Chapter 80 – Riding the Cuengi-ho

Gagel’s conference room.

“Due to the drought in the Asian continent and the occurrence of locust swarms in Africa, the crop production is expected to decrease by about 15% compared to the previous year…”

When the report on the outlook for this year’s food production ended,

“Raise food prices by 20% this year. Vice President, how is the Tower Farm Project progressing?”

William McLaren, the chairman of the giant food conglomerate Gagel, who raised global food prices by 20% so easily, asked his son and Vice President, Michael.

“Unfortunately, we have no results yet in terms of food production.”

At Michael’s words, speaking so confidently about having no results, the air in the conference room instantly grew chilly.

“Hmm…”

The executives in the conference room groaned and walked on eggshells around William. Gagel’s chairman, William, was not the type of person to go easy on someone just because he was his son. Rather, he demanded more achievements to prove his worthiness to succeed him.

“Then does that mean you have results in areas other than food production?”

“Yes. Fortunately, we found a way to raise sales earlier than expected. Please look at the screen.”

As Michael signaled his secretary, the prepared secretary connected the USB to the laptop and brought up the materials.

“While researching the Cherry Tomato of Mana sold in the tower, there was an unexpected harvest.”

“An unexpected harvest?”

“Yes.”

Michael said that they were running a trial of the Experience Farm by planting the mutated, Corrupted Cherry Tomato on the 2nd floor, and that they were expanding the farm by 10 times.

“So you mean it grows well just by planting it, and removing it gives experience points? What is the cultivation period?”

“It is one month. And I request a budget to increase the size of the Experience Farm by 10 times.”

Michael planned to expand the Experience Farm by clearing away dozens of skeleton cemeteries on the 2nd floor of the tower.

“Good! I will increase the budget for the Tower Farm Project by 10 times, so go ahead and do it in earnest.”

“Yes! Thank you!”

At William’s full support, Michael bowed 90 degrees and spoke.

If the budget increased by 10 times, the scale of the current Experience Farm could be increased by up to 1,000 times. Once the Experience Farm was completed in a few months, they would be sweeping in tens of billions of won a day.

***

“This cat bastard… Squeal!”

Utata, believing he was insulted by Theo, roared in anger. He couldn’t just let such an insult from a mere mid-level traveling merchant slide.

Squeal! Squeal!

At Utata’s roar, four subordinate wild boar traveling merchants pulled out giant axes from their bundles. The Wild Boar tribe was famous for being traveling merchants with outstanding martial force who did not hire free mercenaries.

However,

“Puhut! Does pulling out axes mean you admit defeat as traveling merchants, meow?”

Not knowing that, Theo fearlessly mocked the wild boars. And above all, there was something Theo absolutely believed in.

‘Park Se-jun’s lap protects me, meow!’

It was a strange belief, but

‘What is this? Why is he so confident?’

At Theo’s appearance, Utata felt an anxiety that Theo might have something more.

“Who on earth are you?”

So, in the spirit of checking a stone bridge before crossing, Utata asked for Theo’s identity. He felt there might be some hidden identity.

“Puhut. If you ask for my identity, it is only natural to answer! Listen carefully, meow! I am the Great Black…”

Just as Theo laughed insidiously like a mastermind and was about to introduce himself,

“Representative Theo!”

Elka and the wolves appeared and interrupted Theo. Intern Bill had called the wolves just in case.

Growl.

The wolves stood in front of Theo, exposing their sharp teeth and threatening Utata and the other wild boars.

“The Silver Wolf tribe?”

Utata was flustered as he looked at the silver wolves blocking his path. As far as they knew, the Silver Wolf tribe’s free mercenaries were supposed to be pursuing the Straw Hat after receiving a request from the great landlord Grid.

“Silver Wolves, are you not executing a request from Lord Grid, the great landlord and grand elder of our Wild Boar tribe? Do not be hostile to us.”

“The request has been canceled.”

“What?! You canceled the contract?”

“It wasn’t a formal contract anyway. More importantly, back off. If you continue to be hostile to Representative Theo, we will attack.”

