A/N: I had three quizzes and one test last week. And I think I bombed the test. Great.

How Chunni.

Although I was on-guard, there was a safety net over this whole thing.

Firstly, Jung Youngho was a part of my station, and thus, could not fight against me unless I decided to release him.

And secondly, the contract between me and Jung Youngho's sponsor prevented him from harming me.

For now.

I cleared my throat.

"I'm afraid you can't do anything to me right now. You better ask your sponsor about that,"

After I had spoken, [Great King Heoncheon Hongdo Gyungmum] instantly conversed with his incarnation, evidently waiting for this chance for a while.

[Some constellations are impressed by your actions.]

[The good-aligned constellations are frowning.]

[Some Korean peninsula constellations are shaking their heads, displeased.]

Man, were the negative effects happening already because I saved Jung Youngho from his state? Besides, there were this many constellations watching?

Regardless of the constellations' opinions, what was done was done, and I stabilized the hesitation rising from that.

Jung Youngho was going to be a big help in the upcoming event. If not, then what the heck was I doing?

Just as I was done reflecting upon my actions briefly, Jung Youngho looked back over.

His face was also clearly displeased about the whole thing.

He grumbled something under his breath that I chose not to listen to, but decided to put his sword away.

"Don't worry. I won't ask anything for now. Just that I hope you don't cause trouble to anyone in the station and stay put. I think your sponsor has already told you, but you'll know when I request help." I told him.

And with that, I gave a small smile and departed, not lingering around.

After all, we didn't have anything to talk about after the [Welcome Prison] and I would like to minimalize my contact with this kind of person who became a psychotic murderer at the end of the world.

Especially since he had no qualms and hesitations at stabbing me with a halberd at the end of the illusion, before consent and preparation.

Haha.

"Hey, you-" I think I heard Jung Youngho snarl behind me, but I was long gone from ear-shot.

So long~

I thought to myself giddily as I ran.

Sometimes, I felt like my high agility stat was a cheat as I streamed past the tunnels back to the main area, but thinking about the cost caused a pain in my gut.

So, what next?

I thought through my next courses of actions, to prepare for the next large event that I had been thinking of ever since waking up in-front of Lee Sookyung's base.

And that was making a non-aggression pact with the other kings.

Even with Jung Youngho on my side - no, precisely because Jung Youngho was under my station now - that I needed to do this.

With the deterrence of Jung Youngho, as well as knowledge of the person who could control him, the other kings would not readily open fire.

The hermit king as well as another on-the-fence king were neutral kings, so they should be okay. Maybe.

Additionally, there was the beauty queen Min Jiwoo, Earth Dragon king among others...

If I first notified them with the intentions of this...

Perhaps less variables would occur that would cause the tragedy of this round.

Come again, I don't really know what round he is on. The other guy I met though, the other reader with Na Bori and Lee Jihye...he seemed to know many things. I'm worried though.

No, I won't think about it now.

Stepping onto the wide floor of the station again, I went to inform the others about my return, and about Jung Youngho.

There reactions went as followed:

"I don't care about that, whatever Jung Youngho fellow, but did you even listen to what I was telling you?"

It was clear Su Peng was peeved at my exit last time, so I moved to apologize with a good-natured shoulder massage, because he looked really stressed now that he was a leader of a station,

"Sorry." I smiled ruefully.

Su Peng didn't respond, but he swatted my hands away and just left.

He was a strange guy that was quiet and unapproachable with strangers, but as soon as he got more familiar, he was very forthright.

Next, I had gone to Cho Youngran, who let me feel reassured in her presence, so when the weathered veteran listened to my story, she calmly gave me her reply,

"Well, it certainly seems like you had quite an adventure." She chuckled good naturally and slapped my back, still holding onto a new and large gun with her other hand.

I was a little surprised by the action, because she had never done this before.

Still, it was a pleasant change.

As for Mrs. Wang...

She just looked at me when I told her what I did.

Just stared.

And I felt unnerved, so I had said a quick few words and hightailed it out of there.

