Chapter 194

I never thought the day would come when I could feel the collapse of a space this vividly.

As the space completely caved in, the walls on all sides sank one by one onto the split floor. When the floor could no longer bear the weight, the ground cracked and my whole body dropped through.

For once, I didn’t even have that certainty that I was about to die that usually hits you during a fall. I relaxed my body and let myself plunge.

Because I knew where I’d be going back to anyway.

***

There are things you can recognize through observation.

Even without a skill that discerns the flow of mana, Im Haegyeong naturally perceived mana flowing. Not only in humans; this applied to dungeons and artifacts as well.

In any case, what became very clear when Im Haegyeong came to this “maze” at Seo Jehyun’s request was this.

The structure of this maze, for instance, and how it operates.

It was cleverly made, but at best it was a mere trick of the eyes, something whose very grain was different from ordinary dungeons from the start.

A dungeon is a kind of environment. The fact that living creatures dwell within it only comes after that. Living creatures inside a dungeon may be specialized to that dungeon, but living creatures do not take precedence over the dungeon.

Of course, there are special cases. For example, the “quest-type dungeon” Im Haegyeong once visited with Seo Jehyun. A dungeon you could escape by completing only the set quest, with no dungeon boss. It was special, but because there was a clear precedent to reference, breaking through the clear method wasn’t difficult.

But this dungeon was peculiar: despite there being a dungeon boss and a breakthrough method, its aspect felt closer to that of a quest-type dungeon.

This place was a kind of mental domain. There do exist dungeons organically linked, but this went beyond mere linkage—it was an environment arbitrarily composed by a single living being.

And given that Im Haegyeong was able to manipulate the space, it was effectively proven that the space itself was one living being’s mind.

One more striking point: this dungeon itself was engaging in interaction with the individual....

“Interaction?”

Im Haegyeong narrowed the space between the brows slightly and stared straight ahead.

There was one thing confirmed after hearing Seo Jehyun’s explanation. That the longer you stayed in this space, the harder it would be to escape meant the dungeon was influencing people. For those who had stayed long or been affected in various ways, it would be even more severe.

When Seo Jehyun then spoke about Do Yehyeon, Im Haegyeong judged quickly.

“I figured it’d be better to prise them apart and go.”

There was no intention to provoke Seo Jehyun. Nor was there much expectation he would agree. Contrary to appearances, Seo Jehyun has a tendency not to let go once he’s grasped something.

Only, what concerned Im Haegyeong lay in a completely different place.

Astonishingly, Im Haegyeong had tried to actively honor Seo Jehyun’s request. Setting aside personal fondness toward Seo Jehyun, it was an interesting enough request in itself, and there was also the sense that the “Cheonmyeonggyo” faction needed to be trimmed down to some extent.

Of course, Im Haegyeong wasn’t about to draw up a plan to march straight into Jinsando like Seo Jehyun.

So an item that could share the field of view had been handed over, and eavesdropping was done to steadily grasp the situation. This, despite the fact that Im Haegyeong’s personal affairs were overflowing.

“I didn’t think the contact would cut off the moment they entered the dungeon.”

The comms being cut was one thing, but the shared sight cutting off too was unexpected. Still, up to there it was manageable. The truly strange part was that the teleport item received from Seo Jehyun had gone completely dead.

That hadn’t been the case right on the first day. With contact entirely severed, it wasn’t possible to rush in blindly to search. Seo Jehyun was valuable enough to keep at one’s side, but that didn’t mean throwing away all personal obligations.

So Im Haegyeong handled their own tasks moderately and measured the timing.

Given that contact was cut, Seo Jehyun’s side would also be fully aware. Therefore, if necessary, he would activate the item at any time to send a signal.

Charging in immediately wouldn’t be what Seo Jehyun wanted anyway. He’s someone with his own plans and a clear objective.

A fair amount of time passed, and at last the teleport item Seo Jehyun had given activated. Because it took longer than expected, Im Haegyeong was able to prepare sufficiently for entry.

At the very moment the item was activated for mutual entry into the dungeon, the signal was unilaterally cut.

“A mistake?”

Thinking perhaps it had been triggered by mistake, they waited a moment, but as time passed it became naturally clear.

This was a unilateral block on one side’s entry. To keep Im Haegyeong from stepping into the dungeon.

Wondering if the dungeon itself was blocking external entry, another route was secured... and then, surprisingly, not long after, the item began to function again as if nothing had happened.

