Memorize Chapter 250

During my first life, a single wrong decision led to the death of my older brother. It should’ve been me who died, but to save his pathetic younger brother, he rushed in with only a few close comrades, managed to rescue me, and died in my place.

That was probably when my personality began to change. My reckless, hot-headed tendency to charge forward without thinking, rebelling against my brother’s unconditional protection, did a complete 180 after that incident. How did it change? I started to take a step back, think things through, and observe carefully. It was so drastic that even my alignment changed.

That habit lingered into my second life, still influencing the direction of my actions. Whenever a suspicious situation arose, I considered every possible outcome and began preparing accordingly. Some people found my approach frustrating, calling it overthinking or paranoia.

The current situation was much the same.

Right after the battle with the Poison Jackals earlier today, Go Yeon-Joo didn’t respond to my statement that “we’re being herded.” She merely nodded faintly, signaling her agreement. We both had a gut feeling, but no solid evidence. Neither I nor Go Yeon-Joo could detect any clear signs. This meant that whoever—or whatever—was herding us, whether players or vagrants, was highly skilled and extremely organized.

Crackle, crackle!

The sound of embers popping snapped me out of my thoughts. The once-roaring fire was now dying down. Reflexively, I felt around and grabbed a few twigs nearby. I tossed the kindling into the fire pit.

The campsite was quiet. The occasional chirping of insects only amplified the stillness of the deepening night. Having been ambushed at night more than once, I calmly extended my senses around the area. I felt a faint stirring from where the sleeping bags were clustered.

The movement continued for a while before someone abruptly sat up. Turning my gaze toward the source, I saw a player striding confidently toward the campfire. A woman with long, flowing hair approached, stopping a short distance away before speaking.

“Oppa, it’s me. Let’s switch watch.”

“There’s still some time before the switch.”

“It’s fine. I can handle a bit longer.”

“…”

Yun-Jung came closer and cautiously sat beside me. Her walk and the way she sat were noticeably awkward.

A brief silence followed. Hugging her bent knees and staring at the fire, she rested her face on one knee and spoke.

“Oppa, aren’t you going to sleep? If you’re worried, it’s okay. I’ll keep watch alone for a bit, and when it’s time, I’ll wake the next person. Was it Baek Hangeol?”

“Nah, don’t wake him.”

“Hm? Why not?”

“He was practicing hard until late and just fell asleep. Probably planned to sleep a little and take the next watch.”

At my words, Yun-Jung turned toward the sleeping bags with a surprised expression. Then she let out a giggle, her shoulders shaking slightly.

“Haha, training during an expedition?”

“Don’t mock him. It shows how dedicated he is.”

“True. So, what do you think? Is he doing well?”

“He’s phenomenal during practice. The problem is he can’t perform in real combat like he does in training.”

Yun-Jung chuckled, shifting her hips, but soon grimaced slightly. She quickly masked it, clearly not wanting to show her discomfort. I sighed inwardly.

Biting her lip for a moment, Yun-Jung spoke with a steadier expression.

“Well, I’m in no position to laugh at anyone. I got injured yesterday myself. Sorry.”

“It wasn’t some reckless injury; you had a reason for what you did. No need to apologize.”

“Heh. I’ve been sneaking glances to see if you were mad. Good to know you’re not.”

“I am mad. Starting just now.”

“?”

“Stand up.”

I deliberately raised my voice with a commanding tone. Yun-Jung looked startled, then hesitantly stood. As she turned while still seated, I noticed one of her legs was slightly raised off the ground. Gently lifting both hands, I untied the leather straps of the pants I’d given her earlier.

“O-Oppa?”

“Stay still. I already know, so don’t get any weird ideas.”

Yun-Jung flinched and stepped back, but she froze at my follow-up command. After untying the straps, I pulled her pants down without hesitation. Before me was a white pair of underwear covering a slightly protruding mound, flanked by smooth, toned thighs stretching out on either side. A sharp intake of breath came from above.

“Ah…”

“Yun-Jung, move your hands and spread your thighs a little.”

She quickly covered her underwear with her hands, but I brushed them aside and gently parted her thighs. Examining the inner thigh muscles, I saw yellowish, discolored skin.

“…”

“As I thought, your walk was a bit off.”

“…Sorry.”

“Sigh… I’m going to touch it. It’s for healing, so don’t freak out.”

It was a bit hypocritical to say after already pulling her pants down, but thankfully, Yun-Jung nodded. Despite the darkness, I could see her face flush red. I focused my attention on her thigh and awakened the dormant Hwajung (Fire Essence) within me, channeling it to my hand.

Since leaving Mule, I’d resolved to avoid using Hwajung unless absolutely necessary. But healing Yun-Jung was far more important than that resolve, and since I was using it lightly for treatment, it wouldn’t be too taxing.

Placing my heated hand on her soft thigh, I infused it with mana. As I slowly moved the Hwajung through her thigh, I sensed the lingering venom from the Poison Jackal, deeply embedded. Sol’s healing must have helped temporarily, but it hadn’t fully neutralized the poison that had penetrated so far.

“Bear with it if it feels strange.”

I began the treatment without delay. The poison was quite tenacious, but before a Hwajung, it was utterly powerless. As Hwajung gently enveloped and burned away the venom, Yun-Jung’s stiff thigh visibly relaxed. Simultaneously, the yellowish discoloration on her skin gradually returned to its original hue.

