Giant Bees and Tower Secrets
Sung Min-woo asked.
"What's on this floor?"
"Bees."
"Those buzzing ones?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm, tricky but manageable, I guess..."
He was probably picturing the stars from the real world.
Small size means it's tricky.
That's what he'd think.
But what if he actually saw them?
He'd be shocked for sure.
Anyone would react that way upon first seeing a bee bigger than a person's torso.
It felt completely different from encountering a monster that didn't exist in reality.
An ogre? A cyclops?
From the name alone, you could imagine them in the most terrifying form your mind could conjure.
Why? Because you had no reference.
So you could brace yourself mentally.
But bees and rats? Everyone knew what they looked like.
So no one imagined them.
Then, when you faced one that was a total monster compared to your expectations?
Just picture it.
A cockroach you see at home, but two meters tall, flapping its wings as it charges at you.
Mu-hyuk shook his head.
He brushed aside the stray thoughts and muttered indifferently.
"It's a bit different from what you're thinking."
"Huh? Different how?"
"You'll see."
Right then, a faint whirring sound echoed from the distance.
"Sounds like they're coming. Got a strategy this time too?"
"Yep."
"Ooh, spill it."
"First, take the sting it shoots. You'll get paralyzed. Then yank out the stinger and throw it back at the bee. The remaining paralytic venom will kick in, stopping its wings, and it'll crash down. Chop off the wings then. The rest you know."
Sung Min-woo tilted his head.
Cut off the wings of that tiny bee...?
The sound grew louder.
Whiiiiiing.
Only then did Sung Min-woo's expression harden.
Why was the buzzing so damn loud?
The bee appeared first as a dot. It looked small at first. But it rapidly grew larger at an insane speed.
Confirming it was bigger than an adult's torso, Sung Min-woo yelped and fell backward.
"Wh-what the hell!"
"Told you. Different from what you thought."
"Cr-crazy! 'A bit' different?!"
Mu-hyuk nodded.
"Correction. Very different."
"Ugh, insane. What bee grows that huge?!"
Chills ran down his spine.
But they couldn't just stand there.
"Follow the strategy, and you're good."
"Ugh, got it."
Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo.
With no clue who it'd target first, they had to stay tense.
The Giant Bee closed in and went for Sung Min-woo. It thrust its abdomen forward and fired its stinger.
Paralyzed, Sung Min-woo couldn't move. He grimaced at the whirring as the bee circled and observed him.
The paralysis wore off!
He yanked out the stinger and hurled it at the Giant Bee.
Grabbing its wings with both hands as it plummeted paralyzed, he ripped them off and backed away.
"Hah... hah..."
He panted heavily.
"That was creepy as hell!"
It'd take time to get used to it.
*
Yonghu, former vice leader of Black Guild.
How many times had he died already?
"..."
His face looked as wrecked as a total burnout's.
Resentment toward Mu-hyuk?
Thirst for revenge?
It had burned strong at first. He'd sworn to do anything to kill that player.
He'd even begged his older brother a few times. But all he got was cold refusal.
He asked friends, but they all shook their heads. No time, or didn't want to get dragged into pointless drama.
He posted on the forums too. Promised big money to anyone blocking those trying to kill him.
But every post got comments calling him the vice leader of that trash guild, digging up his dirty history. No takers.
So every login ended in death after death. The despair of being utterly alone was beyond words.
He felt hollow.
So he let it go.
The revenge.
The resentment.
He realized it was impossible.
Now, just one thing.
Illusion...
He just wanted to enjoy Illusion.
Today, he'd wasted another 24 hours pointlessly.
He had to log in, but knowing it'd just mean more death, he couldn't bring himself to.
Better now.
At least the penalty was gone. He could log in if he wanted.
Couldn't if he didn't want to, versus could if he did. Similar, but worlds apart.
That tiny difference brought peace.
He savored it.
An hour passed.
Another hour.
The time piled up.
Ah, already this late?
Only then did Yonghu rise.
The penalty had ended 8 hours ago.
He slowly lay in the capsule.
Please...
He prayed over and over.
Welcome to the new world.
With the mechanical voice, he opened his eyes.
The usual spot.
Inside the temple.
He was afraid.
What if he died again stepping out?
Still, he had to.
Creeeak.
The door opened, light flooding in.
Illusion's world.
"Ah..."
