World's Strongest Survivor-Chapter 65

Making Money

Riding the Haabusa and slicing through the wind in the night streets, Seowoon was struck by the strange sensation that he was finally back in reality.

Kichan brought the bike to a stop in a quiet neighborhood on the west side of Incheon.

"This the place?"

"Yeah. Come on in, hyung."

The office tucked into the corner of a small commercial building was surprisingly spacious, but it looked more like a storage unit than a real office, with two desks and stacks of inventory crammed into every corner.

Amidst the cluttered space packed with bags of supplies, an oddly high-end coffee machine stood out—something you'd expect in a major franchise café.

Kichan, moving as if it were second nature, brewed a shot from the machine and handed the coffee to Seowoon.

"You really went all out."

"It's for employee welfare. Saves on coffee costs and scores some points. Honestly, even working here just a few days is enough for employees to figure out this company isn't exactly normal. So, it's better to treat them well from the start."

Seowoon took a sip of the coffee and finally spoke.

"So from now on, you're handling everything?"

As he spoke, Seowoon began pulling items out of the spatial ring on his finger, which had recently leveled up.

A broken obsidian chestplate, Sky Enhancement Stones, mana jewelry, soul crystals, purification crystals, and Desert Stones—he laid them all out, and Kichan nodded.

"I brought the same stuff as you. Just those two Sky Enhancement Stones alone are worth 10 billion won. It's honestly too much for a small business to handle. We'd be better off setting up a new corporation. If we split the startup costs, the burden's cut in half, and we both benefit."

Ten billion won. Even hearing that kind of money, something usually only seen in movies or the news, Seowoon couldn't quite grasp it.

"So if we cash all this out, how much are we looking at?"

"Figure 5 billion for the enhancement stones, 200 million for the chestplate, and at least 100 million for the jewelry, crystals, and stones combined. That's about 5.3 billion won. After fees and incorporation costs... we should still each walk away with over 3 billion."

"Three billion, huh."

Even with the heavy transaction fees and taxes, it was still an unbelievable amount of money—especially for Seowoon, who didn't even have ten million to his name.

He just couldn't wrap his head around suddenly having three billion won.

Honestly, he felt a bigger sense of accomplishment when he'd first decided to sell Ascro's necklace.

"Still doesn't feel real, does it?"

"Not really. I mean... three billion..."

"It's a lot of money. Live frugally and you'll never have to worry about finances again. But you'll be surprised how fast you get used to money."

"Is that so?"

"Yup. You'll see soon enough."

Seowoon nodded at the younger Kichan, who spoke with the confidence of a seasoned businessman, despite being just a high schooler.

"Anyway, let's see it."

"Ah!"

Kichan swept the items Seowoon had laid out into his spatial inventory, then took out two items.

Kutrafa's Treasure Map and the Skillbook: Mimicry.

"I get the treasure map, but I could've held on to the skillbook."

"I hit Top 1 thanks to you. This is the least I can do. You even gave me that staff at a discount."

As he finished speaking, Kichan placed his hand on Kutrafa's treasure map. A shimmering magical lock shattered, and faded images and Hangul text began to emerge on the old parchment.

"A map to the treasure hidden by Kutrafa, the emperor who unified the continent. It reveals the path to the treasure imbued with his wisdom."

Kichan's eyes lit up as he examined the not-so-detailed map and inscription.

"First time unlocking a locked item... so this is how it works. Makes sense why it was locked."

He snapped a photo with his phone and held it out for Seowoon to see.

"Easy to duplicate, huh? But why is there such a price difference compared to the Sword Treasure?"

"Because Cloyd doesn't place much value on items unrelated to player strength."

"You think they don't consider it tied to survival?"

Seowoon nodded.

"You know we can't share this info on any forums, right?"

"Of course. Now that I'm a fixed player, I plan to stay off community boards as much as possible anyway. Fixed players tend to hoard info. Probably see everyone as potential competition."

"Then that just leaves this. You're sure I can have it?"

"Thanks to you, I've racked up over 100 coins. Gotta pay my fare."

"Then I'll take it, gratefully."

[Skillbook: Would you like to learn Mimicry?]

When Seowoon pressed the 'O' button, knowledge of the skill didn't just enter his mind—its full description appeared in front of him.

[Skill: Eye of Observation activated. When you observe someone, you gain detailed insights. Once observation reaches 100%, you can transform into that person for 5 minutes. If the target is of the opposite sex, the duration is halved to 2 minutes 30 seconds. Genitals do not transform in gender-switching mimicry. Once transformed, you cannot mimic the same person again for 3 days.]

"...That's odd."

"Huh? What is?"

"Nothing."

He didn't explain further.

He had never considered transforming into the opposite sex before, but now, with penalties laid out so explicitly, the idea made him feel... strange.

Afterward, the two talked about future plans for about an hour, then Seowoon returned home and collapsed into bed, falling asleep immediately.

The day had been so long and exhausting that even his internal energy was quiet.

-Honk!

A blaring car horn startled Seowoon awake. He sprang upright in bed, his eyes sharp, automatically taking a defensive stance as if bracing for battle.