After incinerating the last traces of the stubbornly lingering poison, I removed my hand. Yun-Jung quickly grabbed her pants and pulled them up, clearly embarrassed.

Clapping my hands together to brush them off, I spoke in a quiet voice.

“I’ve burned out all the venom. Just to be safe, drink half of an antidote potion and apply the other half to your skin. Then wake Sol now and have her heal you.”

“N-Now? But she’s sleeping…”

“Sol was supposed to take the next watch, so just swap her with Hangeol. Tell her it’s my order and explain the situation.”

“Oh… Okay. Are you going to sleep now, Oppa?”

Yun-Jung asked, slightly bowing her head as she tied her pants’ straps. I nodded calmly and stood up. I’d wanted to scold her for being so careless, but seeing her expression, she seemed genuinely remorseful. Still, I couldn’t shake the thought of her recklessness, so before heading to my sleeping bag, I lightly patted her shoulder.

“Poison can resurface if not fully treated. Don’t hide it next time; tell me right away. We’re supposed to reach the plateau today—what if something serious had happened?”

“Sorry…”

“Tch. Just don’t overdo it. I’m off to sleep. Make sure you get healed before your watch ends.”

“Okay! Sleep well, Oppa.”

Yun-Jung, head bowed, raised it with a bright smile as soon as I finished. Watching her head off to wake Sol, I slipped into my empty sleeping bag. Just as I was about to drift off, I suddenly recalled something I’d overlooked.

'Come to think of it, she’s started speaking casually with me.'

*

The sun, high in the sky, blazed down with searing rays. Soft, heated soil and large, jagged rocks dotted the mountain range. To the left, a stream trickled along a carved path, sparkling as it reflected the sunlight.

Having passed through the Wailing Plains, Blade-Wind Ravine, and the forest, we now stood before an endless expanse of lush green meadows. At its center loomed a colossal mountain piercing the clouds. Its base was impossibly vast, and its peak soared so high it seemed to have no end.

“Wow…”

“Wooow…”

An-Hyun and Sol exclaimed in unison, craning their necks to look up. Today marked the ninth day since leaving Monica. The journey was expected to take 10 to 11 days, and the battles along the way had caused some delays. But thanks to pushing hard early on and hurrying the rest of the way, we arrived just before our target destination earlier than anticipated.

A cool breeze from the mountain gently wrapped around us before passing by. Savoring the refreshing air for a moment, I turned to the group and spoke.

“This is Mount Delirium, home to our target, the Plateau of Delusion.”

“Mount Delirium? The scenery’s nice, but the name’s weird.”

Having clearly been healed earlier, Yun-Jung tilted her head with a more relaxed expression.

Indeed, Mount Delirium’s scenery was stunning. On Earth, it’d be perfect for a leisurely picnic, but sadly, this was Hall Plain. There was no time to lounge in the grass and take in the sights.

Since we’d need to climb at least 2,000 meters to reach the Plateau of Delusion, I was about to signal our departure toward a familiar entry point when I caught Go Yeon-Joo, standing quietly behind, giving me a subtle glance.

With quick reflexes, I swallowed the words I was about to say and switched to a new statement.

“If we hurry, we can reach the Plateau of Delusion before nightfall. Though faint, the field effect of Mount Delirium kicks in the moment you enter. So, before we ascend, let’s take a final moment to prepare.”

At my command, the clan members sprang into action. Sol approached Yun-Jung to check her wounds, while Kim Han-Byeol rummaged through her bag, likely counting her gems.

Watching them quietly, I stepped back a bit. As I did, Go Yeon-Joo subtly sidled up to me. In a hushed voice, she whispered, “Su-Hyeon, I have something to say.”

“Yes. Did you find something?”

She shook her head at my direct question. It was unrealistic to expect a breakthrough in a single day when whoever was tailing us had evaded detection for nine days.

Signaling her to continue, I remained silent. Go Yeon-Joo let out a soft sigh and spoke in a still-discreet tone.

“This is just my personal opinion, but you should be extremely cautious once we start climbing the mountain.”

“Explain.”

“I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday. No progress, unfortunately. But I’ve been in situations like this a few times before, and I have a habit I always fall back on.”

“What habit?”

“I put myself in their shoes. I imagine I’m the one doing the herding. If I were the hunter right now, I’d see this as the perfect moment.”

“Hm.”

Go Yeon-Joo was suggesting that the hunters might target us before we reached the Plateau of Delusion. It made sense. After all, even for high-level players who lacked the ability to resist its field effects or didn't have a Mind-Clearing Pill, the Plateau of Delusions was quite a burdensome place.

Nodding thoughtfully, I replied, “I’ve been cautious from the start. I’m constantly running mana detection, so if they make a direct move, I’ll respond immediately.”

“Got it. I’ll take my own precautions as well. If I sense anything off, I’ll signal you right away.”

“Please do.”

At my confirmation, Go Yeon-Joo exhaled, signaling she’d said her piece, and turned back toward the clan members. Watching her walk off, her sharp gaze scanning the surroundings, I slowly mulled over her words.

Put myself in their shoes. If I were the hunter…

'I’d probably wait until after we left the Plateau of Delusion… Wait.'

The moment that thought crossed my mind, a sudden realization flashed through my brain.