I Have Too Many Money-Making Talents - Chapter 14

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Talent That Pays: Episode 014
“Excuse me. Are you perhaps……?”
She studied me intently.
“Are you Myungmyeong?”
“Me?”
“Yes, the Myungmyeong from the Three Kingdoms forum — isn’t that you?”
Her steady gaze held absolute certainty.
She had the composed expression of someone seeking confirmation of an answer they already knew.
Meeting that look, the words tumbled out before I could think.
“No, I’m not.”
Inside I panicked, but my voice came out remarkably calm and evasive.
Not yet, anyway.
I wanted to keep online and offline separate.
Regardless of my skill at Go.
Once my real identity bled into my online presence, my actual job would become fair game for judgment too.
And yet.
‘How did she figure it out?’
She must have watched some of my games — can professionals really recognize someone just from that?
“……I see. I must have been mistaken.”
Jang Yu-na, a 2-dan professional, fell silent for a moment.
Her eyes filled with an inexplicable sense of regret.
She studied me quietly, then nodded to herself.
“Ah, I suppose I was wrong. You play beautifully. Congratulations on your championship.”
“Thank you.”
With a brief acknowledgment, Jang Yu-na turned away.
Her disappointed expression faded as she left the gymnasium.
‘Did I do the right thing?’
When asked if I was Myungmyeong, I’d wavered for just a moment.
Whether to confirm or deny.
But the answer came easier than I expected.
‘I hate complications.’
Today had been no exception — questions about where I’d studied Go never stopped coming.
Assumptions that I’d been a research student followed naturally.
Han Tae-min’s bewildered expression when I mentioned self-training is still vivid in my mind.
The truth is, I simply gained a talent.
Getting entangled with Jang Yu-na would only blow things out of proportion.
Besides, I didn’t want the line between online and offline to blur.
Even if it wasn’t a major issue, losing the freedom of anonymity felt inconvenient.
Anyone who’d ever played an AOS game would understand that.
So this was the answer I chose.
‘Just avoid it.’
After Jang Yu-na left, the Branch Manager patted my shoulder.
“Our Kim In-ha, you’re incredible. Champion of the Strongest Division! Congratulations.”
He looked happier than I was.
Genuine pride shone through in his expression.
“What’s this? Where did Do Branch Manager and Jeong Assistant Manager go? Missing this emotional moment?”
Ah, surely he knew the answer already.
I’d have disappeared too, given the chance.
The Branch Manager clicked his tongue regretfully.
“People really can’t stand to see others succeed. Here, Kim In-ha — drink this. You must be exhausted from all that intense play!”
“Thank you.”
I accepted the water bottle and drank deeply.
Between the concentration required in the matches and that probe about being Myungmyeong from Jang Yu-na.
There had been plenty to keep my nerves on edge.
-In a few moments, the awards ceremony for each division will begin. All prize winners, please gather on the stage.
“Go on now.”
I excused myself from the Branch Manager and headed toward the stage.
As people assembled, the award ceremonies proceeded in order: elementary division, lower grades, after-school category — all except those.
“Upper grades division champion, Park Eun-woo. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
The student who received the trophy from Kang Hyeok 9-dan scurried down and rushed to his parents.
The bright smile on his parents’ faces—pleased even more than the boy himself—was a sight to behold.
Next came the awards ceremony for the senior division.
“Ugh, and he’s happy just making it to the semifinals.”
The Branch Manager’s lips curled in displeasure at Do Branch Manager’s award, as though it rankled him.
From what I’d overheard at a company dinner, the Branch Manager was two ranks above him.
To lose to an equal in an official tournament—how wounded his pride must have been.
“Next, we’ll proceed with the awards ceremony for Gyeonggi Province’s Strongest Division. Presenters, please take your places on the stage.”
The moment the Baduk Association official finished speaking, the Branch Manager gave my back a sharp push.
“Go on up, Kim In-ha.”
I climbed the stage slowly.
Given the tournament’s scale, a large crowd had gathered below the stage.
