WSGCT Chapter 44

He finally resolved to buy the house.

He still wondered if this was the right decision.

Spending 20 billion won and feeling at ease would be abnormal.

He needed to constantly convince himself that he made a good purchase.

‘High-end apartments don’t usually decrease in value.’

He hoped it would appreciate instead.

He could sell it and move out later.

‘Let’s think of it as a financial investment.’

This wasn’t for Juhyeok himself.

It was for the summoned beings.

He wanted to create a comfortable space where they could rest peacefully during their time in this world.

Instead of being cramped in this narrow officetel.

The next morning.

He designated-summoned the summoned beings as usual.

“At your service! Shall we climb the 42nd floor today? I’m ready.”

“No, we did it twice yesterday, so we should rest today.”

“This is no time to rest. We must earn money. We’ll become truly house-poor.”

Somehow, Kozak seemed more anxious.

“And now that Laborer Razix has arrived, we need to make a big score.”

What’s this talk of a big score?

“I’m not going to become house-poor. I have enough money, and I’m living well right now.”

“Argh, there’s never enough money. Money is power. The more money you have, the stronger you become. And if you’re stronger, Master Bong becomes safer.”

When did this guy become so obsessed with money?

“Also, if someone sells a Characteristic Enhancement Rune, you need money to buy it.”

Oh my, Mr. Kozak.

That’s not just a few pennies.

Juhyeok had asked Jeon Kwang-il about this before.

How much for a Characteristic Enhancement Rune?

Transactions could reach tens of billions of won.

Of course, not in Korean won but in dollars.

“Come on, we can’t earn enough to buy that. Just give up. You’ll feel better.”

“Little by little, it becomes a mountain.”

Gathering small amounts of money to create a mountain of wealth?

That’s a saying from the agricultural era; nowadays, gathering dust just gets you more dust.

“I will prepare a tower climbing revenue generation project briefing.”

“Briefing? Why so formal?”

“We must plan thoroughly.”

“…”

His resolve weakened.

He had planned to take it easy.

He could still live comfortably.

But with Kozak insisting so forcefully, spittle flying,

‘Well, I should go along with it.’

Once other countries begin serious climbing in the 60s floors, dust might indeed become a mountain.

While there’s joy in spending money, there’s also joy in saving it.

“Alright. Let’s proceed. Mr. Kozak, please prepare the briefing materials. You’ll present as well.”

“Yes, sir!”

The plan was obvious.

Make money using Laborer Razix’s abilities.

So let’s sell the tower materials gathered so far.

How much could they fetch?

But not at the player shop.

The materials gathered by Razix were visibly different from tower reward materials.

Starting with the hide—whole skins peeled from each creature, and the herbs weren’t dried but fresh and vibrant.

And the quantity was enormous.

This amount would far exceed what a player shop would purchase in a month.

He needed to contact Deputy Chief Jeon Kwang-il directly to sell them.

Magic stones could be transferred normally since their market value was fixed.

Even so, today was for rest.

It was Sunday, and all civil servants were off.

Also, the second conquest took a very long time.

Razix worked hard, and it would be exploitation to overwork such a capable laborer.

Round and plump, just looking at him was heartwarming.

“Mr. Razix, let’s keep climbing the tower together for a long time.”

“Hoeng!”

“Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

“Hoeee… carrots?”

“Oh! Carrots.”

Of course.

Hamsters love carrots.

Dallae quickly ran to the refrigerator and took out carrots, cheese, and broccoli.

Crunch, crunch.

Sitting in the living room with his short legs stretched out, Razix ate the carrots Dallae had cut for him with his tiny hands.

A bundle of fortune. A true blessing.

Indeed, letting go of greed brought fortune.

LSSR Gwangma?

Who?

Was there such a person?

Yesterday was like a storm.

Full of twists and turns.

What seemed like a bust turned out to be a jackpot, and what seemed like a jackpot turned out to be a bust.

‘Gwangma was Gwang-crap.’

The more I think about it, the angrier I get.

World conquest? Kill all those in power?

I regret it.

I should have countered with logical arguments before dismissing him.

But it’s already over.

I can’t summon him again.

The characteristic of a wimp.

Usually, during debates or arguments, I often stumble, failing to refute the other person’s logic, and the discussion ends.

I have many thoughts, but I’m also poor at expressing them verbally.

What does a wimp do when he returns home after losing a debate, before going to sleep?

He starts replaying the argument.

“I would have won if I had countered that argument this way. The premise itself was flawed, and I should have pointed that out. Next time, I must refute it like this.” Then he kicks the blanket in regret.

That’s what Juhyeok is doing right now.

When Gwangma declared world conquest with his own logic.

