Future War (7)
Before we set out, I left the deeply sleeping Lee Gilyoung in My Room under Yoo Sangah’s care, and the rest of us headed for Dongmyo Station just as Kang Ilhoon had told us.
Dongmyo Station, huh… Finally getting to meet those Prophet kids.
I remembered that two of the Prophets who later fell under Kim Dokja’s command were stationed there, even if their names escaped me for the moment.
I’m pretty sure there was that scrawny hypnotist anchovy and the tanned muscle-head.
Unfortunately, my memory has never been anything to brag about.
As a result, the only things I could reliably recall about the world of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint were the main cast, the supporting characters, the modifiers of the Constellations who sponsored well, and the major scenarios.
I did look up a few settings on the wiki out of curiosity once, but if I’d known I was going to drop into the actual ORV world, I would’ve researched a hell of a lot more thoroughly and finished the novel ages ago…
That was my one real regret. I would have known so much more.
For the record, by the time I fell into this world, the original novel had already moved on to what fans called Season 2 or the side-story sequel that was being serialized.
…My head’s getting too cluttered. Thoughts keep jumping all over the place.
I forced down the lingering disappointment and decided to organize what I knew about the two Prophets we were about to meet. Otherwise I was going to spend the entire day sighing and lamenting.
The two Prophets currently holding Dongmyo Station die at the end of the sixth main scenario, right?
The tanned muscle-head got taken out by Nirvana’s Salvation Church, came through the portal to Peace Land, left Kim Dokja with the dying warning “Don’t come,” and expired right in front of Kim-com. The hypnotist, on the other hand, never reappeared and was simply listed as missing.
Chungmuro Station Vice Representative ‘Yoo Sangah’ has used ‘Punishment’.
Huh?
While I was sorting through the info on the Dongmyo Prophets, a system message popped up right in front of my eyes.
“………….”
Did messages like that ever appear in the webtoon? More importantly…
Sangah-ssi. When she decides to do something, she really does it, doesn’t she?
Yoo Sangah hated hurting people more than almost anything, but she still carried out whatever role she was given with quiet competence.
Or… wait. Is she playing queen of Chungmuro Station now that we’re gone…?
My imagination took off.
Yoo Sangah smiling coldly while controlling people’s limbs with her threads.
Yoo Sangah pinning people down and grinding her heel into their backs with a frigid little smirk.
Yoo Sangah braiding her magical threads into a multi-layered whip and cracking it with terrifying charisma and force.
…Oh damn. Peak gap moe.
But the real Yoo Sangah was far too kind for any of that. There was no way she would actually—
I had completely forgotten about the Dongmyo Prophets and was strolling along, lost in fantasies of the “Punishment” currently unfolding at Chungmuro, when Jung Heewon spoke up toward Kim Dokja.
“You did well. Yoo Sangah-ssi looked a little down earlier, so this should help.”
“I didn’t choose her for her mood. I simply believed the Yoo Sangah I know would handle it perfectly.”
Jung Heewon smiled at that.
“Then give me something later too. Something that suits me.”
“How about Executioner?”
“…Never mind.”
Kim Dokja gave her a bright little smile; Jung Heewon turned her head and grumbled. She had been teasing Dokja with “Your Majesty! O King!” for a while now, so this was probably a tiny bit of payback.
“What about me? What do you think would suit me, Dokja-ssi?”
When Kim Dokja recommended “Executioner” to Heewon, I turned to her with sparkling eyes, curious what she would pick for me.
Kim Dokja’s expression hardened. She answered without hesitation.
“Two things suit you, Jinwoo-ssi. First is Court Jester. And second…”
“And second?”
“Professional Scapegoat.”
“The… the job where you get paid to take beatings for other people?”
I dug a finger into one ear, half-convinced I had misheard, and asked again.
Kim Dokja nodded.
“Personally I think Professional Scapegoat fits you best. It would suit you perfectly. Of course, I wouldn’t actually pay you—I’d just hit you for free.”
“…I’ll just take Court Jester.”
I carefully checked her expression and turned my head away.
