Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Virtual Reality Game
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“Whew, we were scared out of our wits for a while there. We thought the Earth dimension had perished.”
“My mistake. I should’ve at least given you a heads-up.”
I ran into Mr. Kim Dong-wook while getting ready.
The time “Center of the World” had been active was nearly a year, and though time had rewound now, the Foundation had been isolated in an external dimension where it hadn’t.
“We couldn’t intervene directly, but we were watching. Truth be told, we could’ve intervened if we wanted, but Sephirot’s calculations came into play.”
“What calculations?”
“That your actions, Mr. Seung-hoon, would benefit humanity. If handled right, it could definitively block all external entities, and humanity could resist internal ones through specific concepts, drastically reducing casualties compared to before.”
Hearing Sephirot’s calculations had split the Foundation into two factions.
“We need to break through the dimensional wall and stop it right now. No, on a macro level, let’s sacrifice ourselves to keep Earth safe—that sparked a real debate.”
“Which side were you on, Mr. Dong-wook?”
“Ahem, that’ll stay confidential.”
“Any changes to my status after this?”
“Nope, nothing in particular.”
Mr. Dong-wook had his usual expression and tone.
But my enhanced hearing, boosted by “Dried Friendship,” caught his heartbeat going irregular just moments ago.
‘Something’s changed, huh.’
I’d have to keep an eye on the Foundation from now on.
“More importantly, why’d you want to meet?”
“I have a favor to ask the Foundation.”
“What is it?”
“I hear the Foundation has contacts in the upper echelons of various national agencies and can influence them.”
“Not quite manipulation, but we do exert significant influence.”
“That’s plenty.”
I got to the point with Mr. Dong-wook.
“Please draft legislation on virtual reality. Make it so virtual reality games can be enjoyed by anyone worldwide, without any regulations cropping up.”
“This is for that entity you mentioned. Not a tough ask. Perfect virtual reality games haven’t existed yet, so there’s zero related legislation, and public interest is low. We can sneak it through like a fast-track bill. But Mr. Seung-hoon? Why go out of your way to help that entity?”
Mr. Dong-wook asked.
“You’ve already weakened it, and you could just hand it off to other transcendent beings, right? Are you planning to protect the world from entities again through it?”
“No, from what I hear, if it pulls the same stunt again, truly dangerous entities will step in directly. That’s off the table now.”
“Then why do this?”
I had no real reason to help “Center of the World,” objectively speaking.
Of course, that was purely from a gains perspective. From another angle, there were plenty of reasons.
“She’s a comrade who nearly helped me create a world with minimal entity threats. And……”
A sip of tea.
I took a bite of my cucumber sandwich.
“Her amusement had a kindness that considered humans.”
＊＊＊
[We’ll have an announcement soon. You can make yours then, Mr. Seung-hoon.]
While waiting for the Foundation’s favor, I observed the world’s changes.
‘They say “Center of the World” leaves traces in the soul even after the fun ends.’
The prime example was Ms. Lee So-young.
I’d successfully recruited her to the Sarang Trading Racing Team I’d just formed.
[I don’t even have a license?]
[Get one. And this is private property, so you can drive without it. Give it a test drive.]
[No, and I’m quitting my job!]
[Here’s your signing bonus.]
[No matter how much you offer, I refuse……]
Too much money to turn down—she teared up and accepted.
On a whim, I visited the racing team to check it out. To avoid burdening her, I snuck into the track and watched her practice.
‘Fast.’
Her driving was like Schumacher in his YouTube-highlight prime.
“Are these numbers for real?”
“How’s she handling that? She hasn’t had any training yet!”
“And it’s not even a top-tier car—how’s it putting out more power than the engine should allow?”
Far off, the staff chatted.
Then Ms. Lee So-young’s voice came from the car.
“Fuck! What the hell! I keep wanting to swear! It’s worse when I’m driving, damn it!”
She’d turned into a foul-mouthed dere.
That part didn’t need to stick in her soul.
‘Physical abilities up, driving skills intact.’
Should I take a spin?
Just a passing thought.
“If even a fraction of my racing world skills carried over, my driving might be city-destroying entity level.”
Anyway, Ms. Lee So-young’s changes suggested everyone in the world had shifted somewhat—and they had.
[Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Gallery]
[Why so many newbies lately?]
[Right? We hit #5 on hot galleries lololol]
[Whoa, tons of newbies! Love it!]
People’s interest in card battles had spiked.
[TCG Gallery]
[Ooh yeah! So many people!]
[I love it—gotta beat up the newbies]
[Whoa, we’re #3 on hot galleries? Insane lolol]
[Stone Gallery]
[All the card game galleries are hot, so why not us?]
[Is this really a card game gallery? Not a rock-collecting one?]
[It’s a card game spot. Newbies, please come!]
Racing interest had surged too.
[F1 Gallery]
[Our gallery hot on a non-race Sunday? Dreaming?]
