Chapter 36 - Chapter 36

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Translator: 8uhl

Chapter: 36

Chapter Title: For the Jianghu

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Seo-jun shrugged and launched a new game.

"Thanks for the donations. Alright, let's move on to the next game."

-Oh next next next

-Really?

-What's it gonna be?

The background flipped, and the world transformed.

The previous game, Assassin's Dawn, had been full of dark backdrops with high-rise buildings sprouting up haphazardly. This new one was different.

Haphazardly—bamboo shoots sprouted everywhere, just like the word implied.

It was lush and green.

That was Seo-jun's first impression of the game.

Birds chirped, and pandas started rolling around playfully.

The starting point was a verdant hill thick with vegetation.

Seo-jun first tried moving his body in place.

He stretched and swung his arms.

"...Hmm, feels just right."

Thanks to Surface handling the capsules and VR integration, the dive sensation into virtual reality hadn't changed. But movement speed varied based on the settings.

And this game seemed designed to mimic reality as closely as possible.

The fluttering hem of his robe and the faint jingle of metal evoked a nostalgic feeling.

Meanwhile, the viewers had figured out the game and were getting excited.

-No way, is it For the Jianghu?

-Practically no actual jianghu lol that game?

-The one that's insanely hardcore with martial arts?

-Jackpot. It's an online game!!!

-Let's go!

Of course.

They recognized it just from the starting area.

"As you all guessed, this next game is For the Jianghu."

Another title from Movie Soft, For the Jianghu was a wuxia action game set in the martial world. The major factions—Righteous, Unorthodox, and Demonic—clashed in epic conflicts.

It had topped simultaneous logins on launch day, and even years later, it maintained solid mid-to-upper-tier popularity, though slightly declined.

But its defining trait was how brutally difficult it was, despite that popularity.

These were current viewer counts on Travel.

For the Jianghu steadily held in the high 300,000s.

Assassin's Dawn had hit 800,000 just a week ago, but that was thanks to mega-streamers with hundreds of thousands of viewers.

Now they had dropped it, so numbers fell.

'That doesn't mean Assassin's Dawn was a bad pick.'

No, it had been perfect.

'Look at my stream pulling ten thousand viewers now.'

Hold on.

Ten thousand?

The stream viewer count was way higher than expected.

What the hell?

He calmly checked the viewer breakdown.

"Foreign viewers at 4,000? What's going on?"

-Huh? What?

-Viewer count is nuts

-Couldn't mention it till host did—rule was no viewer count talk, so I was dying inside

-Whoa what

-4k foreigners? Scary

Foreign viewers weren't common.

Voice auto-translation tech was advanced, but cultural gaps and untranslated game screens made it tough.

So, a sudden surge.

Seo-jun quickly realized why.

"Ah, must be the Training Ground buzz."

-Yep lololol

-Training Ground influence is insane

-Bro's going world-class now?

World-class? Hardly.

Seo-jun chuckled and fiddled with the stream overlay.

'Guess this gives me some leverage with sponsors?'

Good was good, he figured.

A paid ad notification popped up.

"So, today's game is sponsored."

-Oooo???

-Sponsored already?

-Sponsored sequel! Capitalism's monster

-But why sponsor For the Jianghu? Event?

-Movie Soft sponsor? World-class confirmed!

Viewers didn't seem annoyed.

"Haha, yeah. But even after the ad, I won't drop this game right away. I'd wanna play For the Jianghu regardless."

He meant it.

Wuxia backdrop.

Skills as martial arts.

A bit awkward, sure, but it stirred old memories and seemed fun.

-Lololol

-Even better

-But how long you playing?

"When till? Till I get bored."

Seo-jun gave a 'what kinda question is that?' look.

-Same energy no matter the game lololol

-Popularity could tank and he wouldn't care ㄷㄷ

-Dove to rock bottom multiple times but pushes through. During rampages or Christina skips lolol

"Alright then. Let's head down. To the village below the hill? Nah, looks like a city."

Seo-jun took the nearby stairs, descending slowly.

A panda rolled alongside him with a rumble.

"Cute."

Looked comfy, but he didn't mimic it.

At the bottom, he leaped to scale the city wall.

But it was blocked.

-Straight to wall-jumping lolol

-Pickpocket habits die hard

-Don't do that here... I'm embarrassed lolol

-Stranger. Don't make eye contact.

"Why you all cutting ties? That hurts."

Seo-jun turned his head.

There was a proper path with people and a gate.

He approached the guard in a sedge hat at the entrance.

The guard lifted his hat with a finger, eyeing Seo-jun.

The sedge-hatted warrior spoke.

"Adventurer from another world?"

This concept, huh?

Dimension travel.

Worldbuilding? Meh.

"What's your name?"

-Unknown here too, call it

-Unknown incoming

-But Righteous sect?

