Clang… Clang.
A soft squishing sound, as if something were stepping on the ground, echoed around.
At a glance, it seemed like the sound of Jelly Girl approaching, but there were far too many of them to be just Jelly Girls.
It appeared they had already surrounded Kim Cheon-soo and Hwang Bo-yul, as the squelching noises were coming from all directions.
It was unclear exactly when they had gotten this close, but it was apparent the two wouldn’t be able to escape.
…Especially when considering the screen they had just been watching moments ago.
Now, the screen was only showing noise—or perhaps it had broken altogether and wasn’t showing anything anymore.
Meanwhile, the two stood back-to-back, their weapons aimed outward. Knowing how dire the situation was, neither looked optimistic.
It didn’t matter which direction they aimed—there were so many squelching sounds that it was bound to be futile.
Kim Cheon-soo finally accepted this inevitability, beads of cold sweat dripping down his face.
What happened to 7496 – KR?
Could it really have fallen already?
…Is there no way back? If only we’d tried something earlier…
He reminisced about the people he’d left behind—Han Seori back at the Laboratory and his junior, Yang Ha-na, who he worried about deeply. Finally, his mind went to the Jelly Girl on the screen they had seen earlier, thrashing about.
He hadn’t foreseen this outcome when he had so carelessly manipulated her, but now he regretted it. Perhaps this was the price they were paying for that convenience.
As Kim Cheon-sou was deep in thought, Hwang Bo-yul, who had been standing behind him, suddenly reached into a machine and pulled something out. Then, she tapped him on the shoulder.
“Huh!?”
“…I know what you’re thinking, but there’s something more important we need to handle.”
“…Yes?”
Hwang Bo-yul gave a faint smile and handed him the storage device she had pulled from the machine. Realizing what it was, Kim Cheon-soo gave her a disbelieving look. She nodded, confirming his suspicions, and continued.
“I’ll try to find a way out for you, so take this. Someone needs to tell the world what happened here.”
“….”
Her determined tone left Kim Cheon-soo thoroughly flustered. He had already steeled himself to die, but he never expected her to propose something as drastic as this.
Staring into her resolute eyes, he hesitated for a moment before shaking his head and handing the device back.
“It’s better if someone who knows this place stays behind, not me.”
With that, he pulled out explosives from a pile of supplies and muttered softly.
Seeing his determination, Hwang Bo-yul’s expression grew complex. She bit her lips before speaking.
“You know… and 7496 – KR seems nicer than I ever thought—both the people and the Singularity.”
“Haha…”
Kim Cheon-soo chuckled awkwardly, gripping the explosive tightly. Despite the looming death, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of pride at the compliment from such a beautiful person.
…Who knew it would end this way?
As they prepared to act, the darkness began to move. Clang… clang…
“What…?”
Kim Cheon-soo couldn’t help but voice his confusion. What emerged from the shadows wasn’t what he expected. Instead of the grotesque toads they had presumed from the earlier footage, the approaching figures were small, blue, and jelly-like.
They were eerily similar to Jelly Girls—smooth, wobbly, and round. It reminded Kim Cheon-soo of them.
As more and more of these blue blobs emerged from the darkness, surrounding the duo, the tension became palpable.
“…This is bad.”
“…It certainly looks that way.”
The two were on high alert, watching the jellies closely. Though they appeared similar to Jelly Girls, the underlying suspicion refused to leave.
Having personally witnessed the records of Jelly Girls, neither Kim Cheon-soo nor Hwang Bo-yul took this lightly.
However…
The blobs surrounding them didn’t show any signs of hostility. Instead, they stood still, gently swaying with the breeze. It was almost peaceful.
While the two prepared for the inevitable, still trying to make sense of it all…
Squish… squish.
A familiar jelly-like figure pushed through the wall of blobs.
It was Jelly Girl herself, looking awkward. She was accompanied by tiny Jelly Girl replicas, no larger than the palm of a hand. Looking closer, one could even spot similar figures scattered across the blue jellies.
