Chapter 26

Which of Baek Jinwoo’s dealers possessed the ultimate potential?

That was a question that required no debate.

It was the Storm Dragon Sorcerer, without a doubt.

His beloved Stormy.

Ramba served primarily as a support unit designed to amplify a dealer’s capabilities, and though Drill Sarge put up a decent fight, his core responsibility was training others.

But Stormy was built for destruction.

Dragon Burst!

Roar!

A draconic torrent of flames burst from her staff, completely engulfing the goblin standing in their path.

“KYEEEK!”

“KREEEEEK!”

The creatures screeched, melting instantly into scorching pools of sludge.

From that moment forward, Baek Jinwoo focused his full attention on elevating Stormy’s level.

To maintain his active status as a player while managing his rising public profile, he required overwhelming strength, and the most straightforward path to that power lay in leveling up his main dealer.

Leaving the remainder of his forces back at the clearing, he ventured into a standard dungeon accompanied only by Stormy.

As a reminder, summons could remain active in the world for a maximum of five hours away from their player, and they retained the ability to un-summon themselves when necessary.

He had instructed Drill Sarge to maintain his rigorous training regimen and simply return to the summon dimension if anyone approached the area.

Meanwhile, his continuous grinding in the Day Dungeon showed no signs of slowing down.

“Stormy.”

“Yes, Jinwoo-nim.”

A standard D-rank dungeon posed absolutely no threat to them now.

Stormy walked through the corridors with total composure, vaporizing every monster that dared to cross their path.

“Is there anything specific you want? Perhaps something along the lines of the cream buns that Ramba enjoys so much?”

The secret to maximizing the performance of your summons?

Catering to their individual desires.

Drill Sarge lived for the thrill of brutal training, while Ramba was easily swayed by sweet cream buns.

By dangling these preferences as incentives for their Growth, the summons would willingly push past their limits.

Yet, Stormy remained an anomaly.

“Simply being able to push my limits, grow stronger, and remain useful to you is more than enough for me, Jinwoo-nim.”

Stormy carried the baggage of an underachiever.

He wasn’t entirely certain which magical institution in the multiverse she had failed out of, but it was clear the experience had left her with a desperate craving to prove her worth.

Even so.

“Come on, let’s look past the standard answers,” Baek Jinwoo pressed, refusing to let it drop.

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking if there’s a particular food you want to try, or an item you wish to own.”

“Hmm……?”

“I’ve been introducing you all to a variety of dishes from this world, haven’t I?”

Strictly speaking, summons had no biological need for sustenance.

They never experienced hunger, nor did they possess digestive systems that required excretion.

Even so, whenever it was time to eat, Baek Jinwoo consistently provided meals for his humanoid summons.

Drill Sarge, Stormy, the Sheriff, Radiance……

He didn’t have a profound reason for doing it.

It simply felt like the proper way to treat them.

Given how incredibly obsessed Ramba became over simple cream buns, it proved they possessed a functional sense of taste.

He could hardly justify indulging in delicious food all by himself while leaving them with nothing.

“Of all the items you’ve tried so far, what stood out the most? What would you like to experience again?”

“Well……”

“Does something come to mind?”

“Yes, actually. I believe there is one thing.”

Fwoooosh!

Even while engaged in conversation, she unleashed a seamless Dragon Burst, effortlessly turning another monster to ash.

Honestly, running dungeons had become incredibly trivial.

If ordinary players witnessed this casual display, they would likely lose their minds.

“Oh, really? What is it?”

Baek Jinwoo’s curiosity piqued.

Because she was an EX-rank entity, Stormy retained her complete memories from her past existence, meaning he didn’t need to spend time building up her affinity from scratch. However, optimizing her development still required proper emotional management.

And nothing secured loyalty quite like a well-chosen reward.

“Chicken.”

“Chicken?”

“Yes. Chimaek.”

Ah.

