The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 64

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

Episode 64
Episode 64
When people unexpectedly came into vast sums of money, their reactions were invariably the same.
Usually, they hurt themselves.
Smack!
“Ugh!”
I slapped my own cheek and stared at my phone screen.
Still the same.
Then I grabbed my stinging cheek and grinned like an idiot.
It hurt so much!
Because I was so happy!
[Cobolt Warrior’s Sword]
*Final Bid: 313,500,000 won
[Cobolt Shaman’s Pendant]
*Final Bid: 251,000,000 won
[Cobolt Shaman’s Robe]
*Final Bid: 200,100,000 won
[Dark Mage Advancement Tome]
*Final Bid: 751,000,000 won
[Total: 1,314,025,200 won]
[Amount after deducting basic taxes and miscellaneous fees of 13.3%.]
Over 1.3 billion won.
I knew it well.
Even if I listed items in the future, it would be difficult to receive amounts in the hundreds of millions like this again.
After all, this was money spent to capture me in the early stages.
Yet to think I could obtain this much right from the beginning!
And I still had the 20 million won Han Yu-na gave me!
Of course, it was a pittance compared to 1.3 billion.
‘It’s almost like winning the lottery jackpot.’
A bit less, perhaps.
Well, the lottery takes taxes too.
Of course, I’d have to pay more taxes on top of this as well.
But I could just find a good accountant to handle it.
I happened to know someone who would do an excellent job.
Anyway! Now wasn’t the time to quibble over such things.
1.3 billion won!
1.3 billion!
Right now, I just wanted to savor this feeling.
“Phew.”
My heart was trembling too much.
Is this how lottery jackpot winners feel?
No, I must be even happier than they are.
A lottery win is a one-time thing, but this is different for me.
I can make money just by rummaging through my inventory.
What if I auction off a Hero-grade item?
Even if it doesn’t fetch that much, it’ll be close.
That’s why my heart was racing.
Because it didn’t feel real.
‘I really can’t believe this is happening.’
I submitted a withdrawal request.
Not long after, I could see the money hit my account.
This fast?
One might think so, but this is Pantheon we’re talking about.
I was already used to it.
No other place processed exchanges as quickly as Pantheon.
‘This is insane.’
[Balance: 1,338,025,200 won]
Roughly 2.4 billion more than before.
The amount from my original savings plus the gold Yuna gave me, all converted.
I never thought I’d see three commas in my bank account.
Before regression, I wouldn’t have even dreamed of it.
I was a thorough realist at heart.
I never fantasized about lottery jackpots or stock market windfalls.
But now it’s not a dream anymore!
‘Let me put about 500 million into Pantheon stock.’
It’s not a small amount, true.
But Pantheon has always been the icon of success!
Even if I’m wreaking havoc with future knowledge.
I wasn’t worried about Pantheon’s stock price wavering.
If anything, it’ll climb higher!
Didn’t people always say things like this before regression?
If only I’d bought Pantheon stock at launch, I’d have made dozens of times my money!
That kind of talk.
‘I’m not sure how many times exactly!’
Anyway, let’s do it!
I considered investing more.
But after setting aside taxes and keeping some for other purchases, 500 million was just right.
If I make more money from items, I’ll invest that too!
I immediately deposited 500 million into my stock account and invested in Pantheon shares.
The price had definitely risen compared to before.
You know it’s going to rise significantly regardless.
I can’t speak for other stocks, but Pantheon? Absolutely.
The moment I invested 500 million, the numbers shifted into a different league.
It stings a bit, I’ll admit.
But it’s an unavoidable investment.
Yeah, that’s right.
‘What comes next….’
Honestly, I hadn’t thought that far ahead.
I considered giving my parents some spending money, but they weren’t particularly interested.
They’re not the type who struggle financially anyway.
A gift for myself?
The thought suddenly struck me.
Come to think of it, in the past ten years, when was the last time I bought something for myself?
There was nothing except this capsule.
‘Now that I think about it, I bought the game but then got too busy earning a living to actually play it.’
That’s why I started Pantheon a whole year late.
This was before my regression.
A gift for myself in this harsh world.
