Memorize - Episode 14
14 Split in Half
"Instead of worrying about those who left, let's focus on our immediate concerns. Shouldn't we first descend the hill and leave this forest?"
This wasn't addressed to everyone, but specifically to Ahn Hyun. As my gaze turned to Ahn Hyun, Lee Yoo-jung and Kim Han-byeol's eyes naturally followed. Ahn Hyun didn't seem to be the type to feel burdened by the attention, perhaps due to some experience as a neighborhood leader. He agreed readily and stood up, bowing his head towards the bottom of the hill.
"Going down is fine, but I'm worried about which direction we should take. We don't even know where we are now..."
Ahn Hyun raised his head again, alternating his gaze between the clearing still swarming with Deadmen and the path Park Dong-geol's group had taken. He seemed to have thought it through, but in my opinion, that wasn't necessarily the best choice.
"Wouldn't this direction be better?"
At that moment, Kim Han-byeol, who had been quiet like before, pointed in one direction. Following her finger, it was about 90 degrees from the clearing. Lee Yoo-jung, seemingly gauging the distance from the clearing, asked with a slightly anxious face:
"Wouldn't it be better to go in the completely opposite direction from the clearing? That way doesn't seem much different in distance from the clearing."
Here's another person who thinks like Park Dong-geol.
Ahn Hyun thought for a moment, then let out an "Ah" of realization. Despite looking like someone far from studious, he seemed quite quick-witted. Kim Han-byeol calmly began to explain to Lee Yoo-jung, who was still tilting her head in confusion.
"It's simple. Currently, most of those creatures are concentrated in the clearing. Assuming they're evenly distributed throughout the forest, the more gathered in one place, the emptier other areas will be. So, the area with the highest probability of being empty is around here."
"The direction opposite to the clearing might still have creatures that didn't hear the commotion earlier. It could actually be more dangerous."
Ahn Hyun added his explanation, and Kim Han-byeol nodded slightly as if agreeing. While not exactly the same as the escape route I had in mind, it was very similar. Anyway, feeling that things were finally moving in the right direction, I smiled inwardly with satisfaction.
"Now that you mention it, that makes sense. Then doesn't that mean the direction that bastard went could be the most dangerous?"
"That's right. Anyway, let's go straight down from here and leave the forest. Sol, get up now."
"Huh? Oh, okay!"
Ahn Sol, who had been sitting like a bystander just watching our conversation, hurriedly stood up at Ahn Hyun's words. Everyone seemed fine with Ahn Hyun and me taking the lead in decision-making. In fact, the atmosphere felt much more stable than when Park Dong-geol was around. Lee Yoo-jung, in particular, was even smiling, seemingly pleased at the thought of Park Dong-geol's potential hardships.
And so, our remaining group swiftly descended the hill.
About two hours had passed since we decided on our escape route and came down the hill. The forest was much darker than it appeared from the hill, with tall trees blocking out the sky. For these two hours, we had been walking non-stop through the dark forest. With each step, only the sound of feet brushing against soil and grass, and our rhythmic breathing maintained a steady flow as we followed behind me and Ahn Hyun, who were leading the way.
The gloomy forest was quiet and surprisingly vast. But according to my memory, and if we maintained our current pace, we should be able to exit the forest before evening. It occurred to me that the angels might have intentionally dropped us in the center of a more difficult forest, given that we were a group with decent abilities.
It was best to get out of this forest before evening. The preparation room only provided clothing and weapons, not food or water. There were separate places for such necessities. Rest rooms where you could take a half-day break, or save points where you could sleep for a day. Other methods included looting other users or searching shops in villages.
"...Brother."
"Yes?"
Currently, Ahn Hyun and I were at the front, with Ahn Sol and Kim Han-byeol closely following behind. Lee Yoo-jung was at the very back as we moved forward, keeping a vigilant eye on our surroundings. During this, Ahn Sol tugged at Ahn Hyun's collar and mumbled with a flushed face.
"I need to pee..."
"..."
An awkward silence fell over everyone at Ahn Sol's shy words.
'Is she an idiot?'
She seemed a bit slow-witted, but this was beyond expectation. I became quite curious about how she had lived in the modern world.
Ahn Hyun paused for a moment, then asked, looking at us:
"Can we stop for a moment here? My sister says she needs to go."
Fortunately, Lee Yoo-jung and Kim Han-byeol agreed readily. There seemed to be some unspoken understanding among the women. There was a brief commotion when Ahn Sol, afraid to go alone, threw a tantrum asking her brother to come with her, but Ahn Hyun mercilessly sent her off alone.
Lee Yoo-jung chuckled as she watched Ahn Sol trudge off dejectedly after being scolded by her brother. She had already plopped herself down on the ground.
"Will she be okay? Those things might attack her."
"She'll be fine if she's careful. Besides, at nineteen, she should be able to handle going to the bathroom alone. By the way, how old are you to be speaking informally?"
"Me? Twenty-two. You're speaking informally too, all of a sudden. But aren't you younger than me? You look like you've just turned twenty or twenty-one."
"I'm twenty-two as well."
"Eh~? We're the same age. Since we're here, why don't we all introduce ourselves properly?"
Lee Yoo-jung's voice had become much more cheerful as she looked around at everyone. Kim Han-byeol, perhaps also tired from the mental tension, carefully sat down following her lead. Ahn Hyun and I nodded at each other and sat down on the cold ground as well.
"Let's keep it brief since we'll start moving again as soon as my sister returns. My name is Ahn Hyun. I'm twenty-two."
"What were you doing before coming here?"
At Lee Yoo-jung's question, Ahn Hyun scratched his face awkwardly but soon answered honestly.
"Just doing some neighborhood troublemaking and part-time jobs. What about you?"
