Hiding a House in the Apocalypse - Chapter 247



Only Krnovel

103. Struggle (3)

No matter how famous I am in the mainland Internet world, I am a newbie in the new world called Jeju Island Intranet.

In other words, it is a story of a hearsay catcher.

I too once spent a long time as an unknown person.

At that time, I felt joy and comfort just by seeing the thoughts and actions of other users.

But as my Internet life grew longer, my ego wanted me to be the main character on stage, not a bystander or viewer.

So Skeleton was named on both Viva! Apocalypse! and PaleNet.

However, once someone becomes a named person, they cannot endure being an unknown person.

This is not something I heard from anyone, it is my own thought.

But since they are named after two major sites, shouldn’t they be differentiated from ordinary users?

SKELTON: (Skeleton greetings) I’ll give a quick hello to the new Skeleton Red Archive Bulletin Board members~

This looks like a greeting, but it’s not a greeting.

This is the groundwork for imprinting the name Skeleton on my friends who are 10 years younger than me.

I wrote a post and checked the responses on the bulletin board.

I think a guy named “Miyukiki-san” clearly responded to my first post earlier, but I wonder what he’ll do this time?

After posting the article, I sat down at the computer again after waiting for 5 minutes.

…

…

Professional Unfilial Son: Shit, the front-line angle is standing straight up (12)

Pangshik: My dick is hard again······

Siheon: I’m looking for a brother who can lend me Miyuki Jeon3 (1)

SKELTON: (Skeleton greetings) I’ll give a quick hello to the new Skeleton Red Archive Bulletin Board members~

Amaseka: Can 2582 pages be flood-proof? (3)

ㅇㅇ: Surprisingly delicious side dish (9)

4th and 5th rank: Is it because you don’t have a chance to use it because you’re pushed by Iris Misa? (1)

…

…

“uh?”

There is no response.

Not a single comment was left.

There are comments on every page, except for the one that says the tail is hard.

Suddenly, I felt a little bit cold and I twitched my fingers without realizing it.

“······.”

I wonder if I’m going to be rejected.

These guys, haven’t noticed my age, have they?

In fact, even when I was at the dorm, I felt that the young friends were slowly avoiding me.

The same goes for restaurants.

In this world where 1020 is the mainstream, people in their 30s are treated like they came from a completely different planet.

Even if I am a handsome man with a youthful and chic vibe, nothing changes in the big picture.

Well, when I was young, even people in their mid to late 20s really felt like old men to me.

It wouldn’t be surprising if I felt alienated from people who weren’t my peers.

If you want to fit into a group, you have to understand the group’s characteristics.

Red Archive Bulletin Board is a mobile game that was released as a pre-war mobile game, as mentioned above.

The genre is the so-called “pretty girl gacha game,” where you use cash and other items to get various characters through a character drawing machine called gacha, and then complete various challenges and tasks provided by the game.

The game that Gong Kyung-min played was also of this type.

I know what kind of game it is because I play it without putting my phone down, even at my lodgings or when I’m drinking.

One thing I remember is that at a drinking party, Gong Kyung-min said,

“Ah! I forgot the daily quest!”

He said this and took out his phone to play a Chinese gacha game.

Amazingly, he only played the game for one minute and ten seconds.

“Are you done already?”

I usually don’t ask about people’s personal hobbies, but Gong Kyung-min’s actions were so contrary to my common sense that I asked.

“Oh. It’s a game of chance. It’s more efficient to play a game of chance for 10 minutes every day than to play it for 10 hours a day. The company designed it that way.”

Looking back on my old memories, I don’t know the name of the game that Gong Kyung-min was playing, but I was sure it was a Chinese game.

For some reason the character spoke in Japanese.

Anyway, the main topic of the Red Archive bulletin board that I’m currently interested in seems to be the same type of game that Gong Kyung-min used to play.

Unlike our bulletin board, the intranet is only applicable to a limited area such as Jeju Island and has a formidable surveillance system, but it also has many advantages.

Not only did they provide content on webtoons, dramas, movies, sports, and other minor hobbies – they even had golf broadcasts – but they also operated many of the games that were popular before the war in a similar state to the past.

Although there is controversy over the method, Jeju Island, as a direct successor to the South Korean government, has relocated a gaming company that was famous before the war to this place.

The game company that created Red Archive is one of them, and of course, they still have the manpower from back then, so updates are being made even at this point in time, four years after the war ended.

Isn’t this the minimum amount of lubricant that keeps a society that is so tightly controlled that it drives people crazy running?

Anyway, when in Rome, follow Roman law.

In order to mix in with the Red Archive bulletin board users, you have no choice but to install Red Archive.

I went to Intranet – Games – Mobile Games and downloaded an emulator that allows you to run mobile games on your PC. Then, I started downloading games using the emulator.

By the way, there’s something about the cover that doesn’t suit me.

It felt like I was approaching a unicorn-like realm that I had never known before.

