He had to be a good person.
That was the one certainty I felt while dealing with FoxGame.
He spoke in a voice as bleak as the shadows that clung to his face.
"I took them in with good intentions, but at some point, they seized control. I even let them stay despite having a kid, but this is how they turned out. Not that I didn’t expect it. Those two... they resent me."
"Resent you?"
"Yeah. Back when I worked at the company, I once took inspiration from that guy’s idea without his permission. I was so sleep-deprived, barely getting three hours a day under crushing performance pressure, that I wasn’t even conscious of stealing it. But in the end, I did something awful to him."
FoxGame recounted his past with a sorrowful expression that didn’t feel forced.
Maybe he was telling the truth.
Then, in a hushed whisper, he added,
"They have the key to the armory."
At that moment, the inner door of the garage creaked open.
The couple’s child.
He was supposedly nine years old, but like most kids in the apocalypse, he had a sharpness beyond his years.
When the boy peered at us through the slightly open door, FoxGame shut his mouth and immediately changed the subject.
"...The new game will leverage Viva! Apocalypse!’s weak traffic infrastructure, just like Monster Park. The main issue is the bottleneck caused by Failnet users, but John Nae-non’s previous tunneling method—"
We left the garage.
FoxGame closed the shutter behind us and looked at me with an intense expression.
"You saw that, right?"
"Saw what?"
"That little brat. That boy. He’s a spy too. He acts innocent and naive, but he’s basically a walking wiretap trained by his parents. Just five minutes ago, something I said was already in his mother’s ears."
We started down the hallway—the five-meter-long corridor that had instilled such a sense of defeat in me earlier.
The air was thick with silence, but then FoxGame’s quiet, desperate voice cut through.
"They’re keeping me alive because I’m the only one who knows how to maintain and operate this bunker. But once they learn everything... they’ll kill me."
I turned to look at him.
He was staring toward the end of the hallway, his expression cold yet exhausted.
"You saw my room, right?"
"You mean that cramped space?"
He turned to face me.
"Do you really think that was my room?"
If I hadn’t spoken with the couple earlier, I might have believed FoxGame’s words without question.
But I couldn’t shake the evaluations I had read about him on Failnet.
I studied his face.
FoxGame had the perfect face of a victim.
"Help me."
His voice was barely above a whisper, but the plea was unmistakable.
"..."
I knew exactly what kind of help he wanted.
He wanted me to kill them all.
That was the only way.
If I simply drove them out, they’d return within days, bringing an entire band of raiders with them.
But...
Was it right to kill them just based on his words?
The woman clearly resented FoxGame, but the man still seemed to respect him.
And they weren’t just squatting here.
They were making a game.
For an entire year.
That part didn’t sit right with me.
If they were planning to kill FoxGame and steal the bunker, why go through all that labor to develop a game?
"You’re making a new game, right?"
I ignored everything else he had just said and forced the conversation in another direction.
FoxGame’s gloomy eyes wavered slightly.
"Yeah... that’s right."
"Are they involved in it?"
"Why are you asking that?"
"Because they said they were working on it."
"They used the game as an excuse to get into my bunker. Then they pretended to work on it while slowly taking control. The armory key! That woman has it!"
FoxGame glanced behind him, his face tense.
"We don’t have time! If they suspect something, they won’t leave me alone!"
"Then let’s do this."
I handed him a pistol.
"If something happens, use this. I’ll stay nearby for one day and keep an eye on the situation."
Even one day was too short.
Deciding the fate of an entire family in a [N O V E L I G H T] matter of hours?
Normally, I’d side with a forum friend, but this time... I couldn’t rush my decision.
Then—
"You want me to die?"
For the first time, FoxGame’s voice turned bitter.
"I don’t know how to shoot a gun. I never even served in the military. And those people? They’ve killed plenty before. In Seoul, in Incheon. I can’t win against them."
I didn’t say anything.
I just watched him.
My decision wouldn’t change.
FoxGame glared at the pistol in my hand with bloodshot eyes, frustration and exhaustion evident in his face.
Then, after a long silence, he turned away.
"Just leave."
"..."
"I’ll just die, then."
I didn’t respond.
"Why, Skelton? You go running to Dies Irae when they call, but not me...?"
Muttering under his breath, he disappeared down the five-meter corridor that had left such an impression on me.
