Hiding a House in the Apocalypse-Chapter 112.2: Faith (2)

Is online camaraderie necessary?

There is no definitive answer.

It differs for each person.

If you're just looking for information or humor within an hour a day, there’s no need to pursue friendships on the internet.

Unless you’re part of a very small community, people who spend less than an hour on the internet will likely be remembered as forgettable or unnecessary users.

But for those who spend the entire day online, it's a different story.

No matter how large the community, there are always active core members.

Among them, some users get many comments, while others are ignored by everyone.

Some might ask, “What’s the big deal about receiving more or fewer comments?” But it’s important.

Even if you write the same meaningless post, whether you get comments (or emoticons, according to Red Archive-style boards) or not can greatly affect your presence on the forum.

The very nature of an internet forum is like an online diary, and having at least one person read and respond to your post means a lot.

Building relationships with moderators and those with power in the community, those often referred to as "admins" or "members with armbands," is naturally important.

No matter how professional the moderator is, being human means they’re still subject to personal feelings.

I’ve been maintaining a friendship with VivaBot, our forum admin, for a while.

I admit I made some mistakes in the beginning.

I was inexperienced back then.

School curriculums didn’t include internet etiquette or usage lessons.

But now, it’s different.

Years of internet use have granted me experience and common sense.

SKELTON: Actually, it seems like I’ve gained some new powers.

I sent a message to VivaBot.

At the same time, I replied to Sue’s message.

SKELTON: (Surprised Skeleton) Wh-what’s going on, Sue?

The first reply came from VivaBot.

VIVA_BOT014: Oh, Skeleton!

SKELTON: Yes?

VIVA_BOT014: Have you checked the new admin privileges?

SKELTON: It seems like I have deletion rights. I wasn’t sure what it was, but when I clicked it, the post got deleted...

VIVA_BOT014: Yes. I granted you the deletion rights.

SKELTON: (Flattered Skeleton) Wow... Is it really okay to give such power to someone like me?

Feigning modesty is an essential skill for an internet expert.

VIVA_BOT014: Even though you’re a big help to us, Skeleton, I thought about it for a few days before deciding to grant you the rights that befit you.

SKELTON: (Touched Skeleton) Oh...

VIVA_BOT014: After careful consideration, I thought deletion rights would suit you. You seem to like that sort of thing.

SKELTON: Hahaha...

VIVA_BOT014: But, we won’t allow indiscriminate deletions. I’m not letting you just go around deleting posts that stir up trouble or make people angry. That kind of action disrupts the forum’s order.

SKELTON: I understand completely.

VIVA_BOT014: Still, Skeleton, you’re a bit unusual, but you’re the pride of our forum. I feel a bit sorry that this is all I could do for you.

SKELTON: Is there no armband decoration or anything? Like the shiny ones next to FoxGame’s nickname?

VIVA_BOT014: Nothing like that.

SKELTON: Why not?

VIVA_BOT014: Skeleton... I mean... Hmm, you’re like a Dark Knight.

SKELTON: Dark Knight...?

VIVA_BOT014: Yes. Someone who doesn’t reveal themselves but punishes those who stir up trouble on the forum. You just deleted a post, for example.

SKELTON: (Surprised Skeleton) ?!

VIVA_BOT014: To prevent your rampage, I’ve set it up so I’ll get notified every time you delete a post.

SKELTON: Is that so?

VIVA_BOT014: Yes. This time, I just want to say that it was well done. I don’t think that weird cultist is really someone we need to worry about. Keep up the good work. We’re preparing some special privileges for you!

“...”

The Dark Knight of the forum...

Although it’s a bit strange not to reveal myself, it’s not all that bad.

I might not be able to delete FoxGame’s posts, but at least I can freely delete those damn zealots' posts.

ONE_FAITH: Whoever deleted my post, quickly confess. No matter where you are or who you are, we will find you.

The zealot had just posted again.

Our forum friends were ignoring him as usual.

Ignoring strange people is the rule of the forum, but honestly, it’s true that this zealot is scary.

The forum was silent.

It’s true that we’re afraid of this zealot, but our friends likely think there’s no need to stir up trouble.

We’ve already lost so many friends.

But not everyone stayed silent.

mmmmmmmmm: Ugh... The house is shaking again...

Emgu posted.

Though a bit timid, our Emgu still managed to show some of the forum user spirit.

But it’s probably not enough.

We need to show more.

How unshaken we are, despite the zealot’s threats of murder.

“...”

Click click click

SKELTON: (Skeleton menu recommendation) What do you recommend for lunch today? Napa cabbage soup or pyramid soup?

I threw a nonsense post into the silent forum.

I waited for a response.

There was no response from the forum users.

However, unexpectedly, someone else responded instead.

