The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 26

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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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The Maxed-Out Player’s 100th Return – Episode 26
26. GS24 Yeonhui Branch
Min Do-hun, the Convenience Store owner, scanned through internet articles with trembling eyes.
[Last Month’s 4-Time Grand Prize Winner Wins Again!]
[Purchased Only 1 Million Won Worth with the Same Numbers. Prize Money Alone: 12 Billion Won.]
[5 Consecutive Grand Prize Winnings Total 68.5 Billion. Instant Windfall Millionaire Born.]
[Secret to 5 Consecutive Grand Prizes? When Asked, They Said It Was Revealed in a Dream….]
‘Revealed in a dream?’
My chest tightened as I scrolled through the comments—it was ridiculous.
└Wow, so jealous. I wish I could get a number like that just once….
└There’s no way a lottery god would give you a number you can’t even get from a woman….
└Damn it.
└You must have incredible luck. In that case, could you spare just 100 million for me….
└The comment above is stupid—didn’t even write down their account number before asking? For reference, my account is Nonhyup Bank 291-2894-9311-110.
└Winner, if you’re reading this, please give me just a little bit too. Giup Bank 281-293099-39-001.
└You pathetic bastards. Look at you begging so shamelessly. Nonhyup 291-2919-3999-912 Park Bong-chul.
└I can’t miss out either. Woori Bank….
└Is this place full of beggars only?
└You all have no sense. Would the winner come here and read comments with nothing to do? They’re probably spending money like water, going on cruises.
└In times like these?
└What good is money when people aged 15 to 29 have their lives mortgaged away?
└Doesn’t matter if you’re over 30 though?
└Wait, could they be a Player who used their abilities? Like precognition….
└If they had that kind of ability, it’d be totally broken. They could probably predict dozens more lottery numbers.
└That won’t happen. Didn’t you see the breaking news that just came out? They’re halting lottery sales after this round due to fairness concerns.
└What… really?
“Sigh.”
While the comments expressed shock, all I could do was sigh at this information.
I’d already received a call from the franchise headquarters just moments ago.
They said that since lottery sales had been suspended, I should process refunds for any customers who came in with purchases from yesterday or today.
That’s why I’d been scanning through the articles with such trembling hands.
I wanted to confirm it with my own eyes.
Sure enough.
[Breaking News! Lottery Sales Completely Halted as of Tuesday, February 1st.]
-The Government has decided to suspend sales of lotteries and all forms of lottery tickets starting today.
The reason given is that lottery sales are inappropriate during a time when 900 million deaths have occurred, the global economy is shaken, and waves of mourning continue.
However, this is merely the surface reason. In reality, it stems from public backlash over fairness concerns raised following the emergence of Players.
Players each wield special abilities through a power called Runes, but the problem is that these abilities cause significant chaos in society.
For instance, there is speculation that the winner who monopolized nearly 70 billion won in prize money over the past month is a Player in their twenties.
This fairness controversy has been an ongoing issue since the winner began winning consecutive grand prizes.
For reference, all citizens aged 15 to 29 are Players.
Globally, there are approximately 870 million; in our country, roughly 4 million.
Those who purchased lottery tickets on Sunday or Monday can receive an immediate refund by bringing their tickets to the point of sale.
An article about the lottery sales suspension had been posted on the main page of a major portal site.
It was only natural that Min Do-hun’s expression darkened.
“Sigh… What am I supposed to do? Sales are going to be cut in half.”
GS24 Yeonhui Branch was a Convenience Store that also sold lottery tickets.
Since there were no other lottery retailers nearby, business had been particularly brisk.
‘And recently, we’ve been getting great publicity from being the place where that 100-game winner came.’
Yet now, ironically, that same winner had made it impossible to sell lottery tickets.
“Ugh… Between labor costs and everything else, I’m already stretched thin enough….”
Especially since Min Do-hun now had a daughter graduating from High School.
When his business had failed and he’d divorced his wife, drowning in debt, she had been his only treasure, his sole source of strength.
