Chapter 68
The black market centered around Migeum Station subway station.
Recently, contrary to people's expectations after the System appeared, the black market had become far more popular.
“Mr. Kim. Two servings of mini rat meat.”
“Oh, wait a second...! I'll warm it up a little.”
On one side, Mr. Kim, who dealt in mini rat meat, was serving the customers crowding around him.
In the offline market, the most popular products were still rat meat and filtered sewage water.
The System had recently been actively releasing supplies, but the world outside was still an apocalypse.
Although the daily quest rewards guaranteed the bare minimum for survival, they were nowhere near enough to fill an empty stomach.
That was why Stalkers normally covered one meal with quest rewards and the other with food obtained from the offline market.
“How much is it?”
“It's seven mana stones now. I increased the portion a little.”
“But do you even have anything left over at that price?”
“Good grief, with Shop-nim handing out food as daily quest rewards, how could I keep going! I have to compete through thin margins and high volume with rat meat, hoho!”
Of course, the prices of the goods they sold had fallen far more than before.
Even so, the food merchants' expressions were fairly bright.
“We... always had some left over... To be honest, we simply hadn't been doing business honestly.
“Besides, I mixed a little vaccine into the feed at my rat farm, and the rats got healthier. I've also heard far fewer complaints about people getting stomachaches after eating this.
“Thanks to Shop-nim, almost all the swindlers have disappeared now. We run honest businesses too.”
“I mixed vaccine into the sewage water, and it tastes much better and seems to filter more effectively.”
“This too must be System-nim's grace."
Since this was a world where all infrastructure could not be restored as it had been before, demand for the goods they handled remained firm.
Rather, thanks to the vaccines being distributed for free, the quality of their products had noticeably improved.
Although prices had fallen, quality had risen sharply, giving buyers plenty of reason to cheer.
This was by no means a losing business for the merchants either.
Thanks to the supplies the System provided for free, Stalkers were farming more often.
They were also able to save the mana stones they had been spending on expensive medicines, which improved the survivors' finances as well.
The offline economy that had gradually been fading away was once again filled with lively energy.
“Sell lots, Mr. Kim.”
“Sure. I'll come back with a new menu next time.”
And so, in the market, it wasn't only food merchants who were doing business.
Crafting-type Awakeners were also actively running their shops.
“Armor reinforced with mutant hide, complete! Forty mana stones!”
“Spearheads made by grinding Walker bones. I applied an enhancement skill, so they're durable.”
A virtuous cycle born beneath the System.
But not everyone had regained their conscience and hope and was living that way.
Rough-looking raiders had set up stalls and were doing business in front of a place that had been called the station staff room before the apocalypse.
“C-Could you sell me just two more cans of tuna...? The daily quest rewards I received today aren't enough for the children starving at home...”
A Stalker was haggling with them.
Behind the raiders were cans of tuna and Spam that the Shop had released as daily quest rewards. There were even tents from the starter packs handed out to newbies.
“...Two cans of tuna? Fine. Hand over 150 mana stones.”
“What...? But how can you charge 150 mana stones for three when it's food given for clearing a daily quest...?”
“Of course daily quests alone aren't enough! That's why you have to buy them at a high price from people like us who stockpiled the goods!”
One of the merchants snickered and mocked the Stalker.
“If you don't like it, become a Shop member.”
“Or clear today's daily quest one more time. Oh, right. There's a one-a-day limit, isn't there?”
Just as the raiders openly mocked the Stalker,
their boss approached with a vile smile.
“Hey, you can make mana stones if you do what I do. Want me to tell you how?”
“What...? How...?”
“It's simple. The starter packs those newbie kids received from the System. Take those and sell them."
The boss sneered as he lightly kicked a tent bag for newbies sprawled at his feet.
The Stalker could say nothing in front of such raiders.
“If System-nim... finds out... they won't let this slide....”
“We don't post on the Gallery, you know? Heh-heh.”
“How would the System find out?”
Just as the raiders laughed at the Stalker for talking about the System,
“Just as System-nim expected...”
a low whisper came from behind the raider boss.
“...!”
“!!!”
The raiders flinched, turned around, and soon saw a single person standing there.
Administrator Baek Eunwol.
They had no idea when she had approached, but she stood there with her arms crossed, looking down at them impassively.
“H-Head Mod?!!”
“No, fuck!! How did you...?”
“W-We didn't even post it in the Gallery! We only contacted each other by radio!! How did you know?!”
The raiders staggered backward in shock.
Seeing them, Eunwol answered quietly.
“You are all in System-nim's palm.”
No sooner had she finished speaking than Eunwol lightly extended a hand.
Smack-!
“Gyaaaagh!!”
A single flick to the forehead sent the raider boss rolling across the floor.
