A week where my life was utterly denied.
Now that I'd made up my mind to live again, there was only one thing to do.
'Gallery-browsing'
My dopamine, my light, my life.
———
Title: [New Member Greeting] You guys couldn't even clear this one thing and were wandering around? lol
Author: Anonymous
Took first place in Building A, Unit 304.
Taking questions.
———
Title bait is good.
The post is clean.
*Click-*
The moment I pressed the submit button, my heart throbbed with a thrilling rush.
And as I expected, an explosive reaction erupted.
*Ding-* *Ding-* *Ding-* *Ding-*
Notifications began pouring down before my eyes like crazy.
Comments (7)
[DepressedMentalMenhera]: No way, was this kid really a newbie?
[LiveForToday]: A pure newbie cleared the Building A horror in seven minutes flat?
[BoughtLotsButPleaseMakeLittle]: What the hell is this fucking crazy-ass newbie?
[HardshipAfterHardship]: Isn't this just a ghost spy?
[YuilYuhanInc]: What a tempting talent.
[FrontalAssault]: ...A method of digging into loopholes in the rules. So there was something I missed.
Dozens of comments popped up in an instant.
Now they began evolving into entirely new bait.
Posts analyzing me started flooding the board.
Don't fall for the new member greeting post, it's impossible, just impossible [3]
FR, even the gallery owner probably wasn't at that level as a newbie [8]
Possibility that the newbie who just greeted is a ghost [13]
Let's ban first and see? [3]
It's only natural that ordinary people can't understand geniuses, you plebs [7]
Analyzing the reasons why they can't be a newbie [23]
Rapidly updating posts.
I clicked on one that caught my eye.
—————
[ Title: Analyzing the reasons why they can't be a newbie ]
Author: LogicCircuit
Reduced the clear time several-fold compared to the previous 1st place user.
A clear that used to take 7 hours was done in 7 minutes.
Absolutely impossible through conventional clearing methods.
It's not a style that breaks through rules head-on, but one that digs into structural loopholes to neutralize them.
In my opinion, there's a 100% chance it's an alt of 'LostHandBrainFixed'.
This is that person's specialty.
—————
'LostHandBrainFixed?'
I tilted my head.
Who the hell is this person that I'm being treated as their alt?
I typed the nickname into the search bar.
The results were surprising.
In every horror rulebook he'd visited, his rank was 1st place. And with overwhelming records at that.
— Did this guy clear it by cutting his fingers again?
— Fingers don't critically affect your life.
Moreover, the comments were ominous.
"This guy is just insane..."
I wrote another post.
—————
[ Title: No, I'm really a newbie...; ]
Author: Anonymous
I'm not LostHandBrainFixed.
Why won't anyone believe me?
—————
The comments were still explosive.
Most were reactions telling me to stop lying, but other types of comments were starting to appear.
[YuilYuhanInc]: Sir/Ma'am, have you thought about joining our company? We pay an insane amount of money. Don't die pointlessly rolling around, at least get paid.
[ThingsYouCanEat]: Collection of things a newbie can eat in a horror (link)
[Santookki]: Hello, newbie! Everyone here is weird, so don't mind them!
Among them, one nickname stood out. 'Santookki'.
He was the only one who seemed to acknowledge and welcome me as a newbie.
I immediately replied to him at this sole show of kindness.
[Anonymous]: Why am I being doubted so much?
[Santookki]: It's because your record is so good, newbie. Everyone is impressed.
...Impressed.
Well.
Attention in the gallery is indeed an expression of being impressed.
[Anonymous]: More importantly, can you tell me something?
[Santookki]: What are you curious about?
[Anonymous]: People keep calling me a ghost spy. What is that?
[Santookki]: Ah. Ghost spy is short for 'ghost spy.' It means a ghost that pretends to be human. Though in the gallery, it's mainly used to disparage normal users.
[Anonymous]: Are there enough users here to split into sides and fight?
[Santookki]: Yes. Anyone who was ever caught up in a horror can enter this gallery. The rulebooks posted here are all posted by survivors like us who experienced them risking our lives.
[Anonymous]: Insane.
When I chimed in appropriately, Santookki seemed thrilled and began explaining things I hadn't even asked about.
[Santookki]: And be careful. Once you're caught up in a horror, the probability of being dragged into the next one increases tremendously. Of course, there's a way to enter directly if you want... but not recommended!
[Anonymous]: Oh thx thx
[Santookki]: Ah, and be careful because there are a lot of mentally ill people here! Not many who enter a horror and come out remain sane.
Mentally ill. That word stung for some reason, but I answered calmly.
