Hiding a House in the Apocalypse - Chapter 123



Only Krnovel

66. Monster Park (1)

Foxgames: Long waited. It’s finally open!

Fox Games’ masterpiece online game, Monster Park, has finally begun operations.

I didn’t think that a similar game made up of text would be popular, let alone a game that was just a game.

I thought it would be more worthwhile to read one more book or learn new farming or construction methods from Ant Wiki.

I remembered what a psychiatrist had said before the war.

The belief that the world will hate you just because you hate it is a common delusion among people who are somewhat out of place in society.

[ 53,231 people in queue ]

“······.”

This is a phrase that came to mind when I leisurely logged on after finishing my daily chores.

Over 50,000 people are spending endless hours pressing the refresh button to try to digest that chunk of text.

Foxgames: I’m really sorry! Honestly, I didn’t think there would be this many people. Luckily, a user who asked to remain anonymous said he would help with the server side! Just wait a day! I’ll open the park gates somehow!

People’s obsession with the lost pastime of online gaming was terrifying.

It seems like they wanted a game where they could hunt and level up “with people” in some form.

“It must be vicarious satisfaction.”

For the first time in a while, I had a conversation with Da-jeong through the communicator.

“Even if reality is a cesspool, wouldn’t it feel good to see yourself leveling up and becoming stronger in an online game? If you can even gain benefits in real life from your online game strength, that would be the icing on the cake.”

“······hmm.”

“Skeleton, you’ve never played anything like online games?”

“huh.”

“I don’t think so. Then what did you do for fun before the war?”

“well.”

It seems like there was no concept of discussion at all.

Although there was a concept of rest, it was purely a concept of recharging for battle, and it is no exaggeration to say that there were few instances of playing as a purely recreational activity.

“Beatbox?”

“That damn beatbox.”

We say we’re friends, but we don’t talk that much.

There was an unspoken rule that the number of times should be small and that it should not be long.

If there is one topic, I would say we talk about that topic quickly and then cut off communication.

Normally, communication would have ended at this point.

But today, Defender’s younger brother seems to want to talk for a long time.

“ha.”

I could hear her sigh over the speaker.

I could tell he wanted to ask me something, but since it was our rule to end communication at this point, I remained silent and said nothing.

“Skeleton.”

“huh.”

“You don’t have a girlfriend?”

“Should I have it?”

“No, let me change the question. Have you ever had a girlfriend?”

“Pre-pressure.”

“Didn’t you think anything of me?”

“What answer do you want?”

“If you look at it sometimes······.”

Dajeong’s voice trembled as if she was scared.

“Skeleton. A bit different from normal people······.”

“I don’t think that’s something you guys should hear.”

“I admit that. But still, doesn’t Skeleton want to meet a woman and live happily ever after?”

“Well, I guess everyone has that kind of feeling.”

“Isn’t there a girl you like?”

Because she’s a woman I like.

Strangely enough, Na Hye-in’s face flashed before my eyes for a moment.

“doesn’t exist.”

“What about me?”

“Have you had any trouble there lately?”

When people do things they normally don’t do, there is a high probability that there has been a change in the environment that is not good for it.

“Ha. I told you, you’re quick-witted. Really.”

Defender’s younger brother sighed.

“My brother brought that pervert with the beard, Heo Jong-cheol.”

“Heo Jong-cheol? That nuclear bomb?”

“Even though I said I didn’t like it, he still accepted it. Even now, you son of a bitch… You son of a bitch! You keep talking nonsense. What? Ordinary education ruined this country? The world is ruined because everyone gets an education! You’re talking like that.”

“······You’ve had a hard time.”

“Skeleton. What I said earlier was a joke. Do you want to play a game together later?”

“game?”

“Made by Fox Games.”

“Let me think about it.”

Not to brag, but I was gifted a special account by Fox Games.

I haven’t been able to log in yet due to server issues, but according to Fox Games, it seems like you can start off with a unique account and receive special benefits compared to other users.

You could call it pearls on a pig’s neck.

It’s a bit ironic that I, who doesn’t like games, got this account.

Anyway, the person who gave this special account to Park Gyu is still causing trouble on the bulletin board at this very moment.

Anonymous1523: Hey, fuck. You bastards. In Jeju Island, the game is still running just like before the war. The servers are spacious. There are fewer people, but the density is high. It’s very comfortable. But these bastards from the mainland? 50,000 of them are flocking to something that doesn’t even look like a game made of text. It’s seriously disgusting…

Anonymous1523: I really want to go out and set off bombs to reduce the population. I’m going to take the military guys out tonight to hunt down some beggars, and if you see a red Lamborghini, run away. You can shoot it, but it’s bulletproof. I’ll tear the whole family apart. In front of you?

