Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Market
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Han Gyeoul ended the broadcast] ─Smack!
"Guhk!"
"You bastard. Did you use kids as drug dealers?"
"W-What are you talking about? Kids? I've never done that."
"You fucking bastard. We all heard you used kids. Wanna die right here?"
"What the hell are you saying? All my guys are adults."
No matter how I looked at it, his face screamed innocence.
Something felt off, so I glanced at Albert, who then looked back at Jeremy.
Guess Jeremy was the one who investigated that part.
"Easterners all look young..."
─Smack!
"Kuhk! W-Why again..."
"Good call. You'd be dead if you'd crossed the line."
Rubbing the back of his head, the chief instructor slowly nodded with the most wronged expression on earth.
"Chief Instructor, you don't wanna die, right?"
Nod, nod.
"Take what you've earned so far and go live quietly somewhere remote."
"...Got it."
"If you get caught doing this shit again after you leave, it'll be for real this time."
He nodded again.
"Chief Instructor, one week. Wrap everything up and get out."
I stared at him groaning while clutching his wrist, then stood up.
"We're done here. Let's go."
Stepping outside with Albert and Jeremy, a clear blue sky and cool air welcomed us.
The air inside the office, thick with how much he'd smoked, felt worlds apart from out here.
─Click, click.
"Phew─. Want one, Albert?"
"I don't smoke."
"Really?"
I nodded and exhaled smoke, prompting Baek Seol-i to poke her head out from my pocket.
"Smells. Come out later."
"Okay!"
🛒 SHOP ⚔ [Purchased meal for Baek Seol-i] I bought food for Baek Seol-i from the shop and fed it to her. A wriggling sensation stirred inside my pocket.
"Is that magic?"
Albert, who'd been staring at me, asked after watching.
"Nah, aliens can do anything."
"..."
"Area 51 Albert..."
"No."
He cut me off quick, knowing I was teasing.
As conversation lulled and I puffed smoke, Jeremy pulled up in the black car from earlier.
─Click.
Albert opened the back door and waited.
"Albert, no need for protection. You go ahead. I'll hang out here a bit longer."
"Understood."
Talking to Albert always felt crisp—no dragging, no back questions.
Ex-military for sure.
"Miss! Coming with?"
Jeremy, window down in the passenger seat, jabbed his thumb toward the back.
They seemed total opposites, yet somehow Jeremy and Albert stuck together.
"Shut it, Jeremy. Just drive."
"Buddy, talk rough like that and girls'll hate you. Ladies love a soft guy like me. Watch and learn."
"Don't care about your girl troubles, but touch the miss and that thing on your shoulders won't last."
"Damn jerk."
Pat and Mat?
The engine roared, and they vanished from sight.
"Ugh. Haa."
Stretching felt great, loosening my stiff body.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Han Ga-eul started the broadcast] 💬 Comments — ⚔️ Chief Instructor!!!!!!! — ⚔️ Why shut it down!! "I did upload it."
— ⚔️ Yeah true — ⚔️ Hmm smart huh? — ⚔️ lolololol — Viewer What happened to the Chief Instructor? — ⚔️ Ah There's always that one clueless friend in every group.
"Not training the newbies right?"
— ⚔️ lmao so cute — ⚔️ (･`◡´･)ゝ — ⚔️ What's next? Night stream? "I just shut it down, that's all."
— ⚔️ Aha "Phew─."
While viewers chattered and I smoked, a taxi pulled up nearby and dropped off a passenger.
I stubbed out my cig and headed over.
"I'll take it."
"Sure, miss."
"Driver, my spot's close by. That okay?"
"Yep. Where to?"
"Tool mall next to the market, please."
Too far to walk, too close for a cab, but he nodded readily anyway.
— ⚔️ Why go there again? — ⚔️ Didn't you want something from there? "You guys kept talking camping, so I figured I'd check it out."
— ⚔️ Gasp — ⚔️ Please me — ⚔️ Me! Me! Me! Me! Chatting quietly with viewers, the cab stopped soon enough.
"Here you are."
"Thanks. Drive safe."
Stepping out, rows of tool shops lined the tool mall right in front.
The shabbiest sign read Comprehensive Tools.
─Ding-a-ling!
The clear bell chime greeted me like an old friend: back already?
"Hi, boss!"
"You again?"
"Yeah, here for some camping gear this time."
His face held a puzzled look.
"For that, hit up a camping specialty store for clean stuff."
"I like it here."
"Our stuff's just dusty. We stock a few hammers and generators for the occasional camper."
"That's fine."
My firm tone finally cracked a smile as he started pulling items from shelves.
I nodded at each one, so he kept going.
"Only got a 12-person tent. Pricey, so get that elsewhere."
"Nah, we'll all cram in. That one's good."
"It's not lightweight—long-stay air tent. Over a million won."
"Yep. That one."
The old shop owner shot me an incredulous look.
Nod.
"Heh, alright."
— ⚔️ Sleeping together? — ⚔️ Me please me!!!! — ⚔️ God Buddha mountain spirit please let me win "Throw in all the camping accessories too."
"...Miss, see that wall over there?"
Following his gesture, tools crammed every inch.
"Hammers, nippers, even a weed whacker."
"Yep, this is a tool shop. Barely any camping stuff."
"Still want it."
"Heh."
He shook his head but smiled faintly.
True to his word, he didn't mind folks seeking camping gear—he pulled out more.
Soon, items piled high.
"I know a guy who runs a camping shop. Got this tent from him. Mind if I grab missing stuff there?"
"Go for it."
