FLIA 52

At Lee Hyunmook’s words, Yohan’s heart sank. Even though Hyunmook liked to joke around, Yohan knew this wasn’t something he’d joke about. Fearful, he hurried after him.

Practically sprinting back to their shelter, Hyunmook barked orders at Yoon Seungryong and Ju Hoyoung, who were still sprawled on the floor.

“Get up. We need to relocate to another zone. Everyone, pack in five minutes.”

“What?!”

While Yohan shouted in shock, the other two jumped to their feet without a word. Hoyoung dashed off somewhere, and Seungryong ran to the room they used as a food storage. After standing frozen for a moment, Yohan scrambled to pack his own things.

Packing didn’t take long. They had been prepared in case of another Flood, with emergency bags always ready. After being attacked twice since falling into the Abyss, they had learned their lesson. But unlike Yohan, who had grown relaxed during their peaceful months here, the rest of the team, including Hyunmook, showed no sign of panic.

“…Is it the Flood?”

“Let’s hope not. But even if it’s just a risk, it’s safer to move to another area.”

Hyunmook slung a backpack over Yohan’s tense shoulders as he spoke. Clutching the straps tightly, Yohan stepped outside, glancing back at the well-maintained shelter they’d built. He hoped Hyunmook’s instincts were wrong, but in the back of his mind, a familiar unease crept in. After all, he’d had nightmares and felt off since waking up.

“Team Leader!”

Ju Hoyoung, having packed the fastest and checked the escape routes, came running back, his expression grim.

“It’s the Flood!”

At those words, Yohan’s heart clenched again. He looked back at the base they were about to abandon. Hoyoung shoved his game console into Yohan’s bag and spoke quickly.

“The Flood is coming in from every direction. Looks like the Japan zone is completely surrounded.”

“Shit…”

Seungryong, nervously chewing jelly, cursed under his breath. Yohan’s mind went blank. Surrounded? By the Flood? While everyone else grew increasingly anxious, Hyunmook alone remained calm. As Hoyoung gnawed his nails, Hyunmook asked,

“You’re sure it’s surrounded?”

“From what I saw, yeah. It must’ve been closing in this whole time, slowly tightening the net.”

Yohan shuddered. He didn’t want to believe the Flood was actively targeting them, but this was the third time. The first had seemed like coincidence, the second raised suspicion, and now there was no denying it. The Flood was tracking them, intelligently, even–and had finally trapped them.

“Sh-should I try breaking through? I pushed it back last time, remember?”

Yohan recalled when he had driven out the Flood in the jungle sector. Hyunmook shook his head.

“No. It’s too dangerous. Even then, you were completely drained after. And if the Flood is strong enough to surround the entire Japan zone, it’s beyond your power.”

“Then… what do we do now?”

Yohan’s voice was full of despair. If breaking through wasn’t an option, were they just going to die surrounded? Unlike the Ruined City, the Japan zone didn’t even have escape tunnels.

Hyunmook paused briefly, then made a decision.

“There’s one route it hasn’t covered.”

“There is?!”

Yohan lit up with hope. Hyunmook nodded. Seungryong and Hoyoung clicked their tongues as if they already knew what he’d say.

“The Black Mountain.”

Hyunmook’s gaze turned to the towering black ridge in the distance. Though they called it a mountain, it wasn’t truly one. Yohan’s face went pale, he had seen what it really was.

***

Yohan vividly remembered their escape through the Ruined City. When they tried to flee into the Black Mountain canyon, the mountain had moved and closed itself off, sucking monsters into it. Just thinking about it still gave him chills.

“It’s less dangerous than the Flood, but more dangerous than that subway tunnel…”

Even that massive, hypnotic monster they had fought was terrifying, and now they were heading into something even worse. Yohan screamed internally. Tears welled in his eyes, but he fought them back.

As a high-level awakener, he should’ve been able to run as fast as Hyunmook, faster than the other two. But it felt like everyone was matching their pace to his. Hoyoung, sure, but for someone with his rank, it was embarrassing.

