Chapter 53

36. Transformation (1)

A sudden thought turned me into a boy with red eyes.

It all started with PaleNet.

I didn't log into PaleNet with any grand purpose.

As usual, I was aimlessly browsing through mostly meaningless information when my eyes were drawn to a particular bulletin board.

[Guard Exam Student Board]

This board is essentially a gathering of friends who want to become my juniors.

It ranks 8th, making it a large board.

The users are mostly teenagers in their mid-teens.

These kids, who beg for signals on the walls of government buildings or military facilities, take great pleasure in posting trivial posts as their only joy, and the board is known to be a gathering place of 99% pure "losers."

I had actually visited this board before, but the users' level was so low and childish that I left after a short while.

However, where people gather, there are always reasons.

This board had its own interesting culture.

That culture was none other than the Ritzi certification – certifying the psychometric test paper hanging in one's home and receiving evaluations.

If you search for the certification tag on the Guard Exam Student Board, you can see the envy, desire for approval, malicious gossip, and rare sincere praise of these young kids.

ㅇㅇ: Did you get a Ritzi? (34)

ㅇㅇ: Ritzi certification lol (12)

ㅇㅇ: White? Really?! (8)

ㅇㅇ: Can I go to Jeju with this? (31)

ㅇㅇ: Got white on the day my mom died lol (131)

...

...

When you search, it seems like everyone gets white, but when you actually open the posts, they're all black.

There were a few whites, but they were fake Ritzi papers torn to look like the real thing.

However, among the posts filled with pranks and trolling, you can occasionally find real certifications.

I know that Ritzi colors indicate different levels of psychic potential, but I don't know exactly what each color means.

However, on this board, there were quite a few posts that hinted at the Awakening levels indicated by the colors.

From one post, I learned what blue means.

Level 1.

That's the minimum level of psychic ability.

I also learned that gray means Level 5 or higher.

I didn't know what level white was, but I found an interesting phenomenon.

It wasn't just the kids on this board.

As expected of South Korea, where parental education fever is second to none, many parents of the kids on this 99% pure "loser" board were also regulars.

ㅁㅁ: Is gray good? Can the whole family go to Jeju? (43)

Changmin's Mom: My child's Ritzi color is this. How is it? (88)

ChefPapa: How can I get white from black? I have a reward (132)

...

...

However, this place was too cold for their educational enthusiasm to have any effect.

ㅇㅇ: ㅁㅁ, are you colorblind? Can't you tell the difference? It's black! You crazy b*tch lol (9)

Changmin's Mom's Husband: My mistress's child's Ritzi color is this (certification) (33)

ChefPapa: Roll the gacha again (13)

...

...

From the blatant, colorful ridicule, it was clear that these people were not very important.

The real important "adult" was someone else.

REDMASK: Hello? I'm a Guard admissions officer. I'll give you a link, click it.

RedMask.

The absolute ruler of this board.

No one dares to leave a bad comment, tease, or argue with RedMask.

Because this RedMask can give the people on this board what they want the most.

However, this RedMask nickname.

It has a different meaning to me.

"U Minhee...?"

The moment I saw that nickname, I immediately thought of the hateful woman with prosthetic limbs.

It's the same personal identification number she uses.

If I hadn't entered her research facility, I might have thought it was a coincidence, but in that facility, over a hundred children who wanted to go to Jeju were locked in small rooms, and some were dead and on dissection tables.

"..."

This RedMask.

It's definitely her.

U Minhee.

She was someone who enjoyed using social media.

She particularly enjoyed using a social media called InsaGram, where she subtly revealed her daily life through photos rather than expressing her feelings through text.

I know that she posted something hinting at her Hunter status on her social media account and received a warning from the National Assembly Compliance Department.

I, as the team leader, gave her a stern talking-to.

Having a Hunter with over ten thousand followers reveal their identity was a violation of the confidentiality agreement.

