The Point of Interest Is Coming
The point of interest is coming.>
“Bentley…”>
That’s the one guy I genuinely like…>
But my father told me this.>
“Doosik-ah. This pathetic dad of yours broke your mother’s back.”>
Back-breaker.>
I’m just the same.>
There’s no word that explains me any better.>
Four years of university, three years prepping for the civil service exam, two years hunting for a job…>
I still haven’t even signed up for my four major insurances yet.>
“And now you can’t leech off your son anymore, right? How could I possibly have the face for it.”>
“Leech? How is raising your own son leeching?”>
“Doosik-ah, Dad’s still in his prime. My hands are as strong as ever. No matter how much money you make, Dad will keep working. Now that I’ve gone back to it, I’ve started feeling that old hunger again. I want to hear you call me ‘Boss’ so you don’t get embarrassed. So helping you out is enough. I don’t plan to quit my job anytime soon.”>
He said it like that, but Dad was still fidgeting with the Bentley key fob.>
“Then what about the Bentley…”>
Dad continued his next words.>
“Doosik-ah. But I’m still worried about you.”>
“I’m going to hunt the gates as safely as possible. Don’t worry too much.”>
“No, that’s not what I mean… When a twenty-something just starting out like you goes out to date and meet people, if you’re driving a Bentley, people are going to see that car before they see the man named Lee Doosik. I’m worried about that.”>
I could feel the depth of my father’s worry in my heart.>
But my thoughts were different.>
“Dad, I’ve lived ordinary until now. Nothing flashy, nothing special. I don’t want to keep living like that, either.”>
“But…”>
“I know what you’re saying, Dad. When shit stinks, shit flies swarm. Same with money. I’ve heard that a hundred times. But even if those shit flies swarm, doesn’t that just tell you who the real shit is?”>
Today I’m feeling pretty good at bullshitting.>
“Dad, I’m all grown up now. Thirty, right? But… the Bentley is my first car—the one I chose myself. Your car is a new one. I’ll buy you something even better.”>
“Really?”>
Dad’s reaction made me burst out laughing.>
I laughed with Dad face to face.>
Age didn’t matter—everyone had that romantic dream of owning a cool car.>
But the one Dad had picked was a Genesis G90.>
“Dad, you could buy something even better. If you’re just doing it to look good in front of me, don’t! I’ll even get you a Rolls-Royce!”>
“No, it’s not about looking good. The truth is, this has always been the car I wanted. Genesis. It’s cool, right? Not flashy, but also not something that gets you scammed. And with a Bentley like this as my dream car, I’ll buy it with the money I make as interior company president later.”>
Dad was subtly telling me he wanted to open an interior company.>
I took that goal in right away.>
“When you’re ready, Dad, tell me. I’ll invest.”>
“Heh heh, if my son is the investor, I’ll have to work extra hard, huh?”>
* * *>
One morning on a construction site for a dusty suburban house.>
Tap-tap-tap.>
The sound of hammering was steady.>
Exterior work was finished; now interior work was in full swing.>
“Mr. Sa, someone’s coming.”>
The site supervisor turned to look when Pookul, the Thai guy nailing plywood on the gypsum board, spoke up.>
A black Genesis G90 pulled in.>
Bwoom—>
“Tsk, contractor? Annoying…”>
The guy who was nailing moldings with a hammer climbed down from the ladder, brushed off his work gloves, and left rubbing his pants.>
Bbaang—>
A sudden crack echoed out of nowhere.>
It was only natural to be startled.>
“What? Son of a bitch, crazy?!”>
The woodworker Youngchul frowned and stuck a cigarette in his mouth.>
The front passenger window of the Genesis slid down smoothly.>
“Who is it?”>
“Who else? It’s that idiot writer.”>
“Woah? Is this hyung? Wait, what the hell? We thought you were the client!”>
He tossed the cigarette he hadn’t even lit and stuck himself to the Genesis passenger seat.>
Inside, his old colleague Lee Deokhoon was smiling with sunglasses on.>
“What do you mean? I’m here for work. How’s it going?”>
