Chapter Text
"..."
Cale stared dumbfounded at corp-, Ahem, no, what Cale meant was Joonghyuk's body. He could only hold healing potion in front of protagonist's body without being able to move.
He looked back, at Kim Dokja who was talking to Bihyung.
+
[Cale : ..what.. what is this..?
Kim Dokja : I think this is Bihyung.
Cale : No way... can that pillow hurt people? He could act against incarnation? Why didn't he immediately help me when I fell and instead went to the trouble of looking for you then?
Kim Dokja : Of course can't, and what's with your words, hm? Brat? What do you mean you don't like being helped by me?? Hah?
Cale : ..calm down, that's not what I meant....
Kim Dokja : Ahem, well I'm sure it wasn't Bihyung who hurt Yoo Joonghyuk. However, the reason this bastard is here, I'm sure it has something to do with Bihyung. Because just think about it, even if Yoo Joonghyuk was nearby, he couldn't be found at the right time. It was clear that Bihyung had created a sub-scenario to bring Yoo Joonghyuk here. I don't have proof, but it's intuition.
Cale : Like intuition that girls have?
Kim Dokja : ... ]
+
Kim Dokja looked at Cale with amusement after seeing his grin.
He could still joke at time like this. Kim Dokja hoped that Joonghyuk didn't see Cale's grin, because... imagine you were hurt and person in front of you was grinning. Isn't that like saying congratulations for getting hurt?
Sooyoung whispered to Kim Dokja as she watched Cale pour a bottle of potion onto Joonghyuk's wound, who immediately hissed.
"...does Cale want to kill Joonghyuk..? Ahem, I mean, we found him. What are you going to do?"
“What else?”
“Shouldn't you save him? This jerk… he's protagonist.”
Of course Kim Dokja had to save him. Look, even Cale was still pouring the potion with an apathetic face, knowing that they couldn't make that bastard die.
But the thing is, if Dokja saves that bastard.... he will definitely die.
This plagiarist even had a horrified face after imagining that Joonghyuk would immediately wake up and behead her.
"Do you have anything that will restrain him?"
“Yoo Joonghyuk will not tolerate them.”
"Lock him up..."
"Then he will kill himself."
“But if he goes back… Damn, what will happen if he regresses?”
Han Sooyoung realized this too late.
What will happen to this world if Yoo Joonghyuk went back? That is one of the biggest challenges of those living in this world.
"Right.. what if we ask Cale to detain Yoo Joonghyuk..?"
"Cale will kill you first."
"..."
"It's true that Joonghyuk is a little tame with Cale, but Cale won't like it if we make him restrain Joonghyuk. He's the lazy type who gets even lazier if he's given a troublesome task."
"...I remember that, I'm sure Cale will go angry if forced."
"...and that bastard will kill us because we made Cale angry..."
"..."
"..."
"...So what?"
“We have to stop it. Nobody knows what will happen.”
It's right to assume the worst, when everything is unknown. If Kim Dokja makes a mistake and the world is reset, his existence will disappear.
But at least, Joonghyuk won't kill them as long as Cale is around, right? At least he's not the type to show his scary side to kids like Mia or Cale.
....Maybe?
By the way... how did this jerk end up like this?
Kim Dokja approached and looked at the wound carefully. There are wounds around stomach. Some of the wounds had healed, but it was still visible that before, the wounds were wounds where all internal organs and ribs were broken. It felt like someone incredibly powerful had hit Yoo Joonghyuk in one blow…
At this moment, Kim Dokja stared at the empty fist. Perhaps?
Cale also glanced at Kim Dokja while waiting for the wound to heal and remembered something.
+
[Cale : He will kill you.
Kim Dokja : My dear Dongsaeng... don't let Joonghyuk kill me, okay?
Cale : Do it yourself.
Kim Dokja : ... aigoo... ]
+
“What's with that expression? Why is your face like that all of a sudden?”
Sooyoung said after seeing Kim Dokja who suddenly put on sad and horrified face.
"...It's nothing."
+
[Kim Dokja : ... I'm sure. He was hit with fist filled with 100 strength...
Cale: ...
Kim Dokja : Then he was like this for two days. I felt sorry with the benefit of hindsight. With this, it will be impossible to restore my relationship with Yoo Joonghyuk...]
+
When Kim Dokja slowly looked from his stomach to his face, he took a few steps back because he had goosebumps.
“…Shit.”
Yoo Joonghyuk looked at Kim Dokja with bloody eyes, and tears. His lips moved and he clearly said something like 'Die, Kim Dokja.'
Kim Dokja thought Han Sooyoung was beside him, but she ran away as fast as he could.
"Hic."
Kim Dokja turned to Cale, who was sitting down and hiccuping because he was also surprised.
