Splitting in Half
I might have mentioned this before, but in the grand scheme of things, a Deadman isn’t even considered a monster in the Hall Plain. Its abilities are limited to a bit of intelligence and the power to infect. Given that the Hall Plain is essentially a proving ground, a sturdy adult male armed with a metal pipe can take down a Deadman more than 80% of the time—assuming it’s a one-on-one fight and the man is thinking clearly.
Ahn Hyun, equipped with a longsword and shield, has decent basic stats. With a strong mindset and some skill in handling weapons, he has the potential to grow much stronger. He could easily handle a Deadman.
Once he got the hang of it, his movements became more assertive, and his strikes were unhesitant. Ahn Hyun was a natural-born fighter, though he still seemed a bit uneasy, prioritizing defense and counterattacks against the Deadmen. With more confidence, he could probably take on three or four of them with just his sword.
After deciding to push through head-on, we quickly began to make our way out of the forest. While searching for an escape route, Kim Hanbyul discovered traces of a path, giving us hope that we could leave the forest if we followed it. Naturally, our pace increased. However, the further we descended, the more frequently the Deadmen appeared. We decided to treat this as an opportunity for Ahn Hyun to gain combat experience, and indeed, he handled most of the fighting.
Four Deadmen, drawn by the scent of humans, let out a grating wail and bared their teeth. Ahn Hyun’s eyes were filled with confidence, his combative nature becoming more apparent. Watching him ready his sword and shield, Ahn Sol whispered in a voice barely above a mosquito’s buzz.
“Oppa… be careful…”
“Yeah. Just wait a bit. Hyung, please protect Sol and the others.”
“Don’t worry about them. I’ve got it covered.”
“Who are you calling ‘the others’?” Yoo Jung’s retort made him chuckle briefly before he charged forward with fierce determination.
Though he’d handled two at once before, this was his first time facing four. I loaded my crossbow, preparing for any unforeseen mishaps.
As the monsters charged at him, Ahn Hyun sidestepped diagonally to the left with about a meter to spare. Human bodies are flexible, but the monsters’ are not. The Deadmen, rushing in to bite, hesitated due to their stiff joints. Seizing the opportunity, he drove his sword into the head of one, taking it out. He quickly withdrew his sword to keep the remaining three at bay.
Watching him, I couldn’t help but be impressed. What I liked most was his ability to exploit his opponent’s weaknesses, rather than just focusing on attack and defense. Knowing that Deadmen are vulnerable to lateral movements, he had cleverly sidestepped diagonally.
A squelching sound echoed as one of the monsters staggered back. The Deadmen’s only means of attack is biting. It’s much more efficient and safer to strike with a shield raised above chest level. Ahn Hyun had figured this out on his own. As I watched a Deadman with its teeth dangling, Ahn Hyun’s sword pierced through like a shooting star. With a satisfying thud, I mentally counted two down.
Having dispatched two, only half remained. Perhaps because the earlier ones had been dealt with relatively easily, his grip on the shield seemed looser than before. One of the Deadmen lunged, trying to bite him, while Ahn Hyun calmly observed, reversing his grip on the sword’s hilt. My eyes widened. Was he about to use a one-handed draw technique?
He calculated the distance and timing for his sword swing. Being quite skilled in draw techniques myself, I recognized the principle. As the Deadman, mouth agape, entered his range, I saw Ahn Hyun’s grip tighten. Now was the moment.
Slice!
A chilling sound of flesh being cut rang through the air. Though a bit clumsy, he succeeded in slicing through the center of the Deadman’s head with a single, precise arc. A look of exhilaration crossed his face. But as I watched the battle, my expression darkened for the first time. One monster still remained.
As the Deadman in front crumbled, the one charging from behind pounced on Ahn Hyun. He managed to raise his shield in time, but his loose grip couldn’t withstand the force of the charging Deadman. I aimed my loaded crossbow, watching their collision.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
As expected, Ahn Hyun lost his grip on the shield. Unlike before, when he absorbed the impact with his whole body, this time he took it with just his left arm. His hand must be tingling by now. The impact left him defenseless, and the Deadman’s teeth lunged for his chest like a snake. Seeing this, I immediately fired an arrow. Sorry, but he’s too valuable to become your meal.
With a sharp whistling sound, the arrow flew and pierced the Deadman’s head. As the monster, about to bite Ahn Hyun’s neck, crumbled, he sat down on the ground, looking like he’d aged ten years.
“Whew…”
“Nice shot, boss.”
