24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 120

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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 120

 

Episode 120. Babel Official Top Seller (1)

 

After sweeping all the snacks that had filled my cart into my inventory.

 

I used the ‘Call of Patala’ skill to instantly return to my house in Babel Square.

 

What if someone had been watching me leisurely shopping at the mart?

 

Overwhelmed by such worries, I even forgot how to breathe.

 

Only after settling into the cozy sofa did I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.

 

“Whew, damn…”

 

There’s a limit to hiding around – do I have to do this every time I go to the mart to get supplies?

 

I should just ask Park Ji-woon to make me a safe house and have things delivered there…

 

Or I could ask Kang Yeon-hee or Guk Min-seong for help.

 

Of course, all these methods assume I won’t leave the Tower of Babel.

 

It’s no different from being confined, but I didn’t mind.

 

‘There’s no difference between outside and here for me anyway.’

 

It’s not like I’m escaping reality.

 

The Tower of Babel has long since become reality anyway.

 

It’s not like I have family I left behind, or had a proper job outside.

 

Going out and inviting danger would be foolish.

 

I was elaborating on my fantasies about a comfortable reclusive life.

 

I thought no one was here, but suddenly the bathroom door burst open roughly.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

Alessandro, holding pink rubber gloves and a cleaning brush, was looking at me with a serious expression.

 

His worried eyes and tightly set mouth were filled with tension.

 

Looking at that earnest face, I pursed my lips with a strange expression.

 

‘This is his house though…?’

 

Why is he cleaning the bathroom without being asked?

 

That question came first, but since he was cleaning on his own, there was no reason to refuse.

 

Instead, I grabbed my pounding heart and answered calmly.

 

“I was chased by a bug.”

 

“A bug…?”

 

Alessandro’s expression became even more serious as he took a step back.

 

“If I may say so, I don’t like bugs.”

 

“Who would like bugs?”

 

Alessandro nodded deliberately, then hung his head weakly.

 

“…It’s not something you can say so easily.”

 

Alessandro’s figure, gazing down wistfully and desolately, looked quite pitiful.

 

But as a woman who could catch cockroaches with her bare hands, I saw through Alessandro’s true feelings.

 

Anyone could see that’s someone who’s afraid of bugs.

 

‘He’s not even an onion.’

 

No matter how much you peel away, new sides keep appearing with this old man.

 

I felt a bit awkward seeing this vulnerable side of our household’s number one tough guy, something I didn’t really need to know, but I smiled as if nothing was wrong.

 

In the meantime, I saw a brief glimpse of the future.

 

It probably won’t happen, but if bugs ever appear at Babel Square, I guess I’ll be the one catching them.

 

“Just in case, you should wash those clothes right away. Bugs can stick to clothes and come into the house, and if you’re not careful, they might lay eggs all over the place.”

 

“Ah, I got it, really.”

 

My outer clothes were confiscated by Alessandro, who was gesturing urgently, and I sprawled back on the sofa.

 

Before organizing the shopping items filling my inventory, there was somewhere I needed to contact first.

 

[How did the overseas information sharing go?]

 

Park Ji-woon, that is.

 

While South Korea has broken through from the 51st to 53rd floors, other countries are still stuck at just opening the 50th floor.

 

What’s the point of our country clearing everything if other countries need to clear it too?

 

Of course, the Tower of Babel keeps urging me to only focus on the appropriate duties my title should handle.

 

‘But I should care about dimensional destruction.’

 

People have a minimum sense of duty.

 

If the problem were smaller, I might be able to pretend not to notice, but when it comes to dimensional destruction, it’s right to remember and take care of it.

 

[> New Message

 

– Fortunately, we got positive results. With approval from higher-ups, we’re negotiating with countries that have towers. Ι Director Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)

 

– Based on the report Lee Hae-won wrote, we plan to share information about the 51st floor first. Ι Director Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)]

 

Maybe because I was the source of the information, Park Ji-woon openly shared details that would normally be classified.

 

But to think my amateur report, written by someone who’s never worked at a company, is being exported overseas.

 

Suddenly, worry washed over me.

 

‘Park Ji-woon probably polished it up nicely… right?’

 

I did write in detail about what was needed to solve the 51st floor’s mystery, but it wasn’t in a format clean enough to share with foreign countries.

 

It was more like ‘Laoko’s 35 Years,’ which rambled on about the heroic tales of Kuon, the 6th village chief of Laoko.

 

But pushing aside the shame, another emotion was rising.

 

Something like pride.

 

Even though I’m constantly being chased, busy, and can’t even take proper care of myself.

 

Somehow, I’ve become a line of defense preventing the massive event called dimensional destruction.

 

It’s like going from being a part-timer who could be fired at any time to becoming a hero protecting Earth.

 

Guk Min-seong might call it childish if he heard this, but if you can’t even feel this kind of small sense of achievement, what’s the point of living?

 

And I’m a very emotionally rich person!

 

Just as I was grinning and about to close the message window, a light question popped into my head.

 

‘But how did he convince the higher-ups?’

 

That’s just how all higher-ups are.

 

According to Park Ji-woon’s story and my experiences so far, the Babel Management Bureau and the government trying to control this superhuman society were not such easy opponents to deal with.

 

Rather, they would have cried out asking why I was spouting such nonsense about dimensional destruction, and whether I had ulterior motives to hinder South Korea’s development.

