The afternoon sun hung low over the Seoul skyline, casting long, orange shadows across the pavement. Inside the small "GS25" convenience store, the air conditioner hummed a lonely tune. Kang-dae sat behind the counter, calmly scanning a bottle of banana milk for a neighborhood grandmother. To any outsider, he looked like just another struggling youth, but his mind was a battlefield of data and golden screens.
[Ding! Tycoon's Aura is currently at 40% potency.]
[Warning: A high-level entity is approaching your location. All psychological defenses have been automatically activated.]
Kang-dae took a slow breath, feeling the cool air fill his lungs. He wasn't the same man who had trembled in front of Park Jin-ho just a few days ago. The System had reconstructed more than just his muscles; it had rebuilt his spirit.
Outside, the sound of the city changed. The usual roar of motorcycles and taxis was replaced by a heavy, expensive silence. Three black Mercedes-Maybachs pulled up to the curb in a perfect line, blocking the entrance to the store. A dozen men in sharp, tailored suits stepped out, their faces like stone as they stood guard at the glass doors.
The shop door chimed—a sound that usually meant a customer wanting snacks. But this time, it heralded the arrival of the most powerful man in the country.
Chairman Lee of the Shinhwa Group walked in. He was seventy years old, with hair like silver and eyes that had the weight of a thousand business wars. He didn't look at the shelves or the floor. His gaze locked onto Kang-dae immediately.
[Target: Chairman Lee Sun-kyu.]
[Title: The King of Iron and Silicon.]
[Current Mood: Intrigued but Arrogant.]
[Eye of Business Analysis: He is currently suffering from a hidden heart condition. Success rate of negotiation increases by 60% if you mention 'Vitality'.]
"You're the young man who hung up on my secretary," the Chairman said. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a vibration that made the glass bottles on the shelves rattle. "I haven't been hung up on since 1985."
Kang-dae didn't stand up. He didn't bow. He simply leaned back in his plastic stool, crossing his arms. "I was busy, Chairman. In this store, the customer is king. Since you aren't buying anything yet, you're just a visitor."
The bodyguards at the door bristled, their hands moving toward their jackets, but the Chairman raised a gloved hand to stop them. A small, dangerous smile played on his lips.
"Arrogance is a trait of the young," Lee said, walking closer and tapping his cane against the counter. "But in the business world, arrogance without capital is just a suicide note. You bought the Myung-dong lot for 480 million won. A lucky guess on the subway line. I am here to offer you 10 billion won. Take the money, buy a villa, and live like a king for the rest of your life. Give me the deed."
[Ding! Quest Update: 'The Lion's Den'.]
[Shinhwa Group has offered a 2,000% profit. Do you accept?]
[System Advice: Accept and lose the 'Path of the Tycoon'. Refuse and trigger a 'War of Assets'.]
Kang-dae looked at the floating prompt and then back at the old man. If he took the 10 billion, he would be rich by any normal standard. But to the System, it was a failure. To be a Tycoon, you didn't sell your foundation—you built on it.
"Ten billion won is a lot of money for a snack," Kang-dae said, his voice dropping an octave as his Tycoon's Aura flared to 100%. The air in the store suddenly felt heavy, as if the gravity had increased. Even the Chairman took a half-step back, his eyes widening in shock.
"But I'm not selling," Kang-dae continued. "In fact, I'm going to build a skyscraper on that lot. And when it's finished, Shinhwa Group is going to pay me 10 billion won a year just to rent the top three floors."
The Chairman stared at him for a long minute. Then, he began to laugh. It was a dry, raspy sound. "You're either a genius or a madman, boy. You don't have the construction permits. You don't have the materials. I can block your progress with a single phone call."
"And I can save your life with a single word," Kang-dae countered, leaning forward until he was inches from the old man's face. "Your heart is failing, Chairman. The doctors in Germany told you that you have six months, didn't they? Shinhwa Group will crumble when you die. But my System... it has something medicine doesn't."
The Chairman's laughter died instantly. His face turned pale, and for the first time, he looked truly old. "How... how do you know that? No one knows that."
[Ding! Secret Quest: 'The Lion's Den' – COMPLETED!]
[Reward: 10,000 Experience Points.]
[Reward: Beginner's Vitality Pill (Can cure 90% of human ailments).]
[New Quest: 'The Silent Partner'. Make the Chairman your first ally.]
Kang-dae reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, glowing green pill that had just appeared there. He placed it on the counter. "This is my price for the partnership. Not 10 billion won. I want your support, your logistics, and your silence. Do we have a deal, Chairman?"