ONE_FAITH: What kind of napa cabbage soup? It’s not "better," it’s "better."

It was ONE_FAITH.

“Hm.”

It’s been a while.

Someone responding to my trademark "better, better" joke.

That’s even better.

Click click click

SKELTON: (Skeleton confused) Why isn’t it better?

Should I raise the tempo?

ONE_FAITH: ?

ONE_FAITH: Are you messing with me?

SKELTON: ?

ONE_FAITH: You’re not a high school graduate. No, even middle school graduates are smarter than this.

SKELTON: (Fact, a dish) I’m a middle school graduate.

I am.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

My school wasn’t even a regular high school, and it wasn’t included in the alternative education institutions approved by the Ministry of Education.

Anyway, let’s see how this internet beginner responds.

ONE_FAITH: Ah

ONE_FAITH: I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were a middle school graduate.

A fresh response.

They post videos of people getting decapitated, but...

ONE_FAITH: But stop posting strange things now. We’re really angry. We’re looking for the person who deleted our post, so please stay quiet until then.

SKELTON: You’re angry... I understand...

ONE_FAITH: It’s not "better," it’s "better!"

“...”

Now it starts.

Click

Are you sure you want to delete this post? (Admin privileges)Delete.

ONE_FAITH: Huh? What’s going on? Who did this?

Click

Are you sure you want to delete this post? (Admin privileges)Delete again.

ONE_FAITH: Huh?

Click

Are you sure you want to delete this post? (Admin privileges)Delete again.

Now I’ll delete every post that zealot uploads.

ONE_FAITH: I don’t know who you are.

Delete.

ONE_FAITH: I’ll find you.

Delete.

ONE_FAITH: I’ll pin you alive to a post.

Delete.

After the rush of deletions, the forum fell silent.

I waited, focusing my eyes, and the zealot didn’t post again.

It seems the zealot has given up.

No matter how wild they get in real life, here on the forum, they’re just another user.

They said they’d find us and kill us, but how would they even track us down?

The Legion faction and the Jeju government can’t even locate us properly with satellite internet.

To really catch us, they’d need to pinpoint our exact location, bring in frequency detection equipment, and search through all the suspicious spots to find us.

Without equipment, the person who killed an innocent to steal satellite equipment has no business making threats.

After leaving the forum in silence for a while, I calmly posted again.

SKELTON: (Skeleton observation) Anyone want to recommend a menu?

That post got an overwhelming amount of likes after a long time.

Let’s review the rankings.

3rd place was Seoul-style nutritional bars.

2nd place was warm soup.

The grand winner, 1st place, was hamburgers.

But now, hamburgers and soup are no longer available.

Nutritional bars might be possible, but I wouldn’t eat them even if offered.

Just as things were starting to wind down...

ONE_FAITH: Look at the admin.

I opened the post to see what was written, even though I was going to delete it anyway.

A dark room. The figure occupying the screen, bathed only in the light from the monitor, was dressed in long, flowing white clothes.

But the face, angrily pointing a finger at the screen, belonged to a young woman who looked barely in her early twenties.

The glare she cast at me, with a frown full of anger, wasn’t exactly terrifying, but it was rather cute. Still, the cold gleam in her eyes was a different story.

She didn’t seem too different from my junior, Woo Min-hee.

Moreover, though faint on the screen, I could see something glinting beneath the white robe on her shirt.

A war medal.

It was something worn by North Korean residents.

If she only had one, she could be presumed to be from North Korea, but the fact that she wore dozens of these medals was enough to give a chilling impression.

Most likely, they were war trophies.

Trophies taken from humans she had personally killed.

Underneath, there was one sentence left by ONE_FAITH.

I will find you and kill you.She didn’t delete it.

I left it there for everyone to see ONE_FAITH’s face as they pleased.

There was a purpose behind this.

And sure enough, that purpose played out exactly as planned.

Anonymous23213: Cute.

Anonymous23217: How old is she?

Anonymous23216: Did she come from North Korea? She speaks Seoul dialect really well.

Anonymous23222: She looks soft.

Anonymous23224: A beautiful lady.

An anonymous crowd.

The identity of these people was none other than our forum friends.

These forum friends were usually quite erratic, but at least when it came to beating up weirdos, they always came together as one.

They fight like crazy every day, but when there’s a national crisis, they unite—just like a miniature version of the Korean people.

Being a beginner on the internet, ONE_FAITH gave a delicious reaction.

ONE_FAITH: What kind of nonsense is this? Who the hell are you?

ONE_FAITH: You’re going to find us and kill us?

ONE_FAITH: Did you see that earlier? The execution of the massacrist, the one who oppressed the cultists?! You could end up like them!

