Arena

Chapter 96 – Karma Transaction

Odin continued to say.

-It is already known that someone cured Chairman Park Jin-seong. But there are only a few people who know that that person is you.

The only other person that knew this fact was Odin.

But I was sure the Korean Arena research center had their suspicions and probably already guessed it.

Chairman Park Jin-seong took me out from the research center and not long after that, he made a complete recovery.

-Whether it happens sooner or later, Kim Hyun-ho’s identity will become revealed. In preparation for that, you have to become stronger as fast as you can, even by just a day, to be able to protect yourself.

“So that is why you told me about the karma transaction?”

-Yes. You even have to resort to using that to become stronger as fast as possible.

Odin continued.

-The karma cost is 1 million USD per 100 karma. If you pay the 10 m USD, you can get an item equal to that value of 1000 karma. If there is an item you want, that would be ideal, but if what you need is karma, then that item will have to be refunded through the mission board’s refund system.

“So in reality it is 1 m USD for 50 karma.”*

(TN: Remember that if you return an item, you can get a 50% karma refund on it from the system.)

That’s incredibly expensive.

That means in order to buy 1000 karma it would cost 10 million dollars or 10 billion won.

-If you give me the money, I can purchase the karma and deal with them for you.

“Would that be alright?”

-I owe you quite a bit. My daughter is healthy and thanks to allying with the Brown Mountain elves, I received a higher prize than I expected in the last exam.

“Really? I am glad to hear that.”

That the alliance with the elves yielded such results for Odin was a good thing.

-I will give you my account number so if you want, you can put the amount of money you want to exchange into the account and give me a call.

“I understand. Thank you very much.”

That Odin would make the transaction in my place gave me a great sense of relief.

After I hung up, I sat deep in thought.

Currently in my Swiss account I have about 28 billion won. (~$28M USD)

So for about 20 million USD I can get an item worth 2000 karma. And if I get it refunded into karma, that’s only 1000 karma.

‘That’s too little.’

I need more money.

I received a lot of money from Chairman Park Jin-seong so I am not really greedy for more but with this, I would have to concentrate more on making some money.

While I was thinking about it, I quickly made a call to Chairman Park Jin-seong.

This old man…he wouldn’t suddenly decide to stop answering my calls because he got everything he needed from me, would he?

Thankfully, Chairman Park Jin-seong picked up right away.

“How unexpected. You picked up.”

-Asshole, I’m not that disloyal. Why are you calling?

“I have to make some money.”

Chairman Park Jin-seong momentarily went silent.

Then he said.

-Are you going to buy karma?

Wow, he’s quick for sure.

“Yes.”

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-Tsk, it is not good to get mixed up with those Chinese folk. Why do you think I made you come to work in cabin in the woods and kept you hidden?

“I am sure it was to keep my identity hidden. I am thankful for that.”

-Well at least you know it. Alright, how much money do you need?

“The more the better.”

-Wouldn’t 10 billion won (10 million USD) do? If it’s just that much I can just give it to you. I was going to give you that as a bonus anyway.

“If you would, I would be happy to take it. But I need more. Is there no other old man like you that may die today or tomorrow?”

-Ah, you speak so disgracefully. Why would there not be? I am already stressed about that.

“You are stressed?”

-That old man who made the cars with the airbags that won’t work.

“……Future Automobile?”

-Yep, Chairman Han Man-young. That old fart has been bothering me lately and keeps asking me how I got cured.

“And did you tell him?”

-Am I crazy? I never said that I was incurable but that it was all just for show. But that old fart, I get the feeling that they didn’t believe me. He knows a decent amount about the Arena, you see.

“If I could cure him completely, how much do you think he would pay me?”

-I suppose that would depend on how much longer he lives. Even if he gets cured, if he believes that he doesn’t have much time left to live, don’t you think he won’t pay much for it? He’s kind of a stingy old man.

“But Chairman, you got treatment and are good as new.”

-That’s right. That old man, seeing me recover and returning to work motivated him a lot. If I can talk to him well about it, I think he would probably pay up to 80 billion won. (~80 million USD)

“Didn’t you say he’s stingy?”

-He won’t just waste money or use it haphazardly. The founder of Future Auto was like that too. But if he is able to afford that, he would gladly pay the sum.

80 billion!

Then I can do about 10m USD and get 4,000 karma.

“80 billion is quite a lot.”

-Yes. Even though Jinseong Electric Corporation is the best in the nation, we can’t catch up to the Future Company yet. Anyway, you want an introduction?

“Yes, but I don’t want to personally meet him. I would like to use your secretary to deliver the flames.”

-Understood. Then with the 10 billion won and the introduction, my debt is paid?

“Yes, thank you.”

My heart is pounding.

If I make loads of money this way and can purchase karma, my strength will soar.

***

2 days later, I received a text from Chairman Park Jin-seong.

[Chairman Park Jin-seong: 70]

70b……

Now with the 10b that Chairman Park Jin-seong deposited plus my current balance, I had 108b won.

‘Incredible.’

Then I can use $100M to get 10,000 karma item.

Even if I were to change the items to receive as karma, that’s still 5,000 karma!

I can get the same amount of karma as I won in this most recent 6th turn exam!

‘I can always make more money.’

I don’t think using money a waste at all.

There will always be rich people like Chairman Park Jin-seong or Chairman Han Man-young of Future Auto who will want my treatment.

I sent a reply to Chairman Park Jin-seong.

