Chapter 116: The Happiest Day in the World
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 116: The Happiest Day in the World
Seo-un’s father dropped his chopsticks onto the table, which was laden with braised seafood and steaming stew.
Clatter.
“What did you just say…?”
“Seo-un! Where have you been going?”
“It’s that thing that’s been all over the news lately… the otherworld game. I’ve been participating in Cloyd Survival.”
“Then… you weren’t working while preparing to return to school?”
His parents looked far more shocked than he had anticipated, making Seo-un feel a wave of flustered guilt.
“Yes. I’ve been making money through that game lately.”
“Oh, dear…”
Seeing tears instantly well up in his mother’s eyes, Seo-un didn’t know what to say.
He debated whether he should follow his father, who had stood up and walked outside, or stay to comfort his weeping mother. In that moment, Juriel nudged his side and gave him a meaningful look.
She signaled that she and Li Lingwei would talk to his mother and that he should go after his father. Seo-un hurried outside.
His father was just coming out of the convenience store next to the restaurant, clutching a fresh pack of cigarettes. Seeing his father open a pack for the first time since he had quit years ago, Seo-un quickly approached him.
“Father… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
Click.
His father flicked a lighter and lit a cigarette, letting out a deep sigh along with a thick cloud of smoke. He looked up at his son, who was now significantly taller than him, and patted Seo-un’s shoulder with a rough hand that bore the marks of a lifetime of hardship.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, son.”
“Father! Why would you say that?!”
Seeing the defeated expression on his father’s face, a surge of emotion rose in Seo-un’s chest, and his voice grew louder despite himself.
Lately, the television had been buzzing about Cloyd Survival every single day. The news covered everything from the need for new laws regarding the Ability Users to how becoming a chosen Player was the new dream for teenagers. In the midst of all that, there was hardly anyone who didn't know the brutal rules of the game.
Between the news, variety shows, and newspapers, it was impossible not to know.
Death.
Every participant, except for a single person or a single Squad, was destined to die. They had to endure pain that most people on Earth wouldn't experience once in a lifetime, over and over again. Those who had survived spoke candidly about the brutal nature of that world.
What parent could be happy knowing their son was going to such a place?
Seo-un felt his father’s heart heavy with the guilt that his son was putting himself through that hell because of their modest financial situation. Seo-un calmed his emotions and spoke softly.
“Father, I don’t suffer there. In fact, I’m doing really well. Your son is a big deal over there.”
“Does it… hurt a lot? Is it hard?”
At those words, a stray tear rolled down Seo-un’s cheek.
Of course, it had been grueling, and it was never easy, but he hadn't really processed the weight of it until his father’s words shook his heart. He quickly turned his head to wipe the tear away and spoke as if everything were fine.
“It’s not hard at all! You know I never studied and only played games since I was a kid. That place is just like the games I used to play. It’s actually quite fun.”
His father watched his son’s animated expression for a moment before stubbing out his cigarette.
“If you say so… then I suppose it is.”
“Let’s go back inside. I’m hungry.”
When he led his father back in, his mother seemed to have calmed down, though her eyes were still rimmed with red.
“Please, come sit. The food is getting cold.”
“Yes. Let’s eat, everyone.”
As the meal continued with a somewhat heavy and awkward atmosphere, Li Lingwei and Juriel, who were usually quiet, began to chatter away. This was exactly why he had brought them along.
He had expected the conversation about changing nationalities to be heavy and startling for his parents, so he had invited the two women to act as a buffer. Unexpectedly, the mood had soured before he even mentioned the nationality issue, but the two of them worked hard to change the subject and lighten the air.
“Oh my, so you two aren’t from this world?” his mother asked.
His father nudged her arm. “Why would you put it like that?”
“Oh, dear.” His mother quickly covered her mouth. She seemed to realize belatedly that saying they weren't "from this world" might sound a bit odd to normal people.
“No, it’s quite alright,” Li Lingwei replied with a smile. “That’s actually the perfect way to put it. We came from another world.”
“I thought so. I was wondering how foreigners could speak Korean so fluently.”
It wasn't that surprising for Li Lingwei to be fluent, but seeing a blue-eyed, blonde Westerner like Juriel speak Korean so naturally must have been a shock.
As the meal wound down, Seo-un looked for an opening to bring up the main point.
“So, as I was saying, your son is doing very well. Father, Mother, you’ve both worked so hard to raise me all these years.”
As he began his explanation, his parents looked at him with a hint of tension. They felt as if they couldn't be surprised by anything else, yet their hearts tightened as their son spoke so cautiously.
“You know Sweden, right?”
When he brought up Sweden out of the blue, the two of them looked at each other and blinked.
“Well, yes, we know of it.”
“But why Sweden all of a sudden?”
Seo-un took a sip of water and continued. “Because your son is so talented, many countries have been asking me to join them. I’ve decided to partner with Sweden and change my nationality.”
“Seo-un!” This time, his mother’s voice rose.
It was already a bolt from the blue to hear he was risking his life in a death game, but now he was suddenly immigrating to a distant country they barely knew?
“No, it’s just a change of nationality on paper. We’ll still live here in Korea just the same.”
