Episode 11
Up until now, all of Lee Jae-heon’s decisions have been wise.
For him, memories of his past life were as vivid as if they had happened only a few years ago, and his skilled memory made it impossible for him to forget them.
It meant that he was already familiar with the world where human life was worse than that of a microbe, like the other world.
Yeah, actually, maybe that’s why he was missing one thing.
“…yes.”
“… … .”
“If you get hurt, it hurts.”
Unlike in the previous life, in the old world, the pain and aftereffects of wounds were also valued.
‘Oh, I forgot this.’
Lee Jae-heon clicked his tongue inwardly.
In the world of the previous life, wounds were like a kind of formless curse.
If you don’t die immediately from this curse, you’re lucky, and if you can survive through some action, you’re even luckier.
So naturally, I didn’t care about the pain and aftereffects of the wound.
No matter how much the wound hurt, it was normal and not special because everyone experiences it the same way.
Rather, they laughed and made fun of those who suffered trauma just from getting a little hurt, calling them idiots.
It’s not that those people are particularly bad, it’s that the world’s climate itself is like that.
For Lee Jae-heon, struggling with the pain of his wounds was, in the conventional world terms, similar to crying about the winter cold and declaring that he would never leave the house.
So how foolish would it seem to Lee Jae-heon to be worried just because he was injured?
However, in the existing world, the pain and aftereffects were enormous and worthy of consideration from others.
Lee Jae-heon had forgotten this important fact.
He rolled his eyes in frustration.
“… Let’s go into the park first.”
“… Are you changing the subject now?”
“Oh, you should know that when an adult says that. Are you starting to resemble Kwon Sa-won more and more?”
“Yes? Why me?”
When his title was called, Kwon, who was standing next to Manager Kang, turned his head this way, and Manager Jeong In-ho managed his expression awkwardly.
He was no ordinary man.
“Anyway, let’s meet again. Shouldn’t we find a place to rest first?”
“I agree.”
The doctor confirmed his words, saying that they needed a place to properly treat the wounded now, and soon the group regrouped.
Lee Jae-heon concluded that this meant that they had formed a sense of teamwork in a short period of time.
He opened his mouth, avoiding the pitch-black gaze staring at me from behind his glasses.
“Well then, let’s move.”
* * *
The world of the previous life was a developed civilization like the modern world.
Even if we were talking about survival and such, it meant that there was a system in place to form a nation and the technology to support it.
So, what Lee Jae-heon knew about survival in the wild was entirely due to his personal history.
“First of all, the minimum conditions for shelter are water and fire.”
These were the words Lee Jae-heon said to the group who realized that the inside of the park was almost like a jungle.
He insisted that the first thing to do was to find the water source.
“Of course, we wouldn’t build a dwelling near the water source, because there might be monsters coming to drink water in this park. It might be humid… But securing water is the top priority for now.”
“…Why do you know so much?”
“Our intern has never climbed a mountain with me before, right? That’s my hobby, so you should know that.”
Next came fire.
“It’s still March, so it might be bearable during the day, but not at night. And since you’re not sleeping in a building with all sides closed off, it would be a good idea to light a fire to keep warm. I have a lighter, so I think this will be resolved quickly.”
“… Manager, are you a smoker?”
“It’s not that, but it’s useful when trying to please your superiors.”
Jae-heon Lee took out a lighter with a fancy engraving from inside his coat.
It was a brand lighter collected by the old manager’s collecting desire.
Its shiny gold and black exterior reflected the blood on Lee Jae-heon’s hands.
It seemed like there was plenty of fuel, as it caught fire without any problems.
For the time being, this guy will be in charge of the campfire. He asked the group, showing them his lighter.
“Does anyone have a separate lighter?”
“… I am here.”
When the protagonist awkwardly held out his lighter, Chief Kang, who was standing next to him, opened his eyes wide in surprise.
“Sir, you’re not a smoker….”
“… … .”
“…ah.”
Manager Kang nodded.
It seemed like it was prepared for the same purpose as Director Lee Jae-heon, but since he seemed embarrassed by that, it seemed like they were just going to let it slide.
The doctor, who introduced himself as Ha Seong-yoon, smiled and took out a lighter.
“I have it too.”
“…Doctor?”
“I carry around the gift I received as a talisman, so don’t look at it that way.”
“aha.”
And the flower shop owner, Yoon Garam, smiled faintly and said with an embarrassed look on his face.
“I am a smoker, but I don’t have a lighter.”
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Since he mostly stays at a flower shop, he didn’t bother to keep it in his clothes, but he ended up leaving it there after this incident happened. Of course, it was natural since he wouldn’t think about cigarettes in a life-threatening situation.
At President Yoon’s words, Manager Kang asked with concern when they had become close.
“You didn’t bring any cigarettes, did you? I heard it’s hard to abstain from smoking, so will that be okay…?”
“I feel embarrassed that you are so worried. I don’t think I can get it separately, so I’m just going to take this opportunity to cut it off.”
Lee Jae-heon was secretly satisfied with her words.
