Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: University Administration Building
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University Administration Building
The man had his arms and legs bound with plastic ties, while the woman only had her arms tied.
They tied them up so sloppily and still chugged booze and passed out. These idiots didn't even try to escape despite how half-assed it was.
Well... when terror numbs your brain, rational thinking goes out the window.
"Out of the three guys who caught you, I killed two."
With their limbs free, the siblings eyed me warily.
They were on guard against how casually I mentioned killing them.
"You. Your little sister got raped by these bastards."
My harsh words darkened Soju's expression.
"You. It was you who got raped. By those filthy, pot-bellied old fucks."
"Stop it!"
Yeah. It's been a while since I've seen something like this.
Family... blood ties... they're incredibly strong. Sometimes strong enough to make you give up your own life.
That's the biggest weakness of family groups. Target the weakest member, and the strongest one ends up sacrificing themselves.
"Here."
I set the machete and hand axe on the floor and stepped back a couple paces.
"Get revenge. But your little sister strikes first. And Soju—you don't say a word from now on. Don't move. Don't even look at your sister."
Complicated expressions crossed the siblings' faces.
It was ridiculous, but murder, rape, assault, confinement, abuse... none of it felt as shocking as it used to.
The world had gone to shit, and our brains had adapted.
Humanity's morals, norms, civilization, and common sense had crumbled in just four years.
The brain craved new stimuli.
And I'd found mine: other people's conflicts and choices. The emotions that came from them.
It was the same with shoving people into the mart.
I was just curious. What happens when people with no rational reason to stick together end up grouped?
Whether they fought each other, cooperated to build a new home, or the men killed off the other men and turned it into a harem with all the women.
I just wanted to watch.
Like putting new ants into an acrylic ant farm.
The little sister was conflicted.
She surely felt some revenge, but had she ever killed before?
If not, then this Soju guy was pretty talented.
Keeping his sister's hands clean of blood for four years was impressive. Even if he failed in the end.
Deep down, I hoped she'd attack me.
Then I could toy with them however I wanted. I had plenty of ideas.
"...Can I really kill him?"
"Hyun-jeong-ah!"
"Soju, I said no talking. Little sister? Of course. That's why I set those down."
The sister stepped forward, picked up the hand axe, and Soju watched in silence, unable to speak.
"No! Don't kill me! You promised you wouldn't! Please, spare me!"
"I said I wouldn't kill you. Never said they wouldn't."
The telekinesis guy spat curses at my cold retort.
I spoke gently to the sister.
"If he's too noisy, I can shut his mouth. If you don't want to see him struggle, I can make him sleep peacefully. What do you want?"
How would she see me, smiling as I said this?
An angel helping her get revenge? Or a devil sweet-talking her into cruelty?
...Fuck. I'm way too deep into this roleplay, thinking stupid shit like that.
Angels and devils? She'd just see a psycho.
"I'll... just do it."
I don't know much about women, but I know this much.
Women don't want to take responsibility.
Whether it's because they don't want dirty hands or they hate all the blame coming their way, who knows.
They always step back, dodging accountability.
But when they make up their minds, it's different.
Once they accept getting dirty and shoulder all the blame, they get more meticulous, obsessive, and ruthless than men.
The sister approached the telekinesis guy with the hand axe raised.
"No! Stay back! I'm sorry! I was wrong! Spare me... please..."
The guy screamed, thrashed, and sobbed in desperation.
But the sister showed no hesitation now.
She awkwardly raised the unfamiliar hand axe and brought it down on his neck.
Thud!
"Gahk."
No matter how strong the weapon, a woman couldn't kill with one blow unless she had power, skill, or hit a vital spot precisely. She had none of that.
She'd steeled herself, but when the result wasn't what she wanted, she dropped the axe.
Well... that's as far as she got. Still, summoning that much courage was something.
In a real fight, that mistake would end her, of course.
"Soju."
Surprisingly, Soju had watched his sister's actions calmly.
