Episode 1
"Hey, hey, hey, didn't you have a bad night last night? The power went out and the servers are down...... I thought I passed out. Is there any compensation or something?"
"No compensation. It was a natural disaster, and the whole world went dark at the same time."
"Yeah. And it was only down for a second or two at most. You're such a greedy bastard, you can't let your greed get the best of you......."
"Giggle-"
[Starting town Moretti]
In the square of Moretti, one of the beginner areas, a large number of players have gathered.
They were discussing yesterday's massive blackout [Blackout].
An unprecedented global blackout.
Even a second or two of blackout could have been devastating for the media, banking, and other major industries.
But for the average gamer, it was nothing more than a moment of gossip.
Just something to laugh about?
"But I heard that the Firebirds are going to attack the 10th floor this time?"
"Really? Wow...... how long has it been since they attacked the 9th floor? That's amazing."
"Ehyo, when are we going to the Labyrinth Tower?"
"Whenever, but first we need to get out of the beginner's area. The Labyrinth Tower is in the Central Continent."
"Haha...... I can see it, but it's so far away."
People muttered as they looked at the piercingly tall tower in the distance.
A tall tower that could be seen from anywhere on the continent.
It was the Labyrinth Tower, the goal of every player.
Evil Tale, a virtual reality game created by Ethan, the world's first autonomous AI.
Rumours abounded during the development phase.
A new, unheard-of production company [Andra] is making a game with an autonomous AI that hasn't even been commercialised?
And unlike any other helmeted game that's ever been commercialised, it uses a capsule-like device that can data your five senses?
At first, people were interested in it because it was a cartoon.
But after three years of silence after the announcement, people dismissed it as just another gimmick.
Then, in the fifth year,
[Evil Tail's arrival was enough to shake the world.
The smell of the air from the breeze.
The sunshine and the buildings.
The vivid battles that stimulated the senses.
Everything was new and amazing.
An impossible challenge.
People who experienced [Evil Tale] even went so far as to say that the game was not made by humans.
300 million concurrent players.
1.5 billion total subscribers.
It was more than just popular, it was obsessive, and it consumed people.
And just like that, people were enjoying Evil Tale like never before.
Except for one person.
"Dao, help me! Please!"
"Please call this number!"
"Oh, no, please call the police, please......!"
Shouting- shouting- shouting
Rumours began to spread among the people that there was a madman running around Moretti Square.
-A crazy person still running around Moretti?
-Now, three days later, he's standing at the fountain with a sign around his neck.
-Ah. Me too, Spring. He was crying because he couldn't log out. He said he got stuck in the game when the power went out.
The in-game community began to chatter about him.
On day 10, to be exact.
"Is that ...... the same guy?"
"Can he really not log out?"
"No way. If he did, the production company would have done something about it by now. How many times have the admins come and gone?"
People chattered as they stared at the man still standing in the square.
-He's up on YouTube 24/7, can't he ever log off?
-No, that's NPCC.
-My...... actually planted by the developer?
-Maybe it's a hidden query?
After the 20th day, the community's reaction started to change from mocking to understanding.
"Isn't ...... dead?"
"Oh, no."
"YouTubers and on-air BJs went to that address and said there was nothing there?"
"Of course there's nothing there. That's all bullshit, right?"
"Even the police have been called and it's even on the news. Stop reporting it."
"What do you want me to find with a social security number that doesn't exist in the first place......."
Shouting - shouting - shouting
People chattering.
By the end of the 30th day, interest was slowly turning back to disbelief.
And disbelief returned with a vengeance, more cruel than before.
Tuk...... Tuk.......
The rain began to fall.
"......."
Shaking his head, the man stood in front of the fountain in the centre of the square.
"......I can't get out."
His parched lips twitched.
"Please help me ......."
His strength was already gone, and he could barely stand.
My vision was foggy and blurry, as was my hunger, which had long since reached its peak.
How many days had it been?
Forgetting to count the days, he kept saying the same thing over and over again.
"Don't you ever get tired of that madman......?"
"I read on the community that all the social security numbers on there are fake."
"The police put out a bulletin yesterday because so many people reported it. They said the number doesn't exist."
"There are all kinds of weird people in the world."
But all I got was a cold response.
People's gazes were cold.
"I can't reach my family......."
"......Please."
Tsk-tsk.
He dropped to his knees and bowed his head as if bowing.
"Please...... find me......."
Tududududududududu.......
The raindrops that fell like a shower intensified.
The tears that started as a burst of water never stopped, as if pouring out all the pain.
