Chapter 45
There was a clear reason Cha Do-hee realized the Sub-Mod selection later than everyone else.
“Why aren't any messages coming...”
As usual, Cha Do-hee was crossing the Blank Zone to check the dead drops in other regions.
But the message that should have been there was nowhere to be found at the agreed-upon dead drop.
That was why she was crossing into other regions instead of sticking to her usual dead drops.
“I almost got sucked into an anomaly...”
Thus, even though she was consulting the minimap she had acquired as a reward last time, she continued on her perilous journey.
Just as she was returning from the Blank Zone to the Capital Area without any particular profit.
Ding-!
[Gallery Network Activated!]
At some point, an alarm appeared announcing that she could connect to the Gallery.
“What? Why does this work?”
The Blank Zone was a place where neither the Gallery nor even communication devices worked, so she was puzzled.
[System : Large-scale regional integration is underway]
[The Cheonan, Pyeongtaek, and Anseong Survivors Galleries >>> will be incorporated into the Capital Area Survivors Gallery]
[Readjustment of the Blank Zone blocking the Capital Area from the integrated regions will begin]
[All anomalies and fog within the affected area will be permanently removed]
Only after seeing the delayed notifications was she able to understand what was happening.
“What? Integration? Is this a regular System patch?”
The thick fog blanketing the Blank Zone where she had been disappeared, and the anomalies threatening her vanished as well.
After looking through the Gallery only belatedly, she was able to see what had happened.
“I-Invasion? There was an invasion???”
She belatedly learned that a man named Baek Jinhyeok had attacked with the entire Capital Area as his target.
She also learned that the System had summoned a Black Zone to stop the invasion, while the Head Mod and the Myth Guild had fended them off.
“Haa... Why did it have to happen while I was gone...”
Why did something like this have to happen while I was away of all times?
“Still, that's a relief...”
Of course, it was a relief. They had stopped the invasion in the end.
If they had been delayed any longer, there was no telling what additional horrors might have occurred.
“B-But they summoned a Black Zone...? In the Blank Zone, no less?”
The information Cha Do-hee had learned about the System so far was limited.
That he was in the Black Zone—and that he was a man.
She had vaguely suspected that he might be a man who had awakened an ability related to the Shop.
But could someone really summon a Black Zone while making the System display an error?
“W-What kind of person is he?”
Her interest only grew.
“Someone that powerful... why? Why isn't he coming ooouuut...?”
If he was that powerful, shouldn't he be able to simply walk out of the Black Zone?
When she checked the minimap, a single dot was still clearly marked at Starplex in Yeouido.
“What is with this man...?”
What kind of person could he be? The more she learned, the more curious she became.
Just as Do-hee's interest in the man she believed to be the System was steadily intensifying.
The Gallery happened to be holding a Sub-Mod selection event.
“They'll give VIP passes to anyone who becomes a Sub-Mod...?”
The discounts and the ability to make reservation-only purchases through hot-time deals were benefits anyone would covet.
But there was only one thing she cared about most.
“A one-on-one customer iiiinquiiiiiry!!”
The fact that she could make one-on-one inquiries to the System.
[Task: Meet the owner of the -Starplex- Shop]
[Success Probability: 0% / Difficulty : Impossible]
[Failure Penalty: Death]
[Warning : An impossible challenge can never succeed. Withdraw]
[Survival Route : None]
Perhaps this was an opportunity for her.
“Maybe things could change.”
If she could glean more through conversation, perhaps she could change the success probability.
But even Cha Do-hee herself had reservations.
“It's not really like KakaoTalkTalk...”
Judging by the comments the Head Mod had made, it seemed that she truly could not converse with the System.
She did not know the exact principle or reason, but when she submitted an inquiry to the Shop, a canned response came back.
And one more thing.
“Hunter... I have to work under a Hunter...”
Cha Do-hee had never had a particularly favorable opinion of Hunters, so the thought left her uneasy.
But this was also something Cha Do-hee herself could reconsider.
“They stopped this invasion for my sake...”
If the Head Mod had not stopped the invasion, an even greater danger might have befallen them.
“Well, fine, I liiike it! Let's keep an eye on things.”
This might be an opportunity.
An opportunity to keep the Hunters in check from close by.
And more than anything, this had wounded Cha Do-hee's pride.
‘They talked to it before I did? Before me?’
Based on what she had observed of the Head Mod in the Gallery so far, the Head Mod's personality was clear.
The Head Mod had a greater faith in the System than any other Gallery user.
