"… … ."
"Guide, are you waiting in the vehicle? Please park as far away from the gate as possible and be careful not to be caught in an area attack. If you see a mutant species while waiting, immediately ask for help from nearby awakeners. Of course, we are protecting it, but just in case."
"I don't think that's necessary. "I will protect him."
The smile that Shinje had been wearing until just now disappeared. All that was left was bored to death.
"Guide Baek Yu-geon, come in with me."
"yes… … yes?"
The Espers were dumbfounded and asked questions. Shinje, not feeling the need to reply further, rolled up the window and started his car. They passed through layers of barricades and temporary guard posts and entered. A radius of several tens of meters centered around the entrance to the subway station was empty. Hunters were standing sparsely in front of it, checking their equipment. Someone recognized Shinje's car and was shocked.
"Was that rumor true?"
"I thought you were going to leave Erewhon. The manager is coming in person? "This isn't right."
There were also people who spat out their phlegm in frustration and took their luggage back.
"Guys, put away your tools. "I guess I made a mistake in business today."
"Why are there sharks in the water where minnows are playing?"
"It's so hard to get a bowl of food. "In a situation where large supermarkets are also being regulated, when will regulations on large orders be introduced?"
To them, Shinje was both an object of admiration and a competitor in the same industry. His appearance wasn't all that good. Moreover, most of the people here were intermediate level hunters ranging from B to D levels. He was pushed out by lower-ranking officials in terms of number of employees and cheap labor costs, and was pushed out by superior-ranking officials in terms of ability. The people who used to treat F-class people like slaves and boasted about them are now in a position where they have to play the role of bridesmaid without even being able to make a noise, so it is inevitable that people will not look at them kindly.
"Hunter Woo Shin-je, I heard you went to the small gate alone last time and swept it all up? "There's an abandoned industrial complex on the outskirts of Seonram-dong or something."
"Massacre of civilians is a habit."
"Shh."
The sound of whispering outside could be heard through the glass window. It goes without saying that the gods have much more sensitive senses than that. But he didn't care one bit. He leisurely stopped the car, tapping his fingertips to the classical music playing in the car.
When I opened the door and got out, everyone looked at me. Curiosity, longing, doubt, caution. A wide range of attention was focused on Shinje and Yoo Geon. The gaze immediately moved elsewhere. This was because the sound of a loud engine shaking the earth could be heard from far away.
A bright yellow sports car came running and stopped with a flashy drift. Sigh! Skid marks were carved into the road. Those nearby were startled and took a step back. The driver's door opened and a young woman wearing sunglasses got out. He was wearing ripped jeans and a blouson. Her hair color was as unique as the car she drove. She had cut her white blonde hair, which had become dull from several bleaches, around her ears, and her black hair was growing new at the roots.
"Hey, hunters. "Hello, how are you?"
The woman stood on her cross leg and greeted me rudely. He looked like a specimen of a gangster. She began to pack her things, even the few hunters that were left behind looked at her and looked at her with luck.
"It opened, it opened. "You came all the way to Seokmunyeong."
"After S-class, is this time A-class?"
The woman took off her sunglasses and looked back at Shinje.
"Hey. Who is this? Director Woo. "How could someone so hard to see come to such a shabby place?"
Moonyoung harshly criticized everyone gathered here with one word: "shabby." She received her greeting like a stream of water.
"I came out to get some fresh air. What about Director Seok?"
She grinned and pointed to the passenger seat of her car.
"My sister commutes to work by subway. They say it takes an extra hour these days to come back because of control. "I sacrifice myself for my sister's comfortable commute!"
"Moonyoung!"
The passenger door burst open and a woman with a bright red face hurriedly got out. She wore the same blouson as Moonyoung. What was different was the guide badge on her left breast. Same as the one Yoo Geon is wearing.
"Why do you say things like that to people you don't know… … . "You probably think I'm weird."
"I can't even tell you how much I complain every morning, saying that I'm dying of sleepiness because I didn't get enough sleep, and that I want to get rid of that gate as soon as possible."
"I didn't! When did I?"
"So, now I'm telling you to pack your bags and come in? Then you won't have to commute, right? Sister, come only with your body. "I just need to put one more set of cutlery on the table."
The two women bickered. Even a short conversation clearly revealed how close the two were.
"What if it's just the body? "There's nothing he can't say to his sister."
Moonyoung's guide looked tearful with red cheeks. There was no shadow on her fair face. If only she changed her clothes, she would look like a well-bred middle-class girl. In any case, she was a world away from Yoo Geon, who was already far removed from her normal life. The woman who had been whispering to Munyoung suddenly turned her head and glanced at her Yugeon. The eyes of the two guides, who were in very different environments, met for the first time.
