Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Star Fall (12)
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- D.Asset3315: Notice - This is the local chat room about Professor 'professor'. Please keep in mind that excessive incitement or defamation may result in sanctions from our Dome broadcaster support department.
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- aiosye2222: That character's really something else....
- IslandBodyHelm: Yeah. It's not easy to play that sharp even on auto.
- Nigromaa: But isn't this just too easy? Leaving the character on auto and streaming while raking in donations? Professor seems totally shameless.
- arms5275: You little shit from that dog mercenary group, how dare you speak Professor's name so carelessly!
- Adagio: You think it's easy to level a character that high? It's something a pathetic lowlife like you couldn't even imagine—pushing through all that hardship to get there!
- arms5275: These losers who can't even touch GG out of fear always talk like that! We should drag those bastards out and hang 'em with their own intestines!
- TaxCall17: I've checked your nickname and all your activity on the community. Prepare your last words humbly, Nigromaa. The day the faithful come for you is not far off.
"....These guys are burning it up on their own even when I'm not playing."
The moment he logged into the connector, Professor checked the local chat room first, suppressing his uneasy feeling as he entered Room 2.
+ Player 'Professor' has entered the chat room!
- arms5275: If I ever meet that bastard, I'll skin him alive, dry him crispy, and make him a drinking snack....
- Professor: Hello. It's Professor. I came because I have some questions....
.
.
.
.
- Andate: Oh.
- DoongeeDong: For real? Real Professor?
- Nigromaa: Legit? Real Professor?
- Hitchi!: P-Professor! Um.... I'm a solo survivor living near Sector 47 too! A f-female, l-living alone.... If you have time, come check my home generator!
- WhiteSmith: Professor's here!
- ShooYeoni: P-Professor! I live in Sector 42! Message me if you're nearby!
- D.bioTeam: If I may be so bold, when might a visit be possible....
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- TaxCall17: EVERYONE SHUT UUUUP!!!!! You said you had something to sayyyyy!!!!
Click!
The chats that had been scrolling up endlessly stopped dead as if by magic. The blinking cursor on the frozen screen felt like it was urging him on.
'This is why I hate coming here. So damn pressuring.'
No good. He'd thought about building some rapport with anyone useful, but better just say his piece and bail.
Professor skimmed the earlier chats and cautiously spoke up.
- Professor: Uh.... Thanks first off. It's nothing big, just looking for some people.
- Andate: Looking for.... people? Professor is?
The chat went quiet once more. Then, piercing through the silence, an explosive reaction erupted.
- Andate: People, you say?
- Brownie: No way.... Is this that rumored BDSM open recruitment? I figured you'd be expanding your forces soon....
- WhiteSmith: Sector 41! Can't reveal exact info on the community, but I'm a WhiteSmith in a 7-person survivor group! Learned metalworking before the war! Give me the tools, and I'll craft anything!
- ShooYeoni: Sector 42! Solo survivor! Early 30s single woman! Growing wheat in the shelter's small greenhouse and selling it on the exchange! Good at killing people too!
- QuickSwordNanma: Sector 45. Leader of a 24-person scavenger team. Didn't want to settle with tame Dome types or crazy Raptor sorts, so we've been wandering. Seeing BDSM's moves, this seems like a good fit, so here I am. You know what it means for a 20+ group to survive this long. Waiting for a positive response. Oh, specialties vary per member, but killing's a given. Our farming's on another level from regular survivors scratching dirt—expert dismantling: stripping building cores, refining scrap for the exchange, all based on broad expertise.
Suddenly they were hyping each other up, and the chat turned into an interview flood of self-intros.
'Oh man, this blew up. Wasn't what I meant at all.'
It was entertaining in a way, but if he let it go, it'd become fact that his side was recruiting new blood. He hurried to clarify.
- Professor: No, that's not it. Someone's been coming by our shelter lately, and I'm checking if they're here. Keeps showing up, leaving scrap as "protection money."
- Andelro: Th-that's me! I left it! Not super familiar with the local terrain yet.... You know that spot with the big red X on building rubble? I set up in the one next to it!
Oh. He'd seen a chat like that before and wondered. Found quicker than expected.
- Professor: Ah, there. No shelter, that's a prime spot. Good find. One down. Anyone else? Supposed to be three.
- Andelro: One's probably my wife! Worried it'd look like a raid if we came together, so separate visits.
- Professor: Two then. No one else for real?
A bunch popped up, but mostly crap like "You really gonna protect us if we come?" or "Disappointing, thought you were that kind of group."
- Professor: Anyway, saying this ahead to avoid more drop-ins. No need for tributes or protection fees. Why keep coming by and doing strip shows? Embarrassing the wasteland. We got a kid at home, so cut it out. Bad for his education.
- Andelro: B-but I read on the community that's proper etiquette when visiting....
