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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Ego Show
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"I kind of like that."
As I sipped my iced tea, I continued. Mmm. Sweet.
"A slight... imbalance created by the contrast between atmosphere and situation? For example, like this. Imagine a fairy tale world. A prince and princess live there, laughing happily. They decide to gather their animal friends from the forest for a feast."
"Up to this point, it's a beautiful picture, right? But then you add a twist. The handsome prince, the beautiful princess, the brave lion, the cute rabbit, and the laid-back turtle all gather. Together... hmm. Well, they share a cigarette."
"Oppa, what kind of grotesque nonsense is that?"
Seoeun looked at me with a look of disgust. No, there's no need to react with such horror...
"I think I know what you mean."
"Soobin unnie?"
As Seoeun looked at Ms. Soobin with a startled expression, as if betrayed, Ms. Soobin flustered and waved her hand, saying it wasn't like that.
"No, I mean. I think I understand what Dain-ssi is trying to say. Like a slightly grim fairy tale? Is that the kind of feeling you're talking about?"
"Hmm, yes. Something similar."
I nodded and said. Actually, to be precise, it's more like... a drama inspired by Squid Game.
Squid Game, marbles, Dalgona candy. Things that are very familiar to us, things that evoke childhood innocence just by hearing about them. The sense of disconnect when such things are used not for fun games, but for survival and death. If you extract the Dalgona correctly, you don't get Dalgona as a prize; if you fail to extract it properly, you die horribly. Such rules. How cruel, yet at the same time, amusing and familiar, a game with such rules can be. It creates a great sense of disconnect.
...If I were to tell them this, I'd just get scolded to stop rambling and speak clearly. Seoeun would say it directly, Ms. Soobin with her eyes. And honestly, it's difficult to make them understand anyway, as there's no drama inspired by Squid Game in this world. To lose one patriotic element, as a patriot myself, it's truly sad.
"So... this terror attack is like that?"
"Exactly. Any terror attack needs a clear concept. I've used the dilemma concept twice already, so this time, we're going with a grim fairy tale concept."
***
[THE EGO SHOW]
[Now Live]
Altitude 25,000 feet.
All communication with the outside world—phones, internet, everything—severed.
A sealed space in the sky.
Here, with approximately 80 people on board, it was so quiet that only breathing could be heard.
No, to be precise, only the sound of human voices had vanished.
The people were simply listening in silence to the voice flowing from the speakers.
[Welcome to the greatest quiz show in the sky, The Ego Show Live!]
[Alright, let's begin the game!]
They didn't know.
That the voice they'd casually heard while eating dinner, on the news.
That the voice they'd chuckled at on YouTube.
Could be so terrifying.
It was definitely a voice they had heard at least once on broadcast. A voice that was slightly frivolous, yet cheerful, and at the same time, effortlessly drew people's attention.
But why, then, did his voice coming from the speakers now evoke such primal fear in people?
Only now could they truly look back on everything Egostick had done so far.
Two large-scale terror attacks alone.
Over 10 people murdered by his own hands.
Designated by the Association as an A-rank villain, 'extremely cruel and highly likely to escape.'
Everyone used to laugh and call him "Mango Stick, Mango Stick."
But only when it became a reality, did they understand.
Why Egostick was called a villain.
His words, coming from the speakers, sounded like a cheerful child conducting a fun game.
Yet, the content within was utterly cruel.
[Alright, the rules of the game are simple!]
[Rule 1. Do not make a sound! The moment anyone makes a sound, one of the three wires attached to the bomb will automatically be cut! If all of them are cut... you know what happens, right?]
[Rule 2. Do not communicate! Cheating is a crime, a crime. If any form of communication between you is detected... well, I'll just detonate it immediately. We can always have a quiz show again sometime.]
At the continuously terrifying declarations, the faces of the people on the plane turned pale. Some swallowed, some shed tears, and some closed their eyes, praying to God.
Regardless, the voice continued to flow from the speakers.
