Failing Upward on a Palanquin
Su Ning tried to maintain a solemn demeanor, but it was already too late. He couldn't help but laugh. He quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, where is this? I'm actually a bit curious about what kind of quest that bastard Jang Ssu-an is trying to clear."
"Who knows? Why don't you ask him?"
"Do you have any idea how much of a show-off that guy is?"
"..."
"Every time I contact him, he does nothing but brag. And you saw what happened during the tournament, right? I warned him, but he ignored me and ended up in that pathetic state. Idiot. You'd think he'd learn his lesson after that, but even now... Forget it. Why do I even bother."
Su Ning waved his hand dismissively, looking thoroughly fed up. Still, because they had a history and shared a common enemy in Tae-hyun, Su Ning had genuinely intended to help Jang Ssu-an.
"I have no idea where this is... It doesn't look like it's anywhere near the Erangs Kingdom."
"It looks like a jungle? Or a rainforest? Should I ask the guild members? Someone might recognize it."
"That sounds like a plan. ...Wait. Hold on a second."
"...?"
"Replay that video for a second."
Sensing something amiss, Su Ning rewatched the video clip. Jang Ssu-an getting smacked by an Orc, flying backward...
"Look right here. The tip of a shoe is visible in the frame."
"And?"
"...I feel like I've seen the tip of this shoe somewhere before."
"Guild Leader Su Ning, there are countless identical shoes in Pan-On. Of course you've seen it somewhere... There are dozens of similar designs."
"No, that's not what I mean!"
Su Ning snapped sharply. At his reaction, the guild member quickly shut his mouth.
"This shoe... where did I see it... Ah! It's the shoe worn by Cain, that bastard Kim Tae-hyun's slave!"
"His slave?"
The guild member tilted his head. Wasn't Cain a famous Korean ranker? He was well-known for his close friendship with Kim Tae-hyun, not exactly looking like a slave...
"To Kim Tae-hyun, you're either his slave or his enemy! That's just the kind of guy he is!"
"Ah, yes, of course."
Knowing that once Su Ning started talking about Tae-hyun, he would rant and curse for at least an hour, the guild member simply nodded along half-heartedly.
"But wait a minute, Guild Leader. If that really is Cain's shoe, does that mean Jang Ssu-an, Cain... and by extension, Kim Tae-hyun, are working together right now? Does that even make sense?"
"...Admittedly, that does sound a bit absurd..."
No matter how desperate, a prideful egoist like Jang Ssu-an would never willingly team up with Tae-hyun, the very man who had humiliated him.
"Maybe they're just the same model of shoes after all?"
"...No! The vibe is completely different!"
The others said Guild Leader Su Ning loses his mind whenever Kim Tae-hyun is involved, and they weren't kidding.
The guild member thought to himself. From his perspective, Su Ning did indeed look like he had lost his marbles.
"Fine. I'll contact Jang Ssu-an myself."
Click—
"...This son of a bitch?"
Su Ning flared up in anger. How dare he ignore his goodwill when he was just trying to check up on him out of pure kindness?
But Jang Ssu-an had his own reasons. Whispers were flooding in from all directions because of the uploaded video.
For Jang Ssu-an, it was a situation so embarrassing he wanted to die! It was so bad that even Cain was patting him on the back to comfort him.
"Hey, I used to run a guild called Red Zone before it went under, so I know a thing or two about embarrassment. It might feel unbearable right now, but it won't last forever. As time passes..."
It was a heartfelt consolation! Of course, there was no way Su Ning could have known this.
"Guild Leader. One of our guys says they recognize the area. They say it's the Uruk Region."
"What? The Uruk Region? Don't we have some guild members over there right now?"
"The ranker Alcott is clearing a quest there."
"Ah, that guy."
"Do you dislike Alcott?"
The assassin ranker, Alcott. As a ranker, he was a fairly famous player.
