Adding multiplayer to a game was actually extremely difficult.
In fact, even for a skilled solo developer, it could take two to three weeks just to get the basics in place. And that’s not even considering the server infrastructure. Beyond simply connecting players, one had to ensure that everyone saw the same world at the same time.
This was anything but easy when one had to deal with latency, synchronization, and unpredictable network conditions.
On top of that, the core game mechanics had to be rethought to accommodate multiple players, often requiring big changes to how systems like movement, actions, and interactions were handled.
’Just thinking about the interactions is giving me a headache.’
The dialogue of the old lady had to be changed a little bit, and I had to make sure she looked at all three of them instead of just one person.
“Haa.”
I sighed while thinking about it.
All in all, it was hard.
However, although it was hard, it wasn’t impossible.
The reason why I was so confident in applying a multiplayer system was that I could just make everyone play on the same network (LAN).
I wasn’t planning on investing too much time creating a multiplayer option, with a designated server, when I was unaware of whether it would work or not. Thankfully, the perfect guinea pigs had shown up right before me.
’It’s not like I’ll be investing too much time. Taking everything into consideration, it’ll just be another two days of grind. I’m already used to grin—’
“Cough!”
A sudden wave of pain engulfed my chest, throwing me out of my thoughts as I grabbed tightly onto my chest and leaned against the desk.
’Ah, fuck. I’m having an attack…’
How long had it been since the last one I had? Everything had been going so smoothly that I had almost forgotte—!
“Cough…! Cough!”
It was as if my lungs were engulfed in flames, like they were being held under a blazing bonfire.
It hurt. It really hurt.
“Kh—!”
The pain was a familiar one, but alongside the pain in my chest, I felt a massive throb in my head as my vision grew blurry and I nearly passed out. This… I could clearly feel that the situation was about to turn for the worse.
’Pills. Where are they? Where did I leave them? Ah, here!’
Without hesitation, I grabbed one of the pills I’d bought earlier in the system shop and I’d tossed into my drawer in case of emergencies, and popped it into my mouth, quickly chasing it with a gulp of water from the bottle beside me.
“Pukh!”
However, halfway through my motion, I found myself spitting the water back out as I had to take a deep breath before trying again.
This time, the water went down my throat, and I slumped back against the chair, feeling the throb in my head slowly starting to subside alongside the chest pain.
“Haaa… Haa…”
Leaning against the chair as I breathed heavily, I blankly stared at the empty ceiling above me.
This…
How did things turn out like this? Everything had been going so well that I had almost forgotten about the thing that used to haunt me.
I took the medicine nearly every day, and the one I had just taken was the second dose of the day. What could this mean?
’The disease is worsening. The amount of time left is less…’
As sweat beaded on my forehead, I wiped it away and then turned my attention back to the monitor.
’Right, the medicine isn’t actually curing me. It’s only delaying the inevitable.’
Yet again, I was reminded of my goal. Of the reasons why I did all of this.
It wasn’t just because I loved to traumatize people.
No.
That wasn’t the case at all.
This was all… for survival.
“Survive.”
I needed to survive.
***
Two days passed quickly.
The entire time, Seth remained cooped up in his room. Nobody caught sight of even the smallest traces of him during the entire time. Usually, even at his busiest, they’d catch a glimpse of him roaming the kitchen area like some sort of ghost, but for the past couple of days, it was as if he had completely disappeared from the face of the earth.
“Well?”
The day of the bet had finally arrived, and the exchange members gathered around Kyle’s cubicle, all eyes fixed on the direction of Seth’s office.
“What do you think the chances of him rescinding the bet are?”
Kaelen suddenly spoke up, glancing toward Serelith and Sarah, who were seated nearby. Serelith was calmly polishing the tip of her spear while Sarah busied herself with her phone. At the sound of Kaelen’s voice, Sarah lifted her head.
“You wanna make another bet?”
“…Haha, maybe another time.”
Kaelen replied with a laugh, prompting Sarah to silently click her tongue while she mumbled, “And here I thought I could’ve gained more fragments.”
Kaelen simply smiled and turned his gaze to Serelith, who remained focused on cleaning her spear. She showed no sign of having heard him, and in the end, he could only shrug it off.
’How boring.’
While they were all part of the exchange program, they weren’t friends by any means. The only reason they even tolerated each other was because of the program.
Otherwise, they would’ve probably ignored each other.
“Huam.”
Kaelen let out an unexpected yawn and glanced once more toward the office, his eyes narrowing. A quick check of the time showed they were already a few minutes past the deadline. When he looked at Kyle, Kaelen found him staring at the office as well, his face unable to hide the nervousness it contained.
’Where was all the confidence from before?’
The sight felt rather amusing to Kaelen as he looked at Kyle and the others next to him. Although they weren’t as nervous as Kyle, they all looked rather worried.
Kaelen shook his head.
’If you aren’t confident in a bet, don’t take it.’
Time continued to tick like this. Five minutes. Ten minutes.
As the minutes passed, patience started to run thin. Kaelen’s brows were now tightly furrowed, and his gaze towards the office space in the distance appeared quite sharp. He was just about to rise in frustration when, at last, he heard movement by the door, and then it opened.
Clank!
Coming out of the door was the same haggard-looking figure from before, his hair even messier than before, and the smell coming off him even worse.
“Ah, shit.”
“…Ukh.”
As soon as Seth moved toward Kyle, the expressions of several people shifted at the smell wafting off him. Kyle glanced up at him and said, “I think it’s time you cleaned yourself up.”
“I will.”
Seth replied calmly, brushing his hair back to reveal his eyes.
The moment he did, the atmosphere turned to ice, a slow, creeping tension spreading through the room. For some reason, the instant their eyes met his, everyone felt a heavy pressure settle over them.
His gaze was unsettling.
Glaring black circles aside, there was something about his eyes that made everyone tense.
They looked…
Lifeless.
No, not just lifeless.
There was a coldness to them, an emptiness that made the room feel even quieter. It was hard to put into words, but the silence that hung in the air was deafening.
“Here.”
Seth’s voice cut through the tension as he brought out a USB stick.
“Get three laptops out. I’ve completed the game.”