Despite Kim Dokja's internal hopes for the strange hidden scenario to suddenly glitch and kill him before his shame could, the next segment played anyway.
Inside the ichthyosaur's stomach, Dokja clings to the wall of the lining in a precarious position. Below him, corpses and humanoid demons are gradually dissolved by the stomach acid—some of them are even still semi-conscious. Despite escaping the worst of the situation, Dokja isn't unscathed, though. His clothes are torn and melted, and his shoes are completely dissolved. Light acid burns coat his skin, red and inflamed.
On the other side of the room, Lee Seolhwa examined his figure on the screen carefully, seemingly cataloguing the extent of the injuries and assessing how to best treat them. Kim Dokja barely noticed her determined expression before he glanced at the screen again and cringed.
Around him, stone hog thorns coated in mucus plug the holes where the stomach acid had previously been flowing free, creating a safe spot. Dokja clings to the stomach lining, knowing that this will take a while.
By the time his fingers are far beyond cramping and dark circles line his eyes, Dokja is panting from the exertion of holding on for his life.
How long has it been? Did I overestimate myself? I'm just an ordinary reader; I'm not the protagonist of this story.
His vision goes blurry and his muscles scream at him after staying in the same position for hours on end.
I wonder if mother is fine. She should be, since it's mother of all people.
Lee Gilyoung and Shin Yoosung gasped loudly and looked at him with a mixture of worry and pity. Lee Hyunsung almost seemed to have tears in his eyes, probably imagining all sorts of possibilities. Even Yoo Mia was shooting Kim Dokja awkward looks, and she seemed to be trying to find the words to say something.
Though she struggled, she took a deep breath and looked straight at him. "Ugly ahjussi, was your mom in Seoul?"
Now wasn't that a loaded question? He honestly didn't know where she was when the apocalypse had begun.
[A constellation who values family is pitying the incarnation 'Kim Dokja'.]
"Maybe," he admitted with a shrug, trying to ignore the way his heart rate picked up and his hands trembled slightly. "We're not… we're not that close."
Pack it away. Don't think about it. Shove it into a dusty corner of his mind and forget it exists.
"Dokja-ssi, if you're concerned about your mother, I'm sure we can try looking for her once we get out of this scenario," Yoo Sangah told him, placing what was likely supposed to be a reassuring hand on his shoulder. That would be the case for anyone else, but not for Kim Dokja.
She meant well, she really did, but how could he explain that he'd rather not—filial piety be damned?
Kim Dokja shook his head. "No, if there's one thing I can be confident about, it's that my mother wouldn't go down so easily."
He pointedly ignored the weirdly piercing glance he was getting from Yoo Joonghyuk that felt like the man was trying to take him apart to see what made him tick. It was invasive and it made his skin crawl and Kim Dokja hated it. He'd rather spill everything he knew about TWSA than discuss his mother with Yoo Joonghyuk, of all people.
Dokja blinks, but his eyes struggle to open after. He's exhausted.
This can't be a dream, can it? Still, I wish that it was… The world before wasn't all that great either, but at least I didn't have to risk my life in the stomach of a giant monster.
He doesn't know how many hours have passed, but he's somehow still clinging to one of the thorns on the wall. The only change, however, is that it seems drier inside the stomach than before. Dokja can barely move through his exhaustion and screaming muscles, but he turns his head when Bihyung appears behind him.
[Wow. I have to hand it to you.]
[Several constellations are impressed by your survival skills.]
[The constellations have gifted you 100 coins.]
It's the 4th day of this hell called a hidden scenario, and Dokja barely looks alive.
"Damn," Han Sooyoung remarked loudly, "you look like shit."
Thank you, Han Sooyoung, for that incredibly flattering assessment.
"Thanks," Kim Dokja replied in as dry of a tone as he could manage. "You try holding a pose like that for four days and then we'll see if you look any better."
