Chapter 145

Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 145

Chapter Title: Brian Syndrome

Brian Syndrome.

Eyes slowly fluttered open, and it felt like dark particles were drifting hazily through the air.

Just woken up, dark adaptation not yet complete.

But after a few blinks, the familiar ceiling soon came into view.

Like a wild feline predator.

The speed of my dark adaptation clearly surpassed human limits.

I carefully sat up, mindful not to wake Jennifer, who was sleeping soundly beside me.

Blackout curtains hung over the window, making it impossible to gauge the time by sight, but I had no need to check anyway.

I grabbed my clothes from the corner of the room and headed to the living room.

Light streamed into the living room, where the curtains were drawn back, but my eyes adapted to the brightness almost instantly—no real discomfort from the glare.

Sarrrk—.

Only after getting dressed did I glance at my smartphone screen.

6:07 a.m.

For reasons unknown, my wake-up time was almost set in stone.

6 a.m.

No matter when I went to bed, my eyes would pop open automatically around then, give or take about ten minutes.

Condition?

Couldn't be better—absolutely peak.

Whether I'd slept six hours or just one.

As long as I'd gotten some sleep and woken up, my condition was always top-tier.

Ever since my stamina hit S-rank, it felt like I'd shed my human shell and awakened to something more.

And this phenomenon had persisted ever since.

If there was one mildly curious thing, it was time zones.

I did wake up at 6 here in California, but how it worked in Korea or elsewhere with different time zones? Still unknown.

It'd come up eventually—not a big deal.

Besides.

One thing was certain: whatever it was, it wouldn't work against me.

So this was.

Just pure curiosity, nothing more.

I pulled my mask up to just below my eyes and gave the entryway mirror one last look.

With the cap pulled low, I had to tilt my head back slightly to even show my eyes.

Add sunglasses, and it'd be perfect camouflage.

Only after fully concealing my face did I open the front door and step out.

Beep—.

I climbed into the car Baek Hee-jin had gifted me, fired up the engine, hesitated for a moment, then set my destination.

"Still got plenty of time, but maybe I should swing by first?"

Buuuung—.

Early morning, riding to the set.

Son Sia stared down at the screen of her compact smartphone.

By chance, what was playing was the latter half of Paranormal episode 8.

Last week's episodes 7 and 8 of Paranormal were nothing short of a highlight reel for "Father Brian."

Stepping in for the injured Catherine Morgan, "Father Brian" teamed up with Jennifer Morgan to systematically wipe out the werewolf pack lurking in the village.

Werewolves could transform even without a full moon, but on those nights, they had a clear "weakness."

Brian would pin down their movements with his crossbow, allowing Jennifer to drive silver-melted stakes into them one by one, thinning their numbers.

A night road cloaked in darkness like heavy curtains.

Right after taking down yet another werewolf, on their way ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back to the church.

Beneath the faint lamplight, someone was there to greet them.

- Catherine...!

Catherine, who'd been bedridden from her Lycanslope wounds, had finally risen.

Jennifer carefully embraced her sister, suddenly recalling their first arrival in the village.

The church spire rising from the village center had struck her as dark and foreboding back then.

But now, that same spire, visible through ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the dim glow.

Shone softly even amid the shadows.

A light called "hope."

Father Brian watched the Morgan sisters for a moment before lifting his gaze.

Obscured by clouds, the faint moonlight diffused into a hazy blur.

The screen began to fade to black on his inscrutable expression, unknowable thoughts and all.

The car suddenly felt chilly, goosebumps prickling Son Sia's skin. She set down her phone and rubbed her arms.

Strange.

This should've felt reassuring.

Stalwart Brian and Jennifer were tackling the village's threats one by one, and now with Catherine awake, their forces were stronger than ever.

So why was she hunching with this inexplicable tension?

Son Sia shook her head lightly to shake it off.

The reason eluded her, but one thing was clear.

That "Father Brian" gazing up at the moonlight—he felt vividly, inescapably alive somewhere.

Son Sia let out a sigh laced with awe at Jung Woo-jin's acting, which ensnared even fellow performers.

"Wow..."

Not even a full year ago, he'd been nothing more than her manager.

Even setting that aside, she remembered his performance in Fixer from Hell, where they'd synced up together.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

She'd thought he was insanely good back then, too.

But what he was showing now? Utterly beyond words.

"How..."

She was a solid top-tier actress in Korea, no question.

Yet watching Jung ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Woo-jin's acting evolve with every project stirred an unavoidable wave of self-doubt.

But Son Sia—ever the lone wolf in acting—converted that doubt straight into raw determination, swallowing it down.

"...Just catch up, one step at a time..."

Unlike overseas, where the role "Brian" felt more familiar than the name "Jung Woo-jin."

In Korea, those three letters "Jung Woo-jin" were conquering the internet.

Articles covering Jung Woo-jin's astonishing trajectory, critics spotlighting his past roles to dissect how the captivating "Brian" took shape.

For his fans, who'd been languishing without updates, these were blissfully happy days.

Shin Ji-hye—diehard Jung Woo-jin fan and Korea University Film Studies student—pored over each article, grinning ear to ear.

"Ah, I'm so happy these days."

Jung Woo-jin's fans weren't basking in joy just on news sites.

SNS and Nutube first and foremost.

Thanks to CMTV's lenient policy on secondary creations (as long as not wholesale reposts), the web was flooding with quick shorts and reviews of "Brian's" recent exploits.

And the biggest buzz lately?

Kim Hong-jin's Nutube channel—Korea University Film adjunct professor and critic.

He'd been posting reviews of movies and dramas for ages, but his harshly cynical breakdowns of acting rarely drew crowds.

That changed when he started dropping Jung Woo-jin analysis videos—subs skyrocketing.

Conveniently enrolled in his class, Shin Ji-hye had binged them all.

"Oh? New video from Prof?"

Grabbing takeout coffee, she plopped into an empty cafe seat to check it out.

"Controversial scene? Oh...!"

Shin Ji-hye recalled the moment that had blown up online communities.

Episode 8's final scene.

Father Brian's expression as he gazed up at the clouded moonlight.

Amid everything falling into place, that vague tension in his face had sent ripples through forums.

Most praised it as "Brian's resolute resolve for battles ahead"—cool as hell.

But Professor Kim seemed to see it differently.

Video length: 23 minutes.

Still about 40 minutes till her next class.

"Got time—better watch before heading in."

Sipping her coffee, she hit play. Professor Kim Hong-jin's voice filled her ears.

- Hello, this is Kim Hong-jin. Already my fourth Paranormal review video. Never thought I'd do this many on one show. Haha.

His voice, far softer than in lectures, drew a slight smile from Shin Ji-hye.

"Prof's a full-on Nutuber now."

- Normally, drama reviews wait till the end—or at least a season finale. But Paranormal has too many must-discuss moments; I couldn't hold back. Bear with me, and let's dive into the review.

Style differences aside, his videos always tossed out actor-centric insights worth pondering.

Shin Ji-hye leaned in, listening with class-like focus.