NOVEL NEXT Chapter 43
“Ha… Haha. Crazy humans. If I hadn’t come, they really would have killed the girl…”
The Yeonguwon mutters.
He barely regains his composure and glances at the Silheomche.
“Are you okay? You’re still alive, right?”
He knows there won’t be a reply.
Honestly, he isn’t even sure if the Silheomche is human or not.
But no matter how he looks at it, she just seems like a girl.
She’s still breathing.
Her breathing looks unstable.
She’s running a fever.
“You said ‘dispose of her.’ So to the Soakjang…”
The Yeonguwon searches for an answer.
Others treat this Silheomche like just another humanoid Monster.
Maybe that’s how it should be.
After all, she showed survival abilities that were astonishing.
He doesn’t know exactly what kind of experiment is being conducted.
But looking at the conditions of the other Silheomche, he can guess.
There won’t be any ethics involved here.
This place is filled with Monsters who are trapped, the method of procurement unknown.
For whatever reason, they all have become docile.
They follow commands well.
Once the experiments start, none come back unharmed.
Most of the time, they don’t return at all.
They’re incinerated as tattered corpses.
But this girl, whom the Yeonguwon is holding, somehow survived.
Maybe the intensity of the experiment is low, or maybe it’s a different kind of experiment; he can’t tell.
But what’s certain is that she’s reached her limits.
“Dammit.”
Of course, no one would scold him for simply throwing her into the Soakjang.
The real issue is that no one would say anything.
It’s a crazy world.
Something that’s humanoid, a type of Monster.
But he no longer knows what a real human is.
He heads towards the Soakjang with the Silheomche.
Then he hesitates for a moment.
In fact, the choice to incinerate her is the right one.
He’s just doing what he has to do.
There’s no need to kill her first before burning her.
He could just burn her straight away.
“There are separate bins for trash…”
But of course, he doesn’t intend to burn her.
He won’t kill her.
It’s the right thing to do to save her somehow.
He couldn’t do anything because he was powerless.
Giving her snacks was about his limit.
Yet, maybe this is the chance.
He might be able to get the Silheomche out.
“Should I disguise her as trash?”
He drives a garbage truck outside.
If he can get her out of the facility, somehow, it will work.
It absolutely should.
What should he do once he gets outside?
Should he go straight to the hospital?
Do non-human entities go to hospitals?
He can’t make a plan.
To the outside world, she definitely looks like a person.
The Yeonguwon still doesn’t know the identity of the Silheomche.
She has no name or anything.
“Ha…”
Sometimes, he would think that maybe this girl isn’t a Monster, but just a real person.
With so many people like Awakener breaking the bounds of common sense, maybe she’s also one of them.
But it can’t be.
They shouldn’t be a group that does such things.
No matter what, she can’t be anything other than not-human.
He believes that’s why they keep her locked up until she dies.
There are plenty of evidences labeling her as a Monster.
They even say it’s possible to prove it.
-Don’t be fooled by appearances. There are Monsters that can change their form; if they look human, will you pity them? It’s similar.
Just a Monster.
She should just be killed, but they keep her alive because it benefits humanity.
-If you don’t want to do it, just don’t. You can take on the cleaning duties while others focus. You’ll do that? Suit yourself.
So, essentially, he’s just a janitor.
He couldn’t muster the courage to participate in unethical experiments.
He’s practically a fugitive.
Still, he stuck around for a good salary.
And he thought it was necessary to occasionally bring snacks to the Silheomche… the girl.
He had various thoughts about one day exposing the misdeeds of the facility or freeing the trapped child.
But he never thought today would be that day.
“No, if I’m going out anyway, there’s really no need to head to the Soakjang… Is disguising her as trash really more of a hassle…?”
He organizes his thoughts.
He needs to plan quickly.
She doesn’t look very much like a Monster, being just a girl, so it should be easy to sneak her out.
Let’s go right away.
Running away seems like the better option.
Stairs?
The elevator is faster.
B5.
The elevator displays “Basement 5.”
The Soakjang isn’t this way.
But if he wants to get out as quickly as possible, it has to be this way.
Ding.
The elevator doors open.
First floor.
He can go to the first floor.
He temporarily sets the girl down on the elevator floor and presses the buttons.
The elevator begins to rise.
B5.
The lower floors are hardly used.
They house large Monsters, but transporting them is a hassle.
B4.
Smaller but numerous Monsters are all trapped here.
B3.
Relatively easy to catch and common Monsters are stored here.
B2.
Those to be used for experiments are kept here immediately.
B1.
From here on, it’s not a Monster storage anymore.
1.
The elevator hums to a stop.
Ding.
The notification sound rings that they’ve arrived.
There shouldn’t be anyone here.
There’s someone on the other side of the door.
He spots a familiar figure.
“Sojangnim?”
The Director of the research lab.
There’s no way he should be here at this hour.
It’s late evening, and it’s practically time to leave.
Behind the Director are five members of the suppression team.
They specialize in subduing Monsters.
Wearing protective suits reminiscent of space suits.
They wield stun batons that crackle with electricity.
Something is wrong.
“So… where are you taking that? Didn’t I tell you to dispose of it?”
“Ah, yes. I was taking her to the Soakjang.”
“Oh. Right. The Soakjang is on the other side.”
“I took a wrong turn…”
The Director chuckles.
