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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Test of Trust
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Three boats floated idly on the Han River.
Inside them, people were locked in heated arguments.
"What are you doing! Press the button right now!"
"Get out of the way! If you won't press it, I will!"
"Are you all crazy? How can you act like this when we don't even know if the others pressed it or not?"
"Exactly! What if they pressed it? Do we all just die? We'll all live if everyone presses it anyway!"
Three boats.
Three bombs.
Three buttons.
The boat that pressed the button would definitely survive.
But if they didn't press it, they might die.
In fact, logically, this button shouldn't be pressed. Everyone would survive anyway if no one bothered to press it, right? In fact, if I hadn't mentioned this button existed, no one would have known about it, and they'd all be living peacefully. Pressing the button was pointless. All they had to do was pretend the button wasn't there at all.
However, this is where a fundamental human problem arose.
'Suspicion.'
The suspicion of, 'What if I don't press it, but everyone else does?'
"If even one of those two boats presses it, we all die!"
Yes.
The words of the man on the broadcast represented the people's psychology.
I had set one rule.
If even one boat pressed the button within the 30-minute time limit, the remaining boats would all explode.
However, if a boat pressed its own button, it would survive regardless of whether the others pressed theirs.
That alone was enough to make people think, 'What if...? What if there's a lunatic on one of those other boats who just presses the button? Wouldn't we all die a dog's death? Shouldn't we just press our button too?'
While that might have been motivation enough to press the button, I added another condition to push people further.
Paradoxically, if all three boats pressed the button to blow up the others, everyone would survive.
"The other boats must be thinking the same thing as us and will press it! If we just press the button, everyone lives!"
Yes.
It was about alleviating people's guilt.
Instead of 'if I press this button, others die and only I live,' I made them think 'if I press this button, others can live too,' thereby justifying the act of pressing it.
No, if you press it, you definitely survive, and if others press it, they survive too? Wouldn't you be a fool not to press it? I wanted them to think like that.
And my thoughts proved correct, as the hidden cameras on the three boats showed quite a few hardliners advocating for that very opinion.
However, there was one major flaw in their argument.
"What if! What if there's someone on one of those boats who *doesn't* press the button? Then we'd be killing them!"
Finally, a woman's scream erupted from one of the boats.
That was the truth the pro-button people overlooked, or perhaps deliberately ignored.
If someone trusted others and didn't press the button, then those who *did* press it would effectively be killing them.
A problem that would have ended if everyone had simply trusted each other and *not* pressed it, was now pushing them towards death precisely because someone *did* press the button.
And quite a few people began to agree with that perspective.
The interiors of the three boats were quickly descending into chaos.
Yes. This was the scene I wanted to orchestrate.
Whether to trust others or betray them. Whether pressing the button was right or wrong. The sight of them fiercely debating that.
A scene similar to the "Prisoner's Dilemma" on a ship, an idea I'd gotten from a movie I'd seen long ago.
Although, unlike that scene, this was happening in broad daylight on the Han River instead of at night... I still felt quite proud.
Honestly, preparing this was quite difficult. Unlike the movie I saw, smartphones are widespread in this world, so I had to block surrounding signals to prevent them from hearing about other boats' situations, and it was tough attaching bomb-like devices while avoiding the watchful eyes of the police... But the result seemed to turn out well, so perhaps it was worth it.
I had designed this 'terror attack' specifically to minimize casualties.
Of course, I had no intention of killing anyone. Until recently, I was just an ordinary civilian. I'm doing all this because I have a plan.
Lost in thought, I watched the situation inside the boats once more.
Boat #1, where people had initially agreed not to press the button, seemed to have settled on that course of action despite some minor arguments.
Boat #2, where the pro-button and anti-button factions were fiercely clashing, was still embroiled in a frantic struggle.
And Boat #3, which had tried to appear the most rational until now...
"Alright. Everyone close your eyes. Those who think we should press the button, please raise your hand."
...They were holding a vote.
What even is this? It's a bit dizzying. At least it's quiet and relatively normal, but still, hmm.
Anyway, I was watching the video projected onto the rooftop wall when I briefly turned my head to look at Stardust, who stood a little distance away beside me.
"....."
She was still watching the video, her face stern, her lips pressed together.
I had threatened that if she touched me, I'd immediately order my subordinates to detonate the bombs on all boats. So, because of the hostages, she couldn't lay a hand on me, and was forced to stand there, watching the video and seething in anger until a better idea came to her.
After all, if a boat pressed the button, at most only one or two boats would explode. So, she was probably thinking of rescuing them afterward. The Association would likely have the same policy.
...Of course, the best outcome would be for all three boats to either not press the button or all press it so everyone survives, but from the way things were going, that didn't seem likely.
Anyway, lost in these thoughts, I observed Stardust's profile.
"...."
...Wow.
You know, seeing her up close like this, continuously... she really is beautiful.
Stardust, the hero protagonist of the comic [Stardust!]. Her real name was Shin Haru.
