Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 51

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: smol_anon

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 51: Episode 11 - Night of the Prophets (2)

"A-a prophet like us?"

"Yes. At first, I didn't realize he was a prophet, but now it's clear. That guy knew the future, just like you."

"…What?"

"Moreover, he seemed to know much more than you do. Not only did he kill the Delusional Demon, but he also monopolized the hidden scenarios from the beginning of the main scenario. It’s really messed up my plans."

"I-is there really such a person…?"

Of course there is. He's right in front of you.

"He's even been impersonating my name. The last time I encountered him, I beat him nearly to death, but he’s probably still active around the Chungmuro area."

[The constellation Secretive Plotter admires your shamelessness.]

"…Chungmuro? Could it be…?"

Minseop’s eyes widened in surprise, and like Seongguk, he quickly pulled out his smartphone and began typing furiously. He was likely informing other prophets.

Minseop asked a few more questions, and I answered them concisely.

"I see! Ah… So that's why there are such changes in the third round… You really are Junghyeok-nim."

Minseop looked genuinely moved.

"I understand why you recruited that woman instead of the Delusional Demon. She seems capable enough to replace Kim Namwoon if she can subdue someone like me with a single blow…."

The most effective tool was their own misunderstanding. After pondering for a moment, Minseop spoke again.

"But after listening to your story, I think I might know who that person is—the one who killed the Delusional Demon."

"You think you know?"

"Yes. But before I tell you, there's something you should know. Not all of us <Prophets> are on the same side."

I’d already suspected as much after overhearing their conversation. If there are 48 people who know the future, naturally, some would have different ideas.

"There are those who call themselves the 'Twelve Apostles.' They believe they are the only ones who truly understand the Revelation and can change this world."

Twelve… that matched the number of people who had read the 50th chapter of Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse.

"How are they different from you?"

"They’ve read more of the revelation than we have."

As I thought.

"Currently, eleven apostles are known. So, it's possible the prophet you encountered is the unknown 12th apostle."

As expected, these imaginative people conveniently filled in the gaps I provided. A useful misunderstanding.

Wait a minute… Is it really a misunderstanding?

If I think about it, I might be one of the twelve who read past the 50th chapter.

"Sounds like you don't have a high opinion of these apostles."

"To be honest, we don’t. Unlike us, they plan to use the Revelation Chronicle to seize control of this world."

…It wasn't even about me, yet I felt guilty.

"They don’t seek to help you prevent the apocalypse, Junghyeok-nim. They’re only interested in their own gain. To put it simply, they’re like the 'Ten Evils.'"

"The Ten Evils, huh…."

"That’s why we’re asking you, Junghyeok-nim, please take us in. Help us stop them."

So that was their true intention. It was a little unexpected. I never thought Junghyeok would be needed because of internal conflicts among prophets. After a moment’s contemplation, I spoke.

"Very well. I'll take you in. We will form an alliance."

"R-really?"

"But on one condition."

Hearing the word "condition," Seongguk and Minseop's expressions tensed up.

"First, hand over Changsin Station."

"Pardon? Changsin Station…?"

"The station just above Dongmyo. You've already taken control of it, haven’t you?"

"Ah, now that you mention it, it was marked as a target for Chungmuro Station…."

Minseop seemed to catch on to something.

In fact, this was the most crucial part of the alliance. In the ‘Capture the Flag’ scenario, the target station I had to claim was Changsin Station. If I failed to secure it, completing the 'King's Path' and clearing the fourth scenario would be impossible. And if I didn’t clear the fourth scenario, both my group and I would die automatically.

But Seongguk’s expression seemed a bit off.

"Junghyeok-nim, I’m very sorry, but… Changsin is a bit of a problem."

"Why?"

"Changsin Station doesn’t belong to our Dongmyo group."

"Not yours?"

That made no sense. Changsin was right next to Dongmyo. Seongguk sighed and explained.

"It’s occupied by the ‘Tyrant King.’"

The Tyrant King. My heart skipped a beat.

"…He’s already a King?"

One of the Seven Kings of Seoul, the Tyrant King.

At this point in time, he was one of the few people who could rival Yu Junghyeok. But he wasn't supposed to reach his ascension to a King for a few more days. And for someone who started from Dobong District to have come down here already?

No matter how I thought about it, it didn't add up. Under my scrutiny, Seongguk lowered his gaze slightly.

"The truth is… a few of our prophets made some mistakes, causing the Tyrant King's power to grow rapidly. Some of our prophets even got killed in the process… At that time, there were still 53 prophets in total."

My trust in these guys suddenly plummeted. Why did I ever think these people, who didn’t even know the early parts of the novel well, would be competent?

"S-still, don’t worry too much. We’re preparing a powerful weapon to eliminate the Tyrant King. In fact, it’s not just for him, but also to confront the Twelve Apostles."

