Chapter 257: Episode 45 – Entrance as a Character (3)
“Things have been roughly sorted out.”
I sighed with relief as I looked at Yoo Jonghyuk through the screen of the channel. I was anxious about the bureau arriving but fortunately, Yoo Jonghyuk was faster. It was a good choice to convey a message to Uriel through Jang Hayoung.
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is smiling brightly.]
It was Uriel who took Yoo Jonghyuk to that place. Yoo Jonghyuk was angry with me over the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint incident so I decided that Uriel’s words would have more influence on Yoo Jonghyuk.
Jang Hayoung watched Bihyung on the screen and muttered, “It is the first time I’ve seen a dokkaebi so helpless.”
“The racial stories are intertwined. In order to deal with a wenny person, a great dokkaebi or at least four dokkaebis must appear.”
“...You know it very well? Aileen said that everything about the dokkaebis and wenny people was covered in a veil.”
“This is basic information among the constellations.”
Jang Hayoung stared at me with strangely respectful eyes after hearing my words. Of course, not all constellations knew this information. The screen showed a short close-up of Biyoo and Yoo Jonghyuk holding her.
「 I will get revenge for you. 」
「 Goodbye, Captain. 」
「 Good job. 」
「 I’ll leave it to you. 」
「 Rest. 」
The sentences that only I could see were passing through my head. Now these words had gone to the place they were meant to. I didn’t know much about it but one thing was certain.
At least now they understood each other without words. The things I couldn’t read had definitely touched them. I didn’t know why but I felt lonely thinking about it.
“...Kim Dokja?” Jang Hayoung was staring at me.
I scratched my head and quickly opened my mouth. “In any case, Yoo Jonghyuk will do it somehow. This side must be ready...”
...Shit. Already? Jang Hayoung and I looked out the window of the office at the same time. Clouds of sand were gathering beyond the walls of the industrial complex. There was a commotion among the citizens. I could see Mark and the other lawmakers calming them down.
[Oh, there are some hot-tempered constellations. There are still 48 hours until the Demon King Selection.]
The familiar voice of a dokkaebi was heard in the air. High above the industrial complex, Dokgak stared at me and laughed.
[I was originally thinking the beginning should be more boring...]
He was obviously smiling but his eyes were full of resentment against me. No matter how much he disliked me, he couldn’t start his own game within the Demon King Selection story.
[This time, it isn’t bad to start early.]
...What?
[A new sub scenario has been acquired!]
[The Sub Scenario―’Skirmish’ has started!]
I saw the emerging window and noticed how things were progressing. A sub scenario. In the absence of Biyoo and Bihyung, this jerk...
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[Sub Scenario – Skirmish]
Category: Sub
Difficulty: ???
Clear Conditions: Protect the ‘Story Core’ of the industrial complex for a limited amount of time. Or steal it.
Time Limit: 48 hours.
Compensation: Attacking side― qualification for the Demon King Selection
Defending side―200,000 coins, ???
Failure: ―
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I frowned. It might be a sub scenario but opening a scenario in this way was clearly out of the ordinary.
[Some constellations are dissatisfied with the unfair process of Dokgak!]
[Some constellations are requesting a ‘probability conformity screening!]
Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one to think so.
[Ahh, I knew some of you would think so. Certainly, there is some unfairness. The number of defenders and attackers aren’t equal.]
Dokgak was sneering at me. It was a smile that told me I could handle such a scenario. It was an obvious provocation.
[Thus, I have slightly adjusted the difficulty level. As far as this sub scenario is concerned, the individual constellations of the attackers and defenders will have equal levels.]
The moment Dokgak spoke, a faint aura surrounded my incarnation bodies.
[The stats of everyone participating in the scenario is fixed.]
I slowly clenched my fists before opening them. The attacking constellations would’ve received the same penalty. I couldn’t see whether my stats had fallen or increased.
[Some constellations are still protesting that this scenario is against the probability!]
Dokgak had a troubled expression.
[Ahh, don’t say that. This is really... you have all become weak. Have you already forgotten that scenarios are fun because they’re difficult?]
