Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The One Who's Eaten Food Knows How to Eat Well, and the One Who's Played Knows How to Play Well
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Two weeks had passed since Aileen Benedict declared the conquest of the Asia Gate.
The whole world was buzzing as if war could break out at any moment, but the woman at the center of it all, Aileen, had gone quiet.
Raiding a gate wasn't like starting a game with the press of a button.
They had to recruit personnel, negotiate with governments worldwide to secure entry routes, and stockpile astronomical amounts of supplies.
It was called a conquest, but it was essentially war preparations.
Aileen had nailed it down: all preparations would be complete in exactly one month.
And during those two weeks, another battlefield known as the Woosang Shop had gone completely insane.
If chopsticks piqued curiosity, the towel was a revolution.
Salons, gyms, pools, car washes, pet shops.
For every self-employed business dealing with water, the Goblin Towel had become not just an option, but an essential survival item.
Woojin couldn't ignore the flood of requests and added one more size.
The existing face towel size and now a massive beach towel size.
Of course, supply was strictly controlled.
"Bro, here's this week's settlement sheet."
Seventy-three million won in a week.
Around three hundred million a month. Annually, it approached four billion—small business territory.
And with tax exemptions, it all went straight into the brothers' pockets.
"We... could sell more, but..."
"Nah, this is perfect."
"Yeah, thought so."
Money was great, but they had no intention of becoming its slaves.
Invest just thirty minutes a week in enhancements, and they'd have enough to live off forever.
What could be a more perfect work-life balance?
"I'll post the notice then. Expect another ten-second dry this week."
"Go ahead. Oh, and give Agent Jo a fat bonus."
Woojin nodded toward the office corner.
"Inquiry messages are driving her nuts."
As if on cue, a gloomy aura emanated from the corner, where Jo Ayoung ground her teeth in a barely audible snarl.
It had been fun at first.
But as the absurd inquiries piled up, her patience was wearing thin.
"Argh! Seriously!! Why the hell would you use it for that! Why!! Why wipe your eyeballs! Dry eyes? That's ridiculous!!"
Jo Ayoung glared at her monitor like she wanted to devour it, shadowboxing silently.
Her personal stress relief.
"Why wrap prime Hanwoo beef in a towel! What am I supposed to do with jerky?!"
The bizarre inquiries didn't end there.
"Toilet overflowed, so you shoved the towel in?! Want an exchange for one that sucked up shit water? Gross!!"
Crack—
The pen she'd gripped unconsciously crumbled to dust on the desk.
A dark red aura seemed to rise behind the rapidly darkening Jo Ayoung.
Woojin whispered low.
"See? Agent Jo's awakening into Jo Hulk. Catch her on a bad day, and we're pen dust."
"......"
Sangjin swallowed hard, cold sweat trickling down his back.
"Y-yeah. Fat bonus it is."
He added one more thing.
"Maybe we stop replying to messages? It sells fine without..."
Woojin nodded gravely.
"Hmm, we'll consider it positively."
As much as the two weeks of successful business had changed things, odd shifts crept into the brothers' private lives too.
7 p.m.
Off work, Woojin and Sangjin naturally stepped out the front door.
And just as routinely, punched in the code for next door's 1104.
Beep—
"You're here?"
Yoo Jihyun poked her head out from the kitchen, apron on.
Aileen lounged on the living room sofa in sloppy clothes, watching TV.
"Oh, hey. Woojin oppa. You're late today."
"......Put some real clothes on. No shame?"
Her outfit: spaghetti-strap tank top and ultra-mini training pants showing a hint of underbutt.
Aileen smirked at Woojin's jab.
"What, heart pounding? Woojin oppa? Heh heh heh. Worth the research."
Unlike Sangjin, who didn't know where to look, Woojin seemed utterly indifferent.
"You're nuts. Hey, as Aaron, you scratched your crotch in just a T-shirt in that pose."
Aileen flinched.
"......How'd you know?"
"Knew it!"
Yoo Jihyun, unfazed by now, announced the menu.
"Ignore her, oppa. Five minutes. Kimchi jjim's ready."
"Ooh, how'd you know I was craving this? Aged kimchi?"
"Of course. Three-year fermented stuff."
In that instant, Yoo Jihyun and Sangjin's eyes met faster than light.
'Young master, thank you.'
'No biggie, sis-in-law. Basics.'
This bizarre not-quite-cohabitation had been going on for two weeks.
On non-hunter days, Aileen and Yoo Jihyun waited in 1104, and the brothers crossed over at mealtimes like clockwork.
It felt as natural as breathing, leaving Sangjin to ponder at the table.
'How... did this even happen?'
Eating Korean chaebol heiress cooking with an American tycoon in the home of the world's top two hunters.
Did this make any sense?
But humans adapt, as they say.
The once-awkward Sangjin shoveled rice heartily.
"Sis-in-law, more anchovy stir-fry? So good."
"Yeah, plenty. Young master, your bowl."
Woojin eyed the scene disapprovingly.
"Hey, drop that title for Sangjin. Creepy."
Woojin cringed, but Yoo Jihyun seemed to enjoy "young master."
