331 – The Past (10)

Dok Soo-hee, a great player, did her best when she was caught lying.

And Michael Jeter, who is even more seasoned and a great player.

“… Ha. Miss Su-hee.”

I did the most perfect thing I could have done in this situation.

“Ha… Really? Do I look like I’m joking right now? What? Don’t you have feelings? I’m dedicating my life to saving the world right now. I don’t have time to joke around with you.”

He burst into laughter, then furrowed his brows and glared at Dok Soo Hee. It was clearly the expression of an angry human being, and it was also a clear ’emotion’. If an angry Jitter were to storm out of the conference room right now, no one would suspect anything.

Of course, this was thanks to the ‘adaptation’ trait doing its job. From the wrinkles between the eyebrows, to the slightly flushed face, to the front teeth that were revealed without one knowing it. It was all an expression created based on typical human emotions.

But humans are animals that are originally governed by sight. The other team members all sighed in relief, thinking that Dok Soo-hee was talking nonsense.

of course.

“… Don’t leave, try answering.”

Only Dok Soo-hee and Michael Jeter knew that this was an act.

Dok Soo-hee couldn’t forget the inorganic eyes she had seen earlier. And Michael Jeter realized that he had made a mistake. It seemed that his brain was overloaded because he had been thinking too much before Dok Soo-hee came, and he had momentarily forgotten to put on his ‘mask’.

The reason Jeter hid his lack of emotion was simple: it was obvious that it would affect his leadership. People value emotion, and tend to look down on people who lack emotion.

Of course, to Michael Jeter, who thinks extremely efficiently, this was all just empty pretense, closer to an illusion created by humans. But still, it was just acting out emotions, because it was a caution to use what could be used.

“The chairman. No, Michael Jeter.”

Of course, it was already a mistake to have been caught. Jitter wanted to leave the conference room late, but Dok Soo-hee stopped him.

“Here. Tell me in your notebook. I have not lost my emotions, I am perfectly normal.”

Notebook. There was a notebook that I took out earlier, a notebook that could detect lies that could be obtained on the 24th floor. That was also the reason why Jitter was in a hurry to leave the conference room.

It would be too unnatural to remove that notebook. However, if we were to take it naturally, Dok Soo-hee, who has the ability to inventory, would have the priority. Therefore, the best option would be to just leave. Disregard Dok Soo-hee’s words as nonsense and leave immediately. Dok Soo-hee, who noticed the plan, quickly pressed him, saying, “Aren’t you feeling nothing?” and Jitter also replied, “I wouldn’t lie.”

The seeds of doubt have already been planted among the team members. The seeds of doubt that ‘Jitter really has no feelings?’ If he just leaves here… Jeter will be labeled forever.

Ultimately, Jitter made the most efficient choice in this situation: a head-on attack.

“First of all, let me make this clear.”

Jitters choose their words carefully.

“I haven’t lost my emotions. They’ve just faded.”

“…a pun.”

“My emotions of joy, sorrow, and pleasure have diminished, and my ability to empathize has also decreased. Certainly… I have become somewhat mechanical. I cannot deny that.”

Jitter looked around at his team members and then immediately tapped his chest.

“But I recognize that I could be wrong. If I had become like a crazy machine, as Dok Soo-hee said, I would not have called this meeting. I would have judged and decided on my own. I am aware of my problems and am working to overcome them.”

“that…”

Even Dok Soo-hee had nothing to say about this. It was true.

“And rather, I think I can make better choices because I don’t have emotions. Unlike ordinary people who are swayed by emotions and make mistakes. I can always think rationally. Also, this kind of cool-headedness is required of the Players’ Association President. Am I wrong?”

“… human society is not divided into rigid divisions like machines.”

“That’s right. We have our team members and other association staff to help me avoid mistakes like that.”

Momentum. Dok Soo-hee was pushed out of momentum. Jitter was coming out with a stance of ‘It’s true that I have no feelings, but what’s wrong with that?’, and Jitter was doing too well for Dok Soo-hee to refute.

“What Dok Soo-hee said is true. I am a bit twisted. But if I step down from the position of president, who will do it? Tell me.”

“…”

“If there is someone who can do a better job than me, I will gladly give in. If there is a better candidate than this emotionless Michael Jeter, recommend him immediately.”

Jitter’s rhetoric was clever and irrefutable. Dok Soo-hee knew that Jitter was wrong, but she was not confident when asked to suggest an alternative. It was true that Jitter was competent.

“I would also use the same logic that Mahesh used when he talked about regressors.”

In the end, what Dok Soo-hee could stab was the ‘future.’

“It’s true that Jitter has done well so far. But can that emotionless human being continue to do well in the future? Without making any mistakes? We could be going astray without even realizing that we are making mistakes.”

