Chapter 189
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 189
Chapter Title: The Thirsty Man Digs the Well
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There's a saying: "The thirsty man digs the well."
Was this a principle that applied across all dimensions and races?
“Oh! Magnificent! It would be no exaggeration to call this a work of art!”
Chesseur exclaimed in constant awe as he examined the cosmetic from every angle, completely captivated by the premium propolis product that Seong-hyeok had perfected through fanatical research and the finest ingredients.
As if possessed, his narrow eyes were fixed on the container as he fiddled with it.
He looked as if he might use it right then and there if no one stopped him, but perhaps his status as a merchant and the master of the great Golden Carriage caravan gave him pause.
“Ahem. My apologies. I was simply intoxicated by the scent of treasure, something I haven't smelled in a long time. Please forget what you just saw.”
Chesseur cleared his throat and straightened his clothes.
But his composure didn't last long.
*Sniff, sniff. Inhale—*
Was it the effect of the 5-Star+ grade cosmetic?
Even without being opened, its fragrance had the power to fill the entire area with the sweet scent of honey.
As if he could no longer bear it.
Chesseur clutched his forehead, his face a mask of agony.
“...My word. It has been a long time since a product has tested my patience like this.”
In all his long years of wandering through dimensions.
In all that time, he had encountered and sold countless high-quality products, but Chesseur's instincts were screaming at him.
*'I must buy this!'*
A product that was hard to describe even with the most extravagant praise.
A product that could be called a massive hit without the slightest reservation.
In fact, wasn't it obvious just by looking?
The unbelievable promotional effect of its scent alone, without even needing to be used.
*'I don't even need to waste my breath explaining it.'*
It could tell the customer everything with its scent alone.
A cosmetic that boasted a fraudulent level of marketing potential.
And was that all?
It was an item that held the value of being 'limited edition' and 'unique'—concepts considered important by all living beings, regardless of dimension.
And on top of all that, it was a cosmetic.
For things like skincare, regardless of race or gender, it was no mere dream to see the wealthy line up with bags of money.
*'Hahaha! Hahahahaha!'*
At this point, its value was essentially whatever he named!
That left only one thing for Chesseur to do.
“I'll pay one billion. I'm sure that's a price that will satisfy you, my client.”
“Hmm, that doesn't sound bad.”
“Of course. We Golden Goblins do not engage in unscrupulous practices like overcharging.”
Somehow, he had to make this 'work of art'—as it deserved to be called—his own.
Chesseur believed he was upholding business ethics by offering a reasonable price, especially since he wanted to maintain a good relationship and knew the man had Machelti's attention, but he had overlooked one crucial fact.
“Alright, the unit price is set. So how many are available for purchase?”
“...H-How many? You mean this isn't the only one?”
“This is all I have right now. However...”
*Bzzzz~*
*Bzzzzzzzz~*
As Seong-hyeok finished speaking, a swarm of bees approached.
It was obvious what the countless bees were carrying in their hands, on their feet, and on their backs.
“D-Don't tell me?”
“I don't know what you're thinking, but you're probably right.”
The wild honey and various other ingredients that had gone into the 5-Star+ propolis cosmetic.
“Thanks, everyone.”
*Bzzzzzz~*
Seong-hyeok prepared to craft another batch with them.
It required a great deal of concentration, but he had already made it once, and with the bees' assistance, the process would only get easier.
“It won't take long, so please wait a moment. Ssing-ssing-i, the honey!”
*Bzzzz~*
*Bzz-bzz-bzz~*
This wasn't just a few pennies.
It was a staggering one billion per unit.
*'Time to mine this goldmine for all it's worth.'*
Even if it meant stripping the Golden Carriage of all its gold.
Seong-hyeok hurried his preparations, ready to fleece Chesseur for everything he had.
* * * * *
Population preservation.
It was an essential element that had to be supported, not just for the humanity of today, but for the humanity of the future.
*'Population directly translates to power.'*
Take Seong-hyeok's beekeeping farm, for example. Wasn't that already the case?
*Bzzzz~*
*Bzzzzzz~*
True to its name as a beekeeping farm shelter.
While it was true that the bees, whose main job was to gather honey, did most of the work, there were limits.
Just as there were tasks only bees could do, there were also tasks only humans could perform.
The roles of the farm's residents were particularly prominent.
From Yeon Su-hee, the master of the World Tree and one of the farm's greatest contributors, to the blacksmith and Thomas, who provided the bee armor and experimental items that had so greatly improved the bees' survival rate.
And then there were the simpler tasks, like hunting monsters and gathering deeply rooted natural vegetation.
The residents were the source of this entire infrastructure.
In other words, roles that only people could fill.
Moreover, as much as Seong-hyeok adored his bees, he himself was ultimately human.
Whether it was the strong or the weak, Seong-hyeok did not want to see humanity go extinct.
Thus, Seong-hyeok decided to contribute to the preservation of humankind in his own way.
