Season 4: Chapter 7. The Last Episode (1)

A lot had changed after the

Civil Empire

tournament ended. Treevy announced its service termination. The

Civil Empire

community hub, Embul, finally expanded its servers. Players who temporarily migrated to LIL Pro began returning to Embul in large numbers. Even so, the

Civil Empire

category remained active on LIL Pro, and posts continued to be made at a steady rate.

[Q) Joseon Militia in Civ Wars]

[Wandering Mercenary treatment is seriously lacking LOL]

[Honestly, the Chinese faction is garbage when you actually use it]

[Tbh basic battles are more fun than commander mode]

LIL Pro remained lively for two main reasons. First, most of the new players still relied on LIL Pro for tips and casual discussions. Second, it was home to the infamous Incident & Scandal Board.

[Incident Report) Watch out for this guy]

[Toxic fake-Almond named "Jansonman" exposed]

[These days everyone thinks they’re Almond LOL]

This board was practically essential due to

Civil Empire

's inherently cooperative gameplay. Who a player got matched with could determine the game’s outcome. In other words, it was the perfect system to blame others. As expected, ongoing drama always filled this board, especially rants about commanders. One post even made it to the Big section.

[Big) Trash commander matched with him twice. WTF]

==== ====

SmartGrown-Up?

Matched with this guy twice. He’s a freaking troll with some god complex. Keeps making reckless plays like he thinks he’s Cookie or something. Lost both games in under 30 minutes. Thought I was gonna lose my mind.

And how the hell does he have that glowing border?

Does the system not have filters anymore?

(Photo)

==== ====

The post was venting frustration about a specific commander.

— Wait... do they seriously not know who that is?

— That’s Almond LOL

— Maybe they’re pretending?

└ Doesn’t look like it. They posted their own ID too.

└ Nah, they’re genuinely mad.

— That glowing border? That’s the FINALS MVP frame.

└ Wait, that means that’s Almond??

— Almond played commander mode?? Makes sense he got reported then LOL

└ Yup, he’s taking a break from capsule play.

└ Someone dig up the stream replay!

└ Replay’s gone—Treevy nuked it T_T

— Almond as a commander... LOL

— Username: SmartGrown-Up ← Bro’s asking to get flamed

The commander being targeted by the post was none other than Almond himself. Users flooded the thread with laughter once they realized it, causing the post to blow up and hit Big even though it was just a complaint post.

— Why did this go Big? LOL

— Even the incident board is hitting Big now

— Honestly, he was terrible

— Almond sucks as a commander LOL

— Almond said, "Feels like I’m getting stream-sniped too much, so I’m not trying my best."

└ LMAO

└ Sure, everyone’s a sniper, huh

└ LOL

— SmartGrown-Up my ass

The Finals MVP in the international tournament getting flamed on the scandal board became a hot topic.

[Any more of Almond’s commander gameplay? LOL]

[Looking for anyone who saved Almond’s commander match VOD]

["SmartGrown-Up" is comedy gold LOL]

[Three straight losses speedrun LOL]

For a while, that topic dominated the forums. A few hours later, something happened that completely overshadowed everything.

[Big) Final episode of Fake National Team just dropped!!]

The Fake National Team video had finally been uploaded.

[Breaking: Final episode of Fake National Team is out!]

[Fake National Team drop, sprinting there LOL]

[Final episode... I’m not ready T_T]

[This is legendary-tier content LOL]

The post spread through countless communities.

[Fake National Team – Final Episode: Miracle]

[Premiering in 1 hour!]

As the premiere approached, an unprecedented number of people gathered.

[Current Viewers: 628,000]

— Almond’s YouTube is going nuts

— LET’S GO

— This guy’s insane

— Ohhh sh*t

— ??? "Treevy’s dead?" Oh~ really?

— LOL

— The fact that he dropped this after Treevy’s death makes it even more iconic

***

Clap, clap, clap!

Director Jang clapped alone in his office, clearly pleased.

"It’s done. Huh? It’s done!"

