Chapter 36
The mood in the Capital Area Survivors Gallery, which had been having fun with the restroom drama, changed in an instant.
Title : No;; The restroom suddenly disappeared;;
I'm at Jeongja Station... but the restroom suddenly disappeared.
Thanks to that, the Ares and Ironclad Guild bastards <<< are just standing there dumbfounded.
Huh?
ㄴ You mean the restroom disappeared...?
ㄴ Yeah;; It suddenly vanished into thin air;;
No... Even if you say that, isn't it a building...?
ㄴ Th... That can happen?
ㄴ The System can do something like that too...?
ㄴ I don't know either; it suddenly vanished into thin air;;
ㄴ There wasn't even an announcement message;;
The restroom disappeared right when they were about to fight;;
ㄴ For real.
The post said that the restroom at Jeongja Station had vanished into the air in an instant.
And then another post immediately went up.
Title : Current status of Ironclad and Ares, who said they'd occupy the area around the restroom in real timeㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
(A roughly taken photo of other Stalkers ganging up on them. JPG)
Since the restroom disappeared from the place where these bastards had set up their defensive line...
Now they're getting the shit beaten out of them by furious Stalkers who came from far away to use the bathroom ㅅㅂㅋㅋ
Stalkers from the Orange and Yellow Zones alike have joined together and are beating the shit out of those bastardsㅋㅋㅋ
I'm holding in a massive dump right now too, but I can't take questions because I have to go beat those bastards up;;
ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ For real, they're getting the absolute shit kicked out of themㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ No, this is a beautiful sightㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Yellow Zone–Orange Zone grand unificationㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ For real, this is what finally brings us togetherㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ A common enemy really does make a good focal point, mm-hmm.
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Then why the hell did you try to control the place!!
ㄴ For real, why did you block it offㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ How does the System's iron cudgel feel!!!
The System's... iron cudgel...?
ㄴ Solid and heavy?
ㄴ Oof.
ㄴ Bro.
You still don't know the System's philosophy?
ㄴ If you don't know it, memorize it! Memorize it!
ㄴ The philo-so-phy-aaaaaaah??!!
ㄴ Absent +999 from ShopWiki.
I'm just...
ㄴ If only there were a phone...
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋ
Anger born from human waste is hard to rein in, mm-hmm.
ㄴ Is it fecal-control disorder?
ㄴ Is it anger-control disorder?
ㄴ That's not quite the issue, but it is something to ponder...
ㄴ [ShopWiki] Hmm... Maybe both.
ㄴ O wise sage...
ㄴ Sage...
A series of posts came flooding in.
After a little while, two conspicuous apology posts appeared.
Title : [Ironclad Guild] This is the Guild Master... We're sorry...
(A roughly taken photo of a face swollen and bruised all over. JPG)
We were shortsighted...
The System gave it to us to use as a public resource... We're sorry for trying to control it...
We are truly, sincerely sorry that the restroom vanished because of us...
Too late, you bastards!!
ㄴ Get beaten up some more!!
The restroom vanished because of you bastards!!
ㄴ Ah, fuck!!!
Title : [Ares] We apologize to everyone...
(A photo of them getting ganged up on. JPG)
Our guild members are getting the shit beaten out of them...
We're sorry for trying to control it...
Please install the restroom again, System...
Bring back my lavender diffuser, you fucking bastards ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
ㄴ My toilet... ㅠㅠㅠ
I need to wash up!!
ㄴ Fuck... The restroom disappeared right in front of our eyes...
ㄴ One by one, the guys who couldn't hold it any longer have left to find somewhere to do their business...
I was looking at the post.
“Hmm... At least they admitted it quickly.”
Even though they were Guild Masters, the two of them quickly posted apologies.
[Myth] System, we were just sitting quietly^^
ㄴ [Myth] Thanks to you, we're making good use of the restroom you installed at the Orange Zone relief center^^
ㄴ [Myth] We're lining up properly and even picking up our trash^^
ㄴ Seo-jin's farming goodwill while he can ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ You want to get invited... right...?
ㄴ You want to become a member... right?
ㄴ Ahㅋㅋㅋㅋ
You still haven't gotten an invitation?
ㄴ Damn, you're persistent.
ㄴ The System still isn't inviting you after seeing this?
ㄴ Mm-hmm. Never invite him.
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Meanwhile, the Myth Guild Master was busy farming goodwill.
“Hmm...”
Fortunately, the timing of retrieving the copied tile itself had been good.
Though I hadn't intended it, I had prevented the conflict that had nearly broken out.
But this time, I think I was partly at fault for failing to understand the feelings of the people outside.
But I do understand where those guys were coming from.
ㄴ Exactly.
ㄴ The Orange and Yellow Zones are only... adjacent, after all...
ㄴ It's not like they're actually an alliance or community.
And if they'd just sat around...
ㄴ If another guild had gotten to the restroom first and started collecting passage fees...
ㄴ Then it would've been a real war from that point on...
And right now, there are two restrooms in the Orange Zone too;;
ㄴ But the relief center and defense line really are necessary.
ㄴ Can't argue with that.
