24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 1

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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24-Hour Friendly Market Specializing in Dimensional Items Episode 1

Episode 1. A Lucky Day

When I opened my eyes, I was inside a Sudden Gate.

This must be a dream.

After pinching my cheek while hypnotizing myself, I soon realized the reality and sighed.

“It hurts…”

A dense jungle lined with massive trees, my stinging cheek, and an unidentifiable roar echoing from the distance.

Putting all this together, I understood.

I was completely screwed right now.

And thoroughly at that!

Just a few minutes ago, it had been a peaceful weekday afternoon.

I was sitting in front of a convenience store spacing out, waiting to make a secondhand trade.

I had been making solid plans to go home, cook some ramen, look for part-time work, and then sleep.

‘But why!’

I denied reality while tearing at my hair.

My hair had grown wild after missing the timing to go to a salon and was now a complete mess, but I had no time to worry about that.

Even though Gates occur without warning, they said the probability of ordinary people getting caught up in them was extremely low…

“But that person turned out to be me…”

Me, an unawakened person whose only skill is rejecting Negotiation, caught in a Gate!

I frantically tried to fix my disheveled hair while looking around, but all I could see was vast wilderness.

‘Could this be divine punishment for cleaning up Brother’s belongings?’

At this ridiculous thought that suddenly occurred to me, I denied reality once again.

I had started organizing all of Brother’s belongings exactly three months ago.

It had been exactly nine months since Brother died after getting caught in a Sudden Gate a year ago.

At first, I had no intention of doing so.

After all, my attachment to Brother was different from that of ordinary siblings.

Brother was eight years older than me, and after our parents passed away, he raised me like his own child.

Naturally, I couldn’t organize everything in an instant.

‘The problem was that my mental strength was pathetically weak.’

I hadn’t expected it.

That I would be swept away by weak sentimentality every time I saw Brother’s belongings left in the house.

Starting to organize Brother’s belongings was a drastic measure I decided on after much hesitation.

Because I had to live too.

Just because I lost Brother didn’t mean anyone would pity my life.

To make matters worse, the cold reality I had briefly turned away from came crashing down.

I got fired from my part-time job, rent piled up, and it gradually became difficult to even afford one meal a day.

I tried to do manual labor, boasting that I had good stamina for a woman, but even that field had already been conquered by awakened people.

I had no choice.

So after a long journey of three months, today.

One feather that Brother had brought home, calling it loot.

Once I dealt with that, all traces of Brother would finally disappear.

I had definitely resolved that from today onward, I would live earnestly even if it was a rock-bottom life!

If this was divine punishment, Brother must have definitely slipped God some extra money, calling me ungrateful.

‘Brother, I’m sorry!’

“Ha, damn it.”

I groaned while tearing at my hair.

That’s when it happened.

Rustle-

At the sound from the grass, I turned my head in shock.

“…Did I mishear?”

Rustle-

I hadn’t.

That’s how the laws of the world work.

When you think you misheard something, you definitely heard it correctly.

I had just raised a death flag.

“…”

Something unidentifiable was approaching from beyond the bushes taller than me.

Cold sweat began to dampen the back of my neck.

As an unawakened person, all I could do right now was run away.

“Why, why won’t I move?!”

This was insane.

My body, stiff with fear, wouldn’t move, and goosebumps rose eerily on the back of my neck.

I clenched my hands, damp with cold sweat.

Was I going to die like this, without even a chance to escape?

As the brief highlights of my unremarkable life flashed by, I squeezed my eyes shut.

I didn’t have the courage to face the approaching terror with my own eyes.

However.

Meow-

An unexpectedly frail roar, completely different from what I expected.

I slowly opened my tightly shut eyes.

“A cat?”

What emerged through the bushes was a very small and cute white cat.

I muttered blankly while frozen in the same position.

“…So cute.”

Though I wondered if this was something to say inside a jungle.

The cat approaching me with its tail held high was truly adorable, regardless of the Gate situation.

If this weren’t inside a Gate, I would have thought it was a rich family’s cat that had been well-cared for before running away.

“Meow-“

The furry creature looked straight at me with bright blue eyes, slowly approached, wrapped its tail around my ankle, and mewed softly.

“Huh.”

Whether from tension or cuteness, all the strength drained from my legs.

I plopped down and petted the cat’s soft head.

Its glossy white fur was so soft it reminded me of the finest fabric.

Soft grass under the shade of tall trees, a cool breeze, and even a cute cat in my hand.

Could I have died without realizing it?

