Chapter 56
Chapter 56
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Subway Station
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Subway Station
Waking up from a good night's sleep feels incredible.
I did it. That sense of accomplishment? Yeah, exactly.
It's ridiculous, really. Feeling accomplished just from sleeping and waking up. If you don't have insomnia, you'd never understand.
I wash up, eat, shit, and pace around naked.
Now, should I fuck something else? Great idea. No time like the present.
Seung-hee was asleep. Already nine at night? Early bird.
Doesn't matter if she's sleeping or not. I let her rest a bit, then wake her enough to slide in and start thrusting.
"Mm... let me sleep... ngh."
She wakes up right away without the skill. Whatever. I ignore it and keep going.
"Just... mm, got to sleep... haah."
"Don't worry, I'll put you back to sleep before I go."
I finish inside her belly, wipe her clean with some tissue, and cast Sleep to knock her out again.
What an ideal life. Being able to do whatever you want, whenever you want.
I step out, lock Seung-hee's door behind me, and throw on some clothes.
Heading out again today. Today's target: the subway station.
It's such a shithole layout with too many hiding spots, so I avoided it like the plague.
No idea how many are in there or what kind of bastards they are.
If I clean up the subway station and the underground mall, this whole Jung-dong area will be sorted.
Leave Ha-dong to the mart folks, then hit Sang-dong next.
Those fucking pricks. Catch them, beat them down, and find out what they handed over to that bastard Jeong Jong-chan.
Man, so much to do. Won't be bored anytime soon.
Heading out into a midwinter night is a real pain.
Cold slows you down like nothing else.
But it's better than the heat. Backpacking in sweltering weather makes your irritation boil over.
Habits are scary. I have Detection now, so I could go during the day, but I always end up going at night.
There's something reassuring about the curtain of darkness. It covers up all the little mistakes, right?
Arrived at the subway station. It's an ant hell—a massive anthill nightmare.
This transfer station for three lines, plus the department store next door? Insanely huge.
Before, I only skimmed the edges... Now, nothing to fear.
Stick to the old sneaky route? Or go bold through the entrance?
I pondered for a bit, but front door's too risky. Not for nothing it's called ant hell.
Sneak in it is.
Exit 9, disabled elevator.
The elevator's crashed to the bottom.
And there's a rope ladder here.
No clue who set it up, but it's a secret straight shot down to B4.
I'd pulled it up before in case someone below climbed up... Now it's down again.
Means someone's been coming and going...
I'd have agonized over it before, but not now. Got almighty Detection.
"Detection."
No presences. Surprising. Thought there'd be at least one or two.
No humans pinging? No hesitation needed. Down we go.
I descend the rope ladder slowly.
Checking for frayed spots or sabotage as I go.
After all this struggling to survive, dying stupidly from a fall would be the most pointless end.
Trusting your weight to a rope ladder down to B4 is terrifying.
Almost as bad as a sudden skill flying at you. One slip, and splat.
Finally reach B4, and I'm drenched in sweat. Body feeling weak? From this?
Not me. The subway station's just sweltering hot.
Why? What's causing it?
It's not just hot. There's a foul stench. Something rotting.
Rotting... Now that's a nostalgic word.
Ever since food quantity became the measure of survival, spoiled food became rare.
Too busy shoving it down your throat to let it rot outside.
Plus, human corpses vanishing played a big role. Yeah, huge.
If bodies stuck around, the world would've been a giant corpse field.
Streets and floors overflowing with them, swarming with insects and birds picking at the remains.
But rotting smell? Possible?
"Detection."
No human presences.
Weird. Why's it empty? Thought there'd be plenty in a subway. Something happen?
No signs of life, so I walk bolder.
The rot stench thickens. I soon find out why.
Wild boar carcass. Definitely boar. Next to it, a dog? And a cat?
Animal corpses scattered around the subway station.
Some so old you can't tell what they were, others fresh enough to still hold shape.
And bugs.
The heat and rotting meat mean bugs everywhere.
Makes you want to bail immediately.
I'd applaud whoever did this.
Whoever it is, the intent's clear.
Warning.
Stay out. If you made it this far, turn back.
Disgust and revulsion hit hard, but curiosity won out.
Who the hell does this? And how'd they catch all these beasts?
Boars, wild dogs, strays... Tough to eat, so they dumped them.
Whatever. Not turning back over this.
I've got Detection. No need to scour every corner.
Sweep B4 end to end.
Found them.
Three. Right above me.
Location screams station staff office. Makes sense—no better spot in a subway.
Head up, and animal corpses everywhere. Heat the same.
If this is to block access, it's decent—but piling new bodies just advertises they're here.
Better ways existed. Why stick around?
Reason to stay in this empty world? Places galore to go.
Why the hassle?
Station staff office.
Deep inside.
So far in, normals would think, "What's back there?"
Blocked paths, locked doors, obstacles... A maze.
Wander forever, can't reach the presences on Detection.
What? Where's the damn path?
Finally find it after ages. Who'd believe this exists underground?
Atmosphere shifts.
Wall graffiti, kid's toy on the floor.
Graffiti and toys? Here?
Deepest spot, looks like equipment storage. Presences from there.
Narrow room, blinds on the window. Peep inside.
And I'm shocked.
Something rare in this ruined world.
A child. My god.
Parents, maybe early thirties? Typical dad and mom.
Well, not typical anymore. Anyway, nothing special.
But a kid. Three? Four? Nah, under three. Pregnancies stopped four years ago.
I stare at them like exotic creatures.
Me, all dried up and twisted—but respect surges for these parents raising a kid in this shit world.
Yeah. Even if I'm trash and a fucking bastard, I'm still human.
Not so far gone I'd see folks like this as mere kill targets.
Sleep them through the blind gap first.
Open the door. Dad, mom, kid sleeping between them.
Business is business.
Duct tape their hands and feet. Cover their eyes.
The kid... Nah. Can it even talk? No clue about skills.
Sit and wait. Stare at the kid.
How will it grow up?
Me and everyone I've met—survivors saw the normal world.
Know what's normal, what's not.
But this kid? Only this fucked-up world.
First time the world feels cruel. How'd it come to this?
Watching the kid, a new thought hits.
Could I kill it?
I've slaughtered men and women alike.
But a kid? Never.
Doesn't make 'em special. Just young.
Yet I hesitate.
Why? Human instinct? Protect the young for species survival?
Or that old "women and children first" crap?
I've killed plenty of women. Why not kids?
As Sleep nears its end, I hit on a solid answer.
Kids are innocent.
Survivors all guilty of something, probably.
But this kid? Pure. No wrongs.
Could I kill that? Dunno. Probably not.
Ah, Sleep's wearing off. Time to wake the parents.
Wonder what kind of life they've lived.