Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: 65. Block
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Group survivalism.
I thought it was a bad approach, but soon enough, it would become one of my own survival strategies too.
...
...
The pace on Failnet was slowing down, but right now, there's a boom in people trying to form groups.
No one can trust the government anymore, and with rumors flying that the food is all mutation meat, people are banding together to figure out survival on their own.
That gathering spot is Failnet's "Let's Stick Together" board.
It wasn't highly ranked at first, but after our NyamNyamMan vaguely revealed the truth about the evacuation fleet, it shot up the ranks. Now it's a popular board hanging in the top 10 almost every day.
But just skimming this board reveals some clear patterns.
Even the latest hot posts show it.
They prefer people with skills like doctors or engineers.
It's consistent.
The vibe across the whole board is like background music: they'll only take team members with real abilities.
Posts looking for average folks are rare, and even those demand special qualifications like school ties or regional connections.
Probably because groups already formed are scouting for those skilled people when adding new members?
Bitter truth: without skills, it's hard to even form a group.
But our board has a group survivalist too.
Not just any—someone who's been preaching it since before the war, practically a philosopher on it.
Dies_Irae69.
Lately, this guy's posted recruitment on both Failnet and our board.
Attached to Dies_Irae69's post was a group photo of men armed with guns, faces hidden behind sunglasses and masks, posed against rugged mountains.
Slurp—
Sipping my coffee, I savored Dies_Irae69's post.
It's different from Failnet.
He doesn't demand doctors or techies.
Unlike the degenerates hunting women in the apocalypse, he boldly lists single women as rejected.
He's targeting the average Joes shunned on Failnet—especially men.
Predictably, some twisted Failnet folks piled on with hate comments.
...
...
I don't have good feelings about Dies_Irae69.
During the Defender incident, I got a glimpse of what kind of person he is.
He's not the type to fit in the "normal" category.
Cold and cruel.
That's the abstract image I have of him.
Above all, Dies_Irae69 has been advocating and practicing group survivalism since the early war days—a true ideologue.
No guarantee his words are gospel, but surely more convincing than some anon ranting on Failnet?
Slurp—
Sipping coffee again, I pondered what mindset led Dies_Irae69 to those recruitment criteria.
Having run a team myself once, I could kinda see what he values and what kind of group he's building.
Group stability seems his top priority?
Prioritizing personal issues and character over raw ability, ruthlessly excluding anything that could crack the group.
Gathering masses who blend in seamlessly, using numbers as a weapon for bigger goals.
And sure enough, in his follow-up post, Dies_Irae69 confirmed my guess.
Hard to deny he's capable as a leader.
He's maintained a group for nearly three years, steadily growing it solidly.
The photo shows over twenty guys easy.
Double the numbers from that commemorative shot after wiping out the Legion faction before.
With food shortages making beggars everywhere and our board folks lonely, seeing him handle even deserters drew volunteers to his group.
Obviously, not a single woman in that photo.
But his recruitment didn't seem just open applications.
He messaged me right after posting the recruitment.
Rare for him, so I replied surprised.
I've got some resentment toward him, so I skipped SKELTON's signature opener.
Kind of a hint to keep distance.
But he's blunt and straightforward.
No pondering why I skipped my trademark opener—he just barrels ahead.
Skipped the opener twice now.
He should get the hint.
"......"
Yeah, we don't click.
We're polar opposites: personal survivalism vs. group survivalism.
He's sharp, sure, but I can't join him.
We're total opposites.
Like Defender, but a few steps further.
If even Defender feels off, no reason to team with this guy.
He accepted the rejection graciously.
But Dies_Irae69 was more machine-like than I thought.
"Dies_Irae69 messaged me. Invited me to his team. What the hell's he thinking?"
Around the same time, he messaged Defender too.
The guy he tried to kill—and nearly did—gets a join offer.
Like burying grudges for future survival. But sending that to someone he just tried to off for show? Baffling.
Anyway, regardless of my thoughts, Dies_Irae69's in his prime now.
Next day, he calmly posted recruitment results on the board.
When do people change?
Great ones transform like caterpillars to butterflies, but average folks like me get pushed by outside forces.
In that sense, even that cold leader Dies_Irae69 seemed no different from us.
Easy to see he'd lost a bit of his old icy edge.
Not like him.
He'd shown unease before, but now he's crossing lines.
Revealing location? With zealous followers hyping him, he's forgotten his place.
Like John_nenon, m9, or nearby Defender.
Those thousand applicants boosted his ego?
Not close to Dies_Irae69, bit of grudge, but we've met IRL once.
And he's not alone—board allies with him.
Frustrated, I messaged first this time.
Dies_Irae69 isn't quick to reply.
An hour later:
His posts alone make him look like overconfident fool marching to doom.
I felt that way too.
But I've met him in person.
Seen how he treats people, how easily he kills.
No way hype drops his IQ to suicide levels.
"......"
Something stinks.
Like the countless foul odors from China.
Remembering those tragedies, I typed silently.
Anger boiled up inside.
Tap tap
Uncharacteristically blunt accusation.
Always quick to reply, Dies_Irae69 went silent for a while.
After what felt like forever, he responded.
That delay didn't cool me—it just fermented my disgust.
Plausible scenario.
For a steel-hearted man.
Shorter delay, then reply.
Ignored his question.
Not just killing intent through the screen.
Deep conviction: never tangle with this guy.
A presumed Legion faction higher-up posted.
No text, just a photo: a tall mountain piercing a crisp autumn sky, cloaked in red maples indistinguishable from the flames engulfing them.
I don't know mountains well, but board users ID'd it as Yongmun Mountain.
Our board users didn't comment much on the photo, but their thoughts likely match Failnet's.
Too cocky.
In front of a force thousands times stronger.
But truth is uglier than appearances, as always.
Unknown user messaged me.
But spotting who it was? Easy.
Dies_Irae69.
The bastard who tested his forces on innocents, now brazenly reaching out with a new nick.
He sent a pic of his old service cap.
A dagger piercing a black skull crest—chilling.
I know that mark.
The so-called Annihilation Unit.
Infamous for massacres during Pyongyang in North Korea's collapse.
"......"
I used to block liberally.
Most got unblocked as war dragged, or they died first.
But Dies_Irae69? Never unblocking.