Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
18. Children’s Day Jamsil Baseball Stadium derby match (5)
After the game ended, we received a summon from the Player’s Association and headed there.
Official Players don’t usually go all the way to Association after conquering otherworlds.
The problem was that two SR++ rank dungeons and one SR++ rank tower appeared without any warning phenomena.
To investigate the cause of that unusual situation, they decided to call the Players’ who participated in otherworlds’ conquest.
‘They would have already checked PlayerSAT-K’s observation records. But they wouldn’t find anything.’
It wasn’t one of Dark Mastermind’s secret moves without reason.
Dark Mastermind used their hand and Choe Pyeondeuk to hide Trainer Ung’s Chaser party Enemies from the Association’s satellite in the fighting club operated by him.
At that time, they probably checked if PlayerSAT-K could detect Dark Mastermind’s ‘Call of an Otherworld’.
‘Choe Pyeondeuk’s gang didn’t know what Dark Mastermind’s true aim was and handed over the Association’s satellite.’
I heard that the Association’s employee, who collaborated with them at that time, immediately after the incident became a patient sick both on the body and mind and was sent to prison later.
After beating up the patient employee, the Association’s satellite PlayerSAT-K was thoroughly reorganized, but an incident occurred once again.
I recalled Hong Gyubin, who burst out into a creepy laughter at the end of Choe Pyeondeuk’s birthday cake smash incident, saying that all managers and those ranks above in the Satellite Management team will have to write an apology letter.
‘The Satellite Management team will suffer again this time, huh?’
No matter how much they turn upside down PlayerSAT-K’s status and records, they won’t be able to obtain any answers.
If so, the only clue remains in statements of Players who participated in the conquest.
‘Even though they can’t come up with a reason after thoroughly investigating it, they would want to at least find a difference between the otherworlds which appeared without any warning phenomena and the usual otherworlds.’
Even in the game, after the incident ended, Ju Su-hyeok actively collaborated with the Association, but they couldn’t discover why the otherworlds appeared without any warning phenomena.
Searching for the differences between otherworlds which emitted and didn’t emit a warning phenomena was also a failure.
‘Ok Toyeon of the To tribe possesses an observation skill, the Moon Palace Guide, which seems to pierce the Otherworldly Call, so I want to make her work together with the Association.’
However, it would be unnatural for me to start this conversation with the Association’s side.
It would be ambiguous, even if I say I overheard the conversation between Yong Jegeon and Ok Toyeon.
After Ok Toyeon received a call from the Jin called ‘Toyun unnie’, her face lost all colors and then she sprinted away like a rabbit from that saying[1], so she wasn’t here now.
‘It would be good if Yong Jegeon spoke up, but Ok Toyeon is absent, so it will be difficult.’
Among the Yong tribe members who grabbed Yeom Junyeol and skedaddled away to have dinner together, Yong Jegeon escaped alone and moved with us.
He looked to be in a good mood as we moved.
As Yong Jegeon’s root was a Game category, he was a similar type to Hwang Jiho and Mun Saeron who went crazy for unexpected and fun situations.
‘Looking into his eyes, his heart seems to be fluttering for this situation.’
Yong Jegeon having interest in this incident wasn’t bad by itself, but I didn’t know what he was doing, so I was a bit uneasy.
He was a Jin who between a fun situation and his life, if he weighed these two on a scale, he would naturally choose a fun situation.
‘Because Yong Jegeon also died in the incident that happened during the 1st year.’
As if Yong Jegeon sensed a presence, he turned his head towards the reinforced glass window with Association’s logo.
Soon, a woman in an office-look entered the Association’s meeting room we were waiting in.
“Hello, I’m team leader of the Satellite Management team of the Otherworld Conquest Support Office in the Player’s Association’s Korean branch, Im Jihwa.”
After Im Jihwa finished her greetings and sat down, the one team member of the Red Lion who remained as a representative, cut to the chase straight away.
“Jihwa, there was nothing different in this otherworld from the ones we conquered usually. Other team members also said it was the same. Should you go check if it’s really not a mistake of Association’s Satellite Management rather than coming here? I have no thoughts of spilling it to the press. So if there is any mistake, don’t hide it and tell me the truth.”
She was the one who lost in rock-paper-scissors between the Red Lion members and was pushed out to be a representative at the association, while the rest of Red Lion went to have dinner together.
It looked like she wanted to finish the conversation quickly, so she won’t be late for dinner.
Im Jihwa answered with a weak smile.
“Even if I tell the truth, there is nothing. Hahaha… Hahahaha. Do you know about the previous incident at the Eungwang School, where Blue Sky Archer played an active role? Or that, immediately after that case, PlayerSAT-K was renovated five times?”
As if Im Jihwa and the Red Lion’s team member knew each other, the two of them talked with each other comfortably.
