Celestial Realm Merchant
Dang Gunak was so overjoyed that he even broke into a little dance, hopping about with delight.
It wasn't just because his hunch about the signal had proven spot-on.
Another connection had formed.
And now, the chances were high that it would stay linked from here on out.
A bond with his parallel self in another world.
One that hadn't snapped even after he'd ascended to the celestial realm.
He still didn't know the why or how of it.
Did it even matter?
The key was that it remained connected.
Anyway, faint as it was, he'd figured out the signal that came when the shared storage linked up.
He'd spotted the flash, and now...
Would Kim Taeju have seen the letter he'd sent?
The Poison Immortal Dang Gunak opened the shared storage.
And then—
"Hahaha!"
The celestial peaches and letter he'd stashed away were gone.
Kim Taeju must have read it, no doubt.
And also—
'Heh, he's sent more goods. No need for that...'
Dang Gunak swiftly emptied the shared storage.
Then he scribbled a letter on prepared paper, detailing his latest insights, and tucked it in alongside two celestial peaches.
The celestial peaches he'd wheedled from the Three Peaks Immortal numbered three in total.
He'd sent one before and saved the other two without eating them.
Now he'd sent them all, but he didn't regret a single one.
Next, Dang Gunak checked the items Kim Taeju had sent.
'A haul of liquor. Heh, jackpot.'
The celestial realm had its own booze, of course.
The Alcohol Immortal Juseon brewed it himself, selling massive jars for two celestial peaches apiece.
In truth, celestial peaches were a form of currency up here.
The old-timers hoarded anywhere from a hundred to thousands in their dwellings.
But Dang Gunak was a fresh-faced immortal, newly ascended.
Did he have any spares lying around? Hardly.
'Let's see... Macallan 18-year, Royal Salute, Valentine 30-year... all top-shelf stuff.'
Plus Rocher chocolates, Godiva, fine cheeses, sweet candies, instant coffee, and snack crackers galore.
Six bottles of premium Earth whiskey to boot.
Like the Dom Pérignon from before, these were legends from memory alone—he'd never tasted them.
Dang Gunak had sampled the Alcohol Immortal Juseon's brew once.
He'd watched another immortal sip it and begged for just a taste—one tiny sip.
It was baekju, the cheap stuff from the mortal world.
Juseon sold other varieties too—hwangju, jukyeopcheong, sohongju, you name it.
Of course, celestial brews outclassed mortal ones by miles.
But could they compare to Earth's novel spirits, tasted for the first time?
If Kim Taeju kept sending via the shared storage, it'd all be firsts for him.
Something was sparkling, though.
He'd overlooked it in his haste to unload—
"Oh? ...Aha!"
A wristwatch.
From Kim Taeju's memories, a luxury Rolex.
"To think I'd lay eyes on one myself."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Dang Gunak slipped the golden timepiece onto his wrist.
Perfect fit.
He held it to his ear and listened.
Tick, tick, tick...
The steady rhythm of the second hand.
'Hmm, splendid. I like it.'
No need to set the time.
What use was knowing the hour in this endless celestial boredom?
Wearing it for style was plenty.
'Or maybe sync it now and then?'
What a blessed life.
He'd conquered all there was in the martial world, ascended, and now indulged in luxuries from another world called Earth.
Suddenly!
Celestials began gathering around Dang Gunak, sidling up curiously.
His earlier whoop of joy had drawn them—wondering what the fuss was about.
Dang Gunak quickly rolled up his left sleeve to flaunt the watch.
Then he casually propped his left knee and rested his hand atop it.
'Come on, you backward immortals. Frogs in a well, blind to the cosmos. Taste Earth's wonders.'
Impossible to miss.
His wrist thrust out like a trophy, golden watch gleaming.
A nearby Wind Cloud Immortal spoke up.
"Hey, Dokseon."
"Hm? What's the matter?"
"That gold chain on your wrist—is it a talisman? What does it do?"
