Chapter 45: Smoke (2)
It was a strange day.
“Hm...”
Middle-aged Kim Chul-Jung, the head of the sales department, was smoking a cigarette on his way home.
Kim Chul-Jung felt alienated from the world. He also felt a sense of bewilderment upon realizing there was a discrepancy between his thoughts and what was considered normal. It was a strange feeling that made him look back on his past self.
These days, the behavior of the new employees at his workplace often put him in a difficult position and made him feel out of place. He was no longer swimming with the tide.
While ruminating about what was going on at work, Kim Chul-Jung put out his cigarette as he was about to exit an alley. He was currently in a cul-de-sac, and he could see a group of students at the dead end opposite him with unlit cigarettes in their mouths. Even though they were in their school uniforms, they didn’t seem to mind being seen.
The group of students made eye contact with Kim Chul-Jung, but the students didn’t mind him and proceeded to light their cigarettes.
“...Ha,” sighed Kim Chul-Jung as he approached the students without hesitation. He said, “Do you think it’s okay for young students like you to smoke in your school uniforms?”
The students glanced at Kim Chul-Jung and then looked at each other. One by one, they began to snicker.
“Why do you care, ahjussi? We bought cigarettes with our money.”
“These kids...” muttered Kim Chul-Jung.
“Nosy old guy.”
“Lol, so funny, what a retard.”
The students laughed mockingly.
“He’s giving us shit even though he’s smoking too. That’s why he’s bald.”
“Let’s go. So gross.”
They walked past Kim Chul-Jung and began to leisurely head somewhere else. Meanwhile, not a single one of them put out their cigarettes. They openly exhaled cigarette smoke in the streets as they headed toward a place only they knew.
Kim Chul-Jung was dumbfounded. Again, he was overwhelmed by strange emotions that he didn’t understand. The world was changing. Virtual reality games were now mainstream, cars moved on auto-pilot, and artificial organs were used in transplants.
“Hmm...”
It was now an age in which it was considered nosy to criticize students for smoking. Kim Chul-Jung began to wonder whether the world had been like this for a while, and only he hadn’t noticed.
‘I’m so out of touch now.’
Kim Chul-Jung laughed bitterly as he continued walking, but the strangeness of the day tightened its hold on him.
A kid was running down the street with excitement. She tripped and fell over. Kim Chul-Jung caught the kid in his arms, but the ice cream she had been holding soiled his clothes.
“Oh, god...” muttered Kim Chul-Jung while laughing bitterly.
The kid stared blankly at him with a surprised look on her face.
“You can’t just run around in the streets like this,” warned Kim Chul-Jung.
The kid did not respond.
“You should apologize since you’ve made a mistake,” taught Kim Chul-Jung.
Suddenly, the kid yelled out, “Mom!”
A young woman came running. When she discovered her kid with Kim Chul-Jung, she furrowed her eyebrows and quickly pulled her kid toward her.
“Are you okay?” the mother asked.
“Yeah,” replied the kid.
“Did the ahjussi do anything weird to you?” the mother questioned.
Kim Chul-Jung was baffled. “What do you mean?”
“I’m asking because it’s a scary world outside,” the mother said.
“Can’t you see my pants? Shouldn’t you at least apologize since your kid dirtied my clothes?”
“She’s just a kid. What do you expect? Do you want me to pay for your dry cleaning or something?”
“...”
Before Kim Chul-Jung could even respond, the young woman took her kid and left.
Alone, Kim Chul-Jung once again experienced that strange, incomprehensible feeling he had felt earlier in the day and headed home. Was what he had known to be common sense no longer considered common sense in this world?
When he returned home, no one greeted him. Instead, the faces inside his family picture in the living room smiled back at him.
Kim Chul-Jung was a goose dad [1]. He was a middle-aged man who only commuted between work and home. Having worked hard when he was young, he was currently a department head, but it was now already time for him to prepare for his retirement. Kim Chul-Jung’s youth was long gone. The only joy in his life was occasionally hearing the voices of his wife and kids when he spoke to them over the phone.
