Chapter 64
The Myth Guild's camp.
“Everyone heard me, right? Starting today, every one of our farming parties is taking exactly three ordinary porters along!”
Guild Master Yoon Seo-jin was shouting as she gathered the guild members.
“System-nim is personally supporting the newbies, even handing out starter packs! If we turn these god-tier normals into guild-affiliated Awakeners now, every one of them becomes part of Myth's strength!”
“But Guild Master... No matter how you look at it, farming while protecting newbies is a serious risk...”
“The Orange Zone... It's hard enough just keeping ourselves alive...”
“Don't worry! We have the potions Si-yeon made!”
Now that the vaccine had eliminated the risk of infection and Si-yeon's potions made rapid trauma treatment possible,
there had never been a better time to awaken ordinary people safely.
“We can't let this opportunity System-nim gave us slip away. We'll produce the most Awakeners and seize supremacy in the future! Got it!”
“Waaaaah!”
“We'll go down in Myth's history!”
Seo-jin quietly watched the guild members cheer, then let out a small sigh.
“Phew...”
She had always acted with confidence, but lately, something inside her had not felt quite right.
“Something... It feels like the guild master's standing keeps getting lower and lower...”
She had founded the guild with the goals of surviving from the early days of the apocalypse and becoming the strongest guild.
But lately, she had begun to feel as though her presence was gradually fading.
“Thanks to the potions Maknae made, this might actually be doable?”
“It'd be impossible without Maknae.”
“If we get ordinary people starter packs, do you think they'll share them with us...?”
“We need to build up some favor with the god-tier normals in advance.”
It felt as though Seo-jin's standing was gradually diminishing because Si-yeon, the guild's maknae, had accomplished far too much.
And that wasn't all.
“That's... mine...”
Seo-jin soon turned her gaze toward one place. It was none other than the barracks where Si-yeon was staying.
‘My mattress and bed...’
It was the bed Seo-jin had farmed herself at the risk of her life. Now it had become the maknae's.
Her eyes grew slightly red, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Because Maknae Si-yeon was the branch manager chosen by System-nim.
“It isn't because I lack the ability that I wasn't chosen...”
It was because she hadn't put in enough effooooort to catch System-nim's eye.
“I'll make the most Awakeners and get noticed!”
Just as Seo-jin made that resolute declaration,
“Guild Master!”
The vice guild master hurried over to her.
“G-Guild Master!! An official Shop announcement has been posted in the Gallery!!”
“An announcement? What is System-nim giving us this time?”
The moment Seo-jin looked through the Gallery,
“...Huh?”
Seo-jin's eyes began to tremble.
- [★Starplex★] 1st Mentorship Development Event Announcement!
The System would reward the person who helped newly Awakened users clear the most Main Quests.
First place would receive infrastructure installed by the System.
Second place would receive a raw meat set.
Third place would receive whiskey.
Seo-jin soon realized what she had to do.
“This is ittttttt!!!!!”
Seo-jin's eyes rolled back completely.
It wasn't merely because she coveted the rewards. This was an opportunity.
‘An opportunity to prove my existence to System-nim!’
She swung her longsword through the air and roared.
“I'll step up personally!!”
“Pardon? You personally, Guild Master?”
“I'll personally help the newly Awakened newbies!!!”
****
After the event announcement went up on the official Shop account, the Integrated Survivors Gallery was exploding.
Insane carry event ㄷㄷㄷㄷ [4423]
This is insane;; [7774]
Shop! Are you really a god! [445]
....
Title : Fuck, look at those reward levels;;
First place alone makes no sense ㅇㅇ
Just installing one piece of infrastructure for free in a designated area is already insane, seriously
No... A restroom in front of my guild branch?
ㄴ A pharmacy in front of my house...?
ㄴ Kyaa
ㄴ The System << This bastard really is a god
Having a restroom right in front of my house is seriously amazing
ㄴ A private restroom... We could actually have one of these?
ㄴ Seriously, we don't even have to take turnsㅋㅋㅋㅋ
You just open your eyes and there's a restroom right in front of you!!!
ㄴ I won't have to wait 1 hour, 21 minutes, and 11 seconds to use the restroom and end up shitting my pants anymore!
ㄴ That's... surprisingly specific...?
