episode_0081

What is normal?

What is anomalous (i.e. not normal)?

We defined reality through consensus and tried to deal with things that did not conform to this.

The tentatively agreed upon reality is as follows.

– Basic physical laws such as universal gravitation

– The knowledge that human civilization has built up based on this.

Anything that does not fall into this category becomes anomalous.

How neat is it?

We have defined and quarantined things we do not understand as anomalous.

The ‘double slit experiment’ was once isolated from all laboratories.

Foundation researchers tried to find the anomaly of this phenomenon, but yielded no clear results.

It was three years later that quantum mechanics was discovered.

We were ignorant of reality.

In that case, if the anomaly is not abnormal, it just shows our ignorance.

If it shows the limits of our cognition.

If everything were real and we just lived believing what we wanted to believe.

Why does the Foundation exist?

We had no choice but to temporarily close the endless questions.

Soon we came to the biggest question.

Those who are worthy, if they will seek, see more.

What do observations of anomalies show us?

prophecy.

Possession or spirituality.

Spiritual communication.

A state of religious uplift through meditation.

This practice, now called anomalous observation, has existed long before we defined reality.

When a person with observational aptitude concentrates his mind, he can see things that are not normal.

It’s a completely different experience from holding a magnifying glass over small text or finding a cat hiding behind a box.

Optical equipment. microscope. CCTV or recording devices.

Things that cannot be seen using any ‘realistic’ method can be seen through anomalous observation.

then.

Where is the standard of reality here?

The limitations of our realistic ‘methods’. In other words, is it a limit to the range of human perception?

Also, can the existence of anomalous observations itself be defined as reality?

Can we fully trust the results of the act of observing anomalies?

Or, is the concept of ‘realistic’ itself a fiction, and is everything just following temporarily defined standards?

***

Da-ju Yoon and Ser-rim Choi are having a conversation.

“Surely this is the 7th floor? How can something so strange happen?”

“I’m not sure either. Have you seen where Dabin went?”

“What is it? Has Dabin disappeared?”

The two people closed their eyes.

They are lying on the floor and talking as if they are sleeping.

And the graffiti that covered their bodies.

A red light continues to seep in from behind the curtain.

“Let’s move first.”

As Choi Se-rim waved her arms in the air,

Tootuk.

A chunk of flesh falls off an arm covered in graffiti.

So did other people.

Heo Yun and Seok Hyeon-min.

Da-ju Yoon and Hae-won Jeong.

Wherever they move, flaccid pieces of flesh are scattered.

People lie down with their eyes closed and wave their arms and legs in the air as if they are moving around in a dream.

And every time I swing my limbs violently, the flesh flies out with a patter and falls to the floor.

Anyone can see that this is an abnormal situation, but nothing can be confirmed even through observation of the anomaly.

The answer is that it is just an ordinary situation.

“Ugh… … .”

“Dabin Maman is up as expected.”

“Huh?”

I walked towards where the voice was coming from.

A girl with white hair and red eyes. AI is lying on the floor.

At first glance, he looks like any other person, but his eyes are open.

“It’s better not to ask for help. I can’t even lift a finger.”

“Are you still mentally intact?”

“Yes.”

Is the mouth the only thing that can move?

Still, I feel a little relieved because there is someone I can communicate with.

I leaned over to him and asked.

“You can still search.”

“Not yet, but you can always do it.”

“Then try it. What is the situation now?”

“I tried it a while ago, but nothing special came out.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Then how should I solve this?”

“I don’t know.”

The guy continues to maintain a blank expression.

The situation is so urgent.

after… … .

Let’s just not talk.

“But you said you were sane, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then maybe there’s a hint here?”

I was lost in thought.

Everyone else has become strange, so why is he the only one who is fine?

That’s just the spirit.

First of all, it is clear that this guy’s mind is not ordinary.

That’s because the cyber ghost that was in a corner of the foundation’s server was put into the body.

And this guy was also a meme killer with anomalous characteristics.

Anomalous properties.

It’s not ordinary.

But my mind is still intact… … .

“I understand.”

The situation so far has been a series of questions.

Red lights flash outside the window, and graffiti covers the surrounding landscape and even people’s bodies.

And everything begins to disintegrate into dust.

Even though the situation was dire, observations of the anomaly showed nothing.

The only answer is that everything is an extremely ordinary situation.

Graffiti is ordinary.

Without a doubt, yes.

However, if you think about it this way, everything is explained.

“The standard of reality has changed.”

The current situation where there are fingernail marks everywhere is normal, and me, who moves normally, is abnormal.

Passu-

The existing order is collapsing.

A large piece fell off of its own accord from the wall and scattered across the floor.

Almost all of the curtains have turned to dust, so their original shape can no longer be found.

This is reality.

There is one more thing.

This is the truth about graffiti, where it all started.

I asked, tapping the AI at my feet.

“Hey. Would you like to tell me about the graffiti over there?”

“Is that a crescent moon shape?”

“Yes.”

“It covers the entire room, and the number continues to increase. But still normal… … It does.”

The guy looks surprised even when he says it himself.

If a guy who always has an expressionless expression can do that, it’s almost certain.

Graffiti makes us perceive ourselves as ordinary.

