At Gyeongbokgung Station.

    Park Chin-Mae group who is surrounded by the fans killing intent for interrupting their sweet time seems to misunderstood about it and think that they are wary with their arrival or have not trust them because they just met. They tell them about their scenario and they want to make an alliance for the next scenario.

“Ah, you are uncertain because Gyeongbokgung haven’t break the third scenario. In fact, the fourth scenario has already been in progress for two days.”

“…Two days?” Some survivors muttered in surprised tone.

“Yes, the third scenario is slightly different in content and duration between stations… perhaps you didn’t know this?”

“So, you have broken the third scenario but we still need two more days until the scenario ended.”

    Park Chin-Mae offer was asking for alliance for the next scenario. They told them about the fourth scenario that will begin in two days. They also offer some help for battle if they need it, but Cale declined their help because he could see that they were trying to get some information about them. Even if his name means ‘truth’, but he is giving suspicious look with his smiles and glib tongue.

    Not even a children will get scams by that kind of poor acting skills, although it still a bit better than Choi Han acting skills.

     Both groups are trying to scam the other.

“I mean… um, the other stations have already formed alliances. But I didn’t know that Gyeongbokgung haven’t break the third scenario, I have to ask, has Gyeongbokgung already made an alliance?”

“Because we hadn’t started the fourth scenario, we need to think and discuss it with the other.”

“Then please consider to form an alliance with Jongno. You won’t regret it. Above all, we have a ‘winning solution’ for this scenario.”

“A winning solution?”

“Yes, in fact, our group knows the hidden secrets of this scenario.”

    Park Chin-Mae grinned and drove in the last nail.

“We will tell you if you agree to an alliance with us.”

“Please let us discuss about this and meet again after two days. See you two days later.”

“Yes, we will see you again in two days.”

       Park Chin-Ma and his group leave Gyeongbokgung Station.

• Cale, they are saying that they didn’t expect that there’s a lot of survivors in this station. They also want to trick everyone in this station and gain control to have the command rights to order the strong person in this station.

• Chaos, Destruction, Annihilation. Let’s defeat all of them and take everything from them. It will make them learn to be a better person.

• They say they will send some people to spy about our strength and skills. They want to get the strong people under their control.

-   I think they are too stupid if they try to scam you and the crown prince with such low-class acting skills. 🪨

-   I feel sympathetic to their future. They didn’t know who they are trying to scam. They will regret it forever as long as they are still alive. 🌪

-   They will understand when they are being XXX and XX because they try to scam us. 💧

-    Bad people come, more money we will get. What a precious bad people. Kekeke... 🔥

      Park Chin-Mae and his group had never thought that they would have their worst nightmare after two days later. They will regret their actions until they die and they will get the greatest treatment from the fans and constellations that join the membership of Cale group fan clubs.

____________________________________________

{Kim Dokja POV}

     I had realized something when I first heard Kang Ilhun’s words. It was true that Chungmuro had just opened but it didn’t make sense for them to rush in like they had been waiting. The observations of the party and the strange look he made when he knew I was the representative.

     These guys knew about this station from the beginning. I brought my blade to the man’s neck and asked.

     The most likely people were the Prophets. The guys I met in Theatre Dungeon mentioned ‘hidden information’ that other people didn’t know.

     I had been searching through Ways of Survival but I never saw the group name Prophets. If so, who were they?

     There were two hypotheses.

     One, due to an unknown variable, a new prophet had appeared apart from Anna Croft.

     The second… besides me, there was another ‘reader’.

     Honestly, I thought it was probably the latter. The ‘prophet’ attribute wasn’t so easy to obtain. Furthermore, Prophets was a plural…if they were another ‘reader’ that means that some of them may know about the strongest characters in Ways of Survival was Cale Henituse group. They must be trying to find them and made them join their group, but Cale Henituse group seems to always changed their appearance that even Yoo Jonghyuk had a hard time to find them. You could count the times when Yoo Jonghyuk could find Cale Henituse group with the fingers from both hands, and for some reason Yoo Jonghyuk seems to stop searching them after at least 60th scenario. I don’t want to imagine what would happen if this Prophets group find them first. I don’t want them to be my enemies.

