Editor’s Survival Guide - Chapter 63

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Editor’s Survival Rules Episode 63

 

ep11. Depriving the Five Senses (8)

 

-Now heading in the direction where Manager is located.

 

At Yun U-jeong’s report, I suddenly recalled.

 

The nightmarish situation that had unfolded at the “Warehouse-style Mart.”

 

Back then too, some crow had intruded and interfered with the barcode-headed “Employee.”

 

-If you continue moving in the current direction, you’ll reach the detection range of Ant 5 in about 20 minutes.

 

“Understood. Please find us a new detour route.”

 

Yun U-jeong mapped out a new path for us.

 

So we left the easy-to-walk Slope Path and began climbing the mountain trail again.

 

We could just keep avoiding them like this, but it doesn’t feel right.

 

We won’t get thoroughly beaten like before, right?

 

Then Kwon Mu-seop, who was walking ahead, called me.

 

“Do-un.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Do you happen to like birds?”

 

“I neither particularly like nor dislike them.”

 

“I see.”

 

“But why are you suddenly asking that…?”

 

When I asked what he meant, Kwon Mu-seop chuckled.

 

“It’s nothing much, I was just wondering why it had to be a bird.”

 

What’s he talking about now?

 

Then Yun U-jeong’s voice rang out again.

 

-Manager, the bird has shaken off Ant 5. Number 5 has stopped moving in the D-3 Area.

 

“D-3 would be right in the center of the narrow southeastern section.”

 

-Yes, we’ll have to give up on that Stone Tower.

 

The Ant 5 that the bird had lured happened to position itself in narrow terrain.

 

If that thing holds its ground there, we can’t use the Stone Tower we’d been saving beyond it.

 

The situation got a bit tangled, but it wasn’t time to despair yet.

 

There were plenty of Stone Towers in other areas too.

 

But then.

 

-Manager, the crow has also made contact with Number 4. Number 4 is moving. It’s descending from the A-8 Area toward the center.

 

Yun U-jeong spoke in a dismayed voice.

 

-…The crow has shaken off Number 4 and is now heading toward Number 3.

 

Not just Number 5, but Number 4 as well, and now even Ant 3 began moving toward us.

 

Number 4 from the north, Number 3 from the west.

 

Thanks to this, we ended up caught between three Ants.

 

“Where’s the midpoint between Numbers 3, 4, and 5?”

 

-B-3. I’ll guide you there for now.

 

The laughter and playfulness disappeared from Yun U-jeong’s voice.

 

I also tensely moved toward the new location.

 

But even after that, the crow continued to alternately move the remaining three Ants.

 

This wasn’t some coincidence.

 

Absurdly, that bird was herding us.

 

Like playing Go, placing black stones next to white stones, it was surrounding us.

 

-How about we kill the Ants, leaving only one behind?

 

Yun U-jeong suggested.

 

We were almost surrounded, and our route to secure Stone Towers was also tangled.

 

Since it had come to this, she was suggesting we eliminate all but the last Ant.

 

About 9 hours remained now.

 

Though there was still plenty of time left, the Ants weren’t particularly weak creatures.

 

Unless we seriously committed to killing them, they wouldn’t die easily.

 

So efficiently enduring with just one might be a method.

 

Kwon Mu-seop shook his head.

 

“Let’s see where it’s driving us first.”

 

-Haah…

 

Yun U-jeong sighed at Kwon Mu-seop’s strange stubbornness.

 

We climbed the mountain with Ant 2 trailing behind us, avoiding Numbers 3, 4, and 5 as they closed in.

 

The place we finally arrived at was the summit of this mountain.

 

The Beacon Tower, which was the entrance to the Anthill.

 

“Haha.”

 

In front of the Beacon Tower, Kwon Mu-seop burst into laughter for some reason.

 

“Deputy Manager, how should I interpret this?”

 

-What are you asking, when you’re going to do whatever you want anyway?

 

Unlike the cheerful-looking Kwon Mu-seop, Yun U-jeong was curt.

 

The atmosphere between the two suddenly changed.

 

Why are these people suddenly acting like this?

 

-You probably won’t listen anyway, but if you’re thinking of entering the Anthill, please reconsider.

