CHAPTER 4 - The Scenario Starting

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Author's note: The underlined word was spoken in Western Continent language. I have a busy schedule starting tomorrow so I may just update for 1-3 chapters every week. I hope you enjoy the story, have a nice day.
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Cheongdam-park, Seoul.

     Today was the day that marked that Cale group had spending seven years in this world.

     They still haven’t found any clue to get back to their world. They are bringing their belongings like the spatial pocket or bag with themselves to prevent any possible things that may happen.

    Today was the day that they made fans meeting activities. They decided to do it at Cheongdam-park because it would lessen the numbers of the people. But it only slightly less crowded because they having a lot of fans and they are known for their worldwide handsome appearance.

    They are having a fans meeting for about almost four hours and they could only finished it at 7.00 p.m.

    Then they heard a voice:

[The free service of planetary system 8612 has been terminated.]

[The main scenario has started.]

    Cale group quickly take their bag that contains their belongings from their world. Choi Han and Clopeh also griping the poster tube that contains their sword. Mary griping her staff.

-Cale!

-Cale can you hear our voices?

    Cale hear the familiar voice of the Super Rock and the Sound of the Wind.

    ‘Yes I can hear your voice ‘

    This was the first time in a long while he had heard the voice of the ancient powers.

-Cale, can you hear the wind elemental voices using my top whip?

    Cale quickly taking out his spacial pocket and try to take the top whip. He is really glad that the spacial pocket was functioning properly and he grabbed the top whip.

• Cale!

• Cale! We miss you.

• Chaos, Destruction, Longing. We miss you so much.

“I miss you too, but how are you guys here?”

• Chaos, Destruction, Adventure. We followed you for an adventure.

•We’re inside the temple when the red light flashing. But we just got our consciousness about few minutes ago.

-Our conditions were the same with the wind elemental.
Super Rock added.

    While Cale was busy talking to his Ancient Powers and wind elementals, Alberu also speaking to Taerang.

-It’s been a while Sir. There is two messages from the past owner Angelina. Do you want to read it?

“Yes. “
    Alberu was listening to the Sun God’s messages read by Taerang.

    While Cale and Alberu busy with the information that they’re getting, there is something appearing in the sky. The air split apart and a strange and fluffy creature was floating in the air.

“...Dokkaebi?”
    Someone in the crowd said it.

    Cale group seems to know that it was the start of the Apocalypse that could take them to their world.
____________________________________________

{Kim Dokja POV}

    The subway had stopped before, but it was rare. Even so, why? I remembered the familiar words from a novel... but it was ridiculous. Wasn’t it impossible?

    At this moment, the door of car 3807 opened wide, and the electricity returned.

Yoo Sangah muttered by my side, “...Dokkaebi?”

    My head was ringing. I trembled uneasily as the novel I knew and the reality before me overlapped.

「With two small horns and wearing a small straw mat, the strange and fluffy creature was floating in the air. 」

「 It was too strange to call it a fairy, too evil to call it an angel, and too tranquil to call it a demon. 」

「Thus, it was called a ‘dokkkaebi. 」

And I already knew the first thing the dokkaebi would say.

「&아#@!&아#@! ......」
[&아#@!&아#@!.......]

Fiction and reality overlapped precisely.
“What is this?”

“Augmented reality?”

Amidst the chattering people, I was thrown into another world alone. This was unmistakably a dokkaebi—the very dokkaebi that opened the door to tragedy for thousands of lives in Ways of Survival.

...It was Yoo Sangah’s voice that broke me out of my thoughts. “It sounds vaguely like Spanish. Should I talk to it?”

    I was a bit taken aback and asked, “...Do you know what that is? Will you ask it for money?”

“No but...”

It was at this time that I heard the correct pronunciation of Korean. [Ah. Ah. Does this sound good? Ah, I had a hard time because the Korean patch didn’t work. Everyone, can you hear my words?]

As a familiar language was being spoken, I could see people’s expressions relax. Then the first one to step up was a big man in a suit. “Hey, what are you doing right now?”

[...Huh?]

“Are you filming? I have to go because I have to quickly get to an audition.”