‘If I’m going to send our Ju-ri to university, I need to earn several times more than I do now….’
Of all times to lose lottery sales, it had to be when money was tight.
“Sigh….”
He was doing nothing but heaving sighs when—
The door chimed open, and his precious daughter walked in.
“Oh, Ju-ri? You’re here?”
“Dad, why are you sighing like that?”
“Sigh… Well, it’s just… Never mind, it’s nothing.”
“Nothing? Your face says otherwise. Come on, tell me what’s wrong.”
At Min Ju-ri’s urging, Min Do-hun couldn’t help but pour out his troubles.
He felt guilty burdening his daughter, but if he didn’t vent like this, he thought he’d go mad from the stress.
“The lottery sales have been suspended?”
“Yeah… With so many expenses already, I don’t know how we’re going to manage… Sigh….”
At her father’s sigh, worry crossed Min Ju-ri’s face as well.
She knew well—she’d helped at the Convenience Store every vacation.
She understood how much of the store’s revenue came from lottery sales.
Min Ju-ri forced a bright smile.
“Don’t worry, Dad. Now that I’m graduating, I can help not just during breaks but all the time. That way we can at least save on labor costs….”
“Don’t say that. I already feel terrible enough having you work.”
“Did you make me? I’m helping because I want to.”
“Still, no. We promised before, didn’t we? Once you graduate, you’d stop working at the Convenience Store?”
“Then I could find another part-time job and contribute to living expenses….”
“No. Students should focus on school, not work. I’ll find a way to send you to university no matter what, so don’t worry about this. Just focus on your studies, okay? You’re a good student—you’re going to university. Becoming a doctor is your dream, after all.”
“But the living expenses….”
“Ahem. I’ll handle the money, so just concentrate on your studies, alright? You’re not going to skip university, are you? Being a doctor is your dream.”
“Dad… When was that my dream? I gave up on that.”
“What?”
“Besides, what’s the point of talking about High School in times like these? We don’t even know if we’ll survive the next round….”
“Ah.”
Min Do-hun felt as though he’d been struck on the back of his head.
So consumed with earning money, he’d forgotten the reality his daughter faced.
“Ah… right. Money isn’t what matters now…. I’ve been so scattered lately. I’m sorry, Ju-ri. I haven’t been much help….”
“What’s there to apologize for, Dad? It’s an unavoidable situation, like a natural disaster.”
“Still….”
“I’m really fine. I survived the first and second rounds. I’ll make it through the next one too. I even got a job this time, didn’t I?”
“A job?”
Min Ju-ri raised her hand instead of answering.
A brilliant aura of light materialized before seeping into Min Do-hun’s head.
“W-what is this?”
“It’s a skill called Bless that I got when I acquired the Buffer job this time. It raises overall stats, and for ordinary people, it has the effect of infusing them with vitality.”
“Haha, what a remarkable ability. I really do feel invigorated throughout my whole body.”
Min Do-hun said this while rolling his shoulders.
The tension that had always gripped his shoulders was gone now.
“My daughter becoming someone with such powers. It’s truly astonishing.”
“I’ll cast the skill on you often. So hang in there, Dad.”
“Yes, thank you. I’ll hang in there too.”
Though he said so, Min Do-hun’s expression remained clouded.
‘Damn that bastard! My daughter’s life hangs in the balance and he’s obsessing over some lottery ticket!’
Min Do-hun shook his head, berating himself.
Now his daughter’s survival mattered far more than the Convenience Store’s sales.
“Dad, what’s wrong?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Let’s switch now. I’ll take over from here.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Fine? You’ve been guarding the Convenience Store all night.”
“I can stay longer. Thanks to the buff you gave me, I can easily handle three more hours.”
“Still, go home and rest. Come on, hurry.”
As Min Ju-ri pushed her father toward the door.
The Convenience Store door opened and a customer walked in.
“Welcome….”
Min Ju-ri, who had reflexively begun her greeting, suddenly widened her eyes in surprise.
Min Do-hun was equally startled.
“Huh? That customer….”
“What? Dad? Do you know them?”
