Chapter 13: Split in Half

M E M O R I Z E

An Hyeon seemed deeply conflicted by Park Dong-geol's proposal. If anyone else had suggested forming a team, he probably wouldn't have hesitated this much. An Hyeon instinctively distrusted Park Dong-geol. No matter how smooth his words were, An Hyeon sensed an indescribable, dark aura from him.

In any case, Park Dong-geol had the justification. Regardless of how he phrased it, he had ultimately taken two of the three outcasts (An Sol, Lee Shin-woo, and Lee Bo-rim) under his wing.

An Hyeon's anxiety had already grown to its peak. He couldn't abandon his sister, but the incident in the clearing had already shown what consequences her actions could bring. To make matters worse, An Hyeon's options had vanished. Park Dong-geol had left him in a dilemma, unable to move forward or back.

If things tilted just a little more in Park Dong-geol's favor, it was highly likely that An Hyeon, An Sol, and Lee Yu-jeong would be left behind. And Park Dong-geol was oblivious to the fact that he was digging his own grave. My perspective was completely different from everyone else's here. I judged people based on their personalities and abilities to determine who could survive. But Park Dong-geol neither had that ability nor desired it.

From the beginning, Park Dong-geol and I had different criteria for the kind of team we wanted. I wanted companions who would be useful after entering the Hall Plain, while he wanted a team he could control as he pleased.

In other words, this situation was, in a way, a stroke of good fortune for me.

Anyway, for now, which side gained more power depended on my and Kim Han-byeol's choices. Since I wasn't there, everyone's attention naturally turned to Kim Han-byeol. After thinking calmly for a while, she glanced around, then dusted herself off and stood up. However, the way she bit her lip suggested she still hadn't made a decision.

"I think we should bring back the person on watch right now."

The words that finally came out after long deliberation weren't a choice. The people who had been waiting with tense faces for Kim Han-byeol's decision let out the breaths they had been holding.

Park Dong-geol, acting as if he were someone important, muttered, "Ah. Right," and then spoke in a permissive tone.

"Well... go get him. On your way back, give him the gist of it and tell him to make a choice. We don't have much time, so you should make up your mind on the way, too. Ah. Wait a minute."

Just as Kim Han-byeol was turning, Park Dong-geol's words stopped her. He put on the most charming smile he could muster and continued.

"You and that guy can be useful. So have a good talk on the way back. I won't disappoint you. Well, either way..."

He trailed off intentionally, glancing at An Hyeon mid-sentence.

"Anyway, you two are welcome. I hope you choose wisely."

Park Dong-geol's performance was in full swing, reaching its climax. Lee Shin-woo, already feeling secure with Park Dong-geol, gave Kim Han-byeol a small "fighting" gesture. For now, Park Dong-geol was as good as the winner of this round. As much as I hated to admit it, he had already achieved his initial goal.

Things might have started off tangled, but it seemed he wasn't born yesterday. Lee Shin-woo and Lee Bo-rim were unaware that they could be used as bait or playthings. Or perhaps they knew, but had surrendered in the face of death.

Seeing Kim Han-byeol approach, I slowly closed my eyes. My head ached, but at the same time, I felt a sense of relief. I could have interfered with Park Dong-geol if I'd wanted to, but that would have defeated the purpose of leaving my post. More importantly, although unintentional, this situation might turn out to be a win-win for him and me.

Park Dong-geol had pushed away An Hyeon and Lee Yu-jeong, who were obstacles to his taking control, and I could secure three of the four people I had my eye on. They'd been so annoying I'd felt the urge to kill them, so wouldn't I be a fool to stop them from leaving on their own? It was frustrating to see talented people swayed by his flashy words, but that was their problem, not mine. I had a feeling that if I could just successfully bring in the last remaining person, things would resolve more quickly than I'd expected.

Rustle, rustle.

While my eyes were closed, I heard the sound of someone brushing through the grass behind me. I knew who it was without even turning around. I quickly got up and equipped the crossbow on my left arm. Just looking at Kim Han-byeol reminded me of 'her' from the past, stirring a strange, unfamiliar feeling within me. As I aimed the crossbow forward, pretending to diligently scan the area, a low voice soon reached my ears, having spotted me.

"Excuse me..."

"Yes?"

When I turned with a startled expression, Kim Han-byeol was looking at me with calm eyes. I deliberately rubbed my left arm, feigning pain, and opened my mouth.

"I heard a cry once or twice, but it doesn't seem like anything is nearby yet."

"You've worked hard. The discussion is almost over, so I think you should come back now."

"Then let's go right now."

I was about to turn with a nonchalant expression. Just as I expected, Kim Han-byeol stopped me.

"Just a moment."

When I turned back, Kim Han-byeol spoke with a hesitant look on her face.

"Well... the conversation took a strange turn."

"A strange turn?"

"Yes. What happened was..."

Kim Han-byeol nodded at my question and began to recount what had happened. Honestly, while listening, I wanted to guess her true feelings, but Kim Han-byeol relayed only the key points from a very objective perspective. Usually, in a situation like this, the story would be biased one way or another, whether intentionally or not, but I was genuinely impressed with her.

"So that's the current situation. Um... what are you going to do?"

After she finished, Kim Han-byeol immediately asked, curious about which side I would take. I had already made up my mind, but I tilted my head with a conflicted expression.

