I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Before heading out to find a place to live, I took a long shower at a bathhouse to wash away the dirt and sweat from the battle.

Then, I changed into a smart casual suit I had bought from the department store earlier.

My ultimate goal is to gather several large islands in the South Pacific and create my own paradise on earth.

Currently, small uninhabited islands in the South Pacific typically trade for around 80 billion won [approximately $60 million USD].

The price increases significantly as the size of the island increases, but that’s the general price range for a small island of a decent size.

Of course, that’s just the land value of the island itself; building various facilities there would cost a fortune.

I wish I could quickly amass money in units of a hundred million, no, a trillion [approximately $750 million USD], and create ‘Shinhwa Land,’ but…

If it were something that could be done quickly, I would have done it already.

For now, how I live and spend my time is much more important. The future only exists if there is a present.

‘The Jungwha Station area on Line 7, which is still being developed, would be a good choice. The prices are relatively low compared to other places, and it’s easy to get to both Gangnam [affluent district in Seoul] and Gangbuk [older, northern part of Seoul].’

I decided to find a place to live in an area I had already scouted out.

I wasn’t thinking of buying; I wanted to find a nice place to rent on a monthly basis.

It just needs to be reasonably spacious and located on the top floor.

The deposit was more than covered by the money I earned today, and I was confident I could handle the monthly rent as long as it wasn’t exorbitant.

Two hours later.

While looking around the real estate agencies in the Jungwha Station area, I found an apartment with a promising option.

Whether by coincidence or fate, the apartment’s name was also ‘Shinhwa Areum Palace.’

It happened to have a top-floor unit available, and while it wasn’t quite the feel of a penthouse in a super-luxury building…

It came with all the basic amenities, including usable furniture and various appliances, except for the bed.

In other words, all I had to do was sign the lease.

There was a unique aspect: an A-rank Awakened [superhuman with special abilities] had lived there until a week ago and left the training facilities as they were.

“We can restore the interior to its original state if you wish. Would you like us to do that?”

“No, it’s fine. It looks like a facility with traces of diligent training. I’m actually quite interested in it.”

I shook my head at the broker’s words.

I enjoy home training and used to work out mainly at home in my previous life, and this place had just the right facilities.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes. This is excellent. I don’t think I’ll be living here for long, so let’s proceed with a one-year contract.”

“Then the deposit will increase quite a bit, you know?”

“That’s fine. Money isn’t really an issue.”

I replied nonchalantly.

It wasn’t a boast, but the truth.

For me, the issue was how to earn money, not whether I could earn it at all.

The contract proceeded smoothly.

Deposit of 1 billion won [approximately $750,000 USD].

Monthly rent of 20 million won [approximately $15,000 USD].

Considering the soaring prices and real estate values unique to White Zones [safe zones protected from monsters], it was a relatively cheap lease.

Moreover, it wasn’t just an ordinary house but a penthouse that used the entire top floor.

The unit was over 100 pyeong [approximately 3,558 square feet], and both sides had balconies with unobstructed views of the Seoul skyline.

There was no better place to lie down and laze around at home on days when I had nothing to do.

‘Let’s live like this for a year. Later, when I make a lot of money, I should buy the entire Tower Palace in Dogok-dong [luxury apartment complex].’

I smiled pleasantly, imagining the wealthy version of myself in the future that had not yet come to me.

It wasn’t just a pipe dream, as I had concrete future plans all mapped out in my head.

All that was needed was time to let things flow naturally. Preparations would proceed steadily.

“It’s vacant, so would you like to move in right away? The move-in cleaning was done this morning.”

“That would be great.”

“You won’t regret the contract. Just a passing comment, but everyone who has lived in this house has been successful!”

“It’s nice to hear, even if it’s just empty words.”

“Exactly. I hope you succeed as well, sir.”

With the broker’s well wishes, we concluded the contract in a warm atmosphere.

Although 1 billion won was deducted from my balance, I felt happier than ever.

It was a truly great reward for the past me, who used to toss and turn anxiously in a one-room apartment in the Red Zone [dangerous, monster-infested area]!

It was like a gift from my future self to my present self, just like in a movie or novel.

After completing the contract.

I lay down on the warm marble floor and dozed off.

The fatigue from the fierce battle since morning suddenly rushed over me.

I fell into a deep sleep.

A sound sleep without even dreaming.

I was so engrossed in my sleep that I lost track of time until the sun, which had been high in the sky, began to set in the west.

* * *

Late afternoon.

Waking up, I went out and quickly finished shopping for the necessary items in a flash.

A bed where I could get the sleep that would take up a third of my day, a beam projector to use for my long-time hobby of watching movies.

And even a super laptop that was easy to use for various information searches and had excellent performance!

Everything was top-notch.

It was by no means an impulsive and thoughtless extravagance.

