Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: OPENING
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「Trait Delinquent activates.」
「The system switches to support mode. Support target: Player Kang Hyun-woo.」
Every time I see that message, I have one thing to say.
"Fuck."
Sure enough, the curse slips out like a habit today too.
That message means the system is about to work me to the bone.
Whenever the trait activates, it's always a world of pain. Probably the same today.
Irritation already bubbles up.
And then the system's nagging piles on.
《System Message》
Let's use proper and kind language. The Cheongsimhwan says that the mouth and tongue are the gates to anger and worry, like an axe that kills the body, warning us about human speech and behavior...
I closed the message without reading it all.
'Quit your yapping.'
Just thinking about the day this trait appeared makes my teeth grind.
No amount of time will let me forget it.
The day that damn system barged into my relatively peaceful life.
* * *
That summer when I was 18, my parents died in a hit-and-run accident.
My one uncle took off with the insurance money and inheritance they left behind.
One day, I was out on the streets with my 10-year-old twin siblings.
With my eyes wide open, determined to survive, I couldn't stand watching my siblings get pointed at as the kids without parents.
I got through high school with the qualification exam and started earning money.
I didn't turn down any manual labor, and I went out every day for parcel loading and unloading.
Whenever there was a part-time job I could do, I jumped at it, even if it meant cutting sleep.
I prided myself on living fiercely. I wanted to give my siblings the kind of childhood my parents had given me.
The kids who lost their parents even faster than I did—they were pitiful, so I tried to do everything I could for them.
Of course, it wasn't easy.
"You call this work?!"
Fuck.
I swallowed the curse rising to my throat, and a slap flew at my face.
I'd wanted to quit more than once or twice, but times like this made it even worse.
He was the one who poked at the neatly stacked parcels to "check" them.
He was the one who knocked them over while doing it.
He was the one who found the fragile-labeled box in the mess.
'Why the hell are you taking it out on me?'
The slap wasn't enough, so kicks followed.
With a thud, my body shifted back slightly.
The site supervisor's eyes widened.
He must have wanted me to go sprawling.
'If that's what you wanted, kick harder.'
My pride couldn't take these cotton-candy kicks.
I curled one corner of my mouth and tilted my head sideways.
The supervisor flinched, his body trembling.
'Scaredy-cat.'
If my parents were alive, I'd have grabbed his collar and headbutted him by now.
'You've gone soft, Kang Hyun-woo.'
Unlike my smirk, the supervisor's face twisted.
'Looks like he's itching to hit me again.'
He must think I'm mocking him.
"You little...!"
"Jo-ssi! Kang!"
But reinforcements arrived before he could raise his hand. The logistics center manager, Hwang Kyung-soo.
"Jo-ssi, what the hell are you doing? Want to get sued?!"
"T-This, you fuck... Do it right from now on!"
The supervisor yelled stiffly and stormed off.
'Well, well.'
I let out a hollow laugh at his retreating back.
In the meantime, Manager Hwang checked if I was hurt.
I waved him off to say I was fine and started sorting the scattered parcels.
The people hovering around, glancing nervously, came over to help.
One of them must have called Manager Hwang.
Fortunately, it wasn't my fault, so no compensation issues for me.
A few hours back at work, and it was time to clock out.
But before I could board the bus, Manager Hwang called me aside.
"You really okay? He kicked you—shouldn't you go to the hospital?"
Anyone else, and it'd be annoying, but Manager Hwang was the exception.
He knew my situation and had quietly looked out for me for over two years.
"He hits like a weakling. Didn't even feel it."
"Might bruise..."
"Nah, forget it. The round trip to the hospital would waste more time."
"You punk, I worry and you don't appreciate it!"
"I'm always grateful."
"If you can't even say it, you're not hateable. No backtalk—go to the hospital! Take tomorrow off. I'll pay your daily rate."
My eyes lit up.
"Might as well straighten out Jo-ssi's attitude. He's been getting handsy with the kids lately—can't have that."
"Threaten him with assault charges? I don't pass up chances like this."
"Who here doesn't know that about you?"
"You serious? It's easy money?"
"Rest, I'm telling you to rest! I'm scared you'll collapse—please just rest!"
"Got it."
Getting paid to rest after a few hits? Lucky day.
I hummed a tune and turned away.
After a nap on the bus, I got home around 9 a.m.
I quickly passed the bustling shopping street where vendors were setting up and entered the familiar alley.
Up the rickety stairs, the house was quiet.
Still on vacation, but the siblings had left for academy by now.
After washing up, I entered the room they insistently gave me to use alone.
It had just an old bed and a clothes rack.
"Ugh."
I plugged in my phone and lay down my aching body—a groan escaped naturally.
