72 hours
1.
March 11, 2028, 8:07 AM.
Lee Jun-ho stood in the Line 2 subway car, gripping the handrail as he surrendered his body to the rush hour crowd. This was what the morning of a 42-year-old man always looked like. Same time, same car, same posture. Fifteen years as an accountant. His salary came in like clockwork, his wife managed the household without complaint, and his son had just become a fourth-grader.
It was ordinary. Excessively so.
Jun-ho's eyes stopped on his phone screen.
[Exchange Protocol]
You have been selected.
You have 72 hours.
Kill or be killed.
The message appeared in white text on a black background. There was no sender information. No number, no name, not even an app icon. Just a sentence filling the center of the screen.
Jun-ho tapped the screen twice. No response. He pressed the home button. The message didn't disappear.
"What is this."
His muttered words were buried in the subway noise. People around him were looking at their own phones. Someone was laughing, someone was dozing, someone was scrolling.
Then Jun-ho's phone vibrated.
The screen changed.
TARGET ASSIGNED
Name: Choi Do-yoon
Age: 42
Status: Active
Timer: 71:58:34
A photo appeared. A face that looked like it came from a high school graduation album. It was a photo from over 20 years ago, but Jun-ho recognized him.
"...Do-yoon?"
Choi Do-yoon. A high school classmate. They'd run into each other a few times at reunions after graduation, and he'd heard Do-yoon had started a real estate consulting company. That was all. They weren't close, and there were no special feelings between them.
Jun-ho couldn't understand why his name was here.
The timer blinked.
71:58:11
It was counting down by the second.
The subway stopped at a station. The doors opened and people poured out. Jun-ho followed them out. His office was two more stops away, but he stopped on the platform for now.
He looked at the screen again. The message was still there.
"Must be a prank."
Jun-ho opened his app list. There were no recently installed apps. He opened the settings screen to check for apps from unknown sources. Nothing.
He pressed and held the message. Delete, block, report. No buttons appeared.
"What the hell."
Jun-ho put his phone in his pocket and climbed the stairs to ground level. Seoul's streets during rush hour were as busy as always. People crossed the crosswalk with quick steps, and buses stopped at every stop.
Jun-ho started walking toward his office. His phone was quiet in his pocket.
2.
When he arrived at the office, the hallway was already in an uproar.
"Hey, did you get it too?"
"Isn't this some kind of hack?"
"But what does this even mean? Kill or be killed?"
Colleagues were gathered in the hallway, looking at their phones. Jun-ho passed between them and sat down at his desk.
Manager Kim from the next desk turned his head.
"Did you get it too, Section Chief Lee?"
"...Yeah."
"It's totally a hack, right? Like those smishing texts these days."
Manager Kim waved his phone. The same message was on his screen.
"But the weird thing is, it won't delete. I can't even see the app."
"Same here."
"I called IT, but they don't know either. The security team's phone is constantly busy."
Jun-ho took out his phone again. The timer was still running.
71:23:47
"What's this Target thing? I have some weird name showing up."
Manager Kim asked. Jun-ho covered his screen.
"I don't know either."
"Well, it's probably just a prank anyway. The government will make an announcement soon."
Manager Kim said this and returned to his seat.
Jun-ho looked at Choi Do-yoon's photo on the screen again. It was a face from 20 years ago, but the eyes were just as he remembered.
Why Do-yoon?
Jun-ho searched for Do-yoon's number. It was a number he'd found in the reunion group chat. He hesitated for a moment, then made the call.
The ringtone sounded. Once, twice, three times.
"Hello?"
It was Do-yoon's voice.
"Hey, it's Lee Jun-ho. From high school."
"Oh, Jun-ho. Long time no see. What's up?"
"Did you... get a weird message this morning?"
Silence flowed from the other end of the line.
"...You too?"
"Yeah. I got it."
"What is this? I thought I was the only one."
Tension mixed into Do-yoon's voice.
"Your name showed up on mine. As the Target."
"What?"
"Choi Do-yoon. Age 42. There's even a photo."
"...Jun-ho, you're not joking, right?"
"Why would I joke about this? I don't understand it either."
Do-yoon sighed.
"I have a name showing up too... but it's not you, Jun-ho."
"Then who?"
"Someone I don't know. A face I've never seen in the photo."
Jun-ho tapped the corner of his desk with his finger.
"This is a hack, right? Or some kind of virus."
"Seems like it... but I can't delete it. Even after rebooting, it's still there."
"Me too."
"Shouldn't we report this to the police?"
"I guess so. I think we should."
The two couldn't find anything more to say. Jun-ho checked the timer again.
71:19:02
"Let's keep in touch. I'll call you right away if I find out anything."
"Okay. Be careful."
The call ended.
