[March 24, 2019 — 3:15 PM] Seoul Central Hospital, 8th Floor.
Yun-jae took a steadying breath before entering his father's room.
"Dad, the test results came back. They look good," he said, forcing a smile.
His father, who had been staring out the window, turned his head slowly. "I see. You're working too hard for me, son. I’m so sorry."
The simple words brought a sudden sting to Yun-jae’s eyes.
"The surgery is being prepared. I’ve already paid the deposit, we just need to finalize the date. Don’t worry about a thing."
He kept his voice steady, but his mind was screaming. If only you knew where that money came from...
"Is that so?" his father said softly. "But this morning... someone from a 'foundation' called. They said they were re-evaluating the documents. The doctors are having a meeting, too..."
Yun-jae’s fingers clenched into a fist. AS. It was them. Moving behind the scenes without him knowing. It was a warning: We can snatch away your father’s life with a single phone call.
"I’ll take care of it, Dad. Don't worry."
As he left the room, Yun-jae whispered to himself, There is truly nowhere left to run.
[March 24, 2019 — 10:47 PM] Gangnam, Hyeonjuk Building.
Beneath the city lights, the glass skyscraper stood like a silent monolith. Yun-jae tightened his coat and looked up. All roads had led him here. The re-education notice. The orientation. And Jeong Woo-jin’s message.
[3870-09: Tomorrow, 11:00 PM. I will be waiting at Basement Level 3.]
The doors slid open automatically as he approached. A rush of cold air greeted him.
12 days. That was all the time he had left to save his father.
Ding. The elevator reached the basement.
[10:55 PM] When the doors opened, darkness spilled out. A man in a black mask stood there.
"User A-73?" Yun-jae nodded slowly.
The man removed his mask. He looked to be in his late thirties, with sharp eyes that carried the weight of a long, exhausting war.
"I am Jeong Woo-jin. It’s an honor to finally meet you."
"Risking everything like this..." Yun-jae began.
"I’ve been taking risks for five years," Woo-jin whispered. "Welcome to the heart of AS."
He gestured toward a high-security door where a fingerprint scanner flickered. "My authorization gives us thirty minutes. In that time, I will show you everything."
The door hissed open. Inside, it wasn't dozens, but hundreds of servers. Blue LEDs blinked like the eyes of a digital beast. The roar of the air conditioning sounded like a mechanical scream.
"This is..." Yun-jae’s voice trailed off.
"Where the truth of 3,870 people is kept," Woo-jin said grimly.
[11:00 PM] Woo-jin sat at the main console.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
"AS," he said, his fingers dancing across the keys. "You probably know it as 'Academic Solutions.'"
The screen flared to life.
[AUTHORITY SYSTEM] [Ver. 15.3.2] [Active Users: 3,870]
Yun-jae’s eyes widened. "Authority System...?"
"This isn't a 'paper mill,' Yun-jae. This is a power system. A network designed to control 3,870 of South Korea's elite."
[SECTOR CLASSIFICATION]
A-01: Judiciary (Judges, Prosecutors, Lawyers) - 487
A-02: Medical (Doctors, Professors) - 412
A-03: Corporate (Executives, Tech leads) - 623
A-04: Academia (Professors, Researchers) - 531
A-05: Media (Anchors, Producers) - 298
A-06: Politics (Lawmakers, Officials) - 379
A-07~A-12: Others - 1,140
"All of them... with fabricated credentials?"
"Exactly," Woo-jin replied. "Degrees, papers, career history, letters of recommendation. For 15 years, AS has created 'perfect people.'"
Names began to scroll. Yun-jae saw them all—the news anchor who preached justice, the minister who emphasized morality, Supreme Court judges, CEOs. All of them had a blue 'Active' tag next to their names.
"And Lee Seo-jun?"
Woo-jin’s gaze darkened. "Senior Lee was not one of the 3,870. He was a man who resisted the system."
A new file opened.
[CASE: 2014-0327] Name: Lee Seo-jun Status: REMOVED Reason: Organizational Threat / Attempted Access to Internal Data Action: A-Class Protocol COMPLETED
"Five years ago..." Woo-jin continued, his voice cracking. "Senior Lee found out that the 'Industrial Leak' at Corporation C was a setup by AS. He tried to gather evidence, but they moved first. Fabricated proof. Civil lawsuits. And... Re-education."
Yun-jae clenched his teeth.
"I was interrogated that day too," Woo-jin said, not looking away from the screen. "AS gave me a choice disguised as a threat. Cooperate, or end up like him. I chose to survive. I became A-72, and I climbed the ranks for five years to reach 3870-09."
He held out a small USB drive. "Inside is 15 years of data. The names, the faked papers, the ROOT server access logs. But I can't do this alone."
[11:20 PM] "Why can't you leave AS, A-73?" Woo-jin asked suddenly.
"My father," Yun-jae replied after a pause. "The surgery."
"82.3 million won. I know," Woo-jin nodded. "AS targeted you because of that. Look."
[A-73 PROFILE] Weakness: Father’s Health / Financial Pressure Control Method: Medical Subsidies → Induction of Dependency Risk Level: MEDIUM → Re-education Recommended
"It’s not just you. Look at A-44—children studying abroad. A-59—debt from private lenders. AS picks people with fatal weaknesses. They are easy to control and easy to keep quiet."
"I can't leave," Yun-jae bit his lip. "The surgery is April 5th. I’m still short..."
"Listen to my plan," Woo-jin interrupted. "First, we put them at ease. Finish the Lee Seo-jun case and submit it."
"But that’s—"
"I’ve done it for five years! Selling my soul, risking my life, preparing for revenge. Submit the file, and you get 10 million won. Take a third job. That’s another 10 million."
"It’s still not enough..."
Woo-jin pulled another USB from his pocket. "Take this. It contains access to 35 million won of my own savings."
"Why? Why go this far?"
"Lee Seo-jun was like a brother to me," Woo-jin’s eyes wavered. "Five years ago, you risked your career as a prosecutor to try and save him. This time, it’s my turn to protect you."
Woo-jin laid out the math. "10 million for the current job. 10 million for the next. My 35 million. That’s 55 million won. Use it for the surgery. Buy yourself time until April 5th. In the meantime, we deceive AS and collect more evidence."
"When the surgery is over..." Woo-jin’s voice dropped an octave. "That’s when the real war begins."
"But if they find out..."
"That’s why you must be careful! Do not reject re-education immediately. Say you need 'time to think.' Hide your emotions. Don't resist when they modify your sentences in the collaboration mode. Make them believe you are 'stabilized.'"
Yun-jae nodded slowly. "I understand."
"I want to show them," Woo-jin added, his eyes burning with a new light. "That we are not just numbers. We are people."
Yun-jae gripped the USBs. One was the Truth; the other was Hope. He knew that by taking them, he could never return to a normal life. But to save his father, he was ready to sell his soul.
[11:40 PM] "Will you fight with me?" Woo-jin held out his hand.
Yun-jae shook it firmly. "I’ve already made my choice."
It was a pact between five years of preparation and five years of guilt.
[11:55 PM] Stepping out of the elevator, Yun-jae breathed in the cold night air. He looked up at the starless sky.
"Mr. Lee," he whispered. "Wait just a little longer. I’m going to set things right."
12 days. 12 days to save his father and prepare for a war against the machine. He began to walk. There was no turning back, but for the first time in five years, he wasn't alone.
[Next Chapter Preview] March 25th. Yun-jae finally completes the 'Lee Seo-jun Case' reconstruction. As he types the final period, he feels a part of his soul shatter.
The list is real.
And now A-73 has something AS cannot allow to exist—
evidence.