NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor

Jung Cheol-min had started as the youngest member of a theater troupe in Daehangno and had been an actor for about 20 years, but this was a first for him.

He had gone to work at the academy as usual and, feeling peckish, had gone down to the convenience store when some students who looked like high school girls ran up to him.

“Excuse me, are you Dipangdal?”

“Can we take a picture with you?”

Surprised, Jung Cheol-min pointed to himself with his finger.

“Uh, me?”

“Yes!”

“Well, sure…”

Of course, taking a picture wasn’t a difficult task.

After performances at small theaters, it was part of the theater culture for the actors to line up and take pictures with the audience. After his brief appearance in 「Sketch」, parents and students visiting the academy had also asked for photos.

Click—.

“Wow! Can we take one more with the rear camera? Hey, take one of me.”

“Then you take one of me too.”

The friends had already decided on the order among themselves.

After taking several photos, Jung Cheol-min quickly returned to the academy before more people could gather around.

“Sigh… I couldn’t even get my triangle kimbap.”

He had planned to quickly grab a triangle kimbap to stave off his hunger, but it seemed he would have to order delivery food instead.

Even though he didn’t get to eat his triangle kimbap, Jung Cheol-min felt oddly full.

He picked up his smartphone and made a call.

Bzzzz—.

Yeon-woo, who was at home reviewing entertainment offers for fan service, picked up his vibrating smartphone from the table.

“Hmm? What brings you to call this early in the morning? Yes, Teacher.”

[Having a good student sure brings flowers to one’s life. I couldn’t even go to the convenience store.]

Jung Cheol-min’s words over the phone were somewhat disjointed, but Yeon-woo roughly understood what he meant.

With a chuckle, Yeon-woo replied, “Dipangdal has only just made his appearance.”

[Indeed.]

“I can still go to the convenience store just fine… Teacher, are you already catching the celebrity syndrome?”

Jung Cheol-min laughed, knowing Yeon-woo was joking.

[Haha, no. Seriously, it felt like a mob was forming.]

“From now on, you should wear a mask when you go out.”

[I really should.]

After finishing the call with Jung Cheol-min, Yeon-woo searched for Dipangdal on his smartphone.

Although the later parts hadn’t been revealed yet, the scene from the last episode of the second week, episode 6, seemed to be developing into an internet meme.

[Sir! I’m certain it’s love!]

The line delivered by Dipangdal after the dynamic driving and the taxi door opening.

And the next scene, where Yeon-woo’s character looked confused and ended with the line, “What nonsense are you spouting now?”

Netizens had started creating memes, adding question marks above Yeon-woo’s head, and the image was beginning to be used in forums whenever someone posted something nonsensical or out of place.

For recent media content to become popular, short clips from the main content or so-called ‘memes’ need to go viral.

This applies not only to variety shows or YouTube channels but also to movies and dramas.

Even people who aren’t interested in movies or dramas encounter these memes naturally through communities or messages exchanged with friends, making them more effective than any advertisement.

“It wasn’t intentional while making it.”

It’s hard to predict what will become a meme during the production stage.

But as Yeon-woo browsed the internet, he nodded.

“If it’s well-made, it will definitely get a reaction somewhere. Everyone worked hard, after all.”

Yeon-woo resumed Netflix to watch the remaining part of the episode.

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“Please get in first!”

At Dipangdal’s gesture, Yeon-woo and his companions quickly got into the car.

As the car sped off, Akhenaton looked at Dipangdal and spoke.

“We are currently being chased by the white blood cells. If you get involved with us, it will only cause you trouble.”

“It doesn’t matter! You’re heading up, right? Please take me with you.”

Dipangdal had overheard the passengers’ conversation from the back seat earlier that morning as they entered the city.

They had talked about going past Cardiac and further up.

Do-jin tilted his head at Dipangdal’s words.

“There are quite a few cells wanting to go up higher than I thought. But what’s this nonsense about love?”

Dipangdal pointed to a photo hanging in the cockpit and said.

“I must see this person again. No matter what I have to sacrifice.”

Through the rearview mirror, Do-jin looked at Dipangdal’s eyes intently and nodded.

The earnest longing in his eyes was genuine.

“So, you’re saying you’re ready to leave everything behind here?”

“Yes! Absolutely!”

Do-jin nodded and then kicked the left rear door of the speeding taxi hard.

Bang—.

The door dangled as if it would fall off any moment.

“Huh!”

Startled by the sudden action, Dipangdal gasped, but Do-jin grinned and said.

“What’s the matter? We’re leaving it all behind anyway. I’ll be right back.”

With that, Do-jin ripped off the dangling door with his hands, threw it to the ground, and jumped out of the car.

He landed on the door, which slid along the road like a skateboard.

Screech—.

As sparks flew from the friction with the ground, Do-jin maintained his balance on the sliding car door and then leaped towards the level 3 white blood cells’ hoverbikes that were in pursuit.

Combining the sliding momentum with the speed of the approaching hoverbikes, Do-jin flew swiftly, plunging his sword into the chest of a white blood cell and commandeering the hoverbike in one swift motion.

“Good. Now I have a means of transportation.”

The other pursuing level 3 white blood cells began to chase after Do-jin in unison.

“I need to shake them off first. Narrator, find me a route to evade them and return to my companions.”

[Please head up to the overpass on your right.]

Looking to the right, Do-jin saw the overpass above which his companions’ taxi was passing.

He increased the distance from his companions while being chased.

[Thermal energy is detected.]

Hearing the narrator’s warning, Do-jin looked back to see the enemies drawing their laser weapons and aiming.

