DRAM Ch 4

The man smiled broadly, his grin almost forced—an unmistakable show. Ha-yoon said nothing in response; he only tightened his grip on his gun, determined not to let his guard drop. As if to show he knew exactly what Ha-yoon was thinking, the man merely shrugged and chuckled lightly, his body language promising no harm.

“I’m confident I can make sure you never get another scar like that.”

The man’s gaze drifted to the scar hidden beneath his clothes. Ha-yoon scowled and glared back.

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“You’ve been saying that since yesterday. Do you really think I’ll trust you?”

“I saved you, didn’t I?”

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“You didn’t have to save me.”

“If it weren’t for me, you’d have died yesterday.”

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“Do I look like I care? What’s with all this meddling from someone I just met? You should have just let me die.”

After a brief pause—his eyes blinking as if lost in thought—the man gave a short laugh.

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“Well, maybe I shouldn’t have gotten involved.”

“…….”

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“But I just couldn’t stand watching you die.”

The gentle smile faded, replaced by an intense look that seemed to capture every ray of light. As their gazes met repeatedly in the empty space, the man eventually let out a soft laugh and looked downward. His deep eyes, hidden beneath long lashes, revealed nothing of the emotions that stirred within.

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“And we haven’t even met for the first time, have we?”

All Ha-yoon could see was the smooth line of the man’s nose and lips. He watched intently as the man’s red lips moved, his soft voice etching every word into the air.

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“We saw each other yesterday, so this is our second meeting.”

The man raised his eyes as he continued speaking. His laugh, trailing off at the end of his sentences, sounded oddly dry. Fixing his gaze on Ha-yoon with a mechanical precision, he spoke calmly:

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“By the way, my name is Yeo Yeon-oh.”

“…….”

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“And what’s your name?”

“…Seo Ha-yoon.”

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In this world, anyone not registered in the system was as good as dead—and there was no reason to hide it. Yeo Yeon-oh repeated “Seo Ha-yoon, Seo Ha-yoon” as if chanting, before his laughter faded like wind escaping from a leak. After a moment, he regained his relaxed expression.

“I figured you wouldn’t be up for a walk, so let’s just talk here.”

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Though Ha-yoon wasn’t eager to chat, he couldn’t help but watch him intently. Yeo Yeon-oh smiled faintly before speaking again.

“Tell me, Ha-yoon—how exactly have you been killing those tin cans?”

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Ha-yoon clenched his fists involuntarily. There was something about the gentle tone in which Yeo Yeon-oh pronounced his name that sent an unexpected shiver through him.

“Other than smashing them to pieces, is there any other way?”

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“Usually, that’s the way.”

It was the only method—inflicting such crippling wounds that the machines could no longer move. Attacking the neck, eyes, even severing the head outright—there was no other option.

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“There are only two ways to kill a machine.”

Ha-yoon’s expression hardened as he stared at Yeo Yeon-oh. Noticing the change, the man grinned and casually lifted his T-shirt to reveal solid, well-defined abs. Behind them, a sleek black barrel—yesterday’s weapon Yeo Yeon-oh had used—caught the light.

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“That gun…?”

“Do you like it? If you come with me, I can get you something even better.”

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“How did you make it?”

“My friend’s pretty good with technology.”

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Yeo Yeon-oh pointed to his gun with a gesture as he spoke, and Ha-yoon memorized every detail. Who could have predicted that beneath that handsome face lay a weapon as sharp as his wit?

“What about the person who was with you yesterday?”

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“No. He’s just a friend.”

“……You must have a lot of friends.”

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The man simply shrugged with that gentle expression. Ha-yoon tightened his grip on his gun again. In that moment, the casual nature of their conversation felt strangely out of place—there was no time to waste on idle chatter.

“Then work hard with your friends. Stop bothering people who are just standing around.”

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“Ha-yoon, you don’t exactly seem like someone who just stands still.”

Tilting his head slightly, Yeo Yeon-oh let out a short laugh—a few shards of broken sunlight seemed to dance off his smile. After studying Ha-yoon’s face for a moment, he continued:

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“Every machine is connected to a system core. They move based on the values input into a central control unit.”

Throughout the Field, bright blue system cores were installed. They were the very ‘eyes’ of the machines—a means to control humanity’s every breath. As long as those cores existed, there was no escaping their grasp.

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“Then what happens if one of those cores breaks?”

The idea of a system core failing sounded both foolish and impossible.

