Hiding a House in the Apocalypse

Chapter 3: Mentor

Everyone has their own plans.

Even among apocalyptic believers like us who share a common ideology in broad strokes, there are often differing thoughts on specific practical approaches. For example, whether to make contact with the outside world after the apocalypse, adopt extreme isolationism, form groups, or simply survive with a few close family members.

In the apocalyptic community "Viva! Apocalypse!" that I joined for a monthly fee of $100, debates among apocalyptic believers would often arise.

Rather than actively participating in these debates, I observed the results, which were rarely constructive. Most disputes devolved into tedious keyboard battles, eventually culminating in battles of asset validation.

I had invested more money and acquired excellent facilities and better weapons, so my arguments were correct, so to speak. While it might be a distasteful scene, boasting about wealth isn't necessarily wrong. More money undoubtedly allows for better preparedness.

For example, the self-sustaining facility using nuclear batteries that I truly desired was an amount I could never afford with my current funds. But for Mr. Donald Orris living in the United States, selling just one of the yachts in his collection would fetch a sum of money that would make anyone's eyes widen. [Note: I wonder does if he means Donald Trump]

Of course, money is not the only source of persuasion. Individual strength, experience, and abilities can sometimes carry more weight than wealth.

There is a man here.

Community Username: John Nenon

Commonly referred to as "John-nenon." He is Korean.

There's nothing particularly special about him.

John-nenon is a professional hunter.

A hunter is someone who hunts monsters in front of monster nests called "Rifts" and serves as protectors of humanity. To become a hunter, one must meet very strict qualifications and pass rigorous tests. In other words, not just anyone can become a hunter. Moreover, hunters have significantly greater combat abilities than ordinary humans and have access to more classified information due to their profession.

However, within the category of hunters, there are different ranks, and John-nenon has not certified his own rank. All he has is his professional hunter's license. Well, within the apocalyptic community, "Viva! Apocalypse!" where everyone is a survivalist, this license is an absolute validation.

The reason I mention this friend, John-nenon, is not only because of his hunter certification.

John-nenon had a philosophy of survival that was almost identical to mine, especially in terms of creating extensive survival facilities in sparsely populated areas that could still access major cities while keeping human contact to a minimum.

There was a lot to learn from him.

His post about removing mould, why cement putty is more suitable than lime putty for floor construction when his underground bunker became infiltrated with groundwater and condensation, and how to manage groundwater depending on geological strata types provided me with valuable knowledge as a rookie carpenter.

The idea of not relying on a single underground bunker for long-term survival but creating multiple bunkers resonated with my thoughts. Particularly, the idea of installing remotely triggered explosives or booby traps in the auxiliary bunkers, so that with the push of a button from the main bunker, any intruders could be easily cleared, was brilliant.

Furthermore, his unparalleled knowledge, his willingness to provide helpful answers to questions, and his status as an active professional hunter made John-nenon a popular figure within the community, especially among Korean users.

However, he was not a perfect person.

Firstly, what changed was the community itself.

As the signs of the apocalypse became more visible and the number of people, especially Koreans, increased within the community, strange symptoms began to appear. People who were envious of John-nenon's dominant popularity and influence in the community started to emerge.

Initially, it was a small group of people who passively criticized him, attempting to tarnish his reputation.

Instead of openly criticizing his informative posts, they attacked his information by presenting alternative perspectives.

The man who I thought shared the same thoughts with me, at least in terms of the content of the community, acted differently than I expected.

Perhaps he felt a sense of belonging in this otherwise meaningless community or was becoming conscious of public opinion, because he suddenly decided to reveal his face.

Up until that point, he had indirectly showcased his well-built forearms and strong chest muscles through thin T-shirts, but the reason he chose to reveal his face was clear: to avoid being accused of deception.

However, his demeanour appeared modest compared to his well-toned physique...

Was that the reason?

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Within the community, the reactions grew even colder, and people began openly attacking him.

The primary subject of these attacks was John-nenon's hunter rank.

John-nenon was indeed a professional hunter, but he held the lowest rank among professional hunters, known as D-Rank Hunters.

Some even claimed to have discovered his real name, which, according to them, was Koo Sanghyo.

Instead of stepping down from his position, John-nenon decided to take a bold approach.

He organized a gathering for members of the "Viva! Apocalypse!" community, specifically targeting Korean users.

Since I had just completed an important project and was in the process of devising new plans, I decided to attend the gathering to seek advice.

There were ten attendees at the apocalypse believers' gathering.

The age range was diverse, with many energetic individuals in their 50s who had both economic means and vitality.

The majority of attendees were in their 30s and 40s, especially those in specialized professions that included the word "expert."

I, in my 20s, seemed to be a minority, and it appeared that I had joined the community more out of curiosity than a dedicated commitment to apocalypse preparation.

It was late autumn, and the weather was quite chilly. John-nenon was only wearing a single set of workout clothes.

However, those clothes seemed to be either undersized and tightly stretched over his compact body, highlighting his well-developed muscles, which he often boasted about, much more than his face.

With all eyes on him, John-nenon introduced himself.

"I'm a hunter Koo Sanghyo."

Four out of ten attendees, including myself, applauded.

To be honest, the meeting place wasn't particularly impressive. It was a cheap barbecue restaurant known more for its affordability than its taste.