"Me? I'm Lee Yoo-jung. Also twenty-two. I was on a break from university, preparing for the police civil service exam."
Police civil service exam. So she wanted to be a policewoman? Somehow, I felt the police uniform would suit Lee Yoo-jung quite well. The two of them, chatting about being a police officer and a troublemaker, then turned their heads towards Kim Han-byeol and me. Unable to resist their curious gazes, Kim Han-byeol spoke first.
"Kim Han-byeol. I'm twenty-one. A university student."
"You're younger? Which university did you attend?"
"I was at Yonsei University."
"Wow~! You must be smart. I'm envious."
After a moment of admiration, the two turned their gaze to me, the only one left, and Kim Han-byeol also looked at me with an expectant face. Feeling awkward under their pressuring stares, I tried to respond as calmly as possible to meet their expectations.
"My name is Kim Su-hyun. I'm twenty-three. I was a soldier."
"We found an oppa~! Then let's speak comfortably, oppa. Were you in the Army, Air Force, or Navy?"
"Then you're hyung to me. Please speak comfortably too. What was your rank, hyung?"
Lee Yoo-jung, who I had thought was just strong-willed, seemed naturally bubbly. At the same time, Ahn Hyun, curious about military talk, asked me.
"I was an Army sergeant."
"That's a shame. If you had waited a little longer, you would have been discharged."
Watching Lee Yoo-jung laugh brightly, I gave a bitter smile and added:
"I was discharged. I came here on the day I was returning home after reporting my discharge."
"..."
"..."
"..."
What's with those sympathetic looks? This pitying atmosphere?
"Why are you all looking at me like that? I'm fine. I don't feel anything special. So stop looking at me that way."
Despite my assurance, an awkward silence fell over us again. Ahn Hyun cleared his throat and turned his head away, while Lee Yoo-jung was openly looking at me with pity. Even Kim Han-byeol was giving me a sympathetic look. I really didn't feel anything special about it.
Trying to change this awkward atmosphere, Lee Yoo-jung deliberately spoke in a cheerful voice to shift the topic.
"It still feels like a dream that I'm here. Normally, I'd be studying in the library, then close my books and run out to call a friend. We'd sit in the lounge, chat endlessly, go out to eat something delicious, and on the way home, I'd think about studying hard from tomorrow."
Everyone's expressions became dreamy at her words. Even Ahn Hyun joined in with a small laugh.
"I'd probably be arguing with a customer trying to get credit at my PC room part-time job. Catching someone trying to leave without paying. Getting scolded by the boss for not cleaning properly. Then eating a chicken the boss's wife gave me while sitting at the counter, and going to pick up Sol after my shift ends. Heh. Ah, hyung, what were you planning to do first when you got home?"
"Me?"
Seeing Ahn Hyun suddenly turn the conversation to me, I tilted my head. Hmm. It's been over 10 years, so I don't remember clearly. After thinking for a moment, I decided to just speak plainly.
"Well. I'd probably be breathing in the air of society deeply on my way home, realizing that I'm finally a free man. Then I'd go home, bow deeply to my mother, call my father. Eat the delicious meal my mother would prepare, soak in a hot bath... Wait, why are you all looking at me like that again? Don't look at me like I'm some pitiful animal. I'm really fine."
The commotion was safely concluded when Ahn Sol returned from her business. Watching her politely bow her head and say, "I'm back," I found it cute. However, that sound was like a signal flare making us face reality again. They probably wanted to escape this hellish space, even if just for a moment, by introducing themselves and chatting. Ahn Hyun let out a deep sigh and got up sluggishly.
After our brief, sweet rest, we started moving forward into the dark forest again. Although Ahn Hyun and I were at the front, I was subtly guiding the way. By sensing the surroundings and intentionally avoiding areas with many Deadmen, we had managed not to encounter even one so far.
However, we couldn't avoid them forever. As we got closer to the outskirts of the forest, the Deadmen were becoming more evenly distributed. All I could do was guide us in the direction with the fewest Deadmen.
The most worrying among us was Ahn Sol. Although we were heading in the direction with the fewest Deadmen, we might still encounter dozens of them as we progressed. It was uncertain whether Sol would be able to respond calmly in such a situation. Just then, Ahn Hyun suddenly stopped, calling out urgently.
"What's wrong?"
"Shh."
As Yoo-jung and I turned our heads in the direction Ahn Hyun was pointing, we saw three Deadmen wandering around. Their flaring nostrils and licking lips suggested they had caught our scent. Reflexively looking at Ahn Sol, I saw her tightly covering her mouth with both hands, eyes squeezed shut. We had managed to overcome one hurdle for now.
"So they can find us not just by sight and sound, but by smell too?"
"It seems so. Let's duck down for now."
Ahn Hyun quickly hid behind a large tree, pulling Sol into his arms. Yoo-jung, Han-byeol, and I followed suit, hiding our bodies and waiting for the creatures to pass. I saw Ahn Hyun raising his shield, but I shook my head for now. It was better to train in killing Deadmen after we got out. I couldn't remember exactly why, but I recalled hearing that users should absolutely avoid entering the forest during the Trial of Passage.
Based on the detectable distance, we should be able to exit the forest after covering about half the distance we had already traveled. We had managed to avoid them well so far, but if we killed these now, there was a high chance of being surrounded again. If the Deadmen received a signal and gathered, we would truly be in trouble.
Even if we decided to deal with them, we would need to do it instantly without giving them a chance to signal others. It would be impossible to handle three at once with just rocks or a shield. At that moment, the long sword at my waist rattled slightly. I thought I should have given it to Ahn Hyun earlier. Meanwhile, the Deadmen were sniffing and moving closer to our tree, one step at a time.