Chapter 120
Crew (2)
3.
There’s this one bastard.
A guy who always mooched off his friends for food.
A guy who cut off all contact for seven years.
And as if that weren’t enough, instead of good news, he sent his friends a death notice.
Yeah, sure, fine, let’s say even that could happen.
But normally, if someone disappears and then comes back alive, they can at least meet their friends, right? Their friends even paid condolence money for the funeral—he could return that money and at least say thank you.
At the very least, if you’re human, that’s what you should do.
If a guy like that exists, then he’s truly a once-in-a-generation piece of trash.
So what I’m saying is—
“I’m that piece of trash, guys.”
Yes. I am that legendary bastard.
We were in a private izakaya near Hapjeong Station.
Kneeling on the floor, I cautiously glanced at my three friends.
They were all frozen stiff, and the guy on the far right stared at me and spoke.
“So what you’re saying is this, right?”
Slightly curly hair.
Big, bold, clear-cut features—the unmistakable look of a jock.
A former national taekwondo team athlete, and my balls-deep buddy since middle school.
His name is Jeon Hyeonseong.
Hyeonseong downed a shot of soju and frowned slightly.
“So you lived in another world for seven years and then came back?”
“It was ten years for me… and why are you raising your fist? Use words.”
“And you traveled with a hero, beat up all the bad guys, restored peace to the world, and only then returned to Earth.”
“You still read web novels these days? I like how neatly you summarized the plot.”
“…Haaa.”
Hyeonseong nodded while refilling his glass, then looked around at the others.
“That’s what he says.”
“It’s impressive he came back alive.”
“But that’s not why we’re mad, right? That bastard—seriously.”
So they accepted this ridiculous story.
Then what are they mad about… ah, I get it.
“You’re mad because I didn’t return the condolence money, right? Don’t worry, I brought it all. My brother told me about it. You guys were students back then—where did you even get that kind of money—”
“Kill him.”
“Just die.”
“The condolence money, you bastard!”
They looked ready to jump me.
Besides Hyeonseong, on the left was Moon Jonghyeok, on the right was Ahn Suhwan.
The four of us were inseparable buddies. We played futsal on weekends, drank together whenever something happened.
Those were good times.
Even after I started streaming, they’d come watch and donate ten or twenty bucks each, saying they were rooting for me.
Good guys.
Still kneeling, I smiled brightly.
“So it’s not because of the condolence money?”
“Did you bring it, though?”
“Of course. I was going to return it today—”
“Put it away.”
“Why?”
“Because today we’re holding the real funeral. We’ll just think of it as prepaid. Hey, Jonghyeok, cover him.”
And then—
Flap!
Jonghyeok threw a blanket over me.
While my vision was blocked, the others jumped to their feet.
Then—
BAM!
They started stomping on me mercilessly.
Ah… it’s been a while since I felt this. Since my military discharge beating.
Well, not discharge… more like a “welcome-back beating”?
“You bastard.”
“If you came back, you should’ve said so!”
“You should’ve contacted us right away!”
“You disappear for over a month? Just die. Die already.”
“Damn it! I even cried when you died! What a waste—should we just really kill him now?!”
“What, we had to hear you were alive from the internet?!”
You guys really had a lot bottled up.
My fault.
Curled up, I shouted,
“But you guys could’ve contacted me fir—”
“Where did this bastard’s conscience go?!”
“He’s a player, so he doesn’t even get hurt properly!”
“Is his body made of stone or something?!”
The beating lasted about five minutes before finally stopping.
When the violence ended, I fixed the blanket, looked at them awkwardly, and couldn’t stop myself from laughing.
“You should’ve exercised more. Hey, Hyeonseong, your hair though—no, never mind. Take good care of it.”
“Why did you even come back? You should’ve just died there.”
They were exhausted from hitting me.
See? Such good friends. I even help them exercise.
I went back to my seat, poured a shot of soju, scratched my head, and said,
“I’ll make it up to you. I’m sorry.”
“We thought you cut us off for good. Our group chat went crazy when we saw your stream.”
“There’s a group chat? Why wasn’t I invited?”
“You. Didn’t. Contact. Us. How. Could. We. Invite. You?”
Fair point.
Hard to invite someone when you don’t even know their number.
My fault again.
But still, even though they talk like this, my friends are really kind.
If it were me, I would’ve beaten someone for an hour.
“So how have you guys been? What are you doing these days?”
We’re all 32 this year.
Right in the middle of working life.
Hyeonseong answered first.
“Me? I run a taekwondo gym. Taking care of kids these days.”
“Oh, a gym. The front line of childcare, huh.”
“Don’t even talk about it. I’m dying.”
Former national team athlete, so he went that route.
I remember he even won medals.
He glanced at me.
“You ever think about coming to my gym sometime?”
“To learn taekwondo?”
“…No, I mean… haaah.”
Jonghyeok chuckled.
“He bragged to his students that you’re his friend. But they didn’t believe him.”
“Hey! Why’d you say that?!”
“When should I go? Just say the word. But wait—do the kids even know me?”
My stream requires age verification…
Though some clips probably circulate.
Suhwan picked up some stir-fried udon.
