A Proposal Without Loss
The red sports car tore down the road without hesitation.
The woman sitting in the passenger seat, Hong Yesul, turned her head to the left.
“Why did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Even if you saved me, that demand was way too much.”
A faint spark of anger flickered in Hong Yesul’s eyes.
She believed her brother had taken a loss because of her.
“It’s not a proposal that’ll cause any loss.”
“Oppa!”
“It’s not like I did it as repayment for saving you.”
Hong Yunsu answered seriously.
“Are you being sincere?”
“His ambition is huge. And he’s steadily proving his skills, too.”
“How many players shine brightly at the start and then fizzle out?”
“He renewed the record all the way to the 30th floor. If he actually pulls it off, bowing my head to him wouldn’t be so bad.”
“I have no idea what you’re thinking.”
Hong Yesul let out a short sigh, then suddenly made an ‘ah’ face.
“Oppa, what if he falls short of your expectations?”
“What else? I just won’t put him in our team.”
“You already gave him the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.”
“Have you forgotten? That was something I promised him from the beginning.”
“Well… that’s true, but…”
“They found the victims’ ashes in that abandoned factory. You really came close to dying.”
“I know. That’s why it feels even more burdensome.”
“Because it seems like you’re giving Yu Jinho more than he deserves?”
“Yeah.”
Hong Yunsu smiled softly.
“I told you earlier. It’s a proposal that won’t cause any loss.”
Repeating the exact same words he’d said just a minute ago, without changing a single syllable.
In his mind, the image of the man he’d just met kept flickering.
‘Yu Jinho, huh.’
Hong Yunsu had obtained the job Wind Walker on the 5th floor.
A close-combat dealer class that wielded the power of wind.
He was more sensitive to the flow of wind than even elemental mages, and he could sense an opponent’s temperament or power.
‘He was no ordinary man.’
Hong Yunsu was one of the top five players in the country.
Even the heavyweights of politics and business couldn’t look down on his position.
Yet Jinho’s breathing had remained perfectly calm even while facing him.
Steady presence.
The aura of the summon clinging to his shoulder had also been unusual.
‘An oppressively heavy atmosphere.’
A darkness so thick it was impossible to see even an inch ahead.
It made him doubt whether it was truly a familiar obtained from the lower floors of the Tower.
He had encountered many people while climbing the Tower, but this was the first time he’d met someone who carried an aura as alien as Nyx.
‘Honestly, just listening to him talk, I don’t trust him at all.’
Renew every single record up to the 30th floor?
That was only possible when a player’s skill was backed by heavenly luck.
Even when America poured astronomical money and manpower into forming professional teams to break records, the top records only changed occasionally.
The odds of Jinho achieving that goal were practically zero.
Even so.
‘Why do I keep thinking he might actually pull it off?’
Hong Yunsu shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the irrational thought.
Screeech!
Perhaps because his movements were too violent, the red sports car swerved sharply left and right.
“O-oppa, watch the road!”
“Right. Sorry.”
Hong Yunsu offered a short apology and focused on driving.
As if deliberately trying not to think about Jinho anymore.
“Whoa. This is a harvest I didn’t expect at all.”
-Is it really that good?
“Of course it is. Why are you even asking something so obvious?”
I kept laughing as I stared at the wooden box.
Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng was an elixir that would be incredibly difficult to obtain even in the distant future.
No, actually, it would become even harder to get later on.
I sat down on the floor.
“Goddess-nim.”
-I already know. I shall not lift a single finger, so rest easy.
“See you in a bit.”
When I opened the wooden box, the refreshing scent I’d smelled earlier tickled my nose.
Without hesitation, I popped the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng into my mouth.
Crunch—!
Every time my molars crushed the ginseng’s body, a liquid brimming with natural energy leaked out.
The juice sliding down my throat.
Now.
I activated the Three Talents Qi Gong.
The enormous energy contained within the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng began circulating through my meridians and throughout my entire body.
‘Wow, this is no joke.’
Natural energy surged into my meridians with the force of crashing waves.
