Chapter 31
“It’s been happening frequently lately. I just keep thinking that I’d like him to stay by my side for as long as possible.”
Even if it was something that happened frequently, how shocked must he have been when his heart suddenly stopped?
He was giving Han Seong Hyeon strength just by being alive. That meant he was someone precious to Han Seong Hyeon.
“Actually, I haven’t told people about this condition for a long time. I didn’t want to give others false hope. He doesn’t have much time left anyway, but please pretend you don’t know about it during that time.”
“……I understand.”
He nodded slightly, feeling as if he had unnecessarily stirred up Han Seong Hyeon’s painful spot.
Seo Won watched Han Seong Hyeon looking tenderly at the person in the hospital room, then asked quietly enough for only Baek Rak to hear.
“What about the creatures outside?”
But perhaps it was too quiet? There was no answer from Baek Rak. Surely he didn’t hear it and keep his mouth shut again? Making a reasonable suspicion while looking up at the guy, Baek Rak was frowning while looking at Han Seong Hyeon.
It was clearly a look of disapproval, so Seo Won clicked his tongue quietly inside.
To Baek Rak, Han Seong Hyeon might look foolish, but unless it was himself, he couldn’t judge the severity of this situation. Just as Poong and Rang were family to Yu Sol, to Han Seong Hyeon, this was someone irreplaceable.
Seo Won felt his strength gradually returning and lightly tugged at Baek Rak’s sleeve. Only then did Baek Rak turn his head to look down at him.
Seo Won lowered his voice again and asked.
“What about the creatures outside? Are they still there?”
“……They’re still there.”
That meant outside was still a creature den. It seemed night hadn’t passed yet.
“How long did I sleep?”
“One hour.”
He had slept shorter than expected. From his condition before collapsing, it seemed like he could easily sleep for a day. Well, judging by Baek Rak’s reaction, he probably woke him up quickly.
Since they said sleeping would actually be bad, in the end, there wouldn’t have been anything to regret from the beginning.
“But why did the guardian’s energy suddenly disappear? What happened?”
“Well.”
When he wondered at the vague answer, Baek Rak turned his head away. Seo Won’s eyes narrowed.
Right, this is you, Baek Rak. When have you ever told me anything satisfactorily? Right? He had expected this much, so it wasn’t very surprising.
Seo Won leaned back deeply into the sofa and fell into thought.
He first felt the energy diminishing when he was with Yu Sol at the barrier watchtower. To use an analogy, it was like the mouth of a balloon opening and air escaping? The rapidly diminishing energy soon disappeared completely.
Considering Yu Sol’s reaction, it seemed like she had never experienced anything like this before, so what could have happened?
Seeing how the energy suddenly disappeared like this, the shelter could no longer be called a safe zone. Still, it was good that they had prepared by building bunkers here and there.
Seo Won gave up on getting an explanation from Baek Rak and gently petted Rang’s head. He was curious about many things, but recovery was the priority for now. It would probably be better to ask Han Seong Hyeon or Yu Sol later.
‘But what is she staring at so intently?’
Seo Won turned his gaze to where Rang was staring intently. Then he could see five puppies dozing on a blanket spread on the floor.
It seemed like she wanted to go to the puppies, so he tapped Rang’s rear, but she didn’t budge from his side.
She was so steadfast that he petted her a few times and then turned his head. He was about to open his mouth to tell Baek Rak that it was okay now, to let Rang go.
“Huh?”
He could feel the guardian’s energy that had disappeared returning.
As it slowly spread out and gradually became denser, the air became clearer and his body lighter. He could feel exactly the same sensation as when he first set foot in this place.
When he grabbed Baek Rak in joy and surprise, the guy looked back.
“Baek Rak, this…… that’s the energy, right?”
“……”
The energy returned as suddenly as it had disappeared. Then the entire shelter shook as if there was an earthquake. It was the sound of creatures fleeing en masse. He didn’t know why the energy had returned, but finally feeling certain they were safe, a sigh of relief escaped.
But strangely, Baek Rak showed no reaction. He just stared at him silently.
Did he know about it in advance? Otherwise, there would be no reason to show such a calm reaction.
“Yoon Seo Won, you felt it too, right?”
At that moment, Han Seong Hyeon, who had been looking at the hospital room, turned his head and spoke to him. Seo Won let go of Baek Rak’s arm he had been holding and nodded.
