Chapter 398
Chapter 398
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 398. Recognition
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"Hah, hah...!"
"Hah... hah..."
"Haa, haa..."
...
We run endlessly through the darkness.
We saw what was chasing us, so all we can do is keep running.
I glance back, and it's still following me.
...!
No choice.
I abruptly twist my body, draw my gun, and Jang Chaeyeon stops alongside me.
-Bang!
The muzzle flashes, and as Jang Chaeyeon extends her hand, an invisible shockwave slams into the monster, pushing it back. At the same time, the bullet embeds in its forehead.
-Thud!
It collapses to the floor just like that.
"...Huh?"
And it doesn't get back up.
"...That's it?"
Jang Chaeyeon mutters in a bewildered voice, and Yoo Daon, who had been shielding Song Arin, straightens up with a stunned expression.
"This... is weird."
"...Yeah."
I furrow my brow and respond to her.
"It's not still alive, right?"
"No, it shouldn't be."
No translucent window popped up.
How did that translucent window appear earlier?
Honestly, it was such an intense message that I couldn't forget it even if I tried.
[Name: Kim Jaeheon]
[Age: 27]
[Talents: None]
[Trait: None]
[Background: Kim Jaeheon is a young man working in the HR Team at the Gangseo Branch of the Management Bureau. His gaze is unique.]
[Weakness: He isn't Kim Jaeheon to begin with.]
"...Heok..."
Song Arin catches her breath, leaning against the wall, and the others regulate their breathing in their own ways.
"...Hah, hah... Hold on a sec."
I stop the others and look at them seriously, and they all pause their breathing to meet my eyes.
"...What's up?"
Song Arin looks at me, and I start explaining to the others.
About the thing that just appeared, and my name.
...
...
...
The others fall silent after hearing my explanation.
"So, what you're saying is..."
Jang Chaeyeon continues slowly.
"That thing just now was you?"
"Yeah."
"It didn't look anything like you."
"Of course not."
I have eyes, nose, and mouth on my face. Hair too. Plenty of other differences besides that.
"But that's not the issue..."
"...It copied Jaeheon-ssi. That's it, right?"
Yoo Daon mutters in a small voice.
"Yeah."
...
Yoo Daon bites her lip slightly.
"Why... well, there are a few things that come to mind even without asking."
Song Arin mutters and clicks her tongue.
"Makes sense. They wanted the black-haired immortal so badly that your eyes would be enough to drive them crazy."
"But that thing didn't have eyes, right?"
"No, it didn't."
Song Arin looks at me as she says that.
"Is it because it's difficult?"
"Difficult?"
"Not that imitating people is hard in general... but imitating you is."
Song Arin mutters as she stares into my eyes.
"Honestly, you just get information by looking at things, right?"
"Yeah."
"And you don't even know the mechanism behind it."
"...Yeah."
Honestly, I don't know why I get that information either.
I have a vague idea of who gave it to me, though.
"So, maybe it's a failed product?"
Song Arin mutters calmly as she looks at the fallen monster.
"Why me in the first place... no, how did they..."
Before I can finish, Song Arin's gaze shifts to Yoo Daon, who hurriedly shakes her head.
"I never passed on any information separately!"
"I know. You're not the type. But your parents are."
"...You think they extracted it from Daon-ssi through something like brainwashing?"
"Less that, and more... they probably got the info through the black hair."
Song Arin shrugs and responds to me, and Yoo Daon looks shocked.
"Me... betray Jaeheon-ssi...?"
"Not betrayal. Just, uh. How to put it. Given how you... were born, it could be like that."
...
Honestly, it's a pretty plausible theory to dismiss as nonsense.
...
Of course, Yoo Daon herself looks utterly shocked upon hearing it.
"No way..."
"It's just a hypothesis. This failure of theirs is lying right here, so who knows. Just in case."
Song Arin mutters calmly and shrugs.
"Anyway, that's the situation for now. Not certain yet."
...
I lower my gaze to the corpse at her words.
It replicated my actions, so it replicated me.
Could be. The hospital director did say something after seeing me.
What was it? Something about my eyes.
Can't remember exactly.
"For now."
I say calmly.
"We need to head where there are more pipes."
...
Song Arin nods, and Jang Chaeyeon takes the lead.
