episode_0166

The whole cabin vibrates. This time, a much larger number of ‘believers’ than before stormed the hut. Just by setting foot in there, the influence of the ‘Fifth Apostle’ is felt.

First of all, Se-rim lost consciousness. Yebin also shared that burden. Finally, me too. Consciousness faded. When I opened my eyes, everything was already over.

I am lying on the floor soaked in blood. Next to him, Yebin and Serim are lying with their eyes closed. I didn’t have the strength to move a single finger, so I could only turn my head.

… … Shim Ji-hee is lying on the ground, bleeding from her head and face. And not only that. Blood is gushing from the wounds on the chest, abdomen, and lower body, even from the wounds hidden by the clothes.

“No… … .”

The noise of battle is also gradually dying down. The size of the cabin, and the number of people. It’s getting smaller. On the contrary, the number of ‘idols’ is increasing. Now we see people going mad under the influence of the fifth apostle.

“I need to save blood.” “Come on.” “More blood.” “And the idol for the fifth apostle.”

Several male and female voices join together. They are bloodthirsty and attack their former comrades just like ordinary believers.

The final moment. Everyone is either dead, crazy, or just staring blankly in front of them. Everyone is exhausted and just waiting for death. Everyone is thinking about the end. however. When the end really comes, isn’t that not even possible? I was the only one in here who could say ‘next’.

“… … Now I’ll speak properly.”

Whispering while lying on the floor. The final deal was prepared.

Negotiation Terms: Demonstrate a strong will to survive.

Negotiation terms with your trading partner. Demonstrate a strong will to survive. The stronger the will, the more favorable the conditions in negotiation.

So, our struggle to survive in the apartment. The despair of the countless world lines that collapsed due to the Seven, and another Im Da-bin who was sacrificed in front of the wrong ending. The end. The war of all the people gathered here now. All resistance for this one moment only. It was never in vain.

And now. The appearance of the negotiation target is captured in both eyes.

Negotiation target: ■■■■■■■■■■■■

It’s information that can’t be included in the media, but I know his name. I called his name. Negotiation subject. ■■■■■■■■■■■■. or,

“Brother.”

***

The story before I moved into the apartment. Dr. Chen faced him.

“There is only one thing I want. To save us from the Seven. ”

The answer never comes back. To others, it appears as if Dr. Chen is talking to a wall. But it seems clear to Dr. Chen. His true self cannot be described in the media. He is■■■■■■■■■■■■■.

“So. I suggest.”

The only way to stop Seven was to make a pact with him. Dr. Chen knew. But it wasn’t enough to save the world. Negotiation terms and conditions. Price as well. It wasn’t someone like Dr. Chen who could make that happen. then. Shouldn’t we at least lay a small foundation? Dr. Chen thought.

“Bringing in a being that can change fate. Bringing in a being that can write a new story, a ‘main character’.”

He asks about the price. Dr. Chen answered all of his questions, but the contract was not concluded. The more this happened, the more Dr. Chen felt something rising in a corner of his heart. The most horrible abuse one can inflict upon one’s own soul. He wants it.

I was lost in thought for a moment.

“If someone comes down from above, someone must come down from here. The price is my descent. I will descend to the lower narrative level and suffer in the eternal repetition of time.”

The deal was accepted.

***

The first moment. My brother brought me to his apartment. As I was writing a story about fighting against nothingness in the upper narrative hierarchy, I finally became the main character. That’s where all the stories began.

***

The moment of doom. Now I’m facing him again.

There is nothing around. In the empty white space, there is only one chair for me to sit on. I have to sit down and talk.

I explained to him.

The apartment we had to escape from was a ‘library’ of all things, transformed by the influence of the Seven. As they realized the truth and escaped the apartment, the apartment fulfilled its purpose and was destroyed by the Seven. That is, human diseases no longer exist.

“What was the disease?”

He asks. I answer slowly.

“Fate.”

Humanity has relied too much on common sense and reality to think. I believed that everything could be predicted through the laws of physics. Although the uncertainty principle was discovered later, it was already too late. Deep in the hearts of most people, there was a place called ‘fate’.

That there are ‘unrealistic’ things in the world. Anomaly. So many people didn’t believe it.

‘Fate has power when it is believed.’

[Ghost Apartment Survival Diary. EP.122-128.] [Friendly Hotel]

So when the seven came, all mankind fell ill. Even if fate changed terribly, humans had to follow it. Life was suffering and death could not be a liberation. however.

“It’s already gone.”

The library that determined our fate has already disappeared. The diseases that had plagued humanity and led to its destruction were completely eradicated.

“There is no longer any old belief. All that remains is the will to survive.”

Only in extreme situations do humans abandon their belief in ‘fate’. Every human being alive today believes in the ‘anomaly’.

They were rescued by a ‘Worldwide Occult Society’ they didn’t even know existed and were able to take refuge in a cabin. Those who guard them fight using this ability.

“More than anything, everyone who believed in common sense died.” “Yeah. By nuclear apocalypse.”

I speak in a trembling voice.

“I made it like that.”