This guy seemed built for this world. No unnecessary baggage.
He probably got caught because of his sister, not himself.
"Finish it."
Soju glanced at me, then walked to his sister.
Blood gushed from the telekinesis guy, who could no longer speak.
Soju hugged his sister once as she stared at the man, then picked up the dropped hand axe and smashed it into the wound without hesitation.
Blood splattered, but Soju silently hacked at the neck.
He knew: kill a person, and the blood vanishes completely.
In the end, the telekinesis guy dissolved into light and died, the coin sucked into Soju.
"Both of you, come here."
Soju was spotless now that the blood was gone, while the sister covered her mouth with both hands.
Hmm... she's definitely pretty. Pretty enough to feel a twinge of regret.
It's not too late... Nah. She's not my type.
Soju handed me the hand axe butt-first.
Nice... This is why I like polite guys.
"Follow me."
The telekinesis guy was dead, but the vomit stench lingered.
Staying in this room longer would split my head open.
Booze, cigarettes, and puke. The shitty smell trifecta.
I grabbed the machete and headed out. The siblings followed.
I thought of the fancy sofa in the president's office where I'd killed the first guy, so I went there.
I strode down the central staircase openly, opened the door, and sank into the sofa.
"Sit."
The siblings obeyed without question. Even after my harsh orders, I was still their lifesaver.
"Where you from?"
"Just wandering around."
"What brought you here?"
"We were passing by and it looked empty."
"There must be a reason you picked this place. Why this building?"
"It looked the cleanest on campus."
"Then why not the dorms?"
"There were people... so we came to the farthest spot."
Ah... the guys I killed.
"Then you should've just left."
"We planned to rest a bit and go, but those guys showed up."
"Got it. No point rehashing the past."
I couldn't tell. But something about Soju made me hesitate to kill him.
Protecting his sister in this hellish world? That's rare these days.
I had to give points for that. It's admirable.
"Shop."
I bought some canned goods and easy eats from the shop, piling them on the table.
About 8,000 coins' worth from those two guys.
"For the two you killed. Food worth their coins."
"Why give it to us?"
"My whim. No reason."
"...We'll take it then."
"Nowhere to go?"
"...Yeah."
"Gotta protect your sister too."
"Yes."
"On the way to Hadong from here, there's a big mart. X-Mart. People there. Say the machete guy sent you—they'll let you in. Go there."
"Pardon?"
"Go or not, your call. Stay or leave once you're there, also your call. But one thing: if I see you outside the mart again, I'll kill you and rape your sister."
Soju fell silent. Probably thinking, what kind of psycho is this?
"That's all. If you're leaving, stay away from the central area."
I stood up.
No desire to act tough. Just felt a bit uncomfortable.
Maybe because I was doing something out of character.
But I was curious. How would things play out at the mart?
As I headed out, I scanned around.
Two presences moving inside the admin building. Probably prepping to leave.
University cleared. Once they're gone, it'll be empty.
I passed the one-room village in front of the school again, going by Yeon-ju's place.
Still no signs of life in the neighborhood.
Where did all those people go? I always wonder when I see empty places like this.
And I'll never get the answer. Will I know after I die?
The mart... not sure if it's the right call.
Me, who lost trust in men, letting those guys live—what's the point?
The instinctual fight-or-flight. The possessiveness to claim useful women.
Is ignoring that and doing this really right?
Sigh. Cowardly pervert loser thinking deep thoughts.
Just living for fun, that's all.
Time to agonize and get hurt over that shit is long gone.
The heart hardened over four years doesn't scar easily.
Ye-ji, Min-ji... even forgetting them.
Sigh. Dumbass me. Dumbass them.
Bunker almost in sight, so one last sweep. The dull ache in my chest.
Normally I'd pop a recovery potion, but not this time.
Go in, wash up, sleep. A lot.
Sleep till I'm exhausted, then fuck Seung-hee.
Pound her like a dog, panting between her legs.
That's all there is to do in this godforsaken world.