Chapter 85
When Baek Rak examined his wet fingers from various angles and spoke indifferently, Seo Won hastily grabbed that hand and rubbed it vigorously with his sleeve. Seeing those fingers glistening with his own saliva right in front of his eyes made him feel like he’d die of embarrassment.
‘I must be crazy, what’s so cute about this bastard…’
Though he grumbled inwardly, even mixing in curses, he didn’t stop walking and before he knew it, they had arrived at the barrier rooftop.
Seo Won temporarily set aside his sullen mood at the open view and looked beyond the ruins.
The alpha was definitely waiting for them somewhere out there. Having missed them twice, it was obvious it would be extremely angry. Moreover, since it was a creature that could think like a human, it might have set traps. In many ways, he couldn’t help but worry about their future schedule.
“Yoon Seo Won.”
Seo Won, who had been frowning unable to hide his unease, turned his head at the sound of someone calling him. Then Jody was nearby with a subtle smile, having approached at some point.
“Jody?”
“Yeah, leaving now?”
Seo Won relaxed his expression and nodded.
“We have to go.”
“There’s an alpha outside, so be careful.”
Did Jody also know that they were the target of that alpha? Since they had come here being chased initially, he might know, or might not. Either way, his mood improved a little at the fact that someone was worried about them.
“Yeah, let’s meet again when we get the chance.”
Though he didn’t know when that would be, once he became a guardian he’d be able to come back to Gangnam Station Shelter, so he promised to meet again later. It was the most suitable and common farewell greeting.
However, upon hearing Seo Won’s farewell, Jody hardened his smiling face and slowly opened his mouth.
“There won’t be another chance to meet, will there?”
“Huh…?”
“Today is the last time. That you and I can see each other.”
“Why?”
Jody spoke of it being the last time as if it were natural. Unable to understand the reason, he waited for Jody’s answer, but Jody just stared at him silently.
“Jody?”
Though he called him, he said nothing. He only examined him meticulously as if trying to engrave him in his memory. Then only after quite some time had passed did he meet his gaze and smile.
“Take care, Yoon Seo Won.”
“Huh?”
“It was fun, even if briefly.”
Jody gave his farewell alone like that and disappeared before he could be caught.
Seo Won looked forlornly at the spot where he had been. He had thought they got along fairly well with that guy who harbored several schemes inside, but it seemed only he had felt that way.
“Why did he say it was the last time…”
To cut ties so decisively without giving a proper explanation. Somehow disappointment washed over him.
“Yoon Seo Won, let’s go.”
But before he could collect himself, Baek Rak urged him to depart quickly. Both Jody and Baek Rak – he didn’t understand why they didn’t consider people’s feelings. Were they doing it on purpose?
“…Right. Let’s go, let’s go.”
But since he wasn’t unaware of the reason, he couldn’t complain. Day was shorter than night, and they didn’t know when darkness might approach again.
Seo Won let out a long sigh and shook his head.
***
Having left Gangnam Station Shelter and reached the point where the safe zone ended, Seo Won looked at the ruins spread before his eyes.
He still couldn’t get used to how desolate this place had become – the center of Seoul where tall buildings had once stood in rows. At most, only about two stories remained intact. The collapsed buildings could no longer show off their past grandeur.
But to think they had to break through that place again. Even before starting, he felt fed up.
“…Do you see that bastard anywhere?”
“No.”
“Are we going straight? Or taking a detour?”
When they came from Yeongdeungpo Station to Gangnam Station, they had come in a straight line. That was because they encountered the alpha not far from their departure point and had to run at full speed.
Seo Won pondered which would be better and muttered.
“If we’re going to meet it anyway, it’s better to take the shortest route… Would that be okay? It would be nice if there was a way not to be detected.”
“It’s the same however we go.”
“Hmm… Is that so.”
Baek Rak embraced Seo Won, who couldn’t shake off his reluctance and was hesitating, and said.
“It’s better to depart now rather than waste time thinking. We’ve delayed longer than expected.”
“Oh… is that so.”
“Hold on tight. It’s even better if you cling like last time.”
Seo Won swallowed dryly inside while recalling ‘last time.’ No matter how he thought about it, he was just like a cicada on an old tree. Of course, he didn’t have the luxury to be picky about this and that, but it was distressing that he had to cling like that every time they moved.
Still, it couldn’t be helped. Whether he looked undignified or felt embarrassed, it was more important to let Baek Rak move freely.
Seo Won steeled himself and wrapped his arms around Baek Rak’s neck. Since Baek Rak supported his buttocks, he lifted his legs and wrapped them firmly around his waist.
“You’re clinging well.”
