[00 : 00 : 03]
[00 : 00 : 02]
[00 : 00 : 01]
[00 : 00 : 00]
[The countdown has reached zero.]
[Congratulations, you have passed the Sub Fable.]
[Rewards will be distributed...]
[500 coins have been received as compensation.]
[The safety zones has been destoryed.]
As the system notifications rang in my ears, the protective dome shattered into shards of light before vanishing entirely. The story scenario for this round was officially over.
Coincidentally, I had just finished typing something on my smartphone. Specifically, I had been documenting everything on the Microsoft Word mobile app.
Every significant moment so far—the harrowing start of the Story, my escape from the hospital, the fight with Shin Jinhyuk, the relentless assault of the night crawlers, and the ultimate fall of the Mainframe Group—was summarized on the small screen.
There wasn't a pressing reason to do this, but as a writer, it felt instinctual. Every event, every struggle, every fleeting moment—it all formed a narrative. And stories were the lifeblood of writers like me.
"What's that you're writing?" Jung Yunhee leaned in, her head tilted curiously like a rabbit trying to peek at the glowing screen of my phone.
"You don't need to know."
"Aw, don't be like that! Are you a writer or something?"
An interesting question.
I glanced at her and replied, "I'm just recording what's happened so far."
"Writing all events? You mean like a diary?"
"It's something similar."
"Ugh..."
She clicked her tongue, clearly unimpressed. Whatever she was expecting, it wasn't this. But there was more to this than she realized. I had my reasons for writing it all down—it would prove useful later.
Shifting the conversation, I glanced at the dispersing crowd.
"Is everyone leaving already?"
"Yeah. What's the point of staying? There's nothing left here."
The remaining survivors began to leave one by one, scattering in different directions.
Just as Jung Yunhee had said, with the safety zone destroyed, there was no reason to linger. Strangely enough, I felt a sense of satisfaction.
Compared to the original plot, far more people had survived this nightmare. They were alive because of me. If I hadn't intervened, they would have perished just as they had in the novel.
That thought reminded me of Minhyuk. He wasn't in the original story—he was supposed to have died the moment the Main Stories began on Earth. Yet he managed to survive somehow and became the agent of a demon.
What caused that deviation? Was it my presence?
"Jakga, do you think they'll be alright?" Angelica's voice broke my train of thought.
I shrugged, answering nonchalantly. "Who knows? If they're lucky, they'll survive."
Most of the people fleeing weren't meant to live past this Story. Yet they were alive now, but their futures were entirely in their own hands.
I looked around and counted the number of the remaining people.
Scanning the area, I counted the remaining people: Angelica, Lee Jongho, Jung Yunhee, and myself. Besides us, two others were still here.
As if on cue, the two approached. Their faces were familiar.
"Lee Kwangsun-ssi? Lee Gyeong? You're still here?"
"Yeah," Kwangsun replied. "We were just about to leave."
"Hmm, do you want to tag along?"
Both shook their heads. It seemed they had other priorities.
"Sorry, I need to find someone," Lee Gyeong said.
"Same here, I have to find my daughter." Added Kwangsun.
Their somber expressions spoke volumes. Everyone in this world had their own stories, and burdens to bear.
Jung Yunhee finally spoke. "Very well. I wish you both luck."
She turned away, and the two of them released a visible breath of relief. Their unease was understandable. After all, Jung Yunhee had slaughtered the Mainframe Group members without hesitation or remorse. Anyone who had witnessed that would be wary of her.
Kwangsun looked at me and said, "Jakga-ssi, please be well."
"Same to you, doctor-ssi."
Lee Gyeong and Lee Kwangsun nodded before leaving. There was no question that they will survive. Lee Gyeong had a talent for escaping and considering Lee Kwangsun was a doctor before the Nightmare Trial, he should have the doctor attribute used for healing wounds.
As they moved further away, a thought struck me. I called out, "Hey, Lee Gyeong."
She stopped and turned. "Yes?"
I tossed something toward her. Startled, she caught it clumsily—a small, carved stick.
She looked at it with a puzzled expression. "What's this?"
"I inscribed something on it," I said. "Head to the address written there. There's someone there who can remove that mark permanently."
Her eyes widened slightly before softening. "Oh, I see. Thank you."
Without another word, she tucked the stick into her pocket and walked off. I wasn't sure if the person I mentioned would help her, but I had a feeling they would.
I turned back to Lee Jongho, who was staring at me with an expression that could only be described as dumbfounded. He had been like this for a while now, his eyes fixed on me as if I were some rare, incomprehensible creature.
I think I knew what he was thinking.
"Jongho-ssi?" I prompted.
"Ah, yes!" he blurted, snapping out of his trance.
"Have you packed everything?"
"Yes," he replied with a nod. "I gathered everything just as you asked—plastic bottles for water, backpacks for supplies, and emergency rations."
A faint smile tugged at my lips. Lee Jongho's diligence and resourcefulness as a former soldier made him invaluable.
"Is there anything else you need?"
"Not really…" I began but paused as a thought struck me. "Actually, yes, there is something else."
"What is it?"
"Portable batteries. Secondary ones," I said plainly.
"Batteries?" He frowned. "What do you need those for?"
It was a fair question. With no signal or electricity, smartphones and similar devices had long since lost their practicality. To him, batteries must have seemed equally useless.
"There's a place where I can use them," I replied cryptically. "Can you help me find some?"