“The energy that was protecting us has returned.”
“……”
“It should be fine for a while.”
Like Baek Rak, Han Seong Hyeon also seemed to know something. Seo Won slowly looked over both of them and asked.
“For a while? Then does that mean it could disappear again?”
“Mm… it will disappear someday. Nothing lasts forever.”
It sounded like a riddle, but it was a statement that was consistent with everything. Nothing in the world is infinite.
“Then what happens to the shelter?”
“Well, we’ll have to bring something new before this energy ends.”
“Are there other means to protect the shelter?”
“Fortunately, yes.”
Seo Won sighed with slight relief and sank deeply into the sofa. It really seemed like there was no law saying they had to die. Well, the people here who had survived for 300 years would have various methods too. Seeing that there were people outside the shelter, it wasn’t completely hopeless.
“By now, all the creatures should have retreated.”
“I hope so……”
When Seo Won muttered, Han Seong Hyeon shrugged and smiled.
“If you can move, would you go out with Baek Rak and help people? I have things to do here.”
Seo Won groaned as he got up. Unlike Baek Rak’s threatening, his physical condition was quite good. It was probably thanks to the energy that had reappeared.
Since Baek Rak didn’t say anything special either, there shouldn’t be any problems, right?
“Recovery will take a while.”
“Probably so. Right now I’d like to borrow even a puppy’s paws.”
The state of the shelter he had seen while coming here was too miserable. They should consider themselves lucky that the buildings hadn’t collapsed.
At least it was fortunate that there were no casualties since people had evacuated quickly.
Seo Won looked pitifully at Han Seong Hyeon, who was rubbing his forehead as if he had a headache. As he said, they were short-handed right now.
“Let me know when Sol wakes up.”
“Okay.”
At least it was fortunate that there was something he could help with. It seemed like he could lighten the burden on his heart a little.
Han Seong Hyeon immediately took out his radio and gave instructions to people. Instead of the busy-looking Han Seong Hyeon, Seo Won said to Baek Rak.
“Let’s go out.”
There would be mountains of work to do. Right now, there was no time to worry about Baek Rak’s meaningful gaze. As he took the first step and ignored the gaze sticking to the back of his head, Baek Rak belatedly began to follow.
‘Yoon Seo Won, you’ve really developed a lot. Even moving Baek Rak as you wish.’
Seo Won chuckled inwardly and shook his head. It wasn’t moving him as he wished, but he was probably moving according to his own will.
He didn’t want to get close, but he had to keep watch. Baek Rak might also be enduring some kind of discomfort.
Seo Won began to slowly climb the stairs, following Baek Rak’s presence.
Light falling from the ceiling was quietly guiding the way.
***
The shelter swept by creatures was no different from ruins. The inner areas hadn’t suffered much damage, but places close to the barrier had become a mess.
Among them, the barrier was the worst. From the bombs that had been set off continuously and creature attacks, everything was scorched and dented. Moreover, most of the stairs leading up to the rooftop had collapsed and were unrecognizable.
In that brief time, they had made such a mess that it was worse than what he had seen when fleeing from creatures.
Seo Won took in the sight while looking around the shelter with Baek Rak.
As time passed, upon news that the creatures had retreated, people who had been hiding came out one by one. They too were speechless seeing the damaged interior of the shelter. It seemed they hadn’t expected it to become this bad. Watching the subdued atmosphere, Seo Won couldn’t hide his sympathy.
“……This can be restored, right?”
“We have to.”
“Right…… Well, we have to.”
Like Baek Rak said, even if it wasn’t possible, they had to make it possible. Since it was directly connected to survival, they couldn’t give up.
At least it was fortunate that the barrier was intact. Even if the inside had collapsed, the outside hadn’t been breached, so they would manage somehow. Anyway, the ones in charge were Han Seong Hyeon, the shelter leader, and the administrators. He just had to step forward when they needed help.
While walking around the edge of the shelter and looking around, Seo Won headed toward a place where black lumps were piled up. He thought the texture was strange, but looking closely, they were creature corpses.
‘This is the first time I’ve seen dead creatures around the barrier, right? Did Baek Rak fight here?’
But while examining the creature corpses, he realized that the battle traces looked unfamiliar.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
