Chapter 9 (1/2)
[Sender: the Guide] [1. Escape from the a.s.sembly hall and arrive at the second floor waiting area of the main school building before the time runs out.] [2. Remaining time: 03:59:38]
KWAHNG!!
The door seemed to almost break as the fierce pounding continued, and it issued a harsh metallic protest. No, it was better to describe that the door would break, very soon.
KWAHNG, KWAHNG!!
Even seeing with naked eyes, it was difficult to believe that it was really happening; the thick metal door was struck only twice, yet it caved in as if it was made up of paper. Several thick metal hinges were hanging dangerously loose, ready to fall at the slightest impact.
”W, we need to block that!!”
Rather than shouting, it was more like everyone fell into a frenzy.
The movements of humans when their lives were under threat were remarkably swift. Yi Surl-Ah picking up her chair and running towards the door signaled the beginning; dozen bodies all rushed towards there, too.
Someone brought along unoccupied chairs, someone climbed up the stage to see if there was anything useful up there, while the rest simply used their bodies to push against the door.
”Kkheuk!”
The noisy, consecutive pounding on the door seemed to contain certain amount of anger, and the resulting impact force managed to knock four, five guys away as if they weighed nothing.
”Move out of the way!!”
Just in time, a group had brought down the pulpit from the stage and jammed it against the door. Although that alone wouldn't be enough to completely block the door, it was still better than nothing.
Chairs got piled up alongside the pulpit in the blink of an eye. On top of that, twenty-odd men propped the door up with everything they had. Soon, the door no longer looked like it'd break down. And, after a man placed a chair below the door handle like an improvised door stop, the crowd began sighing out in genuine relief.
”Hah…”
Yi Surl-Ah stopped propping the door with her back and squatted down on the floor as if she was feeling dizzy.
Maybe the sight of a young frail girl fighting desperately looked pitiful to him, a middle-aged man spoke to her while wiping the sweat off his brows.
”Hey, there. Even though you're so young, you are very quick witted, indeed.”
He was speaking about her making the move first. People who acted after she had made hers nodded their heads in agreement. If it weren't for Yi Surl-Ah's quick actions, the door might have broken down by now.
Yi Surl-Ah didn't know how to respond and shyly lowered her gaze.
”No, it wasn't like that….” (Yi Surl-Ah)
”I froze up from the fear, myself. But boy, was I shocked or what, watching you react like that. When I realised, heh, I was also moving, you see.”
”Everyone did their best to help. I wouldn't have been able to block the doorway by myself.” (Yi Surl-Ah)
Yi Surl-Ah's embarra.s.sed appearance helped to alleviate some of the tense atmosphere permeating within the a.s.sembly hall. Her gentle personality really did suit that bright and pretty appearance to a T. Also, the fact that she was an Invited, as well as the first person to respond, were enough for the group to develop a favourable impression towards her.
Unfortunately, the event that happened just now was far too shocking to instill a warm and cordial atmosphere.
”So, what should we do next, then?”
Someone's resigned sigh-like muttering brought everyone back to reality. Some turned their expectant eyes towards Yi Surl-Ah's direction, but even she was at a loss.
Soon, the collective gazes of the Contracted were focusing on the Invited.
Once the chaos had died down, Seol turned his attention back to his phone. Besides the message from the Guide, he had received two more. One of them happened to be the 'diary of an unknown student', his so-called bonus item.
[Sender: Unknown] [#a.s.sembly Hall (an excerpt from the diary of an unknown student, page 2.)]
….There was only one door in and out of the a.s.sembly hall. We did somehow block it up, but at the same time, we also ended up blocking our only way out.
Before long, the outside had become quiet.
Sadly, my cla.s.smates were divided into two groups.
One group wanted to wait and see for a while longer, while the other group wanted to go outside to take a look…
By the time the infighting became heated, we had forgotten about the existence outside the walls.
….We all got to learn that, that 'thing' was not a simple monster or a zombie soon enough, though.
[#a.s.sembly Hall (an excerpt from the diary of an unknown student, page 3)]
It was pandemonium. No other words could describe it.
The door we had desperately blocked had become useless.
….During the mayhem, I was able to somehow discover the 'hole'.
'A hole?'
Seol was paying attention to the last line. By the time he raised his head, though, the group of Contracted had somehow inched closer to his general location, almost managing to surround him.
”Wowsers. It's just the beginning, yet they aren't messing around. Look at the gooseb.u.mps on my arms!” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok was busy rubbing his arm, but he seemed to have more than enough leeway as he spoke those words.
”Now that the door is all blocked up, I wonder what should we do next….” (Kahng Seok)
His words and att.i.tude raised hopes in the hearts of the Contracted that a quick solution to their problems would be found soon. However….
”Let's go. Let's just poke around here and there, see what's what.” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok only took his lackeys, Lee Hyung-Sik and Jeong Min-Woo, along with him, prompting those waiting for an answer to their prayers to be dumbstruck, instead.
The bespectacled middle-aged man wearing a worn-out business suit - the man who praised Yi Surl-Ah earlier - hurriedly stepped in front of them.
”E, excuse me.”
