Chapter 114
The game played with CEO Cha was peculiar.
Basically, the games in the Archive were structured so that you could see various endings through multiple playthroughs.
However; the game I played with him was completely different.
There was only one single ending, and if the conditions weren’t met, you were forced to restart from the very beginning.
And the NPC I played with, CEO Cha, remembered everything from the previous runs.
Players are used to restarting.
But for an NPC, it is something that should not happen and must not happen.
An NPC who remembers everything, repeating a game infinitely with a player...
For the NPC, it wasn’t a reset; it was a regression.
During a thousand playthroughs, I watched CEO Cha slowly break down.
It was a situation where he was bound to be pushed to his mental limit.
As the player; I could simply end the game and be done with it.
But as an NPC, he was trapped in this eternally repeating place.
I strove to lead CEO Cha to the ending.
"Let’s get out together."
CEO Cha also promised that we would leave together.
As intended, I reached the ending with CEO Cha.
However, the end wasn’t particularly pleasant.
The image of CEO Cha exploding in rage just before the ending remained vivid in my mind.
Even though it was just dialogue made of text, it felt as if I could actually hear the voice of his intense fury.
Regardless, I managed to clear the game with CEO Cha.
It was the longest game I had ever played in the Archive, and as such, it left a deep impression on my heart.
When I finally saw the ending, I was so exhausted I felt like I could die, yet I couldn’t even fall asleep.
Later, when I asked the creator about the game, he replied with surprise.
’He said he didn’t think I’d clear it.’
The creator praised me highly, saying he thought I would give up this time because it was too difficult.
I had intended to ask why the game was like that, but since the creator admitted he knew it was hard, I had nothing more to say.
Since then, CEO Cha has become my undisputed number one favorite character.
Because of the time we spent struggling together through a thousand runs, I couldn’t help but feel affection for him.
Hooked at my favorite character, who actually existed right before my eyes.
While it was a bit lonely that I was the only one who remembered the thousand playthroughs, it was also a relief.
There was nothing good about experiencing such a thing.
Come to think of it, he hated my trial name in the game.’
The moment I mentioned the name "Roasted Chestnut," CEO Cha had reacted very poorly.
"...Fuck."
He had started with a curse word right off the bat.
’What’s wrong with Roasted Chestnut?’
At the time, I felt wronged, but I didn’t dare argue with CEO Cha.
Of course, I wouldn’t be able to argue with him now, either.
While I was lost in reminiscence, CEO Cha kept his gaze fixed on me.
Seeing the look in his eyes as if he were waiting for something, I realized belatedly.
He was waiting for an explanation as to why I looked like this.
’Why is he being so nice to me?’
Knowing CEO Cha’s personality, I felt flustered every time this happened.
It felt as if he were acting gentle, as if I had a purpose other than being a "trial-clearing hamster."
I chased away the vain thoughts.
And, a bit late, I began to bring up the story about the new correctional officer training center.
I summarized only the core parts as much as possible so as not to exhaust too much of his patience.
I was also able to hear some of the circumstances from CEO Cha.
CEO Cha had met Kwak Han-mook while summoning all the correctional officers and had obtained information regarding my role.
Kwak Han-mook must have told him to help me.
However, CEO Cha had abruptly issued an order to find the medical officer and bring him before him.
I could clearly imagine the scene of Kwak Han-mook cursing CEO Cha.
After a time of useful information exchange, and before I officially announced my strategy.
I made a significant proposal.
"Um... CEO Cha. May I stand up now?"
Since I had been kneeling for a while, my legs were starting to go numb.
I had been enduring it as much as possible for fear of being kicked away as a useless brat, but it wasn’t easy.
The sensation brought back nightmares of lower-body paralysis.
Then, surprisingly, CEO Cha reached out his hand to me.
Flinching, thinking he might hit me, I cautiously took CEO Cha’s hand and stood up.
And then, because of the cramp, I spent a moment humbly bowing my head.
Only after some pain subsided was I able to explain my plan.
CEO Cha listened quietly to my briefing and then asked back.
