Chapter 73

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Lee Jaehun’s goal had always been wealth and fame.

It was the same when he first felt how messed up life was, and it had been the same before that, and long before that. It seemed that his rotten nature was something he was born with.

With such a personality, how did he react when he recalled his past life? He felt bitter resentment toward the world, wishing everything but himself would just disappear. He thought he had lived a fairly full life and died well, but to end up in an R-rated, dystopian survival novel?

But what could he do? Lacking the power to bend the world to his will, Lee Jaehun had no choice but to grind his own body to achieve his goals, just like everyone else who lacked such power.

The only problem was that he had achieved an unexpectedly excessive result, and now that he had a reason, he was trying to overturn it.

“……”

The residents of this world were particularly vulnerable to the concept of death.

Lee Jaehun probably would never be able to empathize with them, even if he lived his whole life.

* * *

Surprisingly, the timid Kwon Yeonhee was frightened by even the smallest noises, while the usually more anxious Kang Mina remained calm. It was always an odd combination.

Despite Kwon Yeonhee’s worries, nothing happened during the night while setting up the traps. The forest, full of insect and animal sounds, did not produce any monsters to scare them. For a deserted park, it was a surprisingly safe outcome.

Additionally, Lee Jaehun finally understood the unease he felt around Kang Mina.

‘…But…’

If it was just that, it didn’t matter.

‘She’s not someone who will interfere with the plan.’

Unless Kang Mina, like the protagonist, had the ability to return to the past and had already experienced it, she was just a rookie and not a significant threat to Lee Jaehun.

In fact, with her naturally good nature, Kang Mina might even be helpful. She wasn’t as saintly as Constable Kim Yeonwoo from the novel, but she would strive to be that good if necessary. Having such a person in the group would somewhat ensure their mental stability.

Considering the tough situations ahead, having some insurance to prevent the group’s collapse was essential. He simply wanted to distance himself from the group.

Seeing Kwon Yeonhee with a bright smile, Lee Jaehun raised an eyebrow.

“What is it?”

“Director, DIrector!”

“What is it?”

“Fish! We caught fish! We caught three! I was worried there wouldn’t be any since I couldn’t see any from outside, but we got some!”

“Well, that’s a relief….”

“As expected, Director! Our pioneer! Our savior!”

“Okay, that’s enough.”

If he couldn’t share their genuine joy, it would just feel awkward.

He looked at the wildly excited Kwon Yeonhee, who was clenching her fists, with a curious gaze. She seemed like a small hamster running around. For the sake of her dignity, he kept his mouth shut. He felt too guilty to tease her any further.

Lee Jaehun rolled his eyes, thinking.

‘If I tease her more, it’ll just create unnecessary conflict.’

A joke is only light-hearted if the other person takes it as a joke. He didn’t want to waste the trust he had built up by yielding to such a temptation, considering how much his body had already been through.

In fact, this judgment of Lee Jaehun was quite contradictory. In the early stages, he had made several attempts to create conflict to establish appropriate distance. If his mind were the same as when he first entered the hidden world, he might have noticed something was off, but unfortunately, he was oblivious in his current state.

He followed Kwon Yeonhee’s lead.

“These are fish I’ve never seen before. Do you think they’re edible? They’re not poisonous, right?”

“Let me take a look first. Ask me after I’ve had a chance to see them, will you?”

As Lee Jaehun approached, President Yoon Garam, who had been examining the fish, looked up.

“Ah, Director.”

“They said we caught something.”

“Yes, from the outside, it really looked like there was nothing…”

Yoon Garam gave an awkward smile as he looked at the three fish on the ground, and Lee Jaehun also glanced at the fallen fish. His indifferent gaze met the wriggling aquatic creatures.

Plump bodies and thick, gasping mouths. Shiny scales with vibrant colors and round eyes. The fish, overall white with a subtle sheen, looked like they belonged in a pond at a famous mansion.

The problem was…

“…Well.”

They didn’t look like they belonged in reality.

The fish, which resembled fruit from the small lake and nearby areas, looked like koi but were even more colorful and shiny. While they had high aesthetic value, they didn’t seem fit for consumption.

