Chapter 278 – Part 2 – Broker

E-rank armory manager Kim Gi-hong frowned as soon as he heard the center director’s words.

“What did you just say? That Dong-il robbed the armory?”

Nam Dong-il was Kim Gi-hong’s close junior colleague.

Though they worked at different branches, they were fellow managers who even drank together privately.

That’s why he could tell.

“That’s ridiculous. There’s no way he would do such a thing!”

That there must be some misunderstanding.

But the center director wasn’t speaking without any basis either.

“Late at night, Nam Dong-il was caught on camera entering the center with an F-rank commoner named Nam-gi. They went in to turn off the CCTV. After that? The armory was robbed clean and both of them lost contact. They clearly conspired together.”

“No. There must be some misunderstanding…”

“Then you tell me. Why did they break into the center last night and turn off the armory’s CCTV? What exactly were they trying to do?”

“…”

“You also manage an E-rank armory, so you know well. That even decent hunters can’t rob an armory. That infiltration is impossible unless you know the password.”

“Then maybe the password was leaked…”

“Leaked or whatever, why did they turn off the CCTV?”

“…”

Even Kim Gi-hong thought turning off the CCTV was suspicious.

“I know you’re a manager who’s close with Nam Dong-il. That’s why I called you here this morning.”

“…What can I help you with?”

“Tell me where Nam Dong-il might go.”

Kim Gi-hong cooperated by telling him about bars they frequented and hotels where Nam Dong-il occasionally stayed.

“Thanks. You can go now.”

“Is there nothing else I can help with?”

“Ah, if Nam Dong-il contacts you by any chance, let me know first. If I can’t catch that bastard, I’ll end up taking all the blame.”

“Ah, understood. If he contacts me, I’ll let you know immediately.”

“Good.”

After greeting and withdrawing, Kim Gi-hong tilted his head as soon as he left the director’s office.

No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t make sense.

‘Dong-il is greedy for money, but he’s not stupid enough to rob the armory he was managing.’

Kim Gi-hong felt that something had gone seriously wrong.

‘He went in with a commoner named Nam-gi?’

Thinking he should investigate that guy separately, Kim Gi-hong left the center.

Not knowing that someone was watching him.

* * *

‘He’s gone.’

Seong-min, who had been watching Kim Gi-hong’s back through the window, returned to his seat.

‘He was probably called by the center director about the armory robbery. Since he’s close with Nam Dong-il.’

Seong-min, who accurately predicted the situation, was relaxed.

The subsequent situation was also obvious to him.

‘If he trusts Nam Dong-il, he’ll try to investigate and find the real culprit personally. That investigation will likely start with the accomplice Nam-gi.’

While investigating Nam-gi, he might learn about Seong-min’s existence, but Seong-min wasn’t worried.

‘It’ll just be suspicion anyway, with no clear evidence.’

That’s why Seong-min casually went about his routine work despite having 226 items in his inventory.

The work he did at the Hunter Management Center was just odd jobs like item registration, document organization, and cleaning.

It was work that ordinary people could do, but the reason they specifically made F-rank hunters do it was simple.

‘They’re securing hunters in advance in preparation for when dungeons become active later.’

It was the same principle as training and gathering troops in preparation for war.

‘Though they don’t do training like hunting monsters.’

According to the transmitted memories, there was also the aspect that it didn’t feel right to make ordinary people do odd jobs, so they used hunters.

‘Anyway, the higher-ups vaguely think that dungeon seals will be lifted someday, but I know exactly.’

When dungeons would be activated, down to the day and hour.

‘Less than two weeks left. So I need to quickly sell off the F-rank equipment starting today.’

F-rank equipment might seem insignificant, but that was far from the truth.

With item supply cut off, even F-rank equipment was so popular that people couldn’t buy it even if they wanted to.

‘But the story will change once dungeon seals are lifted.’

If item supply becomes active again with the appearance of monsters?

Prices would drop exponentially.

‘I need to sell quickly while prices are high to make a profit.’

Seong-min decided to sell 216 items, keeping only 10 items for his own use.

Of course, selling openly would likely get him tracked as the culprit.

He had to sell secretly without leaving information.

