Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint (Web Novel KR)

Why was it?
The moment I saw the title, Bihyung’s words began circling in my head.
「They keep buying lemon candies from the ‘Dokkaebi Pouch.’」

I absentmindedly slipped my hand into my pocket.
Since when?
Inside my pocket was something I had never placed there.

「Take it. And then…」
Only belatedly did Kim Dokja’s words in my dream resurface.
I pulled the object out of my pocket. Slowly, goosebumps ran down my spine.

A small candy wrapped in yellow foil.
Indeed, Kim Dokja had said it like this.
「Give it to him.」
***

Thirty minutes later, I was organizing the items obtained from hunting the ‘Giant Centipede.’
[Core of the Giant Centipede].
[Fragment of the Giant Centipede’s Carapace].
In that chaos, I had managed to grab at least these two.

They weren’t items I had any immediate use for, so I listed them on the marketplace through Bihyung.
The centipede’s core could be used as a material for spirit bullets, so incarnations like Pei Hu from the Chinese side might buy it.
Come to think of it, I had completely forgotten about overseas.

Since Ways of Survival had translations abroad, wasn’t it possible that even among foreign readers, someone had transmigrated?
“Inho-ssi, are you ready?”
I turned to see Gyeong Sein and Uncle Dansoo, who had finished their preparations and were waiting for me.

“Yes. Let’s go.”
We went straight to look for Ye Heeyoon.
Once I stated my business, Ye Heeyoon reacted just as I expected.

“You’re saying you’ll be going to the Theater Dungeon now?”
He paused briefly, then asked Gyeong Sein and Uncle Dansoo to give us some privacy.
Once they stepped back, Ye Heeyoon lowered his voice.

“Is this perhaps related to Yoo Joonghyuk?”
As expected of one of the Seven Apostles.
I simply nodded and answered.
“The only place Yoo Joonghyuk would go right now is the ‘Theater Dungeon.’”

“Mm, yes, that makes sense.”
His gaze shifted upward, toward the levels above.
Most likely, somewhere up there, Yoo Joonghyuk had already entered the theater and was cutting down monsters.

“I heard from Sein last time. In this world, Yoo Joonghyuk is on his 41st regression, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Which 41st is it?”

“…What do you mean by which?”
“There were two ‘41sts,’ weren’t there? Once before Shin Yooseung became the ‘Disaster of Floods.’ And once after.”
I smirked bitterly inside.

As expected, he wasn’t your average reader.
Perhaps my face had stiffened, because Ye Heeyoon chuckled.
“You can just play dumb if you like. I won’t bother using Lie Detection.”

His easy smile drained some of my energy.
What a clever reader indeed.
“It’s probably the former.”

“Then this must be that very ‘41st round’ from Ways of Survival. The one where he failed the scenario, turned Shin Yooseung into the ‘Disaster of Floods’… And you’re still planning to go to the Theater Dungeon?”
I had no retort for that.
“You saw it yourself, Inho-ssi. That bastard destroyed the entire Green Zone and tried to kill us.”

That was true. Thanks to Yoo Joonghyuk, we had almost been annihilated during the ‘Emergency Defense Battle.’
But still…
「If you really are Cheon Inho, then something like this should be child’s play for you to handle alone.」

If I thought of it as him believing in me enough to go that far… was I being too delusional?
“If you go to the Theater Dungeon now, you may have to fight Yoo Joonghyuk.”
“I know. I’m going anyway.”

Ye Heeyoon let out a quiet sigh before asking,
“Will the three of you really be okay? Should I assign you some support troops?”
“You’d help us?”

“I can’t afford to lose you here, Inho-ssi. And besides…”
He hesitated before adding,
“I saw you talking with Yoo Joonghyuk back on the railway. I don’t know what passed between you two, but it looked like you could actually hold a conversation with him.”

So he had seen even that?
“Support isn’t necessary. The scenario isn’t even over yet. More than that, I already feel bad leaving you to handle the cleanup.”
“No, it’s fine. I wasn’t planning to enter the Theater Dungeon anyway. Just sorting out the rewards here is more than enough for me. And… I’ve already received plenty of sponsorship.”

Indeed, Ye Heeyoon had raked in a fair amount of coins with that strange technique, ‘Infinity Ouroboros’ or whatever.
He didn’t seem to have even chosen his sponsor yet, so he wouldn’t have to worry about funding for a while.
I couldn’t help but wonder which sponsor he’d pick the next time we met.

“By the way, I was surprised you used a ‘Venom Bomb.’”
The lack of hostility in his voice made me freeze for a moment, not understanding his meaning.
“That bomb recipe is known only to the ‘Poisonous Reading Club.’”

