{Kim Dokja POV}
We followed Lee Jihye and entered Chungmuro. Yoo Sangah saw the shattered screen door of the platform and said.
“…It is a chaotic atmosphere.”
As they climbed up from the tracks of railway line 3, they saw some people sitting down.
[You have entered Chungmuro.]
[The third scenario is currently in progress.]
[#GIR-8761 channel is active.]
[#BIR-3642 channel is active.]
From Chungmuro onwards, the size of the scenario grew and the dokkaebi channels increased. From now on, that naive Bihyung would have a hard time.
Now was the true beginning.
“I brought you here so take care from now on. I’m not a babysitter.”
This child was speaking so indifferently.
I looked around. Chungmuro. This was the stage of the third scenario, where completely different rules were in play.
“S-Shit! I’ll kill you if you come close…”
A man was in the middle of the platform for subway line 3, waving a knife around and threatening people.
At these feet was a tile that was 1 pyeong (3.306 m2) in size, emitting a green light that stretched into the air. Yoo Sangah asked, “…Why is he doing that?”
“I don’t know.”
I could guess but there was no need to scare her just now. There were many people sitting down with a knife on subway line 3. Unlike the previous middle-aged men, their faces were filled with despair. I glanced at them and asked Lee Jihye.
“Is Yoo Jonghyuk here?”
Lee Jihye, who was about to leave, turned her head at ‘Yoo Jonghyuk.’ There was vigilance in her eyes.
“…Who are you?”
Yoo Jonghyuk had already ruined this child.
Well, I could understand. It was difficult to find a constellation on the level of Maritime War God, even if he searched through all of South Korea. If I was in Yoo Jonghyuk’s position, I would’ve found her soon after coming to Chungmuro.
“I am a companion of Yoo Jonghyuk who came back alive.”
“…Companion? How is that possible?”
Lee Jihye stared at me with suspicious eyes. I shrugged shamelessly.
“That guy will understand if you tell him. Where is Yoo Jonghyuk now?”
“…Master isn’t here right now.”
“Really? This is difficult. I have something I need to say.”
Lee Jihye’s expression distorted as she stared at me with something like betrayal.
Ah, I knew very well what she thought of Yoo Jonghyuk. Moreover, it was already Master…it will be difficult to gain her this way.
Lee Jihye called out to a boy squatting in the corner.
“Hey, over there!”
“Eh? Yes, yes!”
“Watch over these people right here! I’m going to find Master.”
The boy looked at us with puzzled eyes.
“…Who are they?”
“I don’t know. Master’s friends?”
At Lee Jihye’s words, the eyes of the people on the platform became bigger. They looked at us with amazement and awe.
“…Yoo Jonghyuk-ssi’s friends?”
The boy ran up to us and exclaimed. It was a boy who looked roughly around Lee Jihye’s age.
“Are you really Yoo Jonghyuk-ssi’s friends?”
I couldn’t lie when I saw the boy’s clear eyes. At least, if I was an ordinary person.
“He is a good friend.”
Recently, I didn’t seem to be an ‘ordinary’ person. At least, it was the case here.
While taking care of the unconscious Jung Heewon, I heard about Chungmuro from the boy. Along with Lee Jihye, this boy was one of Yoo Jonghyuk’s followers.
Of course, I wasn’t listening properly. The story of psychopath Yoo Jonghyuk’s heroism wasn’t interesting.
The short summary was something like this.
“Three days ago, Yoo Jonghyuk appeared and saved some of you, including Lee Jihye, from the monsters. Isn’t that the story?”
The boy frowned at his story be summarized so simply.
He was surely spellbound by Yoo Jonghyuk.
Suddenly, a presence with overwhelming force rescued them. It would be strange if they didn’t follow him.
But the boy didn’t know. The boy survived not because Yoo Jonghyuk was a good guy, but because the boy was luckily with Lee Jihye.
“Now can I ask you a few things I am curious about?”
