Chapter 97: Getting Hitched Against My Will?!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 97: Getting Hitched Against My Will?!
As the environment filling his vision shifted rapidly, the teammates waiting in the room rushed toward him.
“Brother!”
“Hyung!”
Lyle and Jin Long, in particular, seemed deeply moved, unable to contain their excitement.
“That was incredible! You were so cool!”
Lyle, usually quite shy, was jumping up and down in excitement. It was so endearing that Seo-un reached out and roughly ruffled the boy’s hair.
With his round eyes wide open, Lyle asked, “How did you even think of pitting the dragon against an Epic Monster?”
Jin Long and the other teammates were equally curious, their eyes fixed on Seo-un’s lips.
“I saw the monkey avoiding the Blue Dragon’s territory, so I figured the dragon might be a match for it. Plus, I was pissed that the twins’ play wiped out the squad. I just went in with a ‘whatever happens, happens’ mindset.”
Gi-chan shook his head as he watched Seo-un speak so nonchalantly.
“Hyung, you’re so cold and calculating when we’re playing as a team, but the moment you’re alone, you become completely reckless. I was freaking out watching you from the waiting room.”
Li Lingwei chimed in, supporting Gi-chan’s point.
“That play was incredibly lucky. If the timing had been off by even a second, or if luck hadn't been on your side, it would have been difficult.”
“True. But there were nearly 200 players left, and it was an 8-Quad match. What was I supposed to do alone? I’d already secured my survival rights, so I figured I’d at least pay them back for what they did.”
At that answer, the corners of Li Lingwei’s mouth curled up. Her expression seemed to say, A man should have at least that much spirit.
“It was a play that can only be described as beyond imagination. I can confidently say no one but Jin Seo-un could have pulled it off. Joining Jin Seo-un’s regular squad was truly a great choice.”
Even Juriel’s eyes sparkled as she offered her praise.
“Honestly, I think it was just a play born out of pure rage,” Dump remarked.
Rimin nodded in agreement.
“To be fair, you were so livid back then that you couldn't think of anything but getting revenge on those twins, right?”
Having met Seo-un a game earlier than the others and having shared the experience of protecting something precious together, the two felt more comfortable speaking their minds to him.
“There’s a saying in our world.”
The teammates leaned in, wondering if he was about to offer a metaphorical answer.
“It’s a famous quote: ‘The whole point of gaming is to piss off your opponent.’”
Everyone’s expression turned awkward at that.
Seeing their faces, Seo-un continued with a serious look.
“It’s just a hunch, but I feel like we’ll be running into those twins often in the future. With guys like that, it’s best to show them who the real crazy one is from the very first meeting to seize the initiative.”
At those words, everyone, including Juriel, looked genuinely surprised.
“You thought that far ahead?”
“Of course. Did you think I was as short-sighted as you?”
When Seo-un poked Dump’s thick breastplate while joking, Dump raised an eyebrow.
After lightening the mood with some banter, Seo-un turned the subject back to business with a serious face.
“Now, let’s review the game.”
Seo-un believed that a finished game shouldn't just be forgotten. This was a routine he had always practiced with Gi-chan. Looking back, pointing out wrong decisions or areas where their play was lacking was essential for the growth of a regular squad.
After a period of heated discussion, Seo-un finally looked at Li Lingwei.
“Poisoning the well was definitely a great move. I think we can keep using the strategy of poisoning food or water and leaving it behind. Jerky still shows up quite often when looting boxes.”
“That sounds good. It might even be a viable strategy to poison every piece of jerky we see and scatter them everywhere,” Rimin agreed.
“Once we return, I’ll think of more ways to poison an unspecified majority.”
Li Lingwei said this with a smile, though the statement sounded quite dangerous depending on how one heard it.
As the teammates finished their discussion, a notification rang out.
—Ding! Before the rewards, the Player Vote will begin. Please vote for the player you believe was the MVP of the squad.
