Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: The Path is Visible, Glorious Homecoming
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The path stretched out before me, a triumphant return laden with gold.
Clang! Clang!
The day after wrapping up the three-day grand opening of Molrang Park.
The factory once again echoed with the dull thud of hammers.
A dog in a private school recites poetry after three years, but I, Han Saebyeok, could recite the Thousand Character Classic after just three days—my learning speed was no exaggeration.
Clang!
Look at this wrist snap.
Whoa. The mana distribution was fantastically chilling. Not some half-baked imitation—this felt like I'd truly become a blacksmith.
Ziiiiiing……!
My touch must have been that good, because Molrangtail shuddered all over.
“……Sigh.”
But it was strange.
Normally, my self-esteem would burst forth, naturally flooding me with dopamine…
Even after perfectly executing the 'First Form of Tension Boost.'
“Ugh, I don't wanna.”
Far from raising my spirits, my willpower plummeted to the basement.
Clang…!
In the end, I tossed the hammer aside carelessly and collapsed onto the floor.
Even with the heater on, the floor offered no warmth whatsoever.
Whoosh—a chill wind blew from somewhere, raising goosebumps across my body.
An empty, bitter cold.
……It hadn't been like this before.
No matter how harsh the winter, my factory had always been toasty hot.
But now, even that was a thing of the past.
Look right, turn my head left—nothing much to see either way.
‘…It's so lonely.’
The factory, bustling like a marketplace with all sorts of magical beasts just days ago, was gone.
I'd sent almost all of them up to Molrang Park.
I could fetch materials during the park's off days.
No need to keep them here.
It was far more efficient to have them serve more customers at the park.
Whine!
So now, only the mini golems needed for crafting and my beloved cuties remained.
Of course, a guy like me wouldn't get depressed over something like this.
Just… you know how it is.
That drop from the heights. The extreme contrast. Something like that.
Tap tap tap.
[Molrang Mall and Baekya collaborate to successfully launch Molrang Park. Nearly 60,000 visitors over three days, estimated sales exceeding 10 billion…]
Just yesterday, I was the center of everyone's attention.
The cheers of the crowd adoring me still rang in my ears.
It had been the most physically exhausting day of my life.
But also the day my dopamine levels exploded the highest.
Humans really are slaves to attention, born craving it.
The flood of attention had shattered my dopamine threshold.
So this was the aftermath.
Sure, hammering away earned me billions and released dopamine too…
‘Not enough…!’
It fell woefully short of satisfying me now.
Add loneliness to the mix, and it synergized into something negative.
Ah! So I've been living in a fantasy!
Was this the celebrity syndrome I'd only heard about?
It even gave me a slight inkling of why rich folks dive into politics.
Attention-seeking truly is the apex predator of human reason.
Tap tap tap.
[Upload complete.]
Unable to bear it, I ended up posting a photo on Molrang Mall's SNS.
15,000 followers on the SNS.
Most probably followed just for 'Han Saebyeok.'
No idea why, but I'd ranked #3 in [January Influencer Comprehensive Rankings].
Not a hugely prestigious award…
Still, it's fan-voted. Means I have that many fans.
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
Maybe that's why.
Even before the upload notification could spread, comments poured in.
Ding!
[Post more often. Once every 2-3 days?]
[No more merch modeling shoots? Craving a photobook…]
Look at these cuties.
Sorry, but no more even if you beg.
This is Molrang Mall's official account, not Han Saebyeok's.
I posted official photos at a deliberately slow pace to avoid revealing my identity.
Wasn't ready to go public yet.
“Hmm……”
Thinking about my identity naturally led to thoughts of Molrang Mall's growth.
In short, it was time for Molrang Mall to level up.
Couldn't keep running this mom-and-pop operation forever.
And conveniently, there was a trigger forcing change.
Tap tap tap.
[DragonWantToRaise: When's the civilian approval coming?]
[Baekya: By March at the latest.]
[DragonWantToRaise: Why so long;;]
[Baekya: Hunter Association's being strict.]
Right—Molangtori's civilian sales.
Hwayeon's lackeys stirring trouble again?
