Kim Soo-hyun, Begins the Rite of Passage 3
Suddenly, I remembered an interesting TV show I had watched before. The premise was simple: what would happen if an ordinary person suddenly found themselves in a life-threatening situation? According to the show, people only act rationally for about 15 minutes after such an event. After that, rationality disappears, and they start acting on instinct. If that's true, is it safe to say that the group I'm leading now has skipped that part?
Currently, we're on a high hill in the forest, taking a breath after climbing a steep path. Despite being a hill, it was quite steep, and everyone looked exhausted. As I looked down after catching my breath, my suspicions were confirmed. The clearing we were sitting in an hour ago was now densely packed with Deadmen.
The clearing, small enough to cover with one hand, was a sight that drew quiet murmurs from the group. It was clear that if we had hesitated even a little, we would have been their prey. Even the typically bold-talking woman was visibly shaken, rubbing her arms as if to ward off the chill.
The expressions on everyone's faces were complex. There were monsters, and our lives were threatened. Their faces, which had accepted this reality, were filled with all sorts of negative emotions, even without a word being spoken. But that was something I couldn't help with. I planned to observe quietly from the back without intervening much. I had some basic information, but I needed to see how they would act in reality.
"Huff! Huff! Damn it... What are those things?"
Park Dong-gul, who had just climbed up, was still catching his breath. Watching him, I shook my head. If he had stayed still, at least he'd blend in. The crisis we just escaped from was caused by him kicking a stone. In other words, he was the cause. If it were me, I would have been quiet out of shame, but it seems he had a thick skin.
Sighing, I turned my head and saw Ahn Sol, still crying in Ahn Hyun's arms. For a moment, I felt a pang of disappointment, but I realized something important from this experience. If the crying Ahn Sol was indeed the priestess of light I knew, her future seemed somewhat assured. Even with 100 points in luck, I thought she would naturally overcome such a rite of passage. But the outcome showed otherwise. It confirmed that the future could change with even slight variations in actions.
Feeling my gaze, Ahn Hyun, who was wiping Ahn Sol's tears, nodded to me, acknowledging that I was the one who shot the arrows that took down the Deadmen. His eyes showed gratitude. I nodded back, signaling that it was fine, and then looked down the hill again.
A grumbling sound came from below, followed by frightened cries. It was unclear whether they were originally nearby or had followed us from the clearing, but two more Deadmen appeared, desperately trying to climb the hill. However, they weren't moving as fast as before.
Deadmen can run quite fast when they spot prey and charge straight ahead. But if they have to change direction or climb a high ground, their charging speed decreases significantly. While they weren't incapable of climbing hills, it was simple enough to stab them in the head before they could reach the top.
Though less panicked than the first time, screams still broke out. As much as I felt sorry for Lee Bo-rim, I didn't plan to save her forcibly. Her constant duo of screams with Ahn Sol was grating, and her user information didn't indicate any usefulness. If she survived, it would be due to her luck, and if she didn't, it would be her fate.
"Now they should start reacting... Cooperation, division, or maintenance."
Before starting a conversation, the immediate task was to deal with the Deadmen coming up the hill.
At that moment, Ahn Hyun moved. Leaving Ahn Sol, he picked up a stone the size of his fist, as if he had left his sword at the clearing. I paused my reloading of the crossbow to observe Ahn Hyun's actions.
If you were to give a knife to adult men in Korea and ask them to hit a target at a certain distance, how many would succeed? I wanted to see if the previous incident of cutting off a Deadman's arm with a knife was skill or luck.
Unlike before, Ahn Hyun carefully measured the direction and distance before throwing the stone with all his might. The result...
Thud!
"Not bad at all."
Ahn Hyun's stone-throwing was impressive. The stone hit a Deadman squarely on the head, successfully breaking its skull. Watching the monster collapse, Ahn Hyun's eyes gleamed with realization, and he easily dealt with the other one as well.
"Right. It's nothing special. So don't get cocky just because you took down two."
However, Park Dong-gul couldn't stand Ahn Hyun's demeanor and made another snide remark. Ahn Hyun stopped, unable to ignore it, and turned to face Park Dong-gul.
Eventually, Ahn Hyun slowly opened his mouth.
"Thanks to you, I guess. Thanks."
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"
"When I looked at the one that attacked our Sol earlier, there was a heavy stone lodged in its chest. Thanks to that, I realized that stones could penetrate."
Realizing that Ahn Hyun was mocking him, Park Dong-gul's face twisted with anger.
In essence, Ahn Hyun was implying that the incident at the clearing happened because of the stone kicked by Park Dong-gul.
"So, you're saying we're in this mess because of a stone I kicked? How do you know it was the stone I kicked?"
"I don't recall saying anything like that. I was just saying thanks."
Park Dong-gul was about to explode with rage, but then he suddenly spoke in a low, growling voice, as if something had occurred to him.
"You think you did something great? Do you know we almost died because of that girl clinging to you?"
"Girl?"
"Yeah, that crazy girl! Everyone else was doing fine, but she couldn't even get up on her own, like a child?"
Ahn Hyun's face hardened. He had nothing to say in response, and Ahn Sol, feeling guilty for causing trouble, bowed her head and wiped her tears.
