Chapter 22
--
You've worked hard to survive in the horror-story world.
First of all, congratulations on surviving there.
This is a world rife with horror stories where you can use a system called the ‘Status Window.’
If you mention the words ‘Status Window’ aloud or in your mind, a semitransparent window will appear before your eyes.
At the bottom of that window, you will find a section called ‘Input.’
If you enter ‘GY-82’ in the Input field, you can access the community used by the survivors.
Once you access the community, please check the announcements first.
The announcements contain the most basic rules you must follow here.
However, I will tell you about a few precautions that are not included in the announcements.
First. Do not recklessly send messages to other people in the community.
If the person you message is a nonhuman entity, we have no way of knowing what harm the anomaly who receives your message might inflict on you.
The most accurate way to determine whether the other party is human is to check the number of comments in the community.
Comments written by nonhuman entities are not included in the total comment count.
Second. Do not try to find combinations of English letters that can be used in the Input field.
If an unrecognizable combination is entered in the Input field more than three times a day, you will lose the ability to use the Status Window forever.
Also, some codes in the Input field can bring about our deaths.
The death mentioned here does not mean instant death.
Third. This place has concepts called ‘Lockdown’ and ‘Interaction.’
During Lockdown, the doors are locked from outside, so we cannot leave the building.
However, you must not try to force your way outside just because you feel stifled.
You can leave only during Interaction, and although Interaction occurs at different times each time, it is usually about once a week.
Fourth. The name of this world's currency is ‘DOLL,’ and you can check how many DOLL you possess by entering DL in the Status Window's Input field.
You can also sell Mentality at a rate of one DOLL per point.
Your total Mentality will not decrease, so there is no need to worry.
From time to time, a message offering to lend you DOLL will appear on your DL screen.
However, you must never borrow DOLL.
Fifth. From time to time, someone will ask you from outside to open the door.
Ignore them.
The anomalies here can imitate our voices.
Sixth. This is a world rife with Neapolitan horror-story dungeons.
During Interaction, you may attempt to clear a dungeon.
From this point on, these are the things you must be careful of when entering a dungeon.
Seventh. When you enter a horror-story dungeon.
Take photographs of as much of the interior as possible.
You must share those photographs with the community so that even if you fail to clear it, the next person can succeed.
Eighth. You can come here by pressing the ‘Return’ button in the Status Window.
However, after pressing the Return button, do not press the Return button again.
Ninth. The ‘Return’ button is not a button to press right before you die. It has a startup delay, so use it immediately when you think you might die.
Even if this place has a system similar to a game, you have only one life.
Tenth. Always keep your Mentality as high as possible.
The higher your Mentality, the more resistant you are to the mental attacks used by anomalies.
Mentality is replenished through rest and meals, and the more strange phenomena appear around you,
and the more mental attacks you suffer, the more quickly it decreases.
The lower your Mentality, the more you will begin to see things that should not be visible.
Eleventh. Never let your Mentality reach 0.
If your Mentality reaches 0, you will no longer be able to use the Status Window.
If your Mentality reaches 0, you will be unable to withstand any mental attack whatsoever.
Twelfth. I will say this once again.
This is not a game.
It is reality.
Value your life above all else.
Thank you for your hard work reading this lengthy text.
Lastly, I must tell you this: never share these contents with the community.
If you share the contents above with the community, the administrator will immediately delete the post, but
if an anomaly viewing the community learns this information, it will begin looking for another pattern with which to attack us.
The next page contains explanations of additional Input fields you can use.
GY-82 is the community. You can communicate with other people.
CA is the camera. You can take photographs using the Status Window. Its basic structure and appearance are identical to a cellphone.
PE is the photo gallery. All the photographs you take are stored here.
DL lets you check the funds you possess. I emphasize once again: never borrow money. (You can send money to and receive money from other people.)
FY lets you order food. If you check the box on the menu and press the ‘Delivery’ button, food will be delivered to your location.
--
Grrrrooowl..
