Chapter 26
Seo Won staunched the wound as much as possible while staring at the iron door. Since it was an ordinary warehouse for storing luggage, the inside of the iron door was empty. It seemed like the lightweight material commonly used couldn’t block the creature’s tentacles. If it had been the thick iron used for bunkers, it would have blocked them.
Seo Won glared at the door that rattled and seemed ready to be torn apart at any moment. The moment that door broke, he couldn’t guarantee the life or death of everyone inside.
He pulled Yu Sol a little tighter and hid Poong-i and Rang behind them.
The door he had hoped would last longer quickly became rags as the creature pounded on it fiercely. He tried to back away from the door as much as possible, but even that was impossible in the narrow warehouse.
Eventually, what he had feared happened. The iron door pierced by tentacles fell away. And beyond it, he locked eyes with those red pupils.
Seo Won gritted his teeth.
‘The creatures I saw during the day weren’t this ferocious…’
They had been excited with joy at finding prey, but they weren’t as savage as if they wanted to destroy everything in sight. He had heard that they became stronger at night, but he hadn’t expected it to be to this extent.
Watching the thing reveal black malice with its bright red eyes and drool eerie darkness from its torn mouth, cold sweat trickled down his back.
What should he do?
In his arms was the injured Yu Sol, and behind him were Poong-i and Rang, along with the newborn pups.
If they stayed like this, they would all be slaughtered without question. Going outside would be no different from committing suicide, so he couldn’t see an answer at all.
Why did he have to be forced to make meaningless choices when the outcome was already decided? Because he had meddled unnecessarily when he could barely take care of himself? Because he had acted recklessly without knowing whether he could handle it or not?
He knew that for safety, small things had to be sacrificed. But who decided the definition of that ‘small thing’?
To someone, Rang and the pups might be just animals, but to Yu Sol, they were family she could never let go of. That’s why he didn’t want to turn away.
How could he turn his head when he had seen her face turn pale and fall into panic at their absence? When the image of her getting excited about showing him the pups was so vivid?
He hadn’t known he would face a life-threatening crisis, but even if he went back to the past, he would probably make the same choice. He hadn’t been tainted by this world enough to abandon possibility and hope.
Seo Won let out a long sigh. Thinking he had to do something, he was moving Yu Sol back when suddenly something brushed past his side.
Startled, he looked up to see Poong-i blocking the front. Watching Poong-i bite a tentacle that had flown over without him knowing and struggling to hold on, Seo Won muttered helplessly.
“…You’re better than me.”
Unlike him, who couldn’t do this or that, Poong-i was facing the danger before his eyes. Yes, maybe there was only one answer.
Doing something and struggling desperately.
Now he could understand a little of what Baek Rak had said.
Seo Won got up and threw objects rolling at his feet at the creature. He intended to help Poong-i and buy even a little time.
However, there wasn’t just one creature outside. There was one grabbing the door frame and sticking its head in, and there was also a ghost-like one clinging to the ceiling trying to crawl in.
It seemed impossible to defend from this place. He needed to divert their attention. Seo Won deliberately ignored the chills rising from their murderous intent and groped around. He grabbed a long wooden stick and struck down hard on the tentacle Poong-i was biting.
Fortunately, perhaps his grip strength had become stronger than an ordinary person’s, he could see the tentacle sway slightly.
“Poong-i! Let’s go out!”
Only then did the freed Poong-i run outside first. The creatures that had been trying to follow him into the warehouse followed him outside. Seo Won clenched his fists tightly and looked back.
He looked once at Yu Sol, who had collapsed and was breathing shallowly, then stared at Rang standing beside her. The pups were whimpering somewhere inside. They still seemed safe.
“Rang, don’t come out and stay here protecting Sol and the pups.”
Whether Rang understood, she crouched low beside Yu Sol as if ready to jump out at any moment. She seemed to know there was nowhere left to retreat.
Seo Won took a deep breath and carefully looked outside. He could see the fallen iron door lying beside the entrance. Poong-i was narrowly avoiding the creature’s attacks using a nearby pillar as a shield.
Thanks to him properly drawing their attention, the timing wasn’t bad.
‘Just hold on a little longer, just a little.’
Seo Won went outside, brought the iron door full of holes, and blocked the warehouse entrance. He also stacked wooden boxes from around as high as possible in front of the door. He had to block it tightly so the creatures, sensitive to sound, couldn’t hear the pups inside.
