Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: University Shadows
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University
Stepping out of the university, I didn't head straight home. Instead, I hid and kept watch on the gym, but it wasn't for any special reason.
It was probably because of that bitch Min-ji. Just in case she tried to off herself or something.
Fuck. Worrying about the dumbest shit.
She has no idea how pathetic I am.
Sitting here doing this retarded crap.
"Euhh... huuuh..."
Feeling pathetic, I shook it off and was about to leave when I heard crying from inside the gym.
Just to check, I peeked through the window. There was Seo-hyun, still naked, lying there sobbing.
Crying so pitifully, so full of resentment.
Seeing her like that stirred something weird in me.
Should I go in and comfort her?
But... would my comfort even help?
No, what right do I have to barge in and console her? Is my head made of shit?
I just silently watched over Seo-hyun.
She cried for a long while, sniffling forever, then finally got up, looking disheveled.
With a numb expression, she put on her clothes and headed somewhere.
Could it be...? But no, she just came back with a portable stove.
She grabbed a pot and some ramen, then started boiling water. Watching her, I couldn't help but smirk.
If she's hungry enough to eat something, that means she wants to live, right?
Thinking that, I laughed at myself for still being such a nosy busybody.
Nosy... since I'm already being nosy, might as well go all in?
I went over to where the shampoo had been dumped and picked up the bag.
Shampoo, toothbrush, stockings, nail clippers, soap, mouthwash.
Mouthwash, huh. Jeez.
I stuffed it all in the bag and left it in front of the gym door where she might come out.
Sigh. What the hell am I doing?
I placed the bag and started heading home, but hadn't gone far when I heard the gym door open.
I startled and ducked out of sight. Luckily, Seo-hyun didn't spot me.
I'd left it so quietly—how'd she know to come out?
I heard her checking out the bag by the door, rummaging through it.
Rustle rustle.
She dug around, then plopped down with a thud.
"Hic... Cheol-min..."
Seo-hyun crying again. How long is she gonna keep this up?
But this time, it didn't last long.
The crying stopped, she picked up the bag, and the gym door closed.
Confirming the door shut, I headed home.
Another month passed. The seasons were turning colder.
Thanks to all the electricity, the cold wasn't much of a threat. It hadn't been last year or the year before either.
Still, going outside became a total pain in the ass.
Fewer people ventured out, and even I struggled to motivate myself.
How'd I survive last winter? Oh, right... that bitch Se-hee put me through hell.
My mood soured instantly.
That slut Se-hee... I need to see her face at least once.
Since she came up, might as well check on her.
Jung Se-hee.
Where the hell did that bitch go?
I geared up like usual, adding a jacket, and slipped outside quietly.
Pretty damn cold for October. Or was October always this chilly?
Should've worn a warmer jacket? Maybe I'll warm up once I start moving.
Moving through the shadows in the alleys under cover of darkness, I reached my destination.
My old university. A place with way more bad memories than good ones.
Back in the day, there were decent groups holing up here, setting up bases. Not anymore.
Everyone's too busy killing each other.
Even with tons of food left behind, expiration dates exist. Without producing your own, the stockpiles run out eventually.
That's why canned goods are OP. Victory for modern science. Fuck yeah.
Huddling together in one spot like this has no real perks.
You constantly need to scavenge food.
There's a limit to your living radius. Pack up tight, and you'll exhaust every scrap nearby.
Then what? Expand your range or relocate.
Usually, relocate.
Bigger groups make moving bases advantageous.
But nobody likes new groups muscling into their turf.
Especially the pack animals.
The university gangs were just early-20s kids with no edge otherwise. Established groups—yakuza, syndicates, merchant guilds—were pros at this shit.
Normally, the young punks would get crushed in a clash.
But skills changed everything.
Younger folks grasped their importance faster.
Plus, they'd fantasized about this crap in novels and comics, so they wielded skills effectively.
That's why, aside from the gang controlling the underground mall, small college crews became the most dangerous around here.
The university those college punks abandoned.
Lecture halls, end-of-class bells, library... lights are on everywhere, but no signs of life.
I came to track Se-hee, so I headed to the natural sciences building.
Se-hee, the queen bee of the chemistry department.
