The quest has ended. A total of 53 players were consumed.
Compared to the alpha test, where around 120 players were consumed, this was a significantly reduced number of casualties. This was due to players partnering with weaker ghosts and hiding in shelters, adopting defensive strategies.
As soon as the game ended, I stood by the window frame, holding the ends of my tail in each hand.
“Um… What are you doing?” someone asked.
“You’ll see,” I replied.
In the next moment, I spread my nine tails like a parachute.
They fluttered gently as I jumped out of the window, landing softly like a giant cotton ball yielding to gravity.
“Wow! Look at that, it’s insane… That looks fun.”
“Isn’t that what Kessler does?”
“It looks like he’s controlling it with his tail.”
While everyone’s attention was on my soft tail, I quickly moved to search the bags next to the corpses.
Rustle, rustle!
[System]: You have acquired the unique item, ‘Sword to Iron.’
[System]: You have acquired the unique item, ‘Lantern of Light.’
[System]: You have acquired the unique item, ‘Soft Scarf That Doesn’t Chill the Bones.’
[System]: You have acquired the unique item, ‘Hidden Wad of Cash.’
I swiftly searched four corpses. Other users rushed out and swarmed like ants, picking up the remaining items one by one.
“Hey! Mr. Nine-Tails! What did you get?!”
But since the items they found were not very good, the attention shifted back to me, who had started searching the bags earlier.
“I didn’t find much either. Maybe the person with Iljang-ghost got all the good stuff already?” I said, shifting the blame. It was unfair to Bori, but it had to be done. It seemed plausible to others…
The users looked disappointed, like dogs that had lost their prey.
The ghosts gathered and started complaining that the feeding time was too short. Amidst the chaos, Jung Da-hoon approached me and whispered, “I have a report for you.”
“Go ahead,” I said.
“The individuals you mentioned have been partially taken care of.”
“Partially? How much?”
“About 40%.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Recently, the number of beggars had increased, worsening regional security. Some of the blackened and starving users even eyed the innocent baby fox passing by.
So, before the quest started, I quickly activated the ‘Fox Who Knows Love’ skill and made a list of users who had little affection for me.
A black X meant mandatory, while those with the blue neutral mark—who had licked their lips—were added to the list selectively. Jung Da-hoon received this list and subtly guided Iljang-Ghost to hunt those users first.
“And thank you. I’ll treat you to something delicious later. What do you like? Hanwoo?”
“Yes, ribeye. Is that a promise?”
“Ribeye… got it. But my life’s a mess right now, so I might forget. Better tattoo it across your forehead in big letters.”
“Are you serious?”
“I’m joking. I’ll make sure to remember anything related to you, Jung Da-hoon. I owe you a lot.”
As we talked, I continued organizing the items I had acquired.
“What is this?” I asked, holding up an item.
“It looks like a camera,” Jung Da-hoon replied.
[‘Memory-Capturing Camera’
Allows anyone to easily take high-quality photos and send them outside.]
Turning it on, I saw that it was full of baby fox photos.
“Da-hoon, don’t sell this when you’re getting rid of stuff.”
“Do you have a use for it?”
“I might.”
Most areas were chaotic with users rummaging through corpses for items and ghosts complaining.
I continued to search the castle. The corpses that users had already looted multiple times looked tattered, and their bags were haphazardly opened.
“No trace of humanity left.”
“Hearing that from a Murderer Class is kind of amazing.”
“Gasp… Really? But my heart is warm.”
“Yes, I suppose that’s true.”
“You’re admitting it so readily, that’s kind of disarming. Well, I guess all your fans are known for being kind and full of love for humanity.”
“Next murderer, please.”
Lately, spending time together had made me quite comfortable with Jung Da-hoon.
“I’ll just check the second-floor hallway and then take a break. Thank you for today.”
“No problem.”
After turning at the box at the end of the hallway, we parted ways.
I walked down the hallway, filled with a mix of cheers and annoyed mutterings from the users, and climbed the stairs. The sounds grew fainter and fainter until they were barely audible.
Standing atop the endless spiral of the bell tower, I looked down at the sprawling scene below. The people moving around looked like ants, and the corpses lying on the ground resembled spiders.
My tail rustled softly. Now that the immediate crisis was over, all the worries I had been pushing aside came flooding back, and I sighed deeply.
