Hatred and Conflict
When I opened my eyes again, a dim, gray world came into view through my blurry vision.
Where is this place?
Why am I here?
What am I doing here?
I still don’t know anything, but I no longer care. I only feel a dark despair settling in my heart.
Rustle! Rustle!
Because I’ve seen this scene dozens, no, hundreds of times already. From earlier until now, I’ve been trapped in this endless loop.
“I hate this.”
I cried out desperately in my mind, but deep down, I knew. No matter how much I hated it, the one orchestrating this situation wouldn’t stop.
Rustle! Rustle!
As expected.
As if to confirm my thoughts, a rough sensation wrapped around my neck, and my body began to slowly lift into the air against my will. The feeling of my throat tightening and my breath being cut off followed.
I’ll suffer like this for a while, then pass out again. And when I open my eyes, I’ll face the gray world once more.
Clunk!
It was then. Just as I was about to close my eyes, bracing for the pain to come, the scene that had been slowly rising suddenly stopped. The pressure on my neck loosened, and I involuntarily opened my eyes.
“It can’t be stopping already, can it?”
When I turned my gaze around, I was startled. Someone was approaching the place where I was hanging. In disbelief, I closed my eyes tightly.
I thought it was all over. I thought no one would come. I thought I would just suffer and die. But then, I started to hear the sound of my heartbeat, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Could this be a dream?
After a moment, I cautiously opened my eyes and looked down. And there, standing below, was my brother.
“Brother!”
It was him! I couldn’t see his face clearly, but the figure was unmistakably my brother.
Not just him, but many comrades were there too. The moment I realized this, an indescribable joy welled up inside me.
I could finally be rescued. I could escape this situation that had repeated tens, hundreds of times.
Tears threatened to spill over. From the depths of pain and despair, the hope I thought had vanished began to rise again.
“Gah!”
Then, the pressure on my neck suddenly tightened again. Struggling to breathe, I tried to look at my brother once more. And when our eyes finally met, a strange unease settled over me.
“Brother…?”
For some reason, my heart sank. I wanted him to save me quickly. I wanted to be freed from this endless pain. But why was he just standing there?
And more importantly, he wasn’t even looking at me. I hadn’t even confirmed his face. The figure was definitely my brother’s, but he was staring quietly ahead, not at me.
“Could it be…?”
A thought crossed my mind, but I immediately dismissed it. Yet, I couldn’t deny that the hope that had begun to stretch its wings was suddenly crushed.
It was then.
Finally, my brother slowly lifted his head to look at me.
A flurry of thoughts crossed my mind, but I had no choice. Even as the pressure on my neck increased, I struggled to meet his gaze.
And then, I saw it. The indifferent face of my brother.
“That’s not… my brother…”
In an instant, his eyes bulged as if they would pop out. His skin twisted grotesquely and began to rot. His mouth stretched to his ears, oozing dark red blood.
Yes. The one looking at me wasn’t my brother. It was the ghost that had tormented me all along. Which meant, this entire situation was orchestrated by the ghost.
”…Ha.”
How much time had passed?
The ghost, who had been mocking me for a long time, slowly began to walk away. As they disappeared, their retreating figures were unmistakably those of my comrades.
A hollow laugh escaped me. Even though I knew it was a situation manipulated by the ghost, I couldn’t help but wonder as they left.
“Ha… Hahaha… Hahaha…”
When they finally vanished completely, a tear rolled down my cheek. At the same time, I felt something that had barely held on snap. As the hope that had barely revived was thoroughly crushed, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of madness.
”…”
I had no thoughts left. I just wanted to let go of everything and die.
At that moment, a whisper slipped into my mind as I gave up on everything. Simultaneously, a figure appeared before my eyes. It was a terrifying sight, but I no longer felt fear or surprise.
I stared blankly at the figure. I wanted to give up and find peace, no matter what.
“Yes. Just kill me now. Please.”
The ghost’s torn mouth opened wide, approaching as if to swallow me. Done? What exactly was done?
For a moment, I wondered, but I soon stopped thinking. I quietly closed my eyes. I just had to endure it once. Once the ghost devoured me, and I opened my eyes again, I wouldn’t have to repeat this situation anymore.
“It’s all… over now…”
Thinking it was over, I waited. I waited, and waited, and waited.
”…”
But the expected pain didn’t come. I thought it would be painful, but I felt nothing.
Could it be over already? What happens to me now? If I open my eyes, will it all repeat again?
A whirlwind of complex thoughts filled my mind. But I just shook my head. If it was the same situation again when I opened my eyes, I really didn’t think I could endure it…
“Huh?”
The pressure on my neck was gone. I could speak. I had just shaken my head. My restrained body was free again.
And at that moment.
“Whew, I almost missed it. Thank goodness.”
A low, chilling voice. A voice I thought I’d never hear again, flowed into my ears.
“Shut up, you.”
Crunch! Crack!
