Second Ruin Fragment: Northhyang General Hospital, 6th Floor

Squelch. Squelch.

The 6th floor was different from everywhere else. Contrary to expectations, there were no mutilated human corpses, no blood clump zombies, and no leader that resembled them. That alone created a sense of unease. It was a place completely overtaken by flesh masses.

It wasn't empty like the 1st floor, nor did it have monsters like the 2nd and 4th floors, and it wasn't littered with human bodies like the 3rd and 5th. Squelch.

I slowly walked through the gaps between the flesh masses. Squelch. Passing the intensive care rooms on the 6th floor, I headed straight to the center. The absence of monsters or corpses somehow built its own eerie atmosphere. It felt like being isolated from something, detached. Or perhaps like it had broken away to hide something important. Flicker.

I frowned at the blinking fluorescent lights. Was the 5th floor the end of their nest? Had I misjudged? Was this 6th floor empty, and those things just variants after all?

But right then, as those thoughts crossed my mind—

—!!!!!!

A strange noise started echoing from far down the hallway.

'......'

It was like a cry begging to be noticed. I tensed my body and focused on the sound.

—!!!!!!

Not human, not beastly—a tiny scream. If I had to describe it, maybe a baby's laugh mixed with a monster's wail, an unpleasant voice that defied words.

—!!!!!!

I grimaced. Whatever it was, it had to be the leader here. The blood clump zombies never made a sound except for that phlegm-rattling gurgle.

As the noise grew louder, I summoned Ice Spears, gripped my pickaxe tightly, and slowly advanced toward it. Squelch. Squelch.

The closer I got to the source, the more dark red liquid clung to my feet. Squelch. My shoes soaked it up with a sticky suck. But I couldn't stop.

Throb.

The 6th-floor hallway was lined with throbbing, snake-like veins leading somewhere—an unnatural phenomenon. Something I'd never seen before. Squelch.

I prodded one vein lightly with the pickaxe. It squelched, similar to the flesh masses but different. The flesh masses were like inert objects that couldn't move on their own. Disgusting-looking scraps of meat, not truly alive. But these veins were alive, organic.

Throb. Throb.

They pulsed like arteries carrying blood from a heart. Something flowed inside them constantly, scattered everywhere like human veins. Strangest of all, every vein stretched toward one end of the hallway, as if beckoning me to follow.

Gripping the pickaxe hard, I followed the vein made of flesh. Squelch.

How far did I walk? I reached the end of the 6th-floor hallway, where the intensive care ward should have been.

And then. My eyes widened.

I'd seen something indescribable.

'Fuck.'

I raised an Ice Spear and immediately aimed forward. Creeeak. Creeeak.

Where the ceiling flesh masses met the floor veins: a head, arms, legs, and a blunt torso. An umbilical cord tangled in the flesh.

—$%#$%#$%#

A fetus. Or rather, something in the shape of one.

The endpoint of the veins rising from the floor held a red-glowing fetus suspended there. —$%#$%#$%#

The fetus writhed amid the flesh. With every movement, the veins supplied more liquid. Throb. Throb.

It kept emitting unknowable screams—screams of pain even I could recognize.

When the screams cut off, the fetus convulsed and spewed blood from its mouth. Splash. —!!!!

A following monstrous roar. Blood poured from above, and simultaneously from the fetus's lower abdomen. Gush.

Its bulging belly churned.

"Ice Spear."

I floated two more Ice Spears, frowning as I watched. I had no idea what it was doing or scheming.

—!@#!!!!

But contrary to my expectations, it didn't scheme against me. It just did its job. —!!!!!!!

The space between the fetus's legs split open. And what it did was something I knew all too well. Pop. —!!!!!!!!

The fetus screamed. Then its lower abdomen—the genital area—split wide with a —CRACK, and a human head began emerging. —$%#$%#$%#—SPLURT—SQUELCH—SPLAT.

Flesh slapped flesh, screams leaking out. Was it the fetus's scream? Or whatever was inside?

—!!!!!!!!

One thing was clear: this wasn't a sacred act of a mother birthing her child. The thing was big enough to fill the entire hallway, its birth canal wide enough for a person.

...And what emerged wasn't human. Splat!—SPLASH!

Birth. Or could you even call it that? The fetus birthed monsters. —SPLASH!

