Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Development Team 2 (1)
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Jo A-yun (LV 211), in the midst of leveling up for the Chuseok holiday, was summoned by Yeon-ho.
[My President: Help]
It was a single, contextless word, but it was enough to set A-yun's heart ablaze.
I mean, wouldn't you?
If a motorcycle suddenly appeared and the rider told you to get on, you'd be more intrigued by "I finally found you! It's urgent, get on!" than "I have come for such-and-such purpose. Would you please get on the back?"
A-yun was the same.
Yeon-ho, who usually got straight to the point, had sent just one word—"Help"—stoking her imagination.
*A Chuseok... crisis?*
A-yun began to ponder, groaning with the effort.
What kind of crisis could Yeon-ho possibly face during Chuseok?
Of course, it wouldn't be a crisis threatening the world or the company.
The former would be a job for a spandex-clad superhero team, and the latter would be Gil-sang's responsibility.
Then what could it be?
Help that he would specifically ask of her. Chuseok. Yeon-ho.
"Aha...!"
*Flash!* A-yun's eyes widened.
A-yun's mind started racing.
*Come to think of it...!*
Yeon-ho was of marriageable age (not)!
Any young man celebrating the holidays—especially a fresh college graduate with a respectable job—would surely be breaking out in a cold sweat under the pressure from his relatives (this part is true)!
What did that mean?
*I've seen this! In the evening dramas!*
This was a common scenario not in the morning dramas her mom watched, but in the 10 PM Monday-Tuesday/Wednesday-Thursday dramas that A-yun herself watched.
-Do you have someone you're planning to marry?
-No...
-In that case, a blind date...
-I do!
The lie of a second-generation chaebol heir trying to avoid a blind date!
He begins a fake relationship to escape his family's scrutiny!
*With... with a subordinate!*
And so the romance begins!
-This is just business, don't get the wrong idea. I'll make sure you get a bonus.
-The feeling's mutual! If my family wasn't in debt, I would never fake a relationship with you, President! Hmph!
A-yun's heart pounded with excitement.
Of course, A-yun's family had no debt!
*This is...!*
The beginning of the drama!
A-yun's first love was getting a full-scale rerelease, starting today!
Yeon-ho's purpose today must be to introduce his fake girlfriend (not)!
It was practically a formal meeting of the families (absolutely not)!
"I... I have to go!"
A-yun shot up from her seat!
Miraculously, the Chuseok experience event was starting to slip down her list of priorities!
She hastily shed her green tracksuit (gaming suit) and put on the only blue dress shirt she owned, along with a skirt she had bought but never worn!
*Slam!*
She threw open the door and left her room!
"Hm? A-yun, where are you going?"
"I'll be back!"
A-yun scurried out of the house.
[Where should I go!]
[My President: Oh, to XX street in Hongdae. Waiting at a cafe.]
[OK!!!]
After running so fast her eyebrows could have flown off, taking the subway, and arriving in Hongdae, the only thing that could stop A-yun was, once again, the traffic light!
And so, she arrived at the cafe!
"You're here?"
"Oh, you called A-yun, too?"
"Huh...?"
There, Yeon-ho and Seo-rim were drinking coffee.
A-yun's pupils trembled as if in an earthquake.
"Oh, you're here too..."
A-yun deflated.
Seo-rim nodded.
"Yeah, he kept begging me to come out, so I did. It's not like I had anything else to do at home."
Seo-rim glared at Yeon-ho, who just shrugged.
*He even begged her...!*
A-yun trembled with a sense of emptiness and betrayal as she looked at Yeon-ho.
His indifferent expression pained her heart.
"P-President...!"
"Yes?"
"You're promiscuous...!"
"???"
First love, brutally crushed (for the 2nd time)!
...Still, this time it lasted an hour.
***
I couldn't stand being at home any longer, but I didn't have an excuse to go out.
So I came up with the idea of using work as an excuse to make plans with my employees.
I guess I'm pretty lucky when it comes to people.
I mean, two people were willing to rush out during the Chuseok holiday.
The three of us—me, Han Seo-rim, and Jo A-yun—were at the cafe.
The only odd thing was that Jo A-yun, for some reason, was wearing a skirt.
In my past life, this only ever happened for one reason.
