Debut or Die - Chapter 102

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 102
The Game Company that would collaborate with Testa had built recognition by releasing several games with devoted niche fanbases even before being acquired by T1.
As a result, there were small gaming communities dedicated to their titles.
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What do you think about the 127 Section appearing in an idol music video?
(Testa Comeback Trailer Video)
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-Hmm, this seems right…
-I checked it out. Seoul setting, red curse, biological disaster, water tanks—everything’s there. It’s confirmed, right?
-Wait, an idol advertisement on some obscure failed game company? (confused emoji)
└Tastes like that big corporation acquisition sweetness
-Something… something’s happening
-Oh thank god it wasn’t a female idol, at least we blocked the creepy otaku influx
└Instead we got fanboys though
└Doesn’t matter as long as they spend money, right? I’m just worried they’ll shut down the servers and do a runner again
Haha, you’re right
There were no comments like “why would an idol tarnish their image with something like this?”
First, because the video was so cinematic and captured the atmosphere of the existing game settings perfectly, and second… because they were in no position to be picky.
The Ruin Factory, the developer behind 【127 Section】, had quietly built considerable recognition over the past few years for making quality games, but their lack of a proper monetization model meant they constantly struggled with operational funding.
So all they wanted was to prevent an early server shutdown.
-Is this something we can expect investment from a major corporation?
-Wow! 127 Section’s becoming a national masterpiece!
-But when is the game actually coming out… why did they release a trailer without announcing a launch date?! (table flip emoji)
What do you expect from a corner store?
After Testa’s comeback received sufficient promotional coverage through articles and media, the Game Company announced the release date one step behind.
[‘Ruin Factory’s New Game 【127 Section】 Launches Hand-in-Hand with National Treasure Testa]
[Testa’s Comeback Trailer Was a Collaboration Video… 【127 Section】 Release Imminent]
-Yahoo!
-Wow, recognition skyrocketing!
-Testa? They’re Ruin Factory’s pride and joy.
-Haha, so we’re calling Testa “GodStar” now
While game enthusiasts were rolling around in anticipation, Testa’s fans were beginning to grow anxious.
-Is this album really just a game advertisement?
-Don’t tell me the Director’s original plan is still going through…?
Look, just tell me specifically how you guys collaborated or something—don’t just lump it all together like that. It’s so frustrating lolol
-Do I have to lose my agency again?ㅠㅠ
…
Fortunately, before the fans’ anxiety could grow further, new information was released.
[TeSTAR Concept Photo ‘Side A’]
It was Testa’s album concept photo.
And the atmosphere of these photographs was… refreshingly bright.
Scenes of lying in a white t-shirt in a forest, or sprawled on a bed wearing headphones while gazing at the natural scenery outside the window.
And they were all barefoot.
Overall, it was a refreshing and wistful scene—like a summer day from adolescence.
-Are you kidding me
-Aaahhh the freshness is here!!
-Barefoot…! Barefoot!
-Did you see the cut of him eating an apple? Did you?!
-I think I’m going to faint
Ugh… guys, the more I look at them, the more handsome they get…
Fans were able to relax and appreciate the photographs, reassured by how completely different they felt from the previously released 【127 Section】 information and the comeback trailer.

* * *
“Moon-dae! The response is amazing!”
“I’m checking it out right now.”
“Haha!”
I heard Big Sae-jin’s laughter as he crossed the corridor. He seemed to be heading to another room to share the news.
I scrolled through the comments on my smartphone screen. Everyone naturally understood that the game collaboration was just a part of the album and moved on.
‘It seems we made the right call releasing things in this order.’
If I revealed the game collaboration later, fans might feel betrayed or resistant. But by dropping it first, interest could flow naturally toward the game.
‘So we approach this step by step, gradually.’
It was important to build anticipation without creating resistance, while keeping the game fusion moderate.
‘We can’t overdo the connection.’
It was better if the game collaboration was treated as merely a side story that made the worldbuilding more enjoyable.
As I was savoring this balanced satisfaction, a popup appeared on my smartphone screen.
[VTIC Chung-ryeo: Got the album ready?]
“….”
This… is definitely a question with an ulterior motive.
Still, I couldn’t ignore it, so I replied.
[Yes. We’re making our comeback at the end of this month.]
[VTIC Chung-ryeo: I see. So you still have some time.]
And then came an unwelcome proposal.
[VTIC Chung-ryeo: I have a song I made. Want to use it as a track on the album?]
Is he insane?
[That’s really kind of you, but I couldn’t possibly trouble you like that, and the album is already organically complete. I’m truly grateful for the offer.]
[VTIC Chung-ryeo: I have something I want to hear from you. Since it’s awkward to ask directly, I’m giving you this instead, so don’t worry. You don’t have to use it for this album either ^^]
“….”
[Is this perhaps about the future?]
I phrased it carefully in case someone was snooping through our messages, but the meaning was clear—he wanted to hear about future information.
[VTIC Chung-ryeo: Yes.]
[As I mentioned, I don’t have much experience either, so there isn’t much I can offer you.]
[VTIC Chung-ryeo: I’ll listen and judge for myself.^^]
“….”
Ugh, this guy’s presence is unsettling again.
‘I can’t sever the connection either.’
Guess I’ll have to extract some information from him.
[Then I’d prefer to hear about your past experiences rather than songs, senior.]
Unlike the instant replies from moments ago, this response took a while to arrive.
[VTIC Chung-ryeo: Very well.]

