[WorldUrbanLegend] Fake Malicious Code
In a small apartment in Seoul, the blue light from the computer screen flickered, catching the attention of the protagonist, Jihoon. He nervously stared at the screen, biting his nails. The latest email in his inbox had the subject line: "Urgent! Protect yourself from the XX virus!" Just by the subject, Jihoon instinctively knew this was a typical "hoax." He received such warning emails every day. Tired of the false fears spread by others, Jihoon was about to delete the email without a second thought.
(Note: "Hoax" refers to false information or rumors, often related to nonexistent computer viruses or malware. These types of messages warn recipients not to open certain files or emails, even though the threat is entirely fictional.)
Then his smartphone buzzed. Another message. This time it was on KakaoTalk. "XX virus infection, never open it!" Jihoon rubbed his wrist and sighed. People were still sending these messages. But this time, an unusual feeling of unease stirred in his chest. "Is this just another rumor, or... is this real?"
Months ago, his friend Minsu received a similar message. Minsu believed it and opened the attachment. After that, Minsu vanished. His social media account, his phone number—no one could find him. The police said he had just run away, and the case was closed, but Jihoon couldn’t shake off the strange feeling from that day. Since then, no one had seen Minsu.
Jihoon, trying to shake off the feeling, was about to delete the message from his smartphone. But then, his computer froze with a loud click. Suddenly, black text scrolled down the screen.
“If you are reading this email, you have already been infected. Back up all your data before deleting the files.”
Jihoon froze. This was definitely strange. He felt a chill run down his spine. He immediately searched for "XX virus" online, but there was nothing—no trace of such a virus. Then, another message arrived in his inbox. The subject was "Protect your files." The message warned that if he didn’t open the attachment, his data would be hacked.
"What kind of nonsense is this…" Jihoon muttered, trying to delete the message. But then, another window opened on the screen. A file named 'XX Virus' began downloading automatically. At that moment, his phone rang. It was a familiar voice. Minsu’s voice.
"Jihoon, it’s me. Minsu."
"Minsu? Where are you right now? You…"
"Don’t worry. It’s time for me to leave this place. But you… you opened the file, didn’t you?"
Jihoon nearly dropped the phone. An ominous feeling washed over him, and he asked, "What are you talking about? How are you…"
"The virus... you’re already infected. You shouldn’t have opened it. Everyone’s spreading it. This is not just a rumor, Jihoon. If it weren’t, I… I couldn’t have come back."
The call ended abruptly. Jihoon froze in fear. The 'XX virus' was slowly taking over his files. What appeared on his screen was not just a simple computer glitch. Minsu’s profile picture began appearing in his inbox, one after another, as if he was still online.
"Minsu, please…" Jihoon trembled as he prayed.
But the screen continued to darken. Then, a final message appeared.
“Your data will be lost forever. It can never be recovered.”
Jihoon realized that all of this was real. The 'Digital Shadow' was not just a computer virus. It was the false fears created by people, and the new reality that had been built upon them. After Minsu had disappeared, the things he left behind, and the different entities that had been tracking him, now began to consume Jihoon’s data, his very existence.
In the end, Jihoon turned off his computer and cut the power. But it was already too late.
Minsu’s face still lingered on his screen.