His calm gaze landed on me. I feigned nonchalance as I replied,
“I picked one up last time, while fighting the Poison Reading Club with Killer King.”
Ye Heeyoon gave a small smile.

“I don’t think you’re a member of the Poison Reading Club. I just…”
A prickle of unease ran through me.
Could Ye Heeyoon have noticed me using Thoughts on Almost Everything?

That item hadn’t appeared in Ways of Survival, but he was sharp. He might have caught a glimpse in that instant.
“Inho-ssi.”
“Yes.”

“If you don’t mind, could you bring back an item for me from the 5th floor of the Theater Dungeon? I’ll pay you.”
“…What?”
Well, well.

“What item do you want?”
The 5th floor of the Theater Dungeon was the [Room of Rewards], full of replica items.
After thinking briefly, Ye Heeyoon answered.

“‘Shingijeon.’”
Shingijeon. I knew roughly what it was.
The problem was—

“I’m not sure if that item will be there…”
“It definitely will! It was in the movie. Even though it never appeared in Ways of Survival, it has to be there. It must be.”
His earnest expression lingered as his eyes flicked to the Thoughts on Almost Everything strapped to my arm.

“That’s essential for my ‘Invincible Castle Lord Tech Tree, Stage 5.’”
Truly, what a clever reader.
***

“Was there something you discussed with the Apostle?”
“Nothing much. Just agreed to grab him an item from the Theater Dungeon.”
“I see.”

I briefly explained the exchange to Uncle Dansoo and Gyeong Sein.
“You did well. Maintaining good relations with someone like an Apostle can only help.”
“I agree as well.”

I thought so too.
Most of all, Ye Heeyoon didn’t seem like a bad person.
“All right then…”

I turned toward the last of our companions, who sat staring blankly into space.
“Heewon-ssi.”
On the bench, Jung Heewon lifted her head weakly. For some reason, her expression was unusually downcast.

“Inho-ssi.”
“Yes.”
“…I’m sorry.”

“…What?”
The sudden apology caught me off guard. The reason became clear quickly enough.
“If only I’d been a little stronger.”

Jung Heewon dragged the tip of her mole cricket sword across the subway floor. Judging by the marks etched all over the bench area, she had been doing it for quite a while.
“That’s destruction of public property, you know.”
It was meant as a joke, but it fell flat.

[Character ‘Jung Heewon’ feels guilt toward you.]
Guilt. It seemed she was blaming herself for not being able to protect me.
“Heewon-ssi.”

I knelt on one knee, clasping the hand that gripped her sword. Her palm was rough and calloused from swinging the blade endlessly.
Gently, I pried the sword from her grasp and began doodling on the subway floor. Using her scratches as strands of hair, I quickly sketched a crude face. Then I added a little speech bubble.
「ㅠ ㅠ」

When finished, it was unclear whether it was a person or a dumpling.
Jung Heewon blankly stared at the doodle before muttering,
“…And you said it was destruction of public property.”

I looked at her and said,
“You’re not the one who should be apologizing right now.”
Jung Heewon had done her best.

The one who had fallen short was me.
「All ‘□□’ ever shows me is only ‘my danger.’」
Thinking back on it now made me shiver.

If a monster stronger than the Giant Centipede had appeared back then—
「Jung Heewon might have died.」
The mere thought chilled my heart. Perhaps I had been too lost in the story.

I was not Kim Dokja.
I wouldn’t be as lucky as him, nor would the stars shower me with affection.
Even so, I had to keep surviving this tale.

“We’re companions, aren’t we?”
“….”
“I’ll become strong enough that you won’t need to protect me anymore, Heewon-ssi. I won’t keep hiding behind you forever.”

Her pupils wavered as she looked at me.
[Character ‘Jung Heewon’ feels regret toward you.]
Regret?

I quickly returned the mole cricket sword to her and added,
“But that also means, until I do become strong enough, I’ll be hiding behind you just a little longer.”
Her lips parted slightly.

“….”
[Character ‘Jung Heewon’ is pleased by your words.]
[Your understanding of ‘Jung Heewon’ has increased.]
I understood her state of mind.

This must be how Jung Heewon endured this insane world.
“So, this time too, I’ll be needing your help.”
“Where are you planning to go now?”

She carefully wiped the blade clean with a cloth as she asked.
That battered sword had slain the Giant Centipede.
Truly, wherever she went, Jung Heewon was Jung Heewon.

Come to think of it, in Ways of Survival, this was the point where she also changed weapons.
“The theater upstairs.”
“The ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) theater? In this situation?”

“You need a new weapon anyway, don’t you? They say good items drop up there. Let’s go together.”
Conveniently, Gyeong Sein cut in and shifted the mood.
“Ah, so that’s why we’re going? But I like my sword just fine.”

