Chapter 267
Chapter 267
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 267. Observer
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Even expert swimmers can't handle fast currents, or so they say. It's true.
The moment we plunged into the water, a biting chill enveloped us as our bodies were swept away.
How long were we carried along like that?
The water churned violently, as if spitting us out, and we shot up to the surface.
"Cough! Cough!"
Song Arin spat out water and shot me a glare.
"Hey! We almost died! Why'd you fold your arms?"
"The manual said to fold them."
"God, I can't even..."
Song Arin pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh and looked at me.
"Would you die if the manual told you to?"
I had died once because of it, but no need to mention that.
"It didn't seem like it would say that for no reason."
At least not in a situation like this.
"That doesn't mean you have to gamble with our lives too!"
"You're right. Sorry."
...
I dipped my head slightly in apology, and Song Arin squeezed her eyes shut, clutching her head as she muttered.
"Ah, whatever. Just do better."
"Got it."
I checked on Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon.
Jang Chaeyeon was patting herself down in surprise, while Yoo Daon clutched her chest with a bewildered look.
"Huh? Why doesn't it hurt...?"
Jang Chaeyeon reacted to Yoo Daon's mutter.
"...You walked through the water?"
Jang Chaeyeon stared at Yoo Daon in astonishment, and Yoo Daon slowly nodded.
"I... did walk."
She glanced at me.
Jang Chaeyeon kept staring at Yoo Daon, who was now even more aware of my gaze.
"Daon."
"I-It was nothing."
"Really?"
"...I just didn't want Jaeheon to worry."
Yoo Daon's voice trailed off as she muttered in response.
I let out a small sigh and bowed my head slightly to her.
"Thank you. Seems like I'm always thanking you."
"It's just what I should do."
She gave me a faint smile.
"And we've arrived."
Jang Chaeyeon, watching the exchange, tapped my shoulder and pointed ahead.
Following her gaze, I spotted a bouquet of flowers.
"...A bouquet?"
The wedge I'd seen before didn't look like that.
As I stared at it, Jang Chaeyeon nodded slowly.
"That's already too late for."
"Don't say it so casually."
Jang Chaeyeon reached out, and the bouquet floated gently into her hand.
"We use this to seal the wedge."
A translucent window appeared as I looked at the bouquet she held.
[Name: Floral Tribute]
[Age: X]
[Specialty: Comfort]
[Talent: Comfort]
[Background: They judged that consoling with countless souls might not be the wisest method, but it was the most effective.]
[Weakness: Burn the flowers.]
"How?"
I knew what the flowers were. The problem was how. No method had appeared.
"Follow me."
Jang Chaeyeon moved forward confidently, and the three of us trailed behind her.
Had she done this many times?
Holding the flowers, Jang Chaeyeon led us to a small pond.
Pond or puddle?
With the pond at her back, Jang Chaeyeon turned to us.
"Everyone, turn around."
We all turned at her words, and then came a splash as the flowers hit the water.
-Crunch... Crunch...
Soon, a chewing sound rang in our ears.
-Crunch... Crunch...
Like something munching on the flowers.
And then,
-Aaagh! Aaaagh!
-Uwaaagh!
It felt like screams from people.
How long the sounds echoed? They finally stopped, and Jang Chaeyeon nodded.
"You can look now."
Glancing back at the pond, the flowers were gone, leaving only bloodstains floating on the surface.
"It's done."
"...That's it?"
"Yeah."
What? That was anticlimactic.
My tension deflated, and Song Arin sighed too.
"Man, why was this so hard? We couldn't even do this one?"
"No one could find the path."
"That makes... sense, I guess."
Tsk. Song Arin clicked her tongue and nodded.
"But no one took this long to find it."
"That's what's weird."
"...We'll have to report back and check."
Song Arin nodded and started walking.
"What are you waiting for? Let's go."
I followed behind her.
"At least it ended quickly. What luck!"
Yoo Daon smiled in relief, and I nodded too.
But was this really the end?
We walked through the now-dry cave.
"By the way, what was in that water..."
"Not anything good. Think of it like what we just saw."
Jang Chaeyeon answered for Song Arin, who only nodded silently.
"...Understood."
That was all I said as we hurried along.
"At least the black-haired kid was right—it ended quick. Lucky break."
Song Arin sighed in relief and stepped out of the cave.