“…It looks like you’re alright.”
“…It would’ve been better if you had told us.”
“They can’t talk.”
The two lowered their weapons. Jelly Girl approached while absently fiddling with her antennae.
There was this schoolyard game I used to play as a child.
We’d play rock-paper-scissors and the loser would be placed beneath everyone else, forming the ‘bun,’ while others were the ‘burgers’ or ‘patties.’ It was a lot of fun to stack up at the top, watching others struggle and scream beneath you. It felt good. Though, looking back now, it was quite a sadistic game.
When you were at the bottom, it felt atrocious, like the worst game ever. But somehow, the thought of ‘it’s not just me suffering’ kept the game going.
I’m bringing this up because my current situation, where I’m dissolving a toad’s essence, feels eerily similar to being the ‘bun’ at the bottom of a rock-paper-scissors game.
Each toad isn’t heavy on its own, but the accumulation of them pressing down on me—it’s quite a weight.
If I had a physical form, I might’ve flattened into a hamburger patty by now.
Right before I turned into a flat jelly pancake…
I felt the toad essence fully dissolve, and my squashed body started bubbling up.
The toads that had been pressing me down began simmering and melting away as well.
As I regained my senses, I noticed it wasn’t just the toads that were flowing down. Everything around me seemed to be melting like a modern art painting.
With each passing moment, the pressure decreased. Although I wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, I had a vague sense that the problem was being resolved.
Whatever new ability this gave me, it was clear the essence was not just the cause but the core of the Singularity.
A smug thought popped into my head: Han Seori would be disappointed with my lack of data gathering.
This was nothing short of an incredible reversal. But at least I won, didn’t I?
While basking in triumph and watching everything melt, I eventually saw the moon peering through what used to be layers of oppressive pressure.
With the weight gone, I slowly stood up.
I shook off the slimy residue clinging to my body, which dripped to the floor and merged with the melting remains.
…Has it not completely disappeared yet?
But regardless, familiar artificial objects began to appear around me—rustic houses, trees that had once been everywhere but now disappeared entirely. My surroundings were slowly returning to normal.
With a satisfied shiver, I felt a sense of accomplishment.
Never give up until the end.
Still, one question lingered.
…Where should I go now?
I had relied on my knowledge pouch to move around, but I had no idea where I was or if we’d agreed on any specific meeting place.
Looking back, we never set a proper landmark or signal to find each other.
The device that should’ve helped guide me must’ve melted away already.
…What should I do?
While I was pondering and idly melting away…
I spotted the floating identification tags inside me.
Seeing that, my rising emotions calmed again.
…It may not be much, but…
At least I’ve accomplished my purpose. It would be nice to just rest now.
I wanted to gather all the tags, but finding them now seemed unlikely.
Sigh… How could I possibly find them when I don’t even know where to go myself?
I shook my head absent-mindedly.
Suddenly…
The nearby slime began to stir, and shortly after, the identification tags, along with what appeared to be their garments and items, and even the bodies left on the roots, floated toward me.
What… is going on?
I felt a mix of curiosity and delight.
Wait…
If they can do this for me…
Maybe they can also guide me to Kim Cheon-soo and Hwang Bo-yul?
As soon as the thought crossed my mind, all the slime within view began to wriggle vigorously.
Amused by their sudden enthusiasm, a small jelly resembling myself—much smaller than Sosik—approached and gestured for me to follow.
It must’ve been because it resembles me, but they’re fast and adorable!
As I followed them, I thought about asking them to help carry the items and bodies behind me.
To my surprise, the scattered slime began to consolidate, forming a mass that lifted and transported the items and bodies effortlessly behind me.
This is incredible!
Could this be the result of eating those toads?
…I would have consumed them sooner if I’d known!
Smiling to myself, I heard the familiar squish-squish sounds as I walked. In the distance, I spotted Kim Cheon-soo and Hwang Bo-yul, both on edge.
It seemed they were about to do something drastic. Pushing aside any odd feelings, I quickened my pace to reach them.
