Translator: Dreamscribe

The second pre-order of Soul Link has begun!

Since pre-orders could only be made in Korea, many people flocked to the country.

There were even famous foreign celebrities suddenly halting their activities and announcing long-term stays in Korea, and well-known business figures, recognizable by name alone, began appearing at Incheon Airport.

It was no longer surprising to hear that the legendary investor, rumored to charge 3 billion won for a lunch meeting, was lingering at the hamburger joint in front of FS Games.

A journalist asked him,

'Mr. Ryan Belfit, why are you wasting your time like this?'

'Wasting? I’m investing time. Money means nothing to Lee Jinwoo, so the only thing I can invest in is the little time I have left. If I get noticed by him and get the chance to exchange a few words, there’s no better investment than that.'

'Is it really worth that much?'

'The value of a second life... that belongs to a realm that can’t be quantified by money! FS Games will become the center of a new order.'

But unfortunately, investments always come with failures.

He wasn’t able to meet Lee Jinwoo.

Jinwoo was simply too busy. He barely had time to rest, hardly even returning home.

Jinwoo was currently in the control room of FS Games.

The control room was equipped with various displays, including hologram devices, and it was showing real-time feeds of Evanth and the surrounding areas.

“One hour left until server maintenance.”

At the staff member’s words, Jinwoo nodded.

It was the first server maintenance since the Early Access began.

A notice had been posted through Arsilan Worlds that upon the end of early access, they would enter a one-week server maintenance and reorganization period. The official service would begin immediately after the maintenance ended, and Soul Link would be shipped to coincide with that date.

“Evanth Plaza sure is bustling.”

“Ahh! Brings back memories.”

“Yeah. Even though it’s a virtual reality game with cutting-edge technology, seeing that scenery really reminds me of those old online games.”

The staff gazed at Evanth Plaza, immersed in nostalgia.

Han Yong-seon felt the same.

“Haha! The pain when a game service ends... only those who’ve experienced it can understand.”

“We’ve experienced it plenty.”

In response to Han Yong-seon’s comment, the planning team leader let out a faint laugh and answered. FS Games had shut down quite a few games over the years. That’s why the scene felt so familiar.

The sorrow of everyone gathering to chat right before the server shuts down!

The hollow echo of “Let’s meet again” followed by the loneliness of everyone you’ve talked with disappearing!

“Hey, it’s just server maintenance.”

It was simply a server maintenance to mark the end of Early Access.

When the art team leader said that, Director Han Yong-seon and the other employees came out of their thoughts and nodded.

Jinwoo stood up from his seat and looked at the staff.

“Thank you all for your hard work during the Early Access period. I’m counting on you going forward as well. A special bonus will be paid out today.”

Clap clap clap!

Cheers and applause followed.

Director Han Yong-seon raised his hand slightly. When Jinwoo nodded, he quietly began to speak.

“Sir, about the upcoming showcase…”

“Yes, go ahead.”

They had decided to hold a showcase at Ohsung Electronics’ promotional center before the official service launch. Originally, this hadn’t been part of the schedule, but due to the length of the server maintenance and the massive interest, Ohsung Electronics had politely requested it.

“If you could make even a brief appearance, I think our Heroes would be thrilled.”

“Hmm…”

“If you could come and make a key announcement yourself, that would be amazing!”

The upcoming showcase was intended to present new content included in the official service, the monetization model, and overall service information.

Director Han Yong-seon was in charge of overseeing the entire event.

“Alright. I’ll give it serious consideration.”

“Haha! Thank you!”

These parts of the game, outside of actual gameplay, were important too.

It was a moment that could deepen everyone’s attachment to Arsilan. After briefly speaking with Han Yong-seon, Jinwoo entered the CEO’s office and headed into Arsilan.

30 minutes before server maintenance, Evanth’s central plaza was bustling. Players from forests, fields, and lakes all gathered in the plaza, and even the NPCs had come out to mingle with the players.

“Heina nim! I’m level 13 now!”

“Hmm, still lacking. You must train harder. Being level 13 and yet unable to properly handle basic swordsmanship, how pathetic.”

Heina was sternly lecturing with a serious expression.

"Kyaak! Saintess! Can I visit the church for fun?"

“Huh? Th-the Church is not a place for fun..., but if that's what the Hero nimwants...."

“As expected of the Saintess! I’ll just become a Cleric too!”

“T-the path of a Cleric is long and difficult..., very d-difficult. So you must think carefully....”

Airi was surrounded by players, but she was still afraid of them.

The power of a succubus was impressive.

