Chapter 2
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Translator: volt
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Encounter
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I stared blankly at the powered-off monitor for a good while.
"Ha, is this for real? I shelled out 144,000 won, and it crashes the second I launch it? What the hell did they do with the optimization..."
Click.
Oh, the lights went out too.
This house—packed with Dad's dreams, hopes, and his entire retirement savings—runs on solar power, of all things.
Just my luck.
I threw on my coat in a hurry and rushed outside. Now, where's that toad house... the toad house...
Ah, there it is.
Snap!
The LED bulb overhead flickered for a moment before the lights came back on. Feeling relieved, I headed back to my room, booted up the computer, and clicked the icon for Immortal Order: Origin...
"You are sufficiently prepared."
"You possess the right to peer into the truth, beyond the secrets accumulated thus far, across centuries of time."
"O immortal one who transcends eras, a new world now calls to you."
And now, it was time for the usual "Migrate to the New World" and "Give Up" prompts to appear. Come to think of it, having a "Give Up" button on the start screen was pretty weird to begin with.
"Immortal one, you have already migrated to the New World. There is no turning back."
"..."
"This is the migration you chose. Endure it with your will and tenacity."
"..."
"May fortune follow your path."
"..."
I have no idea why, but the messages had changed.
Flick.
And the game crashed again. The Windows desktop greeted me once more.
Why? Did they fuck up the game so bad it crashes? Are these assholes pulling their usual shit of selling unfinished games? Do they think gamers are idiots? Do they think consumers are a joke?
Click again.
Flick.
"Immortal one, it is futile. Bear the consequences of your choice."
One line, and crash.
Click.
"Immortal one, will you become a pioneer of the New World under infinite blessings? Or a slave to fate?"
Flick. Crash again.
Click. Click again.
"Immortal one, can you not face reality?"
Flick. Click.
"Immortal one, this is your sixth attempt. Clinging endlessly to vain hopes will achieve nothing."
Flick.
"..."
What the hell? Did they set unique crash messages just to piss me off more?
My hands are shaking with rage...
144,000 won.
A hefty sum—about 14.6 times the 2024 minimum wage.
For some, it's just a couple days of loading docks, but for me, saddled with a mountain of debt from a failed business, it's no small change.
"Grrrr... My 144,000 won, wasted like this...!"
Fury boils over at the Huangsu Soft devs who optimized with their feet. Hatred floods for the marketing team that prettied up an unplayable game and sold it at insane prices. I'll rip their guts out...
Slap.
Whew. A slap to the face clears my head.
Get it together. What's all this over one game?
To calm down, I head to the bathroom for a splash of water and stare into the mirror.
"Huh?"
Something feels off.
Whiteheads.
Blackheads.
Dark circles.
Acne.
And all the other skin issues from slaving under the blazing sun.
Gone. Every last one.
Skin as smooth as when I first started college. Even the faint wrinkles and scattered spots that had started appearing—vanished.
Like my face reverted a few years.
...No way.
For a moment, I wondered if this was all an elaborate hidden camera prank... but I'd read too many webnovels during my unemployment to believe that.
Reincarnation.
Regression.
Possession.
Trip.
I frantically patted my face and body. No way I'd regressed to infancy, so not reincarnation.
Glancing at my reflection in the dark monitor, aside from better skin, I didn't look younger—so not regression.
Blinking closely, no changes in my features, so not possession into someone else.
Which leaves...
Trip.
"...Hah, heh, no way. Trips like that don't exist in real life."
Forcing a whistle, I grabbed my hiking boots and stepped outside.
And...
"Sniiiiif."
A faint salty tang in the air shatters my composure.
Seaside. There's ocean nearby.
Considering my farm was in Goesan County, North Chungcheong Province—deep inland—that's weird.
Goesan is landlocked.
'...What about salinization!'
That thought hit me, and I bolted straight to the vineyard. The Shine Muscat vines? All safe. And that recent expansion, 'those things'!
"...Huff, huff, safe... all good..."
Black Sapphire.
New variety I rushed in after the 2023 tanghulu craze.
Likewise, alternatives to Shine Muscat as the fad died down—big investment.
Only first year grafted, no fruit yet, but next year, clusters hanging heavy... I could already picture it.
These are my lifeline. At least while tanghulu's hot, dutiful sons to slowly pay off my debts... Huh?
'Dropped in some strange place without knowing where, and I'm worrying about debts and new varieties first?'
...I say it again: big-money quick schemes are a trap. Your brain gets pickled on dopamine, can't escape.
Even so, I couldn't wipe the satisfied smile as I left the vineyard.
Then I circled the 4,000-pyeong house and farm.
A quick look told me plenty.
Dense forest blanketed everything beyond my property line. Past the green iron fence separating my farm from neighbors'—all unknown woods.
Or more precisely, it felt like my farm had been inserted into an ancient, thick forest.
