Chapter 73

■ Response Manual for New Pattern “Broken Radio” in ‘Area I. Forest of Amphibians’

1. Basic Structure

A flat forest enclosed by a fence.

The area of the forest is about the size of one soccer field.

Across the forest as a whole, trees approximately 8m tall grow vertically, planted at intervals of 2 to 3m.

An environment where radio broadcasts mixed with static are heard continuously.

Personnel pulled into the area are placed near the fence.

2. Danger Factors

「Thing Without a Face」 surging from tree shadows.

3. Escape Method

Destroy the radio installed in the forest.

However, if the radio is not found and destroyed within 28 minutes after first hearing the radio sound, return to the starting point.

---

Another miss.

I clicked my tongue while looking at the dense green forest.

We had entered the 14th area.

And this was ‘Area I. Forest of Amphibians’.

It was an area we had already broken through twice before.

Through Cha Si-eon’s notebook, I had familiarized myself with the basic information about this place, and I had personally seen how to clear it.

So, thinking it was about time I did my share, I proposed,

“I will lure the 「Things Without a Face」.”

Then it would be much easier for Cha Si-eon to find and destroy the radio.

I said it intending to lessen his burden.

But Cha Si-eon shook his head at once.

“Do not move. Only observe.”

“Why should I do that?”

“We do not know what variables may arise when two people move. So conserve your stamina from behind.”

So he would do it alone again?

I could not judge whether this was a rational claim or insane obstinacy.

VMMMM— HISSSS— VMMMM—!

At that moment, the radio sound rang out.

Cha Si-eon left me behind and ran into the forest.

Rustle—!

The 「Things Without a Face」 rose from the tree shadows.

SQUELCH— SQUELCH—!

Cha Si-eon quickly stabbed and cut them down as he passed.

Right. Whether he is exhausted or whatever else, he is good. He really is good.

This time too, he would clear the stage alone with room to spare.

But was that truly the best option?

Because he had only done solo play until now, he did not know what variables there might be with two-player play?

If you do not know, you should find out.

Instead of stubbornly stabbing every monster to death alone.

While I watched with a dissatisfied feeling, Cha Si-eon stabbed to death what must have been the tenth-something monster, stepped on it, and leapt.

The bastard climbed the tree in great strides like a tiger, then threw the radio at the top down to the ground.

CRUNCH—!

The radio that had been chattering endlessly stopped making noise.

And a door that had been hidden near the fence opened.

It was the exit.

Right, why am I worrying about that?

Great Team Leader Cha Si-eon, do everything you want.

---

■ Response Manual for New Pattern “Soap Bubbles” in ‘Area H. Outdoor Performance Hall’

1. Basic Structure

An outdoor performance hall installed on a flat grass field.

Stair-style audience seats.

A 「Doll That Spits Soap Bubbles」 in the center of the performance hall.

2. Danger Factors

「Exploding Soap Bubbles」.

Substance blown from the mouth of the 「Doll That Spits Soap Bubbles」.

Same form and size as ordinary soap bubbles. Approximately 2 to 5cm in diameter.

They float in midair, then explode when they touch an object or burst on their own.

The 「Soap Bubbles」 are spat endlessly by the 「Doll That Spits Soap Bubbles」.

3. Escape Method

Eliminate the 「Commanding Bug」.

If the black cord connected to the back of the 「Doll That Spits Soap Bubbles」 is traced, the 「Commanding Bug」 hiding among the grass can be discovered.

The 「Commanding Bug」 is a larva-like form measuring 3.5cm.

---

……I said he should do everything he wanted, but I did not know he would really go this far.

Cha Si-eon scattered sand and burst all the 「Exploding Soap Bubbles」.

He boldly pushed into the chain explosions, overturned the 「Doll That Spits Soap Bubbles」, and traced the black cord.

It took less than 2 minutes for him to find the 「Commanding Bug」 hidden among the grass and trample it to death.

Thanks to that, I now felt as if I were watching a strongman show.

When the 「Commanding Bug」 died, another door opened on the spectator-seat side.

I exited to the garden outside the area and checked the time.

The current time shown by the analog watch Cha Si-eon had handed me.

2:53 p.m.

About 4 hours had passed since I entered this place.

And we had just broken through the 19th area.

The speed at which Cha Si-eon cleared stages had barely changed from the beginning.

He was breaking through stages one after another without delay or lag, but, hm.

Maybe because I saw him gulping down pills, it still seemed like he was overdoing it.

I handed water to Cha Si-eon, who was catching his breath, and asked again.

“Team Leader, are you really not tired?”

Cha Si-eon drank only enough water to wet his mouth, then glared at me.

Whether he did or not, I asked again.

“Would it not be better to divide roles now?”

“How many times must I say that staying still is how you help?”

Cha Si-eon muttered shortly and shoved the canteen back to me.

Then he leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes. Wow……. Seriously…….

Why is that human being like that?

If you are going to carry someone in a palanquin, then carry them properly.

If you are going to have no manners, then simply have no manners.

He keeps carrying a perfectly healthy person around and getting irritated, so I have no way of knowing whether I am a cherished jewel or a useless nuisance.

Of course, I am not saying I want to be either.