There were many people in the square.
They were all playing games, having fun.
It was natural.
They could return to reality anytime they wanted, so they couldn't have any worries or concerns.
But...... himself?
"What the hell...... happened to me?
It didn't make sense, even to himself.
Aaaah!
Woojin clenched his fists as he sat on the floor.
"Trapped in a game......."
Something he could only imagine had happened to him.
But.......
was so different from his imagination.
If he had been trapped in the game alone, he might have given up and accepted it.
But she kept hearing conversations about everyday life.
What's for dinner tonight.
Complaining about the boss at work.
How you have a date tonight.......
Very ordinary, very obvious things.
The people gathered in the square were having real-life conversations outside of the game.
It was a no-brainer.
All they had to do was hit the logout button and they could return to the real world at any time.
But he himself.......
"I can't go.
How do I describe it?
It's like being trapped behind a glass wall.
"Log out......."
You say it again, with a glimmer of hope.
"......Damn."
Nothing changed.
This was clearly the real world.
But.......
Funnily enough, he couldn't get back to reality.
* * *
"I'm sorry, but it says we can't verify your information. I think you must have the wrong social security number......."
Evil Tail's manager, GM Dane, replied to the man in front of him with a slightly annoyed tone.
-Dude, who's in charge of Moretti?
-Him.......
-You said you'd be organised when you were on holiday, what the fuck are you doing, why are you still doing this in this human square!
-Sin, sorry.
Dane sighed as he looked at the private chat window available only to in-game moderators.
It was the 45th day that Kim Woo-jin, the subject of many rumours, had been standing in the square.
"Well, that can't be right. Say it again. This is Kim Woo-jin. I'm 35 years old and......."
He was still desperate.
"I know you've requested a background check over a dozen times now."
And as desperate as he was, the operators seemed to be getting fed up.
"I'm here today to inform you that management is no longer able to accept any more background check requests for you."
GM Dane, the head of the second management team, said coldly to Kim Woojin.
"You're ......?"
"Our management team will never tell you anything false, it's only for our managers, and I'm only showing it to you as an exception."
Tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk.
He tapped harshly on the holographic keyboard as if annoyed, then turned the window to show Woojin.
-No background check.
-Non-existent social security number.
"Sir. Didn't you say you were having trouble logging out? We can't help you unless you give us the right information."
"I'm telling you straight up! I don't know why I don't know my social security number!"
Woojin exclaimed.
"The account system we're using is called [World Info], and it's a system that can unify all of our subscribers around the world, not just in Korea."
"......So?"
"If we don't have the information you called for, it means you're either telling us fake information or......."
Dane shouted at Woojin in a low voice.
"Or it means you're not of this world, which can't be the latter, which means you keep telling me false information and making a fuss......."
Cringe-.
Woojin's shoulders became painful at that moment, as if they were being crushed by something.
"If you continue to damage our [Evil Tail's] image with baseless rumours like this, we'll have no choice but to take appropriate measures."
"......Image damage, is that what you're saying?"
"What?"
"Yes! Do it! Do something! Do something, anything! Force quit, suspend my account......, do something to get me out of this fucking game!"
"......What, what?
Woojin shouted, grabbing his arm, causing Dane, who had been warning him, to panic.
-Dude, can you check his data code?
-I'm ......, sir. It's.......
-Why are you bothering? Is there a problem?
-I can't find any in-game data, not just real-world information.
-What are you talking about? Are you kidding me? It's real life, even if it's bullshit, you should be able to find your character's in-game data!
-You know, we control the personal information, but [Ethan] controls the in-game data.
Team Leader Goh rolled his eyes at his subordinate's report.
-So? Even if the A.I. manages it, we can still look it up.
-It looks like there was an error in the user data on the day of the blackout.
-......What kind of error? The blackout lasted a second or two at most.
-Yes. But it was probably too short. Normally, when the power goes out, the backup power comes on immediately.......
The loader continued cautiously.
-Because the power outage was short, both the main and secondary power came on at the same time, and there was a momentary overload.
-Wow, are you kidding me, a short power outage is actually a problem?
-The development team says that's the only way to interpret it...... Either that, or [Ethan] shut down on his own to make an error, which is unlikely because the whole world went dark, right?
-So, what about recovery?
-It's supposedly self-healing, but the erased data is apparently being saved anew from the current history.
Bam!
-Save as new? -That's crazy.
Even if you couldn't see it, his words must have sent shivers down his men's spines.