—Ta-da! By a unanimous vote (excluding yourself), Jin Seo-un has been chosen as the Honorable Player!
It was an announcement so expected that there was zero tension.
—Next, please vote for the Worst Player. Ding! Please vote carefully. If a player receives a unanimous vote, they will be banned from participating in Cloyd Survival forever. Those who receive many votes will face a penalty on the number of coins rewarded.
—Ding! A unanimous vote for abstention has been recorded. Praise be to the teamwork of Jin Seo-un’s squad!
Along with the notification, the rewards began.
[Ding! You have obtained 240 Reward Coins.]
[Kill Bonus! An additional 30 coins have been granted.]
[You have placed in the Top 5 for five consecutive games. An additional 120 coins have been granted.]
[You have placed 1st for three consecutive games. An additional 120 coins have been granted.]
[You have achieved the feat of hunting an Epic Monster. An additional 30 coins have been granted.]
[You are the first in Cloyd to successfully hunt a clone of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven. An additional 50 coins have been granted.]
[You have been selected as the Honorable Player, granting an additional 50 coins.]
“The kill bonus is definitely low this time,” Seo-un muttered while checking his reward details.
Gi-chan asked, “How many did you get in total?”
“640.”
“You’re... you’re not in a position to complain about that being low.”
“It’s low considering the Top 5 and 1st place rewards doubled.”
“Wait... then Hyung, don't you have over 1,000 coins now?”
Seo-un checked his coin balance and nodded.
“1,025. I’ve saved up quite a bit.”
The teammates’ jaws dropped at his dry response.
“Wow... that’s a reaction befitting a coin tycoon.”
“Hey! What’s the point of having a lot of coins? You need good items to take with you. Having a lot of coins piled up is just another way of saying your skills have plateaued even though you’re progressing through the games.”
“I think we did a fair amount of farming this time. It’ll be fun to go shopping.”
“I’m going to pour out my saved coins this time. There were quite a few items that looked exciting just by their appearance.”
“Oh, the rankings. Your rank must have gone up quite a bit too, right?”
As Dump mentioned the rankings, the ranker list appeared in the center of the waiting room.
Dump, who had been searching for Seo-un’s name for a while, shouted, “Whoa! How many ranks did you jump in just one game?”
“He’s already 132nd.”
Seo-un glanced at the ranking board and looked away, seemingly uninterested.
“What does that even matter? It just draws unwanted attention and makes people wary of me. It doesn't help the game at all. Unless you’re in a regular squad, people just use rank grades to play politics.”
The teammates looked surprised by Seo-un’s cynical reaction.
“Anyway, let’s move on quickly. We have the draw to do.”
At the mention of the draw, everyone’s faces lit up with excitement. The moment of the draw was what they looked forward to most after reaching the TOP 5.
[Ding-ding-ding! Draw tickets are being granted to the final 5 squads.]
[Player, you may spin three times.]
The beautiful notification the teammates had been waiting for rang out, and eight spinning wheels appeared. Among them, Seo-un’s wheel had significantly more items listed than the others.
“I guess that last-minute farming really paid off.”
One by one, they began to test their luck and draw items from the wheels. Seo-un also gave his wheel a vigorous spin. Since he had plenty of coins, he didn't really care what came out.
[Whirrrrrrrrrrr—Ding! You have obtained a Recovery Scroll. Congratulations.]
“I said I didn't care what came out, but seeing you doesn't exactly make me feel good.”
His honest feelings leaked out.
[Whirrrrrrrrrrr—Ding! You have obtained the Single Dragon Staff Technique. Congratulations.]
The item he had intended to give to Gi-chan was picked second. He spun the wheel a third time without hesitation.
[Whirrrrrrrrrrr—Ding! You have obtained the Breath of Nature. Congratulations.]
Looking at the three items with a lukewarm expression, Seo-un began to purchase items.
