Beyond the Eternity

For a brief moment, it felt as though they had been cutting for hours. With their smartphones left back at Night Management, there was no way to tell the exact time or how long they had spent collecting cores.

The Tyrant Ants were troublesome even in death. Their tough exoskeletons made extracting their cores a nightmare.

Too much force risked shattering the core and damaging other valuable parts. Too little, or using a dull blade, meant you couldn't even pierce their hide.

Yoo Jinsung learned this the hard way, his expression crumbling as he stared at yet another broken core in his hands.

Damn. This is much harder than I expected. How does Jung Yunhee make it seem so easy? As I thought, Jung Yunhee-ssi is simply too amazing.

Thinking back, he realized Jung Yunhee had been part of the main party long before him. She'd probably faced monsters far stronger than these, gaining experience he couldn't even imagine.

He, on the other hand, had barely survived alongside other refugees, even with his parents and sister.

Speaking of parents, the image of that scene still lingered inside his head. The image of his mother's unnaturally broken skull.

Jinsung's hands froze momentarily. Then, with a simple shake of his head, he forced the memory aside and moved to the next carcass.

From there, he continued cutting open their bodies and extracting their cores with a knife.

Slice. Crack. Extract.

It was a repeated process of slicing and uprooting. Sometimes, he broke a few and frustration bubbled up. But little by little, he got the hang of it, and the mistakes he made became fewer.

This was also part of gaining independence.

He then finally extracted his last core and stored it in his inventory.

When he turned around, he was startled to see Jung Yunhee already finished, standing silently as if she'd been waiting for him.

His eyes widened. How did she finish so fast? Sure, she started before me, but my pile was smaller. By all logic, I should've been the one to finish first.

Could it be because of her Assassin Attribute?

Even though Jung Yunhee had never exposed her skills and attributes with her own mouth, one could easily tell if they observed her while she engaged in battle. Yu Jinsung also possessed the Assassin Attribute too, so he could identify the movement of one since he possessed the same traits.

Shaking his head and breaking out of his reverie, he asked simply, "When did you finish?"

"Not too long before you," she replied casually.

"Are you sure? It seemed like you finished much earlier than that."

"Oh? What gave that away?"

"Aha, so you did finish early!" Jinsung's eyes lit up with triumph. "There's no way you'd be standing there so nonchalantly if you'd just wrapped up a few minutes ago!"

"Pfff—"

Hearing Yoo Jinsung's serious tone, Jung Yunhee burst into laughter, stunning him. It was the first time he'd ever heard her laugh.

Jung Yunhee seemed to enjoy his baffled expression.

"Why are you so serious? Can't you tell I was just messing with you?"

He frowned. "What the heck? Are you really Jung Yunhee-ssi?"

"Eh? What kind of question is that? Do I look like some kind of sheep? Why are you looking at me like I'm some kind of alien?"

"You're acting weird."

"I'm acting weird? Wow, how rude!" She crossed her arms dramatically. "How can you say that when you barely know me, huh? Maybe you're just some stiff, boring guy, Jinsung~"

Yoo Jinsung looked he had been slapped with a wet handkerchief.

What is this? The ever-calm, detached Jung Yunhee had suddenly transformed into someone… energetic. Playful, even. The sudden shift in behavior and demeanour caught him completely off guard.

His eyes narrowed. What's going on? Is she playing some kind of prank on me? No, that's not like her. If it were anyone, it'd be that brat.

By that brat, he meant Kuro Miyuki. The two of them had a very… unique relationship.

Shaking off thoughts of Miyuki, he refocused on Jung Yunhee. Something was definitely off.

The Jung Yunhee he knew was calm and detached, someone who preferred silence over conversation, keeping to herself rather than mingling with others. But the Jung Yunhee standing before him now seemed energetic, teasing, and unexpectedly outgoing.

Two entirely different stereotypes. It was almost like they were two completely different people.

Wait… Could she be controlled by someone else?

As soon as that thought emerged, something cold crept down Yoo Jinsung's spine.

This world didn't follow the logic of the old one. Even if the chances were slim, it was entirely possible for someone from somewhere far away to initiate mind control, strike through a cursed doll or strike using attacks that followed different set of laws.

Those were simply possibilities within the story. And that terrified Yoo Jinsung needlessly.

He did not know anything about this world or the countless mysteries that it contained, so he was deeply frightened by the thought of mind control. But maybe it was just paranoia.

After all, what did he really know about Jung Yunhee?

At face value, he only knew she was quiet, that was it. Beyond that thin layer of observation, she was a mystery. Apart from Kim Jakga, and Kim Hyunwoo, who was slowly building a rapport with her, no one truly knew anything about the girl known as the "Silent Moon."

In the end, it was just needless fear, but Jinsung still felt uneasy.

Determined to confirm his suspicions, and his sanity, he decided to ask Jung Yunhee a few questions.

"Yunhee-ssi, can I ask you something?"

"Drop the formalities and just call me noona."

"…Yunhee-nim?"

Jung Yunhee let out an exaggerated sigh, pouting. "Geez, you're no fun at all~"

Yu Jinsung ignored her playful tone and pressed on. "Anyway, what do you think about the others?"

"The others like Jongho-nim and Angelica-nim?"

"... Yes?"

