Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 022
Chapter Title: Mad Hunter: ??? (6)
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8.
“Ha-kyeong, have you got any experience with close-quarters combat?”
“I’ve done it a few times in virtual reality…… but the army mostly trained us for field battles.”
Just as I thought.
By contrast, I had a special forces police background, so I was far more experienced in CQC.
“First, let’s sync up our hand signals. Do you use the KaB type or the KaT type?”
“My unit used KaT exclusively.”
“I’ll adapt to yours. Then—”
“—we just need to clear the traps, right? Then we can save my sister, right?”
Park Ji-won cut in again.
He must think we’re wasting time chatting.
“Ji-won…… we need to be careful right now. Trust me and wait.”
The moment I tried to soothe him.
Park Ji-won did something utterly shocking.
──Slash!
He suddenly slashed his own wrist with a dagger? Blood immediately sprayed from the cut.
“Hey, you…… are you insane?”
“I have two unique skills. But…… this one. I mean, 《Blood Realm Clone》 needs a lot of blood.”
It was absurd.
And he was so calm about it. Does he really not know?
You’re bleeding out.
“Rise now, 《Blood Realm Clone》.”
Park Ji-won’s command.
In an instant, the pool of blood rose into a human shape.
Same height as Park Ji-won…… no, same appearance and gear too?
Come to think of it, it was exactly as the skill name implied—a clone of Park Ji-won. The only difference was that its body was made of blood, bright red all over.
A sudden thought crossed my mind.
A unique skill that requires his own blood…… is being chosen by such a cruel Holy Apostle really a blessing?
“This kid’s totally lost it.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong tore a long strip from her uniform sleeve and used it to staunch Park Ji-won’s wrist as best she could.
“I’ll…… I’ll…… clear all the traps.”
Park Ji-won controlled his clone to open the theater door. Then something unbelievable started happening.
Piiing──!
The sound of a wire being pulled taut.
In that moment, a steel needle flew from somewhere and pierced the clone’s skull.
No, wait.
It just passed right through……?
Because the clone was made of blood?
There was only a plop, like water splashing.
The clone continued advancing unscathed, while the needle flew into the opposite wall and embedded itself.
Next, a bear trap snapped shut as if to sever its ankle, but once again, only blood splattered with no effect.
“Let’s go…… right now…….”
Park Ji-won, his eyes glazed over from anemia, stubbornly tugged at my sleeve.
“To save Ji-yeon noona…… hurry…….”
9.
Inside the World Cup Stadium Theater.
The patrons who’d been milling about and the ticket-selling robots were gone now.
In their place.
Countless traps lay in meticulous wait amid the darkness.
To borrow Jeong Ha-kyeong’s assessment.
“This fucker, how many goddamn traps did he set?”
The so-called “trap defense line” focused on bear traps and wire snares, but other types popped up now and then.
───Kuuuung!
The moment a foot hit the ground.
The floor suddenly collapsed.
───Chrarararak!
Iron chains dropped from the ceiling to smash the skull.
It was horrifying.
This guy…… a genius at human hunting.
A brain that perfectly predicted prey movement paths. Veteran cunning in placing traps in unexpected spots.
And this theater.
Wasn’t it that murder genius’s kill zone?
Breaking through here seemed next to impossible.
To be brutally honest.
Even if Jeong Ha-kyeong and I tried anything, we’d have failed.
“There’s one…… over there too…….”
But not now.
Park Ji-won’s 《Blood Realm Clone》 was the perfect counter to it. The clone dismantled every trap in its path.
We just had to follow safely behind it.
“Look at that.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong shouted.
Bloodstains showed up in the flashlight beam. The stairs leading to the screening room.
“That fucker bolted that way.”
“Let’s pursue immediately.”
The clone bounded up the stairs first.
Snap snap snap!
Bear traps clamped shut with metallic clangs on every step.
This level of airtightness…….
As I marveled anew, Park Ji-won spoke up.