‘Come on, does he think this world is as simple as the martial arts world? This world is much more complex than that.’

War?

Preposterous.

‘Does he think we fight crudely with swords and spears?’

Not knowing how many nuclear powers exist on Earth.

There’s even one to the north.

‘Annihilation by nuclear war would be faster than doom from tower collapse.’

No matter how crazy Gwangma is, how could he withstand nuclear weapons?

Also, could he take over a country by killing just a few people in power?

Not a chance.

‘A country unified that way would inevitably split apart.’

If there’s any possibility, it would be integration by consensus.

But even this is difficult to achieve.

‘Even economic, security, and diplomatic alliances between nations face members threatening to withdraw.’

And if somehow an Earth Federation were formed, how would they determine the central nation?

By vote?

Would that work?

It would only happen with a knife to their throats.

Perhaps agreement would be possible only when the world’s towers collapse like dominoes and extinction is imminent?

By then, who knows if it could be reversed.

But humanity has always overcome hardships and evolved.

After India’s tower collapsed first, people didn’t just stand by and watch.

There were countless attempts and efforts for unconquered upper floor climbing.

‘Thanks to that, no tower on Earth has collapsed since.’

And it will continue that way.

Wait!

How can you know a future that hasn’t arrived yet?

Enough.

I’ve brilliantly refuted him, if only in my imagination.

That feels better.

The characteristics of a wimp.

Always a mental victory.

There is no defeat.

Just erase it from memory.

Now that I’ve achieved a mental victory, let’s visit the family home.

***

In the morning, he spent time with the summoned beings, and in the afternoon, he visited his family home.

To be honest, he felt guilty.

The son was planning to buy a penthouse, while his parents lived in a “small” 40-pyeong (132 m²) apartment.

He should give them a lump sum of money later.

Though they would likely refuse.

Giving a lump sum directly would cause problems.

Even between family members, gift tax must be paid.

He should consult a legal advisor to handle tax issues cleanly before transferring the money.

Somehow, there are many expenses coming up.

After entering the house with the entrance passcode:

“Son, son! Come quickly. Hurry.”

His father urgently calling him.

Had something happened?

“What’s wrong?”

“I went fishing at the Incheon breakwater recently.”

Fishing, his father’s only hobby.

He can’t even clean the fish he catches, yet he goes often.

Recently, Juhyeok had sent him pocket money to buy a fishing rod, and it seems he couldn’t wait to use it.

“Look at this photo.”

“…Wow!”

A photo of him holding a red sea bream.

At a glance, it was over 80cm long.

“That’s huge.”

“My personal best record. Isn’t it amazing?”

“You caught this at the breakwater?”

“That’s what I’m saying. I thought my line was caught on the bottom.”

“What about the fish?”

“Your mother and I ate half as sashimi, and the rest is in the freezer.”

Could it be the Luck Talisman?

Looking at his father’s face up close, his complexion had definitely improved.

His hip joint seemed to have fully healed too.

Is this the effect of the Health Talisman?

“By the way, when did you buy the air purifier in the living room? I was actually thinking of getting one for you.”

“Oh, that? Your mother…”

Just then, his mother came out of the room.

“Why are you two talking about me? Were you badmouthing me?”

“Did you buy that air purifier, Mom? That’s an expensive one.”

“I didn’t buy it. I won it in a prize drawing at the new mart that opened nearby. In all my years, to think I’d win a prize, who would have thought?”

It’s confirmed. This is the effect of the Luck Talisman.

Father caught a huge red sea bream, and Mother won an air purifier as a prize.

What about his younger brother Minhyeok?

He was just coming out.

Seems like he’d been playing games.

The game Minhyeok mainly plays is an FPS, a first-person shooter.

“Wow! Everything I shoot hits the target. Bro, I think I’m a gaming god. Even when I just spray and pray, my kill count keeps rising.”

“Must be a bug. You’re usually bad at games.”

“Um… really?”

Is that it for him?

“Besides that, have you had any good luck lately? Any unexpected fortune?”

“Let me think, ah! I remember. Yesterday,”

“Tell me. What happened yesterday?”

“I was trying to get coffee from the vending machine at the school library, right? But I didn’t have any change.”

“And?”

“I was about to leave thinking I’d get it next time, but there was a 500 won coin right by the trash can.”

“…”

“Isn’t that amazing luck? Anyway, I enjoyed the coffee.”

Sigh, poor kid.

That’s really trivial, so trivial.

“You know about the crime of misappropriation of lost property? I might report you.”

“Oh, come on… it’s just 500 won.”

“Even small amounts can get you in trouble if you just take them.”

“Really?”

