Memorize Chapter 10

Suddenly, I remembered a TV show I had enjoyed watching in the past on Earth. What if an ordinary person suddenly finds themselves in a life-threatening situation? The show had mentioned that a person would act rationally for just 15 minutes after the situation arises. After those 15 minutes, rationality would give way to instinct. If that is true, can I consider that the group I am leading has already skipped that phase?

Currently, we were at a high hill in the forest, taking a brief moment to catch our breath. Although it was just a hill, the steep path had clearly worn everyone out. Looking down from where we were, my prediction had been accurate. The clearing where we had been sitting just an hour ago was now surrounded by Deadmen.

People looked at the clearing, which seemed small enough to be covered by a single hand, and murmured in silence. It was obvious that if we had delayed even a little in withdrawing, we would have become their prey. Even the previously confident woman was now rubbing her arms as if she had goosebumps.

Everyone's expressions were a mix of complex emotions. There were monsters, and their lives were in danger. The faces of those who had accepted this harsh reality were filled with all sorts of negative emotions, even without words. Unfortunately, I couldn't help with this aspect. I planned to stay back and observe quietly. Although I had seen the basic information, it was still necessary to watch their actual reactions and actions.

“Ugh! Ugh! What are those things?”

Park Dong-Gul, who had just climbed up and was still catching his breath, looked around in panic. I shook my head at him. If he had stayed still, things might have been different. The recent danger had been caused by him kicking a stone, making him the one at fault. If it had been me, I would have stayed quiet out of guilt, but it seemed he had quite a thick skin.

With a sigh, I turned my head and saw An Sol, still crying, cradled in An Hyun's arms. For a moment, I felt a pang of pity, but the experience had taught me something important. If the crying An Sol was indeed the An Sol I knew from the Odin Clan, then her future was somewhat assured. Given her luck stat of 100 points, I expected she would easily pass this ordeal. However, the outcome proved otherwise. It confirmed that even a slight change in actions could alter the future.

Noticing my gaze, An Hyun, who was wiping away An Sol’s tears, bowed his head slightly in my direction. He had realized that it was I who had taken out the Deadmen with arrows. I could see gratitude in his eyes. I nodded in acknowledgment and then turned my gaze back down the hill.

“Grrr! Grrr!”

“Eek!”

“Wah!”

Two more Deadmen, whether they had been nearby or had chased us from the clearing, appeared, desperately trying to climb the hill. However, they weren’t moving as fast as before.

Deadmen are quite fast when they spot prey and charge in a straight line. However, when they have to change direction or are on high ground, their charging speed significantly decreases. They could climb the hill, but it was easier to just stab them in the head before they could get up here.

The panic was less than when we first saw the Deadmen, but screams were still being heard. I felt sorry for Lee Bo-Rim, but I had no intention of forcing her to survive. From the beginning, having her and An Sol scream in unison was quite disturbing, and from what I had seen of her user information, I couldn’t find any useful traits. If she survived, it would be her own fortune; if she died, it would be her fate.

‘It’s about time for a reaction… Will it be cooperation, division, or just maintaining the status quo?’

To start a calm conversation, dealing with the Deadmen climbing up from below was a priority.

At that moment, An Hyun moved. Whether he had left his sword at the clearing or not, he picked up a fist-sized stone and approached An Sol, leaving her behind. I stopped loading the crossbow and watched his actions with interest.

If you gave a sword to adult men in South Korea and asked them to hit a target from a certain distance, how many would be able to do it? I was curious whether An Hyun's previous success in slicing off a Deadman’s left arm was due to skill or luck. I wanted to see his skill for myself.

Unlike before, An Hyun now carefully measured the direction and distance before throwing the stone with all his might. And the result was…

“Thunk!”

"Not bad."

An Hyun’s throw was excellent. The stone made a sharp sound as it smashed into the Deadman’s head. The creature fell lifelessly to the ground, and An Hyun, seeming to have gained some confidence, used the same method to easily handle the remaining Deadman.

"Yeah, it’s no big deal. So don’t act all high and mighty just because you took down two."

However, it seemed that Park Dong-Gul was displeased with An Hyun's action and tackled him again. An Hyun, unable to ignore the remark, stopped and stared at Park Dong-Gul.

Eventually, An Hyun’s lips slowly parted.

“Thanks to you, Uncle. I appreciate it.”

“What are you suddenly talking nonsense about?”

“When I saw the Deadman that attacked us earlier, it had a stone lodged in its chest. That’s how I figured out that stones can penetrate it.”

Park Dong-Gul, realizing that An Hyun was mocking him, immediately scowled. 

What An Hyun meant was that Park Dong-Gul’s kicking of the stone almost caused the accident in the clearing.

“So, because of the stone I kicked, we’re in this mess now? How do you even know if it was my stone that caused this?”

“I don’t remember saying anything like that. I just said thanks.”

Seeing An Hyun’s smooth response, Park Dong-Gul tried to look angry. However, as if he remembered something, he growled and began speaking with a rough voice.

“What the fuck did you guys ever do right, don't you realize that the bitch you're stuck with almost got us all killed?”

“Bitch?”

“Yes, that's a fucking bitch, isn't it? She can't even stand up for herself, because of her we all almost died?”

An Hyun's face hardened. He kept his mouth shut for this part of the conversation. An-sol bowed her head deeply and began to wipe her eyes, feeling sorry for the pain she was causing her brother.

“Ugh, I really hate people trying to act tough. When you are the, who caused this mess in the first place?”

But we had our talkative woman. As usual, she wasn’t going to stay silent. Immediately, she stepped in to support An Hyun, and Park Dong-Gul’s expression twisted once more.

