What Did I Miss?
"A messenger app?"
Bukjin couldn't believe his eyes. He rubbed them with both hands and stared at his smartphone again. There was no mistake; it was a Messenger app.
There isn't even an internet network in this world. What use is a messenger? Bukjin wondered, momentarily baffled.
However, every app installed on this smartphone functioned far beyond human imagination, powered by a mysterious force. He suspected the Messenger app would be no different.
Maybe it’s actually an incredible app? For instance...
Could I add IDs of people back on Earth and chat across dimensions?
"Sinsin, download Messenger," Bukjin said urgently, his heart racing.
The AI's voice responded immediately.
To download Messenger, 30GB of data is required. Converting your current Mystic Energy into data, your total capacity is approximately 30.5GB. Since 10GB was already consumed during the previous system update, you have 21GB remaining. Attempting to download Messenger in your current state may result in fatal strain.
"How fatal?" Bukjin asked.
『It is possible that you could lose your life, Master.』
Bukjin had expected as much. He knew that exhausting all the Mystic Energy in his body would be life-threatening, but hearing it confirmed was still chilling. Even if it was only a "possibility," he wasn't in the mood to gamble with his life.
"Back on Earth, a messenger app was barely 200MB, but here it's 30GB! This is ridiculous!" Bukjin grumbled to himself.
However, he had already learned that the larger the app's file size, the more powerful its functions were. Deciding to be rational, he postponed the download for a moment. He closed all other running apps and launched only the Advanced Mystic Energy Condensation app to rapidly recover his internal energy.
About an hour passed before the Mystic Energy in Bukjin's body finally returned to its peak state. Only then did he begin the download.
"Ah... Ugh! Oh...!"
Inside the room, Bukjin let out strange, guttural groans that sounded like a howling wolf as the energy was drained from his body. Outside the door, the smile on Wang Chung's face slowly stiffened as he listened.
He only just rested for an hour, and he's already starting again? At this rate, it'll stunt the Young Master's growth! This won't do. I must find an opportunity to advise him not to overexert himself.
Various worries clouded the butler's mind.
Another hour passed. The groans coming from the room gradually subsided. Bukjin lay sprawled on the bed in the shape of the character for 'Great', panting heavily as if he had just finished a grueling marathon. He was drenched in sweat from head to toe, and his face was deathly pale. His lips trembled, and he looked as though he didn't have the strength to move a single finger.
"Si... Sinsin! Install Messenger," Bukjin commanded weakly.
『Yes, Master.』
After three system updates, Sinsin's intelligence had grown significantly. The AI could now grasp Bukjin's intentions almost instantly, making the smartphone's operation much smoother and easier. After about thirty minutes...
Ding! Installation complete.
A familiar app icon appeared on the screen. Bukjin forced himself to sit up. He had already recovered about seventy percent of his depleted energy. His heart began to pound with anticipation.
Can I really contact my family back on Earth?
With trembling hands, he tapped the Messenger icon. A familiar interface unfolded.
"Huh? Does this messenger not require an ID or password?"
He had expected a login screen, but the app bypassed it entirely, opening directly to the chat interface. The contact list was empty. Bukjin tapped the 'Add Friend' button and typed in his father's ID in the search bar. He stared at the screen for a long moment, his fingers twitching with nervous tension before he finally tapped the magnifying glass icon to search.
A moment later, the result appeared.
User does not exist.
Bukjin stared blankly at the screen. Although he had prepared himself for this outcome, the disappointment was still crushing. Refusing to give up, he searched for his mother, the girl he liked, his close friends, his teachers—every familiar ID he could remember. But without exception, the result was the same: User does not exist.
With a long sigh, Bukjin slumped back onto the bed. He felt like crying. It felt as if his last shred of hope had vanished. Even if he couldn't return to Earth yet, he had desperately wanted to let them know he was alive.
After staring at the ceiling for an hour, his mood began to stabilize. He pulled himself together and started exploring the other features of the Messenger app.
"Messaging, friend list, search, timeline... It has everything. Aside from not being able to find my old acquaintances, it's exactly like the one I used on Earth. I think there was a payment function too... I probably don't have any money... Wait?"
Bukjin tapped the payment tab and his eyes widened. Inside the wallet was a balance of 4,110 gold.
"The amount charged in the wallet... It's not Earth currency, it's the gold from this world?"
He quickly realized that the balance in the app's wallet reflected his actual physical wealth. In other words, the Messenger app, like his cultivation apps, was synced with his body and reflected the data of its owner. However, he figured the payment function was practically useless for now.
Next, he tapped the Timeline tab, where he could post photos or status messages to share with friends. It was currently empty.
"Should I post something to the timeline? It wouldn't be bad to keep a record of my life in this world..."
Feeling a sudden whim, Bukjin held up the phone and took a selfie. Click!
"Wow, I really am incredibly handsome."
Staring at the photo, Bukjin was so impressed by his current body's looks that he almost started drooling. He posted the photo to his timeline along with a short caption.
He had considered titling it 'My First Day in This World,' but quickly abandoned the idea. No one could see this timeline, and no one should. If the people of this world ever discovered he was a transdimensional traveler, they might burn him at the stake. He decided to keep his secrets locked within his own heart.
After posting, he continued to study the app's features. He tapped the 'People Nearby' tab, hoping to see others in his vicinity. But once again, he was met with disappointment. No one appeared in the search results.
"Based on what I've seen so far, this app is completely useless to me. But maybe it's just because I don't know the correct way to use all these functions yet..."
He wasn't entirely discouraged. Since the app had cost 30GB of data to download, he still held onto the hope that its true power was something magnificent.
What exactly am I missing?
As Bukjin was deep in thought, a knock sounded at the door. Knock, knock!
"Young Master, Dean Cho has come to see you," Wang Chung's voice called out.
Cho Heun? He was someone Bukjin couldn't afford to be disrespectful toward. He quickly threw on some clothes, opened the door, and headed down to the first floor.
"Dean Cho, what brings you here?" Bukjin greeted him, putting on a show of being delighted to see him.
"Wang Chung! What are you doing? Hurry up and bring out some fine tea!" Bukjin barked an order at the butler.
Cho Heun sat in a chair, his expression grim. "You rascal! I heard you skipped every single class today without permission. Every teacher who went into those classrooms reported to me that you were missing. As the Grade Dean, I came to find out exactly what's going on."
Hearing this, Bukjin answered hastily. "Ah, well, the truth is... I woke up this morning feeling unwell, so I took a little rest. I think I caught a cold."
"A cold?" Cho Heun looked perplexed.
Bukjin realized he had made a poor choice of words. The concept of a 'cold' or 'flu' didn't exist in the vocabulary of this world.
"I-I mean, I think I was exposed to too much cold wind, so I've been feeling chilly and running a bit of a fever. Wait, did Wang Chung not apply for sick leave? Wang Chung! Wang Chung! You useless fellow! I clearly told you to file for leave, did you just ignore my words?"
Wang Chung, who was busy preparing the tea, looked utterly bewildered. Young Master! You never said anything of the sort to me!
However, out of habit, Wang Chung reacted instantly. "Ah! Young Master, it is all my fault! I completely forgot to file your sick leave!"
Cho Heun was a sharp man and understood the situation immediately. However, he didn't seem inclined to scold Bukjin too harshly. Bukjin was his most cherished student. In fact, considering the immense honor Bukjin had brought to the 3rd Academy, he could probably skip classes every day and no one would care. Besides, the second-year curriculum didn't really have much left to offer someone of Bukjin's caliber.