Lee Hyunsung started asking politely while I was locked in my thoughts.
“Yes. Just ask.”
“How is the food supply here?”
“That, it is a bit embarrassing to say… some people, including me, are dependent on Jihye. Jihye hunts and asks Yoo Jonghyuk-ssi to cook…”
It was unknown when he made a checklist but Lee Hyunsung took out his notes and started to write something. He really was a soldier.
“Then how is your drinking water?”
“We give food or coins to the ‘Landlord Alliance’ upstairs in exchange.”
“…Landlord Alliance?”
I sat straight up. Now the story was becoming interesting. The boy hesitantly opened his mouth.
“They are the landlords in charge of the Chungmuro area. They occupy the upper floors and we call them the Landlord Alliance.”
Chungmuro’s Landlord Alliance. It was a name that appeared in Ways of Survival.
“What type of people are they?”
“Well, what should I say…”
In fact, there was no need for me to ask. Perhaps, according to my expectations, one of the ‘10 Evils’ was in Chungmuro right now.
“They are just landlords.”
This answer was the correct answer in a sense. They were landlords. Building owners who received fixed taxes. At this moment, the quiet Lee Gilyoung opened his mouth.
“Excuse me Hyung.”
“Yes?”
“I want to go to the toilet.”
“Is it urgent?”
“Yes.”
The timing was a bit unexpected. It was even more puzzling because Lee Gilyoung normally didn’t say something like this. Then I noticed that Lee Gilyoung was standing next to a blushing Yoo Sangah.
“…Excuse me, can I also go with you?”
At the moment, the image of Yoo Sangah and Jung Heewon securing secret necessities at Yaksu Station came to mind. I thought I knew what was going on. That kid Lee Gilyoung, he quickly noticed it first.
The boy overhead the conversation and said.
“You need to go up to the second underground floor for the toilet, but it won’t be easy to enter.”
“…Has something happened?”
“Yes. I think it is better to see directly…I’m going up to, would you like to go with me?’
“Let’s go.”
I was the one who said it. Of course, it wasn’t to go to the bathroom. I had to go up and check a few things.
Recently, Yoo Jonghyuk’s movements were different from the ‘third regression’ that I knew. If so, I needed to be clear about the gap.
I went up to the third underground level with my friends, carrying Jung Heewon who was still unconscious.
“Oh, I heard that there were new faces. Have you come to see the rooms?”
A middle-aged man standing near the escalator for line 4 whistled. The boy shook his head and replied.
“Ah, I’m sorry. We are going upstairs…”
“Eh, too bad. Be careful.”
The middle-aged man waved his hands without hesitation. Yoo Sangah watched the middle-aged man moving away and asked.
“That, by the way… what exactly is the ‘room’? I don’t think it is the rooms that I know.”
“It is easy.”
The boy pointed to a square tile.
The tiles were also present on the platform of line 3. Green tiles that were 1 pyeong in size. Looking at the details, I saw something written in the air above the tile.
[Green Zone 0/1]
“The scenario name is ‘green zone’ and these tiles are called rooms.”
As we climbed up to the higher floors, there were more fights over rooms. The room numbers were different. There were small rooms labelled (0/1) and large rooms labelled (0/7). The latter number was probably the capacity of the room.
I looked around carefully and asked, “The third underground floor to the first underground floor is all the area of the Landlord Association?”
“…Yes. There are small forces but the Landlord Association has obtained most of it.”
All the infrastructure of Chungmuro was located on the second and first underground floors, yet a single alliance occupied all of it.
“Yoo Jonghyuk didn’t take any action? Didn’t he save you?”
“That…”
The boy’s face became noticeably darker at my question. The boy looked sullen for a while before barely being able to speak.
“He told us to stand on our own…”
I knew. Of course, Yoo Jonghyuk would say something like this. Perhaps Yoo Jonghyuk never told them to follow him. They were fascinated by the overwhelming force that Yoo Jonghyuk showed and had hopeful dreams. How pitiful.
