Surviving Among the Entities

[The first piece of news. In this day and age when LCD monitors and digital TVs are mainstream, there are so many citizens who don’t know how to maintain cathode ray tube TVs. So we will directly teach you how to maintain cathode ray tube TVs. Our intern dispatched to the scene?]

The screen changed. Beyond the screen was our living room, with a woman in business attire standing before the DialTV in a demure pose looking at the camera.

[Yes, this is the intern dispatched to the scene!]

However, the woman’s face was a large notebook.

[Today we’ll learn how to maintain cathode ray tube TVs. First, cathode ray tube TVs can have their tubes deteriorate if exposed to direct sunlight, so you must absolutely avoid that!]

The intern made grunting noises as she moved the TV. She positioned it slightly further from the window than before, then took out a dry cloth and cleaner to wipe the screen.

[Additionally, cathode ray tube TVs are prone to static electricity, so you need to periodically wipe away dust!]

Next, she took out WD-40 and applied it to the gaps in the TV and dials, then diligently wiped it clean with a cloth and cotton swabs.

[Lastly, wipe the buttons and other gaps with a metal lubricant and you’re done! Easy, right?]

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Yes, it seems easy. I’ll do it right after watching the news.”

An emoticon appeared on the intern’s face.

[＼(^o^)／]

The screen transitioned back to the news room.

[The second piece of news. The Korean-Japanese collaborative company “RomanceNRomance” will be releasing their first game “Romantic Academy City” on the 28th of this month. While the mobile collection game where cute girls wield swords to fight the evils of the world is already in a red ocean, Romantic Academy City is expected to achieve 48 consecutive months at #1 sales ranking in Korea, China, and Japan due to its deep storyline, unique characters, and gorgeous illustrations.]

As soon as I heard the news, I opened my stock trading app and searched for RomanceNRomance.

‘Current stock price 880 won, a penny stock.’

I used all the funds in my stock trading account for an all-in purchase, then focused on the screen again.

[The third piece of news. A naturalist living in Songnisan is said to have attained enlightenment and gained powers reminiscent of martial arts fiction’s martial realm. Let’s directly verify just how amazing this is. Our reporter at the scene?]

In what seemed to be Songnisan, a man with a microphone head was interviewing an elderly person.

[Yes, this is the reporter dispatched to Songnisan. Mr. Kim Go-deuk, who has lived as a naturalist here in Songnisan for 50 years now, has attained enlightenment through living in harmony with nature and directly created his own martial arts.]
[Yes, I am Kim Go-deuk. Heheh.]
[Did you really create martial arts? Is such a thing even possible?]
[It is possible. What is the energy of nature! It is the essence of the natural spirit, the harmony of yin and yang and the union of the five elements. After 20 years of physical attainment, I have now reached the realm of freely manipulating it – this is the beginning of internal energy and the secret of martial arts.]
[Wow, could you give us a demonstration?]
[Allow me to show you.]

The elderly man with long white beard like a Taoist immortal assumed a stance, then thrust out his right hand with a resounding kiai shout.

[Celestial Steed Transcendence – Earth!]

A tree over 10 meters away violently shook. The tree had the imprint of the old man’s palm like a seal had been stamped onto it.

[Blood Flame Blast – Metal!]

A rock split in half from the old man’s punch.

[Dragonfire Rending Heaven – Water!]

The old man’s footwork made it seem like he was moving at tremendous speed by riding the wind as he dashed through the forest.

[Sublime Spirit Ascending Heaven – Wood!]

The old man assumed a lotus position and took a breath, his complexion immediately improving.

[Resounding Rays Shattering Flow – Fire! is a secret technique of my inner dantian so I will not reveal it.]
[I have witnessed it. Martial arts truly do exist in this world. Let us all strive to learn martial arts!]

The screen transitioned and the news room reappeared.

[It’s truly incredible. But I’m disappointed it’s not as powerful as expected.]

