Chapter 17

# 17

User Manual for the Regressor 017

When five people gather, there's bound to be one who's a waste (2)

"Hey, don't the bastards seem to be missing today, sir?"

"Since Hyung-sung has been clearing this area, they might have moved to another direction."

"Does that mean there are survivors in other places?"

"I guess…."

Bak Deok-gu muttered, sounding curious.

While it's just a guess, it's not entirely baseless.

Given how quiet this place is, it's reasonable to think that a big commotion happened in another area and the bastards have gathered there.

Kim Hyung-sung seemed to have similar thoughts but also thought it would be impractical to take Park Hye-young and Jeong Hae-yan with them.

Without knowing the scale or location of the bastards, moving recklessly would be dangerous.

In the end, Kim Hyung-sung nodded slightly and said,

"Looks like we should camp here for the night."

"Yes, let's do that."

This was roughly what they expected. Finding a place, setting up, and resting was done quickly.

Of course, there are no tents, but a somewhat enclosed space provides a sense of security.

"First, Hye-young and Gi-young, then me and Hae-yan, and lastly, Deok-gu and I will stand guard."

"Will that be okay?"

"Yes, it's sufficient."

There's no reason to stop someone who's willing to suffer.

'First isn't bad.'

Unlike them, who have high stats like stamina, I need more than enough rest with my pathetic stats.

Considering Kim Hyung-sung's stamina and mana stats, staying up all night wouldn't be a big deal.

"You can go in now."

"Sir, take care."

"Y-Yes, take care."

I nod at the voices I hear.

After the others, including Jeong Hae-yan, slowly entered the inner chamber, I could see Park Hye-young slowly.

She seemed dazed.

While she tried to act like nothing was wrong, I thought she might have been deeply shocked.

The screams of the monsters, the fear of possibly dying, the reality of having to thrust a spear, and the sensation felt in her hands.

It's natural to be shaken.

She might have felt the same emotions she experienced at the starting point or been shocked by the sight of blood and the monsters' innards.

Since there's plenty of time before the next watch, it wouldn't hurt to offer some comfort.

"Don't think too much of it."

"Huh?"

"Since we've ended up here, it was something we had to experience. Just think of it as happening a bit earlier than others."

"Yes."

Compared to before, she seemed quite deflated.

"At first, I thought I could do it…."

"Everyone feels that way. You'll probably get used to it."

"How was it for Gi-young?"

"To be honest, I don't remember much. I just thought that if I didn't move, I'd die, so I hit the bastard with a rock. It was scary, but I thought it was necessary. My whole body was covered in the monsters' innards and brain fluid, and the smell was terrible."

There was no thought other than survival.

It was probably half a gamble.

I thought Bak Deok-gu wouldn't run away and that I needed to make the bastard move.

Adrenaline was surging through my body.

"Ah… I feel silly for thinking I wouldn't be affected."

"Well, you did say you could help us."

There was a bit of disappointment, as expected.

"That's not a lie. I thought I could do well since you called me…."

I knew that would happen.

Her personality wasn't bad, and her stats were decent. I thought that if I helped her, she would return the favor, so I pushed to include her. But it turned out she was just a hollow shell.

Seeing me and Bak Deok-gu, Kim Hyung-sung moving around outside might have made it seem easy.

I have no reason to invest in Park Hye-young.

I have a reliable guy like Bak Deok-gu, and I've formed a bond with the magician Jeong Hae-yan and the regressor Kim Hyung-sung.

Helping Park Hye-young was just a precaution.

But if she keeps getting scared like this, it won't help either of us.

"I was a bit happy when you grabbed me from behind."

I remember her trembling like a fool.

I even cursed out of shock.

But I could only nod.

"I said some harsh things in the heat of the moment… please don't take it to heart."

"Yes, of course."

"And this is the first and last time I'll help you. Next time, you'll have to do it on your own."

"Yes…."

Park Hye-young's gaze, fixed on me, came into view.

I couldn't tell if she was challenging me to a staring contest.

The silence stretched on. After a while, I tried to speak again when a voice came from behind.

"O-Onii-chan…."

"Gi-young, Hye-young, it's time to switch."

Kim Hyung-sung and Jeong Hae-yan had come out. I hadn't realized so much time had passed.

"You're up early. You could have slept a bit more."

"No, I just woke up… I'll wake you up in the morning."

