Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Meracle Open for Business!
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5th Floor, Tai Chi Yin-Yang Sect.
One of the prestigious sects with active exchanges with the outside world, it had now become one of the famous tourist spots on the 5th Floor.
Of course, outsiders couldn't enter the sect grounds themselves, but the sect buildings blending majestically with the grand waterfall on the city's outskirts made for a perfect backdrop for those Instagram-worthy life shots.
"Whoa, amazing."
"Look at this! They even sell uniforms here!"
A young couple visiting from the 3rd Floor snapped photos while laughing.
In particular, when touring the 5th Floor, the one thing everyone sought out was a Polaroid camera.
With no cell towers on the 5th Floor, phones were utterly useless, of course.
You could still take photos with a phone, but soaking in that analog vibe was the unique charm of a 5th Floor tour.
What if you got lost or ran into bandits?
No need to worry.
The 5th Floor had the most developed tourism industry of any layer.
Swoosh!
A 'guide' (tour guide) who had been watching from afar approached the couple using air-stepping technique.
Did martial prowess pay the bills anymore?
Those days were long gone.
Even masters had to earn money to live.
These folks worked as escorts (travel guides) and made a pretty penny doing it.
"Do you see over there?"
As the guide pointed after approaching the couple, they spotted a woman by the building next to the waterfall.
Her hair gleamed with black strands interwoven with hints of blue. She had a refined, elegant beauty and wore a white uniform.
"That's Baek Yeonhwa of the Tai Chi Yin-Yang Sect, one of the Ten Great Masters."
"Whoa!"
"One of the Ten Great Masters?"
The guide smiled and nodded at the couple's startled reaction.
"You're in luck. The Tai Chi Yin-Yang Sect values harmony of yin and yang through balance and cherishes tranquility. She's surely composing a poem there to calm her mind."
"No way, awesome!"
"A poem? Whoa, I wanna see."
"Ahem, this is a rare experience. Let me take the photo for you."
At the guide's words, the couple posed with the distant waterfall and Baek Yeonhwa as their backdrop.
Click!
Whirr!
Click!
Whirr!
"Wow, you take really good pictures!"
"Told you picking this guy was the right call? His reviews were stellar."
"Haha, you two just make such a great pair."
The guide lingered even after handing over the photos. As he stood there awkwardly, the boyfriend pulled some bills from his pocket.
"Thanks to you, we got a shot with one of the Ten Great Masters. Appreciate it."
"Ahem! No trouble at all! If there's another great spot, I'll make sure not to miss introducing it."
Pocketing the tip, the guide vanished in a flash.
That was their job in a nutshell.
They gave tourists the feel of free roaming while ensuring safety and hitting all the key spots from a distance.
"They said he loves money, and it's true."
"Eh, but his reviews say he's near first-rate level. Worth every penny."
"True, he does take great photos, just like the reviews said."
Whispering among themselves, the couple glanced back at the waterfall. Baek Yeonhwa was still gracefully writing away.
"I wonder what poem she's writing."
"Yeah. Gotta be something transcending worldly emotions, like an immortal sage!"
"That'd be so cool!"
It was a shame, but she wasn't writing the kind of poem the couple imagined.
Far from transcending human emotions, she was deeply immersed in them, penning words steeped in them.
Dear Hero, This is my fifth letter today. No reply yet, but I'm sure it's because you're busy. That's what I choose to believe. It couldn't be that I'm bothering you, right? Letters from the 3rd Floor take time to reach the 5th, so I'll savor the wait as part of the joy. But, Hero... You wouldn't be spending too much time chatting with other women while I'm away, would you? I'm not suspicious. Just curious, that's all. Oh, and Hunter Yoo Ye-na stopped by. She was talking a lot with Lord Blue Dragon, dropping lines like 'our Juseon' now and then. Juseon. She sure calls you casually by name? Can I do the same? Juseon? Hee hee. Just kidding. I don't get jealous. We share each other's secrets, after all. She doesn't know too, right? I trust I'm the only one who knows. Anyway, Hero. Six months feels so terribly long. Even though it's only been a week. Hero, please reply as soon as you can. What if I really come visit? Kidding. Just one promise, though. At the end of your day, let the last face on your mind be mine. Wishing you peace today as always. Your one and only, Baek Yeonhwa. P.S. Enclosing my photo. There was this fascinating thing called a Polaroid camera. I took it with that. Our little secret. If you wish, I could send something a bit... bolder next time. If that's what you desire, Hero. By the way, Hero, what would you want to do first when we meet? I want to see your face first. Then share a meal, hold hands, and after that... * * * "A-And after that, I'll tell you in person. I-It's embarrassing." At Meracle's office. Kim Yang tilted her head while showing Kim Juseon the letter and enclosed photo. "B-Baek Yeonhwa's already sent five letters today. L-Look at the photo." Reneah, who had been listening from the side, peeked over. "Whoa, she's got some allure... Should I try something similar?" Baek Yeonhwa struck a secretive pose, radiating a subtle sensuality. "So, has the boss replied?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Oh? What'd you say?"
