I did too… I had the same thought.
What can we do about it?
It’s probably because I can’t convey my words well.
Once again, my deduction was preempted, but I let it slide. By now, it’s happened enough times that I figured I should get used to it.
What bothered me more was the identity of the thing that suddenly appeared from beyond the corner.
Though the fight never happened, which was fortunate, as we sat around the bonfire, I noticed a face that seemed eerily familiar.
Was it because they had a body similar to mine?
At first, I thought that might be the case. But as I watched them greedily devour the food, dormant memories began to resurface slowly.
The identity of those gathered around the platform, roasting the hanging items on the tree, turned out to be locals(?).
So, they were the people who’d been tied up and left in the cave with two others absent.
I had untied them after seeing the horrific marks of some ordeal, never anticipating meeting them here again.
And…
Seeing them act as though nothing terrible had happened felt a bit strange.
Then again, I thought, they are merely parts of this world created by the Singularity.
They’re not real humans; they’re just components of this fabricated world, aren’t they?
Looking at their frozen-like figures I’d seen outside the ruins and their semi-transparent bodies similar to mine, it became starkly clear that these entities weren’t truly alive.
But their malevolent expressions when they were tied up, their prior act of roasting fruit and treating Lee Yoo-jin’s ankle—they stirred something uneasy within me.
I wondered what the difference was between them and something truly living. Watching them eat food with an endlessly cheerful and harmless smile, my mind wandered to Daesik, worn down and disheveled, and other Jellies.
… I don’t know.
The important thing is that thanks to me freeing them, both Lee Yoo-jin and I managed to escape safely, and her swollen ankle was treated.
So, they deserve gratitude, and I decided not to think too deeply about them. We probably won’t cross paths again after leaving this place.
“Uh, uh… Can, can you help… me?”
Immersed in thought, I was brought back to reality by Lee Yoo-jin’s voice. Looking up, I saw her struggling to get through a hole. Perhaps due to her larger hips—or rather, pelvis—it seemed she was having trouble.
Thankfully, the design’s slimness saved her. No, even if that weren’t the case, my flexibility probably wouldn’t have been an issue. Though, I wish I were a bit taller.
Muttering this to myself, I carefully pulled her hand, which was covered in some blue substance, taking great care not to hurt her.
Once free, she looked embarrassingly at me before gazing around, her face blank.
“Where are we now…?”
Indeed, a good question.
All we could see was a lush jungle. Despite being near some ancient ruins just moments ago, the sudden change to this setting was bewildering.
However, as I scanned carefully, the surroundings no longer felt disorienting. A towering pyramid-like structure stood in the distance. Even a child could recognize it as our destination.
Alright, then…
“Should we just go in that direction?”
…Right.
This isn’t even deduction; anyone with eyes can figure it out.
Still, I repeated this to myself as I grabbed her hand, and we moved toward the towering structure. Initially embarrassed by our joined hands, she hesitantly began to follow me.
During this time, I kept checking to ensure her ankle was holding up alright.
Then, amidst the sounds of rustling leaves, I noticed the same locals we’d parted ways with, carrying fruits in their hands, following us from afar. They must have been preparing provisions. Without much hesitation, they seamlessly joined our group.
Something caught my attention—some of them were flailing their arms as if trying to communicate, but I couldn’t understand what they were trying to say.
Does my presence feel strange to others like this?
“Do you mean to ask if you can follow?”
Before I even nodded, they vigorously bobbed their heads. They seemed to understand what I said but couldn’t reply—like looking at myself in a mirror.
Of course, I’d have to look more handsome.
What nonsense.
Regardless, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to keep the locals(?) around, and I eventually gave a late nod of agreement.
Thus began our somewhat awkward yet oddly familiar journey with Lee Yoo-jin and two locals.
Navigating the dense jungle wasn’t too difficult. We’d traversed stickier, foot-sinking swamps without any trouble before, and this jungle was, in comparison, an easier task.
If we got hungry, we could harvest and roast the hanging fruits. Dangerous wild animals weren’t much of a sight either.
At most, some snakes?
Even those stayed away since we traveled in numbers, making their presence irrelevant.
Of course, it was easy for me, but it seemed not so for Lee Yoo-jin.
Still, what could we do?