The events Kim Chul-Jung experienced today made him feel more lonely. He was old enough to know that days in which nothing went well were a part of life, but he couldn’t help but be filled with sorrow.
Kim Chul-Jung sank into his couch and turned on the television. Its bright screen lit up the living room. Elder Lord’s trending video of the day was being broadcast. His sunken eyes stared at the screen.
Laney’s video was on. She was a popular Youvidser.
“...Oh, my...”
Kim Chul-Jung felt in full force the strange emotion that he’d felt all day.
No matter how much the world had changed, how could they broadcast such a horrendous sight without shame?
Large clans were slaughtering villagers in groups. Although the villagers were just characters in a game, the way they wailed and begged for their lives was more horrifying than he had seen in real life. How could the people playing the game slash women and children while comforting themselves by saying the villagers were merely artificial intelligence? How could they kill all the villagers without reservation just because they were NPCs?
As someone who had passionately played Elder Lord at one point, Kim Chul-Jung fully understood how Elder Lord’s NPCs were no different from actual people.
Suddenly, the focus of the video changed. The shot moved past the scene of the massacre and focused on a creature that everyone thought of as a monster—an orc.
The orc doggedly fought against the players who were slaughtering the NPCs. Even though he kept rolling on the ground from pain and was covered in blood, he would get up again and again to protect the villagers.
What a paradoxical scene! Humans were like monsters, and a creature that was regarded as a monster was the most humane!
Kim Chul-Jung sighed.
The orc looked like he would drop dead at any moment, but he defied death and relentlessly swung his greatsword. Kim Chul-Jung’s heart skipped a beat while watching the brave orc who refused to give up.
What kept the orc going? How was he fighting with such perseverance?
-Is that how you do things?
The orc spoke.
-You.
In Kim Chul-Jung’s eyes, the orc was a hero even though he was soaked in blood and losing the fight.
-You. When you see people being slaughtered for no reason, do you just turn your back on them and run away?”
Kim Chul-Jung couldn’t help but get up from his seat. The person filming the video seemed to be experiencing the same emotion as him. Their breathing became irregular and noticeably louder.
It was at this moment that the person filming intervened. Their voice sounded like a woman’s. The person asked the orc why he was recklessly pursuing a fight that would only end in death.
The orc grinned and replied confidently as if he was saying the obvious.
-That’s how you humans measure things.
Then he whispered.
-A warrior does not succumb to injustice.
‘Fighting against injustice to the end—what an outdated idea.’
That orc was truly old-fashioned. He was like an antique that made even an out-of-touch middle-aged man like Kim Chul-Jung seem like a flashy new sports car. Kim Chul-Jung was certain that the orc would not be able to live out his full life span with his outdated ideals in the current age, during which the stories of heroes who gave up their lives for their beliefs were things of the past. Nevertheless, heroes often made their mark through death.
The video ended with the scene of the orc and a high-ranker charging toward one another.
Kim Chul-Jung couldn’t move. He stood still for a while to think about what he felt. It was an unfamiliar feeling, yet it had always been within him. He fell into deep thought for a moment.
Then he opened his eyes. Kim Chul-Jung no longer had the eyes of a middle-aged man fatigued by life. He had the fiery gaze of a real man.
Kim Chul-Jung began murmuring to himself, “I had forgotten...”
He went to his son’s old room. The room wasn’t empty; inside it was an Elder Lord capsule. Kim Chul-Jung used to use it every day to ease his loneliness after being apart from his family for so long. It had since gathered dust from lack of use.
He concluded, “...that men age like fine wine.”
Department Head Kim Chul-Jung, no—Elder Lord’s top necromancer Iron was returning to the world of Elder Lord.
***
“Yo, man! Wassup, man!”
“Hey, long time no see! Wow! Good to see you again!”
“Me too, bro! Hey, come inside!
