Kim Joon-ho sits on the edge of his small apartment bed, staring at his dimly lit laptop screen. The room smelled of instant noodles and despair. The burden of the past ten years pressed on him like a thick fog, suffocating any vestiges of hope toward a dead end.
Chen Yuan, his childhood friend and partner on this turbulent journey, paced back and forth in the room. His eyes, which had been bright and full of curiosity, were now burning with anger and betrayal. Chen is always the more emotional between the two, and Joon-ho admires that from her. But today, the fire threatened to consume them both.
Chen Yuan chose to continue this by playing the VR Immortal Legacy Game they designed. Planning to raise money recklessly. Both buy a Virtual Reality Helmet Pod that connects the real world with the virtual world.
Two days after the announcement of the game's release, Chen Yuan fiddled with a program on his laptop, inserted it into a pendrive, then installed it into his Pod. Kim Joon-ho doesn't do that, he only plans to make money from this game. His family life depends on Kim Joon-ho's job now.
Joon-ho's surroundings change, he is now in a vacuum with bright blue adorning the entire room. A large circle appeared, a woman who was about the same age as her standing wearing the typical clothes of the martial arts practitioner world—Hanfu—obviously making this game the first game to raise the theme of martial arts practitioners.
Unlike Kim Joon-ho who has entered a new reality, which he programmed. Chen Yuan connected a lot of cables from the laptop to the pod that he had placed on the table just now. The colorful codes on his laptop moved by themselves, Chen Yuan picked up the coffee next to him, took a sip and then stretched his body.
The young man's face was excited when the code on his laptop stopped and was completely green. He jumped up and down and danced like crazy, immediately unplugging the cable connected to his pod and using it once he was in his bed.
•••
"What's your name young man?" said the woman in front of Kim Joon-ho. Her beautiful face is like jade shining brightly, the curves and clothes she wears match the temperament on her face.
"Jin," Kim Joon-ho said as he saluted, his hands cling while bowing slightly—a typical martial arts practitioner's salute—I think it was like this.
"Alright, Jin after this you will come to Mystic Island #105, watch your steps so as not to fall too deep," the woman said back into the dimensional crack leaving Jin alone.
"The pressure from him is quite strong, the hard work we have been building has not been in vain," Jin said, staring blankly at the blue vacuum.
A hologram screen appeared, directly in front of Jin's face.
[Welcome player Jin.]
[Immortal Legacy is a container for you to explore.]
After the hologram disappeared, the entire vacuum glowed extremely brightly, Jin immediately closed his eyes. After he felt enough, he opened his eyes again. The lush view of the trees in front of him made Jin stunned, not only he who came into the vast expanse.
After more and more people sprung up near Jin, a young man with a handsome face approached.
"My name is Luo Zhong, the guide on Mystic Island #105, for players who want or are confused about something you can ask," said the young man with a sweet smile.
A woman raised one of her hands, "Luo Zhong, can you give us a tutorial on this game?"
The woman's words made Luo Zhong confused, "The plain is divided into ten parts, first, the Main Plain there only contains martial arts experts, for those of you who are only mortals and have ordinary bodies, it's better to give up to continue dreaming," he said casually while playing with one of his hands.
"After the main plain, eight plains correspond to the cardinal directions, which also have a lot of martial expertise, while the plain you are on is the Coastal Plain, there will be many mortals and those who have just awakened martial abilities."
After listening to many other explanations, Jin gets a map scroll and a token with his name. He also didn't know what the token was used for, because it was the work of the development team. His team's job is just to program everything well. Jin walked slowly looking at the surrounding environment, he saw several mansions behind his back, according to Luo Zhong's words, the cottage was a residence for players who had no money.
But they must still carry a token containing the player's username, just like most people who have gone Jin also left, he met an old grandfather who had difficulty carrying a basket containing apples, Jin immediately helped him, Kim Joon-ho has never played virtual reality games, he has always worked since graduating from high school.
"Thank you, young man, are you busy?" said the grandfather speaking up after being helped by Jin.
"No Grandpa, what's the matter?" said Jin kindly.
"Can you help me pick apples in the back apple orchard?" he said with a warm smile, pointing to where the orchard was, after which a holographic screen appeared in front of Jin.
[You get the first Mission]
[Help Grandpa Li pick apples.]
[Are you going to do that mission?]
[Yes/No]
Jin tapped on Yes's choice, then hurried away and picked all the apples in the estate. Jin excitedly picks one of the apples on each tree, making him look like a starving squirrel. One day passed, and he went back to see Grandpa Li and explained that his task was done.
[Complete low-level missions]
[Picking apples in Grandpa Li's orchard]
[Get special rewards]
[Reputation Point increased +10]
Grandpa Li looked towards him, his hand waving for Jin to come closer. Grandpa Li gave a bag containing ten Nyang. "Bring the money young man, you are so kind to me that you helped me all day, I want you to bring this apple to my son and daughter-in-law in Mingxing Village, I wish you a safe arrival in Mingxing Village."
[Advanced mission opens!]
