Ch 530: Epilogue 2 - Not found anywhere, V

The Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint.

Han Sooyoung narrowed her eyes after seeing that phrase. "…Isn't that the name of Kim Dokja's skill?"

Why would such a thing be engraved in the gap between the world-lines?

The words continued on.

⸢This was inevitable, I thought. And the reason why I accepted mother's actions also had to be this, as well.⸥

⸢The reason why I inexplicably started writing an essay…⸥

⸢The reason why I had to become a son of a murderer…⸥

These words were moving towards a certain direction at a constant speed. These sentences were fluently stretching from the past towards the future. It was then, Han Sooyoung came to realize something.

The 'regression' was an act of branching out to a new world-line from a 'certain point onwards' while going backwards in the current world-line.

So, what would happen if they get stuck in this type of gap while going back in the world-line? If that's what really happened, then this point in time where such sentences could be read must be…

"Hey, Yoo Joonghyuk! This…!"

When she looked back, she realized that Yoo Joonghyuk too was looking at 'something else'.

Boom, ka-booom-!

The snowfield rumbled.

Someone was pounding on the gap of the world-lines they were stuck in.

⸢"Spit her out! I said, spit her out, now!!"⸥

⸢Kim Dokja was crying.⸥

This situation, could it be…?

⸢I began crazily pounding on the wall.⸥

⸢I was overcome with goosebumps. To think that everything would become stories. To think, every action we took and every word we spoke would become scenarios and morph into sentences above the wall.⸥

⸢"Shut up! This is how I feel!"⸥

She couldn't see his face. But, Han Sooyoung could tell just by reading these sentences. Kim Dokja was responsible for these words – Kim Dokja was fighting somewhere, within the past of the 3rd turn of the 'Ways of Survival'.

⸢Kim Dokja wanted to know. What should he do? What should he do to break this wall down? Could this be the price for reading the 'Ways of Survival'? Did my own reality become a novel because I read that novel?⸥

When Han Sooyoung read those sentences, she became sure of it.

"This is back then during the [Dark Castle]," said Han Sooyoung.

"…The Dark Castle?"

"This event happened right after Kim Dokja fought against the 'Devourer of Dreams'. He told me about it some time ago. He got trapped inside his own skill, and…"

Just before they reached the final scenario, Han Sooyoung got a chance to talk to Kim Dokja for the entire night. It was to discuss their plan moving forward, but also to talk about the matters of the past, as well. They thought that some stuff they didn't manage to resolve could potentially serve as clues for the future.

– Now that I think about it, something did feel off back then. Someone called out to me, but… If it weren't for that voice, I might have ended up in some serious trouble in that place.

"Hey, Kim Dokja!!"

"Han Sooyoung, stop wasting your time. This is nothing more than recorded history."

The 'gap' must exist as a gap. Only then would the rest exist not as gaps.

However, the fact that sentences could be found in a place like this, didn't that mean there were still stories they haven't read yet?

Han Sooyoung reached out towards the huge letters again. The pitch-black particles stained her hand this time as well.

*

But, they weren't the graphite particles. No, they were very small and really fine black particles made out of ones and zeroes.

Han Sooyoung gripped the word even harder than before.

If this was the recorded story, then couldn't it be possible to change the records, somehow?

Tsu-chuchuchuchut!

An incredible shower of sparks exploded and began attacking her whole body. It was as if every sentence existing in the world was glaring at her.

Yoo Joonghyuk cried out. "You fool… Now isn't the…!"

Tsu-chuchuchuchut!

"Hey! Wake the hell up!"

When she gripped the sentence, the life contained within it was transmitted to her. It was Kim Dokja's life. His life, lived for the purpose of writing this sentence on the [Final Wall].

Han Sooyoung shouted at Kim Dokja currently wrestling against [The Fourth Wall]. "This is your skill! Don't get swallowed up by your own skill!"