Not long after, we arrived at the second underground floor. There was tension on the boy’s face.
“We have to be careful from here onwards.”
There were much more rooms on B2 than the lower levels. The group of people fighting couldn’t be seen. Instead, people were guarding the green zones with scary eyes.
[Green Zone 7/7]
We passed by the people and headed towards the bathrooms.
Our pace stopped as we approached the last passage to the bathroom. Like a bottleneck, dozens of people were gathered in the passage.
“Let’s go forward.”
I spoke while pushing people out of the way.
The leader at the head of the line was facing the heated-up people.
On the opposite side, people who seemed to be from the Landlord Association were gathered. I could instinctively feel it.
One of the 10 Evils was here. I tried to find the ‘10 Evils’ member through the novel’s description but it wasn’t easy since all of them seemed to fit.
I was shaking my head when someone grabbed my leg. It was Lee Gilyoung. I sensed something danger and was about to grab his shoulder when someone pushed Lee Gilyoung.
Lee Gilyoung lost his balance and fell down.
[The character ‘Lee Gilyoung’ has invaded private property!]
Suddenly, the atmosphere became cold and some of the ‘Landlord Association’ members in the front looked at Lee Gilyoung.
“What is this child?”
At almost the same time, the crowd of people screamed and withdrew.
“B-Back! Quickly!”
As if they were never there, the crowd of people rushed back like the tide. The people disappeared and red lines shone where they used to be standing. One man looked between the boundary and Lee Gilyoung in turn.
“Hrmm. You seem to be lost. Do you know where this is?”
“The way to the bathroom?”
“The bathroom? Haha, at one time. By the way, that kid…where are your parents?”
“…Huh?”
“Didn’t you learn that you shouldn’t intrude on other people’s land?”
Other people’s land. Oh, it must be true.
The man stroked Lee Gilyoung’s head with an unknown look.
“You don’t know. From now on, I will teach you.”
[The character ‘Gong Pildu’ has activated ‘Armed Zone Lv. 3!]
There was a whirring sound and mini turrets resembling gatling guns rose from the ground.
[The character ‘Gong Pildu’ demands 500 coins for invading his private land.]
[If you don’t follow the recommendations, all nearby turrets will fire immediately.]
The loaded turrets were all aiming at the same point. The confused Lee Gilyoung stood up and moved to my side. The man saw me and laughed.
“Ah, you are his guardian. Then shouldn’t the guardian pay 500 coins instead?”
I smiled at the hand that the man brazenly stretched out.
…How funny, Yoo Jonghyuk. You let these jerks go?
Chungmuro’s armed fortress master, Gong Pildu was one of the 10 Evils. Thus, a person wouldn’t be aware of Gong Pildu unless they read to the end of Ways of Survival (like me).
[Green Zone 56/70]
Indeed, the size of his room was different. The size of the room couldn’t be easily measured. This whole green zone was Gong Pildu’s area.
Let’s do the standard procedure. I hid Lee Gilyoung behind me and opened my mouth.
“Why should we pay you coins? Chungmuro Station is a public place.”
“Haha, it was until eight days ago. But not anymore.”
For ordinary humans, 500 coins wasn’t a small sum. But giving 500 coins just for stepping on his land…what a crook.
“Okay, I’ll give it. But I’ll give it to you directly.
“What?”
“You aren’t Gong Pildu.”
Gong Pildu might be a villain but right now, the person in front of me was just Extra ‘1’ of the Landlord Alliance.
I quickly looked around. Not him, not him… I wondered where Gong Pildu was.
I ignored them and kept walking.
[You have invaded private property!]
The turrets aimed straight at me but I didn’t stop.
Honestly, there was no guarantee that I would be safe if the turrets started shooting. But there was a need to show off my combat power here. That way Gong Pildu wouldn’t underestimate me.
“It is up to here. I will give you if you come closer.”
Finally, Gong Pildu moved.