Soon, dark red amniotic fluid gushed from its lower abdomen. —Gurgle?!—Grrrrgle.

The newborn monsters wailed with phlegm-rattling gurgles, screaming to breathe like fresh births. But their appearance—emerging headfirst with that gurgle—was identical to the ones I'd killed.

—!!!!!!!!

Six legs, five tentacles from the mouth, bloodshot eyes, bald heads. But unlike the aggressive ones below, these nuzzled the fetus like it was their parent.

'......'

A mother birthing monsters. Despite its fetal form, it was the mother of the blood clump zombies.

—#$%#$%##%

The fetus worked its mouth, speaking in a language I couldn't understand. But the newborns rubbed against it affectionately. As if on signal, they aligned tentacles ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with the fetus and vanished somewhere. Tap-tap-tap.

The blood clump zombies scampered off into the distance. I watched the whole process in a daze.

'......'

They say you lose words seeing something ghostly beyond description—and it fit perfectly. My head went blank from the surreal sight, far beyond my expectations. Attacks, defenses, future plans—all forgotten.

But the thing before me didn't care. —Splash!

As if I were one of its own, harmless, it flashed me a bright smile. —Kyarruk.

Smiling like at its young, it extended a massive red arm toward me.

"......"

The huge red ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠arm. Naturally, the fetus's arm didn't touch me. But as if that meant nothing, it —kyarruk-ed laughing and resumed its routine. Its belly swelled again.

And then.

A red alert popped up, out of place in this madness. Unlike Rocket Mart, it was late. If it matched before, it should've alerted on hospital entry. This time, it appeared after contact with the fetus.

What did the Status Window want from me? Was it truly emotionless? Why show me this?

"Ice Spear."

No answers. I just did what I could. Humm.

The fetus kyarruk-ed at the Ice Spears before it. Not a baby but a fetus that should be in a womb, using the building as host to produce monsters.

Second Ruin Remnant. Tied to the subquest.

...I closed my eyes. —Boom!—SPLASHHH!

Four Ice Spears exploded the fetus's body. No resistance, as if it knew I couldn't harm it—it died without a scream. My face warmed with something's blood. Squelch. —Plop.

Wiping my face with my hand, chunks of fetal flesh and blood dripped down. The sticky blood even tasted human.

Then the mechanical alert rang.

I frowned and swiped my finger.

Familiar skill list. But the effects felt unfamiliar—leaps in power.

'This...'

I narrowed my eyes. My shocked mind from the fetus and zombies cleared a bit. Plus, these skills would decide my life or death; I couldn't just stare.

Familiar selection screen, but packed with great new skills.

'Haa...'

No time for deep thought. Second fragment, fetus, monsters. If my hunch was right, I needed to move fast and check something.

I chose without hesitation, swiping my finger.

Not impulsive. Conclusion after deep deliberation. Reasons:

Return was good, but bad timing. Useful for a base near Yuseong University beyond Northdong Station—bring supplies, people, hold hands and return. But now was time to roam.

Hellfire worse. For fighting hordes. But solo now, scouting survivors and bases—not fighting. Ice Spear and shield sufficed for most; no unbeatable foes yet.

Servant Conversion tempted most. Ultimate efficiency—turn enemies to allies unquestioningly. Even with Kim Jungshik's group, it was chaos; this was must-have. Abyss path inevitable eventually.

But for now, mobility trumped: Frost Blink.

Less mana than prior Abyss Dark Blink. 3-second charge downside, but Ashes Veil covered it. Safety secured—blink out vs. kill all to escape? Former better.

Versatile too: building-to-building, scout-return shortcuts.

'Status Window.'

This choice shone more post-skill point investment in Frost Blink.

Frost Blink range up to 50m. Performance went wild. Now I could scout beyond Northdong Station. 15-story building maxed at ~45m. Huge edge hopping apartment roofs, billings.

30m to 50m gap massive. Non-district Seoul neighborhoods under 2km straight-line. Full mana? Cover half a neighborhood blinking. Massive scouting efficiency ahead.

'...Hoo.'

But mood soured. New skill great, remnant as expected—but start to end felt off.

Plus.

Lots ahead: things to do, ponder. I trudged down the blood-soaked stairs of Northhyang General Hospital.