“You are all banned from the Gallery. I'll report this separately to Shop-nim.”
“..!”
“...”
The other raiders couldn't even answer Eunwol and slammed their foreheads to the ground.
“We're sorry!!! Please spare us just this once, Head Mod!!”
“We were wrong...!!”
“Please, just let us live...!”
Eunwol looked down at them for a moment, then jerked her chin toward the goods piled up behind them.
“I'll confiscate those stolen goods and return them to their owners.”
“Yes! Yes!! Take everything...”
Just as Eunwol was about to collect the goods, the youngest raider shouted.
“W-Wait! That one can of tuna was genuinely obtained by us through farming...!! Please, just that one!!!”
At those words, Eunwol turned her gaze toward him.
“Is that so? Fine.”
Eunwol picked up a dented can of tuna and asked indifferently,
“How much does the Shop sell this can of tuna for?”
“F-Forty mana stones...!”
Eunwol then thundered,
“From now on, sell it for more than that and you're dead.”
“...!!”
“You'll still be banned.”
That was the moment a fixed-price system began in the offline market.
****
“Uhhh...”
After sleeping soundly, I stretched, then checked the Gallery.
The first thing I saw was a notice posted by the Head Mod.
Title : *[Notice] [Head Mod] Announcement of Fixed Prices at Migeum Station's Offline Black Market and Return of Stolen Goods
In accordance with System-nim's will, Migeum Station Market is designated as a safe-trading zone as of this moment.
In addition, adding premiums to goods from pharmacy vending machines and the Shop is strictly prohibited, and fixed prices will be enforced ㅇㅇ
Also, the group that robbed newbies of their starter packs and daily quest rewards yesterday has been caught, and claim processing (physical) has been completed ㅇㅇ
The confiscated supplies are being stored near Exit 1 of Migeum Station, so come and retrieve them.
Other black markets are implementing fixed prices as well.
Oh!!!
ㄴ Ohhh!!!
ㄴ Did those thug bastards there finally get their heads cracked?
ㄴ There were some nasty ones hiding there from time to time. Good, good!
They were exploiting newbies even the day before yesterday.
ㄴ We couldn't exactly say anything...
ㄴ I didn't want to step forward for no reason, so I pretended not to see it...!
ㄴ The Head Mod really went on an IRL raid! Kyaa!!
“Claim processing (physical), my assㅋㅋㅋ”
ㄴ You just cracked their skullsㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋ
Oh!!
ㄴ I got extorted yesterday...!!
ㄴ Are you really going to return it...!!
ㄴ [Head Mod] I'm here, so go retrieve it without worry ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Thank you!
ㄴ Great Eunwol
But it's been a while since the Head Mod went on an IRL raid.
ㄴ For real, there are quite a lot of places like that.
ㄴ There wasn't even a post about that on the Gallery?
ㄴ Exactly, how did she know to go there?
[Head Mod] System-nim personally whispered it to me.
ㄴ ?!
ㄴ Huh?
ㄴ Shop-nim personally instructed you...?
[Head Mod] System-nim knew this would happen in advance and proposed it to me first through a one-on-one inquiry.
ㄴ What! VIP members get special quests!!!
ㄴ Insane...!!!
ㄴ Gyaaaagh, I'm jealous!!!
Wow, VIP members even get special quests...
ㄴ For real, I'm so jealous of VIP members;;
ㄴ ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
But they didn't even post it in the Gallery.
ㄴ How did System-nim know?
ㄴ For real, System-nim sees everything, lolㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ You think System-nim only watches the Gallery?ㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ G r e a t S y s t e m
ㄴ P r o p h e t
ㄴ I want seonji...
ㄴ Seonji hangover soup... Mmm...
“As expected.”
I knew these bastards would pull something like this. Survivors weren't the only ones learning.
I was gradually learning the survivors' meta too.
“Even administrators gradually adapt to what users do.”
There was no way this would quietly pass by.
“Thankfully, it seems I prevented it properly.”
Still, after setting a precedent like this, they probably wouldn't try it again.
I expelled the members the Head Mod mentioned, and they were separately banned from the Gallery, so this was an appropriate punishment.
“Good work, Head Mod.”
She had completed a special quest, so she deserved a reward, right?
I selected the cola stored in the refrigerator and had it delivered to the Head Mod.
Ding-!
At the same time, a message arrived in the VIP customer inquiry box.
[VIP Baek Eunwol (Head Mod) customer inquiry received]
[System-nim...!! System-nim!! Kyakya Cola...!!!!!!!]
[How long has it been since I've seen cola...!!!]
[If you have anything else for me to do, please tell me anytime!!! I will devote my entire body to you!!!]
“Sure, sure. I'm glad you enjoyed it.”