[Baekya: Or maybe because Molangtori's brand-new tech.]
[Baekya: But definitely by March.]
[DragonWantToRaise: Phew, good.]
Once Molangtori hits civilian markets, demand will skyrocket.
To meet that? Ramp up supply massively.
Two main options here.
1. Breed an army of 100,000 pudding slimes.
2. Make production way more efficient.
Hmm.
Option 1 seemed unrealistic.
No strain yet on summoning or control, but no guarantee at tens of thousands.
So, my heart leaned toward 2.
Molangtori was a premium item, after all.
450,000 won was a stretch for average consumers.
That's roughly 450,000 a day, every 10 days.
To broaden the customer base, needed a compact version for them.
Hire staff accordingly.
Recruit elite R&D, regular production line workers.
Boost efficiency via pudding slime research, develop consumer-friendly variants.
Build massive production lines.
That would lay the foundation for… the Molrang Mall mega-corp project.
“Alright!”
I shot up from my seat.
With a clear goal after all that fog, my willpower surged.
A visible path really sparks the will to walk it.
Next steps were crystal clear.
‘First, find a way to move around without revealing my identity.’
Gonna be a mega-corp owner someday.
Bound to need public appearances.
Beyond that, I'd personally interview key hires.
Needed a disguise until going public.
And right on cue, didn't I have the perfect partner?
“Seolbaek.”
Screech!
At my call, Seolbaek, who was crafting Molrangtex in one corner, scampered over.
Three tails fluttering in the rush. My gut said: extend those tails.
Apply her 'Transformation' technique to me.
Or spray thick mana mist to block visual perception.
Issue was how to extend the tails…
‘Time for the Monsterfolk Gallery.’
The world was full of oddballs.
Folks sticking out like sore thumbs. Monsterfolk Gallery had a few experts.
They knew more than monster manuals.
Wrote a post seeking advice.
Tap tap tap.
Man, it's been ages.
Practically started Molrang Mall with them.
Maybe this was the true glorious homecoming.
[Dududududu, the man himself makes a flashy entrance!] [Author: DragonWantToRaise]
Hey, been a while.
Just here because…
I want to know how to increase a kitsune's tails…
Visiting for that.
Any experts? Will pay.
-? For real?
└(Author): Yeah, legit.
└Lmao, straight intuition
-Hamariring: Bowing to Monsterfolk Gallery's king… DragonWantToRaise…
└(Author): Hey. Hamariring, how've you been?
└Hamariring: Gasp! DragonWantToRaise called me! Guiding me to Valhalla!
└Crazy bastard lololol
Love the welcome.
But where's the answer guy? Expert should show by now.
Ding!
-BreedingGod: Oh, the one you tamed as a pet back then?
Yes! There you are!
One of the few users whose nickname I remembered from hunter forums.
The one who told me to feed mana stones to slimes—laid the groundwork for Molangtori. BreedingGod.
Beyond that, his track record was legendary.
Dug into his gallery log once: held the Guinness record for monster breedings.
Even pioneered crossbreeding—truly the god of monster breeding!
Tap tap tap.
└(Author): Yep.
└BreedingGod: High-potential buddy?
└(Author): Yup yup.
└BreedingGod: Breeding's the way then.
└(Author): ?? Have it pop out pups?
└BreedingGod: Breeding high-pot ones yields high-pot offspring. Rule of thumb.
Like some game, evolving via breeding.
Classic BreedingGod answer.
‘But is it necessary?’
Seolbaek was already max-potential summon.
Scour every gate worldwide—no match for her.
Might make her a mate someday…
But not now.
Too busy. Fun later.
Plenty of days ahead anyway.
Tap tap tap.
└(Author): Nah, my kitsune's national treasure level.
└BreedingGod: The one that S-rank beast summoner pulled?
└(Author): Yeah.
└BreedingGod: That you?
└(Author): Huh? Anyway how to grow tails?
└BreedingGod: This is super sketchy rumor tho.
└BreedingGod: US hunter feeding his kitsune tails.
└BreedingGod: Gave it ultra-pure dragon heart.
Wait.
……A dragon heart for real?