With my meager internal energy, I could only barely guide the ginseng’s power.
It was a good thing I had memories from before my regression.
Otherwise, my body would have been torn apart by the ginseng’s natural energy.
Lost in a trance, I focused solely on moving the energy for a long time.
The more I completed the Great Circulation, the more I could feel the massive energy within the ginseng being converted into my own internal energy.
After some time had passed.
I let out a short breath and opened my eyes.
My internal energy had increased at an exponential rate.
In China, they used to call 60 points of internal energy one jiazi.
That benchmark would later become the standard for martial artists.
Since martial arts stats couldn’t be invested with level-up bonuses, they held even greater value.
-It seems you’ve achieved quite a significant result.
“How can you tell?”
-A powerful light is shimmering around your eyes.
At Nyx’s words, I glanced at the mirror.
Sure enough, a brilliant glow was settled on my retinas.
“It’s not exactly a good sign, though.”
-Why is that?
“It’s the phenomenon where unabsorbed energy is being released.”
The natural energy contained in the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng was stronger than I’d expected.
Some of it couldn’t be fully converted into internal energy and had seeped into various parts of my body.
The light lingering in my eyes was part of that unabsorbed natural energy.
It would be difficult to awaken right now.
Only after my martial arts level rose further would I be able to awaken the natural energy that had permeated my entire meridian system.
‘This should be enough for now.’
I grinned.
The massive amount of internal energy now settled in my dantian.
Numerically it was only about half of my mana, but its actual output far surpassed mana.
The only problem was that I didn’t have any advanced martial arts capable of properly utilizing this suddenly increased internal energy.
The Blood Claw Technique was third-rate at best.
Even the internal energy I’d gained from the Moonview Stone would have been sufficient for it.
‘I need to get to that floor quickly.’
The martial arts manual hidden on the 13th floor of the Tower.
Once I obtained it, I’d be able to make full use of my increased internal energy.
Well…
At just a little over one jiazi, it might still be difficult to operate it constantly.
“Oh, right. I prepared a gift for you, Goddess-nim.”
-Hoh, I am a goddess who has received all kinds of offerings across the divine realm. Do you truly believe you can satisfy me?
“Of course.”
I tore open the package sitting in the corner of the room.
It was a machine with an oval-shaped drum attached.
-It looks rather plain.
Nyx’s evaluation was short and brutal.
“Just wait a little. You’ll change your mind soon.”
I answered confidently and poured sugar into the machine.
Clunk— clunk— The motor spun with a loud noise.
Preparations were complete.
I grabbed a stick, opened the door on the oval drum, and shoved it inside.
“Let me show you some magic.”
Swoosh!
White threads began sticking to the stick one by one.
Nyx’s eyes widened like saucers.
-Partner… this is…
“That’s right. It’s a cotton candy machine.”
-O-ohhhhhhhhh!!!!
I told you.
That you’d change your mind.
-Hurry! Offer the cotton candy to me at once!
“W-wait, it’s not ready yet! If you shake it like that, it’ll break!”
Crash!
It looked like it would take quite a while to give Nyx a proper cotton candy.
The next day.
Instead of immediately challenging the 7th floor, I headed to the Player Comprehensive Market.
Even the Pocket of Desire didn’t have infinite capacity.
I needed to dispose of the byproducts I’d collected from missions whenever I had time.
“There isn’t that much this time, is there?”
“Yeah, just sell it off at a reasonable price.”
“Sure thing.”
After handing over the goods to the byproduct merchant and turning to leave.
A woman in a suit stepped in front of me.
From the looks of it, she had business with me…
But I didn’t recognize her at all.
“Who are you?”
“I am Lim Yuri, a scout from the White Tiger Guild.”
“White Tiger… one of the three major guilds in the country.”
“I came to make a proposal to Jinho-nim, even if it meant being rude.”
“It’s good that you at least know it’s rude.”
I replied sharply, partly to gauge Lim Yuri’s reaction.
“I apologize once again. But we had no way to contact you.”
“Isn’t my contact information already public knowledge?”
“You weren’t checking it.”
