NOVEL NEXT Chapter 115
Chapter 115: The Slow Passage of Time
Time flowed cruelly slow.
People checked the time multiple times within a single minute.
It only made them feel that time was dragging even more.
30 minutes.
If they could just hold out for 30 minutes, the rescue team would arrive.
But that 30 minutes felt longer than a year.
29 minutes, 28 minutes, 27 minutes, 26 minutes, 25 minutes, 24 minutes…
Still, time passed little by little.
“10 minutes…”
When 10 minutes had passed, someone murmured.
Si-hyun and the inmates had held out against the monsters for 10 minutes.
However, there were still 20 minutes left.
They had to endure double the time that had already passed.
It felt overwhelmingly daunting, and the staff member who muttered about the 10 minutes sighed heavily.
“Security Department Head.”
The Security Chief quietly approached the Security Department Head, who wore a serious expression.
He discreetly pulled out a note torn from his notebook and showed it.
– What about the Hunter Correctional Officers…?
Seeing the contents of the note, the Security Department Head shook his head.
The Hunter Correctional Officers had clearly disobeyed his orders.
But there was no force to enforce compliance.
It would provide sufficient grounds for future disciplinary action, but life was far more precious than a job.
Moreover, even if they received disciplinary action, it was unlikely that those with a Hunter License would have nowhere to go.
Of course, they would have to step in when faced with unavoidable circumstances against the monsters.
However, for now, Si-hyun and the inmates were the ones actively fighting, so they were thoroughly keeping a low profile.
In a situation like this, the Security Department Head had no sharp solutions.
Seeing the head shake, the Security Chief bit his lip and took back the note.
Then he opened his mouth again.
“…They seem to be holding on well.”
The Security Department Head silently nodded.
“How about trying to call again?”
“Calling won’t make the rescue team arrive any faster.”
“There’s a chance there might be some change in the situation.”
“If so, it would be great.”
He was well aware that the possibility was slim.
If there had been any change, they would have contacted them first.
Yet humans wished to cling to even the slightest possibility.
The Security Department Head picked up his cell phone.
And just as he was about to contact the Warden.
“U-Um, uh, hey…!”
Suddenly, a staff member shouted loudly.
With trembling fingers, he pointed towards the ward door.
Everyone turned their gaze towards where the staff member was pointing.
There was…
An Orc.
A gigantic Orc.
“Ugh, aaaaaah!”
“Kyahhh!”
“Mon… Monster! It’s a monster!”
People screamed in terror.
Having barely escaped while dozens of their colleagues were dying, they had come here hoping against hope to find safety.
They prayed fervently that they could survive.
But now, a monster had appeared here as well.
The despair of the people when the last thread of hope snapped was indescribable.
Some looked as if they were out of their minds, while others crumpled to the ground as if all their strength had drained.
“W-What?!”
“Could it be… it broke through?!”
The Security Chief and Security Department Head stared wide-eyed at the Orc at the ward door.
Having cut off the elevator’s power, that place could only be accessed via the stairs.
This meant that Si-hyun and the inmates had failed to hold back the enemy.
“…Damn it.”
The Security Department Head uttered with a grim face.
Now, the only ones left who could fight against the enemy were the Hunter Correctional Officers present.
However, since the inmates on the 6th floor had failed to hold back the enemy, he couldn’t even think they could do anything.
“The only way out… is that way.”
The Security Chief spoke.
There was no escape route behind them.
This building was structured so that Unit 1 and Unit 2 faced each other around the central stairwell.
The opposite side only contained a storage area.
Furthermore, all the windows were secured with sturdy iron bars to prevent inmates from escaping through them.
Thus, there was no way to jump out through the windows.
The only route for escape was the central stairwell.
Everyone understood that, so no one was retreating or trying to escape.
They had to break through to the front and escape somehow.
Thud!
The Orc raised its massive hand and knocked on the ward door once.
Fortunately, that alone didn’t budge the door.
While it wasn’t as secure as the main door, the ward door on the 6th floor was also constructed very robustly.
“I… I can hold on…”
Someone tried to speak hopefully, but before the words could finish, the Orc swung a large iron club down with all its might against the ward door.
Boom!
With a sound like an explosion, the ward door could not withstand the immense pressure and was torn off.
Boom!
A staff member was shot back like a bullet and crushed against the door, becoming unrecognizable.
“Ugh… ugh….”
The correctional officer next to the now bloodied staff member was paralyzed with shock, turning to stone.
His pants began to feel damp, as if he had wet himself.
Like a person who had completely lost their sanity, he could only continue to moan and remained frozen in fear.
Thud thud!
The Orc stepped through the now open entrance with an imposing stride.
Though there was only one of it, it felt as if the corridor was completely filled.
Such was its overwhelming size and terrifying aura.
The staff stood there dazed, unsure of what to do.
Meanwhile, the Orc slowly approached.
“This… this bloody monster!”
Suddenly, a staff member yelled loudly and pulled out his rifle.
He set the trigger to rapid-fire and began shooting wildly at the Orc.
The rifle roared to life.
