Chapter 80
TL: Hanguk
In the conference room of Gagel.
"Due to the drought in the Asian continent and the locust outbreak in Africa, the crop yield is expected to decrease by about 15% compared to last year..."
As soon as the report on this year's food production forecast ended,
"Raise the food prices by 20% this year. Vice Chairman, how is the Tower Farm Project progressing?"
William McLaren, the chairman of the massive food corporation Gagel, who easily raised the world's food prices by 20%, asked his son and Vice Chairman, Michael.
"Unfortunately, there are no results in terms of food production yet."
The atmosphere in the conference room quickly chilled at Michael's too confident statement about having no results.
"Hmm..."
The executives in the room kept quiet, watching William's reaction. Gagel's Chairman William was not the type to let his son off easy. Rather, he demanded more results to prove his worthiness to succeed him.
"So, are you saying there's progress in areas other than food production?"
"Yes. Fortunately, we found a way to increase revenue sooner than expected. Please look at the screen."
As Michael signaled to his secretary, the prepared secretary connected a USB to her laptop and displayed the data.
"We've had unexpected results in our research on the Magical Cherry Tomatoes sold in the Tower."
"Unexpected results?"
"Yes."
Michael explained that they planted the mutated Contaminated Cherry Tomatoes on the 2nd floor as a trial for an experience farm and was in the process of expanding the farm tenfold.
"So you're saying that it grows well just by planting, and if you eliminate it, it gives experience? What's the growing period?"
"One month. And I request a budget to expand the experience farm by ten times."
Michael planned to clear out dozens of Skeleton Graveyards on the 2nd floor of the Tower to expand the experience farm.
"Good! I'll increase the budget for the Tower Farm Project tenfold, so do your best."
"Yes! Thank you!"
At William's full support, Michael bowed 90 degrees and said.
With the budget increasing tenfold, the current scale of the experience farm could be expanded up to 1000 times. Once the experience farm is completed in a few months, it would bring in billions of dollars a day.
***
"This damn cat... Kuiiik!"
Utata, who felt insulted by Theo, roared in anger. He couldn't just let it slide being humiliated by a intermediate wandering merchant.
Kuiiik! Kuiiik!
At Utata's roar, four subordinate wild boar wandering merchants pulled out huge axes from their bags. The Boar Tribe was known for its superior strength and for not hiring free mercenaries among wandering merchants.
However,
"Puhuhut! Taking out your axe means you're admitting defeat as a wandering merchant, meow?"
Theo, who knew nothing about it, fearlessly mocked the boars. And more than anything, Theo had an absolute belief.
'Park Sejun's lap will protect me, meow!'
It was a strange belief, but
'What is this? Why is he so confident?'
At Theo's attitude, Utata felt anxious that there might be something more to him.
"What are you?"
So, Utata asked Theo's identity as if he were tapping a stone bridge¹. It seemed like there might be a hidden identity.
"Phuhuhut. If you're asking for my identity, it is only polite to answer, meow! Listen well, I am the great black..."
Just as Theo was about to introduce himself with a villainous grin, like a final boss,
"Representative Theo!"
Elka and the wolves appeared, interrupting Theo's words. Intern Bill had called the wolves as a precaution.
Grrrr.
The wolves stood in front of Theo, baring their sharp teeth at Utata and the other wild boars.
"Silver Wolf Tribe?"
Utata was startled as he looked at the silver wolves blocking his path. According to their knowledge, the Silver Wolf Tribe's mercenaries should be pursuing Straw Hat on behalf of Lord Grid.
"Silver wolves, aren't you in the middle of carrying out the order of our tribe elder, Lord Grid? Don't be hostile to us.
"The request has been canceled."
"What?! You're canceling the contract?"
"It wasn't an official contract to begin with. Step back. If you continue to be hostile to Representative Theo, we will attack."
"Kuiiik! Silver wolves, you will regret this day! And you, watch out!"
