Even a Small Civilization Counts, Right? (3)
Two shopping carts stuffed full. Loaded with about forty mid-to-large board game boxes, heading back to the Shrine—people's eyes went wide. I parked the carts for a sec, shook 'em out, then back to the Shrine. Fucking awesome. The happiest moment since becoming a god.
Thinking back to scraping together allowance from elementary school, buying one box at a time, or working part-time in college for one or two boxes a month... and now, forty boxes at once! All the fun stuff I'd been drooling over, right in my hands! Epic!
Into the Shrine, dumped the carts with a crash, shoved them aside. Straight to the stone sarcophagus, popped up into the living room. Ever since the house turned into the Shrine, the living room got huge, and the bookshelves expanded too—the top three shelves were totally empty, but now I could fill 'em! Nah, filling them wouldn't cut it. Gotta grab everything from the bookstore!
I was so thrilled I wanted to flop right into the boxes, but I held back. Stacked them neatly by category. First up: engine-building games. The weakest part of my collection. Now I could enjoy 'em to my heart's content.
"Heh heh heh."
Ripping open boxes one by one—nothing beats the thrill of unboxing new games. While I was at it, the women woke up and trickled into the Fountain of Life one by one, exchanging looks like 'You too?' 'Yeah, me too.' with awkward smiles.
Then they spotted it.
"God! What's that?!" Hyeyoon shouted.
I grinned wide and waved. "Board games, what else!"
"Why's it wrapped in plastic?"
"Brand new! Just grabbed 'em! Fresh games!"
"For real?!" Yeonsu bolted up. She's totally cool showing off naked around me now. Fine by me.
"Hey, put some clothes on. I'll pounce again. No joke—if you come back stripped, I can't be held responsible."
"Eep." She froze mid-stride and scurried back to the fountain. Adorable.
Almost. I got so absorbed in the games I forgot about sex entirely. New games mean learning the rules first. Iseo and Jeong-eun had played some during their stay here—spotted them eyeing a farming game, so I nodded, and they hunkered down in the corner, cracking it open. Looked like they were having fun.
No electricity. No TV, no phones. In a zombie apocalypse, survival's the only game in town at first—but once that's sorted? Staring at nothing gets boring as hell. You'll die of tedium.
Fancy jewelry's nice, chatting's great, but there's still that itch boredom leaves. Anyone calling board games trivial in a zombie world hasn't been bored enough. They're crucial.
Men have more options—volleyball outside, young guys scavenged a basketball and used tree branches in the apartment courtyard for hoops. Women could use hobbies too, but they tend to want chill vibes. Games seem like kid or guy stuff, but holding cards, moving your own minis across the board? Women dig it. It's the hands-on tactile fun.
Board game cafes are packed with couples, over half women. I've been to tons—I know.
And in a zombie apocalypse with zero entertainment, dropping dozens of fresh board game boxes in front of women who've dabbled? Irresistible. For real.
The engine-builder I opened earlier? Yeonsu and Hyeyoon snatched it up. Wine-aging game—cute and cozy, they said. Handed it off for them to play.
Then, my all-time fave: dungeon crawlers. The premium set—three big boxes, full set ran 1.5 million won, been drooling forever. Set it right in front of me.
Unboxing time. Heart pounding, fuck.
That's when Sechem Yaret slithered in.
"God. Oh...! Everyone seems busy?"
"Huh? Yeah. C'mere. You ever play board games?"
"I've joined the women who will become God's wives when they invited me, but it's not my interest. My interest is—"
"Yeah, yeah. Taking care of my women once they're pregnant. Got it."
"Precisely. As expected of God—you know me well."
The women glanced over, giggling. What're they laughing at? Maybe knock 'em all up right now. Nah, I will eventually. But focus!
"Anyway, what's up?" Casual ask. Packaging's off! Open the box! The box!
"Word's spreading among the people about taking on new priestesses."
The women went 'Huh?!' and stared. Hands froze.
Sechem Yaret tilted her head at them. "As you all know, the Shrine needs more women. I hope this doesn't offend, but even with God's two wives and two priestesses, God holds back his desires for you greatly. Because he cherishes and loves you. He's told me multiple times he doesn't want to overwhelm you."
They looked at me. I nodded. Nod nod. She nailed it—I've been holding back tons. Since the bull and lion tattoos on my shoulders, it's been nonstop. Only pounce when I can't take it, and even four rounds per woman feels short. Can't go harder on girls who pass out or are on the verge.
Yeonsu's eyes went wide. "...Twice a day with all of us? Eight times daily, every day, and that's holding back?"
"Yeah." Nod nod.
"...Wouldn't it be two or three times more...?"
"...Eek." Hyeyoon jumped.
Iseo and Jeong-eun's eyes bugged out too. Yeonsu whipped to Jeong-eun. All the women did. She's the only one with experience.
Jeong-eun glanced at her daughter, shook her head. The women nodded, turned back to me. I... shrugged. Subtle gestures, full convo. That's me and my girls.
Sechem Yaret continued. "You are God's women. But you alone can't satisfy him. God bears the heavy duty of rebuilding human civilization, and more women will enter the Shrine. Please forgive this."
"Yeah..." Yeonsu and Hyeyoon eyed each other. Hmm.
"Sechem."
"Yes, God."
"Yeonsu and Hyeyoon are my wives. God's Wives."
"Indeed."
"When new women join, bump Iseo and Jeong-eun up a rank. Can't treat the newbies the same."
"Wise judgment."
Sechem Yaret zipped to her room, returned with jewelry. Tiaras? Ancient Egyptians had those too.
She offered them to Iseo and Jeong-eun, bowing low. "In a proper Shrine, this would come amid cheers from multitudes, but forgive the simplicity. Serve as God's priestesses. Congratulations on your ascension."
Iseo and Jeong-eun took them awkwardly, unfamiliar. Beautiful tiaras with rubies on the forehead.
"P-Priestesses...?" The mother-daughter duo blinked at each other.
Shrine's mother-daughter priestesses... sounds epic.
"Yeonsu, Hyeyoon—you got yours too, right?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
"Full set, head to toe. Even toe rings? How do you even walk in that? Must be a pain."
Sechem Yaret slithered close to Yeonsu, dead serious. "Fine at home with God, but wear them all in public. Show the dignity of God's Wives."
Yeonsu flinched. Snake head too close—who wouldn't?
"O-Okay. S-Scary."
"My apologies."
Sechem. Too damn efficient.
Fuck. Stayed up past midnight on board games, didn't touch the women, woke up pent-up and raging. Losing my mind. Wanted to pounce right then.
But dawn, six a.m. Yeonsu and Hyeyoon crashed around dawn too from games. Iseo and Jeong-eun tapped out earlier. Good sleep schedules, but didn't wanna ravage during night sleep. Naps? Fair game. Night? Proper rest.
"Ugh...! Outta here."
Flopped in the sarcophagus, possessed the mage. Placed a portal stone by it first. Then pulled the warrior, possessed him. To the Dujai-dong overpass.
Gache-dong swept clean—Dujai-dong's next. Hilly, wooded, highway nearby—not super populated vibe. Still, apartments scattered, subway, big franchise mart, all the basics.
Leveled producer—time to test. Producers and builders eat coins, so farm first, spend later.
Overpass. Zombies milling on road and bridge, groaning "Uuuugh—". Not many. Few dozen?
If Set's Storm's tornadoes had homing, they'd chase zombies and monsters, spinning wild. Saw it yesterday—shifting like they scented prey.
Set's Storm.
Slammed the staff down. Ten massive tornadoes burst out sequentially—forward, sideways, backward.