God-System

Patch 2 that swept across the entire Capital Area.

Insect infection.

The overarching rule survivors had followed from the moment the apocalypse began until now had been clear.

Every man for himself.

A world where it was only natural to act and think solely for one's own survival.

But this time was different.

The guilds that had acted only for their own survival united for the first time under the Head Mod's leadership.

They took in ordinary people, beings who had been ignored and treated with contempt.

They protected them to the very end without giving up, even as the situation reached its final moments.

While everyone was fighting a life-or-death battle from their own positions.

A single miracle that bloomed from the weakest of all.

A preventive vaccine.

*

*

*

Two days have passed since that vaccine appeared.

Starplex, second-floor Gardening Garden.

[Capital Area Survivors Gallery (Current users: 89,111)]

A man was looking at the number of users and laughing.

“Kgegegegegegek!!!”

I am Speedrun.

“This is a decent result. Fucking God-System.”

He had succeeded in preventing the user count from nosediving as soon as Patch 2 began.

“This is it!!!!!!!”

- Fuuuuuck!!!! [323]

- The vaccine's been restocked!!! [332]

- Shop-nim! Shop-nim!!! Praise them!!! [3432]

- Free vaccine delivery! Free vaccine delivery! Free vaccine delivery!! [3332]

....

For the two days since the vaccine appeared, the Gallery had remained in a festive mood.

I selected one of the posts and opened it.

Title: The current pharmacy vending machine situation;;

(Rough photo of ordinary people standing in front of a vending machine. JPG)

As you know, after Si-yeon was chosen by the System and invented the vaccine,

she registered it in the vending machine for 0 mana stones...

The crazy thing is... she could have made a fortune in mana stones with the vaccine...

Since many Stalkers have ordinary people in their families, Awakeners who needed it would have bought the vaccine at any price...

But Si-yeon completely gave up on making a profit so that everyone could buy it..

So ordinary people are now lining up nicely and buying the vaccine one at a time ㅇㅇ

Did she really register this for 0 mana stones?

ㄴ ㅇㅇ She just registered it for 0 mana stones ㅠㅠ

ㄴ She could have registered this vaccine for a thousand mana stones and... it still would have sold...

O saint chosen by the System...

ㄴ Ohhh, Si-yeon, what a paragon of virtue...

ㄴ Her heart is really as perfect as the rest of her...

ㄴ For real, Si-yeon has impeccable instincts...

The vending machine gets restocked every day now, right?

ㄴ So does that mean the vaccine stock is restocked by 500 every day?

ㄴ ㅇㅇ

ㄴ And we can buy it for 0 mana stones???

ㄴ That's right ㅇㅇ

ㄴ Ordinary people can keep buying it ㅇㅇ

ㄴ This is fucking amazingㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Ever since the vaccine was registered in the vending machine, users had been going wild over the vaccine itself.

And as you know, the vaccine Si-yeon registered was priced at 0.

“I like it.”

That was why I could deliver it for free without any burden either.

Title: But seriously, isn't this Speedrun bastard fucking insane...?

No, seriously, did Speedrun carry Si-yeon around almost the entire Capital Area on their back?

And did Speedrun even carry all the vaccines bought from the vending machines around and distribute them to the guilds sheltering ordinary people?

How the hell is this possible...?

YoumustrespectSpeedrun

ㄴ YoumustrespectSpeedrun

ㄴ YoumustrespectSi-yeonwhowashangingthere

Si-yeon looked like she was puking her guts out while hanging there... Is she okay?

ㄴ Do you think she's okay...?

But it's fucking hilarious that this mysterious disinfection duo formedㅋㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ Saint (exhaust pipe of a fart truck)

ㄴ Saint (insecticide sprayer)

ㄴ Saint (vaccine generator)

Si-yeon... thank you and I'm sorry...

ㄴ Get plenty of rest ㅠㅠㅠ

ㄴ Maknae ㅠㅠ I'm sorry I couldn't protect you

ㄴ Thank you for protecting us ㅠㅠ

Posts about people spotting the mysterious disinfection duo delivering vaccines to each guild branch and disinfecting the entire Capital Area were also quietly appearing in the Gallery.

