Theatrical Regression Life-Chapter 39

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

Whats 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 couldnt figure out what prompted the reaction of Ill pretend not to know because its 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 didnt express it honestly? Me, whos over forty?

This crazy guy? 𝘧𝓇𝘦𝘦𝔀ℯ𝘣𝓃𝓸𝓿ℯ𝘭.𝑐𝓸𝓂

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 couldnt 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 its still fortunate that he seems to have regained his senses.

After all the suffering endured until dawn, he couldnt help but wonder if there could be anything more unfair than if the chicks didnt regain their senses despite all this effort.

Luckily, for some reason he couldnt quite pinpoint, Jung Inhos current state wasnt that bad, despite the fact that just a moment ago he was on the verge of killing someone. Although he didnt 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 Jaehuns 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 protagonists mind.

Moreover, it wasnt 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.

Isnt 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 victims 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 partys mood was like this, even Lee Jaehun, who would usually mock them with remarks like Are you crazy? What did you do right? couldnt open his mouth.

Honestly, Im not sure if Im 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 Garams, it was truly reassuring.

I wasnt the weird one after all.

And he still didnt understand why they were acting like that.

Its a bit strange to call it Stockholm syndrome altogether. Whats wrong with these chicks?

In the first place, sympathizing with or defending the perpetrator doesnt bring stability. Ultimately, he couldnt understand where they found stability in Lee Jaehuns words and actions.

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

.

Its really serious.

The doctors 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 its not necessary, we try to refrain from saying hurtful things.

Youre quite straightforward.

Even if I tell a white lie, it wont work on you. I know it wont work, but I dont 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 doesnt stop completely, they eventually compress it with bandages.

Still, the doctors hands occasionally trembled as if searching for insufficient tools.

Theres no medication for hemostasis, no herbs, and the bandages arent suitable for hemostasis either

.

Theres 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.

Its tough right now.

I know.

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

In the novel, the protagonists group didnt 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 thats 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 its a building made by humans, with clear rules and where human lives and suffering are at stake, its more systematic than other buildings.

Its like going to find some medicine and ending up turning into Frankenstein.

Above all, thats not the only problem.

If its a hospital, is it the big one on the main road?

If its this serious, surgery is necessary. The facilities are there and thats the closest hospital.

But it seems a bit difficult to walk there.

Inspecting Lee Jaehuns leg with his dark eyes, Jung Inho spoke.

Considering the Directors condition and I remember the park not being very close either. Isnt that right?

Yes, thats the problem.

Although the distance from the park to the hospital wasnt that far, it wasnt feasible for an emergency patient who needed leg surgery to walk there. What could a patient who couldnt 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 Jaehuns 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 doctors hands, but that didnt 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 wasnt feasible.

It would be fortunate if Lee Jaehuns 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 hes 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.

Whos going to give it to me?

Excuse me?

I mean, we dont even know how Im 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 doesnt seem like theyre going to die anytime soon.

.

Isnt that a bit too cruel, Doctor?

Hes truly innocent.

Even in a world like the otherworld that clouds peoples 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 hadnt 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 wasnt an easy situation, considering he also had to handle each team members mental state one by one.

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

Theyre like ignorant fools who dont understand efficiency at all.

He didnt 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. Its 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.

Its not necessary.

Sir.

Do you think going to the pharmacy will solve anything? Maybe if youre 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

Its my leg. Im not dead yet, and I probably wont die.

The expression disappeared from the doctors face, and Deputy Jungs forehead furrowed. Although this clearly conveyed dissatisfaction, from Lee Jaehuns perspective, it was merely a spoiled tantrum.

He let out a bitter laugh.

Well, since its come to this, you all might as well take care of yourselves.

Director, the pharmacy isnt that far away.

The protagonist retorted in a stiff voice, showing a hint of wounded pride, although it wasnt 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

Its not necessary.

Im the one talking here, Deputy Jung.

Stubbornly refusing to listen even though Im exhausted, that grotesque guy.

He tilted his head slightly.

Think about it. Huh? Cant understand? Deputy Jung, youre good at this kind of thing.

What are you talking about?

What do you mean? Its a miracle that Im 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, theres no way you can answer that.

Lee Jaehun nodded satisfactorily.

Although it wasnt 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 wasnt 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 didnt want to break this peculiar silence.

Lets try to think rationally.

Now was the right time.

Wearing superficial masks and not sharing their true feelings, thats 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.

Lets think efficiently. Im the only one injured, and its not like Im on the verge of death

We dont 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.

Its 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 couldnt 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 thats 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 ones 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 dont 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 dont seem to have any expectations.

Her soft voice echoed through the cave.

You didnt expect anything at all.

You didnt come because we needed you, you were really worried

She muttered again.

You were just worried.

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