Chapter 77

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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[Five-Colored Seashell]

Rank: 3

Grade: Unique

Description: A five-colored seashell hidden somewhere in the Sea of White. If used on a special item, it seems you can make it dream a good dream.

The information window that clearly popped up completely excluded other possibilities.

Han-bit asked Yeon-woo with a puzzled expression.

“…How do you have this?”

“It’s a perk. It said it would distribute them according to contribution. Five-Colored Seashell, this is it, right?”

“Ah.”

Content he had forgotten, perhaps because he was engrossed in one thought.

Whether it was the will of the Goddess or the design of the developer who received her order, it didn’t matter.

He had obtained the method to find the private area anyway.

“Don’t just stand there spacing out, quickly try using it for now.”

Yeon-woo handed the seashell to Han-bit’s hand.

Grasping it, Han-bit carefully placed it over the glass of the compass.

Swoosh.

The rippling seashell disappeared in an instant.

And a single message popped up.

[The compass begins to dream a happy dream.]

[There are 6 hours remaining until it awakens from its slumber.]

– ?

– Crossing the line strongly here.

– This compass bastard, didn’t it hear us talk about ending the broadcast?

– Let’s give it true education with heavy metal.

– FR let’s wake it up refreshingly.

As a waiting time appeared again, the viewers became indignant.

It was a bit questionable for Han-bit as well.

‘It originally took some time, though.’

In the other world, one also had to wait for the sleeping compass to awaken.

However, the situation was different now.

A quest might impose a waiting time to progress the story, but a reward didn’t have to.

Including the fact that the perk also took 24 hours, it conveyed a peculiar feeling of deliberately trying to slow down the tempo.

Since it was a game, there definitely would have been a method to distribute it immediately.

‘Pondering it won’t yield an answer.’

Even if he spouts all sorts of speculations, it merely stops exactly right there.

In the end, he would have to meet someone who knows this situation, whether it be a developer or whoever.

If not that, he would have to set out to find clues personally.

Anyway, since Han-bit had intended to log off the game regardless, it was rather a good occurrence for him.

“It is a shame, but let’s call it a day here today. I will decide what to do tomorrow after using the compass.”

“Ah, Black Dragon-nim. Could I meet you offline tomorrow?”

“Offline means… in reality?”

– Meetup IRL ㄷㄷ

– Is it a channel match?

– Can you broadcast it?

– Gonna get memorialized on the 9 o’clock news.

At the unexpected question, Han-bit was taken aback as well.

Thereupon, Avant-garde smiled and added an explanation.

“It’s about the broadcasting, too, and there is a device helpful for playing that I wish to give you. If you search for the RP Effector from Core Company, it should pop up.”

“Is that so?”

Opening the search window, Han-bit searched for the effector.

Thereupon, products priced in the 20 million won range appeared in a row.

“You are giving this to me?”

“It’s an extra, so please do not feel burdened. It’s an item I received through an advertisement.”

Looking at the contents, it seemed to be a new product that was developed only recently.

There was no reason to refuse the unexpected proposed gift.

“Understood. I’ll give you my number via message. I’ll likely have time in the evening, so let’s meet around 7 o’clock. As for the location, I will speak with Loafer and let you know. Ah, is it fine if we meet together?”

“Of course.”

“That is a relief. Let’s meet tomorrow then. I’ll take my leave first.”

“Yes. See you tomorrow.”

Click.

Along with that conversation, the connection to the game disconnected.

Taking off his headgear, Han-bit went out of his room.

“Are you finished now?”

A voice heard from the lit living room.

For some reason, his mother was organizing receipts.

“Mom, why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I’m going out tomorrow afternoon. By the way, what was that about 100 million? You startled me.”

The contents of the phone call he had made to the company were bewildering to his mother.

Even hearing that he earned millions or tens of millions of won was dumbfounding, but 100 million.

Listening quietly, Han-bit sat on the chair next to his mother.

Then, with a smirk, he brought up his words.

“Let’s move.”

***

“Kang Han-bit, you’re quite famous, aren’t you?”

Next day.

Heading to work, Han-bit was confronted with an unexpected situation.

Because the team leader had called out his name.

Since it wasn’t the title ‘Intern,’ he couldn’t even react right away.

“No, not to that extent.”

“What do you mean ‘no’? It’s an uproar everywhere with articles and whatnot.”

Sitting in front of his monitor, the team leader said, scrolling his mouse wheel.

News articles still noisy with the episode reset.

There even was a list of X-Tube videos filled with fabrications displayed in a row next to it.

“I heard large corporations sent you scouting offers lined up. You rejected them because the conditions were bad? A young guy already knows the taste of money.”

“It wasn’t for the money, but because I decided to join an acquaintance’s company.”

“A company? What about the internship?”

“Wouldn’t I be disciplined for holding multiple jobs? The atmosphere seemed like I was going to be fired, though.”

“Ah, geez. That was just a manner of speaking.”

Waving his hands dismissively, the team leader opened his drawer.

Then, taking out the written apology submitted yesterday, he placed it on his desk.

“I’ll take care of the multiple jobs issue myself, so do me a favor.”

“A favor?”

“My son really wants to play RP. He’s making a fuss about his dream being a Vanguard or whatever. You can build a bridge with the large corporations for him, right? And support him massively too.”

