A Veteran Player is Needed in the Apocalypse

Chapter 5. I’m a real dopamine addict

What did I just hear?

Who did he say was a dopamine addict?

“…Who did you say you were?”

When I asked, Safe8, the self-proclaimed dopamine addict, chuckled softly.

“It seems like you know me. Well, I am quite famous in the community. Isn’t it because of my strategies that you made it this far?”

What… what’s with that annoying tone…?

Could he be imitating me right now?

His words didn’t stop there.

“I understand you were suddenly possessed and recalled my strategies. But those strategies are mine, so I’d appreciate it if you’d leave. After all, I’m the one with the dog tags.”

‘Is this bastard… in other zones too?’

I was also pretending to be another player.

But pretending to be me, adopting a weird concept, and acting like my strategies were his own was crossing the line.

I never intended to blame other players for following my strategies.

After all, knowing the answer and not attempting it would be unreasonable.

Following my strategies wasn’t the fault of those players.

So, I planned to draft the impostor and send him off to join BangguseokYeoBo, just like I did with the other players…

The impostor didn’t stop there, speaking as if he was being generous.

“Seeing that you remembered and executed my strategy, you seem to know the Safe Zone quite well. How about it? Would you like to work under me, like this friend here?”

This guy, he planned to recruit any player who came looking for the commander next.

So, did TaejongTaeseBeyonce come here following the bastard’s strategy and end up joining him?

I stared at the impostor and answered.

“Call the commander.”

“Hm… you don’t seem stupid enough to cling to something pointless… do you have another plan?”

“Like you said, I don’t have dog tags. The commander will soon find out that I came here and met you, so what will you say if he asks why you just sent me back?”

“Hmm…”

“Call the commander. Then I’ll testify about you to the commander.”

“Testify about me?”

“The more people who testify that your name is ‘Hayden Goodman,’ the better, right?”

At my words, the bastard blinked slowly a couple of times.

“Can I take this as you accepting my offer?”

“I’m not joining you.”

Then he chuckled softly, placed his right hand on his chest, and said smoothly.

“Very well. I’ll call ‘Father.’”

…This guy, he’s only been possessed for a day, and he’s already this immersed?

“Mr. Taejong, while I bring Father, please chat with this person.”

“Yes, sir!”

While I stood with a tired expression, the impostor left the room, leaving me with TaejongTaeseBeyonce.

I looked TaejongTaeseBeyonce up and down and asked.

“Did you come here following the bastard’s strategy and get caught?”

“Oh, no. I woke up in the same place as dopamine addict hyung from the beginning.”

He woke up in the same place as that impostor?

‘When I woke up, BangguseokYeoBo was next to me too…’

Maybe it’s a two-person starting position.

So, Safe8 started pretending to be me as soon as he was possessed?

Hmm… In a world full of players possessed because of the address I spread, I wouldn’t dare pretend to be someone else… he doesn’t seem very smart.

“Why didn’t you enlist and instead followed him?”

“I didn’t want to go to the army again…”

Oh, he’s a military veteran.

Since he was addressing me respectfully and got fooled by the impostor, I thought he might be young like BangguseokYeoBo, but luckily, he isn’t.

Judging by his build, he could play a tank role if trained well, and he seems mild-mannered.

I can see why Safe8 is keeping him around.

“Don’t you resent the dopamine addict?”

“What?! Why would I resent him… I’m a fan of dopamine addict hyung!”

“You were possessed because of the address the dopamine addict spread.”

“Oh, that. I know about that.”

TaejongTaeseBeyonce smiled contentedly.

“Being possessed like this is all thanks to dopamine addict hyung.”

“Thanks… to him?”

“Just being able to realize the strategy with my idol hyung makes my heart race.”

“……”

This guy isn’t sane either…

A foul-mouthed impostor, a social misfit who can’t distinguish reality from the game.

Why are all my strategy followers such people?

…No, maybe all those who play Safe Zone are shut-ins.

“So, you’re just following dopamine addict because you’re a fan?”

TaejongTaeseBeyonce stared at me intently and spoke in a serious tone.

“Dopamine addict hyung is the conqueror of all zones. There’s no reason not to follow him once possessed in this world.”

Hmm… so he judged coldly in his own way.

“If you want to survive the apocalypse, it’s best to follow dopamine addict hyung’s instructions. There’s no player better than him, and if you get in his way, he’ll ruthlessly abandon you, even if you’re a fellow player. You’ve seen his strategy, right? How cold-blooded he is.”

No… what are you talking about? Was I known for that?

Is that why the impostor speaks in such an annoying tone?

‘Damn it…’

“If I help the ‘dopamine addict’ succeed in his strategy, will you be on my side?”

At my question, TaejongTaese looked puzzled but replied hastily.

“Yes? Oh, of course…?”

“Good. I’ll help.”

“Oh, thank you!”

This TaejongTaese, if he knows I’m the dopamine addict, he’ll be on my side.

The problem is how to deal with Safe8… letting him continue to impersonate the dopamine addict and attract attention isn’t a bad idea.

These guys, since they fell in the Cola Zone, can manage even if they were possessed because of me. But what about those who fell in other zones? What if someone fell into a place like Knife and survived?