"It's not that I dislike him, but during the Siege of Odan Castle, a supposed assassin was so terrified of Kim Tae-hyun that he just huddled in a corner the whole time. It was pathetic to watch."
"He said he wasn't scared of Kim Tae-hyun, but was just waiting for the right moment to strike after assessing the situation."
"You actually believe that? It's obviously an excuse. Besides, that guy got thoroughly wrecked by Kim Tae-hyun back in Pan-On 1 too."
"Who way, really?"
"Don't go spreading this around. Alcott will lose his mind if he finds out I told you. Anyway, so Alcott is there... Contact him and tell him to let us know if he spots Jang Ssu-an."
"Understood."
He doubted Jang Ssu-an would actually be traveling with Tae-hyun, but Su Ning had learned to expect the unexpected. Anything could happen in this world. For instance, what if Kim Tae-hyun had grabbed some weakness of Jang Ssu-an's and was wickedly blackmailing him...
No, could that really be it? Jang Ssu-an isn't a complete idiot...
"Hey, hey. Cheer up."
"..."
"Do you know how prestigious it is to be featured on this channel? Other people would die to get on here, but they can't."
"They're laughing at me!!"
"No, it might look like they're mocking you, but it's actually affectionate laughter! If you just laugh it off naturally, everyone will love you even more. Honestly, Jang Ssu-an, you're great and all, but you always had this cold, haughty, unapproachable image."
"R-really? Is that so?"
"Exactly! That was your weakness. People naturally prefer someone who has a few flaws and feels human over someone who seems too perfect and untouchable! Just look at Kim Tae-hyun over there. Even with a personality that rotten, he's incredibly popular."
"I see. That does make sense..."
"Right? Right? So cheer up, and let's keep moving together, okay?"
"Hmph. Fine."
As Jang Ssu-an finally cheered up, Cain let out a sigh of relief. Watching this, Tae-hyun spoke with genuine amazement.
"Since when did Cain become such a smooth talker?"
"Even a school dog after three years can recite... Ah, please don't repeat that to anyone."
"Why would I bother? Alright, everyone remembers the plan, right? Jang Ssu-an, you better keep it in mind too, unless you want another sign hung around your neck."
Flinch! Jang Ssu-an's shoulders jerked up and down. That was just how deeply humiliating the experience had been.
"While you, Senior, go to that Orc village and approach them pretending to be an evil mage, we will hide here and wait. Is that correct?"
"Yeah. If an emergency happens, come out and help, but under normal circumstances, I'll slip away on my own."
This wasn't the headquarters of the Orc Great Chieftain, so there didn't seem to be any real danger for Tae-hyun.
"Alright, I'm off!"
Thud, thud, thud! Tae-hyun confidently knocked on the main gate of the Orc village. Calling it a "main gate" was generous; it was merely a crude wooden door set into a flimsy palisade surrounding the settlement.
An experienced player of Tae-hyun's caliber could easily gauge the scale and strength of a village just by looking at its exterior.
This level should be a breeze.
"Chweeek! Who goes there... Who are you?!"
"Chwik! An intruder! Attack—"
"Hold on!" Tae-hyun slammed his staff onto the ground and shouted loudly.
"...?"
"Chweeek, did that mage just tell us to hold on? Why should we listen to him?"
"I am a mage. Of course, I am not of the Orc race. However, I can be of immense help to you all!"
"Chweeek... Help?"
"Chwik, what kind of help? Is he going to help us smash skulls with that staff?" The Orcs tilted their heads. They couldn't comprehend why a random human mage would suddenly show up offering assistance.
"You fools! Surely you have shamans among you!"
"Chweeek, Orc shamans exist. Not in our village, though. They are in the larger tribes."
"Chwik, Orc shamans are strong. They wield incredibly vast power."
"Exactly. And I am a mage far more powerful than any of those Orc shamans."
"Chweeeek, is that true?"
"Of course. Tell me, have you heard the news about the Great Chieftain?"
"Chwik, the Great Chieftain has awakened. We heard some mage helped him."