"A-yun, did you just come from a wedding?"
"Why so suddenly...?"
"Senior, what nonsense are you spouting now? Who has a wedding during Chuseok?"
I guess not.
I thought the only time Jo A-yun wore a skirt was for someone else's wedding.
That was the data I'd gathered from attending several employee weddings with her back then.
*Well, I suppose this life is different from my past one.*
I decided to let it go.
As I was coming to terms with it, Han Seo-rim asked.
"So, what are we doing now?"
I checked the time; it was 4 PM.
An awkward time to eat, and since I was the one who called them out, it would be shameless to ask them to think of something.
I thought for a moment, and an answer came to me.
"How about we hit a PC bang until dinner?"
When you have nothing to do, there's nothing better than a PC bang.
Han Seo-rim let out a deep sigh.
***
Looking back, it was my first visit in about 15 years, across both my past and current lives.
As the scene of the PC bang unfolded before me, a wave of fresh sentiment washed over me.
A spacious interior, a counter, and dozens of computers.
This was, after all, the place that had developed Korea's online gaming culture to its modern state—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the very birthplace of Korean gaming culture.
I didn't sit down right away, instead taking in the scene.
There were kids huddled together, playing games for the holiday.
The main games they played were the once-dominant FPS *Sudden Attack*, the *MapleStory* that Jo A-yun was obsessed with, and *Crazy Arcade*, where you fight by popping water balloons.
A little to the side was a man who looked like an uncle.
He was yawning while playing *Hell of Slumber*.
That wasn't all.
There was the middle-aged man who came out alone even on a holiday to play 'that game', a couple playing a racing game, and students playing an FPS.
Watching them, I could see certain things.
Things like the gaming preferences of different user demographics based on age, gender, occupation, or situation.
It was like that in my past life, right after I'd joined the company and finished my first project.
I once spent hours just sitting in a PC bang, with no game to play, just observing users in the hopes of spotting someone playing our game.
This life was no different.
Having come to a PC bang, I found myself unconsciously observing the users.
It was then.
"P-President...! Over there...!"
Jo A-yun whispered, pointing me to a corner of the PC bang.
A man who looked like a soldier on leave was playing a game with his younger cousins sitting next to him.
...It was *Hellic 1*.
The first game we ever made.
"Bro! Is this fun?"
"Hm? Well, it's just something to play. It's fun."
"Can I try it too?"
"You can play when you're older."
The man chuckled.
A strange feeling arose in me.
Han Seo-rim next to me seemed to feel the same.
It was a game the two of us had made.
She seemed particularly moved, unable to tear her eyes away.
The corners of her mouth were even twitching.
Feeling a sense of pride myself for some reason, I said.
"Shall we take our seats?"
And so we sat down in a row.
"So what game are we playing? Do you know any?"
Han Seo-rim asked, suddenly full of energy.
At that moment, I was already launching a game.
*League of Legends*, commonly known as LOL.
The legendary game that would grow over the next 10 years into an untouchable titan, dominating the industry and solidifying gaming as a global sports culture.
It was only its second year since its Korean release.
The reason I chose this particular game was to see what LoL was like now compared to when I used to play it.
Since the biggest secret to the game's 10-year longevity was its maintenance through periodic updates, my choice was also a form of study.
I would think as I played.
About things like how the current playstyle would change in the future, and what considerations went into making those changes.
After all, this game had always maintained trendy changes based on the same core source.
"Oh, you play LoL too, President...?"
"You too, A-yun?"
"O-Occasionally...!"
Jo A-yun said with a giggle.
She really does love her online games.
"What's LoL?"
Han Seo-rim asked.
With a beaming face, Jo A-yun began to explain it to her.
In the end, we decided on a 3-person queue for a normal LoL game.
The game started right after Han Seo-rim finished the tutorial.
"Uh, Seo-rim, you play support...! I'll be the ADC and help you...!"
Jo A-yun said confidently.
I went mid.
The game began, and the color slowly drained from Jo A-yun's face.
"Uh, Seo-rim... you're not supposed to take those..."
"Hm? Why? You take some too, A-yun. Killing these things gives you money."
Han Seo-rim was leaning in so close it looked like she was about to kiss the monitor, intently killing minions.