“No problem now…… let’s go…… right away…….”
Following the path cleared by the clone, we reached the screening room entrance.
Jeong Ha-kyeong took point, scanning ahead.
Park Ji-won walked in the safest center position, while I brought up the rear, watching both flanks.
“Ji-won, you really okay?”
“Yeah…… I’m fine…… more importantly…… we need to hurry…….”
This guy…….
His anemia was getting worse.
He could barely walk straight, and his speech was slurring.
=====
Movies are another window reflecting this world.
=====
The plaque at the screening room entrance.
“Dark in there…….”
“Gives me a bad feeling, somehow.”
An unnatural stillness blanketed the entrance, as if it might shatter at any moment.
We soon learned why.
Corpses of otherworlders littered the place here and there. That must’ve been the source of the foul stench.
“Fucking hell.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong swept her flashlight across the floor.
“Found bloodstains. Let’s follow them.”
The beam crept forward slowly, tracing the blood.
Moments later, the trail cut off.
Instead, a black combat boot emerged from the darkness.
……What the hell?!
Jeong Ha-kyeong immediately swung the light upward. And there.
“……Ahahahaahaha.”
A figure in a laughing mask came into view.
The eyes beyond the mask fixed on us, then curved into crescents.
“You fucker!”
The instant Jeong Ha-kyeong pulled the trigger, the bastard tauntingly crooked a finger and vanished sideways.
───Kwajik!
A half-beat too late.
The bullets shattered structure.
But no sound of shattered bone or screams.
The bastard…… was still alive.
I shone my flashlight upward.
=====
Virtual Reality MAX
=====
The virtual reality screening room.
So that’s where he’d vanished to—inside here.
“Would you look at that.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong scoffed.
“Trying to lure us into another trap-riddled spot, huh.”
“Looks like this is his trump card space.”
“Doesn’t matter. In front of this kid—”
That’s when Park Ji-won collapsed.
“Park Ji-won!”
I rushed over.
Park Ji-won…… hollow eyes, labored breathing. My heart pounded.
“Hey, Park Ji-won. Park Ji-won!”
“Gotta go…… gotta go…… noona…… Ji-won’s noona…….”
Then a wet splat from ahead.
I snapped my gun up, and there was a pool of blood.
What?
Oh, Park Ji-won’s 《Blood Realm Clone》 had dissipated.
Meanwhile, Jeong Ha-kyeong checked on Park Ji-won and nodded.
“Shock-induced blackout. He won’t die. But…… aren’t we fucked?”
“……?”
“Without him, how do we get through the trap field?”
She hit the nail on the head.
Of all the timing. Cornered like this, and now this happens.
“You know even I can’t fix this. Used 《Super Acceleration》 twice already. Once at the platform. Once in the plaza.”
“But he’s injured his leg too. Now’s our golden chance.”
Retreat wasn’t an option.
If we let him slip away now, he’d hunt humans even more cautiously. The situation would deteriorate hundreds of times worse.
“So what do we do? No path forward.”
“We make one.”
I stood up.
And peered into the screening room shelter.
A total of 72 VR capsules.
Arranged in 8 rows across by 9 columns deep.
Up front on the podium: the film control machine.
Think. Recall.
The endless training from my SWAT days.
If I were him.
How would I rig traps here.
It’s a numbers game.
Plan movement routes A, B, C, D, E.
Among those plans.
Note the chokepoints where they overlap frequently.
For example?
Row 6 seat 3, row 5 seat 8, row 3 seat 3.
Avoid those chokepoints no matter what.
It wouldn’t end at a trap field. He’d definitely prepared some ultimate kill scheme too.
To counter that…… combine “those methods”?
Yeah…….
That should work.
[Reuse cooldown: 300 seconds]
Five minutes is plenty.
I wouldn’t draw the Dawn Sword until using “that method” anyway.
Needed to let him stay confident of victory to the end. Otherwise, he might bolt midway.
