Chapter 354: Episode 66 – Beyond Good and Evil (4)
At this moment, Bihyung was watching the screen of Duet Between Good and Evil at the bureau.
[The stage of the 2nd Constellation and Demon War will be the ‘Reincarnation Island’ located in the Dark Fault.]
The moment the great dokkaebi’s declaration was heard, all the dokkaebis of the bureau were in an uproar.
“No, why the island all of a sudden?”
“Why are the great dokkaebis thinking?”
Even the great dokkaebis couldn’t set the stage for the 80th main scenario. If the will of the Star Stream didn’t move…
[The Star Stream is willing to open the 80th main scenario.]
[A new main scenario has been created.]
Bihyung was surprised by the system message. “Did the Star Stream really move?”
The series of shocking scenario changes made Bihyung stunned.
“Bihyung! A revelation was just received!”
“…A revelation?”
After a while, a new panel was prepared. The screen hadn’t surfaced yet but Bihyung knew what it was.
“…The plate of revelation.”
An unknown slab that only the constellations and demon kings who had acquired the power of ‘revelation’ could see. The material was unknown and even the s.p.a.ce and coordinates weren’t clearly known. The bureau could only observe the strange object.
Each nebula had a different name for this ‘plate.’ Divine revelation, a single word, the old devil’s whisper…
It was an unidentified object that spoiled the information of the future, forcing the bureau to pay attention to it.
The method that the constellations of the Star Stream used to read the future was simple. Sometimes there was a hole in the plate of revelation and a series of story fragments would be released from the hole. The fragments that spilled out had information about the future. The constellation and demon kings recognized it, combined words and used this to predict the future or read their fortunes.
The stigma called ‘Revelation’ was made. It was actually just reconstructing these words.
Bihyung asked, “Is there another turn in the plate of revelation?”
“Yes, it has been a problem since it started shaking a few years ago.”
The original version of the revelation released future information but it didn’t have a significant impact on the bureau’s scenario probability. The future reconstructed through the revelations were uncertain and unclear.
However, there had been a ‘crack’ in this plate since a few years ago. Through that crack, whole information of the future came through.
“A strange hole occurred a few days ago…”
The hole that occurred a few days ago caused a problem in the probability that couldn’t be overlooked even by the Star Stream. Information that shouldn’t have been pa.s.sed on crossed through that broken hole without damage.
Bihyung still had a headache when he thought about the work at that time. Strange strings had emerged through the hole for a while.
『 Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World. 』
The name seemed like the t.i.tle of a book and the constellations of the Star Stream fell into chaos.
-What is Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World.txt
-Does ‘ruin’ mean the ■■ of every scenario?
The constellations who neglected the scenarios and remained relaxed started to act like their feet were on fire after this revelation was released. The rumours about the apocalypse spread and there were rumours about the end of the Star Stream.
“The screen is ready!”
Bihyung watched the black-white screen nervously. A few words that emerged through the hole caused the entire Star Stream to shake. What type of revelation would occur this time?
After a while, the screen of the revelation appeared. Then there was a very small hole in the centre of the plate.
“There is no change… eh?”
The next moment, the dokkaebis were astonished by the whitish object that appeared inside the hole. It was someone’s mouth.
-Ah, ah… so, um… microphone test?
The dokkaebi cried out, “What is this…?”
The bureau was in chaos as the mouth kept on talking.
-Can you hear me? I’m going to give you a revelation now. I’ll only show you for a second so look and remember!
Along with the clear and cheerful voice, there was the sound of pages turning. After a while, fragments of a story pa.s.sed through the hole.
「 How to survive in a ruined world, the third way. 」
The revelation appeared clearly. It was truly like a divine revelation.
「 That method is on Reincarnation Island. 」
The story fragments scattered in the air and the voice said.
-Have you seen it? Then goodbye!
The hole closed and the voice disappeared.
Bihyung muttered, “Oh my G.o.d.”
None of the shocked dokkaebis of the bureau could open their mouths. Bells were ringing from all over. The unstoppable inquiries of the constellations were pouring in.