Then, the massive automatic shutter slowly descended, sealing him and his fortress away.
For a moment, I didn’t know what to say.
What to do.
But at the very least, I didn’t think I had made the wrong choice.
Besides—
"..."
There was an ambush.
When I had arrived, there had been no one here.
Yet in that short time, someone had hidden vehicles along the roadside and was now lurking in the undergrowth, watching me.
If I were the one ambushing, I wouldn’t have let my target notice me.
Had they hesitated? Were they unsure of their aim? Or did they only have a pistol, something weak like a Panzerfaust Killer, and were trying to get closer?
Then, something unexpected happened.
The ambusher stepped out of the bushes on his own.
He was holding binoculars, his rifle aimed downward.
And then, he called out loudly.
"Hey!"
The man pulled off his sunglasses and mask.
He looked to be in his early thirties, carrying a mix of youthful energy and hardened experience.
"You were at the Sunbi Incident, right?"
I recognized him.
Yeah.
He was one of our forum friends from back then.
"Skelton."
When I revealed my identity, the man grinned.
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on freёwebnoѵel.com.
"It’s me. ROKA_HUN. Remember?"
Right. That was his username.
Not that I could easily recall—there were way too many guys with "ROKA" in their handles.
But one thing was clear.
This guy—
He was with Dies Irae.
*
The ROKA prefix was something that enlisted men often tacked onto their usernames without much thought.
I had also seen ROKMC early on, used by former marines.
At the very least, a ROKA tag was proof that the person had served.
That meant they knew how to shoot a gun and had experience living in a group.
There was even a theory that ROKA signified someone from a working-class background, but in today’s world, that distinction hardly mattered anymore.
The ROKA_HUN I remembered had been an unremarkable, low-profile user.
The real question was why someone who had vanished after joining Dies Irae’s faction was suddenly resurfacing here.
"I'm on perimeter duty around this area," ROKA_HUN said, shouldering his rifle while biting down on something.
A hand-rolled cigarette, made from crushed, homegrown tobacco.
He offered me one.
I shook my head, making it clear I didn’t smoke, so he lit his own and exhaled a long stream of white smoke through his nose.
"Hoo~."
I watched him and asked,
"Perimeter duty?"
He gestured toward a small hill nearby.
"Captain’s orders. I’m monitoring the area in case anyone else tries to approach. Saw you coming earlier, but didn’t know it was you at the time."
Then, he fixed his gaze on me.
"So... what exactly were you doing there?"
"Where?"
His expression sharpened slightly.
"The bunker."
This guy...
Did he already know about FoxGame’s bunker?
I didn’t know the full extent of what he was aware of, but there was no point in lying and giving him reason to suspect me.
"I visited FoxGame’s bunker."
"FoxGame?"
ROKA_HUN looked blank.
"You don’t know FoxGame? The guy who uploads old game conversions?"
I had assumed everyone knew about him, but ROKA_HUN firmly shook his head.
"Nah. I haven’t been online in ages. The only thing I ever watch now is Live! Apocalypse! when the captain plays it. I don’t waste time browsing anymore. No reason to."
"...Really?"
"Why are you looking at me like that? There’s so much shit to do in the world. But you... you’re still hanging around the internet, aren’t you? Be honest, you do it because you have nothing better to do."
...That was hard to argue with.
"So why'd you visit FoxGame’s bunker?"
"Just to check if he was alive or dead. You probably don’t get it, but FoxGame is a big name online."
"That so? Well, Captain’s coming soon, so let’s talk about it with him."
"...Captain?"
I knew he meant Dies Irae.
I didn’t want to deal with ROKA_HUN, but even less did I want to see Dies Irae again.
And from the way he was acting, this guy wasn’t going to let me go so easily.
"..."
ROKA_HUN had once been a forum friend.
But now, he was one of them.
I had no reason to give him any leeway.
He had changed drastically from the idealist he had been two years ago.
Back then, he was just a naive doomsday enthusiast, full of righteous zeal.
Now, he had the cold ruthlessness of a man who wouldn’t hesitate to shove a gun into someone’s mouth and pull the trigger.
He had fought in countless battles.
Killed more people than I could count.
Even if I hadn’t heard about his actions, I could see it written all over him.