“Heh…”
Jung Heewon covered her mouth and laughed quietly. Kim Dokja and Lee Hyunsung both snorted at me as well.
“But Dokja-ssi, was it really okay to leave that thug on the rooftop?”
“You mean Yoo Joonghyuk?”
“Something like that, yeah.”
Kim Dokja pictured the Yoo Joonghyuk currently resting on the theater rooftop.
“She’ll be fine. Right now she’s resting more comfortably than anyone.”
“Huh? I didn’t catch the second half, but… are you two close? You seem to know that Yoo Joonghyuk person ridiculously well. What’s your relationship?”
“Pffft…! Ahahahaha!”
Jung Heewon’s question instantly reminded me of the outrageous thing Lee Jihye had said to Kim Dokja earlier, and I burst out laughing.
“…Park Jinwoo.”
Kim Dokja shot me a glare. She clearly knew exactly why I was laughing.
“Huh? Why’d you suddenly laugh, Jinwoo-ssi?”
“Ah, nothing. Ahem! Just remembered a funny scene I saw a while back.”
Jung Heewon looked at me in confusion. Kim Dokja sighed softly and answered the earlier question.
“Heewon-ssi, do you have any siblings?”
“Yeah, a little brother. First year of middle school this year, I think… Why?”
“What’s it like having a younger sibling?”
“Annoying as hell. He’s a pain, talks back constantly… I’ve even had to go to school in Mom’s place when he caused trouble…”
Jung Heewon launched into a long rant about her little brother—the way only a sibling can—listing every annoying habit and every headache he had caused her.
Then, suddenly, she stared into empty air with a distant, wistful look.
Kim Dokja watched her face for a moment before asking carefully,
“But you’re still worried about him now, right?”
“Well… he’s family.”
“I’m similar.”
This time Jung Heewon asked,
“You have a little brother too, Dokja-ssi?”
“No. I’m talking about Yoo Joonghyuk.”
“Huh? Oh…”
Jung Heewon nodded in understanding, then suddenly turned to me.
“What about you, Jinwoo-ssi? Any siblings?”
“Me? No little siblings, but I have an older sister.”
“Oh? How many years apart?”
“Sixteen.”
“…What?”
Jung Heewon, Kim Dokja, and Lee Hyunsung all widened their eyes and stared at me.
“I get why Dokja-ssi and Hyunsung-ssi are surprised, but why are you so shocked, Heewon-ssi? You have a late-born little brother just like me.”
If her brother was a first-year middle schooler now, and Heewon was one year older than me… she was twenty-seven, which meant a thirteen-year gap.
Jung Heewon gave an awkward smile.
“It’s just… this is the first time I’ve met another late-born family like ours.”
“Yeah, I get it. Late-borns like your brother and me are pretty rare.”
Everything I said was pure personal experience.
In twenty-six years of life I had only ever met one other family with a late-born child besides my own. Or two, counting Heewon’s now.
“Still, Heewon-ssi, you’re basically an angel.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
She stared at me with wide eyes at the sudden non sequitur.
“You never said you beat your little brother up. I got my ass kicked by my sister constantly.”
The memories were still vivid. The tyranny of the crazy woman I called Noona.
The way she would appear out of nowhere and drop-kick me while I was playing with toys on the bed.
The way she would smash me across the back just because she was in a bad mood.
The way she would send me on endless errands the second I sat down to watch my favorite anime.
The way she would kick me off the computer every single time I tried to use it.
It was pure hell back then… but now it’s all just nostalgia. And she didn’t torment me every single day, either.
She was the one who bullied me the most, sure, but she wasn’t only a bully.
When I was little I was scrawnier than most kids. Whenever someone picked on me, she was always the first one to charge in and thoroughly re-educate the bastards.
Then she would beat me up herself for getting beaten up in the first place, which was its own problem.
Just like Heewon had done earlier, I stared blankly into the air for a moment, letting the memories of family—of my sister—wash over me.
