Return of the Frozen Player

After coming up to the 5th Floor, Tenmei Oga headed straight to the Murim Alliance. He asked for a private meeting with Namgung Jincheon, but he couldn't get a meeting with the latter right away.

"Hey, how long do I have to wait?"

"Wait, and I will let you know."

It had been five hours of receiving the same answer from the martial artist. Sitting around waiting for the other person's permission was a struggle. It was even more painful for him because he had always been the one who gave others permission to meet him.

"I will guide you in."

After nine hours, he was finally granted permission to meet Namgung Jincheon. Entering the room, Tenmei Oga bowed his head lightly.

‘Is he the head of the Murim Alliance?’

Namgung Jincheon turned out to be an old man giving off a strange feeling. Similar to a stone on the road, not a single strand of energy could be felt from him.

Namgung Jincheon said, "So, you're from Earth?"

"Yes, I am Tenmei Oga, the Vice Guild Master of the Sky Soul Guild."

"I see."

Namgung Jincheon seemed indifferent. It was Tenmei Oga’s first time being treated this badly, but he couldn’t express his displeasure here.

"Alliance Leader, there has been an unsavory incident, but we do not resent the Murim Alliance."

"Hoh.” Namgung Jincheon looked surprised. He thought Tenmei Oga came here to ask for compensation for the late Players.

"It was an accident. It was also an accident caused by a vicious terrorist."

“…”

Namgung Jincheon stared at Tenmei Oga as if he wanted the latter to continue.

"Let me put it bluntly. Neo City's technology is far ahead of us."

Neo City’s technology was so advanced that a comparison with Earth would make anyone feel bad. Tenmei Oga wanted to take advantage of Neo City’s technology.

"It shouldn’t be hard to create a fabrication video with Neo City’s technology, right?"

Video fabrication. Namgung Jincheon smirked for the first time since the conversation started.

"You must hate him a lot.”

"I thought you feel the same way, considering how you handled the situation.”

"I won't deny it."

Seo Jun-Ho was a thorn in Namgung Jincheon’s side. Seo Jun-Ho was not only aware of his ambition, but he could have also learned Cheon-Gwang’s martial arts.

‘I'm not afraid of him, but it would be easier to deal with him before he gets any more annoying.’

In addition, securing the Small Heavenly Demon Wisoso was one of Namgung Jincheon’s motives. It had been a month since he released martial artists and had them search all over the city, but they still couldn’t find any traces of Seo Jun-Ho. As such, Namgung Jincheon concluded that Seo Jun-Ho had already fled outside the city.

"He’s probably hiding outside the city, but he will not be able to last very long."

"Outside the city?" Tenmei Oga showed interest. "I know it's not a human-friendly environment, but…"

"If he stays here, he’ll die, so he has no choice but to go out."

In addition, one couldn’t naturally recover their magic in Neo City. It had already been a month since Seo Jun-Ho started living outside the city where dangerous gas circulated.

‘This is…’

It was an opportunity. Tenmei Oga agonized over something before speaking, "Alliance Leader, do you have any plans on doing a search outside the city?"

"I have, but why are you asking me that all of a sudden?"

"I think I can be of some help."

Tenmei Oga grinned. It just so happened that the Sky Soul Guild had a Player with the innate talent of finding people.

***

Tenmei Oga proudly returned to his family, holding the fabricated video he had asked for. With the heat turned up, the Sky Soul Guild hurriedly started a public opinion battle.

[The second son of the Tenmei family bows his head and apologizes. ‘I am sorry to the public who must have been disappointed by this.’]

[Sky Soul Guild, ‘Our internal audit reveals that all other rumors are groundless. Strict punishment will be handed down to those who spread rumors.’]

[The Sky Soul Guild rebounds? The giant's counterattack!]

[Announcement of the Japanese Player Association’s position, denies charges of ‘Sky Soul Guild violating the Monopoly Law.']

…

The netizens started to go crazy once again once the articles were released. It was similar to how adding oil to embers would make them burn fiercely once more.

- I don't know who to trust anymore.

- I'll put it in neutral gear and wait.

- No, but why didn't they apologize for trying to bury Specter-nim by bribing reporters?

- Ah, haha, the Sky Soul Guild said their own people made audits and that they didn’t do anything wrong!

- Haha, how can they apologize when they didn't do anything wrong? Hahaha.

In everyone’s eyes, the Sky Soul Guild wasn’t really doing anything other than denying everything that had been thrown at them. Their actions attracted ridicule from many people, and even their past mistakes were exhumed to use against them.

- Wasn’t the Sky Soul Guild embroiled in a similar controversy before?

- Yea, yea, it was noisy for a while because they bribed the Japanese Player Association.

- What? So they’re trash? How are they still active normally?

- They bribed everyone and apologized, then wrote ten letters of apology, haha.

- Ah, lol, if they bribed everyone, then there's nothing you can do.

- It's acceptable if you wrote ten letters of apology, lol.

The public generally believed in Seo Jun-Ho. They would naturally believe in the savior of mankind more than a conglomerate.

- Honestly, I have always believed in Specter-nim. He’s not that kind of person.

- Sir... But then why did you make a fuss about Specter a week ago and write, ‘are you a sociopath?’

- I'm a retired member of that side.

Those who had posted malicious comments on the Internet were busy erasing the traces of what they had done out of embarrassment. Meanwhile, a video clip was released on the official social media account of the Sky Soul Guild.

