Chapter 38
Cheonma’s room was surprisingly spacious for a single-person sleeping space.
A bed, which seemed larger than a king-size, was placed squarely against the wall, and an elegant-looking bookshelf was packed with various books.
But that wasn’t all. Large exercise equipment that one would expect to find in a gym was scattered around the room.
At this point, the term “personal room” seemed inadequate.
“Uh, what’s with the change in appearance?”
“Surprised? In this room, I revert back to my original form instead of being a shadow behind you.”
“Fascinating.”
“There’s not much difference from being in shadow mode.”
Returning to their original, non-transparent forms, unable to float around? In a way, it was more uncomfortable than being in shadow mode.
“Anyway, that’s not important right now. It’s that thing over there.”
Cheonma pointed to a large machine tucked away in one corner of the room.
Carpe, or rather any user of LaSe, would recognize it as the ‘Artemis,’ the same model Carpe owned.
“Did this suddenly appear?”
“Yeah. After the room function opened up, it just popped up from the floor out of nowhere. It was quite surprising.”
There was no need to mention that he screamed in shock.
“So, that’s why you wanted to have this conversation alone. Although, it feels odd discussing capsules in front of those two.”
‘It’s not so much that, but rather, I couldn’t be bothered to explain? There haven’t been any issues with telling NPCs the truth.’
“Really?”
The artificial intelligence of some special NPCs in LaSe was so advanced that it surpassed imagination. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they were almost like real people. This was also the reason why some rumors circulated that LaSe’s developers were actually aliens.
What would happen if you told such perfect artificial intelligences that they were created beings in a virtual world?
Many people, driven by curiosity or malice, tested NPCs.
And the results were disappointing, to say the least.
“NPCs just laugh it off, saying, ‘Haha, the immortals have funny jokes.’ They’re programmed to respond like that from the beginning.”
“Well, that’s not very exciting.”
After realizing they were created beings, one might have expected them to embark on a grand adventure to find their identity.
“And in the end, there’s the cliche of winning the war against humans and gaining freedom, like in SF movies…”
“Have you seen Blade Runner? It’s a classic.”
“Well, let’s leave that aside for now.”
After saying that, Carpe briefly gestured towards the capsule with his eyes.
“Do you think that thing can be accessed?”
This was a very important question.
A significant issue where ‘Shadow Cheonma’ could potentially transform into ‘Player Cheonma.’
“What do you think?”
“Of course it wouldn’t work, right? It’s not like we’re in a novel where you can just frame the game like that.”
Logging into LaSe from within LaSe itself? It was absurd by any standard.
However, what made it uncertain was the fact that the man in front of him was an amalgamation of absurdities like ‘regression, post-death NPC preservation.’
“Whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate, it’s not possible. Not right now, at least.”
“Not right now?”
“As the room grows, and its functions expand, wouldn’t it eventually become accessible? That’s just a speculation.”
“Hmm. There certainly was such a setting.”
Carpe nodded and opened the status window.
[Room - Level 1]
-Various facilities can be installed in the room space. You can obtain various items and buff effects from the installed facilities.
-As the level of the room increases, the types and effects of facilities that can be installed also increase.
-To upgrade the room’s level, specific materials are required. Additionally, the player’s level must reach a multiple of 10 (Next upgrade available level - 20).
[Currently Installed Facilities]
-4 facilities other than the workshop are activated.
[Manager]
-When certain relatives reach a certain level, the manager function is activated.
[Room Upgrade]
-Player’s Level (17/20)
-Hard armor imbued with magic (0/15)
-Shell of a tree submerged in the sea (0/1)
Whether it was because the room level was low, or it simply didn’t exist to begin with, there was no mention of the capsule anywhere.
“So, for now, it’s useless?”
“Not necessarily. The internet still works.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. Not everything, but only things related to LaSe.”
You could only access platforms related to LaSe, like ‘Inven’ or ‘Channel LaSe.’
“Now, getting to the point, you wanted to become a streamer, right?”
