At the last minute, we had a change of plans. As the next station is closer, we collectively agree to go there.
With strained steps, we moved closer to the station.
Finally, at the end of the dark tunnel, came into view the light of the station illuminating the subway's track.
I slowly let Shin Yoosung off my back. I signal Park Sang-hoon to stand closer and circle to the back as I get to the front.
Euljiro 3(sam)-ga
I stepped on the subway station, surveying every living thing. How things are in the station. I walked like a silent gale.
[Silent step Lv. 4]
Unlike the previous station, it seems that here, there is no central figure.
So, people are disorganized, sitting with their own group.
Their eyes were sunken and empty.
Due to my silent step, I made no sound as I got around the subway station. Only when I assess that there are no hostiles, or if it really goes south, none can challenge me, I signal the other to come.
As Shin Yoosung was the smallest, I gave her a hand first.
Step*
Hollow eyes focused on her.
The sight frightened Shin Yoosung. I notice her hand shoot toward me but stop halfway, slowly bringing it back down.
My chest tightened a bit. But,
I ignore that-
For now.
I bring forward my hand toward Lee Do-hyun.
I gesture for him to hand Jung Ha-eun to me, as it would be difficult to get up while carrying someone one.
He slaps my hand away and instead tries to get up. On his back, Jung Ha-eun's groans could be heard as he tried to get up.
With blank eyes I watch him, then stare at my scared hand. The one he slapped away.
'I only wanted to help'
Park Sang-hoon came forward , offering to hold her, to which Lee Do-hyun accepts. I watch him, how he got open then carefully takes Jung ha-eun from Park Sang-hoon's hands.
His accusatory eyes drill at me.
I look at Lee Eun-ji. I hesitate but then extend my hand.
'Will you take my hand?'
She stood still, gaze hazy. She stared at my hand silently. I notice how subtly her breath quickens.
I just gave a joyless smile, slowly retracting my hand. I see her eyes widen as she was about to say something.
I shake my hand. Signally it's okay.
With her head down, she too gets up.
Park Sang-hoon.
'You don't need it'
I turn away.
"Boy!"
I look back.
He was extending his big calloused hand. He is a tall man, he's the last person who needs any help getting on.
Yet he did, wanting me to.
I stare at it, eyes wide. They were stinging for whatever reason. I quickly shook my head and instead quickly gripped his hand. HARD.
Not so hard that it would hurt him but enough that he had felt it.
We nod at each other before returning to the front.
I lead them forward to an empty corner. As they sat down, I toss them honey breads and then sit about 5 feet away.
I stare at them. My hand unconsciously goes to my side.
- Nothing to ruffle.
She was sitting with them;
She gave me a quick glance before quickly looking at the honey bread. She kept brushing her finger on the label of the honey bread packet.
I stare at her, eyes narrowed for some time. For some reason my eyes started getting blurry.
My shoulders slumped down on their own.
I looked at the honey bread in my hand and then almost unconsciously was about to look toward her again.
But stop.
My hands fall to my side.
I stare up directly, head resting against the wall. My blinking got rapid; I squinted my eyes as they stung. My expression crumpled repeatedly, but I forced it under control.
I raise my right hand straight up, focusing on how the light slips.
I flex my fingers a little and stare at my hand – healed. I slowly bring it closer but soon lose interest.
'I only wanted to help.'
'Was I wrong?'
'Did I rush it too much?'
My mind recalls the earlier conversation.
'So this is where we separate?
__
___
Lee Do-hyun, "It's your fault entirely, why are you so adamant chasing chase danger? Chase it yourself. Why drag us all?"
…
"What do you know about the world, huh? Acting as if the path you will walk is so right. From the moment we had met, you gave an aura like your superior."
"Guess what? You're not. This time, everyone is alive, but there's no next time."
…
"Sure you're a monster-A monster who loves to get into fights! STOP DRAGGING NORMAL PEOPLE LIKE US TO THEIR DEATH."
___
__
I could help but let out a laugh at the irony.
'How funny, I never forced them to follow.'
I take heavy breaths, finally able to take hold of my expression.
In exhaustion, I close my eyes, yet my mind never stopped wondering.
After a long time failing to fall asleep, I open my eyes.
Around evening
I get up; with mechanical steps I get down to the station tract.
…
'Maybe I truly am a monster.'
It's a bloody massacre in the tunnel. I have left behind countless monster corpses. I have been walking blind, letting my sword lead me.
Seeing station light, I pause.
Jongmo Station.
?
I glance behind me.
'Did I walk this way?'
[Exclusive attribute fantasist reacts strongly]
With aimless steps I walk through the subway, eventually reaching a familiar corner.
My gaze got hazy; the moments were playing back.
'Why am I attached to people I know just for a day?'
My brows knit together.
I stood there in silence, blood dripping down my swords.
My mind was venturing deeper in the darkness. Faced with what I had been suppressing by using them.
'Did I not truly care? Maybe I just wanted them because they made me ignore my pain'
My mind went blank.
Muffled cries echoed.
I look up
In just hours, the station felt…. Different
I couldn't help but look more carefully.
The air felt stale.
Unconsciously, one hand goes to my neck.
A sharp cry echoed through the station.
I look at where the tented area is located.
Like a passing wind, I flashed straight, skipping the stairs, and got to where the sound was from.
The fat politician, whose name I never bothered to learn.
He was naked, laughing.
Under him, a young woman was tied up, devoid of cloth. Her mouth was gagged with cloth. Part of her fair skin was bruised. Tears of despair were running down her face.