‘There are ways.’

Seong-min waited for quitting time with a joyful heart.

* * *

Late at night.

Seong-min, with his face covered by a hat and mask, walked alone through dark alleys.

‘I told them at home I was going to meet a friend…’

In reality, it was to meet a broker.

He had to sell the stolen equipment.

‘Usually it’s hard to contact brokers, but…’

In this world, it was incredibly easy.

Flyers on telephone poles, business cards thrown on the street, internet comments, etc.

Brokers wanting to buy hunter equipment cheaply were everywhere.

Since brokers were so careful that it was hard to catch evidence, even the Association turned a blind eye while knowing about it.

‘I just need to pick any contact number and call.’

Seong-min had already finished price negotiations over the phone.

He was selling below market price, but it was good for secret sales since no information would remain.

‘It’s basically direct trading and cash exchange, so no traces remain.’

He called from a payphone instead of a cell phone, so there was no chance of being tracked.

‘Is this the place?’

Seong-min stopped walking when he saw a broken streetlight.

It was the location he had arranged to meet the broker.

Ring ring ring-

At the sudden ringing sound, Seong-min’s gaze went downward.

There was a phone under the streetlight.

After answering and staying silent for a while, he heard a voice.

-Please take out the items you agreed to trade and show the information windows above your head. One by one, slowly. Place the items under the streetlight.

The call ended with just those words.

‘They must be watching from somewhere with binoculars.’

He took out one piece of equipment from his inventory as instructed.

When he tapped the equipment twice, a translucent information window appeared.

He held it above his head so the information window was visible.

‘Look. It’s genuine with full durability.’

He showed the information for 15 F-rank equipment pieces one by one like that.

Though the surroundings were dark, the information windows were bright enough to be seen through binoculars.

Ring ring ring-

The phone rang again, and when he answered:

-All 15 items confirmed. When the call ends, place the phone and items under the streetlight and leave the alley as is. A red box will be prepared. The payment is inside.

Seong-min did as instructed this time too.

When he left the alley, he saw the red box mentioned on the phone.

Inside were six bundles of 50,000 won bills in stacks of 100.

’30 million won as promised.’

By the way, Eastland’s currency unit was won.

Since the official language was Korean, it was natural.

Seong-min packed the money bundles in his backpack and walked away without looking back.

With a smile on his lips.

‘Making money is so easy.’

One might think these were equipment stolen from the armory, but the broker probably didn’t care.

Since he bought below market price.

‘He bought 50 million won worth for 30 million won, so he’ll make a 20 million won profit.’

The broker was probably grinning ear to ear while collecting the items from the alley.

Though it was heavily discounted from market price, he didn’t feel sorry.

‘I can easily get cash without being tracked.’

They were stolen items anyway.

Whatever price he sold them for was profit for Seong-min.

‘Besides, when dungeons open in two weeks, the prices will become worthless. It’s better to sell quickly before then.’

Seong-min disappeared into the darkness, looking forward to tomorrow.

* * *

A commoner’s hourly wage is only 2,000 won.

Even working 8 hours a day without weekends, they can’t even earn 500,000 won.

That’s why they’re destined to suffer from financial hardship, but Seong-min was an exception.

‘Finally sold them all.’

Over two weeks, he sold all 216 items.

Selling 15 items per day, earning roughly 30 million won each time.

As a result, Seong-min’s backpack was full of 50,000 won bills.

‘There are 86 bundles of 100 bills… a total of 430 million won earned. All in cash.’

Cash was better since putting it in an account might lead to tracking.

‘I was careful, so there shouldn’t be any problems.’

No matter how much information doesn’t remain, selling large quantities to one person could still cause problems.

‘That’s why I found different brokers for each transaction.’

He sold while changing locations as much as possible to avoid getting caught.

To shake off any potential tails, he changed into new clothes each time and used multiple transportation methods.

‘Selling items is also work.’

But the effort was worth it.

He had gotten his hands on the large sum of 430 million won.

‘This should be enough to immediately rise to merchant status.’

Commoners could become merchants by paying hundreds of millions in taxes to the country and opening shops or registering as traders.

But for commoners earning 2,000 won per hour, it was practically impossible.

