NOVEL WEB chapter 5
“Gah—no. Hold it in.”
Why should I be the one to log out? That bastard should be the one to go. He’s the one who started this shit—so why should I be the one running?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hyung?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Why aren’t you answering?
[Guild] Let’sTripleJump: I feel like I’m gonna puke…
With a trembling hand, I finally dragged the cursor away from the “Exit Game” button and forced out a smile as I replied.
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: Why the hell
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: would I be your hyung...? haha;
[Guild] Yoo Chae: You said you’re 24.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: I’m 23.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: So obviously, I should call you hyung.
What? Twenty-three? This little punk’s a whole year younger than me…
I shoved the sudden urge to go full boomer deep down.
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: Yeah, but I don’t recall us being close enough for you to call me hyung^^;
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Then we should get close now.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Where are you? Let’s party up.
[Guild] Hwaseoun: Am I watching a drama instead of playing a game or what?
[Guild] ManaIsDryGuy: ♡That Guild Master x That Newbie♡
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: The fuck...
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: Piss off.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: We have to get close so I can call you hyung, right?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: But I need to know where you are to get closer.
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: I’m going hunting anyway, so stay out of it;
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hunting? Where?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Not many good spots at level 200.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Hell Swamp? Flame Wastelands? Where is it?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: I’ll come with. I’ll kill everything. I’ll funnel the EXP to you.
[Guild] LaggingLikeHell: Damn, he’s gone.
[Guild] ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Hwaseoun: Please, take it to whispers you two;;
[Guild] ManaIsDryGuy: ♡Zenoris Garden♡
[Guild] LaggingLikeHell: LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
It was a total shitshow. Reading the guild chat roasting me and Yoo Chae in real time, all I could do was let out a hollow laugh.
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: Don’t need your help.
Why the hell won’t he take a hint? I teleported out of Feroco Island and headed toward the central city.
Time to knock out the collection quest first—50 Red Venom Crab Shells. Looks like Flame Wastelands it is.
I planned to hit level 205 today at the very least, and was quickly stacking up quests when the guild chat flared again.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: I wanna go with you.
God, you are so fucking annoying.
While handing my weapon over to an NPC for repairs, I answered flatly.
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: Call me whatever you want.
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: I’m leaving this guild in a week anyway.
And finally, finally, he shut up. Guess he got the message this time. What a relief.
[Guild] LaggingLikeHell: Wait, GM and Sleepy—you guys know each other IRL or something?
[Guild] LaggingLikeHell: You two seem way too close owo;
[Guild] Let’sTripleJump: Nah lolol
[Guild] Let’sTripleJump: There’s just... context, lmao.
[Guild] Haerun: Yesterday the two of them played out a whole-ass soap opera. Even drama writers would cry.
[Guild] SpicyCrabPlz: Wait what happened??
[Guild] Hwaseoun: This is insane, and yet I need to know what happened.
[Guild] Let’sTripleJump: Water hyung hey hey
[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: Water hyung hey2
[Guild] ManaIsDryGuy: Insert meme: “Show me what they saw.”
[Guild] Haerun: Honestly, words can’t describe it. You had to see it.
[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: For real. Should’ve recorded it.
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: hey hey
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: What’s going on?
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Yeah, we knew each other before.
I was planning to ignore them and not pour cold water on their fun, but now he was just spreading bullshit. I couldn’t let that slide.
[Guild] I’mSoSleepy: The hell are you talking about? We’ve never met.
[Guild] LaggingLikeHell: Aha... Got it. 😊
[Guild] Haerun: LMAOOOOOOOO
“Fucking hell…”
I hate this guild. The second this week is up, I’m gone without a backward glance.
[Guild] Hwaseoun: Water hyung?
[Guild] TakeItIt’sFree: Anyone wanna buy +5 gloves? Selling cheap for quick cash.
[Guild] MonsterBornFromCapitalism: I’ll buy.
[Guild] Hwaseoun: Water hyung, you there??
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: Ah sorry, was doing something for a sec.
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: What’s up?
[Guild] Hwaseoun: Just wanted to return the robe you lent me.
[Guild] Hwaseoun: Where you at?
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: Ah, I’m kinda tied up right now…
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: I’ll come grab it later.
