Episode 1 – Starting the Paid Service (1)

Park Jung-hyuk.

That was my name. I just graduated from high school and started my freshman year at the University. Just like the classic trope, I was the only child and I lived alone.

My parents were not around but I can't say anymore. If I started a sob story about how they abandoned their only child to go on a goddamn vacation, I'm afraid I will use all the trees in the world.

In any case, it was like this. I was Park Junghyuk, 19 years old and single. Basically, I was just an average boy you could find anywhere.

Sorry, I lied. I was not a normal boy. At least, not anymore.

Although I had the appearance of a teenager, I was much more older than I appeared. You might not believe me but I am a Returnee that has lived for a thousand years.

Crazy, wasn't it? Let me explain how it how started. It all started a year ago when I received a system message just like in those popular manhwas.

At that moment, I thought it was my time to shine and accepted the system's call without hesitation. I mean, who wouldn't want to go to another world and become an overpowered protagonist.

I was wrong. I was naive. I have forgotten the name of my first world but I do remember I was a slave in that world. My mission was to save the world from destruction but it was not easy. In fact, it was nothing but a nightmare.

If I could travel back in time to the moment where the system message appeared, I would gladly accept and beat my younger self almost to the point of death.

My mission. I failed to save that world from the Disasters and became a Disaster myself. I was forced to invade other worlds and destory them against my will. I became a slave to the scenario.

I wandered and wandered, killed and conquered. I even committed very disturbing crimes such as r*pe and genocide. 500 years later, I became extremely bored and indifferent. 800 years later, I gained enlightenment and became a transcendent.

It was a period of one thousand years. It was hard, really. Then it happened. After the destruction of the last world I conquered, I was suddenly teleported back to my home world.

I did not know why but I did not receive the system message again. Why did I suddenly return? Was this my reward? Why now?

Even though I finally returned to my home world, I did not feel any sense of happiness. For one, I wasn't able to use the powers I had achieved during my time as a disaster, probably they were sealed.

Lastly, I have been away from my home world for a long time that I didn't feel the welcoming satisfaction when I returned. This place was no longer my home. It was a cruel prank.

Even now after a few months has passed, I am yet to receive the system message. Apparently, I returned to the same day I left Earth for another world.

Did my life hold any meaning? Was my time as a Disaster meaning? Was my time as a disaster a fleeting dream?

Several unanswered questions were formed inside my head.

Maybe everything was a dream but I did not know anymore. My memory was a mess. I couldn't even remember the faces of my own family or my life on Earth. At times, I find myself questioning the memories of me being a Disaster.

I felt like a puppet being manipulated by a string. Even so... Even so...!!

"Excuse me, are you okay?"

I heard a voice. I turned my head and saw a grandma looking at my face with a worried expression.

"Ah! No... I'm fine. Sorry about that."

I replied and scratched the back of my head. It was strange hearing someone younger than me calling me a kid. Strangely enough, I didn't feel anger of resentment.

That's right. I had forgotten I was standing in the middle of the Hongdae subway station waiting for the train to the next station. This was the first day of college so I wanted to arrive early. Thus, I was here in the first place.

Some people were looking at me weirdly because of the scene earlier. Sensing the awkward atmosphere, I pulled out my smartphone and turned it on as I waited.

I was no longer a Transcendent or the King of Disasters, I was just a normal college student, Park Junghyuk.

"Hey, why didn't you come to the party?"

"Sorry, I was with my girlfriend."

"Haha! You are still seeing that girl. I thought you have dump her already."

"I need to get to the office."

"My wife will be angry with me."

The sounds of the people in the subway conversing entered my ears. They talking about different things just like any normal person.

To be honest, I was honest. In fact, I even envied them, their way of life. Could I live such a life? Impossible. No matter how hard I tried, I could return to that peaceful way of life. I was an outcast in my home world.

How was that fair? Why me? Why was I the only one that was different? Why must I suffer in this damn world? Let's calm down now.

