Yoo Joonghyuk still looked irked about something, but Kim Dokja just resigned himself to death instead of trying to figure out the intricacies of his future demise. There was no question that the protagonist would likely want to kill him—the question was how.
[the constellation 'lily blooming in aquarius' is concerned for the incarnations in the upcoming scenario.]
Yeah, Kim Dokja was concerned too, but there wasn't much he could do about it just yet. He hadn't had the time to even begin figuring out any plans for the fallout of the fourth main scenario's events, and he knew that would likely come back to bite him later if he couldn't manage it.
Still, there were more important things to worry about for now.
Upon Dokja telling his team about the hidden scenario, they seem worried about him, but they're still glad that Dokja is the representative. Naturally, he also seems glad that he got it, but internally remarks that he's surprised they're not jealous.
"Does this mean… I should call you 'My Lord' from now on?" Hyunsung asks with complete seriousness, catching Dokja off guard. Dokja asks if he's joking before asking why he would want anything like that.
Heewon takes this time to make fun of Dokja, referring to him as their lord and themselves as his subjects, while asking about his next moves. Dokja explains that he's headed to Dongmyo for more information on 'The Prophets', and asks for the two to come along with him, even though he tells Sangah to stay behind.
This seems to upset her and make her doubt her own capabilities, so Dokja tries to salvage the situation. "Sangah, not everyone can excel at the same task."
Perhaps Yoo Sangah might be worrying if she's of any use. After all, she doesn't have Jung Heewon's high attack power, nor Lee Hyunsung's endurance. She doesn't even have a one-shot skill like Gilyoung's.
"Ah… Dokja-ssi really saw right through me," Yoo Sangah laughed sheepishly, glancing away with a sad smile. She really was insecure about her own place in the group, even though there was no reason for her to be. She was smart and charismatic, and she was an excellent second-in-command during this scenario. Plus, her knowledge of history was integral to his plans.
"I couldn't have managed anything I did during this scenario without you, Sangah-ssi," Kim Dokja told her honestly, shooting her a genuine smile. She brightened up somewhat at that, though she seemed a bit shy and flustered.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is wondering why the incarnation 'kim dokja' doesn't want to be called by a title.]
Well, the first reason was that it was cringy as hell. The 'King' title was unavoidable, but he had no desire to be anyone's liege or any of that nonsense. He just grimaced in lieu of a response.
"Speak for yourself, I'll only respond to 'Your Majesty' from now on," Han Sooyoung joked with a confident grin.
Kim Dokja rolled his eyes. "Bold words from someone who didn't even make it into the final selection."
Han Sooyoung gasped in offense, shooting him a glare. "You fucker, when I get my hands on you—"
"Accept your loss."
Huh? Kim Dokja's eyes widened and he whipped his head around to look at Yoo Joonghyuk, who had crossed his arms over his chest and was looking at Han Sooyoung with a challenging stare. Was he… standing up for Kim Dokja?
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is delighted by the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk's defense of his companion.]
Still, wasn't he kind of a hypocrite? After all, wasn't he upset about getting punched earlier, too? Kim Dokja wondered about double-standards for a moment before he sighed and shook his head. Maybe Yoo Joonghyuk just assumed that getting revenge was reserved for him exclusively, or something.
Dokja goes on to remind her of their talk on the subway before the scenarios began, and she even says that she wrote it down on her phone's notepad.
"Yoo Sangah, there are things here that only you can do," Dokja states, reminding her that Gilyoung is still unconscious and there needs to be a leader in the station who can help the anxious group members.
As he goes on, the scene on the screen pans from Gilyoung over to the huffy Pildu. Dokja also reminds Sangah that there may be more attacks on the station, and that her threads could be useful here for defending it alongside Pildu. Finally, he asks if she could be that authority figure for the station while he's away—a statement that's met with enthusiasm from Hyunsung and a joking "My Lord" from Heewon, who decides to bow like a retainer.
