Chapter 3: The Show Must Go On
“Get out of my way! If you don’t press it, I will!”
“Are you all crazy? They haven’t pressed it yet either. What’s the matter with you?”
“If we’re a little late, we’ll all die! You have to press it in advance!”
Two ships.
Two bombs
Two buttons.
The ship that pressed the button can live ‘unconditionally’.
However, the moment you do not press the button, you ‘may die’.
In fact, if you think about it rationally and realistically, there is no reason to press it.
If there is a button in front of you, no one will press it unless there is a lunatic who wants to press everything.
The situation is not like “Well, there are only prisoners on the other ship so those crazy bastards will press it!”
But also not “Both ships will explode if you don’t press the bomb!”
So if you think about it rationally, it is a win if you stay still. There is no need to press it.
Then! If you think about it rationally, there is no reason to press it, or can’t you just stop them from thinking rationally?
So my agitators quickly started incitement and fabrication!
“I’m telling you they’re going to press it! I know everything!”
“That’s right! We have to press it first to survive! Do you have any guarantee that they won’t press it? In this world, you either kill or be killed!”
That is why I put the agitators equally on two ships.
Even before people can think rationally, they will spread the rumors that if they do not press the button first, they will die.
As a result, people with a weak mentality will instantly feel anxious and scared.
Rational judgment will be blurred and eventually transformed into collective madness.
“Let’s press it first before they do!”…
Of course, however, it is now likely to lead to a fight between sense and sensibility.
The Sensibility, which is terrified by the incitement, would tell them to press that button immediately.
However, as time goes by, it will be the ‘sense’ that comes to their mind.
Why?
Because they will slowly realize over time.
“The other ship still hasn’t pressed the button either!”
The woman’s scream shook the hall.
That’s right.
People started to realize as time went by.
The other side has not pressed the button to blow their ship yet.
If you think about it, there is no reason for them to press the button.
The stage I set up is perfect.
First, I contacted the people to get them on the ships and then cut off the Internet.
Wifi? LTE? Nothing will be working.
People who were looking at their phones would think that their phones were dead.
And at the same time, I broadcast it live.
So this is the show that I already filmed beforehand.
There are bombs on your ships now.
If they explode, you are all going to die.
But there are detonators on the ships.
However, the detonator on your ship is not yours but the detonator of the bomb on the other ship.
If you press it, those people on the other side are going to die.
But oh, my! Your detonator is on the other ship.
Even if you do not press the button, who knows? The ship next to you might press it.
Whether to press the button or not. Do as you please.
The limit time is 30 minutes. Good luck.
And the chaos began.
It was like a war.
The captains were in torment with the detonators in the captain’s cabins and the passengers bawled out.
Yes. This is the scene.
The scene that I wanted to direct so much.
In the other movie which I watched before I fell into this world, the best scene of the movie was the fight between Batman and Joker.
Choosing between two ships at midnight.
Although it was between the prisoners’ ship and the cruise ship, and the background was at night in the movie.
Due to the circumstances of a grown-up, I could not implement it accurately.
I mean, there is no such thing as a prisoners’ ship in Seoul.
Even if this comic is about heroes with superpowers, a prisoners’ ship basically does not exist in Seoul, South Korea.
I thought that the dramatic tension might have gone down a little bit.
Well, there is another way to do that.
Phew, it was so hard to prepare for this.
Unlike then, people use smartphones in this world nowadays, so I have to block all of them.
There are so many other low-level heroes in this small country, I have to keep them from interfering.
The life of a villain is not easy either.
Anyway… Let’s see, are they still fighting?
Yeah, the first ship is still fighting.
I knew it. Just as I planned.
What about the second one?
“If you think we should press the button, raise your hand.”
Oh… People are closing their eyes and putting their hands up.
The captain is counting.
What is this? It’s not even a class president election in elementary school.
God. I feel a little dizzy.
Even if this is what I intended, it is still a little absurd.
Taking my eyes off the beam projector, I looked at Stardus who was standing far away from me.
She was still focused on the screen with her stiff face.
Wow.
But seriously,
She’s so pretty.
Stardus, the main character of the comic [Stardust!].
The main character in one of a few hero comics drawn by Korean authors.
And the first commercially successful Korean hero comic.
Stardus. Her real name is Shin Haru.