“That’s the person. The first-place winner who hit 100 games with the same number at our Convenience Store.”
It was rare for someone to manually purchase 100,000 won worth of tickets.
Since he’d looked young enough to require an ID check, Min Do-hun remembered him clearly.
The customer looked toward where Ryu Min and his companion were, then walked over.
Min Ju-ri stared intently at him, but Ryu Min pretended not to notice.
“Hello, sir. Do you remember me? I bought 100,000 won worth of lottery tickets here a month ago.”
“….”
Min Do-hun stared at the visitor instead of answering.
Up close, it was definitely that customer from back then.
‘What brings him here? Could he be coming to thank me or something?’
Occasionally, customers who won second or third prize would visit, calling the store a lucky spot and thanking him.
But this customer was different.
‘He picked the numbers manually, so he shouldn’t have any reason to thank me.’
Min Do-hun, who had been studying the visitor’s intentions, replied with a lukewarm expression.
Since he was the cause of the sales decline, I couldn’t view him favorably.
“Yes… I remember. But what brings you here?”
“First, I’d like to apologize.”
When Ryu Min suddenly bowed, Min Do-hun looked at him in surprise.
“What, what is it? All of a sudden?”
“I saw the news. Because I kept winning first prize consecutively, lottery ticket sales were suspended. I apologize for unintentionally causing damage to your store.”
“Ah….”
The bewilderment was brief in the face of such a polite apology.
“It’s fine, really. How is that your fault? We’re not going to starve just because we can’t sell lottery tickets, right?”
Min Do-hun brushed it off coolly.
The resentment I’d harbored vanished like it had been washed away by his unexpected apology.
“Besides, when you think about it, it’s not even your fault, is it? You said the numbers came to you in a dream—what can you do about that? I’d go all-in on the lottery myself if I were you.”
“Still, I feel uncomfortable knowing I’ve caused you loss. So, in that sense….”
Ryu Min handed over a white envelope he’d prepared.
“I’d like to offer you some compensation.”
“What, what is this?”
“Ten million won.”
“What?”
Min Do-hun, startled, frantically waved his hands.
“No, no, this is too much. Please take it back….”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d accept it. After all, I did cause you damage. Then I’ll be going.”
With only those words, Ryu Min left the store.
“Hey, wait! Customer!”
Before Min Do-hun could stop him, he was already gone, leaving him flustered.
“Good grief, how could I accept such a large sum….”
“Dad, then I’ll run after him right now and give it back!”
“What? Yes, do that!”
Min Ju-ri grabbed the envelope and rushed out of the store.
Fortunately, the customer hadn’t gone far.
“Hey, wait a second!”
I turned around at the voice calling from behind.
Min Ju-ri came running up, breathing heavily.
“Ryu Min! You’re Ryu Min, right?”
“Who are you?”
“You don’t know me? I’m Min Ju-ri! We’re in the same class.”
“Huh…? Really?”
At my response as if hearing this for the first time, Min Ju-ri’s expression grew disappointed.
“You didn’t even know we were in the same class this whole time?”
“Sorry. I’m just bad at remembering people’s faces.”
It was a lie.
I already knew that Min Ju-ri was in my class and that she was the Convenience Store owner’s daughter.
‘And that she’s a Buffer—the only one with that unique class.’
I hadn’t known at first.
That the Convenience Store where I bought the lottery ticket was run by Min Ju-ri’s father.
‘I didn’t find out until after the 20th cycle.’
And even then, it wasn’t from reality—I learned it by chance after growing close to Min Ju-ri in the Other World.
‘Not even in the same class, yet we became close in the Other World.’
When I later discovered we were classmates, I was quite surprised myself.
It was one of those strange coincidences.
‘I need to bring Min Ju-ri to my side and take her through to round 20.’
A Buffer was far too valuable an asset to pass up.
“Should we go somewhere quiet and talk for a bit?”
At Min Ju-ri’s suggestion, I smiled knowingly.
“Let’s do it.”
My calculated approach, disguised as coincidence, had worked perfectly.

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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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