Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Spendthrift Necromancer (43)

Insane Value for Money (1)

GateNet's Awakened board was burning hot.

Because of a series of bizarre reports.―(Proof) Holy shit, scored an amazing item lololol Ilseong's equipment store really had + weapons lolololol―They actually sell weapons like that? How much?―9 million won lolol Get to an equipment store right now lol They're doing a special sale of only 20 per store per day―What the hell? Is Ilseong trying to bankrupt itself? Something like that starts around 20 mil at auction;;―(Proof) This armor is insane lol Bought it for 7 mil lol Wanted another one, but it's one per person. Damn.―Fuck, ran over immediately and it's already sold out;;―This store's chaos too. At least ten Awakened showed up in five minutes;;―Anyone heard anything about Lee Seoyoon? She's been really quiet lately…….―Probably clearing some Hidden Gate or something lol Who cares about that right now? + items are hitting the market.―Why are so many + items appearing? Aren't these the kind of things crafters practically kill themselves trying to make?―Yeah. I'm a pretty experienced blacksmith and I almost never see + items. Even if I craft all day, I might get two or three. Think of it like winning the lottery.―That makes no sense. Ilseong has 100 equipment stores nationwide. Twenty each means they're releasing 2,000 a day;;―They're actually selling them though? Guy in front of me just bought a + item;―How the hell do they supply 2,000? Have they been stockpiling all this time?―Nope lol Ilseong's website just posted an announcement. Says the event will continue for at least a month.―……

A month means 60,000 items, doesn't it? How is that possible?―No idea. But the announcement says + items will continue being stocked even after the event, so please visit often. Says they want to give customers the excitement of treasure hunting lololol―……

Are they seriously trying to go bankrupt?―I'm telling you, bankruptcy isn't the issue. How the hell are they supplying that many + items? Did they recruit some famous master craftsman?―Nope. You clearly don't know production classes. Even the absolute best craftsman couldn't make that many + items. Maybe fifty a day at most.―Only fifty when they're just making Normal-grade items?―Told you, it's like a lottery lol It's not something you can force to happen.―Yeah. And if someone was that good, they'd be crafting high-level gear. Why waste time playing with newbie items? That's literally shredding money lololol―???? Did anyone see the potions displayed in the corner? Those are + too.―……

Huh?* * *Dorim Group, ranked second among Korea's chaebol conglomerates, held a presidents' meeting for all subsidiaries.

Dorim Group Chairman Jo Chunghoon stared at the presidents with a reddened face.

“……

Report.”

One president, sweating profusely, staggered to his feet.

“……

Appliance sales this month have fallen by more than 50%. Overseas exports have also dropped sharply…….”

“President Kim.”

“……

Yes, Chairman.”

“What do you think the problem is?”

“……

According to our analysis, the advertising video on Wastrel's channel appears to be the primary reason. The replay views have surpassed one hundred million and it became an enormous hit even overseas…….”

“No, I know that. So what? You just sat there with your eyes open while they stole our entire appliance market share? Korea wasn't enough, so overseas too?”

“N-No! We also launched a counter-campaign by deploying large numbers of A-list celebrities in advertisements…….”

“If you slap some entertainers into commercials, can you catch up to that wastrel's NewTube views?”

“W-Well…….”

The president's face turned miserable.

One hundred million views couldn't be achieved through Korea alone.

You had to capture overseas attention.

Would A-list Korean celebrities work abroad?

Not a chance.

That was just domestic advertising.

Advertising that worked worldwide?

If Dorim knew how to do that, it would've already been number one in global appliances.

Reality was that although Dorim ranked first in Korea's appliance market, it struggled even to stay within the global top seven.

“Can you catch him or not, you bastard?!”

“I-I don't think so. That video is extremely unique…….”

The president looked ready to cry.

Ilseong's advertising model was simply too powerful.

The eldest son of Korea's number-one chaebol family.

On top of that, a world-record holder.

He'd already heard that Minwoo's bad-boy image had built an enormous overseas fandom.