“······.”

Why are you doing that?

Do they even know their own fate?

Maybe he’s acting like that because he knows he’s going to die a miserable death soon, but I don’t know.

Judging by his wild and reckless behavior, it seems like he still doesn’t know his fate.

Surprisingly, the change came quickly.

Anonymous458: Oh! Connected!

Anonymous 1031: That’s true!

dolsingman: Let’s go!!

unicorn18 : Gogosing~

Yeah yeah: Kkiyahou!

mmmmmmmmm : Let’s go~

…

…

Monster Park has reopened.

With the help of a message board user who requested to remain anonymous.

Although it was crude, unfinished, and regressive in every way compared to what had been done before the war, the beautiful characters, magnificent backgrounds, and splendid graphics were still appealing to users who had access to the living world called Monster Park.

They acquire an avatar that allows them to move around in a virtual world, and through that avatar, they begin an exciting journey of adventure that they could not do before.

Our Viva! Apocalypse! Korean bulletin board was instantly transformed into a “Monster Park” bulletin board.

ㅇㅇ: How do I catch this zombie boss at Tapgol Park?

Anonymous1031: Does anyone have any leftover Mana Drink? I have low-level monster meat and mutation meat.

ㅇㅇ: What bastard broke into my cabin and robbed me?

mmmmmmmmm: “The Hope Guild” recruiting guild members

Anonymous411: It’s a lot of fun except for the lag~ It’s a lot of fun~

tntn_Orthopedics : I’m stuck in the 5th basement floor of the Seoul Station Dungeon, help!

unicorn18: How can a pretty girl’s karma not work?

…

…

These numerous articles are the ones that came to mind when I refreshed the page once.

You could say it was a huge torrent.

In this, anonymous1523 was nothing.

Anonymous1523: Hey~ Check out what I’m having for dinner today~ (feat. Single Malt Whiskey)

Anonymous1523: A hot girl (big breasts) picked up on the street yesterday.jpg

Anonymous1523: Hey! Hey! Hey! You motherfuckers!!!!!!!

Infamous1523: Destroy the game server? Huh? Shut it down?

No matter how much you act rudely, brag, or lose your temper, it’s no use.

Because no matter what he posted, it was completely buried by the dozens of game stories that were posted, and it got 0 million views and was pushed to the back.

Anonymous1532 let out a silent scream as if possessed by evil, but soon disappeared from the bulletin board, perhaps realizing that he was not receiving even the slightest attention.

It was a somewhat boring departure from a malicious user who had been committing atrocities on the bulletin board every single day since his appearance.

*

[ Congratulations! You have been chosen by sysop: Foxgames! ]

[Soon sysop: Foxgames will talk to you.]

All I did was click on the link in the message Fox Games sent me and log in.

An interview with a game developer from the beginning.

As expected, a familiar nickname suddenly came to mind in the game world consisting of rough text on a black background.

Foxgames: Skeleton!

“······.”

A fleeting thought.

How is this different from the bulletin board?

I looked a little embarrassed and answered in the same way I did on the bulletin board.

SKELTON: Yeah. Foxgame. Is that you?

Foxgames: Yeah. I don’t. So, how’s it going? How about the game?

SKELTON: I’m not sure. I just logged in once. Everyone talks about this game these days.

Foxgames: Wait a minute.

Fox Games requested time.

It was only after a considerable amount of time that he returned.

Foxgames: Oh, sorry. There’s someone bothering you.

SKELTON: Who?

Foxgames: You have a human son named Yang Sang-gil, right? Did you block him?

SKELTON: No, I didn’t block him. Why him?

Foxgames: They’re harassing me to give them my special account. If I don’t, they’ll find out where I am and send soldiers? LOL

SKELTON: That’s typical of that kid.

Foxgames: Well, you can just ignore it. Anyway, I’m going to give you a special account now, but I have a favor to ask.

SKELTON: (Skeleton surprised) Please?!

That request was a Hong Gil-dong-like problem.

Just as he could not call his father ‘Father’, this Skeleton could not use the name Skeleton on his account.

There was a reason.

Foxgames: Your account is a bit of a fraudulent account. The amount of experience gained is 1.5 times higher, and the upper limit of abilities is set higher than everyone else’s. The synthesis probability is also 25% higher. In short, even if you grow together, you are faster and have higher expectations than other people. So there will be a fairness issue. 100%. As far as I know, there has never been a single production company that has been able to deceive gamers.

SKELTON: Hmm… is that it?

Foxgames: That’s right, you idiot. Then enjoy the game!

So I received a special account from Fox Games and logged into the game.

This is the lobby of Monster Park.

