Deserted Island (14)

Even while his own face was thoroughly hidden so not a shred of expression showed, the words he spat out were blunt, unfiltered, and direct.

Up to now, Min Ha-jun had never had any particular thoughts about Wind hiding his identity, but in this moment it somehow felt unfair.

‘Yet he catches the other person’s split-second reactions exactly as they come.’

He knew that although Wind acted like he didn’t care about others, he grasped his surroundings more keenly than anyone. If someone showed even the slightest interest in him, he wouldn’t go anywhere near them, and if you tried to talk to him, he’d vanish like an arrow.

If he truly had no interest in those around him, he wouldn’t read those currents either. The way he’d grasp only the information and mood he needed and then slip away was, at times, impressive.

He quickly smoothed over his expression. He had no intention of showing his feelings as they were either.

“……I didn’t expect you to be able to give that kind of advice. It doesn’t suit you of all people.”

“Well, on a normal day it wouldn’t.”

“……”

Why did that exceptionality grate on him so much.

“I’ve got at least one friend, you know? Our hero here must not know the ropes since it’s his first time in a situation like this. Let’s not do the kind of childish stuff anyone can see coming.”

Min Ha-jun was aware of it too. That this sudden emotion had no real justification. And that getting swept up in it was, in itself, unprofessional.

But even he couldn’t tell why. What was the problem with Ms. Yuha having built a deep relationship of trust with Wind? In this line of work, making comrades like that is like picking stars from the sky, and it’s even harder to find someone who also has the skill you can entrust your back to.

‘Someone like Wind is a good teammate.’

Never mind his personality—his skill was certain. And Wind, when he was with Ms. Yuha, seemed like a completely different person from what he’d seen so far.

Of course, that very fact made the turmoil inside him all the louder.

“Then let’s both drop the childish stuff and work together while we’re here. Take your hand off me.”

Min Ha-jun lightly knocked away the hand on his shoulder. The raised hand fell away without resistance, and Wind just shrugged and stepped back a pace, as if he had no intention of picking a fight.

“Sure. What an honor, being told you believe in my skills.”

The snide tone was the same as ever. But it wasn’t worth paying much mind, so Min Ha-jun let it slide past his ear like usual.

Then, without sparing Wind another glance, he strode quickly out the door.

* * *

When I left the house with Min Ha-jun and Lee Yul still inside, Suhyeok ran up from nearby, face lighting up.

“You’re out?”

Seeing how bright he looked; it seemed things on that side had wrapped up smoothly too.

“Mr. Suhyeok, you’re coming with us, right?”

“Looks that way. There aren’t many who know this place inside out better than I do.”

I didn’t know what about being assigned to the search team made him so happy, but it was the brightest expression I’d seen on him yet.

“I guess I’ve been wandering around all this time for this day.”

“Haha, thanks to you we benefit as well.”

“Not at all. Ah, they’re eating over there right now—want to join?”

“I’d like that.”

He’d apparently been on his way to call us from the start. Suhyeok kept sneaking glances behind me as he spoke.

“What about the others…?”

“They’ll come out on their own. One of them won’t eat anyway, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Do they have a weak stomach?”

“That’s not it. Uh… it’s because of his ability.”

“A poor guy.”

I didn’t bother telling him Lee Yul had gone outside alone and had an amazing meal. I also didn’t feel like talking about queasiness and whatnot to people who’d likely eaten nothing but monster meat their whole lives.

Instead, I moved as Suhyeok led and asked about the people who’d be going with us.

“They’re folks who went on patrol a lot, so they know the lay of the land.”

“So, three people including you, Mr. Suhyeok?”

“Yes. We had our own fierce competition among ourselves.”

Confidence overflowed from his grinning face. The eyes under his shaggy hair shone with motivation.

‘Nice to see.’

Smiling faintly, I walked a bit more, and before I knew it, we’d reached where a group of people had gathered.

In the center was a steaming soup—it seemed that was the meal for today.

Suhyeok ladled out two big bowls and headed to one side. Two others were already eating there. They were probably the ones going with us.

I bobbed my head in greeting.

“Hello. I hear you two know the paths well. I’ll be counting on you.”

“We’ll be counting on you.”

I sat and started moving my spoon, giving a brief outline of our plan. The others nodded seriously and listened attentively.

“What you really need to be careful about is this: no matter what happens, you must not leave our side.”

“Yes. Understood…!”

They seemed a bit tense, but that couldn’t be helped. Just then I saw Min Ha-jun and Lee Yul walking over from afar. The two kept a fair distance from each other.

‘As long as they didn’t come to blows, we’re fine.’

