A Fat Wallet
"Commander-in-Chief!? Are you okay!? Did you freeze up!? Was it the Transparent Medusa's attack!?"
"He's frozen but smiling! Momo's scared!"
Kancho and Momo clutched each other and trembled.
Whether they did or not, Jin-hyeok remained frozen.
It was as if someone had issued a forced stop command.
"What's wrong?"
Seira approached and bent down.
Then she read what was displayed on the phone screen.
"One hundred thousand… How do you read what comes after this? There are too many numbers."
"Momo can read it!"
Momo shoved her face in, furrowing her brow.
A level of concentration she hadn't even shown while dismantling monsters.
"This is sixty billion!"
"Then is it six hundred billion?"
"Yeah! Momo's good at counting numbers, right!"
Momo puffed out her chest with her hands on her hips.
All those spare moments practicing reading numbers were paying off now.
"Master! How about smart Momo!? How about it, how about it, how about it!"
As if demanding praise immediately, Momo threw a fluffy fist at Jin-hyeok.
Only then did Jin-hyeok snap out of it and let out an exclamation.
Just as Momo had said.
The number written in the message was 600 billion.
It was the annual salary the Player Hunters Administration had promised Runner Yoo Jin-hyeok.
He hugged the bouncing Momo and read through the support proposal again.
Annual salary: 600 billion.Three teams of Grade 5 or higher hunters dispatched in shifts to provide 24-hour protection for immediate family members.Unlimited support within the Player Hunters Administration's capabilities for manpower and equipment when needed.
Four lines summarized succinctly—short, if you wanted to call it that.
But the contents were tremendously weighty.
Even seeing it with his own eyes, it still didn't feel real.
'Six hundred billion?!'
His current bank balance wasn't even five hundred million.
Even that had felt like an absurd amount of money he was grateful for.
And now suddenly, an annual salary more than a hundred times his total assets.
Feeling dizzy was only natural.
Ding-dong.
Following the notification, he opened his banking app.
'Holy…'
Current balance: 5.44 billion.
His heart felt reverent… no, majestic.
It hadn't even been long since midnight, and the money was already deposited.
From the officetel support to this, their handling of things was impressively decisive.
"Seoul Central Player Hunters Administration."
He murmured softly, and the yodel compass pointed the way.
He bowed deeply in that direction.
"Commander-in-Chief? What are you doing?"
"Kancho, Momo, come do it too. We're rich now."
"Rich!? Can we eat king crab every day!?"
"Yeah! You could eat a hundred of them at every meal!"
Kancho rushed over and flopped down beside him.
Judging by how nonstop his tail was wagging, he was already imagining eating king crab.
"Momo will do even better!"
Momo dashed over and slammed her head straight down into a full prostration.
A perfectly straight angle in an instant.
Good at counting numbers, good at bowing too.
Just as they were worshipping the Hunters Administration at a religious level—
Riiiing.
The phone rang.
Jin-hyeok quickly dropped to his knees and answered with both hands held respectfully.
"Yes, Team Leader Jin Yoon-ho."
Sorry to call so late. I saw that you'd read the message, so, haha…
"Oh, no need to apologize at all. I'm nocturnal by nature, so it's totally fine. You can call even later—anytime you feel like it."
Thank you for saying that. Have you had a chance to read the message I sent?
"I just checked it."
The reason I called is to apologize. The Hunters Administration made a unilateral decision and proceeded without discussing it with you, Jin-hyeok. As stated in the last line, it's unconditional support, but as the recipient, you might feel burdened or uncomfortable.
Gulp.
Jin-hyeok swallowed dryly.
Burdened. Uncomfortable.
Until Jin Yoon-ho mentioned it, those emotions hadn't even crossed his mind.
"It actually made me resolve to climb the tower even harder. I want to clear floors quickly and update Korea's highest record. Thank you for trusting me and supporting me."
He squeezed out the lines desperately, trying not to show it.
And on the other end of the phone—
A satisfied smile formed on Jin Yoon-ho's lips.
Even when support is offered with good intentions, the world is full of players who become arrogant.
Players who say their worth is far more than this, but they'll accept it as a special favor.
Players who, once supported, don't climb the tower and instead squander the money.
Or players who cause headline-worthy incidents with that money, putting even the Hunters Administration in a bind.
An endless variety of troublesome people.
And yet here was someone saying he'd climb the tower harder and thanking them for the support.
A runner whose achievements already surpassed national level and reached global class.
It was impossible not to cherish and value someone like that.
Leaning back into his chair, Jin Yoon-ho continued.
"I requested an annual salary of one trillion won with Director Lee Chang-gi, but we ran into some opposition. Most top-ranked freelancers affiliated with the Player Hunters Administration already receive salaries in the trillion range, but assigning that much to an external runner was deemed unfair. To avoid further noise, we accepted it for now. But once your floor count increases, we plan to push for it again."
Thank you for always looking out for me.