ㄴ Something... must have gone very wrong...
ㄴ I hope it was just the small one ㅠㅠ
I'm actually more tempted by second place ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Fuck, meat!!! It says meat!!!!
ㄴ Raw meat!!!
ㄴ The Shop << This bastard had meat all along!!!
ㄴ Seriously, it actually had meat...
ㄴ And it's giving us a grill too...
I was laughing as I watched the scene unfold.
“Kyaa. It's this crazy?”
This wasn't merely on fire; everyone was completely going wild.
I never doubted you, Shop-nim...
ㄴ I knew that one day you'd share raw meat with us...
ㄴ We can eat raw meat without even buying it...?
ㄴ This is religion ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Seriously, God really existed
But is the Shop really giving us meat?
ㄴ Seriously, where would you even find something like that in this world?
ㄴ Is the Shop << just talking out of its ass?
ㄴ Get him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ㄴ How dare you doubt System-nim!!!!!!!!!!
ㄴ Has System-nim ever answered us with a lie!!!!!
No, fuck, second-place Korean beef is already insane, but
ㄴ Third place is 100 bottles of whiskey, that's fucking crazyㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ If you put that on the black market, you could easily found and maintain an entire guild ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Seriously, I wonder how much it would trade for...
I don't need first or second place. I'll drink the third-place whiskey until I pass out and forget this fucking apocalypse ㅇㅇ
ㄴ To think I'd see the liquor they forcibly cut us off from after the apocalypse...
ㄴ If I can grill Korean beef and eat it or drink whiskey, it'd be a good death even if a zombie bit me to death that day ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Seriously, a good deathㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ You could die happy ㅇㅇ
But more people were drawn to the second- and third-place prizes than the first-place prize.
“Hmph. Is it really that big a deal?”
To be honest, I had been planning to sell meat and alcohol someday, once people's mana-stone situation improved a little.
I had intended to provide them somehow, whether by copying tiles or registering them in the Shop.
Of course, timing was important.
“People could get killed...”
Although things were better now that most users had been educated, I had to remember that the atmosphere had truly been vicious at the beginning.
Still, I was glad I could resolve at least a little of a long-standing issue at an appropriate time.
So... Does this mean you'll sell meat someday...?
ㄴ Fuck, I absolutely can't die before then
ㄴ Seriously, I'm holding out until I can buy meat;;
ㄴ So you're going to eat meat before you die, no matter what...
“Still, if I managed to give them hope, then it's all right.”
Moreover, it seemed I had achieved the original purpose of holding this event as well.
Title : [God of War] Recruiting new guild members!!!!
We sincerely welcome and invite newly Awakened users who have recently awakened in Ares.
[Preferred qualifications]
1. Extreme preference for complete newbies who Awakened recently and have low Main Quests!!!
2. Absolutely no combat experience required!! Even if you've never fought a zombie, you're welcome!!
[These are our guild's strengths]
1. A family-like atmosphere
2. Horizontal, systematic one-on-one mentoring!
[Welfare benefits]
Three meals a day guaranteed!!! (Meal times strictly observed)
Exemption from night watch and dangerous labor guaranteed!
- Guaranteed final blows on zombies!!
- If an unexpected crisis occurs, the Guild Master personally and senior officers will volunteer as meat shields!
Ares prioritizes the safe and comfortable growth of our newbies above all else.
Don't hesitate—apply right now!
They posted a recruitment notice immediatelyㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Seriously, they showed up right awayㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ The guild master volunteering as a meat shield << What the hell
ㄴ Kang-san, buddy... Your motives are showing...
The small-company stink is overwhelming right from the recruitment notice...?
ㄴ “Family-like atmosphere,” my ass;;
ㄴ Three meals a day is kind of tempting
ㄴ They didn't say what they're actually giving us...
ㄴ Release the Blind rating already, Kang-san
ㄴ Never join Ares;;
Guys, don't join Ares...?
ㄴ You should join, fuck
ㄴ Ares really is a major corporation ㅇㅇㅇ
ㄴ There are so many small guilds without benefits like that
ㄴ Fuck, let me in too, Kang-san!!!
ㄴ Me too!!
The reason I had held this event and even put up the rewards was clear.
“We have to help the newbies grow!”
