Preparations
Preparations
Hammer Goes - [What's this??]
Just checked, and something weird popped up.
Trade? You mean we can swap items directly?
How does it work? Someone clue me in.
Hammurabi : yep, exactly what you think
33-Year-Old Virgin Man : God, I wanna fuck.
ㄴNongnongㅋ : wanna do it with me~? bubbly little twelve-year-old elementary schoolgirl right here~
ㄴCrocky : elementary schoolgirl, my ass. that senile old bitch has lost her goddamn mind.
God Who Writes Wora : Jesus Heaven, Unbelievers Hell.
Hammer Goes No, I'm asking how you do it. Everyone's just running their mouths.
ApoSam23Days* - [Bright and cheerful survivor, trades welcome.]
In-person trade location > Mapo Oil Tank Culture Park. Plenty of food available. Stocking up on daily necessities.
1 box of canned tuna per person.
!Women receive preferential treatment — 2 boxes of canned tuna per person.
!Young, youthful women get extreme preferential treatment — 4 boxes of canned tuna.
Whisper me if interested.
Trolls and pranksters will be strictly refused!!
If you show up with ulterior motives, your ass gets skewered on my poker, so be warned!!!
Bee Flower Mamma Tong : No way, this guy pulled this crap on Apocalypse Gallery too and now he's at it again here. Unbelievable.
Basement Level 5 Room 203 : In admiration of your noble leafleting efforts, I bestow a nose-point upon you.
Loves It From Behind : a poker...? you mean you're gonna poke me with your precious thing?
Nongnongㅋ : hawawa, am I okay for that one too??
ㄴApoSam23Days* : ㄴ you, get lost
ㄴNongnongㅋ : why though ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Creek Dragon - [Looking to trade water and food.]
(Nude photo of a woman with white fluid in her mouth)
The water was my cum lol
Turned this bitch into my personal mutt the second the zombie apocalypse hit. So, what do you think?
Everyone rate her.
Grooming : dirtykoreanmanbastardfucksodisgustingpleasejustdieisnttheairyousharewastedmaybeyourparentsarehalf?water?motherlesswretchpleasejusttripsomewhereanddie.
ㄴMimimi : sis, take a breath;;
ㄴSupreme Wizard : Korean bitch throwing a tantrum is hilarious lol but pic's kinda hot tho
Demon World Incheon : Oh, not bad. Got a decent one myself. Wanna swap?
Zombie Observation* - [Not bait, actually selling food.]
Ramen — 4 coins each.
Dried jerky — 3 coins each.
Canned goods — 5 coins each.
Hygiene products like body wash and shampoo — 10 coins.
Decent stockpile, so letting them go cheap.
Whisper if interested.
Hammurabi : What the. So it wasn't bait? I hit accept on the trade and a can of Cham Tuna just popped out lol
Hammer Goes : So you're saying I click their nickname to whisper them, and then the trade just goes through?
ㄴZombie Observation* : In a private chat room, you put up the coins, I put up the item in the trade window, then we both hit accept. Only then it goes through.
Hammer Goes : Got it. But why are you the only one here who explains things properly?
ㄴZombie Observation* : Every last one of them is a lunatic half out of their mind. You were expecting something normal?
ㄴHammer Goes : ...Yeah, fair point.
....
I scanned the posts flooding in real time, frowning as I rubbed my chin.
Way more shitposts than I'd expected.
Just like the Apocalypse Gallery I used to haunt — every mother's son and their dog flinging garbage in every direction.
The one saving grace was that even in a landfill, you could occasionally spot a gemstone glinting.
'Looks like Zombie Observation finally went ahead and did it too.'
Catching a few familiar faces from the Apocalypse Gallery gave me this faint sense of welcome, honestly.
And that guy was one of the few who actually spat out useful info.
"Alright, I've got the gist. So first, I write a post, the other guy sends me a whisper. That's step one, right?"
Whirr. I dispensed a liter of water from the vending machine and glanced at Ha Hui-ryeong and Kim Ha-yoon.
"One of you whisper me. Let's see if this thing actually works."
"Me, me, me! Let me try!"
I slapped up a post on the bulletin board labeled 'Check,' and Ha Hui-ryeong sent me a whisper.
Ladylike Maiden : Done. Hurry up and put the item up.
Yajeongkojeong : k
The UI was dead similar to that maple leaf game.
Under the other person's nickname was a column of square slots, chat window on the right.
But seriously — her nickname is Ladylike Maiden...?
I let out a small, dumbfounded laugh.
"What. Why are you laughing."
"Nothing. Forget it."
Sharp, I'll give her that.
I dodged her sulky glare and brought the water bottle to the trade window, just like the bulletin board guys had said.
Then something genuinely astonishing happened.
The plastic bottle got gradually sucked into the semi-transparent window, and an image of it appeared in the trade window's square box.
"Whoa, this is just like a game interface."
"So we just press accept now?"