There were shitty moments, but I'd survived another day.
When I went from ordinary high schooler to family breadwinner in an instant, I thought the world had ended.
But the world stayed the same, unchanged except for me and my siblings.
Everything else flowed on identically.
Somehow, seven years had nearly passed while enduring day by day.
"Damn, seven years..."
Saying it out loud, it hit me.
Next month, new semester—siblings starting high school.
The 10-year-olds huddled crying in the funeral home corner, already.
Time felt so vast in retrospect.
The thought didn't last. High school is crucial for them.
To send those two to law and med school, I can't slack.
Three hours from now, another part-time gig.
'Can't let their lives crash like mine.'
I fell asleep as is.
* * *
Ding, ding, ding.
The noise assaulted my ears relentlessly, even in half-sleep.
'Already?'
I rolled my stiff body and reached out. To turn off my phone alarm.
But no matter how I groped, nothing.
"Ah, damn..."
Muttering irritably, my body jerked.
No damp blanket, no cheap mattress.
I was lying on a cold, hard floor.
Did I roll off the bed? Grimacing, I opened my eyes.
「Beta Server stabilization 23%」
「Beta Server stabilization 31%」
Something weird. Words on a white background.
'Beta Server? Stabilization?'
What the hell? I blinked in bewilderment.
Looking around for clues—nothing but white.
Up, down, left, right: pure white.
The text followed my gaze stubbornly, claiming its spot.
"Dream...?"
My head said it must be a dream.
No other way to make sense of this unreal scene.
But something felt off—I couldn't shake it.
My senses were too vivid.
'This a dream?'
Head couldn't process, but body signaled wrong.
An instinct, beyond words.
That this wasn't a dream.
「Beta Server stabilization 56%」
Amid confusion, the beeps and text continued.
'56%...?'
Numbers climbing. I hurried to my feet.
Looking down at my baggy tee and training pants from bed—cold seeped from the floor through my bare soles.
Only then realizing I was barefoot. Goosebumps rose.
Then the flickering number hit 100.
「Beta Server stabilization 100%」
「Player protection zone designated.」
「Player training program (Assimilation and Purification) executed.」
「Player management program (Summon and Recovery) executed.」
「Player support program (Storage and Shop) executed.」
「Player interaction program (Community and Party) executed.」
「Beta Player selection in progress. (100/100)」
「Basic weapon dagger provided.」
New text scrolled up, and something dropped from the air.
I snatched it quickly.
A black-coated knife, about 15cm long.
'Why a knife? What am I supposed to do with this?'
Staring at the sharp blade sent chills down my spine.
A word flashed in my mind.
'Game?'
Server, player, weapon.
Game fit this situation best.
The text was forcing a game on me.
As I reached that simple conclusion, something beyond common sense happened.
The front text vanished; a gray translucent window appeared.
≪Important Notice≫
This system was developed for the purpose of preparing for the invasion of ◇&ː$ through player training and from □% ■¿ː's ^$*(!$ to prevent %!▼ # and protect ◎¡!# for ◎ː&△.
Players block the invasion of ◇&ː$ by improving *** stats with #! abilities and achieve the ultimate goal of ː+ from &¡ in #■ &△■△.
Gripping my hand unconsciously at the fragmented, file-corrupted text.
The unrealness didn't stop.
Ding, ding, ding! Harsh alerts piled up gray windows.
Dozens overlapping.
'What the fuck?'
Hack? Error? No.
Like urgent info being blocked.
'Virus.'
The word brought certainty.
If this is a game and system posted the notice, the other is virus.
System trying to convey; virus blocking.
What was in there? I fixed on the bizarre fight.
Their battle raged: endless windows, contents shifting.
All shattered text.
I watched without blinking.
Caught a fleeting glimpse.
'For the survival of humanity...?'
The phrase burned into my brain.
Fear of the unknown built slowly.
Mouth dry, body trembling.
The system-virus clash ended; vision cleared.
No more alerts.
Eerie silence.
Tension peaking in the long quiet—then.
Gray translucent window again.
MISSION
[Tutorial (Beta Test 1/3)]
Eliminate the target.
Time limit: 00:10:00
Start timer: 00:01:00
Text crystal clear now.
Timer dropped to 59 seconds instantly.
No attention for it.
All focus on the scene beyond the window.
"Ha!"
Absurdity drew a hollow laugh.
"Grrrrowl..."
Drooling, snarling—definitely a dog.
Twice normal size—massive.
Knife, mission, target, eliminate.
Putting it together, I knew what to do.
As if waiting, timer hit zero.
「Tutorial (Beta Test) begins.」
Window gone; text returned.
Simultaneously, the huge dog bared fangs and charged.
"Fuck!"
Damn system