Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Line
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I pressed the gift button that appeared under the manager's nickname.
'It's automatically connected, huh.'
As soon as I tapped it, the Star Bang screen popped up.
If I pick an item here and buy it, won't it go straight to the manager?
'What should I send her...'
To flip public opinion for sure here, I needed to send something pretty substantial.
I could ask the manager what she needs and send that, no problem...
'But telling her ahead of time kills the fun.'
A surprise would hit harder.
Honestly, TP's tight as it is—if I ask, then bail because it's too much, I'd look like an idiot.
'Yeah, this level's right.'
I still had tons to buy myself, so sinking more than this was rough.
Sending to around five people like this should work fine.
Sure, it'd cost a chunk...
"This is a real investment for the future."
An investment for the day I claim gallery lord status—I could say it with my chest out.
Squeeze.
While tapping through the checkout on autopilot.
"Wait—!!"
I slammed my finger to a halt over the final purchase button.
I'd picked 230 TP worth—why the hell 2,300?
Gulp.
'...No way?'
My finger was glued to the screen.
Lift now, and anyone could see it'd buy.
'Not saying it's a waste on the manager.'
But half my net worth as a gift? Hell no.
'Ease it up slow...?'
Cold sweat slicked my palm.
Mouth parched dry, I gingerly slid my finger off the button.
"..."
Cleared the [Purchase] button. But finger still stuck to screen.
Lift now, and it's gift to manager or nada—fifty-fifty.
'Please...'
Prayed a dozen times inside, eased my finger up sloooow—
"Haah... "
Sighed in relief at the unpurchased screen. Thank god.
'Sorry, manager.'
While gifting her the 1L cola, I muttered a quiet apology inside.
Wanted to shower her with chicken, pizza, the works.
'Customs, you crazy bastard...'
Ten times? Overkill.
Five times, I'd have gritted teeth for chicken.
10k TP? I'd tank it. But right now? No dice.
'Gotta buy weapons, guidebooks, too.'
300 TP's a massive outlay when I need lump sums now.
Snickered at the still-buzzing gallery.
Posts tagging me popped up now and then, but it wasn't showtime yet.
'Perfect.'
Wonder when the reaction hits.
A random mystery cola out of nowhere.
At this timing, anyone'd clock it as my doing.
Even if not, manager'd poll the gallery first.
She'd hit me up right away. 'Newbie, was that you...?'
'Sucks only cola, but...'
Play this right, snowball rolls forever.
Ding-!
'Here we go.'
Checked manager's reply alerts pronto.
Snicker.
So frantic, no spaces or periods.
Kept calling me desperately below, but I ignored on purpose.
Replying kills the vibe.
Staying quiet till she posts proof.
'...Personality shift?'
One cola flips her like this?
Whatever, works for me—watched her freak out awhile.
Grinned at manager's new post alert, tapped in.
"It's over..."
Checked every post from my 6-hour nap.
Reviewed each, banned heavy newbie-haters, wild speculators from 1 day to a week.
Ten times the usual sleep-posts gave me a throbbing headache, but my bad, so whatever.
"Haa."
Not my first silent logout, but timing sucked.
Didn't note watching the cola-pouring vid 300 times. Kinda embarrassing.
'How to spin the bait...'
Vibe flipped from newbie-bashing to bashing the bashers.
Obvious once I joined, but couldn't just watch.
"Ugh... hate that..."
Winced at doing 'that' again—hadn't in ages.
Nothing flips gallery 180 like it, but millennium of modding built no tolerance.
Releasing twice-yearly was max effort already.
'Still... only way...'
Gritted for 'lewd pic dump day'—eyes squeezed shut, about to post—
Ruuuuumble—!!
"...!!"
Hideout outside boomed.
Sensed air around, primed power release anytime.
'What...?'
First time. Unknown vibe.
Planned tower-break today, no outing, but...
Too nagging—edged toward hideout exterior cautious.
"...Huh?"
Dark cave center had something.
Forearm-thick-ish.
Hand outstretched to blast mystery anytime, crept centerward slow.
"Eh...!!"
Soon spotted it—
"Eh? Ehh—?!"
