CHAPTER 19

As things turned out that way, CottonCandyFox's chat messages drastically decreased. In contrast, SoSleepy's mood kept improving over time.

[Party] SoSleepy: Fox, you're really good at this game, haha

[Party] SoSleepy: Oppa really likes girls who are good at games, lol

[Party] SoSleepy: Fox, do you not use Discord? ^^

[Party] SoSleepy: Wanna join Discord with oppa?

[Party] CottonCandyFox: Haha… maybe later…

[Party] SoSleepy: Later?

[Party] SoSleepy: When's later?

[Party] SoSleepy: Let's just do it now, lol

[Party] SoSleepy: I'm curious what your voice sounds like, haha

[Party] CottonCandyFox: T_T…

[Party] SoSleepy: If we're going to keep raiding anyway

[Party] SoSleepy: We'll need to Discord

[Party] SoSleepy: Right, everyone?

[Party] BuzzingBee: Ah;; I don't have a mic…

It was pure chaos. The guild members, caught between CottonCandyFox and SoSleepy, could do nothing but pray for the raid to end as quickly as possible.

＊＊＊

After recalling this memory, ParkSeungjin99 added to the chat:

[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: Today's not as bad

[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: Sleepy is coming on late 'cause of a part-time job, so I logged into my main

[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: Once Sleepy comes back later

[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: We'll be dragged back into hell again ㅠㅠ

[Guild] MochaBread: I seriously feel like I'm gonna die…

[Guild] ManaOringMan: He keeps pushing for Discord

[Guild] ManaOringMan: Every time, I feel like I'm gonna go insane

[Guild] Let'sPlayRockPaperScissors: I've run out of excuses, ffs lololol

Except for MochaBread, who gave the most standard reply — "I don't have a mic" — the others had no leg to stand on.

[Guild] Let'sPlayRockPaperScissors: Once we clear Kirunt Dungeon, we'll have to get on Discord

[Guild] Let'sPlayRockPaperScissors: We even cleared hard mode yesterday

[Guild] Let'sPlayRockPaperScissors: Only hell mode left nowㅠㅠ

[Guild] Haeren: Wow, going for Kirunt Hell in 3 days?

[Guild] Haeren: Sleepy's insane ㄷㄷ

[Guild] MadHunter: Can't we somehow lure Sleepy into joining our guild instead?

[Guild] MadHunter: I really want them

[Guild] TheHunter: True, didn't they all hide their voices by not using Discord?

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: Am I the only one who doesn't get Yuchae?

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: With that kind of reaction,

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: Shouldn't they be happy? Why are they mad?

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: Seems like they're totally into CottonCandyFox

[Guild] SpicyCrabLover: Looks like they caught feelings ㄷㄷ

[Guild] MochaBread: So what if they did, lol

[Guild] MochaBread: The guild master isn't even a real girl, ffs

[Guild] Hwasoun: If they were, it would've been a love story the moment they joined Discord, lol

[Guild] TheHunter: Fr though, lololol

[Guild] TheHunter: Would've been hilarious lolol

[Guild] TakeItFreeAndLeave: I didn't think Sleepy was like that

[Guild] TakeItFreeAndLeave: Turns out they're totally weak when it comes to girls, lol

[Guild] Haeren: Maybe the reason they hate the guild master

[Guild] Haeren: Is 'cause he's a dude, lol

[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: Yeah, being a guy is kind of a problem~

[Guild] SpicyCrabLover: If it were a girl, they'd have made up instantly

[Guild] SpicyCrabLover: And been all lovey-dovey

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: Yeah, and then I

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: Wouldn't have to go recruiting newbs all the time ––

[Guild] Yuchae: lol

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: ?

[Guild] Haeren: Oh, looks like the purge is over

Guild member MochaBread's contribution points have been set to 0.

Guild member Hwasoun's contribution points have been set to 0.

Guild member TheHunter's contribution points have been set to 0.

Guild member TakeItFreeAndLeave's contribution points have been set to 0.

