INFINITY

017

KIM DOKJA'S POINT OF VIEW

"T-Then I will let everyone take care of it! Yihihihit!" The dokkaebi said these words and disappeared into thin air. A food penalty and survival penalty. I already knew about the former penalty. 

However, the latter wasn't in the original Ways of Survival. Maybe my contract with Bihyung caused this development. Jung Heewon confirmed that the biscuit in her pocket had disappeared and asked in a soft voice.

"Dokja-ssi, did you perhaps know something like this would happen―" I cut off her words "I did expect it. I thought about what the dokkaebis would do first to harass humans." I said in a relaxed manner

"...Aren't you good at making predictions?"  I called Lee Hyunsung and the others over. The situation was created and now it was time to move. "Give back our food!" The survivors howled at the Dokkaebi who just disappeared.

"How, how did this happen?" The people of the marginalized group were crying. Cheon Inho and the mainstream group were also devastated by the sudden food shortage. My eyes met Cheon Inho's, who bit his lip. If I could read his thoughts then this is what he would be thinking.

[Perhaps...were you aware of it? No, that is impossible.]

[You have accurately read the thoughts of character 'Cheon Inho.']

[Your understanding of the character 'Cheon Inho' has increased.]

...My understanding rose from this sort of thing? I looked at other people's expressions and tried to guess what they were thinking. But the previous messages didn't pop up. Meanwhile, Cheon Inho quickly gathered the people together to organize the chaos.

"Everyone, gather together. I will give you an emergency notice."

The contents of the notice were simple: The situation had become worse so more 'scouts' from the marginalized group were needed. They had to hurry. Now there was no food underground.

"We won't distribute food to people who don't participate as scouts." Despite the hardline declaration, there was no backlash from the citizens like before. No, they couldn't. It was an inevitable result of this situation. The people noticed it and volunteered to be scouts one by one.

Despite the disappearance of the food, hope remained on Cheon Inho's face. As the situation became worse, more control was passed on to the mainstream group. Lee Hyunsung became anxious when he saw this and opened his mouth.

"Dokja-ssi, what now?" He looks anxious and started looking around "Of course, we have to go and get food." The expressions of the party members became tense at these words. Obtain food. This meant only one thing.

"Then we have to be scouts? There is still food remaining aboveground." Some of my party members asked. "Nope, we won't go aboveground. If we go there, we will unconditionally die." I dismiss their idea of course

I looked at a gas mask on the floor. This tattered gas mask couldn't stop the poisonous fog. "But we need to obtain food aboveground..." Hyunsung looks confused about what I told them earlier "Lee Hyunsung-ssi. The world has changed. Then the food needs to change."

I looked at the tunnel to Yaksu Station. "Wait a minute. Dokja-ssi...don't tell me?" Some tense up to where I'm looking from. Of course who wouldn't? Only three people survive to go out there alive. "That's right."

In this world, humans were no longer the top predators. Even if we weren't predators, we didn't necessarily have to be prey. "We will hunt monsters." They all gulped at what I said but didn't protest.