Memorize Chapter 11

"Always stepping up, huh? If you just stayed quiet, we might be in the middle ground.”

When Park Dong-Gul received this immediate criticism, he frowned at the talkative woman but didn’t counter it. Instead, he spoke in a voice that was softer than before.

"Didn't you hear what this lady said earlier? She asked us not to fight among ourselves."

"Why don't you reflect on your own actions up to now before talking?"

"Well, that's true. Still, since we gathered to exchange opinions, how about we at least listen to each other?"

Seeing Park Dong-Gul's willingness to admit his faults, everyone swallowed their breath. The talkative woman slightly furrowed her brows, wondering if the guy had eaten something strange.

"I apologize for my actions in the open space earlier. And even if my tone is rough, I hope you won’t take it too personally. I’ve always spoken like this, so it's not that I have any bad feelings towards you."

Park Dong-Gul glanced around and lowered his head slightly. Although there were still traces of dissatisfaction, it was much milder than before. He gradually moved to the center of the group and observed the reactions around him. Thinking it was a good time to speak, Park Dong-Gul got straight to the point.

"I agree with some of what the bank clerk lady said. Yes, arguing right now isn’t right. Let's put aside our bad feelings and focus on escaping from these monsters and figuring out how to survive. What do you think?"

"…Then please go ahead."

"Like I said, I agree with some points but have issues with others. To conclude, I hope everyone realizes their own situations."

"What parts are you dissatisfied with?"

When Bo-Rim asked with a slight grumble, Park Dong-Gul answered with a grim smile.

"Finding a way to survive is natural, but I don’t think I can cooperate. Cooperation? It sounds nice, but given the current situation and my feelings, it just seems like empty talk."

"What are you saying? Then go. Go out, escape alone, and live alone."

The talkative woman sneered and snapped, but Park Dong-Gul didn’t flinch. Instead, he nodded as if in agreement.

"Of course, I’ve considered that option too."

"Then go already."

"Just hear me out first. Listen to the end, okay? Don’t interrupt."

As An Hyun gave a warning glance, the talkative woman huffed but stayed quiet. Park Dong-Gul continued calmly, under the gaze of everyone.

"I'm ignorant and rough, but I don't lie because I'm simple. I felt and thought a lot after almost losing my life fleeing from the open space. Since then, the idea of cooperation has been quite bothersome."

Everyone shuddered as they recalled the events in the open space. As if expecting this reaction, Park Dong-Gul’s adam’s apple moved slightly.

"To be honest, I wasn’t just anxious; I was really scared. Embarrassing as it is, I was so scared I nearly wet myself. Think about it—those monsters we only saw in movies or TV are right in front of us. If we hadn’t moved quickly, most of us would have been a meal for those creatures. So, I thought deeply. This isn’t to brag or threaten, so don’t misunderstand. I’ve had my share of dangerous situations. I’m ready to kill if necessary—whether it’s a person or an animal—because I don’t want to die. I was shocked and disoriented by the sudden danger, but I want to live. So, if we face a similar situation again, I’ll use this weapon to survive."

Park Dong-Gul’s speech was lengthy and still ongoing. Despite some skepticism, people began to focus more on his words. I clicked my tongue inwardly, but decided to wait and see. He continued, addressing each person individually.

"Even if others aren’t reliable, that scummy parasite’s lover over there seems like he’s done some training. He brought a weapon and has dealt with monsters before… And you—if you can act as well as you talk, you might be of some help. And the guy with the crossbow goes without saying. Yes, these four can definitely assist each other. This means there’s a possibility for cooperation. Don’t you think so?"

Hearing Park Dong-Gul’s words, An Sol, Lee Shin-Woo, and Bo-Rim’s faces darkened, implying they were considered unhelpful. Finally, Bo-Rim mustered the courage to speak up.

"So, are you saying we can't cooperate with those who aren’t helpful?"

"Whoa, calm down. I’m not done yet."

"What on earth…"

"Can you do what that guy or the crossbow-wielder can do? Do you think you can stab monsters with rocks or knives? I don’t think so. Especially you and the girl clinging to him, who just screamed every time those things appeared. The woman over there at least kept quiet and didn’t hinder us. If you had done just that, I wouldn’t have said anything."

