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He was running with all of his might. He should have known that the school day was too easygoing. They were waiting for the real treat of the day— preparing for after school once the bells had rang. Kim Dokja cursed himself for not noticing it sooner. It would have been obvious if he hadn’t been too busy thinking about the end of Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World. That web novel took his soul and he would probably shatter when he read the last chapter as soon as he was safe.
Kim Dokja was trying to reach the underground train station. He still needed to get home somehow— if one could call it a home. Kim Dokja wasn’t sure if he truly understood what the word ‘home’ even meant. The subway would be a great way to lose his tails. He could lose them amidst the crowd or even through the different train cars if needed.
He sucked in a hot, pain-searing breath of air as his lungs fought against him. A smile formed on his face anyway. The station was just a few meters away now. He ran past a series of people exiting the stairs in order to enter the streets.
He practically flew down the cobbled stairs. He was going fast up until he tripped. His hand flew out in an attempt to catch himself on the safety rail. His hands didn’t feel anything. He was going to fall down the stairs, land on the floor, and have to make it home while battered.
Shit. How was he going to explain his injuries? Would they even ask?
Kim Dokja closed his eyes before he hit the tumbling ground. Stairs always injured his ribs. He wasn’t sure if he could do it again. It left him aching for weeks, even when he was able to get medicine from the school’s nurse's office.
But he never hit the hard stairs. Kim Dokja felt his shirt pull back. The force was choking him in the process of forcing him to a stop. Tears were in his eyes from the feeling of being strangled by his own collar. He was already prepared for death, though. If not death, then pain.
Kim Dokja prepared to be met with Song Minwoo and his entourage of other bull-headed teenagers. Instead, he was met with a white-haired teenager with blood-red eyes.
“What?” he mumbled in surprise, rubbing his throat as he was pushed against the wall.
The school uniform before him was fairly basic, though Kim Dokja wasn’t sure where it was from. The unknown teenager sat him against the wall of the stairs, then the older high schooler patted his shoulder. Kim Dokja was sincerely confused.
“You look like you’re in a rush,” quipped the white-haired boy. “What are you looking for?”
Kim Dokja opened his mouth to answer but his voice didn’t work. The other teenager was so close. Their breaths were practically echoing off of one another. This was intimidation, wasn’t it? And those red eyes were so dark and murky in a way only certain individuals managed to look— was he a bully? Why did he seem to attract bullies to him no matter where he went?
And then Kim Dokja noticed a set of familiar figures looming from the top of the staircase. He struggled from his position against the wall with the strange white-haired teenager, who had him pinned against without actually touching him. He wobbled on the stairs and prepared to run away once he got his chance— if he was given one, that is.
The white-haired boy turned around. His eyes practically glowed when he spotted Song Minwoo and his friends in the same school uniform that Kim Dokja was in. Kim Dokja quickly used the distraction to keep running away. He disappeared within the crowd, only looking back once he was hidden behind a pillar.
That’s when Kim Dokja watched as the unknown older teen marched up the steps of the stairs. The white-haired stranger pointed down below, causing Song Minwoo to follow the directions. Kim Dokja made a small, terrified, gasp-like noise as he felt Song Minwoo’s gaze land on him. He prepared to jut away into an oncoming train, only to pause at the next scene.
The white-haired teenager lifted his leg. He kicked Song Minwoo in the back of the leg, causing the other to tumble forward. Before Song Minwoo’s entourage could react, the red-eyed boy used his school bag to throttle them quickly. Then, the older high schooler traveled down the steps without a care, dismissing the groaning students below him.
Kim Dokja was in shock. What was going on? Why did some random person help him? No one helped him, ever. What did the older boy expect? Kim Dokja didn’t have money. He only had his school work with him. There was nothing else of value with him. Kim Dokja shuttered out a breath in worry.
The stranger leaned against the pillar. Kim Dokja felt the need to run away. It would be useless, though. He could barely keep out of Song Minwoo’s reach. If a person who could beat up Song Minwoo wanted him, then Kim Dokja was stuck. It would do no good to run away. It would exhaust him with the same result in the end.
Perhaps, Kim Dokja realized as those red eyes stared at him, the boy in front of him was looking for entertainment. Someone that could take out Song Minwoo with a small kick and a grin must be bored to death, right? Or, the stranger was a loner delinquent that hated troublesome things. Or maybe they wanted to be alone unless it was someone who understood them like no other. It was limitless. All of the tropes in the novels he read fluttered through his head.
Kim Dokja wasn’t able to figure out what sort of person the white-haired boy was. The train had arrived. Not only that, but it was the last call before the doors shut. Kim Dokja nervously messed with his school bag.
“Let’s go,” said the stranger, kicking off of the pillar.
Kim Dokja didn’t waste any time. He trekked through the small, dwindling crowd in order to enter one of the train cabins. The white-haired teenager followed. Kim Dokja waited by the doors in order to make sure that Song Minwoo didn’t follow. He let a sigh escape him as Song Minwoo ran toward him but the doors shut with no chance of opening.
Kim Dokja let relief flood his body, his shoulders loosening with elatedness.
He had been running from them for the past half hour, and that was after he was locked in a room at school for over an hour. When he escaped before Song Minwoo could do what he had planned, he ended up being chased down. Kim Dokja didn’t want to know what was going on. All he knew was that it involved the use of the computer lab, which didn’t satiate any of his nerves.
