Chapter.5 Inside Out (8)
***
Despite the professor’s earnest prayers, the situation went in the direction he predicted.
“Why not just use HIV? “I’ve probably gained some fame with this name anyway, so there’s no reason not to use it, right?”
“Ian, as I said before, we acted under that name and destroyed the troops dispatched from the Dome…”
“Aren’t you too scared? Let’s see. There are no survivors on the dome side of that underground bunker. That’s a definite fact because we confirmed it, right? So, in Dom’s opinion, did the elite they sent get attacked by the three Wasteland Scavengers or by their black raptor friends who ran inside with a bloody flamethrower?”
“Hmm…”
“Of course, wouldn’t it be correct to assume that he was attacked by a raptor? Raptors can also show off their power, but there is no way they will intentionally correct it. In that case, even if the Dome finds out that we are HIV, at best we will be just beggars who intervened in the fight between the two forces and were lucky enough to get away with the treasure. “There’s nothing wrong with getting caught.”
“Hepburn: Surprisingly, reputation is really important in the wasteland. If a caravan with an unknown name comes to your doorstep saying ‘it’s selling something’, even a very good group will act defensively. Of course, being defensive here means pounding lead bullets into your opponent until they stop moving. In that respect, HIV is known to be a group of armed forces strong enough to at least take on the Raptor Legion and the Dome’s elite, so at least they will not be attacked under cover.”
It’s a big deal. We both already thought it was a foregone conclusion that HIV would be the name of our caravan. But… but I don’t like it! I also have a dream! All this while, I had been struggling from day to day, thinking only about surviving on my own, and now it was as if I had a decent job, and the name of the company was ‘AIDS Pathogen Caravan’! My parents in heaven will look at me and say, ‘How is my son?’ and then faint!
I needed something to refute. Their opinions already have some logical basis, so they won’t back down if they simply say they don’t like it.
‘Think, think…! I, Professor Park, am a man who has navigated this treacherous wasteland alone with nothing but a few hairs…! There is definitely a way to overcome this crisis…!’
“Hey professor. “If there are no other opinions, will we decide by majority vote again?”
A triumphant smile appeared on Ian’s face. wait for a sec. Majority decision? Majority decision!!!
“Sleep kaaaaan!!!”
The professor raised his hand to stop Ian just before he could vote.
“why? “Any other opinions?”
“It’s majority decision… majority decision is good! Anyway, since I happen to be a broadcaster, I have a say in the chat room where a lot of people from District 47 are gathered. Since we are not a very large caravan, the main consumer group will be people from District 47, so it would be much better to get their opinions. Wouldn’t it be nice? “If we spread the word that HIV is us, our reputation problem will be solved.”
Ian and Bex’s opinions began to waver due to the professor’s desperate persuasion.
“Hmm… that’s right. Area 47 is completely under the jurisdiction of the Dome, so if the Raptors even show their faces nearby, a war will break out, so there will be no problem if they spread the reputation of HIV…..” “
Yes! And from the perspective of the dome babies, in a way, it is like we saved the facility that was almost robbed and taken over by the raptors, so the more publicity there is, the more positive the dome will be able to show! “The more we do this, the wider the range of activities we can operate in secret from the Dome will become!”
Actually, I spoke at length, but I didn’t think much of it. I just think that if we can avoid the name ‘HIV Caravan’, other names will be acceptable.
.
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.
.
.
I should have been satisfied with just HIV. Human greed is endless and we always repeat the same mistakes.
– Soy Sauce Gay Bar: Kkkkkkkkkkkk
– Jokass: Desirable, very desirable! Since our professor’s broadcast size is large, I knew he would hold an event like this. Is it so great?
– Soy Sauce Gay Bar: Ah, the name was selected so well, you
definitely regretted it. It’s been less than a month since I regretted sharing my opinion with those bastards, so why did I rely on them again?
– Eojin Clown: Hey~ So there will be a caravan in Area 47 now?
– takealook: Actually, looking at the size of the area, it didn’t make sense not to have a caravan.
