“I’ve had those days too.”
“What days are you talking about?”
“The days when I believed in secret inspectors.”
Kim Daekang, the ace of Cheongdam D Market Trinity Hall, casually flicked away the nail clippings he had trimmed.
“Thinking that something is more valuable than how it looks. I believed in it unwaveringly. It was foolish.”
“Well, why? Is it foolish to believe in something like that? It’s not a bad idea to be cautious. The team leader also said not to judge customers just by appearances.”
“Hey, newbie. Is the team leader selling stuff? Look at the performance. Who’s the top in this industry?”
“…It’s you, senior.”
“You idiot. What’s the basics of VVIP marketing? Choice and focus! Instead of trying to find the elusive 0.1% , it’s better to treat the 99.9% as regular customers. Look, those bastards have long been enjoying themselves with regular customers. Meanwhile…”
Kim Dae Kang lifted his chin and pointed with a mocking smile.
On the other side of the store, towards the diligent Lim Sangin chasing after the Gyeon sisters.
“Even the rich had a standard. Look at those two he’s chasing, isn’t that a bit too much? Once upon a time, that guy was the ace of the Busan Marine branch, but now, oh my, oh dear. It’s pathetic.”
“Mr. Dae Kang, Lucas-nim is coming up. Please stand by.”
“Yes! Okay, then, when the ace of Busan was attending high school students, should this true ace of Seoul go to meet the real boss?”
Kim Daekang walked, spraying perfume. The junior lowered his head with an uneasy expression. ‘An evil villain who ignores others is a precursor to reverse tourism.’
However, someone ignores him or senses an ominous omen, the inner thoughts of the Busan ace Lim Sangin are rapidly turning into ashes.
“How about this?”
“Your younger sibling’s taste is extraordinary. If I may speak of this ‘Golden Tears of Nargenda,’ it’s a 2nd-rank magic sword with-”
“It’s terrible.”
“…Uh, well, it’s a semi-heroic rank sword that can rapidly grow because of the demonic power synthesized from pure gold that was extracted from a crustacean found in Babel. Furthermore, It’s not restricted to any specific profession-”
“Laaameee.”
“….”
“Really? Then, what about this?”
“Oh! Of course, the ‘Hundred Thorns of Kumgang,’ made by the finest blacksmith from Mt. Kumgang! It’s the only product from Mt. Kumgang Artisan Village at our store-!”
“Oh, it’s a piece.”
“…Yes! Um, yes that’s correct! If you look here, there’s even the Master’s signature-”
“No, I mean it’s a shattered piece.”
“…”
“Is this a crazy flower bouquet? Why would you need a hundred thorns for this?”
“Hmm… that makes sense…”
“….”
‘There must be a reason for this.’
The Gyeon sisters had been exploring the store for about an hour.
So far, zero purchase.
Lim Sangin’s mentality and hope were being beautifully carved like the Kumgang Hundred Thorns.
‘Difficulty level SSS….’
There’s no such thing as unconquerable.
Although he was quite confident in understanding customer psychology.
Lim Sangin, with tears in his eyes, stared through the tiny woman in front of him. Pale skin, hidden under a loose hoodie. Thin shoulders. A slender neck, and thin hair.
Overall, there was a sense of fragility, but it was probably not true, likely due to that face.
She always hovers in the back, looking down on everything, with a poker face that reveals nothing. Her expression is difficult to read, seemingly thinking about something profound.
Moreover, what about the eyes and eyebrows that look like they were drawn out with a brush? And the two teardrop marks underneath… It’s so bizarre.
“Hey, Uncle Lim. Work properly. Stop messing with other people’s valuable time. It’s getting boring.”
“….I-i’m sorry!”
While the flustered Lim Sangin was bowing his head,
“[Didn’t they say that only C-rank hunters can enter here?? Korea is truly amazing. Even these young girls are top hunters.]”
“[It’s not exactly like that, Mr. Malone. Even with someone else’s license, entry is possible.]”
“[So, these girls who aren’t even hunters can freely touch high-grades items? This is insane.]”
Suddenly, a foreigner’s rude remarks bombarded them. Lim Sangin quickly turned to his customers. Fortunately, there was no change in their expressions, as if they didn’t understand English. The sudden appearance of these Yankees seemed to be met with a dismissive look, nothing more.
As his confusion settled, his anger built up. Lim Sangin approached Kim Daekang, who was smirking, and lowered his voice.
“What is this… Daekang! Ensuring that customers’ paths don’t overlap is the basics of a shopper, isn’t it?”
