Rewards Worth 12 Billion Won (1)

The artifact Ryu Hwi-min posted created a massive stir in the gallery. After the Cheolgangmin fiasco, countless companies that had been constantly monitoring the site went into an uproar.

"Boosts persuasiveness?!"

'That's the ultimate scam item!!!'

The artifact's description alone was flashy enough to turn heads. Boosting persuasiveness? What a rare ability. Sure, it might offer only minor help to ordinary folks and seem useless to awakeners. But... for the top elites?

For a conglomerate chairman whose every word could move tens of billions, or a politician representing an entire nation?

*Gulp.*

'They'd probably shell out at least a few hundred billion.'

Everyone figured it would fetch the highest auction price since the auction house opened.

...Those who knew awakeners well thought differently.

"Chairman, a new item has appeared."

"Appraised by that Cheolgangmin guy?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, 'weak' persuasiveness. A shame."

In the chairman's office of Cheonghwa Group sat a white-haired old man stroking his chin. Lee Chang-gil, head of Cheonghwa Group.

"Without that 'weak' qualifier, it could've gone for trillions."

As he pondered, attaching 'weak' to an awakener item meant it was genuinely feeble. At best, it might briefly tempt someone on the fence. To someone like Lee Chang-gil, it was worthless. His opponents were all heavyweights anyway—bribing them with one artifact was impossible.

"Hmm."

'Still, considering that...'

After crunching all the numbers in his head, Lee Chang-gil reached a swift decision.

"Consider up to 10 billion won."

"......!?"

10 billion won. His secretary gasped in shock. It was pricier than she'd expected. Even Lee Chang-gil thought so.

'Even factoring in stock boosts, around 7 billion at most.'

His fair valuation: 7 billion. So why budget an extra 3 billion?

The reason was simple: those three words, Cheolgangmin.

'An artifact like this hits auction, appraised by Cheolgangmin of all people? Too coincidental.'

...Most wouldn't suspect a thing. Cheolgangmin was the awakener who'd revealed strategies for the Seven Gates—disasters where conquering even one would make you a national hero—without asking for a dime. For him to stage a cheap self-scam over pocket change (a fortune to most, but peanuts compared to his power)? Unlikely.

'Low odds, but worth the gamble.'

Lee Chang-gil was different. His gut screamed there was some link between the artifact and Cheolgangmin. 3 billion—a sum most people never touch—was a bargain for a lottery ticket that might land him Cheolgangmin.

"If he's not Cheolgangmin, will you cancel the deal?"

"Are you mad? Throw away Cheonghwa's hard-earned trust for a few bucks?"

"But Chairman, he proposed 12 billion..."

"Even better. Bring him now."

And so, even when it jumped to 5 billion more, Lee Chang-gil stayed cool. "Hee-chan, sorry, but can you handle something?"

"Of course, Chairman."

"A guy named Ryu Hwi-min is coming. Bring some info-trait awakeners to check him out. He might be Cheolgangmin."

"Understood."

Hwang Hee-chan, summoned out of the blue, accepted without question. If there was even a 1% chance he was Cheolgangmin, it was right for him to greet personally.

...For Hwi-min, it was a disaster.

-Creak.

"Um, from Blue Auction... Eek!?"

'Hwang Hee-chan!?'

Guided into the reception room, Hwi-min's eyes bulged like saucers. His jaw dropped. Bro, why are you here? His face screamed it.

"Hmm...?"

Hwang Hee-chan squinted. Baggy T-shirt, worn sneakers, tense expression. A million light-years from his image of Cheolgangmin.

'But it could be an act.'

"Pleased to meet you. Hwang Hee-chan."

Swoosh— He offered a handshake first.

'Good thing I stashed the ring in my inventory...!!'

"R-Ryu Hwi-min!"

Hwi-min grabbed the hand reverently with both of his. His other artifact, the Dragon Ring, was safely tucked in inventory long ago. Hwang Hee-chan passed without suspicion.

"No need to be nervous. Can I see the item first?"

"Ah, yes!"

Then, clink. A brooch appeared on the table.

'He won't grab it and run, right? If he does, I'll go full Cheolgangmin and post an exposé.'

Hwi-min fretted, but his real worry was elsewhere.

"Appraise it, then."

"...Yes!!"

The awakeners behind Hwang Hee-chan reached out in unison. Even Yu-na, on monitoring duty, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠joined in.

'If that's the real Cheolgangmin, I'll finally work in the real scouting division!!'

Cheonghwa Guild's info-trait holders. Only Yu-na from Beginner's Tower; the rest from Challenger's Tower. Ten in total—no way even Cheolgangmin ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could hide from them. That's what they thought.

