Chapter 355

The expressions of the party members changed at my words . Jung Heewon’s eyes were wide while Lee Jihye looked confused . Lee Hyunsung had big eyes . Finally, Shin Yoosung . . .

「 Kim Dok ja has the wrong id ea . 」

The Fourth Wall was heard in my head .

「 It isn’t too la te now . 」

I didn’t know if it was the will of the Fourth Wall or the weak part of my mind . The Fourth Wall reflected my feelings to some extent so both might be true . Either way, this time I made a decision .

“I know it is hard to understand my words . ” I had to tell this story to the group of people . “I’ll slowly explain it from the beginning . “

I talked for a long time . One day, the novel I was reading became reality . In that story, I met them . I didn’t tell them the whole story but at the same time, I didn’t lie .

I knew about the group members before I met them . I didn’t speak properly about the fact that I knew the future . I monopolized information alone and deceived people . I spoke about all of it . It was as if I was bringing out the old darkness .

A little further away from the party, Han Sooyoung was staring at me with a frown . I understood her feelings . It was the same with Han Sooyoung of the 1863rd round .

However, I couldn’t live like Han Sooyoung . This story should be done properly . To move forward properly, some stories must be communicated . Someday . . . just as Yoo Jonghyuk .

「 I am a regressor . 」

Maybe Yoo Jonghyuk also felt like me . He knew the future, experienced the same story again and again and met the party members in countless rounds . Then . . . he sent them away . I could

understand Yoo Jonghyuk’s feelings when he poured out the story without any tricks .

” . . . Thus, I brought you here . “

My story was over . Yet no one opened their mouths after the story was over . It wasn’t that they didn’t understand my story . It was a long story that even a young child could comprehend . Nevertheless, the party members didn’t speak .

I bowed and continued . “I want to sincerely apologize to all of you . I’m really sorry to only be telling you this now . “

I wanted to know . What was the group thinking? What were they feeling? Even so, I didn’t use Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint . In this situation, it really would be a deception if I read them using this skill .

I wanted to use my own strength without relying on any skills . I wanted to believe that whatever they thought and felt inside, the actions they chose was really their decision .

I slowly looked up and met Lee Jihye’s eyes . Lee Jihye’s eyes were red . The moment I saw these eyes, I suddenly realized something . I already knew these eyes .

「 “Then Master knew all of the future . . . ” 」

They were exactly the same as when Lee Jihye heard Yoo Jonghyuk’s story . Lee Jihye slowly opened her mouth . “Then until now, you knew all about the future . . . “

As if the original character was reading the given script, Lee Jihye spoke . I also responded to her like there was a script .

「 “That’s right . ” 」

“Yes . ”

Lee Jihye gritted her teeth and told me, “Then now . . . why are you telling us this?”

The wounded Sword Demon was furious . I read the original novel and could predict what she would say .

「 “What the hell are we to you?” 」

Lee Jihye’s shoulders trembled slightly as she bowed her head . The situation that followed continued to flow in my mind . Lee Jihye would pull out her sword and might attack me because she couldn’t suppress her anger .

There were many such occasions in the original novel . However, Lee Jihye chose a way that I didn’t expect at all . “Let’s say that you knew the future . “

” . . . “

“It was all planned and Ahjussi used us for your purpose . Let’s say we are characters of that damn Ways of Survival and everything is set!” Lee Jihye was crying, watching me while biting her pallid lips . “Then . . . why did you throw your life away for us so many times?”

I saw the tears falling down her cheeks and tried to open my mouth several times . It was an unexpected question . It was because it was unexpected that I couldn’t answer . . .

“Answer me! If we are really characters in a fictional novel, why did you die for us over and over?”

It was a question that I couldn’t answer with the Ways of Survival that I read .

[The ‘Fourth Wall’ is shaking violently . ]

Lee Jihye wiped her eyes and hit my shoulder as she walked past me . Jung Heewon hurriedly chased after her .

” . . . Dokja-ssi, we’ll talk later . “

Shin Yoosung hesitated as she stared at me helplessly before following after Jung Heewon . Lee Hyunsung had blank eyes as he walked out of the room with a bowed head .

