Mods Over Lottery
“Install…?”
Even if it was the booze, my body felt perfectly fine. Sure, there was that hazy hangover fog, but no dizziness or pounding headache. So what the hell was this thing right in front of me?
Launching Mod Organizer.
The hallucinatory message floating in front of me changed.
“Mod Organizer…?”
A hollow laugh escaped my lips. Mod Organizer. It was the name of the mod installation program for UnderDream, the game I played.
[Notification sound]
Hallucinations and auditory ones now…? Maybe I need some rest…?
And sure enough, the message vanished from in front of me. In its place appeared the familiar Mod Organizer interface. Hell, there was even a neat list of mods lined up beside it.
“Huh…? But where’d all my installed mods go?”
The list of installed mods was completely empty. If this was my hallucination, shouldn’t it show my actual game’s mod list? Instead, the available mods section was packed.
“Is my brain not smart enough to fabricate something like that?”
I’d always taken some pride in my smarts, finding comfort in that thought while scraping by. Apparently not.
Still, as I stared intently at the Mod Organizer screen, I noticed something off.
“The game name… why’s it my name…?”
Where it should’ve said [UnderDream], my name was plastered there instead.
Suddenly, a ridiculous, insane idea popped into my head—like something out of a movie or comic. What if this wasn’t a hallucination?
Is this what hallucinations are like? I should’ve tried drugs at least once to know…
But it was too vivid and clear for a hallucination. The semi-transparent window didn’t waver at all; it looked just like a hologram. Anyone hearing this might double over laughing, but I reached out toward the screen with my hand.
Then I glanced at the mod list nearby and paused.
If I’m gonna test it… what should I install?
I couldn’t just blindly install something like [NPC Zombie Mod]. Not that it’d actually turn reality into zombies or anything—slim chance—but this was a test. To confirm if what I was seeing was fake or real.
Installing a mod that zombifies the entire world’s population probably wasn’t the move.
Something I can verify right away… something that won’t affect anyone else…
And then I spotted the perfect one: [Martial Arts Motion Mod].
This should do…?
I’d never learned to fight in my life. Gotten my ass kicked by loan sharks plenty, sure.
Anyway, installing this mod—which adds martial arts attack motions to characters—ought to let me test it roughly, right?
Something like weapon summoning could still be passed off as a hallucination.
If it made my body move, there’d be no confusion.
Installing mod.
“……”
Installation complete.
The installation was lightning fast. On my crappy old computer, it would’ve taken ages.
I tapped the newly installed mod with my finger to activate it—and that instant.
“…Uh, uh huh?”
Strange knowledge flooded into my mind.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Like a life-flashing-before-your-eyes montage. Similar to the one I saw when those loan sharks stuffed me in a drum barrel and dragged me off, threatening me.
A torrent of knowledge poured into my head just like that.
“……”
I looked down at my hands. No difference in strength. But something had changed.
I assumed a stance. Glancing at the full-length mirror nearby, it looked pretty legit.
“Hup!”
Swish, swoosh swish, swish!
“Ugh! What the fuck!”
Shock made the profanity burst out before I knew it. My body moved automatically, like a robot with pre-programmed motions. Clean punches, fancy kicks I’d never dreamed of trying—all slicing through the air flawlessly.
I was too stunned to move for a while. And with the shock came realization.
This wasn’t a hallucination.
“Uh, uh huh, uhuuuh…”
It felt like spring had finally come to my life.
“Uwaaaaaah—!!”
“Uwaaaaaah!! You fucking biiiitch—!!”
Whether the neighbor pounded the wall like a maniac or whatever, I didn’t give a shit. From my toes to the crown of my head, that electric thrill surged through me.
I just screamed.
I’d been handed a chance to turn my life around.
But after one yell, I cooled off coldly and sat on the floor, chin in hand, deep in thought.
