Echoes of the Reverse Planet

Chapter 108: Two Options

“Hmm.”

Baek Woohyun, who had been reading the related materials displayed on the screen, groaned.

If this content was accurate, TL-01 was merely a doping drug with extremely good effects. It seemed excessively good, but in any case.

Because the effects were so good, it was difficult to manufacture so quantities were small, and it required authorization to use. That was why the weasel-faced man had shouted about authorizing it.

‘Then what’s the reason those bastards changed?’

He could guarantee that wasn’t a change that could be created with an ordinary doping drug.

Therefore, it meant the drug’s effects had been altered, but he couldn’t even guess where or how they had been altered to make them become like invaders.

The research facility that created TL-01 itself didn’t have even a single line of related content, so probably no one knew.

Moreover, the sense of discomfort he felt while reading the materials also grated on Baek Woohyun’s nerves.

It was clearly content where everything fit together properly, with detailed descriptions of how it was made, yet somehow it felt ‘inserted.’

It might just be that he felt that way because a doping drug that didn’t exist on ‘that side’ suddenly popped up, but if that wasn’t the case—

“Tsk.”

‘Let’s move on for now. There doesn’t seem to be anything more to find even if I dig further.’

Baek Woohyun, who clicked his tongue, gave up on TL-01 and instead began quickly collecting other information.

He thoroughly scoured the locations of research facilities, corporations connected through sponsorship, and the list of Hunting Dogs they commanded, and stored them in his head.

Though there were slight differences due to the time period, most of it matched what he’d memorized on ‘that side,’ so it wasn’t very difficult to remember.

Just as he finished gathering information and was about to leave the underground.

Jiiing.

The tightly closed door opened, and multiple pairs of red lights flashed from beyond. They were eight units of Etinel.

It seemed the researchers had successfully called for Etinel just before dying to Baek Woohyun, as they had been saying “Call Etinel or not.”

The Etinel units that discovered Baek Woohyun standing alone among the corpses flashed their red sensors and immediately rushed to eliminate the intruder.

“……”

Baek Woohyun looked at the Etinel units with a cold smile on his lips.

If it were this number of late-version Etinel rushing at him, maybe, but he had no reason to fear mere mid-version Etinel.

Hadn’t he smashed one unit in just three seconds when he only had a single Core Element? Even if it was a close-range build rather than a ranged build.

Therefore, his confident attitude even before the eight Etinel units rushing at him was a display of well-founded confidence.

Uuuung—!

Baek Woohyun reached his hand toward the Etinel units.

His pupils glowed ash-gray, and telekinesis unleashed to its limit bound the movements of the units tightly.

Their appearance, frozen mid-rush in the air unable to move, looked as if time had stopped.

Only the ceaselessly flashing red sensors proved otherwise.

Kwadeuk!

Then, as Baek Woohyun clenched his hand, the eight Etinel units clumped together into a single point.

No, it was difficult to simply describe it as ‘clumped together.’ They gathered into a single point and then distorted with metallic sounds.

Like scrap metal entering a metal compressor, crushed and destroyed, the eight Etinel units became a large sphere-shaped lump of iron.

***

—Was telekinesis always this strong?

—Even the style is insane ㄷㄷ

—“Kinesis”

—Eight Etinel units instantly destroyed

“It’s a natural result. Mid-version Etinel was taken down in a 3-Second Kill with just one Core Element, so there’s no reason to struggle now.”

“More than that, I’m amazed by the fact that there was a method to obtain information like this. The information itself is also stuff that would only come out in the mid-to-late stages.”

“It’s true that I never imagined raiding a corporation to get information. As for the information itself, well, as always it’s just Hackphysical being Hackphysical.”

—Story being unpredictable has always been the case

—But really what happens now??

—There’s no way the corporate raid gets included in the story lol;

—It’ll just reset and become meaningless ㅇㅇ

***

“……”

Kuung.

