The Seed Has Been Sown (1)
A few days had passed since the matter with Grandpa Ryuichi wrapped up.
The day after my usual broadcast ended, as always.
Gu Namchul showed up.
"You're heading to take the practical driving test today, right? Let's go together. I need to renew my license anyway."
"Sure."
We arrived at the driver's license testing center together.
And then the practical exam.
Number 31. Pass.
"That was perfect driving!"
"No, it was a bare pass."
"Hey now, what kind of talk is that...!!"
Can a national civil servant defame an upstanding citizen like this?
"Anyway, congratulations. Now just the on-road driving left. You sticking with that academy?"
"Yeah. They said they'd handle the road test too."
The academy had improved a lot since the director changed.
No need to switch.
"There's a great pollock stew place I know well. Let's grab a meal there before you head back."
"Sounds good."
The spot we hit up with Gu Namchul was a pollock stew joint near Jongno.
It was seriously delicious.
Civil servants really know their food spots.
"So, how's that drug case coming along?"
"Ha. Turns out that guy was just a distributor."
They import drugs from overseas, wholesale them to dealers, then use runaway kids to sell them.
Or exploit those kids in distribution.
"The worst part... they lure in guys who use minors."
"Damn."
The real scum just do it outright, but the problem is the kids who aren't like that.
They expose them to violence and threats, forcing them to transport drugs.
And if they get caught?
The bosses cut them loose like tails.
"They're utter trash."
Runaways, or kids obsessed with delinquent games.
They use those types to distribute or sell drugs, then ditch them when needed.
Small change to dodge big risks.
"Drug dealers aren't gonna be quality people, but that sounds like a real headache."
"Yeah. Sigh. What a world."
"You have my sympathies."
"Thanks..."
He sighed and shook his head.
Lunch was delicious, at least.
"I'll cover it."
"It's over 30,000 won, so Dutch pay?"
Civil servants can't even accept a meal without risk, apparently.
What can you say to that?
Just roll with it.
"Get home safe."
"Will do."
As I waved goodbye to him dropping me off at my officetel and turned to head inside.
I spotted some kids.
Among them, one boy's future came into view.
Go Yeongjun was an ordinary boy from an ordinary family.
Dad worked at a mid-sized company.
Mom ran a small business.
So he always thought of himself as perfectly average.
But that didn't mean he had any interest in rebellion or delinquency.
Delinquent games? Childish and pretentious.
Dungeon & Saga, though?
Way more straightforward.
Plus, his friends from middle school were all playing it too now that they'd leveled up together.
They hit it off quick, and Go Yeongjun's one joy was grinding Dungeon & Saga with them at the PC bang.
That joy.
Crumpled overnight.
"You fucking punk. You tell anyone what you saw today, your mom and dad end up dead by my hand."
"Life's short anyway—what, you think I won't? Wanna be an orphan, bitch?"
What he'd seen was high schoolers in the PC bang bathroom.
The scariest thing to a middle schooler is a high schooler, and cigarette-smoking thugs? Terrifying.
They were handing over white powder.
He even saw one snort it.
An unexpected discovery. A sight he never wanted to witness.
The price was brutal.
"We're not letting you go easy."
"Gonna post these pics online as-is."
They dragged him into the bathroom, beat him, stripped him, snapped photos.
Terrifying.
Why him? Why this?
He regretted ditching PC bang, tears streaming.
Should've listened to Dad.
No games, just study.
If only he hadn't gone that day.
A fear-stricken boy had one choice.
Just flee.
From the terror.
From the world.
"Hey, kids."
"Huh?"
"Whoa?! It's Noah hyung!!"
One of the kids with Go Yeongjun recognized me.
Unlike the kid bouncing with joy, Go Yeongjun just tilted his head.
Makes sense—he wasn't into internet broadcasts.
Go Yeongjun's one interest?
Dungeon & Saga.
A fine, model student.
No need for a kid like this to plummet from a 24th-floor balcony because of those bastards.
"Wanna flip this?"
"Huh? Uh..."
"Dude! Dude! It's Noah hyung!! The ultimate fortune teller! Prophet!! Hyung! Let me flip it?!"
"No rule against it, but I'd prefer if he did."
"Uh... okay."
Go Yeongjun hesitated, then flipped the card.
