"Ah, right, there were rumours online…" Lee Hyunsung mumbled, looking as though he was thinking too hard.
"Donghoon-hyung spread some of them," Lee Gilyoung stated with certainty, and Kim Dokja was honestly surprised that the kid had managed to remember something so minor after everything that had happened.
Of course, he wasn't the only one—there were other people in the Seoul Dome who had internet-based skills who could have posted something, and there was also the matter of the Prophets' group chat. There had been Prophets left outside of Seoul who had stayed in contact with those inside for as long as they could, so those people could also be partially responsible for some of the rumours. Naturally, any up to date information they had been receiving would have been completely cut off after the incident with Han Sooyoung's dragon in the fourth scenario, but they had probably been able to figure out what had happened from knowing even the bare minimum about TWSA.
Yoo Joonghyuk just watched the interrogation—or, at least, that's surely what it must have felt like—with a critical eye. "Governments like this are not worth the time or energy. They can't change anything now that the scenarios are here."
[many constellations are snickering.]
[the constellation 'goryeo's first sword' is disappointed in the current events.]
"Yeah, I say we burn it all down," Han Sooyoung said with a mocking laugh as she watched the provisional government essentially go in circles. "At least it could be used to keep some people warm because that would do more than whatever this is supposed to be."
Every time they escaped the dome, something similar would happen, and Yoo Joonghyuk had begun ignoring their requests as soon as he had realized that trying to do otherwise was futile. It didn't matter what he said or what evidence he brought to their attention, and it didn't matter how urgently he pleaded for them to listen and take things seriously. There was always too much red tape, too many things that needed to be verified, and Yoo Joonghyuk had just given up on trying.
At the very least, Lee Hyunsung turned to Jung Heewon with a bright smile. "That's good advice, Heewon-ssi! It's always important to be wearing convenient clothes for the circumstances. Maybe they should invest in a good pair of boots."
The moment he mentioned the boots, Lee Jihye grimaced at the memory of the crappy boots she had gotten earlier in the scenarios, and Kim Dokja couldn't help but laugh just a bit. Though Lee Hyunsung was absolutely right when it came to having good footwear, his enthusiasm was certainly a bit daunting at times.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' would like to see these pathetic people running for their lives.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is thinking that the 'provisional government' is useless.]
Time returns to the present as Jihye walks into Heewon's room cheerily. Heewon greets her with a small smile and asks about Sangah's condition, while reminding the teenager to knock the next time she enters. Jihye explains that Sangah is still with the kids in her room. As Sangah is seen attempting to comfort the two children who have cried themselves to the point of exhaustion, Jihye sighs and admits that Dokja being gone has been a big blow.
In this situation, the party members are the only people Heewon feels confident believing in. When Dokja was at their side, things were still uncertain, but now that he's gone, everyone feels lost. Everyone's purpose has been survival this entire time, but Dokja had always been the one who had decided their path for them. Without his guidance, Heewon can't help but feel that it's natural for everyone to lose that direction and begin to scatter.
Sitting on Heewon's bed, Jihye proclaims that she wishes there was a manual like what Hyunsung talks about, informing Heewon that they haven't heard from him since he was called in by the army on the first day of their return. Though Hyunsung was originally a soldier and it makes sense for him to return, Jihye immediately whines and calls him stupid for going when there isn't a point in having an army in this kind of world. Heewon doesn't answer, glancing over at a system window, even though she agrees with Jihye's words. However, she doesn't want to scold Hyunsung for his decision either—everyone has their own ways of dealing with loss.
Just like how the kids holed themselves up in their room, Hyunsung-ssi must have returned to the army. In three days, hell will begin again, and it's likely to be something completely different from what we've gone through so far.
Lee Jihye brightened up instantly the second that she saw she was clean, wearing new clothes, and in relatively good spirits overall. "Ooh, are we all living together? That sounds like so much fun!"
That did sound nice, didn't it? Much better than some kind of crappy college roommate situation where you could end up living with someone you barely know or like.
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is thinking that a lively house sounds nice.]
The moment that they began discussing Yoo Sangah, though, the previously better atmosphere began to worsen once again at the reminder of the circumstances. Admittedly, Kim Dokja felt a bit guilty that everyone was in this state, and he really did wish that he could have left with them. However, there hadn't been that possibility thanks to the nebulae's meddling.
"Thank you, unnie," Shin Yoosung said quietly, looking over at Yoo Sangah with a shy expression. Lee Gilyoung nodded as well, muttering thanks to her even as he didn't move his gaze from the floor.