‘Ah.. I'm hungry..’
When I finished reading all the papers lying there,
I immediately turned my head toward the sound of my stomach growling and looked around.
Thinking that I would genuinely starve to death if I stayed like this, I checked whether there was anything I could eat, and
‘What should I do..’
While wondering what to eat because I couldn't see anything particularly appetizing,
I remembered that I could order food and decided to check how much money I had first.
‘DL.. Oh.’
When I entered DL into the Status Window,
--
DOLL : 14529
[Withdrawal : ] [Sale : ]
--
I saw a screen I had never seen before appear.
‘Is 14,500 a lot?’
I didn't know whether this was a large amount, but I immediately entered FY to order food, and
--
A Set (15 DOLL) [ ]
B Set (30 DOLL) [ ]
C Set (80 DOLL) [ ]
D Set (150 DOLL) [ ]
E Set (350 DOLL) [ ]
F Set (800 DOLL) [ ]
[Delivery]
--
‘There sure are a lot of options.’
There seemed to be an awful lot of food I could order, so I went into the community announcements to check the delivery menu.
‘Hmm.. Yeah, there's no reason to eat something expensive from the start.’
After confirming through the announcements that Set A was extremely cost-effective,
--
A Set (15 DOLL) [ ✓ ]
B Set (30 DOLL) [ ]
C Set (80 DOLL) [ ]
D Set (150 DOLL) [ ]
E Set (350 DOLL) [ ]
F Set (800 DOLL) [ ]
[Delivery]
--
I checked Set A and pressed the Delivery button.
‘Yeah, as long as it has a good balance of carbs, protein, and fat.’
Since I wasn't sure whether I had a lot of money or very little,
there was no reason to eat the most expensive food just because the delivery price seemed somewhat cheap,
so I ordered the cheapest Set A, and after looking around for a moment..
Knock knock knock
‘..Huh? Isn't it Lockdown right now?’
I immediately realized it was an anomaly when I heard someone knocking on the front door, and held my breath as I—
Creeeak-
“..!”
Before I had any time to prepare, something opened the door and immediately..
Thud..
“..?”
left behind the Set A I had seen in the photograph in the community announcement.
“Wow.. ..That delivery was insanely fast..?”
I wondered what kind of delivery could be this fast..
I had assumed the Status Window simply created the food for me.
So this really was a system where someone delivered it?
‘..But isn't it Lockdown right now..?’
But.. ..Wasn't it Lockdown right now..?
‘..Who delivered it?’
I silently looked down at the delivered Set A.
It was clearly Lockdown, a time when people were not allowed to walk around,
so the fact that someone had casually walked in from outside, opened the door, and delivered food inside the house meant..
‘..An anomaly?’
Didn't that mean the entity selling food was an anomaly?
‘..Is this another place with a friendly anomaly?’
Thinking that this place, like Belliard Library, must also have a friendly anomaly, I was so hungry that I immediately tried to eat, but..
“Huh? My Set A didn't come with this.”
When I saw a piece of bread sitting on the Set A tray in addition to everything else,
I thought the anomaly might even be holding a first-customer event, but
when I saw the single note beneath that piece of bread, my mouth fell open.
--
: >
--
“Belliard??”
--
[Wow holy shit I found something fucking huge]
(Photo)
Look at this. I ordered Set A, and there was a note underneath it.
I wondered what it was and checked the note, and?!
There was a familiar emoticon written on it!
This is the emoticon used by the anomaly that made me lunchboxes at Belliard Library, right??
Holy shit holy shit, does this mean all the food sold here is actually food sold at Belliard Library??
[Comments - 22]
Anonymous 1 : Fuck, let go! Daebung seduced them first!! Let go!!!
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : Whoa, whoa, calm down.
ㄴ Poster : ?? Why?
Anonymous 3 : Wow~ Daebung. Just as expected from a newbie, look at him wafting that lewd scent around ㅋㅋㅋ Huh?!?!?!? That means you want them to eat you, right???