“They really are fast.”

How is that even possible?

Title: [Unlucky Gallery Doctor] Vaccine <<< This thing is fucking amazing....

First, I'd like to thank Maknae-nim and Speedrun for disinfecting the Capital Area during this insect infection...

And I'd also like to thank the System that made all of this possible.

Thanks to the vaccine being registered for 0 mana stones, we were able to distribute it to the ordinary people coming to the shelter as patients, but

I did some analysis, and this Lesser Mutant Infection Prevention Vaccine seems like an absurdly powerful item.

We Awakeners only have infection resistance, so if we get bitten by enough mutants, we eventually become infected...

But the mechanism of this preventive vaccine says, [You will no longer be infected by lesser mutants].

What does that mean??

Unlike the infection resistance Awakeners have had until now,

I think it means that it completely blocks and prevents infection itself ㅇㅇ

Of course, the lesser mutants specified seem to be limited to Runners and Walkers;;

But it seems we can no longer be infected by those specific creatures ㅇㅇ

Wait?

ㄴ The vaccine is that powerful?

ㄴ It blocks infection altogether?

ㄴ This is fucking insane;;

I didn't understand it;;

ㄴ Infection resistance << Literally resisting infection << But once the infection exceeds your resistance value, you become infected

ㄴ Infection prevention << Literally preventing infection itself << You simply cannot be infected by lesser mutants

ㄴ Is this right??

ㄴ ㅇㅇ That's right

[Unlucky Gallery Doctor] You can still die if they bite you, though...

ㄴ You can't beat physical force ㅇㅇ

ㄴ I wasn't expecting it to do that

ㄴ Still, the important thing is that they don't rise again, and the infection itself can no longer spread

ㄴ This is it

But then doesn't that mean Awakeners should get vaccinated too?

ㄴ Seems so

ㄴ Since it can prevent infection itself

Of course, ordinary people were in urgent need right now, so the general mood was to vaccinate ordinary people first.

ㄴ Awakeners should get vaccinated too

ㄴ If you can get one, get it quickly and take it right away ㅇㅇ

ㄴ For real, this is itㅋㅋㅋ

For two days now, the Gallery had been picking apart, dissecting, tasting, and enjoying the effects of the distributed preventive vaccine.

“Not bad?”

There really was a difference between resisting infection and blocking infection itself.

Just as I was refreshing the Gallery.

“Oh.”

A post from the Head Mod appeared.

Title: [Head Mod] This is the Head Mod. Most of the current situation in the Capital Area has been dealt with ㅇㅇ

Two days have passed since the vaccine was distributed.

The insect infection incident from Patch 2 that swept across the Capital Area has mostly been dealt with ㅇㅇ

I understand that the vaccine registered in the pharmacy vending machines is currently being administered mainly to ordinary people.

This time, I'm going to implement an institutional regulation!!!!

From now on, only people who have been vaccinated and can show proof of vaccination will be allowed to use the restrooms!!!

Ahh... Is that what this is...?

ㄴ Proof of vaccination??

ㄴ It's a familiar routine to us Koreans...

ㄴ We need proof of vaccination to use public facilities...

ㄴ Nothing surprising...

ㄴ We've already been through it once;;

Is this actually real?

ㄴ [Head Mod] ㅇㅇ I'll go check it myself ㅇㅇ

ㄴ [Head Mod] When I get there, I'll personally hand out the vaccines I've stockpiled too ㅇㅇ

ㄴ Oh!!!

ㄴ That's good, isn't it?

ㄴ What a sweet deal?

As expected, he's an apocalypse civil servant;;

ㄴ Became a civil servant after the apocalypse;;

ㄴ Capital Area administrative power + 1

ㄴ Capital Area unity + 1

ㄴ What the hell are you guys doingㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ It's cute how you're leveling up statsㅋㅋ

ㄴㅇㅋㅋㅋ

The Head Mod was laying down the law, saying that only people who had shown proof of vaccination would be allowed to use public restrooms.

