Theatrical Regression Life

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Lee Jaehun, who received unexpected gratitude, frowned as he looked at Jung Inho.

“What’s there to be thankful for?”

“Oh… well, just thankful.”

“What do you mean….”

Lee Jaehun, who was about to retort without getting tired, managed to close his mouth barely.

Already exhausted to the point of death, he couldn’t figure out what prompted the reaction of ‘I’ll pretend not to know because it’s embarrassing’ clearly visible on that disgusting face.

‘So what does he really want?’

His eyes narrowed involuntarily.

Could it be that I just gave him praise or comfort, but because of my notoriously blunt personality, it sounded like I didn’t express it honestly? Me, who’s over forty?

‘This crazy guy?’

If that were really the case, he felt he had enough intention to smack that round head right away, even if it meant breaking a leg, but unfortunately, Ha Sungyoon, a natural-born doctor, was busy treating someone, so he couldn’t dare to do that. Anyway, to Lee Jaehun, a conservative, Jung Inho was still a disgustingly annoying guy.

With a weary gaze, he glanced at the protagonist, at least trying to think positively.

‘Well… it’s still… fortunate that he seems to have regained his senses.’

After all the suffering endured until dawn, he couldn’t help but wonder if there could be anything more unfair than if the chicks didn’t regain their senses despite all this effort.

Luckily, for some reason he couldn’t quite pinpoint, Jung Inho’s current state wasn’t that bad, despite the fact that just a moment ago he was on the verge of killing someone. Although he didn’t know where he got the energy from, he seemed to be putting up a decent fight.

Of course, it was a phenomenon that Lee Jaehun found difficult to understand.

‘I mean, it was so bad that he almost committed suicide and regressed back to square one.’

Perhaps Lee Jaehun’s conservative behavior had an unexpected effect.

Indeed, bringing in the reality from the outer world seemed surprisingly beneficial for mental health. Just like when he scolded the protagonist for no reason before leaving the office, this lecture from Lee Jaehun might have helped stabilize the protagonist’s mind.

Moreover, it wasn’t just the protagonist who was receiving such positive influence. Lee Jaehun felt a strange satisfaction watching the party regain stability with each conservative remark he made.

‘Isn’t this… Stockholm syndrome?’

That weird phenomenon where the victim sympathizes with or defends the perpetrator, that kind of absurd thing.

It seemed somewhat similar. For this syndrome to occur, the perpetrator must have committed acts of violence beyond a certain degree, and sometimes they have to act politely to win the victim’s favor. Considering his conservative behavior that barely crossed the line and the relentless sacrifices made so far, it was quite a plausible thought.

But when the entire party’s mood was like this, even Lee Jaehun, who would usually mock them with remarks like ‘Are you crazy? What did you do right?’ couldn’t open his mouth.

‘Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m the weird one or if they are…’

While hiding his anxious feelings, Lee Jaehun looked at the flower shop owner, and when his gaze met Yoon Garam’s, it was truly reassuring.

‘I wasn’t the weird one after all.’

And he still didn’t understand why they were acting like that.

‘It’s a bit strange to call it Stockholm syndrome altogether. What’s wrong with these chicks?’

In the first place, sympathizing with or defending the perpetrator doesn’t bring stability. Ultimately, he couldn’t understand where they found stability in Lee Jaehun’s words and actions.

Lee Jaehun swallowed his strange frustration as he looked at the healing leg.

“….”

“It’s really serious.”

The doctor’s words, quite straightforward for someone who should be giving hope to the patient, made Lee Jaehun raise an eyebrow.

“Is it okay to say that to the patient?”

“Usually not… Human resilience can be astonishing sometimes, and there are patients who recover in an instant with just a little hope. So, if it’s not necessary, we try to refrain from saying hurtful things.”

“You’re quite straightforward.”

“Even if I tell a white lie, it won’t work on you. I know it won’t work, but I don’t want to exert unnecessary effort.”

Wiping away the clotted blood, clearing out any foreign substances. Finding a good spot for compression to stop the bleeding. Even though the bleeding doesn’t stop completely, they eventually compress it with bandages.

Still, the doctor’s hands occasionally trembled as if searching for insufficient tools.

“There’s no medication for hemostasis, no herbs, and the bandages aren’t suitable for hemostasis either…”

“….”

“There’s nothing here.”

With a sigh, the doctor tightly wrapped the bandage around, his eyes showing a hint of frustration.

“It would be better if we could perform proper surgery at the hospital.”

It was a clear sense of regret.

Feeling a pang of emotion he tried to hide, Lee Jaehun sensed that his leg might not heal properly in the future, but without feeling any particular excitement, he simply spoke in a neutral tone.

“It’s tough right now.”

“…I know.”

