Chapter 7

< Chapter 7 >

──────

Operator II

Shin Noah

“Running the site?”

“Yes.”

…It was a power he had never heard of before.

That Seo Gyu had survived up to this point was unprecedented, and although it was somewhat expected, he had never even heard of a similar power.

“What exactly is your ability?”

“Well, it’s limited to just one domain name, and it allows anyone to access it.”

My eyes widened.

“What? Anyone? From anywhere?”

“Yes.”

In contrast to me, Seo Gyu’s voice became quieter and quieter. A sullen emotion smeared across his tone.

It was clear he had no idea of the value of the ability he had awakened.

“Yesterday, I tried making a website as a test. But the ability needs to be mastered before I can upgrade the design to something more credible. Right now, it’s nothing more than the old websites that older people used to make… It’s embarrassing to brag about it to my colleagues. It’s completely useless in combat…”

What.

“So, does someone need your permission to register on this site?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. It just looks like a website on the surface, but it’s more like a structure made entirely with my power. Hmm, should I say my will is reflected in real-time? Just the will itself? Anyway, I’m still not very good with my power, but if I were to create a registration system… Uh. Probably no one can enter without my permission…?”

Impressive.

Without thinking, I put my hand on his shoulder.

Seo Gyu lifted his head back up. Our eyes met.

“Seo Gyu, remember when we first met, and I told you I was an employee of the National Intelligence Service?”

“Yes…”

“That was a lie.”

“What…?”

“I just made it up to make it easier for you to accept. Of course, I also gave you a chance to choose the truth yourself. I’ll say it again, but actually, I am a regressor.”

“What?”

“Seo Gyu, why do you always complain that all our party members are geniuses and you’re the only late bloomer? It’s simple. Because I’ve recruited only proven geniuses as Awakeners into my party over about 50 iterations. But you are the first. You were an unscratched lottery ticket. No, how did it happen that you couldn’t survive the waiting room at Busan Station in all 50 iterations?”

“What?”

“Your ability is now [Ubiquitous].”

Ubiquitous.

Derived from Latin, the term “ubiquitous” signifies being present everywhere without regard to place.

The expression, commonly used to denote the omnipresence of God, was crucially rooted in Latin. Latin inherently possesses a magical quality to make anything feel more significant.

“Originally, power is mostly in the name. Site management? Community administrator? A moving network? All unnecessary. You are simply ubiquitous.”

“Ubiquitous…”

As expected, Seo Gyu’s expression began to show interest.

I smiled knowingly.

“Seo Gyu, let’s work on something together.”

Soon after, I took Seo Gyu to Yongsan.

The Saint greeted us in her living room, which resembled an aquarium so much that it was confusing whether it was a place for people or fish to reside, her own underwater sanctuary.

She listened to me without a word and then spoke.

“That’s incredible.”

“Right?”

As expected of the Saint. She immediately recognized the value of Seo Gyu’s ability.

Meanwhile, Seo Gyu himself had been looking blankly at the Saint’s face, not understanding what was going on until she looked away, prompting him to hurriedly avert his gaze.

“Uh, um. What’s so great about my ability…?”

“Seo Gyu, imagine if Awakeners join your site and have to enter their personal details. Then you’d have all their information at your fingertips. You’d know everything they post on the site too.”

“Ah… But, brother. Would those remarkable people really join my site? And provide their personal information at that…”

I nodded firmly.

“They definitely will.”

It had been less than a year since the Gate incident occurred.

Thus, Seo Gyu, other Awakeners, and even ordinary people were still somewhat optimistic or indifferent. It’s not like not being internet-savvy would ruin their lives.

“This world is going to become more chaotic.”

However, as we moved into the second year, the situation rapidly deteriorated.

Initially, Korea was relatively calm thanks to the Saint’s ‘Constellation play,’ but signs of warlordism were already apparent in other countries.

“Seo Gyu, humans find it difficult to stay sane once cut off from the outside world. But your site is supported not by technology but by your awakened ability, Ubiquitous. As long as you’re alive, it’s a public square accessible to anyone at any time.”

“…”

“The major guilds will recognize the value of this site first. It becomes a means to communicate with the outside world even after entering the Gate.”

“That, that makes sense…”

Seo Gyu nodded hesitantly, eliciting an involuntary wry smile from me.

From my perspective, the value of an Awakener’s ability was determined by how well it could overcome temporal and spatial limitations. In that sense, Seo Gyu had awakened an S-grade ability.

It was like watching someone holding a precious sword but being bewildered because they didn’t recognize its value.

