Chapter 7

2 [Sponsor Selection has ended.] I took a deep breath and read the messages that popped up. [A number of constellations are shocked by your choice.] Ah, here we go. [Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon is furious about your decision.] [Constellations affiliated with Black Cloud share Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’s anger. You will not receive donations from them for a time.] No surprises there. I’d known they’d react this way. Turning his whole posse against me just because I’d rejected his offer……That was Namwoon Kim’s original sponsor, all right. Like constellation, like incarnation. [Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire is disappointed in you.] [She will closely monitor your sense of justice from now on.] Archangel Uriel was simply disappointed. It was rare for constellations of the absolute good alignment to outright hate someone unless they’d committed some grave sin. [Constellation Secretive Plotter is intrigued by your choice.] [They have donated 200 coins.] I wasn’t expecting Secretive Plotter’s reaction at all. Judging by their epithet, perhaps they thought highly of my shrewdness. [Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband is amused by your choice.] And the Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal… I didn’t know how to feel about this one. Had I made the right choice? I wasn’t sure. I might have squandered an incredible opportunity. [You have not chosen a sponsoring constellation.] Having a sponsor could be a great boon, but it also limited your potential. After all, a contract with a constellation wasn’t a fair agreement. I’m going to survive. But I won’t do so at the cost of becoming their plaything. And if I was right, there were other ways to gain power without choosing a sponsoring constellation. Perhaps even stronger than those with top-tier sponsors. Ha-ha, oh boy… Someone has made an interesting choice, I see. Well, all right. There will be another chance. The goblin’s eyes narrowed, then lingered on me for a moment. Well, then. You’ve made your selections, so why don’t you take a quick break while I prepare the next scenario? See you in ten minutes! Once Sponsor Selection was over, the goblin disappeared. Although it had said to take a break, these ten minutes would be crucial. I had to use that time to take stock of the situation and prepare for the next scenario. “Character Profile” and “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.” I still wasn’t sure exactly how to use them, but I had a decent grasp on what they did. That was enough for now. “Please, gather around.” The survivors, who had been eyeing each other nervously, came together at my words. Hyeonseong Lee was the first to extend his hand and introduce himself. “Hello, I’m Hyeonseong Lee.” “I’m Dokja Kim.” “I wish…it had been under different circumstances, but it’s nice to meet you. As I said, I’m a soldier…or rather, I was one.” “Still can’t contact your unit?” “…No.” I could feel his strength through our firm handshake. As expected of a top-tier vanguard in TWSA. I had to get Hyeonseong Lee on my team, no matter what. He may not look like much right now, but he’s a crucial character in the later parts of TWSA. “Oh, and Dokja…” “Yes?” “Thank you for earlier. We’d all be dead if it weren’t for your actions.” “No, that was—” “Even if we’d survived, we would’ve lost our humanity. Thank you again. And…I’m ashamed.” Hyeonseong made a bow in gratitude. I felt a bit torn. After all, this man would’ve survived even if I hadn’t done anything. Just then, someone grabbed my shoulder. “Ha-ha, that’s our temp for you. Good job. You know who I am, right?” I could tell who it was without even looking. I took his hand off my shoulder as I spoke. “Yes, Myeongoh Han.” “Excuse me? That’s Manager Han to you.” Even in this situation, this guy’s trying to assert his seniority. That’s Myeongoh Han, all right. “We’re not at the office, in case you haven’t noticed.” “Ha! You tryna get fired? Did nobody teach you manners?” Watching his tantrum hammered home the fact that the world I’d once known had truly ended. This man had been a predator at the top of the food chain before this scenario began. And I had been nothing but prey at the mercy of his kind. That was how it had been just a short while ago. “And don’t get me started about that nonsense earlier. You should’ve told me about the bugs first. How could you just throw them?” “…” “Get your priorities straight, Dokja. You’d do well to get in my good graces. Your contract is up soon, isn’t it? Don’t you know what a crucial time—” It’s funny. The structure of the world I’d lived in was such a fragile thing. “Myeongoh.” “Eh?” “Shut up already.” “Wh-what?” “Do you still not get it? Maybe I should’ve let that kid beat some sense into you. Mino Soft? Look outside. You think that company still exists?” Myeongoh turned pale, mouth agape like a fish out of water. I turned toward the others. I needed to make things perfectly clear to everyone else, too. “And not just Myeongoh. You all need to wake up. As the goblin said, this is not a joke.” “……” “I’m sure you’ve realized by now. Attribute menu, exclusive skills, an interface like a video game. Is there anyone who hasn’t figured it out yet?” As I expected, no one raised their hand. Internet and technology were a major part of daily life in Korea, so most people had played an RPG at least once. Even those who hadn’t must’ve read fantasy novels or webcomics. Hyeonseong sighed. “It’s just like the novels I read during night shifts. I still can’t believe it. Am I dreaming?” “No, this is real.” At my dry response, something seemed to shift in his eyes. [Character Hyeonseong Lee feels a faint trust toward you.] [Your understanding of character Hyeonseong Lee has increased.] He nodded. “You don’t mince words. I like that. Then what should we do next? Do you have something in mind, Dokja?” “We need to get out of here,” I replied without hesitation. “G-go out there? Are you crazy?” “Dokja, I also think that’s a bit…” Even Sangah agreed with Myeongoh this time. They still don’t get it, huh? “Then how long do you plan to stay here?” It was true that my suggestion must’ve sounded illogical. After all, the area around our train was crawling with monsters. But I knew that we needed to leave. “Aren’t you worried about your parents? Do you think they’re safe with all this going on?” “I-I’ve been trying to call them, but the lines are down. Texts won’t go through, either.” It seems “parents” was the magic word. Sangah’s, Hyeonseong’s, and even Myeongoh’s faces darkened with concern. Gilyeong stared at the ground without a word. I quietly put my hand on his small shoulder. It was Sangah who broke the silence. “Let’s go. We need to leave.” “N-no! Didn’t you hear what that thing said? It told us to take a break. We’ll have our heads blown up if we don’t do as it said!” “Let’s vote on it.” Sangah put her hand up first, followed by me, then Gilyeong. And that was it. “…I do want to get back to my unit, but it seems too dangerous to go outside right now. Not to mention the creature’s warning.” “Leave if you want! I’m not moving! Not an inch!” I didn’t care about Myeongoh Han, since he’d be useless anyway. The problem was Hyeonseong Lee. I needed to take him with me no matter what. Then came a loud thud and the sound of crumpling metal. The door connecting our car to car 3707 was starting to get bent out of shape. “Wh-what was that?” Myeongoh yelled in panic, but the noise continued. Wham! Someone on the other side of the door was trying to break it. My head began to spin at this unexpected situation. Is it time for the next scenario already? It can’t be. The goblin hasn’t returned yet. That means… I rapidly narrowed down the possibilities, until a chill went down my spine. It’s him. “Wh-what’re you all doing?! Block it!” Myeongoh shouted as he backed away from the door. Hyeonseong moved toward the door, until I stopped him. “You can’t. It’s no use.” “What?” “We need to leave. Now.” I stared at the steel door nervously. “Huh? But—” “If we stay here…” The sole survivor of car 3707. It was painfully obvious who was behind that door. “…we’ll all die before the next scenario even begins.” That’s right—he’s finally coming. The real “main character” of this story.