Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Baby Dragon's Fang
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Baby Dragon's Fang.
One of the items you can get in the early stages of Land of Ruin, perfectly optimized for a Necromancer.
After bringing everyone to the western pub, I introduced Li Kerana.
"Jeongwoo. This is the Chinese guy I mentioned earlier."
Jeongwoo flashed a bright smile and extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you."
Li Kerana heaved his bulky body up and greeted Ma Jeongwoo.
"Nice to meet you."
"You're the infamous thug around here, right?"
"Not quite a thug..."
"I heard you got us cheap lodging. Looking forward to working with you."
"Same here."
I needed to have a private talk with Jeongwoo, so I took Michael and Yoo Sora to their single rooms.
The stats might not show it, but pubs recover HP and MP faster than inns.
Stamina recovers quicker too.
As we climbed the stairs, rows of rooms came into view.
Floors 2 and 3 were single rooms, floor 4 had doubles.
Of course, the first floor and basement were the bar.
Ma Jeongwoo and I entered the room, unpacked our stuff, and took turns washing up.
"I'll brush first."
"Got a toothbrush?"
"Yeah. Wooden one."
"Nice."
Finally, some proper rest.
Lying on a comfy bed in a quiet place, the throbbing joint pain finally stopped.
"Hoo! So this is how comfortable beds are."
Jeongwoo mumbled around his toothbrush as he came out and spoke to me.
"It's not just the bed. With a clear mind, it really feels like resting."
"Yeah. That basement yesterday was kinda..."
I pulled a cigarette case from my pocket.
"Wanna smoke?"
"Whoa? Fancy cigars? Where'd you get these?"
"Major Kim Juncheol gave 'em to me."
"Sweet."
After brushing, we sat across from each other and lit up.
Nothing calms a pounding heart like this.
Sizzle. Sizzle.
Slurp-
Puff.
Maybe because we felt safe? As the cigarette smoke washed away the blood stench, laughter bubbled up naturally.
As I organized my thoughts while smoking, I cautiously broached the topic.
"Jeongwoo. You know the story's gone off track, right?"
"...Yeah. It's a bit different from the Land of Ruin I remember."
"That's the problem. If it was just a little different... No, if it was drastically different, we could strategize anew. But since it's only slightly off, unexpected variables will throw us even more."
Jeongwoo opened the room's window and peered outside.
Creak.
"Yeah. So, why the hell did the story derail?"
"...At first, I thought it was because of me."
"Thought?"
"...Maybe not."
"What?"
I took a deep drag, then exhaled slowly. A habit when organizing thoughts to speak.
White smoke veiled my face.
By the time the smoke cleared, the puzzle pieces clicked, and I could answer.
"I killed Lucifer at the start, remember?"
"Yeah."
"That's where it went wrong, sure. But the major storyline shift? Seems like something else."
"So why do you think that?"
"The 'Li Kerana' we just met. He said NPCs told him five years had passed too."
"So?"
I wagged my finger, signaling to close the window. Didn't want the conversation leaking out.
Click.
"Spill it."
"The tutorial scattered players by region. The whole story derails because of just me? Doesn't add up."
"Then?"
"Where we are right now."
I paused before answering. Jeongwoo trusted me 100%, so I needed to be precise.
"Why keep me hanging?"
"...Sorry. Let me rephrase. Where we are right now is 'Land of Ruin: Last Game'."
"...I know that."
"The story after that."
Jeongwoo's nostrils flared. He flicked ash to the floor, went to the mirror, and trimmed his mustache.
"So that's it. That's why five years passed?"
"Probably. Remember that ghoul that showed up while we were in the basement?"
"Yeah. That freak with the insane regen?"
"Right. You think a monster with that regen appears in round three? When average player level is 10?"
Jeongwoo put his cigarette back in his mouth.
Slurp-
Puff.
"Mid-to-high tier, or even top-tier monster, right?"
"Yeah."
"In the Land of Ruin we knew, that thing wouldn't show till around round ten."
I nodded.
Normally, the undead in round ten's 'Blaze Swamp' had regen like that ghoul from yesterday.
In a subdued tone, I told him.
"You know what this means, right?"
"Hoo... Yeah. Means the monsters grew over those five years too."
"Exactly. Five years."
Five years of growth.
Monsters that should only appear in the late game are showing up early.
Meaning, from some point on—who knows when—the game's difficulty spiked higher than before.
Players are just starting, but monsters got a five-year head start.
Only a tiny fraction of players could bridge that gap.
Jeongwoo clucked his tongue and continued.
"So, the story derailed because monsters got stronger. That it?"
"Nah. Stronger monsters might tweak the story, sure. But that's not the main cause."
"Then?"