Minseop chimed in, agreeing.

"Junghyeok-nim, you might not know this yet. It’s something we learned from a particularly difficult part of the Revelation…."

No, it was clear now. I couldn't leave these idiots alone. I had to finish them before they ruined everything.

"Ah, right. It’s actually perfect timing. We’ll have the opportunity to see this weapon soon."

"A chance to see the weapon?"

"Tomorrow, there will be a gathering of prophets, excluding the Twelve Apostles. If… if you’re willing…."

Minseop’s earnest eyes turned toward me.

"We’d like you to come with us, Junghyeok-nim."

After the meeting, I gathered with Jeong Huiwon and Yi Hyeonseong at the lodging provided by Lee Seongguk. I looked at the flag draped over my back, the one from Chungmuro Station. After spending the entire afternoon negotiating to gain control of the territories around ‘Dongdaemun Station’ and ‘Cheonggu Station,’ my flag had turned ‘navy blue.’

[The new special effect of the Navy Blue Flag is pending activation.]

[Spending 3,500 coins to activate the special effect of the Navy Blue Flag.]

[You and your group members can now use Group Chat.]

From now on, there was no need to avoid conversations. Group Chat couldn’t be eavesdropped on unless it was by another group member within the vicinity. The only downside was the cost of activating this feature....

I briefed my allies on the events of the day. Huiwon seemed to have expected it, but Hyeonseong looked genuinely surprised.

―Oh my god, this is unbelievable. So, there are people who know parts of the future… Is that why you’ve been acting like Yu Junghyeok?

―Yes.

―Phew… Then it looks like we’ll be staying here for a while, gathering more information on them…

―No.

―Pardon?

―I’m going to deal with them tonight.

I turned to Huiwon and added.

―And I’m sorry about earlier, Huiwon.

―It’s okay. I was just a little hurt.

―…

―I’m joking. Dokja-ssi, you have to keep up that thug act, don’t you? If you really feel bad, let me handle that guy from earlier.

Huiwon smiled as she spoke.

―So, are we going to have a hot, fiery night together, the three of us?

―Hot…?

Hyeonseong’s face turned red at Jeong Huiwon’s joke. I shook my head.

―There’s something we need to do first.

―Something to do?

―If we act now, we’ll stir them all up. That would be troublesome.

I finished speaking and pulled out a small cloak from my pocket, throwing it over my shoulders. As my figure disappeared, a startled Hyeonseong muttered.

―Huh? Dokja-ssi?

―I’ll give you the signal. Move then.

I had secretly called Bihyeong earlier and spent 3,000 coins to purchase a Gold Member privilege item, the ‘Cloak of the Recluse.’ Although it was a consumable with only five uses, once activated, it allowed me to remain in an ‘absolute concealment’ state for at least 20 minutes. I melted into the shadows.

This wouldn’t work against someone with [Perfect Senses] level 6 or higher, but there was no one like that here.

I bypassed the dozing guards and moved toward the representative’s tent where Han Donghoon was stationed. With [Soundproofing] in place, as long as I entered the tent, there’d be no need to worry about eavesdropping.

Opening the tent flap carefully, I spotted the boy from earlier, typing away on his keyboard. His eyes were even darker with fatigue.

A frail, lonely figure, still posting comments.

The prophets likely planned to turn this boy into an emotionless machine, feeding him half-truths and manipulating the future—a propaganda machine. Though it wouldn’t make much impact at first, as time went on, his value would increase.

I approached silently from behind and covered his mouth.

Han Donghoon struggled in my grasp, but with only level 10 strength, there was no way he could resist me.

I reached into my pocket and took out the ‘Mind Stimulant,’ another item purchased from Bihyeong alongside the Cloak. This item had cost a hefty 3,000 coins. It was painful to spend that much, but if I could obtain the ‘King of the Hidden Shadows’ for it, it was worth the trade.

After a moment, Donghoon’s eyes changed as the forced awakening took effect. The [Hypnosis] dissipated, and his clarity returned.

"U-uh… Y-you…."

Just because he was hypnotized didn’t mean he’d forgotten everything. By now, this small boy’s mind must have been swirling with trauma. But with the [Hypnosis] gone, his Constellation would likely start intervening again.

[The constellation of the character Han Donghoon reveals their modifier.]

[The Constellation Shadow Behind the Curtain expresses gratitude towards you.]

[You have been gifted 500 coins.]

Holding the flag in his hand, Donghoon backed away. I watched the flag closely and took a step back on purpose.

"Don’t worry. I didn’t come to steal your flag."

"Uh… u-uh…."

"You’re smart, so you’ll understand. If I intended to harm you, I wouldn’t have removed the [Hypnosis], right?"

"S-so then…?"

"How about being friends?"

At the word "friends," Donghoon’s gaze wavered.