‘In the novel, it was hard to resist the urge to smoke.’
First of all, I couldn’t even think about quitting smoking like I do now.
Perhaps because he was in a very mentally unstable state, he looked for mental support, and in President Yoon’s case, that support was cigarettes.
In Lee Jae-heon’s mind, a description of President Yoon expressing his anxiety by chewing the tips of his fingers until the flesh, not his fingernails, became torn off came to mind.
In the novel, Yoon Ga-ram couldn’t quit smoking until the end, so it would be nice if things were different this time.
“With three lighters, it should be easy to start a fire.”
“Thank goodness. I thought I’d have to hit rocks like they do on YouTube….”
“Then should I start with fire? Or water?”
“… … .”
One day I’ll have to give up this seat.
Lee Jae-heon answered the question that was directed at him as if it were a given, trying hard to suppress his nervousness.
“… First, we need to find a place to stay.”
Water and fire, we can do that later.
Of course, if you have time, it would be nice to light a fire to check for monsters in the dark.
However, even if I didn’t drink any water and slept in the cold until the next day dawned, I wouldn’t die, but if I couldn’t find a proper shelter, I might have to stay up all night with my eyes wide open.
In that case, the chances of death increase.
In particular, there was no place in the other world without monsters.
As the day got dark, the real threat would begin, and although it would not be very intense as it was still the first half, it was important to secure an appropriate position for defense.
The priest asked him.
“What about Suwonji?”
“It’s the same thing. You need to find a place that’s a bit far from the water source so you don’t run into monsters.”
“So you’re saying that when choosing a site, it’s important to know where the water is.”
“I guess so.”
Lee Jae-heon added.
“By the way… is there anyone who knows the layout of the park well?”
Entering the other world, my memories and appearance changed a lot, but the company, the flower shop, and the structure itself were not completely distorted.
Knowing the original structure of the park would be of great help, as much of its original form remains.
President Yoon, who had been quietly observing Lee Jae-heon’s words, cautiously raised his hand.
“I… I know a little bit. I go for walks often.”
“okay.”
At her words, Lee Jae-heon swallowed a sigh of relief.
‘I would have been a little disappointed if it didn’t come out like this.’
In the novel, President Yoon was the last to join the group, meaning he survived in the park for several days on his own.
This was partly due to her constitution, but ultimately, it was the structure of the park that the flower shop owner knew that played a part.
Thanks to the fact that I used to go for a walk in the park across from the flower shop every weekday at 4 o’clock, I knew a good place to hide from monsters.
However, because I was already mentally exhausted from the incident at the flower shop, I couldn’t share such good information with others.
Even the protagonist only benefited from it when he escaped from the park.
‘But not now.’
Unlike the novel, President Yoon’s current mental strength is quite good.
The doctor who was torn to pieces in front of me is alive and well, and instead of wandering around alone due to mental breakdown, I now have a group I can rely on.
Given the human nature of digging into the ground the more they are left alone, the current situation with seven people gathered together would not be so bad.
Moreover, it was none other than Lee Jae-heon who asked the question and expected the same answer.
Yoon Ga-ram’s mouth opened easily because he had already earned her enough favor by saving the doctor and the president at the flower shop.
There was no reason not to say anything in the first place.
President Yoon looked around with an awkward expression for a moment, then began drawing on the dirt floor and explaining.
“Here, go… That’s probably where we are now. We just came to the main gate.”
“oh.”
“Of course, I don’t know much because a lot has changed, but um. The original walking path was… .”
The florist, who must have had a good memory, drew the original park as he remembered it and even told me where the lake was in it.
Because it was such a large park, there were three water sources.
Lee Jae-heon nodded inwardly as he confirmed it.
‘That’s roughly correct.’
In fact, Jaeheon Lee, who visited the park last Saturday, also roughly remembered what the original structure of the place was like.
I mean, I memorized the map.
But as we continue to worry, Lee Jae-heon had no intention of coming to the other world to perform a one-man show.
That’s the role of our protagonist, whose future is so bright that it’s almost bleak, not the role of Lee Jae-heon, who has already rolled around in a field of mud.
And fortunately, the protagonist, who had been listening carefully to President Yoon’s words, nodded and opened his mouth.
“Then wouldn’t this place be okay? The lake, of course I don’t know if it’s still a lake… It’s not that far from the water source.”
“I think it would have been the best decision if the exhibited sculptures hadn’t changed much.”
The sculpture the florist was talking about was said to be shaped like a wall.
There are trees blocking the outskirts of the park behind it, and there is a sculpture in front of it, but the left and right sides are left open for people to walk around.
And, in the novel, this was also the place where President Yoon held out the longest.
“I think it’s okay.”
When Lee Jae-heon nodded, Chief Kang, who had been observing him, also opened his mouth.
“I, I like it too.”
“Actually, I don’t know much about the park structure… I don’t think there are any other options.”
“It’s not that far.”
The good thing about them being still fledglings is that they don’t cause division within the team by making off-topic remarks.
