Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Morning Chaos and the Mimic Hunt
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Four days had passed since that moonlit night sky date... and since that thing sprouted from behind my butt.
During those four days, my daily life had been... well, peaceful yet noisy, somehow.
"Don't go! I said don't go to work!!"
Today's morning started not with an alarm, but with the shrieks of the gum-like thing clinging to my back.
"Empress Ap-hos... I'm going to be late. Please let go."
"No way! Didn't I earn you 12 million won? So you wouldn't have to do that dangerous, filthy job!"
I sighed while looking in the bathroom mirror.
The 10-year-old child form of Empress Ap-hos was hugging my waist tight and refusing to let go.
"That's that, and this is this. Sure, 12 million won is a lot of money, but it's not enough to live off forever without working."
I spat out the toothpaste foam in my mouth and rinsed.
"Steady income is important too... and payday is the day after tomorrow. Even if I quit, I have to get that first. Oh, and I need to settle my severance too..."
"Ugh... you money-grubbing jerk!"
Empress Ap-hos rubbed her cheek against my back and whined.
She denied it herself, but in preservation mode (infant form), her personality turned strangely childish. Yesterday she'd clung to my pant leg, and today she was hanging off me like a koala, with no intention of letting go. Just like a tantrum-throwing kid.
Of course, at night she turns into a terrifying empress...
"There, good girl. Eat breakfast first and play with the tablet."
I cooed while skillfully frying ham in the pan.
"I'll buy snacks and something tasty on the way home tonight..."
That was when it happened.
Zzt—!
A bizarre sensation raced down my spine.
"Eek!"
Plop.
Something black and slender burst out from between my pajamas, right at my waistline.
My new body part, the thing that had sprouted four days ago—that.
"Keeek!"
My tail tentacle, Squirmy.
The moment Squirmy emerged, it wrapped tightly around Empress Ap-hos's arm. Desperately holding her, as if screaming I don't want to go!
"See? Even Squirmy doesn't want to be separated from its daddy!"
Empress Ap-hos stroked the tip of Squirmy and declared triumphantly.
"You're the mommy, and your kid's crying like this—yet money matters more to you than family blood?!"
"Keeek! Kweek!"
Squirmy wailed pitifully in agreement with her words, wrapping its tentacle even tighter.
It's attached to my body, so why doesn't it listen to its owner and takes her side...? Wait a sec.
I pointed my spatula at her in protest.
"H-Hold on! Naming it because it's cute is one thing, but why am I the mom? I'm a guy! Back of my resident ID is 1! Army veteran!"
"Pfft."
Despite my passionate outburst, Empress Ap-hos snickered and climbed onto a dining chair.
She petted Squirmy with a devilish little grin.
"That again? Last night you were under me, moaning like a bitch in heat. 'Empress Ap-hos~ I'm dying~ My dick's melting~'"
"Th-That was...!"
My face burned red.
Why bring up bedroom stuff here!
"And above all..."
She poked Squirmy with her finger.
"You birthed this child yourself to begin with."
"B-Birthed?! Wh-What do you...!"
I jumped to retort, but my mouth clamped shut. Squirmy was staring right at me. (No eyes, but still...)
"O-Okay! It's part of my body, so kinda like my kid! But I should be the dad! N-Not the mom!"
"Oh? The dad?"
Empress Ap-hos's lips curled up wickedly. So smug I wanted to smack her.
"You shake your hips at me every day, but you know it deep down. You're the one taking it."
"Urk...!"
No comeback.
She was right—I was the "receiving" one. Physically, positionally, even emotionally...
"My seed went into your body. It grew on your nutrients and blood, then came out of you."
She puffed out her chest and grinned.
"I sowed the seed. You became the field that nurtured it. Biologically, I'm the sire and you're the dam. Isn't that obvious?"
"......"
Couldn't argue.
Her logic was flawless.
Something of hers had entered my belly, and this guy was the result.
Ughhh!! I want to deny it, but I can't!
"B-But!"
I mumbled with my flushed face. Logic be damned—I had to defend my manhood.
"St-Still, I should be the dad! Biologically, I'm male! A stud!"
"Hmm, some pride you've got."
Empress Ap-hos smirked and grabbed my butt hard.
"Then let's check right now. If you can play daddy... or if you're just a perfect mommy."
"Eek!?"
Bling bling—! Good morning, daddy—!
Right then, my savior alarm blared.
The final line for work. If I didn't leave now, I'd be late.
"Ah, the alarm! I'm late!"
I frantically grabbed my bag. Continuing this dangerous talk would drag me back to bed, work be damned.
"I-I'm going! I'm off to work! Squirmy, you stop too! From daddy... N-No! I'm leaving!"
I forcibly pried off Empress Ap-hos's arms and peeled away Squirmy's suckers.
"Squirmy...!"
Empress Ap-hos reached out desperately.
"Kieeeek! Kweeeh!"
Squirmy thrashed pitifully, sticking out of my pants and stretching toward her.
Like a family torn apart on the battlefield.
"I'm not dying or anything—it's just work! I'll be back for dinner!"
I yelled in exasperation and opened the front door.
"I'm off! Eat properly! Squirmy, get back in!"
Smack!
