novelraw Chapter 142 : (Im)Possible Strategy (2)
Chapter 142 : (Im)Possible Strategy (2)
(Im)Possible Strategy (2)
There was a common trait among those people called geniuses. One of them was "comprehension."
For geniuses, the hours, experience, or knowledge required to master something were far less than what most people needed.
This phenomenon was no different for Lee Gyeongbok, a "true" genius.
"Hmm, maybe it seems easy this time because it's also a cube tutorial. That's probably why they included the setting of being parasitized, I think."
He began his breakthrough in earnest.
Not a single Corrupted Holy Knight blocking his path lasted even ten seconds.
- It's only easy for you!
- Seriously, we need to hear from the Corrupted Holy Knights' side, lolol
- ???: Hey;; At least give us a chance to attack;;;
- Grabbing with the hook = instant kill 〉 transformation time left over 〉 instant kill again, lol
He had not only adapted, but even optimized his play. His attacks flowed so smoothly, never ceasing, and every Corrupted Holy Knight seemed to meet death as if they were just waiting their turn.
- They only rushed in because they're parasites, lolol If they had intelligence, they would've run right away
- Fr, lol How is a demon supposed to withstand a god?
- Lol, isn't he a demigod rather than half-human, half-demon?
- Godple has possessed Durante, is that what you're saying?
- If it were me, it'd take about 30 minutes, but it hasn't even been 10 minutes, lol
- The movement took longer than the combat lololol
Viewers expressed their amazement at his skills and speed.
Lee Gyeongbok grinned and shifted the topic.
"You'll know if you try it yourself—what a shame. Once it releases, definitely give it a try!"
- What's with the sneaky extra homework?
- Ah, lol When does the pre-order open?
- Just give us a test build, anything! Release it ASAP!
- At the very least, it's going to sell out to every viewer here, lol
With a smile, Lee Gyeongbok refocused his attention.
"Alright, the data center is just ahead now."
The data center Caron had mentioned came into view beyond the debris. Lee Gyeongbok leapt-nimbly over the wreckage.
"Ah, cutscene coming up."
As he landed, the controls vanished.
Durante walked forward, observing his surroundings. In front of the data center, corpses of demons and Holy Knights were strewn everywhere.
- Whoa;;; That's a lot of corpses
- Maybe because it's right next to the quarantine facility?
- Yeah, as many demons as there are, there should be as many security forces
- Wouldn't this be enough to say the branch collapsed?
Durante, seemingly used to it, showed no particular response to the bodies.
But even he furrowed his brow when he saw the data center.
"What a screwed-up situation."
With his remark, the screen shifted to show the data center. From afar, it hadn't looked so bad, but up close, cracks were visible all over the building.
- Is that thing about to collapse?
- Wait, what about the data if it falls?
- Shoddy construction, what's up with that!
- Nah, lol If it survived all this, isn't the design actually good?
- True, lol
- But even Durante can't do anything about this, right?
- Fr, fixing stuff is way harder than breaking it
At any moment, the building could have come crashing down—viewers couldn't hide their concern.
〈 Durante... can you hear me... 〉
Just then, a faint, weak voice called out from somewhere. Durante immediately rummaged through a Holy Knight's corpse.
A blood-smeared piece of communications equipment emerged from within.
"Caron, is it."
〈 Ah! Thank goodness! I just remembered I forgot to give you the comms device. I saw you arrive on the security cameras, so I tried to find some way... 〉
"Just the point."
Durante cut him off. With a short, awkward cough, caron responded.
〈 The building's condition isn't great, but the data should be okay. 〉
"Looks fine on the outside, but I bet it's ruined inside."
〈 That's probably true. Still, there's a backup device in the center! 〉
"Backup?"
〈 Yes! When emergency mode begins, it starts backing up data in order of security level. The data you want is also of the highest security. 〉
Durante's gaze returned to the building.
"So, you want me to fetch the backup data?"
〈 Exactly. I know it's dangerous, but that backup contains valuable materials that will greatly aid civilization's progress! 〉
Caron's desperate voice made Durante let out a stifled laugh.
"I don't die in building collapses."
〈 If that's so, that's a relief! I'll send you the building's schematic right away. The backup data's in a secure vault. 〉
Regaining his composure, caron's voice rose. At the same time, durante's Smart Link projected a hologram map.
〈 Please try to approach carefully. While the vault will withstand a collapse, if the cables are severed, backup for the other data will be interrupted. 〉
"That's not my problem."
〈 Sorry? No, but those materials... 〉
Durante didn't listen to the rest. He crushed the comms device in his grasp.
― Super macho guy special) Doesn't heed instructions
― Of course, the ultimate bad hip!
