Chapter 209
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 209
Chapter Title: Cup Ramen
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"That party's here!"
"Who?"
"The Home Run Ball party!"
No... out of everything, why Home Run Balls?
The Korean passersby who overheard whipped their heads around to stare at us, then came rushing over in a crowd.
"Hey, get in line quick!"
"If you're late, you might wait hours!"
A line formed instantly. In moments, it swelled to hundreds of people.
"You Jo-sen-jing! Don't you know this is our turf?!"
"Go to your side!"
The Japanese protests didn't faze them at all. They were too busy chattering among themselves.
"What should we get?"
"How much money you got?"
"I've got 3,200 points!"
The Japanese watched in bewilderment as hundreds clamored like that, their attention naturally shifting to us.
"What the hell are they doing?"
"Looks like they're selling something?"
"Selling what?"
But their curiosity went unsatisfied. The crowd surged, completely blocking the street. The first customers reached me, and they let out shocked screams.
"Huh? Th-this is cup ramen?"
"What're you talking about?"
"They've got cup ramen?!"
The first customer's shout echoed everywhere like a ripple. I smiled and nodded.
"Yes, that's right."
Before starting business, I'd upgraded the vending machine in the dorm.
[70,000 points required.]
[Upgrade <Vending Machine>?]
The expanded menu that came with it.
"Whoa! More drinks now!"
"Oh, even more beer varieties?"
"Jackpot! Cup ramen too!"
"Sera, what's cup ramen?"
Yeah, cup ramen was among them. The variety of cup ramens, new sodas, and imported beers were instant hits.
"I'll take this one!"
"Three of each cup ramen flavor for me!"
"Five of everything here for me!"
People went berserk with impulse buys. I got it. Even our group had scarfed down a bowl of ramen each before opening shop.
"But how do we get hot water?"
Unfortunately, the dorm had no boiling water. Sure, we could build a fire on the street, but it was a hassle. I beckoned to Isera.
Tatada!
Isera dashed into the dorm and emerged with a massive pot she'd bought and boiled ahead of time. She plunked it down outside, and people helped themselves to the water.
Ramen scent soon vibrated through the entire rest area.
"What's that smell?"
"No way. That's ramen, right?"
More people caught the whiff from afar and flocked over.
Of course. Even months later, you never forget the smell of cup ramen. That addictive taste was etched into your brain forever.
Even the Japanese started showing interest around then.
"What an amazing smell."
"What could it be?"
But they still didn't budge.
Makes sense. The line was so long they couldn't see what was happening on the Korean side. Only a few who knew Korean gossiped in shock.
"Looks like they're selling ramen here too."
"Ramen like that ramen?"
"But is it real? Never seen ramen sold in a rest area."
"Maybe some event? Like temporary NPCs popping up on the street."
Such wild guesses.
Well, to the customers lining up, we probably looked like event NPCs, so not entirely wrong.
"Saintess!"
"Goddess!"
Another crowd surged toward the Saintess. Once business kicked off, her followers weren't far behind.
"Hope you've been well!"
"So glad we meet again!"
And the three whores were alive too. The Saintess's most fervent devotees. Impressive women.
"Starting healing right away, right? We'll help!"
They formed a volunteer team on their own and began managing the line.
"Okay, please move a bit that way."
"No fighting there. No cutting!"
Like concert staff, they darted around, swiftly sorting the chaos.
It was perfect timing. Left alone, fights would've broken out in the crush.
And healing began.
"Ahh! My, my leg...!"
"Thank you, thank you so much!"
Torn and sliced wounds, broken bones, even missing limbs—healed in one shot by the Saintess. Countless who'd never seen her powers before lit up with awe.
"This is insane!"
"No way...!"
The numbers were huge, but unavoidable. We were late to the selection process and had just caught up to mid-pack.
Over 70% of Koreans hadn't witnessed her miracles yet.
No need to mention the Japanese who joined from this trial.
'That's why the key here isn't the business—it's the Saintess's performance.'
Because her full heals won hearts better than anything.
'Speaking of, this is getting packed. Looks like we'll pull an all-nighter.'
A few sales in, I could already gauge it.
Sure enough, lunch-past opening dragged into evening with no end to customers.