"Indeed. Now, was the mage who awakened your great Chieftain helpful or not?"
"Chweeek. Helpful."
"Then what about me?"
"Chweeeek... Helpful?"
"Exactly. That's it. Now open the gate."
• You possess the skill Advanced Rhetoric. You receive a bonus to persuasion.
• You possess the title Successor of the Black Mage School. Orcs will treat you with heightened fear.
• You possess the title...
• ...
• Your Infamy stat is exceptionally high! Orcs will treat you favorably.
Everything Tae-hyun had accomplished up to this point had culminated in this moment...
"Chweeek! That wicked, chilling aura! There is no mistake! I saw the mage who awakened the Great Chieftain myself! This one feels just like him!"
"Chwik! Then he must be incredibly powerful! He will be of great help to us!"
The Orcs rushed out in a swarm, whispering excitedly among themselves before wrapping Tae-hyun in a series of suffocating, aggressive hugs of welcome.
Ugh, the stench...
The Pan-On system was unnecessarily realistic! Even while being crushed by smelly Orcs, Tae-hyun continued to gather information.
Just like me? So that other mage is a black mage too?
There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. If some random mage had suddenly appeared to heal and awaken the Orc Great Chieftain, it wasn't out of the goodness of their heart. It was highly likely they had some suspicious, ulterior motive.
"Good, good. Then I suppose I can stay here for a while?"
Once the welcoming hugs finally ended, Tae-hyun spoke with relief. The persuasion had been an absolute success. Now, he could use this small village as a base camp to proceed with his other quests.
"Chweeek, absolutely not!"
"...Huh? You misspoke, right?"
"Chwik. No. A mage of your caliber must be sent to a much larger place! You must make even more Orcs strong!"
"..."
Tae-hyun slowly began to realize. Things were starting to go in a completely different direction than he had planned!
"N-no, wait. I want to stay here first, helping you guys and finding simple, humble happiness..."
"Chwik! No! A big fish must swim in a vast ocean to avoid suffocating! The other Orcs must also feel the power of your great magic!"
"Since when are you Orcs so damn altruistic?"
"Chweeek, what did you say?"
"Nothing. It's nothing."
Persuasion has failed.
To think he would actually fail a persuasion check against Orcs! It seemed they had firmly made up their minds. They believed a wicked mage of Tae-hyun's caliber belonged in a much larger tribe!
Don't these Orc tribes compete with each other? Dammit...
In truth, this small Orc village was originally a subsidiary of a massive Orc tribe, which was why they wanted to escort Tae-hyun to their main settlement... but there was no way for Tae-hyun to know that.
"Kim Tae-hyun is taking way too long. Did something happen to him?"
"No matter what, there's no way someone like Tae-hyun would get into trouble in a place like this..."
"Hmph, you never know what might happen in this world. Who would have thought I'd get smacked by an Orc and sent flying backward?" Jang Ssu-an subtly chimed in, trying to defend his own blunder, but everyone completely ignored him.
"Normally, he should have come right back out to let us in..."
The plan was for Tae-hyun to bring them into the village under the guise of his assistants once he successfully persuaded the Orcs. But Tae-hyun was nowhere to be seen.
"Chwik! Mage! Mage! Mage!"
"...?"
"Chweeek! Louder! Great! Mage! Evil! Mage!"
"????"
The party blinked in sheer disbelief. From the depths of the Orc village, a massive, hideously ugly palanquin was emerging. It was a crude carriage constructed entirely out of animal bones! And sitting atop that palanquin with a thoroughly depressed expression was none other than Tae-hyun.
"...?????"
Tae-hyun smacked his lips and explained the situation. He had originally planned to settle for this small village, but somehow, he was now being escorted to a much larger tribe to showcase his skills!
In a way, this was actually a stroke of good luck. A major tribe's settlement would have far more items, NPCs, and resources than a tiny village. If they could establish that place as their base of operations, their tasks would become infinitely easier.