Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 2
>Chapter Title: Somehow It Feels Hollow
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“Somehow it feels hollow.”
He had started at 18, and now he was 21.
For what could be called a short or long three years, he had poured his soul into the game. While others were out drinking and enjoying college life, Do-hyun had holed up in his room, gaming nonstop.
He told himself it was for the money, but that wasn’t the real reason.
It was fun.
Sure, he cursed up a storm while playing, but hanging out with fellow veterans, bantering idly, or grinding through tough raids just to get bricks—then occasionally striking gold with a lucky drop and hugging it out in excitement.
Everything about it was just fun.
But in the end, all that was left was server shutdown.
Had he really thrown three years away on a game that crumbled this easily?
With his skills, he could’ve made a killing in another game. They said top rankers in the VR version of Rinnichi could rival building owners in wealth.
That thought made him feel unfairly cheated.
‘I’m rank one, so why am I broke?’
All he had to his name was 500,000 won.
Hitting number one in a total flop of a game wasn’t going to pay the bills.
No matter how great the items dropped, there had to be buyers. This money was what he’d scrimped together from pocket change gigs.
“…….”
If only his first game hadn’t been this trash flop—if it had been something like Rinnichi, or even just a decent VR game.
“Sigh.”
Do-hyun shook his head, snapping out of those thoughts.
“What can you do? My fault for not quitting a trash game sooner.”
He’d make money from now on.
Trash game or not, it had shown him he had real talent.
In a VR game that was as close to full virtual reality as dreams allowed.
VR games paid better than PC ones, so it wasn’t like he was doomed.
‘Money’s not urgent right now… I’ll take my time looking.’
Living off his parents meant no pressure.
500,000 won would cover a month of chilling easy.
Not in the mood for heavy thinking, Do-hyun flopped into his computer chair.
Time to scout new games.
But the first site he opened was the Demlock homepage.
“Ah.”
Habits are scary.
Every time he booted up his PC, it was to post guides or browse them.
Click.
[When the hell is this trash game shutting down? – Purple Flavor]
Since he was already there, Do-hyun browsed the homepage and clicked his tongue.
‘No new posts.’
He’d hoped some lurking players might post now that shutdown was official.
Guess it was even more of a flop than he thought.
The latest post was from a month ago, by that Purple Flavor uncle.
‘Sigh. Time to close this and scout info.’
Just as he was about to log off.
“……Huh? A new post?”
Spooky timing—a fresh post popped up.
Not from a regular user, but the game operators themselves.
[To all the users who enjoyed Demlock until the end, we extend our heartfelt thanks…… Thanks to you, we could end on a joyful note……]
Curious, he checked it out. Just a standard thank-you note.
Like the reviews that pop up after finishing a webtoon’s final chapter—a long ramble thanking players for sticking it out.
‘Why am I reading this whole thing?’
He let out a hollow chuckle but kept scrolling.
Might as well see what they had to say at the end.
[And so, Demlock, our test build and Season 1, has ended service. We’ll return soon with the official Season 2.
Season 2 incorporates as much player data and feedback as possible.
We’re confident it will be a free world brimming with adventure. We invite you to the paradise of adventures.]
“Season 2’s coming?”
Lots of talk about test builds and official versions, but it boiled down to: next game’s the real deal, please look forward to it.
Unexpected. He hadn’t thought they were prepping Season 2 so ambitiously.
Still, he was skeptical.
‘Player feedback… probably just a flood of “luck-based trash flop” rants.’
Demlock’s gacha infamy was legendary among gamers.
Any player who touched it would’ve poured their true feelings into those feedback forms.
Laced with heavy curses, no doubt.
‘And half those curse-filled inquiries are probably mine.’
Most didn’t know, but Do-hyun could claim the title of Demlock’s biggest victim of its luck-based BS.
From skill pulls to item drops and enhancements.
The list went on forever.
No way feedback would fix a trash flop like that much.
That’s when it hit him.
He paused.
Something at the bottom of the screen caught his eye.
-Season 2 will launch not as VR, but as a full virtual reality game.
“……Virtual reality game?”
Do-hyun’s face twisted as he read it.
* * *
Every gamer in the 21st century harbors one dream in their heart.
A virtual reality game.
The kind from novels or comics—pure fantasy, impossible in reality.
But post-2020, the world took a big step closer.
VR Generation 3.
Beyond Gen 1’s eye-only realism, these helmet-like devices let you game like you’re dreaming.
They superficially resembled the virtual reality games from novels.
But in reality, they were worlds apart.
