Kang Min sat in the same dim internet cafe.
His eyes were glued to a website showing studio apartments.
He slumped back, leaning his head against the worn-out chair.
'Ugh... though I'm bandaged, the pain still stings a bit.'
'I didn't expect my first raid since waking up to be like that. But I'm sure since it was almost an illegal group, none of it will come back to bite me.
The authorities didn't care much about "discreet" raids gone wrong, especially when there were no official survivors to complain.
Park Woonhee had agreed to cover for us. After we got out of the dungeon, I looked her in the eyes and told her...if she wanted to atone for what she did, she had to do it properly.
I told her to go straight to the right authorities and to tell the truth about her involvement and the loan sharks.
She'll get punished for some of the incidents but none invlove any murder...she will probably get be fined a lot or have her license suspended for a while.
While it may be a lot for her... I'm sure it's better than the huge amount of debt she had with those loan sharks.
As for the loot? We made a choice.
The mana shards and goblin cores were worth a decent amount.
We all agreed to give the bulk of it to Sung; the 18-year-old kid to cover for his mother's treatment.'
'But after saving their lives, they all insisted I take a sum as well. Between that and the loot I kept, it solidified my financial situation.
I'm standing on much better ground now.'
Kang Min then scrolled through the apartment listings.
'Pretty soon, I'll be able to live like them.'
There was another opened window on the screen.
It was a live stream of a famous player who was in a big conference room, surrounded by flashing cameras and reporters.
'While getting money is my priority, getting too famous isn't.
It causes unnecessary scandals and draws bloodthirsty eyes toward your success.
I've seen it happen to the best of them.
I won't forget my reason for climbing the tower, even if I die again and again.
To add on Woonhee sent me the other 5 million Won from the contract. And then... she sent an additional 5 million as a way to atone and thank me for freeing her from the loan sharks.'
'While she did a terrible thing by baiting people to save herself... I can tell she was just someone who was so desperate.
And I, of all people, know what that is like.
Fear makes people do ugly things.'
Kang Min then continued to scroll through from website to website.
'For now, let's look for a studio apartment.
I need a place to live well before I register as a player tomorrow.'
***
The next day, Kang Min spent the morning walking from building to building.
Most of the places were good but the issue was that they were cramped.
But finally, he arrived at a building in a decent district.
Kang Min called the number on the listing and a few minutes later, a middle-aged man in a sharp suit met him at the entrance.
He was the seller.
"Mr. Kang? Follow me."
He said with a polite smile.
They took the elevator to the 9th floor.
The hallway was clean and quiet.
"This is one of our best units."
The seller said, opening the door to a modernized studio.
"It's got everything!
Marble countertops, built-in appliances, and a high-speed internet connection specifically for players who like to stream or research."
Kang Min walked inside.
The floors were polished marble, and the walls were a crisp white.
It was small, but unlike the others this one felt premium.
"There are plenty of stores on the ground floor..."
The seller continued, walking toward the window.
"Great places to eat just a block away.
You won't have to walk far for anything.
But... this is the best part."
He slid open the glass balcony doors and both stepped out onto the balcony.
The afternoon sun was hanging low in the sky.
In the distance, the Tower was visible.
It was colossal, piercing through the clouds.
From this height and angle, the sunlight hit the obsidian-like surface of the Tower, making it shimmer in a way that was absolutely breathtaking.
The seller leaned against the railing, sighing as he looked at the structure.
"Look at that thing..."
"Sometimes I hate it.
All the noise, the monsters, the crazy players running around thinking they're kings.
It's turned the world upside down."
He paused, his voice softening.
"But you have to admit... it's an amazing view."
Kang Min looked at him.
"Are you a player?...you seem to know a lot about the culture of the Tower."
The man laughed, though there was no humor in it.
"I was.
I quit a few years ago to do real estate."
"Why quit?"
The seller turned to me, his expression turning serious.
"While the tower does guarantee riches, power and fame... it takes things from you in return.
It's a trade, Mr. Kang.
Always a trade."
He looked back at the Tower.
"I awakened as a low-class player.
But I was ambitious and decided to go in anyway.
At the time, my wife was very sick, and I had a young daughter to support.
I thought if I just climbed high enough, I could pay for the best doctors in the world."
He gripped the railing tightly.
"I stayed in that Tower for so long.
I fought non-stop and I barely slept.
I eventually made it to the fifth floor.
