Chapter 13
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: The New Landlord
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“Kyaaahhh!”
Ye-jin bolted out of the pantry like a madwoman.
“……Do I look like a cockroach to you?”
She had stared at me with exactly those eyes.
“Haha! She must’ve been shocked that you’re becoming the building owner, hyung.”
Jin-seong laughed as he placed the pot back on the shelf.
“Young man.”
“Yes?”
“Take good care of them. Everyone here is kind-hearted. Sure, things might feel a bit tight right now, but life isn’t over just because of a setback. If you’re healthy, what can’t you do? This is just a short break.”
A building worth 550 million won—originally priced at 700 million—was about to fall into my hands.
I was stunned too. Over the past two weeks, all I’d done was write like a maniac, and by the 15th of next month, sales would dwarf today’s figures.
And there were still 12 days left.
Until the 27th…….
Ten chapters a day.
“I brought these over just in case, but I never thought you’d actually need them.”
The Saintly Lady handed me a binder. It was a kind of ledger.
“This is the monthly rent ledger for all 28 rooms. And this is the building registry. Take a look.”
Monthly rent: 200,000 won.
“Please don’t raise the rent for a while, at least. These folks would miss even a single 10,000-won note.”
Excluding me, that came to 5.4 million won a month in rent. It might seem like enough to live off forever without working, but there were bank loans, electricity, water, city gas, and all sorts of other expenses.
The Saintly Lady had meticulously listed them all out.
“That leaves…… about 1.9 million won a month.”
“Take out your share, and it’ll be 1.7 million going forward.”
Factor in property taxes, health insurance premiums, and other levies, and there was barely anything left.
“It might not seem like much, but the ramen and rice add up…… I can’t ask you to keep covering those too……”
I took the Saintly Lady’s hand.
“I’ll handle it. I’ll earn the money.”
“Young man……”
“I’ll keep eating here too.”
When I first arrived, seeing that rice and ramen had moved me to tears. This was someone’s lifeline, the pillar holding up their day.
“Steel yourself. If anyone drinks and causes trouble, kick them out without mercy! Harass the women, and kick ’em where it hurts!”
With that, she handed me a business card.
“My son’s a lawyer! Mention I gave you this, and he’ll take good care of you.”
“Thank you.”
This new life felt truly blessed. Surrounded by such good people—what more could I want?
No. Don’t get complacent. That Team Leader bastard—I’ll never forgive him.
Gratitude is gratitude. Revenge is revenge. Repay kindness with kindness, and crush the wicked. The Saintly Lady approved.
Ten years’ worth—that’s exactly 3,650 kicks. If he survives, I’ll let him live.
Jin-seong grinned.
“Don’t worry! I’ve got your back! The search is already done! Haha!”
Was it relief? She smiled more warmly than she had ten minutes ago, looking a full decade younger.
April 27th.
The second settlement figure glowed on my monitor. I wouldn’t get the money until the 15th next month, but I’d hit the target.
102,526,010 won
I’d cleared over 100 million won. Not gross sales—pure profit for me.
That’s it. Mission accomplished.
Kunlun Return and Infinite Reincarnation were still dominating the morning and afternoon charts, and readership only grew with time.
At this rate, next month would bring even more readers.
—So we’re thinking of starting external distribution soon. Honestly, I’d love a few months of exclusivity, but since you trust us, we want to do what’s best for you.
I was on the phone with Manager Kim.
“How much would external distribution boost revenue?”
—It varies case by case, but our platform has loyal readers everywhere. They stick to one site, so exposing you to all of them? If you keep up the pace, expect at least a 30% increase.
A 30% jump from here? By the time I finish, I’d have paid off the building and then some.
“Please do it.”
—Got it. We’ll start external distribution at the end of next month. Keep serializing, but health first! You know that, right?
I hung up and headed to the pantry.
“……”
A familiar face was there.
“H-Hellooooo……”
How do you even describe that expression?
Ye-jin bowed to me, her face flushing red. She did this every time we crossed paths lately. Was this the aura of a building owner?
“Oh, good morning.”
Kunlun Return was approaching its two-month mark. Most authors would be around episode 60, but thanks to the building acquisition push, I was nearing 200 already.
I’d planned for just three chapters a day across both novels—six total—but every one I wrote turned to cash, and I got hooked.
“Um……”
“Yeah?”
“N-No, nothing.”
Ye-jin scurried off like a squirrel. I tilted my head, puzzled, when Jin-seong walked in.
“She’s been in and out of the pantry nonstop. Never used to come here much.”
“Really?”
This goshiwon housed 21 men—including me—and 7 women.
Most were barely around, just crashing for sleep, so I only recognized a few. But Jin-seong knew everyone.
“Hyung, there’s that storage room on the third floor, right? Where all the junk’s piled up.”
It was full of old beds, chairs, and the like.
“Yeah, why?”
Jin-seong had been scouting the building with my permission as the new owner.
“How about turning it into a CCTV monitoring room? Nothing usable in there anyway—might as well toss it all.”
