32
Chapter 32
Parang tap-tapped on her Cellphone.
"Cylo Management, you're watching the broadcast right now, right?"
The reply arrived not as a chat message, but as a text with a restricted caller ID.
- Yes.
"Then, could you turn the drawing I just sent into a 3D model and apply it to 'Sakis'?"
They could definitely pull it off.
- Understood. Please wait a moment.
And a short while later, a reply came.
- It's done. Now, when Sakis is caught on the Camera, it will automatically be recognized and changed to the image you sent.
"Could you put it up in front of me as a test?"
It seemed the application was complete, as reactions began to appear in the Chat Window.
- Oh
- Kewt?
- Cute?
- So soft LOL
- Bouncy LOL
The drawing Parang sent was a picture of a Monster Fish.
The Monster Fish, Umu.
The Flapjack Octopus, a type of Octopus also called the Flapjack Octopus in South Korean, which underwent a Mutation into a Monster Fish.
It was big and cute. It was a bit simplified, but it really looked just like the drawing Parang sent.
Its personality is indecisive and lazy, so it just floats around blankly in the water all day.
Just as the Gorgon proudly holds the number one spot for the most sinister Monster Fish, the Umu also always holds the undisputed number one spot in the 'cutest Monster Fish' surveys.
The Bambaspis is a perennial second place.
Its actual size is about 20m.
It is about the size of the giant Rubber Duck that was once floated on the Han River.
Well, anyway.
The important thing is that the Umu is cute.
It is also Parang's favorite Monster Fish.
Unlike the other Monster Fish whose names are all derived from Latin scientific names, that is the reason why only the Umu has a South Korean name.
Because Parang gave it that name.
That is the reason Parang swapped Sakis with the Umu.
Even if its actions are disgusting, if its exterior is cute, it is neutralized into something somewhat bearable.
And Parang could also benefit from it.
Tap, tap-
As she lightly tapped the stomach area twice, something clicked and popped out.
A pair of cyberpunk-style Goggles.
Taking off the device she previously used to look at the Chat Window and putting on the Goggles, Parang's field of vision changed.
A delicately crafted Umu was floating around right in front of her eyes.
The quality was much higher than she had anticipated.
'Where am I even supposed to use this.'
That was what Parang thought when she received these Goggles from Cylo a while ago.
Syncing the broadcast Screen with her field of vision? It was nothing short of crazy.
It was because of the delay. No matter how good the Broadcasting Equipment was, it was difficult to broadcast Parang's broadcast taking place in the Deep Sea in real time, so fundamentally there was bound to be a time difference between the scene appearing on the Screen and Parang's field of vision.
Still, it was much better than Yuna's handmade Equipment, so the difference between the broadcast Screen and Parang's actual field of vision was only about one second.
However, there was always the 1-second delay in her vision.
Needless to say, one could guess how fatal that would be in combat.
Of course, it was also incredibly uncomfortable in everyday situations.
But right now, Parang hated looking at Sakis with her own eyes more than the delay occurring in her vision.
The carriage she was about to enter wouldn't feature fast-paced combat where a split second decided victory or defeat anyway.
Taking a deep breath, Parang entered the next carriage.
#
- Wow
- Kewt?
- So soft LOL
- Bouncy LOL
The reaction in the Chat Window was enthusiastic.
It was because of the sight that unfolded as soon as she entered the second carriage.
Inside the passenger carriage, which had the same layout as before, there were countless Monster Fish.
Up to this point, it was the same as before, but...
Plop- Plop-
Green jellies about 30cm in size were floating all over the Train.
They were cute.
Blank eyes that looked slightly angry yet somehow stupid, and bouncy green bodies that seemed like they would feel good to squish.
Such things were drifting among the various Monster Fish, sometimes staying still, sometimes waddling about, bumping into each other and crashing into walls.
Countless numbers of them. It was practically half water and half fish.
The Viewers tried hard to forget the fact that, in reality, this was a scene teeming with a swarm of Whale Roundworms.
Parang also wanted to try and forget that fact, but it wasn't easy.
'Their numbers have increased since then.'
There would be a need for a massive cleanup once the broadcast ended.
Whirrr-
A tedious mechanical sound continued to flow from her chest, indicating that Slayers' signal still couldn't be found.
'Phew....'
She absolutely hated it, but Parang had to look around this entire carriage anyway.
She swam quickly.
A little time passed, and...
- 'yep' donated 10,000 won! -
[ Wait, what's wrong with them? Something is very strange ]
- For real
- What is it?
- It's creepy somehow
The Viewers sensed that something was off.
It was something Parang had also expected, and a situation she had been waiting for.
For the Viewers to notice the anomaly in this carriage.
- Seriously, what's wrong with them
- No, this is freaking scary
- Please explain quickly, I'm scared to death
Out of the countless Monster Fish inside this spacious carriage, not a single one,
Was swimming.
