Surviving Among the Entities

“Such immense virtuous karma is unprecedented. The scales not only tilted but indicated a journey to paradise!”
“One like you should not be confined in a detention center!”
“Seung-hoon, we shall release you!”

One of the sighing judges closed his eyes and extended his hand.
Just as when he had disabled the CCTV, darkness seeped into the bars, and the door opened by itself.

“But who are you people?”

As I exited the detention center, the judges respectfully bowed their heads in greeting.

“We are judges of the Private Law Enforcement Agency.”
“Judges who rectify those denied salvation by the rotten judicial system.”
“Judges who punish the wicked who go unpunished by the rotten judicial system.”

The Private Law Enforcement Agency.
One of the groups the Foundation had informed me about, which had been observed but currently lacked sufficient information to accurately determine their objectives.

“So you came here to punish the wicked as well.”
“Indeed. It is both punishment and salvation.”
“By punishing them, we erase their wicked karma.”
“Those who survive will return to the starting line, while the deceased will not fall into hell but return to the cycle of reincarnation.”

I heard quite an interesting story.

“So your judgments simultaneously erase the subject’s wicked karma while meting out appropriate punishment based on the severity of their wicked deeds?”
“This allows us to do so.”

The judge in the lead extended the scales.

“Humans accumulate virtuous and wicked karma throughout their lives, and the sum of these statistics determines their journey to either paradise or hell. This is a tool that judges one’s current karmic burden and delivers fitting rewards or divine punishments.”
“What is its name?”
“It is called the Scales of Good and Evil. For the wicked, it shows no mercy, instantly depleting their accumulated wicked karma to deliver divine punishment. But for the virtuous, it can partition their virtuous karma for flexibility in using it.”

The judges then told me:

“You, virtuous one, we wish for you to join us. Despite our appearance and explanation, you did not lose your composure, proving your worthiness to join us.”
“With you joining us, we may be able to achieve our ultimate goal that we have long sought.”
“The Supreme Chief Justice said that if one with virtuous karma capable of reaching paradise joined us, our goal would be realized.”
“Your virtuous karma can easily achieve this and more, allowing you to save the world.”

Ah, so that’s why they were so kindly explaining everything to me – they wanted something.

“May I have some time to think it over?”
“Take as much time as you need.”
“We shall await your answer.”
“Before that, we shall release you from this place.”

A white aura emerged from the body of the judge holding the scales.
Facing the “paradise” side of the scales, the judge declared:

“I shall sacrifice my virtuous karma to nullify Seung-hoon’s confinement in the detention center.”

Then, another created a zipper on the wall, and when unzipped, it connected to an alleyway somewhere in the city.

“With this, it will be as if you were never confined.”
“Now go, and take this.”

One of the judges handed me a small business card.
The number on the card was an ordinary ‘010’ mobile number, nothing special.

“If you wish to join us, contact us at any time.”
“Our work is to save humanity.”
“To compensate for this world’s rotten judicial system and save humanity.”

After creating another zipper in the wall, they departed through the passage.
The glimpse I caught through the passage showed a sign written in French.

‘An entity with an extremely wide range or no limitations.’

I emerged from the alley.
Upon arriving home, the incident at the police station was being broadcast as a special report.

[Mass Casualties at Bucheon Police Station Detention Center]
[According to surviving witnesses, multiple intruders dressed as judges carried out a massacre.]

After a few minutes, the report’s content changed.

[Detention Center Tragedy Caused by Gas Exposure, Asphyxiation, and Hallucination-Induced Riot]
[Previous Witness Testimonies Also Due to Hallucinations from Gas Poisoning]
[Building’s Deterioration the Cause, Who is Responsible for the Tragedy?]

It seems the Foundation had intervened.

“There’s no mention of me.”

If the Foundation had intervened, they would have directly contacted me, knowing I was involved.
But the absence of such contact meant that during this incident, information about my involvement had disappeared without the Foundation’s knowledge.

‘An effect created by the Scales of Good and Evil?’

The zipper that transcended space.
The darkness that seemed to dismantle or destroy the abilities of objects.
And the scales that judged one’s karmic burden to deliver punishments or rewards.

“The Private Law Enforcement Agency.”

Quite an intriguing group.

I recorded information about the Private Law Enforcement Agency in my “Notebook in My Mind.”

[They possess multiple entities, and there is a possibility they have an entity capable of manipulating information and perceptions, so I am recording their information in my notebook.]

Groups that utilize entities also appeared in the game.

[With a few exceptions, the groups that appeared in the game were no different from entities that hindered the player’s survival.]
[It was common for a single group to possess multiple entities, and when encountering them, the strategy was to quickly assess what entities they were using and their dispositions by utilizing the group’s information, then respond accordingly.]

[For the Private Law Enforcement Agency, accumulating virtuous karma currently seems sufficient to deal with them, and they do not appear to pose any further threat to me.]

The stronger the Foundation’s power, the lower the probability of groups appearing, just like with entities.
Fortunately, in the present reality, there have been no issues so far, since the Munchkin Merry Constellation, the root cause of the Foundation’s downfall, had equally attacked other groups.

However, with the Foundation’s current weakening, groups seem to be starting their activities gradually.

[Even if they do not target me, there is a possibility they may adversely affect humanity.]

A group is a gathering of those who share a common goal.
Whether voluntary or forced, they will ultimately act to achieve that goal.