Whether Yoo Jung realized the danger of the situation or not, she joked as she looked at me. Ahn Hyun, though adept in visible combat, still couldn’t anticipate a move ahead. Then again, expecting that might be too much at this point. Rubbing his neck with a dazed expression, Hyun looked at me with relief.
“Thanks to you, I survived. Thanks, hyung.”
“Don’t mention it. I only helped with one.”
At my lighthearted comment, Hyun shook his head, murmuring in disbelief.
“I never expected an attack like that. If it weren’t for your arrow, I would’ve been…”
Glancing at Ahn Sol, I saw her lips quivering, on the verge of tears. Seeing her shiver as if she couldn’t bear to hear more, Ahn Hyun held back his words.
“It couldn’t be helped. The timing was just right. In such cases, I’ll support as much as I can…”
“Waah!”
Before he could finish, Ahn Sol couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into tears, running to her brother. It was a touching sibling moment. Feeling a bit awkward, I unloaded my crossbow and returned the arrow to its quiver. Yoo Jung, who would be second to none in terms of combativeness, watched them with a hint of envy in her voice.
“Just watching makes me feel like I could do it too… Tch. I should’ve picked a weapon. Hanbyul, don’t you have any weapons?”
At Yoo Jung’s words, Kim Hanbyul rummaged through his belongings and pulled out a short dagger. While it might be useful for throwing, it wasn’t very effective for close combat, as you’d have to get dangerously close to land a hit. In the hands of a sword master like me, it might be different, but for an average person, trying to strike a head could easily result in getting bitten instead.
“It doesn’t seem very helpful. But why do you carry it?”
“Just in case. Better to end it myself than face something worse.”
”…What are you, a virtuous woman from the Joseon era…?”
Yoo Jung shook her head in disbelief at Kim Hanbyul’s nonchalant response, then looked at my left arm. Eyeing the crossbow mounted there with envy, she seemed to remember she couldn’t use it and grumbled in disappointment.
“Isn’t there a metal pipe or something around here? Hanbyul, can you check if there’s anything nearby?”
“No, there isn’t.”
It seemed Kim Hanbyul was uncomfortable with Yoo Jung’s casual tone. Suddenly, I thought of Park Dong-gul’s group. Compared to my own initiation, this was a much easier descent. Back then… the first two days were nothing but running. I wondered what they were doing now. Were they still running for their lives? Or had they already become pieces inside the Deadmen’s stomachs?
Not that it mattered to me, so I quickly dismissed the thought. Whether it was the aftermath of the battle or comforting Ahn Sol, Ahn Hyun approached us with slightly weary steps.
“Hyung, the path seems to be getting clearer. I think we’re almost there. Should we move on?”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
Listening to my conversation with Ahn Hyun, Yoo Jung, still upset about not having a weapon, pouted.
“Tch. You’re all excited. You might get caught off guard. Be careful.”
“I’d rather not just sit and get eaten. It’s better to fight back. Anyway, let’s hurry down.”
“I know. I’m sick of this forest too. I want to get out as soon as possible.”
Having dealt with the four Deadmen, we quickly continued down the path. If we followed it, we were sure to leave the forest. However, the number of Deadmen lingering on the outskirts was concerning. My senses picked up more than twenty. But going in another direction wouldn’t make much difference.
Facing four and facing twenty was like night and day. So, aside from a frontal assault, there was only one way to clear an escape route. I sighed inwardly, pondering how best to persuade the group.
As expected, the outskirts of the forest were teeming with Deadmen. At a glance, there were more than twenty of them, their growls filling the air from every direction. The visible numbers were daunting enough, but causing a commotion here would likely draw even more of these creatures from the left and right.
In the distance, a stone wall, marked by traces of human presence, came into view. Beyond it, the uneven path that could barely be called a road stretched out. Just one more step, and they could leave this forest behind. The group seemed to sense this, their nerves fraying with anticipation. No matter how skilled Ahn Hyun was, taking on more than twenty Deadmen was out of the question. Yet, retreating now felt like a missed opportunity, something that clung to their feet like a stubborn shadow.
“Are you kidding me… How are we supposed to get through that?” Lee Yoo-jung’s voice, tinged with frustration, cut through the tension. Turning back wasn’t an option either; there was no guarantee that other paths would be any safer. Ahn Hyun and Kim Han-byeol, seemingly out of ideas, stared silently at the ground. It seemed there was only one option left. With a light sigh, I decided it was time to step up.
“I have an idea,” I said.
The moment the words left my mouth, it felt as if everyone’s ears perked up in anticipation. I resolved to get straight to the point.