A Village Has Appeared on My Desktop

4 – Sudden Visit (4)

“Sleeping in late was a bad idea.”

It was late afternoon. Even though I left work early, the fatigue persisted. Rushing out to work like a mad dog with its tail on fire after oversleeping had messed up my condition from the start.

A work life that passed by unnoticed. When I came to my senses, I was already at home, taking off the stuffy suit.

Today’s schedule was just to wrap up the remaining work. While others seem to be diligently doing something even in their busy lives, I find it difficult and tiresome to do something grand.

“No way.”

It was then that the computer caught my eye, and the events of last night came flooding back.

There was such a shocking event, but how did I spend today as if nothing had happened? It was surprising even to myself.

Nervously, I forgot to eat dinner and turned on the monitor, sitting back in the chair.

The screen lit up quickly, and the desktop appeared. Those unidentified residents were still there on the blue meadow I saw yesterday.

Gathering in the meadow as the sun set, they seemed to be sharing some serious stories when I zoomed in on them.

Their expressions and the atmosphere were so heavy and dark that I felt like I was being watched for no reason.

Until yesterday, when I first met them, I didn’t know what they were, so I just observed, but today was different. Since I still wasn’t sure what was going on, I decided to be a little cautious.

[Achievement Unlocked: Achievement Points Awarded]

[First Area Exploration: 100P]

[First Food Collection: 100P]

However, the master program did not leave me alone.

The notifications that popped up as if they were waiting for me to sit down turned out to be rewards for the actions the residents autonomously performed while I was away.

Even for small tasks like reconnaissance or food collection, they gave out points called achievements. The total was 1000P. Of course, it seems they only give it once upon initial achievement, so I won’t be able to earn points like this anymore.

“Now, what can I do with these points?”

The residents on the desktop gave them to me, but I was the only one who could use them. Like when the master program used the points to heal Rienna’s injuries using the vaccine program, it was clear that the master program would require something from me using these points and others.

The problem is, what can I actually do now? There were quite a few programs that could be unlocked with 1000 points.

Document programs were possible, and image editing programs were possible too.

“A game?”

However, the games that caught my attention most effectively were the ones that were quite popular. They were the only hobbies I had consistently enjoyed from my school days until now.

[Tribal Chief’s Dilemma: A Good Place to Live]

“What is this?”

But as I was looking at the points needed to unlock various games,

It seemed that the residents’ meeting had ended. However, at that moment, above the head of Chief Barun, who was sighing with a dark expression, there was an exclamation mark.

I chuckled and right-clicked on him. Then, a new option appeared other than the existing [Enlarge Observation].

Naturally, I clicked on it.

[Deeply contemplating resource shortages. If he finds out this is not a good place to live, he will decide to leave. *If the resident disappears, bugs cannot be prevented]

“Resource shortages?”

The content of that function was informing me about what Chief Barun is contemplating. And the content of his contemplation was that he is considering leaving this place because there is a shortage of resources such as food and materials.

What caught my attention the most was the warning that seemed to suggest that if the residents leave, you will be in big trouble. What exactly is that bug?

“I’m not sure what to do.”

Feeling a bit grumpy, I pondered how I could fulfill Barun’s request for resources. Like a virus program, there must be something I can do.

[Recommended Sandbox Game Program]

And as if knowing about my dilemma, the master program once again made a recommendation. A blue-bordered icon appeared in the corner of my desktop, representing a game.

This game, which I used to enjoy as a child and occasionally play when I’m bored, is a sandbox genre game set in a vast field made up of various blocks. There are no predetermined goals or stories, allowing players to freely hunt, gather, and craft.

I couldn’t grasp why it was being recommended now. Could it be that by playing this game, I could provide the necessary resources to the residents?

In fact, this game allows players to gather various resources like wood and stone to create buildings, weapons, and more. Hunting animals or harvesting crops also provides food. Thinking about it, it seems like I could obtain everything the residents need from this game. If only I could “take out” the items from the game.

[New Program Integration]

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine, and without even realizing it, I paid the points and activated the game, integrating it with the master program.

[Current Stage: Available Residents 0/4]

I double-clicked the icon to start the game. Unlike the usual game launch window, a new window influenced by the master program appeared.

[Select up to four residents]

“…”

The game was now out of my control. Completely distorted, I had no choice but to do as instructed.

Following the command to select four residents, I dragged and dropped Barun as the village chief, Rienna with exceptional combat skills, and two sturdy-looking men.

