Chapter 10
Too Strong for Just Living Alone
It’s Fine Even Alone
The discount department store for ordinary people, Dice, was filled with cheap goods.
On the second floor, right in the middle of the kitchenware section, Ha Minho wandered around holding a red plastic basket in one hand.
Inside were a few utensil sets and plates.
Some miscellaneous stationery items were thrown in, too.
And…
“Hmmm, this cup is pretty.”
Minho turned the crystal glass in his hand, inspecting it carefully with a serious expression.
The current décor of the apartment had been arranged according to So-hyeon’s tastes.
If the cup matched the room, it had to be this fancy.
“Alright, this one it is.”
The price was good, it was sturdy, and above all, it was beautiful.
Minho put the cup in the basket and continued picking out items.
Last time at Ikeba, he had already filled the apartment with furniture and decorative pieces.
But practical items for everyday use were still nonexistent.
He was now filling in items recommended by Ja-chwi King (Apartment King) that matched the current room décor.
After about an hour had passed…
“That’ll be 54,000 won. A shopping bag is 500 won—would you like one?”
“No, I brought my own.”
He dumped the items into an Ikeba bag he had brought along.
It felt heavy.
“Have a nice day.”
“Thank you!”
After paying, he left the store, a satisfied smile on his face.
Shopping is fun.
It was his first time shopping without worrying about money—a wealthy person’s shopping (even if it was at Dice…).
Ah, so this is what it feels like to be young and rich.
This is what being wealthy is like.
A strange warmth spread through him.
As he walked to the parking lot, Minho opened the door to his apartment in a quiet area.
The warm, inviting interior of his apartment greeted him.
“Phew… time to organize.”
He took out each item, thinking carefully about where to place it.
The cups go on this shelf, the plates next to the sink…
After meticulously arranging everything:
“Let’s have a drink.”
He took the crystal cup he had most carefully chosen and poured zero-calorie cola from the fridge.
The cup fizzed and bubbled.
Grasping it tightly, he downed the cold, dark liquid without hesitation.
“Ahhhhhh!”
The pure refreshment hit his brain, sending shivers down his entire body.
A 46-square-meter pretty apartment.
A large bathtub.
And cold cola!
This is romance. This is life.
After a satisfied smile, he cleaned up the trash and sat at his desk, opening his laptop.
“Alright… let’s work today too.”
Click.
He opened a document titled: “Infinite Apartment Management Plan (by Ha Minho)”.
The document was filled with several pages of detailed notes:
What items were needed.
What meals to cook.
What he wanted to do in the future.
Everything about the apartment, written in exhaustive detail.
Why go to such lengths?
First, Minho was someone who was serious about his apartment.
Second, there was a message clearly displayed in the Infinite Apartment interface:
[Depending on the condition or reputation of your apartment, there’s a higher chance new friends will visit!]
[The form and method vary.]
[In any case, always maintain your apartment in good condition.]
The better the apartment, the more overpowered abilities it granted.
And judging by the message, visitors other than Venti could come.
Not something to worry about just yet… but better safe than sorry.
“Let’s strategize again today.”
Even planning alone made him happy.
Click, click.
Scrolling down revealed additional notes: what was needed to expand the apartment.
Before the next cooldown, plan the strategy for floors 3 and 4 perfectly.
The cooldown before inviting Venti again was six days.
From experience, Venti could only stay for half a day at most.
To maximize points in a short period, a tight strategy was needed.
So he planned:
Which scenario to select.
Which routes to take.
Step by step.
He cross-referenced player wikis and community info, jotting down details.
Hours passed.
“Phew… I think that’s enough.”
Minho sighed, reviewing the completed document.
Satisfied, he saved the file and sent it to his phone via messenger.
Now, all that was left was to wait for Venti.
Next time, he planned to maximize the apartment points.
“Time to rest a bit.”
Just as he was about to close the player community…
“Huh?”
A post at the top caught his eye:
[Salvadori: Guilds are flipping out right now because of “Ja-chwi King, please subscribe”!]
Ja-chwi King?
No way… could it be?
Recognizing the familiar wording, Minho clicked the post.
[Salvadori: Apparently, the player with the nickname “Please subscribe to Ja-chwi King” cleared floor 2 in record time—only 5 hours.]
└ [Sailmane: Was that a real player? The one who cleared floor 1 fastest?]
└ [Lorelline: Right, everyone was debating whether it was a bug.]
└ [Salvadori: Since the nickname matches on floor 2, it doesn’t seem like a bug. Also, this player apparently beat “Clidian of the Black Sun.”]
