Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Instant Maze Horror Tale - Rules (6)
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Haa—
Tension released with a snap, and the taut strength slowly drained away.
What if that thing was a hostile entity?
I had considered it.
But I couldn’t kill the girl over that one slim possibility.
Up until now, she hadn’t shown any attacks or hostility.
She was just staring at me blankly.
I no longer had the strength to hold my weapon in front of her.
The last bit of power slipped from my fingertips.
Apparently, my humanity hadn’t worn down that far yet.
I glanced at the chat window.
[파천황]: ...Shouldn’t you run away?
[Crazy Woman]: Preemptive strike is the answer. Newb. Big sis is telling you. Approach when they let their guard down and smash their head in one go—
ㄴ[Human Centipede]: Can’t tell who the real monster is here. Here’s some good advice.
A chuckle escaped me as I read Crazy Woman’s reply.
I turned my bag to the front.
My fingertips fumbled inside.
At that moment, I felt the girl’s gaze.
I looked up—
Her round eyes stared straight at me.
Slightly trembling shoulders.
And beside her, shadowy figures wavering faintly.
If not for those ominous shapes, she would have seemed like an ordinary girl her age.
The corner of my mouth twitched up just a bit.
“It’s okay. I won’t attack.”
I leaned the rod against the side and shifted the bag further aside.
Soon, familiar wrapping paper caught my fingertips.
Chocolate.
I pulled out one of the better-conditioned ones.
Carefully unwrapping it, I extended my hand.
The chocolate gleamed faintly on my palm.
The girl peered down at my hand.
“Want some chocolate?”
Her pupils quivered slightly.
She hesitated for a moment—
“…Yeah.”
A slender little hand reached out cautiously.
As if afraid of something.
I gently placed the chocolate in her palm.
She bowed her head,
gazing at the chocolate.
The shadows around her rippled sharply.
Like they were on guard, protecting her.
The darkness encircling her undulated like waves.
I slowly withdrew my hand.
Showing the shadows I meant no harm to the girl.
Then I took another from the bag, unwrapped it, and popped one in my mouth.
Proving it was safe.
Sweetness spread across my tongue.
‘Yeah. Just chocolate.’
Only then did the shadows settle.
The girl mimicked me, putting the chocolate in her mouth.
And then, chew chew—
Melting it slowly in her mouth, just like I did.
A moment later, she cautiously lifted her head.
“…It’s good.”
That single phrase tickled my chest in a strange way.
It was ordinary chocolate.
Nothing special, nothing impressive.
But her cheeks flushed faintly, a small smile forming.
Even just this much.
“Yeah? Eat up.”
Without thinking, my hand rose, lightly patting her head—tap tap.
Gently.
The texture of her hair under my fingertips felt normal.
A bit fluffy, that’s all.
That made her seem even more ordinary.
In that instant, the shadows surged reflexively.
As if shouting “Approach forbidden” at me.
But the girl stayed still.
She just looked at my hand, then slowly blinked.
Her cheeks puffed out as she chewed.
The scene, viewed alone, was far from peaceful.
The shadows looked quite vicious, unlike the girl’s harmless appearance.
“Here, drink this too.”
I offered the water bottle, and she hesitated briefly.
Then she took it carefully with both hands.
‘A bit of trust building, huh?’
She put it to her lips.
Gulp—gulp—
She downed nearly half in an instant.
The sound of it going down her throat rang clearly in the silence.
‘She must’ve been really thirsty.’
I watched quietly, then spoke.
“More chocolate?”
“…Yeah…”
I placed another piece carefully on her outstretched palm.
How much could she eat?
‘She’ll get sick of it soon enough.’
This stuff is sweeter than I thought.
***
‘...She’s not getting sick of it?’
The fifth chocolate vanished.
Considering each was about the size of my palm, this kid had eaten the equivalent of three bowls of rice in chocolate.
Every time I saw her eyes while she chewed, puffing her cheeks and looking at me, I’d place another one down, and before I knew it, I kept giving her more.
The crinkling of wrappers.
The soft chewing sounds from her mouth.
She slowly melted the last chocolate, swallowed, and let out a small satisfied breath.
Her eyes looked reluctant.
Soon, the girl’s gaze toward me held a subtle expectation.
I rummaged in the bag, but nothing more came up.
I shook my head.
“Sorry. That’s all the chocolate.”
The shadows around her quivered faintly at my words.
They no longer seemed wary of me.
Still, strangely.
They rippled every time I gave her chocolate.
“From now on, I’m going to explore this maze.”
I hesitated briefly.
But I couldn’t leave her alone in a place like this.
Besides, I could use a companion right about now.
This was... necessary.
“Want to come with?”
Her eyes widened slightly at my words.
Hesitation, and a bit more curiosity than that.
In inverse proportion, the shadows rippled gently.
As if urging her to refuse.
They seemed pleased, thinking we’d part soon.
After a moment’s thought, I added one more thing.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t mentioned the deal.
“If we explore, we might find... more chocolate.”
“…I’ll come.”
The shadows wilted.
‘You guys... are way too easy to read.’
***
With a cute new companion, I resumed the search.
I moved cautiously between the lights.
The girl followed behind me.
No footsteps, no breathing.
She moved just like a shadow.
It didn’t feel strange.
I already knew she wasn’t ordinary.
For now, the darkness between the lights was thick.
No other lights in sight.
‘Safe.’
As I was about to signal with a hand gesture, something moved in the distance, catching my eye.
“…Stop.”
I raised my hand, and her steps halted simultaneously.
