Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: 36. Hot Stock (2)
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Remu.
A pan-galactic producer of lewd content.
With the need to satisfy the desires of countless races, there were no limits to the forms their products took.
As long as they could please their customers, they made everything from text and illustrations to sounds and videos... and even ingestible "emotions" or bio-mimetic tools that amplified and induced arousal.
On Earth terms, it was like a single adult entertainment company churning out drugs and sex robots.
‘These guys are aggressively expanding their business.’
Young-woo had adapted to alien concepts faster than most Earthlings, but even he hesitated this time.
No matter how much the System certified him as a "go-getter," at his core, he was still an Earthling.
And so he clung to a minimum standard of human decency.
The kind that made him worry about a baby's safety even on the eve of a galaxy-shaking deal with interstellar corporations.
That was why learning that Remu would produce anything for the right price sent a chill down his spine.
‘If I sign with these guys, I can’t even guess what I’d end up advertising.’
It was the moment he understood why Dogo had condemned Remu the instant they heard the name.
They used words like "base" and "filthy" to decry both the industry and their business practices.
Sure, a war weapons brand might draw moral fire too...
‘But Dogo probably has some lines they won’t cross, unlike Remu. That’s why they resent them.’
It was just a hunch, but if true, it was somewhat reassuring.
It meant the universe had concepts of morality and dignity that even Earthlings could grasp.
‘Makes sense. Our ways of thinking overlap enough for communication to work.’
Young-woo stood tall amid the tense space between the two companies, slowly alternating his gaze between them.
Dogo’s dozens of shareholders clustered noisily, while Remu appeared impeccably pristine, defying their shady reputation.
Deep down, he wanted to ink Dogo’s tattoo as his first sponsor, but from a broader view, he couldn’t.
‘Don’t forget. This is a public contract.’
The way Young-woo had summoned Remu was simple.
He bought the "Blank Space" tattoo to create ad space, then shouted into the sky.
Announcing he was seeking companies to fill it with ads.
Surprisingly, a pan-galactic smut producer with zero prior ties to him showed up on Earth.
In other words...
‘This whole thing is definitely being broadcast somewhere. Like a live show.’
It probably started when alien merchants began visiting Earth, but that didn’t matter right now.
The key fact at this moment was...
‘...Other companies are watching this scene too.’
Other companies—potential advertisers, in other words.
‘If I reject Remu just because they’re money-grubbing or sleazy, few others will answer my call in the future.’
Why be choosy about sponsors when he didn’t even know what else lurked in this vast universe?
‘It’s not time for that yet.’
Besides, wasn’t it an Earthling virtue for industry newbies to take any gig that came their way?
So Young-woo resolved not to discriminate against Remu.
“I first want to thank everyone who’s come today representing your companies.”
As Young-woo cautiously began, Dogo’s dozens of shareholders all turned their eyes to their ad model in unison.
Remu, meanwhile, simply rotated its perfect cube slowly, as if to show it was listening.
Young-woo continued.
“Loyalty means a lot to me, but I believe upholding etiquette is equally vital.”
Dogo’s shareholders instantly grasped his point, their eyes widening.
―No...!
―Youngwoo07!
―Maintain your dignity!
They realized he was extending courtesy to Remu, the prospective advertiser.
“We’ll proceed with the contract from the company offering the best terms.”
With that premise set, Dogo’s side—now facing defeat—began murmuring.
―∴∴∴∴
―∝∽∝∽
―∠∥∧∠∠∧
This time, the shareholders debated in their native tongues rather than Earth languages, leaving Young-woo clueless about their words.
They were likely reviewing their current ad budget.
‘I wonder if they’ve sold a ton of weapons lately...? They’ll need massive funds to compete with a smut empire.’
While Young-woo silently cheered Dogo on, Remu was first to send down a "transcendent script" encapsulating their offer.
「□」
It was a square-shaped character, like the cube Remu had manifested on Earth.
‘Is this the contract?’
Young-woo reached out to the glowing script.
Immediately, the System displayed Remu’s ad contract details.
「Contract: Remu-8739-IIIII_II-2Tier」
(Mandatory) [Always-On Ad Space - Tattoo]
-Headquarters’ composite ad will broadcast on the "Blank Space" tattoo.
(Optional) [Indirect Appearance]
-During the contract term, portions of your form and actions may be indirectly used in headquarters’ products.
-Each instance of indirect use pays a minimum bonus of 5 million karma.
-Selecting this triples the base ad fee.
(Optional) [Sound Test]
-Each time you’re hit, a sample of headquarters’ audio products will play.
-50,000 karma paid instantly per hit.