"… … ."
Yoo Geon just stared back at her. There didn't seem to be any intention to make a friendly statement. Moonyoung soon saw Yugeon as well. At first glance, the two men appear to be standing face-to-face, spaced apart, but Shinje is standing one step in front of them, partially blocking Yugeon's appearance from them. So naturally, as if it was a coincidence. Her flower-like smile had no blemish on her face, which gave me even more goosebumps.
I already knew that that young man was a guide. Still, I tried to pretend not to know. Whatever Wooshinje does with the guide is their business. But when I saw that, my judgment couldn't help but be distorted.
"Captain Woo. Are you planning to change it this time?"
"What do you mean?"
"A guide. "Isn't that why you want to throw the guide to the mutated species inside so that they can kill both the birds and the mice without them noticing, and bring in a new person?"
"Is that possible…?" … . "How can you say such horrible things?"
"There are some rumors I heard."
Moonyoung furrowed her brows in a belligerent manner and gave a smile that did not sound like a smile.
"The guides in Erewhon say that the shelf life is shorter than that of fruit?"
"is it so? "There are all kinds of interesting rumors going around."
"It's none of my business what they do, but let's just make this presumptuous meddling. If it were me, I wouldn't do that. "I don't treat my guide like that."
"If you know it's presumptuous… … ."
The god looked up into the sky with a bored expression, and suddenly burst into laughter. The gray gaze, which had become more sinister than before, looked straight ahead. Before I knew it, the smile had disappeared from my mouth.
"You should have kept your mouth shut."
Moonyoung had too much on her shoulders to provoke her opponent further. From the guide right next to her to the countless members under me. There is nothing to be gained by messing with a group of unsecured crazy people.
"… … ."
Moonyoung ended the conversation by biting her lip. After putting the guide back in the car, she tilted her head through the open passenger window and repeated several times the following instructions: be careful of people, be careful of mutants, and be careful of the aftermath of an attack.
"Let's not get in each other's way?"
She turned around and spoke harshly. With her hands stuffed in the pockets of her jumper, she trudged towards the subway entrance. The dazzling, multi-colored embroidery on her back caught my eye. She was the image of a goddess, wearing a gorgeous silk hanbok and her long hair tied up as a hairpin. That god is called King Inwi of all gods, or Princess Bari.
Seok Moon-young, 28 years old, Class A hunter, ability is Necromancy. He is the leader of the hunting order
* * *
Shin Je and Yoo Geon followed Moon Young up the stairs to the basement. There was no sign of anyone else around. Just a day or two ago, it must have been a place where a lot of people came and went, but each and every staircase was strangely covered in moss.
There was a foul smell as if dead plants and animals were tangled together and rotting. If he had a weak stomach, he would immediately get nauseous and run out. Yoo Geon slightly frowned. However, he didn't do anything stupid like cover his nose and mouth or turn his head. The Emperor looked back at him and smiled briefly.
"I guess I didn't know because I've never been close to the gate. Originally, the environment around the gate was different from 'that side'. "The closer you get, the worse it gets."
"… … ."
"Careful. "Because you could accidentally end up on the other side."
He spoke in the tone of an adult scaring a child with a crude ghost story. My pride was hurt for no reason. Although Yoo Geon only has experience hunting with F-level hunters, he still has basic knowledge about high-difficulty gates.
"That won't happen."
"Our guide is so trustworthy."
The priest laughed lowly in his throat. Yu-gun's expression became even more determined. No matter what he did, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being made fun of.
He might be able to attack this gate with his eyes closed, but not Yoo Geon. The insect-like mutant species encountered in the abandoned factory area was the weakest among the mutant species. The god did not even look at it and crushed it as easily as if he were killing an insect. It wouldn't have made much difference to him even if there were hundreds or thousands of them instead of just one. However, Yoo Geon had to risk his life to deal with just one animal.
"I chose a place that would provide a reasonable experience. Not too easy and not too difficult. "You will experience it many times in the future, so get used to it."
"… … ."
"If you're too scared, you can hug me."
"I would rather fall to my death alone."
"It's chilly."
Yoo Geon listened to his words with one ear and focused on the sensation in his hands. The metal handle was wrapped heavily around his hand. The equipment provided by Erewhon was incomparably better than what I had used before. Still, the structure of the gun was the same, so it wasn't difficult to handle. The familiar feeling calmed my mind a little. Now all he had to rely on was this pistol. How many stairs did you go down like that? A faint sound was heard from below.
"hey! "There's someone here."
"… … ."
In the pitch-black darkness where the voice came from, Yoo Geon took a look at the man next to him. The priest must have noticed it first, but he didn't show much. It seems like he wants to test Yu-gun's judgment. There was silence as neither of them answered. Someone shouted again from below.
