Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 676

Sejun chuckled, “Heh heh. I trained Vice President Te well!”

Code 2.

This is Code 2 to access System 371. To open System 371, you need to find all three codes: 1, 2, and 3.

The stone tablet showed a title: One Who Long Peered into the Beginning. The message itself seemed unimportant, but Sejun knew this Code 2 was a big step.

“Heh heh heh.”

This code meant Sejun was closer to his goal: to take down System 371. “Just wait for me, System 371,” he thought. “I’m coming for you.”

“Vice President Te, you are incredible!” Sejun exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “No one but you could have found this!” He chuckled, a sound that was almost villainous in its delight.

Puffing out his chest, Teo purred, “Heh heh heh. Of course, I, Vice President Te, am naturally brilliant, meow!”

Iona giggled, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Sejun. “Kkyut kkyut kkyut. Isn’t my boyfriend just the most amazing?” she chimed in proudly.

From nearby, Kkueng rumbled happily, Kkuhehehe. Kkueng! [Hehehe. Just as expected of Kkueng, our big brother!]

Blackie hopped excitedly, Kkihihit. Kking! [Heh heh. He’s definitely worthy of being the big brother to the magnificent Blackie!]

Kkueng and Blackie, who always looked up to Teo, joined in the chorus of praise.

The boasting grew louder and louder, like a wave building up.

Sejun, caught up in the silliness, joined in, “Heh heh. I did raise Vice President Te!”

Then, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he added, “Meow! Chairman Park’s face is looking a bit tired, meow! Everyone, attack with happy feet, meow!”

“Kkyut kkyut kkyut. Yes!” Iona giggled, ready to play.

Kkueng roared with delight, Kkueng! [Time for a Dad-face massage!]

Kking! Blackie thumped his foot, eager to join in. [Let’s give him a good stepping!]

With a flurry of paws and feet, Teo, Iona, Kkueng, and Blackie playfully piled onto Sejun, gently stepping on his face. The boasting ended in a heap of happy chaos.

“Heh heh heh. Don’t worry, Chairman Park, just a little longer, meow! It’s almost…rejuvenated, meow!” Teo declared, still stepping lightly on Sejun’s cheek.

“I told you, I’m fine!” Sejun chuckled from under the pile.

“No, meow! It’s because I, Vice President Te, touched it that it’s getting better, meow!” Teo insisted.

Kkueng rumbled proudly, Kkueng! [Kkueng helped too!]

Kking! Blackie added his two cents, [The great Blackie stepped very carefully!]

As Sejun’s face received this unusual “massage,” a groan came from nearby.

“Hmm…”

Het, who had been…receiving instruction from the Blackie Family, slowly opened his eyes.

“Huh?!” Het blinked, his head spinning.

Where am I? What just happened?

He looked down and saw something strange on the back of his hand: a small, neat stamp in the shape of a cat’s paw.

Oh. He vaguely remembered… a cat… and then darkness.

Teo, looking very pleased with himself (and with Sejun’s face now miraculously “better”), strutted over to Het. “Heh heh heh. Het, from now on, you are the team leader of the Sejun Company Lottery Business Department, meow! So, you need to bring us lots of things to…draw lots with, meow!”

Sejun, overhearing, added, “Oh, yeah, I just created that department. It’s…important.” He winked. (Actually, he’d just thought of it.) And yes, Het, you’re the whole team. Team leader, assistant team leader, and…team member. It’s a very exclusive team.”

“Wait…” Het stammered, “Um… Vice President Teo? I… I already belong to the Litna Merchant Guild.”

Teo blinked, tail twitching. “Heh heh heh. So? Resign, meow!”

“Resign?!” Het’s voice rose in panic. “Don’t you know the Litna Merchant Guild? To leave, you have to… you have to cut off both your legs! Or pay… ten billion Topcoins!” He clutched his head, feeling faint. Ten billion! He was doomed. Why, oh why, did I sign that contract when I was just a naive kid, promised riches and glory?

In a burst of desperate anger, he yelled, “Fine! I’ll resign right now!” He made a show of puffing out his chest and declaring his resignation to the air.

But before he could even finish the thought, a low growl rumbled from nearby.

“How dare you shout in front of our magnificent Hybrid Chairman Park, meow?!” Teo hissed, fur bristling.

Grrrr. Kking! Blackie hopped forward, eyes narrowed. [Grrrr. Big brother Teo! Leave this rude person to the great Hybrid Blackie!]

THUMP! Het didn’t resign. Instead, he found himself face-down on the ground, receiving another round of… Blackie Family “mental re-education.”

Once Het had recovered (somewhat) from Blackie’s… lessons, Teo approached him again, trying to sound reassuring. “Heh heh heh. Don’t worry, Het, meow! You’re a full-time Sejun Company employee now, so we’ll protect you, meow!”

Het rubbed his head gingerly. “So…” he said cautiously, looking nervously at Teo and then at Blackie, who was still twitching his nose. “What am I supposed to do? If I just walk around, the Litna Merchant Guild will find me for sure… You’re not going to stay with me every minute, are you, Vice President Teo?”

