Chapter 6: Unlocking VVIP Out Of Spite

“No, not at all.

It has absolutely nothing to do with your personal affairs.”

That made sense.

From the perspective of a company that needed to consistently win bids for dungeon by-products and artifact restoration, there was no reason to antagonize an A-class Esper.

Public opinion was public opinion, and money was money.

Especially when it came to artifacts, they couldn’t afford to.

The restoration business was structured in a way that was actually unilaterally disadvantageous for the companies.

Yet they desperately bid on and restored artifacts for one single reason: the research data accumulated during the process was far more valuable than the research costs incurred during artifact restoration.

Companies that had professionally ventured into dungeon by-product processing staked their lives on artifact research data.

The more data they possessed, the more efficiently they could produce items.

So they sponsored items even to people labeled as vile trash.

Their main customer base wasn’t the general public, the axis of public opinion.

The employee, after seeming to ponder for a moment, lowered her voice considerably, leaned close to Jin-yeop, and spoke.

“When you previously purchased the wedding gifts, it seems the salesperson you designated had high sales figures.”

“…..”

“We have different product categories we can show depending on purchase history.

Of course, that has nothing to do with your awakening grade.

We only consider your purchase history at Tifone.”

“Is there another reason you couldn’t just tell me that directly?”

“Even if you were to meet that figure today, there would still be an issue…”

“It takes time for it to be applied.”

“Yes, that’s correct.

I’m sorry.”

“Aside from that?”

At this, So-yeon raised her head and widened her eyes.

Jin-yeop asked again with a calm expression.

“Aside from that, what were you told to say?”

“That is…”

“Let me verify it myself.

Then let me ask one more thing.

If the person accompanying me has high sales figures, would I be able to see the items now?”

“…That is correct.”

So-yeon affirmed with a somewhat puzzled expression.

Because Jin-yeop had come to the store alone.

“Then that’s settled.”

“Pardon?”

“Then I’ll have to make sure I meet your promised sales target.

And incidentally, build up my own purchase history as well.”

“No, I haven’t really helped you with anything…”

Despite So-yeon’s reluctant demeanor, Jin-yeop was unfazed.

“To prevent this from happening again, how much should I accumulate?”

“To see high-grade items, you’d need to accumulate about 1 billion won, but we have a limit on the number of purchases per person.”

“Among the non-items, what’s the most expensive product in the store?”

At Jin-yeop’s question, the employee quickly put on gloves, brought out an elegant box from the back, and opened it before Jin-yeop.

She no longer had any intention of hesitating in front of the big spender before her.

Hadn’t she come out to the sales floor barely containing her anger at whoever was in the back who had tried to stop her earlier?

“This is the product.

The price is 370 million won.”

It was a jaw-dropping price, but Jin-yeop’s expression didn’t even flicker.

Price wasn’t important to him anyway.

It wasn’t an item, but it was a watch decorated with dungeon by-products.

Jin-yeop immediately recognized the gem of such a vivid blue it was almost blinding.

“Blue Dore.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

It was a gem currently valued higher than diamonds.

For the sole reason that it was beautiful.

“Do you have this in a ladies’ model as well?”

“Yes, I can prepare one for you.”

“Good.

It’s about time he arrived…”

Just then, someone tapped Jin-yeop on the shoulder.

Turning his head, he saw Noh Young, who had been blowing up his phone since morning.

“You crazy bastard, you came to buy a watch?”

“How’s this?”

“What?”

Noh Young narrowed his brow and stared at the Blue Dore watch Jin-yeop was pointing at for a long moment, then glared back at Jin-yeop as if asking what he was talking about.

“This?

It’s not even an item.”

“I’ll buy it for you.”

“What nonsense are you talking?”

“I asked her to prepare a ladies’ model too.”

“…..”

“Even buying both won’t reach 1 billion won.”

“What’s wrong with this guy?!”

Noh Young was dumbfounded by Jin-yeop’s sudden offer to buy him a watch worth several hundred million.

With the same expression Director Im had worn earlier that day, he examined Jin-yeop as if he’d seen a ghost.

“You didn’t actually buy all the stuff you’re wearing now, did you?”

“What, you think I stole it?”

“You’ve finally lost it.

You’ve finally lost it.”

“…..”

“I told you.

If you kept living with that bastard, you’d go crazy at some point.

That guy has turned our kind Jin-yeop into this…”

“Watch your mouth.”

“Are you really mad because I cursed that bastard Jung-hoon, my friend?”