Kim Dokja then turned to his savior, even if the boy seemed a bit peculiar. The white-haired teen was grinning and waving at Song Minwoo with a lop-sided smirk. He almost looked innocent aside from the dark aura that coursed around him. Kim Dokja would normally be bothered but instead he felt the smallest smile grace his face, for Song Minwoo’s expression fell into shock as the subway train took off.
“Thanks,” he said abruptly, unsure of what to do next.
He latched onto one of the safety poles, as the cabin was fairly full. His eyes lingered on the teenager next to him, who stood without a care for any means of surviving the ride. Kim Dokja gulped when those red eyes landed on him again.
“Do those punks pick on you a lot?”
“Oh, uh. Yes.”
The white-haired teen turned to him. It was only then that Kim Dokja noticed the name tag on the green uniform. [Kim Namwoon.] That was a funny coincidence. Kim Dokja found himself smiling in bemusement as he took out his phone. He opened up the novel app with anticipation.
Except then Kim Namwoon stepped closer. He hovered over Kim Dokja and asked, “Are you going to stand up for yourself?”
“What do you mean?” Kim Dokja asked, meeting those blood-red eyes.
Kim Namwoon grinned widely, as if happy. “Just like that,” he commented. He then receded from his hovering and took out his own phone.
Kim Dokja brushed it off. It was clear that all teenagers were weird. Maybe being named ‘Kim Namwoon’ helped with being a bit crazy. Kim Dokja couldn’t focus on that, though. He was busy dreaming up ideas about the final chapter. He had been waiting all week.
As the chapter loaded, he felt the train rock slightly. He tightened his grip along the safety pole and held himself closer to it. He then noticed that Kim Namwoon was still watching him. He looked away immediately, knowing that he had finally figured out what type of loner Kim Namwoon was.
Kim Dokja turned his eyes back onto his phone screen. The chapter had completely loaded, which was a bit strange, seeing as there wasn’t really anything to look at. Who was Yoo Joonghyuk’s sponsor? How did it end? Was it a tragedy, bittersweet, happy, or open-ended? Kim Dokja yearned to find out.
And then he saw it. All he could utter was a soft, mumbled, “Huh?”
“There are three ways to survive in a ruined world. Now, I have forgotten a few, but one thing is for certain. If you are reading this, you will survive.”
- The End -
[Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World — Final Episode]
— tls123
[Author’s words: Thank you so much for reading Ways of Survival up to here.]
After leaving a comment, he clicked off his phone to process the words. Even if the ending was a bit odd, he was thankful for tls123. The author helped him get through the past few years of torment. Without it, Kim Dokja wasn’t sure what would have happened.
Ding! He looked down, startled to find that he had a text message.
He never used any of his phone’s messages in fear of upsetting his relatives. He didn’t even use the phone to call anyone— not even when he truly worried whether or not he would die. Either way, he tended to be dramatic. It’s not like Song Minwoo would actually hurt him permanently. At least, that’s what he was told by the counselor at school.
He became even more confused when he received random text messages. They were from the author of all people. He wondered how they knew his number but figured he had it in his novel app profile. Perhaps his email or address was also on his profile.
tls123: Thank you.
tls123: I was able to complete the novel until its end due to your encouraging comments.
tls123: To show my appreciation, I would like to give you a gift.
tls123: I’ll send it through mail.
tls123: The gift will be my thanks for being my dear reader.
Kim Dokja supposed it would be cool. He wasn’t really sure what to expect. Would it be sent through email or postage? He supposed it didn’t matter much, either. He was happy with the story.
He thought about his favorite arcs, determining that he would reread them that night to remember all of the amazing character development within WOS. But when he tried to open the app, he couldn’t find any of his chapters. In fact, he couldn’t find the author, tls123, at all, nor their works. What? Where did it go?
He then noticed that the time was 6:59 P.M. Kim Dokja glanced up from his novel app and took a peek over to Kim Namwoon, who was boredly watching him with an uneven stare.
“Do you need something?” asked a hesitant Kim Dokja.
Kim Namwoon hummed. “I suppose I want to know why you’ve gone through a bazillion emotions in just a few minutes.”
“Oh?” He didn’t squeak. He didn’t. Awkwardly, he covered part of his face in embarrassment. “I, uh, I’ve been reading a novel for a while and it just ended.”
“A novel?” echoed Kim Namwoon, his leery eyes becoming interested. “What sort of novel?”
“Fantasy. End of the world, kind of.”
Kim Dokja watched in amazement as Kim Namwoon’s lips curled into a smile. Those red eyes flashed, but not in something bloody, rather in something humorous and amused. Almost… accepting. Kim Dokja had no idea what that meant, other than he wouldn’t be hated for it. Of course, he didn’t say it was a web novel, so that was likely part of the reason why he wasn’t being judged too harshly.
“I’ve been waiting for the world to end,” commented Kim Namwoon, as if it was normal to mention something like that. “I think it’ll be bloody. Maybe even hard to cope with. I wonder how I would survive in that, you know? It’s gotta be weird, yeah? What would I be willing to do in order to survive?”
“Hah…”
Kim Dokja wasn’t sure what he would do if he was Yoo Joonghyuk from WOS. He would probably give up before it even started. All he was in the world was a nuisance. It would be easiest to lay down and accept his ending. And yet… he wanted his story to end in a way that mattered. The ending of a story was almost nearly as important as the beginning and everything in between.
