Episode 82: Isia
Episode 82: Isia
Lee Ye-seul stared at Ha-yeon.
Their faces were identical.
Every single detail - down to the smallest mole - was perfectly replicated as if someone had copy-pasted Ha-yeon's face.
Even her mannerisms were indistinguishable from the real Ha-yeon.
Lee Ye-seul hadn't realized this woman was fake until she saw the real Ha-yeon.
"How?"
How could identical people exist?
Unless this was some urban legend about doppelgangers, how could two completely identical humans exist?
Lee Ye-seul panicked at this reality-defying situation.
But this wouldn't be the only time today that common sense would abandon her.
"Now, who should I taste first?"
The Monster began to move.
The crimson flesh mass expanded and took shape.
It formed into a gigantic tree.
Flowers bloomed from its slender branches.
Tightly closed buds burst into full bloom.
Yellow pollen began to flow out.
Lee Ye-seul held her breath.
Who knew what effects that pollen might have?
She tried desperately not to inhale any of it.
"Hngk!"
"Gaaah!"
Screams erupted from the women pinned to the wall.
Not cries of pain.
But ecstatic shrieks.
'Miasma?'
Nothing else could cause this effect.
The Monster's miasma.
Lee Ye-seul began to understand its purpose.
"Hiiik! Hiiik!"
Even among the women captured with her, shrieks started bursting forth.
"Khm!"
Lee Ye-seul was no exception.
Humans need to breathe.
She couldn't hold her breath forever.
When she finally inhaled...
"Cough! Cough!"
Her throat stung.
Her entire body grew feverish.
The miasma's effects were already taking hold.
"Straightforward methods have become boring lately."
The Monster muttered as it transformed its body.
"I'll give you a choice. Come to me if you want it."
With those words, it released all the women from the wall.
Then stood silently at the center of the Underground Parking Lot.
The message was clear - come willingly.
Lee Ye-seul wanted to scream at it to shut up.
But her mouth wouldn't open.
She could only hunch over, suppressing her moans.
The others weren't as strong-willed as her.
The women who'd been pinned began walking toward the tree like mindless zombies.
Those who reached the Monster spread their legs willingly.
"Hyaaak!"
Ecstatic screams filled the parking lot as women crushed beneath the Monster experienced pleasure.
"Ha-yeon?"
The real Ha-yeon was among them, wearing an expression of pure bliss.
Seeing this, even some newly arrived women began joining them.
Only a handful remained frozen in place.
Including Lee Ye-seul.
She was a married woman with a husband.
She absolutely couldn't surrender to this Monster.
"You all don't want to?"
Silence answered.
The remaining women shared the same resolve.
"Tell me when you change your minds. I'll be playing with these others."
The Monster left them.
Only screams of pleasure echoed through the Underground Parking Lot.
****
Keeeeek!
Dozens of monsters came charging.
Bodies twisted into grotesque shapes.
Drool dripping from uncloseable maws.
A nightmare made flesh.
"Twisted Ones!"
These were the Twisted Ones.
Corpses reanimated by otherworldly influences.
"Their regeneration exceeds expectations! Aim for the joints!"
Veteran Hunter Isia calmly issued orders.
"Goddamn it!"
"Die! Just die!"
Cursing Hunters desperately fought the Twisted Ones.
Gradually, the monsters fell.
Finally, all monsters lay defeated.
"Phew, almost died there."
Lee Ho-young wiped imaginary sweat.
Despite her words, not a scratch marred her body.
"Thank you. We owe you our lives. Without you, we'd all be dead."
Rescued refugees repeatedly bowed in gratitude.
"Aren't you worried about your sisters?"
"They won't die to something this trivial. Both are in safe zones anyway."
Su-a would be at university at this hour.
Seo-ah was likely at Seol-hwa's house.
Seol-hwa's residence was far from the Break zone.
"Really? That's reassuring."
"We've mostly cleared the area. Should we assist at Sword Queen-nim's Guild?"
"I hardly think my help would be..."
A sudden thought flashed through her mind.
Guild.
Mother's study.
Safe.
The pieces connected.
'The Guild is where Mother's safe is, right?'
An old memory surfaced.
A moonless night.
Mother writing alone in a notebook.
Recalling her pen strokes -
It must have contained information about Father.
The next day, she'd searched the study but found nothing.
Mother cherished her possessions.
She wouldn't have discarded it.
She must have hidden it somewhere.
'The safe would be the perfect place.'
It hadn't been found at home.
Therefore, it must be in the safe.
Normally inaccessible.
But now, amidst the chaos...
All personnel would be outside dealing with the Break.
"Right. No need for us to..."
"To the Guild. There's something I need to check."
She changed her decision.
This might be her only chance to uncover Mother's secret.
Isia altered course toward the Guild.
****
"Ah, this feels good."
The number of Dick houses increased rapidly.
My Level skyrocketed proportionally.
"Soon..."
This entire situation was my orchestration.
The Monster attacking refugee groups
The lack of monster attacks during travel
All possible because everything was under my control.
Terrified prey followed Seol-hwa blindly.
Completely unaware of their destination.
"Hahaha, let's keep this momentum going."
Three days since the Break began.
Three short days of massive profits.
I wished the Break could last a week.
But contrary to my hopes, suppression efforts were already showing progress.
"Hound Guild has entered Seodaemun District."
Seodaemun... right next to my Jongno District.
Fierce battles raged there consecutively.
Human military forces would reach Jongno District soon.
'Didn't the impact reach parts of Paju too?'
The suppression speed exceeded expectations.
I was considering changing operational areas when-
"Seongbuk District recaptured. Rescue operations underway."
"Sword Queen defeated the field boss in Gangnam and completed its recapture. She'll likely head toward Gangbuk where we are."
Doppelgangers delivered continuous reports.
All indicating the situation was being contained.
The Break's suppression seemed imminent.
Humanity's capabilities far surpassed my predictions.
"Tch, disappointing. But we've profited enough."
I clicked my tongue in regret.
More time would have meant greater gains.
'Still, the profits are substantial.'
We'd gained many new Dick houses and significant Level increases.
Almost enough to call it rebirth.
Though acquiring power matching those Levels was another matter.
"Alright, time to wrap up the hunt?"
I'd enjoyed myself enough.
It was time to stop.
"Urgent report: Isia is heading toward Sword Queen's Guild."
Infiltrated doppelgangers delivered detailed information about Isia's movements.
'Ah, right. Isia.'
With everything happening,
I'd completely forgotten.
"Where was Sword Queen's Guild again?"
"Jongno District."
Close.
Within arm's reach.
I calculated rapidly.
Isia.
A target since before acquiring Seo-ah.
Now within grasp.
"This is our chance to get Isia. Move out immediately. Seol-hwa."
My hesitation was brief.
We immediately headed for Sword Queen's Guild with Seol-hwa.
To claim Isia.
I quickly summoned doppelgangers to prepare.
"Yes, Master. We'll finally acquire Isia too."
Seol-hwa grinned widely and joined enthusiastically.
Preparations concluded swiftly.
The doppelganger group including Seol-hwa marched toward Sword Queen's Guild.
Soon, Sword Queen's Guild came into view.
Sword Queen's Guild.
How nostalgic.
Never imagined returning like this.
"Huh? Who are you people?"
Then came a familiar voice.