Damned System

Chapter 63. To the New World (2)

「Connection 03-143(1) is destroyed.”」
「The Hole is closed.」
「Achievement 5 has been credited.」
「Congratulations! MISSION – 03-143 has been completed.」

「You have successfully completed a 03 mission for the first time! Reputation has increased by 30.」

「Please select your reward.」

Even though the clear message was plastered there, I briefly couldn’t believe I had returned to Earth.

The ten days I spent there felt more intense than the twenty-plus years I had lived.

‘Naturally, since I was tense every moment….’

I felt that if I refocused on the game right now, something would go awry.

So I diverted my attention for a while.

I fiddled with my phone and gazed out the window filled with modern civilization for a few minutes.

Thankfully, the discord that had engulfed me began to fade.

With a sigh of relief that no one noticed, I looked back at the game.

‘First, the rewards.’

I chose the latter option between mana and attribute mana.

Then a message appeared that differed from anything I had seen before.

「As the benefit of being the top in accumulated reputation, double all rewards are granted.」

「Attribute Mana increases by 60.」
「Reputation increases by 12.」

The privilege of being first in reputation was quite beneficial.

Now, the attribute mana displayed on the status window was 455.

I had earned quite a bit of mana through the hidden mission.

‘I managed to earn nearly 200 with the New World and the main scenario together.’

Indeed, hidden missions reward your efforts with great benefits.

The attribute mana I barely managed to exceed 100 during the Level 2 missions was now nearing 500.

I felt strangely full with satisfaction.

After checking the rewards and changes in the status window, it happened.

The timer, which had been displayed with the overall notice, reached zero, and the system moved.

「The connection with the sub-server (Bihar) will commence.」
「A patch for the complete update has started.」
「Progress 0.01%」
「Some functions are restricted for smooth operation.」
「The second player selection process is underway. (100,000/100,000)」

I chuckled bitterly, looking at the increased number of players from the second selection.

‘Making a big move, aren’t they?’

It was said that it could mobilize the divinity invested in game development?

The system pulled in a number ten times that of the first selection into this game.

Compared to the Beta and the first selection, with their hundred-fold increase, the ratio decreased, but the overall scale expanded greatly.

At this moment, there would be 100,000 people who, knowing nothing, would be torn apart by the beasts.

“Whew.”

Just a few hours ago, I was also a similar victim.

Now, I was siding with the system’s plan.

I chose to overlook it because it aligned with the direction I had chosen, despite knowing what would happen later.

‘Am I a co-conspirator…?’

With a bitter smile, I closed the message window and opened the community.

Without looking at posts discussing the second selection and its scale, the first thing I did was open the chat window.

The recipient was Namkyu.

– K: Are you free now? I’d like to talk with Squad Leader Yang Jochul.

I knew his personal number, but I didn’t want to waste time finding a public phone while using Stealth.

Since there was a connection that could directly communicate with Squad Leader Yang Jochul, there was no reason not to use it.

Namkyu’s response came almost immediately.

– Im Namkyu: Just a moment I’m cominggg

Reading the message with a lot to say, my eyebrows twitched involuntarily.

‘The spelling is off.’

Two mistakes, even giving him the benefit of a typo for the last character.

Staring at Namkyu’s message, I ignored the irritation gnawing at me and swallowed a sigh.

‘It’s probably just a typo.’

And while waiting for his response, I opened the chat window with Ethan.

There was an issue I wanted to discuss with him.

More precisely, I wanted his permission on something.

* * *

Contact came from K, stating there was something to convey and requesting a meeting.

In response, Yang Jochul excluded all agents involved in conflicts with players from the operation.

No exceptions, even for minor verbal spats.

And not only that, he prepared gifts to gain K’s favor.

‘He might refuse them.’

But with a ‘just in case’ mindset, he gathered this and that.

About an hour after getting contacted by K, Yang Jochul, Im Namkyu, and five other security personnel from the Special Forces arrived at the meeting spot.

The two vehicles smoothly stopped at a remote mountain near Seoul.

As Yang Jochul alighted, Im Namkyu, who had come along to prevent any possible communication lapse, followed closely.

Yang Jochul glanced at his wristwatch, having observed an excited Im Namkyu since he mentioned meeting K.

‘Ten minutes.’

Rushing allowed them some leeway before the appointed time.

“We should convey that we’ve arrived.”

“Ah, yes!”

Im Namkyu, having contacted K through player chat, replied, “The gentleman will arrive shortly.”

“No other words?”

“No.”

“Alright.”

As the meeting approached, tension naturally heightened.

They were meeting a player who stood out distinctly, like a stiletto in a pocket.

Tension was unavoidable.

“Whew.”

Yang Jochul calmed his breath while once again organizing his thoughts about this mysterious K.

From the information at hand, K appeared to be a remarkably intriguing individual.

‘He is extremely reluctant to reveal himself, yet he doesn’t hesitate to act directly.’

Every meeting to date had been led by K.

From this fact, one might speculate that K is action-oriented.

‘More accurately, he must possess decisiveness and driving force.’

K was overall a cautious figure.

Moreover, he was meticulous, even conducting pre-emptive research.

‘Both the public phone used for his first call and the café for the meeting.’

It couldn’t be a coincidence that there were only one or two CCTVs capturing the exact places K must have visited.

