The Tales of an Infinite Regressor

Chapter 23 – Reader III

[Translator – Jjsecus]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 23 – Reader III

“Too good of an environment?”

What’s the problem with that?

“Hmm. So, mister, do you have some sort of fantasy about being a writer? … Writers are workers. Just workers. They write to earn money and get attention, that’s all.”

Self-proclaimed web novel expert, Oh Dokseo, said. As I mentioned before, there will be a chance to delve into who this Oh Dokseo is later.

For now, knowing that Oh Dokseo is the leader of the nerd fashion trend, with red short hair, a cap, a dagger pinned to his nose, and a hoodie, was enough.

“By the way, you haven’t turned on your egoism app, have you?”

“I turned it off.”

“Okay. Anyway, mister, have you ever seen someone who works hard at a construction site just for self-realization? Have you ever met someone who says they love digging so much that they’ll just dig for the rest of their lives?”

“Well… that would be rare.”

“Exactly.”

Oh Dokseo chewed gum vigorously and blew a bubble with his mouth.

By the way, that bubble gum wasn’t a bubble gum product; it was just regular gum. Naturally, it couldn’t inflate properly. With a popping sound, the gum burst and stuck to his lips.

Oh Dokseo wiped his mouth as if nothing had happened. It was a moment that fully proved how serious he was about his nerdy fashion sense and his second-year syndrome.

“Mister, remember this. Creation comes from deprivation.”

Oh Dokseo’s expression was serious.

To be more precise, it was damn serious.

I usually try to avoid using such qualifiers, but I had no choice. If I didn’t use the adverb “damn” even after seeing Oh Dokseo’s face, it would be ignoring the very reason why this word exists in the world.

“Why give pocket money? Instead, take it away. Push them into the pit of despair. Make them witness people being pushed by monsters and slaughtered by monsters. You’re strong, mister. You can do it. Why don’t you?”

“Um….”

“Don’t kill, but… oh, your hands and waist should be in good shape, right? Anyway, just don’t be a fool. Writers tend to write better when they’re exploited more.”

Oh Dokseo declared, not as a scholar who believes he serves the truth, but as an authority figure of a society where truth only serves him.

“After all, if it weren’t for you, they would all be destined to die, right? So, if you just give them life, isn’t that enough?”

Is that so? Is that the case?

‘Sounds plausible?’

It was worth testing.

turn 560’s canned hotel idea failed miserably, so in the next turn, I followed Oh Dokseo’s advice and trained the writers.

This time, I showed them the taste of hellfire instead of heaven.

“Aaargh!”

“Save me! Save me!”

I took the writers for a walk beyond the accommodation.

-Boom!

-Bang! Bang! Boom!

-Boom! Boom!

The reincarnation trucks surpassed 1000 in number.

The parking lot and the road leading to the accommodation were packed with 11-ton cargo trucks, recreating the traffic jams of the Chuseok holiday, crashing into each other and chasing the writers. It was indeed surreal.

And that wasn’t all.

“Ugh, it’s cold…”

“I’m hungry… I want some beef soup…”

“Mommy…”

The environment changed too.

This time, instead of a luxury hotel, I created a shabby refugee camp and housed the writers there. There were no fancy chefs or casino dealers. The only preparation for writing was cheap computers.

It hurt to see the writers sitting on the ground, staring blankly at the ceiling or crying. But shock therapy was not without reason.

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I said,

“Ah, mic test. Writers, from now on, you’ll be living in this village. While most dangers will be prevented by me, I can’t guarantee your safety. The more diligently and entertainingly you write, the richer the resources will become.”

“….”

“Love you, writers. Best of luck.”

And something amazing happened.

This extreme measure actually worked!

The writers wrote as if possessed by spirits. Out of 335 people, not a single one didn’t type on their keyboard.

The writing speed was incomparable to the last turn!

I couldn’t help but feel moved.

‘This is what a proper writer is, and this is the proper amount.’

As I looked at the stacks of manuscripts, a satisfied smile formed on my face.

And just as I handed over the manuscript with anticipation…

“Hmm?”

Something was off. Something was definitely off.

Like when a dog flinches reflexively when given different food from what it usually eats, I, as a doctor, instinctively paused with the manuscript in hand.

“This… This taste, why is it so bad?”

It was different.

The taste of the writing had changed.

The authentic fantasy writer, who used to sing praises of human valor, was now writing about being slaughtered by demon lords. The sweet romance writer’s world, filled with affectionate characters, was invaded by monsters tearing couples apart. Even the martial arts genre was ruined by zombies. Regardless of the genre, all characters were plunged into despair, and the world was on the brink of destruction.

And then I realized.

‘This isn’t… this isn’t genre fiction!’

Literary fiction!

The unmistakable taste of literary fiction!

Especially the kind that can be summarized as ‘everything’s messed up and nothing matters’!

