Dokma and Bungeoppang (1)
Chalssakk!
【Kim Tae-yang is delighted. +10 Happiness】
Chalssakk!
【Kim Tae-yang is delighted. +10 Happiness】
"That's enough now!"
Once I had collected all 1,000 points, I stopped the delinquents from slapping each other.
"Heuheuk."
"Heuheuhheuk"
The bastards clutched their swollen faces and wept miserably.
"Like a mournfully crying cuckoo."
"What?"
"Shut up."
I checked my points with a satisfied smile.
【Current Happiness Points: 2,000/999,999,999】
Not bad?
If I collect 1,000 points like this every day, there are 365 days in a year, so 365,000...
Damn it.
That's woefully insufficient.
"Hiiiik!"
The moment my expression turned fierce, the bastards were horrified.
It was already getting dark.
I was hungry.
Hmm.
I turned to look at the bastards and asked.
"Got any money?"
***
GU Convenience Store.
"That's 89,000 won."
"Pay."
"Yes."
At my single word, Delinquent B held out his card and made the payment.
There's a reason for everything.
Kids these days don't carry cash.
"Sit down."
I sat at the parasol seats in front of the convenience store and tore open a Pokémon bread, putting it in my mouth.
Aah, sweet.
This world, called the Republic of Korea, really doesn't make sense.
But one thing is good.
Sweet things are scattered all over the place.
It feels like my life in the martial world, which was devoted solely to sugar, is being rewarded.
"Um... Can we go now?"
Delinquent A asked.
He must have asked because my expression improved after eating the bread.
I held out my hand to the bastards.
"Hand over your Hopae."
"What?"
"ID."
My memories are mixed up, so I keep confusing words.
Damn, at this rate, I'm afraid I'll say 'Jeomsoyi. Please roll me up some pasta'.
"We're minors, so we don't have IDs."
"Then your student ID."
"We don't have those either."
Ah, my mistake.
There's no way delinquent bastards would carry around things like student IDs.
"Students not carrying student IDs! How can you call yourselves students?"
At my harsh reprimand, they all bowed their heads.
"We're sorry..."
"What school are you from?"
"Sanwang Technical High School..."
"What grade, what class?"
"3rd year, class 4."
"Address."
I extracted all their personal information—names, addresses, phone numbers, everything.
I even carefully saved it all in my phone.
"You know, right? If you cause any trouble, I'll personally come to your homes."
"Yeeees..."
I threatened them. Well, these bastards wouldn't report to the police or anything like that anyway.
I can tell just by looking at their eyes. I can see they're properly scared.
Even if happiness is far away.
I've dealt with fear to the point of nausea in my previous life.
"Then go."
"Yes."
"Come back here."
"Huh?"
I stopped the bastards who were turning around.
"You should greet properly before leaving. Don't you know the 90-degree sharp bow?"
"S-sorry!"
Only after the bastards bowed at 90 degrees was I satisfied.
"Good. Go."
"Yes."
90 degrees again.
Relieved expressions. They all seemed happy, thinking they were finally released.
But as if.
"Wait!"
"Hiik!"
The bastards trembling.
I called only Delinquent B separately.
"A gift."
Seuwik.
I pressed the Pokémon bread sticker into his hand.
Delinquent B seemed moved, staring blankly at the sticker in his hand.
"You should say thank you."
"Th-thank you."
"See you tomorrow."
"What?"
"Same place, same time."
"..."
"Bring cash."
The bastards nodded and disappeared.
Well, I don't think the bastards have completely submitted to me.
I didn't instill enough fear to make them shit blood just thinking about me.
Rather, I hoped the bastards would come looking for me again.
I can't miss the opportunity to earn another 1,000 points.
【Kim Tae-yang is delighted. +10 Happiness】
...Be moderately happy, you bastard.
I finished off all the bread, milk, and snacks the bastards had gifted me and stood up.
Baseuraek.
I bought ramen, ice cream, and lots of fruit.
Planning to take it home and give it to Mother. She'll be happy, right?
"Aah! Who knew gathering small happiness in daily life could be this enjoyable!"
According to Kim Tae-yang's memory, people who buy fruit at convenience stores were all considered rich.
I suddenly feel like I've become rich.
Huhuhut!
It seems there are different types of happiness points.
When I succeeded in a mission, I was simply given +500 points,
But when I was playing around with the delinquents just now, a message saying 'Kim Tae-yang is delighted' appeared.
I wonder if there are other types.
"Ah, right! I forgot."
I should have told the kids to come an hour early and pick up all the cigarette butts in the playground.
If the old man sees a playground with all the butts gone, he'll be happy, right?
It was an opportunity to earn happiness points on a small scale.
Well.
I'll make them do it tomorrow.
***
"What's with the fruit?"
"My friends bought it for me."
"Friends? What friends do you have?"
"..."
Mother's puzzled expression. She's serious.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I said something unnecessary..."
