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692 chapter - Expert (2)

Omniscient Reader’S Viewpoint (Web Novel Kr) — novelight.net · All chapters

692 chapter - Expert (2)

I remembered her name.
“Ms. Seona.”
Gu Seona.
A reader who joined up at the “Theater Dungeon” together with Kim Gyeongsik.
Number of complete reads: eight.
Nickname: Iron Rod Woman.
The last news I’d heard was from the “Star Gem Dungeon” at the palace museum, and thankfully it seemed she’d been safe.
“I asked you. What… did you just do?”
The problem was that she had witnessed a very inconvenient scene.
My head was a tangle.
How much had Gu Seona seen?
I forced myself to breathe deeply and think it through again and again.
Looked at coldly, from someone else’s point of view I had simply “crumbled a doll that looked like Kim Dokja.”
Suspicious as that might be, was it serious enough to interrogate me like that?
“How do you have that skill—”
A skill?
Only then did I look down at my fingertips.
The surface of my nails, touched by the vapor from the humidifier installed in the ward, was subtly wavering.
A natural manifestation of the [Smoke Man] skill’s characteristics.
“This is…”
It really was a situation ripe for misunderstanding.
If Seona had seen me use the dead Kim Gyeongsik’s skill the instant I absorbed the doll.
Then a thought struck me.
But could I even call that an “understanding” gone wrong?
Either way, I had to talk.
I had to explain what was happening to me, and what situation this was right now.
[Exclusive skill, ‘Omniscient Reader,’ activates!]
[Omniscient Reader] triggered of its own accord.
Right after, someone’s innermost thoughts began to be heard.
“He definitely died then. Kim Gyeongsik.”
I didn’t need to ask whose inner voice it was; it was obvious.
“I clearly saw him die. I definitely saw it.”
“Ms. Seona?”
When I took a step closer, Gu Seona backed away with a frightened expression.
Memories were flooding through her head.
A place surrounded by damp stone walls. In the collapsed palace museum’s dungeon, she was ringed in by the Five Venoms Association.
“Kill them. It’s a chance to take down the apostles.”
She couldn’t tell which of the Five Venoms was speaking. What was certain was that inside the dungeon she’d been surrounded and on the verge of death.
“Recover the fragment! Do not let it slip!”
And the apostle at that site hadn’t been her alone.
“Ms. Seona. Hold the front!”
The two of them fought splendidly back-to-back. Both were complete readers, so of course they did. But the number of enemies was too great, and in the middle of it they even ran into the dungeon warden.
Just as there are scenarios that even Yu Joonghyuk, after countless regressions, cannot handle, there is ill luck that even complete readers cannot avoid.
It was a blind arrow she normally wouldn’t have spared a thought for.
Gu Seona, with high Agility, avoided the arrow easily. The problem was Kim Gyeongsik behind her.
With the sound of something being pierced, Kim Gyeongsik fell to his knees. Of all times, it was as his specialty, [Smoke Man], was about to re-activate.
“Grandpa!”
Coughing up a handful of blood, Kim Gyeongsik gave a wry smile and said,
“Damn. Missed it.”
“What are you talking about? You can still live. With the ‘Essence of the Elain Forest’—”
“It’s poisoned. I won’t last ten minutes, if that.”
Perhaps reading her expression, Kim Gyeongsik smiled pale.
“It’s all right.”
Gu Seona didn’t know what kind of person Kim Gyeongsik was. What his real name was, where he lived, how many family members he had.
She knew nothing.
All she knew was that Kim Gyeongsik had read and loved the same story she did.
“You promised. You said we’d watch the end of this world together.”
“I did. So you run. Then I’ll survive too.”
Gu Seona couldn’t bring herself to ask what that meant.
Because she feared the enemies closing in. Because she didn’t want to die.
Gu Seona ran away alone. She kept running, not daring to look back.
Kim Gyeongsik’s last voice lingered in her head like the after-scent of a snuffed-out cigarette.
“Weren’t all of us in this world born from one person.”
I took a step toward Gu Seona. She gagged and cried out,
“D-Don’t come! Don’t come!”
Bloodshot, Gu Seona’s eyes were filled with terror.
“I—I didn’t kill him!”
Gu Seona wasn’t shocked because she thought I’d absorbed Kim Gyeongsik. Right now she was facing the guilt she’d been turning away from.
“I didn’t kill him! It wasn’t because of me… it wasn’t because of me!”
Gu Seona turned on her heel and started to run.
The moment I tried to call her again—
―Don’t chase her.
Kim Dokja stopped me in a calm voice.
―That’s not something you can fix for her.
Even knowing he was right, I couldn’t take my eyes off Gu Seona’s receding back.
Someday there would be a chance to explain today’s events again. Until then, there was nothing I could do but hope she would safely recover her heart.
