiftly conquering one flower, they buzzed on to the next, and the next, without rest.
“Whoa, that's incredible.”
“My goodness! They're so cute!”
“Guess I'm learning that not all bugs are disgusting.”
“Hahaha. Just watching this is energizing.”
Here one moment, gone the next.
A positive energy of labor blossomed from the sight of the bees working so diligently.
And was that all?
“H-hey, look at that!”
“Good heavens! Is that really the same fruit I've been looking at?”
“We shouldn't just stand here, let's have a taste!”
The incredible power of the bees' eco-friendly, natural pollination.
The luscious fruits hanging from the trees were so bountiful they couldn't even be compared to the bland ones they had eaten before!
“Th-this tastes amazing!”
“Look at all this juice!”
“It's not just the fruit. The crops have become heartier too!”
Was there any doubt why food was a cornerstone of the basic necessities of life?
Sustenance.
A simple, yet indispensable, element for improving one's quality of life was now being met.
Moreover, this bounty wasn't just about 'taste'.
“Ninety-two percent. At this rate, it's practically infinite propagation, isn't it?”
※ Upon consumption or use, there is an 8% chance to acquire a fully viable Akir Honey Apple Seed (★+).
※ Upon consumption or use, there is a 92% chance to acquire a fully viable Akir Honey Apple Seed (★+).
The astonishing difference in seed acquisition probability between natural pollination and the lack thereof.
If they continued like this with the thousand bees, they would more than break even, both in terms of satisfaction and finances!
Furthermore, what they gained from renting the bees didn't end there.
*Bzzzzzz~*
The nectar stored in the hive by the bees, who had filled their honey stomachs to capacity.
Needless to say, what emerged once that collected nectar had fully ripened was obvious.
*Drip— Drooop—*
“H-honey!”
A viscous, golden liquid that gleamed beautifully and exuded a sweet aroma.
[Conditions for Automatic Honey Extraction have been met.]
[Harvest Successful!]
[You have acquired 15 Ruby Gem Honey (★★-).]
[You have acquired 2 Ruby Gem Beeswax (★★).]
[You have acquired Ruby Gem Royal Jelly (★★).]
[You have acquired Ruby Gem Propolis (★★+).]
It was a gift from the fairies of nature.
A gift from the bees.
* * * * *
A new wind, stirred up by Honeybee: the bee rental business.
Successfully yielding superior fruits and crops.
And even golden honey.
Many people enjoyed a satisfying meal for the first time in a long while, along with the dance of the fluffy bees.
Those who had completed the gratifying transaction gathered on the community forums before bed, busily posting messages.
【USA/Knight William: From crops and fruits to honey and the cuteness of the bees. I am thoroughly satisfied with this holy trinity of the bee rental business.】
【Japan/Ninnin: Seeing the bees up close makes them 10 times cuter. No, easily 100 times cuter.】
【Pakistan/Gwarousa: The honey you get each day is more than enough to break even, and the plump crops completely change your quality of life. Fr, you'd be a fool not to rent these.】
【India/LiveByCurryDieByCurry: Posting pics of the bees. Come get lost in their fuzzy butts.】
Did they say that a good deal writes its own reviews?
Satisfied customer posts popped up like reviews on an online marketplace.
Just as a virtuous cycle begets another.
These posts had more than enough momentum.
【Korea/Kkallu: This seems worth renting?】
【China/Emperor of Order: This doesn't seem like a time to prioritize pride.】
The enormous sum of 9 million coins for three months.
Thus, the reviews were more than enough to sway the hearts of the many shelter leaders who had been hesitant about the rental.
As a result, trade inquiries flooded in for Seong-hyeok.
【Jeongrichung: H-Honeybee-nim. We already have 80 trade requests piled up. What should we do?】
【Honeybee: …Up to 50. Please process them on a first-come, first-served basis. For the rest, I'll let them know when we have more available.】
Even Seong-hyeok hadn't expected the business to be this successful.
In a way, it was only natural.
