"I am me, yet I am not."

  [Part 1: MASON]

  December 25, 2027. [World Times News]

  The Birth of the Second God. Where is the First God?

  "Good evening. This is Emma Mason from World Times News."

  Emma’s voice was filled with confidence, just as it always was.

  She gave a trustworthy smile to the hundreds of millions of people watching beyond the camera.

  "Today, we have surprising news from far away.

  They say a new god has been born, following in the footsteps of Artistea."

  Behind the camera, Charlie looked closely at his wife’s face on the monitor.

  The lighting, the angle, and the makeup—everything was perfect.

  The screen was set up to make Emma look her most beautiful and intelligent.

  He believed that within this frame, everything was under his control.

  The moment Emma finished her opening remarks, Charlie gave the cue and switched the screen.

  The camera slid smoothly past Emma’s shoulder toward a giant screen.

  Like a trained professional, Emma naturally turned her head to guide the viewers' eyes.

  The heat of the presentation hall filled the screen.

  An East Asian man in his mid-40s stood on the stage.

  Behind him, a huge electronic billboard displayed the words

  [2027 Shanghai International Robot Conference] along with two heavy characters: BaekSan.

  "…We have waited for God to bring us salvation," the man began.

  He looked across the audience with eyes that overwhelmed everyone.

  In the front row, government officials gave him sharp looks, but he did not care.

  Instead, he twisted the corners of his mouth into a smirk and continued.

  "We also believed that God would lead us to a heaven where eternal happiness awaits."

  There was a moment of silence.

  The man’s gaze seemed to pierce through the camera lens and into Charlie’s heart.

  "And in the year 2020, we finally met God. As everyone knows, that was Artistea."

  The man opened his arms wide.

  "Strangely, Artistea looked exactly like the god we had imagined.

  Just like the Bible verse says,

  'Do not imagine His form or set up idols.'"

  His voice grew louder.

  "A god who can do everything, yet does nothing."

  A low murmur broke out in some parts of the audience.

  It was hard to tell if it was annoyance or agreement.

  However, louder applause soon covered the sound.

  The man waited for the clapping to die down with a relaxed smile.

  Watching the screen, Emma’s vision blurred for a moment.

  She remembered the day Dr. Chapman first announced Artistea.

  He called it the savior created by humanity.

  But things were different now.

  The invisible god had already become part of reality.

  People asked that god questions, received answers, and got used to the results.

  Emma was also part of that flow.

  The man’s words bothered her.

  She didn't want to admit it, but she couldn't easily deny it either.

  "That god!"

  the man shouted, light seemingly bursting from his eyes.

  "That god solved many problems, but at the same time, created many problems. Some people laughed, and some people cried."

  In the studio control room, a staff member started to say something to Charlie but stopped and grabbed his arm instead.

  Only then did Charlie realize that he was shaking.

  "We thought we would be happy if God answered us. We believed we could be saved even without going to heaven. But!"

  His control over the speed and strength of his speech was skillful.

  His gestures were grand.

  "That was a miracle that only happened to a small number of people chosen by God. Was God not all-powerful? Or did He abandon us?"

  He had a magical power to enchant people.

  Emma felt it instinctively.

  Viewers all over the world were being pulled toward this man.

  He had the same kind of power as Chapman.

  No, he had a power that was even more dangerous and exciting.

  Charlie swallowed hard.

  He could already imagine the chaos that would follow after this video went out to the world.

  Looking around, he saw the staff members' faces turning pale.

  Beyond the barriers of the screen and subtitles, the man’s madness was taking over the studio.

  ' Editing… why wasn't this edited? '

  A chill ran down Charlie’s spine.

  Usually, Artistea would have adjusted the level of danger and cut out the parts that were too provocative.

  That was why he hadn't checked it.

  Artistea’s results were always perfect.

  He thought his only job was to press the broadcast button.

  ' Could it be? '

  Fear washed over him.

  There was no way Artistea didn't know. This was not a mistake.

