Chapter 133: 10-Squad Survival in the Murim
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 133: 10-Squad Survival in the Murim
Three months had passed since Seo-un began his training in the real world.
Though he hadn't managed to open his Baihui Acupoint yet, he had gained a solid understanding of the properties of Immortal Demonic Energy.
"It’s about time we head up."
Juriel, Li Lingwei, and Gi-chan—who had spent every moment with him at the Wonju training ground since their return from Russia—stood before Seo-un as he finished his daily session and opened his eyes.
"Right. Tomorrow is an important day."
The house he had asked Karina to find for his parents was finally ready; they were scheduled to move in tomorrow. Because the conditions he’d set were quite demanding, Karina had personally overseen the construction of a brand-new home.
The fact that a new house could be built in just three months was entirely due to the weight of the name 'Jin Seo-un.' Permits and temporary utilities were processed at an absurd speed, solely because the government had extended every possible courtesy to him.
It was an open secret among the global elite that Seo-un was the one who had caused the upheaval in Russia. Consequently, there were few nations on Earth currently willing to stand against him—and South Korea was certainly not one of them.
Seo-un’s requirements had been specific: it had to be in Incheon, it couldn't be a multi-story house to avoid straining his parents' joints, the neighborhood had to be quiet yet close to amenities, and parking had to be stress-free. In response, Karina had simply built a single-story estate with a spacious yard.
Naturally, Seo-un paid for it in full. However, even after splitting the 14 billion won from selling the Three Mad Dog Brothers' items and the 10 billion won bounty with Gi-chan, he still had 12 billion won left. The balance in his bank account hadn't changed much.
Ever since his wealth had surpassed the 10-billion-won mark, Seo-un hadn't paid much attention to the numbers. His account was a special one arranged by Sweden, boasting an annual interest rate of 9%. Since the interest was calculated daily and added without tax deductions, it was actually more of a hassle to track the exact total unless he checked it every single day.
"Then, let's go."
The four of them were about to move when they suddenly froze in place.
[Ding! A new game has been matched.]
[Difficulty: Lowest]
[Game Version: 10-Squad Version]
[Would you like to participate? (O) (X)]
The four of them exchanged looks at the sight of the notification.
"The difficulty is... Lowest?" Gi-chan muttered.
Juriel’s expression brightened. "An opportunity like this is rare at our rank!"
Seo-un narrowed his eyes, tilting his head in suspicion. "Something's wrong. No games were caught for a while, and now a sudden 'Lowest' difficulty 10-Squad game? I wonder what the intention is..."
"Intention? Whose?" Li Lingwei asked.
Seo-un shook his head. "No, it's nothing. For now, there's no reason to refuse. Ask the others if they can join."
A flurry of messages followed with the team members currently staying in the other world. Since everyone was available, Seo-un pressed the 'O' button.
—See you in the game, then.
With a blinding light and the familiar sensation of his body heating up, a bamboo forest—slightly different from the ones he’d seen before—came into view.
As soon as he entered the game, Seo-un waved his hand to hide the rank display floating above his head and scanned his surroundings. The number of players connecting one by one was increasing endlessly.
[Thank you for participating in Cloyd Survival.]
[Participants: 10,000. Starting Cloyd Survival.]
[Language Synchro Rate... 23%... 93%... 100% Complete.]
[Starting the game. Difficulty: Lowest. Place within the TOP 9,900. Attacks between players are nullified in the current waiting area.]
[The designated map is the Eight Provinces of Gangbuk. Rewards will be distributed differentially starting from the TOP 100.]
[This game will last for five hundred days. There are no map restrictions outside the designated range.]
[Please note that time and space will be shared in this map.]
[This game version is the 10-Squad Version. You may apply for a squad by looking at the person you like.]
[This game continues until a single final squad survives or the gameplay time expires. Those who finish the game or are eliminated will return to their original worlds.]
[Those who do not place within the TOP 9,900 will never be able to access Cloyd Survival again. The current total number of participants is 10,000.]
[We wish the players victory.]
[Please find teammates to proceed with the game and form a team. Time limit: 100 minutes. If you do not form a team within that time, you will proceed as a Solo.]
"Hyung!"
"Seo-un!"
The team members flocked toward Seo-un, their faces stiff with tension.
"What kind of trick is this?" Nam Sa-gwang asked, unable to grasp the situation.
Seo-un, frowning with a grim expression, looked back at his teammates. "The operator has lost his damn mind."
"Is it really what I think it is?" Gi-chan was the only one who seemed to have caught the nuance of the changed rules.
