Chapter 10

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Having logged out, Seong Jihan scratched his head.

When Lim Gayeong had asked for his number, the one that came to mind was the one he used in the United States.

His Korean cell phone number was a bit hazy in his memory.

He could ask Gayeong for her number if he wanted to contact her, but then again, he wasn't planning to join a guild now anyway.

'It's not like I'm going to join a guild anytime soon.'

It was like a thirsty person selling a well. Seong Jihan didn't feel the need to get Lim Gayeong's number. Instead...

'I can expect some rewards.'

When he was ranked 7th in the world, even getting first place in a game only gave him a tiny bit of experience points.

But in the lower Bronze level range, there was a taste of growth. Seong Jihan looked at the system message window.

[Cleared Limited Quest - 'Achieve 1st place in 10 Towers.']

[Acquired 1,000 achievement points.]

[Ranked 1st in the Defense game.]

[Experience and GP acquisition rate increased by 50% for achieving 1st place.]

[Leveled up by 2.]

[Acquired 1,500 GP.]

Though not as significant as during the tutorial, the first-place reward itself was substantial. On top of that, he gained sacred power and even GP (Game Points), so the harvest was quite good for finishing a single game.

'If I keep this up, I could reach the promotion matches without playing much.'

The rewards for achieving first place in a Battle Net game were enormous. Not only were the rewards substantial, but with the added 50% increase effect,

Seong Jihan realized that if he kept achieving first place, he could reach the level 25 required for the promotion matches in less than a month.

'Well, the game structure isn't that easy, though.'

Achieving good results in games inevitably led to facing higher-level players in the next matches. This would make consecutive first-place victories more challenging, considering that the level difference in Battle Net had a significant impact.

'But I doubt I'd lose even in Bronze.'

If he managed to finish the Bronze league with a streak of first-place victories, that would also be a record of its own, potentially earning him additional achievement points.

With the determination to aim for first place in every game, Seong Jihan opened the Battle Net market.

'With the GP I received as a reward, I can buy Relics...'

Before long, he closed the market. No matter how cheap relics were in 2020, there were no relics available for 1,500 GP. Even F-rank relics demanded at least 3,000 GP.

'...Guess I need to explore the rooms more.'

After allocating his remaining points to strength upon reaching level 2, Seong Jihan decided to explore the house calmly. There were still many areas in this spacious penthouse he hadn't looked into.

'Well then, shall we go?'

Exiting his room, Seong Jihan headed towards his sister's room by passing through the living room.

This penthouse, a high-rise complex in Gangnam, took quite a while to traverse due to its location at the very top.

As he walked past the living room, his eyes were once again drawn to a family photo hanging on the wall near the sofa.

Was that taken 10 years ago? In the frame, Yoon Sejin, his sister, and a young niece were all smiling brightly. Only Yoon Sejin's face was shattered in the photograph.

'Should I just cut it out altogether?'

When he first broke it, Yoon Sejin's figure still remained, before his stats changed to Martial power. Seong Jihan walked up to the photo. In that family picture, he didn't want to leave a trace of his face.

At that moment, beep-beep. Beep—

A sound of a door opening from the entrance beyond the living room reached his ears.

"I'm home~. The group living on Jeju Island finished so quickly for me."

A high and cheerful voice. At the sound, Seong Jihan flinched.

"Uncle... alcohol. Did you drink it all?"

A girl in a school uniform took off her shoes and walked into the living room.

Smiling, she looked at Seong Jihan.

"Uh..."

After spotting the broken family photo, she quickly moved towards him.

"Uncle."

"...Yes?"

Having found the photo of her father shattered, his niece Yoon Seah smiled meaningfully.

"Why did you break it first?"

Thump!

In an instant, she completely smashed Yoon Sejin's face in the photo.

"I wanted to do it myself."

His niece Yoon Seah, who had mercilessly squashed her father's face, held a smile with a profound meaning. Seong Jihan's gaze toward her was a mixture of joy and apology.

"Seah... you seem healthy."

Yoon Seah was 18, while he was 27. They had gotten along well like good younger siblings from a young age.

"It was really awkward when Noona got pregnant after a year since our parents passed away."

Seong Jihan's parents passed away in an accident. His older sister was left to take care of her 10-year younger brother, working multiple part-time jobs to support the household.

She met Yoon Sejin and fell madly in love, getting pregnant at the young age of 20. Yoon Sejin, also at a tender age, decided to take responsibility and had a modest wedding, entering Seong Jihan's family.

With no money to afford a new place, they moved into the apartment passed down to the siblings.

"I took care of her a lot since the two were busy working."

From Yoon Seah's infancy, Seong Jihan took care of her a lot. She was a special presence to him.

"But in my previous life...., I couldn't protect her."

What happened to Yoon Seah in his previous life was dreadful. The memory was so awful he didn't even want to recall it.

"I can't let something like that happen again."

Looking at Yoon Seah with a heavy gaze, Seong Jihan renewed his determination.

"Uncle? Why do you have such a serious expression?"

"Oh, it's nothing. You did well. But, about the group living?"

At Seong Jihan's question, Yoon Seah gave a bitter smile.

"The teacher told me to go home first because of what happened yesterday"

"Are you talking about the press conference?"

"Yeah. You know, the other day, Dad called me before the press conference."

"What did he say?"

"He said he fell in love with someone."

Fell in love with someone...

