◈ Episode 222

A high-rise building that has been destroyed by bombing or past disasters.

Kim Yi-hyeon cautiously looked down outside the shattered window.

It was a wide intersection. It was a place where banks, hospitals, and all kinds of infrastructure were concentrated. Just looking at the densely packed stores, I could guess the bustle of the past.

But now, there were only traces of destruction.

Scattered glass shards, fallen streetlights. Houses with their roofs blown off, stores with their signs torn off. The clock tower, a symbol of Shalem since the 18th century, was leaning.

On the main street stood a huge old tree that seemed to have grown up by stealing the city's nutrients. It was a disaster that led to the destruction of Shalem. And today, destruction has come to the dead city once again.

"That's...."

I heard Leila swallow her breath next to me.

A crack appeared as if tearing through the trunk of an old tree. Tentacles extended from the crack, covering the ground like pulsating blood vessels. The number of eggs densely packed in between was difficult to count.

That wasn't all.

Tentacles swelled here and there, revealing new parasites. Soldiers were being replenished every moment and rushing off somewhere. Individuals were also seen circling around as if guarding a nest.

After assessing the power, Kim Hyun lowered his posture again.

"I don't think we'll be able to break through right away."

"I think it's reckless, too. But is there another way?"

It was easy to find because the cracks were so obvious, but it was difficult to approach. There was no visible square part. The moment it was discovered, all the parasites would rush in.

"Well. First of all, what time is it now?"

"Excuse me, ah. It's 7:25."

"It's a little tight."

The arrival was later than expected.

As expected, it seems that the car was lost too early. However, it was only a ten-minute error, so it was not enough to cause a problem in the plan itself.

"If the guys who went first have returned safely, the bombing will occur at 8 o'clock. If we miss the timing, there will be no answer from then on. We have no choice but to try, whether it means we die or become food."

"Okay, then let's look for a safe place first."

"Let's get moving right now."

Kim Yi-hyeon looked back one last time as he left his seat.

Now, the clock tower, a remaining part of Shalem's heritage, stands out.

* * *

The intersection was truly a magical place.

Fist-sized flying machines hovered nearby like patrol drones, and the sound of a horde of parasites marching could be heard from time to time. Their strange cries were like a callus in my ears.

I had to be careful about every step I took. Fortunately, I was able to quickly find a place that could be used as a bunker. Leila's extraordinary memory shined.

"Phew, I was nervous because I thought I'd get caught."

Leila closed the iron door carefully, making sure not to make a sound, and sighed in relief. Soon, she looked at the boxes piled up in disarray inside the room and burst into laughter.

"It's still the same even after a long time. Hey, gulp! Kheung… Except for the dust."

"A basement warehouse? Have you ever come to a place like this?"

"This place used to be the home of Director Helena. Well, she had a strong desire to collect things. Her personal belongings grew too much, so she couldn't keep them in the lab... hahaha."

Kim Yi-hyun also knew this. In the game, Leila also hides here for a while. It is a scene where she reminisces about Helena, who she considered family and was actually her biological mother.

There was nothing great.

There were only dolls that Helena liked when she was young, broken music boxes, and pictures and albums she had drawn. Even at first glance, she was clearly a narcissistic type.

I'm not really interested.

'He was already a dead human being long ago.'

You could say that the mind lives inside the machine, but at least Kim I-Hyun didn't think of it as life. You don't call a system that can only spit out harsh words, even worse than AI, human.

He sat down on the box and closed his eyes tightly.

First, I reviewed the process so far. There were unexpected events, but the results were okay. I got a slight injury to my arm, but it was only a little wobbly. My body is still strong.

'It cost less than I thought.'

Leila didn't seem too tired either. Even though her condition doesn't recover every time a stage ends like in a game, she can still carry out the operation without any problems in her current state.

And the next plan.

After the bombing, you have to somehow get to the rift by overcoming the surviving parasites. The basic idea is simple enough, but the problem is how to fill in that 'somehow'.

'I can't do it like a game.'

If the original development goes as planned, Leila will face a fierce battle. In my experience, the easiest way to attack is through fire. Burn the entire field to reduce your HP, then refill it and advance.

'It's the kind of crazy thing you can only do in a game... ... .'

If it's impossible because it's reality.

Conversely, there are methods that are only possible in reality.

After reviewing the ideas that came to mind.

The conclusion was reached that there was a good chance of success.

'This is also crazy.'

Well, it's not so bad if you think of it as the last one.

After a while.

-Kooow!

There was a vibration coming from the ground. The lamp hanging from the ceiling was shaking. Kim Yi-hyun looked up at the ceiling once and met Leila's eyes.

"It's a beginning."

"Let's take a peek at the situation."

The equipment was created by crouching down and casting a spell.

Four-wheeled drone [Ob-013 Scorpion]. Leila quickly opened the iron door. Kim Yi-hyeon placed the drone up the stairs, then returned to the warehouse and began operating it with the display.

Outside, a war scene was unfolding.

Airplanes fly across the gray sky above the buildings. Bombs hit the ground, bombs explode in midair, and it is not uncommon to see planes being shot down.

A collapsing city, burning streets.

Parasites were crushed to death by the collapsing building. Eggs, which looked like industrial products lined up, were caught in the explosion. Thick smoke rose up along with pollutants.

The bombing effectively reduced the number of parasites.

But if you look at it the other way around, it was just a reduction. The force was endless. The flying machine crashed into the aircraft like a flock of crows. The fuselage, pierced by a large awl, crashed into the bank building.

How much time has passed?

The shock that had been shaking the underground suddenly stopped.

It was the signal I was waiting for.

"Let's go."

"네!"

