Chapter 5
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: The First Update
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At the same time a certain beekeeper, tucked away in the mountains, was absorbed in collecting honey with his little bees.
For those living in the modern world outside, just getting through the day was a living hell.
Monsters kept emerging, constantly respawning from somewhere no matter how many were killed.
But were humans not creatures of adaptation?
Unlike the beginning, when they had been caught off guard so absurdly, now, on the third day, the survivors were no longer so foolish as to be easily defeated.
It was as if the classes granted to everyone had been in preparation for this very crisis.
And, being people who had always lived in groups, those nearby had banded together to secure their survival.
“Damn these monster bastards. They're relentless.”
“Ugh, I feel so grimy. I'm dying for a shower, seriously.”
“Is that really what you're worried about? I'm so hungry my stomach feels like it's glued to my spine.”
“This is like a forced diet… ugh.”
But above all, the greatest problem for the survivors was, of course, food.
There were supermarkets and convenience stores nearby.
There were even plenty of restaurants with ingredients, so what was the big deal?
One might ask.
After all, unlike in the early days, most players were now more than accustomed to dealing with monsters.
However, the real problem was not the monsters.
Vroooom—!
The savage roar of a motorcycle engine.
At the sound, a group of survivors who had been casing the convenience store ducked into a building as if they’d seen a ghost.
But as luck would have it, the survivors rummaging through the convenience store at that very moment were caught by a gang of players on motorcycles before they could escape.
“Whoa, look at these crazies. Don't they know this is our turf? It's a real wonder they're still hanging around after all the examples we've made.”
“We're sorry, we're so sorry!”
“P-Please, just spare our lives.”
“Haha, have you ever seen such shameless bastards? If you touch other people's property, you have to pay the price, don't you?”
A pair of survivors, a man and woman in their mid-twenties, groveled, pressing their foreheads to the ground as they begged for their lives.
Despite the gravity of the situation, the gang simply snickered and spat, finding the whole scene amusing.
Back when the law functioned and police maintained public order, something like this would never have happened in broad daylight in South Korea. But tragically, this chaotic world had been transformed by the system's upheaval.
The absolute law of the jungle.
A jungle where the strong took everything, and the weak had to either hide or, if caught, prepare for death.
“Boss, what's the plan? String 'em both up?”
“Deal with the guy. The girl's more my style, so... persuade her to be a little more cooperative.”
“Heheheh. Leave it to me, boss.”
Needless to say, the result of the simple 'dealing with' uttered with a cruel smirk was utterly gruesome.
“How many minutes you think he'll last?”
“I'll bet ten coins on three minutes.”
“Nah, he looks pretty tough. He'll last at least five. Twenty coins, let's go!”
“It'll be more fun if you last a little longer, buddy.”
“P-Please... Aaaaaargh!”
“Ah, ahhh! No—!”
Vroooom— Kraaaack—
The male survivor was tied to a motorcycle and dragged along the ground.
As his body and face were ground relentlessly against the asphalt, blood splattering as his life was snuffed out, the gang never stopped smiling, as if it were all just a game.
“Damn, the bastard couldn't even last five minutes before kicking the bucket.”
“Hey, I was the closest. Fork over the coins, you losers.”
“Ah, fuck. That bastard Kim Jeong-su. Totally hit the jackpot.”
Their cruel laughter echoed, showing no remorse for taking a life—treating it instead as mere entertainment.
Soon, their laughter and their gazes turned to the female survivor, who was trembling like a leaf.
“Hey, your choice. You wanna end up an example like him? Or are you gonna be smart about this?”
“Hey. We're giving you a choice 'cause you've got a pretty face and a hot body. Just do what the boss and the rest of us want, and at least you won't have to worry about starving to death! Got it, kiddo?”
“Don't know what you were to that dead bastard, but we'll treat you way better. Our skills in bed are top-notch, you know?”
“Damn. When you think about it, we're being pretty gentlemanly, aren't we? Heheh.”
“...*Hic... hic...*”
In this chaotic world, the law of the jungle had become the only law.
In a reality where the strong could take whatever they wanted, the ugliest sides of human nature were inevitably laid bare.
Public order had collapsed. It was a world where one person could kill another, and no one could say a word.
In this place, other people were a greater source of fear than any monster.
* * * * *
Six days had passed since the world turned into a game, and for Seong-hyeok, much had changed as well.
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[Yu Seong-hyeok]
* Level: 9
* Health: 200 Mana: 300
* Attack Power: 15 Defense: 9 Magic Resistance: 12
* Stat Points: 0
* Strength: 17 Agility: 26 Stamina: 20 Control: 12 Mentality: 30
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The most significant change, fitting for a world now governed by a 'game' system, was Seong-hyeok's level.
It had reached a staggering 9, despite him having zero combat experience from his time in the mountains.
This was all thanks to his diligent work: collecting the honey gathered by the Ruby Gem Bees, processing the byproducts, and absorbing every last drop of experience without waste.
And, of course, the changes over those six days weren't limited to Seong-hyeok's level.
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[Ruby Gem Queen Bee (★)]
* A nest is currently established.
