The Obesity Escape Bracelet frenzy was sweeping the nation.
It had been about a week since sales began.
Every kind of internet forum and SNS was overflowing with testimonials about miracles being experienced.
L: I bought it the moment the banner ad popped up. I'm the real winner.
L: I ate ramen last night and went straight to bed, but my face isn't swollen at all.
L: My body feels lighter, and my fatigue is gone too.
L: If you combine this with exercise, the effect is insane.
L: Wait, you're telling me you didn't do anything and still lost weight?
L: Yeah, I lost weight.
L: The real fact is that I'm steadily getting healthier.
L: Same. I got scared and went to the hospital for tests—everything came back normal.
L: I confess. I didn't believe it at first. But now I do. Please open the server again and sell it.
L: For unbelievers, only rising weight, hypertension, and high fasting blood sugar remain. Long live Rajiks Trading!
L: Thank you, Rajiks Trading.
L: Fine, I get it—I need to buy it. But why is the server still down?
L: Damn it, you could only make 3,000 units? Is it because tower metal is scarce?
L: Adamant is a common metal though.
L: Let me scratch my own lottery ticket too. I want to lose weight and go clubbing.
L: Like losing weight will change your face?
L: Whatever, take my money! I'd pay 1 million a month, not just 500k.
Cries were coming from everywhere.
It was a massive hit.
The real-time reaction could even be checked from the White Tower's 17th floor.
After all, the internet worked there.
Browsing famous forums and SNS sites with a satisfied smile was Mackenzie.
"Hohoho… what a spectacle."
When he first accepted the suggestion from the shut-in alchemist, Alia Mari, he hadn't expected a reaction this intense.
It was only beginner-level enchantment magic.
And the effect had been deliberately made very weak,
so as not to strain the body.
Besides, what was such a big deal about losing weight anyway?
In the world Mackenzie came from, obesity wasn't even considered a disease.
What if you gained a little weight?
If anything, it meant you ate well and lived well.
But this was Earth before its collapse—
a world of abundance, overflowing with food thanks to advanced technology.
A society where far more people died from overeating than from starvation.
And then, right on cue, an item appeared that solved people's worries.
With people reacting this passionately, Mackenzie couldn't possibly stay quiet.
He wanted to brag immediately that he had made it.
So he went onto a fairly populated internet forum and left a post himself.
— I made this bracelet. It's cheap trash, don't know why you're all freaking out. You all look pathetic and pitiful. But yeah, I'm wearing one too. —
L: Yeah, sure. It's late. Go wash up and sleep.
L: I'm not lying. This is a special handcrafted item.
L: Whatever. We know you're an attention seeker, so stop stirring shit and get lost.
L: I really made it!
L: Prove it.
Hah… these bastards.
Should he show them the entire process from start to finish?
Mackenzie slowly opened his smartphone camera.
He set it up in a suitable spot, took out an adamant ingot, and was about to activate magic—
"…Hmm."
He stopped before pressing the record button.
He desperately wanted to film it and upload it, but—
Forget it.
If it got out that he'd filmed and posted it, who knew what kind of mess would follow?
Those idiots would swarm him, accusing him of clout-chasing, asking if he had no sense, saying he was embarrassing himself by filming, questioning whether this helped the summoner at all… dumping every kind of criticism imaginable.
Now wasn't the time.
Someday, the day would come when he'd leave his mark on this Earth.
Right then—
"Hey, laborer Ma, what're you doing right now? Work's piling up. Get back to it."
Laborer Ma?
That little—he couldn't even burn that mouth shut.
No choice.
He'd brought this on himself.
Damn it!
Work was piling up.
But making a 9th-circle mage spend every day chanting enchantment spells—what a waste.
Would be nice if someone else could do it… Anyone usable around?
Triggering enchantment magic was easy.
First circle was enough.
And first-circle magic didn't even require training—you could artificially create and teach it.
Wait.
One person came to mind.
An industry insider, and a recent monthly-pass holder.
