Chapter 42 – A Master Cannot Compete on Equal Terms with an Ordinary Person

Everyone’s eyes focused on one place.

As expected, it was Geum Nae-yeong.

‘It’s just… a joke…’

Everyone laughed awkwardly and watched each other’s expressions, but Geum Nae-yeong rather took one step further forward.

“Are you saying that if I really break the record, you will give me one of the game machines I want among these?”

An unexpected re-confirmation.

Lawyer Gil Man-uk cleared his throat and laughed.

“Haha, of course. However… no one has broken it so far. Because this is a record I set.”

“Then I will try. Conditional gift contract established.”

Geum Nae-yeong picked up the pistol resting on the console.

“We do it with this, right? Do I just shoot?”

At that moment, Lawyer Gil burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Lawyer Geum, is this your first time playing Time Crisis?”

“Yes. But I have carefully observed what you just showed.”

“Haha, overflowing with confidence like a young fellow? It’s simple. Just shoot the enemies appearing on the screen. However, you have four lives, and bullets are limited.”

Gil Man-uk spoke with a smile in eyes full of playfulness.

“Okay, then I will play against you. Instead, if Lawyer Geum loses, what will you offer?”

“I will buy you one game machine you want myself.”

Geum Nae-yeong replied firmly.

“Oh-ho? Understood. However, I don’t play with cheap things, okay? Hahaha!”

Geum Nae-yeong nodded.

As the screen turned on emitting flashing lights, people’s attention was focused immediately.

“Ooooh—!”

The employees clapped their hands and lifted the mood.

“Lawyer Gil will win of course!”

“Amiably though, a beginner trying it for the first time cannot beat a master.”

The office had already become a small arcade.

The bet between the two was concluded like that, and the cheering was unilaterally focused on Lawyer Gil’s side.

Only one person. Lawyer Seong Seok-ju alone watched Geum Nae-yeong with a strange smile.

‘Lawyer Geum Nae-yeong’s eyesight is extremely good… He said his visual cortex area or whatever was particularly developed…

That gentleman… might get stripped clean as soon as he arrives.’

Seong Seok-ju leisurely began to observe how arrogant a person who didn’t know Geum Nae-yeong could be.

“Well, shall we begin then.”

When Lawyer Gil pressed the start button, a simple scenario flowed on the screen.

Bada-bam— Bang bang bang!

[AREA 1 – STAGE START]

As the red letters flashed, enemies poured out all over the screen.

Lawyer Gil let out a smile.

“This is indeed the legend of gun shooting games. Masters do it without even looking at the screen.”

With boastful words, he raised his gun and fired continuously, Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

He flew five bullets into the air in an instant.

“It’s no fun to compete with the same number of bullets. How can a master compete on equal terms with an ordinary person? Hahaha.”

Lawyer Gil Man-uk, laughing confidently as if showing off.

Geum Nae-yeong bowed his head and spoke calmly.

“If you accommodate me like that, I will not refuse.”

Lawyer Gil nodded as he smiled with composure.

‘As expected, a master must have composure.’

[action]

The screen flashed again and play began.

Tatatatatang—!

The targets on the first screen collapsed in the blink of an eye.

[wait]

[wait]

[wait]

[action]

The screen unfolded again.

Tatatatatang—!

[Weapon Change: Machine Gun]

There was no hesitation at all at Geum Nae-yeong’s fingertips.

The sound of gunfire rang out first before the enemies even appeared on the screen.

Tatatatatang—!

The enemies that popped out with flashing lights disappeared before they could even announce the fact that they had appeared.

A god-like shooting skill that foresees in advance and pulls the trigger by sensation rather than eyes, like a master playing by memorizing the pattern hundreds of times.

The enemies were swept away in an instant, without even leaving a trace.

The atmosphere that cheered at first froze into a silence as quiet as a dead mouse at some point.

And—

[GAME OVER]

Geum Nae-yeong: SCORE 108,030

Gil Man-uk: SCORE 140

Lawyer Gil parted his lips with a stiff face.

“Ah… well… you do… quite well…”

It was a weak voice, as if trying to save face to the last.