– Speedwagon: Because of the marketplace. Even if it is a caravan, the transaction volume within the area cannot be ignored, and there is a dome in the 47th district. There is no need to purchase items from the caravan, which incur shipping costs, as most items are placed in bulk on the exchange in the Dome’s market.
– Enden: That’s right. Still, there are some things you can only get if you have a caravan. If the delivery distance exceeds two zones, the drone disappearance rate increases rapidly. I entered the connector and [Your item was stolen during delivery. Sorry.] When I see messages like this, my blood boils.
– Myeongtoe Account: If it’s a caravan, you don’t need it, just sell it. Happy Blind Mountain Mask sold in the 30th district. It’s so hard to get that here.
-Namba Three: I told you not to sell those idiots’ things.
The number of people has increased a lot. It was so crowded that it seemed like all the people in the 47th district were crowded together. Rather than saying that all these people watched the broadcast, it just so happened that my broadcast became an issue, and the District 47 chat room became a meeting place.
It’s good if there are a lot of people. As a newly launched group, the more the name spreads, the more helpful it will be for business. As more people participate in voting, the probability of a good name coming out increases.
.
.
.
– I curse myself for thinking that! If I could go back a few minutes ago, I would have stopped this division, even if it meant beating the hell out of Professor Park!
– Soy Sauce Gay Bar: We will announce the results soon! So many friends gave great opinions! Where else is there a place for a professor other than graduate school? Let’s say [graduate school]. This time, they say that famous spice merchant has joined the group. Every time they pass by, a bunch of scavengers disappear, so let’s say [psycho robbers] and you can understand why. Let’s go with [Umbrella], which seems like it could be a company that is very familiar with mutants, but LGBT Carnive, etc… There were a lot of good opinions!
Among these, there was one name that received an overwhelming vote…
Cold sweat was pouring down like rain from the professor’s face as he watched the live chat window.
No please no! I was also looking at all the chat windows. There was one name that was mentioned a lot in chat, but that was it…!
– Soy Sauce Gay Bar: Introducing! Overwhelming popularity with over 70% of votes! Unlike other playful names, this is a name with a meaning that suits a caravan! congratulations! What is the name of our dear professor’s new caravan? Big Dream Small Margin! It has the great meaning of supplying big dreams at low margins! Let’s do BDSM!
– vargr: Hahaha. I’m embarrassed. I wrote this with the sincere hope that the professor’s business would prosper, but I had no idea it would resonate with so many people in the wasteland.
– Holly: Clap clap clap!
– Noru Drug: Omedetto Professor Kun!
– Heungan Mandu: Congratulations, professor. Now you are not just a survivor, but a part of the wilderness. It melted really well. It’s a name that seems to be one with the wasteland.
– takealook: The name was decided through a completely democratic vote. If not used, you are communist.
– Jokass: When not in use,
why didn’t you think of that? No matter how many people gather here, since this is a community, there is no way they can give it a proper name!
“Fuhahaha! This is a masterpiece! “Wow, there’s more fun like this in crowded areas, right?”
“Hepburn… broadcasting in front of these people… what kind of fight have you been fighting all this time…”
“Nonsense! This is a dream! My job! “My first job was in BDSM!”
Big Dream Small Margin. The meaning couldn’t be better. But if you reduce it, it becomes ‘restraint’, ‘domination’, ‘submission’ and ‘sadism’!
What do we do? Will I get bitten? Things have already gotten too big? The people gathered here alone must be more than half of the people in District 47, right? Is it possible to do business after distorting public opinion like that?
– Jokass: Didn’t you say that there are people among us who live in the dome? Go and report it. A new group has appeared in District 47. Anyway, if you want to caravan, you’ll have to meet Dom, so it’s better to do it quickly.
Wait a minute. I’m not ready yet…
Tiring-
[Player ‘Dome-sec47’ has requested a voice connection.]
Damn it! Only in this case do you go too fast!
The professor ended up pressing OK without any hesitation.