Dozens of eyes fixed on me, and I felt oddly self-conscious.
“Third place: Jeong Soo-ho and O Dong-geun.”
Following the program, Kang Hyeok 9-dan handed over the trophy and a 3-dan certificate.
“Second place: Han Tae-min.”
Han Tae-min, standing beside me, stepped forward and received the trophy and 4-dan certificate.
“You did well.”
“Thank you, Master.”
Han Tae-min retreated with that brief encouragement.
And then.
“Champion of Gyeonggi Province’s Strongest Division: Kim In-ha!”
As I stepped forward, Kang Hyeok 9-dan handed me the championship trophy and 5-dan certificate in turn.
Applause erupted from all directions.
Below the stage, the Branch Manager pulled out his smartphone and began photographing me.
As the commemorative photo session was wrapping up, Kang Hyeok 9-dan extended his hand for a handshake.
“This seems to be a first. I don’t recall an amateur tournament where someone held their ground like this. It was Go worthy of remembering.”
“I… thank you.”
For a moment, my mind went blank.
This was an evaluation from Kang Hyeok 9-dan, one of the living legends of Korean Go.
My talent, my Go—it felt as though they’d been truly recognized.
In that moment.
Ding!
A familiar notification chimed.
[Talent: Go (A)]
[Championship Record]
—7th Jungbuk District Association President’s Cup Go Tournament Champion (1 time)
—17th National Amateur Ranking Tournament ‘Gyeonggi Province Strongest Division’ Champion (1 time)
—Official Dan Certificate ‘Amateur 5-dan’ acquired.
Of course.
My championship record updated, as though it had been waiting for this moment.
And below it, one more line was added.
A Dan certificate issued by a credible association.
The system seemed to have recognized it as an “achievement” as well.
‘Wait, what else just popped up?’
[!!]
An exclamation mark window.
What was unexpected was that it wasn’t the usual orange or red warning color.
I slowly reached out and opened the window.
[Congratulations. You have partially satisfied the conditions for talent maintenance.]
I smiled.
It felt like I’d found the answer.

* * *
“Kim In-ha, I have to say, I’ve seen you in a whole new light. I always say you can’t judge a person by their appearance alone.”
Right now, I’m in the Branch Manager’s car.
A top-tier S-Class—worth several times more than the Mercedes Ha Section Chief had bragged about.
I’m sitting in the passenger seat, driving home along the expressway.
“How were you planning to get home, Kim In-ha? The subway? At your age, and so frugal, too. How were you going to carry all this? Just take my car. I’ll drive you all the way home.”
It was too good an offer to refuse.
‘Who would’ve guessed about the bag of rice?’
It was a regional specialty—a full twenty kilograms of fresh rice came as a prize.
A trophy, a Dan certificate, a Go board, and Go stones to boot.
The moment I tried to carry all of it onto the subway, everything went black.
So in the end, I chose mental strain over physical exhaustion.
“So you taught yourself Go?”
“Yes.”
“I heard it’s been about two years. That right?”
“Around that long, I’d say.”
My answer made the Branch Manager’s expression shift subtly.
He seemed to be wavering, as if he had something he wanted to say.
“Kim, was there a particular reason you took up Go……?”
“Yes. After you recommended it, I became interested and decided to start.”
“Ah, that makes sense. The timing lines up perfectly with when I took over this branch. Ha ha.”
Of course, it was a lie.
My Go talent had manifested much later than that.
But to this extent.
‘Might as well make him happy.’
I was riding in a fine car I’d never been in before, and he was kindly driving me all the way home like this.
This much was a white lie.
“Why didn’t you say so? I could’ve helped.”
“I just…… wanted to see how far I could go on my own. And I wanted to confirm it by competing in tournaments.”
“Impressive, Kim. You’ve got real grit. Not like these young people these days.”
One lie was hard to pull off, but two or three felt easy enough.
Maybe that’s how habits form.
“Remarkable. Self-taught, and Amateur 5-dan in just two years. You have talent.”
