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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Jjescus]
[Proofreader – Demon God’s Disciple]
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Chapter 10
In a world where one had to continue the arduous journey of survival, human value was highly significant. No one wanted to protect someone else at the expense of their own life.
Therefore, for mutual respect and, at the very least, for basic human relationships, people needed to have at least some usefulness.
In a way, this was natural. Who would want to build a relationship with someone who only causes trouble?
However, the old-fashioned manager, Lee Jaehun, had been nothing more than a burden all this time. So he needed to gain the protagonist’s favour for a better life than his previous one.
And so far, those efforts seemed to have some success.
If their relationship had been the same as before, regardless of Lee Jaehun’s condition, he wouldn’t have shown much concern. However, now he even initiated the conversation with a question.
The only thing he didn’t consider was…
Lee Jaehun’s common sense from his past life was somewhat different from that of an ordinary person.
“Now? It must be difficult for you to move.”
“……? Can’t you see the current situation? We need to find a place to rest before it gets completely dark.”
“But…”
“I understand your concern but can’t we compromise?”
“……”
Jung Inho furrowed his brows.
“…Okay.”
For some reason, he felt like the conversation was going in circles.
* * *
In the novel, the protagonist decides on a route from the flower shop to the park by examining the bloodstains, but due to the changing circumstances and reduced time to leave the company, Lee Jaehun had to come up with a different plan.
“Well then, let’s go to the park.”
Just saying it straightforwardly.
“The park?”
“There haven’t been any monsters inside the buildings so far, right?”
In fact, presenting opinions in this way was the most common approach. Paradoxically, even suggesting a direction indirectly, down to the smallest details, might be considered an oddity. However, the reason Lee Jaehun tried to use the flower shop’s bloodstains was to avoid taking the initiative within the current group.
He had no intention of leading this diverse group all the way. Anyone who has done group projects knows that the person who speaks up first among the randomly chosen team members becomes the de facto leader, an unspoken fact. Especially in a confusing situation like now, someone who can make decisions and regulate actions as dryly as Lee Jaehun inevitably takes on the leadership role in the group.
However, Lee Jaehun’s goal was survival for a better life.
‘And dying, at least, won’t be bad for me.’
Therefore, Lee Jaehun shouldn’t be the one deciding the fate of this team.
What if he faces death later? What should the remaining members do?
For these reasons, around the time of the park chapter, Lee Jaehun tried to pass on that role to the protagonist. It was the same in the novel.
However, among the current group, some members were quite injured. The flower shop owner had a large gash on her arm, the doctor had a wound on his side arm, and Lee Jaehun… it was painful even to speak about it. Overall, the group was low on stamina, making it challenging to find a suitable shelter for themselves.
It would be difficult to think that they could find a decent resting place on their own, even if they chose one. It would be fortunate if they avoided entering some strange building.
Ultimately, the only one who could lead them to the best current option, the park, was Lee Jaehun, who was currently playing the role of the leader. Despite his regret, he voiced his opinion.
Nevertheless, the exhausted group accepted his suggestion without much hesitation.
“Well… there’s no place we can guarantee is safe….”
“If monsters are going to come out anyway, the park, where we can at least get water, might be better.”
“I’m in favour anyway, so can we hurry up and go rest?”
The flower shop owner nodded in agreement.
Even though he was a beginner, Deputy Jung, with a keen sense, touched upon the essentials, and assistant Kwon, sitting on the cement floor, urged a decision.
Furthermore, the fact that there were three injured individuals added to the team’s quick decision-making.
In the case of Lee Jaehun, especially since he had injured his leg, his range of movement would have been quite limited. However, if it was to a nearby park, it might not be a significant burden for him to move.
As they decided on the route to a nearby park, the team that had been together from the company skillfully organised themselves.
“Since the manager is injured, let’s gather in the middle.”
“With this situation, should the injured continue to be in the middle? The ends can be handled by me and Assistant Manager Kwon.”
“We’ll carry the luggage, so please give it here.”
The doctor, who was watching Team Leader Kang gather tools and a few snacks, turned his gaze to Lee Jaehun, who was standing in a somewhat awkward position.
It was a gaze that seemed to demand an explanation.
To this, Lee Jaehun replied, “What is it.”
“…No, I apologize.”
The doctor took a moment to provide simple treatment to Lee Jaehun and the flower shop owner.
I don’t exactly know why there were bandages inside the coat, but the shop owner, bleeding steadily, needed treatment even if it was for her stamina.
As the flower shop owner shed physiological tears when the doctor applied strong pressure to the wound for hemostasis.
“If hemostasis is done properly, it usually hurts a bit. Fortunately, the wound isn’t too severe.”
Suddenly, Lee Jaehun felt a sense of unreality.
“….”
A drowsy sleep began to overwhelm him.
