Chapter 90
Episode 90.
“What is this?”
“What’s wrong, Oppa?”
Instead of pushing the cart, Jung Si-woo stopped in embarrassment, and Soo Ah-rin stuck her head out of her hiding place. He responded by covering up the tattoo that emitted a five-colored light.
“I think they want to come out.”
“If you summon them out here, we’ll be in big trouble.”
“I think so too. Do we have anything else to buy?
“Yes.”
Jung Si-woo hurriedly dragged the cart to the checkout counter. Others stepped out of the way of his sprint. He quickly finished the payment, dragged the cart behind the pillar, and moved the contents into his inventory. The tattoo was shining brighter and brighter.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Um…I think you’ve been influenced by me.”
Jung Si-woo always wanted to fight and to run wild. However, after coming back from the Grand Canyon situation, he couldn’t fight for quite a long time, so only his heart was constantly conveyed to the souls that belonged to him, causing them to respond.
“How long have you been resting…”
“I’ve been setting it up too conspicuously these days, and I’m just going to train for a while, but…well, hold on.”
He thought as he quickly left the mart. As the Grand Canyon confirmed, the power of these ghosts wasn’t weak. Although, altogether, they were weaker than Jung Si-woo.
“That means they’re the only ones who can clean up. This is a pretty good conclusion, isn’t it?
“That’s a really scary conclusion…ugh if you think of all those ghosts wandering the streets.”
“Even spiders are insects, but they eat mosquitoes. I think that’s it. Ah?”
“Ah…”
They left the first floor of the mart and entered a moderately deserted alley. Originally, there were no people, but after the Earth entered the New Age, people wouldn’t go to such secluded places at all. Just because there were many people didn’t reduce the chance of monsters appearing, but at least the chance of being hit would decrease.
“You haven’t gotten used to it enough for a normal person to handle it yet.”
“I wish God had given us a tutorial period.”
“To all humanity? It’d be fun if one of you were left out.”
“That’s horrible.”
Jung Si-woo activated his skill as he spoke rudely. In an instant, the alley was filled with white ghosts. The strongest of the individuals stepped forward and then listed them in the order of their lifetime. The number was 106. Some were released from the previous battle, but now they all seemed to have recovered.
“If you were a little late, I would’ve been one of them…?”
“Then I couldn’t be a player. Don’t talk nonsense.”
Jung Si-woo checked their level one by one. The level of previous life was ignored, and the highest level was 130 levels, and the lowest level was ten levels, but more than half exceeded 100 levels. It was amazing to think that he had such a talented guild.
“Moreover, the ability to handle mana seems better than ever.”
“Maybe the spirit is more sensitive to mana than the body?”
Jung Si-woo also thought so. Of course, the spirit wasn’t in a natural state. They had to keep consuming mana in order to maintain their form as a spiritual body. It wasn’t wrong to say that they were made of mana.
“But if that happens, the guy who doesn’t have a lot has to retire, and that’s not the case…”
The pace of recovery of the body’s mana wasn’t comparable to that of the human body. Since mana was united around the core of the soul, it was natural to accept it as much as to send mana out. Jung Si-woo thought he had a lot to learn from him.
“But you can’t take off your body, so you have to be more mana-friendly. It’s hard.”
“The body and the spirit are different from the original. Take your time; we have a lot to spare.”
“Hmph.”
Knowing that it wasn’t a matter to be solved after a day or two of consideration, he went straight to the point.
“From now on, you hunt monsters on my behalf. First of all, focus on raising the level of low-level guys. No rest, no death, no detection. Keep these three things in mind.”
[Yes.]
As they are connected to each other through skills, they could be given instructions with just a sense, but in order not to make Soo Ah-rin look like a fool next to them, he had to speak out.
“And most importantly.”
He took out a big bag. She didn’t know when it was made, but it looked very strong because it was made of monster leather.
“Get the mana stone of the elite monsters in here. Come back when the bags are full.”
He has also decided on a bag. He was a high-level man who could keep his head under any circumstances.
“Okay, go now.”
[Yes!]
[Okay!]
It was the moment when the 106 ghost legion was released onto the world. When he first acquired the Soul Collection skill, it was indescribable, but now he was just proud of himself for learning it!
“Please don’t be on the news…”
“Let’s go. We have a lot to do.”
“Hmm.”
Soo Ah-rin pointed to the window screen of the clothing store.
“Oppa, they’re looking for you over there. You’re not going to him?”
“Oh…”
The screen was filled with emergency news, which had become common these days. The government was looking for Jung Si-woo as always, but now it seems to have created a player representative meeting in Korea to try to seduce him.
Surprisingly, however, it wasn’t done by South Korea alone but by the UN, which seemed to bring together players selected through representative meetings from each country to hold the World Player Representative Conference. After the meeting, maybe this time, there would be a World Federation of Players.
“The traditional players’ association is going to protest.”