“Meow…” Teo’s confident air faltered. He’s right, meow! He hadn’t thought that far ahead. Panicked, he looked at Sejun with wide, pleading eyes. Chairman Park, help me, meow!

Sejun, who had been watching with amusement, finally spoke up. “Hmm. Easy. We’ll just give him a bodyguard. Kkueng, how about one of the Bukbuks? To keep a close eye on Het.”

Sejun made it sound like assigning a bodyguard was as simple as lending someone a pen. But a “Bukbuk” was no ordinary bodyguard. They were… planet-destroying turtles. It was, to put it mildly, extreme protection. But no one argued with Sejun.

Kkueng nodded seriously, Kkueng! [Okay! Sister-in-law Iona, a little space-time magic, please!]

“Kkyut kkyut kkyut. Yes! By the power of magic… whoosh!” Iona waved her hands, and a shimmering portal opened.

Kkueng lumbered through the portal, heading to wherever the “Black Kkuengi-ho” was kept. Moments later, he returned, carefully carrying a small, stony turtle. Kkueng! [Bukbuk No. 23, reporting for bodyguard duty!]

Bukbuk! Bukbuk! The little turtle’s voice was surprisingly deep and gravelly. [It is an honor, Kkuengi-nim! I will guard him to the ends of the earth!]

Kkueng carefully placed Bukbuk No. 23 on Het’s chest, where it clung like a very unusual, very alive brooch. Kkueng! [Bukbuk No. 23, your mission is to protect this guy from now on!]

Bukbuk! [Loyalty!]

And just like that, Het had a planet-destroying turtle as his personal bodyguard.

Protecting this… insignificant human? Bukbuk No. 23 grumbled to himself, but he followed Kkueng’s orders without question. He was a soldier, after all.

But then…

“No,” Het muttered, looking down at the tiny turtle on his chest. “What’s one little turtle going to do?”

One little turtle?! Bukbuk No. 23 was outraged. How dare this puny human insult a planet-destroying turtle!

ZZZZZZING! Without warning, a beam of pure destructive energy shot from Bukbuk No. 23’s mouth, vaporizing a nearby building in a flash of light and dust.

“ACK!” Het yelped, diving backwards.

After that, Het held Bukbuk No. 23 very carefully to his chest, murmuring praises and apologies. He also, of course, promised to pay for the completely annihilated building.

“Well, see you around, Het!” Sejun said with a wave.

“Heh heh heh. And don’t forget to bring lots of things for the lottery, meow!” Teo added, already thinking about future “drawings.”

With Bukbuk No. 23 now firmly attached to a slightly traumatized Het, Sejun and his companions continued on their way, heading towards the Pirate Bank – they had some serious trading to do.

High up in the Black Tower, on the 99th floor, a gentle buzzing filled the air.

Beep. Beep.

[I’m off then! I’m going to gather lots of information for you!] Dalkomi, the demigod honeybee queen, announced in a cheerful voice. She was carefully tying ropes around dozens of bottles of honey-wine, securing them to her tiny bee body. This special honey-wine was her most valuable trade good.

“Okay, Dalkomi, fly safe,” Sejun called out from nearby.

Whirr! [Dalkomi-nim, please be careful!]

Whirr! [Have a good trip!] The earthworm and the other honeybee queens buzzed their farewells.

[Heading to Herr’s Pawnshop!] Dalkomi declared, and with a powerful flap of her wings, she zoomed out of sight, a tiny bee carrying a surprisingly large amount of honey-wine.

“Hehet. Dalkomi, welcome back!” A booming, jovial voice greeted her as she arrived. It was Herr, the god of merchants, his eyes already gleaming at the sight of Dalkomi’s precious cargo.

“Wow! Sejun made this alcohol!”

“Or perhaps they’re just so happy about the alcohol Dal-kom brought,” someone added.

A buzzing sound came again and again: Bee-bing. Bee-bing. Bee-bing?

“Hello, Sir Her! Sejun and Theo told me so much about you. They said you are really hard-working and amazing!”

The Poisonous Honeybee Queen Dal-kom greeted Her, who couldn’t take his eyes off Sejun’s alcohol, with a charming voice.

“Hehehe. Sejun and Theo said that?! That I’m capable?”

Bee-bing. Bee-bing?

“Yes! They said you are incredibly capable! What’s your secret?”

You probably did.

Her was completely charmed by Dal-kom’s words.

“Hehehe. It’s a trade secret, but I’ll tell you everything, Dal-kom.”

Bee-bing?! Bee-bing! Bee-bing…

“Ah. Really?! Please tell me! But in Tartarus…”

“Hehet. That is…”

Her was completely charmed. He forgot all about the alcohol and started excitedly telling Dal-kom top secrets. This time without even drinking.

As Sejun and his party asked the residents for directions and went to the Pirate Bank,

“Welcome! This is the Pirate Bank headquarters!”

The employees greeted Sejun and his party.

However,

“Give us the money!” said in a strange voice.

Sejun and his party didn’t come with good intentions, so they immediately started robbing the bank.

