Fired Characters from an Idle Game

22. Habitual Worship, Impromptu Witnessing – (1)

Click.

Click.

“Wow, you’ve become the most famous person in South Korea. If you include overseas, you might even be more recognized than the President.”

“…Just stop.”

“Whoa, even X-Tube headquarters left a comment. They’re offering you an official influencer badge?”

Kang Sena shook her head, watching the video uploaded to the streaming site.

And no wonder, the video’s reception was explosive.

Uploaded just last night, it had already hit eighty million views. At this rate, it would reach a hundred million before the day was out.

Considering how messed up the world had become, it was quite the record.

“So, Ms. Nam Jooyeon, how does it feel? To become an overnight superstar.”

“I told you, I don’t feel anything special.”

The video was barely a minute long: me summoning Tempestra and obliterating the nest in Incheon.

And the source? None other than Seo Yerin, the Awakened who had accompanied me.

I thought she was just filming for personal storage and reporting purposes, but she went ahead and uploaded it. Thanks to that, every hack journalist and their mother reposted Seo Yerin’s video, using it as fodder for news, and there were even reports from foreign media.

If I were to give those articles headlines, they’d probably go something like this:

[Hope for Humanity, South Korean S-Class Awakened, Destroys Nest with One Blow.]

‘The jingoistic YouTubers are going to have a field day.’

My head was already throbbing.

I should have stopped Seo Yerin from filming.

Perhaps that thought was written on my face, because Kang Sena switched off her laptop and said, “Still, please don’t think too badly of Yerin. She’s a little clumsy, but she’s a pure kid. She wouldn’t have any malicious intentions.”

“Are you close to this Awakened, Seo Yerin?”

“Hmm… Well, we’re both affiliated with the Awakened Management Bureau, both B-Class Awakened, and the same gender. It’s a sisterhood thing, I guess. Ah, not like feminism or anything.”

Having been burned before, Kang Sena quickly added.

“Anyway, now that this video is out there, recruiters from all over the world will be paying even closer attention to Ms. Nam Jooyeon. Some will promise you hundreds of millions. Especially China, with as many disasters as it has land, they’ll go to great lengths to bring you over, offering hundreds of millions, no, even billions.”

“…Hmm.”

A king’s ransom, you say.

Back before the world went full-blown Disaster Order, those words would have piqued my interest.

But in the current state of things, lavish spending is hardly an option.

“What good is receiving that much money if you can’t even use it?”

“Exactly.”

Kang Sena dismissed it curtly.

“The global economy is already collapsing. Banks are frozen, and the wealthy are all building bunkers. Tangible assets will become the norm. Or, failing that, in-system currency might become the new reserve.”

Kang Sena deftly manipulated the status window, shaking a few chips that were wedged between her fingers.

Those small chips were pure experience. Converting and extracting accumulated experience into chips was a feature unheard of in the original Disaster Order.

It seemed this new function was born as Disaster Order evolved into a multiplayer game for the masses.

Whoever was responsible for turning this world upside down, their patch updates were faster than any game company I knew.

“I hear a lot of people are already using these chips to trade for daily necessities. They’ve even coined a new term, ‘survivalist Awakened,’ have you seen the articles?”

“I’ve seen them, but is the demand really that high?”

“Well, experience isn’t just for reinforcing strongholds, is it? You can use it for upgrading equipment, all sorts of things. And apparently, that equipment can be used by non-Awakened people too. The United States has even announced that they’re buying these experience chips from the Awakened to create an army of non-Awakened soldiers. Not much against a powerful Calamity, I suppose, but better than nothing, right?”

Hearing Kang Sena’s words, it truly hit me.

The world was rapidly adapting to this new system.

Even now, Awakened individuals are diligently collecting Calamities, growing stronger, and before long, there might be even more S-class Awakened like myself emerging.

Apparently, China already has one of what we would consider an S-class Awakened.

“Anyway, Nam Juyeon-ssi, have you received your next orders from the Management Bureau?”

“I was just told to defend Seoul during the Outbreak.”

“Yes. Nam Juyeon-ssi, you’re taking on the role of Seoul’s guardian. You’ll be positioned in the city center, using Storm Dragon to block the Calamities from approaching.”

The next mission assigned to me, after demolishing the nest in Incheon, was to prepare for the upcoming Third Outbreak.

It wasn’t a difficult task, so there was no real reason to be nervous.

The Third Outbreak would likely be on a similar scale to the Second, at most.

My only concern was the appearance of a 4-star Calamity in the previous two Outbreaks. The government seemed anxious about the possibility of another 4-star Calamity appearing this time around.

‘Well, Selene supposedly talked things over with Mirienne.’

If Selene was telling the truth, Mirienne would quietly guard her tower during this Outbreak.

And Selene had no reason to lie to me.

“Are you still talking to Jo Geonwook?”

Lost in thought, Kang Sena spoke abruptly.

“Jo Geon-wook? Well, since the Incheon Nest raid a few days ago, only occasionally.”

“…Hmm.”

Kang Sena’s eyes narrowed.

I wondered if I’d done something wrong.

“Nam Ju-yeon, listen closely. I’m telling you this because we’re still in a collaborative relationship.”

“Yes.”

“Keep your distance from Jo Geon-wook.”

Kang Sena’s expression was more serious than I’d ever seen.

“That man suspects you.”

