Damned System

Chapter 13. The System (3)

‘How does this guy know my codename?’

I had never shown him the inputs.

I had hunted only four monsters in front of him.

That was also a record achieved by a player with the codename ‘Human’.

Yet, Ethan had identified me, whom he had accompanied, as K.

‘Did he just guess?’

I continued my comments while harboring the question.

⌎(Private Comment) It seems like it. But I never carried you on my back. I dragged you around. How’s your body?
⌎(Private Comment) You are indeed the person I was thinking of. I’ve been awake for a couple of hours. My wounds are healing at an unusually fast rate. Now answer me, are you K?
⌎(Private Comment) Why do you think I’m K? My codename could very well be Human.
⌎(Private Comment) I just thought so when I saw the number 36.

‘He really just guessed?’

I let out a hollow laugh out of disbelief.

⌎(Private Comment) Narrow-minded. Anyone else might have done it too.
⌎(Private Comment) So, you’re saying you’re not K?

I scowled at the subsequent comment.

‘Why is he so persistent?’

What does he intend to do knowing I’m K?

I kept watching the comments section for a while without replying.

It was to be cautious. I couldn’t even guess why Ethan was doing this.

However, Ethan broke the silence himself within just a few minutes.

⌎(Private Comment) If I offended you, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to pry into your identity… I was just curious too, so I asked. Even if you’re not, it’s fine. I just wanted to tell you to be careful.

Be careful? Of what?

As my eyes narrowed, a new comment appeared.

⌎(Private Comment) The UK and US governments are aware of K. It seems like they’re trying to find you, from what I heard.

My expression twisted into a grimace.

* * *

“We’ve arrived.”

Jaehyuk parked the car in front of the house. As I got out of the passenger seat and turned to look at him, I spoke.

“Thanks.”

“… Let me know if something happens. I’ll be on standby.”

“Alright, and don’t mention what happened yesterday to the kids.”

“Okay.”

“See you later.”

After confirming that he drove off, I turned around.

My mind was a mess as I ascended the stairs to go home.

It was because of what Ethan had told me in the comments.

He had been unconscious when the mission ended.

Because of that, his real name was registered as his codename.

Thanks to this, the US government was able to find out his name through a player named ‘White Lily’ from their country.

⌎(Private Comment) Seems like White Lily is a CIA agent. That’s how they found out my real name through that person. The US approached me first after figuring out the shopping center incident.

Unlike me, Ethan had been at the shopping center during the first tutorial.

That’s how he was discovered by the government agencies quickly.

He added that he was now under surveillance by the UK’s intelligence agency, mI5.

⌎(Private Comment) The Americans officially claim to be in talks for an information exchange. But they also mentioned K. They asked me if I knew anything about you. I just replied that I hadn’t met you on a mission sheet yet.

Considering my scores, some level of attention was only expected.

My results ranked differently from other players, after all.

⌎(Private Comment) I’m telling you all this because MI5 sees me not only as a subject of surveillance but as a test subject. Honestly, my current situation isn’t much different from a lab rat. When they found out my physical capabilities were above ordinary, they even tested if I could be hit by bullets.

Reading up to this point, a sense of wariness soared without limits.

It worsened when I heard they deliberately caused injuries to observe me, to verify recovery abilities.

⌎(Private Comment) I understand. If an anomaly reaches the level where modern firearms are rendered ineffective, it would make sense to see it as a threat. But it’s not ethically justifiable.

⌎(Private Comment) So, if you haven’t contacted any government agencies yet, I wanted to tell you to keep hiding. We don’t know much about this game ourselves. Those who haven’t gone through the missions are even less informed. There’s a lot of wariness towards me, to the point where people armed with firearms always follow me around. At least until we figure out why this game started, stay hidden. Fear of the unknown should not be taken lightly.

I had previously thought of Ethan as a bit of a pushover with his crying face.

But Ethan surprisingly turned out to be thoughtful and sharp.

‘Well, that must be why he managed to clear all stages.’

Tackling a lion and taking down a polar bear is no small feat.

Out of 100, only about 7 players achieved a full clear.

Ethan was among those top performers.

‘Considering he tried to stick with me, he’s not a complete idiot either.’

He properly understood how a hundred players would be perceived by the world.

And I agreed with his judgment.

There were too many uncertainties at this time.

Mana, monsters, halls, barriers.

Even we, who are directly playing this game, have an abundance of unknowns.

Not to mention the number of players.

A hundred players might not be small, but considering the world’s population, it’s an extremely small fraction.

‘Even in an era where human rights are important, minorities are always at a disadvantage.’

Human history serves as a testament to that.

In such a situation, stepping into the spotlight is not wise.

Like Ethan, one could be detained by government agencies and subjected to experiments, possibly having bullets lodged into one’s body.

‘They might surprisingly react passively.’

I once read a rumor that government agencies prepare counter-response scenarios for unexpected events.

Among them were unrealistic scenarios like alien invasions or global economic collapse.

Whether that’s true or a plausible lie, I never wanted to find out firsthand.

I have family to protect. My safety ensures the safety of the twins.

