Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: 55. 20 Hours 30 Minutes (1)
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"No matter which side's telling the truth, we can just sit back with some popcorn. Not that we have any. Got popcorn?"
The authenticity of the satellite photos of the Jeju evacuation fleet had blown up into a massive scandal rocking not just the internet, but all of Incheon.
Honestly, though, the real danger in my eyes was the rift down south.
You could tell just from looking at China's example.
The Beijing Military Region had seen battles as fierce as anything since World War II, but the erosion barely touched the Beijing area itself.
What stabbed Beijing in the back was the erosion spreading from vulnerable rear zones.
They were sounding victory bells up front while the rear collapsed, dragging Beijing down with it. China was left clinging to coastal strips, facing the worst possible choice: total annihilation or invading Taiwan.
Korea's no different.
Our weak rear had crumbled.
That meant the southern regions would soon be swallowed by erosion.
Once Gyeongnam falls, Honam follows, and the fallout reverses into the capital area.
Even with the situation this dire, the world's attention was glued to the evacuation fleet.
"......"
Ding-
The popcorn I'd thrown in the microwave was done.
Munch munch-
Well, in a way, fixating on the fleet might be the smarter move.
What could we even do if the south collapsed?
Me grabbing an axe and rampaging alone wouldn't scare off the monsters.
Munch munch-
I munched on popcorn and shifted my gaze to our board.
It was total chaos, as expected.
That's why I'd logged in—to see that.
I was especially looking forward to the one guy's reaction, and sure enough, our m9 didn't disappoint.
If I were m9, that photo would've given me chills—I'd be shaking all day, unable to do a thing.
Especially since he would've been on that thing if he hadn't gotten stripped of his residency rights.
But not our m9.
If it benefits him, it's his side. If not, it's treason.
m9, the incarnation of self-serving bullshit, was strutting like a triumphant general across both PaleNet and our board.
Yeah, that was predictable.
Our m9 had been a leading Jeju fleet denier for ages.
But this guy? He went after the wrong target.
m9 was picking a fight with Dongtanmom—Baek Seung-hyeon.
This Baek Seung-hyeon was a real piece of shit online, different from me.
If I'm the guy who just gets hate, he's the one who inspires outright loathing.
At least he doesn't have the right to beg people to stop hating him.
Just stop the munching, right?
Where'd he pick up this weird shit from? He wasn't doing it ten years ago.
Anyway, putting my grudge aside, Baek Seung-hyeon was a human weapon in his own right.
Killing one person was nothing to him.
He'd even tried to kill me once.
Once he had a price on my head, he came looking.
If he'd teamed up with experienced raiders, I could've been in real trouble.
m9 picking a fight with that Baek Seung-hyeon? Suicidal.
m9, The Hope's sole resident, had his address doxxed. Baek could grab an RPG or just a gun, show up, and turn m9's hanging-from-the-rafters daily life into a bloodbath or inferno.
And sure enough, Baek started showing his irritation openly.
Munch munch-
This was seriously dangerous.
Baek kills if he wants to, and he's got plenty of rough friends.
But m9's balls of steel were infamous too.
Not even blinking at Baek's threats.
I wanted to give m9 some advice.
But he'd ignore me, obviously.
He's always seen me as some weirdo anyway...
Thankfully, Baek didn't seem set on killing m9.
Dongtanmom had a point—the satellite photo wasn't 100% legit.
High-res and detailed, sure, but in the deepfake era, anyone with gear, software, and skills could fake it.
I didn't buy it hook, line, and sinker either.
Someone bitter about not getting on could composite it, or maybe the government faction spread it for internal goals.
And why China?
Why send the fleet there specifically?
What about the crew? Ditching them too?
Would they obey an order to die?
How many would follow "go kill yourself"?
If the passengers were dead weight, why not sink it at sea and blame Chinese subs like magic wands?
Eh, truth's out there somewhere.
Wu Min-hee might know.
But would that shady bitch tell me straight?
"What does SKELTON think?"
Dajeong-i pinged me via comms, asking my take on the mess.
Munch munch-
"SKELTON, what're you eating? No way that's popcorn?!"
"Popcorn."
"Popcorn...? I want some."
"Just ate the last of it."
