Mom Gacha Failed (2)

Murderous intent flickered into the orphanage director's gleaming eyes in an instant. The boy's defiance was reckless. It was like livestock complaining to the butcher about a dull knife... A single whim, and his fragile bones would shatter effortlessly.

"Hoho, Dodo. I see! And then?"

Her swarthy face flushed even deeper. The atmosphere screamed go ahead, say something if you dare. Terror crawled up his skin. But he didn't back down. Hunger had stripped away his dignity, but not his unbreakable will to survive.

From under his chin, he drew his sharpest weapon. None other than the poison called flattery.

"Mama! It's all thanks to you that I caught about ten rabbits yesterday."

"...Ahem, yes, yes, our Dodo did more than expected. Hoho."

He forced his voice steady, pulling his lips into a clownish grin. His guts twisted, but one wrong word here, and his leg bones would twist first.

He didn't miss the subtle twitch of her eyebrows.

"Thanks to the jerky you gave me, I had energy surging all day, full of vitality!"

"Hoho, really? Hearing that makes Mama feel rewarded."

By buttering her up relentlessly, her rage gauge slowly dropped. A feat no real child could pull off.

He cut straight to the point.

"Mama. Don't you think the other kids would do way better if they ate meat regularly too?"

"But Dodo, meat is expensive, you know that."

"What if you think of it as an investment?"

Her face soured. Before the rebuttal, he pressed on.

"Short-term costs go up, but long-term, income will definitely increase."

"Hoho, Dodo, the world doesn't always go as you hope."

"Just one month! Can't you trust me?"

The status window popped up at the perfect timing. With desperate eyes, her gaze softened.

Got her.

"Hmmm..."

Eating vomit stew was a survival issue. You'd ponder suicide instead of meals. No compromising now that he'd tasted jerky.

Pouring all his desperation into staring up at her. Please.

Her finger, aimed at the club, hesitated. In that moment when her icy glare thawed just a fraction, he finally exhaled.

"Fine. Exactly one month."

Relief flooded his body.

"Thank you, Mama Gail!"

- Negotiation successful.

And so, he secured the promise of improved meals.

Outside, Roni paced impatiently. She didn't say it outright, but she was burning up inside.

"Ah, I'm starving to death..."

"Eh...! You're in one piece? It worked? It actually worked?"

"Yeah."

"As ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠expected of you, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Dodo! You had a plan, huh! How the hell did you crack that miser?"

He'd just thrashed for survival. Bitter, but his best shot. Bending pride a bit for meat... Big win overall.

"Yes! Meat! This is the sex!"

Roni pumped her fist in excitement. Her reaction pulled a smirk from him too. He wanted to cheer along, but he had zero energy left. His body, held together by sheer willpower, screamed at its limit.

Starved again today, but his life proved tougher than it looked. Death traded for equivalent agony.

Head spinning, empty stomach cramping like convulsions. Am I really gonna croak soon? The thought hit hard.

The next day, as promised, the vomit slop turned to meat porridge.

Still just tiny chunks floating around. Like upgrading from food waste army shit soup.

The other orphans praised Mama Gail like a goddess at mealtime.

"Hey, Sexy Guy!"

Only Roni teased him lightly, acknowledging his hidden功.

The bear does the work, the pig gets the glory. Fine by him.

...That's what he thought day one. Day two, tolerable. But after a week, two weeks, the smiles faded.

Tiny meat flecks stuck to the bowl bottom, smaller than a nail. This was his reward.

No hope. In the orphanage, effort just meant sneakier exploitation.

Fucking bitch...! Seeing her gnaw the rabbits he'd busted his ass for made him want to bash her skull.

Dog bitch! Fucking cunt!!

Cloudy meat mush porridge—one bowl a day, no refills. Two bowls for 10 talents? Against fairness, dream on.

She's fucking insane. The meat he brought? She scarfs half alone, dices two or three into ten bowls like charity, then boasts.

Is this even human? No basic respect for her prime meat supplier.

Sigh... Does this greedy sow even have a conscience?

Lately, she took ten-plus rabbits as given. Short one day?

Blatant shit-talking. World's biggest asshole. Ranting in front of everyone, rage boiling over.

Lately, escape fantasies daily. But in Darkness and Fear...

"Ha... If not for this damn game..."

"Huh? What're you on about?"

"Nothin', just rambling."

Roni chimed in from beside him. True bro—hardest worker, zero complaints. Her herding made the meat soup possible. Solo? Half at best.

"Hey, Roni."

"Yeah, Sexy Guy?"

"That Sexy Guy shit... Sigh. Let's sneak one and roast it."

"Tsk tsk, no way. We'd get caught for sure. Last kid who did? Beaten to death."

Terror flashed in Roni's eyes, turning hollow. Same vague chuckle as always.

"Like witchcraft or somethin'. Knows if you sneak-eat, beats ya senseless. Kid died. Huh..."

Snitches or real magic? Unknown. His state? One beating = death.

Rabbits mere mirages? Pure torture daily.

"Heh, Dodo. Almost a month, huh?"

"Ah... Fuck."

Pile-on. Three weeks of meat soup. No results? Back to vomit.

Kids got desperate for talents, sure. But meat didn't make 'em superheroes... Logs still on him and Roni.

"Ah... The end's nigh!"

Roni giggled; he nearly teared up.

"No... Not the meat!"

Busted daily, but jerky too precious to trade. 80 talents? Essentials leaked cash. Plus feeding the starving...