When I didn't answer, Mother waved her hand.
"You can have friends, too. Right, there's no law saying you can't have friends!"
"..."
She's clearly apologizing and offering comfort, but somehow I felt strange.
"Where's Father?"
"He has overnight work today. He said he'll be late."
Father works at a small factory with 7 employees.
If my memory is correct, he injured his shoulder a few years ago and can't work long. And yet, overnight work.
He's trying to cover my hospital bills.
Aigo. I need to earn money.
Tae-yang, Tae-yang.
The filial piety you couldn't fulfill, I'll have to do it for you.
"I'll go in."
"Won't you eat more fruit? The apples are very sweet."
"I ate a lot."
I entered my room and turned on my phone. There was no computer or anything in the room.
Starting search.
"How to make money."
[High-paying part-time job recruitment. Work from home. Flexible hours, high income guaranteed.]
Kim Tae-yang's knowledge warns me.
'Voice phishing recruiter'.
Well, other than killing people or backstabbing them, could such a thing really exist?
This is something I need to stay far away from, now that I need to collect something called happiness points.
I scrolled past.
[Saving money penny by penny is not the way to become rich. It's important to invest in risk, but accurately select value-rising stocks. Pay and leave your contact information, and the stock doctor who has researched for ten years will pinpoint high-value rising stocks-.]
Scammer bastards.
I searched blogs too.
[Curious about how to make money? Warren Buffett said that not losing money is most important. I, a power blogger, am also reading books and studying. This concludes our look at how to make money.]
"Nothing but weird stuff."
I was scrolling down when I stopped, discovering something.
[Murim Tower Item Exchange]
It was a place that traded all sorts of things from Murim Tower.
Various products were visible on the screen, but they were all blurred, so I couldn't see them clearly.
"They only introduce them online, and transactions happen offline."
I tried to check more, but.
"I can't read it. I can't even register at all."
Apparently, you need to be a 'Climber'.
That is, you need to be qualified to climb Murim Tower to see the full information.
I looked more. Related sites and communities appeared.
[I bought a longsword from Murim Tower for 30 million won. What do you think?]
Someone posted with a picture. I checked the comments too.
└ Nice? What floor item?
└ 8th floor.
└ Totally got a good deal.
└ Right? The blade is straight, and the Ki extracted from the Artificial Dantian is well contained. Seems like a famous sword.
└ Better than mine. I paid over 50 million won. The 8th floor item prices have dropped these days.
└ I'm going to use this to conquer the 8th floor and try the 9th floor.
└ Pathetic guys. Mine cost 370 million won. A long spear from the 13th floor!
└ Without proof, what are you?
"Ha, what is this?"
The sight of kids posting pictures of iron swords I used to see in my previous life, calling them famous swords or whatever, was amusing.
The longsword the bastards are praising is at a level I wouldn't have used even if given for free in my previous life.
Just something a neighborhood blacksmith would roughly make and distribute.
But what? 30 million won, 50 million won?
How much is that exactly?
I was the richest person in my previous life,
But having become poor in this Republic of Korea, I couldn't quite gauge it for a moment.
"If they saw something like the Righteous Sword of the Murim Alliance Leader that I carried around in my previous life, they'd faint in shock."
I stroked my chin.
Anyway, to catch and kill those bastards, I need to climb Murim Tower.
If I pick up this and that from there, I can make money, right?
"Huhuhut."
This is killing two birds with one stone.
I immediately searched for how to climb Murim Tower.
[Curious about the qualifications to enter Murim Tower? Warren Buffett said not entering Murim Tower is the most important. I, a power blogger-.]
Throwing away trash articles like this.
"Found it."
[National Murim Tower Headquarters]
A government department.
Well, it would need to be managed at the government level.
The qualifications were simple.
Go to the National Murim Tower Headquarters and pass a test to receive qualifications.
However, looking at other bulletin boards.
[Qualification test seems to have gotten harder lately]
4th attempt, failed again.
Shit. I envy those who had it easy 5 years ago.
└ Isn't it just that you have no skills?
└ Not just me, 30 people from our sect attempted it, and only 7 passed.
└ What grade?
└ C
└ B and below are trash
└ You don't know. These days, even getting a C gets applause on-site.
└ Yeah. Next trash.
It seemed the government raised the test standards because countless people die entering Murim Tower.
Moreover, they even added test fees.
No less than.
[Application fee: 10 million won]
"10 million won for one test is too expensive!"
It was an enormous amount for ordinary people.
I understand, though.
Since everyone dies entering the tower seeking a windfall, the government must have wanted to raise the hurdle.
Plus, educational costs aren't trivial, so the intention was clearly to have people prepare properly at the private level before coming.
"That's why joining a sect is considered essential."
If you join a sect, you can receive support for the application fee, education necessary for test application, and there's the know-how accumulated from years of tower climbing that gets passed down, plus you can form teams with fellow climbers.
