Chapter 419: 419

All sorts of complicated thoughts rushed past my head .

“I . . . . “

It felt as if someone was ringing a gong right next to my ear . I covered my mouth from the sudden rush of the sick feeling from my stomach . The kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeoks kept looking up at me as I began wobbling about unsteadily .

⸢Kim Dok-Ja knew who these beings were . ⸥

The final revision of the ‘Ways of Survival’ spat out bright texts from inside my pocket .

⸢He knew, but at the same time, he didn’t want to know . ⸥

“Kim Dok-Ja?”

The kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeoks realised that something was wrong with me and called out .

I needed to stop thinking .

[‘The 4th Wall’ is shaking . ]

Stop thinking .

[‘The 4th Wall’ is shaking intensely . ]

However, I couldn’t .

Pages were flipping over inside my head . As if there was a storm raging about in there, all those pages swirled up and flew at the same time to completely blanket my consciousness .

” . . . . Hey, you?”

And eventually, my vision was dyed in pitch-black darkness .

*

“Looks like he’s learned of it now . “

The kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok number [41] spoke as if it was in passing . Next to him was the ‘Secretive Plotter’, sitting on the ancient, worn-down throne .

“By any chance, did you deliberately give out that hint?”

[That wasn’t my intention . ]

“I don’t see any reward for you after you even prepared props to put up a show like this . “

The kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok number [41] spoke as he stared at the Plotter’s white coat . It was the same coat as the one Yu Jung-Hyeok from the 1863rd turn wore .

The Plotter felt that stare . While taking the coat off, he spoke up . [I wasn’t putting on a show . That guy from the 1863rd should’ve been a part of me originally . Just like all of you . ]

“However, he opened the door and left without warning, didn’t he . While leaving behind that coat, too . “

The kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok number [41] took over the white coat . As if the two had been talking about something forbidden up until now, a short silence descended between them .

The ‘Secretive Plotter’ wordlessly extended his hand towards the empty air . A circular table suddenly materialised next to the old throne . There was a wine glass filled with red wine on top of it . He lightly picked the glass up .

[It seems that the scenario is progressing far quicker than expected . Its ripening degree is nothing to write home about . ]

“It’s all because of that fool, Kim Dok-Ja . “

[Has the Dokkaebi King made his move yet?]

The kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok number [41] flipped through the message log in the empty air . “No, not yet . However, Great Dokkaebis are now moving behind the scenes . The Wennys have contacted us, as well . “

[It’ll soon start, then . ]

“I guess so . “

Two Yu Jung-Hyeoks stopped talking for a little while . Ominous howls could be heard coming through the cracked walls of this palace built to resemble a circle . Those were the cries of the Outer World’s hounds searching for them .

The ‘Secretive Plotter’ opened his lips . [41st . You are the most similar ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’ when compared to me . ]

“What an honour that is . “

[You’ll soon die . ]

“Have we not come this far for that exact purpose?”

They stopped talking again . Pale-white light suddenly glowed in the empty air, and soon, ‘s broadcast screen appeared there . The ‘Secretive Plotter’ flipped through the screens as if he was bored and spoke up .

[There isn’t much left till the end of this long story, then . ]

*

When I opened my eyes, I found myself inside the Library .

⸢Kim Dok Ja, so an noy ing . ⸥

I heard the Wall’s faint voice and shook my head to regain my wits .

‘Sorry about that’ .

The lights from the lanterns brightened up the dim darkness . It seemed that I was sucked into [the 4th Wall]’s interior once more . The Wall had protected my mind from breaking down, in other words .

I massaged my pulsing head and took quick, short breaths . I needed a bit more time before my mind cleared up sufficiently enough . How long did it pass by like that?

Eventually, only one line remained etched inside my once-chaotic mind .

⸢The ‘Secretive Plotter’ is Yu Jung-Hyeok from the original ‘Ways of Survival’ . ⸥

He was not the Yu Jung-Hyeok I met in the 1863rd turn, nor the guy I experienced the 3rd turn with .

