Chapter 47
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Big Spender
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[Player Korea/Honeybee has bid 53,500 coins on Insect King Prainkito's Bee Sting (★★★+). Time remaining: 9 minutes 52 seconds]
[Player Korea/Honeybee has bid 68,300 coins on Bo's Potion of Luck (★★★+). Time remaining: 9 minutes 55 seconds]
[Player Korea/Honeybee has bid 3,400 coins on the Insect Queen's Moth Antennae (★★★+). Time remaining: 9 minutes 57 seconds]
…….
A plentiful reserve of 680,000 coins.
For a single individual, it was an amount that players from most other servers, let alone the Korean server, wouldn't dare to dream of.
‘Just as I thought, capitalism works even in a dog-eat-dog world.’
Even though an environment of survival of the fittest, like nature itself, had been created, the central figures were still human.
Especially in this bizarre world, a new currency called ‘coins’ had been introduced.
Knowing this, I had been patiently saving the money I earned from selling my honey-based processed goods, and now, that sum had been converted into immense firepower!
The result was all too obvious.
【Japan/Ninnin: You damn Korean honeybee bastard! Just how much money have you been hoarding! Screw this, I'm finding something else. Ugh! You're relentless!】
【Pakistan/Gwarousa: It was a good fight, Honeybee. Though I couldn't buy the Potion of Luck, may Allah's blessings be with you.】
When a competitor raised the bid by 1,000 coins, Seong-hyeok would bid 5,000 to 10,000 coins, literally crushing the competition with his funds.
Faced with Seong-hyeok's astonishing power, his rivals either cursed him or praised his prowess before giving up their bids.
[You have won Insect King Prainkito's Bee Sting (★★★+) for 53,500 coins.]
[You have won Bo's Potion of Luck (★★★+) for 68,300 coins.]
[You have won the Insect Queen's Moth Antennae (★★★+) for 3,400 coins.]
[You have won the Peridot Plywood (★★★-) for 2,200 coins.]
…….
‘So this is what money tastes like!’
One by one, Seong-hyeok succeeded in winning the items he wanted.
But that didn't mean everything was going his way.
[Player China/Emperor's Head has bid 135,800 coins on The Patient One's Rally (★★★+). Time remaining: 10 minutes]
[Player China/Emperor's Right Arm has bid 73,500 coins on Macherty's Golden Goblin Mine Summon Ticket - 10 Day Pass (★★★+). Time remaining: 10 minutes]
[Player China/Emperor's Right Leg has bid 113,222 coins on Dimensionmancer Blanky's Spatial Movement Shoes (★★★+). Time remaining: 10 minutes]
…….
Including The Patient One's Rally, there were several items from Transcendent Beings that seemed quite useful to Seong-hyeok.
He was still locked in a bidding war with the Chinese players for them.
‘China, indeed. Is this the power of the continent?’
As an individual, Seong-hyeok's coin count was likely overwhelming, but as the state of the 5-star+ room had shown, the Chinese players were like a great mountain range, forming a group with a strict chain of command.
Naturally, even someone as formidable as Seong-hyeok would struggle to win against the sheer volume of coins held by a large group!
‘In that case, I’ll have to give up on a few.’
He had already obtained most of the items he wanted anyway.
So, Seong-hyeok shifted his strategy from a power struggle to one of selection and focus.
[Player Korea/Honeybee has bid 200,000 coins on The Patient One's Rally (★★★+). Time remaining: 10 minutes]
Items like the Golden Goblin Mine Summon Ticket and the Spatial Movement Shoes would be nice to have, but they weren't essential.
The Patient One's Rally, on the other hand, was a crucial item that could significantly increase the survival rate of his honeybees in battle.
That's why he made the bold move to completely crush the enemy's morale with a 200,000-coin bid.
But China.
Was the power of the player nicknamed ‘Emperor’ not yet at its limit?
It seemed they were also mobilizing a large number of people, their obsession with The Patient One's Rally matching Seong-hyeok's own.
[Player China/Emperor has bid 300,000 coins on The Patient One's Rally (★★★+). Time remaining: 10 minutes]
‘…….’
300,000 coins for a single item.
As Seong-hyeok’s gaze shifted at the truly staggering amount, the Emperor's avatar, as if noticing, flashed an arrogant smile.
【China/Emperor: Kehehe! How unfortunate for you, barbarian. You just had the misfortune of facing the wrong opponent.】
The Emperor looked as if he had already secured his victory.
But unfortunately for him, the reason Seong-hyeok was speechless and had looked away wasn't out of disappointment from defeat.
In fact, it was quite the opposite.
[The ‘Guardian's Rubydot Cheonram Venom Honey Tea (★★★+)’ you listed on the auction house has been sold for 30,000 coins. -> Winner - Korea/Green Bean]
[After a 20% commission, you have acquired 24,000 coins.]
[The ‘Guardian's Rubydot Lilyzer Venom Propolis Cosmetic (★★★+)’ you listed on the auction house has been sold for 25,000 coins. -> Winner - India/CurryForLife]
[After a 20% commission, you have acquired 20,000 coins.]
[The ‘Guardian's Peridot Cheonram Venom Honey Tea (★★★+)’ you listed on the auction house has been sold for 20,000 coins. -> Winner - Japan/Hasegi, Sword of Science]
[After a 20% commission, you have acquired 16,000 coins.]
[The ‘Guardian's Peridot Royal Jelly Pills (★★★)’ you listed on the auction house has been sold for 8,500 coins. -> Winner - Pakistan/Gwarousa]
…….
As if on cue, a series of notifications chimed, followed by a list of transactions that seemed to stretch on endlessly.
These were all from before Seong-hyeok had even entered the auction.