It looked ridiculous—doing an iron-body stance on a mattress—but Seowoon's instincts were still razor-sharp, freshly honed from his time in Cloyd.

"...Ah."

He relaxed his arms, realizing how jumpy he was.

But Hamit didn't miss the moment—and started talking.

"The master sure makes a fuss even just waking up."

Just when Seowoon was feeling glad that he was alone in his embarrassment, Hamit made his presence known, doubling the shame.

"..."

His face flushed hot, but he pretended to be calm and lay back down on the bed—right as the phone rang.

"Huh? What's going on this early in the morning?"

"The Enhancement Stones were sold. Not through the broker, though—the buyer wants to meet the seller directly and is offering to pay in full for both. Should I turn it down?"

It hadn't even been seven hours since Seowoon had handed the items to Kichan and returned home.

"Do items usually sell this fast?"

"It varies case by case, but this is definitely unusually quick."

The condition of meeting the seller directly gave him a bad feeling.

Especially since, in real-world time, he'd gotten tangled with some shady people just a day ago. It made him even more uneasy.

"There's no reason to rush and sell if it means taking a risk, right? I really don't want to get involved with other 'gifted' people in real life anymore."

"Then I'll decline. But since the broker arranged the deal, they won't allow anything sketchy. It's the biggest broker out there—no player would want to make an enemy of them."

Those words gave him pause.

"Really? But is it common for buyers to want to meet sellers directly? I thought the whole point of using a broker was to protect anonymity."

"It happens sometimes. For high-value items, wealthy clients may request the seller to find them something specific, or want to negotiate other services, so they ask to meet in person. The price paid for the item often includes what you might call a courtesy fee."

The idea of a courtesy fee being a hundred billion won left him dazed for a moment.

Just how much money do some people have, to casually drop 100 billion like that?

He found himself curious—what kind of person has that much money?

"There's really no danger, right?"

"None. The broker will oversee the entire meeting. They'll have their own gifted agents there, so nothing should happen."

"Hmm... When are we supposed to meet?"

"This afternoon."

"This afternoon? Must be a Korean buyer. What, is the buyer the chairman of Samsung or something?"

"We don't know who they are. They haven't revealed anything either."

Seowoon, deep in thought, asked Kichan again just to be sure.

"You're really sure it's safe?"

"Yes. No need to worry. Even the National Intelligence Service can't touch this broker. Their clients are people even more powerful than that."

Those words finally reassured him.

After all, state power always bows to real power in the end.

"Alright, let's meet them. They're not going to back out just because we refused their earlier offer, right?"

"No worries. Once the meeting is set, the broker doesn't allow mid-deal cancellations."

"Okay. See you soon."

"Yep! I'll get ready and head to your place."

After ending the call, Seowoon sat cross-legged and began his breathing techniques, calming his heart.

He couldn't help but feel excited—the kind of money that most people never see in a lifetime was coming to him far faster than expected.

When he opened his eyes, he pulled up his status window.

***

**[Name: Jin Seowoon

Race: Human

Trait: Magin (Mage)

Strength: 61

Stamina: 44

Agility: 44

Toughness: 70

Magic Resistance: 180

Trait Stat – Internal Energy: 693

Trait Stat – Mana: 60]

***

Seeing his internal energy had skyrocketed, Seowoon smiled.

He had started his third run with internal energy in the 300s, and after taking down Namseong Demon, Sword Emperor, Yeo Haoran, and Ju Lokana, he was now nearing the 700s.

'When I crossed 365, I felt a true sense of mastery over one full cycle of energy... I'm almost at two full cycles now.'

It was hard to put into words, but instinctively, he knew.

One gapja—one cycle of 60 years—was numerically marked as 365. Meaning, surpassing 730 would give him an internal energy level that wouldn't lose to any master in the world.

Receiving the great technique from Jang Docheon had truly been a blessing of fate, Seowoon thought, as he stood up and stepped outside.

His enhanced hearing clearly picked up the engine roar of a Hayabusa approaching in the distance.

When he went down to the first floor, sure enough, Kichan came roaring in without even a helmet, his hair flying in the wind.

"Hyung, did you sleep well?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

After riding for a while, they arrived at a small village on the island of Daebudo.

"This the place?"

"Seongam-ro, Gaegeonneogil. It's the right address, but..."

"What kind of address is 'Dog-Crossing-Road'?"

They looked around the small village, surrounded by vineyards, and both felt a strange presence.

Seowoon and Kichan's gazes shifted in unison toward the source of the odd aura.

A man in a blue suit and gray sunglasses stood facing them in the distance.

"Think that's the guy?"

"Looks like it."

As they approached, the man gave them a respectful bow.

"I'm Deputy Chief Jang from the brokerage."

"Nice to meet you."

Seowoon, unlike the man, didn't introduce himself and simply extended a hand.

As they shook hands, Seowoon tried to read the man's energy—but despite the polite smile, he couldn't get a read on him.

"Right this way."

He led them to a small tent, and inside, a man in his 30s stood from his chair to greet them.

