novelraw Chapter 162: Reverse (1)
Chapter 162: Reverse (1)
Translator: Dreamscribe
The addition of the Seoul Field, unsurprisingly, became a hot topic. Even though Gate of Souls had been deployed throughout Seoul, there were still many vacant spaces, and those areas were densely filled with various content. Moreover, although the scale had become much smaller, the Great Rift Event was also held periodically.
“There’s too much to do!”
“Ugh! I’m already busy in Arsilan, and now Seoul Field too...!”
“S-Stop it!”
“But if you don’t do the quests, your whole life is a loss.”
“I’m full, but it’s delicious. I keep going in....”
Not only the Seoul Field, but the expanded lands of Arsilan also had a lot of new additions. The Domain System was reorganized, and resource exploration, relic excavation, dungeons and gates with hidden items were added. Several interconnected Quests were also added to allow growth alongside the Seoul Field.
There was simply too much to do.
So much that it was overwhelming to even decide where to start.
Shortly after the Seoul Field was revealed, many changes occurred in Arsilan as well. The most notable were the changes in the Arsilan people who had experienced the artifacts of Earth.
They quickly embraced the new culture and actively participated in economic activities. The rapidly changing scenery reminded one of the golden age of old Arsilan.
With time, it would shine even more brilliantly than back then.
A world where everyone lived together joyfully, as envisioned by Jinwoo.
That vision was gradually becoming reality.
The Korean economy rose so steeply that the previous growth felt like a joke in comparison. Though it sounded extremely nationalistic, there were now predictions that Korean, namely, the common language of Arsilan, would replace English as the dominant language of Earth.
A world that was unimaginable just three years ago.
Title: Don’t Call It Nationalism.
This isn’t nationalism.
This is Arsilan’s World. Con.quest.
As soon as Leon nim ate pork rice soup, Arsilan Worlds, not to mention YouTube and social media, became plastered with posts about it. Did you see how much the number of tourists skyrocketed?
Everyone’s coming to see us.
Seoul is bursting at the seams.
It’s shameful now to think how we used to whine about not having oil. With Arsilan overflowing with Magic Stones and resources, who cares about Earth’s oil anymore?
Apparently, Korea’s happiness index has spiked.
A big house? A sports car?
Money?
It’s all meaningless.
Because in Arsilan, with just a single sword, you can obtain far better things.
Anonymous1 (KR): Happiness index? Makes sense, with just one Soul Link, you can be insanely happy in Arsilan ㅋㅋㅋ
└Anonymous2 (UK): The opportunities are equal. You get what you work for.
└Anonymous1 (KR): Even if you’re happy on Earth, there’s a limit, right? There’s no magic.
Namgung Somen: Uncivilized Earthling bastards ㅋㅋㅋ
└Heina: Let’s not use such bad words.
└Namgung Somen: Gasp... srry
Jinwoo smiled softly as he looked at the reactions from Arsilan Worlds.
‘A little nationalism isn’t bad.’
After all, FS Games was a Korean company, and its entire foundation was based in Korea. This too was a form of content. There was no need to think it strange to take pride in one’s own country.
The more that happened, the more affection there would be for the Kingdom of Sillion.
Though the Heroes were from different countries on Earth, they were all citizens of the Kingdom of Sillion. In the hearts of the Heroes, patriotism and pride toward the Kingdom of Sillion were growing stronger by the day.
“CEO-nim.”
Han Yong-seon, dressed up for once, entered the CEO’s office.
“You’re dressed so differently I didn’t recognize you.”
“Haha! I used to be quite the dashing guy.”
“Please keep coming to work dressed like that.”
“Well..., it’s a bit too uncomfortable.”
Jinwoo had tailored suits for all employees of FS Games. Whenever there was a joyful occasion, he provided support to the point of excess, and especially when someone got married, he offered support that seemed to gather all the light in the world.
If they wished, they could even hold their wedding in one of Arsilan’s cathedrals. Not just FS Games employees, but all Heroes could use the service. High-Affinity Arsilan residents also began to attend, making it quickly trend.
“All the overseas branch managers have gathered.”
All the branch managers of foreign offices from every country where Arsilan Saga was serviced had entered Korea, and they were all gathered at the FS Games headquarters, waiting for Jinwoo.
