Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 342

“Whoo…”

Seongsin wiped the sweat dripping down and perched himself on a chair.

Living life just as it flows, he found a surprising talent he had discovered—shooting.

Thinking about it, FPS games in other VR games were indeed the easiest.

If only he had known, he would’ve prepared faster…

As he mulled over this, Seongsin turned his head to glance at the man in the corner of the practice area.

His name was Harang.

At the young age of 26, he ended his career as an athlete and shifted paths to coaching.

Though his athlete career was short, the career he built in that brief time was truly impressive.

Of course, that wasn’t the reason he was looking.

When he encountered Harang at a junior’s wedding, he was taken aback.

He was just as surprised as when a once-small girl, who had been his junior, presented him with a wedding invitation, smiling happily.

Naturally, Harang didn’t recognize Seongsin.

His whole focus was on his younger sister, Hayun.

Anyway, that wasn’t what mattered.

Seongsin started to feel a strange attraction toward Harang recently and stood up from his seat.

“Um…”

Harang frowned while checking the athletes’ performance.

Maybe it was because he had been lenient lately, but he was not pleased with the athletes’ results at all.

As he pondered how to motivate them, he felt a faint gaze from a distance and lifted his head.

In his lowered line of sight, a woman entered.

She exuded a slightly gloomy vibe.

Her name was Seongsin.

Among the new recruits, she had been performing quite well lately.

And now.

That Seongsin was approaching Harang.

It wasn’t unusual for athletes to seek out their coaches.

So, Harang set aside the performance report he was holding and prepared to welcome the new athlete.

What kind of advice should he give to athletes who come seeking guidance around this time?

As he pondered, Seongsin finally stepped closer and opened her mouth.

“Um, um…!”

Her anxiety was obvious.

She appeared slightly pale, suggesting she wasn’t too good with people.

Harang softened his expression and asked calmly.

“What’s the matter?”

“Do you, by any chance, like Deron…?”

“…”

It was a question he hadn’t expected at all.

Deron.

Sure, he does like it.

Harang scowled at Seongsin’s question.

This was not the sort of question that should pass between an athlete and a coach.

It seemed more like a highly personal curiosity.

However, there was no reason he couldn’t answer.

“Yes. I like it.”

“Gasp…!”

Upon hearing his response, Seongsin nodded and dashed back to her original spot.

Watching her retreating figure, Harang tilted his head and picked up the performance report again.

Was she simply curious enough to ask that?

In that moment, an unusual image of Seongsin etched itself into Harang’s mind, marking her as a very strange person.

*

[Deron Online Gallery]

────

[Anyone knows what Blood Demon King is up to these days?] [20]

What’s he been doing lately? He hasn’t even logged into the game.

[Comments]

[He got married, right?]


ㄴ[Really? When?]


ㄴ[About two years ago, I think.]


ㄴ[Wow, lol, he must have kids now, right?]


ㄴ[Nope. His partner is also a woman.]


ㄴ[Gasp, lololololol]

[Would you want to log in if you were him? The game’s a total mess.]


ㄴ[For real, lol, these guys are so focused on selling card packs while derailing Deron updates.]


ㄴ[Lol, this expansion pack is sickening, lol. Cute space guardians dungeon, um, wtf, lolol.]


ㄴ[Hah, it turned into a total otaku game, lololol.]

[Who’s that Blood Demon King?]


ㄴ[You don’t really know?]


ㄴ[Yeah.]


ㄴ[The world’s top armpit holder.]


ㄴ[???]

[You can see him in the Soft & Chewy Cow ad.]


ㄴ[I heard the Soft & Chewy Cow factory belongs to the Blood Demon King. That’s why he keeps doing ads.]


ㄴ[Was he born with a silver spoon? I’m feeling betrayed all of a sudden…]


ㄴ[He was famous from way back. He was the kind who spent millions on seasonal items. It’s more surprising if he wasn’t born with a silver spoon.]

────

[Feels like it’s time to let go of this busted game.] [22]

The game’s lifespan ended when the Ether update became ridiculous.

Looks like they are just updating it to sell card packs now.

The recent raid patterns have no finesse, lol.

It’s all about getting rock-solid, hitting hard.

One slip-up and it’s instant wipe, lol.

Romance is dead.

[Comments]

[Feel you, I agree.]


[If it’s that bad, just quit, lol.]


ㄴ[I already quit ages ago, lol.]


ㄴ[If you quit, why are you here?]


ㄴ[Is it not okay to come?]


ㄴ[No one cares you quit, lol. Just looks like you’re lingering here with regret.]


ㄴ[Nah, I’m just here, lol.]


ㄴ[Hahaha.]

[I’ve also disposed of all my Gold and quit halfway.]


[Just hang in there until the next update.]


ㄴ[Didn’t you say that last time?]


ㄴ[You’re a broken record.]


[This is all D.F.’s fault.]


ㄴ[For real… If it weren’t for that, Deron wouldn’t have sunk to this level.]

────

[Shit, I started playing Deron because of this book, and what is this?] [22]

(From Zero to Property Owner by Chipmani)


I started playing Deron because of this book, but why is the game like this?

This dude said he bought a building through Deron.


Can anyone do it…?


Why does the Gold price keep dropping…?


What the heck…?


Why only me…?


Isn’t it said that just selling Gold could let me live forever…?


Can’t I become a property owner…?

[Comments]

[Lololololol.]


[Lol, this guy’s hilarious, lolololol.]


[This was actually possible once.]


ㄴ[For real, lol, if I had just come a few years earlier, I could have made some decent cash.]


[Lol, I guess some newcomers are coming in because of this.]