Jun-ho put down his phone and turned on his monitor. An emergency notice was already posted on the company intranet.
[URGENT] Notice Regarding Messages Sent to All Employees
The message sent nationwide at approximately 8:00 AM today is presumed to be a cyber-terror attack.
Government authorities are investigating, and please do not respond to the content.
Work will proceed as normal until further notice.
Jun-ho scrolled down the screen. The comment section was flooded with posts mixing anxiety and confusion.
"But isn't this really scary?" "What does Kill or be killed even mean?" "What happens after 72 hours?"
Jun-ho didn't read any more comments. He looked out the window. Seoul's buildings rose high as always, and the sky was clear.
3.
3:12 PM.
A scream came from the office hallway.
Jun-ho looked up. People were crowding in one direction. He got up from his seat and went into the hallway.
"What's going on?"
"Look at the news, quick!"
Someone pointed to the TV in the break room. Employees were gathered, watching the screen.
The anchor's expression was hardened.
"...Regarding the messages sent nationwide at approximately 8:00 AM today, 12 deaths have been confirmed so far."
The screen changed. Images of people collapsed in various locations appeared. Subway stations, offices, cafes, streets.
"What the deceased have in common is that they all received the message at around 8:00 AM and died suddenly without any external injuries."
The anchor's voice was trembling.
"According to autopsy results, the cause of death is presumed to be cardiac arrest in all cases, and the time of death was identical at 3:08 PM. This is exactly 72 hours after receiving the message."
Cold sweat ran down Jun-ho's back.
72 hours.
The timer.
"The government has currently designated this incident as a cyber-terror attack and has activated the national emergency response system. Citizens, please do not panic..."
The anchor's words were no longer audible.
Jun-ho took out his phone.
67:52:19
The timer was still running.
"Section Chief Lee."
Manager Kim said in a trembling voice.
"Is this... is this real?"
Jun-ho couldn't answer.
The break room instantly became chaotic. Someone started crying, someone threw their phone on the floor. The team leader called headquarters, but the call didn't connect.
Jun-ho left the hallway and headed for the emergency stairwell. He opened the door and sat on the landing. His hands were shaking.
He called Do-yoon again.
The ringtone sounded. Once, twice, three times.
No answer.
Jun-ho sent a text.
"Did you see the news? Call me."
No reply came.
Jun-ho stared at his phone screen. Choi Do-yoon's photo was still there. The timer kept counting down.
"What is this..."
He couldn't continue.
His phone vibrated again.
The screen turned on. Jun-ho hadn't pressed any buttons, but the camera app launched.
"What?"
The camera switched on its own. From the rear camera to the front camera. Then back to the rear camera.
A small dot appeared in the center of the screen. It was red.
Target Location Tracking: Active
A map unfolded.
A red dot was blinking somewhere in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. A name appeared above it.
Choi Do-yoon
Current Status: Working from home
Last Updated: 1 second ago
Jun-ho almost dropped his phone.
The location was updating in real-time.
"Is this... real-time tracking?"
Small text appeared at the bottom of the screen.
You have been granted access to Target's location.
Timer: 67:48:03
Do not waste time.
Jun-ho tightened his grip on the phone.
He could see Do-yoon's location. His home address, current status, even information saying "Working from home."
Who created this?
How is this possible?
Jun-ho grabbed the stairwell railing and stood up. His legs were shaking.
Through the window, Seoul's buildings were visible. Inside those buildings, there would be people who received the same message. They would be looking at their timers now too.
And someone might have already made their choice.
Jun-ho put his phone in his pocket.
He couldn't go back to the office. He had to go home.
He went down the stairs and left the building.
4.
6:00 PM.
Jun-ho arrived in front of his house.
The apartment complex was no different from usual. Children were running around the playground, and residents were entering the lobby carrying mart bags.
Jun-ho took the elevator to the 15th floor.
He opened the front door.
"I'm home."
His wife, Lee Ha-yoon, turned her head from the living room.
"Oh? You're already here? Did you finish work early today?"
"Yeah. The situation at work was a bit strange."
Ha-yoon headed to the kitchen wearing an apron.
"Did you see the news? They said some weird message came this morning."
"...Yeah. I saw it."
"Did you get it too?"
Jun-ho hesitated for a moment.
"Yeah."
Ha-yoon turned around with a worried expression.
"Are you okay? The news said people died."
"I'm fine. The government is investigating."
"It's really a hack, right? Things like this happen these days."
Ha-yoon said this and opened the refrigerator.
Jun-ho sat on the living room sofa. His son Jun-seo was doing homework in his room.
He took out his phone.
64:12:38
The timer was still running.
Choi Do-yoon's location was still fixed somewhere in Gangnam-gu.
Jun-ho turned off the screen and leaned back on the sofa.
72 hours.
12 deaths.
