Chapter 141 - CPF
People have dreams, and everyone has experienced moments where they sacrificed sleep, pouring passion and effort into their pursuits.
Kang Si-hyuk, a police officer at the Gangnam police station, also went through that.
In his younger years, he saved time even for meals while preparing for the police officer exam.
Despite facing repeated failures, he never gave up because his primary motivation since childhood was to become a detective.
"I wanted to be a righteous police officer who catches criminals like the incredible detectives in movies."
With that dream in mind, he passed the exam after two failures and reached where he is now, but...
What awaited him was not a job as a detective but tasks like patrolling for alcohol or traffic control.
That was common for a simple patrol officer who only studied hard.
"But my chance also came."
On January 1, he participated in the angel game known as the "Great Rebirth" or "Great Disaster," and he couldn't help but despair.
"Was it difficult to become a police officer just for it to end like this?"
However, talent sometimes shines without one knowing it.
Unexpectedly, Kang Si-hyuk, who showed skills in monster hunting, skill and rune usage, managed to survive until round 9.
Now, he has been recruited as a member of the newly established God Players unit, known as CPF (Counter Player Force).
The one who used to push alcohol meters in traffic checks is now part of this force.
"Not giving up will eventually open a path, and it turns out the Great Rebirth became a disguised blessing."
Although he doesn't know how others are doing, for Kang Si-hyuk, at least this moment is the peak of his life.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a chance to make his dream come true.
Ding-dong...
Opening the door and entering the temporary meeting place of CPF, Kang Si-hyuk saw five people sitting while looking at their phones.
"Oh, hello! I'm Kang Si-hyuk, a 28-year-old police officer transferred from the Gangnam police station."
"You don't need to put in so much energy. We're all police officers here."
"Oh, really?"
Kang Si-hyuk scratched his head nervously.
"Pleasure. I'm Min Tae-su from the Daegu central station, 29 years old."
"I'm Hwang Man-gi from the Inchang station in Guri. I'm 28 years old."
"I'm Go Nam-cheol from the South Busan police station. I'm 29 years old. Do we need to mention our level and job too?"
"Oh, Busan?"
Listening to the introductions, it turned out they were people from all over the country.
Some of them couldn't find a place to stay and had to stay in hotels due to the urgency of the deployment order.
Of course, no one expressed complaints, as they weren't the ones satisfied with their patrol position.
"For us, this is an opportunity. When else could we work in such a special unit?"
"Yeah, I thought I'd only catch criminals after about 5 years. Who would have thought we'd have this opportunity?"
"I even feel grateful for becoming a player, can you believe it?"
Though they came hastily, everyone knew what kind of unit CPF was.
"A unit that eliminates criminal players. Wow, that's really cool!"
"I heard it's not just eliminating, but killing only when it's dangerous, right?"
"Well, that's what it is."
"Isn't it obvious that the world has become extremely dangerous?"
"But anyway, players decrease, right? There's no need to form a unit like this since they'll disappear whether they intervene or not, why create it?"
"Even if players decrease, the threat will still be a threat, right?"
"Hey, is your name Kang Si-hyuk? We're all of the same rank, so feel free to talk. After all, aren't you a base recruit, even if the levels might be different? Age is also more or less similar, right?"
"Ah, you think so? Haha."
The six player police officers quickly became friends.
With many common points and a shared interest in catching criminals, the conversation flowed easily.
"Hello, is this the temporary meeting place for CPF?"
"Hello."
The new recruits also gradually joined.
They were also player police officers, one of the few remaining in the country, and had similar goals and interests.
"Everyone is quite similar, aren't they? The desire to kill criminals."
"Honestly, as a public figure, I shouldn't say this, but when I see those beings that don't seem human, how to say it, the desire to kill arises."
"Do you feel the same? I've seen victims come to the station crying, and it's really a feeling of boiling blood in reverse, you know?"
"Those types that don't seem human have become players and act like monsters, so I guess this unit was created for that."
"Anyway, who is our unit leader?"
"Well, has anyone heard of the leader?"
"No one."
"Do we have a unit leader in our group?"
"Of course we do, because we're a unit."
"Do we choose it from among us?"
"How would we choose? Through rock, paper, scissors? Ha, ha."
"They'll probably pick a graduate officer from the police academy, right?"
"Then, can there be a surviving officer among the players?"
The unit members were eager to know who their leader would be.
They were only told to gather here at 8 p.m., with no additional details.
"I hope it's not a grumpy old man."
"It shouldn't be. After all, if you're a player, you must be under 29 years old, like us."
"Ah, that makes sense."
"Why would they assume the unit leader is a player? It could be a civilian."
"Oh, that can't be. Are unit members players, and the leader is a civilian?"
"Then, he'll follow orders quite well."
Although they guessed right that they were players, they had no idea about anything else.
"But how many player police officers can have survived in the whole country?"
"Isn't this all?"
"Oh, it can't be all."
At that moment, when the ten of them thought that.
"All of you."
The heads of the unit members turned towards a voice from a third party.
Whisper...
A man appeared in the air, with a white mask looking at them.
"Oh! What is this? Invisibility?"
"We didn't even feel your presence."
"You, who are you?!"
