Chapter 65
Chapter 65
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Owner (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A short while after sending Jung Man-ho on his way, my phone rang. It was the broker.
A deep sigh came through the receiver first.
“Hello?”
[Haah… It’s me, boss.]
“What’s with your voice?”
[That’s what I want to ask you. What the hell have you been up to?]
His voice dripped with bewilderment. I replied innocently, as if I had no idea what he was talking about.
“Huh? I didn’t do anything. I just went up one floor in the tower, that’s all.”
[One floor? This is insane! If you were going to pull off something this huge, you should’ve given me a heads-up. And where the hell did you find your team members?]
“Oh, didn’t I mention? I’m a solo player. No party.”
[What do you mean—]
I could picture the broker’s dumbfounded expression. I flopped onto the bed and answered nonchalantly.
“Come on, Uncle, you said you’d handle all that stuff. Besides, I don’t think it’ll cause any big problems.”
[Haah… I was shocked enough when you first told me you were an A-rank hunter, but I never imagined you’d be someone this incredible. I’m just a little surprised, that’s all.]
That was when my ring vibrated.
[The Sandworm clicks its tongue at you disapprovingly.]
“What?”
[The Sandworm advises that your attitude toward its followers is improper.]
[The Sandworm suggests you’d be better off apologizing.]
“…Are you my mom?”
Of course, since I don’t have parents, I have no idea how real moms talk.
Even so, getting lectured by a mere worm made me feel like I’d done something wrong, and a wave of embarrassment washed over me.
I did as it said without protest.
Just as the broker was about to continue, I cut in.
“Ahem… Um, sorry. I should’ve told you ahead of time.”
The broker went quiet at my awkward apology. He seemed caught off guard by the unexpected response.
After a brief silence, his voice returned.
It sounded oddly moved.
[What’s gotten into you? You actually apologizing? Uncle’s so proud I could cry.]
“Ugh, I knew I shouldn’t have.”
I kicked the pillow in regret for apologizing.
The broker cleared his throat a few times, then switched back to his usual professional tone.
[Anyway, now we need to think about how to make the most of this situation.]
As expected of a pro. He quickly regained his composure and got down to business.
[So, as the new ruler of Daejeon Tower, how do you want to use your authority? There are more perks than you’d think.]
“Perks like what?”
[For example, from little things like skipping the line at a famous bakery in Daejeon and buying bread right away…]
“Bakery? What bakery?”
[They’ve got drive-thru and delivery too.]
“No thanks, I don’t need that.”
[…And tax breaks on certain items, a say in development plans for areas around the tower, even a cut of the city’s tax revenue.]
Hearing it laid out like that, the offers did sound tempting. But I had something more important than money.
“Eh, that stuff’s not a big deal… If it’s possible, though, I’d like a statue of myself.”
[What?]
“Like the one in that northern neighborhood—huge. Big enough to see from anywhere in Daejeon.”
[…You’re serious?]
The broker’s voice was more serious than ever, and I burst out laughing.
“Pfft, of course it’s a joke.”
[Good.]
“We can do it later, once I get stronger.”
[…?]
I could imagine him squinting suspiciously through the phone.
I chuckled softly and brought up what I really needed.
“Actually, there’s something else I really want. I’d like a road built.”
The broker’s voice filled with confusion.
[This is a joke too, right?]
“Nope, dead serious.”
[…Boss, did I hear that right? You want to build a road?]
“Can’t it be done?”
[No, it’s not impossible. With the tower ruler’s authority, getting the city to cooperate is a piece of cake. But what kind of road?]
I traced my finger through the air from my front gate to the distant black tower entrance.
“Straight from my house to the tower. Widen the existing road a bit on both sides. And build high walls along it so no one else can see.”
[May I ask why?]
“Obvious, isn’t it? I want to come and go from the tower without worrying about people staring. Hiding items and sneaking around every time is a pain.”
The broker fell silent again at my simple, straightforward answer.
[Understood. If that’s what you want, we’ll make it happen. I’ll handle all the paperwork and procedures. Construction permits, traffic control—no issues.]
“Oh, right—I’ll do the construction myself.”
[…What?]
“You just handle the papers, Uncle. I’ll build the road. It’ll be faster that way.”
***
A few days passed. I hadn’t gone to the tower, just lounged around the house killing time.
Once I’d read every post on Hunter Gallery and exhausted all the worthwhile videos, the broker called.
[Boss, everything’s ready.]
“Already? That was fast.”
[Daejeon city’s bureaucracy sailed through with the tower ruler’s name. The snag was the buildings between your house and the tower, but we finished buying them out yesterday. The owners are probably settling into their new places happily by now.]
A pro indeed. He’d sorted out all the legal and financial hurdles in days.
[That road is yours now, private property. Permits are all in place. Do whatever you want.]
“Thanks for the hard work.”
I gave him a quick compliment and hung up. Then I stood.
I fetched a hard hat and plopped it on Ultra’s head.
