Chapter 37

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 37

Chapter Title: Where to Spend the 111 Points?

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Where should I spend the 111 points?

The deliberation didn't last long.

I downed 10 doses of Handsome-Up Potion.

I got 100 new hair follicles implanted.

Less than 30 seconds after acquiring the 111 points, I'd already burned through 110 of them.

Just 1 point left.

'I'll save that last point as insurance.'

I didn't think chowing down on a Lucky Cookie would trigger another jackpot.

I had three days' worth of vitamins, so no need to buy more.

I checked my overall stats.

A happy smile crept across my face unbidden.

'I've come so far.'

Before I knew it, I'd maxed out my appearance at +19.5.

Just 5 more doses of Handsome-Up Potion, and it'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hit +20. At 105 doses total, it'd reach +30.

'Not much further to my second milestone.'

Another +10.5 to appearance, and the second goal would be in the bag.

'For hair, implanting anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 strands should make it look lush...'

I wasn't planning to prioritize hair like I was with appearance.

It'd be a secondary focus—bump it up little by little in spare moments.

What should I set as my fourth goal?

'Height? Dick size? Skin? Erection strength? Libido?'

So many tantalizing options.

There were way more than one or two stats that needed urgent work.

'My specs are honestly trash. So much to level up.'

I closed the status window and stepped out of the bathroom.

Park Ha-yeon was pounding the treadmill. Her backside was ridiculously artistic. Gorgeous. Honestly, smoking hot.

Gulp.

I wanted to touch her again. Eat her out again. Fuck her again. This time, though, a creampie in her pussy instead of her ass.

I glanced around.

The other gym members were sneaking peeks at Park Ha-yeon while working out. Their inner thoughts were all dripping with lust.

The corner of Yoo Jin-seong's mouth curled up. His shoulders squared with pride. A victorious male felt nothing but satisfaction and joy in the face of rivals.

He approached Park Ha-yeon.

"Ha-yeon."

"Haa... Huh?"

"I'm heading out now."

"Haa... Take care."

The men's gazes converged on Jin-seong. Their glares were sharp. His skin prickled.

Deep down, he wanted to pull Park Ha-yeon into a fierce embrace and kiss her passionately. But with Park Man-bok watching from behind, he held back. He didn't have the guts to get touchy-feely with the boss's daughter right in front of her dad.

After peeking into Park Ha-yeon's inner thoughts for a moment, I left the gym.

I had a KakaoTalk from Lee Myung-ho.

Hong Jae-gu had messaged too.

I stuck out my tongue.

"Liar."

I'd glimpsed bits of Hong Jae-gu's inner thoughts before.

I knew his situation inside out.

"It's not that he can't pay his phone bill—it's that he has no cash left for cam girls."

I recalled Hong Jae-gu's inner thoughts.

I had zero intention of lending him money.

Jin-seong pondered.

Should I send a rejection? Or just ghost him?

I sent the rejection—basic courtesy.

Jin-seong shook his head side to side.

'I just can't understand it.'

Hong Jae-gu was beyond comprehension.

Why watch cam girls at all?

Why dump big bucks on them? Did they at least hook up if you shelled out enough?

'Honestly, they wouldn't give commoners like us the time of day, right?'

More likely than serving guys like us,

'they'd go after rich new-money types as side pieces.'

I tuned it out.

Back at the dorm, I flopped onto the mattress and cracked open the first page of the book. It was Omnivore.

Lee Myung-ho had recommended it.

"Hmm..."

I furrowed my brow after the first page.

"This is tough."

The words weren't sticking. Nothing was sinking in.

Too many unknown words. Half familiar, half gibberish.

'Way harder than I thought...'

It wasn't even entertaining.

I wanted to slam it shut—my head throbbed, vision blurred, exhaustion crashing in.

But no.

'I can't quit.'

I gritted my teeth.

A man has his pride.

If you draw your sword, you at least cut the grass.

I'd decided to read, so I would. I'd promised myself over an hour, so an hour it was.

'No quitting in my dictionary. I can do this. I can read it.'

I summoned my willpower.

'Yoo Jin-seong, you got this. You can definitely read for over an hour.'

If the guy who'd stuck to his diet religiously could do it, if the guy who'd dropped 21.5kg could, if the guy who'd fucked Park Ha-yeon could seize goals, then yeah.

My willpower blazed up.

I powered through.

10 minutes passed.

"Urgh..."

The book still felt alien.

I read and reread passages I couldn't grasp.

20 minutes in.

"Ugh..."

Too hard. Dizzying. The worst.

Vision going dark.

30 minutes down.

"Ugh..."

Brain on fire.

Cold sweat pouring down my forehead.

40 minutes.

"..."

Brain numb. World washed out white.

50 minutes.

"..."

Mountains are mountains, rivers are rivers.

Finally, an hour.

"Haaah..."

Who am I? Where am I? Is this Earth?

1 hour 10 minutes.

"Ughhh..."

1 hour 20.

"Urrrgh..."

1 hour 30.

"No more... I can't read anymore."

I'm dying here.

Head's gonna explode.

I closed the book. Managed 30 pages.

"Huff..."

Ragged breaths. Wiped the cold sweat from my brow with the back of my hand.

How long was that?

Checked the time.

'Huh? I read longer than I thought.'

Surprising.

Felt like 40 minutes tops, but nope—nearly 1 hour 30.

I'd planned exactly an hour, no more, no less, but overshot by almost 30 minutes.

A satisfied smile bloomed.

'Good job. Well done. Attaboy. You're the best, Yoo Jin-seong. So cool.'

I praised myself.

Proud. Fulfilled. Indescribably happy.

This Yoo Jin-seong was a step above the one from 90 minutes ago.

Fired up KakaoTalk.

Checked the time.

9:40 PM.

'Oh no, gonna be late. Gotta hustle to meet A-young.'

Choi A-young worked the toast shop till 10 PM.

I left the dorm.

Hopped on the bus.

The shop door opened.

"Welcome!"

Choi A-young greeted the customer brightly.

She put on her best smile, but fatigue was plain on her face.

"A-young."

At the familiar voice calling her name,

Choi A-young, who had been frantically toasting, looked up at the customer.

"Welcome! I've been waiting for you."

She flashed a radiant smile, brimming with delight. She gently caressed her necklace.