[There are three ways to survive in a ruined world. Now, I have forgotten a few, but one thing is certain. The fact that you who are reading this now will survive.

-Three ways to survive in a ruined world]

A web novel platform filled the screen of my old smartphone. I scrolled down and then up again. How many times have I been doing this?

“Really? This is the end?”

I looked again, and the ‘complete’ was unmistakable.

The story was over.

[Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World]

Author: tls123

3,149 chapters.

‘Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World’ was a feature-length fantasy novel with 3,149 chapters.Its shortened name was ‘Ways of Survival.’

I have been steadily reading this novel since the third year of middle school.

During the time when I was bullied by iljins, when I ruined my entrance examinations and had to enter a local university, when the damned random draw went wrong and I was placed in the military unit at the forefront, when I repeatedly switched jobs and am now working as a contractor for an affiliate of a large company… Damn, let’s stop talking about this.

Anyway…

「Author’s words: Thank you so much for reading ‘Ways of Survival’ up to here. I will come back to you with an epilogue!]

“Ah… The epilogue still remains. Then the next chapter is really the last one.”

From the end of childhood to adulthood, it had been done over a huge period of 10 years. There was a mixture of despondency that a world was coming to an end along with a sense of satisfaction.

I opened the comment box of the last message and rewrote the sentence several times.

-Kim Dokja: Writer, thank you for everything in the meantime. I am looking forward to the epilogue.

They were sincere sentences. Ways of Survival was my life’s novel. It wasn’t the most popular, but it was the best novel for me.

There were many words I wanted to say but I couldn’t write them. I was afraid that my careless words would hurt the writer.

-An average of 1.9 hits per chapter.

-An average of 1.08 comments.

This was the average popularity index of ‘Ways of Survival.’

The number of views for the first chapter was 1,2000, but it fell to 120 for the 10th chapter, and then 12 for the 50th chapter. By the time it was the 100th chapter, it was only 1.

Hits= 1.

I was overwhelmed by the feeling I got when I saw the numerous ‘1’ that appeared next to the list of chapters. In some cases, there was a ‘2’, but it was likely someone pressing the wrong button.

‘Thank you.’

The author published a novel with more than 3,000 chapters with just 1 hit per chapter over a period of 10 years. It was truly a story just for me.

I pressed on the ‘Recommendation Board’ and immediately started tapping on the keyboard, -I am recommending a honey jam novel.

The author wrote me a free completed novel, so I should give him a recommendation. I clicked on the completed button, and comments quickly appeared.

–It looks like a new anti. I searched for this person’s ID, and they recommended the same novel several times.

–Isn’t his recommendation banned? The author shouldn’t do this here.

It occurred to me that I had written a recommendation several months ago. In an instant, there were dozens of comments for investigation by ‘spectators’. My face flushed with embarrassment.

I was sure that the author would read this. So, I hurriedly tried to delete the message, but it was already reported that the message couldn’t be removed.

“This…”

It was upsetting to think that the recommendation written with all my sincerity turned out like this.

If they even looked a little bit, why didn’t anyone try reading the interesting novel? I wanted to give a donation to the writer, but I couldn’t afford it because I was a salary worker barely able to make a living.

Then I received a notification that a ‘message has arrived.’

-tls123: Thank you.

A message flew in from out of nowhere. It took me a while to grasp the situation.

-Kim Dokja: The author?

tls123—it was the author of ‘Ways of Survival.’

-tls123: I was able to complete it to the end thanks to you. I also won the competition.

I couldn’t believe it.

Ways of Survival won a competition?

-Kim Dokja: Congratulations! What is the competition?

-tls123: You won’t know it because it is an unknown competition.

I wondered if he lied because he was ashamed, but I wanted it to be true. Perhaps I really didn’t know. It might be a bit hit on other platforms. I was a little sad, but it was good to have an excellent story spreading.

-tls123: I would like to send a special gift to you as a thank you.

-Kim Dokja: Gift?

-tls123: It is thanks to my dear reader that this story has come into the world.

I gave the writer my email address as he asked.

-tls123: Ah, right. I got the monetization schedule.

-Kim Dokja: Wow, really? When will it start? This masterpiece should’ve been paid from the beginning…

It was a lie. The Ways of Survival was a daily series, so I would’ve had to spend 3,000 won a month. 3,000 won was one convenience-store lunch for me.

-tls123: The monetization starts tomorrow.

-Kim Dokja: Then the epilogue coming tomorrow will be paid?

-tls123: Yes, I’m afraid you need to pay for it.