[What is their goal?]
[During our encounter in the detention center, they revealed much information.]
[1. They punish the wicked and rectify the virtuous. By punishing the wicked, they reset their wicked karma, and by using virtuous karma to aid the virtuous, they rectify everyone.]
[2. They resolve matters through their own power instead of relying on national laws.]
[3. They possess multiple entities to realize this.]
[4. From their expression “this world’s rotten judicial system,” it seems they distrust the current judicial system.]
[5. It is unknown whether this includes only Korea’s judicial system or overseas as well. However, they at least seem to have a branch in France.]
[6. If their domain and targets of judgment include overseas, then their stated “ultimate goal” likely has global implications.]
[7. From their statement that my joining, with virtuous karma capable of reaching paradise, could help them achieve their ultimate goal more quickly, their ultimate goal seems to require a large amount of virtuous karma.]

And from what I observed, their goal was clear.

[8. The Private Law Enforcement Agency’s ultimate goal is presumed to be the punishment of all wicked individuals, the rectification of the virtuous, and the activation of entities to achieve this.]

A simple yet clear and resolute goal.
The simpler the goal, the less noise, allowing the group to maintain stronger unity.

[Questions]
[1. They emerged rapidly after the Foundation’s downfall. How did they acquire multiple entities in that short timeframe?]
└[1-1. Possibility of transactions or collaborations with entities like the Suspicious Merchant, Golden Omnipotent Corporation, Lucifer Company, or equivalent.]
└[1-2. Or their leader could be an entity.]

[2. Their mentions of karmic burdens, paradise, and hell suggest they follow the East Asian afterlife concepts. The Scales of Good and Evil also seem to be an entity created in the East Asian hell. However, the Karma Call Center had abandoned strict punitivism for reformative and conciliatory approaches, yet the Scales of Good and Evil’s punishment function was extreme punitivism.]
└[2-1. Did they acquire an entity created during the punitivist era? Or like with the Hell Train, are there factions within the East Asian hell?]

[3. They said their ultimate goal could be achieved even without me. Since there are many virtuous individuals in the world, the achievement of their goal is inevitable. But what kind of world would it be after their ultimate goal is realized?]
└[3-1. Would their ultimate goal truly benefit the human world? From cases like the Munchkin Merry Constellation, One Remaining Monkey’s Paw, and the Dimensional Explorer, the benevolence of entities does not directly correlate with human survival.]

Ultimately, they will achieve their goal.
Therefore, I must choose.

[Choices]

[1. Report to the Foundation.]
[1-1. The Foundation is already aware of their existence. Since I was the only one who received their contact information, they likely possess means to deter the Foundation, which the current Foundation cannot neutralize.]
[1-2. This choice will result in severing my connection with the Private Law Enforcement Agency.]

[2. Observe passively.]
[2-1. I must hope their ultimate goal is positive.]
[2-2. If it turns negative, I too cannot be free from its effects.]

[3. Participate.]
[3-1. By participating in the group, I can obtain information and assess the potential of their goal.]
[3-2. Through my right eye, I can discern if their actions will lead to destruction.]
[3-3. If their goal benefits humanity, I can assist; if not, I can interfere or impede them.]

“Writing helps clarify thoughts and aids decision-making, they say.”

Having written it out, the answer to what I should do became clear.
I immediately called the number on the business card.

“Hello?”
-Seung-hoon.

Beyond the receiver, I heard the voice of the judge from the detention center.

-Will you join us?
“Yes.”

From now on, I will become a member of the Private Law Enforcement Agency.

“I implore you.”

I arrived at the agreed meeting place.
I did not inform the Foundation, conscious of the dangers posed by entities activated through information or conditions, and with the sincere intention of joining this group.

“You’re here.”
“Come this way.”

A man dressed as a judge appeared by unzipping a wall.
Crossing through the hole in the wall, I arrived inside an unknown building.

“We truly welcome your joining. However, our goal is so distant and grand, and there are those who cannot understand and may interfere, so we wish to confirm your sincerity.”
“Will you use a lie detector or something?”
“We have an even fairer method.”

The interior was solemn, connected to a massive door, in front of which stood a statue of a goddess with a blindfold.

“That is the Statue of Justice. It discerns truth from falsehood for those who visit this place.”
“A lie detector, then.”
“Do not compare the goddess’s power to discern absolute truth with a mere machine.”

He demonstrated.

“As a member of the Private Law Enforcement Agency, I declare my devotion to serving humanity.”

The statue showed no reaction.
Then, another judge appeared from the other side.

‘So they share the zipper ability. Not a single entity, then.’

The judge who emerged through the zipper in the wall was also escorting an outsider like me.

“You’ve also brought one who has accumulated virtuous karma.”
“He had visited once before but had to briefly leave due to an urgent matter. Since he is first in order, we shall test his sincerity first.”
“Very well.”

The judge pushed forward a man with a benevolent appearance.
Following the judge’s instructions, the man repeated the same words.

“As a member of the Private Law Enforcement Agency, I declare my devotion to serving humanity.”

At that moment:

『A lie.』

The man disintegrated.
The red stain left on the floor, the blood splattered around, and the leather and cloth fragments that were once the man were all that remained to indicate his existence.

“He lied.”
“What a pity.”

Like a fly swatted by a fly swatter.
Though I had not consumed “Friendship,” even with my superhuman physical abilities, I could only observe the result, unable to perceive the moment itself – a death I too could not have avoided.

“Now it is your turn.”
“Yes.”

Of course, under the premise of eventually betraying them.

“As a member of the Private Law Enforcement Agency, I declare my devotion to serving humanity.”

Why would I betray them?
If their goal is truly for the sake of humanity.
If a righteous society where the virtuous are rewarded and the wicked punished is established.
If the result greatly benefits humanity.
Then I am sincerely prepared to devote myself alongside them.

『Truth.』

The Statue of Justice declared.

“Welcome, new judge.”
“Welcome, new judge.”

So I beseech you, may it truly be so.

“Thank you.”

For if not, I shall destroy you all to stop it.

“I look forward to working with you.”