As you know, the current structure made it difficult for newbies to advance their Main Quests on their own.
“What a fucking dead game...”
With no support for new users, if newbies were thrown straight into dangerous zones, they would simply die out.
That was why the guilds' help was needed to carry the newbies and help them grow.
And this was the perfect way to naturally encourage their participation and good-natured competition.
[Myth] Newly Awakened newbies!! Come to our guild instead of Ares!!
ㄴ Hmm... Should I go to Myth?
ㄴ [Myth] Of course you should come!!!
ㄴ W-Welfare... what's that...?
ㄴ [Myth] ?!!!
What the hell am I looking at?
ㄴ A newbie... asked Myth... what their welfare benefits were???
ㄴ Was this even possible...?
ㄴ Fuck, just invite them and they'll come!
ㄴ We want to join Myth too!!!!
[Myth] Hmm... Our guild's welfare benefits are...
ㄴ I'll hear them and decide!
ㄴ Me too!
[Myth] We have Si-yeon ㅇㅇ Free potions ㅇㅇ
ㄴ I'm coming
ㄴ I want to go
ㄴ I'm coming
A country with Si-yeon;;
ㄴ Fuck, I'm jealous;;
ㄴ [White Night] Come to our guild and we'll show you what romance is!!!
ㄴ [Ironclad] We'll teach you what control is!!!
The results were quite successful.
First of all, the major guilds were actively trying to recruit newbies.
We're a small party, though...
ㄴ We don't even want that...
ㄴ We're just trying to hire a few ordinary people to travel with us
ㄴ Same
ㄴ If you think of it as building favor with System-nim... it might not be so bad?
ㄴ Does this mean we'll be ‘chosen’ like Si-yeon?
ㄴ Kyaa... Those words make my prostate tingle...
ㄴ Fuck, at least invite us first...
ㄴ I don't even hope to be chosen; just invite me ㅠㅠ
The small parties also seemed to be stepping up actively.
Perhaps because of the image the System had built up over time, everyone was reacting quite positively.
“That's more like it.”
Moreover, I secretly hoped that this process would naturally create a newbie-training program within the guilds.
“I can only live well if everyone else lives well too.”
But now that I thought about it, I'm raising the customers myself, then selling things back to the customers I've raised. It feels kind of strange.
“Is this... the creative economy?”
Training, production, consumption, and even revenue collection.
“I'm beating the drum and playing the gong all by myself.”
Haa... I'm asking seriously here... Is there no way to delete my account and start over??
ㄴ Please delete your account... I'm about to start now..
ㄴ Where do I board the reincarnation truck? Ahㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Fuck, I'm at Main Quest 28, but I want to reset everything and join as a newbie over there ㅠㅠㅠ
This is tyranny by the System!!!
ㄴ Why do you only treat newbies well!!
ㄴ Did those bastards who Awakened yesterday save their country in a past life? I'm so fucking jealous ㅠㅠㅠ
Of course, there were also grumbling voices from the existing Awakeners.
“It can't be helped...”
Since time immemorial, whenever a newbie-jumping event opened, existing veterans would lie down and protest. It was an ancient tradition—and proof of a truly great game.
“You don't feed fish already caught in the aquarium.”
Besides, that wasn't entirely true. Those people were already making full use of my abilities, after all. Whatever.
“I'll come back with an even better event next time!”
- [Head Mod] Hmm... Can I do this too... ?
- [Speedrun] Training disciples was my longtime dream. I wanted to compete with you in speed someday.
- [Shop Wiki] Hmm... I'm not quite capable of that level, though...
The Head Mod and the other administrators were also cautiously poking their heads in.
“It'd be good if they did it too.”
The Head Mod and deputy mods had already proven their combat abilities, so there was no reason they couldn't participate.
- [Troublemaker NEET] You guys should do it too ㄱㄱ
- [Speedrun] You should go outside and do something too
- [Troublemaker NEET] ;;
I egged on the deputy mods, then planned to browse the Gallery and rest for a while during the event.
“There are four days left, so let's shoot a Starplex human-interest documentary in the meantime.”
But... my starter pack isn't here;;
ㄴ I authenticated my Awakening too!! I didn't get one!
I didn't get my starter pack... Is it over now?
