abcnovels
Chapter 58: Secret Assembly (1)
Chapter 58: Secret Assembly (1)
***
Karlstein, completely unaware of the situation in the Hero Council of Salvation, spent his time browsing the [Integrated Dimensional Community]. He had just finished participating in an Avatar Blind Date.
"Oh my..."
Karlstein, who had entered the 'Avatar Blind Date' room with the ominous intention of destroying any couple within sight, was able to come out with a Buddha-like smile.
?What?!
?no way....
?where's the so-called beautiful princess renowned even in neighboring countries at?
?The Harm of Exaggerated Advertising.avi
?LOLOLOLOL?look at that guy's expression LOL
?but I think it's probably the same for the other person too LOLOL
A rather tragicomic situation unfolded as donations continued in an attempt to somehow connect the two.
-Thank you for coming out to this meeting, Sir Yuleta.
-Huh? Y-Yes... It is an honor to meet the rumored princess in person.
-It should be an honor. To think that a mere second son of a Count’s household would dare to look at me. Really, Father is too much.
['Cupid of Love' has donated 1,000P.]
-confess your love gogo
-Uh... That. I apologize for being so forward, but... I love you.
-Hmph! At least you know beauty when you see it.
?ahhh....
?pls no more...!
?LOLOLOL
?What a fucking shitshow.
?thanks for the entertainment. im out
Karlstein was able to leave feeling content. As he was lurking here and there, becoming a ghost of the community...
"Huh?"
He caught sight of some suspicious movement.
Did I see that wrong? No, I’m pretty sure I didn’t, though? I definitely saw it, right?
It was a community post with a title in sentence form that was difficult to understand. A sentence with meaningless words all mixed up? Something that seemed to make sense, but the meaning couldn't be understood.
He looked for it again, but couldn't find it, probably because it had been quickly deleted.
Well, someone might accidentally post something and then take it down right away. But this kind of situation didn't seem to be a one-time thing. He had just passed over it carelessly before.
Something smelled fishy. Like a suspicious smell reminiscent of urban legends about North Korean spies?
If it had been a post with an ordinary title, he probably wouldn't have paid attention to it.
They say humans are curious creatures by nature. It's human nature to want to uncover what's being hidden.
Traces that disappeared in an instant.
An ordinary user would have to wait endlessly until the same phenomenon was discovered again, but…
Who am I?
The Oradge.
What can't I do?
Nothing.
He personally executed the Administrator Mode. Karlstein felt no shame in abusing his admin privileges.
"Let's see..."
He checked the logs that popped up.
"Not this one, not that one either."
Although there was so much information that it would be easy to get lost, thanks to Aria's UI refinement, he could find it easily.
-Author: BlacknessOfDarkness
-Title: Badabi Badaboom sound main dealer with all his might very cold-blooded Casanova....
Qjjalttukhotjjaemnyinyutbyeokddwippeunddeuknigeuibeunhan....
?Confirmed
?Hi
?Ok.
What is this? BlacknessOfDarkness? Badabi Badaboom?
He looked through the post history, but nothing special was visible.
"Hmm."
Nevertheless, not giving up, he dug up even old posts and examined every corner.
"Aha!"
Then he was able to discover some strange circumstances.
"Iyaaa...! To this extent?"
They were having conversations by editing comments on posts from a very long time ago.
It was a post so old that even the most diligent Bluadge couldn't easily find it.
Aha.
He roughly grasped what the situation was.
The strange post uploaded by 'BlacknessOfDarkness' seemed to be a signal. When the post was uploaded at a set time, the appointed people gathered at an old post and had conversations by editing comments and replies.
A Secret Assembly?
?We will now begin the 6th Regular Assembly.
?Clap clap.
?Ooh.
?Have you all been well?
They were actually conducting such a suspicious secret meeting?
Karlstein's mouth was practically watering with anticipation.
He quietly observed their assembly.
Originally, in such situations, one should practice the "stfu&lurk" tactic. Shut the fuck up and lurk.
It meant to observe the situation first without thoughtlessly butting in.
?What do you think the Oradge is aiming for?
?To think he would start the concept of a streaming platform. I can't even begin to guess what the Oradge is trying to do.
?Truly so.
?To think he would create such a vulgar service after sucking up all our Karma.
?Everyone is saving up their Points without spending them, right?
?Of course. Hoho.
Huh? What did you say?!
Oh, I see now, you were talking behind my back?
How could this not be interesting!
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): It might be a prelude to dimensional invasion. Like 'those guys'.
?It is not entirely impossible of a case. We already have comrades who have gone silent, don't we?
?That's because they were unnecessarily provoked after watching that 'FlameYongYongie' guy's video...
?Hush! Be quiet! Newbie!
?Yessir....
?Anyway, it is not something to take lightly.
?Of course.
?The Oradge must be the Devil! To create such an absurd, satanic system called Gacha!
?Ahem. It seems users from Earth are familiar with it.
?....
This was undoubtedly a much more interesting scene than other nonsensical posts forcibly uploaded to attract people's attention.
?(PayToWinGuy): Hello hello~! You're having an interesting conversation, aren't you?
"..."
But maybe it was too soon?
There was no response to the friendly greeting.
Silence.
Their lively conversation suddenly stopped.
Somehow, I feel a bit sorry...?
-(PayToWinGuy): Hey guys?
This is a bit awkward, could you please answer?
Poof!
It almost felt like he heard such a sound.
The post was deleted in an instant!
There were no traces left.
Like a group of hamsters encountering an elephant, they scurried away in a flash!
"Hehhh…?"
Come on, I just said hello? Isn't this too much?
Of course, he had captured all the DNPs. He had that much sense, after all.
"Heheh."
