South Korea had narrowly escaped the IMF crisis, but as the experts had already predicted, the international price of gold had plummeted, leading to a complex set of problems.
Of course, the government had not released this massive amount of gold all at once, but the large influx of new gold inflicted heavy losses on nations, corporations, and investors that held substantial gold assets, destabilizing the financial markets.
Needless to say, the gold mining industry was devastated, and financial institutions that had issued loans backed by gold collateral faced the risk of default due to plummeting collateral values. Particularly, nations with large gold reserves saw the value of their foreign exchange holdings decrease as gold prices fell, becoming economically unstable.
This naturally had a negative impact on national creditworthiness.
Ultimately, political instability linked to economic turmoil erupted across the world.
As a whole, the global economy shook and prices fluctuated wildly.
Suho, who had been staring intently at a tablet screen plastered with gold-related news, called out to Rabi.
“Rabi, look at this.”
Rabi fluttered over and pressed his face against the news Suho was showing him.
“Didn't I say that if I spread out my hundred quadrillion tons of gold to a thickness of ten meters, it would wrap around the entire Earth and I'd still have one and a half quadrillion tons left over?”
“You said so before.”
“Right? But all this chaos is because of a tiny amount of additional gold—just about ten meters wide by ten meters long and five meters tall. Isn't it funny?”
Having quickly read through the world news focusing on the newly injected gold, Rabi averted his gaze with apparent disinterest.
“As I told you, Cheonyangwon is a currency that this small world cannot possibly shoulder from the very beginning. Release even a little more, and the world might shatter.”
“Yeah... I can totally relate.”
He had been getting along with his daily life rather well, but after a long time, he was hit with another sudden wave of existential dizziness.
For a moment, all of this felt like a game again.
It was like the feeling of the world's richest chaebol, worth around 500 trillion won, meeting a little kid playing house at a neighborhood playground and humoring the child.
Leaving behind countless bodyguards and attendants, parking the top-class limousine outside the playground for a moment, not even caring that sand was getting on his hundreds-of-millions-of-won suit, sitting beside the child and playing house with her... how would such a chaebol feel?
Though every minute and second of his time was worth its weight in gold, he could squat down beside that lonely child playing alone, humor her in a make-believe game of house, and become her friend for a while.
Or he could simply resolve the real problems plaguing the child's parents, household, and family with a few words of command.
Either way, it would be a trivial matter to that chaebol.
Suho's situation was exactly like that. No, the gap between Suho and the rest of Earth's people was far greater than that example.
Whether it was poking his nose into trivial agency matters,
or solving global-scale problems,
compared to what Suho possessed, there was little difference in how trivial both were.
They were merely whims, or diversions no different from fleeting amusements.
Suho, who had been lost in his own thoughts, muttered,
“Sigh... where and how should I use all of this to use it well?”
“That is a question I cannot answer. I can neither recommend nor restrict how you use your Cheonyangwon.”
“Yeah, I suppose... but what about you?”
“?”
“If it were you, how would you use it?”
“If it were me, I would take a Rune worth its value in Cheonyangwon and be done with it.”
“Haha, right. I asked a stupid question... it must be nice being so simple.”
“From my perspective, humans seem to engage in excessively complex worries relative to their meager abilities and short lifespans. That is why they construct the world into unnecessarily complicated structures.”
“Ha, yeah. Humans are a bit complicated... but maybe they can't help it? It's because the emotions we feel, the desires we have, and our thoughts are all so diverse. Since everyone carries that diversity and yet tries to live together in harmony, wouldn't society, law, and economy naturally become complex?”
“So, I do not understand why it must be that way.”
Rabi scrunched up the space between his brows as if he truly couldn't comprehend it.
“Haha. I suppose so.”
The words rang true. Rabi's remark that humans were pointlessly complicated had been helpful.
'Yeah, let's think simply.'
Wasn't the notion that he had to use everything he possessed simply because he had a lot itself a prejudice?
Rather, changing the question revealed a path forward.
“Yeah, you're right. Let's not focus on using all of this. Let's not obsess over using it perfectly either. I can't use it all even if I wanted to, and it won't go my way even if I try to use it well. I should just spend it where I want to, where my heart pounds, where my feelings lead me. So what if I can't use it all?”
“That is precisely what I mean... why even entertain such thoughts in the first place.”
