Chapter 66
Hunting Monsters (2)
66
After all that commotion, only a small number of people stepped forward to buy food.
Most hesitated—some out of anger, others out of helplessness—while many chose to wait, as if betting on some kind of change.
That night, the woman whom Arthur and Kim Dokja had previously saved woke up.
She stepped forward quietly, then bowed slightly and spoke in a sincere tone:
"Thank you for saving me.
I will pay the coins for the food and drink I consumed earlier."
She placed the coins in front of Dokja, then turned her gaze toward Yoo Sangah and Lee Hyunsung.
Their dissatisfaction with what had happened was clear.
Both of them were kind-hearted, inclined toward gentleness and compassion.
When they realized that Arthur had no intention of distributing the food for free, but rather selling it, they found the idea hard to accept.
Even so, they remained silent… because their last hope was Kim Dokja.
They believed he would oppose it, but he did not.
In fact, it seemed that Arthur's idea was, at its core, aligned with what Dokja believed was necessary.
Jung Heewon could no longer endure the silence, so she spoke firmly:
"You're not satisfied with Arthur and Dokja's actions, are you?
But have you forgotten what they went through just to bring this food?
Is it fair to ask them to distribute it without compensation?"
Then she explained to them the difficulties the two had faced, and the danger they had put themselves in for the sake of obtaining the food.
Yoo Sangah and Lee Hyunsung lowered their heads, realizing the mistake in their hasty judgment.
They apologized in low voices, then handed coins to Kim Dokja in exchange for what they had consumed.
That food had come from Dokja's personal supply,
while the food Arthur had seized… was still stored as it was.
Lee Gilyoung and Yi Jihye also stepped forward and paid without hesitation.
Night fell.
Despite the exhaustion, Arthur and Kim Dokja remained awake.
Late at night, men from the dominant group arrived… and bought all of Kim Dokja's food.
Arthur looked at Dokja calmly and spoke in a low voice:
"Dokja… you know this is all part of Cheon Inho's plan, don't you?"
Dokja raised his eyebrows.
"What do you mean?"
Arthur sighed, then said in a measured, cold tone:
"It's clear that Cheon Inho has some kind of incitement skill or something similar.
He acts like a kind and brave leader, but he's worse than the wolves themselves."
He paused for a moment, then continued:
"He bought all your food for one reason only.
Tomorrow, he'll go out and announce that he bought the food… but he'll distribute it in small portions.
And when people get angry, he'll blame you.
And then… everyone will turn against you."
As soon as Arthur finished speaking, Kim Dokja's face stiffened.
Not because he didn't know.
He was the only reader of the novel.
He knew Cheon Inho, his skills, his plans, and their outcomes.
But what truly shocked him was something else.
How does Arthur know all this?
Such precise analysis… in just a few hours?
This isn't normal intuition.
Did he read the novel?
But after chapter 500… no reader remained except me.
Dokja stopped thinking when he felt a steady gaze on him.
"What's wrong?" Arthur asked.
"Nothing… didn't you ask?"
"I was just wondering… about your strange calmness."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing… forget it. I'm going to sleep."
Arthur ended the conversation quickly, leaned against a stone pillar, and closed his eyes.
Dokja remained lost in thought for a while before sleep overtook him as well.
---
The next morning, the two woke up and ate.
Then Cheon Inho appeared… and began inciting the people exactly as Arthur had predicted.
Arthur sighed quietly, then looked at Dokja, who was wearing a faint smile.
No… this was not the smile of analysis.
Nor the smile of someone whose expectations had been met.
This was the smile of someone who had known this would happen… literally.
His thoughts were interrupted by Jung Heewon's voice as she shouted anxiously:
"Don't tell me you sold all the food!"
Dokja replied calmly, his face expressionless:
"Yes. I sold it all."
"You didn't keep anything?"
"No."
Jung Heewon collapsed to the ground, her eyes devoid of any emotion.
Lee Gilyoung stepped forward and handed Dokja some chocolate sticks.
"Here."
Dokja smiled lightly.
"Don't worry about me.
Do you still have food from yesterday?"
"Yes… why?"
"It's better if you finish it today. Now."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
The companions followed his words without question.
Arthur watched him silently.
He knows too much.
And what he's saying is based on something that will happen soon… I'm sure of it.
{The constellation "Miracle Narrator" looks at you and smiles at your confusion}
Arthur muttered unconsciously:
"Who are you, for the sake of the creator of the universe?"
"Did you say something?" Dokja asked.
"No… nothing. Finish what you're doing."
Arthur sighed, took out some food and ate, then left the rest of his stock as it was.
He didn't know Kim Dokja's plans,
but the food he possessed was more than enough for him.
He ate until he was full…
and left the rest, waiting for what was to come.
After some time, sparks appeared in the air, as if from an electrical discharge, synchronized with the heavy falling rain.
The sparks clashed violently, and everyone paused for a moment, immediately realizing—it was a Dokkaebi.
{How is everyone? You're bored, aren't you?}
{The friend in charge of this channel… well, he's not here, so I'll be in charge instead… hee hee.}
This was not the Dokkaebi Arthur knew.
It was not Bihyung, but a black-colored version, slightly shorter, and trembling somewhat with tension.
The Dokkaebi smiled in a strange way, then snapped his fingers, and red windows appeared before everyone.
{A scenario penalty has been added.}
{Food reserves will now be restricted.}
{All existing food supplies will disappear.}
As the windows appeared before the people, the food began to float in the air, surrounded by a faint aura.
The Dokkaebi snapped his fingers again, and all the food vanished in an instant, accompanied by a mocking remark that left everyone stunned, their mouths wide open.
{A scenario penalty has been added.}
{Clause added: Cost of Survival.}
{From now on, 100 coins will be deducted from each person at midnight.}
{If a person fails to pay, they will die.}
{The Cost of Survival penalty will remain in effect until the second main scenario is cleared.}
Arthur smiled calmly and glanced at Kim Dokja.
Yes… I'm sure now. Kim Dokja knows a lot.
Arthur opened his inventory window and was surprised to find that all his food was still there.
The penalty had not been applied to him, because his food was stored in the main inventory window, outside the system of this world.
A state of confusion and anxiety began to spread among everyone.
Cheon Inho gathered the group and began explaining the plan: forming a scouting team to bring food, organizing resources, and so on.
Tension spread through Kim Dokja's group as well…
except for two people who remained calm:
The first, Kim Dokja, because he knew everything about the scenarios.
The second, Arthur, because he possessed a stock of food that would last for two weeks or more.
There was another reason why Arthur remained completely calm:
he was certain that Kim Dokja knew a great deal about the state of the world and the upcoming scenarios. Therefore, he did not feel worried at all.
Lee Hyunsung stepped forward hesitantly and said:
"What should we do now, Dokja? Should we join the scouting team?"
Kim Dokja smiled calmly, then Arthur replied:
"No… I don't think that's a good idea."
Lee Hyunsung sighed in frustration and looked at Arthur with concern:
"Then… what do we do? Where will we get food?"
Arthur answered calmly, unconcerned:
"The best way is to go up."
Lee Hyunsung trembled slightly, shocked by the suggestion:
"Are you crazy?! What do you mean by going up? That's certain death! The air is still poisoned, and not only that, there are many monsters outside… If you go out now, you'll definitely die!"
Kim Dokja smiled calmly and let his gaze sweep over everyone.
Then he pointed to the ruined railway tracks beside them.
"The world has changed, everyone… and humans must change as well."
Yoo Sangah stammered, shouting anxiously:
"Don't tell me…"
Kim Dokja smiled and said with confidence:
"Yes… we're going to hunt monsters."
---
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