"Looks like it. Let's hit it at the same time."
[Exchange 1L of water for 1 coin. Do you agree to this transaction?]
[Yes/No]
I pressed the button firmly.
In the same instant, a one-liter plastic bottle dropped right in front of Ha Hui-ryeong.
"Whoa... Wh-what the hell!"
She barely caught it, looking properly bewildered.
"Damn. It actually works."
Even Kim Ha-yoon looked fairly impressed.
Usually indifferent to everything, but watching an object teleport right before her eyes had shaken her composure.
"Oooh...! Hey, try one more. Let's test how far this goes."
"Fine. We should check if there's a weight limit too."
Since no one had mentioned any quantity restrictions, it probably was unlimited... but no harm confirming.
After that, we spent a while experimenting with the newly unlocked bulletin board functions.
Watching items pop in and out of reality was a rare spectacle, even for us, who'd already experienced plenty of the irrational.
"Hmm. So the trade goes through even without coins? Meaning I could even throw in a freebie."
"Don't tell me the contraceptive pill is the free gift."
Kim Ha-yoon stared hard at me. I shook my head.
"No, I'll use the stamina enhancer. The contraceptive pill's effects — whether it actually works or not — feel ambiguous. The enhancer, though? That's definite. You feel it the moment you take it."
"Hmm... True. That'd get people talking faster."
Giving away a 10-coin item for free is a bit of a waste, I won't lie.
But compared to the profit we'd rake in later? Minor investment.
Above all, I had leeway — thanks to the fat stack of coins I'd milked from that apartment.
"So what's your main item? You've definitely got something in mind."
"Good question, Hui-ryeong."
I grinned, a little ruefully.
Conveniently, we were capable of producing the single most in-demand resource on demand.
So naturally, we were going to exploit the hell out of that.
"We're selling water."
"Water? Just water?"
"Not 'just.' You saw the chaos at Hansarang Apartment. Water is precious now. The seller names their price."
A day or so without food, you manage.
Water's different.
Even a single day without it drains your baseline strength.
"Losing drinking water applies immense psychological pressure too. Thirst hits harder than hunger."
"Hmm... Now that you put it that way, I guess you've got a point."
"Not a point. I'm right. And on top of that, we've got a high-performance ice purifier. If the electricity ever cuts out permanently, we'll owe Ha-yoon big time."
"...A purifier. It's just a purifier."
"Figure of speech. Don't take it so personally."
Sensing she was a bit miffed, I reached out to pat her head in consolation.
But as always, Kim Ha-yoon turned away sharply and dodged my hand.
Then glared at me silently, as if telling me to cut the crap.
"Okay. I won't do it. Stop glaring."
"...I'll be watching you."
"Pfft. Sure, sure."
I chuckled hollowly and pulled my hand back.
Just then, Ha Hui-ryeong kept poking me in the side.
"Hey. So what price are you setting?"
"Well. I'm thinking roughly 3 coins."
"Huh. Isn't that too cheap?"
"Price it too high, and only the people who are desperate right this second will bite. That won't do. To maximize profit, you need as many buyers as possible — squeeze every last person, even if it's just one more."
"Besides, water only costs 1 coin, and we've got unlimited stock...?"
"Exactly that."
Since time immemorial, selling water has always been a lucrative business.
I never doubted for a second it would perform beyond expectations.
"I'll put up the post. Let's watch how it moves."
*
Yajeongkojeong - [♚♚Jeju Sam☆Da☆Soo♚♚Free gift on all first purchases$$☜☜Fresh water##Only 3 coins￥Special discount opportunity@@Click now♜]
Jeong Seung-woo, who'd been sprawled out browsing the bulletin board after finishing his scavenging, furrowed his brow.
'The hell is this?'
The garish ad slogans were a mess, but what really threw him was someone actually selling water.
Over a week since the water supply cut off.
The supplies he'd scraped together through scavenging were just about running dry.
Other survivor groups were in much the same boat as Jeong Seung-woo.
Aside from those who'd claimed department stores or food warehouses, nearly everyone was desperate for water right now.
Those guys would be scrambling to protect their own water — who the hell would be selling it?
When they barely had enough for themselves?
This guy was either blatant bait or completely lacking in common sense.
'Still... maybe I should try talking to him, just in case?'
You never know.
If it was the latter, this could be a chance to replenish their dwindling supply.
Scavenging never turned up much of value anyway, and stockpiles only shrank as time passed. He had to hope for something.
zxcv1234 : hey. you actually selling water?
He sent a whisper.
About five minutes later, a reply came.
Yajeongkojeong : yep. 1 liter for 3 coins. wanna buy?
zxcv1234 : interested... but can't tell if it's legit.
Yajeongkojeong : if you're that suspicious, I'll show you in the trade window. got plenty of stock, so whatever.
Right after, the guy actually loaded up a huge quantity of water in the trade window and showed him.
One-liter plastic bottles popping up like bamboo shoots after rain.