"Thank you, Hyung-sung."

I approached Jeong Hae-yan, who was standing a bit away from Kim Hyung-sung, and gently patted her head. She bowed her head and blushed.

That's the usual Jeong Hae-yan.

Seeing her gaze at Park Hye-young, I wondered if my previous observation was just a misunderstanding.

"Thanks for the hard work, Hae-yan."

"Y-Yes… Yes, Onii-chan!"

Her voice was a bit loud. She seemed surprised and covered her mouth, which looked a bit cute.

After nodding, I moved to the inner chamber. I could see Bak Deok-gu snoring loudly.

'Sleeping so soundly.'

Being able to sleep so well in this environment could be considered a blessing.

Park Hye-young lay down on the prepared spot, and I found a place a bit away from Bak Deok-gu.

My thoughts started to wander.

What changes will the group undergo after this hunt? What is Kim Hyung-sung thinking?

Is there really a way to escape this place?

How will the strategy unfold?

With Jeong Hae-yan and Kim Hyung-sung already having their roles, and the events after the tutorial, how should I maintain my relationship with Lee Ji-hye?

I wondered if I wouldn't be able to sleep, but my worries were unfounded.

I had walked a lot and was mentally stressed, so I quickly fell asleep.

'What time is it?'

I woke up a few times due to the uncomfortable sleeping position.

I heard Bak Deok-gu slowly getting up, probably to take the watch with Kim Hyung-sung.

I also heard Park Hye-young shifting and Jeong Hae-yan moving back inside.

"Good night, miss."

"Deok, Deok-gu, take care."

They seemed to exchange a few more words, but I fell asleep again.

As their voices faded, my consciousness blurred.

I woke up again when I felt something strange on my lips.

And I felt something holding my hand. I tried to sit up but my body wouldn't move. More than that, I felt someone staring at me intently.

I heard Jeong Hae-yan's voice.

It was very soft, almost a whisper.

"Don't…"

I couldn't make out what she was saying, still half-asleep.

Of course, I could tell who was looking at me.

My mind cleared.

The drowsiness vanished instantly.

I opened my left eye slightly and saw a black shadow quietly looking down at me.

I wasn't stupid enough to sit up in this situation.

I knew Jeong Hae-yan wasn't talking to me.

'What's going on?'

Even with my eyes closed, I could still hear sounds.

The soft rustling of movement, the sound of fabric brushing, and even a soft touch on my lips.

"Ha… Ha…"

'What is this?'

I've never been this flustered.

I don't know if she has some unusual preferences or if it's a side effect of me pushing her, but one thing is clear: she has a crush on me.

"Ha…"

And it's a bit excessive.

I should be happy.

After all, building a relationship with Jeong Hae-yan was one of my top priorities, so this isn't a bad outcome.

But the ideal position I had in mind was more like an older brother and younger sister.

I never wanted this.

After a while, Jeong Hae-yan moved away.

I could hear her fidgeting, unable to sleep.

I opened my eyes slightly out of curiosity and saw her quietly looking down at Park Hye-young.

"…"

She watched Park Hye-young sleep for a long time.

She stood still, staring intently.

'Maybe she's sleepwalking?'

I don't know where things went wrong, but something is definitely off.

She's been hiding her job since she got it, and her expression when she looked at Park Hye-young during the expedition was troubling.

Just now.

And now, her strange behavior suggests there's a reason.

Jeong Hae-yan suddenly turned her head towards me.

Our eyes met for a moment.

It was a familiar sensation.

A chill ran down my spine.

'Gee…'

I closed my eyes reflexively but couldn't tell if I was caught.

More importantly, why am I scared?

'Maybe it's the mana? Or some kind of killing intent from a manga?'

I don't know why, but Jeong Hae-yan's behavior, which I've seen before, feels like it's trapping me.

From her silence, it seems she doesn't realize I'm awake, but the sudden, eerie quiet is unsettling.

'Damn…'

I can't understand what's happening.

There are no rustling sounds, no breathing, no fabric brushing.

I can hear Park Hye-young's intermittent breathing, but it's not coming from Jeong Hae-yan.

I tried to sleep but couldn't.

I could feel someone quietly lying down nearby.

"…"

"…"

It's probably Jeong Hae-yan.

Time seemed to slow down.

I couldn't tell how much time had passed when a voice came from outside.

"It's time to wake up."