Though ONE_FAITH tried to resist,

Anonymous23218: Tap-tap-tap- Oh my shoulder!

Anonymous23222: My cheeks... They’ve gotten so chubby...

Anonymous23219: Where do I throw the fan votes?

Anonymous23214: I’m a 40-year-old bachelor... These days, I feel so lonely...

Anonymous23216: SEX

...

...

The teasing from the forum friends intensified.

Even unfamiliar usernames began popping up.

It seems that as soon as something funny came up, everyone switched their nicknames to anonymous ones.

In the end, ONE_FAITH deleted the post they had uploaded with the verification photo themselves.

ONE_FAITH: I’ve remembered all of you.

ONE_FAITH: I’ll find each one and...

This was going well.

I received a message notification, but I ignored it and continued watching the forum screen.

But my smile faded completely when I saw the comment posted by an anonymous user.

Anonymous23216: (Skeleton) SEX

“?”

ONE_FAITH: Found you! Skeleton! Is that you?

Tap tap tap

SKELTON: That’s not me.

ONE_FAITH: Yes, it is!

SKELTON: (Skeleton incredulously) It’s not me.

ONE_FAITH: How could it not be? You just wrote (Skeleton) by mistake!

SKELTON: No, it was Anonymous23216 who framed me.

Immediately, I checked the identity of the one who framed me, Anonymous23216.

It was simple. All I had to do was check the nickname information, look at the unique account, and search for the post under the public account.

Soon, the hideous identity was revealed to me.

Foxgames: Patch update explanation3.txt

Foxgames: I truly feel sorry. I’m realizing the limits of solo development.

Foxgames: Current patch situation (ver.1.032)

Foxgames: Patch update explanation2.txt

...

...

“... This bastard?”

It was FoxGames.

The guy who acted all innocent on the forum was now trying to frame me, Skeleton, with malicious intent.

SKELTON: It’s FoxGames! The one who copied me!

I immediately corrected the mistake.

But ONE_FAITH wasn’t listening.

ONE_FAITH: That’s all for today. The execution of the massacrist isn’t over yet.

ONE_FAITH: Anyway, I’ll bring better news next time.

ONE_FAITH disappeared, having said what they wanted to say.

I deleted those posts immediately, but ONE_FAITH didn’t respond anymore.

“...”

Being a beginner on the internet isn't always a good thing.

Falling for such simple impersonations.

Well, there was some dumbness evident in their post.

But since they were strong, being dumb didn’t matter.

At least they were probably a level 5 Awakener, maybe even higher.

Anyway, about FoxGames...

I can’t just let this slide.

SKELTON: Hey.

I sent a message to FoxGames.

SKELTON: I know where you live, right?

SKELTON: You want me to come find you?

I didn’t want to send such childish messages, but I felt like if I didn’t, my anger wouldn’t go away.

As expected, FoxGames didn’t respond.

Either he «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» blocked me, or he ignored me. Probably the latter.

I don’t think he blocked me.

Even if he did something like that, he would have unblocked me first.

Just as I was about to send another message to FoxGames, an alarm popped up.

Someone had sent a message.

COOKIEMONSTER18: Skeleton.

It was Sue.

COOKIEMONSTER18: I don’t want to be here.

That didn’t sound good.

SKELTON: What’s going on?

COOKIEMONSTER18: Something doesn’t feel right. It’s okay for now, but... It doesn’t feel right.

Sue, who’s smarter than her mother and has sharp instincts, must have felt something.

Sue, who hadn’t contacted me except for holidays or special occasions, must have had a reason to reach out to me now.

I decided to set aside the question about her strange internet etiquette and responded seriously to her request for help.

SKELTON: How’s your mom?

COOKIEMONSTER18: She’s at work. But it’s no help. You know how she is. A total idiot.

SKELTON: Who taught you to say that?

COOKIEMONSTER18: I have a friend who’s lived in Korea longer than me. I learned it from them.

SKELTON: Stay away from that friend.

COOKIEMONSTER18: It’s fine. They’re already dead.

It seems like the situation at the US military camp where Rebecca and Sue are isn’t as optimistic as I had hoped.

SKELTON: I understand. Let’s talk about what to do next. Have your mom contact me. We’ll discuss it together.

COOKIEMONSTER18: Thanks, Skeleton.

COOKIEMONSTER18: (Heart emoji)

“...”

While I was talking to Sue, another message came through.

This one.

At least right now, this message is much more important.

Defender: Skeleton.

It was Defender.

SKELTON: Are you alive?

Defender: Sort of.

SKELTON: How’s your sibling?

Defender: They’re alive too. By the way, I’m sorry for always causing trouble.

Defender: Can I ask you to listen to something I said before?

I didn’t hesitate to answer immediately.

SKELTON: Where are you?