“So, it was like… a summoning room, I guess? After waking up there, the angels guided us into some kind of initiation. When I came to, I saw Yuna and a few others sitting in a circle in an open space.”
Baek Han-gyeol began speaking in a quiet voice. He stumbled a bit, but his words were clear enough for me to picture the scene in my mind.
“There were several people there. Even though we had been briefed, everyone was confused and anxious. But among us, there was one man who stood out for his calm demeanor. He stepped into the center of the group, quickly drawing everyone’s attention. That was my first encounter with Park Hwan-hee.”
As he mentioned Park Hwan-hee, Baek Han-gyeol clenched his teeth, then let out a small sigh.
“And then…”
The stories of the first and second days that followed were, to be honest, uneventful. Park Hwan-hee led the group, they escaped the forest, found a point, met other survivors, and joined forces with them. The only noteworthy thing was Park Hwan-hee’s leadership shining through.
“That’s how we made it through the second day. Up until then, everyone, including myself, had complete faith in Park Hwan-hee. We believed he could lead us to survive this place. The only reason we could endure that hellish environment, despite our mental instability, was the hope that we could survive. And at the center of that hope was Park Hwan-hee. After those two hellish days, we reached the third day.”
Listening further, I learned that they encountered three groups of survivors after the initial group in the clearing. Park Hwan-hee managed to recruit all of them into his team. He probably used the pretext of surviving together and his natural charisma to persuade them.
As long as he could manage any discord, increasing their numbers wasn’t a bad idea. More people meant greater strength in numbers.
However, aside from potential discord, there was one major issue during the initiation: the food shortage. With four teams combined, the food at one point wouldn’t last even a day, let alone a few meals.
“Our team had a high ratio of men. We rationed the food as much as possible, but it was barely enough to keep us going. Strangely, we met many survivors on the second day, but we only found one point. We tried to hold on, but by the third day, we ran out of food.”
“So you had to find more food.”
“Yes. Even Park Hwan-hee, who had prioritized safety until then, said we needed to venture further to find food. He called for volunteers to go out and search. But with monsters lurking outside, who would volunteer? I was hesitant at first too. But then something surprising happened.”
“Something surprising?”
Baek Han-gyeol nodded and continued. The surprising event was that Park Hwan-hee was the first to volunteer.
“Despite the complaints about food, everyone still trusted Park Hwan-hee. He was an impeccable leader, and the results weren’t bad. His selflessness inspired others, and soon people started volunteering one by one. Yuna and I were among them.”
“You volunteered to go out and gather food.”
“Yes. Honestly, I was one of the younger guys, and Yuna was one of the few women. We were almost like extras. I was a bit self-conscious, but I wanted to help.”
Baek Han-gyeol’s decision was reasonable. In a survival situation like this, with a large group, dissatisfaction was bound to surface at some point. And the least contributing members often became the targets of that dissatisfaction. I organized my thoughts and continued to listen to him.
By volunteering first, Park Hwan-hee managed to gather a team to search for food. Over ten people armed themselves with the weapons they had acquired and set out. Fortunately, after half a day of exploration, they discovered a new point and found enough food to last a day, according to Baek Han-gyeol.
“We decided to remember that location. There was a rule that we couldn’t stay at a save point for more than a day. We considered leaving some people behind, but decided it was better to move together, so we shared the food and headed back to our original spot.”
“Ah, a save point. It’s impressive you figured out that rule.”
“Yes, Park Hwan-hee was meticulous about those things. Anyway, on our way back, someone raised a concern. The safety of the save point only lasted a day. Since it took us half a day to find food, they worried the people waiting might be in danger. Park Hwan-hee agreed it was a valid point and, after much deliberation, decided to change our route.”
“Change your route… hmm.”
“On the way there, we went around the mountain, but on the way back, we decided to go straight over it. That would significantly cut down the time.”
‘That’s crazy. If they had experienced the forest, they would have avoided that route.’
As if answering my unspoken question, Baek Han-gyeol continued.
“Of course, those who started in the forest were reluctant to enter it. They argued we should retrace our steps, but there was no guarantee that path was safe either. Everyone was on edge and a bit exhausted. We were armed, and we had food, so we thought we could manage. So we entered the mountain. And that turned out to be the worst decision.”
