Chapter 83

So, the scenario Lee Jaehun devised went something like this:

‘I’m quitting being an ally.’

And it was all because of the algae monster.

That night, Lee Jaehun, affected by some power of the algae monster, wandered in a trance, losing his senses and becoming disoriented. His goal was to diminish the affection the group had built for him and to test their vigilance.

‘Honestly, this might sound like nonsense… but it’s a fairly common storyline.’

The trope of a helper turning into an enemy was one he knew well.

Thanks to his ex-wife’s side job as a novelist, he was well-versed in clichés. Among them, the ‘ally turned enemy’ was a storyline he had come across quite often, even when reading books out of obligation.

The reasons varied. It could be due to brainwashing by someone, being held hostage, having a weakness exploited, or being a secret antagonist from the start. This situation had become a cliché that added mental trauma to the protagonist’s party… as far as he knew.

However, in such situations, the protagonist usually becomes more determined. Unless the ally turned enemy had an extremely deep bond with the protagonist, it often became a trigger for the protagonist to strengthen their resolve. After all, a protagonist who collapses at a brief conflict wouldn’t really be a protagonist.

Moreover, if it were a deeply emotional relationship, it was more likely that the protagonist would grow stronger through anger. In any case, it wasn’t suitable for completely crushing the protagonist.

‘But in this situation, it’s actually perfect.’

His goal wasn’t to completely crush the hero like a demon king in a novel.

In simple terms, the scenario Lee Jaehun created was, ‘an ally turned enemy under the control of a monster.’ In this context, he likened it to a zombie-like situation.

If he managed the process well, it could serve as an opportunity to both strengthen the protagonist and solidify his own position….

“……”

It was a bit embarrassing.

‘How old am I now?’

He suddenly heard a phantom voice mocking him for playing such childish games at his age, but nothing could stop Lee Jaehun, whose mental strength was steadily deteriorating. When his freedom was at stake, pride didn’t matter.

No one knew what happened while he was dragged by the algae monster, and he was battered both inside and out, so it wouldn’t be strange to assume he had endured all kinds of hardships. In reality, he had just wandered around the park, running away endlessly.

So, even if he claimed to have been brainwashed or mesmerized by the algae monster during that long night…

“……”

Even so…

“…Life.”

Life was crappy, and making a living was always tough. Damn it.

‘Shit, I wish everyone would just die.’

The curse he had been holding back slipped out.

In the midst of the roaring flames, Lee Jaehun rubbed his face. He felt a sudden sense of reality hit him as he tried to play a role that didn’t match his age and position, but having come this far, he couldn’t back out now.

However, he believed there was no better scenario. He needed to both strengthen the protagonist while maintaining a bit of distance from the group, all while keeping their trust. He also had to safely navigate other survivor groups during this disaster and settle the quasi-deal he made with the algae monster. This was the best he could come up with.

As he struggled to stand up, leaning against an intact tree, he thought inwardly,

‘…Honestly, the terms of the deal were ridiculous too, but…’

The conversation he had with the algae monster replayed in his mind. If it could even be called a conversation.

Yet, feeling an inexplicable sense of foreboding, he murmured,

“This might kill me.”

Not his body, but the last remnants of his sanity.

But he had no choice. He didn’t know what kind of synergistic effect his actions would create or what results they would yield, but he had to deal with the immediate problem first.

Of course, if future Lee Jaehun were to hear this, it would be infuriating. That’s why people should be clear-headed and calm when planning for the future. Lee Jaehun knew this well, but he had long since lost his calmness. He had abandoned a clear mind around the age of 15 in his past life.

All he had left now was depleted mental strength, a tired body, and muddled judgment. Given these circumstances, Lee Jaehun couldn’t make plausible predictions based on common sense from his current life. Even if problems were expected, he couldn’t turn back now that things had progressed this far.

He rolled his eyes as he passed through the unextinguished flames.

“…For now…”

He needed to find Team Leader Kang.

‘The last ones to run were the doctor and the remaining two, so Deputy Jung would likely head in that direction as well.’

