Seoul Central Player Hunter Agency.
"It's a call from the Blue House!"
"Tell them to wait."
"You said that last time too!"
"Tell them to wait longer. We just saw this ourselves—what do they expect us to do?"
Im Woo-gang, head of the External Cooperation Team, furrowed his brow.
'Did I skip my prayers today?'
No.
He'd done them right after waking up.
Please, let today be another peaceful day.
But God had abandoned Im Woo-gang.
The moment he clocked in, a system message appeared before his eyes.
It set not just the Player Hunter Agency, but the entire world on fire.
"It's the Director-General on the line!"
"Tell them to wait—ah?! Don't hang up! If you cut that call, we're all dead!"
After a deep breath, he picked up the internal line.
"Yes. Im Woo-gang, External Cooperation Team leader—"
Team Leader Im Woo-gang.
"Yes, yes."
Why do you even carry a phone? You never answer anyway—just smash it.
Im Woo-gang checked his phone and closed his eyes.
Twelve missed calls from the Director-General of External Cooperation.
He'd put it on silent mode because of the calls flooding in from everywhere.
The root of the problem.
"I'm sorry."
No need to apologize—just do your job right. If we screw this up, we might all be clearing out our desks. What's the situation?
"Every Hunter Agency abroad has given the same answer. They say they're not doing anything. That it's just a new floor appearing, and they don't plan to make a fuss."
Bullshit.
"It is bullshit. In every country, mid-to-high-tier consumable items are drying up in the marketplaces. All potions—resource recovery, stat boosts, everything—and even scrolls. They're hard to find in the auction houses too. Famous brand shops pulled their stock early. Looks like they're trying to lock in bulk sales contracts."
Most of the demand is from those countries' Hunter Agencies, right?
"Yes. They're using fake names, but it's definitely the Hunter Agencies. In this short time, no other institution could move that kind of money."
Sly bastards. They're desperate to clear it first, but they act like they're not.
In this world, the number of cleared floors is a point of national pride, and the players a country holds are its military strength.
The unique floor, Lakshasha's Fortress, which the System declared had never been conquered, sent a message to the entire world.
If someone cleared it first?
It would be the perfect national advertisement.
Not to mention monopolizing the clear rewards.
Team Leader Im Woo-gang, what do you plan to do? Fight fire with fire?
Im Woo-gang took a breath and spoke.
"I think fighting fire with fire is too reckless. Even if we threw all of South Korea's GDP at it, we couldn't keep up with the other major powers."
So you're saying we just sit back? They'll sweep up everything in our country too.
"Let them. But at a price inflated several times over."
Oh? You're not sure about clearing the Tower, but you want to inflate the GDP while we're at it?
"Yes."
A heavy silence flowed from the other end.
In the time it took to swallow once.
Team Leader Im Woo-gang.
A calmer voice came through.
"Yes, Director-General."
Who gave you that sly idea? You're a bear, Im Woo-gang. That person's next to you, aren't they? Put them on.
Cold sweat ran down Im Woo-gang's back.
There was no room for excuses.
Yoon Se-won, Director-General of External Cooperation, nicknamed the Millennium Fox.
Once she caught the scent, the only option was to come clean.
"I'll hand you over."
"!?"
Jin Yun-ho, who had been sipping coffee, silently waved his hands.
Even with his thick skin, Yoon Se-won was terrifying.
He hadn't planned to step forward in the first place.
It's Team Leader Jin Yun-ho, isn't it?
Another stretch of silence.
Jin Yun-ho squeezed his eyes shut and took the phone.
"Hello, Director-General of External Cooperation. How did you know I was next to him?"
Team Leader Im Woo-gang is a bear—he doesn't listen to others easily. Except for one person: Team Leader Jin Yun-ho, whose camaraderie is rock-solid. You know it too, Jin Team Leader. Im Woo-gang trusts you absolutely. I don't like it, but that's the truth.
"I—I see."
So, tell me. Why did you give him that idea? Normally, you'd be clamoring to clear it. You'd demand we partner with other companies to pull in items immediately. This is pretty surprising.
Sweat dripped down Jin Yun-ho's forehead.
Sharp. Keen. Like he was being cut. Literally.
"Can we keep this off the record? If it gets out, other departments will raise hell—saying we made a major decision based on an outsider's advice."
Of course. Starting now.
"I got a call from Runner. He said not to respond to Lakshasha's Fortress. And if the Hunter Agency has any consumable item stock, to sell it to other countries at several times the price."
What's the basis?
"Two things. First, he said the number of consumable items won't affect clearing it. He told me those Lakshasha bastards have a revival ability beyond these consumables. Runner said that if someone can clear it, they'll do it without consumables, and if someone can't, they won't clear it even with thousands."
And the second?
"Runner said he wasn't sure about this, but that Lakshasha's Fortress might not open after 72 hours."
What? What does that mean? Is the System going to change its word?
"He said he'd contact us again about that later."
Huh... Runner isn't part of the Hunter Agency, right?
"No."
And yet, Team Leader Jin Yun-ho trusts Runner?
"Yes. That's right. Completely."
And Director Lee Chang-gi, who values you, feels the same? Oh, and don't tell me Strategy Director Han Ji-won, who supposedly switched sides, is in on it too?
"I'll take no comment on that."
