Chapter 154

I moved my hand as if dreaming.

A small hand twitched smoothly according to my brain’s signals.

Why is this bracken-like little thing moving in accordance with my will?

As I kept moving my hand, unable to believe it even while looking at it, the rings that had been loose since earlier clattered off my fingers.

“Gasp!”

The moment I reached out to pick up the rings, the smartwatch slipped right off my wrist too.

“Aaagh!”

But I could no longer attempt to pick anything up.

“……!”

It was more urgent to hold up my pants, which were about to slide off.

While I floundered, Cha Si-eon picked up the rings rolling across the ground first.

I hurriedly asked Cha Si-eon, who was picking up 「Big Cat」’s ring.

“H-how old do I look right now?”

“Probably around 7 or 8.”

“What?”

When I asked back in shock, Cha Si-eon took out his tablet.

He took a picture of me with it, then showed me the screen directly.

“Ah……!”

I screamed without realizing it.

On the tablet screen, a little kid who looked like he had just graduated from kindergarten or just entered elementary school was staring with round, startled eyes.

And that child was undeniably me.

“Why…….”

Confused, I looked at Cha Si-eon.

Cha Si-eon, whose hair alone had become very long.

It also felt as if he had become more adult, but I could not tell whether this was an objective change or an illusion caused by my having grown smaller.

In any case, it was not difficult to see him as being around his mid-30s.

That side had met 8 years of aging according to the existing rules.

Then why had I become younger instead? By 20 years, no less.

“This is the first time something like this has happened, right?”

“Yes.”

“R-reincarnation, maybe……?”

At the words I muttered without thinking, Cha Si-eon shook his head.

“That probably is not it.”

“Those with fewer than 8 years remaining in their lifespan merely died the moment they met the 「Monks」. Not once did they appear in a younger form. Moreover, Mr. Seo Do-un, right now only your age has grown younger. No matter who looks, you are still Mr. Seo Do-un himself.”

That was right.

If I had died and reincarnated, there was no way I would have the same face as in this life.

Then what is this?

I am not a 0-year-old baby, so how could this…….

“Hah.”

At the thought that crossed my mind, I swallowed a hollow breath.

What if I really was 0 years old, and that was why I had become 8 now?

If, for some reason, the Special Zone was counting my age as 0.

When I thought that, goosebumps ran down the nape of my neck.

It felt as if cold fingernails were scraping up my spine.

Of course, this was nothing new.

The suspicion that some abnormal change had happened to me had now entered the realm of certainty.

I was in the middle of slowly learning how to live with that confusion.

So if I thought of this phenomenon as an extension of that, it was not something I could not accept.

But near my chest, I felt a raging surge.

I thought that I could not live from how unfair it was, and the rims of my eyes grew hot.

“Uh……?”

I was instead flustered by my own bodily reaction.

Then my eyes met Cha Si-eon’s, and I covered my eyes with my palms while swallowing my breath as if my life depended on it.

I am going insane.

The sensitive 8-year-old Seo Do-un was about to burst into tears.

No, I can’t lose my dignity like this……!

In the middle of a crisis of tears, I panicked and then remembered Director Go.

It worked.

Using Director Go as a lesson, I ultimately swallowed down the wailing and finally calmed enough to raise my head.

“I am all right.”

“How admirable.”

“……?”

Feeling as if I had heard something strange, I looked at Cha Si-eon.

Then I became flustered in yet another sense.

“Only my appearance has changed, Team Leader.”

Seeing the strangely softened look in Cha Si-eon’s eyes, I became serious.

Then Cha Si-eon took something out of his vest pocket.

It was candy.

Cha Si-eon silently held out the candy, and without realizing it, I reached out and received it.

“Your cognitive ability and thinking power may be the same as before, but your body and psychology are probably at the level of an 8-year-old.”

“…….”

I could not bring myself to deny it.

The candy was too delicious.

Most of all, the moment I saw the candy, nothing seemed particularly important except putting it in my mouth.

“It is a commonly reported symptom for mood to change in accordance with physical age. Therefore, Mr. Seo Do-un, I would like you to recognize that right now, you are in the psychological state of a child.”

I acknowledged this too.

Both the fact that I had nearly cried just now and the fact that I could not refuse the candy were clearly those of an 8-year-old.

I nodded gloomily, then asked Cha Si-eon in return.

“Team Leader, are you feeling changes too?”

“To some extent.”

Cha Si-eon answered my question calmly.

His atmosphere did seem more relaxed than before.

Cha Si-eon in his 30s, with his prickliness greatly reduced, asked me,

“Are you able to ambulate?”

Ambulate…….

Though I thought it was a strange expression, I grabbed my waistband and tried walking.

Clatter—

But not only my pants, my shoes were a problem too.

Because of the shoes that were far too large, I could not take proper steps.

“Take off the shoes and adjust your clothing as much as you can.”

Cha Si-eon said that, then began giving instructions to the agents as well.

-Pattern 29 confirmed.

-Agents move.

-Nos. 1 and 12 rendezvous.

-Nos. 2 and 3 rendezvous.

-Nos. 4 and 5 rendezvous.

-Nos. 6 and 7 rendezvous.

-Report after rendezvous.

Now, 「River Crossers」 appeared even if we did not move.

So rather than waiting alone, it would be better to quickly join with other agents nearby.

While Cha Si-eon sent signals, I rolled up my sleeves and tightened my belt.

