Yoo Sangah was incredibly tense, and she looked conflicted. Kim Dokja wanted to reach out to her and ask if there was anything he could do to help, since she had been so helpful when he was struggling, but he didn't have the faintest idea of what to say.
She was likely having trouble reconciling Han Sooyoung, the 'First Apostle', with Han Sooyoung, the woman who had laughed and cracked jokes alongside her a little while ago. Especially now, when it was revealed that Kim Dokja had been wrongfully accusing her of plagiarism the entire time. Kim Dokja already knew that no one was entirely innocent in any situation, but Yoo Sangah had probably been considering everything he did to be for the 'greater good'.
In all honesty, Kim Dokja didn't give a fuck about the greater good. So long as he could guide the story he loved to a satisfying conclusion, he didn't care what he had to do in the process.
She hadn't quite realized that yet, and he knew that it would go over better if she came to that conclusion herself, so he looked away from her and focused on the screen again.
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is excited to see what will happen next.]
Dokja explains that they will put snippets of the 'revelation' in a file and make it look as though it was only known to 'The Prophets' before being leaked. As he's speaking, Dokja casually hijacks Pildu's laptop, despite the man's protests. As the two prophets state that they don't remember the plagiarised novel, Dokja reminds them that they don't need to know the rip-off since they know the original. Behind them, Pildu just looks pissed as he tells him to be careful with his laptop while insulting Dokja under his breath.
The plan is simple. There are two people who are planning their moves according to the earlier chapters of TWSA; the First Apostle who plagiarized TWSA, and the Tyrant King who is exploiting the prophets for their revelation.
As Dokja narrates, an image of the First Apostle and a crazily laughing shadowy figure are shown before they circle to face each other with the word 'VS' appearing between them.
'Someone who monopolises information, and someone seeking out information. This will get the two thorns in our side to fight each other,' Dokja thinks as he instructs the two other men to put in the information Dokja gives them, which will be a mix of true and false info. Though there won't be a lot, the amount of true information should be enough to get the attention of their foes.
The scene seems serious, but that feeling is let down slightly by the fact that Sungkook is standing at attention in a suit jacket and boxers.
"I should have figured you'd do something like that," Han Sooyoung griped. "I mean, I did, but I never expected you'd go so far for it."
Kim Dokja grinned in response. It had honestly felt nice to pit the two against each other, especially because everything had worked out exactly as he hoped it would.
Jung Heewon raised a brow. "The Tyrant King really looks like a psycho."
Oh, he absolutely was. Like a Yoo Joonghyuk-level of psycho, albeit in a slightly different way.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' thinks that the 'Tyrant King' has good taste.]
All that proved was that the dragon had shitty taste, but Kim Dokja wasn't about to say that out loud.
Lee Jihye muffled a laugh. "I just can't believe that guy still hasn't gotten new pants."
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' laughs at the incarnation 'lee sungkook'.]
Come to think about it… yeah. Sure, they had never stopped for long enough for Lee Sungkook to run out and find a store or abandoned house that had pants, but there were plenty of bodies that had free pants! Or maybe the guy was just a bit less inclined to grab clothing off a corpse than Kim Dokja was. Seriously, he'd do it in a heartbeat if it meant changing out of this damn robe.
Minseob's fingers run rapidly over the keys before he stretches and complains about how hard writing and creativity is, praising authors for being able to do so. Dokja just states it can be rough that they don't need to try so hard, since they only need enough information to act as bait. He also informs them to tweak character names, worried about how Hyunsung and Jihye would feel if they caught wind of it.
They will eventually find out that this world is 'inside a novel' whether they like it or not, but that time doesn't have to be now.
Minseob tells Dokja he shouldn't be so worried about that, since not a single person they told believed them when the prophets claimed that they were in a novel—instead they only replied almost like NPCs, always thinking it was a joke. This surprises Dokja as Minseob explains that this was how the Apostles could find the prophets, and would use the 'revelation' so openly.
Dokja then asks what the difference is between them and characters, fishing for their thoughts. Sungkook goes for the obvious answer that they're real while the characters are fictional, but Dokja delves deeper, questioning where the world drew the line between fiction and reality. They wonder if fiction and reality has been blended since the start of the First Scenario.