[Yoseonsul (350 Coins.)]
Seo-un narrowed his eyes as he spotted Yoseonsul at the top of the item list. After staring at it for a moment, he began selecting his items.
[You have selected Yoseonsul, Ring of Protection, Earth Enhancement Stone, Broken Mithril Armor, Broken Mithril Helmet, Headband Tightening Spell (Latter Half), Soul Stone of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, and Fragmented Secret Manual. A total of 816 coins have been used. Remaining coins will be accumulated. Would you like to finish your selection?]
Seo-un pressed the ‘O’ button and examined the Yoseonsul.
[Yoseonsul. A celestial art created by the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, based on Taoist magic. It allows the user to handle Immortal Qi and perform Transformation and Cloning techniques based on the accumulated Immortal Qi.]
The three terms—Immortal Qi, Transformation, and Cloning—made him choose it without hesitation despite the outrageously high price. He could already perform limited transformations through Mimicry and create mere illusions with Muryeong Phantom Step.
However, the ability to handle Immortal Qi was on a completely different level.
Because it means I can handle Immortal Qi without even becoming an Immortal.
Having once tasted Immortal Qi by absorbing a Nascent Soul, Seo-un absolutely needed Yoseonsul, which allowed him to accumulate Immortal Qi—a power distinct from Internal Energy.
And then, the Soul Stone.
[Soul Stone of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven. Allows the limited summoning of a clone of the Great Sage using Immortal Qi. If all three fragments of the Soul Stone are collected, the Great Sage can be resurrected with a complete Soul Stone. Warning: The summoned clone of the Great Sage may not follow the summoner’s commands.]
It was an item that cost a staggering 400 coins. There was only one reason he bought the Soul Stone at such an absurd price.
Maybe I can strike a deal with him.
If he could utilize the Great Sage, even in a limited capacity, it would be a massive boost to his combat power. Aside from that, there were several Fragmented Secret Manuals, but he only chose one because the others overlapped with what he already possessed.
Finally, after picking a few items to sell in reality and an enhancement stone, over 800 coins vanished in an instant. Seo-un, who had spent more coins faster than anyone else, watched his teammates agonizing over their choices and spoke up.
“If anyone is short on coins, let me know. I’ll lend them to you interest-free.”
At those words, Dump rushed over, looking delighted.
“How many do you need?”
“Six! If I just had six more...”
Without even listening to the long-winded explanation, Seo-un handed over the coins. He checked the remaining players after lending the coins, but no one else came to borrow any.
“I guess everyone’s farming was a bit lackluster.”
Once everyone had finished their item selections, Jin Long spoke up.
“Then, I shall see you all again at the upcoming Guild War.”
“Yes. Great work this game, everyone.”
“See you soon.”
Just as the game was about to end, Li Lingwei approached Seo-un, coming so close he could feel her breath. She then pulled a small red pouch that fit perfectly in one hand from her robes and handed it to him.
Seeing her hand over the pouch with a strangely flushed face, Seo-un accepted it without much thought. At that moment, Rimin and Jin Long cried out.
“That’s—!”
“You shouldn't take—!”
[Great work. Good luck in your next game. You can retrieve your obtained items from your Subspace.]
Before the two could even finish their frantic reactions, the notification rang, and his vision shifted.
“Huh?”
As Seo-un tilted his head while looking at the red pouch, Gi-chan spoke.
“What was that? Why were those two making such a fuss?”
“I don't know. I naturally assumed it was a new type of poison.”
—Ding! Rimin has invited you to a chat.
—Ding! Jin Long has invited you to a chat.
Seeing them request a separate chat despite having a group room for the regular squad, Seo-un realized it had something to do with the pouch he had received. After inviting Gi-chan to the newly created chat room with the other two, they spoke urgently.
—Brother! Do you have any idea what that object is?!
—How would he know? You don't know what that is, do you?
—I just thought it was some new poison. Is it some kind of special item?
