Protagonist (1)
The subway came to a halt halfway across the Dongho Bridge.
"Oh my god…"
A few survivors staggered to their feet and peered outside. The city of Seoul was in ruins, buildings collapsed into rubble.
Monstrous creatures, resembling giant serpents, were gnawing at the wreckage of a fighter jet that had crash-landed in the Han River.
"What the hell… are those?!"
I recognized them instantly.
Ichthyosaurs.
Commonly known as sea serpents, these monsters would one day be classified as Grade 7 beasts in the world of Extermination Law.
One of the ichthyosaurs turned to look this way.
"I-It's coming!"
People screamed in terror.
But I remained unfazed as the creature approached. They weren't a threat.
Rumble.
The ichthyosaur let out a growl, circled under the bridge, and vanished with a burst of bubbles.
In the world of Extermination Law, the "Scenario" takes precedence over everything.
As long as I was protected by the scenario, there would be no immediate conflict with them. At least for now.
> [Due to an unexpected scenario check, reward distribution is delayed. Please wait a moment.]
At the time when the rewards were supposed to be processed, the only thing floating in the air was an error message.
This was probably my fault.
I looked down at Kim Namwoon's mutilated body.
If the Extermination Law had gone as intended, Kim Namwoon would've killed most of the people in this train car and advanced to the next scenario.
But I had stopped that.
If I was right, those who were enraged by Kim Namwoon's death would show up soon. Here? No, not here. More like—up there.
> [Due to the death of character 'Kim Namwoon,' two Constellations express faint hostility toward you.]
Constellations.
The most mysterious beings in the world of Extermination Law, silently watching from the tops of distant nebulae—the hidden hands behind this tragedy.
Seeing their reactions confirmed it for me: the real game was beginning.
Funny, really.
Just a day ago, we were on completely opposite sides. Now, they were watching me.
> [A few Constellations admire your scenario.]
[Constellations have gifted you 500 coins.]
If some of them hated me, then naturally, some of them liked me too.
Either way, it was uncomfortable. But there was nothing I could do about them yet.
Now, I was the clown on stage.
As I picked up Kim Namwoon's MacGyver knife from the floor, I thought to myself:
Go ahead, watch all you want. But the price for your entertainment… will be your lives.
"…Mr. Kim Dokja? Are you okay?"
I looked up to see Yoo Sangah's face. Slumped shoulders, bloodstains on her white blouse, torn stockings.
The Yoo Sangah I once knew was gone.
I took her hand and stood.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't save the grandmother."
I looked down at the old woman's headless corpse. I never knew her name.
And there would be many more people who would die like this.
Yoo Sangah looked at me with a complex expression.
"Dokja… how did you…?"
"Sorry?"
"No, it's nothing. Just… thank you."
"For what?"
"Back there, you…"
A scene came to mind.
Yoo Sangah had been standing right where I threw the cage. I could guess what she was thinking.
"It was just coincidence. So don't expect it again."
"Oh…"
She nodded silently.
I couldn't tell what she was thinking, but she was smart—she understood.
Because of my choice, someone lived, and someone else died.
No matter who survived, I wasn't deserving of gratitude.
> [Wow, unbelievable.]
A crackling sound filled the air as a dokkaebi appeared.
> [What happened here? I only looked away for a second...]
Its expression was a mix of awe and shock.
Floating above its head were shimmering, star-like lights.
I silently counted them. One, two, three… twenty, twenty-one. So twenty-one in total. No wonder it was excited.
> [Twenty-one Constellations joined my channel… Ha! Looks like luck is on my side today. Oh, thank you for the sponsorship, dear Constellations! Ha! You folks sure know how to put on a show!]
The number of stars represented how many Constellations were watching this channel.
Twenty-one wasn't a huge number, but for a rookie dokkaebi, it was a rare sight.
> [And look at that, quite a few survivors too? That guy in the next car was a nutjob too… This is turning out to be a fun day!]