The doctor treated all the wounds, including the one on his own side, which was rather minimal to be called treatment, but at least enough to stop the bleeding, and then joined the team’s formation as they headed towards the park.
It didn’t take long for the prepared team to reach the park.
“…I wonder if the park has changed, like our company?”
While walking down the street, in response to Team Leader Kang’s words, the flower shop owner, who was soothing the bandage on my forearm, spoke up.
“Perhaps… I think so. I don’t know how the company has changed, but….”
“Come to think of it, we can’t keep you calling the flower shop owner right? Could I ask for your name by any chance…?”
“Ah.”
The owner answered with a faint smile.
“I’m Yoon Garam. Feel free to call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”
Yoon Garam.
Upon hearing that name, Lee Jaehun blinked his eyes slowly.
‘I wonder how this will become a variable.’
In the novel, the owner, or rather Yoon Garam, joining the protagonist’s group occurred around the end of the park episode.
Deputy Jung, after seeing the only survivor in the park aside from the team, pulled her to their side.
Of course, the protagonist, despite having a kind demeanour, had a detached attitude, so it wasn’t that he chose her based on ethical considerations.
Those who had already decided to take responsibility were students, the elderly, or, in other words, the weak. Therefore, they judged that they wouldn’t be able to protect anyone beyond that.
However, the reason the protagonist changed his mind was because this woman had a somewhat unique constitution in this parallel world.
While he had suspicions about Yoon’s constitution, on the other hand, he also deemed her useful.
Having the flower shop owner’s favour secured in advance was not a bad thing.
“Uh, there… Manager?”
“Please speak.”
“How should I address you…?”
And, having already sought the doctor’s help, Lee Jaehun had already gained Yoon’s favour.
He answered with a dry voice, “I’m Lee Jaehun. I would appreciate it if you could call me Manager, as you did earlier.”
There was no need to seek more favour than this.
As mentioned earlier, Lee Jaehun did not want to exert any more influence.
To guide the team as desired, it was necessary to appear not as the leader drawing attention but rather as an ordinary team member.
Until now, he had reluctantly taken on the role of a facilitator, but being in a position where he couldn’t let his guard down wasn’t exactly pleasant.
No, not suicide. Judging by the reactions around him, even self-harm might lead to screaming.
Especially with the doctor’s intense gaze, he didn’t want to attract any more attention than necessary.
If he went beyond the level of favour from the main character, Manager Yoon, it would only become a headache.
Whether she understood Lee Jaehun’s intentions or not, she blinked for a moment and then quickly flashed a faint smile.
“Yes, Manager. Thank you for earlier.”
“….”
As expected, she handled it smoothly.
The manager Yoon in the novel he remembered was a representative figure with a slim and tall appearance.
While not actively expressing opinions or arguments, it didn’t mean she lacked thoughts.
She wasn’t particularly fearless, but in a panic, she didn’t shy away from taking responsibility for what was within her grasp.
Not particularly proactive, yet not passive either…
Above all, her mental management was excellent.
Although she may not be capable of thinking as calmly as the protagonist or the current Lee Jaehun, thanks to her slim and tall characteristic, Manager Yoon in the novel survived for a long time, second only to the protagonist.
‘Of course, that also had its limits.’
Manager Yoon was a character resembling a dam.
She could adequately contain and steadfastly endure water within reasonable limits, but if the water overflowed beyond that, she would collapse helplessly.
In the novel, her belated joining of the group was for this reason.
Manager Yoon couldn’t bear to accept the shattering demise of a close guest right before her eyes. At that time, she even says, “I could have saved him, but I didn’t.”
Similar to Officer Kwon in the novel, it also meant that she might feel guilt for someone else’s death.
“No need to mention it.”
“Well… the burn on your leg, I’m truly sorry.”
“….”
It was something like this.
Of course, in Lee Jaehun’s eyes, it was a truly foolish act.
‘There are truly inefficient people in the world.’
He didn’t directly kill the person with his own hands, didn’t lead them to their demise, and simply felt guilt watching someone die when he had no ability to save them. That wasn’t something sensible people would do.
Even the notion of ‘I could have saved him’ was nothing more than wishful thinking when he saw it.
Manager Yoon had a unique constitution, but she didn’t possess overwhelming power.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Jjescus]
[Proofreader – Demon God’s Disciple]
Join our Discord for release updates!
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Later, he would mistakenly think she had tremendous strength and end up chewing on a sweet potato without water, much to the horror of the readers.
Having stopped his thoughts around that point, Lee Jaehun nodded.
“There’s no need for you to apologise. If you really feel sorry, help out when I’m building my house later.”
“…Building a house?”
In response to Manager Yoon’s question, Officer Kwon, who was beside her, spoke up.
“Manager… You’re going to build a house? No, you know how to build one?”