Guild member Haeren's contribution points have been set to 0.

Guild member SpicyCrabLover's contribution points have been set to 0.

[Guild] MochaBread: ?

[Guild] TakeItFreeAndLeave: ?

[Guild] Haeren: ??

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: Oh fuck lolololololol

[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: lololololol

[Guild] Haeren: Wait, wait, hold on a sec

[Guild] TheHunter: ?? What is this

[Guild] Hwasoun: Oh shit

[Guild] Hwasoun: Why the contribution pointsㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Contribution points were activity points that accumulated over time. Depending on how many you had, you'd get perks and event rewards each month — and now, all of that had just vanished.

The guild members, only now realizing what had happened, began panicking and spamming the chat.

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: This is fucking hilarious lolololol

[Guild] TakeItFreeAndLeave: Guild master, wait

[Guild] TakeItFreeAndLeave: No;; please;;

[Guild] Let'sPlayRockPaperScissors: That karma is wild lolol

[Guild] ManaOringMan: lololololol

[Guild] SpicyCrabLover: Wait a sec

[Guild] MonsterOfCapitalism: That's what you get for running your mouths, lolol

[Guild] TakeItFreeAndLeave: No way, I saved up 280 points, lol

[Guild] Hwasoun: Water, please!ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

[Guild] MochaBread: Water, please!!!

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: Nah, I'm not getting involved

Despite desperate pleas, the victims turned to the vice master DrinkSomeWater, who, like the guild master, had authority over contribution points. But DrinkSomeWater, having no intention of rebelling, coldly turned them away.

[Guild] Haeren: lol what are you guys doing

[Guild] Haeren: Hurry up and bow your heads

[Guild] TheHunter: Fr, you should've knelt like I did, lol

[Guild] TakeItFreeAndLeave: I… was too careless, guild master…

[Guild] SpicyCrabLover: Please… just this once, forgive us, master

[Guild] Yuchae: lol

[Guild] Yuchae: If you say "I'm sorry" three times,

[Guild] Yuchae: I'll restore your contribution points.

[Guild] Haeren: I'm sorry!

[Guild] TheHunter: I'm sorry

[Guild] Hwasoun: I'm sorryㅠㅠ

[Guild] Haeren: I'm sorry!

[Guild] SpicyCrabLover: I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

[Guild] TheHunter: I'm sorry

[Guild] MochaBread: So sorreh

[Guild] TheHunter: I'm sorry

As soon as Yuchae said that, messages repeating "I'm sorry" flooded in. Yuchae, carefully keeping count, restored the contribution points that had been set to zero.

[Guild] Yuchae: Ok

[Guild] Yuchae: Restored them.

[Guild] SpicyCrabLover: Whew;;;

[Guild] TheHunter: That was seriously almost the end for me

[Guild] Hwasoun: ?

[Guild] Hwasoun: Um, guild master

[Guild] Hwasoun: I think I'm missing 50 points

[Guild] Hwasoun: Or am I mistaken?

[Guild] Yuchae: That's the price for ruining my mood

[Guild] Let'sPlayRockPaperScissors: lolololol

[Guild] MochaBread: ???

[Guild] TakeItFreeAndLeave: ?

[Guild] Yuchae: Is there a problem?

[Guild] Hwasoun: Haha, of course not oO(you f***ing bastard)

[Guild] DrinkSomeWater: lololololol

[Guild] TheHunter: lololololol

[Guild] ParkSeungjin99: lololololol

＊＊＊

After finishing my part-time job, I logged into Xenoris and immediately checked the message that had been waiting for me.

[SoeSoe:] h2

[SoeSoe:] You just finished your shift?

[SoSleepy:] Yup

[SoSleepy:] Did you get home okay?

Kim Daeseok had been staying with his parents in Daejeon for the past week. He had whined endlessly in the group chat with our high school friends about how bored he was without a computer.

