Memorize Chapter 12

Everyone remained silent. Park Dong-Gul's words had struck deep into everyone's hearts like a dagger. After moistening his lips with a bit of saliva, Park Dong-Gul continued speaking.

“I don’t think faith is necessary when putting one’s own life first. The kind of team I want is one where people can help each other and don’t hold each other back. In other words, I want to be with people who are prepared with that kind of resolve.”

“That’s too… harsh.”

Lee Bo-Rim's voice trembled as she spoke. However, it seemed she wasn’t about to back down. Yet, An Hyun and the talkative woman, who had been keeping an eye on Park Dong-Gul, fell silent. Despair was evident on her face, but she quickly composed herself and spoke with a desperate expression.

“Feel free to call me selfish. It’s all or nothing anyway. I’ll make it clear: if it comes to it, I’ll withdraw alone. It seems I’ve already made enemies here… Honestly, I’m not the only one fed up with your indecisive attitude, right? Even the young man with the crossbow was frustrated and decided to leave. You all should think things through a bit more.”

“Are you joking? How do you know if something is useless or not without even trying?”

The talkative woman immediately countered, but her voice lacked conviction. Seeing this, Park Dong-Gul seized the moment and spoke with a smirk.

“‘How do you know if you don’t try’… Are you the one joking here?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you realize that this is reality? What, are you carrying spare lives with you? This isn’t a computer game where you can just reload a save. Get a grip! If we all rush out and someone makes a mistake…”

Park Dong-Gul paused for a moment, then raised his thumb and slid it across his throat to finish his sentence.

“We all die.”

Park Dong-Gul's words had a significant impact, causing noticeable agitation on everyone's faces. Lee Bo-Rim stared blankly at the ground, and the talkative woman chewed her lips anxiously. Only the woman with the cold demeanor maintained her calm expression.

“And let’s not get it twisted. I know you don’t like me, and I’ll apologize for my part in that. But let’s not stir up trouble with empty words. I haven’t said anything about abandoning anyone yet.”

Seeing the reaction, Park Dong-Gul grinned wickedly and pounded his chest before shouting:

“Since we’re on the topic, let’s decide right now. If there are people who agree with me, come to my side. As long as you’re resolute, you’re welcome to join.”

As his words ended, a tense atmosphere settled over the hill. Everyone was eyeing each other, swayed by Park Dong-Gul’s influence. His words had skillfully played on the primal desire for survival, effectively unsettling the group.

The impact of Park Dong-Gul’s words spread rapidly. An Hyun and An Sol were deep in thought, and even the talkative woman, who had been opposing him, was now hesitating. In contrast, the thug, casually tapping his neat iron rod, remained relaxed.

I didn’t mind as long as An Hyun and An Sol didn’t join. However, to be prepared for any scenario, I activated my third eye and focused on the talkative woman and another woman whose status I hadn’t seen yet. I needed to assess their stats. My first target was the talkative woman, who was quite intriguing.

<Player Status>

1. Name: Lee Yun Jung (0 Years)

2. Gender: Female (22)

3. Height · Weight: 166.3 cm · 51.7 kg

4. Alignment: Good · Neutral

[Strength 32] [Resistance 38] [Agility 50] [Vitality 30] [Magic Power 48] [Luck 46]

(Remaining stat points: 0)

“Hmm.”

It seemed there was a reason behind her defiance towards Park Dong-Gul. Despite An Hyun and An Sol being exceptional, Lee Yun Jung’s stats were impressive for an initial level, especially with high agility and Magic Power, offering both melee and magical paths. I decided to keep an eye on her. Next, I turned my third eye towards the other intriguing woman.

<Player Status>

1. Name: Kim Han-Byeol (0 Years)

2. Gender: Female (21)

3. Height · Weight: 170.2 cm · 48.5 kg

4. Alignment: Lawful · Chaotic

[Strength 28] [Resistance 32] [Agility 46] [Vitality 24] [Magic Power 68] [Luck 40]

(Remaining stat points: 0)

<Unique Ability (1/1)>

1. Charisma (Rank: F +)

“Ugh.”

I couldn't help but let out a gasp when I saw her unique ability.

‘Charisma?’

The shock was similar to when I checked An Sol’s stats. It became clear why Kim Han-Byeol reminded me of ‘her’—because ‘she’ also had a talent for charisma.

I considered not looking, but shook my head to clear my thoughts. It was clear both Lee Yun Jung and Kim Han-Byeol were invaluable assets. The presence of An Hyun, An Sol, Lee Yun Jung, and Kim Han-Byeol, all surpassing average initial stats, raised doubts. Even if they were scattered, with these levels, more than half should survive.

I couldn’t come to a conclusion no matter how much I thought about it. There were some possible inferences, but nothing I could be certain of. I decided to put those thoughts aside for now. I activated my third eye once more to observe the situation. Since I intended to take all four with me, there would be plenty of opportunities to monitor them later.

