Chapter 83
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: A Strategic Partnership
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A bizarre world where monsters devoured people.
So, most people focused on survival, stockpiling food and hunting monsters. But Jang Deok-su was different.
“There’s no need for risky gambles. Information is money, and a knack for drawing attention is experience.”
He was a peculiar case, having leveled up and amassed considerable wealth not by hunting monsters, but by picking up the scraps from the community forums.
This was all thanks to the unique class he’d been granted according to his karma.
“This is the kind of world I’ve always wanted.”
In the old world, Jang Deok-su had been nothing more than an ordinary office worker, but things were different now.
The anonymous forums he’d frequented were once just a source of self-comfort.
Combined with his natural talent for logically organizing information whenever a major incident or hot topic broke, Jang Deok-su had become one of the more well-known names on the anonymous forums.
Well, however his experience there had been judged as ‘karma,’ the benefits he gained from it becoming his class were undeniable.
Honestly, the first few days had been tough to endure, but when the #1 Chapter update rolled out, creating the community forums and unlocking various class specializations,
Jang Deok-su, under the nickname Jeongrichung, literally soared.
[Player Anonymous Informant has left a message.]
[Player Let's Live Together has left a message.]
[Player Swiftfoot has left a message.]
...
He showcased his talents without reservation, creating a positive impression among the players on the Korean server.
As a result, Jang Deok-su not only received countless tips and information but also formed partnerships with others who shared his disposition and class, growing from an individual into a collective.
However, this didn’t mean his current situation was unconditionally advantageous.
“We should probably start looking for a decent shelter, Deok-su.”
“Even if we hire mercenaries, if we end up in a situation like that again, we’re screwed.”
“That’s just how those money-grubbers are.”
“What can we do? Our class is completely useless when it comes to combat.”
The recent large-scale invasion from the Chinese server through a portal.
Jang Deok-su, who had been there at the time, still couldn’t forget what had happened.
The crisis caused by the mercenaries he’d paid good money for deserting them.
But even in that situation, Jang Deok-su and his partners didn’t flee.
They had to secure video footage for their posts.
An act that prioritized their innate karma over their own lives.
Perhaps that decision hadn't been wrong.
On that day of crisis, when they could have died,
Jang Deok-su, thanks to his choice, was able to witness it.
The sight of Honeybee appearing with his bee legion, so numerous they blotted out the sky, wiping out the massive Chinese forces with a barrage of attacks.
‘If only I could get into Honeybee’s shelter.’
An opportunity lost because of his damn occupational hazard—he’d spent his time posting about the event first.
But as they say, even when the sky falls, there’s a way out.
[Player Green Bean has left a message.]
『Jeongrichung-nim. I’m contacting you to request your help in creating a post for Honeybee-nim’s public shelter recruitment. Would you happen to have a moment?』
“...Deal!”
Jang Deok-su seized the opportunity that had come through his connections.
* * * * *
“Um, Honeybee-nim? Someone from Jeongrichung’s side would like to speak with you. Would that be alright?”
“No problem.”
Preconceptions are an inseparable part of judging people.
In fact, to Seong-hyeok, Jeongrichung was far from a negative presence; it was quite the opposite.
‘He was practically my PR team for the processed honey products.’
From the moment Seong-hyeok started selling his processed honey products on the exchange, Jeongrichung had been the one to consistently post about their options and new items on the community forums.
Well, he knew that those actions weren't really for his sake, but to boost his own recognition.
But regardless, it was also a fact that he had benefited significantly from Jeongrichung’s efforts.
Jeongrichung couldn't be unaware of this either.
Apparently not one to beat around the bush, Jeongrichung laid his intentions bare to Seong-hyeok.
『I would be grateful if you would hire me and my partners for your shelter, Honeybee-nim.』
A big name on the community forums.
From the perspective of this bizarre world, accepting people who were essentially journalists into the beekeeping farm could be a risky choice, one that might lead to internal information being exposed.
However, Seong-hyeok could deduce the kind of arrangement he was looking for from his words.
『...Hired, you say?』
『Yes, that’s correct.』
He wanted to be hired, not to become a resident of the shelter.
This meant he wanted a strictly business relationship, which wasn't a bad thing for Seong-hyeok either.
It was, quite literally, gaining a good business partner.
Besides, as he’d felt since the war with the Chinese server began, shaping public opinion could eventually translate into immense power and morale.
『I look forward to working with you.』
Seong-hyeok had now acquired not only his own military and financial power but also the power to control public opinion—something not easily obtained by an individual.
* * * * *
It was a surprisingly good source of experience if a post blew up, considering the low coin cost.
The community forums were also a place to talk, a way to alleviate the inescapable loneliness of being human.
With countless posts being made every day, unless a topic specifically drew massive attention and set the stage, most threads would be buried in an instant.
【Korea/Honeybee: Honeybee’s Beekeeping Farm is looking for a blacksmith family.】 - Views: 11
- Hello. This is Honeybee. We are looking for a blacksmith to work in a place where you can live alongside bees.
