Chapter 149
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Chapter 149: Hot Stock (2)
Lemu.
A universal pornography production company.
As a company that must satisfy desires of numerous species, there were no limits to the forms of products they created.
If they could satisfy their customers, they made everything from text, pictures, sounds, videos… to even immediate-consumption ’emotions’ or biologically engineered tools to assist and induce arousal.
In Earth terms, it’s like an adult entertainment company producing drugs and sex robots.
‘These guys are extremely aggressive in their business.’
Yeongwoo, who had been quite accepting of Earth’s sensationalism, couldn’t help but hesitate at this moment.
Even if the system officially endorsed them as ‘old-fashioned,’ fundamentally, they were still Earthlings.
So, there was a minimum of humanity, or rather, a minimum of decency for him.
For example, worrying about a baby’s safety before entering into negotiations with universal companies was a minimum level of humanity.
So, when he realized that Lemu could make anything if it meant money, he became scared.
‘If I contract with them, I can’t even guess what I’ll end up advertising.’
It was the moment when he realized why Dogo criticized Lemu as soon as they heard it.
The reason they labeled Lemu as wretched, filthy, was to criticize both the industry and its business practices.
Of course, even brands that make lethal weapons would find it hard to escape criticism from a moral perspective…
‘But Dogo probably has its own standards unlike Lemu. So, there’s resentment towards Lemu.’
It was just a guess, but if it were true, it would be somewhat reassuring.
This meant that there were concepts like ethics and dignity even in space.
In a form that Earthlings could understand.
‘Well, since our ways of thinking are somewhat similar, we could communicate with each other.’
Yeongwoo stood in the tense space between the two companies, looking back and forth slowly.
Dogo, crowded with dozens of shareholders, and Lemu, appearing very clean unlike its external reputation.
Actually, he wanted to tattoo Dogo’s first advertiser, but from a distance, it was definitely not a good idea.
‘Don’t forget. This is a public contract.’
Summoning Lemu was quite simple for Yeongwoo.
He bought an ad space and then shouted to the sky, asking for companies to put ads in the tattoo.
This surprising thing happened: a universal pornography production company, which had no contact with them, visited Earth.
In other words…
‘Surely all of this is being broadcast somewhere. Like a show.’
The starting point might have been when alien merchants wandered around Earth, but it wasn’t important right now.
The most important fact at this point is…
‘…Other companies must be watching this scene right now.’
Other companies.
In other words, potential advertisers.
‘If I refuse to contract with Lemu just because I think it’s merely about money or a vulgar industry, not many companies will respond to my call in the future.’
Knowing that there are other companies in this vast universe, should I choose advertisers based on my taste from now on?
‘Now is not the time.’
Moreover, rookies in the industry don’t pick and choose their work, isn’t that one of Earth’s virtues?
So, Yeongwoo decided not to discriminate against Lemu.
“I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who visited on behalf of both parties today.”
As Yeongwoo cautiously spoke, dozens of Dogo shareholders turned their gaze to their advertising models.
Meanwhile, Lemu simply rotated their rectangular shape as if to express that they were listening to the conversation.
Yeongwoo finished his words.
“While loyalty is a very precious value to me, I also think it’s very important to observe etiquette.”
Then Dogo’s shareholders, who immediately understood the gist of what he said, opened their eyes wide.
―No way…!
―Jeong Yeongwoo07!
―Maintain your dignity!
They realized that Yeongwoo, as a potential advertiser, was trying to show courtesy to Lemu.
“This contract will proceed with the company that offers relatively better conditions.”
Eventually, Yeongwoo set the premise of the contract, and as a result, Dogo’s side began to murmur with discontent.
―∴∴∴∴
―∝∽∝∽
―∠∥∧∠∠∧
This time, since the shareholders were not using Earth’s language but their own, Yeongwoo couldn’t understand what they were talking about.
They were probably discussing things like the current executable advertising budget.
‘I wonder if they sold a lot of weapons so far…? To compete in advertising contracts with a pornography production company, they must have immense financial power.’
While silently cheering for Dogo’s shareholders, Lemu sent down ‘transcendental characters’ implying the contract details.
「□」
This was a character with a square shape, like the cube that existed on Earth.
Was this the contract?
Swish.
With a soft sound, Yeongwoo placed his hand on the intricate characters, and immediately the advertisement contract presented by Lemu was displayed as a system message.
「Contract: Lemu-8739-IIIIII_II-Tier 2」
(Required) [Permanent advertisement space – Tattoo]
– The headquarters’ composite advertisement will be broadcasted in the tattoo ‘blank space’.
(Optional) [Indirect appearance]
– During the validity of this contract, parts of your appearance and actions may be indirectly used in the company’s products.
– A minimum of 5 million karma will be paid as a reward for each indirect use.
– If this option is selected, the basic advertising fee will triple.
(Optional) [Sound test]
– Whenever you are hit, the company’s sound-based products will be demonstrated.
– 50,000 karma will be paid immediately per hit.
– If this option is selected along with ‘indirect appearance’, the advertising fee paid by the company will be doubled additionally.
#Basic advertising fee: 30 million karma per week.
#Basic contract period: 2 weeks.
“Crazy….”
Yeongwoo exclaimed without realizing it.
The basic advertising fee alone was 30 million karma per week, three times higher than what Dogo had offered in the initial contract.