“What do you mean ‘work’? This brand-new shiny car? Where’d you buy it?”>
“This? Nothing special. My son Doosik got a new job and I mentioned it.”>
There was no way he did.>
“Woah? Got a job? Silver?”>
“Ah, I must’ve forgotten to tell you. We saw him at the funeral last time, right?”>
“We did. He looked handsome. Soft and round—like the kind of dog girls today like.”>
“Right? Lucky he takes after his mom.”>
“Hahaha.”>
Lee Deokhoon, Doosik’s father, drove straight here the moment the contracted car was delivered.>
Actually, today wasn’t even his workday. The door was already installed yesterday.>
“Our son got his first monthly salary and bought this on the spot! How cool is that?”>
“Woah? First monthly salary and you buy a Genesis? How much is your salary!”>
“It was said to be pretty good. The company sounds decent.”>
“Woah. No son is as filial as this. Mind if I take a quick test drive too? Oh, but I’m covered in dust, so maybe it’s better not to.”>
“What’s the problem? Domestic cars are just fun to drive. Come on, hop in. Pookul and the Thai guy are coming too—we’re all taking a test drive.”>
Doosik’s father Lee Deokhoon gave the colleagues a test drive, then said,>
“Yah… you guys eat Samgyetang with wings, huh?”>
“Don’t worry, eat up.”>
After treating everyone to Samgyetang with extra wings, Deokhoon headed to the columbarium.>
His light heart grew heavier and heavier.>
This was his first visit since the cremation.>
[Yongmiri Flower Shop]>
“Please give me the best one. Ah, I’ll pick.”>
Deokhoon chose a wreath decorated with pure white flowers.>
The point was the pink flowers mixed in, making it look like a wedding bouquet—bright and grand.>
The sight of his wife tossing the wreath behind her was vivid.>
She was young.>
She smiled.>
She was beautiful.>
“Thirty-five thousand won.”>
“Here you go.”>
The funeral flowers were fake, but they still smelled sweet.>
Deokhoon carried the wreath up the columbarium steps.>
With every step his nose prickled.>
It was a really good day.>
He had come to enjoy this good feeling together.>
Good things are shared, and hard things are divided—that’s what family is for.>
“If only you were here with me…”>
In the photo his wife was smiling the exact same way she had at her most beautiful.>
He wanted to see that face so much.>
Deokhoon hugged the photo frame to his chest.>
He could no longer feel warmth.>
“Our Doosik… honey. Our Doosik… how clever he is… snuffle…”>
Deokhoon laughed and cried at the same time.>
His cries grew louder until he collapsed and sobbed.>
The thing he had held back exploded like boiling over.>
“You should be here with me… snuffle… I miss you. I miss you so much… snuffle…”>
It was one of the most joyful days of his life.>
* * *>
A text arrived.>
With a photo of the new car leaving the dealership.>
[Dad: Thank you, son. I’ll drive it carefully. Love you. ]>
The first time he had ever heard those words from his father.>
Love you.>
“Dad is really something… it makes me embarrassed…”>
[Me: Me too. Drive safely. ]>
He sent Dad a reply and went back to work.>
I was checking the items left in my Huntred exchange cart.>
The balance was more than enough to buy them—actually overflowing.>
The second piece to maximize Fortitude’s effect.>
+>
[(Legend) Throne of the Immortal King (Throne of the Immortal King)]>
(Equip slot: Waist)>
The emperor Argos wanted eternal life and finally bound his soul to the throne for immortality… (more)>
▶ [Lame] Movement speed -100%>
▶ [Soul] MP +2,000, MP recovery +500%>
▶ [Reflection] HP -70%, no HP recovery>
▶ [Emperor] Subordinates’ attack speed and movement speed +50%>
+>
“Ugh… this thing is too big for the inventory.”>
Tigriel’s Bundle’s internal storage was about 1.5 meters cube-shaped in width and height.>
The width was fine, but the height was the problem.>
If it were just the throne, maybe, but this included the platform that supported it.>
It wouldn’t fit.>
Searching for the cheapest other spatial inventory gave 80 billion.>
“This is tricky… maybe I can stuff it diagonally?”>
That probably wouldn’t work either.>
