Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 069
Chapter Title: Young Master Kang's Descent (1)
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This year, 29-year-old office worker Mr. Lee was lounging at home for the first time in ages, watching the computer screen. For some strange reason, ever since last night, he'd felt an overwhelming urge to tune into this particular broadcast today. He'd even dreamed of frantically clicking like a madman at the office during the day to join the stream. It was like he absolutely had to watch. Because of that, he'd skipped drinks with colleagues and headed straight home.
"No way! Section Chief Lee! How can you leave already? We still have tons to talk about! It's not easy for me to hold your spot like this! Do you know how many people are gunning for your position?"
Go Department Head, who'd been pushing a "great investment opportunity" for weeks and urging him to join in, tried to grab him, but Mr. Lee stubbornly refused and slipped away. Truth be told, Mr. Lee was already half-swayed by Go Department Head's pitch.
"Not too little, not too much—just fifty. Invest fifty million won. It'll definitely go public the year after next. The patent's already in process, and we'll have results from the food and drug authority soon. And it's not just anything—it's a baldness cure. You know how many bald people there are worldwide, right?"
The photo Go Department Head had shown was incredibly convincing. More than that, his own lush head of hair was the biggest proof.
"Look at these people. Their hair grew back in just three months. This is a miracle drug. Look at me—my hair's thicker now. Ahem. It's embarrassing to say, but... you know my crown was bare, right, Section Chief? I only got the early scoop because I know a researcher here. Otherwise..."
Go Department Head, with thirty years in sales, had a silver tongue. His words about investing fifty million and seeing it multiply dozens of times had lodged deep in Mr. Lee's mind. A miracle drug. The one lifeline for the hundreds of thousands worldwide suffering from baldness. If it launched properly, the stock wouldn't just multiply dozens of times—it could skyrocket thousands-fold.
"You seem to be receding a bit yourself these days... If you're interested, the permit isn't out yet, but it'll come soon... We can provide early access to investors, no problem. If you pull your retirement fund early, you'd hit exactly fifty. What do you think? Tempted?"
Mr. Lee had been starting to worry about it lately, staring in the mirror. His girlfriend had been bringing up marriage, and he'd been saving up a nice chunk. Fifty million was his entire savings, but if it multiplied dozens of times, it didn't seem so bad. Enough for a solid apartment in central Seoul, right?
"Isn't that a scam? It sounds like one..."
His girlfriend had voiced her doubts. But Go Department Head was a company veteran, and above all, his fuller crown inspired total trust. Mr. Lee had waffled over the huge sum but planned to finalize the investment talk with him today. Yet that bizarre feeling since yesterday had made him bail and come home.
'Well, it's not just today. I can wrap it up first thing tomorrow morning.'
He'd just announce it at the office. Forgetting his earlier anxiety about deadlines, Mr. Lee stared at the chat scrolling furiously upward.
["'My mom suddenly says her legs hurt for no reason. We took her to the hospital, tests came back normal, perfectly fine. But she insists it hurts. Sometimes she can't even sleep, just groans in pain. What should we do?' That's the concern sent in. Hmm... How exactly does it hurt? Specific symptoms?"]
A youthful but neat, delicately handsome face speaks composedly.
'Somehow I keep getting drawn in... What'll he say this time?'
Mr. Lee cracked open a beer can and peered at the screen. He knew the guy was young, but his ability to captivate people was no joke. It tied into the oddly unique consultation topics. Nothing like typical advice. Seemed random, yet somehow made sense?
'No, if Mom's legs hurt, take her to the hospital, right? If they can't diagnose, try another one. What's the point of consulting on that?'
But once again, Yeonwoo's response veered far from Mr. Lee's expectations.
["Someone around your mom must have injured their legs in an accident. Find them and sincerely apologize—the unexplained pain will go away."]
-No way, how does he come up with that? Zero guesses
-Our Yeonwoo never gives boring answers^^
-No wonder we call him Young Master Kang lololol
-Questioner, hurry and ask your mom if it's true!!
-(Questioner) OK;; Going to ask now and report back!!!!
The chat exploded at the out-of-left-field answer.
["Next consultation? Oh, don't want to? Hmm. Guess I'll wait then."]
Even more astonishing was when the questioner returned.
-(Questioner) OMG...
-You back? What'd she say?
-Korean speed pls
-(Questioner) Called Mom—said the upstairs neighbor from way back hurt his leg in an accident; families once planned marriage, but Grandpa thought leg disease/god was taking his daughter, so it fell through;;
["Got the answer. Grandpa passed away, right?"]
-(Questioner) Whoa how'd you know!!!!!
["Recently."]
-(Questioner) Goosebumps;;;;;
["Contact him and apologize. Her leg pain will heal."]
-(Questioner) Thank youㅠㅠㅠㅠ I'll tell her that.
[(Questioner) donated 50,000 won.]
