FLIA 70

After pretending to doze for a while and enjoying the comfort of Lee Hyunmook’s firm chest, Yohan slowly stirred and turned his head. While he’d been asleep, things had either settled down or been resolved somehow, because Seo Yakrin and Yoon Seungryong were now sitting apart with Ju Hoyoung between them. Ju Hoyoung looked a bit uncomfortable, glancing between the two as he played a game.

Seo Yakrin sat leaning against a clump of reeds, silently staring at a bird perched on her hand. Her expression was cold and unreadable. Earlier, she’d probably just been purified, like Ju Hoyoung, and had seemed a bit giddy with relief. Noticing Yohan’s gaze, Seo Yakrin gave a faint smile. Yohan responded with an awkward smile, and just then, Lee Hyunmook asked,

“Yohan-ah, do you want something to eat?”

“Oh, yeah… I guess I’m pretty hungry.”

As always after using his ability to the limit, he was starving. Yohan started to wriggle out of the warm embrace when Lee Hyunmook pressed a light kiss to his forehead. Yohan’s eyes widened. Instinctively, he glanced toward Seo Yakrin, who looked back in disbelief, as if questioning what she’d just seen.

“Seungryong-ah, Yohan’s hungry.”

“Huh? Really? Then we’d better eat. I’m getting hungry too.”

Whether Yohan was frozen or not, Lee Hyunmook didn’t seem to care at all. Yohan also avoided Seo Yakrin’s gaze, pretending nothing had happened.

They’d gotten through another crisis, and with a teammate back, Yoon Seungryong started preparing a hearty meal. No one knew when he’d caught the wild boar he brought out, but he roasted it whole over reeds as firewood. The meat spun over the flames, dripping fat and giving off an incredible aroma.

“What is this? Seriously, what is this?!”

Seo Yakrin, as if entranced, approached involuntarily. Letting out a smug snort, Yoon Seungryong dramatically pulled out his treasured canned kimchi and ssamjang. Seo Yakrin’s eyes went even wider.

“Am I dreaming right now?”

Then came soft, peppered roasted bird, fresh greens that somehow thrived even in this dry savanna, garlic, fruit, and sweet preserves. Seo Yakrin stared in a daze. Despite his feelings toward her, Yoon Seungryong took food seriously, he scooped white rice into bowls and neatly laid out utensils for everyone.

Even Yohan’s stomach growled. With a determined air, Yoon Seungryong scooped out huge spoonfuls of ssamjang and gochujang and announced,

“Let’s eat! Let’s dig in and power up!”

From that moment on, no one said a word. Everyone who had dropped into the abyss was completely sincere about this meal. Seo Yakrin, initially in a trance, quickly began devouring everything. When not a single crumb remained, she murmured,

“So you were all eating like this without me, huh…”

Her voice was tinged with irritation but also deeply moved. Staring wistfully at her empty rice bowl, Seo Yakrin let out a long sigh of admiration. Like Yoon Seungryong before, she looked as though she was trying to remember the last time she’d eaten like a human being.

“So purification really is a good thing…”

“Good thing we beat the Flood. Otherwise, you’d still be out there pecking at bugs.”

As the meal ended, Yoon Seungryong teased with a playful tone. Seo Yakrin glared and retorted,

“If I’d eaten you, I would’ve been full for ten years.”

In other words: “You’re a bug, Yoon Seungryong.” The mood wasn’t nearly as tense as before, probably because everyone was full. Still worried, Yohan quickly stepped in.

“But this time the Flood did seem a little weak, didn’t it?”

Seo Yakrin immediately softened at Yohan’s words, smiling at him with affection.

“Even after defeating the Flood, our Yohan is still so humble…”

“A-ah…”

At least she wasn’t calling him ‘baby’ anymore, but ‘our Yohan’ still had a similar tone that made him feel embarrassed. It got worse when Seo Yakrin slyly slipped a banana she’d saved into Yohan’s arms. Yohan tried to return it, but Lee Hyunmook peeled it and placed it directly in his mouth.

“Yohan’s right. This Flood was definitely weaker. They probably burned through a lot of strength in the Japan zone.”

“Yeah, it was hard to dodge because it came down like rain, but in terms of size, it was smaller.”