"There are people here too! Oh, wait a minute. "I will go there."
Yoo Geon stared into the darkness beyond without blinking his eyes. Even the sound of breathing calmed down.
He slowly raised the pistol in his hand. His basic posture was to hold the handle with his right hand and support it with his left hand. It was not something I learned formally, but something I learned through numerous practical experiences, so it was clunky, but it was streamlined and efficient. It was a surprisingly cautious response. I thought they would move immediately the moment they heard the desperate cry of a person.
"hey. Where are you… … ."
Taang! Before the other person could even finish speaking, Yoo Geon opened fire. The sound of gunfire echoed throughout the empty station building. A strange howl was heard mixed in with it.
"Keeeeek!"
The mutant that had been hit by a bullet diagonally in the forehead became excited and started running towards me. Crack, crack, crack. Several legs crawled quickly across the floor. It sounded like a giant centipede moving.
bang! bang! bang! bang! After roughly confirming the enemy's position with his first shot, he fired his gun one after another without hesitation. Because the mutant species was shaking its body and running unsteadily, my aim kept getting off. Nevertheless, his shot hit the head precisely, as if it had a guidance function. The recoil must have been formidable, and the tension and psychological pressure must have been great, but his posture did not falter in the slightest.
44 caliber magnum revolver. When all 6 rounds are filled, it is so heavy that it is difficult to hold and aim with one hand. His heavy shots are slow. So he is not suitable for long-distance shooting. But his stopping power is that high. Therefore, it is used for the purpose of bursting flesh and breaking bones, not for the purpose of piercing the enemy. Even if it couldn't kill the mutant species, it had to be at least enough to inflict damage.
bang! The last shot emptied the magazine. Finally, the mutant collapsed about 5 meters in front of Yugeon. I didn't stop breathing. It rose again, pouring out black blood from the spot where his bullet had lodged. However, the movement was noticeably slower than before.
"female… … . Wow, is there someone… … ."
It muttered in a strangled voice. Several long limbs, like gnats, were struggling in different directions.
"Kikigeek… … "Keuuuuuu."
The mutant had a skinny body and a strangely bloated belly. The skin of his thin, hairless stomach rumbled, and he vomited out what was inside. Since the injury made it difficult to move, it seemed like he was trying to lose weight by throwing up what he had swallowed. Chewed human heads rolled out, mixed with all kinds of disgusting bodily fluids and blood.
"You do all kinds of things."
After completely letting go and just watching, Shinje threw something. He looked extremely bored. Yoo Geon reached around his waist to change his magazine. His movements had to be clearly neutralized during this gap. Shinje was faster than that. He only glanced at him, and the mutant's stomach exploded. Inside, the dismembered limbs and torso of a person were tangled together. It wasn't just one person.
"ha… … ."
Only after confirming that the mutant was completely killed did Yoo Geon let out a long breath. He had been holding his breath this whole time. It wasn't because he was scared. If his body shakes to breathe, his aim will be shaky.
Of course, since I had been working with F-class people for a long time, I thought that I would not be a complete beginner like other guides. Still, he at least knew how to be scared. But it really exceeded my expectations.
The closer you get to the gate and the higher the difficulty of the gate, the more important it is not the rank. It's not like expensive equipment. It is the patience to stand firm in a hopeless environment and the composure to not be shaken by anything. The priest had seen too many awakened people who had unprecedentedly powerful abilities but died miserably due to weak mental power. In that respect, Yoo Geon was better than most low-level hunters.
"How did you know it wasn't human?"
Yoo Geon responded without even looking at him, concentrating on changing the magazine.
"If you were a hunter or an ordinary person who received proper emergency training, you would never think of making a loud noise in this situation. "How do we know whether we are a mutant species or not?"
"What if it's an ordinary person who is so scared that they forget emergency training and everything else?"
The priest spread his hands in a very theatrical gesture.
"There is a good chance that will happen. "While I was trembling and trapped in a dark place, I felt a presence, so I decided to say something and see."
"If that were the case, the first thing I would say is."
After silently replacing the magazine, Yoo Geon raised his head. And he looked straight at the priest and said.
"who are you?"
"… … ."
"Or it might have been, 'Is there anyone there?' "There are people here too."
"Have you ever dealt with one before? "Those who imitate human sounds."
Yoo Geon quietly shook his head. The lowest-level mutants that F-level hunters hunt mainly look like insects or animals, and their intelligence is no different from those. All they do with their mouths is bite humans and suck blood or spit out venom.
Then, the conclusion is that the actions from earlier were completely due to innate judgment and fighting sense. Shinje was confident again. There are types of abilities in the world that cannot be quantified simply by rank or series, and Yoo Geon possesses them.
