A Side Dish of Revenge
A Side Dish of Revenge
The next day.
Early in the morning, I headed down to the underground parking garage with Jeong Ji-min and Kang Ha-rin.
"This should be enough materials, right?"
It was finally time to properly utilize her trait, 'Crafting Module.'
A utility trait for manufacturing or modifying objects.
But it came with so many conditions attached that it was a cumbersome power, only usable in very specific situations.
Yeah, those conditions were a real pain in the ass.
From what we'd tested beforehand, making what you wanted required consuming a substantial amount of materials.
For instance, if you wanted to build a vehicle like we were doing now, you had to sacrifice a whopping ten times the amount of parts and components that made up the vehicle.
According to her explanation, it didn't care about the exact specifications; what mattered was how much mana the desired item's components contained.
It was the same for other things.
If I wanted to create a crowbar like the one I was holding, I would have to consume ten times the mass of its constituent materials before I could actually craft it.
On the face of it, that might look like a useless ability.
I thought 'This is kinda...' at first too.
But the true value of this ability lay in the modification aspect.
To use a game analogy, it was similar to attaching potential options.
It offered a different flavor compared to the Attribute Imbuing Scrolls I possessed, I suppose you could say.
Unlike the scrolls, which were purely offensive, this offered convenience-based merits — reducing weight, preventing rust, improving durability, and so on.
On top of that, Attribute Imbuing Scrolls only allowed one attribute per item, whereas the Crafting Module had no such restrictions.
"Yes, yes. This looks like it'll be enough. Very good."
Jeong Ji-min smiled brightly and nodded her head.
Perhaps excited that it was finally her turn to step up, she reached out toward a vehicle like a delighted child.
Then, astonishingly, the car distorted like pixels and was sucked into her grip.
Was she some kind of vacuum?
As I stared at the sight with a dumbfounded look, she continued absorbing the vehicles.
"Are you all done?"
"Mm... the materials are all gathered now, but I'm short on coins. Hehe..."
The look she gave me, staring at me pointedly, made her demand perfectly clear.
I let out a short sigh before sending her a whisper through the bulletin board.
"It's all well and good, but why's the cost-effectiveness so shitty? A thousand coins, you think that's pocket change or something?"
[Transaction complete.]
[Coins held: 2457 → 1457]
As I grumbled at the instantly dwindling balance, Jeong Ji-min sheepishly scratched her head.
"I'll repay you plenty with my body for it. I'll squeeze you tight later, so don't be like that, heehee."
"Aish, why are you acting all cutesy these days? It's a total disconnect from when we first met. Huh?"
"I'm just adapting to the situation, you know. Better than being gloomy all the time like Ha-rin unnie, isn't it?"
Kang Ha-rin, suddenly singled out, glanced briefly at Jeong Ji-min.
But it was only for a moment; as if she didn't even feel it was worth a response, she maintained her usual silence.
"See that? That unnie, she won't even answer when I call her. But she talks perfectly fine to you, oppa, or Hui-ryeong unnie, or Ha-yoon unnie."
"Maybe it's because you're an easy target?"
"Agh! That's too mean, really! I still got here before Ha-rin unnie, didn't I? Aren't I ranked number 3?"
Jeong Ji-min's eyes sparkled as she waited for my answer.
I let out a noncommittal hum.
Strictly speaking by order, it was true, but I didn't want to create hierarchies based on trivial shit like that.
To put it bluntly, it was annoying.
What did I stand to gain by getting involved in these petty power struggles?
I'd mediate conflicts, but I had zero intention of getting entangled in the bickering rivalries that erupted among the women.
"Talk to Ha-yoon about that. I've left that whole matter in her hands."
"But a single word from you, oppa, would be a direct fix... can't you just...? Hehe..."
"Favoritism is bad. You guys sort it out yourselves."
"Hmph."
"And stop with the useless chatter. Let's get started now."
"Nyeh..."
She walked over, looking a bit deflated, then closed her eyes and focused her mind.
Then, suddenly—Clap! She brought her hands together, and then slapped both of them against the floor.
...Was that process really necessary?
A flicker of doubt crossed my mind, but I didn't bother to press her on that detail.
Because, anyway, a truly bizarre phenomenon unfolded right before my eyes afterward.
Pixels welled up from the ground, rippling.
It was a sight similar to when the vending machine transformed.
The square pixel fragments swirling in the air soon coalesced into a single form.
A camper van.
Just as I had requested, a large camper van truly materialized.
But the problem was.
"...Why the hell is it pink?"
The paint job was far too conspicuous.
I had assumed it would be an inoffensive standard color like black or white, but what was this?
The entire vehicle was coated in a garish pink.
