That Face Is the Problem - Chapter 39.1
Jae-gyeong quickly brushed off his battle suit, removed the shards of glass, and stood up. In battle, even a single delayed moment could cost his life. However, by the time he aimed his handgun, Da-sol and Yi-hyeon in the mirror had already disappeared.
“Phew…”
He should have suspected from the moment Yi-hyeon stood behind Da-sol. But they were so similar in appearance and behavior that he had been momentarily confused. Yi-hyeon’s words confirmed they were fakes.
[Good thing your older brother told us to attack first, otherwise we would have been done for.]
Jae-gyeong did not know everything about Da-sol, but he was certain of one thing.
As a healer, Da-sol would never be the first to attack anyone. Even when he confronted men who harassed or molested others, he never struck first, as Jae-gyeong had heard.
Moreover, Jae-gyeong was a Paladin. Having awakened as a Paladin, he believed in the nature of those awakened as healers. They would never harm others first. Such a person could not become a healer otherwise.
‘Appearing one after another just makes it more confusing…’
The mirror monsters were becoming bolder. Not only were they increasingly similar to the originals, but they also seemed to enjoy teasing hunters.
Since Divine Shield was a passive skill, it activated constantly, draining his mana faster than expected. Flying upward could help him find the exit faster, but the maze was too narrow to flap his wings. The ceiling was also mirrored, making it impossible to gauge the height.
‘A dungeon where defense is more important than attack…’
Still, team members like Jae-gyeong, with defensive skills, could survive longer in the maze than expected. But survival alone would not complete the dungeon. They had to find the end of the maze.
Then, far away, he heard footsteps. Knowing now that the monsters in the mirrors even copied sounds, Jae-gyeong kept his shield raised.
Yet, the number of people approaching was quite large. All the other team members, except Jae-gyeong, were walking in a line toward him.
‘What is this…? What kind of trick is this…?’
It was a shocking visual, impossible for them to be real. How could the rest of the team, scattered across the mirror maze, all walk toward him at the same time? They seemed like ghosts.
Jae-gyeong quickly aimed his handgun and fired before they could say anything to distract him.
“Wait!”
Hee-ro snapped his fingers and sent a huge water bubble flying. The bullet sank into the bubble, spun wildly, and lost power, falling to the floor.
Too strong. Just as Jae-gyeong raised his arm to fire again,
“Jae-gyeong! It’s us! Really us! Everyone, show your signs!”
Hee-ro shouted, spreading his hands. Following him, the six others made their respective signals. But Jae-gyeong, no longer trusting the signs, fired his handgun anyway.
“Damn it!”
This time, Hee-ro created a massive water shield. The bullet could not penetrate it and wobbled in the waves before falling again.
“I told you, it’s really us! Well, I understand your hesitation though.”
Hee-ro brushed his hair back and Jeong Jeong-eon stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“I used my runic magic to locate each team member and have them join us one by one, Jae-gyeong. You can be at ease.”
“How am I supposed to believe that…?”
“You do not have to. You have survived this far because of it.”
Jeong Jeong-eon spoke with a kind smile. Jae-gyeong swallowed. Whether real or fake, the smile was merciful enough to make him want to run and cling to them.
“When the monster resembling me first appeared in the mirror, I immediately used runic magic to guide the real Hee-ro to me. In the same way, I found and gathered the other team members nearby one by one.”
Jeong Jeong-eon explained. Ri-na, at the back, jumped up and added,
“Runic casters are ridiculously overpowered! Ah, I’m so jealous! I was working my ass off!”
Then Ri-na smashed the mirror beside her with her fist. The mirror shattered, and blood trickled from the back of her hand.
“Why are we even doing this?”
Da-sol, standing in front of her, annoyed, healed Ri-na and spoke.
They were real. These people were real…!
Jae-gyeong felt his eyes moisten with the sudden rush of relief. Jeong Jeong-eon smiled apologetically.
“Jae-gyeong was the farthest away, but since he was closest to the exit, he joined us only now. You must have had a hard time alone. Are you hurt anywhere?”
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