Utata and the wild boars glared at Theo and the wolves before gathering their things and leaving.
"My introduction was interrupted..."
"Representative Theo, I called the wolves!"
Intern Bill, failing to read the atmosphere, told Theo of his merits.
Intern Bill believed his contract period would be reduced even more, but
"I'll restore all the reduced contract time for intern Bill!"
"What?!"
Intern Bill had to pay the price for stealing Theo's self-introduction opportunity. It backfired.
Plop.
Theo, ignoring the shocked Intern Bill, climbed onto Elka's back.
Then,
"Today I'm going to auction 5000 C-grade Magical Cherry Tomatoes, 5000 C-grade Power Sweet Potatoes, and finally, 10,000 D-grade Detoxifying Green Onions, 500 each, meow!"
Theo shouted out to the hunters. Thanks to the upgrades of Theo's bag space and the interns bags, the quantity of crops available for sale had greatly increased.
"Power Sweet Potato?!"
When the hunters were stirred by the appearance of the new crop,
"Let's start the auction with 500 Magical Cherry Tomatoes, meow!"
Theo announced the start of the auction.
"750 Tower coins for 500!"
Magical Cherry Tomatoes had now reached a somewhat stable price as the supply continued to increase, selling for about 1.7 Tower coins each due to the 2000 unit reduction from the previous auction.
The Power Sweet Potatoes, on the other hand, received a lukewarm response.
"500 Tower coins for 500!"
The effect of increasing strength by 0.5 was popular among warriors who valued the strength stat, but it was due to the effect when consumed by a non-awakened person.
"It stimulates bowel movements?"
Stimulating bowel movements could only cure constipation. It was too wasteful to spend hundreds of thousands of Won for constipation. Thus, all the Power Sweet Potatoes were sold to warriors at about 1 Tower coin each.
"Now, I'll sell the Detoxifying Green Onions, meow!"
"3500 Tower coins for 500!"
"3600 Tower coins for 500!"
Detoxifying Green Onions were the most popular. Ever since it became known that terminal liver cancer patients were 100% cured after eating Detoxifying Green Onions, more and more liver cancer patients were spending money to buy them.
"It's sold out, meow!"
Total sales amount 824,630 Tower coins. This auction was another huge success. The Detoxifying Green Onions were sold at an average of about 80 Tower coins each, pulling in the majority of the sales.
And then it was photo time.
"Humans, line up, meow!"
Theo, who needed to quickly return to Sejun's lap, but couldn't give up on Churu, hurriedly took photos.
"You guys take some photos too, meow!"
Theo brought in the interns to shorten photo time.
After finishing photo time, Theo said,
"See you next time, meow!"
Theo hurriedly took his group and ascended to the 99th floor of the tower.
Han Tae-jun and the Black Wolf Gang had long been forgotten in Theo's mind.
***
Day 253 of being stranded.
"It's complete!"
Sejun said, looking up at the brick tower that he had stacked up to the 10 layers. The construction finished two days earlier than planned.
It was all thanks to Kaiser.
-Park Sejun! Don't you have anything to ask me?!
Unable to bear being blocked by Aileen, Kaiser forced a favor on Sejun. He hoped that if he fulfilled Sejun's request, Sejun would intervene and appease Aileen's anger.
In response to Kaiser's insistence, Sejun asked for the completion of the brick tower, and Kaiser completed the brick tower quickly.
And Sejun removed Kaiser from Aileen's block list.
'It probably won't last long...'
As for Sejun, it wasn't too bad since he could get Kaiser's help again.
Once the fountain tower was completed,
Squeak!
The grey rabbits, with the help of the Black Minotaurs, started building a canal. This time, they paid attention to reinforcing the pillars to make a sturdy canal that could withstand Cuengi's weight.
During the canal construction,
Snip.
[You have simultaneously harvested 9 well-ripened Magical Cherry Tomatoes.]