"Oh. Anyway, what's SKELTON's take?"
"Hm. Well, see."
My thought? The photo's probably fake.
"High chance it's composite. But no guarantee the Jeju fleet even went to Jeju."
"You always gotta twist it that weird?"
"Nah. There's zero reason to send it to China, right?"
Defender had been pinging me more lately.
Kicked from the named users, reduced to lurker, he was venting his cynical quips on me instead.
"That's my take."
Not a bad thing, really.
Internet's fine, but real talk with people has its own charm.
"Got it. So SKELTON thinks the gov's not taking refugees to Jeju. Second fleet same deal?"
"Yeah. Same."
The second fleet was packing 300,000 refugees—more than the first.
Combined, half a million to Jeju.
"Doubt Jeju'll take 'em."
"Dongtanmom says they'll take everyone, no question."
"That guy's just weird."
"He's a hunter, right? Him too?"
"Plenty of psychopaths among hunters."
"Ah."
At that point, I was pretty damn sure the Jeju fleet wasn't docking at Jeju.
That certainty got shaken hard that afternoon by one message.
*
DragonC #2 had been great.
Steadily interpreting DragonC's work in his own style, delivering deep feels to PaleNet, our board, even foreign users.
Making him the second DragonC was spot-on.
But time passed.
Guilt and hate dilute in time's waves.
Especially in this end-times sprint where every day rushes us toward doom.
His message carried the farewell I'd half-forgotten but vaguely expected.
DragonC's content, Pilkrum88, was a popular writer everyone knew pre-war.
Leagues above our board's fave DragonC, honestly.
Gov valuing his talent enough to snag him? Makes sense.
SKELTON: How many chapters of manuscript left?
"......"
I fired up DragonC's old coffee machine for the first time in ages, savoring a fragrant espresso.
Was sending him off the right call?
Deep down, I wanted him rotting on that land forever, paying for killing DragonC.
But would DragonC want that?
Looking at that goldfish, I swear I heard his voice.
No need for that, right?
Truth is, Pilkrum88's spot was risky as hell.
Chinese remnants across the sea, IMG Zone city down south.
Living there with family? No picnic.
Might drown in bigger anxiety than the city.
City had protectors; there, he'd shoulder himself and his family's weight alone.
SKELTON: Sure about heading to Jeju?
Curiosity hit too.
With all the Jeju fleet debates raging, if DragonC actually went... would it end the stale argument?
SKELTON: From who?
SKELTON: ?
SKELTON: Who sent it?
SKELTON: (Skeleton swears) On my life.
"Ah."
Looks legit.
My feelings? Complicated.
Refreshing, bittersweet.
No grudge against DragonC? Lies.
But you can't hold one person forever.
Not enough, but he'd finished 80% of DragonC's manuscript.
The last 20%? Up to Pilkrum88.
Gov making an offer? Can't block that.
All I could do was kill him before they came—but what good would that do?
With death everywhere, betting on him finishing it felt more rational.
SKELTON: I'll escort you to Incheon.
Start sucked, but end decent.
*
They say if I know a secret, South Korea does too.
Once called Professor, this Park Gyu thought he was immune—but now just board user SKELTON, not anymore.
The entertainer specialist priority DragonC mentioned hit NationalNet first, then PaleNet.
This "human cultural asset" track was straight-up prioritizing artistic talents for the fleet, letting them create safely on Jeju and spread hope to the mainland via good vibes.
Not just webtoonists like Pilkrum88—pianists, theater folk, musicians, trot singers, movie stars, all pre-war big names listed.
People gawked at the roster, smacked foreheads, reminisced lost eras—but good intentions always twist weird, as usual.
Jeju fleet believers seized the track, counterattacking en masse.
Even this staunch fleet skeptic Park Gyu had to second-guess himself.
(I knew the reporter's true colors, so extra convincing.)
If SKELTON's wavering, others worse.
...
...
Korea's opinion hub.
PaleNet: Era of the believers.
Obvious, but tall poppies get chopped.
Denier boss m9 took the hardest backlash.
Baek Seung-hyeon at the center.
Baek tore into the battered m9 like venting old grudges, viciously.
Worrying even for a bystander.
But even worms writhe when stepped on.
Munch munch-