Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 238. Crossroads
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I often wonder.
Just what kind of life have I been living?
I've done finance, HR, containment... and now I'm stuck doing work for some unheard-of team.
Sometimes it gets to me.
The records of myself that I don't know.
If I end up dying from all this someday, will I just become another story in the manual? That fear lingers.
But now's not the time to show it.
I glare at the manual and flip it open.
"...What are you doing?"
Yoo Daon looks at me with a puzzled expression, but there's no time to answer her question.
I start reading the next entry.
[Employee Manual]
[Record of Kim Jaeheon, Anomalous Phenomena Team - Church Sanctuary]
1. Exit within exactly 48 hours. After that, they will find you.
2. If you just leave the village, they won't be able to find you.
3. But if you leave the village, the things wandering outside will devour you.
4. Do not wander at night. You'll be swept away in the blink of an eye.
5. Even if you're swept away, you might survive, but you won't be the person you know anymore.
6. If you see night, a day has passed. From that point, you have 24 hours left. If time drags on, get out immediately and find the exit. If you see two nights, refer to [T - Suicide Methods].
7. The village exit is anomalous. But one common point: the more dangerous it is, the closer you are to the exit.
...
Scribbled handwriting.
How rushed was I when I wrote this?
What end did that version of me meet?
Maybe that's why I'm reading it now—because that me met their end.
If so, then I, facing death and repeating these records—
Thud. I close the manual with a loud snap and look at the others.
The darkness has vanished, and a bright sky shines through the window once more.
Hoo. I take a deep breath.
"Let's start the briefing."
We have 24 hours left.
No time to waver.
*
"...Sorry."
After hearing my explanation, Eileen immediately bows her head.
"It's fine—"
"I know it's not."
She cuts me off.
"But we don't have time for apologies. I'll apologize when we get back."
She stands up.
"I'll take the lead. That's the most I can do right now."
...
Park Ye-eun stares at Eileen in surprise.
I had to admit it.
Eileen had the sense of responsibility to be a team leader.
Two people take the same positions as yesterday and scout the village.
The difference is that Song Arin and Eileen are in front.
...
Song Arin glances at Eileen, then looks ahead again.
"She looks uncomfortable."
Jang Chaeyeon mutters after noticing.
"She's uncomfortable?"
"Yeah."
"How can you tell?"
"I'm reading her vibes."
Jang Chaeyeon subtly points at Song Arin.
"You notice that stuff well?"
"...No, not really."
Anyone could tell.
Jang Chaeyeon shakes her head, then stares at me intently.
"...Worried about something?"
"Huh?"
"Your face looks bad."
...
How does she read my emotions like a ghost?
"It's not just me thinking that."
Jang Chaeyeon thumbs behind her.
I turn around and lock eyes with Yoo Daon.
The moment our eyes meet, she hurriedly looks away.
When I keep staring, Yoo Daon forces a smile and waves at me.
"Hey, what a nice day!"
"Sis, that's where the killer mud just passed."
Park Ye-eun says it like it's ridiculous, but Yoo Daon keeps waving at me anyway.
I turn back to Jang Chaeyeon, and she nods.
"We all know."
"Ye-eun doesn't seem to."
"...People who've been around you a while all know."
Jang Chaeyeon adds slowly.
Does that mean Song Arin knows too?
I look up ahead, and Song Arin keeps sneaking glances at me.
I know that look from her.
After I snapped at her when she asked if my little sister was a containment object, she kept gauging my mood like that.
They really all know.
"So, what's going on?"
"Hmm."
How do I explain this?
I read something like a dying message from countless versions of me across worldlines, and now I'm feeling a bit down. Yeah, I can't say that.
"Just... some stuff happened."
"Don't wanna talk about it?"
"...It's not that I don't want to. It's just kinda hard to explain."
Jang Chaeyeon blinks at my words.
-Tap.
She places her hand on my shoulder.
"Chaeyeon?"
"You don't have to say."
I feel someone's stare boring into me from behind, but it's probably nothing.
Jang Chaeyeon keeps talking with her hand on my shoulder.
It looks like we're linking arms.
Of course, since she's shorter than me, it feels more like she's on her tiptoes reaching up.
A citrus scent wafts over.
"Tell me when you want to. I'll wait till then."
I bend down to meet her eye level.
At breathing distance, she stares right at me.
"Don't worry. I'm always here."
Jang Chaeyeon smiles faintly.
It really feels like someone's watching from behind.
Like that "killing intent" from old comics or novels.
But Jang Chaeyeon either doesn't notice or ignores it, just staring at me.
