"What did you contact?" Yoo Mia asked, looking over in Lee Gilyoung's direction. The boy just laughed somewhat awkwardly, not sure how to respond to her question.
"Um… something really big," was all he eventually managed to say.
Yoo Mia gave him an odd look, but Kim Dokja knew Lee Gilyoung wasn't lying. Then, as if to answer her question, the next segment began to play.
Above ground, the same Giant Mantis that Kim Dokja saw earlier looms eerily above the wreckage of the ruined city of Seoul. It's standing still and shaking slightly, as if it's attempting to listen to something far away.
Back underground, Dokja has a moment of realization after remembering that there are no insects nearby. Considering that the vibration is coming from above, and the only insects above ground are high tier monsters… could it be possible?
He rushes up to Gilyoung, calling out to him in an attempt to snap him out of his trance. 'If he's trying to channel a Monarch species insect right now…!'
Gilyoung snaps back to his senses as Dokja tells him to stop using his skill right away. He does, and after a moment, the Giant Mantis freezes and ceases its attempt to burrow its way down to the one channeling it. Freed of Gilyoung's shaky control, it suddenly stands and wanders off, ending the dangerous vibrations.
"I can't believe this…" Dokja says, resting his hand on Gilyoung's shoulder as the boy looks extremely apologetic. Internally, though, Kim Dokja is a mess of disbelief. 'He managed to summon a Monarch species insect. Are you Jean-Henri Fabré or something? We almost got buried alive.'
As Gilyoung wipes the blood from his nose, Dokja pats him on the head and tells him not to use this skill until he's told to. Instantly, Gilyoung agrees.
"So that's why it felt like there was an earthquake?" Lee Hyunsung muttered, half-horrified. "Heewon-ssi and I were convinced that the subway tunnel would cave in on us."
Lee Gilyoung looked up at them apologetically. "I'm really sorry… I didn't mean to scare everyone. I was just trying to help."
Kim Dokja sighed and patted his head. "Your skill is incredibly helpful, Gilyoung-ah. Remember how you used it during the third main scenario? Besides, none of us knew you could control something like a Monarch species insect before that point, so even though this time didn't work out, it meant we could plan better for the later scenarios."
Though he didn't seem entirely convinced, Lee Gilyoung nodded and looked placated for the moment. That was good. Honestly, Kim Dokja knew that the boy's skill had saved them a few times by now, and if he could keep encouraging and nurturing that talent, then Lee Gilyoung would be an absolute terror in future scenarios so long as he had access to insects.
[A constellation who likes grasshoppers watches the incarnation 'Lee Gilyoung' with approval.]
The indirect message brought a small smile to Lee Gilyoung's face, and Kim Dokja internally thanked the anonymous constellation for doing that.
"We'll get lost if we enter the 'Edge of Darkness' right now. We should wait and move on when a small insect appears in the area," Dokja says, turning to the rest of the group as he keeps a hand on Gilyoung's back for support. This leads Sangah to speak up, mentioning that she thinks she can help if all they need is to find their way back—thankfully, she has a similar skill.
In the darkness of the tunnel, Sangah holds onto the end of a golden thread and follows it towards the exit. "It's a skill that lets you find the way using a thread. To be honest, I tied the thread down to something earlier when I was kidnapped."
She's offering a decent amount of information about her skill, but when Dokja asks about her Personal attribute, Sangah hesitates to answer.
"Maybe I shouldn't have asked," Dokja replies. Sangah immediately tries to cover, saying it's not that she doesn't trust him, but Dokja cuts her off and says that she did the right thing. He also reminds her to not ever disclose her personal attribute.
It seems that she made an additional pledge when she signed her Star Stream contract which forbids her from leaking any information, and if she does, it would cost her life.
'A thread that helps you escape a labyrinth…' Dokja muses. 'I might know that constellation…'
I don't know which constellation she is signed to, but it looks like her constellation has made the decision to train her.
Dokja then attempts to use 'Character Profile', but as expected, it doesn't work.
[This character does not have a registered 'Character Profile'.]
However, there's a new follow-up notification.
[Currently collecting information on the target character.]
Huh?
'Strange… I've never seen this message before.' Dokja looks surprised, but he's cast out of his thoughts by a loud ding.
Han Sooyoung sucked in a sharp breath as she stared at the screen in muted horror. "Excuse me, what?"
Yoo Sangah froze and quickly looked away from everyone. "... Which part are you talking about, Sooyoung-ssi?"
[The constellation 'Abandoned Lover of the Labyrinth' is watching the incarnation 'Han Sooyoung' with suspicion.]
"What do you mean 'which part'? All of it!" The author raved, shooting a vicious glare at the other woman. "Who makes a contract that would kill you if you leak any information? Hell, what will happen to you if someone else leaks the information first, like, oh I don't know, right now? Are you insane? How do we have any guarantee that you won't just drop dead the moment anything more concrete gets revealed?"
Yoo Sangah looked distinctly uncomfortable with being questioned like that, but it had an undercurrent of fear. Maybe she didn't even realize that could be possible until just now either.
