While Kihael cried his eyes out, Serchan also happened to visit Cha Jin-Hyeok’s house. He brought with him a report consisting of dozens of seemingly organized pages.

“Oh, Kihael! I’m glad to be working with you again,” Serchan said. His massive biceps twitched. He then turned to Jin-Hyeok. “I was on my way back from reporting the same thing to Director Jang Michelle. I thought you should also know, so I brought it here.”

Without being asked, he took the initiative. Jin-Hyeok was slightly moved by the way Serchan had prepared and presented the report.

“It turns out the Levels of Earth Server Players have become excessively high, far exceeding the GMs’ expectations. In other words, the quality has become too good,” Serchan explained. He said it exceeded the limit the System could tolerate.

“The simplest answer to the situation is this: If the quality has become too good, the quantity needs to be reduced,” Jin-Hyeok said.

Serchan looked at Kihael with hopeful eyes. Kihael was a smart and competent person aside from seeking work-life balance and hating working more than what he was paid for.

“Why are you looking at me?” Kihael asked.

“What’s the easiest method the System would choose in this case?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ah, I think you know.” Serchan winked.

Unable to stand the silence that followed, Kihael spoke up. He knew the answer but still asked for some time. “…I will investigate and report accurately within three hours.”

“I knew I could count on you, Kihael.”

Frustrated, Kihael ground his teeth.

Jin-Hyeok was very pleased with their teamwork. “I will see you in three hours.”

And then three hours passed.

***

Kihael knew from his experience that if he got caught by Serchan, the quickest way to leave work early was to just finish the task quickly. This was the survival strategy(?) he had developed after working with Serchan. Therefore, Kihael dedicated three hours to organizing the materials and submitted a fairly plausible report.

“In such cases, balance adjustment usually involves artificially causing a mass slaughter,” Kihael said. There were broadly two methods for this. “First, direct slaughter through monsters or large-scale Scenarios. Second, indirect slaughter using diseases. The System usually prefers the former.”

This was because it made for a more exciting and thrilling spectacle.

“However, the Queen Ant appeared relatively recently,” Kihael continued. In fact, many more people should have died in that incident, but due to Jin-Hyeok’s excessive efforts, the damage was too minimal. “Even the Queen Ant significantly exceeded the standards of the Earth Server.”

Serchan seemed pleased with Kihael’s report, asking additional questions with a satisfied expression. “But such standards can be ignored and forcefully proceeded with, like deploying a large number of monsters such as the Hydra.”

“Normally, that might be possible, but it’s difficult right now.”

“Why is that?”

“Because the universe’s attention is on the Earth Server due to the recent Guardian Tree incident. It would be difficult for the System to carry out a mass slaughter without justification.”

Serchan clenched his fist secretly, feeling proud. A well-trained junior was worth having ten mediocre ones. “So, we’re going with the latter method, then?”

“Yes, most likely, it will involve some kind of disease.”

Jin-Hyeok also listened to Kihael’s explanation with a quite satisfied expression. He had made a good decision in hiring Kihael. Just like how people went to the doctor when they were sick, having a GM when talking about System management was the right choice.

“Then, the general direction narrows down to three options,” Kihael said.

A disease with a high transmission rate but a low fatality rate.

A disease with a low transmission rate but a high fatality rate.

A disease with both a high transmission rate and a high fatality rate.

“From the System’s perspective, wouldn’t a disease with both a high transmission rate and a high fatality rate be the most convenient?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“Usually, in such cases, a cure tends to be available,” Kihael replied.

“Ah! Then what will be used on Earth?”

“They will mix and use all three.”

‘…Ah!’ At that moment, Jin-Hyeok could not help but reproach his naive self. ‘Why did I think the System would choose only one method? Using all three would be the most efficient.’

“Considering the current level of the Earth Server, the viruses that the System can use are limited to a few. Those are…”

***

Wang Yu-Mi adjusted her round glasses. ‘Should I just let the disease spread, or should I focus on prevention…?’

From the perspective of saving people, focusing on prevention was obviously the better choice.

‘But if we prevent it… it wouldn’t make good content for the channel.’

A disease artificially created by the System was also part of the Play. People dying during Play was a natural phenomenon. It was ridiculous for an individual to take the initiative in prevention.

‘Ah! No, that’s not right!’

She quickly changed her mind. “Let’s focus on prevention!”

She planned on preparing in advance as much as possible to minimize the damage. This approach could seem a bit weak in terms of dramatic effect.

“If the truth comes out after a long time, it will work as a great advantage for us!” The good deeds done in secret being revealed by chance could have a dramatic effect. “It’s like planting seeds in advance. If you look at the long term, it seems like a much better method! Leave the dramatic reveal to me! I will produce an amazing narrative!”

