Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Temporary Closure
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Song Arin was pissed.
In all her time at the Management Bureau, she'd run plenty of joint operations, but teaming up with the one person she least wanted to? No thanks.
-Bang!
She jammed the last loaded round into the monster's torso—its head still dangling by a thread—then leaped back and kept it pinned with her pistol.
*Click.* She racked the pump, ejecting the spent shell, the hot brass grazing her cheek.
"You Bureau dog—!"
"Cover!"
"Urk!"
As she shouted and fell back, Jang Chaeyeon immediately raised her right arm high and slammed it down toward the floor.
-Thud!
Terrifying gravity whipped past her, planting the neurosurgeon straight into the ground.
"Reload."
"I'm already on it, no need to tell me."
Jang Chaeyeon brushed past her with a flat reply, clenching her fist.
-Zzzzt...!
"You piece of garba—"
-Krunch!
Air compressed with a whoosh, twisting and tearing its body apart.
Blood and bone fragments sprayed everywhere, but no one thought it was over.
Song Arin swiftly loaded pellets into her shotgun, psyching herself up.
She pictured the veteran Containment Team from the Management Bureau's Gangdong Branch.
Her hands moved faster naturally, the shaking subsiding.
She finished reloading in a flash, then calmly fired at its torso again.
-Bang!
It jolted from the impact, but neither paid it any mind.
They'd already realized it wouldn't die that easily.
"Sis! Help me!"
It bellowed, wrenching free, and in response, headless corpses surged from outside the morgue door, charging toward it.
"Damn it...!"
Jang Chaeyeon swept her hand, sending an invisible force crashing into them once more. Song Arin carefully pumped rounds into them, clicking her tongue before yelling.
"This is endless!"
"I know!"
Still, one broke through the barrage and lunged at it. At the same moment, a headless corpse scooped up its head and turned toward the two women again.
"Die!"
*Splash.* A torrent of green liquid hurtled at them.
"...Ah!"
Jang Chaeyeon reached out, but a headless corpse from midair tackled her. She toppled, her telekinesis firing wildly off-target.
No time to stare blankly.
Song Arin spun instinctively, bracing for the pain.
As long as her vital organs didn't melt, she could keep fighting.
She gritted her teeth.
"...?"
Nothing happened.
"You're just in time."
A familiar voice rang in her ears.
She cracked her eyes open and looked back.
The liquid hung motionless in midair before losing power and splattering to the floor.
She looked up toward the voice.
A woman in a patient gown with straight black hair stood with her hand outstretched, expression calm and resolute.
Behind her, a weary-looking man had drawn his pistol, staring ahead.
His gaze slightly off-kilter as always, his fatigued demeanor unchanging.
-Bang!
He raised his hand and fired backward.
The monster struggling in the hallway dropped from that single shot.
What's really in that gun of his?
"Let's finish this."
"How'd you do that?"
"What can I say... I managed."
He jerked a thumb backward with a shrug. Her eyes caught the massive monster sprawled there, looking dead.
She didn't ask how.
If it was the man she knew, he was more than capable.
The white-haired woman had appeared at his side as if it were natural, while the black-haired one stood on his other side, fists clenched.
She isn't actually a teleporter, is she?
"Can you still fight?"
"What do you take me for?"
She snapped out of her stray thoughts and turned to him.
"If you're worn out, hang back."
"Yeah, right."
A fierce smile crossed Song Arin's face.
"What do you take me for? This is nothing."
She whipped her trembling, muscle-sore legs into action and stood.
"Give orders already."
"Got it."
He drew his pistol and stepped forward.
Now we can fight on even terms.
She unconsciously relaxed, assuming position.
*
To be honest.
It was definitely easier now.
Ever since Yoo Daon learned the combo move, their defense had become seamless.
Jang Chaeyeon was more about brute-forcing incoming attacks than actual defense.
"...Will she be okay?"
Yoo Daon glanced worriedly at where the orthopedic surgeon had been.
By the time I'd finished logging it in the manual and gone to shoot, it had already vanished.
Did it sense the threat? Or some other reason.
I eyed the semitransparent window sidelong.
[Chronos's Shield: Remaining time 1.5 seconds]
Down to 0.5 seconds is still calculable.
"Linking up from now. Daon, take the front hits. Just as many as needed."
"I'll tank with my body if I have to."