[Wanna learn racing—how?]
└[Gotta be filthy rich first.]
[Most off-season Glierzen posts ever, fr]
[Perez FTW]
F1 Grand Prix chatter popped up as bait in various communities, some asked about supercars, others bloomed into racing manga topics.
‘Racing world took longer than card battles, so more buzz there.’
What about philosophy, art, humanities—bigger influences?
First, job sites.
[Berry Good Chemicals]
[Hiring 1 liberal arts grad, 2 STEM grads]
[Technical Electronics]
[Hiring 1 philosophy major.]
Even companies needing STEM hires were slotting in liberal arts.
[Ah, why suddenly philosophy? Don’t they say you can’t get a job? IDK what I want anymore.]
└[Just go for it—job market sucks everywhere lol go]
└[Lmao?]
Transfers to philosophy/humanities popped up often.
[This Week’s Bestsellers]
[1. The Catcher in the Rye]
[2. Ulysses]
[3. The Glass Bead Game]
[4. The Unbearable Lightness of Being]
[5. Finnegans Wake]
Philosophical/literary novels topped charts.
“Job market’s hiring liberal arts regardless of role, bookstores see 12,355% jump in philosophy/lit sales.”
Not bad.
Who’d think my final boss play would butterfly-effect reality like this.
“Failed the goal, but made the world a bit better.”
Days later, Mr. Dong-wook called.
-Countries will announce one by one, day by day, soon.
“Thanks.”
Korea went first.
[Virtual Reality Legislation Introduced, Fast-Tracked?]
[Per VR Law: Virtual is virtual. Adults have right to any VR type; in-game events follow game maker’s rules, not real law.]
└[Wtf? Real VR coming?]
└[Just VR games? Nah, law targets game-like VR.]
└[Which otaku lawmaker? World ain’t Accel World.]
└[Pedo probably.]
└[Old geezers sane?]
└[Lmao wild.]
Reaction was poor.
Why legislate nonexistent VR? Public interest cold.
[Isn’t Sarang Trading making this? World’s top fixer could do VR easy?]
└[Fixer fixes cases, not invents.]
└[Yeah, our leader’s a fixer, not inventor.]
└[??? Spy??? Reporting lol]
└[Absolute Clock OP]
Worldwide announcements rolled out over days.
“Time’s come.”
Last to convince.
“Came to talk now?”
“My leave’s almost up, Pre-King? Spill how we’re handling this quick?”
“You deduct work trips from leave? Shame.”
“You?”
“We don’t do that.”
“Damn it!”
No need to sway both.
One suffices.
“Ultra Supreme King, weakened ‘Center of the World’ is now a virtual reality game console.”
“I know.”
“Link VR and cyber hell—put sinners in as game parts to pay debts?”
“……How?”
“Monsters in RPGs. Or NPCs—village folk, livestock. NPCs open labor in any game, not just RPGs.”
“Monsters for death terror, actual death? Village NPCs for job drudgery? Or self-aware body puppets for identity-loss horror? All gold!!”
“Uh, Ultra Supreme King? You buying this?”
Baal glared holes through “Center of the World.”
Like he’d smash it solo if Ultra Supreme King balked…….
“Hmm, not a bad idea.”
He backed off without fuss.
“I’m off. Release that VR game, please.”
Saw potential?
Anyway, with Ultra Supreme King’s buy-in, I unleashed cyber hell prisoners into VR.
‘True finale now.’
Headed to Sarang Trading.
“Time for an interview. Call the press.”
Told the execs.
“Announcing virtual reality game launch.”
＊＊＊
“Ugh, full day.”
A guy stretched, eyeing his chibi avatar on screen.
He’d cleared all content with his 12 characters, lit a smoke.
“Haa, any good new games dropping?”
Real fun’s diving into fresh launches for that early-game honey.
‘Too many dogshit games lately. Bad ROI, no thanks.’
Even if leveled right, poor rep tanks the game, wasting time.
Post-work new-game hunt led to an intriguing community post.
[Lee Seung-hoon the fixer announcing game stuff?]
[Chairman Lee? Game? Sarang Trading?]
[Yeah, fixer made something.]
[Chairman Lee? Not a game dev, but worth hype?]
[Pick one: chairman or fixer ffs]
Lee Seung-hoon?
That guy?
Knew who, but never cared—til his gut pinged today.
‘Check it?’
What announcement?
Sarang Trading’s official YouTube: live stream midway, hitting highlights—Lee Seung-hoon’s voice.
Voice fuzzy.
Movie-like massive screen.
Hundreds of keywords by existing game screens. RPG ones jumped out.
“VR……”
Guy shivered in ecstasy.
Bookshelf game fantasy novels shook too.
“VR!!”
Ebooks weren’t enough—he’d bought physicals.
Hardcore game fantasy fan screamed.
“The rice-farming era has arriiiiiiived!!!”