The only ones remaining were Han Sooyoung, Lee Seolhwa and Lee Gilyoung . Lee Gilyoung was staring at me with complicated eyes while Lee Seolhwa bowed her head like she was shocked . Han Sooyoung patted Lee Seolhwa’s back and snapped at me . “Kim Dokja, leave for a while . “

***

A hospital room . I gazed at my mother’s sleeping face . I visited the hospital room in the interlude because the party members didn’t return after a long time .

Since the last major surgery, my mother slept like this all day . She had shaded eyes and haggard cheeks . I peered at my mother’s face and was reminded of a time when I visited her in prison . What did my mother think when her son visited her and only talked about a novel?

“Your expression is dark . “

” . . . You are awake?”

“I woke up from the moment you entered . “

It was a voice that didn’t contain any energy . I dragged a matted blanket up and covered my mother’s neck . My mother smiled faintly . “It is good to almost die . My son is taking care of me . “

“Get better quickly . “

“Talk to me . Anything is fine . “

I struggled for a moment before opening my mouth . “In the 154th round of Ways of Survival, Yoo Jonghyuk brought up the story of his regression with the party members . . . “

“Did you talk to the group about Ways of Survival?”

“How do you know?”

My mother stretched out her bony hand and grabbed mine . “You thought they would blame you . You thought they would feel deceived and ask why you hid the information . “

“It didn’t happen like that . “

“You don’t know how to seek forgiveness . “

I silently nodded .

-Answer me! If we are really characters in a fictional novel, why did you die for us over and over?”

Lee Jihye’s voice was revolving in my ears .

My mother said, “It isn’t up to you to decide if it is a matter to forgive . “

“Then . . . “

“Maybe the person behind you can tell you . “

I turned my head and saw Jung Heewon standing at the door of the hospital room . I excused myself and left the hospital room .

Jung Heewon scratched her cheeks and suggested, “Shall we take a walk?”

We walked down the corridor of the hospital wing . It was a simple corridor where no decorations could be found . It seemed to be Yoo Jonghyuk’s taste . . . this guy had been tinkering with the Factory in the last three years . In fact, the end of this corridor contained the hospital room where Yoo Jonghyuk was lying .

Jung Heewon looked out the window and opened her mouth first . “Thank you . . . for telling me . “

I didn’t know how much Jung Heewon had been troubled before saying this . It was worse because I couldn’t see her face . The party members could be seen outside the window . Lee Gilyoung and Shin Yoosung were bickering while Lee Hyunsung and Lee Seolhwa comforted Lee Jihye .

“Everyone will be fine . Jihye will take a bit of time but . . . “

“Heewon-ssi . . . “

Before I could finish my words, Jung Heewon turned to look at me . Her face was smiling as usual . I closed my mouth and Jung Heewon asked, “Are you surprised because I’m fine?”

“That’s not it”

“No, it isn’t . “

Jung Heewon had long known that I had ‘future information . ‘ Perhaps among the characters, she was the person who knew the most about me .

Jung Heewon spoke as she started stretching . “It isn’t a big deal . This is a world where monsters and dokkaebis exist . . . it is something special that turned the novel into a reality . “

” . . . “

“I understand the past now . The reason why Dokja-ssi said I didn’t appear in the future . Does that mean I wasn’t in the novel that Dokja-ssi read?”

” . . . Yes . “

Biyoo floated like a cloud and moved above Shin Yoosung’s head .

Jung Heewon told me, “Then I was able to safely come here thanks to Dokja-ssi . “

“That, Heewon-ssi―”

“Thank you for finding me . I’m not being sarcastic . I mean it sincerely . “

I knew . I was already familiar with the tone Jung Heewon used to tease me . Even so, I didn’t know what to say .

“Don’t be gloomy and depressed by yourself and look forward to the future . If you like, give me a promotion faster . Now, this is a handshake to cheer up . “

Jung Heewon grabbed my hand with a strong force . Something warm suddenly rose inside me .

I firmly bit my lips .

「Jung Heewon, she isn’t okay . 」

I could feel the pulse from Jung Heewon’s hand . She would also be sad . She would be in pain and it would be hard for her . Even so . . .

Jung Heewon held my hand tightly for a while before letting go with a smile . Then she asked, “By the way Dokja-ssi . . . I have a question . “

“Yes, ask . “

“If this world is a novel, it means there is a protagonist . “

As expected, Jung Heewon was sharp . I told the group about Ways of Survival but I didn’t say who the protagonist was . However, Jung Heewon was already aware of the identity of the protagonist .