Joseph and Bob were from the United States, so they conversed in fluent English. They hugged each other while engaging in conversation. Along with Elia and Gary, their whole team had gathered at Bob’s place. Ever since they were youths, they had been old friends and partners. They continued to meet up and enjoy an old hobby that was now only remembered by a few—TRPG! [2]
The four people were friends who braved through adventures together in imagined worlds by rolling dice. They had been dragon slayers, heroes who saved the world, and even demons that destroyed the world. However, the world had changed, and virtual reality was the trend now. So, their activities gradually moved to the realm of virtual reality games as it brought their imaginations to life.
In the world of virtual reality, the members boasted top-notch role-play. They were true role-players who were widely known in North American communities.
The four friends had gathered at Bob’s house to role-play together. Beside them were four virtual reality capsules placed side by side. Before they logged on, they had a light snack as they discussed their plan for the day.
“Hey, I saw a funny video.”
“What is it?”
“Watch closely.”
Bob unlocked his tablet. There was a video on the screen. It had been uploaded by the well-known Youvidser, Laney. They could understand the language in the video without any issues, thanks to advanced translation technology.
“Hmm...”
Upon watching the video, Bob’s friends were shocked into silence. The video was horrifying. The clans were evil for slaughtering NPCs, but the scene of the orc fighting and resisting the clans was truly heroic. The orc had an indomitable fighting spirit that went against injustice!
Bob looked at the eyes of each of his friends in succession. As long-time friends, they could understand what he was trying to say even without words.
Gary nodded. “Is the theme for today ‘four soldiers who rescue an orc and a village that’s in danger’?”
“Not bad,” Bob replied.
They grinned.
Elia spoke up, “But is the orc still alive?”
They had been unable to verify whether the orc was alive through the video, but based on the state of the battle, his death seemed highly probable.
Despite that, Bob was optimistic. “Well, we can find out for ourselves.”
“What if he’s dead?”
“Then we can become four soldiers who carry his legacy.”
They rose from their seats.
“How long does it take to get to Chesswood?”
“Not sure.”
“It will be instantaneous with my buff.”
They entrusted their bodies to the capsules.
Anyone who had engaged with Elder Lord’s role-playing community knew the role-playing crew, F4! They, F4, were now crossing into the world of Elder Lord.
***
A man checked Elder Lord’s online forum and saw that a new post was up. He clicked on it.
[Title: Brothers, the time has come.
Brothers, I’m sure everyone has seen the video trending online. My hands tremble as I write this post.
Our brother is suffering. He is struggling on his own to stop the evildoers. I’m sure all of us trembled in anger as we watched what happened in Chesswood.
It’s time to show who we really are to the filthy humans.
I’m heading there right now.
I will save a spot for you guys.]
It was a short post, but the comments section exploded. The man read through them. Unsurprisingly, all of the commentators were in ‘bul’tar’ mode.
-I’m going as well. Let’s go!
-I’m participating. Disgusting clan members!
-Let’s go! We will punish the evildoers!
-I’m going. Let’s make an impression on the world.
-I won’t say it twice. Let’s go, brothers!
-Received! Let’s charge!
-(show more)
A smile emerged on the man’s lips. As expected, his brothers didn’t let him down. He had not been able to calm down after watching the video.
-Oslam#1Maguchwi: I’m running over there!!! Brothers!!! Shout ‘bul’tar’!!!
He was Sorcerer Maguchwi, the first Oslam member and someone who loved orcs more than anyone else. Maguchwi had been spreading the charm and honor of orcs ever since Elder Lord’s launch as he had been the only one to select an orc character. He was an Oslam worthy of the name.
Maguchwi ran a secret orc player community called ‘Oslam Brotherhood.’ Now, he and his brothers were running toward Chesswood.
***
In the plains leading to Chesswood, Stablehand Gordon was driving people to Chesswood in his wagon. Chesswood wasn’t a bustling city, but people occasionally wanted to move there because the villagers were nice, simple folks, and it was a peaceful place.
The wagon was carrying a family and their belongings. The weather was fantastic, and Gordon had received a large sum of money as a transportation fee. Moreover, he would soon be able to meet Madame Rachel at the bar. It was a good day in many aspects.
So, when he discovered travelers on the road, he greeted them warmly, “Hey, how are you doing?”