Fried chicken coupled with beer. The absolute pinnacle of culinary combinations.

“Perfect! In that case……”

Baek Jinwoo considered this for a moment before nodding in agreement.

“What is the next specific skill you’re on the verge of unlocking?”

“Storm Dragon Arts, Chain (聯).”

The Storm Dragon Arts (爆龍術).

This was a legendary combat style once wielded by an ancient storm dragon, created specifically to optimize and control the volatile power of the Dragon Burst.

And it had been unlocked through Drill Sarge’s training sessions, naturally.

The progression of the Storm Dragon Arts comprised four distinct tiers:

Chain (聯), Shift (變), Blaze (炎), and Annihilate (滅).

In her previous existence, Stormy had only managed to reach the third tier, Blaze (炎).

Shortly after that, she had unlocked the hidden ability Devour, only for a balance patch to delete her from existence just one week later.

“Ah, Chain (聯). That’s a great one.”

Chain (聯) was a utility skill that allowed for consecutive rapid-firing of the Dragon Burst.

Rather than releasing a single blast the moment her mana pooled, she could store multiple charges simultaneously and release them in a devastating barrage.

“Very well. The moment you master that technique, I will instruct Drill Sarge to grant you a full day of rest from training as a reward.”

“Truly?!”

“And on that very evening, we will hold a grand chimaek feast. Do we have a deal?”

“Yes!”

For the very first time, an intense spark ignited in Stormy’s expression.

It made sense.

She looked far more thrilled by the prospect of escaping her training schedule than by the actual food.

Still.

If that was what was required to keep her drive alive, Baek Jinwoo was more than happy to provide it.

Hanam City.

Positioned at the base of Geomdan Mountain.

“Incredible……”

“Director, how on earth did you manage to track down a property of this scale……?”

The Yubaek employees stepping out of the high-end vehicle looked around in absolute bewilderment.

The property was massive, featuring several crumbling structures scattered across the vast expanse.

“Everyone, follow my lead.”

Yu Jia exited the vehicle, adjusted her sunglasses, and walked confidently past the main entrance.

This location would serve as the central headquarters for Yubaek’s operations moving forward.

Her initial preference had been a location situated directly within Seoul, but…

The real estate market there was entirely prohibitive.

The metropolitan area was suffocatingly dense, packed tightly with skyscrapers to the point where securing large acreage was virtually impossible.

Starting out on the periphery was a fair compromise.

Even securing this particular lot had required an immense amount of effort.

In truth, this territory belonged entirely to Daesung Group.

More specifically, it was held by Yu Byeongcheon.

He had originally acquired the land for a potential corporate development, but it had remained completely abandoned while he debated its ultimate utility. Recognizing the opportunity, Yu Jia stepped forward to purchase the property.

Her grandfather ultimately relented to his granddaughter’s ambitions.

It hadn’t been an easy negotiation, of course.

He had conducted a rigorous evaluation of Yubaek’s business model, granting approval only after confirming that it would ultimately serve the long-term interests of the corporate empire he had built.

As a result, Yu Jia managed to secure the sprawling thirty-thousand-pyeong property at a drastically reduced price.

Crunch, crunch.

Yu Jia walked across the unpaved ground, meticulously evaluating every segment of the property.

As for the deteriorating structures?

They would level everything to the ground and initiate construction from scratch.

The timeline wouldn’t be an issue.

In the current era, provided one possessed sufficient capital, construction advanced at an extraordinary pace.

The labor force relied almost entirely on specialized summons.

Furthermore, specialized construction summons provided by premier firms could manage everything from excavation and foundational structural work to rebar placement and concrete distribution simultaneously.

Supposedly, navigating the bureaucratic permit phase consumed the most time. That reality spoke for itself.

“The main corporate offices will go right here. Over on that side, we will erect private employee living quarters and residential units.”

Yu Jia had deliberately chosen not to liquidate her outstanding corporate financing.