I calmed both my racing thoughts and my heartbeat by drawing a breath. It will be bad if I made another scene. More importantly, I didn't want to embarrass myself further.

I returned my attention to my smartphone and continued scrolling. When I'm free or simply bored, I usually read manga or novels to pass the time. But there was a problem.

I sighed.

The list of novels displayed on the screen of my smartphone were Stories that I have already read. There were not alot of novels that met my standards. Some of them were good not at that level while some others were painfully generic.

However, that was a single story that caught my attention.

[How to Survive in a Ruined World]

It was a story that didn't have alot of viewers. The character development, the storytelling, the world building. Overall, it was a good story. But that was not what caught my attention.

Somehow the events of the story was similar to my situation. Wait, was it possible...?

"Huh? What's that?"

A confused voice was heard. It was because the lights of the subway station started blinking in small intervals as if it would turn off. When it finally turned off, everyone reacted differently.

"What's going on?"

"Is it a blackout?"

"I hope this doesn't make me late for work."

Thankfully, the lights came back on and I heard someone released a sigh of relief. Maybe it was indeed a blackout. The government must be working on a new project.

But... What was this unexplainable sense of unease I was feeling?

A few moments after the lights came back on, my smartphone started vibrating. It opened my smartphone again and read the notification that just came.

Returnee Park Junghyuk, can you read this message?

"What?"

My eyes opened very wide. There was no name or any information that allowed me to know how I was speaking with. It was only the strange message.

What was this? Was it a hacker?

Such thoughts emerged but I quickly discarded. This wasn't a simple case of someone hacking my smartphone and accessing my private data. This person knew something that nobody in this world knew.

I calmed my fast beating heart and managed to type a few words.

Park Junghyuk — Who are you?

For a while, there was no response. For the first time since I returned to this world, I was nervous. I was worried that this person will not reply and just disappear as he came.

Thankfully, a reply arrived in the next moment.

I'm sorry but I can't tell you that now. I want to let you know that your life is in great danger right now. I'm sure you are familiar with such a situation.

What was that supposed to mean? More importantly, how did he know that I was a Returnee. It was something that I haven't even told my own mother since I returned so how did he know.

I was genuinely confused. Sadly, It couldn't get anymore information. It was because I didn't receive a reply for my messages.

I clicked my tongue. This was what I was afraid of. The guy just cut tail and left.

–To all passengers of the Station! To all passengers of the Station!

A message was heard from the subway station loudspeakers. Everyone had a confused expression. I don't blame them I was also in the same boat.

It was then...

–E-Everyone run away...Run...!

"What?"

It was already too late.

Creaakkkkkkk!!!

There was the loud sound of something crashing into the subway station and everyone jumped backwards as they screamed.

Bang!!!

Rumble! Rumble!

Dust erupted and the place became cloudly. All the lights went off and the place immediately became dark.

It was difficult to see. But after a while, the cloud of dust cleared out and the image of the large object that crashed into station became clear.

"W-What...!!"

"What the hell is going on?!"

The place became noisy. Apparently, the large object that crashed into the station was the train we were all waiting for.

At this point, the loudspeakers turned off and the inside of the subway station was beyond ruined.

What the hell happened? Was an earthquake or was it a bombing? No, the answer was not simple.

Strangely enough, this situation was familiar to me.

I stood up from the floor and heard someone speaking besides me. He looked at him. His hands was shaking as he pointed towards something.

"Wh-What's that? T-That thing!"

I looked at where he was pointing to. He was pointing towards the railway to the previous station, where the ruined train came from.

The lights of the subway station started flashing uncontrollably. There was a loud sound following by a pop.

Within the darkness of the railway tracks, something was approaching. Then I heard a distinct yet familiar sound that rang in my head.

[The free service of 9999 world has been terminated.]

[The main scenario has arrived.]

The Scenarios has arrived in this world. The tragedies will be starting soon.