Chapter 42: Normalization (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 42: Normalization (2)
At the offices of a major American daily newspaper.
"Daniel."
"Yes, Chief? I really hit a home run with that article, didn't I?"
"Scrap it and rewrite it."
At Chief Harry’s blunt command, Daniel reflexively blurted out, "Huh?"
"What’s wrong with it? It’s pure clickbait gold!" Daniel protested, pointing at his headline:
- Has the Savior 'Saram123' Revealed His True Colors? Using Nightmare Difficulty Climbs as a Pretext to Blackmail Nations Worldwide...
Chief Harry massaged his temples and let out a long, weary sigh.
"It’s a magnet for attention, alright, but we can’t afford to attract that kind of heat right now. Don't even think about publishing so much as a speck of negative press regarding Saram123."
"Whaaat? But why—"
"If you don't want both our heads on the chopping block, just go back and rewrite it."
Daniel’s eyes went wide. Harry glared at him, his temper finally flaring.
"I mean, seriously, do you have no idea what's going on? How could you even think of writing garbage like this? The man has saved the world how many times now?"
"Since when did you care so much about having a conscience..."
"One more word and something’s going to fly at your head. Get out!"
After kicking Daniel out of his office, Harry sighed again.
Ever since Saram123 made the shocking declaration that he would not attempt the 4th Floor, a strange phenomenon had occurred. Whether major or minor, not a single line of negative press about Saram123 appeared in the American media. Even if something did pop up, it was buried almost instantly.
Harry didn't know the exact details. He’d only heard a hint from the editor-in-chief—that the very highest levels of the political world, regardless of party lines, were working with one heart and mind to exert total control over public opinion.
It was so bizarre he wondered if such a thing had ever happened before. Still, having spent nearly twenty years rolling around in the dirt of the media industry, he had a gut feeling.
If you thought about it, it made sense.
Saram123 had stated he wouldn't attempt the 4th Floor unless the government and the Association reached an agreement. The fact that Saram123—who had silently done nothing but climb the Nightmare difficulty until now—had even opened his mouth about this was unprecedented.
Looked at another way, it meant he viewed the current situation with extreme displeasure.
In this state, what would happen if someone tried to stir up negative public opinion against him? What if he actually quit the Nightmare climbs because of it?
That was a scenario no one could handle, and no one could undo. Trying to play media games with someone who held the lifeline of eight billion people was utter madness.
An agreement? They had to make one; what other choice did they have?
The fact that they were being this careful to ensure no nonsense leaked into the news meant they had already reached that conclusion. They had to wrap this up cautiously without provoking Saram123, and they couldn't afford to let the atmosphere turn sour.
The Climber Association was likely in a similar position. They’d been posturing until now, so they were probably looking for a way to dress it up nicely so everyone could save face while settling the matter.
Still, the government probably considered themselves lucky, didn't they? At least Saram123 hadn't explicitly taken the Association's side just because he was a climber.
"...It’s truly terrifying," Harry muttered as he sank deep into his chair.
The most powerful people in the world were scrambling and holding their breath just because Saram123 had cleared his throat. He realized anew exactly who was the single person holding up the world today.
* * *
After Saram123 posted on the communication channel, the window exploded.
[Tyrannosaurus: Wait, is this for real?]
[Hanata: What are you saying, Saram123... Why are you being so scary?]
[Baeksu: Saram123 is actually fuming lol]
[Windmill: No joke, this is serious. Has Saram123 ever made such an assertive statement before?]
[Counting Numbers: Assertive or not, he’s barely made any statements at all. This is unprecedented.]
Excluding the information posts he’d shared over the years, the number of times he’d actually written a post could be counted on one hand. Moreover, this was the first time he had ever intervened in political matters.
[Goldfish: Well, both sides really need to knock it off. How long are they going to keep fighting?]
[Trace of Radiance: But honestly, shouldn't Saram123 take the climbers' side...? Is being neutral right?]
[Liyen: I’m a bit disappointed. He’s an unregistered climber himself, and he’s acting like this?]
A few climbers in the communication window voiced their complaints, but...
[Galaxy: These idiots are actually insulting Saram123 now. Have you lost your minds?]
[Ruby: Did you forget who’s the reason you’re still breathing?]
[Conviction: Saram123 did well to step up. The communication window has been a mess lately anyway.]
They were quickly swept away by an overwhelming tide of support. Who had the right to criticize the man who had already saved humanity three times?
The Association had been the one manipulating public opinion in the communication window, so they were particularly quick to foster a friendly atmosphere. This was because the Association wouldn't be able to handle the fallout if the mood turned against Saram123.
"I heard Saram123 laid down the law. Told the government and the Association to reach an agreement immediately."
"They were fighting so much among themselves that Saram123 had to step in."
"...But surely he won't actually stop the 4th Floor attempt if they don't agree, right?"
Even those who sided with the government and those who had no interest in the situation focused their attention on how things would unfold. Here, too, the voices criticizing or attacking Saram123 were a tiny minority.