The branch managers had extremely impressive backgrounds. Jinwoo had personally looked into their souls before selecting them, and they were filled only with good-hearted individuals, so there was absolutely no chance of any issues.
Come to think of it, there was another kind of problem.
“Let’s go.”
Jinwoo left the CEO’s office and headed to the meeting room. Nothing special had been prepared; they simply used the conference room that the developers normally used.
Clap clap clap clap!
As Jinwoo entered, the branch managers rose from their seats, greeting him with loud cheers and applause. Their eyes were filled with respect and admiration. The problem was, these people were competent and kind.
Because the branch managers had also completely fallen for Arsilan Saga, they didn’t treat Jinwoo as a company president, but as the Creator God.
“We thoroughly enjoyed the recent Seoul Great Rift Event.”
“In fact, I participated as well.”
“It would’ve been strange not to participate. It’s the duty of a branch manager to protect Arsilan.”
"Branch managers with less than 1,000 Seoul achievement points should lose their right to speak?"
"Those with less than 1,100 points, please keep your mouths shut."
The branch managers’ power struggle had begun.
On their shoulders rested many Heroes and corporations.
That was because the next location to host the Great Rift was about to be chosen. Even just staying still, Seoul was already gaining global publicity, and countless people were visiting it both in reality and virtual reality. It was no exaggeration to say that it was the biggest topic of interest in the world right now.
Each country was now actively stepping up to “host” the next Great Rift. The branch managers had come fully prepared, all bringing thick documents with them.
It was widely agreed that the attention exceeded even that of the Olympics or World Cup. In terms of promotional impact and profit, securing a Dimension Gate was absolutely essential. And once a Dimension Gate was registered as a field, it could be used permanently, so hosting it was a must.
Thanks to the steady supply of Soul Links, the number of concurrent users had reached nearly 70 million. With the affordable Soul Link Lite 2 model, people could now enjoy Arsilan Saga at a more accessible price.
“Hello. I’m Richard Halden, branch manager of the U.S. division. My Hero’s name is ‘MustWorshipTheCreatorGod’.”
Richard Halden proudly introduced his Hero’s name.
Jinwoo felt embarrassed, but the other branch managers looked on with admiration, as if they had been defeated. Naturally, they all spoke fluent Korean. It was said that only Korean was used at FS Games’ overseas offices.
“I suppose I should change my Hero name as well.”
“As expected of the nation of lobbyists....”
Jinwoo couldn’t really understand it, but in any case, that was the atmosphere. Richard stood up, uploaded his presentation materials, and began his announcement.
“As you can see, Gate of Souls have been installed in all of these cities through strong cooperation with the state governments. New York, LA, Las Vegas, these are beautiful cities that have served as the backdrop to countless films.”
They were cities that just looked like they’d be fun to smash up. Many superhero movies had also been set there.
You could also see the list of partner companies, which was quite extensive.
“FS Games’ cinematic production style is a massive strength! Yes, that’s right! When you think movies, you think Hollywood. With imagination that can’t even reach the tip of the Creator God’s toe, I dared to envision this.”
As Richard spread his hands, images of various Hollywood films appeared.
“The reverse world infuses itself into Hollywood films and draws out horrific things! Movies become reality! What do you think?”
Apparently, all the related copyrights had already been cleared.
Even Jinwoo thought it wasn’t a bad idea.
"Not good."
"It's the worst."
"It's childish."
The other branch managers immediately shut him down. But Richard only smiled leisurely.
The other branch managers then began their own presentations.
The presentations focused on countries that had entered agreements with FS Games and cooperated in installing Gate of Souls. Since the technology was so revolutionary, quite a few countries were still in the review stage.
Egypt’s proposal to utilize the pyramids was interesting.
Suggestions to incorporate various famous European buildings and tourist attractions were also solid. Content based on Greek and Roman mythology drew particular interest.
Jinwoo had expected to simply confirm previously discussed matters, but the branch managers had taken things one step further.
Seeing the sincerity of the effort they had all put into their preparations, Jinwoo couldn’t bring himself to cut things short. Once the fairly lengthy series of presentations concluded, everyone looked at him with sparkling eyes.
Those eyes, full of expectation, felt unbearably heavy.