Glossy blond hair that shines like starlight.
The red latex suit hugs her whole body.
And an insanely pretty visual.
Wow, seriously…
Maybe because I finally met my favorite character in real life.
Seeing her in person like this makes me feel like I can die happily now.
Of course, this is not the time to die yet.
Yikes, did I stare too much?
She began to glare at me.
“…Do you think you’re going to get away after all of this?”
Her voice is also pretty.
Ahem, time for me to bury those thoughts down, and concentrate on my job again.
I said cheerfully.
“Jeez, your words made me sad. Honestly, did I tell people to press the button and die? What did I do exactly? I only threw them the detonators, and they’re making a fuss to press it on their own.”
After saying that, I grinned at her.
Honestly, since I manipulated the situation by putting people in there, I feel guilty.
But it doesn’t matter, as long as they are not caught! That’s right.
Stardus still has that annoyed expression on her face.
I continued talking to her.
“Honestly, I’m personally very interested in you, Miss Stardus. From what I see, you’re such an exemplary hero.
All of sudden, she looked back at me as if she was not sure what I was talking about.
Should I say something else to her?
“In an interview from the past, you said all humans have the courage to sacrifice themselves in their hearts. That’s a great saying. I had to stand up and clap as soon as I heard your words.”
Now, let’s laugh one more time here.
One second, two seconds, smile, and then speak up again.
Tap, flicked my finger.
As I flicked my finger, the pre-installed lights behind began to shine on her.
As she frowned at the sudden light, I continued the talk.
“So this time, I will give you one chance.”
“Can you change those selfish people, Stardus?”
As soon as I said that, the camera turned on again. The show might have switched to this place again, not the situation of the cruise ships anymore.
This will be broadcast to everyone, including people across the country and passengers on the ships.
“Yes, 20 minutes… have passed. 10 minutes to go! Our hero Stardus has something to say! Please listen! Attention, passengers!”
As soon as I finished, the camera started to turn towards her.
Stardus looked a little taken aback by the sudden situation.
But, as expected from a professional hero. She quickly figured out what was going on and began to look straight at the camera.
And she spoke up.
“Hello, everyone. This is the A-class hero, Stardus.”
Then all of sudden, she began to make a speech.
“Everyone, what do you think of the person next to you?”
Even in such a sudden situation, she talked naturally without shaking her voice.
So briefly, what she said was that the person next to them was also a loving family to someone. That you should trust other people. Blessed are those who believe. She told them not to worry. Well, something like that.
A three or four-minute short speech.
After her speech, which was so appealing to the end, I turned off the camera.
And looking at the situation in the room…
Some people stood up and clapped their hands in tears.
The captains shouted hooray and threw the detonators into the sea without hesitation. Huh?
They were suddenly all singing and praising humanity together, and then 30 minutes had passed.
The surviving passengers cried in joy and congratulated each other. Erm… That is what I intended but somehow it was a little too dramatic. It was like an 80’s movie about patriotism.
Anyway, Stardus seems relieved that everyone survived.
This will be uploaded on Youtube tomorrow. [Japan was surprised, Europe was shocked and the U.S. envied K-Hero!. The passengers were united in tears by her words!]. Just like this.
All right, it’s time to start acting again.
I naturally turned the camera to us…
Okay, go.
With a shocked look, I looked at the wall where the video was reflected and twisted my body slightly.
“W-What? This cannot be happening. Those selfish human beings…”
I murmured as if I were very bewildered. With a little louder voice, so that the camera can catch it well.
“No way…”
Oh, wait.
There is no way this cannot happen.
Some of the passengers and the captains are the ones I hired. Haha.
What if they press the detonator even though I already put the agitators in?
Usually, a show should be thoroughly planned.
It mostly happens differently from what the producer intended.
But always be prepared for variables.
To avoid that, obviously I have to control the situation.
Captains, passengers.
The script I made up.
Now, I have to act well.
I thought to myself, pretending to look at Stardus with a panicked look.
Stardus, Stardus. Shin Haru.
The woman who was always under pressure and harmed in the original comic.
Don’t worry.
I will make sure you only walk along a pleasant path.
Manipulation and directing.
Lies and deceit.
Whatever I can do.
Let’s continue with the acting again.
“This can’t be happening… What the hell is going on here?!!”