Chapter 12

00012 Split. =========================================================================

No one said a word. Park Donggeol's words had stabbed deep into everyone's hearts. After his lips dried, he moistened them with his tongue and continued speaking.

"I think trust isn't necessary when one prioritizes their own life. I want a team that can help each other and not hold each other back. I only want to go with people who are prepared for that."

"That's... too much."

Eo Borim's voice wavered, but she didn't seem ready to back down. However, Ahn Hyun and the talkative girl, who had been restraining Park Donggeol, remained silent. Despair appeared on her face, but she soon spoke with a desperate look.

"Go ahead and call me selfish. It's either all or nothing anyway. I'll make it clear: if it doesn't work out, I'll leave on my own. I've already made myself quite unpopular... Honestly, I'm not the only one tired of your half-hearted attitudes, right? The young man with the crossbow left because he was frustrated. You should think about it too."

"Are you kidding? How can you know if someone is useless or not helpful without trying?"

The talkative girl immediately countered, but her voice lacked strength. Park Donggeol, with a sly smile, said:

"How can you know without trying... Are you the one joking?"

"What did you say?"

"Does it still feel like this isn't real? Do you have extra lives or something? This isn't a computer game where you can save and reload. Get a grip! If we all rush out and someone makes a mistake, then..."

Park Donggeol paused, then raised his thumb and drew it across his neck to finish his sentence.

"Everyone will die."

The last words had a significant impact, and everyone's faces showed considerable unease. Eo Borim looked down at the ground in a daze, and the talkative girl bit her lip. Only the cold-faced woman maintained her calm demeanor.

"And don't misunderstand. I know you don't like me, and I admit it's partly my fault, so I'll apologize again. But don't try to stir things up with pointless words. I haven't said I'm giving up on you yet."

Seeing their reactions, Park Donggeol smirked and pounded his chest, shouting:

"Since we're talking about it, let's decide now. If anyone agrees with me, come to my side. I welcome anyone who is prepared."

Tension filled the hill as everyone hesitated, looking at each other. Though they didn't want to admit it, his words had effectively shaken their resolve. He had subtly embedded his message in their survival instincts.

The impact spread rapidly. Ahn Hyun and Ahn Sol were also considering, and even the talkative girl, who had been opposing Park Donggeol, showed hesitation. In contrast, the thug tapped his clean metal rod and maintained a relaxed attitude.

I didn't care if Ahn Hyun and Ahn Sol didn't join, but to be prepared, I activated my Third Eye to examine the talkative girl and the one female I hadn't seen yet. I needed to check their stats. The talkative girl was my first target, and I had high hopes for her.

< Player Status >

1. Name: Lee Yoojeong (0 years)

2. Gender: Female (22)

3. Height · Weight: 166.3cm · 51.7kg

4. Alignment: Good · Neutral

[Strength 32] [Endurance 38] [Agility 50] [Health 30] [Magic 48] [Luck 46]

(0 remaining stat points)

'Hmm.'

I wondered what gave her the confidence to challenge Park Donggeol, but she definitely had her reasons. While Ahn Hyun and Ahn Sol were exceptional, her stats were far from weak. Her high Agility and Magic stats opened up both melee and magic paths, which was a significant blessing. I decided to keep an eye on Lee Yoojeong and then shifted my Third Eye to the next target. This woman also piqued my curiosity.

< Player Status >

1. Name: Kim Hanbyeol (0 years)

2. Gender: Female (21)

3. Height · Weight: 170.2cm · 48.5kg

4. Alignment: Lawful · Chaos

[Strength 28] [Endurance 32] [Agility 46] [Health 24] [Magic 68] [Luck 40]

(0 remaining stat points)

< Unique Ability (1/1) >

1. Charisma (Rank: F Plus)

"Ah."

Seeing her unique ability, I involuntarily gasped.

'No way. Charisma?'

I was struck with a similar shock when I checked Ahn Sol's information. I finally understood why I thought of 'her' when I first saw Kim Hanbyeol. 'She' also had a talent for Charisma.

I wished I hadn't looked, but I shook my head. My mind suddenly felt complicated. Reflecting on my initial plan, both Lee Yoojeong and Kim Hanbyeol were indispensable talents.

Lost in thought, I habitually gathered and released a handful of dirt. I also had doubts. Ahn Hyun and Ahn Sol, Lee Yoojeong and Kim Hanbyeol—these four had stats that surpassed the average initial stats in the Full Plane. Even if they were scattered, at this level, more than half should survive.

'Is there something I'm missing?'

