MAX 18

Han Jiho exhaled a deep, heavy sigh.

Regrettably, it seemed he wouldn’t be able to go to that salad shop anymore. He had to find a new place.

No, perhaps leaving this clan altogether was the best way. If he did that, there would be no reason to attend a meet-up.

‘Should I just leave and start over?’

The thought crossed his mind for a moment, but Han Jiho shook his head, feeling that wasn’t quite right. No matter how he looked at it, leaving like that would be rude to them.

Besides, hadn’t he already grown fond of them after playing together for several days?

However, since he couldn’t exactly participate in a meet-up, Han Jiho racked his brain desperately to find a way out of this crisis.

Just imagining meeting Chaehyun again was enough to make him feel dizzy.

[Hansum]

98-nim, what region do you live in?

“…”

He didn’t want to tell them. It was obvious what the conversation would lead to.

He looked at 1Jiho’s chat with a troubled face as the other kept prying despite his vague answers; eventually, he had no choice but to tap on the keyboard.

At 1Jiho’s question, Han Jiho felt goosebumps erupt all over his body. It was because he really did live near Korea University.

And then, he discovered yet another shocking fact.

He was a neighborhood neighbor with Chaehyun.

What were the odds that someone he met by chance in a game turned out to be his fan, was the same person he met by chance at a salad shop to give an autograph to, and even lived in the same neighborhood?

At this point, it felt less like a coincidence and more like a fate ordained by the heavens.

[JunkCollectionMaster]

Chaehyun’s personal info is getting totally leaked today lol

[WrigglingDdorak]

Ah, Chaehyun’s info is cheaper than new shoes!

[WrigglingDdorak]

We can just have a meet-up to celebrate 98-nim joining lololol

[Han Jiho]

But I’m a bit busy lately, so I’m not sure if I can go.. ㅠㅠㅠ

Busy, my ass. His daily routine consisted of nothing but exercising, gaming, eating, and sleeping, but Han Jiho lied without a hint of remorse. He was in a position where he’d have to invent a schedule just to avoid the meet-up.

[Hansum]

Then 98-nim, tell us your day off or when you’re free, and we’ll set it for then hhh

However, Hansum was not one to back down easily. Han Jiho had to squeeze out another excuse. Brain, work!

[Han Jiho]

But then I’d feel too sorry toward the others ㅠㅠㅠ

[1Jiho]

98-nim is the center of this meet-up yup yup yup yup

[WrigglingDdorak]

I’m fine as long as it’s after 5 o’clock lololol

Everyone said they were fine, completely oblivious. The only one who wasn’t fine was Han Jiho.

[Han Jiho]

I’m not very good at drinking, so would it be okay ㅠㅠㅠ

So he lied again.

In reality, far from being unable to drink, he was one of the top heavy drinkers among his friends. He had never met anyone who could out-drink him. Therefore, if Seo Jaeyoon had seen this chat, he certainly would have scoffed and told him to stop with the lies.

Even to himself, the lie felt pathetic, but he had no choice. At this rate, he was going to end up trapped into attending the meet-up.

[1Jiho]

Except for Sum-hyung and Junk-hyung, everyone is a lightweight lololol

[WrigglingDdorak]

You don’t have to drink, so don’t feel pressured lololol

[Hansum]

It’s basically just a club for touring famous restaurants, so you don’t need to worry lolol

But once again, his ambitiously crafted lies and excuses didn’t work. They were already chatting excitedly, treating his attendance as a foregone conclusion.

[JunkCollectionMaster]

But are we really doing it at the salad shop?

[Hansum]

I’ll decide where to do it after I see who’s participating yup yup

[1Jiho]

If 98-nim comes, Chaehyun-hyung will obviously come too lololol

[WrigglingDdorak]

It’ll just be the usual people who always come anyway.

With them talking like that, he couldn’t keep insisting it wouldn’t work. Since he couldn’t ruin the mood, Han Jiho tapped the keyboard like he was eating mustard while crying. For now, the most important thing was getting through this situation safely.

[Han Jiho]

Then I’ll check my schedule and let you know later.

[Han Jiho]

I’ll try my best to participate… hhh

With that, the conversation about the meet-up concluded.

All that remained was Han Jiho, holding onto his tattered mental state while breaking into a cold sweat, and the bright, clueless clan members.

“Phew…”

Han Jiho exhaled a sigh and brought over his headset to put it on.

He desperately wanted to lie down on his bed and rest, but he figured he should try at least one match.

With that thought, he connected to the voice chat. His microphone was not even plugged in to begin with.

After that, he waited for matchmaking while listening to the clan members’ voices. Although it was close to 11 PM, matchmaking took less than 30 seconds. It was a speed so fast it was hard to believe it was a “dead game.”

Along with a brief loading screen, the map where the game would take place revealed itself. It was an aerial map named ‘Eternal Rift.’

Meanwhile, Hansum’s voice continued. it was the very same voice he had heard while signing an autograph at the salad shop. Feeling a sudden chill, Han Jiho reflexively stroked the back of his neck.

【Hansum】 [Who wants to be the Invader this round?]

Invader. It referred to the role of crossing over to the enemy camp to kill them when a rift opened.

【1Jiho】 [You’re just going to nag me again if I go and die.]

【JunkCollectionMaster】 [Yup. Not you.]

【Hansum】 [98-nim, do you want to try?]

At Hansum’s question, Han Jiho, who had been quiet, tapped the keyboard.

[Party] HanJiHo98: Ah

[Party] HanJiHo98: I’ll try it once I get a bit more used to it hhh

First, he needed to figure out how the game worked. He absolutely hated being a “troll” by acting overconfident.

【Hansum】 [No one wants to do it?]

【1Jiho】 [Nope.]

【JunkCollectionMaster】 [Yeah.]

【Hansum】 [Then I’ll do it this round, and Ggomji, you do it next round.]

Finally, the game began.

Han Jiho quickly looked around. At the top of the screen was a HUD showing the status of allies and enemies, but his teammates were not visible. He was alone inside a narrow cave. It seemed they had started scattered across five different islands.

【Hansum】 [98-nim. All the shards you’ve collected will disappear if you die, so be careful.]

【Hansum】 [For now, just kill the mobs around you to collect shards, and then go to the center once the altar opens.]

Listening to Hansum’s explanation, he stepped out of the cave. Outside the cave, monsters that looked like broken machines were lined up everywhere.

And at that moment, the monsters, recognizing the presence of a player, let out a screech and began to charge at him.