For a moment, I was curious. Was that old man an ordinary person who gained such power through the DialTV’s making? Was it disappointed at creating an entity that turned out weaker than expected?

‘Or did a human who gained superhuman abilities become an entity in hiding, and the DialTV found him?’

In Entity Surviving, there were entities born human who gained mystical powers. But whichever was the case, the fact remained that the old man was an extraordinary being.

[The final piece of news. Surely global warming from industrialization, microplastics, environmental pollution, environmental destruction and the extinction domino effect from reckless development, all are undeniable major headaches for the Earth.]

I wondered what kind of news it was going to deliver by starting with such a statement. Like the news anchor’s ears, I too opened my ears wide in anticipation.

[But you no longer need to worry. The Earth no longer needs to worry about global warming, microplastics, environmental pollution, or the environmental destruction and extinction domino effect!]

The screen changed.

[Because all those problems will be completely resolved exactly 31 days from now.]

The changed screen showed pristine nature. Without a single building, without any trace of human presence, the pure natural scenery was truly beautiful.

[Can you believe it? That this place was once Seoul, Korea’s most prosperous city?]

……Seoul, this place?

[It’s unbelievable that the reason the world becomes like this stems from a bazaar at an apartment complex in Chungju 30 days from now.]

The news anchor politely bid farewell.

[Well then, that was your DialTV news anchor for news concerning you.]

Though the TV turned off, I remained seated on the sofa pondering for a while.

-Squawk!

After organizing my thoughts, I first went out to purchase WD-40, cleaners, high-quality cloths, and cotton swabs.

‘This should do it.’

I adjusted the DialTV’s position, then thoroughly cleaned the screen and meticulously applied and removed WD-40.

‘Human extinction? But that was too bizarre for that.’

As I cleaned, I analyzed the footage I had just seen.

‘Concrete buildings don’t completely disappear in less than a hundred years. Due to microscopic cracks and weakening of the reinforcing steel, buildings inevitably collapse.’

But debris still remains. The pristine nature I witnessed didn’t just lack debris, but any trace of human presence whatsoever.

‘Did it show the distant future? No, the DialTV clearly said the problem would be resolved in 31 days.’

And it said the catalyst would be a bazaar at an apartment complex in Chungju 30 days from then.
“In other words, humanity goes extinct without leaving a single trace within a day.”
Tomorrow will be busy.

[Yes, we’ve arrived at Songnisan. Please exit the vehicle once it has completely stopped.]

Since humanity would go extinct 31 days from now but there was nothing to do until then, I spent my time leisurely.

‘Let’s meet this Songnisan martial artist once.’

I was intellectually curious, and if I could learn martial arts it wouldn’t be a bad thing either.

Beep-!

Just as I was about to enter Songnisan, I stopped in my tracks at the sound of a harsh whistle.

“Grandfather! Stay right there!”

Without even needing to enter the mountain, I was able to meet the martial artist Mr. Kim Go-deuk.

“Away! The mundane world and the martial realm must not intermingle! Why would you seek to violate this inviolable law!”
“No, grandfather! What are you saying! There’s no such law!”

The old man effortlessly brushed aside the police officers at tremendous speed as if dashing through the sky.

‘He’s incredibly fast.’

With my physical abilities and senses enhanced thanks to the ghostly girl, I felt I would be unable to keep up with the old man.

“Hm?”

At that moment, our eyes met.

“Tsk, your body is usable but your mind is gone. Martial arts can only be learned when you attain the unity of mind, energy, and body.”

Clicking his tongue regretfully and shaking his head, the old man swiftly disappeared.

“Hufft, hufft, that old geezer is blisteringly fast!”

The officers chasing him eventually gave up and stopped.

“What happened?”
“Hufft, that grandfather just now, hufft, damaged a natural monument and fled!”

A Songnisan natural monument.

‘Jeongipumsong?’

I went to see the 600-year-old pine tree designated as Natural Monument No. 103 of Korea. It had fallen with its trunk broken.

‘Hmm.’

