Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Sealing the Advertising Deal
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“How much were you thinking?”
“…….”
Sarang seemed flustered by the unexpected response and fell silent for a moment, but she soon regained her composure and replied in a calm voice.
“Of course, we plan to offer the best terms in the industry. And this might sound crazy, but just to confirm… do you take diamonds too?”
Her flexible attitude was most welcome, but unfortunately, with the existence of pay-to-win power, inflating diamonds meant nothing.
Of course, she could exchange them one-to-one… but what would be the point?
“No. I can’t go into details, but it seems that kind of transaction is off the table now.”
“Ah, that’s a shame. Then it’ll have to be cash, right?”
“Stocks would be fine too.”
It was a problem I’d been considering for a while. The shop items I’d stockpiled by summoning NPCs were starting to run low.
‘I need to stock up on shop items soon, or inflation will hit.’
In truth, the gold acquisition rate for Ardenia players was abysmal. Almost all were free-to-play, stuck with Goddess’s Blessing at level 2—EXP 400%, items 300%, gold 200%—and unlike Revenge characters that could auto-hunt for 24 hours, they turned to mush after just tens of minutes of fighting.
No matter how skilled, a player could only clear about a dozen dungeons a day in Ardenia.
A single free-to-play Revenge player earned more gold than ten skilled Ardenia players combined.
‘But even if it’s just a little at a time, it piles up.’
Revenge’s system was built on the premise of gold disappearing. Gold wasn’t fiat currency printed centrally; it was a byproduct generated from killing monsters.
Thus, in Ardenia—lacking major gold sinks like shops—gold inevitably accumulated.
Thank goodness I could interfere with the system via stocks; otherwise, I’d have had to melt down gold coins periodically to build golden towers or feed them to the landworm as snacks.
“Stocks, huh….”
A pause. Sarang, on the other end, went quiet for a moment. But then she seemed to make up her mind and chuckled.
“So, you’re saying you’re open to doing the ad?”
“Gotta earn while I can.”
I hadn’t built a single annex on the Mythic Castles.
Even defending the castles stretched manpower thin; I couldn’t even operate the Giggas properly.
‘And above all… the creators need a space where they can unleash their artistic souls without worry.’
The still-empty Grand Citadel would be the perfect spot.
“…Alright. Let’s meet and talk.”
“Sounds good.”
“Does your schedule work?”
“No issue. I’m just holed up at home.”
“Then let’s meet in front of Room Tower in an hour.”
After hanging up, I took a quick shower. Outfit was, naturally, the suit Sarang had bought me.
“Fifty minutes left… I can knock out one more volume and head down.”
Dressed in the suit, I casually wrote a volume, then went down to the first floor.
But then.
“Han Jaeyeon.”
Someone called out. Turning, I saw a burly man glaring daggers at me.
“What?”
“You’re finally… out! Finally…! What the hell were you so scared of that you ignored my calls and holed up in your room!?”
He strode toward me. His threatening tone and gestures felt almost refreshing.
‘Ah, it’s been ages since I’ve seen this attitude.’
I’d dealt with it endlessly in Ardenia, but after becoming emperor, I hadn’t seen it anywhere.
What about on the 34th Earth?
‘Even less likely.’
Unless you were some naive newbie clueless about the world or a slum immigrant with a guilty conscience, there was no reason to flinch at this.
Threats only mattered when backed by actual harm.
In a world where you couldn’t hit someone or impose penalties, threats were just empty bluster.
“Who are you?”
“You…! No, fine. Playing it cool, huh? Abandoning your roots on the 98th Earth! Your bloodline and mission….”
“Nah, not interested.”
I turned and walked away. The man reached out.
“You little shit!”
He grabbed my shoulder. Then yanked, trying to pull me.
He knew this wouldn’t trigger assault charges, but…
‘Idiot.’
In that instant, I circulated Land Breaker.
My strength exceeded 800 points. If the ground held, I could uproot a building—monstrous power.
