Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Fruitless Search and Shame
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“Hoo….”
A burly man with a massive build straightened his neck stiffly.
He squinted his already small eyes as much as possible and read the number posted on the utility pole.
“This seems like the right place, yeah?”
“Yes. Probably…… taken from the rooftop of this building.”
“Wow…… how the hell are we supposed to find this thing. Seriously.”
The man let out a hollow chuckle.
They had scoured the entire city of Seoul based on just a partial serial number. It wasn’t quite like finding a needle in a desert, but it was damn close to hunting for an oasis.
At least they’d gotten lucky.
The guys assigned to other districts were probably still wandering around like idiots, coming up empty.
“Let’s head up quick.”
“Yeah. But… it’s okay if we go up, right?”
“What’s it matter. It’s not even locked or anything.”
The man lumbered his heavy frame forward. His target: the stairs leading to the rooftop.
Creak!
The half-rusted iron stairs had ridiculously high risers. It was an incredibly unfriendly design.
Having to lift his legs so high just to climb irritated the man into a grumble.
“These damn…… things are way too high.”
“Ugh…… yeah, they’re pretty high. Rooftop rooms are usually like this, though.”
“Shitty design. Just shitty.”
“Hahaha… the guy who made it must’ve been an adult dude, huh?”
“Look at these goddamn stairs. Has to be a man. Never imagined someone actually living in a place like this.”
Creak!
Dragging his heavy body, he finally reached the rooftop.
“Well, it’s not half bad.”
The man cast an indifferent glance at the Seoul skyline before turning around.
There sat a shabby rooftop room.
“Looks like it could collapse any second…… sure someone’s living here?”
“Yeah, yeah. Check the photo.”
“Here.”
The man waved his smartphone in the air, lining up the angle.
“Definite match. This is the spot.”
The warehouse in the photo had vanished without a trace.
But anyone could tell at a glance that the picture had been taken right here.
“Kuh……! Gonna be a nice fat payday.”
The man smacked his lips with a crude grin. The bonus is ours.
Especially since Huayeon Guild guaranteed solid rewards for results. Which was why the two of them were already scheming about how to blow their cash.
Nodding along to his happy fantasies, the man planted himself in front of the iron door.
And then.
Bang bang bang!
“Hey!”
He pounded on the door hard.
Bang bang bang!
“No one home!!! ……What the.”
But there was no response whatsoever.
Normally, people gave off presences that were hard to hide…
Out running an errand or something?
Didn’t matter. Waiting it out would sort itself.
The sun was already gearing up to clock out, so if it was a quick trip, they’d be back soon.
“Uh……… Senior. Mind coming over here for a sec?”
But his subordinate’s voice calling him over carried a tremble.
The man bolted straight to where his subordinate stood. He peered inside the rooftop room.
“…….”
It was empty. Nothing but the barest basics of furniture filled his view.
No one lived here.
“……Did we get the wrong place?”
No way. The photo clearly pointed right here.
There was no finding a more perfect match.
“Maybe…… they moved?”
His subordinate tossed out a possibility.
Predicted they’d be tracked and bailed right away?
If so, the guy was a total psycho.
Decision way too fast. The developer had posted the photo just three days ago.
Or maybe he’d posted it already planning the move.
“Damn……”
Bang!
The man kicked the iron door.
**
Move: complete success.
“Hmm~ This is nice? Sluuuurp…… ha!”
The crisp air swept refreshingly through my lungs.
Was it my rooftop room affinity, or the fact that the whole area was blanketed in forest, keeping the air pure?
Either way, it was great.
Just scoring this new place was satisfying enough. I’d probably be happy even if the outside world was choked with fine dust.
And I wasn’t the only one thrilled.
Molrang!
The cute little guys were wriggling around happily. Molrang-i, Molcang-i, even Mini Dart.
Once all four really got into playing, the rooftop room teetered on the edge of total clam bake chaos.
Whee!
That’s how cramped it was.
An 8-pyeong space was plenty roomy for one person. Roomy, but…
Add even one extra thing, and the clutter multiplied several times over.
Just plopping down a single drawer obstructed the view and felt suffocating, so imagine rearing four monster critters on top of that.
But this rooftop room? A whopping 24 pyeong. 1LDK layout plus two extra rooms. Apartment-sized.
Even with all four romping around together, it wouldn’t get too……
Ryuu!
“Dart, go play outside. I’m working right now.”
……Noisy when they barge into the room like this.
Ryuu…!
I spared a glance at Dart’s scampering backside, then refocused on the monitor.
