Chapter 92
“My father?”
“…Yeah. The Director contacted me directly and asked me to look after you… to keep an eye on you.”
“Keep an eye on me?”
“Well, in short, I was supposed to monitor you to make sure you weren’t doing anything reckless.”
“So you monitored me until my father passed away?”
“No. For all three years.”
“Huh?”
“The Director told me to help you whenever you were in danger, and he paid for all my tuition.”
“Your tuition?”
“Yeah. Somehow he knew how terrible my family’s financial situation was. Anyway, that’s how I managed to graduate. Even after he passed away, I kept watching over you because he had already paid my tuition in advance. Though it became pointless after Hansung took you.”
“…My father did something ridiculous.”
“Anyway, that’s what happened. Nothing special.”
“Did my father tell you to keep me away from Hansung?”
“Yeah. He said if anything happened, I should separate you and send you to the National Mana Research Institute.”
“Is that why I went to the National Mana Research Institute when the Special Instructor tried to take me to Hansung?”
“Oh, that time? Yeah. That instructor insisted on going all the way to Hansung for some reason.”
“Actually, Han Jaemin… I mean, Director Han mentioned he had someone planted there. I think it might have been the Special Instructor.”
“What? So he was working for Hansung?”
“I don’t know. It’s just a guess. Anyway, I graduated after that.”
“What about Go Hankyul?”
“What?”
“Isn’t Go Hankyul one of them?”
“He’s probably nothing.”
“Really? That’s unexpected.”
“What’s unexpected?”
“Just… anyone would think so, right?”
“What?”
“He just seems like someone who approached you with ulterior motives.”
“Or not.” Lee Joohyun quickly wrapped up the conversation and hung up. It was quite an unsettling conclusion. So, on one side, someone planted by Hansung was monitoring me, and on the other side, Lee Joohyun, who my father had asked for help, was watching over me. This was neither a sheltered life like a flower in a greenhouse nor the life of a public enemy—it was an ambiguous school life somewhere in between.
“Hey, System.”
After “that incident,” I occasionally called out to the System idly. The System usually didn’t respond, but sometimes it would display messages like “Would you like to save?”
[Would you like to save? Y/N]
Same as always. I ignored the floating text without giving any response. At seventeen, I only trusted myself and Yu Hyunjae. No, I didn’t even trust myself properly. A life where I relied solely on Yu Hyunjae. Even if someone was monitoring and trying to manipulate me, I only worried about whether Yu Hyunjae would be in danger or harmed.
“Who should I trust?”
[Would you like to save? Y/N]
“Is it true that Lee Joohyun didn’t lie?”
[Would you like to save? Y/N]
“Is Go Hankyul really on my side?”
[Would you like to save? Y/N]
“Why would I save when I don’t know any of that?”
I paused for a moment before speaking.
“Why do you keep telling me to save? Am I going to die again?”
It was half a joke, but it wasn’t funny, so it was a failed joke. As I was lost in thought, my stomach began to feel uncomfortable. This was a common side effect of the medication. Usually, I would take painkillers that were specially made for me. However, I suddenly remembered that I had experienced a similar physical state when I had entered Admin Mode previously. At first, my stomach felt slightly queasy as if I had indigestion, then I became dizzy as if everything in my body was moving chaotically, and cold sweat broke out. I stared at the floating “Would you like to save?” text. It remained unchanged.
“Won’t it change? Is this not it either?”
I knew that this unpleasant energy coursing through my body was mana. That was very basic knowledge. And normally, all Rankers can control this freely. That’s why they can use their abilities. I frowned as I felt the uncontrollable mana throughout my body. The mana kept pounding throughout my entire body as if it wanted to escape.
“Just stay still.”
I spoke to myself, knowing it would have no effect. I started feeling nauseous again. I finally went to my room to find medication. Just as I was about to tear open a packet and put the pill in my mouth, I noticed that the text “Would you like to save?” was cracking.
I froze and stared at the text. The letters began to crack more and more until they finally scattered without a trace. I stood up, holding back the rising nausea, and looked toward where the text had disappeared. And there, very slowly, new text began to appear.
