Chapter 741

I will start with the conclusion.

[Your approval rating has increased.]

[Currently, 16% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

Our tale was a success.

[Your approval rating has increased.]

[Currently, 25% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

To be more accurate.

[Your approval rating has increased.]
[Currently, 32% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

Our stories have gained significant popularity.

The system messages I’d been hearing were proof of that.

[The influence of the story ‘The Fox, the Crane and the Wolf—often the Panda’ is powerful.]

The title might be unusual, but it had somehow become well-known. As I observed, it seemed to be creating a bigger sensation than even ‘The Fox and the Crane’.

It’s similar to how the name Yoo Jonghyuk sounds more impressive than Kim Dokja.

«I-I’m becoming famous. My story is famous again.»

The crane, monitoring the messages in real time, stared at the system window with what looked like tears in his eyes.

Perhaps because the story had regained its strength, I could sense magical energy overflowing from his entire being.

The expressions of the other beastmen shifted as they witnessed the crane’s transformation.

«Can you create stories like the crane’s?»

A prisoner who had been hesitating finally asked.

«My stories too! I want my stories as well!»

All the prisoners, sensing an opportunity, grabbed me and began to shout.

«You should make an appearance yourself!»

«Please include the panda too!»

«It’s fine even if the story gets messy. I just want to be remembered again. Oh my—»

Those who have lost their dreams are more acutely aware of the void they leave behind than anyone.

«I want the Star Stream to know that I existed too.»

«Very well.»

Watching the prisoners’ changed expressions, I felt a wave of inexplicable sorrow.

What had driven them to this state? Why this desperate need for fame, to spread their stories?

[The story ‘The Swallow Carrying Gourd Seeds’ wishes to tell its tale once more.]

Is it their own will, or the will of the story itself?

[The story ‘The Dove and the Jackdaw’ wishes to speak again.]

I cannot say. It is not for me to decide.

However, I am a writer who crafts stories.

[The story ‘The Goose that Laid Golden Eggs’ wishes to tell its story again.]

If a story calls for me, I will simply answer its call.

«Now, please form a line and come forward one at a time.»

The <Zodiac> was not always the <Zodiac>.

So, do you know?

Which of the beastmen here will join our side as the new <Zodiac>?

In the end, it doesn’t really matter.

[Your approval rating has increased.]

[Currently, 33% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

Even now, the approval rating continues to climb steadily.

Another two days passed in this manner.

[Your approval rating has increased.]

[Currently, 70% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

Over those two days, we adapted countless stories into performances.

Take, for example, 「The swallow carrying gourd seeds」.

The swallow had claimed that staging it was impossible because there were no humans present at the time.

«To think escape could go unnoticed. I never believed it could be recreated here in Zone 13.»

[The story’s name has been altered due to an irregular staging.]

[The story ‘The Panda Who Saw the Swallow Carrying Park Seeds’ was created.]

We also performed stories involving pigeons, jackdaws, elephants, parrots, and hyenas.

We adapted them as we saw fit. Sometimes a wolf appeared, sometimes a panda, and I, using the mask to transform, played whatever role was needed at the time.

«Thank you, thank you so much!»

Naturally, not every story adaptation went smoothly. 「The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg」 was particularly risky. A goose who hadn’t laid an egg in too long fainted from the strain.

«This one won’t wake up. If the performance ends like this—»

«He’s dead.»

«What?»

A catastrophe occurred on stage—the actual owner of the story died. While the goose is ultimately destined to die from having its stomach cut open, wasn’t this too early?

As debates arose about abandoning the story, I called for Dansu ahjussi.

«Ahjussi.»

«Yes.»

«Don’t turtles lay eggs as well?»

Dansu ahjussi looked back at me, bewildered.

«I am not a goose. I am not a goose.»

«I’m not asking you to lay one. But could you incubate it?»

Dansu ahjussi was hastily assigned the role of a goose incubation assistant.

He held the warm egg with a strange expression.

«It feels like something is moving inside.»

He worked diligently to hatch the golden egg, and when a gosling finally emerged, everyone was so moved they applauded.

Thus, the goose’s story lived on.

Dansu ahjussi wept as if he had witnessed the birth of his own child.

«Now I understand Han Myungoh.»

[The story’s name has been altered due to an irregular staging.]

[The story ‘The turtle with the golden goose egg and the panda who happened to be there’ was created.]

