Chapter 32 (2/2)
I picked up a broken sidewalk block and scratched some letters on it. I wasn't sure with speaking or listening, but I was quite used to reading and writing.
I wrote the following words to the golem. ”I can't speak or listen. Would it be possible to talk in writing?”
I didn't expect it, but the statue responded to the words! ”That’s right.” To my surprise, it used a slate as a notepad. The letters were small and neat like a person had written it.
”The monsters during the day, can you handle them?”
”That’s right.”
”Why haven't you handled them so far? Because there are no citizens?”
”No. Even if it is an act to protect the citizens, we can't move during the day without any instructions. This is because there is room to be exploited as a weapon.”
The purpose of this question was because I didn't think the right method was to force the power from the golems. If the locusts could be eradicated, then the device would be able to receive pure sunlight after the building's roof was opened.
”The locusts lay their eggs deep in rocks. So once a year, we receive orders to work.”
”From the citizens of this place?”
”That’s right.”
”… Where did they go?” It was a question of pure curiosity. Unlike the other questions, the golem took a long time to reply. It seemed like the machine was running through some difficult answers.
The moment that the golem was about to reply…
”Oppa.” I turned my head. Yoon Ji-hee and Yang Su-jin were covered with blood. ”We have finished.”
”…”
I looked at Yoon Ji-hee. Was it due to the shock from the murder? She was shaking a little bit, but I didn't see any pain or guilt on her face. There was only one thing she needed right now. ”Well done. That was a difficult decision and you handled it very neatly. You have more determination than I thought.”
”This unni, she learns very fast.” I wouldn't ask what Yang Su-jin had learned.
I told Yoon Ji-hee about my communication with the golem. I told her to instruct the golems to hunt the locusts once it was daytime. It was just a guess, but I felt like there was something more behind the eradication of the locusts.
I went back into the building in order to finish off my share. ”Indeed.” The violent trail of the two women was still left behind. Compared to the other eight women who died quite painlessly, Yoon Sang-ah's body… No, I wouldn't say it.
I smelt urine from the 21 men still kneeling. ”Don’t worry. I don't have any personal feelings towards you. If you place your head on the floor, I promise that I will try to finish this as painlessly as possible.”
Come to think of it, my words sounded quite b.l.o.o.d.y in its own way. However, I was becoming more and more used to killing inside the dungeon. My spirit was focused. The line in the dungeon and the line in reality… If I kept going on, I had to maintain these lines or else I would become a monster.
Bam! Bam! Bam bam!
One by one, I killed them with as little pain as possible. I ignored the words that popped up, to the point of hurting my eyes, as I took 21 lives one by one. Although it wasn't intended, the last person remaining was Yoon Sang-min.
”I'm sorry.”
”No… Strangely, I don't really care.” He had a detached expression on his face. He would have seen his sister due in a dreadful manner. ”Even if it wasn't you, I think that I would eventually meet my end here. The world is wide.”
”…”
”A life without greed. That might be okay. As you said, it might be just right for a person like me.” There were tears in his eyes as he spoke. I understood it to a certain extent.
We were the same type of people, and there was no guarantee that anything positive could be gained from this. I knew it through experience. No matter how I tried to mentally heal myself, the bitterness echoed deep in my heart.
I wondered why I was here. Why couldn't I go up higher?
Bam!
I finished off Yoon Sang-min. From behind me, I could hear footsteps as Yoon Ji-hee and Yang Su-jin walked in. As I turned my head, I could see that the outside was already becoming brighter.
I needed to collect the items. Money and tickets. I looked at the two women to command them, but wasn't able to say anything. It was because the two females were looking at me with expressions of severe shock.
I immediately looked behind me, but there was nothing. I could only see the corpses. ”Why…?”
Burst.
From my mouth, blood flowed down like a waterfall. It was my blood. Then I realized something: the blood was even flowing from my eyes and nose.
Crunch.
”Ugh!”
”Oppa!” It felt like something invisible was holding me as my bones and muscles twitched and twisted. My right arm stretched and bent at an impossible angle. Among my cracking skin, there was blood as well as a dark black liquid.
Yang Su-jin ran over and barely supported my collapsing body. ”W-What do I do? Just hold on. Oppa. I…” Yang Su-jin's voice and face became blurred. At that moment, the words that had continuously been updating suddenly became clear.
[Health: 18]
[Muscle strength: 20]
[Agility: 17]
[Reflexes: 18]
I barely opened my mouth, but my voice didn't come out. My mouth was empty. I realized that it was because all my teeth were missing as I moved my tongue.
[Your physical abilities have exceeded the limits of modern human beings.]
[Const.i.tution, apt.i.tude and other variables are being calculated.]
[There is a probability correction due to the function of the unique talent – Atlas.]
[Probability of success: 42%]
What? What had a 42% probability of success? I didn't consider myself that lucky. Finally, I read the last words that emerged.
[Physical Reconstruction Protocol – Metamorphosis begins.]
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