Chapter 46

Episode 10 – Future War (5)

After coming down from the theater, I headed straight to Myeongdong Station with Lee Hyunsung and Yoo Sangah . Dongmyo Station was important but there was something to be done first .

I killed the Myeongdong Representative and taken the flag so I had to hurry and occupy the empty station .

Lee Hyunsung spoke in a worried tone .

“Is it okay with just us?”

“There won’t be a fight . I will decide what to do with them . If I leave it alone, they will die soon . ”

The ‘wanderers’ who lost their group would become prey to other groups if they weren’t lucky . Just like the Landlord Alliance members who left Chungmuro Station .

But the moment we arrived at Myeongdong Station, we saw an unexpected sight . The people in Myeongdong Station had already been hit by someone . It was also very gruesome .

I saw a group of men standing near Myeongdong Station . The men were flustered and quickly fled in the direction of Hoehyeong Station . It wasn’t easy to chase them because they had bikes .

It was as if they knew I was coming . There was more than one or two odd things .

Lee Hyunsung asked, “Who are these people? What happened?”

“I’m not sure . ”

“Even Dokja-ssi doesn’t know…”

Lee Hyunsung gulped nervously . Fortunately, the flag holder of Myeongdong Station was empty .

[Currently there is no group occupying Myeongdong Station . ]

[Are you sure you want to take over the station?]

I plugged the flag into the flag holder and pulled it out again . Then a flag that was the same as mine appeared in the flag holder .

[You have occupied Myeongdong Station . ]

[A station that has been occupied can’t be taken from you unless the ‘main base’ or flag is taken away . ]

[Currently Occupied: Chungmuro (Main Base), Myeongdong]

[The achievement points of the red flag are rising . ]

The red colour of the flag turned darker .

[Your influence has expanded by taking over a new station . ]

[The hidden scenario has arrived!]

[The King’s Road has begun!]

+

[Hidden Scenario – King’s Road]

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: A

Clear Conditions: Take over a minimum of 10 stations within the time limit .

Time Limit: 10 days

Reward: The attribute of a ‘king’ .

Failure: If you can’t take over a minimum of one station per day, you and your group members will all die .

+

I finally arrived at the terrible hidden scenario . Once I started this quest, I couldn’t turn back . There were only two fates for a king .

Become a king or die .

[The new king candidate has started to walk along his road!]

From now on, it was the full-fledge flag struggle .

* * *

I returned to Chungmuro, gathered the party members and told them about the hidden scenario . Jung Heewon made an interested expression while Lee Hyunsung looked confused . Yoo Sangah was as anxious as always .

“It sounds like a difficult scenario… Dokja-ssi, will it be okay?”

“It’s okay . ”

An angel or a fool . . In this situation, they were worried rather than jealous about the hidden scenario .

Lee Hyunsung said, “I’m glad that Dokja-ssi is the king candidate . ”

“Thank you . ”

“Then should I call you Your Majesty?”

I was hit in the head by Jung Heewon after being touched by Lee Hyunsung’s serious words .

“I don’t want that . ”

“Your Majesty, based on this hidden scenario, shouldn’t we go occupy a new station right away? You should think about the lives of your subjects . ” Jung Heewon said sarcastically .

I nodded .

“I think we need to find out about the people who attacked us . I’ll go straight to Dongmyo . Jung Heewon-ssi and Lee Hyunsung-ssi, will you go with me?”

Yoo Sangah raised her hand at my words .

“Then I…”

“Yoo Sangah-ssi will stay here . ”

“Ah, really… on the other hand, more…”

I listened to Yoo Sangah’s voice and it sounded glum . Perhaps Yoo Sangah was thinking that she was useless .

Her damage wasn’t as strong as Jung Heewon and she didn’t have a strong physique like Lee Hyunsung . In addition, she didn’t have a powerful trump card like Gilyoung .

“Yoo Sangah-ssi . ”

“…Yes?”

All her previous ‘specs’ had become obsolete in this new world . But she was too good to be jealous of other people . Thus, her inferiority complex was quietly festering .