"..."
I felt like an intruder in this space.
A jarring sense of being cut off from time and space.
'Trip.'
Shaking off the ominous vibe, I resumed scouting the farm.
First, the shed.
Creak. Creeeak.
Flung open the aluminum shutter, and the interior lit up.
Forklift in the corner (not mine). Used Damas van (mine). Pesticides, portable generator, materials, equipment—all intact.
Closed the shutter tight, headed to the modest chicken coop...
Cluck. Cock-a-doodle. Cluuuck.
"Master's all anxious, but you guys have it good, huh?"
Hens and roosters mingling amiably, pecking feed, chilling behind the wire mesh.
Got them from the neighbor uncle, grew attached, couldn't eat them. Numbers exploded—now my top worry.
Finally.
Screeeech!
Potato sacks and corn bags stored by the freezer shed.
More unwanted baggage from neighbors, but right now, they felt reassuring.
...Why reassuring? Weren't these things I stashed with no use for them?
'Who knows.'
Suppressing the dread again, I headed home. Mom's garden tomatoes and peppers greeted me out front.
Thud!
"Haaa... Farm's safe at least..."
Sprawled on the sofa, lost in thought, my mental gymnastics failed. Just sighs left.
"...Where the hell am I?"
While circling the farm, I'd glimpsed the woods beyond—unfamiliar tree species, no neighbor houses.
No doubt about it: not Korea.
Is it safe out there? Unknown forest, salty winds deadly for crops?
'...No, gotta check.'
What if it's not safe?
Need to know threats to counter them. Hiding safe at home while something bursts from those woods?
Sighing, I changed into my sturdiest work clothes, laced hiking boots, grabbed sickle and machete for defense. Oh, forgot flashlight and backpack.
Stepped out—salty wind hits my face again.
"This... is scary as shit."
Muttering helps ease tension. Awkwardly swung the machete around, swallowed hard, moved forward.
Why'd I grab the machete? For bears? Slice 'em? People? Kill 'em?
Me? Living in surveillance-state Korea, fingerprinting 50 million, tracking IDs? Where security's so tight it's oppressive?
Teeth chattering. Locked the gate, armed security—still tense.
One more step: unknown woods.
Don't know if this is Korea or where, can't assume friendlies ahead.
Only trust: my own strength, machete in hand.
Rustle.
Crunching unknown grass, I advanced. Dense green shade blocked sun, limited vision.
Countless branches swayed in wind, disorienting. Adventure novel/game tension now real—hard to bear.
Head pounding. Grip tightens on hilt.
Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.
A few steps in: full forest.
"Huuuuuh."
Air first... pristine.
No pollution. Rare in Korea—darkens my mood.
God, missing smog-filled air.
Birds flitting, squirrels scampering—unlike backyard mountain fare.
Minutes of walking: no people, no big beasts. Relief? Maybe.
Summed up my observations in one word:
Unknown.
Sky blue, sun south—otherwise, nothing familiar. North hemisphere at least... bullshit comfort.
Slash! Swish!
Even the machete I'd hesitated to draw now hacked obstructing branches.
'What if this is all hidden camera after all?' Silly thoughts pushed back fear.
Stooping like an adventurer, whistling solo—childish acts eased terror.
Long walk, only sea salt, endless woods—house must be deep inland.
Oh, rational thinking kicking in. Getting used to this strange land...
"He-help... me..."
A human voice?
Korean?
One faint phrase, tension melts. But half-dead tone panics me.
"Plea...se... save... me..."
Clearly begging for help!
Held breath, pinpointed direction. Not shouting, but audible—close.
"Some...one... please... save... me..."
Left!
Hacked through branches, charged. Scratched by thorns, but save first!
"Where are you? Where?!"
First shout since entering woods. Birds scatter amid desperate reply.
"H-here!!"
Right behind. Parted thicket, leaped through.
And...
"...Huh?"
"P-people... save... people..."
I froze.
Flashlight revealed horror.
Thirty-ish people.
Emaciated, hollow-eyed, writhing on ground or unconscious.
One exception.
"H-here...! People here...!"
Single alert young woman weakly waves, turns head.
"Oh God, English...! English...! The rescue fleet's finally here...!"
She freezes seeing me.
It was natural, fluent Korean.
The young woman eye-to-eye with me... Caucasian. In period drama garb.
No way terrestrial reenactor.
Then it clicked—a back-cover blurb:
‘In the 16th century, England under Queen Elizabeth dispatches settlers to Roanoke Island to establish the first permanent colony in North America...’
Immortal Order: Origin package back.
‘...That attempt from ‘our world’ is known to have ended in abject failure.’
And...
"Immortal one, will you become a pioneer of the New World under infinite blessings? Or a slave to fate?"
The enigmatic start message.
I finally grasped the truth of my 'trip'.
Where I was.
This is North America.