Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Food
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The virtual reality game, The Center of the World, was released to great fanfare.
Any legal issues that might have cropped up were all handled by the Foundation, and the ethical concerns were neatly resolved by the game's own capabilities.
"Play should be fun. Administrators have a duty to create an enjoyable environment for it."
Was it because I connected an external terminal?
As an Entity, her powers extended beyond virtual reality to affect the real world around the devices connected to the game, eliminating risks related to "managing physical bodies during gameplay."
"But what about trading real-world currency for in-game currency? Or taking real money to resolve issues inside the game? And crimes like scams committed within the game—what do we do about those?"
"I'll leave it all to your discretion."
"Hmm, well, if it's part of the play, then so be it. I'll just let it be."
She approached me.
"Thank you so much. Thanks to you, I have a reason to live now. It's all because of you."
Something hot and moist touched my cheek, then pulled away.
I wanted to ask for details, but I had already woken from the virtual reality and returned to the real world.
"Hmm."
『What's wrong?』
"Nothing."
We hadn't built up much rapport yet.
But maybe what's important isn't time—it's depth.
'Even a long acquaintance shallower than a puddle is worth less than neighbors; even a fleeting brush with someone can run deeper than the ocean, closer than family.'
Enlightenment dawned.
I wanted to share it on the community forums, but I'd resolved to live more reservedly from now on, so unfortunately, that wasn't an option.
"I'd forgotten. That I'm no longer the old me."
The old me hadn't had much money.
So the only way to share insights had been through those forums.
'Of course, I'd joined for the discussions too.'
But things were different now.
I had the means to publish this enlightenment as a book.
"Alright. Let's turn this one into a manuscript."
I could self-publish without going through a publisher.
And so I spent busy days working on the publication.
"Long time no see. Thanks to you, Mr. Lee Seung-hoon, we haven't had any customers for a while."
"I'm sorry. I acted rashly. I'm here to apologize."
To mend fences with the Entities I'd alienated during the incident, I went to meet them.
"Hmm. If you keep solving problems for my customers going forward, I'll accept your apology. I had no intention of forgiving you at first, but word's gotten around among them about your exceptional problem-solving skills. You've gained quite the following."
"I'll do that."
The shady trader let it slide easily.
Through requests from his clients, I could gain novel experiences and preempt threats from Entities—exactly what I wanted too.
"Is that why you called me here? I have no complaints."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. More than that, you should invest more in virtual reality. Maybe provide equipment so people in developing countries can access it, or run promotions in underserved areas."
Baal brushed it off coolly.
A far cry from how he'd used Lee So-young to take me down.
"You're saying humanity's corrupting by their standards through virtual reality?"
『Then shouldn't we stop it?』
"Lucifer Company's brand of corruption mostly comes down to personal choices. It's not something you can just block if you want to."
We could always shut down The Center of the World, but that'd be like burning down the house to catch a chicken.
[Finally! It's our turn! We were inclined to overlook Mr. Lee's antics as our sole viewer, but this incident crossed the line!]
[Breaking news in that vein! A horrific calamity is about to unfold for Mr. Lee (26) of Bucheon!]
[They say humans need clothing, food, and shelter to live. However, Mr. Lee has just been deprived of the pleasures of food for one month. All his cooking will turn tasteless due to freak accidents, and his deliveries will arrive defective. Reflect on your actions while choking down flavorless slop for the next month!]
Not as harsh as I'd feared.
More importantly—my cooking turning tasteless? Deliveries too?
"Let's see how this plays out."
I whipped up a simple fried egg.
Half-cooked the yolk without breaking it, sprinkled a bit of salt right before flipping.
"...Sweet."
Not salt—sugar.
I'd definitely used what was in the salt packet.
'The salt in the salt packet has all turned to sugar.'
Real-time reality manipulation?
Or did they foresee and alter my future?
Either way, tasty food was off the menu from here on.
'But at least my intellectual curiosity's sated.'
Just how far does this misfortune extend?
Next, I pulled out some delivery food from the fridge.
'Tasteless.'
The frozen pizza's cheese had become some cheap imitation.
The retort seaweed soup had a faint off flavor, like it had gone slightly bad.
The Victoria sponge cake I'd bought as a snack had a tiny hole in the packaging; all the moisture had evaporated, leaving it dry and crumbly.
'What if I go out and buy something fresh?'
I visited my usual white-tablecloth joint.
Ordered the mackerel set—they normally used high-quality fish, always delicious—but today, it was botched from the start.
