Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 318



False Images

As I gazed at Choi Jin-ah’s suitcase, a flurry of thoughts swirled in my mind.

Could this perhaps be an omen of something to come?

For instance, isn’t there a possibility?

That, as her fiancé, she sent her belongings here for us to cohabit.

Yet, even so, a suitcase arriving by mistake is hardly a trivial matter.

So, I wondered if something was brewing beneath the surface, unbeknownst to me.

– It’s a mistake, they say.

With Choi Jin-ah’s exasperated voice echoing through the phone, I realize it was all just my imagination.

– How could you possibly make such a mistake?

“Cough, indeed.”

Have I been spending so much time with women lately that I’ve started thinking this way?

Upon learning the truth, I felt the sting of self-consciousness, as if I had been drumming and playing the gongs all by myself.

‘How embarrassing.’

– Anyway, I’ll come to get it later, so don’t open it, okay?

“I’m not even curious.”

– You absolutely must not open it!

“Why not? Now I’m even more curious.”

– It’s common sense not to meddle with someone else’s suitcase!

“Who said I would? I have my own sense of common decency, you know? Just take it away. It’s already annoying taking up space in my dorm room.”

I know full well that cohabitation is impossible in a dormitory.

So why did I let my thoughts drift toward the realm of the absurd?

– A person with common sense wouldn’t say such things in front of someone’s father about their daughter.

“Cough.”

– Huh, I’ll try to come as soon as I can. But I have things piled up from my trip to Hawaii, so I might not be able to come right away.

“Then why is it you, Jin-ah? Shouldn’t the ones who messed up handle it themselves?”

– They’re my father’s people. If that’s the case, I’d have to talk to them, and I don’t want to.

“Ugh, fine. Do as you wish.”

—

Thud.

After ending the call, I let out a sigh and collapse onto the bed.

I shove the mint-colored suitcase into the corner, then power on my phone.

A few messages from the idiots have come through, but I skim them before diving into the bamboo grove.

– Anonymous407 (Caretaker #3): We are currently repairing the fountain in front of Research Building 3. The area is restricted, so please take a detour.

↳ Anonymous385: Is this guy for real?

↳ Anonymous83: At this point, shouldn’t the caretaker file an operational report? They’ve turned a beast into a person.

↳ Anonymous229: For real, lol.

↳ Anonymous11: It’s kind of amazing. This total social misfit has changed like this.

– Anonymous44: Today’s creepy tale. The second semester is about to begin.

↳ Anonymous295: Damn, that was actually scary for the first time.

↳ Anonymous63: Hahaha.

– Anonymous198: I came to school for the first time in a while today. No particular reason. I just wanted to jerk off in the school bathroom.

↳ Anonymous250: This guy needs to be expelled.

↳ Anonymous127: You did it in the boys’ bathroom, right?

↳ Anonymous198 (Author): Heh.

↳ Anonymous11: Damn, let’s really get this guy expelled.

↳ Anonymous93: This is messed up.

↳ Anonymous277: We need to check with the CCTV or the security guards; this is something we have to investigate.

↳ Anonymous198 (Author): Just kidding. I didn’t leave the house today. Even if you report me, I’ve got an alibi for gaming all day.

↳ Anonymous11: That alibi is pathetic.

– Anonymous59 (Caretaker #1): Caretakers #2 and #3, assemble.

↳ Anonymous407 (Caretaker #3): …….

↳ Anonymous59 (Caretaker #1) (Author): Where did #2 go? Skipping out because of break, huh?

↳ Anonymous7 (Caretaker #2): I was working.

↳ Anonymous59 (Caretaker #1): Let’s do this well.

↳ Anonymous11: This guy is playing soldier.

↳ Anonymous198: Why aren’t you posting proof of hitting Caretaker #1’s ass, admin?

↳ Anonymous86: Hahaha, military discipline.

“Ugh, what is Yuarin doing?”

—

Lately, the management of the bamboo grove has needed a stricter hand, but what kind of mindset leads to such pranks?

Yu Ah-rin doesn’t yet know the identities of No. 2 and No. 3, so she can act like that.

Though I have no intention of revealing myself due to anonymity, if these pranks continue, I might have to drop a hint.

“…….”

– Administrator: All caretakers assemble.

It looked fun, so I joined in.

Not a single comment appears.

Even the other anonymous users aren’t leaving comments, and it’s starting to sting a bit.

Ding.

After a few minutes, a reply finally comes in.

↳ Anonymous69: I wanna have s*x!

“…….”

In the end, new posts kept appearing above, and I was pushed to the next page.

“Is this what they call cyberbullying or something?”

Grumbling, I opened my post again without much thought.

There was one more comment.

↳ Anonymous456: There’s an open chat room. Please leave a reply.

“Ha, look at this b*stard.”

Right after returning from Hawaii.

