Chapter 25: Todd, the Bear Merchant

A New Worker.

His name is Todd.

Current task.

“Bear!!!”

Suddenly yelled at by Rani.

Uh huh.

Now she even hugs it tightly.

“Ah! So soft and fluffy!”

Yeah.

It sure looks like it….

But, Rani, have you ever thought about the perspective of the poor bear doll…?

“Oh, please watch your words. It’s not a bear.”

“I think it is. Bear-dori, too.”

“That’s right!”

‘What?’

‘Is that the problem?’

“It’s okay to hold it?”

“Hmph, such rude people….”

Looks like it’s fine.

But….

1….

I thought it was a bear doll too….

But seriously.

It’s a real bear doll.

From front or back, it’s a soft and fluffy bear doll.

Look at the size.

It doesn’t even come halfway up to Rani.

Still, I should finish what I was saying.

“Rani, stop. Put it down quickly.”

“Wah… my bear….”

Hey.

That’s not just any bear doll.

Especially not yours, Rani.

Fortunately, she did put it down.

“Bear-dori….”

Of course, the gaze remains fixed.

What a beast.

I didn’t know you liked bear dolls.

Next time, I’ll buy you a bear doll.

A big one.

So just hold on for now.

“Hmph… Anyway, to wrap up what I was saying. We should get more, but right now it’s hard to get the full price. That’s what I mean.”

This worker emphasizes the full price.

[Worker Resume]

[Name: Todd / Advanced]

[Specialty: Commerce]

[Daily wage: 15 Lower-grade Magic Stones]

Maybe because his specialty is commerce, he explains things like a trader.

“Then what should we do?”

“I’m curious!”

“Me too, Rani!”

He talks well.

Look at that.

They’re already mesmerized.

At this rate, they’d buy a floor mat.

But I am curious.

‘So what should we do?’

“First, let’s wait a few days and observe how things unfold.”

What?

“Anyway, we can’t send workers right now, right? If it were top-grade workers, there would be restrictions.”

“Well, that’s true, isn’t it?”

[Fixed Team Summon]

[Robin (Top-grade): Available in 02 days 11 hours 42 minutes]

Only two days left.

‘Will anything change by then?’

“There’s always a right time for a deal. I, Todd, stake my name on making a perfect deal, so trust me.”

“Wow….”

‘He stakes his name?’

Crazy.

Reassuring.

‘Is he really an advanced worker?’

“He’s so different from the others….”

“Did you call him?”

“Yeah?”

“No….”

Just stay healthy.

Yeah….

Right.

Sometimes you need a worker like that.

I was about to nod when….

“Magic stones, materials, even Robin Hood’s Bow fragments…. How much is this deal worth? Money, money, hehe.”

Huh?

‘What did I just hear?’

Glancing over curiously, silence.

‘Did I mishear?’

“Impossible.”

Yeah.

Something’s off.

There’s no way such a straightforward worker would say that.

Arthur, Robin, Rani.

All reliable.

They have one thing in common.

Arthur’s eyes go wild at coffee….

Robin’s for meat and food.

Rani’s for materials.

And the new fact learned today: she likes bear dolls too….

‘So what about that bear doll who’s good at commerce?’

Let’s check.

“Todd?”

“Yes, Sujangnim.”

As expected, polite and clear tone.

I opened the inventory and took out a Lower-grade Magic Stone casually—.

Hmm.

It’s fine.

‘Then, a High-grade Mana Stone?’

“Oh!”

His eyes followed the stone quickly.

‘If I hand it over once?’

“ᄋᄒᄒ”

He likes it….

So that’s you.

“Heh-!”

Rani is delighted to see the bear doll excited over the High-grade Mana Stone.

What is this…..

I shook my head.

“Cute bear!”

Our Rani.

Eventually, she couldn’t hold back and dashed over.

“Sujangnim? Sujangnim!”

The bear doll called out desperately….

