Chapter 335

Chapter 335. Status(格) and Isolation(隔)(1)

‘I was not prepared enough to properly respond to the pathogen.’

The purification level of the new alphas from the sixth selection was not very high.

Thus, the existing alphas, including myself, were the only means of overcoming this crisis.

‘And I’m excluded among them.’

It meant that only three people in the entire world could currently purify.

‘Just three people worldwide.’

To make matters worse, even when potions were distributed to civilians, they had a negligible effect on suppressing the infection.

As a result, in just two days since the new offensive began, the global population dwindled by four hundred million.

The importance of purification was naturally emphasized.

The number of times my absence was mentioned became more frequent than ever.

But there was nothing I could do.

‘Damn it.’

I gritted my teeth and continued staring at the progress that remained stubbornly at the same number.

What on earth did I need to do to make that number reach 100?

Was it really something I could do?

Was it perhaps just another delay, like in the place of trials?

If so, how much longer would I need to wait?

Anxiety felt like it was tightening around my neck.

* * *

“Hello, subscribers!”

A man warmly greeted the camera.

His job was a creator, producing various content and uploading it to video platforms.

Every time these uploaded videos were played, they generated revenue from the accompanying ads.

In other words, the most crucial element in this industry was view count.

The public tended to watch more videos that dealt with stimulating, rare, and extreme content.

This was why creators went to great lengths to engage in various bizarre antics to meet the audience’s needs.

The reason the man was broadcasting live alone today was rooted in the same cause.

‘I can’t expand my channel any further with the existing concept.’

In other words, he had sensed it was time to take risks to generate more revenue.

He had already highlighted restricted access areas in the title to attract attention.

– Crazy bastard

– Because of people like him, players suffer.

– Did he really enter a restricted area?

– Verification, please

The chat was filled with curses and criticism.

But the man was certain.

‘This will be a big hit.’

As proof, the number of live viewers was rapidly increasing.

Compared to previous broadcasts, he could confidently assert it was nearly ten times higher.

So, what did it matter how much criticism he received?

“Today, I am coming to you with content on the test flight of my new drone!”

The man maintained a smiling face while showing the camera the drone.

“And the test flight location is…”

As he subtly turned the camera angle, a deserted street came into view.

“It’s a restricted military operation area. If they catch me, I’ll be chased away, so please keep it secret.”

Given he was already live broadcasting, it seemed a futile request.

– Okay, okay. We’ll keep it between us

– Show us the inside quickly

– The black root? Tree? Show us that too

– Let’s keep it a secret among ourselves, okay?

– If anyone tells on us, they’re a traitor

The number of viewers responding to the concept was substantial.

– But how did you get in?

– I heard security became very strict since the law was enacted.

– There were rumors about limiting civilian information.

The man, while preparing the drone for flight, responded nonchalantly with a smiling face.

“I know someone who works in the association’s corpse retrieval unit.”

Even though he considered quitting due to the tough and dirty nature of the work.

“I asked him to lend me an access pass for a day since he was quitting anyway. What could possibly happen? He gets fired… Well, I’m okay with that, and he gets rental money… This is mutual assistance.”

The viewers expressed both frustration and criticism towards the illegal trade and unauthorized entry he talked about as if it were a bragging point.

But even more people filled the chat with laughter and encouragement.

Fueled by their encouragement, the man began to operate the drone.

‘If I fly it too high, I’ll get detected quickly, right?’

Having come all this way, he couldn’t be expelled immediately, right?

Since the broadcast was on, someone would indeed have reported it, and before long, association personnel would arrive.

The goal was to film the interior as much as possible without being detected.

The man kept the drone at low altitude and sent it deep into the restricted area.

“Oh, wait, let me switch the video.”

Shortly, the video being streamed live changed.

A small window showed the man’s face, while the drone’s video took up the majority of the screen.

At first, only empty roads and buildings were visible.

Players’ appearances were barely noticeable.

However, as they delved deeper, changes appeared.

“Oh, there, there it is!”

Slinking around, a black vine-like structure was seen wriggling beyond the building.

As he hurriedly maneuvered the drone around the building.

“Oh.”

– Yikes

– Oh my goodness

– My eyes!

– Ugh

– Disgusting…

– Going to vomit and come back

Everyone who saw the same scene expressed revulsion.

“Wow… Ugh… This thing…”

The man felt the same.

Having just passed one building, the scenery beyond was completely different.

Buildings, avenues, streetlamps, utility poles, abandoned vehicles and bicycles, and even corpses not yet disposed of—they were all covered by black vine-like things.

The problem was the appearance of those vines.

Upon the thick stems that were as big as a person’s torso, something prominent throbbed like veins, thump, thump, thumping.

Indeed, there had been news articles about the onset of a global invasion by plant-type monsters.

But the actual appearance of the creatures resembled not tree-like plants but wriggling worms.