"Hmm..." Jung Yunhee placed a finger on her lips and tilted her head thoughtfully. "Let's see… Jongho-ssi is resourceful, Kagura's calm and disciplined like a samurai, Soo Jinyoung-nim is serious like some grumpy old veteran. Angelica's kind but just as fierce when it matters. Miyuki's curious, and Yoo Rin, your sister, is determined."

"I see. That's a simple evaluation… but you forgot two people. What do you think about Jakga-nim?"

Yunhee's playful expression faded for a brief moment. "What about him?"

"Don't you find him odd? He seems to know more things than he shows."

"Well, he's indeed a mysterious individual with his own secrets."

"Then?"

A small smile crept back onto Yunhee's face, playful again but with an edge of sincerity.

"That's exactly why he's interesting. He's not a boring guy. You never know what he'll do next, and he's unpredictable in a way that keeps things… lively. But even with all that, he seems like the kind of person who'd still try to save others, even if he believes it's pointless."

"So he's not suspicious to you?"

"Are you saying you don't trust him?"

"No, no, it's not that. It's just I don't like being kept in the dark."

"That's the natural fear of humans," Yunhee said with a light laugh. "But it's kind of meaningless, isn't it? It only breeds insecurity about the people around you. Don't you keep secrets that you haven't told anyone, like when you touch your d■■k when you're alone in your room. What makes you think others can't keep one or two secrets too? It's just hypocrisy."

"...I understand. You could've picked another example, though."

Jinsung awkwardly scratched his cheek with a wryly smile.

Despite her playful words, Jinsung caught something beneath the surface. Maybe this version of Jung Yunhee, the one who talked and joked, was easier to understand than the quiet, withdrawn side she usually showed. Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire

It was always easier to read people when they expressed themselves, whether through words, actions, or even the smallest gestures.

Finally, he asked, "What about Suhye-nim? What do you think of her?"

"Suhye-nim?" Jung Yunhee's expression looked strange. It was as if she had never heard of that name.

"Suhye-nim! You know, the one who uses guns!"

"Lots of people use guns. You'll have to be more specific."

"You… You…"

"Hehehe. Just kidding."

A mischievous smile formed on Yunhee's lips. Jinsung realized he was being teased and felt his face flush.

Damn it! I don't understand her at all!

But what happened next was even stranger. In an instant, Yunhee's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by her usual stoic, empty expression. It was as if the teasing had never happened. The change was so abrupt that Jinsung wondered if he was slowly losing his mind.

With that cold, detached gaze, Jung Yunhee said flatly, "If I'm being honest, I don't trust that woman at all."

Jinsung was shocked then his brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"She looks like the kind of person who would betray us."

"I don't understand. Has she done anything to warrant such distrust?"

"Not exactly. I don't exactly distrust her."

The green-haired boy tilted his head. "Then?"

"I suppose you could call it intuition. Or instinct."

"You don't trust her based on that? Isn't that unreasonable?"

"People can dislike others for the most absurd, petty reasons. Sometimes it's as simple as a 'bad vibe' or disliking the shoes someone wears."

"I get what you're saying. But at the same time… I don't."

"I see. I suppose it would be difficult for you to understand. So let me put it like this: On the surface, she appears easygoing and outspoken, right? But people like that are the easiest to corrupt when the circumstances are right."

"So you're saying she's weak-willed?"

"You could call it that. That's why I trust Jakga-nim more than her. He's the kind of person who won't break, no matter what situation he's placed in, whether it's emotional manipulation or being backed into a corner. The others are similar in that regard, but I can't say the same for Suhye-nim."

Jinsung raised an eyebrow. "How can you know that much when you don't even talk to people?"

"I don't need to talk to her. You can get a sense of someone's character by simply observing their behaviour and body language, which is why people form a wall to protect themselves from others."

"Hearing you say that makes me feel uneasy."

Jung Yunhee smiled faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"If it makes you feel better, just ignore everything I said. After all, even observation can be meaningless. And I'm someone who thinks conversation is meaningless, so really, please ignore me."

"..."

Yoo Jinsung didn't respond. He just stared and continued to stare at Jung Yunhee's average-looking face, trying to decipher the person hidden behind that unreadable expression.

But he found nothing.

He couldn't see through the person before him.

As I thought, I can't understand her at all.

She's like a puzzle with missing pieces. No matter how hard I try, the picture never comes together.

One moment, she's teasing me like it's all just a game, and the next, she's colder than ice, as if none of it mattered.

Does she even believe the things she says, or is she just playing with me? At this point, I don't know.

Jung Yunhee. She really was a rabbit-like individual.

Just because they had formed a group to survive the apocalypse didn't mean they would understand each other. Everyone had their own ideals, their own beliefs, their own methods of survival. And if those thoughts didn't align?

It would only lead to chaos and disorder.

Maybe that's why I don't trust her… or maybe it's just easier to keep my distance.

Concluding that any further attempt to start a conversation was pointless, he opened his mouth.

"Since we have gathered all the cores, let's go ba—"

Before he could finish his sentence—

KABOOM—!! A tremendous explosion echoed from a great distance, shaking the very ground beneath them.

"...!!"

"...!!"

Both of them turned toward the source of the sound in unison. They saw smoke billowing into the gray sky, with embers of fire drifting in the air.

But what truly concerned them was the origin of that explosion.

"... Is that...?"

Without a word, Jung Yunhee sprang into action, dashing toward the source faster than the eye could follow. Yoo Jinsung, realizing the gravity of the situation, muttered, "Shit," under his breath, and with a surge of urgency, he followed her closely behind.