Kim Dokja then heard another ding! He clicked on his phone to see an email notification. He supposed that it would have to do. He would rather have an instant gift then see it get lost in the mail.
SENT AT 6:55 P.M.
Sender: tls123 ([email protected])
Kim Dokja,
Here is the gift as promised. This will be helpful for your future. I wish you the best, dearest reader of mine. And here’s a hint: the plot is never as it seems.
[1 attachment.]
Kim Dokja inspected the attachment, faintly gasping when he read the name. He was in awe. The novel disappeared off of the novel platform but he was sent his own copy.
[Three Ways To Survive In A Ruined World.txt]
He clicked on it, just in time to see that the digital numbers on his screen had switched to 7:00 P.M. He watched as the text file downloaded to his phone. This would be nice to read at school and not be concerned about wifi. He smiled at it. The gift was truly amazing. As he remembered the author’s words, he realized that it was a story meant for him, the lone reader.
A part of him warmed at the thought. He knew that others read the story at the beginning, but he was the only reader to go till its end. Kim Dokja pocketed his phone with a sense of nonessential dread leaving his body. He had to clutch his chest in order to not faint.
Kim Dokja did not have long to bask in his newfound happiness. The subway train shuttered and screeched as it came to an abrupt stop. Kim Dokja reached out to hold onto the rails while he felt his body flop forward, but he was too late. He fell onto the ground, his hand becoming stomped on by another person who was trying to stand upright.
Kim Dokja let out a hiss of pain as he tried to stand up once the train was stopped. He shouldn’t have let go of the safety pole. It was a dumb move, he criticized himself. He shakily grabbed a hold of the rail with his good hand. He looked around warily, wondering if it was true how often suicides occurred.
And then he had sudden deja vu. Why did this scene feel so familiar and eerie? Kim Dokja didn’t even notice that his school bag had been discarded across the floor of the train cabin. What was the point of it?
Something bad was about to happen. He just knew it. Something was going to—
[The free service of planetary system 8612 has been terminated.]
Fear filled his body. Oh, it was truly one of the worst days in his life. Was he hallucinating the pop-up screen? The sound as well? That was a thing. He knew it was. He did a school report on it. And yet he wasn’t the only one reacting to it.
Kim Dokja noticed that Kim Namwoon looked confused for all of 5 seconds before a grin broke out across his face. It appeared that he was correct in his assumption about who Kim Namwoon was earlier: a chuuni for sure. It wasn’t uncommon but it didn’t usually result in someone being so ruthless.
As Kim Dokja looked around the murmuring, frightened train cabin in dull horror, he saw something appear in the air. He recognized what it was immediately. A hologram of sorts of a truly detestable creature.
“A dokkaebi?” uttered a woman.
Ah. No wonder he had such a strong sense of deja vu.
Kim Dokja couldn’t think. He couldn’t hear. Nothing mattered. The end of the world was here. His good hand shakily cradled his injured fingers. It wouldn’t be good to start off in a wicked world while injured. It wasn’t necessarily the survival of the fittest, but being logical and forethought also didn’t make for certain that you survived.
The dokkaebi talked a lot. Kim Dokja had already closed his eyes as blood began to splatter in the train cabin. He needed to focus. How would he survive? Did he want to survive? If this was WOS, then the regressor was somewhere around. What round was Yoo Joonghyuk on? And why was Kim Dokja accepting this reality so easily?
[The exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ has activated.]
Huh? Kim Dokja didn’t recognize that skill. He supposed that many people had ‘personal skills’ that varied. Perhaps his future skills would relate to writing or reading. That would be cool. He was a reader— Oh. Is that what the author meant? “Dearest reader of mine.” Was the author a part of the Star Stream?
[The exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ says hi as it asks Kim Dokja to stay focused.]
Oh. Okay. He was being guilt-tripped by his own skill. Kim Dokja held his head at how bizarre this was. He didn’t even look over to the dead corpses at his feet as he focused on his plan. How would he survive this? The First Main Scenario was practically ingrained into his memory.
A sound lulled him out of his faux calm. He turned to see the dokkaebi that appeared. The dokkaebi raised their horns like antennas in order to connect to the Star Stream. Kim Dokja wondered if he was going to die.
[Since you pathetic beings are struggling with the concept of making your own money, let’s get started!]
Kim Dokja should have known that any dokkaebi would be cruel. However, adapting to the new world would be the only way to survive. It didn’t mean that Kim Dokja wanted to do this though.
[Channel #BI-7623 has opened.]
[The constellations have entered.]
He gritted his teeth. Constellations were one of the best ways to survive in this world. If Kim Dokja didn’t make a good impression, then he would likely die out quickly. Even if he didn’t necessarily want a supporting constellation, other constellations watching the channel were bound to help him out if he was entertaining enough.
Coins were possibly the most valuable item that Kim Dokja needed and constellations would give them out throughout the novel if the characters did certain things. What would Kim Dokja need to do in order to survive in this world?
A pop-up in front of his face made him halt. Ah, yes, it’s that scenario. He didn’t even need to read it. He knew what to expect from this: bloodshed.
Main Scenario #1
[Prove Your Value]
Clear Conditions:
Kill One or More Living Organisms.