― LOL stop translating 'badass' literally!
― Yeah, don't boss him around like that!
― Try to use someone for free like that and even the hair-root union goes on strike
― LOL what even is the hair-root union now
― So if you love free stuff, you go bald? Is that rumor true?
― You guys... seriously, so bad, lol
While viewers delighted in his attitude, the scene changed.
"Oh, now we're inside the center."
The data center was lit only by dark red emergency lights. Other than the occasional flickering from machinery, it was very dark visually.
― The mood just got horror all of a sudden
― What? What's this foreshadowing?
― Did the Bark art team get called in?
― Info) Demerc was actually a work developed while planning the console version of Bark
― What even, lol How did it end up like this?
As viewers chatted about the atmosphere, durante activated the hologram map again.
"The vault is located in the building's center. Those with faint hearts, feel free to turn up your screen brightness. They wouldn't make this an accessible area for no reason."
Once he regained control, Lee Gyeongbok addressed the viewers.
-100% chance something is here
― Obviously a demon, lolol
― But if you fight here, isn't the building going to collapse right away?
― Who's going to be surprised by this stuff, really lolol
― Super macho guy special) Doesn't use lights even when it's dark
― Demerc isn't a janky game, what's there to worry about, lol
― Godple's intent: Be careful / Trooper interpretation: Are you scared?
― Always twisting things, that's Trooper for you
At the viewers' reactions, Lee Gyeongbok let out a stifled laugh. He spoke as if he were just guessing, but he was already certain.
'Judging by how it feels, it doesn't seem like a battle.'
Just upon entering the area, his intuition sensed threats all around.
Lee Gyeongbok walked forward.
He could have dodged the threats, but he chose not to.
'I have to show what's in here.'
On purpose, he moved toward the direction where he sensed danger. There, he found a corpse.
― This person doesn't seem like a Holy Knight?
― Probably a data center staff member
― Just got caught up in this all of a sudden, scary
Judging by the clothes, it was certainly a civilian. As viewers expressed their sympathy, Lee Gyeongbok approached.
With a tearing sound, the corpse split open and vines lunged at Lee Gyeongbok.
Of course, having known in advance, he immediately snatched the vines with his gauntlet and tore them apart.
― Oh, shit!
― Damn, already parasitized
― Screamed out loud, ffs LOL
― You said there wouldn't be jump scares! You said it! You said it!
― So many real macho guys here, lol
Viewers clutched their chests at the sudden event.
"Think of it less as a battle and more as a trap. When you play later, make sure you walk around the corpses."
When Lee Gyeongbok calmly explained, the chat filled with laughter.
― Ah, lol Real men don't avoid this kind of thing
― It suits Durante to just tear things apart like he did just now
― Fr, lol That's the real way
― Me too, I'll play Durante too!
― I can totally see Devil fandoms freaking out when the official release comes!
― Seriously, lol Even without watching, I know it'll be Blu-ray
― Blu-ray, ffs, that's so boomer, devil fandom
― Got exposed for your age, devil-kun!
In response, Lee Gyeongbok smiled faintly and moved on.
Fortunately, the only gimmicks prepared inside the center were such traps. Thanks to that, it didn't take long for Lee Gyeongbok to reach the vault.
"Another cutscene immediately."
Control vanished.
Durante stood in front of a vault door about the size of a small room. His eyes fell on the panel glowing beside the door.
[PASS CODE]
[___________]
It seemed he needed a password to open the vault.
― Huh? A password all of a sudden?
― Did Caron tell him what it was?
― He broke the comms before Caron finished talking, lol
― Then did he have to find it while wandering around earlier?
― There's a chance, maybe.
Viewers quickly speculated. But Lee Gyeongbok didn't agree.
'If there had been something, I would've noticed it with my divine energy.'
If he'd needed some item, there was no way his divine energy would have missed it.
Proving his hunch right, durante took immediate action.
"There's always a master passcode."
With those words, he thrust a greatsword through the panel. Sparks crackled and something inside unlocked with a loud clank.
― Dang, lol That's it!
― Guessing the number is for lesser men only!
― Hello? This is a greatsword, open the door
― Why find a passcode when you have a master key, lol
― This man! His hip is bad!
― Lol stop with the literal jokes!
The chat erupted into lively banter.
But the mood instantly shifted at what happened next. As Durante opened the door, the sound of a gunshot rang out.
-!?
― What was that?
― Huh?
The viewers' attention instantly snapped to the cutscene.
The camera, which had been showing Durante's back, swung to his front.
He casually opened the gauntleted hand he'd kept clenched. As he did, a crushed bullet clattered to the floor.
― Was there a trap in the vault?