As if she was trying to revise the recorded sentence, she grabbed onto the entirety of that sentence and shook it, hard. Maybe she was wrong on this one. Kim Dokja might be able to get through this danger all by himself, and her voice might never reach him.

Even then, Han Sooyoung still left behind her own sentence on top of the [Wall].

Tsu-chuchuchuchut!

Because maybe, just maybe, someone beyond the wall might get to hear her.

"Han Sooyoung, the regression is starting again!"

"Shut up! Hey, you too! Hurry up and say something!"

Han Sooyoung's and Yoo Joonghyuk's figures began scattering away again under the bright rays of light. Before completely disappearing, though, the frowning Yoo Joonghyuk did say something.

"Cancel your skill, Kim Dokja."

Yoo Sangah blinked her eyes in a daze.

Faint rays of light were surrounding her. A monitor in front seemed to sway unsteadily. It currently displayed the personnel records she was browsing just now.

"…Ah."

It didn't feel real to her. She blinked again, and felt the sensations picked up by her weak, frail body. This was the body of an Incarnation, unfettered by the 'blessings' of the system that also had lost the powers of skills and Stigmata. These were the sensations of a human being.

She really did come back.

The things she needed to do popped up in her head one by one. First, confirm the starting point of her regression. Attempt communication with the other companions through the emergency contact lines. And then…

She suddenly shot up from her seat, causing many gazes to land on her next. She recalled old, familiar names one by one. Such as, deputy Kim Min-Woo, the section chief Jang Eun-Yeong, and…

"Hahah, so what do you think about the HR team? Sangah-ssi, do you like it here?"

The man walking towards her with a bit of an attitude as if to pick a fight with her – that was the executive director Kang Yeong-Hyeon. And the person subserviently following after him… the head of the finance department, Han Myungoh. The latter, cautiously reading the atmosphere until then, smiled sheepishly in her direction. He was not the 'Han Myungoh' she grew to know for the past four years. The one she knew didn't cross over to this regression turn, after all.

"Yoo Sangah-ssi, the sale you made this time was truly commen…"

Without saying a word, she began running. She brushed past the executive director Kang and rushed into the corridor. Suddenly, her sense of reality seemed to be blurring.

Did she really, truly succeed in regressing?

The view of the world that used to be so familiar went past her.

She used to come to work here at the fixed time every morning, and went home at the designated hour, too.

That was the ruleset of this world, and she diligently stuck to it.

"Hey, look here! Yoo Sangah-ssi!"

Her employee ID card was exactly the same, too. There was a time in her past life when she struggled so hard to have this around her neck. As if this little thing could act as the proof of her true worth.

When she arrived at the QA team's offices, utterly out of breath, several employees began recognising her.

"Uh? Yoo Sangah-ssi?"

Her smartphone hidden in the pocket continuously cried out – incoming messages criticising her sudden, abrupt departure. And then, loud yells ringing out from behind her.

Yoo Sangah approached a certain partition, one step at a time.

⸢The person she remembered, he was there.⸥

A man wearing a headphone and looking up at her.

The spare battery always being charged in the corner of the partition.

That was where the 'Kim Dokja' she remembered was.

Kim Dokja, before the scenarios went underway.

Without realizing it, she reached out and grasped both of his cheeks.

"Uht…??"

Kim Dokja's eyes were opened really wide. Surrounding people, startled by her sudden actions, began murmuring to themselves. However, the words she was currently listening to didn't come from them.

⸢"Yoo Sangah, why are you so cold-hearted? Just like how this 'Kim Dokja' is Kim Dokja, 'Kim Dokja left behind in that place' is also Kim Dokja, you know. You are…"⸥

Han Sooyoung's words were filling up the inside of her head.

Why did she respond so coldly back then?

"Dokja-ssi."

She now knew, though. Looking at this Kim Dokja's dumbfounded face, how could she not?

