Editor’s Survival Guide - Chapter 84
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Editor’s Survival Rules Episode 84
ep14. Cha-Kong-Jui (4)
“I don’t think I would blow up the bridge after all.”
At my carefully considered conclusion, Cha Si-eon also asked seriously.
“Why are you bringing that up now?”
“The team leader asked me about it.”
“That was 40 hours ago.”
“You told me to speak up if I had something to say.”
“When did I say that?”
“10 hours ago.”
“So why is your timing like this…”
Cha Si-eon muttered as if dumbfounded.
Then he openly showed his annoyance and turned over.
“I’m going to sleep, so stop with the useless talk.”
Was it because we went through life and death together on “The Bleeding Island”?
Cha Si-eon’s politeness had drastically decreased.
This made his iron wall even more solid, but that’s fine.
“You should, team leader. You can’t collapse again.”
“…”
“If you collapse, you’ll curse at me again.”
“…”
“Where did I put my notebook…”
“Go ahead.”
“What?”
“If you have something to say, hurry up and finish it.”
Right, it’s really fine.
I’ve already found the crack in that iron wall. Yeah.
From the bed across from me, Cha Si-eon glared at me ominously.
Even in the dark, his eyes are quite fierce.
I tried not to enjoy this situation too much and started speaking again.
“If I receive an order to cut the bridge, I’ll hold out first and try to evacuate the people.”
“You’ll be executed by firing squad.”
“Even so.”
“…You would do that.”
“No, don’t sigh, think about it. Given that order on that bridge that day, whatever you do would be hell. Plus it would all be recorded for posterity.”
“…”
“In that case, it’s better to leave behind a decent story. After all, people barely live a hundred years, but stories can last thousands of years.”
“Is that the average mindset in the publishing industry?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t lie…”
Sharp guy.
I was caught fabricating, but I brazenly continued speaking.
“And they say the enemies were coming down so the bridge had to be cut urgently, but actually the right answer would be to wait longer and blow it up when the enemies are crossing the bridge. Or cut the formation in half when they’re halfway across.”
That way it would be possible to deal a strong blow to the enemies.
“So when you consider everything, holding out is best. This way people can evacuate, you can strike the enemy, and the narrative is excellent too. If you’re lucky enough to receive leniency, it’s perfect.”
Cha Si-eon sighed at my hopeful plan.
“That’s not as easy as it sounds, and the problem starts with arbitrarily filtering orders.”
“I would normally follow orders too. But this is a special situation where the cause and effect are too clear, isn’t it?”
“So that attitude of making exceptions like that…”
“Which is more important, protecting your own citizens or following orders?”
“Of course protecting our citizens is most important. But since the latter is a means for the former, those two things cannot be separated.”
“Strictly speaking, it’s not that they ‘cannot be separated,’ but rather it’s a ‘feeling that they cannot be separated.’ That’s not actually the case, it’s just your feeling, team leader.”
Cha Si-eon looked at me.
Even in the dark, I could clearly see the look that said ‘that’s sophistry again.’
So I began an even bigger and more dazzling sophistry.
“As another example, suppose some test-taker says ‘I absolutely must get into that university.’ But is this really an absolute, immutable truth? No, this is also just a feeling. They’re just very strongly feeling ‘like they’ll die if they can’t get into that university.'”
Some might object like this.
Failing college entrance really does ruin your life, doesn’t it?
Your parents won’t even treat you like a human being, right?
No, that’s exactly what I mean by feelings.
“Of course it’s good if everything goes well. But just because entrance exams don’t go well doesn’t mean you have to be unhappy for life, and graduating from a good university doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll live happily ever after.”
If you’ve been holding on with such beliefs, you’re likely to be anxious about questions like ‘I went through so much trouble to get into a good university, so why am I not happy?’
And even if your parents don’t treat you like a person, your human qualifications aren’t actually revoked.
Whether they’re disappointed, dismayed, or contemptuous, you will still be you.
You’re just you with feelings of wanting to die from your guardian’s cold gaze, wanting to regain their former expectations, feeling like you need that to live.
“So we need to distinguish between reality and feelings. ‘Must follow the bombing order’ and ‘I feel like I must follow the bombing order’ are completely different.”
“Don’t speak so lightly of it. Do you think those soldiers back then blew up the bridge just because of feelings?”
Cha Si-eon warned in a displeased voice.
He seemed to think I was mocking the soldiers who obeyed orders.
“I’m not speaking lightly of it. Team leader, don’t you look down on feelings. No matter how rational and reasonable you try to be, humans are ultimately beings who live by their feelings.”
But I didn’t back down from my argument either.
“Otherwise, why would people in the world split in half and fight forever? It’s not because of lack of logic, but because of feelings. No matter what the other side says, my feelings just aren’t aligned with that.”
“So you’re saying that’s the right thing to do?”
“I don’t know about right or wrong, but anyway, the human world runs on feelings.”
“There are people who follow principles rather than feelings.”
“Are crying, laughing, and getting angry the only feelings? The heart that prioritizes collective agreements over one’s own one-dimensional emotions is also a feeling.”
“…”
“What makes people follow principles is a sense of responsibility, duty, mission, justice, and so on. They’re all emotions and feelings. Aren’t they?”
“So what are you trying to say?”
“Just let’s acknowledge it. Everything humans do is based on feelings.”
“And if we acknowledge that?”