Geum Nae-yeong turned straight toward Office Manager Ju and pointed to the machine located on one side.

“Office Manager, could you please unplug the power cord of that machine? I will carry the main body.”

Instantly, everyone became quiet. The employees held their breath.

‘Are you really going to take that?’

However, Geum Nae-yeong raised the unplugged game machine with both hands without hesitation, as if it were natural.

Lift—

The game machine, almost like new with not even dust settled on it, was held in his arms.

Ju Yong-hae quickly approached and supported the opposite side of the game machine, and the two walked out of Gil Man-uk’s office nonchalantly as if carrying moving items.

The people also let out laughs with embarrassed expressions and slinked out of the office one by one.

Only Lawyer Gil was left, standing blankly.

His gaze was fixed on the spot where the missing game machine had been.

Faintly, only an empty space remained there forlornly.

“No… as soon as I arrive… is this what hazing is like…”

***

That evening. Late hour near Gyodae.

A few bars open late were noisy with customers, but it was a time when restaurants mainly serving meals had already become quiet.

Geum Nae-yeong opened the door of his parents’ shop and entered after work.

“Oh, my son. You worked hard. Were you busy today too?”

His mother greeted Geum Nae-yeong warmly.

“No. There were many customers, right? Hire more staff as I told you before. That will be more efficient and better in terms of income.”

“Yeah, I got it.”

“And don’t think inside that the money is a waste again.”

Geum Nae-yeong’s mother wore a startled expression. If they hire staff, labor costs jump dramatically.

Since it was a shop her son had set up with difficulty, she wanted to show him that it ran well while saving money.

Inside the restaurant, there were about two tables of customers, and the customers were tilting their soju glasses with egg rolls and stir-fried pork as side dishes.

Geum Nae-yeong spoke to his father.

“Dad, stop by the office on the way home after closing the shop.”

“Why the office?”

“I won a game machine. I plan to keep it at home and play.”

“A game machine?”

As his father widened his eyes, Geum Nae-yeong relayed what happened today.

“Hahaha, they didn’t know who my son was! Didn’t you tell them you were recommended as a national shooting athlete?

You should have told him in advance. The newly arrived lawyer had a proper hazing on his first day.”

His father laughed.

“But what is the name of that game machine?”

“Street Fighter.”

“Street… what?”

“It’s a console game machine. You’ll know when you see it.”

“Ah, that! That’s the one you asked to buy when you were young, right? Dad wanted to buy even a small one for our Nae-yeong back then…”

Sigh… there were so many things I couldn’t do for you then.”

“……”

“But did it come out so that you can do it at home now? I thought you could only do it in arcades.”

In his father’s memory, that time was still vivid.

The day the arcade owner kicked Nae-yeong out saying ‘I will give you money, so please don’t come’ because he played games too well.

“Even thinking about it now makes me really angry… Kicking out a kid who plays well… Sigh, that owner guy.

Kicking out the ones who are good and picking only the ones who are bad to scrape up their pocket money.”

His father emptied a soju glass and picked up an egg roll to put it in his mouth.

His mother pushed the side dish bowl toward Geum Nae-yeong and offered.

“Nae-yeong, here is stir-fried ham and fried eggs. There is also stir-fried fish cakes left over from making side dishes today, you like this. Try it.”

Geum Nae-yeong’s family began to have a cozy late dinner.

Suddenly, his father spoke up.

“But Nae-yeong. Return that game machine after trying it for a few days. Those things don’t cost just a penny or two.”

“No. It is mine. Transfer of ownership.”

“Oh dear… still, you shouldn’t do that. Or rather buy him a new one instead.

Giving a new one instead of taking the old one. That will all return to you later.”

“How does it return?”

“Well… he might help you when you’re in difficulty, or resolve it when you’re worried because of a case. Those things all happen as you live.”

“I won’t have such things happen, though.”

“Dude, don’t you remember when you first went there and went to the lawyers’ rooms and got cases?

It seems like your own ability, but in reality it all arises from relationships between people. If not for that person, you wouldn’t have even gotten the case?

So you should be generous in advance to feel less sorry and prevent problems later.”

Geum Nae-yeong fell into thought for a moment at his father’s words.

