I Need Some Underlings (1)
"Ah, shit, should I go back?"
On the way home, he kept turning around. What if Emily misunderstood after seeing the money he'd left behind? He'd scribbled a note to explain, but that didn't ease the anxiety. It was like those classic movie or drama tropes—a sudden gust of wind sweeps the note away. Misunderstandings always started with something ridiculous like that.
Of course, he'd double-checked that the windows were tightly shut to prevent exactly that scenario. Still, the worry gnawed at him.
"She must've seen it, right?"
He hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn't turn back. He just hoped his fears wouldn't come true.
He'd left the money because he knew her situation all too well. The furniture in her house was all worn out, and her clothes were no different. A quick glance around made it obvious she wasn't well-off. So he'd pulled 200,000 dollars from his wallet and left it for living expenses.
It wasn't just pity. It was for Rachel, who'd endured such hard times—he wanted her to overcome them and live happily from now on. Money couldn't buy happiness outright, but having it sure made happiness easier to find.
"Speaking of which, when should I head to the hospital?"
He'd been able to prepare Emily's discharge celebration because Nurse Bae Sujung had texted him. At the end, she'd added that another 30,000 dollars in hospital fees had been tacked on, and he needed to pay up.
"Is it because the currency's in dollars? The medical bills here are straight out of America. Fucking expensive."
In Korean won, that was over 30 million. Back in Korea, it would've been a fraction of that. Everyone ragged on it as Hell Joseon, but nowhere else had medical costs as cheap.
Ah, not that he missed Korea or anything. He couldn't strut around with this level of confidence there, or blow cash like it was nothing. He much preferred his life now. Sure, it was a game world, but it felt completely real—no disconnect at all.
"Anyway, I'll hit the hospital on a night when Sujeong's pulling an overtime shift."
He couldn't go as Bal Jeong-nam anyway, so dawn it was. And if possible, when his harem candidate Sujeong was on duty—that'd be ideal.
"Ah~ I wanna fuck~"
He'd banged Emily, but sorry as he was to her, it hadn't fully satisfied his lust. He preferred raw, beastly sex, but he'd held back for her sake. Only came three times, too, out of consideration.
"What a crazy bastard!"
'Fuck, who heard that?!'
"Huh? Who's cursing me out of nowhere... Oppa! You're heading to work?"
"Oh? Bold as brass after staying out all night?"
No one around, so he'd shouted it loud. But the curse came flying back immediately. From Ji-na, of course.
She wasn't mad about him yelling he wanted sex, though. Must not have heard that part. She was climbing into her car for work but hopped back out to glare at him.
"I'm proud of it. Because it's a promise."
Mmm!
"Ugh... How are you thirty and still such a kid?"
She crossed her arms and shook her head with a sigh.
"My heart's forever young! Because it's a promise."
Mmm!
"Ugh, you lunatic. I shouldn't even talk to you."
She shook her head and got back in the car. Wait, why? This was the Cool Fun Sex Oppa promise!
Mmm! Just as he thought she'd drive off, the rear window rolled down.
"Hey!"
"What's up, sis?"
"Got time today?"
"Why?"
"Grab breakfast, then take Elis out somewhere."
"With Elis? You think that's safe?"
Elis hadn't stepped foot outside since coming to their house. Duran's place was right next door, and the Gwen mansion wasn't far. Bad luck, and they might spot her.
That's why he'd asked Ji-na to dye Elis's hair, but she'd been swamped with work. Elis still sported that flowing golden blonde.
"It'll be fine. Dyed it yesterday and gave her a trim."
"For real?"
The new-and-improved Elis edition? He wanted to rush home and see her fresh hairstyle.
"Yeah. She didn't say it, but she must've been going stir-crazy. Take her out for some fresh air—it's been forever."
"You got it. Trust your Oppa."
"...Why do I not trust you at all?"
"Huh?"
"Anyway, I'll check later, so do it right."
"Sure thing."
"Alright, I'm off. Let's go."
"Yep~ Make bank~"
He waved until the car carrying Ji-na vanished from sight.
"Man, she's got nerves of steel."
Ji-na had stared death in the face but wrapped it up neatly and headed straight to work like nothing happened. Most people would've been too shaken to leave the house for weeks.
"What superpower does Ji-na even have?"
Luck of the Draw's cooldown was long up, but would it reveal Ji-na's power? Last time with Peter Elder had been pure luck.
He didn't trust his own luck much. Never really had any.
"Eh, I'll check that later... Time to see our Elis?"
The second Ji-na's car was gone, he bolted inside.
*****
"Elis! Elis!"
Calling her name as he entered, no sign of her. Where was she?
"Elis! Elis! Elis of Wonderland!"
Climbing floor by floor, shouting her name.
"Elis! Elis! Elis of Bal Jeong-nam's House!"
By the seventh floor, he heard water dripping from her room. Aha! She'd been showering—that's why.
He strode right into her room like it was natural. Hum de dum~ Water pattered from the tightly shut shower door, mingled with Elis's humming.
He stripped naked in a flash and flung open the door.
Bang—!
"Eek!"
Elis, mid-hum, yelped and plopped to the floor in surprise.
"Wh-who... Oppa?"
