Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: 90. Fox Game (4)
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He must be a good person.
That was the conviction I'd formed while dealing with Fox Game.
The man spoke to me in a voice as gloomy as the shadows cast across his face.
"I took it as good intentions at first, but eventually, they seized control. Even after I accepted them, kids and all. That's how they played it. I half-expected it, though. They've got grudges against me..."
"Grudges?"
"Yeah. Back when I was at the company, I drew inspiration from a male colleague's idea and used it without his consent. I was barely sleeping three hours a day under performance pressure, always in a daze, so I did it unconsciously—no intent to steal. But in the end, I screwed him over badly."
There was no real awkwardness in Fox Game's gloomy expression as he recounted his past.
Maybe he was telling the truth.
He whispered in a low voice.
"Those guys have the armory key."
At that moment, the inner door of the garage creaked open.
It was the couple's son.
Nine years old by the calendar, but like most kids in this apocalypse, he seemed far sharper and more cunning than his age suggested.
As the boy peeked through the slightly ajar door, Fox Game shut his mouth and changed the subject abruptly.
"...This new project is trying to exploit the sloppy traffic from Viva! Apocalypse! like Monster Park did. The issue is that most users connect via Failnet, so solving the bottleneck—John_nenon nailed tunneling before..."
We stepped out of the garage.
Fox Game closed the shutter, his face flushed with excitement as he looked at me.
"You saw that, right?"
"Saw what?"
"That little bas... I mean, the boy. He's a spy too. Acts all innocent and naive, but he's basically a bug his parents planted. Just five minutes ago, our chat reached his mom's ears."
We started down the 5-meter corridor that had humiliated me earlier.
In the heavy silence, Fox Game's small, desperate voice pierced the quiet.
"They keep me alive because I know everything about operating and maintaining this bunker's systems. But that won't last much longer. Once they learn it all, they'll kill me."
I glanced at Fox Game.
He stared coldly down the corridor's end, his face pale with dread.
"...You saw my room, right?"
"That tiny one?"
He turned to me.
"Does that look like it was originally mine?"
If I hadn't spoken to the young couple in the dining room earlier, I might have taken Fox Game's words at face value.
But the evaluations of Fox Game I'd seen on Failnet kept nagging at me.
I studied his face.
Fox Game wore the classic look of a victim.
"Help me."
He pleaded in a hushed voice.
"..."
I knew exactly what kind of help he wanted.
Kill them all.
And he was right.
Chasing them out half-heartedly would just bring dozens of raiders back in days.
But was it right to slaughter them based solely on Fox Game's word?
The woman clearly resented him, but the man still held respect for him.
Plus, they were making games.
Had been for a year now.
That part bothered me.
Why would people plotting to kill Fox Game and steal his bunker bother developing games through hard labor?
"The new project. You're making it?"
I ignored his plea and forced the question.
Fox Game's gloomy eyes flickered.
"Yes. That's right."
"Are those people involved in it too?"
"Why ask that?"
"They said they were working on the new project."
"They used that as an excuse to get into my bunker. Pretended to work on it while taking control. The armory key—that woman's got it."
Fox Game glanced anxiously behind us.
"We can't drag this out. They'll notice. If our talk drags on, they won't let me live!"
"Then here's the deal."
I held out my pistol to Fox Game.
"If trouble starts, hold them off with this. I'll stick around the area for a day and watch the situation."
A day was short.
To decide a family's fate.
Arms bend inward, so I'd normally side with a forum buddy, but this felt too serious to handle lightly.
Then,
"You want to watch me die?"
Fox Game snapped for the first time, irritation flaring.
"I don't know how to shoot. Never served. And those guys kill people like it's breakfast in Seoul and Incheon. I can't match them..."
I said nothing, just watched him.
My decision stood firm.
Fox Game stared weakly at the pistol I'd offered, his bloodshot eyes mixing frustration, anger, and exhaustion.
Moments later, he turned away.
"Just go. I'll die anyway."
"..."
"Why SKELTON? DSerae calls, but you don't come..."
Muttering complaints, he vanished down the 5-meter corridor that had shocked me, the heavy full-seal shutter soon swallowing him and his hideout naturally.
I had no idea what to say or do in that moment.
At least I believed I hadn't made the wrong choice.
Besides,
"..."
There was an ambush.
No one on the way in, but in that short time, someone had hidden a vehicle in the roadside jungle and was watching from the underbrush.
If I'd been the ambusher, I'd have opened fire from a range outside my detection.
Luck might've let them kill me.
What was their game?
Lack shooting confidence? Or closing distance because of weak weapons like pistols or Judge Killers?
The next instant, something unexpected happened.
The ambusher revealed himself from the bushes.
Binoculars in one hand, he lowered his muzzle and called out loudly.
"Hey!"
He removed his sunglasses and mask.
Early thirties, a face blending youth and experience, radiating vitality.
"You're the guy from the Sage incident, right?"
I recognized him.
Yeah.
One of the forum buddies who'd gathered for the Sage incident.
"SKELTON."
Identifying myself, he grinned.
"Roka Hun. ROKA_HUN. Ring a bell?"
Right, that was his handle.
Plenty of "ROKA" guys out there.
One thing was clear.
This guy was with DSerae's crew.
*
"ROKA," shorthand for Republic of Korea Army, was a handy prefix for ex-military guys picking nicknames without much thought.
I remembered seeing "ROKMC" for Marines early on too.
Anyway, a "ROKA" tag at least certified basic military service.
Meant they could shoot and had group living experience.
There was talk it implied "not elite, just commoner stock," but in this world, it hardly mattered.
The user Roka Hun in my memory was average, unremarkable.