A bench covered with various supplies. A middle-aged man sitting on top of it and reading a magazine was staring at me.
Indeed, this was how he was described in the novel. His belly was half revealed and I could see the hair on it. This was Gong Pildu, the representative of the Landlord Alliance.
[The character ‘Gong Pildu’ is interested in you.]
In any case, I seemed to be the type that was popular with the bad guys. It was the same with Kim Namwoon.
Tadak. I heard magic bullets being loaded in the turrets. Damn bastard.
There were numerous ‘gap’ in this world, but few of them were as stable as a land owner of landlord. However, there were those who posted both characteristics and the ‘armed fortress master’ Gong Pildu in front of him was one of them.
I realized it when I saw this explanation. His magic power was already at level 19. But it still lower than Cale Henituse group that have high magic power without needing to use coins to leveling up their status. From what Yoo Jonghyuk know about them, they avoid the use of skills and most of Star Stream system. Although they have a lot of coins, but they almost never use it. I really envy those cheats like character.
I pondered over it for a while. Should I negotiate here or overpower Gong Pildu.
It might be possible if I used all my power but it wasn’t easy to break through Gong Pildu’s Armed Zone. I needed to prepare for a big injury if I wanted to defeat the turrets.
What should I do? There was a separate place where I had to use coins so it was impossible to increase my stats.
“I’m warning you that you shouldn’t think of anything.”
Gong Pildu smiled at me. His troops were surrounding Lee Hyunsung. He really moved quickly.
I laughed and raised both hands.
“Please calm down. Isn’t it obvious for a tenant to come to the landlord?”
“Is it for a room?”
“Yes. Please let my companions and I sat in your green zone”
This was a must. In order to clear the third scenario safely, we had to say in Gong Pildu’s green zone. However, Gong Pildu’s answer was as expected.
“No. The alliance doesn’t accept outsiders. I’ll think about it if every person pays 500 coins a day.”
500 coins a day? It was like selling coins. It was more than the Dokkaebi Bag.
Gong Pildu stared at me with suspicious eyes.
“What is your relationship with Yoo Jonghyuk?”
“We are companions separated by life and death.”
“…I don’t think it is like that?”
“Anyway, we are friendly.”
“How can I believe that?”
“Don’t believe me. Don’t you have nothing to lose?”
I threw out the bait. Perhaps Gong Pildu would have to accept my suggestion. It was because right now, Yoo Jonghyuk was the only person who could threaten the power balance in Chungmuro.
[The character ‘Gong Pildu’ has activated ‘Profit Calculation Lv. 2!]
“Why won’t I receive any loss?”
…?
“There is no guarantee that you aren’t a scammer. I can’t ignore my years of experience. In my experience, people like you run away to avoid paying the rent at the end of the month.”
It was so accurate that I felt wronged However, it was difficult to push it here. But thinking about Gong Pildu’s shameful part where he’s being scams by Cale in his child appearance easily was really satisfying.
“If you don’t believe me, it can’t be helped. Maybe there will be damages.”
Gong Pildu’s expression became complicated. I turned around without hesitation. It was important not to show any regret. That way, he would regret it even more.
The dokkaebi still hadn’t given me the cut of the coins but I couldn’t give 1,000 coins to a jerk like Gong Pildu.
Gong Pildu grinned.
“Then you are disqualified as tenants. Die.”
I instinctively pushed through the men around me and ran to where my party members were.
There was the first firing sound and Lee Hyunsung held up a metal shield, blocking my back. He was really reliable.
“…Dokja-ssi.”
Lee Hyunsung’s strength and stamina were level 14 but he spoke very nervously. I could clearly see his trembling arm muscles.
Lee Hyunsung hadn’t obtained his second stigma yet, meaning he couldn’t hold on against the turrets. Moreover, there was no Jung Heewon. If I started a head-to-head fight, someone in this party would surely die.
“Gong Pildu-ssi, wait a moment. If we fight then you won’t escape any damages.”
