Chapter 14

00014 Split into two. =========================================================================

"Let's worry about ourselves first before worrying about those who left. We should probably get down the hill and out of this forest, don't you think?"

He wasn't addressing everyone but specifically Ahn Hyun. As my gaze turned to Ahn Hyun, Yoo Jeong and Kim Hanbyeol's eyes naturally followed. It seemed Ahn Hyun wasn't the type to feel uncomfortable with the attention, perhaps due to his experience as a gang leader. He readily agreed and stood up, bowing his head toward the hill.

"Going down is good, but I'm concerned about which direction we should take. We don't even know where we are…."

Ahn Hyun, lifting his head, alternated his gaze between the open space still teeming with Deadmen and the path that Park Donggeol and his group had taken. The path Park Donggeol chose headed in the opposite direction of the open space. While he seemed to have thought it through, I didn't think it was a good choice.

"Perhaps this way is better."

At that moment, Kim Hanbyeol, who had been quiet until then, pointed in one direction. Following her finger, it pointed about 90 degrees from the open space. Yoo Jeong, gauging the distance from the open space, asked with a slightly anxious look.

"Wouldn't it be better to go in the exact opposite direction of the open space? This area doesn't seem much farther from the open space."

Another person thinking like Park Donggeol.

Ahn Hyun pondered for a moment, then exclaimed, "Ah." Despite his appearance, which suggested he wasn't much of a student, he seemed to have a quick mind. Looking at Yoo Jeong, who was still tilting her head, Kim Hanbyeol began to explain calmly.

"It's simple. Most of those things are currently gathered in the open space. Assuming they are evenly distributed in the forest, the more they gather in one place, the more empty other areas will be. So, the most likely area to be empty is right around here."

"The opposite direction of the open space might have those things that didn't hear the commotion and are still there. It could be even more dangerous."

Ahn Hyun added, and Kim Hanbyeol nodded slightly, agreeing with him. While not exactly the same as my escape route, it was very similar. Feeling that things were finally moving in the right direction, I smiled inwardly.

"Come to think of it, that guy might have taken the most dangerous path, right?"

"Right. Anyway, let's go down and get out of the forest. Sol, get up."

"Huh? Okay!"

Ansol, who had been sucking her thumb while watching our conversation, hurriedly stood up at Ahn Hyun's words. Seeing Ahn Hyun and me take the lead in making decisions, everyone seemed to have no major complaints. In fact, the atmosphere and expressions were much more relaxed than when Park Donggeol was around. Yoo Jeong, in particular, looked amused by Park Donggeol's misfortune, even smiling.

With that, the remaining people, including me and the group, quickly descended the hill.

*

After deciding on the escape route, we had been descending the hill for about two hours. The forest was much darker than it appeared from the hill, with tall trees stretching so high that they almost blocked the sky. For two hours, we walked through the dark forest without stopping. With each step, the sound of my feet brushing against the soil and grass, along with my steady breathing, maintained a consistent rhythm as I led the way with Ahn Hyun.

The forest was eerily quiet and surprisingly vast. However, based on my memory and our current pace, I believed we could exit the forest before nightfall. It occurred to me that the angels might have deliberately dropped us in the more challenging central part of the forest, given the group's decent abilities.

It was best to get out of the forest before nightfall. The Preparation Room only provided clothing and weapons, not food or water. Such necessities were available in other locations, such as the Rest Room, where we could take a half-day break, or the Save Point, where we could sleep and stay for a day. Alternatively, we could loot other users or search the shops in the village.

"...Brother."

"Hmm?"

Currently, Ahn Hyun and I were leading, followed closely by Ansol and Kim Hanbyeol, with Yoo Jeong bringing up the rear. We were moving as cautiously as possible. Suddenly, Ansol tugged at Ahn Hyun's collar and mumbled with a flushed face.

"I want to rest…."

"..."

Ansol's shy words made everyone feel a bit awkward.

'Is she an idiot?'

She seemed a bit slow, but to this extent? I wondered how she managed in the modern world.

Ahn Hyun paused for a moment, then asked, looking around at us.

"Can we stop for a bit? My sister needs to go to the bathroom."

Fortunately, Yoo Jeong and Kim Hanbyeol readily agreed. It seemed women understood each other. Ansol, who was scared to go alone, tried to throw a tantrum to get her brother to go with her, but Ahn Hyun firmly sent her off alone.

Seeing Ansol, who had been scolded by her brother and was now trudging along dejectedly, Yoo Jeong chuckled. She had already plopped down on the ground.

"Will she be okay? Those things might come after her."

"I'm keeping an eye out, so she'll be fine. She's nineteen; if she can't go to the bathroom alone, that's a problem. But how old are you to speak so informally?"

"Me? I'm twenty-two. You're speaking informally too, so it's not surprising. But aren't you younger than me? You look like you're just twenty or twenty-one."

"I'm also twenty-two."

"Really? We're the same age. Since we're here, why don't we introduce ourselves?"

With a much more cheerful voice, Yoo Jeong looked around at everyone. Kim Hanbyeol, who seemed to have mentally relaxed, cautiously sat down as well. Ahn Hyun and I nodded and sat on the cold ground.

"Since we'll start moving again as soon as my sister returns, let's keep it simple. My name is Ahn Hyun. I'm twenty-two."

"What did you do before coming here?"

At Yoo Jeong's question, Ahn Hyun scratched his face slightly, looking a bit uncomfortable, but soon answered.

