The Returnee's Hidden Strategy Stream-Chapter 148

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 148

"You're borrowing them for 24 hours?"

Diorama looked puzzled at the unexpected request.

The advanced players—and not just one, but two of them—for a full 24 hours? That was an unusual condition, something most wouldn’t even consider.

"And what exactly do you plan to do with them?" Luna, intrigued, asked about his intentions.

Hanbit reached out and pointed to a spot on the map, just above the base camp.

"There are some items I need. If the two Vestige advanced players retrieve them for me, I’ll provide the information you're looking for."

"You’re saying they have to spend 24 hours gathering those items?"

Raphina’s voice carried curiosity. The nature of the trade was unconventional.

"Yes, exactly 24 hours. If they start now, they'll be done by tomorrow afternoon."

Obtaining the items wouldn’t just involve hunting—it would require exploration and dungeon clearing as well.

With two advanced players, they should be able to handle it.

"Interesting."

Diorama stroked his chin and smiled.

Halting two advanced players for an entire day was a massive loss for the company.

Regardless of the immediate results, their potential was something the company heavily relied on.

However, this was an opportunity they couldn’t afford to pass up.

Black Dragon was the only one who could provide precise guidance for the advanced players’ future.

"Alright. I’ll bring them here."

"Huh?"

Without hesitation, Diorama stood up and left the conference room.

As they watched in confusion, Raphina explained.

"Oh, one of our office floors is used as a dormitory for the advanced players. Not for me, but the other two don’t like going out much…"

Most players preferred to play comfortably from home.

Using RP Gear at the company was mostly for employees with no flexibility.

For advanced players, who had more freedom, there was no obligation to log in from a specific location.

But a dorm inside the company building? That was unexpected.

"They could refuse, right?"

"I doubt it."

Luna turned to Raphina.

As everyone focused on her, she averted her gaze slightly before answering.

"That’s true… but they’ve been stuck on the same episode for ages. If Black Dragon really has useful information, they’ll probably accept…"

She reassured them, though she didn’t sound entirely certain.

Either way, if they accepted the conditions, it would be a win.

"Hey, we need to talk."

Just then, Yeonwoo gestured for Hanbit to step outside.

"I’ll be back soon."

Hanbit excused himself and followed Yeonwoo out into the hallway.

Once they reached a quiet corner, Yeonwoo immediately got to the point.

"Shouldn’t we tweak the deal a bit?"

"Why? I think it’s a solid arrangement."

"Using advanced players’ time is a bigger deal than you think. Even if you’re offering consulting in return, if Vestige fails to execute properly, things could get complicated. You don’t want unnecessary trouble, do you?"

There were clear signs that Yeonwoo had been thinking about this a lot.

Had he been looking into past incidents that had turned into a mess?

"Wouldn’t it be better to just take the money and be done with it?"

"That’d be the cleanest option. Consulting alone would be worth a lot."

Yeonwoo’s stance was to squeeze as much money out of the deal as possible.

Hanbit understood his reasoning, but he had made up his mind.

"Unfortunately, what I want can’t be bought with money. None of these items are available on the market."

"...Are you saying they’re the first of their kind?"

"I don’t know, but that part doesn’t matter. The goal is simply to acquire them."

The items Hanbit was after were all in places that were difficult to reach.

However, there was a real chance that someone had already made it there—whether through skill or sheer luck.

Even if luck was involved, it didn’t change his plan.

"Either way, this is a great opportunity. These are things I wasn’t supposed to get until much later."

There were definitely things that needed to be handled in Bastia.

The only reason he had postponed them was because they were too far away and his current level wasn’t high enough.

Of course, the items he planned to obtain through the advanced players were just a part of that plan—but they were enough for now.

The Snow Drake Hunt and the Vortex Tower.

Preparing for these two challenges was the top priority.

"If they can’t be bought with money, then they must be pretty valuable."

Yeonwoo, who had been skeptical, now seemed to grasp the situation.

