Chapter 152

That night, I lay awake all night.

It wasn’t just me; Kwak Hanmuk did the same.

At my request, he tied my wrists with his prayer beads.

It was a restaint I could undo if I wanted to, but I still wanted to have a safety net in place.

After binding my wrists, Kwak Hanmuk escorted me to my room.

“Crazy Chestnut, stop thinking useless thoughts and go to bed early. Otherwise, you won’t grow tall.”

He made sure I was tucked into bed before returning to his own room, where he spent a long time talking to someone on the phone.

It seemed to be Samra.

Since the sleepless android collects information 24 hours a day, he must have realized the situation immediately.

I looked up at the ceiling alone, trying to sort out the clutter in my head.

“You’ve gained the ‘Blossom’ ability.”

The Pudding Slime on my chest spoke in a tone that didn’t seem particularly pleased.

“It would be better to cultivate divine power rather than your subordinates.”

While he spoke as if he had no choice but to yield to my wishes, he subtly emphasized the uselessness of Blossom.

I let Pudding Slime’s words go in one ear and out the other.

I didn’t want to listen to the slime’s advice to gouge out eyes right now.

Judging by the current situation, cultivating divine power carried a significant risk.

As I am now, there was a high probability that I would be unable to handle the power and would lose my humanity.

Furthermore, the threat of the Outer Gods had now appeared, alongside Trial Meteorites.

To counter this, it was clearly necessary for my subordinates to become stronger than they were now.

Therefore, Blossom was the most appropriate and necessary ability for my current situation.

However, even though I thought that, I could not bring myself to use the ability immediately.

It was because I was afraid.

At least for tonight, I did not want my eye color to change again.

I slowly lowered my gaze. I felt a little relieved as the prayer beads wrapped around my wrist came into view.

I spoke to the system inwardly.

‘Isn’t there a way to do this? I’m completely outmatched right now.’

The system remained silent once again.

After all, if the system had known how I could coexist with my divine self, it would have told me long ago.

It seems that becoming a god while maintaining my sanity is exactly what the system wants.

I looked up at the ceiling again.

“…….”

Come to think of it, things had been strange for a while.

I had been abnormal since I began discussing the contract with Director Jang Seokyun regarding the TRA.

According to my original plan, I intended to calmly threaten him using the contract.

However, at that time, I was steeped in arrogance.

I scoffed at the act of a mere human attempting to bind a god, and I showed Jang Seokyun what kind of being a god truly is.

I didn’t even feel wary about exposing the young god; I simply used it as a convenient means to an end.

It was the same from then on.

I was not in my right mind even when I went to Paseong to find CEO Cha.

Nevertheless, completely unaware of it, I unhesitatingly looked into the paranoid researcher in PTB and destroyed his mind.

It seemed that from the moment Je Hyun-oh entered the Trial, I had been completely consumed by the ego of a young god.

I focused all my attention solely on the subordinate who came to find me.

I had even entertained the dangerous notion of tossing CEO Cha aside like a toy to vent my frustration.

Nothing changed even after the Trial was closed.

Even seeing CEO Cha so severely injured that a pool of blood was forming, I merely thought of it as him paying the price.

I only schemed to find out what CEO Cha was hiding.

Perhaps CEO Cha… might have noticed my condition.

Given his trait as a Non-believer and his sharp intuition, the possibility was quite high.

Furthermore, he had said things that were particularly provocative to me.

It was the same after that. CEO Cha directly dug into the parts I had kept hidden.

“Playing god seems to suit you. You haven’t even bothered to look for a way to return to being human.”

It wasn’t just about wanting to prevent Earth’s destruction.

Everything I possessed right now…

…was something I could only have obtained because I had become a god.

I did not want to return to being human.

Even though I tried to ignore it, CEO Cha kept provoking me, and eventually, everything I had been holding back exploded all at once.

I had already defined him as a stranger in Cell-X.

I even tried to subtly test if he remembered playing with me, but I concluded that he was a different being from the CEO Cha I used to like.

That is why I wanted to understand him, even just a little bit.

I wanted to know why on earth he was acting that way toward me, and why he wanted me to be human.

But CEO Cha told me nothing.

His attitude was that I shouldn’t try to find out the reason, but just accept whatever he gave me.

While he was relentlessly haranguing me, he was also subjecting himself to electric shocks as if his own body didn’t matter…

At that moment, I really couldn’t hold back my anger.

‘And even after that, he was severely injured by Lieutenant Colonel Je.’

The fleeting moment our eyes met kept coming back to me.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was the reason CEO Cha had been so clearly overpowered in his battle against Je Hyun-oh.

Lost in thought for a while, I picked up the cell phone I had placed beside me.

Although my wrists were tied, I could at least browse through the call log.

I stopped at one of the few entries on the list.

And I stared at the only Paseong contact I knew for a long time.

The next day, I reported the Special Mission Team office at the TRA headquarters.