Real-time location tracking.
If this is real.
If this is really real.
He stopped thinking.
It was dinner time. Ha-yoon set side dishes on the table, and Jun-seo came out of his room.
"Dad, the teacher at school told us to be careful with our phones today."
"Really? Why?"
"She said weird messages are coming. The kids didn't get them though."
Jun-seo said while eating his rice.
"But did you get one, Dad?"
Jun-ho nodded.
"Yeah."
"Are you scared?"
"...No."
Jun-seo didn't ask any more questions.
During dinner, the news kept playing on TV. The death toll increased from 12 to 15. The government held an emergency meeting, and the police mobilized their entire cyber investigation team.
But no one had any answers.
Jun-ho helped with the dishes. Ha-yoon talked and smiled as usual. About the parent-teacher conference tomorrow, about apples being on sale at the mart, about Jun-seo doing well in math lately.
Jun-ho responded. "I see," "That's good," "Well done."
His mind was filled entirely with the timer.
5.
11:00 PM.
Jun-ho sat in the police station's civil affairs office.
After leaving work, he'd stopped at home, then left again and headed to the nearby police station. He thought he had to report it. He had to tell someone.
The civil affairs office was crowded with people.
They were all there for the same reason.
"I got the message too. I came to report it."
"My friend is showing up as the Target. What does this mean?"
"Will I really die after 72 hours?"
The police officers looked exhausted. They must have heard the same questions hundreds of times.
It was Jun-ho's turn.
"What is the nature of your report?"
The officer asked.
"I... received a strange message this morning."
"What was the content of the message?"
"To kill someone within 72 hours..."
The officer nodded. It was a story he'd already heard.
"Yes. We're looking into it. The cyber investigation team is currently tracking it, so please ignore the message and go about your daily life."
"But people died. I saw it on the news."
"We're investigating that as well. Currently, it's being treated as a coincidence..."
"A coincidence?"
Jun-ho's voice rose.
"They all died of cardiac arrest at exactly 72 hours later, and that's a coincidence?"
The officer looked troubled.
"We're also trying to determine the exact cause. However, currently we cannot prove a direct connection between the message and the deaths..."
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"For now, go about your life as usual for the next 72 hours, and just in case, maintain contact with people around you. If..."
The officer stopped. He avoided Jun-ho's eyes.
"If?"
"...If you feel threatened, call 112."
Jun-ho didn't ask any more questions.
He left the civil affairs office and walked down the hallway. There was a bathroom at the end of the hallway. He washed his hands at the sink and looked in the mirror.
The man in the mirror looked exhausted.
A 42-year-old accountant. A family man with a wife and son. Someone who had lived diligently, earning his salary, paying taxes, and following the law.
Something like this happens to someone like that?
Jun-ho took out his phone.
63:42:18
The timer hadn't stopped.
He left the bathroom and walked out of the police station.
The night sky was clear. No stars were visible. Seoul's lights were too bright.
Jun-ho walked to the parking lot. He got in his car and started the engine.
He had to go home.
Ha-yoon and Jun-seo would be waiting.
He checked his phone again.
Choi Do-yoon's location was still fixed in Gangnam-gu.
The status that had said "Working from home" had changed to "Sleeping."
Jun-ho threw his phone onto the passenger seat.
He pressed the accelerator.
6.
The next morning.
Jun-ho didn't go to work.
He took a day off from the office. The team leader asked "Is something wrong?" but Jun-ho only answered "Personal matter."
He sat on the living room sofa and watched the news.
The death toll had risen to 23.
The government held an emergency press conference.
"Currently, this incident is being considered an international cyber-terror attack. Similar cases have been reported in 17 countries around the world..."
Jun-ho put down the remote.
17 countries.
Worldwide.
This wasn't a simple hack.
His phone rang.
It was Do-yoon.
Jun-ho answered.
"Hello."
"Jun-ho."
Do-yoon's voice was trembling.
"I... went to that person's house last night."
"What?"
"My Target. The address showed up. The location tracking feature turned on."
Jun-ho closed his mouth.
"But I couldn't go in. I just... stood there and came back."
"..."
"Jun-ho, what is this really? I... I can't kill someone."
"Me neither."
"Then what do we do?"
Jun-ho couldn't answer.
Do-yoon spoke again.
"Let's meet. I think we need to talk."
"...Okay. Where?"
"Tomorrow at 2 PM. How about Han River Park? Somewhere with a lot of people."
"Got it."
The call ended.
Jun-ho looked down at his phone.
39:17:52
Less than 40 hours remained.
He crossed the living room and stood in front of the window.
The apartment complex was peaceful. Children were playing in the playground, and elderly people were sitting on benches.
No one knew.
No one could see the timer on his phone.
Jun-ho closed the window.
End of Chapter 1.