They came to ask about how to issue a card, but the more the better. Pirate money is stolen money! It’s okay to take it back. Right?

Having subdued the Pirate Bank’s guards,

“Kkyut kkyut kkyut. Opened it.”

Iona opened the vault with her magic and took about 1000 trillion Topcoins.

And then,

“How do you issue a card?”

He woke up the passed-out bank manager and asked how to issue a card. Of course, Theo’s stamp was already on the bank manager’s hand.

“Card issuance? You issue a card by stamping the Pirate Bank mark on a card with the name engraved on it using this stamp.”

The bank manager said, taking out a stamp made of what looked like luxurious material.

“Is that so?”

Easy. But I don’t like the mark.

“Theo’s claw.”

“Here it is!”

Pa-ching!

Sejun had Theo take out his claw,

Scritch.

He thinly cut the part with the Pirate Bank mark with Theo’s claw to make it flat.

And then,

Scritch. Scritch.

He began to engrave his name.

He was trying to make a card issued by Sejun Company.

Originally, there was a complex magic circle invisibly embedded in the Pirate Bank mark, so the card could not be issued.

But since [System SJC], which had already merged the Pirate Bank system, was supporting Sejun, the card could be issued no matter what strange thing Sejun engraved.

“Hehehe. It’s done.”

Sejun engraved his name on the stamp.

“I, Theo, will also engrave it!”

Stomp.

Theo immediately stamped his paw print on the stamp,

Kkueng!

Kking!

Kkuengi and Kkamangi, who had been eyeing it from the side, also hurriedly stamped their paw prints.

“Kkyut kkyut kkyut.”

Iona also slyly stamped her adorable two front paws inside Theo’s paw print.

So, Theo, Iona, Kkuengi’s paw prints were engraved around Sejun’s name, but

Kking?!

“[Why isn’t the great Kkamangi-nim’s paw print stamped?!]”

Kkamangi was too weak to engrave his paw print.

“Just put your foot on it and stay still.”

Kkihihit. Kking!

“[Heehee. Butler! It tickles!]”

The milk was already spilt. Sejun put Kkamangi’s foot on the stamp and drew it,

Scritch. Scritch.

He engraved it himself.

And then,

“Batbat, put some strength in your foot for a second.”

(Batbat!)

Stomp.

He also stamped the sleeping Batbat’s paw print on the stamp.

Thus, the initial version of the Sejun Company mark was born.

The reason it was the initial version was that there were many people who would step forward to stamp their paw prints. Soon, several paw prints would likely be added to the Sejun Company mark.

“Then shall we make our Kkuengi’s card? Kkuengi, flatten it for me.”

Sejun took out one of Kaiser’s scales and asked Kkuengi,

Kkueng!

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Kkuengi put the slightly bent Kaiser’s scale between his two front paws and hammered it strongly dozens of times to make it flat.

And then,

“Theo, cut this similarly and engrave Kkuengi’s name on it.”

“Leave it to me, Theo!”

Theo concentrated all his attention and neatly cut out Kaiser’s scale and engraved the three letters ‘Park Kkuengi’.

Theo’s front paws glowed faintly.

Theo had dragon claws, but Kaiser’s scales were so hard that it took a lot of magic to cut them neatly,

“Burn brightly!”

Sejun didn’t know, but in the process, Sejun’s money was naturally burning.

When the black card was completed with a huge amount of money,

Stomp.

Sejun stamped the card,

[The black card has been issued.]

The black card was issued.

Did it work well?

Sejun checked the options.

[Park Kkuengi’s Black Card]

This card, made of scales from Kaiser Fritani, the leader of the great black dragon, is linked to Park Kkuengi’s Sejun Company account.

You can use the money in your account by swiping the card.

Remaining balance: 53,130 Topcoins

Credit transactions are possible when there is no money in the account.

Grade: Black

Limit: None

Card issuer: Sejun Company

Our Kkuengi has saved a lot of spending money.

‘But there’s no limit?!’

He started to worry a little about whether he should give this black card to Kkuengi.

However,

Hehehe. If I have that, I can buy everything I want to eat!

Kkuengi’s eyes were already fixed on the black card Sejun was holding, just waiting for Sejun to give it to him.

“Kkuengi, using a card is dangerous. Be sure to think three times before you use it. Got it?”

Kkueng! Kkueng!

“[I got it! I’ll think three times before I use it!]”

Sejun made a firm promise to Kkuengi and handed the black card to Kkuengi with trembling hands.

However, Sejun didn’t know.

Kkuengi usually thinks about 100 times before buying food.

Can I eat it?

Can I eat it?

Can I eat it?

Hehehe. I’ve thought about it three times, so I can use the card now!

Telling Kkuengi to think only three times was rather like breaking a seal.

Sejun’s money became dangerous.

Kkihihit. Kking!

“[Heehee. Kkuengi hyung! Buy something to eat for the great Kkamangi-nim too!]”

Even Kkamangi joined in, threatening Sejun’s money.

But

“Since I have a lot of money, I want to make Chairman Park’s tired face a little less tired!”

The one who threatened Sejun’s money the most was always Theo.