The problem is that Cha Si-eon is acting like Kim Cheom-ji, bringing home seolleongtang and then kicking me, and from my position, that is extremely out of nowhere.

Because I am not Cha Si-eon’s sick wife.

So why is he pouring this absurd overprotection and irritation onto me?

By his standards, is it because I am frail and unreliable?

Surely not more than himself, when he is right on the verge of dying from overwork.

I do not know what foolish thing he is doing alone.

Am I supposed to look at that back and feel my heart flutter?

Let us yield 100 times, 1000 times, and say you are overexerting yourself for my share too.

Do you think I will grow wistful and say, “Do not sacrifice yourself for me,” or whistle and say, “Thank you for the free ride”?

However one thought about it, it was absurd.

But what could I do?

He said he would roll around on his own.

Who knows, perhaps he was achieving self-realization through a battle against himself.

I decided to watch for now with the mindset of seeing how far he would go.

But in the very next stage, I ended up confirming the limits of that stiff person.

---

■ Response Manual for New Pattern “Night Flood” in ‘Area D. Gallery Hall 1’

1. Basic Structure

Long passage form, 4m wide and 450m long.

7 frames on the wall. Water pours endlessly from the frames.

Except for part of the starting point, the entire floor is submerged in water.

Water depth unknown.

2. Danger Factors

Water filling the corridor and intermittent whirlpools.

Unknown where things sucked into whirlpools go.

If a whirlpool is too strong, dropping a silver ring weakens the torrent.

3. Escape Method

Move from the end of the passage, the starting point, to the opposite end.

---

ROAAAR—!

The sound of a waterfall rang through the space.

And in the darkness, water rippled quickly and shone.

Through those things, I could gauge the existence of the water filling this place.

‘Area D. Gallery Hall 1’ was identical in spatial form itself to ‘Area E. Gallery Hall 2’.

However, instead of photographs, large frames hung on the walls.

And those frames were vomiting water mercilessly like the floodgates of some dam.

The corridor floor surged with water, and even the surroundings were dark.

So fear washed over me, as if I were looking at a wave-tossed sea in the black night.

This was the first time we had entered D Area after 20 tries.

So I was inwardly tense, but, hm. It was useless.

SPLASH—!

Behold Team Leader Cha Si-eon, jumping into that black water alone yet again.

I leisurely watched the light moving smoothly through the water.

Perhaps it was a whirlpool section, because the light disappeared briefly midway.

Had about 5 minutes passed like that?

The surroundings brightened, and the water that had been pouring from the frames abruptly stopped.

The water that had been surging through the corridor evaporated in an instant, revealing the floor as it was.

Like the Israelites during Exodus, I walked steadily across the dry path toward the end of the corridor.

In front of the door at the opposite end, Cha Si-eon was waiting for me, soaked from head to toe.

And so, the garden again.

We each went to our favored spot and silently settled down.

As I stared at the floor, the water falling from Cha Si-eon’s body slowly spread across it.

But that water was red.

……It was bloody water.

“Team Leader, are you injured somewhere?”

“No. A previous wound opened.”

“Then you have been moving with an injured body all this time?”

At my startled question, Cha Si-eon let out a long breath.

It was an obvious warning, carrying the meaning that I should not make noise.

……What the hell is he doing?

“Team Leader Cha Si-eon.”

Unable to endure any longer, I began speaking, but Cha Si-eon did not even pretend to hear.

So I ignored him too and continued with what I had to say.

“I will be honest. I am doubtful whether you are making normal judgments right now.”

Only then did Cha Si-eon open his eyes and look at me.

“I know I am an important person to the Bureau. But how does Team Leader Cha overexerting himself alone help my survival?”

“…….”

“If there were even some hope, I would understand overexerting yourself, but look at the current situation. Are we not simply going around and around inside the areas? If repeating this infinitely is the right answer, then should you not rest properly and divide the work appropriately?”

At my question, Cha Si-eon only exhaled a long sigh.

His manner said he was tired and annoyed.

So before Team Leader Cha could get angry again, I drove in the wedge.

“If my thoughts are wrong, then please tell me the specific plan for why you are running alone and what you intend to accomplish with that. That way, I think I will be able to follow you too.”

“Hoo…….”

Cha Si-eon pressed hard around his eyes with his hand and took a deep breath.

Then he forced his mouth open.

“「Big Cat」 is targeting me. I already encountered it last dawn, and when 「Blood Rain」 falls, it will come find me again.”

“…….”

“So we must get out of here before then.”

Why are you only telling me something that important now……?

Flustered by the unexpected revelation, I came to my senses and asked back.

“If the situation is that urgent, then why are you doing everything alone?”

“Because we may not find the exit.”

“……?”

“We may not be able to escape before 「Blood Rain」 falls. No, the probability of that is high. So when it is time for 「Blood Rain」 to fall, I will separate from Seo Do-un. From that point onward, Seo Do-un will have to move alone. That is why I am telling you to conserve your stamina while you are with me.”

Unexpected sentences slowly lodged in my head.

After chewing them over once, I asked back, feeling bewildered.

“Do you intend to die?”

“I do not rule out the possibility.”