“…….”

A voice that had completely heated up at the mention of his son.

It was completely different from the appearance when he called him ‘Intern’.

He was accustomed to the sort of people who flipped like flipping their palms, though.

To recite the kinds of human trash he had experienced would be endless, and treating each one emotionally is a loss.

“I’m sorry, but I do not have that kind of luxury. However, you can freely view the walkthroughs on my channel. Or perhaps trying out being a streamer would be a good idea for him.”

“Hey, are you telling my son to act like a clown like that? Are you crazy?”

As soon as the topic of a streamer was brought up, the team leader’s brow furrowed sharply.

From that reaction alone, he could instantly understand what kind of perception he held.

“Whether you’re good or bad at RP is a realm of talent. Showing that off through streaming will get a reaction. That’s also how I garnered the interest of corporations.”

“That’s why I’m telling you to make that happen with your abilities. Are you not understanding, or pretending not to understand?”

“I understood, but I’m saying I can’t do it.”

“This… crazy bastard.”

Giving a firm answer, the team leader ground his teeth with a reddened face.

Then, snatching the written apology on the desk, he shoved it right in front of his face.

“If I put in a word, the level of discipline is termination. Huh? Termination. Do you understand?”

“Holding multiple jobs is my fault, so it cannot be helped.”

“You think it ends there? Once you’re out, you won’t even be able to set foot in this industry. I will make sure of that.”

“That is fine. I’m going to work in the RP side anyway.”

“What?”

The team leader made an absurd face.

Then, with a face mixed with a sneer, he said as if to teach him.

“Hey, wake up. How long do you think that flash in the pan is going to last? You have to get a proper job and support your one remaining mother well, don’t you.”

“I earned over 100 million yesterday alone, so wouldn’t it be fine?”

“100 million? What kind of ridiculous bullshit.”

“That will appear in the articles too. Your son might experience something similar if he becomes a Vanguard, so try cheering him on ardently for your post-retirement.”

“Ha.”

At the overly confident attitude, the team leader let out a sigh as if he was dumbfounded.

Han-bit took out a prepared letter of resignation from his pocket and handed it over.

“I’ll humbly adhere to the contents of the discipline, but regardless of the result, I will submit my resignation. I should get going to clean up the meeting room now, then.”

“This fucking.”

Bowing his head lightly, Han-bit immediately moved to the meeting room.

Six-character curses flew from behind, but his footsteps were light.

“Are you really okay? The team leader is quite well-connected.”

Arriving at the meeting room, his senior Lee Min-ho, who had already been cleaning up, asked worriedly.

“I am fine. Finding out that I’m going towards the RP direction, my sincerity is genuine. Surprisingly, it fits my aptitude and is fun, so I don’t think I’ll have any regrets.”

“…That is certainly so.”

Lee Min-ho, who had often looked up news of Black Dragon, nodded his head as if in agreement.

Because someone with that much talent in RP wasting their time at a semiconductor company is too much of a pity.

“Even after leaving the company, I can continue to send you the game data.”

“Ah, that project has been suspended. They say they’ll only proceed with it internally within the R&D department.”

“Is that so?”

Surprised by the unexpected news, Han-bit pondered for a moment.

The reason he participated in the gear’s research was to find clues regarding the Goddess.

Although he had somehow found one thing, he couldn’t just let go of it completely.

“You’re going to continue working at this company, Senior, right?”

“…Truthfully, I’ve been preparing to change jobs. My body is gradually reaching its limits.”

Enduring all sorts of chores, let alone taking over his superior’s work, Lee Min-ho.

To continue enduring that is an impossible feat for a human body.

“Do you have any specific company in mind?”

“Well. I’m looking into completely shifting fields, but.”

Having felt many things in this company, Lee Min-ho wished to leave the industry.

While it was partly because it was full of bad memories, essentially it didn’t fit his aptitude.

“For example? So you don’t want to do design work anymore?”

“I think so. Looking into RP gear this time broadened my perspective a bit, and I originally always had some interest in new things.”

Lee Min-ho had always taken an interest in development and research since he was young.

If he had continued dragging that along, it might be completely different from now.

He didn’t know that choosing his university and company conforming to realistic situations would be this regretful.

“Then you’d probably be interested in RP-related companies as well, right?”

“I do have an interest in it, but companies specializing in RP gears require incredibly high specs. Outstanding talents from all over flock to that side, you see.”

With the game’s success, the value of companies developing and manufacturing gears rose vertically.

Among them, the top ones were roughly three.

Competitors jumping in anew hadn’t overcome their walls yet.

As such, talents naturally had no choice but to head towards stable companies.

“Do you have any desired conditions?”

“Conditions? Hmm.”

Erasing the whiteboard, Lee Min-ho pondered briefly.

It would be good if the salary or welfare were met, but having experienced this place, the working environment felt more precious to him.

At least he didn’t want to meet an oppressive superior.

“I just wish it was a comfortable atmosphere. Honestly, I’m also considering remote work options.”

“…That would certainly put your mind at ease.”

Through this conversation alone, Lee Min-ho’s inner thoughts were acutely felt.

Thinking about something, Han-bit finished cleaning up the meeting room amidst the briefly settled silence.