I Gain Infinite Gold Just By Waiting-Chapter 226: Episode 47_Explosive Growth (1)

1.

Sometimes, Kim Buja thought to himself, ’I swear I have this tendency where, whenever I think Please, anything but this, that’s exactly what happens.’

It had been that way when his enhancement boomed on a 1% destruction chance, and it was that way now. Whenever he imagined the worst-case scenario, it felt like that exact scenario was bound to happen at least once.

He knew it was just luck. He had those thoughts all the time, and most of the time, nothing actually happened. Even so, when something he desperately wanted to avoid happened in a situation like this, it didn’t feel great.

[You have used 200P.]

The entrance fee alone was a whopping 200 points. Considering he had only paid 10 points to visit the old man last time, he had deliberately chosen this place because it was clearly different.

Perhaps because the entrance fee was so high, the interior was much larger and more spacious than the point dungeon he had visited before. It was gorgeous and beautiful, and while it was still a large island, it was on a completely different level from the last place, which had been nothing but a single island with a lone palm tree.

A massive palace stood before him, with players going in and out. There were still plenty of players who were short on points loitering around the island, but the difference now was that far more of them were confidently walking into the palace, which clearly sold point items.

’Time really has passed.’

Back in his day, all you saw were players drooling, just watching and hoping for some scraps to fall their way.

Feeling reassured and a little impressed, he stepped into the palace—only for several beautiful women to approach him.

“Welcome.”

“Ah, yes.”

He instinctively took a step back at the welcome from the nearly-naked beauties of various races. Even if there was no need to feel burdened by their over-the-top hospitality, having so many brightly colored bodies suddenly fill his vision was not something he could easily accept without any mental preparation.

’This really is a great point dungeon,’ he thought, freshly impressed by the value of 200 points. ’To treat a customer like this when they might not even buy anything.’

As he turned his head, he noticed envious, jealous looks being thrown his way and tilted his head.

’What is this?’

The feeling was unfamiliar, yet somehow familiar. They were the eyes of people wondering how someone could possibly be getting that kind of treatment, mixed with envy.

Was this really that big of a deal?

It could be. This level of hospitality was something you would only get in real life, or in a dungeon shop, if you were at least a VVIP.

But then why did this unfamiliar feeling also feel so familiar? The reason came from above.

“Well, well, you finally came.”

A familiar voice.

When he looked up, he saw an old man sitting in the seat of honor at the very top of the fifth floor, waving down at him through the palace’s open central atrium.

Kim Buja was too stunned to speak.

’Why the hell is that old man up there?’

The old man answered his unspoken question himself.

“He’s my VIP customer. Treat him with the utmost care. You all have jobs thanks to that brat.”

“Yes, please come this way.”

Only one thing came to mind.

’Gnawing Soul.’

The gold he had spent to unlock “Soul Unleash” from that. And the points he had used to activate “Gnawing Soul.”

He had no reason to be upset. He still didn’t know how the old man had figured out his class and given him the item, but thanks to that, he had gained a lot and grown stronger. It was just the discomfort of being known by someone he didn’t know. That was all.

So, feeling vaguely uneasy, he followed the women.

There were many items on display in the ancient-style palace, and an elevator that looked completely out of place. He took the elevator that was off-limits to regular players and went straight up to the fifth floor to meet the old man.

A terrace with a full view of the palace interior. Food and drinks were laid out, along with several attendants. They were called attendants, but in reality, they looked like women hired to satisfy the old man’s tastes and boost sales. They were almost naked, and you would think they would feel embarrassed in a place where so many players came and went, but they showed no such sign as they poured drinks at his side, which made it clear they were not ordinary races.

He wasn’t stupid enough to start lecturing the old man about Earth’s culture, so he sat down comfortably. He hadn’t wanted to meet him, but now that he had, he had a lot of questions.

“You built all of this just from the gold and points I spent?”

If he did the math, it was a lot. He had started with level 6 unlocks, then used level 3 and 4 unlocks like water, and in his recent fight with the Ice Lord, he had even used level 7 unlocks. Roughly speaking, he must have spent over 200,000 gold. In points, that was 20,000—about twice what he currently had. Looked at that way, there probably wasn’t a single player who could compare, other than Fly.

But even if it was a lot, was this really possible? Just on the first floor, the prices of the items he had glanced at on his way up had been jaw-dropping. Considering the items got more expensive with each floor, his spending might not even come close.

“Heh heh.”

At the old man’s bold question, which was essentially a request for trade secrets, the old man stroked his beard and answered without hesitation.

“Of course not. But it was more than enough to get ahead of the others.”

Kim Buja said nothing.

What came out of his mouth was far less impressive than the information Kim Buja had been hoping for about the old man’s race or whoever ran the point dungeons.

“I used the points I earned early on to upgrade the island, then encouraged more players to come in and took out loans to expand. After that, it wasn’t hard. Heh heh.”