Jin-Hyeok felt a bit relieved. He had been pondering the same issue. He thought letting the disease spread and then having the Healers shine would be better for his Eltube content. It was inevitable for more people to die in the course of Play.

‘That was my plan.’

Focusing on prevention to save more people seemed like a foolish thing to do. The era of proclaiming beautiful peace and coexistence was over. The current era was a time where it was only natural for those who could not protect themselves to die.

Jin-Hyeok was sure he thought that way, but strangely, he felt a bit uneasy.

‘If focusing on prevention makes for better Eltube content, that is the right thing to do!’

He had not thought far regarding whether he should save more people if the opportunity came knocking or if it was okay for him to only think about his livestream. He just felt uneasy.

Perhaps a tiny amount of humanity was finally beginning to grow inside him.

***

The first emotion Egan Paul had felt when he first heard of Jin-Hyeok was distrust.

‘Is there really a Streamer better than me?’

Back then, he could not believe it. After he met with Jin-Hyeok, however, the feelings he experienced were astonishment and shock.

‘How could he Play like that?’

Egan was appalled when they Played together, and soon, that became a significant motivation for him.

‘I want to be like Chul-Soo.’

Afterward, he began to idolize Jin-Hyeok, and as time passed, that idolization turned into frustration.

‘I can never be like Chul-Soo.’

This led to a bit of a slump. The realization that he could not be like Chul-Soo became a massive sense of loss. After that period, he reached a stage of acceptance.

‘Yeah, Chul-Soo is Chul-Soo.’

Now, he had found peace of mind. Chul-Soo was never a fair comparison in the first place. Chul-Soo was a completely different being, living in a completely different world. Egan had become somewhat comfortable with that idea, but today he was surprised again.

‘So, what he is saying is that there is going to be a major update?’

The quality of the Earth Players had become too good, so now the System aimed to reduce the quantity.

‘So… Chul-Soo is preparing in advance for that update?’

Egan had heard rumors before that Korean Players had once found out things not even the GMs knew and tormented the GMs with that information. He realized the current situation was quite similar. Chul-Soo was preparing in advance for an update that had yet to happen.

‘Wow…’

Egan felt distrust, amazement, admiration, frustration, and acceptance. The emotion that followed was relief.

‘It’s a relief that Earth has Chul-Soo.’

Egan was an influential Player in the United States, and he too began to prepare in advance.

“Hey, Chul-Soo, I have something to say,” Egan said.

“What is it?”

Egan was much more serious than usual. He stood in front of Jin-Hyeok and was silent for a moment. Then, with a heavy tone, he promised, “I will do anything you ask me to do.”

***

The person representing the Healers of the K-Force was none other than the Saint of Freedom, Cha Jin-Sol. Under her leadership, Healers and Mages handling barriers united to create safe zones.

According to the information passed down from former GMs, certain areas were immune to the diseases. These Players also started equipping makeshift facilities to ensure that anyone who did get sick could be treated as quickly as possible. Although they moved quite organizationally, it did not become a major issue since the outbreak of the disease was not yet confirmed, and there was no need to cause unnecessary panic.

Egan was also inspired by their efforts. Along with rankers he was close to, he prepared for the upcoming crisis as well.

‘I guess we can’t operate as efficiently as Korea,’ Egan thought.

Korea had the K-Force, a single force gripping the entire country, but the United States was different. The United States was much larger than Korea, making it difficult for Players to move as organizationally as the Korean Players.

‘Still, preparations are going well.’ Egan, who knew nothing but livestreaming, was beginning to change. ‘It’s an opportunity to save more people.’

He would never have thought this way before. However, the appearance of Chul-Soo had opened his mind in various ways. The thought that he could never achieve greatness as a Streamer, or be like Chul-Soo, allowed him to think more broadly.

‘Then I can do something noble and honorable!’

He began to consider what was more valuable and honorable, not just focusing on livestreaming. This was a development that did not happen before Jin-Hyeok’s regression. However, not everyone was cooperative with the ideas of Jin-Hyeok and Egan.

A prominent United States ranker, known as Super Doctor Ronaldo, was a prime example.

“I can’t accept this. Why do you want to be Chul-Soo’s lackey?” Ronaldo said to Egan. Healers were meant to heal, not to prevent. The idea of focusing on prevention was nonsensical to him. “Why are you depriving us of the chance to Play as Healers?”

“Ronaldo, it’s not like that.”

“How is it not? It’s the same as telling combatant-class Players to level up without hunting monsters.”

“…”

“The fact that people are going to be sick in droves means it’s a golden opportunity for the Healers.”

Moreover, it was not a naturally occurring disease but one artificially created by the System. Then, that too was part of Play and a huge opportunity for growth for Healers.

“You’re just listening to Chul-Soo and trying to deprive us of our freedom to seize opportunities!” Ronaldo shouted.