Chapter 35: Method
People are truly fickle creatures. Just a week of rest is enough to make you slack off.
And I was paying the price for that in full.
"I should have just run away."
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
I answered Yu Daon, who was adjusting her clothes.
This must never happen again.
"I'm ready."
I was mentally whipping myself back into shape when Yu Daon's voice brought me back to reality.
Yu Daon nodded and finished straightening her own clothes.
There wasn't much of a plan yet, so we both agreed to be as careful as possible.
"We don't know what's outside the door. We can't even tell if this is an anomalous phenomenon or not."
"Don't worry."
Yu Daon grabbed the doorknob and smiled brightly.
"I'm not going to die, right?"
That's precisely the problem.
After Song A-rin—or whatever was disguised as her—left, the conclusion Yu Daon and I reached was that we needed someone who could project physical firepower.
If, by any chance, the lodge owner and everyone nearby had lost their minds, someone would have to subdue them.
"She said her room is two doors past Chae-yeon's room, based on Chae-yeon's room as the reference. So we dash to the second room on the left as soon as we go out."
"If the door is locked, we just break it down, right?"
"If necessary."
Yu Daon nodded again and looked at me.
"Tell me when you're ready. I'll open the door."
"I'm ready."
The moment I finished speaking, Yu Daon grabbed the doorknob, opened the door, and shot off like an arrow toward where Jang Chae-yeon's room was.
Has she been secretly working out? She's really fast.
Clicking my tongue inwardly, I followed behind her.
-BANG!
A sound of something breaking accompanied Yu Daon kicking the door open with her foot. Immediately, Jang Chae-yeon rushed out and scanned the surroundings.
"Enemies?"
"None yet."
"Song A-rin knocked on the door earlier; that was strange."
"She knocked on your door too? How did you know it was someone else?"
"She called my name in a familiar way."
It was a very personal method of identification.
"What's the plan? Sweep the area?"
"Is that possible?"
"Assuming the opponents are all ordinary people, it's not difficult."
Jang Chae-yeon raised her hand while looking around.
"I could even bring the whole building down."
"We haven't seen the Team Leader or Song A-rin, so let's hold off for now."
What if those two get caught up in it?
Jang Chae-yeon lowered her hand with a regretful expression and looked at me.
"You must have made a plan."
"Did you entrust the planning to me?"
"No. But you made one, right?"
"I did."
At some point, it feels like I've become the plan drafter and leader whenever trouble breaks out.
"We're short on time, so I'll explain briefly."
Yu Daon and Jang Chae-yeon surrounded me and nodded.
"First, we don't go outside. Be very careful about looking outside."
I recalled the lodge owner's words.
_'And the view of the forest at night is a masterpiece!'_
"And from now on, don't trust anyone except the three of us. If you see Song A-rin or the Team Leader, be suspicious first."
I thought back to what happened earlier.
When Yu Daon, Jang Chae-yeon, and I used the stairs, there was noise.
In contrast, when the Team Leader and Song A-rin walked, there was no sound.
I don't know if they were different people from the start or if they were assimilated or brainwashed by something.
It doesn't hurt to be careful.
"Be especially careful of Song A-rin."
If it's something imitating Song A-rin, there's no need to worry, but if Song A-rin is truly brainwashed, that's a different story.
A brainwashed brainwashing specialist. If things go wrong and even Yu Daon and Jang Chae-yeon get turned, I have no way to hold out.
"Mental attacks are tough, though."
"If I blow my own head up, could I break free from the brainwashing?"
Jang Chae-yeon nodded as if she understood, while Yu Daon began contemplating her own bizarre solution.
"Alright, I get it. So what's the plan now?"
"We need to find the cause first. We have too little information right now."
Even if we have circumstantial or physical evidence, we lack a clear background for why this incident is happening in the first place.
Isn't there a way to get more solid information?
"Wouldn't it be nice if someone just dropped some information for us and left at a time like this...?"
"That's it."
"Huh?"
Hearing Yu Daon mutter as if frustrated, an idea seemed to dawn on me.
"Let's go ask directly."
"Are you having weird ideas again? Like with the Cube?"
Yu Daon made a face like she was disgusted.
But what can I do? It's always Yu Daon who gives me good ideas.
"Chae-yeon, do you know where Song A-rin or the Team Leader's room is?"
"...No. I don't remember."
Jang Chae-yeon shook her head slowly.
"Then making them come to us is—"
"Who, me?"
Song A-rin's voice came from behind. I quickly turned around to look.
Song A-rin was looking at the three of us with a bright smile.
"Were you looking for me? Why?"
I scanned above Song A-rin's head.
[Name: Song A-rin]
[Age: 21]
[Specialty: Hypnosis]
[Talent: - ]
[Background: After experiencing twists and turns she herself can't understand, she entered the HR team through parachute appointment. Moreover, she's having a rough time right after arriving at the workshop.]
[Weakness: To break brainwashing, stronger brainwashing is needed.]
My temples began to throb.