[Will you accept the mission?]
[Yes/No]
Of course, Jin chose to take all the profits and earn money. Hospital fees and his sister's tuition fees are his responsibility, as the eldest son.
Jin nodded immediately, "thank you Grandpa Li," he said as he said goodbye and left. Jin walked back to the southwest, while looking at the many people passing by, he casually ate an apple given to Li's grandfather.
"Grandpa Li is so good, if I reach level ten, then I can exchange money, from the game. I'd better hurry up." Jin ran a little, following the already existing path.
"I think I got here first," Jin said when he arrived at a village. His hand moved to shift the air before him, a transparent menu opened, the exit option he immediately pressed. Gradually his body disappeared like being swallowed by the wind.
Kim Joon-ho comes back to his senses, he takes off his Pod, and after exiting the room, a note from Chen Yuan is seen on the table. The look on Joon-ho's face changed, a warm smile was seen on his clean face. He opened the cabinet, and took a packet of instant noodles, Jin immediately prepared the pot and cooked it on the stove. The water boiled, and he immediately dipped the noodles in it, threw all the ingredients and seasonings he had prepared then closed the pot, Kim Joon-ho lifted the pot onto the table and coincidentally Chen Yuan also came out of his room.
Chen Yuan picked up the bowls and chopsticks for himself, then picked up and ate them immediately, a smile flashed across Chen Yuan's face at a glance. "This feeling, your cooking has always been delicious Kim Joon-ho," Chen Yuan said with a happy face while continuing to enjoy the food.
"I don't know, we only eat instant noodles, Chen. Anyway, these noodles have no taste."
All because of the tragedy ten years ago. That year was a disaster that befell Joon-ho's family, which claimed his father's life, making his mother critical until now. While he lost the sense of taste that his tongue should have. Unlike Kim Joon-ho, Chen Yuan's sense of smell can't smell anything.
"What about the Immortal Legacy?" said Chen with a curious face, as he put down his bowl of noodles.
"It's normal," Kim Joon-ho said in a flat tone.
"It's because you're too busy with projects, and your dreams Joon-ho, that you miss the time to entertain yourself. You're working too hard, so don't blame yourself," Chen Yuan said with a pitiful face while patting Joon-ho on the shoulder.
"Stop making fun of me," Kim Joon-ho said irritably, he immediately shook off Chen's hand on his shoulder.
"Take it easy buddy, I've already given you a gift, so look forward to me on your Mystic island." He put the bowl in the sink, then went back to his room. That smile, Kim Joon-ho always remembers since knowing Chen Yuan.
Kim Joon-ho was resentful, but he smiled—I guess our stupidity was still fun. He continued washing dishes then opened his laptop, he opened the official website of Immortal Legacy. A game that is going global, and they are playing. His eyes traced every word displayed on his laptop screen, he fiddled with the mouse skillfully looking for something with a worried look. After finding what he was looking for, he let out a deep sigh, then stroked his chest, "Thank God, this system has not been changed. Zhang Group, you guys underestimated my abilities and dreams. So, just wait for your destruction!"
Kim Joon-ho immediately picked up the Pod and lay down on his comfortable bed. Quickly the vision became blurred, the atmosphere around him changed, and he returned to the village he had previously visited. Mingxing Village is the village closest to the player's starting point, and also the beauty of the rivers and lakes surrounding this village. The crowded atmosphere made Jin nostalgic for the youth that he spent design
ing games with Chen Yuan.
He accidentally bumped into someone, obviously this is Jin's fault for daydreaming for too long. "I'm sorry, are you okay?" said Jin worriedly.
The person's headgear fell off, now it can be seen that his beautiful face makes Jin pensive for a moment.
Jin gasped for a moment, smelling an unusual rancid smell, because his taste buds had been numb since ten years ago. His sense of smell has always been sharper than anyone else. "Miss, you are injured? I have some simple medicines to close the wound in your stomach," Jin said politely.
The woman refused several times until she finally got treated, the two went away from the village gate, swiftly giving Jin the herbal medicine he had obtained while helping Li's grandfather. After being ready to give the medicine, Jin immediately excused himself, but his steps stopped because the woman withdrew her hand.
After exiting the starting zone, players can no longer tell which NPC is which player. Jin was surprised by the woman's reaction. "Is there anything you need to miss?" said Jin euphemistically.
The woman's face flushed, "Zhao Yun, call me by that name. I am not your lady," the woman said firmly.
Jin nodded his head with certainty, "Okay, Miss Zhao," Jin said kindly.
Jin's face made Zhao Yun upset, she wanted to slap the man's friendly face, but he resisted it because the man helped him. She has had enough of seeing the friendly face full of falsehoods since his life, now she just wants to enjoy the game bought by his sister. Zhao Yun immediately wiped the air, squeezing something that Jin obviously couldn't see.
[The relationship system loaded successfully]
[Zhao Yun Acquaintance]
[Gaining a passive skill is to increase 50% of your Reputation points.]
Jin was surprised by that, whether Zhao Yun was just an NPC or if he was a player, then what about the relationship as an acquaintance opened up some systems for Jin?
