337 – The Past (16)

While Jitter was gone, the president began to prepare in his own way. He wanted to be remembered in history books as a ‘people’s leader who helped the returnees.’ People who reach the top are usually driven by a desire for honor.

“What do you think is the difference between stone and gold? Why is gold valuable enough for books, and stone not?”

He talked about the conditions of the ‘book’ with a few doctors living in the lab, and he thought and thought again about whether there was anything he could use.

“It is strange that only pure metals have value. Man-made metals are not recognized in books.”

“Isn’t that ‘purity’ valuable?”

“Then why is pure air worthless?”

“That’s true too.”

Research is being conducted on detailed requirements.

“Surely you can’t even dedicate a person to a book?”

“… I guess I can offer it.”

It was an uncomfortable topic, but the president was not angry because the purpose was ‘exploration’. Didn’t the Chinese president openly suggest offering people in the first place?

But when you think about sacrificing people, a question naturally arises.

‘…What happens when time goes back after sacrificing a person?’

In fact, it was more of a question that came to mind naturally rather than a genius idea. Isn’t it a bit strange that nothing happened?

Accordingly, the president took the action that a sensible person would take.

“Book.”

Asking the book directly. In fact, up until this point, the president’s mind was light.

□The remaining lifespan of a human being used as a sacrifice is reduced by one day.□

“Hmm…”

The book answered that even if time goes back, the lifespan of the dedicated human being decreases. Instead, the number is not small, but it is ambiguous to think of it as large.

‘If it becomes certain that time goes back…’

While it was thought that it was okay to sacrifice the life of a death row inmate or even the president himself.

□When a human used as a sacrifice dies, the soul of the lion becomes subject to the book.□

“… This won’t work.”

The answer the book gave was quite shocking. The soul… belongs to the book? This implied the existence of the afterlife, or reincarnation. It also meant that a human who is devoted to a book is deprived of that possibility.

The president is a Christian. Naturally, he believes in the afterlife. Accordingly, sacrificing a person for a book has changed from being an ‘adventure worth taking’ to ‘something not to do.’ Even if he is a death row inmate, there is a line that must be kept.

But still.

□Most American citizens, including you, are already dependent on books.□

“…what?”

The book’s answers are not over yet.

**

So back to the present.

“You, you…!”

“Mr. President.”

“Okay. Let me hear what excuse you have.”

Here, if Jitter were a shameless guy, he could argue, “What if it wasn’t me? It happened before time went back.” But in fact, Jitter thought that it was something he did. The sign itself pointed to ‘Kim Jun-ho’ in the first place.

But what Jitter truly didn’t understand was this.

“…What’s the problem?”

The part where I don’t understand ‘why’ this level of penalty is a problem.

10 percent of life? Humans don’t know when they will die anyway. In addition, human life becomes more painful as they approach old age. The body creaks, activity decreases, sleep increases…

What’s wrong with taking a little bit of life out of someone’s old age?

The same goes for the afterlife. No one knows what will happen after death anyway. Human life ends there. Since it has already been revealed that there is a ‘God’, the obsession with heaven is meaningless, so what’s the problem with becoming a part of a book after death?

“…”

The president gaped in amazement. Jeter’s thinking may be twisted. But who on earth could he possibly be, taking everyone else’s afterlife?

“… Ha. Hahahahaha!!! Who would have thought that this guy was the man I could trust the most!”

Only after seeing the president’s reaction did Jeter realize that he had made a big mistake. Is this generally a big risk? Is there an afterlife or something? Am I… am I twisted?

“ha ha ha…”

Whatever. The President trembled with anger, but did not show any further gestures. He understood.

No matter what he does now, whether he shoots him in the head with a pistol, calls the guards, or stabs him with a knife, he cannot harm the man in front of him. The two are in the same space, but their power is not equal.

And even if they knew that Jitter was a crazy psychopath…the two had to continue their partnership right away.

If Jitter disappeared, the president could not handle it. Likewise, Jitter could not handle it if the president disappeared immediately. For the sake of immediate order and peace, the two were destined to cooperate until the end.