The Duet Between Good and Evil was still playing on the panel on the other side.
[I will say it once again.]
The voice of Great Dokkaebi Baram rang out.
[The stage of the 2nd Constellation and Demon War will be the ‘Reincarnation Island’ located in the Dark Fault.]
***
After the Duet Between Good and Evil, our group immediately returned to Earth. All the way back to the industrial complex, the party members were excited. In particular, Jung Heewon and Lee Jihye were checking the performance of the plaques we received.
[Grand Prize of Duet Between Good and Evil].
In the Star Stream, the ‘status’ generally rose only through the acc.u.mulation of stories. However, there were extremely rare star relics that raised the status without needing the acc.u.mulation of stories. This was the case with the plaques awarded at the Duet Between Good and Evil.
“My sword seems lighter… is this enough to be able to swing Hyunsung ahjussi lightly?” Lee Jihye’s
murmur caused Lee Hyunsung to tremble.
Certainly, the plaque was more effective than getting two quasi-myth grade stories. Given that all the quasi-myth grade stories I acquired were those I gained after suffering and dying, it was a tremendous boost.
[5,000,000 coins Exchange Ticket]
In addition, they received five million coins as prize money.
“Ha, Dokja-ssi… we’re rich now…”
“I won’t have to worry about coins for a while.”
“Kids, how much did you get?”
Jung Heewon was busy asking questions to the children who received the Best Chemistry Award.
“s.h.i.+n Yoosung, honestly, I was a bit more active. Give me another 100,000 coins.”
“What nonsense is this? It will naturally be split in half. It is the same with the story shares.”
Lee Hyunsung stopped the children. The party members seemed to be in good spirits for their own reasons, but on the other hand, they were also glancing at me.
「 In fact, there is a question that everyone hasn’t asked. 」
Why did Yoo Jonghyuk and I fight? The party members had seen the scene with their own eyes but no one asked me about it. Maybe they were instinctively avoiding the topic. Perhaps it was their own consideration as they waited for me to speak first.
I was still listening to Yoo Sangah in my head while I carried the unconscious Yoo Jonghyuk on my back.
‘…You mean, you leaked the contents of Ways of Survival through the hole in the Fourth Wall?’
「 (Yes.) 」
‘The constellations accepted it as a revelation?’
「 (That’s right.) 」
I didn’t understand at first. The information sent out of the Fourth Wall became a ‘revelation’ to the constellations? In the first place, the role of the ‘revelation’ in the original novel… no, wait.
‘Don’t tell me?’
There were many things in my head.
Yoo Sangah asked, 「 (Dokja-ssi, have you noticed the Fourth Wall might be the original words?) 」
“Yes. I don’t know the exact sense but…’
「 (Originally, the Fourth Wall is a stage term. A wall separating the play from the wall. The characters in the play would never be able to recognize the Fourth Wall. It is because they don’t exist outside the stage.) 」
Outside the stage. It was the ‘reality’ I lived in.
Gooseb.u.mps formed on my arms. Indeed, if the name ‘Fourth Wall’ had its origins in the same meaning as Yoo Sangah’s description, it was natural there would be a Ways of Survival inside this wall. It was because the contents of Ways of Survival were created in reality.
In other words, the revelation was a ‘spoiler’ that flowed from the novel to reality. One couldn’t find the source so it became a divine revelation in the eyes of the characters.
Yoo Sangah continued speaking,
「 (I always thought it was strange. The filtered information about Ways of Survival was suddenly released… however, that time coincided with when I entered the Fourth Wall.) 」
‘Coincides?’
「 (Yes, the book blocking the hole I entered through was Ways of Survival. The t.i.tle could be seen very well…) 」
Now I understood everything. The reason why the constellations and demon kings suddenly knew about Ways of Survival. It was why the development that wasn’t in the original novel suddenly unfolded. The information they knew had all leaked through the hole in the Fourth Wall.
‘It is a bit complicated but this is a good thing.’
「 (Right?) 」
Yoo Sangah replied with a laugh. She was probably thinking the same thing as me.