“This is interesting.”

I thought this was a positive direction too.

Since the pharmacy vending machines were restocked every day, most people would soon be able to get vaccinated.

And many already had.

Of course, there were people who got angry about it too.

I'm not getting vaccinated. Does that mean I can't use the restroom?

ㄴ ㅇ? What kind of bullshit is this?

ㄴ Why aren't you getting vaccinated?

You guys don't know?

ㄴ If I get this vaccine, the System-nim and Si-yeon-nim will implant a chip in my head and control me!!!

ㄴ ?

ㄴ This is brainwashing by the System!!! They'll control meeeee!!!!

Then.... isn't that a good thing?

ㄴ The System-nim who solved this crisis is going to brainwash and control me?

ㄴ I can't pass this up ㅇㅇ

What!! Please control me already!!!

ㄴ System, please implant a chip in my head right now!!!!

ㄴ Kraaah!!

ㄴ I said brainwash me!!!!

Everyone seemed happy to go along with it.

“So conspiracy theorists still exist after the apocalypse.”

Still, you should get vaccinated. What else can you do? It's for everyone's sake, so we can all live well together.

And so the Gallery's discussion naturally shifted to the System itself.

Title: But the System <<< The thing that's seriously creepy about this bastard ㅇㅇ

It had already chosen the pharmacy and Si-yeon as branch managers before Patch 2 even began ㅇㅇ

It was practically telling us how to resolve Patch 2 before the patch even happened ㅇㅇ

We were the ones floundering around and failing to notice the answer right away...

Shop-nim << Couldn't stand watching and simply decided to step in and distribute the medicine personally ㅇㅇ

All of this was the System-nim's arrangement, yet we failed to see it. Please forgive us ㅠㅠ

I got chills when I realized this too

ㄴ Me too

ㄴ That it had already chosen who would solve it before the patch even began ㅇㅇ

ㄴ Exactly

The System, this bastard?

ㄴ Fuck, you still don't get it?

ㄴ "Shop-nim."

ㄴ "Yeah."

Hmm, but isn't all of this just a coincidence?

ㄴ ㅇ?

ㄴ The System just installed and appointed them

ㄴ Aren't we the ones giving it meaning?

ㄴ How dare you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you failing to recognize the System-nim's great cause!!!!!!!

ㄴ You mean the System-nim installed the pharmacy vending machines without any thought

ㄴ And chose Si-yeon as branch manager!!!!!!!

ㄴ There is no way that could be the case!!!

ㄴ Calm down;;

Ah... System-nim...

ㄴ One drink for the departed comrade

ㄴ Another drink for eternal love with you

ㄴ And another drink for my already shabby self

ㄴ The final drink for the System-nim who knew it all in advance and decided it all for us...

ㄴ Kyaa...

ㄴ As expected, literature needs hard times ㅇㅇ

Let's let the apocalypse happen one more time and give birth to a great literary master

ㄴ Don't do that, bro

ㄴ How amazing would the literary master born after one more apocalypse be?

ㄴ Shesheshesheikikikikspipipipiaaaaar would probably appear ㅇㅇ

ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋㅋ

All sorts of interpretations about me were pouring out.

“Hmm... Me...?”

I hadn't done it knowingly.

I had just stumbled upon the method while trying things out.

“Well, if it's solved, then okay.”

When coincidences keep happening, they become intentional.

But posts offering a new perspective were also appearing.

Title: A perspective on the System that helped resolve this incident ㅇㅇ

First of all, the System-nim is an outcast ㅇㅇ << This is certain ㅇㅇ

First, the patches carried out by the Destroyer who caused the apocalypse are thoroughly malicious ㅇㅇ

You can tell just by looking at the insect infection patch ㅇㅇ

So although the Destroyer and Starplex use the same authority (though Starplex has higher-level authority),

while the Destroyer <<< is carrying out a grand scenario to destroy us,

Starplex <<< the System-nim intervenes at just the right moments and throws a wrench into the Destroyer's plans ㅇㅇ

In other words, it could be called the balance-patch team or the savior role ㅇㅇ

The System-nim intervenes even at the cost of causing errors between Systems, so there's no way the same department would give it a good evaluation ㅇㅇ

So the System-nim is an outcast...