- Professor: Don't spout bullshit. Don't come anymore. No protection given, no fees taken. Came here today to say let's follow wasteland rules. Got it? No settling within 500m of another group's turf. We're just your average three-person wasteland survivors. Go our separate ways. Okay?
This was the point of coming. Ian had his own plans, but making it official like this was best. Should stop the protection beggars now.....
Murmur murmur-
Stir stir!
- ShooYeoni: That.... means it's okay, right?
- Esomak: How can he be so humble and kind....
- Andelro: Treating only up to 500m as personal space, but beyond that, come on in?
- QuickSwordNanma: Not even taking protection fees. Too soft? But.... planning a group survivor zone near Sector 47? Like a satellite city?
- Adagio: Not impossible. Positioned at the edge of Sector 47 overlapping 45 and 46, decent distance from Dome. Short drive for trades. Sector 47's saturated for newbies, but expanding outward helps. Dome folks would welcome more civilians with open arms—easy to negotiate. Plus BDSM's Dome-friendly? This could really happen?
- Professor: No fuck, what did you even hear?
- TaxCall17: I'm going! Answering the call! Faithful! Pack your things! The Leader summons us!
- Skin: New trade hub in Sector 47.... Gotta talk to the chairman. Maybe a branch....
- ManMenMi: Let's go! No more clearing mutant corpses from the doorstep every day!
Fucked. Thought they were self-combusting so he doused 'em, but the fire didn't die—instead it exploded! Oil barrel, huh!
'....Should I say I'll kill 'em all now?'
[Too late, right? You talked about good spots earlier—people probably bolted over the second you spoke. Might as well make use of it. Plus-minus zero? Mutants are minus threat. Outsiders are plus. Any real talents, recruit to BDSM. Caravan, yeah? Bigger scale ain't bad.]
'....Dunno. Yeah, livelier's fine. Said 500 meters clear, so any idiots screwing around, slit throats and hang 'em at the door.
Professor pulled up a downloaded map and quietly slipped away as the chat fought over "This is our spot now," "I spat on that one, move first and you're dead."
Not my problem. Tell Ezel, she'll sort it.
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Fwoooosh!
That oddly empty-headed feeling when logging into GG—usually queasy, but cozy today. Probably from that chat room backlash after grandstanding like some leader. Group swarms just weren't his constitution.
'Let's see.... Was out a day real-time, so about 5 days here. How far'd we get....'
"Captain. What're you thinking, stopping mid-meal?"
As sync sharpened enough to make out objects, a heavy baritone rumbled from beside him.
"Hm? Oh. Borca."
Thought they were walking somewhere, but no—lively tavern table. Booze stench, food smells, nose-stinging sweat and weird ammonia....
"Inn? Tobrun?"
"What, dreaming? You zoned out hard. Been in Kingsland ages."
"Kingsland? Already?"
Tobrun was 5 days out. Close to Kingsland, sure, but two days early? What happened?
While Professor puzzled it out, old men Ottoman and Aldrich narrowed eyes, grinning slyly, poking his side.
"Heh heh! Deep in thought, eh? Told ya on the way—our captain's got worries. Thought that face meant nonsense for a fresh twenty-something, but real 20s troubles! Hah hah hah!"
"Yeah! Campfire chat when that bulk goes 'I've got worries'—thought major drama! Never guessed that.... Heh heh heh!"
"Grrr. Annoying old ghosts. Don't tease big-small human. Rutting males without mates hunt tree hollows too. Big-small human shows plenty patience."
Pat pat.
Professor gaped at Notum's pitying gaze. Worries? Rutting? What the hell'd they talk about?
- Jokasss: Lmao, record it, save it lolololol
- Take a Look: Oof, leaderㅋㅋㅋDidn't know you had such deep troublesㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Just checking, yep—they confirmed it.
'Handy having a stream. Monitors even when I'm gone.'
- Professor: What happened while I was out? More trouble?
- Deer Drug Please: Oof! Main body's here! Trouble? Pfft! None lolㅋㅋㅋㅋ
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Nothing happened. (Roughly, blood-soaked Zoro meme)
'....Fucked.'
There was. That reaction screamed something sinister!
Professor racked his brain for what could've gone down in those peaceful 5 days, rushing to check system logs.
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+ [System Log]
- Travel: Horseback (Companion: Borca Dalun / Werewolf). Route mapped.
- Meaningful campfire talk during camp: Bond up - Borca Dalun, Ottoman Bodler, Aldrich, Notum.
- 'Berserk Exhaustion' status recovered. Overall strength +0.4%.
- Travel: Arrived Danglter Village. Entered Light Church outpost. Reported situation, negotiated repairs. Black Mage slain, demon-blood relic growth, high evil god minion kill → Church contribution & favor up. Aggressive negotiation → Bishop 'Haman Aburte' favor sharply down. Gained Church intel dept access. Companion 'Borca Dalun' status [Friendly] → [Respect].