“Tsk… Now, what mod to install next… that’s the key…”
Once the excitement faded, I coldly assessed the situation. I could use unreal powers now. But to truly reverse my life, I had to use them wisely.
For a real turnaround, money first. Gotta have cash. To pay off this shitty debt and escape this moldy studio apartment.
“Problem is, UnderDream’s a fantasy game…”
That’s why I was stumped. UnderDream was fantasy. So its mods were fantasy-related too.
[Special Monster Add], [Environment Graphics Upgrade], [Special Skill Add], and so on.
Add monsters here? Not like I’m in a hunter story.
In my real life, they were mostly useless.
So I sat there, scanning the endless list of mods. Most were total garbage, but some looked promising.
For example.
“This one’s good? Does it work?”
◈ Allows customization after character creation
A basic mod that let you customize beyond the initial character creation screen.
But applied to reality? Couldn’t I tweak the customization done in my mom’s womb right now?
“Hmm…”
I stood in front of the full-length mirror. 175cm, 70s kg. Face…
To me, it’s fine, but no popularity.
Yeah, let’s call it average to preserve some self-esteem. Honestly, seeing how Kim Seon-ha from work always clicked her tongue after talking to me… maybe not so great.
“Alright! Decided! This is it!”
I steeled my resolve and fired up the Mod Organizer.
Installing mod.
Installation complete.
I applied [Additional Customization Mod] to my life.
“Mm… So how do I use it now…?”
I activated the mod and stared blankly at the screen. In the game, you’d open the customization window and tweak away. With Mod Organizer, saying ‘system’ triggered it.
Customization should be similar.
“Customization.”
Execute Additional Customization?
A grin spread across my face at the popup.
“Obviously.”
The Mod Organizer vanished, replaced by the familiar UnderDream customization screen.
But the character there was me.
“Whoa… from this angle, I look like total shit.”
Third-person view, not the mirror—now I got why Kim Seon-ha avoided me. Dull skin, dark circles. Frizzy hair, turtle neck. Beer gut from drowning sorrows.
Beyond features, the whole vibe screamed loser.
“Alright… time to show what this can do?”
No need to wallow. Ugly? Fixable now.
“Hmm…”
I tinkered with the customization screen for a good while. Even more meticulously than when I made a bishoujo character in UnderDream.
“This… not too over-the-top, right?”
I eyed my preview. Hair now glossy. Dark circles gone, eyes bright and alert. Neck straightened, gut vanished, lean muscle in its place.
“Just features left…”
I hesitated.
…Make myself top-tier handsome in Korea? This mod could turn me into a once-in-a-millennium stud.
“…Nah, too greedy.”
I shook my head. Overreach brings downfall.
“Plus, big changes and people might not recognize me.”
Decision: Recognizably me, but clean, sharp, handsome.
“Oh, height though.”
No compromise there. I slid it from 175 to 185cm in one go.
Sudden growth? They’d think they misremembered or I wore lifts.
“Nose next… eyes too… cheeks, hmm…”
I dove back in. Hyper-focused, but it wasn’t tiring. Blissful, even.
Then.
“……”
The number caught my eye: 12cm.
“……”
Girth the same, 12cm. Sure, no complaints in life. Average in Korea. No time or energy for dating anyway, never used it.
“…Hmm.”
12, 13, 14, 15, 16… I slid slowly.
Stopped at 17cm.
“Heh, heheh… this is fine, right?”
Too big hurts, they say? No 20cm+ monster.
“While at it, girth too…”
12, 13, 14… Yeah, 14’s good. Set it, admired my character.
“Perfect! Confirm!”
Complete customization?
“You bet!”
Applying customization…
The system responded—and that moment.
Crack, crunch…
“Wha, ugh? Uguuuuh—!!”
My body screamed. Sounds no body should make echoed from me.
“Gaaaaah—!!”
Fuck off. Jealous? Use mods yourself.
“Kuhahahahahaha—!!”
And just like that.
My appearance was completely transformed using the mod.