"Get lights over there!"
"Set up wood poles! Hang lanterns at the ends—like streetlights!"
As night fell and darkness hit, her followers made lights. Such devoted service for nothing in return. Full-on zealots now.
"Busy day again."
"Long time no see."
The usual stat fragment regulars. Sadly, only about 60% showed—last trial must've been rough.
Makes sense.
Guilds formed, spiking trial difficulty on the fourth one. Solo players got hit like thunderbolts.
But regulars down, new faces matched the loss. Us catching up brought them along.
I stuffed four bundles full this time.
"Double the amount from last time?"
"No worries about losses—I'm a merchant."
"Haha, true. Sell big then. Good luck."
"Thanks, see you."
[Woowoo's affinity toward you has greatly increased.]
Always think it, but their stat fragments beat the cash.
Money's replaceable; fragments aren't.
"Phew."
I took a breather and looked up. Hours in, smiling nonstop—even I, decent at acting, felt jaw stiffness.
Let's see, how much longer...
"......"
No end in sight. People packed as far as my eyes reached. Tongue lolled out on its own. How far did it go?
'...At this rate, the line won't shrink.'
Escaping last place meant solo handling was impossible. No sign of the throng thinning.
Duh—with tens of thousands in this rest area, obvious.
This could build resentment.
'No major gripes yet like scalping spots for cash that'd frown the masses...'
But endless lines would breed them, turning public ire on us.
Image hit.
We started this for fame and rep—no good if it backfired.
Could give big guilds ammo to nitpick.
Like those shouting Japanese now.
"Is this street yours?!"
"Jo-sen-jing got no basic etiquette!"
'Can't let this stand.'
So I called in them for drastic measures. They'd fix it. Less than five minutes later, they appeared.
"Min-jun!"
"You need our help!"
The bitch squad rushed out of the dorm at my call.
In my view, two reasons for the endless line.
"Hmm, what to pick. Ah, damn. Tough when it's time to buy."
"Oppa, how about these?"
"Cut back on booze. Sodas better if you're grabbing drinks."
Customers taking too long to choose.
"12 of each cup ramen! 10 drinks each! 8 soju bottles!"
"We'll take 5 snack packs each, 20 of that soda. Booze..."
And massive bulk buys overwhelming transport manpower.
Solve those two, speed skyrockets.
I finished quick calcs and stood.
"Im Ah-rin, original members man the sales spot. Rest, perimeter guard."
"Ah, yes!"
I put eight original bitch squad members on sales, sent our full party to delivery.
Isera and Ri Eun-jeong's duo deliveries became a quintet—speed exploded.
Han So-hee especially, high agility plus clones, handled several people's worth solo.
Still not fast enough for me.
"Hey, Isera, Ri Eun-jeong! Keep vending buttons pressed! Barkus, Arkannon! Grab their stuff and stack here!"
Brought Barkus and Arkannon from dorm, bought another vending machine.
Isera and Ri Eun-jeong mashed buttons nonstop; the tireless death knights bent to pull items from below and stack aside.
Me, Han So-hee, Shin Seo-yeon pocketed them subspatial and hauled out.
Finally, speed visibly ramped.
"Oh, line's moving fast now?"
"Turns coming quick—nice."
Faces on the verge of complaints cleared up satisfied.
One counter to eight? Eight times faster, numbers don't lie.
Street still buzzed, though.
"We'll take 12 cup ramens each...!"
"Me next!"
We pulled all-nighter till next day's lunch before the street quieted.
"...Fucking exhausting."
"Me too."
"You always grind this hard? Mind's fried."
Isera and Shin Seo-yeon aside, newbie Ri Eun-jeong looked drained. Handling that many solo? A week's straight sales.
[+11,547,002 points]
Nearly ten million points. Proof of our grind.
But sales just half done.
"...Flat-face, they'll come, right?"
"Yeah, definitely."
Japanese finally eyed our side directly.
Seeing our wares and Saintess's heals shook them.
"Sugoi. See? Wound's perfectly healed."
"Crazy. That's her power?"
Still, none approached rashly.
Social eyes held them back.
But desperation ignores allies or foes.
As Japanese hesitated, two sisters boldly pushed from their crowd.