Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 98. Cleanup
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"Skybridge route..."
I start reading the route written in the manual.
[Office Manual]
[HQ - Path to the Management Bureau]
4. This guides you along the skybridge route from Building A Apartments to the Management Bureau.
5. Take the stairs to the third floor.
6. On the third floor, open the fire extinguisher cabinet, and you'll see the fire hose.
7. Pull out the fire hose, and a passageway will appear.
8. When walking, absolutely do not look at the ceiling.
I read the manual along with the two people standing behind me, then turn around.
Yoo Daon is already filling up water from the water cooler, and Jang Chaeyeon has started packing only the necessary gear into her bag.
They're both quick to get ready.
"I'm all set!"
"Me too."
Before I know it, the two of them have packed their bags and are looking at me. I grab my own gear and nod.
"Let's go."
*
-Shaaa...
The rain still hasn't stopped, and through the wide-open window, people are floating around, emanating an ominous aura.
We creep down the stairs.
"...Daon."
"Yes."
I whisper to Yoo Daon walking in front of me, and she whispers back.
"After that incident, how's your body feeling?"
"Uh..."
Yoo Daon rubs her waist and thighs with both hands, then smiles at me.
"Nothing in particular?"
"That's a relief."
"And you, Jaeheon?"
"...Nothing for me either."
The problem is that there's literally nothing.
Even if it was temporary, we definitely unlocked a joint technique together, but no matter how hard I try, the translucent 'Preservation' window doesn't appear.
Was it really just a temporary unlock?
I need to talk to Yoo Daon about it.
"Once this crisis is over, let's talk."
"Huh, me...? Why?"
"Well... about our relationship... or what happened back then..."
Like Song Arin said, I need to praise her a bit first and pull myself together.
"Relationship...?"
As I say that, Yoo Daon's expression suddenly hardens.
"Um, Jaeheon."
"Yes."
"Did I... do something wrong...?"
"Huh?"
She grabs my sleeve tightly.
"T-Tell me."
"No, wait a second."
"I'm s-so stupid... I won't know unless you tell me..."
Her grip on my sleeve tightens even more.
Has she ever been like this before?
"Wait, Daon..."
"Please. I can do anything."
Now she's grabbed my arm with both hands and is looking up at me.
The smile she always gave me is cracked like gold leaf, with only one corner of her mouth lifted as she desperately tries to smile.
Her hands grope my arm like she's scratching at me.
Servile eyes she's never shown me before—my panicked expression is reflected in them.
"So please... don't disca-"
"Stop."
Jang Chaeyeon grabs Yoo Daon's nape and pulls her away from me.
"He's freaked out."
"..."
Yoo Daon turns her head to look at Jang Chaeyeon.
I can't see Yoo Daon's expression since her back is turned to me, but a flash of unease crosses Jang Chaeyeon's face, and she hurriedly lets go of Yoo Daon's nape.
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon rubs her arm as if getting goosebumps, and after a brief silence, Yoo Daon looks back at me.
"...Sorry."
"...It's fine."
"...You were startled, right? I must've been tense for a moment."
She scratches her cheek and looks at me.
"Sorry. I'll watch ahead again."
With the same calm smile as always, as if nothing happened, she turns back around and walks forward.
"Daon."
"..."
She starts walking forward without turning at my words.
"..."
"Chaeyeon?"
Jang Chaeyeon stands next to me, staring intently at Yoo Daon, then shifts her gaze far away.
"...It's worrying."
"Huh?"
Her murmuring voice.
"...Never mind."
"You guys coming or not?"
Yoo Daon turns back with a curious expression,
"...We're coming."
I have a lot I want to discuss with her, but now's not the time.
I follow behind Yoo Daon.
After that, we don't talk much.
To be precise, it's because of the atmosphere from earlier.
By the time we reach the third floor, the fire extinguisher cabinet is already open.
The hoses are all unraveled, and there are bloody handprints on it, like someone injured had rushed inside.
"...Smells like water."
Yoo Daon sniffs and mutters, while Jang Chaeyeon clenches her fists with an uneasy look.
"I'm not confident I can hold it off."
"Was it that strong?"
Jang Chaeyeon nods at my question.
"When I worked in Containment Team, sometimes there were objects we couldn't handle with raw strength."
She continues, mentioning giants or whatever.
"It was on that level."
"...Got it."
My Critical hasn't charged up yet. So in a fight, I'd have to rely on Jang Chaeyeon.
A gun probably wouldn't work anyway.
"Then let's avoid fighting as much as possible."
Both of them nod at my words.
"I'll check first."
I peer inside the fire extinguisher cabinet.
There's a long corridor stretching inside.
No light sources at all—it's so dark you can't see an inch ahead, and just as Yoo Daon said, it reeks of water.
"...Any other routes besides this?"
I mutter and open the manual, but unfortunately, it only shows blank pages.
That means no.
"We don't have a choice. We have to go."
"Then I'll take the lead."
Yoo Daon crouches and enters.
"Don't look at the ceiling, right?"
"Yeah."
She nods at my words and looks at me.
"You go first. I'll check if anything's following from behind."
"Got it."
I squeeze through the narrow cabinet and enter.