Food and materials for crafting equipment will be provided free of charge. We also occasionally offer Royal Jelly Pills and Propolis Cosmetics.
Please don’t hesitate to apply. If you wish to apply, please leave a message for one of the players below.
Green Bean, Yeonbun Gukbap, Kim Cheol-gang...
【Comments (3)】
- Korea/Attention Seeker NO.555: Huh? Is this really Honeybee?
- Korea/BecomeTheRightOne: Wow, amazing. I’m a blacksmith, I want to join!
- Korea/AnyoneToMarry: Is this for real?
And that was true even for Honeybee, who had made a huge impact with his previous ‘Honeybee’s Gratitude Event.’
A few people who happened to be on the forums at the right time clicked as soon as they saw ‘Honeybee,’ but the view count didn’t even reach 20 before plummeting to the bottom.
“...”
He had expected it to some extent, but the result was so utterly disastrous that he was left dumbfounded.
『This seems like the worst-case scenario. Shouldn’t we edit the post?』
『No. It’s actually better this way, just delivering the information concisely. From here on, just leave it to our team.』
If Seong-hyeok was an expert on beekeeping and bees, then Jeongrichung’s team were experts at driving views and drawing aggro on the community forums.
To pull the post out from where it was buried under the waves of new threads, Jeongrichung began his work.
【Korea/Swiftfoot: Honeybee, recruiting a blacksmith family?】
【Korea/Jeongrichung: Important news! Honeybee. Anyone who especially likes bees should definitely check this out!】
Following Swiftfoot's brief mention of Honeybee, Jeongrichung launched the finishing blow.
As befitting a creator of countless BEST posts, the news that Jeongrichung had posted caused the influx of players to the community forums to explode in an instant.
【Korea/Electric Field: Huh? Honeybee is really recruiting for his shelter?】
【Korea/BabyShaman: That bastard rejected me last time when I begged him to take me in!】
【Korea/AmongUsRift: LOL. That’s probably because you’re weak or not a blacksmith.】
On the Korean server, not knowing about Honeybee was like being a spy.
Was it because of the powerful firepower and magnificent bee legions he had first revealed during the battle with the Chinese forces?
The community forums heated up in the blink of an eye.
- Honeybee, who crushed the Chinese server with this immense firepower. Any blacksmiths who wish to become part of his family should refer to the post linked here.
The only thing Jeongrichung did next was to naturally guide the players in the heated atmosphere to Honeybee’s buried post.
It might not seem like much, but that was precisely why the players became even more interested in Honeybee’s post.
After all, the mark of a true forum expert is subtly fanning the flames rather than engaging in blatant promotion.
【Comments (999+...)】
- Korea/Attention Seeker NO.1: LOL, since when were Green Bean and Yeonbun Gukbap over there!
- Korea/VegetableNamedGoe: The worst part is that I’m not a blacksmith.
- Korea/Fergus: Hmm? This is rather tempting.
...
Seong-hyeok's post, which had been buried with around 20 views, was instantly propelled to the BEST posts thanks to Jeongrichung's promotional strategy!
[You have reached a specific view count goal. You have acquired a certain amount of experience.]
[You have reached a specific recommendation goal. You have acquired a certain amount of experience.]
[You have reached a specific comment count goal. You have acquired a certain amount of experience.]
[Your post has been listed as BEST. You have acquired 10,000 coins and a certain amount of experience.]
Thanks to that, Seong-hyeok unintentionally gained not only bonus coins and experience for reaching BEST status, but...
“The m-messages are coming in at a terrorist-level flood.”
“...Aigoo, if we have to sort through all this, that’s our whole day gone.”
Overwhelmed by the effective promotion, Go Dal-su and Lee Yeon-bun, who were receiving the blacksmith applications, clutched their heads.
Meanwhile, Kim Cheol-gang seemed to have a smile on his face, as if happy he could get a break. Surely that was just my imagination?
『Drawing any more attention could be counterproductive, so we’ll back off now. We look forward to a good business relationship with you.』
『Of course.』
Jeongrichung's team had successfully manipulated public opinion through this setup.
With their incredible power, he would have considerable influence whenever he needed to recruit residents or deal with other servers.
But as they say, immense attention brings not only advantages but also disadvantages.
【Korea/Army Chief of Staff Jang Pil-jung: Honeybee. As a proud son of the Republic of Korea, I trust you will join us for the good of the nation.】
【Korea/Naval Chief of Staff Park Su-byeok: Your production of processed honey products is astounding. Have you no thought of using it for the country and the weak?】
【Korea/Army Lieutenant General Choi Jae-hyeok: All excellent points. I believe any young man with patriotism will surely help.】
【Korea/Attention Seeker NO.1: Wow, look at these shameless bastards. Did they forget when they were shooting at civilians?】
...
High-level gadflies drawn by Honeybee's exposure.
The thread, already burning hot, was ignited once more by the appearance of those invoking patriotism.