Immersed in this sudden peace, I absentmindedly stroked the fluffy fur.

“You’re not a monster, are you?”

“Meow.”

The cat stopped licking its paw and looked at me while mewing softly.

Taking the meow attack head-on, I grinned foolishly.

It’s an aggressively attractive appearance that could make you forget all of reality.

…No, wait!

“This is a B-rank Gate! Get it together, Lee Hae-won!”

I hardened my expression and looked around, staying alert.

I vaguely remembered the contents of the disaster alert I’d seen before getting caught up in this.

The majority of South Korea’s hunters are C-rank or below.

Considering that there aren’t that many B-rank or higher hunters, who are supposedly the core of Gate clearing, the possibility of rescue coming approaches zero percent.

Right, I’m on the verge of death right now.

“Isn’t there anywhere to hide?”

As I muttered and looked around frantically.

“Meow.”

The cat suddenly let out a small cry, wagged its tail, and started walking somewhere.

It was quite cute, so I chuckled and spoke to it.

“What, you want me to follow you?”

“Meow.”

“What, do you know the way or something?”

“Meow.”

“Oh, really? Do you live here?”

“Meooow.”

“That’s not it, this place is dangerous, you know?”

“Meow.”

“Smart cat. …Wait, hold on.”

I, who had been responding casually, suddenly shut my mouth.

‘Have I lost my mind?’

But no, I’m surprisingly calm for someone facing death right now?

I muttered uncertainly.

“Strangely… the meowing sounds different?”

It’s almost like it’s responding to me?

Many cat owners think their cats understand what they’re saying.

But only crazy people would actually be able to have conversations with them.

And I guess I’m that crazy person.

But this is inside a Gate where all sorts of things happen.

What if this cat isn’t a pet that got swept into the Gate, but….

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Meow.”

“If yes, meow twice, if no, meow three times.”

“Meow meow.”

“Holy shit.”

This little bastard wasn’t a cat!

I thought it was just cute, but it understands human speech!

‘Wait, then maybe….’

Isn’t this situation advantageous for me?

As long as that little thing isn’t trying to eat me, asking me to follow it could be seen as a very friendly attitude.

I looked at the cat waiting in front of the bushes with suspicious eyes. The cat was also looking at me with eyes that showed I couldn’t tell what it was thinking.

I don’t know what the real identity of that ‘cat’ is, but if I’ve somehow been chosen by an existence I never could have expected….

‘Maybe I can ask for help?’

I slowly approached the cat, bent my knees, and met its gaze.

“Do you happen to know a safe place?”

The cat, which had been looking up at me with clear eyes, meowed distinctly.

“Meow.”

This is definitely a yes!

“Then could you take me to a safe place?”

“Meooow.”

How absurd.

No, just a moment ago you were trying to take me somewhere, you crazy cat….

‘They say cats live however they want.’

To survive here, I somehow have to get this cat to guide me to a safe place.

“How can I coax this thing…?”

Having never raised a pet in my life, all I know about cats is what I’ve seen in videos and heard through word of mouth.

I don’t have anything like Churu, and there’s no way I’d have a toy….

“Crazy, I do have one!”

I hurriedly pulled out the glass box I’d put inside my jacket.

It’s not a commercial toy with a long stick attached, but the item I was supposed to trade today has roughly the same shape.

A feather!

‘Brother, thank you so much!’

I grabbed the shaft of the fairly long feather and started waving it in front of the cat’s eyes.

The cat’s eyes, which had been aloof as if it found everything bothersome and was thinking of abandoning me, immediately sparkled with curiosity.

‘As expected, this guy is also a cat.’

I’ve never raised a cat, but I know how to play with them.

The cat, which seemed to have completely lost interest in me just moments before, started bouncing around as if it had taken the wrong medicine.

“Meooow!”

It’s even making noise, so the dopamine must be properly flowing.

“Meooooow-!”

Look at it making noise because it’s excited.

That’s a very favorable situation for trading conditions.

Sending my heartfelt sympathy to all the cat owners in the world, I enthusiastically waved the feather until my arm was about to fall off….

“Okay, that’s enough now.”

Just before my stamina ran out, I cleanly tucked the feather back inside my jacket.

“Meooooow-“

The cat, having instantly lost its prey, let out a long cry mixed with irritation.

But I’m a veteran seller who has dealt with countless difficult customers with an average manner temperature of 52 degrees on Carrot Market.

I crouched down in front of the cat and met its eyes.

“This is a trade. If you take me to a safe place, I’ll give you this feather.”

“…Meooooow.”

