Episode 5. Villain (1)

Episode 5. Villain

「Kim Dokja is the real mastermind」 —Comment from chapter 516 of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

*

When a person faints frequently, there comes a moment when they realize that they are fainting.

If Ji Eunyoo, the editor in charge, had heard me, she would have said, "If you know that, you

haven't fainted", putting me in a state of philosophical tension. But fortunately, Ji Eunyoo was

not here.

So, to put it simply,

「I have fainted now.」

At this rate, I'm probably going to faint more than Kim Dokja, the "fainting man", so that's not

good.

I forced my eyes open.

It was pitch black.

I hadn't woken up yet. I blinked hard, again and again, but all I could see was darkness.

Something about this darkness felt familiar.

And the feel of the chair against my back. The comfort of my arms on the armrests.

This was a theater.

To be precise, it looked a lot like the theater where 'Kim Dokja's Banquet' took place. When I casually glanced to the side, there were children sitting in the empty seats.

I wondered if they were watching a movie as a group, but when I looked closer, I saw that they

were all Kim Dokja.

I felt a chill down my spine.

I was thinking about Kim Dokja too much.

Is that why I'm having this crazy dream?

I rubbed my eyes and looked around again.

I looked again, and they were indeed kkoma Kim Dokjas.

They didn't seem to notice me at all, and most of them were looking ahead, yawning, or doing

something else.

I couldn't figure out what I was dreaming about, both symbolically and metaphorically.

「"Oh, shit, this is crazy, this is ridiculous."」

A voice came from the screen, as if echoing my thoughts.

I looked at the screen along the Kim Dokjas. A movie had been playing there for some time.

「"Ahjussi! Wake up!"」

Through the pile of rubble, I could see the faces of Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi.

I had a rough idea of what was going on. It must have happened right after I fell off the Dongho

Bridge.

After spitting out the dirt in his mouth, Dansoo ahjussi asked.

「"What happened to Inho-ssi?"」

As soon as he woke up, Dansoo ahjussi looked for me.

The first colleague I met.

I could tell by his expression: he was genuinely worried about me.

「"I don't know."」

Kyung Sein said, shaking her head helplessly.

「"Heewon-nim is gone, too."

"I remember Inho-ssi pushing us, but...."

"Maybe he was trying to save us."」

The two began to search the area, as if looking for any trace of me, and it wasn't long before they

spotted something in the collapsed ruins.

「"I think there was a fight here. Could it be a monster?"

"There is a monster...."」

Seeing the body of the poisonous rhinoceros, Kyung Sein's expression hardened.

「At that moment, she realized what had happened.」

Her voice trembled slightly as she continued.

「"I think Inho-ssi and Heewon-nim met Yoo Joonghyuk."

"Yoo Joonghyuk?"

"I think he's left now."

"Do you think Inho-ssi went with him?"

"I don't think so... There are traces of someone fighting here."

"A fight?"

"I think so. I think Yoo Joonghyuk might have attacked them first...."

"Then Inho-ssi and Heewon-ssi—"

After a moment of silence, Kyung Sein said as if determined.

「"I'm sure they're not dead. You know Inho-ssi isn't just a regular reader."」

Kyung Sein glanced toward the tunnel leading to Geumho Station.

「In fact, she was already awake when Yoo Junghyuk passed by her. But she didn't move

immediately. That's because her skill [Sixth Sense] warned her. 」

She had such a skill.

「[Sixth Sense] was telling her. If you wake up now, you will surely die. So Kyung Sein kept

pretending to faint until Yoo Joonghyuk's presence completely disappeared.」

If she had moved then, she might have really died.

Looking toward the direction of Dongho Bridge, where Jung Heewon and I had fallen, Kyung

Sein clenched her fists and spoke.

「"For now, I think we should return to Geumho Station."

"But Inho-ssi is still...."

"If Inho-ssi and Heewon-nim are alive, they'll go there too. We don't know what's around, so it's

dangerous for us to stay here by ourselves."

"...."」

Ahjussi had lingering eyes, but Kyung Sein's judgment was correct. The two of them would

certainly have a hard time when they couldn't even catch a single ground rat.

「"You saw the dead one-horned rhinoceros, it's impossible for us to find the two of them on our

own. We should come back with the Cheoldoo Group... if they're still alive."

Suddenly, I realized I could trust her in my absence.

She knew exactly what resources we had. I also liked the fact that she didn't forget to check.

The determined kkoma Kim Dokja was smiling subtly, as if he liked that fact.

The girl knows what she's doing.

「There is one thing Kyung Sein must do first. Prevent Yoo Junghyuk from destroying the

Cheoldoo Group.」

At best, I've incited Bang Cheolsoo to remove the danger from Geumho Station. We can't let that

crazy Yoo Joonghyuk destroy our peaceful Geumho Station.

Dansoo ahjussi finally agreed, and the two of them hurried to Geumho Station.

Along the way, when they encountered a group of ground rats, they ran away from them, and

when one appeared, they bravely fought it off.

I wonder how long they ran like that.

Finally, Geumho Station appeared in front of them.

Kyung Sein stood against the tunnel wall, stopping Dansoo ahjussi from entering the station.

「"Wait."」

Sharing her vision, I felt a chill in the pit of my stomach.

A black coat fluttered in the light breeze.

「There was Yoo Joonghyuk.」

Yoo Joonghyuk looked up and down Geumho Station, then tilted his head in disbelief.

「"A total of 134 people. That's strange. How did so many survive?"」

That psychopathic bastard. If a lot of people surived, you should be glad.

Apparently, a man at Geumho Station was thinking the same thing.

「"Who are you?"」

The men walked toward Yoo Joonghyuk with a stern expression. It was the Cheoldoo Group.

