I’m Just an Ordinary Human

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“Are you coming to your senses?”

As Lumi regained consciousness, Jung Seong-min approached her, supporting her as he asked.

‘This is serious.’

Just one look, and it was clear that she was not in a normal state.

Her entire body was bruised, and her arm had twisted at an abnormal angle, turning purple.

Even though she had landed relatively safely, the impact couldn’t be avoided entirely.

Her current condition was such that it was difficult for her to even stand up properly.

At least maintaining her consciousness was possible only because of the enhanced body of a [Streamer].

“What about the others…?”

She seemed on the verge of collapsing as she asked about the stronghold members.

Jung Seong-min hesitated.

Was it really okay to give her information?

In fact, he didn’t know much himself.

After all, he was a third party.

An outsider to this incident.

Seeing the involvement of the [Painter]’s student, he suspected something was going wrong, but ultimately that was the business of the [Broadcasting Station] and the [Streamer].

He had simply rescued the woman falling from the sky due to a sudden massive explosion, but he didn’t actually have a good relationship with the [Broadcasting Station].

While he could make rough guesses based on the student’s last words and the situation,

what he truly knew was just the last wishes of the [Painter]’s student before they died.

‘I shouldn’t say anything.’

Combining the information he had, Jung Seong-min reached a conclusion.

He shouldn’t impart any information to her.

It was definitely a trap.

A trap specifically meant to catch her.

While he worried for her, that wasn’t the only reason.

If she were to hear the information and throw her life away, that would be her choice.

He had saved her life, but this situation was different.

There was a significant difference between saving someone on the verge of death and stopping someone who is willingly headed toward their demise.

Especially in this ruined world, death might be a better option.

Moreover, she had just lost all her companions, and he had no right to stop her from seeking revenge.

The real problem was the consequences of that death.

‘If the [Painter]’s students are starting to seriously move now, there’s certainly a plan in progress.’

Even while being hunted by the [Streamers], they were beginning to actively utilize the [Abnormality]s they had been saving.

If it were simply just killing [Streamers], it would be one thing, but seeing them trying to save her even while dying indicated her life and death were crucial to their plans.

Considering they had taken all the stronghold members hostage, it was likely aimed at luring her somewhere.

‘It’s definitely right to hide the information.’

Even though the [Painter]’s students were mere remnants, they were still affiliated with the [Artist].

No one knows what terrible things could happen if their plans come to fruition.

So he must convey that all her companions were dead and that it was already too late.

The fact that they emphasized the four-hour mark while dying must mean that something needed to happen within that time.

Convincing her that avenging her companions was impossible right now and that she should recover first would easily disrupt their plans.

So…

“People…!”

Lumi, who had desperately been searching for the members of the stronghold, gazed at a tree as if entranced and approached it.

Then, with her broken body, she began to peel the bark off the tree.

“Get down! You’ll really die!”

Even though Lumi was digging into the tree, it was meaningless.

The tree regenerated the moment it was injured.

From the start, that tree was also an [Abnormality].

It wasn’t something that could simply be dealt with physically.

Even the roots that had been half-blown away by the explosion and shockwave were almost recovering, making it impossible for someone in her broken state to unearth the tree.

Yet, she persisted, damaging her own body while clinging on.

A sight that was pitiful to witness.

Seeing that, Jung Seong-min, who was about to turn away, grabbed her once more.

“Let go of this!”

Lumi erupted in anger at Jung Seong-min for stopping her.

It was tragic, miserable.

A scream of someone who had lost everything.

“Argh, seriously!”

Reason and emotion.

His reason told him to hide the information from Lumi, while his emotions wished to sympathize with her and help her.

“Hah!”

Alliance Leader.

I guess I’m not suited to be a great person like you.

In the end, emotion prevailed.

“You want to save the people, right? There’s a way. I can help you.”

At Jung Seong-min’s words, Lumi finally burst into tears.

“Please, help me…”

As he embraced the sobbing Lumi, Jung Seong-min looked up at the now restored tree.

“Sigh, what a mess I’ve got into by trying to save one person…”

Yes, there was roughly 3 hours and 40 minutes left…

“Right… If we crush all the plans or whatever, there’s nothing left.”

Let’s give it a shot.

*

Jung Seong-min was an agent affiliated with the [Alliance].

Or rather, he used to be an agent.

Because the [Alliance] had already fallen apart.

‘[Broadcasting Station]… the world you created is hell.’

Jung Seong-min had also watched that day’s broadcast.

The Alliance Leader’s disgrace and his distorted ideology all laid bare.

The contradiction that it was okay to kill humans for the sake of humans.

That guy Han Yu-seong, who created the [Broadcasting Station], pointed that out and claimed the Alliance Leader had fallen…

“At least it was better than this kind of world.”

Even if the [Alliance] made mistakes, the world created by its restraint was certainly peaceful.

A true golden age of humanity.

Did that man destroy the [Alliance] just for this kind of world?

After the fall of the [Alliance].

