Silently slipping out of my sleeping bag, I made sure everyone else was asleep before quietly departing to investigate another cave.
Of course, I wasn’t alone.
I had Daesik, my partner in spirit, with me.
When we entered the unmarked cave with Daesik tucked under one arm, he began to squirm quietly. Setting him down gently, as if he were jelly, he stood firmly on the ground and stretched his arms high up as if to loosen his limbs.
Though it was clear that, being a doll, not much would change with stretching, I found it endearing the way he mimicked someone stretching.
Had you been lying still for a while, making your body a bit itchy?
Still, I wondered why he had pretended not to move all this time.
Maybe it was because I couldn’t communicate with him well; I had no real sense of his intentions.
Perhaps he just wanted to keep being carried around like this?
Could that be it?
I don’t really know…
In any case, I began the cave exploration anew with Daesik. When he led the way ahead with pep, I followed closely behind.
As I walked, watching Daesik go ahead confidently, a strange sensation crept over me. Comparing his initial movements within the doll to now, it was clear that he was walking much better.
Once just wriggling around, Daesik had gradually turned into someone who could walk firmly. Watching him, I felt an indescribable warmth welling up inside me, like the jelly I imagined inside him was tingling.
Does it feel like this when parents see their crawling infant take its first steps?
I haven’t had a child myself, so I don’t know for sure, but perhaps it is something like that.
Though I joked that raising him might bring only thoughtless pleasures, there’s no denying that these little ones have become special to me.
Still, they say that human children start walking and then wreak havoc everywhere.
Will our Daesik be alright?
Being made of jelly, will he act more mature?
I believe in our Daesik who has been fine so far.
Anyway,
The cave’s structure wasn’t overly complex.
Perhaps it was a stage where brute force would prevail? There weren’t even any branching paths; the tunnels were merely dark corridors. The most challenging part was likely finding components in piles of what seemed like bones at the end of each cave.
But frankly, that wasn’t all that difficult for me.
Darkness wasn’t a great obstacle for me, and finding the components wasn’t particularly challenging either.
If an ordinary person were to try, they might struggle significantly, but for me, it was easier than eating pudding with Kim Cheon-soo after meals.
Maybe that’s why Lee Yoo-jin reacted so mildly?
I didn’t expect to discover once again that if I were to carry out tasks, I should ensure they leave an impression.
When I ascend to higher platforms, I’ll make sure my problem-solving leaves an obvious mark.
Though I don’t necessarily crave compliments, for some reason, I wanted to see her indifferent face change.
Why is that?
Is it because of Hwang Bo-yul?
There was something gratifying about seeing her rigid, unyielding expression loosen.
Though it might seem strange, finding intrigue in something so bizarre, I decided not to overthink it as long as it made me feel good.
This nation (or world?) has offered me no more than some dopamine, right?
As I swiped my hand through the air, feeling a strange sense of unease, I realized there was nothing here I sought.
Before me was Daesik, rummaging through the white pile.
His doll’s body was covered with white powder as he squirmed around.
Given that he was digging through a pile as tall as himself, it was probably inevitable.
I chuckled inwardly at how adorable this was, watching him and enjoying the scene before finally bringing him out.
When Daesik noticed I had been watching him, he tapped my chest lightly with his puppet-like hands.
Even this was adorable, prompting me to smile and gently shake the white powder off Daesik’s body.
The snow white doll was restored to the vibrant Alice.
However, I noticed small scratches on his body, which made me uneasy. While Yang Ha-na could mend him when we went outside, I was aware mending didn’t quite create from nothing; there would always be traces left, even if everything seemed fine on the surface.
Given Daesik’s attachment to this doll—Alice—I hesitated to change it.
Perhaps I should use him more carefully going forward.
Placing Daesik on the ground, I pointed at him and the white pile in turn, drawing an X with my crossed arms.
In other words: You are not to rummage here anymore.
Did he understand me?
As I looked at Daesik with some lingering doubt, he rested his doll-like hand on his jaw as if pondering, then carefully nodded.
Did he get it?
Very smart.
Guess he takes after me, huh?
Ahem.
In any case, since this cave was a dead end, I hoisted Daesik onto my shoulder and turned around. I still had several other caves to check out today.