They solidify her position with a handshake, even though she still seems apprehensive about whether or not she's worthy of such responsibility. However, Dokja disagrees.
"Because it's someone like you, I can leave the station in your care," Dokja says firmly. This makes Sangah's smile return to her face, and she assures him that she'll do her best.
As they begin to walk down the tracks, Heewon commends Dokja on cheering Sangah up. However, Dokja states that he wasn't saying that to uplift her mood, and that he really believes she'll do well in that role.
Yoo Sangah is much more than just the 'beautiful lady in HR who everyone admires'. Since not everyone can excel at the same task, I gave her a task that she does best.
[several constellations praise the incarnation 'yoo sangah' for her sense of responsibility.]
She really was a cut above the rest when it came to that, and Kim Dokja was pleased that he was able to help her regain her confidence a bit. Yoo Sangah wasn't a character who he could predict, but she was reliable and her skills were incredibly useful. Though he hadn't intentionally saved her in the first scenario, Kim Dokja found himself glad that she was around.
"Also, Heewon-ssi, that really isn't necessary," Kim Dokja said with a slight chuckle. The woman just raised an eyebrow at him and grinned.
"On the contrary, My Lord, it's absolutely necessary," she retorted teasingly. "How else am I going to give you the respect you're owed?"
She was totally messing with him, wasn't she?
"Ahjussi," Shin Yoosung muttered as she tugged on his sleeve, "should I start calling you Lord ahjussi from now on?"
Seriously? This had to be a joke.
Kim Dokja ignored Lee Jihye's laughing in the background as he shook his head. "Please don't, Yoosung-ah."
The young girl seemed a little put out for some reason, but eventually relented.
As they continue walking, Heewon jokingly asks for a role that would suit her before turning down Dokja's suggestion of executioner. She then asks about Joonghyuk, calling him a delinquent. Dokja then equates how he feels about Joonghyuk to how Heewon feels about her brother—an annoying nuisance that you'll still worry about and back up when they create trouble—even stating that he fought with a lot of people due to him.
Back in the days when TWSA was first published online, I wasn't the only reader of the story. For the first ten chapters, many people had followed the story out of curiosity, and there were still 12 readers in total by the 50th chapter. Those were the guys who often fought with me in the comments. Perhaps the one we're going after now is one of those commenters.
Internally, Dokja muses that at that time, he was a troll on the level of Namwoon. His thoughts are interrupted when Hyunsung speaks up about Dokja and Heewon seeming closer, so Heewon starts teasing the poor man about being jealous, causing him to blush. Dokja, as he walks between the two, takes this time to reduce his presence and pity poor, innocent Hyunsung for his lack of exposure to women.
"An annoying nuisance." Yoo Joonghyuk's voice was firm and judging in a way that made shivers go down Kim Dokja's spine. "That's really what you think of me."
Just like always, his questions had a way of coming out sounding like statements. He sounded genuinely upset about this, too, and something in Kim Dokja's chest twinged.
"Master, I'm sure that ahjussi meant it… affectionately… or something." Lee Jihye's statement gradually got less and less confident as she kept talking. Anxiously, she glanced over at Kim Dokja repeatedly, as though he would toss her a lifeline out of a situation she put herself into in the first place.
Okay, fine. He'd try.
"It was an analogy, Joonghyuk-ah," Kim Dokja said as casually as he could manage. "Don't take it so seriously."
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' feels conflicted.]
Yoo Joonghyuk didn't stop glaring, but thankfully Lee Hyunsung attempted to interject to lighten the tension somewhat.
"Um, Dokja-ssi? What kinds of things would those other people argue about?"
Suddenly slammed with the memories of the cringy lengths his fifteen-year-old self went to during those arguments, Kim Dokja grimaced. "Lots of things…"
There was that one time where he argued with someone who thought that Kim Namwoon was a better character than Yoo Joonghyuk (objectively and subjectively incorrect). Then, there was the other where someone tried claiming that the protagonist's past relationship with Lee Seolhwa was forced and unnecessary (it was a crucial part of showing his capability for loving and for showing how far he had fallen to his regression depression).