The dozens of Cheonram Venom Honey Teas and Lilyzer Venom Cosmetics he had listed, intending to make a killing.
And following them, hundreds of Royal Jelly Pills and various Propolis Films.
Through the competitive bidding of numerous players on the Asia server, they had replenished Seong-hyeok's funds, providing him with an ammunition supply that was beyond reliable—it was downright fraudulent.
A slow grin spread across his face.
As someone once said.
When you start to feel good, doesn't a smile naturally form on your lips?
【Korea/Honeybee: Yeah, you're right. It seems you just had the misfortune of facing the wrong opponent.】
[Player Korea/Honeybee has bid 400,000 coins on The Patient One's Rally (★★★+). Time remaining: 10 minutes]
[Player Korea/Honeybee has bid 150,000 coins on Macherty's Golden Goblin Mine Summon Ticket - 10 Day Pass (★★★+). Time remaining: 10 minutes]
[Player Korea/Honeybee has bid 222,222 coins on Dimensionmancer Blanky's Spatial Movement Shoes (★★★+). Time remaining: 10 minutes]
…….
【China/Emperor's Head: W-what is this...?】
【China/Emperor's Right Arm: This damn barbarian from a petty nation!】
The previously mentioned strategy of selection and focus was now canceled.
Wiggle, wiggle.
【Korea/Honeybee: Yep. Sorry, but in the auction house, money is king, my great nation friends. If you don't like it, hit me with your coins.】
【China/Emperor: Youuuuuuu!!!】
【Korea/Silent Harvester: P-Pwahahaha!】
The cute Honeybee avatar wiggled its bottom tauntingly.
Befitting his enticing and alluring appearance, Seong-hyeok was about to devour most of what the auction house had to offer.
Not through selection and focus, but through endless selection and more selection.
* * * * *
[You have won The Patient One's Rally (★★★+) for 450,000 coins.]
[You have won Macherty's Golden Goblin Mine Summon Ticket - 10 Day Pass (★★★+) for 150,000 coins.]
[You have won Dimensionmancer Blanky's Spatial Movement Shoes (★★★+) for 222,222 coins.]
…….
It was a list of acquisitions by a 'single individual' that could only be described as the tyranny of a massive corporation.
After a final look at the Chinese Emperor and his spare-part cronies, who had been unceremoniously demoted to a small business masquerading as a conglomerate, Seong-hyeok, having seen all there was to see of the worthwhile items, stepped out of the auction house.
“Phew, so sweet!”
The moment he left, countless purchased items rained down around him.
The sheer volume of goods was so sweet that his teeth might rot, and a pleasant smile spread across his face for a moment.
Perhaps it was a reward for his wise spending?
A single notification sounded in Seong-hyeok's ear.
[You have met the conditions for acquiring a title. -> Spent over 1,000,000 coins in the 1st Auction.]
[You have acquired the title, The Original Big Spender.]
______________________________
[The Original Big Spender]
* Classification: Title
* Effect: All stats +1
* The Big Spender's Prestige: Marketplace commission is reduced by 10%, and the registration fee for auction house listings is waived.
* Description: By showing off your wealth in the 1st Auction, you have earned the title of The Original Big Spender. As a result, the commission for using the marketplace is significantly reduced, and you no longer have to pay a registration fee when listing items in the auction house.
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“...A title. I guess since this is a game, things like this exist.”
The effect of increasing all stats by 1 wasn't bad, but what caught Seong-hyeok's eye first was the reduction in the marketplace commission.
“To be fair, they were taking way too much.”
Honestly, Seong-hyeok had always felt that the 20% commission was not just excessive but downright unreasonable.
But now, it was reduced by a whole 10%, and the registration fee for auctions was waived.
Especially for Seong-hyeok, who was not just the Korean server's Honeybee but now making his mark as the Asia server's Honeybee, widely selling his K-honey products, the effect of this title was as good as gold.
“Phew. That said, while earning is one thing, spending happens in an instant.”
Coins Owned: 62,775
Just a short while ago, his funds had started at 680,000 coins and easily surpassed 1,000,000 thanks to the sale of his honey products.
But now, after purchasing so many items, Seong-hyeok had become a broke big spender with only about 60,000 coins left.
“Well, I can just earn it back. And I achieved more than I ever imagined.”
However, Seong-hyeok felt not emptiness but a pleasant burst of laughter.
The coins themselves weren't what was important.
There was a time for spending like a king and a time for acting like a miser.
Besides, there was no reason to obsess over his coin balance. As Seong-hyeok himself said, he could just earn back what he spent.
Bzzzz- Bzzzzzzzz-!
Buzzzzzzz-
As soon as he returned to the farm, countless honeybees greeted him, wiggling their bottoms as they diligently carried honey.
“You adorable, cheeky little things.”
As long as he had them, Seong-hyeok could get honey, process it, and sell it whenever he wanted.
Moreover, through this auction, hadn't he promoted the name of Korea's Honeybee and his various K-honey products, like the Royal Jelly Pills and Venom Honey Tea?
And most importantly, there were the precious items he had obtained by splurging over a million coins at the auction.
If he used these properly, his apiary would not only expand its territory more rapidly, but his honeybees would also grow stronger in no time, with minimal sacrifices.
“...But it looks like I have more guests now?”
However, does every action have an equal and opposite reaction?
[A Transcendent Being, the Great Golden Goblin Lord Macherty, glitters his golden eyes at your lavish spending.]
[A Transcendent Being, the Dimensional Traveler Blanky, has taken an interest in your actions.]
The Korean server.
Two more Transcendent Beings had intruded, showing their interest in Seong-hyeok.
Whether they would be good guests or troublesome ones, only time would tell.