Chapter 155

Hwang Soochul, the CEO of SMU Entertainment and the former guild leader of Great Red back in Asgard, extended his hand with a bright smile. "It's an honor to meet the Blue Dragon in person."

"Please don't say that. I just happened to be a good player."

"Good isn't enough to describe it, you were exceptional."

Hwang Soochul's sharp features softened with a genuine smile.

"I love gaming. I'm so competitive that I'd stay up all night to catch up if someone surpassed me. Only once… no, twice have I lost in a game to someone else including that time."

"In a game?"

"One was you, Blue Dragon…"

"Seojin, please."

Hwang Soochul chuckled.

"Okay. Once was in Asgard, where you stood at the peak, and the other case is when I competed with the vice-president of Geumyeong Electronics."

"The vice-president… of Geumyeong?"

Seojin couldn't help but be surprised. Geumyeong Electronics was a top-tier corporation in South Korea.

"Do such people play games?"

"They use what we call manual macros."

"Manual macros?"

"They hire people. The money comes from the vice-president's account, and his secretaries do the leveling."

"Whoa."

Manual macros. But Seojin was more puzzled by something else.

"Then what's the fun in it if they're not playing themselves?"

"Hahaha! I knew you'd say that, Seojin. Honestly, I felt the same way, but I just assumed their mindset was different from ours."

Hwang Soochul excitedly continued his story, almost as if he was catching up with an old friend.

"Though I say I lost twice, the truth is I let the vice-president win. My only real defeat was to you, Seojin."

"Then what about now?"

At Seojin's question, Hwang Soochul's grin widened.

"If I intended to compete with you, I wouldn't have accepted your gift. I couldn't win even with all that money, so how could I be a competitor?"

"So, you really came just to see me?"

"I wanted to meet you in person. If you were different from what I thought, I wouldn't have brought up what I'm about to say."

"Just what did you have in mind?"

"The way you are now, don't you think?" The CEO of SMU Entertainment beamed. "Regarding the vice-president, I told you I brushed it off back then."

Which mean he could understand it now. Why play a game in such a joyless way? As one gets older, the body becomes heavier, and thoughts slower. Even in a virtual reality game, in which one could obtain an avatar in its prime of life, they simply started falling behind in simple control.

"Frankly, my passion isn't the same as back then. My drive to surpass everyone and rise to the top has weakened."

These days, watching streamers who were good at games was more enjoyable than playing them himself.

"That's when I realized."

Smiling awkwardly, Hwang Soochul shared his epiphany.

"That big corporate vice-president probably felt the same. Strictly speaking, it wasn't me playing of course, but I found a strange satisfaction in just watching."

It was a perfect case of vicarious satisfaction. Hwang Soochul spared no expense in supporting streamers, projecting his feelings onto their growth.

After a long conversation, Seojin raised his hand.

"Sir."

"Yes."

"So, to summarize, you want to give me money?"

Seojin didn't beat around the bush. Instead of asking if he wanted to support or sponsor him, he chose the direct phrase "give me money."

Hwang Soochul emphatically agreed.

"Yes. Supporting those streamer friends is fun, but with you, Seojin, it's not just about fun. It's about supporting someone more capable than me to reach even higher heights… You know that feeling, right?"

Hwang Soochul was even more excited than before, waving his hands animatedly.

"The pride of having contributed a few bricks to a building that's being completed… That's all I want."

"It sounds like you're giving it without expecting anything in return."

"Your success is my reward."

"And what if I fail?"

"For now, all I have is time."

Such unconditional goodwill was somewhat new to Seojin. He had already sensed the CEO's fan-like enthusiasm, but society wasn't always so warm and generous.

And then it struck him.

'Right, that's how society works.'

Seojin realized an aspect he had overlooked.

'But this is a game, isn't it?'

Hwang Soochul's offer wasn't about depositing cash into an account. It was about putting gold packages into a mailbox.

And the middle-aged man sitting before him? He was a true enthusiast, though not quite on Seojin's level.

"I'll use it well."

"I thought you'd reject it a few times."

"Testing the waters?"

"I had asked Haydall here to prepare a few more reasons to persuade you."

Haydall stood to the side, smiling awkwardly. Seojin nodded.

"If you want to offer it, I see no reason to refuse. How much are you planning to give me?"

"Seojin, I have a lot of money."

"I'm not as wealthy as you, but honestly, I'm pretty well-off too."

Selling his equipment and items alone would easily net him billions of won. Considering the steady influx of gold and its value, Seojin was in a situation where money wasn't a concern.

"It's a little bit hurtful to me if you see me as only trying to show off my wealth. Tell me what you want to accomplish on this continent with the money."

Something that could be solved with money.

After a moment of thought, Seojin tilted his head.

