A Village Has Appeared on My Desktop

3 – Sudden Visit (3)

[Achievement Unlocked: Achievement Points Awarded]

[First Defeat of Glitch: 100p]

“Master Program…”

As Leena, injured, was being supported by her rushing colleagues on the way back to the village, I absentmindedly moved the mouse and scrolled the wheel, looking around. Then, I saw a window pop up on the screen and I frowned.

It seemed as if a suspicious program had appeared, as if it had been anticipating this situation. Despite feeling the urge to run away from this eerie phenomenon as quickly as possible, I clicked on the window while maintaining my composure.

[Expansion of Integration Program Possible Using Achievement Points]

[Injured Entity Identified, Vaccine Program Recommended]

The Master Program kindly informed me of what I could do now and what the achievement points I had just earned were. “What the heck is going on?” The result that appeared was so absurd that I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.

At the bottom of the desktop, the icon of the vaccine program, displayed on the taskbar, was sparkling with a blue border.

“Are they telling me to do this? I’m not too keen on following it as it is.”

I hesitated with the mouse pointer. For now, I barely knew anything, so it would be best to follow what was told, but I felt a sudden resistance for no reason.

So, I casually hovered the mouse pointer over the icon next to the vaccine program. If it’s normal, only the indication that I’m hovering over it should appear.

[Instant Messenger: 10000P]

“It’s expensive.”

What I chose was none other than the messenger program I had installed for communication with friends or acquaintances. The price was displayed, demanding a whopping 10,000 points.

Reflexively sticking out my tongue, I surveyed the other icons. Games, office, various convenience functions, and more. As a result, the only kind of icons that did not display a price were the internet browsers that can connect to the internet.

It is certain that every program except for the internet browser has undergone some change due to the master program.

[Unlocking some features of the antivirus program]

[Basic treatment: 100P]

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

After a short exploration, I decided to open the antivirus program as recommended by the master program. What appeared was the antivirus program, which looked no different from usual, along with a message stating that some features had been unlocked.

The antivirus program I use is divided into three levels: basic security, advanced security, and complete protection. The basic security, which I had been using, was now surrounded by a blue border.

“Hmm.”

Clicking on it, I let out a quiet sigh. Instead of flipping the page, something was attached to the mouse pointer. Upon closer inspection, it was a syringe icon filled with blue liquid.

[Possible treatment for minor injuries]

Naturally, an explanation popped up above the syringe icon. Possible treatment for minor injuries. The meaning was clear.

Unconsciously swallowing my saliva, I slowly brought it towards the residents on the desktop.

More precisely, towards Rienna, who had been injured. After zooming in with the mouse wheel and searching through the shantytown made by the residents, I found her lying in a tent where the residents gathered with worried expressions. I brought the syringe over to her.

[Diagnosis complete]

As I brought it over to her with the mouse pointer, a message appeared, indicating that the diagnosis was complete as a blue border appeared around her body.

“—…!”

And then, right after that, her pained expression suddenly relaxed. I had truly treated her injury in such an absurd way.

It’s quite fascinating. Their appearance and reactions are definitely not like mere data fragments.

But that’s all there is to it. Even though I can have quite an impact on them with just one mouse click, I still don’t know who they are, why they are here, or what their relationship is with the master program.

Maybe something will become clear as time goes by, but for now, it doesn’t seem likely. Since I can’t understand anything even if they talk to each other, I’ve decided to leave it at that for now.

“Now, it’s time to sleep.”

After that, I turned on the work program until the late dawn, while occasionally glancing at the desktop. Around 1 a.m., when most of them went back to sleep, I also got up from the computer.

As I lay in bed, a slight thought crossed my mind, wondering if all of this could be a dream. Maybe when I wake up, my computer will be back to normal.

***

“I think it’s right for me to leave this place, Father. That monster was a terrifying creature I had never seen before.”

“But don’t you know that there’s nowhere to go? The north is a harsh place where we can’t survive even in summer. If we go further east, there’s the sea, and to the south, there’s a kingdom that sees us as enemies.”

“But…”

In the midst of doing work for tomorrow’s company, someone from another world was troubled, discussing the strange events that had occurred since this evening with Barun and Rienna.

During this conversation, Rienna insisted on leaving this place. She had initially fought and killed Glitch, thinking it was a demon, but now she was apprehensive about Glitch’s chilling appearance.

However, Barun, the tribal chief, had a perplexed expression. They had fled to the limits and finally found a somewhat livable land. He didn’t want to give up so easily.

