Chapter 4: Hearts Instead of Curses

Episode 4

Odin’s Strategy

[Author: JusticeEnforcer]
[Title: Please Stop Harassing Newbies]

Hello. I’m JusticeEnforcer, guild master of <DeathByFactCheck>.

I’ve recently witnessed something so absurd in Odin that I had to post this.
I’ll skip the explanations and go straight to the screenshots.

1. trash_swordsman_baiting_newbie.jpg

2. trash_swordsman_taunting_newbie.jpg

3. trash_swordsman_newbie_raging.jpg

Sir Swordsman, I’ve seen you pulling aggro on newbies in town for a while now,
but this time you really crossed the line.

I’m not judging by gear alone, but MachoKing is obviously a fresh newbie.

Since PvP isn’t allowed in town, you followed him around all day, provoking him nonstop,
then lured him outside the safe zone to kill him and loot his gear.

You should be ashamed. It’s players like you dragging Odin’s PC-bang share into the abyss.
There are already rumors that Odin might shut down soon—
who’s going to keep playing if you treat every newbie like crap?

This isn’t even the first time I’ve witnessed this.
And it’s not just you—there are a few others who bully newbies for sport.

I used to report individually to customer support,
but from now on I’ll post everything directly to this board.

Thanks for reading this rambling post.
Everyone—please play with manners.

(Comments)

Wait lol he is a newbie;;;; That’s literally the starter gear archers get

• JusticeEnforcer is the busiest man in Odin… anyway upvoted
  ⌎ fr all his PSA posts should be required reading
  ⌎ problem is the troublemakers don’t read lol

• LMAO “trash_swordsman” living up to his name
  ⌎ trash_swordsman has history… almost got me when I was new;;;
  ⌎ but uh… isn’t there another guy who bullies newbies??
  ⌎ yeah lol one more
  ⌎ but he hasn’t shown up lately
  ⌎ true, can’t find him—maybe he quit?
  ⌎ lol as if, I bet 500 won he’s still around

• But that newbie kinda slow tho LOL
  ⌎ “newbie slow”?
  ⌎ tf you saying
  ⌎ comment on a ‘stop bullying newbies’ post and blame the newbie??

• Should I say this? The newbie in the post is literally digging nonstop in the mines. Thought it was a macro, but he answers if you talk to him so guess not
  ⌎ ????? digging so much ppl think you’re a bot?? how?
  ⌎ just… digging
  ⌎ why tho???
  ⌎ idk;;; honestly it’s creepy weird, wouldn’t recommend talking to him
  ⌎;;; is he a ghost NPC??
  ⌎ which mine??

“Um… sir?”

The nurse, having just finished checking his blood pressure, called out again with concern.

“Your blood pressure is… a bit higher than yesterday.”

“…I stayed up.”

He’d spent the dawn trawling strategy forums until sunlight broke.
No way he’d feel okay.
Gyeongheon muttered he’d manage his condition, watched the nurse leave…
And immediately chugged an energy drink.

All because of that damned game.

His bloodshot eyes turned to the laptop.
They held a week’s worth of accumulated rage and self-loathing—
but his priority now was to recover his stolen items.

So in this game life, harsher than his real one,
Yoon Gyeongheon was slowly deteriorating.
Even in the hospital.

“Some people become millionaires in games, apparently.”

Barely touching his hospital meals, limping out to return the tray,
he sat back down and grabbed the mouse.

A news segment he’d seen days ago floated up—
about virtual items selling for hundreds or thousands of dollars.
With renewed resolve, he returned to digging in the mines.

He didn’t need thousands.
Jong-un’s bow and quiver had been +7 and +8.
If he could rebuild those before quitting, that’d be enough.
He needed crafting tools and minerals for enhancement—
so he mined, sold what he could, bought materials,
and attempted strengthening at the forge.
He failed. Repeatedly.

He kept doing it anyway.

And after a week of this stubborn grind…

Without realizing it, MachoKing had become a known “hardworking miner NPC-like player” among users.

Veterans approached him in secret corners of the mine, trying to chat—
but ever since the first-day PvP trauma, Gyeongheon trusted no one.
He ignored their advice:
That he should buy gear from the auction house.
Or join a guild for easier trading.

Some gave genuine tips,
but MachoKing simply kept digging,
and kept failing enhancements.
It unsettled observers.

Then came one day.

After finishing a simple quest, Gyeongheon was, as always, wordlessly digging.
Usually only his own glowing eyes flickered in the dark caves—
but today, another pair shone behind MachoKing.

A message floated onto the screen.

<‘Seohyeon’ has sent you a friend request. Accept?>

<‘Seohyeon’ has sent you a friend request. Accept?>

“What kind of embarrassingly cute name is that.”