Jaeheon Lee looked up at the sky, secretly satisfied. The trees in the park had grown so damn big that they obscured much of the sunlight, but there was still some sunlight left.
‘Roughly… 5 o’clock?’
Of course I don’t know the exact time, but it seems like the sun hasn’t completely set yet, so I think it must have been around that time.
He blinked, covering his mouth as if he was covering his eyes.
“… … .”
Through my wandering gaze, I caught sight of a figure between the trees.
“… Then let’s move.”
“It was around 5 p.m., and they were still hesitating and loitering around the park’s main entrance.”
Lee Jae-heon chased after his group, recalling a phrase from the novel.
The working people who had no interest in exercising got up, groaning from their stiff bodies, and it didn’t take long for them to line up again.
He thought as he secretly peered over the trees during a series of steps.
‘Those guys right now are probably the students the protagonist first met at the park.’
There were two people hiding between the trees decorating the main gate, and they were brother and sister.
These siblings, the main characters, are the type of survivors who have clung to the main character from the beginning to survive.
Of course, the younger brother made the decision and the older sister carried it out, but there was no doubt that she made a quick and clever decision that even adults could not make.
When they were eaten by the other world while they were in the cafe, there was no one else around besides the siblings.
They quickly leave the cafe, which has only changed into something bizarre, and look around. They spot the flower shop owner walking towards the park’s main entrance and follow her.
I wish someone could explain this situation to me.
However, the condition of President Yoon that they confirmed while following him was not good enough to be described as good, and eventually, the siblings hesitated for a while at the main gate, but soon after, they saw the main character coming in through the main gate and decided to cling to him.
I judged him to be an adult I could rely on, as he tried his best to lead the group.
‘Perhaps, unlike in the novel, he must have seen our group heading to the park from afar and followed us.’
Lee Jae-heon nodded inwardly.
Perhaps the reason I didn’t speak to them right away was because there were so many of them and they were all covered in blood.
Even in the case of Lee Jae-heon and the main character, aren’t they each holding weapons soaked in a red, strangely colored liquid?
It would have been suspicious to talk to him without knowing anything.
Actually, it was a very wise decision, considering that there was a group of people who abandoned their humanity during the park episode.
No matter how confusing and unstable the situation was, it was foolish to approach the opponent without knowing their information in an unfavorable situation.
Since they were smart students with useful actions and were worth more than most adults, Lee Jae-heon was willing to let them join his group.
It wouldn’t be a bad thing if two more people were added to the already bustling group.
Moreover, the image of an adult trying to protect minors would be useful in weakening the title of old fart chief.
“… … .”
“… Manager? Are you feeling unwell?”
“No, I was just thinking about something else for a moment.”
Lee Jae-heon pressed his temples as he said that.
‘Have you done enough already?’
If even the main character, who had the worst relationship with him, was worried about Jaeheon Lee’s condition, then those who had been on bad terms with him would have been more generous in their evaluation of him.
I guess you could say that it was a result of sacrificing his shoulder and leg in addition to saving his life.
Of course, Lee Jae-heon didn’t particularly sympathize with it, but he had no intention of causing unnecessary trouble for those who viewed him favorably.
Of course, if it gets worse and we can’t keep our distance, we’ll have to take action, but it’s not to that extent right now.
maybe.
Then, do I need to build up more favorability here? I thought I could just act the way I want… .
“… … .”
Well, that’s a stupid idea.
‘Now is not the time for me to choose.’
A human relationship can be destroyed with just one incident, even if you build up affection 100 times.
For the protagonist who already remembers the really crappy hierarchical relationship at work, even though they are worried now, their relationship could actually turn negative with just a little bit of a misunderstanding.
I had no intention of letting my guard down and getting upset when the build-up was going well.
Anyway, given Lee Jae-heon’s personality, he wouldn’t do anything just to gain the protagonist’s favor.
Since their personalities are different, they will fight at any time, and they will clash over their very different thoughts, so I thought it would be good to buy as much favor as possible in preparation for losing that favor.
Or else, you could take on a bit more debt.
Lee Jae-heon blinked as he watched the group stop walking.
“Ah, maybe… this seems to be the right place.”
“Was the sculpture originally this large, sir?”
“I don’t think so… Maybe this one grew bigger like our flower shop.”
“… … .”
He looked around.
A monster may sneak in through the trees behind you, but conversely, this will only increase the shield.
The large wall-shaped sculpture would block the sunlight and make it cold, but it would at least block the wind, and there was a lake just a short walk away, so it didn’t seem like a bad space.
In addition, since both sides are wide open, wouldn’t it be possible to escape if necessary? I was a bit worried about how to make the ceiling, but the novel’s main character survived well throughout the park episode without a ceiling.
As far as I remember, it wasn’t going to rain, so I didn’t think I would have to work right away.
‘Of course, I’ll have to build a structure, even if it’s roughly the same, by tomorrow… .’
Jaeheon Lee put the pipe down on the floor and opened his hand.
“…this.”
His palms, which had no calluses at all, were torn as if they had been drawn long and thin.
