Chapter 18
Chapter 18.
"Uncle, is he a famous person?"
"Ah...... our uncle is ranked 11th among Korean players. He's 3rd among warriors."
"I see. I didn't know since I've only recently awakened."
Lee Ganghan, who could only use a few hours per day due to sleep issues.
Before his player awakening, he had spent a lot of time researching Tower Syndrome.
He didn't know everything about Korea's players.
"But why is such a great person here......"
"He's quite overprotective of me...... He took a day off and followed me."
When Shin Yuri smiled awkwardly.
Shin Dongseok glared at Lee Ganghan with fierce eyes.
"Hey, you know about my older brother , right?"
"Older brother ?"
"I'm talking about Director Shin Gyeongcheol of the Management Office."
"I know him, he's quite famous."
"Ha. Right...... you're not completely stupid then."
This man.
Turns out he was Director Shin Gyeongcheol's younger brother.
'So he's Shin Yuri's uncle.'
While Lee Ganghan was figuring out this family's relationship chart.
Thud, Thud.
Shin Dongseok turned his back.
And sat down at the long table located in the representative's office.
"Hey, enough of that, how about we test our strength against each other, 10+ to 10+?"
"Test our strength?"
"Yeah, peacefully."
Swoosh.
Shin Dongseok rolled up his sleeves.
"How about arm wrestling?"
He suggested arm wrestling to Lee Ganghan.
'Arm wrestling between 10+ strength stats.'
Stat 10, which only national-level athletes could receive.
If it had a + attached to it, it meant Shin Dongseok's strength was tremendous too.
Looking at his arm muscles bulging as if about to burst after rolling up his clothes.
He certainly looked strong.
"Uncle! What's with the sudden arm wrestling......!"
"No. This sounds interesting. Let's do it."
Before Shin Yuri could stop him.
Lee Ganghan sat in the chair across from Shin Dongseok.
"Hmph. I like that you don't back down."
"I'm curious about what level 10+ strength would be."
"That's exactly what I was thinking too."
Swoosh.
When Lee Ganghan clasped hands with Shin Dongseok.
The two showed a clear contrast.
Unlike Shin Dongseok, who had a bear-like build with forearms as thick as an ordinary person's thigh.
Lee Ganghan, though similar in height, had a slender build compared to Shin Dongseok.
In a battle of strength, anyone would think he'd lose.
But.
"Then...... let's start!"
When Shin Dongseok's face turned red and he began to seriously exert force.
'What's this.'
Lee Ganghan, who had been expecting to see what 10+ strength was like,was immediately disappointed.
'Why is he so weak?'
Hiss, Hiss.
Shin Dongseok, with his face completely red, snorting through his nose while giving his all.
But.
Lee Ganghan's hand didn't budge at all.
This person's strength was really 10+?
"Try putting in some real effort."
"What, what?"
"Or is this really your answer?"
At Lee Ganghan's calm demeanor.
"Grrrr......!"
Shin Dongseok gritted his teeth and summoned every ounce of strength he had.
But Lee Ganghan's hand still didn't move.
'Was the 15% effect of Heavenly Demon Divine Art this significant?'
Well, even if they're both 10+.
Someone could be 11.
Someone could be 20.
Feeling there was no need to continue this contest of strength with Shin Dongseok.
Whoosh!
Lee Ganghan slammed his hand straight down.
Then Shin Dongseok's hand immediately bent back.
Crack......!
The table developed cracks.
"Ugh...... urrgh......!"
When Shin Dongseok looked at his twisted right hand and let out a pained groan.
"As expected of Heavenly Demon-nim......! Strength befitting humanity's strongest!"
Shin Yuri approached him with sparkling eyes.
"The desk is cracked, shall I compensate for it?"
"No, no. Don't worry about it. More importantly, is your hand okay?"
"I'm fine but......"
As Lee Ganghan looked across.
Shin Dongseok grimaced with his twisted wrist.
"Hey, your niece doesn't even care that her uncle's wrist got broken?"
"Uncle started it first."
"Tsk, geez......"
Crack, Crack.
After twisting his broken wrist back into place.
