Episode 9. Words That Can't Be Said (1)
Episode 9. Words That Can't Be Said
It was around the time I was writing the episode 'Disaster of Floods'.
When Kim Dokja was beaten and his intestines were torn off by the 41st turn Shin Yooseung, Ji
Eunyoo said something like this.
「"Author-nim. Don't you think it's a bit unlikely that he's still in his right mind with a hole in his
stomach?"」
I don't know what I said then.
I think I said something like this.
In fantasy, you can have your limbs cut off and a hole in your stomach, but your mouth is still
alive.
And then I said.
「"Kim Dokja has the [Fourth Wall]."」
Even if you don't have the [Fourth Wall], the most important thing is mental strength.
At that time, I thought I could overcome anything with mental strength. I believed that if I
couldn't overcome something, it was because I didn't have enough mental strength.
If I could go back to that time, I would slap myself in the back of the head.
I'm sorry. Kim Dokja-ssi.
I was wrong.
It hurts a lot.
I begged and begged and begged Kim Dokja, in pain that felt like my body was going to break in
half. How many times did I beg until someone answered.
「... ... ...」
It was a very faint voice. I couldn't hear what was being said, but I could clearly see that they
were very compassionate and warm words.
The pain eased a little.
In my blurry vision, I could see a thread wrapped around my stomach. I brought my hand to the
warm threads.
Beyond the fluttering thread, brown hair fluttered like flower petals.
「... ...」
I wanted to ask.
Who are you, where am I?
Why did you save me.
「... ...」
My consciousness continued to drift, the words slipping away.
I felt someone hold my hand, and something inside me stirred and rose. Like it was [Incite], it
was like a weight had been lifted off me.
I wanted to say.
I can't do this alone.
I can't change the world, I can't protect people.
I wanted to say, please help me, protect the people.
Then the person on the other side of the thread spoke.
「I can't.」
*
"Inho-ssi! Inho-ssi!"
When I opened my eyes, Kyung Sein and Jung Heewon were in front of me.
"He's awake! Inho-ssi woke up too!"
Chungmuro.
It seemed that I had safely returned to the place where my body was.
I casually looked down at my stomach, which was safe and sound.
"What the hell is going on? Everyone suddenly collapsed, and Inho-ssi wouldn't wake up...."
Jung Heewon sighed heavily as she held my shoulder tightly.
No one had told Jung Heewon what we'd been through, judging by the way Kyung Sein was
avoiding my eyes. Perhaps it was a natural judgment.
"Inho-ssi. Are you okay? Did you hit your head somewhere?"
"No. I'm fine, thank you."
Jung Heewon put her hand on my forehead and stood up.
"Stay here for a while, I'll get you something to drink."
While Jung Heewon was gone, Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi quickly sat down next to me.
"Inho-ssi, you've been there all this time, right?"
"Yes... But wait a minute."
I closed my eyes for a moment and organized what had happened in my head.
There were four main pieces of information I learned from the 'theater'.
One, in the theater, the 'kkoma Kim Dokjas' are watching us.
Two, 'RepresentativeKimDokja' has a grudge against Kim Dokja.
Three, 'RepresentativeKimDokja' is a 'character'.
Four, someone saved me from 'RepresentativeKimDokja'.
Each piece of information was shocking and hard to put into context.
All I know is that 'RepresentativeKimDokja' is up to something, and he's using us to plan
something.
And...
「... Company!」
After hearing that last part, I lost consciousness, and I don't remember exactly what happened
after that.
I could barely remember that someone escorted me out of that space.
A few deductions flashed through my mind, then quickly disappeared.
「No way.」
When I opened my eyes, Kyung Sein chimed in as if she'd been waiting.
"Inho-ssi, he brought us here, right? RepresentativeKimDokja."
"Yes. It looks like it."
"I didn't see him like that, but I'm really disappointed. How many times did I read the
'Encyclopedia of Omniscient Reader' that he wrote—"
I was about to say that this RepresentativeKimDokja and that RepresentativeKimDokja must be
different people, but I shut my mouth.
It didn't matter at this point.
"But he said that if we somehow prevented the destruction, he would let us go home...."
Will 'RepresentativeKimDokja' keep his promise?
I don't know.
If I had to guess, I'd say that since he's an 'outer god', and we have an 'outer world covenant', his
promise is valid.
That is, if we somehow managed to prevent the scenario's destruction.
"I thought Inho-ssi was in trouble because you woke up late. Did anything happen?"
I kept the story short, leaving out the details. There were a lot of people around, and I didn't think
it was the right time.
"I don't know if it's a bug or what, but I was the only one there for a while, even after everyone
else disappeared."
"Inho mate, maybe."
At my words, Dansoo ahjussi squeezed my hand. I held his hand back lightly and shook my
head.