"I—"
Han Sooyoung cut her off, turning around to shoot a glare at Kim Dokja. "And what the fuck is up with your skill collecting information on a 'target character' when we're not characters at all?"
"Hey, I don't know how it works, okay? Maybe it just calls everyone characters for consistency. I really don't have an answer for you here," Kim Dokja protested, holding his hands up defensively.
Unlike Yoo Joonghyuk, who seemed to be remarkably restrained today—probably half because of the potential penalty and half because of Yoo Mia being right beside him—Kim Dokja had no guarantee that Han Sooyoung wouldn't attempt murder if pushed too far.
"Well, you'd better figure it out eventually," Han Sooyoung told him in a tone that told Kim Dokja that this was a genuine threat. The two kids seemed to have picked up on it as well, and they glared at her intensely. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to be affected and cast her glare back at the screen.
[Channel #BI-7623 has reopened.]
Bihyung complains that his replacement messed with his channel as he manifests in the air in front of the group. As soon as he's fully present, he asks how everyone has been while he was away. To the surprise of no one, the situation in the station hasn't been great.
Back on the subway tracks, where Heewon is going to town on some cooked Ground Rat leg, Dokja tells her that it should help in her recovery.
{I noticed that you've accomplished some amazing feats while I was away.} A message comes in from Bihyung that makes Dokja glance up at the dokkaebi, who is currently attempting (and failing) to look inconspicuous.
This is 'Dokkaebi Communication', a mode of communication used by the dokkaebi. Only I can hear what Bihyung is saying when he is using this.
In Bihyung's continued attempt to remain inconspicuous, he begins to whistle to really sell it. Clearly, it doesn't work.
But, of course, it's a violation of the rules for him to use this skill on an incarnation such as myself.
{Were you recalled because of me?} Dokja asks him, not feeling a shred of guilt.
{Well… I can't say it's not related to you. The management gave me a warning because I shut off my channel abruptly and left the advertisements running for too long. I've made up my mind not to pay attention to minor things like that. A few trips to the management center isn't a big deal.} At this, Bihyung pulls a diabolical grin while Dokja stares at him blankly.
{How did you know about the
{Embarrassing past?} Dokja's question leaves a pregnant pause hanging in the air before his expression turns into one of disbelief. {So that ridiculous item box was there because of you?}
{Damn it. If I hadn't been so greedy back then…} Bihyung cringes as he reminisces on his past mistakes.
[Several constellations protest at the dokkaebi 'Bihyung''s use of 'Dokkaebi Communication' with the incarnation 'Kim Dokja'.]
Kim Dokja winced. Yeah, it made sense that they were upset, especially since he definitely used his contract with Bihyung to his advantage. Well, it wasn't his fault that no one else had ever considered it as a possibility.
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' approves of thinking outside the box.]
Well, at the very least, he seemed to have one supporter.
"Why is it that I'm not shocked that he's the one who created that box?" Jung Heewon groaned, looking incredibly exasperated. Yoo Mia giggled at that, and it brought a small but mesmerizing curve to Yoo Joonghyuk's lips.
To be fair, Bihyung was incredibly exasperating most of the time. Kim Dokja had to suppress a small laugh, and even Yoo Sangah nearly cracked a smile, but her gaze quickly became distant again.
That wasn't good, and Kim Dokja knew that he'd probably have to keep an eye on her to make sure she was doing okay. He didn't know if Han Sooyoung was right, but if her pact could really affect her just because the information was revealed without her involvement or consent… would she still be penalized?
"You seem to have obtained a lot of new items, and not just the
As Dokja responds that they got a few, Hyunsung happily polishes his new shield, his face showing all the joy of a dog who has gotten a new bone.
[The character 'Lee Hyunsung' has begun to show some loyalty towards you.]
As Dokja and Heewon watch Hyunsung's continued glee, she asks if there is anything she can use, including asking about his sword. Dokja tells her no on both counts, unfortunately. As they walk back towards the station, Dokja says he will sell some of their leftover meat for coins.
As they reach the platform, they notice that there seems to be unrest among the people there.
'What's going on? People seem a little agitated,' Dokja wonders, but his query is answered when the windows announce the checkout time of the survival fee. 'The checkout time of the survival fee…!'
The scene becomes even more chaotic as people scramble around, yelling frantically that they need to borrow coins, that they're willing to pay won in exchange for coins, and that they need coins for family members. Everything comes together in a panicked cacophony, but Dokja and Heewon's attention is immediately drawn to one conversation in particular—people asking members of the Major group about their family members who joined the search party and still hadn't returned. In return, the women who ask are only taunted by the vile-looking members of Major group.
This view triggers Heewon immensely and her smile turns into a snarl. "Those bastards…!"
[The character 'Jung Heewon's' attribute is about to blossom.]
"Yes unnie! Fuck them up!" Lee Jihye cheered excitedly, even going so far as to take the older woman by the shoulders and shake her.