[Paid the courtesy fee and outㅠㅠ]
["Hey, this isn't a fortune-telling spot, folks. Just a consultation corner."]
-Yes, next fortune spot.
-Nah, no fortune-telling~ Just consultations~
-Did our Yeonwoo really get possessed by a spirit? Noona's life sucks lately, wanna get my fortune read...
-No way he guessed that? Scripted?
[KSH7 donated 100,000 won.]
[I believe^^.]
Believers and skeptics clashed chaotically in chat. But as Yeonwoo's regular radio listeners flooded in, proclaiming 'This isn't fake—it's real,' 'Shocked, you deluded fools!' 'Our Yeonwoo's corner didn't get famous for nothing?!' the mood turned feverish. Non-stop donations—frustrated because they couldn't tip on radio—and testimonies pouring in tempted Mr. Lee.
'...Should I ask too?'
Fifty million won. No small sum. His marriage fund, painstakingly saved. Even a solid investment needed some vague but hopeful sign.
'Alright! Let's try! It's free!'
Not sure if it'd be picked, Mr. Lee sent it anyway. Perfect timing.
["Alright, next consultation. Send your stories or questions."]
His fingers flew over the keyboard.
-LeeFamilyEldestSon: Close acquaintance introduced a great investment. Planning to invest soon. Seems legit—trustworthy guy, saw proof myself, definitely not a scam? But it's all my savings, so a bit worried lol
Even typing it, Mr. Lee felt nothing special. With chat flying by, would his even show?
Yet.
["LeeFamilyEldestSon-ssi? Investing your savings?"]
Incredibly, his story was picked.
***
[Stop him absolutely. Don't let him! That'll shatter the family!]
[Ah, Gramps. Got it, calm down. Yeonwoo's ears are ringing!]
[I tried so hard to save that fool! He won't die alone—he'll drag in our great-granddaughter! I told her a million times, but she's stubborn and won't listen!]
A portly old man in a Joseon-era yangban hat paced furiously around Yeonwoo, face beet-red.
'Agh. Chaos...'
He'd expected this, but not to this degree. Yeonwoo's eerie consultations boasted 100% accuracy because ghosts, hearing radio rumors, flocked to him, offering lifespan in exchange for requests.
'Lifespan's overflowing, but can't eat it all... Picking's a chore too.'
Listen to me! No, my plea is more urgent! Wrong—all wrong! I'm the most desperate! They'd squabbled, crowding Yeonwoo. Sorting and selecting was work enough. Phrasing replies evasively to avoid suspicion took effort too.
[Can't let him ruin our house too, not even for my great-granddaughter!]
This bellowing ancestor spirit was one of the selected. He'd fussed forever about blocking his great-granddaughter's marriage prospect from dragging in some bizarre scammer. Indirect messages via granddaughter failed; direct talk impossible as non-direct kin. Word reached Yeonwoo via rumors.
[Fix that fool's head straight! Please!]
And this old man came with.
[*** Additional Harvestable Stat: Roar [D]]
He'd bellowed plenty in life... No wonder the roaring in Yeonwoo's ears thundered. Ignoring the ringing, Yeonwoo eyed the chat.
"How much are you investing—your entire savings?"
-(LeeFamilyEldestSon): Fifty million won lol
Chat erupted again at the reply.
-I've got a great item—wanna buy a jade bed mat?
-Just buy me a water purifier~^^
-LOL they all pegged him as scammedㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Could be legit, chill everyone
-Came to give good advice~~~
Of course, the sender was desperate.
-(LeeFamilyEldestSon): Really not a scam. Company boss, revolutionary item with proof.
-Next scam~
-Nah~
-Total scam vibe
-Hmm~ Smells~ Scam smell~
"That proof—he showed you something super convincing, right? The kind you can't help but believe."
-(LeeFamilyEldestSon): Yes. I'd normally not buy it, but I saw it myself—had to believe.
The watching old man sighed deeply.
[That blockhead! What does my great-granddaughter see in him?!!]
[No, Gramps. If he really developed a baldness cure and showed his new hair, any baldie... would fall for it.]
For some reason, Dongja-ryeong spoke wistfully, like he knew all about it.
[Don't you know 'body hair skin from parents'?]
[Why bring that up here?]
[Even a bald head's precious parental gift—what right to tamper! Let it be natural!]
Slightly off-topic? Imagination?
[Anyone damaging parents' gift body is a scammer! He scammed with a wig, I tell you! Believing without touching? Verify by feel! Fifty mil ain't a dog's name!]
Ah, that was it. Ignoring the whining duo, Yeonwoo focused.
"Did you touch it yourself?"
-(LeeFamilyEldestSon): Y...?
"That proof. You just looked, right? Didn't touch or anything?"
-(LeeFamilyEldestSon): How'd you know???
No doubt the guy on the other side of the monitor was covered in goosebumps by now.