Mentor

Chapter 3: Mentor

Everyone has a plan.

Even doomsday preppers like us share the same ideology in the broad sense, but we often have different ideas when it comes to detailed implementation plans.

For instance, whether to contact the outside world after the collapse or go into extreme isolationism; whether to form a group or survive with only a tiny number of family and close friends.

In the doomsday community <Viva! Apocalypse!>, which I joined for a monthly fee of $100, debates between preppers often broke out.

As an observer rather than a participant, I noticed that there weren't many constructive debates.

Most debates dragged on tediously as keyboard battles running in parallel lines, eventually concluding in a "wealth verification battle."

It went something like: "I have more money, spent more to get excellent facilities, and possess better weapons, so I'm right."

It was an unsightly scene, but the words of those boasting about money weren't necessarily wrong.

Because there is no doubt that more money allows for more preparation.

For example, the self-generating facility using nuclear batteries that I really wanted was something I could never afford with my money, but for Mr. Donald Oris living in the US, it was an amount he could cover easily just by selling one yacht from his collection.

Of course, money isn't the only thing that carries persuasion.

Individual strength, experience, and ability often carry greater persuasion than wealth in certain cases.

Here is one man.

Community ID: John_nenon

Commonly known as "John Lennon" (Jon-Nae-Non). He is Korean.

The reason he is special is nothing much.

John Lennon is a pro Hunter.

A Hunter is a guardian who protects humanity by hunting monsters in front of monster dens called "Rifts"; to become a Hunter, one must pass extremely strict qualifications and exams.

In other words, not just anyone can become one.

Furthermore, Hunters possess far greater combat power than ordinary humans, and due to their profession, they have access to more classified information than civilians.

However, ranks exist even within the Hunter profession, and John Lennon never verified what rank he was.

All he verified was his pro Hunter license.

Well, that alone is absolute verification within a doomsday community full of random nobodies.

Seeing how a rich guy arguing with John Lennon tucked his tail as soon as he saw the Hunter verification proves it.

The reason I mention this friend named John Lennon isn't just because of his Hunter license.

John Lennon held a survival philosophy almost identical to mine.

Especially in the point of settling in a sparsely populated area that is accessible to a major city yet blocks human access at the source, building a large-scale survival facility to aim for permanent survival.

He was someone I had a lot to learn from.

When the underground bunker I spent money building became a breeding ground for mold due to groundwater seepage and condensation, I gained a lot of vital knowledge from his posts. How to remove mold, why cement putty is better than lime putty for flooring, and groundwater management based on aquifer types, which became flesh and blood to a novice carpenter like me.

His idea of creating multiple dummy bunkers instead of relying on a single one for long-term survival also aligned with my thinking.

In particular, the idea of installing large amounts of remotely detonatable explosives or booby traps inside the dummy bunkers so that if enemies took them over, you could simply press a button from the main bunker to lightly "clean up" the intruders was so brilliant it made me slap my forehead.

On top of that, with his exceptional knowledge, the kindness to answer questions politely, and the prestige of being an active pro Hunter.

It was a natural result that John Lennon became a popular figure in the community, especially among Korean users.

However, he wasn't a perfect person either.

Whenever he posted, he always added the header [John Lennon].

For example, like this:

[John Lennon] The Necessity of Oil Storage for Long-Term Survival (3)

[John Lennon] The Omakase I Just Ate haha

[John Lennon] (Confidential) Current Situation of the Chinese Front in 2023

[John Lennon] Tonight's Dinner Haha

I couldn't understand why he did this, but his posts were high-level and professional.

But he gradually changed too.

First to change was the community itself.

As signs of the apocalypse became more visible and the number of people in the community—especially Koreans—increased, strange signs began to appear: people envious of John Lennon, who held unrivaled popularity and influence within the community, emerged.

At first, a small number of people badmouthed John Lennon in a passive, so-called "backhanded compliment" way.

Instead of openly tackling his information posts, they attacked his information by presenting different perspectives.

