The air in the convenience store was thick enough to cut with a knife. Chairman Lee Sun-kyu stared at the glowing green pill on the counter, his breathing shallow. For a man who owned half of Seoul, this tiny shop felt like a cage where he was no longer the predator.
"You're asking me to bet the future of Shinhwa on a piece of candy from a convenience store clerk?" the Chairman whispered, though the tremor in his hand betrayed his fear.
Kang-dae didn't blink. He felt the Tycoon's Aura vibrating, a cold energy that made him feel like a king carved from ice. "I'm not asking you to bet anything, Chairman. I'm giving you a choice: die in six months surrounded by vultures, or take that pill and see the world through my eyes."
[Ding! Passive Skill 'Lying Detection' Active.]
[Target's psychological wall is crumbling. Success rate: 89%.]
Without another word, the old man reached out. His fingers, spotted with age, snatched the pill and shoved it into his mouth.
For five seconds, nothing happened. Then, the Chairman's eyes flew wide. A deep, guttural sound escaped his throat. The grey, sickly tint of his skin vanished, replaced by a healthy flush. The chronic pain that had haunted his chest for years evaporated like mist in the morning sun.
"This..." The Chairman stood up, dropping his cane. It clattered loudly on the linoleum floor. He stretched his back, his joints popping like fireworks. "I feel... thirty years younger."
"That was just the sample," Kang-dae said, leaning back. "If you want the full treatment, you'll help me clear the 'trash' in Myung-dong. I want to break ground on my skyscraper tomorrow, but the local gangs have already started circling like flies."
[Ding! Quest 'The Silent Partner' - COMPLETED!]
[Reward: 20,000 Experience Points. Level Up!]
[You have reached Level 3!]
[New Skill Unlocked: 'Sovereign's Presence' (Active). Force all enemies within 10 meters to kneel for 5 seconds.]
"Gangs?" The Chairman's voice was suddenly full of iron. He looked at his head bodyguard. "Contact the Chief of Police. Tell him that any group interfering with Mr. Kang-dae's construction site is an enemy of Shinhwa."
"Wait," Kang-dae interrupted, a dark glint in his eye. "Don't call the police. I need to test my new 'Presence'. Let the gangs come tonight. I'll handle them myself."
As the Maybachs drove away, leaving Kang-dae alone in his shop, the System chimed again.
[Emergency Quest Triggered: 'The Blood-Stained Deed'.]
[The 'Iron Fist Gang' has been hired by a rival developer to take back your land by force. They are 5 minutes away.]
[Task: Defeat 20 gang members without leaving the store.]
[Reward: 'S-Rank' Blueprints for the Myung-dong Sky-Tower and 50,000,000 Won.]
Kang-dae walked to the back of the store and pulled a cold soda from the fridge. He sat back down behind the counter and waited. He didn't have to wait long.
Three white vans screeched to a halt outside. Men carrying metal pipes and wooden bats poured out, led by a man with a jagged scar across his face. This was 'Scarface' Choi, a man known for his brutality in the Gangnam underworld.
"Which one of you is the brat who bought the building?" Scarface shouted, kicking the glass door open. "I'm going to make sure you never walk again."
Kang-dae took a sip of his soda and didn't look up. "You're late. I've been waiting for five minutes."
"Kill him!" Scarface roared.
Twenty men rushed forward, their weapons raised. Kang-dae finally stood up. He didn't reach for a weapon. He didn't even raise his fists. He simply activated the skill.
"Kneel," Kang-dae commanded.
[Skill Activated: Sovereign's Presence!]
A wave of invisible, crushing pressure exploded from Kang-dae's body. It hit the gang members like a physical wall. The sound of knees cracking against the floor echoed through the store as twenty men were forced into a bowing position, unable to lift their heads.
Scarface Choi tried to resist, his face turning purple as he fought the pressure, but he too was slammed into the ground. He looked up at Kang-dae, his eyes full of pure, unadulterated terror.
"Who... what are you?" Scarface gasped.
Kang-dae stepped over the counter, his shadow looming over the defeated men. "I'm the new owner of this street. And from now on, you work for me."