Lao Yu. The first person to tame a Big Black Dog.
'The Player who came up with the safest way to clear the U-Plex Dungeon.'
And the taming fanatic who would later be respected by the tamers of the whole world as the 'Taming Master'.
–Do you know Lao Yu?
"I do. He's a rising star in China's taming scene, after all."
—Word gets around to you quickly.
"Information gathering is the lifeblood of a sovereign."
In any case, Lao Yu was currently occupying the Gran Seoul Dungeon's entrance and was refusing to budge. Taeguk Shield and the other Korean Rankers were just letting him be for the time being.
–A few Players resisted and fought with him, but…
"They weren't killed, were they?"
If they were killed, that would change things.
–No, they weren't.
As I thought, he didn't kill them. Lao Yu might be crazy about taming, but he wasn't crazy about killing.
–They were all seriously wounded.
"Serious wounds can be healed in no time with potions."
Lao Yu hadn't committed murder. That meant his personality, at least, was unchanged from the Lao Yu I remembered.
–I am purposefully buying time, as you asked me to do.
"I imagine Miss Song Junghye was caught in the middle and was absolutely crushed.
–...
I could feel an older brother's concern for his sister on the other side of the line. After gaining a little sister myself, I could sympathize with his feelings. The only difference was, my sister was Sunhwa and his was Song Junghye.
I already knew what Kiyeol wanted to say.
"In any case, you won't be able to drag things out for much longer. Taeguk Shield has its prestige to maintain as Korea's representative guild."
In addition, Taeguk Shield wasn't the only guild in Korea. They might be rookies now, but in the future, countless Players and guilds would rise to fame. Korea's Players were fully capable of standing on the world stage… given that the country developed normally, that is.
–Yes, exactly. I think public sentiment will worsen if we don't do anything.
And Taeguk Shield could not afford to neglect public sentiment, since it was essentially a subsidiary of Sungshin.
"The issue will take care of itself. There's no need to overexert yourself."
–It'll take care of itself?
"No matter how amazing Lao Yu is, he can't face all of Korea's Players."
And most likely—
"Isn't there a guild called 'Wings' among the groups who wanted to enter the Gran Seoul Dungeon?"
–Ah. There is. My understanding of them is that they're a guild that has been distinguishing itself here and there as of late."
"The issue will be quickly resolved if Wings takes a key role."
Wings Played very defensively. They were frustrating to watch, but they advanced as safely as possible, without sacrificing anyone. Of course, such a Playstyle came with its limits, but on the other hand, it had definite advantages.
"Also, is the reason you called me possibly because Lao Yu is looking for me?"
* * *
"I will have people look into Lao Yu's background."
With that, Song Kiyeol lowered his phone. He looked speechlessly out his window for a long time.
From floor 63 of the Player Tower, the apartment buildings in the vicinity looked like children's blocks. This place gave you the impression that you were looking down on the world, like you were a king. But Song Kiyeol was unable to feel even an inkling of such empowerment.
'Kim Hyukjin… sees everything without needing to tower from above.'
Goosebumps rose over his arms. Just what… was that person?
'He knew in advance that Junghye would make a scene there… And can it be that he also knew Lao Yu would show up?'
No, Kim Hyukjin hadn't known. He only assumed and predicted everything afterwards.
'A truly terrifying precognitive ability.'
He seemed to be a Precognitive Dreamer one level higher than Taeguk Shield's Ham Sohyun. He was actually a regressor, not a Precognitive Dreamer, but that was Song Kiyeol's assessment.
'And even the fact that Lao Yu is looking for him.'
Lao Yu was shouting, 'Bring me the first person who tamed a Big Black Dog!' and refusing to budge right now. The first person to tame a Big Black Dog… was naturally Kim Hyukjin.
'Then how will Kim Hyukjin act?'
Kiyeol didn't know exactly, but he suspected Hyukjin would meet Lao Yu. He didn't know how, but he was sure that method would end up being 'the method desired by Kim Hyukjin'.
Kiyeol breathed a sigh of relief as he looked out the window.
'I'm so glad we're on the same side.'