‘Uh?’

I don’t know.

Let them have fun….

China.

***

Meanwhile, the Central Awakened Administration Bureau was in a festive mood.

“Gukjangnim, it was a success.”

“Good. We emptied our warehouse, so of course it had to succeed!”

Hunters pouring in from all over the world.

Currently, tens of thousands counted.

And still increasing.

With this many, they should be able to handle the monsters coming from the expanded range.

“What about the top-ranking hunters?”

“Starting with Ralph from the United States, they’re arriving one by one.”

“Ralph? The world’s number one guy?”

“Yes, that’s right!”

The one who’s clearing the 67th floor is coming?

Wow!

It’s over then.

Among the top-tier, he’s at the very top.

Once Ralph moves, other rankers watching will rush in.

“They should have come sooner. It’s nerve-wracking.”

“Can’t help it. Since Wei Jin’s failure became known, they needed assurance that it’s safe.”

“They came after seeing the lower-ranked hunters are fine.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Sigh.

Wei Jin, that guy.

I gave him all the support I could to train him.

And he dies so abruptly.

“What about Chen Yu?”

“We’re focusing all possible support to get him up quickly. He’s now at the 60th floor level.”

“If I’d known, I should’ve split the training with Wei Jin…”

Sigh.

‘What’s the use of regretting now?’

We have to train him even now.

Chen Yu is at the 55th floor.

There’s still a long way, but it’s okay.

He’ll bring up the strength of the entire China.

Can’t fail to raise just one Chen Yu.

Let’s just get through this crisis first.

“Um…, Gukjangnim. I almost ignored this, but just in case….”

“What is it?”

I received a request proposal sent by a Korean named the Labor Management Office Head.

The content was…

“Will clear an S-grade Dungeon immediately, requesting Robin Hood’s Bow Fragment as individual reward in addition to the existing rewards?”

‘What nonsense is this, said so earnestly?’

“Who’s this Labor Management Office Head?”

‘Has he lost his mind with all the recent trouble?’

‘Why bother reporting this?’

Annoyance flared instantly.

He keeps adding more words.

“Gukjangnim, please calm down and see who he is….”

“Fine. Let’s take a look. Who the hell is this guy to say such nonsense so casually.”

[Currently Korea’s Rank 1 and 2 credited as major contributors for breaking through the top floors.]

[Hunter who clears A-grade Dungeons in about 10 minutes under Korea’s Awakened Administration Bureau contract.]

[Suspected to be the same person who dominated monthly boss raids in Korea.]

[Appeared around the same time as the person who set world records by clearing Chaos Tower to the 21st floor in Korea. Assumed to be the same.]

Hmm.

“Is that a record set by one person?”

“There are rumors it’s actually a team.”

“Even if so….”

It’s unbelievable.

‘Isn’t the world too unfair?’

Looking again.

This is cheating.

How can one person take it all….

If only such a guy was in China!

“Clearing an S-grade Dungeon would have been a piece of cake. Hmm, what do you think?”

“I think….”

The identity of this Korean Labor Management Office Head is unknown, but the record is solid, so I want to trust it.

Anyway, since it’s a request through AwakenerNet,

if it fails, there’s no loss.

“But, no matter how I think about it, the price is too high… isn’t it?”

“Yes, the Robin Hood’s Bow Fragment is a bit….”

Yeah.

If he wanted other rewards instead—

Like demanding all the rewards bet on, or more money—

I would have said yes without hesitation.

To give that guy a decent weapon, Chen Yu has to bargain with the great powers holding that.

“…So…”

Therefore, rejected.

***

“We can overcome this crisis immediately?”

“It’s tempting, but I won’t sell the future.”

Better to overcome it slowly.

“It’ll be fine. Hunters are flying in from all over the world even now.”

“Right.”

Labor Management Office Head?

We’re practically bankrupt already, so get lost.

Or be content with what we already wagered.

Several days have passed since Todd’s first summon.