"Since when have you been there?"
"Since a while. I've been watching you from a surveillance dimension."
Ryu Min responded as he walked towards them.
The players couldn't take their eyes off Ryu Min, who appeared suddenly.
Some were on guard, ready to put on their gear at any moment.
It was a natural reaction.
After all, he was a suspicious man with a white mask covering his face.
Ryu Min looked at the members of his unit and said:
"No need to be on guard. I am the leader you've been waiting for."
Leader...?
That person?
Although he told them the truth, none of the unit members accepted it as it was.
First, they decided to doubt.
What leader hides his face with a mask?
Unless he's crazy.
"Hmm, he has an unpleasant face. Sure, it might seem strange to show up with a mask."
"Are you really the leader of our unit?"
"Why are you wearing a mask?"
"I don't want my face to be known. Besides, I got approval from the chief of the police station, so don't think wrong."
The members sighed discreetly.
Some were already silently regretting having gotten a strange leader.
How much fame does he have to hide his face?
Can we sell our faces then?
It's really incomprehensible.
From the first impression, he left a negative image.
Well, he didn't care.
"It doesn't matter how these guys see me. What's important is catching the criminals."
After all, Ryu Min was just visiting to train and teach them for a short time.
He didn't plan to spend the whole day here as if it were a 5-minute standby unit.
"I'll have to teach those who don't listen even by force."
Here, he was the supreme leader, so he could do as he pleased.
With solid backing and a police station chief who listened well, he had no issues.
Moreover, Ryu Min could see the future 7 seconds ahead.
He no longer worried about the image he projected, as he knew how they would react when he revealed his nickname.
"Let me introduce myself officially. My nickname in this world is 'Black Scythe.' I am a Reaper, and my level is 89. My true identity I cannot reveal, as you will understand."
"Black Scythe...?"
"It can't be that Black Scythe."
The players were surprised and puzzled to hear an unexpected nickname.
Every time the results were announced, the number 1 ranked nickname was Black Scythe.
He was also known as a monstrous presence due to his overwhelming level.
And now, he claimed to be that famous figure.
That's why there were also suspicious looks.
Go Nam-cheol, who came from Busan, expressed his doubts.
"Leader. I'm sorry for the first impression, but can you prove it? It's a hard story to believe."
"You should correct your dialect. Now that you're in Seoul, you should know how to speak standard."
"Don't evade the question and prove it already."
"Do you want proof?"
Looking at the others, they all shared the same thought.
They were starting to suspect if Ryu Min was pretending to be Black Scythe.
"Proof... will this be enough?"
A scythe materialized in Ryu Min's hand.
A large scythe that far exceeded the typical height of a Grim Reaper.
However, the players' doubts didn't disappear.
"Can't you buy a scythe in a store?"
"Eh? Were there scythes in the store?"
"Is that serious? I didn't know until now."
"It wasn't originally there, but it appeared when it reached Expert rank."
"Ah, so that's what it was?"
"Then, we can't be sure that he really had a scythe."
The members looked at him with distrust.
The suspicious look persisted.
"Now, even weapons are not enough to prove something?"
Of course, it would be resolved if he lent them the scythe and allowed them to read the information.
After all, they could only carry Master-rank or higher weapons.
"So, at least now, you'll believe that I am a powerful level 60."
However, Ryu Min was not willing to hand over the scythe.
Not because he feared they would take it away, but because its appearance showed no signs of life.
"In the end, these guys are members of the unit. There's no need to prove anything by giving them even the scythe."
Being the unit leader, he needed to show a strong charismatic presence.
Moreover, the first impression was crucial when facing each other in the future.
"I have to prove that I am Black Scythe and make a strong impression."
How could he achieve two goals with one action?
There was a simple way.
"If you don't believe me, let's do this. Let's have a duel."
"A duel?"
"At level 60, you can reach Master rank. Then, the challenge function is unlocked. It's a function that allows you to challenge someone, bet something, and fight. As I said, only I, level 89, can use this function."
"But does that not prove that you're Black Scythe?"
"No, it actually does. If you have also seen the recount results, you'll understand. There's a huge level gap between the first and second place in the entire region. Currently, there is only one Black Scythe in the world. Therefore, if there is someone who can use the challenge function, you should consider them as Black Scythe."
"But we can't be sure that the challenge function unlocks at level 60, right?"
"Well, you'll also find out when you reach level 60. But if you're not convinced, we could settle it more directly. Honestly, I don't care whether I am Black Scythe or not. I just want to know if I have the qualification to be the unit leader, if I am stronger or weaker than you. Isn't that right?"
"..."
Although they maintained impassive faces, the unit members were surprised inside.
Not because they discovered his true thoughts, but because they didn't expect him to speak so directly.
"So, who will be the first?"
"..."
"Nobody. Don't worry. If we mutually agree on the conditions, there's no risk of dying in a duel. That's the feature of the challenge function. Of course, there might be a possibility of dying from someone else's attack, but it only applies to the duel participants."
"..."
"So, nobody? I'll assume you recognize me as Black Scythe..."
At that moment, the first volunteer appeared.
"I'll try."
The man from Busan who challenged Ryu Min was Go Nam-cheol.