As a struggling office worker, Dokja Kim’s sole joy in life is an online novel so obscure that he’s its only reader. Then one day the story comes to an end…and so does the world. People all around the globe suddenly find themselves being massacred by horrific monsters or pitted against each other in sadistic scenarios straight out of the novel. However, only Dokja is aware that this is merely the first chapter of what is to come. Knowing that devastating plot twists are on the horizon, he can no longer afford to sit back as a reader—it’s time for Dokja to step up and write his own destiny!
Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse is Dokja’s favorite novel, or it was...until it became reality. Thanks to his knowledge of the story, he managed to survive the first chaotic moments of the new world. But the relentless scenario waits for no one, and Dokja finds himself in yet another life-or-death struggle. Isolated from his group and surrounded by horrific creatures, his story seems all but doomed to a premature ending...That’s when an unmistakable presence makes an entrance. It’s time for Dokja, the only reader of TWSA, to meet its main character—the Regressor Junghyeok Yu!
Inside the ruthless scenarios of TWSA, something as simple as getting a meal is a life-or-death struggle. With all the food destroyed by the goblin, Dokja’s group is forced to venture into the dark tunnels full of vicious creatures. But in the cruel new world, monsters are not the most dangerous enemies...Fear and desperation among the survivors cause Geumho Station to erupt into wanton bloodshed. And amid the chaos, Huiwon’s true power awakens—the Time of Judgment is here!
Dokja has his hands full dealing with relentless monster attacks, as well as the Landlord Coalition’s tyranny. But when Junghyeok disappears amid the chaos, Dokja is faced with a chilling question—when the main character of this universe dies, what happens to the rest of the world? Not wanting to find out, he ventures into the Cinema Dungeon to find the missing Regressor!
In their quest to rescue Junghyeok from the Cinema Dungeon, Dokja’s group find themselves in the midst of a fierce naval showdown. This should be easy—after all, it’s a reenactment of the famous battle won by Jihye Lee’s constellation! But Dokja’s confidence soon turns into panic when he spots the heroine of this story reduced to a tearful mess, haunted by guilt and sorrow. Can Jihye overcome her trauma and become the peerless ruler of the sea she’s destined to be?
Having sole knowledge of TWSA has allowed Dokja to stay one step ahead...but what if he no longer had that edge? With the appearance of the mysterious faction called the Disciples, Dokja must now compete against other readers! Especially dangerous is their leader, a shadowy mastermind who seems to know far too much about TWSA. And when they finally come face-to-face, Dokja makes a startling discovery about the identity of his opponent...
As the War of the Kings rages on, all of Seoul turns into a massive battlefield where historical rulers of Korea act through their chosen incarnations to regain the power and glory they once held. And at the center of it all is Dokja, who, as the sole reader of TWSA, knows that this conflict will only lead to an irreversible disaster for all. To prevent a bad ending, he must win the right to the Absolute Throne... even if it means facing Junghyeok in a one-on-one brawl!
A kingless world—that is the outcome Dokja chose as the price for refusing to rule as a godlike monarch. But even the omniscient reader could not have foreseen the depths of depravity human society can sink to when there is no force imposing order. And within the dark, lawless streets of what was once Seoul, Dokja encounters a person he knew from another lifetime, a trauma-inducing figure from beyond the fourth wall who shakes him to the core like no giant monster or shadowy demon ever could...
The mad scramble to save Seoul from a series of disasters continues. Thankfully, Dokja is not alone. In addition to his unlikely alliance with Suyeong, he is reunited one of his companions. However, the person he’s known since before the apocalypse seems to have completely changed! Just what could have happened to Sangah during the short time she was separated from Dokja?
With four of the five Catastrophes taken care of by Dokja and other cooperating factions, it seems the city has finally earned a moment of respite. However, the omniscient reader is painfully aware this is just the calm before the storm— the last and most powerful Catastrophe is awakening somewhere in Seoul! The good news is that Dokja knows the secret shortcut to easily clearing this scenario. But in order to do so, he’ll have to commit a heinous act that will haunt him forever...
The long-dreaded confrontation against the Catastrophe of Floods finally begins. But things go disastrously wrong from the very start when Junghyeok’s mistake against this overwhelmingly powerful opponent results in Dokja suffering a fatal injury. As his consciousness leaves his body, Dokja’s only recourse is to use his skill to take on the viewpoint of another character. Naturally, he turns his eyes toward the the Regressor himself, until he realizes there is someone even stronger he may be able to influence…
Dokja risks it all to change the outcome of the Catastrophe of Floods scenario, but the efforts of one reader are nowhere near enough to overturn the inevitable flow of plausibility, and Yuseung’s story ends up as just another one of the countless tragedies making up Star Stream. Or does it? As Yuseung’s soul fades away from the mortal realm, Dokja makes three promises to her, and he will keep his word, even if it means venturing into the cold, dark depths of the underworld…