Chapter 231. The Ultimate Punishment (2)
Turning back time to when the first rumors about Hajin being spotted at a club broke out.
The first thing Hajin did after confirming the situation was to use the system to summon the ‘Existence.’
[… There’s no way a human could easily reach me.]
[What on earth did you do?]
When the ‘Existence’ asked with a nuance as if it had witnessed a miracle, Hajin responded lightly.
– I just studied according to the textbook, and it worked?
[……]
The process that made the impossible possible had, in fact, skipped several stages.
Even though it wasn’t ‘life,’ unlike Thirteen, with whom he could at least communicate, the current system was truly a ‘system’ made up of 0s and 1s.
There was also the fact that Thirteen had temporarily granted him the authority of a ‘Time Manager’ to protect Hajin from the stone,
And that the system UI Hajin had created was overall quite Hajin-friendly….
However, instead of explaining all that in detail, Hajin chose to clarify the purpose for which he had summoned the ‘Existence.’
– Just give me a quest.
[A quest?]
– You know about the controversy I’m in right now, right? If I resolve it, give me a reward.
[I knew about it, but you’re quite brazen.]
– Hey, if I don’t block this, our fragile Dan Haru might break down and regress again. Who’s at a loss then? I’ve been doing business long enough, head office? I need something to motivate me too.
After realizing that the Time Managers couldn’t directly intervene in human life, Hajin decided to boldly push his demands.
You don’t have any alternatives besides me, do you?
With a smile that conveyed that meaning, Hajin also handed over a carrot at the right time.
– I’m not asking for it immediately. I’ll take all the penalties if necessary. I’m not even asking for something big enough to overturn the timeline. Let me succeed in the mission first, and then listen to my request. If you still say no, that’s fine.
It was a bold proposal, suggesting that they could reject him after hearing him out. The Existence accepted it a while ago.
And today, Hajin, who had perfectly shut down the rumors with just one medical certificate, entered the subconscious space with confidence to confront the ‘Existence.’
Once again, the space wasn’t his self-decorated ‘workroom,’ but the pale purple beach he had seen last time.
“Seriously, why do you always call me here? Where’s my spacious, luxurious, cozy, and comfortable lounge?”
Even as he grumbled, Hajin leaned back as if lying down in the beach chair under the parasol prepared for him. For a moment, he wondered if it was okay to be this relaxed when coming to negotiate, but since it wasn’t a face-to-face negotiation, he figured it didn’t matter and completely relaxed.
The Existence spoke.
[So, then.]
[If it’s the reward you want, it must be….]
On the transparent system window, someone’s SNS account appeared.
It was Kim Makki, the original source of the first rumor about Hajin being spotted at a club, and the one who had harassed Hajin with numerous rumors and disruptions since the Maze incident.
[It must be about this, right?]
Hajin nodded and smiled bitterly.
“The company is proceeding with a lawsuit…. but honestly, I can’t be sure how it will turn out. Sometimes they just pay a fine and move on.”
However, Hajin wanted a definite ‘punishment.’
Unlike the law of retribution in novels where good ultimately triumphs, the reality Hajin lived in was sometimes a cold world where evil thrived, and not everything worked out as one wished.
So, Hajin wanted to use this fantasy that had suddenly intruded into his reality to let him feel at least some sense of karma.
“I only want one thing.”
Hajin, raising his head calmly, pronounced what he thought was the ultimate punishment.
“Indifference. That’s all I need.”
Believing that the punishment he had given would be the most terrifying for him, Hajin clenched his fist tightly.
The ‘Existence’ asked.
[… What if I refuse?]
“Then I’ll just go back and watch the lawsuit against Kim Makki unfold, hoping for the best.”
[And then?]
“Then I’ll create another quest and carry it out splendidly until you execute my ‘punishment.'”
At Hajin’s words, which sounded almost like a threat, the ‘Existence’ chuckled lowly.
[Fine.]
[If it’s just indifference, that’s possible.]
The usual explanation that he would have to bear some ‘cost’ to prevent system abuse followed, but Hajin had already prepared for that and nodded.
The ‘Existence’ smiled as if intrigued.
[Are you really satisfied with just that?]
[I could impose a more stimulating ‘punishment.’]
However, Hajin firmly shook his head, leaning back.
“No, I don’t need anything else. That’s enough.”
That will be enough.
Hajin’s smile, as he said this, held a bitter certainty.
—
Let’s turn back the timeline for a moment….
This was a day long after Kang Hajin’s ‘punishment’ had been handed down.
‘What the…?’
Living his life as usual, Kim Makki suddenly felt something strange.
After the ‘Kang Hajin Club Rumor’ was proven to be completely false, Kim Makki had taken down the post and locked his account, lying low for a few days. He had waited for the angry Destis to calm down and for the attacks on his account to subside.
And it was only a few days ago that he resumed his activities.
He had made his account public again, his follower count remained the same, and the provocations he posted were still the kind that would normally incite young fans on the boards.
‘Why… is there no reaction?’
But oddly enough, there was no response to the new posts he had put up. Not even a single like, share, or comment. Not even a view count increase.
‘Did I get shadowbanned? Should I just ditch this account and start a new one?’
Thinking it might be a site issue, he created a new account, but the response remained the same.
No one showed any interest in his provocations.
And as Hajin had once said, an account that no one looked at was just a newly created account, nothing more, nothing less.
The ‘power’ he had wielded over the fan community had disappeared.
“Agh! What’s wrong?”
