Matan’s Shooter

Chapter 3

Leeha knew how popular the game  [Middle Earth] was. The only thing he did after getting discharged from the hospital was watching TV, as he was not able to go outside. 

The Virtual reality game [Middle Earth], in fact, was not just a game. Goople, its developer and manager, proclaimed [Middle Earth] as the “5th Industrial Revolution”, and that’s something that most economists also admit.

The realization of all senses, a single integrated server around the world, a uniform language in the game, and 5 days in the game was only a day in reality. The list goes on. 

This single game alone removed the language, geographical, and time barriers. In other words, it created a new world in the game.

Harvard University is already undergoing formal procedures for forming the [Middle Earth Aelstock City Branch], and the Spanish Football Association Primera Liga broadcasts on [Middle Earth-Primera Liga] using Middle Earth skills and action cams. They said that they were in the process of obtaining confirmation to claim the rightful ownership of [Middle Earth-Primera Liga].

It has not been implemented in areas requiring confidentiality such as meetings of major companies and national policies, but many areas such as education, creation, and travel were being prepared through [Middle Earth]. A virtual world beyond games.

In just four months of opening, nearly half of the world was already playing [Middle Earth] so the interest derived from it was inevitably complicated.

The power in reality became the power in the game and the power in the game became the power in reality.

In other words, [Middle Earth]’s money was real money.

“… Uh, there… Installation is complete. If you are not going to try it now, I will leave the manual here.”

The foot of the installation engineer, who was standing awkwardly after hearing an unexpected argument between the cousins, was wiggling.

Leeha had a frosty expression after the fight. He looked at the virtual reality connector.

‘If I connect, I will change my mind? It’s also possible to make money while playing?’

After sending Kijeong and the installation engineer out, he was able to calmly think about it after struggling for a while.

That makes sense, [Middle Earth] appeared frequently on in-game channels as well as public news despite being released only 4 months ago.

Just yesterday, he had heard in the news that a long sword, that had an odd name,  had been traded for 100 million won. Of course, it was not that there were no transactions that were in the billions in other games, however [Middle Earth]  was a new game that had been around for only four months.

‘There are not many experts yet, and the exchange rate is still unstable, but it will gradually stabilize. Surely it would be nice for me. I am not able to find a job. I would rather concentrate on work to forget this cruel fate,  but the reality is harsh.

Especially for the disabled and worse if it’s in the lower body.

‘I can’t even get a normal job anyway and I have a lot of time, if I can make money…’

If I can make money in-game, it would be worth a try.’

He looked at the strategy book prepared by Kijeong and on the first page, was a memo with a written note. 

-When you connect, whisper to “Master K”!

After that, it was about the game. It was ridiculously crude to even call it a strategy book. It was just what Kijeong felt while playing the game, and the most recent rumors that he had heard.

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He wanted to try it because the motto of [Middle Earth]  was ‘A world of dreams, adventures, and fantasy, another Earth.’

In the world of adventure and fantasy, it wouldn’t be fun if you already knew everything because of a single strategy book, would it? How strong could you get?

‘I will give it a try and get a refund later. Yes, let’s do that.. ’

Leeha put down the note Kijeong gave him.

Let’s try it first! If I don’t think it’s going to be worth the money, I can get a refund!

Leeha moved from the wheelchair to the virtual reality gear with a groan.

“What is this? Why did they make it so unfriendly to disabled people?”

Leeha’s body was finally fitted to the virtual reality connector dedicated to [Middle Earth], after hitting something with his mouth.

When he pressed the play button near the handle with his body lying comfortably, he felt something resonate within his head.

At that moment, the house that was less than 11 pyeong disappeared.

“Waah!”

Suddenly, Leeha felt like he was falling, but after a while, he was standing in the dark.

“This is?” 

He was naked, with two feet that stood firmly on the floor.

[Strangers are always welcome! May God bless you for stepping into Middle Earth!]

Waaaak, light appeared, but what surprised him even more than the sudden light was the voice of a woman.

“Wait! Wait!”

There was no time to feel the joy of standing on two legs, as Leehaa hurriedly covered his thighs and stood. His weapon should not be seen by others, especially a woman with a pretty voice. However, he had only heard the voice, while he could not see the owner of the voice.

[Male strangers from Northeast Asia always start with the same pose! Yo! I’ve seen it a million times already, so don’t worry! I am just a helper in making your avatar live on Middle Earth.]

“Is it artificial intelligence??”

[It’s better than you thought, right?], Leeha received an immediate answer with a human reaction. It must have been asked this question a lot of times already.

Goople’s AI was more human than humans.

[So, could you tell me what name you would like to use in Middle Earth?]

Nickname, did Kijeong proudly shout “Master K” to this question? That must have been embarrassing.

If it were a game, it would have been nice to create a new nickname, but it didn’t feel like a game right now.