It’s genuinely necessary.
Why does anyone work so hard anyway?
It’s all for happiness, isn’t it?
‘Fine then.’
I’ll buy myself a gift today.
Normally when people strike it big like this, they think of a house, a car—things like that. But me?
For some reason, I didn’t want to change houses.
I’ll move eventually, but not yet.
‘It feels wrong somehow.’
Haven’t I lived in this house for ten years?
And I even regressed here.
There’s still some attachment to it.
Moving right now just doesn’t feel right.
What about a car then?
Even if I bought one, I probably wouldn’t use it anytime soon.
I’m always at home playing games anyway—what would I need a car for?
Besides, buying something now doesn’t mean I’d get it immediately.
But Jin-woo smiled softly to himself as he thought.
‘Still, a car is the symbol of success!’
And….
‘I should get another capsule too.’
The older model isn’t bad, but still.
Still, the latest equipment isn’t necessarily that much better.
Even now, I could feel the synchronization was a bit sluggish.
Even if it’s not a huge reduction, any improvement would be welcome.
So should we head out to buy a capsule first?
What was the best option at this time again….
Well, I’ll figure it out once I get there.
‘Today is a shopping day!’
I deserve a reward for all my hard work!
Wait?
Did I really… work… that hard?
Whatever! I love rewards!
Meanwhile, unlike Jin-woo who went shopping after seeing the winning bid amount.
There was someone whose mood had plummeted.
“Still no contact?”
A figure sat on the boss’s sofa, gazing down at the New York skyline.
And behind this person stood another, head bowed low, beads of cold sweat streaming down their face.
They simply didn’t know what to say.
“….”
“Answer me.”
“That is… there has been no response whatsoever yet.”
“Didn’t you say the bid was finalized some time ago?”
“Yes, that’s….”
“And yet there’s no response?”
The person who appeared to be the Secretary said nothing as they watched the man’s frown deepen.
They knew that staying silent and submissive was the best course of action right now.
Kaiser.
He was far more than just an exceptional gamer.
Right now, there was no one more terrifying than him.
“Find out one way or another.”
“…Yes, understood.”
Kaiser’s frown deepened as he watched the Secretary retreat.
There were no new videos posted either.
Only.
-Wow, insane! That’s 1.5 billion combined?
-After taxes, isn’t it around 1.3 billion?
-Crazy, absolutely crazy! There’s actually someone dumping that much into early-game gear.
-No, lol, they’re obviously spending money to recruit players, not just buying equipment.
-Even so, 1.5 billion is excessive.
-And one person bought it all. Lololol
-But if they can’t recruit anyone, that’d be hilarious. Lololol
Tremor, tremor.
Kaiser’s body shook as he scrolled through the posts.
1.5 billion.
It wasn’t a small sum for him.
But why?
Why did it feel so wasteful?
I had to find a way to recover it.
‘I’ll repay this humiliation no matter what.’
Jin-woo, meanwhile, was happily indulging in shopping regardless.
* * *
Since ancient times, the display of wealth had been achieved through three primary methods.
A house, a car, luxury goods.
People customarily flaunted their riches through these three.
Lately, one more had been added to the list.
None other than the capsule.
As the virtual reality industry experienced explosive growth, capsules naturally rose in prominence.
After all, without a capsule, one couldn’t enter virtual reality.
Consequently, high-performance capsules were always in demand.
Even before Jin-woo’s regression.
A house, a car, luxury goods!
And a capsule.
Naturally, certain capsules were treated as luxury items themselves.
None other than Olympus!
The capsule brand created by Lee Yeon, who founded Pantheon.
And it was also the most renowned capsule brand.
Choi Min-jung took considerable pride in working at Olympus.
“Hmm.”
Selling luxury goods naturally elevated one’s own sense of pride as well.
What would you call it—corporate pride?
In any case, Olympus was a company worthy of such esteem.
It was also a major conglomerate.
In other words, an employee of a major corporation.
Still in her mid-twenties, her pride reached the heavens.
She had bragged about it so much to her friends.
Now there was one person who grated on her nerves.
“Ahem.”
