Chapter 166
Chapter 166
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 166. The Person Who Always Holds Hands
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I've done this enough times that I'm starting to get a sense of our enemies' specs.
If I can see all their info in my eyes, they're an opponent I can definitely take on.
If I can see more than half their info, then assuming I have Critical and allies by my side, I can somehow manage.
If I can't see more than half their info, they're unfavorable no matter what weapons I have.
Unfortunately, the one in front of me right now showed barely anything—not even half—just a name and age.
"Yoo Daon."
The director's words made Yoo Daon flinch.
"You know it."
...
Yoo Daon clenched her fists.
"You're the most ideal human we could have imagined. Yoo Daon. Don't shirk that responsibility—"
The branch chief threw a punch.
*Thwack!*
With the sound of hitting a leather bag, the old man in the white coat went flying.
"No, what is this? No satisfaction at all!"
The branch chief shook out her fist and furrowed her brow.
"What about the others?"
"The Containment Team is down below cleaning up right now."
"What a shame."
If Ahn Sanghyeon were here, things might have been a bit different.
"Even if Ahn Sanghyeon came here, it wouldn't have changed much."
As if reading my mind, the branch chief spoke up.
"You think it would have?"
"You just saw it."
The branch chief shook her fist and looked ahead.
The old man, who had flown far away by now, got up as if nothing had happened and brushed himself off.
"From the start, physical impacts barely work on him. It'd take me and Ahn Sanghyeon beating on him half a day straight to kill him."
Beating him half a day to death means we could kill him by beating him, at least.
I pulled out my gun from inside my coat.
"Then we might be a bit more useful."
"I sincerely hope so."
The branch chief muttered and assumed her stance again.
"Kim Jaeheon, listen closely."
"Yes."
"That thing eats."
"Yes?"
"It just opens its mouth and closes it, and it eats the surrounding space, eats oxygen, eats anything that physically exists."
"Doesn't seem like something I can beat in a fight."
Just opening and closing its mouth could erase me from existence, right?
"I might not get easily chomped by those teeth, but others might not be so lucky."
The branch chief nodded and brushed off her clothes.
Looking closely now, there were clear bite marks all over her body.
I glanced at the director in front of us.
He opened his mouth,
"Right side!"
At the Team Leader's shout, we all rolled to the right.
*Crunch!*
The wall right next to me literally "disappeared" with an enormous sound.
"Shit, this is something that needs branch chief level to fight...!"
Song Arin muttered in a voice full of terror, covered in dirt.
A single strand of the Team Leader's hair fluttered to the floor.
"See that?"
The branch chief muttered as she looked ahead.
"Normal people would die if bitten."
"And you, Branch Chief?"
"I endure."
"...How?"
How does she endure getting bitten by something like that?
"Like this—tense up your whole body real tight, and you can hold out."
With a sharp inhale, the branch chief tensed her stomach.
"Of course, Jaeheon, even if you tense up, you'd die, so dodge if it looks like you're about to get bitten."
"Not planning on getting bitten even if told to."
Only two of us here could survive a direct hit from that.
"I think I'd be okay."
"Oh, Yoo Daon."
The branch chief brightened and looked at Yoo Daon, who gave an awkward smile and met her eyes.
"Ah, hello."
"Come to think of it, this is the first time we've properly talked, right?"
"Uh... yeah..."
"Yeah, yeah. Even if it's just rumors, this is your first real look at the branch chief. We should chat."
"Haha, yeah..."
Yoo Daon replied with a dry laugh.
"What do you think? Impressions of seeing the branch chief up close for the first time?"
"Um, well..."
Yoo Daon made a face like she was wondering if she should say it.
And usually, when she made that face, Yoo Daon said something she shouldn't.
"Daon, wait—"
"Grandma's makeup smell...?"
"Pfft!"
Song Arin covered her mouth and laughed at Yoo Daon's mutter, while Jang Chaeyeon bowed her head.
Her shaking shoulders confirmed she was laughing too.
...
The branch chief stared at me intently, her smile unwavering.
I shook my head frantically, afraid my head might roll. I didn't say anything.
It was Yoo Daon who said on her own that she smelled like grandma's makeup. This wasn't my fault.
The branch chief stared at me with wide eyes, then looked at Yoo Daon.
"Yoo Daon."
"Ah, yes."
"I don't think I'll forget you anytime soon."
"Uh, yes... thank you..."
Yoo Daon bowed her head with a bewildered expression.
*Boom!*
Mid-laughter, the branch chief twisted her body in front of us.
*Crack!*
Bite marks appeared on her arm, blood seeping out.
She really endured that attack by tensing her body?
Is this really human?
"Kim Jaeheon."
"Yes."
The branch chief shook the blood dripping from her arm and muttered.
"I've got a plan in mind. Wanna hear it?"