“As you all know, the Seoul Field is only Chapter 1 of Episode 4. While there will be differences in scale, we’ll review all proposals positively. Based on the agreements already discussed, development is progressing rapidly, so it won’t take long.”
Smile!
At Jinwoo’s words, everyone smiled brightly. However, no one said anything. Even though FS Games was known for its lightning-fast development speed, there were still limits.
As expected, order was important.
“Then, the release order will be....”
The order?
Everyone waited for Jinwoo to speak.
Jinwoo paused for a moment in thought.
Right now, Jinwoo was controlling everything. That was because this episode served as a preparatory phase to connect Arsilan and Earth and overcome the higher entities of Erosion. By utilizing the Earth fields, he was using that interval to solidify the foundation of the reclaimed Arsilan.
“Hmm.”
What if he made this a part of the content too?
Jinwoo nodded and quickly began to draft a plan. It could also serve as a way to introduce what kind of concept these higher Erosion beings represented.
“As you all know, Erosion is Arsilan’s greatest enemy, controlled by the ultra-intelligent AI of the Erosion Headquarters. For the sake of balance in Arsilan Saga, we avoid direct intervention. That’s why dozens of different endings can be generated depending on the Heroes’ choices.”
The branch managers all nodded.
“If I were to interfere directly, Arsilan Saga would lose its vitality. There’s nothing less fun than a fixed fate.”
"That's correct."
"I completely agree."
“As expected of you, CEO-nim.”
The branch managers immediately voiced their agreement.
“The place where the Great Rift will be inscribed will be chosen by Erosion.”
There had already been a setting established that the candidate locations had spatial instability, making them vulnerable to invasion. So having Erosion decide directly posed no problem. Jinwoo decided that the selection would be revealed through a quest in the Seoul Field.
And so, the meeting concluded.
“Hahaha! You really do speak in such an entertaining way.”
“As expected of the CEO-nim!”
Everyone enthusiastically supported Jinwoo’s policy. Every time he spoke, laughter erupted.
‘This kind of atmosphere....’
It wasn’t bad.
At this level, it was worth trying something out.
“Since it’s our first time all meeting in person like this, how about a group dinner?”
Suddenly, the laughter stopped.
Silence fell over the meeting room. Those who had tried so hard to make eye contact with Jinwoo now looked away with awkward expressions.
“H-haha! A dinner sounds great!”
“Kya! I’ve been wanting to do that so badly.”
“...Yes. I-I’m looking forward to it.”
They were smiling on the surface, but their eyes lost all light at once.
Come to think of it, the 2x Contribution Points event was currently ongoing. Missing even a single day would mean a huge loss, so login rates were through the roof.
Even Richard Halden, who loved alcohol so much it bordered on suspicion of alcoholism, had been sober for over a year, just to stay logged in to Arsilan Saga.
“I’m joking. I hate group dinners. Let’s just have a light lunch at the company cafeteria.”
“Hahahaha!”
“You’re a genius!”
“You totally got us!”
Beaming!
The branch managers’ faces lit up with bright smiles.
The branch managers who had just been at each other’s throats were now united in one mind and spirit.
Do they have some kind of group chat?
It was no different from how FS Games employees reacted.
“Well then, I’ll see you all at the cafeteria. I’m just going to go over some documents first.”
As Jinwoo said this, the branch managers began chatting among themselves and headed outside. Jinwoo remained seated alone in the meeting room for a moment. Then he slowly collapsed forward, resting his forehead on the table.
Swoosh!
Along with a shimmer of light, Ella appeared and looked down at Jinwoo.
“Um, excuse me? CEO?”
Even when she waved her hand, he didn’t move an inch.
Being a company president was a lonely position. Ella nodded to herself as she thought so.
Ella stared at Jinwoo for a while, then parted her lips.
“Shall we have a company dinner?”
A company dinner?! Swoosh!
At Ella’s words, Jinwoo lifted his head and looked at her.
Come to think of it, Ella was an employee of FS Games.
Ah!
A great idea came to mind!
***
As soon as he finished his schedule, Jinwoo headed straight for the Research Lab. Watching him disappear in a rush, the branch managers were full of admiration.
“As expected, he’s so busy.”