Gyeongheon glanced at the red-haired character behind MachoKing and pressed N.

A friend request? No thanks.
He just wanted to recover his stolen stuff and leave.

He resumed digging.

Seohyeon: ??

The character, now close behind him, had two question marks floating above her head.
Under the lamp light, Gyeongheon realized she looked surprisingly well-made.
This game allowed full customization, and he’d seen many avatars—
but this one stood out: red hair, matching armor, lean muscle,
and a massive rifle slung across her back—likely a Hunter.

Momentarily impressed, he remembered Hunters excelled at ambush.
He quickly hopped backward.
Now they were face to face.

Seohyeon: Trying to say hi?

She waved overhead.
MachoKing did not respond.

PvP wasn’t allowed in resource zones like gardens or mines—
but the trauma of day one still lingered.
MachoKing stayed alert.

Gyeongheon compared his shabby wooden armor to Seohyeon’s high-end gear.
His pathetic image made him sigh.

Under his breath, he muttered,

“…Your character’s built disgustingly well.”

My MachoKing could’ve been this majestic too…

He frowned at his barebones elf, then opened settings and unchecked “speech bubble display.”
When disabled, users got an X icon over their heads.

A silent message:
Leave me alone. I’m not interested in being friends.

Seohyeon: ??

Seohyeon tilted her head repeatedly.
From outside, it looked curious—
but to Gyeongheon, it felt like mockery.
His irritation flared.

MachoKing moved to a small hill and raised his shovel to dig again—

Seohyeon: Excuse me?
Seohyeon: Are you a foreigner?

Unbothered by being ignored, she kept guessing:
Did he not speak Korean?
But the nickname was in Korean…

And while Gyeongheon silently watched,
she strolled over, sat down directly on the hill where he was trying to dig,
and tilted her head like a cat demanding attention.

If he moved, she’d follow.
She radiated the stubborn will of someone committed to squeezing out a reaction.

Seohyeon: I came because of the rumors
Seohyeon: Please wave once

Gyeongheon stared out the window.
“…She’s drying me out like tobacco.”

He genuinely wondered if he had wronged someone.
But he’d met almost no one.
MachoKing had lived an honest mining life, asking nothing of anyone—
and here was this red-haired nuisance plopping herself down beside him.

Before he could say anything, her bubble reappeared.

Seohyeon: Macho
Seohyeon: I don’t mean any harm, I’m just curious why you’re doing this
Seohyeon: Hey

She paused, then added:

Seohyeon: How much do you make per month mining like this?

“…What the hell is wrong with this chick?”

So much for not getting provoked—
Gyeongheon swore aloud.

Seohyeon: Got anything good yet?
Seohyeon: There’s nothing to mine here, btw
Seohyeon: This is your main account, right?

He scrambled to re-enable speech bubbles and typed furiously:

MachoKing: ♡♡ unbelievable
MachoKing: what the hell♡♡

He froze.
He hadn’t typed hearts—he’d definitely cursed.

Seohyeon: Cursing auto-converts to hearts

MachoKing: ♡♡

Seohyeon: This is the first time someone confessed to me like this…

Gyeongheon nearly choked.
So that’s why curses kept turning into hearts.
He wiped his eyes and grabbed another energy drink from the mini-fridge.

Seohyeon: Macho
MachoKing: If you’re gonna call me, add ‘King’
Seohyeon: LOL

He rubbed his tired eyes.
With how many nights he’d spent grinding, even staying awake required caffeine now.

Seohyeon: You get mad at being called a miner
Seohyeon: But seriously, why are you doing this here?

The mockery made Gyeongheon bristle.
He was sick, damn it.
Even as a patient, he was being harassed.

He clicked; MachoKing thrust his shovel into the ground in a threatening motion.
Seohyeon rose and stood beside him, armed in expensive gear,
looking like a noble heir beside a destitute servant.

Seohyeon: You know you can’t mine anything here even if you dig till death, right? lol

MachoKing: What?

Seohyeon: You’ve never checked the community board, have you?
Seohyeon: I can guess the whole story
Seohyeon: You watched a couple game videos
Seohyeon: Read some guides
Seohyeon: Thought you understood the basics
Seohyeon: Wandered around
Seohyeon: And ended up like this

MachoKing: Excuse me

Seohyeon: Am I wrong?

The same person who’d tried to friend him earlier was now confidently deducing his entire tragic week.
Then she sidled closer again, insisting she’d give him “useful information”
—but only if he friended her.

Soon she switched to public chat.

[General] Seohyeon: Go to the Community Board
[General] Seohyeon: Read the newest post by nickname ‘JusticeEnforcer’
[General] Seohyeon: I’ll
[General] Seohyeon: become your JusticeEnforcer, Macho