Lee Jaehun ran a hand over his mouth and said, “They look too beautiful to eat.”

“…That’s not the problem,” Yoon Garam replied.

“They don’t look edible,” added Doctor Ha Sungyoon.

The two seemed to have had some conversation while setting up the traps, considering their previously awkward relationship. It looked like Doctor Ha Sungyoon had taken the initiative.

Pretending not to notice, Lee Jaehun spoke, “Let’s grill them first.”

“…What?”

“Remember the crystal-like thing we found last time? It didn’t look edible either. If you’re worried, it’ll be more reassuring to grill it over the fire first.”

“Wait a minute,” Doctor Ha Sungyoon said, his smile freezing.

“Last time, Director Lee Jaehun tried it first to ensure it was safe. Who’s going to eat this unknown creature this time?”

“Well, I can just try it…”

“…Let’s not,” he agreed, conceding.

So picky.

Inwardly clicking his tongue, Lee Jaehun ran his hand over his mouth again.

“But we can’t just avoid eating it altogether, can we?”

“……”

“Looking around, most of the food here looks like this. Surely you don’t intend to survive on just that mushy stuff.”

“You’re right… But then, how about we experiment with it first?”

“What kind of experiment? If it’s a biological test, then I…”

“There are other living creatures here besides you, sir!”

Either extremely frustrated or mentally exhausted from the otherworld’s influence, Doctor Ha Sungyoon ended up shouting. Jung Inho, who had been quietly observing, blinked and spoke up.

“You mean bugs, right?”

“…Bugs?”

“We caught some yesterday too. I don’t know if we can find more of those larvae, but I’m sure we can find other bugs if we look.”

“Do we really need to go through all that trouble? Typically, clinical trials use animals most similar to humans, like chimpanzees or at least mice. Compared to untrustworthy bugs, I can be much more reliable, can’t I?”

“Hearing you say that makes me think I definitely need to find some.”

About ten minutes after declaring and leaving, Jung Inho returned with five bugs in his palm. Trying to hide his heavy breathing, he appeared exhausted, which left Lee Jaehun somewhat dumbfounded.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

‘Do they really think I’m a chick that will die the moment they take their eyes off me?’

Eventually, after confirming that all five bugs survived eating the fish, they decided to put the fish on the fire. Although he understood, it was frustratingly tedious for Lee Jaehun.

He placed a can under the grilling fish to collect the dripping oil, then sat back down.

“…Sometimes…”

His gaze settled on the protagonist, who was smiling broadly.

“Deputy Jung thinks I’m a complete idiot.”

“Oh no, that’s not true.”

“Such a big mouth.”

Though he had almost forgotten it, hearing that snarky comment reminded him of the deep irritation he felt at work. It wasn’t enough to want to kill someone, but it was the kind of annoyance that made him want to smack the back of their head.

While Lee Jaehun tried to take a calming breath, Kang Mina, who hadn’t shown much curiosity in a while, asked him a question.

“Uh, that… why did you put a can under the fish?”

“What do you mean?”

“Under the fish…”

Kang Mina’s voice trailed off under Lee Jaehun’s stern tone, causing him to furrow his brows before relaxing them again. He decided there was no need to dampen her spirit here.

He ran a hand over his mouth before replying, “To collect the oil.”

“Oh…”

Kang Mina nodded in understanding, but a surprising voice interjected.

“Does fish even produce oil? I mean, it doesn’t seem like it would produce enough to collect…”

“……”

“…Sorry…”

Park Dayoung, the source of the voice, shrank under the adults’ gazes.

Despite their appearance, they weren’t the type to get easily intimidated, but on the surface, they seemed to be. Lee Jaehun continued speaking calmly.

“Yes, it does. While it’s not exactly the same, fish have fats similar to those found in cows or pigs.”

“Oh, I see.”

“When you eat sashimi, you comment on how fatty it is. It’s the same here. I don’t know how much fat this fish has, but if there’s any, we can collect and use it, maybe for making torches.”

