Beginning of the scenarios (1)

A fluffy creature with two small horns and wearing a small straw mat floated in the air.

As Klein put on his earphones linked to a translating device, numerous sentences entered his ears.

"Dokkaebi?"

"What is this?"

"Augmented reality?"

Then, the creature spoke.

[Ah. Ah. Does this sound good? Ah, I had a hard time because the Korean patch didn't work. Everyone, can you hear my words?]

Klein turned his gaze and observed everyone.

As a familiar language was being spoken, people's expressions relaxed. The first one to step up was a big man in a suit.

"Hey, what are you doing right now?"

[…Huh?]

He could see the dokkaebi's bewilderment and irritation at the same time.

"Are you filming? I have to go because I have to quickly get to an audition."

Klein tilted his head, wondering what kind of situation he would encounter this time.

Due to experience, the recently promoted pillar adapted well. He could consider this to be a type of Beyonder event… (possibly orchestrated by Tianzun, but that was a detail).

[Ah, auditions. That's right. This is also an audition. Haha, there was a shortage of data. I just entered when it was monetized at 7 p.m.]

"What? What are you talking about?"

[Now, now. All of you, relax in your seats and listen to me. From now on, I will tell you something very important!]

Klein's gaze was empty as the situation unfolded.

"What? Quickly get off the train!"

"Somebody call the captain!"

"What are they doing without the cooperation of the citizens?"

"Mother, what is that? A cartoon?"

[Haha, you are really loud.]

Was he too cold now?

[I told you to be quiet.]

The dokkaebi's eyes turned red. Something burst, and the subway became silent. However, Klein wasn't fazed in the slightest and only stared at everything with empty eyes.

Beyonder events, dreams of the end of the world and the death of his loves ones… He had seen too many lives end until now, could a few more matter?

…He should really worry about his lack of humanity. That was really a bad mentality to have. Such a shame Miss Justice wasn't here right now…

But, ah, right, she was dead. He had forgotten due to the long sleep, he even thought he had seen her in his dreams.

Who knows, maybe Xin Jian's existence was also an illusion created by his subconscious in his dreams to relieve his loneliness?

Klein had difficulty differentiating between dreams and reality.

"Ah…"

He realized something.

"Uh, uh. Uh…" There was a big hole in the forehead of the unknown actor who had to go to the audition. The man who had spoken several times collapsed on the spot.

[This isn't a movie shoot.]

There was a cracking sound once again. This time, it was the person talking about the captain.

"It is a dream, isn't it…?" Klein murmured dreamily.

[It isn't a dream. It isn't a novel either.]

One, two… Blood sprayed into the air as the heads of some people started to burst. They were all the people who had protested against the dokkaebi, as well as the ones who screamed or went wild. Those who caused the slightest fuss had a hole in their heads. Suddenly, the subway became a bloodbath.

[This isn't the 'reality' that you know. Do you understand? So everyone shut up and listen to me.]

Klein lazily turned his head to the dokkaebi.

More than half the people present here had died. Blood and body pieces filled the subway. Now, the people didn't scream. Like primitive apes in front of a powerful predator, everyone just watched the dokkaebi with terror.

[Everyone, your lives have been nice so far. Isn't that right?]

Klein slightly raised his hand.

…Should he kill it?

However, he had a feeling that the situation couldn't be so simple. He restrained this impulse and made a divination.

'Will this situation be resolved if I kill it now?'

The answer was 'no'.

That meant that there could be someone else behind this.

'Is this massacre caused by the creature in front of me?'

Yes.

'Is there someone else behind this?'

The divination failed. However, his spiritual intuition told him that it was the case.

The statement had either been too vague or an extremely strong entity was hindering his divination. Except if this situation was all Tianzun's scheme and it was indeed a dream, Klein preferred the former.

'Is this situation also happening in other places?'

Yes.

"…"

Klein looked around at the terrified expressions of other people and decided to observe.