There was also that one time when a commenter judgmentally declared that Yoo Joonghyuk was just a standard, too-perfect, male power fantasy character that was likely just the author's self-insert but with added depression for the flavour, and well, Kim Dokja hadn't had much defense for that one.
Still, he felt honour-bound to at least try, so he had scoured every chapter that had been available at the time for anything that could reasonably serve as proof of the contrary. Some of it might have been a bit of a reach, now that he thought about it again, but at the very least the commenter had seemingly given up after Kim Dokja's three replies that actually managed to hit the comment character limit.
[the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy' says that this conversation is boring.]
[the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy' wants to know if the incarnation 'lee hyunsung' was actually jealous.]
Wow, not even a second later and Lee Hyunsung's face was bright red. That was an impressive shade, actually.
Walking into Dongdaemun Park station, Dokja notes how strange it is that the place is completely deserted. Their questions are answered when they spot the flagpole and realize that it has already been captured by Dongmyo, which prompts their hostage to spout one horrified sentence upon waking up on Hyunsung's sturdy back before he proceeds to faint once more. Dokja sees a notification telling him that Ilhun has been declared a wanderer, and states that it was a double trap.
The ones who purposely encouraged Myungdong and Dongdaemun to attack Chungmuro knew that both groups would die there all along. The moment those two lost their power, they would take the two stations for themselves. Maybe those unknown people who fled from Myungdong Station are in their group. They are people who knew Chungmuro would be the victor… and about me… No, they knew the identity of Chungmuro's representative from the original novel.
Dokja seems to have a slight revelation as Hyunsung and Heewon check to see if Ilhun is okay.
Now I know for sure, 'The Prophets' who planned all this are definitely…
Hyunsung and Heewon become alert when Hyunsung states that someone is coming. Several men stroll down the tracks, and they approach Dokja's group casually. The leader, a man who looks like he fell on a gold rack at a store and said that he'd take it all, remarks that Ilhun brought back some unwelcome guests. As the man asks them to introduce themselves, Dokja attempts to use [Character List]; unfortunately, it fails, stating the man does not have a registered profile.
What's this?
"That means he's one of them, right?" Lee Jihye remarked, raising a brow. She was absolutely correct, so Kim Dokja nodded.
Yoo Sangah's gaze hardened and she glared at the screen, even though she seemed slightly conflicted due to Lee Sungkook helping them during the later parts of the fourth main scenario. She still had no love for the prophets, even knowing that he had helped somewhat down the line.
That was honestly kind of concerning.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' thinks that man looks lame.]
He was wearing an excessive amount of jewelry, wasn't he?
"Yeah, he looks tacky," Yoo Mia agreed reluctantly. It was clear that she didn't particularly want to be on the same page as the chuuni dragon, but even Kim Dokja had to regretfully admit that the guy occasionally had a point.
Dokja says that they're from Chungmuro, prompting the man to attempt [Attribute Search] on him—unsurprisingly, it's promptly stopped by the [Fourth Wall], which causes electricity to spark around the man's eyes. The man, now overtaken by utter confusion in both words and expression, asks for their names.
These are the people who knew the story's original representatives… In other words, they knew that Yoo Joonghyuk was meant to be the representative of Chungmuro.
Dokja, processing this thought, twists his lips into a maniacal grin before schooling his expression and speaking menacingly, his tone utterly overflowing with confidence and superiority.
"I am… Yoo Joonghyuk."
Ah, fuck.
Yoo Joonghyuk's burning gaze bored into the back of Kim Dokja's head, and he felt himself begin to sweat from the pressure alone. He could probably spend the next year imagining the ways he would die at the protagonist's hands and still not come to the right conclusion.
Who was he kidding—Yoo Joonghyuk would probably just choke him to death. Maybe the others had a point when they brought up just how often he immediately jumped to choking people in a pinch.