The woman Park Dong-Gul pointed to was the one who had asked me earlier why I had left my seat. She still maintained a cold and composed demeanor.

After a moment, Bo-Rim, with a noticeably subdued voice compared to earlier, finally spoke up, trembling slightly.

"So, the conclusion is that we abandon those who aren’t helpful…."

Seeing Bo-Rim unable to continue her sentence, I reflected on Park Dong-Gul. Although I wasn’t unaware of his intentions, his remarks were worth reconsidering. At first, I thought he was just a fool, but it seemed he had a fairly accurate grasp of the current situation and presented his own logic. Regardless of his ulterior motives.

Seeing Bo-Rim deflated, Park Dong-Gul flashed a smug grin and spoke with regained confidence.

"Why jump ahead? I haven’t said anything like that yet. Don’t get all sensitive so soon. The world operates on give and take. Therefore, the idea of cooperation only holds if you show some level of helpfulness. If we just go out there and pretend to cooperate, what do you think will happen? The scummy guy will be too busy looking out for his partner, and the kid will probably just freeze up and be a nuisance. I don’t want to protect or cooperate with clueless people like that. My own life is the most important. Don’t you feel the same way?"

The talkative woman seemed at a loss for words, only fidgeting with her hands. The female bank clerk’s face was noticeably flushed red. She was seen clenching her fists and trembling, but it seemed she also had nothing to say. Observing their reactions with a relaxed demeanor, Park Dong-Gul decided it was time to make his decisive move and continued speaking with fluid manner.

"Everyone here would agree that their own life is the most important. If you accept that, then let’s speak plainly. Some people here can’t cooperate. Even now, you're just blindly insisting on your own will. Hey, kid. Isn't that right?"

An Sol, caught off guard by being pointed out, looked confused and fumbled with her words. It seemed she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words, eventually lowering her head again. Seeing this, Park Dong-Gul exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders and continued.

"He knew that’s why he told the kid to come over on her own. If you had gone with the guy with the crossbow earlier, you wouldn’t be in this mess. Huh? Why are you all reacting like this? Did I say something out of line?"

It wasn’t exactly nonsense. Despite his intentions, he had assessed the situation with some accuracy. The issue was that his blunt remarks were a direct hit for those who needed help.

“If you think what I said was wrong, then prove it right now. Go down the hill immediately, catch one or two of those monsters we saw earlier, and bring them back here. If you do that, I’ll shut up right away.”

“…….”

Park Dong-Gul, having said what he needed to say, retreated and returned to his place. I was curious about the reactions of the others. I turned my gaze and began to examine their faces closely.

An Hyun seemed to be lost in deep thought, eyes closed, while Sol was trembling slightly as she looked at her older brother. But the ones who looked the most pitiful were Lee Bo-Rim and Lee Shin-Woo. It was clear that Park Dong-Gul had specifically targeted them when he brought up the topic. They were visibly tense, their teeth clenching audibly. For a while, no one spoke, but the first person to break the silence was An Hyun.

“I understand what you mean, but…”

An Hyun, who usually maintained silence, glanced at his younger sibling and spoke in a clear voice.

“Sol isn’t my girlfriend; she’s my younger sister. I have no intention of abandoning her.”

“Oppa….”

An Sol, looking moved, hugged An Hyun tightly. Park Dong-Gul, seeing this, seemed caught off guard and replied awkwardly.

“Ah, siblings. I didn’t know that. Well, it can’t be helped then. But still, nothing changes. Who can guarantee that an accident like earlier won’t happen again?”

The situation was getting quite interesting. Unable to target An Hyun, Park Dong-Gul shifted his focus to the clearly vulnerable An Sol, using her to pressure An Hyun. It seemed Park Dong-Gul had chosen to distance himself, but not quietly; he was clearly shaking things up. An Hyun said nothing more, and the atmosphere became so quiet on the hill that not even a breath could be heard.

“Well, don’t take it too badly. I might have talked a lot, but in this uncertain situation, neither side is getting anywhere, right? It seems like there are a lot of people who dislike me, too.”

“So, what exactly is it that you want...?”

When the sharp-tongued woman asked, her edge softened compared to before, Park Dong-Gul responded immediately.

“I want to create a proper team here.”