"Ah! This?"
Dang Gunak flicked his hand upward with flair, showing off the watch.
The immortals flinched at how cool it looked.
"A talisman? You could call it that. It tells the time, more or less."
"Time?"
"When the second hand circles once, the long hand moves a notch. When the long hand completes its circle, the short hand shifts a bit—marking half a shijin by our reckoning."
Half a shijin was an Earth hour.
The immortals gasped in awe.
"Ho!"
"What a marvel."
"It tells time."
"And it shines. Gold-plated?"
"Where'd you get it?"
"Exquisitely crafted at a glance."
Their eyes glued to his wrist.
Tick, tick, tick.
The second hand marched on, unerring.
One full lap, and the minute hand ticked precisely forward.
They clustered around, staring at his wrist in rapt silence.
Not a hint of boredom.
For a full hour, no less.
"Long hand full circle—half a shijin, spot on."
"Impeccable."
"I peered through with my X-ray vision."
"What? What's inside?"
"Over a hundred tiny gears and parts, meshed perfectly. The king of talismans."
Flattered by their praise, Dang Gunak puffed up.
Before long—
"...Dokseon."
"Yes, Cloud Spirit Immortal?"
"Sell it to me? Twenty celestial peaches?"
Dang Gunak snorted a laugh.
"Twenty? Far too stingy."
Bargaining erupted.
"Thirty?"
"I'll do forty."
"Fifty."
"Make it a hundred."
But Dang Gunak shook his head firmly.
"Not for sale. Never!"
Regret flickered across their faces.
What could they do? No sale was no sale.
"But I do have things for sale."
Dang Gunak pointed to the premium liquors on the ground.
"What's this?"
"Liquor. Special stuff. Three peaches per bottle. Only four available."
A fair price.
Last time, he'd gouged Three Peaks Immortal three peaches for a sip of Dom Pérignon and a scrap of Spam—because the jerk deserved it.
Too high, and nothing sells.
A price immortals could stomach.
But they looked unimpressed.
Juseon sold jars for two peaches.
Who'd pay three for that puny bottle?
"It's not just the booze—you get the bottle too. Gorgeous, isn't it? Nothing like a gourd or pottery..."
Suddenly!
"Dokseon, do you truly claim this bottle merits three celestial peaches?"
The Alcohol Immortal Juseon had arrived.
A master brewer, but above all, a booze lover.
Dang Gunak had been waiting.
Nothing kickstarts sales like a shill.
"Hm. Try a sip first. Like it? Three peaches and it's yours. Not? Walk away, no hard feelings."
Juseon's brow twitched.
A challenge to him.
'Daring to come at me with liquor?'
He'd bite.
"Plenty of varieties. Pick one, Dokseon."
"How about this? Valentine—thirty years aged. You'll love it."
"Valen... Ahem. Let's taste."
Juseon held no expectations.
'Mere thirty-year swill...'
Dang Gunak uncapped the Valentine slowly.
As if on cue, Juseon proffered a cup.
Glug, glug.
Golden liquid filled the cup.
Juseon inhaled the aroma first.
'Unique bouquet.'
One he'd never smelled.
Then a sip.
'Hmm.'
Eyes closed, another.
'Ahh.'
Cup empty before he knew it.
Immortals watched his lips with bated breath.
At last—
"Excellent. You can taste the brewer's devotion. And novelty scores points. Never had its like in mortal or celestial realms."
Dang Gunak grinned.
"Try this too."
He peeled a Rocher chocolate and handed it over; Juseon popped it in.
Crunch, crunch.
Eyes flew wide.
A lethal sweetness that rang his skull like a bell.
"Th-this for sale too?"
"One peach."
"Forget that—I'll take all four bottles. No, everything here!"
But Juseon's grab failed.
"Hey, Juseon! Hogging it all?"
"Mine! Wait here. Fetching three peaches."
"This one's taken."
Chaos!