Given how internet-savvy she was, there was no reason for her not to be on PaleNet, the largest internet board in the Collapse Era.

However, it wasn't easy to guess her identity just from her posts.

She only left comments, never wrote posts.

The content of her comments was always the same.

REDMASK: Hello? I'm a Guard admissions officer. I'll give you a link, click it.

It seems the conversation happens through that link.

The idea of solving the lack of a messaging function on PaleNet by guiding people to a private network through a link is a brilliant creative solution that reminds me of U Minhee.

"..."

At that point, I concluded that the super-named REDMASK on the exam student board was U Minhee.

Curiosity arose.

What exactly was she doing in that research facility?

I know she was selecting students for the new school in Jeju, but she was definitely doing other research as well.

Moreover, U Minhee is a Level 12 Awakened.

There are only ten Awakened in South Korea who are Level 10 or higher.

The fact that one of the ten most talented people in South Korea stayed in Seoul instead of going to Jeju is significant.

She cited her dislike of Kang Nammin and Na Hyein, but that alone wouldn't make the cunning U Minhee stay in the dangerous capital region instead of the safe Jeju.

"..."

There must be something.

But how could I find out what was in her mind?

While I was smiling bitterly at the picture of my mentor's rocket axe on my desk, a brilliant idea flashed through my mind.

"Ah."

Right, I could make direct contact.

Not as Park Gyu, Skeleton, or Professor, but as ㅇㅇ, an anonymous user on PaleNet.

In other words, I would become one of the boys active on this Guard Exam Student Board and make her approach me to get the information I wanted.

I had bait to lure U Minhee.

My mentor's white Ritzi.

Ritzi has a gimmick like banknotes, with the school's logo pre-printed in black, which appears when the Ritzi changes color.

My mentor's white Ritzi had a logo he designed himself – a skull and a half-broken shield – clearly visible against a pure white background.

This certification would surely attract U Minhee's attention.

She had personally appeared for a proper gray certification to conduct the "selection" everyone wanted.

However, there was still a problem.

The conversation with her.

Even using an anonymous name, I had discovered over the past two years that the language, writing, and subtle thoughts revealed in it are highly specific.

For example, my specific style is the head text in the "jonnae" style, witty jokes, and somewhat avant-garde high-level humor.

Compared to the users of this Guard Exam Student Board, my language definitely felt out of place.

In this situation, if I tried to talk to U Minhee, the worst-case scenario is that my identity would be exposed.

Defender said I'm not good with the internet, so...

That's why I decided to transform.

To become a teenager active on the Guard Exam Student Board, as this Professor Park Gyu, who might be the last of humanity.

It's not as easy as it sounds.

Some people say it's easy to lie about your age on the internet because you can't see faces.

Absolutely not!

Just because it's text doesn't mean the smell of old age doesn't come through.

In fact, text, as a mirror of the mind, often reveals the smell of age and time more strongly than anything else.

I tried posting on the exam student board.

ㅇㅇ: We're having fun, aren't we? (3)

Three comments.

Let's read them.

ㅇㅇ: What do you mean by "we"?

ㅇㅇ: How old are you?

ㅇㅇ: Go talk about politics, old man ;;

"..."

A hard-boiled man in his early 30s, who has experienced the bitter taste of life, needs great determination and a willingness to learn to become a reckless and frivolous teenager.

Tap Tap Tap

Author's nickname: ㅇㅇ

First, using a generic ㅇㅇ instead of a unique nickname like Skeleton.

Tap Tap Tap Tap

ㅇㅇ: Wow! Sick!

Deleting the head text that was my signature and writing meaningless gibberish.

Tap Tap Tap

ㅇㅇ: No one over 30 here...?

Lying about my age.

Tap Tap

-Why are you here...?

Forgetting my 30s.

"..."

This is perfect.

All preparations are in place.

Now it's time to make contact with U Minhee.