"Our guide is such an honor student that there is nothing more to teach him. Do you want to come down now?"
"This is not a mountain, this is underground."
Yoo Geon answered calmly. There was a question mark on his neat, expressionless face. For a moment, Shinje wondered if he was telling a lame joke. However, the person named Baek Yu-geon that I have known so far was definitely not that type of personality. He held back his laughter and lightly wrapped his arms around Yu-gun's shoulders and pulled him towards him.
"I'll give you a 'Very good job' stamp."
He pressed a kiss to my temple near the corner of my lips. A scent of perfume that did not suit the musty air around me wafted in. One beat later, Yoo Geon's face distorted. I reflexively pushed the man's chest, but only my arm tingled and it didn't move. Meanwhile, Shinje was laughing lowly, as if he couldn't stand it anymore.
* * *
I passed the mossy waiting room. I passed through a turnstile that was blacked out due to a power outage. I stepped on an escalator that didn't work and went deeper. When I got down to the platform, the hunters who came earlier were gathered. Someone sensed the presence of Shin-je and Yoo-gun and flashed a flash light, but they were startled and took it down again.
"ah… … hello!"
Gas masks, body armor, helmets made of special materials, and even goggles. Among the hunters armed with all kinds of equipment, Shinje, who was wearing a holster over his Erewhon uniform, looked very defenseless. It was like a men's clothing model suddenly dropped into the middle of a battlefield.
But the most relaxed thing here was also Shinje. Yu-gun could feel that everyone was secretly watching him, even though they pretended not to be. Although he was actually standing at an angle with his hands in his suit pants pockets and an unimpressed expression.
Afterwards, other hunters arrived one by one. While coming down while killing mutants, everyone ended up gathering at the platform at the bottom. Moonyoung was still somewhere upstairs.
"uh? Can I turn on the light?"
"They have no eyes, they. It can't sense light at all. "It seems like your sense of hearing and touch are sensitive."
"Good. "It was frustrating because it only blocked my view."
The hunter took off his night vision goggles and instead turned on his portable light. They gathered in groups of twos and threes and sat or leaned on a bench in the middle of an empty platform. While inspecting the equipment, we exchanged the information we had obtained so far.
"It wasn't difficult to catch. Just be careful of the pattern of stepping back, crouching, and then suddenly lunging forward. "Even if you try to imitate human sounds, you can only say a few words."
"What grade will I get at this level? C?"
"I don't think it's even C?"
"Oh my, I can't even get my money's worth."
"But I almost got fooled when the guy I met in the middle tried to imitate the station attendant."
Yugeon was sitting alone on a bench, a little away from the other hunters and even from Shinje. He waited for a while, staring into space in his motionless posture, and when he got bored, he lifted his outstretched leg and tapped the floor with his heel.
Before, I got along well with the hunters during waiting time. Of course, Yoo Geon stayed aloof and the others seemed to be talking one-sidedly. Then, if someone liked Yoo Geon, he would give him some combat rations or emergency medicine.
But I didn't feel like it now. I didn't think I could communicate with hunters who were much closer to the elite than Yoo Geon, and more than anything, I didn't want to be seen flirting with others in front of Shin Je-ui.
"There, there."
Someone whispered. At first, Yoo Geon didn't realize that it was said to him. He turned his head only after being called a few more times.
"hello. Are you a new Erewhon? You look young. What is your rank? D? C?"
As expected from an elite, their words and actions were polite. The F-level people I worked with in the past started pouring out harsh words starting with 'What kind of young bastard doesn't even say hello to his older brothers and is rude!'
"If Hunter Woo Shin-je takes me personally and goes on a raid alone... … . "Maybe B?"
The unfamiliar hunter lowered his voice and whispered. I turned on the portable light, but it was so dark everywhere that I couldn't see the guide badge.
"How did you get into Erewhon? There have been no public recruitments in recent years. Oh, day laborer? No, then there is no reason for Wooshinje Hunter to take care of it."
He continued to ask questions even though Yoo Geon did not respond in any way. Yoo Geon closed his mouth, looking uncomfortable.
When it was revealed that he was a guide during the mission, the other hunters' reactions were largely divided into two. The type who criticizes Hee-seong, thinking that your partner must be quite incompetent for asking a guide to fight, and the type who insists that he stop being expensive and give me a try too. Either way, I felt dirty.
"Anyway, I killed everyone I saw on the way here, but there's no sign of the gate closing yet."
Someone spoke up. Everyone paid attention to that. Thanks to this, Yoo Geon was able to naturally escape from the barrage of questions.
"Iknow, right. "I think I've almost got everything now."
"I came in late and all I saw was traces of a body."
