Awakened as a Money-Spending Genius Enhancer - Chapter 17

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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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Episode 17

Chapter 17. That’s Already Something

Even when offered to join the Guild, Kang Hoon was indifferent.

[I’ll think about it.]

Put on hold for now.

After sending that reply text with that meaning, he immediately forgot about the matter.

But his texting partner was A-rank Hunter Park Seri.

A woman whose drive was on a completely different level from ordinary people.

If someone says they’ll ‘think about it’?

What she would do is ‘prepare everything so they can act as soon as they finish thinking!’

That’s why Seri obtained the Guild Master’s consent within just one day.

She even went as far as scheduling a meeting!

Truly insane execution power.

At this rate, she’d probably rush through a future wedding ceremony like roasting beans in lightning.

─That momentum once again led the homebody Kang Hoon outside his home.

* * *

“I’ve been getting too much fresh air lately…”

Blazing Friday afternoon, 5 PM.

Normally, this would be the time for Kang Hoon to bury himself under his blanket and participate in mobile phone game events.

But today was different.

Kang Hoon stood in front of a horizontally long building, located slightly away from the busy streets of Apgujeong.

On the building’s main entrance, a blue sign read:

‘Cheongjeong’.

Two characters written neatly.

“The community called it small-time, but even small-time is big shot level for Hunter Guilds.”

This Guild was supposedly number one in terms of ‘quality’.

Could that really be true?

‘Maybe Seri exaggerated it.’

Well, the large and famous ranking Guilds were supposedly at corporate level.

Kang Hoon had seen them before when riding the bus.

The tall buildings with signs of the top ranked Guild.

Compared to those, Cheongjeong’s scale was indeed on the smaller side.

Gulp.

With that thought to shake off his nervousness, Kang Hoon entered the building.

Immediately.

A man with an incredibly massive build approached Kang Hoon.

“What brings you here?”

He even had a deeply carved scar on his left cheek!

‘A security guard?’

His appearance was quite intimidating.

“Ah. Hello. I’m here for a meeting. My name is Park Kang-hoon.”

Kang Hoon bowed his head in greeting.

Then the security guard looked Kang Hoon up and down.

And personally guided him to the meeting room.

“Follow me.”

Not only that, he even opened the glass door for him.

“Please come in.”

And he even pulled out Kang Hoon’s chair for him!

“Please sit.”

Moreover, when Kang Hoon sat down looking puzzled, he even sat across from him.

‘Huh?’

Then he extended his pot lid-sized hand and said:

“Nice to meet you, Hunter Park Kang-hoon. I’m Cheong Jeong-kwon, Cheongjeong’s representative and Guild Master.”

“What?!”

When Kang Hoon jerked up in his seat, Cheong Jeong-kwon chuckled.

“Um… the representative personally guided me. No, more than that, was this meeting supposed to be directly with the representative?”

Kang Hoon had thought it would be a simple mutual interview of sorts.

He expected HR Staff to thoroughly question him about his rank and joining conditions.

However, Cheong Jeong-kwon seemed to have different thoughts.

“As you can see, our Guild. Rather than generating profit, it was created to look after Hunters’ convenience.”

So representative Cheong Jeong-kwon.

He was appealing that he was more of a manager ‘Master’ than a business ‘Representative’.

“Ah.”

Kang Hoon understood.

Though it’s become a rare trend these days, Guilds like ‘Cheongjeong’ still quietly exist.

Places closer to ‘cooperatives’ rather than businesses.

It’s natural for corporate Guilds backed by large businesses to do well.

However, such profit-focused places also prioritize money in their contract conditions with Hunters.

The profit distribution ratio itself is unfavorable to Hunters.

Though they do provide benefits in return.

Do they see Hunters as money-making tools?

‘Just like major entertainment companies.’

Guilds like ‘Cheongjeong’ operate in the completely opposite way.

They may be called ‘Hunters’ for the sake of it.

But aren’t they essentially self-employed people risking their lives for work?

A cooperative where such people gather to help each other.

That’s ‘Cheongjeong’.

“-A Guild should be Guild-like, shouldn’t it?”

While showing Kang Hoon a pamphlet booklet, Cheong Jeong-kwon said:

“Why do ‘Guilds’ exist? Our ‘Cheongjeong’ is a Guild-like Guild that follows that etymology completely.”

His words and the ‘Cheongjeong’ promotional phrases in the pamphlet sounded plausible.

‘Actually, more than that…’

Kang Hoon’s eyes went to the picture frames lined up on the back wall of the meeting room.

There were many group photos of Hunters and Staff gathered together.

‘I’d expect Guild meeting rooms to have certificates or award ceremony photos.’

This place was filled only with photos that seemed taken after clearing Gates.

Pictures of people smiling with grimy, tired faces.

As if sensing Kang Hoon’s gaze, Cheong Jeong-kwon glanced at the photos behind him.

And asked:

“Speaking of which, do you have any intention of running Gate missions?”

“Yes?”

“If I’m going to invite Hunter Park Kang-hoon to join our ‘Cheongjeong,’ I need to know Hunter Park Kang-hoon’s conditions.”

At that, Kang Hoon let out a small “Oh” and pondered briefly.

Despite his appearance, Cheong Jeong-kwon was a kind man.

He began a new explanation.

“Dungeons. That is, running Gate missions is quite advantageous for tax purposes.”

This was content Kang Hoon vaguely knew about.

You must enter a Gate at least once a year to enjoy the Hunter Center’s benefits.

Tax reduction is one of them.

“This tax thing has some restrictions.”

“Huh? Aren’t all beneficiaries completely tax-exempt?”

“That’s right. If it’s income earned solely from Hunter activities.”

Cheong Jeong-kwon said while crossing his arms.