The moment they fired, Do-jin deflected the laser with his sword and sharply turned the hoverbike’s handlebars, coming to a stop.

As the white blood cells continued to charge straight at him without slowing down, Do-jin focused energy into his sword and swung it horizontally with great force.

A powerful crescent-shaped energy burst from the sword, cleaving the oncoming enemies in two.

“…Hmm?”

Do-jin had intended to send them flying with a sword wind as he had done with the pterosaurs in the desert, but he was taken aback by the unexpectedly powerful sword energy.

“Why is this happening? Did the gem make me stronger?”

Since acquiring the purple gem, there hadn’t been a significant battle to notice the increase in strength.

“It seems it doesn’t just heal my body.”

[The vehicle carrying your companions is getting further away.]

“Ah, right. I need to get back first.”

Do-jin steered the hoverbike back towards the overpass and located the taxi carrying his companions below.

He jumped off the overpass towards the taxi’s direction, shrinking the hoverbike as he did.

Whoosh—.

Thud—.

Do-jin landed on the taxi’s roof and climbed in through the gaping left door, taking a seat.

“You seem to really like riding on roofs, mister!”

“…Not particularly.”

After shaking off the white blood cells’ pursuit and overcoming various obstacles, they finally arrived at the airfield.

By now, it was getting dark, and the airfield appeared deserted.

At that moment, Akhenaton pointed to a small spaceship at the end of the airfield.

“That’s it. The small ship I reserved.”

“Great. You know how to fly it, right?”

“Huh? No, I don’t!”

“…”

Do-jin looked at Akhenaton in disbelief.

“…Is it perhaps automated?”

“No. It requires a pilot.”

“Then where’s the pilot?”

“Of course, I reserved one for tomorrow. Who would have thought we’d need to leave so quickly?”

Akhenaton’s reasoning was sound.

They hadn’t expected the white blood cells to suddenly attack since there had been no issues entering the city.

“Akhenaton, your tone seems a bit irreverent.”

“Oh, my god. How could that be?”

At that moment, Dipangdal, who was in the driver’s seat of the taxi, raised his hand hesitantly.

“…Um, I can pilot it to some extent.”

Akhenaton’s face lit up at Dipangdal’s words.

“Oh, truly? You can pilot it?”

“Yes. I learned during passenger transport training. It’s been a while, though.”

Do-jin nodded and got out of the car.

“I don’t know if there are traffic regulations here, but all you need to know is how to fly straight. If the white blood cells chase us, we’ll just have to go straight ahead.”

Do-jin and his companions boarded the small spaceship, which was as large as a jet.

Dipangdal went to the cockpit, pressed a few switches, and started the engine, nodding in approval.

“I can pilot this model.”

At that moment, the sound of engines came through the open cargo bay door.

Whirr—.

“It seems the white blood cells are swarming.”

“Then let’s depart immediately!”

Dipangdal pressed a switch to close the cargo bay door and lifted the spaceship into the air.

Buzz—.

Fsssh—.

The white blood cells below fired lasers, but the spaceship’s barrier absorbed the shots.

“Even though it’s for cargo transport, it can handle this much.”

Bang—.

Crackle—.

No sooner had Dipangdal finished speaking than a small explosion was heard, as if something had been hit.

“Are you sure it’s fine?”

“…Uh, yes. It seems there’s no issue with the flight. I’ll accelerate now.”

Jung Do-jin, Ella, Akhenaton, Dipangdal.

And even the narrator, connected via communication with Do-jin.

The small spaceship, with all its members aboard, soared quickly into the sky.

Simultaneously, the screen darkened, marking the end of the second week’s broadcast of 「White Blood」.

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Not only Dipangdal’s lines, which seemed destined to become memes, but also other parts received positive reactions on the internet.

─Han So-hyeon pulling out a giant gun as big as herself, what a girl crush!

└ Calling it a giant gun makes it sound so cuteLol It’s not like it’s a giant castella

─Son Jin-yuk really seems to care for our Yeon-woo, always helping out.

└ Seriously, He even came out during the historical drama and carried the show

─I totally support this combination

─I usually don’t like action, so I was hoping for a rom-com, but it’s surprisingly stylish and I love it

The reactions on Yeon-woo’s fan cafe, Woo’s, were predictably positive, and the responses from various communities were also favorable.

─Do D 20 times and you get a smoothie (smoo***): The action is alive, throwing doors and flying bodies

└ Dispatch (gksrlt): Huh? Are your cells from Namcheon-dong?

─Geumho-dong Flying Squirrel (dkiry23): At first, I thought it would be cringy and boring, so I criticized it, but it’s fun? Sorry about that

└ Good (fpwjse): What is this, criticizing first and then apologizingLol

─If You Die Twice, It’s a Bit (xownstk): It seems like even foreigners are watching this? There are a lot of reaction videos on YouTube

└ Similar Thing (dlfldiro1): Are you joining the Jumo Club soon?

─Moon Hee is Opening (prett): It’s really super funㅇㅇ

└ Soon-jae is Coming In (action7): Huh? Your username

└ Fabrication Identifier (gksmf65): It’s fake.

└ Moon Hee is Opening (prett***): Bustedㅋ

Then, a message from Team Leader Yoon Mi-yeon popped up in the production team’s group chat.

Team Leader Yoon Mi-yeon: We are ranked 2nd domestically and 11th globally for the second week! We’re on the verge of breaking into the global top ten!

Seeing the message, Yeon-woo smiled with satisfaction.

“We’re not just aiming for the global top ten; we’re going even higher.”

His declaration during the first script reading that they would shoot for the global number one spot was not just an ambitious statement.

It was genuinely heartfelt.