Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Even Cults Come Calling at Dawn (5)
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Yongsan Park was massive, taking up a full third of Yongsan-gu's area.
Which made it a smart choice for the Arhat Nirvana Cult to hide a branch here.
Even I—with eyesight sharp enough to spot ants in a department store from Namsan Tower—never would have guessed there was a branch in a place like this.
Grandfather's cyberpunk motorcycle, which had been roaring with exhaust noise as it moved, suddenly switched to stealth mode and glided forward silently.
"No other comrades or anything?"
"Comrades? I've got you."
I asked because it bugged me that we were heading out just the two of us, and he shrugged like I was his one and only partner.
Not a hint of tension. Total nonchalance.
...Is this the vibe of a high-ranking Management Bureau exec?
The Bureau must operate on a "small but elite" principle.
"So, who did your hair?"
As we pushed through trees tall enough to blot out the sky toward the Subuti branch, Grandfather asked about my twintails.
"My hair? Mi-ra Owner did it for me."
"...I see."
"...Meow?"
When I told him Mi-ra Owner had braided it herself, he didn't say another word.
...Why'd he even ask?
"We're close. Get ready to hop off."
The bike slowed to a walking pace before coming to a complete stop.
"..."
In the dim space lined with trees easily over 10 meters tall stretched an unnatural field devoid of a single tree.
A makeshift parking lot jammed with dozens of buses and looming warehouse buildings gave off a seriously creepy vibe.
"This is the Subuti branch of the Arhat Nirvana Cult."
It fit the stereotypical cult hideout image to a T.
"...Hmph!"
A nose-stinging blood stench wafted from inside the building.
Not human... more like animal blood.
"Smell something?"
"...Blood. Hmph!"
What the hell was going on inside to make it reek this bad?
"No human scent... huff! Nope...!"
"...Understood. Fix that cough first."
"...?"
Worried my cough would give us away, Grandfather pulled out a tissue, rolled it tight, and jammed it up my nose.
He must've found my stuffed-up look ridiculous because he looked away and started the slow operation briefing.
"Lua, you good at wall-climbing?"
"Walls? Yeah, I can manage."
Digging claws into a wall and scaling it? Piece of cake.
With my congested sniffle of a reply, he pointed to a vent on the building's roof.
"Then can you slip in through that vent, nab the small-eyed guy in glasses, and bring him here? That's the branch chief."
"Glasses and small eyes?"
"Yeah. Old-school wooden frames."
"Roger."
Snatching a regular guy—no Anomaly involved—was no sweat, so I nodded.
"Mission complete, return here. I'll sneak in the back door and grab their religious ledger."
"Meow."
He patted my head, then rocketed off on the bike toward the back door in a blink.
...The moment we'd been waiting for. Operation start.
I carefully climbed the smooth steel outer wall.
"......"
Along the way, a tiny window gap in the wall caught my eye.
"...Goats?"
Curiosity got the better of me, so I peeked inside. It was a prison-like area crammed with goats.
A goat pen that stank of that signature musky odor just from looking at it.
The blood smell from the containers must've come from those goats.
So packed they could barely move... definitely felt like feed stock.
"No way... they're raising Anomalies?"
Unsettling thought, but rescuing goats wasn't my mission, so I hustled to the roof.
"...Oh."
Sure enough, there was a vent just big enough for a kid—like Grandfather said.
Brimming with excitement at the chance to do real-life game stealth, I wriggled inside.
Stealth dragon mode...!
"...Urk."
Reality check: the vent was cramped, filthy, and bone-dry.
Worst part? Greasy grime everywhere. Crawling left sticky gunk on my hands and knees every inch.
Fiction really is just fiction...
Disillusionment setting in as I crawled along, I spotted a wire mesh section on the vent floor.
"...Chapel?"
Peering through the gaps, the chapel below had this weird vibe.
People bowed in prayer. Others clutching goats, being dragged off by force.
"...?"
Unfortunately, I couldn't track exactly where the goat-holders were being hauled.
If the branch chief was down there, I'd snag him on the spot...
Regret tinged my thoughts as I resumed crawling through the sticky maze.
Navigating the twisty vent labyrinth eventually dumped me above a kitchen.
"Baa—."
"Hold still!!"
"Baaa——."
Through the mesh, a goat and a man were tussling in the kitchen.
"Baa—!"
The goat seemed to sense its doom and tried bolting, but a knife plunged into its neck. It flopped dead on the floor.
The man caught the gushing blood in a bucket.
"...Phew, this oughta do it."
Straightening up with a heavy sigh, he revealed tiny eyes peeking from bean-sized slits—and ancient wooden glasses.
Matched Grandfather's description of the branch chief perfectly.
...Slaughtering goats himself? Kinda ruins the image.
Anyway.
Crunch—. I ripped out a chunk of the over-1cm-thick mesh, making a gap, then slipped through quietly.
"...Haa. Feeding that fat slob... what a pain..."
Clueless that I was plastered to the ceiling, the branch chief sighed and dragged another cowering goat from the corner.
