Debut or Die - Chapter 367

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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 367
A few days later, on a day off.
“Come to think of it, your group doesn’t have a private jet, does it? Hmm, I guess the finances don’t add up yet.”
The words came from someone with a knack for saying things that got under people’s skin, but today they didn’t bother me much.
“There’s enough domestic demand that we don’t really need a private jet from a logistics standpoint.”
“Is that so?”
“Whoa! No way! Look at these seats!”
“….”
The problem was the guy next to me making a huge fuss about everything.
Gold 2, Kwon Hee-seung, stood with his mouth agape, staring at the interior of Chung-ryeo’s private jet.
“Wow… um, senior, is it okay if I take a picture of this?”
“If you’re confident it won’t leak.”
“….”
I watched Kwon Hee-seung quietly lower his smartphone, then pulled out my own.
“Want me to take one?”
“No.”
As if. This was for communication purposes.
I checked the messages once more.
[Ryu Chung-woo: Everyone, have a safe trip]
[Sun Ah-hyun: Please take care of yourselves, and if anything goes wrong, let me know anytime!]
[Bae Sae-jin: Mung-ge is doing well (photo)]
[Kim Rae-bin: I’m glad the puppy is doing well. I’m still on my way back to my hometown. I’ll contact you again when I arrive.]
[Cha Yu-jin: (waving emoji)]
Lee Sae-jin: Yeah, everyone fighting on your vacation, haha!
Half of them thought I was going on vacation, and half thought I was going to work.
At that moment, the group chat updated.
[Lee Sae-jin: But seriously, why did 1 disappear? He’s not showing up. We have a no-ghosting rule, didn’t you know? (fire emoji)]
I chuckled and moved my fingers.
[Me: I’m here. See you all the day after tomorrow.]
And I recalled his reaction from a few days ago when I’d explained the situation to those who knew about it as “going to handle something.”
-Yeah? I’ll just come with you then.
I knew he’d say that.
-That’s not possible.
-What?
-It’s not that you’d get in the way or get caught up in it. It’s a matter of structure.
-What?
-There can’t be anyone around.
That’s right.
The hypothesis I’d constructed was simple and sound.
First, the premise.
The system seeks out the next host the moment an abnormal state ends.
It finds the most suitable person within the closest distance it can reach fastest.
So then, why does it do this?
‘It can’t endure existing without a host, can it?’
Then what if I could prevent it from finding a host for an extended period?
For instance… if Kwon Hee-seung cleared the abnormal state in a place where no suitable person existed within hundreds of kilometers in all directions, what would happen?
‘By that logic, it wouldn’t be able to endure and would simply vanish.’
That was my gambit.
And Chung-ryeo, who had already theorized with me about the system’s movement patterns before, apparently handed over his private jet the moment he heard the situation explained.
‘I figured he’d hand it over willingly since he found it entertaining back then.’
I nodded inwardly.
Chung-ryeo looked around inside the private jet, then naturally settled into a seat….
Wait.
“Why aren’t you getting off?”
“Hm?”
Chung-ryeo tilted his head to the side.
“I’m not sure why you assumed I would get off. Isn’t this my airplane?”
What kind of guy is this.
‘No wonder he said he wouldn’t take payment.’
I pressed my brow and muttered.
“I’m trying to minimize variables this time.”
“Haha, but you’re boarding, Junior Member?”
“…!”
“What’s the difference between you and me? The situation is identical for both of us. It’s strange that only my circumstances apply differently.”
Sharp bastard.
Yeah, I’ve already gotten a definitive answer about my case.
Through Big Dal.
-It doesn’t seem like it can enter the same person again.
-Why?
-Because that’s already been used.
The word choice was somewhat unsettling, but in any case, it meant the system couldn’t re-enter previous users who had returned to the past.
It was vague but impossible to dismiss—coming from someone merging with the system itself.
‘So… I’m an exception case for the next host.’
Still, just to be safe, I didn’t bring Big Dal along.
Strictly speaking, the system had never actually entered Ryu Gun-woo’s body.
‘I only extracted my consciousness.’
So Big Dal decided to monitor the situation remotely, sharing my field of vision.