”Hey, Hyung-Sik, check out the back of the stage. And Min-Woo, you should….” (Kahng Seok)
”Excuse me, young man!”
”….What, me?” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok's reply arrived some breaths later.
The middle-aged man couldn't be sure if he made a mistake or not, but he felt that Kahng Seok did that deliberately.
”What are you all trying to do?”
”Uh…. Searching around the a.s.sembly hall?” (Kahng Seok)
”Around the a.s.sembly hall?”
”Yeah. Like those guys.” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok pointed towards the stage, where Yun Seo-Rah and the man named Hyun Sahng-Min - the man with the green baseball cap - were busy searching around, their heads turning this way and that while doing so.
”To find what, exactly?”
”Not really sure. Now that the exit is all blocked up, I guess we gotta find something, right? We don't know what might happen next, anyways.” (Kahng Seok)
”Right, right. That's right. Of course.”
The middle-aged man nodded his head quite enthusiastically, necessitating him to catch the falling gla.s.ses and put it back on his nose.
”So, you want us to help as well?”
”Eh?”
Kahng Seok frowned slightly.
”Why are you…. Do what you want, mister. It's not like I'm the boss here or anything.” (Kahng Seok)
”That's true, true. But, you guys, well, how should I say this… Hmm. You guys are different from us, isn't that right?”
”Sure, we're different. So, what is it that you want to say?” (Kahng Seok)
The tone of Kahng Seok's voice remained curt. He even sounded quite similar to how the Guide sounded when talking to the Contracted.
”What I'm trying to say here is, we should help each other out. That is all.”
The middle-aged man ignored the hostile tone and pleaded his case, but all he got back instead was a dismissive chuckle.
”I'll have to politely decline. It'll get very annoying with more people clinging on us, so I don't want to.” (Kahng Seok)
”What do you mean, annoying?”
”Whatever. You take care of your own business, okay? Us three, we will go on our way.” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok refused the middle-aged man's offer without hesitation and turned around to leave. The middle-aged man shouted out, ”Hey, wait a minute, young man!”, but Kahng Seok didn't bother and kept on walking away.
”What a petty b*stard.”
Kahng Seok's steps came to an abrupt halt. He stared at the ceiling for a moment or two, spat out a long sigh, and turned his head to look at the source of that name-calling.
He found a woman sitting with her knees tucked under her staring at him with venomous eyes. It was s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah.
”What did you call me?” (Kahng Seok)
”You're a selfish b*stard. You only care about your own neck.” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”What the h.e.l.l…. Hey, you're wrong about that, though? I care about these two fellas too, you know?” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok wrapped his arms around the shoulders of his lackeys as an oily smile formed on his lips. s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah's eyes became even more hostile.
”Oww, man. Look at how she glares! You might kill someone with such eyes, lady.” (Lee Hyung-Sik)
”Hey, isn't she that dumb woman who threw a tantrum just now? You know, asking for a bag of her own and sh*t.” (Jeong Min-Woo)
Lee Hyung-Sik and Jeong Min-Woo giggled hoa.r.s.ely at her expense. Didn't the old saying go along the line of 'the sister-in-law trying to stop the mother-in-law is more hateful than the mother-in-law beating you up'? (TL note at the end)
”Can't you see these people over here? There are women and children here!” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”I can see just fine. I've got good eyes, you know.” (Kahng Seok)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah shouted at him in anger, but Kahng Seok didn't even blink an eye.
”And, and you three…. just want to survive all by yourselves only?” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”What do you expected us to do, when we're also in a hurry?” (Kahng Seok)
”That's why we said we'll help, didn't we?!” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”My good lord. How can you be this dense? Hey, listen up. We don't need your measly help, nor do we want it in the first place. Stop trying to lump us with useless baggage like you.” (Kahng Seok)
”Useless baggage?!” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”Yep. You are nothing more than baggage. Even a blind fool can see that you're trying to leech off us. So, shoo, shoo. Go away.” (Kahng Seok)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah became flabbergasted and her mouth gradually opened up in disbelief.
”You three…. are you even human beings?” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)
”Oh? In that case? Maybe you're all parasites, then?” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok sarcastically retorted right until the end. s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah couldn't hold her fury anymore and stood right up, getting ready to slap him. Kahng Seok snorted derisively and retracted his arms from the shoulders of his lackeys.
And just as the volatile situation was about to blow up, a young girl hurriedly jumped in between the two parties and intervened. It was none other than Yi Surl-Ah.
”Please, both of you, stop!” (Yi Surl-Ah)
s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah opened her mouth to say something, but must have thought that it was unwise, because she simply turned her head away instead and said nothing. But her clenched fists were trembling in rage. Meanwhile, Kahng Seok simply shook his head in derision.
”It's barely enough to get through this even when we're working together, yet why are you two fighting like this?” (Yi Surl-Ah)
”Working together, my a*s.” (Kahng Seok)
Kahng Seok shot back with a shout.
”Us three, we go way back. Even before we got here, you know? That's why, we came here with a plan of our own.” (Kahng Seok)
”But!” (Yi Surl-Ah)
”But, but, but. Kiss my b.u.t.t, instead. Hey, you're also an Invited, so you should've realised it by now, too.” (Kahng Seok)