Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 651

Chapter 651

651 Episode 19 People of the Past (3)
My mind turned to my parents.

When I was a child, I was once assigned homework at school to create a drawing based on the theme of ‘family’.

I recall feeling quite awkward about that assignment.

Back then, I was terrible at drawing human faces. Whenever I tried to picture someone’s face, all that came to mind was a vague, blurry mosaic.

So I didn’t draw my parents. I drew a picture of myself standing beneath a vast, dark night sky.

「 «Hakhyun, why did you draw only yourself?» 」

When my teacher asked me that, I told her it was a picture of my parents.

Thinking back on it now, maybe that was an early sign of my storytelling nature.

A deep, comforting night sky dotted with a few shining stars.

A gentle darkness that felt like it would accept me no matter what.

Though there were no distinct forms or clear faces, the people who were unquestionably there, who loved me.

I sometimes wonder if it wasn’t because of my parents that I began writing stories in the first place.

「 «Why do stories exist?» 」

When I asked that question, my mother answered:

「 «Hmm. Stories are for world peace.» 」

Stories for world peace.

「 «If everyone read stories and discussed them, there would be no wars or fighting.» 」

「 «Why?» 」

「 «Because stories are not real.» 」

For the world to be at peace, everyone must read fiction.

At first, I didn’t grasp what she meant.

「 «Lee Hakhyun. Put your phone away and come here.» 」

But then I went to school and met other children.

「 «Why do you keep talking to the dog?» 」

「 «But isn’t Lee Hakhyun a little weird too?» 」

I was ostracized for refusing to join in when others were being bullied.

「 «Lee Hakhyun. I need your parents to come in tomorrow.» 」

As I listened to the teacher scold me for a misunderstanding I hadn’t bothered to correct, I finally understood my mother’s words.

「 «Hakhyun’s parents are a bit unusual.» 」

「 «Tsk. Like parent, like child.» 」

People truly love stories.

Where no incident exists, they will create one, exaggerate it, and even twist the truth to build a narrative.

They take pleasure in the process of watching someone in front of them get hurt and break down.

And then, it is all quickly forgotten.

Perhaps that was when I started writing stories.

Instead of resenting people, I would write.

I would write truly captivating stories, and make the whole world talk about my stories all the time.

I wrote endlessly like that.

Finally, around the age of 23, I published my first work.

When I visited my parents to tell them about my debut, the first expression they showed.

My memory is hazy, like a pale mosaic, but the emotion contained in that expression remains vivid.

「 «Yes, that’s how it happened.» 」

Why?

The faces of my parents as they read my story seemed somewhat sorrowful.

Naturally, I expected them to be happy, so I was confused. What had I done wrong? Was there something in my story that saddened them?

My parents simply held me in silence. Unable to comprehend that feeling, I left the house like that.

It seems ironic now.

Maybe my parents were worried about how I would sustain myself as a writer of literary fiction.

As it turned out, I met Ji Eunyoo and became a web novelist, so perhaps their concerns were justified.

「 «Author-nim. You can’t begin the introduction like this.» 」

Ji Eunyoo was a patient editor.

「 «What happens if you spend so long unraveling the protagonist’s past?» 」

She corrected the basics and never held back criticism when the plot was odd or a character’s dialogue felt wrong.

Hundreds of manuscripts were rejected, and dozens of other works were sent back for thousands of reasons.

I wrote, and she edited. Slowly, one or two works began to accumulate.

「 «Writer! It’s done! It’s a hit!» 」

Then, one day, news found us.

「 «Can you believe it? This is a first! It’s the first time our agency has won a promotion like this!» 」

It was the first successful work we had created together.

Even Ji Eunyoo, who had remained calm throughout the writing process, couldn’t contain her excitement in the face of sales figures she had never seen before.

On the day the work became monetized, we sat side by side in the agency’s office with the lights off, reading readers’ comments together.

Not every comment was supportive, but we were happy that day.

Though I didn’t realize it then, I must have been trembling just as Kim Dokja did when he first became a Constellation.

「 «Editor-nim. By the way.» 」

But why am I remembering that story now?

As Ji Eunyoo would advise, it wouldn’t do to dwell on this for too long.

「 «People keep asking if Kim Dokja is me. What does that mean?» 」

«Huh!»

I jolted upright with a strange gasp, my surroundings swallowed by utter darkness.

I had a strange dream.

I think it was about my parents and Ji Eunyoo.

As I relaxed my shoulders and looked around, I felt a weight on my right thigh.

Turning on my smartphone’s light, I saw Shin Yoosoung had fallen asleep leaning against me.