     Well, I could check it from now on.
I looked at Gong Pildu and said, “By the way… why didn’t you act more moderately?”

“Why should I show mercy to those running wild?” Gong Pildu looked annoyed.

     Unfortunately, the people of Myeongdong Group weren’t able to answer because they had been hit by too many bullets. As soon as I asked them a question, they coughed up blood and died.

     In the end, I could only ask one person. I looked down at Kang Ilhun who was behind guarded by Lee Hyunsung. His eyes rolled uneasily while he was tied up with Binding Thread.

Yoo Sangah asked, “Was everything planned from the beginning?”

“I thought there was a high probability. As soon as the station opens, two groups will unite and attack. It was a prior promise.”

“Saying things with such a good face…”

Yoo Sangah’s expression became dark.

“Are you sorry? There isn’t going to be an alliance.”

“…A little bit.”

“Don’t believe in people too much. Things won’t be as easy as you think in the future.

“I know. Still… if possible, I wanted to believe. I was able to come here because I believed in someone.”

Yoo Sangah looked at me.

“Hey, how long are the two of you going to talk? Quickly pry the information out.”

     Jung Heewon interrupted us. Indeed, now wasn’t the time to give life advice. I released the thread blocking Kang Ilhun’s mouth.
Kang Ilhun was trying to stay calm.

“…What will you do with me now?”

“It depends on how much information you can give me.”

“Are you basing the standards on usability?”

     This guy talked back even in this situation, there was more to him than I thought. If so, I had to use a hard-line method…

Jung Heewon said, “In any case, the constellations see him as ‘wicked.’ How about trying torture?”

“Why bother with torture? Just kill him if he doesn’t speak.”

     I pulled out my sword without hesitation. Kang Ilhun trembled as he looked up at me.

“From now on, I will count to three. If you don’t open your mouth in that time, you will die. There is no reversal.”

      I deliberately triggered White Pure Star Energy and inserted the sword into the ground.

"One."

     The ground was scratched with the power of White Pure Star Energy as the blade started to move towards him. Fragments of the floor flew towards his face.

“Two.”

     The heat of the blade warmed his face as it approached his nose. In a short time, the ether blade would cut his eyeballs.

“Three…”

“Dongmyo Station!”

    I smiled. Torture? There was no need for that.

Kang Ilhun gasped for breath and explained, “…The people from Dongmyo Station gave us information about Chungmuro.”

Dongmyo, who was there?

“Who was it?”

“He called himself a Prophet…”

     By the way, this guy’s condition was strange. His eyes were rolling and his tongue hung out like a dead person. I had an ominous feeling.

     Surely it wasn’t ‘Suggestion.’

“Yoo Sangah-ssi, hurry and block his mouth with a thread!”

     Fortunately, Yoo Sangah’s threat blocked this guy’s mouth before it could close. Using Suggestion to control information from leaking… they were more meticulous than I thought.

     On the other hand, it was easier for me to solve the problem. Suggestion was a skill that could only be used face-to-face.

    I looked down at Kang Ilhun and stated.
“You are a lucky guy.”

     If he was present, I could definitely identity one of the Prophets.

*     *     *

     Before I went on the full-fledged search, I headed to the roof of the theater.
“He still hasn’t woken up?”

     Maybe it was because she didn’t know I was coming but Lee Jihye shook. Yoo Jonghyuk was still unconscious and lying on her knees.

     Jerk, he was the main character yet he wasn’t going through any hardship. Meanwhile, I was the tired one despite being the reader.

“How is it downstairs?”

“Don’t worry and rest.”

“Master… will he be okay?”

“He will be fine. Although there might be some trauma left.”

“…Trauma?”

“His mental state is more fragile than a child’s. He will be a bit better after a good sleep.”

“It sounds like you know a lot.”

“I know him the best in this world.”

     I spoke in a dry tone and pulled out some paper, writing on it with a pen. I filled it with notes and handed it to Lee Jihye.
“Don’t read it but give it to Yoo Jonghyuk when he wakes up. Do you understand?”

“…I understand.”

     She said so but Lee Jihye would definitely read it. However, Lee Jihye wouldn’t be able to understand it since it was filled with things only Yoo Jonghyuk would know.

    By the way, did the information on the paper also look like ■■■ for the constellations?

