Episode 10 – Future War (5)

After coming down from the theater, I headed straight to Myeongdong Station with Lee Hyunsung and Yoo Sangah. Dongmyo Station was important but there was something to be done first.

I killed the Myeongdong Representative and taken the flag so I had to hurry and occupy the empty station.

Lee Hyunsung spoke in a worried tone.

“Is it okay with just us?”

“There won’t be a fight. I will decide what to do with them. If I leave it alone, they will die soon.”

The ‘wanderers’ who lost their group would become prey to other groups if they weren’t lucky. Just like the Landlord Alliance members who left Chungmuro Station.

But the moment we arrived at Myeongdong Station, we saw an unexpected sight. The people in Myeongdong Station had already been hit by someone. It was also very gruesome.

I saw a group of men standing near Myeongdong Station. The men were flustered and quickly fled in the direction of Hoehyeong Station. It wasn’t easy to chase them because they had bikes.

It was as if they knew I was coming. There was more than one or two odd things.

Lee Hyunsung asked, “Who are these people? What happened?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Even Dokja-ssi doesn’t know…”

Lee Hyunsung gulped nervously. Fortunately, the flag holder of Myeongdong Station was empty.

[Currently there is no group occupying Myeongdong Station.]

[Are you sure you want to take over the station?]

I plugged the flag into the flag holder and pulled it out again. Then a flag that was the same as mine appeared in the flag holder.

[You have occupied Myeongdong Station.]

[A station that has been occupied can’t be taken from you unless the ‘main base’ or flag is taken away.]

[Currently Occupied: Chungmuro (Main Base), Myeongdong]

[The achievement points of the red flag are rising.]

The red colour of the flag turned darker.

[Your influence has expanded by taking over a new station.]

[The hidden scenario has arrived!]

[The King’s Road has begun!]

+

[Hidden Scenario – King’s Road]

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: A

Clear Conditions: Take over a minimum of 10 stations within the time limit.

Time Limit: 10 days

Reward: The attribute of a ‘king’.

Failure: If you can’t take over a minimum of one station per day, you and your group members will all die.

+

I finally arrived at the terrible hidden scenario. Once I started this quest, I couldn’t turn back. There were only two fates for a king.

Become a king or die.

[The new king candidate has started to walk along his road!]

From now on, it was the full-fledge flag struggle.

*  * *

I returned to Chungmuro, gathered the party members and told them about the hidden scenario. Jung Heewon made an interested expression while Lee Hyunsung looked confused. Yoo Sangah was as anxious as always.

“It sounds like a difficult scenario… Dokja-ssi, will it be okay?”

“It’s okay.”

An angel or a fool.. In this situation, they were worried rather than jealous about the hidden scenario.

Lee Hyunsung said, “I’m glad that Dokja-ssi is the king candidate.”

“Thank you.”

“Then should I call you Your Majesty?”

I was hit in the head by Jung Heewon after being touched by Lee Hyunsung’s serious words.

“I don’t want that.”

“Your Majesty, based on this hidden scenario, shouldn’t we go occupy a new station right away? You should think about the lives of your subjects.” Jung Heewon said sarcastically.

I nodded.

“I think we need to find out about the people who attacked us. I’ll go straight to Dongmyo. Jung Heewon-ssi and Lee Hyunsung-ssi, will you go with me?”

Yoo Sangah raised her hand at my words.

“Then I…”

“Yoo Sangah-ssi will stay here.”

“Ah, really… on the other hand, more…”

I listened to Yoo Sangah’s voice and it sounded glum. Perhaps Yoo Sangah was thinking that she was useless.

Her damage wasn’t as strong as Jung Heewon and she didn’t have a strong physique like Lee Hyunsung. In addition, she didn’t have a powerful trump card like Gilyoung.

“Yoo Sangah-ssi.”

“…Yes?”

All her previous ‘specs’ had become obsolete in this new world. But she was too good to be jealous of other people. Thus, her inferiority complex was quietly festering.

“Yoo Sangah, not everyone can do the same things well.”