“But they can’t play their own league anymore. Rather, there are many people who want to take the initiative in the new coalition by responding quickly. Look.”
The face of Kim Ha-ryong, the master of the Soaring Tempest Guild, was reflected on the screen installed in the clothing store window. He was in the middle of an interview in which he was performing his duties as a representative player in Korea. If one were to pick the most famous player in Korea, anyone would say him. Recently, Jung Si-woo had risen his level rapidly, but his real name, let alone his face, was unknown, so only the nickname of a Chinese restaurant rider was still around.
“It’s annoying to draw attention. I can’t be treated like a hero or a savior. I’m not acting like an attention whore. That’s actually how it is, I don’t like being played by others.”
“Still, it would be less annoying if you slowly revealed your identity. Just close your eyes and don’t bother me anymore! Yell out loud and say, ‘Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!’.”
And if something like the Grand Canyon incident happened in Korea, those connected to other players or national institutions could work together smoothly. Soo Ah-rin thought it would be okay to reveal that Jung Si-woo was an underground player.
“Hmm. Well, it’s time for you to get comfortable.”
“Not necessarily.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
If he hadn’t mastered the soul force, he would’ve hesitated to reveal himself a little more. However, learning the Soul Force made him strong enough to get out of any situation with Soo Ah-rin and Yong Se-ha. Then, there was nothing more to hesitate about. The time had come.
Then he got a call from Marina.
[Si-woo, I think I need to go back to the States. I’m calling to tell you before I go.]
“Your house is in America. You can just go.”
[How can I go when my partner is in Korea! Or…would you like to come with me?]
“Good-bye.”
[You’re so mean!]
Marina added that Jung Si-woo’s cold-hearted attitude made her cry for a while last time.
[Actually, we’re about to have a Western representative player meeting. And if I become a representative there, I could go to the world representative player meeting!]
“Yeah, I’m glad your land is big. We also have a national representative meeting.”
[There’s a list, but there’s no Seria in it. Did she go to you?]
“No, what about her?”
[She asked me for your number. She didn’t call?]
It was the first he heard of it.
“Would you like to spray my number all over the world like that?”
[If I didn’t let her know, she was going to search all over Korea, so I gave it away…that’s strange — but she didn’t contact you.]
“Hoo. Don’t let anyone else know…see you at the World Players Conference.”
She already gave away his number so that he couldn’t argue with them anymore. He made a moderate announcement that he would also attend a representative player meeting, and Marina’s response was full of joy.
[Oh, you made up your mind! From now on, we can date more confidently!]
“Date the monsters. I’m hanging up.”
[Hey, wait, Si-woo!]
He hung, and Soo Ah-rin was looking at him in awe. He shrugged and turned his head.
“So what should I do to go to that meeting? Should we at least break into the district office?”
“Why don’t we just pop up at the conference room?”
He thought something more troublesome would happen, but he didn’t know what to do in practice. Eventually, he decided to listen to Soo Ah-rin. For now, he remembered the date and venue of the Korean Player Representative Meeting on TV. It was in two days.
“Oppa, you’re getting a call again.”
“Huh? If it’s Marina, I should hang up right away…”
It was his mother this time. There was a degree of exquisite timing. When he answered it carefully, the content was even more amazing.
[Son, you’ve been to America this time, haven’t you? Are you going to start working now?]
“Mom, did you put a tape recorder on me?”
[I’m your mother. Of course, I know what you’ve been up to.]
Her radar ability was beyond amazing and astonishing. However, considering that what happened at the Grand Canyon was being broadcasted by now, it wasn’t unnatural for his mother to call him.
[It looks like you seduced another girl again. Like father, like son, I guess.]
“That’s not true.”
[What do you mean that’s not true? Come to think of it, Seo-hee called me a while ago. What happened? Don’t tell me you’re trying to get back with Seo-hee instead of Ah-rin…]
“I’ll hang up.”
As soon as he tried to press the end call button without hesitation, his mother’s voice turned slightly urgent.
[If you’re going to attend the Korean player representative meeting, I’ll make some adjustments for you.]
“How?”
[I have some stuff going on there because of your dad.]
What did she mean? He didn’t want to ask because he was so scared.
[Since you’re a player, it’s good if you could help me.]
“You’re really good at talking…”
She was definitely his dad’s business partner, but his mom was still an incumbent housewife. However, she seemed to have been worried about Jung Si-woo even though she didn’t say it. He was surprised, but he didn’t feel bad.
“Yes, I’m going to attend. Thanks for your concern, Mom.”
[It’s my role to take care of my clumsy son. And Ah-rin’s doing okay?]
“Yes, mom.”
[Oh, my. So you are with her.]
Soo Ah-rin looked at him as if she had waited, then turned to the sky with a smile on her face. In the novel, when there was nothing to do, something new happened when you look at the sky. But the reality was cold. The sky was only blue.
Two days later, the day of the representative meeting came.