Then, are these two 'Real' people, or 'Characters'?
Dokja wonders about this existential question as he gazes at the two's [Character Profiles], wondering if all people will eventually turn into 'characters'. Dokja glances over at Gilyoung and Sangah, attempting to activate [Character Profile] to dispel his worries, sighing in relief when it fails. However, it still claims that it's collecting information on the target character.
"Wait, they really responded like NPCs?" Lee Gilyoung asked in confusion, a frown on his face.
Kim Dokja shrugged. "Apparently. I've never tried it myself, before this scenario, so I can't say for sure."
Han Sooyoung frowned too, glancing over at Kim Dokja curiously. "I wonder why no one in here had that issue, then. Maybe the scenario is forcing everyone to realize it?"
That was completely possible, and also kind of worrying. Just how powerful was the thing controlling this scenario if it could break through whatever metaphorical veil hung over the characters' heads?
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is curious about the theory of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
That was the other issue. At the time, Kim Dokja hadn't been sure about where fiction started and reality ended, or whether anyone was a person or a character. Now, however, he knew that it was possible to be both at once.
He clenched his hands, earning him a confused noise from Shin Yoosung, when he remembered just what had happened to Lee Sungkook after he reached the end of what he knew. No one would respond well to that, even if it hadn't happened to any of them just yet.
Minseob tells him he's finished, and that brings Dokja back out of his thoughts. Dokja looks over it, declaring that it would be a phenomenal flop if it was published, to the shock of the two men. Dokja glosses over this instantly, moving on to declare that they'll spread a rumour that the revelation has been leaked. Thankfully, Dokja previously confirmed that Donghoon is willing to help spread it quickly, thanks to his [Noble Hermit Shut-in] attribute.
Though Sungkook and Minseob look impressed, they have one more question: what about stations that don't have internet, since they won't be able to access any online rumours. Thankfully, they have someone perfect for the job. Ilhun steps up and states he is confident in spreading rumors, and his [Character Profile] pops up—likely to remind viewers that he still exists and why he is useful.
A window pops up stating that Ilhun trusts Dokja and that his understanding of Ilhun has increased. Another window appears, reminding everyone that there are only 44 hours remaining in the time limit.
[a constellation who enjoys gossip thinks that this is a good plan.]
It was. Kim Dokja could say that confidently, considering just how many coins he had earned from this one plot alone.
"Right," Yoo Mia muttered when she looked at Kang Ilhun on the screen. "I forgot about him."
To be fair, he had been unconscious for most of the last scenario. If his attribute wasn't so useful, Kim Dokja probably would have forgotten about him too.
Dokja gathers his group, including Pildu, and lets them know of their roles in the upcoming 40 hours, since they know that if they don't occupy Changsin Station, everyone will die. He gives them information on the Tyrant King, explaining how he occupies the most land and takes those with good looks as concubines while killing or enslaving the others.
Heewon immediately cuts the building tension by stating that Dokja would fall into the latter category before worrying about how she doesn't want to be a concubine and asking if they can't just kill the man. Dokja explains that the Tyrant King has a powerful sponsor, making direct confrontation difficult.
Dokja holds up the number two on his fingers as he explains that they have to either take his flag or his base, Dobong Station. He explains that they'll head for Gwanghwamun first, since they should meet some of his group members there due to the leaked info.
As he finishes instructing everyone to prepare to leave, Dokja gets distracted by a series of dings as windows pop up stating that items have been sold. This worries Sangah, but he reassures her as he states that things are moving faster than he expected. Dokja pulls out his phone to thank Donghoon through the chat, a window revealing the faith Donghoon has in him.
Jung Heewon shot Kim Dokja a judgmental look as soon as he mentioned Changsin station, and he couldn't even be mad at her for it. It was arguably the most critical part of the plan, and he had gotten a bit too sidetracked and it had slipped his mind.
That was entirely on him, and he internally thanked Jung Heewon and Yoo Mia for saving all their lives with their quick thinking.
When Kim Dokja spoke about the Tyrant King, Yoo Sangah chuckled slightly. "Dokja-ssi, I don't think you would have ended up as a slave."
