Chapter 11

Countless red dots covered my white containment uniform.

The moment the order to open fire was given, I would immediately be turned into a sieve.

Now was precisely the time when I needed Samra’s cooperation.

I moved only my eyes to look at him.

Unlike the usual Trial Response Agency uniforms, Samra wore a white uniform.

That uniform, which distinguished him as a special existence, stood out even more because everyone else was dressed in dark colors.

Samra placed a hand on my shoulder.

He even gave me a couple of gentle pats, as if trying to demonstrate that it was safe to touch me.

“Mr. Han Goyo is human.”

Samra’s declaration caused an obvious commotion.

At that moment, the barrier formed by uniforms split in half, and a gray-haired man walked out from the center.

The moment I saw the uniform covered in medals, I immediately understood who he was.

It was Jang Seokyun, Director of the Trial Response Agency.

Despite being over sixty years old, he still maintained a robust physique.

There was an unmistakable strength in the eyes beneath his thick eyebrows.

I hurriedly greeted the highest authority present.

“It is an honor to meet you, Director. I am Han Goyo.”

If I could have, I would have bowed ninety degrees.

But I felt that if I moved suddenly, I would end up full of holes, so I barely managed to greet him with my eyes.

After receiving my greeting, Jang Seokyun smiled meaningfully.

“This is our first meeting, yet you already know my face. That’s fairly confidential information, by the way.”

And he began walking straight toward me.

“Director!”

Several people hurriedly tried to stop him, but Jang Seokyun ignored them.

“Didn’t you say he’s human? Besides, Samra is here.”

When he arrived in front of me, he greeted me.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jang Seokyun.”

Then he looked me over carefully.

“A handshake, hm. That seems difficult.”

The containment uniform kept both of my arms immobilized, making it impossible to shake his hand.

Trying to emphasize that I was a completely harmless human being, I smiled with all the innocence I could muster.

“I apologize for not being able to greet you properly. If you don’t mind, could I ask that the sniper rifles be withdrawn?”

With a gesture from Jang Seokyun, many of the red dots disappeared.

However, the lasers aimed at lethal areas such as my head and heart remained.

Even though Samra had guaranteed that I was human, that did not change the fact that I was still suspicious.

Even so, it was much better than before.

“Thank you.”

“Haha. I’d like to remove them all, but I suppose I’ve grown fearful with age. I hope you can understand, young Goyo.”

“Of course.”

I smiled while remaining completely tense inside.

Jang Seokyun seemed like a kind person.

But in reality, he was frightening.

He was someone who devoted his life to the country and the Trial Response Agency, and firmly believed that some sacrifices were inevitable in the name of justice.

And if I was unlucky, I could become one of those inevitable sacrifices.

“From what I see, you were a professional player.”

“…Yes.”

“An impressive young man. How did you end up in a situation like this?”

If I was going to play my most important card, I had to do it now.

All the important people in the Trial Response Agency were probably gathered here.

I needed to convince them that I could be useful.

No.

More than useful.

I had to prove that I was indispensable.

“Director.”

“Hm?”

“Please let me live.”

Those words seemed to take him completely by surprise.

Jang Seokyun let out a loud laugh.

“Hahaha!”

And asked between laughs,

“Why should I let you live?”

I looked at all the members of the Trial Response Agency and declared:

“I will achieve three True Endings in one month.”

If I had been able to move my hands, I would have held up three fingers to accompany my words.

Please, Director.

Just let me live.

I looked at him with eyes full of determination.

It was a calculated gamble.

In any case, I had to enter Trials to keep my limbs.

If Jang Seokyun accepted me here, I could receive the support of the Trial Response Agency while facing them.

And if there was one thing I knew about him.

It was that he would never reject a proposal like that.

Jang Seokyun was no longer smiling.

He looked at me with eyes as fierce as a tiger’s.

“So what you’re saying is that this wasn’t simple luck?”

“That’s right.”

“Samra.”

“Mr. Han Goyo’s words are true. He possesses the ability necessary to fulfill that proposal.”

Samra met Jang Seokyun’s gaze without hesitation.

“Furthermore, Mr. Han Goyo’s identity has been verified.”

His gaze was strange.

Although he appeared human on the outside, his eyes made no attempt to hide that what lay within was a machine.

“This is the judgment of Samra Man-Sang of the Trial Response Agency.”

When Samra finished speaking, a heavy silence fell over the area.