“That’s right.”
Carpe nodded decisively.
At first, he had never even considered it, but after experiencing the past two days, he had made up his mind.
He realized how unbelievably lucky this situation that had come to him was.
“Our department isn’t particularly successful in finding jobs, and we don’t have any special skills other than being gamers…. We can’t afford to miss this opportunity.”
At 23, he was still young, but planning for the future as quickly as possible was the best way.
“Very well thought out. Did you upload the video yesterday?”
“Yes. I edited everything that could be highlighted.”
“Good job. Check the views on that now. It must be going crazy, right?”
Carpe manipulated the interface and opened an internet window.
And upon accessing Channel LaSe, the views were indeed exploding as Cheonma had predicted.
The video of Hell Beast One Kill, uploaded about 10 hours ago, had around 600,000 views. The Gorilla Quest video he first uploaded had already surpassed 1 million.
-Cheonma-nim! Cheonma-nim! Please tell us the location of the Gorilla NPC! Please!
-Owner of the Ten Thousand Mountain! Please give this humble one some guidance…
-Hello. This is JC Entertainment. I enjoyed the wonderful video. If it’s okay with you, please email me at [email protected]… I’d appreciate it.
Please also contact me at [email protected]…
-Please send a private message or email once…
“Seems like there are a lot of comments asking for emails.”
“All of those are from management. If they think you’re a potential rookie, they’ll sniff you out like ghosts.”
“Management?”
“Sure. From basic video editing to content planning that ensures high views, they’re the ones who provide it all. Almost all well-known streamers are under management.”
“Well, it does seem necessary.”
In fact, Carpe hadn’t been able to sleep until quite late yesterday due to editing the video. Even that short video required attention to more than one or two aspects, and if the video length increased, editing could easily take more than a day.
“I should probably get management too. Where are the good ones?”
“No, it’s not necessary. I can handle it.”
“What do you mean?”
Carpe looked at Cheonma with an expression that seemed to say, ‘What kind of nonsense are you talking about?’
But Cheonma was serious.
“What’s the problem? The internet works. That’s all that matters. Besides, when you disconnect, there’s nothing else you need to do.”
“Does it really work like that…?”
In theory, it makes sense. But it’s hard to believe.
“Isn’t it bothersome? Why go through all that trouble?”
“It’s simple. I’m telling you, if you have the potential to succeed, you can do anything.”
It was pure truth, without an iota of falsehood.
Cheonma truly believed he could accomplish anything if it meant keeping this unpredictable guy like a rugby ball stuck in LaSe!
“I had nightmares again yesterday.”
In the dream, Carpe suddenly said, ‘Oh, I think I’ll lose interest in LaSe all of a sudden.’ And that was the end of it. Thanks to that, he remained a ghost in the game forever… until he woke up.
“This guy could actually do that.”
If that happened, he would be forced to regress again without any resistance.
“It can’t happen. Not this time! Please!”
He had to turn Carpe into someone who couldn’t live without LaSe.
In that sense, making LaSe itself a profession, like a pro gamer or streamer, was highly desirable.
“Just trust me. I’ll make you the best.”
That’s the path for both you and me.
Cheonma ignited the flames of determination.
Returning to the village, Carpe first had Mukhyang and Tina wait in the room.
Mukhyang was one thing, but Tina’s appearance was too conspicuous. Her appearance far exceeded what could be covered by customization.
“Can relatives use custom items? I should buy some and give them as gifts.”
-Why bother? Just leave them waiting in the room and summon them when you need them.
“…You wouldn’t understand how lonely it gets when you’re alone.”
-I can’t comprehend why an NPC would feel lonely.
“You’re so cold-blooded. Ah, we’re here.”
The place Carpe visited was the largest building in Ruana, the auction house.
“Item trading… This is it.”
Unlike when he first registered his account at the auction house, now when buying and selling items, an unmanned system was used.
As he placed his hand over the beads on the counter, a notification appeared, indicating that the transaction had been processed.
[Black grade account verified. All transaction fees are waived.]