The moment he stepped out of the temple.
Flash!
Users swarmed from all sides, surrounding him.
"Please..."
One replied.
"That whining ends today."
"...?"
Yonghu stared at the user in confusion.
"The contract's up tomorrow."
"Shut up and finish him."
"Got it."
The user attacked Yonghu.
Thud!
But Yonghu didn't dodge.
Just those words echoed in his ears.
Today was the last?
Hope swallowed him whole.
"Really... really...?"
A massive light exploded.
"Today the last?"
"Yeah, so die."
"Aah...!"
Attacks poured down.
Kaboom!
Yet Yonghu smiled.
The last one.
Last.
Finally, truly the last!
No more revenge.
If he saw that user, he'd tuck tail and hide.
Won't even make eye contact.
He'd already lost 1v1, and a month later, the gap must be huge.
Hide tight.
No more trash life.
Can't stand out.
Just enjoy Illusion.
That was his vow.
*
They got used to the Giant Bees.
Slayed the vampires.
Fought bloody battles with Small Ogres.
Conquered the Sandmen.
By then, the experience buffs were used up, and they'd hit level 60, time to hit a dungeon. But having come this far, they challenged the 7th-floor boss Cyclops Giant to gain experience against it.
As expected, they couldn't sever its tough neck and retreated pathetically.
To grow faster, Mu-hyuk went down the tower for a dungeon he knew. But found it occupied by a guild, so he returned.
"Was worried about going solo anyway. Better this way."
"Better my ass, dog eat dog."
"We can focus on the tower."
"Hah, positive much? Dungeon's no joke. Not bummed?"
"Normal dungeon, rewards would've been meh."
It sucked, but unavoidable.
No point picking fights with a guild over a normal dungeon.
Unique? Maybe.
"Tch. Fine, tower it is."
They climbed again with Sung Min-woo. Reaching the end of floor 5 took over 10 days.
Mu-hyuk hit 63, Sung Min-woo entered 60.
He thought of Yonghu sometimes but shook it off.
He's handling it.
Even if the contract ended, that much death would quit anyone.
Or at least go quiet awhile.
Focus on now.
"Rest before floor 6."
"How long?"
"Hm, eat too..."
Might meet someone.
"Two hours?"
"That long?"
"Yeah, might have stuff. Text you exact."
"Cool. See ya soon."
"Yeah."
Both logged out.
Mu-hyuk checked Illusion homepage first.
Free board.
Tips board.
Video board, etc.
Scanned for Red Tower progress.
Luckily, found a post summarizing it.
Mu-hyuk hit back.
Floor 5.
About right. Time to sell info. Delay more, value drops.
He pulled out his phone and dialed.
Ringing.
"Hello?"
Kim Min-ho PD's voice.
"Mu-hyuk here."
"Ah, yes. Long time. Doing well?"
"Yes. You too, PD?"
"Of course. But what's up suddenly...?"
"That offer before. Still good?"
"Offer?"
"Info."
"Of course. Still valid."
Kim Min-ho PD's tone turned serious.
"What info?"
"About Red Tower."
"Red Tower...!"
"Yeah. Monster strategies—get it?"
Silence.
"L-let's meet now!"
Urgency in his voice.
Mu-hyuk could imagine.
How shocked? Probably jumped up or stared blankly, looking around.
A smile crept on.
Monster strategies.
He knew the value.
"Where?"
"I'll come to you."
"Old cafe fine?"
"Yes, there in 30."
"Got it."
Call ended. Mu-hyuk prepped to go.
Ten minutes later.
Left home, headed to cafe.
Grabbed a seat, fiddled with phone waiting.
Door burst open before five minutes, bell jangling wildly.
Turned—Kim Min-ho PD spotted him and rushed over.
"Haha, said I'd hurry—sorry if late."
"No, just got here."
"Phew, good. Drinks first?"
"Sure."
Ordered, resumed talk.
"Red Tower monster strategies?"
"Yeah, not all, but."
"Ah, right. Let's go slow. Brought contract, tweak as needed."
"Good."
"Roughly how much you know?"
"Easy. Exact path to floor 2. Strategies for Mad Dog variant floor 2, Giant Bee floor 3. Up to best jobs vs. Vampire floor 4."
Kim Min-ho PD's eyes widened.
--------!
Snapped back, wheels turning.
This much...
Huge ratings guaranteed.