Yoo Sangah was responsible and kind, and Kim Dokja was honestly just glad that she was looking after the children as well as she could. It was bound to be extremely hard on them, after all.
[several constellations are agreeing that it's not the same without the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
"I'm not the only one you can rely on, you know," Kim Dokja told them quietly. "It's true that I had more information than anyone else and that's why I knew what to do, but you can follow Joonghyuk-ie for now without any worries. He has information up until the 46th scenario, and I'll definitely be back before then."
Yoo Joonghyuk shot him a stern look, almost as though to tell him that he'd better be back before then. Naturally, since Kim Dokja had gotten him to be his companion by mentioning that scenario in particular, he had every intention of being there for it.
"That's fine, and I'm sure he'd put us through hell in the form of training, but I have no intention of following him in the long-term," Jung Heewon retorted. "I chose to follow you, Dokja-ssi, not Joonghyuk-ssi."
Lee Seolhwa nodded in agreement. "I would likely try to join up with Joonghyuk-ssi, considering that we've worked together several times by this point in the future so I'm probably familiar enough with him to feel comfortable, but I can't see everyone doing that."
True, Han Sooyoung was probably already making her way out of the province or something. Kim Dokja wouldn't be shocked if she found some remote place to set up as her safe house to wait out as much of the apocalypse as she possibly could.
[the constellation 'master of steel' is curious about where his incarnation is.]
"Oh, I was called back by the army," Lee Hyunsung muttered, looking almost disappointed as he realized that he hadn't stayed with the rest of the group. "Well, it is my duty, after all…"
Wow, he sounded so enthusiastic there. Still, Kim Dokja did have to nod in agreement. "You may not have had a choice, either."
Since Lee Hyunsung was likely one of the only members of the military who had emerged from the dome alive—if not the only one—he was likely recalled to the army to provide information that the military didn't want to have to get through the provisional government. And, as a loyal soldier, Lee Hyunsung would have gone regardless of his personal feelings.
Besides, the rigid structure might have been good for him, just to give his life some normalcy as he processed his grief.
"It's still a bit stupid though," Yoo Mia agreed after Lee Jihye and Jung Heewon both expressed their frustration. "The scenarios are going to start again anyway, so what's the point?"
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is sighing and shaking his head.]
Thankfully, Jung Heewon still understood his decision, or else Kim Dokja was genuinely worried that Lee Hyunsung would have slumped into a minor depression or something. Either way, their small reprieve would only last so long.
Sure enough, a scenario window popped up only a moment later, informing both Jung Heewon and Lee Jihye that the next scenario would begin in only three days.
"Three days…" Yoo Sangah muttered with a sigh. "I suppose we have to hope that our future selves will make the most of them."
Kim Dokja hoped for the same. Once the scenarios began again, everything would change once more. After that point, there wouldn't even be a single place on Earth left unscathed.
[many constellations are extremely excited for the next scenarios to begin again.]
Heewon's expression turns nervous as she looks over the windows explaining that the next scenario will begin in three days, as well as new changes and opportunities they can take on, such as personal scenarios commissioned by the constellations. Seeing this, Jihye tries to comfort her by stating that Joonghyuk told her that nothing major is going to happen for the time being.
Now thinking about the other man, Heewon asks what happened to Joonghyuk. The last she had heard of him, he was also holed up in his room like a broken man—a response that Heewon thinks is puzzling. Jihye shakes her head, explaining that after staying in his room for a while, he got up and repeatedly muttered Dokja's name before disappearing. This reaction is something that's very much unlike him, even though he had repeatedly claimed that he wanted to kill Dokja before, and Jihye doesn't know where he went after that.
Heewon then moves on from the strange occurrence to asking about Sooyoung—the other wildcard of their group. Jihye explains that she left that morning, saying she was going to talk to some government agents and reap the seeds she'd sown. Heewon is confused by that statement, but remembers how Dokja told them to follow Sooyoung's lead if something ever happened to him. She's confused by this instruction, Heewon believes that there must be a reasonable explanation for it, since Dokja said it.
As soon as the system messages explained the personal scenarios, Lee Hyunsung seemed rather intrigued. "So these personal scenarios can be used to replace main scenarios? I wonder if there's some kind of time-gated aspect to it, so the people doing these personal scenarios don't get too far ahead of the main scenarios."