"Why? He teases me with sis-in-law, so I can do his."
"Fine... whatever..."
Aileen's chopstick skills had improved nicely.
Courtesy of the Goblin Chopsticks (+3), of course.
"Mm, spicy. But addictive."
"Too spicy? Have some egg roll."
Woojin casually placed an egg roll on Aileen's rice.
Then froze.
'Shit! Bad habit! Damn it!'
Too late for regrets.
Looking after Gayoung and Jinyeong lately had made it automatic.
That tiny gesture sent Aileen's lips curving skyward.
"Heh heh, what's this mean?"
"Sh-shut up. You suck at chopsticks, so I helped. Eat."
Aileen winked, clacking her Goblin Chopsticks.
"These make me as good as any Korean. Why need help, Woo. Jin. Op. Pa?"
Yoo Jihyun, jealous at the sight, piled meat onto Woojin's bowl.
"Woojin oppa, eat lots of meat. You're busy lately. Gotta stay strong."
"Thanks."
This peaceful-yet-icy dinner had become routine.
Woojin suddenly asked.
"Hey, how's your prep going?"
"Prep? Oh, the conquest?"
Aileen replied.
"No issues. Supplies at 80% secured, government approvals done. Advance team leaves in two weeks as promised."
"Huh, fast."
Woojin turned to Yoo Jihyun.
"You're going too, right?"
"Yes."
Her eyes turned serious.
She'd decided to join the operation.
"Gonna prove it this time."
A chance to show her value not as DH Group's youngest daughter, but as Hunter Yoo Jihyun.
Hero who saved Asia. With that title, no one in the group—or the world—could ignore her.
"Don't push too hard. Stay safe."
Jihyun beamed at Woojin's concern, nostrils flaring proudly.
"Don't worry! I'm level 40 already! Second awakening soon."
"Oh... nice. You're set then."
In Unriworld, hitting level 40 and completing the quest triggered second awakening.
Seemed to apply in reality too.
Job powers up, new skills unlocked.
'Hmm... wonder if I can?'
Still distant for Woojin.
Amid the chatter, Aileen wiped her mouth with a napkin and cut in.
"Speaking of which, Woojin oppa."
"What."
"Let's date."
"Pfft!!"
Sangjin, sipping soup, choked and coughed.
"Cough! Cough! Classic gold-digger. No mercy."
Jihyun's eyes narrowed to axes.
"What?! Date now, in this chaos? You sane?"
Aileen stayed cool.
"That's why. Won't see you after deployment. Need memories to endure the expedition. And..."
She gazed at Woojin soulfully.
"Studied dating plenty. Time for practice."
She tried sliding her long leg onto his.
"Feet off."
No dice.
"Tch."
Shed watched proper romance dramas this time, not trashy ones. Why no effect?
A mystery.
Woojin shook his head.
"No. Too much hassle. Gonna lounge at home."
"Rejection denied. All set. Just show up."
"Said no."
Woojin dug in, but glanced out the window.
Clear winter day.
Come to think, since returning, it'd been work, enhance, cleanup. No real outings.
Tons of money, zero time to spend.
'Kinda stifling, yeah.'
Home, office, home, office. Hamster wheel.
Woojin hadn't earned cash to live like this.
To go nice places, eat good food. That's why.
He glanced at Sangjin.
Sharp Sangjin shut it down.
"Can't. Finals this week. Need that scholarship."
"You need it now?"
"It's pride, bro, not cash."
Perfect excuse.
Aileen sparkled with anticipation.
This troublemaker minding manners for a date? Hilarious.
Woojin chuckled.
"......Sigh. Fine. Let's go."
"!!!"
Jihyun yelped in shock.
"Woojin oppa!?"
Woojin cleared his empty bowl and stood.
"Date? Nah, just airing out. Itching to anyway."
"Oh...! For real!"
Aileen jumped up.
"Good call! Best day ever!"
Jihyun bit her lip, stomping.
'No... Alone? Who knows what happens!'
A trash drama scene flashed: [Tonight, stay with me. Home? Family? Matters now?]
She shook her head fiercely.
No. Absolutely not. Jihyun declared boldly.
"I'm going too!"
"What?"
"Me too! Just airing out, right? I qualify!"
Aileen scowled.
"Buzzkill. Butt out."
"No way! Woojin oppa, take me! Please? I'm bored stuck home too!"
Woojin shrugged indifferently.
"Why ask me? Go if you want. What's three for a stroll?"
The women’s fortunes flipped.
"Damn."
"Yes!"
Woojin asked Aileen.
"Aileen, you got a car?"
"Car? Obviously."
"You drive?"
"Catherine does."
Sangjin chimed in.
"Then Kim Secretary too. Sis-in-law's going."
The worldly cupid Kim Sangjin already knew Catherine and Secretary Kim's spark.
Just embers, but lit.
"So, what we doing? Gotta know fun to pick fun stuff."
A wistful line.
Woojin's 25 years: zero proper play.
Aileen grinned.
"Heh heh, trust me. Got something I've always wanted for today."
Her words wrapped the other three in inexplicable unease.