“Whether it’s bastard Jung-hoon or dipshit Jung-hoon, ears can still hear.”

Jin-yeop calmly whispered and patted Noh Young’s shoulder.

The perceptive employee stared into the distance as if she hadn’t heard a thing.

“Give the ladies’ model to Joo-yeon.

That’s why I asked her to prepare a ladies’ model.

My money, pitifully just sleeping in the bank account, is going to see the world today.”

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of spending it all before it gets taken for alimony?

Forget it, you’ll end up with a seizure on your assets.”

“You said if the person accompanying me has the sales figures, I can see the items, right?”

“Yes, ma’am?

Yes.

That is correct.”

Startled by being addressed, the employee snapped to attention and answered.

Jin-yeop then looked at Noh Young and asked.

“You can see items at Tifone, right?”

“You’re really buying one for Joo-yeon too?”

“If you can’t see items, no buy.”

“Of course I can see them.

But hey, haven’t you bought watches at Tifone before?”

“I have, but it must have gone under that bastard’s sales record.”

“…..”

“It was that bastard’s watch, so that figures.”

Seeing the fine muscles twitching at the corner of Jin-yeop’s curled lips, Noh Young quickly shifted his gaze to the employee.

Fortunately, Noh Young already had VVIP-level purchase history at Tifone.

Jin-yeop handed his card to So-yeon, who was inviting them inside.

“Ring both of these up first.

I’ll also use this to pay for any items I buy inside, so hold onto it.”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

So-yeon nodded and quickly accepted Jin-yeop’s card.

The moment she moved away to process the payment, Noh Young spoke.

“It’s a black card.”

Even though he was also an A-class Esper, Noh Young didn’t have a black card.

“If word gets out you have a black card, you’re going to get even more hate.

Everyone already knows you make insane money as an A-class, and that’s why you’ve become a bastard.”

“…..”

“But if they find out you even have a limitless card, you’re not just a bastard anymore.

You become a super bastard who made his partner work like a dog on top of it all.”

“Should I call Director Im?”

“Why the Director?”

“Director Im probably can see items at Tifone too.”

“…..”

“Maybe a watch would be better for the Director and his wife?

They must have been through a lot because of me.”

“Okay, I’m sorry.

I can’t say anything.

Who are you, you bastard!

Reveal your identity immediately!

Who dares to wear the skin of my kind friend Jin-yeop?”

Jin-yeop let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity, and Noh Young clung to him, pretending to be chummy.

So-yeon, having finished the payment, guided the two to a private room in the back of the store.

It was a space that exclusively showed watches processed into items.

Without shaking off the overly familiar Noh Young, Jin-yeop quietly followed So-yeon.

Then Noh Young naturally asked in a low voice.

“Why the sudden urge to buy items?”

“Just because.”

“You’ve never been interested in this kind of thing before.”

“…..”

“You’re not the type of person whose wealth shows just by spending money.

What’s the real reason you’re suddenly doing this?”

Noh Young wasn’t worried about Jin-yeop’s financial situation.

He was someone whose very existence held value that couldn’t be measured in money.

Unfortunately, the person who least understood that value was Jin-yeop himself.

He was someone who had lived lowering himself to a pitiful degree.

Sometimes it even seemed like intentional self-harm.

Noh Young knew that Jin-yeop well, so while he welcomed his friend’s change, he was also afraid.

“…There’s an item I absolutely must buy.”

Jin-yeop, who had been silent, finally responded.

“An item so essential I’d spend my entire fortune on it without hesitation.”

“You’re saying Tifone has something that good?

It’s not an artifact, but worth spending your whole fortune on?”

“Well.”

Jin-yeop smiled enigmatically as he murmured.

His eyes gleamed sharply, like a predator eyeing its prey.

What Jin-yeop wanted was getting closer.

What he intended to buy wasn’t simply an item.

Of course, there was a specific object he had his eye on, but that was merely an extra.

‘The main course is separate.’

The truth he had gradually realized from the middle of his regressions, when he began to think something was wrong.

The decisive cause of the divorce that he only confirmed with his own eyes at the very end.

Jin-yeop could barely contain the laughter threatening to escape.

He was just managing to hold back what felt like a flood of laughter ready to burst forth, making him double over.

He was determined to give Kang Jung-hoon what he feared most.

That man deserved to fall into a hell where he would be abandoned by the world and noticed by no one.

And at the same time, he had to reclaim everything that man had gained through him.

“For me, that’s the artifact that’ll screw that bastard over.”