WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: smol_anon

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 9: Episode 2 - Protagonist (3)

I looked straight into the eyes of Hyeonseong and Myeongoh, who were hesitating.

"You either stay here and get killed by whoever’s on the other side of that door, or take your chances outside the train. What will you choose?"

“Ugh, ugh…”

"Dokja-ssi, we don’t know for sure that the person behind the door is an enemy, right?"

This was Steel Sword's weakness—hesitating at crucial moments. There was a reason why Lee Hyeonseong could never be the leader of the party.

“If they came from another car, they’re probably survivors too. Maybe we should meet them first…”

Instead of answering, I glanced around at the blood-splattered train car. Hyeonseong followed my gaze and silently closed his mouth.

“…I spoke too hastily. Let’s find a way out.”

“L-let’s go! Hurry!”

In that moment, they realized what I already knew—if other survivors were coming, they had gone through the same things we had.

And they didn’t have the same luck with the ‘insects.’

“It’s broken over here!”

“Damn it, this one’s jammed too!”

I heard Hyeonseong and Myeongoh’s shouts as I checked the emergency door controls. The force field that had blocked the controls earlier had now vanished, and I could finally touch them.

There were eight doors on each train car, including the passage doors. We had already checked five of them, leaving only three unopened.

Thud!

The iron door would barely last another minute. Even if the protagonist’s strength level was still low at this point, it was impressive that he was trying to break through such a thick door.

“Dokja-ssi! Over here!”

We found a functioning manual control panel.

“I’m opening it!”

The control lever turned smoothly, but the door didn’t fully open. It stopped after opening about a fifth of the way, as if something had jammed it.

“…Looks like this one’s broken too.”

“What about the others?”

“This is our only chance.”

The gap wasn’t big enough for an adult to squeeze through. Lee Hyeonseong and Han Myeongoh tried to pull the door wider, but it wouldn’t budge.

[Coin balance: 4,700C]

One way to use coins was to raise your overall stats. I had already used 2,700 coins to increase my constitution level to 10. I could raise my strength now and solve the problem, but in the early stages, it was too dangerous to waste coins. I had to save them for emergencies.

In the end, there was only one option left.

“Hyeonseong-ssi, use your skill.”

“Pardon? A skill…?”

I quietly activated the [Character Profile].

[The exclusive skill Character Profile has been activated.]

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<Character Details>

Name: Lee Hyeonseong

Age: 28

Patron constellation: Master of Steel

Exclusive attribute: Soldier who looked away from injustice (Common)

Exclusive skills: [Bayonet Combat Lv.2], [Camouflage Lv.1], [Patience Lv.1], [Sense of

Justice Lv.1]

Stigma: [Great Mountain Push Lv.1]

Overall stats: [Constitution Lv.8], [Strength Lv.8], [Agility Lv.7], [Mana Lv.5]

Overall evaluation: The average level of his stats is quite high. Although the ease with which he could endure a show of injustice was surprising, he still received a constellation’s patronage. The incident will probably become the catalyst of a future opportunity for him.

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Lee Hyeonseong’s information appeared without any restrictions. His patron and skills matched what I had read in the novel.

“When you opened your Attribute Window earlier, you probably saw that you have a skill you can use in this situation.”

“Well, I do have one, but I’m not sure how to…”

“Just think about using it in your head.”

“…Will that really work?”

“It will. I’ve done it.”

Hyeonseong looked skeptical, but after a moment’s hesitation, he took a deep breath and braced himself.

“Haaaah!”

His biceps swelled as he gripped the door. It seemed that [Pushing the Mountain] had activated successfully.

Technically, [Great Mountain Push] wasn’t a skill, but a Stigma—a power granted by his patron constellation. I had used the word “skill” to avoid raising suspicions.

Rumble, rumble.

The door creaked, slowly opening as if a massive gear had been turned.

“Holy crap! This guy’s a powerhouse!”

