Chapter 29

"Just in case, are you also heading to the Warp Gate at the center?"

"You won't be able to make it."

"I'm not just saying this for no reason. Don't go. We managed to get close to the Warp Gate just two days ago. But we failed, with only 300 meters left."

"Why, you ask? We hesitated and eventually decided to retreat. If we had made that decision just a little earlier... Jin-Tae..."

"You know the survival conditions, right? It's better to just endure for seven days. Especially because you can't possibly face 'that thing'. If it hadn't been for Jin-Tae back then, we all would've been killed by that monster. Even from a distance, the monster knew exactly where we were."

"That monster is..."

*

The condition for the boss monster's appearance is to avoid staying at each designated point for too long. There's also the factor of random appearances, but that is unpredictable. Honestly, I found it more surprising that Wu Jung-Min's group reached the Warp Gate in just three days than the fact that a boss monster might appear near the gate.

Well, considering that Wu Jung-Min and Seon Wu-Yun later became famous throughout Hall Plain, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible. Suddenly, the face of Won Hye-Soo, who had been screaming in despair, came to mind. She had cursed me as she looked at me, but it didn't particularly bother me.

I understood all too well the sense of loss that comes from losing someone precious. I had been the same. After losing my brother and her, I went mad for a while. If you gathered all the blood on my hands from back then, it would be enough to form several ponds.

"An-Hyun."

As we were walking, I heard Lee Yun-Jung call An-Hyun. When An-Hyun raised his head, she spoke to him in an unusually quiet voice, not typical of her. 

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"...For saving me earlier. Thanks."

An-Hyun tilted his head, confused, then seemed to remember. "Ah, right," he nodded in understanding.

"Honestly, your temper is the problem. You need to control it. You're lucky I was on guard with that guy from the start, or you'd have had a dagger stuck in your forehead with no warning."

"He was the one pissing me off!"

"Still, that's no excuse. Try treating others at least half as nicely as you treat Su-Hyeon hyung. Or maybe try to be at least half as calm as Han-Byeol. What good is a pretty face if your personality is a mess?"

"P-pretty face? Really...?" Yun-Jung's face turned red at An-Hyun's comment, and with a sharp huff, she quickly turned her head away. Her reaction, surprisingly girlish, made An-Hyun's eyes widen in surprise. This was progress. He had feared another argument might break out, but it seemed like things had smoothed over this time.

Just then, An Sol, who had been listening to their conversation, tugged on An-Hyun's sleeve. He instinctively reached out and gently patted her head. As An Sol smiled contentedly, Yun-Jung's eyes narrowed sharply. Only the oblivious An-Hyun, unaware of the subtle rivalry brewing around him, continued to scan the surroundings as they moved forward. Why is it that popular guys are always so dense? Tsk tsk.

After walking for a while, we finally spotted a safe point as the sun was starting to set. We hadn't encountered a single monster along the way. The group was pleased, saying luck was on our side, but it wasn't something we could celebrate so easily. 

Since leaving the forest, except for the brief time we spent in the city, we had constantly been harassed by monster attacks. It had gotten so bad that An Sol didn't even scream when she saw the bodies of the Mankis. Of course, I had intentionally led us into encounters with the monsters, but in any case, the group was now reaping the rewards of their suffering.

The area surrounding the Warp Gate is inhabited by monsters with a certain level of intelligence. You could tell by the fact that we had defeated five Mankis, which rank at the top tier of the rite of passage. These creatures likely knew that many other monsters had been slain by our group. Their keen sense of smell would have picked up the stench of blood clinging to us.

That's certainly what I thought. But after talking with Wu Jung-Min, I changed my mind. If a boss monster had appeared and was now prowling near the Warp Gate, there wouldn't be any other bold monsters operating nearby, given that the boss monster reigns at the top of the food chain.

In other words, if we didn't encounter any monsters tomorrow, there was a high chance we'd face the boss monster just before reaching the Warp Gate, just like Wu Jung-Min's group. It was an ironic situation. We had left the city specifically to avoid the boss monster, but now we were facing the risk of running into it again.

Of course, there was a difference between the two situations. Had we stayed in the city, we would have encountered the boss monster for sure, but now, the probability was uncertain.

As I thought about it for a while, a question popped into my head. There are definitely conditions for the boss monster to appear. And we aren't the only survivors of the rite of passage; others exist as well. So, what happens if multiple groups meet the conditions for the boss monster's appearance at the same time? Furthermore, if there's a high chance the boss monster appears near the Warp Gate, things could get even more complicated.

I suddenly realized how little I knew about the rite of passage. In Hall Plain, after spending ten years there, I had researched most things thoroughly, but not the rite of passage. All I had were fragmented memories from the occasional jokes users made about it. I wasn't feeling suffocated, but the uneasiness wouldn't go away.

How much time had passed? After walking for a while, we finally spotted a safe point.

"A yellow roof. But it looks like a cabin."

"Thankfully, we found one again today. Let's rest here, even though it's a bit early. Hyung, is that okay?"

"'Do not stay longer than one day.' There's a warning here too. Still, it seems better than last time, right, oppa?"

"I'm going in first. I really want to wash up. And change clothes. Hehe."

"..."

"Hyung?"

"Oppa?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Let's do that."

As I nodded hastily, everyone looked at me with puzzled expressions. I shook my head, signaling that it was nothing.

