The Regressor Tunes Up (2)
The Regressor Tunes Up (2)
"..."
"..."
For a moment, we simply stared at each other. My first thought was: Is this for real?
Yun Jung-hyun. So he's the type who gets aggressively confrontational online. His tone was pretty cocky.
"...Have a seat."
"Sure."
I'm not sure what went through Yun Jung-hyun's mind as his lips twitched, but he offered me a seat. I didn't decline.
"Here's the coffee you ordered."
The order must have been placed in advance, because two cups of coffee were set down on the table without a word. Ah... I don't even drink coffee. I only have sweet stuff—frappuccinos, ades, that kind of thing.
Because of that, I wasn't planning to touch the coffee, but Yun Jung-hyun's expression stiffened in real time, as if he'd taken it the wrong way.
"..."
"..."
The café wasn't noisy, but the quiet murmur of conversations drifted around us. The two of us silently watched each other, and the coffee steadily cooled.
By the time steam no longer rose from the cup.
"First... allow me to introduce myself again."
Yun Jung-hyun finally spoke.
"I am Yun Jung-hyun, a former National Intelligence Service agent, and I will soon be serving as head of the Player Management Department at the Player Association Korean Branch."
"..."
National Intelligence Service? Player Association Korean Branch? Those were bigger titles than I expected. Wait—is a former NIS agent even allowed to say he's former NIS? Still, I didn't comment on it.
Partly because mental exhaustion had made me indifferent to grand titles, and partly because of a certain arrogance: I'm a regressor, so what are you people to me?
"Ah, for reference, the Player Association will be established a month from now, starting with the U.S. branch..."
"I know."
The Player Association. In a month, the U.S. government will establish it. I just hadn't known there was a Korean branch, too.
"...You know?"
"Yes. Isn't Michael Jeter the association chairman?"
"..."
This time Yun Jung-hyun fell silent. Ah, right. That information won't be released until a month from now.
"Should I not have said that? Sorry. I'm a bit out of it right now."
"...It's fine. Then, without further ado, here is the information."
Yun Jung-hyun opened a black briefcase and pulled out a thick stack of paper. It was so thick that when he set the report on the table, it landed with a thud that shook the table.
<Floor 4 Survivor Report>
The title was straightforward. All the information I'd been looking for was probably inside.
Slide.
Yun Jung-hyun pushed the report toward me. His attitude seemed to say, Take it whenever you want.
"What's the price?"
This was information from a former NIS agent. He couldn't have gathered it without effort. There had to be a price.
As if confirming my guess, Yun Jung-hyun gave a small nod.
"The price is simple. I plan to persuade you to join the Player Association. All you need to do is listen to that pitch for exactly ten minutes. How does that sound?"
"..."
I didn't answer and instead leaned back slightly, settling into a comfortable posture. Go ahead—start whenever you like.
At first I thought, 'Huh? That's all he wants?' But then I reconsidered. I'm overwhelmingly strong. And I'm also a regressor.
A chance to persuade a regressor? That's more than enough payment. My time is precious.
"Thank you. Then I'll begin right away."
Yun Jung-hyun pulled a laptop out of the same briefcase and placed it to the side so we could both see the screen.
Click. Click.
A PowerPoint presentation appeared on the laptop screen. Yun Jung-hyun boldly skipped the title, table of contents, and opening slides.
"My apologies. I expected an unemployed person with some nerve to show up. I didn't anticipate someone of your caliber, Jun-ho..."
Yun Jung-hyun explained that his original target had been 'an unemployed person with ambition.'
The early slides of the presentation were filled with content about what kind of economic benefits you'd get by registering with the association, what kind of support you could receive, and how you could quickly grow stronger.
He clearly hadn't expected me to come.
"Truthfully, I observed you throughout your time on Floor 4, Jun-ho."
Yun Jung-hyun spoke as he advanced through the slides.
"I sensed goodness, exhaustion, and a sense of responsibility. They say with great power comes great responsibility, but great power also lets you evade that responsibility. If you had chosen to survive alone, no one could have blamed you."
Tap.
He pointed at the laptop screen.
"Take a look."
"...Excel?"
What appeared on the screen was a densely packed Excel spreadsheet. Thanks to my improved physical abilities, reading it wasn't a problem, but the readability was a nightmare.
