Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Guest from the Underground World
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Ghoul.
A subrace that first appeared in Lovecraft’s works and was borrowed for [Cthulhu World].
They possess intelligence on par with humans, along with their own language, culture, and faith.
Some people even try to seek their aid or engage in exchanges, and there are plenty of cases where positive results came from such interactions.
But they’re a completely different breed from the fantasy subraces like elves or dwarves.
If anything, they’re closer to orcs... or even lower monsters.
Ghouls are denizens of the dark who dwell underground.
They have bodies resembling humans, but heads like dogs—grotesque creatures.
And they have the bizarre habit of devouring human corpses, or even eating their own kind if there’s nothing else.
In simple terms, cannibal ghouls.
No matter what intelligence or culture they claim, from a human perspective, they’re nothing more than monsters that need to be exterminated and wiped from the surface world.
Anyway, ghouls popping up in the underground of a new apartment construction site...
“Of all places, an apartment complex blows up like this? Must be a huge commotion.”
“Not yet.”
“Not yet?”
Tudor continued with a smile.
“The rumors haven’t spread yet. The construction company and investors are pouring in massive cash to keep it under wraps. That’s why things are still quiet.”
“Even so, hiring outsiders like this to handle it? You can’t keep it completely hushed.”
“It’s too late to pretend nothing happened. They seem to want the rumors to spread after it’s all ‘resolved without issue~’.”
“Hmph. Corporations are the same everywhere.”
“Everywhere?”
No, this place is now that place, and that place is here.
Ugh... how long do I have to keep playing fixer in this rotten fate?
Honestly, I wouldn’t care if I didn’t make money—I just want to go back to my safe, peaceful original world.
“No, just forget it. It didn’t mean anything.”
“Hmm~?”
Tudor looked intrigued for a moment, but when I didn’t elaborate, he let out a light sigh and continued.
“Anyway, the client wants it handled as quickly as possible.”
“Ah, so they’re looking for someone who can bring the most firepower relative to manpower? Like...”
A wizard like me.
“Exactly. Plus, lone-wolf wizards like you aren’t exactly common.”
“Big payout?”
“Confidentiality clause and bonuses included... exactly five bills.”
Fifty million won...
From Lee Chang-hyuk onward, busting drug addicts, killers, and biker gang leaders all month—including bonuses—barely hit fifty million. One job for fifty million? That’s no joke.
“When?”
“They want someone discreet and fast. Can you start today?”
“Today?”
I grimaced and stalled for time. My mask hid whatever expression I made...
The few million in bonuses silently deposited in my account weren’t meaningless after all.
The better you are, the higher the expectations—and the better the treatment.
And the better the treatment, the crazier the jobs. That’s how this business works.
“I just took down that biker gang. And now you want me to jump on another one?”
“Too much?”
Tudor’s tone was more provoking than concerned.
Part of me wanted to snap and say I’d head out right now, but depending on my condition, it might actually be pushing it.
“Hold on...”
I paused, rubbing my wrist to check my body’s state.
Carefully cycling my mana, I assessed the accumulated fatigue and lingering stress I hadn’t shaken off.
“Not in bad shape.”
Right after an intense chase, I was tired, but not to the point of trouble.
“Good. That’s the spirit.”
[You have accepted the quest!
[Hunting Quest: Guest from the Underground World]
Ghouls have appeared in the underground of a construction apartment site.
Defeat the ghouls and restore the underground parking lot to a ‘safe’ state.
Remaining: 0/20
Reward: 350,000 XP (Broker’s promised payment is separate.) Failure: Hostile relations with Yeonam Construction.]
Yeonam Construction is the client’s company.
Not impressive on its own, but the Yeonam Group behind it is a major conglomerate with real power.
Not as shady as Holistic, who sent me after Lee Chang-hyuk, but still backed by plenty of dirt.
Hostile status? Not just a pain—it’d be hard mode for life. Time to quit the game.
“Alright. I’ll rest a bit, then head out. Get transportation ready.”
“Transportation?”
“It’s a ways to Munsan Station. You planning to take the train?”
“Eh, doesn’t matter what I ride.”
“Hahaha, sure for you, but for the peace of ordinary Paju citizens, take a cab.”