No matter how well he wielded a torch, the protagonist was still an inexperienced chick. Even though he seemed to have improved a bit since his return, his skills were far from excellent. Given the limited visibility, it was obvious who he would go to first.

Most likely, he would send Intern Noh Yeonseok to Team Leader Kang. The protagonist was aware of the intern’s feelings for her, so he would probably think that giving him the lighter would ensure he would find her. Even if it wasn’t intentional, he would subconsciously think of him.

However, Lee Jaehun’s thoughts were slightly different.

“…He might die on the way.”

There weren’t many means to protect himself.

‘In that case, I’ll have to die once as well.’

He had already anticipated this to some extent.

Of course, Lee Jaehun didn’t find the idea of dying appealing. If it meant the end of his life, it would be different, but it would just be excruciatingly painful and then back to the past. That’s why he had tried to avoid such resets whenever possible, but given the current situation, the story changed.

He didn’t know exactly when he would return upon reincarnation, but based on the last return, it would be when everyone was still alive. He expected a similar outcome this time.

‘If not, I’ll just try again.’

At present, Lee Jaehun had no intention of letting anyone in his current group die. If Intern Noh Yeonseok died on the way, the protagonist would return with him anyway, so he planned to die at an appropriate moment, using a plausible setup. He could put in that much effort.

‘Besides, if that happens… it would erase the conversation I just had with the protagonist.’

Given the protagonist’s personality and the circumstances, Deputy Jung Inho would not come back for the old director, especially if he couldn’t bring him back in time.

Of course, if he returned to the moment before the monsters appeared or before Intern Noh Yeonseok went to throw away the fish guts, the situation might change slightly….

‘Well.’

In that case, he just needed to make sure the intern and the team leader had the guts and screamed on cue. He could call the stray dog monster back and recreate the current situation.

So, if he returned, the protagonist would go to save Intern Noh Yeonseok. Rather than coming back for the self-sufficient director, he would likely regroup the escaped members. This would allow Lee Jaehun to distance himself from the group, which was preferable.

If things proceeded that way, Deputy Jung Inho, having experienced this situation once, would handle things well internally. Lee Jaehun would then look for other survivors instead of seeking Team Leader Kang.

‘Then I’ll find someone who fits my needs.’

There were several other survivor groups, and although he didn’t remember all of them, he had a rough idea of their characteristics. He even remembered the past of a few impressive characters. However, hearing reports, it seemed that the two groups had merged, which was a bit surprising.

But that was all considering Intern Noh Yeonseok died. For now, he needed to find Team Leader Kang.

Illuminating the path with the torch he had made, Lee Jaehun traced the tracks.

‘For now… it seems like they fled as expected.’

He nodded inwardly, recalling the direction Team Leader Kang had escaped with the two students.

As he had confirmed before, Team Leader Kang’s efficiency increased dramatically when she had responsibilities. She must have instinctively sensed this and decided to flee with the two minors first.

Her mindset and focus were geared towards survival in such situations. Lee Jaehun had expected this, and as expected, Team Leader Kang had chosen the right path to survive. She had fled in the direction between the small lake and the stray dog monster’s habitat.

‘And there’s nothing in that direction.’

To be precise, if she kept going, there was a flower field. A beautiful flower field inhabited by a centipede monster that devoured people.

But to reach that place, she would have to go to the edge of the park. No matter how disoriented Team Leader Kang was, she wouldn’t rashly move a long distance without a lighter, so it was reasonable to think she was lingering somewhere in the middle of the park. In fact, instinct told her it was unlikely, but she decided to trust that Team Leader Kang was a pretty decent chick.

Lee Jaehun massaged his stiff ankle briefly before getting up and moving again.

‘Besides, with the monsters causing such a commotion, the other group of survivors would have been stirred up as well…’

If he was lucky, he might have already met some of them. Given Detective Hong Kyungjun’s control tower-like demeanor, it was hard to tell how dispersed they might be….

“……”

Come to think of it, it was a bit strange how the stray dog monster had retreated so easily.

“…Did it find another prey…?”

