Gallery 36 - Dumpster

I Gained a Gallery in the Wild - Eps 36 Mod (3)

The news that HeavenlyDemon had been granted badge spread far and wide.

Since she was already a well-known fixed nicks, the fuss was only natural.

Although sub-mod is a sub-type of a mod, it is still a moderator.

If you go against the rules or irritate HeavenlyDemon, there's a high probability of being banned.

'HeavenlyDemon wouldn’t do that, though.’

HeavenlyDemon has a strong 'my way' temperament.

No matter what others say, she stubbornly follows her own path.

You could call it a steel mentality. Or should it be called the mercy peculiar to the elderly?

To provoke her temper would mean hurling insults too vile to even speak aloud.

‘If that’s the case, you can’t complain about being banned.’

Anyway, from my perspective, it was close to an ordinary happening.

Even if HeavenlyDemon becomes the mod, there won't be any big changes.

All that happened is one more moderator got added.

At least our existing friendly relationship might grant me some convenience.

'But I won't depend on her.'

I'll get lazy if I rely too much on HeavenlyDemon.

I’m already receiving plenty of help as it is.

So rather than clinging to HeavenlyDemon, it's better for me to become stronger myself.

'She must be very busy since she become sub-mod, right?'

Sub-mod is more like a volunteer. An unpaid laborer.

But if they neglect their duties, they can not only have the badge revoked but also be banned.

Especially since the mod is rigid and rule-oriented, you can’t ignore it.

‘I’ll just do my own tasks.’

Escaping the muscle mushroom and HeavenlyDemon’s promotion aside, my to-do list remains.

I received the barrier from a PassingDwarf and repaired the cave.

They said they would give them around lunch, so it’s about time for a trade.

'After setting up the barrier....'

It was around the time I was pondering what to do after setting up all the barrier.

[PassingDwarf has requested a trade. Do you accept?]

A trade request popped up from the dwarf.

This person doesn't seem to be a gentleman either. I thought as I accepted.

[PassingDwarf: You accepted right away. Guess you’ve got time to spare?]

[WildGrills: Been waiting on you.]

[PassingDwarf: Ah. I like women though. This body’s a magnet.]

[WildGrills: Crazy bastard lol. The barrier done?]

[PassingDwarf: They’re done, but the quantity’s large and the size too. Got storage space?]

I glanced around at his storage question.

Perhaps because it was originally a Mad Dog pack's habitat, the area around the cave is quite spacious.

Same inside the cave. Three big creatures lived here, after all.

Worst case, I’ll stash some inside the cave. After installing a few in advance.

[WildGrills: I do. About how big?]

[PassingDwarf: Check these first.]

[PassingDwarf: (Wooden barrier Photo), (Wooden barrier Photo 2)]

[PassingDwarf: Which one’s better?]

"Oh?"

I marveled at the photos the dwarf uploaded.

One was a perfectly ordinary wooden barrier.

A barrier wall made by attaching wooden poles with sharpened tops.

The other was closer to a barricade.

Barrier and barricade are the same words, but the forms are different.

If a barrier stands at a right angle, a barricade was set up in a slanted form.

It was made by tilting sharpened wooden stakes and weaving them tightly together.

[PassingDwarf: You’re not gonna live there, right? If it’s temporary, spikes might be better. Easier to install too.]

[WildGrills: That does look better. I did a fuckton of shoveling though lolol]

[PassingDwarf: Just bury it roughly. I’ll make this one, then.]

[WildGrills: How long will that take?]

[PassingDwarf: You can roughly manage defense with what I gave you. If it's not enough, you make it yourself. It's easy to make if you just know how to tie ropes.]

[WildGrills: I’ll think about it. Can you send it now?]

[PassingDwarf: w8]

[PassingDwarf has registered trade items.]

[PassingDwarf: Take it.]

[WildGrills: Thx thx. Need anything?]

[PassingDwarf: Gimme some alcohol lol]

[WildGrills: I Can’t do booze, but I’ll give you something to drink with. Fish good?]

[PassingDwarf: Not bad. Don't you need a fish trap to catch fish?]

[WildGrills: Would be nice, but traps that big sound like a pain?]

[PassingDwarf: I’ll make some. Just give me the damn side dishes. Deal?]

[WildGrills: Deal.]

As the trade ended, the items sent by the dwarf arrived.

I thought the height wouldn't be much, but I was wrong.

Even slanted, the wooden stakes height slightly topped my own.

This method must’ve been more labor-intensive.

'Bigger than I thought?'

There's no time to be flustered. Another barricade will come soon.

Thanks to the time difference, I was able to place them slowly.

It seems that it takes time to transfer because it's bigger than expected.

Or it could be due to lack of space.

"Huft."

After some time, I finished placing and adjusting everything.