No one seemed to have imagined that Samra would defend me so openly.

“Well.”

Jang Seokyun spoke after a long moment.

“At my age, very little surprises me anymore. But you certainly make this old man’s heart rise and fall, young Goyo.”

He raised a hand.

All the laser sights aimed at me disappeared completely.

I let out a long sigh of relief inwardly.

I survived.

“Let’s talk somewhere quieter. Follow me. Samra, you too.”

Jang Seokyun turned around and began walking ahead.

But I could not follow him.

The containment uniform also immobilized my legs.

I needed to be transported in a wheelchair or something similar.

“Director.”

Samra called out quietly.

“Ah.”

Jang Seokyun finally noticed my situation.

“That was my oversight. My apologies.”

And he authorized that I be given a change of clothes.

At last I was free from the containment uniform!

When they handed me a comfortable tracksuit like the ones Trial Response Agency soldiers wore during training, I nearly became emotional.

‘I’ll behave myself from now on.’

I never wanted to wear that uniform again.

After changing clothes, I sat beside Samra in the Director’s office.

The office I had visited in the game through pixel graphics was exactly the same as the real one.

Even the decorative plant was placed in the same location.

It looked like an exact copy.

Just how much did the Developer know?

The more I thought about it, the less likely it seemed that a human being could have created something like this.

“Young Han Goyo.”

Jang Seokyun, who had been looking outside through the window with his hands behind his back, turned toward me.

“Do you know the purpose for which the Trial Response Agency was founded?”

I did.

But I pretended not to.

“I don’t.”

“It is a national institution responsible for responding to disasters and national threats caused by higher-level entities.”

Jang Seokyun’s voice was calm.

“We considered you, Mr. Han Goyo, to be a higher-level entity. In other words, a national disaster. Although it has now been confirmed that you are human, that judgment has only been suspended.”

Suspended.

That meant it had not been completely withdrawn.

And, honestly, I could understand it.

No matter how much Samra insisted, I was still suspicious.

“In any case, it seems you truly are someone special. This is the first time I’ve seen Samra so clearly take someone’s side.”

A playful smile briefly appeared on his face before disappearing.

“Can you really achieve True Endings?”

“If you place your trust in me, I won’t disappoint you.”

Jang Seokyun looked at me for a long moment.

“You remind me of myself when I was young.”

Was that a compliment?

After thinking about it for a few seconds, I replied,

“Thank you.”

My response seemed to amuse him.

Jang Seokyun let out a brief laugh and picked up a folder resting on the desk.

“The number of Trials continues to increase. But the number of Compatibles capable of facing them is desperately insufficient. And permanent closures are even more out of reach.”

There was a faint sense of helplessness in his voice.

The helplessness of someone trapped in a swamp where no matter how hard they struggle to escape, things only continue to worsen.

“We live in an era that needs heroes.”

He said it as if it were a light joke.

But it was desperate sincerity.

“No matter what exactly you are, Mr. Han Goyo, if you can reduce even a single Trial in this country.”

Jang Seokyun handed me the folder.

“Then I will give you all the support within my power.”

“I will do my best.”

I replied respectfully as I accepted the folder.

The deal was sealed.

As Director of the Trial Response Agency, Jang Seokyun issued an order.

“From this moment onward, a Special Mission Team will be formed directly under the Director’s authority, centered around Mr. Han Goyo. Its duration will be one month. Mr. Han Goyo will be assigned alongside all Field Response Team leaders. In addition, Samra will be assigned as support.”

At the assignment order, Samra performed a flawless military salute.

I felt somewhat dazed.

I hadn’t expected them to simply send me alone into Trials.

But I also hadn’t imagined they would create a special team exclusively for me.

And not just any team.

All field response leaders.

Plus Samra as support.

It was a unit composed of the finest talents in the entire Trial Response Agency.

“And regarding Mr. Han Goyo’s status…”

Only then did I open the folder I had been given.

“He will be a recruit.”

Inside was an official Trial Response Agency recruit contract bearing the Director’s personal seal.

“As long as you are a recruit, you will live within the Agency and remain under our protection.”

Jang Seokyun smiled kindly.

“I’m counting on you, Recruit Han.”

And that was how I became a recruit of the Trial Response Agency for a period of one month.

***

I stood in front of a mirror, awkwardly adjusting my sleeves.

The dark blue uniform with silver trim looked elegant and refined.

