The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 190
The blank space he saw immediately filled Cha Eui-jae with a sudden surge of anxiety.
What is the purpose of a person without a designated role? Is it okay to even remain in this place? Unknowingly, Cha Eui-jae tightened his grip on Lee Sa-young, who let out a small groan. Realizing what he had done, Cha Eui-jae quickly loosened his hold and pulled his hands away. At the same time, the sparks flickering around Lee Sa-young disappeared.
“Oh, sorry. Are you okay?”
Lee Sa-young straightened his hunched body and brushed his shoulders off. With a tone of irritation, he asked, “Is this really a dream?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The system has some kind of coercive power. I just got penalized for breaking a rule… and the sensations are so vivid.”
Now that he mentioned it, it was strange. Could a system interfere with a human’s dream? Of course, Yoon Ga-eul had once seen fragments of a ruined world in her dreams, but she could only observe— it wasn’t possible to interfere with that world. A system that imposes force and physical power like this…
“This does feel more like a dungeon, considering what just happened.”
Cha Eui-jae rubbed the back of his neck.
“I saw memories from a previous world, just like Ga-eul did. So I naturally assumed this was just another dream.”
“But there was never a situation where physical force was used, right?”
“Yeah. I just watched it, like I was at the movies.”
“…”
Lee Sa-young, who Cha Eui-jae thought might make some sarcastic comment, remained surprisingly quiet. He seemed to be deep in thought. Staring into space, he suddenly tilted his head and rested his temple lightly on Cha Eui-jae’s head. Thankfully, there was no penalty this time.
Was this considered an action fitting for a younger brother to do with his older brother? Cha Eui-jae frowned. Lee Sa-young muttered quietly.
“If my role is to be the good younger brother… then what’s your role?”
Cha Eui-jae answered calmly, trying to maintain his composure.
“…There isn’t one.”
“Hmm?”
“There was nothing written there. I guess I don’t have a role.”
“…”
Lee Sa-young let out a low hum. Then he straightened up.
“I’ve been thinking, about a lot of things.”
“Yeah?”
“The person who made this place… doesn’t seem to be in their right mind…”
Self-reflection?
Cha Eui-jae swallowed the words that had risen to his throat. Fortunately, Lee Sa-young seemed too distracted by other thoughts to notice Cha Eui-jae’s reaction. He reached out and grabbed the doorknob.
“We should be careful…”
Lee Sa-young whispered, his voice cracking.
“Because it wouldn’t be surprising if something jumped out at us from anywhere.”
Click. The doorknob turned.
The door opened.
Blaaare— A loud horn blared. The sedan that had honked quickly disappeared down the road. A motorcycle zoomed by with a loud vroom. The scene outside the door was not an apartment lobby or hallway, but a road!
‘So this really was made by someone who’s lost their mind.’
Lee Sa-young, holding the doorknob, looked at the road with a dumbfounded expression.
People were walking on the sidewalk next to the road. They wore earphones, stared at their phones, or talked with someone as they walked.
Oddly enough, their faces were all clear. Eyes, noses, mouths, their moving lips, the motions of their fingers and bodies, even the way their hair swayed— it was all vivid. They were completely different from the people in the blurry memories of Cha Eui-jae.
Cha Eui-jae muttered absentmindedly,
“They’re too clear.”
“…”
“They seem like real, living people.”
“Your dream wasn’t like this?”
Cha Eui-jae nodded slightly. In the memories Cha Eui-jae had seen through the clock, the people had been blurry. They were merely human-like shapes, and their faces couldn’t be seen clearly. Only people like Honeybee, Jung Bin, or the Director had appeared with clear forms and voices.
‘Back then, I thought it was because they were people Cha Eui-jae had strong impressions of.’
But was that really the case? Lost in thought, Cha Eui-jae responded belatedly.
“The people connected to those memories were clear… the others were blurry.”
Could a person remember everything perfectly? There’s nothing more uncertain than memory. Memory is something we can manipulate as we please. Cha Eui-jae glanced at Lee Sa-young.
“You don’t have an exceptional memory or anything, right? Like photographic memory?”
“If you’re asking whether I can remember things this vividly… no.”
Lee Sa-young crossed his arms, scanning the movements of the people one by one. Not long after, he gave a light comment, as casually as if he were talking about the weather.
“This is creepy…”
Was it really that bad? Cha Eui-jae glanced at Lee Sa-young. He was covering his mouth. His frowning brow and the hand over his lips made him look genuinely disturbed. With a jerk of his chin, he motioned toward the street.
“…We should get moving. Do you have a place in mind?”
“Seowon Guild?”