- Travel: Tobrun—used hero rights to hijack herald's horse & letter en route to Kingsland.
- Deep personal campfire talk during camp: Bond up - Borca Dalun (max), Ottoman Bodler, Aldrich, Notum.
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That. 'Meaningful talk,' 'Deep personal talk'—what'd auto-Prof say? Auto follows player patterns close. His character: fresh 20s macho mage, conquered endless trials. Campfire under starry night with buds—what personal chat fits....
"Heh heh heh. Didn't know captain was such a romantic. A desert woman waiting just for him."
"[The star she taught me points to my love. Name's Rakshasha—remember that. Her true name's mine alone.] Hah hah ha! Heart just bled! Quit after war, become a bard? Professor!"
"Mouth says no, but body's screaming hope! Hold on to it! Rakshasha's big deal in desert kingdom—might really meet in Kingsland? You spotted this inn's Moonshadow mark on a glance, insisted we come."
"Hah hah ha! Catching tiny thief guild sigil like that! Power of love! Can't ignore! Deepest soul emotion! Hah hah ha!"
BAM!
Professor slammed his head on the table at Aldrich's raspy teasing. Couldn't lift his face.
'....Damn. Thought just travel!'
His Prof life: nonstop trials. One joy: looting mage tower with Rakshasha. That experience, kiss—branded in Prof's mind, spilled out under campfire vibes!
- Take a Look: Yo Professor. Busy outside? Stay out few more days. Your auto-stream slaps lololol
- Speed Wagon: Player char's basically player's subconscious ego. Prof acts cool, but starving inside—my take.
- Deer Drug Please: See? Honest feels good? Forget worldly eyes, go 19+ stream. Rakshasha's full tits! Svelte waist! Rapids rafting—water splashing that bronze skin, slick hair up.... Argh! Rewatching archive!
- Jokasss: Wear it out, dude.
Aaa. Aaaaaa—
Embarrassing. Dying of shame!
Whole world knows [24M / Male / Professor / Zero dating XP]! No wonder chat girls pushed "generator check?" or "female survivor!"—they saw this! Mom! Son's hitched! Son's national cherry popped!
Tap tap.
Shoulder tapped, Professor lifted blood-smeared forehead. Innkeeper flinched, pointed at gouged wood table.
Jingle—
[300 sil paid]
Harsh reality. No breather.
Sad or not, world spins.
'Alright, forget it! Real me handles real stuff! I'm glass-body half-mute Prof now! Game char! Hero Prof!'
Bury that horror. Overwrite with shock.
Skip 'Auto-Prof's bombshell confession!'—check other logs.
Danglter: Black Mage village. His report helped, plus west front wrecked—east secures value up, rushed outpost.
[....No issues? You're helpful, but still sus on detail sources—'overheard queen's orders.' Not fully trusted. Still snagged intel dept access? Auto-Prof did well.]
'Yeah.... System admits your silver tongue's OP. Auto-Prof chats smooth too.'
Borca max favor: great. Goal was intel access for kidnapped kids via merits. Max bond, won't ditch easy.
"Herald horse hijack.... Explains speed. Took all warhorses, figured walk back. Sent letter too, though."
Inventory: [Herald's Haunted Letter].
"Let's see.... [Dinsper Duchy can't send aid—sudden civil war. Atuan Seigan hero party ambushed by unknown, found dead en route. Podais Kingdom surprise war dec → Tennium, Shuron etc. 3 city-states no support].... Urgent stuff. Mute pals hustling hard."
"That's military dispatch—okay to just open? Even for hero...."
"Of course not, so obviously read it. Noble seal, rushed to exhaustion. How resist? No catch, no crime. Who am I? Mage!"
Professor grinned at Borca's deadpan, restoring letter.
Reroll parchment, retie. Align torn wax seal close, levitate water drop, soften mold, melt wax candle, press with droplet....
"Ta-da! Magic! Perfect, right?"
Untorn scroll done.
Ottoman forehead-slapped with a sigh.
"Utterly absurd. Water magic's purity image, yet you use it like that...."
"Keh heh heh! Say creative mage!"
"Positive. Delicate hands popular with women."
"Yeah yeah. Captain'd be loved around ladies."
"Gaaah! Enough! How long you dragging this!"
"Growl. Nothing shameful. Someday female charmed by big-small human appears. I no like."
"No consoling! Makes it worse!"
- Deer Drug Please: ??? : You're good guy. Got soulmate somewhere. But not me.
- Jokasss: 0 confessions 1 rejection lololol
- Take a Look: Beats 3rd mutants solo, but dating's hard lololol
Won't die. Turn topic—they'll torment with this forever!
"Ugh, uwaaaah!"
Amid jeers, Professor chose flight.
"Keh heh heh! Where ya going, romantic youth!"
"Off to tree hollow. Bet."
Face aflame, he bolted inn. Behind: shattered swing door, crew handing silvers to grim-faced innkeeper.
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