I made a lot of money...more money than I had ever seen in my life.
But what I didn't realize was that time moves differently when you're obsessed with the climb."
He went quiet for a moment.
"By the time I returned...it was too late.
My wife had already succumbed to the disease.
I realized... what was all this for?
I only got the money to save her life...but what use is all that now?
I beat myself over it for years."
He looked at me, his eyes tired.
I thought if I had cleared the floors faster... or if I had just stuck with real estate where I'm always home... I could have looked after her.
The small money I would have made, I could have paid the bills bit by bit.
But later on I decided to just take care of my daughter.
She's all I have left and Real estate is safer for the both of us."
He snapped out of his trance and forced a smile.
"Anyway, I'm rambling.
The benefits of buying here are great!
The security is top-notch, and—"
'That's the reason I wanted this apartment in this location.'
Kang Min thought to himself, ignoring the rest of his sales pitch.
'Waking up every morning and looking outside to see the Tower will only remind me more and more of my primary goal.
It will keep the fire burning.'
"I'll take it," I said.
I pulled out the cash for the deposit.
The seller's eyes widened slightly, but he thanked me profusely.
"Enjoy your stay, Mr. Kang.
If you need anything or if an issue occurs, just call me."
The man left, leaving me alone in my new home.
I looked around.
"It's furnished... but still feels empty."
"No worries. With time, I'll fill it with things."
"I also need to start climbing as soon as possible...because I only have a month's worth of rent left."
***
Night arrived and Kang Min sat on the sofa, scrolling through the phone he had bought earlier.
He opened a social media app and started looking at the top posts:
[BREAKING] The 'Heavenly Sword' Guild clears the 20th floor! 10 members injured, but the boss is down.
[MARKET] Mana Shard prices are dropping. Sell your stock now before the weekend raid dump!
[DRAMA] Famous Ranker 'Iron Fist' caught in a scandal at a high-end club. Is his career over?
[TUTORIAL] 5 tips for new players entering the 1st floor. Don't trust the goblins!
[GEAR] Review: The new Dragon-Hide Boots. Are they worth the 50 million Won?
[WALKERS ORG] Registration fees for new players to increase next month. Sign up now!
Kang Min sighed and swiped away.
Then, he searched for something more specific: Best streaming equipment for solo players.
Kang Min found a video of a guy with messy hair sitting in a room filled with tech.
---
"Every player system allows for streaming.
You just open a tab, and a camera records what you see.
But let's be real... the raw system recording is garbage.
It's shaky, the quality is mid, and if you want to go pro like the world-famous players, you need something better."
The man leaned forward.
"That's where today's sponsor comes in."
'13 years later, ads are still annoying to watch.'
Kang Min thought, lying back on the sofa.
'I want to skip it so bad, but I fear I'll miss key details.'
The man in the video held up a small, sleek device.
It was a drone.
"This is the T1 Streaming Drone!"
"It's a magic-tech hybrid.
Once you register as its owner, it's the only one you'll ever need.
It has integrated AI that recognizes your voice and yours alone."
He tossed the drone into the air.
It stabilized instantly.
"It stays on until you tell it to shut down.
It knows how to adjust its height for the best shots.
It can span the view for cinematic clips.
If you're in a fight, it knows how to keep you in the frame without getting hit.
You don't even need a crew if you have this beauty!"
The man then started ranting about the sponsor.
"I've been wanting to collab with T1 for a long time!
Thank you T1!
As a player and a content creator, this is a dream come true!
T1 IS THE BEST!"
The guy looked like he was about to cry from joy.
Kang Min scrolled down to the comments.
---
[snookums]: Got one last week. The AI is smarter than my party leader.
[milk_daddy]: Expensive, but worth every Won if you're serious about ranking - [Reply from 'Hanu1': Source-TRUST ME BRO!]
[player_verina]: T1 drones are the industry standard for a reason.
---
"Must be legit then."
Kang Min said to myself.
"So, I can stream from the system directly.
That's good for a start.
But for someone like me who will be taking this seriously, I'll need that drone.
Kang Min stood up and stretched, his joints popping.
"Let's sleep."
"Tomorrow, I'll be visiting the Walkers Org for my player evaluation.
It's time to finally get a Player ID."
Kang Min walked to the balcony glass doors and opened the curtains.
The city lights were twinkling below, and the Tower loomed over everything, a dark spike against the stars.
"Until then... wait for me."