Chapter 98 (1/2)
Episode 6: Mafia Game / Chapter 98: At the Ruins (4)
TL: emptycube / ED: Obelisk
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
The clan leaders were agitated and scared. ‘No matter how scary the doppelgangers are, to ask us to split our heads and show him our brains… Entrust our heads to someone’s sword? When I’m not even a doppelganger? To split my frontal bone without anesthetics and show him my brain? On top of that, you’re going to pour a mysterious liquid on it?’
Humans would unconsciously close their eyes and stand awkwardly when someone was about to flick their forehead. But to ask them to stick their heads out so that he could cut their frontal bone…!
“I, I have allergies…”
“That sword! Did you disinfect it?”
“Wait! Wait!”
Because they were in such a hurry, the clan leaders said whatever came to their minds. However, Choi Hyuk didn’t listen to them.
“Now, now. It’ll be done in a jiffy.”
Choi Hyuk stepped forward.
“Euuaack!”
Each clan ‘leader’ was at least a colonizer of the 3-star level, yet they freaked out and scattered in different directions. They scattered faster than the metal b.a.l.l.s of an exploding claymore mine.
However, the elites of the Berserkers had already finished calculating the clan leaders’ expected escape routes the moment they began to awkwardly flee. On top of that, they had already been a.s.signed their marks beforehand.
Bang!
Bam!
The fleeing clan leaders were blocked by the Berserkers and fell down.
“Uck! No!”
Although they pitifully attempted to stand back up-
Pik!
Drip.
Choi Hyuk appeared like a shadow, sliced their foreheads and poured the medicine into their heads.
“Euuuuooh!”
Even if they weren’t doppelgangers, they couldn’t help but freak out. They couldn’t roll on the ground, fearing foreign substances might enter their brains, and didn’t think to staunch their wounds as they spread their arms and crawled on their b.u.t.ts.
It was as if a tiger was released in a group of baby bunnies. Although the clan leaders tried their best to resist, Choi Hyuk skillfully stepped on their resisting arms and legs and cut their foreheads. He then poured the medicine before jumping and pressing down on another hurriedly fleeing clan leader.
Afterwards, the Berserkers standing by would rush forward and drag the treated clan leaders outside the encirclement. They put those who were so panicked that they didn’t know what to do at ease.
“Calm down. Calm down. It’s over now. To block an infection, you need to calm your heart and maintain a constant karma barrier. Take deep breaths and quickly make a karma barrier.”
“Ah… You crazy b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, do you think I can calm down righ-“
“If you can’t maintain your karma barrier, you’ll have to be re-examined later.”
“Hiiick!”
Through this incident, the clan leaders were able to recall what they already knew.
‘As I thought, words don’t work on those Berserker b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!!’
Clan Leader Lumin touched his forehead. It had, at some point, completely healed without a scar. In fact, his head felt refreshed, however, he wasn’t sure whether it was because of Guardian Bae Jinman’s karma or because of the explosive amount of adrenaline produced from this terrifying experience.
What was clear was that when Choi Hyuk split his forehead, he really thought he would die right then and there.
After being dragged out of the encircle
ment by the Berserkers, creating a karma barrier, and forcing himself to take deep breaths, his thumping heart calmed down and he started to take in the scene around him.
It was quite a sight.
“Puha.”
Leisurely looking at the scene from a distance, it really was worth seeing. Even though those gentlemen who acted refined, saying they were clan leaders, were currently fleeing for their lives, their struggle was so easily restrained, it was almost artistic, and they screamed when their foreheads were split. It couldn’t be any funnier.
Lumin watched this scene without any tension.
“Wait! Wait! Choi Hyuk! Overseer! I’m not a doppelganger! I’m not!”
Clan Leader Jiro was currently restrained below Choi Hyuk’s feet.
“Hey, hey! Cheer up, Jiro!”
Lumin unconsciously shouted due to his happiness. He felt refreshed that Jiro, who kept finding faults whenever he spoke, was suffering the same humiliation he endured. It was almost as if a non-existent comradery was budding.
‘Maybe I should have a drink with that guy tonight.’
Although Lumin thought such leisurely thoughts, Jiro’s situation wasn’t the same. No, in reality, Jiro no longer had the capacity to judge his circ.u.mstances.
As the true him had died a few days ago.
“Euuuuaaackkkkk!!”
The moment Choi Hyuk poured the healing liquid into Clan Leader Jiro’s forehead, he began to flail crazily. It was a noticeably different reaction from the others up until now. Surprised by his desperate screams, the other clan leaders froze.
“Wh-what?”
Lumin unintentionally stood up.
“Sit down. There is a concern that there might be a secondary infection.”
A Berserker blocked him with a nervous expression, indicating this wasn’t his first time seeing this.
The liquid containing Bae Jinman’s karma was normally transparent. However, once it was poured in people’s foreheads, it would turn golden, heal the wound, and protect the brain from various impacts and infections. Yet, the liquid in Jiro’s head currently surged with a copper-red light. Jiro’s brain began to boil, and the thing that looked exactly like a brain writhed its body as it attempted to flee.
“Th-that…”
Only then did people recall the reason why Choi Hyuk was splitting their foreheads. Although they heard it through their ears, the story that they hadn’t felt was real or trustworthy had, at this moment, become a reality, making their hearts freeze.
‘Doppelgangers eat people’s brains, take their bodies, and act as the host.’
Tap.
When Choi Hyuk flicked his finger, scarlet flames suddenly swept up the doppelganger that was exiting Jiro’s head as well as Jiro’s body, causing them to disappear without a trace.
Choi Hyuk, who had calmly watched that scene, raised his head and said in a tone which seemed like he was asking them to go have lunch,
“Now, shall we continue?”
The clan leaders were unable to flee or readily stick out their heads as they froze in place, reading each other’s gazes.
Blaze!
In total, he burned three corpses. Although it could be seen as though only three out of over a hundred clan leaders were infected… If they considered that they were all experts who were skilled enough to be clan leaders, it definitely wasn’t a small number.
The clan leaders’ expressions calmed. The cries of the doppelgangers kept echoing in their minds. Lies that seemed so true. Tears that looked real.
“Please… Please save me. There’s something in my head. However, I am still Clan Leader Raley. I am fine! You know me, right?! Lumin! You know me! Right?! Save me. I want to live. Please kill the bug in my head and save me. Please. Please.”
However, Choi Hyuk said,
“No. The moment a doppelganger invades your mind, it starts by killing your brain. Although it does take a while for it to fully absorb your brain, that doesn’t mean your brain is still alive. You have already died. Raley. No, doppelganger.”
The most terrifying scene was when they were dying. The doppelgangers never admitted they were doppelgangers until the end.
“Euuack! I’m not one of them! I’m not! What kind of bulls.h.i.+t is this?! This liquid is fake from the start, right?! You guys are just trying to eliminate those you don’t lik- Euaack!”
Even when bugs that resembled brains crawled out of their split heads… Their mouths kept shouting that they were innocent.
Although they were clan leaders who had overcome countless life-or-death crises, the scene in front of them was more terrifying than any gruesome battle. They still felt pity and became enthralled when hearing their pleas and seeing their expressions, even as they watched the bugs crawl out of their heads. This fact made them so scared that their limbs trembled.
The doppelganger was that kind of monster.
A monster of suspicion.