The sensation he felt in his lower body felt real, he really felt like he was the one standing. It wasn’t really difficult to choose a nickname.

“Leeha. No, Ha Leeha.”

[‘HaLeehaLee, is that correct?]

“‘One more time! Ha Leeha not HaLeeHalee!”

[It’s a funny name, but it’s a pity. ‘Ha Leeha’, is  that correct?]

“That’s right.”

The rumbling sound effect made the following mood a little awkward, but at least one thing was certain. Leeha was excited, he was standing on two legs, trying to meet a new world.

[Good，HaleeHalee. What kind of race would you like to live in Middle Earth?]

“It’s Ha Leeha, not HaleeHalee.”

Once again, he heard a burst of laughter. Is this really artificial intelligence? Was it really not human?

He had also played games with so-called artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

Anyway, for young men, especially young men in Korea, things like playing games cannot be removed.

It’s too overwhelming to be overwhelmed with the words “but this is a different dimension?” I can’t see my figure and I can only hear the voice, so it feels more realistic.

“What races are there?”

[There are five races that strangers can choose from: Human, Wood Elf, Lizardia, Giant, and Catfolk.]

“There’s everything.”

Lizardia, a lizard-like human covered in scales.. Lee Ha did not like its appearance, especially the tail.

Basically, his reasoning was that humans didn’t have a tail, so how can they use the tail? Would the tail move when they would shake their ass?

It is written that Catfolk can walk as bipeds or quadrupeds interchangeably.

‘It’s a game, but the fact is that humans walking on all fours is a little… …

The huge and hard-looking giants, and the thin and nature-friendly Wood Elves.

Leeha looked back and forth between each race and eventually chose the human race.

“Human.”

[Human. Then are you satisfied with your appearance?]

“Huh? If I’m not satisfied? Can I change it?”

[Basic corrections such as simple scar correction, eye correction, and blemish removal, as well as partial correction of height and weight are possible. Although you can not change your gender! Oh, you can’t change your nationality either. In Middle Earth, there are more nationalities than races, so please don’t fight each other!]

“It’s not a selfie correction app, and I don’t really need that. I will just stay as is.”

I didn’t have any special confidence in my appearance, but I didn’t want to grow taller. It still felt like the real thing, not a game.

[Human male, Ha Leeha, a stranger to Middle Earth. Congratulations on taking your first steps. I’m hoping you get everything you want through Middle Earth-!!]

The world turned dark, to the point where he could not see where he was standing, and then became bright in an instant.

“Hwaaaah!”

He heard it clearly in the gap of his scream.

[I look forward to seeing you again.].

“Kuwaak!”

It felt like he fell from a height of 5 stories, but there was no pain in his body. He heard laughter around him, but it was only for a short time, and it soon became silent.

It was one of the common reactions of beginners falling into Middle Earth.

“Oh my gosh… Is this a game?”

It’s definitely different. Leeha looked around, even if cameras suddenly popped out and said, ‘This is actually reality!’, he would believe it.

The feeling of cold water droplets from the occasional fountain splashes, sore eyes when facing the sun, the palm of the hand, and the chest that swells when you inhale. 

And two legs, legs that moved in and out of the wheelchair, which was useless. Toes wriggling outside old sandals. A calf that protrudes when the bracket is raised. The muscles of the thigh become stiff when you take the riding position.

No one really knew this feeling. Leeha unknowingly shed tears, and it was only a little later that he noticed the fact that tears were flowing in the game as well.

“Are you so impressed! I met so many people at Candle Castle, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen such a pure stranger!” 

“I was just surprised. Who are you?” At the sound suddenly heard from behind, Leeha looked behind him in a hurry. It was quite a long time since he had been disabled in the lower body. 

His movement while turning around felt awkward.

“I am the one who helps the strangers adjust to Middle Earth.”

‘NPC’. Leeha recalled the poor strategy book Kijeong left. The starting village was random, but wherever the player falls, the route at the beginning of the game was similar.

There are NPCs that help beginners, interact with those NPCs, choose a job, and go to the beginner hunting ground. It was said that the beginning of the true Middle Earth was after choosing a class. In other words, it was easy to recognize that the man who looked like an Englishman talking to himself was an NPC.

“Can you walk?”

“Yes, I can.”

“Walking is no problem. But you should be careful while/about running. Humans cannot run indefinitely.”

“Well, that’s right.”

It’s a reference to the existence of stamina.

Leeha also knew about it. Since it was Goople’s goal to make it as realistic as possible, they did not want to show it in-game.

When playing, the HP and MP bar is like a normal game, but it can’t be checked immediately. Furthermore, there were many people who said that they were quite unkind because they made things like stamina and vitality invisible even in numbers. 

On the contrary, there were many people who liked it as true freedom and true virtual reality.