22. Prophet?
It was one hour before midnight—the expected time the monsters were supposed to appear.
Thanks to the cooperation of the people, they had managed to count every available green zone. Whether it was a coincidence or something planned, the number of green zones matched exactly the number of people in the station.
Everyone worked together under the banner of the "Saintess"—Yoo Da Hee. She stood at the forefront, organizing and guiding people into green zones like a beacon of hope, a symbol of unity in this chaotic world. Yet, the real work behind the scenes was done by someone else—the man who had welcomed us earlier.
Wan Dae Hyun, was it?
If I remember correctly, that was his name.
By the way, Yoo Da Hee was the one we're looking for, the eldest sister of the three siblings.
After the kids fell asleep from exhaustion, Yoo Da Hee came looking for NaRi and me while we were surveying the station. She asked about everything that had happened to us before we met them. NaRi and I took turns explaining, though that was all the conversation amounted to.
I'm still unsure what kind of person she truly is. But I caught a glimpse of what made people follow her—something about her presence, her way of speaking, her calm aura. Whether it was genuine or an act, she exuded a sense of warmth and generosity that comforted others.
As for why she's called the "Saintess," I still don't know.
She carries the weight of everyone's expectations on her not-so-broad shoulders. Perhaps meeting NaRi and the children was the only moment she could let her guard down since the scenario began. Or maybe not—who really knows?
And so, the clock ticked down to midnight.
True to the system's warning, a flood of monsters began pouring out of the railway tunnels. The number was overwhelming—enough to make even the bravest soul tremble in fear.
Fortunately, the system's description wasn't a lie. Everyone inside a green zone remained completely safe. The monsters swarmed the station like cockroaches, yet avoided the green areas entirely.
It also gave me a great opportunity to test my abilities again.
Of course, Detection was a no-go—just imagining scanning that many monsters made me nauseous.
Still… wasn't this too easy?
The idea that this impenetrable fortress—the green zone—was free and accessible to everyone felt suspicious.
Very suspicious.
It was only the third scenario, but by now, anyone familiar with the Star Stream would know the scenarios weren't supposed to be this calm or forgiving. These trials existed to temper humanity, to forge the strong like hammering metal over and over again—and to weed out the weak...
or maybe just for an entertainment.
How much influence the constellations or the dokkaebi had over these scenarios remained a mystery. But even if some among them were peace-loving, this scenario was far from ordinary.
And clearly, I wasn't the only one who sensed it.
Some people looked lost, but others wore grim expressions. No one dared let their guard down.
Time passed.
The monsters continued to prowl the station with no sign of retreat.
10 minutes.
30 minutes.
1 hour.
We watched the swarms crawl through the corridors, yet no one was harmed—all thanks to the green zones.
After more than four hours, people began to relax, believing in the promise of safety. Just 30 minutes left until sunrise, according to the system. Thirty more minutes, and this nightmare would end—Day One would be over.
But then, something shimmered in the air.
A dokkaebi appeared.
And it was the same dokkaebi Chris knew.
"A-Are you doing well, everyone?" she asked, her voice uncertain.
Silence answered her.
"W-Well… it's been a bit too easy, hasn't it? T-That's why… w-we have a p-present for you all~!"
She snapped her fingers.
One second later—
"ARGHH!"
"HELP!"
"S-Saintess!!"
Screams echoed through the station. Some people, too far from the source, were left confused and terrified. But those nearby saw it clearly:
The green zone had vanished.
And in the next moment, the monsters swarmed the unprotected people like rabid beasts, tearing into them without mercy.
Those who watched were paralyzed—uncertain whether to feel horror or relief.
Time passed in screams. But no one moved.
Or rather, no one dared to.
Yoo Da Hee, the so-called Saintess and leader of the station, immediately reacted when the screams erupted. She had been camped in the largest green zone with over twenty others.
Unfortunately, the people who lost their protection were too far away. She tried to go help, but her subordinate stopped her from leaving the safe zone.
When sunrise came, the monsters retreated back into the tunnels.
Roughly 10% of the station's population was gone.
Morning arrived, but no one felt safe enough to rest. Many sought out the one beacon of hope they had in this twisted world: their Saintess, Yoo Da Hee.
It wasn't a riot. No one acted violently. But they all surged toward her, desperate to be near her.
Wan Dae Hyun eventually had to order his subordinates to block off the perimeter.
Thanks to NaRi, I was already inside.
"This isn't what you said would happen," Yoo Da Hee said quietly. Her tone was calm, but there was a sharp edge of disappointment and betrayal. She looked at the man beside her—Wan Dae Hyun, her second-in-command.
"I-I don't know… it wasn't supposed to be like this," he stammered, looking more shaken than anyone else.
While watching their argument from the side, I leaned closer to NaRi.
"What's going on? Why are they fighting?"
"It's because he calls himself a prophet," she whispered back.
"A prophet?" I repeated, baffled.
NaRi nodded. "Apparently, he can see glimpses of the future."
"And your sister believes him? Did they know each other before the scenario began?"
I couldn't decide if Yoo Da Hee was charismatic or just gullible. I mean—if a random stranger told you they could see the future, wouldn't your first reaction be to ask if they needed psychiatric help?
"That's how it is," NaRi said. "He predicted the falling fog, the monster attacks… that's why this station is safer than others. This is the first time he's been wrong."
"I see…" I murmured, starting to piece things together. "Then why did your sister become the leader? The symbol of this station?"
NaRi didn't answer right away.
I turned toward her and noticed something strange—her usual smile remained, but her eyes… They were different. Cold. Calculating. For a moment, a chill ran down my spine.
"That's what I want to know too," she said, her gaze locked onto the man arguing with her sister.
The argument ended with Wan Dae Hyun claiming his vision had changed due to the station avoiding the future he originally foresaw. He called it the "butterfly effect"—by knowing the future, their actions altered it.
He also explained that the vision was from before the second scenario began, and since then, he hadn't received a new one. Which meant the information they had was outdated—possibly even harmful.
Conveniently, his power supposedly worked automatically. He couldn't control when or what he would see.
Was it just me, or did that excuse sound way too rehearsed?
In any case, the crisis shifted to planning for the future.
We—well, a few chosen representatives—gathered to discuss our next move.
"We could fight," Wan Dae Hyun suggested.
The moment he said it, panic erupted. It might've been different if people hadn't witnessed the swarm firsthand—but they had. Crawling, endless, terrifying monsters. Anyone who wasn't afraid was simply not normal.
Soon, even those outside the meeting circle began shouting in protest. But they knew their voices didn't carry weight—so they turned to the one person who had ever listened to them.
"The Saintess…"
One person called. Then another. And another.
Soon, everyone was pleading.
I couldn't tell whether Yoo Da Hee spoke out of her own will or because of the pressure. But she opened her mouth.
"Actually… I don't think that's a bad idea."