Nodding, Seo-un highlighted the most critical part. "Sharing time and space means..."
As his voice trailed off, Juriel's face turned pale.
"No way! You mean they moved the map to an actually existing world?"
As Li Lingwei shouted in shock, Gi-chan belatedly cast Silence to keep their conversation private.
The 10,000 players—the largest number in history—began to stir. If the system had previously created maps by borrowing existing spaces, this map meant they were being dropped into the actual world. It also meant that time would flow normally, which could lead to catastrophic side effects.
"It means... Earth could become the map too," Gi-chan whispered.
Seo-un nodded, and Juriel and Li Lingwei's faces turned ashen. A survival game involving countless ability users in a place where ordinary people lived was nothing short of a disaster.
Li Min, Jin Long, and Nam Sa-gwang looked equally grim. It was only natural, as the battlefield for this game was the very world they lived in.
"If it's the Eight Provinces of Gangbuk... it's outside my usual territory, but still..." Li Min trailed off and looked at Jin Long.
Both the Yugok Sect, where Jin Long's sect was located, and Jindok Valley, Li Lingwei's family home, were within the Eight Provinces of Gangbuk. In the current Gangho, no one dared to step foot into the territory of those two martial families recklessly, but players were a different story entirely.
"Technically, it's like having an extra life," Nam Sa-gwang noted.
Everyone nodded.
"This game is definitely different. Since it's completely unlike anything before, there must be an intention. We have to find it. The operator's intention—that's the key," Seo-un said, focusing on the 'why' rather than the 'what.'
"An intention for suddenly changing the game environment? I wonder why..." Li Min tilted his head, resting his chin on his hand.
"If they made a change, it wouldn't be for nothing. Could it be related to how they reduced the number of players in the last ranked game?" Jin Long suggested.
Seo-un nodded. Come to think of it, there had to be a reason why they cut the number of players across all ranks by a third during the last ranked game. He tried to connect that with the current changes, but nothing specific came to mind. They seemed like entirely different subjects.
How are the number of players and the sharing of time and space related?
While he was deep in thought, Li Lingwei spoke up cautiously. "The game's intention is one thing, but how do we distinguish between the locals and the players? It'll be a nightmare if players hide by pretending to be people of this world."
"The way the game is played will change entirely," Seo-un agreed. "The pace will be slower, too. It really might take the full 500 days. If we leave a gap of over a year in our world..."
Dump looked serious. "It means being missing for 500 days. Everything will be turned upside down."
After looking at his silent teammates, Seo-un laid out a plan. "...For now, judging by appearance is a given. Anyone hiding their face or hair color should be treated as a suspected player. Other than that, look closely at their accessories."
Juriel added, "We'll just have to be sensitive to mana fluctuations. Since it's a Squad game, every team will likely have at least one mage."
The 100 minutes passed in a flash, and the notification sounded again.
[The game will begin shortly. Revealing the main prizes for this game.]
[World Escape Ticket]
[Player Rights Revival Ticket]
[Abandoned Treasure of the Celestial Realm]
[Ring Containing the Reaper's Blessing]
[Armament of the War God]
The players stirred as the prizes were announced. Everyone's eyes gleamed as they waited for the main quest.
[Announcing the Main Quest.]
[Kill the humans living in this world! If a squad kills 1,000 people, every member of that squad achieves the Main Quest!]
Horror filled the expressions of most players. Regardless, the notification sound, which seemed more excited than usual, announced additional rules.
[1 Coin will be awarded per human life in this world. Killing a player will award a Special Coin that can be used at the Item Vending Machine.]
Before the next notification could sound, Seo-un gathered his internal power and roared.
"Don't fall for these madmen's games! The same thing could happen in your own worlds! Never kill anyone other than players—!"
In an instant, Silence was cast around Seo-un by the system, and the rest of the notification played out.
[Soon, you will share your vision through the Eye of Argas. Through the vision of Argas as it traverses the sky, shout 'Descent' at your desired location to safely land. We hope you can obtain many items in your chosen spot. Please note that those who do not descend will automatically descend at the final destination.]
[Preparing to start the game...]
As soon as Argas's gaze illuminated the ground, team voice chat messages flooded in.
—Hyung! What do we do?!
—This is insane!
Seo-un's mind worked rapidly. —Everyone, quiet! Sahyung! Lingwei!
—Speak.
—I'm listening.
—I'll need to borrow your strength. First and foremost, we must inform this world of this situation! We need to descend near your sects.
The two of them immediately placed pings on the map. Looking at the locations, Seo-un decided to stop by Li Lingwei's family home first, as it was closer.