The kids immediately perked up at that, and Shin Yoosung shot a curious glance at the woman. "Sangah-unnie, you said you saw ahjussi's face before the scenarios, right?"
Yoo Sangah nodded. "I did, even if those memories aren't clear right now. It's like there's fog preventing me from recalling it properly. Still, from what I do remember, Dokja-ssi wasn't ugly at all."
Han Sooyoung raised a brow, glancing at Kim Dokja in disbelief. What, did she not believe that he could look good if he tried?
"What do you remember?"
Huh? That was Yoo Joonghyuk, but why would he, of all people, be curious about Kim Dokja's appearance? It was subtle, but Yoo Joonghyuk sounded genuinely interested. Kim Dokja already knew that he couldn't even hope to compare to the protagonist's godly looks, so what was the point?
[many constellations are curious about the face of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Yoo Sangah hummed and closed her eyes as she tried to recall as much as she could, despite the fog she had claimed was clouding her memories of him. "Dokja-ssi has kind eyes. I think that's what stood out to me the most. His features may not be striking like Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi's, but I get the feeling that they suit him well."
Oh… that was… really nice, actually. Kim Dokja never would have considered his own eyes as being 'kind', but it felt good to hear that from someone as genuinely nice as Yoo Sangah.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' wishes she could see the face of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Jung Heewon let out a loud laugh. "Sounds like we can make a concubine of you yet!"
Kim Dokja could only grimace. Why would he ever want that?
[a constellation who likes harems is excited by the current conversation.]
It was never a good thing if that constellation was invested, and Kim Dokja shuddered.
"Please don't."
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is smiling cryptically.]
He'd better not be getting any ideas either.
Of course, I didn't release the file for free.
A message from Bihyung comes in, asking if Dokja has a [Swindler] attribute while also explaining the constellations' response to the leaked 'revelation'.
If the file was spread too recklessly, it might fall into the wrong hands, and if it was available for free, some people might not even believe it was the real 'revelation'. That's why I sold the 'Book of revelation' on the dokkaebi auction for constellations.
Bihyung wonders if giving out this information will leave Dokja at a disadvantage, but Dokja disagrees while being happy about the revenue generated from it.
Dokja thinks that everyone who would need the information likely has a sponsor contract, and that the book would be bought for them by their sponsors. A new pop-up appears, explaining that 16 copies have been sold at 1,000 coins apiece.
Yoo Mia's jaw dropped open. "You really deserve that attribute, ugly ahjussi."
Didn't they just establish that he wasn't ugly?
With a sigh, Kim Dokja shook his head before grinning. "It wasn't entirely fake, remember? I did point out some genuinely valuable items, even if they weren't exactly what everyone thought."
Technically, he didn't lie completely. He had just bent the truth enough for people to get the wrong idea and make assumptions that weren't correct.
[a constellation who has a lot of coins is impressed by the scheme of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
"Dokja-ssi… that's a lot of coins," Lee Hyunsung muttered, sounding almost faint at the numbers that were on the screen. Oh right, the man hadn't even seen his offer to the King of Beauty, so of course he had no idea of just how many coins Kim Dokja actually possessed.
[several constellations are angry at being scammed.]
Sucks to suck, doesn't it?
Dokja then waves and joyfully says that he's going to sleep, shocking Heewon, as he simply smiles and lies down while stating that some things can only be done while asleep. As he pillows his head on his arm, Sangah covers him with an extra blanket to the tune of Heewon's complaints.
Once he closes his eyes, Level 3 of [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint] activates.
Going on what I know so far, [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint] is a skill divided into three levels.
As Dokja explains, examples of each scenario appear.
Level 1. I can read the surface level motivations or feelings of a character.
Level 2. I can read the character's inner thoughts.
And then level 3. I can see the surroundings of that character, or completely immerse myself in them.
Suddenly, Ilhun's whispering voice cuts through the silence as he asks if Dokja is there. In front of him, people kneel to a man in a snazzy outfit with shoulder length hair and a crown on his head. Ilhun explains that the word has spread to the Tyrant King before mumbling out a curse as he wonders if Dokja is even listening.