Then why did I want to exclude Chung-ryeo, who was in the same exception category as me?
Isn’t it obvious? Just look at that bastard’s personality.
‘He’s unpredictable—no telling where he’ll bounce off to.’
I had planned to exclude him to avoid creating variables.
‘…I’ll need to keep a close eye on him.’
I finally let out a sigh and answered.
“Do as you like.”
“As expected, you’re logical, Senior. I appreciate that.”
Let me correct myself—this bastard had a talent for getting under my skin today too.
I leaned back roughly against the seat.
“Seniors! Where was our destination again?”
“The Pacific Ocean.”
“No way.”
The execution site was the middle of the deep ocean where no one lived.
The airplane continued forward.
We arrived at the designated location only after lunch, well into the afternoon.
“How does it feel floating in the middle of the Pacific?”
“Not the first or second time, so what’s new?”
“Ha ha.”
I saw this view every time I went to America for work—there was no reason to feel moved by it.
I spent the time calculating instead.
‘If I miss this timing, we’ll get too close to the North American continent.’
We needed to execute this within thirty minutes to be safe.
And I looked toward the cockpit—where the captain and co-pilot were, firmly believing LA Airport was our destination.
Then I recalled the conversation I’d had with the person who hired the pilot.
About the possibility of the system entering their minds by any chance.
-What’s the likelihood those people would be compatible?
-That’s gambling. Based on their temperament, the odds are extremely low.
Chung-ryeo had suggested with a smile.
-Or we could use a helicopter and drop them on a deserted island or uninhabited desert. Well, it’d be rough on them. But wouldn’t that be better?
-Enough.
There’s a reason uninhabited land exists. It’s uninhabited because people can’t survive there.
I couldn’t ask Kwon Hee-seung to stake his life just to eliminate every possibility.
‘Show restraint.’
I decided to make the best move within what was realistically possible, and this was the result.
Kwon Hee-seung seemed to sense the atmosphere and his expression grew slightly tense.
“So, should we click it now?”
“Yeah. Just a moment.”
I called up my status window. A popup appeared as expected.
[Brother, surely not…?]
Yeah, it’s all done.
‘Show Kwon Hee-seung the status abnormality clear window again.’
The popup didn’t answer. It simply trembled ever so slightly.
Still, a hologram appeared before Kwon Hee-seung.
“Ugh, phew! That startles me every time!”
This guy uses strange exclamations.
Chung-ryeo muttered with slightly waning interest.
“There’s nothing particularly special about it.”
“It will only appear to the person involved.”
“Hmm.”
Chung-ryeo crossed his arms and nodded slightly.
“So we proceed like this?”
“Yes.”
I closed my mouth and adjusted my posture accordingly.
That was when it happened.
[Hyung.]
Big Dal’s popup appeared again.
‘If there’s no serious problem, we’ll go ahead with this. If you’re going to say something now….’
[No, that’s not it!]
It’s not?
The popup shrank its text as if embarrassed.
[Actually… I’m starting to feel a little hope too.]
“….”
Right. This guy probably wanted to keep living as a person all along.
I know he just pretended to be without regrets because it was inevitable and he didn’t want to burden me.
The popup trembled again, then carefully spat out words one letter at a time.
[Hyung, I’m truly grateful…. Thank you for doing this much for me.]
‘Enough.’
It wasn’t just for this guy anyway. From the start, I felt uncomfortable leaving this time bomb alone, so I tried to eliminate it whenever the opportunity arose.
Rather, this guy helped me.
‘Let’s proceed.’
[…Yes!]
“Then… I’ll press it!”
Kwon Hee-seung reached out with a tense expression.
And pressed it.
[!Abnormal Status: ‘Make It Work’ Removed!
:
*^@5#&
Confirm ☜ Click!]
Click.
And the status window… disappeared.
Without a trace, as if it had never existed.
“Ah.”
Silence filled the cabin.
Nothing happened.
Remarkably so.
“….”
“Is… is that it?”
At Kwon Hee-seung’s question, my own case reflexively came to mind.
‘A congratulations window had appeared back then.’
But that was Big Dal who triggered it, so it had nothing to do with the system….