His honesty earned my nod, returned with a grin.
"Generator?"
"Any recs?"
"Power bank for solo or family. Like a big phone charger—quiet but pricier than generators. Otherwise all pros. Most go for 'em now."
His rundown made sense: no power-hungry tools, so power bank it was.
"Power bank."
"Address here. I'll ship it."
"Sure."
I scribbled my home address and handed it back; he reached out pronto.
"Tent 1.1 mil, accessories 210k, power bank 1.84 mil. Total, miss."
Math was spot-on.
— ⚔️ Camping gear pricey af — ⚔️ Nice camping bang incoming "Thanks. Take care."
"You too. Glad I could sell ya."
Waved goodbye to the old man and stepped out.
─Ding-a-ling!
"Oh, right."
"Yeah?"
Halfway out the door, his voice called.
"Heard the story. Thanks."
"Huh? What story?"
No answer—just a wave like last time.
"Huh?"
I waved back instinctively, stepping out more confused than ever.
"What was that about?"
— ⚔️ No clue? — ⚔️ Boss is mob boss rumor spread? — ⚔️ lololol "Pfft, what nonsense."
Pondering next moves, habit kicked in—I reached for a cig, but felt warmth and softness instead.
Pulling it out: a limp glutinous rice cake.
— ⚔️ lmao baek seol-i adorable — ⚔️ Fell asleep lol Baek Seol-i, who loves warmth, perked her ears at the temp change.
"Oops, sorry for waking you."
"Slept."
"Yeah yeah. Sleep more."
But she hopped up anyway, settling on my head.
"Guess you're done sleeping."
— ⚔️ lmao cutie "Hungry. Snack run?"
— ⚔️ Go go — ⚔️ Grabs one every time here lol "Tasty ones."
Narrow alleys led right out, so I hurried along.
"Without these alleys, it'd be a huge detour."
Exiting the long alley and walking farther, delicious smells announced arrival.
"Smells make me hungrier."
— ⚔️ Gonna order chicken too — ⚔️ Boss order for us? "Chicken every day? Not sick of it?"
— ⚔️ Don't blaspheme chicken Bantering with viewers, I stopped at the first street stall.
Skewers sizzled temptingly on the grill.
"Welcome!"
— ⚔️ Looks delish — ⚔️ Street stall chicken skewers mandatory "Boss, one short green onion chicken skewer."
"Got it. Short green onion chicken. Grillin' it fresh—hold on."
— ⚔️ Why short one? "Gotta save room for more."
— ⚔️ Food expert certified Admiring his fun food names, my skewer arrived quick.
"Your megaton green onion chicken skewer."
"Pardon?"
Red saucy chicken with browned green onions skewered between landed in my hand.
Megaton fit—three times longer than short.
"Boss, I ordered short. Wrong one?"
"Whoops, been scatterbrained. My bad—on the house."
"No, I was hungry anyway. Charge for the big one."
"Haha, nah. Eat up."
"Still, the price..."
"It's fine."
I tilted my head.
"Thanks. Enjoy."
"Come again."
His friendly smile waved me off.
— ⚔️ Chicken skewer boss big heart "Yeah."
Body enhanced, appetite up— one skewer wouldn't fill me, but damn it was huge.
"Any kids nearby?"
— ⚔️ ME!!!!!!!!! — ⚔️ Me 5 min arrival — ⚔️ Me 3 min — ⚔️ Me 1 min flat plz "1-min guy, show."
— ⚔️ Shit pull that crap and hand flies off — ⚔️ 1 min kid watch dark roads Stall had plenty of tables for easy eating.
I grabbed an empty one.
"Dig in."
I bit into meat and green onion.
— ⚔️ Foodie tip: bite both together — ⚔️ Fr like w/ fishcake skewers lol Tender thigh meat melted with each chew.
Green onions added perfect crunch.
"Mmm, delicious."
— ⚔️ Starving now — ⚔️ Ga-eul eats well Tok. Tok.
Mid-skewer, Baek Seol-i tapped my head from above.
Dabbed sauce on finger and raised it; her tiny tongue lapped eagerly.
"Good?"
"Yeah!"
Sharing bites with Baek Seol-i, savoring, a shadow fell over.
"Hey, noona."
A buff guy bowed awkwardly.
"1-min cut?"
"Yes, ma'am. That's me."
"My kids are all big boys. Sturdy—nice. Stream okay?"
"Of course!"
— ⚔️ lololololol — ⚔️ I'm anchovy size ㅠㅠ — ⚔️ That's a name? ─Snap.
Bit off the stick end with teeth; meat and onions neared again.
"Here, ah─."
"Uh, uh? Ah."
— ⚔️ Fuuuuck 1min real watch roads — ⚔️ Why feed him?? — ⚔️ No hands?? — ⚔️ Mom why we live here ㅠㅠ Cradling his chin to catch sauce, fed him the skewer—he took three chunks at once.
"Good?"
"Y-Yeahr."
Mouth stuffed, sauce smeared his face.
"Mouth."
"Huh?"
Swipe.
Wiped sauce from viewer's face onto my finger and tasted.
"Tasty. Sweet sauce—nice, right?"
No reply. Looked up: viewer beet red, skewer paused.
— ⚔️ KIIIIIAAAAA!!!!! — ⚔️ Losing mind losing mind losing mind — ⚔️ Why him broth? Why him broth? — ⚔️ Mom why here ㅠㅠ — ⚔️ seethingseethingseethingseething Phone screen flew by—chat exploding.
"Kids need meds? Why group meltdown. Lagging, brats."
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