...this crazy bastard is scary...
Cale covered his mouth, which was still hiccuping with both hands, he ignored Constellation's worried message and stood back up.
-He's not directing his anger at you, Cale 🪨
'I know, I was just surprised.'
“Hey! Can't you let go of your anger?”
"..."
Kim Dokja shouted from afar, Cale took a few steps back and tried to let Joonghyuk and Dokja meet face to face.
... if possible. Kim Dokja instead followed his movements so that Cale could block protagonist's killing intent.
...this bastard...
By the way, the wound was slow to heal, like something was blocking it.
“Isn't that a fair fight? Aren't you also trying to kill me?”
Cale peeked at Yoo Joonghyuk's unchanging eyes and Kim Dokja's annoyed face.
+
[Cale: The potion is slow.
Kim Dokja : I-I see...
Cale : Don't just be there, this protagonist can't even move.
Kim Dokja : ...his eyes are scary..
Cale : So? Will you stay there?
Kim Dokja : ..you're right.. I don't have a choice. Yoo Joonghyuk had to survive here.... even if he killed me.
Cale : He won't kill you, but if he almost kills you then I'm not sure.
Kim Dokja : ...
Cale : But isn't he protagonist? We couldn't handle everything without him, right?
Kim Dokja : ..yes.. I might be able to stop Question Disaster without Yoo Joonghyuk but I won't be able to prevent another disaster and the world will be destroyed. Damn... Why is protagonist of Ways of Survival like that? The story would be easier than that if it were Lee Hyunsung or Jung Heewon.
Cale : Don't complain.
Kim Dokja : ...right.. this is not the time to complain. Let me see what he thinks first. ]
+
Cale looked at Kim Dokja, who said was going to use his skill and watched his expression. It wasn't long before that reader's eyes widened and looked at Cale in confusion.
"?"
Cale looked back at Joonghyuk who was slowly closing his eyes.
+
[Cale : What?
Kim Dokja : ..looks like he knows that I can read his mind..
Cale : So what?
Kim Dokja : He said that it was his fault and the world could end.... wait. ]
+
Then Kim Dokja hesitantly approached again. At least now, the hostile aura towards him was non-existent.
"Yoo Joonghyuk. Can you hear me?"
Yoo Joonghyuk struggled to lift his eyelids, only to close them again. That's weird.
+
[Kim Dokja : Are you sure you used your potion, Cale?
Cale : Can't you see that the wound is almost closing?
Kim Dokja : Right... after all, no matter how badly he is, he will automatically trigger 'Recovery' when he is hit. Then why is he still in this condition?
Cale : There's a possibility that he was hit by skill from this world. And it wasn't just an ordinary wound.
Kim Dokja : This..world..? Hah?
Cale: Anyway, potions only heal 'wounds' not curses or something else mixed with wounds. Can you check it?
Kim Dokja : O-Oh... I'll try. ]
+
[Readers see information of protagonist 'Yoo Joonghyuk']
Not long after the message from green window appeared, Kim Dokja explained again.
+
[Kim Dokja : There is no problem with the statistics. Yoo Joonghyuk is still one of strongest incarnations in Seoul and his skills have grown compared to the last time I saw him.
Cale : I didn't ask that.
Kim Dokja : Well... the status... is indeed abnormal.
Cale : ..what? What kind of skill has he got? Poison? Curse? Or something else?
Kim Dokja : Poison, Yoo Joonghyuk doesn't have Thousand Poison Resistance skill or Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons yet. Therefore, poison was currently one of Yoo Joonghyuk's few weaknesses.
Cale : There is no priest nearby here, so it has to be removed manually before the wound can heal.
Kim Dokja : Hm... there are blue veins all over his body. It seems like it hasn't been long since he was poisoned. Luckily, he was still alive. Wait, priest? Since when can priests heal?
Cale : Doesn't anyone in this world have skills like that? Then forget what I said earlier. But who has poison skills? Is there anyone in your novel you can guess?
Kim Dokja : Yes..there is..but it's strange. I know only one person can infect Yoo Joonghyuk with the Thousand Spirits Poison right now… but it should be-]
+
Before Kim Dokja could finish his explanation, a woman watching from a distance asked.
"You... are you Kim Dokja-ssi?"
Kim Dokja nodded.
"She's the woman who brought Joonghyuk"
Kim Dokja patted Cale's head, for his explanation and used his eyes to get that woman to continue.
"That.. he's like this all the time. He keeps asking me to take him to Kim Dokja..."
Cale raised his eyebrows, he didn't expect that Joonghyuk and Dokja were already close enough, for Joonghyuk to be hurt and entrust himself to Dokja. Because as far as Cale knew, Joonghyuk used to be person who had quite hard time trusting people, seeing how his uncles were still fighting even after they met during apocalypse.