He was a man who was saving humanity in real-time by climbing the Nightmare difficulty without asking for anything in return. Even if it was a political issue, no one dared to say, "Who do you think you are to interfere?" His past actions and achievements spoke for themselves.
And he hadn't blindly taken the side of the climbers just because he was one. He had stepped forward for the public good, aiming to stop the bickering between the government and the Association—even if the accompanying threat was a bit terrifying.
The anxiety and fear of what would happen if he truly stopped climbing the 4th Floor began to consume people. Naturally, the target of their anger was clear.
"Hurry up and reach an agreement! How long are you going to keep this up!"
"Everyone’s going to die because of you!"
As public condemnation of the government and the Association surged, articles began to appear as if they had been waiting for this moment.
- US Government Pursuing Negotiations with the Association...
In a private room in Washington, the President of the Climber Association and the White House Chief of Staff sat across from each other, concluding a long conversation. It was a pre-negotiation to align their stories before the official announcement.
"...Then it is settled. We will only accept mandatory registration."
"Just make sure there’s no noise. You’re the one who riled up the climbers like that."
"Ha, isn't it the same for both of us?"
Through this incident, both sides had achieved certain results regardless of the negotiation's content.
The government was able to confirm Saram123’s stance. The fact that he, a climber, remained neutral instead of taking their side was a relief for the government. If he had openly sided with the climbers... the thought alone was horrifying.
The Association was also quite satisfied with this conclusion. Although Saram123 claimed neutrality, he was ultimately a climber. His threat to stop climbing the Tower served as a subtle reminder to the public of who truly held the upper hand between the climbers and the government. The government would never think of harassing climbers so recklessly again.
The two parties shook hands out of courtesy, each harboring their own thoughts, and then went their separate ways.
* * *
After I posted, the communication window and the media naturally went into a frenzy. To be honest, I didn't feel great about it. In the end, what I did was no different from threatening people's lives.
Of course, I had no intention of actually stopping the climb, but the fear people felt because of my words was real. I just wanted them to stop fighting and fix it already.
But what if this had no effect? That was my worry. Fortunately, the medicine seemed to work quite well.
[Chicken Sandwich: It seems negotiations are already underway behind the scenes. This information comes from within the White House, so we should just wait and see.]
Villon sent word that an agreement wouldn't take long. I heard the Association would accept mandatory registration and that would be the end of it.
"That’s a relief."
What surprised me was that I barely saw any negative news or articles about myself. I thought I’d get at least some flak, so it was strange.
But there was something even stranger than that. I’m not sure if "strange" is the right word, or if I should call it "absurd."
Yesterday, while walking down the street, I saw a few people holding pickets and protesting.
"The Climber Association and the governments must wake up and reach an agreement according to His will immediately!"
"It is a revelation from our Savior, Saram123! Reach an agreement!"
...They were members of the "Church of Saram123," no less.
I’d seen it on the news, so I had a vague idea. Lately, cults worshiping me had been popping up... Should I even call them cults? Anyway, various religions like that were appearing. The Church of Saram123 was the most prominent among them, and it was said to be growing the fastest worldwide.
"Noona?"
The absurd part was that I recognized a face among the protesters.
"Huh? Seohyun?"
"...What are you doing here?"
It was Ji-woo, a senior I was quite close with back in college. I was stunned to see her again in such an unexpected way. I thought she was the last person who would be involved in something like this. What on earth had happened?
"Ah, this isn't anything weird! You know about the Church of Saram123, right?"
Taking a moment to talk, she enthusiastically explained the religion to me.
"Basically, Saram123 is the savior of humanity, and we’re just faithfully believing in and following him."
"Well... isn't that basically a... you know, a cult?"
"Hey! Watch your mouth! He’s actually saving the world right now!"
"Ah, yes, I suppose so."
"You, me, all of us are safely living our lives today thanks to his devotion. Right? How can it be a cult when we believe in someone who actually exists?"
She then tried to recruit me.
"It’s really not weird; only good people join. Don't think of it as a religion; just think of it as a group that believes in and supports him."
"Ah, no, I’m okay."
"Aww, well, if you change your mind later, feel free to call me!"
It was strange enough that there was a religion believing in me, but seeing someone I knew personally claiming to be a believer... I didn't know how to describe the feeling.
Anyway, that happened.
- The US government and the Climber Association have reached a dramatic agreement. They stated that they were able to narrow their differences through sincere dialogue...
Just as Villon said, the fight between the government and the Association was finally coming to an end. Starting with the US, other governments that had been in conflict with the Association also ended their confrontations one by one.
It seemed like everything was wrapping up nicely.
Of course, the fundamental problem remained unsolved. At least tens of thousands of people every year—as I cleared the Nightmare difficulty floor by floor, the climbers who didn't climb the Tower would continue to die. Or turn into monsters.
That was the unchanging reality.