Theatrical Regression Life

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Sometimes, there are characters like that. They’re clearly on the right side and good guys, but they somehow unsettle the readers, those oddly ambiguous characters. And in this novel, the ‘detective’ was exactly that kind of presence.

No matter what anyone said, the detective was clearly on the side of justice. He had a sharp intuition for identifying criminals and, at the same time, harbored deep disdain for them.

While it was the right attitude for a detective, the fact that the protagonist fell under his suspicious intuition created a strange conflict within the story.

The detective sensed a vague hostility from the protagonist, Jung Inho.

‘He could easily turn into a serial killer at the snap of a finger.’

Although Jung Inho hadn’t done anything wrong, his mental state at the time was completely exposed. In a world where even physically healthy individuals could be turned into lunatics, Deputy Jung, who was already mentally unstable, openly faced the detective’s suspicion.

The detective was a good person, astute and flexible, but most of his decisions were extreme. Realizing quickly that in this world people could be killed by others, he became wary of the protagonist.

However, as is often the case in creative works, such extreme choices can have the opposite effect. Treated as a potential murderer, Jung Inho felt a strange urge, and when that urge peaked, the incident occurred, resulting in constable Kim’s death.

Her death actually seemed to calm the protagonist down.

After that, various incidents occurred, and eventually the protagonist left the park with a few people. When they returned to the park after finishing the hospital episode, there was no one alive, not even the detective.

However, the issue here was that the protagonist’s mental state wasn’t as bad as one might expect.

‘No matter how messed up I may look, humans are social animals for a reason.’

Lee Jaehun managed more than just the protagonist.

He also took measures to prevent unnecessary conflicts among the existing group, and those who joined later wouldn’t stir up trouble if they had any common sense.

So, it was sufficient. Even though Deputy Jung was annoyingly repulsive, as long as he was given tasks to focus on, there was no need for any weird awakening, and those around him would implicitly support him. Despite any issues, without Lee Jaehun, Deputy Jung was naturally the focal point of the team.

Moreover, he was still alive, after all. Given Deputy Jung’s unnecessarily diligent personality, he wouldn’t go berserk without seeing Lee Jaehun’s body.

So, if there were any variables or problems…

‘It would be with me.’

Leaning against a tree, Lee Jaehun looked up to see constable Kim, who had stepped out momentarily and returned.

She seemed to have been surveying the surroundings, but as soon as she saw him, concern creased her face. Despite her cold demeanor, she was truly compassionate, though it might seem narrow-minded.

“…Are you okay? It was just a hurried bandaging.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

“Oh, it wasn’t me, it was the grandmother who’s not here right now…”

The grandmother who had treated his wound was none other than the main character.

It might seem obvious, but originally there was no doctor in the novel. Even the doctor who was supposed to be there was discovered as nothing more than a piece of meat from the early stages. It was the grandmother who provided the best possible treatment to the protagonist’s group.

“So, where is she?”

“She’s… out for a walk. She’s right ahead, so it’s not dangerous, it’s okay.”

“…Out for a walk.”

A walk in a world where just looking at it chips away at your sanity.

‘Anyway, there’s no one sane around here.’

Recalling the descriptions from the novel, Jaeheon nodded slowly.

“I see.”

Lee Jaehun briefly considered the old man’s kindness, but soon gave up on the idea.

It took quite some time before the main character, the grandmother, warmed up to the protagonist. Amidst all that, it was strange how perceptive she was, yet she showed no inclination to open up to Lee Jaehun, who was deemed mentally unstable.

‘It’s fortunate if she remains cautious.’

Perhaps due to being the oldest character in the story, or maybe due to her experience, the old man’s keen perception couldn’t be overlooked. While she quietly observed and discerned the inner thoughts of others, she kept her lips sealed, silently assessing the situation. It was her specialty, her wisdom of life.

Therefore, whether Lee Jaehun took any action or not, or rather, remaining still would be more beneficial. She might keep quiet if left alone, but she was the type of person who could easily get annoyed if provoked unnecessarily.

‘Perhaps unlike constable Kim, she won’t help you completely let down your guard against the detective, no matter how close you become.’

However, according to Lee Jaehun’s interpretation of the novel, it was nearly impossible to completely let down one’s guard against the relentless detective, despite constable Kim’s friendly gestures. The detective was just too suspicious and persistent.

And Lee Jaehun anticipated that he would never be able to evade such suspicions from the detective.

‘If the protagonist, who hasn’t done anything wrong yet, was regarded with such caution, there’s no reason I’d be any different.’

No, if anything, it was even more disadvantageous for me.

In the previous life where the value of life was low, Lee Jaehun had committed quite a few legally justifiable murders due to his occupation. At that time, there was a suitable pretext and it was common sense to kill without hesitation. However, in the present life, such actions would be considered insane.

