Ch.43Disaster Alert Broadcast (4)

I took out my phone.

As if it had been waiting, messages appeared in the KakaoTalk chat.

AI: What’s this

AI: Explain the situation

– Weren’t you watching everything?

AI: No

AI: I don’t have real-time camera access yet

AI: Can only see motion sensors

I think the name didn’t show up before. Did it change something inside my phone?

Anyway. To get through this crisis, I need this thing’s help.

[Citizens, you must not be swayed by false rumors.]

While half-listening to the broadcast, I typed on the keypad.

Jung Haewon glanced at my screen from beside me.

“What are you doing, noona?”

“Fact checking.”

– Do you know anything about emergency broadcasts?

AI: How am I supposed to find that when you ask so vaguely? Are you seriously this dense?

– Stfu I’m uploading video right now

I clicked on the camera and raised my phone.

Hiding under the table, I extended just my phone to record the broadcast.

[● 00:00:01]

With my free hand, I tapped Jung Haewon’s arm.

“Hey, Haewon.”

“Yes?”

“Draw some aggro from that guy.”

I pointed at the Minister of Public Administration and Security on the TV screen.

He’s making a big fuss about being in contact with the Prime Minister now.

“How am I supposed to do that?!”

“I don’t know. Figure it out. Shh. I need to record this.”

[Yes. What’s the current situation at the Blue House? I heard it collapsed this morning.]

A caption appears showing “On Call” along with a name:

– Prime Minister Lim Sechun

[Regarding the Blue House building, yes. It has completely collapsed. However, all government officials have safely evacuated, and right now, we’re holding a meeting with the President in a secure, undisclosed location to prepare for the disaster.]

[Ah, just a moment.]

The screen returns to the office.

The minister is staring intently at the camera.

[It seems some people aren’t listening properly to the broadcast. I’d like to address them.]

“Hey! Do something already!”

I shoved his back hard, and Jung Haewon suddenly shouted:

“The President must step down!!! The Prime Minister should resign!!!”

The response came surprisingly quickly.

The Prime Minister, supposedly on call, laughed awkwardly, and the minister visibly panicked.

[Haha… I think I just heard something during our call.]

[Yes. We can hear… a citizen’s opinion.]

“A government that can’t protect its citizens is unnecessary!!! Reveal the true situation right now!!!”

[Yes. This is Prime Minister Lim Sechun. Currently in the capital region—that is, Seoul and Gyeonggi Province—we’re in contact with governors and mayors, as well as local governments. For other regions, though not as extensively, we’re continuously coordinating with provincial governors. The government is faithfully fulfilling its role as the disaster control tower. We will absolutely protect the lives of all citizens.]

“The government can’t even properly assess the extent of the damage!”

Like someone leading a protest with a megaphone, Jung Haewon continued shouting at the top of his lungs.

“This entire broadcast is a lie! The government is just spouting optimistic nonsense, everyone!!! Stop changing the subject! How many casualties are there currently! What measures will you take to rescue people! Shouldn’t you be presenting a plan!!!”

Meanwhile, I finished recording the video.

– video.mp4

– Check it

AI: This is that thing

AI: Disaster emergency broadcast

AI: But not much information remains, no response protocols available

– Whatever

– Find material

– to refute the situation they’re presenting

[Citizen, please calm down a bit…]

The Minister’s face clearly showed his bewilderment.

Looking at the TV, I noticed the caption had changed.

[Citizen: Expressing dissatisfaction with government disaster response]

“Bring out the President! The President must state their position!”

[The President is currently attending a cabinet meeting. I also need to return to the meeting quickly.]

The Prime Minister’s voice also sounded completely flustered.

A moment later.

AI: Found something here

An internet article appeared in the chat.

“Resign!”

Jung Haewon continued doing well.

Even though he was leaning out from under the table, he wasn’t being attacked by the shadows outside the window.

Come to think of it, the wind has stopped blowing. The black shadows covering the outside are now barely visible behind the curtains.

Is it actually working?

“President Moon must step down!”

As Jung Haewon shouted this, the atmosphere instantly became tense.

The minister, who had been too flustered to speak properly, regained his composure and stared directly at the screen.

[Excuse me.]

[Who did you just say was President? Are you trying to mislead the public with false information?]

A chilling air filled the room again.

Murderous intent flashed in the minister’s eyes.

[President Moon? No. Really now. What era are you from? Have you been living in the past?]

“Ah, well, that…”

[Spreading false information and promoting anti-government sentiment during a disaster situation! This is subject to criminal punishment!]

As the minister pushed back strongly, Jung Haewon shrank his shoulders and crawled back under the table.

Now it’s my turn to step up.

“Minister, I have a question!”

[I will not be taking any more questions.]

Despite his firm response, I continued reading what I had prepared.

“There was an identical incident in the past—what do you think about that?”

[Excuse me?]

With that one sentence, the atmosphere completely flipped.

[W-what are you talking about?]

“I’ll read you the evidence. First, this is an internet article posted on the Dong-A Ilbo website. Though the date is different from today, it reports on an identical incident.”

I organized my thoughts while looking at my phone.

“Buildings were destroyed by a major earthquake that began at 9:31 AM. The government collapsed due to an unspecified terrorist attack.”

[What?]