“…Well, I was already aware of that.”

“Yes, I suppose. He interrogated you last time, after all. But don’t let your guard down just because he’s being friendly now. He’s the one who ordered you to be monitored, and Jo Geon-wook also argued for turning you into an S-class Awakened, making you easier to manage.”

“…Hmm.”

Come to think of it, when I was hiding in that hotel last time, Jo Geon-wook searched almost every lodging establishment in Seoul to find me.

It wasn’t just baseless obsession, it seemed.

As I was internally conceding the point, Kang Sena shrugged her shoulders and said,

“Well, his tenacity is famous. Once he gets a hold of something, he doesn’t care what happens to his own body, he just bites down and won’t let go. I had an old colleague at the Bureau who used to call him a rabid dog and shake their head. And, for whatever reason, he’s been investigating Actor lately.”

“…A, Actor?”

The moment that familiar name came up, it felt like an electric shock ran through my head.

Seeing me just blinking, Kang Sena explained.

“It seems Jo Geon-wook thinks there’s some kind of connection between Actor and you, Nam Ju-yeon. When I asked him why, he just gave vague answers about gut feelings, so who knows.”

“…”

“Do you have any inkling, even a little?”

How could I not?

Because *I* am that Actor.

And Jo Geon-wook had latched onto my scent.

“…No. I don’t.”

But I shook my head, maintaining the most expressionless face I could muster.

Kang Sena didn’t press further, swiveling her chair and continuing.

“Anyway, just be careful. Frankly, because Jo Geon-wook is affiliated with the Bureau, we can restrain him if things get really serious, but there are many other dangers out there. There are scouts from other countries, and the Actor I mentioned earlier. Oh, speaking of which, I should take this opportunity to warn you; it seems the Lord of the Abyss, Actor, has commenced full-scale operations, so be careful.”

“Full-scale activity, you say?”

“It hasn’t hit the news yet, but the Awakened Management Bureau has picked up on some strange movements lately.”

An Actor initiating activities? What kind of pie-in-the-sky nonsense was that?

*I’m* the Actor. Right here.

Did that mean someone was impersonating me, causing trouble?

“Could you elaborate?”

“It’s classified information, privy to those high up in the Bureau, so I don’t know much… but apparently, a new religious organization has surfaced.”

“…A new… religious… organization?”

“Yes. The Ascension Church, they call themselves. They seem to worship Actor, Lord of the Abyss, as a living saint and their bishop.”

“…”

It felt like a hammer blow to the back of my skull.

A fierce headache descended.

*

“Selene, you there?”

I spoke as soon as I arrived at the hotel room, glancing behind me.

A shimmering veil dissolved into nothingness.

“Yes. Master, you called?”

“Did you hear the conversation just now?”

“…How could I eavesdrop on my Master’s important discussions?”

“You heard everything. About the new religious organization that has taken Actor as their bishop.”

Selene briefly met my gaze before bowing her head.

“…Yes. Somehow, it reached my ears, too…”

She definitely eavesdropped.

I wasn’t going to reprimand her. It wasn’t like scolding would alter Selene’s behavior.

“Some rabble is using my name. Selene, what would you do?”

“They are false sheep daring to usurp my Master’s name. It is only natural to scatter the fires of Gehenna upon them, sending them to their rightful destination.”

“…Yes. I figured.”

Asking Selene would inevitably result in an extreme response: *Let’s burn them all!*

But after overhearing the conversation with Kang Sena, I’d discovered a possibility of my own.

“I don’t know why followers of mine would suddenly appear, but I think it might be better to let them run wild for now.”

“…Why, pray tell?”

“Jo Geon-wook is looking into my connection to Actor. It’s best if we maintain the appearance of being completely separate people.”

According to Kang Se-na’s information, Jo Geon-wook was focusing on the relationship between me and Actor. I don’t know why he’s so fixated on me, but his presence will undoubtedly be a major obstacle to my future activities.

Even if it’s to muddy the investigation, it would be better to leave that Ascendance Church or whatever it is, alone for now.

“…However, we do need to know what that upstart religious group is doing. They could be committing inhumane acts.”

“If that’s what you mean…”

“Yes. Selene, I need you to investigate.”

Currently, the only Calamity I could deploy who could act independently was the Five-Star, Scorched Saint Selene.

“Yes. As my Lord commands, I will investigate this Ascendance Church.”

Selene lowered her head deeply, expressing her intention to obey.

But that was only for a moment. She lifted her head slightly and said,

“However, my Lord, I have a request to make.”

“What is it?”

“For this expedition, would you allow the Hellfire Hound to accompany me as an attendant?”

“…The Hellfire Hound?”

This was the first time Selene had requested assistance.

As my expression hardened with suspicion, Selene hastily shook her head and explained.

“With the hound, we can greatly reduce travel time. Moreover, in the event of an unavoidable situation, it could be used as a messenger, could it not?”

“…Well, if you need it, Selene, you’re welcome to take it.”

I nodded.

The Hellfire Hound was a valuable synthetic asset in our base, but even if it wasn’t him, I could just order the Faded Wraith Luciven to synthesize another.

However, my concern lay in another direction.

“You’re not planning on causing any trouble, are you?”

“Absolutely not.”

Selene smiled sweetly, cutting off my suspicion with a single stroke.

Of course, I didn’t believe her for a second.