No, he was someone I had never met before .

Indeed, he was Yu Jung-Hyeok who witnessed the conclusion of the before the ‘3rd turn’ even had the chance to begin .

– Hang on, author-nim! What will happen to Jung-Hyeok-ee now? When it’s like this . . . . .

I recalled the last comment I made on the final chapter of the ‘Ways of Survival’ . That novel came to an end and left everything up to the epilogue . The answer to the question I was dying to know… .

I slowly got up from the spot and took a look at the bookshelves around me .

[Yu Jung-Hyeok, records from the 4th turn, eighth volume]

I stood there dazed after looking at the book’s spine, revealed under the gentle light .

The stories that I grew up reading were here .

I slowly reached out towards that book’s spine . My fingertip touching the end of the spine trembled faintly . This was the story that I read over and over again . Each of those phrases was my life, my blood, and my flesh . But now, why did such a story feel so . . . .

… . Alien to me now?

I forced myself to grab that book, hoping to get rid of this feeling . This was a story that I could enjoy reading regardless of what time it was and which page it was, anyway .

This story wouldn’t betray me . If I read it, I should feel better . Just like how it always did .

Rather coincidentally, the page I flipped to was the scene of Anna Croft and Yu Jung-Hyeok in a face-off .

The novel’s Yu Jung-Hyeok spoke his line .

⸢”This is because of you . “⸥

My hands trembled as I flipped the page . I couldn’t work up the courage to read what was on the next page . Maybe, I didn’t have the qualification to do so, too .

I was happy reading this story?

My entire life amounted to nothing but me reading about someone else’s sorrow and pain? In that case, how was I any different from those damn Constellations up in the sky?

⸢(What will you do?)⸥

I looked behind to find Nirvana there .

⸢(There are two ‘Yu Jung-Hyeoks’ in this world . )⸥

The librarians had gathered around me . Three pairs of eyes were now looking at me, pitying me . Nirvana, Simulation, and then, the Devourer of Dreams .

I met each of their gazes and asked . ‘… . What do you guys think?’

⸢(Do you wish to acquire the opinion of this one?)⸥ Nirvana stepped forward to reply . He sounded confident as if he knew the right answer already . ⸢(No need to fall into a dilemma . Every creature started as one in the beginning, after all . )⸥

“You’re going on about that ‘one’ again?”

⸢Everything was one, to begin with, so what does it matter if there are two or more Yu Jung-Hyeoks? Becoming one with all the Yu Jung-Hyeoks is the utmost important providence of the cosmos . . . . . !⸥

Yup, it was my fault to ask this idiot in the first place .

I shifted my gaze and discovered that the master of the cinema dungeon, Simulation, looking back at me .

⸢(It seems that you’re suffering under the weight of the guilty conscience . )⸥

Guilty conscience – was it alright to bluntly label what I feel into that sort of emotion? My hand holding the book trembled, causing the pages themselves to tremble as well .

⸢(Why do you feel guilt? Are you tormented by the misfortune he had suffered?)⸥

“I’m not too sure . “

⸢(Regardless of what, you can’t save him . He has already lived a life like that, and you simply read about his story . That is the summary of your reality . )⸥

His voice, tinged with a certain logical sense, contained the wisdom of an ancient being who had read many stories for the longest time .

The last one to speak was the ‘Devourer of Dreams’ . It pushed up its glasses with its tentacles and spoke as if to mock me . ⸢(Oh, dear Constellation . Do you honestly believe that the great Plotter is asking for your sympathy?)⸥

The moment I heard those words, my emotions cooled down as if they were bathed in icy-cold water .

It was correct . This emotion I’ve been feeling was the same thing as me insulting every story I had read .

Besides, now wasn’t the time to swim in these trivial emotional mires .

Nirvana glibly continued on . ⸢(Looks like you’ve finally regained some of your lost senses . )⸥

Right now, I need to worry about much more realistic problems first .