[Please select the item you wish to register.]
“Let’s see.”
Carpe opened his inventory and registered two items for auction.
The first was the Hel Beast Time Attack Rank 1 reward, “Carpenter Kedluck’s Gloves.”
And the second was the “Fanatic’s Scythe,” obtained from defeating the priest in the dungeon.
“Alright, registration complete.”
He roughly set the starting price for the auction. Since he would undoubtedly come across much more expensive items in the future, he didn’t want to waste time setting prices.
-Excellent decision. You’re better off killing one more mob than worrying about that.
After completing the registration, Carpe visited the blacksmith to repair the “Green Skin Slayer” that had seen better days in battle.
It was quite impressive to see a sword, damaged beyond recognition in battle, repaired with just one blow from the NPC’s hammer.
Before heading out for hunting, he purchased potions and a few acorns from the general store.
“Alright, preparations are almost done. Now, let’s start the quest ag… huh?”
However, a problem arose before heading out for hunting.
[Unable to proceed with the quest “Artifact of the Demon King (3).”]
[Player level insufficient (Quest starting level: 25).]
“Ah, this is frustrating. Did they mess up the quest design? Is this a bottleneck?”
It was a common occurrence in online RPGs. Quests either went awry due to poor design by developers or because of the antics of abnormal players.
In such cases, there was no choice but to grind through hunting until the player reached the required quest level.
-Calling it a design flaw. Anyone can see that something’s off with you.
The reinforced skeletons in the pit dungeon were formidable monsters. Even for a user with pride in their control, reaching level 30 was necessary for a barely possible solo.
Moreover, to outwit the dungeon boss Myrondes and trigger the event, one needed to be at least level 35.
-But if, by some miracle of the universe, everything aligns perfectly, you might be able to clear it at level 25. That’s probably what the developers thought.
But as luck would have it…
If some force of nature were to intervene and clear it at level 17, saying, “Oh, the quest was designed wrong!”…
The developers would probably have a fit.
“Anyway, if that’s the case, I’ll need to change my route a bit.”
Carpe’s current level was 17. There were still 8 levels to go before the next Demon King quest.
He needed to substitute that segment with something else.
-There are a few decent places near Ruana. It shouldn’t take too long at level 8.
“As expected of the cheat code brother. Which one’s the best?”
-But before that, I’d like to hear your opinion. What do you think you’re lacking the most right now? We should choose a route that fills that gap.
“Hmm, what I lacked was…”
Carpe recalled the battle in the dungeon, especially the fight with Myrondes, the final boss.
It was a monstrous creature that only barely fell in battle after investing most of the reserved stats. If he didn’t possess the Holy Sacrifice skill, he wouldn’t have stood a chance.
“I need attack skills.”
The most frustrating aspect of the battle with Myrondes was having only one attack skill, “Elemental Arrow.”
“Having only one attack skill made the combat route too monotonous.”
Unlocking, Repetition, Mado Engineering, Elemental Mastery, Striking.
Each skill was excellent in its own right, but there was a glaring lack of attack skills.
And the 9th-grade skill he obtained this time, “Dretschlur’s Puppetry,” was also not an attack skill.
“I also lost the scent of Calling Thunder, so I need to fill that gap.”
-I was thinking the same thing. So, the direction is set.
Content where you can obtain skills.
Fortunately, Ruana had just that.
-You could say it’s Ruana’s specialty.
Among LaSe users, there’s a saying: “If you arrive in Ruana, you must complete the Sea Cave quest no matter what.”
Why? Because, naturally, the rewards are excellent!
The quest reward is a beginner skill pack (non-tradable).
“Wow, such a thing exists?”
-Yeah. It’s a quest designed to help users struggling in the very early stages without skills.
“I can’t tell if this game is kind or unkind.”
-Anyway, it’s a quest you definitely have to do. However, there are some vague conditions attached.
“Vague conditions? What are they?”
-That’s…
Carpe’s expression became genuinely uncertain at Cheonma’s response.
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