Rabi furrowed his expression even deeper.
* * *
The government had been preparing various rewards for Jeong Suho, who had greatly contributed to overcoming the national economic crisis through his voluntary donation of gold, but because the public outcry demanding proper compensation was so loud, they had drastically expanded the scale.
It began with an award ceremony.
Giving away a mere speck of gold and receiving a medal in return was embarrassing and bothersome, but since it was a unique experience unlike anything in Suho's life, he attended without complaint.
The Blue House Grand Hall, illuminated by the Taegeukgi and the Presidential Seal.
Under brilliant lights, VIPs and key figures in suits filled the seats. After all attendees had taken their places, President Choe Yunseong ascended to the stage with his entourage.
This was awarded to Suho.
It was the highest class among the Orders of National Service, bestowed upon those who had made remarkable contributions to national development and public welfare.
This time, it was a medal awarded as a fitting symbol of the nation's gratitude for his sacrifice and contribution, as his economic contribution to overcoming the grave crisis had been publicly recognized.
Suho, wearing the sash on his right shoulder and the badge on his left chest, smiled awkwardly as camera flashes erupted in unison, capturing the moment that was then plastered across every newspaper and news broadcast.
A long and tedious schedule of events followed, nerve-wracking but extensive, including speeches, commemorative photos, and a celebratory reception, among which was a special press conference.
President Choe Yunseong, standing at the podium, took the microphone.
“Fellow citizens, today we express our deep gratitude for the courage and decisiveness of Admitti Jeong Suho, who donated a large amount of gold and saved the Republic of Korea from the foreign exchange crisis, and we wish to convey an official reward for this.”
The president approached Suho, clasped his hand, and bowed his head, and Suho also bowed back awkwardly.
Returning to the microphone, the president began announcing the nationally prepared rewards.
“First, we bestow the Mugunghwa Order of National Service upon Admitti Jeong Suho. This is the highest honor of the Republic of Korea, officially recognizing his contribution.”
“Second, Admitti Jeong Suho will be provided with large-scale tax reductions and exemptions over a long period. This is the nation's gratitude and repayment for his dedication.”
“Third, we will take state-level protective measures for the assets of Admitti Jeong Suho. The nation will endeavor to ensure his property is safely protected.”
“Fourth, Admitti Jeong Suho is appointed as a special advisor on national economic policy, so that his wisdom and experience may be reflected in state policy.”
“Fifth, various regulatory easing measures and contract priority rights will be provided to TDM, operated by Admitti Jeong Suho. This is to help his business flourish further.”
“And...”
In a way, the first five listed rewards were formalities; the real ones began from the sixth.
“Sixth, the government of the Republic of Korea has decided to provide major real estate owned by the state to Admitti Jeong Suho. This is compensation in the form of real estate assets rather than direct cash rewards. In particular, we will provide idle state-owned land for commercial and residential development.”
“Seventh, we will designate specific regions as special development districts and grant development rights to Admitti Jeong Suho. This is the government's promise to support development projects in which he takes an interest.”
“Eighth, we will grant Admitti Jeong Suho the right to participate in large-scale urban redevelopment projects being promoted by the state. This is so that his wisdom, experience, and assets may contribute to the nation's redevelopment projects.”
As soon as the medal ceremony and national award presentation ended, the internet erupted over the unprecedented preferential treatment.
└ No joke! Yeah! That's the least they could do!
└ You gotta look closely at this. Honestly, the only thing the government is really giving up is the major real estate.
└ Right? The rest is just stuff he could've taken anyway if he wanted.
└ Like letting him participate and stuff.
└ But isn't that just telling him to spend his own money since they're letting him join government projects?
└ Stop saying stupid things. That participation right is money and power, you moron. Companies spend so much on lobbying to get that.
└ Agreed. This is groundbreaking! Has anyone ever received benefits like this?
└ Seems like too much. Is 10,000 tons of gold that amazing...
└ ....???
└ Is this guy from another planet?
└ In the end, it's still a paltry reward given how much Jeong Suho has.
└ True. He probably wouldn't miss any of that stuff even without it.
Another wave of noisy news and comments swept across Korea.
At any rate, he had acquired land.
He still didn't know exactly where or how much idle state-owned land he would receive, but Suho was content simply to have acquired land.
