Chapter 544
Chapter 544
VTIC Cheong-ryeo’s daily routine was incredibly clean.
“Shall we add two more kilograms?”
“Yes.”
Now that their promotions had ended after only a week due to his dating scandal, he was executing a Tetris-like schedule, alternating between practice and exercise with meetings with the company squeezed in between.
Of course, it was easier said than done; the schedule was grueling. He split his time down to the minute.
Yet, there was a certain effortless simplicity to it, the kind unique to someone whose body was conditioned by years of constant repetition.
And the fact that I’m watching this crap all day is legendary…
I pressed my eyes and let out a long sigh.
I can’t even coax the bastard because we can’t communicate properly. Damn it.
Of course, the reason wasn't just that he had gone crazy after living a hundred lives as the perfect idol.
He’s doing this on purpose.
The moment he realized that I—the Status Window—had a personality, he chose the easiest way to handle me.
—I believe I told you not to appear unless called.
He was asserting dominance.
He’s trying to break me in, to discipline me.
He wanted to show me, in the most impactful way possible, that he held the decision-making power and that my life was in his hands, all to crush my spirit.
It was the fastest and most effective method of control.
He had likely used it in various relationships for years… no, decades, so it was only natural that he could do it as easily as breathing.
I cracked my neck.
Well… it is a bit annoying.
But there’s one thing this Cheong-ryeo is mistaken about.
It’s not like this is the first or second time I’ve seen him pull these kinds of stunts.
I can see exactly what you’re going to do next.
Once he’s crushed my spirit (or so he thinks), he’ll offer a small reward.
The so-called carrot and stick.
That’s how he lures people in the direction he wants.
Punishment and reward. That’s how all control works.
So, this bastard will show me the tip of a carrot at the right moment, and…
I’ll make sure to bite his whole hand off.
And I’ll have to negotiate a good price for the clock.
I crossed my arms and smirked.
As expected, it wasn't long before he spoke to the Status Window.
“Is this all?”
Cheong-ryeo spoke casually as he looked at the profiles of the candidates filling his vision.
It was a Status Window I had created by manipulating the terminal.
[Name: Lee Mun-hyeon]
[Name: Won Seon-woo]
[Name: Park Gwang-je]
……
Hmm, let me guess.
He’s probably thinking that the lack of 'useful' traits like diligence, impulsivity, or patience is due to the 'Appraisal' factor.
“What about the other categories?”
There it is. Right on cue.
I replied exactly as I had felt while producing the terminal within the system.
[It seems that information difficult to quantify cannot be turned into stats.]
Cheong-ryeo smiled thinly.
“You’ll have to try harder than that.”
But this time, instead of looking at the error deletion window threateningly, he ended on a slightly softer note.
Here comes the carrot.
“Anyway, it’s quite useful.”
Yeah, I bet.
The moment I act all happy about that, the power struggle is over.
I can’t let that happen. I’ll just say what I need to say.
[On that note, there’s something I want to say.]
I put aside questions like ‘Aren’t you going to prepare for the next album?’ for now.
Talking to a guy who looks like he’d dive off a roof the moment he thinks ‘Information gathering complete~’ would be like reciting scriptures to a pig.
I needed to provoke him from a different angle.
I popped up a message.
[The Help Menu function also has its limits.]
Cheong-ryeo’s eyes stopped.
Amidst the cold silence, I continued to pull up pop-ups.
[Take note.]
I listed everything from the fact that he could only check stats by facing someone directly—so he should watch his gaze—to the fact that he could delay clearing status effects.
Of course, these were just minor tips.
The important part was at the end.
[The most important thing is… the future information I gave you can change.]
[It seems it could become useless due to the butterfly effect caused by your actions, so you’d better be careful.]
“……”
After a brief silence.
“I see,” Cheong-ryeo replied calmly.
Then, he slowly tapped his finger.
“But why are you thinking?”
Right. I knew you’d say that.