Baek Woohyun, who threw away the iron lump that had once been Etinel like worthless trash, exited through the hole he had made to enter.

Just like before he entered underground, the first floor was still in a deserted state with not a single person. Well, who would want to come to a place where even murder had occurred?

After briefly scanning the surroundings once more, he used telekinesis to fly high into the sky.

He had finished all his business, so there was no reason to stay here. Nor any reason to waste time and fight with Otherworld Management Bureau agents who would arrive late.

Shwuuu—!

After flying near Otherworld Management Bureau headquarters, Baek Woohyun changed his outfit just like before departure and quietly descended to the ground.

What greeted him as he casually entered the headquarters was an internal atmosphere as chaotic as if a bomb had dropped.

He heard cries like “Geumshin Electronics is asking us to come as quickly as possible!” and “Are you sure it’s an unregistered awakener?!” and agents about to deploy rushed past him.

‘Too late.’

When the very culprit who had raided Geumshin Electronics had already left that place and even come to Otherworld Management Bureau headquarters, what good would deploying now do?

At best they would help clean up a bit before returning. They’d be lucky if they didn’t get cursed at for deploying so late.

Perhaps they couldn’t even do that. The Geumshin Electronics side wouldn’t want the underground revealed.

Of course, those deploying had their own circumstances. Even if the Otherworld Management Bureau’s relationship with corporations was bad, it wasn’t to the extent of ignoring support requests.

Even so, deploying after the situation was completely over seemed questionable.

“Huu.”

Baek Woohyun, who returned to his room in the dormitory, closed the door and let out a deep breath.

At that moment.

[Mission ‘Raid Geumshin Electronics Headquarters’ complete!]

[Level up!]

[You have acquired 1 ability point!]

“…!”

System messages announcing mission completion and level up appeared in succession before Baek Woohyun’s eyes.

Surprisingly, Reverse Planet’s system recognized the raid he had committed on his own as an official mission and settled the experience.

This also proved the hypothesis he had established before raiding Geumshin Electronics—’the story is changing fluidly according to my choices.’

No, perhaps this was even more than that.

He had simply thought his actions would affect future story progression to some degree, but looking at the system messages meant it was even recognized as a mission.

In extreme terms, even if he went crazy and raided the Otherworld Management Bureau, there was a possibility that would be recognized as a mission too. Though he didn’t know what would happen to the story after that.

***

“What is this—”

“A mission was created… from Hackphysical’s actions?”

—ㅁㅊㅁㅊ; What on earth is happening

—ㅅㅂlololol This is why I can’t quit Hack Tour

—Things keep popping up lololol

—Amazing that there’s more beyond the Fully Responsive AI ㄹㅇ

“Wait. If this happens, what about the future story, uh…”

“If missions are created according to Hackphysical’s actions, story predictions become meaningless. The story will progress as Hackphysical wants.”

“Is that… possible?”

“I don’t know either.”

—This isn’t just choosing options lololol

—Hidden stories are boring so he just makes the story himself lololol

—Planet Earth class is insane ㄷㄷ

—Can I also create stories if I do no compensation??

‘WikiYo’ donated ‘1,000 won’!

[Planet Earth, this crazy development company]

***

“……”

However, the surprise didn’t last long.

Thinking coldly, whether the mission content changed according to actions or the actions themselves became missions, nothing would change.

What Baek Woohyun wanted to do was investigate the relationship between Reverse Planet and ‘that side,’ and for that, either way was fine.

‘Rather, this worked out well for me.’

Baek Woohyun, who had organized his thoughts, lightly gestured at the air.

It was a signal sent to the studio side saying he would finish the PVE part like this and move to PVP.

After that, he immediately moved to the training grounds, and the answer to why it was the training grounds rather than the battle preparation room was simple.

Starting today, the content called ‘Hack Disciple’—teaching the Beau-tiful Twins selected through Superstar N (meaning Nuclear)—was scheduled to proceed.

