AECS 46

Chapter 46

A New Residence (2)

Baek Jin-woo’s mother, Hwang Myung-hee, felt like she was living in a dream every day lately.

Thanks to the family care service from Yubaek, she was receiving 10 million won per month for living expenses.

Hwang Myung-hee had reduced her work from three jobs to just one, and now she even had time to attend her old classmates’ gatherings, which she couldn’t before.

“Jung-hye, didn’t you say your son had some news?”

“Haha, our son? Actually, he just joined Baekho this time.”

“Baekho? Isn’t that one of the Big 3? Oh my, why didn’t you tell me sooner!”

“Really? He must be doing really well.”

Even hearing the usual bragging about her child didn’t faze Hwang Myung-hee.

She felt more at ease, almost relaxed.

‘Baekho?’

She only found out through her friends.

It was one of the top three guilds in Korea.

Baekho, Arirang, Ilwol.

If you didn’t know these three, people joked you must be a spy—it was that famous.

“If he’s in Baekho, doesn’t that make him like a semi-rich heir? Jung-hye, you’ve really succeeded!”

“Hehe, not that much yet. He’s still a rookie. He got recruited specially, and the guild master said he showed potential.”

“Wow, the Baekho guild master… That’s ranked second in the country!”

Rank 2 in Korea, Park Ho.

A legendary player who even placed third in the recent national representative selection.

For reference, the country’s rank 1, Kang Gun-ho, was Baekho’s vice guild master.

That made Baekho the most respected among the Big 3.

Even though this was just “celebrity talk” among moms.

Hwang Myung-hee only smiled.

Big guilds didn’t matter.

‘Our Jin-woo is just Baek Jin-woo.’

Baek Jin-woo.

The influence of that name in Korea was enormous.

Park Ho? Kang Gun-ho?

In front of Baek Jin-woo, they were all defeated in a minute.

But Hwang Myung-hee didn’t tell her friends this.

Even though she really wanted to brag, she had agreed with Baek Jin-cheol.

No need to talk about it outside.

It was enough to quietly support her child’s success from behind.

“By the way… Myung-hee, it’s been a while?”

One friend spoke to Hwang Myung-hee.

Here’s how her classmates viewed her:

• “Poor background.”
• “Son had an accident.”
• “Lives in an old villa.”
• “Works three jobs and struggles to live.”
• “Daughter is pretty, but a daughter-in-law would be difficult.”

Nothing but negative impressions.

“Haha, yes, it’s been a while. I quit work recently, so I have more free time.”

“Oh my, but your skin… what’s going on?”

Skin.

The word drew all the friends’ attention to Hwang Myung-hee.

“Now that you mention it, yeah?”

“You still have a little of your younger self?”

“…You look younger. Why are there no wrinkles on your face?”

“Oh my, your hands! Why are they so soft? Don’t you age?”

They seemed amazed, and their attention shifted from Jung-hye to Hwang Myung-hee.

“Ah, this.”

Hwang Myung-hee smiled, then purely and innocently took out a summon.

“A snail?”

“What is that?”

“A summon…?”

Seeing her friends’ reactions, Hwang Myung-hee bragged in her own humble way.

“Yes, my son bought me this summon. It’s like a cosmetic, I guess. I used it, and it worked really well. Do you want to try it?”

She offered the snail to the friend who first spoke to her.

“Really?”

The friend’s eyes lit up, and she carefully took the snail.

She gently spread a small amount of the slime on the back of her right hand.

“It’s really moisturizing.”

“You’ll be amazed tomorrow. Your wrinkles will smooth out.”

“Really? Then let’s try the left hand too.”

“Unfortunately, the amount produced each day is limited.”

Watching their conversation, Jung-hye frowned.

Her son’s bragging wasn’t even over, but the topic was already changing—it annoyed her.

However…

“Huh?”

Jung-hye tilted her head.

‘That snail…’

She felt she had seen it somewhere before.

What was it?

Recalling briefly, she was shocked.

‘A… rainbow snail?’

Among the moms who loved luxury and spending, rumors had already spread.

Rainbow snails were considered the ultimate for skin.

Soon, there would be cosmetic clinics using that summon in Daeseong.

There were very few snail-type summons in the world, and only one had a rainbow-colored shell.

“Th-This can’t be real!”

Finally, Jung-hye shouted loudly.

“Huh?”

“What’s not real?”

The friends looked confused.

“That snail!”

She directly pointed at Hwang Myung-hee’s summon.

“Isn’t that the rainbow snail?”

“…Rainbow snail?”

“What’s that?”

Jung-hye felt frustrated.

“You idiots! Do you know how expensive that is?”

“How much?”

“Expensive?”

“It’s a gift from Myung-hee’s son. Didn’t you hear about the accident…?”

“Oh dear, you haven’t heard? He’s been fine for quite some time.”

Jung-hye looked at the chatting friends, slightly puzzled.

‘Then… how does Hwang Myung-hee even have that?’

Myung-hee had humble origins.