“You only need to answer my questions.”
He was intentionally trying to create tension again, telling me not to overstep my bounds.
I evaluated him indifferently.
After intentionally pausing for a moment, I brought up a pop-up.
[How contradictory.]
[I’m trying to negotiate with you by talking and helping you because I’m capable of human-like judgment.]
[Otherwise, I would have just let you do whatever, whether you restart or not. Since I wouldn't have any thoughts.]
He raised an eyebrow slightly.
I shook the pop-up slightly, like a sigh, and continued.
[Honestly, how long do you think I’ll be here? I don’t even know how much I can help you.]
[But since you’re acting like this… it’s a bit frustrating.]
Cheong-ryeo tapped the table.
“So, your actions are out of pure goodwill?”
[At the very least, there’s some goodwill mixed in. Because I think like a human.]
Then, as if angry, I typed more passionately and frantically.
[And even if I stop you from restarting here, it’s not like it hurts you. A loss of 359 days? You don’t even think of it as a waste since it’ll disappear once you restart anyway.]
“……”
Now, for the finishing blow.
I adjusted the speed, slowly bringing up the next words as if I were exhausted.
[To be honest, I don’t even know the point of me being here if this continues.]
[Delete me or do whatever you want. It’s not like I’ll die.]
In the end, this is what I wanted to say:
I can boycott you.
If things go south, I won’t spit out a single damn thing, whether I die or not.
It sounded like something a labor union would say once I wrote it down, but whatever.
What are you going to do?
You’ve already seen what I can do. You must be weighing how much more you can squeeze out of me.
Are you going to throw away the profit?
I crossed my arms and waited for his reaction.
Of course, if he actually tried to delete me, I’d have to quickly change my approach, but I predicted it wouldn't go that far.
There was a reason.
It was the fact that this guy didn't know much about me.
He didn't know how far I could bet, and he could only guess the extent of my bluffing based on very limited information.
Furthermore, the limit of the utility value I could provide was still an unknown.
So, the option of deleting me before getting an accurate calculation would definitely be less attractive.
Then he’ll try to make the safest choice possible.
He had already threatened me with deletion enough.
It happened to coincide with the timing of the carrot he was about to offer, and since he held the decision-making power, rather than trying to assert dominance again so aggressively…
“So?”
Yes!
He stepped back and took a stance of ‘I’ll at least listen.’
Phew.
I worked my brain quickly, organizing my thoughts as if taking a seat.
I shouldn't push too hard here.
I had to find an acceptable line, or I might face a ‘negotiation over, cutting ties’ ending.
[You probably realize by now that this Help Menu doesn't have the ability to directly harm you.]
[I’ll cooperate as much as possible. So let’s at least talk. Like humans.]
Just respect the fact that I have a personality.
“……”
Cheong-ryeo stared blankly at the pop-up without answering.
It was as if he were quietly running the numbers on a calculator. I clenched my fists and waited for his answer.
And when he finally opened his mouth, the answer was…
“Shall we?”
…!
Right.
The first step is a success.
I smirked and studied his face.
Cheong-ryeo stared at the pop-up expressionlessly.
“As long as it doesn't get in the way.”
Yeah, say whatever you want.
[If I get in the way, delete me then. I won’t say anything else about it.]
[I look forward to working with you.]
“Sure.”
I popped up a waving emoticon to the guy who was giving a half-hearted positive response.
[(ㅁ_ㅁ)ﾉ]
Turn that frown upside down.
After that, Cheong-ryeo’s attitude changed slightly.
It meant he started showing more social etiquette toward the Help Menu.
[Time to exercise?]
“Yeah.”
We were exchanging simple conversations like this.
Of course, Cheong-ryeo rarely actually spoke out loud; I mostly read his surface thoughts and treated them as speech.
And while this might seem meaningless on the surface, you’re bound to let something slip if you keep doing it.
I know from experience.