Category: Main
Difficulty: F
Time Limit: 30 Minutes
Reward: 300 Coins
Penalty for Failure: Death
The dokkaebi disappeared with words of encouragement. Kim Dokja felt the need to hit something. He should have known that the world was out to get him. In frustration, he grabbed his hair and tugged on it slightly. How could he be so dumb!?
The planets the Star Stream invaded were chosen after a vote. If one of those higher-beings wanted to have an advantage, then producing a book about the ways to survive the scenarios and create an epic story in order to spread popularity of the constellation was one of the best ways to earn coins. Or maybe he was paranoid.
[The exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ suggests that Kim Dokja calm down or he will be forced.]
Kim Dokja narrowed his eyes at his skill. What sort of skill talked back to their owner? He would find out, he decided. He tried to pull up his ‘Attribute Window’ only to be met with an error message. Why couldn’t he see his skills?
[The exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ is blocking Kim Dokja’s access to the ‘Attribute Window.’]
“Fucker,” he whispered aloud.
As he stared at his notifications in contempt, he heard a poorly covered laugh. Kim Dokja startled, nearly falling over as he turned to the sound. Kim Namwoon — the real one and the one he had read about — was before him. The white-haired teen looked at him with warm red eyes, as if amused and not psychopathic.
“What’s causing you to curse already? The part about the end of the world? Or perhaps the blood on your clothes?” asked Kim Namwoon, his head tilted to the side.
Kim Dokja realized suddenly that Kim Namwoon was interested in him. He could use that. Kim Namwoon was known as the ‘Delusional Demon’ that became worse and worse due to the dark powers of his supporting constellation. If Kim Dokja was somehow able to keep Kim Namwoon stable enough to be a helpful addition and not murder Kim Dokja on sight, wouldn’t that be a good idea?
“My skill,” he answered after a moment. When he saw Kim Namwoon’s eyes widen a fraction, he knew he had the older boy hook, line, and sinker. “I bet you know how to operate in this sort of system.”
Kim Namwoon merely stared, his gaze hard.
Kim Dokja continued, “Have you begun to wonder who to kill yet? Or are you keeping your inhibitions?”
“You want me to kill someone? That’s a bit cold-hearted of you. I had no idea a soft-looking schoolboy such as you could be so ruthless.”
“It’s the end of the world. Most of the people in this cabin will die. How many are willing to kill in order to survive, you think?”
Kim Namwoon’s eyes turned into narrow slats. “Not many.” He pulled out a box shredder, unveiling the sharp blade casually. “However, is it worth any time killing so many people? I just need to kill one of them, don’t I?”
Kim Dokja paused in concern. Wasn’t Kim Namwoon supposed to be slightly insane? Kim Dokja expected a psychopath, not a person that was clearly bored out of his mind until he was met with the scenarios. Kim Dokja wasn’t sure what to think about this. Should he continue on as the novel did, or should he try to create his own future?
Both teenagers ignored the introduction of Lee Hyunsung. Kim Dokja desperately wanted to turn around to be able to see the face of one of his heroes but surviving this round with an ally was more important at the moment. Plus he was worried that his skill ‘Fourth Wall’ would bully him again if he didn’t stay objective.
“Who would you kill?” he asked Kim Namwoon, eyes bright as he hoped for a certain answer. “Out of everyone in this train cabin, who are you choosing if it means you’ll survive?”
Kim Namwoon grinned. It showed off his small, pointed canines. Part of Kim Dokja expected to be repulsed by the action. Kim Namwoon clearly had a plan. So why didn’t Kim Dokja feel pity for anyone? Why didn’t he feel scared? Wasn’t he the potential victim?
“I’ll tell you my plan if you tell me yours,” replied Kim Namwoon.
Kim Dokja looked down to his fingers. They were likely fractured or even broken. The signs of broken skin started to become apparent. The blood on his clothing was no longer only someone else’s, but a mixture of theirs and his own. He would have to figure out a way to pass this scenario without stats to help him.
Kim Dokja met Kim Namwoon’s gaze. The white-haired teen waited expectantly with short, shallow breaths. The reader smiled with an all-encompassing expression.
Kim Namwoon sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I guess we’ll meet up later, then.” He stalked off to a different part of the cabin, interrupting Lee Hyunsung and a woman with long hair that were trying to calm the rest of the passengers of the train carriage.
It wasn’t working. And the show was getting boring. Too slow. Not fun enough, he supposed.
[If there is no killing within 5 minutes, everyone will die.]
Kim Dokja heard the words from the dokkaebi. He was startled. Apparently fear, panic, and desperation wasn’t entertaining enough. He bit his lip, almost thankful that it focused some of the pain away from his fingers. Within 5 minutes, there would be death. What was the point of having a 30 minute time limit just to change it once it got boring?
He needed to think. How would he survive this? His eyes scanned the cabin. People were reacting in various ways. A few had come to realize what they needed to do to survive, many were hopeless, and others were trying to psych themselves up to make their bodies move.
And then he saw it— hope, that is.
Kim Dokja nonchalantly sat down next to a boy with a cage full of insects.
Kim Dokja had thought about ways to pass the scenarios himself. He wasn’t very inclined to kill people, if he was being blunt. His mother… Let’s just say that he didn’t like the thought of blood on his clothes, on the ground, on his face, across the wall. It brought back memories. If the ‘Fourth Wall’ wasn’t here, Kim Dokja would suspect that he would be hyperventilating.