― There's a bloodstain on the floor?
― What happened? What's going on!
Their confusion was immediately answered.
Switching back behind Durante, the camera showed the inside of the vault.
"I thought it'd be a demon... but I didn't expect it to be you."
The one speaking, catching his short, ragged breath, was a Holy Knight. His white uniform looked blood-black, not just from the emergency lights.
His clothes were stained with blood, one arm missing.
Durante glanced slightly to the side.
Behind the vault door lay a severed arm, and withered vines clung around it.
― Ah
― Did he cut off his arm before being parasitized?
― Oh shit;;; That's hardcore;;;
― What judgment!
Viewers immediately caught on. Meanwhile, the Holy Knight, breathing heavily, looked Durante up and down.
"Not a scratch on you... truly impressive..."
Trembling, he moved his hand behind him. Durante merely stared down at him in silence.
"If you'd fought the parasites, the collapse would have sped up. The backup would've probably stopped, too."
Viewers reacted at once.
― Wait, does getting caught in the trap change the route?
― Exactly! Caron said something about cables!
― But Godple-rante just powered through everything, didn't he?
― Right, lol Even with vines he just tore them apart
― So the outcome depends on whether the parasite attack succeeds or not
― Wow, lol, gotta remember that for sure
While chat was filled with awe, the Holy Knight extended a trembling hand.
He was holding a memory chip.
"Thanks to you, the backup is complete. Please... deliver this to the branch manager."
Durante didn't take the chip. He stared at the Holy Knight, then spoke.
"Aren't you going to ask me to save you?"
The knight let out a low laugh and shifted his collar aside.
Black lines were spreading from his severed shoulder upward.
"I delayed the parasite, but I'm already a dead man."
― Whoa... Cutting it off doesn't stop it
― I thought Durante would refuse to help just because he was a demon
― Same, lol Thought it'd be a scene about faith or something
― Wait... Was he waiting here, protecting the data till the end?
― That's so bittersweetㅠ
The Holy Knight steadied his breath and raised his head.
"I have a request for you."
"A request?"
"Yes. Otherwise, I'll become a demon..."
Blood as dark as night dripped from his lips.
"I can't become that... the cursed thing that killed my wife and child."
He wiped the blood absentmindedly and continued.
"Before I become a demon, kill me."
Black lines spread up his neck and began to crawl up his face. Only then did Durante take the memory chip and speak.
"I refuse."
"... What?"
"I'm a demon hunter, not a human hunter."
The knight's shocked face filled the screen, his trembling pupils reflecting Durante.
"How does it feel, being half-human, half-demon?"
"What are you..."
"Will you die human? Or die a demon?"
Durante glanced at the pistol lying beside him, concluding,
"That's your choice."
With that, he turned. The Holy Knight stared at his retreating back, dazed.
The black lines that had covered his neck climbed to his face. His eyes gradually turned obsidian.
The knight shut his eyes.
A faint smile lay on his lips. Tears traced down his cheeks, skipping off his smile to the ground.
The scene shifted to show Durante walking away. Behind him, a single gunshot echoed.
― Wow... The mood is crazy
― Can I breathe now?
― This is kinda hardboiled, huh?
― For real, just needs a cigarette and it'd be full hardboiled
― Console Durante felt a little light, but this is heavy
― But still, considering how he trolled the Holy Knights earlier, he hasn't lost all his edges, lol
― Fr, lol, some nice tempo control
― Honestly, godple's voice is carrying, right?
― Durante: Agreed
― LOL, of course he agrees
Viewers unleashed a rush of chat as if they'd finally relaxed. But Lee Gyeongbok knew it wasn't over yet.
'It's coming...!'
Suddenly, an overwhelming threat expanded dramatically. Like a balloon about to burst, the tension reached its peak.
With a thunderous crash, the entire building shook.
-?????
-what the hell was that
― What is this? What happened!?
― Is the building collapsing after all?
Stunned by the unannounced shock, viewers' keyboards filled with nonsense. But soon, everyone focused on the spectacle on screen.
Outside the half-collapsed building, the ruined quarantine facility could be seen. Rising above it, a gigantic stalk-like plant towered.
― Boss fight?
― Hey!!! That thing's way too big!
― WTF, it's as big as the building!
― Sheesh, the power gap is insane compared to ordinary players
― What are those devs thinking, srsly!
Shocked by the sudden change, viewers could barely contain themselves.
The in-game characters were no different.
〈 Durante! Hurry, hurry and escape! 〉
Caron's urgent voice blared through the sirens.
〈 If the memory chip is damaged, it's all over! Get out now! 〉
Viewers breathed a sigh of relief.