No matter how many times he created a new account and posted things that should have piqued people’s interest, the ‘punishment’ that had been imposed on him didn’t easily let him go.
Indifference.
Kim Makki, who had hurt many hearts and tarnished names, was slowly crumbling under that single indifference.
Kim Makki @Makki_kim
Trying to cover up Sarin’s drop in form by going on a show and talking about pregnancy and childbirth is really the last gaspㅋ Pathetic. Go home and take care of your kids, lady.
Share – Like – Views 13
Kim Makki @Makki_kim
The reason for HyebeBe’s Lee Jeongsol’s withdrawal
Was it really because of a premarital pregnancy?
Share – Like – Views 1
Kim Makki @Makki_kim
Screw you, you f***ing bastards
Let’s see who wins, you f***ing Bluebird losers
Share – Like – Views –
Kim Makki @Makki_kim
I’m leaking unreleased photos of Renes’ new member
Get 1,000 shares by 12:00 AM
Share – Like – Views 7
Kim Makki @Makki_kim
The reason Spear Dimension went to the military
: Got caught cheating with multiple fans by the agency
Share – Like – Views 5
Kim Makki @Makki_kim
SpearUtopiaCatheonThemisLunaLandEnderwayKairosHappyKaleZenoxWishingBoys
Fake fan signing, comeback, album sales, award show, Gaon, BlueVest, Jexy
#SearchAndSeizure #IfYouDoIt #TellYourNewbieMistakes #Connection #IcedLatte
Share – Like – Views –
Kim Makki @Makki_kim
Kang Hajin girlfriend
Kang Hajin girlfriend
Kang Hajin gambling
Kang Hajin drunk driving
Share – Like – Views –
From a prominent figure in the idol community, Kim Makki had fallen to a ghost account that no one saw. To regain that attention, he sank deeper and deeper into the quagmire.
Until now, he had only mixed some exaggerations and lies with slight truths, but the posts written out of spite and anger, ‘Will you still not look at this?’ had not even 1% of truth in them.
Still, no one noticed Kim Makki’s account.
No one showed the slightest bit of interest.
Kim Makki sank even deeper into the quagmire.
He could have stopped out of exhaustion, but he couldn’t.
It was because he couldn’t forget the taste of power he had felt when he held information, set the stage, and had thousands of people reacting to a single post he made, wielding influence over others.
A few days, weeks….
No, months passed as he spread posts in a reckless manner, hoping for the worst.
“You… What is this?”
The ‘punishment’ ended.
Someone had finally noticed his post.
But it wasn’t the way Kim Makki had wanted.
“Why is there a lawsuit…? What the
hell have you been doing? What did you do to get yourself into this…!”
A lawsuit had been filed against him by an entertainment company.
Not just Miro, but all the subjects of the false rumors Kim Makki had recklessly spread over the past few months had sued him. He belatedly tried to erase his accounts, but all the posts he had left online had already been captured and passed on as evidence for the lawsuit.
“They’re just trying to scare me. They’re not really going to sue, they can’t sue!”
“The lawsuit has already been filed! Can’t you see what’s going on!?”
Kim Makki, who never really thought he’d be sued, felt a sense of unreality, his body and mind floating somewhere, detached from reality.
Even in the midst of being busy responding to the lawsuit, Kim Makki felt a bizarre thrill.
‘This is insane. Am I going to be in the news for getting sued?’
The thought of his nickname appearing on SNS or community sites as ‘Finally, the vile leech in the idol community gets sued’ made Kim Makki smile slightly.
Whether it was because his mind was instinctively producing dopamine to escape reality or something else, he didn’t know the reason.
In any case, Kim Makki swallowed his throbbing emotions and accessed the community he frequented.
He was expecting to see the community filled with stories about him.
“……”
However, nowhere was there any mention of him.
As if he had been trapped in the ‘punishment of indifference’ once again.
“…….”
It was only then that reality hit Kim Makki.
He finally began to see what the ‘power’ he had felt all this time really was.
The pile of lawsuits in front of him, and the ghost account that no one responded to.
The situation where he had to pay a settlement or face legal punishment,
And the ridicule and contemptuous gazes he received as news spread that he had been sued for spreading false rumors about famous idols.
“…What is this?”
Crazy, are there any other lunatics out there who sue just because someone cursed at them?
Didn’t they sign up for this kind of thing from the start?
I’m not the only one who cursed them, so why are they all targeting me?
Will I really be punished? What happens if I get sued? Should I get a lawyer?
This is unfair. I’m not the only one who did it.
Still not fully coming to terms with reality, Kim Makki posted another message on the community site as he headed to the police station to respond to the summons.
Knowing that his SNS account wasn’t working, he intentionally changed his area of activity.
[***Hey guys, what should I do? Got sued by Kang Hajin for writing malicious comments ㅠㅠ]
I got a text telling me to appear at the police station. Do I really have to go?
But if I go, will I get to see Kang Hajin?ㅋ That would be a huge win…
No, I’m so f***ing nervous. This is my first time being sued.
My house is in chaos because the lawsuit notice came in. What am I supposed to do?
Getting sued by an idolㅋㅋㅋsomething to talk about for lifeㅎ
Kim Makki once again wrote a post filled with all sorts of elements that might provoke people. Then he stared at the phone screen, waiting for real-time comments.
He even turned on the comment notification function to make sure he didn’t miss any.
“…….”
However, once again, the number of views and comments on Kim Makki’s post did not go beyond 0.
For the first time, Kim Makki felt his entire body go limp.
“……What is this?”
Indifference.
It was the ultimate punishment given to him.