Chapter 304
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 304
Chapter Title: 122. Fairy Kingdom
Red Archive board.
It's buzzing with energy as always.
This liveliness comes partly from the youth of the folks active here, but the biggest factor is that the game this board is centered on is still running from Jeju Island.
From my long-time observation of this place, the board's hot topics are always driven by the game company.
You can tell just from the latest announcement.
Whenever new competitive content drops in the game, threads explode around it, naturally cycling the conversations.
In the midst of that, a few users' personal flair sparks synergy, creating more vibrant, living content that keeps going.
It's a far cry from our board, which rolled on pure user talent in dead water.
Well, our board has a game running too.
But it's on its last legs.
Foxgames finally shut down the game service.
They're blaming the North American data center, but Foxgames' downfall was obvious long ago.
They slapped together a Frankenstein of stolen ideas, source code, and copyrights from other companies—barely kept afloat by talented underlings, whom they then fired.
No wonder the game couldn't run properly.
That shiny little armband still sparkles next to the Foxgames nickname, but it's not enviable.
He's a has-been user.
Lately, what's caught my eye is the sparkle next to Emgu's nickname.
What? TM?
Trademark?
Emgu's one-of-a-kind, sure, but does that merit such high praise?
Whatever. Can't be helped.
Our world's creator is Melon Mask, and he likes Emgu.
Right now, Emgu's burning his final spark.
His posts, even joking about his own death, have cult popularity.
What if he really crumbles?
Gonna just say goodbye to everyone?
Eh, he'll handle it.
Emgu's not important right now.
A minor issue cropped up on the Red Archive board.
That fan I mentioned before.
The one who just dropped a lone "ㅋ" on my highbrow gags.
This user's making aggressive moves on me.
*
Viva! Apocalypse!, Failnet, Red Archive board.
To this Skeleton, who's been a named user across all three communities, being a named isn't just something you get.
It's recognizing someone's uniqueness among masses, making them known, with responsibilities.
Managing the fanbase—aka fandom—is a key duty.
Like when I cared for my rabid fan "Quantum Explosion" on Red Archive.
One fan's worth ten haters.
My new motto.
So, show fans sincerity.
Problem is the request.
My new fan, BeHappy, made a hard-to-swallow demand.
Where do you live?
Can't answer easily.
Telling the truth risks my grand plans; lying would get busted quick.
Jeju Island's big, but human habitats are limited and segmented.
Easy to find people, pre-war levels.
Sloppy lies get exposed fast.
Can't reveal I'm outside Jeju either.
Secret from locals, but Park Gyu here is registered as a Jeju citizen.
I own a house under my name, have gear, and government-assigned tasks.
In Jeju gov, I'm a local intel source—HUMINT.
Crackle—
Crackle-crackle—
"This is Park Gyu. No unusual activity. No signs of erosion here."
Once a month, I contact Jeju side via dedicated radio from the island.
Mostly me talking, them silent, but it fulfills my HUMINT role.
Classified inside and out.
Can't tell even a fan easily.
So, I ignored the fan's request.
Instead, doubled my gag frequency and quality.
"......"
Waiting quietly.
Until my fan comments.
Probably got me favorited.
Comments right after my gag posts confirm it.
But more gags don't solve it.
My fan's getting bolder, hunting this Park Gyu.
What would we even talk about in person?
Tried using an old thread as a chat room.
On this board, I'm set as early 20s.
Added deliberate casual flair.
My youthful vibe fits—no dissonance, as seen with Woo Min-hee before.
Anyway, answer's "no."
No meetings, ever.
Won't share location.
Fans matter, but crossing lines is on them.
But this guy's a negotiator.
Big Hall.
Jeju awakened youth slang for rifts.
So, next week, my fan enters a rift.
Awakened survival rate inside rifts is low.
As brutal as our old hunter days.
Three go in, two come out.
My sole fan heads to hell.
At least ten years younger than me.
Nephew-age kid on the front line.
Short words, but my similar past makes it hit hard.
"......"
Pondered.
How to handle this.
Professor me would ignore.
Hell, professor me wouldn't touch these boards.
I have a similar memory.
Before first battlefield, gov gave pocket money and a week's leave.
Spend with family, friends, lover—gov care.
I had none.
Alone in barracks.
Dark room, imagining killing monsters—my foes—for a silent week.
Best then, but not fond memory.
Phone always on, checking often.
In case comrades called.
No one did.
Sticks in my mind.
Forever, probably.
My distant junior's doing the same.
Personality clear from short chat.
Introverted, quiet, hates getting hurt.
Seems picky to others.
Asked him.
I get why he's seeking me.
Wants someone to remember him.
Prove he lived, even if he dies.
Inheritance's bait for that wish.
Why not?
I went through similar.
No internet then, didn't act—but if I had, would've tried like him?
People can live alone, but crave connection eventually.
The stronger the yearning, the lonelier the soul.
"......"
Choices and risks flash by.
Shouldn'ts clash with wants.
Soon, faint resolution emerges.
Sighed, hands to keyboard.
*
In childhood fairy tales, we adventure to the fairy kingdom—a dreamy place.
Starlit wonderland of impossible marvels.
Can't make one.
Beyond my talents.
But to someone, it might be relative.
Tossed my fan a link.
The link bounces off Jeju's narrow island, through clouds, to stratosphere satellites, antennas reflecting back to earth.
BeHappy sees Florida or Arizona data center—but signals have no eyes, so imagination only.
Anyway, in the vast humming data center, BeHappy enters the Korean-language category.
Like any fairy tale, a guide awaits in the fairy kingdom.
The mysterious guide? Skeleton.
Our adventurer's shocked.
Naturally.
Trapped in Jeju intranet, unimaginable a new world: Viva! Apocalypse!
Some psycho's ban lifted meantime.
Deleted post, banned again.
Tossed BeHappy a link.
To Viva! Apocalypse!'s legendary hero—Twelvesquare's feats.
Short vid—my life and death etched in—ended; asked thoughts.
One reason I brought my fan to this odd fairy land.
One message.
Battlefield life/death is luck.
Long survival vs. walking to death? Will.
We normals can't change reality.
So endure.
See hell and stay numb.
Grow used to daily horrors.
And don't sleep when drowsiness hits soon.
Awaited reply.
Signaled Valentine.
Valentine's keystroke, sub-monitor blacks out with pale text.
BeHappy's fairy kingdom vanished without trace.
Bitter-sweet half-smile, gazed at black screen.
"Will this save that kid?"
Valentine, who obliged again, wiped sweat, asked.
"Who knows."
Still half-smiling, eyes to another screen.
Viva! Apocalypse!
BeHappy's fairy kingdom, at least.
Watching today's tumult there, said,
"At least no regrets in death?"
"Isn't that crueler?"
Looked at Valentine.
Shook head.