A flood of memories returned.

I had entered the ‘Field of Nagak’ to collect Sangpyeong Tongbo, and there I met Shin Yoosoung.

I helped her deal with the Ancient Nagak.

I used [Enhance Sentence] to tame the Ancient Nagak. I even remember I [incited] myself as Shin Yoosoung…

My memory after that is fuzzy.

A side effect of [Incite]?

«Shin Yoosoung, are you alright?»

I gave her shoulder a gentle shake, and her eyes fluttered open.

«Ah, you’re awake…!»

Seeing Shin Yoosoung’s smiling face sent a chill through me.

Why?

Fortunately, the feeling faded quickly.

«Yes. Are you hurt?»

«No, thank you!»

It seems we managed to clear the ‘Field of Nagak’ without major incident.

Meanwhile, the message log had grown long.

[You are the first to hunt more than 500 ‘Nagaks’!]

[Cleared the 1-person dungeon.]

[You have obtained 2 tokens as a basic reward.]

[We have acquired 8 additional Sangpyeong Tongbo as a mass slaughter bonus for Nagak.]

[As a special reward, you acquired the exclusive skill ‘Breath’.]

Exclusive Skill [Breath].

A general skill that allows holding one’s breath for up to 30 minutes. Useful for navigating contaminated zones or underwater combat.

[You have succeeded in hunting down the ‘Hidden Boss’ in the 1-person dungeon.]

[You will receive an additional reward.]

We even hunted the hidden boss, the ‘Ancient Nargak’, and got an extra reward.

[Obtained the ‘Provocation Fire Flute’.]

The Provocation Fire Flute. An item that severely reduces an enemy’s mental fortitude and draws scattered foes to one location.

I honestly have no idea where I’d use this.

I’m not that strong; if I gathered normal monsters in one place, I’d be killed instantly.

I should give this to Kyung Sein later.

The messages continued.

There was still the bounty scenario.

[Sub scenario ‘Precious Hair’ is done!]

[You have obtained 2,000 coins as a reward.]

[Additionally, when you offer ‘Ancient Nagak’s Meat’, ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ will give you a special reward.]

Right, this scenario concludes by giving that constellation the Ancient Nagak’s meat.

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is expecting the ‘Ancient Nagak’s Meat’.]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ looks at the ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ pathetically.]

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ says he would like you to cook it for him if possible.]

I hesitated briefly, then spoke to the air.

«It’ll take a few days to prepare. Is that acceptable?»

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ says he can wait that long.]

That bought me some time.

But since the Ancient Nagak disappeared when we left the dungeon, how was I supposed to offer its meat?

As I pondered this, Shin Yoosoung brushed herself off and stood up.

«Thank you, Ahjussi. Because of you, I can now manage on my own.»

Shin Yoosoung smiled brightly, looking down at the Sangpyeong Tongbo she had earned herself.

But I couldn’t smile back.

«Are you returning to your original group?»

«Ah, yes… I decided that with the adults…»

Shin Yoosoung had entered the ‘One-Man Dungeon’ to prove her value to the adults in her group.

Now that she had proof, she could become a full member.

«I’m not asking for the adults’ opinions, but for yours, Shin Yoosoung. Do you truly want to be part of that group?»

A clever girl like Shin Yoosoung would understand my meaning. Yet, some children are so clever they arrive at answers others haven’t considered.

«The adults in the group said. They treat people based on ability, not age—»

I know what you’re going to say, but you don’t need to say more.

«Shin Yoosoung.»

«Yes?»

«Would you like to come with me, if you’re willing?»

Shin Yoosoung’s eyes widened as she looked up at me. I gave her time to think. After a moment, she asked softly.

«Can I really?»

«Of course.»

«But I won’t be much help.»

«If it weren’t for you, Shin Yoosoung, I would be dead.»

«That was just me helping…»

Shin Yoo-seung bit her lip and murmured, her head lowered.

«You don’t even know who I am…»

What had brought this child to such a point?

「 «A devil, that’s what.» 」

「 «Kids these days are more vicious. They’re children who survived by killing others in the first scenario.» 」

「 «If you can’t trust her, she should be useful. Send her into the dungeon. If she lives, we’ll take her.» 」

「 «Poisonous things need to be controlled young.» 」

Even without [The Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint], I could hear the words echoing in her mind.

I spoke as if to反驳 them.

«No, I do.»

«Huh?»

«I know what kind of person Shin Yoosoung is.»

«How…?»

If she asked how I knew, I had no way to explain.