“Squeal! Silver Wolves, you will regret today someday! And you! Just you wait!”

Utata and the wild boars glared at Theo and the wolves, packed their bundles, and left.

“My introduction was cut short, meow…”

“Representative Theo, I brought the wolves!”

Intern Bill spoke of his achievement to Theo, completely unable to read the room.

Although Intern Bill believed that his contract period would be reduced again because of this,

“I will restore all of Intern Bill’s contract period that had been reduced so far, meow!”

“What?!”

He had to pay the price for taking away Theo’s self-introduction opportunity. It backfired.

Hop.

Theo passed by Intern Bill, who was wearing a face as if he had lost his country, and climbed onto Elka’s back.

And

“Today, I will sell 5,000 C-grade Cherry Tomatoes of Mana, 5,000 C-grade Honey Sweet Potatoes of Strength, and finally, 10,000 D-grade Detoxifying Green Onions in lots of 500 through auction, meow!”

Theo shouted, looking at the hunters. Thanks to Theo’s bundle upgrade and the interns’ bundles, the quantity of crops they could sell had increased tremendously.

“Honey Sweet Potato of Strength?!”

While the hunters were buzzing at the appearance of a new crop,

“Now, the auction starts with 500 Cherry Tomatoes of Mana, meow!”

Theo declared the start of the auction.

“750 tower coins for 500!”

The price of Cherry Tomatoes of Mana had stabilized to some extent as sales volume continued to increase, but this time, because the sales volume decreased by 2,000 compared to last time, the price rose slightly more, selling at around 1.7 tower coins each.

And the Honey Sweet Potato of Strength received an ambiguous reception.

“500 tower coins for 500!”

The effect of increasing Strength by 0.5 was popular among warriors for whom the Strength stat was important, but it was because of the effect when consumed by a non-awakened person.

“It stimulates bowel movement?”

Even if bowel movements were stimulated, it would only cure constipation. It was too much of a waste to spend millions of won on constipation. Thus, the Honey Sweet Potatoes of Strength were all sold to warriors at around 1 tower coin each.

“Now, I will sell the Detoxifying Green Onions, meow!”

“3,500 tower coins for 500!”

“3,600 tower coins for 500!”

As expected, the Detoxifying Green Onion was the most popular. As cases of terminal liver cancer patients being 100% cured after eating the Detoxifying Green Onion became known, even more liver cancer patients were spending money to buy the Detoxifying Green Onion.

“Sold out, meow!”

Total sales amount was 824,630 tower coins. This auction was also a huge success. The Detoxifying Green Onion sold at an average of a whopping 80 tower coins each, driving the overall sales.

And the photo time that followed.

“Humans, line up, meow!”

Although he had to return to Se-jun’s lap quickly, Theo, who also couldn’t give up Churu, quickly took photos.

“You guys take them too, meow!”

Theo deployed the interns to shorten the photo time.

Having finished the photo time like that, Theo,

“Then see you next time, meow!”

Theo hurriedly took his companions and went up to the 99th floor of the tower.

Han Tae-jun and the Black Wolf Band had long been completely forgotten in Theo’s mind.

***

Day 253 of being stranded.

“It is complete!”

Se-jun said as he looked up at the brick tower stacked up to 10 layers. The construction finished two days earlier than scheduled.

It was thanks to Kaiser.

-Park Se-jun! Is there nothing you want to ask for?!

Unable to bear being blocked from conversation by Aileen, Kaiser forced a request on Se-jun. He expected that if he granted Se-jun’s request, Se-jun would step forward to appease Aileen’s anger.

At Kaiser’s coercion, Se-jun asked for the completion of the brick tower, and Kaiser completed the brick tower in an instant.

And Se-jun removed Kaiser from Aileen’s block list.

‘Though I don’t think it will last long…’

For Se-jun, it wasn’t bad since he could receive Kaiser’s help again.

When the fountain tower was completed,

Pyibik!

the Gray Rabbits began to build the waterway with the help of the Black Minotaurs. This time, they paid attention to strengthening the pillars to build a sturdy waterway that could withstand Cuengi’s weight.