The question was why this guy, who'd gone dark after joining DSerae's faction, suddenly popped up here.
"Guarding the perimeter."
Roka Hun slung his rifle over his shoulder and lit something.
Homemade cigarette from crushed homegrown tobacco.
He offered me one.
I shook my head firmly—no smoking—and he lit his own.
"Whew~."
As he exhaled white smoke from nose and mouth, I asked,
"Guarding?"
Roka Hun pointed to a nearby low hill.
"Captain's orders. Monitoring the area from up there. Checking for more approaching. That's when you showed. You didn't know at the time."
Roka Hun eyed me steadily.
"What business you got there?"
"There?"
His expression sharpened slightly.
"The bunker."
This guy.
Knew about Fox Game's bunker.
I didn't know the full story, but no point lying and causing misunderstandings.
"Went to Fox Game's bunker."
"Fox Game?"
Roka Hun acted like he'd never heard the name.
"Don't know Fox Game? The one uploading classic game conversions."
I figured he'd know, but he flatly denied it.
"Nah, been off the net forever. Catch the occasional Live! Apocalypse! the Captain streams. No more surfing. No need."
"...Really?"
"Why the face? World's full of fun shit. Looks like you're still online—honestly, ain't boredom why you surf?"
Hard to argue that.
"Why visit Fox Game's bunker?"
"Check if he was dead or alive. You might not know, but he's kinda famous."
"Huh. Captain's coming anyway—let's chat with him."
"Captain?"
I knew this "Captain" meant DSerae.
Fine for Roka Hun, but I had zero desire to meet DSerae again.
Problem was, this guy wouldn't let me go easily.
"..."
He'd been active on the forum once.
But now he was DSerae's man.
No need to cut him slack.
He'd changed unrecognizably from two years ago.
Back then, an idealistic, green apocalypse enthusiast. Now, cold ruthlessness—he could shove a muzzle in someone's mouth and pull the trigger without hesitation.
Probably fought countless battles, wielded endless violence.
Obvious even without the boy and girl I'd let go spilling it.
"Nah, got urgent business."
If he blocked me, I'd kill him.
Same if he tried anything.
I adjusted one side mirror slightly.
To check his move the moment I turned my back.
"Sure?"
Roka Hun shrugged it off.
"Too bad. Captain'd wanna see you. Talks about you a lot. Says you're a waste. Man, Captain's thoughts are a mystery."
Roka Hun glanced at the bunker.
"Bunker owner's looking for him—could just go settle it, but sends me to watch for days."
"What?"
For a split second, Fox Game's reaction when he first saw me flashed vividly.
He'd asked, "DSerae?" the instant he spotted me.
I'd assumed he'd pegged my real look to his image of DSerae and said the name casually.
Apparently not.
"Fox Game called for DSerae?"
"Yeah. Bunker owner hit up the Captain for help."
Roka Hun scanned me top to bottom, smirked, and crossed his arms.
"You should join us."
"Living it up?"
Roka Hun nodded, smiling.
"Got everything. Fun, games, women—best part's the work and tasks. Like watching your bank balance grow at a shitty job? Same vibe."
"Women? Forum girls?"
"Not Viva! Apocalypse! types. Rescue lost ones, keep 'em around."
Roka Hun grinned and leaned in.
"Idol-level at least."
"...Where from?"
"Not 'got.' Mutual aid. They give bodies, we give protection and food. Sparks fly, keep 'em. Already two couples."
Just as I thought—DSerae's group was raiders 2.0.
More organized, clearer goals, and offering a future vision.
Whatever DSerae's true aim, I'd never cross paths with him.
Or so I hoped.
But fate has a way of defying expectations.
A whoosh of wind-cutting and a heavy rattle echoed faintly from behind.
Bicycle.
Soon, a bike and its rider burst from the bushes.
Camouflage gear, masked face. Spotting me, he dismounted and removed his coverings.
A face I knew well.
"SKELTON?"
DSerae.
The forum user I wary of most.
"..."
I'd blocked him online, but no need to show my cards in person.
"DSerae?"
He showed no hostility—seemed glad to see me.
"You peng zi yuan fang bu yi luo hu a?"
"What?"
"Nice to see you."
True to his meticulous nature, he asked why I was here.
I answered objectively, holding nothing back.
With a cunning, thorough guy like this, half-assed lies weren't just bad—they were suicidal.
"Viva Bot. Ah, that woman."
DSerae knew Viva Bot too.
Made sense—he streamed Live! Apocalypse!, so acquaintances tracked.
He eyed me.
"Real deal hunter, huh? That's why Viva Bot sent you?"
I neither confirmed nor denied.
Internally, I wrestled fiercely.
"..."
Kill him or let it slide?
If I decided to, I could.
Two opponents.
DSerae was tough, but Roka Hun was overconfident, not elite.
Good ambush, I could take them barehanded before they drew.
Just wasn't sure it was right.
DSerae was seriously dangerous.
Not just cruel—impossible to read his mind.
In a shrinking world, antagonizing this expander? No confidence I'd survive.
Unless I had a group.
"..."
Yeah, better kill now.
"Hey, SKELTON."
As I masked intent and sought an opening, DSerae looked at me with unguarded friendliness.
"About Fox Game."
DSerae lit a handmade cigarette.
Roka Hun held the lighter.
Exhaling smoke, DSerae gazed at the deepening summer blue sky.
"Internet image totally different, right?"
He turned to me.
"Like you, SKELTON."
"..."
"Meant it positively. Don't misunderstand."
DSerae stretched languidly.
As my hand reached for the axe texture at my thigh, he chuckled.
"Fox Game wants me to kill all his housemates except himself."
My hand froze.
Still stretching, he looked back at me.
"I don't like that."