“We already have CCTV?”
I had no idea.
“Nope.”
“……”
“We gotta install some! It’s your building now! Can’t keep living in fear forever! Time to embrace civilization!”
“Catching spies?”
“……Not just that, but……”
So it was partly that?
“Fine.”
“Huh?”
“I said fine. Once the money hits next month, we’ll look into it.”
“Whoa! For real?”
Not for spies. For my safety.
“C-Could I handle building security then?”
“……Anything suspicious going on?”
“By the time war breaks out, it’ll be too late! Gotta watch it every day!”
No wars for the next ten years.
“As your bodyguard, hyung, I wanna eliminate all blind spots!”
“Do whatever.”
“Hahaha! Thanks! I’ll make it solid!”
I had no clue what exactly he’d make solid, but Jin-seong made me feel secure.
“Um……”
We both flinched.
Turning sharply, we saw the voice’s source.
You’re still here?
“I-Is there anything I can help with too?”
Ye-jin asked, looking embarrassed.
Did the food go bad? What did she eat to act like this? Even without the Saintly Lady, Jin-seong wasn’t one to skimp on meals.
“I-I’ve got computer certs. And I’m good with accounting. Cleaning too!”
“You’ve got civil service exams to prep for. Where’s the time for cleaning?”
“It’s exercise! Exercise!”
Fair point. Holing up in a tiny room daily was tough. I’d endured ten years, but most wouldn’t last a week.
“Hmm. Hang on.”
I fetched the ledger from my room.
“Wanna handle this?”
It was a handover, but the Saintly Lady’s health meant she’d rushed it. Starting next month, I’d be collecting rent myself.
“Me? But it’s money stuff……”
People paid promptly, and I’d be grateful. Folks scraping by with 190,000 won, promising an extra 10,000 tomorrow, or pretending not to be home—knowing their stories just made collecting feel guiltier.
“I barely have time to write as is. Help out, and I won’t charge you rent anymore.”
One more chapter beat chasing payments.
“Y-Yes! Writers should write! Write!”
Ye-jin’s eyes glazed over. Why was she panting?
I mixed some instant coffee and told them,
“You’re on. I’ve got deadlines. See you at dinner.”
“Good luck, hyung!”
“Take caaaare!”
Hmm. Better check if the food’s gone off later.
Thump, thump, thump!
Her heart wouldn’t calm down.
The greatest living author—and Happiness Goshiwon’s new owner, right downstairs!
He’d bought the whole place to shelter the homeless.
And she knew exactly where that money came from.
All this from his grueling work…….
Sitting in her room, she wiped tears while reading Kunlun Return. The ledger he’d given her sat on the desk.
Handle it.
So casual, yet so author-like—not a word wasted.
Whew, now I’m closer to him.
No fever like this had ever gripped her. Not love. Reverence as a reader, faith born from witnessing his dedication.
I’ll live doing what I love.
Today, too, she monitored his novels’ comments.
Ha, this author’s raking it in!
Sold out for cash. How many chapters a day is this guy pumping out?
Bet he’s living in a Han River penthouse by now.
“No way! You bastards!”
The Han was barely visible, but still…….
“Argh! So annoying! Don’t you know how hard he works?!”
Trolls were everywhere. Jealous rival authors, or just twisted folks who hated seeing others succeed.
“Hmph……”
She flinched at her own sudden roar. Luckily, it was daytime—neighbors were at work, rooms empty.
“Gotta filter these hate comments. How do I tell him? New readers might get turned off.”
Since learning his identity, her heart burned with adoration.
Repenting past insults like “newbie,” “demon,” “game addict,” she blazed brighter.
Platform’s #1 in sales! Clean up your own trash!
Her gut boiled, but there was little she could do alone.
Arms crossed, glaring at the hate, a sudden idea struck her.
“If alone won’t work……”
She created a cafe and flew across the keyboard.
Computers were child’s play for her. Simple designs? No sweat. Her martial arts knowledge? Encyclopedic.
Thus, she frequented wuxia communities.
“We’ll do it together.”
Just typing his pen name made her heart race. An author who crafted even pseudonyms with care—how cool was that!
This is just the beginning.
Even if he never noticed, her fandom had set sail across the vast internet sea.
—You’re Memento Mori, right?
A voice I didn’t recognize.
“Who’s this?”
—First time calling. Yoon Sang-seop, Executive Director at Platform.
“Ah, okay.”
Manager Kim’s boss—figures he’d have my info.
“What’s up?”
I’d planned to deal only with Manager Kim, so this uninvited guest soured my mood.
—Got a great offer, so I called myself. What do you think of webtoons?
What’s to think? It’s a meat grinder for creators.
—Someone wants to adapt your work into a webtoon. Top-notch team—if you greenlight it, we can start right away!
Webtoon, huh.
Come to think of it…….
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Thanks for the offer, but no thanks.”
—Pardon? A webtoon would skyrocket your novel sales—
I know, I know. But why hand it to someone else?
I can make it myself.