Chapter 102
Chapter 102
The game developer collaborating with TeSTAR had built a solid reputation by releasing several games with dedicated cult followings even before being acquired by T1.
Thanks to that, there were already small, active gaming communities discussing the news.
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Section 127 appeared in the subtitles of an idol MV. Thoughts?
(TeSTAR Comeback Trailer Video)
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-Whoa, this is… it looks legit.
-Just watched it. Seoul setting, red curse, biohazard, even the water tank. Isn't this confirmed?
-Wait, an idol ad for a niche flop-game dev like this? (Confusion emoji)
└ The taste of a big corp merger is sweet, indeed.
-Something… something is happening.
-Ah, I thought it was a girl group. Thank god. At least we’re safe from an influx of weebs.
└ Instead, you’re getting the fangirl stans.
└ Who cares as long as they spend money? I’m just worried these guys will shut down the servers and pull a runner again.
└ LMAO, true.
There were no comments like, "Why make something like this with idols and ruin the image?"
First, the video was highly cinematic and perfectly captured the atmosphere of the previously revealed game setting. Second… these gamers weren't in a position to be picky.
'Ruin Factory,' the developer of , had gained quite a bit of underground recognition over the past few years for making high-quality games. However, because they couldn't develop a proper monetization model, they always lacked the stamina to maintain operations.
Consequently, the players just wanted to prevent an early server shutdown.
-Can we expect some big corp investment now?
-Whoa! Section 127 is gonna become a national god-tier game!
-So when is the game actually coming out… Why release a trailer without a release date! (Table-slamming emoji)
└ What do you expect from a mom-and-pop shop? LOL.
After TeSTAR’s comeback was sufficiently promoted through articles and other media, the game company announced the release date a step behind.
[Ruin Factory’s New Game to Launch in Collaboration with 'National Stock' TeSTAR]
[TeSTAR’s Comeback Trailer Was a Collab Video… Release Imminent]
-Hell yeah!
-Whoa, the recognition is skyrocketing!
-TeSTAR? They’re practically the sons of Ruin Factory now.
-Ahem, don't just call them TeSTAR. Call them God-star.
While the gaming enthusiasts were rolling around in anticipation, TeSTAR’s fans were starting to get anxious.
-Is this entire album really just for a game ad?
-Please tell me they aren't just following through with whatever the old General Manager set up…?
-Seriously, at least tell us specifically how they collaborated. Just writing it vaguely like this is pissing me off, LOL.
-Do we have to bash the agency again? T_T
...
Fortunately, before the fans' anxiety could grow any further, new information was released.
[TeSTAR Concept Photo ‘Side A’]
It was the concept photos for TeSTAR’s album.
And the atmosphere of these photos was… overtly refreshing.
The scenes featured them lying in a forest wearing white T-shirts, or lying on a bed with headphones on, looking at the natural scenery outside the window.
And they were all barefoot.
Overall, it was a refreshing and nostalgic landscape, like a summer day in one's youth.
-Holy crap.
-Aaaaah, the 'Refreshing' concept is here!!
-A-hyun is barefoot…! Barefoot!
-Did you see the cut of Moon-dae biting the apple? DID YOU SEE IT?!
-I think I’m going to faint.
-Sob, sob, T_T... Guys, you get more handsome every time I see you...
The vibe was completely different from the previously released information on or the comeback trailer, allowing fans to feel relieved as they began editing the photos.
“Moon-dae! The reaction is amazing!”
“I’m looking at it right now.”
“Haha!”
I could hear Keun Se-jin laughing as he hurried down the hallway. He was probably going to tell the others in their rooms.
I checked the comments on my smartphone screen. Everyone naturally accepted that the game collaboration was just one part of the album.
I guess releasing it in this order was the right move.
If the game collaboration had been revealed later, it might have caused a sense of betrayal or rejection. If it had been hit first, all the attention might have been sucked into the game.
So, we approach it step-by-step.