There are two conditions to activate Level 3 of [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint]. One is that my consciousness has to be hazy and precarious.
Dokja's ghostly form appears behind Ilhun as the man states that the Tyrant will be making his move soon.
The other condition is that the character and I have to be simultaneously thinking about each other.
Lee Hyunsung's eyes glimmered as he looked over at Kim Dokja. "It's great that you've figured out that much about your skill!"
Considering he couldn't get any kind of explanation from his own attributes page, it was a miracle that Kim Dokja had managed to stumble across even that much by pure chance.
[many constellations are curious to learn more about the skill 'Omniscient Reader's viewpoint'.]
"So you have to be unconscious to use level three?" Lee Jihye remarked with a grimace. "That's not good."
Oh?
At the questioning look he sent her way, Lee Jihye elaborated. "Well, you have to leave your body behind, so you have to make sure you're guarded."
"Precisely," Kim Dokja confirmed, mentally remarking that Lee Jihye could actually be pretty smart at times. "That's why I made sure Heewon-ssi was nearby."
Jung Heewon grinned at him, thankful that he trusted her enough to leave her with his unconscious (and possibly soulless? Kim Dokja didn't want to think about it too hard) body.
Yoo Sangah, however, hummed thoughtfully. "Um, Dokja-ssi… perhaps I'm reaching a bit, but do you think you possibly activated level three while you were in the ichthyosaur's stomach?"
Huh? Back then? Suddenly, Kim Dokja remembered the moment he had thought was a dream, when he had seen Yoo Joonghyuk waiting for him on the bridge. The protagonist had confirmed that it had really happened, and he had been thinking about Kim Dokja at the time, so…
(Kim Dokja honestly didn't even question the other half of the activation conditions because it would be easier to count the times that Yoo Joonghyuk wasn't on his mind to some degree.)
"... You're right," he breathed out in surprise. "I saw Joonghyuk-ah back then, and I wasn't sure if it was real or not. That situation definitely fits those activation conditions."
And that also meant that Yoo Joonghyuk had been thinking about him back in Chungmuro too, didn't it? Granted, the protagonist was probably cursing out Kim Dokja in his mind for everything that had happened—and maybe even for having to deal with Lee Jihye's awkward questions—because it wouldn't make any sense for the man to have been thinking about him at the time otherwise.
Kim Dokja was so caught up in his own thoughts and theories that he didn't even notice Yoo Joonghyuk glance over at him with something almost like fondness mixed with surprise just barely present in his gaze.
A closer view of the Tyrant King is shown on the screen, and the man is eating snacks while wearing a red robe draped over his shoulders. His crown appears to be more of a wooden wreath, and his black button up isn't all done up, leaving half of his chest out.
He asks for updates on the 'revelation' as an assistant confirms that what they found matches the information they bought. He asks who leaked it, reaching out to a slave holding out a bowl of snacks while another stands by with water, both looking absolutely terrified. The assistant says that it's likely an Apostle who leaked it, and states that the key pieces of information in the book were all true.
The Tyrant King crushes his cookie with an evil smile as he states they're heading to Gwanghwamun and that they must claim the station first. As soon as he hears this, Dokja mentally cheers.
Dokja then concentrates on Minseob, repeating his name over and over in his head until the scene changes to somewhere outside. Minseob looks out a window using a pair of binoculars as Ghostja appears behind him.
"Okay, forget the concubine thing," Jung Heewon muttered with disgust. "That looks horrible."
It absolutely would be horrible, regardless of which situation someone was in. The Tyrant King was absolutely ruthless, and it was no surprise that everyone was so scared of him.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is critical of the fashion choices of the 'Tyrant King'.]
That shirt was definitely a choice. Kim Dokja couldn't say it was a particularly good one, considering that the man wasn't anywhere near as muscular as Yoo Joonghyuk and therefore couldn't take full advantage of a shirt like that, but it was a choice nonetheless.
Actually, Lee Hyunsung could probably pull off that style of shirt, now that he thought about it. Absently, Kim Dokja wondered if that could help him with his little crush. Maybe he should fish for information on Lee Hyunsung's behalf?
