Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Future VIP
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The warehouse had collapsed. Yesterday, or maybe today.
The roof had flown off somewhere, and the four walls had burst open like blooming flowers. Thick, blackish water dripped steadily from the jagged cracks in the walls.
“This is totally wrecked... Whoa!”
Crunch!
When I tried to plant my foot on the floor, it sank right in.
“Ugh, damn...”
The floor, saturated with water, was no longer functioning. It was basically just there for show, like it was saying, “Hey, I’m a floor, at least.”
Splash!
I pulled my thoroughly soaked foot out of the pooled water and took in the remains of what used to be the warehouse.
“...Sigh.”
I let out a deep sigh and hung my head.
Even to my untrained eyes, it was obvious.
This warehouse.
It was done for.
Tap tap tap.
I immediately logged into Molrangmol.
Today was supposed to be the start of five days of selling Molrangtori. I had to let the customers know sales were on hold for a while.
‘Trust is the most important thing.’
Ding! Ding! Ding!
[InspirationDemonstrator: Hello? Our Hwayeon Guild would like to provide land for Molrangtori development. For more details...]
[Skymoon: We’re formally requesting investment from Sinwol. We’ll provide a state-of-the-art lab for free...]
“Fast. So fast. As expected of the five great guilds.”
The moment I posted, the hyenas came swarming in.
Predators always strike when their prey is at its weakest, after all.
Grip.
Scary. That determination of yours.
Is that what made you the five great guilds?
[User has been blocked.]
Fine, then. I’ll keep up my own determination to build this business solo.
With that resolve etched in my mind, I made a phone call. To the landlord.
Rrring...!
The warehouse had felt like a temporary build from the start, so I figured we could rebuild it. Sturdier this time.
[Just give up, kid.]
“...Uh. So it can’t be done?”
[Exactly. We’d have to call in specialists. Getting permits again is a nightmare. Ugh~ Just forget it.]
But the landlord refused.
[Is it really necessary?]
The phrasing was polite, but it was as good as a flat no.
“Ah... Then I’ll just leave it as is.”
[Good call.]
Click.
And that tipped the scales for me.
‘Time to... move.’
I’d have to leave this place eventually if I wanted to expand the business.
To somewhere bigger and nicer.
Even without the business, living here in the current state was impossible. With 22 pudding slimes, there wasn’t even room to step in my rooftop room.
Tap tap tap.
[Current Balance: 124,500,004 won]
“Hmm...”
In the end, it all came down to money, money, money.
The rooftop deposit was there, but honestly, it wasn’t much...
What choice did I have? Only one option.
Click.
I plopped down in front of the computer. A few clicks of the mouse, and I was on my target site.
[Welcome to JH Bank.]
No money? Borrow it.
That’s a truth straight out of Goguryeo watermelon philosophy.
Conveniently, JH Bank was my primary bank—the only one I used—and it catered exclusively to hunters.
The bank of banks, the pinnacle of this era!
So elite that instead of paying interest to customers, they charged storage fees.
‘That’s how much you can trust them.’
No sneaky product upsells to lottery winners or selling customer data here.
Click!
[Would you like to proceed with the non-face-to-face business credit loan?]
The application screen loaded, and I submitted the documents.
Hunter rank proof, business verification, income statements, and so on...
JH Bank barely looked at credit scores.
Instead, they evaluated a customer’s potential based on hunter rank, achievements, and such. Long-term customers got bonus points.
That determined the loan amount.
[Documents submitted successfully. Review in progress. Please wait.]
For first-time loans, the max was around 1 billion won, I think?
It wasn’t explicitly stated, but that’s what people said.
A-rank hunters averaged about 800 million... How much would I get?
The amount mattered.
It would decide where I could move.
The more, the better. I was confident I could pay it back.
[Loan limit determined.]
“What? That was quick?”
I’d read it usually took at least a day.
Mine was set in just two hours.
Maybe no one else in queue, so they fast-tracked it?
I checked the loan limit right away.
“...Oh?”
**
JH Bank Seoul Branch.
“Branch manager. How should we handle this one?”
A subordinate banker asked.
It was common to consult the boss on tricky cases.
