Beacon of Light in the Dark Sea

Chapter 159

Seo Jihyuk picked up a chocolate bar. After carefully examining its expiration date and packaging condition, he unwrapped it and took a bite. His jaw moved diligently, and then he let out a contented sigh.

Me and Tumanako awkwardly opened our chocolate bars. I didn’t particularly like the strong sweetness typical of foreign snacks, and Tumanako seemed to have no appetite. However, Tumanako vigorously tore open the chocolate bar wrapper and started chewing so intensely that I worried about the state of her teeth. It didn’t seem like she was eating because she was hungry, but because she had to eat.

I broke off about 1/3 of the chocolate bar, still in its wrapper. Then I forced myself to chew just the small piece in my mouth. As the sweetness that made my tongue ache entered my stomach, I felt nauseous. When I tasted the artificial, sticky chocolate flavor, dizziness washed over me like a tidal wave. I couldn’t long more for hot coffee to wash out my mouth.

Seo Jihyuk finished his chocolate bar in just two bites. Baek Ae-young was slowly chewing her chocolate bar while stretching one leg out. And Shin Haeryang was sitting against the wall, motionless. He looked like a seated statue sprouting from the floor, but he too moved only his jaw and hands, demolishing the chocolate bar in three bites.

I handed the remaining 2/3 of my chocolate bar to the person next to me who didn’t have one.

“My mouth touched it. Please eat it.”

Seo Jihyuk, who was licking the wrapper to eat the melted chocolate, looked at me and said,

“Eat your own share.”

“My stomach doesn’t feel good, so I can’t eat it.”

There’s someone who can’t eat, you know. Besides, I feel like I’ll throw up if I eat any more. I leaned against the cart filled with hair products and watched as others ate their chocolate bars in their own ways.

As I zoned out watching their cheeks move as they chewed quietly, someone said something. I was in a daze until Seo Jihyuk tapped my forearm, and I realized that Shin Haeryang, sitting near the door, had spoken to me.

“Pardon?”

“I asked what day it is today.”

“Ah… Just a moment.”

It was May, but what day? As I hesitated for a few seconds trying to answer, Shin Haeryang asked another question.

“Doctor. What’s your room number?”

“West District thirty… what was it again? Give me a second. It’s an even number.”

“…Who are your family members?”

“I have my mother and younger brother.”

“How old is your younger brother?”

“Uh… I’m calculating. There’s quite an age gap between us.”

How old was he again? His age changes every year. Even my own age confuses me. Now it’s faster to remember the year of birth. Shin Haeryang didn’t wait for my answer and continued to ask other things.

“Where are we?”

I saw hair products, hair dryers, and aprons around.

“…It’s a hair salon.”

“How many hours did you sleep last night?”

“…I don’t know. We’ve been living the same day for three days now. I think. …I don’t think I slept.”

Shin Haeryang suddenly asked a strange question.

“Do you remember my name?”

“Shin Haeryang.”

“What do I do for a living?”

“You’re a tooth thug. I’m about to sue you for work overload.”

Someone listening to the conversation let out a low laugh. The voice sounded like Seo Jihyuk, but despite the loud giggling from the side, Shin Haeryang continued to ask questions without even a smile.

“Who were you trying to give the chocolate bar to just now?”

“To Geum-yi.”

The person who had been laughing suddenly started coughing. Cough! Cough! Hack! Someone was pounding their back as if trying to break it. Shin Haeryang asked me again, expressionlessly.

“Do you mean Researcher Yoo Geum-yi from South District?”

“Yes.”

“Is there a reason you shared it?”

“It seemed like there wasn’t enough food for the number of people.”

“No, Doctor. That-“

Shin Haeryang stopped Seo Jihyuk, who tried to interject mid-conversation, with a glance and said,

“Are you tired or sleepy?”

“Aren’t all office workers like that?”

“What’s in your bag?”

“There’s a cat and a snake in it.”

“May I look inside?”

“Yes.”

As I handed over the bag I was carrying, Shin Haeryang, holding the bag in one hand, gave me a water bottle with the other and said,

“Drink it all without leaving any.”

“Have the others all drunk it?”

“You’re the last one, Doctor.”

While I was drinking the water from the bottle, Shin Haeryang opened the bag to check and handed it back to me. As I sat on the floor wearing the bag, I heard low, faint voices from afar.