* Swarm Size: 39,562 (Eggs 3,235 / Larvae 721 / Pupae 2,688 / Worker Bees 32,918)
* Growth Rate: 57%
* Egg-Laying Speed: 3 per minute
* Hatching Time: 8 hours
* Metamorphosis Period: 18 hours
* Skills: Egg-Laying (Lv.2), Queen's Pheromone (Lv.2), Poison Sting (Lv.2), Flight (Lv.2)
* Health: 110(+20) Mana: 50(+20)
* Attack Power: 9(+2) Defense: 4(+1) Magic Resistance: 3(+1)
······.
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Wasn't there a saying? Though the beginning is humble, the end shall be great.
The Ruby Gem Bee swarm had started with just a single queen.
But now, the swarm had grown to include nearly forty thousand worker bees.
Of course, a portion of that number were still unhatched eggs or unemerged larvae, but with time, they too would become diligent little workers.
And thanks to the efforts of those little workers, Seong-hyeok's inventory was now overflowing.
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[Ruby Gem Honey (★)] X 182
[Ruby Gem Beeswax (★)] X 14
[Ruby Gem Royal Jelly (★+)] X 37
[Ruby Gem Propolis (★★-)] X 4
[Guardian's Ruby Gem Beeswax Candle (★+)] X 20
[Guardian's Ruby Gem Honey Tea (★+)] X 472
[Guardian's Ruby Gem Honey Vinegar (★+)] X 258
[Guardian's Ruby Gem Honey Soap (★+)] X 222
[Guardian's Ruby Gem Mead (★+)] X 162
[Guardian's Ruby Gem Mead (★+)] - Aged X 18
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“Hmm. Well, it's better than having nothing, but this is a bit much for just one person, isn't it?”
It was... how should I put it?
The inevitable fate of a life-skiller in a game, perhaps?
A mountain of inventory piled up.
As the bees continued to multiply, productivity soared, while he remained the sole consumer. In a way, it was an inevitable outcome.
“*Tsk.* I hope this stuff doesn't end up going bad.”
Perhaps it was a convenience of the game system, but there were no expiration dates listed. Still, you never knew.
Just as the conditions for acquiring skills were hidden, it was possible that items could spoil after a certain amount of time.
He couldn't confirm it right now, but considering that possibility, letting his stock pile up wasn't a good idea.
Just as various thoughts about going outside to barter or sell his goods began to sprout in Seong-hyeok's mind...
[#1 Chapter Update progression conditions have been met. -> 140 hours elapsed]
[#1 Chapter Update will now proceed. 3, 6, 11%......]
An update status window appeared, just like it had during the initial cataclysm.
But unlike before, was the update size not as large?
The percentage climbed at a remarkable speed, reaching 100% in the blink of an eye.
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[Notification]
※ Chapter #1 update is complete. This channel will now be designated as the 'Korea Server.' A pleasure to meet you, Players. My name is Riggle, pet of the Transcendent Being, and I'll be assisting with updates and other various matters for the Korea Server. First off, a round of applause for all of you who have survived this long! *Clap, clap, clap~* Ahem, enough with the boring introductions. Let me tell you about the changes in this update.
[Update Details]
* Field Bosses and Dungeons will now appear across the world. Hunting them down or clearing them will net you some very satisfactory high-grade items. Oh, and for your information, Field Bosses can't leave their designated areas for ten days, so no need to worry too much. What happens after ten days, you ask? What do you think? After that, you're on your own.
* Various flora from other dimensions will begin to grow. They range from ★- grade all the way up to ★★★★★+ grade! Who knows? That random pebble or root you pick up off the ground might lead to an unbelievable stroke of fortune. Why not test your luck?
* A Community Board and Marketplace, available to all Korea Server players, have been created. However, a small transaction fee will be applied. We're not running a charity here, and there's no such thing as a free lunch. (Accessible via the Status Window.)
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“What a flashy notification.”
A far cry from the previous, stoic system messages. This one was obnoxiously cheerful.
But setting that aside, the contents of the update were quite significant.
Field bosses and dungeons—classic game elements that sounded perfect for scoring good loot.
But he couldn't afford to see them as purely beneficial.
“...If you die, it's probably over for good, right?”
This place might operate on a game's system, but it was still 'reality.'
In a world where one death could be the end, powerful monsters and dangerous locations were the very definition of high-risk, high-return.
They were a surefire way to get good items, but also a surefire way to get killed if you made one wrong move.
“Whew. It's just... It still doesn't feel real.”
Six days had passed, and he'd reached level 9, but ironically, Seong-hyeok still had zero combat experience.
As a result, the gravity of what it meant to risk his life didn't feel real at all.
Was it because they sensed his somber thoughts?
*Bzzzz— Bzzzz—*
A swarm of bees gathered around him, as if telling him not to worry.
“Haha. Alright, if anything dangerous happens, I'm counting on you.”
They might have only been the size of a fingertip, but this wasn't a swarm of a few hundred. It was forty thousand strong.
And there was no hero who could stand against a swarm.
While Seong-hyeok was aware of the dangers, gazing at the fuzzy little butts of his dependable workers somehow put his mind at ease.
“Best of all, I'm just glad I finally have a place to offload my inventory.”
The news about dimensional flora sprouting all over the world was noteworthy, but for Seong-hyeok, something else was far more important.
Namely, his ever-growing mountain of dead stock.
The corners of his mouth lifted into a grin at the appearance of the marketplace—a place where he could finally sell it all.