Not awakened as a player yet, which made the conditions perfect.
Maybe he should ask.
At Rajiks Trading, CEO Jung Dong-hoon felt more worried than happy about the Obesity Escape Bracelet selling out.
On launch day, the reaction had been lukewarm.
But once word spread, the prepared stock sold out in less than half a day.
They needed to reopen the server and sell more as soon as possible,
but he wasn't sure if they'd secured enough supply yet.
The bracelet bodies were produced externally.
They were handed to Commissioner Jeon Gwang-il, delivered to the White Tower's 17th-floor workshop, and finished by the residents there.
Should I go check in?
It wasn't just for work.
He genuinely enjoyed spending time with the people there—it felt warm and uplifting.
Not long ago, Player Bong had even given him a badge.
There had been applause and cheers.
Apparently, it was for doing a good job pulling something.
Even now, the badge sparkled on the chest of his suit.
He'd also received a monthly pass.
Jung Dong-hoon called his secretary via the intercom.
"You called for me, sir?"
"Come in, Secretary Oh."
Oh Jin-sook, recently transferred from General Affairs to the Executive Office.
It wasn't only because of Player Bong's request.
HR evaluations were good too—quick, competent, well-known as a mood-maker.
"There's no schedule today, right?"
"Ah! Actually, HG Fashion contacted us. They wanted to meet today if possible."
Meet for what?
Probably trying to pull strings now that leather supply differences were obvious.
"Tell them I'm busy. Don't schedule anything else for now. And you can clock out early today."
"Yes, understood."
Jung Dong-hoon left work as well.
He returned to his apartment, changed into comfortable clothes, and—
"Enter White Tower, 17th Floor."
Spot!
The twin towers of Rajiks Trading still stood tall.
That was when—
"Hey, Mr. Jung!"
"Yes?"
"If you're here, come help out. We're short on hands."
"Ah—understood."
Rajiks's workshop.
Everyone was working, each holding a bracelet and handling the refined magic crystal process.
This wasn't easy work.
Especially for an ordinary person like Jung Dong-hoon.
His hands were slow, powder spilled everywhere.
He wasn't skilled yet, so he rushed awkwardly.
"Tsk tsk. Mr. Jung, is this how you plan to make a living?"
"Just have Mr. Jung carry magic crystal bracelets. What about Mr. Jeon? He's good at this."
"We contacted Mr. Jeon too. He said he'd finish up work and come right over."
Mr. Jung was him—but who was Mr. Jeon?
At that moment—
Spot!
"Oh! Mr. Jeon's here."
Commissioner Jeon Gwang-il appeared in the White Tower.
"Sorry I'm late. Oh! CEO Jung is here too."
"Ah—hello, Commissioner."
"Good. Let's work together."
Jeon Gwang-il jumped straight into the work.
He was extremely proficient—clearly not his first time.
Which made sense.
On the White Tower's 17th floor, player abilities manifested fully.
Even basic physical capability was on another level.
"Ohhh, our veteran laborer Mr. Jeon works like a charm. Completely different from Mr. Jung."
"Hahaha, is that so?"
"I'll make sure you get a hearty snack later."
"If you keep this up, you'll get a permanent residence pass soon."
"How about a drink with this old man after work?"
"Sounds good."
Jeon Gwang-il was showered with praise.
Meanwhile, Jung Dong-hoon felt a sting in his chest.
A sense of being left out.
Both were monthly-pass holders,
yet one was praised while the other got scolded for being bad at work.
Hey, I literally just pulled an insane gacha a while ago… everyone was cheering.
Had they already forgotten?
That was just too much.
Suddenly, he remembered what Player Bong had said—
that he could awaken as a player anytime he wanted.
If I became a player, at least my physical ability here would improve, right?
He could use an inventory too.
But that meant entering the tower.
Should he? Or not?
Up to the 5th floor is easy, right?
Just beating up harmless worms that couldn't even attack.
But—
No. I can't.