If I'm feeling like this, the two behind me must already be under hypnosis.
I quickly rolled on the floor, and sure enough, Yu Daon's fist grazed where my head had been, and soon the lodge wall was severely dented.
While lying prone, I rolled sideways and desperately began to rack my brains.
'To break brainwashing, stronger brainwashing.'
How am I supposed to brainwash? Do I have brainwashing ability...
...I do?
A semi-transparent window automatically appeared before my eyes.
[Method - You can perfectly assimilate with someone and imitate their characteristics. Your appearance does not change.]
[Method - 1]
Perfectly assimilating with someone.
If I imitate that person, wouldn't that break the brainwashing?
No time to ponder.
I sprang up from my spot and shouted 'Method' in my heart.
Something else began to appear in my vision.
A thick, purple thread-like thing was sticking out from above Song A-rin's head.
When I turned my eyes to the left, the thread leaned left; when I turned right, it leaned right.
I knew instinctively.
If I connect this thread to someone, the Method will link with that person.
Then, if I connect it to myself—
...How do I connect it to myself?
Obviously, I can't see myself with my own two eyes without a mirror.
Frantically, I looked down at my own chest, but as if rejecting me, the thread merely bounced off my chest.
An unexpected problem.
No time to think about it. I rolled on the floor again and directed my gaze toward the other two.
No choice. I have to stick it into one of them.
As I desperately wished, 'Just stick into anyone!', the thread shot forward.
"Whoa."
"Ugh!"
The thread pierced Jang Chae-yeon's head and melted away, disappearing from my sight.
She shivered as if feeling a chill, while conversely, Song A-rin froze in place, her eyes wide open.
"...Ugh...!"
Had she woken up? Yu Daon grabbed her own head and let out a groan.
"I was trying to kill myself, but my body wouldn't listen."
"At least you tried, so that's something."
"...Why are those two like that?"
"That's what we're about to find out."
Yu Daon tilted her head while looking at the two frozen figures, and I could only give an ambiguous answer.
Jang Chae-yeon was the first to regain her senses.
"...It feels like someone put an ice cube in my head."
Frowning deeply, Jang Chae-yeon shook her head.
"Are you alright?"
"Sorry. I'm just not used to mental attacks."
"...You."
While checking on Jang Chae-yeon's condition, the waiting Song A-rin started up again, and Jang Chae-yeon and Yu Daon tensed up and stared at her.
"...Hey, were you always that handsome?"
"...Are you crazy?"
The first thing Song A-rin said after regaining consciousness was nonsense, pointing at me.
"No, wait. What did you just do to my head?"
"What did I do?"
"Tell me. No, don't tell me."
Song A-rin covered her face with one hand and bowed her head deeply.
Her earlobes were bright red.
"I don't know what you did, but I can't control my emotions right now? I'm really thankful you woke me up, but someone else ask the questions."
"She's right."
I motioned with my chin toward Song A-rin, and Yu Daon began asking questions with a bemused expression.
Soon, Song A-rin, who had regained her composure, slowly began to answer the questions. She had her back turned to me, though.
"First, someone knocked on my door. When I opened it, it was a very unsettling person."
"A person with a long neck and hair covering their face?"
"Right. And please, you don't talk. I'm asking you not to."
Song A-rin placed her hand on her chest and took several deep breaths.
"Anyway, that person waited at the door until I came out. They said something to me and held something out... Next thing I knew, I was like this."
"What did they hold out?"
"Please... don't talk..."
Song A-rin flinched as she answered, and across from her, Jang Chae-yeon's expression grew increasingly cold.
Seeing her like that makes me want to see her face just once.
"...Sigh. If my memory is correct, it was something like a statue."
A statue.
"Chae-yeon, the Mountain Spirit incident is over, right?"
"According to the records, the incident is closed."
Then why do I feel so uneasy?
At least we have a target.
"Let's catch that woman."
"..."
"You're not planning to go alone, are you, Song A-rin?"
"...I'll go."
Song A-rin took something out from inside her clothes and held it out. She was still facing away.
"What's this?"
"Your gun. You left it behind."
"Why did you bring this, Song A-rin?"
"Just in case."
Seeing her holding out the gun with her back turned made me feel mischievous for no reason.
"Thank you."
I walked over with a steady tread, took the gun from Song A-rin's hand, then grabbed her shoulders and made eye contact.
"!"
Song A-rin's face turned bright red. Without saying a word, she stumbled backward, thud into the wall, hit her head, grabbed it herself, and crouched down.
"Grrrr..."
"...Don't forget the situation is serious."
Jang Chae-yeon said in a flat voice and started walking ahead with big strides.
This is fun.
I watched Song A-rin, who was holding the back of her head and trembling, then stood up straight and put the gun inside my clothes.
We've found the initial target. If we catch her and do something, we'll get an answer.
I looked toward the wall Jang Chae-yeon had broken earlier.
First, we find that woman. And get as much information as possible about this situation.
The sky was cloudless, but unsettlingly, not a single ray of moonlight shone from beyond the wall.