Baek Han-gyeol, who had been speaking non-stop, finally paused. His face was clouded with a somber expression, as if he hadn’t shaken off the trauma of that time. I took the opportunity to make him another drink. When I handed him the cup, frothing over, he accepted it with a slightly brighter face.
After taking a sip, he spoke in a low voice.
“I still don’t know how the monsters gathered. Suddenly, these monkey-like creatures started chasing us, picking us off one by one as if toying with us. Three people were caught in quick succession, and only then did we realize the situation and start running for our lives. The screams from behind as we fled… they were truly horrifying.”
“Didn’t you think of fighting back?”
“I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t think we could. When Park Hwan-hee, who was at the front, started running, we just followed him without thinking. It was the first time I saw him look so panicked. He kept muttering to himself as he ran, and now that I think about it, it might have been cursing. We kept running, but our numbers dwindled. Some were caught by the monkeys, others fell in their haste. By the time we crossed half the mountain, only five of the original ten were left.”
“Among them were Park Hwan-hee, you, and your girlfriend?”
“Yes. I suppose we were lucky. Yuna and I were in the middle of the group for protection, so we managed to stay until the end. Even after taking more than five of us, those monkeys were relentless. But once we reached the downhill slope, we started to gain some speed.”
“Still, it must have been hard to shake off the monkeys. They’re really good at navigating mountains.”
At the mention of “monkeys,” Baek Han-gyeol tilted his head in confusion. But then, as if something clicked, he spoke up.
“Monkeys? Oh, those creatures. Yes. They didn’t toy with us like before, but they steadily closed the distance. Yuna, who wasn’t as strong, kept falling behind. I was pulling her along, barely keeping up with Park Hwan-hee. I shouted for help, asking him to wait. He seemed to hear me and gradually slowed down. I felt grateful, thinking he was a true leader. But then, something unbelievable happened.”
“Unbelievable?”
Baek Han-gyeol paused again, closing his eyes tightly as if trying to recall the event precisely. After repeating this a few times, he spoke in a voice filled with bitterness.
“Yes. As he slowed down and came alongside me, Park Hwan-hee stuck out his foot and tripped me while I was running. So subtly that no one noticed.”
“What…?”
“I fell instinctively, and Yuna, who was with me, also tumbled to the ground. Naturally, the monkeys’ attention turned to us. And in that moment, Park Hwan-hee took off, sprinting ahead at full speed.”
“What about the others?”
“Our screams momentarily drew attention, and in that instant, Park Hwanhee reached out towards us. But then, with a conflicted expression, he turned and fled. Yet, I still remember it vividly—the mocking gaze he cast my way as he looked back one last time.”
Baek Hangyeol finished speaking and calmly took a sip of his drink. Despite the intensity of his words, his voice remained steady, though his eyes burned with anger.
I watched him for a moment, contemplating whether to probe further. It wasn’t out of genuine curiosity, but more of a test. However, before I could speak, a cold voice cut through the air.
“I have a question.”
“Yes? What is it?”
Kim Hanbyeol fixed her sharp gaze on Baek Hangyeol. It seemed her old instincts had kicked in, sensing something amiss.
“Assuming what you say is true, how did you survive among those monsters? If you fell, you would have been their prime target.”
“Well, it was… just sheer luck. I barely made it out alive. I don’t remember much.”
‘Does Hanbyeol not believe him? Not that it matters to me.’
Kim Hanbyeol frowned slightly at his response. She turned to me, and Baek Hangyeol also glanced my way, his eyes pleading, as if silently begging me to believe him.
Hanbyeol spoke again.
“It’s hard to take your word for it. You could be lying.”
“I’m not lying!”
“Then can you bring this Park Hwanhee here for a confrontation? Are you confident?”
“I can! But…”
“Enough.”
‘What’s gotten into her today?’
Kim Hanbyeol’s tone carried an inexplicable disdain for Baek Hangyeol. I wasn’t sure why, but I decided to intervene. I signaled to Hanbyeol to hold her tongue, indicating she should stop interfering.
Receiving my signal, Hanbyeol closed her mouth, her expression a mix of frustration. Turning back to Baek Hangyeol, I saw him biting his lip, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He looked between us, took a deep breath, and began to speak again.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Apologies for the delay. I’ll start working on the next chapter right away. (__)
In episode 225, I’ll make sure to include the details I mentioned in episode 223.
(Feedback and replies will be combined in episode 225.)