Thanks to Yoo Sangah's skill, we emerged outside, reunited with Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung, and were heading back to Geumho Station.
"By the way, it seems you got a lot of items from going in there? Besides the Magic Stove...…."
"Yes, well... I got a few."
At Jung Heewon's words, Kim Dokja spoke while looking at Lee Hyunsung.
Lee Hyunsung had been making a happy expression while looking at the 'Old Steel Shield' Kim Dokja had handed him earlier, then blew on its surface and was now wiping it while making squeaky sounds.
"...…By any chance, is there anything I can use?"
"There isn't."
"What about that sword?"
"It's mine."
"......You'll obviously share the meat with everyone, right?"
"I'll take coins for it."
"...You're really stingy, Dokja-ssi."
"Let's just say I have strong survival instincts."
Exchanging such talk, we arrived at Geumho Station.
Upon arriving at Geumho Station, the surroundings rapidly brightened, and people's figures began to appear. However, the atmosphere at the station was a bit strange.
The buzzing sounds felt urgent and hectic.
[20 minutes until the fee settlement.]
[Please prepare the survival fee.]
"Kyaaak!"
"Hwaaaak!"
Screams from people who checked the message could be heard here and there. Then people, sweating cold sweat with desperate expressions, grabbed the person right next to them and shouted to give them just 100 coins.
"So, someone please give me coins! My child has no coins!!"
"Please, just some coins...!"
"I, I'll definitely pay you back! Please, just 100 coins!!"
"I'll give you a million won, no, ten million won! Someone please sell 100 coins!"
"Coins, please give me coins!"
While watching those people, I looked around. In the distance, I saw people from the Mainstream Group watching the people's state and giggling.
The voices of some women rushing toward the Mainstream Group and shouting something could be heard.
"Where is my sister who joined the Scouting Team?! She said she'd get coins from my sister!"
"Hmm, I wonder where? Try looking carefully."
"What...?!"
"Are you sure she joined the Scouting Team? Are you sure~"
"Why don't you join too and look for her."
"Pfft! Kehahahaha!!"
"Hahahaha!! Your expression is so damn funny!"
Women who burst into tears with despairing expressions after hearing the Mainstream Group people's words, and the Mainstream Group people giggling while looking at those women.
"Those bastards are really...!!"
Jung Heewon sharply glared at the Mainstream Group people who were belittling the women and drew her sword.
[The survival fee settlement will begin shortly.]
"P, please, s, save me! Please save me!"
"Does anyone not have 100 coins?! Please, just share 100 coins with me!!"
"You bastards! Please, save me!!"
Once the system message appeared again. People screaming with voices mixed with despair and anguish, with desperate expressions, moving busily. The scene was nothing short of chaos.
Upon hearing the voices of the Geumho Station people, the party members made sorrowful expressions, bowed their heads, or tightly bit their lips as they watched the people.
[Some Constellations recommended by the scenario have additionally entered the channel.]
[The Constellation, 'Secretive Plotter' is watching your choice.]
[The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is watching your choice.]
[The Constellation, 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is watching your choice.]
"Oh, Dokja-ssi! Yuseong-ssi! You've arrived just in time."
Then Cheon Inho, who spotted us, was smiling toward us. Cheon Inho glanced at the people around him, then with an arrogant-looking smile, continued in a loud voice.
"Come to think of it, Dokja-ssi and Yuseong-ssi. It seemed like you two had a lot of coins.... How much was it? I remember you were probably the richest among us, right?"
[Incarnation, 'Cheon Inho' activates skill 'Incitation Lv.2'!]
The crowd who heard Cheon Inho's words hurriedly turned to look our way.
"Co, coins?!"
"Who has a lot of coins?!"
It didn't take long for the gaze of the entire crowd to turn toward me and Kim Dokja.
"D, Dokja-ssi, was it? P, please save me! Please...!"
"Y, Yuseong-ssi! I beg of you! Please, just give me 100 coins! I don't want to die yet!!"
"Just 100 coins...! Please give me 100 coins!"
"I, I'll definitely pay you back! So please, just 100 coins!!"
People affected by Cheon Inho's incitation approached me and Kim Dokja breathlessly and urgently. Then people grabbing our arms and trouser legs, begging for just 100 coins.
The number of people who swarmed around me and Kim Dokja was about 20. Even if we gave just 100 coins each to these people, we would lose a whopping 2000 coins. Even if Kim Dokja and I split it and gave to 10 people each, we'd lose 1000 coins.
"Haha, Dokja-ssi, Yuseong-ssi. I can't help these poor people because I lack coins… but aren't you two different? Are you just going to stand by and watch?"
At Cheon Inho's words, Kim Dokja glared at Cheon Inho and gritted his teeth. Then Kim Dokja turned his head, took a look at the people grabbing his arms and trouser legs, and sighed.
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment have defined the Incarnation, 'Cheon Inho' as an 'Evil Person'.]
"Save me!"
"P, please save me!"
People rushing in crying and wailing, with the most unjust and pitiful expressions in the world.
[Hahahat! The story is getting interesting. By the way, there are 10 minutes left now!]
Bihyung chattering away in a voice that seemed to be having the time of his life, and the party members looking at us with expressions of not knowing what to do.
Soon, I let out a short sigh, half-closed my eyes, and made an expression of utter disinterest.
"So.. you want coins?"
And then, I uttered one heavy sentence.
"Why should I?"
I looked around at the people.
Everyone, to survive during the first scenario, had killed at least one innocent life and come here.
Because they are people who, clinging desperately… holding onto hope to survive in this world, trampled on someone else and prolonged their own lives, yet cannot even take responsibility for such a life.
"Wh, what do you mean why!"
"You have a lot of coins, right! You can spare some!"
Amid the chaos, Cheon Inho burst out laughing.
"I knew you'd say that, Yuseong-ssi. I guess Dokja-ssi is the same."
At those words, Kim Dokja remained silent.
"Yuseong-ssi, you've been like that since you first appeared here. Strong, yet you didn't help anyone. Besides, if you hadn't sold food for money, these people could have survived!"
"Right! That's correct!"
"You son of a...!! Give me back my coins!"
Hateful gazes rain down like bullets. And that wasn't all.
Someone's accusing finger flew, someone's words filled with anger flew, the words of someone who likes to blame others fly.
Before we knew it, the mood was flowing like a judgment against me and Kim Dokja.
This was probably the picture Cheon Inho wanted.
But why should I create that picture for anyone's benefit?
"Ha.... how absurd.... When did the guys who happily bought from me become so full of b*tching complaints.... Fine, I'll refund you. Give me back the things you bought from me, and I'll give you back the coins."
"......."
The people fell silent at my words.
Well, of course they would.
"Look at this?..... Why is everyone silent? Are you all mutes? The guys who were happily running their mouths just a moment ago, why are you silent now? Huh!?"
"........"
"Ha? Seriously absurd.... Hey, you want your coins back? Don't get it wrong. I sold you items at a fair price, and you paid coins, bought the items, and used them.... And now you want them back? If you want to f*cking say that, you should first give back the things you f*cking used!!"
At my words, the people remained silent, and I spoke as if disappointed by their appearance.
"Ha... Really..... No wonder you're like cowards. This is why you get dragged by the Mainstream Group, have your coins taken, and die."
"...What does that...."
Amidst the people's momentary confusion at my words, I drove the nail in.
"Didn't you know? All the people so far who were said to have been dragged to the surface under the name of the Scouting Team and killed by monsters... were killed by the Mainstream Group and had their coins stolen."