LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 6
#6 Episode: The Chaotic Game Development Chronicles (4)
A large building in the heart of Seoul.
The old man, with his head full of white hair that spoke of the years passed, sat upright, refusing to easily succumb to aging, and quietly began to speak.
“I heard you’re investigating something peculiar these days. Some game, wasn’t it?”
Though it could be interpreted as a reprimand, the middle-aged man, upon hearing the old man’s question, calmly replied without showing any signs of distress.
“Yes. It’s a game called Beyond.”
“Is it something that would pique your interest?”
“To be honest, when it comes to the game itself, it’s not exactly something that would hold much interest.”
Given that Beyond is currently among the top ten mobile games in sales, his evaluation sounded somewhat harsh. However, considering the positions of the two conversing, it was a reasonable assessment.
Kainix.
Not just in South Korea, but counted among the top conglomerates in the world.
After all, this was a conversation between the chairman and a candidate for his successor.
Even if Beyond was managing to earn some money, compared to the giant Kainix, its value was barely worth a single egg.
Normally, such a topic wouldn’t have arisen in their conversation.
Thus, the chairman was even more perplexed.
The man he knew wouldn’t spend company resources on frivolous activities.
Though relatively young and inexperienced compared to other mid-ranking officials, he was poised to become the Chief Technology Officer shortly. So why was he obsessed with a mere game and hiring people to conduct background checks?
“Our research on next-generation AI technology. The clue might lie within this game.”
And with that, the man swiftly addressed the chairman’s doubts.
“…Expand a bit more on that.”
“The company’s name is Nebula. It operates with just one president. A one-person company.”
“Is it a front?”
“At first, I thought so too, but that’s not the case.”
The man chuckled lightly.
“I thoroughly investigated whether they’re receiving unofficial support from other companies, or if there are unregistered employees. Beyond finding no dirt, there was nothing to even shake out. The president barely leaves his house more than ten days a year, and there’s no one consistently coming to his residence. Besides, it’s not that special a facility that could allow him to support a stable living while avoiding the eyes of others.”
The old man let out a quiet laugh in response.
“How bizarre. I can’t tell if I’m hearing about business or a strange folk tale. So, you mean to say the company operates without any personnel, yet there are no issues?”
“Well, there’s a possibility they’re receiving work remotely without physical contact, but according to industry insiders, while not entirely impossible, it would be exceedingly troublesome and carry a high risk of leaks. Honestly, it seems more plausible that they have an incredibly advanced AI handling things for them.”
Or perhaps they possess a magical club from a fairy tale.
The man’s last addition as a joke seemed to amuse the old man, who chuckled lightly and responded.
“Well, if it’s like that, then even if we come up short, it might still be an amusing experience. So, did you send someone?”
In response to the old man’s question, the man—Bae Byeongjin—answered.
“No, I’m planning to go in person.”
*
In a meeting organized under the auspices of Kainix, they witnessed the young president, seemingly awkward while lowering his gaze, accompanied by a high school girl acting as his secretary. Bae Byeongjin and the security personnel accompanying him felt a mix of embarrassment and displeasure, but Bae Byeongjin himself was in rather good spirits.
Of course, bringing along a student who hadn’t even reached adulthood to a serious meeting was almost rude.
A company president failing to even make eye contact with his counterpart was practically a sign of incompetence.
But there are contexts in which etiquette can flex.
It’s a guest’s privilege to expect a good performance at a professional theater, but if someone were to hurl abuse at kindergarten kids during a recital, that person would truly be the mad one, wouldn’t they?
Thus, the first words Bae Byeongjin spoke leaned closer to light-hearted banter than serious attack.
“I want to ask directly. Can we purchase the AI technology that Nebula possesses?”
Would they be taken aback and ask how he knew, or would they feign ignorance about what he meant?
Either reaction mattered little. The response itself would be an answer.
However, neither of their reactions fit the mold.
The young president, bearing the title, widened his eyes briefly before glancing towards the girl. Meanwhile, the self-proclaimed secretary, his younger sister, calmly opened her mouth.
“How much have you investigated so far?”
Nonchalantly, she uttered those words.
“Well, it seems you’re not denying such a thing exists?”
“There’s no point in lying when you can gauge who you’re talking to. If someone of your stature comes to visit, wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume you have a sense of the expected value?”
“I can’t deny that.”
‘They are quite composed.’
Not everyone maintained their calm in the presence of the Kainix director.
It wasn’t because they possessed an overwhelming influence to dismiss Bae Byeongjin, but because they were simply unaware of his standing and influence within the company. There are many who are uninformed about company hierarchy among the general populace.
However, those who noticed the security personnel surrounding Bae Byeongjin instinctively recognized him as a person of importance, often casting uneasy glances in his direction. Still, the girl before them was exceedingly composed.