“Haha. A wrong turn? I saw everything.”
Surveillance cameras.
He never thought the Director and the suppression team would respond this swiftly.
“I knew this would happen. How many times did I say a Monster is just a Monster?”
“That’s…”
“I thought you were a capable person, and I kept giving you chances. But if you act like this, it’s troublesome. Being a janitor will be difficult now. You’re trying to divert a Monster outside.”
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
“Put her down, and let’s talk.”
The Yeonguwon carefully sets the girl down.
She might not be able to move, but she seems conscious.
“Bring her here.”
“Wait a minute…!”
Whether he wants to or not, the suppression team drags the girl away.
They drop her right in front of the Director.
“Where did I put that golf club? Bring it here.”
What’s he planning to do?
“This is just a Monster. Didn’t I show you the magical power detection chart? It’s not a person. Don’t be deceived by appearances.”
“I understand. I’ll take care of it separately, so there’s no need for you to intervene, Sojangnim.”
If he hands them over to those people, there’s no hope left.
Rescue? That’s it.
“Ah, here it is. Come here.”
He hands the golf club to the Yeonguwon.
“Hit her.”
“Excuse me?”
“You said you’d take care of her?”
“What do you mean?”
Thud.
They kick the Silheomche towards the Yeonguwon.
“Does this look like a person?”
She doesn’t look hurt at all.
In fact, she might not even feel pain.
Does that mean anything can be done to her?
“Haha, what is this?”
She looks like a person.
Ironically, it’s the Director who looks less human.
“With full force, smack it.”
That’s the intent to kill.
“……”
The suppression team stands menacingly.
Refusing would bring dire consequences.
She’s just a Silheomche.
A Monster.
So surely he can do it.
But he shouldn’t.
This is something he must not do.
He knows better than anyone.
The girl looks at the Yeonguwon.
He hasn’t even cut her bangs yet.
He hasn’t given her snacks either.
If he makes the wrong choice here, it will be something he remembers for life.
He might regret it forever.
It’s just like being dead.
“…I can’t do it.”
He has no choice but to say this.
“Well, if that’s the case, it can’t be helped. Hand the baton back.”
The Director retrieves the golf club.
“But still, I’ll handle this Silheomche, so this time trust me…”
Swish.
The golf club is raised.
He’s thinking of doing it himself.
Stop him.
How?
Thunk.
The one who got hit isn’t the Silheomche, but the Yeonguwon.
There’s no way to stop it.
He threw his body, but…
“…There’s no way.”
Thud.
A simple kick.
The suppression team could shove even Monsters back into their cages with that much force.
Only this time, the one who got kicked is a person.
Thud.
The Yeonguwon flies all the way to the entrance of the elevator.
“To throw away a talent like this… fine. Just stay in there for now.”
The suppression team opens the elevator doors.
They shove the Yeonguwon inside.
And then the doors close.
“And… what’s this?”
On the floor are bread and milk.
They fell onto the floor because the suppression team kicked them.
Food he brought as snacks.
“Snacks? Hmm. Were you planning to give these to the Silheomche?”
Looks like he had gotten attached to her.
Why is he doing such a useless thing…
Crunch.
They stomp on the bread.
“Get rid of it.”
But no one replies.
Fwoosh.
A strange sound echoes.
“They told me to clean this up… What the…?”
When he turns around, he sees why.
The suppression team in protective suits stands still in place.
Their faces pierced by large black spikes.
Thud, the baton slips from the hand of the person who was holding it.
They’re dead.
Quietly and swiftly.
“Uh?”
He doubts his eyes, but it’s reality.
They were silently pierced through.
Behind the spikes stood the Silheomche.
“Wait, what? How…”
That’s it; it’s over.
Flop.
Before he can even scream, the Yeonguwon is stunned in place.
As if fixed in the air.
“Ah-ha.”
The Silheomche laughs.
Fwoosh.
Crack.
Thunk.
Thick blood begins to seep out.
A horrifying sound echoes.
Woooweeeen, the siren blares.
If the Director dies, the facility will automatically shut down.
Five from the suppression team are dead.
It’s an extremely dangerous situation.
If the Monsters escape into the city, chaos will ensue.
The white hallway is stained red by the warning lights.
Fwoosh.
Fwoosh.
Fwoosh.
He can’t tell if it’s the blood that’s red or the warning lights illuminating crimson.
Only the stabbing continues.
It’s a Monster.
So it kills humans.
It’s the fault of the research lab that couldn’t manage this properly.
Fwoosh.
Fwoosh.
Fwoosh.
She’s satisfied with the stabbing.
The sirens wailing are loud.
The lights flash.
The Silheomche turns her gaze to the fallen snacks.
She sees the squished bread.
The milk hasn’t burst.
She picks it up and dusts it off.
There seems to be no problem except for the slight tear in the bread bag.
The bread has lost some shape, but it’s fine.
Still, she needs to ask for permission to eat it.
The Yeonguwon is inside the elevator.
She opens the elevator doors.
The Yeonguwon is collapsed there.
Thunk, Thunk.
He doesn’t wake up even when nudged.
Shaking him doesn’t work either.
He’s alive.
So now what?
The elevator doors close.
The outside noise fades away, leaving silence.
Nom.
She takes out the squashed bread and eats it.
It’s delicious.
She waits for Yeonguwon A to wake up.