Chapter 758

**758 Episode 32 Monkey King (5)**
What was Kim Dokja’s miniature self doing here?

«I’m happy to see everyone likes him.»

I turned my head and saw Lee Jihye playing her Hwipirang. Her entire demeanor was different from the younger Lee Jihye of the 41st regression.

This Lee Jihye of <Kim Dokja Company> had survived all her scenarios, eventually surpassing her own sponsor to earn the title ‘Lord of the Sea’.

«I worked so hard to gather all your fragments.»

[At times, her inner thoughts were audible through Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.]

[Your comprehension of this individual is lacking.]

Even if I couldn’t hear everything, it was enough to grasp what had happened.

「 Besides the 41st regression, there existed a universe where fragments of ‘Kim Dokja’ had been scattered. 」

And it seemed Lee Jihye had been the one to collect those ‘Kim Dokja fragments’ from across that universe.

[The story ‘Heir to the Eternal Name’ finds this appealing.]

This ‘miniature Kim Dokja’ was likely an artificial life form constructed from those fragments.

Crucially, I could sense a soul within this ‘miniature Kim Dokja’. That was probably the reason I was able to possess it.

The child who was lightly tapping my cheek muttered.

«Did you look like this when you were little?»

«You were quite cute as a child.»

Shin Yoosoung and Lee Gilyoung.

I studied their faces slowly.

While these were faces I was seeing for the first time in reality, the sense of familiarity came from having already met a Shin Yoosoung in the 41st regression.

«Say one word, and I will kill every last one of you.»

No, perhaps I had also met *this* ‘Shin Yoosoung’ before.

「 «You’re Kim Dokja.» 」

This was the girl who had possessed herself in the 41st regression to save me on multiple occasions.

I carefully held the hand of the girl who was squeezing mine. It was only a subtle shift in my grip strength, but Shin Yoosoung seemed to detect something from my expression.

«What.»

Shin Yoosoung, who had been staring blankly at me, suddenly tilted her head.

«Ahjussi?»

Lee Seolhwa, who had been observing from a distance, came closer.

«What is it?»

«I don’t know… it felt like the little one’s condition just changed.»

At Shin Yoosoung’s words, Lee Seolhwa lifted my shirt and placed a stethoscope on my chest.

«Well, let me check.»

Doctor Lee Seolhwa.

Her face was nearly identical to her counterpart from the 41st regression. The difference lay in the depth of her expression.

The Lee Seolhwa of the 41st regression had a strong spirit of experimentation, while this Lee Seolhwa of <Kim Dokja Company> carried the aura of a seeker who had unraveled many truths of the universe.

Lee Seolhwa’s eyes met mine and curved into a gentle smile.

«The story’s condition is stable.»

She was the doctor who had steadfastly cared for the group in places even Kim Dokja’s gaze couldn’t reach. As Kim Dokja himself had noted, without her, <Kim Dokja Company> would never have reached the final scenario.

Shin Yoosoung urgently grabbed my hand.

«Ahjussi, can you hear my voice?»

«Shin Yoosoung, stop pestering the miniature Dokja.»

«I wasn’t pestering him.»

A gentle hand stroked my head. Yoo Sangah was looking down at me with her characteristic soft smile.

Seeing that smile, I realized Kim Dokja’s story had never fully captured her essence.

This was probably natural.

Kim Dokja’s mind was filled with the ‘Ways of Survival’, and his judgments were based on its criteria.

「 Her beauty is enough to warrant slapping Yoo Jonghyuk three times. 」

By the standards of ‘Ways of Survival’, Yoo Sangah was undoubtedly a beautiful woman.

But was it just her appearance? Her warm heart and considerate nature… Why had I been thinking only about Yoo Sangah for a while now?

[The story fragment ‘Kim Dokja who respects Yoo Sangah’ continues its narration.]

It felt strangely peculiar.

I guessed this was a core story that comprised this ‘miniature Kim Dokja’.

«But doesn’t that look really dangerous?»

Lee Jihye, who was watching the display screen, spoke up.

«What if they actually die like that?»

On the screen, Ji Eunyu and Cha Yerin were still struggling to control the carriage. Caught up in the shock of my situation, I had forgotten about the people I needed to protect.

It was time to release [Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint].

[A temporary error is occurring with this skill.]

[You cannot unlock level 3 of ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’.]

Dammit. What now?

I grew anxious.

On the screen, enemies were assaulting the carriage we were in. Ji Eunyu and Cha Yerin were strong, but protecting it alone was too much for just the two of them.

If I don’t get back now—

«Should I try possessing my past self again?»

Lee Gilyoung frowned at Shin Yoosoung’s question.

«Shin Yoosoung, did you already forget the backlash from probability you suffered?»

«…»

«Wouldn’t it be better if I logged in as a constellation and used ‘Deus Ex Machina’—»

«Don’t be ridiculous. Outside constellations can’t interfere there.»

«Then why not just descend directly?»

«Weren’t we told descending was forbidden? If you tried that—»

«The sunfish bastard descended.»

«That’s only because Joonghyuk ahjussi—»

«Why can the sunfish bastard do it and I can’t?»

As Yoo Sangah tried to mediate between the two bickering children, Lee Jihye looked at me and asked.

«Mini-me, what’s your take? Should we help them? Or not? I think I could just slip in and use [Bonsal] once.»

My heart thudded slowly.

I knew they were just words. Lee Jihye had no idea I was currently possessing this ‘miniature Kim Dokja’.

Still, I felt a powerful temptation to accept her offer.