[The exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ suggests to not think about past traumas.]
Kim Dokja felt horrible as he read the notification. Seriously? He couldn’t even dwell on his past? He sucked in shakily as he prepared to do what was needed. Social skills, his head cackled at him, do you even know what those are?
Kim Dokja turned to the kid. He was short and thin, just like Kim Dokja, but younger. The boy’s eyes also looked lost and tired of the world. Kim Dokja understood that. He wondered if perhaps he could survive this. Would he be able to survive this while taking care of someone else? The end of the world was cutthroat. Everyone had to hold their own. And yet…
“Hey, kid,” he called out.
The boy looked up. His eyes were dead to the world.
Kim Dokja continued, “Do you want to live?”
The boy tilted his head, a small glowing light shining in his irises. Then, he nodded. It was a small, limp thing, but still there. It was a confirmation that even though he had witnessed half a dozen people die already, he was still prepared to go forward with this.
“Do you remember what the clear conditions to survive this was?”
The kid said, “To kill someone.” It was blunt and to the point, but the voice was off-sounding as if reluctant.
“Nah, it didn’t say that exactly. We just have to kill something that’s alive.” Kim Dokja poked his fingers atop the top of the plastic insect cage. He watched as the boy’s eyes widened. “So, kid, do you want to keep going?”
The boy gave another single nod. Kim Dokja patted the kid on the head, the only sign of affection he could receive during the visits to his mother, then turned back to the cage. He cracked it open so that his wrist could fit inside. He splatted one against the side, almost in awe of the notifications.
[Kim Dokja has made the ‘first kill!’]
[Kim Dokja has killed a living thing.]
[100 coins have been earned.]
[Kim Dokja has killed a living thing.]
[100 coins have been earned.]
[Kim Dokja has killed a living thing…]
The notifications went on and on. Kim Dokja could have scrolled through them all if he wanted. Instead, he turned to the kid.
The younger boy was obviously hesitant, so Kim Dokja told himself to not freak out. If he lost his cool, then the kid wouldn’t survive. For some reason, he really wanted this kid to survive. Maybe it was because all he could see was himself in the boy— someone lost in the world that wants to live but has no way of knowing how to achieve that.
“Here.” Kim Dokja gave the kid his handkerchief.
The boy took it slowly with dread in his bones. Then, painfully, the kid put his hand into the grasshopper cage. The splat wasn’t audible. Kim Dokja should have been grateful that the sound was muffled by the cloth but it just made it all the more tragic.
The timer on the digital clock had changed. Whispers broke out amongst the carriage. Kim Dokja peeked up to see that a woman with long hair — an office worker, it appeared — was filled with relief. His eyes drifted to where the woman was heading. That’s when he spotted a group of men kicking an old lady. They all looked around, clearly startled, before confusion broke out.
“Who killed who?”
“Did the old lady actually die?”
“She’s groaning, don’t you hear her?”
“So then who is dead?”
Kim Dokja felt a small smile form on his face. He did it. He was going to survive this.
Well, as long as Kim Namwoon didn’t kill him. Or Lee Hyunsung, for that matter. From what Kim Dokja recalled, Lee Hyunsung only killed one person in order to fulfill the clearance conditions while Kim Namwoon killed anyone he could before the time ran out. The older teen started off with a good amount of coins and a supporting constellation that loved the violence.
Things quickly turned bleary, though. The cabin was restless. There was an unknown murderer among them — not really though — and they still needed to kill someone themselves if they wanted to live. Kim Dokja heard the wings of the grasshoppers in the cage flutter. There were 3 insects left but dozens of passengers.
Would he decide who to bring with him?
Kim Dokja could ensure that the regressor, Yoo Joonghyuk, started off with his companions. Kim Namwoon and Lee Hyunsung would survive without a doubt if he wanted them to. All Kim Dokja needed to do was hand over a grasshopper.
That wasn’t fair, though.
He clenched and unclenched his fingers. He ignored the pain throbbing through his strangled fingers on his left hand. He needed to get through this. What was the next scenario again? He shook his head. The past and future didn’t matter currently. He needed to focus on the now.
Before he could act, there was a shrill cry. Kim Dokja felt his eyes bug out of his head as he watched a man kick the old lady on the ground in the face. The cry from the old woman ended with an abrupt splat. The man looked up with wild eyes full of horror before he smiled in content. He looked to be a salaryman of some sort with his lined suit and slicked-back hair.
Chaos broke through the cabin. A person was dead, now. It wasn’t hidden or some sort of trick. They watched a person kill another in order to survive.
“Han Myungoh-ssi!” shouted the woman with long hair, her eyes and voice aimed at the murderer.
“Sangah-ssi,” replied the man, “you must kill someone too if you want to survive. I even got coins from it! A hundred of them!”
The cabin came to a conclusion after those remarks. How did one survive in a ruined world? Kill.
Fights broke out among them. Kim Dokja watched as a woman took a man’s throat in her arms and squeezed the life out of him with a chokehold. Then, he saw a man bang another man’s head against the side of the locked carriage. Kim Dokja wanted to be upset. And yet he wasn’t. If more people survived through this scenario, wouldn’t that be a good thing?