It was important to build it up so it didn't feel off-putting, while only merging with the game to a moderate degree.
We can't be too intertwined.
It was better for the game collaboration to be treated as a sort of side story that made the world-building more enjoyable.
As I was enjoying that moderate sense of satisfaction, a pop-up appeared on my screen.
[VTIC Cheong-ryeo Sunbae-nim: Releasing an album?]
“…….”
This… this question definitely has a purpose.
Still, I couldn't ignore it, so I replied.
[Yes. We’re having a comeback at the end of this month.]
[VTIC Cheong-ryeo Sunbae-nim: I see. Then you still have some time.]
And then came an unwelcome proposal.
[VTIC Cheong-ryeo Sunbae-nim: I have a song I wrote. Do you want to use it as a B-side?]
Are you crazy?
[I’m really okay. I can't put you through that trouble, and the album is already organically complete. Thank you very much for the offer, though.]
[VTIC Cheong-ryeo Sunbae-nim: It’s because there’s something I want to hear from you. I’m giving it to you because I’d feel bad taking it for free, so don't worry. You don't even have to use it for this album. ^^]
“…….”
[Is this perhaps about the future?]
I spoke in euphemisms just in case someone was snooping on the chat logs, but I meant: Are you asking for future information?
[VTIC Cheong-ryeo Sunbae-nim: Yes.]
[As I told you, I don't have much experience myself, so there isn't much I can tell you.]
[VTIC Cheong-ryeo Sunbae-nim: I’ll be the judge of that after I hear it. ^^]
“…….”
Ugh, I really don't want to see this guy again.
But I can't just cut ties.
In that case, I should dig for information too.
[Then, rather than a song, I would like to hear about your past stories, Sunbae-nim.]
Unlike just a moment ago when the replies came instantly, it took a little while for a response to return.
[VTIC Cheong-ryeo Sunbae-nim: Sure.]
I already had no time because of album preparations, so I wanted to postpone this meeting until after promotions if possible, but I was blocked.
—I’ll be heading overseas for a concert tour then.
Because of that, I ended up renting a recording studio late at night after all the practice was over.
Damn it.
For now, I had told the company that I would try working with him but wasn't sure how it would turn out.
Not that I’m actually going to work with him.
Anyway, Cheong-ryeo arrived a few dozen minutes later.
“Hello. Have you been well?”
“Yes. I’ve been doing fine.”
“It seems so. The trailer turned out well. …Ah.”
Cheong-ryeo hung his thin coat on the rack by the door and turned toward me with a blank expression.
“Did you already know about that game? Does it become a massive hit once it’s released? Is that why you did the collab?”
“…The company just told me to do it out of the blue.”
“Ah, I see.”
Cheong-ryeo smiled thinly and sat in the recording studio chair. Then he pulled a small object out of his pocket.
It was a USB drive.
“Shall we listen to the song first?”
This guy really doesn't listen to a word people say.
“……I’m fine without the song.”
“Since we met in a recording studio, just give it a listen.”
Cheong-ryeo fiddled with the equipment in front of the booth and soon played the song.
“……!”
“It’s good, right?”
It was a catchy tropical house track.
That made it even more suspicious.
He doesn't seem like the type to give away a song like this instead of using it himself.
“Why are you trying to give this to me instead of using it yourself, Sunbae-nim?”
“Hmm, this isn't really my taste.”
“…Then what about your label juniors?”
“…….”
“Or you could give it to your own team members for a unit activity.”
“……Hmm.”
Cheong-ryeo turned off the song. Then he rested his chin on his hand.
“You really are smart……. Uselessly so.”
“…!!”
“Actually, I didn't write this.”
Cheong-ryeo pulled out the USB and tossed it into the trash can.
“Two years from now, a promising rookie composer was supposed to give this to T-Holic and it would have been quite a hit… or it should have been. I snatched it.”
What?