"I-I said it seems like a misunderstanding. That I could introduce her to an even better match."
"...Better stay off the 5th Floor for a while."
"I-I told him that too." The two women nodded and glanced at the boss's empty desk. Kim Juseon hadn't come in for two days now. "Sigh, off to that place again today?"
"Y-Yeah. Look at this." Kim Yang held out a calendar. It marked payday, just three days away. "I-If he doesn't pay up—" "Doesn't pay?"
"Th-That beef from last time was delicious."
"......"
"W-We turn the boss into beef." Kim Yang issued her grim warning. * * * Not bad. No, it was definitely good. There are times when money flows in. I was riding that wave. Until that damn Blue Dragon showed up. "Incompetent management! Compensate for the stock plunge!"
"Security team's screw-up! Shareholders foot the bill? What kind of nonsense is this!"
"Take responsibility for canceling the concert! Fans aren't a joke!" A natural disaster from the freak lightning storm had tanked the entire stock market. And among them, my investment 'Wolfguard Tactical Solutions' had taken the hardest hit. A company making gear for beastkin and doubling as security. The problem was their protection detail for the famous beastkin singer 'Owl'. The Blue Dragon's lightning strike had been chalked up to freak weather, a natural disaster. But the fallout didn't just vanish. The bolt had struck the very building where Owl was. The electrical systems got fried, sparking a fire. And the smoke from the fire wrecked Owl's throat. To top it off, she had a tour concert lined up. Wolfguard Tactical Solutions' inadequate security response led to a massive stock drop. Shares I'd bought at 9,800 won were now down to 2,100. I couldn't just sit in my empty office. I rushed over and joined the protest. That was yesterday and the day before. Today's reason for coming was a bit different. "Here, have some coffee while you wait. It's chilly out." Flashing my best friendly capitalist smile, I diligently passed out instant coffee to the shareholders. "Oh, thank you, dear."
"Such a nice young man coming all the way here." It was a protest, sure, but there were breaks. And during breaks, people gathered to swap stories about making ends meet. "My son these days—" "Sigh, my daughter too—" "Hard to trust people anymore—" I jumped right in with a smile amid the chatter. "Your son's turning thirty? What's his job?"
"My boy? He's a civil servant. Was thrilled when he passed, but the pay's not great. No time for dating either."
"Thirty with a stable job sounds pretty good. Got a photo?"
"Photo? Of my son—" "Wow! With this, you'd qualify for A-grade at my company. A-grade gets you matched with hunters earning up to 300 million a year."
"Huh? My son? Wait, Juseon, you run a business?" A-grade was a stretch. But we could sort that out step by step later. He seemed solid for at least B-grade, so I bumped it up a notch. "This is me." We find your miracle amid countless worlds. Hunter specialized marriage agency, Meracle. I handed over my business card. "If your son's having trouble finding a bride, give me a call. I'll hook you up with a great daughter-in-law on the cheap."
"But... matching with a 300 million hunter?"
"Eek! Sis! Hunters! They could die outside the city any day!" That auntie? I cut off the naysaying auntie. "Lots of misconceptions out there. We're a hunter specialist agency. We don't just chase profits—we grade based on income, stability, personality, hunting grounds, all that. Honestly, with the bad rep hunters have right now, this is a golden opportunity."
"Hey, Juseon, take a look at my son too?"
"What about my daughter—" Don't worry. I came loaded with cards. "Of course, of course, folks. Let me see." In the midst of all this chatting, "It's Owl!"
"Fan here! Oppa!" Shouts from Owl's fan club echoed from afar as she headed straight into Wolfguard Tactical Solutions' HQ. The crowd split into factions. "You gotta manage your throat properly!"
"What kind of singer is that?!"
"Come on—! Just say it's fine for our sake!" The protesters, upset over the plummeting Wolfguard stock, bashed Owl. "What? What'd our oppa do wrong?"
"The guards are the ones at fault!"
"Look at these boomers scoping anyone!" Owl's fans yelled back at the protesters. As things got rowdy, I slipped away quietly. "Hm?" The face of the woman escorting Owl looked all too familiar. "Ryu Seram?" At my call, one of the Seven Apex Hunters, Ryu Seram, tilted her head my way. "Hm? What're you doing here, Kim Juseon?" What are you doing here.