‘He wasn’t a rash actor; rather, he was prepared for the worst, hence his composure.’

A cautious person deploying himself indicates a confidence that he can escape should the worst occur.

Being someone who always prepares for the worst, there’s no choice but to exude a calm that seems audacious.

‘He must have dozens of scenarios laid out in his head.’

Such individuals are typically strong against variables.

They don’t panic when things deviate; they immediately choose a backup plan.

Considering just this, K already warranted an immense affinity for being an exceptional talent, but it didn’t end there.

Based on the posts he had made in the player community analysis, K had an extraordinarily rapid adaptability to foreign experiences.

Moreover, not being frugal in facing challenges, he boasted exceptional application skills.

Above all, his overall credentials showed boldness and audacity.

‘Is it that he has no fear, or is he full of self-confidence?’

He was also the first to initiate contact, lead plans, and issue directives.

K didn’t falter in his relationship with power-wielding bodies.

While it wasn’t to say he overwhelmingly monopolized superiority, he certainly wasn’t pushed around.

Through the Han Changshik incident, he simultaneously announced his danger and clearly demonstrated the possibility of coexistence as an amicable ally.

He neither presented an unnecessarily humble stance nor excessively attempted to overpower.

Hence, the government side opted not to suppress K’s name, despite the tension over his presence.

There was no need to stimulate and ruin the relationship first.

‘One could see that he built the safest influence an individual could wield over a group.’

Had K applied for the NIS public recruitment, he would have been snapped up for his talent.

‘Come to think of it, there was a comment about his outstanding cognitive abilities and deductive skills.’

K threw out various possibilities regarding the monsters.

Judging from that aspect, it almost seemed like he was adept at connecting scattered pieces to visualize an actual situation.

Moreover, the way he described situations in the guidebook was detailed.

If those contents were true, his memory should also be considered decent.

‘I must admit, he’s quite something.’

Indeed, such a person would naturally stand out in this game.

Having combed through the comprehensive data, the overwhelming conclusion was that K was proficient at negotiations, familiar with planning, and an elite well-trained under pressure.

Yang Jochul didn’t stop there and decided to reflect on K’s emotional aspects further.

‘Namkyu….’

There was no obligation for K to take care of him.

Yet, he voluntarily covered up the incident Im Namkyu caused and even gave him the role of a liaison, standing firm behind him.

As if warning not to mess around.

‘Perhaps he even has a child.’

If he were projecting his child onto Im Namkyu, it could have stirred his protective instincts.

Yang Jochul pondered, over and over, about K during the past few weeks, aiming to learn and understand a bit more.

Just then, audible footsteps emerged from an empty space where there shouldn’t have been any.

Yang Jochul’s hand trembled faintly.

In the past, he would have drawn his firearm by now.

Today, to prevent the mishap of having his firearm taken away by a player, he wasn’t carrying one.

Watching the space distort in an unarmed state unexpectedly heightened his nerves.

Gulp.

Swallowing, a tall man split the air and made his appearance.

“It’s been a while.”

Carrying a bag larger than his own physique without any hint of struggle, it was undoubtedly K.

Since he wore a pressed down black baseball cap and a mask, verifying his appearance overall was impossible.

However, his sharp eye gaze and the vivid golden eyes watching beyond it seemed excessively clear.

It swept over him, with the feeling that he wouldn’t forget this scene for a long time.

Yet, Yang Jochul deliberately calmed his stirred feelings and spoke.

“K, glad to see you. To formally introduce—”

“I’m sorry, but it’s practically our first meeting, so let’s postpone the formalities. Given it’s nearly an hour past, it’s not surprising for them to wake up anytime.”

However, K cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

“I’d like to move locations as quickly as possible. You may decide an appropriate place, Squad Leader.”

“What do you mean…?”

Accompanying his understandability-defying utterance, K put down the black plastic bag he had been carrying.

Shortly after the heavy thud resonated from where he had placed it, K unzipped the bag.

Yang Jochul instinctively stepped back as he checked the contents of the bag.

Crinkled.

The bent joints of the first-ever seen creature in Yang Jochul’s life laid within.

“This is….”

“I caught it to check if firearms work, but I apologize for not informing in advance.”

As if entailing the matter would complicate things unnecessarily upon mention of firearms.

K added a short line and raised his body by lightly kicking the bag.

“Grugh…”

“I figured showing it first and then explaining would be quicker.”

It hadn’t been a delusion; the creature moved just now.

‘It’s alive…’

The monstrously bent being inside the bag wriggled.

“Isn’t it better alive than dead?”

Looking at the bizarre entity stiffly, Yang Jochul awkwardly creaked his neck upward.

“To those bastards spouting nonsense about contrivance or something, this will be direct.”

A mental awakening seemed to occur.

“I’ll hand it over post-verification, so dissect it or exhibit it, feel free to utilize as necessary.”

“…..”

“It will be useful in persuading those disbelieving in the game.”

Persuasion, for what?

Yang Jochul only stared at K silently for some time.

Possibly displeased by the silence, K clicked his tongue and said with a furrowed brow,

“Since you’ve been silent since earlier, if bringing a firearm where I am makes you uncomfortable, then please say so quickly. Don’t draw out the time needlessly.”

“… Please wait a moment; I’ll secure a location.”

Despite maintaining a solemn disposition, Yang Jochul moved without any further delay at K’s urging.