The Support Ate it All-Chapter 364: Funding (2)

The strategy guidebook was practically the answer sheet when it came to dungeon raids.

It contained high-quality information that couldn’t be gleaned just from watching replays.

The benefits gained from it were also considerable.

Since it drastically reduced the difficulty.

Anyone entering a dungeon risked their life or, at the very least, braced themselves for injury.

That was because they didn’t know what kind of powerful enemies they might face or what unexpected situations could arise.

But if one could grasp and prepare for every single aspect from start to finish—

It became possible to proceed much more safely.

That also meant saving on resources.

Potions, scrolls, relics, and other items prepared for emergencies could be brought out unused.

Each one came with a hefty price tag, so saving them essentially meant earning.

And the extra rewards weren’t bad either.

There were bonus items, of course, but also skills and traits that could only be obtained from specific dungeons.

A prime example was [Ghost Dance] obtained from the Villains Gathering.

Most of these things likely weren’t even known to exist.

Considering how life-threatening dungeon runs already were, who had the luxury to poke around every corner like I did?

In short, a strategy guidebook was no different from a treasure map.

These facts had already been proven through my raids on the Black Death Dungeon, Villains Gathering, and the Teleportation Labyrinth, and I had confirmed the massive demand through the reactions of the club presidents.

Dang Gyu-young gave a slight nod.

“This is definitely going to work. Smells like a jackpot. How many are you planning to sell?”

“Around fifteen to twenty copies per guidebook.”

With the ranks ranging evenly from C to A.

And naturally, I would focus on dungeons I wouldn’t be entering myself.

To be precise, I planned to focus on dungeons where the reward efficiency was relatively low, didn’t suit my preferences, or had already been milked for everything they were worth.

If I released them carelessly, there was a risk someone might preemptively enter the dungeons I intended to challenge or even snatch away the hidden pieces.

Dang Gyu-young asked again.

“Fifteen to twenty per guidebook. Sounds good. So how many guidebooks?”

“Just two for the first run.”

“Going for that limited-edition vibe?”

“That’s right.”

Would the strategy guidebook business end with just this one time?

There would definitely be more opportunities in the future, so rather than mass-producing from the start, it was better to keep it moderately limited.

The rarer an item, the more valuable it became. And as the value of volumes 1 and 2 rose, so would the value of volumes 3 and 4 when they were released later.

After hearing that, Dang Gyu-young looked slightly puzzled.

“Then do you really need me involved? Feels like you could handle it fine on your own.”

“I do. You’re very important Qyu.”

“What do you need Qyu for?”

“If I just upload it like this, it won’t sell.”

There was a high chance it wouldn’t even fetch its proper value, let alone spark a bidding war.

At those words, Dang Gyu-young frowned slightly and pondered for a moment, then nodded as realization dawned.

“…I didn’t think of that.”

“It’s a matter of credibility.”

No matter how well-made and content-rich a guidebook might be, if people couldn’t trust it, it was no better than a scrap of paper.

How could a buyer know?

What if someone had planted misleading information out of malice?

What if there was a deadly trap lying in wait where a hidden piece was supposed to be?

In that case, rather than risking not only themselves but their party members too, most would prefer watching replays, even if they were lacking.

And the more people thought that way, the lower the auction participation rate would become.

Therefore, the trust issue had to be resolved at all costs.

Dang Gyu-young rested her chin on her hand and thought for a while.

“The first thing that comes to mind is changing the author’s name.”

If the author name on the guidebook were changed to Dang Gyu-young’s?

It’d be better than using my name as a first-year, but still not entirely trustworthy.

Even if she was a club president, she didn’t have much of a track record in the lower floors.

Besides, I had no intention of borrowing her name anyway.

“I’ll be using a pseudonym.”

“Hey, that just makes it harder. What are you thinking?”

“I told you. You’re very important Qyu.”

“What do you need Qyu for?”

“We need promotion.”

Next week was Strategy Battle Week.

There were probably already quite a few parties bidding on dungeons and getting ready.

And everyone could see who had bid on which dungeon; it was all publicly available.

“Let’s pick out a few parties from that list.”

“You’re thinking of selling the guidebook to them?”

“Well, we have to let them try a sample somehow.”

“That’s true. Have you decided who to sell it to?”

“I need help with that part.”

“You really are relying on Qyu for the important stuff.”

It wouldn’t be very effective to hand it out to just anyone, so I planned to limit it to those who had some connection with either me or Dang Gyu-young.

Even if they didn’t trust an anonymous guidebook, they would trust Dang Gyu-young.

It’s a kind of guarantee.

Those who got the guidebook that way might be skeptical at first, but in the end, they’d use it. Once they cleared the dungeon, their trust would grow considerably.

And so would their interest.

“Still, that alone might not be enough.”

“I do have something else in mind.”

“Of course you do~ I’m sure you’ve got everything all planned out~”

Dang Gyu-young gave me a playful glance, but I stayed serious.

“I’ll say it again, your role is the most important, noona.”

“I know, I know. I’ll poke around here and there. But if it works out, I get a cut, right?”

“Of course. We’re in this together.”

At that, Dang Gyu-young suddenly looked intrigued.

“Together? I like the sound of that.”

“You always only hear what you want to hear.”

***

The Martial Arts Club.

Kim Gap-doo had to deal with an unexpected visitor.

That visitor, of course, was Dang Gyu-young.

She had barged into someone else’s clubroom and was casually looking around as if it were her own living room.

Her eyes sparkled like she was on the hunt.

From experience, he could already tell what was coming next.

– Hey, Kim Gap-doo. I’m taking this chair.

– This table would go perfectly with that chair.

– This tea set is so pretty. Byeong-cheol’s going to love it.