Immortals scattered, then swarmed back.
"One bottle, quick."
"Here..."
"How much for this?"
"Two peaches, take it."
"This too."
"One peach."
Dang Gunak beamed, satisfied.
Selling like hotcakes.
Business was fun.
Time to hustle.
To keep the peaches flowing to Kim Taeju.
Igor Baranov was likely the most successful Slavic subject of the empire.
He'd started with a humble tavern.
Luck favored him.
His natural charm and service savvy turned it into a smash hit, expanding into a sprawling nightlife empire.
Igor didn't stop.
Reinvesting nightlife profits, he launched a new venture.
A members-only social club.
Thus, Leaders Club was born.
Luck aside, Igor had talent.
Recruiting initial members, he targeted high officials, celebs, generals, imperial aides—signing them up gratis.
No fees for the VIP bait.
Gifts on every visit sealed the deal.
Word spread; newcomers flocked.
Chance to rub elbows with untouchables? In one club?
Businessfolk craved connections and favors; Igor vetted rigorously, inviting only those with star potential.
The club boomed daily.
Leaders became the Samhan Empire's premier social hub.
But his hard-won rep nearly crumbled overnight.
Leaders Club owner Igor Baranov received manager Jo Miyoung's report on the fifth prince matter.
"Sorry. My judgment call."
"No, you followed protocol. We just missed the intel."
He hadn't imagined it.
Taehong Bio chairman Kim Taeju and the fifth prince so close?
They'd re-investigated.
Using members with palace ties and intel networks, they'd confirmed the prince's role in the Jirisan beast subjugation.
Post-op events remained murky.
One thing clear: Kim Taeju treated him like a lifesaver.
"What now?"
"About?"
"Re-grading Kim Taeju."
"Didn't the prince hint? Use it."
"Ah! So..."
"Diamond plaque."
Fit for a prince.
Now the prince owed Leaders Club.
And Kim Taeju was no nobody.
Beyond intel, he'd underestimated the man's potential—time to own that.
"Dispatch staff to Gurye."
"Yes."
"Quietly. Who is he? What can he do?"
Time to find out.
Lately, Son Donguk, examiner at New Seoul Patent Office's Pharmaceutical Review Division, couldn't focus amid creeping dread.
Mirinae Pharma's sudden shift unnerved him.
No contact.
They'd tasked him—pay up or give next orders.
He'd even called deputy director Jeon Juhak on the sly.
Answer: company trouble; lay low.
Jeon Juhak's shaky voice hinted at crisis, but what was he supposed to do?
Taehong Bio would bring patent docs today.
He'd rejected before.
Incomplete docs. Missing this, that—refile.
Third time today.
Reject again? Or review?
'One more bounce.'
No orders? Proceed to review.
Just enough to match his bribe.
Real review later—then the real offers: fail it, delay.
Jack up the price then.
Suddenly!
In strode Taehong Bio CEO Baek Seoyeonn, New Seoul branch manager Choi Dongil, and another staffer, arms full of files.
"Hello? Filing for review. Third time's the charm."
Son Donguk scowled fiercely.
"Yes, yes, back again. Got the docs I specified?"
"No need, apparently. Word is, it's post-review, after approval."
"Ha! You lot..."
He scoffed.
"I decide necessities. Think bureaucrats are jokes? Get out. While I'm here, no review."
"Odd. I was told these docs are perfect."
"Real clown show. Who said?"
The man behind Baek Seoyeonn stepped forward.
"I did."
"Who're you?"
"Imperial Audit Bureau Special Investigations Division Chief Pyoseongtae."
"Eh? ...What? Who?"
"Here's my card. By His Majesty's authority, we commence special audit of the Patent Office."
"N-no, misunderstanding... w-wait."
Chief Pyoseongtae dialed his smartphone.
"All in!"
Imperial police and auditors stormed the office.
Son Donguk's face drained white.
End of Celestial Realm Merchant