Should I leave a sign here like the one I left at the cave where I had previously found parts?
Even if I managed to find all the components, it would be prudent to leave a backup, wouldn’t it? Just in case.
Leaving a mark where no ordinary human would notice, I then moved on to the next cave—this time carrying Daesik directly, which significantly sped up the process.
Still,
It seemed I had stumbled upon an incredible streak of luck with finding parts on the first try because now I kept hitting dead ends.
I initially brushed it off as an adventure, but as the count of empty caves rose, my spirits inevitably dampened.
Why won’t they appear?
After rummaging through countless caves, I suddenly understood why games tend to guide players through choices rather than leave them with too many meaningless options. Exploring caves without any rewards was a form of torture.
Unless you are some kind of deranged individual who gets pleasure from such futile acts.
Clearly, I was not such a person. With nothing to stimulate excitement, the entire activity was becoming tiresome.
I wanted to stop.
What number cave was this again?
I felt I had done enough.
Since this was merely an extra search in my spare time, wouldn’t it be enough to say I had enjoyed this much of it?
With that thought in mind, I wearily trudged out.
The jelly inside me.
Something rustled.
What’s that?
The sound of something stirring, which I hadn’t heard before, revived the fading zest within me.
Let’s check this out quickly and call it a day. I’ll return to my sleeping bag.
Maybe… some kind of monster that threatens us is crawling out?
Who knows? This ant hill might actually be some monster’s nest.
Though, if that were true, it is unlikely the inhabitants of this world would be so carelessly perched up on the platform.
Anyway,
This direction seemed more interesting, so I was inclined to investigate it.
So, making my way into the cave from which the sound originated, I trudged forward.
The dark cave.
It seemed no different from the one I had just passed through, yet it had an ominous vibe.
Not so much because it reached my jelly directly, but because it felt vaguely unsettling—like what happens in a game or movie scene where, more often than not, it’s signaling some fatal turning point.
Which is exactly why I felt it was necessary to investigate.
Ignoring potential unpremeditated dangers is not something one should overlook.
Cradling Daesik snugly in my arms, I treaded further inward.
My footsteps echoed in the dim, hollow corridor.
Thinking about it now, the sound of my steps, echoing in all directions, was quite loud.
If anything were inside,
Wouldn’t it have noticed me already?
Which could mean that it would likely notice me just as I detected it.
Steeled with jelly resolve, I advanced cautiously.
A rustling sound.
After a brief while, I discovered the source of the noise—more accurately, I encountered it.
We have to give it our all today in the search. It would be great if we get a good haul. This isn’t the end, after all.”
Having tidied up the area, Park Jin-soo gazed at the numerous caves around and spoke with vigor.
Responding to this, Lee Sang-yong nodded and offered in a subdued voice, while raising his hand,
“Should we split up the same way as yesterday? Or… perhaps we could change partners?”
Upon saying this, both Lee Sang-yong and Park Jin-soo glanced at Lime.
However, Lime’s response seemed immediate. He clutched at Lee Yoo-jin’s hand as if conveying he wouldn’t leave her side, wearing an enigmatic expression.
Lee Yoo-jin, whose hand was being held, blinked slightly, looking somewhat flustered.
Observing Lime like this, both men thought the same thing.
We shouldn’t let this happen, though we didn’t exactly know why.
Lee Sang-yong quickly gave up on the idea, and Park Jin-soo, casting a skeptical glance at him, raised his voice, prioritizing reaching “the end” over some small, incomprehensible reason.
“Then let’s split up the same way as yesterday. If anything happens… we’ll meet back at the platform.”
“Understood.”
“…Yes.”
Nods followed.
Thus the search resumed over the next two days without changing partners since Lime insisted on sticking with Lee Yoo-jin.
During this time, the group successfully found and inserted the parts into the device.
At the conclusion of this period, the group inserted the collected parts into the vertical-standing mechanisms near the edge of the Platform, and the Platform began to slowly rise into the air, causing the previously sealed ceiling to open and disperse small fragments over the group.
“Be careful not to let anything fall on you. Watch your heads.”
Adhering to Park Jin-soo’s warning, the group rose into the air with the platform.
It was as if a long-awaited secret of the ruins had been uncovered.
However, Lime’s expression didn’t look particularly joyful.
