Chapter 144. The Trash Cleanup Begins.
Shortly after setting off for Incheon, Karina received a text message with the address of her new family's home.
As soon as he arrived at the new address, Seo-woon got out of the car and gazed in awe at the newly built house, his mouth hanging open.
"This is..."
"We've been waiting for you."
Turning in the direction of the voice, he saw two women approaching. Jeong Soo-hwa and Karina, still in their black suits, were greeting Seo-woon. Seo-woon, having largely resolved the emotions that had accumulated since their last game, looked at Jeong Soo-hwa and said, "Let's meet our families first, then we'll talk."
The two women nodded at Seo-woon's words. Karina rang the bell next to the ornate gate attached to a high wall.
"Ding-dong."
With a small chime, the door creaked open automatically. As they entered, a large expanse of grass, partially visible from outside, spread out before them.
Seeing the spacious front yard, Seo-woon was calculating land prices in Songdo, Incheon, when Karina replied with a shy smile, "My father wanted to take up landscaping as a hobby."
Li Lingwei and Juriell's eyebrows furrowed slightly at how naturally she called him "dad," but Seo-woon nodded. For a man who had spent his entire life working tirelessly for his family, his only hobby was meticulously caring for cheap bonsai trees.
"He must have treasured the bonsai he brought home from 4H camp."
Thinking of his father, who still kept the crudely crafted bonsai he made at 4H camp in school, it made sense that he'd become interested in gardening as a hobby.
As he entered the house, gazing at the trees planted along the fence and the pine trees dotted around the courtyard, he saw a pond in front of the house.
"Oh, don't step there. I planted bamboo shoots."
Seo-woon quickly backed away when he saw the bamboo shoots poking up from the ground. Even though it was a one-story house, it seemed too big for just two people, and Seo-woon's eyes widened even more.
"I put in a lot of effort because this is where I'm going to live the rest of my life."
He thought, if he'd paid twice as much attention, they could have built a castle, but just then, the front door burst open.
"Seo-woon!"
His mother ran out and hugged him tightly.
"Were you worried? I'm sorry."
"It's okay. You're here now. Let's go inside. Your father is waiting."
Seo-woon was dragged inside by his mother's old hands, which held him tightly, and entered the house. When he entered the front door, his father, who had been pacing the large living room, quietly sat down on the couch and spoke clearly, "So you're here."
"Yes. Were you worried?"
Nodding at Seo-woon's question, his father turned on the TV and, without looking at him, replied indifferently, "Worry about what? You know how to take care of yourself."
He was the father who had been going to work at the Swedish embassy every day since Seo-woon left. Seo-woon didn't bring up the subject and simply bowed his head.
"The situation suddenly changed. That's why I couldn't contact you. I'm sorry."
"Are you eating well?"
Seo-woon's throat tightened at the question. Unable to speak because of the lump in his throat, Juriell and Lilingwei passed by Seo-woon and approached his father, who was sitting on the sofa.
"Dad! We're here too."
"Are you okay?"
Seo-woon's father, looking much more cheerful than when he entered, quickly seated the two women on the sofa and stepped aside.
Karina went into the kitchen, where Seo-woon's mother was preparing dinner, while Seo-woon gestured to Jeong Soo-hwa, who was standing awkwardly by the front door.
When he saw her cautiously approach and sit down, Seo-woon's father began, "So you're the lady who helped us then. Did you come because of Seo-woon?"
The word "help" caused Seo-woon's face to cloud with confusion.
"Yes. I came because I needed to tell you something urgently. Have you been okay since then?"
His father nodded at his harsh tone and looked at Seo-woon as if it were no big deal, saying, "She did all the hard work when this house was being built. She said she was with the government…"
Recalling that memory, his father looked at him, and he replied, "I'm from the Department of Homeland Security."
"Ah, Department of Homeland Security. I heard you say he owed you a lot."
When he finished speaking, Seo-woon nodded at his father, who was looking at him.
"It was nothing."
Skipping the details, his mother called everyone over to the table. After eating at the elegant dining table, Seo-woon glanced at his mother.
"Mom… I heard. Auntie… Have you been in touch?"
As soon as Seo-woon finished speaking, his mother's face darkened.
"...Not yet. The situation isn't good, so… There's no need to worry. They're staying in a large Korean neighborhood, and they're doing their best to suppress the situation in the US. Nothing's going to happen."
As she said this, Seo-woon watched as his mother quickly got up from the table and began clearing away the plates, her expression darkening. His mother's only family was her sister. His aunt had immigrated to the United States before Seo-woon was born, and he'd only seen her once when he was eight, but he remembered her as a very warm person.
Juriell and Liling quickly lightened the mood, and Seowoon left after reassuring his parents' concerns.
