Chương 40: NEW CITY FIRST SHOP

Jimin reached Seong-nam city within an hour. It would be faster, if I could take the subway, he thought as the bus slowed near its stop. A Rift just had to open near its track. After exiting the bus, he didn't head straight for his destination. Instead, he moved around the city a bit. After all, it was his first time in another city. He walked along a moderately busy street, eyes drifting from storefront to storefront. Convenience stores, cafes, phone shops, fried chicken places; everything felt oddly familiar.

"Huh… It's not really that different from Seoul." he murmured. The buildings were a little shorter. The roads were slightly narrower. But the overall atmosphere was almost the same. If someone blindfolded him and dropped him here, he might not have noticed it right away. Only after a few more minutes of walking did the subtle differences begin to show. Fewer office workers in suits. More small family-owned shops. Older apartment complexes peeking out from behind newer buildings. Alright... Enough sightseeing.

Now, he was ready to head for his actual destination. The Sangdaewon Rift, located in the Jung-won district. It was the only D-rank Field-type Rift in this city. Jimin had already looked it up on Roogle last night, cross-checking maps, old forum posts, and Association notices. The information was enough for his preparation. I just need to prepare accordingly now. Before heading there directly, he visited several cheap shops along the way. He deliberately avoided large chain stores.

Instead, choosing the cluttered discount shops packed with mismatched items and handwritten price tags. He bought a foldable table and chair, a few heavy-duty tarps, duct tape, a thick black marker, a few flattened cardboards, several thick bamboo sticks and finally; a small transparent glass jar. He checked everything twice before paying.

"100, 000 won," the shop owner said lazily. Jimin handed over the cash without any hesitation. Gotta invest this much. It had cost him around 100, 000 won. This much money would have been a significant amount for the old Jimin. Back then, he would've hesitated, calculated how many meals that was and; in the end, he wouldn't have spent that much for these at all. But now, it didn't bother him much. After all, it was only three appraisals worth of money for him now. He put all of the items into his inventory.

With that done, he took another bus toward Jung-won district. This one was noticeably emptier. He got off a little far away from the Rift, since the bus didn't go there directly. From there, he continued on foot. The further he walked, the quieter it became. He passed through a series of narrow alleys, shuttered shops, broken metal gates and faded posters peeling from concrete walls. There was no human presence in those alleys; it was silent. The civilians had long evacuated the area.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. That was normal near every Field-type Rift. Jimin had learned about it in class. Prolonged exposure to dense mana could cause all sorts of issues in non-awakened humans. Better safe than sorry. After passing a few more alleys, he finally started seeing people. At first, just one or two figures in Rift gear. Then, more could be seen. And soon enough, the road opened up. Jimin reached the main path toward the Rift.

It was crowded, buzzing with Rifters. They moved either solo or in small parties or guild parties. Some wore standardized guild uniforms. Others had mismatched gear; clearly freelancers or temporary teams formed for this run. Weapons clanked softly as people walked. Conversations overlapped, filled with excitement, irritation, and tension.

"Damn…" Jimin slowed his pace slightly; his eyes scanning the area.

"There are so many Rifters here," he muttered. This was very different from the smaller One-time Rifts he had directly witnessed before. Field-type Rifts really are on a different level. I better look around first. Dozens of shops were set up on both sides of the road. Stalls with weapons, potions, charms, food, maps, even talismans on display. It was like a mini-market. At the far end of the path, the Rift itself could be seen.

"So that's it…" He kept moving through the crowd, surveying his surroundings as much as he could. That's when he noticed them; the Association personnel. They were stationed near the Rift entrance, wearing standardized uniforms with the emblem of the Korea National Rifter Association. This Rift was under their management. Guards stood on both sides of a checkpoint, calmly checking licenses as Rifters entered and exited the Rift. Jimin nodded, Just like the forums said.