Jung Heewon seemed simultaneously exasperated and amused, and it even drew a chuckle from her. "Thanks, Jihye."
Shin Yoosung watched curiously, not knowing anything about Jung Heewon's attribute or why it blossoming was such a big deal. Kim Dokja just found himself feeling incredibly proud; he really had recruited a great companion.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is excitedly awaiting the moment of justice.]
And oh, she would bring justice alright. Kim Dokja was honestly excited to see it all over again, even though he remembered a few other things happening before Jung Heewon truly came into her own as the Judge.
Coins are power in this world.
"Dokja! I'm glad to see you," Inho calls out upon noticing him, although out of their group, only Myungoh looks excited to see him in return. "If I remember correctly, you had the most coins, didn't you? How many was it?"
[The character 'Cheon Inho' has activated the skill 'Incite lvl. 2.]
And currently, I'm the one who has the most coins in Geumho Station.
Inho pulls an evil grin, believing that his plan is coming to fruition as people immediately turn towards Dokja at the mention of him having coins. It doesn't take long before a crowd rushes at him, demanding that he give them coins to pay the survival fee.
"Hahaha, Mr. Dokja, I don't have enough coins on me to help all these poor people," Inho continues to exclaim, clearly goading the crowd. "But you.. You have a lot of coins. Are you just going to let them die?"
'Cheon Inho..!' Dokja grits his teeth in anger.
About 20 people have gathered around me. If I share my coins with them, I'll lose around 2,000 coins.
All around him, people frantically reach towards Dokja and grasp at him, calling out for help.
If I don't share my coins with them, I'll become a villain, but… How many of them actually deserve my help right now?
'The theme of the first scenario was original sin,' Dokja thinks as the grasping hands slowly get covered in blood in his mind's eye.
They can't even take responsibility for their own lives, when they took someone else's life to survive in the first scenario.
[Hahaha! This is turning out to be quite interesting. You have ten minutes remaining.] Bihyung appears on the screens around the station, reminding them of their time constraint.
As the hands continue to reach out towards Dokja, he closes his eyes in thought.
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is waiting for you to make a decision.]
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden headband is waiting for you to make a decision.]
[The constellation 'Demon-Like Judge of Fire' is waiting for you to make a decision.]
[Many constellations are curious about the decision of the incarnation 'Kim Dokja'.]
Looking back on that situation, it was definitely one where he was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't. There was no objectively right answer to a problem like that.
"2000 coins is quite a lot, too…" Yoo Sangah said quietly, her eyes already filled with a muted grief. She was too good for the apocalypse, and she probably would have tried to save as many people as she could. Kim Dokja was not that good of a person.
He could have afforded it—he knew that—but he knew that even if he had shared his coins with the people, it wouldn't have changed anything in the long run. Sure, they would have survived for one more day, but then it would all repeat the next night, and then the next. The Major group would keep exploiting them, and even with his contract with Bihyung, Kim Dokja would eventually have run out of coins too.
In the end, there was only one right answer for him.
"I see, so you want coins?" Dokja opens his eyes, addressing the crowd. "But…why should I give you any?"
I'm not going to play along with his games any more.
Dokja's reply makes Inho begin to laugh. "I knew you would say that!"
As Inho continues to laugh, Dokja keeps a blank face despite the barrage of angry shouts thrown his way.
"You've been like this since the moment you arrived, even selling the food you brought with you for coins." Inho incites the crowd with his words once more, causing further outrage. "Do you know how many people could survive if they hadn't bought that food from you?"
As members of Dokja's party like Hyunsung and Sangah attempt to defend him, Inho calls out saying that Dokja needs to return the people's coins.
"And if I refuse?" Dokja shoots back.
"Then…things will get ugly quick." At Inho's words, some of his thugs run out and attempt to attack Dokja, all while yelling that they'll kill him to get their coins back. With a simple slash of
"How pathetic… Do you really blame me for this situation?" Dokja states, blood dripping from his sword as his party all pull defensive stances, readying themselves for the inevitable fight. It's clear that he's refusing to put up with any more bullshit.
Shin Yoosung flinched when the Kim Dokja on screen cut off the thug's arms, and she shivered slightly. For someone like him who had been relatively non-violent to humans so far, seeing something like this was probably a shock to her. Kim Dokja gently ruffled her hair to try and help her to feel better.
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is enjoying this change of pace.]
"Cheon Inho was a fool to believe he could manipulate you," Yoo Joonghyuk said firmly, almost shooting an exasperated look Kim Dokja's way. Well, it wasn't entirely unexpected. After all, he didn't even listen to the protagonist, so why would Kim Dokja waste his time listening to some two-bit villain?
Kim Dokja chuckled and shrugged slightly. "Well, I didn't have any intention of playing along with his games in the first place."
Jung Heewon nodded. "Honestly, if you had decided to bend to his whims, I probably would have fought you over it."
Yeah, he wouldn't have blamed her for it, either. Still, at the very least, he was able to set the stage for her to have a truly spectacular debut, and Kim Dokja wouldn't have done anything differently if he could.