"Originally I made the font tiny to test the abilities of whichever player I met here... but with you, Jun-ho, there's no need for that."
Yun Jung-hyun zoomed in for a clearer view. The content of the spreadsheet was simple. It was a detailed record of every person who had entered Floor 4.
"This is the ultimate goal our association pursues."
Slide. His finger swept across the numbers.
"God controls information, driving people to enter the Tower unprepared. But that doesn't mean we can just sit idle, does it?"
"..."
"If we take a systematic approach, there is definitely a solution. Even if God controls all information, advance preparation isn't completely impossible."
Click.
The 'time' section on the spreadsheet was highlighted.
"First, statistics. Statistics alone carry immense value."
It's impossible to share what happens inside each floor. But you can communicate when you entered and when you left. That in itself is already excellent information.
How many people entered each floor. What the average clear time was. How many of those who entered made it out alive. Compile those statistics, and you can create information others can reference.
Based on these metrics, you could predict the danger level of each floor. You'd have a reference for how thoroughly you need to prepare, which would improve player survival rates.
"...Ah."
I recalled an article from when I'd just cleared the Tutorial and was waiting to enter Floor 2.
It promoted the idea that 'Floor 2 has an incredibly high survival rate.' The association probably had a hand in that.
"It's not a bad idea."
If almost every player in the world joined the association, the possibilities would be endless.
They could effectively prevent player crime and even run their own vigilante corps. Instead of players scattered across the internet exchanging opinions like now, players from all over the world could gather in one community to hold discussions.
Given that a former NIS agent had secured a position in the association, they'd clearly obtained cooperation from each nation, too. Yes, the possibilities were endless.
"However... we lack the motivation to get people to join."
Yun Jung-hyun clenched his fist tightly.
Once the Player Association gained momentum, it would spread rapidly. But as always, the beginning is the hardest part.
They offered money and fame, but players still didn't trust the government. Rumors about human experimentation on players were still circulating openly. They might not even be rumors.
"That's why what we desperately need is the existence of a 'hero.'"
Someone like Michael Jeter, a figure who could draw people together, was urgently needed.
"And in my assessment..."
"It's been ten minutes."
I picked up the thick report and rose from my seat.
I understood what these people were trying to do. I understood why they wanted me. But I'm not that kind of person. Rather than some shining, glittering hero... I was more like a grub desperately crawling through the dirt.
And besides... I doubted this organization would stay so bright and shining. That's just how large organizations are.
"I have no intention of joining any organization. But if it's needed in the future, I'm willing to cooperate to some degree."
"...Understood."
Yun Jung-hyun seemed to take it in stride, his expression one of understanding. I tucked the report under my arm and headed out of the café...
"Ah, Jung-hyun. Could I ask you one last thing?"
"...Go ahead."
"Was following my instructions on Floor 4... related to your association activities by any chance?"
"Ha ha."
Yun Jung-hyun shook his head and let out a laugh.
"You remember the box on Floor 3—the one that was empty?"
"...You mean the box in the hidden room?"
"Inside that box was a Single-Person Escape Ticket."
"Ah."
So even if things went wrong, he'd had insurance. That finally made sense.
I'd been suspicious of someone who wasn't purely good-natured like William Smith or Baek Da-hye going along with everything I said. I wondered if he had an ulterior motive.
But he'd searched Floor 3 behind my back? It stung a little, but he'd done his part, so I wasn't going to hold it against him.
And when it comes down to it, a slightly cunning person makes the best business partner.
After cramming the newly gained information firmly into my head, I walked out of the café with light steps.
**
I returned to my rented room and tossed the report onto the bed.
No one had tailed me. I'd wondered if something was up when I saw men in black suits acting suspiciously, but apparently they weren't the type to go that far with their shady behavior.
"So there are three big things to do."
First. Talk things over when Choi Ji-won returns.
Second. Train my mana.
Third. Read through the report.
The only thing I could do right now, without any preparation, was the third one: read the report.
All the back-and-forth had gradually worked up my appetite (inside the Tower, you rarely get to eat, and even when you do, the food is flavorless, so my craving for good food was intense), so I ordered two whole chickens and inhaled them on the spot.
"Whew."
At last, I picked up the report labeled <Floor 4 Survivor Report>.
It was time to start making a real plan.