A screenshot showed an old page on a company website. With my picture on it.
Fuck.
I hadn't worked there in years! Why hadn't they removed me from the staff page?! I hadn't been there for more than six months anyway!
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[graywork]: HOLY SHIT YOU FOUND HIM
[tomtom]: all that secrecy for this guy???
[creathor]: you're telling me he's just a rando working at a digital agency????
[keyspine]: the phrase keyboard warrior was supposed to be a joke, not a recruitment category
[tomtom]: what did he even do there? does anyone know? "our digital specialists" doesn't tell us shit
[truthdigger47]: can't tell. he wiped everything—LinkedIn, CV, all gone
[sixsixsocks]: as if that isn't sus af
[direbomb]: given the agency, it's probably something soul-crushing, like testing app buttons or watching ads placement to make sure the margins are aligned
[rindburst]: from caps-lock to combat-lock. evolution
[cocoseven]: can we contact one of the other people on that page to find out?
[inkbarn]: maybe don't harass random coworkers?? it's literally illegal
[turnfolder]: oh look, a white knight. how much is he paying you to defend him?
[littlescrap]: found the alt account
[trashbug]: defending this guy is a choice
[graveljam]: if you're that sensitive maybe close the tab, babe
[sofathon]: "don't harass him" lmao you think you're the morality police now?
[keyspine]: let them, it's called consequences
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Wait, were they really going to go after my old colleagues?!! I didn't even know most of the people on that page!
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[blahboss]: what difference does his actual job make? the real problem is that the guy standing next to Llewellyn is someone clicking on buttons! whether it's staring at ads or testing forms, we're still fucked
[floppydrive]: how does this happen. "digital specialist". clearly hero behavior
[cynfire]: maybe he's the final boss of data entry or sth
[grainsick]: someone tell the System that press F to attack doesn't work in real life
[tensill]: man probably types "hope this helps" while the world burns
[burntmold]: how can we trust heroes if THIS is the standard. this dude's entire skill set is "stares intensely at screens". world-saving material right there
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How were they this on point when they didn't even know what I did?!
Maybe it was true that cruelty was its own skill.
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[creepybutt]: are u guys serious rn. what job doesn't require clicking buttons & staring at screens these days?? or do you think he spawned to life to fight Knots with no previous life experience???
[zoomzoom]: YES THANK YOU
[ondostrays]: that the only sensible person here is named CREEPYBUTT tells me everything I need to know about the internet
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…Okay, I laughed.
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[burntmold]: Idc, this is still fucked up. people's lives are at stakes here
[blushinthorn]: what's next, a graphic intern leading a rescue team??
[100cents]: I've worked with his type. 2 months entering tickets on users' online behavior and suddenly they think they understand human psychology
[sourmilk]: this can't be random. either Llewellyn's lost his mind or the System's bugged
[hexbowl]: why would Llewellyn pick him. why keep him
[poufwire]: be honest, are they sleeping together? nothing else explains this
[mistcorn]: Llewellyn deserves better than a walking liability
[circuitrain]: imagine having to save the world with someone who needs a tutorial to survive
[jeandough}: Llewellyn doesn't need some dead-eyed loser dragging him down
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...They weren't wrong, but still.
This sucked.
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[bitdepth]: the real question is, how is this guy not dead already
[cerealfiller]: maybe he is and the System's propping him up for PR??
[deepcache]: System's standards are lower every year
[foldloop]: this is what happens when AI picks heroes
[ramvoid]: maybe that's the plan. send a weak one so Llewellyn looks stronger
[knotknight]: feels cruel honestly. like throwing a civilian in for drama
[slateburn]: remember when heroes used to train for this?
[portfail]: why is no one in charge stopping it?! man's gonna get someone killed
[signalbed]: they won't. call it what it is—sacrifice for engagement metrics
[cryptwax]: I don't care if he dies. I care if someone else dies because of him
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…It was difficult to shake the feeling that they were right.
As if that wasn't bad enough, more people started digging.
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[judgementalAF]: GUYS. I found his grandma's nursing home. it's in the same street in that video
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…Fuck.
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[whistleblowme]: Hold up. He put his GRANDMOTHER in a NURSING HOME?
[quietcheck]: didn't you see the video? the reporter even said so
[shunnedmonkey]: wait, wasn't that agency from Innishae? that's what the link said?
[whistleblowme]: so?
[shunned]: don't Innishaeans go on and on about being the only Western country influenced by Confucian values? and this is what this guy does?
[shameshame]: right?? filial piety my ass. abandoned his own grandmother.
[datariver]: Disgraceful
[pineapplerage]: my Chinese grandmother would haunt me from the grave if I did this
[bottlekeeper]: Innishaeans love bragging about their Confucian influence until it's time to actually take care of their elders
[lakefirst]: No wonder he's so bitter. Guilty conscience probably.