"What about the people who went to the other line's platform?"
"I just got a radio call and the situation is similar there."
After those words, there was silence. An answer that no one wanted to think of appeared in everyone's mind. In the midst of the silence, someone threw a bomb.
"Isn't this 'Type 2'?"
There are three types of gates. First, type 1. Kill all mutants that come out of the gate. Until no more appears. Then, the empty gate closes naturally. It is the simplest and cleanest format. When all mutant species are killed and the gate is completely destroyed and restored to its original state, it is said to have been conquered. Most gates are attacked in this way, that is, type 1.
and type 2, which occurs with a probability of less than 5 percent. Among the mutants, you must kill the particularly strong one, the 'boss'. When the boss dies, the gate closes even if other mutants are still alive. Conversely, if the boss is not killed, the gate will never close. Once the boss is killed and the gate is closed, there is no need to worry about more enemies, so you can hunt the remaining mutants with peace of mind. If the boss is too strong, unexpected large damage may occur.
Lastly, type 3. The boss does not come out of the gate, so you have to go in to catch it yourself, or the condition for extinction is to do something beyond the gate. This is the rarest and most difficult type. Currently, the majority of Type 3 gates are closed indefinitely as the majority have given up on the attack.
"no way. Nonsense. If I had known it would be type 2, I wouldn't have come in the first place! Me, I want to go out. "I'm going to leave now."
Some hunters became contemplative. He's probably a low-ranking guy who narrowly came in with a pull-up. For his part, he deserved it. If the common mutant species is C grade, the boss is at least B grade, and if you're unlucky, it can go even higher.
In a group battle, if one person loses morale, it immediately affects the others. Once morale is low, it is difficult to show off your skills no matter how much you fly or crawl on a regular basis. Experienced hunters who knew this well patted his shoulders and comforted him.
"Don't be too scared. "Are we people who have done this once or twice?"
"I have 20 years of experience at this level, and I have had many bosses. Those guys are no big deal either. Just a little bigger and stronger. "Don't worry, just get ready."
"is it so. No matter how strong you are, I can't catch you with this number."
Then he glances at Shinje.
"There is also a place to trust."
Yoo Geon had doubts in his mind. Even if they are in danger, will they come forward? Rather than saving people, he is a human being who can just sit back and enjoy watching genocide as if he were watching an opera.
At that time, I felt a presence on the tracks. Plop, plod. The sound echoed through the tunnel through which the train passed, making it even louder. Everyone stood up quickly and quickly got into a fighting stance. The brightly shining lights turned off all at once. They say regular mutants have no vision, but I didn't know if even the boss would.
The sound got closer and closer. A figure with yellow platinum hair suddenly appeared in a tunnel engulfed in black darkness. It was Moonyoung. A few people involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief.
"Over there."
She pointed to where she came from.
"Boss, it's inside the tracks toward City Hall Station."
"Did you see it for yourself? How was it?"
"I didn't see it in detail, but the type is similar to the regular type."
Moonyoung calmly answered the question. No matter how much she is A-level, she is alone without any companions. What kind of courage did she have to go all the way to the boss? Around the time that question came to mind.
"Oh. "Captain Woo."
She grinned at Shinje.
"Thank you Cha-am. At best, they killed him and left his body intact. "You killed him very gracefully, right?"
"you're welcome."
The new emperor responded smoothly. Both of them had smiling faces, but the atmosphere was cold and sinister. Moonyoung turned her body halfway and raised her hand.
"Okay then… … . "Let's take the ghost and go catch it."
At the same time, a strange thing happened. The dark shadows that had been crouching behind her stood up one by one. It was the same normal mutant that Yoo Gun had shot and subdued earlier. It's just that the flesh has rotted away, the bones are exposed, and the leather has become discolored. The bodies of mutants that had already died were moving again. In some cases, the joints creaked due to rigor mortis, as if they had been dead for some time.
"omg!"
Someone gasped in surprise.
"This is my first time seeing that necromancer. wow. Isn't it just one or two? "Are we going to control all those numbers?"
"So that guy goes around alone. "It's rather inconvenient to have someone next to you."
The hunters easily broke the screen door and jumped down the platform. I walked along the track following Moonyoung while being alert to my surroundings. There were revived mutants among Moonyoung and the hunters at the forefront. Unlike when he was alive, where he would scream and rush at the sight of a person, he and Oh joined forces in an orderly manner to chase Munyeong. The goddess of the underworld embroidered on Munyeong's back, and the corpses that follow her. It was a strange combination.
The new emperor moved leisurely only when the group of hunters had disappeared halfway into the tunnel.
"Shall we go now?"