‘Compared to novel depictions, the visuals are laughably inferior, the AI is emotionless patterns over graphics, and there’s zero sense of touch.’
Everything was a degraded knockoff.
No wonder experts said true virtual reality was decades away.
That’s why people settled for current VR.
[……Not VR, but a true virtual reality game. ‘God of Savior’ will perfectly fill the void left by VR pretenders.]
“Bullshit.”
That’s why Do-hyun scowled at the homepage post.
“Even for a trash flop, isn’t this hype too much?”
Sure, he’d admit the game’s quality.
At launch, it was hailed as the pinnacle of VR Gen 3.
They had the tech chops.
‘But virtual reality? No way.’
That was like reciting multiplication tables and claiming you could ace college math.
Pure nonsense.
Not worth the hype.
He’d grown attached to the game, yet here they were scamming players to the bitter end. Couldn’t help but feel pissed.
Not just him, either.
[Breaking) Demlock servers down. No more memes from it.]
-That trash flop finally died? Been waiting for shutdown, and it’s real.
-Yeah, but they posted a notice. Talking about launching a virtual reality game.
-?? What?
-Demlock was a test, official version’s virtual reality. God of Savior or something.
VR scene was small, so word spread fast from quick users.
Or maybe another veteran like him checking the homepage.
For such a flop, the buzz was suspiciously speedy—more likely.
Reactions were as expected.
-Virtual reality lololol believe that?
-Right? If real, it’d be all over the news already. Articles everywhere, not just a homepage notice. Sigh;;
-Fr tho lol, tech was solid, so VR’ll be good at least.
-Gonna play?
-Nope, never touching luck-trash again. Want a taste of Bondragon bricks?
-Fuck bricks lolololol hilarious. First and last time for that crap.
-Dirty game, never again fr;;
Of course.
A virtual reality game was too absurd.
So Do-hyun closed the community without a second thought.
‘To make money gaming, need at least two months leveling… Rinnichi’s too late to start. Something decent?’
Rinnichi was stale, rotting.
Catching top ranks now would take ages.
Obscure games wouldn’t pay.
Mid-tier fame, mid-tier game would be ideal…
‘But don’t wanna play just anything… Maybe scout new VR releases? Gambling, but…’
New games meant he could claim ranker spots easy, and he wanted fun plus cash.
Mulling it over, clicking his mouse.
Bang.
“Hey, Mom said give you this.”
“Whoa, you scared me. Knock next time?”
“Knock what…”
The door flew open, and in came a bob-haired girl, still young-looking.
Around 160cm, pale delicate skin.
Big round eyes and cute compact features—guy bait.
But to Do-hyun, she was just a sow.
“Keeps coming for you, bro.”
“Ugh, gross, don’t call me bro. And wash up. Stop holing up playing games nonstop. Embarrassing to invite friends.”
“……Not an embarrassing face, though?”
She glanced at the mirror like she genuinely didn’t get it, and Do-hyun—or rather, Hyun-ah—frowned like she’d seen something nasty.
The disgust in her eyes—you wouldn’t get that glare unless you were a kid.
“Ah…… Gotta drink, stomach’s already bad. I’m out……”
Not coming close, she plopped the mail on the shelf by the door and bounced.
Watching her go, Do-hyun scratched his head.
‘Hmm. Pretty handsome, objectively.’
Maybe not in Hyun-ah’s eyes.
Siblings were like that.
Anyway, curious what she’d left.
He sprang up, grabbed the mail off the shelf in one motion, and tore it open.
“……!”
Do-hyun’s eyes went wide.
His hands shook holding ‘it,’ disbelief etched deep.
Not excitement.
Closer to fear.
Hard to imagine from a guy who never flinched at raid bosses.
But unavoidable.
Even a magic seal couldn’t stop the tremors.
[Enlistment Notice]
-Name: Kang Do-hyun
……Pursuant to Article 16 of the Military Service Act, you are hereby notified for active duty enlistment.
“…….”
The nation’s call to every able-bodied young man in Korea.
Even Demlock’s god couldn’t dodge it.
“I’m screwed…….”
And so, Do-hyun transformed from trainee to proud member of the Army’s 51st Division Mobile Battalion.
Around that time.
Demlock’s official version, God of Savior, launched.
Billed as a virtual reality game.
[The World’s First Virtual Reality Game, God of Savior, Launches!]
[Mega VR MMORPG Arrives. Vows to Be True Virtual Reality……]
[A Dream Born Amid Worry and Hope. Hope or Despair?]
What they’d dismissed as hot air—true virtual reality—had arrived.