To speed them up, Hoyoung ran ahead and created patches of ice for them to glide over. They needed to move quickly before the path to the mountain was cut off. Behind them, the city stirred uneasily, the same ominous tension they’d felt back in the Ruined City.

Even though Yohan was a high-rank now, recalling that time made the tears he’d held back finally fall. He wiped them away quickly, but the others had already noticed.

“Yohan-ah, you were scared and upset, huh?”

“Yohan-hyung, I’ll make another awesome base for you in the next sector.”

“Yeah. Stuff like this happens all the time in the Abyss.”

At least they weren’t scolding him like his older brother would’ve. Even so, Yohan blushed from embarrassment and wiped his eyes again. He asked with a slightly stuffy voice,

“Does the Flood chase people like this often?”

“…No.”

Seungryong’s answer was somber, and Yohan’s spirits sank again. Maybe it was Hoyoung’s visible anxiety, but Yohan was starting to feel it too, gnawing on his lip nervously. As they neared the Black Mountain, Hyunmook called out.

“Yohan.”

It was the only voice that showed no fear or worry.

“About what we were talking about earlier…”

“Earlier?”

Yohan blinked, then remembered, the conversation they were having before the chaos began.

“My negative enhancement is…”

When Yohan heard the rest, he forgot about the Flood for just a moment. His eyes widened, flickering with complex emotions. He glanced at Seung-ryong and Hoyoung, about to say something when–

“It’s the Flood! The Flood!!”

Hoyoung’s panicked scream pierced the air. Maybe the Flood had finally realized they were escaping. It surged in from every direction, tightening the net. Seeing the black, wave-like mass, Yohan’s face turned white.

But even that was mild compared to the others.

“Bleeegh, blegh.”

“Ahaha, HAHAHA! Fuck!!”

Hoyoung started retching, while Seungryong burst into a manic, desperate laughter. Hyunmook alone managed to hold on, but even he wouldn’t last much longer before he snapped.

Yohan drew his weapon and filled it with power. Thankfully, after a full night’s rest, he was fully recharged. Bright light radiated outward, illuminating the area.

“Ugh… uhhnn…”

Shivering as if freezing, Seungryong and Hoyoung instinctively pressed close to Yohan, basking in the light. Hyunmook raised his voice slightly.

“Once we enter the Black Mountain, no matter what happens, don’t stop running!”

“Yes!”

Yohan answered, tense and shaking. Hoyoung dashed ahead first, followed by Seungryong, then Yohan, and lastly Hyunmook.

Hoyoung plunged into the Black Mountain without hesitation. Seung-ryong followed. Yohan, terrified, chased after them, stepping into the mountain, and right behind them, the Flood surged.

The dark, sludge-like mass wriggled up the slope, trying to follow, but Yohan’s face turned pale as he saw it start sliding back down. It kept trying, but couldn’t gain a foothold.

Then he realized: the Black Mountain’s surface was constantly flowing downward, like an escalator.

The mountain wouldn’t let the Flood climb it. Even when the sludge touched its surface, the mountain didn’t mutate or warp. It simply exuded a grim, eerie energy and kept the corruption at bay.

“Huff, huff…”

Panting, Yohan looked around. Aside from the fact that everything was black, it looked almost like a normal mountain with rocks and trees. But somehow, he could feel eyes on him, everywhere.

As he glanced around nervously, Hyunmook spoke from behind in a quiet, serious tone.

“Yohan. Just keep your eyes on Seungryong’s back and run.”

“Y-yes!”

His reply trembled out of his mouth. Remembering how the mountain had swallowed approaching monsters in the Ruined City, his legs trembled with each step. Thankfully, the mountain didn’t try to devour them. It only watched, silent and still.

Crossing the mountain that felt alive yet utterly dead, Yohan recalled what he’d heard about the Black Mountain. It stretched across the entire Abyss, with all its ranges connected. It was the only place in the Abyss untouched by the Flood.

As for why the Flood couldn’t enter?

Not even Hyunmook knew.