Sincerity Breaks Through
Completely unaware of what Tae-hyun was actually thinking, Monroso cheered him on with all his heart.
"Go! Go and stop them!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Wait, me?"
"Yes."
Lee Da-bi spoke firmly. Jang Ssu-an looked like he couldn't believe his ears.
"Why me? There must be plenty of people in Kim Tae-hyun's party who are better suited than I am."
"No, not at all! You are the perfect person for this job, Mr. Jang Ssu-an. You're a perfect fit!"
Lee Da-bi was unyielding. Her sheer determination made Jang Ssu-an take a step back.
Wait, really? Is that true?
Leading the players gathered here... Jang Ssu-an lacked confidence in such a role. Normally, he would have taken charge, thinking, Leading these insignificant fools is a job befitting someone of my stature, but his confidence had taken a severe beating lately.
"Tae-hyun also said you were the perfect fit, Mr. Jang Ssu-an."
"What? Really?"
"Yes!"
"W-well, if that's the case... Hmm... I suppose I could give it a try..."
Jang Ssu-an, who had been hesitating, was instantly won over. Seeing this, the others thought to themselves, Why is he so incredibly easy to manipulate?
Meanwhile, Lee Da-bi let out a deep sigh. With Tae-hyun currently away, managing everything fell squarely on her shoulders. She had to keep the wheels turning somehow.
Why did Cain have to go and get himself captured, raising the difficulty of this whole operation...
Grumbling wouldn't change anything. Lee Da-bi accepted the reality of the situation and moved quickly.
[Lee Da-bi]: All Power Warrior Guild members in the Uruk Region, assemble immediately!
[GuildMember1]: Huh? But I'm making maps right now. Maps are selling really well lately.
[Lee Da-bi]: Isn't your Mapmaking skill only at the Beginner level?
[GuildMember1]: So what? It's not like I'm the one who's going to use them.
[GuildMember2]: ...
Such a heartwarming conversation among guild members. Naturally, Lee Da-bi ignored the banter and spoke.
[Lee Da-bi]: Shut it and get over here, everyone in Uruk. Anyone who doesn't show up will be banned from appearing on broadcasts and banned from participating in Kim Tae-hyun's quests.
[GuildMember1]: Gasp! N-no! Not that!
[GuildMember3]: Please! Anything but that!!
The guild members panicked. Kim Tae-hyun's quests were widely known as the most profitable endeavors in the game, to the point where even foreign players regularly tuned in to watch. Rumor had it that players who tagged along on his quests had made enough to buy brand-new cars in real life. That was how legendary Tae-hyun's knack for picking jackpot quests was!
[Lee Da-bi]: There's something you all need to do.
[GuildMember1]: What's the job this time?
[Lee Da-bi]: Shills.
[GuildMember1]: ...Our guild has grown quite a bit, and our public image has improved lately. How long do we have to keep doing this kind of work...
[GuildMember2]: Hey, by the way, why did our guild's image improve anyway? I still don't get it. It's not like we did anything different.
[GuildMember4]: You idiot. It's obviously because our Guild Master worked her butt off running around for us!
[GuildMember2]: Oh! All hail the Guild Master! Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty!
[Lee Da-bi]: Stop whining and assemble, quick! Not just anyone can pull off a job like this.
At Lee Da-bi's command, the seasoned elites of the Power Warrior Guild began to gather nearby. Right on cue, Jang Ssu-an began to speak.
"Listen up, you insignificant fools!"
"...?"
"...???"
"...????"
"...?????"
His confidence had fully returned the moment he heard Tae-hyun had requested him! Lee Da-bi buried her face in her hands. The sheer frustration of having to run an operation with people like this was already giving her a headache.
How on earth did Tae-hyun manage to complete quests with these people?
Of course, it never crossed Lee Da-bi's mind that Tae-hyun himself was far more eccentric than any of them.
"Cain may not be here right now, but there is no need to worry! For I, who am superior to Cain in every conceivable way, am here..."
"What the hell are you talking about, you bastard!"
"Just bring Cain back!"
"Yeah! We only came because Lord Cain called us!"
Snapping out of their initial shock, the players began to verbally tear into Jang Ssu-an. Even though they knew who he was, no one was going to take that kind of high-and-mighty attitude lying down. As soon as one person started cursing, others joined in, and the hostile atmosphere spread like wildfire.