ㄴ Poster : ..Why? What's going on? Why is everyone doing this to me..?
Anonymous 4 : ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Look at how nobody cares about Daebung's return ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Anonymous 4 : Daebung, could you send me just one selfie in a message? I'm short on side dishes.
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : You're no different; you don't care either ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Anonymous 4 : Daebung is seducing me while pretending he doesn't know anything right now!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous 6 : For real, though, this is Daebung's fault.
Anonymous 7 : Since Daebung did something wrong, make him hand out one of Daebung's big, thick items to everyone.
ㄴ Poster : ..You mean an item, right?
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : No?
ㄴ Poster : ???
Anonymous 8 : Kaha!! Seeing this makes me feel so reassured. Daebung really was just a clueless newbie after all, yeah yeah~
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : For real, I thought he was a hardcore macho alpha male, but it turns out he's an otokonoko?!?! This is truly gourmet ㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Anonymous 3 : Sir.
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : Sir.
ㄴ Poster : Sir.
ㄴ Anonymous 6 : Sir.
ㄴ Anonymous 8 : Please hold your breath for just 30 minutes.
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Why the fuck are you all doing this together and singling me out???
--
While eating, I shared everything I had discovered with everyone..
and the people began enthusiastically making jokes, saying I was giving off an intense newbie scent.
‘..What? Why is everyone reacting like that..?’
I genuinely thought this was a huge discovery..
so I was a little puzzled when people acted as though it were nothing special, but
‘Yeah, well.. I'll still do what I have to do.’
I felt extremely glad to see the lunchbox anomaly from Belliard Library again after nearly four days.
So beneath the note bearing the emoticon, I wrote that I was happy to see it again after so long, and
‘I wonder if they accept tips.’
Since I had been making good use of the item-crafting ability I had obtained at Belliard Library,
as a token of my gratitude, I withdrew 8 DOLL—half the price of Set A—and placed it on the tray, then neatly set the fully emptied tray outside my front door.
‘They said they'll collect it automatically after 30 minutes.’
Since the tray would soon be collected on its own, there was only one thing I had to do now.
‘I wonder what kind of item was made.’
Check the item made from the mannequin anomaly.
I immediately opened my inventory and
--
[■] [■] [■] [■] [■] [■] [■] [■] [■] [■] [] []
--
pressed the very last slot among the item slots that were filled.
I could see it.
--
[Helmet Made from Exoskeleton]
This is protective gear made from an exoskeleton.
It lowers the user's maximum Mentality by 30.
--
“..Can crafting actually fail?”
The existence of an item that seemed to have absolutely no reason to be used..
‘..If I had to be particular, I did need a helmet, but why would I use one that lowers my Mentality by 30..’
“Huh..”
I let out a deep sigh, took out the helmet, and tried putting it on.
--
Mentality : 164/ 165
[Available Return Count] : 2
[Available Crafting Attempts] : 0
Input:
--
When I saw that my total Mentality, which had been 195, had dropped to 165, I decided to wear the helmet once my Mentality fell to 165, and
when I took the helmet off again..
--
Mentality : 194/ 195
[Available Return Count] : 2
[Available Crafting Attempts] : 0
Input:
--
my Mentality returned to 195 again.. ..Wait a minute?
I put the helmet on again.
--
Mentality : 164 / 165
--
I took the helmet off.
--
Mentality : 194 / 195
--
I entered 30 under Sale in DL.
--
DOLL : 14536
[Withdrawal : ] [Sale : ]
--
--
Mentality : 164/195
--
My Mentality decreased by 30, while the DOLL I should have had—14,506—became 14,536.
After confirming that the DOLL had been deposited normally, I immediately put the helmet on again.
--
Mentality : 164 / 165
--
Then, to confirm whether my hypothesis was correct, I took the helmet off one last time..
--
Mentality : 194 / 195
--
“..Huh?”
I had accidentally discovered a duplication bug.