The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

Chapter 84

“Do Minjung? Is this really Do Minjung?”

Even as I looked directly at her, the situation felt surreal.

Standing before me was a woman holding out her phone, asking for my number. It was strange enough that she approached me out of nowhere, but her beauty was almost otherworldly.

She had a petite face on a tall, 170 cm frame, shimmering eyes that looked as if they held stars, and soft pink lips glowing with vitality.

Is this what being a celebrity is about?

Not only were her proportions stunning, but her face seemed to pull all attention toward it like a magnet.

“Her beauty is overwhelming, Master. I think this is the highest Charm stat we’ve seen,” Swallow murmured in awe, circling around her.

But while I appreciated her beauty, I was unsure how to respond.

Should I acknowledge her as a celebrity? Or pretend not to recognize her?

Her fame aside, I also wasn’t sure if giving her my number would count as completing the quest. The task was to receive the number of a stranger, not to give mine away.

While I hesitated, she tilted her head, pulling her phone back slightly.

“Do you not want to?”

“Oh, no, not at all.”

I didn’t know why she wanted my number, but this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

Taking her phone, I quickly entered my number.

Buzz, buzz—

A call came through on my phone, displaying the number:

<010-7654-3XXX>

I held up the screen for confirmation.

“Is this correct?”

“Yes, that’s me,” she said, nodding.

At that moment, a notification appeared before my eyes.

[You have received the number of a stranger of the opposite sex.]

[Number Received: 1/1]

[You have completed Absolute Beauty Quest 8.]

[Rewards]

Charm +20Beauty Trait: Eloquence (D)

[Beauty Trait: Eloquence (D)]

Enhances trustworthiness of your words slightly during conversations.Improves conversational flow slightly.Slight improvement in the quality of your voice.

The quest completion notification appeared, confirming that inputting my number into her phone qualified as receiving hers.

‘I did it!’

Relief washed over me as I glanced at the messages floating in the air. What I thought would take hours had resolved far more easily than anticipated.

But my relief was short-lived.

[You cannot proceed to Absolute Beauty Quest 9 due to the low grade of your Eloquence skill.]

[A supplementary quest has been assigned to increase your Charm.]

[Supplementary Beauty Quest 14]

[Speak with the person whose number you received for at least 60 minutes (0/60).]

[Time Limit: 3 days.]

[Failure to complete the quest will result in resetting Absolute Beauty Quest 8.]

It wasn’t over.

Now I had to hold a conversation with Do Minjung for an hour.

“Excuse me...”

I decided to seize the moment and try to complete the supplementary quest while I had the chance.

But just as I opened my mouth, someone else interrupted.

“Do Minjung! What are you doing wandering around alone? Do you know how many stalker fans are out there these days?!”

A woman in a hoodie and thick black-rimmed glasses ran up, grabbing Do Minjung by the arm. She spoke in a scolding tone as she began pulling the idol away.

Minjung turned back to glance at me briefly, but she didn’t say a word and followed the woman without protest.

The café returned to an eerie calm, as if nothing had happened.

“What just happened...?”

“I have no idea,” Swallow replied, just as dumbfounded.

We both stared blankly at Minjung’s retreating figure.

***

"Minjung, why did you go to the café alone earlier?"

Inside a hair salon located in the department store, a woman in a hoodie and thick-rimmed glasses crossed her arms and looked into the mirror.

"No, I’ve never even met her."

Hyunsoo shook his head, puzzled.

It was strange enough that Do Minjung had approached him first and asked for his number. But what was even more perplexing was that she had left such a strong impression on him.

In his previous life, Kang Hyunsoo had no connection to Do Minjung.

If there had been any kind of interaction, it would’ve made sense, but there was none.

So why had she asked for his number? Was it because he caught her interest? Or just out of boredom?

Considering she was a celebrity, even with a cap hiding her face, someone at the department store could’ve recognized her and started rumors. Yet she had approached him regardless.

Her actions were as baffling as they were memorable.

But Hyunsoo had another reason for being preoccupied.

“This quest... if I don’t clear it in time, I have to start over, right?”

"Yes, Master. According to the information I’ve received, you’ll have to start from scratch, beginning with receiving a stranger’s number again."

[Supplementary Beauty Quest 14]

[Speak with the person whose number you received for at least 60 minutes (0/60).]

[Time Remaining: 2 days 2 hours.]

[Failure to complete the quest will result in restarting Absolute Beauty Quest 8.]

This supplementary quest was directly linked to Absolute Beauty Quest 8, requiring Hyunsoo to hold a conversation with Do Minjung for an hour.

Without her, the quest couldn’t proceed.

Hours passed.

One hour, then four, then twelve...

Even after an entire day, there was no response from Do Minjung.

"What about sending her a message first?" Swallow suggested.

"Wouldn’t that be pointless? Feels like she’d just leave me on read..."

"Then at least you’d know where you stand and could prepare for the next step. And remember, Master, the thirsty person digs the well."

"I’m not thirsty, and I’m not interested in women."

"But you have to complete the quest. This is a hurdle you’ll need to overcome eventually."

“Fine... fine, I’ll do it.”

Reluctantly, Hyunsoo picked up his phone and composed a message.

Kang Hyunsoo: Hello.

The simplicity of the text caught Swallow’s attention, and he adjusted his sunglasses as he admired Hyunsoo’s effort.

"Oh, surprisingly concise! Based on your personality, I thought you’d write something like, ‘Hello, I’m the guy you met at the department store café yesterday. Did you have breakfast?’ But this is much better."

"...I was going to write that, but my fingers froze up."

The truth was, Hyunsoo had intended to write a longer message, but something had stopped him.

As it turned out, the new Eloquence (D) trait he had acquired from the quest had activated.

[Eloquence (D) has detected excessive phrasing.]

[Auto-correction engaged.]

Apparently, texting also counted as a form of conversation. Whenever Hyunsoo tried to overcomplicate his message, the trait intervened to simplify it.

Additionally:

[TIP: A conversation is a two-way exchange. Start with a simple greeting to give the other person an opportunity to reply.]

Accepting the advice, Hyunsoo settled for a straightforward greeting. If Do Minjung was interested, she would respond; if not, she wouldn’t.

Thirty minutes passed without a reply.

"She’s probably busy," Swallow said, attempting to console him.

"Whatever. I’ll just check again after I clear a dungeon."

While Hyunsoo had heard that waiting two days before contacting someone was standard etiquette in dating, waiting wasn’t his style.

That’s why he had come to Han River Park. If he couldn’t move forward with Do Minjung, he wouldn’t waste time sitting idly. Instead, he planned to train and grow stronger in the meantime.

With his phone tucked into his pocket, Hyunsoo approached a gate set up in the park.

Showing his hunter license to the guards, he entered the portal.

The scenery that unfolded before him was vast and perilous.

[You have entered an A-rank dungeon.]

[Objective: Defeat the boss monster and clear the dungeon (0/1).]

Jagged ice spikes filled the landscape, glinting ominously in the frozen terrain.