I threw the empty yogurt bottle into the trash can and sat down on a nearby bench.
What should I do? I can’t just blatantly ask the hyungs to release those people… I felt guilty, wondering if I’d just made things worse.
During lunch break, I took advantage of the intermission to visit Earth’s official homepage. In the incident and accident board rankings, the footage of the Demolition Guild members getting brutally beaten yesterday was preserved and uploaded.
■Title: Demolition Guild Getting Demolished – Preserved
■Author: Control
Had a restless sleep and felt like something was coming, so I installed mines and traps inside. As expected, those cockroach bastards came to the hideout, huh? Exterminated all the bug bastards.
(Pathetic_Demolition.jpeg)
(Demolition_Going_To_Prison.jpeg)
(Items_Demolition_Dropped_Sweet_As_Honey.jpeg)
I’m planning to grind all those dropped items and use them as materials. Play the game properly without being a smartass. From now on, I’ll kill all Demolition Guild members on sight, so don’t cry after dropping your items.
[Comments]
Ppanseu-deu: Declaring war without even warning, what thugs
↳ iloveyou123: Who’s the idiot who’d declare war on them
Jjadoreuseuki: I was rooting for Demolition Guild but it’s a shame. Knew it would be like breaking iron ore with an egg
↳ Namtatgeumji: Fucking boring
↳ Jjadoreuseuki: I didn’t say it for your entertainment?
Igjeketeulli-benteulli: But how did they know Black’s hideout location? Fascinating. The hideout next to the main base is an iron fortress so everyone avoids it, but the other locations were private. Weren’t the other ones only known up to the deputy guild masters?
↳ Eomcheongnanmujikja: One of the deputy guild masters must have betrayed them
↳ Alt: That’s why we’re searching now. Or it might be someone nearby.
↳ Keyboard Cleaning: Wow, shit
Without thinking, I left a reply and then quickly deleted it. I deleted it in about 10 seconds, but a scary comment appeared below it.
↳ Alt: Keyboard Cleaning? What the fuck is this bastard?
The hyungs must be on their lunch break right now too, so they must have been watching this post in real-time.
“I deleted it right away, how did he see it? Did a notification go out? …Ah, my fingers are the problem.”
I was about to ignore it and close the page when an even scarier comment appeared below.
↳ Enter: It’s you, right? Keyboard Cleaning
My liver went cold, as if someone had stuck a giant syringe in my back and drained all my blood. The hyungs don’t know that I’m Keyboard Cleaning so I should be relieved, but it was scary, as if they were pointing fingers at me through a video call right now.
I wanted to go back to the classroom because I was cold, but my legs were trembling so much I couldn’t stand up, and I sat weakly on the bench. Then, not long after, I heard Dongwoo passing by with several classmates, chatting.
“Hey, what’s your tier?”
“Me? Grandmaster.”
“Crazy. I’ve never seen a Grandmaster in my life. If you’re a Grandmaster, I’m a Point Master.”
“I’m an In-Master.”
“I’m a Mom-Master.”
Kkareureurk. Normally when I heard such silly talk, I’d always butt in and say ‘I’m a Sea-Master!’ but I didn’t have the energy for that now.
The kids passed in front of me with my shoulders drooping, making frivolous jokes. Unlike usual, Dongwoo glanced at me out of the corner of his eye as I sat quietly, then sent the other kids away and came to sit next to me alone.
“What are you doing here? Aren’t you cold?”
“…I’m cold.”
“Then why are you here? Go to the classroom.”
“Dongwoo-ya.”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t you play Earth?”
“Who plays that garbage game?”
Calling it a garbage game when it’s only been out for three months. People always call games they don’t play garbage games and call games they’re playing fucking garbage games.
“Hmm…”
“I heard roughly from Dongmi that you’re messing with your hyungs in that game?”
“I feel like I’m the one who’ll get messed with, that’s why. But what’s your tier in ×× game?”
“Me? You just heard. Mom-Master.”
“Don’t joke around.”
“Platinum. Why?”
“Then you’re a guy who can control things a bit too.”
“Am I the same as you pebbles? Why, want me to carry you?”
“No. Let’s play Earth together.”
At my words, Dongwoo sighed so heavily that we couldn’t see each other’s faces because of the breath mist in front of us.
“Dongmi isn’t enough, now you’re trying to drag me in too?”
“What’s the point of having friends?”
“If I get caught? Me, I’m scared of your hyungs.”
“I’m scared too!!”
“I’m more scared! Especially your hyung!”
People misunderstand—among the hyungs, they think Daesu hyung has the worst expression so he’s the scariest.
Like how Chihuahuas bark a lot among dog breeds, Daesu hyung was nothing much. The truly scary hyung was Seongheon hyung. Many people didn’t know that hyung carried a tiger on his back. Representatively, me.
Since there was no need to create a sense of fear for now, I decided to gently coax Dongwoo.
