Dopamine Addict's Perfect Sunday

A peaceful Sunday morning in the room.

Dozens of bundles of Shin Saimdang notes—ten-thousand-won bills—shone with a brilliant glow before his eyes.

"Two billion won."

"Yes! Two billion!"

"Ah, even pinching my cheek... it's not a dream."

"Shall I pinch it for you?"

"Yeah. Hard."

"Hyaah!"

His cheek stung.

Definitely not a dream.

Feels like I'm still dreaming, though.

Well, it had been like that ever since his awakening, hadn't it?

Climbing the tower every day.

Raining meteors on Nosferatu.

Catching Chinese spies.

No sense of reality at all.

But the money in front of him? Solid reality!

"Let's spend it!"

"Yay! Let's splurge!"

He'd earned it—time to blow it!

He jumped up from his seat and started getting ready to head out with Carmina.

"You said you can change your appearance now, right?"

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"Yes! My level went up, so I can handle illusion magic pretty well now!"

Black hair, red eyes.

A face like a sculpture.

Carmina stood out way too much.

But with illusion magic?

"Oh. Just a normally pretty face now. Looks Korean."

"As long as you're not staring too close, it won't revert to my real look!"

Downgrade complete.

Now she blended in like any girl you'd see on the street—no heads turning.

Weeeeng—

They hit the bank first.

He deposited some of the cash he'd brought in his 007 bag, padding his account balance.

An amount that wouldn't draw attention.

Sure, cash transaction limits had risen since the Awakener era began, but still.

Better safe than sorry.

He'd seen it yesterday—those Chinese spies obsessed with his life.

His caution against leaving any traceable trail had only grown stronger.

Anyway, ammo loaded.

First stop: food tour. He bought Carmina all the eats she'd been craving.

Beef, pork belly, tuna sashimi.

Lobster, samgyetang, abalone porridge, and more.

"Master...! Why is all the food on this planet Earth so delicious? I could die happy now...!"

Carmina's face was pure ecstasy.

Whoa, no dying. Gotta climb the tower.

Every time, it amazed him how she packed away so much food.

"Vampires have insanely high basal metabolism anyway, and becoming an ally means it all goes right in! Hehe, technically I don't get hungry and don't need to eat, but it's just too tasty!"

Yeah. If it tastes good, eat it.

No skimping here.

Never gets full no matter how much... kinda jealous.

For a former gourmet like her, it was basically the ultimate blessing.

"Anything else besides food? Stuff you wanna buy?"

"Clothes! Clothes! The training pants you lent me are comfy, but not cute!"

They ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hit department stores next, grabbing every outfit she liked, and he indulged in some wants of his own.

Amounts that would've made his old self faint.

"All on card, one-time payment."

Who was he?

Two-billion-won owner.

And that was pocket change compared to what was coming.

Bags piled high, they took a break at a café.

Carmina scrolled her airphone screen—data hooked up by her—and piped up.

"Ah! Master, Steam sale's on! Can I get this? Neldring DLC—huge discount!"

"Ugh, of course. Buy it all. Even full price is fine."

"Woohoo!"

She gleefully filled her cart.

Snippets of nearby chatter drifted over.

"Still can't believe it. We're fourth place now?"

"All thanks to Hitchhiker. Carrying Korea single-handedly."

Carmina whispered.

"They're talking about you too, Master!"

"Doesn't feel bad. Kinda embarrassing, though."

"Hehe, I'm super proud!"

Hitchhiker talk everywhere in Korea these days.

"Got 35,000 coins from the 3.5 mil clear reward. What'd you do with yours?"

"Kek, dumped it all into skill upgrades. Cleared three extra floors thanks to that."

Here too.

"Tower climb intl summit tonight, right? Wonder what they'll say."

"Obvious. Hitchhiker'll be the hot topic."

There too.

All Hitchhiker, all the time.

Made sense, really.

The nation's fate hung on one guy: Hitchhiker.

He propped his chin, gazing out the window.

What a peaceful weekend.

Praise rolling in.

No money worries.

...So why this nagging emptiness? Like something was missing.

Ah, got it.

Wanna climb the tower ASAP. Rain meteors on monster-infested land.

Choi Yuseong, proud son of Korea!

Hooked on dopamine!

Shopping done, back home.

Gate open.

Nosferatu entry.

"Over here! More stone, please!"

"Coming right up! One sec!"

Hot, bustling vibe.

Reconstruction in full swing everywhere.

Wood and stone buildings rising—some finished, some framed.

"Ooh! Traveler! You're here!"

"Traveler, welcome!"

Kasabla approached first, gripping his hand firmly.

The woman beside him: Rozanna.

Carmina's mom.

A glance.

"Huh? Why, Master?"

Hm, instant connection.

Carmina took after her mom.

Kasabla eyed his daughter.

"Carmina, you haven't been causing trouble for the Traveler, have you? Can't act like a kid just because you're on Nosferatu."

"Dad! Stop it! I told you not to say that in front of Master—!"

Pok pok pok.

Disrespectful punches to the arm.

Vampires weren't so different from humans. Fangs a bit longer, blood preference aside.

Just a regular dad who loved teasing his daughter.

"Oh, right. Got something before territory recovery. Carmina?"

"Yes, Master!"

They shuttled boxes through the gate.