"Do you always clear them this way?"
I couldn’t tell the intention behind the question or what he was trying to verify.
Was he pointing out that the risk of the plan was too high?
When I hesitated to answer; CEO Cha didn’t ask again and immediately moved on to another topic.
With his arms crossed. he asked shortly.
"What if I refuse to follow the operation?"
Since this was an expected act of defiance, I answered immediately.
"If the trial isn’t closed, it will be difficult for me to keep my contract with you, CEO Cha."
When I phrased "I will die" in a roundabout way, he spoke without a hint of agitation.
"You said seven trials within two months. I can easily provide that many in Paseong."
He meant that instead of dangerous trials estimated at five or six stars like The Cell X, we should close seven safe trials rated between one and three.
It was a very efficient and rational proposal.
CEO Cha’s decision to perform the quest and prevent the creatures’ prison break was likely based on the judgment that he would quickly clear it with the Warden ending.
But for me, it was unacceptable.
Because if I failed to clear the True Ending, The Cell X would explode.
And... I had already told Orca about the dream.
In this situation, it would be difficult to leave the creatures behind and go outside alone.
I quickly racked my brain.
Even if I confessed the explosion of The Cell X to CEO Cha, I probably couldn’t persuade him.
Because the place where the meteorite fell wasn’t Paseong, but the TRA Bureau.
If CEO Cha prioritized my value over the danger of a trial explosion, then persuasion was even more meaningless.
Thinking of the CEO Cha I knew, I opened my lips.
"Shouldn’t you verify how valuable your contract partner is?"
CEO Cha looked down at me as if telling me to go ahead and try.
Looking at the emotionless cognitive-decline mask, I continued.
"It is a new meteorite that fell after four years. It is a trial that is attracting intemational attention to the point that an international conference is being held led by the TRA Bureau, and I have closed every single trial I have entered so far."
And then, I intentionally poked him.
"If The Cell X, the only one you entered with remains unclosed... it wouldn’t look very good."
As expected, a hollow laugh escaped CEO Cha.
He stared at me in silence. I waited without avoiding his gaze.
Finally, a mechanical voice was heard.
"Do as you wish. I will assist you."
I had been prepared that I might need to persuade him more aggressively, so I was inwardly surprised.
It was because he had accepted it more quickly than expected.
CEO Cha looked at me and spoke warmingly.
"Instead, if you fail to close it, you’ll have to bear the corresponding loss."
His tone sounded as if he would take about ten free passes to Han Goyo.
But at that moment, I had a strange intuition.
Although he mentioned the loss, CEO Cha...
I knew he was confident I would close The Cell X.
I gave him a firm answer as well.
"Yes. I will definitely close it!"
After a long adventure, I retumed to the medical officers quarters.
Many things remained unresolved, but there was nothing I could do for now.
Since it was nearing midnight, I had to enter the quarters quickly.
Upon returning, the first thing I did was carefully place the correctional officer slime on the table.
Then, I took off the correctional officer uniform.
As I changed into the medical officer’s white coat, various thoughts crossed my mind.
Why did CEO Cha approve my operation?
And why was he confident that I could close The Cell X?
Of course, the second part was my guess, but the intuition I felt at that moment was not the kind that could be ignored.
’Because he acts as if he knows me well.’
It’s not like he has memories of playing a thousand times with me.
Is there something else?
Between CEO Cha’s inexplicable kindness and everything else, I was full of questions.
Regardless, I had secured CEO Cha’s cooperation.
It seemed I wouldn’t have to worry about the quests going awry from now on.
Actually, the person I was most worried about right now was Je Hyeon-oh.
’Where on earth did he go?’
I had sent various messages asking if he was alright.
He’s not the type to get beaten up if anything, he’d be the one doing the beating.
but...
Still, I couldn’t help but worry.
Because I knew Je Hyeon-oh wasn’t someone who would arbitrarily deviate during an operation.
Unless he had twisted the operation in a strange direction.
Tasked CEO Cha if he could track Je Hyeon-oh’s location, but even with the Warden’s ability, he couldn’t find him.
