Chapter 541
Chapter 541
Shin Jae-hyun looked up.
The snow-covered landscape of the DMZ was quite beautiful, regardless of whether unexploded ordnance lay hidden beneath it.
However, the occasions where he served outdoors with that scenery as his backdrop were rarer than expected. This was because he had been stationed in the Command and Control Center.
Cheong-ryeo surmised that they had originally intended to assign him to Panmunjom guide duties due to his professional background, but he was likely excluded for that very same reason—the "potential for incidents or accidents."
And so, for the first time in perhaps decades, quiet and orderly days flowed by.
It was exotic.
In truth, people might think the show business industry is incredibly dynamic and fresh every day, but humans are creatures of habit.
This was especially true for someone who had repeated the same tasks for an exceedingly long time until everything had become a manual.
In that sense, a docile day with nothing to control or squeeze didn't quite fit Cheong-ryeo’s cognitive structure.
Still, this daily routine was quite interesting—if one excluded the downside of not being able to be with his dog.
And before long, even that craving was somewhat satisfied.
"Hello, Senior."
A guest had come to visit.
Bringing news of his dog, Kong-i, in person.
Cheong-ryeo smiled broadly as he faced Park Moon-dae, who was walking toward him with a reluctant expression.
"It’s been a while."
I fell silent for a moment upon seeing the person who came out to meet me.
I had expected it, but this was the first time I’d ever had such a noisy time getting clearance for a visitation.
‘Actually, it’s pretty much the first time I’ve ever come to visit someone else in the military at all.’
To make matters worse, this place only allowed visitations on Sundays, so I nearly ground my teeth trying to fit it into my schedule.
"It must have been a struggle to get here."
"Not at all."
Just based on my tone, I sounded like a private. The guy even made a suggestion as if he were being kind.
"How about a tour?"
"I’m fine."
I had no interest in a JSA Museum tour guided by this guy. Perhaps he was just saying it for the sake of it, as he didn't suggest it again.
We simply walked slowly through the quiet space and entered an equally silent indoor area.
"Have a seat."
It was a space that seemed frequently used for visitations. However, there were no other visitors in the room besides me.
"There aren't many people here."
"I see."
It would be weirder if there were a lot of civilians near the Military Demarcation Line.
I sat down for the time being and took out what I had prepared.
"Here."
It was a paw print with a dog's footprint engraved into it.
I wasn't sure what his dog was doing... anyway, it seemed like it was made during some outdoor activity involving playing with clay. At any rate, it wasn't a prohibited item.
The guy's expression softened slightly.
"Thank you."
Picking up the small, disc-shaped ornament with the hardened paw print, he stroked the surface quite gently.
"……."
Well, I guess I didn't do a bad thing.
But I hadn't come here simply to show him the current status of his dog's paws. I could have just sent a text for that.
Still, before getting to the main point, if I were to mention the things that needed to be handled quickly...
It was business.
"By the way, I met the T-Holic seniors."
"Yes."
"They said the T-Holic seniors established a company in cooperation with LeTi."
"That’s right."
Cheong-ryeo nodded with a nonchalant, innocent air, then spoke with a smile.
"Now we really won't have to worry about our schedules overlapping when we make a comeback. Haha."
"……."
Right. This bastard was the one who led it.
I had my suspicions, but he really was a tenacious one. Does he just swallow up even a tiresome past rival if they're useful?
‘He sure cleaned up a lot of things before enlisting.’
Furthermore, Cheong-ryeo wasn't finished.
"Hmm, I also created a small event in the process. You're already well aware of this, aren't you, Junior?"
"...Event?"
"Yes. You saw it in the articles."
Realization struck me like a bolt of lightning.
‘The article event.’
An incident that involved both T-Holic and TeSTAR and was worthy of being in the news...
—I heard the Iter people badmouthed TeSTAR?
It was the "TeSTAR Recording" incident involving the Iter staff.
"...The T-Holic seniors created that event?"
Cheong-ryeo didn't answer and only smiled, but it was practically an affirmation.
I swallowed a groan.
‘I thought a rival rookie did it.’
So it was T-Holic who leaked it.
"Indeed. It must have been a pleasant turn of events for you as well, Junior."
"……."
If you were to ask whether TeSTAR benefited from that incident or not, we did.
It was at a level where you'd wonder how we got so lucky. It was like someone had suddenly shoved a glass of ice-cold cider down our throats.
But TeSTAR likely only saw incidental benefits; from T-Holic's perspective... they had intentionally tried to turn Wonder Hall upside down.
‘They diverted attention so no one could pull any useless tricks regarding their independence.’
In other words, it just so happened that as everyone's schemes went around, we all ended up taking a profit.
Good grief.
‘I feel like I’ve become part of the establishment.’
Wonder Hall was the one that did the actual dirty work, but since these guys teamed up and wiped their mouths clean, I felt like I had played a part for no reason.
And this guy seemed to be trying to extort something by intentionally reminding me of the "benefits TeSTAR received."