"Please, go ahead."
The branch chief nodded.
"Right now, you can't see his info properly in your eyes, right?"
"...Correct."
"Usually, that's because they're hiding it well."
The branch chief turned her gaze to the man in the white coat.
"In other words, he's holding back some power."
"I figured as much."
Whether it's from that aestheticism or whatever, if they have any reserve, they know how to hide themselves.
"Simple terms: beat him like a dog, and eventually it'll come out."
"Yes?"
The branch chief clenched her fist.
"I'll beat on him, and Jaeheon, when you see an opening, strike then."
"That'll really work?"
"No idea."
The branch chief grinned brightly.
"If your body's strong, you don't need to use your head!"
The branch chief stepped forward and charged at the director.
*Boom!*
Her fist slammed straight into the director's face, a roar echoing out.
"...Chaeyeon."
"Yeah."
Jang Chaeyeon came up beside me.
"Please back up the branch chief from the side. Never give her any distance—just harass from afar with steel balls or whatever objects you throw."
"Got it."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded.
"Arin, watch Chaeyeon closely and pull her out if it's dangerous. Also, check if Hypnosis or control works on it at all."
"Won't, but... I'll try."
Song Arin twirled her hair and sighed.
"Team Leader, watch those two."
"Got it. And you?"
The Team Leader's words made me meet eyes with Yoo Daon.
"Me?"
"You and Daon will go for the big one."
The Team Leader, watching us, nodded slowly.
"Got it. Don't play around too much—hurry back."
"Understood."
Then the three of them ran toward the branch chief.
"Daon."
"Yes."
Yoo Daon looked at me.
My gaze went to the top of her head, but I shook it off.
This wasn't what I needed to see right now.
Our eyes met,
"Daon, do you remember any surgeries you've had?"
...
Yoo Daon blinked and looked at me.
As expected, asking her something like this might be too cruel.
"Sorry. If it's uncomfortable—"
"The one that sticks out most in my memory was when they implanted something in my body."
Yoo Daon continued in a calm voice.
"There were all sorts of experiments, but the biggest issue was that I always went back to normal if I died."
Yoo Daon's gaze turned to the director in the gown.
"So they had a lot of headaches over that."
...
"How to make proper use of me."
Yoo Daon smiled.
"Then they came up with one idea."
"Yes."
"What was it? 'Existence Adsorption' or something."
Yoo Daon closed her eyes.
"Anyway, it felt incredibly horrific."
"I see."
"It wasn't the usual bloody surgery—they just left me in some room."
...
"Nothing visible, nothing felt, just the sound of singing..."
Yoo Daon's face paled.
"That should be enough."
"...No."
Yoo Daon shook her head.
"That's what they said."
...
"They said I'd gained the ability to smell better."
"Smell."
Yoo Daon nodded.
"After that, I always seemed to smell something unique."
...
"Butterfly's Dream had a sweet scent. Sometimes acrid, fishy smells. Of course, your scent too, Jaeheon."
Yoo Daon smiled faintly.
"The doctors said that with me like that, they could now grasp the essence of humanity."
...
"After that, it was back to horrific experiments..."
Yoo Daon trailed off.
"But after that, they started feeding me sometimes. Before, I always starved to death."
"...You've been through a lot."
"Now I've got you, Jaeheon."
Yoo Daon smiled softly.
"Was that helpful?"
"...Seems like it."
"Then I'm satisfied."
I sank into thought hearing Yoo Daon's words.
Grasping the essence.
The jellyfish I saw at Kangseo Hospital.
They said people turned into jellyfish then.
And now this predation.
The 'hospital' seemed obsessed only with human parts.
Nose, eyes, mouth.
Did they seek the ultimate state by maximizing specific human faculties?
And all of it for.
"Finding the essence."
[Critical: 1->2]
I stared indifferently at the translucent window and continued thinking.
But what made Yoo Daon different from them?
Probably her ability.
Called Immortality, Regeneration, but the more I fought alongside her, the more I sensed it.
Chronos's shield, taxidermy, and her regeneration method.
From joint techniques to abilities, I felt like I was overlooking something.
*Boom!*
"Done thinking yet? We're fighting for our lives here, and you two are on a date—if I support young love, even I get pissed!"
The branch chief yelled as she looked at me.
It's fine.
"Going in!"
I drew my gun and held out my hand to Yoo Daon.
"Let's go, Daon."
...
Yoo Daon looked at me.
"Time to check out of this damn hospital for good."
I flashed a confident smile.
"I'll write the discharge papers myself."
A smile spread across Yoo Daon's face.
"Honestly, we don't even need discharge papers."
She took my hand.
"You're my discharge ticket, Jaeheon."
"No. Gotta discharge you properly."
The plan was all set.
Now, just act.