Delicate features, long straight hair, killer body she flaunted in tight clothes that drove guys nuts.
In the sausage fest of engineering, she played goddess and queen bee like a pro.
That smug bitch who skinned alive every simp from all-boys middle/high to college.
I miss you, you two-faced whore.
Simp #17 wants to see you again. So where are you?
The hill up to natural sciences was too exposed, so I circled around via the back of the life sciences building.
There used to be a bunch of club rooms around here. Probably empty now.
Just in case, I checked the club building.
Fencing, tennis, dance, band... all the club rooms stood vacant.
No human traces for ages.
Human buildings crumble back to nature without upkeep.
No signs here actually relieved me.
No annoying run-ins forcing me to dodge or kill.
Wait, no—for Se-hee intel, I can't just dodge or kill on sight.
I passed life sciences and hit the back door of natural sciences.
Through long-broken glass doors into the ancient building.
Musty stench, dim hallway.
Low ceilings, narrow corridors made the vibe even creepier.
I crept silently up to the second floor. Right away, faint noises hit me.
Muffled giggles, choked whimpers from a gagged woman.
Heard it plenty. Done it plenty myself. Very familiar.
I killed my footsteps and crept toward the sounds.
Coming from the physics lab. Peeking with a mirror, I saw three guys in the dark, rummaging a backpack and laughing.
Next to them, a naked woman hands bound behind her, mouth stuffed, muffled screams.
Couldn't scream properly thanks to the gag.
Why no blindfold? Her skill probably ain't offensive.
Sizing up the scene, I planned to put the three guys to sleep when one muttered to the others.
"#[email protected]$!$!$"
I knocked out all three instantly.
Then stomped one's head in.
Fuckin' chink bastard. Plenty of coins on him.
Going to stomp the other two when the woman frantically mmph-ed toward me.
"What? What're you saying?"
She kept desperately trying to scream.
"Fuck. Can't ungag you. Kinda curious, though. Hold on."
I pulled out tape and blindfolded her.
Once blindfolded, she mmph-ed again.
I removed whatever was in her mouth. Panting, she gasped at me.
"Haa... haa... Don't kill those fuckers. Let me do it. Hoo."
Vicious tone.
I checked what had been in her mouth—her own panties. No wonder she was pissed.
"What's your skill?"
She looked at me like I was nuts.
"Skill?"
"Gotta know your skill to free you."
"You'll really let me go?"
"You said you'd kill these chinks yourself? Can you even do that tied up?"
"Fuck... fine. Tell you my skill, you untie me?"
"Lemme hear it first."
"Invisibility."
"Show me."
"Transparent."
Her body vanished.
Whoa, fuck. Cool as hell. Invisibility—I've always wanted that.
"Got it. Reappear."
"I'm naked here. This okay?"
A voice from empty air felt kinda eerie.
"Nope. Makes me uneasy."
"Release."
She reappeared, naked body on full display again.
"Wait... try invisibility again."
Had an experiment in mind. Otherwise, if she attacked me invisible, I'd be screwed.
"Why..."
"Just do it."
"Transparent."
She vanished, but knowing she was there, I sensed her presence clearly.
Reached out—felt her body.
"Hey? What're you doing? Where're you touching?"
"Your face, duh. Don't say weird shit."
"Fine."
This chick's funny. Just got assaulted, yet she's chill?
"Stay like that a sec."
I quietly muttered at the invisible woman.
"Sleep."
Ah... can't tell if it's working since she's invisible.
I groped where her face should be.
Smooth skin under my fingers.
"Hey. You asleep?"
No reaction even as I touched her face.
She's really out?
I slid my hand down her neck and shoulders, then forward.
Soft, decent-sized breast. Still no reaction.
If Sleep works through invisibility, she's no threat.
"Still... wanna confirm more?"
Hand trailed down her waist to her hips, then between her legs.
"Ew, what the?"
Something wet. Checked my hand—white fluid.
"Ah, fuck? Chink cum?"
Disgusted, I wiped it on the sleeping chink's clothes till my hand burned.
Still gross. Scanned around—physics lab had a sink. Lucky.
Scrubbed hard, then returned. Thought about waking her forcibly but left her, taping up the two chinks' arms and legs instead.