Cedric, who had appeared in the ad with him, had also become wildly popular under the nickname Bone Knight.‘How the hell am I supposed to compete with that?’Its influence had already reached a tremendous level.

There were even rumors that a premium was beginning to attach itself to the Ilseong brand.

Kim Minwoo was known as the chaebol son who burned money like water.

And because someone like that advertised Ilseong products, people had apparently begun associating Ilseong products with wealthy consumers.

“What the hell are you going to do?! Ilseong is rowing like crazy while the tide is in, launching premium versions of their own products and selling them like hotcakes. What exactly are you doing?”

“W-We also plan to release premium versions and ride the current trend…….”

“If all you're going to do is chase Ilseong's ass, why the hell are you sitting in that chair? You're supposed to give me a solution!”

President Kim felt deeply wronged.

Ilseong wasn't something they could simply catch because they wanted to.

They needed a card of their own to do that.

Their product quality was slightly better, sure, but the image gap had become overwhelming.

Domestic appliances had always meant Dorim.

Now people were calling Dorim old-fashioned.

How exactly was he supposed to overcome that?

Not even the chairman's grandfather could solve a situation like this.

And President Kim of the appliance division wasn't the only one trembling.

Kim Minwoo hadn't advertised only one or two products.

Sales across all related subsidiaries had already plunged.

President Kim was merely an example.

A sacrifice used to warn the others.

“Pack your things and get out. Now!”

“……

Thank you for everything, Chairman.”

With a corpse-like expression, President Kim was thrown out of the meeting.

He had effectively been fired.

Chairman Jo wasn't finished.

He slapped a newspaper onto the table.[Ilseong Group Goes on Rampage in Equipment Market! Massive Release of + Items! Daily Visitors Up Over 1,000%!][Potions Also Released as + Products, Forming Enormous Lines…….]

“President Lee.”

“……

Yes! Chairman.”

“You heard about this too, right?”

“Yes. It seems they've truly sharpened their knives. They're selling equipment for nearly half price, so they must be taking enormous losses.”

“They've decided it's still worthwhile if they kill competitors like us first. Can't you already picture it? Every other equipment shop empty enough for flies to buzz around.”

“Yes.”

“So what are you going to do about this? Are you like President Kim? They attack, and you just stand there taking hit after hit?”

“No! I've already contacted craftsmen and asked them to produce as much low-cost equipment as possible to secure + items. We're also releasing the + items we've stockpiled so far at reduced prices…….”

“That's all?”

At that moment.

President Lee's expression turned serious.

“……

Chairman. The quantity Ilseong is releasing cannot be matched merely by gathering multiple craftsmen.”

“Right. So?”

“There must be a special craftsman driving this situation. Their skill is probably related to producing + items. We'll stake everything on scouting them.”

“Exactly. You need to attack the root! There's no answer in a quantity war. You catch the bastard causing this.”

Chairman Jo's expression finally loosened somewhat.

If President Lee had stupidly tried to compete in quantity, he'd have fired him too.

This wasn't an amount you could produce just by whipping craftsmen harder.

Ilseong had clearly obtained some special card.

“Trillions are fine. I'll authorize everything. Find that person and secure them no matter what.”

“Yes. We'll find them at any cost. Whatever price they demand, we'll pay it. Once we secure that craftsman, we've practically already won.”

“Exactly! That's Dorim spirit!”

Only then did Jo Chunghoon finally relax.

He had lived his entire life like a bulldozer.

Perhaps because of those painful efforts.

The last twenty years had been Dorim's era of rapid growth.

They had reduced a market-cap gap that had once been nearly double to around one-third.

There was finally hope that, with just a little more effort during his generation, they might seize first place.

Chairman Jo had no intention of falling behind again.‘This is the turning point.’He had to break Ilseong's momentum.

Otherwise, they might never catch them again.

Ilseong's recent movements were that ominous.

Then.

One of the presidents suddenly raised his hand.

“President Choi. Something to say?”

