Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 576

Chapter 576

Episode 5. Villain

「 Cheon Inho is the true mastermind behind everything 」

—Comment from chapter 516 of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

When someone loses consciousness often enough, they eventually become aware of the moment it happens.

Had my editor, Ji Eunyoo, heard me say that, she would have retorted, «If you’re aware of it, then you haven’t truly fainted,» leaving me in a state of philosophical confusion. Luckily, Ji Eunyoo wasn’t here.

So, to put it plainly:

「 I am unconscious right now. 」

At this rate, I’ll probably end up fainting more than Kim Dokja, the so-called «fainting expert,» which is hardly ideal.

I strained to open my eyes.

Everything was completely dark.

I hadn’t woken up yet. I blinked repeatedly, but only an inky blackness filled my vision.

There was something familiar about this darkness.

And the feeling of the chair against my back. The comfortable rest of my arms on the supports.

This was a theater.

More specifically, it strongly resembled the theater where ‘Kim Dokja’s Banquet’ had been held.

When I glanced casually to the side, I saw children occupying the empty seats.

At first, I thought they might be a group watching a movie, but a closer look revealed they were all miniature versions of Kim Dokja.

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

I’ve been thinking about Kim Dokja far too much.

Is that why I’m having this absurd dream?

I rubbed my eyes and took another look around.

They were indeed the small Kim Dokjas.

None seemed to notice me; most were staring at the screen ahead, yawning, or fidgeting.

I couldn’t decipher what this dream was supposed to mean, either symbolically or literally.

「 «This is insane, utterly ridiculous.» 」

A voice from the screen seemed to echo my own thoughts.

I turned my attention to the screen along with the small Kim Dokjas. A film had been playing there for some time.

「 «Ahjussi! Please wake up!» 」

Beyond a heap of rubble, I could make out the faces of Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi.

I had a general idea of what was happening. This must be right after I fell from Dongho Bridge.

After spitting out the dirt in his mouth, Dansoo ahjussi asked.

「 «Where is Inho-ssi?» 」

The moment he regained consciousness, Dansoo ahjussi was looking for me.

The first companion I had met.

His expression showed genuine concern for me.

「 «I don’t know.» 」

Kyung Sein shook her head helplessly.

«I remember Inho-ssi pushing us out of the way, but…»

«He must have been trying to save us.»」

The two began searching the area for any sign of me, and it didn’t take long for them to find something in the collapsed wreckage.

«A monster’s body…»」

Seeing the corpse of the Poisonous Rhinoceros, Kyung Sein’s expression turned grim.

「 In that moment, she understood what must have occurred. 」

Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke.

«Yoo Joonghyuk?»

«I believe he has already left.»

«Do you think Inho-ssi went with him?»

«I doubt it… There are signs of a struggle here.»

«A fight?»

«It appears so. It seems Yoo Joonghyuk may have attacked first…»

«Then Inho-ssi and Heewon-ssi—»

After a brief silence, Kyung Sein spoke with determination.

「 «I’m certain they’re alive. You know Inho-ssi isn’t an ordinary reader.» 」

Kyung Sein glanced toward the tunnel leading to Geumho Station.

「 In truth, she had already been awake when Yoo Joonghyuk passed by her. But she hadn’t moved. Her skill, [Sixth Sense], had warned her. 」

She possessed such a skill.

「 [Sixth Sense] told her clearly: if you get up now, you will die. So Kyung Sein continued to pretend to be unconscious until Yoo Joonghyuk’s presence had completely vanished. 」

Had she moved then, she might truly have been killed.

Gazing in the direction of Dongho Bridge, where Jung Heewon and I had fallen, Kyung Sein clenched her fists.

«But Inho-ssi is still…»

«If Inho-ssi and Heewon-nim are alive, they will head there too. It’s dangerous for us to stay here alone; we don’t know what’s out there.»

«…….»」

Ahjussi seemed reluctant, but Kyung Sein’s judgment was sound. The two of them would struggle to survive on their own, unable even to handle a single Ground Rat.

「 «You saw the dead One-Horned Rhinoceros—it’s impossible for us to search for them alone. We should return with the Cheoldoo Group… provided they are still alive.» 」

I realized I could trust her to handle things in my absence.

She knew precisely what resources we had available. I also appreciated that she remembered to verify.

One of the small Kim Dokjas was smirking subtly, as if he approved.

This girl knows how to take charge.

「 There is one urgent task Kyung Sein must accomplish. Prevent Yoo Joonghyuk from destroying the Cheoldoo Group. 」

At best, I had persuaded Bang Cheolsoo to eliminate the threats around Geumho Station. We can’t let that lunatic Yoo Joonghyuk ruin our safe haven.

Dansoo ahjussi finally agreed, and the two hurried toward Geumho Station.

Along the way, they avoided groups of Ground Rats, and when a lone one appeared, they courageously fought it off.

I don’t know how long they ran like that.

Finally, Geumho Station came into view.

Kyung Sein pressed against the tunnel wall, stopping Dansoo ahjussi from entering.

「 «Wait.» 」

Sharing her perspective, I felt a chill in my stomach.

A black coat fluttered in a slight breeze.

「 Yoo Joonghyuk was there. 」

Yoo Joonghyuk scanned Geumho Station up and down, then tilted his head in apparent disbelief.

「 «A total of 134 people. This is strange. How did so many survive?» 」

That psychopathic bastard. Shouldn’t you be glad that so many people lived?

Apparently, a man at Geumho Station was thinking the same thing.