Without thinking, Kim Dokja glanced over at Jung Heewon. "Heewon-ssi, what's your opinion on shirts with deep necklines like that?"
Unsurprisingly, everyone looked over at him in confusion after his baffling question. Jung Heewon looked the most confused as she stared at him. "What?"
"Do you think it's attractive?"
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is greatly distressed.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is confused by this turn of events.]
Jung Heewon looked at him like he was crazy. "Um, I don't know? Maybe on someone else?"
Well, yeah, he wasn't asking her if she thought the Tyrant King was good-looking or not.
"If you think that would look good on you, forget it," Han Sooyoung remarked. "You're practically a stick."
He wasn't asking for himself, dammit!
[a constellation who likes fashion agrees with the incarnation 'han sooyoung'.]
Kim Dokja glanced over to the side and realized that Lee Hyunsung looked incredibly troubled, and ah fuck, Kim Dokja definitely hadn't voiced his thought process, had he? Before he had the chance to defend himself, however, he was stopped in his tracks by the protagonist.
"Kim Dokja…" Yoo Joonghyuk growled. "Stop fooling around."
"It's someone wearing a black hood and looking like a chuuni, so there's no doubt," Minseob states with certainty.
Of course, he's the first one here.
A close up of the black hooded figure is shown as Dokja labels them as the plagiarist. Dokja explains that one of the key pieces for the 3rd regression is in Gwanghwamun, making both sides rush to get it first.
Minseob continues speaking, noting that the Kings of Yeongdeungpo, Yongsan, and Seongdong have come as well. Dokja smiles even as Minseob worries.
Dokja's eyes snap open, now back on the floor of Chungmuro station, as a window explains that his skill has been exhausted. Dokja, like a grandfather, groans as he rubs his sore joints. Dokja mentally notes how exhausting the skill is, preventing long-time use and that he didn't get a reward this time. He wonders if he'll only get rewards from [First Person Main Character POV].
Heewon, standing guard nearby, calls out to him as she notices him sitting up. She lets him know that he was talking in his sleep. Dokja—with bed head and all—asks what he said, and Heewon informs him he was saying 'Mom'.
Dokja seems confused, stating that he is somewhat worried about her, but also mentally wondering if Heewon is even telling the truth.
He then stands up, telling Heewon he has a request for her.
"Regarding our upcoming battle in Gwanghwamun…it would be better if you didn't take part in it," Dokja says, causing Heewon to look surprised.
"I should have known you were spying on me," Han Sooyoung sighed. "At least it made everything easier later on."
Oh, it absolutely had. With everyone gathered in one place, it made the final selection so much more convenient.
"It sucks that your skill is so tiring, hyung," Lee Gilyoung said, "but now we know that my idea from earlier totally works!"
The idea from earlier? Oh right, the one about passing secret messages without anyone knowing. It would definitely be worth it.
"True," Kim Dokja mused with a pat to the boy's head. "If you're ever in trouble, remember to think of me so I can find you."
"Okay!" Lee Gilyoung exclaimed, a large smile blossoming on his face. It was adorable, and Kim Dokja couldn't help but smile in return. Maybe this dad thing wasn't so bad… no, wait, what was he thinking? He wasn't fit to be anyone's father-figure.
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is pleased by this sight.]
As soon as the Kim Dokja on the screen gave Jung Heewon her instructions, Yoo Mia glanced over at him. "Oh, that's when you told her to come find me, right?"
Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze was suddenly on him, and he looked pissed off. It made sense, especially considering he definitely considered Kim Dokja to have kidnapped his sister, but Kim Dokja definitely had never intended to hurt her.
"That's right," Jung Heewon confirmed. "We made a pretty good team didn't we?"
Yoo Mia shrugged. "I guess. You're definitely cooler than that ahjussi."
On one hand, Kim Dokja was offended, but on the other, had he finally been upgraded from 'ugly ahjussi', or did she just forget?
She leaned slightly more into her brother's space. "Don't worry, oppa, Heewon-unnie kept me safe."
Yoo Joonghyuk seemed to relax slightly, but he shot Kim Dokja one last glare, probably for good measure. That damn sunfish… oh well. Nothing he could do about it now.