Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Perfect Crime in the Queue
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Work crushes you.
And when your boss piles on, you start craving a drink.
But these days, even that glass feels forced down your throat.
For busy office workers, soothing a weary soul was just as crucial as anything else.
Park Jongsik, 29 years old.
He was no different.
A salaryman whose exhaustion only grew, with no hobby to vent it.
That was Jongsik.
"No hobbies? Why not try Agas?"
Then, by chance, a friend recommended a VR game.
He'd never gamed before, but even Jongsik knew of Agas.
"Maybe give it a shot?"
It started as light curiosity.
He wanted to know why Agas had swept the world.
"What the hell? Straight to finding village chores? Do I have to work here too?"
At first, he blindly churned through quests.
Sometimes he wondered if he was even playing a game.
But that doubt faded fast.
"Yes! Got 'em all!"
That addictive pull drew him in naturally.
Before he knew it, he was grinning at his collected quest items.
Quests came in all varieties.
From petty errands to material gathering, shop assistance, and beast hunts.
Dozens dotted the village.
Jongsik focused on daily quests that refreshed every day and one-time limited ones to level up. Now he was grinding repeat quests for endless EXP.
'Alright, leveling up this time.'
His EXP bar was nearly full.
Hand over the pelts to Huton, and it'd tip over.
Jongsik grinned, eyeing the line ahead.
All other players like him, here for repeat quest rewards.
Luckily, his turn was next.
Soon, the guy in front vanished, and Huton called the next.
"Ugh, no end to this. What do you want?"
A bushy beard.
Muscled arms despite his age.
The gruff blacksmith Huton demanded his business.
"I gathered all the rabbit pelts."
"That so."
"Yes, here..."
He opened his backpack—no, inventory—to pull them out.
But something was off.
'Huh?'
Gone.
All the hard-hunted pelts, vanished.
He double-checked, but no trace of them.
"Wha—?"
"Didn't you say you had the pelts?"
"N-no, hold on. I swear I did..."
As Jongsik floundered,
"Hey, mister, people behind ya?"
"Ugh, dragging this out. Rented the place solo?"
Impatient murmurs rose from behind.
Sharp glares pinned him.
Even Huton scowled.
'Fuck, what the hell happened?!'
No clue.
Just that the mood soured fast.
"They were here a second ago!"
"Next."
"No, really..."
"Next!"
He was about to get booted from the forge.
"What, eating the pelts raw? People waiting, what're you doing up front?"
"Urk!"
"Not finishing the quest? Step aside."
The guy right behind shoved in.
Jongsik slunk away, injustice burning.
Next up: the black-haired youth who'd barged.
"What'll it be?"
"Rabbit pelts."
"Not like that last guy, pretending to have 'em?"
"Nope."
The black-haired youth—Luke—smiled and handed over the pelts.
I could peek into others' inventories.
And steal from them.
So, what to swipe for max efficiency?
In Starting Village, packed with noobs.
Steal randomly?
Or cherry-pick decent gear?
Wrong.
Answer: quest items.
See these rewards?
'Ah, why didn't I think of this sooner?'
Steal for EXP and skill proficiency.
Plus quest completion EXP and rewards.
NPC favor and contribution? Ignored.
'Two birds, no—three birds with one stone.'
Simple method.
Slip into line, steal the front guy's quest items.
Crowded spot, but success rate decent.
Why? Everyone stares ahead, minds on their turn.
No eyes on Luke.
'Just another player in line for rewards.'
No suspicion from behind either.
'This is gaming.'
Recent stress melting away.
'Level 4 in two days? Insane.'
Average to 10: two weeks.
Dailies and limited quests daily—still that long.
Repeats gave diminishing EXP.
Wait for dailies, hunt meantime.
But Luke hit 4 in two days.
'Piddly rewards stack up.'
He'd cleared every repeat dozens of times, rotating.
[4 Silver 95 Copper]
Quest cash too, hefty.
'Can't steal equipped gear or money, but sell quest rewards or stolen junk. Fine.'
Copper, Silver, Gold, Diamond—Agas currency.
5 Silver? Big for noobs.
'Issue is...'
Luke's gaze shifted.
"Saw that guy booted from the forge?"
"Yeah, that one?"
"Heard he had his quest items, then poof."
"Pfft, like the pelts grew legs."
"Right? Where's his brain?"
No perfect crimes.
Witnesses like these always pop up.
They dismissed it now, but repetition breeds suspicion.
Why? What's causing it?
'Hit and run, keep it light.'
Guards patrolled by.
Village security NPCs.
Some patrolled fields outside.
Average level 20 here.
No winning level 10+ gaps, especially his gear.
Steer clear.
One slip, caught—game over.
'Unless reported or tons of failed steals... unlikely.'
Still, caution.
'Yeah, got too carried away. Time to hold back...'
Then,
"Insane, snagged a rare drop?!"
"Voice down."
"Jackpot!"
A tempting chat.
'Never had self-control as a kid.'
Instant 180.
Games have tiers.
Items, characters.
Low to high, gamers hate-love it.
Competition, satisfaction.
Agas: pray for high tiers.
'Noob in Starting Village got high-tier? Nice.'
Common, Advanced, Rare, Unique, Heroic.
Legend: one revealed.
Advanced barely above Common, but Starting Village?
Forget not.
'Drop rates brutal.'
No equip limits, so Advanced solid.
Sometimes high-level options.
"Damn, jealous. Hey!"
"Got lucky."
"So, you equipping? Or...?"
Lurking nearby.
Luke's face hardened at the friend's question.
Problem: wearer equips it.
Theft impossible then.
Equipped not in inventory.
'Scout shows inventory only.'
Luke eyed them anxiously.
'Don't equip. Do, and you're dead by me. Warned ya?!'
Did it work?
The lucky one beamed.
"Gonna think. Heard Advanced+ binds on equip."
"Yeah, me too. Good options sell big anyway."
"Checking market later."
"OK, quest rewards first?"
"Yeah."
Noob caution, perfect for Luke.
'Smart, stay cautious.'
This timing too.
'I'll check market for ya.'
After it's in my pocket.
Luke smirked, tailing stealthily.
"Line's long."
"Yeah."
This hour always packed.
Reward queues stretch.
They joined the end, no choice.
'Perfect spot!'
Heaven-sent: targets at tail end.
Friend's right behind.
Luke stuck instantly.
Glanced around, then Scout.
'Let's see.'
Real Advanced?
[User: Taejeong Tae-sebi-yonse]
[Scouting target...]
Heart pounded.
Ever this hyped?
Dozens more.
Items popping via Scout.
"Hm?"
"Ahem."
Eye contact paused it, but found items persisted on recast—no restart hassle.
'Does he really have it? Not showing.'
Scout order unknown.
Principle?
'Not sequential from top? If so...'
Anxiety built.
'Huh?'
Late scroll: unexpected text.
'...That?!'