The channel became a terrible mess with indirect messages supporting and opposing it. In the meantime, Dokgak pushed ahead with the scenario.
[You are currently the owner of the Kim Dokja Industrial Complex.]
[You are playing the role of ‘defender’ in the Skirmish.]
[You must protect the Story Core from the attacking constellations.]
I smiled bitterly as I faced Dokgak. Yes, this was what he came up with.
“Kim Dokja, how...”
Rather than answering Jang Hayoung, I opened the wide and yelled towards the citizens.
[All citizens. This is the first time I am personally greeting you.]
My true voice resonated through the industrial complex. I once again breathed in and shouted, [Please calm down and concentrate on my words.]
The voice of the duke was heard for the first time and all the citizens looked at me. Voices came from all over the place. “It is Kim Dokja!”
“That person is the duke!”
Unfortunately, I couldn’t match their expectations.
[I can’t protect you.]
Perhaps there had never been such a duke in the Demon World. In addition, I hoped there wouldn’t be any more in the future.
[So don’t die here like dogs and find your own way to live. I will personally recommend the Yoo Jonghyuk Industrial Complex!]
I could see the mouths of the citizens dropping open at my absurd declaration. Even Mark looked up in a bewildered manner from where he was calming the citizens. Still, it couldn’t be helped. This was the only way to save them. There should be no unnecessary sacrifices in this scenario.
[Do you want to free the citizens of your industrial complex?]
“Free them.”
[All citizens of the industrial complex are freed from your influence.]
[The citizens of the Kim Dokja Industrial Complex have received the ‘Escape Scenario.’]
[The citizens of the Kim Dokja Industrial Complex can now choose an industrial complex.]
[You have acquired a new legendary story!]
[The story ‘Liberator of the Industrial Complex’ has been acquired.]
Messages poured out and I left a final message.
[Everyone, please leave. I will stop them until everyone leaves.]
Bihyung might’ve argued against this if he was here but now he was lying in a distant place.
[The citizens of the industrial complex are giving a standing ovation for your noble sacrifice.]
Thanks but I wasn’t planning a noble sacrifice. I focused on the energy coming from beyond the barrier of the industrial complex. There were four huge energy sources. At least four constellations were approaching.
“Jang Hayoung. Take Han Myungoh and the Breaking the Sky Master. Flee and don’t look back.
Never think about fighting them.”
“What? I don’t want to!”
“I don’t care if you want to! Go directly to Yoo Jonghyuk. Quickly!”
There were ‘four’ coming now but there would be more behind them. They weren’t something a transcendent dog, a human whose gender was ambiguous and a middle-aged man who had been pregnant could face.
“I am one of them anyway.”
I immediately ran downstairs and pulled out the Story Core of the Factory.
[The Factory has stopped running.]
The important thing was to protect this Story Core. I didn’t have to stay in the industrial complex to defend it. I opened Bookmark and used Way of the Wind to climb onto the wall of the industrial complex.
[Is this what you want?]
The four approaching constellations listened to me.
[If you want it then you’ll have to take it away.]
***
The fearsome constellations followed behind me. The reason I could flee was because we had equal stats.
They were four and I was one. I didn’t have much of a chance, regardless of whether the constellations were high or low ranking.
I ran over barriers using Way of the Wind. The constellations confirmed I was holding the Story Core and started to chase me. If they took me down here, they could qualify to participate in the Demon King Selection. It wasn’t strange for them to go on a rampage like this.
Dokgak laughed at me. [Hahaha, it is very easy to run away! Constellations, do you really want to stay on Bihyung’s channel to watch such a person?]
This son of a bitch... I wouldn’t have suffered from this sub scenario if Bihyung hadn’t been distracted. However, I couldn’t do anything because Bihyung wasn’t here.
“Requesting a rise in membership level of the Dokkaebi Bag.”
I had already become a ‘platinum’ level which was an increase by two levels. Still, platinum wasn’t the highest rating.
[The dokkaebi in charge is currently absent.]