He glanced toward the conference room and asked Hanbit, "How far are you planning to go with the consulting?"

"They need direction, right? I’ll at least make sure they’re on the right path. I already have a rough idea of what’s wrong."

"...I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I get it now. I’ll go along with your plan."

With that, the two of them returned to the conference room.

Just as they stepped inside, Diorama arrived with two others.

"I brought them."

The two men who followed him looked to be in their late twenties.

Their unkempt clothes and tired expressions made it clear they weren’t the type to leave the building often.

"Nice to meet you. I’m Black Dragon."

"Yeah."

"Hello."

One of them gave a slight nod, while the other barely looked up from his phone as he muttered a greeting.

Neither seemed particularly interested in the name Black Dragon.

"The one with the attitude problem here is Breaker, and the one glued to his phone is Titan. They mainly use knuckles and greatswords, respectively."

Their names oddly suited their weapon choices.

If both were offensive specialists, that made them a perfect fit for Hanbit’s conditions.

"Black Dragon, could you explain in more detail?"

"Ah, sure."

Hanbit nodded and pointed to the map again.

Then, he turned to the two disinterested men.

"Over the next 24 hours, you’ll need to clear two dungeons, acquire a specific monster drop, and locate a hidden material. All rewards go to me."

"...What?"

Breaker’s brows furrowed sharply.

Even if he had heard a rough outline of the deal, handing over all the loot was beyond unreasonable.

"So, how exactly does this consulting work?" Titan, still glued to his phone, asked without looking up.

For the advanced players, the information Black Dragon offered was the most valuable part of the deal.

Hanbit pointed to the northern region of the Bastia Union.

"I’ll provide guidance on clearing the currently blocked Eighth Episode and give you advice on passing the expedition evaluation. If you keep going like this, you’ll stay stuck."

"...You’re saying that’s possible?"

For the first time, Titan looked up at Hanbit.

His gaze was sharp, as if trying to see through him.

A completely different energy from when he had been mindlessly staring at his phone.

"You’ll see for yourselves once the results come in. Of course, I’m only offering guidance equivalent to the 24-hour trade."

"……"

Titan silently held eye contact, seeming deep in thought.

But it didn’t take him long to decide.

"The boss already agreed, right?"

"Of course. We’d be fools to pass up this chance."

"Then, fine."

Titan gave a slight nod and returned to his phone.

That left just one more.

Diorama turned to Breaker.

"And you?"

"I’ll do it. But if we go through all this and the payoff is garbage, I’ll make sure you hear about it."

His eyes burned with intensity.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad attitude—just a strong-willed one.

"That’s fair. But in return, I expect you two to get everything I asked for."

"I don’t do things halfway."

Their gazes locked, sealing the deal.

Clapping his hands together, Diorama grinned.

"Great! Everything’s settled. Let’s get this trade started."

***

"Phew. That took longer than I expected."

After nearly three hours of discussion, Hanbit and Yeonwoo finally stepped out of the conference room.

Half of their conversation had been about what Hanbit wanted and how he planned to obtain it. The other half focused on Vestige’s situation and the consulting direction they needed.

As for the strategy guide for the 15-billion Bell Mora Episode, it was wrapped up by simply handing over the pre-prepared documents.

"Are you leaving right away?"

Just then, Luna and Raphina followed them out of the conference room.

Remembering something from the day before, Hanbit turned to them and asked, "What happened with your spirit?"

"Ah! I was just about to tell you!"

Raphina’s face lit up at the mention of spirits, and she eagerly stepped forward.

"For the first time yesterday, I got a message saying it was showing interest!"

"Really?"

"Yes! I spent the whole night flying through the sky and testing magic, trying to bond with it…"

She proudly shared how she hadn’t slept a wink and had stayed in the garden the entire night.

Thanks to that, her Spirit Skill Proficiency had reached 100%.

With just a little more effort, she’d probably be able to advance to the next stage within a day.

"That’s great. Make sure you get some sleep, and use your time wisely before the Snow Drake Hunt."

