Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Crush with DPS
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The answer was, "Crush with DPS."
"Can I... have french fries too?"
At that question, it felt like my heart plummeted.
Thump—
The child glanced at me, noticing I couldn't say a word, then hurriedly bowed her head.
"S-Sorry... I won't be greedy..."
Those words hit me with another massive shock.
'French fries... what's the big deal.'
You know, if I said I'd buy cheese sticks too...
What if I let you have chocolate ice cream for dessert on top?
Would you even be able to handle that kind of happiness...?
Thump— thump— thump—
My heart started pounding irregularly.
The booming heartbeat echoed in my ears.
'This won't do.'
I need to show her what real greed looks like.
That there's so much more delicious food in the world beyond french fries.
She won't be satisfied until I make that crystal clear.
As I made that silent vow...
The child, still peeking at me cautiously, finally spoke up hesitantly.
"...I want a burger."
"Perfect. Let's go then?"
"Yes."
I headed straight to the director with the child in tow.
"Um, could I take this child out for a short walk?"
The director's eyes widened round at my words.
"Yes!? A walk... with Haneul???"
Not just her—Choi Han-ul and the other volunteers nearby stared at me and the child in disbelief, glancing back and forth.
"Haneul's going for a walk?"
"Haneul, are you okay with that? Can you go outside?"
"Yes... I want to go for a... no, a walk with big sis."
The director, her eyes huge like a bunny's as she looked at me, snapped out of it and crouched down to the child's eye level.
She stroked the child's hair with an expression of pure joy.
"Haneul, have fun on your walk with the pretty big sis. When you get back, I'll make you some delicious watermelon punch."
"Yes."
I held out my palm to the child.
A small, warm hand gripped mine tightly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The moment I set the burger down on the table...
The child buried her face in it, sauce smearing around her mouth as she devoured it.
When the cheese stretch went splat— long, she let out a tiny squeal, pointing at it.
She popped two nuggets into her mouth and grinned with utter bliss.
At the same time, an indescribable guilt began to creep in.
'Ha... even now, again...'
Every time the child smiled happily, a prickling sensation rose from my dantian—
dopamine flooding in.
I brought her out to teach her what real greed is, to show her how much delicious stuff is out there...
But isn't basking in dopamine the opposite of that...?
'This isn't right. Snap out of it!'
I immediately slapped both my cheeks with my palms.
Slap—
The soft, pudding-like jiggle against my palms cleared my head and sharpened my thoughts.
'Why do I keep feeling this twisted dopamine rush?'
And another question arose.
I could've bought something more expensive and delicious, so why did I bring her to a burger joint of all places?
'......'
Eventually, I reached one conclusion.
Burger, french fries.
Cheese sticks, nuggets.
Even the chocolate ice cream...
Every single thing on that table.
They were all the foods my younger self had desperately craved—but never gotten to eat.
— Grandma, can I... have french fries too?
— What? French fries? Be grateful I even bought you one burger!
...Embarrassing as it is.
I think I was projecting my childhood onto the child in front of me, getting vicarious satisfaction.
Come to think of it, donating a building to the Sprout Guild orphanage and feeling that twisted dopamine rush was no different.
After Grandma passed, I was forced into an orphanage and hit puberty there.
My biggest wish was to have a private room with some privacy.
That's probably why.
— This is my room!
— No, this is mine!
— What? I claimed it first!
Watching the Sprout kids joyfully claim their private rooms filled me with max-level dopamine.
'......'
Having lived so harshly as a kid left lingering regrets...
Seeing someone else experience what I wanted back then—what I longed to do—gives me that proxy satisfaction.
On top of that, watching the adults who donated to our orphanage without asking for anything in return...
I remember vowing, 'When I grow up and make a ton of money, I'll become someone that cool.'
All of it came together, turning me into someone who prefers giving over receiving.
The dopamine from proxy satisfaction is just a bonus...
'I get it now.'
I nodded slowly.
I know full well this isn't pure altruism—it's born from my own selfish desires.
But if someone else gets to experience what my younger self wanted, and I feel joy along with them...
Even if it's twisted dopamine... isn't that okay?
"All done eating? Shall we get up?"
"...We’re heading back already?"
"Huh? What’re you talking about?"
At the very least, that's what I think.