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ hates ■.]

     Indeed. I was turning around when Lee Jihye opened her mouth.

“By the way, can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“Earlier, with Master. Master and Ahjussi…”

     Somehow, I seemed to know what Lee Jihye would say. Damn, Lee Jihye heard as well as Jung Heewon?

     I’ve been stupid. I only considered the constellations and never thought about the humans listening. Yoo Jonghyuk would laugh at my stupidity.

What was a good excuse?

“Well, that. You two.”

“What?” I decided to feign ignorance.
Lee Jihye’s expression became more serious.

“I mean, Ahjussi’s words.”

“So what?”

“Wake up you jerk! Don’t fall into those sentiments!”

    Lee Jihye imitated my voice and shouted. I felt embarrassed suddenly hearing my words emerge from someone else’s mouth.

“For the first time, that.. that determination! Have you already forgotten?”

“…?”
Wasn’t something strange? This child, she almost heard it at the filtered level?

“I came here because of you! Why are you alone? We are together!”

“No, wait a minute.”

“I’ve always been around you! Don’t lose hope! Think of the child!”

“That isn’t what I…”

“Why did I come here if you are alone…!”
I stared at Lee Jihye for a moment.
…No, how could she hear it this way?

“S-Something like that? Ahjussi, you and Master…”

I sighed. “Think what you want.”

“…Indeed. Don’t worry, I’ll give him this love letter!”

     I shrugged and turned around. Behind my back, Lee Jihye’s bullshit continued.
“Wait! How did you give birth to a child?”

“Ask Yoo Jonghyuk.”

      Yes, Yoo Jonghyuk, I leave everything to you. The next moment, indirect messages exploded in my head.

[Some constellations are greatly affected by the truth of the filtering.]

[The constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband respects your taste.]

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ likes your comradeship.]

[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ thinks it is ridiculous.]

[600 coins have been sponsored.]

     Damn, there were other idiots. In any case, I told Yoo Jonghyuk what I needed to.

     I hurried through the theater. During the time Yoo Jonghyuk was the sleeping prince, I had to gain as much benefits as possible. I really interested to compare the sleeping prince Yoo Jonghyuk and prince charming Alberu Crossman for the prince title. In the Ways of Survival Alberu Crossman is the character that will make you think of the traditional fantasy prince appearance with blonde hair and blue eyes. The writer describes him as someone with a handsome face that could blind anyone who looked at him. The description is kinda exaggerated, besides how come there’s a person who is like a real sun and could make you blind? Now that I have looked at Cale Henituse picture, I think that the writer must be one of their die hard fans. That’s why the writer describes them with such exaggerated description.

    After coming down from the theater, I headed straight to Myeongdong Station with Lee Hyunsung and Yoo Sangah. Dongmyo Station was important but there was something to be done first.

    But the moment we arrived at Myeongdong Station; we saw an unexpected sight. The people in Myeongdong Station had already been hit by someone. It was also very gruesome.

    I saw a group of men standing near Myeongdong Station. The men were flustered and quickly fled in the direction of Hoehyeong Station. It wasn’t easy to chase them because they had bikes.

     It was as if they knew I was coming. There was more than one or two odd things. Had they really made Cale Henituse group join them? Cale Henituse is someone who could know about what happened in his surroundings like someone with clairvoyance ability, but there’s one time when Yoo Jonghyuk asked Cale Henituse if he has clairvoyance skills and Cale Henituse answer that it wasn’t. Is it Cale Henituse or some other skills?

     Lee Hyunsung gulped nervously. Fortunately, the flag holder of Myeongdong Station was empty.

[Currently there is no group occupying Myeongdong Station.]

[Are you sure you want to take over the station?]

     I plugged the flag into the flag holder and pulled it out again. Then a flag that was the same as mine appeared in the flag holder.

[You have occupied Myeongdong Station.]

[A station that has been occupied can’t be taken from you unless the ‘main base’ or flag is taken away.]

[Currently Occupied: Chungmuro (Main Base), Myeongdong]

[The achievement points of the red flag are rising.]

The red colour of the flag turned darker.
[Your influence has expanded by taking over a new station.]

[The hidden scenario has arrived!]