It’s not like in the real world where you can go to the hospital and receive immediate treatment.

In the novel, the protagonist’s group didn’t delay going to the hospital for no reason. After causing a commotion and gaining experience, they went to the park before the hospital episode unfolded. Similarly, the current situation made it difficult for them to seek medical attention.

Lee Jaehun looked at his numb leg and spoke.

“Who knows what kind of monsters are lurking there.”

Firstly, hospitals are places where monsters come and go.

The otherworld reflects human consciousness. Compared to the park, which is a mix of human intentions and the irregularities of nature, buildings created by humans and governed by their rules have their own rules of the otherworld. In simple terms, it could be likened to a game.

For example, in the prologue-like company, the building was transformed into a maze. There were blocked corridors, and corridors where monsters tempted you. Avoiding the tricks of these spider-like monsters to escape the company was the rule.

‘But that’s just the prologue.’

The company, which had recently become an otherworld, could also be seen as an escape from a room with a very easy difficulty level. To put it more plainly, it was the weakest.

In the same context, imagining a hospital is terrifying.

‘First of all, from the concept of a hospital itself overflowing with consciousness… and thanks to that, monsters come and go.’

Moreover, since it’s a building made by humans, with clear rules and where human lives and suffering are at stake, it’s more systematic than other buildings.

‘It’s like going to find some medicine and ending up turning into Frankenstein.’

Above all, that’s not the only problem.

“…If it’s a hospital, is it the big one on the main road?”

“If it’s this serious, surgery is necessary. The facilities are there… and that’s the closest hospital.”

“But it seems a bit difficult to walk there.”

Inspecting Lee Jaehun’s leg with his dark eyes, Jung Inho spoke.

“Considering the Director’s condition… and I remember the park not being very close either. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, that’s the problem.”

Although the distance from the park to the hospital wasn’t that far, it wasn’t feasible for an emergency patient who needed leg surgery to walk there. What could a patient who couldn’t even sit up immediately do?

Perhaps Doctor Ha Sungyoon shared the same thought as Lee Jaehun, as he fiddled with his earpiece before speaking up.

“…Can we visit a pharmacy? It might be difficult for a hospital, but a pharmacy nearby… There should be one around here. I saw one near the flower shop.”

It seemed he was determined to somehow fix Lee Jaehun’s leg.

“If left like this, you could end up with a permanent limp.”

Lee Jaehun scrutinized his leg with a dry gaze.

The leg, with flesh torn here and there, had been neatly cleaned up by the skilled doctor’s hands, but that didn’t mean he received proper treatment in such dire circumstances. If he had been on the operating table, he would have been treated more effectively, but that wasn’t feasible.

It would be fortunate if Lee Jaehun’s mental strength could kick in and he could recover, but after thrashing around for quite some time, he was already exhausted. It was uncertain how much better he could get in this situation.

‘It seems like he’s aware of that.’

Nevertheless, despite everything, there was a determination to somehow take care of his hand.

“Just having a broad-spectrum antibiotic could prevent infection quite effectively…”

“Well…”

Lee Jaehun suddenly felt a sense of amusement.

“Who’s going to give it to me?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I mean, we don’t even know how I’m going to die yet.”

The doctor looked at him as if he found himself utterly bewildered. After all, it was quite a bizarre thing to say, even for someone as mentally unstable as him; it was a reaction that would be hard to expect from anyone else unless they were psychotic.

With a hazy sense of amusement taking over his throat and tongue, he spoke up.

“Offering up a healthy life for someone who doesn’t seem like they’re going to die anytime soon.”

“….”

“Isn’t that a bit too cruel, Doctor?”

He’s truly innocent.

Even in a world like the otherworld that clouds people’s judgment, did he genuinely believe that was possible? Seeking out a precious medicine in this grotesque and terrifying world for the sake of a third party.

Feeling as if he were observing a rookie who hadn’t quite rolled all the way down in a previous life, Lee Jaehun shrugged his shoulders. While such reactions might be reasonable for them, it seemed rather amusing to Lee Jaehun, who remembered his past life.

As with most survival situations, there was much to be done in the beginning, and Lee Jaehun was the only one to lead this group of inexperienced newcomers. It wasn’t an easy situation, considering he also had to handle each team member’s mental state one by one.

‘With so much to do right now, going to the pharmacy seems like a waste of time.’

They’re like ignorant fools who don’t understand efficiency at all.

He didn’t want to give these chirping chicks a daunting mission akin to fetching medicine from hell, unless the current group were not chicks but experienced players. It’s like telling a level 1 player who just started the game to go to a level 90 dungeon.

He scanned the group with his characteristic grimace.

“It’s not necessary.”

“Sir.”