Even though it says it uses a LAN cable, the speed isn’t that great because it’s connected to a communication device.

I’m receiving a whopping 6 gigabytes, but the download speed is only about 200 megabytes per minute.

“Phew.”

Should I go on a patrol or take a walk around?

Internet life is important, but I never forget where I am.

As I was about to go outside with my gun, a cheerful beeping sound came from my computer.

I walked slowly and checked the monitor.

[ Miyuki Kijisho requested a conversation . ]

“Miyuki, the pillar master?”

This bulletin board doesn’t have a messaging feature, but it does appear to have a chat feature.

I tried accepting it.

Miyuki Kikusho: Hey!

SKELTON: ?

Miyukikijishobang: You’re a skeleton, right? Viva! Apocalypse!

SKELTON: Yeah

SKELTON: (Skeleton puzzled) But who?

Miyuki Kikusho: Unicorn.

SKELTON: Why is your nickname like that?

Miyuki Kikusho: Somehow. Anyway, what are you doing right now?

SKELTON: ?

Miyukiki Pillars: This is different from our bulletin board. Don’t even think about doing the same thing here that you did there. The generations are different. The generations. The way of thinking and thinking are completely different from our bulletin board where people of all ages, 30, 40, and 50, used to be.

SKELTON: I understand that very well.

Could it be because the bulletin board has changed?

Or is it simply because the user interface has changed?

It feels different from the unicorns we used to see on our bulletin board.

What should I say, it’s like we’ve become a little closer than before.

It’s been so long since I’ve seen Na Hye-in that even my rich imagination has its limits in reconstructing her current appearance.

But it is true that this encounter gave me a warm tingle down my neck.

I tapped on the keyboard, feeling the warmth of that throbbing sensation.

SKELTON: But what’s wrong with this bulletin board? Before I installed the program you gave me, I could only see emoticons, but when I opened it, people started talking like ghosts?

Miyukiki Pillar: Someone hacked the bulletin board itself and made it impossible to read it without a conversion program.

SKELTON: Really? Is that even possible in Jeju Island?

Miyukiki Pillar: It seems possible. I’ve been using it ever since the bulletin board was created.

Miyukiki Pillar: Anyway, there’s no need to stand out here. They’re all just playing games. Kids these days are so cold-hearted that if you bother them even a little, they’ll block you right away.

SKELTON: These are Park Jeonghan’s friends.

Miyukiki Pillar: If you’re going to write on the bulletin board, don’t write nonsense or concepts like Viva! and only write about games. Otherwise, you’ll get banned. I’ll just tell you three things you should never do and then leave.

Miyuki Kikusho: 1. Real story 2. Concept quality (not fun) 3. Gacha bitic.

“hmm.”

All places where people live are similar.

Even though it is a community of young people, the prohibited items are not much different from the unwritten rules of our bulletin board.

The only difference is the third one.

I asked a question because I didn’t quite understand the meaning.

SKELTON: What is Gacha Bitik?

Miyukiki Pillar: Showing off by spinning the game gacha. If you get a lot of good ones without spending even a few stones, you’ll be banned for 30 days. Especially if you get it after 10 consecutive pickups and verify it, there’s no forgiveness. You’ll be banned indefinitely. Indefinitely.

Miyuki Kijishobang: So, you know what kind of atmosphere it is, right? Don’t think too much about being flashy, and just cosplay as a weak and worthless guy and mix in with the kids.

SKELTON: I understand.

I figured out the mood on the bulletin board.

That’s what it felt like.

But apart from the bulletin board, there are issues that need to be resolved between me and Unicorn.

That’s right, that’s reality.

SKELTON: By the way, is there any good news?

Even while chatting, my eyes rarely rest.

A corner of my consciousness is always outside the octagonal window.

SKELTON: I’m saying this because I feel like I’m starting to feel uneasy.

The unicorn, who always answered within 5 seconds, fell silent.

Miyuki Kikusho: That······.

The unicorn said.

Miyuki Kikusho: Sorry, I can’t help.

“······.”

The Na Hye-in I know was a strong person.

She was an iron lady with a will as strong as mine.

Even after suffering a crushing defeat by losing half of his teammates, he was so determined that he returned to the battlefield the next day with new recruits and tracked down and killed the monster that killed his teammates.

How many tragedies must she have experienced to be broken like this?

I can’t figure it out.

At least it’s not for me, who fled the battlefield and settled into a small life of my own, to meddle.

It’s a shame she can’t help me, but I don’t blame her.

SKELTON: Don’t worry about me. I’ll do my best to hold on.

Miyuki Kijirou: Skeleton······.

SKELTON: But, if it really seems dangerous, I’ll contact you right away via Viva!, so then whatever you do, spare me? You know what I mean?

Miyuki Kikusho: Uh······ um······.

SKELTON: I’ll hang up now.

I don’t really want to burden you.

Whatever the case, I should be thankful that I have a place to rest my mind for a moment and a place to communicate with unicorns in a new way.

