ALL NOVEL Chapter 57
Chapter 57 – Collision (7)
‘So this is how it ends up, huh?’
My mouse flailed around, lost as I observed the residents busily preparing for war.
The soldiers gathered their well-maintained weapons and armor, while those not heading into battle filled in for them and assisted with their departure.
Chieftain Balun, Riena, and Shura were no exceptions. For them, war meant a total war for the fate of their entire tribe. Concepts like international law or humanitarian treatment didn’t exist in their world.
Even while he didn’t summon those gathering resources, Balun couldn’t ignore that Dark Blood had no choice but to rest.
I communicated with them through the game and participated in activities, but to them, the games were merely one aspect.
What truly mattered to them was reality. Sure, the enemies in the game were annoying obstacles, but even more pressing were the hostile tribes and the bugs that sought to harm them.
Knowing that, I left their decision to fight alone.
‘Are they… talking to me?’
Just before their departure, Balun knelt with other residents, looking to the sky and muttering something. I couldn’t interpret all of it, but their intent to convey something ceremonial to me was clear.
Perhaps they were asking for my help. Naturally, I would lend a hand. Since they weren’t bugs, I now had the ability to intervene directly with the program I had paid a hefty price for.
“—!”
Having completed the departure ritual, Balun yelled orders to the others before mounting his horse.
The number of solid and well-equipped fighters exceeded one hundred, making up a third of the village. It was like a cavalry from a movie or historical drama charging across the plains towards the west.
‘It’ll take a whole day to get there.’
I scrolled through the screen to examine the [Southwest Plains (9)] they were headed towards, but found no one there. Just a few beasts could be seen.
No matter how fast the cavalry, the distance wasn’t something they could cover in just a few hours.
With no game to play and nothing likely to happen to them until they arrived, this storm before the calm gave me some free time. I could have moved them closer with my mouse, but I decided against it.
– Do you have time?
As if sensing that, Lee So-Yeon’s message arrived.
Having made some plans, she invited me to meet. I had no reason to refuse.
“You chose quite a remote spot.”
“Eek!?”
Lee So-Yeon, holding a broom alone in the dark, empty office, nearly stumbled when I, cloaked, approached and spoke to her.
The place she directed me to was an old shopping area on the outskirts of Seoul. She said she had rented this somewhat gloomy building, which had been vacant in several sections for quite some time.
“I thought you were a real ghost with how you appeared suddenly. They say there are strange rumors about this place already.”
“I’m just amazed by your proactiveness.”
Shivering, she rubbed her arm covered by her blouse, but I expressed my genuine admiration. Renting an office space like this, even with money, was a bold decision under uncertain circumstances.
“Of course, it’s not urgent, but there’s no harm in handling things quickly. More than anything, I feel self-conscious working from home on the computer after quitting my job.”
“Let’s hear your story. Your bright face suggests the problem with the thieves has been resolved.”
“…That problem was handled well. Please, sit anywhere.”
She pointed to a dusty old chair for me. Then she plopped down in another chair herself. True to her bold nature, despite the dust and trash and even bugs that came out, she didn’t seem to mind much.
She kept glancing at me, still cloaked and concealed, but I didn’t want to reveal my identity yet.
“We have many items we can save and sell, but realistically, there seem to be quite a few issues. Even if you know a lot, isn’t it going to be tough?”
“Of course. In this situation, no one would believe a word we say; we’re practically a cult ourselves.”
I brought up the obstacles that could affect our work. It wasn’t about acquiring mysterious and rare items, but how to dispose of them once we had them.
Items like precious metals could be dealt with relatively easily, which was what I had in mind, but she, brimming with entrepreneurial ambition, seemed to think a bit differently.
“Don’t you follow the internet much? Look at this. It seems it hasn’t become well-known in Korea yet.”
She pulled out her phone and showed me something. Everything was in English. My eyes spun at the sight, and I was left speechless, simply staring. The student instincts still in me kicked in and started deciphering the text reflexively, but it was too slow.
“An article from the North American continent. This is the video that caused the article to be written.”
Lee So-Yeon continued and showed me a video posted on a site popular for short clips worldwide.
In it, a person was speaking in English as a squirming black creature quickly disappeared off-screen. All that remained at the scene was a horrifically torn corpse.
The moment I saw it, I instinctively recognized what it was.
“Since a corpse has actually been found, no one would say it’s forged or manipulated; however, there are various theories about the identity of the perpetrator. Some say it’s aliens or creatures. But we can tell right away, can’t we?”