[Ah, auditions. That’s right. This is also an audition. Haha, there was a shortage of data. I just entered when it was monetized at 7 p.m.]

“What? What are you talking about?”

[Now, now. All of you, relax in your seats and listen to me. From now on, I will tell you something very important!]

My chest was becoming stuffy.

“What? Quickly get off the train!”

“Somebody call the captain!”

“What are they doing without the cooperation of the citizens?”

“Mother, what is that? A cartoon?”

There was no doubt about it. This was the development I knew. I didn’t want to be mixed up in this...but there was no way. The people present wouldn’t listen to the small and cute-looking CG creature. The only thing I could do was stop Yoo Sangah who was trying to get up from her seat.

“Yoo Sangah-ssi, it is dangerous, so stay here.”

“Huh?” Yoo Sangah’s eyes widened.

I spoke during a moment of bewilderment, but there was no way to explain what I understood. To be exact, I didn’t have to explain.

[Haha, you are really loud.]
There was a presence with a stronger persuasive power than anyone else right now.

[I told you to be quiet.]
    I closed my eyes slowly as the dokkaebi’s eyes turned red. Something burst, and the subway became silent.

“Uh, uh. Uh...” There was a big hole in the forehead of the unknown actor who had to go to the audition. The man who had spoken several times collapsed on the spot.

[This isn’t a movie shoot.]

There was a cracking sound once again. This time, it was the person talking about the captain.

[It isn’t a dream. It isn’t a novel either.]

One, two... Blood sprayed into the air as the heads of some people started to burst.
They were all the people who had protested against the dokkaebi, as well as the ones who screamed or went wild. Those who caused the slightest fuss had a hole in their heads. Suddenly, the subway became a bloodbath.

[This isn’t the ‘reality’ that you know. Do you understand? So everyone shut up and listen to me.]

    More than half the people present here died. Blood and body pieces filled the subway. Now, the people didn’t scream. Like primitive apes in front of a powerful predator, everyone just watched the dokkaebi with terror.

    I was surprised and held tightly onto the shoulder of Yoo Sangah who was hiccuping.

    This was real. The strange message which entered my ears, the dokkaebi had appeared in front of me, and the train car that had become a bloodbath...
[Everyone, your lives have been nice so far. Isn’t that right?]

    By the special needs seating, an elderly grandmother met the eyes of the dokkaebi.

[You have been living too long for free. Isn’t life too generous? You were born and paid no price for breathing, eating, pooping and breeding! Ha! You really live in a good world!]

    Free? No one in the subway lived for free. The people strived to make money in order to survive, and they rode the subway on the way home from work. Yet at this moment, no one disputed the dokkaebi’s words.

[But now the good days are over. How long can you continue living for free? If you want to enjoy happiness, it is common sense to pay a price. Isn’t that right?]

    The gasping people couldn’t answer. Then at that time, someone carefully raised their hand. “D-Do you want money?”

    I wondered what type of person could speak in the middle of this situation, but surprisingly, I knew his face.

“Yoo Sangah-ssi. Isn’t that Department Head Han of the finance team?”

“...Right.”

    There was no doubt. He was a typical parachute in the company and the number one person newcomers avoided. (Parachute: a person who relies on their connections) It was Han Myungoh, department head of the finance team. Why was that man riding the subway?

“I will give you money. Take it. Please note that I am a person like this.”

    Department Head Han pulled out his business card as people cheered him on. It was the atmosphere of a savior fighting against terrorists.

“How much do you want? A big one? Or two?”

    He was offering a sum that was overly large for a department head of a subsidiary company.

    There was a rumor that Han Myungoh was the youngest son of the leader of the affiliate company and now I thought it might be true. I couldn’t carry that many cheques in my wallet.

[Hrmm, you are giving me money?]

“T-That’s right! The cash I have right now isn’t much but... I can give you anything if you let me out of here.”

[Money, good. A plant fibre that many humans mutually agree on.]

The department head’s expression brightened. It was an ‘Indeed, money is everything’ expression. How pitiful.
“Now, this is all I have―”

[It only applies in your time and space.]

