Mercenary Vendettas and Stockpiled Gains

Mu-hyuk logged out of Illusion to have dinner.

He habitually checked his phone and confirmed a deposit from Illusion.

It was payment based on the view counts from the tips board.

It was an enormous sum.

The views were currently around 5.7 million and 5.6 million each, totaling 11.3 million.

At 2 won per view, that came to 22.6 million won, minus 3.3% tax.

45 million won.

Stocks were the best investment, after all.

Mu-hyuk immediately deposited 40 million won into his securities account.

He then logged into the securities app and used the funds to buy Illusion stock.

Currently 3.57 million won per share.

When he tried to buy, only 11 shares were possible.

The price per share had risen, so fewer than before. Still, he bought them with a smile. He knew exactly how much they'd rise in the future anyway.

Adding to his original 15 shares, he now held 26 in total.

He'd spent 39.27 million won.

He transferred the remaining 730,000 won in the securities account to his living expenses account, then grinned contentedly at the balances in the app and his living account.

Having plenty in the bank felt good, and watching his Illusion shares increase one by one was fun.

Honestly, it was enough to buy one more share, but he decided to leave it in case of emergencies.

That aside...

Now that the view-based payout had actually hit his account, greed stirred.

He wanted to release even more information.

Make even more money from it.

Free board, tips board, paid board—all of them.

Hmm.

Of course, that was overreaching.

Still, he could at least try.

Better to act than do nothing.

Besides, partnering with Illusion's world offered plenty of potential.

Not yet, though.

He planned to observe until top users reached the 5th floor.

Then release the strategy for the 2nd floor variant Mad Dogs?

Countless users would check it out.

And slowly drip strategies for the 3rd, 4th floors one by one.

He finalized the plan.

Time was up anyway.

Mu-hyuk logged back into Illusion and headed to a remote village with few people.

Then he waited.

Swoosh.

Until he emerged from the temple.

"Summon."

He then ordered his skeletons to surround and attack him.

Once again, Yonghu was overwhelmingly crushed.

"P-please. Just once..."

He begged, but Mu-hyuk ignored him.

His eyes still burned with unquenched fire.

He then headed to the Weibra Empire and entered the Red Tower.

Today too, he savored the double buff's full effects while hunting Mad Dogs on the 2nd floor.

*

When he leveled up twice more to 59.

Or in other words, after killing Yonghu—the Black Guild's vice leader—five more times.

Sung Min-woo finally contacted him.

"Quest's done?"

(Yeah, thought I was gonna die. For real.)

"Took a while."

(Haa, where you at?)

"Weibra Empire."

(Red Tower?)

"Yeah, at the entrance. Come here."

(OK, wait up. Logging in now!)

"Sure."

Mu-hyuk ended the call, logged into Illusion, and descended the tower, lost in thought.

Sung Min-woo was here now...

Hunting together would definitely speed things up. A few days, and they might reach the 3rd or even 4th floor easily.

But the idea of dropping back to the 1st floor to kill Yonghu irritated him.

Hire the mercenary guild?

It'd cost money, but it was the surest way.

His current funds...

He'd sold crafted swords, shields, and armor, plus dissected unnecessary materials.

Thanks to that, his gold was decent.

Hmm, mercenaries.

Money was a shame to spend, but time mattered more.

No choice.

He decided to entrust it to them.

"Hey, over here!"

Arriving at the 1st floor of the tower, he spotted Sung Min-woo.

"Let's hit the mercenary guild first."

"Why the mercenary guild?"

"I'll explain on the way."

"OK."

As they walked, he briefly explained the Black Guild incident.

Sung Min-woo made a dumbfounded face.

"What a clown. PKs you just for declining a guild invite?"

"Right?"

"Damn punk. Mind if I kill him once too?"

"Heh, go ahead."

While Sung ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Min-woo vented, they reached the mercenary guild.

"I gotta post a commission, so wait a sec. Oh, and if you haven't joined the mercenaries yet, do it while you wait."

"Mercenaries?"

"Yeah, when there's no good hunting spots, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠commissions are more efficient."

"Ah, got it!"

Sung Min-woo went left. Mu-hyuk went right.

"Here to post a commission?"

"Yes."

The clerk handed over a form.

"Please fill it out."

He detailed the commission: target, times, location, method, etc.

"Here."

"Please wait a moment."

The clerk scanned the form into a machine and displayed a newly generated sheet.

"Here's the summary and estimated cost. Please confirm."

