Chapter 156

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 76

Chapter Title: Sanctuary (1)

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SKELTON: (Cheers) Former board moderator SKELTON makes a shocking return!

The ban was finally lifted.

It wasn't so much the result of a reflection statement as the fruit of patient endurance after 72 hours had passed.

During that long, harsh period of banishment, there wasn't a single moment he hadn't thought of this liberating instant.

He figured there would be some kind of reaction, one way or another.

No fervent support or Christian forgiveness, sure, but at least a barrage of insults.

Whatever the reason, he'd become famous, hadn't he?

That artist Andy Warhol or whoever had said something like, once you're famous, the public will applaud you even if you scratch your back.

He thought something similar would happen to him.

But,

"...Hmm."

No response.

Five minutes, ten, fifteen passed, and still not a single comment.

Did it get buried already?

It was 7 a.m. now.

The ban had lifted a while ago, but it was still early.

He waited an hour, then posted again.

No one in Korea's narrow internet world wouldn't know SKELTON now.

As the first and last moderator of the Viva! Apocalypse! Korean board, good comments or bad, there had to be at least one or two.

Don't celebrities get people hanging around them just to get noticed?

But again, no response.

Five minutes, ten, fifteen...

Fine. Time for shock therapy.

"..."

No comments.

No comments was as routine for SKELTON as breathing, but this chill felt different from the usual ignores he'd faced.

Not even insults? That was a problem.

Surely Viva! hadn't hidden his posts from others?

That black-haired foreigner who hated him irrationally hadn't used some personal grudge to make SKELTON invisible, right?

...Not that.

Anyone familiar with the board knew m9's "that boring bastard" meant SKELTON.

For a veteran like him, directly mentioning another user hurt his pride, but oh well.

After the emotional return event still got zero comments, he tried buddying up to m9 out of desperation.

The keyboard never felt so heavy.

Pressing each keycap felt like bench-pressing 90kg.

But even after SKELTON extended his hand first, no response.

Thorough ignore.

SKELTON reached out first, but only chit-chat.

"..."

That's just how he was, whatever.

Truth was, timing sucked.

His return coincided with the board's darkest mood.

As weather warmed, cold snap casualties emerged.

Naturally, many froze to death.

Supplies scarcer than last year, temps lower, cold lingered longer.

Casualties varied wildly by camp.

With acting president Yang Sang-gil dead, Incheon's camps went feral. Extreme cold tested organization and leadership, deciding fates.

Some had minor frostbite; others nearly all perished.

Least damage: Shelter 13. Abandoned state tents for nearby subway station.

Ditching powered shelter took guts.

Leaders built second winter base on tracks, risked fires inside despite fumes, picked strong folks for foraging and rations—all indoors.

Impressive: huddling like Antarctic penguins. Thousands circled slowly against -40°C winds, enduring.

Worst: Shelter 29. Trusted camp power and district heating proximity.

Heat cut on blizzard night at -40°C.

Power failed too; radio died.

Sent young strong to government building—missing.

Only body heat left; sea winds turned them to ice.

Intra-camp fates varied too.

Lucky families near heat survived intact; others froze one by one or together.

Violence routine: MMA guy hoarded power/hot water—beaten dead by uncles, family exiled to freeze.

As thaw revealed horrors, bodies burned or secretly recycled.

SKELTON had little to say.

Doom fans foresaw it.

Mass deaths from cold or monsters? Obvious.

Surprisingly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fewer died than expected—humans tougher, more tenacious.

Pity at most; not our tragedy.

Different mindsets, different fates.

Bored of cold news, he sought fresh distraction.

Craved comments.

This named user, ex-mod, back from exile—no comments? Problem.

Tempted to beg Defender, but held back.

Scrolling glumly,

Ding~

"Gasp!"

A comment!

GingerCookie?

New face.

Korean nick—PaleNet user.

Animal Island board? Never heard.

Not top ranks; he checked daily.

But interest in this tough time? Reciprocate.

Searched "Animal Island"—surprisingly active.

Not a ghost town; buzzing modestly.

Posts:

Multiple active nicks.

All today's posts, various times.

~10 active users.

Small but lively for rank.

Intro: Board for "Gather! Animal Island!" portable game fans. More daily chit-chat than game talk.

Unlike fighty game boards, harmonious, friendly.

Warm game breeds warm board—no swears.

"..."

Unlike SKELTON's rough boards; fairy-tale vibe after Incheon horrors.

Then, inviter posted.

Board chat? PaleNet lacks DMs; anonymous.

Real-time chat.

Few users, but active.

Small for SKELTON's fame, but worth posting.

Tap tap

When in Rome—warm greeting to match.

What next?

No response for a minute, then:

Expected.

But,

What? Dreaming?

Viva! ignored post-exile return; here, every user welcomed slowly but surely.

Even now.

This tiny board showered excessive attention on his every move.

He told Dajeong about the mysterious find.

"What? Small board welcomes you warmly?"

Internet expert; she'd explain.

Sure enough, casually:

"Those exist. Clans stick together. Niche hobby boards are tight-knit since users rare—friendly vibe."

"Really?"

Such places in this cold net?

"Where? Animal Island? Checking. Ah~ This place?"

Slight sneer.

"Just a backwater friend-circle board."

"Yeah, that vibe."

"Animal Island? Know it. Too peaceful for me, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if it heals you, go. Moderate cliques fine. Pre-war, folks aged together 10+ years on boards."

"For real?"

"Tons."

Her confident tone bittersweet—expertise fading soon. But ex-mod; he'd manage.

Short farewell fitting parting paths, but:

"No deaths there?"

Recs: 100

Game console → Slave

Play → Torture or rape

Dead battery → Frozen

Repair guy → Quack doctor

Recs: 71

Fake-crazy pleasure killers inviting innocents: Fake madness

Skeleton expects warm welcome after atrocities: True madness

Recs: 65

Niche boards get cliquey. Rarely invite outsiders. PaleNet clue means they picked easy doom cultist to eat.

Prof won't know, but scarier than savvy U Min-hee who plays along. Skeleton sees net acquaintances as friends—helps them. Won't end peacefully.

[76. Sanctuary (1)] End