I guess I’ll never see Noona or Mom again… That… that actually hurts a lot……
Being dropped into the ORV world so suddenly meant there was no way to contact my family, no method to see their faces again. The realization hit me harder than I expected, and a quiet gloom settled over me.
But.
Even so, I have to live my best. No—I have to enjoy the current situation as hard as I can.
After all, the ones who enjoy themselves become first-rate.
And that was the only way I would ever achieve my dream.
I realized I had zoned out completely while thinking about family and looked back at the group. Everyone was watching me with worried eyes.
Ah, crap…
I cleared my throat softly to break the silence.
“Whew… Does my face look that bad right now? Just had a flashback to the nightmare of getting my ass kicked by my sister every day as a kid. Sorry if I killed the mood.”
“Come on, it’s fine. It happens. Everyone understands, right?”
Thankfully Jung Heewon picked up the thread and shot meaningful looks at Kim Dokja and Lee Hyunsung.
“I don’t have any siblings so I wouldn’t know, but the internet always says brothers and sisters fight constantly. Guess it’s true.”
“You really got beaten up by your sister every day, Jinwoo-ssi? That’s… a little surprising.”
At Heewon’s signal, Lee Hyunsung and Kim Dokja both nodded and offered awkward little laughs of agreement.
I gave a small, bitter smile at the three of them working so hard in perfect sync to smooth over the awkward atmosphere.
Honestly… they’re all just too kind and gentle.
Touched by their consideration, I smiled and turned back to Kim Dokja.
“Anyway, back to the earlier topic. So in the end, Dokja-ssi, you don’t actually hate Yoo Joonghyuk that much.”
“Huh? No, I do hate her. I’ve gotten into fights with so many people because of that bitch.”
Kim Dokja made a complicated face.
She was clearly remembering the early days of Ways of Survival, when other readers still existed and she had argued with them in the comments.
“You three seem to have gotten quite close.”
At Lee Hyunsung’s remark I looked left and right in confusion.
I was currently walking right between Kim Dokja and Jung Heewon—pressed far closer to both of them than I had realized.
“What? When did we start walking like this?”
I was sure I had started out on Heewon’s left. Somehow I had ended up sandwiched between two beauties without noticing.
Kim Dokja answered,
“You were staring blankly into space while walking, then suddenly slipped right between us.”
“I did?”
What a clever little instinct. Instinctively diving between beautiful women. That’s my boy. I’m so proud.
Jung Heewon, who had been listening quietly, snorted and asked,
“What, Soldier Oppa? Jealous?”
Lee Hyunsung’s cheeks flushed red. He coughed awkwardly.
“Ahem, ahem. It’s not that I… particularly…”
…Poor guy who went all-boys middle school, all-boys high school, engineering college, then the military.
In that moment Lee Hyunsung looked more pitiful than anyone else alive.
He kept his eyes forward and said,
“I believe we’ve arrived at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station.”
At his words we snapped back to attention and looked ahead.
Bright light was visible in the distance, and the platform entrance came into view.
We moved carefully, trying not to make any noise with our footsteps—just in case of danger.
It was a pointless precaution. I already knew the Dongdaemun History force had been wiped out, but I had no way to explain that to the others, so I simply followed their lead and opened the platform entrance.
Everyone raised their weapons and scanned the surroundings with tense faces. A moment later those faces filled with confusion. Jung Heewon spoke for the group.
“Weird. Not a single sentry.”
No matter where we looked, the station was completely empty. The only thing present was a single flag holder standing in the center of the platform.
“Let’s check the flag holder first.”
At Kim Dokja’s suggestion we approached the “flag holder.” The moment we got close enough, system messages appeared.
This station is already occupied by ‘Dongmyo Station’.
If you wish to claim this station, seize the flag of ‘Dongmyo Station’ or occupy the flag holder first.
We all stared at the flag holder for a moment, each lost in thought.
Then the unconscious Kang Ilhoon suddenly twitched. His body began to tremble violently. He jerked his head up and screamed,
“N-no…! Do-Dongdaemun… Dongdaemun Station is…!”
Everyone flinched and spun toward him.
“…Jesus. What the hell was that?”
