39-63

EP. 63. Our Shop Is Open for Business 

After hanging the “corpse banner” on the fence as a warning to potential enemies of my exchange center, I waited about two hours for several people I’d commissioned yesterday and new customers. 

Now, definitely avoiding the hot sunlight, I was chatting with Catherine in the shade near the exchange window, when Park Sanghyuk’s firm voice-now in charge of the main gate-rang out. 

“Stop. Stop. Stop. Hands up, approach slowly.” 

Turning my attention to his subordinate, who sounded very different from Kim Chansu, I saw Lee Suhan in a hockey mask beyond the main gate. 

With a large bag on his back, he slowly approached the fence as directed by Park Sanghyuk. 

Soon, unlike yesterday, Lee Suhan passed through the main gate without issue and headed for the exchange window. 

I stood up to greet him. 

“Welcome. Seeing how heavy that bag looks, I can’t help but be excited.” 

“Ah, yes… Among the items you mentioned, I brought two rifles and some ammunition.” 

Despite my friendly, expectant tone, Lee Suhan answered stiffly and began unpacking his bag, looking uncomfortable. 

Sensing his discomfort, I quietly observed the exchange process without asking further questions, thinking to myself… 

‘He’s probably unsettled by the corpses displayed on the fence… Could it be that other customers are scared off by that too?’ 

A little later. 

Today’s first customer received 60 liters of water in exchange for two rifles and 25 rounds of ammunition. 

His expression gradually relaxed as he saw the three 20-liter water containers filled to the brim. 

Seizing the moment, I spoke up. 

“Wow… That’s 60 kilos with three containers. Can you carry all that?” 

“Hmm… It’s a bit more than I expected…” 

“Then let’s do this. Since you were our first customer and the first to fulfill my request… I’ll offer you a special storage service.” 

“Storage service?” 

“Yes. Just take what you can today, and we’ll safely store the rest until your next visit-no storage fee, of course.” 

My tempting offer, paired with the word “special,” which no one can resist, made Lee Suhan hesitate briefly, but then he smiled and accepted my suggestion. 

“Thank you. I’ll come back for the other two containers tomorrow. But may I ask something?” 

“Of course, go ahead.” 

“There was a gunpowder smell at the gate and corpses hanging on the fence… What happened?” 

As he put one water container into his bag, Lee Suhan asked about what happened overnight. 

I began explaining the armed raid that occurred before dawn-leaving out the tip-off from Park Ji-hye. 

Emphasizing that we’d wiped out the raiders with minimal damage helped reinforce the “safety” of our exchange center. 

‘If this story spreads, most raiders won’t even dare approach.’ 

... 

After hearing the story, Lee Suhan, the hockey mask man, left with a strange expression. 

The rifles he brought were used to arm Park Sanghyuk at the main gate and another male staff member, further strengthening our security. 

Now, unless it’s an armored vehicle or a tank, we could handle any threat. 

Perhaps that’s why, as the staff’s faces showed a new sense of security, the first-time customers and others I’d commissioned yesterday began to arrive. 

As I served customers and subtly told the story of repelling the raid, three hours quickly passed. 

By the time evening was near and I checked the results from our fourth day of business, I couldn’t help but smile. 

The reason was clear. 

The customers who took the “super generous deal” brought in items that far exceeded my expectations: 

1 K-6 heavy machine gun and 2 ammo boxes (200 rounds of 12.7mm) 

4 K-2 rifles 

1 K-1 submachine gun 

242 rounds of 5.56mm ammo 

3 fragmentation grenades 

2 smoke grenades 

Starting with the heavy machine gun that could unleash a stream of 12.7mm rounds capable of causing massive injuries, I now had enough firearms and ammunition to arm five more staff, plus grenades to obliterate clustered zombies or people. 

The fact that I traded all this for water, which was essentially free for me, made it impossible to hide my smile. 

On top of that, the exchange center was now bustling with more people than I could have imagined on days one and two, and all sorts of food, daily necessities, and goods poured through the window. 

I could feel that “success” was now within arm’s reach. 

‘This is it… time to start duplicating money…’ 

... 

