Season 4: Chapter 103. Feudal Society (2)
One hour before the monster attack...
“Is today the day for a new monster?” A tired PD Jang asked Park Oh-Hoon beside him.
It was time for a new monster to appear.
“Yaaawn... Ahwooolf.”
“Not Yawnwolf, just Ahwooolf.”
“That was just a yawn. If you don’t like hearing it, send me home.”
Whether he chose to ignore the remark or just moved on, PD Jang changed the subject.
“You’ve got high hopes for the Ahwooolves, huh?”
Ahwooolf, as its name suggested, was a wolf-type monster fundamentally different from the cute moles.
“Ahem... Well, yes. I’m hoping the Ahwooolves will teach the villagers the values of cooperation and vigilance.”
If the mole monsters harmed crops, the Ahwooolves hunted players. They had much higher combat strength and intelligence.
“They even use coordinated attacks just like real wolves.”
That made them especially tricky to deal with.
“What if Almond just slashes through them again?” PD Jang sounded worried.
Park Oh-hoon firmly shook his head. “No chance.”
Even Almond couldn’t handle the Ahwooolves alone.
“Each one has about double the combat power of your average Paprika player at night. And there are almost thirty of them.”
“Oh, that’s nasty.”
“Exactly. Almond can’t take them solo. Even against Paprika, he only held his own because his viewers gave him endless buffs. You think they’ll pour in that much support again?”
They wouldn’t. Every streamer had experienced this. Donations never flowed as freely for repeated situations. Just because a similar battle happened again didn’t mean the support would match last time. Almond likely wouldn’t receive anywhere near the same buff power.
PD Jang understood that well enough. “Right. So this time... Cheese Village’s biggest farm will collapse again?”
As always, the monsters would target the largest farm first, which was Sweet Radish’s.
“And the neighboring plots will take damage too. When it’s over, the villagers will realize they need to cooperate. They’ll understand the true value of iron.”
“What if Almond distributes his iron gear beforehand, so they can cooperate?”
The only possible way to defend was if Almond gave away some of his iron equipment. That was unlikely since those items were his lifeline.
“He’s not the type to do it until he’s been hit. I think he knows those are his only safeguard.”
PD Jang nodded. It made sense. After all, gear was consumable. Almond would want to keep as much as possible to maximize profit. Still, someone else would benefit the most.
“When Zelo comes back, he’s the one who will profit big.”
Only Zelo and ChocoShroom made it back alive after mining iron ore. Most players gave up after dying repeatedly in the mines. Once the villagers faced a monster attack, iron demand would spike sky-high.
“Yes, Zelo could turn the game around. It might be worth focusing on him next.”
The production crew set their cameras in advance where the action would be hottest. Even in a virtual world, they had limited camera angles and finite editing manpower. Selection and focus were key.
“Alright, first is Sweet Radish. Then Zelo when he logs in.”
The plan was set. Sweet Radish would be the main focus during the chaos, then Zelo afterward.
“Don’t miss it.”
“Got it.”
The crew adjusted their cameras with sharp focus, but they were still human and their concentration had limits.
“Yaaawn...”
Night crept over Cheese Village.
Thock!
Someone nudged Park Oh-Hoon awake.
“Huh? What, what is it?”
“They’re coming. The monsters!”
“AWOOOOO!”
The Ahwooolves howled, and every camera swung toward Sweet Radish’s farm.
***
Thirty minutes before the raid, Sweet Radish’s house was in festival mode. Even if their shares were uneven, they had made a huge profit. Radish Servant was slowly repaying the Fertile Soil debt, and Potato Servant chipped away at what he owed Sweet Radish. Either way, it was a good start.
“Almond! Almond! Almond!” Potato Servant danced around, chanting Almond’s name.
“My lord! Allow me to pour you a drink!” Radish Servant happily poured.
Almond refused. “Not yet.”
“Pardon?”
He spoke with deliberate weight. “It’s too soon to pop the champagne.”
— LOL
— The Godfather vibes lol
— Two-head chibi models acting like mob bosses is killing me
— Tried fishing for healing, ended up running an organization...
— Too cute lol
Almond wasn’t the type to grow complacent. His archery background had trained him to maintain steady focus whether winning or losing. Seeing Almond’s seriousness, Radish Servant quickly stashed the green tea away.
Shff!
“R-Right! Sorry! It’s not champagne, just... tea.”
“We had something to do, remember?”