Upon closer inspection of the break point, there was a palm print – undoubtedly the martial arts I had witnessed on the news.

“Wow, how did this break?”
“No idea? Some grandfather was just saying this was the perfect tree for martial arts practice, then it suddenly snapped?”
“Did he really use martial arts?”
“Yeah right, it was probably rotted inside. Just happened to break at a convenient timing.”
“It doesn’t really seem rotted though.”

What a pity, I had wanted to learn martial arts too.

‘Let’s head to Chungju next.’

For the time being, I stayed at a motel in Chungju away from home. During my stay there, I visited every apartment complex in the area to ascertain where the bazaar would be held.

‘The apartment complex holding a bazaar 30 days after the date I witnessed the prophecy.’

There was only one location meeting those conditions.

‘Samyeon Apartments.’

‘Today is the day.’

I quietly bathed and left the motel. There was ample time so I didn’t need to continue staying at the Chungju motel, but I had to account for the DialTV’s prophecy potentially changing at any moment.

‘I visited daily to prepare for any contingencies, but the bazaar did not open until today.’

Today was the 30th day that the DialTV had mentioned.
Leaving the motel, I headed to Samyeon Apartments.

[Samyeon Apartments Bazaar]

Being still early, the bazaar had not started yet. Many apartment residents participating in the bazaar busily moved about, gradually setting up their wares one by one.

‘Just what will happen here to cause humanity to vanish without a trace?’

It wasn’t just vanishing. It seemed like humanity’s very existence had been erased, while conversely nature had flourished to the point of making Seoul resemble the Amazon rainforest within a day.

‘It must be a powerful entity. But I’m not afraid, since in the end it will be an entity appearing in Entity Surviving.’

The original creepypasta ‘SCP’ had countless beings humanity could never defy. Entities that were absolutely lethal upon encounter, or transcendentally incomprehensible existences, instilled fear in people.

‘But Entity Surviving is a game.’

Moreover, a survival game where the objective is enduring as long as possible.
In a game where survival is the goal, existences that are unsolvable and absolutely lethal upon encounter would merely cause vexation, so every entity had at least one means of survival.

‘Unless it was an event-type entity like Munchkin Mary Sue Constellation, there was always at least one method of survival.’

A way to escape the entity.
A way to drive away the entity.
A way to seal the entity.
A way to persuade the entity, and so on – there was always at least one method.

‘I wonder what kind of entity this is?’

After wandering around for a while, I finally discovered it.

“Seong-yeol, watch carefully. Mom will go buy some gimbap for a bit.”
“……”
“Seong-yeol!”
“Ah, got it!”

A youth exuding annoyance at the miscellaneous items arrayed before him.

“Ah, this is so damn annoying.”

Among those miscellaneous items was a grotesque single hand.

‘There it is.’

It was not a human hand. Covered in thick fur and longer than a human’s, with only a thumb and no other discernible fingers, it was clearly an animal’s hand.

‘The Remaining Monkey’s Paw.’

An in-game cheat item that granted any wish honestly and perfectly.

‘It only grants a single wish, but unlike existing Monkey’s Paws it does not distort the wish but fulfills it exactly as desired – an item-type entity.’

There were only two types of wishes it would not grant:

‘Wishes to increase the number of wishes, and wishes to eliminate or permanently exclude the entity itself.’

Instead, by sealing certain entities for years at a time, one could enjoy the game comfortably or exponentially increase a character’s stats to entity-level to drastically raise survival rates against monstrous entities.

‘Is this what causes human extinction?’

For a moment, I was curious about what kind of wish someone had made with it to result in humanity’s demise.

‘It seems that youth will be the one using it.’

And the moment I looked at the youth manning the stall, I could activate my right eye.

‘……So that’s how the future became that way.’

Though the youth was mired in a sense of superiority, he had made a wish with the Remaining Monkey’s Paw for the sake of the world, in his own way.

‘The Monkey’s Paw is still a Monkey’s Paw after all.’

The result just wasn’t a good one.