Chapter 167 |
Now that he had encountered Song Inmyeong, Lee Jaehun had two options.
‘Option 1: Leave him behind.’
Judging by how he was clinging to them, if left alone, he seemed poised to barge into the shelter the group had secured. In that case, while Choi Minhong might not have fully grasped the situation due to his young age, there was a chance Moon Sangun would faint. Given his personality, it seemed unlikely he would confront the perpetrator.
Considering the potential harm to those two victims, shaking him off and leaving seemed like the better option.
‘Option 2: Take him along.’
In this case, Lee Jaehun could shamelessly manipulate the situation.
“Ms. Kang Mina, are you alright? What’s going on?”
“I-It’s not that…”
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He looked at Kang Mina, who was on the verge of exploding from frustration, with a clueless expression.
Kang Mina hadn’t revealed that she had regained her memories to ‘Lee Jaehun’, and Jung Inho hadn’t explained Song Inmyeong in detail either. While he would act like he understood once he heard the name, it didn’t seem like Song Inmyeong would carelessly introduce himself at this point.
‘Since Kang Mina is being excessively wary, if that guy’s not a complete idiot, he’ll think things through.’
As if proving his prediction correct, Song Inmyeong, who had been observing the situation, spoke.
“Are you just going to ignore me and leave like this? This is quite unpleasant.”
“…I’m sorry, but my companions aren’t feeling well.”
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“So, why should I be the one to feel unpleasant because you’re being sensitive? Huh?”
“…….”
“Isn’t this a bit much between fellow survivors?”
He showed no signs of backing down.
‘I can guess what he’s thinking.’
The most logical assumption that would come to Song Inmyeong’s mind was that Moon Sangun joined their group and explained everything about him to Kang Mina. He’d likely considered other possibilities, but since he was a relatively clever guy, he probably wouldn’t let his guard down.
‘Since we’re pretending not to know who he is, he’ll be thinking about that too.’
Then he could skillfully eliminate the need for ‘Lee Jaehun’ to realize Song Inmyeong’s identity right away. If he just brought him along to Jung Inho and Moon Sangun like this…
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‘Even if not right now, I’ll have a reason to step in as bait.’
He made up his mind.
‘Let’s take him.’
If Jung Inho heard this, he would probably clutch the back of his neck and collapse, but as they say, any lie became the truth as long as it remained undiscovered. Lee Jaehun decided to bring Song Inmyeong back to the shelter, feigning reluctance.
“I don’t want to fight between fellow survivors either.”
“Then give me some attention, you’ve been ignoring me. And that lady over there keeps glaring at me… I can’t help but feel offended. How can I feel good being suddenly treated like a monster?”
“What’s the point of nitpicking?”
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“Nothing much, I’m just curious about your team.”
“What…”
“Can’t we just greet each other?”
As expected, he fully intended to follow them.
‘Good job.’
He nodded inwardly.
He’d been having a headache because the protagonist, that d⋏mn kid, was being unnecessarily cautious. The fact that Song Inmyeong appeared like this while he was contemplating how to provoke him and get caught by Hong Kyungjun was something to be thankful for. Now, he could quickly dispose of Song Inmyeong and move on to dealing with the green algae monster.
Though he subtly furrowed his brows to express his reluctance, Lee Jaehun decided to bring this troublesome trash to the group and said,
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“That would be a little difficult. As you can see, my companions are quite on edge, so it’s not a situation where we can exchange greetings. Can’t you give us some space?”
“Is this something to compromise on? I’m just saying I want to say hello with pure intentions. Look, how can I not feel bad when you’re suspecting me like this? Everyone I meet is suspicious of me.”
“Regardless of that, the situation right now…”
“What about the situation? Just a moment ago, I saw you two chatting comfortably. But as soon as I showed up, you became so sensitive. You’re implying that I’m the problem, aren’t you?”
Lee Jaehun scoffed inwardly at Song Inmyeong’s pretense of anger. Even if he insisted like this, there was little chance of actual harm coming to Kang Mina or Lee Jaehun. The problem was that Kang Mina was extremely wary of Song Inmyeong.
“…Just try coming this way.”
“And what will you do?”
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“…….”
“Aha, are you going to kill me?”
It was a blatant provocation, but ‘Lee Jaehun’ looked back and forth between the two with a slightly surprised expression, pondering why the situation had become so hostile. After all, just a moment ago, Kang Mina had been able to converse calmly with ‘Lee Jaehun’.
Seeing this, Kang Mina bit her lip.
“…Ms. Kang Mina?”
“S-Sorry. It’s not that, but… still, he…”
Despite her hesitation, the words ‘He’s a murderer’ didn’t come out. Setting aside how she knew, she seemed to be worried about how much ‘Lee Jaehun’ would believe her and whether she would be needlessly provoking the murderer.
‘If it were Jung Inho, he would have killed him first since there were no witnesses and we had the advantage. As expected, Kang Mina isn’t a regressor, is she?’
