Chapter 6
"Gaspβno, don't. Hold it in."
Even if someone turns off the game, it should be that bastard, not me. He's the one who messed up, so why do I have to be the one running away?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hyung?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Why aren't you responding?
[Guild] Ssesesehajago: I think I'm gonna throw upβ¦
With trembling hands, I barely managed to pull my mouse away from the "Exit Game" button. Forcing a smile, I typed a reply.
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: Why would Iβ¦
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: Be your hyung� Haha;
[Guild] Yoo Chae: You said you're 24.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: I'm 23.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: So obviously I should call you hyung, right?
What? 23? This punk is a whole year younger than meβ¦
I swallowed back the sudden wave of boomer-like thoughts.
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: Don't think we're close enough for you to call me hyung^^;
[Guild] Yoo Chae: That's why I'm trying to get closer now.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Where are you? Let's party up.
[Guild] Hwasoun: What is this? Am I watching a drama instead of playing a game?
[Guild] Manaoringnam: β‘That guild leader x that newbieβ‘
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: What the⦠f**k
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: Leave me alone.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: We have to be close for me to call you hyung.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: You gotta tell me where you are so I can come get close.
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: I'm going hunting anyway, so mind your own business;
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hunting? Where?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Not many places are good at level 200.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hell Swamp? Flame Wastelands? Where?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Let me come too. I'll kill everything, you take all the EXP.
[Guild] Rerererukgeollyeoyo: Damn, this is wild.
[Guild] Hwasoun: Can you two take this to DMs, please?
[Guild] Manaoringnam: β‘Xenoris Gardenβ‘
[Guild] Rerererukgeollyeoyo: LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
This is a total mess. I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh while watching the guild chat explode with everyone teasing me and Yoo Chae.
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: Don't need it.
I don't get why he's so dead set on coming with me when I already said no. I used fast travel to leave Feroco Island and head to the central city.
I should start with the collection quest. 50 Red Poison Lobster Shells, huh. Guess I'm heading to the Flame Wastelands.
I was going through the quests smoothly with a goal of hitting level 205 today, when the guild chat popped up again.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: I really wanna come with you.
God, you are so f**king annoying.
I said casually while handing over my weapon for repairs to an NPC.
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: Just call me whatever you want
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: I'm leaving the guild in a week anyway
This time, it finally seemed to get through. No reply came. Now that's a relief.
[Guild] Rerererukgeollyeoyo: Hey, did the guild leader and the newbie know each other before?
[Guild] Rerererukgeollyeoyo: You two seem super close o_o;
[Guild] Ssesesehajago: Nah lololol
[Guild] Ssesesehajago: Just some stuff happened lololol
[Guild] Haereun: Yesterday those two created a drama so intense even professional writers would cry
[Guild] SpicyMarinatedCrabYum: What happened??
WaterPlease has logged in.
[Guild] Hwasoun: Ugh I hate that I'm so curious even though this is ridiculousβ¦
[Guild] Ssesesehajago: Yo WaterPlease~
[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: Hi WaterPlease~
[Guild] Manaoringnam: Insert that memeβ"Show me what they saw."
[Guild] Haereun: Seriously, words don't do it justice. You had to see it.
[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: Regret not recording it
[Guild] WaterPlease: Hey hey
[Guild] WaterPlease: What happened?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Yeah, we knew each other before.
I was going to ignore it since everyone was having fun, and I didn't want to be the buzzkillβ¦
But when he started spreading nonsense, I couldn't hold back anymore.
[Guild] Jeojolryeoyo: What... no, we didn't know each other;
[Guild] Rererukgeollyeoyo: Oh... I see, haha;
[Guild] Haereun: LOLLLLLLLLLL
"F**kβ¦"
God, I seriously hate this guild. Just wait a weekβI'm leaving and never looking back.
[Guild] Hwasoun: WaterPlease?
[Guild] FreeGiveawayGoodbye: Anyone here want to buy a +5 glove?
[Guild] FreeGiveawayGoodbye: Selling it cheap 'cause I need quick cash γ
[Guild] CapitalismBornMonster: I'll take it.
[Guild] Hwasoun: WaterPlease, are you there??
[Guild] WaterPlease: Ah, sorry, I was doing something for a sec.
[Guild] WaterPlease: What's up?
[Guild] Hwasoun: Just wanted to return the robe you lent me.
[Guild] Hwasoun: Where are you?
[Guild] WaterPlease: Ah, not right now...
[Guild] WaterPlease: I'll come get it in a bit.