“Yes, I am aware of that.” Yoo Sangah smiled weakly.

I spoke carefully so that she wouldn’t feel it was an admonishment. “Do you remember the words that you said on the subway? Dokja has a solo life and I will…”

“I will have an ivory life. Yes, I remember. I wrote it on the notepad of my smartphone.”

Why did she look so elated? In any case, I couldn’t hate it. I continued speaking.

“Yoo Sangah-ssi has things to do here. I can’t leave the unconscious Gilyoung alone. I need someone to monitor Gong Pildu and to control the nervous group members.”

Yoo Sangah’s eyes shook.

“Besides, the Hoehyeon forces must be kept in check. They might attack while we’re away. Gong Pildu is here but Yoo Sangah’s Binding Thread might be necessary.”

“C-Can I do this role well…?”

Yoo Sangah spoke weakly because of her low self-esteem.

“Hey everyone. In that way… I will give Yoo Sangah-ssi a job position. What do you think?”

Lee Hyunsung and Jung Heewon thought for a moment before nodding.

“Okay, I can trust it if it is Yoo Sangah.”

“King… if you wish then do so…”

I glared at Jung Heewon. Did she think that was funny right now?

[You are using the unique permissions of a representative.]

[Chungmuro Station’s representative, Kim Dokja is transferring some of his authority to group member ‘Yoo Sangah.’]

[Group member ‘Yoo Sangah’ has become the deputy of Chungmuro Station.]

[In the future, group member ‘Yoo Sangah’ can deal out punishments on behalf of the representative.]

Yoo Sangah looked at me with stunned eyes and stuttered. She looked terrified.

“G-Giving, giving this position to me…”

“I will leave it to Yoo Sangah-ssi.”

I meant it. Once again, not everyone could do the same things well. Based on what I remembered, Yoo Sangah would be appropriate for this.

Yoo Sangah was the best person in the human resources department, not someone else.

“Oh…I’ll do my best.”

Yoo Sangah bowed before slowly raising her head. Tears could be seen in her eyes.

*  * *

We headed straight for the tunnel on the east side.

We had to pass three stops before arriving at Dongmyo. We moved with the fainted Kang Ilhun. Honestly, taking this guy was a burden but I needed him to identify the faces. When I looked back at Chungmuro, I could hear Yoo Sangah’s voice.

“Everyone, please gather!”

As I expected, Yoo Sangah worked harder in the shadows. The people were already organized and were receiving their orders. Sentries were set up and people were put in charge of different areas. Some of the landlords said they wouldn’t listen to Yoo Sangah but…

[Chungmuro Station’s deputy, Yoo Sangah has used the punishment.]

I vaguely heard someone moaning.

…Was this okay? Well, it should be fine.

Jung Heewon looked at my face and said, “Good job. I felt that Yoo Sangah had been a bit depressed.”

“I didn’t select Yoo Sangah-ssi because I was thinking of her emotions. I thought Yoo Sangah-ssi would do really well.”

“…Ah, is that so? Then please me something later. It should fit me.”

“How about an executioner?”

“…Forget it.”

Jung Heewon grumbled and turned her head away. It was good after all the jokes she played.

“But that gangster on the roof, is it okay to leave him?”

“Oh, you mean Yoo Jonghyuk?”

“I guess his name is similar.”

“It will probably be fine.”

“It sounds like you know him very well. What is it?

“That…” I thought for a moment before asking. “Heewon-ssi, do you have a younger sibling?”

“…? Yes. Why?”

“A brother or a sister?”

“A brother.”

“How old is he?”

“He is one year younger.”

“How is it having a brother?”

“Annoying. He easily defies me and I had to take him to school instead of my mother…”

Jung Heewon feel silent as she was complaining about her brother. She gazed somewhere in the air. Then I asked her.

“But now you are worried about him right?

“Well… we are family.”

“I am similar.”

“Dokja-ssi also has a younger brother?”

“Nope, I’m talking about Yoo Jonghyuk.”

“Ah…” Jung Heewon looked at me and nodded. “Then do you like or hate him?”