[Your job experience increases greatly.]
[Your proficiency in Harvesting Lv. 4 has increased greatly.]
[Due to the effect of Proficiency Increase Lv. 1, your proficiency in Harvesting Lv. 4 has increased by an additional 5%.]
[You gained 270 experience points.]
Sejun was harvesting cherry tomatoes.
Then,
Kruong!
Cuengi approached Sejun with a log.
And,
Kruong!
Screech.
With its two front paws, it lightly split the log in two and started digging a hole in the middle.
Boom. Boom.
After Cuengi scratched the log with its paw a few times, two holes were quickly formed.
Kruong!
Cuengi sat in the front hole and called Sejun to the back. It seemed like a two-person boat.
'What a cute little guy.'
Sejun smiled fondly as he looked at Cuengi,
Kruong!
Cuengi rushed Sejun. Hurry up and get on!
"Alright."
Sejun pretended to give in to Cuengi's rush and got on Cuengi's boat.
"Oh!"
He hadn't noticed from the outside, but inside there was even space to stretch out his legs. It was quite an ergonomic boat.
Then,
Krueng!
The mother Crimson Giant Bear lifted Cuengi's boat onto the fountain. It seemed like she was saying they should play in the water.
However,
Kruong! Kruong!
Cuengi shook its body in excitement as his boat floated and moved on the water.
"Huh?"
Drip.
The Cuengi boat moved towards the canal connected to the fountain, and the boat entered in the canal.
"Cuengi! Stop."
Sejun's face turned pale. The canal construction had just started today. Naturally, the canal was in an incomplete state. He could see where the canal was cut off up ahead. The thrill he wanted was not this.
Kruong?
Cuengi stopped at Sejun's words, but
Tumble!
It was too late. Cuengi's boat began to accelerate along the canal.
Swoosh.
"No!"
Leaving Sejun's cries behind, Cuengi's boat raced swiftly along the canal.
And,
Woong.
After racing through the short canal, Cuengi's boat started free-falling from a height of 9m after flying for 3 seconds.
"Ahhhh!"
Kruong!
Just before Cuengi's boat hit the ground,
Kruong.
Fortunately, the mother Crimson Giant Bear caught Cuengi's boat.
"Phew."
Sejun breathed a sigh of relief and decided to seal Cuengi's boat for a while.
***
The office of the Chairman of the Wizard’s Association on the 66th floor of the tower.
"Kyoot Kyoot Kyoot."
Iona was humming a song and packing her belongings.
Plop. Plop.
She used telekinesis magic to put her bed, desk, and books in the office into her pocket dimension.
Then,
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Creak.
Chuchu.
At Iona's words, the door opened and a white rabbit wearing large glasses that covered half of its face and a red ribbon on its ear came into the room and greeted her.
It was Chuchu, Iona's disciple, who was the princess of the now fallen Red Ribbon Kingdom.
"Chuchu, did you take care of the people I brought properly?"
Squeak.
At Iona's question, Chuchu nodded in response.
Sejun had taken Izrael and Oren to Iona, judging them to be dangerous to Theo, and Iona had sent them to the mana stone mine run by the Wizard’s Association.
"Chuchu, you should pack your things too. We're going to the 99th floor together. Your people live there, so you'll like it too."
Squeak!
At Iona's words, Chuchu hurriedly ran to her room to pack her belongings.
A little later,
"Kyoot Kyoot Kyoot . Let's go now!"
Squeak!
Iona took her disciple and set off for the 99th floor of the tower.
And,
"Run faster, meow!"
Theo, who intuitively sensed the departure of his competitor, urged the wolves to move faster.
*****
Chapter 80: Riding on Cuengi's Boat
*****
TL Notes:
1) It's a Korean proverb that advises being cautious and careful.
*****
For extra chapters, you can read them on my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/HangukTranslations.
Join our Discord for announcements or to report any mistakes.