“Do you know the unknown force that kidnapped us? Do you think it has something to do with the power that healed your injuries caused by Glitch in an instant?”

Barun changed the topic. The unstoppable force that had kidnapped Barun, who had been working fine, and brought Rienna, who had briefly fallen asleep, in front of the approaching Glitch, was undeniable.

Especially for Rienna, who had been struggling with her own bleeding, she felt the influence of that strange power that had instantly improved her condition, causing her lips to tremble.

“Do you think that power is on our side?”

“I can’t be sure. But if that power, which may have been a spirit that had been staying in this land, is an enemy against us, then I wonder why we have been fine until now. The fact that it helped you when you were suffering without any herbs, and I believe that presence does not harbor hostility towards us.”

Barun darted a piercing look at Rienna, who still couldn’t let go of her guard. Even she, a recognized warrior, couldn’t resist that power.

Once again, a morning dawned with the rising sun.

Lienna, who had taken over the night shift, squinted her eyes at the brilliant sunlight that illuminated the meadow.

“We have to look around as much as possible to find out what happened here and what kind of place this is.”

“We also need to find food. There must be animals in that forest over there.”

“We should also build fences. Let’s all move quickly.”

As soon as the day broke, the residents moved without hesitation to carry out their assigned tasks.

Lierra, mounted on a horse, decided to start by surveying the area from where Glitch had appeared, accompanied by a few armed individuals.

Meanwhile, the tribal chief, Barun, led others to gather basic provisions such as food and water.

Those who were unable to move easily or were left behind in shelters started their work of utilizing available resources to create necessary materials, tend to livestock, or repair their dwellings.

“This way!”

Lienna, with a worried look in her eyes, turned her horse around and swiftly made her way to the spot where she had thrown Glitch in the air.

Traces of the ongoing battle were still visible at this moment. As she looked down from her horse, she saw her own footprints deeply embedded in the ground and the marks left by Glitch’s tentacles, causing her temples to throb.

“It’s so quiet. Too quiet. There might not be any demons, but I can’t even hear the cries of wild animals. There’s something about this meadow…”

“Let’s go further.”

Upon hearing the murmurs of the middle-aged man who had come along, Lienna, with a stern expression, decided to go even farther, all the way to the western area where they had entered the meadow.

Despite their efforts to ride fast, all they discovered were birds flying in the distance, which were the only signs of any animals.

The only clear evidence of animals was the faint sound of a deer’s cry that could be heard in the distance only after they had left the meadow.

“What on earth is that place?”

With its lush green grass and a peaceful-looking meadow with a clear and transparent river flowing through it, Lienna unknowingly broke into a cold sweat as she looked back.

It was undoubtedly an ideal place to live, but there was also an unsettling feeling.

“What did you find?”

“A few mushrooms, a few fruits, that’s all.”

“That’s not enough. If we can’t find any prey, we won’t be able to hold out for long.”

And this problem was not only felt by Rienna, but also by Varoon, the tribal leader on the opposite side of the forest.

They had lost a lot of livestock on the way here, so the food supply had become quite important, and the red alert had already been raised.

“It’s good that there are no predators, but don’t we even have any animals to hunt?”

“We caught a few fish in the river, but if we can’t find anything to eat here, we have no choice but to leave.”

That afternoon. The atmosphere among the residents who had gathered again after finishing their tasks was not very good.

Varoon sighed at the words of the tribal member pointing his finger and ultimately hinted at the possibility of leaving again. Of course, the faces of the tribal members darkened.

They were inherently nomadic, but wandering around an unknown land where they didn’t know what awaited them was exhausting.

The anxiety of whether they could find a place like this again, the fear of being attacked anytime, anywhere by anyone or anything.

They were already exhausted.

“Father…”

“Don’t worry too much. We’ve come this far through hardships. We must survive, even for the sake of those who sacrificed.”

When the residents all returned to their homes. Varoon, who was left alone in the square that served as a meeting place, chuckled as he looked at Rienna with worried eyes.

“Huh?”

“Yeah?”

But right at that moment. As the sun set, at that very moment.

The women, who were trying to gather their strength to overcome difficult times, looked at each other and their eyes widened.

“Oh, Father!”

“Chief!”

Other residents also jumped out in panic. Not only women, but a few other residents were also being dragged into the air, their backs held by an unknown force.

“Oh no!”

Balun, though experienced, desperately struggled as his limbs dangled. In his eyes, he could see Leana in front of him also writhing. But this unknown force mercilessly refused to let them go.