Behind him stood a woman with glasses—her aura wasn't ordinary either.

"Welcome. Sorry to have you come all this way."

With a courteous exchange of greetings, the two sat down.

"Let's finalize the transaction first."

As the man finished speaking, the woman behind him tapped on a tablet and gave a nod.

Deputy Chief Jang, standing next to Seowoon and Kichan, checked his phone and spoke.

"It's been deposited."

At that, Kichan pulled the two Enhancement Stones from his subspace and handed them over. After a quick inspection, Deputy Chief Jang placed them on the small table.

"They're genuine."

He's definitely a martial artist...

The precise, minimal movements of the woman in the black skirt and silk blouse gave off the unmistakable feel of someone trained in combat. Seowoon's eyes lingered on her strikingly pale hands.

Noticing his gaze, she subtly hid her hand behind her back.

"That wraps up the transaction neatly."

The young man swept the two Enhancement Stones into his subspace.

"To be honest... I insisted on meeting in person, wondering if perhaps a new alchemist specializing in Enhancement Stones had appeared. But..."

As he trailed off, Seowoon and Kichan exchanged faint, wry smiles.

"Our specialty is quite far from alchemy."

Even without Seowoon having to say it, the other man seemed to have read some of their background.

"I had high hopes when two sky-grade enhancement stones suddenly appeared from the same seller. I must've troubled you."

"No, it wasn't a bad deal—and we got some fresh air too."

As Kichan stood and reached out to shake the man's hand, the man asked,

"You two must be part of a fixed quad?"

"There are a few more of us, but yes. This guy is a core team member of mine."

Even with a light question, Seowoon didn't want to give away much, and his reserved answer caused a flicker of emotion to cross the man's face.

"Hope we cross paths again for another good deal."

After bowing slightly, the man walked out first, followed by a sharp-eyed woman in glasses.

Once they were gone, the man called Section Chief Jang spoke up.

"Then I'll transfer the amount to the account you specified, excluding our commission. Is a lump-sum transfer alright?"

"It's under a false name, so it doesn't matter," Kichan replied, and the man nodded.

"If you're having issues with laundry or laundering, our company does offer—"

"No need. We can handle this amount just fine."

Kichan's firm reply made the man smile and bow politely.

"Understood. My apologies."

Once the transfer was confirmed, the two stepped outside the tent and caught a glimpse of the luxury foreign car disappearing down the rural road.

"Well, I'll get going too."

As the man reached toward the tent, it shrank into a cube small enough to fit in one hand, getting sucked into his palm.

Watching him calmly drive off in a luxury sports car, Seowoon spoke up.

"Items like that exist?"

"Not too rare. It's an applied subspace item. Prices range from around 20 million to 100 million won, depending on size. I believe it's something Earth alchemists came up with."

Seowoon thought back to nights spent dozing off in the desert of Bulga, sandstorms blowing around him.

"My ring leveled up too. I really should get one of those."

"Among fixed players, it's practically a must-have."

As they trudged back toward the parked Haabusa, Seowoon let out a sigh.

"I was expecting some big, serious request... but that was kind of underwhelming."

"I was hoping for something too."

"Well, since we're here, how about some kalguksu before heading back?"

***

Clad in all black, with her hair pinned tightly up, Jung Suhwa's expression was cold as ice.

In front of her, a middle-aged man bowed nervously, clearly not knowing what to do.

"New Way Company. A so-called legitimate company dabbling in all sorts of things. Do you really think that reputation makes you a corporate executive or something?"

"N-No, that's not what I meant..."

"Controlling civilians and staging a powered skirmish in a public park at night? Who gave you that right? You're not police. Not military. Not Homeland Security, as far as I know."

"I—I'm deeply sorry. I think the team below me overstepped, reacting to a new player's appearance."

Jung Suhwa's gaze turned glacial.

"Hey, you thug. Do I look like an idiot to you?"

Her sudden switch to informal speech made the man's face freeze.

"You're enjoying yourself being called 'chairman' out in the world, huh?"

"..."

"You'd better not forget your place. Just do the work you're given and live off the crumbs that fall from the table. The world's already complicated enough without you making noise about being pro-China or some patriotic nonsense."

"..."

Just then, a man suddenly burst into her office.

He was the same man who once completely upended her in a hospital room.

"Well, well. Chairman Jin. Long time no see. If you're here, you should've come to me first."

Acting like it was his own office, he casually walked up and placed a hand on the middle-aged man's shoulder, then looked at Jung Suhwa.

"Managing private organizations is my jurisdiction. Don't overstep."

"Team Leader Kim!"

"My hearing's just fine. These guys are busy people too. If you have time to call them in and scold them, maybe use that time to clean up the mess instead?"

With a smug grin, he led the middle-aged man out.

"How about lunch? Been a while since we had some Kobe beef, huh?"

As he walked out, Suhwa stared daggers at the door, eyes bloodshot, and tightly gripped the report on her desk.

The name "Jin Seowoon" crumpled under her fingers.

[T/L: Read extra Chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]