Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 017
Chapter Title: Half-Side Syndrome (2)
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Inside the subway car, the people who had been staring at me with one eye winked shut began to mutate.
Ssslrk, ssslrk.
The sound of wet clay melting under its own weight filled the carriage.
The solid outlines that had held their shape collapsed limply, and their bodies melted into a viscous slurry, blending together stickily.
What were once paired features—eyes, nose, mouth, limbs—merged into one, halving in number. Their two eyes slowly migrated to the center of their foreheads, fusing into a single massive cyclopean orb, while their arms and legs melted and stuck together, becoming solitary limbs.
It was a truly repulsive sight.
I had no idea why anomalous entities always insisted on such nauseating theatrics.
Why not just transform cleanly like magical girls in a manga, with a puff of smoke?
Anyway, seeing them like this made me think the normal appearances they'd shown earlier were just camouflage, and this grotesque form was their true nature.
Whatever. It didn't matter either way. Nothing crucial hung on it.
I reflexively checked my wristwatch. About three minutes until the next stop, Maeheon Station.
I had to hold out against these malformed monsters in this cramped, sealed train car for that long.
The silver lining? I wasn't unarmed. Strapped to my back was the sword case containing old man Do's heirloom, the Four Tiger Sword.
"Kik... hee hee hee..."
The nearest monster made a sickening noise as it hopped toward me on its single leg, thump, thump.
Its lone eye gleamed with greedy hunger, like a gourmet eyeing a lavish feast. It clearly saw me as breakfast.
I leaned casually against the seat, facing it head-on.
What I threw out first wasn't the sword.
Crack!
My fist.
No shout, no wind-up. Just a light shift of weight as I swung straight for the center of its face, where its single eye sat.
I didn't expect it to dodge. No way it could with that ridiculous one-legged hop.
A sound like a ripe watermelon bursting echoed as its face caved in.
Dark red fluids erupted like a fountain through the crater. It didn't even scream properly before slamming into the carriage floor, splattering gore and brains in a messy puddle.
"...!"
The sheer power halted the other monsters mid-charge. Bewilderment and wariness flickered in their solitary eyes.
Monsters or beasts, they all needed a good beating to know their place.
I drew the Four Tiger Sword from the case on my back. The cool, hefty hilt settled perfectly in my grip.
I let out a smirk.
"Since you went to the trouble of disguising yourselves, why not keep it up till the end?"
One of the monsters tilted its head, mumbling in a slurred voice.
"Wha... that... mean...?"
"Showing your true faces like this just removes any reason for me to hold back."
Exactly.
If they looked human, even I had to mind my strength. Killing a civilian by accident would give the Bureau a headache with cleanup, no matter how you sliced it.
But when they outed themselves as "not human," it changed everything.
No hesitation needed. I could just smash them with full power.
The apparent leader bellowed, its single eye bulging with rage.
"Die!"
All the monsters in the car lunged at me from every direction. Their one-legged bounds looked comical, but the momentum was murderous.
I faced forward, yet I clearly sensed the one charging from behind.
It wasn't just expanded vision. It felt like eyes on the back of my head, 360-degree awareness flooding my brain.
At the same time, the world slowed.
No—the world hadn't slowed. My perception and reflexes had accelerated beyond it.
Their outstretched arms, the minute muscle twitches as they kicked off the floor, even the air currents—all in slow motion.
Slashslashslash!
I spun lightly, drawing the Four Tiger Sword. Silver arcs trailed through the air.
In that single motion, the heads of the five monsters at front and rear flew up in unison, as if on cue.
The severed heads hung in the air, lone eyes frozen in confusion.
Spluuurt—
The carriage turned crimson in seconds. Blood fountained from neck stumps, painting ceiling and windows. The outside scenery looked filtered red. The metallic stench choked the air.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The roars cut off like a lie. Charging feet skidded to a halt.
Hunger in their eyes vanished, replaced by shock and chaos.
That's when one low-crawled to grab my leg. I twisted aside and stomped its head.
Splat!
Watermelon-burst sound again—its skull pulped.
The one leaping from a seat mid-jump got bisected at the waist by my sword.
Crunch!
Amid the spraying blood, mangled monster chunks scattered everywhere. The subway car became a slaughterhouse.
Finally, they got it. I wasn't prey—I was the predator.
"Gr... grrrgh...!"
The leader gurgled. Fear paralyzed it; no more orders.
"Run... monster...!"
"Door... other car... go...!"
I scratched my blood-splattered jaw at their words. Felt like repeating yesterday's line.
"Know your place. You're the monsters, not me."
The tide turned in a flash. Hunters became hunted, scrambling every which way, shoving and trampling toward the connecting door.
Like I'd let them.
I hacked limbs from the desperate escapees, musing.
'Definitely stronger than average anomalies.'
A notch below the Blood Ghosts from Guro-gu.
Those had weapons and still couldn't touch me. Unarmed? No chance.
Screeech—
The door to the next car burst open, spilling new monsters.
They froze at the carnage.
One minute left till the platform. Trapped, they stared desperately at me.
One raised a hand.
"Uh... just... go back... out..."
"Sorry, entering's your call. Leaving? Not so much."
It became a one-sided massacre, like unleashing a starved tiger in a pigpen.
Slash!
I closed on the straggler, severing its lone leg. Toppling, it tangled the followers into a writhing pile of flesh.
I stepped atop the squirming heap without pause.
...Thrust! ...Slash! ...Splurt! ...Stab!
My sword arm moved mechanically, guided by subtle shifts below.
Screams were brief. Resistance futile.
A few broke through the melee toward the door—only to have heads lopped off, tumbling dead.
The car fell utterly silent. I alone moved.
Every surface—walls, ceiling, floor—coated in dark red blood and mystery fluids. Under flickering fluorescents, only I stirred.
[This station is Yangjae Citizens' Forest, Maeheon Station. Exit on the right.]
Right on cue, doors opened at Maeheon.
Squelch-squelch.
Stepping out, soaked, my shoes stuck with blood and oil, altering my footsteps.
Oddly, the platform was deserted. Dead quiet, save fluorescent hum in the void.
Plenty of one-eyed winkers remained in the car, but lacking guts to grab the gore-drenched me, they just watched.
I could've taken them solo, but with zero intel on the situation, charging in blindly wasn't smart. I stepped onto the platform.
Sighing at my blood-soaked shirt and suit—ruined beyond red.
'Every fight's a blood shower. Damn.'
Time for black shirts that hide stains, or hit up Lee Chang for laundry cash. Though knowing him, he'd scoff at laundry fees and tell me to use my bonus.
I sheathed the Four Tiger Sword roughly and climbed to the surface.
Then, a familiar face descended the stairs.
Elegant hanbok in black and white, refined like a noble lady.
The woman from my college night shifts at the university district, pre-Bureau.
Yang something, right?
She spotted me and halted, eyes widening.
"You're the guy from back then..."
First, I checked if she winked one eye. All my foes had.
'Nope.'
Both eyes fine—she was human.
I'd pegged her as cosplayer or aspiring actress before. Now? Always at anomaly scenes, unusual attire. She was in the biz.
Still, caution stayed.
She might be behind this mess.
She spoke, flustered.
"Wait, did you just ride the Sinbundang Line?"
I nodded.
"Cars from Ganggyo direction are crawling with Half-Siders. How the hell..."
Her gaze swept my clothes, the sword case, back to my face.
Looking at me like I was the anomaly, I scratched my head sheepishly.
"Yeah, well, that's how it went."