Sleep, leisure, and information gathering are very important aspects of life for an Awakened, and at the same time, they were welfare for me.

‘Sometimes emotional splurges are okay, right? After all, Nicholas will take care of preparing for the Great Disaster.’

I had a reliable backup in my own way.

In my previous life, Nicholas put a lot of effort into building a global system to prepare for the Great Disaster.

So, even though he earned a tremendous amount of money, he was very frugal.

So much so that he even recycled disposable potion containers and was scolded by his colleagues.

In any case, his biggest task was preparing for the disaster, and money was an essential means for that.

But my priorities are completely different from his: early retirement and the construction of my own paradise on earth.

So, there’s no need to feel guilty for occasionally buying luxury goods or driving a nice sports car.

I left the bed and beam projector, which were scheduled to be delivered tomorrow, with pleasant anticipation.

I returned home and immediately used my laptop to run a few searches.

The first piece of information I checked was the stock trading price of a company that remained vividly in my memory.

[Korim Chemical: KR710191]

[3,250]

[↓ 1,390 from the previous day]

[Fluctuation rate -29.96%]

‘That’s right. At this time, a CEO scandal broke out, causing a negative impact and hitting the lower limit [daily limit on how much a stock price can fall].’

I mulled over my memories of Korim Chemical.

The stock price of Korim Chemical, which had hit the lower limit before the Lunar New Year holiday, continued to rise and fall sluggishly in February.

In February 2020, a leap year, Korim Chemical was just another company until the 29th, which comes once every four years.

But on the morning of the 29th.

Korim Chemical made an announcement that would surprise even E-rank Awakened.

That is, they had succeeded in commercializing a drug that reduces the combat ability of Kobolds, one of the F-rank monsters, by more than 50%.

It was the development of a drug that had even received official sales approval from the Korea Awakened Association.

‘The stock price soared exactly six times, recording consecutive upper limits [daily limit on how much a stock price can rise]. Speculative forces came in and made things messy, but until then, it was a surge.’

The trading price, which had been formed in the 3,000 won range, jumped to 18,000 won as it repeatedly hit the upper limit.

I don’t remember all stock information, but I have a clear memory of companies that caused a sensation like Korim Chemical.

‘All I have to do is buy the stock by February 28th. There’s still over a month left, so there’s plenty of time.’

There was plenty of time left.

Future investment knowledge that I coveted was clamoring in my head, begging me to use it!

Still, there is an order to things.

Now that I have a place to live, the next important thing for me is equipment.

I challenged Magos because I was confident, but in fact, the battle wasn’t perfectly prepared.

First of all, in preparation for rapidly changing dungeon conditions and monster ambushes, I needed a high-end reinforced suit that could protect my body as much as possible.

I know someone who is skilled in making reinforced suits.

He is an old man named Hwang, a so-called ‘artisan.’

The suits he makes are expensive, but…

Because they are made to fit the wearer’s body exactly, their safety is 100 times higher than that of mass-produced suits that come in standardized sizes.

I remember that they were usually made for around 200 million won [approximately $150,000 USD].

Considering that a mass-produced reinforced suit costs 20 million won [approximately $15,000 USD], that’s a 10-fold price difference.

‘You can’t buy life with money.’

If there is one choice where you should never save money, it is safety.

In my previous life, I saw many Awakened who tried to save a few pennies and ended up going to the afterlife faster than anyone else.

You can only enjoy a happy life after retirement if you are healthy; otherwise, you’ll end up in a nursing home.

‘Since I’ll be mostly doing solo play, dungeon camping gear is also essential. If possible, it would be good to have equipment that can create a Safety Zone with dimensional stone crafting, right?’

Dungeon camping gear is also necessary.

Not just a place to eat and sleep, but equipment that can buy time even if monsters ambush you in an emergency.

A device that forms a defensive barrier for about 30 seconds, protecting the person sleeping inside.

That is also a must.

Because there is always a variable in the dungeon.

This usually trades for around 500 million won [approximately $375,000 USD]. If you add up the options, it will be around 700 million won [approximately $525,000 USD].

Of course, most Awakened carry ordinary camping gear, that is, ordinary tents. There’s no point in talking to the porters.

‘And I need to have a gauntlet too.’

I stared at my left arm.

It’s an old habit, but I mainly used my right arm for physical transformations that create weapon-like forms.

When I killed Magos earlier, it was my right arm that I transformed.

So, what do I mainly use my left arm for?

I used it to condense mana at high intensity and release it forward.

It’s a kind of mana shockwave.

The problem is that without separate equipment and using only my hand, about 50% of the shockwave energy is lost.

A tremendous waste of combat power.

To compensate for this, a gauntlet is essential to protect the hand and allow 100% utilization of the condensed mana.

Also as an artifact.