~Y/n pov~

[Main scenario #3 - Emergency defence has ended]

[You have received 1,000 coins for your achievement]

It was then that Dokja shifted in his sleep and began to slowly wake up.

He moved to look up at me and blinked his eyes open.

His cheeks flushed as he realised his position but his facial expression turned blank when he saw Joonghyuk curled up beside me, resting his head on my other shoulder.

[The fourth main scenario will begin shortly]

I sighed once I saw the notification.

The scenarios are constant.

"I guess we should go." I finally spoke to Dokja.

Dokja nodded and reluctantly stood, "I'll wake up the others. Wake up, Joonghyuk."

Originally, he left Joonghyuk behind with Jihye.

Then again, Joonghyuk is laid on me.

Does he not want to leave me alone with Joonghyuk?

I gently shook Joonghyuk as he mumbled sleepily and buried his face into my shoulder.

His actions made me giggle at his cuteness.

Who knew someone like him could act so cute.

"Joonghyuk. Wake up." I murmured softly, running my fingers through his hair.

He hummed in response and slowly opened his eyes, "Y/n?"

"Yes." I replied curiously.

Joonghyuk sat up and tightened his hold on me, "Thank you. I love you."

I hesitated for a moment before responding quietly, "I love you too."

Once everyone was awake, Dokja came back over to me as Joonghyuk let go of me.

Dokja offered me his hand and pulled me up.

Jihye was still exhausted from earlier so I offered to carry her, lifting her onto my back as Huiwon carried Gilyoung.

~*~

"Where is that bastard called Dokja?" We heard a man shouting as we walked down the broken stairs, the middle part of the stairs had completely collapsed.

Sangah and Hyunsung turned to look at us with relieved expressions.

We all jumped over the crushed part of the stairs to join them.

"It's him! That bastard! Where has he been all this time?" The man yelled as he approached Dokja.

The conversation was cut short as a notification that got everyone's attention appeared.

[The fourth main scenario will begin in 5 minutes]

"Haha, how has everyone been? I can tell that you've been great from the looks on your faces." A Dokkaebi laughed as they materialised, "In the fourth scenario you will have to join forces with the other stations. But to proceed with this scenario, there is a prerequisite mission that you must complete."

Jihye started to stir as the scenario was being explained, she gently patted my shoulder as a silent way to ask me to put her down.

She smiled at me and nodded her head to show her thanks.

I nodded back.

"Things will be chaotic if there are too many people. That's why you need someone to lead you." The Dokkaebi explained, "In other words, we need to elect the <leader> of the station."

[A new sub scenario has arrived]

"The game that's about to take place is like a prelude. A warm-up of sorts." The Dokkaebi continued as a screen popped up, "The rules are as follows."

_________________________________

<Sub Scenario - Leader election>

Category : sub

Difficulty : C

Clear condition : Take the white flag installed at the centre of the platform

Time limit : 30 minutes

Reward : 1,000 coins, Winner is elected as the leader of Chungmuro

Penalty for failure : -

*You will be granted absolute authority over the others at the station when elected the leader

_____________________________

Pildu was the first to move as he grabbed the people beside him and shovelled them out of the way, sprinting towards the flag.

"Pildu, down!" Dokja commanded as Pildu's body went crashing to the ground.

Dokja casually walked over to the flag, stepping on Pildu in the progress, and grabbed the white flag.

[Kim Dokja has taken the white flag]

[If the ownership of the flag does not change in the next five minutes, Chungmuro station will remain under his command]

I was surprised at Joonghyuk's uncaring attitude towards the event.

I thought he would be trying to get the flag but he stood there with his arms crossed, watching as the other ran over to defend Dokja.

"Do you not need the flag?" I asked him curiously.

He smiled slightly, "No. I've decided I'm going to trust your judgement... even if I don't like it."

The warmth in his eyes as he looked at me still surprised me, despite the fact that I had seen it many times.

The story has become so different. Are all of the changes really caused by me?

Do I really have that big of an impact?

However, I won't know for long as the webtoon only got up to when Dokja destroyed the throne and I couldn't find the time to read the novel.

I'm scared because I won't know what happens beyond that point, although I've seen a few spoilers.

The five minutes passed quickly and Dokja became the leader.

[The sub scenario has been completed]

"Let's get the main game started, then!" The Dokkaebi, who had been silent until now, announced.

The main scenario popped up in front of us.

[The fourth main scenario has been activated]

_____________________________________

<Main scenario #4 - Capture the flag>

Category : main

Difficulty : C

Clear conditions : 1. Each station is given a flagpole where a flag can be planted
2. You must defend your flagpole from the other groups. If another group's flag is planted, your station will be taken over by that group
3. You can put your flag at the flagpoles in other stations, only the leader can hold the flag and plant it in other flagpoles. If your leader dies, the next person to pick up the flag will become the new leader.
4. You must plant your flag at a specified target flagpole within the given time limit or everyone in your group will die
5. The target station for your group will be [Changshin station]

Time limit : 12 days

Reward : 2,000 coins

Penalty for failure : ???

_____________________________________

After finding out about the target station, we looked at the board to figure out how far away it was and how we'd get there.

"We should split the group. How about some of us stay behind for guard duty while the others go scouting?" Dokja suggested to the group, "Pildu, you'll be in charge of guarding the station."

