Episode 13 – War of Kings (1)
My plan was clear.
The 1st Apostle, the plagiarist, had information about the ‘third and fourth regressions’ that were the beginning of Ways of Survival. As was always the case with informed people, he monopolized information and hid it from the prophets.
On the other hand, the Tyrant King was one of Seoul’s Seven Kings who used the ‘revelations’ after knowing about the existence of the prophets.
The guy who wanted to monopolize information and the guy who tried to dig it out. It was obvious what would happen if the two of them faced each other.
Lee Sungkook asked, “…Then you are going to make a novel text?”
“That’s right.”
The plan itself was simple. We would make a text of the plagiarized writer’s novel. Then spread it among the people of each station.
Well, it was roughly this type of feeling.
–Some of the prophets’ revelations have been leaked!
The finish was laid out well.
Thanks to Han Donghoon’s Internet comments manipulation, information on the prophets had already spread on the Internet. If the leaking of a txt version was known, there would be a big ripple.
A few early readers would try to get a hidden piece while the Tyrant King would naturally move to obtain them.
“But…I have forgotten most of the contents of SSSSS grade Infinite Regressor. How will we make the text?”
“Why do we need the contents of the plagiarized novel?”
“Huh?”
“We remember the original.”
“Ah…!”
There was a short cry of admiration. However, Jung Minseob’s face was still dark.
“Eh… there is still a problem. The hidden pieces that we know about in Ways of Survival have been mostly used…”
“I will give you information in hidden pieces. I know a few that are present in the beginning. I will release information on items of the right level.”
Above all, it had to catch the eye of the plagiarist writer and the Tyrant King.
Lee Sungkook laughed awkwardly. “This is funny. I will make a text version. I am usually just a reader.”
This jerk… was he an illegal downloader?
Jung Minseob also spoke.
“But if we do this, won’t we be the same as him? In the end, we are plagiarizing the original story to make a story…”
It made sense. I thought for a moment before saying.
“There is such a thing. Plagiarism is about not wanting you to know the original, a parody is more fun if you know the original while a homage wants you to know the original.”
“Oh, this is interesting.”
“From now on, we will be making a homage.”
It was true. I hoped that many people would come to know SSSSS grade Infinite Regressor. That way he would be quickly ruined.
We borrowed a laptop from Gong Pildu and started typing. We didn’t have a lot of experience in writing novels so we had to put our heads together. Jung Minseob pulled his hair and said,
“Writing is so difficult… writers are great…”
“Just write roughly. We just need information that will attract them. Rather, an imperfect revelation might be easier to deceive the prophets. Mix the truth and lies.”
I watched what Jung Minseob typed and added some information.
“Let’s change the names of the people in the novel. I am a bit anxious.”
Lee Hyunsung and Lee Jihye would be shocked about being characters in the story. Whether I liked it or not, someday they would find out that this world was a ‘novel’. But it didn’t have to be right now.
Then Jung Minseob unexpectedly said, “Well, I don’t think you need to worry about that part.”
“Huh?”
“In fact, I tried to test some people by saying that this was a novel. But they didn’t understand it at all. It is like a NPC… No matter how serious I am, they just take it as a joke.”
It was an unexpected piece of information.
Jung Minseob and the other apostles had spoken to characters several times about them being ‘supporting actors.’ Thinking about the reactions of the characters at the time…there was definitely something strange.
Jung Minseob continued to speak.
“This was how the 1st Apostle was able to easily find the prophets. The ‘characters’ were very displeased by the words ‘this is a novel’ or they didn’t listen. Perhaps this was why the apostles used the term ‘revelation.’”
I suddenly felt uneasy when I heard this. I opened my mouth. “…What is the difference between the characters and us?”
“Huh? Um… we are people in reality and characters are people in novels? Isn’t that the difference?”
“Then… when was this world divided into reality and a novel?”
“Hrmmm, well… When the first scenario started?”
My question wasn’t resolved with Jung Minseob’s answer.
Jung Minseob and Lee Sungkook were obviously outsiders of the novel like me. It was because I couldn’t see their information at first.
But not long after, it was updated and I was able to look at their information in Character List.
