This Time, We'll Make It (Cheong San X Su Hyeok)

Chapter 24: As Destiny Closes In

Author's Note: So this came out a lot earlier than I thought it would, basically a week early, which is honestly great since you guys get to read it and I also get to read it all as well. This is it. The beginning of the endgame. I really hope you guys enjoy it because this was... oh boy... an uphill battle to write. A lot of things happen in this chapter, a lot of reveals, twists, truths, and a seemingly hopeless destiny to top it all off. It's almost 30,000 words guys, I didn't think I had to fit so much into one chapter, but HOO BOY. It's an emotional rollercoaster, so buckle up, have fun, and feel free to tell me what you think! 

In the waking hours of the morning, Cheong San made his way through the ashen wasteland of the Yangdong Province, trekking through the ruins of Hyosan. The shades of midnight have barely turned into the light of day as Cheong San snaked his way around the remaining zombie stragglers. Heaving his bag over his shoulders, Cheong San looked down the instructions once again and there was a hastily drawn map of the entrance to the Uploader's domain.

It was St. Benedictus Church.

It's quite peculiar that it's the same church that Tae Sul and Seo Hae both died at. The church shared the same name, but Tae Sul was unsure if it was the exact building. The choice that they had to make at the end of the Sisyphean loop. It all came down to the very location they were supposed to be married, but Cheong San figured that something else was going to happen here?

The girl? Or the world?

That wasn't the choice Cheong San was making here.

It was either himself or the world.

He could either choose to be selfless and live knowing that his time has already passed or he could choose to be happy with Suhyeok and everyone else. It felt so nice... feeling the warmth and home of Suhyeok's smile and everyone else he loved. Cheong San felt like he had everything he needed right then. However, there would always be something missing. It felt so nice that Cheong San almost decided to be selfish and choose himself, but it will never work out like that. Not when Cheong San finally found why that ending is practically impossible.

"When you start getting close to the Uploader, you're going to start experiencing 'the glitches.'" Tae Sul explained first as he went over the plan. Cheong San was confused at the concept of the glitches in the real world as opposed to a computer, but Tae Sul continued to explain it to him in a very comprehensive way, "Glitches are the manifestation of the errors that build up inside you due to breaking down of the Uploader's network."

Cheong San understood for the most part and he had an epiphany right then and there, "Wait, the Uploader's network is breaking down?"

Tae Sul nodded and he gestured to his own head, referring to his memories, "It is... because Byeong Chan is missing the last program needed to stabilize the Uploader. And it's safe within our minds as all three of us are the only people who know the program's code."

Cheong San mouthed an "O" of understanding before he accepted the logic behind Tae Sul's explanation, "That was why he needed the three of us, to not only torture you both in a living prison, but to ensure the existence of the Uploader since he needs it to infect the entire multiverse with the apocalypse."

"Exactly," Tae Sul snapped his fingers, commending Cheong San for getting it down in simple statements, "And normally when you upload your consciousness using the Uploader, the entire spirit and consciousness is transferred from one timeline to the next, and the network allows you to remember what you did in the previous one as it is only a transferral of matter... but in your case... that wasn't what happened..."

Cheong San tilted his head in confusion. If that wasn't what he did at the end of every timeline, then what did he do? "What do you mean? What did I do?"