The loud of screeching tires interrupted the conversation as everyone looked towards the entrance of the station, startled by the loud noise.

"Lower your weapons and approach slowly." Dokja told the newcomers, who were unsuccessfully trying to stay hidden from us."

"We're not here to fight you." The person, who looked to be leading the group, told us as he introduced himself, "Let me introduce myself first. I am Kang Ilhun, the vice leader of the Dondaemun group. Your name is...?"

Dokja eyed the man wearily as he responded, "Kim Dokja."

Ilhun's had a weird expression on his face when he heard the name. Why is he reacting like that?

He looked past Dokja and tried to discreetly look at the rest of the group.

"Let's form an alliance." Ilhun finally offered.

"I am getting bad vibes from him." I muttered.

Dokja nodded in agreement, "Let's just be cautious of them for now. We'll decide after we meet your leader."

He whispered the first part quietly to us so the other group wouldn't hear.

"Fine. I'll lead the way." Ilhun agreed, looking past me to see Joonghyuk.

He looked terrified and startled.

Is he one of the people who read part of the book? It's hard to recall.

After seeing Joonghyuk, he was quick to get out of there.

I decided to stay behind with Gilyoung, Jihye and Joonghyuk as the rest went with Ilhun to meet their leader.

A big group charged into our station shortly after the other had left.

"Focus on planting the flag!" The person who seemed to be the leader yelled.

[Kim Hyeontae, the leader of Myeongdong, has used the effect of the red flag]

Pildu glared at them as he activated his skill, taking out the majority of the opposing group.

"This isn't the information we gathered. Retreat!!"

Joonghyuk and I were quick to chase after those who tried to run away, easily taking them out.

The group who departed had come back quickly and managed to see the end of the fight.

Dokja casually leaned down and picked up the red flag that had fallen in the scuffle.

I helped tie up Ilhun. He seemed to know something important judging by the way he blinked slowly at Joonghyuk and I as if he was denying reality.

"You should tell us what you know unless you want to die." I told him, pointing my sword at his neck.

His fear grew as Joonghyuk and Dokja were both staring at him intensely, awaiting his response.

"At Dongmyo.. People there told us about Chungmuro, they call themselves <The prophets>."

He started coughing and wheezing for air.

"Let's go to Dongmyo station." Dokja announced after hearing the information, "Hyungsung and Y/n come with me."

Joonghyuk was quick to butt into the conversation, "I'm coming too."

"Huh?" Dokja made a sound of confusion.

"Why?" Joonghyuk glared at him, "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No.." Dokja looked like he wanted to protest, "Do whatever you want."

Joonghyuk would probably come regardless of what Dokja responded.

We hopped down onto the tracks, saying goodbye to the others who were staying behind to rest or protect the stations.

Hyungsung was carrying Ilhun on his back.

It was silent as we walked.

There was tension between Dokja and Joonghyuk.

Dokja slowed slightly to match his pace with mine and after a few moments, grabbed my hand, interlocking our fingers.

I smiled to myself while looking away so the others wouldn't see my flustered face.

Hyungsung continued to walk slightly in front of us as he tilted his head and wiggled his eyebrows playfully at me.

I smiled and glared back playfully.

Our silent conversation ended when we came across dead, bleeding bodies littered across the tracks and in the station opposite us.

There was a small group wearing all black who quickly fled upon seeing us.

"It almost seemed like they were expecting us." Dokja commented as we entered the station.

There was no one left alive here at all.

"They just made it easier for us." Joonghyuk spoke, gesturing to the empty flagpole as Dokja placed our flag in it.

We continued on to the next station as I asked Hyungsung about his time in the military to make him forget about all the dead people we just saw.

Hyungsung smiled enthusiastically as he ranted about his experiences.

He seems to love reminiscing about that time in his life.

Dokja and Joonghyuk walked in front of us, an awkward atmosphere surrounded them both.

I was surprised when I saw Joonghyuk speak to Dokja and they started to have a conversation.

Are they... getting along? I could only hope they were.

I knew Dokja didn't hate him but just found him frustrating and Joonghyuk just didn't seem to like anyone.

While paying attention to Hyungsung and occasionally replying, I tried to discreetly watch them although I couldn't hear anything they talked about.

I noticed them sometimes glancing directly at me as I pretended not to notice.

What are they talking about? I'm so curious.

They don't normally have long conversations in the series which just makes me want to know what they're talking about and why they're actually smiling.

They kept glancing at me which led me to guess they were talking about me. That's suspicious...

"What about you?" Hyungsung suddenly asked, "Tell me something."

"There's not a lot of happy times to talk about to be perfectly honest." I said before deciding to tell him something, "After my Father died, I felt a lot more free and managed to do things that I wanted. But I wouldn't say I was happy."

It was true that I was happier after killing my Dad, but it made my life harder because everyone only saw me as a murderer.

I was just lucky to get an enjoyable job and even though it didn't pay well, I did feel happy even if it was only for a moment.

Most of the time I felt empty, like a puppet just going to work, eating and sleeping.

I had no one.

Hyungsung seemed to realise this was a sensitive subject as he smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Don't be.. I'm the one who killed him."

Hyungsung stopped walking momentarily before nodding to himself, "You're a good person. He must've been awful for you to do something like that."

Good person.. That's laughable.

~*~

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2142 words

A/n I hope you're enjoying the story so far