He was relieved. What if Kim Hyukjin was his enemy? Kiyeol probably wouldn't have been able to nurture Taeguk Shield to this point, and he might have incurred his grandfather's ire long ago.
Song Kiyeol spoke.
"Eunho. Go and find out how and where Kim Hyukjin and Lao Yu make contact. If you get caught, don't lie. Just be honest."
In other words, do your very best not to get caught. However, Kiyeol didn't put his hopes on not getting caught. He was curious. He wanted to know how much tailing Kim Hyukjin would permit.
'I've already kind of gotten permission.'
–I will have people look into Lao Yu's background.
Kim Hyukjin had agreed to that. Kim Hyukjin would meet Lao Yu, and if that happened, the person Kiyeol sent to look into Lao Yu would also end up meeting Hyukjin.
'I'm sure Kim Hyukjin knows that as well.'
It was unlikely that he wouldn't know. Kim Hyukjin was smarter than him, after all. But Kiyeol needed to find out how much Hyukjin would allow, how much information he would share.
'Because this isn't a subordinate relationship. We're business partners.'
He acknowledged that Kim Hyukjin was amazing. He also knew that Kim Hyukjin was more capable than him. He wasn't so narrow-minded that he couldn't acknowledge that.
That being said, there was no need for their relationship to become one of master and subordinate. They could gain what there was to gain from one another and refuse what there was to refuse. That was what a business relationship was.
'Grandfather probably wants that as well.'
It could be that even Kim Hyukjin wanted that.
For some reason, he had the feeling that his grandfather and Kim Hyukjin were somehow alike.
* * *
The Internet went into a frenzy.
–What the hell are the Korean Rankers doing?
–Why's Taeguk Shield just sitting around?
Not just on the Internet, but whenever people met up in the real world as well, Lao Yu was bound to come up in conversation.
"Are we getting overpowered by China?"
"It's only one person! How is it that we can't do anything?"
But the situation was turned around with the appearance of a guild called Wings. The Guildmaster of Wings, a young boy named Kim Donghyun, said the following.
–There's no need for Korea's top guild to step forward because of a Player of Lao Yu's level.
Twelve ironclad knights, plus the similarly armed Guildmaster Kim Donghyun and the magician-garbed Kim Ahyun.
–I know he is ranked first among China's tamers.
Of course, it wasn't an official ranking. It was just made up by people and based on their guesses. In any case, no one denied that Lao Yu was one of the most famous tamers in China.
–But that is just in China. Korea is, of course, more outstanding.
He went and said it straight out.
–He's hardly a suitable opponent for Taeguk Shield.
Kim Donghyuk made a declaration of war.
–In about three hours, when my teammates get here from clearing other gates, we will drive out Lao Yu from the Gran Seoul.
Those words weren't spoken in vain. Wings chasing off Lao Yu was broadcasted live. Little by little, slowly, Wings bore down on Lao Yu's 'Yaoguai Army', and eventually, Wings secured a victory over Lao Yu.
TN: Yaoguai means strange monster/demon in Chinese.
Lao Yu was stabbed in the abdomen by one of the knight's spears. Covered in blood, he surrendered and left the Gran Seoul Dungeon.
"How strong can a Chinese Player be?"
"He was, like, completely overpowered, wasn't he?"
"Wings didn't get a single injury."
"But Wings has fourteen people and Lao Yu is one person. He might be a tamer, but still."
"Tamers are capable of being a one-man army. Anyway, Lao Yu had his army and was already in position, but he was completely disarmed by Wings."
With this event, Wings rose to fame for the first time. Their especially stalwart defense already had some people calling them 'Steel Bulwark', and their feat soothed the wounded pride of the Korean people.
The culprit of all this, on the other hand, didn't feel much of a dented pride. Laying on his hotel bed, Lao Yu examined the note in his hand.
I will pay you a visit. –Big Black Dog Tamer.
Kim Donghyun had passed him the note during their battle. Apparently, Kim Donghyun and the Big Black Dog tamer were acquainted.
'He's probably someone who doesn't like being in the public's eye.'