「 (By the way, I can’t use it very often. I noticed a lot of looks… oh, I’m sorry. I have to go for a minute because the seniors are calling.) 」
Then Yoo Sangah’s voice disappeared from my head. She was the youngest member of the library but she had a lot of sense.
In any case, thanks to Yoo Sangah’s performance, we got a new card to use. The Fourth Wall allowed me to manipulate the revelations that the constellations received. Until it was revealed to be a false revelation, I could use the information to incite the constellations.
Han Sooyoung walked beside me and opened her mouth. “You haven’t spoken in a while?”
“I was just thinking to myself for a while.”
“You must have a lot of thoughts.”
Han Sooyoung bit her lips and used Midday Tryst while talking.
-What are you going to do now?
-What else? I have to prepare for the next scenario. The Constellation and Demon War is the 80th scenario and it will start in a month.
-Apart from that.
Han Sooyoung had a complicated look in her eyes. She was watching Yoo Jonghyuk being carried on my back.
-Do you know what happens when Yoo Jonghyuk will wake up?
Yoo Jonghyuk was aware of the ident.i.ty of Ways of Survival. I didn’t know what he knew but I couldn’t keep hiding information from him. He might be shocked and receive a terrible wound but… nevertheless…
Han Sooyoung told me.
-For reference. I am against it.
-What?
-The thing you’re about to say.
Han Sooyoung acted like she knew my thoughts. She sighed lightly and looked at the ground.
-With your personality, it is strange that you have been hiding it so far.
Han Sooyoung seemed to misunderstand me. If I could’ve hidden it better, I would’ve hidden as much as I could. If possible, until the end of the story.
Han Sooyoung shook her head.
-You can hide it as much as possible. Just pretend you don’t know. Pretend to be a prophet, as you have done so far.
-Do you think they will believe it? I have to talk now. It isn’t just Yoo Jonghyuk but the other party members as well.
Han Sooyoung’s eyes grew bigger at my words.
-What nonsense is this? Why are you going to tell them?
-They deserve to know.
-I tried it before. However, the characters can’t know anything about Ways of Survival. They think it is just a joke.
-It might be different now. The filtering is released.
Han Sooyoung opened her mouth before closing it again. Instead of pressing me, she searched the faces of the people who didn’t know anything. A faint contempt towards me could be seen in Han Sooyoung’s eyes.
-Is it for you or is it for them?
-…
-You have already deceived these people. Now you are going to ask for forgiveness?
-I don’t mean to be forgiven.
Like Han Sooyoung, I also studied their faces.
The strong but delicate Jung Heewon. The sincere and unsophisticated Lee Hyunsung. The tough but sweet Lee Jihye. The adult but pure s.h.i.+n Yoosung.
I looked at their faces and recalled the ‘descriptions’ I knew. Some of them weren’t ‘described’ and others had different faces from the ‘descriptions.’ They were faces I knew but didn’t know.
s.h.i.+n Yoosung suddenly looked back and waved towards me. I spoke while waving back at the child.
-…I want to be real companions.
Han Sooyoung was silent for a long time before quietly turning around and disappearing into the Factory. In the distance, a message from her came back like an echo.
-Didn’t I say it clearly? I oppose it.
Not long after, we arrived at the Factory and each of us took a rest to recover. That evenng, I summoned all the members of Kim Dokja’s Company apart from the unconscious Yoo Jonghyuk.
I had Biyoo block the channel and placed a thick barrier to prevent other constellations from listening.
After some preparations, I looked back at the party members. “I have something to say to you.”
I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak easily. Perhaps she thought I was playing a joke but Lee Jihye trembled. “Ahjussi, what is wrong with you all of a sudden? You are scary.”
I tried to smile at Lee Jihye.
I had been troubled for a long time. I had been certain that this moment would come.
Lee Hyunsung and s.h.i.+n Yoosung were looking at me with worry. I saw the people who were worried about my first, even in this situation, and bit my lips. “Some of you.”
The eyes of the group shook. I saw Han Sooyoung turn away. Then I spoke like I was pulling the trigger. “You are characters of a story.”