“Just the nationality? Is that possible? Won’t there be a lot of inconveniences…?”
“They’ve taken care of all those details.” As he answered, he stole a glance at his father’s expression, but it was hard to read. “That’s why I’m telling you this. They’ve said they’ll allow both of you to change your nationality to Swedish as well while continuing your lives here.”
“Us?”
Thud.
Unlike his surprised mother, his father set his water glass down with a look of discomfort. “Now, Seo-un. Your mother and I have lived our whole lives as Koreans. Why would we take a foreign nationality now?”
“They’re going to provide a lot of benefits. For starters, you’ll be exempt from taxes, and you won’t even have to worry about things like traffic tickets.”
While watching his father’s reaction, Seo-un pulled two briefcases out of his subspace, causing his parents’ eyes to go wide.
“Oh my goodness!”
“It’s nothing much. Just think of it as a magic bag.”
“Well… that certainly is convenient.” His mother looked back and forth between the bag and Seo-un’s hand in wonder.
Seo-un opened the bags and explained the arrangement exactly as he had been told.
“Seo-un’s father… how much is ten million dollars?”
“Now, now. Is money the important thing when it comes to giving up one’s nationality?”
“Well… the landlord wants to raise the jeonse deposit again. If we can solve that with this money…” His mother’s voice trailed off as she glanced at his father.
Jeonse. Just hearing the word made Seo-un feel sick. It was a grueling way to live, having to move every two years at the whim of a landlord.
“It’s a bit over ten billion won,” Seo-un said. “If we count it at 1,100 won per dollar, it’s about eleven billion.”
At that, both of their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
“How much? Did you say billions?”
As Seo-un nodded with a smile, his parents finally began to realize that everything he had been saying was real. They had thought he was just putting on a brave face to reassure them, but the numbers didn't lie.
Having lived long lives, they knew all too well that the world often measured a person’s value in money. The fact that a country would hand over more than ten billion won—not just to their son, but to his family as well—meant that the value placed on their son was beyond their imagination.
“S-so, you’re saying there’s ten billion won on this card?”
“Yes. I know better than anyone how hard you’ve worked, Father. Now, please stop working and spend your time traveling comfortably with Mother.”
“Honey…”
Seeing his father still frowning, his mother quietly slipped the card into her wallet. “And we can really keep living in Korea?”
“Of course. You’ll be treated better than diplomats, so it’ll actually be much more convenient than having Korean citizenship.”
“See? Seo-un said it earlier. They’ll give us legal immunity.”
Seo-un smiled and nodded. “Yes, legal immunity. And as I mentioned, airlines are free too. You can travel abroad whenever you like. You always said your dream was to visit a hot spring in Japan, right? Take this chance to go in luxury.”
Seo-un remembered them seeing an outdoor hot spring in a snowy field on TV and saying they’d love to go there once. When he brought it up, his father’s expression finally softened.
“Let’s do as Seo-un says. Our son wouldn't make us do anything bad, would he?”
When his mother said it again, his father finally grabbed the briefcase as if giving in and set it under the table. Seo-un let out a sigh of relief.
“Then, let’s head out. I have many places to take you today.”
“Where else are we going?”
Having lived a frugal life, the only luxury they ever shared as a family was eating out. When he spoke as if there was more to do, his mother looked expectant.
“Of course. There are so many places to go. First… let’s go look at a car for Father.”
“A car?”
His father had spent his entire life using public transportation. He had lived without a car, believing that he just needed to wake up an hour earlier than everyone else to make ends meet. Buying his father a car had been one of Seo-un’s long-held wishes.
“Yes. You should have a car or two now. We need to buy a car, a house, and we’re going to the department store too.”
Just hearing the plans made his mother’s face light up with the excitement of a young girl.
“But… if I buy a car, the health insurance premiums will go up a lot…”
That was the reason he had never owned a car. The cost of the vehicle, insurance, fuel, and the increase in national health insurance premiums were too much for a working man.
“Father, you don’t have to pay health insurance anymore. But that doesn't mean you’ll have to pay for hospital visits. If you go to a hospital, just show them that ID, and the Swedish government will cover all your medical expenses.”
“Really? Oh my, then I can cancel all those insurance policies I’ve been paying for!”
His mother looked overjoyed at the thought of being rid of the burden of monthly premiums. Seeing her reaction, Seo-un’s heart grew heavy. He had been making a lot of money for a while now, and he felt a pang of guilt for having neglected them.
What have I been doing all this time…?
Seeing his mother worrying over a few pennies for insurance made him feel terrible.
“Let’s just go!”
“Mother, let’s go.”
“You too, Father.”
The two women took his parents by the arms, and they finally headed out. They took a taxi to a dealership specializing in high-end foreign cars. After a quick question in the taxi, his father had mentioned that an SUV would be more comfortable than a sedan, so they headed to the nearest Land Rover dealership.
The moment they entered the showroom, the staff exchanged glances. A junior employee approached them tentatively.
“Welcome.”
“Yes. We’re here to look at some cars.”
“I see. Please feel free to look around. If you’d like to try sitting in one, please be sure to call me.”
