11: Split in two

"You just can't keep your mouth shut, can you? If you stayed quiet, at least you wouldn't make things worse."

At the immediate retort, Park Dong-gul frowned at the sharp-tongued woman but didn't snap back. Instead, his voice, softer than before, carried a hint of restraint.

"Didn't you hear what this lady just said? She asked us not to fight."

"Maybe you should take a look at your own actions before saying that."

"Well, yeah, you're not wrong. But since we're all here to share our opinions, how about we at least hear each other out?"

Seeing Park Dong-gul acknowledge something so easily, the group let out a collective breath of disbelief. The sharp-tongued woman squinted, as if wondering if he'd eaten something strange.

"I apologize for what happened at the clearing earlier. And if my tone is harsh, don't take it too personally. I've always spoken like this—it doesn't mean I have anything against you guys."

Glancing around briefly, Park Dong-gul gave a slight nod. Though some still eyed him with suspicion, the tension had eased somewhat. He stepped toward the center of the group and, after gauging their reactions, got straight to the point.

"I agree with part of what the banker lady said. Yeah, arguing right now isn't going to help. We should set aside personal grudges and figure out a way to survive those monsters. How about it?"

"…Then let's hear your plan."

"Like I said, I agree with some of it, but I have my own opinions. To put it bluntly, I want everyone here to recognize their own situation."

"And what exactly do you disagree with?"

Lee Bo-rim asked with a slight grumble, prompting Park Dong-gul to curl his lips into a shadowy grin.

"Trying to find a way to survive makes sense. But working together? That's a joke. Given our current situation—our current mindset—it's nothing more than nonsense."

"Oh, so that's what this is about. Then leave. Go on, run off by yourself and see how long you last."

The sharp-tongued woman scoffed at him, but Park Dong-gul remained unfazed. Instead, he nodded as if he found her suggestion reasonable.

"I did consider that, actually."

"Then go."

"Just hear me out first. Listen to everything, okay? At least hear me out before you start barking."

At Ahn Hyun's pointed glance, the sharp-tongued woman huffed but held her tongue. Park Dong-gul, now the center of attention, continued leisurely.

"I'm not the smartest guy. I'm rough around the edges. But one thing I don't do is lie. I'm simple like that. Back at the clearing, when we were running for our lives, I realized something. And after thinking about it, the word 'cooperation' just doesn't sit right with me anymore."

As he spoke, the group recalled the earlier chaos. Some shivered at the memory. Seizing the moment, Park Dong-gul swallowed and continued.

"To be honest? I wasn't just anxious—I was scared out of my mind. Embarrassing to admit, but I almost pissed myself. Think about it. We've only ever seen things like that in movies or on TV. And suddenly, they're real, right in front of us. What do you expect? If that guy over there hadn't reacted fast, most of us would be monster chow by now. So I thought hard about this. I'm not boasting, and I'm not trying to threaten anyone. Just listen. I have experience with weapons. I've killed before—animals, people. And I can do it again without hesitation. Why? Because I don't want to die. Sure, I panicked back at the clearing, but I want to live. So if that kind of situation happens again, I'll swing my weapon to survive."

His words were long-winded, and they weren't done yet. But despite their skepticism, people started paying attention. I clicked my tongue internally, having already guessed where he was going with this, but decided to let it play out.

Park Dong-gul now began pointing at individuals, pulling them into the conversation.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but that pretty-boy thug over there looks like he's trained. He's armed, and he's taken out monsters already. And you—if your actions match your big mouth, you might be useful. The guy with the crossbow? No need to even mention him. These four? They can actually work together. That's what I call cooperation, right?"

Ahn Sol, Lee Shin-woo, and Lee Bo-rim's faces darkened. He was indirectly saying they were useless. Lee Bo-rim, her voice trembling, finally spoke up.

"So… you're saying you won't cooperate with those who aren't useful?"

"Whoa, calm down. I'm not done yet."

"…Then what?"

"Can you fight like those guys? Could you stab a monster with a knife or smash its head in with a rock? From what I saw, the kid clinging to that guy just screamed the whole time. At least that lady over there kept quiet and didn't get in the way. If you were at that level, I wouldn't even be saying this."

The woman he pointed at was the same one who had asked me why I'd left earlier. She still wore a cold, composed expression.

Time passed in silence before Lee Bo-rim, her voice significantly more subdued than before, spoke again.

"So… your conclusion is to abandon those who aren't useful?"

I thought about Park Dong-gul's words. His intentions were clear, but his argument was surprisingly logical. At first, I thought he was just another idiot with more muscle than brains, but he had assessed the situation with surprising accuracy and formed a coherent argument—regardless of his true motives.

Seeing Lee Bo-rim deflate, Park Dong-gul grinned and spoke with renewed confidence.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. I never said that. No need to get all sensitive. The world runs on give-and-take. Cooperation means you contribute something, too. If we blindly stick together and head outside, what's going to happen? The pretty boy will be too busy protecting his girl, the kid will freeze up again and be dead weight, and I'll be forced to babysit. I don't want that. My life comes first. Don't you all agree?"

The sharp-tongued woman fidgeted, seemingly out of arguments. The female banker's face had turned noticeably red, her clenched fists trembling. But seeing their reactions only seemed to embolden Park Dong-gul. Sensing his moment, he pressed forward.

"My life is my priority, and I bet that's the same for everyone here. So let's be honest. Some people here just can't cooperate. They're relying blindly on others. Right, kid?"

Ahn Sol, caught in the spotlight, flinched and looked to Ahn Hyun for help. She opened her mouth but couldn't form words, eventually bowing her head.

Park Dong-gul exaggerated a shrug.

"Even he knew it. That's why he told the kid to walk on her own earlier. If she'd gone with the crossbow guy when he suggested it, she wouldn't have had such a rough time. Hm? Why so quiet? Did I say something wrong?"

Not exactly. His evaluation was blunt, but it wasn't entirely wrong. The problem was, he was throwing brutal reality straight at the most vulnerable people.

"If you think I'm wrong, prove it. Go down the hill right now and kill one or two of those monsters. Bring them back to me. Then I'll shut up."

"..."

Having said his piece, Park Dong-gul casually returned to his spot.

I looked around to gauge the others' reactions.

Ahn Hyun had his eyes closed in deep thought, while Ahn Sol trembled slightly beside him. But the most miserable ones were Lee Bo-rim and Lee Shin-woo. It was obvious they were the main targets of Park Dong-gul's speech. Their jaws were clenched tight with visible anxiety.

Silence lingered until Ahn Hyun finally spoke.

"I see your point."

He rarely spoke up, but now, glancing at his sister, he continued in a clear voice.

"But Sol isn't my girlfriend—she's my little sister. And I have no intention of leaving her behind."

"O-Oppa…"

Ahn Sol, moved, threw her arms around him. Park Dong-gul blinked in surprise before shrugging.

"Didn't know that. Well, it doesn't change anything. Who can guarantee that we won't have another incident like before?"

This was getting interesting. He couldn't target Ahn Hyun directly, so he shifted to Sol, hoping to pressure him that way. Instead of simply leaving, he was shaking things up on purpose.

The hilltop fell deathly silent.

"Look, don't take it too personally. I talked a lot, but we can't stay in this indecisive mess forever. Seems like a lot of you don't like me anyway."

"…So? What do you really want?"

The sharp-tongued woman, less aggressive than before, asked.

Park Dong-gul grinned.

"I want to form a real team."