Yoo-gun's gaze was still focused on their backs. It was Yoo Geon's first time seeing a necromancer. Just having a few of them in tow is impressive enough, but what if the number increases to hundreds or thousands? Most enemies wouldn't even be able to get close to Moonyoung. The enemy's corpses will continue to increase, and those corpses will be used to recruit allies again.
He realized that he had been a frog in a well all along. I lived in a small world where shabby back alleys and dilapidated houses converged.
"Do you like that?"
The priest smiled and gently tilted his head. Her eyes, which had once seemed vaguely pretty, were filled with calm madness.
"If I were a necromancer, I would have killed Guide Baek Yu-geon, brought him back to life, and carried him by my side for the rest of my life. "He's quiet and listens well. I love it."
A chill ran down my spine as if I had poured ice water on it. Yoo Geon couldn't say anything. It was best not to avoid his gaze and clenched his fists to keep his hands from shaking.
"just joke. I told you to smile, but you didn't smile, so I'm upset... … ."
Shinje slowly turned his head and lowered his gaze. Far from being pathetic, it was abominable. How many people would laugh when they hear something like that?
It was dark inside the tunnel. Even the emergency lights, which were supposed to operate as backup power even in a power outage, were all turned off. The stench was so bad that I thought I might have to wear a gas mask. A hunter stepped on the wrong track, stumbled, and landed on the wall. As he regained his balance and tried to stand up straight, something black began to droop from his hands.
"Ugh… … . Ahh! What is this."
He was shocked and shook his hands. He touched the wall for only a few seconds, and his gloves were quickly eaten away by mold. I was fortunate that the gloves were made of special material. Otherwise, even his hands would have rotted.
Cooung. I felt a dull vibration coming from in front of me. Not only the person who screamed, but also everyone else froze in place. There was silence in the cold air that had been stagnant underground for a long time. thud. I heard the sound again. There was still nothing to see ahead. People who felt fear instinctively stuck together.
"coming. Don't bunch up. "For those who can attack from a distance, prepare right away, and for those who can attack from a distance, measure the timing and then go in with a time difference."
Moonyoung gave instructions in a quick tone. He seemed used to giving orders.
"With Director Woo, next to him… … . Mr. Guide."
Everyone's eyes widened. In particular, the person who spoke to Yoo Geon earlier was the most surprised. They made her wonder if she had just heard correctly. Why is the guide here? Are you a suicidal person?
"I know Erewhon won't cooperate."
"The doctor here didn't even ask? "This is disappointing."
"You weren't interested in attacking the gate from the beginning. "I thought you were going on a date with your guide."
"Who comes on a date to a place like this? "Do you ever get slapped or kicked?"
"I want to see Director Woo get slapped at least once in my life."
"I didn't know that Director Seok hated me so much."
"My motto is 'Be kind to all guides.' "My guide or not."
"It's a coincidence. "It's the same for me."
"I beg your pardon? Treat me kindly? Who is the leader of Erewhon? "A passing mutant species will laugh?"
Unlike the others who were very nervous about the unexpected situation, Shinje and Moonyoung were definitely relaxed. There's a powerful monster right in front of me, and I don't even have time to have a trivial conversation. Moonyoung tilted her head crookedly and looked at Yoo Geon.
"Mr. Guide. Sorry for meeting you for the first time, but please do me a favor. Just give that guy a slap. "It is my wish."
Yoo Geon couldn't understand at all how their conversation was going. While he was concentrating hard because he didn't know when the enemy would jump out, the constant chatter from the side was getting on his nerves. In fact, the stories Erewhon's hunters were saying were full of things I couldn't understand or didn't want to understand. I just thought that the mental world of all advanced hunters was like that.
"no."
Without even looking at Moonyoung, he kept his gaze straight ahead and lowered his hand to unlock the safety of his pistol and respond.
"Would it be okay to just slap you?"
"… … ."
Moonyoung looked like she had been punched. The priest lowered her head and laughed breathlessly.
Thump, thump, thump. The interval between vibrations gradually became shorter. Someone loaded the gun. Pure white ice crystals rose up through the blackened darkness, as if there was someone in the group with freezing abilities. Eventually, the enemy appeared from behind a slanted corner. Yoo Geon forgot to breathe for a moment.
It was so huge that it filled the entire gaping tunnel. It also looked like the body was stuck in the tunnel. The skin was shiny, like a dead fish that had been left in muddy water for a long time. Moss, mold, and hair were tangled and hanging all over the joints.
A swollen belly, a strangely large number of heads and limbs, and an intermittently bulging body. A lump of greed and filth came waddling along. As the distance narrowed, the shape became more clearly visible. There wasn't just one head. Countless human heads hung on a thick neck, like bubbles bubbling from a boiling liquid.
