< Episode 5. Villain (8) >
Misreading Association (誤讀協).
Initially, the site was a group of people collecting rare books.
It was a small club where they read books that were discontinued in Korea and were no longer
available or untranslated classics, and exchanged opinions among themselves.
However, as the number of members gradually increased and the site grew, problems began to
arise.
"Some of the members started to share illegally not only rare books, but also manhwa and novels
that had become regular series without permission."
As word got out that paid content was available for free, the site grew and grew, and it began to
take on the form of a business. Adult ads were plastered across the site, and illegal gambling
money flowed in.
After a few more years, the founding members disappeared, and the site turned into a completely
illegal sharing site.
After listening to Kyung Sein's full explanation, I was confused.
"You said the Seven Apostles fought the Misreading Association before."
"Ah, yes."
"Then did the Seven Apostles fight that illegal site?"
"Well, that's...."
Kyung Sein looked at Killer King, and then added quietly.
"The Seven Apostles got into a fight with anonymous readers, who turned out to be people who
illegally read the novel on the 'Misreading Association'."
I finally understood what was going on.
They were referring to people who read and shared illegal copies of the novel.
Apparently, in this world, those who read the novel through that route were also transmigrated
here.
Killer King said.
"I don't know about you, but there are many writers who stopped creating or even took their own
lives because of the Misreading Association."
"...."
"They illegally consumed content that someone dedicated their life to. A lot of my favorite
authors have disappeared because of them."
In fact, some of my fellow writers had stopped writing because of illegal sharing.
"Is that why you fought them?"
Killer King shook his head without answering.
Honestly, I was impressed.
As a writer, I've been frustrated by the lack of success in combating illegal sharing, but to have a
reader like Killer King be so proactive.
He was fighting for his life, and not just in the comments.
I suddenly wondered what kind of comments Killer King would have left.
[The exclusive skill 'Readers' Comments List' is activated!]
+
ID: killer_king
Platform: Sirius, Paper books
Total Comments: 491
Reader Level: 99
Number of Readers: 99.8 times
* You can use coins to view the comments written by this reader.
* Number of comments currently available for free: 3.
+
I clicked on [View Comments] without hesitation.
+
I am Yoo Joonghyuk. —Upvotes 0 / Downvotes 1
(Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, chapter 1)
+
I am Yoo Joonghyuk. —Upvotes 0 / Downvotes 1
(Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, chapter 23)
+
I am Yoo Joonghyuk. —Upvotes 0 / Downvotes 1
(Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, chapter 77)
+
I doubted my eyes.
Feeling my gaze, Killer King frowned at me.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing, just...."
"If you keep looking at me like that, I'll kill you."
"You really sound like Yoo Joonghyuk."
With a light groan, Killer King pushed himself up and pretended to look away.
He reminded me of a sulky cousin, and I was about to tease him one more time when I heard a
voice behind me.
"Hey, thanks for saving me."
Literary Girl 64, who had finally regained consciousness, lowered her head helplessly.
I waved my hands and said.
"No, I was lucky."
"I was lucky."
Killer King added with a nuance that somehow made me feel good.
"They didn't take the random item box."
At that, we stared at the shiny box the Ratmen had dropped.
Killer King and his sister were probably here for that box, too.
Just as things were starting to get uncomfortable, Killer King spoke up.
"I'll give it to you guys."
Literary Girl 64 nodded in agreement.
I could see Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi's faces brighten up.
Nevertheless, I shook my head.
"No, thank you, we'll just take the rest of the items."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. We have enough with the rest of the items."
I looked down at the items on the floor.
I could see the D grade items that Kim Dokja had picked up in the main story, as well as other
items that hadn't appeared in the main story.
As if to give me one last chance, Killer King asked again.
"Didn't you read the novel properly? Don't you realize the value of this item box?"
"Seriously, we have enough with the rest. Don't insist."
Killer King hesitated for a moment, then took the item box in his arms with a look of desire in
his eyes.