“Aren’t cab drivers Paju citizens?”
“This is serious—remember how I said crackdowns on illegals are ramping up? I’ll call a security cab. Use it going and coming back.”
“Ah, security cab.”
Security cab drivers aren’t your average Paju folks.
“From now on, contact me on that smartphone for jobs. You know how to use it?”
Tudor chuckled and winked.
“...I know how. That’s not why I don’t carry it.”
* * *
Today’s destination: Munsan-eup, Paju City.
More precisely, a luxury apartment under construction on one side of Munsan-eup.
Name: [Paju Yeonam Rivertown Apartments].
Seriously, why do apartment names have to be so ridiculously long?
Through the rear window of the cab, the apartment came into view.
Not fully complete, but just exterior painting left—move-ins in a couple months, probably.
Sprawling complex, absurdly tall towers.
‘Underground parking must be massive.’
Even in-game, it was unrealistically huge.
Practically a dungeon, stretching across two basement levels.
‘Gonna be exhausting...’
Then a voice came from an unexpected direction.
“What were they thinking, building something that huge here?”
The cab driver, from the front seat.
I glanced at the rearview mirror, catching the driver’s face.
Tight frame showed crow’s feet around his eyes, and deeper scars.
He scowled at the approaching apartments, his rugged face twisting.
Looking at him, I couldn’t help a wry chuckle.
Security cabs in Paju—hauling crooks, illicit goods, or manpower—are jobs for retired fixers or hunters too worn to chase monsters anymore.
In short, this guy’s no ordinary Paju citizen.
I replied slowly to his words.
“That’s what I want to know. What are Paju folks thinking, moving into a place like that?”
Paju in [Cthulhu World] is a city stuffed with bizarre wonders and unprecedented dangers everywhere, but this apartment’s location was exceptionally weird.
Clinging too far north.
High-rises plastered right up against that horrific Imjin River...?
“Kuhahaha, who knows? View’s killer, though. High floors overlook beyond the river easy.”
As the driver said boisterously, top floors would peer over the Imjin into the beyond.
“Not a view great for mental health...”
Beyond [Cthulhu World]’s Imjin isn’t North Korea.
Just a death land crawling with Cthulhu-mythos monsters spewed from the abyss.
Yet sales flew off—premia on river-view units huge.
What scenery do future residents expect?
The driver grumbled on about Paju’s rich being nuts or not even human.
...Not much secret that non-humans mingle in Paju’s elite.
Chatting like that, we arrived quick.
“Here you are.”
[Paju Yeonam Rivertown Apartments]
Fences separated the site beyond the window.
A mad luxury build to sate the twisted tastes of otherworldly rich.
Opaque from outside.
Anyway, cannibal ghouls now infest its basement.
“Thanks.”
Tudor prepaid, so no fare.
“Stay healthy on the job, sir. See you alive.”
“You too, driver. Long life.”
“I only do safe runs!”
He laughed heartily and drove off.
Safe runs... Today was safe, but security cabs are Paju’s illicit underbelly.
Tomorrow? Could be bank heist escort or death-race chasing bounties, per client.
“Anyway...”
I turned, gazing opposite the apartments—toward the Imjin.
In my old world, a vast Imjin River would stretch that way.
But my eyes saw a monstrous massive wall.
‘So this is the Daebang Wall.’
Familiar from game, but real? Overwhelming presence.
A 10-meter-high behemoth to quarantine surreal horrors.
No sound, yet ears rang with a ‘whooooom...’.
Monsters real, swarming the Imjin—and apartments built beside.
Rich craving to live there? Maybe madness, as the driver said.
I tapped my mask with a finger.
“Not my place to judge others’ madness.”
Adapting to this insane world means growing numb to the crazy.
With that, I entered the apartments beside the monster-trapping wall.
Paju River whatever... construction nearly done.
Sudden ghouls panicked workers, scattering materials, but the place looked solid.
Visually? Move-ins in weeks, not months. Unfinished edges, but fixtures, layout screamed high-end cash.
‘Worth rushing at big expense.’
But apart from luxury, the pervasive foul aura was no joke.
Not from a few ghouls—something horrific.
A few steps later, a dormant trait kicked in.
[System: ‘Enhanced Vigilance’ trait has activated.]