“What?”
“It is better not to fight us now.”
“Why?”
The damage had to be shown.
“If we fight now, you will die here.”
Gong Pildu’s expression hardened. Even if I didn’t add anything, Gong Pildu would’ve noticed.
The presence of the guy coming down the escalator from B1. It would be strange if he didn’t know when the guy was giving off such a huge momentum.
“My best companion is coming.”
I didn’t expect that damn regressor to be happy.
“Master, it is that person. He pretended to be Master’s companion.”
Lee Jihye cried out shrilly as she pointed to me. The main character, the lone hero of a drama, was walking by her side. He looked at me with impressively fierce eyes.
[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ is greatly disturbed.]
[Exclusive skill, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint stage 2 has been activated!]
There was a brief moment of dizziness and I started to hear his thoughts.
「 How…already? 」
I waved to him and said casually. Just keep smiling, Cale Henituse always do it to soften others heart. Remembering how he could have others allegiance with his smiles really annoyed me when reading about it.
“Hi Jonghyuk.”
「······.」
“Have you been well? Your face looks good?”
「······.」
Lee Jihye and Gong Pildu looked between us like they couldn’t believe it. They never thought I would be a companion of Yoo Jonghyuk. There was a tight tension in the air.
“These people don’t believe I am your companion. Can you tell them?”
But I knew Yoo Jonghyuk. This bastard killed easily but he kept his promises.
[A few constellations are paying attention to character Yoo Jonghyuk’s answer.]
[The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire is observing the loyalty of Yoo Jonghyuk.]
Moreover, the constellations were paying a lot of attention.
「······.」
Yoo Jonghyuk watched me and slowly opened his mouth. However, my words were faster.
“Ah right, it would be better if you let me use the bathroom!”
Finally, Yoo Jonghyuk pulled out a blade.
After a while, we safely used the bathroom and came down to the platform of line 3. It was thanks to the fellow regressor companion. I smiled widely.
“Its nice to see you, you rascal.”
“…You are alive.”
In conclusion, Yoo Jonghyuk didn’t call me his companion. He just pointed his blade at Gong Pildu as his answer. Fortunately, Gong Pildu didn’t want to clash with us and let us go.
“Were you hoping I would be killed?”
“I thought it would be good.”
This rotten companion. I became angrier when I saw that cheeky face. I wanted to run over and strike him in the jaw, but I couldn’t.
[The exclusive skill, Character List is activated.]
[There is too much information about this person. Character List is converted to Summary List.]
Full version.
[Converting the character information of ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ into the ‘full version.’]
+
[Character List]
Name: Yoo Jonghyuk.
Age: 28 years old.
Constellation Sponsor: ???
Private Attribute: Regressor (3rd turn) (Myth), Pro Gamer (Rare)
Exclusive Skills: Sage’s Eyes Lv. 8, Hand to Hand Combat Lv. 8, Advanced Weapons Training Lv. 5, Strong Self-Defense Lv. 5, Mental Barrier Lv. 5, Crowd Control Lv. 5, Reasoning Lv. 5, Lie Detection Lv. 4…(Omitted)…
Stigma: [Regression Lv. 3]
Overall Stats: Stamina Lv. 24, Strength Lv. 24, Agility Lv. 25, Magic Power Lv. 23.
Comprehensive Evaluation: The comprehensive evaluation of this person is too long to load.
+
It didn’t seem that great in the novel. But now that I saw it myself, I knew how extraordinary it was. But he is still a little weaker than Choi Han at this time because everyone in Cale Henituse group were something out from the common senses. I always doubt that they are a human being.
We were about to enter the third scenario and his physical body stats were just over 70. This crazy bastard. Dammit, this was the main character buff.
“Do you have anything to say?”
Yoo Jonghyuk’s growth rate was steeper than it was in the original three regression. The fact that his growth was so fast meant he was taking great risks…what the hell was the person who only returned three times doing? Something was making me uneasy. I would have to dig it out sooner or later…
“I asked if you had anything to say.”
