After seeing off the Jelly Girl, Hwang Bo-yul brought over the equipment that was slightly off in the distance and started to set up a temporary camp.
Kim Cheon-soo, who had been pondering what to do next, hurried over to ask if there was anything he could help with. With a slightly distrustful gaze, Hwang Bo-yul glanced at him, then, with an expression that suggested she wasn’t entirely pleased, assigned him some light tasks.
“Understood.”
Kim Cheon-soo, recalling his recent awkward behavior, thought that if he didn’t make up for it this time, he would continue to receive that unpleasant look from her until he returned to where Han Seori was. Therefore, he put all his effort into the tasks that Hwang Bo-yul had given him.
Originally, handling all sorts of miscellaneous duties in “that Laboratory” was something Kim Cheon-soo himself was already accustomed to, so he was able to accomplish the tasks Hwang Bo-yul had asked of him without much difficulty. Not merely without difficulty, but almost perfectly.
The tents were set up stout and firm.
These were trivial tasks like preparation for cooking and tidying up the surroundings, but while Hwang Bo-yul was setting up some kind of machinery, she glanced at him in slight admiration and voiced her thoughts.
“…You seem experienced with these kinds of tasks?”
“It just happened that way.”
“I see.”
Since Hwang Bo-yul’s expression had softened slightly, Kim Cheon-soo believed he had achieved his purpose.
However, he soon realized what followed from her acknowledgment.
“Then, would you mind coming over here and lending me a hand?”
“Ah, of course, certainly.”
What awaited Kim Cheon-soo, who thought it would be no big deal, was the task of supporting an object so heavy it felt like his back might give out.
“I was wondering whether to call others or not, but with this, there’s no need to. Fortunately.”
“Is…is that so?”
“Yes. Considering your condition earlier, even though the possibility is low, weren’t you also at risk of jumping into that swamp if called here?”
Kim Cheon-soo inwardly marveled. The realization dawned on him that her behavior wasn’t without reason, as she had seemed to act like some common tyrant.
‘…So, she sent those people back because they were in danger.’
While nodding in understanding, Kim Cheon-soo suddenly felt a shiver running down his spine.
Hold on a sec.
…Doesn’t that mean I’m also in danger?
Upon reflection, it probably wasn’t an exaggeration to say he was currently in the most dangerous situation. Although he hadn’t consumed any more retort pouches recently, he had been living quite close to the Jelly Girl so far… and hadn’t he been responding to her calls here and there?
Her calls didn’t seem particularly coercive, but when he recalled the scene he saw upon arriving here, it left him with an unsettling feeling.
…Am I really alright?
Kim Cheon-soo recalled how the Jelly Girl walked confidently into the swamp, though it irritated him whenever she impulsively called for help with bothersome tasks. However, after careful consideration, he remembered that she woke him up from a dream when he was about to freeze to death in his sleep, and didn’t she also lure the steel snake away for him during that incident?
Therefore… he felt that she had actually protected him from truly dangerous situations.
…Although, since acquiring that strange telepathic ability, it was unclear whether any crises had arisen.
‘…Maybe I’ve been underestimating her on the inside because of her appearance.’
Kim Cheon-soo felt a hint of bitterness. The idea that he had been protected by a girl much smaller than himself left him with a strange feeling.
However, when considering that this was a Singularity phenomenon, it began to feel less strange, further complicating his feelings.
This creature, who had exhibited behavior vastly different from the other Singularities he had always tried to forget.
Particularly, in her daily life, she seemed more like a capricious and lazy girl than some sort of anomaly.
She was brought here thoughtlessly because someone suggested it, but solving one Singularity with another—though slightly experimental—didn’t seem to pose any harm to them.
Kim Cheon-soo quietly sighed.
A disconcerting sensation that everything he had done until now was being rendered invalid.
‘…She must be extraordinary.’
Still…
This thought made his throat feel constricted. If she really was a special Singularity…
…If she truly thought and acted like a human being…
…Was it really right to use her this way?
He should have stopped his line of thought right there, as it was something that should be decided from above, but his thoughts continued to spiral.
His musings were interrupted by Hwang Bo-yul, who was busy installing something.
“What are you staring blankly at?”
“Ah, nothing. I was just deep in thought for a moment.”
“I see…? Regardless, it’s over now, so you can put it down.”
“Understood.”
Kim Cheon-soo set down the heavy object with a dull thud. As he did so, Hwang Bo-yul fiddled with it, then brought up an image on the screen connected to the machinery.
[Clank, clank.]
The screen soon displayed the image of the Swamp that the Jelly Girl had entered.
Perhaps due to the camera being hung around the Jelly Girl’s neck, the perspective was lower than expected. Consequently, the large, moisture-covered trees visible around her appeared exceptionally tall.