The G r e a t S y s t e m, continuing its lonely battle today to save us....

No, this guy started by calling the System an outcast, so I was wondering what kind of bullshit he was onㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ Ah ㅠㅠㅠ

ㄴ I miss Lightplex...

ㄴ Fuck... ㅠㅠ

ㄴ It isn't dead, you bastards!!!

ㄴ It can't die!!!!

I guess that's true...

ㄴ So does that mean the System-nim is a troublemaker?

ㄴ From the Destroyer's perspective, you could see it that way ㅇㅇ

ㄴ Ohhh

The System-nim is a Constellation!!!!

ㄴ Yeah, yeah, that's right!!

ㄴ [Shop Wiki] Starplex is... a troublemaking protocol... or a salvation protocol...

ㄴ Nope~~ It's a constellation~~

ㄴ Shop Wiki keeps losingㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ It's getting completely destroyedㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ [Head Mod] Clearly a Transcendent Being ㅇㅇ

ㄴ Transcendent Beings are part of the Constellations too, after all ㅇㅇ

But fuck, now that you put it that way, this world kind of feels like The Matrix...

ㄴ I can see why you'd feel that way

Could the blue and red potions added to the pharmacy vending machine be this???

ㄴ Gasp!!!!

ㄴ So he gave us the red pill and blue pill to choose from ㄷㄷㄷㄷ

ㄴ System-nim... We will take the red pill and fight against the truth of this apocalypse!!!

[Speedrun] Neyo! Wake up! Wake up from the refreshing Odassu and tuna cans you bought from the Shop! The air-conditioned, lavender-scented restroom isn't real either! The red potions that cure you and the blue potions that refill your mana in an instant aren't real either! There are no cup noodles, bidets, or disinfectant in the world! Wake up, Neyo! Wake up and live with us, running from zombies through abandoned buildings while chewing on bug blocks made by clumping cockroaches together for the rest of your life! Wake up, Neyo!

ㄴ Ah fuck, you Speedrun bastard

ㄴ I only read the text and it's fucking horrifying;;

ㄴ Ah, I'm not waking up

ㄴ I immediately bought 100 sleep aids from the vending machine after reading this ㅇㅇ

ㄴ I immediately bought 10 blue potions after reading this ㅇㅇ

Did the Wachowski brothers foresee this?

ㄴ They're sisters now

ㄴ Aren't they sisters?

ㄴ Whatever, that thing

ㄴ Aren't they zombies by now?

ㄴ Ahㅋㅋㅋㅋ That's rightㅋㅋ

ㄴ A truly wise answer, for real

The discussion even continued into the true entity that had initiated this patch.

“Hmm.”

Of course, unlike the real System, I knew who that entity was.

“The real System.”

The entity that users had newly named the Destroyer.

The Destroyers had carried out this patch with malicious intent.

For now, with the vaccine invented and ordinary people getting vaccinated first,

ㄴ It was true that the situation had been brought to an end for the time being ㅇㅇ

ㄴ But it doesn't change the fact that a Red Zone mutant could suddenly pop up, right?

ㄴ That's true;;

ㄴ We can't let our guard down;;

[Speedrun] I decided to take Si-yeon out on disinfection rounds every other day, so don't worry, but stay as careful as possible

ㄴ Hmm, that's true;;

ㄴ They'll have to work hard driving around that light-speed fart truck;;

ㄴ Si-yeon is working hardㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ Poor thing ㅠㅠㅠ

And Speedrun had focused the disinfection efforts on safe zones ㅇㅇ

ㄴ There are still insects in the uncharted areas ㅇㅇ

Anyway... at least things had been sorted out to some extent.

ㄴ We should be careful from now on ㅇㅇ

ㄴ We need to vaccinate all the ordinary people first ㅇㅇ

But if this is Patch 2...