“…”

“I admit that Jeter is great. He is… really great. But was I the only one who felt that earlier? His opinions are overly efficient. He doesn’t consider other people’s feelings. What if the regressor gets angry and refuses our support? What if he gets angry and blames Jeter? He doesn’t have feelings himself, so he can’t consider other people’s feelings.”

Dok Soo-hee’s opinion was valid, but it lacked resonance. Dok Soo-hee’s words were just ‘assumptions’ up until now and ‘something that could happen’ in the future.

“… I want to trust the president.”

“Even if you don’t have feelings… you didn’t have any when we first met, right? Then the Jitter I knew is still the same.”

“I’m sorry, Soohee. I think it’s right to support the regressor.”

The team members… chose Michael Jeter. They chose the status quo. They had never seen Jeter’s madness with their own eyes, and they were teammates who had trusted and followed Jeter like a father.

In addition, all of these incidents were a series of events that started with Dok Soo-hee lying. Leaving the regressor alone and Dok Soo-hee lying had nothing to do with each other, but humans are animals that are originally unable to make cool-headed judgments.

Also, Jeter has shown himself to be very capable so far. He was a trustworthy leader and also the president of the players’ association. There was no one who would work as hard as he did, body and soul. (No one remembers Jeter giving all the Americans. Not even Jeter himself.)

In terms of legitimacy and politics, Dok Soo-hee was pushed aside. Now, what Dok Soo-hee said feels like the ugly tantrum of a loser.

“Dok Soo-hee. I won’t blame you for insisting that I have no feelings. However, there will be a punishment for lying. For now, go back to your room and wait.”

“…”

“Remember the deal we made. What you are doing is against the interests of the world.”

All members of ‘Team Alpha’ sign a contract when they join the team. A contract that says, ‘I will not act against the public interest.’ Jeter was talking about that right now.

The contract isn’t here right now, but… if Jitter brings it, Dok Soo Hee will have to follow Jitter’s words without fail and endure the ‘punishment’ he speaks of.

Dok Soo-hee. No, Dok Soo-hee alone had a rough idea of ​​the ‘punishment’. Jitter had several means of preventing players from entering the tower, and he was going to use them to keep Dok Soo-hee in check.

And Alpha Team had someone with the ability to ‘extract memories’. Jitter would probably extract Dok Soo Hee’s memories. He would extract all the memories of the regressor. And the word extraction meant disappearance.

Dok Soo-hee, who has lost all her memories, will once again become a loyal member of Alpha Team. She will follow Jeter, climb the tower diligently, and carry out her mission. She will become a great agent who strives to protect the world. Jeter will support Kim Jun-ho, and the world will find peace through the strengthened Kim Jun-ho.

Yeah, that would be a pretty good future. That would be…

“… I can’t accept it.”

No. It couldn’t end like this. Dok Soo Hee couldn’t accept it. She was the strongest inventory user, and a reliable companion who would walk beside the regressor someday. Maybe… she imagined their relationship going beyond that. She was a special person, and she couldn’t accept this future.

And Kim Jun-ho. Kim Jun-ho would not want to intervene either. At least the process of confirming his opinion should have been done first. Jitter’s method of not even thinking of asking Kim Jun-ho, saying that there is a variable, was wrong.

There is no contract here. If there was, it would have been used a long time ago. The conference room size is… small. It can be said to be somewhat disadvantageous, but it is still an environment suitable for creating variables.

Now, at this moment, Dok Soo Hee’s goal has changed. To escape this underground conference room. And to tell Kim Jun Ho the whole truth. Through him, she builds trust and becomes a comrade of the regressor. It’s a perfect plan.

From then on, things unfolded rapidly, as if each second was an hour.

“I have to go back home. Please don’t stop me.”

“Dok Soo Hee.”

“If you stop it… you’ll regret it.”

Dok Soo-hee is chewing on this. The other team members who see this suddenly jump up from their seats.

“Step back. I, the president of the association, will take care of it.”

Michael Jeter takes off his suit jacket and rolls up his shirt sleeves. Team members evacuate the conference room.

“Because he was my comrade. I won’t kill him.”

The optic nerves are thickening. The heart is beating like a drum. The skin is as hard as steel, or even harder.

“…Just let it go.”

“Impossible. It’s obvious that it will go to the regressor. Variables are unacceptable.”

“… I don’t have the confidence to not kill you. Instead, I’ll ask Junho oppa to keep you alive after I regress.”

A Desert Eagle appears out of thin air. A military jackknife held in reverse.

Dok Soo-hee and Michael Jeter. Two top-class players.

-Taaang!!!

Now, they clashed in the conference room.