Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Hanseol Human Meat Factory #8
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Thud! Thud! Thud!
The pounding footsteps felt like they were shaking the earth itself. Its legs were as thick as an elephant's, yet its running speed was insanely fast!
It felt like adrenaline was surging through me. I shoved Kim Seong-jin into the passenger seat and yelled at him to start the engine and get the hell out of here. At the same time, I lunged toward the truck to climb in myself.
But from the start, that monster was way too close...!
"Shit, fuck! Fuck!"
Kim Seong-jin spewed curses as he turned the key.
The moment I put strength into my legs to leap up—
Grab!
A massive hand seized my leg and yanked me down!
Whoosh!
"Argh!"
"Grong!!"
I felt weightless for a second, and the next, I crashed to the ground and tumbled.
I quickly checked my body.
Anything broken?
Nope!
Luckily, it hadn't grabbed me and slammed me like a club—it had just thrown me!
But!
"Aaahhh!"
Kim Seong-jin was screaming, and the monster was trying to open the truck door. If it got him now, we were done for.
I immediately drew my pistol.
"Kim Seong-jin! Go! Hurry! Floor it!"
I shouted as I fired.
Bang!
I aimed for its seemingly weakest ankle, but as expected, the bullet ricocheted off its tough hide.
But because I'd fired, the monster turned to look at me.
Staring at its grotesque face, I aimed for the inside of its mouth this time and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The second shot went straight into its mouth.
"Grraaah!"
Even for it, the inside of the mouth must be tender? It hunched its shoulders and clutched its mouth with one hand as it charged at me. Good, perfect. If I could lure it toward me like this, then shake it off and get to the truck, we'd make it somehow!
But right then.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Another monster burst out from inside the factory!
"Fuck!"
It charged full speed toward the truck.
I couldn't shake off two of them.
"Kim Seong-jin! Go!"
Did my shout reach him?
Rumble...
The truck roared to life and started moving forward. The Butcher Monster pounded after it with its elephantine legs—thud thud thud—but it couldn't catch up. It finally gave up the chase and turned back toward me.
Now both monsters were barreling at me.
"Go, Kim Seong-jin!"
I might die this time, but next time, I'd survive too.
Then we could escape together.
"You bastards! Come at me!"
I aimed at the charging monsters and fired. Sure enough, they were covering their mouths with their hands as they ran—must be weak there after all.
I ran too.
I wasn't going to stand still and die. I'd run and run, see everything I could, then off myself in one go.
That was the plan as I sprinted, but those Butcher Monsters were way faster than I'd imagined. Were their bulky bodies packed with muscle? They exploded forward with insane speed.
Eventually, the distance between us closed.
"Grrrrr!"
"Krheung! Keuheung!"
The monsters making eerie noises drew nearer.
They weren't holding slaughter knives like last time. They couldn't stop my suicide. The perfect moment—shoving the gun barrel right into its mouth.
Rrrumble!
Engine noise.
"Ah."
I saw the truck reversing at ferocious speed.
The back of the truck smashed into the two monsters.
Boom!
The pair flew back from the impact.
At the same time, Kim Seong-jin stuck his head out the window.
"H-hurry, get in!"
"You badass motherfucker!"
Coming back to save me!
"I-I'm Sejeongge Gonik! Y-you think I'd just leave you?!"
I swear I could see his pale, gaunt face flashing white teeth like rice noodles!
"Hah! Thought I was done for!"
The instant I hopped in, Kim Seong-jin floored it. The heavy truck surging forward sent a thrill through me. In the rearview, I saw the two monsters get up to chase, then give up.
Then more monsters poured out from the factory, but they too ran a bit and quit.
Even monsters couldn't outrun a truck, huh.
Tell the police monsters that.
"T-they gave up! They gave up! H-ha! Hahaha! Ahahahaha!"
Kim Seong-jin burst into manic laughter.
"We can get out! We can go back now! Aaah! Aaaaah!"
Even winning the lottery jackpot wouldn't feel this good.
Of course, nothing was certain yet. But for this guy who hadn't felt joy in days, I just stayed quiet.
"Grong! Y-you'll wipe my memory once we're out, right?!"
Kim Seong-jin said as he drove with practiced skill.
"You want the memory wipe spell, huh?"
"If not, I'll go insane... H-honestly, I already feel off. Y-you gotta do it. For everyone's sake."
"Good choice. Got family?"
"Y-yeah! Haven't seen 'em in a while! Th-think it's 'cause I got too into Sejeongge stuff...!"
Makes sense.
"To normal people, we'd look like a bunch of lunatics."
"Y-yeah! They never believed me! B-but now I get it!"
"Get what?"
"No need to know the truth... Better off not knowing! I went nuts trying to tell 'em, and ruined things with Mom and Dad!"
"You've grown up."
Exactly.
Normal people don't need to know about the world's underbelly. Especially not individuals. Telling your family is just torturing them.
"Hope you reunite with your family, Kim Seong-jin."
"Thanks... B-but you? You do this all the time? You don't look much older than me..."
