Chapter 60 (1/2)
Episode 60
A peaceful cafe street in Shangai, lined with classy terraces, had now turned into the center of the crack.
Thud-!
Dozens of arthropods crashed over the street. Someone screamed as he recognized what they were.
“Tri-horned Crabs!” the citizen stumbled backward in terror.
Tri-horned Crab – 2 stars (★★).
They were crayfishes about the size of a large dog, with claws the size of garden shears. These were considered one of the lowest-rated beasts inside the rift.
The citizens were trapped inside the cafes as they watched the arthropods orient themselves in their new surroundings.
“They are a lot smaller than what they showed us in the manual,” a man with full-sleeved tattoos observed.
Every citizen had been provided a manual that contained basic information about monsters and instructions regarding evacuation.
The tattooed man swallowed hard, then lifted an iron chair.
“Baby!” his companion screamed. “What are you doing?”
“Stay still. We can get to the shelter safely if we could eliminate those things,” the man replied.
He flexed his muscles. He was a gym rat, and was confident about his body. Besides, it wasn’t just him who would face the beasts.
“He’s right,” someone spoke out loud, while other men nodded in agreement.
“If we work together, we can get rid of them!”
The men started grabbing chairs, fire extinguishers, and any heavy metal they could use as blunt weapons. As people followed him, the tattooed man felt more confident.
Adrenaline was surging in his head. Every man had once dreamed of being a hunter who could kill monsters at will.
This was his chance.
“Haaa!”
The tattooed man charged at the Tri-horned Crab closest to him. With his muscular biceps, he swung the heavy iron chair at the Crab’s head.
He already knew what would happen. Crab corpses piled up in front of the cafe. Then, he would lead the citizens towards the evacuation facility.
Like a hero, the man smiled.
Caang-!
A harsh sound woke him up from his daydream. It was the sound of metal crashing against another hard object.
Thud-!
“Arrgh” the tattooed man screamed as he felt an intense pain on his wrist.
He must have been injured from the impact. He had put all his weight on his swing, expecting to crush his enemy, but ended up suffering more.
The Crab didn’t seem to mind his attack at all.
Shuuk-!
The Crab’s front claws suddenly stretched forward. The tattooed man had above average reflexes and instinctively stepped back, despite the pain.
However, the tip of the claws caught his kneecap, cutting about 1-2 cm deep.
“Ahhhhhhh!”
The wound was enough to disable his knee completely. He thrashed helplessly on the ground, trying to get away.
The Tri-horned Crab was approaching him leisurely. Meanwhile, the men who rallied behind him were stunned.
How could these things, which were only about the size of a German Shepherd, defeat humans? They thought that even with only a suitable blunt weapon, they could easily smash these Crabs.
They were mistaken. They had underestimated the Tri-horned Crab based on its size and its low rank. These monsters were no threat to hunters, but a non-professional facing them?
The results would be disastrous.
The men started to fall back desperately, rushing back towards the safety of the cafes. As a result, the tattooed man was left behind.
Snip-!
The Tri-horned Crab cut his skull as if it was made of paper. Blood and brains splattered on the concrete.
The arthropods had simple brains, but they recognized the situation.
These animals are weaker than themselves.
In the world beyond the cracks, they were scavengers, feeding off from whatever the predators left behind.
But here…
At this moment…
They were the predators.
“Lord, we’re dead!”
“Everyone, get inside!”
The streets were filled with panicked screams. However, it was already too late.
Several Crabs started attacking the entrance of the cafes. There was no one to stop them.
Over a hundred citizens who were out to enjoy a relaxing afternoon turned into a massacre. The Tri-horned Crabs thus began a mighty feast.
…
Yoo-seong’s Aura blade cut through the air.
Thank God, he thought, as a giant snake’s head crashed behind him.
With his damaged ear, he lost his sense of balance. Fortunately, Automatic Hunting still functions perfectly.
“What are we going to do?” Yang Biyeon’s miserable voice resonated in his head.
She, too, had just lopped off a snake’s head. Yoo-seong briefly lifted the Auto-hunt button and approached her with a determined look.
There were no monsters around. In the streets, people were screaming and running back and forth.
It was an environment that Yoo-seong had never experienced in any operation.
“I have something to ask of you,” Yoo-seong asked her.
Then, through simple gestures and English words, he explained to her what he needs.
Yang Biyeon looked surprised when she understood what Yoo-seong was trying to say. “Get your secretary from the hospital?”
Biyeon couldn’t understand his point. Needless to say, they were in a dire emergency at the moment. She could kill a few more beasts and secure some citizens instead of driving to the hospital.
However, Yoo-seong’s eyes looked resolute.
“Trust me,” he said. “It’s the best we could do.”
Yang Biyeon had a strong will of her own. Even if she had any personal feelings for Yoo-seong, it wasn’t enough reason for her to follow him.
However, she found her feet moving towards her supercar.
Kurrung-!
The thunder-like engine roared alive and threaded its way among the countless cars and civilians on the street. Biyeon had only one thought in mind as she swerved to find the fastest route.
‘Bring Seoyu here.’
After watching Yang Biyeon’s car disappear from his view, Yoo-seong immediately took out his phone to text Seoyu.
-Where are you right now?! An unobserved crack…
-I know. I’m still at the hospital.
Yoo-seong then asked her a question he already knew the answer to.
-This city. Is there an emergency hotline or a control center that connects all hunters?