It is a very spacious space, and in the center there is a chandelier that looks like it is set with thousands of jewels.

you are…

(East) (West) (South) (North) (Breakroom)

You can go to .

Knock knock

dong.

A collapsed ruin is visible above the vine-covered wire mesh.

Below, the cat mutation “Gil Cheon Sa” is glaring at you.

you are…

(East) (West) (South) (North)

Knock knock

Cat mutation attack.

-You inflicted 10 damage to the Guardian Angel with a military rifle!

-Zantan -3! (27)

-The angel of the road has given you a message of number 4 with his sharp claws!

-Super Toxoplasma Infection! Takes 1 additional damage!

Knock knock

Status window.

Level: 8

Class: Rookie Hunter

Strength: 5 Dexterity: 8 Intelligence: 1 Charisma: 30

…

…

“······hmm.”

It’s not fun.

No, I don’t know where to find the fun.

Online gaming is a pastime I have never tried or enjoyed.

Besides, I’m not the type of person to get swept up in something and enjoy it with others.

I was just blankly staring at the game screen when I got a call from Da-jeong.

“Skeleton. Are you playing Monster Park? Tell me your account so I can be your friend.”

“I tried it a little bit, but I didn’t think it was fun.”

“okay?”

“Yeah. I probably won’t.”

“Then, could you lend me your account ID? I can use it as a warehouse character.”

“······.”

“Skeleton? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“No, that’s a little bit.”

“Skeleton······.”

Although Da-jeong hated him, her deceased parents had strongly advised her not to lend money to anyone, even if they were her parents.

Anyway, that was the last connection.

Even after receiving a super account, I quit the game after playing for less than a day.

Up until that point, it was my own decision and the result was quite predictable.

But an unexpected problem caught up with me.

Since I stopped posting about Monster Park, which is the center of attention, I naturally became excluded from the mainstream of this bulletin board.

Just like anonymous1532.

There’s nothing I can do.

It is an irreversible trend.

Everyone enjoys playing games, and everyone only talks about games because they enjoy playing games.

The daily lives of the bulletin board users, their stories, and the serialized articles that highlighted each person’s strengths that gave me joy and comfort for three years will no longer be posted.

It seems likely that the game will regain its former popularity after its popularity wanes, but given its current momentum, it’s hard to say when that will happen.

“······.”

I contacted Rebecca with a feeling of sadness that I couldn’t tell whether it was a sense of alienation or alienation.

“Hey, Rebecca. When are you coming? No, are you coming or not? Make sure you’re sure. Winter is just around the corner.”

“Skeleton, Mom is playing a game.”

The one who responded was Suu.

“What? What game?”

When I asked with an ominous feeling, Suu sighed bitterly and answered.

“Monster Park.”

“······okay?”

“It’ll take a while. Mom’s on fire.”

“Okay, Suu. If anything comes up, let me know.”

“Yeah. Skeleton. Next time, juicy-.”

“okay.”

He cut off communication with Suwa and turned his gaze back to the bulletin board screen.

Yeah yeah: Hahahaha I got a rare item!

Anonymous423: Looking for party members~ Call anyone except thieves~

defender: Who is the guy who hit mine? Are you going to find him?

ㅇㅇ: How do you defeat this guy, the intermediate boss on the 3rd floor of the Sujeong Royal Tomb?

berkut_break: This game is basically a mud game, but if you just flesh it out, it’s a AAA game.

ㅇㅇ: A raid boss appears on the 4th floor of the abyss~! Let’s go~~

…

…

There are still articles being posted that I don’t find interesting and that I can’t see the end to.

Knock knock-

I scroll through the screen with a blank face, trying to find something to read, but I can’t find it.

“······.”

This is the first time.

I’ve never felt truly left out on this board.

By the way, fate is really tricky.

As I was about to take my finger off the scroll wheel, a guy in the same situation appeared before my eyes as if by fate.

Anonymous1532: Tonight (feat. Roasted Duck)

Without thinking, I designated anonymous1532 as a favorite user.

Well, the reason is.

Because he’s the only one who doesn’t talk about games?

So that an alarm goes off immediately when he posts something.

The alarm went off soon.

Not one, but many.

Anonymous1532: This is so boring…. Are you guys having fun with your lives?

Anonymous1532: What’s so funny? What’s funny about that?

Anonymous1532: Shit… I want to go back to Jeju Island… ㅠㅠ

The moment I saw that text, I pictured the face of a man on the other side of the monitor.

His face will probably be white and he will be in good health.

There won’t be any wrinkles.

The appearance may be arrogant or haughty.

But isn’t that guy also looking at the bulletin board with soulless eyes like me and turning the scroll wheel?

Longing for attention to soothe the empty heart.