"But finish this, and... the Cult Leader will finally take notice of me."
His creepy grin twisted as he raised the knife high.
"...Huh?"
Suddenly, his hand felt light. He frowned.
"Where's my knife?"
Knife vanished from his grip. He scanned around frantically.
"What? Did I drop it?"
No sign below. Instinctively, he looked up.
"...?!?!"
There I was—tail gripping his knife, clinging to the ceiling like a dragon.
"And that's when the ninja appeared..."
I struck a ninja pose mid-drop, hurling the knife. It stabbed into the wall.
Scree!! Tearing through air, it grazed his cheek, slicing a thin cut.
"...You. What the hell are you?"
"Me? Ninja."
From here on out, I was a ninja.
Dragon Ninja Lua.
The grim reaper dispatched at Lua’s Hamburger's behest.
"But no scream?"
"...Sorry, but I've been through some shit."
He held his cool better than expected.
Bummer. Was gonna neck-chop and drag him if he yelled.
"So. Which outfit? Management Bureau? Special Investigations? Which one?"
Sweat beading as he probed slow and steady.
Real play: stalling for backup.
Branch chief brain in action.
"From the Hidden Leaf Village."
"...What?"
Not buying that BS, I closed in and tail-smashed his head.
"Ninja punch!"
"Guh!!"
Wham! His jaw snapped sideways. Down he went.
"Baa—."
"Guhhh..."
The goat, hip to its survival, promptly stomped his head in sweet revenge.
"Mission success...!"
Easier than expected. I clamped his leg in my tail.
"...Hmm."
Planned vent return, but he was too chunky—no fit.
Cool stealth entry. Lame exit fail.
"Eh..."
Sighed, cracked the kitchen door, scoped the hall.
Cheap fluorescent lights buzzing in a corridor.
Simple layout. This way out.
Drag— Hauled his leg stealth-style down the hall.
Ears perked for footsteps. Moved cautious.
Coulda gone loud, but eh, lazy mood.
"Urk...! You... rat! Know who I am...?!"
Snapped conscious mid-drag, he rasped threats.
"I'm Subuti—one of the Arhat Nirvana Cult's Ten Great Disciples, heralds of a new era! Let go now...!"
Dug a combat knife from his pocket, slashed my tail down.
Clang—!
"Huh?"
Expected easy slice. Instead, sparks flew, blade chipped.
Clang clang—! More hacks, same result.
Unlike Anomalies, humans were fragile. Didn't wanna kill him outright.
"...Shut it!"
"W-Wait! Gahk!!"
Bam—!! Yanked his leg, smashed him wall-first.
Wall cratered from the force.
Chatterbox went quiet, eyes rolled back. Out cold.
...Still breathing?
"Who the hell?!"
"Intruder?! Protect the branch chief!!"
Noise echoed; insider goons rushed the hall, knives out.
Whoom!! Swung captured branch chief like a bat, sending them flying.
Branch chief... weapon acquired!
Whirled him around, hunting exit fast.
Dunno if he'd wake soon. Worry later.
"Branch chief!! Guh!!"
"Kyaaak!!"
Batting away danger-sensors turned small skirmish into full riot.
"Release the branch chief, you Anomaly scum!!"
"Catch!"
"Gaaah!!"
Whoosh!! Hurled him hard at the charging dozens.
They toppled like bowling pins on impact.
"...Phew."
Flung followers chasing "rescue," ended up back at that chapel.
Bow-obsessed devotees. Goat-draggers.
Commotion halted their ritual act. All eyes on me.
"...Kuhk. Damn... lizard punk.... So you crashed our worship...?!"
Floor-sprawled branch chief stirred, spat blood and curses.
This freak show was worship?
Tail-snagged his leg again. Gazed where they'd bowed.
"...What is that."
End of sight: bloated human-shaped flesh blob, fat rolls everywhere.
"Urp...! More...! Feed me more goats!"
Beyond morbid obesity—barely human—the lump wailed grotesquely as goat tributes dried up.
"...Anomaly?"
Human shape clung on, but screamed "Anomaly" to me.
"Goats... more!!"
"Kyaaak!!!"
Goat supply cut, it couldn't curb hunger—snapped up the frontmost guy, goat and all.
"————!!"
Then it twitched. Locked eyes on me.
"Let me eat that girl...!!"
Rotting-pig sty eyes gleamed as it bellowed at me.
"Feed her to me, and I'll grant your Nirvana wish...! Swear on Eristhon!!"
Lump drooled nonstop, stare glued to me.
No way that's the cult leader.
Straight-up Anomaly.
Floored branch chief ear-to-ear grinned at the proclamation.
"Lizard punk... You'll regret showing... Become our Nirvana sacrifice!!"
He maniac-laughed through blood-spit.
"I'll reach Nirvana!!"
"Scram!! Nirvana's mine!!"
"You know my donations?! Outta my way!!"
That ignited it. Chapel faithful went berserk—tangling, trampling kin, zombie-rushing me.