I looked over at Jeong Ji-min to take issue with this.
"Huh? I made it in the color you like, is it not good? Every time you go on about pink this, pink that, pussy pink, dick pink, I thought you'd be pleased."
She answered with a wink, her tongue slightly sticking out, looking perfectly nonchalant.
...Was she fucking with me?
"Are you serious? Are you joking right now? Change it to another color immediately. Make it something plain, white or black."
"Uh... but it costs money to change the color, you know?"
"How much."
"About 200 coins...?"
This fucking bitch.
A surge of rage boiled up inside me.
I strode over to her and ground my fist into her temple without restraint.
"Agh, seriously, how can you be so goddamn insufferable? You're so infuriating I just want to bite you to death. Huh?"
"Aaaagh! I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't do it on purpose! Really! I swear on everything, I thought you'd like it...!"
"Not on purpose? Wow, that makes me even madder. So you really have a talent for pissing people off, huh?"
"Ow, it hurts...! Y-you're gonna crack my skull open...!"
As I kept at it, Kang Ha-rin, at some point, had climbed into the camper van and was attempting a test drive.
The keys must have been provided inside, because the engine started up smoothly and the vehicle began to move forward.
"How's the condition?"
"It's definitely better than that Bongo."
Kang Ha-rin circled the interior of the basement once before offering a brief assessment.
I had been worried about its large size, but as she had boasted, she demonstrated a skilled touch.
Now, it was time to inspect the interior.
"Let's see here..."
I left Jeong Ji-min clutching her head and groaning in pain behind and climbed into the stationary camper van.
The side door opened like a bus's, revealing a set of steps.
And the interior that followed was less impressive than I'd thought.
It was barren, as if this was the basic default specification.
But looking at this spacious interior, I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.
"At this level, we just need to decorate it a bit and we'll be good, right?"
Although there were no furnishings like a bed or sofa at all, a kitchen and bathroom were equipped.
This was more than sufficient; it was excessive.
We could procure the furniture from here, anyway.
"Hey, is this thing actually working properly?"
I pointed to the toilet in the bathroom and asked Jeong Ji-min, who had subtly followed me in.
"I'm not sure. I don't know that either. But given that it was included in the manifest, wouldn't it work?"
...What an irresponsible thing to say.
If it showed no signs of life, it would be nothing more than a useless decorative sculpture.
Just in case, I flushed the toilet.
"Oh, it does work. Where does this water even come from, though?"
"Hm... wait a moment."
She stared into empty space.
She was probably checking her status window; I prayed she would spit out some useful information.
"Reading the description, it says we have to supply the water ourselves. Still, it looks like there is a basic amount provided by default."
"Then what about the waste? How is that processed?"
"That... I think we'll have to modify it and add an option."
"If we add it, will it just magically go poof and disappear on its own?"
"Wouldn't it? Honestly, our abilities are kind of absurd, aren't they? So it might not be strange if it really did just go poof like magic?"
Pretty convenient thinking. If it actually worked out that way, that is.
"How much does that modification cost?"
"Mm... the toilet is 200 coins, the kitchen is also 200 coins. Quite cheap, really."
"It's not cheap. Do you even know how much an average mutant entity gives?"
"I don't...?"
"That centipede from last time was 200 coins. So it's definitely not cheap."
Only then did Jeong Ji-min's eyes widen slightly, as if it was finally starting to sink in.
"Wow, if I were alone, I wouldn't have been able to use my ability at all. It's a good thing you're loaded with coins, oppa. Otherwise, it might have just rotted away unused."
"Now that you know, do better going forward."
"So I just have to suck you off more diligently, right?"
I didn't know why her method of repayment always veered in that direction, but since it wasn't exactly wrong, I nodded my head.
That was when it happened.
A text message came from Ha Hui-ryeong.
- Hey, everyone's awake. Come on up.
- Okay.
After sending a short reply, I called out to Kang Ha-rin.
"Let's go up now. Ah, leave the car as it is. We're coming right back down anyway."
"...Okay."
*
The fact that Ha Hui-ryeong had called me meant that all the onaholes in the display rack had been restored.
Since we hadn't properly had a reunion heart-to-heart, I still had unfinished business with that bitch Shin Yoo-hwa.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened.
As I stepped into the first-floor grocery section afterward, a considerable number of women with their hands bound came into view.
Most of them still looked fearful, as if they hadn't forgotten the events of the past.
"Unnie, it's cooked."
"No, it tastes better when it's a bit more cooked, I'm telling you. You really don't know anything."
Amidst it all, I heard the voices of Kim Ha-yoon and Ha Hui-ryeong.
