Golden Poison Frog (3)
My realization that even Olfather bordered on abnormal was fleeting. I turned my thoughts to the water supply issue.
I wasn't immune to poison, and the golden poison frog's venom was notoriously vicious. Vicious enough to melt trees with a sizzle. Getting hit even once would be game over. I'd prepared antidotes just in case, but I had no idea if they'd even work against this stuff. That's why I planned to ask Olfather for a special favor. Not with money, but something far more valuable.
Hello. You're Olfather, right?
Olfather: Yes, this is Olfather. Thank you for initiating the trade.
He replied almost immediately after I sent the trade request. His tone was far more refined than most people's. He'd identified the golden poison frog on the spot, and from his usual gallery posts, he seemed like some professor-type intellectual. A rich one, at that. Burning 20,000 gold on a single frog? I couldn't even guess what he did for a living. Not that I knew who anyone here really was anyway.
You need the frog, right? I'll list it now.
Olfather: Thank you. I'll register the 20,000 gold as promised.
By the way, do you know that trades over 10,000 gold send your location to the armband holders?
Yes, I know.
Trades over 10,000 gold get reported to the armbands to prevent abuse—like laundering illegal gains or bulk-buying war supplies. You can't withdraw gallery funds back to cash, but there's still plenty of potential for misuse. For me in the Four Seasons Forest, it didn't matter much. And if it did get sent? Not the worst outcome.
Could I ask one more favor first? If you agree, I'll knock it down to 15,000 gold instead of 20,000.
Olfather: Hm? What kind of favor?
I need an antidote suited to the golden poison frog's venom. As you saw in my post, I'm in a tough spot for water right now.
There might be another river nearby, but the closest one was that river. With those golden poison frogs holding strong, even drinking water—let alone bathing—was a pipe dream. Searching for another river risked getting lost, which was its own nightmare.
Olfather: I get the gist. I'll accept your request. I've been wanting to study that aspect myself.
Thank you. We'll call the 5,000 gold the antidote fee.
Will more samples make the research easier?
Olfather: Of course. But golden poison frogs are extremely rare, so please don't wipe out the population.
Eh, honestly, I had no clue about that. No matter how precious they were, were they worth more than my life? If the antidote worked, great. If not, I'd have to exterminate the golden frogs. I'd only recently realized how crucial a stable water supply was. I was dying from the grime of not being able to wash.
Olfather: If you find any rare flora or fauna—or anything new—please post about it. I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.
Thank you. See you next time.
Olfather: It's rare to find someone as polite as you, Grills, in the gallery. Stay safe.
And with that, the deal with Olfather was done. I checked my gallery balance right away. It deducted a small fee, but I was sitting on nearly 15,000 gold. Plenty to shop the auction house.
I'd already made a mental list of needs. But first, I should ask Judaek where my location shows up.
Trades over 10,000 gold pinged the head mod instantly. It was meant to curb abuse, but the head mod could abuse it too. I didn't know how they were elected or whatever, but there must've been previous ones. Made me curious about the gallery's history, but that could wait.
Judaek-nim. Can you see my location?
YasaengGrill: I just traded with Olfather. Does it show where I am?
└ Don'tAbandonHero: Yep! It says Four Seasons Forest! Right in the middle!
└ YasaengGrill: Ah, shit
└ lolololol
└ lolololol
└ lolololol
└ AbandonAllHope lmao
└ Judaek: Officially fucked in the Four Seasons Forest lolol Useless to even ask.
I swallowed the wave of despair. The Four Seasons Forest blocked gallery access for most, but I was the exception. Now it had my exact spot pinned. Who the hell set up this joke of a system? It made no sense.
└ YasaengGrill: No bullshit, for real?
└ Don'tAbandonHero: Yes! I swear on my holy sword!
└ Grills, just give up already...
└ You're stuck there. Bad guys.
No escape options from anyone. Even Judaek confirmed it, just sighs all around. Last shred of hope gone. Escaping was tough enough—the area across the stream changed constantly. My range was tiny.
Fine. Survive here. Escape later, no matter what. Even if it took years, I wanted to see civilization. I posted on the gallery—not to whine, but to ask what else I needed.
Survival experts, help! YasaengGrill: Looks like I'm stuck in the forest long-term. Planning to buy some gear. Axe, dagger, shovel, hammer, emergency rations, water, soap, meds, etc. Anything else?