Didn't take long to recognize: cola, imagined thousands times from newbie post.
Gulp.
"R-real..."
Real cola.
Or near-certain.
First pristine PET bottle cola ever. Non-canned? Lifelong first.
"..."
Grabbed—chill radiated.
Fridge-fresh feel.
Why here?
Over 1500 regressions, first food beyond bread/water.
Couldn't buy sky-drop story.
'Who...'
Sent this? Answer hit quick.
"Newbie...?"
Hours ago food-pic newbie.
Wasted cola-overflow guy. 1st-run Irregular, 40 floors day-one.
Only he could pull this.
Tap-tap. Taptaptap.
Flew to gallery, dropped reply.
100% newbie-sent.
'Knew he was good guy...!'
Haters wrong.
Newbie felt bad solo-munching, sure.
Meant to share, bad vibe stopped him.
Couldn't be pity-jabs otherwise.
'Sent me first...?'
Smile tugged lips.
No cola posts elsewhere.
Special treatment? Felt good.
Maybe Irregular forgiven—guilt eased bit.
"Why no reply...?"
Posted replies galore, no newbie response.
Was active recent, not gone.
40 floors? Not summiting yet. Weird.
'...Not newbie?'
If so, check fast.
Might be accident. No reason gift me this rare.
Replies exploded instant, no claimants.
Question spam everywhere.
What's up? Ain't this bread/water only? Chaos.
"If no one claims..."
Muttered at piling replies.
No newbie? No owner ever? Then...
Gulp.
No choice, can't waste. I'd sneak a sip then.
"Hehe..."
Grinned imagining. Owner best, no greed—but no one? Tiny bit fine.
"Eh...!"
Idiot-grinning kneeled cola-ward, then waited newbie post dropped.
Checked alerts just in case—no reply to mine.
Missed? Or new post instead.
.
.
.
Ah lol bonus lol
These fuckers perma-excluded lol
Regret lifetime ㅇㅇ
Wanna forgive? Unban come grovel
Cute girl? Erase memo!!
Else nude dogeza upload lolol
"..."
Recs/replies Irregular-post pace.
"Line?" replies, newbie explains raffle tickets nice.
Etc.
LOL at newbie's memo caps.
Cola-swap pleas.
Ban-dodgers listed.
Varied replies everywhere.
Gallery cola/newbie-flood instant.
"...Ah."
Need mod weird posts.
Check no newbie hate.
Couldn't peel eyes from newbie post.
Newbie-sent for me cola.
"..."
No synth apocalypse fizzless.
Pssshhh—!!
Chill mist whole bottle, twist cap—crisp pop rings ears.
"Ah..."
Pre-apoc real cola, fizz bubbling over.
Stared dumb, lifted PET ginger.
Forearm-thick heavy, sticky exterior gross.
"Really..."
None mattered.
Taste this? Rest irrelevant.
'Really ok drink...?'
1534 years first outside-tower food.
Pre-tower scavenger life? Unattainable luxury.
Gulp.
Dry lips parted, shaky hands brought cola mouth cautious.
"!!!!"
Zing—!!
Tongue-tingle eyes bulged.
Sweet spread, aroma blooms.
Sticky sugar clings throat, brain-freeze chills.
Every second to gut vivid.
Vertigo past first critter kill floods body.
"Huu..."
Limbs quiver. Near-dropped cola.
Hugged sticky bottle—tear leaked why.
"Drank it..."
This happiness.
Lived hard for this.
Gulp gulp gulp...
"...! Hup!"
Crying chugging sparked burp reflex.
Floated cola air-wave quick, hands clamped mouth.
Eyes shut tight, shoulders shook suppressing hard.
"Hoo."
No audience, but solo-chug burp? Shame city.
'Ah... should've sipped slow...'
Calmed, eyed floating cola—half gone.
One-time treasure guzzled reckless.
Sip sparse—weeks worth.
Gloomy cola-gaze, newbie words edged vision.
"..."
'More' later promise.
Sorry for trouble—wide good heart.
'...Extend bans?'
Need punish newbie-tormenters harder.
"My eyes—!!"
No shit just testing—don't actually post!!