“…Shut up. Just start moving.”
Baek Rak chuckled and patted Seo Won’s buttocks. When startled Seo Won tried to pull his head back, Baek Rak ran off without warning.
“Ugh!”
His body was pulled forward and completely pressed against Baek Rak, making Seo Won grumble inwardly that he’d get him back later. Even so, he didn’t forget to tightly embrace Baek Rak’s neck and waist. Thanks to this, Baek Rak’s two free hands held two swords.
Like that, the two of them kicked off from the road and headed toward Yeongdeungpo Station. Seo Won looked at the ruined buildings flashing by while hoping desperately that the alpha wouldn’t appear.
Perhaps his earnestness reached its mark, as the alpha didn’t appear. Even after they had gone some distance, he couldn’t sense any sign of it.
But the strange thing was that no other creatures could be seen around either.
Both Baek Rak who was running and Seo Won who was looking around knew how unreasonable this was. Creatures and turncoats roamed outside even during the day. It was just recently that they had been changing directions here and there to avoid such creatures.
No matter how he looked at it, this wasn’t a normal situation.
Finally Baek Rak stopped in place. Then after looking around, he entered a building that still had some structure remaining. Only then did Seo Won, who had put his feet on the ground, ask carefully.
“…It’s strange, right?”
“There can’t be this complete absence.”
Baek Rak, who had hidden his body behind a wall pillar, stared at the outside where there was no sign of life. Seo Won also looked outside from behind Baek Rak.
“Did that guy do this?”
“……”
Baek Rak only remained silent and alert to the surroundings. Seo Won also felt tension gradually rising and closed his mouth to concentrate on the presence around them.
The city without a breath of wind was very desolate. Even though it was daytime, the sky was bright red and even the buildings had collapsed, making it look like a scene from the apocalypse. He had felt that way when he first came to this world too, but today it was particularly so.
But then, Baek Rak suddenly turned his head somewhere. Unlike Baek Rak, Seo Won, who couldn’t sense anything, belatedly stared at the place he was looking at.
When he was puzzled because nothing had changed, something could be seen faintly in the distance. Seo Won squinted his eyes because even with his improved eyesight after the third awakening, he couldn’t see it well. Then he could discover a man sitting on a building with only pillars remaining, looking in their direction.
Considerable build and familiar upper body.
It was that very alpha that had followed them to Gangnam Station Shelter.
He flinched upon realizing their eyes had met, but for some reason, the creature didn’t budge from that spot.
“What, why is it sitting there? It definitely spotted us, right? Why isn’t it chasing us?”
“……”
The distance was quite far – enough that if they were determined, they could easily escape. The creature would know this too, but he couldn’t understand why it was staying far away on purpose.
Feeling uneasy for some reason, he was about to urge Baek Rak to escape quickly when suddenly the ground began to vibrate.
Thud, thud, thump.
“What, what’s happening?”
When creatures appeared, no such noise or vibration occurred. They would appear and disappear like smoke. Then what did this ominous sign mean?
At that moment, as if something had occurred to him, Baek Rak’s face crumpled viciously.
“…That bastard.”
“Why? What is it?”
When Seo Won asked urgently, Baek Rak glared at the alpha and said.
“It brought all the higher-tier creatures from other places too.”
“Huh? Higher-tier creatures? You don’t mean… other alphas?”
Even in this situation, Baek Rak looked back at Seo Won in disbelief. Two alphas. Just imagining it was horrifying.
“The ones with brains don’t travel together. They hate having their things stolen by other alphas to death. So there’s no reason to call other alphas.”
“Th-thank goodness, I guess.”
“What it brought are higher-tier creatures just below alpha level. They’re completely different from regular creatures.”
“Different how?”
Instead of explaining, Baek Rak embraced Seo Won and climbed onto the building. Then massive creatures that hadn’t been visible before were surrounding the area. They looked like giants that might appear in mythology.
Their height seemed to easily exceed 20 meters, and they wore helmets and armor on the outside. The only thing they had in common with regular creatures was that their whole bodies were black and they had red eyes. However, unlike the creatures whose appearances were all different, these giant-type creatures all looked exactly the same.
And there was one more decisively different point.
They were holding massive weapons in their hands. Sharp spears and shields rippling with black auras, and things like bows.
“What is that? That’s not a creature, it’s more like…”
Weren’t they like ‘knights’ before battle?
Seo Won couldn’t understand at all why creatures had such an appearance. Weren’t they things that flew from outer space? Why would these strange life forms that didn’t exist on Earth…?
But before the shock could even fade, smoke began rising from the ground and air. It meant other regular creatures were also appearing.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