“Look it up.”

Minhyeok’s face turned pale.

“What if I go back early tomorrow and put the 500 won back in its place?”

“I don’t know about that.”

Knowing his personality, he’ll definitely put that 500 won coin back exactly where he found it.

Anyway, everyone was living well.

***

Monday morning.

Juhyeok messaged Jeon Kwang-il on his smartphone.

Asking if he had time for a visit to the Management Office now.

A sharp reply came immediately.

• I’ll send a car right away.

Juhyeok waited for the car in front of his officetel.

A moment later, screech, the vehicle arrived.

“Please get in, Player Bong.”

“Wow, you came personally.”

“A car is the perfect place for conversation, don’t you think?”

The reason Jeon Kwang-il came in person.

Meeting one-on-one in an office would attract attention.

So meeting like this was actually better.

“Player Bong, congratulations on your S++ conquest of the 41st floor.”

“Haha, it was nothing.”

“I see your meditation was effective?”

“It was very effective. Beyond my expectations.”

Thanks to that, I drew Razix.

Though Gwangma was unexpected.

“If you need, I can arrange a yoga instructor for you. She’s a young female instructor about your age, and she’s an excellent teacher.”

Oh, how burdensome.

What if we fall in love while teaching and learning yoga, and then get married, and then have children, and then find kindergartens, and send them to school, and then marry them off, and become grandparents…

Am I getting too far ahead in such a short time?

Besides, I barely even meditated properly.

What yoga?

“I don’t need yoga.”

“Hahaha, understood.”

First, let’s get to the matter at hand.

“Is there a spacious place in the Management Office? Preferably without people.”

“There is. We have a material warehouse that’s restricted access. It’s where we store magic stones and tower materials.”

That works out perfectly.

I can take them out there.

The car soon arrived at the Management Office.

After entering and going to the back of the building, there were security guards just like at the main entrance.

Probably in front of the special materials warehouse.

Jeon Kwang-il opened the driver’s window and showed his ID and face, and the barrier and iron gate rose simultaneously.

The car entered the warehouse.

Soon the iron gate and barrier closed again.

Juhyeok got out of the car with Jeon Kwang-il.

“So, what brings you here?”

“I want to sell some material items.”

“Ah!”

Jeon Kwang-il’s eyes sparkled brightly.

If Player Bong Juhyeok says he’s selling materials, they won’t be ordinary materials.

If they were, he would have gone to a player shop.

“Shall I take them out?”

“How much quantity are we talking about?”

“Not many in number, but they’re quite large.”

“Then please take them out over here.”

Just then.

Swoosh!

A massive object emerging from thin air.

Its appearance looked like… a monster?

“AAAAAH!!!”

Jeon Kwang-il screamed in terror and collapsed backward.

“Oh my, I’m sorry. I should have warned you first.”

“Uh, what?”

Jeon Kwang-il’s legs were still trembling.

Looking again, it did indeed seem to be a monster.

An enormous one at that.

But it looked familiar somehow.

A massive head with a shorter snout than an alligator, dark black bumpy skin, at a glance…

“Is, is that an Armored Basilisk? Correct?”

“Oh! You know it well.”

“I’ve only seen it in videos.”

Why is it here?

It appears limp, probably dead.

Even if it’s dead, how did a tower monster appear in reality?

To think the item he brought to sell was a monster.

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

“What? Oh, yes, yes.”

“It’s an Armored Basilisk’s whole hide. It’s just the skin, removed like a shed snake skin.”

“Aha!”

So it was a hide.

A whole hide.

That’s what it was.

No, this isn’t something to readily accept.

Even if it’s just a hide… perhaps?

“Is this an S++ grade reward?”

“…Let’s say it is.”

Only then did Jeon Kwang-il approach with a relieved expression to examine it more closely.

“I’ve never seen one this size before. It’s truly a first.”

“Can you sell it?”

“I’m not sure. Even pricing would be difficult. There’s no precedent.”

“Hmm,”

That’s true.

The leather that players receive as conquest rewards is usually just the size of a small cushion.

Gathering several pieces, you might barely make a pair of combat boots, and gathering more, perhaps one leather armor.

But a whole hide?

How many sets of armor could be made from something that size?

“I’ll take everything out. Please sell them as you see fit.”

“…Everything?”

Implying there’s more.

“There are a total of 7 Armored Basilisk whole hides, and also herbs that should probably be refrigerated.”

“…”

Juhyeok took out the whole hides and herbs from his inventory.

Magic stones as well.

Items emerging from thin air one after another.

‘What on earth….’

Jeon Kwang-il’s mouth gaped wider and wider.

For quite some time, he couldn’t close it.