[Alright, then I will now explain Rule 3, the core content.]
At the same time, the display device in front of the seats changed its screen.
A black-and-white animation in the style of 1980s American cartoons began to play, with English text appearing.
[EGO's Funny Non-Sense Quiz]
'Nonsense quiz...?'
As if answering the question that arose in people's minds, Egostick's words from the speakers continued.
[The rules are simple! A total of 10 nonsense quiz questions will be presented, and you just need to answer them correctly! If even just one person gets all of them right, I'll quietly. And safely! Release the plane. But what if everyone gets them wrong? *Boom*. The bomb will explode!]
It sounded like an incredibly simple proposition. Answer 10 nonsense quiz questions? Like a game elementary school students would play when they had nothing else to do. A game too childish for adults. But if lives were at stake, the story changed.
[I will personally read out the nonsense quiz questions, starting from number 1! You'll also be able to read them on the display in front of you. As for where to send the answers? Just check the messaging app on your cell phones! There's a message from an unknown number, isn't there?]
As he finished speaking, people hurriedly took out their cell phones, and indeed, there was a message.
[THE EGO SHOW Send your answers here!]
A single message from an unknown number. They didn't know how a message could have been sent on a plane where signals didn't work, but it was definitely there.
The announcement continued from the speakers.
[Once the question is displayed, you just need to write your answer and send it via text message within 3 minutes! Wow, 3 minutes! That's enough time for an entire cup of ramen to cook. Quite long, isn't it? You know, when you pour hot water into cup ramen and wait 3 minutes, it feels like forever until it's ready to eat. I've given you plenty of time for your sake. Haha.]
'What's plenty, you crazy bastard!'
The people could only think that to themselves, unable to voice it aloud. Because of Egostick's warning that the bomb would explode the moment they made a sound.
[If you get even one question wrong, you're immediately out! There are no second chances. If you get the first question wrong, knowing the answers to the remaining nine questions will mean nothing, right? Still, surely among so many people, there's at least one person who can get all of them right. I believe in you!]
A rule that sounded incredibly unreasonable. However, they had no right to refuse.
Before people could even collect themselves, cheerful music began to play from the speakers.
Against the backdrop of the exciting music, Egostick's cheerful shout rang out.
[Alright! Then, without further ado, let's begin the 1st Ego Show! First question! How many people can fit in the Titanic's lifeboats?]
Simultaneously, the question appeared directly on the passenger's seat displays.
[First question. How many people can fit in the Titanic's lifeboats?]
And below that, numbers began to count down in bold red letters.
[3 : 00]
[2 : 59]
[2 : 58]
People quickly began to type their answers into their cell phones.
Before long, time ran out, and Egostick's voice began broadcasting again, accompanied by cheerful music.
[Yes! The time limit for the first question has ended. The answer is... since it's a *life*boat, 9 people! Wow, I made it a bit easy, and almost everyone got it right. As expected of Koreans, a nation of wit! Excellent.]
Those who sent [9 people] as their answer received a message saying [Correct!].
Some sighed in relief, but others' faces had turned white.
Regardless, Egostick's broadcast continued.
[Alright! Then let's move right on to the second question! What is the hottest fruit in the world?]....
***
*
[Hellish quiz show OMG]
[Wow, if I were there, I'd probably piss myself.]
[Egostick is seriously a villain, who was the one hyping him up as a hero? Those people are all about to die.]
[Fact) As long as it's not me.]
[Wow, but how did he plant a bomb on the plane? Don't they usually do thorough explosive checks?]
[Dunno either.]
[What's the captain doing, yeah... Would an emergency landing work?]
[If he did that, Egostick-nim would probably just go *kaboom*.]
*
"Association President, what can we do when the culprit is doing that up in the sky?"
"We are useless."
The Association President continued speaking, watching the broadcast with a somber expression.
"Go get some popcorn, Stardust."
Stardust ended up throwing the popcorn next to him at the Association President's face.