The Swamp, gradually tinted with the colors of dusk, gave off a very dangerous feeling.
There was an ominous anticipation that mysterious creatures would suddenly leap out from within those colossal trees at any moment.
Nevertheless,
The Jelly Girl moved forward confidently, splashing step by step, as if she knew exactly where she was going.
“…She doesn’t seem hesitant at all.”
At Hwang Bo-yul’s muttering, Kim Cheon-soo silently nodded but didn’t feel entirely at ease.
The fact that the Jelly Girl was moving so confidently suggested that the probability of her heading towards the correct answer was high. While that could mean she might return quickly… it felt different to Kim Cheon-soo.
…That lazy girl who loved loafing around was walking like this.
What thoughts was she having while strolling through this place right now?
As Kim Cheon-soo stared at the large trees captured on the screen, he felt a bitter sensation.
That expression of his was so apparent that he didn’t notice Hwang Bo-yul looking at him curiously from the side.
Just then,
Splash!
“Hmm?”
“Huh?”
A loud splashing sound caused the screen to become murky. With muddy water covering the lens, it became impossible to discern what the Jelly Girl was doing.
It likely wasn’t a simple fall, as the screen didn’t clear up easily.
Hwang Bo-yul sighed deeply while pinching the bridge of her nose, recalling the personnel who had vanished without ever returning.
With her confidence in the Jelly Girl wavering, she quietly muttered to Kim Cheon-soo.
“The things we installed will be useless.”
“…Why is that?”
“It’s because…”
…That girl must have failed too.
Hwang Bo-yul’s intention to say this was halted as she stiffened, seemingly struck by Kim Cheon-soo’s face.
…A face filled with unwavering belief that the Jelly Girl would undoubtedly succeed.
‘She really must be mentally influenced.’
In that moment of Hwang Bo-yul inwardly shaking her head,
Splash!
The murky water covering the screen was suddenly bathed in the orange hues of the setting sun. Although the camera was caked with mud, it was evident that it had surfaced.
After a brief pause…
Splash… Splash.
The camera’s owner appeared to be unharmed and continued forward across the swamp as though nothing had happened.
Seeing this, Hwang Bo-yul was amazed.
“…I underestimated her capabilities.”
“…”
Though Hwang Bo-yul was impressed, Kim Cheon-soo’s expression wasn’t particularly pleasant.
While the two of them felt opposite emotions,
The sun, oblivious to their thoughts, began its descent beyond the horizon.
Ah, damn, embarrassing.
As I was casually wandering, I suddenly felt as if the ground beneath me had collapsed.
Confused by this unfamiliar sensation, I lost my balance and plunged into the water.
Then, the taste I had been trying so hard to forget resurfaced in my mouth. It wasn’t clean water—it was putrid, smelly, like garbage that would make you reconsider eating.
If I gave it to a thirsty person, they might curse me instead of saying thanks.
…I would probably be fine even if I drank it, though.
Anyway,
At first, I thought I had merely tripped over something, but for some reason, my foot continued to sink further into something beneath.
That sensation gave me a peculiar feeling.
If my impression here is correct—if my feet, which faintly leave marks on snow, are sinking this much… what would happen to a human being’s foot if it touched this place?
They might instantly sink into it without any chance to react.
I might come across someone who has gone missing inside here.
…Though they’d probably be beyond help by the time they’re found.
Thinking about that made me feel rather down. Even though my body has changed, my thoughts still align with those of a human.
Feeling disheartened, I recalled the necklace around my neck and moved my body.
How embarrassing to end up like this after striding in so confidently, as if it were solely reliant on me to succeed.
Certainly, Han Seori would be rolling her eyes at such a sight by now.
I casually swished my lightweight body around and managed to withdraw my foot, which had sunk into something soft and sticky.
I thought to myself that if I were human, I might have drowned after swallowing so much muddy water. Then, as I stood up, I noticed everything around me bathed in red.
I initially thought some strange event had occurred, but a closer inspection revealed it was merely the sunset.
Even though I had flailed around in the muddy water just moments ago, the swamp illuminated by the sunset was quite a sight to behold.
I never imagined I’d witness such a view somewhere in the Korean Peninsula.
It felt like I’d walked into somewhere like the Amazon.
…It might sound strange, but I even felt like I was on a foreign tourist trip.
…Okay, refocus.
I’m not here for sightseeing; I’m here to work.
Little Sosik is waiting for me back at the House!
After squeezing out the mud-filled knowledge bag I was carrying, I resumed my steps.
As I continued on through the swamp,
The sun set.
The swamp, tinted by the sunset, was beautiful, but the swamp cloaked in darkness as the moonlight emerged took on a somewhat eerie atmosphere.
It felt like at any moment, a hand might burst out of the ground.