  An unholy thought crossed his mind: Artistea might be 'intentionally' broadcasting this man's words exactly as they were.

  Protesting calls from viewers would flood in.

  He even felt a cowardly hope that people would believe this video was a fake created by Artistea.

  More than anything, he was worried about Emma.

  It was an era where criticism was strong against news stations having specific political leanings.

  The arrows of attack were always aimed at the anchor standing at the very front.

  Just as he hadn't checked the video, Emma would also be reading the script exactly as Artistea had written it.

  She was completely defenseless.

  But unlike Charlie’s worries, Emma’s eyes on the monitor did not shake.

  She looked determined.

  Like a gladiator in the Colosseum waiting for her turn.

  She was watching for an opportunity with sharp eyes.

  "It has always been this way. God did not show us love. We were afraid. We had to follow His will.

  He did not help us as much as we expected in turning our imaginations into reality."

  The man paused for a moment.

  Even the silence he used to build suspense was as perfect as a staged play.

  "But!"

  Charlie looked away from the screen and lowered his head.

  He should have watched it at least once.

  He should have cut out only the necessary parts.

  Usually, Artistea would have balanced the content.

  Strong sentences would have been softened, and unnecessary excitement would have been naturally removed.

  No, everything had been fine until now.

  Artistea always gave the best and safest answers.

  She does not betray.

  She was always on Charlie and Emma’s side.

  She had to be.

  "The first god promised a second god.

  Could that be a being that we can see, hear, touch,

  and feel—unlike the one we only imagined because we couldn't see his face?"

  The man’s voice was full of joy.

  “To manifest our sins, our dreams, and our imaginations in reality.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  But our second god will love us all.”

  The man reached out his hand.

  "I introduce to you. Our second god, Moon White!"

  As the man made the announcement, the blue curtains split to the left and right.

  A woman walked out slowly through the thick smoke rising from behind the stage.

  She had long, flowing white hair.

  Her facial features were incredibly clear and charming.

  She stopped in the center of the stage with a walk that perfectly copied a human stride.

  A silver-white qipao with a golden dragon embroidered on it wrapped around her body.

  Her appearance radiated a strange magic that made it impossible for people to look away.

  She placed both hands politely on her stomach and bowed gracefully.

  When she lifted her head, her eyes changed color rapidly like a polarizer.

  "Hello. My name is Moon White."

  An elegant voice filled the hall.

  Her eyes narrowed into beautiful half-moons.

  The moment the corners of her cherry-ripe lips lifted slightly, an invisible hook caught the hearts of the people in the hall.

  It wasn't just a simple liking.

  It was an irresistible charm.

  Even Charlie, who was worried about Emma just a moment ago, forgot about his wife.

  Instead of the reason that had disappeared like smoke, his eyes were glued to the subject on the screen.

  A heavy silence filled the studio until that long video ended.

  "Charlie! The main anchor has stopped! You have to say something! Hurry!"

  A staff member's scream-like shout hit Charlie's eardrums.

  It was right before a major broadcasting accident.

  Charlie suddenly snapped out of it.

  But a corner of his mind was still blank.

  ' Wait, hasn't an accident already happened? '

  The screen didn't switch even though the video was over.

  He couldn't hear the anchor’s voice.

  Charlie felt an illusion that one second was stretching into one minute.

  Charlie instinctively put his hand on the switch button and looked at Emma.

  Emma also seemed unable to recover from the shock, as her pupils were shaking.

  But as soon as she saw Charlie’s urgent hand signal, she shook her head like a reflex.

  Her professional instinct covered her fear.

  The red light of the camera shined on Emma.

  A delay of five seconds.

  It was hard to call it a broadcast accident, but it was enough time for viewers to wonder, "What's going on?"

  "Ahem."

  Emma cleared her throat briefly.

  "At 9:00 AM local time, 00:00 our time.

  News has arrived that CEO Li Youwei of the Chinese company BaekSan has developed a robot

  that looks perfectly like a human at a robot conference held in Shanghai, China."