Sigh, idiot move, but what choice? Max one bowl anyway.

Meat vanishing now? Yeah, suicide it is~ Imaginary clown offered brief comfort. Fleeting.

Time burned his insides.

"Hey, Roni."

"Yeah, Dodo?"

"Wanna bolt together?"

"Heh... Gonna feed me?"

"Girls'd line up to keep your skinny ass alive, punk."

"...Heh."

Past worries echoed. Lying after quota, nonsense spewed.

Chuckle escaped. Goddamn trash game. Ignorance bliss... But he knew: deep forest = no-go. Worse than beatings.

Monsters beyond reason. Murderers, traffickers as trash mobs. Starved kid? Escape impossible. Even status grandpa couldn't.

Hence the hollow laugh.

"Hey Dodo, if you're bolting, tell me. I'll help."

"Deal."

Roni grinned slyly. Hard to hate that smarm. Month together showed: self-proclaimed fallen noble got the picture. Smiles from resignation. Not kid faces.

He bit his lip unconsciously. Hunger stripping even hope...

He bolted up.

"Whew... Can't take it. Let's try."

"Sudden? What?"

"Somethin' big."

To the border zone. Where green turned dark murky. Air reeked different—warm life gone, damp rot instead.

Death flicked its tongue like venom warning.

Roni deep-breathed, tossed a line.

"Dodo! Runnin' for real? Now? Whoa... Gimme a sec to prep."

His solo call, no hesitation OK. Roni, loyalty A+.

"Not running. Dig a pit?"

"Oh, ooh!"

Finally clued in.

"Dodo, you got a real plan... Think it'll work?"

"Better than choking down that shit. Bite my tongue first."

"Heh... Grows on ya... Nah?"

Meat-corrupted irreversible. He'd normalized Roni for three weeks.

She pondered, then dug harder.

...Hours with stones: pit barely thigh-deep, width meh. No shovel? Kid limit.

Memory flashed.

Orphanage bitch.

Instead, 50-talent foraging pocket knife out. Sharpened wood stake, leaf cover. Rabbit bait on top—trap done.

"Whew... Now this...!"

Dull blade three fingers long, but enough for rabbit guts.

"Dodo, won't this get us in trouble? Caught = beatdown?"

Different from skimming.

"All investment. Investment."

Smashed innards, smeared on bark. Leave overnight.

No catch guarantee.

"Alright, done!"

"Heh... Diggin' sucks. Trust ya, Dodo?"

"Do you."

No loss if no eat. Caught by Mama Gail? Excuse ready—no eating.

With wary Roni, back to orphanage.

"Hoho, welcome back, Dodo! Lots today too?"

Licking lips in welcome. No suspicion, unlike feared.

Roni's eyes: common sense shattered.

"Told ya no catch, punk."

"For real? You planned this too?"

Nope. Mouth magic prepped.

Roni's eyes sparkled. Expectations rising, pressure on.

"Heh... Rabbit roast tomorrow?"

"Hmmm... Duo, half-beat if caught? Half-dead then. Heh."

Absurd, they both giggled.

Morning, status window alerted after ages.

Strong dawn! Heart raced with anticipation. Something hit the trap for sure.

At the trap with Roni: unimaginable catch...

"Th-that... ain't it a person, Dodo?"

"Oh, fuck."

Pit held a corpse skewered on wood.

Fucked. Made it obvious trap. What idiot...!

Remote spot, yet this!

Instant duo trap murderers.

"Ah, how to handle... Headache..."

Sudden Roni jump.

"Hey, Dodo, check this!"

"What... Ah!"

Pointed spot: sigh of relief.

"Phew..."

Not human head.

"Eww, gross. Leech-lookin'?"

Brain Sucker—name cursed endlessly on monitor—flashed.

"Dodo, how to carry?"

"Uh... Wait!!"

"Huh?"

Excited Roni hopped in.

Chalkboard screech. Maw shot at Roni's temple like lightning.

Barely in time, he yanked her in a hug.

Late a second? Tofu-skull pierced.

"Whew... Close."

"Dodo, thanks but... Let go now..."

"Man, I hate it too."

Roni, thought manly—gay vibes. Chest touch, she blushed; soured his mood.

Anyway, business. Back up.

Prior rock pile. Aimed at Brain Sucker head... Rolled to edge with effort.

Flesh sizzle. Death screech.

Maw twitched in death throes, went limp.

"Man, seriously thanks. Heh..."

"Pay me back later, punk."

Back to normal Roni. Grabbed corpse sides, hauled. Worthy weight.

"Ugh... So heavy."

"Stink's no joke."

Beginner's luck: big haul first try.

"Hoho..."

Dragging hole-riddled monster corpse, weak orphans fled. Even grinning director baffled.

"Dodo, Roni. What the..."

"Mama, we did it."

Shock brief. Eyes soon greedily gleamed.

"How much is this worth? Hohoho! Dodo, Roni! Mama's proud!"

"Thank you, Mama!"

Lucky break, real recognition. She hoisted corpse to her storeroom like treasure. Smile glued on.

"Hoho, our Dodo wanted Mama's love that bad?"

"Ah, promise, haha..."

"For our Dodo! Roni... next year. Hoho!"

"Yes, Mama. Lucky ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you, Dodo. Congrats!"

Mama Gail handed him a flower brooch.

Other kids eyed enviously.

...So what the hell is this?