"There is something, but it will cost a lot. Even all that I have might not be enough."

"I used to lead the Great Red, you know?"

"I know."

That name was unforgettable to any ranker at the time. But the real meaning behind it was a bit different.

"I didn't mean it that way, but somehow, it got spread around that the red refers to our bloodthirsty spirit or something."

"It's not?"

"The red in Great Red was just a reminder that I'll be spending a whole lot of money in the game and my investment to return ration will remain in red. I intended it to be that way from the start."

* * *

"This is ridiculous."

A sudden DM arrived, and upon reading its contents, Robert the union master of Ironblood, let out a scoff.

-When should I reveal it to the community? I can give you that leniency.

"Leniency?"

It was absolutely absurd. Just what did that man think the name Ironblood represented? The influence Ironblood wielded in Valaran was incomparable to any mere guild. That was why they dared to covet the king's power.

Sure, dealing with many players was more challenging than an NPC king. But that, too, varied depending on the situation.

"Do as you please."

-Are you sure? It could turn everything upside down.

"What? Will you appeal that His Majesty is in danger? Or claim that Ironblood might devour this land? That sure sounds effective.

After replying, Robert made a firm decision.

SYSTEM—Seojin has been blocked.

There was no need to allow his blood pressure to spike any further. With his hands already off the royal palace, Seojin was no longer a threat to them. Robert whispered to his secretary.

"How far did we get? Are the hires ready?"

"Yes, we're ready to take over the community shares at any time. Also, we have completely seized control of the Tower of Dragon Magic."

"And the Tower of Guardianship?"

"We're nearly done. We've spread rumors that the missing nobles are dead and are negotiating for their positions. It'll be wrapped up by the end of the day."

They had confirmed Seojin had dealt with a significant number of nobles in the palace.

Robert didn't believe Seojin had killed those NPCs, rather, he was likely offering terms to persuade them, perhaps even resorting to coercion.

'You misjudged them, Seojin. Those snakes aren't swayed so easily, even with a prince backing you.'

Especially considering their status and nature, Seojin's approach would undoubtedly backfire.

'If you thought the royal palace could be conquered like any other base, you're gravely mistaken. The money we spent just to get here…'

The thought alone soured his stomach. He wanted to approach it bluntly like Seojin, but the difficulty of conquering the palace was immense. One misstep and the nobles' favor could plummet and cause the disintegration of Ironblood. As the guild master, he had to be cautious.

"Execute the plan at dawn tomorrow. Start the operation the moment we announce it in the community."

"Yes, we'll secure the Tower of Valor as well."

Securing all three towers meant Robert would hold absolute control over all matters within the palace.

Then?

He just had to drag things out while broadcasting his dominance, under the pretense of redirecting the royal budget solely for the players' benefit.

Then, suddenly.

-Robert! We have an emergency!

-Huh? What happened?

A message arrived from a member of Ironblood Knights, a highly capable man who had been with him since the game's start.

-Our opponents are attempting to take over the Tower of Guardianship. Neutral nobles have turned against us. Many of the nobles that disappeared have returned!

What did that mean?

"Check the Tower of Guardianship immediately!"

He hurriedly instructed his secretary and scrolled through the chat. But it didn't end there.

-There's a post in the community! You need to see it, guild master!

-Seojin started a stream! 1,700 viewers within 20 minutes, and his guest is… Kim Hyesun!

-A fight has broken out against the royal knights!

His mind went blank. None of the news was positive. But Robert didn't rise to his current position through sheer luck.

-Report the battle location. And the status of our spies there.

-Original recon area. Status unknown.

-Diversify forces and move. Keep a minimal team to delay them, split the remaining forces 5:5 and send them to Guardianship and Dragon Magic.

He addressed the immediate crisis. Securing the towers was paramount.

-All friendly nobles head to Dragon Magic. After securing safety, deploy 80% of guild members to Guardianship. The rest to fortify Dragon.

Next was ensuring the safety of the nobles they had already secured.

Without them, even if they seized the towers, they'd lose any pretext to hold them against the NPCs.

"Guardianship Tower status is here! Currently…"

"Enough. Release the community hires. Now."

He delegated the task to his secretary. He was capable, and if not, it was still manageable.

And finally.

-All headquarters guild members gather at the royal palace's main gate. Check your attire and equipment thoroughly. I'll receive any questions later

Clank. Click.

Robert donned his jet-black armor and took up a sword and shield that radiated a bright light.

He was ready in an instant.

'Thanks to you, the plan has become simpler.'

Robert left the guild building with a calm face.

'I'll figure out the situation on my way to the main gate.'

There was no time to properly check, nor was it necessary.

For the first time in a while.

Robert clenched his teeth with sincerity.

'I'll crush them all. Damn bastards.'