Even though the tournament had ended, he still looked like a wreck with scruffy clothes and an unshaven face.

"Everything’s finally oooover!"

Over a week had passed since the tournament, but they continued working nonstop until today.

"

WAAAAHHHHHH!

" the staff cheered with manic energy, "IT’S OVERRRR!"

Employees from other companies flinched as they heard the noise on their way out of work.

‘What the heck?’

‘Is there a soccer match tonight?’

‘Scared me for a sec...’

Shadows gathered around the hallway windows, but the crew didn’t care. They jumped up and down, screaming. It was chaos—pure, joyful chaos. In the middle of all that, one person stood awkwardly, unable to fully smile.

‘It’s over.’

She stood at a distance. Her time with them was also coming to an end. Work had continued even after the tournament, so she hadn’t really felt it sink in.

“Once we’re done with everything, should we go for soju and scream out Monster as well?!”

Director Jang had said over drinks after a certain match.

“Will it... really ever be over, sir?”

“Come on, you think it won’t? Of course it will.”

Back then, it felt like it would never end. Now... it was real.

[Fake National Team – Final Episode: Miracle]

[Now Premiering!]

The broadcast screens around the office began playing the video.

"Alright then..."

Director Jang climbed onto a chair.

He silently counted down and shouted, "MONSTER!!"

The whole office roared with their arms raised, "

KURAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!

"

Their long journey finally also ended with that shout.

***

Tap-tap-tap-tap.

Ju-Hyeok sat at his computer, scrolling slowly.

‘Hmm...’

He was reading through news articles and highlighting a few headlines, but there weren’t many left to mark.

‘Mentions are starting to fade...’

The Joseon victory once filled the media. Now, it was beginning to fade away.

‘Delays in show appearances really hurt us."

Sang-Hyeon had been hospitalized, and a whole week had passed. In this business, one had to row while the tide was high before their oar snapped. Although the channels still said they would wait—

‘The TV industry isn’t that forgiving.’

If the hype died down while they waited, they could easily turn around and say something else. Ju-Hyeok didn’t want to lose the advantageous position they’d secured.

‘In that case...’

His eyes drifted to a small notification in the corner of his screen.

[Fake National Team – Final Episode: Miracle]

[Now Premiering!]

The Fake National Team finale was airing.

‘Could this be our saving grace? A lot of people are watching, but...’

He could only rely on that video right now, but he couldn’t put too much hope in it. The Fake National Team series initially blew up because it started right before the main tournament. Its hype fed into the matches, but there were no more matches now. The tournament had ended. Would this video still make an impact?

‘There’s no way to know.’

Ju-Hyeok licked his dry lips. There was a real possibility the tournament buzz would quietly fade away. What he didn’t know was that Producer Jang had one final trick up his sleeve. One he’d prepared by convincing Hui-Chul.

***

Bzzt.

The video began.

— It’s starting!

— Let’s gooo

— The legend begins

— Finally

— But didn’t everyone already clip all the good parts as shorts? lol

— GOGOGOGO

The video began in a hotel room in Japan where the players had stayed.

Vrrrrr~

However, the players had all left. Only the loud hum of vacuums echoed through the halls with all the doors wide open. Square-cut rays of sunlight pushed their way into the corridor.

— T_T They’re all gone

— Must be post-victory

— I wonder if they at least had a team dinner after Almond collapsed...

Bzzt.

The screen cut to a new scene. This time, it was a home in Korea, bathed in calm morning sunlight. This location had appeared many times in the Fake National Team series.

[Think Tank HQ]

The think tank members always gathered there for meetings. The table still had maps and chess pieces scattered across it, but the room was empty now. One of the rooms had even been completely cleared out.

— Damn T_T

— It’s really over T_T

— I feel like crying

— Where did Chi-Seung and the others go?

The scene quietly shifted again to a bus stop. It was a familiar one where Chi-Seung always caught the bus to work. Sure enough, Chi-Seung was standing there.

— Wait, is he still working part-time?

