Praise the Orc! Chapter 100:
Chapter 100 – At a Loss
Ian shut down his access to Elder Lord .
He sat down on the floor and felt nauseous . The bitter fluid in his stomach welled up but he clenched his jaw and swallowed it . A burning sensation in his esophagus could be felt .
The boundaries between reality and fantasy were blurred .
In Elder Lord, he found the Temple of the Fallen God like Gordon told him to . At that place, he met an unknown being called Paimon and was sucked into darkness . He questioned Paimon about the white star on his forehead . In the end, he met a gray woman in another world .
She was Elder Lord, the system that watched over the world of Elder Lord . It could either be the truth, or a cruel joke told by a sophisticated virtual reality system .
He didn’t know . Ian wiped his mouth and left the room . He stood in front of the sink . He washed his face with cold water . His head cleared . His face in the mirror looked haggard . He stared at his own eyes .
In the world covered with ashes, he saw numerous white stars in the dark blue sky . It was a tomb . The stars would have to endure a lot of time before they lost all their light and became an unobservable star . Until they turned black like his eyes .
‘Raven, I sometimes envy your black eyes . ’
‘Why are you envious?’
‘Black is the color of mourning . Your eyes seem to be comforting the targets while the mission is carried out . Look at me . How annoyed would they be if they looked into my eyes before dying?’
Her eyes were a cheerful blue . Old memories were revived and disturbed his head . He frowned and placed his forehead on the cold surface of the mirror .
He thought about it . Make some assumptions and continue the thought experiment .
Then, let’s assume Elder Lord was a reality . Elder Lord wasn’t a game, but a passage from Earth leading to somewhere else . If so, what about the things he went through? The orcs . They weren’t merely warriors, but a group of people who followed their beliefs .
Then Grom, who thought they were just characters in a game, betrayed them . Orcs were killed . There were also the victims in Arnin . The Chesswood residents who died . Quantes, Shakan, the north, they were all real . All the wretched screams and pained faces were real .
Ian closed his eyes . He thought that his head would become clearer once he confined his vision to darkness, but he just felt more confused . He opened his eyes and splashed them with water . The cold water cooled his head for a brief moment .
The door opening from outside was heard .
“Oppa, I’m home . ”
He heard Yiyu’s voice behind him . Her voice woke Ian, showing him that he was standing in reality . He entered the living room where she was unpacking her bag .
“You’re not playing the game today . Did you quit?”
It was a strangely pleasant voice . She cleaned up her belongings, looked in the mirror and checked her makeup . She was going out again .
Ian asked, “You’re not going to play Elder Lord again, are you?”
“Huh? Uh . Should I?”
“Don’t do it . ”
“……?”
She was confused . Ian didn’t say anything else and entered his room to change clothes . He dressed roughly and left the house . Ian left but he couldn’t figure out where to go . He didn’t want to go to the café . As he walked down the street, he saw the gym next to the street sign . It was good to sweat when his thoughts weren’t organized .
Ian headed towards ‘Baek Hanho’s Gym . ’ Baek Hanho was sitting in the back room . Ian greeted him with a bow . Baek Hanho raised an eyebrow at the sudden visit and sincere attitude, but he didn’t say anything else .
Ian changed into basic training clothes .
“Can I use this?”
“Sure . ”
He wrapped bandages around his hands and wore gloves . The gym members were scattered about the area . Some were lifting weights, doing crossfit alone or punching a sandbag . It was a time when there weren’t many people .
Ian stood in front of a sandbag in a corner . He stared at the black leather surface . He could see parts where it had been beaten . Ian patted it down with the palm of his hand . The sandbag was adjusted .
He would punch this one until he was exhausted . When was the last time he did this? He asked himself and his memory led him to Orcrox Fortress .
He hit the sandbag with his fist .
Paang!
He approached silently and delivered through kinetic energy through a snap . Ian’s fist hit the punching bag . A delightful sound spread out . Paang, paang, more eyes focused on him every time the sandbag shook . He felt disconnected .
‘Don’t drop your head! Look ahead! Look at the enemy!’
His strength increased .
‘It is hard! Nobody cares!’
The punching bag started to shake greatly .
‘Everything is hard! It doesn’t mean you should relax! Swing it, bigger!’
Kwaang!
The sandbag was strongly pushed and moved in a semicircle . The eyes of the members gathered again at the strong sound of the sandbag being hit . Ian grabbed the returning sandbag and breathed out .
Baek Hanho approached . “What are you doing?”
