Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: Sudden Surge and the Gate Opens
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I'm so flabbergasted that I freeze up.
"...What's this?"
It's all too sudden. My ranking, which had been stuck around 100th place, has inexplicably jumped to 38th?
Startled, I check the leaderboard. The average views have surpassed 3,000. It's more than tripled in one go.
'Whoa, that's gotta be... close to 50 million won, even roughly calculated.'
On top of that, contest royalties are calculated at double rate, so this alone has netted me over 100 million. Sure, fees will take a cut, but hey, it's not even finished yet—new shoots are just sprouting.
I hurry to check the comments.
⤷InvincibleKimChoco: Came to see what the hype was about. Wow. It's really well-written. Who knew a gem like this was hiding here.
⤷ChaYoungchun: A lotus blooming in the mud, truly.
⤷LeeSukkyung: Fixing on a single perspective while delivering astonishingly vivid descriptions of each character. You can really see the obsessive thought put into them.
Overall, the reception is glowing. New readers flooding in from *When New Shoots Sprout* are full of praise.
Not everyone's on board, of course.
⤷MindNourishment: Ptooey! What is this crap? Total snoozefest?
⤷WhatTheHeck: Got excited seeing something new in the top 50, but this? Abuse much?
⤷BarkIfItsFun: Reported you to JusticeDivine, so GTFO.
⤷Hashtag: Boring......
⤷GalaxyRailway19Plus: Why write something like this here?
Naturally, the two camps clash, turning the comments into an arena.
⤷ChaYoungchun: Why so many hate comments on such a brilliant work?
⤷WhatTheHeck: Yeah, go back to your bot farm.
⤷ChaYoungchun: What? Bot?
"Any promo posts pop up somewhere?"
But now's not the time to check.
"Alright, time to help you suit up!"
"Ah. Sure."
I stand and spread my arms, and the two women approach to drape the armor over me. It's a design focused more on striking visuals than practicality. Of course, I know what it is.
"Starlight Holy Armor."
"Oh? You know it?"
"Yeah..."
It's mythic armor. The holy grail for close-combat classes, with only the ranker [Nuclear] owning a full five-piece set.
"Well, obviously, it's not the real Starlight Holy Armor. But to capture that aura, it's enchanted with four 8th-class spells."
Once suited up, Sarang approaches.
"Ah, Jaeyeon, sorry, but could we tweak the contract a bit?"
"Tweak it?"
"Yes... There's an issue with the ad deal..."
Dressed in flashy armor, I move with her to a side office. Her secretary, Carlton, who had been trailing behind, explains calmly.
"The Justice God has issued a warning over Jaeyeon-nim's ad payout."
"What? Justice God? Why?"
Even when I massively inflated Diamond stocks, nothing happened. Why fuss over ad fees that sponsors set themselves?
Sarang explains to my puzzled look.
"Revenge is a Pay-to-Win game, after all. People are saying it's unfair if you boost your specs with excessive ad money and join sieges or large-scale battles. Turns out a few reported it to the prosecutors. Unlike last time with stocks—anyone with shares could try—these ads aren't open to just anyone."
"Players don't want to compete against a character boosted by game company cash. Sorry this came up after the contract was underway."
Carlton bows his head. I shrug.
"So the ad fee gets cut?"
Carlton nods at my question.
"That's one option. Drop it to 10 billion, and you won't have to spend it. Or refrain from sieges, world raids, etc., for a set period..."
"Nah, no need for that."
I shrug again. It was nothing serious after all.
"I'll delete all the diamonds and items from spending. That solves it, right?"
"...."
"...."
The game company CEO and her secretary stare at me blankly. I ask,
"Any issues?"
"No... None."
There was brief confusion, but it resolved easily.
Since I was already face-to-face with Sarang, I brought up something I'd been mulling over.
"I'd like to talk about copyrights."
"Copyrights?"
"Yeah. I've been writing some stuff that borrows a bit from Revenge's worldbuilding."
"You mean... Revenge fanfic?"
"Similar vibe, yeah."
No issues so far. My novels didn't get much traffic, and nobody cared about Revenge's backstory.
Honestly, it's generic mass-produced fantasy—no one would remember it anyway.
'Plagiarism drama only blows up with real popularity.'
No interest meeting no interest—how could it be a problem? But that was then; things might change.
Take *Emperor Knight Never*—it's at 9th on Novel Arena, and *When New Shoots Sprout* is blowing up too.
Ardenian novels overlap slightly with Revenge settings, but once they start covering post-Gate events, it'll shift big time.
Sarang, oblivious to all this, widens her eyes.
"Wait, you're deliberately borrowing from the Revenge world? Why?"
'Why? Because my authors live there.'
Can't say that, so I pick a safe answer.
"Just 'cause."
But no real reason comes to mind. Makes sense—why use this cookie-cutter fantasy world on purpose?
In the end, only one excuse fits.
"Just... I like the Ardenian worldbuilding."
"...."
Sarang's expression turns weird for a second.
Her lips twitch upward, cheeks quivering. She stares at me silently for a long while.
"...?"
Just as I'm wondering what's up with her, Carlton behind her bows his head.
"CEO."
Sarang startles and straightens up.
"Ah, um. No problem at all. Write whatever you want!"
"But shouldn't we get permission from the original creator?"
"It's fine. I give permission!"
Looks like the company owns the copyrights.
"Thanks then."
The meeting ends on a warm note.
Sarang leaves first, and as Carlton follows, he turns to me.
"Um, Jaeyeon-nim."
"Yeah?"
"Did you know what you were saying?"
"...What?"
As I question the cryptic words, a faint aura flickers around Carlton. Now that I can sense spiritual power, I recognize it.