Reversed Chariot.
The puzzled kid. The other one's eyes sparkling.
With the two middle schoolers in front of me, I grabbed Go Yeongjun's shoulder.
"Go Yeongjun."
"Gasp... how do you know my name..."
"It's Noah hyung!! He knows everything from flipping cards on stream!"
"Uh... yeah, but why..."
"You're heading to a PC bang right now."
"Y-yeah..."
"Don't go."
"Why? Why? It's the triple EXP event starting today—we gotta clear fatigue..."
I knew.
That's why Yuna and I'd hit one up after she got off work tonight.
"Something's gonna go down at that Joath PC bang you're headed to."
"What kinda something?"
"Guys living like orphans without being orphans."
"..."
"And you're gonna see something you shouldn't."
"Th-then..."
"Then they'll grab you, beat you, take your allowance, snag your Dungeon & Saga gear and items."
Go Yeongjun's face went pale.
Saw a drug deal, got beat, naked pics taken, family threatened, suicide? Too cruel to spell out.
This warning was enough.
"...No PC bang today."
His friend pulled a sour face too.
And just like that?
Go Yeongjun's future shifted.
Back to ordinary school days.
Grinding Dungeon & Saga with friends.
Heading to high school entrance.
Yeah.
That's right.
"Thank you..."
"No thanks needed. Let's grind Dungeon & Saga sometime."
"Huh? You play too, hyung? What server?"
"My server's..."
Same server, perfect.
We'd party for raids later; he'd accept my friend request.
The two kids turned back the way they'd come.
They'd stay home quietly tonight.
Triple EXP was nice, but not worth a shattered future.
But I wasn't done.
I pulled out my phone.
"Prosecutor Gu. Think I've found those drug distributors."
—Huh? How?—
"Well..."
I explained what I'd seen, and Gu Namchul's voice turned dead serious.
"Got it. On my way."
About ten minutes later, Gu Namchul's car pulled up again.
He asked with a grave face.
"Joath PC bang, right?"
"Yeah. I'll head there first."
"Why would you...?"
"Wanna peek at those guys' futures."
"Could be dangerous."
"I'll fortune-tell from a corner. Cheolhon'll be there too."
"We're grateful for your help, but... do you really need to step up?"
"If I hadn't seen it, fine. But ignoring it now? Nah."
I'm an orphan.
No parents.
But I ain't living like one.
"Whoa, it's been forever since I hit a PC bang like this."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Came a few times with friends back in the day. It's changed a ton."
"Haha, yeah. Want something to eat or drink?"
"Kinda working, so... but what're you playing?"
"Dungeon & Saga newbie welcome event's still on, and triple EXP just kicked off. Join us."
Not just for you, but newbies are always fun in a party.
Time to inject fresh blood into the guild.
Grabbed seats near the bathroom.
Ordered some light snacks, logged into Dungeon & Saga.
As Cheolhon and I leveled a new char, feeling awkward.
In came some obvious thugs.
Those guys.
They snagged seats, glanced around, then snuck toward the bathroom one by one.
I texted Gu Namchul right away.
Needed to catch them mid-drug deal, with some dosing on-site.
"Leveled up."
"Put points in water elemental. Water meta's hot right now."
"...I'm a mage?"
"You don't know strength mage? Strength mage?"
Trash build, but strength mages were solid.
This patch's new unique gear options were busted; strength mage, once a joke, was on track to raid god status.
"Huh? Why are cops...?"
Exactly five minutes later.
Gu Namchul and the cops stormed in.
The PC bang part-timer panicked, but the lead detective ignored him, swept the place, beelined for the bathroom.
"Fuck!!"
"Run!!"
"You fake-ass pigs!!"
Shouts from inside.
Door bursts open, a thug tumbles out.
Cops pin him down.
"Let go! Let go, you bastards!! Fuck!! Get off!!"
Not even juvenile offenders, but throwing proper fits.
One cop picked up a baggie of white powder that fell from a raging thug's pocket.
His face hardened.
Undeterred, some spat or lunged at cops.
As if cops would back off.
They subdued them easy, dragged 'em out.
I grabbed my phone.
I texted the factory address to Gu Namchul, then leaned back in my chair.
Alright. Time to finish this triple EXP event.