[cake4ever]: bet he never visits her either
[cuptrauma]: this man really said "not my problem" to his own grandma and then acts superior on camera
[stillspring]: not the hero's partner turning out to be a heartless opportunist
[quasipath]: this is why the world's falling apart. no values, no loyalty, nothing
[brightfury]: if he can abandon his grandmother, what else is he capable of?
[rendermo]: you can't teach empathy to someone who never had it
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Penguin sensed my distress and climbed onto my shoulder, nuzzling my neck.
Ah, this was awful.
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[pearshaped]: are y'all serious? not everyone can care for an elderly relative full-time! people have jobs, kids, bills! nursing homes aren't evil
[oakroom]: People keep pretending filial duty means martyring yourself. It means making sure they're cared for
[checkplate]: You can't work 60 hours a week and do round-the-clock elder care! Some of us don't have extended family to help
[whistleblowme]: right, but what responsibilities does this guy have exactly? clicking on buttons and drenching reporters?
[ethicssniper]: funny how people cry "we can't do 24/7 care". he had plenty of time to chase clout
[midnightcar]: he likely works from home and still shipped his grandmother off. try again
[cedarchord]: guys. nursing homes are literally normal
[pitlane]: no, not where he's from. it's a cultural thing. he abandoned her
[heytea]: stop pretending every country runs on your idea of family
[mildsun]: if you can fight monsters you can probably check in on your grandmother more than twice a year
[policywonk]: Innishae has literally facilities with Confucian-style visiting hours and lots of communal activities. It's not the same as 'dumping grandma'.
[pitlane]: oh sure, defend him, you'd probably dump yours too
[summerbrush]: and the System rewarded him with powers. nice
[sweetacid]: the System gave him powers but forgot to give him shame
[cloudsyn]: u're all insane. nobody even confirmed she's unhappy there
[knotless]: you want him to livestream her dinner??
[memorykeeper]: putting your grandmother in a home is bad enough. being on video acting smug as if you haven't done it is worse
[crowtrace]: I can't believe Llewellyn looked at this man and thought "yes, partner"
[echojar]: Llewellyn better wake up before this guy drags him down too
[corrosion]: they deserve each other honestly
[nowhell]: The grandmother thing after everything is genuinely disgusting
[bluepillar]: Confucian values when convenient, Western individualism when it suits him
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Shit, was I supposed to hide or tag anything here?!! I forgot I was working and not just reading!
Did I have to go back and read them again???
This was torture.
-
[linguabite]: wait wait, isn't Innishae the same place Llewellyn's from? the English-speaking country with Korean influence?
[sourchive]: and some Chinese too, right?
[foiledwater]: yes, and?
[linguabite]: ok then why does this guy have a Japanese name?????
[softfault]: if he's from Innishae that's probably not meant to be Japanese. they've got a national poet called Ryo
[foundobject]: found him! Ryo of Lirnagh (1885–1937). This says: "Ryo of Lirnagh was an enlightened poet active in the early 20th century, best known for the Lirnagh Pages—a scattered collection of sijo-like verses written over several decades."
[pagecrash]: "enlightened poet" 💀 the irony writes itself
[switchtongue]: I'm a linguist from Innishae, let me explain. Ryo of Lirnagh was a foreigner. His name was likely Ryeohwan (려환, 麗煥), which means radiant brilliance, but he often signed his works with the single character 려 (Ryeo). Early translators romanized it simply as "Ryo". Over time, that shortened form eclipsed his birth name and now that's what everyone uses. It's not a common name in Innishae, but it's not that rare either.
[thronethroes]: unbelievable, even his name is problematic
[drainyday]: man can't even get his own name right and we are supposed not to worry???
[freightbrain]: if he had any shame he'd fix his own name before attacking others
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What?! Even my name was a problem now?!
I couldn't believe even the dead poet I was named after was getting dragged.
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[wormdisk]: the name sounds made up. the backstory sounds made up. the qualifications are missing. but sure, let's put him in charge of saving people
[mistbone]: this is what happens when side characters don't stay in the background
[tendergrit]: we are all dying and the System upgraded a random NPC to protagonist
[tonysquawk]: "Ryo Haewell" sounds like an NPC in a skateboard game you meet at level 4 and who dies tragically after you hit him once with a spear
[fastenvy]: dude what kinds of skateboard games are you playing
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Seriously, I also wanted to know what skateboard game that guy was playing.
…Ah, I was clearly losing it.
I rubbed my face, checked the shift checklist, and switched to the feed in the next column.
Fuck. There she was again.
I took a deep breath and scrolled down to read the tirade in order.