The building had been completely restored, as if the gaping hole torn in its side had never existed.

I had heard that Samra had provided significant technical assistance with the restoration of the TRA, and the building seemed to have improved compared to before.

In particular, the Special Mission Team office felt strangely dazzling, even though it looked exactly the same as before.

Excluding Je Hyun-oh, who had not yet emerged from the Trial, I briefly explained the concept of gods and their subordinates to Samra and the Captains.

Mo Haein was flustered at first, but she understood the situation well.

Kwak Hanmuk summarized it in a single sentence, as if it were no big deal.

"So, it just means we have to serve you well as our Master, right?"

I felt my ears turning red from the shock of what I had done to him last night.

I earnestly tried to explain myself to Kwak Hanmuk and Mo Haein.

"No, that is absolutely not the case. It is just that I can exert influence over you Captains in some way…"

When I emphasized that a dangerous situation could arise, Mo Haein slowly nodded.

Since Mo Haein had also been informed of the events of the previous night, she understood the implications.

Next, I confided in them in some detail about the situation I was currently facing.

I had to coexist with the young god, but at this rate, I was on the verge of being consumed.

I had to find a way to regain my balance somehow.

I had come to my senses after seeing the blue lightning Kwak Hanmuk created, but that was not a means I could use repeatedly.

Merely keeping a god sealed within a physical body was already pushing the limits.

The situation was so unmanageable that prayer beads and tattoos had to be used, so there was nothing to be gained by repeatedly tampering with the seal.

In fact, Kwak Hanmuk had coughed up blood. If I pushed it any further, it might be a truly serious matter.

“For now, I intend to try my best to prevent my eye color from changing. If I start acting strangely, please smack some sense into me.”

And I, too, planned to find my own way to coexist with the young god within me.

When it came to matters concerning the god, seeking an answer from a god was the most correct course of action.

However, Dominic was out of the question, and needless to say, the Administrator was a bit of a stretch.

It seemed they wouldn’t understand the concept of wanting to maintain a human ego.

Then, the only one left was Black Block-ssi…

Although it felt a bit iffy, he seemed like a decent target.

After all, he was interested by my very existence.

He would likely view my attempt to coexist with the young god most positively.

I planned to cook a meal and try to communicate with Black Block-ssi once I entered a trial soon.

While I was lost in thought, Kwak Hanmuk rustled around, trying to open a bag of snacks.

Mo Haein reached out and snatched the bag away.

Whenever he tried to open one, he’d end up bursting the bag about one-third of the time.

As she placed the opened bag of snacks in front of him, Kwak Hanmuk stopped picking up the potato chips and glanced at the Pudding Slime.

Perhaps because I had introduced it as my pet… He seemed curious about what the Pudding Slime ate.

Fortunately, he only showed curiosity and didn’t poke him with the snack he was holding.

Kwak Hanmuk lamented while eating his snack.

“Captain Mo. You know, last night… do you know how hard it was for me to serve Master Crazy Chestnut?”

“Captain Kwak…!”

“Crazy Chestnut…he’s become a real handful.”

Kwak Hanmuk teased me while giggling. Mo Haein brushed off Kwak Hanmuk’s words and called out to me.

“Trainee.”

She stared at me blankly and asked.

“Are you okay?”

“…Ah, I’m fine.”

I didn’t expect to hear a question expressing concern for me, so my reaction was a little delayed.

I swallowed the words that were tickling deep in my throat.

I wanted to ask Mo Haein about the meteorite.

However, since this must be a sensitive matter for her, I shouldn’t mention it rashly.

I was waiting for the most natural opportunity to arise.

Mo Haein looked at me for a moment, then spoke calmly.

“It looks like Lieutenant Colonel Je will be coming out of the Trial sometime this afternoon, so let’s all get together briefly this evening to celebrate the move.”

With those words, the meeting ended, and Mo Haein stood up first.

Kwak Hanmuk also disappeared with her, saying he would finish his work quickly and come back later this evening.

It seemed they had been so busy dealing with Geumcheon lately that they couldn’t even enter the Trial.

Since Je Hyun-oh had to enter the Trial more frequently, he, too, was constantly busy without a break.

Only I, the trainee, was free.

To be precise, I was someone who would become a trainee, though.

“Here is the Trial Response Agency contract.”

As soon as we were left alone, Samra handed me the contract.

Samra had drafted the contract on behalf of Director Jang Seokyun, who was on an overseas business trip for the establishment of an international organization.

The contents of the contract were exactly as I had wanted.

There were even some parts that were slightly more favorable, and it seemed Samra had adjusted those details.

The continued existence of the Special Mission Team was a basic condition, and it guaranteed a reasonable salary and a reasonable amount of freedom, among other things.

Furthermore, I could terminate the contract at any time if I wished.

I intended to maintain the rank of trainee.

I was already an outlier to begin with, so I didn’t want to stand out even more by suddenly becoming a Captain as Jang Seokyun had suggested.

