Ch.101Burning Narrative Hierarchy (2)

# The Wanderer’s Library

When you pluck a single flower, a star moves.

The universe.

That vast emptiness exists for someone’s choices.

The blessing ended in an instant.

[‘Seven’ has destroyed the narrative layer where you are located.]

[All past, present, and future events and possibilities have been erased and are inaccessible.]

……

[Only one story remains accessible.]

Countless possibilities burned away in an instant.

There is only one path to the future. The meaning of choice no longer exists.

If even a slightly different path is chosen, the worldline collapses and time rewinds.

Just because time rewinds doesn’t mean opportunities are infinite.

The only surviving possibility isn’t particularly sturdy.

As time rewinds, it gradually becomes more tenuous, eventually disappearing with the end of the narrative layer.

Or all chances might end with just one regression.

Our enemy isn’t particularly kind, after all.

‘Seven.’

It intended to eliminate all possibilities from the beginning.

The fact that even one story survives now isn’t due to any special reason.

It is the sturdiest path, with the highest probability of realization and the greatest plausibility.

I don’t know the exact principle behind it.

This is merely a sufficient condition for a story to survive against Seven.

But if that alone were enough, why would countless narrative layers have vanished before Seven?

This unrealized “possibility” is a needle aimed at its throat.

The one path to prevent the narrative layer’s destruction and maintain the universe’s spatiotemporal continuity.

Though countless conditions apply, it can be summarized in one sentence:

I must stop Seven.

In the final scene of the story, I encounter Seven.

“Phew…”

Instinctive fear made my hair stand on end.

It wasn’t so much about Seven, but the danger of the information itself.

If an ordinary person heard and understood this content, they would instantly melt into a puddle on the floor.

‘A little more.’

Information that previously only flickered fragmentarily now comes together.

My consciousness and survival instinct have consistently interfered with this process.

And now.

Only after arriving in this unconscious state with no immediate way back could I gather the scattered pieces to complete the picture.

I lie on the black water’s surface, looking up at the empty sky.

I open my eyes, recognize my surroundings, and continue taking deep breaths to calm my irrational fear.

[Only one story remains in your narrative layer.]

Above the night sky.

The Librarian’s insight created a sentence.

[Following the name you gave it, the title of this story is determined as follows:]

It was the name of the record I created to survive.

[Anomalous Apartment Survival Log]

It was also the name of all fate.

***

Yebin breathed.

It felt different from when she was an electrical signal inside a computer.

She opened her eyes, recognized her surroundings, and mentally repeated the last words she had spoken.

‘New information has been added to the Anomalous Apartment Survival Log.’

It seemed like she had been listening to Dabin’s story for a while, but it was just a momentary lapse.

She had only spaced out briefly, without anyone noticing.

Heo Yoon strode past Yebin.

Robin, who was standing in front of the button, was clearly her target.

Thud!

Yoon pushed Robin against the wall and growled.

“If you have an intention, explain it now.”

With Robin’s arm firmly pinned against the wall, she glared at her with eyes mixed with suspicion and anger.

“What do you mean you pressed any button?”

“It was necessary.”

“Tell me the reason.”

“……”

Robin simply leaned against the wall, unfazed.

“Don’t push yourself. You’ll get hurt.”

“I said tell me the reason!!”

“Sis, calm down a bit.”

Heo Yoon roughly shook off Seok Hyunmin’s hand.

“Calm down? Do I look like I can calm down right now?”

During the brief scuffle, Robin calmly freed herself from Heo Yoon’s grip and stepped aside.

“Ms. Yoon. I know quite a bit about this elevator too. Perhaps much more than all of you.”

“Professor, no, Robin. Is that true? You knew everything about this place?”

Dan interjected.

“Yes.”

Robin answered calmly.

“I’m affiliated with the Foundation. Dan, you might not know since you came here by chance, but I’ve already investigated this elevator before.”

She spoke without changing her expression, appearing as if she was telling the truth.

Robin continued.

“Right now, pressing any button is meaningless. It will only go to one floor. A place where we can treat the patients.”

“How am I supposed to believe that?”

Everyone had the same expression, not just Heo Yoon.

Even Dan, who had been traveling with them until now, looked skeptical.

‘How am I supposed to believe that?’

It was something Robin had heard countless times.

Of course, there was no evidence.

The basis for her judgment was purely intuition.

She always acted on intuition, and each time, she survived and achieved results.

Urgent crisis situations or anomalies were no problem for Robin.

Rather, it was her colleagues who gave her headaches.

‘Eliana. Listen to me. This is insane!’

‘It would be better to report first, wait for a response, and then move.’

‘This is an order. If you continue to act alone, I’ll shoot you immediately.’

How many idiots’ last words had she heard in situations where immediate action was necessary?

That’s why Robin usually worked alone.

But in the midst of meaningless arguments, she had learned a few things.

For instance, how to quickly persuade others.

Click.

“What, what’s happening!”

Bang!

A massive gunshot echoed inside the elevator.

The gun was pointed outside the already torn elevator door.

Heo Yoon inhaled sharply, and Yoon Daju gripped her crowbar tighter.

Jung Haewon and Yebin froze in the corner.

With her gun drawn, Robin turned to Heo Yoon and calmly conveyed her message.

“I won’t hurt you. Just wait until the elevator arrives.”

This was the fastest way to persuade others.

After waiting for the echo of the gunshot to fade, Robin calmly continued.

“Ms. Yoon. And why would I lie? There are patients here too. I also—”

Her words suddenly stopped.

It felt like someone had invaded her mind and pulled the power cord.

As Robin staggered, losing her balance, the last thing her eyes registered was a human figure.

It was the girl who had been quietly standing in the corner.

Thud.

“What the hell! Why did she suddenly collapse again?”

