Chapter 24
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Anonymous 7 : E-e-e-everyone's g-g-g-gonna d-d-d-die...
--
Looking at the anomaly's comments gave me a headache.
Everything happening right now.. had been caused by people trying to help me.
In other words, wasn't I the mastermind behind all this?
‘Everyone's going to die..? They're all going to die..?’
The camera and the gallery where the photographs I'd taken were gathered.
I didn't know what the anomaly could do with just these two things, but..
Far too many horrifying possibilities began emerging in my mind.
‘What.. what can I do..?’
While racking my brain as hard as I could.. and wondering how I could do my best in this situation.
Suddenly..
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Anonymous 4 : Wait, weren't anomalies unable to come in here?
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Anonymous 8 : Why the fuck would an anomaly make a sacrifice?? Why the fuck are you bastards ganging up on it??
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Anonymous 3 : They all die when they come here anyway. Just tell it to press Return and come here ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
--
The contents of three comments flashed through my mind.
Maybe.. I could screw over that photo-taking anomaly.
I immediately switched the Status Window to camera mode, extended my middle finger as hard as I could, and took a picture..
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Me : (Photo)
Me : ㅗ
--
I immediately sent what was known as a flipping-off photo to Anonymous 7's photo-taking anomaly.
Only a few seconds had passed since I sent the photo-taking anomaly a message.
The shutter sounds that had been coming from outside at irregular intervals seemed to stop for a moment..
Shutter- Shutter- Shutter- Shutter- Shutter- Shutter- Shutter-
The anomaly suddenly began taking pictures like crazy, approached the front door of my house, and..
Bang!
“..!!”
Thud..
“..?”
I heard it slam its body hard against the door before apparently collapsing right there.
‘Did you kill yourself too?..’
The comments that had occurred to me while I was considering how to deal with this incident had clearly said so.
Other anomalies couldn't come here. This place—where all the people were gathered.
If an anomaly from another world came here, that anomaly would die.
‘They definitely said that other anomalies would die if they came here..’
Besides that, Anonymous 7's anomaly had said something in its own message: it was going to make a ‘sacrifice.’
In other words, that anomaly taking pictures outside was trying to do ‘something’ to us humans, even at the cost of its own life, wasn't it?
That was why I reached the conclusion that I should use.. a ‘disinfection pic.’
‘It worked, right..?’
The reason I had taken a picture of myself flipping it off was simple.
The ‘Compressed Flesh Ring’ I had made from the corpses of three six-legged anomalies was on my right middle finger.
I had used the ring's ability, the Apathy mental attack, to try attacking the anomaly outside.
‘Please.. let nothing happen..’
Fortunately, the mental attack seemed to work even through a photograph.
I could confirm that my strategy of buying even a single second had worked to some extent.
The proof was this.
The anomaly, which had originally been taking pictures at regular intervals while preparing something, had become apathetic for a moment after receiving my message and stopped taking pictures.
After regaining its senses, it had approached the house where I was, taking pictures as though it were furious, hadn't it?
Of course, I couldn't say this was certain because I hadn't seen the scene myself..
‘At least I bought some time..’
Since I had delayed the anomalies' plan even a little, I needed to use a strategy they couldn't imagine from this point on.
--
Mentality: 106 / 195
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[Available Return Attempts] : 2
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[Available Crafting Attempts] : 5
Input:
--
Just in case, I opened the Status Window and checked how much Mentality I had left.
I had sold 1,000 Mentality for DOLL as soon as I woke up that morning, so I wouldn't be able to recover any more Mentality today, but..
I still had enough Mentality to use one more mental attack.
‘I need to make an unexpected move.’
With roughly ten minutes left until Interaction.. I immediately opened the delivery system and ordered Set A.
‘The moment the door opens.. that's my chance..’
Less than a minute after ordering Set A.
This time as well, the moment the Belliard side opened my front door to put the Set A tray inside.
‘That's it..!’
Taking advantage of the moment when the firmly locked door, which could only be opened from outside, was opened for the delivery.
I had been waiting in front of it, and the moment I saw a gigantic something leaning against the door get pushed inside the house, I immediately placed my hand on its corpse.
‘Craft..!’
Without hesitation, I pressed the Craft button.
--
Mentality: 106 / 195
--
[Available Return Attempts] : 2
--
[Available Crafting Attempts] : 4
Input:
--
‘It worked..!’