I finished repairing my weapon and stocked up on potions just in case. Smiling at my neatly organized inventory, I opened the map.
The Flame Wastelands are a hunting zone specifically for level 200 characters, so Red Poison Lobsters should be all over the place. But if I went to the right respawn point, I could collect them faster.
I checked a guide for the best spawn location and used fast travel. If I moved just a little west from the bell tower in the center of the Flame Wastelands, I'd hit the spot.
A scorching wasteland infused with the energy of fire unfolds before you.
You have entered a combat zone. Please be cautious.
After a short loading screen, a desert covered in red sand appeared. I put on the scarf I bought earlier to avoid the flame debuff and summoned my horse.
In desert zones, you couldn't ride horses like normal. You could move a little faster with a camel, but no one bought one since it wasn't worth the moneyβeveryone just used horses anyway.
I set a destination marker on the map for auto-move and opened YouTube. No need to overthink itβI immediately clicked on an animal video.
A puppy with soft, wheat-colored fur was bouncing around, clinging to its owner's feet. Its belly was round, eyes were round, and even its little tail was shortβit was seriously too cute.
Yep, mutts are the best. All the stress that had piled up because of that bastard Yoo Chae melted away.
If I had the chance, I'd love to raise one. Preferably a bigger one, with brown fur, and super affectionate.
With a big happy smile on my face, I closed the video and turned back to the game screenβand instantly grimaced.
"What the hell?!"
[World] Yoo Chae: Why are you so late?
[World] Yoo Chae: I've been waiting forever.
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: ?
Why the hell is he here?
I was so dumbfounded I couldn't even speak. While I stood frozen, Yoo Chae chirped away at me.
[World] Yoo Chae: That scarfβdid you get it from a general shop?
[World] Yoo Chae: Want me to give you mine?
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: Why the hell are you here?
Barely pulling myself together, I shot back, clearly annoyed. He didn't reply at first, then sent me a trade request with a message.
[World] Yoo Chae: I told you earlier, remember?
[World] Yoo Chae: For level 200 hunting zones, it's either here or Hell Swampβ¦
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: LOL so you're saying
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: You just guessed and got lucky?
[World] Yoo Chae: Mmm...
I declined the trade request and sighed. If I'd known this would happen, I would've just gone to Hell Swamp instead. It was a 50/50 chanceβhow unlucky could I be?
While I was regretting my life choices, another guild message popped up.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Found him.
[Guild] WaterPlease: Oh ffs
[Guild] WaterPlease: My life, I swear
"..."
I paused for a second, then asked, just in case.
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: β¦Don't tell me you sent WaterPlease-noona to Hell Swamp?
[World] Yoo Chae: I didn't know which one you'd go to, haha.
[World] Yoo Chae: But why do you call WaterPlease noona?
[World] Yoo Chae: You won't let me call you hyung, but you call her noona, even though you just met her yesterdayβ¦
[World] Yoo Chae: Isn't that kinda unfair?
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: Just shut upβ¦
You're the one acting all familiar without honorifics to a 27-year-old when you're only 23... Are you seriously out of your mind?
"Haaβ¦"
My motivation to play just tanked. Holding my head in my hands, I let out a heavy sighβand then came the constant ping of trade requests.
[World] Yoo Chae: Just accept the trade.
[World] Yoo Chae: It's a scarf and an ice-attribute buff itemβthey're really good.
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: Can't you just leave me the hell alone?
[World] Yoo Chae: Sniff γ γ ‘γ
Don't "sniff" me, damn it!
Why is he so obsessed with me all of a sudden? He clearly hated me at firstβso what changed?
How the hell do I shake this clingy bastard off?
[World] Yoo Chae: Just this once, please?
[World] Yoo Chae: The buff item's seriously amazing.
I was about to reject yet another incoming trade request when something clickedβand I blinked in realization.
"β¦Ah."
A brilliant idea flashed through my mind. Holy crap. Why didn't I think of this sooner?
I felt like running out into the street screaming "Eureka!" at the top of my lungs. I really am a genius.
Pulling my chair in with determination, I finally accepted the trade request after spamming decline for so long, and quickly typed into chat:
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: The scarf and buff item?
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: You're giving them to me, not just lending them?
[World] Yoo Chae: Of course!
[World] Yoo Chae: Need anything else?
[World] Yoo Chae: How about a robe?
The moment I accepted the trade, Yoo Chae got excited and rushed to toss the scarf and buff item into the trade window.
With a bright smile, I confidently typed:
[World] Jeojolryeoyo: Hand over everything, lol.