For some reason, they were right in the middle, sitting on the floor and grilling a mountain of sausages on a hot plate.
"Oh, you're back?"
Ha Hui-ryeong turned her head toward the sound of footsteps, pulled up the corners of her mouth into a sly grin, and greeted me.
A dumbfounded, bewildered expression crossed my face.
"What the hell is that? And where'd you even get a hot plate?"
"What do you think it is? Breakfast. And we got the hot plate from the 4th floor. Being a department store, it had everything you could think of."
Saying that, Ha Hui-ryeong clacked the tongs she was holding together.
Kim Ha-yoon was watching that scene with what seemed like a discontented look.
Perhaps she wasn't pleased with the finished product; surprisingly, she was quite particular about cooking.
"Well... I was getting hungry, so it works out. But what about that bitch Shin Yoo-hwa? Where did she go?"
"Didn't you see her on your way here? You see that one with her hair all disheveled over there, in between them? That one's her."
"Huh."
There were so many of them that I hadn't noticed.
"That one over there?"
"No, next to her. The one wedged in the middle."
As I shifted my gaze along the direction her finger pointed, there really was Shin Yoo-hwa, her bangs covering her face.
What the hell, was this maiden-ghost-like figure really the Shin Yoo-hwa from yesterday?
Seeing her like that was kind of creepy, actually.
"I'll go get my younger siblings."
"Ah... sure."
Kang Ha-rin said she was going to look after her own siblings and disappeared at some point.
But I didn't have the leisure to pay attention to her.
I was more curious about why Shin Yoo-hwa had ended up in that state.
"Why'd she suddenly get like that? What did you say to her?"
"What the hell do you take me for? We were just chatting, and she asked who had fucked her, so I just told her it was you. She got shocked all on her own and ended up like that."
...So she was a more spiteful bitch than I thought.
I let out a short sigh.
"Hah... Ha-yoon, go get her."
"You heard him. Go on, bring her over."
"Me again??"
"Well, who else is here to do it?"
Jeong Ji-min looked utterly wronged by Kim Ha-yoon's natural offloading of the task onto her.
She seemed to have a lot to say, but perhaps dreading the aftermath, she ultimately didn't voice her complaints.
In the end, she just pursed her lips for a moment, then her shoulders drooped as she hoisted Shin Yoo-hwa up and brought her over.
"Agh, let go! I can walk on my own!"
"What are you saying while you're stumbling around! Just stay still...! Agh, seriously!"
Her resistance was fierce.
Shin Yoo-hwa shook off Jeong Ji-min's support and stumbled her way toward us with difficulty.
That damn pride of hers, honestly.
"...Seeing you like this, I get it now. It really is you, Jjintta?"
"Yeah. Long time no see?"
"...You used to have trouble even talking to me, and now look, all grown up?"
"The reason for that disappeared. As you know, circumstances have changed a lot from back then."
I shrugged my shoulders with a shameless smile.
At that, Shin Yoo-hwa let out a snort, "Ha!" as if it was preposterous.
"Good god. It really is the end of the world. Ha Hui-ryeong is actually hanging around with you, and you even fucked me. I can't believe it. I just can't."
"If it wasn't enough, I could do more for you, you know?"
"Fuck off."
Shin Yoo-hwa tossed her head to clear away the disheveled bangs.
The bare face revealed was haggard, but its light hadn't faded.
As expected of a former idol, she was damn pretty.
"Cranky. Seems like you still haven't grasped your situation."
"There's nowhere left for me to fall, so what situation is there to grasp? Never mind that, give me some of that sausage too. I'm hungry."
Naturally joining our circle, she boldly demanded her share.
At that, Ha Hui-ryeong giggled and wiggled a sausage with the tongs.
"Say 'please give me some,' then I'll give you some."
"Hey, Ha Hui-ryeong..."
"Fine, you bitch. I'm giving it to you for old times' sake. Eat it gratefully."
Ha Hui-ryeong smoothly deflected her sharp glare with a nonchalant air.
She didn't seem to hold any particular feelings toward Shin Yoo-hwa.
She was as relaxed as if she'd bumped into her on the street by chance.
"Mmm... Ugh, what's with this burnt taste. Still, it's edible."
"Look at her mouth off after I generously gave her some. This bitch hasn't changed a bit even after all this time."
"Ha Hui-ryeong, you seem to have changed a lot in comparison. I never expected you'd still be hanging around this Jjintta bastard."
"Well, I had my own circumstances. So, how did it feel getting fucked by that Jjintta?"
As she thrust the tongs at her like a microphone and asked, Shin Yoo-hwa's expression twisted mercilessly.
But only for a moment; Shin Yoo-hwa took a breath to compose herself and answered.