“Come on, that Lee Jihye girl had something fancy, didn’t she? You should too—”
As we headed toward the upper floor, someone blocked our path at the ticket gate.
There was no need to ask who.

“Lee Jihye.”
Leaning against the vending machine, Lee Jihye glared at me before snapping,
“…What?”

“Thanks for earlier.”
Her eyes widened, clearly not expecting that.
“…I only did it because Master asked me to.”

Then she sharply turned her head away.
Still just a child.
“You saved others too, though.”

Even amidst the chaos, I had seen it.
Though she had pretended she wouldn’t help anyone, Lee Jihye had snatched dying people back from the brink whenever she could.
No matter the round, no matter the worldline, people’s essence didn’t change so easily.

“Come with us.”
“…Where?”
“To where your master is.”

“…You know where Master went?”
“I do.”
Her gaze flickered with unease.

“What, Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t tell you anything?”
She bit her lip instead of answering.
「Yoo Joonghyuk went to the Theater Dungeon but left Lee Jihye behind?」

I couldn’t understand his decision.
Her sponsor was the naval war god, Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and the Theater Dungeon included many stages set at sea. Yet Yoo Joonghyuk had deliberately left her out.
Not the 3rd regression, but the 41st.

And this was the same Yoo Joonghyuk who, when she died, had said,
「Now naval warfare will be difficult.」
“…He just told me to stay here and watch whether you died or not.”

“Why?”
“…Dunno. Maybe because I’m reliable?”
She tried to sound confident, but her voice wavered. I didn’t know the details, but this was an opportunity for me.

[Exclusive skill, ‘Incite Lv.6,’ has been activated!]
Time to play the villain for a moment.
“Then with the ‘Emergency Defense Battle’ over, your mission’s finished, right?”

“Well, yes, but…”
“Isn’t Yoo Joonghyuk being too arbitrary? Treating you like a child. Right?”
Lee Jihye tapped her toes on the floor.

“Shut up. What do you know?”
“Come with us.”
“Why would I—”

“I know where higher-grade items are. If we find one, I’ll share it with you.”
“….”
“Don’t you want a new weapon? You’re decent with a blade. If you get a new one, maybe Yoo Joonghyuk will start bringing you along.”

At the mention of a sword, she faltered.
“…What?”
“The sword’s weak. You aren’t.”

She bit her lip harder.
“It’s just a short trip. We’ll be back before Yoo Joonghyuk returns.”
At last, the naïve girl gave a small nod.

[Character ‘Lee Jihye’ feels a faint liking toward you.]
Maybe recruiting the wasn’t going to be as hard as I thought.
***

Not long after, we reached the entrance to the theater.
“Unni, where did you learn the sword?”
“In the school kendo club.”

“Wow. I’m self-taught. What do they teach in kendo club?”
“To win without killing.”
Somehow swept along with us, Lee Jihye chatted with Jung Heewon.

Heewon mostly gave curt replies, but Jihye seemed to like even that, clinging to her side without letting go.
Come to think of it, the two of them were close in Ways of Survival too.
“We’re almost there. Get ready.”

[You are approaching an outer area. Be careful not to leave the scenario zone.]
On the basement floor, the dungeon entrance came into view. Gyeong Sein muttered,
“Never thought I’d be back here again.”

Indeed, it felt strangely nostalgic.
After all, this was the very same ‘theater’ where the Kim Dokja’s Banquet had been held in reality.
[You have discovered a ‘Hidden Dungeon’!]
[This dungeon has already been discovered by another. You cannot obtain First Discovery Achievements.]
[A new Hidden Scenario has arrived!]

+

Category: Hidden
Difficulty: A-
Clear Condition: Defeat the master of the Theater Dungeon.
Time Limit: None
Reward: 4,000 coins
Failure: —

+
[You have entered the ‘Theater Dungeon’!]
As if waiting, the scenario message rang out.

We immediately stepped into the dungeon entrance.
And the very next moment—
“Stop.”

Uncle Dansoo raised his hand to halt us. His cockroach must have picked up something.
“There’s someone else here besides us.”
Then I too heard it—faint sounds of people.

Not just on the basement floor.
Voices echoed from the stairs leading upward.
And from the ground floor above.

Both Gyeong Sein and Uncle Dansoo turned their eyes toward me.
In Ways of Survival, the only ones who entered this ‘Hidden Dungeon’ were Kim Dokja’s group, Yoo Joonghyuk, and a handful of prophets.
But this world wasn’t Ways of Survival—it was Extermination Law. Naturally, there were no ‘prophets.’

“Inho-ssi. Those people…”
“Yes.”
Even at a glance, there were more than a dozen hiding just on the basement level. Counting the floors above, there might be thirty, even forty.

I hardened my expression and spoke.
“They’re all readers.”