Matan’s Shooter

Chapter 3

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

Virtual reality game 『Middle Earth』, in fact, is 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.

Realization of all senses, single integrated server around the world, uniform language in the game, and 5 days in the game is only a day in reality.

The list goes on.
This single game alone removed language, space and time barrier.
In other words, it created a new world in the game.

Harvard University is already undergoing formal procedures for 『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 are in the process of obtaining confirmation to obtain 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 are already playing 『Middle Earth』 so, the interest derived there is 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 is 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 has 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 out Kijeong and the installation engineer, he was able to calmly think about it after struggling for a while.

That makes sense, 『Middle Earth』 appears frequently in game channels as well as public news after only 4 months.

Just yesterday, he heard in the news that a long sword, whose name was also odd, was traded for 100 million.
Of course, it is not that there are no transactions that are in billions on other games, however 『Middle Earth』 is a new game that has been around for only four months.

‘There are not many experts yet, and the exchange rate are 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 reality, 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, a memo with a written note.

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

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

He wanted to try it, because the motto of 『Middle Earth』 is ‘A world of dreams, adventures, and fantasy, another Earth.’

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

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

Lee Ha put down the note Kijeong gave him.

Try it first! If I don’t think it’s going to be 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 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 into his skull.

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

“Waah!”

Suddenly, Leeha had the feeling of falling, but after a while stood in the dark.

“This is?” With two feet that firmly support the floor, naked.

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

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

“Wait! Wait!”

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

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

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“Is it artificial intelligence??”

[It’s better that you thought, right?], an immediate answer with a human reaction.
It must have asked this question tens of millions of times already.

Goople’s AI were 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 be nice to create a new nickname, but it didn’t feel like a game right now.

The sensation he felt on his lower body felt real, he really felt like he was the one standing.
It wasn’t 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 it correct?]

“That’s right.”

The rumbling sound effect made the following mood a little odd, but at least one thing was certain.
Leeha is getting excited, he is 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 laughter..
Is this really artificial intelligence? 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?”

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

“There’s everything.”

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

Basically, his reasoning is humans don’t have a tail, so how can they use the tail? Would the tail move when they shake their ass?

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

‘It’s a game, but the fact that humans walk 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 to each race, eventually chose humans.

“Human.”

[Human.
Are you satisfied with your appearance?]

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

[Basic correction such as simple scar correction, eye correction, and blemishes 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.
I was still feeling like the real thing, not a game.

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

In a world that has turned dark again, the view that was darkened to the point where he does not even know what he is standing on became bright in an instant.

“Hwaa aah!”

I heard it clearly in the gap of my scream.

[I look forward to seeing you again.].

“Kuwaak!”

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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 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 when 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 becomes stiff when you take the riding position.

No-one really knows this feeling.
Lee Ha unknowingly shed tears, it was only a little later that he noticed the fact that tears were flowing in the game.

“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, Lee Ha looked behind him in a hurry.
It was quite a long time that he had been disabled in the lower body.
His movement 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 is random, but wherever the player falls, the route at the beginning of the game is 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 running.
Humans cannot run indefinitely.”

“Well, that’s right.”

It’s a reference to the existence of stamina.

Leeha also knew 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 are 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.

(To be continued…)