When someone like Lee Jaehun, who had a past like that, clashed with a suspicious detective, would the detective view him favorably?

‘That’s highly unlikely.’

Of course, the current Lee Jaehun was nothing more than an ordinary old man who hadn’t even committed a plausible crime, let alone murder. But even if he believed in that, he would only be stamped as a potential murderer.

Lee Jaehun completely abandoned the hope of appearing favorable to the detective. In fact, such caution was undoubtedly necessary for his future plans. However, when the guard became unnecessarily strong, there was still a way to gently ease the detective’s suspicions.

“Is Kim Yeonwoo-ssi okay? Did you get injured anywhere?”

Firstly, utilizing constable Kim could be one way.

“Yes? Ah, yes. Well, I did get a little scratched. It’s not a big wound, but…”

“Still, you should get it treated in time.”

“Thanks to my grandmother, I’m fine.”

If one has the intuition to recognize criminals, they can also identify those who are the opposite. The detective had recognized constable Kim’s earnest disposition early on, so he trusted her quite a bit. Though he didn’t completely trust her due to her nature.

Despite constable Kim sometimes seeming immature as she imitated a soldier, she wasn’t completely inept. Initially, the reason the detective and she were together was because constable Kim had witnessed a suspect in a murder case.

Of course, there were deeper and more detailed reasons why the detective trusted her, but thinking about it too much gave him a headache.

Anyway, the conclusion was that if you accepted constable Kim’s kindness, you would get at least 10% in return.

Lee Jaehun, recalling the calm expression he showed to the protagonist and his group in the early stages of being swallowed by the otherworld, nodded.

“I’m glad to hear that. Wounds can always worsen.”

“…Thank you for your concern.”

With that said, constable Kim looked down at her tattered leg.

Her expression seemed to say, ‘Do you have something to say?’ But as usual, Lee Jaehun ignored it, pretending not to notice.

After all, people generally prioritize their own pain. Being able to face others’ suffering only comes after dealing with one’s own, and those who are selflessly dedicated enough not to acknowledge their own pain become special in many ways. For the sake of his goals, Lee Jaehun could also feign that level of dedication if needed.

So perhaps in constable Kim’s eyes, Lee Jaehun appeared as someone who, despite being chased by monsters for unknown reasons, still made an effort to consider others’ feelings.

By saving constable Kim first, even though it wasn’t intentional and he didn’t particularly like it, Lee Jaehun unconsciously showed a vulnerable side through self-harm. Such altruistic weakness would strengthen her resolve to defend him.

And above all, even if the content is the same, it’s more effective for someone else to defend you than to defend yourself.

‘Especially if that someone is a friend.’

Of course, if the defender and the one being defended have a very close relationship, sometimes there can be unintended consequences. But considering the relatively short time since the detective and constable Kim met in the novel, if someone he trusts advocates for him, it might give him something to think about.

Of course, just that wasn’t enough; more diverse groundwork was needed. Although the old man who was supposed to be outside was probably a lost cause, considering how difficult he was to handle, at least utilizing the party that might be looking for me or my body by now wouldn’t be a problem. Or using strangers who might be living somewhere in the park.

‘Of course, if necessary.’

This process was quite meticulous and bothersome even for the seasoned Lee Jaehun, so he was ready to give up if it seemed futile.

If there wasn’t any sign of getting a grip even after trying to compromise…

‘Then I’ll have to kill.’

With thoughts swirling in his head, Lee Jaehun who had his lips tightly sealed, met eyes with constable Kim, who was discreetly observing his injuries, then quickly changed his expression.

It was a nondescript face, hiding whatever thoughts he might have.

A voice, hoarse from lack of water, echoed in the hollow of the tree.

“What’s the matter?”

“…I’m sorry if I seemed preoccupied.”

“No need to apologize, but it seems like you have something to say.”

“Um, excuse me for intruding, but…”

As Lee Jaehun started speaking, constable Kim accepted his words without hesitation.

“It seems you’ve got quite some injuries for someone chased by a monster.”

“…”

“Your shoulder, and your arm… I saw wounds that looked like they were caused by a knife. According to the old lady, it seemed like a human inflicted them.”

“Ah…”

Lee Jaehun was momentarily at a loss for words.

Feeling awkward, he instinctively moved to cover his forearm but quickly abandoned the idea. There was no point in hiding now; they would have seen everything during the treatment.

However, constable Kim, who noticed the small gesture, didn’t seem inclined to let the conversation end easily.

“If there’s someone dangerous nearby, I’ll help.”

“Uh… What?”

“I don’t know about the other wounds, but the one on your arm… Who could have caused it? Besides, you seemed perfectly fine earlier, so there was no need for you to get hurt like this. It’s not your duty, is it?”

“No, wait.”

“I’m really sorry, but were you being coerced by someone around here?”

“…”

Right now… Could it be…?