“How does the condition look? You’ve been coaxing and persuading all this time, don’t make me burst. Just spill it.”

“They’ll hear us.”

“I don’t care about being heard or not.”

“…There are impairments in orientation, memory, concentration, perception, emotional and cognitive functions, and the response time to questions is too slow. On the way here, there were also signs of paranoia and anxiety disorder.”

Someone suddenly interjected between their conversation.

“It’s because of stress. Half of all illnesses are due to stress.”

“Great white shark, who here isn’t under stress right now? …Maybe there was a pre-existing mental illness and they missed the time to take medication. I’m also concerned about the long rambling earlier.”

“That… it contained too much information to be dismissed as simple nonsense. Moreover, one couldn’t make up such detailed content in a short time, and they don’t seem skilled enough in psychological warfare to deliberately deceive me. …To my eyes, it looks like delirium.”

“Delirium? Does delirium behave that calmly? The guy who was causing a ruckus with the medical staff at the field hospital, saying ghosts were trying to kill him, was also delirious, wasn’t he?”

“What’s delirium? No, no. Don’t answer that. Anyway, the three of us are good at hitting people, but none of us can cure them. Is there any solution other than getting out of here?”

“There isn’t. If the condition is serious, shouldn’t we tie them up?”

“It’s okay. I’m watching.”

“Hey. If you don’t want to get kicked out, be quiet.”

Someone grabbed my shoulder with their palm and said,

“This is my hair salon, so you need my permission to talk. Either answer only my questions or go outside to chat.”

The voices disappeared in an instant. Tumanako shouldered a sturdy cloth bag and asked Seo Jihyuk,

“Hey, Tour Guide. When do you think we’ll be able to get out of here?”

Seo Jihyuk, who had been addressed, put down his water bottle on the floor, frowned, and said,

“It depends on how many functioning escape pods are left in the escape pod port next to us.”

“…I hope there are 5 left. Or even more than that.”

Seo Jihyuk nodded briefly at Tumanako’s wish. Baek Ae-young finished chewing her chocolate bar and wiped her mouth and hands on a towel in the corner. Watching this, Seo Jihyuk said quietly, as if sighing,

“Or at least I hope there are two left.”

“Why?”

“I want to send out the Tooth Doctor or the Hair Doctor quickly. I’m struggling. The guide’s future goal is either unemployment or going on strike.”

“I struggled too. Do you know how hard I worked to get here?”

“I know well.”

Seo Jihyuk affirmed Tumanako’s words, then looked at me and Tumanako, shrugged his shoulders, and said,

“Both of you are model tourists. Well, one person’s condition is a bit off, but we can’t always be in good shape, right? Please maintain that exemplary attitude.”

“What kind of people are non-exemplary tourists?”

To my question, Seo Jihyuk lightly tapped the empty water bottle and said,

“Hmm. Suddenly shouting loudly, fighting among tourists thinking it’s a good opportunity, trying to drink alcohol or smoke, attempting to hit the guide. Or trying to stick around when they should just lightly brush their eyes over the tourist attraction and leave. Well, there are many.”

“Has that happened often?”

“Ah, a lot. When I used to do escort duty, you wouldn’t believe the crap I went through.”

“Confidentiality agreement. Want to cough up a bucket of money?”

Baek Ae-young lightly kicked Seo Jihyuk’s foot. Seo Jihyuk grumbled, then made excuses saying he was only going to talk just enough not to get caught, before shutting his mouth. Tumanako continued to ask Baek Ae-young beside her,

“Can’t we just run straight to the escape pod port? Was there a need to stop by all sorts of shops for 2-3 minutes each before coming to the hair salon? We could just run to the escape pod port, check the number of escape pods, and then run to take the elevator, right?”

Baek Ae-young nodded lightly as if Tumanako’s words made sense, then answered,

“We could do that. But I want to move through blind spots not covered by CCTV as much as possible. We haven’t been detected yet, you know. The thing mounted above the escape pod port moves every 7-8 minutes, so we just need to wait a little longer.”

“Who haven’t we been detected by?”

Shin Haeryang stared blankly at the closed door of the hair salon and answered in a low voice,

“There are armed personnel patrolling outside. I saw them come down by elevator from the Second Underwater Base.”

Tumanako looked at the hair salon door with a frightened expression and said in a much lower voice,

“…Huh. I didn’t see them.”

“That’s our job. You should continue not seeing them.”