For note, original reason was because they thought that Yoo Joonghyuk kidnapped their nephew (Actually, it seemed as if everyone was going to kidnap Cale, but not like that ah...) and Yoo Joonghyuk thought that Cale's uncle was a crazy, fierce, bad bastard. Because towards him, Uncle Cale always cursed and said dirty words (even though it was only towards those they thought were rivals, who were fighting for Cale's love (?)).
"Hey, what happened?"
Said Sooyoung who approached carefully and poked Kim Dokja's shoulder, but he didn't answer.
"..don't you want to answer me..? Hey Cale, what's wrong?"
Cale looked at Sooyoung and explained briefly.
"Joonghyuk was poisoned and wanted to ask Kim Dokja to help him but still didn't reduce his killing intent."
"..."
Sooyoung opened her jaw in surprise, she didn't expect that jerk to be here looking for Kim Dokja, but like Cale said, why didn't he reduce his killing intent if he wanted to ask for help. This Jerk is rude isn't he? If Sooyoung could, she would like to say that this Joonghyuk-
"Evil bastard."
[Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' feels his heart being stabbed]
[Constellation 'Ruller of Fantasy' confused by reaction of constellation 'Secretive Plotter']
Sooyoung nodded at Cale's statement and suddenly realized while being stunned. How could this cutie say it so bluntly..?
And sure enough, Joonghyuk's eyes that initially couldn't open, immediately opened wide and looked at Cale in surprise, his pupils were shaking, and he looked like he was misunderstood, and wanted to explain but couldn't make a sound.
Sooyoung looked at Cale who didn't see Joonghyuk's expression and instead looked at Dokja, and then Joonghyuk who was still trying to open his mouth.
"..."
Cale was a bit impolite but weren't Cale's words... true...? ..somehow Sooyoung sympathizes a little with Joonghyuk, even though it's true, seeing someone he likes say bad things about him.. it still hurts doesn't it.. ai..
"I have pot, want?"
Sooyoung looked away from the pitiful Joonghyuk and looked at Kim Dokja, who turned on Magic Power Stove and poured the ingredients into pot.
Han Sooyoung approached the two who were squatting and asked.
"What are you going to make?"
"Antidote."
"Did you decide to save him?"
Kim Dokja nodded and answered
"This bastard, he came at me on purpose."
"Yes, I heard from Cale, but why?"
"I don't know."
“He really came to ask for your help? I didn't think Yoo Jonghyuk would come all this way to kill you did he?”
"That's impossible for Yoo Joonghyuk."
"How do you know?"
“I know. He is that type of bastard.”
"Joonghyuk is a really evil bastard. But if it's not really necessary, he'd rather treat you as air and forget about you. Ah but if you cause trouble again after he ignores you, you'll be miserable. Tsk tsk. What a cruel bastard, it seems like he's getting worse when apocalypse."
[Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' mutters that he not that cruel...]
[Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' asks, do you hate people like Yoo Joonghyuk?]
Cale raised his eyebrows at constellation's strange question.
"Not to hate, but it's better to stay away from this type, he will be more likely to hold grudges. Honestly, I prefer to stay away from this type."
[Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' asks.. if.. if a person like this wanted to take you by your side by force.. would you hate it..?]
Cale narrowed his eyes with killing intent.
"Like my bastard father, I'd rather get rid of that guy first. And if he dares force me, even if his intentions are good, I'll make him regret it."
Then Cale shrugged his shoulders.
"Just so you know, I prefer the type who is easy to talk to. Communicating and discussing together is better than the type who feels their opinion is more correct."
[Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' mutters, is that so..?]
[Constellation 'Ruller of Fantasy' asks, did constellation 'Secretive Plotter' eat something wrong?]
[Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' falls silent]
"To be honest I'd rather not meet a bastard like Yoo Joonghyuk."
Sooyoung, who heard Cale's words, looked back at Joonghyuk, who was still trying his best to open his mouth.
"..."
And Han Sooyoung decided, she would wholeheartedly try to make Cale not have 'too many bad thoughts' towards Joonghyuk, because of how pathetic protagonist's expression was.
Kim Dokja adjusted the stove fire.
The fire raged and the contents of the pot began to boil. Based on the color and shape, it looked like the food of the Death Valley goblins.
"..is this really an antidote? Do you want to kill him, Kim Dok-"
"Hyung"
"..hyung.."
"Well.. It may seem terrible but this soup is an excellent antidote."
Han Sooyoung squatted down too, put her hands on her knees and stared at terrible food.
"By the way, is Yoo Joonghyuk a bad guy in Ways of Survival?"
"...What?"