"I’ve got urgent business elsewhere," I said.
If he tried to stop me, I would kill him.
If he so much as thought of attacking me, I’d do the same.
I adjusted my side mirror slightly—just enough to see what he would do the moment I turned my back.
"You sure?"
ROKA_HUN said it casually, like it didn’t matter.
"Would’ve been good for you to see the Captain. He talks about you a lot. Says you’re wasted out here. Can’t figure out what’s on his mind sometimes."
Then, he turned toward the bunker.
"You know, the owner of that bunker called for him."
"What?"
For a brief second, I vividly recalled FoxGame’s reaction when he first saw me.
The way he had immediately asked, "Dies Irae?"
I had assumed he said that because I somehow resembled the image he had of Dies Irae.
But...
That wasn’t it.
"FoxGame called for Dies Irae?"
"Yeah. That bunker guy sent out an SOS. Begged for help."
ROKA_HUN glanced at me up and down, then smirked and folded his arms.
"You’d be a good fit with us."
"Having fun, are you?"
At my question, ROKA_HUN chuckled and nodded.
"You could say that. We’ve got everything. Entertainment, games, women—but most importantly, work and purpose. That’s what I like best. You ever had a shit job, but seeing your bank balance go up made it bearable? It’s like that."
"Women?" I asked, keeping my expression neutral. "From the forums?"
"Nah, not from Viva! Apocalypse!. Just girls we found along the way. We saved them, and now they live with us."
He flashed a grin.
"At least idol-tier."
"...Where’d you find them?"
"‘Find’? It’s a mutual arrangement. They give us their bodies, we give them protection and food. And if they hit it off with someone, they stay as a couple. We’ve already got two pairings."
As expected, Dies Irae’s group was nothing more than organized raiders.
More structured. More goal-oriented.
And more dangerous because they offered a future and a vision.
I had no idea what Dies Irae’s ultimate goal was.
And I had no intention of finding out.
But sometimes, the world doesn’t care what I intend.
A faint clatter behind me, cutting through the wind.
A bicycle.
A single man emerged from the undergrowth, pedaling toward us.
He wore camouflage and a mask, but as soon as he saw me, he dismounted and pulled down his disguise.
I knew that face.
"Skelton?"
Dies Irae.
The user I most wanted to avoid.
"..."
Blocking him online had been easy.
But in real life, I had to mask my real thoughts.
"Dies Irae?"
He wasn’t hostile.
On the contrary, he looked pleased to see me.
"有朋自遠方來不亦樂乎?"
"What?"
"It means, ‘Isn’t it a joy to meet a friend from afar?’"
He smiled.
And as expected of someone meticulous like him, his next question was:
"So, why are you here?"
I answered honestly.
Lying to someone this cunning would only backfire.
He smirked when I mentioned VivaBot.
"Ah. That woman, huh?"
Even Dies Irae knew about VivaBot.
Made sense. She had uploaded videos to Live! Apocalypse!, after all.
He studied me.
"So, you are a skilled hunter. No wonder VivaBot sent you here."
I neither confirmed nor denied it.
Instead, my mind was racing.
"..."
Do I kill him?
Or let him go?
If I made up my mind, I could kill them both.
Dies Irae would be tough, but ROKA_HUN?
He was all confidence, no skill.
If I struck first, I could take them out before they even drew their weapons.
The only thing stopping me was—
Was killing him the right move?
I had no doubt Dies Irae was dangerous.
Not just because he was ruthless—
But because I couldn’t predict him.
With his growing numbers, could I really afford to make him my enemy?
If I had my own faction, maybe.
But as things stood...
"..."
No.
Better to kill him now.
"Hey, Skelton," he said.
Just as I was about to make my move, he spoke again.
"FoxGame."
He lit his cigarette.
ROKA_HUN sparked the lighter for him.
As smoke curled into the air, Dies Irae turned his head toward the sky.
"Doesn’t he seem different from his online persona?"
Then, he looked directly at me.
"Just like you, Skelton."
"..."
He smiled.
"Don’t take it the wrong way. It’s a compliment."
And then, stretching lazily, he casually dropped the bombshell.
"FoxGame asked me to kill everyone in his bunker except himself."
My hand froze.
Dies Irae looked back at me, still stretching.
"But I don’t like that."