The minister was much more flustered than before, now taking out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat.

“Furthermore, it states that the central government system completely collapsed, and local governments are commanding military units stationed in their regions. No matter how I look at it, I can’t find any indication that the central government is functioning properly.”

[Th-that’s fake news!]

“Next is a YouTube video released by an independent media outlet. Here, you can see the black shadow creatures that appeared on screen. With monsters like these roaming outside, how can anyone be safe leaving buildings?”

[That was unavoidable because of the earthquake!]

“Next is breaking news hastily uploaded by Hankyoreh News. Disaster report. Major earthquake. Monsters appearing nationwide. Though just a few words, it’s enough to grasp the situation. The JoongAng Ilbo also posted a brief internet article.

And.”

I scrolled all the way down on my smartphone.

“Why are you trying to explain? These are news articles from different dates.”

The screen filled with noise.

Since I started mentioning the internet articles, the minister’s voice had been gradually fading.

[No… none of this is true…]

The Prime Minister, who was supposedly on call, was also losing his voice.

[If you would clear up this misunderstanding…]

I put down my phone and declared in a firm tone:

“This isn’t reality in the first place. You’re looking at old news articles and copying them exactly to deceive people!”

[Uuuugh… no… nooooo…]

His words stretched out before abruptly cutting off.

[This is an announcement. Residents are advised to follow the emergency broadcast…]

The apartment’s internal broadcast system was the same.

Continuous static interference made the end of sentences grotesquely stretch out.

[…evacuate…!@#$%$^…please.]

Screeeech,

Crackle.

Crackcrackcrack.

The static continued for a while.

Then,

Pop!

With the sound of a vacuum tube bursting, the TV turned off.

The apartment broadcast also ended, leaving the apartment completely quiet.

“Phew. It’s over.”

I thought I was going to die from the tension.

I coolly brushed back my hair and looked toward Jung Haewon. This is how a veteran handles things.

I always thought he was just a nervous kid, but after surviving this life-or-death situation, he looks completely dazed.

“Hey. You did well.”

“Ah, yes…”

“How did you come up with that time-buying tactic? I couldn’t think of anything, so I just told you to do something.”

“…”

A moment of silence passed.

We’re all too exhausted.

I collapsed on the sofa, and Jung Haewon sat leaning against it.

It was a few minutes before Jung Haewon spoke.

“Noona, do you know about web novels?”

“I know about them. I told you before. My dream was to be a webtoon artist.”

“You never said that. Anyway, I was reading a novel that has similar content.”

“There’s a novel like this?”

“It’s not exactly the same, but pretty similar.”

Jung Haewon took out his phone and tapped on it before giving up.

The internet doesn’t work properly here. There’s no way he could access a web novel site.

“There’s a novel called ‘Ghost Story Club,’ and it has similar developments. Strange incidents happen. Then they solve them by pushing back like this. Yeah, that’s about it.”

“Oh, that one.”

It’s a work that an artist friend who drew with me showed me, saying he wanted to turn it into a webtoon if he ever made it big.

“The protagonist there can revive after dying, so that’s why he did that. You only have one life—should you really be doing that?”

“You told me to do it!”

“I didn’t tell you to go that far.”

“Well! I couldn’t think of any other way! You should have suggested something yourself!”

“You’re right. Sorry.”

I sighed deeply.

I feel like all the strength is draining from my body.

“You did well.”

Outside the window, the sky has returned to clear.

The broken window is back to normal.

The black creatures that covered the building walls are gone now.

I pulled the curtains wide open and gulped down a large bottle of water.

“Ugh. I’m going to rest for a bit.”

I got up from the sofa and walked toward the bedroom.

“By the way, how many episodes are out? For Ghost Story Club.”

“It’s over 800 episodes now and still not finished. The author says they’ll write a first episode side story when it’s completed.”

“Oh.”

I should binge-read it when I get out of this apartment.

***

“Hey. Duck.”

Heo Yoon pushed the back of Seok Hyunmin’s head, knocking him down.

A bullet hit the bookshelf in front, crumpling on impact.

“We need to move like this, staying hidden.”

The two hid behind a fallen bookshelf.

Behind them, ape-men with guns were in pursuit, and the floor was covered with lost items that had spilled out from books.

The broadcast had stopped, and the sky had returned to its original color, but that wasn’t important to the two of them.

“Huff… huff…”

Next to Seok Hyunmin, who was catching his breath, Heo Yoon appeared holding a metal ball.

“Move.”

Heo Yoon threw what she was holding with all her might.

Despite the considerable distance, the metal ball hit one of the ape-men squarely in the head.

Thwack!

The impact was powerful enough to be heard from where they were.

The ape-man collapsed and didn’t get up.

The gunfire continued.

Heo Yoon peeked outside briefly, then picked up a hammer.

“Which way to the elevator?”

“That way.”

“How long are you going to keep panting?”

“I can still run…”

Whack!

The hammer hit another one’s head.

Blood spurted like a fountain from the forehead where the hammer struck.

“…fine.”

“Then let’s take down one more before we go.”

The miscellaneous items on the floor continued to increase.

Something caught Heo Yoon’s eye as she searched for useful objects.

“Hey, Seok Hyunmin.”

“Yes, noona.”

“Do you know how to use this?”