Kim Dokja tried to take a deep breath to reassure himself as they prepared to watch the beginning of the fourth main scenario. With every segment that played, they got closer and closer to their present—and closer to revealing more uncomfortable secrets.
The scenario had been brutal and bloody, and that had been where he had truly begun to put himself on the line without a guarantee of success, unlike on the bridge and in Chungmuro.
[Several constellations are impatient to see the next segment.]
And Kim Dokja, on the other hand, wished for the time between segments to take even longer just to give him some more time to think.
The rules for 'Capture the Flag' appear before them, and the final rule notes that Changshin station is the target that they must occupy to succeed. Each of the points are very long, much to Heewon's vocal distaste. Dokja, meanwhile, steels his resolve.
Heewon and Hyunsung then work together, trying to make sure they each understand the basic idea of the rules. Dokja confirms that they're catching on fast, pulling an innocent looking smile as Heewon glares at him. Sangah looks uncomfortable as she wonders if they will have to kill people in this scenario too. Hyunsung, who has been doing his best to understand the rules, tries to reassure her that they don't need to kill people to gain a station. Heewon and Dokja watch in silence, a slight frown on Heewon's face, as their optimistic talk continues.
There is no such thing as a scenario where no one dies. More people will end up dying in the fourth main scenario than any of the others before now.
"We really were trying to be overly optimistic, weren't we?" Yoo Sangah muttered in a depressed tone. "I should have known…"
No, she really couldn't have. She didn't have the information that Kim Dokja did, and she couldn't have predicted the future either. As he had thought back when he had that conversation with Gilyoung in the Edge of Darkness, some people cope with the apocalypse by becoming too positive and trying to find the bright side where it didn't exist.
Lee Hyunsung tried to comfort her slightly, but Yoo Sangah just shook her head and sent him a small smile. "I'm okay, Hyunsung-ssi. I just wish that the scenario hadn't cost so many lives."
[A few constellations pity the incarnation 'Yoo Sangah'.]
Then, in a rare move from the protagonist, he decided to address the rest of the group, to Kim Dokja's surprise.
"It will continue getting worse from here," he said firmly, tone laden with the knowledge of having lived through it several times before. "The world has changed, and you have to change as well. If you have a chance to strike, take it—or else your opponent will strike first."
[A constellation who likes strategy agrees with the incarnation 'Yoo joonghyuk'.]
Yoo Sangah looked troubled, glancing down at her lap and biting her lip before nodding once. It wasn't a truth that anyone would want to hear, least of all her. Still, that was the world in which they now lived. They didn't have a choice, and Kim Dokja was the only one who truly knew how desperate the situation could become.
Heewon interrupts their talk by asking about Changshin station's location and how they should split their team between protectors and scouts. As their discussion continues, the translucent barrier around Chungmuro station dissipates.
While they continue their discussion, Dokja looks over at Pildu. The silenced man looks almost pitiful, a perfect boot mark on his back as he remains forcefully stuck to the ground. Dokja returns his ability to speak, informing the landlord that he understands his grudge but that he needs to adapt.
"The days when you were a landlord are far gone. I know the reason why you're so obsessed with owning 'land', but do it in moderation—that is, if you want to survive."
Pildu listens in silence until Dokja tells him to defend Chungmuro, when Dokja offers him rewards for agreeing and asking him to think of his family. This begins to set Pildu off, but they're interrupted by the roaring sound of motorcycles racing down the tracks towards them.
'The scenario barely started and yet people from other station groups are already breaking in?' Dokja wonders as a man from the intruding group starts complaining that it took them a long time to complete the third main scenario. The leader of their group shushes him and reminds him that the stations may have had different scenarios.
"Stop right there."
The intruders look up at Dokja's interruption and see that all the defenders of Chungmuro have their weapons drawn. With narrowed eyes, Dokja commands them to drop their weapons and approach slowly. The intruders comply and briefly state that they're not there for a fight.