“Oh, sorry. My customer mentioned that they’re looking for something specific. It’s a basic duty of a shopper to do their best for the VIP satisfaction in any situation.”
“Still… If only my customers understood the conversation you just had…!”
“[Hey Sangin, why are you acting like this? Let’s be honest. Look at them. They’re either high school students or unemployed. What would they understand? Should we warn our VIP customers to be careful around them? Will you take responsibility for that?]”
“Hey, Kim Daekang!”
“[I heard everything.]”
A cynical tone, a husky voice.
Inside the spacious store, low-toned English echoed. All eyes turned in one direction.
A girl in a gray school uniform, Gyeon Geumhee with her characteristic fierce eyes, glared sharply.
“[I understand you, you f***ing bastards.]” The shocked shoppers froze in their tracks. Geumhee, who glared at them for a moment, turned away.
Then, facing the foreigners who were watching the situation with amusement, she spoke confidently in fluent, rhythmic English.
“[Americans are famous for being stupid, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. Haven’t you learned to mind your own business when you come abroad?]”
“[Little lady, your words are harsh. Why are you so angry?]”
“[Think about the words you blurted out first, you stupid racist. Both my sister and I are hunters.]”
“[Really? That’s surprising. Then, I apologize for that. I don’t think I should be labeled as a racist, but what rank are you?]”
“[Do I have an obligation to answer that?]”
“[Since you’re a hunter, I’m just following the jungle’s rules. Survival of the fittest. The strong are respected, and the weak should bow down. That’s the rule in this world. If the lady is a hunter, she should know well.]”
“[…]”
Platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes.
A typical foreigner with an air of arrogance introduced himself without hiding his pride. “[I am Lucas Malone, an AA-rank hunter of the guild <Aegis>. If you have no intention of purchasing the item, please step aside.]”
“Huh….”
It was Lim Sangin who gasped in surprise. A sigh escaped involuntarily. This prideful confrontation cleanly ended in their defeat.
Survival of the fittest, the strong dominating the weak, is the first law and unwritten rule of the hunter world. In this world, there is no place for the weak to be respected.
According to what the Lim Sangin vaguely heard earlier, the sisters on this side are E-rank and B-rank. The gap with AA-rank is significant, and… aside from that.
It’s the name, <Aegis>. Founded by the ‘Son of God’, the world’s greatest shield.
Wouldn’t it be a name worth showcasing if it’s at the level of the Wizard King?
‘Kim Daekang wasn’t arrogantly confident for no reason. To think that such a giant was the customer…’
Deeply sighing, Lim Sangin moved. Though they’re still young, their pride might be severely wounded, but reality is reality. Calm down and head toward the opposite situation…
However.
“How much is that?”
Two Korean words tossed into the situation dominated by English.
In the midst of the English-dominated situation, that casual remark stood out, it was spoken in a tone so detached that it made the scene awkward.
“Hey, Uncle Lim, aren’t you going to answer?”
“…Yes, yes?”
“How much for that crazy bouquet.”
Again, emphasizing, he is the ace.
The real deal ace was brought up from the Busan streets. In a crisis, the ace’s calculator quickly worked.
Lim Sangin thought.
‘This insane confidence…!’ Trust your instincts.
This is the ‘real’ deal.
If you can’t handle this level of betting, you’re not a player. The giant herself finally entered the scene.
Then, what the dealer should do in this situation is… Lim Sangin, constantly moistening his lips, said.
“The item with the Master’s signature from Kumgang Artisan Village is… you can call the price!”
Raise the stakes higher!
“Oh my, look at this old man.”
“…”
“He knows how to do business.”
The Ace Lim Sangin laughed. It was a satisfied smile. The astute merchant was praised, and in a voice that was both admiring and entertaining, she said,
“Roll the calculator and memorize, old man.”
“Yes!”
“From this moment onwards, I’ll double the price of this insane bouquet.”
“…C-customer!”
“Oh, did you calculate it right away? That’s right.”
Gyeon Jioh, who took out a black card from the air, rolled the card between her fingers, like a sleazy gambler. Inside the store with an all-white background.
The magically processed black card stood alone on the game board like a joker. Gyeon Jioh pointed it at the foreigners with an arrogant expression on her face.
Nonchalantly, arrogantly, she pulled the corner of her mouth.
“Whether that arrogant Yankee kid says a price or not, double it.”
If you bid 500 million, it becomes 1 billion.
If you bid 1 billion, it becomes 2 billion.
If you bid 30 billion, it becomes 60 billion.
“That’s what I call ‘value’.” Arrogant Yankee brat.
Watch carefully. This is the true flex of Korea.
