Catching the Lab Rat
Catching the Lab Rat
The weather was clear. No clouds at all. The wind was a bit strong.
The chance of rain was generally low.
"And the humidity is just right..."
A young man muttered to himself as he jotted notes in his pocket notebook.
He stood on the rooftop of a building, looking down at the ground with an expression tinged with dismay.
"Perfect weather for scouting. But... the situation down below is really not ideal."
Nah Jun-ho, a recent university graduate, clicked his tongue.
Days as safe as this were rare.
A clear day without a single cloud.
He didn't understand the principle, but on days when the sun blazed like this, the zombies' movements were generally sluggish.
Conversely, at night after the sun set, the bastards became especially sensitive.
That made it all the more disappointing.
'I should be out there getting food on a day like this.'
If it were up to him, he'd want to hit a nearby mart right away.
But unfortunately, it seemed today they'd have to lie low.
Because─.
"Kya ha ha ha ha!! Dieeee!!"
Some crazy bitches were striding across the ground, sweeping up every zombie in their path without a second thought.
To be precise, it was three women and one man.
They had suddenly appeared in the middle of the corpse-infested street and started causing havoc.
They rampaged as if daring anyone to come at them, completely disregarding the consequences.
They were a deranged group.
In Seocho-gu especially, the number of zombies and mutant entities was high.
Recklessly causing a commotion like that was no different from begging to be killed.
So Nah Jun-ho simply dismissed them as more suicidal lunatics acting up, not thinking much of it.
Yes, at first.
"Whoa..."
But as the mutants that followed them were also obliterated one after another, Nah Jun-ho couldn't help but let out a low murmur of admiration at their majestic display.
Every time the blue Thunder flickered, dozens of zombies were ground down.
Not to be outdone, a pure white frost shape danced dazzlingly in the air, and the spray of blood scattering along its white trajectory stained the street an even deeper red.
'And the other two... aren't normal either.'
Unlike the two women on the front line, a man and woman hung back, supporting from the rear.
Those two toyed with zombies, lifting them into the air with light gestures.
From the look of it, the man pulled them in, and the tall woman finished them off.
"Jun-ho."
At that moment, a colleague who had approached his side unnoticed and was watching the same scene called his name.
A husky voice.
Even without turning his gaze, he could easily guess who she was.
After all, she was his only colleague, so there wasn't much to guess in the first place.
"Yes. I know. Let's not go out today and just rest quietly."
At those words, Lim Da-hye let out a deep sigh of relief.
She had the look of someone who might have played around quite a bit in her younger days, but inside, she was delicate and faint-hearted.
So she couldn't help but be frightened in advance.
Moreover, all of those people were ability users.
That meant they were murderers who had obtained special powers by killing someone.
How could she not be afraid?
Nah Jun-ho also had no confidence he'd survive intact if he clashed with those monstrous bastards.
"Let's go inside."
"...Okay."
And so, the two quietly disappeared from the rooftop.
*
Blood flew everywhere.
Blue Thunder flickered constantly, and the white frost's trajectory sliced through the surroundings.
"Those two have a surprisingly good combination."
Angelica murmured quietly.
Her eyes gleamed with distinct interest, as if deeply intrigued.
Apparently, the sight of Ha Hui-ryeong going berserk on the front line while Kim Ha-yoon supported her was quite impressive.
"At first glance they seem to charge in recklessly, but they properly cover each other's weaknesses. Kim Ha-yoon, especially — her ability is remarkably versatile."
Angelica's gaze turned toward Kim Ha-yoon.
Kim Ha-yoon flew around on a wide ice sword, wielding dozens of icicles like flying swords to slice zombies apart.
What's more, she even created ice footholds to assist the isolated Ha Hui-ryeong in the midst of it all.
It was obvious that her experience had grown considerably since the last time.
"She can cover undefended blind spots, and if necessary, she can create a barrier to escape a crisis. The harmony of offense and defense is truly impressive."
"...."
"You've gathered quite capable talents. Fufu, you are a truly fortunate man."
"....."
"Hey. Are you listening?"
A hand suddenly waved before my eyes.
Only then did my scattered mind snap back, and I hastily nodded.
"Y-yeah. Of course."
"It seemed like you weren't listening at all... Hmph, fine. I'll let it go."
She said that, but Angelica looked slightly sulky.
Apparently, she wasn't too pleased that I hadn't focused on her words.
"Sorry. I was thinking about something else."
"Let me guess. That 'something else' would be about Shin Yoo-hwa, wouldn't it?"
"...Is it that obvious?"
"It'd be stranger if I didn't notice. Ever since you spoke with that woman on the phone, you've been in a daze, like your mind is foggy."
Having said that, Angelica patted my shoulder gently.
"Don't worry too much. Even if she's carrying your child, there's nothing you can do right now, is there?"
"...How can I not worry? I've suddenly become a dad."
"Then will you get shaken up like this every time it happens? What about me, and the other women — we'll all eventually carry your child too, won't we?"
What was she talking about now?
At her sudden pregnancy declaration, I put on a bewildered expression.
In response, Angelica wore an exceptionally bright smile, more so than usual.