Beep-
[Hello. My name is Delmar and I am from the Dome-47 Area Environmental Management Team. Are you the ‘professor’ who lives in District 47?]
Awesome!
At that moment, I became disgusted without realizing it. When I thought that the person talking on the other side of the interface was a civil servant from the dome, memories of the past overlapped without my knowledge.
[Woah, calm down, shell. Do you have to pour out your precious anger indiscriminately to use it? You memorized the entire name of the person involved in that file that was written in that file, right? It’s stuck right here in your head.]
‘I know. It’s just… like a conditioned reflex.’
The professor took a breath and answered the person on the other end of the interface.
[Yes, that’s right. I am ‘professor’.]
[Confirmed. You have recently settled in Area 47, right? Looking at the situation, it seems that he is not a simple individual resident. Can you tell me the personality and name of the group you belong to?]
That attitude is characteristic of speaking in a manner that seems to look down on the other person and sharing our information before I reveal it. This is a characteristic of the guys who work at the dome. They are trying to take the lead in the conversation by implicitly implying that they have information about our side.
Even though the information was given with prior intention, I still couldn’t help but feel bad.
[yes. I was thinking of doing some business here.]
[When you say business…]
[It’s a caravan. There are three people. I plan to travel around various areas and focus on selling items that are difficult to handle in the marketplace.]
[It’s a caravan! It couldn’t be better. In today’s world, people who engage in long-distance trade deserve respect. So, what should we call that side?]
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.
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[….Big dream.]
[Big dream? Is this the Big Dream Caravan?]
[Yes. You can do that.]
Rattle rattle!
Bex and Ian, who were giggling and listening to the conversation next to me, heard my answer and quickly ran over to me, shaking the connector I was in.
“Hey professor! How did this happen! The last part was omitted! Big dream! Small margin! “Correct it now!”
[yes! Done! It has been registered as ‘Big Dream Caravan’ in the dome area’s survivor list, and the inspector is scheduled to visit in the near future…]
[There is a problem outside now, so I’ll hear about it later!]
Beep –
The professor looks like he’s going to destroy the connector. Because Ian was shaking, I had to hastily cut off the contact and come out.
Push-ik –
clunk –
Seeing that both of them had quite crumpled expressions, it seems that they liked that name quite a bit.
“hey! professor! Why did you come out! “I told you to correct it right away!”
“Oh I can’t! I can’t! “I don’t know about other guys, but I can’t be treated like a weirdo by those Doms!”
“What’s wrong with BDSM! “It has already been decided to use that name through a vote in the chat room, so what will happen to public opinion if you change it like this!”
“Yes, that’s right! Hepburn! “Your selfishness will ruin the business!”
“Oh, I don’t know! “Who told you to come in and live here?”
“This bastard can’t even use words-”
Clap!
“Oh, that bastard is jumping! Catch Vex!”
Buaaaang-
Crunchy!
“Ahh! “Why is this small thing so fast!”
“Don’t miss it! “I’m going to make you correct it even if it means twisting your head!”
“Shut up! “Even if I twist a chicken head, dawn will come, and even if my legs will be torn off, I won’t be treated like an asshole by the dom bastards – yaaaaaaa!”
As three grown adults ran around the shelter, which was not that wide, with all their might, the interior of the shelter was instantly filled with clouds of dust.
Jiying –
Corduroy’s drone was recording the entire scene by swiping the lens with its robotic arm and turning the security camera inward. According to his knowledge, recording memorable moments is very effective in alleviating depression.
“I can’t believe the atmosphere at the shelter has become so bright… “The new owners were good people…!”
Drop!
“Joe! “I found two perfectly useful pipes in the warehouse!”
“Good Job Brother! Self Professor! “Go quickly and change our name to BDSM!”
“A man does not say two things with one mouth!”
“Then you can make me a bitch!”
“Ugh! Corduroy! “Don’t just watch, help!”
“Uh-huh, don’t scream. “There are a lot of variants.”