And on top of that…
‘If you choose both optional options, the basic advertising fee will increase to 180 million. Plus, all incentives will double…’
Moreover, the 180 million won was not conditional, like the contract with Dogo, but was paid out weekly.
Additionally, individual rewards were paid separately in exchange for selling one’s portrait rights and dignity.
‘But, all of this is only if I accept all three contracts. If even one is rejected, the total amount received will decrease significantly.’
Yeongwoo immediately realized that Lemu was a rather wicked company.
Well, with this level of planning and financial power, it’s not surprising they could engage in the adult entertainment business in space.
– The headquarters’ composite advertisement will be broadcasted in the tattoo ‘blank space’.
‘What does ‘composite advertisement’ mean exactly? Could it include videos or something, not just simple drawings?’
Although Yeongwoo expressed his doubts, Lemu did not provide any further explanation.
After all, as they had offered an offer of money that couldn’t be refused, they didn’t provide any clues that could work against them.
‘If it’s about adult content production… On Earth, it was traditionally an industry where money flowed freely.’
Yeongwoo admired Lemu’s financial power once again and turned his head towards Dogo, his original advertiser.
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Then he noticed that the Dogo shareholders, who had been making noise in their own language, had become quiet.
–……
Their faces were so downcast it was almost comical, especially the shareholder with the fish head whose ugly downturned mouth made the scene even more ridiculous.
“Is the contract… ready?”
As Yeongwoo asked in a somewhat trusting tone about the contract, the Dogo shareholders looked as if they had lost their country.
It seemed impossible for Dogo’s corporate image and core values to align with those of a universal adult content production company.
However, due to financial pressures, they reluctantly agreed to have Lemu’s advertisement tattooed on their model, who were currently in high demand in the market.
It was a heartbreaking decision.
‘Ah… you already know you’re going to lose, don’t you?’
Yeongwoo also watched with a melancholic heart as the Dogo shareholders reluctantly handed over the brightly shining contract.
Sseu-eut.
“….”
Brief but significant memories with Dogo flashed through his mind like a meteor streaking across the sky.
The day the Dogo shareholders, on their first visit to Earth, learned to speak human from the first syllable.
The first Dogo quest, where they encountered a ferocious tiger.
The surprise quest where they were asked to fight a boxing gold medalist bare-handed.
And the urgent request for rescue in the nighttime dungeon, which led to equipment sponsorship.
‘But that’s all over now. Lemu will essentially become the main advertiser from now on.’
Nevertheless, if he ever had the opportunity, Yeongwoo vowed to repay Dogo in some way.
With his own determination, Yeongwoo reached out his hand towards the contract prepared by the Dogo shareholders.
Sseut.
If the conditions inside were worse than Lemu’s, they would have no choice but to proceed with the tattoo contract with Lemu.
‘But there won’t be any surprises. Look at the shareholders’ faces already…’
Just as Yeongwoo’s fingertip was about to touch the Dogo contract,
Hwoo-ook!
A sense of impending doom washed over him as a massive presence covered the entire sky.
“….?”
Looking up, Yeongwoo saw the center of the turquoise sky gradually turning dark.
Then, suddenly,
Hwaaaah!
A gigantic metallic object, resembling an anchor, tore through the turquoise sky and landed in the middle of the city with a thunderous crash.
Kwaaaaang!
As a result, buildings were destroyed and dust flew everywhere, but fortunately, due to the appearance of the two preceding companies, there were no casualties among the residents.
However, isn’t this a clear case of unauthorized intrusion?
Among the beings that came from other dimensions, except for mutants who were originally from this planet, nobody dared to damage Earth’s property.
This might be due to the laws of the universe.
For example, there might be rules stating that when entering other planets, one should avoid causing physical harm, etc.
Or perhaps, since the majority of visitors come as traders, they naturally observe etiquette.
Regardless, it was a clear fact that the sudden appearance of that being was extremely rude.
“No, who the heck…”
Just as Yeongwoo, who was responsible for the visits of the beings from other dimensions to Earth, was about to protest on behalf of the planet, an unexpected line came out of the mouths of Dogo shareholders.
—Chairman!
—Chairman…!
—Oh my!
—The chairman has arrived!
“What?”
Chairman.
On Earth, it generally refers to the head of a large company.
Usually, the largest shareholder or founder of the company sits in the chairman’s seat, and judging from the atmosphere, the meaning of ‘chairman’ in space didn’t seem much different from Earth.
So, the intruder who just appeared.
“Dogo has a chairman… No, that chairman is here?”
As Yeongwoo’s mouth fell open, a massive steel plate, the size of a high-rise apartment building, slowly descended above the anchor that had been embedded earlier.
“…Unbelievable.”
Yeongwoo widened his eyes at the tomb-like gigantic metallic structure, and Choi Jongseon, who had been wrapping her child to protect him from the dust, also showed a shocked expression.
“W-what… What did you summon this time?”
All Yeongwoo could say was,
“The… The chairman.”
Then, a booming voice echoed from the “tomb”.
―I am Dogo, the King of Destruction, the one born on the battlefield, the master of the Hundred Thousand Swords Mountain! Jeong Yeongwoo07, I will write the contract with my sword.
As expected, the chairman had come to propose a new contract.
More precisely, it seemed like he had come to prevent any dealings with the lowly Lemu.
‘But wait a minute.’
As Yeongwoo watched the bottom of the “tomb” gradually open, he raised an eyebrow.
‘Could it be that the brand name is his own name…?’
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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