Chapter 64

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 64

Chapter Title: Monster Gallery (5)

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The items sold at the convenience store weren't limited to just food.

Clothing, batteries, portable chargers, outlets, lighters, frozen foods, and so on.

They also sold so-called "daily necessities" that made our lives more convenient.

Just to test it out, I asked the convenience store monster—one that sourced every single item from Korean convenience stores in the real world—if it could procure something specific.

"Um... could you possibly?"

Maybe because I'd always tipped it well and been friendly.

It was happy to fetch a particular item sold at Korean convenience stores for me.

"Please wait just a moment... I'll go get it right away..."

"Oh! Thank you so much."

"For you, the customer... I'll do anything... I always appreciate you so much... Be right back..."

The convenience store monster headed into the room labeled STAFF ONLY.

About ten minutes later, it emerged, hands full of exactly what I'd requested.

"I'm back..."

And so, I said,

"Korean convenience stores hardly sell fireworks anymore. You must've had a tough time finding them."

"It's fine..."

"I'll buy every single one you brought."

"Thank you..."

"If possible, could you keep bringing more fireworks?"

"Of course..."

"Everyone else will love them too. The more you stock up, the better."

"Thanks for the tip..."

I managed to buy a huge haul of fireworks and eight canisters of butane gas before heading home.

…

Fireworks don't contain much gunpowder.

Household ones are legally limited in chemical volume to avoid serious harm to people.

But what if I combined the ten fireworks I'd bought using "Crafting" into one, then attached a sharply honed metal shard to the launch end?

Bang!

"Success."

It could only fire once, but I'd succeeded in making a disposable makeshift gun.

The method was simple—just light the fuse with a lighter, like any firework.

"Shall we test it?"

"How do you plan to test it?"

"We have plenty of live test subjects."

"Huh?"

"Watch."

I immediately began crafting a makeshift parcel bomb.

"We're about to commit bomb terrorism."

"...Bomb terrorism??"

I stuffed a lit candle into an empty box I'd prepared in advance.

Next to the lit candle, I placed a butane canister.

Right below that, positioned to puncture the canister, went the combined firework.

A simple box bomb was complete.

"Will this actually work...?"

"Theoretically, yes. The firework's metal shard will rupture the butane, gas will leak out, hit the candle flame, and boom—instant explosion."

Of course, we'd have to test if it really worked.

But we had plenty of test subjects: countless monster account numbers uncovered from the Monster Gallery.

In other words,

"Time to experiment."

There were more than enough guinea pigs for box bomb testing.

…

The box bomb experiments were a resounding success.

The two monsters wouldn't have the mental capacity for community activity amid the blast damage right now.

Of course, a single ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠exploding butane canister wouldn't kill a monster...

If the explosive power was lacking? Just cram more canisters into the box.

If lethality was an issue? Fill the box with metal shrapnel.

"Each box bomb costs about 1600-1800 coins."

"Hmm..."

The fireworks from the convenience store here cost around 100 coins each—pretty pricey.

Probably because the monsters had to go to actual Korean convenience stores on Earth, rarer items fetched higher coin prices.

That's why ID-checked cigarettes were expensive, and beachside fireworks even more so...

"A bit pricey—"

"This is insanely cost-effective?!"

How is this not the steal of the century?!

"Big Whale!"

"Yeah?"

"Normal people max out at 1000 coins a day...!"

"So two days' savings for one bomb?!"

"Factoring in food, clothes, water, occasional snacks... 1600 coins is like once a week."

"Still, one bomb a week? Total steal?!—"

"Aaaah!"

…

Spending so much time together lately, sharing a bed had become no big deal.

"Good night."

"Good night, Big Whale."

Before sleep, I deleted two random monsters via photos.

For tomorrow's Japanese exchange hour, I planned to hit up a Japanese convenience store for more fireworks and butane.

But on a whim, I checked the Monster Gallery.

'When did they unban me?'

I didn't know when, but the Monster Gallery moderator had lifted my ban.

I had no idea why, but...

'You'll regret this.'

I couldn't resist trolling the monsters, so I posted immediately.

"Hm?"

As if it'd been waiting for my post.

The Monster Gallery mod commented on it...

And then...

'...What?'

It straight-up deleted my post.

'Something to say?'

Since I'd set all whispers to ignore...

The mod wanted a quiet chat with me, away from the monsters.

"Sigh..."

"Ugh... what's wrong?"

"I'll step out for a quick chat with the Monster Gallery mod. Go to sleep first."

"I'll help from the side."

"No need. You're tired—sleep."

"Um... sorry to say this, but... Big Whale gets uneasy without someone assisting nearby..."

"...Pardon?"

"...What did I just say?"

"...Assisting?"

"Oh... must be exhaustion talking. Spent all day on that wife monster post—got mixed up, hehe..."

"Ah, got it. Sleep well."

"Good night..."

"Sweet dreams."

Just in case, I prepared for the worst.

After DMing the Monster Gallery admin and leaving a verification comment in the Korean community,

I waited until midnight to refill sanity.

Thirty minutes later, past midnight, I used an item to top off sanity...

"Alright... let's do this."

Expecting a possible sanity-attack photo from the mod,

I prepped universal antidotes on the table, positioned to collapse onto Mina if I fell—keeping her safe—and opened the DM.

There...

A neatly compiled list of countless monster accounts.

And then...

'...What?'

I could see the admin begging to be killed.

'...??'

Was I the only one who had no clue what was going on...?

'If that's the case, why ban me in the first place?'

Why block me from the gallery and pretend to side with monsters if he was human?

"...What the hell?"

Since he knew he'd die anyway, maybe he just wanted it painless?

Or...

"...No idea."

No matter how much I pondered alone,

There was no clear answer.

Only one thing left to do.

Just initiating direct conversation with my informant.

But...

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"..."

Even getting that info... cut off mid-conversation.

"Hah... play pitiful and I'll mercifully kill you painless—"

I wasn't that nice.

Not some pushover granting every wish to an enemy who'd shown hostility.

'...Wait, why ban me but not Mina?'

A sudden thought flashed by.

Why hadn't the Monster Gallery mod banned Mina, who'd been active with me?

She'd even messaged the monsters on my behalf after my ban, telling them to check the Korean gallery.

Why spare her?

"...All an act?"

Maybe he'd just fooled the monsters.

Pretended to be on their side.

Unable to DM me due to my settings, his only option to deceive them was...

'Banning me.'

That was it.

"...I've been unfairly prejudiced against the Chinese..."

"But they kinda deserve the prejudice."

Japanese exchange hour.

Thanks to Mina, I could go out during it too. I rushed to the safe zone's central pavilion and checked underneath.

There...

'It's really there.'

A massive pile of coins—hundreds of thousands at least—and grotesque armor...

Atop the folded armor: stacks of densely scribbled papers.

I don't know where it went wrong, but voting turned out to be hugely important.

If asked where... it started with our selfishness and greed.

Pondering deeply... maybe this damned country from the start.

You must know.

Killing a monster transfers its coins to your account.

Did you know it's not just monsters?

Kinslaying.

You can steal others' coins that way too.

.

.

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