“Bugs. Why on earth did they appear in North America? We haven’t let a single bug slip through.”
It seemed she had come to the same realization as I did. Flustered, I found myself questioning her instead. As the sole users of the Master Program, we had been diligently holding our positions alongside the guardians in the desktop.
“Logically speaking, it’s a global crisis, and I thought we couldn’t possibly be the only ones. Of course, the user community consists of just the two of us, but perhaps the servers aren’t unified?”
“So, while we’re the only ones on the Korean server, others like us might be in different countries?”
“I’m not sure if they’re divided by country, though.”
That perspective was surprisingly fresh, and I was slightly taken aback. After all, they say the number of users will continue to rise, and if it spreads globally, surely there will be many more.
“Anyway, it means some have already failed. I had thought such an incident might occur since that monster tried to escape from the monitor, but not this soon.”
“I don’t know how you feel, but I see this as an opportunity. The monsters called Bugs are indeed real monsters and pose a threat to the world soon. The point at which our common sense falls apart will come soon.”
Her eyes sparkling, Lee So-Yeon considered this an opportunity. When common sense collapses and the people of the world have to accept it.
That’s when we could step in and disregard existing procedures.
In a climate where terrible monsters devouring people become a given, whatever we sell will go unquestioned.
“Do I look bad for suggesting we take advantage of the opportunity while people are dying and getting hurt?”
“I don’t think it’s bad to seize the opportunity that we’re working hard for without anyone noticing.”
“It’s complicated to say, but I want to succeed. By any means necessary. I know it’s extremely dangerous, but I’ve acquired a variable that is once-in-a-lifetime, so how I utilize it is up to me.”
She had a story behind her sardonic smile, but I couldn’t ask her since I hadn’t shown my face yet.
“And I don’t know if you’re aware, but the Master Program can be moved to a laptop.”
Moreover, pulling out a new laptop from her bag, she didn’t stop there and informed me of something else. It was something I hadn’t even thought of.
“Wow, so it can be transferred by following the operating system account.”
Just logging into the operating system account where the Master Program was installed allowed for switching devices. If that’s the case, there was no need to be tied to a desktop that couldn’t move.
The company where I used a separate computer wouldn’t use my account, so it was only natural they wouldn’t notice.
“Thank you for the good information. It seems you know more than I do now.”
“Not at all. If it weren’t for the help you provided initially in suggesting to use the game, I wouldn’t have accomplished any of this.”
When I thanked her for the helpful information, she just smiled and shook her head.
We both seemed to be receiving proper help from our respective supporters.
‘I need to buy a laptop right now.’
Simultaneously, the thought of needing to buy a laptop immediately crossed my mind. With a laptop, I could oversee the residents from anywhere, even if I had to move or leave home.
The Master Program’s power kept it running even when unplugged, so there seemed to be no worries about internet or battery issues.
“Are you planning to buy a laptop? Would you like me to give you one? It’s a latest gaming laptop, so there shouldn’t be any performance issues.”
“Uh.”
However, as if reading my thoughts through the cloak, Lee So-Yeon, grinning slyly, pulled out another new laptop from her bag.
I felt a strong determination from her that she wouldn’t let go of me no matter what.
“Let’s try it out now.”
Sitting in the chair, I turned on the laptop. I’d have to go through the trouble of installing programs or games anew, but at least I’d be able to see the residents now.
*
“Slow down a bit and take a break. Have the scouts up front found nothing yet?”
“That’s right. By the way, this time the Guardian hasn’t moved us.”
“Could it be because there are too many of us?”
“In my opinion, that great being who helps us simultaneously in various forms doesn’t seem to take a single moment off watching over us.”
After marching for several hours, Balun murmured, looking at the sky, in response to Rakum’s remark beside him.
In fact, while I usually helped them move with the mouse, Jun-Young had deliberately chosen not to assist them and focus on other tasks, leading Balun to realize his absence.
“Then it’s a dangerous thing…”
“How busy must that great being be, who helps us in so many forms at once? Of course, they’ll assist us in crucial moments.”
Seeing Rakum’s puzzled expression, Balun shook his head, pondering how busy the Guardian must be. Meanwhile, they had already reached nearly halfway to their destination.
“Whoa!?”
“That’s them!”
At that moment, some of their bodies were suddenly lifted along with their horses.
The power of the Guardian had returned to them.
In reality, it was just me connecting the Master Program to the laptop to test its performance; nonetheless, they cheered joyously even as they dangled in mid-air.