Chapter 14

Looking at the situation, I got a sense of what happened . “What is it? Is something wrong?”

[This isn’t possible . How can there be a firewall preventing the system interference…?]

It seemed Fourth Wall blocked not just the skills of an incarnation but the dokkaebi’s interference as well . If this was true, it meant nobody in Ways of Survival could see my attributes window, including myself . How interesting . It was the perfect condition to become a scammer .

“Forget about it . ”

[P-Please wait! I can do it . U-Uh . What if I do this?]

“You can’t do it . ”

[Kuaaack!] Bihyung screamed like he had received an electric shock . The white fluffy hair on his skin was burned black . [T-This! This!]

“It’s okay . If you can’t do it then stop . I will ask for another favor . ”

[This can’t be! I am Dokkaebi Bihyung . If I can’t solve this situation, the honor of the dokkaebi―]

I looked at the clock . It had been an hour since the ichthyosaur ate . There was no time to waste time like this .

“The Dokkaebi Bag . ”

Bihyung stopped his useless action of digging at the air . [What?]

“Open the Dokkaebi Bag . ”

[…How do you know about that?]

“Are you going to open it?”

[Only an incarnation with a sponsor can use the Dokkaebi Bag…]

“It is true that all incarnations that use the Dokkaebi Bag have a sponsor, but there is no rule that an incarnation without a sponsor can’t use the Dokkaebi Bag . ”

[…Wait a minute . ] Bihyung pulled out a manual and confirmed it . [At this point, I don’t know if I am a dokkaebi or you are . Are you actually a dokkaebi?]

The smiling Bihyung raised both hands . […Okay, there is no problem if you use it . However, the Dokkaebi Bag can only be used when the channel is open for streaming purposes . Is that okay?]

“It’s fine . ”

[#BI-7623 channel is open . ]

[The constellations have entered . ]

Then an electric current appeared in the air, and a transparent screen emerged in front of me .

[Welcome to the coin shop, the ‘Dokkaebi Bag . ‘]

The Dokkaebi Bag…

It was the moment when this damn world’s ‘cash store’ was opened .

* * *

There were two ways to use coins in Ways of Survival . One of them was to raise the level of the stats such as physique and strength . The other was to use it as a common form of currency that could be used in various stores, including the Dokkaebi Bag .

[Buy it now! A starter pack for your incarnation for 2,500 coins!]

[A today only special! A 300% growth package, grow faster than others!]

[Did you accidentally pick an incarnation with a bad attribute? Don’t worry! The ‘Random Attribute Box’ that can randomly change the attribute has been released!]

There were numerous coin items, including various packages . All of the advertisements in the Dokkaebi Bag were aimed at the constellations raising incarnations . This was natural since the original customers of the Dokkaebi Bag were constellations . I got rid of the pop-up advertising windows one by one .

Although it was nothing compared to the ‘disasters’ that emerged in the fifth main scenario, a sea commander ichthyosaur was no different from a disaster for the early stage incarnations . To defeat the ichthyosaur, I needed some items sold in the Dokkaebi Bag .

‘Let’s see…’

I looked at the catalog before glancing over at Bihyung . “Hey, are these the only items I can buy right now? Is there a search function?”

[At that… Shit . Wait . Constellations . Please . Please calm down . ] From the moment the channel opened, Bihyung had been repeating explanations with comic-like sweat drops on his face . [It was just a server error that shut the broadcast off for a while! I didn’t turn it off on purpose . ]

There were a total of 20 stars above Bihyung’s head . Since not too many of them had left the channel, it seemed that quite a few constellations still wanted to see what had happened to me . Of course, not all of the constellations were friendly .

[A few constellations are questioning the fairness of the broadcast!]

[A few constellations are suspicious of the privileges you have received!]

It wasn’t unexpected . While the broadcast was off, a hidden scenario had started, and the Dokkaebi Bag had been opened . It was no wonder that the constellations were surprised .

[No, preferences? Look at this, Constellations . I am a dokkaebi . Don’t you know that I will be extinguished if I do that? Don’t you know that the storyteller vow is never light?]

