A strange world where the fact of evil spirits must be hidden.
The only place in that world where players could communicate while maintaining anonymity.
Ghost Busters is closing.
The announcement caused an uproar, needless to say.
[Don’t shut down.]
Open the server. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it.
Messages whining and begging.
[GM, if you want to shut down the server, then do it. Go ahead.]
Threats risking their own lives.
[Please, GM and admins, see this.]
Hello. I’m an ordinary person who has spent five years fallen into this world. Like everyone, I’ve faced death several times. And a few times, it was my own fault.
I had given up on everything and just wanted to rest.
But what pulled me back from that weak time was this Ghost Busters community…
Pleading posts begging the staff to reconsider shutting down.
[GP Refund Application.]
I just submitted it. When will it be processed?
It’s a lot of money for me. They won’t run away with it, right?
Posts worried more about their own losses than the community.
[Ghost Busters shutdown reasons guessed by a 12-year veteran.]
Everyone who knows understands, but GM had a secret connection with the royal family. This community only survived because the royal family allowed it…
Analysis and speculation posts.
From the very first post on the board to the countless pages piling up, all revolve around the major event of ‘Ghost Busters closing.’
It wasn’t an unreasonable reaction.
Click, click.
I myself was shocked and kept reading related posts.
Holding only one question:
‘Why are they shutting down the server?’
I stopped browsing the board.
I didn’t think any useful info would come from reading more. Ninety percent were troll posts or mindless whining.
Okay, let me think alone.
I probably know more than those guys anyway.
‘As expected… the biggest possibility is trouble with the royal family.’
That much was nearly certain.
The secret partnership between GM and the royal family was already proven.
But the problem here is…
‘Then why suddenly shut down the server?’
The motive was unclear.
Was it just some conflict between GM and the royal family?
That possibility existed, but maybe there were political intentions mixed in.
“Huh… this is complicated.”
The community’s closure itself was regrettable news, but what troubled me more was the timing.
“Why of all times, while trapped on the first basement floor…”
If the community disappears, hearing news from outside while trapped there becomes impossible.
Simply put, it means I won’t be able to influence the outside world according to the situation.
Click, click.
After long speculation about the closure, I ended my worries and moved the mouse.
“Let me just ask.”
No matter how many times you worry, nothing beats talking to the person involved.
Unlike the usual players who only whine on the board, I know the GM’s nickname.
[Sent a 1:1 chat request to Elfnunalove.]
Every time I see that name, it feels a bit burdensome.
I sent the request.
But…
‘Are they doing something?’
No answer came no matter how long I waited.
No rejection, no “please wait a moment,” nothing.
Sigh, then I decided to wait longer for now…
Click, click.
I switched to the chat room category.
[Long Live Korean Independence] – 2 users online.
Okay, it seems both are online here.
“Phew…”
Hovering the cursor over the chat room enter button, I took a deep breath and gathered myself.
And then…
“Oh! Big brother! You’re here! Your unworthy little brother sends you greetings!”
“Oppa, did you see the notice? We’re talking about that now–.”
As soon as I entered, I glared at Ibaekho.
Sorry to Hyunbyeol who greeted me cheerfully.
“Hyunbyeol, could you give us some privacy?”
“…Yes?”
“I need to talk with this bastard Ibaekho.”
I wasn’t here to joke around today.
Hyunbyeol glanced at me, then quietly left the chat room.
In the silence, Ibaekho cautiously spoke.
“Hyung… are you mad…?”
He looked so irritating.
In truth, I wasn’t scared of whether he was mad or not. If he were, he wouldn’t be scheming behind my back.
So.
“Hey, what the hell are you?”
I bluntly voiced my honest question.
Maybe he didn’t quite get it.
“Huh? No, hyung… calm down first… you have to tell me why you’re upset first…”
Ah, he wanted to know how much I knew.
Well, no reason to hide anything now.
If the community is really closing this time, there won’t be a better chance to talk with him.
“The Resurrection Stone.”
Just that one phrase, like with Misha.
Did that clue make him understand?
“Ah.”
Ibaekho’s expression changed instantly.
His eyes went from restless because I was angry to somewhat regretful.
“Looks like it failed.”
He sighed briefly and asked me,
“Did she say anything?”
At that moment, I realized again:
This bastard was really messed up.
“Or was she just found out? Well… I was suspicious from the start–.”
“Ibaekho.”
I cut him off.
I felt like I’d lose control of my emotions if I just listened.
Keeping calm, I asked,
“Why did you do that?”
Why did he give the Resurrection Stone to Misha?
He tilted his head at the short question.
And then…
“That’s not like you.”
He smiled wryly and looked at me.
