Chapter 99: Worth (2)
When I opened my eyes again, my body was intact. I was healthy! But there was no time for rejoicing. I succumbed to another attack. The familiar loading screen, the intangible force dragging me away, and the series of awakenings—it was a relentless cycle. The only silver lining was that Clara Barnum quickly ended it this time instead of dragging it out.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I burst into laughter. As soon as I opened my eyes, I burst into tears. I laughed and cried, unsure if I was actually laughing or crying. In truth, I didn’t even know what I was saying. It felt like I needed to say something, anything. But what should I say? What should I talk about? Mom. Liam. Home. South Korea. The capital of South Korea is Seoul. What’s in Seoul? Gyeongbokgung Palace, Sungnyemun Gate, King Sejong, and, um…
Plop.
I opened my eyes again. I laughed. I opened my eyes. This time, I didn’t have the strength to laugh. I opened my eyes, again and again.
How many times has it been now?
I couldn’t tell. It felt like swimming through jelly, even moving my hand was a struggle. I couldn’t possibly keep count, so I gave up trying. My mind was blank. The sound of blood dripping echoed in my ears, sending shivers down my spine.
“Damn cultists…”
I muttered between gasps, and an unsatisfied groan followed. Clara, with a blank expression, set something down and picked up a new tool.
Wait, isn’t that a saw?