“Ah, no need to pity the composer. After this song, that person got into plagiarism, faced a string of lawsuits, and ended up fleeing the country.”
“…….”
Cheong-ryeo laughed as if he were embarrassed.
“Well, that’s how it was before I came back. They’re probably living well now. I paid a good price for the song.”
“…….”
“But I can't give the song to someone in my company. Who knows if they’ll try to give us a plagiarized song again?”
“…But you were going to give that to me?”
Cheong-ryeo smiled.
“I was planning to explain the situation, of course. If I explained it like this, you would never take a song from that person again, Moon-dae. Wouldn't you?”
“…….”
If I hadn't noticed, I think he was just going to screw me over.
“I believe you just said I noticed because I was 'uselessly smart.'”
“I said that because it takes the fun out of explaining.”
He’s slippery as an eel.
Cheong-ryeo continued with a serious face.
“I just want to manage these risks well. I’m not looking for grand information… just the big flow. Trends, incidents—just tell me what you remember. Then I’ll answer you with what I know.”
“…….”
But I only studied.
All I remember are incidents that frequently appeared on the 9 o'clock news or the portal main pages.
But what this guy wants to know probably isn't the name of the typhoon coming next summer.
“…You remember I was a civil service exam student, right?”
“You seemed familiar enough with society to participate in Aju-sa and take first place.”
A misunderstanding had occurred here. I answered brazenly.
“That was just effort and talent.”
He’s the type of guy whose eyes would flip if I mentioned the Status Window. I shouldn't breathe a word of it.
“……For someone like that, you managed your screen time as if you knew exactly where the cut-off was.”
It didn't seem like telling him I sold data as soon as I dropped out of high school would work, so… hmm.
I’ll use the closest and most common example.
“I was an idol fan before I started studying for the exam, so I know this industry reasonably well.”
“…….”
Cheong-ryeo seemed momentarily speechless.
“…Whew.”
And finally, he let out a sigh.
“You were an idol fan.”
“Yes.”
“…Whose fan were you?”
“Malang Dalkom.”
“…….”
Cheong-ryeo sighed again. Then he replied in a slightly softened voice.
“…Fine, just tell me everything you remember anyway. I’ll answer you too.”
It was a declaration of surrender. I nodded.
“Yes. I will. Um… ah, Bit-on from Maxi-mite will have a drunk driving scandal early next year…….”
“He’s always been that kind of guy. Next.”
“Hmm… Mudie is releasing a carol at the end of this year. I heard it constantly in restaurants, so… I assume it did well on the charts.”
“……Understood. Next.”
After repeating this about three times, Cheong-ryeo asked gloomily.
“…Don't you know anything like what kind of beats will be trendy next year?”
“If I knew that, I would have used them already.”
“……!”
Cheong-ryeo finally accepted that I didn't have any particularly special information.
“It doesn't seem like you’re lying… Good grief.”
“Should I tell you the competition rate for next year’s civil service exam instead?”
“…No thanks.”
“Hmm.”
Now it was my turn to ask.
“Do you have any guess as to why this situation happened? Or any specific event?”
“I’d like to know that myself.”
Cheong-ryeo frowned.
“What’s certain is that once you finish your task, you don't have to worry about dying suddenly anymore. …Besides, the future knowledge is still there, so these past few years have been very useful.”
The nuance of the word 'useful' in that context was very subtle.
“……Did you steal songs?”
“Haha, why ask something so obvious? It’s not like they compose them themselves. Whoever gets it from the composer first is the owner, right?”
Cheong-ryeo laughed brightly.
“It’s a shame that ended last year, though.”
“……!”
At those words, I realized.
This bastard turned back time last year.
And he went back to before his debut.
That meant… based on VTIC’s years of experience, he had turned back time at least seven years.
Then he has at least eight Status Effects. If he tried to avoid them without knowing anything, just how many times did he fail…?
……No wonder he’s out of his mind.
I reaffirmed my resolve to keep my distance from him in the future.