The Devouring Genius of a Destroyed World

Chapter 1

OPENING

“What? That’s it?”

On a hot summer night, Seongho found himself muttering unconsciously under his breath while reading a web novel under the cool breeze of the air conditioner.

"Is this really the end?"

The apocalypse web novel *Savior of a Destroyed World*, which he had eagerly followed for over two years, had finally concluded. The story ended in tragedy: the protagonist and every character around him perished, and the world itself met its demise.

“What...?”

Although the story had grown heavy toward the end, Seongho never expected even the protagonist to die. Even worse, the death scene wasn’t something readers could rationalize; it seemed senseless. The shock left him momentarily stunned.

After the initial shock faded, he began to feel an insidious betrayal and a swelling disappointment.

“I kept praising this writer, thinking, ‘Wow, they’re good,’ and this is how they stab us in the back?”

Seongho reduced his rating to the lowest possible score, then moved to the comment section for some catharsis. The place was already bustling with angry readers who had arrived before him, filling the page with furious comments. Seongho quickly joined the chorus of outraged voices.

Then, he noticed a new comment pop up.

- **YourHomePrincess**: Everyone’s so busy ranting here that they forgot about the author’s note, lol. The author posted a survey link on their SNS. They want feedback on the novel’s ending, lol. I already took it. Ranting there felt amazing.

Seongho’s finger stopped in place.

‘The author’s note?’

He hadn’t even checked the author’s note, so shocked was he by the protagonist’s tragic end. Curious, he opened the note and found exactly what the comment had mentioned.

Deciding to follow the other reader’s lead, he clicked the survey link posted on the author’s SNS. A new page loaded.

“A survey for evaluating and analyzing *Savior of a Destroyed World*?”

Seongho, who had only intended to leave a scathing review, was taken aback by the overly formal tone of the survey.

At the top of the page, above where it asked for his name and age, a warning was printed in bold:

“*Please provide as specific and honest feedback as possible for a more accurate analysis.*”

Hesitating only a moment, Seongho decided it was worth it. ‘I've spent over two years on this novel; might as well.’

Filled with thoughts he had accumulated over time, he poured them into the survey. As the other commenter had said, it felt satisfying to vent. Entering his information and pressing "Next," he was met with the first question.

*“Do you believe the ending of *Savior of a Destroyed World* could have been different?”*

‘Of course.’@@@@

There were definitely opportunities the protagonist missed. Seongho continued answering each question, becoming more engrossed in the survey. Roughly 30 minutes later, after diligently filling out a dozen responses, he felt the weight of time bearing down on him.

‘I have work tomorrow.’

As the survey dragged on, Seongho felt a growing sense of pointlessness. Then, he reached the last question.

*“What do you think was the main reason the protagonist failed to save the world?”*

Recalling the novel’s events, he carefully typed a response, neither too long nor too brief. Then, he clicked "Submit" and set down his phone, ready to move on.

However, just as he was about to put his phone away, a new message appeared, stopping him in his tracks.

*“Please review and agree to the terms below before submitting your survey.”*

He scrolled down to find a wall of tiny text. It was already past 1 a.m. Seongho had gone to bed late the previous night due to overtime, and tonight had been delayed by a frustrating customer complaint.

‘I'm too far in now to skip the submission.’

So, without bothering to read the fine print, he checked the "Agree" box and clicked "Confirm." A completion message appeared, and Seongho finally set his phone down by his bedside, feeling no further attachment to the day. It was the same, uneventful end to another ordinary day.

---

**[Notification of Selection]**

*Dear Han Seongho,*

Its footsteps grew closer, sending chills down his spine. Every nerve in his body screamed with urgency. The sensation of its cold, unyielding grip flashed through his mind.

‘Faster!’

He forced himself forward, ignoring the burn in his lungs. In a final burst of energy, he dove into the backseat of the open car and pulled the door shut.

*Bam.*

The monster rammed into the car door, bouncing back onto the road, only to rise and charge again, mindlessly repeating its assault. Seongho watched its relentless, unnatural behavior from inside, heart pounding.

How much time had passed? As his breathing began to slow, his whole body started trembling.

‘What... what is happening?’

His body shook like a leaf, unable to cope with the incomprehensible situation.

Then, new text appeared before his eyes.

**[Condition Met]**

*[Fate Pioneer Privilege]*

Zombie virus detected. Due to the agreed fate intervention, the Fate Pioneer is equipped with an immunity. Please enter the ability you wish to awaken.

: _______

‘Zombie virus, immunity, ability awakening...’

The words buzzed around in Seongho’s head.

Then, the title of the web novel he had read before going to sleep surfaced in his mind.

*Savior of a Destroyed World...*

And the strange notice he had seen in what he thought was a dream.

*Notification of Selection... Fate Pioneer...*

No. This was impossible. It couldn’t be real.

Seongho fought with everything he had to deny the situation. But outside, the creature’s

relentless banging on the car door was real.

The pain in his arm and the biting cold seeping through his skin weren’t illusions.

If this creature was truly a zombie infected with a virus...

If this absurd, terrifying situation was actually happening to him...

‘An ability... one that could keep me alive in this world... what would it be?’

Memories of the story he had read swirled in his mind. Ordinary powers wouldn’t be enough.

‘There are beings in this world who can wield fire, control ice, and summon lightning.’

Such powers would make for great fighters, but they were easily replaceable. What he needed wasn’t overwhelming strength, but something versatile and irreplaceable.

After all, the greatest threats in a ruined world were often not zombies but other survivors.

‘The real reason the world fell in *Savior of a Destroyed World* was because of humans.’

Seongho knew this fact better than anyone after finishing the novel.

What he needed was a skill indispensable for dealing with both zombies and humans.

‘A skill that no one would overlook, something universally valued.’

The ideal ability would be something no one else could replace.

‘What could that be?’

As he mulled it over, a word sprang to mind like a spark.

“Healing...”

The word left his lips in a murmur, becoming clearer with each passing second.