After returning home with today’s share with Catherine, I quickly ate and upgraded our home’s water and electricity supply. 

Now that I had plenty of points, being limited to only three hours of water and electricity a day was an unnecessary inconvenience. 

[Shelter] 

Entrance Reinforcement (Lv.0): Entrance strength increases by 0%. (Lv.1) – 25%, 10MP needed. 

Electricity Supply (Lv.8): 7 hours of electricity to the base. (Lv.9) – 8 hours, 50MP needed. 

Water Supply (Lv.8): 7 hours of clean water to the base. (Lv.9) – 8 hours, 50MP needed. 

Heating & Gas Supply (Lv.0): Provides heating and gas for a set time. (Lv.1) – 30 min, 10MP needed. 

Fence Construction (Lv.0): Builds a wooden fence (2m high) at ground level, 100MP needed. 

Barricade Construction (Lv.2): Builds a barbed wire fence (25㎡). (Lv.3) – barbed wire fence (40㎡), 60MP needed. 

Safe Passage Construction (Lv.2): Builds a tunnel-type passage for safe movement. Barbed wire tunnel (30m). (Lv.3) – barbed wire tunnel (50m), 60MP needed. 

Bollard Construction (Lv.1): Builds 5 reinforced concrete bollards at desired locations. (Lv.2) – 10 reinforced concrete bollards, 40MP needed. 

⚠︎ Each function can be extracted for 10–30MP and may be applied to other bases in the future. 

Remaining MP: 80 

‘Seven hours. That’s civilized living. Now, should I use the remaining 80MP to upgrade some skills…?’ 

Satisfied with the four extra hours of supply, I pondered how to use the remaining 80MP. 

Just then, 

A banner notification appeared at the top of the screen. 

[Tip. A new MILF (grade A or higher) has been detected within 1km. We recommend checking details via the ‘MILF Scanner.’] 

The moment I learned there was a new A-grade or higher MILF, 

I tapped the banner without hesitation and activated the “MILF Scanner.” 

About five seconds later, a radar-like scan appeared on the screen, flashed, and vanished, then a list popped up. 

As preset, the “MILF Scanner” displayed only S- and A-grade MILFs. 

[Scan results: 5 MILFs detected.] 

S-grade: Lee Hyeyeon, Catherine Smith, Park Ji-hye 

A-grade: Kim Mihyun, Yoo Sugyeong 

Among the names split into two grades, “Park Ji-hye” and “Kim Mihyun” caught my eye. 

Especially Park Ji-hye, who was currently staying temporarily in unit 303. 

‘An S-grade MILF? No way!’ 

When she came to the exchange center gate last night, she was wearing a hat, mask, and an oversized windbreaker in the dim moonlight. I’d been too focused on the raid warning she brought to notice her closely, but to think that a married woman with a kid was S-grade… 

Suddenly, curiosity and excitement about a new MILF surged, and I jumped up from the sofa. 

‘Can’t resist an S-grade MILF!’ 

... 

After telling Aunt and Catherine I was going to interrogate Park Ji-hye, I headed down to unit 303, which belonged to Yoo Sugyeong and where Park Ji-hye was temporarily staying. 

But along the way, I picked up an unexpected companion… 

“Sanghyuk? What brings you here…” 

“Haha… I’m off guard duty today…” 

He’d come to see Yoo Sugyeong, the apartment’s official prostitute, but when he ran into me, he scratched his cheek awkwardly and tried to hide something behind his back-probably her payment. 

Then he asked me, 

“But why are you here, Minwoo?” 

“I’m here to question Park Ji-hye, who’s staying here. Uh… let’s not stand around, let’s go in.” 

“Yeah, let’s.” 

Feeling awkward about two men standing outside the prostitute’s door, I suggested we go in, and Sanghyuk nodded and gently knocked. 

Soon, footsteps sounded inside, and the door opened to reveal Yoo Sugyeong in a red negligee. 

No longer the tear- and snot-stained woman from before, she now exuded seductive, feminine energy. 

‘Wow… seeing her like this, she’s pretty hot… Maybe being a prostitute really is her calling?’