“Don’t want to?”

At the complaint-filled plea, I slightly lifted my inner jacket pocket to show it.

The cat’s eyes sparkled again.

‘So you shouldn’t have gotten so excited when playing for the first time.’

“Let’s make a deal.”

The cat, which had been growling for a while as if displeased, let out a fierce cry.

“Meooow!”

It was a sign of agreement.

* * *

How many hours had I walked without a single sip of water?

“This is the Rescue Team!”

My ears perked up at the voice heard from far away.

Finally!

I shouted with the most booming voice I’d ever made in my life.

“Over here!!”

My voice was so magnificent that it seemed to reach the end of the dense jungle inside the gate, and immediately there was a response from the other side.

“Who’s there?! Answer me!”

“Here! There’s someone here! Please save me!”

I shouted at the top of my lungs again.

Soon, thundering footsteps began to echo from the previously silent area ahead.

This wasn’t the sound of mindless monsters approaching carelessly!

Anyone could tell these were human footsteps!

My heart raced.

“Are you here?!”

What emerged through the grass was the human I had been waiting for so desperately.

Though abnormally large in build, he was still a human man who looked relieved to see me!

“I’m alive…”

It was even a familiar face!

Park Bo-bae, an A-rank hunter from Baekdan, which maintains 2nd place in guild rankings, known as the ‘White Shield.’

A rising star among rising stars, evaluated as comparable to S-rank when it comes to Anti-Monster Tactics alone.

Such an amazing person was right before my eyes.

‘Safety guaranteed.’

Park Bo-bae spoke with a tone as warm as his good impression.

“How fortunate that we found you right in front of the Gate. What a relief.”

“In front of the Gate?”

“Yes, if you walk this way for about 10 seconds—no, since you’re a civilian, about 5 minutes—there’s an exit right there. Usually when people get caught up in Gates, they fall into the center, so we searched from the inside first. We should have started looking from the entrance.”

“…”

The Gate is right in front of me?

‘My goodness.’

I had cursed internally the entire walk, but this cat wasn’t a scammer.

It had been guiding me from the Gate center toward the direction where the exit was located.

The moment I realized this fact, my legs gave out and I collapsed right there.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“No, I just lost my strength…”

“Well, two days have passed outside. The rescue team defeated the boss, so don’t stray onto other paths and head toward that red pillar.”

With that, Park Bo-bae immediately left to search for other survivors.

Before I could even be shocked by the fact that two days had passed or that they’d already defeated the boss, I turned my gaze toward where Park Bo-bae had pointed.

Whether he had used some skill, a bright red pillar that hadn’t been visible before was now standing there.

To think I’d escape from here alive.

It was practically like surviving hell, so my mouth fell open in amazement.

“Meow!”

“Oh, right.”

I had forgotten while talking to Park Bo-bae, but the cat irritably tapped my thigh.

Come to think of it, this was all thanks to this cat.

‘To think it guided me to the Gate exit.’

Today’s good cat award goes to you.

“Meooow—”

“Alright, alright.”

I took out the glass box I had been carefully keeping in my arms.

The feather my brother left behind, his final keepsake.

If I kept it, I’d just keep getting sentimental, and since I got caught up in the Gate, the original buyer probably ran away too.

…And besides this cat, there probably isn’t anyone else who would appreciate it this much.

I handed the feather to the cat while gently stroking its head.

“Thank you, it was a very successful transaction.”

That was the moment.

Ding!

I quickly raised my head at the clear sound coming from somewhere.

Just as I was turning my head this way and that, wondering if something strange was happening again.

[Human ‘Lee Hae-won’ has made a transaction with a being from another dimension.]

[This is the first Achievement accomplished in ‘Dimension-Earth.’]

I doubted my eyes at the bright white light illuminating before me.

“A notification window…?”

The notification window that only awakened ones could see was floating boldly before my eyes.

[Searching for an appropriate title.]

I couldn’t make a sound and just quietly observed the notification window.

When I got swept up in the Gate, it felt like my life was completely over!

If all of this was paying off bad luck and my brother’s blessing, wouldn’t my days of struggling desperately finally be over?

At that moment, brilliant light burst before my eyes like fireworks.

[You have awakened as ‘Open Market Manager’ (EX)!]

My eyes widened at the brilliant letters “EX.”

But my surprise was brief.

I belatedly noticed the modifier attached in front of it.

“Open Market Manager…?”

I know well that there are all sorts of awakened ones, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a strange title.

I furrowed my brow and muttered.

“What is that?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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