*

Supplies arrive once a week.

The level of supplies was not bad.

Daily necessities such as toilet paper and soap, cleaning capsules, and various foods including fresh meat.

Plus I beg for ammunition and weapons every time they come.

“This is something I asked you to do before.”

The liaison officer handed me two grenades.

“Thank you. I think I’ll feel better if I just have this.”

The more weapons you have, the better.

But today, the officer’s face looks very anxious.

“The fog is thick······.”

“It’s gotten thicker than usual. But it’s the middle of summer, so when will that fog clear up?”

“Well, this place was covered in fog before I came here. I don’t know why they built a guard post here, but it’s a nice location.”

“is it so?”

“You can’t see anything because of the fog, but this place is a great vantage point for observing the crack and the terrain below it. At least on the map. But who would have thought that the fog would be like this every day?”

“It’s military-style handling of affairs.”

“I think so too. Huh?!”

The officer flinched in surprise.

I wondered what it was, and it was the sound of gravel rolling on the ground.

As I kept my mouth shut because I had nothing to say, the officer ruffled his clothes and tapped the driver’s seat.

The idea is to start slowly.

As the electric car started up and prepared to go, the officer turned to me.

For some reason his eyes are full of compassion.

“Excuse me. Mr. Park Gyu.”

“yes.”

“Well, this is a bit odd. There are still two weeks left until the shift change, right?”

“yes.”

“I’m really sorry, but my shift schedule has been delayed.”

“How much?”

“I think it will take about a week more.”

“······.”

For a brief moment, Gong Kyung-min’s face flashed before my eyes.

Are you really going to joke around here?

No, but was that guy really this vicious?

He’s always a cheerful guy and he just had different opinions from me, but he’s not so corrupt as to do something like this.

The officer continued speaking, regardless of my suspicions.

“And······Always be careful on foggy days.”

“Why? Did a goblin appear?”

“People always disappear on days when thick fog is reported. It happened before. It happened the year before that.”

“······.”

The officer looked around.

“It looks like a person to me.”

“What is it?”

“The identity of that Manhunter······.”

“Why do you think so?”

“It always happens when someone disappears. Not only the body, but even the food and daily necessities disappear.”

The car moved slowly.

As he left, the officer asked loudly.

“Don’t you think it’s strange?”

His figure soon disappeared into the slowly thickening fog.

“······.”

Left alone again.

It’s something I’ve already prepared for.

I don’t feel any special emotions.

Just living day by day.

I came here because I was tired of living in the thin ice of uncertainty, but I didn’t feel particularly afraid because I thought that uncertainty was my fate.

Going to the checkpoint and sitting down in front of the computer right away is also an expression of familiarity.

There were a few more messages from the unicorn in the chat window.

The message was left below the last message I wrote and left.

SKELTON: I’ll hang up now.

Miyukikijishobang: Sorry I couldn’t help you ㅠ

Miyuki Kikusho: But since we’ve come this far, I’ll give you some tips on how to gain favor (in a good way).

Miyuki Kikushobang: (Emoticon of a cute girl crying)

Miyukiki Pillarshoubang: You have to use emoticons well. Honestly, I don’t know if it’s because you’re a seasoned person like me, but for someone like you whose speech is recognizable, it’s definitely better to use cute emoticons than words!

Miyuki Kijishobang: And when you speak to people, don’t write long sentences, but write in short sentences.

Miyukiki Pillar: One very important thing! Since you’re a newbie, show off your newtiness. The last transport has been cut off and there’s no inflow. So when a newbie shows up, everyone go crazy and treat them well.

Miyukiki Pillar: In summary, 1. Use cute emoticons 2. Don’t talk too long 3. Give off a cute newbie vibe

Miyukikijishobang: If you just keep this in mind, you won’t become a shameful named person like the one on the bulletin board, but you’ll be able to live a smooth bulletin board life. (Emoticon of a cute girl smiling brightly) This is the cone! Bertelgia cone is the most popular!

“Na Hye-in.”

Are you really going this far?

Who would have thought that he would hide such consideration from her, who was difficult to approach, as we watched the cosmos together that day?

Lee Park Gyu has more than one or two qualities that make him superior to others, but the most outstanding of these is his learning ability.

“······.”

Knock knock

SKELTON: New, newbie… (cute girl hesitating emoticon)

After a brief pause, I checked the bulletin board again.

SKELTON: New, I’m a newbie…>< (cute girl hesitating emoticon) (8)

“······Hoo.”

There were 8 comments.

Is this how you do it?

however.

Bang! Crunch!

A loud noise is heard beyond the thick fog.

This is a trap I made by connecting tin cans with wire.

Clang!

This sound form is not caused by the wind blowing.

There is an intruder.

Crunch!

An intruder at this delightful moment.

Well, I guess it's one of the properties of struggle that it doesn't discriminate between time and place.

I left the comments I wanted to read behind and hurried to the rooftop.