“It’s working! It’s really working!”

[The character Lee Hyeonseong has begun to trust you.]

[Your understanding of the character Lee Hyeonseong has increased.]

Hyeonseong’s trust in me grew instead of suspicion. He really was a simple guy.

“Let’s go, quickly!”

But we couldn’t relax yet. I picked up Gilyeong and handed him over to Hyeonseong.

“Hyeonseong-ssi, carry the boy.”

“Got it.”

The iron door was nearly broken through. But if my guess was correct, the bigger problem wasn’t that door.

[Oh boy, I knew this would happen. Didn’t I warn you earlier? Don’t go anywhere. Dammit! The next scenario isn’t even ready yet—]

The dokkaebi appeared, hovering over Dongho Bridge, visibly annoyed.

“Aahhh! I knew this would happen! I told you not to come out!”

Myeongoh, clutching his head, had clearly expected his skull to explode. But it wasn’t necessary.

[Ugh… Well, it can’t be helped. You guys are really lucky.]

Because the moment the train door opened, the “second scenario” had begun.

[The second scenario has arrived!]

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<Sub Scenario – Escape>

Category: Sub

Difficulty: E

Clear conditions: Cross the collapsed bridge and reach Oksu Station.

Time limit: 20 minutes

Rewards: 200 coins

Penalty for failure: ???

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“Dokja-ssi, something’s weird. It says ‘collapsed bridge,’ but the bridge isn’t…”

“Don’t think about it. Just run!”

“O-okay!”

Sangah was right. The bridge hasn't collapsed yet.

Which only meant one thing—the bridge would collapse.

“Dokja-ssi, hurry!”

“I’m coming.”

The bridge was still intact because we had left the train three minutes earlier than the dokkaebi’s countdown. He had said we had ten minutes, but we had escaped in seven.

Call it cheating, but in this scenario, there was no way to clear it without bending the rules—especially with people who were physically weaker. As we ran, Sangah gasped in awe.

“Huff, huff. As expected, Hyeonseong-ssi has great constitution. He really is a soldier.”

“…Save your breath. There’s still a long way to go.”

Hyeonseong, carrying Gilyeong on his back, was far ahead of the group. With his unboosted base stats, his combined constitution, strength, and agility totaled over 23. He was a monster.

Myeongoh, panting and wheezing, followed behind him, while Sangah and I brought up the rear. We were cutting it close, but it seemed like we might make it.

“Wha—what is that?!”

Myeongoh’s scream shattered the tense silence. In the middle of the Han River, a massive whirlpool had suddenly formed, sending plumes of water skyward.

And at the center of the vortex, a gigantic monster emerged.

A Sea Dragon.

The problem was, this one was easily twice the size of the one I had seen earlier through the window. At this size, it wasn’t a regular sea serpent—it was a Sea Commander.

Even regular Sea Serpents were classified as tier-7 monsters. Considering how hard it was to deal with a tier-9 monster like the Ground Rat, a regular human wouldn’t stand a chance against a tier-7 monster.

This thing coming for us was something early-stage incarnations couldn’t possibly kill. Not that we had to kill it—it wasn’t designed to be defeated.

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

The waters of the Han River surged, and the sea serpent opened its jaws wide, as if it intended to crush the entire bridge in one bite.

“The bridge is going to collapse!”

“Run! We can make it if we hurry!”

We were only about 200 meters from the other side. Based on my calculations, if we kept up this pace, we could cross before the bridge collapsed.

[A boring game’s no fun, right?]

That was the plan—until a variable appeared.

[The scenario’s difficulty level has been adjusted.]

[Scenario difficulty: E → D]

I barely had time to react before I heard the dokkaebi’s laughter from above.

[It’s no fun if you just run away! Let’s add some drama!]

[The grudges of the dead have returned.]

[The surrounding land has been permeated by dark ether.]

[Corrupted humans have awakened!]