“… Go out.”

Jeter saw disgust in the President’s eyes. He saw contempt. He couldn’t tell whether it was directed at himself, helpless and unable to do anything, or at Jeter.

One thing is certain.

“…yes.”

The fact is that their relationship has deteriorated.

**

How much time has passed?

Jeter was once again troubled. His relationship with the President had deteriorated, and so had his relationship with Dok Soo-hee. No, judging from the President’s attitude, it was obvious that if the news spread that he had sacrificed the American people, any remaining trust would disappear.

“…”

In fact, if you blame the government, that’s it. It’s certain that Jitter carved the mark, but it won’t be visible to others. It’s only certain that ‘this kind of incident’ happened, but who did it is beyond the curtain of time. If you blame the government… it’s convincing.

Yes, externally, he would do so. Jitter still had a need to maintain power.

But internally, Jitter had never been more conflicted. Had he really become a monster? Me? This me?

This internal conflict reached its peak when a player belonging to the association reported meeting Kim Jun-ho on the 22nd floor.

“Yes. I have told you all about the government’s atrocities. I have already revealed their ugly truth! They have brought the ‘heroes’ to our side!”

“…Well done, Martin.”

Martin believed the ‘false rumors’ spread by the President and Jeter, and was diligently explaining to Choi Ji-won. If you sacrifice a human, the insides are rotten… Since Jeter was the one who sacrificed the human, he had to worry and worry about what to say.

“…”

It was the moment when Jitter finally realized his own misalignment. He… maybe he was a man who should not have been at the top.

Meanwhile, the president also had many concerns, as he understood that his current position was very ambiguous.

“…”

Approaching a regressor right away is like shaking hands. If you immediately tell Kim Jun-ho, “I’m the President of the United States, and I know you’re a regressor,” it will only have the opposite effect.

But that doesn’t mean he won’t approach Kim Jun-ho? According to his sources, Jitter has already become acquainted with him. He probably will become closer to him as time goes by, not further away. Jitter isn’t a fool, and he will be very careful with his words and actions in front of the regressor.

Then, the imagination comes naturally.

“… If the jitter causes strife.”

What if Jitters start slandering the government by saying things like, “The government is trash?” What if he talks nonsense? Does the president have the means to respond to that?

None. None at all.

After hearing the news that he cannot go to heaven after he dies, his soul is destined to become part of a book. Is there any need to be afraid? Is there any reason to live life with a clear conscience?

First of all. What is his goal now? What does he want to achieve even if it means dying?

“…”

The president has made his decision.

**

After a day or so.

There were eyewitness accounts of seeing Dok Soo Hee on the tower. Since Jitter had temporarily stopped climbing the tower, he could not see her directly. Even when he tried to communicate with Dok Soo Hee by asking top players, he only received responses that Dok Soo Hee was not in her right mind.

“…”

Jitter… regretted it. He didn’t always think he was right. He thought he could be wrong, and that’s why he often asked the opinions of those around him.

However, the people around Jitter were people he had gathered, and they were people with similar thoughts to Jitter. Why didn’t I know that exchanging opinions with people with similar thoughts would only lead to more differences? Why did I act unilaterally? Why did I neglect ‘morality’ in pursuit of ‘efficiency’?

Mahesh approached Jitter, who was struggling with the slower pace than others, holding a cell phone.

“Association President.”

“…What’s going on?”

“I have contacted Ms. Choi Ji-won. I think you can come to Korea and see her.”

“…”

Jeter, under Mahesh’s arrangement, made arrangements to leave for Korea. Jeter prepared for the trip mechanically, but he thought to himself,

Should I tell the regressor about Dok Soo Hee’s story? Or should I just reveal that I was aware of the regress? Am I qualified to be the president of the association in the first place?

And at the same time.

“…Secretary.”

The president gave the order. Hack the Wi-Fi machine in the regressor’s house. Recent technology has made it possible to detect human presence just by hacking the router. That is.

The President can now recognize when a regressor is entering the tower.