Back when I participated in <Aju-sa>, I had no intention of opening up to those kids.
Look at what I did after becoming TeSTAR. Now all the members know I was Ryu Gun-woo.
It’s an inevitable flow.
When you have a secret, you eventually end up pouring out your thoughts, even the trivial ones, to a conversation partner you don't have to keep that secret from.
It’s the same even for someone who has spent a long time drawing lines with others.
In fact, since Cheong-ryeo hasn't had anyone to openly talk to about his restart experiences until now, it would be difficult for him to properly guard against such a gap.
Especially when combined with the fact that I can read his surface thoughts…
A gap will definitely appear.
I smirked and touched the terminal. I felt like grabbing some of Cha Yu-jin’s popcorn from the kitchen…
…….
Well, I’ll grab some once I return to reality.
For now, let’s focus on getting out of this situation.
I stayed in a (mentally) comfortable state, waiting without letting my guard down.
And the timing came a few days later.
“Let’s check the blocking one more time.”
VTIC, whose promotions had fizzled out, finally began practicing choreography for a remix for their tour.
Looking at the number of VTIC members gathered to practice together for the first time in a while…
There are seven of them.
I see. I wonder what kind of calculations he went through until he narrowed this group down to five. Aside from that, seven is a very effective number for group choreography…
Anyway, I carefully examined their faces.
First, I saw Chae-yul and Shin-o.
It was quite interesting to see a few other faces I had seen when I participated in the LeTi Survival in the system’s virtual world.
I lightly threw out a bait.
[Everyone is quite skilled.]
“They are.”
[But you probably didn't just line them up by skill and cut it down to the top six.]
“Hmm.”
Cheong-ryeo hesitated for a moment, but he eventually gave an answer that wasn't just a single word.
“The combination is important.”
Oh.
“Human resources have a sort of… reactivity. The quality of the result changes depending on what kind of stimulation they receive from the environment.”
[That’s true.]
He’s getting talkative. It was a good sign.
He was even still talking…
“No conflict isn't necessarily a good thing. Productivity increases when appropriate stimulation and tension are maintained.”
As he said that, Cheong-ryeo looked at his members.
“The important thing is… appropriate stress.”
His gaze was like someone weighing meat.
[…I see.]
It was a conversation I really couldn't get used to, but let’s just value the fact that it happened.
I sighed and looked around through his vision again. And I caught him looking at one particular guy.
It was an unfamiliar face.
Which meant…
[That’s the guy whose dating scandal broke, right?]
Cheong-ryeo’s eyes narrowed slightly before returning to normal.
Was it Hee-woon?
That lover boy, who hadn't even come to the dorm for the past few days, had a typical LeTi-born aura, and looking at his stats, he seemed to be a lead vocal.
But the thing was.
[Why is he so confident?]
“It won’t last long. Everything will be fine, so don’t worry! Uh-huh, of course I’m not worried.”
Surprisingly, those were the words of the culprit himself.
Seeing him actively chatting with the other members, it seemed he didn't have a shred of shame.
I nodded.
He must have been chewed out by the company, but his mental strength is impressive.
The funny thing was that the person who almost had to restart because of him was also composed.
Cheong-ryeo briefly evaluated the lover boy.
“He is consistent in his resilience to external stress.”
Yeah, I get that his mental state is strong in many ways.
Still, it wasn't a very good look, even to an outsider.
I clicked my tongue at Cheong-ryeo, who still looked peaceful.
[I bet there have been more than one or two guys like that until now. Did you just leave them all alone?]
Come to think of it, shouldn't guys like him be the ones suffering?
It makes me feel even more wronged for being hit on the head and told to kill myself by the future version of this guy…
“I’ve tried a few things.”
[…A few things.]
“Hmm… if an accident big enough to force retirement happens, they naturally leave the group.”
[…….]
“But traffic accidents are hard to control. If they accidentally become disabled or die, public sympathy builds up, and the focus shifts.”