The dokkaebi smirked and manipulated something in mid-air. A list appeared.
> [Survivors in Train 3434, Car 3807: Kim Dokja, Lee Hyunsung, Yoo Sangah, Han Myung-oh, Lee Gilyoung. Total survivors: 5.]
Five people. More than I expected.
I scanned each face.
Lee Hyunsung, with his solid build and athleticism—I expected him to survive.
Yoo Sangah too, to some extent.
And Lee Gilyoung.
If I was right, this boy standing beside me was Lee Gilyoung.
His hand was stained with the crushed remains of a grasshopper—one I had given him.
He silently stared at the headless corpse of his mother.
She had abandoned him and helped kill the old woman.
And this boy had watched the whole thing unfold.
I hesitated briefly, then placed a hand on his shoulder.
It wasn't pity.
If I had to describe it…
Yes—hypocrisy.
"Hey, kid."
The boy slowly looked up at me. His eyes were filled with the terror of death he had never known before.
It was natural instinct.
He wasn't grieving his mother.
He was just… scared of dying.
That was human nature.
"Do you want to live?"
His pupils trembled, his body shook as if resisting an irresistible force. And then, barely, he nodded.
"Then come with me."
The boy stepped closer, sticking by my leg.
Yoo Sangah looked touched.
Another misunderstanding. Though I had intended for someone to see it—just not her.
> [A few Constellations are moved by your good deed.]
[Constellations have gifted you 200 coins.]
Call it low, if you want.
But I wanted to live too.
Given the major events coming up, I needed to keep the Constellations' eyes on me.
"Are you going to let us go now? We agreed to your terms, didn't we?"
A few steps away, a man in a torn dress shirt shouted.
Han Myung-oh.
A man who was ridiculously lucky.
But it was a little strange. Why was that rich Han Myeong-oh on the subway during rush hour?
He was the same guy who went around every department recently, bragging about his new Mercedes S-Class.
[Hmm, release you, you say? You must not have seen what's going on outside properly, huh? Want me to really let you out?]
The goblin chuckled.
[Anyway, I'm impressed. Honestly, I didn't expect much from this car, but you somehow managed to survive the first scenario. You've now proven that even bugs like you have the right to live.]
Those words made me realize my situation once again. That bastard probably sees us as nothing more than grasshoppers.
[Now, since you've overcome hardship, there should be a reward, right? As a reward for surviving the first scenario, you now qualify to receive support from the mighty 'Constellations'! Wow! Exciting, isn't it? Hmm, you all don't look thrilled. This is actually a big deal, you know.]
It was only natural.
After all, I was the only one here who knew what a 'Constellation' or 'sponsorship' meant.
Constellation sponsorship—its significance was crystal clear. At last, one of the core events of The Ways of Destruction was about to begin: "The Choice of the Supporting Faction."
[Hmm, you all look confused. Let me put it simply. Right now, you're all pathetically weak. If I were to throw you into the next scenario right away, you'd get killed by even a feeble 'Ground Mole', let alone a 'Krukk'. But kindly enough, there are great beings in this universe who pity you and wish to support you. You get what I mean?]
Finally, Lee Hyun-sung couldn't hold back and opened his mouth.
"What are you talking about? Who's supporting who…?"
[Sigh, you really don't get it, do you? There's a Korean proverb: Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. So how about you experience it for yourself? Not that the unlucky ones will even get the chance. Hahaha!]
I tensed up.
It begins now.
Picking the right option here would make survival much easier going forward.
"Dokja? Two weird options suddenly popped up… what are they…?"
"I don't know either, even if you ask me."
Of course, that was a lie—to avoid drawing suspicion.
Still, two options, huh.
Yoo Sang-ah had pretty good luck.
"Just think of it as some kind of aptitude test. No need to overthink it."
"Aptitude test…?"
"No one knows what's going on anyway. Might as well take it easy, right?"
"Ah… okay."