Before leaving, I turn to look at the corpse on the floor.
It still lay motionless in place.
And the inexplicable gaze persisted as well.
*
How far did we walk?
We arrived at a place with countless pipes.
"...Still there, huh."
Yoo Daon mutters, rubbing her arms.
I knew exactly what she meant.
The unknown presence was still felt.
I had no idea why such a presence lingered, but after catching that thing—my clone, I suppose—the presence that shouldn't be felt anymore was still there.
...
And it wasn't just me; everyone scanned the surroundings with tense expressions.
"...This is more nerve-wracking than I thought."
Tch, Song Arin clicks her tongue and mutters, while Jang Chaeyeon frowns, not letting her guard down.
"...Alright. Let's get out quick."
We stride along the pipes, and the others hurriedly follow.
How far along the pipes did we go?
...
Before us, an enormous tangle of pipes formed a maze, and in the center stood a massive door.
"This is the exit, right?"
Song Arin narrows her eyes at the door ahead, and Yoo Daon grabs what seemed to be the door handle—a huge pipe—and looks at us.
"Should I open it, Jaeheon-ssi?"
"...Yeah. Please."
Yoo Daon nods at my words and opens the door, and soon.
-Creeeak...
With the sound of something opening, the door swings wide.
Beyond it, nothing special—just another long path lined with pipes—awaited us.
But what we're seeking isn't on this side.
"Gather up."
The others cluster beside me at my words.
"Arms linked."
And, as if by prior agreement, we link arms.
We exchange glances, then step beyond the door.
With a slight dizziness.
"...Ugh!"
When I open my eyes, we were in a place with familiar yellow wallpaper.
The first place we arrived.
Yellow wallpaper, yellow floor, and a slightly damp smell.
The presence we'd felt earlier was gone too.
...
But what was this lingering unease?
And it wasn't just me; the others looked uneasy as they scanned around.
"...We really back?"
"Nothing happened compared to how worried we were."
Jang Chaeyeon mutters calmly, looking around before turning to me.
"We can just leave?"
...
Should we go like this?
Or settle it here?
But even if we do, how do we kill those two?
I gaze at the gun in my hand.
...
With Critical, I could take out one, but the problem is Yoo Daon's parents number two.
It feels too inhumane thinking like this, but if I have to eliminate those two somehow...
"...Alright, then first the branch chief—"
Before I can finish,
-Rumble...
Something rumbles from the walls.
-Splash! Splash!
The walls ooze moisture entirely. Water starts pooling on the floor.
"...If we're leaving, let's go quick?"
"Sounds good."
I nod in agreement to Yoo Daon.
For now, escape carefully, come back later—
As I think that, dampness reaches my ankle.
...
Looking down, water had already risen to my ankles.
"Something... feels off..."
Yoo Daon looks at us.
I quicken my pace too.
"Find a door, hurry."
We all head for doors as if by agreement.
We find one soon.
I open it, and the others link arms again.
"Going."
We cross, but nothing happens.
"...Tch."
Song Arin clicks her tongue, and Jang Chaeyeon scans around with a stiff face.
"Next."
No time for such thoughts.
We dash to the next door and enter together.
"Damn."
Failure again.
"No, we were going through fine until just now, but the exit's gotta be this picky...!"
Song Arin complains as she moves faster, water now up to our shins.
"Why's water rising in the first place?"
"If I knew, I'd live here!"
Song Arin snaps back, and Yoo Daon chimes in.
"I was too young to remember well!"
"Didn't expect you to know!"
I open another door amid their exchange and look.
"If this doesn't work, we're in trouble."
"Feels like it won't end properly."
Jang Chaeyeon mutters, and Song Arin smacks her shoulder with a smack, arms crossed.
"Don't jinx it."
"...Going."
We step through, dizziness hits.
Did it work?
The thought is fleeting.
"You're back."
A familiar voice rings in my ears.
"...I told you not to jinx it."
Song Arin mutters irritably, and I raise my gaze.
The two scholars stand before us.
[Critical: 1->0]
The world turns black and white, shifting to slow motion simultaneously.
Now, just pull the trigger—
"Shooting that won't mean anything."
My hand holding the gun freezes at the calm voice of Yoo Daon's mother addressing me.
In this slowed world, the two perceive me precisely.
Just the two of them.