-Selecting this with "Indirect Appearance" doubles the ad fee headquarters pays.
#Base Ad Fee: 30 million karma per week.
#Base Contract Term: 2 weeks.
“Crazy...”
Young-woo blurted out in shock.
The base fee alone was 30 million karma weekly—three times Dogo’s initial offer.
And on top of that...
‘Add both options, and the base jumps to 180 million. Plus all incentives double...’
Unlike Dogo’s conditional split payments, this was a flat weekly payout.
On top of selling out his likeness and dignity for separate per-instance bonuses.
‘But only if I accept all three clauses. Skip even one, and the total plummets.’
Young-woo instantly saw how shrewd Remu was.
No wonder they dominated the galactic smut trade with this level of cunning and capital.
-Headquarters’ composite ad will broadcast on the "Blank Space" tattoo.
‘Composite ad... what exactly does that mean? Not just a static image—maybe video too?’
Young-woo pondered, but Remu offered no clarification.
Having dangled an irresistible sum, they withheld any details that might disadvantage them.
‘Smut production... on Earth, it’s always been a cash cow.’
Amazed anew by Remu’s funds, Young-woo turned to his original sponsor, Dogo.
Their boisterous native-tongue debate had gone quiet.
―......
Their faces were openly crestfallen.
Especially the fish-headed shareholder, its ugly mouth corners drooping comically.
“Contract... ready?”
Even as Young-woo asked in a tone of trust, Dogo’s shareholders looked like a nation in mourning.
Dogo’s brand image and core values could never align with a pan-galactic smut producer.
Yet their model—their skyrocketing stock—was about to get Remu’s tattoo because they’d been outbid. Heartbreaking.
‘Ah... They already know they’ve lost.’
Young-woo watched glumly as Dogo’s shareholders slowly lowered their brilliantly glowing contract.
Swoooosh.
“......”
A montage of his thick-and-thin history with Dogo flashed by.
Dogo’s first visitors to Earth learning human speech syllable by syllable.
The first Dogo quest: Debut in the Martial World.
The surprise quest to fight a boxing gold medalist barehanded.
The emergency rescue call in the night dungeon, sponsoring gear that saved his life.
‘But that era ends now. Remu will basically be my main sponsor going forward.’
Still, he vowed to repay Dogo someday when he could afford it.
With that resolve, Young-woo reached for their prepared contract.
Swoop.
If its terms fell short of Remu’s, he’d have no choice but to ink with Remu.
‘No twists, probably. Their faces already say...’
Just as his fingertips neared Dogo’s contract—
Fwooooooom!
A colossal presence, instinctively screaming "something’s wrong," blanketed the entire sky.
“......?”
Young-woo looked up, and the turquoise sky’s center blackened, spreading outward.
Then—
Fwaaaaaaaa!
A massive metal anchor tore through the turquoise sky, slamming into central Yangju City.
KABOOOOOM!
Nearby buildings crumbled, dust billowing, but prior evacuations from the two companies’ arrivals meant no casualties.
Still, wasn’t this blatant trespassing?
Among interdimensional visitors, only native mutants could damage Earth property without repercussion.
Probably some cosmic law: minimize physical harm on entry to other worlds.
Or maybe merchants like most visitors just minded their manners.
Either way, this newcomer was unmistakably rude.
“No, who the hell just—...”
As Young-woo, responsible for the parade of interdimensional guests, prepared to protest on Earth’s behalf, Dogo’s shareholders uttered the unthinkable.
―Chairman!
―Chair...!
―Ahh!
―The Chairman’s here!
“...What?”
Chairman.
On Earth, it typically meant a mega-corp’s top boss—the largest shareholder or founder.
From the vibe, the cosmic version seemed no different.
Meaning the intruder was...
“Dogo has a Chairman...? And he’s here?”
Young-woo gaped as a high-rise apartment-sized iron slab slowly descended from above the embedded anchor.
“...My god.”
Young-woo’s eyes widened at the tombstone-like colossus, while Choi Jong-sun, shielding his child from dust, wore a stunned expression.
“Wh-what... who’d you summon this time?”
All Young-woo could muster was:
“Ch-Chairman...”
A heavy voice then boomed from the "tombstone."
―I am he who was born on the battlefield, lord of the Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain, Destruction King Dogo! Youngwoo07, I shall sign the contract with my blade.
As Young-woo suspected, the Chairman had come to pitch a new deal.
More precisely, to stop him from tangling with lowly Remu.
‘Hang on, though.’
As the slab’s base slowly parted, Young-woo tilted his head.
‘No way... the brand’s named after himself...?’