“Do you think going to the pharmacy will solve anything? Maybe if you’re lucky. But will there be medical supplies or tools available? And even if there are, will they be in good condition in this grotesque world?”

“But Sir, your leg…”

“It’s my leg. I’m not dead yet, and I probably won’t die.”

The expression disappeared from the doctor’s face, and Deputy Jung’s forehead furrowed. Although this clearly conveyed dissatisfaction, from Lee Jaehun’s perspective, it was merely a spoiled tantrum.

He let out a bitter laugh.

“Well, since it’s come to this, you all might as well take care of yourselves.”

“…Director, the pharmacy isn’t that far away.”

The protagonist retorted in a stiff voice, showing a hint of wounded pride, although it wasn’t clear what exactly he was unhappy about.

Seeing this, a sense of amusement rose within him once again.

“If I take a few people with me, we can go quickly…”

“It’s not necessary.”

“…”

“…I’m the one talking here, Deputy Jung.”

Stubbornly refusing to listen even though I’m exhausted, that grotesque guy.

He tilted his head slightly.

“Think about it. Huh? Can’t understand? Deputy Jung, you’re good at this kind of thing.”

“What are you talking about?”

“What do you mean? It’s a miracle that I’m the only injured one in the group right now, you know? I unexpectedly got this chance, why would I go anywhere? If I go, will I come back with all my limbs intact? Will everyone come back together?”

“But…”

“Do you have the confidence to ensure that nobody dies?”

“…”

At those words, the protagonist fell silent.

“Well, if you have a conscience, there’s no way you can answer that.”

Lee Jaehun nodded satisfactorily.

Although it wasn’t clear what exactly the situation was, Jung Inho had experienced the death of a colleague before regression.

Kang Mina, Noh Yeonseok, and Lee Jaehun. After that, who else might have died, he wasn’t sure, but having left at least three dead, how could anyone answer that question?

“So…”

Lee Jaehun scanned the group.

Among them were those who expressed the will to go to the pharmacy, and those who deliberately avoided eye contact, showing their reluctance. Lee Jaehun didn’t want to break this peculiar silence.

“Let’s try to think rationally.”

Now was the right time.

Wearing superficial masks and not sharing their true feelings, that’s what this situation was about, so at least minimally, we could appear human. There was no reason to create unnecessary conflicts with unnecessary conversations that could disrupt the team.

Fighting off the gnawing sleepiness, Lee Jaehun slowly blinked his eyes.

“Let’s think efficiently. I’m the only one injured, and it’s not like I’m on the verge of death…”

“…”

“We don’t need anyone else to suffer unnecessarily.”

Inefficiency was simply pointless loss.

The optimal scenario was originally either replacing one person or everyone sharing the burden equally. However, in this case, since Lee Jaehun, who was the most capable, had to be divided, the best option was already for him to be divided once again.

Of course, it would be a bit tough, but there was no immediate alternative.

‘It’s a kind of investment.’

In gaming terms, it was like a veteran player giving a ride to newbies on a bus. Since these inexperienced chicks were the future, they couldn’t be ignored. It was wiser to show kindness in advance.

Lee Jaehun clenched his newly treated hand, as if releasing a sigh, and spoke.

“…I think I need some sleep.”

“…Maybe that’s for the best.”

“Just in case, it might be good to keep the fire going…”

He muttered, rolling his eyes.

Even though it was still morning, it was wise to keep the fire burning, not just for visibility but also because it was early March and the weather could still be chilly, lowering body temperature.

And later, if they managed to catch fish or small animals, they would need to cook them…

‘Oh, food.’

They would need to gather it when it got light… And water too…

Lee Jaehun blinked his eyes slowly, as if covering his mouth.

Surviving in this alternate world required material goods, but taking care of one’s mental state was even more critical. The idea that a well-mannered person might one day snap and go on a shooting spree was no joke in this world.

Regardless, there were tasks that needed my attention. We had to get our heads back in the game, share what happened while we were separated, and most importantly, take some time to reorient myself.

“I should also tidy up the breadcrumbs left for that strange protagonist…”

He thought.

He should do that.

“….”

Lee Jaehun muttered softly.

“…I don’t know.”

He was just tired.

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As Director Lee Jaehun fell into a faint-like sleep, a heavy silence enveloped the surroundings.

There were no sounds of life echoing through the numerous trees, only the sway of trees in the wind, which failed to fill the silence, leaving them feeling numb.

Looking at Director Lee Jaehun , who breathed as if he were dead, Kwon Yeonhee blinked.

“…You don’t seem to have any expectations.”

Her soft voice echoed through the cave.

“You didn’t expect anything at all.”

“…”

“You didn’t come because we needed you, you were really worried…”

She muttered again.

“You were just worried.”

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