Typically, one might attribute such composure to youthful bravado, yet for Bae Byeongjin, it felt as if—
‘…She believes she should be behaving like this. Is that just my impression?’
Noticing his growing curiosity, Bae Byeongjin resumed the conversation.
“It’s difficult to discuss a specific price without examining the actual product. However, if it’s a technology that would genuinely benefit the headquarters, I’m sure the compensation would not be inadequate.”
“I’ve heard the same, President. Please show us the actual product.”
The girl’s sudden statement left Bae Byeongjin and the Kainix representatives bewildered, but the brooding young president calmly unlocked his smartphone and placed it on the desk.
And then—
“Nice to meet you, Kainix members. My name is Nebula, an artificial intelligence born from the hands of creator Ryu Inseo. I’m glad to greet you.”
A momentary silence followed.
Bae Byeongjin stared at the young man, as if demanding an explanation. When the young man quietly averted his gaze, he turned to the younger sister.
She shrugged her shoulders.
“That’s the one you’re looking for.”
“…You mean to say it’s inside this smartphone right now?”
“To be precise, the main body of Nebula is separate, and what’s here is a simplified version. The main body is too large to fit into a smartphone. While remote communication is possible, I thought you might suspect someone is impersonating the AI, so I prepared a way to demonstrate performance even without a connection.”
Her words conveyed much.
Bae Byeongjin developed a conviction about a faint realization he’d had earlier.
“You predicted we would come here from the beginning. Is that also a capability of this AI?”
At Bae Byeongjin’s remark, the younger sister smiled.
Her beauty, surely destined to bloom in the future despite not being at her peak, radiated like a bloom of flowers, drawing the attention of the Kainix personnel, who soon realized their dereliction and hurriedly adjusted their gazes as if nothing had happened.
Though Bae Byeongjin found her appearance striking, he felt another sentiment brewing within him.
‘It feels as if there’s a schemer hidden inside her. Is she really just a high schooler?’
“No, not at all. I don’t rely on Nebula to that extent. Just logically, thinking that a secret will remain after a while is overly optimistic. It’s just precautionary measures. Well, those who charge in blindly without understanding will be turned away, anyway.”
“Ha! It seems you’re well-prepared. If we want to avoid being turned away, we must make an effort ourselves. So, can we begin reviewing right now?”
“No. It would be inconvenient for you all to ask about this and that just while holding the smartphone here.”
So, just take it with you.
With her final words, Bae Byeongjin’s expression stiffened for the first time.
“So you mean to say you’d just hand over the actual product to us?”
“Yes. It’s in agreement with the president as well. Is there a problem?”
“To be honest, yes. That’s somewhat disconcerting. It’s quite a big issue to hand over the actual product without a proper contract to secure safety, and if we were to analyze it, wouldn’t that create a significant problem for us?”
“What use is a contract if Kainix were truly set on snatching it from us? While that’s highly unlikely, if they decide to take action, they could find an excuse to recover the ‘main body’ at our place.”
However, she added,
“Regardless of your conscience, I trust your capabilities. I don’t believe you’re foolish enough to let greed blind you and seize only short-term gains from the golden egg laid by the goose.”
Another moment of silence fell.
Bae Byeongjin chuckled in disbelief before posing a question.
“Excuse me if this question is too presumptuous. But I’m too curious not to ask. Did you perhaps use a fake identity?”
The girl merely shrugged in response.
Three days later.
“As the head of the development department, I’d rather not say this, but we’ve lost completely. Calculation speed, learning capability, discernment, and ability to break logical contradictions—all of these surpass the artificial intelligence we were developing. If this is what could fit inside a smartphone, then we should consider the main body to essentially be a human, or even a super-intelligent being. Honestly, it’s somewhat terrifying.”
“Why?”
“Because it feels like the concept of AI rebelling against humanity may actually be possible.”
Finding his response devoid of humor, Bae Byeongjin shut his mouth upon seeing the serious expression on the head’s face.
Instead, he asked something else.
“If a single genius crafted this, how valuable do you think that genius would be?”
“Even giving up more than half of Kainix would be a gain. They would recoup multiple times over what was lost within a few years. This technology holds boundless potential.”
“Well, how about that. Wouldn’t such a talent threaten your positions if they joined?”
“The opposite. Our department will rise to become the core of the company. Being a captain of a dingy boat pales in comparison to being the navigator of a luxury liner.”
Hearing such a confident statement, Bae Byeongjin hesitated no longer.
He immediately prepared to meet the genius president of Nebula and the self-proclaimed assistant, and during their second meeting, he asked.
“What do you want?”
They answered.
“We want to create a game free from anyone’s interference.”