“Master . ”
“What’s going on?”
Baek Hanho was confused .
He knew that Ian wasn’t the type of man to reveal his emotions . He didn’t shed any tears when his parents died and he was left with his sister . His face was calm even when someone was beating him up . When he left to become a mercenary, he waved and smiled like he was going to a picnic .
Now he seemed to be angry .
“Nothing . ”
“Hrmm…”
Baek Hanho touched his chin .
“Do you want a cup of coffee?”
He gestured towards the manager’s office .
***
The manager’s room was as luxuriously decorated as Baek Hanho . There were a few chairs and a wooden table set up in the middle of the room for staff meetings . The two sat facing each other .
Baek Hanho made coffee . He didn’t like coffee, but he was used to it .
Ian opened his mouth, “Master . ”
Baek Hanho looked up from the pricey coffee machine .
“Let me ask you something . What if…”
Ian asked Baek Hanho about Elder Lord . It was a story about how it was another world, not a game . However, Baek Hanho didn’t agree with him . No, it was like the concept itself didn’t reach him .
“It was a reality instead of a game, have you been playing too much Elder Lord?”
“What if?”
“What about it? This guy, you shouldn’t do this . ”
“Huh?”
“A decent guy like you shouldn’t be all caught up in games . Should I introduce you to a female?”
“Master, that’s not… just imagine it . ”
“Shut up! This **** saying something like this all of a sudden . ” Baek Hanho chuckled .
Ian looked down . Baek Hanho’s imagination was always open . But he didn’t even want to start this conversation .
Did that woman really have the ability to change perceptions?
Ian tried to carry on the conversation a few more times, but Baek Hanho just kept on laughing and changing the topic . It was like he couldn’t hear the dialogue that Elder Lord might be another dimension .
Ian opened his phone while talking a little bit more to Baek Hanho . There was a message .
[Oppa contacting me first, what is it?]
It was Ji Hayeon . Ian wanted to meet her . It was well known that Elder Saga Corporation was a company under the jurisdiction of Ji Hayeon’s Myeongsong Group . The first thing he thought about after closing the connection was to meet her and talk She might know something .
As Ian wrote his reply, Baek Hanho glanced at the screen of his phone .
“Hah . You already have a ‘some’ girl . ”(Korean slang= link)
The word ‘some’ emerged from Baek Hanho’s mouth .
“You also know the word ‘some’ . ”
“This guy, I need to be caught up with the new generation’s slang if I want to manage young people . ”
“At any rate, it isn’t such a relationship . I’ll be going now . ”
As Ian headed towards the showers, Baek Hanho said to his back . “Don’t talk about Elder Lord not being a game in front of me . I don’t like it . ”
“……”
Ian ignored him . He washed his sweat off in the shower room and left the gym . He drove near her company .
Ji Hayeon was very busy but she said she was glad to make time for Ian . Ian didn’t reply . He couldn’t spare his heart right now .
[Are you reading it now?]
He sat in the cafe where they promised to meet and received a notification on his phone . Ian opened the message and checked it before turning off his phone again .
At that moment .
“Wah, amazing . I saw it . Oppa just pretended not to see my message . ”
Ji Hayeon’s voice was heard from behind him . Ian’s face didn’t change as he responded, “Maybe . ”
“What, did you decide to take off your mask? Oppa was originally like this . ”
“……”
Ji Hayeon seemed to be in a good mood . She sat down on the opposite side . Her glowing beauty made her seem like she was wearing a halo . Her brown hair was wavy, like she had just been to a hair salon .
“What happened?”
She smiled .
Ian cut to the chase . “It is about Elder Lord . ”
“Oh, then speak . ”
“How does it work?”
“You want to know a company secret?”
“What do you know about the core system, Albino?”
“Umm…” She made a vague smile . “Are you an industrial spy?”
“I’m just curious . ”
“I’m confused but I will answer . I don’t know . I don’t know anything . Everything regarding Elder Saga and Albino is confidential . What happened? Is there a bug in the game or something?”
Ian looked at her . Her eyes showed that she really knew nothing . Ian sighed . He was thinking too simple . He had been too hasty . Ian regretted trying to meet her and sipped his espresso .
“Nothing . ”
Bitter . It was an okay taste . The bitter taste cleared his mind as he decided to forget about the things that he was worried about .
Whether Elder Lord was a reality or not didn’t matter . It wasn’t that he murdered people . Indeed, there was no way to prove if it was another dimension . Just turning his eyes away was enough . He lived in this world here .