Estimated cost: 500 gold.

Hmm.

Fifteen kills, unknown login times—could waste a ton of time.

Plus, target over level 50, so contractors need at least 60. Even parties would need mid-50s.

Shortest: 15 days. Average: 20. Could drag over a month.

Up and down the tower that whole time?

Tough gig.

But he'd killed him enough already.

Time to hand off the rest to mercenaries.

"Shall we proceed with the commission?"

"Yes."

"500 gold."

Mu-hyuk handed over the gold.

"Received. The commission will be perfectly fulfilled—no need to worry."

The clerk's words eased his mind.

Curiosity struck.

Hmm, how much to commission a guild dissolution?

Curiosity must be satisfied.

Mu-hyuk requested another form and filled it out.

The process repeated.

"Please confirm."

Mu-hyuk's eyes widened at the new sheet.

Estimated cost: a whopping 500,000 gold. An insane sum for him.

But for the rich?

They'd spend freely for their goals.

Hmm, what about Guardian Guild?

He filled out another form.

The clerk eyed him sourly, but oh well.

"Please confirm."

Mu-hyuk nodded.

Immeasurable.

Monstrous.

That was the gap between mid-tier and massive guilds.

Understandable. How could solo mercs or small parties dismantle Guardian?

Sure, guilds dedicated solely to merc commissions existed later on.

But not yet. Merc-only guilds were inefficient now.

Once Illusion users grew more.

When pent-up power unleashed.

When fights erupted everywhere—that's when merc guilds would form.

"Alright, I'm out."

"..."

Satisfying his curiosity, Mu-hyuk ignored the clerk's glare and stood.

He hurried out of the mercenary guild.

Moments later, Sung Min-woo emerged waving his mercenary tag.

"Got my merc tag!"

"What rank?"

"D-rank? You?"

"C-rank."

"What?!"

"What do you mean? Skill gap."

Mu-hyuk grinned smugly and led the way.

"Follow me, D-rank."

"You bastard!"

Bickering playfully, they headed to the Red Tower.

Now was the time to push nonstop.

*

Sung Min-woo couldn't hide his admiration watching Mu-hyuk blitz the 2nd floor.

"Whoa, you memorized the whole path?"

"Obviously. Been in and out how many times?"

He'd gotten badly lost first time questing, searching hidden spots from scratch—which helped.

Then with knights, and knight aspirants climbing the tower.

Not fully memorized then.

But killing Yonghu repeatedly perfected it.

"Ah, because of the Black vice leader?"

"Yep."

"Well, easy path means I'm happy."

"You owe me a feast later."

"Obviously. Hey, what's your level?"

"59."

"Holy..."

Sung Min-woo furrowed his brow.

"I'm just 56."

"You're high."

"You're way higher. What about the level 60 dungeon?"

"Oh, right."

"Tch. No helping it. Go solo."

"Hmm..."

He pondered, but no easy answer.

Three-level gap.

Couldn't wait—not a short time.

Didn't love soloing either.

Regular dungeon anyway...

And Illusion was unpredictable.

"We'll see."

They chatted for a good while.

About Illusion info.

Future plans.

And trivial stuff.

"I wanna grind cash quick, feast on a new car."

"Car? What kind?"

"Mustang."

"Oho. Lease it, problem solved."

"Huh, true? But lease ain't really mine."

"Not switching often?"

"Hmm, wanna switch but..."

"Leasing's perfect. Three-year contract, return it, lease another."

Sung Min-woo's face lit up.

"Genius. Didn't know leases well. Never cared."

"Knowledge is power, dude."

"Hmm, you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, snag a ride too."

"Eh, no real driving time."

"No time my ass! High school reunion next month—know that?"

"What's that got to do?"

"Roll up in a nice car for the flex!"

"Not sure I'm going."

"Gonna game forever? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠You shut-in. Fresh air's good for the mind."

Mu-hyuk pondered.

Reunion.

Any point?

No close friends like Sung Min-woo.

"Decide when it comes."

"Yeah, yeah."

Sung Min-woo just smiled.

He knew Mu-hyuk's personality. Push too hard, he digs in heels.

But drag him on the day, he'd go.

So no big worry about the reunion.

Just haul ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him then.

As conversation lulled.

"Oh, here."

"That?"

"Yeah, pull this brick and..."

Pulling the brick revealed a hidden space.

"Whoa, cool."

Inside: stairs.

Step.

They ascended to the 2nd floor.