I kept my eyes fixed on the ‘mysterious shape’ ahead.
From the shadows of the shaded partition, something was crawling out.
Humanoid in form, but with abnormally long arms dangling.
Something metallic glinted at its fingertips.
Stealth type.
Hiding in lightless gaps.
Luring people by mimicking human voices or footsteps.
Unfortunately, bypassing wasn’t an option now.
It was too close.
Probably ran into it while it was shifting hiding spots.
Considering the time until the overhead light went out, and their sensitivity to light.
At this range, it had to have spotted me.
My grip tightened on the Great Mop.
The sugar rush from the chocolate burned quickly.
Its gaze turned toward me.
A reflective gleam swept through those red hole-like eyes.
Attack signal.
“Fall back!”
Before I finished, it moved.
In the light, its body warped, blotting out my vision in an instant.
Its arm whipped like a lash.
I dropped low.
Kagak—
The air-splitting sound battered my ears.
Wind exploded over my head.
Its fingertips grazed the floor, sliding.
Then it whipped back—
Kwang—!
The partition shattered, papers scattering.
Luckily, I twisted away from a direct hit.
Fragments grazed my back, pain flaring.
No time to mind it.
Its arm finished prepping, tracing a curving arc toward me.
I handled the follow-up with the rod.
Thwack! Thwack!
Shock traveled up my arm. My fingers went numb.
I relaxed my upper body and retreated.
Slowly putting distance between me and her.
To keep her out of it.
“Hup…”
As its gaze flickered toward her, I threw the bag to draw its eyes back to me.
After retreating two panels from my spot.
The light flickered, shadows surging.
Charge.
Predictable pattern.
It lunged like a spring.
In that instant, I bent my knees, dropping low.
It grazed the floor; I twisted using the momentum.
As I spun, the rod sliced the air.
Clang—!
Hit. Deep.
But not lethal.
Ignoring the pain, it twisted its body.
Next instant, the rod’s tip bounced up, lifting my arm.
“Kh—!”
My body shook momentarily.
Balance crumbled; vision tilted.
My upper body fully exposed, defenseless.
Less than a breath until the attack landed.
Arm dropping before I could recover.
My heart pounded faster.
My eyes darted, searching for an opening.
That’s when it happened.
The arm hurtling toward me—
Froze mid-air.
Half-raised, just like that.
Right in front of my face.
Its fingertips halted before my throat.
“……?”
What the—.
But no time for deep thought.
I gripped the rod hard again, momentum spent.
Poured my whole body’s strength, slamming it down.
Kwachik—!
Metal and flesh bursting together.
The rod pierced straight through its head plate.
Anomalies’ bodies aren’t uniformly tough.
I’d tested it in previous runs.
Weak points: head plate and around the eyes.
The rod burrowed inside.
The texture through my clenched fist—‘flesh’ and ‘bone’ crumbling together.
Its body convulsed.
The Great Mop’s handle vibrated.
I thrust the rod into its head once more.
Kwachik—!
—The rod withdrew.
Black blood sprayed.
I looked at the convulsing thing.
It’s over.
I glanced aside.
The girl stood there.
Shadows rose around her.
Black threads extended from her fingertips, threading through the air to its body.
Slowly, like squeezing by hand—
Creak—
An unpleasant friction sound from its body.
“No way… you did this?”
The girl nodded.
Short and firm.
A hint of pride on her face.
Like a kid awaiting praise.
“…Yeah.”
The shadows rippled slowly at her feet.
I stared at her for a moment.
Let out a quiet chuckle.
“…Good job.”
My hand rose naturally, gently ruffling her hair.
The search just got a lot easier.
These anomalies’ threats were quick reflexes and ambushes.
Seal those two, and they’re no problem.
“It’s done now, so you can let it go.”
At my words, the shadows slowly returned to her body.
Simultaneously, the Human-Faced Dog collapsed limply.
The tension-filled air eased.
As the battle’s aftershocks fully settled—
Then—
The girl extended her hand again.
At first, I didn’t get it.
But seeing her round eyes, I understood right away.
What she wanted.
Ah—
The corner of my mouth curved up.
“Wait a sec.”
I stepped to a nearby table.
Conveniently, the first table I’d checked had a snack.
Peeking inside carefully, a familiar brown wrapper appeared.
Chocolate.
‘Bingo.’
I searched more nearby tables, piling chocolate on her palm.
Like tribute.
‘Not wrong either.’
About one and a half bars’ worth.
She took it with both hands, slowly unwrapping.
Then popped the chocolate in her mouth.
After chewing for a while, she offered a piece toward me.
From a ten-square bar, just one square.
“What? You full?”
I asked, puzzled.
She shook her head slightly.
Her eyes aimed at my chest.
“…Mom said if there’s something tasty, share it with family…”
She placed the chocolate on my hand as she said it.
“…So, Do-yoon, you eat too.”
“I’m fine—”
As I tried to refuse, a small, warm touch landed on my palm.
The chocolate was there.
Somewhat melted, not looking great.
But clearly.
It held a simple wish to ‘share something good.’
Not something those human-skinned things they talked about could do.
She was definitely a living, breathing person.
I caught my breath and changed my words.
“…Yeah? Thanks.”
I paused, glancing at her name tag.
‘Shin Ye-rin.’
I repeated the name slowly in my mind.
To remember.
“I’ll eat well, Ye-rin.”
I put the half-melted chocolate in my mouth.
Still a bit sweet for me.
She looked up.
“…Yeah.”
Short and firm reply.
Behind her, the shadows swayed softly.
Maybe we were getting a little closer.