20. Contract
20. Contract
"......"
"......"
The air was awkward.
"Seeing as you're still here instead of escaping, I guess it's livable."
"......"
"......"
Traces of life were visible.
If they were dead inside, insane, or just stupid bitches like women these days, they wouldn't have been able to live and would've died already.
Still, as if to say this world is better than the next, they had laid out blankets and turned on the heater.
The women didn't answer.
Well, I did act like a total asshole when I first met them.
Well, even if they don't answer, their ears are open.
I got straight to the point.
"If you help me with one experiment, I'll help you too."
Silence followed.
I continued.
"There are about 100 people living at the Cheongju Elementary School shelter. They have superpowers, and unlike the bastards who were here, they're humans living well. If you go there, you'll be able to live normally. You can't keep living here, can you? Two women with no abilities."
Though that's not my real goal.
The women looked weird.
Their complexions worsened.
"What do you mean... by experiment?"
The Answerer...
No. Too much of a hassle. I started with introductions.
The Answerer was Han Yun-ji.
The Cowering Girl was Jeong A-rin.
Both 22 years old.
"The experiment is about superpowers."
The two women still looked weird.
I floated three hammers.
The women's eyes went wide.
I then talked about the Infected's blood.
"...So, are you telling us to drink the Infected's blood?"
"Yeah. You just need to tell me in detail what superpower you get after drinking it."
"Why... is that necessary? If Yu-seong-ssi has a superpower, don't you already know?"
The woman looked anxious.
She hit the nail on the head.
I didn't need to keep it a secret, so I opened my mouth.
"I didn't get mine that way, but it's definitely reliable information. Someone has actually drunk it."
Though they died.
Still, the women looked anxious.
Well, it's not normal to be told to drink Infected blood.
But, well.
"If you don't want to, forget it."
Then.
Jeong A-rin, the Cowering Girl who had been quietly listening to the conversation, spoke up.
"Th-then, does giving us a ch-chance mean giving us a chance to gain a superpower?"
I shook my head.
"No."
"Then... what is it?"
"Didn't I say? I'd help you get to Cheongju Elementary. Whatever superpower comes out."
Doesn't matter what it is.
Right now, all these women can do is eat up the food supplies here.
As I was thinking that, the Answerer, Han Yun-ji, asked me.
"Do you live there too, Yu-seong-ssi?"
Caught.
"No."
"......"
"......"
The woman shut her mouth.
"Ah. Right. Do you want to go to Mirae Middle School? Do you have family? Well, okay. It'll take a while, but I'll take you to Mirae Middle."
However, the women shook their heads.
"No..."
"Mine... are all dead too..."
The women's expressions darkened.
It seemed they died there, or were killed by the men from Eunha High.
"Then what is it?"
"......"
"......"
I laughed.
"What, do you want to come with me?"
"......"
I opened my mouth.
"I don't have the ability to take responsibility for you two. And there's nothing in it for me."
"...I'll do everything I can."
"Me too..."
The women were desperate.
I narrowed my eyes.
"I don't have a hobby of eating women who've been passed around."
Plus,
I don't even know if they're useful.
"Isn't that too harsh?"
"......"
Han Yun-ji's expression wasn't good.
I could see Jeong A-rin biting her lip, holding back curses.
Well, she has some sense if she's not saying it out loud.
"So, you're saying you can do everything I say?"
"...Yes."
"......"
Yun-ji answered, and A-rin nodded.
"Then would you even do it if I told you to shit and piss in front of me?"
"......"
"......"
The women's faces turned grotesque.
But soon, they looked determined.
"Cut the crap. Forget it. Anyway, I get it. Wait here."
What should I say?
Assuming they get a decent superpower... that would be fine.
Two women are usually trash, but if they have superpowers, it's fine.
"I'll decide whether to take you or not after seeing what superpower you get. I have no intention of dragging around useless people."
"Ah..."
"......"
"Are you going to do it or not?"
The answer was already decided.
After hearing their answer, I went outside, killed an Infected, and brought back its blood.
#
"Eat."
"Gulp."
Yun-ji swallowed it immediately.
A-rin watched her, then swallowed it while hesitating.
The women were the definition of anxiety.
However, unlike Han Min-woo before, they gained abilities; they didn't turn into Infected.
Kkudeudeudeudeuk
"It popped up."
"Me, me too."
The Nexus Core rose from the backs of their hands. Naturally, the contents weren't visible, but I handed them a pen and asked.
"What did you get? Write it here."
"Ah. Yes."
=========================
Blooming Nexus Core.
Compatibility: 33.7%
Acquiring Nexus suited to the user.
Nexus Core: Improved Arm Ability lv.1 acquired
=========================
=========================
Blooming Nexus Core.
Compatibility: 61.4%
Acquiring Nexus suited to the user.
Nexus Core: Taming lv.1 acquired
=========================
What the hell are these?
Improved Arm Ability.
Taming.
Improved Arm Ability and Taming.
"Why are you like that?"
"No. Forget it."
I just wanted some strength ability to use them as laborers, but some weird abilities came out.
I'll have to bring Seo-yoon here.
#
Returned to Hope Villa.
I told Seo-yoon about it.
"Sooo, are you going with me?"
"Yeah."
"Ah, okay."
There was no reaction.
Well, it's not like we're going to live together.
"The abilities are pretty decent. So, we might move together later. This time is just to check."
"...Taming is kind of tempting. Maybe it's like catching wild animals?"
"Right?"
I thought so too.
We went to Eunha High School.
An awkward atmosphere flowed.
