Ch.111Snapshot

That’s the reality I had longed to see. A peaceful, uneventful daily life.

However, everyone in the elevator had the same reaction.

‘It must be a trap.’

There’s no way we could find an escape route this easily.

That thought was making everyone hesitate.

“It’s not a trap.”

“What?”

“That’s definitely reality out there.”

Jung Haewon stood up at my definitive statement.

“Wait a minute. Didn’t you say earlier that a disaster happened in reality? But nothing seems wrong out there?”

He raised his voice at first, then quickly glanced around to gauge others’ reactions.

“But when you say it, noona, it somehow feels right…”

“Dabin. Do you see something? If you do, tell us.”

This is an ability I possess.

The Librarian’s Insight.

I can discern whether the scene before my eyes is an illusion or not.

Of course, it has a weakness—there can be confusion when reality’s standards have been altered—but in this case, things have become more certain.

[Search query: Floor name, image, time period, and more]

[Search complete]

[Displaying search results.]

When I searched for information about the scene before us, results came immediately.

Clean and precise, without any unnecessary information mixed in.

“It’s not an illusion, and it is reality. Probably a past point in time.”

“So… we’ve time traveled?”

“Yes.”

Jung Haewon still looks unconvinced.

“Really? Is that even possible?”

“I said the same thing at first, but turns out everything is possible.”

Dan moved next to Jung Haewon and responded.

His voice was indifferent, as if none of this was a big deal.

“These people are all crazy. This world is crazy. Everything’s gone mad, so whatever.”

“Dabin, can you explain?”

Heo Yoon asked calmly.

“Yes. Can I use a sheet of paper?”

“Here you go.”

Robin handed me the notebook she was holding.

I tore out a blank page from the end of the notebook and showed it to everyone.

“The apartment’s special structure makes time travel possible. Like folding paper.”

As I explained, I folded the four corners of the paper inward.

Four points that were originally far apart now converged at one spot.

“Space-time folds and twists until it converges at a single point. That’s why even a small movement in the elevator can drastically change the time period.”

“Because even a small movement at that convergence point would translate to a completely different location on the original plane.”

“Exactly.”

“What does that mean?”

Yoon Daju tilted her head as she asked.

“Noona, can I have a pen?”

“Here you go.”

Again, Robin handed me a pen instead of Heo Yoon.

“Ah, I keep forgetting. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Please continue.”

I placed the pen at the converged point and drew a straight line to the left.

A short straight line drawn on the folded paper.

I marked another point at the end of the line.

“This is how the elevator’s movement can be explained. The center is our starting point, and this point on the left is our destination.”

“I see.”

“Now imagine what happens when we unfold the paper.”

“So we could travel incredibly far distances.”

“Yes.”

I briefly unfolded the paper to show them.

The line was clearly less than 1cm long, but the point had moved to the opposite side of the paper, even to the back.

“That’s why time periods can change so drastically. Actually, we’ve experienced this here before. After all, everyone here came from different time periods, right?”

Flutter—

A fresh breeze blows in from outside the elevator.

The scent of spring.

Through the entrance on the opposite side, cherry blossoms and forsythia are in full bloom on the street outside.

Heo Yoon and Seok Hyunmin. Choi Serim and Yoon Daju.

I could tell what the “survivors” who had been exploring this place for a long time were feeling without having to ask.

Something had changed.

Despite countless explorations, this was a first.

That’s what they must be thinking.

We were able to get close to reality because the story had taken a step forward.

To prepare for the battles ahead.

“I have a question too, if I may interrupt.”

This time, Robin raised her hand to ask a question.

I nodded, ready to take her question.

“Thank you.”

Robin looked at the paper I was holding and began speaking with a stern expression.

“No matter how severe the disaster, space-time couldn’t be this distorted. The Fifth Apostle may cause disasters, but it can’t manipulate the concept of space-time. No matter how destructive its activities are, they still occur within the same space-time.”

“…That’s right.”

“There’s something more, isn’t there?”

I nodded.

“But—”

“I think I know what it is. Let’s stop this conversation here.”

Robin hastily cut me off.

Her face, which had always seemed calm, suddenly turned pale.

“Oh my God.”

“What? What’s going on?”

“Oppa?”

As soon as the conversation ended, Riko and Yoon Daju simultaneously raised questions.

But I can’t tell them now.

Just mentioning that name brings vivid images of the apocalypse to mind, making me want to gouge my eyes out.

“Later. I’ll explain slowly.”

“Is it something like a memetic kill agent? Information that harms people just by hearing it.”

Like the Foundation researcher she is, Riko brings up memetic kill agents.

“No. It’s just… a terrible story.”

Anxiety was already creeping in.

I realized I was breathing heavily.

Noticing the change, Serim noona held my hand tightly.

Yebin looked up at me with a worried face.

Thanks to them, I was able to find some stability.

“I’ll explain this later when things are more stable.”

“…It’s like trauma, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I understand that feeling.”

Riko nodded.

