Episode 92.
“Chinese restaurant rider!”
“Rider!”
“Please look over here! How did you level-up by yourself, not only in Korea but also in other countries?”
“It turns out that he played a big role at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. What’s your relationship with the American player, Marina Bissett?”
“Do you have any plans to go back to the United States?”
Jung Si-woo smiled brightly at questions poured in from everywhere. Then, he turned around. He ignored them so smoothly that they were all amazed as he looked at a puzzled employee.
“Can I enter now?”
“Well, first of all, you need to show an artifact that can prove yourself…”
When the phantom bike was taken out of his inventory, there were flashes from everywhere once again. More questions were asked than before, but Jung Si-woo ignored it as if he couldn’t hear them.
“Can I go in?”
“Ple-please enter.”
When he was about to put the phantom bike straight into his inventory and go inside, someone called him from behind.
“Mr. Jeong Si-woo…is that right?”
“…”
As expected, Kim Ha-ryong was looking straight at him when he turned his head.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Ha-ryong, master of the Soaring Tempest Guild.”
It was a man in his early 30s who gave off a clean impression. The rank of the armor he had looked quite high, given how glossy it was. Since he was a player, he wouldn’t have had a problem coming in a costume that revealed it. Jung Si-woo thought that he had dressed up for no reason (even if it was just jeans and a dress shirt, it was a suit for Jung Si-woo). He felt like a fool.
“Oh, yes. Nice to meet you.”
“I really wanted to see you. I have a lot of questions…especially about your friendship with Miss Bissett and also about your bike.”
“Hmph…”
He was very polite but disgusting. He could feel Soo Ah-rin squeezing his clothes. However, it wasn’t the time to announce their existence. Jung Si-woo soothed her by gently sweeping her hair as he was pretending to arrange his clothes. He replied back to Kim Ha-ryong, who was looking at him.
“What a terrible voice you have. You’re not doing it on purpose, are you?
“What?”
“Don’t block the road and let others in. Let’s get in.”
“…”
The whole area seemed to be freezing. Kim Ha-ryong stood there like a rock, but Jung Si-woo no longer cared about him and went inside. Countless cameras were following him, but they were blocked by the bodyguards.
“Hmm.”
In contrast to his casual attitude when he first entered, Jung Si-woo looked slightly puzzled.
“I don’t feel god’s power. I thought I was going to have to play around with the fragments of the god of fire.”
“Kim Ha-ryong deals with the power of fire. I’ve encountered the signs of the god of fire, but I haven’t witnessed the moment of blessing in person…”
“That’s just the story being told everywhere. You are also very lucky to have met people who accepted god’s power in succession. Not everyone has the power of God.”
“Hmph, I wanted to see the power of the god of fire.”
Jung Si-woo grumbled because of his disappointment. He thought it was roughly that reason, but it was even more ridiculous to hear it in person.
“You can sit over here.”
“Oh, okay.”
When he entered the conference room, people who recognized him thanks to the disturbance outside quickly guided him to his seat. The conference hall had close to fifty seats, but with the exception of the government and corporate figures, there were fewer than twenty seats for players.
“So there aren’t many players above level 200…?”
“Oh, players from the same guild are restricted from attending the meeting.”
He turned his head because there was someone who was answered from behind, and it was the first time he saw him. He wasn’t dressed up as a player because he was wearing a suit. He greeted Jung Si-woo with a polite attitude.
“I owe Mr. Jung Si-hwan a lot of favors. You’re his son, right?”
“Uh…yes.”
“Like father like son. Your mother will be here soon.”
“Oh, nice meeting you then.”
“I look forward to your kind cooperation. I’ll head off…”
A man who appeared to be a government figure pretended to know him, and some players sitting in the seats began to whisper at him. They were saying that the Chinese restaurant rider was connected to the government. They even said that he was a talented man who the government had raised from the beginning. This much could be easily caught without a hearing skill.
“How can the government raise a human being that can enter the Sky Castle?”
“That man, he’s mean. I’m sure he was determined to do this from the beginning. To make it seem like the government was behind everything…oh, I don’t mean to discredit your parents!”
“Don’t worry. I know what you mean.”
Soo Ah-rin’s worries were meaningless. His father was originally a businessman unrelated to the government. They were involved in this, but they weren’t close to the government. But no matter what his parents did, Jung Si-woo wasn’t a person who would bow down to the Korean government.
“Do you think I care about this atmosphere?”
“Oh, that’s right.”
