Episode 83
So, the setting that Jaeheon Lee created was roughly like this.
‘I quit being an ally.’
And it was all because of the green algae monster.
During that night, Lee Jae-heon, who had been affected by the green algae monster’s powers, was possessed by something and was acting disorganized, unable to come to his senses. The purpose was to reduce the affection he had built up among his companions and buy some vigilance.
‘Honestly, it sounds like nonsense if I say it this way, but… it’s a fairly common storage.’
What happens is that a helper who was an ally turns into an enemy.
Because his wife in his previous life had a side job as a novel writer, he also knew that it was a cliché. Among them, the ‘ally who becomes an enemy’ setting was a story that he, who read the book out of a sense of duty, had seen quite a few times.
The reasons are varied. There are numerous patterns, such as being brainwashed by someone, being taken hostage or having a weak point, being in the dark from the beginning, etc. I understand that in this situation, it has become a cliché that can cause additional mental damage to the main character and his party.
However, in this situation, most protagonists become awakened. Unless you have a very affectionate relationship with an ally who has turned into an enemy, it serves as an opportunity to strengthen your spirit rather than weaken it. In the first place, if the main character collapses due to a brief conflict, would he be a main character?
Moreover, honestly, if it had been a truly affectionate relationship, there was a high possibility that the power would increase several levels due to anger. No matter how you look at it, it was an inappropriate cliché to completely kill off the main character.
‘But in the current situation, it’s better.’
His goal is not to completely crush the hero like the devil in the novel.
To put it bluntly, the setting Lee Jae-heon created was ‘an ally who was manipulated by a monster and became an enemy.’ If I had to give an example, I think it would be similar to zombies.
If you pay attention to the process, you can strengthen the main character and at the same time establish your own position…
“….”
I was a little embarrassed.
‘How old am I now?’
I suddenly heard an auditory hallucination asking me if it would be shameful to think of such concepts at that age, but there was nothing I could do to stop Lee Jae-heon, whose mental strength was slowly hitting rock bottom. My freedom is at stake, so is pride the problem?
In the first place, no one knew what happened while he was dragged away by the green algae monster, and there was no safe place inside or outside, so it was not strange at all to think that he had suffered quite a bit. In reality, I just ran around the park all day and night.
So, even if your mind goes back and forth after being brainwashed or charmed by the green algae monster during that long night…
“….”
Even so…
“… what is life.”
Life was shit and it was always hard to make a living, damn it.
‘I wish I could just search through everything.’
The swear word I had been trying to refrain from coming out came out.
Jaeheon Lee washed his face dry amidst the roaring flames. It was because I suddenly felt pressured to play a role that was inappropriate for my age and position, but I couldn’t turn it down now that I had come this far.
But he couldn’t think of a better setting. First of all, it was necessary to strengthen the main character and at the same time maintain trust while maintaining some distance from the group. This was the best way to safely bring together a group of other survivors during a disaster and resolve a deal that was not a deal with the green algae monster in the dream.
Lee Jae-heon straightened up from his leaning against a healthy tree and thought to himself.
‘…Honestly, the details of the transaction are ridiculous, but…’
The conversation he had with the green algae monster flowed through his mind. I don’t know if you can call that a conversation.
Still, he muttered, feeling an unfounded sense of foreboding.
“I’m going to die like this.”
My body may not die, but my sanity remains.
But I couldn’t help it. I don’t know what kind of synergy effect these actions of Lee Jae-heon will achieve and what results will result, but shouldn’t we solve the problem that is right in front of us?
Of course, if future Lee Jae-heon heard it, it would have been the sound of his stomach exploding. This is why people must have a clear and cool mind when planning for the future. Lee Jae-heon does not know this, but he has already lost his cool a long time ago. I lost my clear mind from around the age of 15 in my previous life.
In the end, all that was left was his depleted mental power and his judgment clouded by his tired body, so there was no way Jaeheon Lee could have made a plausible prediction based on common sense in this life. Even if a problem were to arise, there would be no way to cancel it if things had progressed this far.
I rolled my eyes as I passed by the flames that showed no signs of going out.
“…Then first….”
I had to find Chief Kang.
‘The last ones to run away were the doctor and the other two, so Assistant Manager Jeong will probably go that way too.’