There was zero incentive to clear debts prematurely when they carried such favorable low-interest rates.

If anything, she intended to secure additional leverage.

“Every single structure will feature a reinforced subterranean bunker.”

Baek Jinwoo had made his desires clear.

His primary objective was ensuring the absolute safety of his family.

Yu Jia had kept that requirement at the forefront of her planning, retaining one of the planet’s premier structural engineers specializing in apocalyptic defense designs.

These facilities were engineered to withstand a total societal collapse.

Fully automated hydroponics, advanced water filtration networks, and independent solar power arrays!

Every bit of that infrastructure would be buried deep beneath the surface of this property.

Now came the most critical element.

Her focus shifted toward the lower slopes of Geomdan Mountain.

The precise boundary where the estate met the wilderness.

A dedicated training area in that specific zone would be ideal. He prefers open environments.

The natural terrain of the mountain would effectively contain any disruptive noise before it reached civilized areas.

If they integrated an advanced acoustic dampening system on top of that?

They would possess an unparalleled, completely private training facility.

“What is the estimated timeline for completing this entire project?”

Kim Byeongjin rubbed the back of his neck as he raised the question.

Their director.

Her operational scale was simply staggering. Out of this world.

It looked like they would be forced to operate out of that cramped, temporary office space for quite a while before any of this became a reality……

Yu Jia offered a subtle smirk and displayed two fingers.

Two.

“……Ah, so two years?”

“No, two months.”

“What?”

“Given modern engineering capabilities, two months is more than enough time. By the way, did you successfully procure the specific summon I requested?”

“Ah, you mean the Shadow Wolf?”

Kim Byeongjin offered a nod and raised his arm to manifest the creature.

“AROOOOOO!”

Swssshh!

A predatory wolf emerged directly from the darkness, letting out a remarkably fierce cry.

Yu Jia gave an approving nod.

It was time to elevate their player management strategies to a serious level.

And the absolute highest priority on her list?

Securing and monitoring Baek Jinwoo’s family members.

Lately, Baek Ajin felt as though she was experiencing the absolute peak of her life.

It was unbelievable.

Regardless of how many runes she managed to liquidate, her available stock never seemed to diminish.

Her storage space remained permanently overflowing.

She couldn’t begin to comprehend just how many dungeon instances her brother was clearing on a daily basis, but the influx of goods was completely relentless.

The most satisfying aspect?

A full twenty percent of every completed transaction went directly into her personal account.

Ah.

A wave of pure satisfaction washed over her.

Scarcely a month had passed since she entered into her official business agreement with Baek Jinwoo, yet her financial reserves were expanding at an astonishing velocity.

Particularly the premium-grade runes. The sheer volume of them was staggering.

Every so often, an item featuring flawless attributes would appear in the batch.

Runes containing highly sought-after enhancements such as percentage-based Strength, percentage-based INT, Critical Strike Chance, and Critical Strike Damage balanced perfectly. Baek Ajin categorized these rare finds as premium runes.

Naturally, premium runes commanded immense value in the marketplace, and a merchant who could reliably source such high-tier items quickly drew the attention of high-level clientele.

“Miss, I find myself repeating this every visit, but your available selection is unmatched.”

“Please take my business card. Ensure I am the first person you notify whenever a top-tier rune arrives.”

“You still recall our previous conversation, correct? That particular combat technique tome I requested. Has it arrived in your inventory yet?”

High-quality merchandise naturally pulled in the big spenders.

Among her expanding client base were top-ranking individual players and prominent representatives from the major syndicates.

Baek Ajin archived their details as priority VIPs, maintaining close communication with them.

Once her brother scaled his power even further and began producing even higher tiers of loot?

These individuals would compete to purchase everything without a single moment of hesitation.

And as for today.

She had secured her storefront early to attend a gathering with her old social circle.

With her financial situation thriving and her confidence at an all-time high, Baek Ajin followed through on her previous commitments and treated the entire group to a luxury meal.