«Evaluators!»

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ says it was entertaining because he foolishly didn’t slice open the goose’s belly.]

[The constellation ‘Reclining Dragon’ laments the goose’s meta-sacrifice to golden universalism, and is deeply moved by the tragic cycle that nonetheless leads to new life…]

[The constellation ‘The One Who Brought Ten Lambs’ says the turtle’s paternal love brings tears to his eyes.]

«Verification complete! Transmit!»

We sent out each story as soon as it was finished.

The temporal density of the ‘Recycling Center’ is far slower than the outside world, so these new stories would be supplied in real time out there.

According to Bihyung’s excited reports, an incomprehensible number of constellations were spending coins to read our stories.

—This is an indirect message from the constellations outside. Read it when you can.

Messages from the constellations?

I reviewed the list of compressed messages Bihyung had sent.

[The constellation ‘Lily Blooming in Aquarius’ says the panda is utterly adorable.]

[The constellation ‘Friend of Justice and Harmony’ says that cuteness is always right.]

[The constellation ‘Goddess of the Morning Star’ asks when the Panda will return.]

…
The responders were primarily constellations from the absolute good faction.

I looked for a message from Uriel, but she was conspicuously absent.

A peculiar sadness washed over me.

Somehow, Uriel’s absence felt like confirmation that I wasn’t yet a complete Kim Dokja.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is starving.]

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is glaring at you.]

[You have 3 days left to live.]

Three days.

It was time to feed it.

Now that I thought about it, it should be arriving.

—By the way, the delayed compensation has finally come through.

Also.

[The reward for the sub-scenario ‘The Fox and the Crane’ has been obtained!]

[12,000 coins acquired!]

[‘Unidentified story fragment’ has been acquired!]

The reward for the sub-scenario we completed earlier—’The Fox and the Crane’—had now arrived.

The compensation was delayed for a reason.

—It took some time to explain things to the higher-ups. This is the first time a scenario has been cleared in this manner.

I could guess the situation.

Even though the story was reproduced, its name was changed in the process, leaving the administration uncertain whether to classify it as a true reproduction of ‘The Fox and the Crane’.

—Anyway, I got an earful for arguing that it was necessary to protect the Story when the fox and crane appeared.

‘Thanks.’

—Don’t mention it. Actually, the story is performing exceptionally well, so keep it up.

It seemed Bihyung’s perspective was shifting now that coins were flowing in.

—Did you see the constellations’ messages? Many are requesting more appearances from the Panda. I don’t really get it, but that panda you introduced is incredibly popular right now.

‘Pandas are cute.’

—Anyway, I don’t understand the constellations’ tastes. Why the fascination with that?

I gave a wry smile.

This is why the constellations adore pandas.

‘Probably because they’re so lonely.’

—Lonely?

Kyrgios once said this about ‘scenarios’:

「 It would be because this universe would be so lonely without them. 」

Even constellations don’t always know why they are drawn to certain stories.

Yet, at some point in their existence, they encounter a story as if by destiny, and seeing it, they burn with passion and shine.

The story shines brighter under the light of the stars, eventually becoming a narrative that captures attention across the <Star Stream>.

‘If everyone is sharing the same story, they feel less alone.’

—What kind of nonsense is that?

Instead of responding to Bihyung, I used the ‘unidentified story fragment’.

[‘Unidentified story fragment’ reveals its identity.]

[The story fragment ‘Kim Dokja’s Third Way’ has been acquired.]

The reward was, as I expected, a ‘Fragment of Kim Dokja’.

When I first entered the ‘Recycling Center’, I had acquired a ‘story fragment’ of Kim Dokja as a scenario reward.

It seemed the ‘Recycling Center Director’ was intentionally giving out such stories as rewards.

Why? For what purpose?

I didn’t know yet, but it was extremely fortunate for me at this moment.

Without hesitation, I commanded the story to feast.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ feasts on the story fragment ‘Kim Dokja’s Third Way’!]

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’’s hunger is satisfied.]

A warm sensation spread deep within my chest, and a message immediately followed.

[The synchronization rate with your sponsor has increased.]

[You can now use the story fragment ‘Kim Dokja’s third method’.]

‘Kim Dokja’s third method’.

What ability does this fragment hold?

[An 8-day time limit has been added.]

Just then, someone grasped my shoulder.

«Dokja-ssi.»

