Chapter 282
After receiving the quest and various equipment, Seojun was on his way to where the passage was located.
The passage was on Cresit's private estate.
Seojun had asked Cresit if it was fine to just leave the passage to the other world open, and Cresit had said it was fine.
He gave several reasons, but the gist of what concerned Seojun was this:
‘Something definitely seems like it’s going to blow up.’
Mad scientists always say things are fine before bringing about an irreversible catastrophe.
‘Well, it’s not Earth, anyway.’
He recalled the old story about people worrying that a black hole would appear and swallow the Earth when the large hadron collider was being built.
Anyway.
Seojun heard several important things.
First of all, fighting was possible inside.
However, Cresit had prepared a small rune that could prove who attacked whom, in case one hero attacked another.
So, if the attacked hero returned safely to the present world and showed the rune, Cresit said he would make the attacking hero an enemy of the Train.
Basically, they were told not to fight.
And if they did fight, the implication was to make sure they killed each other for good inside.
‘Not bad.’
Just like returning to the starting point at a well in a game, he explained that they could go to the other world and, if they wanted to return, they could do so by staying still without being disturbed by anyone for a few seconds.
This was the reason why, even if they went to the other world, the beings on that side couldn’t cross over.
After all, the rift, which was the travel passage, was being guarded by Cresit's elite mercenaries.
In history books, the Return Stone was used with mana, while the other world was a place where mana didn't exist at all.
For reference, Seojun also possessed this Return Stone. So, he could return to Asius at any time.
‘Anyway, it seems best to gather materials quickly, and more than others, if possible…….’
It was when Seojun arrived at the location of the gate that allowed travel to the other world.
“Hey, Korean. Can a latecomer really afford to be this relaxed?”
Someone approached. They spoke in Chinese, but it was automatically translated and entered Seojun's ears.
Being inside a game, it was something possible in real-time.
He was a professional player from China.
‘His name is…….’
Hm.
“It’s Taishan.”
“I am Kael.”
Rachel backed away. Perhaps she didn't want to get involved.
“…….”
“So, why?”
“Just came to give some advice.”
The professional player who introduced himself as Taishan said to Seojun, smiling slightly.
Seojun smiled back. It was a sneer.
‘Advice my ass.’
Seojun gestured with his chin.
He knew it wasn't advice, but he was signaling for him to keep playing his little act.
At Seojun's relaxed attitude, Taishan briefly erased the smile he was wearing before putting it back on.
As a menacing atmosphere formed, Seojun spoke first.
“Hey, you back there. Are you Shenjian?”
Not knowing why Shenjian wasn't approaching, Seojun called him out for now.
It was better to have them come at him openly from the front than let them hide some scheme behind his back.
“Why aren't you coming over here?”
“…….”
Shenjian let out a small sigh and then approached Seojun.
“We finally meet. Donation terrorist.”
Shenjian stood next to Taishan.
The two Chinese players seemed to be sticking together.
Seojun chuckled.
And Taishan showed a slight look of displeasure at Shenjian's remark.
Why would that be?
‘Could it be he’s embarrassed?’
There was a high possibility.
“Yeah, it’s been a while. Has your skill improved?”
At Seojun’s sincere concern, Shenjian frowned.
But he didn't say anything.
Since this was an unexpected reaction, Seojun continued.
“Giving up on Bédwier was cool of you. That quick judgment was impressive, no?”
This time, it was a sincere compliment.
“You seem to have a pretty good head on your shoulders. Your swordsmanship was pretty poor, though.”
You're not taking the bait even with this?
Shenjian eventually took the bait.
He's easily hooked.
“Ha. Listen well! You won't be able to do anything here anyway! And of course, you won't be able to do anything outside either!”
“Why.”
“Here in Train, it’s because you were late, and elsewhere, because I’ll eventually kill you!”
“Feeling confident?”
“Of course I am. Absolutely.”
Oh.
Once his blood was up, Shenjian declared war on Seojun as if letting out all the things he’d been holding in.
Seojun became curious about why he’d been holding it back.
“I see. I'll look forward to it. So, what about you?”
Seojun turned his head towards Taishan this time.
“Well, I don't really have any bad feelings toward you. Unlike this brother here.”
“So?”
“So I'm giving you advice. That a latecomer won't be able to get anything good here.”
“Hmm.”
“Think carefully. It's already passed the 2nd day and another 30 minutes have passed. Even if this turns out to be a quest that runs over 10 days, the period you missed is 20 percent.”
It was a fair point.
But is there really no way? Is that so?
“Even now, many participants are continuing without any rest. So give up on getting anything here. And go somewhere else.”
Seojun smirked and said something he didn't mean.
“Maybe gathering a lot of materials isn't the condition for getting a good reward?”
Even Seojun himself thought that bringing in a lot of materials was the condition with the highest probability of getting a good reward.
“Hahaha. How foolish.”
“Really?”
The justification was piling up.
Seojun's smile deepened.
“Yeah. So foolish I can't even understand how you beat Shenjian.”
“Are you perhaps trying to eliminate a competitor?”
“You’re a competitor? Hahahaha.”
Taishan laughed loudly.
“You're really saying something ridiculous. You are not my competitor. At best, you're Shenjian's competitor. Do you really think a pro like me sees you as a real competitor?”
As expected.
He was subtly looking down on Shenjian.
Poor Shenjian.