Tumanako, slightly tense, gently placed her hands on my shoulder as I sat still. Then she asked Shin Haeryang,

“The kid’s nice. It seems like their memory is going back and forth. It’s just that their physical condition is a bit off, but you’re not going to leave them behind, right? …Right?”

“We’ll take them. Delirium can happen to anyone. It will improve with treatment.”

Tumanako’s tense sigh subsided at Shin Haeryang’s confident words. Tumanako’s fingers lightly tapped my shoulder like playing piano keys, then clenched her fist happily. Suddenly, with both fists tightly clenched, Tumanako asked Shin Haeryang again,

“Hey. Would you have taken me along, risking danger through people with guns, even if I had delirium?”

“Yes.”

“…You’re lying, right?”

“Yes.”

Both answers were in the same tone. Tumanako’s fists trembled as she looked at Shin Haeryang. Tumanako’s expression suggested she wanted to punch Shin Haeryang right then and there. However, suppressing that emotion, she said one thing,

“Give me your gun. You guys have three guns, don’t you?”

“Do you know how to shoot?”

“I don’t. Do you know how to throw a spear stylishly?”

“I don’t.”

“Yeah. It’s a tie. Give me a gun too.”

Shin Haeryang shook his head lightly. When Tumanako looked at Seo Jihyuk and Baek Ae-young, the two slowly backed away as if Tumanako might snatch their guns. Tumanako made a sad face but quickly erased it and said to Shin Haeryang,

“Then I want to immigrate to your country. Dual citizenship or whatever. I’m going to be Korean now, so you have to protect me diligently.”

Navigate to Other Chapters

• BLDS Chapter 0
• BLDS Chapter 01
• BLDS Chapter 02
• BLDS Chapter 03
• BLDS Chapter 04
• BLDS Chapter 05
• BLDS Chapter 06
• BLDS Chapter 07
• BLDS Chapter 08
• BLDS Chapter 09
• BLDS Chapter 10
• BLDS Chapter 11 Part 1
• BLDS Chapter 11 Part 2
• BLDS Chapter 12
• BLDS Chapter 13
• BLDS Chapter 14
• BLDS Chapter 15
• BLDS Chapter 16
• BLDS Chapter 17
• BLDS Chapter 18
• BLDS Chapter 19
• BLDS Chapter 20
• BLDS Chapter 21
• BLDS Chapter 22
• BLDS Chapter 23

• BLDS Chapter 24
• BLDS Chapter 25
• BLDS Chapter 26
• BLDS Chapter 27
• BLDS Chapter 28
• BLDS Chapter 29
• BLDS Chapter 30
• BLDS Chapter 31
• BLDS Chapter 32
• BLDS Chapter 33
• BLDS Chapter 34
• BLDS Chapter 35
• BLDS Chapter 36
• BLDS Chapter 37
• BLDS Chapter 38
• BLDS Chapter 39
• BLDS Chapter 40
• BLDS Chapter 41
• BLDS Chapter 42
• BLDS Chapter 43
• BLSD Chapter 44
• BLDS Chapter 45
• BLDS Chapter 46
• BLDS Chapter 47
• BLDS Chapter 48

• BLDS Chapter 49
• BLDS Chapter 50
• BLDS Chapter 51
• BLDS Chapter 52
• BLDS Chapter 53
• BLDS Chapter 54
• BLDS Chapter 55
• BLDS Chapter 56
• BLDS Chapter 57
• BLDS Chapter 58
• BLDS Chapter 59
• BLDS Chapter 60
• BLDS Chapter 61
• BLDS Chapter 62
• BLDS Chapter 63
• BLDS Chapter 64
• BLDS Chapter 65
• BLDS Chapter 66
• BLDS Chapter 67
• BLDS Chapter 68
• BLDS Chapter 69
• BLDS Chapter 70
• BLDS Chapter 71
• BLDS Chapter 72
• BLDS Chapter 73

• BLDS Chapter 74
• BLDS Chapter 75
• BLDS Chapter 76
• BLDS Chapter 77
• BLDS Chapter 78
• BLDS Chapter 79
• BLDS Chapter 80
• BLDS Chapter 81
• BLDS Chapter 82
• BLDS Chapter 83
• BLDS Chapter 84
• BLDS Chapter 85
• BLDS Chapter 86
• BLDS Chapter 87
• BLDS Chapter 88
• BLDS Chapter 89
• BLDS Chapter 90
• BLDS Chapter 91
• BLDS Chapter 92
• BLDS Chapter 93
• BLDS Chapter 94 - Elevator (3)
• BLDS Chapter 95 - Elevator (4)
• BLDS Chapter 96 - Elevator (5)
• BLDS Chapter 97 - Elevator (6)
• BLDS Chapter 98 - Elevator (7)