The corpses controlled by Moonyoung blocked its path. However, since they only moved quickly and did not have high attack power, they did not cause much damage.
"… … ."
It opened its mouth wide and muttered something. I couldn't understand what was being said. Many people's voices were mixed together, as if there was confusion between radio frequencies.
"Crazy, everything… … ."
The ice expert, who was holding a large ice spear and waiting for the enemy to appear, muttered in vain. My eyes were out of focus.
"die. "Die!"
He threw the spear in a panic. Still, due to the combat experience I had accumulated so far, I hit the target even though my aim was a little shaky. Instead of aiming for his neck, it missed slightly and hit one of his heads. The head pierced by his ice spear fell and rolled around. His putrid bodily fluids were flowing out from that spot. The mutant twisted his body and screamed.
"Kaaaaak!"
thud. thud. thud. The guy shook off the undead that were clinging to me and rolled over. His movements were quite fast compared to his massive size. It swung its leg towards its attacker.
"Ugh, ugh!"
The hunter who threw the ice spear flew through the air. He hit the wall and fell and fell. But no one approached him. In this situation, he knew full well that if he rashly took care of his colleagues, they would all die.
"I thought the smaller ones were Jangsanbum, but the bigger ones are wearing spears?"
Moonyoung laughed nervously. The enemy was trickier than she thought. You need other bodies around to increase your power or not, but unfortunately, that boss was alone. However, you cannot use necromancy carelessly on the bodies of dead hunters. She attacked and cut off her head to no avail. Except for one protected head in the very center, the rest belonged to the victims who had been eaten so far.
"Huh, huh... … ."
Yoo Geon wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and lowered his gun. This was the end of the attacks he could do. He used up all the bullets he brought with him. However, a bullet the size of a human finger or two could not hit an enemy the size of an ordinary single-family home.
Tell me to run away right now, this is no place for someone like you. It was a mistake to come here to fight against a guide who had no combat power. It felt like the mutant was making such an accusation.
It was just a matter of meeting the boss from afar. It wasn't a one-on-one fight, and while other hunters rushed in and fought desperately, Yoo Geon only helped with a few shots. Still, I was so scared. Even now, I am so weak and helpless, can I go beyond the gate as I signed a contract with God?
As the attacks from dozens of hunters gradually slowed down, the mutant took a deep breath and inflated its body. I had an ominous feeling. Yoo Geon hurriedly looked around.
"Avoid immediately… … ."
I should tell you to avoid it, but... … . The mutant species was slightly faster. It leaned back and then forward, spitting out a liquid mixed with bone fragments and flesh. A cloudy and slimy liquid sprayed out violently like water from a sprinkler truck, filling the air.
For a moment, my vision was blocked. Was he blinded by poison? But the next moment, Yoo Geon was caught by his waist and dragged away. His strong arms held him tightly. As the cool scent of dried roses soaked into my arms, the stench that was radiating from all directions disappeared.
Shinje held Yoo Geon in his arms and turned his body halfway to face Byeonjong. He pulled the back of his head and placed it tightly against the back of his neck, wrapping around his back and waist leaving no space. Soon, poisonous rain fell. Terrible screams were heard from all directions.
"Ugh!"
"It hurts! Ahh! Wow... … ."
The track visible over Shinje's shoulder was like a father's battle. The person who was rolling around on the floor and crying out in pain was in good condition. The number of people who fell and became immobile with liquid all over their bodies was even greater. The tens of meters ahead were turned into hell, and it was impossible to see where the mutant species had gone. There was a fork in front where the track split into two branches. It felt like I went into one of them.
"Yoogun. "It hurts me too."
Sensing that Yoo Geon was preoccupied with the sight behind him, Shin Je muttered with an expressionless expression. Only then did Yu-gun's eyes return to him. The back of the neatly dressed shirt had turned black and had holes in various places. Even under the dim portable lighting, the flesh could be seen crushed and melting.
It is not a cut with a knife or a bruise, but a wound covered in poison. Because he is S-rank, he is able to stand on his feet just fine, but the pain does not lessen even though his rank is higher. Rather, the higher the rank, the more sensitive the senses become. The pain would be too much for the average person's mind to bear.
Yoo Geon hated Shinje. If he had to choose between good and bad, he would pick the bad without a moment's hesitation. But apart from that, he couldn't pretend not to notice that Shinje was injured while trying to protect him right in front of his eyes. What I didn't like about the new emperor was that I didn't like him, and what I owed him was a debt.
"Guiding… … ."
He muttered absentmindedly. The anticipation of a well-honed blade returned to his blurred eyes.
"Captain, I will guide you."
He was the divine guide. In this situation, the only thing he could do was guiding. He gritted his teeth and placed his hand on the priest's shoulder.