Consequently, I decided to heed Ethan’s warning and be cautious not to reveal my presence.

‘The problem is with the medical records…’

I might need to talk with Jonghun soon.

“Sigh… it’s going to be busy from now on.”

Of course, saying I’d be cautious didn’t mean I’d hide and lie low indefinitely.

‘Once the main server is activated, the game will start again.’

I have to prepare as much as possible before that happens.

Ethan, now under the supervision of an agency, was receiving professional military training.

I was a bit envious of that part.

But I wasn’t planning to seek government help of my own accord.

‘Caution towards the unfamiliar.’

As Ethan mentioned, underestimating that could be dangerous.

‘Maybe I should visit a martial arts center.’

There are places that teach dagger techniques or combative martial arts used by real soldiers these days. I should look into those options.

While mulling over future possibilities, I reached the end of the stairs.

Just as I stood in front of the entrance, ready to press the door lock, my phone rang.

I answered it absent-mindedly.

“Hello, this is Kang Hyunwoo.”

With my other hand, I lifted the cover of the traditional door lock, and it beeped.

Then a stranger’s voice came over the phone.

“Who is this?”

I froze mid-action, about to input the door lock code.

『This is Lieutenant Han Jihye from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Department.』

My heartbeat began to rise slowly.

‘Why are the police calling me…?’

My thoughts naturally linked this to the game.

I had only recently had a conversation with Ethan.

‘Could it be?’

Had my identity already been exposed? My face twitched as I gritted my teeth.

* * *

Three weeks after the system intervened in my life, march arrived.

After the twins’ high school entrance ceremony ended today, I stood before flashing camera lights.

The continuous flashes stung my eyes.

“A commendation.”

Unlike me, who stood stiffly, the voice of the person standing behind the Seoul Metropolitan Police Chief was calm.

“… For your contribution to public safety by thwarting and apprehending the criminal, you are hereby awarded this commendation.”

When they finished speaking, the chief handed me the commendation.

Two days ago, the police contacted me.

They wanted to hold a commendation ceremony related to the kidnapping attempt incident.

I was tense, thinking it might be related to the system.

Fortunately, it turned out I was completely off base.

Despite the relief, I initially planned to decline the offer.

It was bothersome and complicated due to the system.

I didn’t want to be mentioned in the public media.

Yet here I was, receiving the commendation, for a simple reason.

– Hyung! There’s a call from the police!

The situation changed because Jinwoo answered the second call from the police.

Upon learning about the commendation ceremony, Jinwoo visibly brightened.

Even Yeonwoo, who had been giving me scoldings for taking risks, was similarly not much different.

Though concerned, she was apparently proud of me deep down for what I did.

So I changed my mind.

I hoped that maybe, if I mentioned having such siblings, they might gain a little pride among their friends.

Would this become a good memory for their school days?

If it made the twins happy, then I could do anything for them.

Fortunately, the commendation ceremony ended sooner than expected.

The twins came over, each holding the certificate and trophy.

Their faces were full of smiles.

‘It was worth the trouble.’

Enduring the bother had been rewarding.

As I thought it was time to leave, I turned only to hear.

“Hyung!”

A child and a young couple approached me.

‘Kim Yumin, wasn’t it?’

It was the child who had almost been kidnapped and his parents.

They offered tearful thanks when I first met them at the police station, practically turning it into a melodrama.

Feeling burdened, I casually nodded in acknowledgment.

Before they could speak, I looked down at little Yumin, barely reaching my thigh.

“Long time no see, little guy.”

“Please accept this!”

Yumin handed over the bouquet he was holding.

As I accepted it, Yumin placed both hands on his stomach and bowed.

“Thank you for saving me.”

Seeing that, a smile naturally appeared on my lips.

I responded while patting the child’s head.

“Okay.”

I could have left then and there.

But for some reason, my steps didn’t move as I crouched down.

Only after the incident with Yumin did I learn this, but child kidnappings often involved acquaintances.

The would-be kidnapper I had caught turned out to be a person running a small grocery nearby.

He had plans to ransom the child due to gambling debts.

Hence, I could give him one more piece of advice.

“Next time, don’t go with other adults when your mom and dad aren’t there. Even if it’s someone you know.”

“Yes!”

Yumin replied cheerfully, his smile radiant.

As I watched the child walk away, I couldn’t help but wonder.

If that day, I had been an ordinary person without mana.

If I hadn’t heard their conversation after walking away.

If I had ignored the oddity.

If I had been stabbed by the knife and allowed the kidnapper to escape.

Would I still be able to see the child smile as he did now?

My feelings were complex.

‘I guess it’s fortunate.’

Every ordeal I’ve faced since the first tutorial has been horrifying.

If given a choice, I would never have stepped into this mess.

Yet strangely, I now felt grateful.

That I had mana and could prevent the worst.

After bidding farewell to Yumin and his parents, heading back home, I pondered a question.

‘Why is the system granting me this power?’

Of course, there was no answer.

Only the numbers at the bottom of my vision increased ever so slightly.

「Main server (Earth) stabilization 9.157%」

When that number fully fills, will I be able to unravel the never-ending questions?

Damned System