Seeing the employee quickly walk away after saying that, Seo-un’s eyes darkened. If he had been treated like this while alone, he wouldn't have cared, but being treated this way while with his parents was far from pleasant. He felt they were being ignored because of his parents' modest appearance.
Just then, Juriel’s Bentley, which had been following the taxi, finished parking in front of the dealership, drawing the attention of all the staff. When two beauties—one Eastern and one Western, both looking like they didn't belong to this world—stepped out of the Bentley and entered, almost every employee rushed to open the door and welcome them warmly.
The two women ignored the staff and ran straight to where Seo-un and his parents were standing.
“Father!”
“Mother!”
Seeing the two women acting so affectionately toward the couple, the employee who had first greeted them ran over in surprise.
“Ah, I see you’re all together.”
Seo-un looked at him coldly. “We won’t be sitting in anything without permission, so there’s no need for you to stay.”
At that icy tone, the two sharp-witted women immediately realized Seo-un was displeased. Realizing something must have happened before they arrived, Juriel spoke up.
“Change the staff member attending to us. Now.”
Having spent two weeks learning the ways of Earth from Karina, she had learned exactly how to handle people who made her uncomfortable. Seeing her cold gaze, the young employee’s face turned pale.
An older, more experienced manager quickly rushed over and sent the younger one away. “Our employee has only just started, so he must have made you uncomfortable. Please, allow me.”
Seo-un didn't even spare a glance for the manager. “Father, how about this one?”
“It looks sturdy… but wouldn't a Hyundai be better?”
“This car is sturdier than domestic ones.”
“Ah, this model is—”
“That’s enough,” Seo-un cut the manager off. “We’ll look on our own.”
“Yes…” At Seo-un’s cold attitude, the manager quickly stepped back.
Li Lingwei quickly opened the car door. “Father, why don’t you try sitting in it?”
His father sat in the driver's seat, and a smile naturally spread across his face at the luxurious leather and finish.
“It’s nice, isn't it?”
“It is good. You can definitely tell it’s a foreign car.”
“We’ll take this one. How long will delivery take?”
Only then did Seo-un turn his gaze to the manager.
“For that model, the delivery period varies depending on the color and options…”
“Father, what color do you like?”
“White like this one looks clean.”
Seo-un nodded. “White, with all the options.”
The manager’s face brightened. “We can deliver a vehicle with those specifications quickly. We have quite a few fully-loaded vehicles from our recent shipment that haven't been contracted yet.”
“Then let’s sign the contract right now.”
The manager was surprised once when the father pulled out a Swedish diplomatic passport as his ID, and twice when Seo-un paid the full price of the car with a single card. And after they left, he was even more shocked to find out they were exempt from all taxes, and even more so when men in suits from the Swedish embassy arrived to inspect the vehicle.
*
After finishing the car contract, they went to a department store. Buying a luxury bag for his mother and putting a watch worth the price of a jeonse deposit on his father’s wrist, Seo-un felt more proud than ever before.
At first, his parents had adamantly refused after seeing the price tags, but at the urging of Seo-un and the two women, they ended up with their hands full of shopping bags.
“I’ve asked the people helping me in Sweden about a house, so we should be able to find one soon.”
“Alright. But we don’t want to go too far; we’d like to keep living in Incheon.”
“Yes, don’t worry. I’ve already told them that.”
After finishing their shopping trip and seeing his parents off, Juriel and Li Lingwei stepped close to Seo-un’s side.
“Your parents are so kind and gentle,” Juriel whispered.
“It’s true. I can see how much they love you,” Li Lingwei added.
“They’re the kind of people who worked hard their whole lives to raise me and never once nagged me about my grades.”
As they were heading back to Wonju, Seo-un’s eyes snapped open at a familiar sensation. It wasn't just him; Juriel and Li Lingwei felt it too.
“Seo-un!”
“What is this all of a sudden…”
He felt a surge of heat throughout his body, and then his vision began to shift.
[Thank you to everyone for participating in Cloyd Survival.]
[150 participants connected. Starting Cloyd Survival.]
[Language synchronization… 38%… 80%… 100% complete.]
[Starting the game. Difficulty: Extreme. Please reach the TOP 100.]
[Attacks between players are nullified in the current waiting room.]
[Designated area: Incheon Metropolitan City. Rewards will be distributed differentially starting from TOP 15.]
[This game will last for two hundred days, and the map you play on will be restricted daily.]
[The magnetic field that restricts the map will grow stronger by the day; please be careful not to take damage outside the field.]
[This game is a Forced Ranked Game.]
[In this game, players of the same rank will begin a survival game together.]
[This game will continue until the last person survives. Those who finish the game or are eliminated will return to their original world.]
[Those who do not make it into the TOP 100 will never be able to access Cloyd Survival again. Current total participants: 150.]
[We wish the players victory.]
“What?!”
Startled, Seo-un looked around and saw many Players with crowns floating above their heads. Seeing the veterans observing other players with calm, cold eyes, a cold sweat trickled down Seo-un’s back.
One-third of the Rankers are going to be eliminated in this one game?