I Activated Cheat Mode in a Bizarre Game

Kim Minjun.

Twenty-six.
Coward.
If I had to pick three words that best described me, those would be it.

My list of accomplishments was just as impressive.
Slept in the same bed as my parents until middle school.
Couldn’t go to the convenience store alone at night until I became an adult.

When my favorite streamer played horror games, I used to cover the gameplay screen with a browser window while watching.
And yet, here I was now—willingly playing a horror game infested with grotesque monsters.
"Aaaargh! Fuck!"

A creature suddenly burst out of the monitor, and I hurled my headset like I'd just been electrocuted.
The only reason I was putting myself through this monster-ridden horror game was simple.
In one week, I had an interview with the company that made this game.

I’d applied because the entry-level salary was high—
“Of all companies, it had to be this one...”
I buried my face in my hands with a sigh, then made up my mind.

“Screw it. I’ll download it.”
To be honest, I’d already known before even starting that there was no way I could play this game properly. That’s why I’d looked something up in advance.
Out of the thousands of mods floating around online, I’d found one cheat mod.

Since I was applying for a job at the game company, I’d tried to avoid using it—but after watching myself fail to even get past the tutorial, I gave in.
“All stats x100, see all nearby monsters, unlimited items…”
Just reading that absurdly overpowered description, I already felt relieved—like I wouldn’t even be able to tell who the real monsters were anymore.
And for the first time, the game didn’t feel quite so terrifying.

“Let’s do this…!”
I applied the mod and hit the “New Game” button.
In that moment, a blinding flash burst out of the monitor.

Sparks flew, every electronic device in the ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ room shut off—
And I lost consciousness.