A guttural growl rose from behind us, followed by the sound of something rushing toward us. Yu Sangah, her face pale, whispered.

“Z-zombies?”

A horde of corpses, animated like zombies, was charging at us. Among them were people who had been in the same train car as us.

“We’re almost there! Keep going!”

The sea serpent was less than 100 meters away now. Thankfully, Hyeonseong had already crossed the safe zone with Gilyeong. The problem was the rest of us. Myeongoh shrieked.

“These damn things!”

There were too many Corrupted Humans. If it had just been the people who died in the train, we could have outrun them. But the real issue was—

“Graaah!”

The drivers who had died on the bridge were also back as Corrupted Humans.

The path that Hyeonseong had cleared was now blocked by Corrupted Humans with glowing blue eyes. I glanced between the horde and the approaching sea serpent.

“…Get down!”

It was too late.

Boom!

The entire bridge shook as the massive sea serpent’s jaws clamped down, sending shockwaves through Dongho Bridge. Through the dust cloud, I caught a glimpse of the monster’s gProfileening scales as Han River water rained down from the sky. The air was thick with the stench of blood and water.

I staggered to my feet. As the dust settled, I took in the scene around me. Twisted steel beams, broken chunks of concrete. The Corrupted Humans that hadn’t been crushed were now torn to pieces by the sea serpent.

The bridge had collapsed.

“…Dok…ja-ssi! Are…you okay?”

A little distance away, Sangah was standing with Myeongoh, who was limping and holding his leg. He must have been injured in the previous tremor.

On the other side of the broken bridge, I could see Hyeonseong and Gilyeong shouting something, but their voices were muffled by a barrier. They had made it to the safe zone.

What now?

I had considered the possibility of the bridge collapsing, but I hadn’t expected to be stuck with both Sangah and Myeongoh. Just then, a voice echoed in the air.

[Someone has obtained a constellation’s blessing.]

[Due to the constellation’s blessing, the scenario’s Deus Ex Machina[1] has been activated.]

With the announcement, a brilliant bridge of light appeared between the broken ends of Dongho Bridge. A message window appeared before my eyes.

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[Deus Ex Machina – Even-Number Bridge]

[Overview: A bridge of light created by a constellation’s blessing. Only an even-numbered group of people can cross it. If an odd-numbered group tries to cross, this bridge will immediately cease to exist.]

+

“Dokja-ssi. This message just appeared in my head, and I—I don’t know…”

Sangah looked at me, her expression bewildered. I understood what was happening.

Deus Ex Machina.

The power for a constellation to intervene in a scenario, even at great cost to themselves.

“…It’s from your Patron Constellation, Sangah-ssi.”

I didn’t know which constellation it was, but someone had chosen Sangah as their incarnation and wanted her to survive.

The appearance of Deus Ex Machina was a rare occurrence even in TWSA.

And Sangah was supposed to die here. I couldn’t help but wonder—who was Yu Sangah’s Patron?

[This figure’s information cannot be read through Character Profile.]

[This figure does not have a Character Profile.]

I was shocked. I couldn’t access her information with my skill? Why? Did she have a special Patron Constellation? Or maybe a Mental Barrier? But having one so early on was unheard of… No, wait. Could it be…

“Dokja-ssi, what should we do now?”

Sangah’s panicked voice snapped me out of my thoughts. There wasn’t much time.

Rumble.

The waters of the Han River churned violently as the sea serpent began circling from the opposite side. I bit my lip and read the bridge’s description again.

Only an even number of people could cross.

Deus Ex Machina was a cruel joke, created by sadistic constellations who relished tragedy.

There was no way for all of us to survive.

Myeongoh, meeting my eyes, began to tremble.

In the end, someone had to die.

Footnotes:

[1] Deus Ex Machina is a classical literary device meaning "god from the machine," originally used in ancient Greek and Roman theater. It signifies an unexpected, divine solution to an otherwise unsolvable problem.

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