“And you, didn’t you say your friend sent lunch boxes to the office? That was bestowed upon you completely for free.

Then you should also go and buy his stuff. It’s similar to the people from your firm coming here to eat and paying exactly the money.

You shouldn’t just receive for free either. There should be giving and taking between people.”

Geum Nae-yeong nodded as if he realized something.

“A bottle of soju here, please!”

When a customer shouted, his father stood up from his seat.

“Oh, I will bring it. Both of you eat.”

His father took out a cold bottle of soju with slight ice slush from the inside of the refrigerator and placed it on the customer’s table.

“I brought a very cold one. Haha.”

“Ah, the boss has good sense.”

One of the men smiled and opened the soju cap.

Clink, pour.

Gurgle-gurgle—

While pouring the cold soju, the man spoke to another man sitting at the same table.

The two appeared to be senior and junior.

“Anyway, dude. I’m telling you this because it’s you. You know, right?

That I live the life of a landlord now with just one building. When you get older, there won’t be any profitable asset like this? Hahaha.”

“Yeah, that’s true…”

“But you see, I heard from a certified realtor I know this time… Well, they say a really amazing commercial space came out nearby, do you want to take a look?”

“A commercial space?”

“Yeah. That fellow also recommended this stir-fried pork restaurant space in the past. The boss here somehow knew and secured this good spot first. Haha.

I had my eye on this place so much, but it was gone before I knew it. This place is truly a goldmine.”

The man glanced at Geum Nae-yeong’s father and smiled.

“Hahaha. The location is indeed good.”

As Geum Nae-yeong’s father chimed in, his mother smiled proudly.

‘Does just anyone recognize a good location? Since our son is a lawyer, he investigated it exactly.’

Their conversation continued naturally.

“If you go a little way from here, there is a middle school and a high school, right? There is Gyodae too. It’s the building right behind this intersection. Although the building is a bit old, the location is good because it’s a school district.

It is literally a spot where you’d hit the jackpot if you open an academy. Aren’t you going to relocate your academy?”

“That’s right. I also want to move to a slightly larger place rather than the neighborhood now.”

“Then it’s perfect. Listen to this fellow’s story once. I will talk to him well so that you can go with a cheap premium.”

“Ah, really?”

When the man showed interest, he immediately took out his cell phone and sent a text message to someone.

“Yeah. Hold on. I will tell him to come now. You should see the person directly and hear the story.”

A moment later, a man neatly dressed in a suit entered the shop.

“Hello. I am Lee Jung-hwan. I manage this entire area.”

“This friend is a certified realtor who has grown old in this field here. Haha.”

“Nice to meet you.”

The glasses were refilled, and they naturally continued the talk while clinking their glasses.

“I heard from my senior that you are looking for an academy? Then that building is perfect. It’s a five-story building, right in front of the elevator on the second floor.”

“In front of the elevator?”

“Yes. There is a coin karaoke on that floor, so parents come and go often. Therefore, if you just set up a standing signboard in front of the elevator and stick something like ‘SKY Castle Class’ on it, students will come in on their own without separate promotion.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course! There is even a convenience store and a snack bar on the first floor. It is optimal for kids to study. Since a study cafe will also enter soon, the students’ movement line is perfect.

It is a structure where it’s all set once the academy enters here. With this configuration, it is a location that the mothers of this neighborhood will absolutely love.”

“Ah, indeed.”

“So a premium has been attached a little… but honestly, you can recover this in about three months and have leftover. Because it’s a spot everyone is targeting.

Since you’re the junior my senior cherishes… I will give it to you although it’s a waste. Just put down a small deposit right away.”

“Ah, is that so…”

As the man hesitated for a moment, the man next to him set down his glass and chimed in.

“Hey, this friend is a guy of long standing with me. Trust him and do it. You have to put down a provisional deposit so the spot doesn’t go away.”

“Should I…”

The man eventually opened his cell phone and turned on the bank app.

Right at that moment.

Geum Nae-yeong, who was scooping side dishes from the self-serve corner, tilted his head. He set down the side dish bowl and approached them.

“The total is fifty-one thousand won. Please pay first now.”