Sooyoung thought about Joonghyuk's pitiful expression and looked at two people in front of her.
"That was the thought I had. Didn't Yoo Jonghyuk save a lot of people and do good deeds? Of course, he was like a psychopath but didn't he move for people? He fought to save the world. I didn't want to admit it because I was a bad person. "
When Kim Dokja thought about it, Han Sooyoung's words were not completely wrong.
He laughed and said.
"Your defense against Yoo Joonghyuk is because you haven't read as far as me."
"But that's that and this is this. You can't judge people by just looking at one side."
It was an unexpected conversation, so Kim Dokja looked at Han Sooyoung but Sooyoung looked at Cale.
"..he..may not be that cruel, right Cale?"
"?"
why tell me that?
Han Sooyoung looked back at Kim Dokja and smiled coldly.
"No matter how much you claim that my work is plagiarism, it was actually never influenced by Ways of Survival."
"...You almost convinced me without saying that. How unfortunate."
Sooyoung shrugged her shoulders and looked at Cale.
"He's not that cruel Cale, don't keep saying evil bastard, okay?"
"..."
So... what, why are you telling me...?
Not long after that, the soup started to boil.
Cale watched Kim Dokja approach Yoo Joonghyuk with soup. Han Sooyoung brought him the spoon that Cale had taken out.
The spoons were all gold, Kim Dokja and Sooyoung almost screamed...
Anyway, Kim Dokja scooped up the soup with a spoon and put it into Yoo Joonghyuk's mouth. Han Sooyoung watched him blow the soup with concern.
"You act like wife."
"Do you want to do this?"
"I don't want to."
+
[Kim Dokja : Actually, I wouldn't give her this job. It was because of the system message I heard every time I took a spoonful of soup.
Cale : ?
Kim Dokja : Uriel always gives me 500 coins for every bite.
Cale: ...
Kim Dokja : Want to try Cale?
Cale : No need, I'll get coins even just sitting.
Kim Dokja : ...I want to deny it, but it's true. ]
+
Kim Dokja turned to Cale who was still squatting near the stove. That red-haired kid had a mischievous grin, which somehow made Kim Dokja a little annoyed.
Kim Dokja continued to feed soup, but after more than 10 spoonfuls... Uriel still gave him coins...
... Are these constellations truly impressed by good deeds? Will it last until the bowl is empty?
Now he felt how Cale got coins for free just by doing trivial things, to be honest... this was both scary and exciting...
Yoo Joonghyuk who closed his eyes when the first spoon, started to open his eyes with a slight groan. He was still in bad shape but he was gradually recovering from poison.
+
[Cale : Need a potion?
Kim Dokja : No need to waste potions, this bastard has recovery.
Cale : Yeah... okay. ]
+
Kim Dokja glanced at Cale who was standing while taking out a robe from his spatial bag, and looked back at Joonghyuk, he didn't miss the opportunity and took out one item.
[You have used Midday Tryst.]
[You seek approval from target.]
Midday Tryst is an item that allows one-on-one conversation with a selected target for a certain period of time. If Kim Dokja had more coins, he would have learned the Voice Transmission skill but he didn't have much to spare.
Actually, Cale always said he would give him coins but still, he felt his self-esteem as an adult would be lowered if he accepted, so he refused. Therefore, Kim Dokja chose the next best thing.
[Target has agreed to communicate with you.]
[Midday Tryst has begun.]
When Kim Dokja tried to send a message to Yoo Joonghyuk, a small messenger window appeared in front of him.
– Hey, can you hear me?
A connection is formed.
Kim Dokja bought this item for three reasons.
One was because Yoo Jonghyuk's tongue was paralyzed due to the effects of the Thousand Spirit Poison and the second reason was to avoid leaking information to Han Sooyoung.
Honestly, he also wanted to include Cale, but he thought Cale would make a disgusted face, if he was asked to have another line of communication. That kid really chose to never work if he didn't have to, so Kim Dokja would just explain important things to Cale himself later.
The third and most important reason was that Kim Dokja did not want to confirm to Yoo Joonghyuk, that he could read his mind.
The next moment, Yoo Jonghyuk's message appeared.
– Kim Dokja, explain to Cale now!!
Kim Dokja confusedly stared at the message and reflexively, he looked for little red.
But..
Cale disappeared...
"??"
"If you're looking for Cale, he said he was going to see his uncle and left, he asked me to give you tomato juice and said 'good job~', he said."
"..."
Kim Dokja received tomato juice in a bottle, which was something he hated from Sooyoung and looked at message from Joonghyuk again.
-He misunderstood, explain first!!
-..that kid is gone.
-Damn.
Kim Dokja looked at Joonghyuk's face which had become ugly and the sky above him.
...this.. is a bit troublesome...