Still, the women greeted her.
"Hello. I'm Lee Seo-yoon."
"H-hello. I'm Han Yun-ji."
"I-I'm Jeong A-rin."
"So, you need to use your ability."
"Ah. Yes."
Accepting it was easy.
It was my group to begin with.
What were they going to do if they didn't accept it?
Of course, since Seo-yoon was still more important, I planned to isolate those women from Seo-yoon and have them wait here.
I used the contract I had used before.
Kkudeudeuk
The contract paper emerged from Seo-yoon's hand and disappeared.
"Uh... what is this?"
"Are, are you making us talk against our will?"
"Yeah. Shall we experiment? Yun-ji. What's your porn preference?"
"What? Things like that... ugh... I... I like videos with women being choked... ha..."
Yun-ji sighed.
"I, I don't..."
"A-rin, what's your porn preference?"
"I... the kind where a dick goes into the mouth and makes me choke... ah."
"Wow..."
"....."
Yun-ji and A-rin's faces turned red.
It really is a crazy ability. Contract.
Well, that's not important.
"Well, never mind the sexual preferences, why are you following me instead of going to Cheongju Elementary?"
Contract.
The terror of Agreement lies in the fact that the contents of the contract must be unconditionally fulfilled.
"I thought I could live better following you than being at the shelter... I thought I could see a future if I gave my body... ah."
"I, I thought I could leech off you well... ah..."
The women lamented.
Well, most of it was for materialistic reasons.
"Th-this is..."
"......"
"Then, is there a possibility you might cause harm to me or Seo-yoon?"
I asked vaguely.
Is there a possibility? This also includes who is behind them.
"No... ugh. No, usually not."
"As long as you don't harm me, there's no reason for that."
The women couldn't even say it was a lie because of the contract that prevents lying and forces honesty.
Yun-ji and A-rin's complexions turned pale.
Well, it seems they thought I might abandon them.
"Well, whatever."
"Yes?"
The reaction came from Seo-yoon.
I said to Seo-yoon.
"Actually, that's better. It makes no sense to say there's zero chance."
I can just use the contract anyway.
"Forget it. Let's test the abilities first."
Testing the new superpowers was the priority right now.
#
Taming was literally taming.
"What is this?"
"...I, I don't really know either..."
A-rin's ability.
Compatibility around 60%.
I narrowed my eyes as I watched two rats dancing in front of me.
"Can we eat this?"
"I... don't think so?"
"Try eating it."
"..Eh... what?"
"Try roasting and eating it."
A-rin looked at the rats, crying.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Forget it. You'll get sick."
It is funny, though.
It would be good if I could find chicks or something later.
Watching that, I turned my eyes to Yun-ji.
Arm enhancement.
It was truly an ability to enhance the arms.
"Wow..."
Yun-ji lifted a heavy sack of rice with one hand.
However, I don't know what the difference is between this and strength enhancement.
I don't know if this is better or worse than strength enhancement.
But it seemed better to use as a porter.
Because it's an ability with higher compatibility.
As I was doing that, Yun-ji picked up a kitchen knife.
Yun-ji stabbed her own hand with the kitchen knife.
However, the knife couldn't penetrate.
Arm enhancement was literally arm enhancement.
"...I think it's this kind of ability."
"Useful."
As I was doing that, A-rin approached.
"...Cats don't work."
It seems it only works on things below a certain size.
I got two porters.
And one of them can even self-produce.
'Should I raise rats? There's no way there are chicks.'
Haa.
The problem is that I have to make them work too.
'Do I really have to make them work now?'
I don't need to.
There are more important things.
"Forget it. Stay here for now."
"Are you not taking us with you?"
"Our situation isn't good right now. And I don't have a place to put you."
Actually, I do, but I didn't plan to put them there right now.
"When we move, I'll take you too, so stay here for now. I won't abandon you. You have enough food, right?"
"...Yes."
"......"
I also threw them a gun and bullets.
I taught them how to shoot.
About 5 rounds. This should be enough for them to defend themselves.
#
Returned to the villa with Seo-yoon.
"I, I was flustered earlier, so..."
"Yeah. I didn't explain it."
I explained the situation excluding the women.
The story about the truck I saw earlier.
The dwindling food supplies.
The danger of infection and the Infected.
"So. I'm thinking of leaving Cheongju. Of course, I don't mean right this second. I'll have to move little by little."
Whether it's up.
Or down.
That's why I need to gather people.
People who will accept Seo-yoon's contract.
"...What on earth are those people?"
"I think they might be... warlords."
That's the most likely possibility.
But then.
"Isn't that a bit strange? You said they scanned the mart with a communicator or something and just left."
"That's true."
The only thing for sure is that I have to meet those bastards to know.
"Seeing them roaming around here, they must be up to something."
It doesn't matter if they don't talk.
I just need to be able to use the contract.
They have firearms, but firearms are meaningless. But I needed information.
And, it's about time I moved my base.
It's okay because this place is tucked away, but it bothers me that those guys with guns keep moving.
It's a hassle to go through Eunha High to the underground mall from here.
It would be better to be near the underground mall.
'Cheongju Elementary School seems like a good spot.'
There's Imedi Apartment, IN Mart is nearby, and if you go up, you hit the underground mall, and if you take the underground mall, you find Green Fresh Market.
'It's good.'
Of course, that's after confirming it's safe.
I'll go to Cheongju Elementary.
I'll have to ask them myself.
What they're doing there, what the structure is, how they plan to live there in the future, and also, if they know anything about that strange group.