Moreover, Land Breaker enhanced ground adhesion, like roots anchoring giants so they could wield their might in space.
In other words, yanking my moving shoulder was…
Like grabbing a speeding train by hand.
Crunch!
“Guh!?”
A stifled scream, and the hulking man was dragged along like a helpless kitten clinging to my ankle.
“Let go.”
I politely shook off his hand with a tap.
Boom!
Killing intent poured out.
‘Ah.’
A unfamiliar, novel sensation even to me.
‘So this is killing intent.’
A tangible aura I’d never emitted or sensed toward another.
“It’s unpleasant.”
“My arm… my arm… what, what power… you….”
Ignoring the man’s dazed expression, I exited Room Tower. A large vehicle waited right outside. The window rolled down, revealing Sarang with her hair tied up.
“Get in.”
“You came yourself….”
“Everyone’s busy these days.”
Sarang glanced past me at the man slumped behind through her sunglasses, then slid them down slightly.
“If you don’t want to tangle with lowlifes, you should find a new place to live.”
I smiled without turning.
“I’ll think about it.”
The door opened automatically as I entered, and the scenery outside shifted.
Spatial transfer.
“Welcome.”
Stepping out, hanbok-clad staff guided us.
‘Ah, lunchtime.’
I’d been eating in Ardenia, so my sense of time was off.
“Nothing you can’t eat?”
“I eat everything fine.”
We entered a reserved room. After a sip of water, a hanbok-wearing server entered with yellow pumpkin porridge to whet the appetite and a fresh salad drizzled with tangy dressing, then left.
As I polished off the bowl, Sarang spoke.
“Top star ad fees generally range from 100 million to 3 billion won.”
“Wide range.”
“Even top stars vary within that. Plus detailed conditions like exclusivity.”
“I see.”
I nodded. But there was something to clarify.
“I’m not sure if I’m a top star… but I know there are plenty of them. On the other hand, the Apostle of the Game God is officially just me.”
Sarang didn’t flinch at my words. Just tossing it out there, apparently.
“Yes. So the terms differ from the norm.”
She slid over a sheet of paper. It looked like thick stock, but it was a smart pad loaded with cutting-edge tech and all sorts of magic.
‘Ad proposal.’
As I read the details, servers entered and laid out dishes brimming with food one by one.
Thinly sliced boiled pork, steaming braised meat, grilled mushrooms and seafood—diverse, elegantly plated in portions for one or two bites.
Mid-read, I nibbled and thought.
‘When will Ardenia’s food quality improve?’
At least secure drop points for ingredients to craft high-end or rare dishes.
Sarang explained.
“We based it on Archmage Lucky Strike’s rate.”
‘Oh. A Transcendent did ads?’
Makes sense to pay off debts. Though infamous in a bad way, Lucky Strike was a beautiful elf woman, fitting for modeling.
“12 billion….”
“Enormous fee. Transcendent premium.”
Yeah, why would a Transcendent hawk their face? Loss of face. Lucky Strike was a rare exception.
‘Insane amount.’
Imagining what I could do with it was dizzying. Fully outfit the Mythic Castles, produce Giggas even.
Replace the +9 legendary luck item embedded in Dark Hyperion, summon Revenge items to reality with pay-to-win power.
Honestly, I wanted to sign right then, but I desperately held back.
If I could negotiate higher, I should.
“Interest in you is at an all-time high right now. Not just domestic—global. Maybe even off-world.”
Different from before. My status now dwarfed even a blockbuster movie star.
“Ah, you’re dragging this out to make me nervous.”
Sarang removed her sunglasses, pouting cutely.
Her glamorous beauty unleashed shocking charm with that casual laugh. I thought to myself.
‘Grandma. She’s a grandma.’
With billions on the line, I couldn’t be swayed by looks.
‘Though that’s Ardenia thinking too.’
Teasing Seongjae at 52 or calling Sarang grandma stemmed from 20 years in Ardenia. On the 34th Earth, such views were rare.
Humans are swayed by appearances.