So it was obvious even without seeing it that the Head Mod would make frequent use of one-on-one inquiries with the System.
“...I can't let that staaand...”
For Cha Do-hee, who knew the System's true identity, it was intolerable and something she could not concede.
“I'm applying right nooooow!!!!!”
So before any more time passed, Cha Do-hee submitted her application post.
****
Meanwhile, the Survivors Gallery was flooded with Sub-Mod applications.
Title : [Ironclad] Head Mod!! A Sub-Mod must be able to control the trolls!!
The job of controlling all the shitposts and troll users flooding the Gallery!!
Leave it to me, a control specialist!!!!!!
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ He put his specialty to use ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ He really put his specialty to use, my ass ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Title : [God of War] Head Mod!!! We can control real-life trolls!!!
As you know, we're a major Orange Zone guild rivaling Myth!!!
We'll help the Head Mod and go on real-life raids to control the real-life trolls!!!
This bastard put his specialty to use too ㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Ah, this is fucking hilarious ㅋㅋㅋ
If you become a Sub-Mod, you can become a VIP member.
The guilds in the Capital Area were going insane applying to become Sub-Mods for that reason.
[Ironclad] Damn! You too? Control?
ㄴ [God of War] Damn, you too? Control?
ㄴ [Ironclad] I'll control the people who make control their motto!
ㄴ [God of War] I'll control the people controlling the people who make control their motto!!!
Are these bastards Dumb and Dumber? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Control of control of control;;
ㄴ Are you the naval commander of the three provinces?
ㄴ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ ㅋㅋㅋ
[Head Mod] Hmm;;
ㄴ [Ironclad] Head Mod! You won't regret choosing me!
ㄴ [God of War] Don't you know that our fighting power is superior!!!
ㄴ [Head Mod] I'll put it on hold for now ㅇㅇ
ㄴ [Ironclad] What a relief!!!
ㄴ [God of War] What a relief!!!
“Hmm...”
Baek Eunwol was looking through the guild leaders' applications, which were appearing throughout the Gallery one after another.
But no one had yet won her over.
How many Sub-Mods did she say she was choosing?
ㄴ Four ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Even so, that's quite a lot ㅇㅇ
But Head Mod, aren't your standards a little too strict?
ㄴ [Head Mod] Hmm
ㄴ For real, they are a little strict
ㄴ Criterion 1: Must have a strong understanding of the Gallery, both inside and out, and be able to accept everyone's opinions
ㄴ Criterion 2: Must be able to have constructive discussions with the Head Mod about the System and the future state of the world
ㄴ Criterion 3: Must have one indisputable achievement
ㄴ Criterion 4: Must be witty and fun << Important
Fuck, no wonder not a single Sub-Mod has appeared yet ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Is this a major-company job application?
ㄴ For real, the competition is brutal
There was a reason she had her own standards for selecting the Sub-Mods.
Of course, there was a philosophy behind them.
‘I can't hand out VIP memberships granted by the System to just anyone.’
But if she applied those standards to everyone, the candidate pool would become too small, so she had established her own baseline.
But the Head Mod said that one person didn't need to meet all of those criteria.
ㄴ Ah, for real?
ㄴ ㅇㅇ She said she would choose one person for each criterion
ㄴ Ohh, then it's doable
ㄴ That's why the guild leaders are putting on such a show
She had decided to choose one person for each criterion who matched it as closely as possible.
“Hmm.”
Right then, a post from a username that drew everyone's attention appeared.
Title : [Speedrun] You must respect me as your Sub-Mod
YoumustrespectmeasaSub-Mod
Icanwithunmatched'speed'deleteeveryshitpostandtrollpostthatappearintheGalleryin'0.1seconds'
BeforeyoucanpostyourtrollbaitandclicksubmitIwillalreadyhavesucceededin deletingthepostandbanningtheauthor
ThiswillcertainlygointoGalleryhistoryasproof ofoverwhelmingmoderationability
FurthermoreIcanchopoffthereal-trolls'heads fasterthananyoneelse,somakingmeaSub-Modisthemostreasonableandperfectchoice
Where the hell has this bastard been all this time? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Long time no see ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋ
P l e a s e u s e s p a c e s l i k e t h i s
ㄴ I c a n ' t s e e i t b e c a u s e t h e s p a c e s a r e n ' t t h e r e
ㄴ [Upstanding Youth] I... r... e... a... l... l... y... c... a... n... '... t... u... n... d... e... r... s... t... a... n... d... w... h... a... t... i... t... s... a... y... i... n... g...
ㄴ ?
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
One person is telling the truth...
