Chapter 25
<Bad Ending Maker Chapter 25>
Minchul was in the VR world but had logged out of Wings Online.
‘It’s already been a week since I got fired from Npalm.’
Minchul checked the calendar and clicked his tongue. A week had passed in the blink of an eye.
‘Level 50 in just a week…….’
The level of his new account, ‘Labo,’ created immediately after his termination, stood at 50. An astonishing pace.
So far, everything had gone smoothly according to plan. It was time to proceed to the next phase.
Minchul connected to the internet, tapping the virtual keyboard as he pondered.
‘First, I need to establish an alibi.’
Minchul’s goal was to destroy the game he’d created—Wings Online.
But once Wings began collapsing under his scheme, Npalm would inevitably suspect him first.
With both motive and capability, Minchul knew he’d be their prime target.
He needed to lay the groundwork to prove his innocence early.
He was already falsifying access logs to make both accounts appear Chinese.
But that alone wasn’t enough. He had to erase any connection between Minchul and Labo.
‘First step—relocate my registered address.’
Minchul accessed a government portal and changed his official residence to his hometown.
‘This matches the story I gave Shinji and Dongha about moving back.’
He also planned to remotely operate his hometown’s capsule PC, logging into his max-level main account simultaneously with Labo.
The simultaneous login records would serve as his minimal legal alibi.
‘Should I test it?’
His fingers flew across the virtual keyboard as he attempted remote access to the hometown PC.
Though capsule PCs required iris and fingerprint authentication, Minchul breached the security effortlessly.
‘Now… launch Wings.’
Wings Online naturally blocked log manipulation, multi-instancing, and remote execution.
Minchul slipped through these defenses like smoke.
Moments later, his main account logged into the hometown PC without issues.
The max-level paladin ‘Anchovy’ stood resplendent beneath the title screen.
‘Works perfectly. Too easy.’
Minchul’s lips curled into a vicious smirk.
Npalm might be Korea’s top game company with impregnable security,
but Minchul had helped build Wings Online’s protocols during his 15-year tenure.
‘Fools.’
They’d fired him and severed his Oasis data link, but couldn’t erase the expertise engraved in his mind.
‘Most importantly—’
Labo glanced sideways. The familiar AI girl floated nearby, tilting her head.
– Hmm?
She beamed when their eyes met.
– Do you need anything else, Master?
“…….”
Minchul returned her smile warmly.
With Oasis—an AI ranked among the world’s most advanced—
and his own knack for finding vulnerabilities, even formidable security crumbled under brute-force computation.
If pushed, they could shred Npalm’s corporate firewall itself.
‘Not that we’ll need to go that far.’
No… they mustn’t.
Minchul narrowed his eyes.
He knew better than to confront Npalm directly—a mere ant before a corporate titan.
‘But even ants carry venom.’
However colossal the giant, poison in its heart…
“……can topple it.”
– Huh? Topple what?
Oasis blinked at his muttering.
Snapping back to reality, Minchul jerked his chin at her.
“Oasis, find me a Bali flight ticket. Three weeks out, before Season 6’s update. Round trip.”
– Roger! Wait… Bali? Why?
“Taking a short trip. Three days.”
– A trip?! Seriously?!
“Would I joke about this?”
The overseas trip served as alibi reinforcement. If Labo’s account remained active from “China” while he was physically in Bali…
Nothing proved location better than an international departure.
Oasis muttered in disbelief:
– Master, I thought you were a hardcore homebody…
“I am.”
Leaving home irritated him, but he’d endure it for the perfect bad ending.
“Also order a premium head connector. For Bali.”
The portable device’s graphics couldn’t match capsule PCs, but VR access would suffice.
As flight and hotel bookings progressed, Oasis grew oddly excited.
– Eee! A real trip! Abroad! This is amazing!
“You can access any network globally anyway.”
She puffed her cheeks.
– It’s different when we go together!
“Yeah, whatever.”
With his alibi framework complete, Minchul’s expression hardened.
“Final touch—insurance.”
– Insurance?
Oasis tilted her head.
“You’ll see.”
He initiated a video call.
An old K-pop ringtone echoed—Am-yol-man~ Am-yol-man~ Follow me~
Oasis flinched at the retro tune while Minchul hummed along.
The call connected to a white rabbit plushie onscreen.
– Wow! If it isn’t Mr. Anchovy!
A voice followed in accented Korean:
– Long time no see, Anchovy Oppa! Three years?
“Been alright, Rabbit? It has been a while.”
– Haha! You surviving okay?
“Managing.”
Minchul sidestepped his unemployment status.
“Still in Bali?”
– Yep! Sun, good food, strong Wi-Fi! Visit sometime—I’ll guide you!
“Perfect. I’m coming.”
– Really?!
Rabbit’s surprise crackled through the speakers.
“Meet me. I have a job.”
After a beat, Rabbit chuckled darkly:
– The great Anchovy needs something from a small-time hacker?
“What else would I want from you?”
Minchul’s smile turned razor-sharp.
“A hack.”
– ……Alright, Oppa.
Rabbit’s tone sobered.
– But answer this first: Who’s the target?
Minchul didn’t hesitate.
“Where you breached three years ago.”
– …What?
As Rabbit sputtered, he clarified:
“Npalm.”
Minchul launched Wings Online again.
A stone-paved road unfurled beneath dragon-filled skies as the title WINGS ONLINE materialized.
Beneath it stood a black-armored knight with a blood-red cape—Labo’s avatar.
User ID: Labo
– Class: Dark Legion Commander
– Level: 50
– Gear Score: 495
– Last Location: Dark Cult Base - Undertown Branch
“Log in.”
Labo’s armor clanked as he strode through the title screen.
Avatar synchronization commenced—Minchul’s consciousness overlapped with the digital shell.
His vision swam, limbs flooding with sensory data.
Avatar Sync Complete.
May your adventures bring glory.
The screen darkened… then brightened within Wings Online.
Labo reappeared in the Dark Cult Base’s barracks—his last logout point.
“Alright, time to grind—”
He froze mid-stretch.
The friend list blinked—a whisper request.
‘Akasa?’ Labo recalled adding him during a loan transaction.
Accepting the call, Akasa’s voice trembled:
– Hyungnim! You’re online!
“What’s up?”
– It’s… about Cain.
“Hunter-Killer Cain? What about him?”
Labo’s smirk didn’t reach his eyes.
– He sniffed out your new account. Swears to hunt you down.
“How?”
– He…
Akasa gulped.
– I told him your ID.
“You what?!”
– They ambushed us 4v1! That monster—!
As Akasa described Cain’s ruthless methods, Labo’s grin widened.
“Interesting. His skills haven’t rusted.”
– Interesting?! He’ll camp you forever once he finds—!
“Perfect. Saves me the trouble of hunting him.”
Labo rested a hand on his sword hilt.
“Beasts require beastly solutions.”
Akasa fell silent, stunned by the icy calm in Labo’s voice.