Kim Yi-hyeon let go of the display and grabbed the rifle with both hands. From now on, he couldn't afford to waste even a single second. He quickly left the basement and stood on the street.

On the block across from him, a crashed airplane was burning. The parasites that had gathered were gnawing at something greedily. Kim Yi-hyun looked away and ran to the corner of the street.

In an apocalyptic scene, we find a clock tower on the verge of collapse.

"I'm taking that. Follow me!"

As soon as he entered the clock tower, parasites came chasing him from behind. Kim Yi-Hyeon fired his rifle from the stairs. As he was about to empty all his bullets and take out a new weapon, Leila stepped forward.

"Mr. Hyun, come up!"

The electricity spread like a spider web, suffocating the crowd that was rushing into the entrance.

After confirming that it was neutralized, I hurried my steps. Hooking myself onto the creaking railing, I supported myself and climbed up the leaning building. In between, Kim Lee-hyun installed C4 on the pillars.

There was no need to climb to the top.

The clock tower's walls were hollowed out here and there by repeated bombings. When he reached a point where he could clearly see the intersection, Kim I-hyeon held on to the wire tightly.

Without needing to hear a separate explanation, Leila figured out Kim I-Hyeon's plan.

Take a couple of deep breaths. She said resolutely, holding onto Kim Hyun.

"…I'm ready."

"Okay. 3, 2, 1."

Immediately after finishing the count.

Kim Lee-hyun pressed the detonator switch.

Kwaaaaang!

The clock tower, which had been standing precariously, began to collapse.

Under the tall tree standing tall in the middle of the intersection.

All parasites sensed the commotion.

An overwhelmingly large shadow was cast across the ground.

The collapse was sudden and too late to react.

When several entities discovered a silhouette hanging from the clock tower.

The roar that sounded like a siren was buried under the enormous mass and distorted.

Kuuuung… … !

The parasites that were laid down left no trace. The aftereffects of the bombing had not yet subsided, and smoke billowing from all directions severely restricted visibility.

The collapse continued. The Parasite's senses that detected vibrations were impaired, and the pungent smell paralyzed his sense of smell. It was a condition that could not help but slow down his reactions.

In the smoke, on the branches of an old tree.

The two figures fell at high speed.

yet.

Kim Hyun-ah and Leila have reached a rift.

'at las.'

In 'Polaris', Leila reached here alone and destroyed the crack. It was a move that completed the narrative as a savior. However, she was not saved.

Immediately after closing the crack, Leila collapses from exhaustion. The scene changes to reveal her waking up in a culture solution. The professor and other lab agents rejoice, but Leila's reaction is dry.

The Professor and the Player realize that Leila does not recognize herself. She has lost all her memories and is now completely empty. Then, the Professor tells Leila the words from her memories.

- Long time no see, Leila.

― You may be confused right now. Who we are in front of you, and even who you are.

- Still, you don't have to worry.

- We remember you.

And so the main story of Polaris ends.

Just as the professor who had forgotten all his past was led by Leila, this time the professor is leading Leila.

Maybe it's okay as the ending of the story called 'Polaris'. It's a conclusion that has both a proper completion and a new beginning, with a certain degree of satisfaction. There were users who liked it.

but.

'I don't like it.'

I don't want the story that I've been living for years to end in a bad way, even though it's perfect. I can't believe that the person who worked harder than anyone else and was the one who was wronged the most would end up sacrificing himself.

That's why Kim Lee-Hyeon came here.

Crackle! Crackle!

The moment he touched the crack, a bright blue light burst out without fail. Although it was a phenomenon he had witnessed many times before, Kim Yi-Hyeon was overcome by a sensation he had never felt before.

A foreign feeling that penetrates the mind.

It was fundamentally different from the power of the priest. The foreign substance spread its roots deep into Kim Yi-Hyeon's consciousness. All sorts of information was transmitted through the connection that was forcibly connected.

It was the collective consciousness of the parasites.

An endless hunger, a desire for conquest, an aggression towards all life forms except their own. A command given to a network that encompassed the entire species. A gigantic will that tore and tore at the brain as it pleased.

Ugh!

My vision turned red. Blood poured out from the orifices of my entire body. Erosion and resistance. My brain pressure became extremely strong as I dealt with the distant process. My head felt like it was going to burst from the rush of blood.

"...Mr. Hyun!"

"Don't look away, concentrate!"

Kim I-hyeon, who had been scolded, pulled out Helixivir. It was the original version developed by Legion, without any modifications. He stabbed the needle into his neck with his hands that were shaking like crazy.

[Mutation rate 58.4314%]

[Mutation rate 62.1197%]

Not yet. It's not enough.

Phew!

I injected all three bottles I had brought. The mutation rate increased exponentially. When it exceeded a certain level, the crystals covering my skin began to fall off.

The skin changed color. It felt hard and rough. The change occurred not only externally but also internally. Each and every tissue in the body vibrated as if overwriting the genetic information of the being called 'Kim Lee Hyun'.

The consciousness that had been swept away stood upright.

Even though they were still aware of the collective consciousness of the parasites, their self-consciousness was not shaken. They were not unilaterally encroaching, but rather coexisting with each other.

It was disgusting, but it helped.

As the current grew stronger, the cracks began to twist. Parasites that came rushing in from all sides were swallowed up by the light. Bodies that were touched by the light instantly collapsed, as if erasing data.

At the end of the tug-of-war.

Kim Lee-hyun saw it.

[100% mutation rate]

[Agent 'Kim Lee-hyun's' talent is activated.]

Chijijik─!

A noise like a tingling sensation occurred.

When my vision was corrected again.

Kim Yi-hyeon was standing in a completely different place from the intersection.

But there was no sense of unfamiliarity.

A familiar sight, one I've seen before.

This is Tulabia.

It was where the drift began.