“Huh?”

    At the next moment, flames appeared in the air, and the cheques in the department head’s hands burned up. Department Head Han let out a scream.

[That paper has no value in the macrocosm world. If you do this one more time, I will blow away your head.]

“U-Uhhh...” Fear once again spread on the faces of the people present. It was easy to read what they were thinking because it was just like the novel.

「 What the hell will happen now? 」

    Only I knew what was going to happen in the future.

[Phew, the debt is piling up during the time when you are noisy. Well, yes. Rather than explain it a hundred times, isn’t it quicker for you to make money yourself?]

    The dokkaebi’s horns rose like they were antennas, and its body floated to the ceiling of the train.

   A moment later, a message rang out.

[#BI-7623 channel is open.]

[The constellations have entered.]

A small window emerged in front of everyone’s blank eyes.

[The main scenario has arrived!]
+
[Main Scenario #1 – Proof of Value]
Category: Main
Difficulty: F
Clear Conditions: Kill one or more living things.
Time Limit: 30 minutes
Compensation: 300 coins
Failure: Death
+
The dokkaebi smiled faintly as it became transparent and disappeared into the next space.

[Then, good luck everyone. Please show me an interesting story.]

People reacted differently after the dokkaebi disappeared. Some people tried to get out of the train while others called the police.

Yoo Sangah belonged to the latter group. “Police, the police aren’t answering! What, what should I…”

“Calm down, Yoo Sangah-ssi,” I said, staring straight into Yoo Sangah’s unfocused eyes. “Yoo Sangah-ssi. Have you ever played the game that the development team made? A game where the world is destroyed and only a few people survive.”

“Huh? What are you say…”

“Think about it. We are in a game right now.”

Yoo Sangah silently licked her lips. “Game…”

“It is simple. Don’t hesitate to do as I tell you. Understood?”

“U-Understood. What should I do?”

“Stay still.”

     Finally, I slowly controlled my breathing. I too needed time to properly accept all of this.

[Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World]
The descriptions that existed only in the novel were now unfolding right before my eyes.

「The dokkaebi stretched out its antenna. 」

「 The bodies scattered like trash in the carriage. 」

「 The bloodied office worker shaking. 」

「An old lady groaning in her seat. 」

    I watched every scene intently. It was like Neo in the Matrix, who suspected reality. Observing, questioning, and then eventually being convinced… I had to admit it. I didn’t know the reason why, but there were no doubts about it.

‘Ways of Survival’ had become a reality.
Let me think… How should I survive in this new world?

“Come on, everybody! Everybody calm down. Start breathing calmly.” Someone stepped forward exactly five minutes after the dokkaebi disappeared.

     He was a sturdy man with short cut hair, one head taller than the average height.

“Are you calm yet? Please stop your actions and pay attention to me for a moment.”

The people sobbing or making calls stopped. Once everyone’s eyes were gathered on him, the big man opened his mouth again, “As you know, in the event of a national disaster, small disturbances can cause large human casualties. That’s why I will now control the situation.”

“What, who are you?”

“A national disaster situation? What are you saying?”

Some people belatedly recovered and strongly resisted the world ‘control.’ Then the young man pulled a government official card out of his wallet. “I am currently an army lieutenant serving in the 6502 unit.”
Some people’s faces became relieved. “A soldier, he is a soldier.”

   However, it was too early to be relieved.

“I just received a message from my unit.”
People gathered in front of the soldier’s smartphone. I was able to read the contents without difficulty because I was near it.

–A level 1 national disaster situation has occurred. All troops gather quickly.

   I could hear gulps all around me. It was a national disaster situation. I wasn’t surprised because I had already expected this. In fact, I was surprised because of something else.

    Army lieutenant Lee Hyunsung… That ‘Lee Hyunsung’ was this man.

    I knew who he was. It was the first time actually seeing his face, but his name was clear in my head. He was one of the main supporting actors of Ways of Survival.
「 Steel Sword Lee Hyunsung. 」
A character from the novel had appeared. Now I really had to acknowledge the situation.

“Soldier-nim! What is happening?”