"Don't you know manners? I have already introduced myself! What's your name!" the woman snapped in a loud voice.
Jin immediately bowed his body slightly, one of his hands clenched into fists, the other hand opened and stuck together. "Sorry, Miss Zhao, my name is Jin."
"Alright, then I'll go," he snapped harshly, an angry look on the woman's face.
Jin scratched the back of his head slightly, "humans are unpredictable, and more difficult than programming languages, I gave up understanding the complexity of human problems, let alone women. I hope we don't see each other again, Miss Zhao," Jin said, bowing a little bit over his body. Jin immediately left, he headed for the place told by Li's grandfather. An inn, although quite shabby many people come in there.
After entering the inn, his eyes rounded, who came were not customers but blackmailers.
"Hey, brother Li! You should have paid the ransom for this Sunday! So where is our money?" said a man with long brown hair, and a distinctive silk outfit with many unique patterns and ornaments indicating that the man was a martial arts practitioner.
Jin thought with all the experience in his brain, his eyes glanced here and there.
"I'm sorry, senior Zhi, I will pay for it next Sunday, this week our inn is so quiet that even money can't be used for shopping," said the man with trembling legs and hands.
The other man who had been sitting at the table stood up immediately, "Didn't you miss brother Li, two weeks ago you also said that why should I also care about your income," the cynical tone and sharp glances frightened the man named Li.
Jin picked up an empty glass and threw it at the tall man's rough head.
The sound of the glass shattering, made the man and his party startled. "What the hell, this brother Li? Are you the one who called that skinny cunning?" said the tall man who had been raging ever since. He approached, and the tall man named Zhi released spiritual energy to threaten Jin.
The pressure created by the spiritual energy made it difficult for Jin to move, it felt like the gravitational pressure became stronger than usual. 'Damn, this is hard,' Jin was confused inner. Not having had time to think about avoiding the pressure, Zhi had already kicked Jin out of the inn, Jin's body rolled around before finally ending up on the side of the road.
Many people stopped and looked, making everything even more complicated. His head was too full to complete this, not to mention the pain he felt in his stomach.
Zhi nimbly kicked back Jin's body lying on the ground.
"Is the big man a player?" said one of the crowd.
"I don't know, I guess the real player is a beautiful man sitting inside the inn leisurely."
"I guess one of the famous players returned to the mystic island?"
"It's impossible, for those who have already cultivated, to leave their original home. That's the basic knowledge of the Murim World," said the man with glasses.
Jin grimaced in pain, it felt like his body was crushed, and his hands and feet covering his vital organs were already immobilized. 'What now? I haven't even learned the cultivation technique, will I be able to fight this tall man?' he wrestled with his thoughts. Kick after kick made Jin's consciousness recede more and more, his vision getting blurrier and blurred, all the gaze before him flushed, "Did my head break? Or should I start over?" said Jin softly.
"What did you say, little bastard!" snapped Zhi back kicking Jin hard.
[Danger, Your blood points are in critical condition!]
[Warning!]
Many notices appeared before Jin, as soon as the spiritual energy was felt Jin immediately rolled over avoiding the deadly critical attack. Jin's vision grew blurred, the pain that ran through his body made him unable to stand or escape.
"Fate always finds a way, all circumstances are determined," Jin said with a fleeting smile. His head felt heavy, like the drunken state he often felt when riding a game that triggered adrenaline. Jin's consciousness had already disappeared completely, his body drooping helplessly limp.
[Ding!]
[Unlock special abilities.]
[Get pure innate talent!]
[Understanding the way of destiny]
[Gain 250 Reputation points]
[Pure Innate Talent: Dragon Vein]
[Point Ki 1]
[Point spiritual energy has increased drastically!]
+10 Ki Points
+10 Ki Points
+25 Ki Points
+25 Ki Points
+30 Ki Points
+30 Ki Points
+10 Ki Points
+10 Ki Points
+25 Ki Points
+25 Ki Points
+30 Ki Points
+30 Ki Points
....
[Transcending the limits of mortals.]
[Cultivation level increased.]
Many hologram screens kept popping up, spiritual energy overflowing from Jin's body that was simply mortal. His eyes opened, and the supposedly ordinary eyes flashed a majestic golden hue, everyone Jin stared at couldn't move even an inch, and the surge of spiritual energy grew stronger, bursting like burning embers.
Jin pointed at Zhi blankly, his index finger that was originally pointing at the man instead moved downward, with Zhi's face and feet pressed against the ground until he couldn't lift his head.
Jin blows the wind, easily, but what happens with Zhi is different, the man's head floats as far as Jin's hand blows. Jin disappeared, immediately reappearing directly in the face of the man with a beautiful jade face, the look on the face of the man sitting there changed. The fear of pressure made everyone there feel that they were dealing with a predator who had lived comfortably.
Because that burst of spiritual energy made many people come, an old man stood on a sword that was moving freely in the sky. Pure blue and white silk clothing signifies those from the Orthodox faction.