Commoners could never touch such a large sum as 430 million won, even if they died and came back to life.

‘But I managed to get it? And just two weeks after possession.’

With money, he could rise to higher status anytime, but there was no need.

‘Dungeons open tomorrow. Rising in status is a foregone conclusion.’

If he could raise his combat power to become E-rank, he could be recognized as higher status without paying money.

‘Earning much more money than now is natural.’

Status advancement as well as massive profits.

There was a reason hunters were called a guarantee of success among commoners.

‘I’m looking forward to tomorrow.’

Even the 8 Heroes ruling the world wouldn’t know.

That tomorrow, dungeons sealed for 10 years would open.

That the world would face upheaval once again.

* * *

Hunter equipment specialist brokers have an advantage the more capital they have.

Because it’s a job of buying cheap from individuals and selling expensive to merchants.

That’s why Hikino Tobio could survive among numerous brokers.

No one could match his massive capital.

‘The more money you have, the easier it is to attract more.’

At first, like other brokers, he bought cheap and sold expensive to merchants.

If he bought for 40 million won, he’d sell for 50 million won.

‘I’d sometimes give regular merchants a few million won discount.’

Certainly, buying and selling a lot meant a lot of profit remained.

Money was steadily accumulating too.

But the quantity of hunter equipment was limited.

Supply had also stopped after dungeons closed.

So at some point, scarcity occurred.

Tobio’s money-making means were blocked.

‘This won’t do.’

Determined, Tobio eventually got greedy.

He decided to buy equipment that other brokers had purchased.

If merchants sold at 50 million won, he’d pay 55 million won.

10% higher than market price!

Naturally, brokers sold to Tobio instead of merchants.

There was no reason not to sell when he paid 10% more.

‘Hunter equipment is rare. Even if I buy expensive, having it will definitely be profitable.’

Tobio’s prediction was correct.

When he collected equipment without selling, prices went up.

It was a phenomenon caused by insufficient equipment in the market.

‘Hehe, see? Just holding onto it made prices go up.’

Like apartments that rise in value over the years, Tobio was pleased with the rising prices.

‘If I sweep up hunter items like this and monopolize the market? I can literally name my price.’

Just imagining it felt good, so Tobio bought hunter equipment whenever he had funds to realize his dream.

He sold low-margin items to buy more high-margin items, and took loans here and there to raise funds.

Through this, Tobio learned one fact.

‘Recently, F-rank equipment supply has surged.’

Looking at items fellow brokers brought recently, they were all F-rank.

Even the items brought by broker Mishima Nito were the same.

“Nito-san. Did you buy all this from one person?”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“How much did you pay?”

“Uh… I bought it quite cheap.”

“So how much exactly.”

“I bought 15 items for 30 million won.”

‘It’s the same. Same as the items I’ve been buying for the past two weeks.’

Not only selling 15 at a time, but the price was identical too.

‘Could it be one person selling?’

He heard rumors that an F-rank armory was robbed, but could it be?

He was suspicious but had no intention of tracking the source.

Tobio was a businessman, and businessmen just needed to make money.

‘There’s no way to find that person anyway. No reason to either.’

Tobio just needed to buy items brokers brought at prices higher than market rate.

“Tobio-san. You’re really buying all 15 for 55 million won?”

“Of course. I’ll transfer the money as soon as I finish checking the items.”

Nito’s face brightened.

Buying for 30 million and selling for 55 million… nearly double profit.

Then breaking news came on the office TV.

[Breaking news! Starting at 9 AM today, dungeon portals sealed for 10 years have opened! This means the interrupted supply of hunter items will become smooth again…]

“…”

“…”

Tobio and Nito stared blankly at the news.

Especially Tobio had his mouth open with an expression like he’d lost his country.

It was natural.

With supply restored, hunter item prices would drop exponentially.

“My… my dream… my dream of monopolizing the market…”

“Um, Tobio-san…”

Nito glanced at Tobio and fidgeted.

“I’m busy, so could you quickly check and transfer…”

“Not buying.”

“Excuse me?”

“Take it and get lost!”

He was ruined.

That was the only thought in Tobio’s head.