[The King’s Road has begun!]
+
[Hidden Scenario – King’s Road]

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: A

Clear Conditions: Take over a minimum of 10 stations within the time limit.

Time Limit: 10 days

Reward: The attribute of a ‘king’.

Failure: If you can’t take over a minimum of one station per day, you and your group members will all die.
+

    I finally arrived at the terrible hidden scenario. Once I started this quest, I couldn’t turn back. There were only two fates for a king.

     Become a king or die.

[The new king candidate has started to walk along his road!]

     From now on, it was the full-fledge flag struggle.

*  *  *
      I returned to Chungmuro, gathered the party members and told them about the hidden scenario. Jung Heewon made an interested expression while Lee Hyunsung looked confused. Yoo Sangah was as anxious as always.

    An angel or a fool.. In this situation, they were worried rather than jealous about the hidden scenario.

Lee Hyunsung said, “I’m glad that Dokja-ssi is the king candidate.”

“Thank you.”

“Then should I call you Your Majesty?”

     I was hit in the head by Jung Heewon after being touched by Lee Hyunsung’s serious words. It made me realize that Cale Henituse group never tried the ‘King’s Road’ scenario. They always have many followers and sometimes they called Alberu Crossman with ‘Your Highness’ and treated him like a royalty, so why would they never join in this scenario? Let’s just tough about it later.

“I don’t want that.”

“Your Majesty, based on this hidden scenario, shouldn’t we go occupy a new station right away? You should think about the lives of your subjects.” Jung Heewon said sarcastically.
I nodded.

“I think we need to find out about the people who attacked us. I’ll go straight to Dongmyo. Jung Heewon-ssi and Lee Hyunsung-ssi, will you go with me?”
Yoo Sangah raised her hand at my words.

“Then I…”

“Yoo Sangah-ssi will stay here.”

“Ah, really… on the other hand, more…”

     I listened to Yoo Sangah’s voice and it sounded glum. Perhaps Yoo Sangah was thinking that she was useless.

     Her damage wasn’t as strong as Jung Heewon and she didn’t have a strong physique like Lee Hyunsung. In addition, she didn’t have a powerful trump card like Gilyoung.

     All her previous ‘specs’ had become obsolete in this new world. But she was too good to be jealous of other people. Thus, her inferiority complex was quietly festering.

“Yoo Sangah, not everyone can do the same things well.”

“Yes, I am aware of that.” Yoo Sangah smiled weakly.

      I spoke carefully so that she wouldn’t feel it was an admonishment. “Do you remember the words that you said on the subway? Dokja has a solo life and I will…”

“I will have an ivory life. Yes, I remember. I wrote it on the notepad of my smartphone.”

    Why did she look so elated? In any case, I couldn’t hate it. I continued speaking.

“Yoo Sangah-ssi has things to do here. I can’t leave the unconscious Gilyoung alone. I need someone to monitor Gong Pildu and to control the nervous group members.”
Yoo Sangah’s eyes shook.

“Besides, the Hoehyeon forces must be kept in check. They might attack while we’re away. Gong Pildu is here but Yoo Sangah’s Binding Thread might be necessary.”

“C-Can I do this role well…?”
Yoo Sangah spoke weakly because of her low self-esteem.

“Hey everyone. In that way… I will give Yoo Sangah-ssi a job position. What do you think?”

     Lee Hyunsung and Jung Heewon thought for a moment before nodding.

“Okay, I can trust it if it is Yoo Sangah.”

“King… if you wish then do so…”

     I glared at Jung Heewon. Did she think that was funny right now?

[You are using the unique permissions of a representative.]

[Chungmuro Station’s representative, Kim Dokja is transferring some of his authority to group member ‘Yoo Sangah.’]

[Group member ‘Yoo Sangah’ has become the deputy of Chungmuro Station.]

[In the future, group member ‘Yoo Sangah’ can deal out punishments on behalf of the representative.]

     Yoo Sangah looked at me with stunned eyes and stuttered. She looked terrified.

“G-Giving, giving this position to me…”

“I will leave it to Yoo Sangah-ssi.”

      I meant it. Once again, not everyone could do the same things well. Based on what I remembered, Yoo Sangah would be appropriate for this.

<to be continue>

Author’s note: After