Chapter 37
“…”
People looked at each other, speechless.
“What the…”
It was the moment when the common sense of the Player System collapsed.
๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑
Camp vehicles were specially made large trailers, requiring a process of loading and unloading large amounts of luggage.
The dismantling team’s truck was even more specialized.
Because it carried a large quantity of potentially hazardous materials, it often used a player-only terminal.
Usually, that terminal was a place with few people.
Camp vehicles usually departed in the early morning and arrived late in the evening.
Those leaving for the battlefield were not in the mood to chatter, and those returning from the battlefield were too tired to make noise.
Not today.
“Raid Leader-nim! Please give us your thoughts!”
“Mason! Please look this way and give us a photo!”
Mason hesitated.
“What, what is this?”
Dozens of reporters filled the terminal entrance. Even the terminal employees, who usually just quietly did their jobs, were taking pictures with their cell phones.
The reporters were pushing in, determined to squeeze a comment out of Mason, even if they had to twist his neck.
“What’s the secret to your superhuman strength?!”
“You seem to have suffered horrific injuries, how did you regenerate?!”
Mason said with an awkward expression.
“Uh… by supplementing protein…?”
As the flustered Mason sputtered out a random answer, the reporters fell silent for a moment, their hands moving quickly.
They were sending out breaking news.
As soon as they confirmed the transmission on their phones, they raised their heads and started chattering again.
“Uh… that’s… that’s…”
Mason looked around in confusion.
There were more reporters gathered here than all the people he knew in the 28th century combined.
He didn’t know what to do in this unfamiliar situation, overwhelmed by the crowd, especially since it was his first time experiencing such a spectacle for what should have been a routine monster battle.
As Mason looked around for help, Seo Yeonhee and Masika stepped forward with a sigh.
“We will provide detailed information at the official briefing.”
“For now, we ask for your understanding as we need time for reorganization and recovery from injuries.”
Of course, instead of backing down, the reporters tried to push past Seo Yeonhee and Masika to get closer to Mason.
Seo Yeonhee said in a calm voice.
“Player Seoul, Nam Junsik reporter-nim?”
The reporter standing at the front flinched and looked at Seo Yeonhee.
“…Yes?”
“Please.”
Masika also said calmly.
“Monthly Raid, Jeong Hyeonah reporter-nim?”
“…Yes.”
“Can you wait?”
“Yes…”
Calling them out by name implied a warning that they wouldn’t tolerate further harassment.
They couldn’t sue all the reporters, but they could sue one, and while the press might be fearless, individual reporters were not.
The reporters, sensing the shift, started to make way cautiously.
Mason let out a sigh of relief and slipped through.
Deroa chuckled and said.
“What, are you scared of reporters? You, who can slay monsters?”
“This is the first time in my life that so many people have rushed at me like that…”
“You better get used to it, celebrity.”
“Ugh…”
Mason grumbled as he walked.
The first place he headed to was the raid team building.
The truck with the monster byproducts went down to the basement, and the players headed to the upper floors in the elevator.
It was time to rest and wait until the rough income calculations were complete.
“We wouldn’t normally have to wait in the building…”
Masika peeked out the window after slightly raising the blinds.
A few tenacious reporters were waiting there.
“It’s better to stay here until the situation settles down.”
“Specifically, what does ‘settled down’ mean…?”
“At least until we finish practicing for the official interview.”
Mason had a sheepish look on his face.
“Is that something that needs practice?”
“Really? Then what are you going to say?”
“I have to tell the truth.”
“That you time-traveled from the 28th century and are a superhuman modified with future technology?”
“Yeah.”
“Setting aside the truth of that statement for a moment, what about after that?”
“Huh?”
“Naturally, the questions will branch out. How did you time-travel? Can we time-travel too? Can we become like you? And so on.”
Mason thought for a moment and said.
“I’m not a scientist, I’m an explorer, so I don’t know much. What I tried wasn’t time travel, it was dimensional travel, and I happened to end up in the past. You can’t become a Barbarian like me. This was developed specifically for my body.”
Masika and Seo Yeonhee looked at each other.
It was a fairly fluent answer, but they frowned.
“…Why?”
“Whether or not that statement is true is not important.”
Seo Yeonhee said in a calm voice.
“It’s just that the pressure on Mason in that case would be too much.”
“What do you mean?”
“Imagine, like earlier, many people asking you many different questions. People trained to ask questions, pressuring Mason from various angles. In such a situation, could you answer calmly and composedly without feeling the pressure?”
“I’m not confident speaking in front of many people…”
Mason shook his head.
He wasn’t afraid of hundreds of monsters. After all, no matter how many there were, he just had to smash their heads.
But dozens of reporters trying to get an interview from him? For someone from the 28th century, where population density was low, it was unimaginable, let alone adaptable.
“Then there’s only one solution.”
“What’s that?”
“We choose the reporter. Someone who’s easy to talk to…”
“…And someone who won’t ask unnecessary questions?”
“Yes.”
Mason nodded.
“Is there anyone you recommend?”
“There’s no shortage of people if we have the time.”
“Good. Then I’ll leave it to you.”