– You just bought it yesterday? Then buy another one. Or just sell it to me.

Every time Dang Gyu-young paid a visit, one way or another, the Martial Arts Club—or more precisely, Kim Gap-doo’s inventory—ended up with one less item.

So from his point of view, it was impossible to see her behavior in a positive light.

I’d like nothing more than to throw her out right now.

However, he couldn’t exactly kick her out. Because he still owed Dang Gyu-young quite a bit.

He was the one who had proposed the bet in the first place, and he had been the one to wager recklessly, so he had no one to blame but himself.

As he worked to calm the frustration burning inside him, Dang Gyu-young, having finished inspecting the clubroom, finally opened her mouth.

“Hey, Kim Gap-doo.”

“…Just take it.”

Kim Gap-doo sighed in resignation and gave up quickly.

But to his surprise, Dang Gyu-young widened her eyes as if she had no idea what he was talking about.

“What are you talking about? Take what?”

“…Wasn’t that why you came? Then what is it?”

In response, Dang Gyu-young started rummaging through her inventory and pulled out a thick bundle of papers.

“Take a look.”

“What’s this?”

“You’ll know when you see it.”

Putting aside his suspicion for the moment, Kim Gap-doo quickly flipped through the bundle and checked its contents.

And soon, a gleam appeared in his eyes.

“…A strategy guide.”

And not just any strategy guide. This was for the dungeon his team was scheduled to enter next week.

The timing was too perfect, which immediately raised his guard.

“What’s your reason for showing this to me?”

“What do you think? If you’re interested, buy it.”

“The source?”

“There’s a certain anonymous expert.”

“….…”

Kim Gap-doo still couldn’t shake his suspicion, but then a memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.

So he checked.

“This anonymous expert… are they the same one who gave out the strategy guide for the Teleportation Labyrinth?”

“That’s right.”

Dang Gyu-young acknowledged it without hesitation.

This much, she could reveal. And doing so would only help build credibility.

Back during the Witch of Corruption Subjugation Raid—

Right before they entered the Teleportation Labyrinth, she had handed out a revised strategy guide to the club presidents she knew.

The conversation that had taken place back then had been nearly identical to this one.

– A revised version? What’s the source?

– Sorry, can’t say. Whether you trust it or not is up to you.

– Do you trust it?

– Yeah, I do.

– …Is that so? Then I’ll trust it too.

He had saved his life more than once thanks to that strategy guide.

If that was the case, then this stack of papers in his hands would surely be just as useful.

Kim Gap-doo made a quick decision.

“I’ll buy it. How much?”

“Just 20,000 points.”

“That’s cheaper than I expected.”

He would’ve been willing to pay 40,000—no, even 50,000 for it.

Of course, there was always a reason when something came cheap.

Dang Gyu-young replied with a sly smile.

“But there’s a condition.”

“A condition?”

“Mhmm, you have to go over it with your party members.”

“What’s the reason?”

“Can’t tell you everything. So, are you buying it or not?”

“……”

Kim Gap-doo quickly ran the numbers in his head.

If he shared it with his party members, not only the existence of the strategy guide but also its contents would spread.

In other words, he wouldn’t be able to monopolize the information.

Still, 20,000 isn’t a bad deal.

It was half the price he’d expected.

Even if it was one-time information that he couldn’t keep to himself, it would more than pay off in value.

Besides, there’s no avoiding a leak anyway.

This run was going to be recorded as a replay.

In that case, it might be better to disclose the strategy guide from the start and use it to cement his position within the party.

Once he finished weighing the pros and cons, Kim Gap-doo handed over the points.

“I’ll accept the condition.”

“Thank you~”

Now that their business was done, he figured she’d leave.

But then Dang Gyu-young pointed to a corner of the club room.

“Hey, that coffee machine looks pretty nice. Is it a new model?”

“I bought a new one. Someone took the one that was working well.”

“Our kids broke it.”

“…Take it.”

***

Swordsmanship Club.

Vice President’s Office.

Dang Gyu-young sat across from Jegal So-so and handed over the strategy guide, just as she had done with the other club presidents.

Flipping through a few pages, Jegal So-so gave her usual gentle smile.

But her eyes were sharp and piercing.

“Kim Ho wrote this, didn’t he?”

The writing style and structure were nearly identical to the strategy guides Kim Ho had written before.

Even the information and details that would be nearly impossible for most to find were just like his work.

“Mhmm, it’s Kim Ho.”

Dang Gyu-young didn’t bother denying it.

She could tell from Jegal So-so’s tone that she was 100% certain.

This wasn’t their first year knowing each other. Things like this were obvious by now.

Jegal So-so smiled gently again.

“Then I have to buy it, no matter what the price is. But I heard you’ve sold it elsewhere too.”

“Here and there.”

“If you really wanted to, I’m sure you could’ve sold it for even more… So, is there another reason?”

A sharp observation.

Dang Gyu-young stalled for a moment to buy time, pretending to be distracted, wondering whether to explain.

In the end, she thought,

Doesn’t seem like there’s a reason not to.

In fact, if anything, it could work to her advantage.

So Dang Gyu-young laid out the conversation she had with Kim Ho.

What she didn’t expect, however, was Jegal So-so’s explosive reaction.

“S-Strategy guides…?”

Even a single guide held immense value….and they were planning to sell a whole bundle of them?

Jegal So-so suddenly jumped to her feet and tried to rush out the door.

Dang Gyu-young blocked her path.

“Sho! What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“Get out of my way! I’m going to see the Young Monarch!”

“Go where! Sit back down!”

Jegal So-so turned her frustration toward Dang Gyu-young.

“Why do you get it all? You should share good stuff!”

“Share what? He’s not a cake!”

“Just one bite!”

“Sho!”