Chapter 38: An Encounter
Considering Han Seori’s worries, Kim Cheonsu felt a strange feeling about the situation unfolding before his eyes.
‘Why is it so quiet?’
It should be quiet since it’s a secretly hidden place, but even considering that, it was strangely quiet.
There should have at least been people guarding this place, but they were nowhere to be seen, which felt amiss.
Perhaps Han Seori’s concerns weren’t just groundless after all, he thought.
Fortunately, it seemed he wasn’t the only one who realized this, as the order to enter didn’t come.
Meanwhile, the group that had left to assess the situation returned, heading towards them.
Seeing their pale faces, it was clear that something unexpected had happened.
Soon, an order was issued from the leader who had spoken with Han Seori.
It was a simple yet somewhat ominous order to attach lights to their helmets and never wander alone.
It wasn’t a difficult task, so the group quickly finished preparing and set out in teams to secure the destination.
Kim Cheonsu, who stood at the very front, frowned at the smell of blood wafting as soon as he entered the building.
It seemed the “trap” he had secretly anticipated wasn’t quite right.
Perhaps this situation was even more terrible than a trap.
Inside the building, where something bad had clearly happened, all that remained was the stench of blood and the weapons lying here and there.
That was the only trace of people having been there.
While thinking it was fortunate in a way, Kim Cheonsu felt his body tense at the bizarre sight.
No matter how much one prepares, achieving perfect preparation is nearly impossible.
With the thought that this might be his last, he searched the building with his colleagues.
Examining the traces scattered on the floor, Kim Cheonsu felt a strange unease.
He understood that the traces were likely left by the rampaging Anomaly.
However, there were odd traces left on the victims’ equipment.
They seemed like traces left by humans rather than an Anomaly.
Especially on the flashlights they were presumed to have been holding, the traces were heavy. No, it seemed almost all the traces were left there.
Seeing the traces that looked as if they had been damaged by people, he had a feeling that this wasn’t simply a case of negligent Anomaly management.
He reported this, but the order remained the same. Only a command to investigate more carefully was returned.
‘It’s dangerous.’
His colleagues, with whom he shared the information, also tensed their faces and readjusted their weapons.
Then.
"Detected signs presumed to be an Anomaly in the basement. Requesting support."
Would that even be meaningful?
Considering the surrounding circumstances, he thought it might be meaningless, but he had to go.
The group exchanged glances and began to descend towards the basement in unison.
Numerous lights fixed above their heads illuminated every direction.
Arriving at the guided location, they saw the group that had requested support staring somewhere with dazed faces.
“What the…”
With Kim Cheonsu’s puzzled mumbling, the group that had been called for support arrived at the scene one after another.
Thinking that an appropriate number had gathered, the order to approach was given, and even Kim Cheonsu, who had been feeling puzzled, tensed his body.
Soon, a bizarre sight came into his view.
Something long and red was stretched out in all directions. Those tentacles had sharp teeth-like protrusions, with shreds of flesh, presumed to be from the victims, hanging limply.
Following the source, a statue-like object could be seen, and all those tentacles seemed to originate from the statue.
The tentacles protruding from the thin cracks seemed to have swallowed the victims.
Looking up, the wings that somehow evoked a sense of reverence were drenched in the red traces of blood.
The hands gathered as if in prayer at the center of the chest felt as if they were begging for forgiveness for what they had done.
Could such acts be forgiven with a single prayer?
The strangest thing was that despite the scattered prey it had eagerly devoured all around.
It showed no movement at all.
As if it had turned to stone, struck by divine punishment.
Finally, in the eyes of those who fully raised their gazes.
With a *slurp*… *slurp* sound.
7496-KR, the slime girl, was seen absorbing into her body what was presumed to be the statue’s head.
“…?”
At the soft sight that didn’t match the ominous scene, question marks popped up in the minds of those watching.
At that moment, perhaps the power facility had been restored as the light returned to the passage that had been buried in darkness.
*Slurp*… *slurp*…
They thought they had seen wrong, but it was indeed 7496-KR.
The slime girl, as if greatly flustered by the current situation, was melting the object inside her belly.
Could it be that 7496-KR had devoured it?
Despite the gruesome scene and the soft appearance of the girl that didn’t match it, the tension of those surrounding 7496-KR and the presumed Anomaly did not ease.
Even amidst the bizarre confrontation, the slime girl diligently melted the statue.
At some point, the statue rapidly melted as if losing strength and, with a *crumble* turned into stone fragments.
Falling onto the collapsed stone fragments, 7496-KR, the slime girl, plopped onto the ground and placed a wriggling glob of slime on top of her head.
Then, as if surrendering, she raised her hands high.
At this, confusion spread across the faces of those aiming their weapons at her.
“It might be a trap.”
“She’ll snatch us when we let our guard down.”
Even those who had seen the slime girl’s friendly demeanor didn’t readily show a positive reaction to the scene that had unfolded around the slime girl.