"I'm okay."
"...Thanks."
Jang Chaeyeon nods and pulls her arm away.
At the same time, Eileen stops walking.
"I hate to ruin the mood, but there's something ahead."
I look up at her words.
Thorn vines block the path.
Not just blocking it.
The entire wall is covered in thorny brambles.
So dense it's hard to pass, and if you tried forcing through, you'd come out shredded to pieces—if you came out at all.
"...Never seen anything like this."
"We were only looking inside houses."
"...Sorry."
Eileen apologizes again to Song Arin.
"But we can't get through like this."
Unless we had butane gas or something.
"Hold on."
Eileen pulls a bomb from her bag and attaches it to the brambles.
"Get back."
Before she even finishes, we're already behind her.
Eileen flips the switch,
-Boom!
A loud blast, but the brambles don't budge.
...
Not even a twitch.
"Total asshole."
Song Arin raises one eyebrow, and Eileen sighs.
Should I use Critical?
As I frown at it, Yoo Daon goes "Ah" and speaks up.
"I'll—"
"I'm against you going in."
"...But isn't that the only way?"
"If only you go in, it doesn't help. And it's dangerous."
"Still..."
Yoo Daon steps up to the brambles.
-Slide...
They part like they were never there.
"...Huh?"
Yoo Daon widens her eyes and steps back, and the brambles regrow instantly, blocking the path again.
The brambles grow and recede in sync with Yoo Daon's movements.
Yoo Daon stares, blinks in confusion, and turns to me.
"Did I somehow get a talent for killing plants without realizing...?"
...
I can't even explain this situation.
"...Wait."
Song Arin, who's been quiet, grabs Yoo Daon's wrist.
"Ah, Arin!"
Ignoring her, Song Arin steps up to the brambles.
They don't move.
"Hey, Pink Bridge. Come here."
"M-Me?"
"Who else is Pink Bridge around here?"
Park Ye-eun hesitates and steps forward.
With Park Ye-eun beside her, Song Arin crosses her arms, looks up at the brambles,
then slowly steps back alone.
The brambles part again.
"...Molpag."
My voice overlaps with Song Arin's, and we look at each other.
"Only black hair and Pink Bridge here..."
"Yeah, seems like only Daon and Ye-eun can pass. Only Molpag positions."
"So, should we send just those two?"
"...Honestly, I'm a bit worried, but if there's a path—or an exit—sending them first makes sense."
Song Arin and I exchange opinions like we've rehearsed, and Yoo Daon, who's been listening, raises her hand with a flustered look.
"Um, I could stay with you guys?"
"Ye-eun's there."
Unlike Yoo Daon, Ye-eun's still young.
She might get scared, and more than that, I don't want to leave a kid in a place like this for long.
"Plus, you might need to go in to know the way."
"But—"
"We can't just send Ye-eun alone."
Yoo Daon pauses at my words, then nods.
"R-Right."
"So, mind helping out? Let us know if you find anything."
"...Okay."
Yoo Daon answers in a glum voice, then suddenly fills her eyes with determination and looks at me.
"I'll do my best!"
Soon after, Park Ye-eun with her bag and Yoo Daon with the bomb pouch on her waist stand before me.
...
Is this really okay?
Ignoring my doubts, Song Arin talks to Yoo Daon.
"Got it? If you find the exit?"
"Fire the signal flare."
"Next, if you see enemies?"
"Ditch Ye-eun and run hug them and hit the bomb switch!"
"Good."
Really? Good?
Yoo Daon smiles, ignoring my complicated feelings.
"Don't worry, Jaeheon! I'll take good care of Ye-eun!"
"...Be careful coming back. Just contact us if you find the exit."
"Okay!"
Yoo Daon says brightly and crosses the brambles with Park Ye-eun.
As they pass, the brambles regrow, blocking our path.
Like they won't give us time to follow, sprouting hastily.
"...She'll do fine, right?"
"She will."
Song Arin says with oddly confident tone.
I look at her, and she shrugs.
"You asked her. She'll do it."
*
Park Ye-eun looks up at Yoo Daon.
...
A smile on her face, but only curving her lips—Yoo Daon says nothing.
"...If things go south, ditch me."
"No."
Yoo Daon shakes her head at Park Ye-eun's words and gives her the same smile.
"Because Jaeheon asked."
She'd switched to casual speech with her before, but now she's back to polite.
Uncomfortable.
Park Ye-eun sighs.
The bombs rattling at Yoo Daon's waist as she walks only make her heart feel heavier.