“I hate him. I fought with many people because of him.”

I wasn’t the only reader of Ways of Survival in the early days. Quite a few people followed along out of curiosity up to the 10th chapter. There were also 12 readers at the 50th chapter.

There was a guy who liked Kim Namwoon… while I argued with him. I wonder if any of the people who fought with me back then were alive. Maybe the people I was going to catch now was one of them.

“You two, you seem to have become very close.”

Lee Hyunsung interrupted and I suddenly realized I was walking too close to Jung Heewon.

Jung Heewon smiled.

“Why, soldier ahjussi. Are you jealous?

“Hrmm. It isn’t like that…”

Come to think of it,  didn’t Lee Hyunsung join the army right after going to a male high school? I felt sorry for Lee Hyunsung when I thought about the setting.

“It seems we have arrived at Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station.”

In fact, the entrance of Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station could be seen in the distance.

We nervously stuck to the tunnel wall and looked around. It was in case troops were waiting. But this worry was pointless. Jung Heewon muttered.

“It is strange. There are no sentries.”

The fact that there was no guards while Struggle for the Flag was ongoing meant that the station had already been eaten by another group. Once we confirmed this, we immediately approached the flag holder.

[The station has already been occupied by ‘Dongmyo Station.’]

[If you want to occupy the station, take the flag of Dongmyo Station or occupy its flag holder.]

It was as expected.

Then Kang Ilhun’s body twitched. His body was shaking like he was having seizures and his condition was strange. I released the thread blocking his mouth and Kang Ilhun shouted.

“N-No…!”

“…What is this all of a sudden?”

“D-Dongdaemun… Dongdaemun Station…!”

Saliva spilled from Kang Ilhun’s mouth as he stuttered. I felt something and unintentionally put a hand on his shoulder.

Then.

[The character Kang Ilhun is now a wanderer.]

It was evident that Kang Ilhun’s affiliation to ‘Dongdaemun’ had changed. Jung Heewon asked, “What is happening?”

“It seems that Dongdaemun Station has been taken over.”

“…Huh?”

Suddenly everything made sense. Yes. The people who leaked the information had this in mind.

“…A double trap.”

They incited the Myeongdong Group and Dongdaemun Group to strike Chungmuro because they knew the two groups would die in Chungmuro. While the main force were gone, they wanted to take Myeongdong and Dongdaemun. The unidentified people at Myeongdong Station probably also belonged to them.

But… how did they know we would win? They couldn’t know about my presence. The representative of Chungmuro Station in the third turn was originally…

…Ah right. That jerk. Was this what they aimed for?

I was certain. The Prophets who created this plan were surely…

At this moment, Lee Hyunsung reacted.

“People are coming.”

A group of people were approaching from the Dongdaemun tunnel. On the surface, they were a group with a considerably good weapons.

The items seemed to have an average of a C-grade or above. It wouldn’t be easy to arm them to this degree already… it was unbelievable power.

The man in the centre of the group spoke to us first. The man had a slim build and wore all types of items on his arms and neck.

“Eh, Kang Ilhun-ssi? Geez, you brought a needless load of crap to me.”

Kang Ilhun was shaking and he fainted with foam around his mouth. I wondered, perhaps this guy?

[The exclusive skill, Character List is activated.]

A moment later, amazing messages were heard.

[The information of this person can’t be read in ‘Character List.’]

[This person isn’t registered in ‘Character List.’]

Look at this?

The man looked at us. “Is there going to be a self-introduction? Or…”

The group of men simultaneously pulled out weapons.

I took the lead to reply. “We are from Chungmuro.”

“Chungmuro?”

At this moment, sparks popped in the air.

[Someone is using Explore Attribute on you.]

[The exclusive skill Fourth Wall has blocked Explore Attribute!]

The man stumbled like he had been shocked. He hesitated for a moment before turning bewildered eyes towards me.

“…I’m sorry, what is your name?”

I glanced at Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung once. Then I smiled and said towards the man. I spoke in my coldest and heaviest voice.

“I am Yoo Jonghyuk.”

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