Finished my gear repairs and stocked up on potions just in case. I smiled at my freshly cleaned inventory and opened the map.
Red Venom Crabs were scattered all over Flame Wastelands, but if you knew the best respawn points, you could finish the collection way faster.
I checked the guide for the top farming spots and hit fast travel. Head west from the bell tower at the center of the Wastelands, and the crab spawn zone would be right there.
After a brief loading screen, the blazing red desert opened up. I equipped the flame-resistance scarf I’d bought ahead of time and summoned my mount.
In this zone, you couldn’t sprint with a regular mount. Riding a camel boosted your speed a bit, but it wasn’t worth the money. Most people just used horses.
I set an auto-path to the respawn spot and opened YouTube. No need to think—my fingers clicked straight into an animal video.
A dog with soft wheat-colored fur bounced around playfully, hugging its owner’s leg. Round belly, round eyes, stubby tail—absolute perfection.
Man, mutts are the best. Watching the fluffball erased all the stress Yoo Chae had piled on me.
If I could, I’d totally get one. Preferably a big brown one. Affectionate as hell, too.
Still smiling from the video, I tabbed back to the game and instantly scowled.
“What the hell?”
[Global] Yoo Chae: Took you long enough.
[Global] Yoo Chae: I’ve been waiting forever.
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: ?
Why the fuck is he here?
My brain short-circuited. Yoo Chae trotted up to me, yapping away.
[Global] Yoo Chae: What’s that scarf? Wait—did you buy that from the general store?
[Global] Yoo Chae: Want mine instead?
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: Why are you even here?
I finally snapped out of it and asked through gritted teeth. He paused, then sent a trade request and typed:
[Global] Yoo Chae: I told you earlier.
[Global] Yoo Chae: If it’s level 200 hunting zones, it’s either here or Hell Swamp…
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: So you’re saying
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: you just 50/50’d it and got lucky?
[Global] Yoo Chae: Mm…
I declined the trade and sighed. I knew I should’ve gone to Hell Swamp. It was a coin toss, and of course I lost.
While I was kicking myself, the guild chat pinged again.
[Guild] Yoo Chae: Found him.
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: Oh for fuck’s sake.
[Guild] DrinkWaterPlz: This is my curse. My burden.
“….”
I hesitated, then typed on a hunch.
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: Don’t tell me… you sent Water noona to Hell Swamp?
[Global] Yoo Chae: I wasn’t sure where you’d go, so yeahㅎㅎ
[Global] Yoo Chae: But hey—why do you call her noona?
[Global] Yoo Chae: You won’t let me call you hyung, but you’re calling her noona after meeting her just yesterday?
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: Just shut the hell up…
Says the 23-year-old who dropped honorifics on a 27-year-old woman. This guy’s fucking deranged…
“Haa…”
All motivation to play vanished. I gripped my head and let out a long sigh—only to hear another trade request chime in.
[Global] Yoo Chae: Come on, accept it.
[Global] Yoo Chae: It’s a scarf and an ice buff item. They’re good.
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: Can’t you just fuck off already?
[Global] Yoo Chae: sob emoji noises ㅜㅡㅜ
Don’t you dare hit me with the “ㅠㅠ” bullshit!
I didn’t get it. Why was he so obsessed with me? He hated my guts before—what changed?
How the hell do I shake this psycho off?
[Global] Yoo Chae: Just accept it once.
[Global] Yoo Chae: The elemental buff is really strong, I swear.
I was mechanically rejecting the endless trade spam when it suddenly hit me.
“Ah.”
A brilliant plan lit up in my brain. Holy shit. Why hadn’t I thought of this sooner?
I was this close to sprinting outside barefoot and screaming “EUREKA!” around the block. God, I’m a genius.
I yanked my chair closer to the desk and, for the first time, accepted the trade. Then I typed:
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: The scarf and the buff item?
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: You’re giving them to me? Not just lending them?
[Global] Yoo Chae: Of course.
[Global] Yoo Chae: Do you need anything else?
[Global] Yoo Chae: Want a robe too?
The moment I accepted the trade, Yoo Chae excitedly threw the scarf and buff item into the window like a happy puppy.
Smiling brightly, I made my move:
[Global] I’mSoSleepy: Hand it all over. :)