[Me: I will do it. I will begin the treatment as soon as the money is deposited into my Swiss account.]

A moment later, I was contacted again.

But this time, it wasn’t Chairman Park Jin-seong, but was Jin-seong group’s head of the third secretarial office, Lee Jung-shik, instead.

-Hello, how are you.

-Hi, it’s been a long time.

-Beginning tomorrow, someone from our office will be by every morning. What time would be good for you?

“10 am would be good. I moved so let me give you my new address.”

I gave him the address of the new penthouse I moved to.

-The money will be deposited this afternoon or midday tomorrow so please check it.

“Yes.”

Transferring 70b right away, Future Group is incredible.

I contacted Odin.

-Have you decided?

“Yes, tomorrow by midday I will deposit $100M.

-Woah, sounds like it’ll be a huge deal. All in karma?

“Yes.”

-Got it. Here’s my account number.

I wrote down Odin’s account number. It too was an Arena bank in Switzerland.

That afternoon, using the mobile app linked to the Swiss bank, I got an alert. The money from Chairman Park Jin-seong and Chairman Han Man-young was all deposited.

[91,664,056.48 (CHF)] (~95 million USD)

That is the amount in Swiss francs in my account.

Calculating the American dollar and Swiss franc, 100 million dollars was 93,560,320 francs.

‘Huh? The amount isn’t quite enough.’

I gave Odin a call.

“I am so sorry but could I borrow 2m francs and pay you back later?”

-Ha, just send the 90m francs.

“I am so sorry.”

-Don’t mention it.

Like that, I transferred 90m francs to Odin and all I had left is 1.6m francs.

In Korean money it was about 1.9billion won ($1.9M).

Maybe it was because such a large sum came in and then left, but the 1.9 billion won seemed like chump change now.

‘Money is only temporary.’

How else can I make money?

Saudi kings or the Rockefeller family’s money…if I could get them, making a few trillion wouldn’t be just a dream.

‘I wonder if changing that much money to karma would even be possible?’

The karma might become so rare that the prices may skyrocket.

***

An employee from the 3rd secretarial office from Jin-seong group came to find me at 10 am. Min-jeong had gone to work and wasn’t home which is why I picked this time.

In the black bottle the employee handed me, I put in two flames of life.

“Please tell him that they have to be consumed within the day. And the treatment time is 20 days.”

“Understood.”

The employee treated the bottle preciously as he left.

I anxiously awaited a call from Odin to come.

‘It’s not like it can be done instantly, I should relax and give it some time.’

I spent the days giving flames of life to the employee every morning.

Every now and then, I checked the balance on the credit card I gave to Hyun-ji to use, lately she was losing her reservations about spending and was starting to spend a couple 10,000 won ($10) at cafés and restaurants.

I was going to say something to her but held it in. it’s really not that much.

We would still be able to live very comfortably in our everyday lives with the remaining balance in the Swiss account.

A week went by.

During that time, Chairman Park Jin-seong called and he said that Chairman Han Man-young of Future Auto was very pleased and wanted to meet me.

Of course, I refused.

Because I don’t want my identity exposed.

And then, coincidentally, the call I’d been waiting for arrived.

-The transaction was completed successfully.

“Really?”

-Even those Chinese bastards won’t cheat on such a big transaction with someone like me. Anyhow, when time allows, you will come to Denmark?

“I will. I will go right away on a flight tomorrow.”

-Buy your ticket and let me know your arrival time.

“Yes.”

I immediately went to the airline’s homepage to search and bought a ticket that would be leaving the next day.

The plane that would be leaving tomorrow at 1 pm had a first class seat left so I quickly nabbed it.

When Min-jeong got home from work, I told her I would be going to Denmark.

“Again?”

“Mm, I have work.”

“I guess you have lots of work in Denmark?”

“Yep.”

“Oppa, you’re so cool. Going to Europe for business. Aw, I want to go abroad too.”

“Tell me when you get vacation days. I’ll take you someplace nice.”

“Really?”

Min-jeong’s eyes started glittering.

It was so cute, I stroked her hair.

“But you can’t tell Hyun-ji. She’ll nag to come with us.”

“Hehe, okay.”

That day, Min-jeong was in high spirits and she prepared a grand meal.

The next day, I gave two flames of life to the employee who came by at 10am and told him that I will be pausing treatments for a couple days due to a business trip.

I’m sure Chairman Han Man-young won’t throw a fit for a couple days.

‘Even if he’s unsatisfied, what can he do?’

With a light heart, I headed to Incheon airport and got myself on the plane to Denmark.

Arriving at the Copenhagen airport and going through customs and into a taxi, the whole thing was now second nature. Not like I’ve done this only a few times now…

At the room of the underground restaurant of the hotel, like always, I reunited with Odin.

“Welcome.”

“The goods?”

“Everything is wet. Don’t worry.”

With that, Odin summoned a bunch of items.

“Summon, twenty item backpacks.”

With that, twenty large backpacks appeared at once, filling the room to the brim.

“Uh, what is all this?”

“They are item backpacks. It is like the item bag but it is more expensive as it is larger. They are each a 500 karma item.”

I took all 20 item backpacks.

When the ownership was passed to me, I de-summoned them and made them disappear.

Then I summoned just one back out and checked the item on the board.

-Item backpack (large): things that have not been itemized can be stored and pass through the exam door. The magic treated leather does not rip.

*Size: 61x43x30 (-500)