I stumbled a bit as I didn't know the criteria for placing trade items, but there were no accidents.

'There's no inventory, huh?'

This’ll be a headache every time large items come through.

Would be nice if there were a special storage for trade items.

---

Title: Work done!

Author: WildGrills

(Photo of hideout with barricade installed)

Finally finished setting up the barricades. More to do, but it’s satisfying.

By the way, is there no storage space for trade items? Stuff pops in out of nowhere and it’s a pain to reposition.

---

ㄴ Good job. But the feature you mentioned actually did exist. It's just restricted.

ㄴ WildGrills) Why restricted?

ㄴ Because of smuggling. Originally, people criticized it as military-style processing, but it was blocked after the previous previous mods bankrupted an estate.

ㄴ Isn't this a meaningless restriction for mods? Mods can do anything.

ㄴ Yeah, if the mods lifts the restriction you can use it. But will the current mods bother?

ㄴ WildGrills) Can't it be for just 10 minutes? That would be enough.

ㄴ There are even bastards who hide drugs in their assholes to transport them, as if they would allow that lolol

ㄴ They might do it for you Grills. But is there a system to unlock it for one specific fixed nicks?

ㄴ None. Maybe if you’re sub-mod. Even then you still gotta kiss up to the mods lolol

ㄴ What's certain is that this mods is a boomer so probably won't do it.

ㄴ DontAbandonTheHero) I'm not a boomer! I just value principles! Calling someone a boomer for maintaining order is that person’s fault! The technical term is ‘antisocial tendency’!

ㄴ Mods showed up?

ㄴ Mod. Then how about lifting the restriction? You can do as you please now.

ㄴ DontAbandonTheHero) I’ve actually been mulling that over! I’ll consider it positively, so please wait! That’s all from me!

‘Will consider positively’. I think it's okay to be hopeful.

Even five minutes of storage would help.

I've organized the barricade, but it's still in a somewhat messy state.

'No. That's too greedy. What was I thinking?'

I quickly shook my head. This won’t do.

I vowed to rely less on the gallery, yet here I am, irritated by minor inconveniences.

It truly has drug-like effects. This must be why people can't quit the gallery.

One can only grow by overcoming challenges on their own. I reaffirmed my resolve.

'Let's check the barricade properly first.'

A day may come when I have to build them myself.

If the dwarf vanishes or the gallery went under.

I need to understand the structure of the barricade just to prepare for that time.

'So they dug into the wood and inserted it there. Just in case, secured it tightly with a rope.'

I should practice crafting smaller versions when time allows.

Since there were trees all over the place, there should be no shortage of materials.

If anything's lacking, it would be my craftsmanship. It will be far inferior to what the dwarf made.

'Aren't dwarves supposed to be short? Did he do all this by himself?'

The dwarf’s physique crossed my mind.

The barricade is just a bit taller than me.

Amazing that a dwarf built a wall this high solo.

He's always pestering for alcohol, but the dwarf might be a respectable person.

"Kyuu."

"You hungry?"

Round Fluff came to me and looked at me with his round bright eyes.

While I was setting the barricade, it had already become lunchtime.

Since there's no fish, it seems we'll have to make do with Byeokgokdan today.

I gave Round Fluff a large piece of meat that I bought at the gallery.

His eyes sparkled as he devoured the meat instantly.

'I also need to learn how to set traps.'

The problem is whether ordinary traps would catch ordinary animals.

So far, the only small animals have been squirrels and rabbits.

And even those were pretty large.

The rabbits were the size of medium-sized dogs.

And they were so fast that they immediately fled as soon as they sensed my presence.

'Then I should make the trap larger.'

A simple but effective method.

I should set traps as if I’m hunting boars, not rabbits.

I looked back while munching the bitter Byeokgokdan.

I thought someone was climbing up my back, but of course, it was DizSpeed.

“Want some too?”

"....."

The guy nodded his head with his characteristically slow pace.

I handed over one Byeokgokdan and browsed the gallery.

After a short rest, I plan to operate the cultivation technique.

[HeavenlyDemon has requested a private chats! Accept?]

"Huh?"

A single message caught my eye while I was browsing the gallery.

HeavenlyDemon had not proposed a trade but asked for a one-on-one conversation.

I was under the impression that one-on-one conversations were impossible for regular users and even fixed nicks.

Rumor had it this was to prevent cliquish behavior. But why HeavenlyDemon?

'What? Is it different for sub-mod?'

I had such doubts, but I couldn't refuse since it was HeavenlyDemon's request. I accepted the request.

Upon accepting, a window similar to the trade window appeared.

[HeavenlyDemon: Benefactor. Does thou see my words?]

[WildGrills: Hello. I can see clearly. Can sub-mod use private chats?]

[HeavenlyDemon: Normally impossible. Yet This One persuaded the mods and gained the right. The condition is that I must make the request first.]