With the sound of something being torn apart, the ghost’s scream echoed. At the same time, I felt a gentle touch brushing my hair. This touch was…
“Ansol! Shin Jaeryong!”
I opened my eyes immediately. No longer gray, I saw a world shining brightly.
There, another me stood.
“Wow…”
“Oh…”
Ansol and Vivian let out soft exclamations. The phenomenon unfolding before their eyes seemed quite fascinating. But there wasn’t much to be amazed about. It was just Han-gyeol finding his lost half and merging with it. In other words, the two becoming one.
‘But… he doesn’t look too good.’
“Ugh…”
A faint groan escaped Han-gyeol’s lips. I watched him lying on the ground, pushing aside my worries. His eyes, visible through his squinting lids, flickered faintly.
“Han-gyeol. Are you conscious?”
“Huh!”
Just as I was about to approach, Han-gyeol’s eyes snapped open. He screamed in fright. He turned his head away, as if trying to distance himself from me.
Yoo-jung, peering from the side, slapped Han-gyeol’s cheeks lightly.
“What’s wrong with him? Hey! Baek Han-gyeol!”
“No, no! Don’t come near! Don’t come near!”
“Oh, look at him. We came all this way to save him… Answer me. What happened? And where’s Ahn Hyun?”
“No… No… No… No… If this keeps happening… Just kill me! Kill me!”
Yoo-jung’s brows furrowed at his incomprehensible response. The other clan members, sensing something was off, moved closer to check on Han-gyeol.
But Han-gyeol, looking lost, couldn’t decide what to do. Eventually, he curled up, eyes shut tight, as if trying to protect himself. Watching quietly, Shin Jaeryong sighed softly and shook his head.
“It seems he’s not in his right mind. He appears to be in shock and confused… It’s troubling. I’ll try to treat him.”
”…It doesn’t seem like something that can be treated with divine magic.”
“If it’s caused by external stimuli, then yes. I hate to think it, but… it might be a mental illness. For now, we need to remove external stimuli, restore his strength, and ensure absolute mental and physical stability. Considering Han-gyeol’s future activities in Hall Plain, he might be in a very dangerous state. Clan Lord, remember User Won Hye-soo.”
“Hmm.”
Shin Jaeryong’s tone was serious. His words made sense, and I realized this wasn’t a light matter.
So, I quietly reflected on Han-gyeol’s words.
“Stay away. Don’t come any closer. If you’re going to keep doing this, just kill me.”
‘It doesn’t feel awkward. It all connects.’
Let’s break it down, then.
“If you’re going to keep doing this, just kill me.”
This suggests that the victim suffered some kind of torment and, unable to endure it any longer, begged for death.
And then, “Stay away. Don’t come any closer.”
Connecting this with the previous assumption, it’s likely these words were directed at the deceased. For some reason, they now see us as the same threat.
‘This is really tricky… But we can’t just sit here. We still need to find Ahn Hyun.’
I didn’t expect him to be in good shape, but Han-gyeol’s condition was far worse than anticipated. The only silver lining is that it’s still early enough to intervene. As Shin Jae-ryong said, how we stabilize Han-gyeol now will affect everything that follows.
With a plan in mind, I instructed An-sol and Shin Jae-ryong to prepare healing spells, then approached Han-gyeol calmly.
“Sob… Sob…”
Han-gyeol was still trembling, tears now streaming down his face. I looked at him for a moment before gently kneeling beside him, placing a soft hand on his quivering head.
“Han-gyeol.”
“Please… Please…”
“Han-gyeol, it’s me. Your brother. I’m here to save you, so open your eyes.”
“Don’t lie… No… I won’t be fooled again…”
No matter what I said, he wouldn’t listen. It was a sign of how deeply traumatized he was. Whatever the deceased had done, Han-gyeol had clearly suffered unimaginable torment alone.
The priority now was to make him face reality. I supported his head and slowly lifted him, forcing his eyes open.
“Look closely.”
In front of us was the corpse of the deceased, its face split in half.
“Gasp! Gasp!”
“Han-gyeol, look. The one who tormented you is dead, and you’ve been rescued. This isn’t a dream; it’s real.”
“You’re lying… I won’t believe it…”
“Why do you think it’s a lie? What do you think you’re being deceived about?”
As I continued to soothe him, I signaled An-sol and Shin Jae-ryong, who approached and placed their hands on Han-gyeol.
“Angellus, guide the lost with your light…”
”───. ───. ───. Target: Baek Han-gyeol. Abnormal state, recovery!”
An-sol cast the Angellus spell, while Shin Jae-ryong used a recovery spell. As white and yellow lights flowed into him, I channeled my own power through my hand on his head, aiming to harmonize his energy and soothe his mind.
“Ugh… Ugh…”
Was it working? Han-gyeol’s sobs began to subside.
After a moment, he looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. Though distrust lingered in his gaze, he no longer denied reality. The combined healing seemed to have helped him regain some composure.
