Pyongyang, North Korea | August 2025POV: Choi Ju-yeon
Amidst the skyline of Pyongyang, the Ryugyong Hotel loomed like an endless steel tower. Its jagged spire pierced through thick clouds until the tip vanished, as if declaring that the power here resided far above commoners, reaching toward the heavens.
As I stepped into the conference hall on the 99th floor, the glass walls revealed a high-altitude view that made the entire world look minuscule. Below, the atmosphere was one of a silent war. Security units from hundreds of nations stood in tense standoffs. Every road was cut off, and civilian cars had been cleared away until only emptiness remained.
The buzzing voices of leaders and representatives from around the globe echoed under the soaring, shimmering ceiling. It was the collective sound of immense power deciding the fate of the people. I felt happy for the citizens of the world who would finally get a chance at protection. At last, the pandemic had a vaccine to treat it.
The female MC at the corner of the stage announced the speaker...
"Ladies and gentlemen... Moses from Isaiah Biotech." As her voice trailed off, a thunderous round of applause erupted.
I watched with admiration and faith. A spotlight snapped onto a large, stout man in a powerful black suit as he stepped onto the stage. He began describing the success of the Tame 30 vaccine with a smile that seemed genuinely sincere.
"Gentlemen and ladies! I am delighted to announce that our researchers have discovered a way to perfectly prevent the White Silence pandemic, and reinfection will no longer occur." He paced the stage calmly, his deep, merciful eyes gazing gently at the group of leaders.
"In every species, there are always those born abnormal. Our researchers discovered that disabled viruses are often more aggressive than others. These types cannot divide their cells to reproduce on their own, but they are gluttonous and large. The research team, therefore, selected only these abnormal strains to cultivate and continued developing them until they became Tame 30!" He held up a small vaccine vial in his hand.
A collective murmur of excitement rippled through the hall.
"Just one injection. Our virus will hide within and intercept other viruses of the same strain, consuming them entirely. Furthermore, it acts as a filter to catch any other viral strains that enter the body. From now on... even the common cold we are familiar with will become extinct!"
Satisfied smiles spread across every face. People turned to shake hands in congratulation.
A leader from the Oceania zone raised his hand high. "But I still have issues with universal vaccination. The public isn't cooperating very well."
"Mm! True, that's a difficult problem to solve," voices murmured in agreement.
"Does the public not trust the government?" The leaders began discussing management strategies.
"I’m practically broke myself! The national budget was incinerated by hoarding previous vaccine models during COVID-2024 until the treasury nearly burst. But in the end, it failed. People died from allergic reactions in piles. The villagers are terrified. Who can guarantee that this time won't be another massive deception like before?" the leader from Central Asia asked his peers, his eyes full of concern.
"There’s no need for a guarantee. Just having the supply is enough. But I accidentally told the media that the White Silence outbreak was nothing more than a common cold."
"This time, both academics and locals are traumatized. Do they think we’re going to burn tax money on fakes again?"
"I've failed before too. I used the previous models, and people died from reactions in heaps."
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"During COVID-2024, we let the human rights activists get too loud until the plan fell apart. This time, we must use the 'COVID lessons' as a benchmark. Anyone who doesn't take Tame 30 is a security threat. Pass stricter laws than before. Squeeze them until they have no place in society, just like we successfully did before!"
The room buzzed with similar problems. I noticed treacherous glints in the eyes of some leaders, but at the same time, I saw eyes of hope and tears of joy from others.
To my left, a leader from a small Southeast Asian nation stood humbly, clasping his hands in front of him before a superpower leader, waiting to negotiate...
"Mr. President! I would like to request a loan of 10 billion dollars from you to purchase this vaccine. Would you be willing to assist?"
I felt goosebumps and a sense of pride for the citizens who elected him. He was willing to bow his head and lower his dignity for his people. Compared to my Supreme Leader, such a sight would never be seen, for our citizens are worth less than pigs in a wet market.
The blonde-haired leader smirked with the air of a superior and spoke nauseatingly... "Certainly. You understand, don't you, that I am expanding military influence into the Asian region?"