"Kim Dokja…"
If he was religious, he'd probably start praying, but he wasn't, so Kim Dokja just pointedly kept staring at the screen in his best impression of staying calm. If anyone looked into his eyes, though, they'd clearly see his terror.
Yoo Joonghyuk didn't even need to finish his sentence for Kim Dokja to hear the implied "You're dead." that would certainly follow.
Yoo Mia rolled her eyes and scoffed. "The ugly ahjussi could never impersonate my oppa properly."
Kim Dokja couldn't even disagree with her. He didn't think he was bad looking or anything, but not a single person in this room could even hope to compare to the god of a man that was Yoo Joonghyuk. The fact that his face was apparently 'blurry' to everyone definitely did not help things in that regard, either.
Wait… if his face had been blurry that entire time…
Had Kim Dokja unintentionally tarnished Yoo Joonghyuk's reputation and given multiple people the impression that the protagonist's face was blurry? Had they assumed that he was so handsome that he was blurred out for the protection of their sanity? Had they thought that the author just had terrible taste in men, or even that it was one of those situations where it was impossible to create a face so good-looking that instead it looked as though his face just hadn't been completed?
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is laughing at the panicked expression of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Shut up, these were genuine concerns!
Hyunsung and Heewon's eyes widen in shock as they're taken off guard by this unexpected declaration Hyunsung, the poor soul, is so confused and stressed that he immediately begins to sweat and his pupils dilate.
The bedazzled man on the tracks below seems shocked upon looking at Dokja, questioning if he really was Joonghyuk. He looks as though he's been met by a god, basking in their glory.
There are many passages describing Yoo Joonghyuk's appearance in TWSA. In particular, there was an emphasis on how handsome he was… But even with a face like mine… surely there was some room for creative license?
Dokja's bullshitting sparkles return as he asks, "Why not?"
Beside him, Hyunsung's jaw has now dropped open from the sheer audacity of his actions.
At least one thing is clear now—this guy here has read TWSA.
The walking gold display of a man now turns his [Attribute Inspection] onto Hyunsung, who just gives him a confused look. Dokja notices this and internally encourages him to look up Hyunsung.
With this, he should have confirmed Lee Hyunsung's name.
Dokja, deciding to keep up his impression of Joonghyuk as an insufferable grump who doesn't like people messing with his plans (or people in general), speaks up. "Insolent bastard. Watch where you're looking."
The man below gulps audibly, clearly intimidated.
And now he's convinced himself that I have the skill [Eye of the Sage].
Jung Heewon looked distinctly uncomfortable, but she attempted to plaster a smile on her face. "At least it got us more information? Good thing we had Hyunsung-ssi with us…"
It had, thankfully, even if it meant committing identity theft in the process. Maybe Yoo Joonghyuk would forgive him once he saw what kind of trouble he avoided thanks to them dealing with it in his stead. At least Kim Dokja knew him well enough to mimic his mannerisms, and Lee Hyunsung's presence added much-needed credibility to his ruse.
"They really emphasized how handsome Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi was?" Lee Hyunsung asked in shock, and Kim Dokja had to nod. He did wonder why that was something the lieutenant was curious about, though.
It was frustrating, but it was the truth, and there was only one way for Kim Dokja to answer that question. "He was always described as being handsome, even if it wasn't in detail. Still, I think I could count the characters who were called more attractive than him on one hand."
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' gasps and wonders who would dare to try and surpass the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk' in looks.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' thinks this conversation is ridiculous.]
Right? Kim Dokja also thought it was ridiculous. He hadn't yet seen the two characters said to be more attractive, but Kim Dokja had serious doubts. If tls123 had actually seen their main character in the flesh, they would certainly know just how ridiculous of a concept that was. He was just too attractive—so attractive, in fact, that if he had existed in reality before the apocalypse, Kim Dokja wasn't sure if Korean society would have been able to cope.
After all, if someone saw that godly face and didn't feel something, then there was surely something wrong with them!