If the fish were placed too close to the fire, the oil wouldn’t come out, but they were being grilled away from the direct flames, allowing for slower cooking at a lower temperature and more oil to drip out.

As he explained, he thought quietly to himself.

‘These siblings have lived quite a sheltered life.’

Of course, he meant this in a physical sense, not a mental one.

He didn’t know what conflicts and sorrows they had faced due to their strange preferential treatment, but in the story, they had always had enough to eat. They weren’t entirely born with a silver spoon, but they were well-off enough to imitate it.

They had traveled extensively and were given anything they wanted. Their meals were prepared by hired help. To them, this might be a new experience compared to the meticulously prepared fish they were used to.

‘They’ve probably never cleaned or cooked a fish themselves.’

It wasn’t a criticism of their privileged upbringing.

‘In fact, it’s quite admirable.’

Despite their sheltered life and mental abuse, they were quick-witted and had never complained. They understood their place, and for most people, understanding that alone was half the battle.

Feeling somewhat satisfied, he watched the fish as they browned and spoke.

“To properly eat this, we should scale it, remove the head and guts, and wash it thoroughly…”

“Can’t we just eat it as it is…?”

“There are parts that can be poisonous if eaten. But just to be sure, I’ve removed the guts. As long as you roughly scrape off the scales, it should be edible since it’s already been burned in the fire.”

Even without a knife, it was manageable to remove the guts with a clean stick.

‘If you stick it in and twist it around, the guts come out automatically.’

For Lee Jaehun, who had memories of living in various harsh environments in his past lives, it wasn’t a difficult task.

Watching him, Noh Yeonseok, the intern, was impressed.

“Wow… You’re amazing, Director.”

“What’s so amazing?”

“I think it’d be really fun to go to the valley with you, Director.”

“That’s quite a carefree thing to say.”

Carefree words from these young ones usually meant their mental state was improving.

‘It also means their awareness and vigilance are lower, but oh well.’

Considering what was going to happen next, this level of relaxation was actually good. It wasn’t like their tension would make a significant difference anyway, so there was no reason to be displeased.

With that thought, Lee Jaehun looked at Kang Mina and Noh Yeonseok in front of him.

“It’s going to take some time to cook thoroughly. Should I go and dispose of the guts?”

“Oh, right, it’s not that cold. The fishy smell will be strong.”

As Yoon Garam nodded, both Kang Mina and Noh Yeonseok looked at the scattered guts. Their pupils shook slightly, and their brows furrowed in natural disgust.

It wasn’t extreme revulsion, but enough to be intolerable in a worse situation. If the situation became a bit more urgent, they might abandon it.

That level of discomfort was just right.

“I’ll go and dispose of it then.”

“…What? No, please sit down.”

As expected, Ha Sungyoon stiffened with a smile and spoke, and Lee Jaehun made a reluctant expression. He added a hint of weariness from the repeated scenario.

“Can’t I at least take a walk?”

“Though not explicitly stated, you’ve coughed up blood before. I feel like carving a wooden bed to tie you down to, so please just sit, Director.”

“…Why do you always say things like that…”

At this point, he pretended to give up and sat back down.

Watching him, Noh Yeonseok shifted restlessly. He seemed anxious because he hadn’t done much so far and wanted to step up, but was hesitant to speak out.

Lee Jaehun looked at the intern.

“Then our intern should go and take care of it.”

“Huh? Oh, yes!”

“…Why are you so excited?”

Lee Jaehun furrowed his brows as if he didn’t understand, then relaxed. No one would think he was forcing Noh Yeonseok if he did just this much.

“If possible, throw it far away. It will smell if left nearby.”

“Understood.”

“And… isn’t it a bit much to go alone?”

Sure enough, Kang Mina perked up and spoke.

“If it’s okay, I’ll go with him.”

“Aren’t you tired? You went to set up the trap yesterday…”

“No, no. I can handle this, Director.”

“…Really?”

Lee Jaehun covered his mouth with his hand and spoke.

“Then, I appreciate it.”

…Chicks.

A thin smile formed under his palm.

* * *

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