He had to know his limits.
Once attack-type monsters appeared from the 6th floor onward, he'd be running for his life.
Above the 10th floor was completely out of the question.
Forget it.
A player… who did he think he was?
Then—
Someone quietly approached him.
"CEO Jung. Want to talk with me for a moment?"
"Ah! Yes."
…..
Mage Mackenzie.
The overall project lead for the Obesity Escape Bracelet.
Mackenzie led Jung Dong-hoon to a quiet spot.
Then—
"You… have you ever thought about learning magic?"
"…What?"
What was this supposed to mean?
"If you master just first-circle magic, instead of stuffing refined powder like that, you can become high-end elite personnel who chants enchantment spells. People need to learn skills."
"…Uh."
Magic?
The flashy, glowing-from-your-hands kind?
"Do that kind of menial labor a hundred times—what do you get per month? One paycheck? But an elite magic technician just chants spells to finish the job. That's where the real honey is. Damn right."
It was tempting.
But—
"I don't even know what magic is."
"It's not hard. I'll create and teach you the first circle myself. You only need to learn one spell."
"B-but…"
"Your will is what matters. If you have that, I'll take care of everything else."
Jung Dong-hoon fell into deep thought.
The magic Mackenzie wanted to teach him was probably the spell that activated the bracelet's enchantment.
"Decide quickly. I have to get approval too."
"Approval?"
"Our summoner's sign-off. That's the biggest hurdle."
"Ah!"
What should he do?
If he learned magic, work would definitely become easier.
Should I try learning it?
As Jung Dong-hoon's heart slowly tilted in one direction—
Suddenly!
Spot!
Player Bong Juhyeok appeared in the White Tower.
"Oh dear, CEO Jung, Commissioner Jeon—I think I got you monthly passes just to make you work."
"Oh no, not at all! I'm doing this because I want to."
"I-I'm fine too."
"Let's do it together. I'll help as well."
At that, the summoned beings spoke up in unison.
"Nope. Absolutely not. Summoner Bong ruins clothes—just watch."
"Young Master, labor is the work of lowly servants. A noble should only supervise."
"The summoner should just drink with this old man later."
"The warrior will do the summoner's share too."
"Master, please just stay by my side."
"Huek!"
In truth, the real discrimination lay elsewhere.
China's situation was growing more serious by the day.
The conflict between the government and players, sparked by the bombing investigation at the Beijing Continental Crisis Management Headquarters.
It shouldn't have dragged on this long.
Under normal circumstances, it could've been resolved with some compromise.
But ordinary players resisted by refusing to supply high-grade magic stones to China,
and the Chinese government had no intention of letting that slide.
The biggest problem was the lack of a control tower.
There was no leader willing to take responsibility and make a decisive call.
What began as policy disagreement turned into an emotional standoff.
The rift only deepened.
Level 58 ordinary player Hao Ren met with Level 61 ordinary player Zhang Wenshi.
Both were core members of the Chinese Players' Association.
"Zhang Wenshi, I got something as a reward from the tower yesterday."
"What is it?"
"Don't tell anyone. Ever."
"Got it. My lips are sealed."
"…A Liberation Rune Necklace."
"What? That only drops from the 71st floor and above. You're only level 58—how?"
"I don't know. It dropped on the 53rd floor. I was shocked when I heard the reward message too."
"Don't tell me… the restriction's been lifted?"
"Probably."
A Liberation Rune Necklace.
An item that allows a player's abilities to manifest in the real world.
If that was dropping on lower floors—
"For now, don't tell anyone. Keep it in your inventory."
"Yeah. One piece alone won't change anything."
"Let the association members know too. If a Liberation Necklace drops, tell them to keep it secret."
Zhang Wenshi's other identity—
He was the China handler for the Black Market Guild.
His real level was far higher than publicly known.
Liberation Rune Necklaces are dropping on low floors in China?
That information was quietly spread among Black Market Guild members.