The number of aspiring Clerics was exploding!

Tia let out a sigh, but in the end, she smiled at the players, and Thomson walked around appraising equipment.

“C’mon! Try this out.”

“Whoa! Amazing! First thing I’m making next time I log in is ssamjang!”

“You could publish a book with Arsilan recipes at this rate.”

“Oh.”

Players had hunted wild boars and were sharing them, and seeing the NPCs enjoy the food made them incredibly happy.

Jinwoo’s eyes wavered slightly as he watched the scene, and soon an undeniable smile crept across his lips.

Golden Arsilan.

It felt like he was seeing a glimpse of that era again. Jinwoo revealed himself and walked toward the plaza.

“Leon nim!”

“Leon nim is here too!”

Players rushed toward Jinwoo. As he greeted them, he moved deeper into the plaza. As he chatted for a while, the server maintenance time approached.

10 minutes before server maintenance.

The cheerful, chatty atmosphere began to settle down. Despite so many players being gathered, it felt oddly quiet. A myriad of indescribable emotions brought about that silence.

“Leon nim.”

A nearby player called Jinwoo. When Jinwoo looked at him, he hesitated for a moment before parting his lips.

“Please don’t forget us.”

That was the beginning.

“Please remember us!”

“We’ll be back!”

“Don’t forget us!”

The players said this to Jinwoo and the NPCs. Some even shed tears.

Although a notice had gone out stating that there would be no reset even after the Early Access period ended, they were worried that the NPCs might forget them during the weeklong absence.

Getting scolded by Tia while messing around.

Being imprisoned by Heina.

Screaming and cheering in front of Thomson.

And the adventures shared with Leon.

All of them had made precious memories here, and at the heart of it were the bonds formed with the NPCs.

When Jinwoo smiled slightly, everyone quietly waited for him to speak.

“How could I forget the precious memories I’ve shared with you Heroes? I will remember even the tiniest of your habits.”

When he said that, the players could finally breathe a sigh of relief and smile again.

“I sent you a friend request. See you at the official launch!”

“Yes! I’ll contact you as soon as I log in.”

“Ugh, how am I supposed to survive a whole week? I don’t want to leave.”

Players who had grown close exchanged IDs or clung to each other, reluctant to part ways.

Even though it was just a one-week server maintenance, they felt this way.

It showed just how immersed they were.

The time for server maintenance arrived.

"I'll be waiting for you."

The moment Jinwoo said those words, all players were logged out. With the logout effect, their bodies were immediately stored in subspace.

Silence fell upon Evanth.

Evanth's once-crowded central plaza was now completely empty, and the NPCs fell silent for a moment.

The stillness after a performance.

The loneliness behind the stage.

That lingering emotion came rushing in.

Tia stretched with a yawn.

“Huuu! It feels strange now that it’s quiet. Though... this used to be normal.”

"I suppose I had gotten used to the noise."

Like Tia, Heina also stared at the now-empty plaza, seemingly unable to adjust.

Jinwoo exhaled briefly and let out a faint chuckle.

“Alright! Let’s all get some rest and regroup later. There’s quite a bit to prepare.”

Once the official launch began, even more people would join, so they had to be ready. That was the reason for server maintenance. Of course, they also needed a bit of breathing room.

Starting with the official service, they planned to have weekly server maintenance just like any other live service game.

“Haha! I’ll stay in Evanth and work on some expansion tasks until the Heroes return.”

“I’ll stay at my inn too. I want to research the Hero’s cooking techniques a bit.”

“Hmm..., with new Heroes arriving soon, I’ll probably need to make some new training tools. A week really is short, huh?”

They could have returned to Rainsword, but most of the NPCs chose to remain in Evanth instead of taking a break. Though shy about it, they were thinking hard about how they could prepare something for the Heroes.

Jinwoo and the main NPCs gathered briefly at the Secret Base.

There were Tia, Tiris, Hasman, and Hallon. Airi was there too, peeking out of a box in the corner, gazing at Jinwoo.

Hallon let out a small sigh.

“I was really looking forward to my debut scene..., but it never came.”

“We couldn’t implement it due to the Magic Tower’s lack of computing power.”

Tiris explained the reason.

Originally, after Leon defeated the Lich, a Dark Priest was supposed to make a dramatic appearance and rescue the Lich. But the computing power of the Magic Tower had reached its limit, and that scene was replaced with the Black Swamp instead.

“I had worked tirelessly in the underground, waiting only for that moment..., but I suppose this too is a trial of light.”

Hallon closed his eyes and prayed.