“Will you help me?”

[…There is a product search button in the lower right corner . ]

“Thank you . ”

I ignored Bihyung and pressed the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the package window .

[The product search function is activated . ]

[The product search function is limited to 5 times a day . Any additional searches will cost 100 coins per search . ]

In any case, it was the same for humans and dokkaebi . The total number of free searches given was five . Two searches were enough to buy the materials I needed, so I had three searches left .

[The constellation Secretive Plotter is wondering about your plan . ]

‘Yes, be curious . If you are curious, keep watching . ‘

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is looking angrily at your actions . ]

‘Don’t watch if you are going to get all twisted up . ‘

I opened my mouth to use the search function, “Search for the ‘Ancient Dragon’ item . ”

[There are three search results . ]

A small pop-up window soon emerged .

[* Ancient Dragon’s Heart – Stock: ?

* Ancient Dragon’s Bone – Stock: 1

* Ancient Dragon’s Horn – Stock: 1]

I chose the Ancient Dragon’s Heart .

[Item Information]

[Name: Ancient Dragon’s Heart

Rating: SS

Description: A heart containing the magic power of the ancient dragon ‘Ignitus . ‘ It possesses near-infinite magic power, and the attribute ‘Hellfire’ will be acquired if a heart transplant is successful .

Price: 1,500,000 C

Stock: Just sold out . ]

As expected, it was out of stock . From beyond the catalog, Bihyung, who was dealing with the constellations, looked at me with his jaw dropped open .

[Crazy . How do you know the information about the ancient dragon?]

“I just called out a nice name . ”

[…It seems like a lie . ]

I shrugged . In the original Ways of Survival, the owner of the Ancient Dragon’s Heart was already determined . If I remembered correctly, the owner of the heart was currently in Italy . They were a person with good luck, getting such a diamond of a sponsor . I called out several more product names .

[The related product search is completed . ]

[* Great Demon’s Eyes – Stock: 0

* White Pure Star Energy – Stock: 1]

The Great Demon’s Eyes were sold out… It seemed the hands of the constellations were really quick . Well, I couldn’t buy the item anyway since the selling price was 1 million coins . At any rate, it was good to have a sponsor . Now the incarnation with the Great Demon’s Eyes would grow and destroy the beginner scenarios .

[What are you really? What type of cheat are you using? How do you know about items that can only be found in the search?]

“I just said plausible names . ”

Among the three items that I searched for, only the White Pure Star Energy was in stock . Furthermore, the price was 10,000 coins, so I couldn’t buy it now . I put it in the shopping cart for now .

[What, are you buying it?]

“Not right now . I am just window shopping . ”

[Sheesh, what a waste of time . ]

“I am going to buy something else, so bring up the items I call out from now on . ”

I called out several item names . After a moment, a list of items emerged in front of me .

[* Mucus of the Hammer Seahorse – Stock: 124

* Stone Hog’s Pointed Thorn – Stock: 17]

I compared it to the list in my memories . The hammer seahorse, which was the food of the ichthyosaur, and the stone hog, which was the nemesis of sea species… There was no doubt . This combination was the best when it came to attacking an ichthyosaur .

“Four mucus, four thorns . It is 800 coins?”

[Yes, but… where are you going to use these miscellaneous items?]

“You don’t need to know . ”

[…I don’t want to be nosy but why don’t you buy something else? For example, this Woryeong Sword Technique . It is originally 8,000 coins but I will now sell it for 4,000 coins . Wouldn’t buying this be more helpful to clear the scenario?]

“Thank you but I will just buy this . ”

Bihyung wasn’t satisfied but received the payment anyway .

[800 coins have been consumed . ]

In the darkness, a sparkling powder gathered, and the four elongated thorns and four pockets of black mucus appeared .

[I can’t give a refund if you regret it now . Do you understand?]

“I know . ” I nodded briefly and started working . I took off my top, tied it around my waist, and stuck the thorns in the gap between my top and my waist, while the pockets were hung from my waist . The stone hog’s thorn was stumpy but became sharp at the end . It was approximately one meter in length . It was a reasonable size to pierce something .