Ah, she struck at a blind spot I hadn’t considered.
She’s no ordinary person.
-Isn’t that because of your own negligence?
Please be quiet, Goddess-nim.
I shot a quick glare at Nyx, who was perched on my shoulder, then looked directly at Lim Yuri again.
“Did the higher-ups at White Tiger really agree to a sum of 100 billion?”
“Ah, there seems to be a misunderstanding. The proposal we’re making is not an invitation to join the guild.”
A scout from White Tiger came to see me, but the goal wasn’t recruitment.
I didn’t know what their real purpose was, but they had successfully piqued my interest.
“Jinho-nim, you renewed the 6th floor record yesterday.”
“It wasn’t anything special.”
“You’re more humble than the rumors suggested. Especially since you’ve renewed every record from the 1st floor onward.”
“I really mean it when I say it wasn’t anything special.”
Lim Yuri’s eyes twitched slightly.
Even I had to admit that last remark sounded pretty arrogant.
“Hearing you say that makes it much easier to present this proposal.”
Lim Yuri turned the tablet she was holding toward me.
My gaze naturally shifted to the screen.
⊳ Compensation: 2 billion won (regardless of success)
⊳ Bonus: Unique-grade item if new record is set
⊳ Requirement: Participate in team training starting tomorrow
“A joint raid on the 7th floor?”
“Yes. We’re planning to deploy the new recruits our guild has been training to clear the 7th floor.”
The 7th floor mission was, in a word, a raid.
Teams of five would form a party and defeat a boss monster.
“You want me to join White Tiger’s rookie team…”
I shook my head.
“That’s a request I don’t quite understand.”
“One of the members in charge of the close-combat dealer role was recently injured.”
Lim Yuri bit her lip, showing clear signs of distress.
I skimmed over the conditions written on the tablet.
2 billion won paid upon participation, regardless of success.
And if the highest record on the 7th floor was renewed, they would give one Unique-grade item.
White Tiger was offering quite generous terms.
“What’s this team training section about?”
“Ah, it’s because you can’t challenge the 7th floor immediately.”
Lim Yuri briefly explained the training schedule.
She said White Tiger’s rookies had been training together for half a year to build teamwork.
Even if I couldn’t match their coordination 100%, I would still need to complete basic training.
“Training starts tomorrow.”
“Well, that’s fine.”
After signing the tablet, Lim Yuri broke into a wide smile.
“You definitely won’t regret this.”
“I’m sure I won’t.”
I spoke with a meaningful tone.
After Lim Yuri left.
Nyx looked at me with eyes full of suspicion.
-Contractor, doesn’t this seem far too suspicious?
“What exactly looks so suspicious to you, Goddess-nim?”
-That contract. The organization called White Tiger is the one taking all the loss in this structure.
“That’s because just getting me to sit in that seat is already a profit for White Tiger.”
The claim that one team member was missing was 100% a lie.
At this point in time, any injuries sustained while climbing the Tower were fully healed after the mission ended. What injury could there possibly be?
No matter how intense the training was.
-I don’t understand.
“White Tiger wants to use my fame.”
Forming a team with a player who is renewing records on the lower floors of the Tower!
That alone was already newsworthy.
And if White Tiger’s rookie team performed better than me on top of that…
“They can absorb even my fame.”
-How truly shameless. To scheme such thieving behavior.
“The White Tiger Guild has quite complicated internal affairs.”
-It seems you already have some guesses.
“A little?”
It wasn’t so much a guess as a conclusion drawn from knowing future events.
The White Tiger Guild.
Or rather, the family matters of the LS Group owner family—their investor and parent company.
-Then why did you accept their proposal after seeing through their intentions?
“Why? Because I’m confident.”
The board White Tiger had laid out.
The 7th floor raid would succeed.
The only difference was that the lead and supporting roles would be swapped.
And besides.
If my memories from before the regression were correct, I could also take advantage of their internal situation.
In a way that benefited me.
Heh heh.
As laughter leaked from my lips, Nyx stared at me with a strange look in her eyes.