She cleared her throat, but the customer browsing the capsules paid her no mind.
Well, not even a customer, really.
You’re only a customer if you actually buy something.
By their appearance, they didn’t look like they could afford anything.
Of course, I didn’t treat him rudely.
After all, customers in shabby clothes occasionally come in and make purchases.
The potential loss from acting dismissively toward the wrong person was simply too catastrophic to risk.
There were the occasional eccentric wealthy people who wandered in.
Though I didn’t think this person was one of them.
‘Predictable.’
Those eccentric wealthy types typically move with bold, decisive gestures.
They touch the capsules directly, ask if they can lie down, and actually test them out.
But look at this customer.
Shabby appearance—though admittedly, his face was reasonably handsome.
Every single movement and gesture screamed caution.
Excessively cautious, even.
You could see right through it—the fear that one wrong touch would get him bitten. The anxiety was written all over him.
A customer like this?
Hardly.
‘What difference does it make if he can’t even afford it?’
Of course, I kept that thought to myself.
The mouth was the easiest way to reveal one’s worth.
I simply hoped this person pretending to be a customer would leave soon.
He’d get tired of it eventually.
Window shopping exhausts people quickly, doesn’t it?
I assumed he’d be like everyone else.
But he wasn’t.
“Um, excuse me?”
“Yes. Is there something I can help you with?”
I maintained my smile and courtesy regardless of the situation.
That was customer service 101.
This was what working in service meant.
When Choi Min-jung smiled and asked the man, he let out a soft chuckle.
His expression was somehow full of mischief.
Was he trying to play a prank?
Or was he trying to get her number?
Well, at least I had eyes to see through it.
While Choi Min-jung was lost in thought about all this.
The man spoke.
“Do you have the Athena model in stock?”
“Pardon?”
The Athena model?
Wasn’t that the latest model Pantheon just released?
The price was in a completely different league from other models—a staggering 300 million won.
A model that only the most elite VIPs among VIPs purchase.
And you’re looking for the latest model right now?
What’s next, I wonder.
Is this customer planning to poke around at something they can’t even afford?
No, but they were far too cautious with the lower-tier models for that to be it.
They simply want to see it, it seems.
Should I refuse?
No.
The thought crossed my mind for a moment, but I shook my head internally.
Besides, I had no legitimate reason to turn them down.
A low courtesy score would only hurt my own standing.
Ah, this is precisely the tragedy of working in customer service.
“Ah, that model is our most premium specification, released just recently. You can experience it in the VIP room inside the store.”
Usually, when I say that, customers back away on their own.
VIP was such a magical word!
Young male customers always lose their nerve at that and simply leave.
If only there were no woman beside them.
But this customer hadn’t come alone, had they?
And yet.
“Oh, you have it? Then I’ll go with that.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I’ll take the Athena.”
“Pardon?”
Take what?
Experience it?
Did they purchase some kind of unlimited access pass?
No, surely not?
They wouldn’t mean what I’m thinking?
Gulp.
“Then I’ll prepare everything for you to experience it right now.”
“Oh! No, I won’t experience it—I’ll just buy it right away.”
“Gasp!?”
“Huh!?”
“Ah, I-I’m so sorry! I’ll p-prepare everything for you right now.”
Choi Min-jung rushed off frantically to prepare the contract.
And Jin-woo, watching her scramble, tilted his head in bewilderment.
Well, that wasn’t the important thing right now anyway.
Athena.
I hadn’t expected to find one here.
‘A device that boasts remaining in active use even ten years from now.’
Buying an Athena would last me at least several years without needing a replacement.
Plus, my synchronization rate would increase too, right?
Gaming with that would be so much smoother.
That’s what I’m looking forward to most.
So what should I buy next?
After signing the car contract, nothing else came to mind that was worth purchasing.
But then.
‘Ah, it’s been a while since I’ve seen the kids.’
Now that I think about it, I only contacted them once to confirm things after my regression, and haven’t reached out since.
I could blame it on being busy.
But now I have some free time, don’t I?
It wouldn’t be bad to see their faces again and treat them to a meal.
Let me call the kids.
“Hey, Young-jin?”

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