That man, whom I thought shared the same thoughts as me aside from the [John Lennon] header, acted differently than I expected.

Perhaps feeling a sense of belonging to a meaningless community, he started showing behavior conscious of public opinion, and eventually went so far as to reveal his face.

The reason he revealed his face, after previously only indirectly appealing with his thick, exercised arms and solid chest muscles through thin t-shirts, was self-evident.

"Don't mess with me."

However, unlike his muscular body, his impression looked naive...

Maybe that was why.

The reaction within the community grew colder, and people openly targeting him appeared quite often.

The main repertoire was John Lennon's Hunter rank.

That while John Lennon was indeed a pro Hunter, he was a D-rank Hunter, the very bottom of the pros.

In some corners, his real name even circulated.

According to that, John Lennon's real name was Gu Ssang-hyo.

John Lennon, already a community star, attempted a frontal breakthrough instead of stepping down from his status.

He hosted an offline meet-up for Korean users of the doomsday community Viva! Apocalypse!, which boasted a $100 monthly fee.

I happened to finish an important construction project and was conceiving a new plan, so I attended the meet-up to get some advice.

Ten people attended the doomsday prepper meet-up.

The age range was diverse, but I remember there were quite a few people in their 50s who had economic freedom and remaining energy.

The largest number was the 30s and 40s generation in between, especially many professionals with "Sa" in their titles (doctors, lawyers, etc.).

There were a few people in their 20s like me, but unlike me, they seemed to have joined the community to satisfy their curiosity rather than seriously prepare for the apocalypse.

It was late autumn and the weather was quite chilly, but John Lennon was wearing only a thin set of tracksuits.

However, it seemed two sizes too small; the tracksuit looked like it was about to burst, and over the tightly stretched fabric, the massive muscles John Lennon usually boasted about were fully revealed.

Receiving everyone's gaze at once, John Lennon introduced himself.

"I am the active Hunter, Gu Ssang-hyo."

Four out of the ten attendees applauded, and I was one of them.

Honestly speaking, the meeting place wasn't that great.

It was a shady raw meat place, a BBQ restaurant you go to for the cheap price rather than the taste.

The organizer, John Lennon, boldly ordered 9 servings of all-you-can-eat pork belly.

Saying he wasn't eating because he was on a diet.

But when the owner said everyone had to order at least one serving, he reluctantly ordered one for himself too.

For someone who talked about dieting, he ate more meat and drank more alcohol than anyone else.

Anyway, the meat's origin was diverse—Belgium, Germany, Chile, etc.—and it tasted exactly as you'd imagine from an all-you-can-eat place.

The members in their 40s and 50s who looked like they had some money left halfway through.

John Lennon didn't mind.

Instead, with a look that said "good riddance," he downed a shot of soju heartily and unpacked the bundle of stories he had prepared.

"War will break out soon. It will be China that starts it. The Party is blocking the news, but the interior of China is currently a mess. Too many Rifts have opened, so they are carrying out evacuation operations by the province. On top of that, the Party itself is split, so control from the center is impossible, they say..."

John Lennon's information was at a level any pro Hunter would know, and even that was about half a year out of date.

It was presumed he didn't have the connections or authority to access core intelligence.

Well, whatever. It didn't matter.

Because what I expected from John Lennon was something else.

"Excuse me, Mr. John Lennon. There's something I'd like to ask."

As for me, I was a long-time supporter of John Lennon who always clicked "like" on his posts.

"Who were you again?"

"My nickname is SKELTON."

"Mr. SKELTON? Ah~."

A bright smile appeared on John Lennon's naive face.

"You said you wanted to build an oil storage? I know a boss who's good. Shall I introduce you? What level do you want? Gas station level?"

My finger labor all that time wasn't betrayed.

John Lennon not only answered my questions sincerely but also introduced me to connections who would support illegal construction.

Despite his seemingly frivolous side, he was a pretty decent person.

Thanks to John Lennon's connections and information, my hideout was able to achieve a leap to the next level.