Not only I found it absurd, but the Saint also looked on with an expressionless face of disbelief.

“Ubiquitous…”

“Huh?”

I realized then; the Saint wasn’t looking at Seo Gyu, but at me.

“Why do you ask?”

“No, it’s nothing. I just thought the term has an old-fashioned ring to it. Such naming is to your taste, I see.”

“Isn’t it a great name?”

“Well, it is.”

Her response was peculiar.

Nevertheless, the focus was on Seo Gyu’s ability now. I steered the conversation back to the main topic.

“They say seeing is believing. Now, let’s discuss with the Saint here how we can shape this site.”

“Ah. I, well, thank you…?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Seo Gyu awkwardly shook hands with the Saint.

Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere didn’t last long. The revelation that I was a regressor, as well as the truth that the Saint was actually the embodiment of the Constellations, changed everything.

A scream echoed through the aquarium-like living room.

“—Eek! The Constellations were all fake?”

Seo Gyu seemed shocked.

It must have been disorienting to realize that the pen pals who had been secretly cheering him on were all fictional.

“No… My goodness. Miss Saint and Doctor, what exactly are you planning? Are you seriously aiming for world domination or something…?”

“Oh, don’t talk about it as if it’s someone else’s business.”

From now on, you’re also part of our party.

“First, Miss Saint. Please disguise this site as if it’s a power of the Constellations.”

“Yes.”

“Seo Gyu, you act like you took over the site’s operation from the Constellations.”

“Ah, yes. Brother.”

The plan was meticulously carried out.

We continued working even while sipping on precious coffee. All three of us hunched over computers turned the mystical underwater sanctuary into something resembling a PC room.

“PC room… Fish room. Indeed.”

“…?”

At my muttering, the Saint turned to look this way.

Her gaze was intense, so I quickly changed the subject.

“Miss Saint. What do you think would be a good name for the site?”

“Are you asking about the name?”

Changing the topic was successful.

“…how about [Apocalypse Gallery]?”

“Hmm. It’s excellent, but the word ‘gallery’ might make people think too specifically of a certain site. We’re going to run it more like an old membership-based site or a café, so it doesn’t really fit. What do you think, Seo Gyu?”

“Uh… How about [Viva! The Ruined World!]?”

“It’s a cool name, but remember, this site is supposedly set up by the ‘Constellation’ itself. It feels too cheerful. Wouldn’t it be frustrating for modern people suddenly thrown into fighting monsters?”

“It’s tough…”

“Hmm.”

That’s when a great idea popped into my mind.

Finally, fifteen days later, we launched the site with a grand opening.

Playground of the Constellations!
The only safe online community!
Welcome to SGNet!

The name we settled on was SGNet.

This name hid several meanings. Initially, SG was the nickname I used for Seo Gyu before I knew his real name. Coincidentally, the name ‘Seo Gyu’ itself could also be abbreviated as SG.

Lastly, as it was a site managed by the ‘Constellation,’ it could be abbreviated as ‘ConstellationNet.’ This, too, could be shortened to SG.

Beyond a two-for-one, this was aiming for a three-for-one in naming sense!

Perhaps I had a hidden talent for naming. How could one person be so versatile? Sometimes, I even scared myself with my own capabilities.

“……”

The ‘Saint’ seemed to have a lot to say but chose to look at us with eyes saying she wouldn’t.

Beside her, Seo Gyu looked disheartened.

“Looks like no one else has logged in yet, brother…”

He stared endlessly at the monitor.

Over the fifteen days, Seo Gyu had become quite accustomed to his abilities, and the site had gotten prettier. Of course, it was still barely a notch above the design of an old HiTel PC communication service.

No matter how good the design became, it was meaningless if no one was looking. But we had almost a free marketing tool.

“Lady Saint, please hit them with an advertisement.”

The so-called advertising agencies by the name of ‘Constellations’!

“Okay.”

The Saint clasped her hands together.

At that moment, the same message was sent to every Awakener active in Korea.

[‘An unknown Constellation manifests its power.’]

[‘An unknown Constellation invites you!’]

In addition to the site’s address sent in the message.

Seo Gyu silently looked at the monitor with a tense face.

It wasn’t long before the number of visitors displayed at the top of the site increased exponentially.

“Ten… ninety… two, two hundred people. Five hundred? Wow. No, how many Awakeners are there in Korea…”

Seo Gyu muttered to himself.

However, Seo Gyu’s surprise was nothing compared to that of the other Awakeners who had logged onto SGNet.

