Ch. 76 - Tenth Ghost Story - Minecraft's Herobrine (9)

Under the vast blue sky, in the middle of the endless green pastures.

A two-story brick house was standing alone.

The appearance was the same as before, as if it stepped straight out of a fairytale.

However, it seemed to carry an ominous aura to us, because it was a kind of existence that shouldn't have appeared there.

“...Did we take the right path? Maybe we just went around the same path because we were confused about the direction-”

“There was no hill like this one anywhere around.”

At Gyeongwon's doubt, Hayoon answered in a clear voice.

I nodded affirmatively and opened my mouth.

“That includes the forest as well. At that time when we were building the house, the forest where Sunah and I wandered through was nearby. However, now there's no forest around, only the house we built.”

“It looks creepy… I don’t understand.”

Sunah shivered looking at the house that looked eerily peaceful.

“What should we do, President? Should we approach it and take a look?”

I nodded once again at Dukhun's question.

“It’s strange that the house suddenly appeared here, but we have to check it out. That’s why we crossed the border to begin with.”

“Hmm, can't be helped then. Then you can have this.”

Saying that, Dukhun handed me the axe hanging from his side.

It was something he had crafted when he and Hayoon went to search for clay on nearby water sources earlier.

“I think you can use it better than me. Maybe because I’ve become an NPC, swinging a weapon feels like I'm swinging it in real life, not in a game. I can't bear to accidentally hurt someone since I'm already so big and fat.”

“....Okay. Thank you.”

At his earnest tone, I took the axe from Dukhun and stuffed it into my waistband.

Now that we were completely in the game, all of our doings and movements have the feel of reality.

The ability to call up menus had been taken away from us. Neither did we have the ability to break and combine the blocks to craft items.

We couldn’t even use our inventory, so all I could do was stuff the axe handle into my waistband.

‘But this is my first time handling an axe.’

Could it be Dukhun thought I was better at physical activities than him?

We quietly looked down at the house from the top of the hill for a moment.

“Let’s go.”

“...Yeah.”

Then, we started walking again, this time with me in the lead.

We climbed down the hill and went around it before the view of the house once again entered our vision.

Then, we slowly began approaching the brick house that was quietly radiating its presence in the vast pasture.

“As expected, it looks the same…”

Sunah, the one who decorated the house wholeheartedly from inside out, now trembled at the mere presence.

The two-story brick house with stairs leading to the second floor.

Where construction materials were scattered everywhere around.

Without any doubt, this was exactly the house we had built.

However, at the same time, it didn't appear familiar to us, as if this wasn't the place we built.

We walked around the house and looked through every nook and cranny, searching for more similarity that strengthened that fact that it was indeed the house we ourselves constructed.

Suddenly, Dukhun called out to us as something entered his eyes.

“Hey, it’s the pulley. The one we used to lift things.”

“Yeah.”

The primitive pulley we crafted using ropes and wooden beams and used to lift materials up and down the second floor, was also lying there the way we left it.

At that time, we could still use game elements as players, so we just combined the items according to the production method and it was made in no time.

But now looking at it again from the perspective of an NPC who entered the game, I couldn't help but wonder how we managed to make something like this so easily.

“What should we do…”

“There should be a window in the back. Let’s take a look inside first.”

Thinking that we should also check the inside of the house, we walked to the backyard.

We looked inside by leaning over the window, but the view inside was as we left it a while ago.

It was still the ordinary living room where we had been resting before crossing the border.

However, the fireplace was still burning, as if someone had lit it up.

“The carpet that Hayoon laid down and the fireplace built from the furnace… everything in the house looks exactly the same.”

“...What should we do now, Prez?”

Gyeongwon asked me briefly.

At the carefully asked question, I sighed.

“There is no choice then. Let’s get inside.”

We all went around the house and gathered in front of the entrance door, with me leading at the front.

I had already confirmed through the window that no one was inside, however, I couldn't push away the ominous atmosphere that this house was emitting, as if a beast was waiting silently for its prey.

“Let’s open the door.”

“Yeah.”

When I pulled the doorknob, Hayoon aimed the crossbow in her hand at the closed door.

Squeak-

The wooden door opened with a creaking noise.

Gyeongwon gulped before urging me with a nervous expression.

“We should go in, Prez.”

“...Just a moment.”

I was about to step in, but my feet stopped when my eyes landed at the dusty floor at the entrance.

“There are footprints.”