"Let me introduce myself," the leader of the group says. "I am the vice-representative of the Dongdaemun station group, Kang Ilhun."
"Oh he just looks sleazy," Lee Jihye groaned, looking disgusted. Well, she wasn't entirely wrong on that either.
Yoo Mia nodded. "At least he's not as ugly as the sparkly guy from the other station."
Was she talking about Cheon Inho? Internally, Kim Dokja thought it was hilarious that the man who fancied himself an expert manipulator had been reduced to 'the ugly sparkly guy from Geumho station'.
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' likes ridiculous nicknames.]
Lee Hyunsung just frowned. "My question is why they wasted fuel on those motorcycles, and how they even got them down into the train lines in the first place."
That was actually a very good question. Sure, they were a faster method of transport, but not only was it inconvenient to get them down into the station, they also wouldn't drive as nicely on the tracks compared to the streets. Even with the roads as torn up and destroyed as they were, the motorcycles would still have been more practical in the second half of the fourth main scenario.
"Because they wanted to look cool?" Shin Yoosung guessed, her expression morphing into one of confusion.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' says that motorcycles can be cool sometimes.]
Kim Dokja shrugged. "Maybe for the intimidation factor?"
Han Sooyoung glanced over at him with a grin. "Worked on you, didn't it?"
Sure, it had caught them off guard, but you know what would have worked even better instead of their convoluted alliance-turned-ambush?
A completely silent ambush before anyone in Chungmuro had noticed the barrier go down.
Dokja, processing the man's name, realizes something isn't right and activates [Character List], recognizing that this situation might be one of those new variables that he can't plan for.
[Name: Kang Ilhun
Age: 31
Constellation Sponsor: The Incorrigible Prattler
Personal Attributes: Rumor Expert (Ordinary)
Exclusive Skills: Weapons Training lvl. 2, Art of Communication lvl. 3, Word of Mouth lvl. 1
Stigma: Incite lvl. 1
Overall Stats: Stamina lvl. 12, Strength lvl. 13, Agility lvl 13, Mana lvl. 10
Overall Evaluation: He never got a chance to grow due to choosing his Constellation Sponsor poorly, but he is capable enough for his skills to be useful. Caution should be exercised since he can spread rumours regardless of whether they are truths or lies.]
Seeing as the skill works, Dokja notes that he must be a novel character, while also paying attention to the fact that he's a [Rumor Expert].
Ilhun asks for his name and is clearly caught off guard when Dokja introduces himself. He, however, quickly recovers and notes that Dokja must be the representative since he's holding the flag.
'He definitely made a strange look for a second…' Dokja thinks, and thankfully his observation skills are not failing him this time.
Dokja tells them to get to the point and Ilhun replies, saying that they've come with an offer. When Dokja still seems suspicious, Ilhun points out that they're not here to attack since their representative didn't come with them. This isn't enough to make Dokja drop his guard, so he asks what their offer is and is shocked when Ilhun states that they've come to offer an alliance.
Yoo Joonghyuk narrowed his eyes at the screen, clearly wondering why Kang Ilhun had looked shocked. Lee Gilyoung, however, glared intensely at the man. He had been in the station with Gong Pildu when it had been attacked, so it made sense why he was blaming Kang Ilhun for it.
"A [Rumor Expert]… what does that even mean?" Jung Heewon asked, raising a brow.
Kim Dokja glanced over at her. "It means that he can spread rumors more efficiently than anyone else. Those rumors can easily be used to trick other people, or to spread coded information without anyone being aware that they're passing it on."
Jung Heewon looked pensive. "Huh, I never would have thought of that."
Back in the early days of TWSA, Kim Dokja had taken notes on several of the attributes and skills, and had spent weeks brainstorming interesting and creative uses for all of them. He vaguely remembered mentioning some of his theories in his comments, though he couldn't immediately recall how many of them tls123 had confirmed.
[the constellation 'lily blooming in aquarius' does not approve of spreading falsities.]
