The train slowed as it entered the underground subway station. Soon it came to a stop.
The driver of the train was dead, yet it had reached its destination somehow.
The doors, which refused to even budge before, were still held close together. If someone tried to open it, the same message would appear.
[You cannot leave the current scenario area.]
"Oh my god…"
A guy gasped as he looked outside. A few others followed him, drawn by the same uneasy instinct.
What they saw was terrifying. The entire station was unrecognizable.
The clean platform they used to walk on daily was gone. Huge holes were made in the ground as if something had burst through from below.
Each hole was easily big enough to fit a truck.
Pillars supporting the subway station leaned at unnatural angles. It was as if they would fall at any given moment and some were already broken.
Blood covered everything.
It stained the floor, the walls, and the remains of what used to be people.
Bodies were scattered across the platform, some torn apart so violently that it was hard to tell they had once been human. Others were crushed beneath debris that had fallen from above.
"What… what the hell happened…?"
"We too went through hell. But when compared to this, we might have gotten lucky."
PSST—
A low, dragging sound echoed through the station. It was followed by the ground trembling slightly. From one of the holes, something emerged.
It looked like a snake. But there was a difference.
Its proportions were too large. As if it was one step away from turning into a dragon.
The creature stopped and its head turned slowly… toward the train.
The creature in front of me was a Grade 9 monster called Titanoboa. It was a baby titanoboa to be exact.
In [WOMD] the creatures in the scenarios were classified into nine grades. Ranging from the 9th grade to 1st grade. Each one was increasingly powerful than the last.
"U-Uwaaah!"
People stumbled back all at once, pressing into each other as they tried to get away from the windows. Their earlier relief vanished in an instant by looking at the baby Titanoboa.
But I didn't move. There was no need. He wasn't a danger. At least not right now.
In this world, scenarios took precedence over everything else. As long as we were still within the bounds of the current scenario, external threats wouldn't interfere directly. The [Star Stream] wouldn't allow it.
At least… not in the beginning.
[The next scenario is delayed due to an unexpected scenario check.]
The message appeared quietly, but it was enough to make me narrow my eyes. That wasn't supposed to happen.
In the original flow, there was no delay here. Which meant something had changed. And there weren't many variables that could cause that.
Was it because of me? But I hadn't done anything drastic yet.
[Several constellations are observing you.]
Constellations.
They were the ones sitting above everything, watching from their distant [Houses] as if this entire world was nothing more than a stage prepared for their amusement.
They didn't interfere directly, not because they couldn't, but because there were rules even they had to follow. Instead, they watched like an audience and enjoyed people's misery.
A day ago, I had been the one dreaming about them. Now, I was the one being watched.
[A handful of constellations admire your scenario.]
[Constellations have sponsored you 100 coins.]
Coins accumulated without effort, as if my actions had been converted into entertainment value.
If there were constellations that disliked a performance, there would always be others who enjoyed it. They didn't care about morality, nor did they care about the people involved.
What mattered to them was whether the "story" was worth watching.
In other words… I had become part of their show. I let out a quiet breath and thought to myself, 'Watch all you want.'
In the end, even spectators had to pay a price.
"Arin…?"
A weak voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I turned slightly and saw Shia standing there. She seemed calm now. She deserved the title of goddess for how quickly she adapted.
"…Are we safe now?"
I looked at her for a moment before answering.
"For now."
It wasn't fake reassurance that I was giving her. It was simply the truth. No one knew this world better than me. Not even the protagonist.
{Wow… this is quite interesting.}
Spectre appeared once again, floating in the carriage with a grin that was far too wide to be called normal.
{This carriage exceeded expectations. I was busy killing some pest who was ruining my stream. That bug made me miss something fun here.}
His tone carried faint traces of sulking. But the next second, he became energetic like a psychopath with multiple personality disorder.
{Still, this is good. Very good. It seems today's batch isn't as boring as usual.}
[Survivors have been confirmed.]
A translucent window appeared in front of everyone.
[Survivors: 11]
It was more than expected, considering how the scenario had unfolded.
I briefly glanced at the remaining faces. Most of them were hunters. Only two runners had managed to survive — me and an old grandpa.
But unlike me, his body was bloody. He was barely hanging on to life by a hair's breadth.
I glanced beside him and saw the bodies of a young couple, their heads blown apart. They were likely his son and daughter-in-law, chosen as hunters.
But just like Shia, they couldn't bring themselves to kill anyone.
So they made a different choice. They gave up their own lives to protect their father, standing in front of him until the very end. Not a single hunter was able to touch him while they were still alive.
I didn't look at him for long.
Scenes like this were common in [WOMD]. If I allowed myself to sympathize with every victim in this ruined world, I would never be able to move forward.
{Now then…}
{You have all successfully cleared the first scenario. That alone makes you more valuable than most.}
Valuable - it was a funny word.
To the constellations, value had nothing to do with kindness or morality. It wasn't about being good or evil.
It was about potential. It was about how much entertainment a person could provide when pushed to the edge.
{As a reward, you are now eligible for sponsorship.}
A brief silence followed and no one reacted. They didn't understand what sponsorships meant.
Spectre tilted his head slightly, clearly amused by their confusion. To him, it looked like watching children struggle to grasp something far beyond them.
{Let me explain it simply. You are weak. Extremely weak. If you step outside right now, even the lowest creatures wandering that station will tear you apart.}
B{ut there are beings in this universe who find you… interesting. They are willing to support you, guide you, and in return, you will become their incarnation.}
An incarnation was a representative of a constellation. A piece placed on a board that stretched far beyond this world. That was what sponsorship truly meant.
{Think of it as an investment.}
{They give you power, and in return, you give them a story worth watching.}
A simple exchange. And yet, there was nothing simple about it.
I already knew it.
Just then, a faint, suffocating pressure pressed down on me from somewhere far above. It was as if invisible eyes had begun to gather, observing my every movement and decision.
[Several constellations are reviewing your potential.]
[Some constellations are considering sponsoring you.]