An endless dark corridor stretches out.
This should lead to the Management Bureau, but does it really need to be this dark?
"..."
Should I use my smartphone's flashlight? I hesitate for a moment, then shake my head.
If it's dark, there's a reason.
"Daon."
"I'm right here."
I hear Yoo Daon's voice from in front of me.
I confirm the translucent window floating above her head.
It's Yoo Daon.
"I'll keep track of the distances between us, so let's move."
"Got it."
"Yeah."
After hearing their responses, we start moving forward.
We walk the endless corridor.
I don't know about the ceiling, but the walls are so narrow I couldn't spread my arms.
If a fight breaks out here, we'd be in for a brutal close-quarters battle.
"..."
Yoo Daon, who was moving ahead, stops.
"Daon?"
"The water smell. It's really strong."
Yoo Daon mutters, and I pull out my gun from inside my clothes.
I narrow my eyes and peer ahead.
Soon, a translucent window appears in the distance.
[Name: Kang Woo-hyun]
[Age: 24]
[Talents: X]
[Abilities: X]
[Background: With water, he is happy.]
[Weakness: Send it back where it came from.]
"Hello."
A man mutters in a distorted voice as he stands up.
"Get ready!"
As soon as I say it, something moves ahead, kicking off the floor with a thud, and a pitch-black shadow flies at us.
"Hello!"
"Jaeheon! Watch out!"
[Chronos's Shield: 10 seconds]
-Bang!
An enormous noise erupts as the person slams into the shield.
"Chaeyeon!"
[Coordinate Rip: 3 uses]
Graph paper instantly unfurls, and Jang Chaeyeon tears right through the center.
-Kwachik!
"...Huh."
Jang Chaeyeon's rip lands perfectly.
The problem is that it endured it, just like that.
"...What kind of body is that..."
Bullets wouldn't even dent it.
The situation itself isn't bad.
We have Yoo Daon to block, Jang Chaeyeon to attack.
If we use the joint technique a bit more, we could win.
[Chronos's Shield: 8 seconds]
[Coordinate Rip: 2 uses]
But we can't use everything in this fight. Who knows when something else might happen.
Isn't there a good way? A way to take it down without lifting a finger...
Suddenly, a phrase from the manual pops into my head.
[When walking, absolutely do not look at the ceiling.]
"Chaeyeon!"
"Yeah!"
"Hit its chin up to make it look at the ceiling!"
"Got it!"
Yoo Daon blocks it as it charges again, and Jang Chaeyeon flicks her index finger upward.
-Pak!
A crisp sound hits its chin, forcing its gaze to the ceiling,
"..."
Its eyes fix on the ceiling, and it freezes like it's entranced.
"...What is that?"
"...Beats me."
Yoo Daon mutters tensely, raising her fists,
-Grind, grind...
It grinds its teeth and starts muttering something.
"The beginning and the end are one, and we shall soon become one..."
"..."
What the hell.
"Having seen all this, we cannot live with eyes open."
The moment it brings both hands to its eyes, I quickly cover Yoo Daon's eyes and close mine.
A ripping sound follows, then a thud as it collapses.
"Huh, I can handle seeing this stuff."
"...Habit, I guess."
It was like that before too.
I don't remember exactly when.
I open my eyes and look at the fallen figure.
No translucent window appears.
"Let's go."
We hurry our steps.
For some reason, it feels like we need to get out fast.
*
After that, we don't see or encounter anything else.
When a small door appears at the end of our vision, Jang Chaeyeon mutters from behind me.
"Looks like we're here."
"Yeah."
Yoo Daon silently opens the door.
"...Whoa."
I'm at a loss for words.
The lobby of the Gangseo Branch of the Management Bureau stretches out before us.
It's really the Management Bureau Gangseo Branch.
But countless people are rushing around frantically, ignoring us completely.
"Yeah, Mom. It's me. Where are you? Gangbuk? Good. Hanging up."
A woman walks around making calls with a worried expression, and someone in a white coat mutters something to others while holding documents with a serious face.
"But... at this rate..."
"There's still time..."
Was the Management Bureau always this crowded?
As I look around in a daze, someone suddenly grabs my shoulder.
"You're here."
"...Branch Chief?"
The Gangseo Branch Chief is looking at me with narrowed eyes.
"What happened?"
"...Come with me. There's something you need to see."
"...See?"
-Boom!
Something explodes at the main entrance.
"...Containment Team is holding off the intruders right now."
The branch chief mutters and looks at me.
"It's not a matter of force."
"..."
"We need someone to observe."
"...What's going on?"
"You'll know when you get there. Seeing is better than hearing."
Her gaze turns to me.
No hint of a smile.
"I'll protect you as best I can. We just need to buy time."
"..."
"Then everything will be resolved."
Just what is she waiting for that buying time will fix it all?
"But if we can't buy time..."
-Boom!
"All personnel capable of force deployment to the main entrance!"
Someone shouts, draws their gun, and runs forward, followed by fully armed people.
Dull blonde hair catches my eye at the edge of my vision.
It was Eileen.
"We all die."
The branch chief's smile-free eyes widen, her red pupils piercing me like arrows.