And they peeled back Hwi-min's info layer by layer...

"......Huh?"

'Level 36?'

Hwi-min's true specs stayed hidden. Before they could appraise, a notification popped for him too.

'...Huh?'

As the others struggled with minutes-long appraisals, Hwi-min instantly grasped it all. For some reason, they were trying to peek at his status window.

'My real level's 369, so faking it to 36 works?'

He glanced over, and ding—! The notification updated.

'That do it?'

Hwi-min eyed the awakeners furtively. His anxiety faded at their deflated chuckles.

'Level 36... just cleared 1F?'

'Easy Tower noob, huh.'

To them, Hwi-min was a total newbie who'd barely scratched Beginner's Tower. Even same-tower Yu-na saw him that way.

*Whispers.*

"Level 36."

"Traits?"

"Couldn't check, but they rarely show anyway. Probably nothing special."

"Yeah, figures."

Hwang Hee-chan's suspicions evaporated too. Hwi-min looked like a bumbling Easy Tower kid whose face alone screamed noob. No way Cheolgangmin.

"Artifact appraisal?"

"Matches Cheolgangmin's analysis."

"Good. Proceed as Chairman instructed."

Scrape— Hwang Hee-chan rose, interest gone. Unless Hwi-min was Cheolgangmin, sticking around was a waste.

'I thought he could save that person... disappointing.'

"Oh, right. Are you by chance Cheolgangmin's Awakener Analysis No. 2?"

Still lingering, he asked pointedly. Are you really Cheolgangmin? A straight pitch, but...

"...No, slip of the tongue. Just a joke, forget it."

'Kids these days call guys like that 'losers.' A healthy-bodied loser grinding Beginner's Tower couldn't be Cheolgangmin.'

In the end, Hwang Hee-chan never clocked Hwi-min as Cheolgangmin.

"...Phew."

'12 billion's sweet even risking red-pill exposure, but a real investigation? Gotta play noob from now on.'

Hwi-min resolved to amp up the loser act—something Hwang Hee-chan wouldn't know.

The storm passed, but anyway.

"So, when's the money...?"

"Already deposited to your account. Bank's got the papers too, so you can use it right away."

"Thank you, thank you!!!"

Hwi-min bowed repeatedly, then bolted down the hall at top speed. No lavish ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠send-off this time, but he didn't care.

'12 billion!!!!'

His eyes glued to his phone, refreshing the banking app obsessively. His lips wouldn't stop grinning.

"Heh heh."

'Se-rin-ah, we're rich now!!'

Stomp stomp. His steps quickened. Identity safe ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thanks to traits, money in hand. Just heal his sister and live happily ever after.

'Back to the Tower!!'

Hwi-min was about to head straight there when...

-Grab.

"Wait!!"

"...Huh?"

As he exited the building, someone clutched his shoulder. He turned—it was the girl from earlier.

"Hah, hah... Good, you haven't left."

"Ah! The appraiser from before..."

"Cha Yu-na."

"......"

'What now?'

Hwi-min tensed. Eyeing his 12 billion? Or digging for info again? Mountains of worry, but...

"You're climbing Beginner's Tower, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah."

"Floor 2 now? It's brutal, right? Those orc stinks—I suffered too."

"......?"

Yu-na said Floor 2 sucked.

"I cleared all 50 floors, so I get it. People say it's easy, but it's scarier and harder than you think."

"True, but..."

"We're fated, so give me your number? I'll help with what I know."

Strategy tips for your contact. Pure goodwill overwhelmed Hwi-min.

'They always ignore me, but a fellow Tower climber will appreciate me!! See how awesome I am!!'

...In reality, newbie mentoring—what communities called 'newbie parking.'

Mistreated at Cheonghwa Guild, Yu-na craved praise to boost her ego.

"Uh, um..."

'Don't need it?'

Her target was a monster rookie cosplaying noob, but anyway.

"I'm good? Guides are all over the internet..."

"Don't refuse! Phone out, quick!"

"Uh, sure. Okay."

Hwi-min swapped numbers readily. Block if shady. That's the plan.

Yu-na never suspected his thoughts.

"Text anytime about Tower strats or awakener world stuff. As your senior!"

"Uh, thanks..."

"Quick tip for Floor 2? You're probably struggling to escape the prison basement with Luca, right?"

Yu-na asked warmly. Unlike others, her info trait let her scour every floor. She'd be a huge help, she believed.

"......?"

'I bulldozed it, but something else?'

Her confidence was infectious. Even Hwi-min perked up.

"Then, Senior Yu-na, one question?"

"Shoot."

"So..."

And Hwi-min asked:

"Has anyone saved Luca all the way?"

"......"

'Why always this question!!'