Chapter 20
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Became the Gallery's Secret Clique Agent
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7:30 a.m.
I stretched and got out of bed.
'Ahh, it's been ages since I slept so soundly.'
Maybe because I'd finally gotten a full night's rest in a proper bed.
I felt utterly refreshed.
It was like all the fatigue had melted away from my body.
[Newbie, where'd you go? Come back quick and play with us]
[When jealousy for the newbie kicks in, upvote lol]
[Wae, does the newbie have everything???]
[Shut up before I blast your house to bits with the main cannon]
[Chiltoom gear is fucking enviable shit]
I checked the gallery first thing.
Even after a full day, the gallery users were still buzzing about me nonstop.
'No way they spent the whole night just chewing on my bait.'
They were relentless, really.
Didn't these guys have a serious community addiction?
I clicked through the popular posts one by one.
Author: SF Worldview Fanboy
I spent all last night analyzing the Chiltoom gear the newbie got.
But this stuff has insane performance...;
You guys probably know already, but even a touch of Ancients tech makes performance ridiculously good.
This time, it's not just tech added—it's straight-up Ancients gear itself?
I was curious just how OP it is, so I asked the newbie to send me the data.
Analyzed it all night, and holy shit, the performance is unreal.
TL;DR: It's endgame tier.
Could shred most Xenos without breaking a sweat.
Weapon specs say it could handle a Level 8 Anomaly no problem.
And the newbie got this broken item super early, so ground combat's probably a non-issue from here on out.
Seriously considering stealing the newbie's gear.
Great minds think alike.
(OP) SF Worldview Fanboy: Goddamn demons.
Behedia Federation: These guys ditch the armband and go feral right away.
Gonna screenshot this and show the armbands later.
Ragna Rothburg: You sneaky bastard, doing this to your own?
Tasmeia Interstellar Merchant Union: Our own??? Since when?
Ether Explorer: Played with the loser a few times and now he thinks we're buddies?
Author: Democracy Bullet Delivery
Got a wife who's top-tier hot.
Scored the ultra-broken Chiltoom gear.
And now hogging all the gallery's attention too?
Ha... you little shit, you're unforgivable.
Pick one of the three to give up quick, or I'll main cannon your house to rubble.
This newbie's got that dopamine-dripping charm.
But don't you ever sleep? Feels like you're glued to the gallery 24/7.
Cleaning Specialist: Hey now, watch it. Someone might think I'm a full-time gallery zombie.
But you are.
You weren't a gallery zombie?
Everyone here knows you're a community addict. Why deny it?
What the hell, these guys...?
Author: Ragna Rothburg
Just kidnap the newbie and problem solved, right?
Get the Chiltoom gear and steal all the gallery attention for myself.
Fuck, total jackpot?
Any gallery folks know the newbie's coords? Heading out now.
I'm not that crazy.
Dumps him instantly lololololol
Fake crazy gets owned by real crazy lololololololol
Hey now, don't try to hog our cute little newbie. The newbie belongs to everyone?
As expected, the gallery was its usual chaotic mess.
That aside, Ragna this guy.
I thought he was a good dude for telling me all sorts of useful stuff.
Turns out he's completely unhinged?
'Gotta watch out for him from now on.'
Right after, I hit the post button.
Author: Auto-Nickname 1582
Finally got some proper rest, feeling alive again.
That aside, Ragna you bastard.
Saw all your posts.
Thought you were a good guy, but harboring such scary thoughts?
Won't reply to you anymore.
Just so you know.
Noooooooo!!!!!!!!
lollollollollol Serves you right
(OP) Auto-Nickname 1582: Saw your comment too. Won't reply to you either, just so you know.
Don't do it I was wrong please forgive me don't do it I was wrong please forgive me don't do it I was wrong please forgive me
lollol Newbie's got the high-nicks on a leash
Of course, I wasn't seriously planning to ignore them.
'It's all just banter anyway.'
That's how communities roll, right? Playing around with concepts like that.
I spent some time replying to other gallery users too.
'This should be enough.'
Satisfied with my morning greetings, I closed the gallery.
Next up: head to the bridge.
Checked if anything unusual happened while I slept.
"Anything happen while I was out?"
"No, ma'am. Nothing at all."
Seemed like smooth sailing.
I plopped down in the captain's chair and took in the cosmic view.
Orca brewed me a coffee and handed it over.
"Thanks, Orca."
"No problem."
I brought the steaming cup to my lips.
The aroma wafted gently.
Just like the stuff back on Earth.
"Ahh...! Nothing beats coffee in the morning!"
Oh, where'd the coffee come from?
Reward from clearing yesterday's event.
Food 100-unit Voucher
Fuel 200 units
Galactic Standard Currency 1,000,000 Gold
Ship Points: 750P
After clearing the event, a reward claim prompt popped up on the Anomaly status board.
I hit claim right away.
Poof—the rewards appeared on the ship.