"No, later."
The new emperor shook his head and took Yoo Geon's hand. The bright smile as always returned to his expressionless face. He whispered into Yu-gun's ear with a smile.
"I'm going to go back and have sex with you."
After leaving behind a fleetingly explicit remark, Shinje left without notice. Not long after, Moonyoung, who was hiding near the emergency door in the middle of the track, appeared.
"Is everyone okay? Who can still fight?"
Moonyoung's clothes were torn here and there, but she was almost unharmed. He was able to stay fine because he used the undead as a shield to avoid them. But because of that, he lost almost all of his family members.
"Damn it. "Have you seen where that bastard jumped out?"
Yoo Geon answered briefly.
"I think I went to that crossroads, but I couldn't see exactly which side it was."
The mutant was extremely excited. In addition, he vomited profusely and reduced his size. The speed would have been faster than before. If we were to go up in this state, a catastrophe would occur that could not be compared to the massacre of the hunters here. Above all, she has a guide on earth waiting for her to return.
"Director Woo and I will each take one part. If you can do it alone, do it, but if you don't think you can, retreat and join us here. Mr. Guide."
"… … ."
Moonyoung hesitated for a moment even though she knew it was an urgent situation. Before she entered the station, she suddenly remembered what her guide had whispered to her.
At first she thought so too. A guide who follows you to a raid after meeting the wrong partner. It was as pitiful as a livestock being led to a slaughterhouse with a leash. But I'm not sure now. It was true that Yoo Geon's son was in trouble. It was also true that Woo Shin-je was a black-faced madman who swallowed about a thousand snakes. But I didn't want to sympathize with Yoo Geon carelessly. "be careful." In the end, all that came out was one word. That was the end of the conversation. They dispersed in different directions at the Y-shaped intersection. * * * I walked along the tracks for a while. The mutant species did not even have a nose to show. A small flashlight the size of one's hand could only illuminate a few steps ahead. He didn't think that God would protect him until the end. He may be able to block his minor attacks because he feels like a waste of the guide he has acquired, but in a situation where he has to choose between his life and Yu-geon's life, he will abandon Yu-geon without hesitation. Is this the right path? Could it be that the mutant species went to the other side where Moon-young is, rather than this way? Then we have to quickly go back and help Moonyoung. No, maybe he had already broken through the screen door and climbed up the platform. The more I thought about it, the more out of breath I became. It was a natural phenomenon. Humans evolved closer to light than to darkness. In dark, confined places, your judgment becomes blurred, and if you stay for too long, you may even lose your temper and go crazy. Especially in situations where you feel extreme fear and tension. "for a moment." The priest whispered. A hand wearing a black glove blocked the flash light. Just before the light was obscured, Yoo Geon saw a large wound on Shin Je's forearm exposed under the sleeve of his tattered shirt. Her wounds were not from contact with the mutant's bodily fluids. The spot where it had been scratched with something large and sharp was half full of red flesh. Was she bitten by a wild animal? Like a tiger or a lion. The priest stared ahead in the darkness. Yoo Geon held his breath and heard an inaudible sound. As I focused on hearing, I immediately identified the enemy's location. "It's over there." As Yoo Geon stumbled through the darkness, relying on a small light, he gradually felt strange. Her temperature went down little by little. She is wearing special clothing and equipment with thermal insulation functions, and she should be impervious to most temperature changes. She felt strangely cold. That wasn't all. Breathing became little by little difficult. Subtle enough to be difficult to notice right away. Shinje, who was walking next to him, seemed unharmed. So at first, I wondered if I was panicking and becoming confused. But as time passed, I became more confident. It wasn't an illusion. The air around me was clearly thinning. "It's because we're getting closer to the gate. "If the condition becomes unbearable, let me know." The priest said without even looking at him. He didn't want to come here and whine and hold his opponent back. Yoo Geon shook his head and took a deep breath. "ugh… … . Ugh… … "Kigigig." In front of me, there was a mixture of noise and a mumbling sound. A mutant species that wears the heads of people it has killed. The boss appeared again. It shouted in a strange voice, as if it had been through voice modulation, until the tunnel rang loudly. "Yoogun!" Yoo Geon froze in place. A shiver rose from his fingertips and toes. How does that mutant know his own name? How? His head was so cold that he couldn't think. "hurry!" After a moment of silence, the voice was heard again. This time it was the voice of a man who clearly seemed nervous. "Don't panic and move. Then my whole family can live." "… … ." "You have to get out of the car first. As soon as dad says one, two, three... … ." Even though it had been more than 10 years since I last heard these voices, I recognized them right away. How can you not know? It's the voice of my parents who sank down the river along with the dented car. "iced coffee… … ."