"I'm sorry, I didn't find Jiyoon."
"Oh."
Dansoo ahjussi's expression quickly darkened.
"It's not time to give up just yet. There were a lot of kids around Jiyoon's age that I didn't get to
talk to."
"Really?"
To tell the truth, there weren't that many people that were Jiyoon's age, but it wouldn't do any
good to tell him that now.
Kyung Sein also helped.
"That's right. Ahjussi. Plus this world is 'Omniscient Reader's. Even if the worst comes to the
worst, there's always a way out."
"You're right, Sein-ssi."
This world is Omniscient Reader's.
If someone dies here, it doesn't mean they're dead forever.
There are constellations in this world that rule the afterlife, and all dead souls go there.
But I wonder if my readers and I can go to the underworld.
Maybe, like the 41st turn Shin Yooseung, we will be lost in the world without going anywhere.
As I thought about it, I suddenly felt fear.
「Where did all the readers who have already died go?」
As I stared blankly at the stairwell leading upstairs, I saw the 7th Apostle Ye Hyunwoo
descending with some people.
"Inho-ssi, are you up?"
I bowed slightly as he rushed over to greet me.
After glancing around, Ye Hyunwoo whispered in a low voice.
"Inho-ssi, you were 'there' too, right?"
"Yes."
"It's a pity. If I knew your face, I would have greeted you."
Perhaps Ye Hyunwoo was also in the theater. Which one of them he was, I don't know. Some
readers would know.
"There will be another chance next time. What's going on?"
There was a bustle of people coming down from upstairs. Voices shouting with urgency. I could
see them busily moving materials around.
"Oh, that."
Judging by the hardened expression on Ye Hyunwoo's face, something must have happened
while I was asleep.
"Inho-ssi!"
Jung Heewon ran over with water from a distance, and her expression was grave.
I got up from my seat, wondering what was going on.
[All the 'green zones' in this region have been destroyed and the main scenario has collapsed.]
An unexpected message came through.
[The difficulty is automatically adjusted according to the remaining schedule of the scenario.]
This can't be happening.
This is starting now?
[The scenario content is updated!]
+
Category: Main
Difficulty: B-
Clear Conditions: All the 'green zones' in the region have been destroyed and the monsters that
were going to be created in the remaining days have suddenly run wild. Survive against the flood
of monsters for the remaining time.
Time Limit: 8 hours
Reward: 2,000 coins
Failure: —
+
I recalled the description of 'Emergency Defense Battle' in Omniscient Reader.
「Once the 'Green Zone' scenario is sped, the monsters supposed to be created during the
remaining time would emerge all at once.」
The timing was faster than when Kim Dokja fought the 'Emergency Defense Battle'.
In other words, we'd have to deal with a much larger number of monsters than he did in
Omniscient Reader.
A pensive Kyung Sein looked at me and muttered.
"I-Inho-ssi. What should we do?"
In the former Omniscient Reader, Kim Dokja and his group destroyed all the 'green zones', and
an 'emergency defense battle' was held.
But now, there is no Kim Dokja in Chungmuro.
So why did the scenario start?
[The 'green zones' were destroyed too quickly.]
[The difficulty of 'Emergency Defense Battle' will be adjusted.]
[People will be banned from entering the station from now on.]
['Emergency Defense Battle' will begin in five minutes!]
Fortunately, we were given time to prepare.
I quickly looked back at my companions and said.
"It's okay. Everybody calm down."
Even if the scenario was more difficult than the original, in the end, the point of 'Emergency
Defense Battle' was to fend off from a group of 9th grade underground species 'ground rats' and
8th grade underground species 'grolls'.
In that case, the situation was not bad.
Thanks to Ye Hyunwoo's performance, we had Gong Pildu's assistance, and most importantly,
we had....
"We have the strongest card, don't we?"
Ye Hyunwoo asked with a smile.
"Do you happen to have a hidden hand?"
"I'm talking about Yoo Joonghyuk."
The 41st turn Yoo Joonghyuk.
If the monster who could beat a poisonous rhinoceros from the beginning teamed up with Gong
Pildu, 'Emergency Defense Battle' would be no problem.
Of course, whether or not Yoo Joonghyuk would help us is a separate story, but judging by the
atmosphere so far....
"Kids, get up! Now is not the time to play around! Dammit. This is why I was...."
Gong Pildu's shout rang out.
The people who had gotten the artillery from somewhere began to quickly build up a fort in the
middle of the platform.
But... Where did Yoo Joonghyuk go?
"Inho-ssi."
Ye Hyunwoo's expression was dark as he turned around.
"I didn't tell you earlier. Why I was fighting with Yoo Joonghyuk."
I didn't get to hear Ye Hyunwoo's story because we were suddenly summoned by
RepresentativeKimDokja.