“Oh, yes. That.” Radish Servant glanced out the window and gauged the time by the setting sun.
“Perfect timing. Let’s head out.”
Almond and the servant duo stepped outside. A short while later, the three of them stood before the NPC Big Farm.
“Selling your land back to me? I can only give you the original price, you know.” Big Farm tilted his head as if they were the strangest people.
It was like someone selling their apartment back to the construction company at the original presale price without caring about the market rate, but the trio had their reasons.
Sweet Radish stepped forward to explain. “Ah, yes. We just... don’t want to make a big show of it around town.”
They needed to sell their land quietly without anyone noticing.
“Well, well... The price of land is bound to skyrocket, and yet you’re returning it to the community? Three Buddhas have appeared in this world. Be praised.”
— ?
— Three Buddhas lol
— Since when is one of the Buddhas named Potato Servant?
‘Wait, it’s my land. What do you mean, three Buddhas?’
The thought crossed Sweet Radish’s mind, but he pushed ahead. They couldn’t let other players see this.
“I’ll sell it now.”
“Alright.”
Sweet Radish sold all his land back to the village, except for the Fertile Soil plot he co-owned with Almond.
“My, my. To return so much to the village... My heart is warmed. Take this, at least...”
Ding~
With a clear chime, Big Farm pulled out a shining coin. For a moment, they thought it was gold, but it wasn’t.
[Village Patron Coin]
“A Village Patron Coin?” Almond tilted his head like the others.
“What is this?”
“Looks like a job coin.”
Big Farm chuckled at their confusion. “You young folks are the ones who must lead this village. At times, great power comes with a heavy burden... So, will you bear that burden for the sake of the village?”
Sweet Radish’s expression stiffened. This sounded like trouble, and it was the worst possible time for that.
“No, we’re just scared of the monste...”
Thwack!
Almond suddenly smacked Sweet Radish. “Radish Servant, you wretch!! Who are you to refuse?”
“It’s... my land...”
“Ahem!”
— ?
— LMAO
— It’s Radish Servant’s land, though
— What is happening? lol
— That escalated quickly
Almond bowed to Big Farm and extended his hand.
‘I don’t know what it is, but it looks valuable.’
From his point of view, this was something one always accepted. Big burden or not, great power came with it too.
“I was taught that accepting what the world offers is the Buddha’s way. I’ll gladly accept.”
“There’s no such teaching...”
“Praises to you~”
Whether the teaching existed or not, Almond pressed his palms together expectantly.
— LOL Almond
— Sweet Radish really is the younger one here
— Making up philosophy on the spot
— “There’s no such teaching” hahaha
Pushed along, Big Farm reluctantly mirrored the gesture. “Ahem. Praises to you too...”
Though uneasy, he handed over the coin.
Ding!
[Hidden Item: Village Patron Coin acquired!]
“Hidden?”
“Huh?”
“Oh...!”
All three exchanged glances at the notification. They all thought the same thing.
‘Jackpot.’
Whatever it did, it had to be good.
“Let’s get back?”
“Right.”
Their excitement was brief as they ran straight home. The monsters would arrive any moment.
“Should we barricade the entrance with logs just in case?”
“Do it, Potato Servant. Good idea. They might come all the way here.”
“Yes, sir!”
The monsters could still attack Sweet Radish’s place. Games always had bugs and mistaken triggers. They prepared thoroughly since tonight would decide, once and for all, the power balance between the Nonghyup and Sweet Radish’s group.
***
In the deepening darkness, three silhouettes slipped inside the house.
Tak-tak-tak.
“They’re in.”
From the bushes, the Nonghyup’s infiltrators watched.
[BlackTea]
[Lemon]
[GreenTea]
[WhiteChicken]
Their leader, Black Tea, looked back and gave the briefing. “When the monsters come, that’s when we move. Okay?”
“Roger~”
“Yup!”
They came to find out exactly what crops Sweet Radish’s group was growing. They couldn’t just dig another player’s field under normal circumstances, so they had to wait for the monsters to tear it up.
“We’re just confirming the crops, right, sis?”
“Well... that’s the main goal.” Black Tea smirked. “But if we get the chance... feel free to rough them up a little.”
“Heh-heh-heh.”
They all grinned wickedly.
— Lol these guys
— “Rough them up a little!”
— Sweet Radish discipline squad incoming
— Can’t wait
Moments later, the howls began.
“AWOOOOOO~!”
The decisive moment had arrived.