‘I need to return to my comrades, but I don’t have any methods of getting out of here . ‘

The ‘Devourer of Dreams’ nodded its head . ⸢(I’m sure that’s the case . Within the N’Gai’s Forest, he’s basically the god, after all . )⸥

‘Do you know something, by any chance?’

⸢(I do know, but there’s not much meaning even if I explain . Because, you’d get only further away from their origins the more you try to explain anything related to the ‘Outer Gods’ . Just like what the ‘Recorders of Fear’ have done . ⸥

‘Recorders of Fear’ . . . I seemed to have heard a similar story once before .

Meanwhile, the ‘Devourer of Dreams’ continued on . ⸢(The entrance and the exit lay in the same place . In most cases, a door with ‘Pull me’ written on it would open when you push at it . You must figure out why you’re here . When you do, you will naturally discover the exit yourself . )⸥

I heard what the ‘Secretive Plotter’ said earlier after hearing those words .

– When you’re done with the Three Questions, you must figure out the ‘reason you had to be brought’ here .

The reason why I had to come here .

When I thought about it, maybe the ‘Three Divine Questions and Answers’ being suspended was a fortunate thing for myself .

I might have been able to guess the identity of the ‘Secretive Plotter’, but I hadn’t been able to figure out the reason why he brought me to this place .

That guy, why did he bring me here?

⸢(He’s a being who witnessed the end of one world . )⸥ The ‘Devourer of Dreams’ spoke as if it already knew what my question was . ⸢(What can compel a being who already knows of ■■ to throw himself back into the great cycle once more . . . . ?)⸥

In that moment, I recalled a certain moment in my life . It was a piece of my memory from a very long time ago . I was a young boy, sitting opposite my mother and reading a book resting on my lap .

– Dok-Ja-ya, please read it again .

What would be the reason for an existence that knew the story inside out to read it again?

⸢Yo u go ou t now Kim Dok Ja . ⸥

In the following moments, my view broke up and I was swept up in a whirlpool . The sight of the Library scattered away like smoke . Everything spun around until my consciousness returned to where it belonged . Still suffering from the slight case of migraine and dizziness, I slowly opened my eyes along with a soft groan .

[Current Incarnation Body recovery rate: 34%]

Drips of Fable fell one at a time from the IV pack filled with Fables, currently attached to my arm . And there was information on my Incarnation Body floating up on the display in the air .

[Currently, the injection of healing medicine cannot be administered due to the extensive damage to your foundational Fable . ]

[Natural recovery is recommended . ]

[You currently possess high resistance against elixirs . ]

[You can consume a new type of elixir to boost the rate of recovery . ]

I struggled to push myself up . Every corner of my body still ached like crazy, but still, movements in my joints felt a lot smoother than before .

“Biyu . “

As expected, Biyu didn’t reply . However, I was greeted by another message, instead .

[You’re currently connected to a temporary channel . ]

A temporary channel – meaning, this place was not an official scenario location of the .

“Total numbers of connections . “

[Number of Constellations currently connected to the temporary channel: 2]

It was saying ‘2’, which was as clear as you could get, as much as the number of clicks the ‘Ways of Survival’ got .

I began thinking . If I wanted to escape from this place, there was little choice but to have another face-to-face with the ‘Secretive Plotter’ .

But, I wasn’t sure if he’d meet me again that easily .

In that case, there was only one other method left .

[Constellation, ‘Demon King of Salvation’, is calling the Constellation, ‘Secretive Plotter’ . ]

If the bastard didn’t want to meet me, then . . . .

[Constellation, ‘Demon King of Salvation’, is looking at the Constellation, ‘Secretive Plotter’ . ]

Then, until he looked at me again .

[Constellation, ‘Demon King of Salvation’, is throwing a temper tantrum in the Constellation, ‘Secretive Plotter’s’ direction . ]

Yup, I just needed to annoy him .

[Constellation, ‘Demon King of Salvation’, is . . . . ]

[Constellation, ‘Secretive Plotter’, is glaring at you . ]

As expected, a response came . Just before I could send back another message, though, the door to my room flung open with some force .