Fuel tanks filled to the brim, and the hold got stacked with shiny gold coins labeled "Galactic Standard Currency."
Gallery folks say the 'Dimensional Vortex' dishes out the rewards.
Didn't really matter what it was called.
Point was, it gave rewards.
Instead of firing food straight to my ship, the Vortex gave a voucher.
Ticket-like thing, shimmering with iridescent colors.
Super simple to use.
[Write the food you want here]
Say I crave pork belly rice bowl.
Write 'pork belly rice bowl' in the blank.
More specific: 'Pork belly rice bowl topped with a runny fried egg.'
Fill it out, wait 5 minutes.
New text appears:
[Is 'Pork belly rice bowl topped with a runny fried egg' correct?]
[Tear the voucher after confirming to generate 3 servings of 'Pork belly rice bowl topped with a runny fried egg' vouchers]
Number of vouchers depends on the dish.
Pork belly bowl: 3 per voucher.
Cheaper foods give more.
Drinks: 30-60 vouchers.
Tear one for 500ml drink.
Not all drinks give that many, though.
Order something pricey like wine, get just one voucher for a bottle.
'Kinda like a balance patch.'
Thanks to it, I was living large.
Fuel good for 3 months, food stocked similarly.
So I was lounging around like a total slacker.
'Wonder what the gallery's up to now.'
I reopened the gallery.
[Your Majesty Has Descended] [102]
[Why Jealous of the Newbie?] [82]
[Newbie, where'd you go? Come back quick and play with us] [43]
[When jealousy for the newbie kicks in, upvote lol] [77]
One post in particular jumped out, with comment count several times higher than the rest.
I clicked it.
Author: ★ Ataraxia ★
Handled the Lv. 8 Anomaly that showed up in Roxan Star System.
Warp channels there should be good to go again.
That aside, gallery looks rowdy.
What went down while we were out?
A newbie joined while you armbands were away.
(OP) ★ Ataraxia ★: A newbie joined?
Right then, a notification pinged.
The armband invited me to a one-on-one chat.
★ Ataraxia ★: Mind if we chat for a bit?
[Auto-Nickname 1582]: Sure thing! Ask away.
I had a chat with the armband.
Nothing major—just the basics.
Where from, what'd I do in my past life, who am I, etc.
They grilled me in detail, like they wanted the full picture on me.
The interview dragged on for a solid two hours.
Finally satisfied?
★ Ataraxia ★: Think that's enough for the interview.
★ Ataraxia ★: Oh, and one favor to ask.
[Auto-Nickname 1582]: You asking me for a favor?
★ Ataraxia ★: Yes. Very important.
Important enough for an armband to ask little old me?
What could it be?
★ Ataraxia ★: Not sure if you know, but our gallery's been split for ages. Xeno-hater outer-hate faction vs. pro-Xeno outer-love faction, fighting nonstop.
★ Ataraxia ★: Tensions escalated to talk of armed clashes lately. Super tense.
Come to think of it, my first gallery peek had that high-nick 'Cleaning Specialist' post topping the charts: "Stop fighting among ourselves and kill Xenos instead."
'Yeah, atmosphere was brutal back then.'
Comments were savage too.
Pure hatred flying everywhere.
★ Ataraxia ★: But now everyone's talking about you, no more infighting.
★ Ataraxia ★: I'd love if this vibe lasted.
[Auto-Nickname 1582]: So, you want me to play clown and unite the gallery?
★ Ataraxia ★: Less clown, more... special mission agent?
★ Ataraxia ★: I want more than just distraction entertainment.
★ Ataraxia ★: Need someone to bridge the two factions.
★ Ataraxia ★: And right now, you're the only one for it.
[Auto-Nickname 1582]: In other words, secretly clique it up with the faction leaders behind the gallery's back?
★ Ataraxia ★: Phrasing's off, but you get it.
Using my good ties with both sides to reconcile the factions?
Not a bad idea.
[Auto-Nickname 1582]: But gallery rules ban cliquing, right? Permanent ban if caught.
Any org, playing both sides is risky.
Did I really wanna take that on?
★ Ataraxia ★: Exactly. That's why I'm asking you to do it on the down-low.
[Auto-Nickname 1582]: ...
★ Ataraxia ★: If you accept, I'll hook you up with special rewards.
Special rewards?
Now that's intriguing.
★ Ataraxia ★: Whatever you want, newbie. I'll make it happen.
★ Ataraxia ★: W-Well! Not everything, but I'll support you as much as I can.
[Auto-Nickname 1582]: What kind of special rewards we talking?
They went quiet for a bit after my question.
I mulled it over.
Gallery armband meant big shot.
Backing from them? Fast growth, plus connections to the armband crew.
Never hurts to buddy up with the power players.
'Sounds like a solid deal.'
Decision made.
[Auto-Nickname 1582]: Alright. I'll take a crack at being your secret agent.
The gallery's secret clique agent, huh.
This is gonna be too much fun.