“Hahaha, there is nothing, even though we reshuffled the personnel with rank demotion. I want to apply for a department transfer…”
Im Jihwa’s shoulders drooped as she stared somewhere far away.
As if Yong Jegeon also knew Im Jihwa, he spoke up:
“Cheer up, Jihwa-ssi.”
“Jegeon-ssi…! Did anyone noticed anything on the Yong tribe’s side?”
“Hm, not on the Yong tribe’s side. If we knew anything, we wouldn’t let something like this happen during the game where Junyeol threw a first pitch.”
“Okay, right… right, huh!”
Im Jihwa raised her eyes towards the sky while sighing heavily.
If you take a good look at Yong Jegeon’s words, he said ‘not on the Yong tribe’s side’.
Those were clever words to hide that it was not the Yong tribe’s side but To tribe’s side.
“The students’ side… will naturally have nothing. First of all, how about each of you briefly describe today’s incident from your perspective? I don’t want to keep students here for long, so let’s interview them first, okay?”
At Im Jihwa’s words, the Red Lion’s team member and Yong Jegeon nodded their heads.
I guess they were thinking of giving us priority.
“Ah… today’s dinner is lost[2]. Aren’t you annoyed Jegeon oppa? About not being able to go to dinner?”
“Hm. This side looks more fun.”
“… I can’t understand Jegeon oppa’s feelings as a Game category Yong.”
Ju Su-hyeok, To Sihu and To Wonu summarized the incident accurately, delivering only the key, well-organized details.
Jang Namuk talked in length, describing everything one after another in detail.
Compared to the other four, Maeng Hyodon and I delivered concise descriptions.
Im Jihwa listened to our words while asking questions and writing something on the device and then ended the interview.
“Thanks guys. Because you stepped in, this situation was resolved smoothly. Thank you for accepting the interview like this. As commentators-nim said during the broadcast, the future of our country’s Player world is bright, huh?”
After the interview ended, she smiled with a tired face as she complimented us.
Besides that, Im Jihwa talked about a simple future.
It seemed that with that incident as an opportunity, Ju Su-hyeok, To Sihu and Maeng Hyodon may receive an alias.
But there was no way that Jang Namuk, who didn’t display his abilities besides doing monitoring, would receive an alias.
Jang Namuk said: ‘I also don’t think I have the qualifications to receive an alias right now.’
‘There is no way. I couldn’t make Jang Namuk, who had frozen up like that, fight.’
A large-scale inspection of the PlayerSAT-K was planned, so the alias wouldn’t come out in the immediate future.
“If something comes up, please contact me straight away. All messages and calls are available 24h.”
Im Jihwa earnestly asked us like that, while handing all of us a business card.
The Red Lion team member and Yong Jegeon, who were next in order, wished us to get home safely.
“Uua, it’s done. I’m hungry.”
“How about we go somewhere to grab something to eat before we go home?.. Oh, it looks like my family’s car.”
“Seems that our parents came.”
In front of the Association’s main doors.
Ju Su-hyeok’s, To Sihu’s, To Wonu’s and Jang Namuk’s guardians, who were contacted about the case, each came to pick them up to take them home.
Ju Su-hyeok was a day student, but To Sihu and Jang Namuk were members of the Military Academy’s dormitory, so they had to return to school again at least before early morning tomorrow.
Even so, today’s incident was an Incident, so I guess their families came out of worry.
“Then see you at school.”
“You two weren’t there when we played basketball, right? Make sure to come next time.”
“… stay safe, 1st years.”
“Be careful and go to the dormitory, Uisin, Hyodon. Send a message when you arrive at the dormitory, don’t go to sleep without eating because it’s annoying. If the dormitory cafeteria operating hours ended, go eat outside, and…”
“Okay. We’ll eat well and then sleep. Your parents are waiting, go.”
I roughly cut Jang Namuk’s nagging, and then I sent off four people who disappeared in the cars with their parents or bodyguards.
Only Maeng Hyodon and I, the two of us, remained.
“Hey, let us also go.”
“… Okay.”
If we go quickly, it seems we will be able to return during the dormitory cafeteria’s operating hours.
I was agonizing if we should take the air shuttle even though it was a bit expensive.
At that moment, someone called out to us who had exited the Association’s building through the main door.
“I heard the story. Good work. You suffered a lot, huh? Jo Uisin. Maeng Hyodon.”
The person who called out to me and Maeng Hyodon was our homeroom teacher, Ham Geun-hyeong.
Neither me nor Maeng Hyodon have parents registered as our guardians, so I guess Ham Geun-hyeong was contacted.
He could have just waited for us at school, but worthy of Ham Geun-hyeong, he troubled himself to pick us up from the door of Association on the holiday’s evening.
“Is there something you want to eat for dinner? I’ll buy it.”
I guess he is even thinking about dinner at a restaurant.
