"Borrowing 24 Hours?"
“You're borrowing them for 24 hours?”
Diorama reacted with bewilderment to the unexpected proposal. The vanguard team—no, borrowing two of them for a full day. It was a condition most people wouldn't even dream of.
“What do you plan to use them for?”
Luna asked with an amused glint, probing his intentions.
Kang Hanbit reached for the map and pointed to the area above the base camp. “There are some items I want to get. If these two from Bestige's vanguard can fetch them for me, I'll provide the information you need.”
“So you're having them hunt those items down in 24 hours?” Rapina's voice carried genuine curiosity. The deal felt refreshingly novel.
“Exactly 24 hours. If we start right away, it'll wrap up tomorrow afternoon.”
To obtain those items, they'd need not just hunting but exploration and dungeon clears too. With two vanguard members, it should be plenty doable.
“Intriguing.” Diorama stroked his chin as he listened, then broke into a grin. Halting two vanguard members for 24 hours meant massive losses for any company. The potential gains were always huge, regardless of outcome. But this deal was an opportunity they couldn't pass up. Black Dragon was the only one who could accurately consult on their vanguard's future.
“Very well. I'll bring them here right now.”
“Pardon?”
Diorama stood abruptly and left the conference room. As they watched in confusion, Rapina explained. “Oh, the company HQ has a whole floor turned into dorms for the vanguard. I'm not one of them, but the other two hate going out...”
Most players logged in comfortably from home. Only employees without autonomy used company RP gear. For vanguard elites, no one cared where they connected from. Who'd have thought they'd built dorms right in the building.
“They might refuse, though?”
“I doubt it. Rapina, don't those guys always listen to their rep?” Luna glanced at her friend.
As all eyes turned to her, Rapina averted her gaze slightly. “That's part of it, but both are stuck on their episodes, struggling for ages. If they hear Black Dragon's info, they'll probably accept...”
She added that it'd be fine. Even if he didn't know the details, as long as they took the deal, it was welcome.
“Hyung, let's talk outside for a sec.”
Just then, Juyeonu beckoned him out.
“I'll be right back.”
Kang Hanbit excused himself and followed Juyeonu out of the conference room. In a quiet corner of the hallway, Juyeonu fired off his question. “Shouldn't we tweak the deal a bit?”
“Why? Seems solid enough to me.”
“Using their vanguard time means more than you think. Even if you're consulting in exchange, if Bestige screws up execution, blame gets murky. No need to stir up trouble.”
Juyeonu's words carried the weight of real concern. Had he dug into past messy incidents?
“Better to just take the money and call it done?”
“Cleanest option. Consulting like that would cost a fortune anyway.”
He wanted to squeeze out as much cash as possible. Kang Hanbit got it, but his mind was made up. “Sadly, money can't buy what I want. All off-market stuff.”
“...First clears?”
“Not necessarily. Doesn't matter if it's first or not—the goal is just getting them.”
The items Kang Hanbit targeted were in hard-to-reach spots. But others might've made it through sheer luck. Even so, no change to the plan.
“Anyway, this is a golden opportunity. These were meant for way later.”
There were definitely things to grab from the Bastia side. Distance and growth timing had delayed it, but this covered some key ones. Plenty for now. Snow Drake subjugation and Whirlwind Tower loomed largest.
“If money can't buy 'em, yeah, high value.” Juyeonu grasped the picture, concerns easing. He peeked into the conference room. “How deep's the consulting gonna go?”
“They want direction, so I'll point 'em straight. I can guess their blind spots.”
“...No clue what it is, but I get your angle. I'll roll with it.”
Conversation done, they returned. Moments later, Diorama was back.
“Got 'em.”
He arrived with two men in tow. Late twenties, maybe. Sloppy clothes and hollow faces screamed “too lazy to go out.”
“Hey. Black Dragon here.”
“Yeah.”
“Hi.”
A short-haired guy gave a curt nod; the glasses guy stared at his smartphone screen and murmured quietly. No spark of interest even at the Black Dragon name.
“The attitude problem's Breaker; smartphone addict's Titan. Knuckles and greatsword mains, respectively.”
Names fitting their weapons oddly well. Attack-specialized vanguard? Perfect for Kang Hanbit's needs.
“Black Dragon, care to elaborate?”
“Sure.”
Kang Hanbit nodded and tapped the map again. To the still-disinterested pair: “You two tackle two dungeons, snag one monster drop, and find one hidden material—in 24 hours. All rewards go to me.”
“What?”
Breaker scowled hard. Even hearing the gist, taking all rewards was beyond the pale.