Soo Ah-rin calmed down. There was a strange atmosphere in the hall. The three key figures of the Soaring Tempest Guild, including master Kim Ha-ryong, finally came inside and settled down. Government officials and corporate executives, who had been seen several times on TV, came in one after another, sat down, and players soon filled out the empty seats. But the last player who came in looked familiar.
“Seo-hee…?”
“Ah.”
Lee Seo-hee came in after some hesitation. She saw Jung Si-woo and made a sigh of relief. Jung Si-woo thought she would be here, but he felt something unusual from her. It was clear that she had grown quickly in a short period of time. To be honest, it was amazing. It appeared that she had grown rapidly and leveled up twenty stages or higher.
“How many years does that usually take?”
“If you’re a brave player who’s willing to rush and survive, you can do it in a month. Uh, that is for people like you, Oppa. Of course, I’ve never seen such a case other than you…and now I’ve seen one more…hmph.”
When Soo Ah-rin said that, she was gritting her teeth. She saw Lee Seo-hee walking in their direction. When he checked the seat next to him, there was definitely a nameplate that said “Lee Seo-hee.” There was no need to think deeply about who arranged these seats.
“Ugh, this lady.”
“Ohhhh, you betray me like this…!”
His mother’s unnecessary smile was quickly brought to mind. He and Lee Seo-hee broke up with each other by promising not to have lingering feelings, but what kind of illusion was this lady have? It was necessary to tell her clearly later.
“Si-woo.”
“Yep.”
Jung Si-woo waved back at Lee Seo-hee, who approached and carefully called his name while pulling out her chair. Lee Seo-hee’s expression looked relaxed.
“That’s a relief. I’ve heard from your mother, but I was nervous you wouldn’t show up.”
“Ahhhh…”
Soo Ah-rin, who saw Lee Seo-hee blush, quickly shifted to a combat posture. What did she say about standing alone? What was that attitude? But Jung Si-woo pushed her into a pocket. He knew to some extent now that Soo Ah-rin usually got excited only at times like this.
“You look a lot stronger. Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”
“I have to push myself. This is the only way to become strong…but I will never die. I’m confident that I can survive somehow.”
Lee Seo-hee smiled as she made a crystal shape with both hands before continuing in a smaller voice.
“But if it doesn’t work out, Si-woo will come to save me.”
“Well, if you tell me when and what kind of dungeon you’re going into, I’ll save you.”
“Yes, I’ll do that if it’s really dangerous.”
People in the conference room watched the two having a friendly conversation. It was clear that Jung Si-woo still didn’t properly recognize that he was receiving attention from people. No, he was just ignoring it even though he knew it.
“Well, then let’s start the meeting.”
When everyone was wriggling or listening to Jung Si-woo’s trivial actions or words, someone stood on the podium and called their attention. Surprisingly, it was the man who came to say hello to Jung Si-woo earlier.
“As you all know, this is to discuss measures related to the recent changes on earth, and at the same time to select a Korean representative to attend the upcoming World Player Conference. As it is a very important matter, I would like to ask the participants to make a statement.”
The head, Jung-sook, came into the conference room. Jung Si-woo was finally able to escape from people’s attention. Soo Ah-rin gave a dirty look at Jung Si-woo, who exchanged bitter smiles with Lee Seo-hee, but unfortunately, he wasn’t able to see it.
The meeting went roughly in line with Jung Si-woo’s expectations. The main point was that everyone was aware of the fact that they were doomed if they tried only to benefit their group, so they decided to divide the business rights as fairly as possible. The government would also consider the convenience of players as much as possible with full support.
The meeting went very smoothly because the players were given priority, and most of all, the government and companies were already coordinating with them. So it wasn’t like a meeting; it was like a report. It’s like they were saying, ‘We’ve prepared so much for you, so please watch it!’ Jung Si-woo’s smiled.
“Looking at the companies and the government bowing their heads…I’m guessing that a lot of players left.”
“Correct…I don’t see two famous guilds I used to know.”
Soo Ah-rin answered bitterly. Lee Seo-hee, who was sitting next to her, immediately realized the existence of Soo Ah-rin when she tilted her head because she first thought that he was talking to himself. If she hadn’t been introduced to Soo Ah-rin before, she probably wouldn’t have known until the end.
“You tagged along.”
“Well, I’m going to announce it today.”
Although the meeting was now underway, questions would probably be asked about Jung Si-woo, a strong man who appeared like a rising star, after the story of the prepared issue was over. Privately or publicly, Jung Si-woo had already decided how far he was willing to answer questions.
