Chapter 28

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 28

Chapter Title: Business Partner

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A massive building towered in the heart of Gangnam.

Gazing up at the 13th floor, where the sleek sign "Bodyline" hung proudly, I straightened my clothes.

"Hmm."

My reflection in the show window looked pretty damn sharp.

Clothes make the man, huh? Totally worth the money.

Maybe it was thanks to the frame bulked up from all those Power Ups, but even thrown on haphazardly, it had real style.

The elevator doors slid open, and as I stepped into the studio entrance, a panoramic view unfolded through the expansive floor-to-ceiling glass— a class in full swing.

"Member, engage your core properly. Feel like your navel is glued to your spine."

It was Lee Seo-ah.

Gone was the blood-smeared figure swinging a shield in the dungeon.

Now, in form-fitting yoga wear as she corrected a member's posture, she radiated the unmistakable aura of someone who'd made it.

'Definitely looks like a whole different person out here.'

I settled onto the waiting sofa near the entrance to observe her.

I'd arrived about ten minutes early for our appointment.

Thump, thump. Hoo, hoo.

Thanks to my heightened Senses stat, every subtle twitch of Lee Seo-ah's muscles, the quiver in her breaths, even the trickle of sweat droplets assaulted my eardrums with crystal clarity.

'Ah, so damn noisy.'

I dug into my ear with my pinky finger, desperately trying to redirect my focus elsewhere.

Hearing too well could be a real pain sometimes.

That's when the class members' murmurs pinged my super-sensory radar.

"Honey, you see that guy?"

"Who's that? Teacher's boyfriend maybe?"

"No idea~ But the vibe's super weird. He's just staring at Teacher Lee the whole time?"

"Hee-hee, Teacher Lee's outfit was different today too—must have a date!"

They probably thought they were whispering, but to my ears, it rang out like it was blasted through a megaphone.

Pretending not to hear a thing, I crossed my legs and fiddled with my smartphone.

A moment later.

Class must've wrapped up, because Lee Seo-ah turned and our eyes met.

"……!"

Her eyes went wide as saucers.

Replacing the dungeon's icy killing intent, a strange mix of delight and fluster washed over her face.

She excused herself from the members and hurried over to me.

"Y-you're early? We still have some time left."

"Eh, whatever. Saw you were in class, so I waited."

"Sorry! I'll finish up quick and come out. Just give me a sec to change!"

She dashed flustered into the changing room.

As I watched her retreating figure, the members' giggles drifted over again—"Oh my, oh my, it must be him"—but I just shrugged indifferently.

Deep inside Bodyline, in the consultation room sealed off from the outside world.

A peculiar silence hung between the two seated face-to-face on luxurious leather sofas.

Lee Seo-ah swallowed dryly, staring at the man across from her.

'The vibe... it's different again.'

In the dungeon, a ruthless cold-blooded killer.

Moments ago in the lobby, a laid-back observer.

And now, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as he unpacked items onto the table, he wore the face of a consummate businessman.

Thud, thud.

The objects Han Yujin pulled from his bag filled the table.

Lee Seo-ah drew in a sharp breath.

These weren't just any items.

Real spoils—earned by slaying someone or risking life against a boss.

In the peaceful heart of Gangnam, they emanated an aura far too ferocious.

"These..."

"Gotta sell 'em, but no one around me has deep pockets, even if I look far and wide."

Han Yujin cut straight to the chase, dry and curt.

It wasn't a request.

It was the tone of a prime contractor tossing work to a subcontractor.

'No way... he wants me to sell them?'

Lee Seo-ah was flustered.

But Han Yujin had his reasons.

'Why the hell do these broke asses keep messaging me...'

He clicked his tongue inwardly.

All last week, he'd exchanged messages with people begging to buy the Leader's Qualification card.

But contrary to expectations, the highest bidder scraped together a measly 30 million won.

Not even close to the 50 million Kim Sung-hyun had floated initially.

