A Veteran Player is Needed in the Apocalypse

Chapter 56. Cult

A girl in a white dress, resembling mourning clothes, let her ebony-black hair cascade down her back.

The player from the Love Zone, ‘God,’ stared northward, lost in thought.

‘DopamineAddict… hasn’t shown up at all since then.’

After it was revealed that another DopamineAddict existed, the public chatroom had frozen over.

Fearing that leaving things as they were would sever connections with other players, a meeting was proposed, but it was thwarted by the strong opposition of Sapppossible, the player from the Beer Zone.

Even ‘God’ had been greatly startled by the fact that there were now two DopamineAddicts.

They had no clue who was impersonating DopamineAddict or what that person was thinking, and equally baffling was why the real DopamineAddict remained silent.

Moreover, an unsettling feeling gnawed at them—almost as if those two players had already met.

‘I can’t just leave DopamineAddict unchecked, even if the others don’t care.’

While ‘God’ would have preferred not to antagonize the Zone-wide strategist, DopamineAddict, the problem was that DopamineAddict didn’t seem interested in cooperating with any of the other players.

The fact that DopamineAddict had made no effort to explain anything to the other players, even after the appearance of a second DopamineAddict, was proof enough.

That’s why ‘God’ sent one of the Love Zone players to the Cola Zone, knowing full well that DopamineAddict would catch on.

They couldn’t focus on anything else without knowing what DopamineAddict was up to.

It had already been confirmed that there were no real barriers in this world.

Originally, the barriers that separated the zones ensured that even with a resource gap between them, players could safely develop their characters until the Second Apocalypse—but not anymore.

In other words, if DopamineAddict led an army to attack, there wasn’t a single player who could stand against them, except perhaps the players from the Unicorn Zone.

“What are you so deep in thought about?”

A voice snapped ‘God’ out of their reverie, and they turned around.

There lay a young boy with dark brown hair and green eyes, his wrists bound behind him, a yellow paper talisman clinging halfway to his forehead.

Blowing at the talisman, which was only half-stuck as if he had struggled to remove it, the boy spoke again after clearing his view.

“No matter how hard you think, DopamineAddict will always be one step ahead of you. How long do you think you can fool the players by calling yourself some kind of god?”

When ‘God’ furrowed their brow slightly instead of replying, HomeProtector, with a dissatisfied look, asked another question.

“By the way, are you really a girl? Or are you a netkama?”

“That’s a question not worth answering.”

Ignoring HomeProtector’s taunt, ‘God’ approached and asked, “How much do you know about DopamineAddict?”

“How much? Why do you ask?”

“I get the sense that you’re acting cocky because you’re convinced DopamineAddict is going to rescue you.”

“I know DopamineAddict a lot better than you do.”

Just as ‘God’ was about to sneer at HomeProtector’s overconfident reply, the boy suddenly put on a more serious expression and continued.

“That’s why I don’t think they’ll come to rescue me.”

“You don’t think they’ll come?”

“I’m acting tough because it seems like you don’t really intend to harm me.”

“And what makes you think that?”

“Well, if I die, the ownership of the meteorite item will automatically transfer to you, and then my system will shut down, forcing me out of the chatroom. When that happens, everyone will know someone’s stolen my meteorite item, and Sapppossible will go crazy and sink his submarine. So, instead of killing me right away, you’re keeping me alive.”

“You’re not as dumb as I thought.”

“No, you’re the one being stupid.”

“You don’t really have the right to say that, tied up and disarmed as you are.”

‘God’ teasingly pointed the Meteorite Pistol, which they had taken from HomeProtector, at him.

After stealing the Meteorite Pistol, ‘God’ had learned something new.

First, if a player who has unlocked the system steals a meteorite item, neither the player who stole it nor the player who originally owned it can put it into their inventory.

Second, the chat system of the robbed player becomes bound to the thief.

In other words, unless the original owner of the item dies, the ownership remains with them, but the chat system is now tied to the thief.

That was the reason ‘God’ had kept HomeProtector alive.

Originally, the plan was to kill him, steal the ownership of the item, and act as if nothing had happened. But since Sapppossible had forbidden player interactions until the Second Apocalypse, and HomeProtector’s chat system was blocked, meaning he couldn’t inform anyone about his capture, they left him alive.

Thanks to the recent appearance of the second DopamineAddict, the chat had quieted down, and since DopamineAddict had been absent from the chatroom for a while, no one seemed to find HomeProtector’s silence suspicious.

“You were so busy trying to cling to DopamineAddict that you got captured this easily.”

‘God’ toyed with the trigger for a moment, looking at HomeProtector, before putting the gun back into their coat.

It would have been more convenient to stash the gun in their inventory, but since HomeProtector still held the ownership rights, they had no choice but to carry it around.

If HomeProtector had stored the pistol in his inventory, ‘God’ wouldn’t have been able to steal it so easily…

‘He was stupid enough to wear it for show when he could’ve just stored it safely.’

‘God’ had worn their Meteorite Earrings in the early stages but had since stored them in their inventory.

As ‘God’ adjusted their clothes, thinking of how pathetic HomeProtector was, the boy began to chuckle.

“So, you think DopamineAddict won’t come to save me either, huh?”

Of course, ‘God’ didn’t believe DopamineAddict would do something so inefficient.