She seemed to agree and fell silent, staring into the air with a contemplative look, like she'd encountered some mystical fortune-telling.
The others also quieted down, likely reading the options that had appeared before them.
And I, too, looked at my own choices.
---
– Choose your supporting Constellation.
– The one you choose will become your powerful sponsor.
1. The Black Flame Dragon of the Abyss
2. The Demon-like Judge of Fire
3. The Secretive Plotter
4. The Prisoner of the Golden Headband
Four enigmatic options.
It meant that there were four Constellations vying to make me their avatar.
Considering the protagonist of The Ways of Destruction had five options at the start, four wasn't too shabby.
Constellations never reveal their true names.
That's why every contractor has to decipher the cryptic metaphors like 'Abyss', 'Demon', or 'Garden' to guess their sponsor's identity.
Of course, as the only reader of The Ways of Destruction, such riddles were nothing to me.
Let's see.
First, The Black Flame Dragon of the Abyss.
If I remember right, this Constellation was a powerful entity that led a group of Constellations called the "Black Cloud."
I forgot its real name, but I remember it was absurdly long.
The strength of this Constellation lay in the combat enhancements that came with the contract. Especially in the early stages where physical strength and stamina were crucial, there was no better sponsor than this one.
But that benefit only applied early on.
The more you used its power, the more it corrupted your mind. Eventually, you'd go insane, becoming a bloodthirsty killer.
Typically, it supports edgy 'chuunibyou' types… I had no idea why it chose me.
It gave me a bad feeling, so I ruled it out for now.
Second, The Demon-like Judge of Fire.
To think I'd actually see this one. I felt deeply moved.
It reeked of evil at first glance, but the modifier "demon-like" was a trap. That is, it wasn't actually a demon.
Combine that with "fire" and "judgment"—
A being who judges with fire, yet is not a demon.
Paradoxically, this Constellation was an angel.
If I recall correctly, it was the Archangel Uriel.
I remembered that someone in the story had chosen this sponsor.
A decent choice, to be sure—but I'd put it on hold.
Constellations of absolute good wield immense power, but they also come with ridiculous restrictions.
Third, The Secretive Plotter.
Even as a devoted fan of The Ways of Destruction, I had never seen this option before.
Maybe it was a Constellation mentioned in passing, but… I wasn't sure. I'd probably figure it out if I reread the novel more closely.
What was certain was that this Constellation likely wasn't very powerful.
Its vague modifier was one thing, but it didn't even use a proper name.
"Secretive Plotter" was far too plain to represent a mighty Constellation. So this one was also on hold.
Lastly, The Prisoner of the Golden Headband.
My heart thumped loudly the moment I saw the fourth choice.
Getting an offer from this Constellation this early?
I couldn't believe my eyes at first, but there was no mistake.
It was definitely The Prisoner of the Golden Headband.
Though "prisoner" seemed like a negative word, the key lay in the proper noun: "Golden Headband."
Golden Headband—Jingu Bang.
The smallest prison in the world.
Anyone who grew up reading Journey to the West would recognize the hint.
There's only one prisoner in all of time and space who was bound by that headband.
The ruler of Mount Huaguo, bearer of fiery golden eyes.
The Monkey King, Great Sage Equal to Heaven—Sun Wukong.
There was even a character in the story who had this Constellation's support.
With a single swing of his staff, he could obliterate hundreds of avatars. A single bolt of lightning could wipe out thousands of monsters. The depiction had been so grand that it was burned into my memory.
I didn't know why such a powerful Constellation was interested in me… but if I became the Monkey King's avatar, surviving this new world would be far easier than for anyone else.
However…
I quietly looked toward the door connecting to the front train car.
I could clearly picture that guy on the other side, looking at his own choice screen.
If I chose The Great Sage Equal to Heaven… could I defeat him?
[One minute remaining until Supporting Faction Selection ends.]
Time was running out.
I exhaled quietly and gave the options one last glance.
There wasn't much need to hesitate.