And even with a never-ending honey pot, 80 billion was still an absurd amount.>
Just in case, I searched for other items with the Reflection option too.>
But nothing came close to the Throne of the Immortal King.>
The reason was MP recovery.>
When I looked at my future after leveling up, even if MP per mental power increased to 10 and I summoned more skeleton soldiers, I still wouldn’t be able to summon them all.>
So I had to rely on MP recovery.>
The Throne of the Immortal King gave +500% MP recovery.>
Among the current listings, nothing topped that amount of MP recovery—even including mythic-grade items.>
But the real problem was more serious.>
First, it turned this trash item into [Lame] Movement speed -100%.>
I couldn’t move at all once seated.>
There was a way.>
I would summon several skeleton soldiers and have them carry the throne like the old Joseon sedan-chair porters.>
But imagining that scene made my whole body feel icy.>
The skeletons carrying the throne.>
And me sitting on it.>
The Demon King itself.>
There was a high chance I’d be mistaken for a boss monster.>
“……”>
I can’t do that out in the open.>
I was scared of being seen by others.>
But there was no alternative.>
“I’ll have no choice but to sneak around and buy it.”>
From my balance 27 million left and the payment completed message popped up.>
Delivery method: [Parcel receipt].>
“I should just buy a truck…”>
Plus, loading it into a 1-ton van would be overload.>
Then I’d need a large-truck license.>
Problem piled on problem.>
[Estimated delivery arrival date: 3 days from now.]>
“Ah, I shouldn’t have bought it?”>
I scratched my head.>
Late regret.>
“You three, can you lift a chair heavier than a ton?”>
I looked around at Hansik and the other skeleton soldiers.> >No way.>
Luck stat from the current Tigriel Bundle’s +25% Luck effect was 7.5.>
If I activated the Fortitude trait, strength would be 15.5.>
Mental power 33.5, and the strength the skeleton soldier inherited would be only 15 * 0.335 = 5.2.>
A slightly better number than right after awakening.>
So when I gave it everything, I could probably lift about 50 kg.>
“Five is not enough. Even at 250 kg… eight would be 400 kg… thirteen would be…”>
No matter how much quantity is truth, thirteen skeleton soldiers still weren’t enough.>
There was only one way.>
“In the end, I have to get stronger.”>
But could I actually kill monsters?>
Honestly, I wasn’t as familiar with killing as other hunters were.>
I had taken a pig’s life, sure, but I couldn’t even twist a chicken’s neck.>
“Ugh, no… most problems can be solved with money.”>
Back to the start—my current balance was about 1.1 billion.>
“There has to be a luck item somewhere.”>
If I could cover about 10 luck with an item, I could make thirteen skeletons lift it.>
I started searching the exchange for items,>
“What is this weird thing?”>
I found an item with bizarre options.>
A four-leaf clover-shaped ring.>
But the clover color was blood-red.>
+>
[(Unique) Crimson Luck (Crimson Luck)]>
(Equip slot: Ring)>
Ancient alchemists believed this ring could control fate, but it also left an unavoidable price… (more)>
▶ [Crimson Price] Strength -10, Vitality -10, Agility -10, Intelligence -10, Mental Power -10>
*Stats cannot drop below 0.>
▶ [Blessing of Destiny] Luck +20>
▶ [Eternal Pain] No vitality recovery (while ring equipped)>
+>
It slashed all stats by 10 and raised luck by 20.>
Of course it was trash.>
Only 9.5 million won.>
Who would buy something like this?>
Me, of course.>
“Sweet.”>
[Purchase completed.]>
The Fortitude trait raised the other stats by the amount of the luck stat.>
In other words, even if the other stats became -10, the +20 luck would make them all rise by 10 anyway.>
I felt relieved.>
Like I had paid with money and gotten a free nose scratch.>
The easiest way to solve any problem is with money.>
“Everything is ready now. It’s your turn.”>
The three skeleton soldiers stood in perfect submission, as if saying “Whatever you command.”>
“Hansik, inject AI algorithms into the rest of the skeleton soldiers.”>
The point of interest is coming.