“Don’t you already know the answer?”
Sure enough, that was true.
But…
“Answer only the question. Why did you do it?”
When I asked firmly again, Ibaekho {N*o*v*e*l*i*g*h*t} finally gave his answer.
“You kept acting frustratingly.”
“…So you wanted to use the Resurrection Stone on me?”
“Yes. Because you couldn’t cut ties first. I wanted to help a bit. After all, when we go home, those bonds won’t matter.”
A crazy bastard who uses any means for his purpose.
That was Ibaekho’s essence.
No need to see to know.
If I lost my memory, he’d approach the amnesiac me with a kind smile, pretending to follow me.
Still, getting angrier would be foolish.
“Is that so? Well, thanks anyway.”
“…Huh?”
“The Resurrection Stone is a rare item, but somehow I got it for free. You worked hard to get it too. If you’d used it for your goal, fine, but you didn’t.”
I teased him, as if asking for it back now would be pointless.
But his reply was completely different from what I expected.
“Oh, really? I’m grateful you have it.”
He wasn’t pretending calm–his sincerity was clear.
“You’ll never die anyway. You have to break through the last floor someday and fulfill your wish. Do you know why I gave you the Resurrection Stone despite knowing that?”
He didn’t seem to want my answer and kept talking without pause.
“If you revive with the Resurrection Stone, it’s not really death. That record can be realized without issue.”
Simply put, if the Resurrection Stone can be used, it means a situation could arise where I’m close to dying.
“Records flow like rivers. A wave flowing one way will eventually reach its end, but anything can happen along the way.”
That was why he gave the Resurrection Stone to Misha and sent her off.
Just having the Resurrection Stone near me means it might be used on me.
I thought he was a sly bastard, but I forced a calm smile.
“Baekho, aren’t you a little emotional now? No matter how disappointed you are about failing, if you say everything like that, I–.”
“Hey, I know you.”
“…?”
“You can’t throw things away, right? Your comrades can die anytime. I heard you were really sad when some half-baked mage died before.”
His crossing the line made my mind go blank, but I couldn’t argue.
It was such a piercing truth.
Even with a memory loss penalty, when that moment comes, I’d use it on my comrades without hesitation.
Grateful I had the Resurrection Stone.
“Well, if it bothers you so much and you want to throw it away, go ahead. It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. Plan B is going well anyway.”
“…”
“By the way, what happened to Misha Kalstein? If you found out about the Resurrection Stone yourself, I bet you felt seriously betrayed.”
“…”
“Oh, judging by your face, it’s true? If she’s completely closed off, just give it back to me. Getting another freezing sword and training up to there is a hassle for me too.”
“…”
“But isn’t it a bit hypocritical? You’ve always tricked and fooled others, and so did Nyang-i. Do you think that barbarian warrior knows you’re an evil spirit–”
I cut him off then.
“Be quiet.”
“…Yes?”
“Please, just be quiet. I want to kill you.”
I admitted humbly:
If getting angry means losing, then today I lost.
No matter how much I want to kill someone in this spiritual world, it’s impossible.
But…
“Oh, scary. But calm down. I have a new proposal–.”
“Baekho.”
I plugged my ears and finished what I wanted to say.
“Even if we say never to see each other again, we’ll meet again someday, right?”
“Uh… yeah?”
“When that happens, I’ll grant your wish.”
“Yeah? What do you mean–?”
What did it mean?
You always said
you wanted to leave this fucked-up world.
“See you then.”
With that, I left the chat room.
Back in Lee Hansoo’s room again.
Calming my emotions slowly, I thought of Hyunbyeol who must have been waiting outside.
‘He must have been quite flustered…’
But I didn’t want to return to the chat to say more.
I needed to recover my spent energy.
Quietly, alone.
One minute, two, three…
Lying on the bed dazed for a long time, my spirit slowly recovered.
I regretted not saying certain things during the conversation with Ibaekho, but anyway.
“Phew…”
I slowly got up like a zombie and checked the chat room.
[Long Live Korean Independence] – 0 users online.
Hyunbyeol wasn’t there.
He probably left tired of waiting.
I felt sorry, but aside from that, I checked my message box.
No reply yet to the chat request I sent the GM earlier.
‘Feels like I’m being ignored…’
He couldn’t have missed it because of being busy.
But I didn’t feel suffocated or anything.
If I leave the labyrinth, I can go find the GM directly and ask.
Besides, there is an immediate way to talk with the admins even if not the GM.
Click, click.
As I moved the mouse, my vision blurred, and the familiar welcome message I had seen several times appeared.
[Welcome, Overseer.]
The final Round Table meeting was about to begin.
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