As you know, cola would probably be treated much like raw meat.
“If I release it carelessly... people might get killed.”
That was why I thought it would be better to give it as a reward when I made the deputy mods do something.
“Of course, that doesn't mean I won't sell it.”
I should sell it once I've invited all the survivors to become members, at least.
[And... there is one more thing I humbly wish to ask...]
[Regarding the infant formula and diapers you recently distributed... if what the Transcendent truly desires is the fertility and abundance of humanity...]
[I wish to confirm whether I, too, am worthy of that great cause...]
“Huh?”
Wait a second. This is a familiar tactic.
Ding-!
[Attachment: image_002.jpg]
“Ah.”
In the photo, Baek Eunwol stood in front of a mirror with her crop top slightly lifted.
She was showing off her firmly defined abs and smooth waistline.
“No... Why are you getting bolder?”
I mean, wishing for fertility and abundance... That wasn't wrong...
I really did mean for you to do that. I did, but not in this sense.
“You really don't have to go this far. I'm uncomfortable too.”
If she kept doing this, I was human too, so I was starting to feel guilty.
“I'll only look at lewd pictures in the Gallery!”
[VIP-customized automatic CS translation complete!]
[Your reply has been sent.]
[Your attached photo alone does not allow us to clearly confirm any product defect or flaw. Please retake the photo clearly and resubmit it]
“No, you fucking bastard!!!”
Why the hell was my conch's performance like this? Fuck, I genuinely hadn't wanted this.
“You don't have to do this. I'm serious.”
...Sigh.
“...Fine. If I can't avoid it, let's enjoy it.”
I pressed Save.
****
Meanwhile, in the administrators' chatroom.
- [Head Mod] : This is the reward I received for completing the task System-nim gave me.
- [Head Mod] : (Roughly edited photo of a dewy can of Kyakya Cola.jpg)
- [Head Mod] : Don't be jealous just because I was the only one who received it, and remember not to mention it anywhere else.
As soon as she received the cola, the Head Mod bragged to the other administrators.
Of course, the other deputy mods' answers went beyond anything she had expected.
- [Shop Wiki] : Uh... I just received some too...
- [Speedrun] : Ijustdrankittooitsfucking sweetwowthisisgreat
- [Head Mod] : ?!
- [Head Mod] : System-nim... System-nim... You didn't give it only to me...!!
- [Troublemaker NEET] : ㅋㅋ
- [Healer Union] : Why don't I get any! I'm a deputy mod too!!!
- [Healer Union] : The System must improve Healer Union's treatment!
Contrary to her expectations, I had assigned tasks to the other deputy mods besides the Healer Union as well.
As you know, the Head Mod was handling the black market, while Speedrun was handling restroom inspections and regular quarantine inspections in the Capital Area.
“The Healer Union went through hell recently...”
I didn't want to make her work again, so I left her out. She could do it later.
And I had assigned one more person.
“Oh, it's up.”
Title : *[Concept] [Shop Wiki] Ecology Encyclopedia for New Awakeners in the Capital Area (Mutant Compendium v1.0)
Having received a special partnership request from System-nim, I have organized and distributed the data I have collected to improve the survival rate of the newly arriving newbies.
Lower-tier entities (Walker / Runner) >> Provisional classification
Walker: Slow, but dangerous when gathered in groups. Reduce their numbers as much as possible before they get close.
Runner: Charges in a straight line when it spots you. It also changes direction quickly, so deal with it before it approaches.
Intermediate-tier entities (Spitter / Heavy) >> Provisional classification
Spitter: Throws infectious fluid or acid from a distance. The attack timing is when the area around its mouth swells.
.......
If you have any additional material, please submit suggestions.
Ohhh...!
ㄴ This was a good read...!
ㄴ An informational post...!
ㄴ How long has it been since a normal informational post appeared on the Galleryㅋㅋㅋㅋ
The Wiki guy finally got a grad-school jobㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ System-nim's lab slave has logged in;;
ㄴ [Shop Wiki] I was already organizing information, and System-nim gave me a quest too...!!
ㄴ Gasp
ㄴ What!!
So they treated a user-written strategy guide as an official guide...!
ㄴ Kyaa, user guides >>> official guides
ㄴ This is romantic.
ㄴ That's romantic ㅇㅇ
The System really knows what users need.
ㄴ It knows the official guides written by people who only sit at desks aren't very goodㅋㅋ
ㄴ We learned these guides through actual blood and sweatㅋㅋㅋㅋ
But actually, there never was an official guide in the first place...
ㄴ For real, that's what this means...
ㄴ We were simply abandoned...
“Good, good. The reactions are good.”
The reason I gave Shop Wiki this compendium quest was clear too.