Same reason I couldn’t wait five minutes here. He’d sense something off and flee.
“I’ll go alone.”
“What? You’re crazy? No way!”
Jeong Ha-kyeong shot to her feet, raising her voice.
“That’s that psycho fucker’s territory. Worse than the theater lobby, guaranteed? He’s turned it into a total shitshow, and you’re going in without even being able to use your sword? You trying to die?”
“Don’t worry. I’m not charging in without a plan.”
“Then we use that plan together.”
“This is something only I can do alone. Ha-kyeong, stay here and guard Ji-won.”
“Guard him from what?”
I glanced briefly toward the lobby outside.
Faint footsteps from somewhere. Cries of otherworlders.
“As you know, most of the theater traps are neutralized now.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong got it and squeezed her eyes shut.
I forced a smile to reassure her.
“Ha-kyeong. Didn’t you say you trusted me?”
“Fuck, yeah, but this time—”
“—I trust you too. You’ll keep Ji-won safe. Trust me like you have been.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong opened her eyes with a sigh.
“……Fine. But.”
She drew her pistol from its hip holster.
“This one’s been with me since I was commissioned as a lieutenant.”
She spun it and offered me the grip.
“I’ll lend it to you.”
Why this all of a sudden……?
I suddenly recalled our conversation at World Cup Stadium Station. I shook my head.
“No plans to off myself.”
“Not giving it to you for suicide.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong pressed the pistol firmly into my hand.
“Giving it so you come back alive, no matter what. It’s my precious baby, so you better return it. Got it?”
10.
Virtual reality screening room.
The darkness here felt like a howling hunting dog.
The metallic tang of traps like drool.
Klik klik…… the traps’ winding gears like the dog’s growls.
“Ahahaha…… good. Let’s have some fun…….”
The bastard’s voice echoed from that darkness.
Fear gripped me.
Were my senses amplified?
I steadied my hammering heart with deep breaths.
Stay calm.
Move along the route planned while eyeing the shelter layout.
Just avoid the calculated kill traps. Like collapsing floors or falling ceilings.
Trust Holy Flame Succession’s superhuman reflexes for the rest.
Click.
Flashlight attached to the gun barrel.
Alternating beams on front and floor, I advanced cautiously.
Step…… step…… step……
In the taut tension, only my footsteps rang in my ears.
Passing the first capsule row, I confirmed the seats with the light.
[Row 8 seat 3]
Ping, a wire pulled taut right then.
I snapped my head back instantly; the steel needle whistled past my eyes.
……Phew.
Close call.
But right on the timed beat I’d calculated.
Good…… keep going like this.
[Row 7 seat 8]
Psssh, a hiss.
Yellowish smoke billowed everywhere in an instant. Shit. Capsules and floor corroding on contact.
I dashed to row 6 before it touched me.
Not cautiously, but boldly.
Possible only because I trusted my judgment and calculations.
[Row 6 seat 5]
───Ping ping ping ping ping!
Wires releasing in sequence this time.
Crossfire.
I dropped to the floor and wrapped myself in [Shadow Exoskeleton Cloak].
Whish whish whish whish!
Needles struck the cloak with sharp whines but inflicted no damage.
All within predicted parameters.
[Row 5 seat 2]
Carefully extended my leg to dodge five bear traps.
Finally, ducked swiftly to evade another needle.
The real problem hit at the next spot.
Upon reaching [Row 4 seat 1].
Between seat 1 and 2.
A lone bear trap sat there conspicuously.
This…… too obvious.
If I tried hopping over casually, that’s when the real danger would strike.
I pondered solutions in a flash.
Take a detour?
No.
Vague presence told me the bastard was hiding nearby.
In other words, a dead-end chokepoint.
Turn direction, and he’d ambush. Rush it sloppily, and he’d ambush.
Got it.
This is your gambit, huh?
Then…… I’ll meet that gambit head-on.