“Hehehe… Lively owners. It’s so nice to see… hehehehe….”
A shelter located in the middle of a quiet wasteland.
The professor groaned as he was oppressed by the cruel hands and cried with the same heart as a martyr who saved his country. Still, I registered it under a normal name, not HIV or BDSM. That’s enough. In that case… it’s done.
***
[There is a problem outside now, so I will listen to it later!]
Beep-
“Hmm. “Is the new location a place with a lot of mutations?”
In response to the sudden loss of contact, Delmar added the phrase [Big Dream: Living in a somewhat dangerous area] to her notepad and stretched.
“Huh! Oh my, it hurts. I’ve checked all the people I need to check today, so I’ll go home from work soon-”
“Oh! Delmar senior! “Have you gotten off work yet?”
“Wow! It’s a surprise! You dude! “I told you to knock when you came in!”
“Hehe sorry.”
When Delmar turned his head, his junior, who always seemed to have a screw missing, was scratching his head.
“But you don’t get off work?”
“Oh, don’t say anything. I thought that if I got to the inspection bureau, I would have fun with a pretty female secretary and earn my salary, but I am dying. Very just. “It’s not like I worked so hard to get to the Inspector General’s Office just to do this.”
The junior guy, who was grumbling as if he had been waiting, had two cups of coffee in his hands. He was a guy you couldn’t hate no matter what.
“done. I’m leaving now, so you can drink. “I was just about to leave work when a tip came in, so I’m just leaving to record it.”
“Report? this time?”
“okay. They said a new caravan has settled in area 47. Comparing it with the market place records, it was not an amount that an individual survivor could buy. “The reliability of information is quite high.”
“okay. But the name is… Big Dream? “Is this correct?”
Delmar looked at his records and gave a good night’s rest to his junior who expressed doubts.
“Aya!”
“Do I look like a newbie who can’t keep records properly? This is not information I got from anywhere, but information that came from my own mouth. “I’m sure.”
“No, no, of course it’s your record. What I mean is, the name is a little shorter than I know, but I was wondering if there was a communication missing.”
“Missing communication?”
“Yeah! What is the reason why voice chat is not used often in the wasteland? Isn’t it because that damn sandstorm has cut off all the time? “We also use it to collect player voiceprints, but it’s actually inconvenient.”
“Hmm. Come to think of it, I was a bit slurred when I said my name.”
“I’m sure. I am very good at local information, but it was omitted after that. Big Dream Small Margin. “It’s BDSM.”
Delmar’s expression crumpled at his junior’s confident words.
“Is that the name of the group? really?”
“No matter how light of a person I am, would I lie about entering the record? really! “I heard they’re a BDSM caravan, right?”
“It’s BDSM… I didn’t feel it when I was talking on the phone, but there are more crazy people in this wasteland.”
Delmar tilted his head and changed the name of the new caravan entered into the Inspector General’s database from ‘Big Dream’ to ‘BDSM (Big Dream Small Margin)’.
“Okay?”
“yep! Thank you for your hard work!”
“What trouble? So are you leaving work now too? “I’m going out too. Would you like to have a drink?”
“Ha ha ha ha ha! Thank you very much, but I will wait for the next opportunity. “I have work to do when I get home.”
“This kid has something to do. Got it, dude. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“yes! “Come in!”
At the entrance to the inspection office, the frayed Delmar disappeared into the alley, and his junior, wearing a slanted angled hat, walked slowly towards the other side.
Tap, tap, tap.
A white smile formed on the mouth of a man walking down a quiet street lit by street lights.
“No, no, no.” “Professor friend, if you try to get away like that, you’ll be fine. As a member of DOM, which represents justice and democracy, I cannot tolerate manipulation of voting results.”
The inspector, grinning and penetrating into the darkness of the city, held a small screen in his hand.
In one corner of the small display, which did not allow input but allowed viewing of the connector screen, the words [Area 47 Chat Room – ‘Soy Sauce Gay Bar’] were clearly shining.
***