Jeong Seung-woo's eyes widened with considerable surprise.
"What the — it's real?"
He pressed the trade window firmly to confirm, and the consumable item info floated up clearly.
[Water 1L — Pure and clean water. Drinkable.]
"Wow... But thirty liters? Where the hell is this guy camped out to be so well-off?"
How did he have that much surplus?
Did he pull a trait that lets him use water abilities in a waterless wasteland?
Suspicion flared for a moment, but he dismissed it.
That wasn't the important part.
This guy had something he needed, and he could buy it.
And the price? Reasonable.
Given how scarce water was, practically a steal.
zxcv1234 : I'll buy it all. but you got more?
Yajeongkojeong : yep. tons of stock. if you run short later, hit me up for another trade anytime.
zxcv1234 : oh, thanks. hey, but are you selling food too? canned goods, something like that.
Just wishful thinking.
A shot in the dark — nice if it lands, fine if it doesn't.
But the bastard turned out to have way more surplus than he'd expected.
Yajeongkojeong : no canned goods, but I do have some meat.
zxcv1234 : meat? what kind.
Yajeongkojeong : pork belly.
zxcv1234 : huh? frozen? hasn't it spoiled?
Yajeongkojeong : figured most people would think that, so not planning to sell it yet. gonna make a killing on the water business first.
zxcv1234 : damn. you're in way better shape than I thought.
Yajeongkojeong : lol
...Look at this fucker.
Feeling like he'd just been flexed on, Jeong Seung-woo decided to stop digging.
Water was the immediate necessity, not anything else.
zxcv1234 : wait — what's this? some kind of medicine?
Yajeongkojeong : ah, that's a freebie. service for buying in bulk. if you use it and like it, help spread the word.
When he asked about the white pill tucked in at the end, the guy answered like it was nothing.
Still feeling suspicious, Jeong Seung-woo checked the consumable item info for that too.
'What? Stamina enhancer? The hell is this?'
zxcv1234 : ...hey. says stamina enhancer. what is it.
Yajeongkojeong : exactly what it says. boosts your stamina when you take it. performance guaranteed. try it and see.
Yeah, right. Just swallow it.
Like I'm some idiot who'd pop something this sketchy straight into my mouth.
zxcv1234 : I'll think about it. anyway let's do the trade gogo
Yajeongkojeong : k. but seriously, spread the word after you try it.
And the conversation ended.
[Exchange 30L of water for 90 coins. Do you agree to this transaction?]
[Yes/No]
[Spending coins. Held coins: 231>141.]
The moment he hit accept, plastic bottles started pouring out of thin air.
"Whoa-oa-oah!"
Jeong Seung-woo surveyed the room, now filled with water bottles, and let out a hollow laugh: "Huh, haha."
To think he could get his hands on something he'd been hunting for so long, this easily.
Sure, the cost stung a bit, but he'd recoup the coins fast when the new season opened.
'They said mutant entities are multiplying. I'll earn it back quick. My guys are pretty capable, after all.'
While tidying up the plastic bottles scattered messily around, Jeong Seung-woo spotted something foreign.
A white pill sealed in a wrapper.
...Probably that 'stamina enhancer' the guy had mentioned.
"Hmm... I've got a really bad feeling about taking this myself, honestly."
His deliberation was brief.
Jeong Seung-woo thought of an excellent idea almost immediately.
After arranging the water bottles neatly in a row, he walked out and barged right into a colleague's room.
"Hey, take a look at this."
"Huff...! Hoo...! What, what is it? Make it quick."
The comrade — who'd come back early claiming today's scavenging was a bust and had been busy fucking his slave girl — grimaced when he spotted Jeong Seung-woo.
Probably irritated at having his fun interrupted. He radiated immense displeasure.
Jeong Seung-woo paid it no mind.
"Didn't you say you've had headaches lately? Found this on my way back today. Take it."
"What? Medicine? Tylenol?"
"Yeah."
A brief flash of puzzlement crossed his face, but true to his simple nature, he swallowed the pill without much suspicion.
It was true he hadn't been feeling great lately.
And if Jeong Seung-woo had brought it thinking of him, no reason to refuse.
Gulp.
"Whoa...! Whoooooaaah...!!"
The moment he swallowed, he suddenly started letting out bizarre cries out of nowhere.
A flustered Jeong Seung-woo asked,
"What, what? Something wrong?"
"Nooooo...! This shit is fucking incredible!? What the hell did you make me take...? Fuck, my dick's suddenly on fire like crazy...!"
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Watching him suddenly pound his hips like a man possessed, Jeong Seung-woo couldn't hide his bewilderment.
The effect... seems pretty damn real?
Watching a guy who usually went limp after one shot of semen now thrash around like a headless chicken left zero room for doubt.
'If I work hard promoting it, maybe I should ask him for one later too?'
Jeong Seung-woo's eyes gleamed with desire.
As they say, a man's stamina is his confidence.