“Hmm....”
The branch managers were busy too.
They walked around the headquarters, browsed the merchandise, and shyly took photos next to the life-size cutout of Leon. Then they immediately returned to the hotel, equipped their Soul Links, and logged into Arsilan Saga.
They’d lose out if you didn’t do the Seoul daily quests!
Arriving at the Research Lab, Jinwoo moved quickly. He installed several devices and then headed to Arsilan. In Leon’s office, he called in colleagues who were familiar with FS Games.
Not just Ella and Helby, who were FS Games employees, but also Tia, Tiris, Hasman, Hallon, and some Arsilan citizens who represented their respective cities, arrived.
Jinwoo handed out the Soul Link Reverse. Upon seeing the Soul Link, Tiris showed a slightly surprised expression.
“This is a device that allows access to the Hero’s world.”
Although one could already go to Seoul through a Dimension Gate, it was only in holographic form. Since there were many things to be done moving forward, he designed it so that, just like how Heroes generated physical bodies in Arsilan using the Soul Link, Arsilan citizens could now access Earth as well.
“At last!”
“Hm.”
Ella clenched her fist with joy, and while Helby pretended not to care, she was the first to grab a Soul Link Reverse. As Ella was about to equip it, she glanced at Jinwoo.
She recalled hearing about the Soul Link Reverse schedule before, it was supposed to come in the latter half of Episode 4.
Why was it made so early?
Surely not just for a company dinner?
Ella wanted to ask Jinwoo, but looking at his expression, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Because he looked so cheerful.
Jinwoo waited in the Research Lab, preparing for the company dinner.
A short while later, a magic circle lit up and physical bodies were generated. Through the Soul Link Reverse, they had freely customized their bodies and logged in.
Most created bodies similar to their original ones, but there were two who stood out for being unusually handsome. Hasman and Hallon.
“I reflected some of my features.”
“This reminds me of my younger days.”
They shamelessly said such things.
All the generated bodies were wearing researcher uniforms. The company dinner began to commemorate the successful completion of Chapter 1 of Episode 4!
They brought Earth’s alcohol and food, and sat around in the Research Lab with a view of Seoul’s nightscape. Seeing the now-bustling lab, Jinwoo’s heart was filled with warmth.
Jinwoo nodded in satisfaction.
“Can I look at these?”
Tia asked while pointing to a large stack of documents piled to one side. It was the material presented by the branch managers. Jinwoo nodded, and she began to look through them one by one. Tiris read along with her.
“Oh....”
“If it’s like this....”
Tia and Tiris exchanged their thoughts.
Then Tia looked at Jinwoo.
“The boss of Episode 4 is the Lord of Despair, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then we should make it feel truly despairing, no?”
“Exactly. If Arsilan comes together and overcomes that despair, it’ll be a powerful experience.”
That was the main purpose behind Jinwoo creating Episode 4.
That’s why he named the fictional Erosion entity the Lord of Despair. Tiris nodded.
“Master, I’ve thought of a mid-boss with a very distinct character who can truly deliver despair to the Heroes. If we use the hidden world setting, we can present it in a way that makes perfect narrative sense.”
“Really? What is it?”
As expected of his disciple, she had truly mastered the art of the company dinner!
Talking about work during a team dinner was practically an unspoken rule. As Jinwoo drank, he listened to what Tiris had to say.
“How about a reversed Leon?”
“The Lord of Despair uses his wits and creates him with the power of the hidden world!”
You guys still haven’t given up, huh?
Of course, since many Arsilan citizens already knew Leon’s true identity, it would require supplemental lore. The higher entities of Erosion that Jinwoo had encountered not only possessed transcendent authority but were also skilled in wicked strategies.
Now that no one was corrupted by Erosion anymore, it was highly likely they would employ different tactics.
Come to think of it, it wasn’t a bad idea.
“That might actually work.”
Episode 4 was like a mock exam.
It would make for an excellent test question.
More than anything....
“The Heroes will love it.”
“Yes. They’ll absolutely love it.”
Just as Tia and Tiris said, it might move them to tears with how much they’ll enjoy it. Come to think of it, all the branch managers were huge fans of Leon, too.
Now this was a company dinner!
It had definitely been worth having one!
*****
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