Chapter 288
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 288
Chapter Title: The 10,000-Year Alchemist Phenomenon
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Even in Japan, videos popped up on YouTube of people seeing the items I'd brought back from the Diablo world and marveling, "Sasugot, ichi mannen no renkinjutsushi!" It filled our Korean people's national pride to the brim once again.
'What the hell is that? How does a person survive 10,000 years? Scary as shit.'
That's what I was thinking, but people actually believed it about me.
I was honestly amazed that people bought into the blatant lie that I'd spent over 10,000 years inside the actual tower.
Later on, after some time passed, I came up with my own way of rationalizing it.
'I didn't spend 10,000 years there, but I've fucked 10,000 bitches...'
Maybe calling me the "10,000-Year Alchemist" wasn't so wrong after all?
I decided to go with that interpretation.
From now on, I was the 10,000-Year Alchemist. Just... not in the way people thought.
I checked the internet reactions again, and people still weren't suspicious at all.
As expected of someone who's honed alchemy for around 10,000 years—performing that level of alchemy with no materials whatsoever...
Coming out of the tower after 500 years inside, and this makes me feel pathetic and full of self-loathing.
I did about 1,000 years, and that was torture. Ten times that? No way.
Don't get it twisted, folks. Park Seung-ho the alchemist said at minimum 10,000 years. He said he lost track of time at some point.
Whoa... turns out it's not 10,000—maybe 100,000 or a million? That's a classic manga trope.
At most 20,000 or 30,000. 100,000 or a million is total bullshit.
The dude above couldn't last 100 years and he's talking 20k-30k? 50k bet.
I never even entered the tower? Fuck off?
Bragging, you little shit. Then why are you in the alchemist community? GTFO
Yeah, dumbfuck.
Why are these guys fighting again?
Typical for this community.
Lmao fr
Park Seung-ho the alchemist will end up in national history textbooks 100 years from now, mark my words.
No way it doesn't happen. I'm 100% sure.
Stating the obvious like you're hot shit.
Why you picking a fight?
Cuz you're talking retarded shit.
Where you at? Gimme your address, got a gift for ya.
I scrolled through reactions across various internet communities, but few people doubted the whopper that I'd spent over 10,000 years in the tower.
On the contrary, rumors were spreading that it was at least 10,000 years—maybe 100,000 or even 10 million.
'Fuckin hell. At this rate, am I really gonna end up in history textbooks in like 100 years?'
I was getting too famous. Way too famous.
Even now, reporters were camped out beyond the mansion gates.
The ones who couldn't snag an interview with me.
And with so many people recognizing me now, it was hard to even step outside.
On top of that, guys who never contacted me before were blowing up my phone.
Like elementary school classmates from 10 years ago whose names I couldn't even remember.
If they were hot girls, I might've humored them, but they were 90% pure dick-swinging worthless losers.
Hell, some were even pushing phone sales, insurance, jade mattress scams, or cult sign-ups.
I blocked those immediately.
But it wasn't all bad having tons of popularity.
For starters, fan letters and love letters came pouring in by the truckload.
'These are all the bitches who'd spread their legs if I asked... Fuckin sweet... Total win...'
I had money, skills, fame, and above all, I was handsome and tall.
Every day, massive volumes of love letters and fan mail flooded in from around the world.
Of course, some were from pure-hearted folks amid the mix.
Like people benefiting from the plummeting healing potion prices thanks to me.
There were also letters from patients or their families who'd gained from my work, filled with gratitude.
I read every single one... and for some reason, I hand-wrote replies to almost all of them.
That just made me even more popular.
At this point, I was basically a global superstar...
"Uh... um... why are even more letters coming in now?"
"It's all because you personally reply to every single one. Your karma, not mine. Deal with it yourself."
Mountains of letters and gifts poured in, courtesy of my family.
I considered quitting... but some stubborn pride kicked in, so I kept replying to every one.
I printed replies for computer-printed letters, and hand-wrote for handwritten ones.
"You're really going all out. I've never seen you put this much time and effort into something good and kind since I was born."
"Nah, it's just my stubbornness. I started it, so I'll see it through."
I kept going because quitting felt like losing.
The only side effect was my image getting even better.