When Seo Yeonhee left the room with her phone, Masika sat down in front of Mason.
“So, what’s the real story?”
“I told you, I’m from the 28th century.”
“…”
Masika had a subtle expression.
Looking at Mason’s body, she had to throw away common sense, but if she kept common sense, there was no way to explain Mason’s body.
“…Let’s talk about that later, and since we’re all gathered here, let’s discuss work-related matters.”
“Sure.”
Masika looked at Mason.
“First of all… Mason’s tactics were very innovative. At least so far, it has yielded satisfactory results. However…”
“However?”
She tugged lightly at Mason’s collar.
Unlike the others, who hadn’t even taken off their gear yet, Mason was wearing a T-shirt and shorts.
It wasn’t that he was naked.
It was that his clothes were destroyed.
“…We can’t ignore the cost of the equipment Mason destroyed.”
“…”
“Mason’s equipment cost. How much do you think the two-handed hammer and heavy armor cost?”
“It must be cheaper than our lives.”
“It’s over 10 billion won each. Those were custom-made by us, so that’s just the material cost, excluding labor.”
“Why is Player equipment so expensive?”
“Usually, people d*e before their equipment does…”
Generally, the bodies of players were weaker than their equipment. If he was pushed to the point where his equipment was destroyed, he was as good as dead.
Even if he was a tanker.
That’s why there was a tendency not to skimp on player equipment.
One reason was that it was their lifeline. Another reason was that even if the wearer died, there was a chance of recovering the equipment.
But in Mason’s case, it was the opposite.
The equipment couldn’t keep up with Mason’s own physical abilities.
“If you keep destroying equipment like this, we can’t handle the cost. From now on, either fight without breaking your equipment…”
“Fight?”
“…Or we have no choice but to cut down on equipment costs.”
“You haven’t forgotten that your lives are also at stake with mine, right?”
Mason grumbled.
However, the point about the cost of the equipment was valid.
Just because money wasn’t a big deal to Mason, he couldn’t force others to treat it lightly.
After all, money didn’t grow on trees.
“Can’t you fight without breaking the equipment?”
“I can, but then there’s no point in using me.”
“Then… what do we do?”
“We have no choice but to use things that can be broken.”
Mason asked in a calm voice.
“Isn’t most of the cost of weapons and equipment cores?”
“That’s right.”
“Then can’t we just make equipment without cores?”
“Without cores, you can’t use core energy. The efficiency of the equipment will be halved.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s halved. My body is more advanced equipment than core equipment anyway.”
Masika fell into thought.
“Then how about carrying multiple pieces of equipment?”
“Is that okay?”
“If it’s not core equipment, it won’t cost more than 100 million won at most. We can handle the expenses at that level.”
“That’s not bad.”
Mason thought for a moment and asked.
“Speaking of which, do core equipment have to be worn only as armor or weapons?”
Masika had an intrigued expression.
“What are you trying to say?”
“My weapons and armor are bound to break, so I can’t wear anything expensive. So, how about making core equipment for things like rings and necklaces that are less likely to break?”
“It was abandoned because it was less efficient than making weapons or armor. But… in this case, it’s worth trying.”
Masika nodded.
“I’ll look into it.”
At that moment, Seo Yeonhee entered the room.
“I’ve arranged for reporters. I’ve also roughly organized the questions.”
“Good, then… tell me specifically. What do I have to do at the press conference?”
“I’ll make you a script. Don’t take questions from anyone other than the people I’ve told you about beforehand.”
“About being from the 28th century…”
“It’s better not to reveal that.”
“There are already some people who know.”
Mason had never really kept his origins a secret. If people didn’t believe him, so be it.
Especially in the case of Osung Research, they were already collaborating on research.
“Let rumors be rumors. In Osung’s case, they’ll keep their mouths shut because they’re in a business partnership.”
“Okay. I understand that, but…”
Mason crossed his arms.
“Why should I hide the fact that I’m from the 28th century?”
“Mason, you’re not an ordinary person. Right?”
“Right.”
“But whether they will accept it as ‘not an ordinary’ person or not an ordinary ‘person’ is unknown.”
Mason frowned.
“You’re saying they might think I’m not human? Why on earth would they? I was born human, and the Barbarian modification was made to maintain a human form, even at the cost of performance.”
“In your time, difference might be a reason for respect. But… in our time, difference is still just a reason for discrimination. It’s true that Mason is superior to us, but that’s precisely what makes it more dangerous.”
“Why?”
“People who ignore or despise Mason are better off. What’s truly dangerous… is worship. People might start to believe that Mason is a superhuman, that you will save the world. People who do nothing to help, just push you around. People who drive you on their own accord, and then become disillusioned when you inevitably collapse.”
“…”
Mason looked at Seo Yeonhee.
“You… truly despise humans.”
“As much as they deserve to be despised.”
Seo Yeonhee’s heart was desolate. But what truly made Mason’s heart ache… was that she might be right.
There was a brief silence.
Seo Yeonhee had nothing more to say, and Mason had nothing more he could say.
It was a silence too heavy for a 28th century man to bear.
“Let’s take a break.”
He stepped out of the room to get some fresh air.