ㄴ Is System-nim busy because he opened an event?
ㄴ Would a Constellation do such a thing!!!
ㄴ The System must simply be dealing with the processing for a moment!!
I wasn't given any time to rest.
“Ah, fuck, right!!! The starter packs!”
I hurried back down to the camping hall on basement level one.
Unopened tent boxes, scattered field shovels, and Spyam gift sets were piled up.
And empty cardboard boxes were waiting beside them.
“...When am I supposed to pack all this?”
Why couldn't the System Shop just do one-click delivery?
“Am I running the System or working part-time for Coupang?”
Why was I doing one hundred percent manual labor? Why was it only two percent convenient instead of being properly convenient?
“Mr. Zombie!! Please, just help me a little this time! Help!!! Help!!!”
- Grrrrr!
Does that mean you understand?
Thunk-!
One tentacle struck the transparent wall.
“I'll accept the thought.”
Looks like it's trying to help me buy a ticket to the afterlife.
And so I began packing the starter packs again.
I supposed I'd be doing this until the mentorship event ended.
“Trampled beneath the disaster I brought upon myself!!!”
Grrrrr-! Thunk-!
“While lamentation veils the underworld!!!”
Grrrrr-! Thunk-!
Nice rhythm, Mr. Zombie.
“Anyway, fuck, what kind of suffering is this?”
The reason I had included food in both the mentorship event and the starter packs was obvious.
It simply wasn't easy for those people to survive.
I killed seven Walkers today, but not a single mana stone dropped
ㄴ How's that luck?
ㄴ That's fucking brutal
ㄴ Go buy a lottery ticket right now
ㄴ There are no lottery tickets, and nowhere to buy them...
In other words, I was telling them to go farm in the Orange Zone and come back.
ㄴ The zombie bros there are guaranteed to drop mana stones
ㄴ But if we go there, we can't farm or come back
ㄴ Ah, you can figure that part out yourselvesㅋㅋ
That was a separate issue from my copying tiles for them.
I could provide goods, but I wasn't the real System, so I couldn't change their fundamental problem.
The outside world's economy was completely insane compared with mana-stone drop rates—whether it was inflation, deflation, or whatever meta this was.
I'm from the Yellow Zone, Main Quest 21
ㄴ Doesn't clearing this give you 200 mana stones as a reward?
ㄴ Go to the market and trade them for sewage water to drink ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Gasp
Kyaa, the harshness of survival really makes this feel like an apocalypse
ㄴ This is a gameㅋㅋ
When are we supposed to clear our Main Quests, get stronger, and reach the Orange Zone where mana-stone drops are guaranteed?
ㄴ Just quit the game ㄱㄱ
ㄴ Hey, you bastard, how can you say that
I'm not exactly qualified to do the mentorship quest either ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Still, if I awaken an ordinary friend, we agreed to split the starter pack 3:7. Is that a huge win?
ㄴ What's your split?
ㄴ I'm seven, obviously
ㄴ Your shamelessness is insane
ㄴ Kyaa, it's not even nine-to-one?
Even clearing a Main Quest didn't solve immediate survival.
The only way was to become stronger, kill more monsters, earn more mana stones, and live well.
But that?
“It isn't easy.”
I could earn mana stones with a click, but these people had to earn mana stones and risk their lives at the same time.
“No, fuck, what a shitty System, you bastard!”
It feels like playing a game where a ten-pull costs 250,000 diamonds, but achievement rewards are a pathetic 500 diamonds.
“At least change Walkers from having a chance to drop mana stones to dropping them guaranteed!”
I know it's for balance, but this was too much.
“But I can't just hand everything out, either.”
I couldn't simply give things away when I also had to make a living off mana stones.
There had to be a justification for everything.
The reason I had started the starter-pack and mentorship events was to prepare for Patch 2 and cultivate a future middle-class customer base, wasn't it?
“I'll cause as much trouble as I can out of sheer spite, damn it.”
As I sighed and began packing another cardboard box,
“Oh, fuck, wait a second.”
Come to think of it—the quest?
“Hmm?”
Couldn't I just do it myself?
I had a justification, rewards to give, and plenty of things I could make them do.
“Kyaa, Speedy, you brilliant bastard.”
How can I be this brilliant and still not have a girlfriend?