When ‘God’ remained silent, simply staring at him, HomeProtector added.

“Even if DopamineAddict doesn’t come to rescue me, they’ll come to screw you over. That’s the kind of person they are.”

‘God’ didn’t argue with that.

Regardless of HomeProtector, ‘God’ knew that DopamineAddict would eventually show up.

That bastard would surely attempt to conquer every zone in this world too.

“If that’s the case… I can only hope it’ll be a sweet defeat.”

They prayed that DopamineAddict hadn’t gotten too far ahead of them.

They hoped that DopamineAddict wasn’t as crazy as they feared.

With these thoughts, ‘God’ resumed gazing northward, endlessly.

* * *

“As you say, I too am a messenger of the divine.”

“Oooh!!”

Without a change in my expression, I spun the lie, and OwlEyes looked at me with admiration.

I propped one leg up on the chair and sat in an even more arrogant posture, continuing.

“That’s right. Player of the Love Zone, OwlEyes. Now tell me, why have you sought out this messenger of the divine?”

“You even know my name!!”

OwlEyes, brimming with excitement, was overjoyed before looking at me with a puzzled expression.

“You know who I am, but you don’t know why I’ve come all the way here?”

Should I have pretended to know that part too?

It’s not like I’m some kind of shaman.

‘Come to think of it, this guy did call himself a shaman…’

I wondered if the ‘God’ from the Love Zone was really some sort of shaman.

It makes sense now why they used the term ‘shaman’ instead of ‘cult leader.’

A shaman playing an old, veteran game like Safe Zone might seem suspiciously fake, but that wasn’t what mattered right now.

“You’re doubting me…”

Just as I was about to ask the question, the ring of Luna Moon on my finger suddenly began to shine brightly.

“Gasp!”

OwlEyes gasped, startled, and fell back in shock.

‘What the hell is this!’

I was equally taken aback internally. The ring, which had been quiet all this time, was suddenly acting up, but I kept my composure and raised the glowing ring toward OwlEyes.

“…Are you, perhaps, doubting me?”

The moonstone gleamed with such an auspicious light that OwlEyes, now slightly frightened, shook his head vigorously from side to side.

“N-No! I’m sure there’s a reason you asked why I’m here.”

As soon as OwlEyes finished speaking, the light emanating from the ring subsided.

‘Is the NPC in this ring helping me right now?’

I knew the ring had some will of its own, but this was the first time it had provided me with direct assistance like this.

‘So, it has a glowing function, aside from just heating up or cooling down.’

Come to think of it, it had glowed and floated the first time I encountered it. Perhaps it could even levitate, though I wasn’t sure how that would be useful.

Before I knew it, OwlEyes had prostrated himself before me without me even having to tell him to.

“Well, to begin with, it was the shaman who sent me here.”

“I know that. But why?”

“To find out more about DopamineAddict…”

“Me?”

Sending a player just to gather information about me? That’s unexpected.

Anyone who had seen my strategy guide would easily guess that I’d be focusing on an illegitimate child strategy right now.

Even so, the shaman sent someone to investigate me? They must have been anxious since I hadn’t appeared in the chatroom for a long time.

“Um…”

OwlEyes, carefully observing my expression, asked cautiously.

“I heard that you, DopamineAddict, received a special perk for being the conqueror of all zones…”

“And?”

“Is it true that, despite that, you refused to cooperate with us?”

I couldn’t help but smile at his keen insight.

‘Sharp.’

Even though ‘God’ had never spoken with me one-on-one in a private chat, it seemed they were certain I had the zone-wide conqueror’s perk.

Moreover, they had already informed their zone members that I had no intention of cooperating.

At the very least, ‘God’ had figured out what I was thinking.

That’s why they sent a player to keep an eye on me.

Without the barriers in place, if I led an army to invade, it would practically be the end of the ecosystem here.

Of course, I had no intention of pulling off such a nuclear move while there were still newbies around.

What I wanted was to take over other zones after the Second Apocalypse, once they had finished growing, not to crush the players who were still struggling to survive.

‘God… might be worth keeping an eye on.’

Useful players should be gathered.

While I would’ve been enough on my own, the appearance of the player from the Unicorn Zone had changed the situation.

With that guy around, killing other players to steal their meteorite items wasn’t the best idea.

The player from the Unicorn Zone could just wait until I had collected all the items, kill me, and take them all.

Instead, I needed to make the other players cooperate with me while still holding onto their meteorite items.

‘So… how about I try this approach.’

I wore an enigmatic smile as I spoke.

“The zone-wide conqueror perk… I did receive it.”

“I knew it! But… why do you refuse to join us?”

“I never said I wouldn’t cooperate. In fact, I should be the one asking. Why aren’t you cooperating with me?”

“Huh? What do you mean by that…?”

“Only I can stop the Second Apocalypse.”

“…?”

At my sudden statement, OwlEyes looked up at me in confusion.

Maintaining a calm expression, I continued.

“If I gather all the objects containing the revelations of God, I will gain the power to stop the Second Apocalypse. That is the perk I received for being the conqueror of all zones.”

“The power to stop the Second Apocalypse…?”

“So, go back and tell the ‘shaman.’”

I smiled slyly, lifting one corner of my mouth.

“Ask them if they will follow the will of God.”