With a strained expression, Han-gyeol finally spoke.
”…Brother?”
“Yes. Are you feeling a bit more clear-headed now?”
“Brother… Brother…! I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…!”
”…You have nothing to apologize for.”
I shook my head, reassuring him with a gentle expression.
Honestly, when I first heard the story from Ha-yeon, I was furious. But in this situation, I had no desire to blame him. Han-gyeol had been manipulated by Ha-yeon and Ahn Hyun, and he bore little actual guilt.
Besides, arguing over right and wrong now would be a waste of time. The rescue was only half complete. We managed to save Han-gyeol, but Ahn Hyun was nowhere to be found.
I met Han-gyeol’s tearful eyes and spoke softly.
“Han-gyeol.”
“Brother, if I could just explain…”
“No, it’s okay. I already know the situation. As I said, the threat has been dealt with, and you’re safe now. You can relax. I won’t ask anything more for now… okay?”
”…Sniff.”
“Good. But can you tell me one thing? I thought Ahn Hyun would be with you, but I don’t see him around. Do you know where he is, or what happened to him?”
Han-gyeol hesitated, his eyes vacant as he struggled to find words.
“Ah, this is so frustrating! Hey…”
Yu-jeong, unable to bear Han-gyeol’s hesitation, shouted in frustration but quickly quieted down when I looked at her.
“User Lee Yu-jeong.”
“Well, it’s just… Ahn Hyun is missing.”
“Quiet. We’re trying to find him now. Remember what you said in the meeting room.”
“I’m sorry…”
I exhaled briefly. I was just as anxious, but Han-gyeol’s mental state was precarious. If left unchecked, he could suffer long-term psychological effects. The best approach was to help him stabilize and let him speak at his own pace.
I signaled for silence and spoke in a low voice.
“It’s okay, take your time to remember.”
After about ten seconds, Han-gyeol’s eyes widened in realization. He tried to get up but collapsed forward.
“Hyun… Hyun!”
“Did you remember?”
“Where is he? Is he not here?”
“No, you’re the only one we found here.”
I answered quickly. An-sol and Shin Jae-ryong had finished their spells, but I continued to support Han-gyeol with my power. Perhaps because of this, he no longer seemed confused. Though his mind was still a jumble, he was trying to understand and accept my words.
“Han-gyeol, tell me. What happened to Ahn Hyun?”
“I’m sorry… We tried to escape together… but we got separated…”
“It’s okay. So you don’t know where he is either?”
“No…”
Han-gyeol nodded, looking dejected.
“Alright. Can you tell me what happened here? Anything you remember is fine.”
He flinched slightly but then nodded. After a moment, he began to speak in a strained voice.
“So… we entered the Sleeping Dragon Mountains…”
“You entered?”
“We went in… kept going… Ah! At the fork in the road…!”
“Wait. A fork in the road?”
His words were disjointed, but it was a start. I stopped him there. Han-gyeol furrowed his brow slightly, shaking his head.
“Yes, yes. A fork… It looked special.”
‘A fork in the road… Damn.’
I glanced at my clan members, then leaned close to Han-gyeol’s ear and whispered.
“Are you talking about a place with a large, withered tree, bigger than the others?”
“Uh… Yes, that’s right…!”
”…Damn it. Did you go left or right?”
“R-right. Yes, definitely right.”
Going right meant they had entered. I barely managed to suppress a curse. Having studied the Sleeping Dragon Mountains, I knew exactly what kind of place Han-gyeol was describing.
‘Those idiots… How did they even… No, what were they thinking…’
I slowly stood up.
How they got that far was a mystery, but entering the fork was even more problematic. It confirmed Ahn Hyun’s disappearance.
Because that fork led to…
“We should move out again. Staying in one place too long isn’t good. …Rear guard, take care of Han-gyeol.”
It led to the ‘branching area’ right before the entrance to the ruins.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Haha. This took longer than expected. I’m sorry. I’m not in great shape right now. I drank a lot, stuffed myself with two cakes, and ended up throwing up twice. My stomach still feels queasy. Ah… What a bunch of fools… ㅋㅋㅋㅋ. We ordered Chinese food at a friend’s place for the second round, and I ordered seafood black bean noodles. But I didn’t even open the package before pouring the sauce, so I got teased a lot. Hehe. Damn it.
With this, Han-gyeol’s rescue part is over. However… refers to Han-gyeol’s condition. It’s 7:29 AM as I write this note. The morning sun is rising. I’m proud I didn’t miss today’s update. Hahaha. Ah, I’m sorry. Like Han-gyeol, I’m not in my right mind. My thoughts are all over the place. So I’ll get some sleep and see you in the next chapter.
The next chapter’s title will include the word ‘Hatred.’ I was debating between ‘Conflict’ and ‘Hatred,’ but the latter seemed more fitting. Keep an eye on the branching area! I love you all so much! I’m in a good mood right now. So, bye-bye!