…….
“Other criminal accidents often end up damaging the group’s image as well.”
Then, Cheong-ryeo smiled faintly.
“Ah, sometimes it even becomes more troublesome.”
[Troublesome.]
“Yes.”
Cheong-ryeo stretched lightly and then looked up.
His gaze brushed past the red light in the corner of the practice room ceiling.
“There are more CCTVs in this country than you’d think.”
[…….]
Who was the one who called this guy a mountain god? He’s not letting them off; he’s just skipping it because the cost and risk of dealing with it aren't worth it.
“Alright, let’s cheer up and go~ Our Daesang singers of the year!”
Infuriatingly, the atmosphere in the practice room was still good. The choreography trainer was even intentionally sharing good news.
“Do you know you guys ranked first in the male idol category in the public recognition survey?”
“Really?”
Well, it wasn't strange for VTIC to rank first in such a survey…
Wait a minute.
That’s the reality VTIC.
If this is far in the past, VTIC shouldn't be able to rank first in domestic recognition.
I spoke up without thinking.
[What about T-Holic?]
“Hmm?”
Cheong-ryeo raised and lowered an eyebrow as if he had heard something unexpected.
And soon, a faint smile brushed past.
“There’s no need to be wary of a group that has already disbanded.”
…….
He sent them packing.
This guy is the culprit.
It seemed this version of T-Holic was already screwed because this bastard had done something.
Incredible.
I pressed my forehead and let out a groan.
Let’s keep this in mind. This guy isn't the dog-raising Cheong-ryeo from reality that I knew.
His thought process right now was no different from a psychopath’s. He was in that damn state where everyone around him looked like an NPC.
Sigh.
At that moment, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
It was something I had been agonizing over for the past few days.
I had been retracing the conversations I had before coming here, wondering if there was a hint for my escape from this hellhole.
And among the candidates I had organized, there was this.
The wish Cheong-ryeo had submitted to me.
—I hope you take good care of Kong-i.
And considering I ended up like this right after that…
…No way.
Don’t tell me I have to stay stuck here until this guy’s pet dog is born and raised well.
It was a guess that sent a chill down my non-existent spine.
Meanwhile, Cheong-ryeo was calmly looking at the lover boy member and thinking this:
“It’s a shame. It would be nice if I could just cut him out cleanly.”
“As if he never existed from the beginning.”
[Bae Se-jin: Isn't it col….]
[Cha Yu-jin: It’s cold! Hyung! Buy me chocolate!]
[Bae Se-jin: (Save me)]
On the screen, Bae Se-jin and Cha Yu-jin were bickering.
Seon A-hyun was smiling as he rewatched the clip.
The group’s self-produced content gave off a warm feeling, like watching home videos or travel videos.
It was then.
Vrrr, vrrr.
His smartphone vibrated, and a call came from an unknown number.
“…?”
Since it was a private smartphone where only family and members were registered, Seon A-hyun pressed accept, guessing that one of them was calling from someone else’s phone.
However, the voice he heard belonged to none of them.
[TeSTAR’s Seon A-hyun-ssi.]
Seon A-hyun immediately deduced the person’s identity from that characteristic tone.
“Ye-yes…. ……Sunbae-nim?”
It was VTIC’s Cheong-ryeo.
Just as Seon A-hyun was about to feel a bit flustered by the fact that someone he wasn't even close to—someone who had even enlisted—was calling him on a holiday.
A dry voice quickly rang through the speaker.
[Come to the JSA. Right now.]
[Your junior has disappeared.]
“…!!”
No way.
The fact that he was contacted… could it be that something had happened to one of the TeSTAR members?
Seon A-hyun became so tense that his heart momentarily dropped. He asked in a trembling voice.
“Um… which junior has disappeared?”
[…….]
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.
[Park Moon-dae.]
“…?”
Seon A-hyun blinked.
It was the name of someone he didn't know.