16. Sponsor
'Main Scenario: Prove Your Value' has ended.
The street was a mess.
Most people kept their distance from one another, avoiding eye contact. The aftershocks of the carnage still lingered in the air. Some had resorted to beating others to death in desperation, and while it wasn't a pleasant sight, it was a reality we were all forced to face.
Some of the survivors had seen me—helping the children, flooding the sewer with thread. They must've noticed how rats and insects began escaping from other drains.
In the end, only seventeen people survived.
"I-It's unexpected, but… congratulations!"
The dokkaebi popped into the air, cheerful as if none of the bloodshed had happened.
"The next scenario will begin shortly. In the meantime, please do as you like!"
The invisible wall disappeared.
Almost immediately, people scattered. Some ran away in panic. Others tried to get revenge on those who had attacked them during the scenario.
Meanwhile, I took the two children and headed toward the supermarket.
"Jae Hee! Da Mi!!"
Just as we approached the entrance, a young woman dashed out and wrapped the children in a tight embrace.
She had long, silky black hair and a slender build. Her expression was a mix of overwhelming relief and tightly contained rage. Her eyes scanned the street, taking in the chaos—the bodies, the blood, the shattered expressions of the living.
Just from the aftermath, she could guess what had happened.
She, too, had received the scenario. When she realized she couldn't reach her siblings, her only thought had been to get out and see for herself… whether she needed to avenge them.
But instead of corpses, she found them—alive and crying in her arms.
A miscalculation. A fortunate one.
Her gaze turned to me—the young man who stood calmly behind them, looking entirely out of place with his foreign face and indifferent expression.
"Thank you so much," she said, bowing deeply. "But… how?"
She had hidden inside the supermarket during the scenario. It was relatively peaceful there, most likely because of the fresh fish corner—a small mercy.
But outside? The streets were a warzone.
Even if the children had survived, she expected them to be traumatized beyond repair.
"I caught an insect for them," I replied simply.
Her shoulders loosened at the explanation. She squeezed her siblings tighter, relief flooding her face.
After a few minutes, Jae Hee and Da Mi finally calmed down. They stepped aside from the entrance to avoid blocking others.
"What are you going to do now?" I asked.
The two kids looked up at their older sister.
"We're going to find our eldest sister," the girl said firmly. "Yoo Da Hee."
She spoke with unwavering resolve, completely believing her sister was still out there.
"There's only four of us left. We'll stay together until the end."
"…I see," I said quietly.
I gave them a final glance.
"Then—I'll be going ahead."
"Ah—yes! Once again, thank you so much!"
The girl bowed again, deeper this time.
Chris was about to leave when he felt someone tugging on his clothes again.
He looked down and saw Jae Hee and Da Mi holding onto him.
The girl panicked and quickly tried to stop her siblings, but to no avail—they held onto him even tighter.
"Sigh… I'll stay with you guys until you find your older sister," Chris said as he crouched down and gently patted their heads.
"Is it okay?" the girl asked, clearly feeling guilty.
"Yeah, it's fine. I don't really have a destination in mind anyway," Chris replied.
"Thank you."
"Too many 'thank yous' or 'sorrys' will make them lose their meaning," Chris said, a little troubled by her sincerity.
"Yes…" the girl nodded meekly. "Ah, my name is Yoo Na Ri. I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier. What should I call you, Oppa?" she asked, straightening her posture.
"Oppa?" Chris felt ticklish hearing that. "Just call me Chris. We're not that far apart in age," he explained.
"Mh?" Na Ri tilted her head, clearly confused. Is he the type that looks mature?
"What? Just so you know, I'm only about to turn 20," Chris added.
"That's what I thought…" Na Ri muttered, still puzzled.
The cultural wall is hard to overcome, Chris thought.
✧✧✧
"So, do you know where your sister might be?" I asked, with Jae Hee riding on my back.
Na Ri, walking beside me with Da Mi on her back, replied, "She was working as a model. We should be able to find her at her workplace."
With chaos spreading across the city, public transportation was out of the question—we had to walk. Fortunately, her sister's workplace was still within walking distance. It was only a matter of time before they'd reunite.
If nothing else happened, that is.
While we were walking and searching for Na Ri's sister, the Star Stream window suddenly appeared in front of us.
It prompted us to choose a constellation to sponsor us.
Na Ri told me her choices:
1. White Guardian of the West
2. Blue Guardian of the East
She said she'd pick Blue Guardian—it just felt like it suited her more.
Then I turned to my own choices:
1. Protector of the Weak
2. Enemy of Injustice
3. Children Adorer
4. M, Must Protect!
5. Demon-like Judge of Fire
...
What the fk is this?!* That's what I wanted to yell when I saw the list.
Based on what I did during the first main scenario, I guess the list made sense... NO!!
"What the f*ck is this?!" I shouted aloud unable to hold it.
"I can understand the first two, but what the hell are the next two? Are you kidding me?! Are these even real constellations? If they are, then we're all doomed!!"
"Ngh…" I heard a sleepy groan and felt a small movement on my back. I immediately shut up—worried I'd wake the kids.
Na Ri looked at me with a mix of confusion and concern. "Are you alright, Chris Oppa?"
"Ah, yeah. Sorry. I was just... really surprised by my list of sponsors." I took a deep breath to calm myself. "Also, like I said earlier—just call me Chris."
"I see… but if possible, please try not to swear in front of the kids," she said with a hint of a scolding tone. "Still, what kind of sponsor did you get to make you react like that?"
Hearing her question, I looked at her up and down, weighing whether I should tell her.
What were the pros and cons? After thinking it over, I decided there wasn't much to hide—so I told her everything.
…
We continued walking.
"Um… Na Ri," I called out a bit awkwardly.
"Yes, Chris?" she responded from a few steps ahead.
"I'm glad you finally called me Chris, but… it's not because of the sponsors, right?" I asked cautiously.
Na Ri stopped and stared at me for a moment.
"Let's hurry and find my sister," she said, picking up her pace.
"...."