-Unorthodox best, hypocrites lol

-Never Demonic. Just don't.

Hmm.

Factions dividing already.

But he had his pick.

The weirdest guy from past and present lives combined.

"Heavenly Demon."

Couldn't resist.

"Yeah."

No big meaning.

Just seemed fun.

-Lmaooo Heavenly Demon again

-Koreans' Heavenly Demon love

-What season is this guy's Heavenly Demon arc?

Ah.

"Multiplayer, right? Figures it'd be taken ages ago. Heavenly Demon 2's probably gone too."

Seo-jun casually bumped the number.

Nicknames weren't that big a deal.

"Sure."

Finally, around when it was getting old.

Nickname secured: Heavenly Demon 14.

"Perfect. Heavenly Demon 14—a splendid name."

Mmm!

The warrior nodded appreciatively.

-Social skills on point lol

-Wow! 14 Heavenly Demons! Clones!

-Lol gotta go this far for Heavenly Demon?

"Right, Heavenly Demon 14. Which faction do you wish to fight for? Note you can switch anytime. But that'll reset all your contributions with the old faction. Haha!"

As explained, factions: Righteous, Unorthodox, Demonic.

Righteous: upright sects valuing etiquette, morality, steady power-building.

Unorthodox: profit-driven, crime-heavy, brutal methods.

Demonic: power above all. Etiquette? Morality? Status? Equal before strength.

For the Jianghu masterfully blended stereotypes into story and conflicts.

"Not sure yet."

"Take your time, look around!"

"Got it."

Seo-jun entered the city.

Other players visible.

"Let's play a game first. Tutorial? Nah."

-Dude it's not some new boss, read the damn tutorial

-Gonna carry like a beast anyway

-No wonder he gets tech-illiterate rep—skips manuals on new stuff, dies first lolol

-Fr real lolol tech-illiterate trait

How'd they know he skips manuals? Mysterious.

"Whatever."

Games matched similar skill levels anyway.

Learn on the fly—his philosophy.

Viewers disagreed.

He headed to the massive building at the avenue's end.

Entering opened the arena interface.

"Hmm. Most popular mode..."

For the Jianghu had many modes, but two dominated: Sparring (1v1, 2v2, 3v3 random) and Conquest (4v4 MOBA-like).

"Conquest it is."

Conquest was most played—Sparring's skill barrier was high.

Seo-jun didn't know; just picked shortest queue.

Match found instantly.

"Here we go."

-Whoa! Mid-game join

-Join from start? Someone DC'd!

-Lol

Seo-jun read the tip and scanned around.

Deep forest spawn.

"Mid-game join means someone quit halfway?"

-Yup

-Someone ragequit mid

-Only in normals

"Got it. Feels like we're losing."

Left was his team's fortress HP.

"Basic sword. Skill: Three Disasters Swordplay?"

Notorious trash-tier martial art.

Default for no faction choice, apparently.

"Goal's destroying the fortress?"

More to it, surely.

He eyed the battlefield ahead.

Markers for central and flank bases.

"Figure it out in the fight."

Eyes gleaming, he drew his sword.

Martial artists and soldier NPCs marched central path.

Seo-jun followed.

Soon.

Enemy and allied troops clashed near central base.

NPCs fought fiercely nearby.

Seo-jun powered his feet.

Imagined channeling qi.

Key in qi/magic games: visualization.

Settings/interfaces summoned by thought too.

'Qi, huh.'

A unfamiliar tingle hit; speed surged.

Kicking off felt like gliding through air.

He dove into enemy lines.

'Not familiar, but adaptable.'

Sliding low, he dodged attacks and slashed torsos.

-O lolol masterclass from jump?

-Lightness skill's brutal for newbies

-Always say it: host ain't no newbie

Tiny message: he'd chipped enemy fortress.

"Killing soldiers: -5 points."

Tougher amid troops than expected, but Seo-jun chipped away fast.

Lightness skill locked in.

...

'No players?'

Suddenly, allied soldiers outnumbered enemies.

"Ah, incoming."

Left side: distinctly dressed figure.

Lightness skill—closed gap instantly.

Ambush from soldier chaos; enemy likely blind.

Info advantage key.

Enemy low HP—one hit from death, obvious even without damage numbers.

Enemy didn't react to blitz.

But.

"Argh! Dead... wait, teammate? You fuck!"

"Ah."

Teammate.

Explains the blue gear.

"Help."

"?"

"Revive me, you psycho troll!"

World's Greatest Swordsman yelled from the ground at Seo-jun.

"Can revive? How?"

Seo-jun approached but found no method. Timer expired; respawn.

Then a message:

-Accidental trash-talk host lolol

-Argh newbie grief lololol

-Satan: TK no revive tho...

-Where's the jianghu spirit?!

-Host def newbie lolol

-This jianghu???

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