"Everything has an end. Once everything is wrapped up, the conclusion is obvious. It'll be an all-pregnant ending."
My words caught in my throat.
As the image of them with swollen bellies vaguely surfaced in my mind... for some reason, a corner of my heart ached and yet felt faintly elated.
It was a very strange feeling.
When that day actually comes, I suppose I'll be worried but also somewhat happy?
I don't know what to call it.
It was just complicated and subtle.
"So just consider this a rehearsal. It's something you'll experience sooner or later."
"How can you be so calm about it? Aren't you scared?"
"What on earth is there to be scared of? Carrying the child of the one you love. Isn't that the best future for a woman?"
Her carefree attitude, ready to accept anything gladly.
Perhaps it was because of her kind heart, but the tightly clenched knot of frustration inside me seemed to loosen just a little.
I spoke in a much more relieved voice.
"Fine, whatever happens, happens. You said I wouldn't have to take responsibility anyway, so like you said, I'll stop caring."
"Good. That's the spirit. You're a playboy after all, aren't you? Pointless anguish doesn't suit you."
Isn't that a bit harsh?
Well, anyway.
Thanks to her, I pulled myself together.
"Then let's stop with the useless chatter and focus on the lecture. Now, first, watch me closely."
So saying, Angelica lifted a single zombie with her psychokinesis.
"Your power is quite strong, but it has one fatal flaw. You can only pull."
She then promptly slammed the zombie to the ground and dragged it toward her, the same way I do.
"So, like I just showed you, try lowering your focus a bit. As if it's being pulled along the ground."
"Do I really have to do that? Can't I just pull it and whack it once with my crowbar?"
"No. If you do that, the opponent could use that force in return, just like I did last time. On top of that, you're not particularly skilled in hand-to-hand combat. So breaking their posture first is key."
She was right.
Last time with Park Jung-woo, and with Angelica herself, opponents who'd gotten used to the floating sensation had used the attraction in reverse to gain momentum.
"Alright. I'll give it a try."
I picked a suitable zombie and made a grabbing gesture through the air.
Toward the ground.
As low as possible.
Then, without any resistance, the bastard was pulled straight toward me.
Its head ground helplessly against the ground.
The skull cracked open, revealing the brain — the sight was quite grotesque.
"Oh, you succeeded right away. You've got a knack for it after all."
"...You're kind of harsh in your assessment of me, aren't you?"
"No way. I hold you in the highest esteem. How could I say something so mean?"
The only thing she holds in high esteem is my dick, probably.
As I let out a short inward sigh, she continued.
"It seems there's a slight misunderstanding, but whatever. Right now, let's move on to the next step instead."
"What's the next step?"
"Canceling. To be precise, it's about introducing a variable in the flow by stopping the activation at the desired timing."
So basically, I should throw in a fake.
"Doesn't seem too hard."
"I like the confidence. Then, let's see you do it."
If you insist.
I gestured again.
A zombie that had been charging toward Ha Hui-ryeong and Kim Ha-yoon was suddenly yanked toward me.
"Hmm?"
But for some reason, it didn't go as planned.
I tried to cancel midway, but the pull happened in an instant, making it hard to get the timing right.
"This isn't as easy as I thought...?"
I swung my crowbar at the zombie's skull and then awkwardly scratched my cheek.
"You changed your tune in just one minute."
"No, it's because I can't slow the speed down, so the timing's a bit off."
"That is also one of your strengths and weaknesses. The output is powerful, but you can't make delicate adjustments. However, if you master mid-cast canceling, all sorts of crack plays become possible."
"For example?"
"Hmm. Let's say you're in an urban battle. If you pull an enemy from a building across the street and then let go midway, what happens?"
"They'd go hurtling headfirst, wouldn't they?"
"Exactly. You can handle enemies relatively safely without having to drag them into close combat."
Now that I thought about it, it was a pretty solid strategy.
Abilities that could counter a fall weren't all that common.
"Great. Let's focus on practicing just this for a while then. But ain't there any more tips or tricks?"
"Hmm. Yes, there is. One tip: if you chant a phrase in your head, it'll be easier to get the timing down."
A phrase?
At the unexpected suggestion, I tilted my head with a puzzled look.
"For example, if you want to lift something like this, repeat in your mind, 'Rise. High.' Then it'll become much easier."
"Will it really work with just that?"
"It works. In the first place, all activation-types like us use our powers in that way. Body-enhancement types can just use their bodies, but for us, we have to rely more on this."
Angelica tapped her own head lightly.
It meant I needed to use my brain more than brute force.
"I get the gist of it."
I was about to accept her advice and start practicing.
While surveying for a suitable test subject, something odd caught the edge of my vision.
A building located quite a distance away.
On its rooftop, I could just make out the silhouettes of a man and a woman.
They weren't zombies.
Judging by their movements, they were clearly living survivors.
And coincidentally, they hadn't noticed that I'd spotted them.
Perhaps I could obtain lab rats more easily than I thought.
"Huh? What's the matter all of a sudden?"
When I paused and stared elsewhere, Angelica looked curious.
I answered in a calm, nonchalant tone.
"No, it's just that I found some better test subjects."
However, the corners of my lips curled into an unusually mischievous smile.