Yoon Seungryong nodded in agreement. Yohan felt the same. Compared to the jungle ambush, the number of enemies had been overwhelming, but compared to the Flood that once surrounded the entire Japan zone, this one was clearly smaller, and it even felt less concentrated.

“It might be too soon to say, but I think the Flood’s getting weaker. No, this one was definitely weak. Yeah… it was.”

Coming from someone who’d been trapped in the Flood many times, no one doubted it. After a long pause, Lee Hyunmook nodded.

“Yohan purified it completely, so the damage must’ve been enormous this time. We might not need to run away again. Maybe we won’t see another attack for years. Honestly, this one already felt like they were pushing it…”

“Really?!”

Yohan shot up, unable to contain his joy. He’d hated leaving their cozy base in Japan. The thought of returning and rebuilding it filled him with happiness.

“Then can we go back to the Japan zone?!”

“Wait, Yohan.”

Lee Hyunmook frowned and reached out. As soon as he supported Yohan’s waist, a wave of dizziness hit. His nose flushed hot, and with a pop, something burst. A warm trickle ran down, his nose was bleeding.

“Oh…”

Startled, Yohan cupped his hand under his nose to catch the blood, not noticing the other three’s shocked reactions. Lee Hyunmook subtly shielded him and glanced at each of them in turn. One by one, they averted their eyes when their gazes met his blank expression.

“Don’t tilt your head back. Yeah, lean forward.”

Yohan obeyed awkwardly. Thankfully, as a high-ranking awakener, his nosebleed stopped quickly.

“Team leader, here.”

Yoon Seungryong handed over a damp cloth. Unlike before, there wasn’t the slightest trace of bloodlust in his concerned expression. Lee Hyunmook took the cloth and gently wiped the blood from Yohan’s face and hands, speaking in a stern tone.

“The Flood is still the Flood, no matter how weak. You overdid it. You need to rest.”

“Yeah… I guess I’m really tired.”

As soon as Yohan admitted it, heavy sleep began to drag him down. He’d already napped, but it hadn’t been enough. Seo Yakrin looked around and then gestured to one side. A golden mist flowed from her fingers, and a massive anthill floated into the air. Thanks to the battle and the Flood, all the ants had fled, leaving the nest abandoned.

There were still scraps inside, so after shaking it out and gauging the size, Seo Yakrin frowned and muttered,

“This is too big, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Just break off the end.”

Following Yoon Seungryong’s advice, Seo Yakrin used powerful telekinesis to tear off the top of the anthill. Yoon Seungryong then trimmed it neatly with his spear, and soon, a one-room shelter dropped to the ground with a thump.

“Wow…”

Yohan had been expecting another night of rough camping, so the sight of a shelter appearing so suddenly made him murmur in awe through drowsy eyes. After Ju Hoyoung quickly scouted the inside, they laid down soft bedding. Seo Yakrin looked at the mattress and sleeping bags in disbelief.

“So everyone’s been living this comfortably without me?”

“Oh, quit whining. At least you made it here.”

Yoon Seungryong scolded, and Seo Yakrin glared again. But a moment later, she shrugged and admitted,

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m grateful.”

Ju Hoyoung, already securing a spot in the corner and pulling out his console, exclaimed,

“Wow, you two have gone this long without fighting? It’s been ages since things were this peaceful, right?”

“Yeah. It’s probably been a while since we were all in our right minds too.”

Lee Hyunmook replied, laying Yohan onto the mattress. He propped a pillow under his head, tucked him into the sleeping bag, and gently patted his chest. But Yohan kept his eyes open, forcing himself to speak.

“So… where are we going next? The Japan zone…”

“We can go back, but it won’t be the same. The Flood already swept through.”

Is that so? Yeah, it made sense. Yohan sighed, disappointed, and tried to keep his eyes open. It wasn’t easy, his full belly made him even sleepier.

“Then where are we… going now…”

Now that they’d found Seo Yakrin, there were no more teammates to search for. Lee Chanha was dead, so there was no reason to look for him. Were they going to find a new base now?

Yohan’s voice trailed off, and though Lee Hyunmook seemed to reply, sleep overtook him before he could hear the answer.