"Whoa."
He gawked at the drenched Elis. Well, at her new hairstyle, really.
The golden locks that reached her waist? Chopped clean into a sleek black bob. Dyed pitch-black.
Women changing styles drastically usually looked awkward at first. You get used to it quick if you see it often, but initially? Off-putting.
Not Elis. The black bob looked tailor-made for her—perfectly natural and stunning.
"You look amazing, Elis. Suits you perfectly."
"Huh? Oh... Hehe, thanks, Oppa."
"Anyway, hurry and finish up. We're heading out."
"Huh? Where to?"
"You haven't left the house once since you got here. New hair's good, but let's add some disguise and go on a date."
"D-date?"
Her eyes went wide at "date." Why so thrilled? Like she'd never been on one...
Oh. Right. She hadn't.
He pulled her up.
"Yeah, a date. Come to think of it, we've never done one. My bad—too late. Sorry, Elis."
"N-no! Just saying we're going now makes me happy enough."
She shook her head frantically at his apology. Adorably so.
"First things first, Elis."
"Yeah?"
"One quick fuck before we go. Grab the wall and stick out that ass."
"....."
He slid into her pussy to quench his lingering lust, then headed out with her. Naturally, it didn't stop at one. Two hours in the shower. Elis's pussy was pure addiction.
*****
Her drastic style change made her hard to recognize at first glance, but her base beauty shone through—anyone could tell it was Elis. So he bundled her up: sunglasses, mask, hat. Face fully hidden.
And yet? Still gorgeous! That untouchable aura seeped through.
"Is she a celebrity?"
Passersby whispered, staring. Wondering if she was famous. No powers, but Elis was no ordinary girl.
"Whoa! Oppa, check that out! So pretty..."
"Buy."
"Huh?"
"Buy it. Oppa's loaded. I'm rich."
Anything she complimented, anything her eyes lingered on—he bought. THIS IS FLEX! His hands filled with bags, but her joy made it worth it.
Like any normal couple, they dated and headed home.
"Oppa, you coming up?"
"Gotta make a call first. Go on ahead."
"Here, give me those. I'll take 'em up."
"Nah, won't take long. I'll carry 'em—they're heavier than they look."
"I'm strong too, y'know?"
She flexed her arm—no bicep in sight. He laughed, sent her up, summoned clone Mark Three to dump the bags on, then headed to the Skull Head Gang base run by Mark Two after ages.
Mark Two rose heavily from his seat to greet him.
"Big score, huh."
"Obviously. Shadow Killer? Ripped him apart."
Strangers seeing them might call them nuts. Talking to himself in a mirror, basically. But that was the dual-personality game's charm!
Keh heh heh!
"Anyway, the prep I told you about?"
"You think that's easy? Costs a fortune. And we don't have a fortune."
"What? No money?!"
He gaped at Mark Two's words. A villain short on cash? You expect me to buy that?
"Be straight! You embezzled it, didn't you?!"
"Like I'd do that! If I did, I wouldn't feel wronged! Hell, you know better than anyone I didn't!"
"How would I know? You thief!"
"You psycho?!"
Mark Two bellowed.
"Selling drugs ain't easy! Gotta hit factories for stock, dodge heroes and cops to peddle to junkies! Other villain crews interfere nonstop—fights break out!"
"And you keep taking hundreds of thousands in cash! Plus, why overpay those baldies?! They rake it in for peanuts work!"
Huff huff huff—Mark Two panted.
"Whoa~ You handle all that yourself?"
Stunned by the rant, he asked. Mark Two crossed his arms and nodded.
"Hell no! Why would I hustle? Bosses guard the office."
"Classic."
Thumbs up to the confident Mark Two. Just like me.
"But yeah, overpaying the baldies?"
"Duh."
"Can't be helped."
For stable ops, he tearfully decided.
"From today, half their pay. And time for layoffs."
Employees! Company's in a pinch—let's overcome together! My salary stays, yours drops! No? Tough shit—be the boss then!
"Other crews still bitching?"
"Yup. You know—the Hero Association buried your feats."
They'd deliberately hidden his exploits. Shadow Killer takedown? Credited to S-rank hero Jenaraider who'd fought alongside.
Infuriating, but their position made sense. White Knight, the "strongest hero," got wrecked by him and rampaged. Damage from that dwarfed his own chaos.
Hero Association ranted it was his trap that set White Knight off, but massive losses were on that loser. Public opinion soured.
So they erased the pure villain—him—from the narrative, claiming the credit.
He didn't sweat it. Price for Ice Queen and Flame Witch later.
Why Flame Witch outta nowhere? Among his women and candidates, Elis topped the body game. But Flame Witch? Even more insane. Minimum F-cups, by his eye. Not claiming her? That'd be a sin.
He wasn't a criminal—couldn't sin. Back to point: they poked because they didn't know he'd shredded Shadow Killer.
The baldies had strayed into other turf, sure. Dogs snag scraps at home.
But baldies were different. Skull tattoos on their domes—Skull Head symbols.
These punks touch my baldies? Touching Skull Heads meant attacking him.
"Yo, rally the boys."
"Already done."
Tonight, time for a blade dance.