What's inside?

Hammers, saws—tools galore.

Kasabla gasped.

"Ooh! We were making do with crude ones—thank you, Traveler! Work'll speed up big time!"

"I'll send more when I can."

Gathered vampires took tools, bowing repeatedly.

"Thank you, Traveler!"

"We'll put 'em to good use!"

Pure goodwill, and bam—an unexpected achievement.

Feels good.

Reward for doing good?

Then, up into the sky with Carmina, activating overhead view.

Left: zones 3 and 5.

Green and yellow zones.

Today's target: green zone 3.

Too vast for one meteor, normally.

17th floor extra reward.

Got the ticket.

Rip it without mercy.

Meteor twice in a row.

Kwaaaang—! Kwaaaaang—!

"Meteors are the best—!"

Amid Carmina's ecstatic cry, messages flooded in nonstop.

Straight to tower 3 for purification.

88% recovery now.

Zone 5 left.

Monster types vary per zone, so recovery per meteor fluctuates.

Still, 2-3 days tops.

Next ally recruitment.

So close now.

"Hey, Master! That first crater from day one's meteor—looks like it's filling up, right?"

"Yeah, definitely."

She was spot on.

Zone 2's deep pit was half-filled, like new flesh growing.

Surrounding nature richer too, compared to restoration day one.

Tower at the center.

"Maybe purified towers have a recovery effect?"

Makes sense.

Approach the tower, and a new info window appeared.

So the tower was originally white, not black.

No other info yet.

But one new question.

Can Earth's towers be purified too?

—Waaaaah!

—The Savior's here!

Cheers grew louder as they descended.

Thud.

"Traveler! Traveler!"

"Hitchhiker! You're the best!"

"Savior, thank you!"

"Boss—! Drop that cold one heeeere—!"

Different titles.

Same guy.

Something weird mixed in, though.

"Boss...?"

"Ah! Lady Carmina taught us. Exclamation for witnessing an ally's great feat."

He turned to Carmina.

She whistled innocently.

Kasabla approached.

Bow.

"Truly grateful, Traveler."

Handed over a plastic bag of reddish soil, cradled carefully.

"The crimson blood soil you requested. Found it at zone 4's edge—thank goodness."

Back from Nosferatu, sunset outside the window.

Evening already.

Routine time. Pulled an item from inventory.

Gulp, gulp.

Three a day now.

One each morning, lunch, dinner.

Recovery up, so max three at once from dimensional rift.

New item search on hold for now.

Random quests from floor 20+.

Often stat-based.

Stocking up to avoid losses.

Bloodrose was beginner's luck; duds popping up since.

Thanks to it, though...

Stats going wild.

Achievement bonuses plus steady Pegasus' Blood.

Rice cannon? Lifts it one-handed.

100m? Under 7 seconds.

Head clear despite early start? High spirit.

Each stat rivaled a mid-level S-rank's specialty.

Then, a familiar stare.

"Ugh. How can he drink that blood like..."

Carmina.

Hiding behind the door.

Eyes full of wariness.

Like a French guy watching a Korean eat live octopus.

Pour.

Bulk-ordered drinks into a glass.

"Here."

"Ah! Tomato juice!"

Wariness gone—she dashed over and chugged happily.

Gulp gulp.

Yeah, vampire sipping red liquid? Comforting.

"Sweet and tangy—yum! But why morning and night? Routine? I love it anyway!"

"For your health. Tomatoes are good for you."

"Health! Key!"

Lately, he wondered if he was more vampire than her.

Next up.

Can't wait.

Why?

Finally time to plant these.

Pulled all four seeds from the rift a bit ago.

Planting? Deliberately delayed.

Once-in-a-millennium bloom.

Can't plant in just any dirt.

Asked Kasabla to hunt crimson blood soil on Nosferatu.

Delivered today.

Soil stained red from ages of animal blood—nutrient-packed.

Normal plants grow several times bigger.

"Carmina, let's set it up."

"Yes, Master!"

Four prepared pots.

Fill with crimson soil, plant seeds.

Item desc again.

Now, blood drops.

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Blood grade.

What exactly?

"Awakener rank, maybe? I figured your blood, Master!"

Probably.

Poke finger with needle.

One drop, plop.

"Nailed it."

"As expected, Master! Even your blood's top-tier!"

"Wanna taste?"

Carmina bolted away.

Satisfying impact.

One drop each for the other three: plip plip plip.

When grown, one for me.

Rest to allies like Carmina—efficient.

Then, the streaming broadcast he'd left on: reporter's voice.

Time already.

Monthly intl summit.

Worried? Nah.

Cha Minhyuk was core to Korea's delegation.

Deep chats via Carmina confirmed: super patriot.

Super ruthless.

Super smart.

Independence fighter lineage, influence in politics/business.

Worst enemy, best ally.

"Carmina, come on. Broadcast time."

"Ah! One sec! Setting up the chicken! Beer too?"

"No. Tower later—Cola instead."

Chiiiik! Gulp gulp.

Sipping cola, recalled yesterday's chat relay with Cha Minhyuk.

The plan? Solid gold.

Chuckle escaped as Korea's delegation entered the summit feed.

"Heh heh heh."

"Ah, Master, that's an evil laugh!"

No doubt, this summit would split nations' joys and sorrows like none before.