Tap Tap Tap

I wrote the post with the determination of Zhuge Liang throwing down the gauntlet.

201cm120kg28cm: Ritzi test, show me

-What?

The post was as short as possible.

Not even a proper sentence, but using initial consonants to keep up with the trend.

I imitated the language of the boys on this board while also posting a photo of my mentor's Ritzi exposed to the sunlight in an outdoor camouflage house.

Then I waited.

201cm120cm28cm: Ritzi test, show me (103)

"Wow."

Over 100 comments.

ㅇㅇ: What's this?

ㅇㅇ: Is it a copy?

ㅇㅇ: It looks real

ㅇㅇ: This kid must have some art skills

ㅇㅇ: Hey, is this real?

YoungMin's Dad: Excuse me, where do you live? I have a Nintendo, a laptop, and lots of food

ㅇㅇ: Is it fake?

ㅇㅇ: Your height is impressive, but your hands are small...

...

...

The young kids seem to recognize the real thing.

But what I'm waiting for isn't their reaction.

What I'm trying to catch is one thing.

RedMask.

*The communicator beeped.

"Skeleton."

It was Da-jeong.

"What is it? Suddenly."

"Is this post on the PaleNet exam student board yours?"

"What? What post?"

"2 meters and all that."

"Do you use the exam student board?"

"No? I saw it on the hot posts?"

Hot posts?

Could my post have made it to the popular posts list on PaleNet?

What should I do?

There's no need to tell the truth.

This is my problem with U Minhee.

"It's not mine."

"Didn't seem like Skeleton's post. Just checking."

"R-really? Why do you think so?"

"The nickname is in the 'jonnae' style, but the post and content feel like someone else's."

Hearing Defender's brother's words, a meaningful smile naturally appeared on my face.

Even Defender recognized me.

He perceived me as a teenager.

Skeleton's transformation is innocent.

Now I just have to wait for U Minhee's contact.

Sure enough.

The bite came.

REDMASK: Hello? I'm a new Guard admissions officer. I'll give you a link, click it.

REDMASK: <Link>

I clicked the link.

Suddenly, the internet browser automatically connected to a site I didn't know.

An extremely simple interface, as rumored on the board.

The site followed the format of internet chat rooms that were popular in the past.

< REDMASK has entered. >

REDMASK: Hello? I'm RedMask, the new Guard admissions officer.

REDMASK: Please introduce yourself~

REDMASK: Write your name and age in the author field (e.g., Minhee20) and click the enter button~~~

U Minhee started the chat.

Three times in a row.

How does she type?

She has no arm. She can even type with wavy lines...

Can Awakened do that?

No, thinking about it, she's probably using voice recognition.

Recent voice recognition technology is very reliable.

Anyway, this is the start.

"..."

I clear my mind and picture a teenage boy.

Not Professor Park Gyu, but a mischievous teenage Skeleton.

Then I start typing.

Tap Tap

-Strict11 has entered.

REDMASK: ?

REDMASK: Oh, Strict?

Strict11: Hi

REDMASK: What's that? Is that your name?

Strict11: Yes. Strict as in singing. Kim Strict. I'm 11.

REDMASK: Ah.

Strict11: Why?

REDMASK: No, it's just a unique name.

Strict11: Okay

REDMASK: Strict, you're really 11, right? In years?

Strict11: Yes

REDMASK: Strict, you're really 2 meters tall...?

Strict11: I hear that a lot

REDMASK: Kids these days really grow fast. Is your weight correct?

Strict11: No, actually, it's all a lie except the last one.

REDMASK: The last one is real?

Strict11: Why?

REDMASK: No, it's nothing.

Strict11: ?

"Ha!"

Look at U Minhee, flustered.

She's never met someone like me.

Would she have expected a man in his 30s to act like a reckless elementary school student?

I want to play with her a bit more, but I have a few things I want to find out this time.

I've been curious for a long time.

For example, the "Jeju evacuation ship."