Park Chang-ho
I frowned as a foul stench stabbed at my nostrils. It was a strange, indescribable reek that vibrated through the air all around us.
If I had to force it into words, it felt like taking a dump on rotting seafood and then splattering blood and guts over the top of that.
A truly fucking hard-to-describe stench.
"Kuuup..."
I turned my head at the sound from beside me. So-hye was covering her nose and mouth, tears welling in her eyes. Probably to keep from coughing.
Gulp—
The moment I opened my mouth, a wave of nausea surged up hard. I swallowed the bile that had risen right to the back of my throat and shut my mouth again. This was no situation for talking.
Still, seeing that I'd opened my mouth, she gave a faint nod with her face pale as a corpse.
What the hell do you even have to do to make a smell like this...
"......Gueeeek!"
While I was still wondering, a retching sound came. Right after it, an unpleasant voice rang out.
"Kuhuk, doing this in front of a customer, kuhuk... isn't that rude? Kuhuuk..."
A dull, stupid voice, plus rough breathing on top of it. "Fat-throated" was a phrase made exactly for moments like this.
"......I'm sorry. I'm not the type with a strong stomach. Are you Mr. Park Chang-ho? Uuup..."
"Yeah. Kuhuk, I'm Park Chang-ho. Where's the woman? Huuk..."
"We've got her tied up in the building right now. Hoo, let's go in together and check."
"Huuk, you go in... huuk, and check."
"Yes..."
"This way, please."
A voice like scraping metal, along with footsteps. The area around the building fell quiet right away. Kim Min-ho seemed to have taken his subordinate with him.
How many did he take?
I quietly slipped out from under the car and peeked my head out.
A massive bulk, upper body covered in lumpy tumors. Yellow pus dribbled down and fell. His lower half wore only underwear, brown and heavy around the ass. Chunks even flowing out from between.
"Hoo."
I thought I knew why the stench was like this. Park Chang-ho's appearance was that grotesque and filthy.
"Kehek, heek..."
Two men near him. I saw the backs of their heads, saliva-like liquid dripping. They weren't even thinking of watching the surroundings, just panting for breath.
They didn't look normal.
So-hye slowly came out and stood beside me. She saw his back too, then covered her mouth again.
"I'll charge in first. Watch for your chance and jump in. Got it?"
So-hye nodded her head. Tears that had welled up fell to the ground with the motion.
I pulled the axe from my coat. Slowly moved behind Park Chang-ho. There was a chance of being spotted, but looking at how the three of them were acting, it didn't seem likely.
"Hoo..."
I gripped the handle with both hands. Aimed for the head and took a deep breath. Nausea rose, but I forced myself to ignore it and put power into it.
"Heup!"
I set my stance and swung the axe back behind my head. Planted both legs into the ground like driving them in. Then, like swinging a pickaxe down, I slammed the axe down and let go at the same time.
Whoosh— Thwack!
The axe spun through the air and stuck right into the back of his head. With a sound like something shattering, Park Chang-ho collapsed forward.
Thud!
"Kehek, kheuk?"
The two subordinates' heads turned toward the fallen body. I immediately pulled the hammer from my coat. As I kicked off the ground, the body of the one on the right twisted around sharply.
"Keheuk, this bastard...!"
His dull eyes turned beast-like. He charged gripping a kitchen knife. His stance was clumsy, but the murderous intent in it was genuine.
Whoosh!
A sharp whoosh of air as the kitchen knife flew. I took one step to the side. A hot sensation on my cheek made me frown.
"Shit."
Watching the blade pass scattering blood, I swung the hammer up from below.
Thud!
Hit him square in the jaw. His upper body folded like there was a wall in front. Then his lower body slid and collapsed. He hit the ground headfirst.
Crunch!
Before he could get up, I kicked his head with my foot. Neck bones bending in a grotesque direction.
Clang!
I turned my head at the sharp sound from the side. So-hye was facing off against the other human, gripping a shovel.
"A-are you oka... uek..."
She asked while dry-heaving. I nodded and turned my body.
"This, shit, kehek... fucking..."
The man clutching his head in a voice like scraping iron plate. The moment I charged at him with the hammer, a heavy voice rang out.
"Kuhuk, kuhuk, this, shi—t, what, the hell, is this..."
The fallen Park Chang-ho was trying to push himself up with his hands on the ground. I thought he was dead, but that must have been my mistake.
"So-hye, take the one next to you!"
"Y-yes!"
As I kicked off the ground, So-hye ran with me. She must have instinctively realized that if Park Chang-ho got up like this, we were fucked.
"Keheuk, this bastard!"
The man beside swung a club wildly and charged. Trusting So-hye, I ran at Park Chang-ho.
Clang!
Just before the club hit my head, the shovel intervened. Like a perfect parry.
Park Chang-ho's massive body started rising little by little. Those thick arms and legs weren't just for show.
Thwack!
I immediately closed in and kicked his arm. He smashed his face into the ground. I raised the hammer high.
"Kuhuk, shit, what is this—"
—Crunch! Crack!