「 «Ahjussi.» 」

「 «I will not give up. Just like Ahjussi saved me time and time again.» 」

「 «My name is Shin Yoosung. Shin Yoosung from <Kim Dokja Company>.» 」

I have read and rewritten countless sentences about you; I could say that.

But that wouldn’t be right for Shin Yoosung now.

The person before me isn’t the ‘Shin Yoosung of the 3rd round’, but the ‘Shin Yoosung of the 41st round’.

「 «What were we to the captain?» 」

「 «I hate you for living alone in the world.» 」

「 «There is only one thing I can tell you now. The captain can’t save anyone.» 」

She was the one who followed Yoo Joonghyuk more devotedly than anyone.

That’s why the betrayal was so unbearable.

She is someone who grew hardened with hatred, wandering world lines for millennia.

A person who emerged as a disaster in the third round.

「 «Baat!» 」

The person who became Kim Dokja’s daughter.

The person reincarnated as a dokkaebi, who told the story of <Kim Dokja’s Company> to the <Star Stream>.

「 However, those were events that had not yet come to pass. 」

That is why I know Shin Yoosung well, yet I know very little about the Shin Yoosoung standing before me now.

«Even if I don’t know everything about you, I am going to trust you.»

That was the only promise I could make.

Shin Yoosoung stared at me blankly, then looked away and said:

«…I think I can trust you too.»

[The character Shin Yoosoung shows strong trust in you.]

Shin Yoosoung fidgeted with her small hands for a moment before asking.

«Then… Do you have a group too?»

«Would you like to be part of my group?»

«Is that… is that okay? But to join a group, you need the king’s permission…»

«I am the king.»

At my words, Shin Yoosoung let out a small gasp and took a few steps back, her shoulders trembling.

I know exactly what the ‘king’ of her last group was like.

«There’s no need to be nervous. As you can see, I’m just an ordinary ahjussi. I just happened to pick up a flag by chance.»

If only Cheon Inho had been a slightly better person, my words might have been more convincing.

I tried to curve my narrow eyes into a kind shape.

«It’s scarier when you smile like that.»

«Sorry.»

«Can I really join?»

«Absolutely.»

After a moment of thought, Shin Yoosoung spoke with resolve.

«Then I want to join.»

[Incarnation ‘Shin Yoosoung’ has become a member of your group.]

I couldn’t just abandon Shin Yoosoung…

I might be beaten to death by the Yoo Jonghyuk of the 41st round later, but for now, I believe this is the right choice.

«The other members haven’t joined yet, so it’ll just be the two of us for a while.»

Shin Yoosoung nodded vigorously, seeming pleased.

After clearing the ‘One-Man Dungeon’, all that remained was to use the ‘Sangpyeong Tongbo’ we collected to enter the ‘Field of the Big Dipper’.

Looking for a spot in the lobby, my thoughts returned to Shin Yoosoung.

This is the 41st round, a turn not recorded in ‘Ways of Survival’.

In this round, Shin Yoosoung, the ‘Disaster of Floods’ who went to Kronos, will not appear.

Then, who will become the disaster of the ‘fifth scenario’?

As soon as the 10 Sangpyeong Tonggi were inserted into the lobby’s entrance, a faint light began to spread through the space.

«We’re entering the Hidden Dungeon now. It might be dangerous, is that alright?»

Since the exit of the National Palace Museum had collapsed anyway, escape wasn’t an option.

We had to clear the dungeon.

If even one person clears it, the remaining members will be automatically summoned out of the museum.

«It’s okay. I was prepared for that.»

Looking at the resolute child, an ache formed in my chest.

Without further delay, I used the Sangpyeong tongbos.

[You can advance to the hidden chapter by using 10 prize reports.]

[Would you like to enter the hidden chapter, ‘Field of the Big Dipper’?]

«Enter.»

I had found no traces of other kings, neither in the National Museum of Korea nor in the ‘Field of Nagaks’.

Meaning, the other kings had already collected 10 Sangpyeong Tongbo and entered the Field of the Big Dipper.

«The one who destroyed the museum must be in this dungeon too.»

My vision blurred for a moment.

I pictured the scene that was about to unfold.

「 The white lobby transformed into a vast, open waiting room. At the end of the waiting room were seven doors. 」

A moment later, an open waiting room appeared, just as described in the original story.

However, one thing was different.

A cold tension settled over me, and I narrowed my eyes further.

In the ‘Field of the Big Dipper’, we must collect all the star jewels scattered across the seven gates to summon the ‘Death Sword’.

Therefore, the waiting room should have seven doors, one for each star jewel.

「 But now, only a single door was visible in the waiting room. 」

The scenario had changed.