With that, I had turned the photo-taking anomaly into an item, thwarting their plan to some extent—
“..Ah.”
After turning the photo-taking anomaly into an item.
Normally, I should have immediately told the community about this, but..
I was frozen in place, unable to do anything.
Because.. right in front of me.. was the anomaly delivering my Set A tray.
Wouldn't something bad happen if I accidentally offended the anomaly..?”
However.
“Well, ahaha.. This is my first time meeting you in person..”
Fortunately—or unfortunately.
The anomaly in front of me did not have a frightening appearance.
And..
“I was always grateful when I was at the Belliard Library..!”
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:>
--
It unmistakably looked like an anomaly from the Belliard Library.
‘So it wasn't an emoticon but a self-portrait..?’
Inside the black, spirit-smoke-like form floating in midair, a :> facial expression had been drawn as though an emoticon had been placed there.
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:ㅁ
--
Seeing it change its facial expression freely.
That must have been the actual face of the Belliard Library anomaly, not a drawing.
‘..How is it holding the tray, anyway..?’
I had no idea how an entity floating in midair could knock on the front door and open it.
But judging from the changes in its expression, it seemed unable to speak and was trying to communicate with me through its face.
“Ah, well.. That anomaly just now was one that was trying to kill us, so I used information from a book I got at the library and turned it into an item.”
When I added a suitable explanation of what I had just done.
--
:ㅣ
--
‘..Is it upset?’
Perhaps that wasn't the answer it wanted.
Or perhaps it was unhappy that the anomaly had tried to kill me.. I didn't know, but..
I could see the Belliard Library anomaly's face wearing a somewhat dissatisfied expression.
“I'm always grateful. Thanks to the book I received at the library.. I feel like I've had a little more breathing room lately.”
To cheer it up, I continued buttering it up, saying things like, “I love the book I got from the library.”
“I'll give it five stars. Of course, the maximum is four, hoho.”
“Ah! I don't know whether someone like me could be of any help, but.. Would you like me to give you an item I made—”
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:O
--
“?”
I suddenly experienced the house I was in disappearing exactly as it was.
As though a photograph in the gallery had been ‘deleted’ and vanished in an instant.
‘There was another one..!’
Thinking back, that had been the case.
The ability the anomalies had discovered through the community wasn't limited to taking photographs.
The anomalies had also discovered the photo gallery that stored the photographs they took.
All a powerless human who had no way to deal with this could do was..
‘I can't.. I can't breathe..’
Nothing.
‘Ah.. fuck.. fuck..’
I couldn't breathe, as though something were pressing hard against the area below my chest.
Was the reason we weren't allowed to go outside during Lockdown because we couldn't breathe out there..?
All the strength drained from my entire body, leaving me unable even to move..
The realization that death was the only thing left for me drove me into despair.
‘If I'd known.. if I'd known I was going to die this pointlessly.. I should've ordered F Set at least once..’
What kind of final thought before dying was regret over not trying the most expensive F Set?
But I really should've tried it..
Damn it, all because I was trying to save my DOLL..
--
:<
--
...
“Huh?!”
The moment I felt a soft sensation enveloping me, I immediately got up from my place as though shuddering.
I hurried to escape from the stomach of the anomaly that had eaten me after I collapsed..!
“..Huh?”
That was what I thought.
However.
I was lying on a very familiar bed.
“..The Belliard Library?”
On the bed meant for the Belliard Library's librarian, to be precise.
“Ah.. ahh.. thank you.. Thank you so much..”
Moved by the Belliard Library's boundless grace, I clasped my hands and was praying fervently.
“..Come to think of it, isn't it working hours right now?”
When I looked at the clock, the current time was one when the Belliard Library's librarian should have been working.
I realized it instinctively.
‘I can't see the doorknob because I'm not the librarian..’
Since I was no longer the librarian of this library, beyond the invisible door..
Someone was working as the library's librarian.
‘..Is it human?’
I didn't know whether the entity currently serving as the library's librarian was an anomaly or not.
‘..How much time has passed?’
First, I thought I should let everyone know that I had survived.
The moment I was about to take a photograph and write to everyone at the same time..
I saw it.
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[(Notice) You must never upload photographs to the gallery.]
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A new rule had been posted saying that photographs must not be uploaded to the community..
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[Survival Report]
My house suddenly disappeared as though it had been deleted, leaving Daebung stranded outside during Lockdown..