"I owe you. I will pay you back for sure."
With that, Killer King turned around and began to walk away.
Literary Girl 64 bowed her head and ran after her brother.
I asked Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi to organize the items, then escorted the Killing King
back to the entrance of the Edge of Darkness.
Just before we crossed the edge, Killer King paused.
Neither Dansoo ahjussi nor Kyung Sein could hear the conversation from here.
"I tried to kill you all."
"You did, and it was a really bad thing."
"Why didn't you tell them that?"
"You didn't kill us, did you?"
Killer King frowned at me, as if he couldn't figure it out.
"You, what's your name?"
"Cheon Inho."
"That Cheon Inho?"
"Yes."
For some reason, this name elicits the same reaction from everyone who hears it.
"I can't believe you're possessing that scumbag. I hope you're not using the Cheoldoo Group to
kill people."
"If I was, you'd be dead too."
"You... Who the hell are you?"
I shrugged and laughed.
For a moment, Killer King's eye flickered with black energy. He had activated the stigma [Eye of
Sin].
I was suddenly curious.
"What do I look like to you?"
In his eyes, 'Cheon Inho' was marked as 'the murderer of a 15 people'.
「I am Lee Hakhyun.」
Then what does 'writer Lee Hakhyun' look like?
"What...."
The next moment, Killer King's eyes widened, his entire retina turning pitch black like it was full
of ink.
I wondered. What did my sins read in his eyes?
[The constellation 'Commander of the Red Cosmos' is startled!]
Tsuchuchuchuchut!
[The stigma 'Eye of Sin' has forcibly ended.]
Groaning in pain, Killer King looked at me with the eye that had used the stigma.
"What the hell are you. No... that can't be, something must be broken."
Muttering to himself, the Killer King looked at me and said.
"There is no way such a villain exists in this world."
Killer King looked at me.
He was looking at me with clear eyes that weren't using [Eye of Sin], eyes that had probably read
Omniscient Reader 99 times.
"I wish you the blessing of the story."
With those last words, Killer King walked away without looking back.
The younger sister glanced in my direction a few times, then followed his brother into the
darkness beyond.
I stood still and waved until they were completely out of sight.
Hopefully, they too would be blessed by the story.
*
Among the items that Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi had gathered, there were some that were
more useful than I thought.
"You can have this shield, Sein-ssi."
"As expected, 'Old Iron Shield' is the rule for tankers."
Old Iron Shield.
An item used by Lee Hyunsung in the original novel.
Among us, it was the most suited for Kyung Sein to use.
"I'll give you the Magic Power Recovery Bracelet."
"Is it okay if I take it... Thank you."
Ahjussi put the bracelet on his wrist as if it were a luxury watch and smiled happily.
That bracelet should be quite useful, since he uses [Diverse Communication].
Other than that, there were rings with faint anti-demonic abilities and gloves that provided a very
slight defense boost.
It's unfortunate, but at least this early, I can live with it.
The last thing that caught my eye was an item that looked like spoiled jelly.
+
Name: Unformed Idea
Rating: D
Description: A shapeless weapon of the past. It could have been anything, but ultimately became
nothing.
+
Come to think of it, I once designed an item like this. It was just a setting, and I didn't think it
would be here.
Once again, I feel certain.
There are countless 'settings' in this world that didn't make it into the main story, but remained in
my notes.
「So, did I make that settings, or did Han Sooyoung tell me about them?」
It was then that Kyung Sein spoke up.
"By the way, Inho-ssi."
"Yes."
"The random item box, why did you give it up?"
I wondered why she didn't ask that yet.
By the look on her face, she had been thinking about it for a while. People might think I'd lost the
first prize in the lotto. Well, this is more important to me right now than a winning lotto ticket.
"Actually, I was wondering the same thing, mate."
Dansoo ahjussi raised his hand cautiously.
No wonder it looked strange in their eyes.
It wasn't just any item, but the 'random item box'.