The plagiarist barked out a laugh and grinned wickedly at him. "Well, unlike a certain someone, I'm not going to get myself thrown off a bridge like an idiot."
No, she was just going to get decapitated and murdered by proxy by Yoo Joonghyuk. Ah, well, her time for humiliation would come eventually.
[I had no idea you would use the thorns like that. That was unexpected…] Bihyung mutters, but Dokja can't hold on anymore. His eyes close, and his grip loosens, making him fall to the ground with a thud, to the dokkaebi's alarm. The sea monster is dead, and the hidden scenario is over. In total, Dokja gets 10000 coins.
When he opens his eyes, he's breathing heavily, splayed out on the ground. He's amazed that he's even alive.
His plan was simple—use the thorns of the stone hog that usually preys on sea creatures by drying them out, and coat them in the mucus of the hammer seahorse that evolved to avoid being dissolved by the ichthyosaurs' stomach acid. The giant sea commander has been entirely dehydrated, and it's now only a lifeless husk. This wasn't a plan that Bihyung had expected, and he says so in shock.
[A few constellations smile knowingly.]
[Several constellations now understand your decision.]
[The constellations complain, asking you to say what you'll do out loud so they are made aware of your actions beforehand.]
Before the stone hog's thorn started working, I covered myself in what was left of the hammer seahorse mucus. I drank the bodily fluid of the ichthyosaur that was funnelled through the horn to appease my hunger.
"That's gross," Yoo Mia muttered while shooting him a disgusted look, and Kim Dokja frowned for a second because he just knew she would say something like that. Then, he froze and his eyes widened. He knew what scene this would show next.
Shit.
With a yelp, Kim Dokja reached forward and covered the kids' eyes with his hands as quickly as he could. He shot a pleading look at Yoo Joonghyuk, panic clear on his face.
"Quick, they're too innocent to see this—"
The imagery of this scene is particularly lewd—Dokja is sweaty and trembling, his mouth open beneath the leaking thorn that he's tightly gripping in order to catch any drops of fluid with his tongue that he can. His eyes are half-lidded and a bead of sweat rolls down the side of his neck and down to his chest, which heaves with every laboured breath. This only draws attention to his outfit—or lack thereof. The torn and dissolved clothes barely draped on his body reveal pale skin and a lean figure, reddened by the acid's bite. Overall, the scene looks like one, big innuendo.
Oh god, here it comes. At the very least it was just lanky, boring Kim Dokja and not a woman who would inevitably be sexualized—
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is screaming.]
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is screaming.]
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is screaming.]
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is telling the constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' to shut up.]
[The constellation 'Scribe of Heaven' is looking at the constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' disapprovingly.]
[The constellation 'Scribe of Heaven' would like for the incarnation 'Kim Dokja' to put on some decent clothes.]
See? Now that was a normal reaction—
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is admiring the view.]
Excuse me, what?
[Many constellations are shocked.]
[The constellation 'God of Wine and Ecstasy' wonders if the incarnation 'Kim Dokja' is interested in joining a celebration with his sect.]
Wasn't that just a thinly veiled invitation to an orgy? What the actual fuck?
Absolutely not.
[Some constellations are grinning lecherously.]
What the fuck, no!
Kim Dokja wanted to curl up into a hole and die. This was it. He was already at rock bottom. He would never be able to look any of his companions in the eye ever again.
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' threatens any constellations with impure thoughts.]
Thanks? Maybe? He hadn't forgotten that the Secretive Plotter had been 'admiring' him earlier, though. Seriously, what was wrong with the constellations today?
"Um," Lee Hyunsung muttered awkwardly, "Heewon-ssi, why are you covering my eyes?"
Jung Heewon, however, was staring at the screen and seemed too shocked to say anything. Her mouth was opening and closing wordlessly, as if she was trying to figure out what she could even say.
After a moment, all she could manage to squeak out was, "I panicked."