Having been abandoned by the Professor and nearly dying in the elevator, she now reacts intensely to words like abandonment or betrayal.

“If we can’t stop the Fifth Apostle and the Professor, it won’t end with just a disaster. That’s all I can say for now.”

“So there’s more to it, but our objective remains the same.”

Seok Hyunmin neatly summarized my words.

“So we’re going to explore this floor now, right?”

Adjusting his glasses, Seok Hyunmin prepared to go out.

Heo Yoon also stopped thinking and quickly joined Seok Hyunmin’s side.

Everyone was preparing to leave the elevator.

“Rather than exploring, I think we could actually settle here.”

“Really?”

“Yes. We got lucky.”

Whether it was luck or fate, even I couldn’t tell.

What’s certain is that there’s no better floor than this for settling down.

“Let’s look around a bit, and then we can unpack and stay here.”

Despite the bleak outlook for the future, the immediate situation was going very well.

“It’s identical to reality, and while not completely free of dangers, it’s among the safest options.”

“Wait. There are dangers even though it’s reality?”

Yoon Daju pointed out the strange part of my statement.

“Yes. We’re not the only ones using the elevator. There could be monsters that have flowed in from elsewhere. And we need to consider the side effects of cutting out a specific point from the past like this.”

“Oppa, you’ve been saying difficult things. I’ve been feeling dizzy since earlier.”

“Really?”

To put it more simply:

“This floor itself is safe. Of course, it’s not dangerous since it’s the past reality. But the problem is that this floor was created with a specific purpose.”

Outside the elevator doors.

The glass entrance visible in the distance.

I looked far beyond the scenery where sunlight and flower scents were streaming in.

And then even further.

I used the Librarian’s “Insight.”

Not just what enters my eyes, but more things begin to appear.

The most noticeable thing is the boundary that divides space-time.

It’s a clean cut, as if carved out with a sharp tool.

“Someone, with some purpose, cut out a point from the past.”

[Snapshot]

Like taking a photograph, it refers to a file that preserves the data state of a specific point exactly as it was.

Sunlight pours in through the elevator doors.

Riko stretches like a lazy cat and says:

“Maybe the purpose is to leave history for others to see. That would be nice.”

“It could also be used as a secret location for conducting some kind of experiment.”

Yoon Daju makes a rather sharp analysis.

Even Riko, who had been constantly flirting with Daju, was impressed.

“Oh.”

Though it didn’t last long.

“I wonder if you can make such an analysis because you’ve conducted many secret experiments yourself?”

“Ah, seriously! Can you! Stop! Talking about! That!”

Riko chuckles as Yoon Daju becomes flustered in an instant.

I don’t know what happened between them, but they seem to have been quite close in the past.

“Let’s go out now. If we stay any longer, we might get kicked out.”

Heo Yoon brought order to the chaotic atmosphere.

True to her words, the elevator was trembling and giving off a suspicious vibe.

Since we’ve been holding the elevator for too long, it’s preparing to issue a “penalty.”

Heo Yoon was the first to step outside.

Despite what must be heavy luggage, she lifted her large bag with ease.

Robin and Seok Hyunmin also picked up their bags and followed.

“Let’s go!!! Everyone, hurry up and follow!”

Riko bounded out of the elevator, looking absolutely thrilled.

Usually Yoon Daju would act like that, but this time she was gloomy.

“Ugh, this is driving me crazy…”

What kind of experiment did she do in the past?

Judging by her reaction, it seems like more than just an ordinary embarrassing memory.

Eventually, Jung Haewon took the dejected Yoon Daju outside.

“Aaaargh…”

“Noona, let’s go for now.”

Yebin was already standing by the entrance.

After everyone had left, only Dan and I remained in the elevator.

“Um, what was your name again? Dabin?”

I nodded.

Dan seemed to have been waiting for this opportunity, and as soon as we were alone, he grabbed me and started pleading.

“The thing is, you seem to know a lot. Please tell me something. I’m going crazy trying to make sense of all this.”

“Ah… haha…”

Unlike the others who were connected to the Foundation or had survival experience in the apartment, this man is a complete civilian.

Everything must be confusing for him.

“Don’t just laugh it off!!! Robin is the same way. Why won’t anyone tell me anything? Why???”

But watching him makes me want to laugh.

Seeing a bearded man flailing around keeps making me chuckle.

“Hey, can I call you mister?”

“Call me whatever you want, just explain things properly. I’m begging you.”

“The current situation is…”

“Yes?”

“The world is about to end, and we need to stop it. So…”

“So?”

Dan nods completely absorbed in my story.

I can’t resist this.

I hoisted my bag and ran out through the elevator doors.

“I’ll tell you later!”

“No, hey! Hey!!!”

The man calls after me with eyes full of bewilderment, his eyes so round they look like they might pop out.

“Why am I the only one who doesn’t know anything?!”

Standing at the apartment entrance, I turned back toward the grumbling Dan.

“You might not understand, but we need you here too.”

“But why???”

“I’m not sure either… but that’s how it is!”

I smiled and headed toward the glass doors.