'That actor threw out a number, so anything under 50 million would bruise my pride.'

Not like he could hit up Kim Sung-hyun again either.

In that bind, Lee Seo-ah had popped into his head.

She'd burned 300 million won just to join that Shelter place.

She wasn't the only sucker—others who'd gotten in probably forked over similar "donations."

In short, rich folks who spared no expense to save their own skins.

A far cry from the penny-pinchers online. Real heavyweights.

That's the market Han Yujin was targeting.

"Seo-ah, you dropped 300 million on that Shelter thing, right?"

"Ah... yeah."

"Means all the newbies there have that kind of cash to spare. You still got contacts, right?"

"……!"

Lee Seo-ah's eyes shook.

She grasped his intent instantly.

"Too much hassle haggling on some secondhand forum. Figure you'd have an easy time offloading to those folks at full value. What do you say?"

Han Yujin leaned back, flashing three fingers.

"Not asking for free, of course. Commission at 3% of sale price..."

Lee Seo-ah's expression soured badly.

"Aw, c'mon, party member discount. 5%. Nice and clean."

Five percent.

Lee Seo-ah instinctively tapped out the math in her head.

Han Yujin pegged the Leader card's floor at 50 million won.

Add that Magic-grade dagger and mystery gem?

'Could hit nine figures easy.'

Gulp.

Her throat went dry.

This month's loan interest, staff salaries, studio rent— all pressing bills flashed through her mind.

Five percent would snuff out the fires and then some.

But more than the money, it was Han Yujin's attitude that shook her.

—If the tank's no good, DPS can't cut loose either.

The skill card he'd tossed her in stages 1-2.

And now, this real-world partnership offer.

'This is my shot.'

He was testing her.

Not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just in the dungeon, but out here in reality too— whether she was a useful partner.

Prove herself now, and she'd secure a spot right beside this monster of a man.

"Deal."

Lee Seo-ah nodded firmly, resolve set.

No hesitation.

"The Shelter semi-member group chat's still active, perfect timing. Don't know their full net worth, but they're desperate enough to do anything to survive."

Without pause, she whipped out her smartphone and snapped pics of the items on the table.

Her hands moved briskly.

"Uploading now."

She edited the shots and posted them to the group chat named [Never Die].

Screw what anyone thought now.

[Selling Abyss items. Serious buyers DM me. First come, first served. Fully verified.]

Less than ten seconds after hitting send.

Bzzzt— bzzzz— bzzzzz!

Her phone on the table erupted in vibrations.

The screen flooded with messages.

"Wha...?"

Lee Seo-ah's jaw dropped.

She'd expected interest, but this was beyond imagination.

Especially the frenzy over the [Leader's Qualification] card—borderline madness.

Wealthy types who could afford it and hated bending their pride.

To them, 'party leader privileges' symbolized raw power.

"Holy crap... 100 million the second I posted."

Lee Seo-ah gawked at Han Yujin in disbelief.

Han Yujin smirked, utterly unfazed, like he'd called it.

"See? Targeting's everything in business."

His expression held the smug leisure of a predator.

With trembling hands, Lee Seo-ah tracked the skyrocketing bids.

If she'd been the fool who'd blown 300 million on garbage intel before, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now she stood in the dominant position, backed by Han Yujin.

Then.

"Huh? Hold on."

Lee Seo-ah's eyes locked on a private message in the corner of the chat.

From someone claiming to be a Shelter HQ researcher.

"Yujin, this gem... the [Ether Core]."

"What? That thing worthless?"

"No, it's..."

Lee Seo-ah stared at Han Yujin in utter disbelief.

"Shelter HQ researcher DM'd me personally... says they'll pay whatever I ask, just sell it to him. Insists it's a must-secure item..."

"Ho."

Han Yujin's eyes narrowed.

Shelter HQ.

His gut screamed this was more than just a payday.

"Things are getting interesting."

He tapped the table, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sinking deeper into the sofa.

