Chapter 22

Chapter 22

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Whats going on? Why are you Why are you crying all of a sudden?

Sorry, Im sorry

No, what, why? No.

Sorry, Im sorry. Im so sorry

Why in the world

What the hell, why is this happening?

Lee Jaehun felt a shallow panic as the protagonist suddenly shed tears.

The words coming out of his mouth were all no, a clear sign of how flustered he was. The protagonists unexpected vulnerability took his breath away.

Why the hell are you crying?

Was my speech really that touching?

No, right? No matter how I think about it, it wasnt that much. I just thought it was enough to patch up the slightly shattered mental state. Did I misjudge?

Entering the OtherWorld, Lee Jaehuns judgment was impaired to the point where he couldnt trust his own decisions anymore.

Uncharacteristically, he couldnt hide his surprise and swallowed a sigh.

This is insane. Why are you crying, seriously?

Im sorry Im so sorry, I messed up

Is being sorry now more regrettable?

What Lee Jaehun missed in his state of diminished judgment in this OtherWorld was the fact that, before the regression, he died right in front of Deputy Jung Inho.

Im sorry

As creepy as it may sound, Jung Inho was a bright-eyed chick for Lee Jaehun.

The childs death that should have been etched deep in his mind during the weekends traffic accident was thwarted by Lee Jaehuns intervention, turning Jung Inhos trauma into a mere half-hearted, happy ending.

Moreover, the death of Kang Mina hat he should have experienced firsthand, was also nullified by Lee Jaehuns actions.

If she had died as the novel dictated, Jung Inho might have acquired a trauma about someone elses death, but there would have been colleagues to share the burden.

Analyst Kwon Yeonhee, intern Noh Yeonseok, and the disliked superior, Director Lee Jaehun, would have shared the burden of these deaths.

However, Lee Jaehuns death was not something that could happen.

Jung Inho, who had lost his mind in the parallel world, witnessed the corpses of Team Leader Kang Mina and Intern Noh Yeonseok as a price for his mental release.

The resentment that Lee Jaehun, the director who had managed them, would have shared eventually led to his tragic death, as he tried to protect them.

The anger and sorrow, now without a target, would turn towards oneself, and it was something the chick Jung Inho, managed by Lee Jaehun, could not handle.

It might have been easier to accept if someone had died in the weekend traffic accident or by the companys monster instead.

Due to Lee Jaehuns flawed judgment, who never placed a high value on his own life, Jung Inho witnessed his long and gruesome death, resulting in a heavy blow to his psyche.

Its because of me.

Im sorry

Huh, no. Why are you saying that?

Really, Im sorry.

Someone died because of me.

Im sorry

And yet, he resented this person.

The self-blame that he shouldnt have experienced, thanks to Lee Jaehuns intervention, took hold of Jung Inho.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com

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In the unprecedented event of the protagonist crying, it briefly startled none other than Lee Jaehun. Despite the guy he had disdainfully called creepy, Jung Inho quickly regained composure.

While feeling a twinge of disgust again at this point, regardless, it was a good thing for Lee Jaehun, who was in an unpredictable situation.

Though it still seemed like the sound of Im sorry echoed in his ears, Lee Jaehun, thinking of the lurking green monster somewhere nearby, swallowed his fatigue.

Have you snapped out of it?

The number of monsters was fixed, and they didnt resurrect immediately like game monsters.

Of course, they might revive when the world transforms again, but

That would likely take at least more than a week, probably closer to a month.

Considering the limited time during the regression, the protagonist must have been in a hurry.

Lee Jaehun didnt know how the protagonist obtained information about the blood-tasting caterpillar, but judging from the time the green monsters were caught, the protagonist probably extracted and used them as soon as possible.

Finding a new caterpillar around here was almost impossible, even if he tore apart the trees.

Despite knowing this, Lee Jaehun didnt seem to care about maintaining a composed expression. Perhaps he hoped Lee Jaehun would ask, but that was unlikely.

Lee Jaehun not only understood his own limited time but also recognized the urgency the protagonist faced. However, getting caught by that creature again and dying would be unjust, and even if they regressed, the likelihood of facing the same situation was high.

Bait.

Certainly, they needed bait.

Should we go back for now?

Yes, it could be dangerous to stay away for too long.

Right, its risky.

Lee Jaehun smoothly pretended to return to the group, shifting his feet as he pondered.

At this point, we cant handle the green monsters.

Whether the protagonist knew about it or not, the green monster was the final boss of the park episode. How could we, without any weapons or traps, manage such a creature?

The only viable option seemed to be using some kind of bait. The green monster was nocturnal, so as the day began to dawn, it would return to the lake, sleeping beneath the algae-covered surface.

Until then, they could hold out using bait. Once morning arrived, they could find a convincing weapon. The key was to discover a way to kill it.

Of course, finding that method in less than 24 hours would be challenging. They would have to find a new bait when the sun rose. But for now, they needed bait that emitted a strong scent of blood, something enticing enough to lure the green monster.

Is it here?

Lee Jaehun hid in the darkness and caught sight of the swaying vines. Unlike the seemingly ordinary monsters they had encountered so far, this one had tiny teeth densely packed along its length.

Lee Jaehun had vivid memories of being impaled by those teeth.

These toothed vines were part of the green monsters body, and they didnt easily break even after several strikes.

Deputy Jung.

Lee Jaehun deliberately brushed against the vines and, passing by, opened his mouth.

Yes?

Just in case.

With a soft sound, the monster, searching for prey, quietly embedded its teeth into Lee Jaehuns ankle.

The process was so quiet that, except for Lee Jaehun, no one could perceive it, not even the protagonist standing right there. Yet, the protagonist, as if sensing something, locked eyes with Lee Jaehun with a perplexed gaze.

If were not here, who else will protect those people, you know?

The hastily treated bandage on his burn, which had already lost its function, unraveled and fell to the floor with a small, muffled sound. In the meantime, the teeth that had dug in had already wrapped around his calf.

Only then did the protagonist spot the toothed vine beneath the darkness.

Director?

Can you do me a favor?

Just a moment, what

Squelch!

The vine that tasted blood tightened around his leg, giving a sensation similar to a large hand gripping a dolls leg. Recognized as prey, Lee Jaehun felt the vine pulling tight.

The message in this situation was crystal clear.

With the most nonchalant expression he could muster, Lee Jaehun spoke,

Dont follow me.

With those words, he was pulled away by the vine.

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