Subjugation on Broadcast (3)
"As expected, there were quite a few brave souls among you. Out of sixteen pairs, five have chosen to compete."
It seemed that in the games so far, most participants had opted for mutual survival. Dong-hyun had thought five pairs choosing confrontation was fewer than expected, but the Joker spoke as if that number was high. The burden of instantly becoming a slave upon defeat was probably the reason.
Even so, five still feels like too few.
Unlike Dong-hyun, who had come here for a quest, the people of this world treated every choice as reality — because for them, it was. Including Dong-hyun and Gyeo-wool, four other pairs had stepped forward. One featured a middle-aged man who had been losing his temper since the very beginning. Beside him stood a naive-looking girl who appeared to be in her early twenties, and the man's intentions were obvious — he had singled her out to turn her into his slave.
Then there was the man in glasses who had placed third, paired with a woman whose makeup was heavy and whose figure was strikingly pronounced. Another pair consisted of two women, and one of them was none other than Cho Yu-min. Paired with her was another woman who was equally muscular. Two women in the same pair wouldn't have found it easy to choose confrontation — whoever had made that call, it was an unusual combination. The last pair was a man and a woman who both looked to be in their mid-twenties.
While Dong-hyun was surveying the others, the Joker spoke again.
The moment the words left the Joker's mouth, a murmur swept through the crowd. The women's reactions, in particular, looked grim. Games like go, janggi, and chess were far more commonly played by men than women — some of them probably didn't even know the rules.
Beside Dong-hyun, however, Han Gyeo-wool's face lit up brilliantly.
"What a shame, huh? Of all things, the event had to be chess?"
"Feeling confident, are we?"
She looked exceptionally sure of herself.
"You've never heard of Han Gyeo-wool, Korea's youngest chess champion? I guess chess just isn't your thing."
Even if Ahn Jin-woo had possessed this world's knowledge, he wouldn't have known who Han Gyeo-wool was — chess had never been his interest. Still, the fact that she was this world's Korean champion made Dong-hyun a little tense. If she were merely good at chess, he wouldn't have been particularly worried. A champion was a different story entirely.
"Maybe I was wrong to even consider coexistence. The thought of this muscular body becoming mine is actually getting me a little excited."
She already seemed to think she had won, her attitude dripping with confidence.
"Shouldn't you actually play the game before deciding that?"
"Pfft, hahaha... you're actually pretty funny. I can tell you're smart, sure. But chess isn't something you win with brains alone... Well... watching you squirm is more fun than having you submit right away, anyway."
At that point, Dong-hyun crossed over to the real world and went straight to Mu-gang.
"Hm? The world chess champion? You want to meet him? Why chess all of a sudden? Have you gotten bored of go?"
Mu-gang was taken aback — Dong-hyun had shown up out of nowhere asking to meet the world chess champion. He was even entertaining the needless worry that their go matches had grown stale.
"Ah... Grandfather, it's nothing like that. Chess just seemed as profound as go, and I was curious how far I could go if I tried it."
"Well... with your talent, I suppose you'd conquer chess in no time too. Let me look into it."
Fortunately, Mu-gang readily agreed. Mugang Group wasn't merely Korea's top conglomerate — it was a company expanding across the globe. Arranging an introduction to the world chess champion wasn't particularly difficult.
About a week later, Dong-hyun was introduced to the British chess champion. The match took place in Mu-gang's office, because Mu-gang wanted to see just how good Dong-hyun's chess really was.
"Dong-hyun. You've never even played a game of chess. Are you sure you should be facing a champion right from the start? Wouldn't it be better to begin with an easier opponent?"
Now that Dong-hyun was actually about to sit across from the world champion, Mu-gang found himself worrying for no good reason. The Mu-gang the world knew was not a man given to fussing like this — yet somehow, when it came to Dong-hyun, this was who he became.
"It's fine, Grandfather. I've studied quite a bit in the meantime. I'll be okay."
The champion, hearing the exchange through an interpreter, furrowed his brow. He had come because the money was good — he hadn't expected his opponent to be some spoiled brat.
Dong-hyun looked at the man and spoke.
"Even if I'm a beginner, you absolutely must not go easy on me. You have to beat me, no matter what."
Hearing this through the interpreter, the champion decided he was going to wipe that smug look off this arrogant chaebol heir's face.
"He says there's no need to worry. He'll show you that the world of chess is not so easily conquered."
The interpreter relayed the champion's words.
"Good."
In the other world, chess preparations were well underway. Dong-hyun and Han Gyeo-wool took their seats, and staff members stood ready at every table.
"Please choose heads or tails. Ahn Jin-woo, as the higher-ranked participant, will choose first."