"I just did some odd jobs and hung out as a neighborhood thug. What about you?"

"Me? My name is Yoo Jeong. I'm also twenty-two. I was on a break from university and preparing for the police civil service exam."

Police civil service exam. So, she wants to be a policewoman? I could imagine her in a police uniform, and it seemed to fit her well. Soon, the two of them were chatting about being a police officer and a thug, then turned their heads to me and Kim Hanbyeol. Unable to resist their curious gazes, Kim Hanbyeol spoke first.

"Kim Hanbyeol. I'm twenty-one and a college student."

"Your sister? Which university did you attend?"

"Yonsei University."

"Wow! You must be really smart. I'm envious."

After a moment of admiration, they turned their attention to me, and Kim Hanbyeol looked at me with anticipation. Feeling the burden of their gaze, I tried to remain calm and responded to their expectations.

"My name is Kim Suhyun. I'm twenty-three and was a soldier."

"Brother found! Let's speak informally, Brother. Were you in the Army, Air Force, or Navy?"

"Then you're my senior. Let's speak informally. What was your rank, Senior?"

At first, I thought Yoo Jeong was just assertive, but she seemed naturally cheerful. Meanwhile, Ahn Hyun, curious about the military talk, asked me.

"I was a Sergeant in the Army."

"That's a shame. You were so close to being discharged."

Yoo Jeong laughed, and I smiled wryly, adding,

"I was discharged. I was on my way back after reporting my discharge when I ended up here."

"..."

"..."

"..."

What's this? Why are you all looking at me with pity? This sympathetic atmosphere?

"Why are you all looking at me like that? I'm fine. I don't feel anything. So, stop looking at me like that."

Despite saying I was fine, an awkward silence settled over us again. Ahn Hyun cleared his throat and looked away, while Yoo Jeong openly looked at me with pity. Even Kim Hanbyeol was looking at me sympathetically. I really am fine.

To break the awkward atmosphere, Yoo Jeong deliberately changed the topic with a cheerful voice.

"I still can't believe I'm here. Normally, I'd be studying in the library, close my book, and run outside to call my friends. We'd sit in the lounge, chat, go out for some delicious food, and on the way home, I'd think about studying hard from tomorrow."

Everyone's expressions turned dreamy at her words. Ahn Hyun also chuckled and joined in.

"Probably, I'd be on my way to my part-time job at a PC room, arguing with a customer who wanted to run a tab. I'd catch someone trying to skip out without paying, get scolded by the boss for not cleaning properly, and then eat a chicken given by the boss's wife while on duty. When it's time to leave, I'd pick up Sol. Hehe. Senior, what would you do when you got home?"

"Me?"

Caught off guard by Ahn Hyun's sudden question, I tilted my head. Hmm. It's been over ten years, so I can't remember clearly. After a moment of thought, I decided to keep it simple.

"I don't know. Probably, I'd breathe in the fresh air of society, feeling like I'm finally free. Then, I'd bow deeply to my mother, call my father, eat a delicious meal cooked by my mother, and soak in a hot bath... Why are you all looking at me like that? Don't look at me like I'm a pitiful animal. I'm really fine."

*

The commotion ended when Ansol finished her business and returned. She bowed politely and said, "I'm back," which made her seem cute. However, her words were a signal that we had to face reality again. We had probably wanted to escape this hellish place, even if just for a moment, by introducing ourselves and chatting. Ahn Hyun sighed deeply and got up slowly.

After a brief, sweet rest, we resumed our journey through the dark forest. Even though Ahn Hyun and I were leading, I was subtly guiding the way. By sensing the surroundings and deliberately avoiding areas with more Deadmen, we hadn't encountered any yet.

However, we couldn't avoid them forever. The closer we got to the edge of the forest, the more evenly distributed the Deadmen would be. All I could do was guide us in the direction with the fewest Deadmen.

The one I was most worried about was Ansol. Even though we were heading in the direction with the fewest Deadmen, we might still encounter dozens of them. I was unsure if Sol could remain calm in such a situation. Suddenly, Ahn Hyun shouted and stopped abruptly.

"What's wrong?"

"Shh."

Ahn Hyun, Yoo Jeong, and I turned our heads in the direction he was pointing. We saw three Deadmen patrolling the area. They were sniffing and smacking their lips, clearly detecting our scent. Instinctively, I looked at Ansol, who was covering her mouth with both hands and tightly closing her eyes. We had passed one hurdle.

"Besides sight and hearing, they can also detect us by smell?"

"It seems so. Let's crouch down."

Ahn Hyun quickly hid behind a large tree, pulling Sol into his arms. Yoo Jeong, Kim Hanbyeol, and I also quickly hid and waited for them to pass. I saw Ahn Hyun ready his shield but shook my head. It was better to train to kill Deadmen later when we were outside. I couldn't remember the exact reason, but I recalled that users were consistently advised not to enter the forest during the initiation ritual.

If we continued to avoid them, we could exit the forest in about half the distance we had already traveled. If we killed these Deadmen now, we risked being surrounded again. If the Deadmen gathered in response to a signal, it would be a hopeless situation.

Even if we managed to kill them, we would need to do so instantly without giving them a chance to signal. With just rocks or a shield, it would be difficult to kill three at once. My sword, which was slightly rattling at my waist, made me wish I had given it to Ahn Hyun earlier. Meanwhile, the Deadmen were inching closer to our tree, sniffing the air.

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

1. Typos and context corrections.