Today marked exactly seven days since the move. Time to resume Molrangtori sales.
But I wasn’t as motivated as I’d hoped.
‘Honestly, I wanna slack for two more weeks.’
So much left to do.
The first floor was still way too barren. I wanted to redo the interior ASAP.
Needed to summon way more giant pudding slimes. Prep security measures against potential intruders.
Had to figure out a use for the second floor, which had basically been a junk heap.
“Sigh…… don’t wanna.”
Sure, I said that, but my body was more honest than I thought.
Tap tap.
I was diligently typing up a post for Molrang Mall.
Tap.
That’s work for you.
Once you drop it, picking it back up is a nightmare.
Rest one day, and the next you’re itching to rest again. Human nature.
Tap tap.
So I swallowed down the urge to flop onto my bed—the first luxury one I’d ever splurged on.
Tap tap.
And uploaded the post to Molrang Mall.
[Me, Descending][Author: WantToRaiseDragon]
Hello, everyone. Just one week off.
Molrangtori sales resume tomorrow.
Show it lots of love, please.
And if you register as a regular customer, you’ll get instant notifications, so please! Pretty please! ^^
- Finally, my world starts turning again...
- Perfect timing. Tomorrow was the day my stock would’ve run dry
lmao
These damn teases
-Increase the quantityyyyyy
fr when tho ffs
pls sell more...
-Come on, no launch giveaway Molrangtori?
-Gimme my backlog for the past week right now!!!!!
The comments started flooding in.
Mostly pleas to ramp up stock. Not just here—the free board had similar posts too.
‘Good thing I moved fast.’
I’d wondered at the time if it was too rash, but looking back, it was a brilliant call.
Just hold tight, everyone. I’ll crank out the stock in no time.
Click.
I set the computer to sleep mode and stepped out of the room.
“Mini, time to work.”
Whee!
I left the rooftop room with Mini, who’d been play-headbutting with Dart.
Dragging my slippers lazily down the stairs.
Ding!
My smartphone buzzed.
[Hayoung (SameParty): Newbie. You settling in okay?]
[Me: Yeah. It’s way too good.]
[Hayoung (SameParty): Not missing the old place?]
[Me: Not one bit.]
How could I?
After a week of living here, new house wins, hands down. Wins.
The system AC is top-notch, water flows great. Barely any bugs despite the forest next door, and zero daily noise.
‘How the hell did I survive that dump for 15 years?’
Still couldn’t believe it. Total wasted life.
[Hayoung (SameParty): Huh, unexpected.]
[Me: What is?]
[Hayoung (SameParty): Figured you’d wanna crawl back.]
[Hayoung (SameParty): (video)]
What? A video?
I tapped it without a second thought.
-Sniff…… sob!
Someone was sobbing pitifully.
The kind where you try desperately to hold it in, hit your limit, and it bursts out…
Wait. That’s…… me.
A memory I thought I’d scrubbed clean started worming back into my brain.
-Sniiiif……
On moving day, I lost control of my emotions and cried. In the passenger seat of the car.
But I definitely cried quietly. At worst, just shaky shoulders.
-…Sob! Sniff……
Did I…… sob this loud?
And when the hell was this filmed?
[Yujin-ah: kkkkkkk so cuuuute]
[Me: That’s not me. Don’t get fooled.]
[Me: It’s malicious AI deepfake. Deepfake.]
[Yujin-ah: kkkkk]
[Yujin-ah: Tech’s gotten good kk kk]
[Me: No, total bs] (Message deleted.)
[Me: Don’t download it…]
[Yujin-ah: okok]
……I’m screwed.
Already picturing the teasing when we meet next.
“Eh……”
My energy tanked hard. Zero motivation.
Maybe just pig out on sweets and chill today?
Thud! Thud!
But seeing those hefty blobs charging toward me, no way I could.
Thud! Thud!
My giant pudding slimes, now four strong.
I’d spent the whole week summoning nothing but pudding slimes to add two more.
Still nowhere near enough.
Thud! Thud!
This thudding needed to cover at least half the factory.
‘Maybe aim for twenty or so.’
Twenty of them could churn out 1,280 Molrangtori a day.
At 150,000 won apiece……
A ridiculous sum popped into my head. Roughly 200 million. Two hundred million.
“……Insane.”
Okay. Decision made.
Gonna pour every last drop of mana into pudding slimes for the foreseeable future.
I seriously meant it, too……
-Waaah!
-Waaaaaaaaaah!
What the hell is that noise?