“I’ve had those days too.”
“What days are you talking about?”
“The days when I believed in secret inspectors.”
Kim Daekang, the ace of Cheongdam D Market Trinity Hall, casually flicked away the nail clippings he had trimmed.
“Thinking that something is more valuable than how it looks. I believed in it unwaveringly. It was foolish.”
“Well, why? Is it foolish to believe in something like that? It’s not a bad idea to be cautious. The team leader also said not to judge customers just by appearances.”
“Hey, newbie. Is the team leader selling stuff? Look at the performance. Who’s the top in this industry?”
“…It’s you, senior.”
“You idiot. What’s the basics of VVIP marketing? Choice and focus! Instead of trying to find the elusive 0.1% , it’s better to treat the 99.9% as regular customers. Look, those bastards have long been enjoying themselves with regular customers. Meanwhile…”
Kim Dae Kang lifted his chin and pointed with a mocking smile.
On the other side of the store, towards the diligent Lim Sangin chasing after the Gyeon sisters.
“Even the rich had a standard. Look at those two he’s chasing, isn’t that a bit too much? Once upon a time, that guy was the ace of the Busan Marine branch, but now, oh my, oh dear. It’s pathetic.”
“Mr. Dae Kang, Lucas-nim is coming up. Please stand by.”
“Yes! Okay, then, when the ace of Busan was attending high school students, should this true ace of Seoul go to meet the real boss?”
Kim Daekang walked, spraying perfume. The junior lowered his head with an uneasy expression. ‘An evil villain who ignores others is a precursor to reverse tourism.’
However, someone ignores him or senses an ominous omen, the inner thoughts of the Busan ace Lim Sangin are rapidly turning into ashes.
“How about this?”
“Your younger sibling’s taste is extraordinary. If I may speak of this ‘Golden Tears of Nargenda,’ it’s a 2nd-rank magic sword with-”
“It’s terrible.”
“…Uh, well, it’s a semi-heroic rank sword that can rapidly grow because of the demonic power synthesized from pure gold that was extracted from a crustacean found in Babel. Furthermore, It’s not restricted to any specific profession-”
“Laaameee.”
“….”
“Really? Then, what about this?”
“Oh! Of course, the ‘Hundred Thorns of Kumgang,’ made by the finest blacksmith from Mt. Kumgang! It’s the only product from Mt. Kumgang Artisan Village at our store-!”
“Oh, it’s a piece.”
“…Yes! Um, yes that’s correct! If you look here, there’s even the Master’s signature-”
“No, I mean it’s a shattered piece.”
“…”
“Is this a crazy flower bouquet? Why would you need a hundred thorns for this?”
“Hmm… that makes sense…”
“….”
‘There must be a reason for this.’
The Gyeon sisters had been exploring the store for about an hour.
So far, zero purchase.
Lim Sangin’s mentality and hope were being beautifully carved like the Kumgang Hundred Thorns.
‘Difficulty level SSS….’
There’s no such thing as unconquerable.
Although he was quite confident in understanding customer psychology.
Lim Sangin, with tears in his eyes, stared through the tiny woman in front of him. Pale skin, hidden under a loose hoodie. Thin shoulders. A slender neck, and thin hair.
Overall, there was a sense of fragility, but it was probably not true, likely due to that face.
She always hovers in the back, looking down on everything, with a poker face that reveals nothing. Her expression is difficult to read, seemingly thinking about something profound.
Moreover, what about the eyes and eyebrows that look like they were drawn out with a brush? And the two teardrop marks underneath… It’s so bizarre.
“Hey, Uncle Lim. Work properly. Stop messing with other people’s valuable time. It’s getting boring.”
“….I-i’m sorry!”
While the flustered Lim Sangin was bowing his head,
“[Didn’t they say that only C-rank hunters can enter here?? Korea is truly amazing. Even these young girls are top hunters.]”
“[It’s not exactly like that, Mr. Malone. Even with someone else’s license, entry is possible.]”
“[So, these girls who aren’t even hunters can freely touch high-grades items? This is insane.]”
Suddenly, a foreigner’s rude remarks bombarded them. Lim Sangin quickly turned to his customers. Fortunately, there was no change in their expressions, as if they didn’t understand English. The sudden appearance of these Yankees seemed to be met with a dismissive look, nothing more.
As his confusion settled, his anger built up. Lim Sangin approached Kim Daekang, who was smirking, and lowered his voice.
“What is this… Daekang! Ensuring that customers’ paths don’t overlap is the basics of a shopper, isn’t it?”