‘I have the ability to save a player who is retired, and that I can enter and exit the Ant Cave dungeon…I’ll probably let them know my ability to extract the source of a monster. Well, the earth’s ability to self-produce monsters makes it meaningless now.’
He had no intention of revealing his ability to travel to other worlds. What he already decided to reveal was absurd enough.
“Jung Si-woo, I heard that you have an artifact that combines magic with modern technology.”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to hear more.”
Just in time, a question came in that concerned his personal situation. Of course, the intention was fully understood. Depending on Jung Si-woo’s answer, the speed and direction of development of Korea, or the world, could vary greatly. To be honest, it wasn’t something that individuals should embrace.
“It’s a quest reward.”
“What?”
“So I don’t understand the principles of it either.”
“…”
And unfortunately, the phantom bike wasn’t created by Jung Si-woo’s ability, but by the ability of his rest place. What the government and businesses wanted couldn’t be done. Jung Si-woo couldn’t create a combination of technology and magic at his resting place.
“Well, then please allow us to study the artifact…”
“It’s something I’ll keep using, so I can’t let you take it. But I can lend it to you if you’ll give it back to me.”
Jung Si-woo’s answer was relentless and determined; the questioner was struck speechless. Then a question flew in from the other side of the room.
“I’d like to ask something. What kind of quest did you get it from? No, are you really a player in the first place?”
It was Kim Ha-ryong. That’s the kind of person who could point out the problem that everyone was putting off. Jung Si-woo glimpsed at the host of the meeting. He nodded his head. There was a rough agreement on the matter. It was time to talk about the next agenda, selecting a Korean representative for the World Player Conference. In that case, Jung Si-woo couldn’t be left out.
“All right.”
With the host’s permission, Jung Si-woo also nodded.
“Then let’s talk about me for a while.”
Jung Si-woo stood up from his seat. His dark and thick lizard’s tail popped up above his hip and near his tailbone. Everyone who saw it opened their eyes.
“First of all, I’m not a player. I’m an underground player.
“What the hell is that…?”
Jung Si-woo grinned at the people who were dumbfounded by the lizard tail.
“I’m a player who explores Ant Caves, not the Sky Castle.”
It was the moment when the existence of a special man was announced to the world.
Episode 92.
“Chinese restaurant rider!”
“Rider!”
“Please look over here! How did you level-up by yourself, not only in Korea but also in other countries?”
“It turns out that he played a big role at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. What’s your relationship with the American player, Marina Bissett?”
“Do you have any plans to go back to the United States?”
Jung Si-woo smiled brightly at questions poured in from everywhere. Then, he turned around. He ignored them so smoothly that they were all amazed as he looked at a puzzled employee.
“Can I enter now?”
“Well, first of all, you need to show an artifact that can prove yourself…”
When the phantom bike was taken out of his inventory, there were flashes from everywhere once again. More questions were asked than before, but Jung Si-woo ignored it as if he couldn’t hear them.
“Can I go in?”
“Ple-please enter.”
When he was about to put the phantom bike straight into his inventory and go inside, someone called him from behind.
“Mr. Jeong Si-woo…is that right?”
“…”
As expected, Kim Ha-ryong was looking straight at him when he turned his head.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Ha-ryong, master of the Soaring Tempest Guild.”
It was a man in his early 30s who gave off a clean impression. The rank of the armor he had looked quite high, given how glossy it was. Since he was a player, he wouldn’t have had a problem coming in a costume that revealed it. Jung Si-woo thought that he had dressed up for no reason (even if it was just jeans and a dress shirt, it was a suit for Jung Si-woo). He felt like a fool.
“Oh, yes. Nice to meet you.”
“I really wanted to see you. I have a lot of questions…especially about your friendship with Miss Bissett and also about your bike.”
“Hmph…”
He was very polite but disgusting. He could feel Soo Ah-rin squeezing his clothes. However, it wasn’t the time to announce their existence. Jung Si-woo soothed her by gently sweeping her hair as he was pretending to arrange his clothes. He replied back to Kim Ha-ryong, who was looking at him.
“What a terrible voice you have. You’re not doing it on purpose, are you?
“What?”
“Don’t block the road and let others in. Let’s get in.”
“…”
The whole area seemed to be freezing. Kim Ha-ryong stood there like a rock, but Jung Si-woo no longer cared about him and went inside. Countless cameras were following him, but they were blocked by the bodyguards.
“Hmm.”
In contrast to his casual attitude when he first entered, Jung Si-woo looked slightly puzzled.