ㄴ The Orange Zone already got hit first whenever there was a wave last time.
ㄴ And thanks to the Yellow Zone Head Mod taking the lead and managing things, they're still better off than the Orange Zone.
From the beginning, guilds in this world had been groups of individuals who banded together to survive in the absence of a government.
In a way, it was only natural for them to fight for the benefit of their group.
[Head Mod] What? It's over already...?
ㄴ [Head Mod] I was on my way...
ㄴ Sigh;;
ㄴ Heeead Mooood... So laaate...
You should've gone sooner!
ㄴ You should've gone on a real-life raid!
ㄴ [Head Mod] Don't order me around.
ㄴ I'm sorry!
...The Head Mod couldn't exactly be in two places at once...
ㄴ Not every guild belongs to the Head Mod.
ㄴ In the first place, no guilds belong to the Head Mod...
The guilds didn't have to listen to the Head Mod in everything, either.
ㄴ Honestly, before the System arrived, everyone was basically doing their own thing;;
ㄴ They were just using their judgment and reading the room ㅇㅇ
Besides, there was no way the Head Mod could handle all of that alone.
Naturally, there was no reason they all had to, either.
I guess being cooped up in here has made me a little naive.
But... Did the restroom really disappear...?
ㄴ We're really going to die...
System! Are you watching!!!
ㄴ Please bring the restroom back.
Of course, the reason I had installed the restrooms this time had included earning mana stones.
But I had also done it for the sake of public hygiene, so I had no intention of abandoning them completely.
Besides, no one had actually been injured in a fight, and ejecting them one by one every time they tried to use it would be a hassle.
“Okay, let's be fair about this.”
I reached into the air and brought up a System window.
The blueprint for the tile I had just retrieved from Jeongja Station and the current state of my assets appeared at a glance.
[Mana stones currently held: 69,000]
[Blueprint Copy Lv.3]
[Tile Copy: 30,000 mana stones]
[Remaining copy slots: 2/6]
Four of the six slots were already occupied, two each by the relief center and the defense line.
Only Restroom No. 1, which occupied two tiles and had just been retrieved, remained.
“Then let's put in some effort.”
Without hesitation, I pressed the level-up button.
[Consume 30,000 mana stones to level up Blueprint Copy.]
[Blueprint Copy Lv.4 achieved!]
[Maximum copy slots increased: 6 -> 10]
[Mana stones currently held: 39,000]
[Remaining copy slots: 6/10]
I manipulated the 3D map and selected coordinates without hesitation.
In an instant, a neat placement settings window appeared before my eyes.
[Tile Redeployment and New Copy Settings]
Target 1: Restroom No. 1 (retrieved)
Copy: 0 mana stones (redeployment free)
Target 2: Restroom No. 4 (new copy)
Location 2: Yellow Zone residential district
Construction fee: 20,000 mana stones
“Redeploy. And copy.”
The designated restrooms were now marked on the 3D map.
I immediately posted a short announcement in the Gallery through the Starplex administrator account.
****
Title : [★Starplex★] Notice on the relocation and new installation of Capital Area restrooms
To ensure smooth use and fairness for the Capital Area survivors, we are adjusting the facilities as follows.
Restroom No. 1 (Jeongja Station) -> Relocated to a buffer zone on the border between the Yellow and Orange Zones
Restroom No. 4 (new) -> An additional installation in the Yellow Zone residential district
The System strives to ensure fair use for all survivors.
Disputes may result in the suspension of service.
The restroom is back!!!
ㄴ This is it, this is it, kyaa!!!
ㄴ Shop, you fucking nailed it ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Are you saying Shop is your friend?
ㄴ How many times do I have to say it?
ㄴ “Shop-nim.”
ㄴ “Yeah.”
You gave the Yellow Zone another restroom too???!!
ㄴ Kraaahhh!!
ㄴ As expected, fairness is what the System's about;;
ㄴ Even the convenience updates are fair.
ㄴ This is it, this is it.
Holy shit, I just checked the coordinates for where Restroom No. 1 was relocated.
ㄴ No matter where you start in the Orange or Yellow Zone, it's exactly thirty minutes away ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Crazy, it's so fair;;
ㄴ The System's fairness is insane.
Honestly, it pissed me off that you only built them at the Orange Zone relief center and defense line.
ㄴ Now that we have one exclusively for the Yellow Zone too, I admit the one at the defense line and the one here are fairㅋㅋ
ㄴ ㅇㅇ The defense line and hospital are essential infrastructureㅋㅋ
ㄴ This is the perfect balance ㅇㅇ
“Disputes may result in the suspension of service” <<< This is wild ㄷㄷ
ㄴ For real, stop acting like entitled assholesㅋㅋ
In front of the neutral restroom on the border.
Ares Guild Master Baek Kang-san, covered in bruises, and the Ironclad Guild Master, whose eyes were swollen shut, both stood with their heads lowered and hands neatly folded.
“You go first.”
“No, let's do this in order, Guild Master of Ares.”
The two Guild Masters, who had been on the verge of fighting moments ago, concealed their killing intent and were uncharacteristically yielding to each other.