“Chairman. The current board favors Ilseong. The reason is simple. They've built a sophisticated brand image through Kim Minwoo.”

“Right.”

Kim Minwoo's advertising.

Considering that it had spread Ilseong's brand throughout the world, its value might already be worth tens of trillions.

And the effects were still continuing.

Every time he moved, spotlights followed from Korea to overseas.

One walking superstar had overturned the board.

“Then the solution is simple. Why don't we create a star of our own? Executive Director Jo is an exceptional son of the family, after all…….”

President Choi glanced toward Executive Director Jo.

Jo Pilwook.

An A-rank Achievement Awakened.

One of Chairman Jo's two sons.

Despite his excellent Achievement and fairly high level approaching 300, he had never been entrusted with major company matters.

The reason was simple.

Jo Pilwook belonged to the same category as Kim Minwoo.

A complete wastrel.

They let him belong to the guild and gave him a respectable-looking business card, but never placed him in important corporate affairs.

That was his exact position.

“……

Ahem! You're saying we should use our Executive Director Jo?”

“Yes. Of course, he may have been somewhat rough in the past, but what young man in the heat of youth has never caused a little trouble?”

“Hmm…….”

Chairman Jo considered it.

Normally, there wouldn't even have been anything to consider.

Youthful recklessness?

Jo Pilwook's record went far beyond that.

If money and power hadn't covered things up, he would've already been in prison.

Putting him before public opinion was normally an extremely bad idea.

But now things were slightly different.

Kim Minwoo had already made a spectacular debut as the pioneer.

Was there any reason Jo Pilwook couldn't do the same?

At a time when public opinion was this friendly toward wastrels, perhaps Jo Pilwook could also build a clean bad-boy image.

Chairman Jo looked at his son.

“……

Can you manage it without causing another scandal?”

“……

Father! I've changed a lot! If you give me the chance, I'll throw myself into it without hesitation!”

Jo Pilwook's expression brightened.

He had believed that after losing to his older brother, he'd never have another chance to return to the company.

But now an opportunity had appeared.

All thanks to the precedent set by Kim Minwoo.

“How do you plan to debut?”

“I'll need to cause one big incident. I'll clear an A-rank Gate, then open a NewTube channel. I'll make Dorim's name known properly!”

“Hmm…… I'll speak with the Guild Master.”

“Thank you! Father!”

That meant every spotlight from the Gate clear would be focused on him.‘I'll use this opportunity to return to the company no matter what.’Even a Level 1 guy had created such explosive public interest.

Why couldn't he?

Jo Pilwook's confidence swelled.

There was only one thing he hadn't anticipated…….* * *[(Breaking News) Kim Minwoo Copycat Syndrome? Chaebol Wastrels All Open NewTube Channels Together!][(Breaking News) Over 50% of Children from Korea's Top 100 Chaebol Families Open NewTube Channels! Criticism Grows That Companies Handpicked Their Worst Wastrels to Create Image-Laundering Channels…….][(Breaking News) Old Habits Die Hard? Several Channels Resort to Gambling-Style Giveaways, Fish-Sauce Spraying, and Other Trashy Stunts to Gather Viewers…….][(Breaking News) Horrific Backfire! Boycotts Spread as Sales Plummet for Companies That Launched Channels Featuring Their Children…….]

“What are these idiots doing?”

Kim Minwoo snorted after reading the news.

Every pattern was identical.

Take some appropriately talented chaebol kid, send them to clear a Gate, then launch their debut.

They'd even selected plenty of genuine wastrels.

Did these bastards think people who were already disasters in everyday life would suddenly become brilliant NewTubers?

Not a chance.

In the end, all of them got lumped together and condemned.

They'd made things worse than if they'd done nothing at all.‘Do they think this works just because they imitate me?’If it did, every random nobody would become a star.

The original and the knockoff existed on completely different levels.―Coo.

“Yeah, yeah. You think they're complete idiots? Daddy agrees.”

Nothing could be better than watching competitors trip over their own feet.