There was his sister, Baek Hanho and Cafe Reason . There was Ji Hayeon who he had an old bond with and they were now drinking coffee together . This was his world . It was enough to think of Elder Lord as a dream that passed through his life for a while .
“Oh, are you smiling?”
His mind felt lighter . Ian smiled .
“I’m sorry for calling you . ”
“I suddenly have a bitter feeling . I don’t like it…” Ian laughed as Ji Hayeon mock frowned at him .
“I’m sorry but can I ask for a favor?”
“If I can help then I will . ”
“Umm…”
She said . “Why don’t we talk later? Oppa . ”
Ian checked his phone . Han Yeori was whining . Ian nodded .
“Yes . I will . ”
***
Ian said goodbye to Ji Hayeon . She left for a work schedule . He headed towards Café Reason . He didn’t achieve anything from meeting Ji Hayeon but it felt like his head was organized .
Just don’t play Elder Lord . He would quit the game .
Ian thought so . Tiyo and Anor were there, but they could take care of themselves . He didn’t want any more suffering . The important thing to him wasn’t the world of Elder Lord, but this place . He started the game for Yiyu in the first place . Ian would defend the things important to him, including his sister and Café Reason .
That was enough . He headed downtown .
This place contained one of Han Yeori’s favorite bakeries . He was going to buy something for her there . She would whine, but eventually put the bread in her mouth with a smile . Then Yoo Sooyeon would start asking for a salary raise .
Ian smiled as he imagined it . It was a pleasant thought .
Someone suddenly spoke loudly, “Uh, what is that?”
The big screen installed on a building shone . People began to stop walking .
Ian raised his head . There . Elder Lord was being shown .
“It is no joke . ”
Ian had to agree . Utter devastation . Mountains of dead bodies . A series of mosaics covered the screen .
-The Heaven and Earth Clan has turned the Adillo region into a wasteland . They have continued their unbroken march after winning against the Metatron Guild .
–It is the work of Choi Hansung, whose user name is ‘Rommel’ and who has a connection to the human kingdom . The Heaven and Earth Clan has recently received a large-scale quest . Every time they destroy the southern continent, there are enormous rewards .
–Sweeping everything away with violence . Choi Hansung, mountains of corpses are piled up behind him .
A map of Elder Lord was displayed . The Heaven and Earth Clan’s advance to the southern continent was visible . Every time a city or village was destroyed, they displayed a star and edited images of the destruction caused . The slogan ‘Choi Hansung, the nucleus of the storm sweeping Elder Lord’ came to mind .
-As the Heaven and Earth Clan is becoming prominent, the status of Koreans in the Elder Lord community has improved greatly . In many old games, South Korea was named as the powerhouse in e-sports . There is a happy concern about whether the Korean Empire will begin in Elder Lord .
–Personally, I am very proud . User Choi Hansung . And the Heaven and Earth Clan . They are building up national prestige .
“So cool . ”
A passerby watching the screen muttered . Ian looked at his face . It was filled with respect .
“The best . ”
Ian looked at the screen again . The tragedy of the battlefield and the history of the area destroyed were shown in turn .
Choi Hansung’s interview was quoted . Every time he killed, his rewards and the achievement points would increase exponentially . The goal of the Heaven and Earth Clan was to grow to become the strongest . They were continuing the war in the world of Elder Lord at this moment, overwhelmingly slaughtering the enemies .
The hosts analyzing Choi Hansung and the Heaven and Earth Clan changed the topic .
–Breaking news . It is said that a new large-scale quest has just been announced through the system . These things are very rare .
–Not long ago, it was reported that the hunter Shakan opened up the north . Everyone was curious about the north and their questions have been resolved today .
–There was a system message that in the north, a mad orc chieftain is preparing for a war that will lead to the destruction of the continent .
–Is a mainstream quest finally starting?
–The or chieftain has started a war against the whole north in order to invade the continent . I don’t know about matters in the north but a **** war is about to begin . According to the system, the north is already in turmoil from the war . It is terrible .
–I look forward to it . Elder Lord . There were opinions that it has stagnated lately, but this has overturned such concerns . As expected of Elder Saga Corporation .
Ian stopped in place .
People were passing by . The crowd kept changing as Ian stood there . There was no expression on his face .
The human life .
He stood at a crossroad . His choice at this moment would change a lot .
Could he say that his choice was right? Could he say that he didn’t regret it? Where did his path lead?
Ian .
Ian was at a loss .