Chapter 388
Chapter 388
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 388
Chapter Title: War of the Races (27)
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"...!"
"...What?"
"E-Earth?"
The moment Hoot's declaration echoed through the cabin, a silence fell that seemed to freeze time itself.
Lee Hyuk-soo's face and those of all the warriors turned deathly pale.
They wore expressions of disbelief, as if they couldn't comprehend what they'd just heard—or refused to believe it.
"N-No way... Earth Station? What the hell does that mean?!"
Reaper Johnson was the first to break the silence.
His voice trembled violently with a mix of terror and rage.
He jabbed his finger accusingly at Hoot, looking ready to lunge at him any second.
"You messing with us right now, you tasteless penguin bastard?! Earth... There's no way Earth could be here!"
Adrianne bit her lip, her face drained of color.
Home, family, friends... The word 'Earth Station' conjured her worst nightmare.
"You don't mean... you're turning our home... into the stage for this hellish war of the races, do you?"
Han Min-oh's cheeks quivered with fury.
Earth was the one place they had to return to—the source of all their hope.
And now it was the next stop?
Lee Hyuk-soo felt the blood in his veins turn ice-cold.
Earth. No word crushed his heart more painfully.
Park Chan-woo's long-cherished wish, humanity's very survival—it all hinged on those two syllables.
Yet that Earth was the next stop on this 'Eternal Train'?
His heart pounded wildly, but Lee Hyuk-soo forced himself to stay calm as he glared at Hoot.
"Earth Station... What exactly does that mean, Hoot?"
Hoot watched the humanity team's despair with evident satisfaction.
A playful smile still danced in his eyes, but behind it lurked a cruelty that reveled in human suffering.
"Who knows? You'll have to get off and see for yourselves. Hoot!"
He added the words smugly, as if he'd prepared some grand gift just for them.
"It might be a chance to relive the sights of your beloved homeland... or maybe it holds that crucial 'ticket' or clue that could decide your species' fate. Hoot!"
His words were cunning.
He wasn't forcing them outright, but by invoking 'homeland,' 'species' fate,' and 'rare and special meaning,' he stoked their emotions and sense of duty.
If something truly vital was down there, could they just pass it by?
Hoot pressed on.
"The choice is yours. Will you bravely face this 'Earth Station' and prove your species' worth? Or dismiss it as just another forgettable stop and wait safely for the next one? Of course, if a higher species gets off for a 'battle,' I can't guarantee what'll happen to Earth Station! Hoot hoot!"
Those final words pierced the humanity team's hearts colder and sharper than any threat.
His cheeky 'Hoot hoot!' rang in their ears like the hammer of an executioner.
Another higher species getting off at 'Earth Station' for battle?
The implication was crystal clear.
If they ignored it, this 'Earth Station'—whether it was truly part of Earth or not—could become a playground or testing ground for other species, potentially destroyed without mercy.
Lee Hyuk-soo's eyes shook with intensity.
Anger, despair, and the crushing weight of leadership bore down on his shoulders.
Hoot's intent was obvious.
He wanted to drag them onto this 'Earth Station' stage.
'...Damn it all.'
Lee Hyuk-soo exhaled roughly.
The thought of another higher species trampling 'Earth' made his blood boil.
His gaze shifted to the window.
Beyond the blood-red mist loomed a blue star.
Its familiar continents were grotesquely warped, and black smoke seemed to billow ominously from its surface.
The beautiful homeland he remembered was gone, replaced by the agonized death throes of a dying planet—a wretched sight.
Was that really the Earth they had to protect?
He turned back to Hoot.
Hoot was still smirking, savoring their reactions.
That smile screamed arrogance: 'You're all in the palm of my hand anyway.'
Lee Hyuk-soo slowly closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, the wild turmoil was gone, replaced by cold, unyielding resolve.
The lights of Wishi enveloping his body flared brighter in response to his determination.
"...We'll get off."
His voice was low, but it cut through every sound in the train with ironclad finality.
At his decision, the eyes of his despairing teammates turned to him in unison.
Their gazes held anxiety and hope in Lee Hyuk-soo.
Even if it was a trap, they believed they could navigate it with him at their side.
Hoot clapped his stubby wings with delight.
"Oh ho! As expected of humanity's leader, Warrior Lee Hyuk-soo! Such a brave and wise choice! Hoot hoot! What about the rest of you? Anyone else joining this thrilling 'Earth Station' tour?"
Hoot's mocking question echoed through the cabin, but the atmosphere had shifted dramatically.