The champion she was playing was Blitzcrank, an initiator who starts fights by pulling enemies.
...And she was using his signature grab skill, meant for pulling enemies, to kill minions.
Normally, the minions are supposed to be monopolized by the ADC (Attack Damage Carry).
In other words, Han Seo-rim was doing something a support should absolutely never do...!
"G-Guhhh...!"
A vein popped in the white of Jo A-yun's eye.
Sitting between them, I could feel the murderous intent.
"..."
The sound of Han Seo-rim's clicking mouse echoed between us.
The result was inevitable: we lost.
It was due to Jo A-yun's lack of growth and Han Seo-rim's disastrous KDA (0/22/1).
Jo A-yun's expression became vacant.
Should we stop?
I was thinking we should, to avoid creating conflict between team members.
"...I'm calling in mercenaries."
Jo A-yun typed away on the chat and invited two people.
In that instant, I froze.
[PangyoNo1MyeonggyuMyeonggyu: yo yo~!]
[CruelSlaughtererGoMyeonggyu: heyo~!]
"It's... It's Yu-mi and Hye-ji..."
Why are their nicknames like that?
The question was on the tip of my tongue.
Of course, I couldn't bring myself to ask, and the game that somehow started ended in a phenomenal fashion.
[VICTORY]
Jeon Yu-mi and Kim Hye-ji, who took the top and jungle positions, tore the game apart.
The two of them alone racked up 81 kills.
A number that went beyond slaughter, bordering on utter domination.
I later learned the truth from Jo A-yun.
"Uh, they were 2200-rated last season..."
Last year, when LoL was first released in Korea, their average peak rating was 2200.
This season, they were maintaining Diamond 1, and on top of that, they'd apparently received pro offers for *Sudden Attack*, which they played in their school days.
Jeon Yu-mi and Kim Hye-ji.
Their names were rather misleading.
***
And so, the shocking Chuseok holiday came to an end.
The office, upon our return from the long weekend, was the same as always.
The employees were also slowly shaking off the comfort of the break and getting back to work.
"Yeon-ho, I heard you all played a game together during Chuseok?"
Myeong-gyu asked.
When I nodded, he laughed and added.
"Invite me next time. I'm a good support. I play with Yu-mi and Hye-ji."
That means he knows about those nicknames...
"...Myeong-gyu."
"Yeah?"
"...No, it's nothing."
I couldn't bring myself to ask about his nickname.
I'm of the opinion that some truths in this world are better left buried.
An awkward silence hung in the air.
"Mr. Cheon, could I see you for a moment?"
Yang Gil-sang appeared.
It was a perfect escape opportunity, so I got up from my seat.
"Alright, I'll see you later."
"Yeah, you too, Yeon-ho."
I made a quick getaway.
***
We arrived at Yang Gil-sang's office, located on the floor directly above the development lab.
Yang Gil-sang handed me a file.
"Here is all the data you requested."
It was a rather thick file.
I picked it up and read through it carefully.
Meanwhile, Yang Gil-sang asked.
"But why the sudden request for information on other development studios? And specifically only small ones with fewer than ten employees."
I looked up.
I suppose my request would seem strange, coming out of the blue.
The reason was simple.
It was because the company was now properly on track, and we needed to consider expanding in other directions.
Rewind's performance has been on a steady upward trajectory.
We successfully established our position with *Hellic 1* and *2*, boosted our recognition with the Indie GOTY award, and even succeeded in entering the Japanese market with the console version release.
We had already secured more than enough development funds, and our current project, *Hellic 3*, was even receiving investment from Sona.
At a moment like this, I had to think.
How long can the entire studio cling to a single game, releasing titles on a multi-year cycle?
Should a developer limit itself to a single title?
My answer to that was an 'absolutely not'.
"We've started the engine, so now we need to accelerate."
The time to focus solely on the development of *Hellic 3* was over.
The planning phase was safely concluded, and we were now in a cycle of production and revision.
Now that we had both the funds and the recognition, and with the game's framework complete, it was time to aim for expansion.
I said.
"We're going to form a sub-project team."
In other words.
"If there's good talent out there, we need to bring it in."
It was time to exercise the regressor's privilege: collecting talent whose future success was guaranteed.
Development Team 2 (1)