They glanced at my face briefly before resuming their chatter. I sighed inwardly as I watched them. Carefree kids. This is why group travel can be annoying. If I were moving alone, I would have already entered Hall Plain by now. But there was no point in dwelling on it now, so I decided to put the thoughts aside. I realized that I had become much more relaxed.

In the past, when I knew nothing, any issue related to survival would make me anxious, and I'd rack my brain for a solution. But not anymore. Now, deep down inside, I had the mentality that if things go wrong, I'll just cut my way through anything.

"Oppa, what are you doing? We're going in first!"

"...I'm coming now."

I began walking calmly as I watched Yun-Jung wave at me cheerfully. For now, I wanted to leave tomorrow's worries for tomorrow.

Night had fallen. I sat on the steps leading up to the cabin's entrance, keeping watch. It wasn't just me and An-Hyun taking turns anymore. Now it was the four of us—me, An-Hyun, Kim Han-Byeol, and Lee Yun-Jung—alternating shifts. We didn't have precise shifts, but whenever it felt like enough time had passed, we would switch with the next person.

Yun-Jung took the first watch, and I was next. Han-Byeol was third, and An-Hyun took the last shift. Each person kept watch for about two hours, but it hadn't even been an hour before Yun-Jung insisted on switching with me. From the way she kept glancing away, I could tell she felt embarrassed for making such a fuss.

When I habitually reached into my pocket, I found a chocolate bar. Deciding to let it slide, I got up to head outside, but Yun-Jung must have felt guilty, because she stuffed the chocolate bar into my hand. It seemed like she had saved it secretly. Since we weren't lacking in food or drinks, I didn't make a big deal out of it. Besides, it was almost time to switch with Han-Byeol, so I figured I might as well chew on the chocolate bar before going back inside.

Just as I was about to open the wrapper, a can of coffee appeared next to my right cheek. I turned to see Kim Han-Byeol bending over, staring at me.

"Hiding snacks and eating them alone, are we?"

"...Yun-Jung gave it to me."

"That unni never shares sweets, especially chocolate."

"She didn't keep her watch, so she felt guilty about it and gave it to me."

Han-Byeol gave a wry smile and sat down next to me. I broke the chocolate bar in half and handed her a piece, which she gladly accepted.

"Thanks, I'll enjoy it."

"And I'll enjoy the coffee."

Even Kim Han-Byeol had become much more comfortable around me than when we first met. She wasn't as lively as Lee Yun-Jung, and there was still some distance between us, but it felt like it had lessened a little. Among our group, we were still the only ones who maintained formal speech with each other. It had just become that way from the start, and now it felt like an unspoken agreement to continue using formalities.

"What were you thinking about so deeply that your expression looked so bad? You didn't even notice me coming."

I knew. I just pretended not to. I thought this to myself but didn't say it out loud. Instead, I took a sip of coffee before responding.

"Haha, I must've spaced out for a moment. But did I really look like I was in a bad mood?"

"Yes. After you spoke with that man earlier this afternoon, you seemed a bit stiff. Or am I wrong...?"

Was that so? I thought I had maintained a neutral expression. As I unconsciously touched my face, Kim Han-Byeol continued calmly.

"So, what were you talking about back then?"

"…It's nothing important."

"I'm not the only one who noticed. Hyun-oppa, Yun-Jung-unnie, and even Sol all seem to be quietly worried. You've barely spoken since then."

"I was just thinking about a few things. Everything will work out fine. I'm sure of it. Even if something does happen, we'll handle it. Don't worry too much."

With that, I quickly finished off the rest of the chocolate bar and coffee in one go. For some reason, the more I talked with her, the stronger the memories of 'her' came back. I wanted to leave the conversation as soon as possible. So, I told her to take care of the watch, and just as I was about to turn around and head up the stairs, it happened.

"Wait a moment. I still have something I want to ask."

In novels, comics, or dramas, they usually let the male protagonist go in situations like this. So why was she doing that? I mentally screamed, anticipating another round of interrogation from Kim Han-Byeol. Originally, the next shift after me was supposed to be An-Hyun's, but when Han-Byeol insisted on taking it, I had a strange feeling. Trying to keep my tone as pleasant as possible, I spoke up.

"I'm feeling a bit tired. Would it be okay if we talked tomorrow? I just really want to go in and sleep."

"I want to hear it now."

"I'm not going anywhere, you know."

I tried to make a lighthearted joke to diffuse the increasingly serious atmosphere, but it didn't work. Han-Byeol's expression had returned to the cold, unreadable look she had when we first met. Once again, her face overlapped with 'her' face in my mind. Unconsciously, I averted my gaze.

"I feel like if I don't ask now, I won't get another chance."

"Oh, you're talking about what I said earlier? It's really nothing, honestly. What I meant was..."

"Oppa."

I shut my mouth instantly. Was it because she called me 'oppa'? No, it wasn't that. I'm not the kind of pervert who gets excited just because someone calls me 'oppa'.

"Su-Hyeon oppa. That's not what I want to ask about."

Han-Byeol's face was still cold and calm, but there was a different air about her than usual. She was angry. She was silently demanding that I not run away, that I stay here with her, and she stared directly at me. At that moment, I realized she was serious. My expression sobered as I met her gaze with a calm look of my own. Only then did she finally begin to speak.

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