"Uh!... If you wish to build a military base, I must apologize, but this agreement will not happen. Thank you very much, sir." His posture and the pained look in his eyes signaled intense disappointment, yet he continued on to bow before other superpowers.
I was so impressed that I felt a shivering contradiction. I gently rubbed my own back. The coldness from past wounds surged into my heart. In the cycle of power, there may be corruption, but even in the mire, there are still good people trying their best to help others—so different from the meaningless deaths in Pyongyang...
The corruption, the infighting, or the opportunism of these leaders still held a hope more merciful than being executed simply because a blood test came back positive, then being tossed aside. At least they chose to preserve life in the name of humanity.
Moses stood smiling as he watched them talk before waving his hand to regain their attention. "Everyone!..."
"............."
"Isaiah Biotech wishes to play its part in helping mankind. Tame 30 will be given to everyone for 'FREE' to stop the dying. But there is only one condition… you must all come to collect it yourselves." Moses’ words were like opening a dam.
"Hurrah!..." The leaders in the room jumped for joy simultaneously, though for different reasons.
Amidst the chaos of greed, I swept my gaze through the crowd and stopped at that Southeast Asian leader... He stood still like a statue recently freed from a curse. The shoulders that had slumped from preparing to bow to superpowers began to tremble slightly. Tears of joy streamed down his cheeks, staining his smile. They were the tears of a man who just realized he no longer had to trade his nation's sovereignty for the breath of his people.
I turned back to look at Moses with faith. That look of fulfillment and success created so much power. In a dark world, there was still light from fellow human beings...
"Everyone! I will hand over the vaccine formula for you to produce yourselves after we develop the second dose. For now, please register your intent and come pick up the supplies at... Wuhan."
Many leaders rushed to take notes and whispered urgent orders to their bodyguards. Some even jostled each other to get as close to Moses as possible... I felt moved seeing how hungry they were to bring this hope back to their people so quickly.
Meanwhile, I heard some leaders discussing quota limitations for the first group. They said they had to vaccinate essential human resources first to maintain the state mechanism... Even though it sounded cruel to the lower class, it was probably the smartest management method in a crisis like this.
A voice shouted out...
"Just to be sure... we don't have to pay any contract fees at all, right?" The spotlight shone across the greedy eyes and crafty smile on the face of an old man in a black suit, a leader from a Third World country.
"That is correct..." He bowed his head to the applause of hope.
I couldn't help but secretly clap for Moses. He turned and walked off the stage as the female MC moved up to take his place.
Suddenly, I heard a sound...
A long, high-pitched, low-frequency sound, continuous like a hauntingly beautiful flute, drifted in from somewhere. Even the thunderous applause couldn't drown out this faint noise.
By instinct... I turned to find the source. I caught a glimpse of something unusual—a flash from the screen on the wall. Letters that weren't in the presentation slides appeared in a strange sequence: "Messiah 2030." It flashed across the computer screen for only a fraction of a second before vanishing.
A soft sound came from the back of the large hall, followed by the ceiling lights flickering from the back of the room toward the stage.
The final light from the large chandelier in the center of the room illuminated the chaos as bodyguards charged in to protect their bosses.
Suddenly, crystal beads from the chandelier rained down, smashing onto the floor. Darkness took over, leaving only the sound of heavy panting.
Before my doubts could gnaw at my heart any further, an icy chill raced down my neck. A whisper followed—faint, nearly inaudible—yet it rang with chilling clarity through the heavy breathing of the crowd...
Welcome to the opening chapter of a journey that spans across borders, ideologies, and the very survival of mankind. This isn't just a story about a pandemic; it’s a dive into the unseen mechanisms of the world. What you are about to read is the first domino to fall in a sequence that will change everything—where the choices of the few determine the life of the many.
What to expect from this series:
High-Stakes Realism:
Complex Characters:
The Mystery of "Messiah 2030":
Thank you for embarking on this ride. If you feel the chill of the ritual, please Follow and Rate. The silence is just beginning.
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