Chapter 9

**Protagonist (3)** is the ninth chapter of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint.

## Summary

Kim Dokja asks Lee Hyunsung and Han Myungoh if they would rather die to the survivor of carriage 3707 or if they would rather try surviving outside the train, to which Lee Hyunsung asks if Kim Dokja is sure that the survivor is a threat. Kim Dokja points out that if they survived, they had to have killed the people in their carriage, and therefore must have killed other humans. Lee Hyunsung is sufficiently convinced, as is Han Myungoh, and everyone begins checking for escape routes, many of which are blocked or broken. The door to carriage 3707 is close to breaking, and Kim Dokja wonders at the protagonist's strength; he then finds an exit which he manages to open partway, but not enough for the adults to pass through. Han Myungoh and Lee Hyunsung attempt to pull the doors open in vain. Kim Dokja considers using coins to raise his strength stat, but dismisses the option in case he needs the coins in the future.

Instead, Kim Dokja encourages Lee Hyunsung to use a "skill". He checks the soldier through Character List, confirming that his sponsor is the same as in Ways of Survival, before guiding him through checking his Attributes Window and calling on the skill. Lee Hyunsung uses what Kim Dokja identifies as his stigma, Great Mountain Push, forcing open the door of the carriage. Everyone is awed, and Lee Hyunsung's trust in Kim Dokja increases due to his reliability. Kim Dokja is relieved and hands Lee Gilyoung to Lee Hyunsung to carry on his back.

The door between carriages has almost broken by the time they make it outside; however, the true danger comes from the dokkaebi floating above Dongho Bridge, who is frustrated at their early escape. Han Myungoh is frightened at his irritation, but the dokkaebi leaves them alone, because the sub scenario has begun. The scenario window appears, requiring everyone to cross the "broken bridge"; Yoo Sangah points out that the bridge is currently intact, but Kim Dokja quickly realizes that this means it will soon be broken, and orders everyone to run as fast as possible to cross it. The bridge, he understands, is not broken because of their early exit from the train.

The party makes their way towards the bridge; just then, an ichthyosaur emerges from a whirlpool in Han River, below the bridge. Kim Dokja realizes it is a 7th grade monster, a sea commander, and that it is too strong for a normal human to fight, indicating that it not meant to be fought currently. Indeed, the ichthyosaur attempts to chew on and destroy the bridge. Kim Dokja estimates that at their current speed, they should be able to cross before the bridge breaks; however, the dokkaebi increases the scenario's difficulty, causing the dead people from the train to be reanimated and chase after the party. Lee Hyunsung and Lee Gilyoung cross the bridge safely, but the others are too slow and are caught by the zombies, both from the train and from those who died on the bridge. As they struggle through the enemies, the bridge finally breaks, causing great damage to the zombies and leaving Kim Dokja, Yoo Sangah, and Han Myungoh alive but stranded.

However, at that moment, an unidentified constellation uses their power to cause a scenario Deus Ex Machina, creating an "Even Bridge" made of light, spanning the gap between the broken halves of Dongho Bridge. Yoo Sangah reveals that her sponsor is the one who created the bridge, and Kim Dokja is amazed at their power, wondering about their identity. When he tries to use Character List on her to verify this, however, the skill fails. He begins to realize the reason why, but at that moment, she redirects his attention back to the bridge problem: only an even number of people can cross the bridge, meaning only two of the three people can cross the bridge, leaving someone to die.

## Features

### Characters

* Kim Dokja
* Lee Hyunsung
* Han Myungoh
* Lee Gilyoung
* Bihyung (unnamed)
* Yoo Sangah
* A sea commander ichthyosaur

### Locations

* 3434 Train to Bulgwang, Carriage 3807
* Dongho Bridge
* Han River