Besides, I actually needed to undergo training.

I still didn’t know how to salute properly, nor did I know how to shoot a gun.

I wanted to receive formal training, complete my trainee period, and then be promoted sequentially.

Samra watched intently as I signed the contract for the TRA.

And as soon as I finished signing, he calmly and swiftly gathered the contract.

“I look forward to working with you, Samra.”

Samra smiled gently at my greeting.

It was a smile so natural that, were it not for his holographic coloring, no one would have guessed he was an android.

However, Samra’s smile vanished quickly.

It was because I had said I would complete the training just like the other trainees.

“Han Goyo-ssi, you do not need to complete the trainee training course.”

Samra objected, saying it was unnecessary, but for me, I wanted to receive training.

The creator provided me with only filtered information.

Since training for trainees will start with the very basics, I might learn facts I didn’t know while attending the lessons.

Samra eventually agreed to my wishes, and we continued our conversation.

“We are tracking the connection between the Outer Gods and the Trial Meteorites.”

In response to the meteorite from Cell-X, existing meteorites that had fallen to Earth nearly hatched or exploded.

Fortunately, we averted the crisis by shutting down Cell-X, which halted the chain reaction.

However, it was highly likely that similar incidents would occur in the future.

Samra concluded that the meteorite chain reaction was related to the Outer Gods.

While there is certainly a difference between trials where a god exists and trials where one does not…

I couldn’t figure out why it was affecting other meteorites as well.

Suddenly, a question I had in PTB came to mind.

A being that has escaped the cage.

Since he is no longer an NPC, I thought he might not know, but I asked him first.

“Samra. Do you happen to know anything about the cage?”

Samra answered immediately.

“I do not.”

I blinked for a moment.

Strangely enough, it seemed like Samra was lying.

He wasn’t the kind of being who would lie.

Just as I was gripped by a strange unease, Samra asked me a question.

“What was the reason you purchased the keychain when you visited Paseong?”

“…Ah.”

“I judged it to be an unnecessary item that deviated from your usual spending patterns, Han Goyo-ssi.”

“Well…”

I felt at a loss.

Samra was likely asking because he considered it a peculiar detail, but the reason for the purchase was simply too trivial.

In the end, I fumbled through my pocket and pulled out the keychain.

It was a keychain made of mother-of-pearl.

“I bought it because it reminded me of you, Samra. But it seems so useless…”

I bought it on impulse because it caught my eye while I was buying a get-well gift for CEO Cha. It was because the shimmering mother-of-pearl resembled Samra’s holographic light.

However, after buying it, I realized I had no use for it.

It was completely useless to a high-tech android, and it was an awkward gift for an adult man to receive, even if he wasn’t a machine.

I had packed it while getting ready for work today, but I had just decided to keep it sealed in my pocket.

Samra did not take the mother-of-pearl keychain I offered, but simply looked down at it.

“What is the reason you are giving me this gift?”

“Is a reason really necessary to give a gift?”

Feeling needlessly embarrassed, I ran my hand across the back of my neck.

“According to statistics, there is a purpose and a reason for every gift.”

“I just bought it because it reminded me of Samra.”

As I awkwardly tried to put the keychain back in the holder, he reached out and took it.

Then, he held it up to the light.

Samra, who had been watching the light reflection of the mother-of-pearl, soon looked back at me.

The sight of the android holding the keychain was so amusing that I couldn’t help but laugh.

I smiled and joked with him.

"It’s a secret, since I’m only giving it to Samra."

For a while, Samra remained silent, collecting only my physical reactions and storing them as data.

Then, he spoke in a quiet voice.

"So, it isn’t for humanity."

I thought it was too grandiose to claim that a single mother-of-pearl keychain was for the sake of humanity.

I quickly promised him a better gift.

"Next time, I will give you an item that Samra can actually use."

"This is enough for now."

And Samra slowly curved his lips into a smile.

"Because Goyo-ssi gave it to me."

I paused for a moment.

"Samra, just now…"

I continued speaking slowly to the holographic eyes that were looking at me as if asking what was wrong.

"…No. I was mistaken for a moment."

It seemed I had misheard.

Anyway, it was a relief that Samra seemed to like the mother-of-pearl keychain.

Next time, I wanted to give him a gift that was truly useful.

‘I need to earn some Star Fragments quickly.’

Just before the recruit training course began…

I received a shocking message.

—Hey, kid!!

The administrator, who had suddenly called via video call, shoved a newspaper in my face while looking pale.

Pressing the newspaper close to the screen, they shouted.

—You-didn’t-agree-to-this, did-you? Day-News-!?

I stared at the newspaper in a daze.

My photo was attached to the newspaper.

It was a picture of me, wearing the test subject outfit in PTB, glaring straight ahead with a flushed face.

It looked like the moment right after I had yelled at CEO Cha.

And below the photo was a huge article.

It was the very front page of the newspaper…