[The status update will be automatically executed due to the dokkaebi’s absence.]
[500,000 coins have been consumed.]
[Congratulations! You have become a diamond member of the Dokkaebi Bag!]
[Due to the increase in membership level, the items list of the Dokkaebi Bag will be updated.]
The diamond members could purchase VIP exclusive items. If my memories were correct, the ‘items’ would’ve been released by now.
[You can see the list of exclusive VIP items.]
If Bihyung was here, he would’ve hidden this list even if he died. It was because Bihyung’s black history was among the items on this list.
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* Random Story Box (ver 1.3) ― 20,000 C
* Story Fusion Box (ver 1.3) ― 200,000 C
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...It was as expected. These crazy coin items were being sold. Fortunately, the updated version was the one I was looking for.
「 “Shit, what are the odds... why didn’t they publish the odds?” 」
In the 71st round, Kim Namwoon bought this wrong thing and was ruined.
[You have purchased ten Random Story Boxes.]
[You have purchased one Story Fusion Boxes.]
[400,000 coins have been consumed.]
The Random Story Box was one of the few gambling items that consumed coins to get ‘stories.’ Due to the description that the best quasi-myth grade story could be obtained, the incarnations and constellations ran towards this item once it was released on the market.
Of course, it went without saying that they all became bankrupt. The result was natural. The probability of getting a history-grade story from the Random Box was less than 0.001% and the odds of a quasi-myth story wasn’t even 0.00001%. Then what about the remaining 99,99%?
「 “Crazy! 50 history-grade stories? There is even the lowest-grade? Is this a joke?” 」
I grabbed a falling box and opened it with my mouth.
[Do you want to use the Random Story Box?]
I knew there was little chance of a good story coming out of this box. Then why did I want this box?The story I wanted wasn’t a good story.
.
.
[The story ‘Head Shoulder Knee Feet’ has been acquired.]
[The story ‘Don’t Cut My Hair’ has been acquired.]
[The story ‘Nose Pendant Hanging from the Nose’.]
[The story ‘Earring Hanging from the Ears’.]
.
.
Indeed, it was as I saw in Ways of Survival. In the 1.3 version of the Story Box, there was a more than 80% chance of stories regarding the ‘body’ coming out. The most common of them was the Nose Pendant Hanging from the Nose and Earring Hanging from the Ears.
From behind me, a serpent’s fangs grazed my sides and thighs. It was an attack containing the power of a story. I gritted my teeth and activated Way of the Wind to the extreme, hiding behind the ruins of a building. I needed a bit more time.
[Wh...ere... are... you...!]
I ignored the ugly true voice and confirmed the stories I had just acquired.
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[History-grade Story: Nose Pendant Hanging from the Nose]
Description: If you place anything on your nose, it will trigger an effect that makes it look like an accessory. The item doesn’t matter.
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[History-grade Story: Earring Hanging from the Ears]
Description: It anything is hung on your ears, an effect that makes it look like an earring will be activated. It is a story made in combination with Nose Pendant Hanging from the Nose.
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Needless to say, these stories weren’t helpful when it came to breaking through the current situation. However, it was different with the next item.
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[Item Information]
Name: Story Fusion Box ver 1.3
Rating: ―
Description: It can fuse together different types of stories. There is a very low probability of randomly creating a higher-grade story.
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An item that had a very low probability of generating a high-level story when mixing certain combinations of stories. Originally, this item wasn’t very useful. The same stories being put together produced different results every time and the odds of getting a good story were ridiculously low.
Nevertheless, according to the characters’ remarks, there was a bug in the 1.3 version of the fusion box.
「 “The sale of the box was discontinued because of this. Shit, I should’ve tried it before Anna Croft―” 」
There was a bug with the 1.3 version fo the Story Fusion Box. It was that when mixing certain stories, the first person who did it must receive a ‘certain story.’
The two stories were poured into the box without hesitation and there was a bright flash of light. A message entered my ears along with the throbbing pain.
[The legendary story ‘Distorting Things as One Pleases’ has been acquired.]