— Isn’t this the place where the series got its title from? LOL

— It’s Chi-Seung!

Once again, he got on the bus. The camera followed him silently.

— No way he’s still doing his part-time job

— Seriously?

— Even after winning? T_T

— Well... they did split the prize money among 200 people...

As everyone feared, he got off at the same stop as always. He walked the familiar road to the cafe where he worked back in episode one.

— Wasn’t this the place where he got fired after that confession ambush? LOL

— He’s still working here?

— Reality hurts so bad

— Didn’t they not even pay him properly here?

Bzzt.

Suddenly, it cut to an interview scene with a plain white backdrop and a single chair. Chi-Seung sat there.

[You won the tournament. How do you feel?]

The question appeared above his head.

"Ah..."

Chi-Seung softly chuckled and nodded.

"Right. Winning... We really didn’t expect it, but we did win."

He spoke as though he could barely recall it.

"I guess I always vaguely thought that winning would change everything."

— Oh no T_T

— Isn’t there supposed to be a pro league?

— What’s going on

— I guess nothing’s official yet...

Bzzt.

The screen shifted again. Chi-Seung stood outside a familiar shop. He really had gone back to that cafe.

— He really has to go back to work??

— Do they not treat players any better than this??

— This kinda sucks...

— Wasn’t this the place where he got fired?

— The girl who backstabbed him got him fired, right? What’s going on?

"Oh! Chi-Seung, you’re here?" the boss greeted him warmly as if the past firing was ancient history.

"What do you wanna drink?"

"Uh... I feel like something sweet today. Let’s go with an iced americano with a shot of espresso."

"Okay~ Hey Hye-In, you got that?"

A blonde high school girl responded from the back, "Coming right up~"

— ??

— Isn’t that the girl from back then?

— Still cute tho~

— Guess we’ll forgive her since she’s pretty

— At least part-timers get free drinks

— This is all too much...

She made the drink quickly and brought it out to him.

Clink.

The ice shimmered in the sunlight as it started to melt slightly. When Chi-Seung tried to pull out his wallet, she quickly stopped him.

"Oh no! It’s on the house. How could we charge a national hero!?"

— LMAO

— Damn

— Seriously?

— Why’s she talking like an actress LOL

— She’s cute tho LOL

— Honestly, Chi-Seung should just help with her group projects at this point

— "A national hero" LOL

"

Ahem.

Is that so?"

"The boss said you drink for free forever now. So please, put that away."

"Well... he did say that.

Ahem.

Then..."

Chi-Seung gave a brief bow and turned around.

— Wait? He’s not working?

— Oh, he’s not there for a shift??

— What the—

— He went just for the free coffee? LOL

As Chi-Seung turned, he looked straight into the camera and continued the thought from earlier in his interview.

"I thought everything would change after we won, but..."

Clink.

He lifted his drink with a smile.

"... I didn’t think it would change

this

much."

VROOOMMM!

Suddenly, the background erupted with electric guitar music.

"It was... a miracle."

The screen went black, and the title appeared.

BOOM.

[Fake National Team]

As the music intensified, match highlights flashed by. Then, the subtitle appeared.

[Last Episode: Miracle]

— Damn

— This is crazy LOL

— Now this is it

— The successful man: Kim Chi-Seung! The successful man!

— Obviously, he’s fine with millions of views LOL

— This is insane

— Free coffee for life LOL

— This is what national power looks like

After the intro, the screen abruptly cut to a frantic scene. People were running in a panic.

"Hui-Chul! Are you okay!?"

"Quick! Move him!"

They loaded Hui-Chul onto a stretcher and ran. Paramedics rushed over as sirens wailed.

— Whoa, what’s going on?

— Did Cookie get carried out too??

— Huh?

— This is Japan, right?

— When did this happen?

As if responding to the viewers’ questions, a small caption appeared at the top.

[Joseon vs Persia – After Game 1]

— ??

— Oh, this is from earlier?

— Wait, this actually happened??

— What??

The reason for Joseon’s sudden commander switch was finally revealed.