Clearly the angels had never considered just how useful that could be.
As the Dongdaemun station group chills in Chungmuro for the time being, Heewon informs their group that she doesn't trust them and that they make her feel uneasy. Dokja then recalls that they stated Chungmuro wasn't their target, and that they know that the group from Chungmuro has less information than them, since their station had started the scenario two days earlier. As Dokja mentally agrees with the lack of information, considering that it was a similar situation even in the novel, Ilhun tries to sweeten the deal by mentioning that there is a hidden 'Guaranteed Clear' trick to the scenario.
Dokja approaches Ilhun and informs him that he wants to meet their representative before making his decision. As Ilhun states that their representative is still at their station, Sangah brings up the fact that there are stations closer to Dongdaemun than Chungmuro, and wonders why they didn't ally with them instead.
Sangah's question clearly flusters Ilhun, who seems to flounder slightly ,before using the excuse that Chungmuro is newly opened and the others have already joined another alliance. At this, Heewon and Dokja have the blankest and most disbelieving expressions plastered on their faces. The judgement from their gazes is palpable.
"He was lying, wasn't he, ahjussi?" Shin Yoosung asked judgmentally.
A wide grin crossed Kim Dokja's mouth. "Oh, he was totally lying."
It hadn't even been a good attempt at lying, either. Even Lee Hyunsung could have—
Wait, no, scratch that. If Lee Hyunsung started intentionally spouting lies, then they'd have a solid reason to believe that someone was impersonating him.
Even Han Sooyoung could have lied better than that, and she had tried spouting bullshit to Yoo Joonghyuk, of all people.
Yoo Sangah looked amused. "He certainly wasn't good at being put on the spot."
It made sense why she was so amused—there had been rumors back at Minosoft that you could have put Yoo Sangah in front of a presentation and she would deliver it perfectly somehow, whether or not she actually knew anything about the topic. Honestly, Kim Dokja had always assumed it was an exaggeration, or something made up by the guys who liked to talk about her.
However, knowing her a bit better now, he wouldn't be surprised if it was true. It would just be another reason why she was so terrifyingly capable.
[The constellation 'God of wine and ecstasy' is chuckling while sipping his wine.]
As Dokja, Heewon, Hyunsung, and Sangah join the Dongdaemun group on their motorcycles, Dokja passes Gilyoung off to Pildu and tells him that Gilyoung needs to rest and that Pildu should keep him safe. Pildu merely crosses his arms, but doesn't say anything as he looks at the sulking boy beside him.
As they're driving down the tracks, Dokja leans closer to Ilhun to speak to him. "Didn't those people tell you anything more about Chungmuro station's representative?"
Ilhun seems to be caught off-guard, giving Dokja a chance to continue. "That there is a frightening person going by the name 'Yoo Joonghyuk' there, for example…"
Ilhun, clearly recognizing the name, tries to awkwardly laugh it off. This is immediately picked up by Dokja and his group, who leap off the motorcycles as Sangah activates her skill to weave a net to catch them. At the same time, threads also anchor themselves to the wheels of the motorcycles, causing them to crash and throw off the members of the Dongdaemun group.
As Ilhun begins to question them, a flashback is briefly shown where Dokja says that they'll go along with them, but bail at the first sign of anything strange.
"You should have raised your Stealth stats more if you wanted to ambush us," Dokja states, alarming the people hiding behind pillars along the tracks.
Ihun, shedding all pretences, yells for their men to attack. Unbothered, Dokja's group confidently walks forward as they draw their weapons for combat.
"They expected me to be the station representative," Yoo Joonghyuk asked in his usual manner, which meant that it sounded more like a statement than a question. Honestly, he needed to work on that.
"They did," Kim Dokja confirmed. "Thankfully, I took the position instead; that threw them off."