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“Don’t you know that the core is surrounded by a protective barrier? You wouldn’t get close to it without dying first.”

“If you could break that system, then things might be different.”

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“Do you even know what you’re talking about…?”

“They’re nothing more than tin cans moving on preset instructions. The only ones smart enough to think for themselves are those behind the wall.”

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Yeo Yeon-oh’s words sent a chill through Ha-yoon. He already knew—the true mastermind, the first machine to develop self-awareness, the ruthless killer who now controlled humanity and had brought this ruined Earth into existence—was beyond that wall.

“Have you spent your whole life killing empty tin cans?”

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“…….”

“So what’s different now?”

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In a quiet whisper, Yeo Yeon-oh spoke. Though his tone wasn’t accusatory, Ha-yoon couldn’t help but clench his fists. Despite doing his best, he always felt treated like someone who had done nothing of value.

“Killing one machine won’t change the world.”

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“Doesn’t everyone know that? Do you think I’m risking my life, going around trying to change the world? Don’t talk if you don’t know anything. If you’re clueless, just shut up and get lost.”

A surge of frustration welled up inside Ha-yoon. He wanted nothing more than to tear into Yeo Yeon-oh’s smug face. Gathering his scattered breath, Ha-yoon glared at him, but Yeo Yeon-oh remained unshaken—only his red lips curled up into a tight smile.

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“Why wouldn’t I know? Don’t you understand how much you annoy me and how hard I’m trying?”

“Stop with the crap…”

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“You can see it on your body.”

Yeo Yeon-oh’s gaze roamed over Ha-yoon’s body once more. For some reason, Ha-yoon felt as though his skin was burning, even though he was fully covered by his clothes.

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“I wasn’t trying to say anything mean to you, Ha-yoon. If it came off that way, I apologize.”

In this ruined world, gratitude and apologies had long since vanished. Yet even someone who appeared as noble as Yeo Yeon-oh could lower his guard in an instant. Ha-yoon didn’t know what to say.

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“I’m heading to the center of the Field.”

Almost unconsciously, Ha-yoon opened his mouth in surprise. It was strange—too strange.

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“This foolish act… I intend to finish it with my own hands.”

It was utterly impossible—a notion so detached from reality—but still, his heart pounded in a strange, erratic rhythm. Whether it was the fear of uncertainty or the tremor of unreal visions, he couldn’t tell.

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“Won’t you come with me?”

“…….”

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“After all, weren’t you planning to go there anyway?”

Yeo Yeon-oh’s fingertips pointed in the direction of the Field’s center. As his words faded into silence, an uneasy quiet fell over them. Meanwhile, Ha-yoon’s mind turned into a noisy battlefield—every word Yeo Yeon-oh spoke stirred up thoughts of going beyond the Field and ending it all.

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“Do you really think we’ll succeed?”

“You’ll never know until you try.”

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“You’re going to die. I’m sure of it.”

“Ha-yoon, you won’t die.”

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It was hard to believe—an absurd promise from a stranger—but the reason his heart wavered was Yeo Yeon-oh’s earnest gaze and the gentle timbre of his voice that seemed to wrap around him like a warm blanket.

“I’ll keep you alive.”

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A large hand swept through the air, tracing a graceful arc in the light. Ha-yoon stared blankly as the hand’s path glimmered. The calloused, solid hand looked unexpectedly huge.

“Come with me.”

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Yeo Yeon-oh’s words, impossible to trust, wrapped around Ha-yoon entirely.

“……What makes you think I should trust you?”

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They were strangers in many ways—just as Ha-yoon couldn’t trust Yeo Yeon-oh, it was only natural that Yeo Yeon-oh might not fully trust him either. And yet, he had so easily extended his hand. With a confused, troubled look, Ha-yoon met his gaze.

“I can’t trust you. But on the day we first met, what made you think you could make such an offer?”

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His sincere eyes pierced through him. After a brief moment of contemplation, Yeo Yeon-oh offered a small smile and then looked off into the distance.

“Because we’re the same kind of person.”

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Speaking in a calm tone, he closed his eyes briefly before reopening them to meet Ha-yoon’s gaze once more. In his deep dark blue eyes, Ha-yoon could see his own reflection—a moment that left him breathless.

“Do we really need any other reason than wanting to wipe out those stupid tin cans?”

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The man’s smile curled up like that of a machine. Warm sunlight bathed him, and everything felt surreal.