Chapter 54

Chapter 5 Inside Out (2)

***

The professor was floating in the water, calmly organizing the situation.

'The game side is well sorted out. The reputation of the Red Mute has spread in Tovrun, and I've instilled enough fear in the people.'

The seed I'm playing now is flowing in a very unique direction.

Firstly, the rate of large-scale raids is overwhelmingly low. The cause is naturally the resource shortage on the queen's side due to Edeorna's defeat. This alone is a significant achievement. In strategic terms, it's like starting the game by killing three of the opponent's workers right away. As a result, the Mute's advance speed has slowed down... as expected.

However, the outcome is the fall of the three frontline cities: Pelas, Molludic Castle, and Turan. Surprisingly, the cities fell much faster than in other typical plays. If the cause and effect don't match, it means I've missed something.

'Mutes are a species that evolve organically depending on the situation. And what determines the direction of evolution is the same for any organism. Stress and pressure promote evolution. In this case, could the resource shortage have led to this kind of evolution?'

The world I'm playing now has many differences from typical plays.

The most noticeable is the Mute side's elite play, actively utilizing named and special entities.

These special entities take a lot of resources and production time, but if used appropriately, they can show efficiency several times greater than the invested resources. The queen used just a few Palefaces to dig tunnels and capture Turan, and she's controlling a 6th Circle Mage, an incredibly valuable target, using an Insomnia Crab. While she can't increase her numbers by focusing on these high-tier units, she's definitely reaping the benefits of her investments.

The existence of the Salvation Sect is also worth considering. A group that worships Mutes, of course, such a religion could naturally arise in this crazy game. But for it to grow to this scale in such a short time is certainly suspicious.

Boom! Boom!

Hmm. There's a loud noise coming from outside.

Anyway,

'The most reliable way for a cult to gain power is to show miracles or the object of faith directly... these people believe in Mutes?'

The issue is the evidence. No matter how ignorant people are, they wouldn't call an 8th-grade Mute bought from a black market a miracle. It suggests there was a show that convincingly demonstrated the Mutes as allies. Perhaps, this side really is connected to a black mage or the Mutes. The black mage can still control the Mute queen at this stage. Given that there are cunning black mages, it's best to assume they're orchestrating things.

And the last point. All of the Mutes' attacks are focused on Rodrik. Despite almost all of the northern permafrost being Mute territory, they are only deploying their full force against Rodrik.

'This has made other countries, except Rodrik, observe the situation like spectators watching a fire on the other side of the river. They see this not as a crisis for all humanity, but as a natural disaster in a neighboring country, and they're even glad about it. If Rodrik's power weakens, there will be many opportunities for neighboring countries to gain political advantages. If Rodrik requests reinforcements, they'll demand all sorts of favors before getting involved.'

A strategic, political, and even religious attack. This is definitely not the stupid Mutes I know from 124 years ago. The queen, who is squeezing resources, is growing slower than the average seed, so her intelligence hasn't fully developed yet.

Something is off. There's someone, either on the black mage's side or the Mute's side, directing this war. Someone who is very adept at dirty tricks.

Once I noticed there was a command center on the enemy side, I started moving to counter it. Using the Red Mute in Tovrun to create fear was part of that plan.

The story of a single Mute infiltrating a city, killing a 6th Circle Mage, and destroying a tower before escaping will be a good conversation starter for the gossips.

A 6th Circle Mage and a magic tower are objective indicators that will show people how powerful the Mutes are, and make them more wary of the Mutes.

'If things are already this complicated, it's tiring... How did this seed get so tangled up? Was it a mistake to defeat Edeorna?'

I don't know. Where did it all go wrong? I didn't go around defeating black mages like others, yet this world has become such a mess—

Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!

'What's this noise? What's so loud?'

Annoyed by the sound disrupting his peaceful solitude, the professor opened his eyes and saw a drone belonging to Corduro charging at the shower booth, which had filled with water and turned into a water-filled tube.

Bam—

Swoosh!

"Phew! Damn, I'm out of breath."

As the professor opened the door and walked out unharmed through the pouring water, Corduro froze in place.

"Ma, Master? Are you okay?"

"What's okay and what's not? What's the problem with you? I was just trying to relax and organize my thoughts."

"But I thought you were trying to commit suicide again, Master!"

"Suicide? What nonsense?"

"Seriously! Who in their right mind stays underwater for more than 7 minutes!"

What?

Corduro's words made the professor look bewildered. Did I stay that long? In there?

"This... is that what happened?"

Indeed, it seemed there were issues that needed to be sorted out, not just in the game.

***

After drying his body and putting on his clothes, the professor returned to the living room and calmed his mind.

'7 minutes. If you think about it, it's not inhuman. They say that while physical aspects are important in diving, mental aspects also play a significant role. If you get anxious and your breathing gets disrupted underwater, your heart rate increases, and your diving time shortens. Let's say it was the psychological aspect that affected it.'

But if the psychological aspect followed the game, there was one thing that worried him.

The professor cautiously called out in his mind, thinking it was absurd but still hoping for a response.

'Hey, parasite.'

.

.

.

'Parasite! Infection agent! Hey! Idiot!'

... There was no response, but the professor felt increasingly uneasy. For some reason, he could feel it becoming more distinct in his head. It was as if there was a strangely defined area in his mind.

'...Hyde?'

[Finally calling me by name, huh, shell?]

"Damn it."