"Oh my…" Yoo Sangah muttered, her eyes wide and her hand covering her mouth. Kim Dokja wanted to die.
"Hyung, it probably isn't worse than anything we've seen before," Lee Gilyoung protested, trying to pry Kim Dokja's hand off his eyes, but Kim Dokja snapped back into reality and did everything he could to keep it there.
Even Shin Yoosung was squirming. "Ahjussi, please?"
God no, anything but that. They were never allowed to look at him in this humiliating situation.
Han Sooyoung was practically falling over as she wheezed because of how much she was laughing. She gasped for breath and couldn't even get a single word out before she began wheezing again. At least someone found this situation funny, he supposed.
"What? I— huh?"
Kim Dokja turned his head so quickly that he almost heard his neck crack when he saw Lee Jihye staring directly at the screen with a deep flush over her cheeks. Wait. Why had Jung Heewon covered Lee Hyunsung's eyes instead of the actual teenager's?
Suddenly, Lee Jihye turned towards Yoo Joonghyuk with a strange look in her eyes.
"I understand why you chose ahjussi now," she said like she wasn't just spouting nonsense. "I'm sorry for doubting your tastes, Master."
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is deceased.]
What the actual fuck was she saying? What tastes?
Kim Dokja looked over at Yoo Joonghyuk frantically, and noticed that he had thankfully covered Yoo Mia's eyes. Unlike the other kids (and Lee Jihye), at least Yoo Mia was remarkably well behaved, though she did gripe that the scene should just end already so they could get back to watching. Typical.
However, Kim Dokja's attention was drawn to Yoo Joonghyuk's face—it was as stern as usual, frozen in a perpetual frown, but his eyes were locked on the screen and they seemed to shake faintly. To make things weirder, the tips of his ears were red.
There was a small commotion from elsewhere in the room, but Kim Dokja was too busy staring at the protagonist's baffling reaction to care. Wasn't that too OOC?
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is saying that this is the best day of her life.]
And the incarnation 'Kim Dokja' was certain that this was (one of) the worst days of his life.
[You have absorbed the strength of the ichthyosaur. Your stamina level has increased.]
[Stamina lvl. 11 → Stamina lvl. 12]
After that, it was a test of sheer willpower.
Dokja glances over the acid burns that cover his body. The mucus allowed him to survive the stomach acid, but it still hurts like hell.
[Your pain is partially nullified by your exclusive skill, 'The Fourth Wall'.]
Bihyung floats near him. [That was an amazing survival drama, don't you think so too, dear constellations?]
Dokja groans as he unsteadily gets to his feet. "Just open the damn dokkaebi bag."
Taking one of the thorns in hand, Dokja smashes through the dried stomach lining to reveal the sea commander's glowing nucleus. Taking it in hand, Dokja turns to Bihyung.
"I'm going to sell this," he says bluntly. "Put it up for trade on the dokkaebi auction house. I won't trade it for anything but
Bihyung can't believe his ears. Seriously, how does a human know all of this?
Kim Dokja, having released the pouting children who returned to clinging to him again, seriously wanted to cover his face and retreat into the soft embrace of death. How could he care about Bihyung freaking out when he was so embarrassed that he wanted to literally die?
Dokja starts figuring out what he wants to buy, but Bihyung cuts him off by triggering advertisements on his channel with a cheeky grin. Only a second later, the stream contract pops up.
Overall, the terms look pretty good. Dokja can't get a constellation until all the scenarios are over or he dies, he can only be active on Bihyung's channel, and the two of them have to share all profits. There's one problem, though…
"The contract is missing the most important part," Dokja tells him. It's not a seal, nor a verbal agreement, despite what Bihyung thinks. It's the ratio at which the profits will be divided.
Bihyung offers fifty-fifty, and no fee for channel usage, but that's not good enough.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Dokja asks, offended. It doesn't matter what the 'market rate' is, because he knows better.