The construction of the house had just been completed, so building materials and dust were scattered everywhere.

On the dusty floor, footprints leading outside could be seen.

Creak.

Leaving the suspicious footprints, I led the way ahead as I pulled the axe from my waistband.

The other members carried some kind of construction materials like wood or bricks as weapons.

I slowly stepped into the living room where the footprints were coming from.

“No one… is there…”

Crackle. Crackle.

The only sound we could hear was the crackling of the wood in the fireplace.

We had checked through the window earlier, so there was no one inside the living room.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps was heard from the second floor.

The five of us instinctively raised our heads and looked up at the ceiling.

Creak. Creak. Thud.

“....Let’s go up.”

Gripping the handle of the axe tightly with both hands, I quickly but quietly headed back to the front door.

“Follow me, quietly.”

“Okay.”

The five of us quietly went out the front door again and climbed the wooden stairs that were set outside leading to the second floor with steady steps.

After reaching the second floor, I, who was leading at front, kicked the door open as I shouted.

“Who’s there!”

Bang!

Silence.

No one was there.

“President, the window!”

The window just opposite us was wide open.

I quickly ran to the window and peered outside.

Only the endless plains with green grass stretching over the horizon entered my vision.

“It seems whoever was here jumped out the window.”

“Everyone, scatter around and search for the person!”

I quickly turned my head toward the members and gave them instructions.

“Only the vast pasture is around. There’s no place to hide! You guys go back down to the first floor and look around the house. Hayoon and I will watch from the windows on the second floor.”

“Okay, let’s hurry!”

The members, led by Dukhun, rushed down the stairs again.

Hayoon walked briskly on the other side and opened the window before aiming her crossbow.

“Do you see anything, Hayoon?”

“No.”

“Me too. Nothing but rows of green grass.”

Thud- Thud-

From the second floor, I could hear the members running around the house, searching for the suspicious person downstairs.

I was busy looking through the windows, when suddenly, I heard a rustling sound from behind.

Turning around, I saw Sunah poking her head through the doorway of the second floor, looking at me with a hesitant expression.

“Joon…”

“Sunah. I told you to go down and search with the others.”

“That’s…”

Sunah began mumbling.

“Ha, Hayoon. She should also come down with us to search…”

At the carefully stated opinion, a frown appeared on Hayoon's pretty face as she turned around.

I raised my hand in panic, trying to appease Sunah.

“Sunah, please go down. Hayoon can shoot anything she finds with her crossbow here.”

“Then Joo, Joon doesn’t need to be here.”

“I need to look for the person through the window.”

Sunah shifted her gaze anxiously but didn't budge from her place.

“She alone can't search the surroundings, I need one more person to watch over and she alone is enough. Go down, quickly.”

However, even after all the reasoning, she didn't move from her position and opened her mouth again.

“Then I’ll stay here too…”

“Haa.”

Closing my eyes, I let out a tired sigh.

“I’ll look at the remaining window over there. Is that okay?”

Saying so, Sunah hesitantly approached one of the remaining windows.

At the sight of her approaching, Hayoon lifted her chin slightly and said coldly.

“Please try to understand the situation. Don’t be unnecessarily jealous.”

For a moment, Sunah only flinched with eyes opened wide.

Then slowly, her face turned bright red.

She quickly turned around and walked briskly toward Hayoon.

“What, what did you say?”

“Hmph.”

“W-what did you just say…”

Sunah began trembling as she asked again.

Clang-

Instead of answering, Hayoon quietly raised her crossbow and aimed at Sunah.

“Don’t be jealous.”

“This b*tch…”

Sunah, who shook like a leaf with extreme anger suddenly ran towards me, as if she couldn't beat such provocative words anymore.

“Joo…”

Kang-!

Just at that moment, an arrow flew towards her with a cheerful metallic sound.

The arrow quickly crossed the short distance and hit Sunah squarely on the forehead.

“Ugh-”

Unable to overcome the momentum of her steps, Sunah slipped over and fell to the ground with a thud.

Her head, where an arrow was deeply stuck, rolled back.

In front of my eyes, Sunah's lifeless body lay down.

“W-what!”

Quickly overcoming the momentary shock, I ran to her in a hurry.

“S, Sunah? Are you okay?”

“Everything’s fine. It’s fake.”

“...What?”

Hayoon calmly answered while taking out another arrow from her waistband.

“The real Sunah can’t even dare to look me in the eye, let alone curse me.”