Yoo Joonghyuk just made a noise that Kim Dokja decided to interpret as being an indication of his agreement, but he really wasn't sure what the protagonist was intending. At the very least, Kim Dokja was glad that even just mentioning Yoo Joonghyuk's name was enough to get him out of a whole lot of trouble—on multiple occasions, now that he thought about it. It also got him into just as much trouble sometimes, but eh. That didn't count.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is narrowing his eyes at the incarnation 'Kang ilhun' on the screen.]
Yoo Mia crossed her arms, looking somewhat impressed as she declared, "Okay, Sangah-unnie is the best out of all of you."
Yoo Sangah looked a bit surprised by that, but she smiled at the younger girl. "It was Dokja-ssi's plan, I just carried it out."
"Yeah, give hyung more credit," Lee Gilyoung insisted, shooting a glare at Yoo Mia, who just scoffed. Shin Yoosung looked conflicted about whether she wanted to support Kim Dokja, or whether she just wanted to disagree with Lee Gilyoung.
Seriously, could these children not give it a rest for a little bit?
"Hey now, everyone did a good job," Kim Dokja said with a sigh. "We all worked together."
In return, he got three eye rolls. They all agreed on something for once, but why did that one thing have to be disrespecting him!?
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is laughing at the misfortune of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Back in Chungmuro, Gilyoung gets some sleep as he leans against the flag pedestal. Pildu, sitting beside him looks pissed off as he thinks about how he listened to Dokja without an order. He's brought out of his thoughts by a resident of Chungmuro who seems alarmed by something.
Blood splatters across the tracks as Heewon's [Time of Judgement] is activated. She seems pleasantly surprised that the activation works as bodies fall around her, and she makes an offhand comment that it's hard to find 'Evil' people. Dokja holds his sword near Ilhun's neck in a wordless threat, since he's the last man remaining, but Sangah notices something.
"Dokja, Chungmuro Station is…!"
This causes Dokja to whirl around in alarm. Chungmuro station is in chaos as people scream and run away from the intruders who are breaking in. Pildu curses, wondering who the hell they are. Realizing something is wrong, Dokja tells Sangah to take care of the remnants of the Dongdaemun group as he rushes back towards Chungmuro.
'Judging from the direction they ran in from, are they from the Myungdong Station group? They must have hatched this plan with Dongdaemun,' Dokja realizes as he runs into the fray.
A man with his hat turned backwards and a red flag tied to it yells out to his station members to overrun Chungmuro so they can plant their flag. Instantly, Dokja narrows his eyes at the man as he and Heewon return to Chungmuro to help defend it.
'He must be the representative.'
Lee Hyunsung clenched his fists. "I can't believe they really attacked like that."
"I can," Han Sooyoung muttered as she rolled her eyes. "Funny enough, not everyone cares about honour or justice. It's the end of the world, of course they're going to play dirty."
Yeah, she was totally talking about herself there. She certainly hadn't hesitated to try and play other people against each other like puppets by creating an information monopoly. Honestly, it had been a good plan, and Kim Dokja had to admit that he might have done something similar if he had started in a different situation.
Except for the cult part. He wasn't anywhere near charismatic (or stupid) enough to create a cult.
Lee Jihye grimaced. "If only I hadn't been up on the roof with Master all that time…"
"No, it was for the best that you were up there," Kim Dokja admitted. "Can you imagine how bad it could be if he was left alone? What if someone had managed to get up there and found him lying on the grass?"
Instantly realizing just what Kim Dokja was insinuating, Lee Jihye paled at the same time as Yoo Joonghyuk shot him a sharp glare.
What? It wasn't an insult to his skills, or anything. Yoo Joonghyuk might be the OP protagonist, but even he couldn't defend himself while unconscious.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is pleased to see how much the incarnation 'kim dokja' cares about his companion.]
"You're right, ahjussi" Lee Jihye said with a firm nod of her head. "I only did my sworn duty as Master's apprentice."
Sure, let's go with that. Kim Dokja honestly didn't have the energy to try and debate with her right now, especially as he remembered just what would likely be appearing soon.
He was not ready to face that utterly humiliating conversation with her just yet.