I felt a cold breeze touch my face. When I was younger, I was weak to the cold, so I usually kept the window closed. But then who opened it?
‘It’s obvious.’
Sung Jinho, this guy.1
Complaining, I pulled my blanket all the way to my neck. And lying next to me, I could hear a woman’s whines.
“… Huh?”
Woman? What woman?
In an instant, I was wide awake. As if I heard a siren, I jumped up out of bed. And slowly turned my head.
“Tailungle (太伶了).”2
Dear Lord. I was surprised for the second time. The first, this situation I couldn’t understand. The second, the woman who was lying on the bed next to me was extremely pretty.
The goddess mumbled something I couldn’t understand and burrowed back into the blankets. Even though I didn’t know what was going on, she was so pretty I felt my heart shake.
If it wasn’t for the cold breeze, I would just lay in bed looking at her.
‘But where is this?’
I looked around. A brightly lit candle. A strangely provacative woman.
And a place I’ve only heard about but never been to.
‘A room salon?’3
But why am I here?
I felt bewildered. What happened? I was drinking with Jinho hyung up until yesterday and then went back to my goshiwon.
I wanted to avoid the loud snoring sounds, so escaped to the capsule. I remembered everything clearly.
‘Am I dreaming?’
I pinched myself. It hurt. It wasn’t a dream.
It became more mysterious. I looked around myself with a blank expression and then grabbed the woman’s shoulder and shook it.
‘Ex–excuse me.”
The woman opened her eyes and looked at me. She looked at me with her sparkling, dark blue eyes and I felt my heart shake again.
“Who are you?”
“Shénme?”4
“Ah, you must be Sunmi. But that’s not what I meant when I asked you that question…”
“Shénme?”
“Yes…?”
“Shénme…?”
What is this. It became silent and we stared at each other. And then I realized. This woman, she wasn’t Korean.
“Are you Chinese? Or Filipino?”
“… Zai naoren ma?”5
‘What, we can’t even communicate with each other.’
I scratched my head in frustration and in the next second, sprung up like an idiot.
Ring.
Would you like to read an unread message?
Accept / Reject
You have exceeded the time limit, so a character has been randomly selected.
Navigating to [Murim]… Starting as player [Jin Taekyung]
Logging into [Murim]
Preparing reward for first login.
Character has the ability to translate languages. Would you like to use the [Translation Package]?
Character? Murim? Login?
“Uh? Uuuh?”
Applying the [Translation Package]
“Hold on, hold on!”
At that moment, the woman spoke.
“Master Jin6, are you okay?”
It was perfect Korean. As the [Translation Package] was now installed, I couldn’t but think–
What was going on?
—
Wol Hwa(月華)7. It was a girl’s name.
Skin that was fair and smooth and a small face that was the size of my fist. And dense features with big, clear eyes. She could have been a celebrity.
I couldn’t help but admire her one more time.
‘The graphics are amazing.’
After observing my situation roughly, I realized it was simple.
Murim. Character. Login. Player. And the last place I fell asleep in was a game capsule. And the most obvious.
Would you like to open your messages?
Accept / Reject
It was the system window. I could respond by speaking aloud or I could think it. Scratching your head was a notice. Clicking the window in the air was possible too.
‘The more I look at it, the more amazing it is.’
Finally, even though there was a sense of separation between the game and the player, this was still a game. I was playing a game.
‘But when did I login?’
I don’t remember plugging the capsule in. As I was thinking about yesterday’s events, Wol Hwa pushed her hands forward. In her hands with a full cup of water.
“Drink this. I think you’re still drunk from sleep.”
‘The A.I. is amazing too.’
I glanced at Wol Hwa’s face and raised the cup to my mouth.
Startled, ‘What is this?’
The refreshing taste of the water. The refreshing feeling of the water going down my throat to my stomach. It was so fresh that I could feel the goosebumps on my arm.
The realistic graphics, the NPC’s artificial intelligence, and the unbelievable water was enough to make it hard to believe that this was just a game.