Just what kind of person was he? How did he succeed in taming Big Black Dogs so early on? Lao Yu was so very curious. About an hour later, he heard knocking on his door.
Lao Yu opened the door to find a man standing outside his room. He asked abruptly, "Are you Kim Hyukjin?"
Lao Yu knew Kim Hyukjin's name.
* * *
Holding the Translation Marble I'd gotten from Senia, I rapped on the door to Lao Yu's hotel room. Having gotten my note, Lao Yu opened the door.
A short crop cut. Handsome facial features. A leather jacket and ripped jeans. The face of a typical handsome Chinese man.
'He's like the Lao Yu I remember.'
And the Lao Yu in front of me knew my name.
The reason why he knew my name was simple.
'The Shepherd Boy must have told him.'
How much the Shepherd Boy despised me was evident from the way he marked me by name. He might have even given Lao Yu a quest to kill me.
I responded with an equally straightforward question.
"Did the Shepherd Boy give you a quest to kill me?"
"..."
Lao Yu flinched.
"The Shepherd Boy isn't the kind of Guardian who would give such a quest."
I took advantage of Lao Yu's flinch to activate Eye of Perception. This was a trick I'd learned from meeting the manly man philiac, Pedro. It was far more effective to create an emotional opening and then use Eye of Perception rather than just trying to brute force it.
[Player]
Name: Lao Yu
Age: 23
Level: 35
Class: Beginner Tamer
Guardian: -
Innate ability: [Wanna Be Friends?]
State: Slightly Agitated / Guarded / Hostile
Disposition: Aggressive / Curious
Summary:
Taming Fanatic
Tamer who Needs his First Title
The disposition/state/summary only show the most representative and can change according to the situation.
Because Eye of Perception's proficiency is not high enough, viewing more detailed information is impossible.
Notable was the fact I couldn't see his Guardian. The best thing to do at a time like this was to ask.
"Have you made a contract with the Shepherd Boy?"
"No. I haven't made a contract yet."
Even though he was level 35? It would've been impossible to reach level 35 without the help of a Guardian in China.
'No.'
There was more to the world than I knew.
"But it's true that you got a quest from him."
"Yes. Though I didn't expect you to know that."
"I have a little history with the Shepherd Boy."
It wasn't a rosy one, though.
"Let me guess. The quest is to find me, correct? That's why you came to Korea all of a sudden."
"That's right."
"Was that really the right move?"
"You're standing in front of me, so it worked out, didn't it?"
This person was a taming fanatic. The fact that he put his taming on hold to come all this way meant the 'Shepherd Boy' was quite big on his radar, too.
"The Shepherd Boy gives quests in steps."
He was a dirty bastard who concealed what he wanted and stooped to whatever means necessary to accomplish his objectives. That's how he was when he was trying to get the Red Eyes, and that's how he would act with Lao Yu.
"Then what kind of quest do you think he'll give you now?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you were to receive a quest to kill me, do you intend on carrying it out?"
I was curious. What was Lao Yu thinking?
"Are you crazy? Kill someone? Maybe in a PVP zone, but in real life?"
I smiled. This was good.
'It'll be awkward for the Shepherd Boy to give the quest now.'
It would be a blow to the Shepherd Boy's dignity to force a quest now, when the Player was jumping up and down saying, 'Why would I kill someone?' A part of me was relieved that Lao Yu was a decent person.
'Instead of a quest to kill me…'
What would his very first move be?
'If it were me.'
If I were the Shepherd Boy, I would want to take back the title he had given me with a legitimate method. He would use Lao Yu to carry out that method.
'A PVP with my Thousand Dog Master title as a wager would be most ideal.'
The Shepherd Boy knew a measure of my abilities, so he would greatly strengthen Lao Yu. To my amusement, I could see straight through the Shepherd Boy's plans and thoughts. This stage may have been set by the Shepherd Boy, but the person who was directing it was me.
'Let's give it a try then, shall we?'
This wasn't a simple fight with Lao Yu. It was a war against the Shepherd Boy.
"Can I ask you one question?" I asked.
I'd been really curious about this the whole time. Lao Yu nodded.
"Why did you go to the U-Plex Dungeon?"
____