80 or 800 years old? If they look hot, that’s it. Who cares if the idol on TV is 60? Beauty that draws sighs matters.
Kids these days don’t care about age.
Grew up with elderly stars and powerhouses in media.
‘Actually… obsessing over age is old folks clinging to outdated views.’
Magical Girl Kang Boram losing it over “grandma” proved that.
“Next course.”
Servers entered. A brazier filled with glowing charcoal—clearly magical—took center stage, flanked by sides to pair with it, neatly arranged.
Servers left after their duties, and we resumed eating.
Stomach somewhat full, I organized my thoughts and spoke.
“22 billion.”
“Ex….”
Sarang’s smile vanished. Beyond her limit.
“Impossible?”
“N-No. It’s not like bumping 1,000 won to 2,000… adding 10 billion? That’s….”
To her visibly flustered face, I said.
“I’ll pay-to-win the entire ad fee.”
“…….”
Silence. As I stared wordlessly, Sarang gazed into space, pondering, then asked.
“So, not diamonds directly… but cash to pay-to-win? All of it?”
“Yes, the full amount.”
“That changes things….”
Sarang’s fluster calmed.
She met my eyes and said.
“…Let’s go with 30 billion.”
“Oh.”
A whistle escaped me. Sarang continued.
“But no other game ads for six months. Not full exclusivity.”
“No problem.”
Too busy anyway. Serializing novels, registering as a space mercenary.
Registering meant taking real missions.
“Great. 10 billion upfront, 20 after shooting. All for pay-to-win, right?”
“Yes.”
Thought about stocks, but cash for pay-to-win it is.
‘I’ll buy stocks with royalties.’
Plenty coming from current works. Sarang beamed.
“Perfect. Looking forward to working with you!”
“Same here.”
Handshake sealed the deal. We enjoyed fruit dessert and sweet-sour plum tea, then rose.
Back in the car as we came, returning to Room Tower.
“See you at the shoot.”
“Yes. Until then.”
Back in my room. And right around then.
“Meow!”
“…Fast.”
A smile bloomed. Checked the deposit.
[Nemesis Soft deposited 10,000,000,000 won.]
“Grrraah….”
A thrill shot up my spine. How many balls was that?
“10 billion! Wow, insane! For real!”
10 billion—that’s all the contest prizes combined? And just a third of the total!
“Truly… the Game Master’s greatest boon was the name value.”
The transcendent weapon he gave was amazing, but nothing compared to the profits from the title.
Now I could use game powers openly in reality.
Before, it’d tangle me in monster incident backlash, but now I could claim Game God’s authority.
Priests of true gods existed, so I shouldn’t say it outright—but implying it was easy.
‘Who’d question it anyway?’
Exactly. No lunatic would doubt the Apostle proclaimed by the Game God himself in an official event.
“Ah, ahh. What to buy first? What?”
I had serializing to do, but my heart pounded and butt fidgeted—couldn’t focus.
Then.
“Meow!”
“Huh? What now?”
Startled by Cheda’s cry, I turned.
“Another deposit?”
I rushed to check.
[GreenDragon: Hi, Jaeyeon! Mind checking this post?]
“Flower? Some issue?”
I followed Flower’s link.
An O-Ryong Net reader board post loaded.
[Contest] Divine Spear Seik Spear: Contest level wtf.
Browsing newbie writers, got hit with massive shock.
When sprouts emerge.
No expectations for a total rookie… but damn, tears flowed. Seen any recent work swinging emotions with this weight?
But current contest ranking…
Frustrating. A piece like this not even in best 100, barely any reviews? Makes sense?
Genre fiction’s light as hell, but unless your eyes are in your ass…
“Ah.”
I got the vibe. I’d been shocked by that work too.
Not a classic, feels like the author’s still alive—how does someone write this?
For me, copying others daily, it’s unreachable. Life itself bled from those words.
“But isn’t that just how genre fiction is?”
I wasn’t alone.
Comments reflected it.
[Comments: 481]
An arena had opened there.