I heard rumors of how amazing technology has advanced but who knew it was at this level. I could see why there were so many bad gamers.
‘This must be why people say virtual reality that, virtual reality this.’
Like a kindergartener arriving at a playground, I looked around at my surroundings with an open mouth. But as I was looking around an acrid smoke was covering my sight.
When I turned back around, Wol Hwa was looking at me with a curious expression on her face.
“Yes…?”8
Because she looked so real, I spoke to her politely without even realizing it9. But it could also be because she was so beautiful.
Wol Hwa blew out the smoke and exhaled.
“Just because I wanted to look at you?”
I thought all she had going for her were her looks but she also knew how to set the mood. Her force was enough to cause female students to get a nosebleed. From top to bottom, you could see it written.
‘Femme Fatale.’
They set her character concept well. I felt like there would be a lot of players who would start the game just because of Wol Hwa.
“Master Jin, did you know you’re a little weird today?”
Master Jin? It was a cringey nickname. But I pretended like I was innocent. I just wanted to enjoy the scene a little.
‘Because it’s a game.’
“What do you mean?”
“Everything? You staring blankly, or you suddenly using formal language. I don’t know what to make of it.”
As Wol Hwa finished, it was at that second.
Ring.
There is a new [Tutorial Quest].
The game progress was fresh. Usually games would start along the lines of ‘You’ve regained consciousness’ and then start the tutorial quest.
But they gave you this kind of freedom?
‘Uh, confirming quest?’
I was confused if I was doing it right when the quest window popped up.
Tutorial – Round One
You have taken the first step in Murim.
Collect basic information and become familiar with your surroundings.
Rank: Tutorial (Quest Chain)
Restriction: First Registration
Mission: Collect Information (Incomplete)
Familiarize Surroundings (Incomplete)
Reward: Set of Sturdy Clothes
Gain access to Character Status Window
Gain access to inventory
Gain access to skills
Collect information, become familiar with my surroundings?
It’s not like I’ve played a lot of games, but this kind of quest is a first.
Isn’t it usually something like catch this many bunnies, or practice using the game interface?
But I should at least make an effort.
“How much do you know about me?”
Even I thought this was a straightforward question. I could see the smile on Wol Hwa’s face as she blew out more smoke.
“That’s an interesting question. Should I tell you exactly what the rumors say?”
“Rumors?”
“It’s already stuff Master Jin knows. They’re not really good things to say in front of you.”
“It’s okay. Let’s hear it.”
I felt myself getting more and more interested in the game. Even though I haven’t played a game in a while, it was also because the game was unexpected. Wherever it was made, it was made well.
“It’s because I’m curious. If the rumors you’ve heard are the ones I’ve heard. It’s not like I’ll get offended, since this isn’t the first time I’ve heard them.”
“… Well, if you say so.”
She bit the bait. I smirked proudly. Now all that was left was getting the information.
“First. Do you know who I am?”
Even though it was a strange question, Wol Hwa answered the question innocently. And it seemed like she was enjoying the situation.
“The young master of the Jin family in Taiyuan. I don’t need to tell you what your name is do I?”
I answered confidently.
“No. Jin Taekyung.”
My name was Jin Taekyung. I was the youngest member in the Jin family.
As Wol Hwa blew the smoke out and breathed it in, she coughed.
“Second. What kind of place are the Jin’s in Taiyuan?”
Wol Hwa finished coughing and replied.
“The Jin’s public recognition is good. Every once in a while, they take care of the bandits in the area. And during a drought, they’ll bring supplies even before the government does.”
That was all?
As if sensing my disappointment, Wol Hwa continued.
“And above all else, they’re the representative family in Shan Xi providence. You could say they’re like a great tree with deep roots.”
“Ooooh!”
I exclaimed without realizing it. It wasn’t because I felt proud of how amazing the Jin family sounded but because of the system’s alarm.
Ring.