Floating around with blank eyes like a Corpse. Among them, there were some that had flipped over on their bellies and stopped moving, as if they had truly become a Corpse.
"Since you seem to have noticed, I'll tell you."
Parang calmly continued her words.
"The only living thing inside this carriage is Sakis. The rest are all Corpses."
She approached a Pufferfish Monster Fish nearby.
Its entire body was bloated, and its skin constantly undulated as if something was moving inside.
Parang lifted her Harpoon and sliced it in half. Then,
Plop, plop, plop, plop...
Umus poured out from the inside.
Looking at the sheer number, they must have completely filled its insides to the brim.
"Every Monster Fish you see here is in this state."
Saying, 'Ah, would you take a look over there?', Parang returned to the entrance of the carriage.
As she settled into a suitable spot, a Monster Fish was seen swimming through the entrance.
"It's probably one that got lost or ran away."
And as soon as it entered, a green jelly waddled over and approached it,
Thwack-
Slamming its Head into its skin.
And then, waddling again.
The creature burrowed inside the skin.
It was a cute sight, but all the Viewers couldn't help but be appalled.
.......
Because in less than 30 seconds, that Monster Fish had turned into the same state as the others around it.
Floating around like it was dead with blank eyes.
"It died."
- ?
- What
- Huh?
"I'll show you in detail."
Parang snatched an Umu that was nearby.
It felt strange because the actual sensation and the graphic seen by her eyes were disjointed.
Screech....
The guy squirmed, trying to slam its Head into Parang's arm.
It was trying to pierce through her skin.
Of course, there was no way it would work. Parang grabbed it and returned to the first carriage. It was because there was a Monster Fish she had kept her eye on earlier.
After some time passed, Parang stopped in front of a Monster Fish.
"I'm going to put it inside this guy."
The one in front of Parang was a Transparent Monster Fish.
Deep Sea Fish often end up transparent because they live in a light-deprived space and don't have the luxury to produce melanin pigment.
The Monster Fish in front of Parang was exactly that kind of Case.
Its size was about 10m, shaped like an ordinary fish. In other words, the standard appearance of a fish we think of.
However, its skin was transparent, so the organs inside could be seen very well. Bones, intestines, brain, and so on.
Parang quietly stared at the creature.
"Watch. See just how dangerous the Deep Sea is."
Parang shoved the Umu she had brought into the Transparent Monster Fish.
To be exact, she placed it near that Monster Fish.
Then, the Umu looked as if it was grasping its surroundings for a moment.
Then, bump.
It touched the Transparent Monster Fish.
At the same time, the Umu quickly rubbed its body against the Transparent Monster Fish.
If the graphics were removed, it would show the roundworm slamming its Head into the skin and trying to burrow through the flesh.
Parang tried hard to deny that fact.
And as soon as the Umu completely entered the Transparent Monster Fish's body.
Chomp!
Munch munch munch....
The Umu could be seen taking a huge bite out of the Transparent Monster Fish's flesh.
It devoured the flesh with its cheeks puffed out.
Then, with a gulp- the Umu swallowed it and opened its mouth.
Plop-
Another Umu popped out from inside its mouth.
Plop plop plop plop-
Countless Umus, continuously.
The Umus that popped out also ate the Transparent Monster Fish's flesh and started spitting out more Umus of their own.
Plop plop-
Rawr-
Munch munch munch....
And after about 15 seconds had passed, the inside of the Monster Fish was completely filled with Umus.
All the organs, including the bones, were gruesomely torn apart and eaten. The inside was already completely filled with Umus, making it look like a Pouch full of Umus.
Naturally, this applied to the brain as well. With all its organs eaten away, the Transparent Monster Fish merely floated in the water like a Corpse.
People desperately tried to prevent the image of the Umu they just saw from being replaced by a Whale Roundworm in their brains.
Parang sliced open the Transparent Monster Fish, killed off every last Umu inside, and then spoke.
"Do you want to end up like this?"
Not a single one of the Viewers answered yes to that question.
#
Parang finished searching the 2nd carriage.
To be exact, she almost finished.
There was only one last place remaining.
Once again, it was under the passenger seats of the Train.
"Phew... I'm going in."
Because of what they had seen so far, the Viewers also watched tensely.
And what Parang discovered as soon as she entered beneath the passenger seats was enough to surprise all the Viewers.
- No, why does it look like that, wtf
- What the heck is that
- How does something like that even exist?
A red body, large eyes, and an awkward appearance.
The T-shaped Monster Fish was staring straight at Parang.
"Uh... this is...."
Parang stuttered.
'How should I explain this?'
She couldn't exactly explain that it was a T-shaped Monster Fish, could she?
She fell into thought.