"W-wait, what? No... I'm offering to lead you! Seriously? Are you sure you won't regret this?"
"We said, bring Cain back!!"
If Cain had been there, he would have wept tears of deep gratitude, but unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found.
"Why is a guy who lost to Cain and couldn't even make it to the tournament acting so high and mighty?!"
"W-what did you say?! That... That was because of his underhanded, cowardly schemes beforehand...!"
[Lee Da-bi]: *Sigh.* Start the play.
[GuildMember1]: Roger that!
As the argument grew increasingly pathetic, Lee Da-bi immediately gave the order.
"Oh, it's Lord Jang Ssu-an! It really is him! I will follow you!"
"...?"
"Wow! It's the legendary Jang Ssu-an, who successfully cleared the quest!"
"...???"
The players who had been cursing at Jang Ssu-an were utterly bewildered by the sudden appearance of his passionate "fans."
"Hey, what's wrong with you guys? Why are you sucking up to that arrogant jerk?"
"Well, we like Lord Cain too, but he had to leave for some urgent business, so what can we do? We have to work with this guy. Otherwise, we won't even be able to proceed with the quest. Is there any other ranker here willing to step up and lead us?"
"Well, no, but..."
"Exactly. All the other rankers either have their own guilds to lead or their own private parties, so they only play among themselves. We should be grateful we even have Jang Ssu-an."
"That's..."
"Is that so?"
"Actually, that makes sense."
The Power Warrior Guild members were masterfully manipulating public opinion. Blending in with the crowd, they swayed the players sometimes with logic, sometimes with emotion. It was clear this wasn't their first rodeo. Before long, even those who had vehemently opposed Jang Ssu-an began to relent, thinking, Well, I guess we have no choice. Seizing the moment, the Power Warrior Guild members raised their voices.
"Jang Ssu-an! Jang Ssu-an!"
"I knew it...! Justice still exists in this world. To think there are people who truly understand my sincerity!"
Completely oblivious to the scheming behind the scenes, Jang Ssu-an was deeply moved. Even those who were rioting just moments ago accepted me once I spoke from the heart! Sincerity truly does break through all barriers!
I have learned a valuable lesson today. I shall continue to live my life this way!
Watching him, Lee Da-bi thought to herself, I have a terrible feeling he's going to cause an even bigger disaster down the line...
*Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap—*
Tae-hyun's party applauded Jang Ssu-an as he stepped down from the podium after finishing his speech. After all, they had to keep boosting his ego to make good use of him!
"Jang Ssu-an! Jang Ssu-an! Jang Ssu-an!"
"Ha, haha. Come on, guys, you're making me blush..."
The moment he said that, the applause abruptly stopped. Jang Ssu-an immediately complained, "I'd appreciate it if you kept clapping a bit longer."
"...Jang Ssu-an! Jang Ssu-an!"
Ugh, what a high-maintenance pain in the neck. Jang Ssu-an was absolutely starved for praise!
"Now, regarding our plan moving forward..."
"Ahem, cough."
"According to what I've just heard, we need to launch an immediate attack..."
"Ahem! Cough, cough!"
"Ah, who is that?! Miss Lee Da-bi is trying to explain here! Shut up, will you?!"
Kim Se-hyeong, who had been snapping in irritation, suddenly froze. A completely unfamiliar face was standing right behind them.
"...?"
"Who are you...?"
"Eek! Alcott?!"
Kim Se-hyeong was the first to recognize him. Alcott—the infamous player whose very name was said to make crying children stop weeping out of fear of drawing his aggro! The notorious assassin who, once crossed, would camp his victims at their respawn points and repeatedly slaughter them until they quit the game entirely! Countless rumors of his atrocious personality circulated the forums, and Kim Se-hyeong, being well-aware of them, was instantly paralyzed with fear.
I-I'm dead!
He had snapped at him without even realizing it was Alcott, so Alcott would surely attack him immediately... Or so he thought, but nothing happened.
"...?"
"If it's Alcott, isn't he a ranker from the Guild Alliance?"
"That's right."
"Then he's an enemy. Mr. Jang Ssu-an, take care of him!"
"...I feel like I'm being ordered around here..."
"It's just your imagination, your imagination! Go, Jang Ssu-an!"
"No! Wait!"
Alcott held out his hands to stop them.
"I didn't come here to fight you guys!"