"I didn't fight him because I wanted to. As a reader who finished the story, there's no way I
would choose to fight that monster."
"Then...."
"That bastard tried to destroy all of Chungmuro's 'green zones'."
I got a little goosebumps.
By the 41st turn, Yoo Joonghyuk should have known that 'Emergency Defense Battle' would
start when all of Chungmuro's 'green zones' were destroyed.
"Where is Yoo Joonghyuk?"
"He went upstairs. When we were asleep, he smashed all the remaining green zones."
Ye Hyunwoo said through gritted teeth.
At that moment, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
"Uh, ahjussi. You woke up?"
It was Lee Jihye.
"Master said to tell you. Hmmmm."
Clearing her throat, Lee Jihye put her hands on her hips and mimicked Yoo Joonghyuk.
"If you're really Cheon Inho, you can do this alone."
I didn't need to ask what she meant by that.
['Emergency Defense Battle' has begun!]
Lee Jihye added with a smile.
"Then I'll be watching over there."
With those words, Lee Jihye jumped up to the top of the stairwell.
Honestly, I wanted her to help, but I didn't have time to convince her right now.
Gong Pildu called out in a loud voice.
"Here we go. Gather round, everyone!"
It was a relief to have him on our side.
Standing next to me, Ye Hyunwoo said in a low voice.
"Don't worry too much. I've been working hard since the first day to prepare for something like
this. Although we're a little ahead of schedule...."
Ye Hyunwoo climbed onto the fort and stood tall like an experienced captain, instructing
everyone.
"Take your positions! We'll go as we practiced this morning!"
Apparently, they had already practiced the formation, so they didn't panic and prepared to take
cover behind the fort.
I was impressed again.
It was a different atmosphere from the one Geumho Station had when I left.
People moving in an orderly fashion, like a well-trained army.
I wondered what kept them so united.
"Who protects our land?"
"We protect it!"
I remembered in hindsight.
That's right. Chungmuro was like that.
A fortress of the 'Landlord Alliance', controlled by the landowner Gong Pildu.
It was Ye Hyunwoo who commanded the fortress now.
"According to my calculations, this is around the fourth stage of the Invincible Castellan
techtree, and with the synergy of the Invincible Siege Formation, we should be able to handle
Emergency Defense Battle. We're still at the third stage of the techtree, but at this rate, we'll be
there soonᅳ"
I don't understand why this guy is still only the 7th Apostle.
Killer King should immediately give up his 2nd place to Ye Hyunwoo.
"We'll help too."
Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi exchanged glances as they each grabbed their weapons.
"Inho-ssi."
And Jung Heewon, standing in front of me.
"Don't step up and recover, and stay well hidden behind me."
Kyung Sein stepped forward with her shield, and Dansoo ahjussi gathered the bugs with his
bamboo stick.
And as I watched Ye Hyunwoo adjusting his formation next to Gong Pildu, I suddenly
remembered RepresentativeKimDokja's words.
「"All he cares about is the life and death of
His words weren't entirely audible. In the end, the only thing Kim Dokja was able to save was
But his story was recorded and told. And there were readers who read the story.
People who remembered better than anyone else how they fought and what kind of life they
lived.
「And so, the story is not over yet.」
In the distance, the cries of ground rats could be heard, followed by an ominous vibration coming
from the tunnel side of the station.
Ye Hyunwoo shouted.
"Everyone, defend your land thoroughly! Gong Pildu ahjussi and I will take care of the rest!"
In the darkness, I could see the ground rats swarming like a flock of cockroaches.
After completing the inspection of [Private Property] and [Armed Zone], Ye Hyunwoo sent out
the signal.
"Fire!"
Emergency Defense Battle began.
*
From downstairs came the sound of the firing of mini-turrets.
The woman bit the candy in her mouth with a crackling sound.
She dusted herself off and stood up.
"It's started. We should get going."
[The constellation 'Sneaking Schemer' asks if you're really not going to help.]
"Why help them? Our purpose is not to help them, have you forgotten already?"
[The constellation 'Sneaking Schemer' nods hesitantly.]
"We don't have time to help them in the first place, you saw where that sunfish bastard went."
The woman in the white coat glared up at the stairs to the upper level.
[The constellation 'Sneaking Schemer' says that sneaky bastard is a problem.]
The woman pulled out a new lemon-flavored candy and said, biting it.
"He's growing faster than I thought. If he gets stronger here, he could be hard to control."
[The constellation 'Sneaking Schemer' is in deep thought.]
"Our only chance is now. If he goes 'there', he'll surely show an opening."
The woman looked back down the stairwell one last time.
Cheon Inho and the people from Chungmuro were fighting a bloody battle.
The woman stared at the scene for a moment, as if trying to hold it in her eyes, before turning
away and saying.
"This ends the 41st turn."
Author's Note
Thank you. Thank you.