[SoeSoe:] As soon as I got home earlier

[SoeSoe:] I hugged my PC tower and cried, lol

[SoeSoe:] It felt so lovely after a whole week apart

[SoSleepy:] You're insane;

[SoeSoe:] Anyway, what are you up to now?

[SoSleepy:] Waiting for a scheduled raid soon

[SoeSoe:] Oh, a raid?

[SoeSoe:] Public party?

[SoSleepy:] Nah, it's a regular party

[SoeSoe:] What? You're not even in a guild

[SoeSoe:] How'd you manage to join a regular raid party??

I paused a bit, then told him about what had happened with CottonCandyFox. As expected, Kim Daeseok showed a lot of interest.

[SoeSoe:] Wait, seriously

[SoeSoe:] That buffer you mentioned is really Yuchae? Are you sure?

[SoSleepy:] About 90% sure

[SoSleepy:] Just... everything about how they act lines up

[SoeSoe:] Damn...

[SoeSoe:] If that's true, that's insane lol

[SoeSoe:] But they didn't steal your gear or anything

[SoeSoe:] They're just a female character

[SoeSoe:] I can kinda get that

[SoSleepy:] ?

[SoeSoe:] Buffers have to be female characters, it's the rule

[SoeSoe:] My buffer alt is dressed up to the nines too

[SoeSoe:] Wanna see?

I wasn't sure what kind of logic that was, but since I still had time before the raid, I told him to come over.

Honestly, I had nothing better to do anyway. Might as well chat a bit with Kim Daeseok until the party gathered.

[SoeSoe:] On my way

[SoeSoe:] Heading to the Kirunt Dungeon entrance

[SoSleepy:] Ok

While waiting for him, I started organizing my inventory — dismantling junk gear, sorting materials for upgrades, etc.

About five minutes later, a cute-looking character ran up to me. I moved the inventory window to the side of the screen.

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: Hi hi~

[All] SoSleepy: Your name makes me nauseous;

With soft pink hair, a pure white dress, and angel wings, Kim Daeseok's alt struck a wink emote in response.

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: It's from a song by my favorite girl group, Celtis, hehe

[All] SoSleepy: If they saw this, they'd probably kick you from the fan café ㄷㄷ

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: F*** you, man

But this guy... both his main and his alt… surely he's not actually catfishing?

[All] SoSleepy: Do you actually tell people you're a guy?

[All] SoSleepy: I'm honestly starting to have doubts...

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: What are you even sayingㅡㅡ

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: What's worse is guys playing male characters even in-game

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: And if you wanna catfish properly, you need real talent

[All] SoSleepy: Okay, fair point

Thinking about CottonCandyFox, it was clear that just acting cute or being flirty didn't cut it. Even online, fooling people isn't easy.

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: But me?

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: I'm pretty confident I could do it if I wanted to

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: Wanna see?

[All] SoSleepy: lol

[All] SoSleepy: Go for it

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: Oppa, Itchu wants this~

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: If you buy it, Itchu will give you a kiss ^3^

"..."

Psycho. Well, he hasn't had much experience with girls, so I guess this makes sense. I should screenshot this and drop it in our group chat — time to update everyone on Kim Daeseok's list of embarrassing moments.

I spammed the screenshot button and kept encouraging him.

[All] SoSleepy: lol do more

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: Aww Itchu's so shy~ >ㅁ<

[All] SoSleepy: More more

[All] SoSleepy: Keep going~~

[All] CottonCandyFox: Sleepy oppa

[All] SoSleepy: ?

[All] AchooGotchuItchu: ?

Oh, shit. I jumped at the sudden appearance of that unexpected name. I quickly closed the inventory window I'd shoved into the corner of the screen. And right there, CottonCandyFox and our raid party members were standing.

I'd moved the window to finish organizing while chatting, and it had covered the dungeon entrance — I didn't realize people had arrived. God knows how much of that chat they saw.

[All] WhatDoYouKongDoYou: "Scary..."

 [All] SuwonSpecialCity:"Scary..."

 [All] CottonCandyFox: What are you doing right now? ^^

[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : http://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]