So, I made a rational response.
Meaning, I played dumb.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about."
"Ah, I suppose so."
Could he please stop smirking as if he's letting me off the hook?
Surprisingly, Cheong-ryeo changed his tone immediately.
"But you didn't come here to talk about that."
"……."
"It seems you came because you have something to ask. Go ahead."
Right. I had a purpose.
And I had many things to ask.
First, I was curious how this guy, even after completing basic training, could still naturally use that tone that pisses people off...
No, he's probably used that tone for at least several decades, so it's only natural that it wouldn't change in just a month or two.
Realizing that these ice-breaking questions were unnecessary, I decided to throw a direct ball.
Let's keep it clean.
"I believe I mentioned the System Fragments last time."
"Mhm."
I didn't hesitate much to bring this up. It was such an absurd story anyway that even if someone overheard, they'd just think we were talking about a game.
Still, out of courtesy, I lowered my voice, and feedback came immediately.
"Speak comfortably. There's CCTV, but no recording devices, and no one is listening."
Unless he wanted us to go down together, he probably wasn't lying.
If that was the case.
"Fine."
I immediately dropped the formalities and continued the story related to the System Fragments.
How the building collapse mission failure occurred because I possessed a fragment, and how I created a company system with the remaining fragments.
It was a story I had already explained, but I organized it neatly once more to fit the flow.
And the conclusion was this:
—You probably have one of those time-bomb-like fragments too.
The expression of the guy who had been snickering when I dropped the formalities turned indifferent as the story progressed.
Eventually, he responded like this.
"And?"
"I'm going to try and collect the fragment you have right now."
"……."
"Because it's possible now that the conditions have been met."
If I didn't do it now, there was no telling when the fragment he had would explode into a mission failure.
‘And for this guy who doesn't have a Status Window, there's a high probability that day would be the last day of his life.’
He wouldn't want to face an absurd sudden death without even being able to make a comeback, would he? Honestly, this was a proposal where I was the one taking the loss.
However, Cheong-ryeo furrowed his brows.
"It feels like a setup."
What?
"Leveling up, giving missions... this doesn't seem any different from what we've been doing."
"……."
"Think carefully. I must have told you several times."
Don't use the system.
Well, I agreed with that.
"But I'm telling you, if you don't, you'll die."
"That's the same too."
"True."
I sighed.
"So, shouldn't we at least avoid the side that's more likely to get us screwed?"
"……."
Hadn't we already witnessed and experienced how much a person could be ruined? Since we knew, I was saying we should use the alternative.
There was no need for more words between people who knew what happened if the system's status effects or missions weren't handled.
And I had prepared a decent countermeasure.
‘Logically speaking... singularities like Steer's memories won't happen anymore.’
As long as the system's operating principle was "to make me use it more," since I was directly controlling that part through regular use, it wouldn't trouble me with something like a "System Update."
And above all, I was going to turn the system off as soon as I received it.
"So you're going to unilaterally shoulder the risk?"
"Not exactly."
I interlaced my fingers.
"I'll need you to make a few promises."
"Tell me."
"First."
I spoke seriously.
"Do not refer to Orbit with terms like 'the LeTi family.'"
"……."
"Of course, similar terms like family, sharing a meal, or brothers are all prohibited."
The next one was also important.
"Second, do not appear as a group on T-Holic's variety shows."
"I don't understand what that means."
"There's just something like that."
No matter how I thought about it, with those people's personalities, it felt like they would actually push for it.
I continued while looking at the guy who seemed a bit dazed.
"Lastly... if something happens to me after I collect this, cooperate fully in resolving it."
"……."
This was only natural as a matter of human decency.
And, based on my experience so far, I knew what kind of reaction he would show.
"Fine."
Exactly.
I nodded immediately.
"On the condition that you stop using the system the moment you collect this 'fragment.'"
"Of course."
Even if you didn't say it, I was already prepared to turn it back into an item immediately.
I nodded and called up the Status Window.
"Then, I'm starting."
"Go ahead."
Was it because the situation was similar?
I was reminded of the time I tried to delete the system on his private jet.
However, there was a clear difference.
Back then, he was interested and had even provided his private jet to watch the show.
But now, neither of the two guys here had any interest, yet we were pressing this to prevent the worst-case scenario.
‘Phew.’
"What's your wish?"
"Hmm?"
"It's a necessary procedure."
"Hmm."
He seemed to ponder for a short moment, then spoke.
"I'd like you to take good care of Kong-i."
"……."
Well... it was better than a wish like "I hope TeSTAR fails."
And, as if it were natural, a popup jumped up before my eyes.
[‘Fragment of ■■■’ Possessor Confirmed!]
[<Wish> Registered]
As expected.
Cheong-ryeo had a fragment.
‘Should I say it's a relief that it reacted to a wish like that?’
And thanks to already satisfying all the company grade criteria, a result popup followed immediately without a complex base process.
