Season 4: Chapter 164. The Traitor’s Trial (1)
One day earlier.
“Dammit.”
The Nonghyup left, insisting on returning to farming again.
Zelo deeply sighed. “He only knows stocks, not a damn thing about life.”
— LMAO so true
— Confirmed: No-fun arc incoming
— He’s just old, cut him some slack
— He’s got too much to lose lol
Donuts had refused Zelo’s offer. That meant the unspoken alliance between the Nonghyup and Zelo had ended. No, it was more than over.
Ding.
[ForeverAlone: Breaking news! Zelo tried to convince the Nonghyup to join a treasonous plot to overthrow the nation...]
— He ratted him out already?! LOL
— That’s insane
— This is day-trading speed
— Donuts just short-sold him live hahaha
— Look at that sell-off speed! Holy shit!
Donuts had turned his back completely.
“This crazy bastard...” Zelo cursed, but also felt complicated about it.
‘Should I be happy about this?’
At least he was safe from the boring arc now. From a streamer’s standpoint, that was a win. Knights were hot content in Cheese Village. If they branded him a national traitor and an outright villain, that meant he had just landed the main antagonist role.
For an actor, it was an honor to be cast as the Joker instead of Batman.
‘I’m not an actor, though.’
Streamers couldn’t fully separate their characters from real life. Even if they could, it wouldn’t matter if the audience refused to.
— He’s a confirmed collaborator
— Zelo the traitor!
— What a backstabber lol
— There’s a post on the news portal. People are boycotting “Zelo the national traitor”
— I just filed a report on the national petition board~
His chat, knowing exactly how anxious he was, kept fanning the flames.
“What do you mean, news portals? You think I’m a politician or something?!” he shouted, but his hands trembled under the desk.
‘Dammit. Of all villain arcs, why did it have to be the national traitor one?’
He’d already been burned before by out-of-context clips and edited rumors that blew up into massive hate waves. Now, anxiety coiled in his gut. That anxiety quickly turned to anger, which he naturally took out on his viewers.
“The guy who mentioned the petition board, get out.”
— Oh no
— He did it lol
— Snake got banned
— He’s serious!!
The viewer who had joked about reporting on the national petition board got instantly banned.
[wnsvyrnt has been banned.]
— LMAO he’s mad about the fake news but banned the petition guy
— Actually banned HAHAHA
— Bruh
— Zelo’s mood = law now
While he vented at the chat, boots echoed throughout the virtual village.
Step. Step. Step.
Knights patrolled the streets for him. Zelo, oblivious, remained focused on his own business.
‘I’ll just sell off my iron before they get here.’
He figured he still had time before the in-game authorities caught up.
[Zelo: The boss has lost it! Final clearance sale, everything must go! Come to the fountain plaza if you want iron!]
[CreamPuff: This is basically free!]
[WhiteChicken: LMAO he’s actually lost it!]
[Pickle: A brave young man...]
[Takoyaki: Respect, Zelo.]
[HornRamen: The martyrs of Nonghyup will remember you.]
“What’s with everyone? Are they mocking me or something?”
He didn’t get it. Not until his first customer showed up at the plaza.
“Zelo, are you turning yourself in?” Lackey ForeverAlone asked flatly, his tone in half disbelief and half pity.
“W-What? What are you talking about, Lackey ForeverAlone?”
“You told us exactly where to find you, so we came to take you in.”
At his signal, the Knight beside him, Lackey Meringue, snapped open a pair of handcuffs.
— ??
— Wait what? lol
— Did they actually make cuffs?!
— These psychos!
Zelo whispered in shock, “Wait, you’re actually arresting me? Can’t I at least sell the rest first?”
— He’s panicking for real LOL
— Mask slipped!
— HAHAHAHA
Even in the middle of this absurd scene, all he wanted was to finish selling his items.
Clack!
Lackey ForeverAlone held up a firm hand and stopped him cold. “No. The law cannot be delayed.”
“What?” Zelo blinked and turned to his stream. “This guy has seriously lost his mind.”
— LOOOL
— A nerd with power, terrifying
— He’s gone full fascist
— Never give authority to a dork. Example: Adolf Hitler, Jung Gi-Chan
“It’s the Lord’s command. You’re coming with us.”
“H-Hey! Let me go! Just let me finish my clearance sale, alright? Please?!”
Clack.
Before he knew it, Lackey ForeverAlone snapped the cuffs shut from behind him.
“These guys are actually serious?!”
Dragged off like a street vendor caught by patrol, Zelo could only squirm helplessly.
— HAHAHAHA
— No way this is real
“Let me go! I’m serious too, dammit!”
His pleas fell on deaf ears.
“Y-You guys! Huh?! I was there from the start! Back when the Lord was a nobody. I shook his hand! Said hi and everything!” Zelo shouted as they pulled him away.
After all, he had been one of the first to meet Almond when Almond first arrived in Cheese Village.
— He only shook hands and bowed, right? Lol
— So true lmao
— That’s all he did? Wow
— Says he even made eye contact, Zelo!