Behind the startled Heo Yoon, Choi Serim rose to her feet.

“She just fainted.”

“Huh?”

“I said she just fainted. It’s not that strange, is it, sis?”

“I… guess so?”

It was nonsensical, but everyone accepted it and moved on.

Even in the moments before losing consciousness, Robin continued to assess and remember the situation.

‘That girl. She can manipulate thoughts.’

Clunk!

The elevator shook violently once.

It meant they were approaching their destination.

While the plan probably wouldn’t be significantly affected,

‘I need to focus more next time.’

***

Now there were three people collapsed inside the elevator.

Heo Yoon bent down with a pale face.

Click.

She took the gun from the collapsed Robin and handed it to Seok Hyunmin.

Suddenly pulling out a gun like that.

They could all have been killed in that situation.

“Daju. Do you have anything like rope? Something to tie people up with.”

“Yes. I’ll look for some.”

“This would be better than rope.”

Seok Hyunmin took out a bundle of plastic ties from his bag and handed them over.

“What’s this?”

“Cable ties.”

They were used for organizing or securing wires.

Heo Yoon had seen them a few times before, but it was news to her that they could be used instead of handcuffs.

“You tie people up with these?”

“Yeah. Let me show you.”

Seok Hyunmin held one end of the cable tie and pulled it through the fastener.

“Once you pull it through like this, the strap can’t be pulled back in the opposite direction. It’s easy to adjust to wrist size, and if you use several layers, it’s extremely difficult to break.”

“So there’s no need to tie knots.”

“Exactly.”

“Give it here. I’ll do it.”

“What? I can do it too.”

“Hyunmin, you just keep watch with the gun.”

Heo Yoon crouched on the elevator floor and tightly bound Robin’s wrists.

When she finished, Jung Haewon perceptively approached.

“There’s no space on the floor, so I’ll sit her up against the wall.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Next was Dan’s turn.

While Seok Hyunmin held the gun to his head, Heo Yoon grabbed both of Dan’s wrists.

“Wait. Me too?”

“Did you think otherwise?”

“I was forced here under threat too.”

“Whatever, give me your wrists. Daju, pick that up for me.”

Daju picked up the bag containing the cable ties and handed it over.

“Sis. Can I try doing that?”

“No.”

Zip—

“Ow! You tied it too tight! The blood won’t circulate like this!”

“Stop exaggerating.”

It might be excessive, but it was for safety.

To Heo Yoon, Dan was also someone who couldn’t be trusted.

The restraints were quickly completed.

Jung Haewon approached Seok Hyunmin, who was checking the gun.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah, Haewon, what is it?”

“What should we do about the elevator?”

“I don’t think we can stop it anyway. Let’s think about it after we arrive.”

“No, that’s not it. Shouldn’t we at least check what floor it is?”

“You think so?”

Heo Yoon interrupted their conversation.

Speaking with a resolute voice.

“No. There’s nothing to check.”

She had briefly misunderstood.

“It was like a plane hijacking. They were trying to take us somewhere strange.”

They had almost been dragged into an unknown space while being threatened with a gun.

“But what if that’s not the case?”

“What do you mean? She literally had a gun. She also said she knew more about this place than we do.”

“Sis, you’re too caught up right now. Like before.”

“Before? What if I was right then?”

Even Seok Hyunmin couldn’t stop Heo Yoon.

“When we arrive, press the close button immediately. We need to move as quickly as possible.”

“What about Dabin?”

“We’ll have to hope he holds out until then. There’s… there’s nothing else we can do.”

Heo Yoon stumbled over her words, bowed her head deeply, and sighed.

No amount of deep breathing could calm her intense emotions.

She knew she wasn’t maintaining her composure right now.

Her thoughts kept flip-flopping. She doubted, regretted the doubt, then regretted the regret, ruminating over her mistakes.

But precisely because of this, she needed to be more cautious.

An unexpected figure blocked the path of the adamant Heo Yoon.

“But.”

The AI stepped forward, pointing at the floor.

“What? There are patients there too? That was probably just bait to reassure us.”

Heo Yoon glanced at the researcher lying on the floor.

“Everyone could have been in danger. We barely escaped from that situation.”

“……”

Heo Yoon grew increasingly anxious.

This was also a first. The AI usually stayed quiet, following others’ opinions silently.

“Do you have something to say?”

The AI seemed to have something to say but ultimately couldn’t voice it.

“Sigh… Alright.”

She patted the AI’s shoulder and returned to where Lim Dabin was.

Even after Heo Yoon left, the AI remained standing in the same spot.

Muttering something incomprehensible.

Clunk!

And when the elevator reached its destination.

“We need to save Dabin.”

The AI, Yebin, slipped out through the doors and onto the floor.

It happened so quickly that no one had time to stop or grab her.

“Hey, hey! Where are you suddenly going!!!”

Thud!

Jung Haewon, who had been waiting by the close button near the door, was pushed aside.

“Sis. What should we do about that?”

Jung Haewon turned to ask, but Yoon Daju was already gone.

Tap-tap-tap-tap—

Only her back could be glimpsed through the door as she chased after Yebin.

Heo Yoon had to make a decision.

“You guys stay here.”

“What?”

“Someone needs to guard the elevator.”

Originally, one person would have been enough, but now there was a stranger on board.

Seok Hyunmin. Jung Haewon. Choi Serim.

At least three people needed to stay to prevent any counterattack.

“Hyunmin. Shoot them immediately if they try anything strange.”

“Okay.”

She checked her shoelaces and picked up her bag.

She had momentarily forgotten, but taking direct action rather than calculating and doubting was her true nature.

‘No matter what happens, I’ll make sure everyone gets out alive.’

For that, she didn’t mind venturing into that dark corridor.