Evading Taxes in Another World: Arbitrage of Survival [Ruthless MC | System Exploit | LitRPG]

Most Isekai heroes want to slay the Demon King, save the world, or build a peaceful life in the countryside. Vance just wants to buy a house with a heated floor and indoor plumbing. Before a truck sent him to the frozen, monster-infested, mafia-controlled city of Krag, Vance was a corporate auditor and supply chain manager. Now, he’s a Level 4 [Arbiter]—a supposedly useless support class with the physical durability of wet tissue paper. He's stuck butchering monster carcasses for pennies while a local crime syndicate threatens to break his legs. But Vance has noticed a catastrophic flaw in the world's System: it prices items based entirely on medieval fantasy logic. A glowing magic sword costs fifty thousand gold. But a fifty-pound bag of rice, a gallon of rubbing alcohol, and a ton of industrial concrete? The System practically gives them away for pocket change. Vance doesn't have fireballs. He has an invisible supply chain. To escape the slums and afford his dream house, Vance is going to have to weaponize his ledgers and shatter the local economy. But getting rich puts a target on your back. Soon, he finds himself forced to manage a highly volatile "party" consisting of a suicidal gladiator who worships him as a god, a predatory tax auditor who wants to monopolize his profits, and an unhinged alchemist trying to invent modern war crimes in his basement. Vance is about to introduce this fantasy world to the most terrifying, unstoppable magic of all: Hostile corporate takeovers, predatory pricing, and blatant tax evasion. What to Expect: Creative, Non-Standard Combat: The MC doesn't win by screaming louder or having a higher power level. He survives by exploiting thermodynamics, using environmental hazards, and literally buying his way out of taking damage. Hardcore Base/Kingdom Building: Watch a freezing, miserable mud-pit get dragged kicking and screaming into the industrial revolution. If you like logistical problem solving, concrete pouring, and infrastructure porn, this is for you. An "Anti-Harem" of HR Nightmares: The female cast is heavily featured, but this isn't standard wish-fulfillment. The women are hyper-competent, terrifyingly intense, and constantly threatening to murder each other over the MC's budget. The romance is less "cute blushing" and more "managing a highly lethal board of directors." Cynical Pragmatism & Dark Comedy: The protagonist is driven by a desire for comfort and profit, not heroism. He treats assassination attempts as unacceptable overhead costs, and views saving the innocent as a write-off for good PR. Fast Pacing & Smart Characters: No one holds the "idiot ball" here. The villains are smart, the allies are ruthless, and the MC solves problems through actual deduction and loopholes rather than sudden bursts of willpower.