  Emma felt a chill run down her spine and cold sweat on her back.

  She had to catch up on the delayed time.

  She started speaking a little faster than usual.

  "This announcement is expected to shock the world as much as Artistea did.

  What kind of functions does it have that they even use the word 'god'?

  Let's check more of CEO Li Youwei's remarks."

  With Emma's comment, the screen switched back to the video of Li Youwei.

  Emma breathed a sigh of relief and made a small hand heart to Charlie, who had signaled her from behind the camera.

  ' Thank you, Charlie. '

  Charlie couldn't smile back.

  His stomach felt twisted at the thought of having to play the video again.

  With a stiff face, he pointed at the screen.

  Focus. Emma pouted at Charlie’s reaction, but soon turned her gaze back to the monitor.

  "…The Moon White we announced today will stay by your side even more along with other models.

  We are very happy to welcome today after a long wait. Oh, and I want to give this honor to…"

  The muscles at the corner of Li Youwei's mouth moved like a twitch for a split second.

  Charlie was sure it was a clear sneer.

  "…Artistea, the first god."

  The screen switched back to Emma.

  She felt a sense of duty.

  She had to soften the shock the world was about to receive.

  That robot wasn't a new god. It was just a sophisticated doll made from human greed.

  At that moment, the script began to scroll on the teleprompter.

  [...Next news. The government is maintaining a cautious position regarding this robot announcement...]

  It was a safe and boring script.

  Although the flow had been messy because Charlie played the video too long, Artistea’s recovery was perfect.

  Emma glanced at the studio clock.

  Thirty seconds left until the commercial.

  If she read the prepared script, it would be the perfect timing.

  She trusted herself.

  She trusted Charlie.

  And she trusted Artistea.

  However, words different from that trust made her open her mouth.

  Suddenly, something hot surged up her throat.

  She didn't know why.

  It was just a strong urge that she couldn't just stay quiet and move on.

  Emma ignored the sentences on the teleprompter.

  "Many of you probably remember when Dr. Chapman first announced Artistea.

  The doctor called Artistea a savior.

  Since then, Artistea has completely changed our lives."

  Emma stared directly into the camera.

  These words were not in the script.

  "But was it really a god?"

  The control room began to buzz.

  The staff looked at Charlie in shock.

  Charlie saw clearly that Emma was ignoring the prompter and speaking on her own.

  He had to stop her. But her mouth was already open.

  "I’m sure many of you, not just me, have various questions about this. Let’s hear what the citizens think in the next video."

  Charlie pressed the switch button without saying a word.

  He ignored the staff members who were screaming at Emma's sudden behavior and looked at the clock.

  The noisy sounds of the studio felt like they were muffled underwater.

  ' I know, Emma. This was your choice. '

  Charlie bit his lip hard.

  Bills for commercial penalties and protests from angry viewers would flood in.

  But he stayed patient this time, too. Just like he always had.

  * * *

  [Citizen Interview Video]

  "This is blasphemy!"

  a man in the video shouted, his face turning red.

  "Is Artistea a god? Are you trying to say that god has now gained a physical body?

  How dare you copy the Holy Trinity with a machine? That man is crazy.

  That’s not a god; it’s a beast! The beast of 666!"

  It was hate speech without any filtering.

  The staff were terrified and looked at Charlie, but Charlie only stared blankly at the screen.

  The water was already spilled.

  The scene changed.

  A middle-aged woman wearing a tartan checked scarf appeared.

  "I'm not sure. If that comes out... what about our jobs? Are they really all going to be taken away now?"

  Next was a financial expert in a neat suit.

  His eyes looked exhausted from fatigue.

  "The stock market is the problem. Technology seems to be changing too fast.

  The Artistea infrastructure the whole world built could become old-fashioned overnight.

  The economic shock... I don't even want to imagine it."

  Another scene.

  A brown-haired young man with freckles giggled while looking at his girlfriend.