“No, I was just looking.”
「 …He is more tenacious than I thought. 」
What tenacity? He had a serious chuuni disease.
「 However, being cheeky isn’t good. Should I just kill him now? 」
“I’m joking.”
I hurriedly laughed. Yoo Jonghyuk turned his head like he wasn’t interested.
[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is disappointed in you.]
Anyway, I didn’t want to alienate Yoo Jonghyuk right now. In order to clear the multiple scenarios, Yoo Jonghyuk was a necessary person. Even if we weren’t real companions, it was worth using him thoroughly.
…Why did it sound like I was making excuses?
“It looks like you’ve obtained companions.”
Yoo Jonghyuk looked at the people behind me with emotionless eyes.
[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ is a bit disappointed in you.]
…What? Why?
The answer became clear.
[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ has used Sage’s Eyes Lv. 8!]
「 He picked up Lee Hyunsung but was only to raise him to this level. 」
I was at a loss for a moment because it was true. Certainly, Lee Hyunsung’s growth would be better if he had moved with Yoo Jonghyuk.
Still…this bastard. I was just an ordinary reader who luckily got to know the future.
「 It is below expectations. 」
It seemed worse because I was hearing the words in my mind. At that moment, Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes stopped as he was looking around. For the first time, confusion could be seen in his eyes.
「…What is that? 」
___________________________________________
Meanwhile at Gyeongbokgung Station.
“Bob-nim, what should we do about them?” the woman survivor asked about the group that crippled by Choi Han.
“I’ll talk to them, maybe they will repents about what they have done. We need to give them the chance for fixing their wrongdoing. They also could become our power because they having battle skills that would help us in attacking or defending ourselves from the monsters.” Bob (Alberu) said with his usual smile.
“I-I'm sorry for my short sight. Bob-nim and Naru-nim is really similar. Both of you are so kind-hearted, you are letting those villains and even give them the chance for repents.” The survivor was talking with dazed.
At different corners of Gyeongbokgung Station.
“Priest-nim, why are you going with Naru-nim and his servants? How do you meet with them?”
“Priest-nim, how do you get these videos of Cale-nim and Alberu-nim?”
Clopeh who looks like priest with blonde hair and blue eyes is being interrogate about why he is being with the young master group.
“I was saved by them and Naru-nim give me hope with his present. I came abroad for preaching the temple teaching, but I found my faith after watching them helping the others. We met someone from Seongsu Station and they give me these videos. Watching Cale-nim and the other exploits in this video from the Seongsu Station survivors that I met before is the reason for my life. After watching Naru-nim and Cale-nim, I got enlightenment that I should put my faith in those heroes like person. After all they can direcly interact with us, we can see their exploits directly and they can help us when we need it. Heroes are better than God because we can’t interact with God directly, we don’t even know if those myths, stories or Bible is true, and they didn’t help us when we need it. That’s why I now put my faith and following Naru-nim.” Clopeh give his preaching while trying to act like Saint Jack.
“You really enlightened us with your words. You are right, even they’re being hailed as God and it’s written that some of them is beautiful but what if all of that are lies and they have a face that is as ugly as squids!”
“Mhm...we only need to believe and have faith in whatever we could see and know.”
[Some constellations angry with your words.]
[Some constellations interest in your preaching.]
[Some constellations surprised with your preaching.]
[Some constellations hate your presence.]
[Some constellations watching you intensely.]
[Some constellations shocked at the listeners reaction.]
...
Clopeh was telling Cale and the other exploits while acting as a priest. He is telling about Cale and Naru (Cale) exploits in videos that he made as the record of the legend that he wants to see. Clopeh was using incite skill LV. 7 and make the survivors around turned into the followers of the ‘Legend’ that he’s telling. Clopeh incite skill has been level up from LV. 5 at the first scenario. For some reason his incite skill keeps leveling up when he was interacting with more people.
<to be continue>