“So, what's this consulting look like?”
Titan asked without looking up from his phone.
The info Black Dragon offered for proxy collection—that mattered most to vanguard.
Kang Hanbit pointed north of the Bastia Federation. “攻略 for your stalled eighth episode. Plus advice on Investigation Team verification. You'll keep wandering otherwise.”
“...You can do that?”
Titan finally looked up, eyes dissecting him. A far cry from his bored phone-gazing.
“See the results. I'll help exactly as much as 24 hours warrants.”
“......”
Titan met his gaze silently, pondering briefly. But not for long.
“Rep's cool with it?”
“Of course. Opportunity like this doesn't come twice.”
“Got it.”
Titan nodded and returned to his phone. Only Breaker left.
Diorama turned to him. “You in?”
“Yeah. But if the payoff for 24 hours of grinding sucks, I do what I want, right?”
He glared fiercely. Not bad attitude, really.
“Naturally. But you two deliver my items properly.”
“No half-assing from me.”
Gaze locked, deal sealed. Diorama clapped. “All sorted. Let's make it official.”
***
“Whew. Took longer than expected.”
After three hours of talk, Kang Hanbit and Juyeonu left the room. Half was explaining what he wanted and how; the rest, Bestige's situation and consulting direction. The 1.5 billion bellmora episode攻略 wrapped with prepped docs.
“Heading out now?”
Luna and Rapina followed. Yesterday's memory flashing, Kang Hanbit asked, “How'd it go with the spirits?”
“Oh! Was gonna bring it up!”
Rapina stepped forward eagerly at the spirit talk. “First interest message popped yesterday!”
“Nice.”
“Yeah! Stayed up all night flying with Haneul, spamming magic, playing...”
She bragged about camping in the garden, skill proficiency hitting 100%. One more day might push to the next stage.
“Great. Sleep properly, test it till Snow Drake subjugation.”
“Yes!”
No fatigue in her excited voice. Must mean that much.
“And you, Luna?”
“Met a fairy-like ice spirit.”
“Huh?”
Kang Hanbit blinked. Fairy-shaped? Upper ice spirit, Freys.
“What happened?”
“Stared for hours, then vanished? I hung out a bit and left the garden.”
“...I see.”
No clue what triggered it. But an upper spirit showing up stuck in his head.
“Might need a trigger or prep. Anyway, grab the sword I left—head to Jaeha right after logging in. Edlen plaza meet?”
“See you there. Head underground?”
Following Luna, they went to the basement garage. Diorama's cars waited to dodge reporters and crowds.
“We'll drop you wherever.”
Kang Hanbit rode with Juyeonu—more to discuss.
“Drop here. Thanks.”
They got out near a subway station, a bit away. Watching the cars go, Kang Hanbit turned. “So, what's up?”
“Ah, that agency Adventure A hired. Think I can link with the boss soon.”
“Yeah?”
The 'Duksun Agency' card from Hanbit's stalker. Juyeonu had tracked the nameless boss.
“When?”
“Not in Korea now—next weekend? Money talks with him.”
Confident he'd gotten the boss's info too. Whirlwind Tower next week, but he could squeeze in time.
“Cool. Hit me if anything.”
Short chat over, they split. Subway home quick. Mom was sorting stuff in the living room.
“Move's next Thursday, right?”
“Gotta trash early.”
p>Contract signed, process flew. Landlord chat smooth, early date set.
“Just sell all this?”
“Heavy—leave it. I'll handle slow.”
“What good's a son? I'll toss.”
Kang Hanbit hauled trash and junk out. Minimal stuff anyway.
“All gone. Furniture day before?”
“Yeah. Rest's fine.”
Back inside, Mom nearly done. Heading to his room, he paused.
“Mom.”
“Yeah?”
“Quit the job? I'll keep covering living costs.”
Stream and video revenue already topped 10 billion. Post-tax, plenty for her to quit. More coming, like Bestige deal.
But Mom was firm. “Healthy body, why quit? I'm fine.”
Over six years at the gomguk joint. She wouldn't leave—prepare for old age herself.
“Think it over. I'm raking it in.”
“Love you earning big. But use it on yourself, remember? I'm thrilled with a jeonse house.”
“No, I mean...”
“I get you, son. Now go work. Okay?”
She cut him off, shoving him to his room.
“Haa.”
Sigh at her unbreakable stubbornness. Try again post-move.
Shuk—
Gear on, he lay down and logged into RP.
Ding—
Alarm hit as screen lit. Front and center: a message.
[A message from the GM has arrived.]