-Kim Dokja: Of course, I have to pay! I will buy the last one!

There was no reply from the author afterward. I logged out of the site. Then I felt the pessimism sink in later.

The author left without a reply after he succeeded…? My admiration turned into petty jealousy. What was I so excited for? In any case, it wasn’t my novel.

“Will he give a gift certificate? It would be good if it’s for 50,000 won.”

At that time, I was thinking naively. I didn’t know anything about what would happen to the world the next day.

“I’m Dokja.” (Dokja= can mean only son or reader).

I usually introduced myself to people like this, then the following misunderstanding would occur.

“Oh, are you an only child?”

“I am, but that isn’t what I mean.”

“Huh? Then?”

“My name is Dokja. Kim Dokja.”

Kim Dokja (Kim Highly Respected Only Son)—my father gave me that name to be a strong man by myself. However, thanks to the name my father gave me, I turned out to be just a normal single and lonely man.

In short, it was like this. I was Kim Dokja, 28 years old, and single. My hobby was reading web novels on the subway.

“Then I’ll go on my smartphone.”

In a noisy subway, I raised my head reflexively. A pair of curious eyes were staring straight at me. They belonged to an employee from the human resources team, Yoo Sangah.

“Ah, hello.”

“Are you going home from work?”

“Yes. What about Yoo Sangah-ssi?”

“I was lucky. The manager went on a business trip today.” Yoo Sangah sat down soon as the seat next to me became vacant. A subtle scent came from her shoulders, making me nervous.

“Do you normally take the subway?”

“That…” Yoo Sangah made a dark expression.

Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d met Yoo Sangah on a subway train.

Starting with Personnel Manager Kang to Finance Manager Han… There were rumors that Yoo Sangah had men from the company driving her home every workday.

Yet unexpected words came from Yoo Sangah’s mouth, “Someone stole my bicycle.”

Bicycle.

“You commute by bike?”

“Yes! I have a lot of overtime these days and seem to be lacking exercise. It is a bit annoying, but it is worth doing.”

“Aha, I see.”

Yoo Sangah smiled. Looking closer at her, I could understand the feelings men held toward her. However, it was none of my business.

Every person had a genre of life, and Yoo Sangah was someone who lived a genre different from myself.

After the awkward conversation, we looked at our phones. I opened up the novel app I was reading on before while Yoo Sangah… What was this?

“Por favor dinero.”

“Huh?”

“Spanish.”

“…I see. What does it mean?”

“Please give me some money,” Yoo Sangah replied proudly.

Studying on the subway while going home… She truly had a genre different from me. However, what was the use of memorizing words?

“You’re working hard.”

“By the way, what is Dokja-ssi looking at?”

“Ah, I…”

Yoo Sangah’s gaze was fixed on the LCD screen of my smartphone. “Is it a novel?”

“Yes, well… I am studying Korean.”

“Wow, I also like novels. I haven’t been able to read lately because I don’t have time…”

It was surprising. Yoo Sangah liked reading novels…?

“Murakami Haruki, Raymond Carver, Han Kang…”

I thought so.

“Dokja-ssi, what writers do you like?”

“You won’t know even if I say their names.”

“I’ve read a lot of novels. Who are the authors?”

At this time, it was really hard to say that I read web novels as a hobby. I glanced at the title of the novel in the app.

[The World after the Fall]

Author: Sing Shangshong (TL: The author uses the name of his previous novel and his author name, but with slight changes. I decided to go with the actual novel translation name)

I couldn’t say that I was reading ‘The World after the Fall by Sing Shangshong.’

“It is just a fantasy novel. That… Well, like the Lord of the Rings…”

Yoo Sangah’s eyes widened. “Aha. Lord of the Rings. I’ve seen the movie.”

“The movie is good.”

The silence continued for a moment. Yoo Sangah was looking at me like she was waiting for me to say something.

Our conversation was becoming strained. So, I decided to change the topic. “It has been a year since I joined the company. This is my last year. Time moves really fast.”

“Yes. At that time, we both knew nothing, right?”

“That’s right. It seems like just yesterday, but the contract period is already over.” I realized that I’d said something wrong when I saw Yoo Sangah’s expression.

“Ah, I…” I had forgotten.

Yoo Sangah received credit for a foreign buyer last month and was already promoted to a full-time employee.

“Ah, right. My congratulations are late. I’m sorry. Haha, I should’ve worked hard to study a foreign language.”