Shin Dongseok looked at Lee Ganghan and shook his head.
"Ha...... I just can't understand it. How is your grade E? Won't your trait disappear tomorrow?"
"Uncle! Don't say such unlucky things, really."
"Wow, you really...... How long have you known this guy to only take his side?"
"Heavenly Demon-nim is my only hope right now, so of course I have to take his side! And stop calling Heavenly Demon 'hey' and 'this guy.' When did you meet him to keep speaking informally?"
Shin Dongseok made an incredulous expression at his niece's scolding.
Scratch, Scratch.
He scratched his head.
"Fine. I got it. Is it okay if I call you Heavenly Demon? No, would that be alright?"
"Just call me by my name. As for speech...... just speak as you normally do. You look really awkward when you use honorifics."
"Oh. This guy knows something. Right, Ganghan. Are you really going to accept donations from my niece?"
Donations.
He means sending 500 million before selling stocks?
'It would be nice if it were really free.'
But where in the world is there truly free stuff?
Getting money from the Management Office Director's daughter, who runs a big agency.
If his trait letters don't reveal anything at all, it would be quite burdensome.
'Besides, money isn't that urgent anymore.'
The power of Heavenly Demon Constitution, which had already earned tremendous money even in Iron.
If he continues with this, he won't need to worry about money.
There's no need to accept burdensome donation(?) money here.
"I'm fine."
"Eh? No, why? Is it because the amount is too small?"
"It's just a bit burdensome."
"I'm really okay with it. It's not even that big an amount......!"
500 million isn't a big amount?
What kind of scale does this boss operate on?
When Lee Ganghan waved his hands saying it was fine.
"Then, how about contracting with us for just 3 months?"
"Contract?"
"Yeah. If you contract for 3 months and receive a signing bonus, it's not like receiving a free donation, right? It becomes give and take for both sides."
Shin Dongseok suggested a 3-month contract.
***
'The contract offered earlier didn't have a contract period......'
The agency contract that could be terminated anytime with just the will to do so.
But now he's suggesting changing it to a contract where he gets tied up for 3 months but receives a signing bonus.
"This way, from Ganghan's perspective, he can accept the signing bonus without burden, isn't that fine?"
"Hmm."
"Besides, even if the Heavenly Demon Constitution trait disappears tomorrow, he can retire after making a fortune, so it seems worth doing."
"Ah, uncle! It won't disappear!"
"......Well, fine. If it's in the form of a signing bonus."
Free stuff is the problem.
Getting tied up for 3 months and receiving a large signing bonus could be called a fair deal.
And if the Heavenly Demon Constitution doesn't disappear the next day.
If it continues for 3 months, agent GLASS would also benefit from the contract with Lee Ganghan.
When Lee Ganghan made that decision.
"I want to just donate without a contract...... but if Heavenly Demon says so, there's nothing I can do."
Shin Yuri immediately modified and printed out the contract.
The same conditions as before, but tied to a 3-month contract period.
The signing bonus was the 500 million donation that Shin Yuri had proposed earlier.
The contract proceeded swiftly.
The signing bonus was immediately deposited into the account Lee Ganghan provided.
"Ah...... the letters are still the same this time."
Even though the contract was completed.
There was no change in Shin Yuri's trait window.
"Is that so? That's disappointing."
"Was the amount too small after all? Should I have added another zero......"
"No. It seems that assisting through the system is more effective than bank transfers. The amount is much larger compared to the TP we exchanged earlier, right?"
It certainly didn't seem like the system would track individual bank transfers.
Shin Dongseok's point made sense.
"Ah...... then it would only apply to exchanging TP that Heavenly Demon-nim earned directly."
"Right. So stop making bank transfers."
When Shin Dongseok scolded his niece like that.
Looking at his now abundant account, Lee Ganghan suddenly had this question.
'Could I buy TP with this 500 million and then resell it?'
If he bought TP with 500 million.
And Shin Yuri bought it back at 120% higher price, she'd also achieve the 'assistance' condition.
Lee Ganghan asked Shin Yuri about the possibility of reselling.
"Ah. Reselling isn't possible. Only what you've earned directly can be exchanged through the TP trading window. Actually, purchasing TP is possible anytime on TowerTube."