We’ll have to persevere through grit.
As the sunlight began to dim, filling the once white-lit space with the color of crimson, Lee Yoo-jin, dripping with sweat, signaled that she could go no further.
“Oh, I think we should rest here today…”
Wiping her soaked clothes, she looked at me. Although I felt slightly bashful about meeting her gaze, I nodded despite the inconvenience.
Relieved, Lee Yoo-jin leaned against a tree. Wondering if her ankle had swollen again, I stole a glance—it remained quiet, wrapped but calm.
This indicated she was purely tired.
Well, considering the amount of sweat she’d lost, exhaustion seemed likely.
The hot climate was apparent to the locals too, as their perspiration matched mine, though I felt unbothered.
Feeling a touch uncomfortable with this realization, I observed Lee Yoo-jin and the locals resting against the tree, then extended tentacles from my body.
The sense of power when I extend tentacles gave me a strange feeling—like being some kind of martial arts master.
Anyway.
Leaning my tentacles, I plucked some of the bountiful hanging fruit from above the branches for the weary group.
“Wow…”
“?!”
Having only revealed this in the dark before, those resting against the tree were initially startled but soon regarded my Jelly tentacles with curiosity.
Feeling somewhat proud, I piled the plucked fruits beside them and used all the knowledge I had to construct a temporary shelter made from large leaves and branches—a rather splendid hiding spot.
Though for me, whether outside or under the shelter, there wouldn’t be much difference, but I guess the presence of a roof provided some comfort despite being from Korea.
Meanwhile, the locals were struggling to ignite a fire, and just as I was about to help…
I noticed the heap of fruits on the ground.
Why do we have to roast them?
Intrigued, I devoured a large fruit without cooking. The intense burning sensation was so intense I wished I could cut out my nonexistent tongue, making my Jelly body tremble.
Though I wanted to spit it out, the substance melted rapidly. Its aftermath lingered inside me for quite some time, more like an after-shock than a pleasant flavor. Huff.
Trying to exorcise it by spurting it out of an opening forced the locals to look at me with sympathy.
It was evident that eating raw fruit was a no-no, making me feel somewhat embarrassed.
This is why we need a guide when exploring unknown lands.
Then, I noticed Lee Yoo-jin aimlessly looking around. Curious, I observed her scratching her cheek with an awkward undertone.
“Ah, I’m just wondering if there’s like a river or a stream nearby…”
Is she thirsty?
Humans do need water to survive, after all.
I know food and water are both critical, but water is definitely more pressing. My face turned serious as I realized there were no audible water sources nearby.
Noticing my grim expression, Lee Yoo-jin quickly waved her hands in front of her.
“Ah, no, it’s not because I’m thirsty. The fruits have enough moisture for me. It’s just… I kinda want to freshen up… Yep.”
Her face flushed, realizing what she’d said. Listening to her, though, it made sense—having crawled through ruins, squirmed through holes, and traversed jungles, her face was a mess. Her clothes were dirty too.
After briefly pondering this, I approached her.
“Uh…?”
I extended my hand and gently grabbed hers, then engulfed it, cleansing her hand of dirt and grime. Having my body handle such things wasn’t an issue since our physical interactions were unavoidable, and I’ve already licked so many fingers from potato chip residue anyway.
Though surprised, Lee Yoo-jin left her hands in my care, trusting me, and then marveled at their cleanliness.
Using the same trick, I cleaned her other hand…
…and her body…
…as well as her clothes. This was not an action driven by selfishness but an acknowledgment of hygiene’s importance in such conditions.
“…Thank you.”
Feeling freshly clean, Lee Yoo-jin regarded me with a slightly wistful smile.
Not knowing her thoughts, but curious, I moved on to helping the locals who were also asking for the same service. Hence, I conducted a rather unexpected body check twice.
Later, with roasted fruit in hand, we spent the night in the shelter I built. We woke with renewed energy, continuing toward the towering pyramid.
The pyramid loomed larger as we approached, and when we finally neared it…
…We realized it wasn’t a pyramid at all.
As this realization struck, we saw an unwelcome face ascending the structure.
Both Lee Yoo-jin’s face and the locals’ faces stiffened.
A feeling of ominous foreboding filled the air.