Sure enough. I thought it was impossible, but this thing is really following me.

The professor's common sense dictated that this was impossible. No matter how realistic Gedroyts' game was, it was ultimately just a collection of data and programs. Could such a game directly influence reality?

[Shell, haven't we talked about this many times? Personally, I think your learning ability is a bit lacking.]

'I didn't ask you.'

[Because you were so frustrating. I told you last time. What's the point of real or fake? Initially, I'm not a physical entity but a kind of consciousness triggered by the infection agent. Just because you turned off the game doesn't mean the emotions and memories you experienced in the game would disappear.]

'Is... that what this is?'

[That's what it is.]

The professor's frown deepened at the parasite's sly tone.

[By the way, this place is really interesting, isn't it? Shell, I knew from your knowledge that there were other worlds, but actually seeing it is quite amazing.]

Three fingers of his left hand scratched his pants as if pestering him.

[Gun! I want to shoot a gun! Gun!]

The professor grabbed his left hand and forced it away, then sighed deeply.

"Corduro."

"Yes?"

"I need to visit Old Man Woojin."

The professor decided to treat this 'mental illness.'

***

Woojin.

This old man, who seems to have lost his mind, is a doctor living in Sector 43.

In the harsh life of the wasteland, battles are a daily occurrence, and finding a day without injuries is more difficult. The problem is, if you get scratched by something like rusty metal and don't have any decent antibiotics, you need to prepare a suicide note and a single-shot pistol that day.

So, the makeshift clinic [Woojin Urology] run by Woojin in Sector 43 is a place that the survivors in the area visit regularly, almost like a meeting square in Sector 40.

The [Woojin Urology] had many vehicles parked neatly in front of the building, indicating it was bustling as usual.

There's only one reason why so many rough survivors of the wasteland maintain order here.

Beep—

Beep—

Due to the dozens of automatic turrets from the old era surrounding the parking lot. These turrets, equipped with old-era combat AI, react to almost all aggressive actions. The moment someone raises their voice in the hospital,

Beep— Click! Whirr!

They receive the intense glare of the automatic turrets installed every five steps inside the hospital.

If you want to be treated by a doctor, it's only natural to entrust your life to the doctor, according to Woojin's medical philosophy.

'He's quite wealthy.'

Of course, there are other reasons. If the few remaining doctors in the wasteland die, it would be a problem for everyone. For various reasons, Woojin's hospital is treated as a place with extraterritorial rights.

Bam—

"Aaaaaah!!!!"

A scream of agony as soon as the door opened.

"Ugh,"

"Kuh, Ahh,"

The injured people in the long line were trying hard to suppress their groans. Surprisingly, in this hospital, even groaning due to injuries is considered 'aggressive behavior.'

'I might get treated by evening.'

The professor put down his backpack at the end of the line, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes. Setting up the line with his bag like this would prevent anyone from cutting in. Cutting in line is also considered 'aggressive behavior' that causes disputes among patients. Someone would wake him when it was his turn.

Even though there were no raids, crossing the wasteland for two days was an exhausting task. Although this place is noisy and reeks of blood and alcohol, it's the safest spot in the area.

'A good place to rest my tired body.'

The professor felt the sleepiness creeping in and slowly drifted off to sleep.

***

[Shell]

.......

[Shell! Wake up! Hey!]

'Ugh... What is it? What now?'

[I can't see because your eyes are closed, but someone is touching your body!]

'What, what? Here?'

[Yeah! It feels like they're poking you with their fingers. Wake up quickly!]

The professor hastily regained his senses at the parasite's words. Sure enough, there was a figure crouching in front of him, staring intently at his face.

"Ah."

"Oh."

"Wow."

A muscular, bearded man with a large metal bag and a short, old-looking man.

Ian and Vex, who had been squatting in the hospital corridor and staring at the sleeping professor, burst into laughter when he opened his eyes.

"Hey, brother. You didn't come when I called, but you came on your own? Playing hard to get?"

"Hapbun! Long time no see, brother!"

"What, what? Why are you here?"

Still half-asleep and confused, the professor asked, and Ian laughed heartily, patting the professor's shoulder.

"What? Why? Hahaha! That's what we should be asking! We live in Sector 43, and you live in Sector 47! The only reason to come to the hospital—"

Beep— Click!

The automatic turret aimed, and Ian's booming voice instantly turned meek like a well-bred lady.

"...The only reason to come to the hospital is to get treated."

"I got injured. A bit, while doing business. This idiot charged forward recklessly, and I got caught up in it."

"That's because you're inexperienced. You should have killed all the enemies before they could react in a place like Usas."

The two, who had been bickering quietly next to the professor, extended their fists towards him.

"Anyway, welcome to Sector 43, brother."

The professor, seeing this, couldn't help but chuckle and met their fists.

"Sure, nice to see you too, idiots."

[Hey! Nice to see you too! I wanted to see these guys!]

As the professor extended his left hand mindlessly to return the fist bump, his three left fingers suddenly wriggled and tapped Vex and Ian's fists.

"Uh... Hapbun? What does this mean?"

"Is there something wrong with your hand? It's shaking."

"Ah, that's—"

The professor hesitated for a moment, then sighed and spoke. It should be fine to tell these two.

"I think I have a mental illness."

"What, what?!"

Beep— Click!

Boom!

The two were shocked, their mouths clamped shut as the turret turned towards them again.

***