Apart from that, the first meet-up was a huge success for John Lennon.

Users who dealt with him in person wrote favorable posts, and John Lennon's reputation rose even higher.

I also joined the procession of praise, however meagerly.

SKELTON: Seeing Mr. John Lennon in person, he's even more impressive. Truly, even as a man, he overflowed with a wild charm that made me fall for him!

John Lennon clicked "like" on my post.

There were a few more meet-ups after that.

Or should I call them fan meetings rather than meet-ups.

John Lennon's ratings grew higher and higher, and the number of participants increased exponentially.

At the last fan meeting I attended, over 80 people gathered.

At that final meeting, I was sitting in a corner where John Lennon wasn't even visible, chatting idly with people I didn't know.

Since there was nothing left to learn and I had a mountain of work to do, I was thinking of making this my last fan meeting.

A thoroughly drunk John Lennon approached me and beckoned.

He called me outside.

"Mr. Skelton."

John Lennon said, looking at me with wavering eyes.

It was a side of him I hadn't seen before, so I waited for his words in puzzlement.

"By any chance, are you a Hunter?"

"Me?"

"I feel like I've seen you somewhere."

"Is that so?"

I hesitated for a moment.

Whether to tell the truth or lie.

"Hmm. To tell you the truth..."

Before I could even finish my sentence.

A group of people rushed out of the restaurant, pushed past me, and gathered around John Lennon like a cloud.

"Gu-hyung. What are you doing? The broadcasting station contacted us!"

"A reporter wants to interview you?"

These were John Lennon's new ardent fans.

Just as drunk as John Lennon, they looked back and forth between me and him.

"Gu-hyung. Do you have something to talk about with this person?"

One man asked, staring blankly at John Lennon.

Surrounded by fans, John Lennon stared blankly at me.

"..."

His lips seemed to part slightly, but then closed firmly.

John Lennon went back inside the restaurant with his fans.

That was the last time.

After that, I never met him again, and I rarely logged into the community.

It was one year before the outbreak of war when I logged into the community again.

"Hmm?"

Sipping coffee and looking at the monitor, I tilted my head.

John Lennon's posts were nowhere to be seen.

They were completely wiped.

Not only the dozens of information posts but also thousands of diary-like shitposts had vanished as if washed away.

I soon found out why.

After I stopped going to meet-ups, another group had attacked John Lennon.

Unlike the previous insidious and dull attacks, the new attackers wielded a fatal weapon.

Anonymous338: John Lennon (Jot-Nae-Non) this bastard, he just Ctrl+C + Ctrl+V'd info posts from the European board.

The information posts John Lennon boasted of with vast knowledge were not his own work.

He had stolen posts from a French user active on the French board and posted them as if he had written them himself.

When there were few people, he wasn't caught, but as more people gathered and sharp-eyed individuals joined, John Lennon's deeds were exposed.

As they say, the higher you fly, the harder you fall; the fall of John Lennon, the king of the community, was terrifying.

Countless criticisms poured in, and even his fans turned their backs.

I looked up the posts from that time.

RokaGG: Mr. John Lennon, I'm disappointed...

RKKArA: Enjoyed the mythomania of someone who barely scraped by as a pro Hunter~

Anonymous82: Kaaa~~~~~ak Ptooey!!!!

Doyourbest321: How are you going to take responsibility?

Hasanius: Kill yourself, John Lennon~

Truly, a storm of condemnation was raging.

According to what I heard, instead of protesting the numerous suspicions and criticisms or claiming innocence, John Lennon let out a short, bold roar.

John_nenon: Your mom.

I know nothing of John Lennon's fate after that.

I heard rumors that the area he was in was scorched to the ground, but I haven't heard rumors that he died.

According to one theory, there is talk that a transmission presumed to be from John Lennon was recently picked up.

John Lennon, is he dead?

Or is he struggling for survival in some other distant place?

Sometimes, whenever I pump oil from the storage, I think of that man.

At least to me, John Lennon was...

A keen mentor.