"Everyone, descend at the ping. We have to assume every player is a potential murderer and eliminate them. Do not hesitate for a second when killing a player."
The team members gave determined answers. A short while later, when a deep valley appeared between two high mountains, Seo-un shouted.
—Descent!
The moment he plunged headfirst, maximizing his speed, Gi-chan's voice rang out.
—No players descending nearby.
—Wait, a large number descended toward Soeo Castle in the distance!
Seo-un gnashed his teeth. —They probably intend to blend in where there are many people. For now, warning the locals comes first! Lingwei! We don't have time. Move fast!
—Got it!
As soon as they landed in the valley, she dashed forward. The team followed close behind. After running for a while, they saw a weathered wooden gate with a plaque reading 'Jindok Valley' through the white mist. Li Lingwei came to a sudden halt.
Seo-un and the others sensed presences hiding nearby and stopped.
"Everyone, show yourselves!" Li Lingwei commanded.
When she pulled out a wooden plaque with red tassels, dozens of martial artists appeared and knelt instantly.
"We greet the Young Valley Master!"
"There's no time. Open the path! I must see Grandfather!"
The white mist parted, revealing the path to the main gate of Jindok Valley. As they passed through, the environment was bathed in bright sunlight, but the team didn't have time to admire the scenery.
They ran past houses until they reached the inner court, where the elite martial artists recognized her and bowed.
"Where is Grandfather?"
"He is at the Sugeumryeon."
At the mention of Sugeumryeon, she used her lightness skill and bolted inside. The warriors followed, wary of the strangers accompanying her. Even the guards began to trail behind, resulting in dozens of people chasing after Li Lingwei.
Li Lingwei smiled brightly when she spotted a small, unremarkable old man looking at lotus flowers floating on a tiny pond.
"Grandfather!"
The old man turned slowly. A kaleidoscope of expressions rippled across his wrinkled face—surprise, longing, joy, and worry.
"Wei-er!"
Seo-un’s eyes widened. He saw the old man's body sway, and in the next heartbeat, he was already holding Li Lingwei. He had seen the shoulders move, but the feet hadn't even seemed to touch the ground.
He's no ordinary old man.
"G-Grandfather!" Li Lingwei, her face flushing as the old man picked her up like a child, quickly stepped back down.
The old man, noticing her glance toward Seo-un, turned his gaze to the group. Is it that one? No, is it that one?
As he narrowed his eyes at Gi-chan, a tremendous pressure erupted from his body. It wasn't murderous intent, but a heavy weight filled with the resentment of having his granddaughter taken away to another world.
Just as Gi-chan was about to flinch from the illusion that the small old man was growing to a monstrous size, Seo-un stepped in front of him.
The moment the old man saw Seo-un blocking his pressure, the corners of his mouth twitched. Just as his interest was piqued and he was about to truly ramp up the power, Nam Sa-gwang spoke.
"That's enough."
As his breathing was exquisitely interrupted, the old man's gaze finally moved to Nam Sa-gwang, who looked barely twenty.
"Wei-er. Is he your friend?"
"Yes, Grandfather. They are the comrades-in-arms I told you about."
The old man's eyes narrowed. His mood was clearly unpleasant as he spoke, his gaze still fixed on Nam Sa-gwang. "For a friend of yours, he's quite impudent with his speech."
Nam Sa-gwang snorted. "Look who's talking! You're just a novice who entered the Gangho right before I went into seclusion. You've aged a bit and now you think you're my equal?"
The old man's eyes twitched. He looked at Li Lingwei, who simply turned her head and sent a voice transmission.
The old man froze. "Nam Sa-gwang? Who is Nam Sa-gwang... Wiakilcheon Nam Sa-gwang?!"
"You brat! Am I your friend now?" Nam Sa-gwang barked.
The old man, momentarily startled, flinched and bowed deeply. "I-it is an honor to meet the Master of the Ilcheon Sect!"
Everyone present tilted their heads in confusion. The Ilcheon Sect was a sect of secret transmission and single-disciple succession that almost no one remembered. But back when Nam Sa-gwang was active, the title 'Wiakilcheon' was the pride of the Righteous Faction—a name representing the greatest master of the era.
"B-but that appearance..."
As the old man looked at Nam Sa-gwang's youthful face, ready to pour out questions, Li Lingwei cut him off.
"Grandfather! Now is not the time for stories!"
The old man looked at his granddaughter's urgent expression. He had so much to ask: how she had returned, how she was with a legend from two generations ago, and which of these men he should be wary of.
But seeing the gravity in her eyes, the old man’s expression finally hardened.