"Got it!"

Despite her excitement, Raphina showed no signs of fatigue.

It must have been something she had been longing for.

"What about you, Luna?"

"I met an ice spirit that looked like a fairy."

"...What?"

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Hanbit was caught off guard.

A fairy-like appearance.

That could only mean Fraice, a high-rank ice spirit.

"And what happened?"

"It just stared at me for a few hours, then disappeared. After that, I left the garden."

"...I see."

Hanbit tried to piece it together but couldn’t quite make sense of it.

All he could focus on was the fact that a high-rank spirit had appeared in the garden.

"Maybe it needs some kind of trigger or preparation. Either way, you should go pick up your sword first. When you log in, head straight to Jaeha. How about meeting at Edlen Square?"

"Sounds good. Shall we head downstairs?"

Following Luna’s suggestion, they all made their way to the underground parking lot.

There, a vehicle prepared by Diorama was waiting for them—meant to help them avoid the reporters and onlookers still gathered outside.

"I’ll take you to your destinations."

Hanbit and Yeonwoo got into the same car since they still had unfinished business to discuss.

"You can drop us off here. Thanks."

The two of them got out near a subway station a short distance away.

As Hanbit watched the car drive off, he turned to Yeonwoo.

"So, what is it?"

"Oh, the detective agency that Adventurer A hired. I think I’ll be able to contact the boss soon."

"Really?"

The Deoksoo Detective Agency—the name they had gotten from the person who had been tailing Hanbit.

Somehow, Yeonwoo had figured out how to reach the boss, even though the business card they found had no phone number or other contact details.

"When?"

"They're not in Korea right now, so I’ll try setting up a meeting next weekend. It’s just a matter of luring them in with money."

She sounded confident, as if she had already dug up some information on the boss.

By then, Hanbit would be inside the Vortex Tower, but he could make time for this.

"Alright. Let me know if anything comes up."

With that, the two parted ways.

***

Hanbit took the subway and arrived home quickly.

In the living room, his mother was sorting through their belongings.

"I thought the move was next Thursday?"

"I need to throw out the junk ahead of time."

Everything had gone smoothly after the final contract was signed.

Thanks to a hassle-free discussion with the landlord, they had been able to schedule the move earlier than expected.

"Want me to take these out?"

"They’re heavy. Just leave them—I’ll do it slowly."

"What’s the point of having a son, then? I’ll take them out."

Hanbit carried out the trash and unwanted items.

Since the place hadn’t been cluttered to begin with, there wasn’t much to throw away.

"All done. We’re putting the furniture out the day before the move, right?"

"Yeah. You can leave the rest as is."

By the time he returned, his mother had almost finished organizing.

Hanbit was about to head into his room when he suddenly stopped.

"Mom."

"Hmm?"

"Why don’t you quit your job? I’ll be giving you living expenses regularly from now on."

His earnings from streaming and channel revenue alone had already surpassed 1 billion won.

Even after taxes, there was more than enough for his mother to stop working.

And just like the information he had sold to Vestige, his future income was only going to increase.

But his mother remained firm.

"I’m still healthy—why would I quit? I’m fine."

She had been working at a gukbap (rice soup) restaurant for over six years.

And she had no intention of leaving.

For her, retirement had to be something she secured on her own terms.

"At least think about it. I’m making a lot of money now."

"I know, and I’m happy for you. But didn’t I say your money is for you? I’m already over the moon just having a rental apartment of our own."

"That’s not what I meant—"

"I hear you loud and clear, son. Now, go take care of whatever it is you need to do, okay?"

Before he could argue any further, she firmly pushed him into his room.

"Ahhh."

Hanbit let out a sigh, knowing there was no changing her mind.

Maybe after the move, he could try convincing her again.

Shh—

He put on his gear, lay down on the bed, and logged into RP.

Ding-!

As soon as the screen loaded, a notification popped up.

A message appeared before him.

[You have received a message from the GM.]

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]