The first to speak was Lee Shin-Woo. While his alignment was Lawful and Good, which generally indicated kindness, it also came with its downsides. He often lacked resolve and was prone to being swayed by others. Although his Luck stat was a bit disappointing, his overall stats didn’t offer much to brag about. I gave a light prayer for Lee Shin-Woo’s fate.

“I—I really want to join the team!”

“Hmm……”

Park Dong-Gul, who had been assessing Lee Shin-Woo, spoke in a low voice.

“You need to take care of yourself. If you become a hindrance, I won’t hesitate to leave you behind.”

“I understand! I’ll do my best!”

“…Alright! If you fulfill your role, I’ll do my best to help you in return. Let’s survive this hell together. And… I apologize for earlier. I was too sensitive. I’m sincerely sorry.”

As soon as Dong-Gul gave his approval, Lee Shin-Woo, with a face full of relief, rushed to his side. The scene of them embracing tightly wasn’t exactly pleasant to watch. After securing Lee Shin-Woo, Park Dong-Gul turned his attention to An Hyun.

“You there. Think carefully. If it’s you, we will always welcome you.”

The thug subtly emphasized the word "we" with a gentle tone. An Hyun’s face showed clear signs of contemplation. He stood at a crossroads, and the choice was entirely his. Watching him, not only An Sol but most of the others were anxiously waiting to see what An Hyun would decide. Finally, An Hyun began to speak slowly.

An Hyun’s response was calm and unwavering. 

“My answer remains the same. I will never abandon my sister.”

His tone was steady and even, causing An Sol’s face to brighten instantly and the woman with the cold demeanor to show relief. An Hyun continued:

“However… if you include Sol in the team you’re talking about, I’ll consider it positively.”

‘Oh dear.’

With that statement, the situation shifted back in Park Dong-Gul’s favor. Essentially, the decision was now in his hands, which was exactly what Dong-Gul wanted. After a moment of deliberation, Dong-Gul replied with an expression of mild displeasure.

“That’s a bit problematic. To be honest, whether it’s you or your sister, we don’t have the capacity to protect her, nor do we intend to.”

“That’s not something you need to worry about. I can handle the responsibilities for both of us myself.”

“No, it’s not that simple. There are unforeseen circumstances… Like the open area incident, it becomes problematic if someone becomes a hindrance.”

“Well, I…”

“For now, I’ll put it on hold. If you had mentioned it first, it might be different, but once the team is finalized, we’ll discuss it again.”

Dong-Gul deliberately cut off An Hyun’s words, leaving room for negotiation. His approach was calculated. In reality, only An Hyun and I had shown proactive actions against the Deadman, but with me absent, it was natural for the weight to shift toward An Hyun. However, Dong-Gul had no intention of accepting him, and by leaving room for negotiation, he successfully unsettled the others.

“You… do as you please. Arguing over it just makes things harder for me.”

Dong-Gul shrugged off the discussion with Lee Yun Jung, who frowned but said nothing. He then turned his attention to the still-silent Lee Bo-Rim and Kim Han-Byeol, ready to address them.

“Alright… then I’d like to hear your thoughts.”

“……”

“Don’t get me wrong. If I really intended to abandon anyone, I wouldn’t have accepted this friend here. He clearly told me he wouldn’t be a hindrance, that he would protect himself and be helpful. I didn’t take on this role out of desire; I’m prepared to leave alone if necessary. But if you want to survive, you need to make an effort, right? So, if you want to join this team, make the same promise. In front of everyone.”

“What should I do…?”

Ultimately, it was Lee Bo-Rim who responded first. Park Dong-Gul glanced briefly at Kim Han-Byeol before continuing.

“Just promise that you’ll be helpful to the team in some way, not just through blind protection. If you’re not beneficial, I’ll kick you out without hesitation. Conversely, if you are helpful, we’ll do our best to support you. If you’re ready to make a firm commitment, join us.”

The phrase “helpful to the team in some way” carried an ominous and dangerous undertone. Lee Bo-Rim seemed to vaguely understand this, continuing to hesitate, while Kim Han-Byeol’s face showed a hint of disdain. Park Dong-Gul, tasting his words like they were fine wine, turned his attention to Kim Han-Byeol.

“You’re the same.”

“…Just a moment.”

Kim Han-Byeol kept her cold demeanor but closed her eyes as if to think deeply. Although it was somewhat worrying, if my guess was correct, she was likely considering her decision carefully. Park Dong-Gul, seeming to allow for that, took a step back and put an arm around Lee Shin-Woo’s shoulders.

Assuming that everyone would automatically refuse to join the team is a notion confined to novels and comics. In reality, humans are emotionally fragile creatures. When it comes to their own lives, people often set aside their pride and make decisions based on survival.

How much time had passed?

Eventually, it was Lee Bo-Rim, the bank employee, who made the first move. After a hesitant nod, she weakly stood up and took a step toward Park Dong-Gul. Although she seemed to be struggling with inner conflict, she ultimately bowed her head and joined the place where Park Dong-Gul and Lee Shin-Woo were.

At that moment, Park Dong-Gul's face lit up with a triumphant smile.