[Korea/Honeybee: To support human survival, I will provide one honey tea and one honey soap per day to those level 5 and below, for a maximum of 10 times.]
- This support applies only to members belonging to Territories 1 and 9. Those level 6 and above will be excluded.
You are free to use the provided items as you wish. You may use them or sell them.
However, be warned that anyone caught deliberately participating multiple times or engaging in looting will be dealt with without mercy, including expulsion from the territory.
This was a support initiative from Seong-hyeok, who could now be called the world's honey tycoon.
On one hand, it was an act that could help countless weak individuals. On the other, for an 'individual,' it was an action that shouldered an absurd loss.
But Seong-hyeok, who now ran a total of four beekeeping farms spanning Africa, North Korea, and Russia, had long since grown too large in scale to be considered a mere 'individual'.
*'This, too, will ultimately be profitable.'*
For Seong-hyeok, who had walked a single path dedicated to bees, altruistic behavior was reserved for bees alone.
Towards others, it was always a secondary concern.
Seong-hyeok, who raised bees and sold honey, was a merchant, not a philanthropist.
The reason he made such a decision, ironically, was because it was profitable.
Much like a corporation's charity work, it would help his public image, of course.
And if he was lucky, there was a chance of discovering talented individuals like Jjiru in the process of the bees distributing honey.
Still, this initial foray into image management wasn't received with purely good intentions.
[Comment Section (999+)]
- Korea/Suho's Mom: Oh my, I was already grateful just for being accepted as a member. Thank you so much for helping us like this.
- Korea/Beggar-chung: What, I just hit level 6 yesterday! Isn't this unfair? Why only support up to level 5!
- Japan/Borideon: Ugh, his act of being nice is so sickening.
- China/NiChiFanLeMa: Just one? What's that supposed to do! It'd be more efficient to just go hunting in the time it takes to get that!
- Pakistan/Gwaro-usa: Are all these bastards beggars on the inside? If you're so pissed, why don't you de-level yourselves. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
The comments were sharply divided between those who were eligible for the benefits or praised Seong-hyeok's charity, and those who were ineligible or simply harbored resentment at what they saw as an act of hypocrisy.
Well, to be honest, Seong-hyeok had expected this to some extent, and it wasn't as if he had no concerns.
“There will definitely be people who abuse it.”
An act of goodwill doesn't always lead to a good outcome.
In the worst-case scenario, people might gather the weak only to plunder the support items they receive.
The possibility of various abuses was high, but you can't refuse to make the sauce just because you're afraid of a few maggots, can you?
Besides, such abuse was practically impossible to carry out.
*Bzzzz~*
*Bzzzzzz~*
Not just within his territory, but now all across the world, his many, many bees were active.
Each one connected to Seong-hyeok via the Bee Link was like a CCTV camera, and thanks to their small, compact bodies, they could access any location.
Unless someone was completely out of their mind, they wouldn't attack the bees, and even if they did, they would more likely be overpowered by the formidable insects.
Thanks to the reliable performance of his CCTV network, a large number of abusers were caught on the very first day of the program.
Since making an example of them was important, the punishment Seong-hyeok dealt was both simple and terrifying.
[Korea/Honeybee: Those who have betrayed my goodwill and stabbed me in the back are hereby banished from the territory. Furthermore, I will not sell my honey to them in the future, nor will they be able to receive help from my bees. Please be aware that anyone caught selling my honey to them will also face restrictions on their own honey purchases.]
A ban on purchasing processed honey products and a restriction from receiving the bees' help, imposed on individuals.
In a world where countless people were unknowingly saved by the bees, this was a massive penalty.
The absurd power of a mere 'player,' rivaling that of the system itself.
Was it thanks to this?
After seeing the clear example, cases of abuse converged to nearly zero percent.
“This is just the beginning.”
Once the maggots were removed, all that remained was Seong-hyeok's gambit.
Taking the first step is always the hardest. Once a welfare system like this was properly established, the path forward would be smooth.
[Korea/Suho's Mom: Thanks to Honeybee, my proud son and I both hit level 6 today. We will never forget this kindness!]
[France/Ricardo: I never thought you'd really keep this benefit going for so long, and you say you'll continue it... I sincerely respect you.]
[Angola/Sleeping Hippo: The prosperity you brought to Africa was already more than enough, but thank you so much for taking care of us like this too.]
Through this reliable welfare, countless weaker individuals equipped themselves with items and quickly broke through to level 6.
The advantages gained by providing support that helped them get on their feet were not limited to just one or two things.
Solidifying the foundation of humanity was the basic premise,
and the help they received in their weakest and most difficult times was something that would be remembered, unless they were the sort of ungrateful beasts who forget such kindness.
When time passed and they grew strong enough to be self-sufficient,
they would become the most reliable honey customers, and they would inevitably hold a favorable view of the bees.
“It's all flowing just as I intended.”
*Bzzz~!*
*Bzzzzzz!*
Through Seong-hyeok's steady work, the bees had now established a position to be revered not just as a religion, but as the livestock of a god.