「"I'm asking you, who are you?"」

In exactly three steps, the man's limbs twisted and he fell to the ground.

At least Kim Dokja and I were in good shape, but we were beaten up after making a statement. When I looked over, I saw that kkoma Kim Dokja had a insidious grin on his face.

「"Kyaaaak!"

"W-what's going on!"」

As the man screamed, Bang Cheolsoo and the rest of the Cheoldoo Group, who had noticed the

commotion, rushed over.

Thanks to my training, Bang Cheolsoo didn't lunge at him spitting profanities, but instead asked

calmly.

「"Who do you think you are? This is our territory."

"Bang Cheolsoo. Are you the leader?"」

Bang Cheolsoo thought for a moment.

I wondered if he was already gauging the angle of betrayal.

「"Our leader is a man named Cheon Inho."」

Luckily, he didn't betray me, but it didn't make things any better.

「"Cheon Inho has already taken over."」

Yoo Joonghyuk started to misunderstand. He shook his head a few times, then looked around as

if he had the whole situation figured out.

「"Cheon Inho is already dead. The marginalized group can come out in peace. I'll show you how

to get food from now on."」

But none of the people moved, just stared at Yoo Joonghyuk with fear in their eyes and stepped

back. Some of them were shocked to hear that I was dead.

Yoo Joonghyuk spoke again.

「"I said the marginalized group to come out."

"There is no such thing as a marginalized group. What are you talking about?"

"Shut up."」

Under Yoo Joonghyuk's grip, Bang Cheolsoo's body fell to the ground. Yoo Joonghyuk crushed

the wriggling Bang Cheolsoo with his foot. He looked at the people of the station and said.

「"No one will bother you anymore. There's no need to follow them."

"Kuk, my...."

"The scenarios ahead will not be easy. If you don't move now, you'll live as slaves forever."」

This was Yoo Joonghyuk's first encounter with the people of Geumho Station.

It was unexpected. He must have seen the same scene and said the same words dozens of times.

By the way, that bastard Yoo Joonghyuk talks like an army instructor on an incomplete topic.

I looked over and saw kkoma Kim Dokja nodding his head.

Somehow, I thought I'd like this kkoma.

「"You won't be this lucky in the future. Those of you who want to survive, move forward right

now—"

"Let him go!」

I wondered if there was a kkoma Kim Dokja over there, too, but it wasn't him but a girl I didn't

recognize.

A woman who appeared to be the girl's mom came running out and quickly hugged her.

「"Da-Dayoung! Don't do that!"

"But that bad guy is bullying Cheolsoo ahjussi!"」

Suddenly, I remembered who the mother and daughter were.

Aka 'Dayoung and her mother'.

There were definitely people like that in Geumho Station.

A member of the marginalized group who fought against the 'mainstream group' in the main

story of 'Omniscient Reader'.

Dayoung shouted.

「"Cheolsoo ahjussi didn't do anything wrong! Why are you bullying him!"」

Dayoung's mom quickly hid her behind her. But her daughter's cries moved her.

Finally, Dayoung's mom spoke up.

「"Why are you doing this? What do you want?"」

Yoo Joonghyuk's eyebrows shot up at her words.

「"You still haven't come to your senses. Did Cheon Inho threaten you? I already said he's dead."

"I wasn't threatened. I don't know what the hell you're talking about...."

"He took away your food. He used you as slaves, and he sent suicide commandos on the ground

in the name of scouting. And you're going to forgive him for that?"」

With those words, Yoo Joonghyuk kicked Bang Cheolsoo on the floor once more.

Dayoung's mother couldn't take it anymore, so she pulled him to his feet. Bang Cheolsoo

lowered his head in shame.

As Dayoung's mother looked at his injured face and then looked back at Yoo Joonghyuk as if she

had decided something.

「"I don't know what you're talking about. Cheolsoo-ssi didn't do that. He gave us food."

"He gave you food?"」

Yoo Joonghyuk stopped and looked around, suddenly realizing that something was wrong with

the atmosphere at the station.

「"What do you mean?"

"It's exactly what it sounds like."」

With Dayoung's mother words, the people behind her began to chime in.

「"Cheolsoo-ssi was taking care of us."

"That's right! You don't even know what he was doing, asshole!"

"Cheolsoo-ssi, come here, you didn't do anything wrong!"」

These were all people who we gave food to.

Bang Cheolsoo cried as he was supported by the crowd.

It was then that someone asked.

「"Hey, what do you mean Cheon Inho-ssi is dead?"」

Yoo Joonghyuk took a moment to answer.

「"It is as I said."

"Did you kill him?"」

Dayoung's mother asked, and Yoo Joonghyuk didn't answer. Dayoung's mother lameted in a

mutter.

「"Why would you do that... After the first scenario, he was the only one who cared about us,

and I thought enough terrible things had already happened....."」

People glared at Yoo Joonghyuk and started chattering. When Yoo Joonghyuk slowly raised his head to face them, the frightened crowd took a couple

steps back.

The Cheoldoo Group filled their spots. Nervously, they each grabbed a pipe and stepped forward

to protect the people.

They looked ready to fight if Yoo Joonghyuk charged at them at any moment.

「"Leave!"」

Dayoung shouted, pointing at Yoo, and the crowd chanted in unison.

「"Get lost! Get lost!"

"Get out of our station now!"

"Bring back Inho-ssi!"」

The people shouted.

Yoo Joonghyuk glanced down at the small box of snacks that flew toward him.

Perhaps he had seen the people of this station many times.

He had saved them, killed them, taught them, and rejected them.

And he had given them up.

「Yoo Joonghyuk looked around wordlessly.」

I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

I just prayed that he wouldn't suddenly go crazy and kill everyone.

I don't know how much time passed.

Yoo Joonghyuk slipped his hand into his chest.

Author's Note

Please save them