They dealt with hunters, so the money figures were on another level.
“...You’re asking me?”
The branch manager raised an eyebrow. A faint smile played on his lips.
Made sense, given who was asking.
“Yes. I wanted your opinion.”
The round monocle glinted. A silver chain dangled beside it.
The suit was so sharply creased, it looked freshly ironed.
“......”
A timeless style, for sure.
Even in a world where people ignored each other, that look would draw eyes.
But.
Skill trumped all. No one in the building faulted him for it.
He was one of the rare A-rank info-type Awakeners.
“What’s the issue?”
“Here are the documents.”
Rustle.
The branch manager skimmed through casually.
“......”
Nothing special.
An existing customer requesting a loan.
“...D-rank?”
A frown creased the manager’s brow.
Long-time user, but D-rank hunter.
Without standout achievements, 30 million was the generous max.
“Check the end.”
As the subordinate said, there was one more page at the back he’d missed.
“......”
At a glance, it looked thin—just basic proofs.
That’s why the shock hit hard.
Rustle!
“...This.”
Rustle!
“............Is this real?”
Rustle!
He checked the documents over and over. Eyes bloodshot, edges crumpled.
No change.
“I used my ability to verify. No fakes.”
The subordinate adjusted his monocle. His eyes beyond were utterly calm.
The records were legit.
“First loan limit’s 1 billion, right?”
“Not specified in rules... but we’ve stuck to that. What now?”
The manager closed his eyes, pondered, then decided.
“Give him the maximum. He’s a future VIP.”
**
Once a man draws his sword, he must cut something—even if it’s the reeds.
So I took the full loan amount.
[Current Balance: 2,124,500,004 won]
“Doesn’t feel real.”
Hard to get used to this much money in my account. Just... adapting.
Had I... become rich?
Not like the first 100 million, though. No racing heart, no dizziness.
More like surging confidence.
100 billion, a trillion? Seemed within reach.
No time to hesitate.
Tap tap tap.
[Me: On your way?]
[Yujina: Yeah. Nav says 5 min.]
Time to find a new home base.
Jina knew some good spots, so we were checking them out now.
-Ding!
[Yujina: Hayoung just took a wrong turn. 10 min delay.]
[Me: Ah.]
Perfect timing. Hayoung had just gotten her new car, and we planned to ride in that...
-Ding!
[Yujina: Sorry, 20 min.]
[Me: ?]
[Yujina: How do you even hit a dead end in Seoul?]
[Me: Nav set right?]
[Yujina: Yeah.]
Already anxious. Can I trust them?
From the pre-departure chat, she’d had her license for over eight years—a veteran. Tons of driving experience.
Unless it turned out to be a closet license. Then it’s no different from the slang for a “virgin bitch.”
After waiting another 30 minutes—well past lunchtime—
Screech!
Hayoung’s car pulled up right in front of the rooftop room.
“Sorry, ran a bit late.”
“You’re way late. Forty minutes? Even I think that’s bad.”
“Hey! You kept yapping beside me, that’s why...!”
“Oh, sorry. I almost bailed just now.”
Jina patted her chest repeatedly. Already pale, she now looked completely drained.
“Heading out right away?”
Jina asked me. Her eyes shook pitifully. No way I could say yes.
“...Five minutes?”
“Solid.”
Jina thumbs-upped and headed off.
To a utility pole a bit away from the rooftop building—the neighborhood’s only smoking spot.
She rummaged in her sleeve, pulled something out, and put it in her mouth. A pipe, not as long as before.
“Fuuu...”
Clouds of smoke billowed from Jina’s mouth. Still suffering info rebound syndrome?
She’d said eating the dart’s horn helped some.
“Dawn, where was it again? Mind setting it?”
At Hayoung’s request, I glanced back at the car.
But... something felt off.
Wasn’t this brand new, just three days out of the lot? Why so many scratches?
“Dawn?”
“......”
“Ah, don’t worry. These alleys are too narrow, that’s all? Yeah. Super narrow. Should bulldoze all the illegal parkers. Civic sense is trash in this country.”
Endless excuses.
But excuses lose credibility the longer they get.
“Dawn, trust your unnie?”
...Should I just take a taxi?