 

I narrowed my eyes and looked out the window, casting reasonable doubt.

 

[You didn’t use Asmodeus’s skill, did you?]

 

[- When can we expect the next survey? If possible, I will accompany you. Ι Section Chief Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)]

 

What’s with this violent reply that ignores my question and asks when we’re going to work?

 

I thought he was just a boring, rigid person, but it seems he’s been pulling some sneaky tricks.

 

Well, even though South Korea is running alone in the lead, they haven’t properly secured resources from floors 51 to 53 yet.

 

Releasing those resources exclusively to the market would be their best blueprint.

 

Park Ji-woon’s decision to use skills instead of persuading with words was bold and coercive.

 

He probably knew from long ago that this was the fastest way.

 

‘Is that why Asmodeus cherishes him so much?’

 

I recalled Asmodeus’s smile when he said Park Ji-woon was interesting.

 

…Aren’t I the more unpredictable person?

 

Wouldn’t I be more interesting than a calm civil servant who doesn’t even smile, since I go around causing trouble and digging my own grave…?

 

As I was contemplating ‘how to be loved by Asmodeus,’ I suddenly came to my senses at the sound of water from the bathroom.

 

In front of me, there was still a message asking about the survey.

 

After thinking briefly, I typed a reply.

 

[I’ll go on the survey within 5 days. But I’ll go alone.]

 

I thought about it for several days.

 

I still don’t feel like going with anyone else.

 

Park Ji-woon talked about my safety, but armed with various items as I am now, I’m someone who can escape at least once no matter what trials come my way.

 

‘I survived even after taking Kim Seol’s ultimate attack, so.’

 

So the survey is something only I need to go on, since I can infiltrate as a character outside the scenario.

 

He’s probably more worried because I panicked about water before and made a fuss.

 

‘I wish he’d forget about that embarrassing incident.’

 

In a situation where we can form an elite attack team of 5 members, taking a random person along with me doesn’t match efficiency.

 

Now I have detection writing tools that can draw maps and Kienum’s watch too.

 

If worst comes to worst, I also have the ‘Call of Patala’ skill that lets me escape to Babel Square.

 

[- Going alone is dangerous. Ι Section Chief Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)]

 

[I’m comfortable alone. And I won’t panic like before, so I’ll handle it well on my own.]

 

[- Let’s think about it a bit more for now. Ι Section Chief Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)]

 

What’s with this “for now” – just say you understand in one go.

 

Is it because he’s a civil servant? Rejection is his daily routine.

 

‘Still, it’s not bad.’

 

Though his tone is blunt and businesslike, his concern for my well-being is surely genuine.

 

But even if Park Ji-woon grabs my pant leg and tries to stop me until the end, what can he do if I go alone?

 

Just then, another message arrived.

 

[- And if there’s anything you need for the reconnaissance, please let me know in advance. Since this is strictly service for the country, the Management Bureau will prepare whatever we can arrange. Ι Director Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)]

 

When the government is offering to give me something for free, there’s absolutely no reason to refuse.

 

‘What else could I add to the beginner adventurer package.’

 

I thought of things like the flashlight I lost in the ocean last time, the heat packs Kim Seol used up, and a few bottles of clean water.

 

However, what I typed was a different message.

 

[I need to get a house outside for market-related matters. Since buying it under my name could lead to being tracked, please find a way, Director.]

 

The reply didn’t come for quite a long time.

 

He probably sent that message expecting at most some items needed for reconnaissance.

 

‘Was the scale too big.’

 

[- I’ll check on this matter and get back to you. Ι Director Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)]

 

I let out an awkward laugh.

 

At this point, I wonder if I’m just using Park Ji-woon as my hands and feet.

 

* * *

 

[⁕ Good morning, Administrator. Today is the day the Irregular Dimensional Market opens :)]

 

A notification window I discovered as soon as I opened my eyes.

 

I got up quickly without rolling around under the covers.

 

This is the day I’ve been waiting and waiting for.

 

The day I can finally finish the ‘sell 100 types of items to other dimensions’ quest that now stresses me out just looking at it!

 

The 100 types of items I personally searched for and carefully selected are sleeping peacefully in my inventory.

 

Snacks and americano to eat when my energy drops from selling, and Alessandro’s lunch box are also ready.

 

I also packed new cat supplies for Manti and a chair to sit comfortably at the stall.

 

‘I wonder how today will go.’

 

I’ve visited the Irregular Dimensional Market several times before, but this time feels a bit different.

 

Last time, I was only thinking about buying items from other dimensions to resell.

 

Thinking about directly selling items from our dimension like this makes me nervous.

 

Positive nervousness, of course.

 

‘I’m so curious about the reaction to the microfiber blankets.’

 

Though they’re familiar items to me, they’ll be completely new items at the Irregular Dimensional Market.

 

New things always stimulate curiosity.

 

Imagining the blue-eyed girl who sold the harp burying her face in microfiber blankets and melting away made me feel even more anxious.

 

I finished preparing to leave in 5 minutes and put on the robe that had now become my uniform.

 

“Let’s go!”

 

Oh, and.

 

“I’m getting nervous.”

 

“Unnie, wh-what did you just say? Today we’re going to the 75th Floor, not the 7th Floor…?”

 

Today, I’m not going alone.

—————
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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