Chapter 30
At last, the top floor came into view.
I’d used up all my bullets on the way up. The little tentacles were so annoying that I had no choice.
All I had left were Sal-hyung’s scimitar and the dynamite.
...Somehow, I’d see this through to the end.
I dragged my lead-heavy body up the final staircase.
"Is this the place?"
The moment I stepped inside.
I knew it instinctively.
That this was the heart of their operation.
"..."
It was a grotesque space.
Unknown tissue had sprouted all over the room. The most striking features among them were bright red spheres with wrinkled surfaces, pulsing as they were linked to countless tentacles.
"A brain? Or a heart?"
There are a lot of them.
Maybe a few dozen, roughly.
If I smashed these, would the flower fall?
If I did smash them.
What would happen to the regression point?
The moment I thought about that, I could feel the rage and hatred that had been consuming my mind turn into confusion. If I broke these and the regression point was fixed to now?
Would I have to live in a world where everything had already been destroyed?
"Ah."
I felt such a terrifying chill that my whole body shuddered. Regression meant that the instant the regression point went wrong, everything would be fucked.
Because of that.
Paradoxically, it seemed like I shouldn’t resolve this here. If I touched it carelessly and the regression point got fixed to the present, there’d be no future.
"..."
Should I die here?
We’d come this far on everyone’s sacrifices, and now I had to turn back without seeing the final outcome? Then all those sacrifices would be meaningless...
"It wouldn’t be meaningless."
As long as I saw it, that would be enough.
If I’m here, it’ll be resolved someday...!
ㅡShrrrk!
Tentacles surged up from the floor. They twisted together into a bizarre shape and transformed into a monster. Looks like a guard had appeared to protect the core.
ㅡShhk.
It was approaching.
Just looking at it, it seemed strong enough that I probably couldn’t beat it. Still, I couldn’t just take it lying down. Let’s see. I needed proof that these wrinkled spheres were vital organs.
There were dozens of them, but if I cut down even one, I’d know.
I immediately swung the scimitar and slashed the sphere in front of me.
ㅡSplat!
Blood burst out like a leather pouch had been ripped open. At the same time, the monster jerked violently and convulsed.
"So this is the vital part? You’re saying I just have to somehow handle this?"
I said it sarcastically.
ㅡSquelch.
The sphere began regenerating again.
And in an instant, too.
"Ah, shit."
So a normal method won’t work after all.
Good enough. I get it.
ㅡFwoosh!
The monster, which had been convulsing for a while, kicked off the ground.
"Ha ha...!"
Honestly, I was scared. No matter what, I couldn’t help but feel fear as that grotesque monster charged at me.
Still, I stayed calm, threw the scimitar away, and pulled out my lighter. A hand made of tentacles shot toward me. I ignored it and touched the flame to the dynamite fuse Sal-hyung had given me.
ㅡTHWACK!
"Guhk!"
A tentacle pierced my abdomen. I felt a searing pain and my stance collapsed, but that didn’t matter right now.
I never let go of the dynamite until the very end.
In my final moment.
I shouted with all my strength.
"Allah... hu, akbar!!!!"
Thinking only of going back!
ㅡKWAAAAAANG!
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.
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[You were killed in a holy explosion.]
[Death count : 9 -> 10]
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.
.
[Restarting.]
* * *
When I opened my eyes, I saw a crystal-clear sky.
The blue sky over Seoul, as if the apocalypse had never come. Everything around me was fresh, and the towering buildings were still intact. The tree-lined streets, full of life, were beautiful too.
Feeling the cool breeze.
I kicked off the ground.
"I’m back...!"
I didn’t have time to enjoy this scenery. If I won, this ordinary life would be waiting for me anytime. What I had to do now was clear.
I immediately took out the Agency’s business card.
I’d originally thought reporting it to the Agency was foolish, since I didn’t know about the fake Agency. But now I knew, thanks to what Jaldi had told me.
This business card belonged to the real Agency.
If I called, there was a high chance an agent like Jaldi would come. Then I’d tell that agent and try to solve this somehow.
ㅡBrrring.
Besides, strictly speaking, this was before the incident had even “started.” I was reporting it before the bastard went into the wall. That would buy us some time and let me handle things to my advantage.
-You’ve reached us. What can I do for you?
"I escaped from Cheongakmeri Hospital. They told me to contact the Agency."
-You escaped! Congratulations! We’ll send an agent right away!
I hadn’t really noticed it then, but the voice sounded a little overexcited. They’d said not many people made it out of the hospital alive, so I guess they were that shocked and excited.
-Where are you right now!
"I’m in Gangnam."
I added that as I gave them the address.
-An agent will be there soon!
"Hold on. You said the Agency, right? Is it an organization that fights monster-like things?"
-That’s right. You’ll learn the details soon enough.
"Actually, I’m caught up in one of those monster-like phenomena again right now."
-Pardon?
"Don’t hang up."
I had already arrived at the building. The man going into the wall was nowhere to be seen. Since I’d called while running here the moment it started, I was faster.