“Yoo Sangah, not everyone can do the same things well . ”

“Yes, I am aware of that . ” Yoo Sangah smiled weakly .

I spoke carefully so that she wouldn’t feel it was an admonishment . “Do you remember the words that you said on the subway? Dokja has a solo life and I will…”

“I will have an ivory life . Yes, I remember . I wrote it on the notepad of my smartphone . ”

Why did she look so elated? In any case, I couldn’t hate it . I continued speaking .

“Yoo Sangah-ssi has things to do here . I can’t leave the unconscious Gilyoung alone . I need someone to monitor Gong Pildu and to control the nervous group members . ”

Yoo Sangah’s eyes shook .

“Besides, the Hoehyeon forces must be kept in check . They might attack while we’re away . Gong Pildu is here but Yoo Sangah’s Binding Thread might be necessary . ”

“C-Can I do this role well…?”

Yoo Sangah spoke weakly because of her low self-esteem .

“Hey everyone . In that way… I will give Yoo Sangah-ssi a job position . What do you think?”

Lee Hyunsung and Jung Heewon thought for a moment before nodding .

“Okay, I can trust it if it is Yoo Sangah . ”

“King… if you wish then do so…”

I glared at Jung Heewon . Did she think that was funny right now?

[You are using the unique permissions of a representative . ]

[Chungmuro Station’s representative, Kim Dokja is transferring some of his authority to group member ‘Yoo Sangah . ’]

[Group member ‘Yoo Sangah’ has become the deputy of Chungmuro Station . ]

[In the future, group member ‘Yoo Sangah’ can deal out punishments on behalf of the representative . ]

Yoo Sangah looked at me with stunned eyes and stuttered . She looked terrified .

“G-Giving, giving this position to me…”

“I will leave it to Yoo Sangah-ssi . ”

I meant it . Once again, not everyone could do the same things well . Based on what I remembered, Yoo Sangah would be appropriate for this .

Yoo Sangah was the best person in the human resources department, not someone else .

“Oh…I’ll do my best . ”

Yoo Sangah bowed before slowly raising her head . Tears could be seen in her eyes .

* * *

We headed straight for the tunnel on the east side .

We had to pass three stops before arriving at Dongmyo . We moved with the fainted Kang Ilhun . Honestly, taking this guy was a burden but I needed him to identify the faces . When I looked back at Chungmuro, I could hear Yoo Sangah’s voice .

“Everyone, please gather!”

As I expected, Yoo Sangah worked harder in the shadows . The people were already organized and were receiving their orders . Sentries were set up and people were put in charge of different areas . Some of the landlords said they wouldn’t listen to Yoo Sangah but…

[Chungmuro Station’s deputy, Yoo Sangah has used the punishment . ]

I vaguely heard someone moaning .

…Was this okay? Well, it should be fine .

Jung Heewon looked at my face and said, “Good job . I felt that Yoo Sangah had been a bit depressed . ”

“I didn’t select Yoo Sangah-ssi because I was thinking of her emotions . I thought Yoo Sangah-ssi would do really well . ”

“…Ah, is that so? Then please me something later . It should fit me . ”

“How about an executioner?”

“…Forget it . ”

Jung Heewon grumbled and turned her head away . It was good after all the jokes she played .

“But that gangster on the roof, is it okay to leave him?”

“Oh, you mean Yoo Jonghyuk?”

“I guess his name is similar . ”

“It will probably be fine . ”

“It sounds like you know him very well . What is it?

“That…” I thought for a moment before asking . “Heewon-ssi, do you have a younger sibling?”

“…? Yes . Why?”

“A brother or a sister?”

“A brother . ”

“How old is he?”

“He is one year younger . ”

“How is it having a brother?”

“Annoying . He easily defies me and I had to take him to school instead of my mother…”

Jung Heewon feel silent as she was complaining about her brother . She gazed somewhere in the air . Then I asked her .

“But now you are worried about him right?

“Well… we are family . ”

“I am similar . ”

“Dokja-ssi also has a younger brother?”

“Nope, I’m talking about Yoo Jonghyuk . ”

“Ah…” Jung Heewon looked at me and nodded . “Then do you like or hate him?”