⸢"Sooyoung-ah. I too have memories that I treasure."⸥

She was not an 'author' like Han Sooyoung, nor was she the 'protagonist' like Yoo Joonghyuk.

No, she was Yoo Sangah. Yoo Sangah, who was Kim Dokja's colleague and also his friend.

For no reason whatsoever, tears welled up to obscure her vision, but she still managed to smile brightly.

⸢She returned here in order to protect this Kim Dokja.⸥

Kim Dokja's lips bobbed up and down. His murky eyes began to gain a semblance of light little by little as if he had finally recognised her. And when she witnessed the faint hints of sparks dancing within those eyes, Yoo Sangah opened her mouth.

"Let's go and find the story you've forgotten about."

Yoo Sangah led Kim Dokja and immediately left the company building. Just to make sure, she didn't forget to shout at other people too, as they dashed through the corridors.

"It's not too late now, so please leave the office and try to catch a grasshopper, at the very least!"

The duo reached the Gwanghwamun Station, and the very first one to arrive there, Jung Heewon, greeted them. She stood under the undamaged statues of King Sejong and Lee Sun-Shin, and waved her hand.

"Yoo Sangah-ssi!"

Out of the happiness at this reunion, they energetically hugged each other. It seemed that the only one to reach here so far was Jung Heewon.

"What's wrong with Dokja-ssi?"

"…The state of his memories doesn't seem to be stable at the moment. He's experiencing confusion at trying to perceive reality."

She could only guess that this state was due to him being an Avatar.

"What about Joonghyuk-ssi and Sooyoung-ssi?" Yoo Sangah asked.

"I couldn't get a hold of them yet. I don't know about Joonghyuk-ssi, but Sooyoung-ssi is the type to call everyone before doing anything else, so…"

It was already several hours since they successfully regressed.

Those two might even go as far as to borrow phones to contact the others. So, the fact that they didn't could only mean that something had possibly gone wrong somewhere.

"What about the others?"

"Gilyoung-ie is currently in the countryside, while Yoosung-ie and Jihye said they might be a little late getting here. As for Hyunsung-ssi…"

"Pant! Pant!! Heewon-ssi! Sangah-ssi!"

A huge bear was running towards them from the distance while waving both of his hands. The bear also happened to be wearing a military uniform, too.

"Ehng? But, didn't you say you can't come out because you were stuck in the base?"

"I left without permission, actually."

"…Is it okay to do that?"

"The world is about to be destroyed, so it won't matter anyway."

"There is still some time left until then to say 'about to', you know."

While saying that, Jung Heewon showed everyone her phone's screen displaying the timetable.

⸢D-28 until the start of the scenario.⸥

Lee Hyunsung formed a serious expression. "…Didn't we aim to regress to the day before the beginning of the scenarios?"

"This is for the better, I think. We got ourselves more time to prepare, so we might be able to save more people this way.

Vrrr…

People began showing up in the chat room they agreed to join before disembarking. Jung Heewon used the translation app to read the incoming messages.

– China's Fei Hu has arrived safely. Plenty of fine dust, though.

– Ranvir Khan of India, I have arrived no problem. Along with the nostalgic smell, too.

– This is Asuka Ren from Japan. I see the familiar ceiling. No problem here, so far. (`･ω･´)

The past world-line's 100 strongest Incarnations, having successfully regressed, were now gathering in one place.

The companions looking at each other nodded their heads simultaneously.

"Let's start with the operation."

⸢D-21⸥

– Arrest warrant has been issued for 'Lieutenant Lee', suspected of stealing a large cache of firearms from the military base…

– The sudden propagation of 'apocalypse theory' in the internet recently has caused some experts to…

⸢D-14⸥

– The 'apocalypse theory', expected to fizzle out as a passing fad, still shows no signs of abating after two weeks.