「 If only we could get help from <Kim Dokja Company>. 」

The faces of Ji Eunyu, Cha Yerin, Killer King Cha Sungwoo, Dansu ahjussi, and Kyung Sein passed through my mind one after another.

With help from <Kim Dokja Company>, our party’s safety could be guaranteed.

We wouldn’t have to confront any more death scenarios.

I slowly moved my hand.

I was going to ask Lee Jihye. *Please help. Please help so my companions don’t have to die—* But at that moment, a spark of light jolted my head.

「 «Why did you want to become a writer?» 」

The distorted sentences appeared on Han Sooyoung’s dying face.

「 If we accept help from Kim Dokja Company here, whose story would this become? 」

As I blinked, breathing heavily, Lee Jihye turned back to look at her screen.

「 «I’ll drive. Can you cover the carriage behind me?» 」

「 «I heard Yerin-ssi is a minor.» 」

「 «Yes, but I’ve always wanted to try driving at least once.» 」

The carriage on the screen roared and accelerated.

The group watched the speeding carriage in silence.

「 «Then I’ll leave it to you for a moment. Yerin, have you ever played a racing game?» 」

「 «I never have, but I think I can try!» 」

「 «Okay. Every game has rules, so we’ll follow them. I’ll handle the pursuers, Yerin—» 」

Just as the constellations had once watched their story. Just as Kim Dokja had read Yoo Jonghyuk’s story. <Kim Dokja Company> was now silently watching our story.

«That person over there kind of resembles Sangah-ssi.»

Shin Yoosoung commented.

«She’s pretty good. Not as good as ours, though.»

Lee Gilyoung, who seemed to be hitting puberty, also offered his opinion. The companions smiled faintly.

Meanwhile, Ji Eunyu blocked an attack from another carriage and managed to flip two carriages approaching from the sides.

Yoo Sangah nodded.

«She fights well.»

«We fought like that too, remember? Back then—»

The carriage raced on. It was neither Apollo’s golden chariot nor Surya’s train. Even so, I understood what story my companions were seeing in that carriage.

「 I miss you. 」

Hearing that sentence, unable to tell who was thinking it, my heart felt like it was breaking for some reason.

<Kim Dokja Company> was here.

Even after their own story had concluded, they remained here, longing for another. As they read the stories of me and my companions, they had been thinking of one person for a very long time.

「 I miss you. 」

How long had they remembered those years until a person’s name finally became their entire life?

Looking up at their faces, I felt my confidence in what I was about to do waver for the first time.

「 I was planning to change the ending of the 41st regression. 」

What would become of these people if I altered a fixed world line?

If the 41st regression’s ending changed, would <Kim Dokja Company>, born from that very ending, remain safe?

Would the probability of this world permit their longing?

«Kim Dokja!»

The group turned simultaneously at the loud, energetic voice.

Yoo Jonghyuk was there.

«Kim Dokja!»

Yoo Jonghyuk was walking around with a severe expression, calling out Kim Dokja’s name.

Lee Jihye, watching him, asked.

«You said you fought Master Odin, right? Did he hit you in the head?»

Finally, Yoo Sangah stepped forward to approach Yoo Jonghyuk.

«Jonghyuk-ssi. What’s the matter?»

Yoo Jonghyuk glared at Yoo Sangah for a moment, then began scanning the surrounding space with a bewildered look.

He did this for about ten seconds.

«Kim Dokja was here.»

«Pardon?»

«No, Kim Dokja has come here.»

«What does that mean?»

Yoo Jonghyuk spoke as if frustrated.

«It means that ‘Kim Dokja’ is here right now.»

«Yes? But Dokja-ssi—»

Yoo Sangah, who had been speaking, stopped and turned her gaze toward me.

Yoo Sangah’s eyes slowly widened.

It was at almost the same moment that Yoo Jonghyuk spotted me.

I learned for the first time just how incredibly fast the [Red Phoenix Shunpo] skill was. Before I knew it, I was dangling in the air, held by my ankle in Yoo Jonghyuk’s grasp.

«No, Master! Be careful with him!»

«What is this?»

«Those are the fragments of ahjussi that I collected! Handle them gently! They could break!»

Yoo Jonghyuk’s sharp eyes glared at me.

I imagined deactivating [Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint] over and over in my mind.

Yoo Jonghyuk said.

«Kim Dokja.»

«Master, that’s not him. The real ahjussi is in there right now—»

Yoo Jonghyuk looked at the screen Lee Jihye pointed to.

Inside was my figure, stretched out like a squid and bouncing around in the rickety carriage.

Yoo Jonghyuk looked back and forth between me on the screen and me in his hand, confusion in his eyes.

«Wait. That guy… he was passed out just a moment ago, wasn’t he?»

It was then that Shin Yoosoung spoke.

«It’s a skill my ahjussi uses every time he faints.»

«No way—»

One by one, the gazes of my companions gathered on me.

Yoo Jonghyuk, Yoo Sangah, Shin Yoosoung, Lee Gilyoung, Lee Seolhwa, and Lee Jihye.

The assembled group looked at each other with tense expressions.

«Jonghyuk-ssi, are you certain? You sensed Dokja-ssi’s presence?»

«That guy has a uniquely eerie aura.»

«What do you think, does the sunfish bastard know something?»

«Can you feel him here right now?»

Yoo Jonghyuk, holding me with a vicious grip, stared at me once more.

After a moment, Yoo Jonghyuk gave a slight nod.

The next instant, an eerie silence fell over the room.

The group members exchanged looks and nodded at the same time.

«Let’s lock him up.»