“Ajin! Isn’t this that incredibly exclusive premium beef establishment?!”

“Wow…… seeing the success of a professional player in person really hits differently!”

“Baek Ajin has been operating on a completely different level lately, hasn’t she?”

When you throw around substantial money?

Admiration and flattery follow as a matter of course.

Her companions instantly dismissed any past friction, competing to shower Baek Ajin with endless compliments.

Sizzle, sizzle!

High-grade cuts of beef seared beautifully across the open flame, while her friends grew increasingly animated.

This time, however, the conversation steered away from their usual topics.

“Have you guys been following the news? Baek Jinwoo. He shattered every single existing metric again over the course of this past month.”

“It’s completely mind-blowing, honestly. How can a single person achieve significant growth every single day? His official records are being rewritten on a weekly basis.”

“If he keeps up this exact trajectory, isn’t he going to start threatening global records?”

The focal point of the discussion centered entirely on Baek Jinwoo.

That was simply unavoidable.

In the current social landscape, public attention gravitated far more toward elite players than traditional entertainment icons, and the absolute most talked-about figure in the nation was Baek Jinwoo.

Predictably, Yu Jia’s name was brought up right alongside him.

“Yu Jia is operating on an entirely different level of foresight. How did she possess the intuition to secure a contract with Baek Jinwoo before anyone else?”

“She carries the bloodline of Daesung Group for a reason.”

“Success ultimately boils down to strategic positioning. Though, if I’m being completely honest, while I initially felt envious of Baek Jinwoo’s luck, lately I find myself far more envious of Yu Jia. Baek Jinwoo is incredibly attractive, wouldn’t you agree?”

Attractive? What a joke!

Baek Ajin narrowed her gaze slightly at the comment, though her companions remained completely oblivious to her reaction.

Sigh.

She let out a quiet sigh to herself, observing her friends giggling and swooning over the topic.

Could she truly consider these people her close friends?

How could they sit here and fail to connect the dots regarding her own biological brother?

Granted, she couldn’t entirely hold it against them.

She had always kept her family matters entirely separate from her social life, and the surname Baek was incredibly widespread.

Furthermore, anyone familiar with Baek Ajin’s brother knew him primarily as the person who had spent years trapped in a profound medical coma.

Whatever. It didn’t matter. Just focus on enjoying the high-end meal.

Chew, chew.

Baek Ajin was just about to appreciate the incredibly tender texture of the premium beef dissolving on her tongue when—

“But speaking of Yu Jia.”

One of her companions, right in the middle of praising Yu Jia’s corporate brilliance, pulled out her mobile device.

“I monitor her official social media presence constantly, and she almost never returns a follow to anyone, you know? She strictly connects with immediate family or elite inner-circle associates, keeping her following count well under a hundred, but……”

The friend continued to swipe through Yu Jia’s public digital profile.

Baek Ajin’s attention naturally drifted toward the screen.

“This particular user account right here, doesn’t it strike you as incredibly familiar?”

Nestled within Yu Jia’s highly exclusive, limited following directory was a distinct account handle……

dbwldk_kk.

Baek Ajin’s grip on her utensils went entirely loose. The prime cut of meat she had been lifting slipped from her grasp, falling straight back down onto the searing grill.

“Wait, hold on a second!”

“I definitely recognize that specific username.”

“That belongs to……”

One of her companions turned her gaze directly toward Baek Ajin.

“Ajin, isn’t that your personal account?”

“What?”

“Baek Ajin?”

“Why on earth would Baek Ajin’s profile be featured on her list……?”

Her friends began piecing it together one by one, but the individual experiencing the absolute highest level of pure shock in the entire establishment was Baek Ajin herself.

Seriously.

For what possible reason would that wealthy older woman be following her profile……?

With her utensils still hovering mid-air and her food entirely forgotten.

Baek Ajin froze completely in her seat.