"...Do you know which parts of the story are off?"
Jeongwoo scratched his head. Not thinking, just sorting what he knew to say.
Slurp.
Puff-.
"Too many to list one by one. Big picture? Time and NPC dialogue, I guess?"
I kicked off my wet shoes and replied.
"Exactly! NPC dialogue."
"How's that change the story?"
"Why'd the dialogue change?"
"Hell if I know. I'd be the game dev if I did. You figure it out?"
"Yeah. When going from round two to three, NPCs said they'd spent four more years here than in the original story, right?"
"Yeah."
"What do you think they did in that time?"
Jeongwoo clapped.
Clap!
"...Okay. Got it."
As an experienced player, his instincts were sharp.
Did only monsters grow while players were absent?
Of course not.
NPCs grew over those five years too.
No idea how the system worked, but logically, they'd create new events, generating additional story branches.
Meaning the Land of Ruin we knew had even more expansive lore.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Someone rapped on the door.
I peeked through the peephole with a cigarette in my mouth.
"...Michael?"
"Cheonjae Kim! Aren't you going for food?"
"You and Sora go down first. Be right there."
"Okay."
Smoke wafted above Michael's head. He'd already washed up.
"Why's that guy Michael so damn fast? Looks like he showered already."
"He's military. Anyway, if that five-year gap let NPCs and monsters grow, don't we need time to catch up? Staying here ten days feels risky."
I shook my head firmly side to side.
"Nope. In this game, the ones who push ahead first will dominate the late game."
"...What?"
"Incarnation Kim Jeongjae. That guy showed up in the early story."
* * * * *
After finishing our smokes, we stripped off our wet clothes, threw on robes, and headed down to the pub.
Michael and Yoo Sora, who'd come down first, were checking the menu board, waiting for us.
"Cheonjae Kim! Monkey Jeongwoo!"
I called Li Kerana to our table and sat.
"Michael, why didn't you order?"
"Didn't know what to get."
"Steaks and fries. Pick a drink each."
"No veggies?"
"Order a salad if you want. Sora, any foods you can't eat?"
Huh? She'd changed into the blouse from round one.
"Blouse suits you."
"Ah! Thanks for giving it. Michael said you grabbed it for me."
"...No big deal."
Yoo Sora glanced at the menu and replied.
"I eat anything. Biggest steak for me."
Yoo Sora, skinny as a model but eats like a beast.
She used fifty Jenny on beer earlier.
Five Jenny per 500cc, so ten pints solo.
"Alright then..."
I raised my hand high and waved. A waitress hurried over.
"Ready to order?"
"Five big steaks. Two fries. Five beers."
"Five steaks... Nothing else?"
"Yeah. Starving, so hurry."
"How would you like the steaks?"
"All medium rare. Tons of garlic sauce—like a soup."
"Got it."
The waitress left.
Li Kerana bowed his head to me.
"Thanks for the meal."
Last fight was chaos, didn't notice before.
Huge dragon and tiger tattoos on his back.
"Tats, huh?"
"Yeah. Same as my big bro."
"Thug life?"
"Nah! Just to look tough in the neighborhood. Tats make it easy to get shaked down."
"...Anyway, Li Kerana. When'd you get here?"
"'Bout fifteen days? Didn't count exactly."
"Fifteen days..."
Jeongwoo nodded at me. Cue to continue.
"So you know the place well?"
"Somewhat."
"Mind if I drop formalities? Hate it, I'll keep polite."
Li Kerana waved it off.
"Nah, not at all. Way more comfy than earlier players."
"My group okay hearing our talk?"
"Of course."
I brightened up and said.
"Alright. Hit me with some questions."
"Sure."
Right on cue, the waitress brought beers. Booze might loosen tongues.
Clink!
"Cheers first."
Everyone drank with happy faces.
-Gulp.
After a big swig, I pressed Li Kerana.
"How many players you running with now?"
"Twenty-one."
"Jobs?"
"All sorts, but mostly knights."
"Knights raiding players in a pub?"
"That's... for survival. Think wandering knights."
"..."
"We do it 'cause monsters got too strong to hunt."
I tilted my head.
"Monsters stronger?"
"Yeah. Already lost two groupmates. To desert foxes—small fry."
That bad? Player-monster balance totally wrecked.
Li Kerana sighed long and continued.
"Plus... my big bro who came here with me got snatched by a monster."
"Monster kidnapped a player?"
First I'd heard.
Monsters smart enough to abduct players.
"Vanished in a blink while hunting in the 'Perua Desert' nearby."
"...Desert?"
"Yeah. Probably quicksand from mutant ant ghosts. No body, so not sure."
After hearing it all, I closed my eyes.
The path forward for this story line came into view.