Achieving 2 billion in assets, the quest that had been given to me came to mind.
'Is this really a quest?'
[Quest: Spend 500 million in 5 days.
*Excludes real estate and donations.
Time remaining: 4 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds
Remaining amount: 500 million]
[If completed within 4 days, a special reward will be given.]
At the corner of my vision, the remaining time and the remaining amount appeared.
'Special reward?'
The condition of 5 days was no longer visible to me.
'It's already a great ability, but what kind of reward could it be? Today is Thursday, so in 4 days...'
I quickly calculated in my head.
'It's Monday, right? Damn. Spend 500 million by 5 PM on Monday?'
The money I made from sales today could only be withdrawn on Monday, which is D+2.
In other words, I had to spend 500 million before 5 PM on Monday.
'Spending 500 million in one day? Is this for real?'
My account was full, but because I still had the heart of an ordinary person, my chest was racing.
500 million was more than the income I earned throughout my life before going to prison.
And now, I had to spend it in one day...
'Ah. How do I spend it?'
It was a headache.
"Jae-gu, Jae-gu. What's up? Why are you looking so troubled?"
Noticing I was struggling, Han-ul naturally sat on the desk.
I already had something to say.
"Han-ul."
"Yeah?"
"I need to take a day off on Monday."
I needed to tell him I was quitting, but the quest came first. I wasn't bold enough to announce I was quitting and then ask for a day off on Monday.
It was better to ask for small things first to break down the wall in my heart...
"Suddenly a day off?"
"Something urgent came up."
"A sudden day off..."
Han-ul narrowed his eyes.
He probably wasn't trying to stop me from taking the day off, but still, he was concerned.
"Jae-gu."
Han-ul suddenly put a hand on my shoulder. I wanted to shake it off, but his serious expression made it hard.
He seemed to hesitate, trying to find the right words, and then looked over at Yoo-ri and stood up.
"Let's talk outside."
"Let's walk."
He headed down a relatively quiet road.
'Why is he suddenly acting so strangely?'
Once we were a bit farther from the office, he looked around before speaking.
"Jae-gu, you took an advance when you first joined, right?"
"Uh? Uh..."
Why is he bringing that up now? He wasn't the type to make an issue of it.
Han-ul narrowed his eyes seriously.
"...How much is it this time?"
"What?"
"Don't pretend like you don't know. You borrowed money again, didn't you?"
No. What in the world is this? Is this some kind of nonsense?
I couldn't even speak, I was so dumbfounded.
"I told you to stop with the stocks. How much did you borrow this time? Damn. I feel like smoking. It's been 2 years since I quit, so I can't even smoke."
Han-ul fumbled through his inner pocket.
"Heh."
I laughed, feeling foolish for being so nervous.
"You're laughing?"
"No, it's just that... actually, I inherited some money from my grandfather, so there's something I need to do."
"Inherited?"
"Yeah. It's a surprisingly large sum. So, I'm thinking... I should quit the company."
Han-ul pulled out two pieces of candy from his pocket, opened the wrapper, and handed one to me.
"...Suddenly?"
"Sorry. I'll make sure the handover is clear."
Han-ul had been the one to help me when I needed it. I didn't want to cause any trouble for him.
But with the surprise quest and the need to combine making money with revenge, I couldn't focus on work anymore.
No matter how much I thought about it, now seemed like the right time to quit.
Since the business was still in its early stages, the consultations weren't too complicated, so as long as I did the handover properly, it should be fine.
'I never really got a job to work at a company, I was just trying to borrow money.'
Han-ul might have accepted me into his company with good intentions, but I couldn't bury myself in his company forever.
Han-ul chuckled.
"I was thinking like an idiot. Sorry. How much did you get?"
"Yeah."
"How much?"
"Enough to not have to work anymore?"
"F*cker. You're lucky."
He smiled and slapped my back. It stung a little, but it felt like encouragement, so it didn't bother me.
"Must be nice, huh? Alright, take the day off. But..."
"But?"
"Just come in for one more week."
"That's fine."
He sighed deeply.
"I'm the idiot for doubting you. Congratulations."
"Thanks."
I definitely owed him, and one day, I'd repay him with interest.
---
Monday morning.
The routine that absolutely couldn't be missed during the week was entering the expected amount for tomorrow.
When the alarm rang at 8:59 AM, I immediately opened the program. Once the popup appeared, I entered the stock and amount, and the expected profit was displayed along with the current market price.
'Is this for real? Is this to make up for the quest expenses?'
Today, two stocks had hit their upper limit. There had been one stock last Friday that had hit its upper limit, but today there were two.
Since the seed capital had increased, my purchase price was higher, meaning I wouldn't be able to make as much profit, but the expected return was still substantial, so I was excited.
Depending on when the stock reached its target price, my profits for the day would be determined, but with two stocks hitting their upper limit, I expected at least a 30% return.
'I'll make back the 2 billion in no time.'
The money I spent would be replenished. How kind of a system, right?
"Grandfather, thank you."
I bowed my head in gratitude towards my grandfather's memorial site. Even though he was far away, I felt like he was watching over me.
'Maybe it's time to get ready to head out.'
Today was the decisive day. If I spent 500 million before 5 PM, I would receive a special reward.
The quest had started on Thursday, so I had already tried several things. Stock investments didn't count as spending, and cryptocurrencies and other investment-related items didn't either.