 

…What?

 

I looked at Kwon Mu-seop in surprise at Yun U-jeong’s words.

 

Kwon Mu-seop was groping the square hole of the Beacon Tower with his hands, not even looking ahead.

 

“Entering the Anthill? What do you mean by that?”

 

“Do-un, do you think it’s really a coincidence that we’re here right now?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Doesn’t it seem like that bird sent us here?”

 

Instead of answering, Kwon Mu-seop asked me back.

 

A strangely heated expression.

 

Seeing my usually composed superior make such a face gave me chills.

 

I answered with a serious expression, feeling an ominous premonition.

 

“Yes, it does seem quite intentional. But does that mean we need to follow that intention?”

 

We should act in the opposite way instead.

 

We had safe escape within reach, but some crow appeared and started causing chaos.

 

If there was intention behind this, it would naturally be malicious, and if we were driven according to that intention, it would be a trap.

 

This was common sense thinking, so what was Kwon Mu-seop talking about?

 

“That bird right now is the same type that intruded into the Warehouse-style Mart. It might even be the same bird.”

 

“I nearly died back then.”

 

“Right. But as a result, that bird’s intrusion broke ‘Samboilsa.'”

 

“…”

 

“If that bird helped conquer a Special Zone, then it’s at most our ally, at least the enemy of our enemy.”

 

Huh.

 

“For what you’re saying to be true, Manager, that crow would have had to predict even my realization of the membership card’s function.”

 

“Couldn’t that be possible?”

 

“It could be possible. But that’s just speculation…”

 

I was frustratedly arguing back when it happened.

 

Crash-!

 

Ant 2, which had been lurking near us, suddenly charged toward us.

 

Damn, the mark already disappeared!

 

I realized the mark on my wrist had vanished and urgently reached for my gun.

 

No, I tried to reach for it, but Kwon Mu-seop was faster.

 

Manager Kwon Mu-seop quickly grabbed the gun I was carrying.

 

Then he aimed precisely in the direction of the sound.

 

Pit pit pi pi pit-!

 

“…!”

 

The “Ant” was instantly destroyed.

 

“Deputy Manager, how long will it take for Ant 3 to reach us?”

 

-About 15 minutes.

 

“What about 4 and 5?”

 

-Similar. We estimate 15 minutes each for movement.

 

“We have about 40 minutes to spare. Let me know when 3 arrives.”

 

Kwon Mu-seop calmly received the report, leaving me stunned behind him.

 

Then he leaned against the Beacon Tower with a much more relaxed attitude.

 

Was it just my imagination?

 

It seemed like he was showing off that he could catch “Ants” anytime.

 

Kwon Mu-seop began speaking again with that leisurely posture.

 

“Do-un, this is the sixth time you’ve been dragged to a Special Zone, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“All six times were 1st Type Special Zones. Isn’t that strange? Why specifically 1st Type every time? Did the 1st Type Special Zone call you in? That’s probably not it.”

 

“How can you be so certain?”

 

“From the 1st Type’s perspective, your very existence is a disaster and calamity. You suffered too, of course, but honestly, the 1st Type Special Zone’s losses were far more devastating than yours. If I were a 1st Type, I wouldn’t even touch you.”

 

Kwon Mu-seop spoke jokingly.

 

It was quite absurd, but I had nothing to say.

 

Because it was true.

 

If I were a Special Zone that existed to devour humans, a human like Seo Do-un who only digs up weaknesses and runs away would be very annoying.

 

Though I wondered if it was right to personify Special Zones like this.

 

“Then who keeps moving you to 1st Type Special Zones? It’s definitely not behavior favorable to the 1st Type.”

 

So that’s why he’s saying it’s at minimum an enemy’s enemy, at maximum our ally?

 

But this is all speculation too.

 

I wondered if I really needed to analyze all this right now.

 

But I should analyze it.

 

If I don’t properly examine this, I’ll end up going into the “Anthill” as is.

 

“Manager, for your current argument to hold, there must be some entity behind the phenomenon of me being dragged to Special Zones.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“And that entity must be the same as or allied with that crow.”

 

“That’s also correct.”