"Ah. So that's where player sponsorship comes from."
"Yes yes. Giving incentives through the TP trading window only applies to TP that players earned directly while climbing towers. You can't receive incentives for sponsored TP either."
"I see."
Well.
If reselling were possible like that, this incentive structure couldn't exist.
You'd always profit by buying from TowerTube and selling to guilds.
'Then the TP I received as sponsorship must have been used to upgrade Goblin Territory, seeing that all 33,000 TP was exchanged.'
The 10,000 TP he received from CH111 for revealing his status window.
That seemed to have been prioritized for upgrading Goblin Territory.
'But then I'll have to buy TP to use for Ten Thousand Demon Battle upgrades from now on.'
It would be better to sell TP earned from towers at high prices through agents.
And buy TP needed for Ten Thousand Demon Battle upgrades from TowerTube.
If he had known this structure.
Should he have delayed the goblin upgrade?
'No. I can just earn more.'
Who knew such a high exchange rate opportunity would come so soon?
Besides, with 500 million just deposited into his account.
He didn't feel too regretful.
With the contract concluded.
"Then I'll take you home again! Should I take you to the address written in the contract?"
"Yes. Please do that."
The three got back in the car.
"Right now, since your trait is E, advertisers won't attach, but after just a month, people will start showing interest. I'll match you with the best conditions possible then."
"A month? Hey, will that trait be maintained for a month?"
"Ah uncle, really. Stop being so negative."
They also talked about advertising contracts, which is one of the agent's duties.
"Iron is the good time~. I can keep rising just by doing well alone."
"Are the upper levels different?"
"Haven't you watched Diamond broadcasts much? The higher you go, it's not something that can be solved just by doing well alone."
While having various chats about tower climbing.
They arrived at the front of his house.
"Heavenly Demon, I'll rush over to exchange anytime you contact me! Daily is possible too! Ah. It would have been better if the highest rate was 130%, 140%......!"
"Daily is too much, I'll come exchange when TP accumulates reasonably."
"Yes yes. I'll be waiting!"
After seeing Lee Ganghan off and Shin Yuri got back in the car.
"Yuri."
"......?"
"So, what letters appeared?"
Shin Dongseok looked at her and asked.
"Letters?"
"You said letters were revealed after meeting that guy. Something must have changed from before."
"Ah, that."
Shin Yuri chuckled.
"'The more' was added after assistance."
"......The more?"
"Yes."
"Are you kidding me?"
Shin Dongseok was even more furious.
Letters that hadn't appeared in ages.
If what finally appeared was a change from 'Assistance***' to 'Assistance the more', it was understandable.
But.
"Even having this much appear is something."
Perhaps because she saw hope in Lee Ganghan.
Shin Yuri was very positive.
"Hey, why are you so carefree! You blew 500 million just to get 'the more' to appear in your trait!"
"No, why did I blow 500 million?"
"Huh?"
"It's not like I gave it away one-sidedly, I made a contract with Heavenly Demon-nim."
"Ha. Even so, you contracted with an E-grade whose trait will disappear soon!"
"Ah, really. How many times do I have to say it won't disappear!"
Uncle and niece bickering over whether Lee Ganghan's trait would disappear or not.
While the two returned to Seoul.
'It's almost time to sleep.'
For Lee Ganghan too, the promised 8 o'clock was approaching.
Of course, today, perhaps because he had gone to Tower 777 in the morning.
He didn't collapse right at 8 o'clock.
'But this tower ended quickly, so I'll collapse soon. Let me prepare to record and sleep.'
Lee Ganghan finished setting up and lay down on his bed.
Tomorrow, would he be dragged to the red portal again and wake up injured?
As he fell asleep like that.
"......What's this?"
The next day.
When he woke up.
He found a blood-stained piece of paper clutched in his hand.
At the very top, kindly written in Korean.
[Heavenly Demon Constitution Advancement Method] was written on the paper.
'Looking closely, this is my handwriting.'
What is this?
Lee Ganghan frowned but.
'Let me read it first.'
Below the piece of paper.
He examined the written text.