She seems to be of similar age to Ji-yoon noona.
I had seen women coming here before or being called.
Yet it didn't occur to me before.
'Why are you all like this?'
His lackeys were not any better.
Some were burning cigarette butts on the woman's body and laughed, watching her squirm in pain. Just then I see one of them press a burning cigarette lower.
She let out a bloodcurdling scream that was heard even when her mouth was gagged up.
Yet.
That went deaf eared to them. No more like it fueled them. As if it's some kind of trophy.
Her tears and snot had made a mess of her youthful face. She's unable to do anything. Her hands and leg are tied behind her.
Another group is laughing as they are beating a gagged woman.
Her eyes were puffed up and red.
Despite her screams, no tears fall, not because she is prideful, but because there's no tears left to fall.
"BITCH! SCREAM!! Beg like the bitch you are!"
Thup*
"SCREAM!"
Thup*
He repeatedly hit her around the stomach, not caring where the kick landed.
Slowly a puddle was forming under her.
"Guys, look. This bitch soiled herself!"
They were laughing like, 'it's funny.'
I watch silently.
'Is this…. what humans are like?'
[Demon like judge of fire is enraged at this]
[Many constellations are greatly disturbed at the scene]
….
They were not the only ones. This whole floor was filled with such profanity.
'Do they…. not have mothers? Sisters?'
A gut wrenching disgust welled up in my entire being.
My head felt like it was spinning.
My steps staggered.
Unknowingly, tears began to stream down my face, remembering how I found my Ji-Yoon noona.
'Had… Ji-yoon noona also faced such pain?'
My breath got shallow;
The image of Ji-yoon noona kept overlapping.
My mind kept playing the same picture.
"Woah, where did that chick come from?"
"She's hot!"
"s#@%@%#"
Please stop what's wrong with you?
I run my fingers through my hair as I clutch my head.
Trying to …
'It hurts, my head hurts. Don't hurt her…'
Unconsciously I kept mumbling,
"Please stop!"
"Please stop!"
…..
"STTTTTOOOOP!!!"
I scream at the top of my lung.
I stagger into a wall.
Unable to care what's happening around me
My vision was spinning.
Legs shaking
"Gakk", "Gakk"
My gut kept retching, yet nothing came out.
There was nothing.
"WOah That bitch…scar….."
"….minus poi….."
"wait…..bo- "
"...more fun!"
I had nothing to vomit out.
Just saliva and water,
'My throat burns'
My memory was getting hazy,
I was seeing fragments.
'I can't breathe'
At one point I was gripping my own throat.
My heart was pounding in my ear.
"WOah That bitch los….."
".....stick in..Craz-"
"Crazier…..ter"
'Why are people like this'
'What's wrong with all of you?'
My thought refused to stay coherent.
…
'They don't deserve to live'
'I will kill all of you!!!'
…..
Snap*
Darkness
Water?
The raging waters just moments ago are now still.
I look around my feet,
My ankle was submerged.
Around me was crystal water, glittering.
I felt like a heavy bag had been lifted off my shoulder.
I look at them.
calm
like never before.
'they don't deserve death.'
Red?
Slowly the water at the edge of the horizon was red.
It was spreading.
The glitter was fading
I tilt my head.
I look around,
Beautiful white flowers were floating all around.
Some were wilting at a visible rate, turning- dark red? Black?
The color kept glitching.
The blue sunny sky was going red with dark clouds.
My arms slowly loosen the grip on my neck.
Slowly tracing down my chest
Then they fell to my side, right hand gripping on my sword.
"A chick with swords? So cool!"
"No! HE"s cosplaying"
"Oh, I Am sO sCarED UUooo"
"I call dibs."
"you got toy swords too….I take it….You…pretty face….Make you scream ….night"
I would have cut him the first second yet, I didn't.
His voice felt distant.
The water at one point had starting rising up, and with it rose up the floating flowers.
This image and reality were fighting to overlap one another.
The sensation was weird.
One second I am in the middle of a vast body of water next I am back in the station.
The first lackey comes forward, guard down. Mistaking my silence for fear
He brings his hands to my neck, coming in for a kiss
Swing
Thud*
He looks confused seeing my face red.
An innocent smile filled with fulfillment came onto my face as blood got on my face.
'So Warm'
Hands are on the ground.
Confused, he stares at his stumps where his hands used to be.
In terror he look back up, catching his reflection on a reflective surface.
In a straight line, a third of the lower jaw to the nose – gone.
"AGGGGGHHHHHH!"
His terrified screamed filled the floor.
Everyone stepped back.
The easygoing atmosphere was gone.
Replaced by fear.
'Good'
As I walk past him, I cut his tendons so he can't walk.
I slowly walk to the next one.
Seeing me approach, they jolt back.
I see them eyeing each other before all of them charge forward.
I flip my sword – clamping tight on the blade.
I bash the fastest one in the face; one tried to come in from the flank.
Key word 'tried'
I am 3 to 4 times faster.
I kicked him in the nuts as he got flung away.
Next came in a man in a red T-shirt. My pommel connects with his jaw. I saw how his face deformed. I locked on the next target.
I catch a bat swung at me; pull it, then grip the face.
He claws at my hand desperately, trying to pry it off as I start putting strength on my grip.
Loud cracks echoed.
With a sliver of his life left, I stop.
I swing him to the closest assailant, a man in a suit.
A silence spread.
In just seconds,
Deformed bodies were all around me.
Living, but not for long
Despair flowed through their brains.
Faces pale
I spread my arms, grinning.
"ISN'T THIS FUN?!"