“I was just talking about a shelter. Simply making pillars and a ceiling….”
“Isn’t that not what you meant?”
“Oh, are you going to vomit at every word from an adult?”
Whether he regained his composure and became more at ease or not, Lee Jaehun’s old-fashioned instincts emerged in the cheekiness of a certain employee he hadn’t been able to make eye contact with before.
Rather than being genuinely annoyed, it was more than anything that the continued questioning was irritating.
Once Officer Kwon, who hadn’t yet shaken off his rookie nature, fell silent, the protagonist intervened this time.
As the group approached the park, the disorder among the team made it easy to strike up a conversation since the formation had broken down.
He asked with his usual diligent expression, “Are you planning to work again with your current physical condition?”
“Then where should I rest?”
“Isn’t there a pavilion in the park?”
“Even after seeing the current situation, you’re still saying that?”
Lee Jaehun pointed to the almost within reach of the entrance of the park with his finger.
“….”
Deputy Jung remained silent.
The park was so densely packed with trees, almost like a jungle, and the sounds of animals and insects from an unknown source filled the air.
Fortunately, no monsters were in sight, but the park seemed to be in a daunting state, enough to feel a sense of discord compared to what was seen from the outside.
It wasn’t easy to consider it an ordinary park by any means.
As the group dispersed, confirming this, and the protagonist seemed even more at a loss for words, Lee Jaehun sarcastically remarked to Deputy Jung.
“Do you realise how stupid you sounded just now? It’s quite distant, isn’t it?”
“Rather than that…”
The protagonist, now without glasses and rubbing his eyes, spoke up.
“Then I’ll do it. Those with free hands or in pairs can join me. Manager, please take a break.”
“Who said you could have rest? You were already supposed to work.”
“Manager, you were planning to work together, right?”
“…What’s the problem with you since earlier?”
Muttering like that, Lee Jaehun furrowed his brow.
Unconsciously, the informal tone from a past life emerged, but before he could correct it, doubt crept into his mind.
He wondered if the protagonist was concerned about him, but it seemed unlikely. Given how terrible their relationship had been so far, why would he worry now?
Until a moment ago, he thought the comment was concerned about a potential decrease in mobility, but considering the negative view toward working itself, that didn’t seem to be the case.
So, the only conclusion left was an argument.
“No, if you don’t like it, say it after we finish working. Why start an argument when there’s already so much to do?”
“I genuinely expressed my concern.”
As the protagonist spoke like that, it seemed sincere.
“….”
Having become wiser after recalling his past life, Lee Jaehun began to reassess the situation.
When he saw that expression, it wasn’t fake.
So, either the protagonist genuinely cared about Lee Jaehun, or he was so adept at managing his expressions that he could deceive even him.
However, the protagonist hadn’t mastered facial expressions to that extent yet.
No, more than anything, there was no reason for him to deceive a worthless old-fashioned boss.
And the savvy protagonist probably knew that there was no time to waste emotions like this right now.
In other words, the protagonist genuinely cared about him.
“….?”
Having reached a conclusion, Lee Jaehun asked, “Why?”
“…What?”
“Why are you worried about me?”
It was incomprehensible.
The relationship between the old-fashioned boss and the protagonist had been the worst until now, and the protagonist hadn’t suddenly become so affectionate in just a day or two.
Even if they rediscovered Lee Jaehun’s usefulness, it didn’t make sense.
No, rather, it was because of that fact that Lee Jaehun wasn’t in a position to receive concern.
In this world, a person’s utility was an important virtue, and among them, Lee Jaehun had more value than anyone else.
Unless he chose death himself, there was no reason for them to abandon him now.
He still had usefulness.
“…Is there a reason for that?”
So, there was no reason for him to be worried.
Not being able to understand meant not having information, and that meant confusion.
Although Lee Jaehun’s expression was distorted calmly, fortunately, the other members of the group were too absorbed in the strange park to pay attention to their conversation.
With a sense of relief, Lee Jaehun’s expression returned to its usual state.
“I didn’t know, but Deputy Jung, seems like you’re quite affectionate…?”
“….”
“As if anyone other than me would worry about me.”
In response to Lee Jaehun’s absurd words, the protagonist, who had maintained a sincere expression until now, responded with a strange expression.
“…I think anyone would worry, not just me.”
“Why?”
“Well, you were the most injured among us. You shed a lot of blood, and while trying to save us, you even got a burn on your ankle.”
“But I can move well, right?”
At that, Jung Inho’s face contorted.
“Well, saying it doesn’t hurt… Well, isn’t that right?”
“….”
This time, it was Lee Jaehun’s turn to remain silent.
“…Sigh.”
‘Looks like I made another mistake.’
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Jjescus]
[Proofreader – Demon God’s Disciple]
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