Lee Hyuk-soo's firm resolve was a ray of light piercing their despair, a beacon showing the way forward.
The fear hadn't vanished entirely, but grim determination began to fill its place.
Han Min-oh was the first to step up beside Lee Hyuk-soo.
Fear lingered, but his steadfast will to follow his master shone stronger.
"Wherever Master goes... I'll follow!"
"Hmph, isn't that obvious? How could we skip this?"
Reaper Johnson blustered to mask his fear, though his voice cracked faintly at the end.
He awkwardly lowered his pointing finger and muttered.
"If that tasteless penguin thought we'd run scared like he said, he's in for a rude awakening! Earth or hell, we'll smash it all together!"
Adrianne, still pale, nodded at Lee Hyuk-soo with resolute eyes.
"I'll follow the leader's decision. We can't let our home become their playground."
Aureum and Yoo Jin-seo silently took positions behind Lee Hyuk-soo.
Adora joined them as well.
She had returned to humanity's warriors after luring the Twilight Clan into an alliance.
Only Han Shin remained.
Arms crossed, he watched the scene like a bystander enjoying a fire across the river.
Lee Hyuk-soo's gaze turned to him.
"What about you, Han Shin?"
His tone was even, with no pressure.
The choice was entirely Han Shin's.
Han Shin glanced between Lee Hyuk-soo, the teammates behind him, and the ominous 'Earth Station' outside.
Then at Hoot.
"Fishing, huh."
A cynical smile curled Han Shin's lips once more.
"You say 'Hoot' once for truth, twice for lies. You skip it only when you're mocking or taunting us."
Han Shin's sharp analysis brought a silence heavier than death to the train.
He'd pierced the host's psyche at this critical juncture.
The perpetual smirk on the penguin host Hoot's face stiffened for the first time, like cracking permafrost. Then he covered his beak with a stubby wing, letting out an ambiguous "Hooh?"—admiration or scorn, it was hard to tell.
His round eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Han Shin closely.
Like an appraiser eyeing a rare antique.
"Well, well. Not bad at all. Hoot!"
Hoot's voice stayed jovially light.
Han Shin ticked off on his fingers the exact moments Hoot had said 'Hoot hoot.'
There had been five instances in total.
"That means we don't know if 'Earth Station' holds 'special meaning' for us, but it's unlikely to have any 'crucial ticket' or 'clue deciding our species' fate' like you claimed. Lee Hyuk-soo's decision might be brave but not wise, other higher species probably won't care about it, and in the end, it's all just cheap bait to lure us into your trap."
"Who knows~? Truth or lie, does it even matter now, Warrior Han Shin? Hoot!"
He winked infuriatingly, then pointed as the train ground to a halt with a [Tchiiik-] hiss and the doors slid open.
"The train's already at 'Earth Station,' and Warrior Lee Hyuk-soo has decided to get off. Right? Hoot hoot!"
That final 'Hoot hoot!' declared, 'Your analysis is useless now.'
"Just one last choice remains. Stay or go? Warrior Han Shin?"
Hoot's sly gaze fixed solely on Han Shin.
The train doors yawned open with an eerie groan, revealing the blood-mist-shrouded horrorscape of 'Earth Station' beyond.
Han Shin slowly uncrossed his arms.
By his reckoning, staying put was the smart move.
But everyone else had declared their intent to go.
In a prior situation, he'd follow his rational judgment and stay.
"...What a boring play."
Han Shin slowly walked toward the train's entrance.
Hoot showed no irritation at Han Shin's arrogance—instead, he flapped his stubby wings even more gleefully.
"Oh ho, excellent, Warrior Han Shin! You never disappoint! Hoot! Now, all you brave human warriors have chosen to embark on this special journey to 'Earth Station'! What a heart-stirring moment!"
As his exaggerated cheer rang out, the boarding ramp beyond the doors sharpened into view.
The blood-red mist thickened, and faint, unidentified ominous sounds whispered from within.
"Let's go."
Lee Hyuk-soo's short, resolute command.
They finally stepped off the 'Eternal Train' onto 'Earth Station.'
The ground beneath their feet wasn't the familiar touch of soil.
It was damp, almost pulsating with a revolting, living sensation.
Blood-red mist obscured their vision, while the stench of sulfur and gore assaulted their noses.
What lay before them wasn't the beautiful Earth they remembered.
It was... a hellscape.
And in that hellscape.
"...Ataraxia."
The ancient dragon of despair and their leader, Ataraxia, awaited them.