What the quest required was pure spending.
Even secondhand items ordered from online markets counted as spending, but personal secondhand transactions didn't.
So, I decided not to try any tricks and just spend the money.
I opened the app and called for a taxi. After brushing my teeth and getting dressed, I went to the living room, where my father was already dressed and sitting in a chair.
"You're up already?"
Seeing him in his beloved suit, I couldn't help but smile.
"Dad, you're looking sharp today."
"I thought I'd dress nicely since we're going to the department store."
My mother couldn't come because she had to work, but my father had time. So, I told him that we should go to the department store together, and that's why he put on his cherished suit.
It was the same suit he wore at his wedding 40 years ago. Even though it hadn't been worn much, I could feel the traces of time on it.
"Wear it to my wedding instead."
"It's fine."
I think he was being considerate, wondering if seeing the suit would upset me, as I had been divorced.
The sight of my father's old suit tugged at my heart.
I had gotten a custom-made suit while I had failed to take care of my father's suit.
'Maybe I'll buy him a new suit today.'
How happy would he be if I bought him a new suit?
Just thinking about it made me feel good.
Ding!
A taxi arrival notification appeared on my phone.
"Ah, the taxi's here. Let's go."
"What taxi? We can just take the bus."
My father said that, but his back wasn't fully recovered yet, so I wanted to make things a little more comfortable for him.
"I've already called it, so we should pay for it, right?"
"We have to pay?"
"Well, I called a taxi from far away."
If I didn't say something, it seemed like he wouldn't get in.
He shook his head.
"Ah... It's a waste of money."
"Dad, I make a lot of money now."
"Even if you make a lot of money, you still need to save it."
"Oh, the taxi's here. Let's go quickly."
I pushed my father's back and went outside, where a taxi had already arrived.
"Still a waste of money..."
I understood my father's complaints. I, too, was once an ordinary person, dragging myself onto the subway despite being in pain, because I had to work to earn money. With only 200,000 won a month for pocket money, I couldn't afford a taxi.
But now, it was different. My account was overflowing with money, and it was still growing. Today, I had to spend 500 million, no matter what.
'I can't miss that special reward.'
With my father grumbling, we got into the taxi. Since I had already set the destination, I didn't need to say anything.
The taxi driver glanced at us from the rearview mirror and spoke.
"Hello."
"Hello."
With my humble mindset, I thought that the only way to spend 500 million in a day was to buy a car.
Rich people knew how to spend money, but I still didn't know how to spend money like a rich person.
Just two months ago, I was broke, and this money had come from loans and advances. It was natural that I still had the mindset of an ordinary person.
When an ordinary person thinks of spending money, they think of things like a house, car, or luxury goods.
'I hope my father will be happy.'
With only 4 days left to spend the money, at first, I had considered spending it all by myself. But then, I realized that it was more important to treat my parents, who had been with me through difficult times.
My father, who had sold his old car and protested in front of the courthouse for my sake, deserved a better life now.
"Are you looking to buy a car?"
The taxi driver spoke up, probably curious after seeing our destination.
"I guess there's a development issue around here? Are you receiving compensation for the land?"
My father, who was right next to me, looked awkward but didn't say anything.
Before I could respond, my father chimed in.
"My son got a job at a good company, so we're going to buy a
car."
The driver looked surprised.
"Wow. Congratulations."
My father smiled awkwardly and thanked the driver.
The taxi reached the department store.
"Just buy what you want and go. I'll sit here and wait."
As I was about to get out of the taxi, the driver stopped me.
"Please don't forget your family."
"Yeah... I will."
I smiled and bowed before stepping out.
The father, seeing the fancy cars, had his mouth agape.
"Are you buying a car?"
"Yes."
"Where did all this money come from?"
"They're giving me one at the company."
That was the best excuse I could come up with.
After all, I was planning to start my own company next month, so I justified it to myself as a mere change in the timeline.
"These are expensive cars, aren't they?"
"Yes. They are."
"I always feel out of place in places like this..."
My father hunched his shoulders. I could understand the feeling of discomfort, having a heart of a common person myself, but my bank account was full, so I wasn't worried.
"I came here to sell a car. Don't feel out of place. The CEO told me to choose something under 450 million won."
It was a secret that the "CEO" was me, but it was something I could gloss over.
Considering the cost of my father's suit, the watch, and my mother's purse, it seemed better to leave about 50 million won unused. Any excess would make spending difficult.
"450 million?"
My father let out a gasp, staggering a bit. I rushed to support him.
"Are you okay?"
"Seems like a shady company after all. You should get out while you can."
I had no response to his reasonable suspicion, but now, how could I explain that all this money was mine?
"I should have just said I won the lottery. No, then they'd be nagging me to buy a house. But real estate isn't part of the quest, so it's fine."
Luckily, my father quickly recovered and began his usual nagging. I didn't want to interrupt, but if I kept listening, the valuable time might slip away.
The numbers in the corner of my vision had already decreased quite a bit.
[Time remaining: 1 day 6 hours 37 minutes 24 seconds
Remaining amount: 499,860,000 won]
I had 6 hours and 37 minutes left to receive the special reward.
"Let's go inside first."
I stepped forward into the showroom, and my father awkwardly followed.
The spacious showroom was filled with supercars from various brands, each shining as if they had just been polished. Just looking at these stylish foreign cars made my heart race.
"One of these is going to come to our house, huh?"