[WildGrills: I see. Are sub-mod duties manageable?]

[HeavenlyDemon: There were many pictures that pleased mine eyes. But those with weak cultivation, like thou, may fall to demonic influence.]

I roughly understand what she means.

One time I went in without knowing anything and got my eyes thoroughly blasted.

However, HeavenlyDemon is a real gallery addicts among gallery addicts. Such things wouldn’t faze them.

In a way, she possesses excellent conditions for being a badge.

She has time to spare, doesn't get eye-blinded, and has a solid mental fortitude.

From the mod's perspective, making her a mod must have seemed favorable.

[WildGrills: That sounds tough. Is there no time limit for private chats?]

[HeavenlyDemon: None. However, all chat history are visible to the mod. But it matters not. What I shall teach thee is foundational.]

[WildGrills: Foundational? Didn’t you already teach me everything? Like unlocking the upper dantian or something?]

[HeavenlyDemon: Indeed. But the problem lies in thou having broken through too swiftly. A weak foundation invites instability. Even a seemingly sturdy bridge will collapse if poorly constructed.]

The words were martial-arts jargon yet strangely I understood it.

The part about poor construction particularly struck me the most.

This must be what they call 'wisdom.' An excellent master.

[WildGrills: I get it now. You mean my body could crumble because of poor construction?]

[HeavenlyDemon: Correct. Henceforth, I shall teach thou the basics. Even a sturdy trunk withers quickly if its roots are weak.]

[WildGrills: Thank you. But I'm not sure if I'll be able to understand everything.]

[HeavenlyDemon: Fret not. I shall explain in ways thou can comprehend. First, assume the lotus position.]

I sat cross-legged as HeavenlyDemon instructed.

Perhaps because I've grown accustomed to it, it doesn't hurt but feels refreshing.

Later, I should practice other postures besides the lotus position. More flexibility never hurts.

[HeavenlyDemon: Ah. One thing I wonder. What did thou feel when thou operated the cultivation technique? Didn't thou feel a blockage at the crown of thy head?]

[WildGrills: Not at all? It just felt like energy made one full circulation through the body?]

[HeavenlyDemon: So thou has truly opened the Gate of Life and Death. It appears that thy internal energy flows freely through the Conception and Governing Vessels.]

I don't understand a word she's saying. But I think I can tell she's impressed.

[WildGrills: That good?]

[HeavenlyDemon: It is very good indeed. In terms of cultivation realm, it is late peak stage. However, being too radical means thou can not even properly manifest sword energy.]

[WildGrills: Sword energy? Putting mana into the blade?]

[HeavenlyDemon: Indeed. Though I would prefer thou call it internal energy rather than mana. Not that it strictly matters, but it strangely grates on mine ears.]

So it bothers her. She seems to have great pride in internal energy cultivation techniques.

Well, she’s an old master who has seen everything in the world, so I can understand her pride.

If anything, it's something I should respect. I should be more careful about this.

[WildGrills: I'll be more careful. Anyway, I can't make it. This is the first I've heard of it.]

[HeavenlyDemon: Not only sword energy, strengthening the body itself will burden thou. That is why foundations matter.]

[WildGrills: I see. Understood.]

[HeavenlyDemon: Therefore, knowing the meridians will make it easier. Pay close attention. When performing the cultivation technique, the direction in which internal energy flows is lower dantian, perineum, sacrum...]

HeavenlyDemon's teachings continued. And they were incredibly long.

My jaw hung open in a daze.

Because I couldn't understand a single word she speak.

It felt like learning 1+1 as basics when suddenly calculus gets thrown at me.

[HeavenlyDemon: If it's too difficult, I can show thou with diagrams.]

[WildGrills: Is it possible?]

[HeavenlyDemon: (Rough diagram of meridian paths) How is this? Can thou see clearly?]

I can see it clearly alright.

It's a rough diagram showing a human profile and the energy paths inside.

'What language is this?'

The problem is that I don't understand any of the language.

At least I could figure out the path because it was a picture.

'Will this be okay?'

It's too difficult.

*****

The time when HeavenlyDemon's intensive tutoring was taking place.

[SwordMaster: Mod-nim. You made a deal with HeavenlyDemon-nim, right?]

[DontAbandonTheHero: What?!]

SwordMaster was secretly approaching the mod.


|Note
From now on, I will be using she/her for every HeavenlyDemon reference since she actually have quite a few pointer of her gender. I’ll still use they/them for SwordMaster and everyone else. Except for PassingDwarf yes, it’s confirmed to be male. I’m sorry for my lacking ability to discern these. I don’t want to be hasty and trying to keep the anonymity style of internet forum.

Turn out it was a barrier after all. Before, I was using barricade but now it’s confirmed barrier with that sentence. I’m sorry for this.

---

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