I also succeeded in tightening the strings at the hems of my pants and pulling my bare feet out.

With that, I barely secured freedom for my limbs, but because the clothes were too large after all, I looked almost as if I had wrapped myself in a blanket.

Cha Si-eon did not say anything even after seeing me like that.

However, after tying together the laces of the shoes I had taken off, he hung them around my neck.

Do I follow him while walking like this?

At that moment, my body suddenly lifted upward.

“Uwaaak!”

Startled, I cried out, and just like that, I was placed over Cha Si-eon’s shoulder.

Cha Si-eon hoisted me over his shoulder like a sack of rice and began running as he was.

“Team Leader!”

“This is the fastest way. Please monitor the rear situation and the other agents’ light signals.”

I was quite flustered, but at Cha Si-eon’s answer, I lost my words.

Right, now was not the time to be picky.

Moreover, when I had just been slung over his shoulder, I dropped the candy I had been holding in my mouth.

Judging by the fact that the dropped candy felt more regrettable than anything else, I was clearly not normal either.

So the first priority right now was joining the other agents.

I chose to be carried quietly and watch the opposite side of the bridge and the lights of the other agents.

This place, 「Great Bridge Sunk in Fog」, was a sibling Special Zone that shared the same incident as 「Island Where Blood Falls」.

But even so, I had not known this kind of blending would be possible.

Was this because 「Island」 still possessed the fluidity of a nascent phase?

The more I saw of Special Zones, the less I understood what the hell they were.

So there was no choice but to gather every scrap of information, whether it existed or not, and at least make an inference.

If 「Railway Station」, 「Island」, and 「Great Bridge」 were tied together, then what state was this Special Zone in now?

Were all three in a nascent phase, or were some in active phase and only some in nascent phase?

Given that communications were down, it would probably be safe to think this entire area had entered a nascent-phase state.

Since the thought occurred to me, I said to Cha Si-eon,

“Team Leader, if the structure we are thinking of is correct, then 「Railway Station」 and 「Island」 will currently be gathered in one place.”

“…….”

“And if 「Island」 has the characteristics of a nascent-phase Special Zone, it should also be possible to summon different time periods by opening and closing doors.”

Just as 「Hotel」 had done.

“There are no doors or other divided spaces here, but 「Island」 has many doors and separated spaces. So if we go there, the situation will likely change again.”

At my warning, Cha Si-eon slightly slowed his running speed.

Then he finally opened his mouth.

“Your pronunciation is poor, so I cannot understand what you are saying.”

“…….”

“Please explain again after we rendezvous with No. 12.”

“Yes…….”

I thought I had spoken with perfect pronunciation.

An 8-year-old was, unexpectedly, a being with many limits.

I closed my mouth and focused on the lights.

The lights continued blinking in turns.

It seemed the 「River Crossers」 kept appearing.

Were they deliberately herding us?

Or was it truly a final struggle?

I was looking beyond the fog, wondering whether our side was all right, when.

Just as the fog seemed to ripple, a huge, black shadow loomed over it.

“Team Leader, something is coming from behind!”

At my shout, Cha Si-eon immediately turned back.

Cha Si-eon tried to put me down, flinched, and slung me over his shoulder again.

Then he let go of me.

“Hold on by yourself!”

What?

Startled, I grabbed Cha Si-eon’s upper clothing.

RATATATATA—!

The sound of a rifle followed.

My body froze at the roar and vibration.

I felt my young body become frightened, but somehow, I gathered my mind.

The gunfire continued for quite some time.

Cha Si-eon pressed the back of my head with his hand and quickly turned his body.

Almost at the same time, something brushed past me.

No, it scraped past.

Something like damp breath touched my cheek briefly, then fell away.

I still could not tell what it was.

The only thing certain was that it was very large, and despite that, very fast.

And it was aiming for me.

RATATATA—!

Cha Si-eon continued returning fire.

But aiming properly while carrying me around his neck was impossible.

Perhaps because it narrowed the distance again, Cha Si-eon hurriedly retreated.

But there was nowhere suitable to retreat either.

Soon, the bridge railing touched his back, and before my eyes, water surged thickly beyond the fog.

No way.

He is not trying to jump into the river like this, is he?

The moment I thought no way, Cha Si-eon grabbed the railing.

He really is going to jump……!

That was when it happened.

CLANG—!

Suddenly, the sound of metal striking metal rang out, and Cha Si-eon’s movement abruptly stopped.

CLANG— CLANG—! GRIND—!

Since my back was turned, I could not tell what was happening.

But I sensed that it was not a bad situation.

I felt Cha Si-eon release his tension and catch his breath.

CLANG— SPLAAAASH—!

Soon, the sound of water pouring came.

After that, there was silence.

Rustle—

Along with the sound of something being shaken off, footsteps approached us.

Someone behind my back spoke.

“Are you weak because you got old?”

It was a familiar voice.

However, it was my first time hearing this voice speak in such an irritatingly smug tone.

He had been mocked considerably, but Cha Si-eon did not particularly answer or retort.

Instead, he peeled me off where I was hanging from his shoulder.

Grabbed by the back of my neck, I was lifted like a puppy, and Cha Si-eon moved his arm as he was, showing me to the person behind me.

Sure enough.

“Lord Otter?”

The one who had helped us in the moment of crisis was Baek Sa-ra.

And Baek Sa-ra, who had discovered me, had her eyes growing endlessly wide.