It adjusted the helmet like it was no big deal.
Outside, several empty buildings now stood vacant.
“Let’s clean up first.”
I raised my staff toward the empty buildings and the asphalt road cutting between them.
My will extended deep into the earth.
Quuuuuaaaak—!
The ground rumbled with a massive roar. Concrete and rebar structures crumbled powerlessly into fine sand and scattered.
I gestured toward the cleared land. Sand and rock obeyed my command.
A wide road at least ten meters across stretched straight from my house to the tower entrance.
Finally, time for walls on both sides. I slammed my staff into the ground.
Enormous earthen walls burst from the soil, smoothing into seamless stone barriers five meters high. Perfect walls ran the length of the road without a single joint.
The whole job took less than ten minutes.
“Hm, perfect.”
I gazed at my new private road with satisfaction.
Now I could come and go freely without a single prying eye.
A simple new landmark for the boring city was just a bonus.
This place might actually get some life now.
That was when it happened.
Screeeeech—!
A familiar, screeching brake sound shattered the quiet.
I turned to see a black sedan skidding to a precarious stop. It was Jung Man-ho.
Jung Man-ho froze at the sight of the massive marble structure sprouting in front of his house.
His face looked like he was dreaming.
“Wha… what the hell is this?”
A dazed voice leaked from his mouth.
“I go to Seoul for a few days, and this shows up?”
Jung Man-ho scanned his surroundings in confusion, then spotted me. He strode over.
“What’s going on here? What’s with this huge wall connecting my house and the tower?”
‘Oh, right. Since it includes the neighbor’s place, it might look that way.’
“Oh, this? My parents made it.”
“P-P-Parents?”
The confusion on Jung Man-ho’s face turned to shock.
He seemed to be picturing my parents erecting this colossal marble wall in mere days.
Jung Man-ho stood there gaping for a moment, then remembered why he’d come and cleared his throat.
“Uh, um. Right… They must be amazing people.”
He handed me the large shopping bag he was carrying.
Lately, he’d been dropping by occasionally with gifts like this.
An effort to impress the new tower ruler—my “parents.”
Though his aim was off every time.
“This is a gift from Uncle. I heard it’s super popular with girls these days?”
I peered blankly into the bag.
Inside was a pink plastic magic wand and belt. “Princess Rider”—a name that made my toes curl just looking at it.
I barely swallowed a curse.
‘Fuck, even elementary kids wouldn’t take this. Does he think I’m in kindergarten?’
What did this guy think I was?
I sighed inwardly and accepted the gift.
“Thank you.”
“Haha, glad you like it. Any chance… I could see your parents for a quick word?”
Jung Man-ho’s voice carried desperation.
He was desperate to connect with the new tower ruler somehow.
I shook my head and gave my prepared response.
“They’re both out. Not home right now.”
“Oh, I see… They really don’t stop, do they? Incredible.”
Jung Man-ho seemed genuinely impressed. He hesitated, glanced around, and lowered his voice.
“Anything special your parents have said lately? About Daejeon, or maybe our guild…?”
His eyes flickered with anxiety. I decided to give him what he wanted.
“Hm… They said Daejeon’s a nice place to live. And that you seem like a good guy, Uncle.”
“Haha, really?”
Color bloomed on Jung Man-ho’s face.
Unable to hide his joy, he cleared his throat a few times and made me promise once more.
“If your parents need anything—anything at all—tell this uncle right away, got it?”
“Yeah.”
I gave a soulless reply and saw him off.
The moment I got home, I tore open the box.
A shiny pink belt and magic wand emerged.
“Who the hell actually plays with this stuff?”
I sighed but surreptitiously buckled the belt around my waist.
The plastic clasp clicked shut.
Surprisingly decent-looking, I cleared my throat and pressed the jewel-shaped button in the center.
Bweep-bweep! Lights flashed with sound effects.
[Princess Rider, transform!]
“Ugh, what is this.”
Grumbling, I picked up the wand. As soon as I gripped it, it lit up.
Why not swing it once? A butterfly hologram flickered into the air.
“Th-the tech these days is pretty good…?”
Confirming no one around, I swung the wand again.
The harder I swung, the more butterflies appeared.
Damn, was the guy who made this a genius? Wasting that talent here?
I kept swinging, spawning butterflies nonstop.
[The Sandworm clicks its tongue at you disapprovingly.]
“…Hah!”
My face burned like it would explode.
I fumbled the belt off and crammed the wand haphazardly into the box.
I’d nearly fallen for the devil’s temptation.
This goes somewhere no one will see.
***
“20s are done already.”
I entered the tower via my new private road.
[Entering Tower Floor 29 (EXTREME).]
My vision shifted with the familiar system message.
“This place… a palace?”
Far ahead, in the center of a vast space, stood a dais slightly higher than the rest, topped with a massive jade throne.
I walked slowly toward the throne.
My footsteps echoed loudly through the empty throne room.