After that, a large number of Liberation Rune Necklaces appeared as rewards.
Even weapons and equipment without the Tower-exclusive modifier.
Thanks to the summoned beings' efforts, enough stock was produced to resume sales.
Just like before—3,000 units.
But Juhyeok wasn't satisfied.
Why were they working themselves to death like this?
Something was wrong.
Even Commissioner Jeon and CEO Jung were being pulled in as labor.
Resting and enjoying life should come first.
Work was something you did only when bored.
So Juhyeok gathered the summoned beings and declared,
"From now on, labor hours are strictly limited. Bracelet production is capped at three hours a day. No overtime, no extra shifts. Exactly three hours, then you clock out."
Chaos erupted.
"Three hours? What can we do with that? At least eight hours of labor are needed."
"Kosak is correct. Servants are not to be spared—only used."
"This old man agrees. Three hours is a bit…"
"A warrior demands higher-intensity labor."
"Commander Veronica Calibur—if the troops idle around, discipline will collapse."
"Huek!"
Oh?
"Absolute Obedience! Three hours only. Huh? People need to laze around and enjoy life. If you work all the time, are you even human? You're a machine!"
He pushed hard—but—
"We refuse."
What?
Refuse?
"Based on Rule Three, Clause Three, we will continue working."
"Indeed. On the path for Young Master, there can be no laziness."
"We'll work hard and earn money. Supplies are the shortest path to victory."
"Huei!"
Seriously—
Using Clause Three for this?
The summoned beings were fired up by the bracelet's popularity.
Strike while the iron is hot.
Work hard, make more, and ease the summoner's financial worries.
At that moment—
Mackenzie hovered around Juhyeok like a dog that desperately needed to poop.
What was he up to?
Come to think of it, a large yellow exclamation mark was floating over Mackenzie's head.
Is he a game NPC?
About to give a quest?
"Something you need?"
"Ah! Summoner, I need permission for something."
"For what?"
"Well, CEO Jung keeps pestering me to teach him magic… I told him no, but he keeps begging to at least learn a first-circle enchantment spell."
Yeah, right.
The opposite was probably true.
This was Mackenzie trying to dump his work on CEO Jung.
His tireless efforts to avoid work.
Admirable. Very admirable.
"So CEO Jung wants to learn?"
"T-that is correct."
Juhyeok had previously suggested player awakening to CEO Jung.
But he'd refused—said it was scary.
If he awakened but never entered the tower, the awakening would eventually be revoked, which felt wasteful.
A mage, though?
No need to enter the tower.
Just sit here and chant enchantment spells.
"Teach him properly."
"Oh! Thank you. I'll make a usable first-circle enchantment mage."
Swish!
The exclamation mark above Mackenzie's head turned into a question mark—then pop! vanished.
Quest complete?
He really was entertaining to watch.
Anyway—
Commissioner Jeon was a player.
CEO Jung would become an enchantment specialist mage.
Whether that was okay or not—who knew?
In any case, with enough stock secured, Rajiks Trading resumed subscription sales of the Obesity Escape Bracelet.
〈Obesity Escape Health Bracelet – Resubscription Open〉
〈First-come, first-served: 3,000 slots〉
The server crashed in ten seconds.
No matter how hard people mashed F5, the screen wouldn't budge.
L: Yes! Subscription successful.
L: Damn it! Why is buying one bracelet this hard?
L: Is it just a bracelet? It's an Obesity Escape Health Bracelet.
L: Anyone under 100 kg, take your hands off the mouse. Let me live too.
L: You skinny bastards—if I catch you wearing that bracelet, you're dead.
Old subscribers and new subscribers alike were satisfied.
Of course, there were limits.
As time passed, the rate of weight loss slowed.
It went a bit faster if combined with exercise.
Still, the best part—
The weight never came back.
Eat, sleep, drink—your weight stayed stable.
And that alone
was already more than enough.
READ MORE CHAPTERS HERE-https://pokemon-translation-2.myshopify.com/