 

“Lastly, that crow’s intrusion into the “Warehouse-style Mart” must truly have been an act to guide me to find the solution method for that place.”

 

“Oh, exactly. That’s how it should be.”

 

“But none of these have been confirmed. They’re all speculation, yet using them as the basis for new speculation is too reckless.”

 

I meant for him to come to his senses, but why?

 

Kwon Mu-seop’s smile deepened.

 

“Right, you’re completely correct. But, Do-un. You asked me earlier, didn’t you? Whether I knew we’d be dragged here.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

I nodded for now.

 

There are only three or four Special Zones that require winter gear, including “Ant Hill.”

 

Among them, this “Ant Hill” is the only place where tents are useful because long-term stays are essential.

 

So preparing this precisely was certainly surprising.

 

But Kwon Mu-seop brought up an even more unexpected story.

 

“Actually, it’s the opposite.”

 

“The opposite?”

 

“It wasn’t that I prepared knowing we’d be dragged here, but that I prepared like this to have you dragged here.”

 

“…?”

 

“I was testing. Whether the guy who drags you to Special Zones could read my intention, and whether he’d play along.”

 

Wait, what exactly is he saying right now…?

 

“But you were dragged here precisely. Out of 16 1st Type Special Zones, excluding the 5 you’ve already been to, there are 11. A 1 in 11 probability resulted in exactly matching my intention.”

 

So this means it was a request, not a prediction?

 

It wasn’t that he prepared a tent because I seemed likely to be dragged to “Ant Hill,” but that he prepared a tent in advance to hint that I should be dragged to “Ant Hill”?

 

What the hell is this supposed to mean.

 

The phenomenon that shakes me so mercilessly turns out to be communicative and sensible like this?

 

My forehead grew hot at Kwon Mu-seop’s claim.

 

My head was already about to explode, but Kwon Mu-seop continued with a smile.

 

“Want me to tell you something even more interesting?”

 

“…What more is there?”

 

“Deputy Manager, what time was that bird observed?”

 

-Today at exactly 21:00.

 

“What time did Team 1 begin their operation?”

 

-Today at exactly 21:00.

 

“….”

 

“It ended up being a diversionary operation by chance. Thanks to that, the mercenary individuals won’t come over here. The “Island” side will be more urgent and busy.”

 

I was left speechless.

 

“When you knock on a door and hear a sound back, that means someone’s inside.”

 

Kwon Mu-seop said quietly.

 

“You said it yourself, that Special Zones are like games made to be cleared. My thoughts are a bit different, but I agree that there’s a concept of clearing.”

 

“….”

 

“Then there should be hints for clearing too. I don’t know why, but those hints seem to be expressed particularly actively only to you.”

 

I couldn’t deny it.

 

I also acknowledge that my situation is special, peculiar, and unusual.

 

So?

 

So what’s Kwon Mu-seop’s conclusion?

 

Is he saying we should follow that crow’s revelation and enter the “Anthill”?

 

“The decision is yours.”

 

Kwon Mu-seop said, noticing my conflict.

 

“My gut says we should go in here, but I can’t force danger on you.”

 

After inciting me all this time?

 

“There’s no CCTV inside there. You won’t get Deputy Manager support either, so it’ll be more dangerous than now. So I’ll follow your choice. What will you do?”

 

…You really are quite the schemer.

 

I held back these words and instead asked this:

 

“Were there hints like this during Sol’s father’s time too?”

 

“I think there were. I just didn’t realize it then.”

 

“Then let’s go.”

 

-Do-un….

 

Yun U-jeong sighed, perhaps having held some hope for me.

 

Just 9 more hours of endurance and I’d return safely.

 

If I wanted survival for tomorrow, there was no need to force such an adventure.

 

But if I survive here?

 

I’ll have to live in constant anxiety, not knowing where I’ll be dragged next.

 

In that case, it would be better to dig into it, whether it kills me or saves me.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Kwon Mu-seop smiled brightly and placed his hand on my shoulder.

 

Yun U-jeong let out a deep sigh, and for some reason I remembered.

 

My attending physician who used to frown just like the name Kwon Mu-seop suggested.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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