Jung Heewon, already irritated by how complicated everything had become, glared at him sharply.
“……! Uh… ah…!”
But Kang Ilhoon was too deep in panic to notice. He kept stammering, drool running down his chin, then went completely limp.
“Kang Ilhoon-ssi…?”
Lee Hyunsung’s shoulder and back were soaked with the man’s drool, but he didn’t seem to care. He only looked worried about Kang Ilhoon’s condition.
“Ah… Don’t tell me.”
Kim Dokja’s expression showed sudden realization. She approached the limp Kang Ilhoon on Lee Hyunsung’s back and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Character ‘Kang Ilhoon’ is currently in ‘Wanderer’ status.
“…Tsk.”
Kim Dokja clicked her tongue the moment the message appeared, fully grasping the situation, and turned to the rest of us.
“…It seems Dongdaemun Station has been occupied.”
“…A double trap.”
Kim Dokja nodded at my words.
“Exactly. The force controlling them was after both Myeongdong and Dongdaemun History from the very beginning.”
Footsteps. Many of them, heading our way. Lee Hyunsung was the first to notice.
“People are coming.”
We drew our weapons and prepared for a possible attack as the footsteps grew louder.
A group finally appeared right in front of us.
Their clothes were ordinary, but the weapons in their hands were high-quality gear.
Still, I don’t think we’d lose.
Every one of us already owned at least one A-rank item. The best they had looked like average C-rank at most.
We sized each other up for a moment, gauging relative strength.
Then the man standing at the center of their group—loaded with clearly superior items—caught my eye.
A slender build, arms and neck draped with all kinds of items.
Finally meeting a Prophet. But what the hell was this guy’s name again? Still can’t remember.
Of all the Prophets, he was the first one Kim Dokja met. He got scammed by a Kim Dokja pretending to be Yoo Joonghyuk, lost his entire force and stations, but was mercifully allowed to live under her command. Then he got his pants stolen, his phone stolen, got separated because of Paul, and eventually was attacked by the Salvation Church and vanished. A thoroughly unlucky bastard.
I looked at him with genuine pity. I wanted to scream at him to run away right now.
You poor, poor bastard… Your misfortune starts right here.
Since I still couldn’t remember his name, I decided to call him Chunsik for now.
Chunsik, blissfully unaware that the beginning of his tragedy was standing right in front of him, leaned casually against the platform screen door and looked at the Kang Ilhoon slumped there.
“Oh, Kang Ilhoon-ssi? My, you’ve brought along quite a lot of unnecessary baggage.”
Kang Ilhoon managed a weak glance at Chunsik before his head dropped and he passed out again.
Chunsik watched him for a second, then shifted his gaze to us.
“Are you people going to introduce yourselves?”
Just as Kim Dokja was about to answer, I slipped between them and cut her off.
“Insolent fool! Do you truly not know who stands before you?!”
“…Jinwoo-ssi?”
Kim Dokja stared at me blankly, completely lost. I ignored her and continued addressing Chunsik.
“This is the Hero of Chungmuro—Lord Yoo Joonghyuk herself!”
“Huh…???”
“??”
“?!”
Kim Dokja, Lee Hyunsung, and Jung Heewon all looked at me in pure panic. I ignored them completely and stared down at Chunsik with a solemn expression.
“W-what…? Yoo Joonghyuk…!?”
The leisurely look on Chunsik’s face vanished instantly. His eyes, wide with shock as he stared at Kim Dokja, began to glow blue.
He had just used his skill, Attribute Search, on her.
Unfortunately for him, Kim Dokja possessed the Fourth Wall.
Crackle—!
“Ugh?!”
Chunsik’s Attribute Search failed against the Fourth Wall. Blue sparks crackled around his eyes as the backlash hit.
“Huh? Wha…? Ah……?”
He staggered from the impact, looking up at Kim Dokja in confusion.
I immediately pulled a sniper rifle from My Room and fired a shot right next to his feet.
Bang!
“Hic…!?”