Jung Heewon was staring at the end of the corridor . “Is that why you were fighting?”

“I haven’t exactly spoken to him but . . . it seems so . “

“Since you started it, you need to see the end properly . Do you know?”

I nodded .

“That person won’t be easy . “

I knew . Still, it couldn’t be avoided .

***

For the next two days, I was in Yoo Jonghyuk’s hospital room . I hardly met with other people . I was worried but decided to remain calm . I believed that the people needed time to think . It wouldn’t be too late to talk once the party members were ready .

Yoo Jonghyuk still didn’t wake up .

“The wounds of his flesh have almost recovered . I thin kit is a problem of the mind . “

“A problem of the mind?”

“It seems he is refusing to wake up . . . perhaps he experienced a severe shock . “

Those were Aileen’s words . She exchanged the story pack and left, leaving only Yoo Jonghyuk and I in the room .

The floating dust settled on his nose . I opened my mouth while watching Yoo Jonghyuk . “You grabbed me first and dropped me down the bridge . “

I knew he couldn’t hear me but I still wanted to talk .

「 “Get your hand off me and get lost, you damn jerk . “

“I believe you . You are definitely a prophet . ” 」

The first time I encountered him on the bridge . Suddenly, a laugh emerged .

“Honestly, you aren’t in a position to blame me for anything . You are a regressor . . . how many people died because of you?”

Once I started speaking, the memories poured out like a waterfall . It was like Pandora’s Box . It felt as if a lot of time had passed . I had spent a lot of time with this person .

“I thought I understood you better than anyone but I don’t know these days . Why did you do that in during the Flood of Disasters?”

「 ” . . . That person is my companion . ” 」

“Why did you call me a companion? You wouldn’t say that normally . . . Stabbing me in Dark Castle . . . even though I told you to kill me at the time . “

「 “Kim Dokja! No! Kim Dokja!” 」

Every single memory caused numerous emotions to rise . The scenarios, which were really serious at the time, became stories once they were over . We were left with the stories .

“Still, I am grateful for the revolutionary game . I lived at that time because of you . Still, it is weird . Why did you sell my name when hitting the wrong industrial complex? Well . . . maybe you were trying to fuck with me . “

I poured out the things I was thinking about and gradually became sleepy . I hadn’t slept properly . . .

The complaints continued even as my consciousness dimmed . The times I fought with him passed like I was reading Ways of Survival .

The Disaster of Questions . The strongest sacrifice . Peace Land . The tomb of the scenario . The Demon King Selection and Gigantomachia . It was hard to find a battlefield where I didn’t fight with him . I thought back on those times .

‘Perhaps it will be okay . ‘

I could convince him somehow if it was the Yoo Jonghyuk I knew . We had never talked about it properly . What if I took the time to explain it step by step? It was Yoo Jonghyuk, not someone else . . .

I could see Yoo Jonghyuk’s back in the distance . I forgot it was a dream and approached him .

‘Yoo Jonghyuk . ‘

At this moment, there was a stinging pain from my head and words appeared . It was a scene from Ways of Survival . The scene where Yoo Jonghyuk was betrayed by Anna Croft and lived miserably .

They were the last words Yoo Jonghyuk left .

「 “I will absolutely never forgive you . ” 」

Yoo Jonghyuk turned around and spoke to me . Killing energy was emitted from the Black Demon Sword .

「 “Kim Dokja . ” 」

I felt a coolness from my neck and woke up . I gasped while sweating before realizing it was a dream . The dim moonlight was coming in through the window . It was a bare hospital room .

I slowly rubbed my eyes . Then I realized something was wrong .

” . . . Yoo Jonghyuk?”

The bed was empty . Yoo Jonghyuk couldn’t be seen anywhere in the room . The selected Ringer’s solution was floating in the air . I hurriedly got up but I couldn’t feel Yoo Jonghyuk anywhere .

On the bed, the pocket watch with the familiar design remained . The remaining time until the Constellation and Demon War was 26 days .

On this day, Yoo Jonghyuk left Kim Dokja’s Company .

TL: Rainbow Turtle