‘Hack Disciple…’

“Mm.”

Baek Woohyun, recalling Cha Seongcheol who had been confident it was a good name that was easy to remember and conveyed meaning well, shook his head.

He didn’t have any intention of being deeply involved in the broadcast anyway, and wouldn’t have that intention going forward, so he didn’t say anything in particular… but he questioned whether that was really good.

Though it wasn’t really something to question at this point, having already used content names like ‘Hack Tour’ or ‘Superstar N (meaning Nuclear~)’.

“I’m here—!”

“Good day, sir!”

“…Yes, hello.”

—Hack-ha (meaning Hackphysical hi~)

—Why not Baek-ha when everyone knows his real name?

—Somehow Hackphysical feels more familiar

—ㄹㅇlol

Shortly after, Jeong Nayeon and Cha Seongcheol appeared at the training grounds. Though invisible to the eye, tens of thousands of viewers were also with them.

The reason they came here was that after various meetings in advance, they had decided to stay beside him during ‘Hack Disciple’.

The judgment was made because there was no reason to be at the studio like with PVE, and also to promptly relay questions from viewers interested in his teaching.

“The Beau-tiful Twins will be here soon too!”

Jeong Nayeon, who currently also handled the communication window role with the Beau-tiful Twins, told Baek Woohyun.

Of course, that wasn’t the only thing she did. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she was managing everything entirely related to the broadcast.

Not only the Tricky side that conducted live broadcasts, but also iTube which required separate video editing.

She was thoroughly keeping her promise to provide Baek Woohyun with an environment where he could just play the game without worrying about anything else.

“”Good day, Master!””

—lololol

—A proper disciple

—As expected, disciples should bow to their master first~

—Something something about being respectful

Not long after they appeared, the Beau-tiful Twins immediately bowed deeply toward Baek Woohyun in greeting, and viewers giggled at the sight.

It was a natural reaction since in this world where teacher-student relationships were at most like school teachers, they were using the title of master.

Jeong Nayeon and Cha Seongcheol also watched the Beau-tiful Twins’ cute behavior with slight smiles.

“I’ve been well. Have you both been well too?”

But this wasn’t enough to fluster Baek Woohyun. Because he’d already been subjected to similar pranks many times on ‘that side.’

Though he hadn’t served as an instructor for very long, those he had taught always displayed friendliness in various ways whenever they met.

“Yes! We’ve been well!” “Really well!”

The Beau-tiful Twins’ words were truly sincere without a bit of exaggeration.

After Superstar N (meaning Nuclear~) concluded successfully, they had spent an extremely satisfying time.

They attracted many casual viewers, and those who wanted to ask questions from a disciple’s perspective gathered, causing the broadcast’s scale to grow tremendously.

It meant they had received enough benefits to bow deeply to Baek Woohyun calling him master.

Even if that weren’t the case, they would have bowed anyway!

“Before we begin in earnest, I’ll give you two choices.”

“Yes!” “Please tell us!”

“Growing your skills moderately, or learning properly. Which do you prefer?”

The Beau-tiful Twins tilted their heads at Baek Woohyun’s question.

“If it’s alright with you,” “Could you explain in detail?!”

“Growing skills moderately means exactly that. There won’t be any training that’s too difficult or hard, and just by following along well, I’ll make you skilled enough to reach Master.”

—Just following along gets you to Master? ㄷㄷ

—Hackphysical’s opinion) Master is achievable even teaching moderately

—Someone’s struggling even at Diamond ㅅㅂlololol

—Watching the broadcast and following along means I can reach Master too lololol

“On the other hand, if you learn properly, it will be difficult and arduous. You might have to train separately for several hours a day. In return, I’ll make it so you can aim for at least Grand Master, or even higher if you follow sincerely.”

Learn moderately and be satisfied with Master?

Or learn sincerely and aim for Grand Master or above?

In short, Baek Woohyun was asking the Beau-tiful Twins what level of determination they had.