The host, John-nenon, boldly ordered nine servings of all-you-can-eat pork belly.

He claimed to be on a diet and wouldn't eat any himself. However, when the owner insisted that each person must order at least one serving, he reluctantly ordered one for himself.

Considering his diet talk, he consumed more alcohol and meat than anyone else.

Anyway, the origins of the meat varied from Belgium to Germany to Chile, but it tasted exactly as one would expect at an all-you-can-eat joint.

Members in their 40s and 50s who appeared financially well-off soon left the gathering.

John-nenon didn't seem to mind. Instead, he raised his glass cheerfully and began unpacking the stories he had prepared in advance.

"A war is imminent. It will probably be instigated by China. Despite the government's efforts to contain it, China's internal situation is a mess. There are too many rifts forming, and they're withdrawing at the city level. Moreover, it seems that the central government has lost control due to internal divisions..."

The information John-nenon shared was something that any professional hunter would know, and it was even about six months behind.

He didn't seem to have access to the kind of high-level information or connections required for critical information.

Well, that's probably for the best.

What I expected from John-nenon was something else.

"Excuse me, Mr. John-nenon. I have a question."

If he were to mention me, I was one of John-nenon's longtime supporters who always liked his posts.

"Who are you?"

"My username is SKELTON."

"SKELTON? Ah~"

A bright smile lit up John-nenon's innocent face.

"You're planning to build a shelter, right? I know a well-connected owner. Would you like an introduction? What level are you looking for? Gas station-level?"

All the finger labour I had done thus far didn't go to waste. John-nenon not only earnestly answered my question but also introduced me to contacts who could support illegal construction.

Despite his somewhat casual appearance, he turned out to be quite a decent person.

Thanks to John-nenon's connections and information, my safe haven could take a significant leap forward.

Apart from that, the first gathering was a significant success for John-nenon.

Users who directly engaged with him began writing favourable posts, further elevating his reputation.

I, too, weakly joined the chorus of praise.

SKELTON: John-nenon, seeing you in person, you're even more powerful. You're truly a man, and your wild charm overflowed!

John-nenon liked my post.

There were several more gatherings afterward.

Or rather, you could call them fan meetings.

John-nenon's evaluations continued to rise, and the number of participants increased exponentially.

The last fan meeting I attended had over 80 people present.

On that day's final meeting, I found myself sitting with complete strangers, chatting aimlessly in a corner where John-nenon was nowhere to be seen.

I was considering not attending any more fan meetings after this, as there was nothing more to learn, and my to-do list was overflowing.

John-nenon, who seemed to be a bit tipsy, approached me and gestured for me to follow him.

"SKELTON."

John-nenon spoke with trembling eyes as he looked at me.

It was an unusual sight for me, so I waited for him to continue.

"Are you, by any chance, a hunter?"

"Me?"

"You look familiar."

"Really?"

I hesitated for a moment.

Should I tell the truth or lie?

"Well, to be honest..."

I hadn't even finished my sentence when a group of people rushed out of the store, brushing past me, and gathered around John-nenon like a cloud.

"Goohyung, what are you doing? The broadcasting station contacted us!"

"A reporter wants to interview you!"

These were John-nenon's new enthusiastic fans.

As drunk as John-nenon, they alternated their gazes between me and him.

"Goohyung, do you have something to discuss with this person?"

One guy looked at John-nenon with a questioning glance.

Surrounded by his fans, John-nenon stared at me in silence.

"...

His lips seemed to part slightly, but soon they closed firmly.

John-nenon, along with his fans, entered the shop.

That was the last I saw of him.

Afterward, I never met him again, and I hardly logged into the community.

The reason for his disappearance became clear to me soon enough.

Since the time I stopped attending the gatherings, another group had started attacking John-nenon.

Unlike the previous subtle and dull attacks, the new attackers wielded lethal weapons.

Anonymous338: That ** John, he Ctrl+C + V'd the Europe board's information posts.

John-nenon's information posts, which he used to boast about, were not his own work. He had stolen a French user's posts from the French board and posted them as if he had written them himself.

While he got away with it when there were fewer people, as more people joined and sharp-eyed users gathered, John-nenon's actions were exposed.

The higher you rise, the farther you fall, and John-nenon, who had been the king of the community, suffered a devastating downfall.

Numerous criticisms were poured on him, and even his fans turned their backs on him.

At that time, I checked the posts.

RokaGG: John-nenon, I'm disappointed...

RKKArA: To the pro hunter who did chin-ups, I saw your hypocrisy~

Anonymous82: Ka~~~~~ Ah, spit!

Doyourbest321: How do you plan to take responsibility?

Hasanius: Kill yourself, ** John!

It was truly a storm of condemnation.

According to the stories I heard, instead of defending himself against numerous suspicions and accusations or claiming innocence, John-nenon let out a short, robust roar.

John_nenon: Nonsense

After that, there's no information about what happened to John-nenon.

There were rumors that the area he was in had been devastated, but I didn't hear any rumours of his death.

According to some, there are recent reports that suggest communication believed to be from John-nenon was intercepted.

Is John-nenon dead?

Or is he somewhere far away, struggling for survival?

Sometimes, when I'm transferring fuel at the gas station, I think of that guy.

At least for me, John-nenon was...

A great mentor.

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