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[RightSideofHistory]: His name is Ryo Haewell. Yes, the same man who sneered at survivors, mocked activism, and attacked a reporter on camera. This is who Llewellyn chooses. This is who the System shields.
[RightSideofHistory]: Do not fall for the "mysterious civilian dragged in" narrative. He's not powerless. He has System access, Water Magic, and the arrogance to use them against those asking questions.
[RightSideofHistory]: Remember the name: Ryo Haewell. Say it when the System ignores another petition. Say it when another family buries their dead.
[RightSideofHistory]: And to those who say "Leave Ryo alone"… no. He stepped into the light beside the most powerful Awakened alive, mocked the dead, sneered at the living, and drenched the press. He wanted to be seen. Now he will be.
[RightSideofHistory]: #WeAreNotNoise #KnotAdvocacyMatters #RyoIsTheProblem
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Shit. What was she planning?!!!
The replies to her posts were immediate.
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[supportRSoH]: You've been warning us about Llewellyn's character for years and here's the proof
[ragedate]: we can't let this go #WeAreNotNoise #KnotAdvocacyMatters #RyoIsTheProblem
[pagefault]: every word you wrote is exactly what I've been thinking #WeAreNotNoise #KnotAdvocacyMatters #RyoIsTheProblem
[redwindow]: he attacked a reporter. imagine if any of us had done that #WeAreNotNoise #KnotAdvocacyMatters #RyoIsTheProblem
[slowfire]: we can't stay silent anymore. if we do, we're no better than him #WeAreNotNoise #KnotAdvocacyMatters #RyoIsTheProblem
[inkdepth]: every time you say his name you're naming what's wrong with all of it #WeAreNotNoise #KnotAdvocacyMatters #RyoIsTheProblem
[lostcrater]: do not let this die in 24 hours. keep sharing #WeAreNotNoise #KnotAdvocacyMatters #RyoIsTheProblem
[hotwired]: we grew up told heroes were chosen for their hearts. guess that was a lie #WeAreNotNoise #KnotAdvocacyMatters #RyoIsTheProblem
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Niamh sent a text.
Niamh: I'm trying to see if I can reach Altan or Opal. I don't want you working on this
Ryo: It's fine.
Though… Well. It wasn't fine.
Niamh: It's not. Hang in there half an hour. I'll find someone.
I normally would have insisted, but—
Ryo: Thank you.
Ah, I was becoming really useless if I couldn't even work through this.
I couldn't believe how much more work I was creating for them. Maybe quitting would really be best at this point.
Meanwhile online the damage was spreading. People were screenshotting everything, sharing across platforms.
Somehow, they'd manage to piece together some of my old job history, and the narrative was already forming: unstable job-hopper who abandoned his own grandmother and attacked reporters.
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[mooncut]: seven different companies in five years? red flag.
[bobissues]: Either he's terrible at his job or impossible to work with
[psychoanalysis101]: Classic unstable personality. No wonder he gravitates toward Llewellyn
[choirfire]: I mean, imagine being so bad at your job you have to change companies every few months
[silkthread]: god, you people love tearing someone apart
[lightcrawl]: ffs. how is this not bullying??? you're harassing someone on a years old staff page!!!
[lowrelay]: seven companies in five years sounds like normal capitalism to me
[brightcord]: are we criminalizing job changes now?
[ferricmint]: y'all acting like stable jobs even exist anymore
[llewellean]: he's not unstable, he's just unlucky enough to have you freaks as an audience
[skycoil]: lmao. imagine calling this harassment when itìs literally the truth
[sparkmaze]: he could've stayed a nobody but no, he had to main-character himself
[deepmint]: why does every mediocre man think proximity to greatness makes him special?
[famishedpanda]: Imagine being his grandmother. The betrayal.
[rollonphone]: bet his grandma doesn't even know what he's doing
[hashgrave]: can't lie, watching this unfold in real time is delicious
[charmsnap]: I'm enjoying the downfall. he deserves it
[axlbore]: he wanted relevance, this is relevance
[wetspine]: the internet is the only place accountability still works
[ashglass]: this thread's disgusting. none of you would survive this level of scrutiny.
[pinkpurse]: he's still a person. what's wrong with you all
[deepivy]: you people would bully a man for breathing wrong
[wetradio]: lmao. everyone's pretending this is bullying when it's public service
-
At least I'd stopped updating my online CVs before joining my current company—and then, one day, just deleted everything on a whim.
I didn't want to imagine if they knew I moderated online comments about Llewellyn. I could already see the "he's literally someone paid to censor us" comments—even though I was only allowed to hide profanity and tag things internally in our tools.
Then right below—
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[truthdigger47]: Not sharing the exact address, but he lives in Baekhaven—Haneve neighborhood.
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"…"
Fuck.