I don’t want to get stabbed for no reason…

“Someone you know is here?”

From outside the room, a hoarse voice growled, and then a face I had seen countless times in the game appeared before my eyes.

A man with sleek black hair slicked back, a black eyepatch with a crossed Cola bottle symbol, and a white coat with tassels draped over his shoulders.

The commander of the Cola Zone, Hayden Goodman, glared at me with his remaining black eye.

At the same time, a message popped up.

[The ‘Friend of Luna Moon’ title effect applies to the target.]

This was expected.

The next message, however, was not.

[Due to possessing ‘Luna Moon’s Ring,’ the effect is doubled.]

‘Hmm?’

What changes with a doubled effect?

“…Your Excellency?”

At the impostor’s voice calling the commander, I tore my gaze from the message and looked up at the commander. He stared at me with an expression as if he had seen a ghost.

But there was no longer the sharpness in his eyes from earlier.

It was more like seeing a long-lost lover…

“…You resemble her.”

Ah.

Not just a rise in favorability but actually looking like Luna Moon?

Good for me.

I seized the opportunity and slowly raised my hand with the ring towards the commander.

“Mother told me to show this to Your Excellency.”

I could see the impostor visibly flustered, but he seemed unsure of what I was showing and couldn’t rashly intervene.

The commander, lowering his stance, eventually knelt on one knee. The impostor, realizing something was wrong, turned pale.

The commander stared at the loose ring on my finger for a long time before coldly addressing the impostor.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“W-What do you mean…?”

“You claimed to be my son, Hayden Goodman. But this ring is on someone else’s hand. You brought dog tags as proof.”

“Yes? Dog tags as proof… no, that ring is mine! I didn’t know this guy stole it!”

Safe8 shouted, pointing at me.

“Y-Yes, I told him about Mother! He’s trying to deceive Your Excellency-”

“Silence!”

The commander roared and grabbed the dog tags hanging around the impostor’s neck.

The dog tags snapped easily, and the impostor fumbled in shock where they had been.

“I-I am Hayden…”

“Keep your mouth shut.”

At the commander’s intimidating words, the impostor, who was about to continue his excuses, fell silent.

At least he’s not completely clueless.

“This ring was a token I gave Luna Moon before our marriage. If it had truly been lost, you would have mentioned it when you visited me yesterday. Most importantly, you looked puzzled when this child produced the ring earlier. I don’t know what you were thinking bringing her dog tags, but I won’t show mercy if you deceive me again. Understand?”

“That, that’s…”

Safe8 began babbling in Korean, clearly flustered.

“Th-The strategy said it was the dog tags…! No, did it not? But in the grave, Luna Moon’s only belongings were the dog tags…!”

Muttering like a madman, Safe8 suddenly stared at me.

“You… who are you?”

“Who do you think?”

Just as Safe8’s eyes widened in realization, another system message appeared.

[Player ‘Safe8’ has failed the strategy.]

So there’s a message even when a strategy

fails.

Safe8, unable to access the system, seemed unaware of the floating message.

Just as I was about to suggest he stop his nonsense and enlist.

[Failed players are eliminated.]

“What?”

The next moment.

Safe8, standing before me, collapsed as if a switch had been turned off.

“…Huh?”

The room fell silent as a grave.

‘No way…’

As if to confirm my ominous premonition, the following message appeared.

[Item ownership is transferred to ‘Dopamine Addict’.]

[Inventory – Luna Moon’s Ring, Luna Moon’s Dog Tags]

There’s only one scenario where an item is transferred in the Safe Zone.

When you successfully PK…

“Hyung!”

TaejongTaese, in shock, rushed to Safe8, but to my eyes, he seemed already dead.

“Hyung! Hyung!!”

The commander, also momentarily stunned by the unexpected event, pushed TaejongTaese away.

“Move, I’ll take him… to the infirmary.”

Mid-sentence, as he lifted Safe8, he seemed to realize Safe8 was already dead.

Unable to declare the death in front of us, the commander left the room carrying Safe8.

‘So, failure means death.’

What happens after death?

Is it over?

Or do they return to reality as I discussed with BangguseokYeoBo?

‘If I knew, I would’ve asked them to pass a message to those visiting the convenience store if they returned to reality…’

Thinking it was more comforting to believe they returned to reality than to think they were completely dead, I chose the former.

Looking at TaejongTaese, who sat dazedly staring in the direction the commander had left, I spoke.

“Dopamine… why did dopamine addict hyung suddenly…”

I stared at him for a moment before bluntly stating.

“For starters, that guy isn’t the dopamine addict.”

At those words, TaejongTaese whipped his head up to look at me.

“What did you say?”

“That guy isn’t the ‘dopamine addict.’ Whether you know it or not, he used the nickname ‘Safe8’.”

“What do you mean?! He clearly said he would help the dopamine addict…!”

“I did help.”

“What does that mean… no, if that person isn’t the dopamine addict, then who…”

TaejongTaese, confused, seemed to realize something.

“No way… are you?”

“Yes.”

I looked him straight in the eyes and said.

“I’m the dopamine addict.”

…I should have picked a cooler nickname.