He had given away useless gold dust the size of a speck and received land in return—what outstanding value for money.
* * *
Five S-Class individuals who had unknowingly grown close from hanging out together so often.
Centered around Jeong Suho were Lee Danbi, Han Taeung, Joshua, and Thomas.
Suho felt comfortable hanging out with them even though he wasn't a real Admitti.
Perhaps it was because, though their domains were different, there were aspects he could sympathize with in them, who existed outside the category of ordinary people.
The close protection duty for Suho, previously handled by Joshua and Danbi, now included Taeung and Thomas as well, making it a rotation among four people, which greatly changed the pattern.
During the day, the five mostly hung out together; at night, the four took turns standing guard.
That day, too, while they were all dining at a restaurant Suho had reserved, the conversation jumped to the topic of 'the catalyst for Admitti awakening and Class.'
“Huh... Your father was a kendo dojang master, Miss Lee Danbi?”
Suho's eyes widened at this new tale.
“That's right. Danbi noona's father was a pretty famous kendo master in our neighborhood. So when she was young, noona used to carry around a stick and beat up the neighborhood boys... Agh!”
After taking a sharp back smack from Danbi, Taeung flinched and shut his mouth.
“Ahaha, everyone was like that when they were young. You grow up roughhousing, don't you?”
But perhaps because none of them had such experiences, they all averted their gazes, and Danbi glared at Taeung again.
To think that Lee Danbi, who grew up as the spirited daughter of a famous neighborhood kendo master, had become an S-Class Frost Swordsman—wasn't that far too perfect to be a mere coincidence?
Having gotten an idea from Danbi's case, Suho this time asked Taeung.
“Then, what about you, Taeung? What were you originally good at?”
“I, I... nothing much... Ah, I liked origami. I was good at it too.”
“Puhahaha! Origami with that build of yours? You could fold sheet metal!”
Thomas cackled, and Danbi seized the moment to join him in teasing Taeung. But Suho kept pressing on the topic.
“Still. Taeung, wasn't there anything else you liked? Something you were good at, like sports...”
“Um... I've liked animals since I was little... not really sports...”
“Oh... you liked animals?”
“Oh come on, you bear, you've been doing ssireum since elementary school. Ssireum.”
“Ah, th-that's right. Yeah. But those aren't very good memories...”
“Still, you were good at it, man. You went as the provincial representative and won awards and everything.”
“Oohhh...”
With the explanation Danbi added, Suho was seized by an even stronger conviction.
“Wait a minute. There's something to this... Then, what about you, Thomas? Were you a competitive shooter or something?”
“No. Far from it. This body is just a genius, so whether it was studying or sports, I was good at everything.”
“......What did your parents do, Thomas?”
“They were just merchants.”
“Selling what?”
“A neighborhood gun shop. Though most of what they sold were hunting shotguns.”
“......!”
There was a connection.
Whether it was their talents, specialties, hobbies, or backgrounds—whatever it was—the S-Class occupations, which stood at the pinnacle of their respective Classes, each had their own point of connection.
“Doesn't this fit together a little too perfectly?”
As Suho muttered and looked at Joshua, everyone else's gazes gathered on him as well.
“Joshua, what did you used to do?”
“I was a researcher.”
“Huh?”
“Tsk, to think the world-famous Inferno was a researcher. It doesn't suit you?”
“What kind of researcher?”
“Plasma physics at SNL.”
“Whoa... I knew it! There was a connection! See! Isn't that right?”
Suho looked around at everyone excitedly, thinking he had discovered some common principle, but the other four merely gave tepid responses.
“Uh... your reactions are underwhelming. Did you already know about this?”
Worried that Suho might feel embarrassed, Danbi explained in a careful tone.
“It's not that we knew... it's just that many scholars have delved into connections like that. Since the early days of Admitti emergence. They investigated various cases and collected samples to find common characteristics regarding Admitti awakening and tried to understand the Class lineages of Admitti based on this.”
“Ooh... and?”
“There were too many cases that didn't fit. Too many exceptions, I mean. In the end, it wasn't recognized as a general pattern.”
“That's right. It's like blood types. It looks like there's some kind of commonality, but it was never recognized in actual scientific research or academic verification.”
“I see......”
Suho became sullen for no reason, and the others failed to notice that change in him.