It’s almost like it was made that way. Because the professor accepted the ending I suggested and acted on it. He asks again.

“Don’t you feel guilty?” “I’m so excited. I want to die right now.”

I held back my tears.

“Still, it’s something that must be done.”

I have already changed the story significantly.

“I wasn’t defeated.” “Yeah. Seven won’t erase this world. The story will remain. But there’s no way you’ll survive the ending. Everyone else who escaped will probably die too.”

He speaks as if he has made a decision.

“This story ends in tragedy.” “I wasn’t defeated.” “Accept it. It’s already over.” “So, you can do this too.”

I suggest. There must have been only one being in the universe who saw him so surprised.

I got up from the chair. The white space where there was nothing is being painted over with reality. Everything goes back to the way it was. The world begins to be restored.

“So. What were the terms of the deal?”

Heo Yoon asks.

“I offer my life and the lives of everyone gathered here as the price of the deal. I can’t tell you the rest. ” “Ah. Why again? Wasn’t it already over?” “You’ll forget it as soon as you hear it.” “… … .”

Heo Yun is lost in thought for a moment.

“Tell me anyway.” “I just told you.” “Ah. Don’t lie!” “Didn’t you just tell me that again?” “Ah. I’m curious!” “I’m joking, I’m telling the truth now.” “Are you kidding me?”

Anyway, a lot of things have ended. Some dangerous memes have already lost their effectiveness.

“Oppa, this kind of thing has increased a lot. At first, when I teased him, he just suffered and couldn’t do anything.” “Hey, Yoon Da-joo. I learned everything from you.” “Hey. I didn’t do this?”

I said it casually with a smile.

“I will let the seven win.”

“What!?” “Was that really it?” “Yeah.” “Don’t lie.” “It’s true.” “Then why are we alive? Shouldn’t the world be completely destroyed?”

I expected this kind of reaction. It would be enough to startle even cosmic beings, but it wouldn’t be a big deal to startle a couple of people. As I have done before, I have added an explanation.

“And as I said before, the price was my life and the lives of everyone gathered here. That was the whole deal. ” “What are you talking about?” “… … ?”

Heo Yun-do and Da-ju-do are sitting there with blank expressions on their faces, as if they don’t understand. Seok Hyun-min, who is known to have a quick mind. Ye-bin, who I have a connection with. I don’t think I understood properly this time. Only Se-rim looks at me and smiles. I also smile and say.

“It’s using contradiction.”

It’s thanks to the conditions of the ending that I compressed. The condition for ‘Seven’ to win is when the ‘main character’ dies by the ‘Foundation’. On the other hand, the condition for the ‘main character’ to win is to survive until the end.

Here I proposed a deal, ‘let the seven win’. The price is also the death of everyone, including me, the ‘main character’. The moment the deal is made, seven wins the deal. The world is perishing.

But the problem comes next. The moment he brings the price of the deal, Seven is robbed of victory. The world is still in ruins, but the Seven are not victorious.

Essentially, it’s a similar ending to what Professor or Future Dabin attempted. What sets me apart from them is that I showed the will to survive and fight against futility until the end. Thanks to this, we were able to borrow the format of the transaction.

The moment he brings the price of the deal, Seven cannot win. Since this is a breach of contract, he cannot collect the price. The world is restored.

Everything repeats again. Seven wins. The world is perishing. Our lives are taken as the price of trade. Or, the transaction itself does not take place because there is no price to pay. In this case, the world will be destroyed and the whole story will end, but there are still infinite parallel universes created by the ‘transaction’. Seven cannot win if our lives are taken. The contract becomes void. Everything repeats again.

After endless repetition. The world is in a state of balance between destruction and regeneration.

“Do you understand now?” “I don’t know.” “I don’t know anything either.” “If you think about it slowly, you will understand.”

I smiled and put on my cardigan. The place we were was a cafe.

A place so safe that it would have been unimaginable in the past. A peace I could never have imagined. People are chatting noisily around me.

Outside the window, spring is in full swing. As the wind blows, cherry blossom petals flutter like snowflakes.

“What? You’re leaving already?” “Yes.”

Slowly, I got up from my seat.

“Now, let’s go there.”

There’s a lot of work to do at the foundation, so I can’t just sit around and do nothing forever.

“Everyone is resting!” “Can’t we go together?” “That’s okay, but it hasn’t been that long since we started living like this. Everyone, get some rest.”

Heo Yun glances at her and then sits down again. Seok Hyun-min too. Da-ju too. Jeong Hae-won too. It seems like he wants to enjoy some peace after a long time.

“Then go. Dabin.”

Sister Se-rim also quietly sits down.

“I’ll be back soon! Let me know when you go somewhere else!”

I waved my hand and walked out of the cafe. The phone with the security feature rings.

I escaped from the apartment. I saved the world once. However, there is still much work left to do. That’s what it feels like to be alive.

After checking where the call was made. I answered in a low voice.

“Hello. I am Dabin Lim, an advisory member of the Irregularities and Supernatural Sciences Committee.”

A familiar voice is heard on the other end of the phone.

[Continued from epilogue]