No matter how much of a torch was given to him, the main character was a lesser chick. Although it seemed to have improved a bit after returning, its technical skills could not be said to be very good, so it was obvious who to go to first with the visibility it had secured.
There is a high probability that intern Noh Yeon-seok was sent to Director Kang. Since the main character was also unaware of the intern’s feelings for her, he probably thought that if he left the lighter with him and sent it to him, he would find it on his own. Even if you didn’t mean to, you probably thought of him unconsciously.
However, Jaeheon Lee’s thoughts were a little different.
“…You could die if you go.”
There aren’t many means to protect yourself.
‘Then I have to die too.’
That much was already expected.
Of course, Lee Jae-heon was not happy about dying at all. I don’t know if life ends like this, but in the end, it’ll only hurt so much and I’ll end up going back to the past. So, I tried to refrain from this type of reset whenever possible, but in situations like this, the story is different.
First of all, I don’t know the approximate point in time when the regression occurred, but based on the last regression, it was when everyone was still alive. I think it will proceed similarly this time as well.
‘If not, you can just try it one more time.’
Right now, Jaeheon Lee had no intention of letting anyone in his group die. If intern Noh Yeon-seok dies on the way, the main character will also return anyway, so I planned to die at the right time and with a usable setting. I was able to put in that level of sincerity.
‘Besides, if that happens… it’s as if the conversation I just had with the main character never happened.’
Due to the character of the main character and the circumstances, there was no way that Jung In-ho would come to visit the old manager one more time for the old manager who would not be able to get him in time anyway.
Of course, if we go back to the way it was before the monster came and intern Noh Yeon-seok went to throw away the fish intestines, things might change a little… ‘
Well.’
In this case, all I had to do was somehow lift the intestines, send the intern and the foreman away, and do the screaming myself. Then, the abandoned dog monster could have been brought back anyway and the current situation could have been recreated.
So, if there was a return in the end, the main character would go and save intern Noh Yeon-seok. Rather than coming to see the old manager who will eat well and live well on his own, they will tie together the group that ran away and join them. Then, it was actually good because Lee Jae-heon could take one step further away from the group.
If things proceed like that, Jung In-ho, who has experienced the current situation once, will take care of the internal affairs, and Lee Jae-heon will find someone from another group of survivors rather than looking for Director Kang like he is doing now.
‘Then you just have to find someone who suits your taste.’
There were quite a few other survivors, and I remembered most, if not all, of their characteristics. Some of the most impressive characters had their past history memorized. However, after listening to the eyewitness account, I was a little surprised that, contrary to the original story, it seemed like two groups had merged into one.
But that all happened if intern Noh Yeon-seok died, so now was the time to go see Director Kang.
Lighting the path with the torch he had made, Lee Jae-heon found the traces.
‘First of all… I’m glad it seems to have escaped as expected.’
He nodded inwardly, remembering the direction in which Director Kang ran away with the two students.
As Lee Jae-heon confirmed in the past, Director Kang’s efficiency increased to an incomprehensible level when he had something to take responsibility for. He probably felt it instinctively, so he ran away first, taking the two minors with him.
Her thoughts and mind were specialized for the situation and focused on survival. I expected that to be the case, but as expected, Director Kang chose the right path to survive. It had run away towards the middle of a small lake and the abandoned monster’s habitat.
‘And there’s nothing there.’
To be precise, if you follow that path, you will come across a flower field. A beautiful flower field inhabited by centipede monsters that devour people.
But to get there, you had to go to the end of the park. No matter how hectic Chief Kang was, he wouldn’t rashly travel a long distance without a lighter, so it was probably right to assume that he was loitering somewhere in the middle of the park. Actually, if I were to go by my intuition, it probably didn’t seem right, but Director Kang was a pretty good chick, so I decided to trust him.
Lee Jae-heon massaged his sore ankle for a moment, then got up and walked again.
‘Plus, the group of survivors on the other side must have been shaken by the monsters’ rampage…’
If you’re lucky, you might have already met some of them. I don’t know how dispersed it would have been since Detective Hong Gyeong-jun had a control tower-like aspect…
“….”
Now that I think about it, it’s a bit strange that the abandoned dog monster retreated so obediently.
“…Have you found other food…?”