Jung Seong-min wandered around, watching the world that had transformed.

A world where benevolent humans were devoured by malevolence, and those governed by malevolence were living luxuriously.

The cycle where human malice spread fear, and that fear birthed [Abnormality]s.

Zombies were no longer the issue.

Amidst that, the behavior of the [Broadcasting Station], inciting conflicts among the [Streamers], was…

Yet, even in such a world, there were those who lived out of goodwill.

There were surely those who sought to create a community where, instead of oppression and fear, everyone cared for each other.

‘This woman was surely a part of the good side…’

Jung Seong-min, thinking of Lumi who was on his back, was still in agony.

Desperately trying to find an excuse to help her without turning away.

He couldn’t be as resolute as the Alliance Leader and cut her off as something unnecessary.

He knew it was right to turn away, yet he ultimately couldn’t ignore her and chose to help her.

That was proof that Jung Seong-min was still immature.

“[Soul-Eating Ancient Tree] is an [Abnormality].”

Jung Seong-min was an elite.

Unlike the bear being exploited for labor somewhere in an apartment, he was truly elite, recognized for his abilities and genius from a young age.

At the mere age of 20, he was a talent in a direct unit supervised by the Alliance Leader.

Thus, his access to information was among the highest, second only to the Alliance Leader himself.

He had memorized everything about the [Abnormality]s primarily used by the [Gigantic Forces] opposing the [Alliance].

“Though it took a while for me to identify it as it’s much smaller than what I know, it must be it.”

A work by the [Painter].

An artificially born [Abnormal Entity] drawn by the formidable [Painter].

Among them, there were a few regarded as masterpieces, even feared by other forces.

[Landscape Painting]

[Faceless Beautiful Figure]

[Soul-Eating Ancient Tree]

Three paintings regarded as masterpieces by the [Painter].

Among them, the one that forcibly devours humans to extract their thoughts and endlessly creates new [Abnormality]s, which is specifically categorized as highly dangerous, is the [Soul-Eating Ancient Tree].

“Then we need to rescue the people immediately!”

Upon hearing Jung Seong-min’s explanation, Lumi became frantic.

To her, he spoke firmly.

“We can’t destroy that tree with our strength.”

If the tree were partially incomplete, they might have a chance, but rescuing it in time was out of the question.

It would be one thing if they had stopped it before activation, but now that the [Abnormality] had been triggered, confronting it head-on was beyond their capabilities.

“Don’t worry. Normally, it would digest everything right away and create an [Abnormality], but since it’s quiet now, it means we have time.”

Feeling Lumi’s trembling, Jung Seong-min quickly reassured her.

Right, there’s still time.

If the student’s words weren’t lies, the time limit is four hours.

If they resolve it within that time, saving them might still be possible.

“You said we can’t destroy that tree?”

“Exactly. So we need to use another method.”

Unless a powerhouse like the Alliance Leader or a God showed up, destroying that tree was impossible.

Han Yu-seong from the [Broadcasting Station] probably could, but since there hadn’t been any news, he must have his own plans in place.

‘But it’s not like there is no way to break through.’

Ultimately, that is merely a painting created by the [Painter], not a fully realized [Abnormality].

“If a painting is to manifest itself in reality, there must be a human to convey admiration for it.”

Admiration, awe, and emotion toward the [Painting].

The power of the [Abnormality] must continuously consume thoughts as fuel to remain in reality.

“It’s not just an ordinary painting, it’s the masterpiece of the [Painter]. It’s impossible for mere students to handle.”

“…But they managed to, right?”

That was true.

Though it couldn’t normally operate, the [Abnormality] had manifested in reality despite being incomplete.

“There’s a possible method for that.”

Yes, the system that collects thoughts spreading in the air to strengthen subjects was laid out across the entire Earth.

“[Streamer System]…”

“Yes, they have their reasons for teaming up with the [Streamers].”

The reason the students finally pulled out the masterpiece.

If they received support from the main unit of the [Artist]…

‘If it’s just a slight directional interference, they could definitely handle it.’

He turned on his smartphone, but he couldn’t access Kim Min-seong’s broadcast.

Even though it showed that he was live.

“If we defeat Kim Min-seong and turn off the broadcast, that tree will ultimately disappear.”

At Jung Seong-min’s words, Lumi nodded.

Ultimately, it all led back to that man.

Memories of his past life floated in his mind.

The people from the stronghold who had struggled, cooperated, and incrementally evolved together, often smiling.

‘I will definitely…’

I will kill him.

As Jung Seong-min carried Lumi, he thought of her resolve.

‘To save them, or rather, to kill him?’

Well, he understands but…

“There’s no good in killing another human being.”

Though he shouldn’t be the one saying that as someone who supports the murderer known as the Alliance Leader.

Jung Seong-min, feeling conflicted, halted his steps.

This was the base of the [Streamers], who practically ruled the area near Hongdae.

Ewha Womans University.

“The remaining time…”

Three hours ahead.

They needed to finish everything within that timeframe.