“You insane fool . Why are you making a ruckus like this?”

“Oh, so you came . “

The kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok number [666] was glaring at me . “If you want something, you can simply call for me . So, stop with the barrage of noisy indirect messages . “

Since these kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeoks were all dependents of the ‘Secretive Plotter’, they must’ve been able to hear my indirect messages, too .

In any case, that [666] seemed to be tasked with caring for my well-being . What surprised me there, though, was that he held what looked to be some kind of a smartphone-like device . Unfitting for a mini chibi, the phone itself was the regular ‘big’ size .

“Why are you looking at that thing? Were you playing a mobile game?”

I got up from the bed and quickly snatched the phone away from the unguarded hands of this idiot .

Yu Jung-Hyeok’s original profession was the ‘Pro Gamer’, so it wouldn’t be all that strange for him to play a game of some ki . . . . .

… . Eh?

“Give it back to me this instant!!”

[666] leaped up and smacked me in the waist while roaring out in anger . I simply stared at the display in pure stupefaction, though .

… . Hey, this isn’t a game, now is it??

[You’re currently connected to two channels . ]

[You’re currently in the area outside the scenario’s control . You are now connected to the official channel via a proxy channel . ]

The smartphone’s screen was displaying a rather familiar background .

⸢”Dok-Ja ahjussi is alright . He’s definitely alive . I can tell . “⸥

Just below the [LIVE] icon, indirect messages from Constellations I was familiar with were cascading down as if it was some kind of a chatroom .

[Constellation, ‘Bald General of Justice’, is nodding his head energetically . ]

[Constellation, ‘Maritime War God’, is consoling the members of . ]

[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is . . . . . ]

What shocked me even more could be found at the bottom of the chatroom display .

[Constellation name: Secretive Plotter]

[You’re currently a VIP subscriber . ]

[Due to one of the VIP membership perks, you are exempt from the cost of indirect messaging . ]

– Please select the expression you wish to convey .

[Currently, you have selected (Stay Strong) . ]

– Please enter the amount of coins to be sponsored . (You can sponsor from 50 Coins upwards in the applicable channel . )

[(No amount has been entered) C]

– Please enter the message you with to convey through indirect messaging .

[Forgetaboutfoolslikehimandchooseanewleader (You have exceeded the word length input limit . )]

I stopped reading there and looked down at the kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok number [666] in sheer dumbfoundedness . “Hey, I’m asking you just in case . . . . “

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” . . . . “

“By any chance, the one who sent all those indirect messages was . . . . “

“It’s merely my turn today! Give up the device immediately or I’ll kill you, Kim Dok-Ja!!”

The deeply-blushing kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok number [666] held the [Heaven Shaking Sword] tightly and panted angrily . Only then did I finally figure out something that I failed to understand until now .

So, I had these kkoma idiots to thank for all those countless indirect messages the ‘Secretive Plotter’ allegedly sent my way .

⸢”When he comes back this time, let’s just throw him inside a coffin and bury him somewhere . It’ll be better to let him out only after the scenarios are over . “⸥

Yi Ji-Hye said something hair-raisingly scary just then . I watched the kids sitting together on the screen and my heart began aching as if I had been sneak attacked just now .

It hadn’t been that long since we parted ways, yet I missed them already .

Whatever the cost, I had to return to them .

Because, the ‘Apocalypse Dragon’ scenario was already over, so if I didn’t hurry back to where they were, then . . . .

Tsu-chuchuchut!

That was when the Probability’s sparks went on a wild dance; one by one, Dokkaebis began appearing in the skies of Seoul . I spotted Bihyung among them as well .

⸢[New main scenario has arrived!]⸥

God damn it . . . . So soon?

Bihyung inside the screen began speaking up . ⸢[ . It’s now time to leave for the Final Scenario . ]⸥

Fin .

(TL: No second chapter today, but I’ll try to make up for it tomorrow . )