“Oh, sorry. My customer mentioned that they’re looking for something specific. It’s a basic duty of a shopper to do their best for the VIP satisfaction in any situation.”
“Still… If only my customers understood the conversation you just had…!”
“[Hey Sangin, why are you acting like this? Let’s be honest. Look at them. They’re either high school students or unemployed. What would they understand? Should we warn our VIP customers to be careful around them? Will you take responsibility for that?]”
“Hey, Kim Daekang!”
“[I heard everything.]”
A cynical tone, a husky voice.
Inside the spacious store, low-toned English echoed. All eyes turned in one direction.
A girl in a gray school uniform, Gyeon Geumhee with her characteristic fierce eyes, glared sharply.
“[I understand you, you f***ing bastards.]” The shocked shoppers froze in their tracks. Geumhee, who glared at them for a moment, turned away.
Then, facing the foreigners who were watching the situation with amusement, she spoke confidently in fluent, rhythmic English.
“[Americans are famous for being stupid, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. Haven’t you learned to mind your own business when you come abroad?]”
“[Little lady, your words are harsh. Why are you so angry?]”
“[Think about the words you blurted out first, you stupid racist. Both my sister and I are hunters.]”
“[Really? That’s surprising. Then, I apologize for that. I don’t think I should be labeled as a racist, but what rank are you?]”
“[Do I have an obligation to answer that?]”
“[Since you’re a hunter, I’m just following the jungle’s rules. Survival of the fittest. The strong are respected, and the weak should bow down. That’s the rule in this world. If the lady is a hunter, she should know well.]”
“[…]”
Platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes.
A typical foreigner with an air of arrogance introduced himself without hiding his pride. “[I am Lucas Malone, an AA-rank hunter of the guild <Aegis>. If you have no intention of purchasing the item, please step aside.]”
“Huh….”
It was Lim Sangin who gasped in surprise. A sigh escaped involuntarily. This prideful confrontation cleanly ended in their defeat.
Survival of the fittest, the strong dominating the weak, is the first law and unwritten rule of the hunter world. In this world, there is no place for the weak to be respected.
According to what the Lim Sangin vaguely heard earlier, the sisters on this side are E-rank and B-rank. The gap with AA-rank is significant, and… aside from that.
It’s the name, <Aegis>. Founded by the ‘Son of God’, the world’s greatest shield.
Wouldn’t it be a name worth showcasing if it’s at the level of the Wizard King?
‘Kim Daekang wasn’t arrogantly confident for no reason. To think that such a giant was the customer…’
Deeply sighing, Lim Sangin moved. Though they’re still young, their pride might be severely wounded, but reality is reality. Calm down and head toward the opposite situation…
However.
“How much is that?”
Two Korean words tossed into the situation dominated by English.
In the midst of the English-dominated situation, that casual remark stood out, it was spoken in a tone so detached that it made the scene awkward.
“Hey, Uncle Lim, aren’t you going to answer?”
“…Yes, yes?”
“How much for that crazy bouquet.”
Again, emphasizing, he is the ace.
The real deal ace was brought up from the Busan streets. In a crisis, the ace’s calculator quickly worked.
Lim Sangin thought.
‘This insane confidence…!’ Trust your instincts.
This is the ‘real’ deal.
If you can’t handle this level of betting, you’re not a player. The giant herself finally entered the scene.
Then, what the dealer should do in this situation is… Lim Sangin, constantly moistening his lips, said.
“The item with the Master’s signature from Kumgang Artisan Village is… you can call the price!”
Raise the stakes higher!
“Oh my, look at this old man.”
“…”
“He knows how to do business.”
The Ace Lim Sangin laughed. It was a satisfied smile. The astute merchant was praised, and in a voice that was both admiring and entertaining, she said,
“Roll the calculator and memorize, old man.”
“Yes!”
“From this moment onwards, I’ll double the price of this insane bouquet.”
“…C-customer!”
“Oh, did you calculate it right away? That’s right.”
Gyeon Jioh, who took out a black card from the air, rolled the card between her fingers, like a sleazy gambler. Inside the store with an all-white background.
The magically processed black card stood alone on the game board like a joker. Gyeon Jioh pointed it at the foreigners with an arrogant expression on her face.
Nonchalantly, arrogantly, she pulled the corner of her mouth.
“Whether that arrogant Yankee kid says a price or not, double it.”
If you bid 500 million, it becomes 1 billion.
If you bid 1 billion, it becomes 2 billion.
If you bid 30 billion, it becomes 60 billion.
“That’s what I call ‘value’.” Arrogant Yankee brat.
Watch carefully. This is the true flex of Korea.