Then were they now ‘real people’ or were they ‘characters?’ If everyone became a character over time…
I looked at Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung for a moment.
[The exclusive skill, Character List is activated.]
[This person isn’t registered in ‘Character List.’]
[Currently collecting information about the corresponding figure.]
Fortunately, I still couldn’t see the information for both of them.
Yoo Sangah suddenly looked back at me and smiled. Lee Gilyoung also looked at me.
“What is it Hyung?”
“It is nothing.”
I didn’t know why but I felt strangely relieved.
***
Soon after, we approximately completed the novel.
The quality was so bad that if it was serialized in Textpia, it would’ve bombed. But that didn’t matter right ow.
“Let’s first sprinkle the information that the Book of Revelations has been leaked.”
Lee Sungkook asked.
“Is there enough time to spread the information?”
“Donghun will take care of it. If we take advantage of the Hermit Invalid, it can be spread in a short amount of time.”
“Oh, Donghu… I see. But what if not all stations are capable of the Internet?”
“Then we will send someone.”
I looked behind me. Kang Ilhun nodded as if he had been waiting.
Lee Sungkook agreed. “Ah, that’s right. If it is Ilhun-ssi… I had forgotten.”
“Kang Ilhun-ssi, are you ready?”
Kang Ilhun, the deputy of Dongdaemun. It was worth intentionally saving this guy.
Kang Ilhun nervously opened his mouth. “Leave it to me. I am confident that I can catch them. I just need to spread rumours?”
[The character ‘Kang Ilhun’ will follow your will.]
[Your understanding of this person has increased.]
Kang Ilhun. It was finally time to use the attribute of Rumours Expert. The time remaining until the scenario ended was 44 hours.
The next day, the game would begin.
***
–Donghun, thank you.
–I am just paying you back so don’t worry.
[The character ‘Han Donghoon’ trusts you a little bit.]
Since last time, ‘Hermit King of Shadows’ Han Donghoon had moderately opened up his heart to me. The fact that I saved him from the prophets seemed to have played a bigger role than expected.
–I feel a strange sense of familiarity with you.
–Familiarity?
–Since a long time ago… are you also a hermit?
–Um, no I wasn’t. Although I was a bit timid.
–I see. I feel an unknown wall with Hyung. I can’t explain it well but I like the feeling.
–Isn’t it usually bad to feel a wall?
–I only believe in people with walls. In order to understand someone, I think I should face that wall first.
A person who was barely 17 years old was speaking like a wise man.
In any case, the wall. I was sure that he was right. Some walls couldn’t be crossed no matter how desperate the person.
–In any case, the rumour has spread. But how will you sow the revelations? On the Internet again?
–No, the wrong people will read it if I place it on the Internet. I will sell it.
–Sell it? How?
I started to explain to Han Donghoon.
***
There were 40 hours remaining until the end of the scenario.
I finally summoned the Chungmuro group members.
“This journey won’t be easy. If we can’t take Changsin Station in the next 40 hours, our group will be wiped out. However, our current forces isn’t enough.”
“Well, since when has it been easy? Who is the opponent?”
I replied to Jung Heewon’s question. “He is called the Tyrant King. He is one of the top seven kings of Seoul and the king with the largest territory.”
Lee Hyunsung asked this time. “What type of person is he?”
“He is someone who started from Dobong-gu and built his own kingdom. He says that any beautiful or handsome man and woman will become concubines, while any ugly people will be killed or become slaves.”
Jung Heewon frowned. “If Dokja-ssi is caught, you will become a slave.”
“…Well, I think it will be dangerous for Heewon-ssi.”
“Being a concubine is difficult… Why don’t we just go ahead and kill him?”
“It will be hard because his sponsor is quite strong. Now there are two paths. Take his flag or take over his headquarters, Dobong Station.”
Neither was easy, causing everyone to feel tense. I decided to get to the point.
“We will go to Gwanghwamun.”
“Huh? Didn’t you say not to fight them?”
“They will come to us.”
“Why?”
“I leaked a bit of information. We have to consider the time he moves so we will leave soon. Everyone should be prepared… eh?”