“I’m not sure about talent…… but I do enjoy playing Go.”
“Ha ha. Right. No sport’s as fun as Go. If it weren’t for work, I’d give up golf and just play Go all day.”
The conversation remained warm and genial throughout.
I never expected Go to be a common thread that would bring the Branch Manager and me this close.
Even I found it remarkable.
“Though it is a shame. With talent like yours, if you’d started earlier, you could’ve aimed for the pro ranks.”
“The pro ranks?”
“Yes. You saw it yourself earlier—Jang Yu-na and Kang Hyeok couldn’t take their eyes off your game.”
“That might’ve been because my finals opponent was Kang Hyeok’s disciple…….”
“No. Your play is just that exceptional. That’s what I saw, anyway. There was something…… unpredictable about it.”
“……You’re too kind.”
In truth, Kang Hyeok had said something similar.
Jang Yu-na had suspected me of being the anonymous player and couldn’t tear her eyes away from my game either.
‘I could rise higher.’
A surge of confidence washed over me.
“You’ve got your Amateur 5-dan certificate now. You’ll enter the President’s Cup the week after next?”
“Yes. I’m thinking of registering for the Strongest Division.”
The Sudambe tournament victory was preparation for that.
The President’s Cup Strongest Division only accepted entries from those with an officially recognized 5-dan certificate or higher.
‘The prize money is substantial too. Five million won, and an official Amateur 7-dan certificate on top.’
It was too good an opportunity to pass up.
“The President’s Cup Strongest Division has plenty of strong players. There are research students in the ranks too. All the best amateur talent enters.”
“I’m thinking of it as good experience.”
“What are you talking about? If you’re going to enter, you should aim to win. The way you play, I’d say you’ve got a real shot.”
The Branch Manager displayed even more enthusiasm than I did, earnestly laying out my chances at winning.
Then, as if something had just occurred to him, he changed the subject.
“Oh, if you win the President’s Cup, you’ll qualify for the Biryong Championship seeding, won’t you? Your Amateur Ranking Points would jump significantly.”
“The Biryong Championship?”
“The largest amateur Go tournament in the country. This year the championship prize alone is over thirty million won.”
“Th—thirty million?”
I blinked repeatedly, too stunned to speak.
‘I can’t miss this.’
A fire ignited deep in my chest.
My motivation had never burned stronger.
As we chatted back and forth, I realized we’d already arrived near my home.
“You can drop me off just ahead.”
“Why? The GPS says to go a bit higher.”
“There are a lot of parked cars in the alley. The street’s narrow and it’s uphill, so it’ll be difficult to drive.”
My house sat on a hillside crowded with multi-unit dwellings.
It wouldn’t be easy taking the car up there.
“How are you going to carry all that? It’s fine—just ride up.”
Despite my concerns, the Branch Manager drove the car up the hill anyway.
The alley was so narrow it was nerve-wracking, but we managed to reach my front door without incident.
“…Thank you so much, Branch Manager.”
I meant it.
Since he’d taken his post, today was the first time I’d felt this grateful to him.
“You can handle the rice and the Go board on your own, right? I can’t help with that.”
I laughed softly and began unloading.
“I’ve got a business trip Monday, but if I can make time Tuesday lunch, let’s grab a meal together. You like eel rice bowls?”
“Yes. Then, Branch Manager, please drive safely.”
“All right, get going.”
The Branch Manager’s car backed out of the alley and disappeared down the street.
I grunted as I hauled the Go board and sack of rice to the front entrance.
They were so heavy my arms had gone numb.
Yet my face was wreathed in a smile the whole time.
‘A side hustle better than my main job.’
Lately, my perspective had been shifting.
If my main job was survival,
then my side work was possibility.
And now, that possibility was slowly becoming reality.
‘Let’s see how far this can go.’
I smiled and reached for the front door handle.
Then.
Buzz.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. A text message.
[Lee Yeon-hee: Senior, do you have a moment right now?]
It was Yeon-hee.

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