At the mention of it, Lee Sa-young frowned reflexively. The furrow between his brows deepened.
“…Seowon Guild? Nam Woo-jin? Why there?”
“Well, when I saw the fragments, it looked like it was some sort of base. Maybe even a shelter… you and I would have been in and out of there a lot after the end of the world, so there might be something useful there.”
“…Then let’s go.”
Lee Sa-young stepped aside slightly, as if gesturing for Cha Eui-jae to take the lead. Cha Eui-jae stepped out onto the road.
The pavement, with a slightly cracked edge, and the small wildflowers and grasses growing between the tiles seemed too detailed to be artificial. Even though there was no wind, the wildflowers swayed gently. This place mimicked reality down to the smallest detail. As if it were another world. As if someone had tried to painstakingly reconstruct it.
‘I think I get why he said it felt creepy…’
Cha Eui-jae walked with deliberate force. Despite the black mask on his face, none of the people walking along the street gave him a second glance. In the real world, he wouldn’t have been able to walk like this without being mobbed by people. He felt like a complete outsider.
A blank space.
An outsider.
“…”
But Cha Eui-jae didn’t feel lonely. The sound of footsteps behind him proved that he wasn’t alone.
After walking for who knows how long, a familiar building came into view.
It was the Seowon Guild’s building. Its entrance was wide open, unguarded, as if inviting them in.
Cha Eui-jae turned to look back. Lee Sa-young, still wearing a displeased expression, nodded when their eyes met.
“It looks like they want us to come in.”
As they stepped into the entrance, a long, straight hallway stretched out before them. At the far end, a glimpse of a library filled with books came into view. As they got closer, the crisp scent of old paper and books teased Cha Eui-jae’s nose. Just as Cha Eui-jae stepped inside and Lee Sa-young’s black boots hit the red carpet behind him, a voice echoed throughout the library.
“A surprise guest has arrived.”
At the same time, a white system window appeared before their eyes.
[Please select the correct answer within 5 seconds.]
[Q. Nam Woo-jin: “A surprise guest has arrived.”]
1. Get lost.
2. Shut up.
3. Die.
4. Thanks for the warm welcome.
[Choosing the wrong answer will result in a penalty.]
[Penalty: Decreased stay time.]
What’s up with these choices!
‘…Well, number 4 seems the least aggressive, right? Though it’s still a bit sarcastic, we didn’t come here to pick a fight.’
Cha Eui-jae, momentarily dumbfounded by the rude and inappropriate options, quickly began to consider his answer. But before he could make a decision, Lee Sa-young reached out without hesitation and pressed option 2 with his black fingers. He spoke.
“Shut up.”
“What?”
[You have selected the correct answer. Congratulations!]
‘Shut up’ was the right answer?
Cha Eui-jae widened his eyes in surprise and looked back at Lee Sa-young. Their eyes met. Lee Sa-young shrugged as if to say, ‘What’s the problem?’ Cha Eui-jae couldn’t help but be impressed.
“You… have a good sense for this, huh?”
Was it because they were kindred spirits? However, Lee Sa-young looked as though he’d bitten into something bitter, his face twisted in a grimace. He whispered through clenched teeth.
“Don’t tell me that was meant to sound nice?”
It was a compliment, though. Lee Sa-young muttered coldly.
“Annoying.”
So cold. Just then, the library echoed with a clear, ringing laugh.
“Ah, yes, yes. What brings you here today? It’s not a scheduled inspection.”
“I need information.”
“If it’s information you want, you should head to the fish market.”
“Not that kind of information. Academic information. About the system.”
“Hmm… I didn’t think you’d be interested in such things. What’s got you in the mood for studying today?”
A white coat fluttered between the shelves of books. Nam Woo-jin, holding an open book in one hand, walked up to stand beside Cha Eui-jae. But he didn’t look at Cha Eui-jae. It was as if he didn’t even know Cha Eui-jae existed.
‘No way…’
Can he not see me? Cha Eui-jae waved his hand in front of Nam Woo-jin’s face. Nam Woo-jin calmly closed his book with a snap. He was only looking at Lee Sa-young. Cha Eui-jae tried to grab Nam Woo-jin’s shoulder.
Or at least, he thought he did.
His hand passed right through Nam Woo-jin’s body. Meanwhile, Nam Woo-jin, with a satisfied smile like a well-fed cat, tucked the book under his arm. His eyes, burned white, curved into a grin.
“That’s a good attitude. So, what is it you’re curious about?”
“…”
Cha Eui-jae, withdrawing his hand, unknowingly glanced at Lee Sa-young.
His face had gone cold and hard.