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As if sensing her hesitation, Song Inmyeong fiddled with his wooden plank.
“You shouldn’t be so dismissive of others, noona.”
“…….”
“This really hurts my feelings.”
As he said this, he glanced at Kang Mina’s hammer, implying, ‘If you attack now, I’ll take your hammer and kill both of you here’ or ‘How long do you think you can protect that tattered ahjussi with that?’. If Kang Mina didn’t know Song Inmyeong’s true nature, she wouldn’t understand the signal, so he seemed to be testing whether she truly knew him.
And Kang Mina fell for his trick perfectly.
“…That, son of a…”
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Son of a what?
“…Ms. Kang Mina…?”
“No, no, no. I misspoke…!”
“Ah, well… it happens…”
Well, she wasn’t usually like this.
‘So you’re a regressor too, albeit a clumsy one.’
Since even the protagonist, Jung Inho, had become unstable after regressing, even if he wasn’t sure if Kang Mina was truly a regressor, her personality could have changed if she had recalled her previous memories. Considering her usual inability to even deliver a proper insult, she must have gone through some tough times in the previous loops.
Anyway, the important thing wasn’t Kang Mina’s near-curse, but the fact that Song Inmyeong had grasped the current situation. He seemed certain that only Kang Mina knew his true nature, as he subtly curled his lips into a smirk.
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“What, did it sound like I was threatening you?”
It wasn’t that it sounded like a threat, but that it looked like one, but Lee Jaehun skillfully feigned ignorance.
‘He must be convinced that Moon Sangun is with our group.’
It was impossible to know Song Inmyeong’s identity without that information.
‘It’s also information that Kang Mina and Jung Inho wouldn’t know if they weren’t regressors.’
It was like stumbling upon a solution by accident, but he had nothing to say since the answer was essentially correct.
In the end, Kang Mina, caught in a dilemma, grabbed Lee Jaehun’s shirt. Whether Song Inmyeong joined the group or if his identity was revealed here, it would be problematic.
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“…For now…”
He decided to intervene.
“I apologize for the sensitive reaction. Sorry, we have a lot going on…”
“Well, it’s okay.”
“But, student. We have our reasons. While it’s true that we overreacted, honestly, your behavior wasn’t exactly polite either, was it?”
“Wow, me?”
“I wouldn’t say anything if that’s your usual personality, but we also feel uncomfortable with disrespectful behavior.”
As he frowned,
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“…….”
“…….”
“…Sorry.”
An unexpected response came.
“……?”
Wait a minute. This guy wasn’t supposed to nod so readily.
‘Was this your original personality?’
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This was the second time he was dumbfounded, following Kang Mina.
Just a moment ago, he had retorted to every word Kang Mina said, so why was he backing down so easily now? He had expected Song Inmyeong to insist on following them no matter what, but he was apologizing after a few words, which was baffling to Lee Jaehun, who remembered Song Inmyeong from the novel and the previous loop.
“…I appreciate the apology, but why were you so sharp with our Ms. Kang Mina? I don’t understand.”
“Sorry about that too. But ahjussi, that noona was the first one to point a hammer at me. Wouldn’t I be sharp? Why do you keep defending only her?”
“Huh…”
D⋏mn it, he seemed to have changed his tactic.
‘Did he decide to act like a kid?’
In reality, Song In-myeong was too large and had too much of a vicious and nasty side to be considered a kid, but unlike the last time, he seemed to have decided to push that image. He probably prepared the excuse that he was just sharp-tongued and sensitive, even if he didn’t mean any harm.
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Perhaps after seeing the kind and vulnerable side ‘Lee Jaehun’ showed towards the abandoned dog monster, and since he had no other companions around, he thought it would be easier to create an image that could garner at least some sympathy. It was a ridiculous decision to Lee Jaehun, who knew the truth…
The problem was that ‘Lee Jaehun’ couldn’t do that.
“I keep saying this. I just came to say hello because I was happy to see other survivors. But that noona pointed a hammer at me first. You saw it too, ahjussi.”
“…….”
He had a point.
‘If Song Inmyeong weren’t a murderer, it would have been an overreaction.’
Without the premise that Song Inmyeong was a murderer, it was indeed problematic for Kang Mina, a proper member of society, to threaten a college student with a hammer. It was something they could overlook due to the special circumstances, but if it hadn’t been Song Inmyeong, he might have been truly shocked.
Of course, it was an absurd scenario for both Kang Mina and Lee Jaehun, but they couldn’t reveal Song Inmyeong’s crimes right now, could they? His behavior made sense in a way.
“…So… I already apologized for that, didn’t I, kid?”
Calling him ‘kid’ instead of the intended ‘little b⋏st⋏rd’ made both Kang Mina’s and Song Inmyeong’s expressions subtly shift.
“I’m a little… too big to be called a kid… Hmm, well, I guess so.”
“…….”
“…Anyway, forget it. If you say so, I have no choice but to back down.”