“Ah, no Dokja-ssi! There is still the performance review and…”

I hated to admit it, but the sight of Yoo Sangah talking was wonderful. It was like the world’s spotlight was shining down on only one person. If this world was a novel, the protagonist would be such a person.

In fact, it was the inevitable result. I hadn’t tried, but Yoo Sangah made an effort. I just read novels on the Internet, while Yoo Sangah studied hard. It was natural that Yoo Sangah would become a full-time employee, and that my contract would be terminated.

“That… Dokja-ssi.”

“Yes.”

“If you don’t mind… Would you like to know the app I use?” Yoo Sangah’s voice momentarily became distant.

It felt like the world was far away. I braced my mind and stared straight ahead.

A boy was sitting in the seat opposite me on the train. He was 10 years old or so. The boy held an insect collecting net as he sat next to his mother, laughing happily.

“…Dokja-ssi?”

What if I had a different life from now? I mean, what if my life genre was different?

“Kim Dok…”

If the genre of my life wasn’t ‘realism’ but ‘fantasy’… Could I be the protagonist? I didn’t know. It would probably be unknown forever. However, there was one thing I knew.

“It is okay, Yoo Sangah-ssi.”

“Huh?”

“It won’t work even if you tell me the app.”

The genre of my life was obviously ‘realism.’

“Dokja has a solo life.”

“Huh? What…”

“I am just someone like that.”

In this genre, I wasn’t a protagonist but a ‘solo’ person.

“The life of a solo…” Yoo Sangah had a serious expression on her face

However, I waved my hands to show it was really okay.

I didn’t know why, but this person was really worried about me. Maybe because she was part of the personnel department… I was already aware of my performance though.

“Dokja-ssi is really good.”

“Yes?”

“Then I will live an ivory life.” (Sangah=ivory)

Yoo Sangah seemed to have decided something as she turned back to studying Spanish. I gazed at her for a while before returning to the novel.

Everything had returned to normal, but strangely, my scrolling of the novel didn’t go well. Maybe it was because I realized the weight of reality that I couldn’t scroll down.

At that time, a notification appeared at the top of my smartphone. [You have one new mail.]

It was from the author of ‘Ways of Survival.’ I opened the mail.

-Reader-nim, my novel will become paid from 7 p.m. This will be helpful. Good luck.

[1 attachment.]

The author said he would give me a gift. What was the gift?

…Like my name, I was also a reader by nature. So, I was excited to receive the mail.

Yes, it wasn’t bad living as a reader.

I checked the time. It was 6:55 p.m. I had exactly five minutes before the novel became monetized at 7 p.m.

Then I opened up my list of preferred novels in the app. Since I was the only reader, I should leave a congratulatory comment and give strength to the author.

However…

-The work doesn’t exist.

I tried typing ‘ruined’ several times in the search box, but the result was the same.

The bulletin board for ‘Ways of Survival’ had disappeared without a trace. It was strange. Had there ever been a case of a novel being deleted without notification when it was going to be monetized?

At that moment, the subway lights turned off, and the inside of the train became dark.

Kiiiiiiiik-! The subway train shook loudly and let out a metallic sound.

It caused Yoo Sangah to scream and grab my arm. Then I heard the sound of other people getting stirred up. Yoo Sangah gripped my arm so tightly that I paid more attention to the pain in my left arm than the sudden stop. It took a dozen seconds for the train to stop fully.

Then I heard confused voices coming from everywhere.

“Uh, what?”

“W-What is this?”

In the dark, one or two smartphone lights turned on. Yoo Sangah still held my left arm tightly as she asked, “W-What is going on?”

I pretended to be unconcerned. “Don’t worry. It isn’t a big deal.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it is probably a disturbance from a suicide. The engineer will soon make an announcement.”

As I finished speaking, I heard the engineer’s announcement, –Telling all passengers on the train.Telling all passengers on the train.

The loud surroundings became calm.

I sighed and opened my mouth, “See, it isn’t a big deal. Now an apology will air, and the power will come back on…”

–E-Everyone run away… Run…!

‘What?’

There was a beeping sound, and the broadcast turned off. The inside of the train became a mess.

“D-Dokja-ssi? What is this…?”

A bright light flashed from the front of the subway train. There was a loud drumming sound followed by a pop.

Something was heading this way in the darkness. It was just a coincidence that I saw the clock at this moment—7:00 p.m.

Tick, it felt like the world was stopping.

Then I heard a voice:

[The free service of planetary system 8612 has been terminated.]

[The main scenario has started.]

This was the moment the genre of my life changed.