"Did you really think I couldn't tell you used a B class detection skill?" Dokja continues, causing one of the man's companions to exclaim that Dokja was a son of a bitch for looking down on them. Unfortunately, his loyal defense only causes the leader to cut him down, shocking his companions and Dokja's group. The leader apologizes profusely that someone of his (Joonghyuk's) position had to see this.
He takes this time to finally introduce himself as Lee Sungkook, the vice-representative of Dongmyo Station.
Did this bastard really just say..?
Dokja decides to follow him, and as they're being led into Dongmyo, Hyunsung tries to call out Dokja's name to get his attention, which prompts a punch in the gut from Heewon. As Hyunsung tries to recover, Dokja confirms that Heewon understands what they're doing.
Ever since then, I've committed to the Yoo Joonghyuk impersonation.
Han Sooyoung muffled a laugh. "You really punched him, that's great."
Jung Heewon chuckled awkwardly in response and shot an apologetic look at Lee Hyunsung, who just shrugged.
"It's okay, Heewon-ssi… I didn't realize that I could have given away the whole plan."
Lee Hyunsung looked like a kicked puppy, and Kim Dokja pretended that it didn't affect him when the kids tried to rush to console him. Lee Gilyoung, in particular, was extremely adamant that he wouldn't want to call Kim Dokja by Yoo Joonghyuk's name either.
It wasn't like he wanted to impersonate the guy; it just… happened.
[some constellations pity the incarnation 'lee hyunsung'.]
In a quick flashback at the previous station, Dokja had looked down at Sungkook with the coldest and most intimidating expression he could muster. "Dongmyo Station? I see. This is my station now, so pack up and get lost."
Dokja had looked down upon the men below, confusing Sungkook and causing him to stumble over his words as Dokja pressures him to transfer over the station authority—even threatening to slit everyone's throats if they didn't transfer it fast enough. To add to his threat, Dokja had pulled his sword, covering it in aura which had created eerie shadows over his face and adding to his menacing appearance—not unlike Joonghyuk's own. Absolutely terrified for his own life, Sungkook had fearfully exclaimed that he'd transfer it.
Dokja, clearly not satisfied, had pointed the aura-covered sword at him and demanded that they give up Dongdaemun as well for taking too long to answer. Sungkook had regretfully and anxiously explained that he could only give up Dongdaemun Culture and History Park station, but that 'Joonghyuk' would need to meet with their leader to get the rights to Dongdaemun. To show his veracity, Sungkook had made a promise on the [King's Honour], which will cause him to be severely punished if the promise is broken.
I was transferred the rights to Dongdaemun Culture and History Park, and came to Dongmyo to be transferred the rights to Dongdaemun as well. If I remember correctly, the leader here will be that shut-in.
"Here we are." Sungkook calls out, bowing towards them as he gestures towards a tent. Dokja takes a breath, narrows his eyes, and follows him forward.
Though Yoo Joonghyuk still seemed disgruntled, he didn't seem to be completely furious like before at this point. Maybe he had reasoned that this was for the best, since he had still been unconscious and using Lee Jihye's lap as a pillow of dubious quality on the theatre's roof.
"It was a good plan, Dokja-ssi," Yoo Sangah said with a small and shaky smile, pulling his attention away from his hopefully subtle glances over at the protagonist. At least she was trying to back him up.
Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung exchanged yet another worried look, and Kim Dokja had to try so hard not to ask them to stop. He knew what was coming just as well as they did, and he got a sinking feeling every time he thought about it. The last thing Kim Dokja wanted right now was to relive literally being burned to death, but he had the awful feeling that he wouldn't get a choice in the matter.
[a constellation who likes to scheme praises the complex plan of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Thankfully his gamble had paid off, and he had gotten several stations under his command in the process.
The kids seemed nervous about him meeting with another representative, but Kim Dokja just patted their heads and exhaled slowly. He could get through this, one segment at a time.