After long agonizing, Maeng Hyodon said ‘pork cutlet’.
As I also nodded my head, the three of us went to the pork cutlet buffet recommended to us by the search engine’s AI.
“There are so many types of pork cutlets…!”
In terms of what part it was from: sirloin, loin and shoulder blades.
In terms of what thickness the meat had, there was: thickly cut cutlet or western thinly cut meat simply made for european cutlet.
The cutlets with special ingredients added were: cheese cutlet, sweet potato cutlet or lettuce cutlet.
Besides pork cutlets, there were other cutlets, from chicken cutlets to fish cutlets, so there was no fear of a grumbling stomach.
“The traditional demi-glace sauce and hot chili sauce are the best. I think they go well with the beef dishes.”
The person who ate the most was the hidden foodie, Maeng Hyodon.
As if he tried out every menu item and sauce, he described what everything tastes like one after one.
Maybe he was considerate of us who were swept up in one unexpected otherworldly conquest, Ham Geun-hyeong didn’t say a word about the otherworld attack or Enemies and only listened.
‘I’m not especially tired, so I can talk if he asks or checks facts.’
However, Ham Geun-hyeong didn’t ask anything until the end.
Until we broke up and each of us at least returned to our dormitory rooms, we only talked about the food to our hearts’ content.
The moment I entered my dormitory room and closed the door, my entire body felt heavy.
‘… Was I more nervous than I thought? Considering today’s incident and upcoming events, I should infer the future.’
I took a shower and then was startled when I checked the device before laying down on the bed to sleep.
‘What did you send so many messages for!?’
A hologram was filled with new messages’ notices.
I ignored all of them, only roughly sent a message ‘arrived’ to Jang Namuk and then closed my eyes.
The moment I closed them, I immediately fell asleep.
***
Hwang Myeong-ho’s mansion.
Living room.
“No reply. Why are you doing that? Unread. You’re not reading and ignoring me[3], is that it?”
Before Hwang-ho’s eyes floated dozens of holograms.
Most of them were articles related to today’s SR++ rank otherworldly conquest incident at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium.
Then, one of them was a message window with Jo Uisin.
But currently it was unread, and there was no reply.
“Ok Toyeon, Yong tribe, Red Lion. No way those bastards all flocked together by chance.”
He thought if he should contact Ok Toyeon, but immediately had an unpleasant feeling and halted the thought itself.
Instead, he asked his close friend, who was looking at a hologram, while stroking the divine beast with a cold face.
“Baek-ho, you didn’t hear anything from Jo Uisin?”
As expected, Baek-ho shook his head.
The two of them often went out on walks with the divine beast, so he thought he may have heard something.
However, looking at that appearance, it seemed he didn’t say a word even during the walk.
On the side, the divine beast who heard Jo Uisin’s name, perked up its ears and started to look towards the entrance.
“Why? Are you worried about Jo Uisin? Divine beast.”
The divine beast lifted its head while staring at Hwang-ho. It made a ‘Kuung’ sound and then let out a cry which sounded pitiful.
It seemed to be a quick answer.
“That guy can’t come today. He isn’t picking up.”
The divine beast turned its head without hesitation and buried it again in Baek-ho’s arms.
It was a gesture which treated Hwang-ho like a non-existing Jin.
Hwang-ho said with a stunned voice:
“Jo Uisin should see you behaving so haughty.”
However, whether the divine beast heard it or not, it received Baek-ho’s pets with closed eyes.
***
Next day, morning.
As usual, after finishing morning training, I headed towards the 1st year class 0 classroom.
“Uisin!”
The moment I entered the classroom, Lee Lena hastily ran towards me while speaking.
Her two unusually round eyes looked up at me upfront.
“… please help me!”
It was the first time I heard Lee Lena speak with such a desperate voice.
She is also my Playable Character.
In addition, she was one of the very few 1st year class 0’s classmates I currently have.
Whatever request it was, I thought it was natural to hear it.
“The schedule for the Eternal Lake’s team master’s performance in Korea came out. Please help me with ticketing a bit!”
… It seems a bit hard.
*~*~*
[1] like a rabbit from that saying – I’m not sure which saying, so here is a bunch of korean rabbit sayings:
“You will lose two rabbits if you try to catch both of them.”
“When the tiger is not around, the rabbit plays a king.”
“A rabbit gets startled by a fart.”
[2] dinner is lost — in raws ‘dinner crossed the water’. Idiom meaning something is lost, irretrievable.
[3] are you ignoring me? – ‘are you chewing (on me)?’ in raws. It has a meaning of ghosting someone in the chat or procrastinating on some task.
Translator’s note:
Jo Uisin: Everything is fine! I should go to sleep.
Hwang Jiho *very much panicking*: Answer me!
(Fun fact: Jo Uisin is not fine.)
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
Leave a Reply