"Stay in touch. Eat well. I'll stop by soon and bring some appetizers."
Seo-woon nodded at his mother's words and, as soon as she was out the door through the large garden, he glanced back at Karina and Jeong Soo-hwa.
"I have a rough idea of what's going on."
Karina nodded at his words.
"I'm only here to stop Seo-woon."
Juriell and Lilingwei interjected. "What do you mean, stop?"
"If Seo-woon wants to do it, he should. Even if you are Karina, you can't force Seo-woon to do anything."
Feeling Lilingwei's oppressive gaze, Karina raised her hands and took a step back, glancing at Jeong Soo-hwa.
"Let's hear his side first. I'll talk about mine later."
Everyone's eyes turned to Jeong Soo-hwa.
"Go ahead."
Seo-woon spoke up, and he began his story in a calm voice: "Please don't misunderstand. I'm not forcing you to do anything."
Everyone nodded at his words and looked at his mouth.
"As you know, Los Angeles, California, USA, has become a real-time map of this Cloyd game. The US government is mobilizing all its players and reserve forces to resolve the current situation."
Knowing this fact, everyone waited silently for him to continue.
"The US government is requesting support from players in almost all countries except Russia and North Korea. This includes our allies. But most countries are refusing. Japan, in particular, is using the excuse that the government-affiliated guild was destroyed by Seo-woon."
Seo-woon nodded at his words.
"Of course. Who would be so crazy to help another country when the same thing could happen to their own?"
Seo-woon nodded in agreement, and Jung Soo-hwa continued, "True. The Korean government tried to refuse for the same reason. As you know, Korea is in worse shape than Japan. After the Kimchi incident, Korea tried to refuse, explaining that it was difficult to protect its own country, but the situation changed somewhat."
"How?"
"I didn't know either, but it's estimated that there are about 550,000 Koreans living in Koreatown in Los Angeles."
Seo-woon's eyes widened at those words.
"That many?"
Seowoon was clearly surprised, as this was something he'd never considered before.
"Of course, most of them are technically American citizens, and strictly speaking, foreigners with no ties to Korea whatsoever. But the number of Koreans is too large to ignore. So we decided to support government-affiliated reserve forces and even ask for help from neutral and resistance players."
"Shall we, Koreans, help each other? That excuse won't work."
Karina nodded fervently at Seo-woon's words. However, Jeong Soo-hwa shook her head.
"I thought so too, but unexpectedly, many players volunteered to help."
"...So, should I lend a hand too?"
"I understand if you decline. In fact, I'd prefer you stay in Korea."
Seo-woon's eyebrows furrowed at her words.
"Why?"
"There's no guarantee that nothing will happen in Korea. With the government player pool being so small right now, the only force capable of defending the country in an emergency are the local players. I don't think sending that force abroad is a good idea. That's not just my opinion. Considering the political situation, I believe my superiors have made this decision."
When she finished speaking, Karina stepped forward.
"Now it's my turn to state my position."
"I don't need to hear it. You're saying to pretend I don't know, aren't you?"
"Yes. Seo-woon, strictly speaking, is a Swedish citizen. He has no ties to Korea or the United States. She made this request to you because she was aware of the unique nature of your family's relationship."
When she finished speaking, Karina looked at Jung Soo-hwa.
"True. My superiors knew about this, which is why they sent me to make this offer to Jin Seo-woon."
She admitted it so easily it was almost discouraging.
Sensing that her resolute statement had failed to harm her opponent, Karina's voice lowered slightly and she continued, "While Seowoon was away, intelligence updates were sent to all the countries. Now that the game has ended, it's likely that all the participants in the same game have returned.
We believe the same game is being played in all three worlds now and may continue with the same rules in the future. Considering that the last game was run under extremely irregular rules, we must be as careful as possible."
Seowoon's eyes darkened at her words. What if he had a sibling who had met disaster abroad and whose life was uncertain? Just thinking about it made his chest constrict. Most of all, his anger rose like a flame against those who treated human lives like mere currency and toyed with them.
"America..."
"Seo-woon! You should think carefully. Based on our analysis of the information, if you interfere..."
"You could become a boss monster."
Lilingwei and Juriell widened their eyes in shock. Considering the game they had just experienced, it was entirely possible.
"If you are designated as a monster, you will become a target of all players participating in the game. You are not a player participating in the game. If you die this time, it will be the end for you."
Karina had rushed here to stop me, and I understood why. If I decided to go to the US and die there, everything I invested would be lost.
"Karina. You didn't see it with your own eyes, did you? We saw it.
We've seen how far a person will fall for a penny. This isn't some abstract story about starving people in Africa. There are 550,000 Koreans there, right? My aunt is one of them. If we can help, we should. It's a matter of life and death."