You have earned the title [Child of a Noble Family]. Titles can later be seen through the status window.
‘Title? Child of a Noble Family?’
There must be a title, since this was a fantasy game.
‘Like a Dragon Slayer or something like that.’
Not only do I gain certain achievements, I also get additional effects from equipping titles. On that note, you could say that my luck is quite good.
‘Isn’t this a totally gold spoon character?’10
Who knew that even being born to a noble family would be considered an achievement. It made me angry but happy at the same time. A random character that was selected for me turned out to be the lottery winner. But the information didn’t stop there.
“But lately there have been problems inside and out.”
“Problems? What kind of problems?”
Now that I was looking at the quest window, it still said [incomplete] next to ‘Collect Information’. There must be more information.
“From the outside, there is an opposing force who is eyeing the leadership position in Shan Xi, and the problem from the inside…”
Wol Hwa slowly blew out the smoke.
“I’ve heard the third son of the family is an idiot.”
“Ah ha, wherever you go there’s always an idiot like that.”
I unconsciously nodded my head up and down.
“You there.”
“Yes?”
“I’m just asking this out of fun but in the Jin family, which son are you?”
I answered with a laugh.
“The third.”
In the Jin family I was the third son and the youngest, but she said the third son is the idiot. But then.
“Fuck. It’s me?”
Ring.
You have gained the title [Information Collector]. Titles can later be seen through the status window.
[Collect Information] has been completed.
Should I cry, or should I laugh. After thinking about it, I smirked and Wol Hwa looked at me and laughed.
Right. A good thing is a good thing. So what if I was the family’s disgrace. It’s just a game anyways.
I checked the quest window and double checked that I completed collecting information.
‘The problem is familiarize myself with your surroundings.’
The quest said it in such a roundabout way, that I wasn’t sure what it was specifically asking for. In the end, wasn’t Wol Hwa the only answer to my problems?
“Where is this?”
“The number one in the Red Light District. And this is my room.”
I was able to find out additional information just through talking.
This place was located in the center of Taiyuan. And I spent the night with someone who ranked high in the brothel. Hmm hmmm.
Even though I heard all kinds of information, the system alarm didn’t go off.
It was to the point that I asked this kind of question.
“And my situation right now?”
Wol Hwa let out a breath.
“Master Jin. I’m sorry to say this but you seem like a crazy person right now. How about we take a break?”
Right. To me I seem crazy too.
Looking out the window, I wondered what I was doing.
‘It’s not like I’m in a mind game.’
Graphic, the A.I., everything was great but I felt my interest drop from the tutorial. But if I could only pick one good thing, it was that the capsule I picked up yesterday was better than I thought.
If it was this level of a game, I didn’t pick up junk. It would be okay to sell to a used goods store.
‘And I have to decide what to do starting from today.’
Right, for playing just a little it wasn’t bad.
Lastly, I passed over Wol Hwa’s eyes and shouted–
“Log out!”
You are unable to log out.
What?
“Log out.”
You are unable to log out.
What’s wrong with this.
An error? Or the antique capsule finally broke down?
“… log out?”
You are unable to log out.
It was for sure. An error, a wreck, the stupid capsule finally broke down. After that, I tried ten more times and they all failed.
At this point, I could feel the angry and worry come up and slowly change to regret.
‘Isn’t this a problem?’
I shouldn’t have picked it up just because it was free. When Jinho hyung said that it was trash, I should have just thrown it away. Or I shouldn’t have read the stupid instruction manual.
‘But wait.’
The instructional manual. Right, I read that. Even though I tossed it after reading a couple warnings, I did read it.
‘What did it say again?’
At the instant I remembered the warnings I read, I felt chills all over my body.
–– Player cannot randomly logout.
– Player cannot resurrect in the middle of death.
I’m stuck inside the game? Me?
To my question, the system alarm went off.
Ring.
[Familiarize Surroundings] has been completed.
[Tutorial – Round 1] has been completed. Preparing rewards.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login