He’d thought the old man was some transcendent being, but it turned out he was just another merchant from a different race, running a business off of humans. It was surprisingly mundane. He didn’t feel contempt or anything like that, but it was unexpected.

And his slumped shoulders straightened.

“That’s a relief.”

Back then, he had agonized over the old man’s mysterious aura and overwhelming strength, wondering what his real intentions were in giving him “Gnawing Soul.” Now that he knew the old man had gotten his own benefits out of it, he felt relieved.

“Then we’re even, right?”

“In a manner of speaking. Heh heh. As a special VIP perk, I’ll even give you a 20% discount at my shop.”

At the old man’s casual declaration, the women who were both his staff and his attendants clapped in surprise. That meant he had never been that generous before.

In reality, a 20% discount wasn’t just good; it was such a huge benefit that even Kim Buja felt he should thank him. And it wasn’t just a one-time thing; he clearly meant it as a permanent perk. Small amounts wouldn’t matter, but once you got into the thousands and tens of thousands, the leftover points would be enormous. And he had come here to spend 10,000 points.

He was pleased on the inside, but you never just accept the first offer in a negotiation.

“Since you’re already being generous, make it 50%.”

“Huh?”

He tossed it out there casually, with a sly grin, as he downed a drink.

The old man let out a disbelieving chuckle, unable to finish his laugh. The request was that unexpected and ridiculous.

“Listen to this brat.”

Even to Kim Buja, it was an absurd proposal. No, it went beyond a proposal; it was so far over the line that calling it a joke felt generous. You could almost say you would have to completely look down on the other person to say something like that.

But the old man just smirked.

“You cheeky brat. Fine. Thirty percent.”

He had seen in Kim Buja’s eyes that, while he was joking, he was also serious. This was how compromise and negotiation always worked. As a merchant, he knew that better than anyone, so he willingly conceded.

Even then, he didn’t get a thank-you.

“Make it 50%. Since you’re already in a generous mood.”

“You little punk!”

Instead, he got a response that trampled all over his goodwill.

Even then, the old man didn’t get angry. That was how big Kim Buja’s contribution was. Big enough that he could tolerate this level of banter. After all, he could just refuse. There was no “superior” or “subordinate” here. They were simply business partners, and one side was showing the other a bit of heartfelt goodwill.

Seeing that, Kim Buja pressed on. If the old man had gotten angry, he would have backed off.

“You really are a perfect businessman. When I first saw you, I honestly thought you were some kind of immortal sage.”

“Heh heh. I only played the sage because I had nothing to sell.”

Because he wasn’t, Kim Buja could finally make his real proposal.

“Don’t do it out of goodwill. Give me a 50% discount as a business arrangement.”

The old man fell silent.

On the third try, the old man finally looked him over with a serious expression. He had realized why the kid had been so stubborn.

“Oh-ho. You do realize you’re not my only VIP, right?”

“Of course. But that guy is closer to me than to you.”

“Money over friendship.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have let it slip that you’re just an old man who only cares about money. You’d be pretty uncomfortable if people started going to other point dungeons, wouldn’t you?”

He knew threats wouldn’t work. Even so, he smiled as he spoke, to show he had no intention of actually doing that.

“Let’s not waste time fighting each other. If you give me that discount, I’ll bring you enough business to make it worth your while. I don’t know how much you know about the situation outside, but I have a way to funnel pretty much every big spender straight here.”

“Oh-ho.”

Of course, dragging things out wasn’t good. Just talking wasn’t enough to build a good business relationship.

He had to show him. He had to show him a plan that made it worth his while to go along.

When he laid out his idea, the old man’s interest was piqued. He might have built a palace and strutted around like a king, but it still wasn’t enough. At least on Earth, points were only just starting to circulate. If it became easier for more players to earn points, and more of them started doing so, the old man’s monopoly might vanish before he knew it.

So he couldn’t help but be tempted.

“How?”

“Negotiations first.”

“Very well. Heh heh. To think I’d end up doing business with a human. You really are an amusing one.”

Having successfully steered the suffocating negotiation, Kim Buja grinned.

“It’s simple.”

Then he turned to the dark elf sitting beside him.

“Could you make me some small paper tickets?”

The dark elf nodded and disappeared, then soon returned with exactly what he had asked for. They were white tickets, about the width of two fingers, and for now, they looked more like scraps of paper than anything else.

“Make these look like gold and print one line on them.”

“Heh heh.”

The old man more or less figured out what he was trying to do and looked intrigued.

“And then?”

“Sell them. At the entrance on the first floor. In the most visible spot. People will go absolutely nuts for them.”

He spoke as if he were doing the old man a favor.

“Three thousand points per ticket. Just write One-Year Unlimited Pass to the Ice Castle on them and sell away.”