Seowoon's last words left Karina speechless. She was receiving updates on the situation in LA in almost real time. For Karina, who had witnessed the horrific scenes, the weight of Seo-woon's words about human lives was too much to bear.
"...I'll be prepared."
With that, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"The OP has decided to go to the US. Get ready."
After saying that, she hung up and looked at Seo-woon.
"When... are you leaving?"
"Can we leave in the evening?"
"No problem. We'll come up with a plan and coordinate with the U.S. government by then."
After ending the phone call, she lowered his head and made a call with a stern expression, returning to his car.
"Are you really leaving?"
"You pushed me to leave, and now you're asking?"
When Seo-woon asked again, his eyes narrowed.
"Let me repeat myself. I don't want you to go, Jin Seo-woon."
"I've been thinking of my aunt since the first time I heard that. When you said Los Angeles, I'd already made up my mind. Even if I'm not in the country, please don't ask me to stay with my family."
He said this, glancing at the reserve agents disguised as ordinary people around him.
"You knew?"
He, who had secretly deployed skilled agents on infiltration missions among the reserve forces, asked in surprise.
"They're definitely different from the guys who were hanging around our neighborhood last time. Your eyes are good."
When Jung Soo-hwa saw Seo-woon's left eye glow red, a chill ran down her spine, and she couldn't help but shiver.
The moment he focused on his left eye, he could see his own aura, and his field of vision widened. He could see everyone within a 500-meter radius as clearly as if they were in the palm of his hand. Anyone with even the slightest unusual aura was clearly marked. If they were unarmed, a red aura appeared, and the energy gathered around their dantian was clearly visible. Mages, on the other hand, had a blue aura around their hearts. The agents stationed in Sweden were already visible and guarding the area, so there was no need to detect them.
After he finished scanning the area, Seowoon's eyes returned to normal.
"I appreciate your kindness."
After he finished speaking, Seo-woon got into the car where the two women were waiting.
"Where are we going?"
"Let's go to Ki-chan's first. Towards Bucheon."
Jeong Soo-hwa stared blankly at the Bentley parked for a while, then sighed. She took out her phone and reported it to her superiors.
***
After meeting up with his sister and experiencing a brief commotion , Ki-chan received a call from Seo-woon and went to a cafe near his home. Inside the cafe, Seo-woon was talking to two women who were attracting attention because of their striking appearances.
"He must be rich. He has two beautiful women with him."
"But why are they talking so much? I can't hear anything. They seem to have beautiful voices."
Just then, Ki-chan appeared, attracting the attention of all the women in the cafe.
"Hyung!"
Seeing him approaching with a wave, Seowoon raised his hand in response and opened his mouth to speak: "They cast a silencing spell."
With that, Ki-chan headed towards where his friends were sitting. Seeing this, the murmuring around them grew louder.
"Ah, I've heard of them. Those people are players.
"Players ?"
"Yeah. It's common knowledge that players carry an item called Silence, which blocks out ambient noise."
Ignoring the attention they were receiving, Seo-woon and his friends continued their heated discussion.
"I should follow them this time."
"Yeah. It's different from Russia. It's obvious how many players there will be. Besides, they'll be moving in groups of four. I don't doubt your ability. I'm just talking about the danger."
Hearing Juriell and Lilingwei's words, Seo-woon looked to Ki-chan for help.
"Big sisters. My brother's only worried about the worst-case scenario. If another game really starts in Korea..."
Juriell cut him off before Ki-chan could finish.
"Don't you know that's impossible? There's only one game going on in three different worlds right now. There's no way that'll happen unless all three games are finished."
With her quick wits, she quickly grasped the situation. Seo-woon agreed with her prediction, making it difficult to separate the two.
"Still, I wish you could keep an eye on my family and Ki-chan's sister. Russia might try something again."
"The situation there is already over. I heard it from Karina. They've been completely wiped out."
Seo-woon shook his head at Lilingwei's objection.
"Oh. Do you really have to go? Juriell, this is different from the game."
"I know."
"We crossed dimensions to get here. We can't get married and become widows."
Seo-woon's face flushed at the word "widow."
"Hyung. There's no other choice, right?"
When even Ki-chan said that, Seo-woon nodded. Originally, he wanted to leave Ki-chan behind and go alone. The moment he entered the map, there was a 100% chance he'd be targeted by monsters.
"My location will be open to enemies 24/7."
Seo-woon was uneasy about leading three people into such danger.
"There's no choice. But if you do come, you have to stay alert. This isn't a game."
All three nodded solemnly at Seo-woon's words, which were spurred on by a change in his gaze. Seo-woon checked the time on his phone and stood up.
"Are you sure you want to come with me? Won't your sister worry?"
"It's okay. I explained it to her."