No, I’m saying you can’t.
‘Are you really going to back down like this?’
Feeling a sense of inexplicable injustice, Lee Jaehun continued.
“…Thank you for saying that. I’m not just saying this, but our group is really… on edge lately, so I didn’t want to create any more variables. I apologize again for overreacting towards you.”
“…Ahjussi, your tone changes quickly.”
“What?”
“No, never mind.”
Even as he muttered this, he looked quite intrigued.
‘That’s the aim.’
Lee Jaehun inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He recalled how Song Inmyeong had been fascinated by Lee Jaehun’s shifting tone of voice in the previous loop. He wasn’t sure what exactly had caught his attention, but perhaps it was the duality that an ordinary person wouldn’t notice.
‘…No, wait, it’s not like I’m playing a dating sim…’
Anyway, Song Inmyeong, feigning disinterest, asked,
“But did something really happen? You seem too sensitive towards a stranger like me. Did someone get seriously injured?”
“…It’s nothing much, but…”
Lee Jaehun continued, pretending to be a little relieved and ignoring Kang Mina’s anxious gaze.
“Can’t you tell by looking at my condition? No, don’t you see? Of course the others are on edge with me looking like this. Ms. Mina’s overreaction is also my fault, so just let it go.”
“…Now that you mention it, you are quite injured, ahjussi.”
“There are just too many monsters.”
“But that noona over there looks relatively fine…”
His gaze momentarily gleamed with interest.
‘Yes, that’s it.’
Lee Jaehun inwardly cheered.
See, d⋏mn it. I’m such a tempting target. Are you really not going to follow after I’ve gone this far? Huh? Were you always this lacking in tenacity? Where did all that dedication you showed in the last loop go? You call yourself an artist and you can’t even handle this? Can you really call yourself an artist after this?
Lee Jaehun, skillfully concealing his inner thoughts, furrowed his brows as if displeased.
“…You seem to be having strange thoughts.”
“Honestly, it’s strange. That noona used you as a shield and escaped unscathed, didn’t she? Come to think of it, I heard something from someone on our side… Are you, by any chance, Lee Jaehun?”
“…….”
Lee Jaehun blinked once and asked,
“…Ms. Kim Yeonwoo…”
“Ah, so you remember. That police officer noona was really worried about you.”
Saying this, Song Inmyeong sighed as if he couldn’t help it and took a step closer.
“This won’t do, I can’t just leave like this.”
“…What’s this about now…”
“It’s really strange. Why are you the only one so injured? I’m sorry to be suspicious, but I can’t help it. If there’s really no problem, then there shouldn’t be any issue with me tagging along, right?”
“…….”
“I’ll just get introduced to your team members and leave. Okay?”
Lee Jaehun almost clapped his hands, forgetting his composure.
‘That’s right, you b⋏st⋏rd…!’
That’s exactly it! D⋏mn, I was about to dⁱㅌ from frustration, you son of a bⁱtch! You have such guts for a young guy…
“…….”
It was hard to make a living.
Lee Jaehun, from whose mouth a torrent of curses had momentarily erupted, inwardly closed his mouth, feeling a sudden wave of embarrassment. He found it ridiculous that he had sincerely welcomed the murderer’s visit, practically begging to be killed. He felt a sense of his mental state truly deteriorating.
“So, what do you say?”
“…….”
“Ahjussi? Hello?”
“…Ms. Kang Mina.”
He reflexively ignored Song Inmyeong’s voice and turned to Kang Mina.
“Would you be alright with this? If we leave him here, things might get worse.”
“W-Well, actually…”
She looked a little flustered.
‘She probably wanted me to figure it out myself.’
Unfortunately, the current ‘Lee Jaehun’ was mentally exhausted and his perceptiveness had hit rock bottom.
There were plenty of excuses. His physically poor condition was one of the factors affecting his mental state, and above all, ‘Lee Jaehun’ was still under the influence of the green algae monster. The setting that his already depleted mental strength had been further drained by the recent encounter with the abandoned dog monster would also work.
‘It’s actually similar to the truth.’
In conclusion, he couldn’t connect Kang Mina’s overreaction with the ‘Song Inmyeong’ that Jung Inho had mentioned. If the murderer in front of him had introduced himself, it would be a different story, but in this situation, where he was consciously hiding his identity…
“…Yes, I’m fine.”
In the end, Kang Mina seemed to have given up. She probably thought there was no need to provoke the murderer here, where there were few people to help, while there would be plenty of people to protect her back at the shelter.
Perhaps if Kang Mina had confessed about her dream earlier, things would have been different. Or if Jung Inho had revealed himself as a regressor in front of the others. Then even the current clueless Lee Jaehun would have realized that the person in front of him was a dangerous murderer.
“…She’s fine with it…”
“Okay.”
“Alright, shall we go together then?”
At that moment, Lee Jaehun thought,
‘This is why smooth communication between team members is important, you chicks.’
It was definitely not something he should be thinking.