―Let’s prep for the next scenario. We have to go after Yu Joonghyuk, don’t we?
In the urgency I had briefly forgotten.
Originally, I’d planned to enter the final act of the “Seventh Scenario” together with Yu Joonghyuk.
But along the way I incurred a “tale penalty,” and Yu Joonghyuk abandoned me and left.
―You know he’s not in a normal physical condition right now, right?
“Looked like regression depression.”
For reasons unknown, the regression depression of the 41st-round Yu Joonghyuk seemed severe.
That was probably why he’d tried to use me as a kind of inhibitor.
―If we go too late, he might kill Anna. If that happens, things get tangled.
“Anna.”
―We leave the moment Jeong Heewon wakes up. Got it?
Jeong Heewon. Anna. Lee Hyunsung…
Come to think of it, the Demon King of Salvation, Kim Dokja, didn’t call their names in a familiar tone.
Was it because he didn’t think of this world as “his world”?
Or because he wanted to keep a deliberate distance?
“Backer.”
I was Kim Dokja, and yet I didn’t know Kim Dokja’s heart.
I didn’t know why he was helping me, or what he expected from me.
So I had to ask.
―Mm.
“Tell me now.”
Why Kim Dokja hadn’t been able to return to the party.
That is, why all of this had begun.
“Who the hell are the ones who killed you?”
*
To give the conclusion first, I couldn’t get a proper answer from Kim Dokja.
―What’s certain is that the giant nebulae are involved.
“Is there any major incident in this world where ‘giant nebulae’ aren’t tangled up?”
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear.
“No matter how giant the nebula, could they even kill you? Even divine-class constellations wouldn’t be able to.”
Even thinking it over again, I couldn’t understand.
How many beings exist in this universe that could kill, let alone lay a finger on, Kim Dokja bearing the rank of the “Oldest Dream”?
―There were some complicated things in the middle. It’s a long story to explain, and my memory isn’t complete.
“You said a minute ago that if I ate that fragment, it would come back to you.”
―I thought so, but the memories aren’t coming back right. Still, if I try to say something about it…
Kim Dokja trailed off and then didn’t answer for a long while.
I wondered why.
[You have overused ‘Midday Rendezvous’ today.]
[Excessive plausibility has accumulated in the sacred relic.]
With a bzzzzt sound, the smartphone rattled.
Well, even if it’s [Midday Rendezvous], it isn’t normal to be passing this many messages with a backer this early.
Luckily, the plausibility issue was quickly resolved.
[Please purchase additional coins.]
Truly, is there nothing coins can’t do.
I waited a moment. I figured Kim Dokja would start talking again shortly.
“Backer?”
But no matter how long I waited, Kim Dokja didn’t continue the conversation.
“Hey.”
Don’t tell me he was keeping quiet because he didn’t want to pay for coins?
“……”
Was I going to have to pay again?
[Your backer looks at you.]
[Your backer looks at you.]
[Your backer looks at you!]
[Your backer looks at you!]
[Your backer looks at you!]
Just as I was finally about to feed coins in, thinking this guy really was hopeless—
With a keeeeing ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ sound, a portal began to whirl at the center of distant Gwanghwamun.
A portal at this time? It struck me as odd, and people who, at a glance, were not Korean burst out of the portal.
“We’ve come to purchase the Rank-4 earth dragon species parts! Is the seller here?”
The one who called out was the brown-haired woman in the lead.
Even though it was my first time seeing her face, the moment I heard the neat, measured tone, I knew who she was.
Selena Kim.
Without a doubt, it was “Selena Kim,” Anna Croft’s right hand.
As expected, the group that had applied to purchase the Rank-4 earth dragon species parts was Anna’s group, “Zarathustra.”
Well, this early on there were only a handful of groups that could readily pay over three hundred thousand coins.
“Mr. Cheon Inho! Are you here?”
So then, if Selena Kim was here, did that mean Anna Croft was with her too?
People began to murmur, and I decided to make my presence known for now.
“Over here!”
When I waved my hand and came closer, Selena Kim spotted me and bowed her head in greeting.
“Mr. Cheon Inho?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Nice to meet you. I am—”
“Selena Kim. Am I right?”
“You know me?”
Seeing her eyes go round made my heart thud all over again.
To think I’d get to see that Selena Kim in person.
It felt new.
I’d survived this far.
“I know you. Guardian of the King.”
“Ah.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
Blushing as if embarrassed, Selena Kim bowed her head and offered thanks.
“Thank you. You’re very kind. I’m a little surprised.”
“No, kind is too—”
“The Conqueror is a very frightening person, so to be honest I was nervous.”
It seemed Selena Kim had already made contact with Yu Joonghyuk. Which meant they’d carved out time in the middle of the scenario.