A constellation's incarnation makes an appearance on the dokkaebi's channel, and the constellation shares the coins gifted by other constellations with the dokkaebi who owns the channel. That's how it usually goes, but…
Dokja narrows his eyes. "I don't have a constellation sponsor, and when constellations gift coins to an incarnation without a constellation sponsor, they have to pay a hefty commission fee to the dokkaebi."
Bihyung can't help but flinch as Dokja continues his accusation. "I'm sure you've already made quite the profit, thanks to me. I'll take all the coins."
Han Sooyoung choked out another laugh, thankfully less intense than earlier. "Oh my god, all that knowledge, and you use it to scam a dokkaebi? Amazing."
"What else am I supposed to do with it?" Kim Dokja asked half-jokingly as he raised a brow while looking at her. She wouldn't be laughing later when she saw just how many coins he had available to blow in the battle for the throne.
"I'll be honest, I may not agree with scamming in general, but I have to admit that this is a worthy cause," Jung Heewon said, snickering slightly.
Lee Gilyoung's eyes were concerningly sparkly as he grinned widely and grabbed onto Kim Dokja's arm. "Hyung, can you teach me to trick people like that?"
"Gilyoungie, it's not a good idea to do that," Kim Dokja muttered in return, "but, admittedly, if they deserve it, then don't hesitate to rob them for all they're worth."
"Okay!"
Yeah, he was ignoring the judging glances from Yoo Sangah. She still somehow managed to keep way too many of her morals despite this being the literal end of the world.
Well, Kim Dokja never would have considered himself a good role model in the first place anyway, and he never claimed to be.
[Many constellations are protesting the unfair terms of the contract.]
Unfair how? Sure, it was definitely not in Bihyung's favour, but— oh. Ohhhh. These were the constellations who might be interested in sponsoring him, especially after this hidden scenario had revealed his knowledge. Or were they the constellations who were thinking of sending him coins, and were upset that he would get more out of it than expected? Greedy bastards.
Bihyung's shocked face morphs into a snarl instantly. [What!?]
Dokja smiles like a scammer as he happily informs the dokkaebi that he'll be fine with just the commission, since Dokja won't be giving up a single coin. Of course, Bihyung thinks this is preposterous. He offers different ratios, but Dokja turns them all down. It's all or nothing, and he'll just move on to a dokkaebi who will accept his terms.
When Bihyung tries to keep negotiating, Dokja reminds him that the advertisements will be over soon and that the constellations are complaining again.
After a moment of agonizing, Bihyung sighs and gives in. [Fine, damn it. So you'll sign the contract?]
"Oh, and one more thing," Dokja says, smiling wider. "I get a contract fee, too. Give me 5000 coins."
"Yes, ahjussi! Scam him good!" Lee Jihye yelled excitedly, only for her cheering to be joined by Lee Gilyoung and Shin Yoosung a moment later. For a moment, Yoo Mia looked like she was tempted to join in and just be a kid, but she rolled her eyes and turned away with a huff instead.
At the very least, most of the kids would be impressed by just how much he managed to bully Bihyung in the early scenarios, even if the adults of the group (except for maybe Han Sooyoung) would probably end up more exasperated than anything.
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is impressed by the audacity of the incarnation 'Kim Dokja'.]
Once the contract is signed and sealed, Dokja sits down. He has to rest. His eyes close, and he loses consciousness.
Suddenly, he finds himself seeing an unexpected sight.
Outside the body of the dead sea monster, meteors streak across the starry sky in a brilliant shower. Though it's beautiful, it isn't a sight that Joonghyuk wants to admire. After all, this is the harbinger of the third main scenario, which is destined to destroy the city of Seoul.
Joonghyuk looks up at the sky before bowing his head and looking at the Han River below. The group of ichthyosaurs had moved downstream not too long ago, and the area was deserted.