Her tension eased, she was now passionately explaining how to dodge the branch chief's wrath.
"You heard me? When we report to the branch chief, we appeal to emotion. Emotion. Got it..."
She was the first out of the cave, and her mouth snapped shut.
"...Arin?"
...
"Arin?"
Song Arin stood frozen, silent.
No, she seemed completely stopped.
I hurriedly looked above her head.
[Name: Song Arin]
[Age: 21]
[Specialty: -]
[Talent: -]
[Background: -]
[Weakness: Not much time left.]
Something was wrong.
"Don't go out, everyone."
At my words, Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon stopped, their gazes turning outward.
"The sky..."
Yoo Daon muttered in shock, and I looked up too.
A massive eye floated in the sky.
The eyeball rolled around, scanning the surroundings.
"Did we find the wrong exit...?"
Yoo Daon murmured calmly, and I debated turning back but knew we couldn't.
"Let's secure Arin first."
We couldn't leave her.
"...Then let me..."
Yoo Daon reached out slowly, but Jang Chaeyeon smacked her arm.
"I'll do it."
Jang Chaeyeon extended her hand, and the stone-still Song Arin was pulled slowly toward us.
Once inside the cave, Song Arin blinked and gasped for breath moments later.
"Wh-What...?"
Song Arin looked around wildly, spotted us, then stared at the eye in the sky.
"What's that?"
"You didn't know?"
"No, it's not that I didn't... ...Uh. ...Uh..."
Song Arin pressed her temple with a confused expression.
"...Should we go out?"
Yoo Daon murmured, and none of us had an answer.
"Better to head back."
"Okay."
We slowly turned around,
and then—
Whoosh...
Water rushed in.
"Already?"
Song Arin muttered in dismay, and all three pairs of eyes turned to me.
What now?
"...Let's go in."
Better inside the cave than out in the unknown.
As I stepped deeper into the cave,
Whoosh!!
Water surged in at tremendous speed, pushing us back.
"Wait, why is this happening all of a sudden...!"
Water rose to our waists in no time, and Song Arin cried out in panic.
Could we push through it?
"Daon."
"Yes?"
"What happens if you're submerged too long?"
"...Heart attack."
"How much time?"
"About three seconds per..."
"Out we go."
No time to think.
Jang Chaeyeon grabbed my arm and Yoo Daon's at my words, yanking Song Arin's collar from behind.
"Hey! Going out is bad!"
"Can you break through this water?"
"...No, but...!"
"Going."
Jang Chaeyeon muttered, hurling Yoo Daon and me outward, and Song Arin flew after us. We all landed outside.
At that moment, the massive eye in the sky fixed on us.
My heart shriveled.
The world slowed, my breathing labored.
I knew it clearly.
I was dying.
I met the eye's gaze.
Had to find a way. Couldn't die like this.
Soon, a translucent window appeared.
[Name: -- --]
[Age: --/--]
[Specialty: Observation]
[Talent: Observation]
[Background: This is perfect art.]
[Weakness: -]
At the same time, someone slammed my back hard.
"Get up!"
It was Jang Chaeyeon.
She clutched her chest, staring at me.
"Snap out of it! Run!"
She grabbed me and started running.
No, was I the one running?
At this speed, it felt more like walking.
Was this really running?
My legs felt rooted, not lifting.
Jang Chaeyeon kept yelling at me anyway, while Yoo Daon and Song Arin stood frozen behind us.
If this kept up—
[Whoa! New friends!]
A bubbly voice shook my mind.
The slowing world sped up again, my stalled heart resuming its beat.
Yoo Daon and Song Arin too?
I turned, but they remained frozen.
[It's been foooorever! What's your names?]
The loud voice rang in my ears.
I winced, hand to one ear.
This voice... it sounded familiar.
Jang Chaeyeon stepped in front of me protectively.
"Be careful."
Yeah. It sounded just like this voice.
-Thud... Thud...
Footsteps approached. I looked up ahead.
A mannequin was walking toward us.
No. Only the body was a mannequin.
The head was human.
White hair grew long enough to cover its hips, and its eyes brimmed with delight and curiosity as it watched us.
A familiar face.
"Wooow! New friends! And..."
It looked at Jang Chaeyeon and covered its mouth in mock surprise.
Exaggerated gestures.
"You look just like me! No, exactly like me!"
Jang Chaeyeon squeezed her eyes shut.