"I saw something monster-like pass through the wall of a building. After what happened at the hospital, I figured this was a strange phenomenon, so I checked inside the building."
-Please continue. An agent has already been dispatched. That information is being shared as well.
Look at that.
When communication works properly, information gets through fast.
"The inside of the building had turned into a very grotesque space. Everyone inside was already dead. I confirmed that and got out right away. When will the agent arrive? Every second counts. This building might end up like that insane hospital too!"
-They’ll arrive soon! We’ve already pinpointed the location, so please run as far away as you can!
That was when—
ㅡWhoosh!
I saw a man on the other side charging toward us while twisting his body. That son of a bitch— even across regressions, his choice of building hadn’t changed.
ㅡSlip!
The bastard finally went into the wall.
"Ah."
By now, I realized I’d acted rashly.
The people inside the building...!
"Damn it!"
If I’d moved more quickly, could I have evacuated the people inside?
By the time that monster got in, the inside of the building had probably already been trashed. Everyone inside was probably dead.
"No... this isn’t my mistake."
I forced myself to think that way.
Even if I’d realized it sooner, evacuating everyone in this huge building would have been difficult. Go up to the front desk and start yelling that there’s a fire? That wouldn’t have worked. And even if I pulled the emergency alarm, there was no guarantee all those people, numb to safety warnings as they were, would actually come out.
ㅡScreeeeech!
Then a motorcycle stopped in front of me.
"Huh."
I was momentarily flustered, because the person riding the motorcycle was an enormous man who looked about two meters tall.
He wore a black jacket and a helmet, giving him an imposing presence. He looked like the kind of guy you’d believe if someone said he was a wrestler.
ㅡSwish.
The man took off his helmet. His neatly groomed beard and bald head were striking. What was it again? He gave off kind of a Jet from Cowboy Bebop vibe.
"Oh, it’s you?"
When our eyes met, he grinned and spoke in a warm, folksy tone.
Just by looking at him, I’d expected a deep, heavy, blunt voice, but it was completely different.
"Are you an agent from the Agency?"
"You recognized me. I’m Gorgodio. First, congratulations on surviving. It couldn’t have been easy coming back alive."
Gorgodio?
No, Jaldi and now this guy too—they really do use some unusual codenames. Come to think of it, the fake Agency guys had used Korean-style names.
He stuck out his hand, so I took it and shook it.
"You’ll find out the details once you get to the Agency, so set your questions aside. For now, wait a bit. I’m gonna take a look at this building."
"Ah, yes. But hold on. Agent Gorgodio? Don’t tell me you came alone?"
"Why, is that a problem?"
No!
This isn’t something you can handle alone!
Don’t tell me they don’t have any available manpower right now?
"Agent! The inside of that building is completely fucked right now! I know because I survived that monster hospital too—this is not something one person can handle!"
"Ah, we don’t have the manpower right now. Manpower. And things like this are something you just have to give a try. Wait here. I’ll sort it out quickly and come back out."
This insane confidence...!
He definitely looked like someone who could fight well, so confidence was nice and all, but to me he just looked like Manager Lee Do-hyung!
Manager Lee Do-hyung—I thought that bastard was a total pushover, but both Jaldi and Sal-hyung had rated him extremely highly. If even guys like that got taken down so helplessly, then if a lone agent did this, he could die without anyone even knowing.
Regardless, Gorgodio headed toward the building entrance.
I followed him.
"No, why are you following me? I’m telling you, it’s dangerous. You’ve probably been through a lot at the hospital, so just rest for now."
But his manner of speaking was really friendly.
"Agent! Let’s go together! In my opinion, this isn’t something one person can handle! It’d be better if we went in pairs!"
"What do you, a civilian, mean by... I’m being nice here."
"There!"
I shouted and pointed at the entrance.
The mutation was already underway.
"Headquarters, this is Gorgodio from the suppression team. Begin building quarantine procedures immediately. What, no manpower? Drag some over here any way you can. I’m going in right now. If we don’t quarantine it immediately, it’ll cost more resources later!"
Gorgodio’s demeanor changed in an instant, and he ran toward the entrance. I ran after him too.
"I told you not to come! How is a civilian supposed to help with a strange phenomenon!"
Gorgodio shouted as if he meant to kill me, but I stepped forward boldly anyway.
"I can help! I survived Cheongakmeri Hospital! And I can’t stand watching other people get caught up in strange phenomena! I swore I’d stop something like this no matter what!"
"You...! Ha, you’ve got the makings of an agent! I like you! Follow me then! If you die, that’s on you!"
"I like you, too!"
Together with him, I entered the building.
By now, the first floor was already being consumed by flesh-like tissue. The fallen people lay face-down on the ground, which had turned into something like intestines, as they were absorbed into it, and the walls and ceiling were pulsing all over.
"Up there! I’ve got a feeling something’s above us!"
"Above?"
"Surviving that monster hospital sharpened my instincts a bit!"
"A superpower awakening...? I’ll hear the explanation later. I’m going up!"
"Let’s go!"
"Let’s go to the second floor!"