'It was too much,' he thinks, knowing that it may have been a mistake to ask Dokja to kill one of them this early in the scenarios. It had already been 3 days since Joonghyuk threw him off the bridge, after all. However, it won't be worth taking the man along with him if he couldn't even do this much. Anything less, and Dokja would just be a hindrance to him.
'A prophet isn't a big deal.'
Joonghyuk closes his eyes in disappointment, knowing that he would once again be fighting through the scenarios without any companions. Once more, he would be alone
It wasn't a big deal. He had been alone all this time.
'This time I will definitely change it,' he thinks as he turns away from the river, leaving without another word.
But maybe he had turned away too soon.
"Wait…!" Dokja shouts as he suddenly wakes up, still inside the ichthyosaur. Everything that he saw just now… was it a dream?
Still, regardless of whether it was or not, Dokja has more important issues to worry about, like getting out of here.
"Wait," Kim Dokja said suddenly, looking over at the protagonist with a weird, tight feeling in his chest, "did you actually wait for me?"
"I did."
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is crying tears of joy.]
For some reason, Kim Dokja felt like the rug had been pulled out from beneath his feet. Like the floor fell out from beneath him, and like he'd just been slapped across the face with a brick. He was free falling and stunned into silence and not liking the way his stomach was doing acrobatics.
"Why?"
Yoo Joonghyuk shot him a look, his perfect brows slightly furrowed, like he thought Kim Dokja was an idiot for not already knowing. "Figure it out for yourself, Kim Dokja."
Well, that wasn't helpful.
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is picking his nose.]
And neither was the great sage's input, for that matter.
He gasps when he reaches the surface of the river, furiously swimming to the edge after escaping the corpse. The air is fresh—or at least, as fresh as it gets in a burning city—but at least it doesn't smell like death and decay. It's Dokja's first time breathing fresh air in four days.
I thought it would only take me two days. Still, four days isn't bad, considering it took Yoo Joonghyuk four days on his fourth round. I also managed to sign a stream contract with a dokkaebi, and made quite a few coins in the process, so it's not a bad start.
He muses on his life before the scenarios, when he wouldn't have been able to get anyone to sign anything. Now, just for having read TWSA, he's become someone extraordinary. Still, no amount of future knowledge will allow him to summon clothes into existence to replace his ruined outfit.
[The exclusive skill, 'The Fourth Wall', is still active.]
That skill… he had tried to get Bihyung to fix his broken attributes window earlier, but not even [System Interference] could do anything. His skill had appeared and had blocked any and all attempts to disable it. Offhandedly, Dokja muses that he would probably make for a great con man, since no one can see his attributes window.
He steps through the barrier that separates him from the next main scenario area, and he's instantly affected by the poisonous fog in the city.
[The scenario area is highly contaminated.]
[Hold your breath and quickly get underground.]
Dokja's skin starts to get mottled with purple spots as he breathes in the poison, and a popup confirms that he's been exposed.
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' smiles insidiously.]
As he looks down the abandoned street, Dokja knows something for sure. 'The real game begins now!'
"You really did try to get it fixed," Lee Hyunsung muttered, astonished. "I can't believe the dokkaebi couldn't do anything either."
Kim Dokja nodded. "Yeah, same here. I didn't even know that skills could block [System Interference]."
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is pondering why that didn't work.]
[The constellation 'Scribe of Heaven' is frowning.]
Still, there was something more important—the second main scenario. Kim Dokja looked forward to seeing his reunion with his friends, but he did frown slightly as he glanced over at Jung Heewon. He remembered how he had found her, and even though she was strong in both body and mind, Kim Dokja worried for her.
After all, he knew firsthand how horrible it was to have your trauma plastered where everyone could see it and speculate.
He let out a sigh and looked back at the screen, hoping that her moment of catharsis would help reduce the impact on her psyche. She didn't deserve to suffer further—she was a genuinely good person, unlike him.
Kim Dokja closed his eyes. They'd cross that bridge when they got there.