“I have been trying to contact my unit, but…”

“The Blue House! What is the Blue House doing? Please contact the president quickly!”

“I’m sorry. I am just an ordinary soldier and don’t have a hotline to the Blue House.”

“Then why are you taking control?”

“For the sake of the safety of all citizens…”

   As Lee Hyunsung calmly responded to the absurd questions, I realized that the descriptions in the novel weren’t wrong.
However, did Lee Hyunsung originally appear like this? While thinking about these complicated questions, I had a strange hunch.

    As the only reader of Ways of Survival, I could assure you that Lee Hyunsung’s first appearance wasn’t like this. The point at which he appeared in the novel was at the end of the first scenario.

…Then what was this situation? My mind became confused. I would know more clearly if I could read Ways of Survival once again.

“The prime minister is making a speech! It is really a level one disaster!”

   Everyone turned on their smartphones at someone’s cry.  Yoo Sangah turned her screen toward me. “…Dokja-ssi, look at this.”

    There was no need to enter a search term. It was because the first result for all portal sites was ‘Prime Minister’s Speech.’ Of course, I already knew the content of the video.

–To all my fellow citizens, unidentified terrorists are currently active in an unspecified number of areas, including Seoul.

    The contents of the speech were simple. The current government would mobilize all means and methods to fight the terrorists, and there would never be any negotiations. Thus, everyone should confidently continue with their lives…

    I hadn’t thought much of it when I read the novel, but now I was a bit shocked when hearing those words. Terrorism… Yes, that would be more comfortable.

“But where is the president? Why is the prime minister making the speech?”

“The president has already been hit.”

“What? Really?”

“I’m not sure. A Naver comment―”

“Shit, then it is fake!”

Of course, I knew it wasn’t a fake comment.
“Uwaaaaack! What?”

People dropped their phones as gunshots were heard from all over. It originated from their smartphones.

Chiiiik, there was a loud sound, and blood filled the screen. After a moment, people held their breaths as they realized what had happened.

“P-Prime Minister…”

    The prime minister had died. His head had exploded in real-time. There were several more sounds like gunfire before the screen became silent. The next thing that appeared on the screen was a dokkaebi.

[Everyone, I’ve told you already. This isn’t a game like ‘terrorism.’]

    People were at a loss for words as their mouths gaped open like dumb goldfish.

[Do you still not understand? This won’t do.  Do you still feel like this is a game?]

   It felt so ominous because his tone was so relaxed. Subconsciously, I made a fist using all my strength.

[Haha, according to the data, the people of this country are very good at games. So, why don’t I try raising the difficulty?]

Beeep. A huge timer appeared in the air. At the same time, it started decreasing rapidly.

[The remaining time has been decreased by 10 minutes.]

[There are 10 minutes remaining.]

[If the first killing doesn’t occur within the next five minutes, all lives in that carriage will be wiped out.]

“W-What is this? Is it a joke?”

“Didn’t you hear the message just now? Hey, didn’t you hear it?”

“Soldier-nim! What do we do now? Why isn’t the police coming?”

“Everyone, calm down and listen to me―”

    The words of the dokkaebi caused the situation in the carriage to become so severe that Lee Hyunsung couldn’t fix it. I could feel Yoo Sangah gripping my collar tightly.
Still, I couldn’t shake off the incongruity of this situation. Lee Hyunsung, a supporting character, had already appeared. So, why hadn’t ‘he’ emerged? According to what I knew, I should’ve seen him by now.

“T-There is a murder back there!”

    A scene from the 3907 train car could be seen through the aisle window. The complexion of the killer in that carriage was white.

“We have to keep them out! Don’t let anyone in!”

    People held tightly to the iron door, but it wasn’t necessary. The enemy wasn’t there in the first place.

[All types of access to the carriage will be restricted until the scenario is complete.]

    Along with this message, people were thrown back from the iron door like they had hit a transparent barrier.

“W-What is this?”

    Once again, the voice of the dokkaebi rang out, [Haha, there are some places that are quite fun while other places haven’t started yet. Okay, this is a special service. I will show you what will happen if nothing occurs in the next five minutes.]

 

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