Just when he thought this was enough, he heard the creature’s sharp cry from behind along with something colliding.
Crash!
An ominous premonition struck. Seo Won urgently looked back.
“Poong-i!”
Sure enough, Poong-i, who had been facing the creatures, had fallen right behind.
Seo Won embraced Poong-i, who was trying to get up while staggering. There was no blood, but the impact seemed considerable. As expected, it was too much for Poong-i to face all those creatures alone. He should have gone to help right away instead of being greedy…
Seo Won looked back and forth between the objects stacked in front of the warehouse door and Poong-i, then jumped up from his spot. He would regret later. Right now he had to get away from the warehouse front.
The creatures were already approaching. Seo Won adjusted his hold on Poong-i and ran with all his might.
Avoiding piles of boxes here and there, he headed toward where the stairs on the opposite side were. It would be nice if there was a warehouse there too. If not, wouldn’t it be okay to go up the stairs and escape somewhere? He turned his head, thinking of various things.
“Ugh!”
Then he couldn’t avoid the long claws that grazed past his face. He felt his cheek burn and blood trickle down. When he glanced back, creatures had approached very close.
‘Damn…!’
They had caught up faster than before. It was because his speed was reduced while holding Poong-i. Seo Won urgently crouched to avoid the creature reaching out. However, they attacked toward his legs as if they had anticipated it.
“Kuk!”
He urgently rolled to avoid the long tentacle shooting toward his thigh. After rolling on the rough floor, he bounced up and ran again. He was throbbing from scraping and bumping here and there, but escaping was the priority for now.
When he heard something collapsing behind him and looked back, he could see the creatures buried under a pile of boxes. He was lucky.
“Huff, huff!”
Panting, he urgently looked around. He needed a place to hide. He couldn’t keep running like this forever. Right now it was just the ones chasing him, but if all the creatures at the barrier came rushing over, then there would be no hope or anything.
Fortunately, perhaps his desperation reached through, he discovered a small gap that was cleverly hidden. It was a place where pillars, walls, and various chains were stacked, and if done well, it seemed like he could avoid their eyes.
Just as Seo Won adjusted his hold on Poong-i and was about to head there—
Whine, whimper, whine.
Poong-i in his arms began whining while looking somewhere. Seo Won tightly embraced Poong-i, who was struggling to escape from him. No way, no way.
Seo Won couldn’t hide his anxiety and turned his head.
Then he could see black masses digging in front of the warehouse where Yu Sol and Rang were hidden far away. It was a new group of creatures.
‘Ah…, please.’
Even though he had blocked it like that, it seemed impossible to cut off the whimpering cries of the pups looking for their mother. His mind felt dizzy. It seemed like Yu Sol and Rang collapsed inside, along with the pups, would be devoured at any moment.
Seo Won didn’t let go of Poong-i, who kept struggling. He held him so tightly his fingertips turned white and took a long breath.
Behind were creatures, in front were creatures, and to the side were deeply dug railroad tracks. If he couldn’t hide in there, escaping would be impossible. He knew, he knew it so well.
…He absolutely couldn’t turn away.
“Hey!”
Seo Won shouted with all his might. Then the masses crowded in front of the warehouse where Yu Sol was hidden stopped abruptly. Red eyes began to appear one by one on heads turning slowly.
Seo Won took another big breath and shouted.
“There’s prey right in front of you, so you’re not going to look elsewhere, are you?!”
The resounding sound seemed to properly hit them. The creatures’ eyes rippled roughly. They slowly raised their bodies.
“You’re hungry! I guarantee, I’m probably quite a bit more delicious than you think!”
Looking back at what he had said, it was an absurd statement, but the provocation seemed to work properly. A moment of silence flowed, and soon an eerie cry echoed long. The creatures kicked off the ground and rushed at him.
The ones who had fallen after hitting boxes had also gotten up and were running while making the same weird screams.
Seo Won ran toward the railroad tracks while holding Poong-i. It would be nice if he could cross to the opposite platform. The creatures wouldn’t wait for the time it took to go down and come back up.
Seo Won smiled self-deprecatingly and jumped down to the tracks. Just in case, when he looked at the warehouse where Yu Sol was, there wasn’t a single creature left there. The half-broken boxes and the somewhat intact iron door were holding on, even if just a little. It was fortunate.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