When I walked around, I encountered Jie Kushin and Christina who were chatting away, and welcomed me back very enthusiastically, bringing a smile to my face.

Something I really needed after going through Jung Youngho's negative memories.

"Honestly, I'm questioning my judgement at doing what I did." I told them, sighing to let off some stress.

"Eeeh? Why?" Christina questioned with wide eyes.

Something out of the corner of Jie Kushin's sight pulled his attention away.

"Well, you'll know when you meet him. Never mind, I should stop talking about this." I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed, ending my negative streak from coming out.

Christina was also now looking behind me.

Was there something there?

"Um, when you meant 'him', is that the person behind you right now?" Christina graciously pointed to behind me.

I whipped around, startled.

"Yo." Jung Youngho gave a sardonic grin.

I still wanted to punch his face, though.

"Who are these? Your small-fry friends?"

Christina and Jie Kushin bristled at the rude provocation.

However, I could only cringe at how cringe-worthy all the lines coming out of his mouth were. After all, he sounded like a gosh darn chunni with his third-rate acting, but wasn't pulling it off like Kim Namoon.

"Don't call them that."

"Says who?"

"I'm not."

Our words overlapped as we retorted back.

Jung YoungHo raised his hands in defeat, even if it was in a mocking manner.

"Okay, okay, I'm only here for a little chat with your leader. What is your name, by the way? Never caught it." Jung YoungHo gestured toward me.

"...whatever you want to call me." I answered after a while.

Jung YoungHo nodded his head and seriously called out,

"Okay then, b*tch."

"No." I instantly and coldly reacted.

The two beside me also reacted negatively, bristling. They did not like their friend being addressed this way.

Jung Youngho, like he hadn't seen the reactions, laughed and continued, "Isn't it a very fitting title for you, one bestowed by a king such as I?"

I felt goosebumps rise from the way he was acting.

"I thought you became clear-headed enough?" I frowned, addressing his Chunni talking.

He grinned, like the way he smiled to the boy in the illusion, and added, "Yes, I'm not the Tyrant King, but the Magic King."

I stared at him speechlessly. Jie Kushin and Christina were completely out of the loop of the conversation and were now sporting curious expressions as they turned their heads from Jung Youngho, to me, and back at Jung Youngho.

"Um, what happened between-" Jie Kushin began, but was cut off by another voice.

"Ah! You're all here, wow!"

We all turned to a lively young teen with shoulder-length hair and wore a large hat and hoodie. She had her hands on her hips very pompously.

"Who are-" Jie Kushin began, only to be cut off once again.

"Remember me? We had a little tryst at Indeogwon station." She was looking straight at me.

But as I scanned her face, I was confused. I didn't recognize her at all, and because I was moving around for my life for a period of time, there were naturally people's faces I never saw.

"Aw, c'mon. Anyway, I'm here as a messenger this time. I would like to extend an offer to you, mysterious person. Meet me at Chungmuro station in eighteen hours. Can you do that?" The teen cheerfully drawled.

Isn't that where I just came from?

I recalled my last meeting with Na Bori and Lee Jihye and was forced to remember that man.

Chills traveled down my spine and my palms were clammy with cold sweat at the memory.

"Who are you even? What station are you from? How can we trust you?" Christina fired off when she got the chance.

The unknown teen only shrugged and smiled sheepishly, "If I said I was Han Ryuyang, would you believe me?"

The three of us instantly reacted, with Jung Youngho looking at us with a raised brow.

"How do you know that name?" Christina and Jie Kushin reacted fiercely.

Especially Jie Kushin, who was at the scene at the time.

Veins on his neck bulged, and his breathing quickened, resembling a disturbed animal.

I walked in-front to block the teen from Jie Kushin and Christina.

Neurons transmitted and flashed across my synapses, and a shocking revelation dawned on me.

This person is-

The teen, no, the avatar, saw the expression on my face, and knew that I came to the right conclusion.