"Chaeyeon, pure offense. Get its head to poke out once."
"Got it."
"Arin, support and watch for flankers."
"You got it."
Once they were set, I drew my pistol too.
Acidic liquid sprayed around us, but it couldn't outpace my eyes.
Yoo Daon dashed out, hand extended.
A semitransparent barrier unfurled, halting the acid dead. She crossed her arms and charged ahead.
Jang Chaeyeon bit her lip hard, drew her arm back, then thrust it forward like a shot. Chunks of debris on the floor clumped together and launched in her wake.
The rocks tore through the air, grazing Yoo Daon's head and smashing into the neurosurgeon's upper body.
-Splat!
Something hard snapped. Its body bent backward at a right angle, unleashing a flood of acid.
The acid poured onto Yoo Daon with her arms crossed—*sizzle*—flesh melting horribly, but she ignored it and barreled straight at the neurosurgeon.
"You—!"
It raised its left arm.
Not on my watch.
I aimed my pistol at its left arm, steady as stone, and pulled the trigger. The bullet flew true, embedding in its shoulder.
As its arm twitched, Yoo Daon—regeneration complete—leaped into its embrace and drove a fist into its solar plexus.
"Gahk...!"
It shrieked, and headless corpses surged from all sides. But Song Arin dashed sideways, dropping them one by one with expert shotgun blasts.
"Jaeheon!"
Yoo Daon reached with her other hand and seized its head.
"Let go!"
It thrashed and screamed, but Yoo Daon yanked the head free and hurled it my way with all her might.
"Here!"
The screaming head sailed through the air.
[Critical: 1->0]
The world turned black and white, time slowing.
Shoot the flying orb in the sky? Impossible for anyone without elite training.
But I trusted myself.
I knew I could hit no matter what.
A red glow lingered on its temple.
Pity the Critical didn't seem to change much. Same when I dropped that brute earlier.
I pulled the trigger amid the thought.
-Bang!
No need to check.
Its temple exploded in a spray of blood.
"Kaa... ah..."
*Thud.* The head hit the floor, and it went still.
...
I let out a sigh of relief.
Looking around, everything was wrecked.
Ceiling collapsed, headless corpses strewn about, walls pocked with holes.
Yoo Daon stepped beside me.
"...Now we can finally say goodbye to this godforsaken hospital."
She sighed deeply.
"You've all worked hard."
"The hard part was you, Jaeheon."
Yoo Daon smiled softly at me, then glanced at the freezer.
"Shall we?"
I looked at her relieved expression, then at the others.
"Everyone ready to head out?"
"Yes."
"Yeah. Let's get out quick."
...
All three nodded in agreement.
I opened the freezer.
This better actually work.
Never thought I'd end up stuffing myself into a corpse freezer.
...
I sat up inside, looking at the others.
"Everyone okay!"
"It's cold—hurry up!"
Song Arin snapped immediately.
"Close the door and follow!"
"Yes!"
Hearing Yoo Daon's upbeat reply, I slid into the freezer, gripping the ceiling to pull myself in.
A wave of dizziness hit.
Then, blaring car horns jolted my eyes open.
"Over here!!!"
The Team Leader was waving.
A few others in body armor behind him.
*
After that, things wrapped up without issue.
According to the sunglass guy, the rescue team hadn't even entered when we popped out.
If you're gonna be that late, why call at all?
Reading my expression, he excused it—preps take time, and we were fast—then slapped us with two days' reward leave.
Apparently, we'd trashed the hospital so bad their influence was shot short-term. Gangseo University Hospital wouldn't resurface anytime soon.
At least a few years.
"No different from closing shop. A hospital with no patients ain't thriving."
That's what the guy said.
I thought we'd nailed the landing.
Until.
"The Branch Chief wants to see you."
That line dropped.
And.
...
A brown-haired woman stared right at me.
Her narrow eyes, barely showing pupils, held nothing but amusement.
My instincts screamed alarm.
More importantly,
[Name: -]
[Age: -]
[Trait: -]
[Talent: Indestructible]
[Background: -]
[Weakness: -]
...
Nothing visible.
She finally spoke, still watching me.
"Kim Jaeheon from the HR Team."
Her calm voice carried as her eyes opened fully.
Blood-red irises pierced me.
"It's not nice to peek into people's secrets."
Cold sweat trickled down.