One of the few Korean superhero comics drawn by a Korean artist. And its protagonist was indeed depicted as quite a beauty in the comic.
...And in reality, she was even more so.
Lustrous blonde hair, as if it held starlight.
A red latex suit clinging to her entire body.
And on top of that, an unbelievably stunning appearance.
It might be my bias as she's my favorite character brought to life, but even accounting for that, her beauty was insane. My favorite character, in reality. I could die happy....
Of course. It wasn't time to die yet.
Perhaps because I was staring quite openly, she glanced my way and frowned.
"You... Do you really think you'll get away with this?"
Even her voice was beautiful.
...Right. This isn't the time for such thoughts. Stick to the plan, stick to the plan.
I cleared my throat for a moment, then spoke with forced cheerfulness.
"Why such harsh words? Honestly, have I pressed the button to kill everyone on the boats? Have I done anything? Whatever happens, it's all their choice. I merely gave them a little push."
Before Stardust could curse me again for my words, I quickly added.
Now, with less than ten minutes left on the timer, it was time to move to the next stage.
Thinking this, I continued speaking.
"Actually, Ms. Stardust. As I said before, I personally admire you. Your unwavering sense of justice in this harsh world. What you said in an old interview—that everyone has the courage to sacrifice themselves within them... Ah, truly a masterpiece."
"So what are you getting at...?"
"So I! I want to offer you an opportunity."
Saying that, I snapped my fingers.
And simultaneously, the pre-installed lights around us flickered on.
The lights shone on Stardust, and while she squinted at the sudden brightness.
I spread my arms wide and declared.
"Indeed! Can you, the most righteous of all, make even these selfish people act the same way? Can you persuade everyone to choose *not* to press the button? I'll give you that chance."
"—If you give some strange, un-hero-like persuasion telling them all to press the button, I will detonate them immediately."
As I spoke, the camera next to us flickered back on.
"Less than ten minutes remaining now! With ten minutes left on the timer, our hero, Stardust, has something to say!"
"Will her speech truly influence the people?"
"This video will now be broadcast live to the passengers inside the boats! Passengers, please pay close attention!"
With those words, all the cameras around me turned to Stardust.
She seemed flustered by the sudden turn of events.
Anyone would be flustered if you suddenly shoved a camera in their face and told them to give a speech to people.
However.
".....Ahem."
As expected of a professional hero, perhaps. She quickly grasped the situation and began looking directly into the camera.
After a moment of thought, she opened her mouth and spoke clearly.
"Greetings, everyone. This is A-rank Hero Stardust."
Yes.
The opportunity I had given her was precisely this.
With one boat already choosing not to press the button, and the remaining two struggling not to, could she truly, through her speech, suggest a path where everyone could live? Could she persuade them? Could *she*?
And as if answering my question.
She calmly began to speak.
"They say that everyone holds a certain belief deep within their hearts."
And so.
In broad daylight, over South Korea. From there, the sudden speech of a hero began to echo, reaching the passengers inside the boats and the people across the nation watching this broadcast.
***
"...So, everyone, please put down the buttons you hold in your hands. Trust me, trust the people beside you, trust us who live together. Please. So you can stand tall before your friends and family. So you can be proud of your choice today in the future. Let's show this villain. That we are strong. That our mutual trust will not be shaken by such a trivial thing."
"...Thank you."
How much time had passed like that?
Finally, even with little time remaining, Stardust calmly looked into the camera. Her compelling speech to everyone came to an end.
And for a moment, the passengers on the broadcast, who had been staring blankly at the video.
[...Yes. We have to trust.]
[That's right! If we all just don't press this stupid button from the start, wouldn't all the problems be solved?]
[Hear, hear!]
[Hmm... Rationally speaking, if this video was broadcast to everyone simultaneously, then unless it's a trap, we don't need to press it.]
Finally, after a rather long discussion among themselves.
Ultimately, no one pressed the button until the time limit expired.
Even Boat #2, which had been the most radical, performed the act of throwing its detonator overboard.
And finally, a voice announced that the time limit had expired, echoing through the boats.
To the passengers, who had been inwardly tense, a mechanical voice declared that no one had pressed the button, and everyone cheered, embracing each other and dancing in joy.
"...Whew."
Stardust, standing beside me, also seemed relieved that everyone had survived.
This would probably be uploaded to YouTube tomorrow. Something like, "[K-Hero Who Shocked Japan, Amazed Europe, and Made America Envious! Passengers Shed Tears and United After Hearing Her Words?]"
Anyway, that's how the situation unfolded.
And I, watching the scene unfold from beside Stardust.
"Huh? Oh, haha... This can't be right? Humans, such selfish humans, changing so suddenly just because of a few words?"
I wore an expression of great shock, clutching my head and stumbling.
Carefully adjusting the camera angle to ensure my reaction was clearly visible, I performed diligently.
"This can't be..."
As I muttered loudly, my face frozen in disbelief.
Inside, I was quietly smiling, overjoyed.
' ...Just as planned.'
Everything went perfectly, even better than I'd anticipated.
Far better than I'd imagined.