-This hasn't gone public yet, has it?
-No, of course not.
-Yeah, of course. The press is still lighting up about A.I. and blah, blah, blah, blah. If this gets out, it's over. Do you understand?
-Don't worry. There are glitches, but there are no reports of problems with the gameplay itself like he had.
-Besides, he's talking about a social security number that doesn't exist in real life.
-That's right. I've had people tell me they're family members, and they don't exist.
-R&C Technology? I've never heard of that company before.
-......Yes. Let's just get them on the same page that they can't do anything like terminate or suspend the account because [Ethan] doesn't authorise it.
-Okay.
"Now, wait......!! Wait!!"
Looking at Dane's serious expression, Woojin anxiously grabbed his sleeve and shouted.
"If it doesn't work for me, at least check this out. Choi Jin-sook. Born in 1959. Social security number is......."
Dane looked at him and clicked his tongue inaudibly.
"Jin-sook Choi, In-chul Kim, Jin-nam Kim. We've run background checks on all three of you. None of your numbers exist."
"Just one more time......, something's wrong!"
"I'm sorry, but there are no such people. Are you sure you're not mistaken? If you keep calling us from a number that doesn't exist, we'll have a hard time."
......Mistaken?
Tsk-tsk.
I tugged on his sleeve and Woojin's arm fell off.
Like a falling arm, his barely maintained sanity was cut off.
"Ha, ha, ha......."
What, I have the wrong social security number?
No, for the hundredth time, my existence?
Let's say I disappeared!!!
No matter what.......
"Why would I want my family, who are still alive and......."
not exist?
"Ha, ha, ha....... Hey, is this some kind of mockumentary or something?"
You know that film. The Truman Show?
You're all fooling me like that!
I felt like my head was turning white.
But still.
"There's such a thing as decency!!! Why are you messing with my family!!! Who the fuck...... is screwing with me like this!!!"
Bam!!!
Woojin grabbed Dane by the scruff of the neck.
"Are you mistaken, cut the bullshit and get me out of this bullshit game right now!"
"Mu, what are you doing!!!"
Dane shoved the rampaging man roughly.
Kwang-!!!
Woojin's body was sent flying backwards.
There was no way that a mere level 10 warrior could have withstood the power of an administrator measured at an unmarked ?? level.
If it wasn't for the city, he would have died instantly.
"Ah......."
Dane felt the stares around him and rushed over to Woojin with an embarrassed expression.
"Sorry, mate. I had it set to the highest level just in case something went wrong......."
Black...... Hmph.......
Grabbing the hand he held out, Woojin sobbed with a messed up face.
"......Please."
He continued to speak through quivering lips.
"Just let me log out...... and let me go......."
Tsk-tsk-.
He shook his head.
Tears streamed down his bent head, as if the last of his hope was gone.
Chizik...... Chizizik.......
It was then.
His blurred vision mysteriously grew clearer.
"......?!"
Something appeared in front of him.
[______]
"......Cursor?
The cursor blinked as if it were typing in thin air, then began to quickly write something.
[Activating emergency restore programme].
[Checking for problems.......]
'Hey, what's this......?'
[Checking for possible logout.......]
치...... 치칙.......
ChiJiJiJiJiJi.......
[Connection port detection completed]
[Search result: port P-09-183]]
[1 port found].
[This is the only port currently available for connection].
[Connecting.......]
Before Woojin could say anything, the input words began to list in front of him in rapid succession.
[Yeon_determination g_a_a_a_a_in].
Then suddenly, like a broken TV screen, it crackled and turned into sentences.
"What, what......?"
Static.
That wasn't the only thing that changed.
To my surprise, the town's bustling scene had disappeared.
There were no people in the square, no sky, no wind in the air.
Only he was left alone in the blackness of space.
[Do you want to log out?]
[Yes / No]
"Log out?"
Woojin stared at the system window with trembling eyes.
"Ji, are you sure?"
But he didn't have time to think about it.
This was the notification he'd been waiting for.
He had to do it.
TALK.
Woojin slowly raised his hand and pressed the [YES] button.
[Log out].
A pure white light began to fill his vision.
"Please!"
He clenched his fists tightly, like he was holding on for dear life.
When he opened his eyes.
Please.......
be the reality.
TRANSLATER NOTE
Hi guys. First, I'd like to thank you all for reading until now and support me. Second, You may have noticed some mistakes in the chapter above that's due to me working alone without a PR (Proofreader) so i hope you can bear me.
This is My Discord username (8_s47) if you want to help me.