“It might give us some breathing room.”
“…?”
“If what’s stuck in your head is the recognition ‘I regard orders as absolute’ rather than the rule ‘orders are absolute,’ it’s at least a bit more manageable.”
I’m not saying to just live however you feel since it’s all feelings anyway.
I’m certainly not saying to be completely swayed by emotions.
What I want to say is that everyone is already doing that.
Reality that seems solid might actually be a trivial illusion.
And that illusion became solid because I’m holding onto it tightly.
So at least let’s be aware of it.
If you relax a little, you might see unexpected paths.
Well, I doubt my loose talk will get through to this by-the-book guy.
Still, I tried meddling once with my editor’s intuition.
Whether staying at the Management Bureau or going to Apophysis, take a breath before deciding.
And if you’re being pressured by something, at least get some fresh air.
…But why has this guy been so quiet since earlier?
I turned my gaze from the dark ceiling toward Cha Si-eon.
“Are you finished talking?”
Almost simultaneously, Cha Si-eon asked.
“Yes, I’m finished.”
At my answer, Cha Si-eon turned to face the wall.
And then he said nothing more.
* * *
The next day, I was discharged from the hospital first.
And the day after that, a joint funeral ceremony was held.
All staff solemnly mourned the deaths of those who died in the line of duty.
From the last operation, 7 field team agents died and 4 sustained injuries severe enough to prevent their return.
And 2 submitted their resignations.
Personnel reinforcement was needed, but what would come from higher up was uncertain.
In the midst of this, the atmosphere was such that Cha Si-eon’s job transfer was becoming an established fact.
Of course, Cha Si-eon himself hadn’t been going around talking about it directly.
However, the Management Bureau had many eyes and ears, and the Field Team was always a department that drew attention.
Moreover, most of the staff knew.
That the leadership’s attitude toward Cha Si-eon this time had been terrible.
And that if trust was cracked, it was cleaner to split apart completely.
Even Apophis’s scouting offer was made with Kwon Mu-seop’s tacit approval.
Cha Si-eon’s expulsion and job transfer was also Kwon Mu-seop’s will, and it was a well-known fact that Cha Si-eon obeyed Kwon Mu-seop.
Yes, I also thought Cha Si-eon would likely move to Apophis.
Even if that happened, Cha Si-eon wouldn’t come to me beforehand to announce our parting.
So I decided to wait for the organizational restructuring plan that would be announced soon.
If Cha Si-eon left the Management Bureau, my new supervisor would be announced at the same time.
A few days later, the organizational restructuring plan was announced.
But wait, huh?
* * *
I looked at Cha Si-eon, who had returned to work, with unfamiliar eyes.
“Why are you here, Team Leader?”
At my question, Cha Si-eon looked at me with eyes asking what I was talking about.
So I asked again with a more precise sentence.
“Did you decide not to change jobs?”
“I never said I was changing jobs.”
“Didn’t the Section Chief say anything?”
“….”
When I mentioned Kwon Mu-seop, Cha Si-eon’s gaze wavered for a moment.
That’s when it happened.
“I’m back!”
Just then, Jae-gyeom entered the meeting room.
He had a bright, cheerful face and was holding takeout drinks in one hand.
Anyone could see he’d just come back from having a good time outside.
“Team Leader, thank you for the meal.”
Kwak Jae-gyeom bowed to Cha Si-eon, then pulled out a credit card and receipt from his pocket and offered them.
Cha Si-eon took both, kept only the card, and roughly crumpled up the receipt before throwing it in the trash.
“Hama asked me to tell you thank you. Here’s the proof shot!”
Cha Si-eon just nodded once at Kwak Jae-gyeom’s excited voice.
It seemed Cha Si-eon had sent Jae-gyeom to buy Yu-ju a meal or something.
What a grateful Cinderella repaying kindness.
But then.
“What about me, Team Leader?”
“…?”
“Aren’t you buying me anything?”
Cha Si-eon looked at me as if he’d heard something very strange.
It wasn’t just nagging, but truly an expression asking where I’d sold my conscience.
No, Ha Yu-ju bought those snacks, but I was the one who ran the errand.
So I have the right to get some too.
But Cha Si-eon’s thoughts were completely different, as he coldly muttered.
“When you should be buying it yourself, what are you….”
“Why should I buy it?”
“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”
“You’re the one who struggled alone, Team Leader. I never asked you to do anything.”
“I’ll return those exact words to you.”
“Wow, turning kindness into resentment like this.”
I complained wistfully and Cha Si-eon snorted as if it was ridiculous.
Kwak Jae-gyeom, who was watching this, muttered trivially.
“You two have gotten quite close.”
“As if.”
“Shut up.”
My denial and Cha Si-eon’s suppression crossed.
But Cha Si-eon looked at me again after hearing my words.
Somewhat incredulously.
What, what’s the problem now?
Just then, a group of people entered the meeting room.
It was Kwon Mu-seop, Yun U-jeong, and researchers from the Research Support Department.
Kwon Mu-seop glanced this way.
Seeing that his gaze sweeping over Cha Si-eon was no different from usual, it seemed fortunately both sides had reached an amicable agreement.
“If you’re ready, let’s start right away.”
At Kwon Mu-seop’s words as he sat down, Cha Si-eon went to stand at the podium.
Then, as if it was naturally his job to do, he began the briefing.
“I’ll report the exploration results.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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