"We gotta go shopping for clothes!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ And so, we wandered the nearby department store, buying armloads of clothes suitable for the shelter kids.
We also picked up thick women's padding for thoroughly exploring the winter forest.
The sun was setting, so after shopping, we headed straight back to the shelter.
"We're back! And these are presents for the kids!"
The moment I pulled out the clothes from the shopping bags, the kids erupted like fireworks.
"Whoa!!! Iron Man T-shirt!"
"Catching Teenyfin pajamas!!"
"Whoaaa, princess dresses too!"
Twitch, twitch—
My lips twitched from the dopamine surging from my dantian when...
"Huh? What’s this, neighbor?"
Someone tapped my shoulder and greeted me warmly, acting like old pals.
The woman who said I looked just like her and gave me my first flower gift.
A familiar face.
"Huh? Aren't you the lady who moved in next door...?"
"That's right! Who'd have thought I'd run into you here, Chrog...!"
At that moment, one child came toddling over, grabbed the hem of the neighbor's skirt, and started whining.
"Sis! You said you'd play! Let's play hide-and-seek! Hide-and-seek!"
"Just a sec— Sis is busy right now, okay? I'll play later. Jiyu can wait, 'cause you're a good kid, right?"
"Yes!!"
From their friendly back-and-forth, it seemed she visited here pretty often.
"Chrog came to volunteer too?"
"Ah, yeah... kinda happened... haha."
"Oh! Then you can come along for regular volunteering from now on!"
As the neighbor clapped her hands with a smack—
An ominous news report started playing from the old TV in the living room corner.
📰 Breaking News With the recent rise in temperatures, variant gate outbreaks are surging dramatically. Just in the past month, rampaging gates confirmed nationwide have increased 182% compared to the previous month... "Lately, every time you turn on the news, it's all variant gate talk..."
I swallowed hard at the woman's words.
Bracing for what came next.
📰 Breaking News Especially this summer, with extreme heat expected, variant gate frequency is projected to rise sharply. The government urges all citizens to exercise extreme caution when going out... Variant gates surging...?
'Then... again...'
— We came to request the healer's assistance due to a variant gate that appeared in Busan.
— Are you asking me to enter that gate right now?
— Yes.
'Another forced gate dive coming up...?'
— We heard about your brilliant performance during the artificial Lumina Bell incident. Alone, you healed several times more than other healers combined...
— In this situation, no one but Healer Chrog's help will do.
...How many people could coldly refuse a plea like that?
'Probably none.'
Then I'd be dragged into clear parties again, facing horrific monsters.
Thrown into countless variables.
'...No way!!'
I hate entering gates.
Hate it even if it kills me.
But mass casualties from healer shortages? That's even worse.
"Man, healers are gonna be swamped from now on..."
Pat pat—
I bowed politely to the neighbor comforting my shoulder.
"Um... I'll head out first!"
And hurried home.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I opened the Awakener community app for the first time in ages and scrolled through the recruitment board.
Swipe swipe swipe—
The more I scrolled, the more my head throbbed.
"Haa..."
Even before, healer recruitment posts flooded the board, but now it was no exaggeration to say every post was hunting for healers.
The only ones not seeking healers were low-grade gate parties.
And the reason low-grade gates didn't need healers was simple.
'They can crush it with DPS.'
And right then...
'...Huh?'
A brilliant idea flashed in my mind.
'Wait a sec.'
Then, to make every citizen of Korea able to crush variant gates with DPS, right?
If that happened, I could chill at home growing herbs.
Make some pocket money on the side, live comfy and cozy...
'...Yeah, that's it.'
If I hate entering gates.
Just turn the people of Korea into monster-spec powerhouses.
'Gonna need fat stacks of cash for that.'
A few billion or even hundreds of billions? Not enough.
Maybe trillions...
Or even that might fall short...?
Either way.
Ways to rake in cash were everywhere.
Ultra-rare harvestables only I could gather.
Items only I could craft.
— Relic title 'Prelude of Purification' affects rewards.
— +30% acquisition rate for Legendary+ items applied.
Plus my relic title effects...
'Anyone else, maybe not. But I can do it.'
Now I had a solid goal: make bank.
Bonus: diligently farm those harvestables.
With my resolve firm.
I snatched up my padding and headed to the Winter Forest, teeming with ultra-rare harvestables.