[Re-confirming ‘Fragment of ■■■’ Possessor]
Do you wish to absorb ‘Fragment of ■■■ (1 / 4)’ into the ‘Company Use’ system?
※ This will take a certain amount of time.
Up to here was as expected.
"Can you see it?"
"I can."
After confirming there were no issues, I immediately responded to the Status Window.
‘Absorb.’
Instantly, a cluster of light from the popup circled Cheong-ryeo once in a lighthearted manner and went back in.
Cheong-ryeo watched the phenomenon with cold eyes.
[Collection of ‘Fragment of ■■■ (1 / 4)’ Complete!]
This was also as expected.
‘Phew.’
I felt a brief sense of relief.
However, what appeared next was something that had never happened before.
[All ‘Fragments of ■■■’ (4 / 4) Confirmed]
[Completion of ■■■]
And as if being torn away, the black paint over ‘■■■’ peeled off... revealing the exact name.
[System Completion]
And the description that appeared at the bottom:
[Reboot Starting]
Cha Yu-jin looked up.
He was the type of person who thought nothing of it even though he had saved a strange cat from a fire in Spain just a few weeks ago.
He had only used it as a way to protest when Park Moon-dae, who had given the contradictory evaluation of "You did well, but it was dangerous," gave him a low-sodium diet.
‘Well, actually, it wasn't to the point where I couldn't eat it.’
How great was it to be in an environment where he could exaggerate his grievances a little?
He was humming as he opened the refrigerator when he spotted Kim Rae-bin drinking apple juice at the table in front of it.
"Did Moon-dae hyung make that for you?"
"That's right!"
Cha Yu-jin felt a bit slighted, but he soon brushed it off.
He would just ask for it himself!
"Where did hyung go?"
"He went out to meet a friend. He looked busy, so you shouldn't make any troublesome requests—"
"OK!"
Before Kim Rae-bin, whose words were cut off, could chase after him in anger, Cha Yu-jin entered his room and lay down on his bed, chuckling.
Then, he suddenly felt a strange sensation.
‘What is this?’
Something unknown was bothering him.
He was quite positive and even a bit optimistic, but he didn't lack a sense of reality.
Right now, there should have been nothing weighing on his mind.
‘Everything is satisfying.’
But why was he so anxious?
If he could have observed Park Moon-dae's consciousness from a spot in the JSA 50km away...
—Holy shit!
He would have known the answer.
[----]
Park Moon-dae was currently experiencing the world breaking apart once again.
The system was exploding.
……No, that wasn't it!
‘It’s me.’
The one exploding was Park Moon-dae himself!
He tried his best to hold on, but in a mental sense, his perception began to crumble as if being "pulled out."
Something beyond the norm had occurred.
Without hesitation, Park Moon-dae called for the helper who was on standby just in case.
—Keun-dal!
But there was no response.
Park Moon-dae tried to maintain his sanity while reciting every curse word he knew.
However, the situation was already out of control.
It felt as if his mind were being stretched out like taffy.
[Reboot Starting]
Even the Status Window was gradually fading and distorting.
—...!
For a moment, it felt like the person sitting opposite him grabbed his arm, but that sensation soon slipped away like grains of sand.
And the area around the Status Window also distorted, and the colors began to change rapidly as if being sucked in.
It was like looking out the window while riding an impossibly fast high-speed train.
‘Fuck.’
Park Moon-dae cursed again and struggled to regain control.
‘Stop!’
He felt an absurd sensation, as if he were trying to pull a running train to a halt with his bare hands.
But in an instant.
[-]
Like a lie, he managed to seize the situation.
Finally, he was looking at a static world from a fixed field of vision.
—Huff.
Amidst a taut tension where his consciousness felt like it would be sucked back in if he let his guard down even a little, he saw it.
‘Where is this?’
It was night.
Outdoors.
A rooftop.
...A person.
On a chilly winter night, a figure standing on the rooftop, leaning against the railing and staring blankly down at the building below, appeared before his eyes.
"……."
A familiar man in a coat.
Cheong-ryeo.
—...!!
Reflexively, Park Moon-dae recalled a scene he had seen several years ago.
Cheong-ryeo's first restart memory, which he had received as a reward for clearing a 'Status Effect.'
‘It’s the same place.’
It felt as if his consciousness were barely hanging onto that memory. But...
With almost animalistic intuition, he also realized the difference from the memory.
‘There’s no cigarette.’
The cigarette Cheong-ryeo had been smoking back then was nowhere to be seen in the hands of the figure before him.
And the electronic billboard that Cheong-ryeo in the memory had looked at while reminiscing, "A VTIC ad used to be there, but it's gone now."
There.
[with VTIC]
A VTIC advertisement was still hanging.
Brilliant colors sparkled from the billboard.
A point in time when his group had not yet failed.
To be precise, a point within a certain 'repetition of restarts.'
—…….
Park Moon-dae asked himself.
Just which 'number' Cheong-ryeo is this?
And.
‘Why am I here?’
Just what on earth had happened?