Another bamboo grove villain that Seo Ye-rin and Yu Ah-rin had told me about.

Using Anonymous222, Anonymous477, and others, they keep flooding the chat like this.

And now it’s Anonymous456?

That flooding has already earned them a permanent ban. There must be at least five IDs that have been permanently suspended by now.

“Where on earth are they picking this up from?”

It’s probably the same person.

I wondered if someone was selling IDs, but I couldn’t find any place that actually trades in such things.

‘All of them are throwaway accounts, huh.’

Most of the students at Gahyeon University can be said to be in the bamboo grove, but they don’t actually write posts or comments.

They might be contacting students directly to sell IDs.

‘Or it’s possible they’re actually students from Gahyeon University themselves.’

—

—

It could be that friends are using a bamboo forest ID to write.

What matters is that open chat room over there.

When I heard it from Lee Eun-woo, a graduate student threatening Seo Ye-rin’s position as the s*x icon, it didn’t seem like much.

But when I entered, there were about a hundred people gathered.

Since they didn’t verify gender or names, I heard some got kicked out.

“Annoying.”

Should I just dive into that open chat room myself?

But given my position, it felt a bit awkward to just wade into something like that.

Illegal activities were unfolding, and if it escalated into a significant incident, I could get dragged in too.

Just being a member of a strange group chat as the youngest son of the Universe Group could bring trouble our way.

‘But asking the people I know feels a bit off too.’

For now, no girls are allowed.

Given that they require verification, who knows what they might be up to.

If I expose myself and get targeted by weirdos, nothing would feel worse.

“Idiots?”

That might be okay, I guess.

“Ah.”

A name popped into my head like a ‘pop’ in my mind.

I called immediately, and perhaps he was waiting, his voice came through.

– Hello?

“Bong-geun, do you have a moment?”

– What now? Want to meet up with those guys?

“No, it’s not that. I was wondering if you could help me with something.”

– You’re always asking for help but never think to help me.

“Isn’t that what friends do?”

– You’re not a friend.

“That’s pretty hurtful. We had a blast back then.”

– A blast? Are you talking about being out of your mind?

“That’s what makes it fun. Not having a single thought in your head.”

– Enough, what is it?

—

—

Look at you, willing to listen anyway.

As we dive into the topic of the open chat room, Bong-geun’s brow furrows.

– I’ve heard of similar cases abroad.

“Hmm? What happened?”

– It was about sharing hidden camera stuff.

“Hmm.”

– So, they want me to infiltrate pretending to be a student from Gahyeon University? I’ll give it a shot.

I send him the open KakaoTalk address I had saved separately, and a few minutes later…

Bong-geun calls me back.

– It failed.

“Eh?”

– I said I was Lee Bong-geun from the English Literature Department at Gahyeon University, right? I mixed in some lies for verification, but I got caught immediately and kicked out.

“Well, well? Look at these b*stards?”

– I don’t know if they have a reliable line for identity verification or what. But they’re more thorough than I expected.

I thought they’d fall for a half-hearted attempt at verification, but they sifted through like hawks.

– What now? Can you help me out in another way?

“Hmm, can you look into other schools for me?”

– I can do that… but why do I feel like I’m the only one losing out here?

“Is that how friends treat each other? If you ask for help, I’ll help you too.”

– What can you possibly help me with?

“That’s for you to figure out. I already told you what I needed help with.”

– …You’re not entirely wrong.

Is this guy an idiot?

No, that’s not it.

“Thanks, Bong-geun. The others want to meet you again. Let’s grab a drink later.”

– Only if you don’t make me cross-dress.

“You’ve got cross-dressing photos, so just come.”

– …Aren’t you the one running the open chat room?

“Shut up.”

Thud.

—

He hung up the phone just like that.

A lingering sense of unease settled in, a vague discomfort gnawing at him.

Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!

The phone rang again.

He thought it might be Bong-geun, but it was Choi Jin-ah.

– Why are you on the phone for so long?!

“Why? What’s the problem?”

– The carrier! It keeps vibrating! What’s going on with that?!

“Eh? Vibrating?”

Well, there wasn’t anything that should be vibrating—

Ah.

“That’s an egg.”

– An egg? Why is an egg falling? Is it going to turn into a chicken?

So damn boring.

“It’s a rotor. A vibrator.”

– Rotor? What are you talking about?

“Ugh, it’s frustrating. It’s a masturbation device. For women.”

– What?!

“Anyway, just leave it alone. Don’t open someone else’s carrier.”

– How can I just leave it? It keeps whining!

Did it turn on full power?

– If it doesn’t stop, I’ll ask your mom or other family members for help.

“That’s even worse.”

– Why not?

Why, indeed.

Because there are things he didn’t want to show his family.

“Just leave it. How loud can it be, anyway?”

Ziiiiiiiiing!