"Whatever you guessed, yes, good job!" She sounded like a Dokkaebi at that moment, "So, do you still dare to come?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but the avatar continued on,

"Just kidding~ I come with no harmful intentions." The avatar in a teen form raised her hands to show her sincerity, "I just want to have a talk, and a potential collaboration. You can even bring the Tyrant king beside you. Oh, and those two too."

She pointed from Jung Youngho and traced across to Christina and Jie Kushin.

"Where is she? The person behind you?" Jie Kushin growled, nearly shouting, showing signs to throttle the avatar if he didn't get the answer he sought.

The avatar shook her head exasperatingly.

"I told you already. You'll know once you arrive at Chungmuro."

I still looked at the avatar distrustfully. For this kind of scheming person, there must be a pit for me somewhere, even if I didn't know what it was.

There was a tingling bad premonition in the center of my being from whatever that avatar was offering.

The avatar sensed my discomfort, because she continued,

"I'm the person who has written the divine revelation, and I need your help for everyone to live in this godforsaken world. Besides, you need a way to deal with Yoo Junghyuk, right?"

"Divine revelation?" The term sounded familiar.

Oh yeah, wasn't it something those two mentioned? Although their names were eluding me at the moment, I recalled the two readers had mentioned a 'divine revelation' during the interrogation.

"Yes. I'm the first apostle." The avatar told me seriously.

"First apostle?" Jung Youngho looked at the avatar, stunned. It appeared that he knew one or two things after enslaving readers for his own benefit before.

As for Christina and Jie Kushin, they were once again confused.

Jie Kushin calmed down at the familiar address, thoughtfully rubbing his chin, trying to connect some pieces of information from his memory. His eyes flashed like he had come to a conclusion.

I flinched and examined the person before me more carefully, as if that would unearth all their secrets.

Because there was a possibility they were the one reader that read to the end.

However, there was one problem.

The name -

K*m D@kj* didn't match with this person, I was certain.

Hm? Why can't I recall that reader's name?

I suddenly felt chills. As if there was an invisible filter that made it so I couldn't recall.

As I continued to feel a cold lump building in my stomach, the avatar took the chance to continue to strike.

"And I'm sure, you're wondering about that one person in Chungmuro."

Who are they talking about-

"You met with him, yes? The person who is changing everything. I watched your confrontation. You're also curious about who he exactly is, right? If you meet up with me, I can tell you more." The avatar smirked.

The offer suddenly became more tantalizing.

As much as I was wary of going back to Chungmuro, the constant itch of curiosity had continued to be carried with me.

I felt like I needed to know who that man portrayed himself as. If I knew, I feel like something would change, and a purpose would become clear.

Even against the pain it caused the last time I met him.

The strangeness of humans, where they tried thrilling and dangerous things even if they were afraid, and kept going back to it like a nutjob.

Like the times I kept watching horror despite being deathly afraid the night after.

All these weird and mysterious intents urged me on, against the 'why would I' for a stranger.

As if noticing these mental changes, the avatar didn't speak for any longer, only giving out one last reminder.

"Remember, eighteen hours from now. I'll be waiting~"

"Wait, you still haven't answered my-" Jie Kushin began strongly.

However, before Jie Kushin could finish, before the eyes of all of all, the avatar smiled and took a knife out of her large hoodie pocket and severed her neck from the body before we could even react.

The body fell onto the ground unceremoniously, as the head rolled to my feet once again.

This time, without waiting for me to stomp on it, she gave me a wink, and the connection to the avatar was severed.

The avatar's words were ringing in my mind, refusing to let me go.

"And I'm sure, you're wondering about that one person in Chungmuro. You met with him, yes? The person who is changing everything."

"I watched your confrontation."

She was watching? From where?

And finally -

"You're also curious about who he exactly is, right? If you meet up with me, I can tell you more."

I was.

As much as I knew I shouldn't and didn't need to.

In eighteen hours huh?

I needed to come to a decision, of whether I should take the offer that was most likely a trap for me, or to continue on with my original plan of negotiating with the other kings.

With eighteen hours, I probably could only find two, and even then, there was no guarantee of success for the first round of negotiation.

What should I do?

Time was ticking.