Karlstein hummed as he checked the logs of 'BlacknessOfDarkness'.
As expected.
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): I didn't expect there to be a pervert who would dig through even past posts.
?Exactly.
?It was annoying to have to move.
?Have all the others arrived?
?Ah, the Saintess hasn't arrived yet.
?Newbie, I have just arrived!
Look at how coordinated they are. Such unity! How cute.
They regrouped in an instant for their Secret Assembly!
They were pathetically suspicious.
?By the way, that guy who came in by chance earlier, the username is familiar.
?Hmm. I think it's the guy who became a hot topic recently due to the donation rankings.
?Ah... I remember now. Isn't he the one who was overflowing with Points?
?He could have been a new recruit, you know? He seems to have a lot of Points....
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): As you know, we only operate based on a recommendation system.
?That's right. Of course it must be. After all, if anyone were to betray us, we might become cosmic dust along with our continent.
No, guys. I'm not that petty of a person....
Karlstein felt a tiny bit wronged.
The guys who received special(?) gifts so far were only those who messed with Dimensional Passages, though.
He didn't vaporize entire continents just because someone talked a bit of smack.
Of course, they probably wouldn’t be able to avoid the blade-like bans of hardworking Bluadges, yeah?
Anyway.
Since it wasn't completely wrong, he continued lurking.
?(BlacknessOfDarkness) More importantly, we have accepted a new recruit this time.
?Oho.... I'm looking forward to it.
?Is it someone we know?
?Wow. Is it a talent recommended by Sir Blackness?
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): That's right. And you probably all know them. Of course, they are not human, but....
?Oh! Who could it be that you're building up such suspense?
?(BlacknessOfDarkness) It is none other than...!
Oh! It's none other than?
?(TheLichIsRich): Greetings, inferior humans. I am Lich King Raymond.
?Ooh!
?Welcome.
?Clap clap clap.
?Hey, newbie! Aren't you being too arrogant for a newcomer?
A familiar figure appeared.
Lich King Raymond?
Ah, that guy.
Karlstein somehow felt that the Lich guy would fit well with this kind of assembly.
?(TheLichIsRich): So what exactly is this place for?
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): Fufu. Nice to meet you. There is no need to be too hasty. We have plenty of time. Isn't that right, Mr. Lich?
?(TheLichIsRich): I've made progress in my recent research, so I don't have time. I'd like to get straight to the point.
He's made progress in his research?
Well, it's not entirely impossible.
When items from the Dimensional Store contained advanced technology beyond what's necessary, a sealed packaging option was automatically applied. When disassembled, they broke or exploded so they couldn’t be examined.
However, for technologies that were too primitive for the Galactic Empire, they didn't bother doing this. Often, it consumed more Points to seal them than not. Of course, the receiving side might have been delighted, thinking they managed to obtain some cutting-edge technology.
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): Don't you have many complaints about the Oradge too? You can slowly talk about that.
?(TheLichIsRich): Complaints? Well... I do have many complaints.
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): Haha. That's right. As expected, my eyes couldn't have been wrong!
?The Oradge is obsessed with Points right now!
?If this continues, the community as we remember it will surely disappear.
?The pastoral atmosphere of the past has largely disappeared.
?Not that... it was ever particularly pastoral...?
?Be quiet, Newbie!
?We don't know what impact each item will have on the worlds we live in. To release them so indiscriminately like this is....
?Some items with monstrous performance even break our individual will to train and make it meaningless.
?That's right. Now there are fewer people who are serious about training. Many just squander their Karma hoping to get lucky with one gacha pull.
?They've also frequently disrupted the order of the world to acquire Karma Points.
?Such rapid changes are too dangerous.
?Ahem. Anyway, welcome to this place, Mr. Lich.
Karlstein wasn't particularly bothered as these were complaints he had already anticipated.
And…
Was there really a need to address these complaints...?
No. There wasn’t
He wasn't running the community to look good to the users.
Of course, it might be worth considering shifting to a slightly softer direction to suck up more Karma, but…
At that moment, Lich King Raymond left a comment.
?(TheLichIsRich): To think I would live to see such pathetic beings. Aren’t you all just losers full of inferiority complexes and jealousy?
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): ...Your words seem a bit too harsh. Raymond.
?Inferiority complex?!
?Ugh! The Lich hit straight at the bone! Where it hurts the most!
?Be quiet, Newbie.
Oh? Did this guy eat something wrong? Why is he suddenly taking my side?
?(TheLichIsRich): There's no doubt that the Oradge is great. His technology and results speak for themselves. There's no need to deny this.
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): What do you mean? Which side are you choosing right now?
?(TheLichIsRich): Now I see this was nothing but a waste of time. Whew. Listen well. If you've fallen behind, acknowledge it and learn from those who have gone ahead, chasing after them. Don't just sit in place spewing complaints. Are you envious of his technology? Jealous of his power? Then it's time to whip yourself into shape, not just run your mouth.
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): Mr. Lich... Everyone, it seems I misjudged this person.
?(TheLichIsRich): ...It seems like it is impossible to have a rational discussion with you. I'll take my leave now. Continue this useless conversation among yourselves. And for your information... I am not a person. Tsk.
?(BlacknessOfDarkness): ....
What the heck? Why is this guy suddenly acting like this? This is so awkward.
The Lich had already left, it seemed, as no more comments were written.
The remaining members seemed to have quieted down in the chilly atmosphere.
Oh dear.
This isn't what I wanted, though?
Lich, you bastard! You've poured cold water all over an interesting honey pot!
Anyway, now's the time.
Karlstein's eyes flashed.
It’s time!
?(I’mThePirateKing1): Oradge, you fucking sonuvabitch!!
LEZ GOOO!
Karlstein instantly changed his /genesisforsaken