“You look shocked,” said an abrupt voice.
Kim Dokja flinched as the white-haired teen loomed next to him. Kim Namwoon grinned like a trickster. The boy next to Kim Dokja watched on with a hard glare.
“I am,” he managed to say. “Normally people give up, don’t they?”
Kim Namwoon hummed, then said, “Do they though? All it took was one death to start the landslide— the domino effect or something or other. It’s a beauty, truly. I’ve wondered if this was the true point of this new world. ‘How depraved can these fickle creatures get? Let’s test it.’”
“Are those your thoughts or what you think others think about us?”
“Who knows?” His red eyes gleamed. “Hey, how do you plan on surviving this?”
“Hmm?”
Kim Namwoon grinned widely, his canines protruding. It looked sweet. If only blood didn’t cover his uniform. “You’ve already passed, I see. I suppose I need to catch up.”
Kim Dokja didn’t have a moment to wonder what that meant. He watched with too-wide eyes as Kim Namwoon took out his switchblade and killed the woman who was choking a man. The man gasped for air in thanks as the woman fell atop him, dead. Then, Kim Namwoon moved onto the next person. Again and again, he only went after those that were trying to actively kill someone.
Kim Dokja stood up before he could think of anything else. He took the grasshopper cage with him. He slipped on a blood puddle before he could get too far. He let out a strangled gasp as he crawled his way up. His knees and elbows and chest and— everything was covered in blood. He wiped his hands to remove his bangs to the side, coating slick blood into his hair.
And then he saw it. Kim Namwoon was going after the salaryman that killed the first official person in the scenario of their cabin. Kim Dokja barely managed to yell out before the white-haired teen’s blade struck.
“Kim Namwoon!” shouted the reader, his injured hand outstretched in mid-air. “A second year at Chungil High School.”
The white-haired boy paused mid-strike. The salaryman — Han Myungoh? — let out a shaky gasp as he slid down the train panel in order to avoid death. Kim Dokja gulped at the scene. Two glowing red eyes were on him, as if he was a threat. Maybe he was one.
“You’re a chuuni,” accused Kim Dokja. Kim Namwoon breathed in heavily as they looked at one another. “You’ve prepared for the world to end. You’re okay with killing people if it means that you survive.”
“Oh yeah?” Kim Namwoon stepped forward, his bloody knife dripping amongst the dead silent cabin.
“I’m only going to say this once: you either stop killing people or I will make you stop killing them. You’ve fulfilled the scenario. There is no reason for you to continue on. Is 100 coins truly worth a person’s life?”
Kim Namwoon tilted his head. Kim Dokja silently added his coins from killing the grasshoppers to his stats. If he couldn’t check his ‘Attribute Window’ then he would have to make do with the basics. But he didn’t seem to need to fight at all.
The demonic teenager dropped the knife to the floor of the ruby-splattered carriage. It landed with an audible thunk. Kim Dokja’s chest rose up and down slowly in relief. He met Kim Namwoon’s gaze and saw a small challenge there, but it wasn’t bad. It was almost like respect.
And then Kim Namwoon sighed out softly. He wiped his bloodied hand through his hair. It dirtied his bleached locks. Those red eyes turned into slight pity as they swallowed Kim Dokja whole.
“You won’t be able to keep going with the idea of not killing anyone,” said Kim Namwoon in a soft, whisper-like voice.
Kim Dokja knew that, okay? He knew. But part of him didn’t want to see senseless violence. He understood that coins were easy to acquire when the people among their cabin weren’t even fighting back much but it was wrong. If Kim Dokja could stop even a single death then he would be suffice with that. He didn’t want to kill.
Morals don’t have a place in a ruined world, whispered a voice that sounded oddly like himself.
Kim Dokja then held up the plastic cage of insects, almost to spite the voice in his head. He announced to the cabin’s remaining residents, “Any living organism counts as a kill. That includes grasshoppers.”
He threw the cage against the wall — the invisible forcefield — holding them inside of the train. The cage busted open and caused the insects to hop out one at a time. They didn’t realize their doom, it appeared.
Kim Dokja felt people pass him by in their attempt to be saved. Not many were willing to kill but the few who did ended up dead anyway. Kim Dokja locked eyes with Kim Namwoon, who was smiling as if saying we are the same, aren’t we? Kim Dokja wasn’t sure if he could refute such a thing.
Kim Namwoon crossed the room. He didn’t look hostile so Kim Dokja let himself relax. He held his injured hand with his other, cradling the broken fingers softly. Kim Namwoon knocked their shoulders together. It wasn’t bullying, either. Kim Dokja looked up with apprehension.
“What was that?” he demanded, on edge.
Kim Namwoon flippantly said, “We’re friends, aren’t we? You clearly know things. I bet you could find a way to keep things interesting, even without the gore.”
“Is this your way of saying that you’ll kill me if you find me boring one day?”
The older teenager shrugged. “We’ll just have to see what happens.”
“You… What the fuck goes on in your brain?” Kim Dokja couldn’t help but curse at the other. “You’re so insane and shitty. Do you even hear yourself? Stop being so generic. Be original for one time in your eighth-grader-syndrome life.”
Kim Namwoon clutched his chest. “That hurts, deep within my heart. So badly that it burns.”