“I hate him . I fought with many people because of him . ”

I wasn’t the only reader of Ways of Survival in the early days . Quite a few people followed along out of curiosity up to the 10th chapter . There were also 12 readers at the 50th chapter .

There was a guy who liked Kim Namwoon… while I argued with him . I wonder if any of the people who fought with me back then were alive . Maybe the people I was going to catch now was one of them .

“You two, you seem to have become very close . ”

Lee Hyunsung interrupted and I suddenly realized I was walking too close to Jung Heewon .

Jung Heewon smiled .

“Why, soldier ahjussi . Are you jealous?

“Hrmm . It isn’t like that…”

Come to think of it, didn’t Lee Hyunsung join the army right after going to a male high school? I felt sorry for Lee Hyunsung when I thought about the setting .

“It seems we have arrived at Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station . ”

In fact, the entrance of Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station could be seen in the distance .

We nervously stuck to the tunnel wall and looked around . It was in case troops were waiting . But this worry was pointless . Jung Heewon muttered .

“It is strange . There are no sentries . ”

The fact that there was no guards while Struggle for the Flag was ongoing meant that the station had already been eaten by another group . Once we confirmed this, we immediately approached the flag holder .

[The station has already been occupied by ‘Dongmyo Station . ’]

[If you want to occupy the station, take the flag of Dongmyo Station or occupy its flag holder . ]

It was as expected .

Then Kang Ilhun’s body twitched . His body was shaking like he was having seizures and his condition was strange . I released the thread blocking his mouth and Kang Ilhun shouted .

“N-No…!”

“…What is this all of a sudden?”

“D-Dongdaemun… Dongdaemun Station…!”

Saliva spilled from Kang Ilhun’s mouth as he stuttered . I felt something and unintentionally put a hand on his shoulder .

Then .

[The character Kang Ilhun is now a wanderer . ]

It was evident that Kang Ilhun’s affiliation to ‘Dongdaemun’ had changed . Jung Heewon asked, “What is happening?”

“It seems that Dongdaemun Station has been taken over . ”

“…Huh?”

Suddenly everything made sense . Yes . The people who leaked the information had this in mind .

“…A double trap . ”

They incited the Myeongdong Group and Dongdaemun Group to strike Chungmuro because they knew the two groups would die in Chungmuro . While the main force were gone, they wanted to take Myeongdong and Dongdaemun . The unidentified people at Myeongdong Station probably also belonged to them .

But… how did they know we would win? They couldn’t know about my presence . The representative of Chungmuro Station in the third turn was originally…

…Ah right . That jerk . Was this what they aimed for?

I was certain . The Prophets who created this plan were surely…

At this moment, Lee Hyunsung reacted .

“People are coming . ”

A group of people were approaching from the Dongdaemun tunnel . On the surface, they were a group with a considerably good weapons .

The items seemed to have an average of a C-grade or above . It wouldn’t be easy to arm them to this degree already… it was unbelievable power .

The man in the centre of the group spoke to us first . The man had a slim build and wore all types of items on his arms and neck .

“Eh, Kang Ilhun-ssi? Geez, you brought a needless load of crap to me . ”

Kang Ilhun was shaking and he fainted with foam around his mouth . I wondered, perhaps this guy?

[The exclusive skill, Character List is activated . ]

A moment later, amazing messages were heard .

[The information of this person can’t be read in ‘Character List . ’]

[This person isn’t registered in ‘Character List . ’]

Look at this?

The man looked at us . “Is there going to be a self-introduction? Or…”

The group of men simultaneously pulled out weapons .

I took the lead to reply . “We are from Chungmuro . ”

“Chungmuro?”

At this moment, sparks popped in the air .

[Someone is using Explore Attribute on you . ]

[The exclusive skill Fourth Wall has blocked Explore Attribute!]

The man stumbled like he had been shocked . He hesitated for a moment before turning bewildered eyes towards me .

“…I’m sorry, what is your name?”

I glanced at Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung once . Then I smiled and said towards the man . I spoke in my coldest and heaviest voice .

“I am Yoo Jonghyuk . ”