I hammered down on the axe stuck in the back of his head. Like driving a nail. The axe blade dug into the skull.
"Kraaaak! Kuhuk, kheek! It hurts, it huuurts...! Kuheek...!"
He thrashed his body wildly, flailing arms and legs. Yellow liquid came out between his legs and flowed on the ground, and the tumors on his back burst, scattering strange smoke.
It looked dangerous at a glance, so I stepped back sharply. Luckily, the wind was blowing the other way, so I didn't inhale any.
Clang!
I turned my head to the side. So-hye was fiercely fighting the man. Her sweating heavily, him drooling.
Thinking it was dangerous if this continued, I ran. Her eyes glanced at me, then she swung her arm wide.
Clang!
The shovel knocked away the flying club again. I kicked the man's abdomen hard as his body bent back.
"Kaheuk!"
He tumbled ungracefully on the ground. The club flew far away. Before he could get up, I approached and stomped hard on his head.
"Kyaaaaaaak!!!"
Putting all my strength, he struggled. With a crunching sound, tears, snot, blood and brain matter mixed and flowed down his face.
Crunch-
I put more force, and with a squishy feeling, his eyeballs popped out and the scream stopped. Arms and legs went limp.
"......Shit."
Stomping a living human to death wasn't a great feeling. I turned away, not wanting to look down.
"Kuhuk, huuk..."
Park Chang-ho's rough breathing. Smoke still swirled around him. His body moved this way and that, but like a deflated balloon, he kept staggering.
Didn't look too dangerous.
"Uweeeek..."
So-hye retching, using the shovel as a cane. I patted her back. After throwing up everything left and only bile coming out, she finally stood up.
"Sor, uuh, ry..."
"It's fine. More than that, can I borrow the shovel?"
"Huh? Yes yes..."
I took the shovel from So-hye and approached Park Chang-ho. Gripped the handle at the end and raised it toward the sky.
Clang!
I struck the axe with the bottom of the shovel, and his body convulsed like a seizure.
"Kuhuk, stoop, stooop... kuhek..."
Why Park Chang-ho had become like this. And why the other men followed him. What the price was for that, I didn't know.
Clang!
"Kuhek! I was wrong so... kuheuk..."
What happened to Im Na-eun who went to him. And if he really had a hobby of fucking corpses.
Clang!
"......"
I wouldn't know now. No, more precisely, I didn't particularly want to know. But one thing was certain: a truly fucking hard-to-live-in world had come.
Claaang!!!
Only after confirming the axe had completely disappeared into the back of his head did I put down the shovel.
"So-hye."
"Y-yes?"
"Let's go up."
"Y-yes."
I frowned at the blood splattered in the building corridor. Taking a step, with a squelch, red liquid splashed lightly.
"Are you okay?"
An Ga-hee and Kim Min-ho sitting against the corridor wall, panting. Beside the two was one person's corpse.
"......I'm fine. It was a bit tough, but I killed him anyway. More than that, are you guys okay? Did you kill Park Chang-ho?"
"We killed him so we came up. Took care of the two subordinates next to him too."
"That's a relief. We barely handled one between the two of us. I was going to go help, sorry."
"I'm sorry."
I answered by shrugging my shoulders. It was a bit dangerous, but not that hard. More than anything, there was a definite harvest.
The energy I absorbed when I killed Park Chang-ho was particularly strong.
Seeing it was much more than when killing people, there must be some reason, but I don't know exactly.
"Anyway, everyone seems tired today. Let's split up like this and talk again tomorrow. Is that okay with you, Mr. Kim Min-ho?"
"Yes. There are many things I'm curious about. Lots to talk about here and there, but I'm too tired right now. I'll go home, wash up, have some whiskey and smoke, then sleep."
"Understood."
I approached them and held out my hand. An Ga-hee grabbed my wrist and stood, Kim Min-ho pushed off the wall to stand.
"Then, see you tomorrow. You too, see you tomorrow."
"......I want to sleep on the 4th floor today too. Can't I?"
An Ga-hee raised her head and met my eyes. Blood on her face, messy hair, slightly staggering, she looked very tired.
"...Fine."
"Yeah."
"Then I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes."
Parting with Kim Min-ho, the three of us headed for the stairs. Footprints of blood were naturally left with each step.
Rumble— Boom!
Coming up to the 4th floor, a sudden thunder sound. Looking outside through the corridor window, rain started falling little by little.
Whooosh-
I stared blankly out the window for a moment. Then at So-hye's calling voice, I moved my feet again.
"You've got so much blood on you, you should wash first."
At So-hye's words, An Ga-hee turned her head to me.
"Wanna wash together?"
"......Shall we?"
I wanted to see her naked body, but at the same time wanted to soak in hot water quickly. The moment An Ga-hee raised the corner of her mouth and grabbed my wrist, So-hye shouted.
"Th-then me too...!"
Her face flushed red, glancing at me.
"Ah, is it not okay?"
I turned my gaze back to An Ga-hee. She smirked and nodded.
"Sure. Let's all wash together."