└ [Lorelline: That’s insane. That monster wasn’t meant to be defeated.]
└ [K2938: But it actually happened lol.]
Hundreds of replies were already piling in.
Most people were curious about the identity of “Please subscribe to Ja-chwi King.”
[Sailmane: Isn’t that the Ja-chwi King YouTuber?]
└ [Jangvoo: Seems not. They claim not even to be a player.]
└ [Koricolme: lol. Sounds exhausting. Investigators keep showing up.]
Minho’s eyes narrowed.
This… is about me, isn’t it?
He already felt it: unwanted attention might come.
[Sailmane: How much talent does this person have? Isn’t this stronger than S-rank?]
└ [K2938: Might need a new rank if true.]
└ [Lorelline: Ugh, I’m jealous. Some people struggle with C-rank skills.]
No, the Association already labeled him F-rank.
He wasn’t strong—his visitors did all the work.
He wanted to say this, but swallowed the words.
[i11iii1i: Why are guilds and the Association after this player?]
└ [Sailmane: Obviously to recruit them. They’d want someone this skilled.]
└ [Kumtata: Rumor is the Association is even more frantic. If the top floors aren’t cleared quickly, monster spawns again. They’d want a skilled player for anything.]
The comments poured in.
Basically, people misinterpreted Venti’s actions and thought Minho was a genius player.
And now everyone was on high alert…
“I absolutely cannot get caught.”
Instinct warned him: if he got noticed, it’d be a huge hassle.
Sure, joining a guild could bring fame and money, but he didn’t want that life.
Besides, he had already achieved his dream apartment.
He’d had enough of work.
“Work less, earn more.”
Joining a guild meant he couldn’t do that.
Also…
“I don’t want attention.”
Fame and popularity would make his life public; he wouldn’t even be able to go to the bathroom in peace, let alone shop.
His philosophy:
“Not famous, rich is best.”
Minimal work, maximum income, anonymity.
Ha Minho’s ultimate goal.
Guilds and Associations had no place in this.
He would live quietly as F-rank Minho, enjoying life’s simple pleasures.
“So… go ahead and look. I won’t get involved.”
He closed his laptop and flopped onto the beanbag.
A few days later, in a corner of his apartment, the wall-mounted TV ran news nonstop.
Most of it was about:
<<Currently, the player using the nickname “Please subscribe to Ja-chwi King” is being sought by multiple guilds, including the government…>>
<<Our guild offers top-level treatment and support. Please find our guild…>>
<<The Dungjeonghoe awaits the player. Please clear the top floors and become a hero of humanity!>>
All about the legendary genius player, “Please subscribe to Ja-chwi King.”
Meanwhile, Minho, the actual person involved…
“Hmmm…”
…was leisurely chopping vegetables.
Why? Because…
-
Minho, want to have a drink tonight? So-hyeon’s off.
-
Sure, but where?
-
At your place. Better than going out where someone might recognize us.
-
Got it. I’ll prep some snacks.
-
Okay.
So-hyeon, like an older sister to him, planned to visit for dinner and drinks.
Minho chose shabu-shabu: chicken stock, assorted chopped vegetables, and some meat for a simple but delicious meal.
Since he bought domestic beef instead of imported, at least he showed some effort.
“All set.”
After prepping, he covered the vegetables and put them in the fridge.
It was 4 p.m., two hours before the scheduled visit.
“…Time for a break.”
He flopped on the beanbag, turning on YouTube.
<<Hello subscribers! Today we’re checking out an apartment in Sindang…>>
“Ah, the big screen makes it so much better.”
Watching Ja-chwi King on a 60-inch TV in high definition made it even more impressive.
As he watched idly, a dog appeared on screen, approaching the YouTuber and acting cute.
The YouTuber fed it a treat and petted it.
Minho’s face softened.
Cute… so cute.
He smiled unconsciously, a proud “dad” smile.
Watching longer, he muttered to himself:
“A pet, huh…”
It had been a dream since his shelter days.
Walking a cute dog, watching it sleep beside him, stroking its soft fur as it looked at him with bright eyes…
Even imagining it made him smile.
And…
“Definitely needed. A cute pet for the ultimate apartment.”
He thought about checking it out.
Opening his phone, he found an app called PointHandler, which connected shelter animals nationwide to prospective owners.
Why this app first?
Not because he had some heroic love for animal rights or hated pet shops.
“I’m from a human shelter myself.”
Shared experience.
People—or creatures—are drawn to those similar to them.
“Pet, companion!”
Cute was best.
His desire was growing.
