This Lifetime, I'll Make Full Use of Your Broadcast

"This time around, I'll properly make use of your broadcast."

"How about coming to our Tasty Grilled Mackerel place? I'll double your hourly wage??"

The eyes of Kim Moon-hee, the owner of the mackerel restaurant blocking Haru's path, were filled with greed.

"Ehhh?? Weally??"

Of course, Haru had no intention of switching jobs, but recalling how she and her daughter had looked down on her back when she was a jobless exam prep student named Lee Ha-neul, her mischievous instincts kicked in.

"For real! It's a waste for a girl like you to rot away at this place. Believe it or not, I have connections in the business and broadcasting world. With your looks, you could debut while working part-time..."

It was amusing how she spilled every little detail when Haru pretended to be interested.

"I get paid 40,000 won an hour—can you really double that??"

"What??? How could they pay you that much??"

"They saved my life after I nearly died coming back from the tower collapse, so there's that debt."

Only her mom, brother, and a few staff at the Awakener Center knew she was Lee Ha-neul. She'd kept her identity hidden from everyone else.

"Hmph... You're the loyal type, huh? Don't regret it later—come over when you get the chance??"

Haru figured she'd take the hint and leave by now, but Moon-hee clung on.

"No way. Stay back."

"Are you being threatened by those people from that place or something??"

"Hey!! Why are you bullying a kid?"

Bang Aji, the blonde, blue-eyed mixed-race beauty with an icy aura—an Awakener agent—stepped in front of Haru.

"I'm not bullying her.... Anyway, think it over and come to Tasty Grilled Mackerel across the street whenever."

Seeing Aji in her crisp suit radiating agent vibes, Moon-hee chickened out and scampered off.

"Thanks."

"No problem. We'll need ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to tighten security from now on. Your safety is our top priority, Haru."

"Hmm, yeah, I guess so. Aji, wanna head up to the rooftop with me for a sec??"

Rooftop??? No way.... Is she confessing because I saved her earlier?? That's way too fast.

Aji had gotten ahead of herself, just because Haru had opened up a little.

"Haru, we're just a tower collapse survivor and her assigned agent..."

"Huh????"

Once inside the rooftop storage room, Aji met Elmu, thanks to Haru's introduction.

"Momma?? Didja bwing food????"

"No, Elmu. This lady is..."

Elmu could see right through Aji's feelings for Haru and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠took a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠liking to her.

"She's pretty cool, yeah. But that smell on her feathers.... Urk!"

But Aji's sensitive nose kept them from getting any closer.

Still, treating the encounter like a rom-com event scene, Aji spun up her happy delusions again.

Aji and Haru came down from the rooftop and entered Bulpae Pochaa together. Inside, Sun-ja and Ha-seong stopped their conversation mid-sentence and stared at Haru.

"Haru-ya. They called about putting our restaurant on Health Restaurant too.... What do you think?"

"What're you gonna do, Boss?"

Aji knew Haru's identity but called Sun-ja "Boss" instead of "Mom" to help her adjust.

"If you've got Haru.... I think it'd be okay, but is it a burden??"

A burden??? Back in her Ramji days, Haru had cooked in front of a brutal butcher human who took on 100 monsters single-handedly.

Of course, modern spicy food was different from fantasy world's, but this wasn't even a thriving spot—Bulpae Pochaa's image was already in the gutter, and they had nothing to lose anyway.

As long as we don't get too tangled up with Seong Chan-ho's crew like that Tasty Grilled Mackerel place.

In her previous life, Tasty Grilled Mackerel had appeared on Health Restaurant as a Seong Chan-ho fanatic with real skills. They'd tweaked the sauce and revamped the menu just how he wanted, and Shin Do-young hyped them up as hidden masters.

That sauce was from Seong Chan-ho and his chaebol wife's Korean ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠food franchise, turning Tasty Grilled Mackerel into their first outpost. There was controversy, but the video started with "This video contains paid advertising," disclosed upfront. It was self-funded content, not taxpayer money, so no legal issues.

Years later, it became the spark that tanked Seong Chan-ho and Shin Do-young's public image.... But right now, both were sky-high.

The franchise boomed early on image alone, but the mediocre taste set a clear limit. That's why Moon-hee flopped after expanding to a busier spot, and Ha-neul's family ended up buried in debt after taking over her shop in the previous life.

Whether Seong Chan-ho or Kim Moon-hee, Haru was confident she could crush them with pure flavor.

I confirmed yesterday that my cooking works here.

The desperate faces of those ajummas and ajussis wolfing down her food yesterday, tipping extra and begging for more, lingered in her mind.

"Screw it, let's give it a shot."

"Really?? Then I'll call the producer!"

It wasn't even official participation—just a sequel shoot concept. No clue what role they'd get since she hadn't joined last time, but...

Probably a sacrificial lamb to hype up Tasty Grilled Mackerel's greatness?

Just like they planned to use the Harus, Lee Haru intended to treat Health Restaurant as mere promo fodder.

Start off sloppy for the edit sympathy, then flip the script mid-way like that mackerel joint's Seong Chan-ho simp act.

"Talked to the producer! They start installing cameras next week!"

"That's fast...."

Haru pulled up the Blade Anchovy Broth recipe she'd bought for 300 points from the Interest Point Shop.

A week of farming points would cover the rest.