Upon arriving at the dungeon, all the major incidents had already concluded.

The battle between the one stationed here and Seo Jehyun had run its course, and there was no one left who could control or brainwash minds. At Seo Jehyun’s request one person had their information stripped, but coming all the way here just to do that wasn’t the point.

So... Im Haegyeong felt like they were carrying a lingering unpleasantness the whole time.

Leaving Seo Jehyun, who was trying to move forward while shouldering the requests of trifling factors right in the middle of someone else’s mind—and while holding on to a risk factor—didn’t sit well.

“He really... doesn’t listen.”

Hadn’t Seo Jehyun recognized it himself? That Do Yehyeon, who had been kept by his side, had gone strange somehow.

No matter how strong the attachment or greed, the idea of clearing a dungeon while keeping someone so drastically affected by the dungeon at your side wasn’t a good one. What kind of interference might they cause if left be?

“It would be better to retrieve him later.”

It was curious—being unfazed about molding people at will and using them like tools in the right place, yet also being unable to stand seeing something that ought to be firmly in hand slip from that hand.

A kind of possessiveness? It didn’t quite look like obsession, though.

“If what’s needed is a healer, I can attach one.”

If it was not simply the special factor of a healer but a personal desire, then from there it would be awkward even for Im Haegyeong to interfere.

“In any case, what matters is that I was right.”

Wrapping up that chain of thought, Im Haegyeong looked quietly at Do Yehyeon.

Compared to the last time, the mana flowing through his body had increased overwhelmingly. Not only that. Just as first suspected and worried about, Do Yehyeon’s mana had grown similar in its pattern to the mana flowing in this dungeon.

The fact that he had been influenced by this dungeon was glaringly obvious.

A short while before, when Im Haegyeong used a skill to manipulate the space, at first the distance had been closing when a sudden collision occurred.

They hastily tried to adjust it, but as it was the first time fine-tuning a vast space recognized as a mental domain, blocking it off perfectly was impossible.

As a result, fragments of space fell and a fair distance opened up between people. The others didn’t matter, but it would be a bit troublesome if Seo Jehyun—the very reason for bringing them here—ended up dying.

Just as steps were moving that way, however, Im Haegyeong happened to face Do Yehyeon before Seo Jehyun.

Even after spotting Im Haegyeong, Do Yehyeon only blinked his eyes calmly with a blank face.

“Yehyeon.”

“Yes.”

When called to in a mild tone, Do Yehyeon answered evenly.

“What are you doing here?”

“......”

Without answering, Do Yehyeon quietly gazed up into empty space.

“Attachment, huh... The one with the stronger attachment is this one.”

It had been felt before as well: Do Yehyeon ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) depended on Seo Jehyun to an excessive degree. The way he’d been agitated to an extreme when Seo Jehyun collapsed, or when the cave Seo Jehyun was in collapsed; the way he refused every proposal as if he’d lost his own will, bringing Seo Jehyun into his mouth each time.

Staring at Do Yehyeon, Im Haegyeong asked once more.

“Aren’t you going to look for Jehyun? I thought you’d be going around searching everywhere.”

“...I’m going to wait.”

Only after a beat did the answer come back.

“For Jehyun to come looking for you?”

“No... It seems hyung went to see a god.”

“A god... Is that really how you’re going to put it?”

“I don’t know.”

A voice from which no particular intent could be read returned again. Do Yehyeon looked at the ground for a moment, then spoke.

“Because there isn’t another way to put it.”

“Went to see a god... the way you did?”

To sound him out, Im Haegyeong tossed one more question. It wasn’t for fact-finding, but to read Do Yehyeon’s reaction.

At that, Do Yehyeon lifted the gaze that had been set on the ground and glanced at Im Haegyeong.

“Yes.”

“You’re composed. If you meet a god, what do you do? I heard it grants desires—is that true?”

“......”

“Then did the god grant your desire, too?”

At that, Do Yehyeon’s gaze was caught once again. Facing him, Im Haegyeong thought for a moment.

The desire Do Yehyeon might have... was transparent. How many desires could someone have when their fixation and dependence ran that deep?

But transparency of desire and the emergence of results are two different things.

In that case, what result did Do Yehyeon’s desire produce?

Narrowing the eyes, Im Haegyeong smiled faintly.

“You must not have been very pleased about me coming here, Yehyeon.”