“I don’t feel god’s power. I thought I was going to have to play around with the fragments of the god of fire.”
“Kim Ha-ryong deals with the power of fire. I’ve encountered the signs of the god of fire, but I haven’t witnessed the moment of blessing in person…”
“That’s just the story being told everywhere. You are also very lucky to have met people who accepted god’s power in succession. Not everyone has the power of God.”
“Hmph, I wanted to see the power of the god of fire.”
Jung Si-woo grumbled because of his disappointment. He thought it was roughly that reason, but it was even more ridiculous to hear it in person.
“You can sit over here.”
“Oh, okay.”
When he entered the conference room, people who recognized him thanks to the disturbance outside quickly guided him to his seat. The conference hall had close to fifty seats, but with the exception of the government and corporate figures, there were fewer than twenty seats for players.
“So there aren’t many players above level 200…?”
“Oh, players from the same guild are restricted from attending the meeting.”
He turned his head because there was someone who was answered from behind, and it was the first time he saw him. He wasn’t dressed up as a player because he was wearing a suit. He greeted Jung Si-woo with a polite attitude.
“I owe Mr. Jung Si-hwan a lot of favors. You’re his son, right?”
“Uh…yes.”
“Like father like son. Your mother will be here soon.”
“Oh, nice meeting you then.”
“I look forward to your kind cooperation. I’ll head off…”
A man who appeared to be a government figure pretended to know him, and some players sitting in the seats began to whisper at him. They were saying that the Chinese restaurant rider was connected to the government. They even said that he was a talented man who the government had raised from the beginning. This much could be easily caught without a hearing skill.
“How can the government raise a human being that can enter the Sky Castle?”
“That man, he’s mean. I’m sure he was determined to do this from the beginning. To make it seem like the government was behind everything…oh, I don’t mean to discredit your parents!”
“Don’t worry. I know what you mean.”
Soo Ah-rin’s worries were meaningless. His father was originally a businessman unrelated to the government. They were involved in this, but they weren’t close to the government. But no matter what his parents did, Jung Si-woo wasn’t a person who would bow down to the Korean government.
“Do you think I care about this atmosphere?”
“Oh, that’s right.”
Soo Ah-rin calmed down. There was a strange atmosphere in the hall. The three key figures of the Soaring Tempest Guild, including master Kim Ha-ryong, finally came inside and settled down. Government officials and corporate executives, who had been seen several times on TV, came in one after another, sat down, and players soon filled out the empty seats. But the last player who came in looked familiar.
“Seo-hee…?”
“Ah.”
Lee Seo-hee came in after some hesitation. She saw Jung Si-woo and made a sigh of relief. Jung Si-woo thought she would be here, but he felt something unusual from her. It was clear that she had grown quickly in a short period of time. To be honest, it was amazing. It appeared that she had grown rapidly and leveled up twenty stages or higher.
“How many years does that usually take?”
“If you’re a brave player who’s willing to rush and survive, you can do it in a month. Uh, that is for people like you, Oppa. Of course, I’ve never seen such a case other than you…and now I’ve seen one more…hmph.”
When Soo Ah-rin said that, she was gritting her teeth. She saw Lee Seo-hee walking in their direction. When he checked the seat next to him, there was definitely a nameplate that said “Lee Seo-hee.” There was no need to think deeply about who arranged these seats.
“Ugh, this lady.”
“Ohhhh, you betray me like this…!”
His mother’s unnecessary smile was quickly brought to mind. He and Lee Seo-hee broke up with each other by promising not to have lingering feelings, but what kind of illusion was this lady have? It was necessary to tell her clearly later.
“Si-woo.”
“Yep.”
Jung Si-woo waved back at Lee Seo-hee, who approached and carefully called his name while pulling out her chair. Lee Seo-hee’s expression looked relaxed.
“That’s a relief. I’ve heard from your mother, but I was nervous you wouldn’t show up.”
“Ahhhh…”
Soo Ah-rin, who saw Lee Seo-hee blush, quickly shifted to a combat posture. What did she say about standing alone? What was that attitude? But Jung Si-woo pushed her into a pocket. He knew to some extent now that Soo Ah-rin usually got excited only at times like this.
“You look a lot stronger. Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”
“I have to push myself. This is the only way to become strong…but I will never die. I’m confident that I can survive somehow.”
Lee Seo-hee smiled as she made a crystal shape with both hands before continuing in a smaller voice.
“But if it doesn’t work out, Si-woo will come to save me.”