Anyway, Seojun thought about why Taishan was being so arrogant.
No matter how confident he was that he could win, it’s difficult to speak your true feelings so openly in front of the whole world watching.
Doesn't he have to think about his image?
‘As for me, well.’
It's all because of my broadcast concept.
Was this also image-making for Taishan?
Or maybe it was because the Chinese viewers wanted him to act like this.
“Right. We’re not competitors.”
“Oh?”
“Because, obviously, I’m going to gather the most materials here.”
Seojun’s voice was in a plain tone, stating an obvious fact.
And Taishan smiled as if he had known Seojun would come out like this.
“Ha, I knew you'd say that! As expected, you're an idiot. Like a moth to a flame. Fine. Don't come crying with regret for not listening to my advice. I'll be going now.”
The fact that he'd known this would happen was a shock.
Anyway, the justifications had piled up, and the two Chinese players entered the green portal—no, the rift.
Rachel approached.
“Um, Mr. Seojun?”
“Yes?”
“Are you really going to try and gather the most materials?”
“Yes.”
“I feel like Kael might have other things to do. Dipping a toe in is one thing, but staying continuously in a Train quest with no known end date seems like it could be a loss, you know?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“…….”
And while they were talking, one participant came out of the rift.
Both of their gazes turned towards the rift at the same time.
It wasn't one of the Chinese players who just went in. The participant was a giant of a viking.
The hero was Bulwark Talan of the Train faction.
And a professional player.
His name was.
Seojun grinned.
“For one thing, I have someone I’m counting on.”
Yon.
“Hyu, Hyung-nim?”
***
“So, you’re saying I have to hand over all my materials to you, Hyung-nim, right now?”
Did I hear that right?
Could the translation possibly be wrong?
Yon scratched his head.
“Yeah, that's right. I said hand them over.”
Seojun demanded confidently.
“No, Hyung-nim……. If we're pooling resources, wouldn't it be right for you to pool yours to me? I have offerings I've made over the past while. And we're wasting time talking right now.”
Time passing was fine. In 10 minutes' real time, 50 minutes would pass, at which point the portal would naturally close and those inside would be brought out.
And then a 10-minute break time would be given.
So going in now and working hard for 10 minutes wouldn't make a big difference.
Persuading Yon was more important.
At least, from Seojun’s perspective, it was.
“Hyung-nim, do you think you have a chance of getting 1st place? Looking at it, China and a few other teams seem like they could pool resources.”
“There is a way.”
“Even with Rachel here? The three of us? That's a bit…….”
There didn't seem to be any case of three people pooling to one person yet.
The reason was simple.
The risk was too great.
They didn't even know what kind of reward it would be or how they could split it, and yet give up Achievement Points for two people?
That was just not it.
No, even having two people pool to one person was a risky act from the start.
It was just that, since the reward related to this quest seemed like it would be consumables and could be shared, they were taking on that level of risk.
The participants weren't idiots.
“Now, listen carefully.”
“Yeah.”
“First, this is a last resort, but I really do have a way to guarantee 1st place. So even if this doesn’t work, don't worry.”
“What is it?”
“I just have to kill everyone else except me.”
In that instant, sensing the killing intent, Rachel distanced herself back.
However, hearing Seojun’s words, Yon fell into deep thought.
“But how would you know when the quest ends, to go around killing everyone? If it completes before you kill them all, it’s over.”
“Don’t worry about it. I have a way of knowing all that.”
Rachel shook her head from side to side.
But Yon was nodding in understanding.
“But then, if you kill everyone, won't it take a long time until the quest is completed?”
“Then I can just call for other participants. The newly arrived participants wouldn’t be able to have a higher count than me, would they?”
Soon after, upon hearing Seojun’s clear explanation, Yon’s face brightened and he clapped his hands.
“That's right! ……Yeah!”
“…….”
Rachel looked at the two of them, shook her head side to side once more, and left.
“……I’ll at least go gather for the remaining 10 minutes and then come back.”
And the two men left behind spoke in serious, lowered voices.
“Then, let's discuss the operation now, Hyung-nim.”
Correction—only Yon alone started talking in a seriously lowered voice.
“The monsters of the other world.”
“Yeah.”
“They said if you don't kill them, they keep multiplying. And the more they multiply, the harder they are to deal with and become incredibly dangerous?”
“Yeah.”
“Let's catch them.”
Byproducts from the monsters were also included as materials.
“Huh?”
“Let's catch a lot of them. A huge amount. In a mob.”
“No, wait, Hyung-nim? You have encountered these monsters before, right? You have fought them at least once, right?”
The giant was very flustered.
***
The Other World.
Cresit, who discovered this place with its atmosphere reminiscent of a greenish underworld, named it Chaos.
Inside, Taishan, roaming to gather as many materials as possible in the remaining time, looked at Shenjian moving ahead and thought.
‘If we run into that arrogant bastard here, should I tell Shenjian to pick a fight? And use that as an excuse to kill him.’
He himself lacked justification, but Shenjian had plenty.
So…….
“Hey, brother Shenjian! Get it!”
Spotting a wild beast of the other world ahead to the left, Taishan stopped his thoughts and shouted.
The immediate priority was to catch the beast first.
Those things are annoying to catch even one.
And as time passes and they start multiplying, they just replicate endlessly.
And then?
It's a retirement.
‘I'll have to think about catching Kael a bit later when we rest.’