[Switching to Admin Mode.]
[Welcome, Administrator.]
[You can now control all settings.]
[To view goal achievement rate, press 1; to view user’s critical values, press 2; to modify goals, press 3; to manage user settings, press 0; to exit, say “exit”.]
“Wow, fuck.”
Finally, it appeared. I clutched my chest and stood up straight.
“Number 0, you crazy bastard.”
[Accessing number 0, User Settings Management. Here you can manage user designation and customization. What would you like to check? 1. Username 2. User’s personal information 3. User’s goal 4. User’s abilities]
“Start with 3.”
[Number 3. Briefing the user’s goal.]
[The goal you set for user Yu Chanhee is ‘Death’. To modify the goal, please say ‘Modify’. Note that if the goal is modified, the achievement rate will be reset to 0%! Please consider carefully before deciding.]
Rather than feeling scared or afraid of those two bold letters spelling out “Death,” I found it amusing. Death is the goal? This system, which knows nothing about anything, set my death as a goal and has been controlling me? And I followed along, reaching 70% of that goal? How weak and useless are humans to be swayed by such an illusion?
“…Tell me about number 4 too.”
[Number 4. Briefing the user’s abilities. The user’s abilities often fluctuate due to complex reasons, so please check regularly. Current user abilities: Regression (9/10), Save (2/3). Additional abilities that can be acquired depend on the user’s actions. However, there are no more slots available for additional abilities.]
“Ah, so that’s why I could come back to life even after dying so many times—it was all because of your ability?”
[Please use the administrator settings.]
Now my heart was tightening. It wasn’t a good sign. Blood began to flow from my nose. My consciousness rapidly faded. With my eyes struggling to focus, I managed to say one more number.
“Number 2.”
[Number 2, briefing the user’s personal information.]
“Hurry up.”
[The user is your younger sibling. The user blindly follows you. The user is your only sibling, possessing a kind and warm character. The user’s life will vary greatly depending on your actions. Please set carefully.]
Yu Dohyun, why did you do this to me…?
That was my last thought before I fainted. As my body was about to fall backward, about to hit the floor without any resistance and feel pain, I lost all consciousness.
*
“Yu Dohyun!”
I turned around. Ah, right. I’ve entered Yu Dohyun’s memory again. Or into this brief dream where I’m possessing him. The one who called me—no, Yu Dohyun—was Cha Hyerin, with a much younger face than I’m used to seeing.
“You don’t even greet your senior anymore?”
Yu Dohyun bowed his head. Cha Hyerin, seemingly displeased, crossed her arms and stood with one leg forward.
“Haedam’s discipline has really gone to hell.”
“…Should I prostrate myself to you?”
“Look at that attitude.”
“Then I’ll be going, Sunbae. I need to report to the Department Head right away.”
“I heard Suhyun is joining Haedam.”
Yu Dohyun’s steps halted. Cha Hyerin smiled slyly and placed her hand on Yu Dohyun’s shoulder.
“You were especially fond of Suhyun, weren’t you? Take good care of him. My nephew is a real troublemaker.”
“Training will proceed according to guild rules.”
“I know that. You think I wouldn’t?”
“Cha Suhyun will be no exception.”
“Why are you being so cold? Whenever Suhyun sees my face, he asks how Brother Dohyun is doing.”
“…He could just contact me directly…”
“Who knows? Is he shy? I don’t understand the minds of teenagers.”
“Anyway, I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear what you just said.”
“What did you not hear? I just said Suhyun is joining. Why are you being so rigid?”
“People are already giving him scrutinizing looks for being your nephew. It would be better if you refrained from saying such things.”
“Oh my. No one loves Cha Suhyun more than Yu Dohyun, huh?”
Yu Dohyun moved on without answering. I could feel his heart beating rapidly, which felt strange. So Yu Dohyun did feel such emotions—the thought was both amusing and somehow unpleasant. It wasn’t particularly enjoyable to forcibly experience the real person Yu Dohyun, not some zombie version of him.