“Hey, bitch, if you don't shut your pretty little mouth, I'm gonna kill you. Hmm?”

“Hey, asshole. If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut out of guilt. I'd keep my mouth shut for the sake of my ass, and I'd keep my pretty little mouth shut for the sake of the mistake I made.”

“Are these assholes really looking for death....”

All three had made mistakes, but from the start, Park Dong-Gul had been the one with the most animosity directed at him. Realizing the mood was turning against him, Park Dong-Gul eventually fell silent.

Just when it seemed we might escape one crisis, another argument erupted. At this point, it was almost as if they were personal enemies rather than just having a bad dynamic. The frustration that had subsided now surged back. Habitually reaching for a cigarette, I realized I didn’t have any. The thought that cutting off Park Dong-Gul might actually help progress things became increasingly firm in my mind.

Even so, if I had decided to keep watching for now, then that was the right choice. After all, I had gone through so much trouble to bring everyone here, and returning to square one was definitely frustrating.

Regardless, the recent events would undoubtedly leave a mark on everyone’s minds. How could I possibly unite these people? No matter how much I thought about it, no clear solution emerged. Ultimately, I concluded that we should leave the area for now. Strictly speaking, this place wasn’t entirely safe either.

“Creeeak!”

Making a deliberately loud noise as I loaded the crossbow, I drew everyone’s attention. After smoothly and nonchalantly loading an arrow, I exchanged glances with everyone and said,

“For now, it seems our priority should be to avoid those Dead… hmm, those monsters.”

“Everyone already knows that. So what do you suggest we do?”

‘This crazy bastard must be itching for a fight.’

I was tempted to shove an arrow into Park Dong-Gul’s mouth on the spot, but I managed to hold back. If it had been just the two of us here, I might have broken his jaw by now.

“Right now, arguing is a waste of time when we should be working together. I’ll take a look around. In the meantime, it might be better for you all to discuss and decide on a course of action.”

My suggestion was reasonable and hard to argue against. Of course, I expected there would be questions. However, the person who asked them was unexpected.

“Why are you stepping away? If we’re going to discuss things, it’s better to do it together.”

The question came from a cold-faced woman whom I hadn’t initially noticed. She looked to be around my age or maybe a year or two younger. Seeing her, I couldn’t help but recall someone with a familiar aura.

‘For now, you guys can sort things out among yourselves.’

“…The monsters might come charging out like they did in the clearing. I’ll stay on guard around the area just in case. So, please call me once you’ve sorted things out.”

“…Just don’t go too far.”

Although her response was a bit delayed, I managed to avoid raising unnecessary suspicions. Besides, no one would object to the idea of someone keeping watch and reducing the risk.

After finishing my explanation, I slowly made my way to a concealed spot I had noticed on the way up. After putting some distance between myself and the group and hiding in the forest, I activated my magical senses. I could feel my entire body becoming more aware, with my sight and hearing increasing. While the group couldn’t see me from this distance, I was able to observe them in detail, even catching the faintest sound of their breathing.

After I moved to my new position, a cold silence settled over the hill. The corpses of the Deadmen scattered below contributed to the grim atmosphere. No one was stepping forward, as if they were waiting for someone else to make the first move. Their expressions were all different, but the most notable was Park Dong-Gul. This time, he was wearing a serious expression, his face contorted in thought one moment and breaking into a wry smile the next. It made me wonder if he might be mentally unstable.

Time passed. In other novels or comics, the protagonist usually steps up to lead and everything turns out fine, but here, there was no clear leader among the group. Spending time like this wasn’t a good strategy. As time went on, the anxiety within the group was bound to increase, and there was a risk that someone might lose their composure and act purely on instinct.

At that moment, two women stood up.

To my surprise, it was Lee Bo-Rim who cautiously stepped to the center of the group. The talkative woman, who had also stood, glanced at Lee Bo-Rim and then sat back down. It seemed she was willing to listen to what Lee Bo-Rim had to say. With a nervous glance around at everyone, Lee Bo-Rim slowly began to speak.

“You… you all saw the monsters just now. Honestly… when I first heard about them from the angel, I thought it was just a bad dream. But now, I have to accept the reality. Of course, I’m anxious. I’m so anxious that it feels like I’m going to go crazy. I feel that way, and I’m sure others do too.”

No one seemed to challenge her. As if sensing that everyone was focused on her words, Lee Bo-Rim’s voice gained strength.

“Honestly, we survived just now thanks to the person who went on watch. But that person can’t be our sole support, just like the rest of us. I believe that instead of fighting among ourselves, we should seek a way to survive through cooperation.”

Although it was a somewhat cliché statement, Lee Bo-Rim’s words touched on the essence of what needed to be done. Her appeal seemed to shift the previously tense atmosphere slightly. Even Lee Shin-Woo, who had been silent and disheartened until now, finally spoke up.

“So, what do you think we should do next…?”

Although he trailed off, the meaning was clear enough. He was essentially asking her to provide some concrete suggestions since she was the one who had initiated the discussion. However, it seemed Lee Bo-Rim hadn’t thought that far ahead, and she responded with a hesitant tone.

“Well… I’m not sure yet… But I hope we can avoid unnecessary arguments and calmly exchange opinions moving forward.”

“I agree.”

At that moment, Park Dong-Gul, who had been lurking like a predator eyeing its prey, took a step forward.

His expression was serious and calm, quite different from before. But I immediately furrowed my brows. Although it looked sincere at first glance, my instincts told me otherwise. I could see that his calm demeanor was a facade, a deceptive mask hiding his true intentions. It was clear to me that he was planning another sinister scheme.