“Well, if you tell me when and what kind of dungeon you’re going into, I’ll save you.”
“Yes, I’ll do that if it’s really dangerous.”
People in the conference room watched the two having a friendly conversation. It was clear that Jung Si-woo still didn’t properly recognize that he was receiving attention from people. No, he was just ignoring it even though he knew it.
“Well, then let’s start the meeting.”
When everyone was wriggling or listening to Jung Si-woo’s trivial actions or words, someone stood on the podium and called their attention. Surprisingly, it was the man who came to say hello to Jung Si-woo earlier.
“As you all know, this is to discuss measures related to the recent changes on earth, and at the same time to select a Korean representative to attend the upcoming World Player Conference. As it is a very important matter, I would like to ask the participants to make a statement.”
The head, Jung-sook, came into the conference room. Jung Si-woo was finally able to escape from people’s attention. Soo Ah-rin gave a dirty look at Jung Si-woo, who exchanged bitter smiles with Lee Seo-hee, but unfortunately, he wasn’t able to see it.
The meeting went roughly in line with Jung Si-woo’s expectations. The main point was that everyone was aware of the fact that they were doomed if they tried only to benefit their group, so they decided to divide the business rights as fairly as possible. The government would also consider the convenience of players as much as possible with full support.
The meeting went very smoothly because the players were given priority, and most of all, the government and companies were already coordinating with them. So it wasn’t like a meeting; it was like a report. It’s like they were saying, ‘We’ve prepared so much for you, so please watch it!’ Jung Si-woo’s smiled.
“Looking at the companies and the government bowing their heads…I’m guessing that a lot of players left.”
“Correct…I don’t see two famous guilds I used to know.”
Soo Ah-rin answered bitterly. Lee Seo-hee, who was sitting next to her, immediately realized the existence of Soo Ah-rin when she tilted her head because she first thought that he was talking to himself. If she hadn’t been introduced to Soo Ah-rin before, she probably wouldn’t have known until the end.
“You tagged along.”
“Well, I’m going to announce it today.”
Although the meeting was now underway, questions would probably be asked about Jung Si-woo, a strong man who appeared like a rising star, after the story of the prepared issue was over. Privately or publicly, Jung Si-woo had already decided how far he was willing to answer questions.
‘I have the ability to save a player who is retired, and that I can enter and exit the Ant Cave dungeon…I’ll probably let them know my ability to extract the source of a monster. Well, the earth’s ability to self-produce monsters makes it meaningless now.’
He had no intention of revealing his ability to travel to other worlds. What he already decided to reveal was absurd enough.
“Jung Si-woo, I heard that you have an artifact that combines magic with modern technology.”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to hear more.”
Just in time, a question came in that concerned his personal situation. Of course, the intention was fully understood. Depending on Jung Si-woo’s answer, the speed and direction of development of Korea, or the world, could vary greatly. To be honest, it wasn’t something that individuals should embrace.
“It’s a quest reward.”
“What?”
“So I don’t understand the principles of it either.”
“…”
And unfortunately, the phantom bike wasn’t created by Jung Si-woo’s ability, but by the ability of his rest place. What the government and businesses wanted couldn’t be done. Jung Si-woo couldn’t create a combination of technology and magic at his resting place.
“Well, then please allow us to study the artifact…”
“It’s something I’ll keep using, so I can’t let you take it. But I can lend it to you if you’ll give it back to me.”
Jung Si-woo’s answer was relentless and determined; the questioner was struck speechless. Then a question flew in from the other side of the room.
“I’d like to ask something. What kind of quest did you get it from? No, are you really a player in the first place?”
It was Kim Ha-ryong. That’s the kind of person who could point out the problem that everyone was putting off. Jung Si-woo glimpsed at the host of the meeting. He nodded his head. There was a rough agreement on the matter. It was time to talk about the next agenda, selecting a Korean representative for the World Player Conference. In that case, Jung Si-woo couldn’t be left out.
“All right.”
With the host’s permission, Jung Si-woo also nodded.
“Then let’s talk about me for a while.”
Jung Si-woo stood up from his seat. His dark and thick lizard’s tail popped up above his hip and near his tailbone. Everyone who saw it opened their eyes.
“First of all, I’m not a player. I’m an underground player.
“What the hell is that…?”
Jung Si-woo grinned at the people who were dumbfounded by the lizard tail.
“I’m a player who explores Ant Caves, not the Sky Castle.”
It was the moment when the existence of a special man was announced to the world.