“You’re super popular with kids. Our Yura knows you too.”
“Yura? Who’s—oh.”
Right.
Suhwan had a kid.
“She’s in elementary school already?”
“Yeah. Second grade.”
Ahn Yura.
The Yura I remember was tiny.
She must’ve grown up nicely.
She used to be adorable, like her mom.
“Does she watch my stream?”
“Yeah. She brags that you’re her uncle.”
“…She wouldn’t remember me.”
“I tell her your old stories. We even have photos from back then.”
“But isn’t it a problem if I’m a kids’ idol?”
“This country’s future is dark.”
“Seriously.”
We shared memories and drinks.
Honestly, I was scared before coming.
The one who sinned always hesitates the most.
“Seongu, you’re going to clear the 5th floor, right? I’m counting on you.”
“You guys watch my stream?”
“All of us. Not just because we’re friends—your stream is seriously top-tier these days.”
“Our neighbor’s dog Coco would agree.”
“Who’s Coco?”
“The cute Maltese next door.”
These annoying guys, reminding me I still had friends.
I clinked glasses with them.
…I should’ve come earlier.
In the end, what matters are the bonds you have.
“Anyone struggling lately?”
“Lend me 10 billion won.”
“No, just buy me a building.”
“I’ll open a PC café on the 6th floor.”
“I’ll take the café on the first floor.”
“Get lost. I’d rather give money to Peanut.”
“Hey, can we see Peanut? Just once. We won’t ask for a building.”
“Yeah, just once.”
“Peanut is my hamster! My hamster!”
After that, we joked around like old times.
As if I’d never disappeared from Earth.
Naturally. Comfortably.
When things got lively, a drunk Hyeonseong spoke to me, eyes unfocused.
“Seongu.”
“You drunk?”
“You bastard… we… at your funeral… damn it… even your coffin… the shoes you liked… we buried just that…”
“He always gets drunk when Seongu comes up.”
“We searched for you… tore your place apart…”
“Give him another drink, he’ll pass out soon.”
“But isn’t it weird a national athlete can’t drink?”
Hyeonseong downed another shot and quietly said,
“Thanks… for coming back. You bastard.”
I filled his glass and forced a smile.
Maybe I didn’t live a pointless life.
If there are guys who still call me a friend.
“Ha.”
I’m really glad I came back to Earth.
Truly.
4.
The next morning after drinking with my friends.
My phone started buzzing loudly even though it was early.
-
SparseHair: (link) “Streamer Meteor, Chinese players say they’re going to bury you lol”
-
Jonghyeok: LMAOOOO of course it’s that country
-
Suhwan: Damn, this three-nation event is going to be brutal. Japan’s sending their vanguard too
-
SparseHair: You gonna lose?
-
Me: Win.
After last night, we made a new group chat.
With those idiots.
“SparseHair” is Hyeonseong’s nickname.
Because his hair’s thinning.
-
SparseHair: (link) But seriously, are you losing to the Chinese?
-
SparseHair: Tell me, hyung will help
-
Me: Help your hair first
-
SparseHair: ????
-
SparseHair: ????
-
SparseHair: Where are you? I’m coming right now
-
Me: Shh. Meeting a minister
-
SparseHair: If you’re meeting a minister, I’m meeting the president
-
Me: lol
“Hehe, you look cheerful. I’m glad.”
“I could’ve brought the coffee myself.”
“I’m just doing what I enjoy. Treat the people like kings—that’s my political belief.”
We were at the café near my house.
I’d said I’d go to the Ability Management Bureau, but they insisted on meeting here.
This muscular old man is Minister Hwang Beomseok of the Ability Management Bureau.
He put down an iced Americano in front of me and took a sip of his own.
Also iced.
“In winter too?”
“I run hot.”
“Same.”
I guessed why he came.
The Tower of Conquest.
A huge event tied to the nation’s fate.
Less than a week left.
“I came here without hesitation. Your intentions are the most important, Player Meteor.”
He came to me first.
Showing how important I am.
I smiled.
“As if I’m that big of a deal.”
“The pride of Korea. The hope of Korea. Ah, I saw a phrase online—Meteor, my light. Meteor, my darkness. Meteor, my—”
“You browse the internet a lot?”
“Public opinion matters.”
He laughed.
“You’re on the 4th floor, right?”
“Just the promotion quest left.”
“As expected! Will you enter alone? Up to five can form a team.”
That’s aimed at me.
I usually solo.
“Do you have teammates?”
“Not yet.”
“So you’ll go alone.”
“I need content for my stream.”
I thought of Inseop… and maybe Tyrone.
But Lia and Doyoon already have their party.
And dealing with big guilds is annoying.
The minister smiled.
“As expected of you. But I came to tell you something important.”
“Japan and China are in contact regarding the Tower.”
“What?”
“They plan to retire Korea first.”
“They’ve been on the 7th floor longer than us… so they’re suppressing us?”
I knew why.
“Because of me?”
He nodded bitterly.
“Yes.”
I finished my coffee in one gulp.
“Well, then I’ll just beat up both sides. Right?”
China and Japan both targeting me?
What do I do?
I’m so excited.