In the meantime, we kept climbing the tower, completed the key, and Robin’s cooldown ended.

So we tried sending the request….

[Request proposal rejected.]

“It was rejected?”

“Uh-huh, expected that.”

1….

***

Even if he says that holding magic stones and giggling…. it’s hard to trust him.

‘Is he actually a screw-up too?’

But it’s already too late.

[Fixed Team Summon]

[Arthur (Advanced)]

[Robin (Top-grade)]

[Orc Horde (Intermediate)]

[Rani (Advanced)]

[Todd (Advanced)]

I already added him instead of the Slime.

He asked to be accepted first.

Looks like we can make a lot of good deals, or so he says.

True.

If our lucky Rani just makes and sells equipment….

Oh.

We’d rake in the money.

“Don’t worry. He says he got rejected on purpose now to demand a higher price later.”

That’s what he says.

Somehow, I don’t know why….

“Hmmm.”

“You don’t trust me? Then, shall we check together?”

Since Todd was summoned, what he’s been doing is checking AwakenerNet and the internet.

Business is all about information, or so he says.

A type I’ve never seen before, sharp and clear….

“Look at this!”

“Yeah?”

No.

Just stay healthy.

Yeah….

Anyway.

[New Request]

S-grade Dungeon Break near Beijing, China. Hunters worldwide needed.

[China, Central Awakened Administration Bureau]

The request still remains.

The reward is jaw-dropping….

“Anyway, no one can clear this.”

That’s Todd’s claim.

The reason?

“Because the only one who can solve this now is Sujangnim.”

Huh?

Mid- and low-grade hunters have already gone to China, and top global rankers are moving one by one.

“…They say so—.”

Fluffy hand stretched out.

Pointing at the monitor….

“Heh, bear-dori.”

Rani’s eyes darting wildly.

She might just leap at it.

I gave her a candy to calm down.

Back to bear doll.

No, if you listen to Todd…

“Monsters, if I had already called the workers….”

It’s too late now.

So there’s only one way.

Too many monsters must have come out. Better if the top rankers had been dispatched when the break first happened.

“When those guys think it’s hopeless, Sujangnim sends help to clear the S-grade Dungeon, and it’s over. Simple.”

‘Uh….’

‘Is it that simple?’

Still….

‘What if they clear it first?’

That’d be too unpredictable.

I asked out of curiosity.

When that time comes, it’ll be streamed online anyway, so just summon the top-grade workers and only the S-grade Dungeon is fine.

“Eat it all?”

“Oh…, good idea.”

Todd’s a genius.

Anyway, I especially like that he says promotion is possible.

So.

For now, let’s wait and see.

[Currently, hunters are raking in honey in China, but it’s not too late to join now lololol.]

[What’s the atmosphere there???]

[You get contribution just for blocking monsters, so thinking about rewards later is sweet and makes it worth it.]

[Should I go now….]

[Not too late lololol Ralph is coming too. When rankers come, they’ll clear the S-grade Dungeon quickly and get rewards, right?]

[Okay. I’m catching the last ride!!!!!]

The early atmosphere with countless hunters flying to China.

Everyone thought it was sweet.

Low-level hunters just blocking roughly.

High-level ones killing a few monsters each.

Stacking contribution to let the top rankers finish the job later.

[Peace is near in China.]

[The world united!]

[US number one also participating! Said he’ll go to China right after this schedule.]

Internet atmosphere was warm.

‘It felt like a life-changing moment?’

But….

One or two days later.

The mood began to shift.

[Something’s off??]

[Weren’t you the guy in China last time? Why???]

[Monsters aren’t decreasing;;]

[Top rankers haven’t come???]

[The top tier hasn’t. A few people in late 50s floor are hunting together. But… this monster count is way too high???]

Monsters increasing more and more.

Barely holding them back now, but if it grows worse….

This….

‘Will it change once the top-tier arrive?’