The corners of Jin Yoon-ho's mouth lifted.
Jin-hyeok said thank you—but he didn't say this was enough.
There were players like that, from time to time.
Those who undervalued themselves due to excessive humility or low self-esteem.
They bowed too deeply and took on pressure and responsibility no one asked for.
This sometimes led them to reckless climbs or unnecessary risks, resulting in tragic accidents.
But with Jin-hyeok, there was no need for such concern.
He had exceptional self-awareness.
Jin-hyeok never underestimated his own worth.
Accepting six hundred billion, despite being more than capable of earning over a trillion, was simply to avoid unnecessary noise.
He knew that once his floor count rose, all treatment would naturally rise with it.
He had absolute confidence in climbing the tower better than anyone.
A composure and balance that was neither excessive nor lacking.
The more you looked, the harder it was to find flaws.
"Oh, right. I heard you're in Japan right now."
Yes. I'm in Kyoto.
"So close, then."
Is something wrong?
"It won't really affect you as a tourist, but the situation in Japan is unusual right now. To put it briefly, one of Japan's largest yakuza organizations, the Yamaguchi-gumi, has been wiped out. According to unofficial sources, there's also been trouble with the Ronia Corporation, which has close ties to them. The informant said it's an unprecedented incident in Japanese history. Given their deep connections to politics, they expect a massive storm."
Normally, he wouldn't have worried.
But this was Runner.
In Jin Yoon-ho's mind, Korea's greatest treasure.
Even when he was in Korea, it was nerve-wracking—having him in the eye of the storm was unsettling.
That's incredible… Sounds huge. But don't worry. I'm taking a flight this evening.
Color returned to Jin Yoon-ho's face.
His treasure was coming home—how could that not be welcome?
"That's a wise decision. If you don't mind, would you like to have dinner together? I'll go to the airport at a time that suits you."
Ah, I'm not going to Korea.
"What? Then where are you going…?"
Wales.
A brief silence fell.
Without realizing it, Jin Yoon-ho squeezed his eyes shut.
Japan already felt far enough—Wales was downright dizzying.
Yoo Jin-hyeok was strong.
It wasn't that he feared he'd get beaten up wherever he went.
But bright lights attract moths.
Worrying about him getting caught up in something unpleasant was unavoidable.
I'll contact you when I get back. I'll treat you to something delicious!
"Yes. Understood. Then I wish you a pleasant trip. If anything happens, please contact me immediately."
I will, for sure. Thank you! Have a good night, Team Leader!
Jin Yoon-ho ended the call without showing it.
He let out a deep sigh.
What could he do?
The man liked traveling abroad.
"Haah."
With another sigh, Jin Yoon-ho picked up his phone.
Worry was worry, but work still had to be done.
He sent messages to Min Yoo-kyung and Gu In-jun, who had been promoted to Grade 4 upon entering the 70th floor, as well as to the reliable freelance hunter Eun Kang-seok.
He planned to entrust them with guarding Yoo Jin-hyeok's family.
After finishing the remaining tasks, Jin Yoon-ho sank into his chair.
He opened a map app and checked where Wales was.
"Far… really far."
Murmuring to himself, he closed his eyes.
Praying that Runner Yoo Jin-hyeok would return safely.
And at that same moment.
In a luxury ryokan in Kyoto.
After ending the call, Jin-hyeok wiped away the sweat that had formed.
'Damn, the news travels fast.'
The 21st century digital age, indeed.
It hadn't even been 24 hours, yet the news had already reached Korea.
'Team Leader, you don't need to worry about me getting caught in the storm. I made it.'
He nodded solemnly.
He offered his deepest condolences to the many who would suffer because of this storm.
'That aside.'
With a lighter heart, Jin-hyeok opened the Korean Air app, smiling.
A direct first-class flight from Incheon to Wales cost ten million won per person.
Six tickets would be sixty million.
'Ridiculously expensive—but cheap.'
He knew full well it made no sense.
But that was honestly how he felt.
'That aircraft has twelve first-class seats total.'
Fortunately, none had been booked yet.
Glancing once more at his bank balance, Jin-hyeok took a deep breath.
Then he checked all twelve seats.
His friends' first-ever flight.
He decided to flex so they could enjoy it without worrying about others' eyes.
Even so, Kancho would still need to use stealth from time to time, but still.
'Press it? Am I really pressing it?'
They say those who've eaten meat before eat it well—
Having never been in the habit of spending money, this wasn't easy.
With trembling hands, he pressed the button.
Payment complete.
A Korean Air first-class flight to Wales, departing tomorrow evening.
He had chartered the whole thing.
One hundred and twenty million won vanished from his account in an instant.
And yet, his heart felt secure.
Even after that splurge, he still had over 5.3 billion left.
Clutching the phone displaying his balance like a precious treasure, he laid his head atop Kancho's soft body.
The journey to the Tomb of Swords, about to begin.
He hoped morning would come soon.
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T/N:
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