[the constellation 'bald leader of the peasant's army' is contemplating the fairness of 'personal scenarios'.]
"Yeah, couldn't you just get your sponsor to ask for a ton of these?" Lee Gilyoung wondered. "It sounds too easy."
Kim Dokja ruffled the boy's hair. "It seems like that would be ideal, but it's not. The constellations have to pay the probability costs of commissioning them, as well as providing any rewards themselves. You're also not restricted to only doing scenarios for your sponsor—any constellation could send you an offer for a personal scenario, and you aren't required to accept them either."
At that, Lee Seolhwa sighed in relief. "It's strange to think that we can choose to reject these scenarios, but it's good to have that choice if there are personal scenarios or main scenarios where the risk doesn't feel worth the reward."
Precisely. Yoo Joonghyuk had often taken personal scenarios to skip over several tedious main scenarios in TWSA, and Kim Dokja was confident that he was already planning out which ones he should challenge in the future. In fact, he wouldn't doubt if Yoo Joonghyuk was too busy planning or gathering supplies at that very moment to bother talking to anyone.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is disappointed by the calm atmosphere.]
Yoo Sangah smiled slightly as Lee Jihye mentioned what Yoo Joonghyuk had told her previously. "It's good that Joonghyuk-ssi made sure to pass that information along."
Absolutely, especially since Han Sooyoung hadn't been mentioned at all, so it was hard to determine where she could be. Maybe she really had already run off to work alone again. Kim Dokja couldn't contemplate that any further, though, because anxiety suddenly struck his soul the moment that Jung Heewon implied that she had no idea what Yoo Joonghyuk was doing.
"Oppa?" Yoo Mia wondered nervously. "Do you think you went for a scenario?"
"Maybe," Yoo Joonghyuk replied, but the frown on his face told Kim Dokja that he was also suspecting that something was up.
It was then that Jung Heewon recalled what had become of Yoo Joonghyuk after the 10th scenario, and Kim Dokja's jaw dropped in shock. It didn't matter what this Yoo Joonghyuk thought and felt because his future self was unaware of so much, so why…
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is sobbing at the description of the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk'.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is frowning deeply.]
The protagonist was eerily silent, and Kim Dokja didn't know what to think. Yes, Yoo Joonghyuk often mourned his companions when he lost them and could afford to do so, but this was unprecedented. 'A broken man'... had Kim Dokja's very presence really broken him so deeply? Or was it the circumstances in which he had disappeared? Was Yoo Joonghyuk berating himself for not being able to stop Kim Dokja from sacrificing himself, or was he reliving those final moments over and over again in his mind?
Han Sooyoung glanced at Kim Dokja's baffled and unguarded expression and scoffed. "What, did you seriously think that guy would be unaffected just because a couple days passed? You basically told him you loved him as he killed you."
Kim Dokja's face went beet red without his consent. "But it was…"
He tried to finish his sentence, to say that it was the story, but his words got caught in his throat. For a moment, Kim Dokja wondered if he was afraid to say it.
"The story?" Han Sooyoung retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Bullshit. I'm not going to say it all again, but your mom was right earlier. It's pretty damn obvious that guy is TWSA to you, so you can't separate him from the story in this case."
"I…" Kim Dokja began, but once again found himself lost. Maybe he was just grasping at straws at this point, but he still had to say something. "But he's the main character, so…"
Han Sooyoung glared at him, crossing her arms. "And? I'd bet my porsche that you would have read even the shittiest, most stereotypical cringefest of a novel if that guy was the main character."
Technically, by saying that, she was implying that she believed TWSA wasn't a shitty, stereotypical cringefest, but Kim Dokja figured that pointing that out wouldn't go over well right now. It was true that he had searched for things that reminded him of Yoo Joonghyuk in other novels' protagonists, and it was true that the regressor was half the reason he had been so invested in TWSA. As much as Kim Dokja loved the worldbuilding, the concept, and the journey itself, even he had to admit that he wouldn't have gotten so attached if Yoo Joonghyuk hadn't been such a compelling protagonist from the very first page.
Then, Han Sooyoung decided to put the final nail in the coffin. "Plus, that goodbye to him was right out of a sappy romance drama. It doesn't matter if love isn't the first thing on that guy's mind in the future; I guarantee that between that goodbye, your desperation to save him, and the fact that he fulfilled the prophecy, he'll consider it a possibility at the very least."
[a constellation who likes capitalism is curious about the car of the incarnation 'han sooyoung'.]