It was an essential item to restore Kim Dokja's star relic, Unbroken Faith.
My reasoning for surrendering the item box was simple.
"That box, I wouldn't be able to use it anyway."
"What?"
"Someone else already used it."
"No way... Who?"
"Did those Misreading Association guys secretly use it?"
I shook my head at Dansoo ahjussi's words.
"Someone already came here before us."
I'm sure. It was just a moment, but I opened the item box myself to check. The item had already
been used to zero.
Dansoo ahjussi asked.
"Was there a reader who came before us?"
"We started at Geumho Station and only got here today. Our friend who read Omniscient Reader
99 times arrived here today."
"Then who the hell could have...."
"Common sense tells me there's only one person who can do this at this point."
As if realizing who I was referring to, Kyung Sein swallowed hard and said.
"Yoo Joonghyuk."
I nodded.
It was only about a stop and a half from Oksu Station to here.
If it was the same Yoo Joonghyuk who could defeat a 7th grade monster species with one hit, he
could come in an hour.
Kyung Sein, who was thinking about something, muttered.
"Yes, in the third round, Yoo Joonghyuk stole only the treasures, but I don't remember him
knowing about the 'random item box' back then."
"There's a description that mentions he heard about it from the Heavenly Maid Hori in the 6th
round. It's the 41st round, so of course he knew."
"Ah...."
Kyung Sein lowered her head with a dejected expression.
Dansoo ahjussi, who had a serious look on his face, also shook his head.
"It's certainly a lot different from the 3rd round with Kim Dokja."
"Very different."
Even though it was only the 41st round, Yoo Joonghyuk here had much different experiences
than the 3rd round.
It's probably safe to say that many of the items that Kim Dokja utilized in the beginning, Yoo
Joonghyuk would take first.
Kyung Sein suddenly raised her head and opened her mouth.
"Wait, so the box Killer King took earlier...."
He must be angry that he was tricked by the villain. Kyung Sein asked with admiration.
"Wow... Inho-ssi, when did you plan that much?"
"When I realized the box had been robbed."
"You're so mean and smart."
"Thank you."
"It's good I'm on your side, Inho-ssi. Although it's a shame about the box...."
Dansoo ahjussi said, looking around at the items we had won.
"Still, we got a lot of stuff."
It wasn't all fruitless though, as we got some useful items in the beginning, including the ahjussi's
bracelet and Kyung Sein's shield.
But it's a shame to just take these....
I pondered for a moment, and then looked again at the place where the 'random item box' was
originally placed.
It was around here.
I crouched down on the ground and started digging.
Dansoo ahjussi and Kyung Sein looked puzzled at my sudden movement. I turned to them and
said.
"If you don't mind, please help me. Something is bothering me."
"Did Omniscient Reader say there was something else here?"
"No, I don't think so."
I wasn't sure either, but it was better than not checking.
「"Author-nim. I think it's a little... no matter how popular it is these days."」
I heard Ji Eunyoo's voice in my head.
It was a memory from five years ago.
She was working hard on the first draft of 'Omniscient Reader'.
「"If you give things like this from the beginning, there's no tension."
"Then what should I do?"
"I think it's better to go with the first draft."
"That sounds good, right?"」
I don't know how long the three of us dug.
I felt something hard on my fingertips.
"Ugh, what's here?"
[The constellation 'Sneaking Schemer' widens their eyes.]
We shook off the dirt, lifting the object in the hole at the same time.
After a moment, the pitch black dirt slid away, revealing the object we had pulled out.
[The constellation 'Rice Cake-Eating Tiger' opens his mouth.]
[A constellation who hasn't revealed their modifier is surprised.]
What we found was a black box with a familiar appearance.
Dansoo ahjussi and Kyung Sein looked down at the box in a daze, then turned to me and asked.
"Inho-ssi, is this...?"
I remembered Ji Eunyoo's words.
Originally, there was more than one 'random item box' hidden here.
Author's Note
If I keep digging, will it keep coming out?