"Heads."
"Understood. Ahn Jin-woo is heads, Han Gyeo-wool is tails."
The staff member's coin landed. It was heads. Dong-hyun had inwardly hoped for tails, but he had no choice — he would have to play first. That meant the champion would also have to play first in the real world, and Dong-hyun had to ask him again.
The champion, already in a foul mood, scowled even harder at being told to take the opening move. But when Dong-hyun explained that he had only practiced as black, the man had no choice but to play first.
He had started the match seething with irritation, but as he realized Dong-hyun's skill was far better than expected, his eyes grew serious once more. Which meant Han Gyeo-wool's skill, on the other side of that board, was equally beyond what anyone had anticipated.
Watching this, Mu-gang clapped his hands in delight. His grandson was holding his own against a world champion, after all.
Han Gyeo-wool's face, by contrast, had gone rigidly still. Her opponent, who had looked like he'd never touched a chessboard in his life, was displaying a level of skill that defied all reason. They were playing under international tournament rules, complete with a timer. She had already burned through ten minutes agonizing over every single move — Dong-hyun hadn't used even one. And yet every one of those moves was close to brilliant. She was rattled.
In the real world, there was no time control. If anything, Dong-hyun had to pretend to deliberate rather than move immediately. If his opponent started playing quickly, the champion's pride might push him to think faster — and make a mistake.
By the time Dong-hyun and Han Gyeo-wool's match entered its final stretch, Dong-hyun's clock had barely moved. Han Gyeo-wool's time was nearly gone. She had thirty seconds to make each move, and the clock was hunting her.
Her IQ and mental processing were so exceptional that she normally played at a rapid pace even in regular matches. But facing an opponent superior to herself — and knowing this game would decide her entire life — had tightened a vise around her nerves.
And so, in the end, Gyeo-wool made the worst possible move. In taking her opponent's rook, she had thrown away her own queen.
"Ah... no..."
The instant she captured the rook, she realized her mistake — but the staff forbade takebacks. Dong-hyun smirked and took Gyeo-wool's queen. The cocky expression she'd worn at the start had gone utterly dark, as if the light had been snuffed out of her face.
After losing her queen, Han Gyeo-wool was driven relentlessly backward until, at last, she fell to checkmate.
In the real world, the world champion finally relaxed his expression and broke into a bright smile.
"He says he's astonished by Kang Dong-hyun's incredible talent. He'd like to play again sometime, if the opportunity arises."
"Ah... I've realized the wall of a world champion is truly high. I'll keep working at it."
The champion had underestimated him at first, only to discover a level of skill far beyond anything he'd expected. The fact that Dong-hyun was a chess novice made it all the more staggering.
Watching this, Mu-gang's mouth stretched into a grin that nearly reached his ears.
Heh heh heh. This kid's talent is monstrous. I want to name him my successor already...
And so Mu-gang labored under a completely unnecessary misunderstanding.
Regardless, in the other world, a staff member led the two of them outside.
"Han Gyeo-wool, as the loser, will now be fitted with an electronic collar."
"N-no!! I don't want it!!"
The haughty expression from earlier was gone, replaced by one of sheer terror. Gyeo-wool tried to run, but the staff member knocked her down, pinned her in place, and locked the collar around her neck.
"We will now register the winner Ahn Jin-woo's voice to the collar. Please speak the following into the collar: 'The winner takes everything from the loser.'"
A mechanical voice issued from the collar.
Winner's voice registration complete.
"From now on, you can control everything with your voice. If you wish to punish the loser, say 'Shock.' If you wish to kill the loser, say 'Dispose.' However, if you say 'Dispose,' the collar will ask, 'Are you sure you wish to dispose?' Saying 'Dispose' again at that point will complete the disposal."
"Does 'Shock' not ask for confirmation?"
"Gyaaaaaaagh!!!!"
Dong-hyun had been about to ask the staff member a question when Han Gyeo-wool, still lying on the ground, suddenly began to convulse.
"Heh heh. As you can see, it activates even if you say it by accident."
"What if the loser tries to harm me while I'm asleep?"
"That isn't possible. The loser is automatically shocked the moment they attempt to harm the winner."
"I see. And when I have more slaves, how does 'Shock' work?"
"Gyaaaaaaaaagh!!!!!!"
Han Gyeo-wool convulsed again as another shock tore through her.
"What an excellent system. Thank you."
"Winner Ahn Jin-woo, you may now take the loser and proceed."
Following the staff member's directions, Dong-hyun took Han Gyeo-wool through a door that led further underground. She followed him without resistance. Two shocks had taught her exactly how much it hurt.