Seong Jihan's anger surged at those words. How dare he talk like that with his only daughter.

"That bastard... is that all he said?"

"...Sorry, he didn't ask for forgiveness and told me to live well with you. He also said he couldn't take me away..."

Thump!

Seong Jihan's fist shattered the shards of Yoon Sejin's face in the album and pierced through the wall.

In the real world, his stats couldn't fully manifest their strength like within Battle Net, but his Martial power stat of 12 was still potent. Yoon Seah's eyes widened at the sight.

"Uh... Uncle? Why are you so worked up?"

"Ah, sorry. I couldn't hold back my anger. Keep talking."

"Yeah. He said he fell in love, and that I should live well with you because he'll leave his Korean property behind."

"Ah, what a damn trash...?"

Property? Initially, Yoon Sejin had organized most of his assets and fled to Japan. The rumors about Yoon Sejin leaving the country also spread due to his hasty disposal of guild shares and other properties.

The only building Yoon Sejin didn't get rid of was Sword Palace, where Yoon Seah lived.

"But this building will also be seized by the government eventually."

When Yoon Sejin had recently gone to Japan, the government was already watching him. The reason rumors about Yoon Sejin leaving the country spread was because he had hurriedly organized his various properties and guild shares. The only thing he hadn't arranged was the Sword Palace.

"But after what he did in Japan, the public opinion completely turned against him."

"Wow, because of that guy, we're at the bottom of the East Asia League rankings."

"He's the modern version of Lee Wan-yong."

"What? He is worse than Lee Wan-yong! He abandoned our country for a woman!"

As their anger grew, it was directed towards his only family member left behind in Korea.

"Why did his daughter stay in Korea?"

"Even that is suspicious!"

"And the Sword Palace that Yoon Sejin left behind... Isn't that also supported by the national taxes?"

"They should seize the building!"

The public sentiment was at its worst, and Yoon Seah's identity was widely known throughout Korea.

Personal information protection laws didn't apply to Yoon Seah. In response to this heated public sentiment, the National Assembly passed a bill.

It was related to the cancellation of tax exemptions and the return of taxes for players who renounced their citizenship.

By this bill, the government seized properties. Seong Jihan and Yoon Seah were kicked out of their home.

"...It was hell."

Seong Jihan had also been blamed by the whole nation due to this incident in his past life.

However, he wasn't directly related to Yoon Sejin, and he felt slightly less guilty because of his sister Seong Jiah's achievements.

"But he's still a piece of trash. At least in the past, he didn't do this much harm."

Even so, Seah couldn't escape the harsh judgment of the public as the daughter of a traitor rather than as Priestess Seong Jiah's daughter.

"...I need to avoid such a situation as much as possible."

It was Yoon Sejin who abandoned the country, not his niece Yoon Seah. She was a victim as well. He had to do everything he could to prevent the dreadful events from happening again.

"At least for now..."

"I have to become a reliable adult who can support her."

Young Seong Jihan was unable to pay attention to Yoon Seah due to his busy schedule and the burden of public criticism, which made him ignore her.

When he'd seen how calm and brave Sae-ah was, he'd said nonsense like, 'Seah's amazing. Uncle's going through hell...'

Hidden beneath her seemingly innocent appearance was the extent to which her heart had been corrupted.

He only realized how much she'd suffered when it was too late, but things had changed.

"Seah."

"Yeah, Uncle."

"I'm always on your side."

"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

"Until now, I might not have been trustworthy... but..."

The 2020 version of Seong Jihan. He was far from being a reliable adult. Besides predicting battles using the Gift 'Wanderer's Insight' through Battle Net, he had no stable occupation. He had received his house, car, and everything from his brother-in-law and sister.

In the eyes of young Yoon Seah, he probably appeared as just an unemployed person.

However...

"But now it's different. I'll become an adult you can trust. So, you should also... don't suffer alone. You can rely on me."

"Uh..."

In response to his words...

Yoon Seah's expression changed for a moment.

The smile she was forcing turned slightly distorted for an instant, and her eyes became moist.

For a brief moment, she seemed on the verge of tears.

However...

"It's okay. Of course, I am going to rely on Uncle."

Despite the grave situation, her face still bore a smiling expression, like a finely crafted mask.

A mask that was always smiling.

Seeing this, Seong Jihan smiled wryly.

"...Yeah."

Right now, words might not resonate as trust.She couldn't convey the emotions She had felt when She was abandoned by her father.

Let's gain her trust again with actions... Step by step. Seong Jihan decided to wait until his niece could open her heart a bit more.

"By the way..."

The slight change in expression Yoon Seah showed a while ago seemed like a mirage. She smiled brightly at Seong Jihan and pointed her finger at him.

"Actually, Uncle! You're the one who's dependent on me now! Since you're living under my roof."

"This house?"

"Yeah. Since my dad, that guy, said he'll pass on Korean properties to me. He'll probably give this to me too."

Seong Jihan glanced around at her words.

A penthouse in the heart of Gangnam. If you calculated the value of the building beneath it, Yoon Seah was counted among the wealthy in South Korea.

However...

"Seah. I have something to talk about that."

"What...? Uncle, I'll gladly share half of the building with you! Since you're my uncle."

He chuckled.

It was quite generous of her to offer to share such a huge building. However, Seong Jihan's intention wasn't about that.

"No, it's not about that."

"Then?"

"It's about this building. Let's donate it to the country."

"What?"