I couldn't upload a photograph, which was a shame, but I woke up at the Belliard Library!!
It seems the Belliard Library anomaly saved me!
Long live the Belliard Library!!!!
Long live the Belliard Library!!!!!
Since I'm writing this right after coming to my senses, no mean comments like, ‘Why didn't you post something about playing hard to get when you aren't even dating us?’ ㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴㄴ
[Comments - 51]
Anonymous 1 : Guess what kind of person I am.
ㄴ Poster : All of a sudden?
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Yeah.
ㄴ Poster : ..? Uh.. Someone who ties their hands and feet tightly with a rope to relieve their sexual urges.. But most people are Anonymous 1, so am I supposed to say that just because you're Anonymous 1? How would I know who you are on the other side of the screen and guess?
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Ah ㅠㅠㅠ Thank goodness.. Daebung, you were alive ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
ㄴ Poster : Huh? Ah, you were testing whether I'm human.
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : We came outside during Interaction to check, and your entire house had vanished. Do you know how worried we were about you?
ㄴ Poster : It looked like an anomaly did something to it.
ㄴ Anonymous 4 : The head mod figured out those fuckers' abilities, and has blocked them as much as possible for now.
ㄴ Poster : ..The head mod can figure things like that out too?
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : That's why we put him in the head mod position, duh.
ㄴ Poster : But isn't the head mod human too? How can he block things like that..?
ㄴ Anonymous 4 : The head mod has cleared four horror-story dungeons, so he has some special ability even we don't know about. It's a little stingy of him not to tell us even when we ask.
Anonymous 3 : Are you really Daebung?
ㄴ Anonymous 3 : It's him. Phew..
ㄴ Poster : :>
Anonymous 5 : I was hoping to see Daebung in person during Interaction, but then this happened..
ㄴ Poster : I'm sorry.. This happened because of me.
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : ㄴㄴ I didn't mean it was Daebung's fault. And it was my fault for saying that even though I knew the rules at the time.
ㄴ Poster : No.. You were trying to tell me, after all.. I'm sorry, everyone..
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : If you're sorry, make me a weapon that raises Mentality too.
ㄴ Poster : Yeah.. I'll definitely make one for you.
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : Jackpot.
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Apologize to me too, Daebung!!!! It's some kind of mental-injury offense or something!!! Make me an item that raises Mentality too!!!!!!!
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : Apologize to me too, Kim Daebung!!!!!!
ㄴ Anonymous 6 : Apologize to me too, Lee Daebung!!!!!
ㄴ Anonymous 4 : Apologize to me too, Park Daebung!!!!!
ㄴ Anonymous 3 : Apologize to me too, Phone Daebung!!!!!
ㄴ Poster : I'll definitely make one for everyone. I'm really sorry, everyone.
ㄴ Administrator : Thank you.
Anonymous 6 : The photo-taking anomaly should have died inside here, but we still haven't found its corpse. The head mod found the photo-gallery anomaly outside and has blocked it as much as possible for now.
ㄴ Poster : It was outside??
ㄴ Anonymous 7 : Yeah. According to the head mod, deleting a photograph saved in the photo gallery seems to cause strange phenomena for us.
ㄴ Poster : That happened to me. My house suddenly vanished as though it had been deleted.. I still get chills when I think about it..
ㄴ Anonymous 7 : He said it might have other abilities too, but you can check the notice.
ㄴ Poster : Thanks, thanks. I didn't see it because I wanted to post my survival report first. I should take a look.
Anonymous 1 : This is the first time I've seen Daebung carefully reply to every comment one by one. I'm moved.
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : But the moment I said that, he ignored my comment like it was nothing..
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Hey, you bastard Daebung!!!!
Anonymous 4 : But seriously, it's fucking creepy.. The head mod still hasn't found the photo-taking anomaly's corpse. That an anomaly could vanish without leaving a trace even with the head mod's ability is just fucking..
ㄴ Poster : Ah, come to think of it, I turned that guy into an item.
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : ?
ㄴ Anonymous 4 : ?
ㄴ Administrator : ?
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : ???
ㄴ Anonymous 3 : Daebung, you're joking, right?
ㄴ Poster : Uh.. I don't know if you'll believe me since I can't prove it with a photograph, but I made a disinfection pic, sent it to the anomaly in a message, and did this and that.
ㄴ Anonymous 6 : This and that..?