"He definitely didn't come to fight, he came to unilaterally slaughter us and steal our items! Kill him, Jang Ssu-an! Hurry up and kill him! Once an assassin like Alcott goes into stealth, he's incredibly hard to deal with! That guy can kill people just by breathing...!"
Kim Se-hyeong shrieked in absolute desperation.
Alcott stared at him with a thoroughly unimpressed expression. He appreciated the fact that the guy was trembling in terror at his very presence. After all, he had chosen the assassin class precisely to evoke that kind of fear.
But why does it have to be in a situation like this...
He was here to negotiate. That kind of reputation was not helping his case at all.
Wait, don't tell me... Is that bastard doing this on purpose to ruin my negotiation?
Alcott flinched. Since these guys hung around with Kim Tae-hyun, it wouldn't be surprising if they harbored such wicked, calculated intentions. On top of that, the surrounding area was crawling with players friendly to Kim Tae-hyun. If a fight broke out, it was painfully obvious whose side they would take!
"I told you, that's not it!"
"Eek!"
When Alcott snapped in frustration, Kim Se-hyeong flinched in terror. Seeing his reaction, Alcott immediately regretted it. He was supposed to be on his best behavior right now...!
"Sigh. Just listen to me for a second."
"Go ahead. We're listening."
"Well... I came to help you guys."
"Bullshit."
"Who would believe that?"
"I don't think that's very plausible."
Jang Ssu-an, Lee Da-bi, and Jeong Su-hyeok responded with icy skepticism. Their cold reactions made Alcott's blood boil once again.
"Hey! You guys..."
"Look, look at that! He's showing his true colors! We have to kill him!"
"..."
Alcott was starting to find Kim Se-hyeong incredibly obnoxious.
"Jang Ssu-an! You know me!"
"Of course I do. Aren't you the guy who sneaks around in stealth to backstab people and steal their loot?"
"..."
To think his past deeds would come back to bite him like this. Alcott was utterly speechless. Honestly, even Alcott himself would find it highly suspicious if someone like him suddenly showed up offering to help.
"Don't take another step. If you come any closer, we'll attack."
"Shoo, shoo! Go away, shoo!"
*Grind!*
Alcott gnashed his teeth. It was absolutely infuriating that he had to swallow his pride and beg for a favor from these pathetic losers!
"So... *grind*... just listen... *gnash*... to what I have to... *crunch*... say...!"
The sound of grinding teeth echoed between his words. Fortunately, Lee Da-bi, acting as the person in charge, asked calmly, "You understand why we can't just take your offer of help at face value, right? A ranker from the Guild Alliance suddenly offering to help us is suspicious, to say the least."
Jang Ssu-an nodded vigorously beside her. Dumbfounded, Alcott pointed a finger at him.
"But what about him?! Even if he's not officially part of the Guild Alliance, he's incredibly close with us!"
"Mr. Jang Ssu-an has his reasons."
"I have my reasons too!"
"And what would those be?"
"Uh, well..."
Alcott trailed off. There were simply too many people around.
"I'm actually terrified of Kim Tae-hyun, and I think there's some kind of misunderstanding between us. He suddenly threatened to kill me... but I didn't do anything! I need to prove my innocence! Since you guys are Kim Tae-hyun's lackeys, surely you can help me, right?"
...There was no way in hell he could say that out loud!
"I think he's plotting something right now. Let's just attack him."
"Jang Ssu-an, you bastard! I'm going to tell Su Ning everything!"
"W-what? I don't owe Su Ning anything. Go ahead and tell him if you want! My conscience is one hundred percent clear!"
Putting an end to their pathetic bickering, Lee Da-bi pulled Alcott aside.
"If you couldn't speak because you were worried about others overhearing, tell me now. I'll listen and make a decision."
"Well... um... you see..."
In the end, Alcott spilled the beans. As she listened, Lee Da-bi's expression turned incredibly peculiar.
"...Don't you dare repeat this to anyone! If you do, I will hunt down and slaughter every single Power Warrior Guild member I lay my eyes on..."
"I don't really care."
"?!"
The Power Warrior Guild was a gathering of players who couldn't care less about death penalties. However, Alcott completely misinterpreted her indifference.
T-this woman... She hangs around with Kim Tae-hyun, so of course she's just like him! A cold-blooded, heartless monster!
Between her calm leadership of the current situation and her chilling disregard for his threats, Alcott suddenly found Lee Da-bi absolutely terrifying.