As Kim Cheonsu wondered how long this strange confrontation would last, he thought about Han Seori, who was still outside the building. If this bizarre standoff with the slime girl continued, she might come down to investigate herself.
‘At this rate…’
Kim Cheonsu imagined Han Seori saying she would come down to the basement.
He pondered her likely actions for a moment.
Then he concluded that she would definitely come down if the confrontation persisted. It seemed inevitable that she would personally intervene.
‘It’s dangerous.’
Kim Cheonsu knew he couldn’t let that happen. There might still be other threats remaining, and what if they were targeting Han Seori?
So.
Kim Cheonsu mustered up his courage, recalling the memories of playing(?) with 7496-KR, the slime girl.
To prevent Han Seori from coming here directly.
“I… I’ll try making contact.”
“Additional equipment, hm? What did you say?”
“I said I’ll try making contact. I think… we’ve built a bond of sorts.”
Though I don’t know what 7496-KR thinks.
The man looking at Kim Cheonsu had a face that seemed to say, “What the hell did this kid eat wrong?” But when Han Seori heard his voice, she made an “Oh!” sound.
“…Pardon? You’re authorizing it? No… hm.”
The man, with a troubled look on his face, gave Kim Cheonsu a look asking if he would really be okay.
Kim Cheonsu, who confidently nodded at the worry seeping from that face, soon received permission and put down his weapon.
Then, taking off his helmet, he slowly approached 7496-KR, the slime girl, and spoke.
“You… Damn Sno- no, um… what should I call you… ah, anyway, do you remember me?”
As Kim Cheonsu slowly approached and spoke, the slime girl’s face turned towards him as if reacting to his voice.
Kim Cheonsu gulped at the somewhat indifferent-looking eyes.
Is this the… Damn Snot… that I remember?
Am I going to meet my end because I pointlessly spoke up?
To be honest, he had stepped forward to… earn some points from Han Seori, but now that he was up close, he somewhat regretted it.
‘Come to think of it, she spat slime at me.’
Will it be okay?
“There, it’s okay now. I’ll take you to Dr. Han Seori, so…”
*Twitch*.
As Han Seori’s name left Kim Cheonsu’s mouth, the ahoge on top of the slime girl’s head twitched.
Kim Cheonsu, thinking it was a positive signal, lowered his posture and spread his arms as if waiting to pick up a child.
The slime girl, after twitching her ahoge as if pondering for a moment, acted as if sighing and slowly approached Kim Cheonsu.
The moment everyone’s attention was focused.
The slime girl clung to Kim Cheonsu.
And sprayed a bundle of tentacles from her body.
*Whoosh*! *Whoosh*!
At that abnormal behavior, gun muzzles were aimed at Kim Cheonsu.
Even though Kim Cheonsu knew they weren’t pointed at him, he felt strangely disappointed and opened his mouth.
“I… I think I’m fine… You don’t have to worry.”
He was also startled by what had spurted from the slime girl’s body, but it felt familiar. Rather, this seemed better than the slime.
Since he didn’t feel like his body was melting or anything, he thought it was the slime girl’s way of expressing something.
But.
Is it just my imagination, or does 7496-KR also look a bit flustered?
7496-KR was attached to Kim Cheonsu’s body, but she wasn’t exactly in an embracing posture. If anything, it felt like a backpack worn on the front.
The sky-blue tentacles protruding from the slime girl’s body were attached to Kim Cheonsu’s torso, seemingly supporting the slime girl’s body.
Seeing this, Kim Cheonsu felt strange.
It was like looking at a cat that didn’t want to go into the water.
‘Is it because she doesn’t want to be held by me…?’
Kim Cheonsu, who had tried to hold the slime girl in his arms, felt somewhat disappointed and lowered his hands.
To others, it looked like the slime girl was tightly hugging Kim Cheonsu.
“…Does he have that kind of preference?”
“N-No, it’s not like that! I’m not touching her!”
“Hm… well, okay. I’ll assign a few personnel to escort you back to Dr. Han.”
“No, but…”
If I was really holding her, I wouldn’t even feel wronged.
Soon.
Kim Cheonsu, receiving lukewarm and dubious gazes from his colleagues.
Left the building and returned to where Han Seori was.
When 7496-KR spotted Dr. Han Seori, she released the tentacles that had been wrapping Kim Cheonsu, approached Han Seori, and hugged her.
This time, she hugged normally without spraying tentacles.
Seeing this, Kim Cheonsu somehow felt displeased.
Why does she seem to discriminate between people?
Nevertheless.
“Ah, Agent Kim Cheonsu. Thanks to you, the situation was resolved easily. Thank you.”
“Haha… it was nothing.”
He was in a good mood again at Han Seori’s praise.
Meanwhile.
Han Seori, who had been patting 7496-KR with an apologetic look while holding her in her arms, hardened her face as she heard the report.
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