Split in Two
“Lure them. We need to lure those things.”
“What? You want us to draw those monsters in?”
Close, but not quite. I shook my head. Most of them just stared blankly at me, but Kim Hanbyul raised an eyebrow, seeming to grasp my point. Still, it seemed some further explanation was in order.
“No, not draw them in. One of us needs to act as bait and lead those monsters away.”
I paused, pointing deeper into the forest. As their gazes followed my gesture, I continued.
“If we make a commotion, those creatures will definitely chase the bait. We keep them distracted and lead them into the forest. Meanwhile, the rest of us can climb over that wall and escape. That’s how we get out of this forest.”
I emphasized the hope of escaping the forest, but skepticism was written all over their faces. It wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for. Still, their silence suggested they saw some merit in the plan. Of course, there was one unavoidable issue with this strategy.
It was obvious without saying. Who would play the role of the bait? If these creatures were as slow as zombies, it might be doable. But these deadmen, once they spot prey, they start running. The person luring them could easily get surrounded and become their meal.
Everyone exchanged glances, but it was Kim Hanbyul, quick on the uptake, who voiced the core issue.
“So, someone has to sacrifice themselves.”
“Exactly.”
“Who’s going to do it?”
Silence. With the chance to escape so close, no one wanted to volunteer. I understood their hesitation, so I sighed lightly and raised my hand. Better I do it than send someone else and worry myself sick.
“The one who suggested it should do it. I’ll go.”
“No way. It’s too dangerous.”
“Oppa, Hanbyul’s right. Let’s just hide and wait a bit longer, okay?”
Kim Hanbyul’s immediate objection and Lee Yujeong’s persuasion. I had anticipated this much, so I shared my prepared thoughts.
“We can’t just keep waiting. We don’t know when they’ll find us.”
“We could try going in another direction.”
Again, it was Hanbyul. I shook my head in response.
“Moving will take time, and it’s almost evening. If we’re going to escape, now’s our last chance.”
“But still…”
Hanbyul remained skeptical, so I spoke with more conviction than usual. I remembered how she had been uncomfortable with Yujeong’s informal speech earlier, so I kept my tone respectful.
“If there’s no opening, we have to make one. There’s no guarantee another place will be any better than here.”
Unable to find a counterargument, Hanbyul fell silent, her expression heavy. She seemed relieved not to be the bait, yet guilty for leaving it to me. This was the difference between them and Park Donggeol.
Park Donggeol would have called this hypocrisy. In some ways, he and I shared similar thoughts. In the past, I would have snapped at them for being fake, but I needed to remain the supportive older brother figure for them. If Park Donggeol had been less reckless or more useful, I wouldn’t have let him go so easily. I chuckled inwardly at the thought.
The silence was broken by an unexpected voice.
“But… Suhyeon oppa, it’s too dangerous for you.”
I turned to see An Sol, her face flushed, mumbling. Was she worried about me? I wanted to give her a peck on the cheek for her concern, but with An Hyeon around, I settled for a smile. I pretended to scan the surroundings as I spoke.
“We can’t pass up this chance to escape the forest. I always knew we’d have to take risks like this eventually. It’s just come a bit sooner than expected.”
“But still…”
“I’m only twenty-three, so it feels odd to say this, but I’m the oldest here. If I don’t step up now, when will I?”
My lighthearted words seemed to brighten Sol’s face a little. Then, for the first time, An Hyeon, who had been silent, spoke up. He seemed to have made up his mind about something.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“When we faced those creatures earlier, they seemed to walk normally but started running when they spotted someone. There’s a chance you could get caught while luring them.”
“True, but they didn’t seem that fast. If I sprint, I think I can outrun them. Just think of it as our morning jog.”
“Even if we manage to escape… what about you, oppa? How will you get out later?”
Kim Hanbyul interjected again, her voice tinged with concern. Did she just call me oppa? I must have misheard. I tilted my head and replied.
“I’ll figure that out when the time comes. For now, I think this is our only option. I want everyone, including you, Hanbyul, to focus on getting out of this forest.”
“Then let me go with you, hyung. I can’t let you take all the risk alone. I’ll go too.”
It’d be better if you stayed put. As soon as Hyeon finished speaking, Sol grabbed his sleeve, eyes wide. I sighed, looking at Hyeon with exasperation.