– The apocalyptist 'Selena Kim' urges people to prepare supplies for the sudden upheaval that will happen in two weeks' time…

– Several famous individuals from the world of finance have sympathised with the apocalypse theory, causing the public to criticise…

⸢D-7⸥

– Many ampoules containing microbes earmarked for research have been stolen from a prominent pharmaceutical company…

– Recently, the frog egg collection craze has swept across children in their teens…

⸢D-1⸥

– Finally, only one day remains until the 'day of the apocalypse' as prophesied by the apocalyptist 'Selena Kim', and…

⸢D-DAY⸥

Lee Seolhwa looked at the small ampoule gripped in her hand.

– Living insects or their eggs have been put inside the ampoules.

– To save as many people as possible, we even spread the locations of the hidden emergency ampoules in the internet, too.

– And now, time to pray for some good luck.

⸢4 hours before the apocalypse.⸥

– New Delhi, India. Preparations are complete.

– Beijing, China. Preparations are complete here, as well.

– Washington, USA. We're also ready.

⸢One hour before the apocalypse.⸥

– Seoul, South Korea. Preparations, complete.

⸢Ten minutes before the apocalypse.⸥

– Team Shin Yoosung and Lee Gilyoung. Finished with the deployment to the third subway line's location.

Currently at the Apgujeong Station's platform for the third subway line.

While listening to the sounds of subway train rumbling in closer, Shin Yoosung suddenly opened her mouth. "It's going to work, right?"

"Of course. How many frog eggs do you have on you?"

"102. What about you?"

"524."

Shin Yoosung furrowed her brows and glared at Lee Gilyoung's PET bottle.

"Hey, you! If you hog that many for yourself, what about other people…?!"

"Argh, they are all carrying ampoules with them, so it'll be fine. If I'm to become stronger than that sooty bastard, I gotta start really rich this time around! With this, I…!"

It was right then, someone snatched the PET bottle off Lee Gilyoung's hands. The boy jumped in shock and quickly looked back to spot a familiar man standing there.

"It's you, sooty bastard!"

"Joonghyuk ahjussi? When did you arrive?!"

"Just now. A problem occurred with the Stigma and that delayed us."

Yoo Joonghyuk panted heavily and wiped the sweat off his forehead while tucking the PET bottle inside his jacket.

"What about Kim Dokja?" He asked.

"Seolhwa eonni is with him because of his poor condition. Maybe because the scenario hasn't started yet, he was fine for a little while but he's unconscious again."

"And the preparations for the operation?"

"It's all finished."

Rather than starting a lengthy explanation, Shin Yoosung simply handed a spare smartphone to Yoo Joonghyuk, instead.

In the meantime, Lee Gilyoung grumbling away pulled out yet another PET bottle. "Hmph. I knew you'd steal mine, so I prepared another one earlier!"

⸢6:55 PM⸥

Another subway was approaching them from the distance. All three of them climbed aboard the train. This subway of the third line smelled exactly the same as before. A peaceful sight of not one person worrying about the impending apocalypse unfolded before their eyes.

While looking at the darkness of the tunnel streaming by them, Lee Gilyoung abruptly muttered to himself. "…By the way, will the scenarios really start?"

With a slightly unsure expression, he sneaked a glance in Yoo Joonghyuk's direction. During the past 28 days, the boy had been preparing for the apocalypse harder than anyone else. Somewhat ironically, though, he was now worried about the apocalypse not happening at all.

Yoo Joonghyuk addressed the fretting boy. "It'll begin. It did so for the past 1864 times, after all."

Those were the words coming from the man who waited for the apocalypse for a very long time. He didn't say anything else and quietly peered at his watch.

Three minutes. Two minutes. One minute. And finally…

⸢7:00 PM⸥

Along with the loud screech, the subway came to a sudden and immediate stop. The commuters all screamed in panic as a sudden bout of darkness visited them. And within this scene of utter pandemonium, only three people were carrying relieved expressions.

As if to illuminate this pitch-black darkness, Yoo Joonghyuk's voice resounded out.

"The operation, <Capture the Squid>, will now commence."