With swift movement, she reloaded the crossbow by putting in another arrow.

Her expression remained as calm as usual as if nothing had happened.

She rather got busy with her crossbow, pulling the bow several times to check if it was working properly.

Soon, a commotion was heard outside.

The three members who were sent downstairs to search for the suspicious person hurriedly came up to the second floor again.

“President! We looked around everywhere but found nothing. Did you find anything- hiik!”

Gyeongwon let out a startled scream at the body that lay before them, his words ending abruptly.

“Gasp!”

Sunah, who came behind her, also let out a gasp at the scene.

“W-who is that… …?”

Putting both of her hands over her mouth, Sunah asked with a horrified expression, her eyes opened wide.

“It’s you.”

With a bewildered look on their faces at my answer, they approached the body and began poking it.

“Holy sh*t… It’s really Yoon Sunah.”

“How is it possible that another you is lying here?”

“I, well…”

Sunah made a puzzled expression at the question.

Dukhun raised the blunt object he was holding at Sunah and demanded answers.

“Oi, explain it quickly. It’s definitely you no matter which way I look from. Don't say sh*t like you don’t know.”

“I, I don’t know… how am I supposed to know how another me is lying there…?”

Sunah became flustered at his questioning.

I quickly cleared my throat to gather their attention and refrain them from fighting among themselves.

Then I slowly began explaining what had just occurred.

“...Something that looks like Sunah.”

We went back down to the living room on the first floor, leaving the corpse of the fake Sunah lying motionlessly on the second floor.

Just like before, we sat quietly on the carpet, warming ourselves by the firewood.

Each of the members appeared to be dazed and lost in thought at the sudden unexpected situations that kept occurring one after another.

“A person who looks like Sunah, inside the house that is similar to the one we constructed… in the Far Away Land… hmmm.”

Gyeongwon muttered to himself as he wondered.

“What do you think? Do you have any ideas for this strange occurrence?”

“No idea.”

Gyeongwon tilted his head as he replied, pondering on my questions.

Understanding the urgency of the situation, he seemed to forget about his ill-feelings towards me before and began cooperating with everyone for the time being.

“Nothing comes to mind, but Prez. It seems certain that we need to come up with preventive measures. Also, if something could imitate our appearances-”

“Wait.”

At that moment, I stood up suddenly at the sound of slight commotion coming from outside and made a gesture for them to be quiet.

“Listen.”

“Listen what?”

The members looked around with an anxious face as they strained their ears to listen.

In the living room of a brick house that looked like it stepped out of a fairytale, only the sound of crackling wood could be heard.

However, we soon started hearing some noise from outside.

[As expected, it looks the same…]

[Hey, it’s the pulley. The one we used to lift things.]

[It really is.]

People muttering to themselves as they looked around.

Hearing those voices, I felt lightning flashing in my head as realization dawned over me and quickly whispered in a sharp voice.

“Guys, hide under the window!”

Quickly, we hurried over and laid down under the window.

[What should we do…]

[There should be a window in the back. Let’s take a look inside first.]

Soon, we heard footsteps coming towards the house, and someone peering inside the living room from out the window while muttering.

Since we were lying under the window and had our heads lowered, all we could see was the person's shadow falling on the floor.

[The carpet that Hayoon laid down and the fireplace made from the furnace… everything in the house looks exactly the same.]

Soon, the sound of someone walking beside the person who was peering inside was heard.

[...What should we do now, Prez?]

Surprisingly, it was Gyeongwon’s voice.

We, who were lying down under the window and had our mouths shut, slowly looked at Gyeongwon right next to us.

However, he only had a look of incomprehension and puzzlement as if he himself couldn't understand what was happening.

[There is no choice then. Let’s get inside.]

The voice of my own speaking was heard at that time before slowly moving away from the window.

As soon as they left, I crawled to the center of the group and whispered in a low voice.

“It’s us. We’re coming again.”

The members nodded anxiously.

“President, what should we do now? Should we escape through the window before they barge in through the door?”

“No.”

I shook my head firmly.

“As I've said before, only endless pastures are around. There’s no place to hide. We’ll be discovered soon and chased down for no reason.”

“Then?”

“…We’ll meet them head on. Whether we talk peacefully or fight, we have no choice but to collide.”

“...We understand.”

With rising anxiety and fear, the members nodded.

With that resolve, we quickly stood up and waited near the entrance.

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