“You bastard!! I personally informed you of this person’s exalted name, yet you dare activate a skill on Lord Yoo Joonghyuk without knowing your place?! Do you truly wish to die—?!”
“Th-that’s…”
Chunsik’s eyes darted frantically between the sniper rifle in my hands and “Yoo Joonghyuk” (Kim Dokja), stammering in panic.
“Do you have any idea how greatly Lord Yoo Joonghyuk has been enraged by your insolence?!”
Still flustered, Chunsik tried Attribute Search again—this time on Lee Hyunsung.
But he would have no choice but to believe the lie that Kim Dokja was Yoo Joonghyuk. The man standing on our right really was the Lee Hyunsung from Ways of Survival.
“Arrogant fool. Have you still not grasped the situation?”
“Hic?!”
Finally understanding just how serious this was, Chunsik gulped and started carefully reading our faces.
“To try peeping at these two with a search skill so vastly inferior to the one Lord Yoo Joonghyuk possesses… Did you truly believe Lord Yoo Joonghyuk and Lord Lee Hyunsung would fail to notice?! Even insolence has its limits!!”
“…??? J-Jinwoo-ssi?! What on earth is…?”
“Aigoo…! Forgive me, Lord Lee Hyunsung! This humble servant failed to deal with these wretches in time! Please, I beg your forgiveness!”
I cut Lee Hyunsung off mid-sentence, dropped into a full prostration, and trembled violently while apologizing.
The pure-hearted soldier Lee Hyunsung had absolutely no idea what was happening. He looked down at his comrade with pure confusion, completely lost as to why I was acting this way.
Kim Dokja and Jung Heewon were equally baffled—until the sharp-eyed Kim Dokja finally caught on to my intention and let out a deep sigh.
However, one man in Chunsik’s group still didn’t understand and was thoroughly pissed off.
“…Hey, what the hell has this bastard been babbling about this whole time?!”
“Y-you crazy son of a bitch…!?”
Chunsik’s face went white. He yanked out a mace and, without the slightest hesitation, smashed it into the back of his own subordinate’s head.
Thud!
“Guh?!”
Chunsik’s own people, along with Kim Dokja, Lee Hyunsung, and Jung Heewon, all stared at him in shock.
I slowly rose to my feet, looked down at the scene, and nodded as if it were only natural.
“At least you have some sense. If you hadn’t dealt with that one immediately, I would have been forced to clean up every last one of you.”
“…My deepest apologies. I have shown an unsightly spectacle before such distinguished guests.”
Chunsik dropped to both knees at once and looked up at me.
“Please forgive my rudeness. It is late, but may I introduce myself?”
I bent down, hurried to Kim Dokja’s side, and put my ear right next to her lips.
“Hey, you fucking… completely insane Park Jinwoo-ssi? What the hell are you…”
Hearing her curses, I nodded, stepped back a little, and looked down at Chunsik again.
“You’re in luck. Fortunately, our Lord Yoo Joonghyuk has, in her boundless magnanimity, personally granted permission. Introduce yourself at once.”
“…Thank you! Then allow me to introduce myself properly.”
Chunsik’s eyes lit up. He bowed respectfully.
“My name is Lee Seongguk. I have the undeserved honor of serving as Vice Representative of Dongmyo Station. Please forgive the rudeness of introducing myself so late. Lord Yoo Joonghyuk.”
Kim Dokja nodded at Lee Seongguk’s introduction. But I could see the corner of her mouth twitching violently.
It was the tremor of pure rage and humiliation.
Kim Dokja knew it.
Lee Hyunsung knew it.
Jung Heewon knew it.
And of course, I knew it too.
Even so, I smiled. Because for this particular stunt, Kim Dokja had no grounds to blame me.
The Art of War says that to deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your own allies.
No matter how much Kim Dokja yelled at me later, the moment I brought up Sun Tzu I would be completely safe.
So what was the conclusion? Extremely simple.
Ridiculously simple and clean.
Click.
Absolute jackpot.
I quietly stopped the recorder I had secretly turned on—hidden from both the Dongmyo Station group and my own companions—and smiled to myself.