“It’s just in the game, there’s no way to get caught. Right? It’s an environment where anonymity is guaranteed, so you can rest assured.”
“If you get caught, won’t I get caught like linked sausages?”
“I’ll do well.”
“I don’t really trust you.”
“Just help me once. Huh? You’re really my only friend.”
“The other kids would be hurt if they heard that.”
“You and Dongmi siblings are the only ones who know all my circumstances.”
“But I don’t have time to play Earth because I’m playing other games. I can’t level up.”
“It’s okay. You can be a lowbie.”
“What can you do as a lowbie?”
Even though there was no one around, I bowed my head close to Dongwoo and told him my plan.
It was a method I suddenly came up with because Dongwoo was here, but to fight against the hyungs’ group of rankers, even if it was a bit underhanded, this was the only way. Revenge aside, first and foremost I had to rescue the demolished people.
And as Dongwoo listened to my plan, he made an incredulous expression.
***
[Party] Ssapseonbi: The tree habitat should be here, right? You can raise your life level here and walk to Blue Coast
[Party] BaeBongmani: Yes, thank you
Ssapseonbi-nim was a sorcerer just like Seongheon hyung, and he teleported us to the tree habitat for our sake.
This was a free territory, and uniquely PK was prohibited only in this area, so it was a suitable place for low-levels to raise their life level. However, this place also had its drawbacks—everyone came to raise their life level and seemed bored, so the chat window was extremely active.
[General] Chosimileubnna: Looking for cabin quest party! Please party search
[General] Chamsoju: Anyone want inferior mushroom spores?
[General] Neoljohahaetyungtyunga: Hand
[General] Noinjeonggaenditoduduk: Should I eat rosé tteokbokki or spicy tteok for dinner today?
[Party] BaeBongmani: Hey, Gye Dongwoo. Let’s go to where there are lots of trees first. We need to raise our life level there to make a one-person raft.
[General] Seksieunchan: Cabin quest doesn’t need a party~~~~~~
[General] Yareyare: Anyone need mint flower seeds?
[General] Neoljohahaetyungtyunga: Hand
[Party] GyeBongmani: I told you not to call me by my full name.
[Party] BaeBongmani: Ah, right.
[Party] Ssapseonbi: ㅎㅎ Are you real-life friends?
[Party] Ssapseonbi: I’ll give you the wood
[General] Namjauiromang: Sharing sacred roots and sturdy roots
[General] Neoljohahaetyungtyunga: Hand
[General] ludodo: Is Tyungtyung using macros?
[General] Seksieunchan: Cabin quest doesn’t need a party~~~~~~
[General] Samsongdaejuju: Let’s go for 100,000 electrons!!!
[Party] GyeBongmani: The chat is too chaotic, how do I change this to party chat? Not you, BaeBongmani?
[Party] BaeBongmani: Click the arrow next to the chat window and you can select party only
[Party] BaeBongmani: Seonbi-nim, please initiate trade again
[General] Seksieunchan: Cabin quest doesn’t need a party~~~~~~
[Party] Ssapseonbi: I’ll give you your friend’s axe too, so keep it and share. Come here for a moment
[Party] BaeBongmani: Yes. GyeBongmani, come here
[General] Seksieunchan: Cabin quest doesn’t need a party~~~~~~
[General] Chosimileubnna: I get it~~~~~
I turned off general chat earlier, but Dongwoo must still have it on. I felt sorry for Ssapseonbi-nim waiting next to me, so I called Dongwoo.
“Did you switch to party chat?”
─Yeah, just now. Phew… Wow, why are people chatting so frantically?
“That area is originally like that.”
─Let’s just use Discord.
“Okay.”
I hung up and explained the situation to Ssapseonbi-nim.
[Party] Ssapseonbi: Everyone gets confused at first. The axe’s durability drops as you use it, so I prepared 6. You’re not short on wood, right?
[Party] BaeBongmani: Yes, this is enough. Thank you
[Party] Ssapseonbi: But if you tell me the hideout location, I can take you there on a 10-person boat. My life level is high
It was a well-intentioned suggestion, but I didn’t want to reveal that location. Although my purpose was to get revenge on the hyungs, I didn’t really want to steal the expensive items and run.
The destination I had in mind was the hideout in the underwater cave—that place where the Goldmess egg was. The other hideouts had some users guarding them, but that place had no one. The hyungs seemed confident that no one could reach that place.
I planned to hold the Goldmess egg hostage, demand they release the Demolition Guild members, and then willingly return it. That’s why I decided to do this only with Dongwoo, my real-life friend.
[Party] BaeBongmani: No. In case we get caught again, I’ll just go with my friend. We’d die just from grazing, so we’d return to town immediately
[Party] Ssapseonbi: Then whisper me anytime if you need anything
After parting with Ssapseonbi-nim, I started cutting down trees around me. You could make a one-person raft once you reached life level 5. Since Dongwoo and I were both level 1, we both looked like beggars.