However, if it is true that the group of survivors on the other side were united as one, as Lee Jae-heon expected, contrary to the original story, the detective would not have used anyone as prey due to his personality. But leaving so easily means that there is something else to eat…
“…I don’t know.”
I was too tired to think about such things one by one.
Suddenly I smelled blood and turned around to see that my hands were soaked. I couldn’t tell if my palm was torn or my ankle was bloody.
‘Did I apply too much force?’
The wound was probably opened during the battle just now.
In a corner of my mind, that vague smile unique to Dr. Ha Seong-yoon appeared, but I quickly erased it as if nothing had happened. Once this matter was properly resolved, there would be less annoying interference, so there was no need to worry too much.
Besides, fortunately, there was no one around him. Even if I concentrated hard, I couldn’t feel anything, so even the monster would have run away to somewhere else to avoid Lee Jae-heon. Fortunately, the main character who came to see me got sick of him, swore at him, and left, so there was no way anyone would be left behind.
But I was curious about how other people would react, so I slowly opened my mouth.
“…ouch.”
And so it ended.
I just hope that the plan goes well.
* * *
“Detective Detective…!”
He lowered his voice as much as possible and echoed throughout the small pavilion.
“Are you okay?!”
“It’s okay, there are people hurt.”
“Then it’s not okay…!”
“What is it that isn’t dead?”
Detective Hong Gyeong-jun helped a man into the wooden structure, and the man was led by police officer Kim Yeon-woo. The now familiar smell of blood flowed from the limp leg.
Looking at him like that, Detective Hong Gyeong-jun asked.
“Do-yoon Han, are you injured anywhere other than your leg?”
“Uh wow… Mr. Ha. “My arm hurts a bit.”
“Grandma, if it’s okay, please check my arm too.”
“Well… you treat the old man badly.”
The old man who had been quietly observing the situation got up from his seat and approached them, wiping or tying the wound with a crude cloth that seemed to have been torn from somewhere. The man’s expression gradually improved due to the slow but delicate touch.
Among those who watched in silence for a long time, a woman spoke.
“…Has that dog-like… thing gone?”
She was holding a child in her arms, but the child had already fallen asleep, exhausted from crying. Detective Hong Gyeong-jun responded to the woman looking up at them while holding the child tightly.
“Yes, I went. “It seemed like that wasn’t our goal from the beginning, and after we bumped into each other a few times, they left.”
“Anything like that… “It looks like he was hurt a lot.”
“Oh, it’s okay!”
A raised voice reached the woman.
“I got hurt while I was distracted, but the dogs were actually fine. “You didn’t attack me like that to kill me, did you?”
“Ah… I’m glad…?”
“Don’t worry, there are two police officers here and I too. “You might wonder how well a firefighter fights, but I’ve also killed a wild boar.”
The woman’s face, which had been frozen at the sound of a round and cheerful voice, gradually opened up, but even that did not look very bright. And everyone here already knew the reason.
The woman who hesitated spoke again.
“Well then… maybe?”
“…It is dangerous to move now.”
“I’ll leave this kid here. “But that girl must be wandering around here and crying right now.”
“Didn’t you say there was another person next to the child you mentioned?”
“How well can a stupid person who is confused about public holidays protect a child?! Moreover, they only say they are close friends, but they don’t show any facial expressions, so they are complete kidnappers….”
“….”
“…I didn’t mean to get angry.”
“It’s still dangerous.”
The firefighter nodded and said to the detective.
“I would be so shocked if the guardian of the child I am holding now disappears. Please stay with me.”
“…I’m sorry. I was in a hurry.”
“I understand. That’s because you care about your child. But if the guardian gets lost in there, the situation will get worse.”
“….”
“…Well, that’s true.”
The firefighter who opened the conversation also said nothing more.
In the meantime, the old man who was treating the wound with careful hands tied a knot and opened his mouth.
“…so.”
“….”
“They came all the way to here?”
Detective Hong Gyeong-jun, who was staring at the woman holding the child in her arms in response to a dry question, spoke.
“It looked like he was hungry.”
“I’m hungry?”
“He seemed quite excited as if he had smelled something. Do-yoon Han also said he saw it that way.”
“What kind of smell is that?”
“I’m not sure, but…”
he continued.
“First of all, it wasn’t us.”