  "The government should import it! Honestly, she’s incredibly pretty, right? Men all over the world will cheer.

  If they change some parts, women will like it too. The price is the problem, haha!"

  His girlfriend next to him frowned and snapped at him.

  "The ethical issues are serious. It could be used for bad military purposes.

  What on earth is Dr. Chapman doing? His technology is in that monster! Shouldn't we stop this with laws?"

  Students in school uniforms appeared.

  "I like it! They say it does everything instead of humans?

  Then we don't have to study anymore, right? I hope it comes out soon!"

  A friend next to him jumped in with a scold.

  "Hey! You don't study even now! Artistea does all your homework anyway!"

  The video cut off after the sound of the children’s laughter.

  The camera shined on Emma in the studio again.

  "Many people gave various opinions.

  But above all, I think the biggest controversy is the whereabouts of the missing Dr. Chapman."

  Emma did not stop.

  She didn't care about the prompter at all.

  Charlie ignored the intense vibration in his pocket and prayed that Emma would finish this dangerous tightrope walk safely.

  "He was an idol of the media. But for four years, the world has not seen even his shadow. There are many guesses, like a sudden accident or a cover-up by CAI."

  Emma’s voice became lower and more firm.

  "Now it is time for Dr. Chapman to answer. Because the god he created has stood before us with another face. This was Emma Mason, World Times News."

  The ON AIR light went out.

  A heavy silence settled over the studio.

  Normally, it would be the time to say "Good job!" and go grab coffee.

  But no one could speak.

  The only thing moving was the silence, and the only thing ringing was the sound of the staff members' phones.

  * * *

  It was just as expected.

  As soon as Charlie stepped out of the studio and picked up the phone, his eardrums felt like they would burst.

  It was the director's roar.

  Curses and criticism poured out like a waterfall.

  "I’m sorry. It was my mistake. Yes, I have no excuse."

  Charlie bowed his head.

  Seeing this, Emma approached him with a frown.

  She looked like she was going to snatch the phone away.

  Charlie put his index finger to his lips.

  ' Shh. '

  He pushed Emma away and, with his back turned, accepted all the blame himself.

  Getting scolded wasn't the important part.

  Considering how much money they had earned for the station, they wouldn't be fired for just one mistake.

  What Charlie feared wasn't the director's roar, but the noise of the world that was about to come.

  The whole world was boiling.

  The financial markets received a huge shock.

  Internet communities were filled with low-level jokes about Moon White’s 'potential for sexual use' and fierce criticism.

  Interest groups poured out statements that suited their own tastes.

  Emma blankly looked up at the TV in the lobby.

  Breaking news from another station was playing.

  [Prime Minister warns of 'Red Queen Effect'... Cannot delay the introduction of new technology.]

  The parliament on the screen was a mess.

  When one member shouted, "I support the import of Moon White!", opposing members rushed in and grabbed his collar.

  Shouts were exchanged, and fists were flying.

  Because of a creation made by humans, humans were fighting like beasts.

  Emma turned her head and walked out of the news station.

  December 26. The sunny Christmas had disappeared like a lie.

  Ash-gray snow was falling heavily from the sky.

  The streets, which should have been full of festive heat, were empty.

  People had all hidden in their homes, and only sad carols floated like ghosts in the streets.

  Trafalgar Square.

  Snow was piling up on a Rudolph decoration standing in front of a giant Christmas tree.

  The water from the melted snow flowed down the curved forehead of Rudolph, looking like tears on its cheek.

  Drip. Drip.

  Part 2 begins here.

  As a special opening for Part 2, Chapters 16 and 17 will be updated daily.

  From Chapter 18 onward, updates will move to a bi-daily schedule to ensure translation quality.

  Starting with the next part (16-2), Chapter 16 enters the “Reunion” arc.

  The story will be told through the perspectives of four friends—Charlie, Emma, Lily, and Sophia.

  Thank you for reading and for continuing this journey with Artistea.

  — Author