“Sorry.”

It pained me to see the four small figures flail in the empty air with frightened expressions, but all I could do was quickly complete the procedure.

[Selection Complete]

[Entering a New World…]

When I finished making my selection, the master program shut down and a black window appeared. Soon after, I could tell that the game had been launched by seeing the game company’s logo and name.

I was perplexed, so I closed the game window and looked around, but to my surprise, the desktop was filled with startled residents, and the four residents I had just selected were nowhere to be found.

“Where did they go, for heaven’s sake?”

Meanwhile, the game had fully launched, and on the lit game window, my character in the game world was standing in a wide open field in a first-person view under the bright daylight.

The world was made up of rugged, angular blocks, unlike the backgrounds with real photos or the realistic-looking residents.

Perhaps because it had been a while since I played the game, even clicking felt unfamiliar, and my hand, shaped like a stick, seemed somewhat alien.

“Ugh?!”

However, when I absentmindedly moved the mouse to turn the screen, I gasped and bit my tongue at the landscape that unfolded behind me.

Real residents, completely out of place in the angular block world, had entered the game and were looking at me with widened, horrified eyes.

“—!!”

Among those who had suddenly been kidnapped because of me, the only one holding a weapon was Rienna, who always seemed to carry a sword.

She emerged from behind her father, Barun, and the other residents, pointing the sword at me.

She looked different in a complete first-person view compared to what I saw on the desktop. Bigger, more lifelike. Perhaps it was even more so because everyone in this world, except for them, was in the alien block world.

“No, wait!”

But in that moment, as I involuntarily approached her by manipulating the keyboard, she gasped and swung the sword at me.

I honestly couldn’t react. Whether it was a special skill or not, in an instant, she closed the distance and swung the sword at me, causing my character to take damage and recoil slightly.

“I might die like this.”

That blow took away half of my HP. Instinctively, I turned around and repeatedly pressed the jump key to get out of there for the time being.

Glancing back, Rienna seemed to be trying to chase me, but my character, relentless and without any deceleration, was faster.

“I need a plan.”

I decided to find a way to understand the hearts of those who were suddenly drawn into an unfamiliar world. A way to let them know that I am not an enemy, but someone who can help.

Luckily, it didn’t seem difficult to find that way.

Even though most of the functions I could use, like various modes and cheat codes, were locked, I could still play the game itself.

Coincidentally, I spotted a few animals that exist within the game in front of me.

Since it seemed like the residents were hungry, I decided to bring them food that the animals would drop as a gift. By accepting this gift, at least they would know that I am not hostile towards them.

“Wait. Do the monsters come out as well?”

However, as I started digging for nearby trees to make tools to catch the animals, a variable popped into my head.

In this game, there are also enemies that take the form of various monsters. There’s Riena, but if they gather in a horde, the scattered enemies on the grassy plain will become dangerous.

“I should build a house before nightfall.”

Even though it’s just a light game play, I focused on my work with heightened tension.

Right now, I’m just sitting in front of the computer, controlling a character and playing the game, but the residents are a little different.

The truth is, I don’t know if they are really human or something else. But I was sure that they wouldn’t come back if they died.

At the same time, I didn’t want them to die. I was worried enough to say that I had developed affection for them in just one day.

“We’ll find a way somehow.”

I sighed and used the wooden tool I made to strike down the animals nearby. Every time I did, they dropped uncooked pink meat.

The things I see before me right now are clearly just small pieces of data made with pixels. It’s natural to doubt whether I can give these things to the residents.

However, I forced myself to push away that doubt. It’s common sense, it’s realism, but in the first place, the situation itself doesn’t make sense.

Believing that there must be a way because the master program recommended it to me, I cautiously headed towards where the residents were.

They were still clustered there, looking around. They seemed unsure of where to go.

“It would be nice if we could communicate. Even just through chat.”

They were astonished to see me again and flinched. I was holding a piece of meat in my hand, a dark heap of flesh that resembled Lienna’s eyes. Regretful that we couldn’t communicate, I approached them slowly, holding out the meat.

Not sure if they were confused by my actions or if I was simply approaching too cautiously, Lienna didn’t immediately swing her sword at me this time.

“…!”

In front of them, I pressed the discard key and spat out the piece of meat in my hand. Though it was an impolite gesture, their eyes widened at the sight of the meat, as if it didn’t matter.