“Die! Die! Die! Die! You bastard!”
Tatatatatatat!
The staff member raged as he continued to shoot.
However, the bullets seemed to hit an invisible barrier, as they couldn’t reach the Orc and fell to the ground.
“Gruk.”
The Orc made a mocking expression that seemed like laughter.
Then it raised the massive iron club high.
And with that…
Boom!
“Ugh!”
That was the end.
The staff member firing the rifle was smashed by the iron club, his body shattered to pieces.
“Ugh… Mommy! Mommy! Save me! Save me!”
A female staff member who had been sobbing suddenly screamed and dashed toward the ward door.
But to get there, she had to pass by the colossal Orc wielding a blood-soaked iron club.
People thought her body would be brutally torn apart.
However…
“Gruk.”
The Orc stood there, looking strangely amused.
The female staff member managed to slip past the Orc unscathed.
Seeing this, everyone suddenly began to move.
“Aaaah! Run!”
“Stay calm! Please, please!”
“Department Head! We need to go!”
People rushed past the Orc, exerting their full strength to slip by.
The Orc stood unnaturally still.
‘A predator shouldn’t keep all the prey to itself.’
That was how Trital ruled over its kin.
The moment these people descended below, those blocking the stairs would surely fall into chaos.
Then, the defensive line would inevitably collapse.
And the clan’s warriors would not miss that moment.
Trital, with an expectant gaze, raised the iron club high once again.
This much was sufficient.
The rest was…
Boom!
It was Trital’s share.
◈ ◈ ◈
The staff members who had fled to Unit 1 were rather fortunate.
And those who had fled to Unit 2 were… very unfortunate.
Squelch! Squelch!
A beast, resembling a dog or a wolf, was tearing flesh off a dead human.
There wasn’t just one of these unidentified beasts.
Dozens were greedily feasting on the corpses of people.
“Enjoy your meal.”
The Gray-haired Man smiled as he spoke.
“Ugh… ugh…”
One staff member groaned, his expression lost in shock from the horrific scene.
All this terror began the moment that man suddenly appeared out of thin air.
And in an instant, Unit 2 transformed into a realm of death.
The monsters summoned by the man lunged at the humans mercilessly, revealing their hungry fangs.
Even when their throats were slashed, they continued to bite and tear.
Those in shock tried to flee toward the ward door.
But that too was a path to death.
There were countless invisible blades there.
Those attempting to escape found themselves ensnared by the invisible blades.
In an instant, their bodies were sliced to pieces, and fountains of red blood erupted.
No escape.
No matter where they went, there was nowhere to flee.
Despite their desperate writhing, people continued to perish horrifically.
And…
Only one person was left alive.
“Pl-please… save me… please… just save me….”
The last remaining staff member kneeled, tears streaming down, desperately begging the man.
But…
“Hah… do not beg for mercy, human.”
The man sneered, then swiftly swung his hand.
Thwack!
Without even a scream, the staff member’s head was severed and flew through the air.
◈ ◈ ◈
Squeak!
An arrow suddenly flew from behind and struck the Orc in the shoulder.
This happened just as the Orc was about to block Cheol-hyung’s longsword.
The Orc staggered from the sudden pain.
That brief moment altered the tides of life and death.
The blade of the longsword swept across the Orc’s neck.
Splash!
Crimson blood sprayed as the Orc toppled backward and rolled down the stairs.
“You’re doing great.”
Si-hyun encouraged the inmates.
Up until now, they had been performing admirably.
They had not retreated an inch, successfully fending off the Orcs.
This side was steadily eliminating the Orcs without suffering any damage.
“Thanks to you, Chief.”
Cheol-hyung responded.
This wasn’t mere platitude; it was sincere appreciation.
It seemed the Orcs were somehow unnerved by Si-hyun’s gaze.
And then came the relentless beatings.
Orcs hit by Si-hyun’s baton fell into a state of disarray, screaming.
As Cheol-hyung deftly finished off those incapacitated Orcs with his longsword, it was over.
From their first meeting, Cheol-hyung thought Si-hyun was extraordinary, but he never expected this level of skill.
“What do you mean? Let’s keep our wits about us.”
Si-hyun gripped the guard baton tightly.
Now, even the Orcs could not charge recklessly.
It was at that moment.
“H-Hyung! This is bad! This is really bad!”
Suddenly, a man’s urgent voice reached from above.
It was a voice Si-hyun knew all too well.
It was Kang Baek’s voice.
“What’s going on?”
Si-hyun shouted back, raising his voice.
“Get down! People are coming down!”
Kang Baek’s tone was filled with panic.
“What? What do you mean?”
“Right now, people are all coming down at once from above! Hurry and get out of there! Otherwise, it’ll be a disaster!”
“What the hell? Why are people coming down here?!”
“Ah! I’m coming down! You and everyone, hurry and get out!”
Si-hyun couldn’t comprehend the situation.
But Kang Baek was urgently warning him.
Whatever was happening above, it was clear that people were coming down here.
Si-hyun made a swift decision.
“Let’s break through and head down! Now!”