At the beekeeping farm, thanks to the countless bees, they always enjoyed a bountiful life with fresh, plump fruits and crops at every meal.
Not to mention all that could be achieved with sweet honey.
Just think about it.
What if you could enjoy all of this for 100,000 coins a day?
For an individual, it was no small amount, but for a group like a shelter, it wasn't that much. Besides, considering the benefits, they would more than break even, just as the reviews said.
“Well, it was a business destined for success.”
In the previous world, in fact.
Some beekeeping farms earned more from their rental business than from selling honey, so it was a proven business model.
Furthermore, in this apocalyptic world, the bees' pollination activities were more potent than ever, and each of Seong-hyeok's bees was far from ordinary!
“At this rate… I could probably start raising the price gradually.”
According to the principle of supply and demand.
The more people who need something, the more its value increases.
Earning 108 million coins from a total of 120 contracts overnight was nothing to scoff at, but he had no intention of going all-in on this.
“The rental business is just a side gig.”
A beekeeper, by definition, must know the true joy of harvesting honey.
For Seong-hyeok, no matter what anyone said, beekeeping came first.
Besides, the bee rental business ultimately meant sending at least a thousand bees far away for each contract.
Overdoing it would lead to the weakening of his farm's strength.
*Bzzzz~*
*Bzzzzzz~*
“That's right, that's right. My little golden treasures. I'm happiest when I'm with you too.”
But setting all that aside, Seong-hyeok and his bees were like the north and south poles of a magnet.
Happiest when they were together.
An inseparable bond that no one could break.
“Let's just do this in moderation. Just enough.”
After all, when it came to money, he was already earning hundreds of millions from his processed honey products alone.
Rather than appearing obsessed with money, Seong-hyeok prioritized his bees and the world's environment.
He considered the harmony between these two to be his top priority.
* * * * *
Nature is truly mysterious.
A great reaction brought about by a small wind of change.
Its starting point was the hundreds of thousands of bees that had spread across the globe for the purpose of the rental business.
*Bzz~*
*Bzzzzz~*
Was it due to their inherent diligence?
After sucking all the nectar from the flowers of the crops within the shelter, the bees began to venture outside.
The change in pollination activity that occurred when these little guys, covered in pollen, encountered the flowers sprouting on the ground was nothing short of astonishing.
*Whoosh—*
*Ssssss—*
Bounty has a way of spreading.
Flowers and trees began to bloom one by one, thanks to the bees' insect pollination.
Of course, monsters attacked during the process, but it was no problem.
“Kieeeeek!”
“Kuaaaaaar!”
These were the bees of none other than Seong-hyeok, the Honeybee Guardian.
For bees that had fought countless battles against elite and field boss-class monsters under the World Tree and the Wild Beehive, and had even experienced Disaster-class and dragon raids, mere monsters didn't even register as a threat.
Moreover, that wasn't all.
As if Seong-hyeok would send his bees off empty-handed, right?
They were equipped with bee armor from the skilled blacksmiths of the beekeeping farm and inventions from the Mad Inquirer that boasted various effects.
And finally, there was one commander bee added to control the other 999.
*BZZZZZZZ!*
*BZZZZZZ!!!*
*BZZ-BZZ-BZZ-!!!*
When faced with danger, the bees gathered in perfect unison under the commander's orders, and their subsequent actions were exceedingly sharp.
*Fwip-fwip-fwip-fwip-!*
They attacked the monster with dazzling movements.
Not only that, but they swarmed together like a school of sardines, forming a giant bee in the sky that dove sharply at the monster.
“Ki, kieek!”
“Kuaar! Kuar!”
There was no way for monsters that hadn't even reached the 'elite' rank to survive that.
No, this wasn't a battle to begin with.
A battle, by definition, requires opponents to be on a comparable level.
“Unbelievable…”
“Well. It doesn't look like they need our help.”
“Ha, hahaha.”
The little powerhouses that defied imagination.
The shelter residents, who had followed along just in case the tiny bees needed help, were reduced to mere item collectors, laughing as they worked.