But if the other survivor group had indeed unified into one as he suspected, it wasn’t in Detective Hong’s nature to use someone as bait. But the fact that the monster retreated so easily suggested there was indeed another prey….

“…I don’t know.”

He was too exhausted to ponder over every detail.

Noticing the scent of blood, he turned to find his hand soaked. He couldn’t tell if his palm was cut or if the blood had come from his ankle.

‘Did I use too much force?’

It seemed that the wound had reopened during the recent fight.

The image of Dr. Ha Sungyoon’s ambiguous smile briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it as if nothing had happened. Once this ordeal was over, such annoying interventions would decrease, so he didn’t need to worry too much.

Moreover, fortunately, there was no one around him. No monsters seemed to be nearby, likely having fled elsewhere. The protagonist who had come to find him had cursed and left in disgust, so no one was left to deal with.

Curious about how others might react, he opened his mouth slightly.

“…Ouch.”

He murmured.

All he could do was hope the plan would wrap up smoothly.

* * *

“Detective, Detective…!”

A hushed voice echoed within the small pavilion.

“Are you alright?!”

“I’m fine, but there are people injured.”

“Then it’s not fine, is it…!”

“Better than being dead.”

Detective Hong Kyungjun supported a man and entered the wooden structure, followed by Constable Kim Yeonwoo guiding them. The familiar smell of blood wafted from his limping leg.

Seeing him, Detective Hong asked,

“Han Doyun-ssi, other than your leg, are there any other injuries?”

“Ugh, wow… Damn, my arm hurts a bit.”

“Ma’am, if you could also check his arm, please.”

“Ah… you youngsters are relentless.”

An elderly woman, who had been quietly observing the situation, stood up and approached them, using a rough piece of cloth from somewhere to clean and bandage the wound. Her slow yet delicate touch gradually eased the man’s expression.

After a while of silent observation, a woman spoke up.

“…Those dog-like… things, are they gone?”

She was holding a child in her arms, who had cried herself to sleep. Clutching the child tightly, she looked up at them, and Detective Hong replied,

“Yes, they’re gone. It seems we were not their main target from the beginning; they left after a few encounters.”

“But considering that, it looks like Han Doyun-ssi got hurt quite a bit.”

“Ah, it’s alright!”

His voice, pitched slightly higher, reached the woman.

“This happened because I let my guard down. Those dogs weren’t that bad. They didn’t really attack as if they were going to kill us.”

“Oh… Is that a relief?”

“Don’t worry. We have two police officers here, and I’m here too. You might wonder how well a firefighter can fight, but I’ve taken down wild boars before.”

The woman’s tense face began to relax at the firefighter’s round and cheerful voice, but she still didn’t look entirely relieved. Everyone there knew the reason why.

The hesitant woman spoke again.

“Then… perhaps…”

“…It’s dangerous to move right now.”

“I’ll leave this child here. But the other one, they’re probably wandering around crying right now.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“You said there was another person with that child.”

“How well can someone who can’t even keep track of holidays protect a child? And he claims to be close to the child, but his expressions suggest otherwise, like a complete kidnapper….”

“……”

“…I didn’t mean to get angry.”

“It’s still dangerous.”

The firefighter nodded in agreement with the detective’s words.

“Imagine how scared the child you’re holding would be if their guardian disappeared. You need to stay with them.”

“…I’m sorry, I’m just really worried.”

“We understand. Your concern for the child is clear. But if you get lost inside, the situation will worsen.”

“……”

“…Well, that’s that.”

The firefighter who had spoken didn’t say anything further.

Meanwhile, the elderly woman, who was carefully treating the wounds, tied off the bandage and spoke up.

“…So.”

“……”

“Those things came all the way here?”

At her dry question, Detective Hong Kyungjun, who had been watching the woman adjusting the child in her arms, responded.

“They seemed hungry.”

“Hungry?”

“Maybe they smelled something. They looked quite excited. Han Doyun-ssi mentioned he saw it that way too.”

“What kind of smell could that be?”

“I’m not exactly sure, but…”

He continued.

“Anyway, it wasn’t us.”