'What the—this guy's a priest of the Truth God. Why now?'
Ignoring my confusion, Carlton chuckles wryly.
"Heh. No way. Haha. This is... fate, I guess."
"Carlton?"
He snaps to, bowing deeply.
"Nothing. Thank you."
"...?"
"Haha. This is... ha..."
He walks off with a hearty laugh.
"What was that about?"
"Jaeyeon! Time to start shooting!"
"Ah! Coming!"
I dash to the set at the call.
Hundreds of fully armed Gigases line one side of the shooting area. No Gear-grade junk—minimum Beast-grade, packed with Human-grade. An insane force!
Less like they gathered for filming, more like the garrison managing this Battle Stage.
"Alright! Activating guidance devices. Grab your weapon! Follow the script but make it as realistic as possible!"
I take position at the CF director's call.
Wooong! Wooong! Wooong!
Far off, space rips open as monsters appear.
"Standby!"
Internal energy surges through my body, chakras igniting.
"Action!"
The ad shoot begins.
* * *
"An honor to meet you! Yes, sir!"
A green-haired boy prostrates himself. Never, author of *Emperor Knight Never*. He's leading the 1st Imperial Literature Contest.
'Young, alright.'
Heard he's 16, but looks three years younger. Like he didn't eat well as a kid.
"Yeah. I've been following your work. It's quite entertaining."
"Th-thank you!"
"Any discomforts in your stay?"
"N-no, Your Majesty! I'm treated so well—just scribbling for fun, and this reception moves me deeply!"
He's super tense. Makes sense for a kid solo-audiencing the Emperor.
"Good. I like seeing that drive. Anything you want to say?"
"Uh, well..."
Yes hesitates, then speaks.
"The serialization pace..."
Seeing him fidget, I think,
'Ah, writing getting tough?'
Contest took 5 volumes, but we've been getting more ongoing. Longer is better, as announced.
But too slow risks issues, so that's the benchmark.
'Yeah, weekly 5 chapters ain't easy.'
That's when it hits.
"Five per week... is too few. Manuscripts are piling up..."
"...!?"
Mind-blowing. I blurt out,
"Manuscripts piling up...?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Just finished volume 12, Rainbow Continent..."
"Haha. Hahaha!"
I burst out laughing.
"What a golden goose! No worries about too much—send 'em as they come!"
"B-but Your Majesty, sending more is unfair, right? Contest scores..."
"Speed is a skill too!"
Shoulders dancing with joy.
Not some 100-copy or 1,000-copy dud—this guy's pulling 7,000+ views per chapter, and he wants to up the pace!
"Hahaha! Such a diligent talent. As reward, boosting your pension and granting rare items!"
I held one-on-ones with writers, starting with Yes.
"Jaeyeon-nim! No, Your Majesty! I've wanted to meet you!"
A werewolf woman, long legs and—
"Loyalty! Silver Cross Knight Order, Elun Casadian, greets His Imperial Majesty!"
"An honor, Your Majesty. Jeon Yeokbun, at your service."
Met two nobles from the Holy Empire and Ming Empire too.
But the most important was last.
"An honor, Your Majesty. Rosarian."
A white-haired elder combs his hair neatly, bowing gracefully.
"Yeah. So you're Rosarian... Your work was fascinating."
"Hohoho. Just an old man's tales."
I called her to change *When New Shoots Sprout*'s ending. Meeting others was just side business.
Could've wrapped in a minute...
"How long have you been writing?"
"I jotted notes whenever inspiration struck. People's words. Actions. Emotions I felt..."
The talk drags on.
"I keep realizing how shallow my insights into humanity were."
"But isn't it inevitable? So many barbarians act on those shallow insights."
"Hohoho. Barbarians—interesting view. True, sometimes nobles seem more barbaric. Without repercussions for their actions, humans become beasts or savages."
It stretches: 30 minutes. One hour. Two.
We share much.
"Once I thought demons existed. But it was all human. Joy, sorrow, anger—all from people..."
The elder Rosarian felt different from the others. Wise, every word deep.
'Ah, gotta tell her to revise the novel.'
But the words don't come.
And just like that, three hours pass.
"I've heard endless praise for Your Majesty. Awe, fear too. But... you're astonishingly human. A superman of iron will, yet empathizing with this old fool..."
Rosarian smiles warmly, then startles straight.
"Oh dear, I've stolen too much of your precious time. Thank you. Truly beautiful."
"...Yeah."
He bows deeply and exits the office.
I couldn't say it. Wasn't sure meddling in her writing was right.
"...."
I sit in the office, lost in thought. Then speak.
"Log out."
Back to Earth. I reread the manuscript on display.
This installment: the Gate finally opens, sweeping away much that tormented the zelkova tree. Amid the sudden calamity, she can neither rejoice nor grieve.
Literal real-life flow, natural as can be.
'Predictable backlash.'
Comments will explode.
Rosarian's detached depiction of the world will pull aggro.
Might look like a forced pivot with agenda.
Yet... I don't want to change it.
"Sigh. Whatever."
I hit confirm. And with that.
The Gate.
Opens.
⤷CollarboneExposed: ?
⤷ChaYoungchun: Wait, what? Huh? What?!
⤷InvincibleKimChoco: Gate here?!
⤷LeeSukkyung: The guild master dies to monsters?!
⤷Hashtag: Wanted the guild master dead, but not like this...
⤷FlopFlop: Author-nim, what's this sudden twist?
Comments flood in instantly. Everyone's baffled, as expected.
⤷Kyukyu2020: Ooh, suddenly gripping!
⤷StarSea: ↑ Delusional much?