First, there was this: Why had Kessler given me this luxurious tail? It was puzzling. If I considered his intentions, it seemed like he wanted me to gain favor with the ghosts to survive.
‘And…’
In the hallway, Kessler hadn’t asked about the baby fox’s whereabouts. It was as if he already knew who the baby fox was.
Given that I had once claimed to be the fox myself, it wouldn’t be hard for him to piece together the clues and figure it out.
“Unless he’s an idiot…”
There were too many suspicious circumstances. And I might have given myself away in the hallway. The fox was supposed to be trapped, but it disappeared, and I was the one left behind.
Perhaps he was now certain that I was the fox.
So… what should I do?
Should I apologize and offer to be his servant forever? Would he even accept that?
No, that wouldn’t do. Games are more fun with high stakes, so let’s consider the odds.
Kessler had ordered me to find evidence that Jung Da-hoon had been harassing the fox, and I had reported back that there was no such relationship—it was all a misunderstanding.
Maybe it was just a simple thank you. Perhaps he thought I was the most trustworthy among the useless users.
“…Right?”
I sighed heavily again.
“What’s your name?”
“Yeo Woo-rim.”
“Yeo. Woo. Rim.”
I couldn’t forget the way he had enunciated each syllable so clearly.
Memories of the hallway flooded back, cutting deep and then healing over, leaving my mind in turmoil.
I looked down again. It was a long way down. I had come up here to be alone, but also because there was something I wanted to do.
I spread my tail wide again, grasping the ends like reins, and jumped with all my might.
“Woo-hoo!”
The wind rushed against my face, and I struggled to keep my balance. The thrill of adjusting my grip on the tail to stay steady was exhilarating.
‘They say people seek stronger stimuli when they’re stressed.’
That was me right now. As the ground rushed up to meet me, I felt a pang of regret.
I landed lightly on the roof. Below, familiar faces were being buried by the hands of the labor skeletons.
* * *
After finishing a round of “Tail Bungee Jumping,” I stopped by a secondhand shop. The goal was to sell off the unique items I’d just looted from other users.
The transaction went smoothly. I got paid 5% above the standard price for every item. That was thanks to the affection points from my nine-tailed gumiho form.
–Click, click-click-click.
Ah, except for one.
“Why not this one? You’re saying you can’t buy it?”
–Click-click.
The skull, as if gauging his mood, pressed its bony palms together and continued.
–Name your price.
“……”
–Only for the ‘Sprouting Seedling Pot.’
Then, while watching my reaction, the merchant’s jaw clattered and its entire frame trembled. There were usually two reasons for that kind of behavior.
First, the pot was ridiculously valuable, and they didn’t have the funds. Second, it was just trying to buy it cheap, below market price.
Watching the merchant fidget nervously, I made my decision.
“I’ll just take this one with me.”
–Sell it, sell it!
“Nope.”
–Hmph-jjit boongya! (a childish, frustrated outburst)
“What are you even saying?”
I walked out of the shop, clutching the pot tightly. By the time I finished everything, it was already evening.
I lay down in a corner of the chapel where users gathered to sleep. I didn’t think I would be able to sleep, but the nine tails were like a tonic. Hugging two or three of them warmly, I drifted off in no time.
***
“You should eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Are you feeling alright? At least try some soft barley bread.”
“Thanks.”
It had already been two full days since the quest ended.
Having barely eaten anything yesterday and today, my stamina was halved. Normally, I liked to assess things quickly and act just as fast, but for some reason, I still couldn’t get a grip on this situation. What should I even do?
“By the way, why aren’t you doing the fox thing today?”
That’s when Jung Da-hoon blinked and asked.
I’d been stressing over it alone this whole time, and still hadn’t found a solution. Maybe it was okay to talk about it now. I could trim out the TMI, summarize it roughly… and say, actually, something happened…
“Holy shit, guys.”
Right then, the user known as SparrowPpyak—famous for spreading news—slammed the table, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Did you hear? This is crazy.”
“What? Stop flailing and just spit it out already……”
“No, seriously… You know Kessler, right? Black hair, tall, ridiculously good-looking guy.”
“Every girl knows him. Why, did he die or something?”
“No, no… Turns out he might not be a player.”
“…What?”
“Creeped me the hell out. They’re saying he’s the Lord of the Shadow Castle.”
At that moment, Jung Da-hoon, who had been grilling meat beside me, froze mid-motion.