「 «Who are you?» 」

The men strode toward Yoo Joonghyuk with stern expressions. It was the Cheoldoo Group.

「 «I asked you, who are you?» 」

In exactly three steps, the man’s limbs were twisted and he collapsed to the ground.

At least Kim Dokja and I were in decent shape when we got beaten up after stating our business.

I looked over and saw one of the small Kim Dokjas wearing a sinister grin.

«W-what is this!»」

As the man screamed, Bang Cheolsoo and the rest of the Cheoldoo Group, alerted by the noise, rushed over.

Thanks to my training, Bang Cheolsoo didn’t charge forward cursing, but instead inquired calmly.

«Bang Cheolsoo. Are you the leader here?»」

Bang Cheolsoo hesitated for a moment.

I wondered if he was already calculating the angle of betrayal.

「 «Our leader is a man named Cheon Inho.» 」

Fortunately, he didn’t betray me, though that didn’t improve the situation.

「 «Cheon Inho has already taken control.» 」

Yoo Joonghyuk began to misunderstand. He shook his head several times, then looked around as if everything now made sense.

「 «Cheon Inho is already dead. Those who were marginalized can now come forward without fear. I will show you how to obtain food from now on.» 」

But none of the people moved. They just stared at Yoo Joonghyuk with fearful eyes and stepped back. Some were visibly shocked to hear I was dead.

Yoo Joonghyuk spoke again.

«There is no marginalized group here. What are you talking about?»

«Be quiet.»」

Under Yoo Joonghyuk’s grip, Bang Cheolsoo’s body hit the ground. Yoo Joonghyuk pressed his foot down on the struggling man. He looked at the people of the station and said.

«Kuk, my…»

«The scenarios ahead will be difficult. If you do not act now, you will live as slaves forever.»」

This was Yoo Joonghyuk’s first meeting with the people of Geumho Station.

It was unexpected. He must have witnessed this same scene and spoken these same words dozens of times before.

Incidentally, that bastard Yoo Joonghyuk sounded like a military instructor delivering a half-baked lecture.

I glanced over and saw a small Kim Dokja nodding in agreement.

Somehow, I felt I would get along with that particular miniature.

「 «You will not be so fortunate in the future. Those who wish to survive, step forward now—»

«Let him go!」

I wondered if there was a small Kim Dokja over there too, but it was a young girl I didn’t recognize.

A woman who appeared to be her mother ran out and quickly pulled her close.

«But that bad man is hurting Cheolsoo ahjussi!»」

Suddenly, I remembered who the mother and daughter were.

Namely, ‘Dayoung and her mother’.

There definitely were people like that at Geumho Station.

Members of the marginalized group who opposed the ‘mainstream group’ in the original ‘Omniscient Reader’ story.

Dayoung shouted.

「 «Cheolsoo ahjussi didn’t do anything wrong! Why are you hurting him!» 」

Dayoung’s mother quickly pushed her daughter behind her. But her child’s cries seemed to strengthen her resolve.

Finally, Dayoung’s mother spoke up.

「 «Why are you doing this? What do you want?» 」

Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyebrows rose at her question.

«I am not the one being threatened. I don’t know what nonsense you’re speaking…»

«He took your food. He used you as slaves, sent you on suicide missions to the surface under the guise of scouting. And you would forgive him for that?»」

With those words, Yoo Joonghyuk kicked Bang Cheolsoo where he lay.

Dayoung’s mother could bear it no longer and helped him to his feet. Bang Cheolsoo hung his head in shame.

As Dayoung’s mother looked at his injured face, then back at Yoo Joonghyuk, her expression hardened with decision.

「 «I don’t know what you’re talking about. Cheolsoo-ssi didn’t do those things. He gave us food.» 」

「 «He gave you food?» 」

Yoo Joonghyuk paused and looked around, suddenly sensing that the atmosphere in the station was wrong.

「 «What does that mean?» 」

「 «It means exactly what I said.» 」

Following Dayoung’s mother’s lead, the people behind her began to add their voices.

«That’s right! You don’t even know what happened, you jerk!»

«Cheolsoo-ssi, come over here, you haven’t done anything wrong!»

These were all people we had given food to.

Bang Cheolsoo wept as the crowd supported him.

It was then that someone asked.

「 «Hey, what did you mean about Cheon Inho-ssi being dead?» 」

Yoo Joonghyuk took a moment to respond.

«Did you kill him?»

Dayoung’s mother asked, and Yoo Joonghyuk remained silent. She muttered in lament.

「 «Why would you do that… After the first scenario, he was the only one who looked after us. I thought we had already suffered enough terrible things…» 」

People glared at Yoo Joonghyuk and began to murmur among themselves.

When Yoo Joonghyuk slowly raised his head to face them, the frightened crowd retreated several steps.

The Cheoldoo Group moved to fill the space. Nervously, they each gripped their pipes and stepped forward, ready to protect the people.

They looked prepared to fight if Yoo Joonghyuk charged at them.

「 «Go away!» 」

Dayoung shouted, pointing at Yoo Joonghyuk, and the crowd began to chant in unison.

«Get out of our station now!»

«Bring Inho-ssi back!»

The people shouted.

Yoo Joonghyuk glanced down at a small box of snacks that had been thrown his way.

He had likely seen the people of this station many times before.

He had saved them, killed them, taught them, and rejected them.

And he had given up on them.

「 Yoo Joonghyuk surveyed the scene without a word. 」

I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

I could only pray he wouldn’t suddenly snap and slaughter everyone.

I don’t know how much time passed.

Yoo Joonghyuk slipped his hand inside his coat.