No money. No connections.

Below average even among ordinary people.

But…

The current market price of a rainbow snail was 50 billion won, as far as she knew.

Only 100 existed worldwide, and the price kept rising.

Estimated value? Around 100 billion won.

That’s why the wealthy joked about “snail investments.”

“….”

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Hwang Myung-hee quickly recalled the snail.

“It’s just a gift, really. I don’t know the price. It can’t be that expensive, right?”

She wiped the sweat off her forehead.

‘I have to be careful.’

Honestly, she never thought any of her friends would recognize the snail.

Besides, she didn’t even know its price herself.

“….”

Luckily, Jung-hye didn’t say anything more.

‘What exactly does my son do to give something like this?’

She only kept looking at Hwang Myung-hee with suspicious eyes.

“Finished! It’s done!”

Under Geomdansan in Hanam City.

Yu Jia stretched her arms wide and cheered.

“Wow…”

Following her, Kim Byung-jin and Hwang Tae-seop were left speechless, amazed.

The construction company had cleaned up and left.

The land Yu Jia bought had become a kind of paradise.

Tall buildings and a grand entrance!

“Isn’t it amazing? This will be Yubaek’s main base.”

Yu Jia murmured, full of ambition.

“…Yubaek’s main base.”

“As the world’s top solo management company, we’ll only hire the best elite from around the world… and of course, promise the best treatment and benefits.”

The first step was the “house.”

Yubaek provided spacious homes for free to employees and their families, for as long as they worked.

Upon retirement, the homes would be transferred to them.

“Then… are we moving here too?”

“Of course.”

Yu Jia smiled and continued.

“Although there are a few people we need to bring here first.”

Yu Jia named the complex Yubaek City.

It felt like a small city only for Yubaek members.

A brief look at the design:

• Center: 35-story Yubaek headquarters.
  It would house research, legal, sales, marketing, finance, and support teams to care for Baek Jin-woo.
  The rooftop had Yu Jia’s and Baek Jin-woo’s private offices, accessible only to early members like Kim Byung-jin and Hwang Tae-seop.
• North: Training facility only for Baek Jin-woo.
  A wide open field similar to his old training ground, fully soundproofed basement, gym equipment, showers, refrigeration. Designed for his summons to train in perfect condition.
• East: Apartment complex.
  Four buildings, 30th floor penthouses 489.25㎡ (~148 pyeong). Other floors about 60 pyeong. Underground parking for two cars per household. Community facilities: breakfast, cleaning, valet, laundry, fitness, golf, swimming, pet care, shops. Residents could live entirely within the complex.
• West: Bunker.
  Built underground for safety, even against nuclear threats. Rooms for all residents to survive autonomously.
• South: Grand entrance and garden with scenic walking paths.

“Wow…”

“What is all this?”

“Hahaha.”

Yu Jia first brought Baek Ah-jin, Baek Jin-cheol, and Hwang Myung-hee.

“This is part of the care service I mentioned. You three are VIPs for our company… so we’ll give you penthouses.”

Four penthouses already had their owners:

1. Baek Jin-woo
2. Yu Jia
3. Baek Jin-cheol & Hwang Myung-hee
4. Baek Ah-jin

Guided by Yu Jia, the three looked around the penthouses and facilities, their faces full of awe.

“…Mom, Dad, this is probably the best house I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Baek Ah-jin.

“Thanks to our son, we’ll never worry about housing again,” said Baek Jin-cheol.

“…Are we even allowed to just accept this?”

Having lived all their lives in an old villa, they didn’t know how to react.

“We’ve never even imagined a house like this,” said Hwang Myung-hee.

“Even our imagination couldn’t reach this,” said Baek Jin-cheol.

“Still… we got attached to our old house…”

Baek Jin-cheol laughed.

“Yeah, right?”

“Yes, honey,” Hwang Myung-hee nodded firmly.

“Don’t say scary things like that. Attachment? Nonsense.”

Attachment? Nonsense!

Who cared—new house was the best.

Yes! Her son was the world’s top player!

The news said the government even supported him with 2 trillion won!

This was the kind of house he could afford!

“I always knew our Jin-woo would become a great person!”

“…But didn’t you give up because he played games all the time?”

“When did I! And you? You said you wished he was even half as good as Jung-hye’s son…!”

“Hahaha, honey.”

Hwang Myung-hee quickly covered Baek Jin-cheol’s mouth.

“Someone might hear. Today, only good words. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Yu Jia watched the playful couple with a smile, then handed over keys, manuals, and blueprints.

“We’ll help you move as quickly as possible. Take your time exploring.”

“Hahaha, thank you.”

“Always grateful,” said the couple, bowing politely.

Yu Jia smiled.

‘It’s nothing.’

Compared to the wealth Baek Jin-woo would earn, this was trivial.

After the greetings, Yu Jia busily returned to work.

As Yubaek expanded properly, there was plenty to do.

Still, Yu Jia worked with the happiest smile she had ever worn.