‘Are you suspicious of those yellow chicks?’

Lee Jaehun was so startled that he instinctively grabbed his throat. Perhaps someone had seen him unconsciously rubbing his neck when he got up and assumed he was under a lot of stress. But who would be forcing whom to do what?

“No, it’s a misunderstanding… I just thought this would be the most rational thing to do.”

“That’s not rational, it’s sacrificing yourself, Lee Jaehun-ssi. I don’t know when you encountered the monster, but earlier, you were running as if you were being lured by the toxic algae monster, right? Maybe I misjudged, but usually, that’s what we call bait.”

“No, it’s just… I got caught by the monster and managed to escape, so… yeah. That’s why…”

Lee Jaehun hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“…”

“So that’s what it was. It wasn’t about being bait or anything like that.”

Though he had indeed become bait, Lee Jaehun couldn’t speak the truth.

Even if he looked like a crazy guy willingly becoming bait, from the protagonist’s perspective, Lee Jaehun had simply been dragged along by the vines. He feared that if Deputy Jung found out he had volunteered to be bait, he might use it as an excuse to berate him.

So, to completely deceive the protagonist, Lee Jaehun had to choose his words carefully in this exchange. But despite his efforts, constable Kim’s expression remained unchanged.

“…Then, what about your arm? Was that also from the monster?”

“…”

After a brief hesitation, Lee Jaehun sighed and leaned his head against the wall.

“No, I did it myself.”

If he was going to find out eventually, it was wiser to speak the truth now. Even if things got worse here, it wouldn’t greatly impact his future plans.

“…Is it the wound inflicted by the teacher?”

“I made a mistake while cooking.”

“You expect me to believe that…?”

“Can’t you just trust me?”

“… ”

Constable Kim slowly nodded in response. Based on Lee Jaehun’s judgment, she wouldn’t push for a conversation the other party didn’t want.

However, aside from that, there was something else bothering her.

‘When you think about it logically, the wounds aren’t insignificant.’

In the world of his past life, people might have accused him of being overly dramatic. As someone who valued efficiency, Lee Jaehun found this world quite frustrating.

But people in this world were surprisingly sensitive to blood. While many might watch blood spatter in movies without flinching, seeing real blood was a different story. It was like the difference between watching a sunset in a movie and seeing it in person.

‘I don’t know how much constable Kim has considered…’

It had to be considered that these physical wounds might leave psychological scars as well.

As his main job was a police officer, it seemed like he wanted to understand the situation, but he appeared cautious. While the average person in this world might have been terrified or traumatized by such events, well, Lee Jaehun wasn’t exactly an average person in this life or his past life, so he was far from experiencing such trauma.

He blinked once, pondering for a moment.

‘Still, let’s go with something scary.’

That would be more efficient.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Lee Jaehun lightly clenched his hand, almost as if it were an unconscious gesture, and smoothly lifted the end as if it were natural. He tried to appear as calm as possible, moistening his lips as if attempting to compose himself. Then, he pushed his tongue briefly against the back of his throat, creating a slightly hoarse voice. This completed voice had a weightiness different from someone who hadn’t drunk water or had just woken up.

With a slightly averted gaze, Lee Jaehun responded

“I was coming out of the office when… something happened.”

“The office?”

“Well, you see… It’s a high-rise building, so there were a lot of strange creatures. It was difficult to come down.”

He lowers his eyelids halfway, avoiding direct eye contact as if reminiscing about something unpleasant, and gazes downward as if to suggest it wasn’t a pleasant memory.

Maintaining the calmness he had cultivated over time, resembling the reactions of victims exposed to overwhelming violence, yet ensuring it aligns with the image he has built up so far.

‘Lee Jaehun… as a survivor of the other world, carries trauma from it.’

He’s fearful of being drawn back into the alternate world, but also accustomed to such terror, so he doesn’t tremble. For him, the current trauma is so familiar that he knows how to endure it.

Recalling the people who died when he was first devoured here, he felt suffocated. Yes, that’s why he exerted so much effort to save others. Given Lee Jaehun’s naturally selfish and unremarkable nature, that level of dedication suited him well.

So, there was no need to be too scared.

“…But I’m still alive.”

After all, it’s not like he’s back at the moment when everything went wrong.

“So, the wounds… they’re nothing serious. Just the result of trying to survive after suddenly being thrown into this strange world and doing whatever it takes.”

“Um…”

“In the end, no one died.”

It wasn’t for constable Kim, but solely for myself.

Despite being battered and bruised, no one ultimately lost their life. No one died in front of me, and I didn’t kill anyone.

In the past, my inexperienced self had to witness scenes of carnage unfold before my eyes, but now, that’s no longer the case.

So, I can afford to push myself a little.

“No one died.”

For the sake of my purpose.

A genuine smile formed on my downturned face for the first time.

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