[Hrmm… Then I’ll be going . I can’t stay with you . There is something fun going on in another place . ]

“Do it . ”

[Huhu, then hang in there . I hope the story will bless you . ]

Bihyung disappeared in a flash of light, and the surroundings became dark again . I could use the light from my smartphone, but I wanted to save the battery as much as possible . In the darkness, the stone hog thorn was emitting a bluish light . It was a feeble light, but it would be sufficient for the moment .

I pulled out a thorn and swung it . Maybe it was because I didn’t have a skill such as Weapons Training or Incarnation of All Soldiers, but I couldn’t get used to holding the thorn .

[A few constellations are bored . ]

The impatient constellations left the channel . I couldn’t see it, but Bihyung was probably fretting right now . Then an hour passed .

Right, left, up, and down . I didn’t like it, but I no longer had a problem handling the thorn . The surface finish was rough and didn’t seem like it would slip easily from my hand . It was time to begin . I used the proper force and stabbed at the ichthyosaur wall above me .

Tiing!

It was like poking a rubber elastic wall as the thorn bounced off . My current strength wasn’t high enough to tear at the stomach of the ichthyosaur . It would probably be the same if I used a skill . At that moment, the small holes at the top of the stomach wall opened simultaneously . Then an absolutely disgusting liquid poured out .

“Kuweek!” One of the demonic people floating on something in the stomach started shrieking . The demonic person’s skin started burning . The digestion of the ichthyosaur had begun . The ichthyosaur’s digestive juices quickly mixed into the river water and started to melt away the concrete and other floating products .

There was no time . However, it was going as planned . I jumped from the floating object and gripped a bump on the wall of the stomach . Then I started climbing up the wall like I was rock climbing .

Gurgle gurgle gurgle .

The outlet of the digestive juices was right above . I put the thorn in my mouth and grabbed a pocket of the hammer seahorse’s mucus . Pouring the mysterious dark blue liquid onto my hand, I then applied the mucus carefully onto the thorn, from the tip down to the end . I did it with precision and care, like applying shaving cream to an area to be shaved . If the shaving cream protected the skin from the razor, then the mucus protected the thorn from the digestive juices .

‘Go . ‘

I swung the thorn toward where the digestive juices were coming from . The angle was correct, and I used my maximum strength . The digestive juices flowed down the thorn and dissolved the skin on my forearm . I experienced a terrible pain but didn’t stop . If I made a mistake here, everything would be over .

[The exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ has relieved some of the pain . ]

Gurgle, gurgle . Chururuk…

Before long, the thorn jammed up the emission point .

“Just one . ”

After a deep sigh, I pulled out another thorn from my waist . I applied the mucus of the hammer seahorse onto another thorn, found another opening, and blocked it .

[A few constellations admire your calmness . ]

[The constellations have sponsored you 200 coins . ]

I used this method to block three opening points . There were some left, but the small openings didn’t release large amounts of digestive fluids . There was one thorn left in the top tightly tied around me . All that was left was one thorn and two pockets of mucus .

I used the remaining mucus on my skin and clothes, and then poured the remainder down my throat .

“Kup . ”

The fishy taste on my tongue was sickening but it was better than dying . The bitterness was nothing compared to the disaster that would occur starting from this moment . It was around five minutes afterward that the entire stomach started trembling .

…It had started .

Kieeeeeeek-!

The ichthyosaur let out a painful scream . The blood vessels on the wall of the stomach were squirming, and the thorns were visibly expanding into the blood vessels . The thorns in the openings had started their aggressive growth activity . This was because the stone hog’s thorns grew in response to the body fluids of seawater species .

The thorns, which had become immune to the digestive juices due to the applied mucus, absorbed the surrounding fluids and started to take root in the body of the ichthyosaur . The stone hog’s thorns wouldn’t stop expanding until the ichthyosaur was completely dead .

As I watched the liquid swirl under my feet, I grabbed a thorn tightly . I had done everything I could . From now on, it was a mental fight . Either I would die or this guy would die . Only one of us would survive .