Thankfully, there was no sign of that. It didn’t look like they’d fight anymore either.

Well, Lee Yul aside, Min Ha-jun wouldn’t act like a kid. He was the leader of a guild and a ranker respected by all—would he start an internal squabble at a time like this?

Min Ha-jun, on his own, served himself his portion and sat across from me.

“What were you talking about?”

“Just a quick briefing for the folks who’ll be coming with us.”

“Ah, I’ll be in your care.”

He bowed his head politely in greeting. And shortly after, Lee Yul flopped down into the seat beside me.

“What a pain.”

“Your mouth. All you need to mind is your mouth.”

Thankfully he only muttered it low enough for me to hear; looked like he intended to showcase killer teamwork from the very first meeting.

‘I really am going to stitch that mouth shut someday.’

Then things would go better for Lee Yul than before and he’d be grateful to me.

Across from us, Min Ha-jun looked calm, unlike Lee Yul. Judging by how he didn’t say anything about changing the plan, their talk must have gone well.

“Once you finish eating, we can head out right away. I’ve packed all the gear.”

If Suhyeok had packed, I could relax. It looked like he’d stocked up plenty of the crystals we’d been short on last time too.

Min Ha-jun and I quickly finished off the hot broth and stood up. Meals like this weren’t about flavor but about getting calories in; slurping it down was enough.

“Shall we get going?”

When we stood, the search team members also gathered their things and got ready to depart. Each hung a small light crystal around their necks and headed for the village edge, when—

“Don’t be a burden, do your best!”

“Don’t get hurt!”

Villagers we passed tossed us words of support one by one.

“You think we’re still kids!”

Each time, the search team answered with curt replies tinged with a bit of shyness. The warm cheering continued right up until we were just about to leave the village entirely.

“You all seem close—it’s nice to see.”

As we left the village and walked in the dark by the light of the crystals, the words slipped out of me before I knew it. I’d meant to keep it in my head….

“Well, the elders pretty much raised us all.”

Suhyeok answered matter-of-factly. I’d thought he was a little detached, but apparently not in things like this.

“……Like I said earlier, if it looks dangerous, stick right next to the three of us.”

Moved by that sense of bond, I renewed my vow inwardly.

‘We bring this team back from the search without casualties or injuries.’

* * *

And that resolve of mine was made moot as we ran into danger immediately.

‘Damn it.’

We were walking just fine when, all of a sudden, several manhole-cover-sized holes opened underfoot and some people fell through. To be precise, three civilians.

It was something we’d never imagined, so we couldn’t prepare.

Suhyeok dropped away through the floor right in front of my eyes, and I barely managed to catch him by throwing myself forward—but it felt like I was at my limit holding on.

My hand was slipping. The spot I was holding seemed to be doing some kind of muscular open-and-close motion; it moved slowly a few times, and above my head the “lid” opened and closed twice. That movement shook both our bodies even more.

On top of that, the hand holding Suhyeok was slick with his sweat, and it felt like I might lose my grip any second.

“Hey, where are you!”

Lee Yul’s voice rang out from a distance.

Apparently, with both me and Suhyeok down inside the hole, he couldn’t see us well from above.

‘Did they get the others?’

No—right now I had to think only of Suhyeok’s life hanging from my hand. If he fell here, even if I didn’t know what was on the bottom, he’d at least break an arm or a leg. And there was no hospital here, and no healer.

“Here! Over here!”

I shouted with all my might, but my voice only echoed inside and didn’t seem to escape. In the empty void, only my voice came back to me.

‘And the top even closes. This is crazy.’

I gritted my teeth and held on with all my strength, but I was slipping more and more. It felt like I couldn’t bear both our weights any longer.

What I could do here was limited.

“Mr. Suhyeok.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Grab my hands with both of yours somehow.”

I felt him trembling below as he moved. I clenched my teeth and put power into my arms. My shoulder felt like it would pop.

“I—I’ve got them.”

“Good job. Tell the others not to worry about me. Say I’ll get up on my own.”

“Pardon?”

“The moment you’re up, yell for Wind as loud as you can. He’ll catch you.”

Without waiting for an answer, I hurled Suhyeok upward with all my strength, timing it for when the “lid” above my head opened. I heard him yell.

And the moment I flung Suhyeok, I started falling downward from the recoil.

‘This is the best option.’

One of us would survive no matter what, and the other would also have a high chance of surviving.

I couldn’t see the bottom, but I didn’t release my skill so I could land with all limbs intact at any moment.

Only the sound of wind hummed by my ear—whirr, whirr.

Shwick.

‘What?’

Just then I heard an alien sound. A sharp noise slicing through the air.

Instinctively, I turned my head.