'Undercooked and fishy as hell.'
They must've thrown a frozen mackerel straight on without thawing; the outside charred while the inside stayed raw.
The side dishes? Namul greens reeked of spoilage, and the rice was gummy like failed mochi from bad water ratio.
"Good meal."
Couldn't blame them.
It was all Entity meddling—no point experimenting further and bothering restaurants.
"Deliveries the same?"
Next up: army stew.
'Spam swapped for smoked ham.'
No cabochon sausage—just some no-name cheap tube.
Despite being army stew, it was loaded with kimchi and bean sprouts.
"More like kimchi army stew knockoff."
Then sundae soup and rice.
Not meat sundae—glass noodle version.
"The worst."
Not just the sundae; even the accompanying kkakdugi was bland and off.
'Gourmet enjoyment is something I take care with—and they knew that when they took it away.'
Hold on.
Tea time too?
"...The leaves aren't steeping right."
Cucumber sandwiches gone crumbly.
The freshly boiled water went lukewarm in seconds, yielding weak, watery black tea.
'Any loopholes in this curse?'
The loophole came quicker than expected.
"Try a free sample!"
"Buy dumplings now, get one free—1+1!"
Wandering stores for tests, I hit a big mart.
The sampling staff offered dumplings—perfectly tasty, nothing wrong.
"Got the rule now."
Food I cook: tasteless.
Food I buy for fair price: tasteless.
Food I order delivered for fair price: tasteless.
"But food they offer for free: unaffected."
Only freebies work.
Easy fix.
"Ch-Chairman? What brings you to the company cafeteria...?"
"Came to eat."
"Uh, r-right! Shall I call the execs?"
"No need."
Truly unfortunate, but the Love Goods cafeteria food was awful too.
Probably because the company was mine, and the chefs were people I'd hired—effectively "purchased" with money.
"Ugh, why's the rice so off today?"
"Did they dump foam tabs in the soybean paste soup? Why's it bubbling like this?"
"Tofu's sour."
"The pork stir-fry's barely seasoned."
"The dried pollack's fine, though. Why's no one touching it? This is the real meal stealer."
My influence was screwing over the employees too.
'So, how do I eat tasty food?'
By now, meals had turned into a game for me.
The game of cracking the Wall-Mounted TV's rule and scoring delicious eats.
Amid this, an invitation arrived from the shady trader.
[Many clients have requested meetings with you, Mr. Lee Seung-hoon. Enclosed are their invitations—please read and meet as you see fit.]
Not one, but several.
I went through them one by one, noting the senders.
'Politicians among the clients too. That's a celebrity? Entity-linked entertainer? And a Japanese mangaka? The one famous for not aging—connected to Entities, who knew.'
One invitation seized my attention.
Black ink on red stationery, elegant archaic script with a vintage charm.
[To my esteemed sir: In a world brimming with Entities as disasters, while all tremble in fear, you alone resolve earth-shaking woes and ease the people's burdens. Awed by the problem-solver's grace, I send this shameless invitation.
I am Lee Won-bok, 36th generation head of the Dangjin Lee clan. My ties to Entities span long years, yet as a mere mortal, I have lived humbly and low.
Hearing tales of you stirs my hot-blooded youth; I yearn to behold your face and hear adventure stories firsthand.
Of course, forging bonds with a noble figure is my aim too. Yes, I shan't hide it. Humans are frail alone, but united, two become a hundred's strength. Those who know of Entities must know each other well and stand tight-knit, I believe.
Word is you've amassed wealth like mountains and command countless Entities. I offer naught grand, but in the realm of fine dining, I humbly boast skill to satisfy even you.
I await our meeting eagerly and end here.]
Signed below: 「Dangjin Lee Clan 36th Head, Lee Won-bok」 with seal.
"Gourmet dining, huh."
Wonder what dishes he'll serve?
And a long history with Entities—what kind?
'This'll satisfy my curiosity and my appetite.'
The next day, I headed to the address on the letter.
"Oh, splendid bearing! Mr. Lee Seung-hoon, I presume? An honor to meet you!"
An old hanok manor.
Expansive grounds, meticulously tended garden trees.
A pavilion inside, small pond with koi swimming lazily.
"I am Lee Won-bok, 36th head of the Dangjin Lee clan ancestral house."
And an elder dressed like a sage straight out of a historical drama.
"Hello?"
I bowed politely too.
"I'm Lee Seung-hoon."