[Anonymous]: OK OK, thanks for the info. You're really kind.
Just as my heart was easing a bit at this kind guide, a new comment appeared.
[Santookki]: It's because I believe you, newbie! But I'm also curious about something.
What? Is he going to ask for the clear strategy?
The moment my heart began pounding at the thought of writing out my creative strategy.
The following question was completely unexpected.
[Santookki]: Newbie, you're a girl, right?
[Anonymous]: What?
[Santookki]: Your reply speed is exactly the typing speed of a girl with small hands. You're not a girl?
"......."
Wow, chills.
It gave me even more chills because he was sharp for no reason.
How the hell does this bastard know this stuff?
[Anonymous]: I'm not.
[Santookki]: Fucking blocked.
"???"
What the hell with this guy.
He was hard to follow.
And shortly after, Santookki wrote a new post.
—————
Title: That newbie bastard is definitely a ghost spy if you ask me
Author: Santookki
Pretending to be a girl like crazy
Definitely a ghost spy
I swear on my balls, yeah
—————
A guy who immediately lit a fire under new bait.
Bait about me was supplied endlessly in the gallery.
"This is it."
This welcome party for newcomers was absolutely perfect.
And added 'bitch' to Santookki's memo.
◆
*Growl*
Is it because I'm doing human-like activities for the first time in a week?
I got hungry.
Come to think of it, I have no memory of eating or drinking after losing the keyboard war.
"Since I didn't die, I must have scavenged something."
The problem was, now that I'd truly felt the sensation called hunger, the fridge was literally completely empty.
There was one moldy tangerine left in the corner.
Even [ThingsYouCanEat] would probably shake his head at this.
A comment saying "absolutely something you shouldn't eat" would definitely be posted.
"Should I ask about it later?"
I took a photo so the cracked cross-section and mold were as visible as possible, then got up.
"Should I order delivery?"
For some reason, I'm craving Mara Rosé tteokbokki.
I put it in the cart and tried to pay by card, but a familiar message popped up.
[Insufficient balance.]
...Come to think of it, my balance has been precarious lately.
What should I do?
I ran my hand through my hair roughly.
I had to go outside to earn money, but then I'd have no way to explain suddenly having become a woman.
At that moment.
Something was shining with a 'sparkle' from one corner of the desk.
Heteromorphic Crystal.
A reward obtained by clearing an A-rank horror at tremendous speed.
I was sure I'd seen how to sell this in the gallery.
"If only it were worth even a few hundred thousand won."
Then I could survive for a month.
I immediately opened the gallery and searched.
—————
[ Title: Hey guys, how do I sell this? ]
Author: Anonymous
[ Content ]
(Photo attached)
Got this while clearing last time.
Is this expensive?
[ Comments ]
[LogicCircuit]: Yes, it's expensive
[DepressedMentalMenhera]: Why don't I get any high-grade crystals? Why only me? Why only me?
[HardshipAfterHardship]: Ah fucking hell, cringe, someone ban this already
[BoughtLotsButPleaseMakeLittle]: Stop with the newbie act
[BoughtLotsButPleaseMakeLittle]: Stop pretending when you know it's worth at least 30 million won
—————
"...Wh-what?"
Th-thirty million?
That's worth a car.
This tiny crystal is worth that much?
This is a total jackpot.
If I sell this one thing, I can live for a year.
Comments followed.
A helpful comment of the type that was nowhere to be seen earlier.
Yes. This is the kind of people that keep a gallery running.
[11.371]: There are three exchange methods. 1. Used as a mechanic in specific horrors. 2. Selling to corporate brokers like 'Yuil Yuhan Inc.' 3. Exchanging for items at the 'Lost and Found Center at the Final Terminal.'
[11.371]: If you're a newbie, no. 3 is the safest. The Lost and Found Center is a safe zone. The ghosts are stable too.
[11.371]: The entry procedure is here, so try going in.
When I clicked the link, the method to enter the horror was written there.
Simpler than I thought?
I got up without hesitation.
I have to go right now.
Wait for me, my 30 million won.
◆
The gallery erupted in flames after Han Yujin had already disappeared.
— Don't follow the comment below, newbie!!!! [3]
— Those guys are organ harvesters!!! [17]
— Where's the mod? Hurry up and ban the troll [2]
— Ah, I think the newbie followed them? Why isn't she checking the gallery? [11]
— Don't worry, she's not a newbie but an absolute monster [13]
— FR, if she really is LostHandBrainFixed, she'll flip it and harvest their organs instead LOL [6]
— Of course they called her over after preparing a trap [8]
— Sigh, there goes another named user [5]