“Oh, it’s more disgusting than expected.”

The man looked as though he might vomit at any moment.

Yet despite his state, he painstakingly maneuvered the drone closer to the creature.

The number of live viewers surged exponentially since broadcasting the onsite scene.

‘As expected, the more they curse, the more they want to watch.’

Gambling to enter a restricted area paid off.

With this level of issue, his stagnant channel could significantly expand in scale.

Thinking of the potential increased revenue made his lips curve into a smile.

For the sake of the benefits he would gain in the future, what he was doing now did not seem that risky.

The man guessed that even if a problem arose, he would not face major punishment.

‘I didn’t penetrate deeply, nor did I interfere with players’ battles, right?’

The restriction on civilian access near the Hole was initially to prevent players from being injured or killed while rescuing people.

So, as long as that didn’t happen, he’d likely receive a mere warning at most.

Other creators also lived by taking risks and challenges like this.

So, there was no reason he couldn’t do the same.

As the creator, who arbitrarily reinterpreted the laws made by parliament through his own perspective, was busily controlling the drone, suddenly—

Whisk!

Something swiftly reached out and grabbed hold of the man’s ankle as he was crouching.

“Ahhh!”

Captured and dragged across the ground, the man’s plight was vividly captured by the camera.

– What is it, what the hell!

– What’s happening?

– The drone is down!

– That’s an expensive one… What a pity

– What’s happening now?

While the chat was bustling with renewed updates, the man rolled over to face the sky.

Only then could he see what had grasped his ankle and was dragging him.

It was the very black vine he’d seen in the drone footage earlier.

The thickness was at most similar to a person’s forearm, wasn’t it?

It wasn’t that threatening compared to how it appeared on camera.

However, in a state of sudden surprise and attack, the man had no composure left to objectively assess these facts.

“Ahhh! Ahhh!”

So startled, he couldn’t even plead for his life, merely emitting screams.

For someone who never learned or experienced how to survive in life-threatening situations, this was a natural reaction.

Perhaps the noisy prey was displeasing?

The black vine made a significant move.

Still holding the man’s ankle, it lifted him high then threw him down hard.

Thunk!

As soon as his back hit the concrete floor, he couldn’t breathe.

The man convulsed and stiffened, unable to expel the cough trapped in his chest.

His brain and body could not comprehend the intense pain for the first time.

The black vine’s movements visibly calmed.

It seemed appeased by the now quiet prey.

But that didn’t mean the black vine let the man go completely.

Slithering, it climbed onto the man’s body.

And it forced its way into the man’s widely open mouth as he gasped for air.

The man, unable to even scream, jerked violently as if he were a fish caught out of water.

Witnessing all of it via the broadcast, viewers unleashed their shocked reactions in the chat.

After a while, the vine that had entered the man’s mouth retracted back out.

Then it slithered away along the building’s wall, as if satisfied with its work.

Momentarily viewing the silent scene beyond the screen, someone commented.

– Did he die…?

– Shouldn’t we report this?

– Isn’t it reported yet?

– With so many people watching, surely someone did.

– Serves him right

– Why enter a restricted area?

– I’ve reported it…

– Kamikaze squad

– People like him are better off dead. They contribute nothing useful to the world.

– Just because he did something wrong, doesn’t justify your attacks on him. That’s just your level.

– Those who attack blindly and those pretending to preach, they’re all the same deranged people.

While people were talking over each other and saying their piece:

The man attacked by the black vine staggered as he got to his feet.

– Oh, oh, oh! He’s rising!

– Hahaha, is he really getting up?

– He got alive lol

– Rise, Black Dragon!

It was clearly a case of a person being revived from near death.

However, it wasn’t an event that happened to those watching beyond the camera.

It was merely an event unfolding on the other side of the screen.

Thus, people were watching and chattering, looking at the man whose entire body was sprouting ugly black welts.

– Damn, isn’t he infected?

– Yep, according to the association’s announcement, infection causes blisters like that.

– Is it airborne? Should I wear a mask?

– Nope, it has to be direct contact. Not airborne.

– But isn’t the mortality rate super high for civilians who get infected?

– It’s almost 99 percent.

– Hahaha, serves him right. He went to Die willingly, he should just Die there.

But even that didn’t last long.

Someone descended from the sky and stomped on the camera firmly.

Crunch.

The broken camera could transmit no further information.

But that fact no longer mattered to the man.

“Please, save, save me…”

Barely coherent words, a terribly shaking voice, and a pitifully trembling hand.

The man pleaded earnestly, reaching out to the one who suddenly appeared and had smashed the camera.

Begging for his life, desperately asking to be saved.

Though sympathy might arise seeing such a pitiful sight, the player who had come on alert due to the screams showed no change in expression.

If one were to express his emotional state, it wouldn’t be sympathy—it would be puzzlement.

Damned System