— ??? Almond even smiled at me!
“Cooperate, or you will face harsher punishment.”
Dragged along, Zelo glanced sideways at the chat and shouted again, “Almond smiled at me too!”
— WTF lol
— You’re really saying that?
— ahahahah
— Quick wit: “Goat”
— hahahahahahahaha
— Holy shit lol what a lunatic
Suddenly, Lackey ForeverAlone stopped in his tracks.
Thud.
‘What, did that actually work?’
Zelo felt startled. He’d only meant to make a ridiculous show of being arrested.
Lackey ForeverAlone looked down at him with blazing eyes. “Lord Almond would not smile on a traitor of the nation like you.”
“Isn’t this acting a bit over the top, ForeverAlone...”
Wham!
Lackey ForeverAlone’s boot connected with Zelo’s chin.
Then, Lackey ForeverAlone corrected his pronunciation. “It’s Lackey ForeverAlone.”
Zelo froze on the ground, mouth agape.
— Holy shit LOL
— hahahahahahaha
— LOL
— Whoa
— You’re doomed lol
— Doesn’t it look like Zelo is the independence fighter and Lackey ForeverAlone is the Japanese constable? Lol
— Nazi village, jeez
[PhilosophyDept. has donated 30,000 won.]
[God is dead. Instead, Almond has become God, by Friedrich ForeverAlone]
— In the NutsPunk canon, that fits
— Fyi: Nietzsche is actually ForeverAlone
— How far will this go? lol
***
Thud.
The Knights’ fortress truly had a prison. Zelo found himself locked up there with a bed.
“The trial will begin when the Lord arrives. It would be best not to try escaping.” Lackey ForeverAlone left after saying that.
A nameless guard took station at the cell.
— They actually have a prison lol
— These guys are legit insane lol
— Wow lol
— So this wasn’t staged by the admins?! These guys actually did it? Lol
— This is circus-tier lol
[GO has donated 30,000 won.]
[To JAIL]
Zelo dryly laughed. “Wow! The Knights are amazing, amazing!”
Curious about how things would unfold, he decided to stay in the cell for now. A short while later...
“Sob... sob... Mr. Zelo!” ChocoShroom came bursting in.
“Oh? Choco Shroom?!”
“W-What happened? Why are you... Did you try to kill yourself? You said to come to the plaza!”
“No, no, it wasn’t suicide...”
— LMAO
— OMG lol
— That was almost a suicide-level call lol
— hahaha for real
“Waaaaah! Mr. Zelo!” She reached out, crying like someone who’d found a dead lover.
“Don’t cry, ChocoShroom. I’m fine. Honestly, streaming has been easy, and things are going well.”
— lol what are you farming for when sitting in prison gets you fame? lol
— Cheese Village’s very first inmate: Zelo. What an icon
— lmao
ChocoShroom, who had been pretending to sob, couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “Well, that’s true.”
However, Zelo wasn’t all laughs. He only put on a brave front to comfort her.
“Sigh. Still, a man should rule Cheese Village once before he dies. Looks like I’ve lost all my power. Everyone, I’m sorry,” he privately said to his viewers.
— :’(
— His ambitions...
— :’:(
— So sad
Ding.
[Flashback has donated 150,000 won.]
[Video donation (play)]
Someone donated with a video. Zelo hit play.
It was a montage, edited like one’s life flashing by. From BigFarm scamming Zelo to him despairing on the sandy fields... Then, he met ChocoShroom and smiled with hope. The two of them swung pickaxes together as they mined. ChocoShroom yelled, “Mr. Zelo~ You’re the best~!” All of Zelo’s life played to sorrowful music.
— :’(
— Oh... why am I crying?
— If they execute him here, does he actually die? Lol
— That’s a masterpiece
— Seeing it like this, it really was a tumultuous life
“Sigh... This life wasn’t so bad,” Zelo murmured against the wall.
— Are you giving up, Zelo?
— hahahahahaha
— Really...
— You’ve done a lot, man
— Maybe stream and come back at the end?
ChocoShroom reached her hand through the bars. “Zelo, don’t give up.”
“What can you do?”
“I’ll try to help. There must be a way.”
— Aww
— A light
— Choco Light...
— She’s so into Zelo...
— She’s so loyal
“I’ll rescue you! I’ll sell the whole country if I have to!” With that, she hurried away.
Zelo muttered after her, “I already sold it...”
— hahahahaha omg
— No stocks left~
— What a madman lol
— ahahahaha
— How do you sell something already sold? lol
The next day, everyone in the fortress suddenly grew busy.
[Almond has logged in.]
Almond had returned. Zelo swallowed hard behind the bars.
‘Why the hell am I so nervous?’
He was genuinely trembling.
— The Deathbringer has appeared
— Gasp
— Zelo’s last day lol
— He’s coming... the one!
— Lord of the Dead descends lol
— Go wash your neck and wait~
— Beg to be executed gently, Zelo!