While the waterway was being built like that,

Slice.

[You have harvested 9 ripe Cherry Tomatoes of Mana at the same time.]

[Your job experience increases significantly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 4 increases significantly.]

[Due to the effect of Proficiency Increase Lv. 1, the proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 4 increases by an additional 5%.]

[You have gained 270 experience points.]

Se-jun was harvesting cherry tomatoes.

At that moment,

Kkueng!

Cuengi approached Se-jun carrying a tree trunk.

And

Kkueng!

Crack.

With his two front paws, he easily split the wood into two halves and began to dig a hole inside.

Scratch, scratch.

After Cuengi scratched the wood a few times with his front paws, two holes were made in an instant.

Kkueng!

Cuengi sat down in the front hole and called Se-jun to ride in the back. It seemed to be a two-seater boat.

‘Cute fellow.’

Just as Se-jun smiled warmly while looking at Cuengi,

Kkueng!

Cuengi urged Se-jun. Ride quickly!

“Alright.”

Se-jun boarded the Cuengi-ho as if unable to win against Cuengi’s urging.

“Oh!”

He hadn’t realized when looking from the outside, but there was even a space inside to stretch his legs. It was a somewhat ergonomically designed Cuengi-ho.

At that moment,

Kuong!

the mother Crimson Giant Bear lifted the Cuengi-ho and placed it on the fountain. It seemed to mean they should play in the water.

However,

Kkueng! Kkueng!

as Cuengi got excited that his boat was floating and moving on the water and shook his body,

“Huh?”

Scrape.

the Cuengi-ho moved toward the waterway connected to the fountain, and the boat became caught on the waterway.

“Cuengi! Stop.”

Se-jun’s face turned pale. They had started the waterway construction today. Naturally, the waterway was in an incomplete state. He could see the waterway was cut off ahead. This was not the thrill he wanted.

Kkueng?

Cuengi stopped his body at Se-jun’s words, but

Jolt!

it was too late. The Cuengi-ho began to run along the waterway, gaining acceleration.

Whoosh.

“No!”

Leaving Se-jun’s scream behind, the Cuengi-ho sped rapidly along the waterway.

And

Swoosh.

the Cuengi-ho, which had dashed down the short waterway, flew for 3 seconds and began to free-fall from a height of 9 meters.

“Aaaaargh!”

Kku-e-eng!

Just before the Cuengi-ho crashed to the ground,

Kuong.

fortunately, the Crimson Giant Bear mother caught the Cuengi-ho.

“Phew.”

Se-jun breathed a sigh of relief and resolved to seal the Cuengi-ho for the time being.

***

The office of the president of the Mage Association on the 66th floor of the tower.

“Kyut-kyut-kyut.”

Iona was packing her bags, humming.

Float, float.

Using telekinesis magic, she put her bed, desk, and books in the president’s office into her sub-space pocket.

Knock, knock, knock.

someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Click.

Pyupyu.

At Iona’s words, the door opened and a white rabbit wearing big glasses that took up half of her face and a red ribbon on her ear entered the room and greeted her.

She was Pyupyu, Iona’s disciple and the princess of the now-ruined Red Ribbon Kingdom.

“Pyupyu, did you handle those I brought well?”

Pyupyu.

At Iona’s question, Pyupyu nodded and answered.

Se-jun had judged that Israel and Oren were dangerous to Theo, so he had the two brought to Iona, and Iona sent the two to the mana stone mine operated by the Mage Association to deal with them.

“Pyupyu, pack your bags too. Because you are going to the 99th floor of the tower with me. Since your people are also living there, you will like it too.”

Pyupyu!

At Iona’s words, Pyupyu hurriedly ran to her room and packed her bags.

A moment later,

“Kyut-kyut-kyut. Let’s depart now!”

Pyupyu!

Iona departed for the 99th floor of the tower with her disciple.

And

“Run faster, meow!”

Theo, intuitively sensing the departure of his competitor, urged the wolves.