Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Secret Dawn Chat
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Seol Do-yun pulled the covers over his head and turned on his air purifier before bed.
He pulled out a small notebook and pen he'd hidden under the bed. He scribbled on the paper to test it, but the ink was clumped, so he licked the tip once.
『NPC Dun
- Root of all rankers, the NPC
- Key figure who led Lee Yoo-hyun to job change
- There's a group chat sharing info on Dun. Members are mostly rankers.
- Dun's major incidents:
+ Killed a player by kicking a ball wrong. (Post deleted)
+ Witnessed killing players trying to attack Rihaowel. (Post deleted)
+ Witnessed holding what seemed like an epic sticker. (Post deleted)
……
+ Killed level 43 player with a flyswatter, blocked logout, had multiple epic items, has teleportation magic(?), attacks barely land. (Post macro-deleted)』
As he organized notes on Dun, Seol Do-yun twirled his pen.
What the hell is this kid up to? Without meeting them, he couldn't pin it down.
Seemed strong, but stamina was trash. Seemed to help players, but crossed the line and they'd drop dead instantly.
Seol Do-yun opened KakaoTalk and checked the top-pinned group chat.
[Dawn-Opening Open Chat Room] (300+)
As expected, chaos in the dawn-opening open chat room.
It started as a simple group chat for sharing Dun info, but had become a closed ranker clique.
Seol Do-yun, who'd been monitoring NinaPinta community posts ever since the association planned the simulator awakening, realized NPC Dun was no joke and had deleted info to keep it to himself.
From constant deletion and monitoring, players who'd received quests from Dun all leveled up fast thanks to item buffs.
Gathering them might yield more Dun info or in-game details, so he created the group chat.
It started when Mochibol spotted Seol Do-yun, the constant deleter of Dun info.
「[Free Board] Who's deleting my Dun rant posts!!!!!!
ㄴㄱ임
Who is it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!」
- Come here: https://open.kakao.com/o/gb2TxLPc It's Dun's fan group chat^^
That's how the group chat was born.
At first, just Seol Do-yun as 'Deletion Manager' and 'Mochibol'. Then Seol Do-yun recruited users Mochibol hyped who'd gotten items from Dun, growing the chat.
As Mochibol became a ranker, and other members helped by Dun also ranked up, it got password-protected and turned exclusive.
Of course, they'd never imagine Seol Do-yun wasn't a player.
[Dawn-Opening Open Chat Room] (300+)
Mochibol: Kyaaak, we're screwedㅠㅠㅠ!
RemiringCute: Predicting Dun yelling at players swarming the house front, too noisy lolㅋㅅㅋ
JessicaIllinoisChicago: Hey Deletion Manager, doing your job right? Or we riot.
Elaina: ㅠㅠ How's Dun...
JessicaIllinoisChicago: DunAbsoluteGuardianOursDunOurItemLord
Lee Yoo-hyun: What's going on? Community's flooded with Dun posts.
JessicaIllinoisChicago: Argh, some moron with a burning sense of duty leaked our classified Dun info.
RemiringCute: Waaah
……
Dun-related shit hit, chat exploded. Messages piled up.
Mochibol: Where's our post deletion manager?!
A YouTuber outed himself. Seol Do-yun tapped his keypad.
Deletion Manager: Here ㅎㅎ
JessicaIllinoisChicago: Oh our mysterious chic leader~
Deletion Manager: It's spread too much. Can't handle it ^^
Mochibol: ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Parkkas500: It's fine!!
JessicaIllinoisChicago: ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Elaina: ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Deletion Manager: I'll find another way ㅎㅎ
Parkkas500: Ooooo
Seol Do-yun opened Google Drive and clicked the 'Controversy Cleanup' folder.
「Illegal smuggled items used in rank 1 reclamation battle.pdf」
「Popular NinaPinta streamer is actually a dude.pdf」
「Unauthorized Korean Hunter Association ties to domestic game NinaPinta.pdf」
"Why'd that quiet kid suddenly blow things up?"
Seol Do-yun muttered low while scrolling.
From collecting 'Dun' NPC data in the group chat, Dun generally avoided big scenes that'd make life noisy from player attention.
Didn't leak own abilities either.
But weirdly, this time didn't hide.
Best bet: Spread rumors as bullshit, divert with bigger news.
Might work, might not. Honestly, didn't care either way.
If exposed, fine. If not, other perks.
What bugged him: Dun's unpredictable moves. Bouncing all over, reminded him of Lee Sae-byeok.
Seol Do-yun checked the photo board members posted to.
Full of one girl's fan pics. He stared at her photos.
"Uncanny, huh."
Muttering, Seol Do-yun pulled another air purifier from under the bed and opened its gallery. Filled with Lee Sae-byeok fan pics.
He compared Lee Sae-byeok's pics with the 'Dun' kid's side by side.
Subtle face muscles when annoyed, when smiling—similar.
"Lee Sae-byeok, you up?"
Seol Do-yun shoved off the covers and called.
"What."
Sleepless lately, quick reply from Lee Sae-byeok. Staring at a snail on the bed edge.