The unfamiliar scent in the air, amidst the beloved aroma of web novel writers, left me feeling dazed, like witnessing a lover’s infidelity.

‘They wrote well… They wrote well, but…’

What I wanted wasn’t this taste!

The filthiness was palpable, just reflecting on my regression in life. Why should I be forced to see filth even in my leisure time? Am I a masochist?

Moreover, no matter how much the writers fantasized, they couldn’t grasp the extent of how monstrous monsters could be and how much the human world could be destroyed. In terms of detail, they were even inferior to me, the reader.

‘What… what did I do to my writers?’

This couldn’t go on.

I immediately went to confront Oh Dokseo. But even considering the change in turns, Oh Dokseo’s response was dismissive to the extreme.

“Not fun? So what?”

Oh Dokseo nonchalantly trimmed his nails.

“They’re the writers you love. So you should love whatever they write. Why? Has your love changed? Wow. I didn’t see you as someone so petty.”

“Well… maybe it’s my fault for once again expecting something from humans. How could love change? Is it the person who changed? Oh, here ‘change’ means poop. Got it? I’m a bit crazy like that.”

This hipster cosplayer with second-year syndrome didn’t get it at all!

In the end, even turn 561’s canned idea failed miserably.

Back to square one, I pondered.

It can’t be too comfortable. It kills the motivation to write.

It can’t be too agonizing either. It overwhelms the motivation with suffering.

‘I’m stuck. How on earth can I create a tasty web novel? Are novel writers doomed beings from birth?’

I pondered and pondered.

Finally, I reached a conclusion.

Next turn.

A new bulletin board was opened on SGNet, a platform that previously only had community features.

The serial novel board, also known as Soyeon Board.

The notice posted on the board read as follows:

──────────

[Serial Novel Board Usage Guide]

1. All SGNet regular members will earn novel points every time they log in.

2. With novel points, you can purchase episodes of the novels you want. You can also donate points to your favorite authors.

3. The points used by readers will be transferred to the authors. Authors can use these points to purchase desired items. The list of items will be separately announced to the authors.

4. At midnight (00:00) every day, the rankings of each novel will be displayed at the top of the serial novel board. The ranking is determined solely by how many readers have purchased the episodes.

5. For authors who are visually impaired and cannot access the site, SGNet provides manager services. The works of visually impaired authors will be uploaded to Soyeon Board by managers. If any visually impaired individual around you wishes to serialize on Soyeon Board, you can upload on their behalf.

6. Let’s create a healthy culture of serial novels!

──────────

In short, I created a platform for serializing novels.

At first, the members’ reactions to the announcement were somewhat dull.

-Anonymous: Novels? Can anyone upload novels?

-[Yuldoguk] Investigator: It seems the time has come for me to reveal my profound theories to the world.

-[Three Thousand Worlds] WitchTrialJudge: I was a bit bored because there weren’t many activities in the community, but this is great news.

-Anonymous: What kind of items can be purchased with points?

-KoreanVillage: Seems like only boring stories will be uploaded. If there are any aspiring writers willing to serialize, be careful. I’ll be leaving comments one by one.

-dolLHoUse: Excited.

-[Baekhwa] 6th Grade High School: Ugh… 😣

There weren’t many writers among the Awakeneds. Even if they were writers, most of them were in situations where they were trying to save the world from destruction. There was no leisurely serialization.

However, leisure was not always for those who had it, but for those who created it. There were few Awakeneds who serialized novels in their spare time, but they existed nonetheless.

-KoreanVillage: ? What’s this about the point purchase list?

One day, a certification post on SGNet caused a stir.

[Translator – Jjsecus]

[Proofreader – Gun]

-Meal Voucher for 1 Month (5-star Hotel)

-Fairy Bodyguard: Cannot engage in gate extermination, only defense against enemy attacks. Abuse of this bodyguard will result in punishment.

– Desired audience-specific real-time conversation fan meeting: Fan meetings may be refused depending on the preferences of the audience. Refunds will be issued if the meeting is refused.

– Consultation on one’s awakening ability tech tree: The Constellation will personally guide on maximizing the efficiency of one’s awakening abilities. However, they will only provide guidelines and will not be responsible for training.

.

.

.

-KoreanVillage: No, seriously, have you seen the items available for points? By the way, I quickly purchased the awakening ability tech tree. What are the idiots on SGNet doing, still not serializing novels?

The comments section exploded.

-Anonymous: ?? Is that for real?

-Anonymous: Who gave this guy points to buy it? Are people crazy?

-LiteratureGirl: Well, surprisingly, KoreanVillage writes pretty well…. Before gates exploded, he was a web novel geek, but there aren’t many who can boast of writing as well as him….

-Anonymous: What’s the psycho’s novel about?