At that moment, someone came running from far away, drenched in sweat.
“H-Head Mod...?”
“Huff, huff... We're not fighting anymore, right...?”
“Yes, the System mediated things...”
“Keep it down... I came here to wash up...”
“Go ahead...”
“I'm not cutting in line. We can go in order.”
When the Head Mod scratched their head and quietly took their place at the very back of the line, faint chuckles and sighs of relief broke out around them.
The survivors watching this strange yet heartwarming scene finally realized it.
Why the System had gone to the trouble of retrieving the restroom, then redeploying it at an equal distance from both the Yellow and Orange Zones.
It was the System's arrangement to ensure that everyone could use the restroom fairly.
And so, an unspoken rule arose in the Capital Area: the restrooms were inviolable zones where disputes were not allowed.
‘Thank you... System...’
‘For giving us the chance to preserve our dignity...’
‘Thank you for preventing a conflict...’
In the outside world where law and morality had vanished, order and peace in an area exactly the size of a restroom had arrived.
****
“Okay.”
I slipped into my goose-down sleeping bag and exhaled.
Mmm, toasty-warm.
Now I could enjoy a little leisure too, right?
Come to think of it, perhaps because of the CCTV attached to the restroom corridor tiles I owned,
the view around the restroom tiles was shared with me through my status window.
“A pseudo-clairvoyance, huh.”
Of course, I couldn't see inside the restrooms. Nor did I intend to.
Uh-uh. Can't do that.
“Hmm, let's see... How much of the quest is left?”
After looking around the area near the restrooms for a moment, I turned my attention to the status window.
[Building Master Main Quest 4: Copy 10 more tiles. Current: 8/10]
I only needed to copy two more tiles to complete the quest.
“Hmm... Where should I put them?”
As I debated where to plant the remaining two tiles and spun the 3D map around, a question occurred to me.
My 3D map only displayed terrain features clearly within the radius of the Capital Area Survivors Gallery, where there was foot traffic.
The outskirts beyond the Capital Area were covered in black fog, and nothing appeared there.
“Hmm, it seems this map only works as far as the Capital Area....”
I slowly looked down at the unknown territory as I scrolled the mouse wheel.
“Then... what happens if I install one out there?”
I had to build two more tiles to complete the quest anyway.
I was curious, and it would let me scan the surrounding area, so should I try installing one?
[Alert: Attempting to copy a tile in an uninhabited area on the outskirts of the Capital Area]
Without hesitation, I clicked a coordinate in the middle of the pitch-black fog far beyond the Capital Area's boundaries and copied a tile.
“Confirm.”
*****
At the same time, in a blank region on the outskirts of the Capital Area shrouded in dense fog.
A shabby-looking woman was cautiously making her way across this silent, ominous unknown area where not a single living creature could be found.
Her name was Lee Si-yeon.
“Ah... Ngh...”
With a long, rough rope around her neck, Lee Si-yeon swallowed and looked around.
As she was forced to walk, her wrists were rubbed raw and red by the tightened knots.
A blank region. A place where mutants and anomalies could burst out at any moment.
She advanced one step at a time, nerves taut with the fear that she could die at any moment.
Then it happened.
- Ping-!
In the pitch-black darkness, a strange light suddenly burst forth with a sharp whoosh.
A smooth structure that could not possibly belong to this world appeared in the middle of the wasteland.
“An anomaly...?”
Si-yeon recoiled in terror, but
what entered her sight was neither a zombie nor an anomaly.
A cube-shaped building radiating a brilliant light.
It bore unmistakably familiar, intuitive pictograms alongside clearly written blue and red lettering.
[Men's Restroom]
[Women's Restroom]
“...A-a restroom?”
Lee Si-yeon roughly rubbed her eyes with a dazed expression.
But no matter how many times she looked again, it was a spotless restroom of the sort one could only have seen before the apocalypse.
“I-I have to go tell them... Otherwise, I'll die...”
Si-yeon hurriedly turned and ran toward the man who had driven her into that horrifying deathtrap.
“Th-There... A restroom appeared over there...!”
At her words, dozens of armed soldiers all began murmuring at once.
But the man's gaze remained fixed solely on the ground.
The place where the main force was staying reeked of blood.
- Crunch. Crack.
At the man's feet, several mutants were tearing into the corpse of a Stalker who had been alive and breathing only moments earlier.
At Si-yeon's report, one of the men watching the mutants feed silently slid a bloodstained note from the corpse.
[- The Southern Eye Lighthouse Keeper -]
To the messenger of the Capital Area... Numerous survivor camps in the southern region have fallen.
Those who call themselves the Chosen take the living as slaves and command the dead....
Please let this warning not be too late….]
The man studied the blood-soaked note, its writing blurred, for a moment before slowly raising his head.
His pale eyes turned toward Si-yeon.
“Yeah...”
The man weighed the note in his hand against Si-yeon's report, then let out a disbelieving laugh.
“So there is a System Shop in the Capital Area...”
The man's gaze shifted beyond the dense fog through which Si-yeon had come running.
“And there's... a bathroom?”