ㄴ There'll be another patch, right?

ㄴ It's okay, it's okay! We have Lightplex-nim!!

ㄴ Lightplex!! Hang in there!!!

ㄴ Throw another wrench into their plans!!!!!

Besides, the situation wasn't completely settled. This phenomenon would continue, and

it remained true that threats could appear intermittently in the future.

“Still, at least things have calmed down somewhat where people are gathered...”

I had no way of knowing what was going on behind the scenes. Nor did I know their true purpose.

All I could do was speculate that they were watching us perform our desperate struggle.

But there was one thing I knew for certain.

I'm the real System.

In other words, I wouldn't dance to the Destroyers' tune.

“Fuck. Do I look like someone who'll dance to someone else's tune?”

I would survive, no matter what it took.

“I will find a way. As I always have.”

I would throw every kind of creative wrench into their plans and fight back against their patches! I would have my revenge!

“I wonder if they know how good I am at causing trouble?”

I would cause some serious trouble for this System bastard.

Anyway, my long-term vision had been decided.

“To do that?”

First, I needed to earn a lot of mana stones, and after that, I needed to diligently clear plenty of quests.

Since I never knew when another shitty patch might hit me, I had to make a plan.

I checked my mana-stone balance after going all-in on the paid refill two days ago.

[Mana stones held two days ago: 126,223]

▼

[Mana stones currently held: 512,220]

Thanks to the opening rush, restrooms, and pharmacy automatic income rolling in nicely over the past two days, my mana stones had returned to their original level.

[Building Master Main Quest 9: Have 500,000 mana stones (Complete)]

I immediately cleared the quest too.

“What is this!”

Give me my reward!!

[Reward will be granted]

[The stock refill cycle for tiles you own has been reduced]

[Previous stock refill cycle: 72 hours]

[Current stock refill cycle: 48 hours]

“!!!!!!!!”

Holy shit! The stock refill cycle got shorter!!!!

“Kyaa! This is it!!!”

Now the stock would be refilled every two days. That meant I could do another opening rush in just two days too.

“Kgegegegek! Let's duplicate mana stones!!!”

I couldn't do it immediately, though, since I'd just earned mana stones by doing the opening rush first thing in the morning.

“Hmm... Should I power-level Si-yeon some more?”

My quest was important too, but so was our branch manager, who had even created a disinfection aura and synthesized a vaccine.

Even I couldn't gauge how high the branch manager's abilities could go.

Now that the refill cycle had gotten shorter, I thought I could power-level the branch manager even faster.

“Huh?”

But something was strange.

“Come to think of it, two days have passed, but Healer Union hasn't appeared...?”

Healer Union hadn't appeared anywhere.

- [Head Mod]: Speedrunner played a major role this time, so follow me and help inspect the restrooms so that only vaccinated people are allowed in

- [Speedrun]: I cannot agree with that statement...

- [Shop Wiki]: What are you doing...?

I opened the admins' group chat to check while they bantered, but Healer Union was nowhere to be seen.

Healer Union had completely gone dark after discovering and delivering the vaccine two days ago.

I had an ominous feeling.

- [Troublemaker NEET]: Hmm, Speedrun, how was Si-yeon doing two days ago?

- [Speedrun]: Hm? Why are you curious about that?

- [Troublemaker NEET]: Um... Am I not allowed to ask?

- [Speedrun]: I dropped Si-yeon off at the Myth Guild without incident. Si-yeon did look like they were in bad shape, though...

- [Speedrun]: But given the situation, it couldn't be helped

- [Speedrun]: Come to think of it, today is the day we said we'd disinfect again... I should go check ㅇㅇ

“Huh...?”

Si-yeon looked like they were in bad shape?

Well, I had heard Si-yeon had been suffering from continuous debuffs. No way.

“Is something... wrong?”

That would be a huge problem.

Just as I suddenly felt frightened.

Ding-!

A one-on-one message arrived for me.

- [Healer Union]: Sugarcane, what are you doing...?

- [Healer Union]: Are you asleep...?