[Chipmani’s hilarious, lol. Sometimes he goes live drinking while sharing old stories, it’s super fun.]


[Did someone actually buy a building just by selling Gold?]


ㄴ[Yeah, he really bought a building just by selling Gold, lol. He even posted a proof post back then.]


[That’s pretty impressive…]


[I used to sell Gold at the start of every season to pay for tuition, and it brings back memories.]


[Miss you, Hell Boss…]


ㄴ[What’s Hell Boss been up to?]


ㄴ[No idea. He seems to have gone to play another game.]

────

[Haven’t even seen a sparrow these days…] [14]

(A photoshopped picture with a sparrow’s body and Jupiter’s face attached.)

Where has Chajjak gone?

[Comments]

[Did he quit because his friend did?]


ㄴ[He had friends?]


ㄴ[Yeah, Blood Demon King is his friend, apparently.]


ㄴ[Soft & Chewy Duo, lolololol.]


[Heard from an acquaintance that he’s kinda quit halfway to prepare something else.]


[Chajjak, lolololol.]


[The Soft & Chewy Duo that led the Deron gallery has vanished…]


ㄴ[The guy who used to post Blood Demon King compilations has disappeared too.]


ㄴ[How long has it been since the last compilation update?]


ㄴ[It’s been over a year.]


[Looking at this, Deron really is dead, lolololol.]


ㄴ[Honestly, it was a failing game from the start.]


ㄴ[For real, it only lit up for a moment due to global integration; this was its true place.]

*

The current time: 2:30 PM.

Arriving at the airport in time for the flight’s arrival, there was a massive crowd gathered out front.

Amidst the throng scattering in all directions, finding someone was no easy task.

But I was able to spot them.

And no wonder, the person I was waiting for had a look that set them apart from the ordinary crowd.

A petite figure, silver hair.

Cheeks that looked soft & chewy. Short limbs.

All these traits belonged to none other than Ellie.

“Ellie!”

As soon as I spotted Ellie, I raised my hand and shouted.

Holding her bag and looking around, Ellie found me and started running with a bright smile.

With her short legs moving rapidly, Ellie came over and hugged me.

“Hayun!”

A soft milk scent wafted in.

I wrapped my arms around Ellie’s waist and laughed lightly.

Ellie’s waist was just as soft and warm as ever.

“Long time no see.”

“Have you been well?”

“Yeah.”

After a long hug, I observed my friend from a short distance.

She looked just as she always did.

Even after two years, Ellie’s height hadn’t changed.

Of course, it’s not like I was tall either.

“Let’s get going. It’s not safe here with the crowd.”

“Good idea!”

We moved to a different spot with Ellie.

Once inside the car.

The bright red sports car was kept in such good condition that it always looked like new.

“Did you decide where you’ll stay?”

“Isn’t that a given? Don’t worry about it.”

“Hmmm…”

I looked at Ellie sitting next to me.

It’s pretty dangerous to take your eyes off the road while driving, but it wasn’t me behind the wheel.

“Hayun. You’ve finished all the preparations, right?”

“Of course.”

I nodded at Ellie’s question.

Everything had been set up well before Ellie arrived.

All that was left was to take Ellie home.

“How long are you planning to stay in Korea?”

“Probably until next year.”

“Hmmm…”

“It’s okay to say you’re happy about it.”

I chuckled at Ellie’s words.

The speedy red sports car of mine dashed toward our destination.

We arrived at our haven—my place shared with Sohee.

It was the first time we were inviting someone over, but Sohee happily welcomed Ellie’s visit.

“This is the place…?”

“Yeah.”

“It looks pretty nice.”

Together with Ellie, we took the elevator to the top floor.

Once we arrived, I opened the front door and stepped inside.

“We’re back!”

As I boldly walked in, Sohee, sitting on the sofa, stood up.

“Long time no see.”

“Hmmm… It really has been a while.”

A subtly flowing tension.

When Ellie faced Sohee, she nodded nervously.

I cautiously looked between the two.

Back in school, Sohee used to show a curious wariness toward Ellie, but now there was none of that at all.

“Sohee, is everything set up?”

“Yeah. I’ve made it so you can log in immediately once the gates open.”

I nodded at Sohee’s words and headed toward the capsule room.

The capsule room held my capsule, Sohee’s capsule, and a capsule for our guest.

I gazed at the capsules with a bittersweet smile.

Who would’ve thought Deron would fall apart like this?

To be precise, Deron was still operational, but the moment the core developers migrated to other projects, its life lost its meaning.

“How long until the official opening?”

“About 30 minutes.”

I checked the time as I replied.

The reason for my, Sohee’s, and Ellie’s gather was simple—to log into the new RPG game launching today.

The RPG developed by the core Deron team that had migrated.

[Silk Road]

Due to copyright issues, they couldn’t use Deron in the name, but all gamers knew.

This Silk Road was the spiritual successor of Deron.

“Have you informed the guild members?”

“Yep.”

I nodded at Ellie’s question.

Once the rumors about Silk Road’s launch started circulating, I announced it through the guild notice.

Time passed, and it was ten minutes before the game opened.

“Alright, I’m going to run to the bathroom for a sec!”

While Ellie stepped out to the restroom.

“Hayun.”

“Yeah?”

Before I boarded the capsule, Sohee called out to me.

“Are you going to form a guild again this time?”

“Of course.”

I nodded firmly in response.

I still had people who trusted and followed me.

For their sake, I intended to establish a guild once more.

“Are you going to form a raid party too?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmmm…”

“Why, you don’t like it?”

“No, it’s fine. I mean, you are mine, after all.”

I beamed at Sohee’s words.

She was right.

I, Seohayan, am your party leader.