I slapped the tentacle's body, stuffing Squirmy back into my pants, and bolted out like I was fleeing.
Slam.
Even as the door shut, "Don't go, Min-woo!!!" from Empress Ap-hos and "Kieek!" from Squirmy echoed down the hall.
"Haa... haa..."
I caught my breath on the stairs, basking in the morning sun.
Every morning was a war.
But...
Pfft.
I laughed.
Having two beings (one's my tail) who needed me this much.
That tickled a corner of my heart.
Let's rewind time a bit.
Two days ago—the day after Ap-hos's tentacle sprouted. No, actually the story from two days prior.
Deep in the ruins where Min-woo and Ap-hos had gone, in the VIP room of the Viper Faction's underground arena.
A thick haze of cigarette smoke hung in the air, tension crackling taut.
"Come in, Jang Manager."
The middle-aged man in the head seat gave a brief hand wave in greeting.
Viper Faction's number two, Kwak Executive.
Rumored to be brutal, a big shot in these circles—but right now, his face gleamed not with anger, but greedy curiosity.
"You called for me, Executive?"
Jang Manager bowed politely and sat on the opposite sofa.
The table was littered with Lizardman autopsy photos and CCTV captures.
"Straight to the point. Find me a person."
Kwak Executive slid a photo over.
A CCTV shot from the arena: Min-woo with Ap-hos arm-in-arm.
"This woman... what do you plan to do once you find her? Sell her to a madam?"
Jang Manager asked, and Kwak Executive chuckled, shaking his head.
"No. Bring her in precious-like, without a scratch. She's worth a fortune."
"Worth a fortune... I heard there was an unbelievable upset. You planning to make her pay up?"
"Far from it. I actually made money."
Kwak Executive lit a cigar and spoke.
"So many suckers bet their fortunes on the ogre. Lizard winning locked in the payouts. Financially, it's a win."
"Then why..."
"The problem isn't money. It's this."
Kwak Executive nodded toward a corner, and a man approached.
A mid-30s guy covered in scars, clad in monster leather gear. The supplier who delivered monsters to the arena—Team Blackdog's leader Hunter.
"Explain, Team Leader."
At Kwak Executive's word, the Hunter placed a small glass vial on the table.
Inside: a black, slender thorn-like thing.
"Pulled it from the Lizardman's nape."
The team leader said in a gruff voice.
"Thought it was standard doping at first, but analysis showed it's on another level. Hundreds of times stronger than regular Hunter stim-packs."
"Hundreds of times?"
"Yeah. Turned a dying D-rank monster into B-rank berserk in seconds. Dilute it for humans? Or dose it right for drug trafficking?"
Kwak Executive's eyes glittered with greed as he listened silently.
He exhaled cigar smoke and grinned slyly.
"Name your price. Gangnam clubs? Nah—this'll rule every back alley worldwide. A new wonder drug."
Jang Manager adjusted his glasses. He got it now.
No mere gambling fluke. The one who fired that thorn was a walking golden goose.
"I see... so that's it."
"Right. Guards said that woman stormed in radiating killer intent. Awakened type, probably."
Listening to Kwak Executive, Jang Manager eyed the photo again.
The overwhelmingly intimidating woman (Ap-hos).
And beside her, the scrawny, pretty boy (Min-woo).
Anyone normal would suspect the woman, like Kwak Executive.
But Jang Manager's "detective instincts" pointed elsewhere.
"Executive. I think it's not the woman... but the guy next to her who's the real deal."
"Huh? That pretty-boy parasite?"
Kwak Executive asked, surprised. Jang Manager pulled out a file.
"His name's Kang Min-woo. Debt-ridden janitor. But recently, two loan shark enforcers collecting from him vanished."
"Vanished?"
"Yeah. Car found, but no blood, no bodies. Like they were... swallowed whole."
Jang Manager tapped Min-woo's face in the photo.
"And his looks. Just a month ago, he was a drab guy. Now? See for yourself—womanly, no surgery scars."
The listening Hunter leader stroked his chin. "Hmm."
"That explains it."
"What?"
"A Mimic. A real nasty one."
At Kwak Executive's question, the Hunter explained gravely.
"In Korea or Japan, Mimics are seen as copycat monsters. But in the West, called Skin-walkers too—well-researched."
"Skin-walkers..."
"Yep. Catch humans, wear their skins inside-out. High IQ, blend into society perfectly. Some variants use special pheromones or venom to lure prey."
He pointed at Min-woo's delicate face in the photo.
"This one's a variant. Wearing a human male skin, but Mimics are over 90% female in mimicry. Hence the androgynous look... and producing powerful 'bodily fluids (drugs)' internally to enchant or boost prey."
Perfect.
All mysteries solved.
Why Kang Min-woo could kill enforcers. The appearance change. The Lizardman berserk thorn's origin.
"Kekeke... hilarious."
Kwak Executive clapped.
"So he's no human—a milk cow squeezing out drugs."
"Exactly."
The Hunter leader grinned, rubbing his chin.
"Don't kill it. Capture alive, drain every last drop from that body."
Jang Manager nodded with a chilling smile.
"I'll track his movements and contacts. Hunting's on you, Team Leader."
"No worries. Mimic hunts are our specialty. We'll bring it in pretty, skin intact."