Of course, upon joining, you have to offer 30% to 50% of the rewards obtained from Murim Tower to the sect.
But the sects had nothing to lose either.
They simply wouldn't accept those whose prospects looked dim from the start.
Conversely, even talented individuals needed to take the test multiple times to obtain qualifications, so by making them incur that much debt, they could be controlled.
"Sects..."
Heoheo, this is just like the Five Great Families or Nine Sects and One Alliance from my previous life?
While carefully reviewing my next plans,
I sat cross-legged and circulated Heavenly Poison Blood Divine Art.
【Heavenly Poison Blood Divine Art (天毒血神功) lv2 is activated.】
Little by little, but steadily, much faster than my childhood in my previous life.
...I was getting stronger.
The next day.
I woke up early in the morning, lightly completed one full circulation of Heavenly Poison Blood Divine Art, and went outside in workout clothes.
Seueup. Ha.
A bitterly cold winter day.
As cold air filled my lungs, my head cleared, too.
There was a reason I hurried early.
The place I saw while walking around the neighborhood yesterday.
Kungkungkung! The noise and.
Piiiiii- The place with hazy exhaust fumes.
It was to go to the factory where Father works.
***
"Tae-yang? What brings you here?"
Father looked at me, who had come to the factory, with wide eyes.
It was now 9 AM.
The work still hadn't finished, apparently, as Father's eyes, who hadn't slept a wink all night, were bloodshot.
"I came to bring you a lunchbox, Father."
I took out a small lunchbox from the bag I carried.
"What's this?"
"Fruit. It's delicious. From the convenience store."
"Convenience store fruit? What money do you have to buy such expensive fruit?"
"A friend bought it for me."
"You have a friend?"
Aah. The same reaction.
"Please eat."
Father looked puzzled.
But seemed pleased, thinking that I, who had been holed up in my room without coming out, had come this far.
We found a quiet spot outside the factory and sat down.
Sageuk.
"Delicious."
"I'm glad."
"You eat too."
"I'm not hungry."
"Why the sudden formal speech? And what's with your manner of speaking?"
...Was it noticeable?
I'm trying hard to live according to the age of 26.
Instead of answering, I smiled brightly.
"Did you take the bus here?"
No. I ran here. For three hours.
Deliberately crossing several mountains so I wouldn't be noticed.
I smiled silently.
Father seemed proud, his smile never leaving his face.
A reaction quite different from Mother's, who was full of worry.
"You came to your dad's company."
"I came once before. Running an errand for Mom."
"Did you?"
Father said 'company', not 'factory'.
A factory with terrible working conditions, where industrial accident insurance isn't properly applied.
All sorts of junk and waste are thrown around haphazardly.
I know.
Calling it a 'company' is Father's last pride.
"Were you surprised?"
"A little. But..."
Tuk, tuk.
Father patted my shoulder.
"I'm happy."
"..."
【Father is delighted. +100 Happiness】
【Kim Tae-yang is delighted. +10 Happiness】
Happiness points came in with quite a difference.
"..."
Memories of Father from my previous life, who had passed away, came flooding back.
Father continued speaking.
"I got a call from your mom. She said you're strange."
"Is that so?"
"She's worried beyond measure. She was making a fuss, saying you should be hospitalized immediately."
"I'm fine."
Seuwik.
Father looked at me again.
"I think differently from your mom. I actually think the opposite. Our Tae-yang. That Tae-yang has been sick all this time, and has just now recovered."
Sarak.
Father pressed something crumpled and folded from his pocket into my hand.
10,000 won.
"Buy something delicious on your way."
"Yes."
"You don't have to come from tomorrow. The fact that you came to visit like this because you're worried about your father, just this once is enough."
"I'll come again."
"This kid."
"Huhu."
"I'll finish up some more work and then go. I'll eat lunch at the company too. I told your mom."
We stood up.
"Tae-yang."
"Yes."
"Ah, never mind. Let's take it one step at a time."
"Yes, Father. Don't overdo it."
"Right."
Father waved his hand and entered the factory again.
Kungkungkung.
The sound of machinery buried Father's figure.
If the place where swords clash is my martial world,
That factory where machinery sounds echo is Father's martial world.
We, father and son, had to fight hard in our respective martial worlds.
"Stay strong, Father."
I turned along the factory wall. A quiet warehouse with no one around came into view.
A warehouse with no padlock or locking device.
"Was it here?"
The reason I came to find Father today wasn't just to breathe in the fumes here.
Kkiiiiik-.
As expected, the door opened.
"A complete treasure trove!"
True to a factory where management doesn't exist.
All sorts of 'chemical waste' needed for work were scattered inside the warehouse.
Others would cough continuously and avoid it the moment they opened the waste lid.
【The Great Law of Reversal is applied. Poison (毒) becomes Medicine (藥).】
But for me, it was no different from elixirs.