Even through the monitor screen, it was palpable how flustered they were. Posts were being rapidly added to a previously empty community.

-Anonymous: Why can I access this site just fine? Is it some freaky site? (2)

-Anonymous: I came at the call of the Constellation. (0)

-Anonymous: Does anyone know who this unnamed Constellation is? (15)

-Anonymous: Wow, I wasn’t the only one who received the message. (1)

As the site was known to have been created by a Constellation, the tone of the users was generally mild.

The Awakeners were confused, yet they were posting and commenting, watching the situation unfold. The numbers (2), (15) next to the posts indicated the number of comments.

Still, for the time being, they were operating as ‘Anonymous’, meaning they were non-members.

“Seo Gyu, now’s the time.”

“Ah, yes, brother. I’ll post it!”

Seo Gyu, under the member nickname ‘Administrator’, posted a notice.

The content of the notice was simple:

──────────

1. This site can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

2. A nameless Constellation created SGNet as a form of amusement. The poster is their representative.

3. The more active the members are, the more SGNet develops. Think of the members as a kind of congregation, and community activity as religious practice. The stronger your ‘faith’, the more powerful the earthbound Constellation becomes.

3. Non-members can only use SGNet for one hour a day, while members can use it without limits. Non-members are non-believers, and members are believers, so please understand this distinction.

4. The ‘nameless unnamed Constellation’ expects nothing from you beyond community participation.

5. Your personal information is strictly protected.

──────────

Of course, except for point one, it was all lies.

As soon as the notice was posted, non-members were stirred. In a flash, dozens, even hundreds of comments accumulated under the announcement.

-Anonymous: Is this thing about being a representative of the Constellation real?

-Yori Queen: Administrator, how can one become an apostle of the Constellation?

-Anonymous: Clever.

-Goryeo Mortician: Why do the kids here talk like jerks?

-Anonymous: How can we believe this is real? Could this also be a prank by some supernatural being?

Several Awakeners had already completed their membership registration.

Yori Queen and Goryeo Mortician were among the first to register as members, and seeing this, other non-members quietly signed up as well.

“Is this really working…?”

Seo Gyu exclaimed with a dumbfounded expression.

At the same time, he was tirelessly typing, recording the personal information of the members in a text file.

From time to time, there were non-members who doubted the authenticity of the announcement, but a message from the Saint was waiting for such Awakeners.

[‘The Red Cloak Chancellor’ grudgingly confirms that the words of this Constellation are true.]

[‘The Saint of National Salvation’ advises several Awakeners that prolonged internet use can have a negative impact on real life.]

They were leveraging the renown of other Constellations to vouch for the authenticity of SGNet.

Even the most skeptical of Awakeners could not help but be somewhat subdued by this.

Initially overwhelming, the number of non-members gradually began converting to members.

As the information of countless Awakeners poured in like a tide, Seo Gyu could hardly contain his excitement.

“Wow. This is it, brother.”

“Good work.”

I patted Seo Gyu’s shoulder.

“But it’s not over; it’s just the beginning.”

“…?”

Seo Gyu seemed not to understand the meaning of my words.

After all, how could he anticipate how I plan to utilize SGNet from here on.

“I look forward to continuing working with you, Seo Gyu.”

“Eh? Oh, brother, I should be the one asking you for that!”

A bit naïve, but my younger brother followed my words sincerely and smiled brightly.

6

Regrettably, even the 50th iteration could not escape destruction.

However, the usefulness of SGNet was proven. This alone gave the 50th iteration significant meaning.

I, the Saint, and Seo Gyu, as the founders and administrators of the site, have indeed experienced a diverse array of events. There are too many stories intertwined here, and I will probably mention them whenever I’m bored.

A light mention of the significance of the 50th iteration is this: from this point on, the actions I took at the moment I began my regression, every time a new iteration opened, started to change slightly.

“Ah, hello there! Everyone! Oh? The numbers seem a bit low… Anyway, you must have been quite surprised to be suddenly summoned here, right? But don’t worry! I am here to guide you kindly from the beginning!”

Previously, when I woke up in the waiting room at Busan Station, all I thought about was how to quickly get to Old Man Sho’s café.

But not anymore.

There was now one person I needed to save.

“So, from now on…”

“Hey you motherfucker! What the hell are you talking about!”

A booming roar echoed.

I smiled at the familiar voice.

Perhaps it was like my very own alarm sound, reminding me that once again, life had started over.

I decided to give it my all this iteration too, as I moved on, listening to the much-missed swearing.

“Hey you motherfucker!”

-Tale of Administrator. Conclusion.