Il Ji woke up feeling very refreshed. He immediately stopped the beasts, rummaged through his suitcase, and found a set of clothes before going to the bathroom to get ready for his day.
Less than ten minutes later, he was out of his room. A servant was waiting to take him to breakfast.
Following the servant, he made his way towards the kitchens. There, he found an all-purpose buffet.
Selecting his meal for nutrition rather than taste, he piled his plate and sat down. Eating heartily, he waited for his sister to make her appearance.
He was almost through his plate when when she arrived trailing behind Sebastian's spunky sister.
Noticing him, she gave him a small wave. He waved back. He finished his plate and waited for her to do the same.
A servant came by and picked up his plate.
Shortly after, the server came by and picked up Maya's and Laila's plates as well.
Il Ji waved over, and pointed his finger to instruct Laila to come over. She excused herself politely and made her way.
"Laila, I'm glad to see you're having fun."
"Yes! Last night we went swimming, and we jumped off the diving board, and we played a game on an antique board. Then we made a huuuuuuge pillow fort to sleep in…"
Il Ji smiled. "You should keep having fun here. Just don't let it take away your drive for better living."
He saw his sister's face turn serious. "I won't, Il Ji. To the future for me!"
"To the future for you, Laila."
When their parents had died, he had done his fair job of convincing her. He had explained patiently that they had little money. So to gain the future he believed she deserved, she needed to do well in school and perfectly complete her assignments.
As the two girls went off to catch their cab, Sebastian pulled his plate and sat down next to him. "They seem to get along well together. How's it going on your end?"
"Yesterday, I managed to drastically decrease my time spent. If I sleep from 2-6AM and eat a large meal once a day, I can balance my nutrition and devote approximately 19 hours per day. All in all, I should complete my task in just under seven days."
Sebastian gaped a bit, then looked at him squarely. "Your treasure chest is doing pretty well. He managed to beat nearly every [Copper] opponent in the simulator except for the ones with non-physical traits, such as the Ghosts and Elementals."
Taking a swig of coffee, he continued. "We've set him on a cultivation mat. He should be at the top of [Iron] in two days time. But seriously, how are you at [Iron] yourself?"
"Hehe." Il Ji grinned. "I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a girl who discovered an antique wardrobe. She invited her friends along to explore the small space inside, and after cultivating there I managed to break through."
"Time seemed to run faster there, so we decided to leave early."
Sebastian looked at him suddenly. "Do you think she'll sell it?"
"Maybe… Why?"
"I can give you three million cash to buy it for our team. If we can buy it low, we can use it to grow the various resources we need at a faster rate. While such worlds are unstably connected, they are actually a much greater resource for those like us- besides, there are ways to stabilize them. Expensive ways, but ways nonetheless."
Il Ji waited a moment before responding. "To be honest with you, I did have some designs on it of my own."
"No matter, no matter!" Sebastian shook his hand to ward away any problems. "What did you need from it?"
"It's home to a grandiose, peaceful butterfly population. If possible, I would like to keep them untouched from society as much as possible."
"Hmmmm. How about this? I'll pay for it in cash. We'll dig a spot underneath the ground and build a small lab to house plant-type resources. If we win first place, I'll give it to you as a gift."
Il Ji thought about if for a moment. "As the team captain, if we get first place, I'll receive first pick for a [Soul Fruit.] I don't need many rewards to push myself there as a goal."
"How about this? I supply the team with two [Myth] Bloodline beasts, and you give me the cash to buy it."
"Deal." Sebastian stuck his hand out instantly. "What kind of beasts are they? Do you have someone in mind for them?"
"Whoah, whoa, slow down. I haven't chosen the team members yet. I'm looking for people with virtue rather than skill."
"But I have the beasts on hand. Take a look yourself."