└LiteratureGirl: It’s a story of an incredibly kind protagonist who uses healing abilities to help one suffering person after another and eventually saves a small kingdom. It’s a rare type of protagonist these days in web novels. The scene where he treats inquisitors, saying ‘doctors don’t discriminate against patients,’ even though he almost gets caught in a witch hunt, brings tears to the eyes….

└Anonymous: ?

└[Samcheon] Officer: ?

-Anonymous: Damn, are these items for real? As expected of SGNet. With the site run directly by the Constellations, the class is different.

-dolLHoUse: Fun.

-[Yuldoguk] Investigator: Why does no one read the revelations of this one?

The messages were not only shocking but also attracted a well-known agitator from SGNet to the messenger. With members’ reactions becoming more intense, it was inevitable.

With this certification post as a turning point, SGNet ushered in a new era of serializations.

Among the Awakeneds, there were now many who dared to challenge novel serialization directly, and a system was established to recruit skilled writers into guilds to handle uploads on their behalf.

The profession of writers, rendered useless in a world on the brink of destruction, now functioned as a kind of support member.

-The protagonist doesn’t return from the volcano (★9.9)

-The circumstances under which she should have become a duchess (★9.9)

-Man-to-Man Talk Club [R-rated Full Version] (★9.9)

-The apartment hides the rebar (★5.7)

As expected.

The works serialized on SGNet showcased a quality that was on a completely different level than those of turns 560 and 561.

As the world was collapsing, the mix of reflections and despair felt by the writers added a unique charm to their works, making them not only enjoyable as web novels but also masterpieces.

“What’s the difference, really? What do you think?”

Oh Dokseo asked me after hearing about the journey I’ve been on since turn 560.

I made Oh Dokseo an espresso because he only drank black coffee or espresso.

“The number of readers. And competition.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Writers are generally attention-seekers. They’re, as you said, beings lacking something. But the void in writers isn’t filled through experience. It’s only filled by the gaze, affection, and enthusiasm of people.”

Because what they lack isn’t themselves, but others. Writers, paradoxically, are beings with too much of themselves in their hearts.

“That’s why as many others as possible are needed for writers. Like celebrities. Like gladiators in the Colosseum.”

“Uh-huh.”

“But that’s incidental. In fact, what’s more important is the competition with other writers.”

I logged into SGNet’s serial novel section to show the novel rankings.

The ranking list, from first place downwards, was displayed before any other page. If you accessed the serial novel section, you’d be greeted with the rankings first thing.

“The endless competition with other writers. Here, the criterion for competition is solely the number of purchases. So, it’s an endlessly fair competition. Writers can’t help but be drawn into that brilliant illusion, like the bright lights of New York’s skyscrapers, where they ‘prove their own worth purely through their writing skills.'”

Come to think of it, ancient Greek tragedians were the same.

They held competitions to rank them. City spectators gathered to follow the writer’s work in real-time and were enthused. At that time, Athens was the world’s leading city with power over the Mediterranean world, so being celebrated in this city was tantamount to being guaranteed ‘the world’s best writer.’

Competition. Enthusiasm. A guarantee that you’re the best in the world.

It was because this system was established that the classical tragedies soared like a short but brilliant fireworks display.

Nietzsche didn’t analyze the essence of the Greek nation as ‘competition’ for nothing.

“This is our… humanity’s last Dionysus Theater.”

However,

I was a heavyweight contender. Works that sought the love of the masses also did well, but I also enjoyed works of minor genres that satisfied me with just a few readers while indulging my desires.

Even before the world began to collapse, and even more so after it started collapsing, such works generally lacked popularity.

I scrolled down the ranking list and clicked on one of the works.

– Title: 101 Ways She Accepts Death (★7.7)

– Pen name: Bad Ending Enthusiast

A writer who walks the path of minor genres, whether in the past or present.

After reading the latest update, I clicked the “Support the Author” button.

– You have donated 2,000 points.

ZERO_SUGAR: Author, your writing is always… wonderful^^ I enjoyed this episode as well. Always take care, especially around trucks~

Hmm.

I felt like I had forgotten something and tilted my head.

“Oh.”

Right, I forgot to mention this.

ZERO_SUGAR: But there seems to be a spelling error. It should be ‘사달이 났다’ instead of ‘사단이 났다’. You’ve made the same mistake three times in this work alone. Do you have a style of not running a spell checker, author~? Haha. Anyway, I hope you’ll take it constructively. Cheers ^^

[TL/N: “사달이 났다” – This typically means someone has become passionate or obsessed about something. “사단이 났다” – This usually means someone is experiencing trouble or facing a crisis.]

I nodded my head.

It was still a perfect support message upon revisiting.

Although this whole thing might surprisingly come in handy someday.

– Bbaaaaang!

Let’s talk about that next time there’s an opportunity.

For now, I have to deal with the reincarnation truck that’s arrived in front of my accommodation.

– Reader. The end.

[Translator – Jjsecus]

[Proofreader – Gun]