Because from the start, he was the non-existent Number 13.
Having no other choice, I sent a message to Kwak Han-mook informing him of the current situation and retumed to my quarters.
I was exhausted from everything that had happened, but I couldn’t lie down on the bed.
Checking the time remaining until midnight, I spoke to the system window in my mind.
I failed the creature search quest; is there no penalty?’
I thought there would be a penalty or a new quest given, but it was strangely quiet.
As I wondered, a square window popped up.
[You are impressed by the system window’s amazing coping ability.]
It seemed to be bragging that something had happened but it had solved it itself.
’It did a good job with this.’
Since it was a good thing, I praised it immediately.
’IIl keep counting on you in the future.’
It was a small investment of praise for the future.
Hoping the system window would continue to show its utility, I asked something else.
’What about the failure of the medical officer’s duty?’
But this time, there was no answer.
As expected, the system window didn’t seem to have great power.
With the prison break event occurring today, I ultimately failed to complete Monday’s missions.
Because of that, two problems arose.
The first was that I ended up getting beaten by the correctional officers.
’But that... since CEO Cha is the Warden, it seems like it’ll be resolved. And Captain Kwak is there too.’
The second problem was that I wouldn’t be able to see the text that appears on the weekly schedule upon completing the mission.
Checking the clock hands passing 11:30 PM, I took out the weekly schedule.
▸ Monday
☑︎ Organize drug inventory. Keep key.
☑︎ Examine 6 or more patients during face-to-face consultations with human prisoners. Patient 13.
☐ Make rounds in Sector X. Failed!
☑︎ Check CCTV in the infirmary. Must operate.
Due to the mission failure, I was unable to know the truth of Clause 9 of the manual.
I took out the operational manual and read Clause 9 again.
Clause 9. Ignore any sounds heard from outside after midnight.
If you hear heavy footsteps and the static of a radio in the hallway, put on earphones and try to sleep.
If someone knocks on the door, immediately hide under the bed.
You must never open the door.
Normally, if the mission was completed, one of two words, ’Ignore’or Open,’ would appear in the round’s item of the weekly schedule.
If I ignored it, I just had to ignore it as instructed in Clause 9.
Conversely, if ’Open’ appeared, I had to judge Clause 9 as a lie and act oppositely.
But now I can’t check the text.
’I have to guess.’
Since the probability was 50 percent, it was somewhat manageable.
I lay on the bed and waited for midnight.
I told Dominic about what was about to happen and also mentioned the quest failure he had been worried about earlier.
I didn’t mention that the system window had solved it; I just said I didn’t have to pay the price for the failure.
Dominic reacted with slight puzzlement but didn’t ask specifically.
And then, it became midnight.
Step. Step. Step. Step...
Heavy footsteps were heard outside the door. Along with them was the sound of static noise.
The Residues had come.
The beings that wandered outside the doors after midnight were called Residues.
The identity of the Residues were correctional officers who had lost their humanity due to the excessive use of Neo, or human prisoners whose bodies had melted into monsters from secretly administering Neo.
It was the price for humans coveting the things of creatures.
I was monitoring the situation while lying on the bed.
Bang bang bang.
The door of the medical officer’s quarters shook violently.
A Residue was knocking on the door.
It was time to choose whether to hide under the bed or open the door.
Just as I was contemplating the choice as if flipping a coin.
Ringgg!
A somewhat dull analog bell rang.
I looked at the wall where the telephone was attached.
The telephone in the medical officer’s quarters was used as an internal business line, so it never rang after midnight.
I wondered what kind of error this was, then thought it might be Kwak Han-mook or CEO Cha.
Hesitating, I ignored the sound of the door being knocked as if it would break and ran to the phone.
Click, the moment I lifted the receiver of the old-fashioned phone.
The loud knocking on the door that had been happening until a moment ago stopped abruptly.
A cheerful voice was heard from beyond the receiver.
- Hello, Little Lamb! Is the food prepared!
I answered blankly.
"Mr. Black Block?"