“Oh, fuck off—”
The last few seconds of the scenario passed without him realizing it until the notifications lit up his ears. He watched with wide eyes as the screen off to his side listed what he had done.
[Kim Dokja has killed 124 living things.]
[Kill count: 1 grasshopper, 123 grasshopper eggs.]
“Oh.”
Kim Namwoon briefly checked over his own notifications before leering. “What?” asked the chuuni. “Are you not happy with yourself?”
“I, uh, I dunno.” He wasn’t sure what to feel.
[Survivors: Kim Dokja, Lee Gilyoung, Han Myungoh, Kim Namwoon, Lee Hyunsung, Yoo Sangah.]
Kim Dokja read over the names in slight relief. He knew who was who. Lee Gilyoung was the kid, Han Myungoh was the salaryman, and Yoo Sangah must be the only woman standing in the cabin. It was the office worker that knew Han Myungoh and was scandalized that he killed someone.
But something didn’t add up. Kim Dokja knew that there were 3 grasshoppers left in the cage. He looked around, waiting to find an unknown person that even the Star Stream didn’t register as alive. And then his eyes honed in on it.
A grasshopper chirped next to Lee Gilyoung’s shoes.
He felt like he was going to vomit. How could he do such a thing? He could have saved somebody but instead he let the grasshoppers loose. And now an insect was alive instead of a person. Kim Dokja felt queasy as he heard the crack of a dokkaebi arrive into the carriage.
[The exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ is off-setting Kim Dokja’s shock.]
He breathed in and out the best he could. The dokkaebi grinned widely at the chaos that had happened. Kim Dokja wanted to wring the life out of that dokkaebi. And then all of his emotions dwindled down into ash. It wasn’t the dokkaebi’s fault this time. It was Kim Dokja’s. He was the one who caused death in the train.
The dokkaebi prattled on above them, oblivious or perhaps uncaring about the grief and guilt going on in the train. [30 constellations? Wow. It’s quite good, though, isn’t it? There are more survivors than normal but it was highly entertaining to see! Who would have thought that an insect would have survived compared to worms.]
Was that all they were? Worms. Kim Dokja clenched his fist, instantly regretting it once the pain of his fingers intensified. He was so dumb. How on earth was he going to get through this? He was injured, constantly idiotic, and already offered to take care of a kid only a few years younger than himself.
The dokkaebi talked about their channel for a bit before answering a few questions. There were monsters outside but they wouldn’t interfere with them unless it was part of the scenario. Kim Dokja was the only one who knew that. He didn’t pay it any mind.
He sat down next to Lee Gilyoung and patted the kid’s hair. Lee Gilyoung didn’t smile but his eyes widened a fraction, so Kim Dokja knew that he did something right, even if it took him all day to get there.
The dokkaebi then started to bring up supporting constellations. It was possibly the most important part of WOS. One’s constellation made or broke the incarnations that participated in the scenarios. Kim Dokja always thought about becoming a constellation himself, but he wasn’t sure if he would want to interact with the other constellations.
[Hmm,] said the dokkaebi. [I see that everyone has confused expressions. I’ll put it simply: you will die because you’re all incredibly weak and insignificant. If you continue on in your current state, then you will die on your first encounter with a Ground Rat, which is quite pitiful. However, if you get a sponsor, then your chances of survival go up immensely.]
Screens popped up in front of all of their faces. Kim Dokja studied the room instead of his own potential sponsors. Lee Gilyoung was looking at his screen seriously and with a knitted expression. Kim Namwoon chose one almost immediately. Han Myungoh, Lee Hyunsung, and Yoo Sangah were slower.
“What am I supposed to do?” questioned Han Myungoh. He received no straight or valuable answer from the dokkaebi.
Lee Hyunsung asked, “How do we tell them apart?”
“Maybe an attribute test,” suggested Yoo Sangah, her expression confused but determined.
[It’s supposed to be exciting and a thrill,] was the reply to all of the questions. Asshole.
Kim Dokja then looked down to his own screen. He noted that Lee Gilyoung had made his choice and he seemed happy with it. Good. If Kim Dokja was going to try to make this kid survive, then it would be helpful if they could both hold their own.
{Support Selection}
—Select a constellation.
—The selected constellation will be your reliable sponsor.
1. Demon-like Judge of Fire
2. Secretive Plotter
3. Prisoner of the Golden Headband
He was surprised to see both Uriel and Sun Wukong so early. Their incarnations were known for being strong and great in battle. Kim Dokja was so tempted to take either as his supporting constellation. And yet…
Kim Dokja,
Here is the gift as promised. This will be helpful for your future. I wish you the best, dearest reader of mine. And here’s a hint: the plot is never as it seems.
Was the author trying to tell Kim Dokja who to choose? It could be a made up hint, or even what the author wanted. Kim Dokja had to pick what he wanted to believe in. Would he choose a sponsor based on the words of the author who wrote about the end of the world? Or would he try to become a constellation?
He didn’t think too hard about it. He made his choice silently with unease.
[Sponsor Selection has ended.]
Kim Dokja inhaled shakily. Did he just do this?
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is disappointed.]
[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ wonders about Kim Dokja’s choice.]
[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ is incredibly delighted.]
[A few constellations are wondering what’s so interesting about Kim Dokja.]
[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ wants their incarnation to kill ‘Secretive Plotter’s incarnation.]