ㄴ I'm saying it's sad because that probably really is true...
“Hmm?”
That user was Speedrun. Of course, Eunwol knew about this user's existence as well.
“Certainly... their Gallery management speed must be on another level...”
But Speedrun really wasn't wrong.
ㄴ For real, if this bastard were here, the Gallery would be fucking spotless ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Shitposts would get deleted instantly ㅋㅋ
At every open rush, they not only bought up stock faster than anyone else, but at a speed all their own.
When the wave came from the Red Zone last time, wasn't Speedrun the user who protected the Orange Zone before Eunwol arrived?
“Ohh.”
But that wasn't the only thing that caught her interest.
And there was the really fucking scary thing...
ㄴ Knowing the Head Mod's personality;; she might make us go on real-life raids again
If Speedrun becomes a Sub-Mod... won't they arrive for a real-life raid in ten seconds...?
ㄴ If we don't listen... Speedrun will come after us...?
ㄴ Aaaaah!!!
ㄴ Kyaaaah!!!
[Speedrun] ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ That's not true, right? That's too much, right?
ㄴ They wouldn't go on real-life raids to that extent, right?
ㄴ [Speedrun] You think it's a joke, right?
ㄴ Kyaaaah!!!
ㄴ Squeeeaaal!!
They'd go on real-life raids instead of Eunwol?
That would certainly be convenient, and it would also align with the System's grand cause to some extent.
But.
“Hmm...”
Why was that?
Deep in Eunwol's heart, an inexplicable instinct began to stir.
“Something... something feels off...”
Should she call it an instinctive aversion? Or perhaps a sense of danger?
She could feel it—the emotion this user held for the System.
She could not give it a definite name, but as a woman, calling it intuition was explanation enough.
Besides, she had a feeling that they would be strangely loyal as a deputy administrator.
“Ugh...”
It was too weighty a decision to make lightly.
“Let's make the easy decisions first.”
Eunwol decided to start by selecting the Sub-Mod candidates she had already considered.
*****
No! Head Mod! You can't choose Speedrun!!
ㄴ I have a feeling something's going to go horribly wrong...
ㄴ [Speedrun] ThroughconversationwiththeSystemIhaveearnedtherighttoplayjokesontheSystemyoushouldrespectme
[Healer Union] But why is it bad to choose someone fast and strong?
ㄴ [Healer Union] I'm actually jealous of someone like that... ㅠ
ㄴ Do you really not know how strong Speedrun is?!
ㄴ You could get killed before you even blink!!
[Healer Union] “I don't know.”
ㄴ ?
ㄴ [Healer Union] Bam~~ ba-bam~~ ba-bam~~ bam~~
ㄴ No, do you seriously not know? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Fuck ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Stop it, Union... this is fucking hilarious, seriously ㅠ
ㄴ [Upstanding Youth] Please... pick up... my belly button...
ㄴ Ah
ㄴ Not funny
“This is getting interesting.”
I was watching the Gallery with a silly grin on my face.
“As expected, she's doing a good job, maybe because she's my first VIP customer.”
I was pleased that the Head Mod seemed to be approaching the Sub-Mod selection carefully, with a sense of responsibility.
As expected, the Head Mod clearly understood the weight that came with VIP membership.
“I like it. Good, good.”
Wasn't accurately understanding my concerns the virtue of a capable and responsible customer?
[Head Mod] The person who will become the first Sub-Mod has been decided ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Ooooooh!
ㄴ [Head Mod] This is a talent I've had in mind since I started the Sub-Mod selection
ㄴ [Ironclad] !!!
ㄴ [God of War] !!!
ㄴ [Speedrun] ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ It's me
Who will become a VIP member!!!!
ㄴ Ah, no, the person who will become a Sub-Mod is...!!!
ㄴ Who will it be!!!
And so, every user began watching with interest.
“I should get ready to appoint a VIP member.”
Since the Head Mod had made a responsible choice, I should grant the VIP status immediately.
“Now, who is it!!”
I was preparing as well.
Whoa! Why did that guy turn blue!!!
ㄴ What the hell!!
No, why did that guy!!!
ㄴ ????!!
ㄴ Whaaaaat?
Along with the comment section descending into chaos.
Ding-!
[You have been appointed deputy administrator]
“?!”
An unexpected person became a deputy administrator.
[Entering the Deputy Administrator Chatroom]
- [Head Mod] : Welcome, my first deputy administrator
- [Troll NEET] : Huh?
“What the hell is this guy...?”
Wasn't she supposed to be responsible?