They glanced over at Gordon. It seemed that they were all headed toward Chesswood.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Gordon. Are you all heading toward Chesswood? It’s a bit cramped, but I have some space left. Do you want a ride?”
The travelers were silent.
“I won’t charge you much. How about it? Your legs must be sore,” Gordon said.
The travelers began whispering among themselves.
Gordon grinned. Travelers tended to be suspicious of others, but he had no intention of jacking up the price. He was an honest stablehand.
“I will only charge one silver per person. I’m giving you a huge discount because I’m in a good mood,” said Gordon as he hummed a song.
The bright sun and gentle breeze elicited a cheerful tune from him.
The travelers, done with their discussion, nodded in agreement. “Fine. Five silver for five people.”
Gordon stopped his carriage for a second and held out his hand. The man who seemed to be the leader of the travelers approached Gordon and extended his hand.
Gordon murmured, “Thank y—”
However, what the man handed over wasn’t money but a fist.
“What?” Gordon uttered.
He rolled from the impact of the attack and fell from the driver’s compartment. He was rattled by the sudden attack.
Gordon moaned on the ground as he protested, “Ugh, what are you doing?”
The travelers smirked.
One of them said, “I was bored on the way, but it worked out.”
There were white stars shining faintly on their foreheads.
“Kill everyone inside. Let’s steal everything and ride this carriage to Chesswood. We will be able to join the clan members faster.”
“Understood.”
Gordon was aghast at what he had heard. “What is this... you evil...!”
“Why are you surprised?” the leader of the travelers asked with a grin. “Is it your first time seeing people who have been cursed by the stars?”
Gordon became lost in thought. How exactly did he end up meeting these evil men?
He tried to get up but was kicked back down by the man. Gordon curled up on the ground. He’d thought that it was a great day, but it was actually the opposite.
“Ahhh...” Gordon groaned.
“Wait a bit. There are people inside,” the leader of the travelers said.
He made his group wait as he checked out the wagon by himself.
As he had expected, he found a family inside when he drew open the screen. They stared at him blankly, not understanding what was going on.
The NPC, who appeared to be the head of the family, spoke up, “Who are you? Have we already arrived?”
“Yeah,” the man said while raising his knife. He grinned and stated, “You have arrived in hell.”
The NPCs were taken aback. The mother huddled with the kids while the father stepped forward and spread out his arms to protect them.
It was a beautiful display of familial love.
“We... We don’t have much, just our lives...” said the father.
“Your lives are enough,” replied the man.
“At least let the kids...” implored the father.
“Everyone, get out,” ordered the man.
They were merely NPCs.
Elder Lord was excessively realistic, but that’s what made the game so fun. The man grinned and was about to pull them out of the wagon when he heard a scream.
“Ahhhhhhhh!”
“What, did they already kill him?” the man wondered.
It seemed his crew had already killed the stablehand. The man was about to resume what he had been doing when he heard the screams continue.
“Ahhhh!”
“Arrgghh!”
The man’s face stiffened. Something was off. Those voices were his clan members’. He quickly got out of the wagon and looked in the direction of the driver’s seat.
“...!”
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
All of his clan members were lying on the ground and turning into white particles. All four of his men were dead. Considering their skill levels, it wasn’t an easy feat to defeat them. Moreover, one of them was even a high-ranker that the clan had nurtured.
The man shifted his gaze. Beyond the corpses of his men, Gordon was staring him down. A sharp knife gleamed in Gordon’s hand.
Gordon smirked and slicked his hair back.
The mouth of the group’s leader gaped open in shock.
A white star like his was shining brightly on Gordon’s forehead.
The group’s leader retreated. As Gordon approached the man, he gently swished his blade. He had a vicious expression that was unimaginable on an easy-going stablehand.
“Why are you surprised?” Gordon smiled coldly. “Is this your first time seeing a role-player?”
1. The term goose dad refers to Korean dads who live in Korea and financially support their kids and wives who live in English-speaking countries. The kids and wives dwell overseas for the sake of the kids’ education ?
2. TRPG stands for tactical role-playing game ?
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