“Huh? Huh? Huh?”
“…!!”
A hologram burst forth in front of Kwon Hee-seung again.
But its appearance was different from before.
[??? ? ]
[? ?? ???? ? ??]
[: ?? ? ? ?????]
Filled with question marks… a bizarre state.
‘Damn it.’
I rose from my seat.
And from across the way, a low voice reaches me.
Chung-ryeo.
“Hmm… I can see this one.”
“…!”
What?
“H-hyung.”
There’s no time to turn toward Chung-ryeo. My gaze is fixed on the status window hovering before Kwon Hee-seung’s eyes.
Kwon Hee-seung’s face is smeared with confusion.
‘…Big Dal!’
No answer came to my call.
Instead, the status window….
begins to tremble.
Vrrrrrrrrrr—
Kwon Hee-seung turns his head and opens his mouth.
[Hyung, something’s wrong….]
His voice fragments.
Like a vibration.
Eeeeeeeeee—!
Tinnitus.
A sound that shouldn’t be audible—something shattering—reaches my ears.
My vision turns pure white.
‘This is….’
The next instant.
Holograms erupted from every direction.
[Status!$#6]
[Rotate&23!$@12]
[■■■■■■■sound■]
[StatusStatusStatusStatus!#%2]
Something crude and violent seemed to force its way into my mind.
‘Damn it, shut off!’
I clenched my teeth. Hot blood trickled from my lips, but I had no time to register the pain.
My vision warped and flickered white.
Flicker.
Flicker.
‘…Ah.’
And at ten thousand meters above sea level.
No, inside a small enclosed space.
Everything tears apart.
Screeeeeeeech–
No screams. No pain.
Just reality itself, shattering, fragmenting…
It erupts.
Explosion!
White out.

* * *
-…Beep beep!
What is this?
Through the haze of my heavy consciousness, a sharp sound pierces through….
An alarm?
I thought dully, yet somehow the feeling that it couldn’t be right followed me.
I didn’t know why. But because of that, the feeling lingered, and I didn’t get up.
Deeper. Longer.
Sinking back into sleep….
If only that word hadn’t crossed my mind.
-Daydream?
‘Damn it.’
“-Gasp!”
My eyes snapped open.
Bright light stabbed at my eyes. Multiple incandescent bulbs hung from the large ceiling, casting their glow.
Black walls, and beside them reflecting the light—a massive full-length mirror taking up an entire wall.
The Choreography Practice Room.
“…!”
I pushed myself up. Then I looked down at my body.
I was dressed in black training clothes.
I reached out and touched my shoulders and neck. The traces of sweat were unmistakable.
-Beep beep beep beep!
I reflexively silenced the smartphone notifications still ringing.
And I thought. The difference.
“Huff.”
Starting with location.
I was clearly sitting on the airplane….
No way.
I turned my head to look at the mirror.
Or rather, I tried to. But I couldn’t have missed the figure in training clothes stretched out diagonally beside me.
And if that face hadn’t been so familiar.
“…!”
It was Chung-ryeo.
Only there was a difference from the one I’d just seen.
‘…The age.’
Chung-ryeo looked to be around twenty years old.
In that moment, chills raced down my spine.
“You….”
Without needing to say anything more, the other person’s eyes open.
“…!!”
“Ah.”
The one with open eyes has no expression. Then, with an indifferent face, I survey the Training Room with familiarity.
As if I know it.
As if I’m confirming something.
And then, following the pattern, I turn my head.
That’s when our eyes meet.
Only then does an expression appear on my face.
“…!”
First comes surprise, then….
“Haha!”
Exhilaration.
A sighing, joyful, intriguing, despairing, hopeful—an ambiguous yet powerful exhilaration that fits no matter what strange emotion you attach to it.
“Ah, something like this happens. Something like this happens too, doesn’t it?”
I barely managed to open my mouth.
“Where is this place….”
“This is the LeTi Practice Studio. My Agency!”
What?
Chung-ryeo laughed as if crying, his shoulders trembling.
“In this beginning, you’re a Junior Member, or maybe not a Junior Member. Haha!”
My mind goes completely blank.

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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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