"There's a game character in NinaPinta made from your body and personality data. Annoyingly just like you."
"Bet it's an asshole-looking one. Tsk, what's its name."
Seol Do-yun flipped through Dun pics and spoke.
"NPC named Dun."
"Who?"
"Dun."
"Who?"
「……Deaf?」
"Probably your tongue's twisted. Tease me then mumble, dumbass."
They flipped each other off.
No normal talk with that one.
Clicking his tongue, Seol Do-yun blocked door light gaps with clothes, then pulled a bag from the bed hole.
Pulled out laptop, got to work.
Tap tap.
Keyboard clacks nonstop. Lee Sae-byeok grabbed earplugs from bed, shoved in.
Seol Do-yun mumbled something earlier, but oddly couldn't hear.
Probably side effects messed his tongue.
* * *
Probably a peaceful day.
Today, making stamina potions with Rihaowel.
"After that fuss, my bait's hooked good, right?"
Seol Do-yun might not know identity, but spotted existence. From ranker digging or Lee Yoo-hyun probe.
Mochibol mentioned managing leaks, so blew it up big.
Dun stirred pot with ingredients and water. Recovery potion reddened.
"Mom, can I take like 5 recovery potions?"
"Huh? Of course! Perks of gen store mom—take as many as you want."
"Yay."
Dun took Rihaowel-brand recovery potions to room. Rifled inventory, pulled recent Tiaryn research success item.
[Rare] Jewel Water
Description: Water from the jewel world. Various special effects based on use.
Tiaryn studying pearl-filled jewel world water named it 'Jewel Water', system updated from plain 'water' to 'Jewel Water' with info.
Dun ladled recovery potion, mixed with Tiaryn's jewel water.
Potion pearled, sparkled. Gulped it down.
"Ah, shit."
Mixed with jewel water, gained strength boost too.
Stronger, tensed muscles to control wild power. Cramps everywhere.
Dun yanked Roquilin grass leaf from window pot, chewed sloppily.
Luckily recovered quick.
Found label sticker in corner, named new recovery potion.
"Sparkle Recovery Potion."
Mixed jewel water into mana potions, paralysis ones too—sparkle series.
Packed sparkle series into silk bundle, stuck a tally mark.
"Alright, time to sell."
Dun opened NPC system window, record parchment.
{Role: High-Level Item Merchant (name changeable)}
Pondered role, decided recently.
Easiest for cash. Natural Seol Do-yun meet too.
Shortened long name.
{High-Level Item Merchant}
{1. 30 Tigo per auction}
{2. 50 Tigo on first shop open}
{3. 200 Tigo per year maintaining weekly shop.}
Lax demands vs other NPCs. Stingy pay like rest.
Dun clinked goods toward Land of Earth Souil.
* * *
Land of Earth Souil.
NPCs and monsters gathered. Great for quests and hunts, players swarmed.
Bustling crowds.
Dun set up near main hunting ground entrance.
Warm grass, nice.
Last time left Ggaedung-i at jewels, got scolded—so brought along.
Dun lay with Ggaedung-i as pillow. Jewel-tanned, sparkled in sun.
Passing player 'SeasonedChickenSauce' spotted Dun rummaging silk bundle.
"Huh? Aren't you the starter village kid? What're you doing here?"
"Starting business too."
SeasonedChickenSauce scoffed at Dun's sales pitch.
"Oh, stickers, yo-yos, rubber ducks?"
[……Don't underestimate!!!]
"What, this slime talks?"
Kid, weakest monster slime, shabby silk bundle. No good wares expected.
"No such, but that's all I'd sell you."
Dun spread silk bundle on ground. Goods clumped messily.
"Wha... what's all this? Recovery potion?"
SeasonedChickenSauce grabbed eye-catching red one.
"Sparkle Recovery Potion. Boosts strength a bit too. Tested on myself, no worries."
Dun grabbed iron canteen from bundle, gulped water.
SeasonedChickenSauce ogled unseen items.
"Ja... jackpot!!! Epic item here?"
"Eh, yeah? Dunno much."
While SeasonedChicken rummaged, Dun rummaged self. Crumpled paper sticker from pocket.
"Hey, Dun. How much for this?"
SeasonedChickenSauce dangled fire-enchanted epic necklace.
"Dunno market. You name."
"Uh... hmm... Edge cracked, so 50 units fair? First biz special, 60 units!"
60 units = 6 silver.
Ripping off clueless kid hard. Dun had Ggaedung-i snatch necklace back.
Dun tossed epic necklace back on silk, smirked.
"Scorned me, sold soul too? Not selling to you. Buy this sticker."
Dun chucked crumpled paper sticker at SeasonedChickenSauce.
"Tch, not kid games! Fine! Set real prices then!"
SeasonedChickenSauce finger-pointed, threw back crumpled sticker.
Sticker flopped sand-ward.
"I-I'll buy that, Dun!"
'TomatoFlavor' player chimed. Been watching spat.
"How much?"
"You sell it, must be good! 100 units all in!"
[Dun's affinity rose.]
"Yeah. You can browse."
Dun took gold coin, grinned.