I turned to find Ye Hyunwoo there.

He asked, as if he had read my expression.

«Are you alright?»

«Ah, yes. My apologies.»

My surprise was simple.

I had failed to notice Ye Hyunwoo’s presence entirely.

I had used Predation only after confirming no one was nearby, so when had he approached?

No matter how skilled he was in [Way of the Wind], he shouldn’t have been able to conceal his presence so completely.

«I was lost in thought. What is it?»

I recalled the time I absorbed Kim Kyungsik’s soul.

I couldn’t forget Goo Seonah’s horrified expression when she saw me consuming the ‘Kim Dokja fragment’. After that, I hadn’t seen Goo Seonah again.

Ye Hyunwoo looked at me with the same expression Goo Seonah had worn then.

«Is this really acceptable?»

«Pardon?»

«The stories. I was wondering if it’s right for us to mend them so freely.»

Ah, so that was it.

I answered, somewhat relieved.

«It’s fine. They are just historical stories, after all.»

[The influence of the story you are involved in, ‘The Panda Who Saw the Swallow Carrying Park Seeds’, grows stronger.]

[The influence of the story you were involved in, ‘The turtle with the golden egg and the panda who happened to be there’, grows stronger.]

[The name ‘Kim Dokja’ begins to spread throughout the <Star Stream>.]

Ordinarily, repairing stories like this would be impossible.

It was only feasible because we were in the ‘Recycling Center’, had permission from the story owners, and the stories themselves were low-grade.

«As you know, higher-level stories can’t be fixed this easily.»

Intervening in a legendary story’s narrative is not simple.

If repair were easy, Kim Dokja would have acquired many stories like 「The Secretive Plotter and Kim Dokja」 or 「The Dokkaebi King and Kim Dokja」.

[Attribute proficiency increases.]

Regardless, this ‘Operation Repair’ was quite enjoyable for me.

I earned coins, acquired story shares, and built up proficiency related to my characteristics.

My skill level as a ‘writer’ had likely improved significantly. I couldn’t check because the Attribute Window remained locked.

«I knew there were ‘story repairers’ in the demon world, but I never imagined we could fix stories like this ourselves.»

«It’s a method that doesn’t appear in the main story.»

«How did you know about it, Dokja-ssi?»

«I read Ways of Survival.»

Ye Hyunwoo chuckled, likely thinking it was a joke.

«At times like this, you really do seem like Dokja-ssi.»

«I’ll take that as a compliment.»

«Dokja-ssi.»

«Yes.»

«Dokja-ssi.»

«Yes.»

«Are you really Dokja-ssi?»

Now that he mentioned it, Ye Hyunwoo had asked me this before.

«In a manner of speaking.»

My answer, different from before, was met with a moment of silence from Ye Hyunwoo.

Night was descending once more upon Zone 13.

Ye Hyunwoo gazed at the smoke rising from a chimney across the vacant lot and asked.

«Do you have a family?»

«I have parents.»

For the first time in a long while, I recalled my parents’ faces. They reminded me of a gentle spring night.

«I’m envious. I don’t.»

I stood silent for a moment, unsure how to respond.

Should I offer comfort, or ask more?

Come to think of it, I still knew very little about Ye Hyunwoo.

He is the 7th apostle of the Apostle Society, and a friend of Noh Jiyoon, Dansu ahjussi’s daughter.

That was the extent of my knowledge about ‘Ye Hyunwoo’.

What is his real name? Is he male or female, where does he live, what does he enjoy?

I had no idea.

«Even if I return to reality, there’s no one waiting for me.»

I remembered Ye Hyunwoo being listed as a ‘character’. Back then, I asked what our goal was, and Ye Hyunwoo answered:

「 «Being happy?» 」

The air around us seemed to warp subtly.

«Hyunwoo, that’s not true. In real life, it’s certain that—»

«Was Kim Dokja happy in real life?»

I fell silent.

Ye Hyunwoo pressed on.

«Could it be that Kim Dokja also escaped to this world because reality was too painful?»

I couldn’t answer. It was a question that shouldn’t be answered now.

«If someone must become ‘Kim Dokja’.»

Ye Hyunwoo’s voice from behind changed.

«Wouldn’t it make more sense for it to be someone who has nothing left to lose?»

In that instant, I turned my head, seized by an eerie sensation, and felt something sharp graze my cheek.