[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ sends their incarnation a gift.]
[Kim Dokja has been gifted a recovery potion.]
Kim Dokja blinked as a glass bottle appeared in his good hand. He paused in weary thought before he undid the cork. He gulped it down unsteadily before looking up to see Kim Namwoon grinning. The white-haired teen waved. It felt like a threat.
“Kim Dokja-ya,” called out Kim Namwoon, “I like that name. It suits you.”
Kim Dokja smiled blearily. “Please don’t kill me,” he said, half-begging.
“Ah, I wouldn’t kill you.”
Kim Dokja turned away as quickly as he could. He didn't have the time to play mind games with Kim Namwoon currently. He had someone to look after. He saw that Lee Gilyoung was in good shape. That made him smile. He patted the kid’s shoulder.
“We should get going,” he told Lee Gilyoung.
“If you say so, hyung,” replied the boy.
They started to the doors of the stopped train. It was best to leave as soon as possible. Kim Dokja added his coins to his strength stat but he wasn’t strong enough yet. As he attempted to open it, he heard Han Myungoh shout in protest while Lee Hyunsung offered to help.
Lee Hyunsung pried at the doors. Kim Dokja was about to offer up his opinion about using personal skills, but then the doors between carriages began to bust down. Kim Dokja was the only one that knew how dangerous the person in that cabin was. He immediately encouraged Lee Hyunsung to continue.
It was too late.
A man in all black kicked down the door between their train compartments. Kim Dokja couldn’t look, almost too psyched out to greet the man who had inadvertently saved his life numerous times. Yoo Sangah looked on with wonder and slight fright, Lee Gilyoung was indifferent, Han Myungoh screamed, and Lee Hyunsung finally used his skill to prop open the door.
Kim Dokja ignored the protagonist and instead said, “That was great!” Lee Hyunsung beamed at the praise.
But things were ruined when a grumbled voice called out, “Kim Dokja.”
When Kim Dokja laid his eyes on the dark figure hastily. His first thought was out of excitement. It was a childhood dream come true.
Oh my god, it’s Yoo Joonghyuk! My hero protagonist!
And then, as he remembered what the man was like in the novel—
Oh, god, it’s Yoo Joonghyuk.
Yoo Joonghyuk marched up to Kim Dokja, grabbed him by the collar, pushed him against the wall of the train, and announced, “I am on my 3rd regression. In my 2nd regression, a trusted ally of mine informed me that in her future round, you helped them clear the scenarios until you died with all of that information in your head.”
“Hey! Leave him alone!” shouted Yoo Sangah.
“It’s fine,” squeaked out Kim Dokja. He told the others, “Start down the bridge. We’ll catch up.”
Kim Namwoon was the only one to move. He urged the others, “Dokja-ya can handle this, let’s go.” Slowly, the others began to get off of the subway train. Kim Dokja was thankful for that.
And then he turned back to glowering eyes. Yikes. Creepy.
Yoo Joonghyuk repeated, “You’ll tell me how to end this.”
“Oh?” Kim Dokja laughed nervously, hysterically. “I think you’re wrong. I don’t know anything.”
“And yet, you didn’t even blink when I mentioned my regressions.” Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyes spoke aloud, I know what you are.
“I really rather not involve myself with you—”
“You will help me end these scenarios,” stated Yoo Joonghyuk, voice made of steel. It was a command. “In return, I will assure that you don’t die.”
“Ah, don’t make promises you can’t keep. We both know that I could die at any moment. We live in a ruined world, don’t we?”
Kim Dokja lifted his newly healed fingers to tap Yoo Joonghyuk on the nose. The regressor couldn’t do anything but growl. What was he going to do? Kill Kim Dokja? Hah!
“The only reason why I will keep your scrawny being alive is because you’re a prophet,” declared Yoo Joonghyuk. He released his grip on Kim Dokja, letting him drop to the floor. “You’re useless if your visions are wrong.”
Kim Dokja sighed, knowing that he would have to do his best now. “Let’s get going, then. We need to get off of this bridge immediately.”
Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyes lit up. “So Shin Yoosung wasn’t wrong? You do know of the future.”
“Don’t gloat,” snapped Kim Dokja with all of his teenage fury. “You’re lucky that I care whether or not you see a happy ending, son of a bitch!”
“A happy ending?” echoed Yoo Joonghyuk. “You think I’ll get one of those? Are you a fool?”
Kim Dokja lopsidedly smiled. “Let’s just go, sunfish bastard. I’ll get you through the scenarios.”
Yoo Joonghyuk looked disturbed at the statement. Kim Dokja ignored the man and instead hopped off of the train with Lee Hyunsung’s help. The soldier had stayed behind, apparently. Kim Dokja felt himself smiling at the act. Lee Hyunsung truly was the steel sword, the master shield. With a thump, Yoo Joonghyuk landed onto the railway as well.
Kim Dokja began to run, grinning when Yoo Joonghyuk’s glare increased. Lee Hyunsung jogged next to the teen, bemused. Kim Dokja felt on top of the world. He was hoping to avoid the regressor but he supposed he needed to trust tls123 and his supporting constellation.
Kim Dokja’s eyes fell on his most recent notifications. He would need to trust in someone, and he already did by choosing them as his sponsor. He hoped that this wouldn’t be his downfall.
[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ is pleased with the progressing events.]