"Ugh, I hate this pretense. And who caused all this in the first place?"
But we had the sharp-tongued woman. She didn't stay silent this time either. Supporting Ahn Hyun, she fired back at Park Dong-gul, making his expression even more twisted.
"Hey, you b*tch. If you don't shut that pretty mouth of yours, I'll really kill you."
"Hey, b*stard. If it were me, I'd keep my mouth shut out of shame. Making a mess and then acting like this. And at least you know you're pretty."
"You sons of b*tches are really looking to die today, huh..."
All three were at fault, but Park Dong-gul was the one everyone was already wary of. Realizing that the atmosphere was turning against him, he eventually fell silent.
Just as we seemed to be escaping one crisis, another argument erupted. This level of discord was beyond mere incompatibility—it was almost enmity. The frustration that had momentarily faded came rushing back. Instinctively, I reached for a cigarette, but of course, I didn't have any. The thought of cutting off Park Dong-gul crossed my mind, believing it might help move things forward.
Still, since I had resolved to watch quietly for a while, it was best to stick to that plan. Going back to square one after all the effort to gather everyone here would indeed be frustrating.
Regardless, the recent events must have left a vivid impression on everyone. How could I unite these people? Even as I pondered, no clear solution came to mind. I finally decided we needed to move from this place. Strictly speaking, this wasn't a safe location either.
Clink!
The deliberate noise of loading my crossbow drew everyone's attention, as expected. After casually loading an arrow, I exchanged glances with the group and spoke.
"For now, avoiding those Dead... er, monsters should be our priority."
"Everyone knows that. But what are you suggesting?"
'Damn fool wants to die, huh.'
I barely restrained myself from planting an arrow in Park Dong-gul's mouth. If it were just the two of us here, I would have smashed his face in by now.
"Right now, we need to gather our strength, not waste time fighting. I'll step away for a bit, so why don't you all discuss and decide on a course of action?"
My suggestion was reasonable and difficult to argue against. But a question came, surprisingly, not from Park Dong-gul but from another quarter.
"Why are you stepping away? If we're discussing, wouldn't it be better to do it together?"
The one who spoke was a cold-looking woman, about my age or a year or two younger. As I looked at her, I couldn't help but think of someone familiar, though I couldn't place who.
'Just talk it out amongst yourselves.'
"...The monsters might charge out from somewhere, like they did at the clearing. It's best to keep watch around us. Call me when you've come to a decision."
"...Don't go too far."
Though my response was a bit delayed, I managed to avoid arousing unnecessary suspicion. Besides, no one would oppose the idea of someone taking on the risky task of keeping watch.
After finishing my words, I slowly moved to a spot I'd marked on the way up that was suitable for hiding. Once I'd gained some distance and hidden in the woods, I activated my magic. Soon, I felt my senses heighten, my vision, and hearing becoming sharper. Although I was far enough away that they couldn't see me, I could hear their breathing clearly.
After I had moved, a cold silence settled over the hill. The corpses of the Deadmen strewn below added to the eerie atmosphere. No one spoke first; it was as if honey had been spread on their lips. The expressions on their faces were varied, but the most noteworthy was Park Dong-gul's. He alternated between a serious expression, as if deep in thought, and a smirk, which made me wonder if he was mentally unstable.
Time passed. In other stories or comics, the protagonist would step up, lead the group, and they would survive well together, but our group clearly lacked a leader. Letting time slip away was not a good strategy; the longer we delayed, the more fear would grow in their hearts, possibly leading someone to lose their rationality and act on instinct.
Just then, two women stood up.
Lee Bo-rim cautiously moved to the center of the group. The sharp-tongued woman, who had stood with her, glanced at her and then sat back down, seemingly willing to listen to what Lee Bo-rim had to say. Looking around nervously, Lee Bo-rim finally spoke.
"Everyone saw those monsters earlier. To be honest... when I first heard about this from the angel helper, I thought I was having a bad dream. But now, I have to accept this reality. Of course, it's terrifying. It's so scary I feel like I'm going to go crazy. I'm sure everyone feels the same way."
No one interrupted her. Feeling that people were paying attention to her, Lee Bo-rim's voice gained strength as she continued.
"Honestly, thanks to the person who went to keep watch, we survived. But we can't rely on that person alone. Now is the time for us to cooperate and look for a way to survive rather than fight amongst ourselves."
Though it was a cliché, Lee Bo-rim touched on a key aspect of this trial: cooperation and action. Her persuasion seemed to have a slight effect, as the previously dead atmosphere changed a bit. Finally, Lee Shin-woo, who had been silent all this time, spoke up.
"Then, what do you suggest we do...?"
Even though his voice trailed off, the meaning was clear: since she had spoken up first, she should share her thoughts. However, Lee Bo-rim seemed unprepared for this and responded with a lack of confidence.
"Well... I'm not sure yet.... But I think we should refrain from arguing and calmly exchange opinions."
"I agree."
At that moment, Park Dong-gul, who had been watching like a hawk, stepped forward.
His face was more serious and composed than before, but I immediately frowned. While it seemed sincere at first glance, I could see through it. I knew that his expression was a façade, and he was plotting something devious.