* * *
I wanted to postpone meeting with this guy until after our activities since I was already swamped with album preparations, but it fell through.
-That’s when we’ll be overseas for the concert tour.
As a result, I rented the Recording Studio in the middle of the night after finishing all rehearsals.
‘Damn it.’
I’d already told the Company that I’d attempt to work with him, though I’m uncertain how it’ll turn out.
‘Not that I’m actually planning to work with him anyway.’
In any case, Chung-ryeo arrived several dozen minutes later.
“Hello. How have you been?”
“Yes. I’ve been well.”
“Seems like it. The trailer turned out great. …Oh.”
Chung-ryeo hung his thin coat on the rack beside the door, then turned to face me with an expressionless face.
“Did you already know about that game? Is it going to be a massive hit when it releases? Is that why you collaborated?”
“…The Company just suddenly ordered me to do it.”
“Ah, I see.”
Chung-ryeo smiled faintly and sat in the Recording Studio chair. Then he pulled a small object from his pocket.
It was a USB drive.
“Want to listen to the song first?”
This guy really doesn’t listen to what people say.
“…I don’t need to accept the song.”
“Since we’re already here in the Recording Studio, just listen to it.”
Chung-ryeo manipulated the equipment in front of the booth, then played the song.
“…!”
“Good, right?”
It was a tropical house track that stuck to the ears perfectly.
Which made me even more suspicious.
‘He doesn’t seem like the type to give away something he’d write himself.’
“Why are you trying to give this to me instead of using it yourself, senior?”
“Well, this isn’t really my style of song.”
“…Then what about your junior at the same Company?”
“….”
“Or I could give you a member from the same team. For unit activities.”
“…Hmm.”
Chung-ryeo stopped the track and rested his chin on his hand.
“You’re sharp, aren’t you? Unnecessarily so.”
“…!!”
“Actually, I didn’t compose this.”
Chung-ryeo pulled out the USB and tossed it into the trash.
“Two years ago, a promising new composer gave it to T-Holic, and it was supposed to be quite a hit… but I intercepted it.”
What?
“Don’t feel sorry for the composer, though. After this track, he got involved in plagiarism and ended up in a lawsuit spiral, then fled overseas.”
“….”
Chung-ryeo laughed awkwardly.
“That’s what happened before I came back, anyway. He’s probably living well now. I paid him generously for the track.”
“….”
“But I can’t give a track to someone from our company. They might try to pass off a plagiarized song again.”
“…So you were going to give it to me?”
Chung-ryeo smiled.
“Of course I was planning to explain the situation. Once I explain it like this, Moon-dae won’t ever accept another track from this person, right? Isn’t that so?”
“….”
If I hadn’t caught on, he would’ve just screwed me over.
“You just said I was unnecessarily sharp and figured it out.”
“The fun of explaining goes away once you know, so I said that.”
He sure knows how to slip out of things smoothly.
Chung-ryeo continued with a serious expression.
“I want to manage these kinds of risks well. I’m not looking for grandiose information… just the big picture. Trends, incidents—just tell me whatever you remember. Then I’ll answer based on what I know too.”
“….”
I’ve just been studying.
The only things I remember are incidents that frequently appeared on the 9 o’clock news or portal homepages.
But he probably doesn’t want to know the name of the typhoon coming next summer.
“…Do you remember that I was preparing for the civil service exam?”
“You seemed pretty familiar with society, having participated in Ajusa and placed first.”
A misunderstanding had occurred here. I answered brazenly.
“That’s just effort and talent.”
If I bring up the status window, he’ll probably lose his mind. Better keep my mouth shut.
“…For someone like that, you sure managed the cuts well, as if you knew them.”
Even if I said I sold data right after dropping out of high school, it probably wouldn’t fly… hmm.
Let me give the closest and most frequent example.
“Before I started preparing for the exam, I was into idols, so I know this industry pretty well.”
“….”
VTIC Chung-ryeo seemed momentarily at a loss for words.
“…Sigh.”
And then he exhaled a long breath.
“So you were an idol fan.”
“Yes.”
“…Whose fan were you.”
“Malang Dalcom’s.”
“….”
VTIC Chung-ryeo sighed again. And he answered with a slightly softened tone.
“…Just tell me everything you remember. I’ll answer your questions too.”
It was a declaration of surrender. I nodded.
“Yes. Then… ah, Maximize’s Beat On will have a drunk driving scandal in early next year….”
“He’s always been that type. Next.”
“Hmm… Late this year, Moody releases a carol, and since I kept hearing it at the restaurant… it seems her digital sales were quite good.”
“…I see. Next.”
After repeating this about three times, VTIC Chung-ryeo asked darkly.
“…You don’t know about trending beats for next year or anything like that?”
“If I knew that, I would’ve already used it.”
“…!”
VTIC Chung-ryeo finally admitted that I had no other useful information.
“You don’t seem to be lying… damn.”
“Should I tell you the competition rate for next year’s civil service exam instead?”
“…Never mind.”
“Hmm.”
Now it was my turn to ask questions.
“Do you have any idea why this situation happened? Or any incidents?”
“I wish I knew that too.”
VTIC Chung-ryeo furrowed his brow.
“What’s certain is that once I complete the task, I won’t have to worry about suddenly dying anymore. …Besides, I still have future knowledge left, so these past few years have been quite useful.”
The nuance of the word “useful” in that context was remarkably subtle.
“…Did you steal songs?”
“Ha, why are you asking something so obvious? They’re not composing themselves anyway, so whoever gets to the composer first is the rightful owner, right?”
VTIC Chung-ryeo laughed brightly.
“It’s a shame that ended last year.”
“…!”
From those words, I realized something.
‘This bastard went back in time last year.’
And went back before debut.
Which meant… judging by VTIC’s years of activity, he’d gone back at least seven years or more.
That meant there were at least eight anomalies. If he’d tried to avoid them without knowing anything, how many times would he have failed….
‘…This is hardly the behavior of a sane person.’
I resolved to maintain distance from him going forward.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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