"I didn't expect it to turn out like that. I can't decide yet."

"Me neither."

"What do you think of that man's words?"

At my question, Kim Han-byeol looked me in the eye for a moment, then answered in a voice softer than usual.

"I don't think he's wrong. But..."

"Is there something you don't like?"

"...Yes. Just looking at him gives me a bad feeling. But strangely, at that moment, I couldn't find anything wrong with what he said."

Lee Shin-woo and Lee Bo-rim were won over. Seeing them must have made Kim Han-byeol hesitate.

And then I finally understood why she had offered to come get me herself. I wanted to talk more, but a considerable amount of time had already passed, so I started walking and kept my mouth shut for a moment. Now that I had confirmed at least a part of her feelings, all I had to do was nudge her in the right direction on the way back.

There was no conversation between us, but I was sure Kim Han-byeol was following me. When I felt I'd let the silence hang long enough, I spoke up.

"I don't like what that man said."

"..."

"He cleverly mixed the strengths and weaknesses of his logic. So of course, nothing he said sounded wrong. He skillfully wrapped the flaws with strengths to make his argument overwhelmingly favorable to himself."

There was no reply, but I felt an unspoken gaze urging me to explain further. Park Dong-geol had been quite cunning, but I couldn't afford to lose Kim Han-byeol. So I decided to explain, one by one, the answers to her concerns.

"There's a condition for not lying and being honest: whether you can keep your word. Does that man look like someone who keeps his promises?"

"No."

Kim Han-byeol answered immediately.

"My impression of him has been poor from the very first meeting, and his actions are destroying the team's harmony. I'd rather stay with the original group than join a team based on his uncertain words. So, I'll stay with the original members."

Glancing back, I saw Kim Han-byeol was deep in thought, mulling over my words. And less than a minute later, as the people came into view in the distance, I heard her whisper from behind me.

"I'm worried about the two who joined him."

Those words were as good as a declaration that Kim Han-byeol had made up her mind. I thought it was a good thing I hadn't been direct, but had spoken as euphemistically as possible. If I had said from the start, "That bastard Park Dong-geol is just trying to get his hands on Lee Bo-rim and Lee Shin-woo. So don't go. You'll be used, too," she would have distrusted me as well. She seems like a quick thinker, so even a little nudge would be enough for her to grasp the general meaning of my words.

Soon, the distance shrank enough that I could clearly see the people on the hill, split into two groups. Nothing had changed from when I last saw them.

On one side were An Hyeon, An Sol, and Lee Yu-jeong. On the other were Lee Shin-woo and Lee Bo-rim, led by Park Dong-geol.

And the moment Kim Han-byeol and I reached the top of the hill, six pairs of eyes focused on us.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

"Here you come. Anyway, thanks for keeping watch."

Seeing Park Dong-geol already acting like he was in charge, a feeling of displeasure welled up inside me, but I forced it down. An Hyeon's silent eyes. An Sol's anxious eyes. Lee Yu-jeong's tense eyes. Lee Shin-woo's trembling eyes. Lee Bo-rim's listless eyes. The variety of expressions made me feel strange. I stopped walking instead of immediately joining them. Behind me, Kim Han-byeol's steps halted as well.

"Thought you'd be back sooner. Anyway, you got the rundown on your way here, right?"

"I did."

"This is just how things turned out. It's tough, but I need you to understand. We're all just trying to survive here."

As soon as Park Dong-geol finished speaking, I could hear Lee Yu-jeong mutter a curse under her breath. Ignoring her, Park Dong-geol strode over to me and held out his large hand.

"Join our team. We can be friends. I'd welcome you, and the young lady behind you, too."

The tension in the air reached its peak as everyone waited for my answer. Not ignorant of the others' anxious feelings, I ignored his hand and replied in a cold voice.

"I can decide for myself who I can be friends with. Thank you for the offer, but I decline."

Park Dong-geol didn't even blink. Without retracting his hand, he asked Kim Han-byeol.

"...Then what about you?"

"I can't trust you."

Of course, Kim Han-byeol also turned him down. Seeing the two of us walk past him, Park Dong-geol spoke in a sneering voice.

"Hah. So that's how you're going to be. I don't know what that vixen told you on the way, but you'll definitely regret this."

"If you value your own life, you should learn to value the lives of others."

"What nonsense. And after I was so considerate... Fine, do whatever you want. I have no intention of forcing anyone who doesn't want to join. Just don't come begging to join the team later."

"That won't happen."

"Shin-woo. Bo-rim. Let's go! If we stay with hypocrites like them, our own lives will be in danger."

Have they already exchanged names? Seeing him drag Lee Shin-woo and Lee Bo-rim away felt like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I walked calmly and stood before the remaining people. Their eyes conveyed a mixture of relief and an unreadable sense of goodwill toward me. An Hyeon let out a deep sigh and spoke to me.

"You've been through a lot. As you can see... this is how it turned out."

"Hmph. Good riddance. No need to be discouraged, right? They left because they wanted to, so let them do as they please. Whether they live or die is their own business."

I couldn't help but let out a small laugh at Lee Yu-jeong's thorny words. Just as she said, they were the ones who left. And we weren't the ones left behind; we were the ones who remained.

Those two phrases held a very significant difference.

============================ Author's Note ============================

1. Corrected typos and contextual errors.