I spent some time in reality.
Not much—just a few days.
All I did was fuck the women in my family and the maids like Lee Ji-min who came to work at our house, to my heart's content.
(I wrote the reply letters in the tower lobby using Subspace Storage, since real-world time was too precious to waste.)
In other words, my real-world self wasn't much different from usual.
Today, as usual, I was rolling around on the massive master bedroom bed, making love with Mom, my sisters, and my little sister, when a woman in proper maid attire approached us.
"Master, I apologize for interrupting when you're so busy, but we have visitors."
"Visitors?"
"Yes, people from the National Intelligence Service and the Awakener Management Agency have come to see you."
I wondered why they'd come looking for me.
"The NIS and Awakener Management Agency? For me? Why? What's up?"
Did they catch my bullshit?
"Oppa, don't worry too much. If anything, they're late to the party."
My fourth sister, who was always into intel agencies and counter-espionage, brushed it off like it was no big deal.
"Why are they here, though?"
"You're a big deal now, Oppa. Probably discussing overseas trips or security details. Or... you haven't been committing any major crimes behind our backs, right? Like raping women?"
"Not in reality. Nothing comes to mind..."
I told the maid to have the guests wait in the reception room, then we all—me and the women in my family—showered together in the master bath attached to the bedroom before heading to the reception room to greet them.
Mid-shower, I got horny seeing Mom, my sisters, and little sister's soft, white asses, and wanted to fuck right there... but I held back.
In the reception room were four men and one woman. From the vibe, three men seemed to be NIS agents, and the man-woman pair from the Awakener Management Agency.
They stood abruptly from the sofas where they'd been sipping coffee or tea and light snacks served by the maids, returning our casual greetings as we entered.
"Hello. We're truly sorry for dropping by unannounced when you're so busy. I'm Lee Jin-gi, team leader in charge of key awakener support under the newly appointed Vice Director of NIS Bureau 4."
A polite middle-aged NIS agent handed over his business card.
It simply read "Team Leader Lee Jin-gi."
Not to be outdone, a man in his late 30s sitting beside him greeted us alongside a woman in her early-to-mid-20s.
"Hello. I'm Choi Jin-ho, section chief handling key figures at the Awakener Management Agency. This is Assistant Kim Eun-chae. Pleasure to meet you."
He also offered his card, marked with "Awakener Management Agency," his title "Section Chief Choi Jin-ho," name, and phone number.
The atmosphere was all formal intros and handshakes, so I went with the flow and shook hands while introducing myself.
"You all probably know me, but I'm Park Seung-ho. ...Ah, I don't have business cards yet. Gotta get some soon. So, what brings you here...?"
"Well, the thing is, as a renowned alchemist gaining fame not just nationally but globally, it seemed odd we hadn't reached out sooner. With your tremendous contributions to the nation, and given how busy we've been lately, we wanted to listen to any business hurdles or issues you might face and collaborate on solutions. Also, regarding the support services typically provided by the Awakener Management Agency... [Continued Below] ..."
The Awakener Management Agency guy's speech dragged on forever.
"Ah, yeah..."
What the hell is he saying?
"...Haha, seems the Agency staffer is making it too complicated. We're here to check if there's anything public authorities can assist with for Park Seung-ho the alchemist, or any security concerns. Any current inconveniences or protection issues that might require official intervention?"
My confused expression must've been obvious, because the middle-aged NIS agent summed it up simply.
"No, nothing in particular..."
As I started to say that, my second sister whispered in my ear from beside me, "Ask for a tax cut. Taxes."
So I switched gears and asked for a tax break right then...
"...Ahaha, taxes aren't really something we can handle directly..."
They said no to cutting taxes.
Everyone from NIS and the Agency wore that "that's a bit..." look.
However, while they couldn't cut taxes outright, they could provide a certain amount in "business support funds," "research activity expenses," or "special activity funds"—effectively tax-exempt perks.
Sure, it was me paying taxes and getting some back, so what's the difference? But bureaucrats always structure things to avoid future liability.
Reducing an individual's taxes is problematic, but the government funding a promising alchemist with "special activity expenses" for R&D? That's uncontroversial and easy for the public to accept.
So we agreed to that.