A sigh from the two echoed through the chat.
—You idiot! You should at least ask what it is before accepting it!
—Brother. This friend is right. You were reckless this time.
As the two bombarded him with words, Seo-un’s curiosity grew. Gi-chan, watching the two beat around the bush, was also getting more curious.
—So, what exactly is it?
—That... is a Maehonnang.
Just as Seo-un was about to ask what that was, Rimin began explaining in Jin Long’s stead.
—A Maehonnang is a custom among martial artists in certain regions. Since many martial artists are fierce and strong-willed, arranged marriages often don't work out. So, it’s a pouch that martial artists who reject arranged marriages give to the person they choose as their partner. Accepting that pouch means you accept a marriage proposal from that person.
—WHAT?!!!
Seo-un was so shocked he collapsed onto the floor.
—Inside a Maehonnang, they usually carry very precious gifts or items dear to them... Most female warriors in that region find their partners through a Maehonnang. They prefer marriage through a Maehonnang even more than men do.
—How was I supposed to know that! This is void! It’s void!
—Ding! Li Lingwei has invited you to a chat.
—Ack! What do I do? She’s trying to talk to me!
—Hyung, just pretend to be asleep or something...
“Don't be ridiculous!”
Seo-un’s panic was transmitted clearly across dimensions to Rimin and Jin Long.
—Brother! Keep your composure! Even if you’re dragged into a tiger’s den, as long as you keep your wits...
—She’s scarier than any tiger! Seo-un! Pretend to be dead...!
Amidst the feast of chaos and panic, the two said the same thing.
—Brother! Whatever happens, do not say you are returning the Maehonnang.
—Seo-un! You must never reject the Maehonnang by saying you didn't know!
—If I do, what happens...?
Seo-un couldn't even finish his sentence. He was too afraid to ask.
—Rejecting a Maehonnang once it’s been accepted is a massive insult. A woman who has been jilted like that suffers a great stain on her reputation, making it difficult for her to find a new marriage.
—Especially since you accepted a Maehonnang from the Jingok Poison Sect... You’ve seen her, right? Something terrifying will happen. She might even cross dimensions to get her revenge...
Seo-un couldn't pull himself together after this sudden turn of events. In a state of desperation, he accepted the chat with Li Lingwei.
—Ah, did you make it back to reality okay?
—Uh? Yeah...
—By any chance, did you know what that red pouch I gave you was when you took it?
Her voice, ringing exceptionally clear, pierced his heart sharply.
—Well, that is...
—I’m sure you took it without knowing, right? Those two probably talked your ear off by now.
Seeing how she knew everything as if she were watching him, Seo-un answered honestly.
—Yeah.
—You don't need to feel pressured. I only gave it to you because I want to make you my husband.
Is that something you say to someone so they don't feel pressured?
Seo-un thought this but barely managed to swallow the words.
—Just keep that in mind for now. I’ll contact you again once things are settled here.
—Li Lingwei has left the chat room.
Feeling like he had just heard something monumental, Seo-un’s face turned pale as he replayed her words over and over in his head.
“Hyung? Are you okay? What did she say? Did she say she’d kill you?”
“N-no. I don't know what it means, but she said she’d contact me after settling things?”
The three others, after hearing the calm explanation from the still-dazed Seo-un, began to analyze her intentions.
—Could it be something like that? Like, asking her parents for permission?
—Brother. In my opinion, it sounds like she’s going to arrange a formal matchmaker...
—No, wait, dimensions are blocking us in the first place! How on earth am I supposed to marry her! This is an impossible marriage to begin with!
—AH!!!
At that moment, Gi-chan clapped his hands and let out an exclamation. Receiving the gaze of Seo-un nearby and the focused attention of the two across dimensions, Gi-chan spoke haltingly.
—Now that I think about it... a thought just occurred to me... That Noona. She completed the Main Quest, didn't she?!
!!!