The day of the result came. Thousands of gaming companies had entered the competition but only one will win the contest. Colin got to know from somewhere that Hwang Group's heir also entered the competition. He told this to Ji Woo. Ji Woo always hated the big conglomerate which made his Appa work like a slave. But he has nothing to worry about as he knows he is capable enough to win this competition. Besides, even if they do not win, they have nothing to lose. They were already famous in the Asia market.
Chairman Hwang's Office
Secretary Baek was ordered to do a background search on the start up- YERIN as YERIN will be facing JW Games in the finals. The Chairman had already bribed the judges for JW Games to come this far. He did not have faith in that bastard, so he thought that money is the only way to win the competition which will make everyone believe that Chairman Hwang's legacy has been maintained by Bae Hoon. He sent Baek to talk to the Judges' panel and bribe them. Baek, summoned his aide. But to their shock, the organizers had decided to change the judges panel and bring in young judges just before the finals to maintain transparency.
The aide arranged a discreet meeting with them. In a quiet tea house, he laid out the generous offer before the new judges, emphasizing it was a no-strings-attached "donation."
Lee Junshik, the senior most among the young judges, listened patiently, sipped his tea, and gave a small, apologetic smile.
"I appreciate the offer. But I must decline. It is not a matter of money, I think I have enough; it is a matter of principle."
The aide leaned forward. "Nothing is impossible, Lee. Every system has its... flexibility."
"Not this one," Lee replied, his smile never fading. "You see, the fairness of this competition is not guarded by men, but by machine. The judging is overseen by an AI Security System developed by my company The Turing-Lovelace Foundation itself. Our scores are entered blindly. The algorithm cross-references our evaluations in real-time. Any statistical anomaly—a judge's score deviating too far from the others, or a sudden shift in a judge's pattern—immediately flags the entry for a full, automated audit by a separate government-affiliated ethics board. If my company is found to be involved in any wrongdoing, it will absolutely tarnish its reputation. So I decline."
He poured more tea for the stunned aide.
"Even if I wanted to, I could not alter the outcome. The system is designed to be corruption-proof. My score is just one data point. Besides, the other judges are very well established in their gaming career and are from different countries. No one will play this dirty to hack a national-level AI, all without triggering the most sophisticated anti-collusion protocols in Korean esports put in by my company which means, it's corruption free. The risk to your Chairman's reputation would be catastrophic." Said the judge sarcastically.
The aide left.
The Chairman's composure shattered, his face darkening like a thundercloud as the news of the rejected bribe settled in. The sheer audacity of the refusal was a direct insult to his power.
Just then, Secretary Baek slipped back into the room, a single, slim file in his hand. "Sir, we have the full background on YERIN's CEO," he announced, placing it on the vast, polished desk.
The Chairman snatched it, his eyes scanning the pages with cold efficiency. Then, he stopped. A flicker of disbelief, then cold, hard recognition crossed his features. The CEO was none other than Ji Woo—Joo Won's loyal friend from the orphanage. The boy had been adopted by one of his own former employees Kang Tae-sung. Fate, it seemed, was dealing another card in its long game against Joo Won, and it had just handed the chairman the winning hand.
However, the sting of the rejected bribe still burned in his veins, mixing with the potent thrill of this newfound information. The two emotions collided into a single, violent impulse... he threw the file onto the table.
The Chairman's temper became his own worst enemy. His fixation on the recent opportunity caused him to neglect time, therefore failing at other possible attempts to secure victory for Bae Hoon. The time of results came near. With an impending fear of losing, the chairman attempted to have Bae Hoon withdrawn from the contest. But nothing could stop the inevitable fate.
Of the 9,451 submissions, only two games were selected for the final showcase: Zombie Idol Savior and Aperture. As the top test players prepared to demo the titles, the development teams were required to be on-site for immediate technical support. And so, facing the stage—Ji Woo's team stood on the left, Bae Hoon's on the right.
Bae Hoon was not intimidated at all of YERIN's achievements. He knew that whatever happens, he will not let his team feel sad. It is a remarkable feat that they reached the top two and facing a gaming start up.
The two leaders, however, did not even look at each other as they were too focused on the gameplay. It was being aired globally. First Bae Hoon's game would be played. He was called up on the stage to explain the story of the game and why he developed this game.
He gave a speech as the team leader.
(He walks on stage with charming smile and takes the mic) People already started cheering for his handsomeness.
"Hi everyone. I am Hwang Bae Hoon. My team and I JW Games present this game to you."
Imagine this: you wake up in a mysterious room with a fear of impending attack from the villains. Your heart is pounding. You have to find the portal to the magic world to escape—but it's in a different place every time!
And you have to be FAST.
If you're too slow... an army of deadly hunters bursts in. Game over.
But if you make it?
You burst out into an amazing magical world—and you get a SUPERPOWER!
Maybe you turn invisible. Maybe you can throw fire. Maybe you can FLY! You never know what you're gonna get.
Here's the best part: you're not alone. You team up with two other players online.
But there's a twist: the hunters followed you through the door... and now THEY have powers too!
You and your team have to use your random powers TOGETHER to take them down. Your mission? Fight your way to a hidden paradise called the 'Sanctuary Grove,' filled with treasure.
But it's not just about fighting. You have to solve puzzles. Work as a team. Unlock secrets.
Win, and you get rewards that make you stronger next time.
So... ready to take the leap? Said Bae Hoon waiting for the audience's reply.
"YES"...Shouted the audience.
Great! Let us find the door. Claim our power. Fight back together.
Fighting!!."
As to why he developed the game...he said that he found solace in a video game as a lonely child, often locking himself away to play. His voice grew soft as he recalled a steadfast online ally in a game Chronos Legacy: The Sunken Cipher, Mightydragon0301, whose presence always evoked the memory of another cherished friend. With tears glistening in his eyes, he concluded, "This game... it's for Mightydragon0301. Thank you, online friend, wherever you are." Everyone clapped in encouragement.
Wait... Mightydragon0301? That was his old username. Ji Woo's breath caught in his chest. If Bae Hoon was talking about Mightydragon0301... did that mean the man on the other side of the stage was Startrooper0103—his long-lost childhood gaming friend? A plan crystallized in his mind: when he took the stage, he would reveal his own identity, acknowledging the tribute.
The crowd's roaring approval for Aperture was undeniable. The game was a masterpiece of design, thrilling players with its unique mechanic of randomized supernatural abilities and its breathtakingly sleek, high-resolution visuals that made every moment a cinematic experience.