"It was shitty. Shitty, but... still, thanks for saving me. I survived thanks to you."
"Never thought I'd live to hear a thank you from you."
"I never thought I'd be in this position toward you either, Jjintta. But what can I do? This is my life."
She let out a hollow laugh.
Surprisingly, Shin Yoo-hwa was easygoing.
Had she accepted everything with a detached attitude, I should say?
I just became curious about the source of that coolness.
"If it wasn't for you guys, I would've been helplessly stuck doing nothing but being a cum dumpster for that bastard Park Jung-woo before dying. So I'm grateful, that's all."
"That reminds me, I've been curious since last night. Who the hell is this Park Jung-woo? Is he your boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend my ass. You wanna die? That bastard was the big boss here. Let me turn the question back on you. Why don't you guys know? Didn't you come here knowing?"
How could we possibly know?
It was pure coincidence that we had even aimed for this place in the first place.
So how could we have known the name of the big boss?
"Is that guy, that famous?"
"Ah... you really don't know? Wow, so you guys just raided the place without knowing anything?"
At Kim Ha-yoon's question, Shin Yoo-hwa tilted her head as if puzzled.
Ha Hui-ryeong handed her another sausage and said,
"It's possible not to know. If you know, why don't you just explain it a bit."
"Munch munch... That bastard is a pretty famous son of a bitch in his own way. Mm, if he was a nobody, it'd be no problem, but he's fucking strong and greedy as hell too."
In short, her story was this:
The wind-controlling bastard we had slaughtered was famous as the big boss ruling over Gangdong-gu, and apparently, he would cross over into Songpa-gu at all hours to carry out plundering raids.
"And of course, I was the one who got caught. If only that bastard Kim Dong-hwan hadn't abandoned me."
"What? That guy Kim Dong-hwan is alive too?"
Hearing the unexpectedly mentioned name, both Ha Hui-ryeong and I were quite surprised.
Kim Dong-hwan. That son of a bitch was also a fellow classmate.
To be precise, he was the guy with the strongest standing among the males in the delinquent gang Ha Hui-ryeong used to hang out with.
"Yeah, that sneaky bastard. No matter what, how can you sell me out to save your own skin. Underhanded bastard. Seriously, if I ever meet him again..."
"So you guys fought and lost?"
"I was against it! I told him we should run away while they hadn't noticed us! But that bastard insisted on fighting head-on until he got his ass handed to him, and what does he do? Throws me aside and runs off alone!"
Shin Yoo-hwa ground her teeth in fury before letting out a bitter, hollow laugh.
Having listened quietly to the story, I slowly brought up the main point.
"Well, I get the gist of it. But so, what are you going to do now? We're about to leave this place soon, and I have no intention of taking responsibility for you too."
This was also a question aimed at the women huddled together behind her.
Honestly, I had absolutely no reason to take all of them with me.
Saving them was already enough goodwill on our part.
"I have no intention of even suggesting you take responsibility. But, just help me this one time. If you help me just to take down that bastard Kim Dong-hwan, I'll hand over something you desire."
"So you're saying... a trade?"
"Something like that."
I didn't know where her confidence came from, but it was utterly absurd.
In this current situation, did she really think she had the standing to demand something so boldly?
How did she even know what I desired in the first place?
"Go on, try listing it."
With a mind to just hear her out for now, I crossed my arms.
At that, Shin Yoo-hwa pulled up the corners of her mouth into a smirk.
"From what I've seen, you can't resist when it comes to women, right? Seeing as you've had a go at every single one of the bitches here, you're definitely a pussy-crazed maniac. Am I right?"
It wasn't wrong, but it still somehow pissed me off.
"So what I'm saying is, Kim Dong-hwan's girlfriend is seriously fucking pretty. Even prettier than me. Her disposition is so kind too, the very picture of a perfect lady. I seriously don't get why those two are even dating."
"Hm... So what you're saying is, you'll hand that bastard's girlfriend over to me? Seems like we could just handle that ourselves without needing to do that?"
"I have a decent amount of standing on that side. So I'm saying I can get you in without a fight. Since there are lots of women, you won't raise much suspicion either. Once you've infiltrated safely like that..."
I could roughly predict what she was going to say next.
In short, it was to smack him in the back of the head when he let his guard down.
'Hey, what are you going to do?'
'Are you going to, accept?'
Just then, Ha Hui-ryeong and Kim Ha-yoon poked my sides and asked my opinion.
I pretended to deliberate, but the truth was, my answer was already decided.
"You wouldn't happen to have a picture, would you? I feel like I need to at least see what she looks like before I can make an estimate?"
Because I was, indeed, a pussy-crazed maniac.