His muscles were so large that his hands couldn’t quite fit inside his arms.

“Additional income outside of Hunter activities has tax exemption limits. So many Business Operators run multiple Gate missions per year to meet the tax exemption amount.”

“Ah…”

“For example, if your annual income outside Hunter activities is 10 billion. One Gate mission only exempts taxes worth 1 billion.”

“Ahh…”

“Want full tax exemption on 10 billion? Then you run 10 Gate missions.”

In other words.

The tax-exempt income per Gate participation is?

1 billion, he’s saying.

In the past, this would have been a story he’d watch from afar like someone else’s business.

But now it’s different.

Just ‘Kang Hoon Shop’s’ revenue from last month exceeded 1 billion.

This month’s revenue?

[Virility Enhancement Germanium Jade Bracelet +2] is selling at a rate of about one per day.

Despite each one costing a whopping 1 billion!

‘Then… what? I have to go to a Gate once to get tax exemption on the money from selling one bracelet?’

At this point, Gate missions feel essential.

Kang Hoon will be earning even more money in the future.

Then how much money would be tax-exempt?

‘It’s an enticing story.’

However, Kang Hoon decided to postpone his answer.

“I’ll think about it.”

Then Cheong Jeong-kwon didn’t ask any more questions.

Instead, he began telling him about ‘Cheongjeong’s’ membership conditions, facilities, and management details.

* * *

That night, after hearing lots of stories he didn’t know and returning home.

“Phew. My prepared social energy is depleted…”

Kang Hoon rolled himself into his blanket and returned to homebody mode.

However, in his warm mobile phone in his hands, instead of games, a Navy search window was displayed.

Tap tap, tap tap.

[How to do Hunter activities easily]

Tap tap tap tap.

[Hunter activity support services]

Tap tap tap, tap tap.

[How to get tax exemption as a Hunter for free]

Kang Hoon’s mobile phone, which used to be filled only with mobile game guides and web novel sites.

New cookies are accumulating on the internet.

‘Should I try Hunter activities to reduce future taxes?’

That’s what he’s contemplating.

“Would that work with Enhancement Ability?”

As he searched like that.

Services for Hunters like Kang Hoon did exist.

The so-called ‘Gate exchange.’

[Service for low-level Hunters! Join our Guild! A-rank or higher Hunters will help with missions!]

Tempted by the promotional text, he clicked.

[First-time 50% shocking sale!! Discounted price 7,999,000 won!]

A payment window pops up as if it’s natural.

“Geez.”

Throwing down his heated mobile phone,

Shake shake!

Kang Hoon shook his head.

Hunter activities themselves don’t suit Kang Hoon in the first place.

“No matter what, having to fight is a bit…”

He’s never fought even during his school days.

Even during breaks, he preferred reading comics or drawing pictures in his notebook.

Kang Hoon has never even played soccer, let alone gotten into fights with anyone.

“Even as a Hunter… my ability has nothing to do with combat.”

He stretched both hands toward the ceiling, staring blankly and muttering.

“Right now is perfect. Using this ‘Enhancement’ ability!”

Then.

【 No object to enhance exists. 】

A system error window tactlessly interrupts.

“No. I wasn’t using the skill right now, you fool.”

Chuckle.

Thanks to that, his worries cleared up a bit.

“Right, well. Let’s not enter dungeons.”

Still, ‘Cheongjeong’ seemed quite good.

“I do need Guild services, so should I join?”

What you might call an Enhancement Specialist’s ‘intuition’?

He feels like he’s looking at an item just before a successful enhancement.

It even seems like the options would roll quite well.

“It somehow seemed like a good deal.”

Though Kang Hoon knows nothing about stocks.

For some reason, the guild called ‘Cheongjeong’ feels like it’s at the perfect buying point.

‘When I met with managers from other large guilds, I didn’t get this feeling.’

It was actually the opposite.

Somehow they gave off a sour and grimy vibe, like looking at weapons about to break.

“Well, I do know people at Cheongjeong.”

Seri, Ji-seong, and Cheong Jeong-kwon too.

They’re all quite kind people.

Especially Seri, who replies to texts so quickly.

You’d think she was addicted to her mobile phone.

‘Anyone would think she’s been waiting for my messages all day.’

Anyway.

Most importantly, ‘Cheongjeong’s’ management conditions aren’t bad.

“They take 5% of my earnings as commission… that’s it.”

That’s the only condition for joining.

With just that one condition, they’ll handle all of Kang Hoon’s tax processing from then on.

“It’s almost stupidly clean…”

They could have easily added one or two more conditions favorable to them.

“That guild master did seem quite trustworthy.”

Money calculations that had become familiar by now.

Kang Hoon put his mind to work.

If he sold one [Virility Enhancement Germanium Jade Bracelet +2] for 1 billion won right now?

‘Cheongjeong’ would take 50 million won.

Of course, ‘Cheongjeong’ would also pay taxes, pay the tax accountant’s salary, and handle various expenses.

So the guild’s net profit would be around 20 million won?

‘Even that’s pretty good.’

A C-rank Hunter bringing in 20 million won profit at once?

That’s an unbelievable level.

When you think about it, it’s an enormous amount of money!

Moreover, Kang Hoon crafts 5 +2 enhanced items per day.

With no failure rate, it’s basically guaranteed gacha!

“If all those products sell?”

The guild’s net profit alone would be 100 million won per day.

‘100 million!’

It’s an insane amount!

Of course, after raising the price of jade bracelets to 1 billion won each, the purchase rate has decreased.

‘But the fact that they still sell is something, right?’

If he joins a guild and continues making products while being managed?

Later on, money would be earned like hotcakes.

“Ah! What should I do~?”

Rolling around under the blanket.

Kang Hoon fell into happy contemplation.

—————
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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