• BLDS Chapter 99 - Elevator (8)
• BLDS Chapter 100 - Elevator (9)
• BLDS Chapter 101 - Elevator (10)
• BLDS Chapter 102 - What One Wishes For (1)
• BLDS Chapter 103 - What One Wishes For (2)
• BLDS Chapter 104 - What One Wishes For (3)
• BLDS Chapter 105 - What One Wishes For (4)
• BLDS Chapter 106 - 19% (1)
• BLDS Chapter 107 - 19% (2)
• BLDS Chapter 108 - 19% (3)
• BLDS Chapter 109 - 19% (4)
• BLDS Chapter 110 - 19% (5)
• BLDS Chapter 111 - What Needs to be Done (1)
• BLDS Chapter 112 - What Needs to be Done (2)
• BLDS Chapter 113 - What Needs to be Done (3)
• BLDS Chapter 114 - What Needs to be Done (4)
• BLDS Chapter 115 - What Needs to be Done (5)
• BLDS Chapter 116 - Value (1)
• BLDS Chapter 117 - Value (2)
• BLDS Chapter 118 - Value (3)
• BLDS Chapter 119 - Spark (1)
• BLDS Chapter 120 - Spark (2)
• BLDS Chapter 121 - Spark (3)
• BLDS Chapter 122 - Spark (4)
• BLDS Chapter 123 - When Unharmed (1)

• BLDS Chapter 124 - When Unharmed (2)
• BLDS Chapter 125 - When Unharmed (3)
• BLDS Chapter 126 - When Unharmed (4)
• BLDS Chapter 127 - John Doe (1)
• BLDS Chapter 128 - John Doe (2)
• BLDS Chapter 129 - Preemptive Strike (1)
• BLDS Chapter 130 - Preemptive Strike (2)
• BLDS Chapter 131 - Preemptive Strike (3)
• BLDS Chapter 132 - Preemptive Strike (4)
• BLDS Chapter 133 - Escape (1)
• BLDS Chapter 134 - Escape (2)
• BLDS Chapter 135 - Escape (3)
• BLDS Chapter 136 - Escape (4)
• BLDS Chapter 137 - Escape (5)
• BLDS Chapter 138 - Escape (6)
• BLDS Chapter 139 - Escape (7)
• BLDS Chapter 140 - Escape (8)
• BLDS Chapter 141 - Compassion (1)
• BLDS Chapter 142 - Compassion (2)
• BLDS Chapter 143 - Submersible Port (1)
• BLDS Chapter 144 - Submersible Port (2)
• BLDS Chapter 145 - Submersible Port (3)
• BLDS Chapter 146 - Submersible Port (3)
• BLDS Chapter 147 - Submersible Port (4)
• BLDS Chapter 148 - Engineering Team D (1)

• BLDS Chapter 149 - Engineering Team D (2)
• BLDS Chapter 150 - Engineering Team D (3)
• BLDS Chapter 151 - Interrogation (1)
• BLDS Chapter 152 - Interrogation (2)
• BLDS Chapter 153 - Interrogation (3)
• BLDS Chapter 154 - The Third Undersea Base (1)
• BLDS Chapter 155 - The Third Undersea Base (2)
• BLDS Chapter 156 - The Third Undersea Base (3)
• BLDS Chapter 157 - The Third Undersea Base (4)
• BLDS Chapter 158 - The Third Undersea Base (5)
• BLDS Chapter 159 - Escape Pod Port of the Third Underwater Base
• BLDS Chapter 160 - Escape Pod Port of the Third Underwater Base
• BLDS Chapter 161 - Escape Pod Port of the Third Underwater Base
• BLDS Chapter 162 - Escape Pod
• BLDS Chapter 163 - Escape Pod
• BLDS Chapter 164 - Missing
• BLDS Chapter 165 - Missing
• BLDS Chapter 166 - Missing
• BLDS Chapter 167 - Missing
• BLDS Chapter 168 - Missing