The four of them got into the Bentley and headed for the airport. Karina was already waiting for Seo-woon and his friends at the airport with a private jet.
"Please board the plane."
Seo-woon looked at her with his head tilted to the side as they boarded.
"Karina. This time..."
"Of course, I'm not going. Only the four of you will be disembarking."
With that, he waved his hand, and the plane took off. Juriell and Liling, who were flying for the first time in their lives, felt the pressure of the plane's takeoff and stared out the window, their eyes wide. Seeing the two women, Karina began her briefing.
"Now, I will explain the decisions that have been made."
All four of them focused their attention on her.
"First, The US government has approved your entry into the country and expressed its profound gratitude to Jin Seo-woon for his assistance. While there wasn't a direct expression of gratitude, he wasn't upset by the recognition."
"Due to special circumstances, you've been allowed to remain in the United States without a visa or passport. Compensation will be discussed and determined by the US government based on the outcome of the case."
"I don't like money being involved in saving people's lives."
Karina nodded at Ki-chan's words.
"Even so, we can decide that later. It's better to play it safe when you owe someone a debt."
Juriell nodded in agreement. After glancing at the four of them for a moment, Karina continued, "I finalized the agreement so that the four of you won't be held responsible for any damage to public or private property in LA.
You don't have to worry about anything else while you're fighting the enemy. We agreed that you wouldn't be held responsible for any casualties incurred while suppressing the enemy."
Seo-woon nodded, surprised that he'd handled even such an unexpected matter.
"I hadn't even considered that. Thank you for handling it so well."
"In the United States, even the smallest matters can lead to lawsuits. Finally, there was the matter of transportation to LA, but after much deliberation, we decided to parachute from Pasadena and then proceed to LA."
Ki-chan looked at her with a confused expression.
"Is it really that necessary?"
"No aircraft other than drones are currently allowed in LA airspace. We'd be vulnerable to any ground attack. You'll parachute from the border between Pasadena and LA."
Ki-chan nodded in agreement. Thinking about it, it made sense.
"When you land at the landing point, meet the American agent. He'll help you access the map. Once you're on the map, the US government agent currently playing the game will be assigned as your assistant."
"An assistant?"
"That was a compensation issue we were strongly considering. The blue coins you earn by hunting players on the map will be returned to you through the assistant. We've already reached an agreement with the US government to let you use the in-game vending machines through them."
"So you knew even that much?"
She smiled at Ki-chan's words.
"Our intelligence in Sweden is very good."
He was impressed by how meticulously she'd taken care of even the smallest details he hadn't thought of, but he couldn't help but feel a little sad. He was worried about his aunt, his mother's only sister, and his only relative. While enjoying food and drinks during the flight, the four of them continued their flight, getting real-time updates on the situation in LA.
Finally, as they approached their destination, the private plane lost as much altitude as possible.
"Everyone put on your parachutes. They'll open automatically when we reach a certain altitude, but pull the cord if they don't."
At her words, Juriell rejected the parachutes worn by the other three.
"I can use magic."
Karina picked up her own parachute, threw it behind her, and looking at the four of them, she said her final goodbyes.
"Please come back safe!"
With these words, she opened the door of the private plane. The moment the door opened, the four of them jumped out one by one.
"Slide as far as you can to the destination where the agents are!"
The four people checked the LCD screens on their wrists at Seo-woon's command. Their locations were marked on the GPS, and their destination was marked separately. The LCD screens, curved like bookends and wrapped around their wrists, were items Karina had specially prepared for them.
As they continued floating for a moment, they saw green smoke rising from the ground in the distance.
"That's where we're looking for him, isn't it?"
Seowoon couldn't deny Ki-chan's words. In the middle of a road in the city center, someone was writing on the ground in Korean. It read, "Jin Seo-woon," and green smoke billowed in every direction. Police cars blocked the surrounding roads, and countless people were looking up at the sky.
"Everyone, jump in there!"
The moment he finished speaking, Seo-woon's parachute opened automatically. Having struggled to control the parachute, which Karina had roughly taught him to do on the plane, Seo-woon cut the chute when he reached his desired location and fell to the ground.
-Thump! Thump! Thump!
Following Seo-woon, Ki-chan and Lilingwei also released their uncomfortable parachutes and landed precisely at the landing point, with only Juriell landing gently.
A man in a black suit approached Seo-woon and bowed his head in greeting.
"Mr. Jin Seo-woon. Thank you for coming all this way to help us. The US government will never forget the help you and your team provided."
"It's urgent, let's talk on the way."
As soon as Seo-woon finished speaking, the man directed them to a vehicle. As soon as they got into the luxury vehicle, over a hundred police cars with sirens blaring escorted the vehicle carrying Seo-woon and his team.