“…What is it?”
I subtly smiled at Yoo Sangah’s question.
“Nothing. It is just happening faster than I expected.”
Han Donghoon’s message appeared on my smartphone.
–I was able to put it on the exchange. But is it okay?
–Yes, its fine. Well done.
Then system messages entered my ears one after another.
[The items on the exchange have been sold.]
[The items on the exchange have been sold.]
At that moment, a trembling voice was heard from the air.
[…Are you a scammer?]
‘What is the reaction among the constellations?’
[They are really excited. The filtering limit has started to unravel… there are those who gave it as gifts to their incarnations. But if you do this, you will receive attention again. Will you be okay? And if you release all the information you know, won’t it go against you?]
‘It isn’t disadvantageous.’
I still had information remaining. The information I released wasn’t information I needed. Rather, it was information that would be damaging to someone.
‘Give me the coins.’
[Here.]
[16 volumes of SSSSS grade Infinite Regressors have been sold on the exchange.]
[You have earned 16,000 coins.]
Of course, I didn’t release the information for free.
Anyone who needed to information would have a sponsor, so it was better to sell it on the ‘exchange’ than to release it for free on the Internet.
If I released the Book of Revelations for free, it would be more suspicious. But what if I sold it?
Of course they would buy it. It was because they would mistakenly think the information had ‘value.’ The quality of the information was sometimes determined by value rather than content.
By the way, it was 16,000 coins. This was a profit.
I spoke to the people. “I’m sorry but I will sleep for a while.”
“…Aren’t you taking it too easy?”
“I also need to sleep.”
I lay down. Yoo Sangah covered me with a thin blanket. Jung Heewon still found it absurd.
Then I fell asleep. After a while, a system message was heard in my blurred consciousness.
[Exclusive skill, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint stage 3 has been activated!]
So far, I figured out that Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint was divided into three stages.
Stage 1 allowed me to read the simple actions or emotions of characters.
Stage 2 allowed me to see deep inside the character.
Stage 3 allowed me to see the surrounding scenery where the characters were located or directly immerse myself in the character.
So far, I had entered stage 3 twice. Once was in my dream and the second time was when I died. In my dream, I saw Yoo Jonghyuk leaving Gumho Station. When I was dead, I witnessed the scenery of Chungmuro.
These two incidents had similarities. My consciousness was muddled and unstable. But this wasn’t the only condition to trigger stage 3.
There was one important fact. It was…
「 ‘Representative-nim, are you watching? Damn… is this right?’
Kang Ilhun muttered to himself as he gazed into the air.
‘I have spread it to the King of Tyrants. Those guys will move soon. By the way, you are listening to me right?’ 」
The character and I needed to be thinking about each other at the same time.
After a while, my point of view shifted to Kang Ilhun.
「The man smiled, revealing his white teeth. A man wearing a magnificent crown and a coat of gold slowly rose from the throne, women surrounding him.
“A new revelation?”
“It is certain. I bought the information using coins.”
“Who released the information?”
“It is probably one of the prophets.”
“Is it reliable?”
“I checked some of the hidden pieces in the revelations and they were all true.”
The man laughed, revealing his teeth.
“Let’s go to Gwanghwamun. Before the others get there first.” 」
Good. The Tyrant King was finally moving. Now the problem was on the other side.
I thought about Jung Minseob.
「 ‘Representative-nim! I have arrived.’ 」
The timing was good.
Jung Minseob was at Sejong University and heading to Gwanghwamun in advance. He then looked at the surrounding scenery.
「 I am certain since he is wearing the same hood like a chunni. It is him.’ 」
People were in the lower part of the building. As I thought, the plagiarist was the fastest. Gwanghwamun contained one of the hidden pieces most useful for the third regression. The plagiarist wouldn’t be able to run away from this place.
「 The problem is that more people are coming. Yeongdeungpo, Yongsan, Seongdong-gu, the kings on those sides are moving… isn’t this becoming too big?’ 」
No, it was what I was hoping for. The people who were hiding started to emerge one by one. It was better since I didn’t need to visit each one individually.
Finally, the fourth scenario was ending. The real War of Kings would begin.