No matter how much I thought, I couldn't reach a conclusion. I could make a few guesses, but I couldn't be certain. I decided to put my thoughts aside and reactivated my Third Eye to observe the situation. Since I planned to bring all four on board, I would have many opportunities to observe them later.

*

The first to move was Lee Shinwoo. Despite his Lawful, Good alignment, he had a flaw: he often lacked a backbone and was easily swayed. His Luck stat was valuable, but otherwise, his stats were unremarkable. I silently wished him well.

"Please, I really want to join the team!"

"Hmm..."

Park Donggeol looked at Lee Shinwoo as if evaluating him and asked in a low voice:

"You have to protect yourself. If you become a burden, I won't hesitate to leave you behind."

"I understand! I'll do my best!"

"...Alright! If you fulfill your role, I'll do my best to help you. Let's survive this hell together. And... I'm sorry for earlier. I was being too sensitive. I sincerely apologize."

As soon as Park Donggeol gave his approval, Lee Shinwoo's face lit up, and he ran to his side. The sight of them hugging tightly wasn't particularly pleasant. After recruiting Lee Shinwoo, Park Donggeol turned to Ahn Hyun.

"You there. Think about it. We'd always welcome you."

The thug emphasized 'we' and asked in a subtle tone. Ahn Hyun looked thoughtful. He stood at a crossroads, and the choice was entirely his. Most people, including Ahn Sol, watched him with bated breath. After a moment, Ahn Hyun spoke slowly.

"My answer is the same. I can't abandon my sister."

His tone was calm and even. Instantly, Ahn Sol's face brightened, and the female bank teller's face showed relief. Then Ahn Hyun continued:

"However... If you include Sol in your team, I'll consider it positively."

'Oh dear.'

This shifted the situation back in Park Donggeol's favor, giving him the choice. This was exactly what Park Donggeol wanted. He thought for a moment and then answered reluctantly:

"That's a bit difficult. Honestly, while you might be fine, protecting Sol would be hard, and we don't want to."

"I can handle that. I'll do the work of two people."

"No, it's not that simple. Unforeseen situations can arise... If she holds us back like in the open field incident, it would be problematic."

"Then I have no choice..."

"Let's put it on hold. If you had suggested it first, it might be different, but we'll discuss it again once the team is finalized."

Park Donggeol deliberately cut Ahn Hyun off and left room for negotiation. This was a calculated move. In reality, only Ahn Hyun and I had shown proactive action against the Deadman, but I wasn't present, so the weight would naturally shift towards Ahn Hyun. Park Donggeol, however, had no intention of accepting Ahn Hyun but used this to sway others.

"You... do as you please. Arguing won't help me."

Park Donggeol glanced at Lee Yoojeong and deftly changed the subject. Lee Yoojeong frowned but didn't say anything. Park Donggeol turned to Eo Borim and Kim Hanbyeol, who were still standing still.

"So... I'd like to hear your thoughts."

"..."

"Let me clarify. If I really wanted to abandon you, I wouldn't have accepted this friend. He clearly told me he wouldn't be a burden, that he would protect himself and be helpful. I didn't take this role because I wanted to. I'm prepared to leave on my own if necessary. If you want to survive, you have to do the same. So, if you want to join this team, make the same promise. In front of everyone."

"How can I...?"

Eo Borim was the first to respond. Park Donggeol glanced at Kim Hanbyeol and continued:

"Promise that you will help the team in some way, not just rely on blind protection. If you're not helpful, I'll kick you out without hesitation. Conversely, if you are helpful, we'll do our best to help you. If you can commit to this, join the team."

The promise to help the team in any way sounded strange and dangerous. Eo Borim seemed to realize this and hesitated, while Kim Hanbyeol's face showed disdain. Park Donggeol, licking his lips, turned to Kim Hanbyeol.

"The same goes for you."

"...Just a moment."

Kim Hanbyeol maintained her cold expression but closed her eyes, seemingly deep in thought. I was a bit worried, but if my assessment was correct, she would likely reserve her decision. Park Donggeol, allowing this, took a step back and put his arm around Lee Shinwoo.

Thinking that someone would easily reject joining the team is something that only happens in novels and manga. In reality, humans are emotionally fragile creatures. When it comes to their 'lives,' they often discard their pride.

How much time passed?

Finally, the bank teller, Eo Borim, stood up. She nodded weakly and took a step towards Park Donggeol. Despite her internal conflict, she eventually bowed her head and joined Park Donggeol and Lee Shinwoo.

At that moment, Park Donggeol smiled triumphantly.

============================ Author's Note ============================

1. Typos and context corrections.