– Can you hear this? No, if you do that, people will die!

“…Is it because I put in a fresh battery?”

– Ugh, I swear I’ll just turn it off. I’m not looking at anything else.

“Wait, just a second—!”

Zziiip!

The sound of a zipper being pulled open echoed.

At the same moment, Choi Jin-ah’s scream burst forth.

– Eek! What, what is this! What on earth are these grotesque things?!

From noble mtl dot com

“Did I mention? I used to work part-time at an adult shop.”

– Ah, I’m feeling dizzy. I can see how serious Woo-jin is about his desires.

“Would you go to a battlefield without packing your weapons?”

Well, in the end, I didn’t use them.

– It wasn’t just one that was turned on. Ugh, what is this? Cosplay? Gross.

Damn, this is so embarrassing.

“Is this how it’s going to be?”

I headed straight for the mint-colored suitcase tucked away in the corner.

If this is how it’s going to be, I thought I should give them something to laugh about, so I opened the suitcase.

– Hah, look all you want. I’m not ashamed of this much.

Confident Choi Jin-ah.

Inside the suitcase, there really wasn’t much.

Just the usual stuff for a regular trip.

“…I’m over twenty, and wearing teddy bear underwear is a bit much.”

– I’ll close it right now, so just stop! That’s merchandise!

“Who makes merchandise out of underwear?”

What nonsense is this?

* * *

A few days later.

At Gahyeon University, students began to shuffle around like zombies.

A virus named the start of the semester had spread throughout the campus, and most students were dying, yet they did not die.

I was no different.

“Ah, I’m so tired.”

“Yuk! Yuk! Let’s go eat spicy rice cakes!”

Beside me, Yu-A-Rin hums a little tune, having whined all day about wanting to eat spicy rice cakes.

The side where I joked about eating spicy rice cakes and getting hit still aches.

“Oh, by the way, what’s up with the open chat room? It got quiet after the semester started, didn’t it?”

“Oh, that.”

Her face scrunches up like a detective facing a cold case.

“It has gotten quiet. It’s like it vanished; no one’s posting in the bamboo grove anymore. The chat room link is still there, but it feels a bit off to join. They’re more thorough than I expected.”

They catch fake identities with ruthless precision.

I even tried using a different school, but it was blocked.

“Just having an active connection record could be a problem, right? So asking someone else feels a bit risky.”

“Hm, should I try to join?”

“Forget it, why would you? If they’re doing something illegal, they’ll get caught on their own.”

Aren’t we just ordinary college students?

The conversation naturally drifted to another topic.

“Did you spend time with Ye-Rin after that?”

“Ugh, don’t even mention it. She came back in a cow costume, and it was just—!”

Squeak!

Yu-A-Rin pinches my side.

If that’s the case, why did she even ask?

“Just, you know.”

“Just… just thought of Arin, who dressed up as a cat.”

“Cats are better than cows.”

“Ahem.”

“Oh, by the way, did you hear about the person stalking Seo-A? That’s why they even went to the police station.”

“Stalking?”

Seo-A.

She’s a classmate from high school, along with Seo-Ye-Rin and Yu-A-Rin, all in the theater and film department.

With Han-Bom from the design department, the four of us often stuck together.

“Yeah, but it’s not just Seo-A; it seems like the theater department is in chaos over it.”

“Ah, dear me.”

What a world full of peculiarities.

As we passed through the main gate, a unique individual approached us, clucking his tongue at the state of the world, as if it were the end times.

A middle-aged man with a strikingly agile frame. The stale scent of cigarettes clung to him, accentuating his unmistakable air of a seasoned uncle.

“Kim Woo-jin, is it?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

I shifted Yu-ah-rin slightly behind me as I replied, and the man pulled out his police identification from his coat, introducing himself.

“Hello. I am Detective Baek Ho-wan from the Cyber Investigation Unit of the Seoul Police Department.”

“Hmm? The police?”

What is this?

Even the Cyber Investigation Unit?

“We are currently investigating reports of false video editing that has been on the rise. A report has come in suggesting that you, Kim Woo-jin, may be involved.”

“Me? No way, that’s absurd.”

“Really! Even if she looks like this, she’s never been lacking as a woman?!”

“What does that even mean?”

Detective, you’re right here, Ah-rin.

“We’ve received a report and are just here to confirm.”

“No, what is there to confirm? The person who reported it must have some evidence to make such a claim.”

Is it possible to feel this wronged?

If it’s about false videos, they must be referring to deepfakes or edited lewd photos.

Aside from the video editing I learned for a project, I can’t do anything like that.

“We’ve been receiving numerous reports about false videos lately, so we’re checking each one. There was a tip-off that you had a false video listed as your messenger profile picture.”

“No, what could I possibly—!”

I was about to speak when suddenly, one thought struck me.

“Those idiots, the Ahegao memes?!”