"Age doesn't matter. Being an agent... sometimes you have no choice. This stuff happens pretty often anyway. Better if you just forget."
"Yeah... S-so, what now?"
The truck kept plowing through the wasteland.
A blood-red world.
Nothing in sight.
"Dunno. From here, it's total unknown territory. Hope this truck takes us back to reality."
"What if not?"
"Find another way."
"..."
So I enjoyed the drive with Kim Seong-jin.
No police monsters coming?
Or maybe a village of these Butcher Monsters.
"Ah!"
How much time passed?
Something happened.
Up ahead, a black curtain appeared. It didn't feel like a solid wall—it was like a boundary splitting this bizarre world from another.
"I-is that it?! If we cross, we go back to the real world?!"
Kim Seong-jin said excitedly.
No way to be sure.
"Hope so. Kim Seong-jin, this is where we part. I'm getting off—you go through and see what happens."
"What?! What the hell?! We go together!"
"No guarantee that's the exit. No one knows what's on the other side. Both of us going is like all eggs in one basket."
"That's...!"
"Nothing's certain anyway. It's a gamble. You go through."
"What about you?!"
"Head back and update the bathroom notebook first."
"What?!"
Kim Seong-jin slammed the brakes.
"Go back to that death trap to write in a notebook?! You crazy?!"
"Crazy idea, yeah. But if I don't, who will? You're the only ones who made it this far. I have to write it. Can't drag you back."
We'd come this far to shake the monsters and return to the factory anyway.
Now we knew this route—no need to escape now. Not even sure it was an escape.
"B-but...! You could just go!"
"I'm an agent. Gotta make it so the next guy who falls in can survive alone. Writing about your hideout will help 'em last longer."
"You...!"
Tears streamed from Kim Seong-jin's eyes.
"Crying won't help, Sejeongge Gonik. Go. If you get out, keep hitting the contact I gave you. If I escape, I'll answer."
"Sob...! Got it!"
I got out of the truck.
"Y-you better survive! W-when I get back, I'll invite you to Sejeongge Messenger!"
"Looking forward to it."
Vroom!
The truck moved.
Whoosh!
As expected, it passed through the black curtain and vanished.
No idea what happens to him.
But I haven't escaped yet—if I regress, his escape never happened. Hope he makes it, but if he ends up somewhere weird, that's a shame.
More than that, my corpse left in the factory bugs me. Can't leave till I confirm it.
"Time to move."
I immediately took cover. Wasteland or not, the tall, fluffy weeds made hiding easy.
How much time passed?
Vroom.
A vehicle approached from the factory direction.
Knew they'd check.
The monsters got out, scanned around, barked something at the black curtain, then got back in and left.
Once they were out of sight, I headed back to the factory.
Back at the factory.
Stomach growling, throat parched.
But I'd endured worse shortages. During the Giant incident, the Vampire one too. Hunger and thirst are tough, but doable.
No sign of that earlier vehicle.
Police monsters coming for backup?
Seem all gone.
Factory seemed operational, so sneaking in was easy. Straight to the bathroom.
The notebook.
Still there.
I jotted down notes right away. Words appeared. Does that mean my corpse is still there? Anyway, after writing survival and escape info.
I stepped out.
Just in case, I went to the scrap pile and cast a smell enchantment on myself. This stench should cover me.
Then straight to the corpse storage.
Would my body still be there?
"..."
Tense, I entered...
It was!
The corpses hung there intact!
I nearly roared in triumph but held it in. How were the bodies still here? Time had passed since.
They should've started processing... Wait, maybe the escape caused them to halt operations?
And if police monsters came, they might've been tied up investigating.
Whatever—good for me.
First, unload the body.
But how? It's higher than I thought—hard to unhook. Moving the rail would make noise.
No choice.
Grab!
I yanked with all my strength. The trapezius hooked by the meat hook tore free, and my corpse dropped.
Damaging my own body like this... Normally it'd be gross, but right now, I felt murderous toward it. Seeing the mangled part was satisfying.
Looked real enough.
Anyway.
No time.
Glanced outside, then hoisted the corpse.
Now to the grinder.
Moved carefully to avoid noise. Knew where the grinder was—toss it in once there.
When I arrived.
"...Ah."
I had to gape.
The grinder was stopped.
How to start it?
Even if I did, problem.
Noise would bring monsters...!
Fuck, no other way!
I yanked the lever next to the grinder!
Rumble rumble rumble!
The motor spun up with a huge racket. Big grinder, big noise. They'd hear this for sure.
I waited anxiously for full power.
Hurry up!
Spin harder!
Right then.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A monster showed up—heard the noise!
"Bark!"
Eerie shout!
"Fuck!"
No choice now!
Just before the monster grabbed me.
Whoosh!
I threw the corpse into the grinder!
And.
Crunch crunch crunch!!!
Ding.
[You have escaped from the 'Hanseol Human Meat Factory.']
[You have acquired 300 points as a reward.]
[You have escaped from the 'Hanseol Human Meat Factory.']
[You have acquired 300 points as a reward.]