“No. You need to stay with the others.”
“Why? You shouldn’t have to face the danger alone.”
“There might be more of them beyond the wall. Someone needs to protect the group just in case. And it’s easier to lure them alone.”
“But still…”
“And you have your sister to think about.”
Mentioning Sol made Hyeon fall silent. Sol looked at me with a mix of gratitude, worry, and guilt. Normally, I wasn’t fond of girls like Sol, but for some reason, she didn’t annoy me.
After a moment, Hyeon nodded reluctantly.
”…Alright. I’ll leave it to you, hyung.”
“Of course. I want to live too. Trust me.”
“I will. I trust you.”
“You can. Let’s strike while the iron’s hot. I’ll act now. Everyone, stay low. Hyeon, once I’ve drawn them away, lead the others and run. Don’t look back, don’t do anything foolish. Just keep running forward. Got it?”
The women remained silent, their faces troubled. Relief at the chance of survival mixed with guilt for not volunteering as bait. As I prepared my crossbow, I heard Hanbyul, Yujeong, and Sol each say something.
”…I’m sorry.”
“Oppa… thank you. Please don’t die.”
“Take care…”
Their sincere concern was met with my confident reply.
“Good luck.”
I sprang into action immediately. Though I left the group’s hiding spot, I didn’t start making noise right away. If I shouted here, it might draw the creatures to where the others were hiding. I quickly scanned the area and spotted some rocks at the top of a hill. From there, I could see the surroundings and ensure the deadmen spotted me. The trees weren’t as large as before, but they were enough to provide cover as I moved alone.
I crouched low, moving between the trees. I kept my breathing and footsteps as quiet as possible, avoiding detection. Having done this many times before, it wasn’t difficult. Memories of my first run through this forest flashed in my mind.
Back then, Park Donggeol and Yujeong had fought in a clearing, and the deadmen had been drawn by a rock Donggeol kicked. I had only thought of saving myself and ran away alone, wandering the forest for two days. Comparing then to now, I could only laugh.
I could have handled it more calmly. There must have been other ways. Those thoughts crossed my mind.
I kept my breathing steady and my footsteps silent. I moved carefully between the trees, heading for the rocky hill. It wasn’t very high, but the rounded rocks would make it hard for the deadmen to climb. I also hoped to catch a glimpse of a village or building beyond the wall.
I moved through about twenty trees without being spotted. Finally, I reached the base of the rocky hill, quickly climbing to the top. The view was clear, and I could see the situation below. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see any villages or buildings beyond the wall, but I wasn’t too worried. We’d find something as we moved toward the center.
I was relieved we hadn’t tried a frontal assault. My magical senses hadn’t led me astray. Seeing the deadmen scattered around, I stood atop the hill. I glanced at the group’s hiding spot and saw Hyeon peeking out, waiting for the right moment. Now, I had to be the perfect bait for everyone’s sake. After exchanging a brief look with Hyeon, I took a deep breath.
Then, with all my might, I shouted.
“AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!”
My voice echoed loudly through the air, and the effect was immediate. It worked like a charm. Every single Deadman in sight turned their heads toward me. Soon enough, they were charging at me with loud, guttural cries. It was a success, though it felt like it could have been a bit more.
As I waved my arms and shouted provocatively, more Deadmen emerged from the forest. To draw in those further away on the right, I needed to hold my ground on the stone mound for a while. I opened my mouth again, raising my voice.
“Hey, monsters! I’m right here! Look over here!”
Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl.
As soon as I finished, a chorus of growls filled the air. At the same time, I sensed a massive movement of creatures heading my way. The closest Deadman had already reached the stone mound, desperately trying to climb up. I figured there was no need to shout anymore. Watching them all rush toward me, ravenous for prey, I muttered calmly to myself.
“Reminds me of the old days.”
A deep smile spread across my face as I watched the gathering horde. I reached for the crossbow strapped to my left arm and pulled out three arrows. The crossbow I held could be loaded with one arrow on the string and two more in reserve, allowing me to fire three shots in quick succession.
Before aiming at the forehead of the Deadman struggling right in front of me, I glanced back at the spot where my companions were hiding. For some reason, I couldn’t stop smiling.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=