I waited patiently, allowing his mind to settle amidst his lingering doubts. But Donghoon still seemed hesitant to respond. Now that I thought about it, he did suffer from social anxiety.

"Is it hard to say it aloud? If it’s okay with you, we could talk like this."

Donghoon looked at the smartphone in my hand, then murmured something under his breath.

[The character Han Donghoon has used Wide-Area Internet Lv.5 on your smartphone.]

[As long as Han Donghoon’s consciousness remains unbroken, you can access the internet anywhere within the Seoul Dome.]

Moments later, Donghoon’s name appeared on my smartphone messenger.

―Who are you?

―I’ve been looking for you.

―That’s what Lee Seongguk said, too.

―I know.

―I…

The boy’s trembling fingers stopped, unable to type more. Instinctively, I knew. Trying to persuade this boy here was pointless. After spending just over ten days here, his wounds had already festered beyond easy healing.

―I understand how you feel. You’re scared and confused.

[The character Han Donghoon is deeply shaken.]

―Don’t make me laugh.

―I’m not like them.

―I don’t believe you.

―You hate the prophets, don’t you?

Donghoon’s eyes wavered. Deep within the depths of his pupils, still clouded by the [Hypnosis], a long-rooted anger simmered.

―If you want, I can eliminate them.

―…Why? They’re helping you…

―They shouldn’t exist. They’ll ruin the ‘epilogue’ I want.

Donghoon looked at me, his gaze filled with disbelief, before tightly biting his lip and typing again.

―But aren’t you just trying to use me, too?

I looked up and slowly spoke to him.

―No, what I want is the opposite.

I met Donghoon’s gaze and purposefully spoke aloud.

"From now on, you don’t have to do anything."

"This crap will be over soon. Tomorrow, it all ends."

"Phew… I could really use a bottle of soju right about now."

"Right? Did you see that guy’s gaze earlier? He looked at me with the Sage's Eye, and I almost had a heart attack."

"Haha, how would a guy who quit at the prologue even know what the Sage's Eye is?"

Their cheerful voices were entertaining enough to keep listening in.

"Hey, some of the other prophets are getting suspicious… How are we going to convince them? They’re demanding to head over to Chungmuro…."

"Give me the phone. I’ll talk to them… Huh?"

As Minseop took the phone and began typing, his expression froze.

"What’s this? The internet just cut out."

"Is that kid asleep again? Go check on him."

Just as Minseop was about to leave the tent, he collided with something invisible in midair. His face drained of color as he reached out toward the man with the ring-blade.

"W-what’s here…?"

"Aaaah!"

With a scream, Minseop collapsed to the ground. I calmly took off the ‘Cloak of the Recluse’ and drew the ‘Blade of Faith.’

"Yu… Yu Junghyeok-nim? Why…?"

While Seongguk stammered in shock, Huiwon peeked into the tent from outside.

"I’ve dealt with a few, but there are too many of them to hold off for long!"

Huiwon disappeared again, and the sounds of clashing weapons filled the air outside. Soon, the guards would swarm in.

"D-do you know what will happen if you do this? Even as Junghyeok-nim, you can’t handle all of us!"

"All of you? I don’t need to handle all of you. I just need to take care of your leader."

At that, Seongguk’s lips twitched slightly.

"I’m sorry to say, but things won’t go the way you think—"

Crack!

The Ether Blade I swung casually split the armor worn by the fallen Jeong Minseop in two. Minseop screamed in agony.

"Aaargh!"

As his armor tore, a small cloth piece fell from his pocket. While he was dazed, I picked up the cloth.

[You have acquired the flag of the Dongmyo Group.]

[Your Navy Blue Flag absorbs the accumulated merits of the Navy Blue Flag.]

[Your Navy Blue Flag has evolved into a Brown Flag.]

[A powerful blessing of the flag protects you.]

"So, you were the real leader of Dongmyo."

"H-how did you…?"

"No matter how clueless you might be, you wouldn’t display the flag so openly."

It had seemed odd from the start that they’d claimed Han Donghoon was their leader. They had knowledge of the future, so there was no reason for them to hand over leadership to a mere character from the story.

But now it was clear: Seongguk wasn’t the leader.

So, there was only one answer.

[The remaining members of the Dongmyo Group await your command.]

The guards no longer mattered. The desperate Minseop stuttered.

"Yu Junghyeok-nim! I-if the other prophets find out…."

"The internet is down. How will you tell them?"

Realizing their plans had all unraveled, Seongguk crawled towards me.

"Why… why are you doing this to us!"

"Who knows? Not that it matters. Even if I were the ‘real Yu Junghyeok,’ I wouldn’t have allied with scum like you."

"W-what…? You mean…?"

Looking at their ashen faces, I grinned.

"That's right—you should have read to the end."