***

The lights at Seoul's 4th Awakener Center flicked on at 8 a.m.

Yesterday's tower difficulty shift, plus new hunter jobs like Chef, Alchemist, and Blacksmith, had spawned over 2,000 new Awakeners in Korea alone, piling on the workload. That was just newbies—add in dual-job Awakeners with support classes tacked onto Warrior, Mage, Sniper, Assassin, and it was even more.

The 4th Center Director, back from an outing, reviewed the inspection results on one woman reported yesterday.

Awakener who enter towers accumulate alien matter not from Earth. Called Outer Dust, regular tower collapse victims pick up about 1 point per day.

The longest reported stay among victims was 10 years at 3,603. Haru's level beat top Korean Awakener Kim David at 18,343.

Meaning what happened to her during the collapse wasn't just "cooking in a psychiatrist's time room" like she claimed—either that, or an abnormally long stay, but no such cases existed.

With her pretty girl looks, shattered growth plates, and poreless skin, odds were high she'd been toyed with by some pervert tower boss. Body modded for combat, forced tower tours in weird outfits...

Hard to guess her mindset after Awakening from that. The investigator sensed no hatred despite expecting tower-raiding revenge.

She said she'd just cook and live. Then that insane dust level... successful revenge?

If she avenged herself and returned chill to cook, it fit.

Wish she'd help purify Korea's towers...

Victim of the hunter system's failures, she might harbor societal grudge.

Anyway, massive damage and high dust means max compensation: 50 million won.

Messing with her could dent his director career, so watch and wait.

"Who's her handler? Bang Aji??? Detection and mid-range teleport?? Why such a meh pick..."

Embarrassing for a director, but he messaged directly.

"She works at her family diner—why there.... Is she overpowering an agent for terrorism? Or just flexing?"

***

.........

(Current Points: 61 Points)

What? Got like 100 at the Center yesterday??

Yui's holographic hand, floating beside Lee Haru, pointed at Agent Bang Aji, whose expression soured next to her.

Thought being together would draw more eyes.... Attention split?

The diligent agent had woken at 7:30, Kakao'd, and teleported her right to Sindorim Station from home—Haru worried seeing her dry-heave. Seemed unused to rush hour crowds.

Always chauffeured rich girl??

"Aji, you okay??"

"It's nothing. My detection amps my smell too much."

"Then.... Let's warp to my uni."

For dual teleport, Haru gripped Aji's hand tight.

"Eek.... Sorry. My tele's got long cooldown and short range...."

Turned out it was neither long-range low-cooldown nor short-range high-cooldown—just meh. Cooldown tied to mana pool, and Aji's was low.

"Then let's go soonish."

While Aji pinched her nose, Haru loitered till attention peaked.

(Current Points: 108 Points)

Good to go.

"Haru, crowds are chaotic.... Mind if I carry you??"

Legs aching, Haru inwardly cheered jackpot.

"Sss.... Haa~~"

Huh???

Somehow, Haru felt oddly shortchanged.

***

Using Aji's teleport, they hit Seoul Central Dried Fish Market (Shin Jungbu Market)—Korea's largest dried seafood spot—to sub myriads for Blade Anchovy Broth.

Blade anchovies were fist-sized mobs with razor fins that swarmed drinkers by rivers. Tricky trash mobs spotted only high up in the few cleared 30+ floor towers. No stable supply now.

Haru's experience said size/taste matched anchovies, so specific dried ones might mimic it.

"Urghhh....!!!"

Aji suffered the fishy stench again.

"Gonna hit the bathroom quick!!!!!"

After puking, she perked up.

"Sorry! Supposed to help you, but just retching beside you...."

"It's fine. Not morning sickness, right??"

"Not pregnant!! With some stinky guy...."

"Y-yeah...."

"I'm so overly sensitive for no reason. Ambiguous skills, just sucking tax money at the Center...."

Despite looks, low self-esteem.

"You said detection skills? I'll show you how to pick good anchovies—watch close??"

........

They bought assorted anchovies, teleported home, and started broth R&D.

Register it.

Level 1 AI meant 3 more recipes max. No recipe didn't stop cooking, but fatigue difference was huge—like driving with vs. without GPS.

They brewed broths by anchovy type.

"Ooh, nice extraction. Could make rice cake soup right here??"

Family praised, but Chef-class Haru wasn't satisfied. To crush that pushy mackerel joint, this wasn't enough.

All duds....

To top it off, AI Yui crashed.

She'd wake once stamina refilled, but first time crashing on Earth.

"Gotta farm points quick for that level up...."

Logged into Chef Gallery for point farming after ages—ban lifted. Amid usual Galdeuk, whining, sob stories, one post had wild comments.

My hunch was right.

Warp gates saved costs in groups, so few solos/duos—mostly 4+ family/parties needing variety.

Infuriating ignoring her advice, but Ramji-era debts to Talis ajusshi ran deep. High views/comments meant Gallery bait—nail this, points galore.

LiberationDae: Post full pre-shrink menu board and sign within 5 mins.

"Sign's Retired Knight Restaurant, menu board's just big sloppy writing...."

LiberationDae: Keep all menu, redo sign with kalguksu pic and kalguksu taglines. Track popular orders by kid/adult/senior, photo/sketch and pin to board.

Talis ajusshi's cooking and build were solid—likely weak on promo/service.

Wait.... Service??? If his wife's handling front...