It was getting dark as night time approached. Kangho, having distanced himself from his angry friends, found a secluded spot to rest. He needed to strategize his next moves and figure out how to survive on his own from now on.
After a short rest, Kangho stood up, realizing it was risky to sleep in the dark woods. He decided to keep moving, guided only by the faint light of the full moon above.
In the darkness, after an hour or two of wandering, Kangho spotted something in the distance – an orange light flickering.
Wondering what it could be, he thought, 'This smell? Is someone cooking something?'
The aroma and the distant glow intrigued Kangho, prompting him to investigate. As he approached, the orange light revealed itself to be a campfire.
Curiosity led Kangho closer to the campfire. As he approached, he noticed a figure sitting by the flames. It was Gaseo, someone he actually knew.
"G-Gaseo?! The hell are you doing here alone?" Kangho asked.
'The fuck? What is Kangho doing here alone..?' Gaseo thought.
Kangho wasn't the only one who was surprised to see Gaseo, as Gaseo was surprised to see Kangho too.
"Eh? Kangho..?" Gaseo said.
"Yo, what's up man?! How are you doing?!" Kangho was excited to see Gaseo.
"I'm good, thanks. Anyway, why are you here alone though? Where are the others?"
"..." Kangho didn't know what to say, as he was reluctant to tell Gaseo what happened to him.
Not wanting to tell Gaseo the truth, Kangho decided to lie and made up a story and said, "Not much, just that my party was pursued by two Demon Leaders. As we fled, we somehow got separated. Now, I'm just trying to find my way back to reunite with them."
Gaseo, raising an eyebrow, sensed something off about Kangho's story.
"Demon Leaders, huh? That's quite a predicament. You managed to escape from them?"
Kangho, feeling a bit embarrassed about his made-up story, scratched his head.
"Yeah, you know how it is. These Demon Leaders are no joke. Even though I'm strong, I'm still not willing to risk my life fighting against two of them at once, so that's why I chose to run."
Gaseo, deciding not to press further, nodded. "Well, it's safer to stick together at night, and you're welcome to share the campfire."
Kangho, relieved that Gaseo didn't pry further, accepted the invitation and sat by the campfire. The warmth of the flames provided a comforting contrast to the chilly night.
"This meat you're cooking, may I know what it is?" Kangho asked.
"Oh, it's T-Rex meat." Gaseo replied.
"Y-You killed a T-Rex?!!" Kangho exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Gaseo chuckled at Kangho's reaction.
"I didn't. I just happened to come across it by luck in the forest. It was already dead when I found it, but the meat is still fresh, though."
Gaseo lied; he didn't feel like telling Kangho that he had killed a T-Rex because he wanted to keep a low profile.
"Ah, I see. Yeah that makes sense. I mean, after all, there's no way a loser like you is even strong enough to beat a T-Rex anyway."
Gaseo, maintaining his composed demeanor, chuckled at Kangho's jest. "You got me there. I'm just lucky I stumbled upon it after it kicked the bucket. You know how it is, survival in this place is all about timing and a bit of luck."
Kangho, completely buying into Gaseo's act, nodded in agreement. "True, true. I guess we all have to rely on luck in this messed-up world. By the way, thanks for letting me join your camp. It's better than wandering alone in the dark."
Gaseo waved it off casually. "No problem. Strength in numbers, right? We'll watch each other's backs."
Little did Kangho know that the person he considered weak had just effortlessly deceived him. It seemed in Kangho's mind, he still perceived Gaseo as a sore loser.
They continued to chat for a little more and once around midnight, Gaseo went to bed first. While Kangho stays awake to keep watch in case any monsters might ambush them.
Gaseo wasn't worried about any monsters attacking them because he had already gotten rid of all the monsters in this area, so this area, for the time being, was safe. Of course, Gaseo kept it a secret and didn't tell Kangho about it, which was why Kangho was still awake instead of sleeping.
While Gaseo was sleeping, Kangho found himself in a dilemma. Betrayed by his friends, he now harbored trust issues, and this suspicion extended to Gaseo. In the quiet of the night, he entertained dark thoughts, contemplating the idea of taking Gaseo's life and drinking his blood.
'Should I just kill this loser and drink his blood..?' Kangho thought.
Fearing Gaseo might betray him in the future, just like his friends did, Kangho became extra cautious. The past betrayal left him uneasy, always worried about making mistakes. Even though Gaseo hadn't betrayed him yet, Kangho knew that if he ever made a mistake that jeopardized their friendship, he wouldn't be surprised if Gaseo did betray him.
With this thought lingering in Kangho's mind, he planned to get rid of Gaseo to have a peace of mind.
'Fuck friends! I don't need them! From now on, I won't trust anyone but myself.'
With determination, Kangho unsheathed his sword and aimed it at the unsuspecting Gaseo, who was deep in sleep and unaware of the impending danger.
Kangho hesitated for a moment, his hand trembling as he held the sword above Gaseo. However, he had already made up his mind, so there was no point in hesitating any longer. With determination, he proceeded to carry out what he had to do.
'Die! You son of a bitch! Fuck y'all!'
As Kangho was about to strike, Gaseo's eyes snapped open. It was as if he sensed the impending danger in his sleep. In an instant, Gaseo rolled away, narrowly avoiding the deadly swing of Kangho's sword. The blade cut through the air with a swift and deadly intent, but it found only empty space.