Normally, it was supposed to be worn with a cap and gloves to be complete.

But aside from official events, most people only wore the uniform itself, so I did the same.

I never imagined I would end up wearing a Trial Response Agency uniform.

Neither the existence of Trials in the real world.

Nor the fact that I had become a recruit of the Agency.

None of it felt real.

As a temporary one-month recruit, I had spent the previous night asleep in what was officially called accommodations, though it was really an isolation cell.

It was a small studio with a private bathroom.

More than enough for one person to live in.

I had collapsed from exhaustion.

When I woke up, it was already morning.

I ate the breakfast served on a tray and then put on the uniform hanging in the wardrobe.

Afterward, I waited for the person who would come to pick me up.

Everything felt like a dream.

I spent quite a while staring at my reflection before knocks on the door brought me back to reality.

The heavy metal door opened.

And the moment I saw who had entered, I quickly bowed.

“Good morning.”

“Yes, Mr. Han Goyo. I’m Kwak Hanmuk.”

Kwak Hanmuk opened the door wide and then bowed ninety degrees toward me.

Without meaning to, we ended up exchanging bows.

I hurriedly stopped him.

“You don’t need to be so formal. I’m much younger than you. You can speak comfortably to me.”

“Oh, really? Then you can call me hyung too.”

Now I was getting nervous for an entirely different reason.

“How about I give you a nickname? Was it Al-bam?”

It was Gunbam…

“You can just call me Goyo.”

The idea of someone calling me Gunbam or Al-bam in person was pretty embarrassing, so I tried to correct him discreetly.

“It must be because of your height, but the uniform suits you very well.”

“Thank you.”

“Hmm. You’re much more normal than I expected. Don’t you think so, Captain Mo?”

Then a figure appeared behind Kwak Hanmuk.

Mo Haein.

She had arrived with him, but his huge frame had completely hidden her.

“Good morning, Captain.”

I bowed respectfully just as I had to Kwak Hanmuk.

Mo Haein remained silent for a few moments.

I tensed up slightly.

After all, our last interaction had not ended particularly well.

‘After showing her a head exploding right in front of her.’

Mo Haein looked at me with an expression that was difficult to interpret.

Finally, she nodded once.

“I look forward to working with you this next month, Recruit.”

Only then did my shoulders relax.

Without realizing it, I had been tense the entire time.

I smiled slightly.

“Likewise.”

The two of them took me to the Special Mission Team office.

It wasn’t very far from my accommodations.

However, throughout the entire walk, I felt countless eyes fixed on me from every direction.

I would have liked to use the opportunity to tour the Trial Response Agency building.

But it seemed that for some time, I would have to limit myself to staying confined to my room.

The Special Mission Team office had been created only a day earlier.

It was still somewhat disorganized.

There were unopened boxes stacked in various corners.

And in the center stood a huge round table.

However, the lounge area was perfectly equipped.

There were massage chairs.

Foldable beds.

Sofas.

Even video game consoles.

Along with clearly expensive snacks, a refrigerator, and an espresso machine.

But something was strange.

The things that should normally have been there were missing.

There was no conference room.

No projectors.

No computers.

No office desks.

As I tried to understand why, I saw an android emerge from the lounge carrying a tray with coffee and snacks.

And then I understood.

Ah.

Samra.

Since the supercomputer would handle all administrative work, the human personnel would focus exclusively on field operations.

‘Besides, each team leader already has their own office.’

Only a team luxurious enough to have Samra as support could afford something like this.

While I stared at Samra with a greedy gaze, he set the tray down on the round table and greeted me.

“Welcome, Mr. Han Goyo.”

There were four coffees.

Including one for Samra himself.

Future technology apparently had no problem tolerating liquids inside an android.

Kwak Hanmuk and Mo Haein looked at the scene with strange expressions.

Kwak Hanmuk spoke with complete seriousness.

“Samra, is something wrong with you? No, wait. How should I put it? Did you get hacked?”

“I am perfectly fine. And with Earth’s current scientific technology, it is impossible to hack me.”

Samra drank iced coffee as if he were a human being.

Then he projected a floating screen into the air without needing a projector.

“We will begin the Special Mission Team meeting.”

Kwak Hanmuk was still busy stirring sugar into his coffee.

Samra completely ignored him and began the briefing.

“The first Trial we will enter is Dead Zone Delivery.”

The first mission of the Special Mission Team was, fittingly, a zombie game.