Once Jimin was done with his lookout, he walked back along the path, retracing his steps slowly. He searched for a spot. The spots near the Rift were already taken by established vendors and guild-affiliated shops. Eventually, he stopped.

"Yeah… This should be the spot." It was right beside the main path, but toward the far end of the market. At first glance, it didn't look ideal. But there was an advantage. This is the only path to the Rift. Anyone who enters or leaves has to pass through here. They might notice it. Jimin made his decision and prepared to set up his shop. He found a blind spot where others couldn't see him clearly. He glanced around briefly. Good. No one is paying attention. Then he started taking out the items from his inventory.

I don't want to show my telekinesis here. So he carried everything to the spot by hand. Jimin had once worked part-time at a decoration company for a short while. Setting up event booths, banners, temporary stalls; he had learned a few things there. He was doing everything by hand. At least, that's what it looked like. In reality, he was actually using telekinesis for most of it. He planted the bamboo sticks firmly into the ground, spacing them evenly.

Then he layered the tarps over them, adjusting the angles carefully. Duct tape followed, wrapping around joints and edges, securing everything in place. He added a curtain-like setup in the middle; just enough to provide a bit of privacy without fully blocking the interior. Then he unfolded the table and chair and placed them neatly inside. Jimin stepped back and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He took a deep breath.

"The shop is done." Now came the important part.

"It's time for marketing." He took out the cardboards and the marker. And started writing. His tongue peeked out slightly as he focused, while his brows furrowed. After a while, the signboards were done.

—---------------------------------------- One-stop Repair Shop —--------------------------------------- —----------------------------------------- Why wait long to visit the city, when you can just get it repaired here within a minute for cheap —---------------------------------------- —---------------------------------------- Increase your equipment's durability by 10 right now. Only 30, 000 won per repair. 10% discount on 5 or more equipment. —---------------------------------------"Done…"

Jimin stared at the signboards for a moment. Then frowned. He had always been a bit unfortunate when it came to handwriting.

"Tch… Looks like a bunch of cockroaches break-danced over it while covered in ink." He let out a big sigh.

"Well, better than nothing." He put the signboards up, attaching them to the top and corners of his shop so they were visible from a distance. Then he took out 50, 000 won in cash, placed it neatly inside the small jar and set it on the table. Finally, he sat down on the chair and the wait began. —----- A party of Rifters were moving through the main path. There were six people in total. All of them were wearing Rift gear; some were worn-out, some were newer, but all were functional.

One of them walked at the front. He wore a shiny breastplate, polished enough to reflect light. A worn-out longsword was strapped to his back, its sheath scratched from repeated use. He looked to be in his late teens with a handsome face and broad shoulders. He had the build of a typical swordsman. And more importantly, he gave off leader vibes. But one among them stood out. He wore a fancy mask that covered his entire face. Smooth, dark, with faint decorative lines etched into it.

Suddenly, one of the party members, a man carrying a staff, spoke up.

"Your sword looks a bit worn-out, Captain. You didn't visit the blacksmith this time?" The swordsman clicked his tongue softly.

"Nah… When did I have the time?" He sighed.

"I was busy with my wife's delivery. Then I had to take care of both her and our son." He adjusted the strap across his chest.

"I wouldn't have even joined this raid if I wasn't pressured by the Appraiser's Center." His eyes glared briefly toward the man in the mask. Only if it wasn't for a certain someone… The masked man acted completely nonchalant, as if he hadn't noticed the glare at all. The swordsman turned back to the staff user.

"I'll be depending on your support. You better do a good job." The staff user's expression darkened.

"Yes, Captain." Shouldn't have asked him that. Suddenly, the staff user's attention shifted toward something else and he started laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" the Captain asked. The staff user pointed ahead.

"What kind of signboard is that?"

"What signboard?" the Captain said. Then he noticed it too. He squinted slightly, trying to decipher the messy handwriting as he murmured,"One-stop Repair… Why visit…" After a few seconds-"Holy crap… It's a cheap repair shop."