― Ah, so it's an escape mission
― For a sec, I thought he'd have to fight it directly, lol
― That changes everything
― Was about to say, what did you learn during Bark, you punks lol
― They've done enough as it is, come on lol
― If the lawsuit comes, just accept it's inevitable
Things had barely returned to the realm of reason. But that relief was very brief.
['CapCompany_kor' has proposed a quest!]
[Condition – Attempt to defeat "Parasite Blossom," a boss explicitly designed to be impossible at this point]
[Success – ₩500,000]
[Failure – ₩500,000]
A surprise quest pop-up—straight from the development company.
Viewers couldn't help but react.
― What, is this a joke or a barn?
― They set it to impossible and now want us to clear it?
― Ah, these punks crossed the line again, lol
― Why are they pulling this in the middle of a good stream!?
― Seriously, there's gotta be a reason for this!
― And why is there prize money for both success and failure?
― Does that mean you can do it or not, doesn't matter?
― If it's Godple, he can probably pull it off, right?
― I mean, I think it'd be hype as hell, lol
Anger, curiosity, anticipation—the chat shot up at breakneck speed.
Lee Gyeongbok paused the game. The crowd's attention snapped to him.
Unexpectedly, he remained calm.
"Alright, everyone, let's calm down a bit. Like I mentioned, today's experience stream is a test build. There are parts that really need 'test' as the name suggests."
This stream wasn't just for public viewing, but an FGT—a test targeting a specific subset of players.
"Our advertiser has decided to convey the testing points through quests like this, for your entertainment. As you can see, there's no obligation. Even if I refuse, it won't affect the stream at all."
At his explanation, the chat immediately calmed.
― If that's the case, I approve lol
― If it's not forced, it's all good, lol
― I thought it'd be the usual dev team, lol
― So are you going for it or not?
― You don't have to, but will you anyway?
― I kinda want to see the normal route too, lol
― For some reason, seems like Godple will take on the challenge, lol
― Dev team! You got a cutscene ready for post-victory?!
The chat's topic now revolved around whether he would accept the challenge.
"Give me a moment to think it over."
Lee Gyeongbok began weighing his chances at clearing the quest.
But only briefly.
['Your_first_fanboy' has added to the quest reward.]
[Current reward – ₩500,000 + $30]
['PerfectDurante' has added to the quest reward.]
[Current reward – ₩500,000 + $130]
['Must_see_this' has added to the quest reward.]
[Current reward – ₩500,000 + $200]
With messages piling in, both Lee Gyeongbok and viewers stared wide-eyed.
"Dollars...?"
The added reward amounts were now in different currencies. And there wasn't just one.
['やっちゃえ！' has added to the quest reward.]
[Current reward – ₩500,000 + $200 + ¥1,000]
['逃げるな' has added to the quest reward.]
[Current reward – ₩500,000 + $200 + ¥6,000]
['面白いねwww' has added to the quest reward.]
[Current reward – ₩500,000 + $200 + ¥16,000]
Now even Japanese yen was involved. At this point, not understanding what was happening would be strange.
― LOL look at the multi-national donations!
― Wow, this is my first time seeing prize money stack up by country
― We're still closed off and look at all the forex coming in
― But the Japanese users don't even bother typing in Korean, lol
― The IDs mean "Just do it!"/"Don't run away"/"This is hilarious" lol
― RIP, no more Najaks or Purple! It's over!
― Come on, who still uses Najaks, lol
― Sorry to interrupt, but our Godple is truly a world-class national treasure
― The dream of all streamers! Life itself! Joy itself!
― This is where the "Sony dad" meme comes out, lol
― I can hear it! I can hear you!
― Ah, lol Domestic fans can't lose!
While foreign money continued to stack, one viewer fired a counterattack.
['Stop_Foreign_Capital_Invasion!' has added to the quest reward.]
[Current reward – ₩600,000 + $320 + ¥19,000]
['Local_Is_Best!' has added to the quest reward.]
[Current reward – ₩650,000 + $350 + ¥21,000]
['Proud_Taxpayer_Nation' has added to the quest reward.]
[Current reward – ₩750,000 + $390 + ¥25,000]
The rewards, as if out of competition, climbed ever higher.
Lee Gyeongbok, flustered but unable to hide his smile, faced the unexpected situation.
It wasn't just the increasing prize.
'They all really like me.'
He could feel, directly and intuitively, the affection viewers sent his way.
"Thank you for the support! With your encouragement..."
How could he possibly ignore those hopes?
"I accept this challenge."
He declared it to everyone watching.
Not simply because he was grateful.
'I can strategize a win.'
Because he had both the self-confidence, and the skills to back it up.
***