In fact, that was the only characteristic of graffiti, but when something was added, disaster occurred.

The more I tried to find out about graffiti. The characteristics of graffiti are becoming increasingly extreme.

So much so that it changes the very standards of reality.

No matter what happens, graffiti is ordinary.

“Serim! No way!”

Heo Yoon screams in his dream.

“This way!”

Seok Hyun-min rolls around on the floor with his eyes closed.

Dreams and reality turned upside down.

I woke up alone.

Or maybe I’m dreaming alone.

“Where are you going?”

“Fire hydrant. I have work to do.”

I left the AI and went out the front door.

The 7th floor here is one of the few ‘normal’ spaces in this apartment.

The remaining space has ‘anomalous’ properties.

The reason is right there.

It’s at the end of the hallway where the elevator is.

Wooow-

It was as expected.

At the end of the hallway.

In front of the fire hydrant next to the elevator, the reality generator was working non-stop.

[Reality Generator: Maintain an ordinary space. A steady supply of surreal fuel is required to maintain effectiveness.]

[Charge status: 54/100]

[Reality value: 100]

To fit this space into a newly defined reality.

Accordingly, the state of charge quickly decreased.

[Charge status: 54/100]

[Reality value: 28]

[Charge status: 51/100]

[Reality value: 121]

[Charge status: 47/100]

[Reality value: 91]

[Charge status: 42/100]

[Reality value: 99]

[Charge status: 38/100]

[Reality value: 19]

Realistic figures that jump around constantly.

Like a hatching insect egg, scribbles pour out from the machine.

☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾

☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾

☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾

☾☾☾☾☾☾

The graffiti pouring out covers the surrounding walls.

It seemed like a black wave.

The reality generator that once protected this place is now accelerating disaster.

Teuddeuddeuk-

I tried to put my hand on the device, but I flinched and gave up.

Even now, the graffiti squirming around the fire hydrant were just waiting for the moment to climb onto my body.

I already have one on the back of my hand.

☾

I don’t think we can get rid of the surreal fuel.

There is only one way left.

I ran down the hallway and headed to the warehouse.

Fortunately, it only got a little dark. The warehouse is still intact.

hammer.

This is too short.

Aluminum baseball bat.

This is also shorter than expected. Graffiti can crawl up and target my body.

What I’m looking for is a weapon with as long reach as possible.

Just then, an appropriate object came into view.

Running down the hallway again, I reached a fire hydrant.

I kept going back and forth from end to end of the hallway.

I feel like I’m going to collapse at any moment, but I’m out of breath, but there’s no time to rest.

Wooow-

The reality generator hanging in front of the fire hydrant,

I hit him with a golf club.

Tooung!

Quad deuk!

Kwasik-

Graffiti wraps around the stick of a golf club.

Round and round.

As if spreading out a vine.

I continued to swing what I had in my hand.

I tried to shake off the itchy sensation that I felt on my arm for no reason, as if bugs were crawling up my body.

“Fuck!!!!!”

Quang!

I hit it so hard that the golf club’s stick bent.

But the machine is still alive and well.

Hundreds of gears are still turning inside, creating a landscape that fits the new reality.

“Heo Eok. omg. Wow.”

As I sit down, out of breath, my tiny knees come into view.

This little female body that I am in now.

Is there a limit to the power that can be exerted?

I got up again.

The exterior of the iron machine was almost dented.

Just need to do a little more.

a little bit.

A lung being pricked with needles.

Screaming arm and shoulder muscles.

But I swung the golf club again.

“Aaaagh! Please!!!”

Let’s hit it with all our might,

Poseok-

The outer part of the machine was completely caved in.

Ting!

A few cogs flew out from inside the machine with a cheerful sound.

And finally.

[Reality Generator]

[☾☾☾☾☾☾☾ is☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾.]

[Surreal Fuel]

[Reality[Reality Generator]

[☾☾☾☾☾☾☾ is☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾.]

[12023/1111111111]

[Create☾☾☾☾☾]

[☾☾☾☾☾☾☾ is☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾.]

[[charge]

[Hyun☾☾☾☾☾sil]

[☾☾☾☾☾☾☾ is☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾☾.]

The machine stopped.

The 7th floor has turned into an anomalous space.

A peaceful and abnormal space with no graffiti, no walls collapsing or shaking, and no red light leaking in from the windows.

“Heo Eok. omg. Phew.”

I woke up staggering.

I barely managed to get my foot on the wall and went back to the house where everyone was gathered.

Dust scattered on the floor, tattered curtains.

Although traces remain, the space is now completely intact.

But others still couldn’t open their eyes.

“Dabin! Where are you?”

Serim Choi sits on her knees with her eyes closed and moves while sweeping the floor.

Yoon Da-joo catches Choi Se-rim.

“You have to avoid it now.”

Speaking in a deep voice, as if talking in sleep.

Seok Hyeon-min fumbles across the empty space as if trying to grab something.

“Move!”

When Seok Hyun-min shouts, people move with shaky movements.

Heo Yoon lies face down on the table and struggles wildly.

Clink!

Dishes and cups break and glass pieces scatter.

Destroying the machine was only a temporary measure.

All of the graffiti covering his body was gone, but something more still remained.