└ If possible, unscented soap. Bears might smell it.
└ If you know traps, set some around. Might not work in Four Seasons Forest tho
└ Definitely stock charcoal. Purify water or brush teeth with it.
└ Good but fire might attract snakes
└ Never eat mushrooms
They gave solid tips, super helpful—not sarcastic. I didn't know about the charcoal trick. Snakes? Repellent would handle that. That's why I splurged on it.
└ Four Seasons Forest? Everything's dangerous cuz who knows what's there
└ Gotta learn from experience mostly
└ Yeah that's right
└ Who'd ever go there lol
But these were basics for normal wilderness survival. I was the first in the Four Seasons Forest. With dog-sized frogs already, who knew what else? No one.
Still, gotta buy the stuff. I grabbed everything the adventurers suggested. This cave as base. Finally, big paper, quill, and ink. Compass was busted, so I'd map by feel.
Mark spots that shift constantly. Not just the stream—probably everywhere. Track those for easier movement. Note dangerous beast territories too. No other animals came here because it was Mad Dog's turf, right? But that wouldn't last. Owl Bear already scarfed the corpse. It could show up anytime. Prep needed.
"Hm..."
I crossed my arms, eyeing my new gear. What first? Everything screamed priority when you were slammed. Fence for safety, or scout more? Fence took too long; scouting left future shaky.
No clue how long a fence takes. Time to ask. If too long, scout instead. Post:
Building a fence near home, advice? YasaengGrill: Want intruder-proof fence. Tips?
└ PassingDwarf: You know how to build one?
└ YasaengGrill: Snap?
└ PassingDwarf: ;;;
└ Snap lololol
└ Owned lolol
└ PassingDwarf: Anyway, what you want ain't a fence—it's a wall. Owl Bear nearby?
└ YasaengGrill: Yeah
└ PassingDwarf: Then dig traps near entrance. Wall? Budget 1-2 months.
└ YasaengGrill: 1-2 months? Wood tho?
└ PassingDwarf: Don't believe me? Try one now.
└ YasaengGrill: Ok going
For real? Skeptical glare, but action time. Words are cheap. Trees everywhere—easy materials. Bought a logging axe too.
Axe is heavier than it looks. Gripped two-handed, still hefty. Stood before a straight, perfect tree. Ideal for walls. One month? Bullshit. Swung confidently.
Thwack!
Fresh axe feels great. This'd be quick. Dwarf underestimated me.
"Huff... huff..."
Correction: Dead accurate. Panting, I stared at the tree. After all that, not even halfway. Surface was okay, but core got tougher.
Loggers are legends. Fairy tale woodcutters hauling kids? Makes sense now. Wiped sweat, eyed half-cut tree. One tree this hard? Wall? Humans suck solo. Shelved the wall. Traps it was, per Dwarf.
ㅅㅂ Why's wood so damn hard? YasaengGrill (pic of slightly chopped tree) Dying here
└ Tried it yourself? Tough huh
└ Logging look easy now?
└ Forgot how hard it is when others do it lol
└ YasaengGrill: Sorry. Won't flex anymore.
└ SwordTasteStar: Mana Circulation Method'll make it easier.
└ Cheonma: The above one speaks true. Sit cross-legged and practice at once.
└ YasaengGrill: Yeah... will do.
└ Confidence tanked?
└ Better than dying cocky
└ PassingDwarf: No more flexing lol
└ YasaengGrill: Yes, sir.
└ So polite now lolol
└ Fr lol
Locked in my plan. Secret traps near cave mouth. Walls after training—internal power or mana method, whatever. Stamina drain too high now.
Digging takes forever too. Army vet here—knew shoveling sucked. Trenches took 3-4 guys all day. Owl Bear size? Deeper than me.
Brutal. Nothing easy. Humans powerless in wild. Give up? Hell no. Dust to mountains—steady effort pays off.
Dig entrance deep first. Surround later. Camo tent from auction too. Trap sparked idea. Dig moat like old castles around entrance/cave. Block outsiders, good enough. Dirt wall temp hold. Wood later.
Perfect. Do it. Plans mean squat without action. Mapped: moat spots, dirt wall, my entry. Not flawless, but safe-ish.
Thud! Shovel hit dirt. Rain-softened from dawn—better than logging. Still slow.
One step at a time.
My enthusiastic fort-building... "Aigoo... my back..." Turned to full-body ache next day.