[You have been living too long for free. Isn't life too generous? You were born and paid no price for breathing, eating, pooping and breeding! Ha! You really live in a good world!]

"…"

[But now the good days are over. How long can you continue living for free? If you want to enjoy happiness, it is common sense to pay a price. Isn't that right?]

The gasping people couldn't answer. Then at that time, someone carefully raised their hand.

"D-Do you want money? I will give you money. Take it. Please note that I am a person like this." Department Head Han pulled out his business card as people cheered him on. It was the atmosphere of a savior fighting against terrorists. "How much do you want? A big one? Or two?"

The dokkaebi answered the naive human.

[Hrmm, you are giving me money?]

"T-That's right! The cash I have right now isn't much but… I can give you anything if you let me out of here."

[Money, good. A plant fibre that many humans mutually agree on.]

The Great Old One observed the situation with lifeless eyes. Even the money that had been precious to him now became meaningless.

'Indeed, humans are vain creatures…'

These past few years of dreams had broken him down.

The department head's expression brightened. It was an 'Indeed, money is everything' expression.

"Now, this is all I have―"

[It only applies in your time and space.]

"Huh?"

In the next moment, flames appeared in the air, and the cheques in the department head's hands burned up. Department Head Han let out a scream.

[That paper has no value in the macrocosm world. If you do this one more time, I will blow away your head.]

Klein stared coldly at the flying ashes, nearly surprised at his own indifference towards money.

"U-Uhhh…" Fear once again spread on the faces of the people present.

The only reader who knew what was going to happen in the future didn't exist in this timeline; he was now in a flying train gazing down at this cabin and the one next to it.

[Phew, the debt is piling up during the time when you are noisy. Well, yes. Rather than explain it a hundred times, isn't it quicker for you to make money yourself?]

The dokkaebi's horns rose like they were antennas, and its body floated to the ceiling of the train.

A moment later, a message rang out.

[#BI-7623 channel is open.]

[The constellations have entered.]

A small window emerged in front of everyone's blank eyes.

[The main scenario has arrived!]

+

[Main Scenario #1 – Proof of Value]

Category: Main

Difficulty: F

Clear Conditions: Kill one or more creatures.

Time Limit: 30 minutes

Compensation: 300 coins

Failure: Death

+

The dokkaebi smiled faintly as it became transparent and disappeared into the next space.

[Then, good luck everyone. Please show me an interesting story.]

Klein sighed tiredly.

Even in his sleep, he had to work during the past few years… Couldn't he have even a moment of rest…?

People reacted differently after the dokkaebi disappeared. Some people tried to get out of the train while others called the police.

Klein raised the corners of his lips and smiled like a clown.

It was a twisted, exaggerated smile.

Even though the previous dokkaebi had left, the voice of another one reached his ears. As expected, the situation was also taking place in other locations, maybe everywhere in the country—everywhere on this planet.

[Everyone, I've told you already. This isn't a game like 'terrorism.']

[Do you still not understand? This won't do. Do you still feel like this is a game?]

[Haha, according to the data, the people of this country are very good at games. So, why don't I try raising the difficulty?]

Beeep. A huge timer appeared in the air. At the same time, it started decreasing rapidly.

[The remaining time has been decreased by 10 minutes.]

[There are 10 minutes remaining.]

[If the first killing doesn't occur within the next five minutes, all lives in that carriage will be wiped out.]

Now that he thought about it…

"W-What is this? Is it a joke?"

"Didn't you hear the message just now? Hey, didn't you hear it?"

"Soldier-nim! What do we do now? Why isn't the police coming?"

"Everyone, calm down and listen to me―"

If anyone remained alive in this situation, wouldn't that mean that they were a criminal?

Only the innocent would die, so wouldn't it be better to just kill them now? Moreover, his spiritual intuition whispered to him that killing more people would be beneficial in the future.

Not registering his surroundings, Klein threw up a coin.

'I should kill everyone here.'

The answer was…

'Yes.'

(Source: ORV chapters 1 and 2)