Haha... You people are complete gamblers. You're going all-in on a hand that goes against the whole world? Is that a rational decision?
"Yes. I'm always rational. And going all-in on that hand is an extremely rational decision."
How can you be so sure?
"In my book, rationality is betting on a card with a 100% win rate. By the same standard, irrationality is betting anywhere else when you have that card."
Yoon Se-won's voice didn't come through.
Only the rhythmic tapping of a desk.
It's terrifying, but the fruit is too sweet to ignore.
She could barely imagine it.
The global standing of the South Korean Player Hunter Agency and External Cooperation Division if this reverse bet paid off.
Okay. Team Leader Im Woo-gang?
"Yes, Director-General!"
Let's bet on that 100% card too. But pack your bags first. If we're wrong, we're the ones taking the fall.
"Ah, understood!"
Jin Yun-ho let out a sigh and sat down.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't anxious.
But he trusted.
Runner Yoo Jin-hyuk, with his absolute win rate.
* * *
Goun-ri, Yesan County, Chungcheongnam-do.
Yoo Jin-hee and Oh Min-hee, on their way to a late start at school, stopped walking.
"What's that? Construction somewhere?"
In the distance, a convoy of over a dozen large trucks rolled in.
A rare sight in peaceful Goun-ri.
"Huh? They're coming this way?"
The truck line turned off the road and onto the path where the two stood.
The lead vehicle slowed down.
It stopped in front of Yoo Jin-hee, and the window rolled down.
"Hey, Yoo."
"Huh? What? Why are you in there?"
"You delinquent? What time is it—you're going to school now?"
"It's a late day today."
"Who made that rule?"
"The school did."
"Hello!"
"Oh? Min-hee, hey."
"Ooh! Mini, hi! Doing this."
"I didn't do that. Min-hee, is it really a late day today?"
"Yes! Every Wednesday, we can come in by noon!"
"I see."
"Why don't you believe me!"
"How can I when you lie every time you open your mouth. Oh, right."
He pulled the Cloak of the Spy Gant from his bag.
Jin-hyuk tossed it through the window.
"What's this ratty cloak—huh?! A Unique cloak?!"
Yoo Jin-hee's eyes lit up instantly.
And its unique effect was reduced presence and aggro.
A must-have option for a summoner.
"Holy crap! I'll use it well, oppa. What's the occasion?"
"Treasure it. Alright, take care. Min-hee, bye!"
"Goodbye!"
"Hold on! While you're here, give me some allowance!"
"Don't talk nonsense. It's only been how long since I gave you a million won? Bye."
The lead truck zoomed off.
Yoo Jin-hee clicked her tongue.
She'd have to settle for the cloak today.
Just as she was about to continue to school.
The sports car at the very back of the convoy stopped.
The driver's door opened.
"Uh...?"
"Uh-oh?!"
Yoo Jin-hee and Oh Min-hee's eyes went wide.
Wider than when they'd seen her brother Jin-hyuk.
The face that appeared through the open door was unmistakable.
A super-influencer everyone on Instagram knew.
"Wow! Jin Seo-hee! Unnie! I'm a huge fan! I hit like on everything you post!"
"Me too, unnie! You're so pretty!"
Jin Seo-hee smiled naturally, used to this reaction.
"Thanks. You're Jin-hyuk's little sister?"
"You know our oppa? No way! If you've got any dirt on him, shake him down! I'll take care of him for you!"
Jin Seo-hee burst out laughing.
A different style of sibling from Yoo Jin-hyuk.
"No dirt—we're close friends."
"Close...?"
"Yeah, close."
"Wow. No way."
"What are your names?"
"Yoo Jin-hee!"
"Oh Min-hee!"
"Pretty names."
Jin Seo-hee smiled.
Yoo Jin-hyuk's little sister.
Now that she'd run into her, she couldn't just leave.
"How about I buy you girls something tasty after school?"
As Jin Seo-hee pulled out her wallet, Yoo Jin-hee and Oh Min-hee looked at each other.
Jackpot.
Jin Seo-hee handed over a check and spoke casually.
"Does your oppa have a girlfriend?"
"Probably not. But he's brought girls home before. Two of them."
A mouth that opens for a five-thousand-won bill.
There's no resisting a check.
"Two?"
"Yeah! One was a ranked player unnie."
Cheon Se-yeon.
"The other was a foreigner—I don't know much. The ranked unnie was really pretty too, but that foreign unnie was... unreal."
Yoo Jin-hee shook her head, dazed as if in a dream.
Forget beauty—the vibe was insane.
She swore it was the most incredible person she'd ever seen.
"Is that so? I see."
Jin Seo-hee handed over the check.
"Thank you! I'll buy something tasty with my friend! Unnie, can I follow you on Instagram?"
"Me too!"
"Of course. Jin-hee and Min-hee, right? I'll follow back right away."
"Thank you!! Jackpot!!"
"Kyaaa!"
The two high-fived in joy.
Jin Seo-hee smiled and waved.
"Alright, get to school safe."
"Take care!"
"Goodbye!"
Jin Seo-hee got back in the car and let out a low hum.
A foreign unnie. Who could that be?
She thought for a moment, then shook her head.
No time for this.
According to Jin-hyuk, this was the money-making opportunity of a lifetime for Generos and the Yeonsang Association.
Time to go.
She couldn't miss the chance.
Vroom!!
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T/N:
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