"Let's test the waters. See how desperate they are."

The next day, in a Gangnam department store VIP lounge.

After the buyers left satisfied with their purchases, only Han Yujin and Lee Seo-ah remained.

Ding!

The cheerful alert shattered the quiet.

With shaking hands, Lee Seo-ah checked her phone.

'I'm saved...'

She let out a silent sigh of relief.

This covered the choking loan interest, studio rent—everything for the month, in one go.

Felt like grabbing a lifeline off a cliff.

But what truly elated her wasn't the bank balance.

"Good work."

Han Yujin set down his teacup, tossing the casual praise.

"Saved me the haggling headache. Clean deal. Let's keep it going."

"Yes...! Leave it to me. I'm solid at this stuff."

An unstoppable smile bloomed on Lee Seo-ah's lips.

Recognition.

No longer the fool who'd torched 300 million—now a true 'partner' holding her own beside this monster.

That thrill electrified her.

Han Yujin's thoughts, meanwhile, were far simpler.

'Nice. These whales got thicker wallets than I thought.'

He grinned, checking his own balance—over 470 million.

Despite blowing cash last week, his account had ballooned.

With Lee Seo-ah as his cash-out straw, dungeon junk loot would turn to money effortlessly.

Dump the hassle, pocket the profit.

Ideal symbiosis.

"C'mon. We made bank—time to spend some."

Han Yujin stood.

Lee Seo-ah followed, heart fluttering.

Department store men's luxury section.

"This suits you better. Your skin's fair, so charcoal over navy. And those shoulders... fitted knits are perfect."

"Yeah?"

"Totally. The tailoring just pops."

Lee Seo-ah picked clothes with gusto.

Seeing them check fits in the mirror, they looked every bit the couple.

Staff chimed in—"Your girlfriend has great taste"—and with each blush, Lee Seo-ah never denied it.

As shopping bags piled up, the air grew charged.

Dungeon brutality forgotten, just a normal date vibe.

But then.

"Hold up, let's hit that one."

Han Yujin's steps halted at the women's clothing section.

Before a display of floral dresses and blouses, Lee Seo-ah's heart plummeted.

'N-no way... for me?'

A gift for her hard work?

As excitement swelled—

"Excuse me. Size recs?"

"Yes, sir. Gift for your girlfriend?"

"Kinda. Height like this... super skinny, fragile type."

Lee Seo-ah's face froze.

Super skinny?

She had a toned, voluptuous gym bod. "Skinny" didn't fit.

"S-skinny...?"

She ventured timidly, but Han Yujin gestured impatiently.

"Hard to describe. You know—silver hair, looks like she'd snap if you poked her..."

He trailed off, realizing too late, then shrugged.

No point hiding it anyway.

"Eh, whatever. It's our party member. You know her? That elf chick."

"……!"

Silence crashed down.

Lee Seo-ah's brain stalled.

Clothes for the elf chick.

Real-world clothes. From a department store.

"E-elf...? You mean Yuriel?"

"Yeah. Who else has silver hair?"

"So that means..."

Lee Seo-ah's pupils quaked like an earthquake.

With a trembling voice, she probed the unbelievable.

"The elf... she's here? On Earth right now?"

"Yep. At my place."

Han Yujin said it casually, like "Got a dog at home."

"No clothes for her to wear. Online stuff's all over the place size-wise, and she's a mess right now."

Thud.

Lee Seo-ah reeled as if hammer-struck in the skull.

Dungeon creature existing in reality?

Living with him?

Beyond all common sense.

Yet with Han Yujin, it felt eerily plausible.

'Just... how deep do this guy's secrets go?'

Ignoring her stunned expression, Han Yujin handed his card to the clerk.

"All colors of that on the mannequin. Smallest size."

As he breezed through checkout, Lee Seo-ah could only stand there, dazed.

The sheer danger and scale of this secret she'd uncovered? Impossible to gauge.