If my guess was right, Selena Kim got right to the point.
“The listed Rank-4 earth dragon species, where is—”
“You took down the ‘Rank-4 earth dragon species’?”
It was then that a woman in the back stepped forward.
A voice I’d never heard and a face I’d never seen. Hair with a faint pink sheen, and a height about a handspan shorter than Selena Kim.
She wore funky makeup, but a neat business suit.
“And you are?”
“I asked if you took it down.”
Was there someone this rude among Anna’s party?
For no good reason, I answered in a voice edged with annoyance.
“Yeah, I did.”
Even at my reply, the woman didn’t show the least bit fluster.
“Yeah?”
Her eyes lit up brightly, as if amused.
“So that’s how it is.”
A pocket watch was in her hand.
For an instant, an alarm rang in my head.
By instinct I triggered [Agitation] and gripped ‘Unbreakable Conviction’ in my right hand.
“Quick on the uptake.”
But the other side was faster.
The pocket watch swung side to side.
Even as I told myself to take my eyes off the watch, my pupils wouldn’t obey.
Because that was one of “those” items.
“Pocket Watch of Eternal Rest.”
Only then did I realize who the incarnation before my eyes was.
Across the entirety of the Annihilation Method, there was only one incarnation with that pocket watch.
Fingersnapper.
Christina Page.
An American incarnation who cleared the first scenario by achieving the same “Agitation kill” achievement as me.
[Your total magic power is lower than the caster’s.]
[By the effect of the ‘Pocket Watch of Eternal Rest,’ your skills are sealed for two seconds.]
It was only two seconds, but it was two seconds like an eternity.
“From now on, you…”
With Christina’s smile, a chilly sensation ran up my spine.
“Will fall into a wretched sleep.”
With the snap of someone’s fingers, the power to my consciousness cut off with a click.
*
Looking at the man bowing his head limply before her, Christina thought,
“Anna told me to be careful, but he’s nothing much.”
He seemed quick-witted enough, but avoiding her ambush hypnosis had been impossible from the start.
“Christina. What on earth do you think you’re doing!”
“What.”
“This wasn’t part of the plan! How could you be so discourteous— Our purpose is to purchase the Rank-4 earth dragon species parts…”
Rolling her eyes as if tired of Selena’s nagging, Christina answered,
“You really don’t get it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why do you think Anna sent me with you?”
“……”
“If it were only to buy some Rank-4 earth dragon parts, she could’ve sent naive little you alone. Why do you think she stuck me on as well?”
When Selena Kim hesitated, Christina sighed and shook her head as if this was hopeless.
“Damn it, try using that head for once. No matter how short the supply is, what kind of punk sells Rank-4 earth dragon parts for five hundred thousand coins?”
Christina flicked the frozen Cheon Inho’s forehead lightly with her fingertip and said,
“After you grind around the FBI for a few years, you can tell just by a face. Slender build with a slick impression. Especially these squinty eyes.”
“If judging by looks is the FBI’s investigative method, then I’m done trusting the FBI.”
“No, obviously I don’t mean the FBI per se— My Korean colleague once told me that in Korea, a face like this is called a ‘con artist face’…”
“Christina.”
Sensing another scolding coming, Christina quickly added,
“Anyway, the deposit of 150,000 coins is more than enough. Now let’s grab the goods and go. There’s a charge for insolence, so let’s skim a little bonus too—”
“Christina!”
“What now.”
When she turned her head with an irritated face, Selena Kim’s expression had hardened.
Only then did Christina realize something was off.
Something was holding her fingers.
“Good grief, this is what I get for trying to save coins.”
He had grabbed just one finger. Yet her body wouldn’t move, as if frozen.
“How—”
She tried to say there was no way.
Her hypnosis had definitely succeeded. He should have been out cold, unable to move and unconscious for at least a full day.
“‘More than enough with 150,000 coins’… You started the scenarios not even two months ago—how do you know Rank-4 earth dragon prices? Are you a butcher from the Majang District slaughterhouse?”
But he moved.
He was even speaking.
And that wasn’t the only problem.
What was this sensation?
Even after her finger was released, her body wouldn’t move.
Her shoulders trembled like an aspen, and her lungs felt like they were shriveling, making it hard to breathe.
A sensation she’d felt once when she’d faced a backer.
No—more terrifying and immeasurable than then.
[Constellation, ‘Demon King of Salvation,’ fixes his gaze on you.]
She couldn’t turn her head. She felt that if she turned it, something dreadful would be facing her.
A white, cold hand lightly gripped her shoulder.
“I was only going to take exactly five hundred thousand coins… but no, not you two.”
With a light spark, a breath cold as a devil’s whisper reached her ear.
“Go tell Anna I’d like to see her face.”