Without hesitation, Jongho nodded and began rummaging through the belongings of the dead Mainframe members. Angelica and Jung Yunhee joined in, offering to assist.
Meanwhile, I scanned the area. Apart from our small group, the surroundings had been emptied of people. It was finally quiet, a rare opportunity.
"Hey, Aurora," I called out softly.
There was no response.
I sighed, switching to a more pointed approach. Stop pretending. I know you can hear me. Should I have a word with the council?
[What is it now!]
The air shimmered as Aurora materialized, her small figure radiating annoyance. She looked disheveled, her usual glow dimmed by visible stress. I already knew why.
I teased with a smirk, "Haven't you lost some weight?"
[You little—!] she began, but quickly bit back her words, visibly restraining herself.
[Why did you call me, boss?]
Now that was more like it.
"I want to sell something," I said, producing a shining object from my dimensional storage.
The glow of the Plague Spider's Core illuminated the area. It wasn't just any Nightmare core—it belonged to a Grade 7 Terror on the verge of evolution.
Aurora's eyes widened as recognition dawned.
[Isn't that… How did you even get your hands on something like this?!]
"I have my ways," I replied dismissively. "Anyway, I'm selling it."
[To me?] she asked hopefully.
"Not a chance. Why would I sell it to you? I'm putting it in the Exclusive Shop."
[Tch. Figures.] Aurora grumbled but complied, the core vanishing into the shop's inventory.
Surprisingly, even lackeys had their own greed and desires.
[How much are you charging?]
"I'm not accepting coins. Barter only," I declared.
[Barter?] She blinked, stunned. [Are you even human? How do you know about that feature?]
Ignoring her question, I continued, "Someone will come to trade for it. The exchanged item will be the Evil-Breaking Sword."
[The Evil-Breaking Sword? Do you honestly think that constellation will trade that?]
"They will," I said confidently. "Just let me know when they arrive."
[Fine, fine. Anything else?]
"Open the Shop. I want to buy a few items."
I touched the skill catalogue and picked a skill that caught my eye.
[You have purchased the 'Soul Chasing Yang Qi (energy)']
[20,000 coins has been consumed.]
It was the Soul Chasing Sword Energy. Although it was common knowledge that low-priced items were trash. However, that was not necessarily true.
"Well, I think that is all for now. When the trader arrives, let me know."
[Okay. In that case, I will be going now.]
In the next moment, Aurora's body vibrated before she disappeared completely.
Now it was the time for the next line of business. I needed to increase my stats. It was completely necessary that I raised my stats if I wanted to survive the next trial.
First... I needed strength.
[You have invested 4,000 coins in Strength.]
[Strength Lv. 10 –> Strength Lv. 20]
[You body can unleash greater force.]
Next, I need to be agile to escape enemies.
[You have invested 4,000 coins in Agility.]
[Agility Lv. 10 –> Agility Lv. 20]
[Your body can now produce greater speed.]
Since I didn't possess any defensive skills, raising the level of my physique stats was necessary.
[You have invested 4,000 coins in Physique.]
[Physique Lv. 10 –> Physique Lv. 20.]
[Your body has become much tougher.]
"Open Status Interface," I commanded, and the system window materialized before my eyes.
+
[ « Soul Information » ]
Name: Kim Jakga
Main Attributes: ■■
Personal Skills:
| Drafting |
| Black Box |
Skills Cards:
| Blood Sword Energy Lv. 1 |
| Marksmanship Lv. 1 |
| Soul Chasing Sword Energy Lv. 1 |
| Magic bullets Lv. 3 |
| Eagle Eye Lv. 1 |
| Incite Lv. 2 |
| Quick Processing Lv. 2 |
Divine Authorities:
| None |
Overall stats:
| Physique Lv. 20 |
| Strength Lv. 20 |
| Agility Lv. 20 |
| Magic Power Lv. 20 |
+
Everything had increased, including my overall stats, now totaling 80. My skills had improved as well, expanding my options for the Fables ahead.
Yet, certain things remained frustratingly the same.
I narrowed my eyes at two particular skills:
| Drafting (现实起草) |
| Black Box (多拉的盒子) |
Those skills had been with me since the beginning of the Fables. Yet, their information remained inaccessible, leaving me clueless about what they truly did or what their limits were. Unlike ordinary common skills, they didn't adhere to the concept of levels, a peculiarity that was strange in and of itself.
I had some suspicions about the nature of [Black Box], but [Drafting] was a different story entirely.
Surely, it couldn't be what I thought it was, right?
There was no way I could be that lucky, right?
More troubling was my Main Attribute, which appeared as nothing more than blank slots. Why was it being concealed, and what was the reason behind it?
It felt like I had been deceived in some way, and I doubted Aurora could fix this 'Error.'
Even if she had the ability to resolve it, I hesitated to call her. What if she saw something she wasn't supposed to? What if she suddenly saw me as an anomaly and attacked without warning?
Maybe I was overthinking it, but my information was sealed for a reason, right? If it was hidden, then it must be something important.
If that was the case, it was better not to know than to risk someone else uncovering my secrets.
"Jakga-ssi."
Someone called out and I turned my head. The party members — Lee Jongho, Angelica and Jung Yunhee were looking at me.
It seems everyone was ready to move.
Jung Yunhee crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently.
"So, where are we going now?"
Her tone was sharp, but her question was valid. Without a clear destination, we couldn't afford to wander aimlessly.
I met her gaze and answered. "We're heading to the stage of the next Fable. The warehouse."