Creating daily quests and distributing food was good as far as it went.
On top of that, it was necessary to widely spread basic strategies that would improve newbies' survival rates.
I had opened daily quests and even given them starter packs, but if they died out because they didn't know the strategies, all the potential customers I had painstakingly raised would disappear.
I needed a guide to unite the fragmented knowledge in the veterans' heads, and the Wiki guy, who was obsessed with organizing data, was the perfect person for the job.
But I'm curious: insects <<< Are these bastards really mutants?
ㄴ For real, then are they lower-tier mutants?
[Shop Wiki] I think insects should be classified as lower-tier mutants...
ㄴ Ohhh, why?
ㄴ [Shop Wiki] Because when they bite you, you basically mutate into a lower-tier mutant...
Huh?
ㄴ What does that mean?
ㄴ [Shop Wiki] Insects are treated as lower-tier mutants, so if they bite you, you basically become a Walker or Runner.
ㄴ Oh?
So regardless of whose blood they sucked, being bitten means you become a Walker?
ㄴ [Shop Wiki] That's correct.
[Shop Wiki] I investigated the ordinary people and infected people who survived during Patch 2.
ㄴ [Shop Wiki] I also experimented by pouring preventive vaccine over the mosquitoes I caught myself.
ㄴ [Shop Wiki] Maybe because they're lower-tier mutants, but most of them melted because they couldn't withstand the vaccine.
ㄴ Ahh, ahh
ㄴ That's interesting.
It did seem that most of the waves that appeared back then were Walkers or Runners.
ㄴ So being bitten by an insect simply turns you into a lower-tier mutant...
But the Wiki guy had been conducting his own research on insects instead of merely doing what I asked.
“Oh. So insects count as lower-tier mutants...”
This was kind of interesting.
“But then what happened to the Heavies and Spitters?”
Other zombies had definitely appeared last time too.
Sure enough, rebuttals immediately began appearing.
Isn't it a bit wrong to say that insect bites only produce lower-tier mutants?
ㄴ Heavies and Spitters definitely appeared last time, even if there weren't many.
ㄴ [God of War] Shadow Walker appeared too.
We're trembling in fear of what might happen if a Black Zone mutant appears in our area.
ㄴ A Black Zone zombie in the middle of the Capital Area?
ㄴ Kyaa
ㄴ –The end–
[Shop Wiki] Th-That's true... I suppose that's true, but...
ㄴ [Shop Wiki] It seems the insects sucked the blood of other mutants and transmitted it ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Right, right, that's true, but...
ㄴ Then doesn't that mean insects aren't lower-tier mutants?
“Hmm.”
The more I read, the more curious I became.
What exactly were these insects I had wanted to use to decorate my terrarium?
When you thought about it, raising newbies by handing out supplies was all because of these damn insects too.
Why think so hard about it?
ㄴ They just sucked the blood of a higher-tier mutant and bit someone ㅇㅇ
ㄴ No, that's true, but...
If they suck the blood of a higher-tier mutant, then they're higher-tier mutants.
ㄴ Why do they melt to Si-yeon's farts and the vaccine, which only prevent lower-tier mutants?
ㄴ Huh
ㄴ Hmm;;
“Is that so?”
Just as the debate seemed about to be settled that easily, another rebuttal began to appear.
It was Speedrun.
[Speedrun] I will sort this out. Insects are lower-tier mutants, and they cannot withstand sucking the blood of higher-tier entities.
ㄴ Huh?
ㄴ What are you talking about now?
ㄴ [Speedrun] When insects suck the blood of an entity above their tier, most of them go pop! and explode.
ㄴ Oh?
ㄴ Is that what happens???
But... how do you know that?
ㄴ For real, are you experimenting too?
ㄴ [Speedrun] Because I'm currently watching firsthand, in real time, insects suck mutant blood and explode in the center of the Red Zone.
ㄴ What?
ㄴ What????
Speedy was clearly out of her mind.
“She went into the Red Zone to watch mosquitoes suck mutant blood and explode...”
This wasn't easy. Was it only possible because she was Speedy?
“But why did she suddenly go there?”
Did she go farming?
Why would she go there alone?
ㄴ Did she go farming??
Fuck, she's conducting experiments in the Red Zoneㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Going to the Red Zone alone to observe mosquitoes;; << Something only Speedrun can do
ㄴ ㅇㅋㅋㅋ
I was reading the comments with the same thoughts as the other users.
“?”
But the reply that came from her was even more shocking.
[Speedrun] YouallmustrespectmeIwilltrygoingtotheBlackZone
ㄴ What?
ㄴ ?!
ㄴ ??!!!!!
ㄴ ???!
ㄴ ??????
“What?”
No, fuck. Professor, you're moving way too fast.