- What’s this? It looks like it’s from a CCTV screen.

- What's up with the resolution?

The image quality of the video was so high it looked like one was looking at the scene with their own eyes. After a while, Seo Jun-Ho was seen silently installing a bomb with an indifferent look.

- Huh?

- Why is he on there?

The screen was then switched, and hundreds of Climb Players were seen laughing and chatting happily.

Flash!

A flash of light swallowed buildings, and main roads, along with the peaceful Players.

The video ended with an explanation from the Sky Soul Guild.

[We aren’t happy about releasing this video.]

[However, we think that we have a duty to face the truth as one of the Big 6.]

[We are sorry for the recent controversy, but we have never lied.]

People were slightly shaken by the unfair explanation that seemed to be sincere.

- That’s obviously fabricated.

- The quality looks clearer than your face. What fabrication? Lol.

- Hey, I was the one who left earlier, and I was right. He's a bad guy.

- No, even if that video is true, shouldn't we listen to his side?

- Yeah, yeah, I don't think he would cause a one-sided massacre for no reason.

- One really can’t change the minds of those Specter fanatics. Why don't you write a novel saying that the Murim Alliance and Sky Soul fabricated that video to bury a single Player? Hahaha.

The internet literally exploded. There was a war between those who wanted to take a bite out of a world-renowned Player and those who believed in the image Seo Jun-Ho had shown the world so far. All of a sudden, a video was also posted on the official account of the Korean Player Association.

- What’s this?

- Wait, this isn't a CCTV. Someone took it on a camera.

In the video clip, there was a big explosion.

It was blurry, but one could still make out the shocking scene of corpses piling up like mountains. In the video, Seo Jun-Ho could be seen trying to get out of the explosion’s ground zero despite his severe injuries.

- What? The content is totally different from the video before.

- Did he perhaps set up the bomb and deliberately get swept up in the explosion?

- I'm sorry, but Specter-nim’s intelligence level is different from yours.

- I'm sorry, but I have an IQ of 990.^^

- Is your name TOEIC?[1]

The whole world was puzzled. Two videos were uploaded over a short period of time, and the contents were completely opposite.

- In conclusion...

- The Sky Soul Guild and Korean Player Association. One of them has to be lying.

The people's inquisitive eyes landed on the two organizations.

***

"What happened?!"

Tenmei Yugo's face turned red. The situation became strange after Tenmei Oga’s announcement that he had evidence to bury Seo Jun-Ho.

"I am sorry, but I also did not expect such a video from the association."

At Tenmei Oga's excuse, Tenmei Yugo closed his eyes and kneaded his throbbing forehead. He also had no idea that the Korean Player Association had such a video, so he couldn’t really blame his child.

‘Shim Deok-Gu, you sly fox.’

If Shim Deok-Gu had released that video earlier, they wouldn’t have posted a fabricated video.

'He got me. I walked into the trap he set.’

Tenmei Yugo was simply trying to ruin Specter’s image. However, he suddenly realized that between the Sky Soul Guild and the Korean Player Association, one of them would have to fall into the abyss. Unfortunately, the gazes of the people toward the Sky Soul Guild were becoming colder and colder by the minute.

"Fuck! The two videos were basically posted at the same time, but why do they only believe in their video?"

“…”

Tenmei Oga closed his mouth tight. In front of his angry father, he couldn't say that Specter had more credibility than they did.

"I spent thirty years raising this guild."

Despite all those years, the people favored Specter rather than the Sky Soul Guild.

Tenmei Yugo was not only angry at that fact but resentful as well.

‘Fucking pigs. They’re a bunch of cowards who only know how to idolize heroes.’

When there were no Five Heroes, including Seo Jun-Ho, who was protecting them? Wasn't it the Nine Heavens and the Big 6? But they dare stab a knife in their back like this?

Who had been protecting them when the 5 Heroes were still frozen? Weren’t they being protected by the Big 6 and the Nine Heavens? Since they knew that, why did they stab them with knives?

‘We have to win, no matter what.’

Driven to the edge of a cliff, Tenmei Yugo's eyes became filled with malice.

"Were you not lying when you told me about what you discussed with the Murim Alliance’s leader?”

"Ah, yes. They’re going to search outside the city tomorrow."

“…”

Tenmei Yugo seriously pondered it. His next decision would decide victory or defeat. Huge droplets of sweat flowed down his forehead. Ten minutes passed, which felt more like an hour, and he finally made a decision.

"Go up to the 5th Floor with those who are tight-lipped."

Gulp.

Tenmei Oga's eyes trembled. His father was basically telling him to kill Seo Jun-Ho before Seo Jun-Ho could return and reveal the truth.

"Father, if you cross that river, you will never be able to come back."

"Oga!"

Tenmei Yugo pulled his son's hair. He put their foreheads together and stared at each other.

"Get a grip. Do you really think that we can still retreat?"

“…”

Tenmei Oga couldn’t answer it. However, they could still retreat. It was just that they would have to pay a price too huge for them to swallow. They would have to give up everything they had built under the name of Sky Soul in the past few decades.

"Son, be resolute. If you don't get your act together here, the Tenmei Family will collapse along with the Sky Soul Guild. If you want to inherit everything from me, you have to prove your ability."

Inherit… It had always been a seductive magical word for Tenmei Oga.

As such, he only agonized about it for a moment before nodding heavily.

"I will not let you down..."

1. An English proficiency test for non-native speakers. ☜