What on earth is this commotion?
—
Was it because the sea had grown dull and made you want to die? Is this what you’re suggesting, as Lee Yoo-jin’s smartphone rang mournfully?
—
While Yang Ha-na and I focused on the noisy disturbance, Yoo-jin’s face, after answering the call, quickly turned from confusion into sheer shock. It was only then that I turned to look at her, and as soon as she ended the call, she was still visibly confused, her lips muttering incoherently.
—
Her hesitant speech filled me with an unsettling unease creeping up gradually.
—
What could it be?
—
Could it be news that Sosik had been found as a fragment of Jelly somewhere far away? If so, I would understand Yoo-jin’s expression. She might be struggling with how to tell me this… this terrible, horrifying fact.
—
Maybe she’s worried I might throw myself into the sea in shock. (Even if I did jump, I’d just surface again…)
—
No, it isn’t final yet, is it?
—
But Jelly became unsettled. Yang Ha-na’s solemn face led Jelly to believe it was nothing but bad news. Meanwhile, it occurred to Jelly—if Sosik transformed into fragments, could he even be identified? Perhaps Jelly subconsciously thought Sosik couldn’t die.
—
After all, wasn’t the Grim Reaper who came for Sosik turned lazy and distracted by him? He wouldn’t even insult a deity, much less something as trivial as laziness.
—
It’s quite funny how he listens to my words so well, but anyway…
—
I merely waited for Yoo-jin to speak. I don’t know why she’s hesitating so much. After all, it hasn’t been a full minute, but still, why am I so impatient? Isn’t time supposed to be relative?
—
…Is it appropriate to use it like this?
—
And after Jelly waited anxiously…
—
“…Apparently, it seems that somewhere nearby, a Laboratory is exploding.”
—
“Huh?!”
—
Well, setting aside the fact that I reacted similarly to Yang Ha-na…
—
By “Laboratory,” she’s probably referring to the kind of place I live in, right? This means the place I live in, unlike this one, has a ton of Singularities. And there’s a massive explosion and smoke?
—
Though I’ve never been in charge, I could feel through Jelly that something terrible had happened.
—
If it were me, and the Jelly army somehow escaped beyond my control, I’d feel as if the world was falling apart. And what about those things called Singularities?
—
The thought made even my appetite disappear after having eaten just a little while ago.
—
“…So, it seems that… Lime has to go see what’s happening, if not us.”
—
We going there would only get in the way.
—
Yoo-jin looked at me with a faintly bitter expression. But I couldn’t argue with her—she wasn’t wrong. I silently nodded.
—
I felt somewhat disheartened, as if I’d confirmed our uselessness, but what can you do? It’s the truth.
—
“See you later!”
—
With that, Yang Ha-na’s voice fading behind us, a curious feeling came over me as I moved toward the billowing smoke and flames.
—
It’s forbidden to wander outside, but if I’m going to help, is that okay?
—
…Shouldn’t we just issue a resident identification card for me and allow me to live like a person?
—
Jin Lime… The last name would start with ‘4,’ wouldn’t it? If I ever got an ID, could I stroll into a convenience store and buy beer? Or would I have to wait 18 years to be considered an adult?
—
Given how the system works in this country, waiting 18 years seemed inevitable, and I wasn’t happy about it. But I could always just not buy beer, right? Still, it feels like my rights are being stripped away.
—
Or rather, I currently have no rights at all, so…
—
While indulging in these rather trivial thoughts, the commotion had grown close enough for Jelly to feel it.
—
At what looked like a checkpoint, familiarly dressed people stood with weapons, not looking outward but inward, their legs trembling uncontrollably. I was impressed at how they managed to overcome their trembling hands through training.
—
Regardless, this was clear evidence that whatever happened wasn’t a small matter. This went beyond putting shoes on the wrong feet.
—
…If I just casually walked through now, wouldn’t the two of them die of heart attacks, or would I become riddled with bullets?
—
Even if a few holes were made in me, I wouldn’t die, but it just wouldn’t look good, right?
—
So, creeping closer secretly, I tapped one of their shoulders solemnly, like a duty officer waking up a sleeping guard.
—
Naturally, upon noticing me, the soldiers gasped, “Huh!?” They both took deep breaths and began sobbing.
—
“W, we’re saved!”
—
“You’ve come to rescue us!”
—
Uh… yeah, exactly.
—
On the contrary, I was the one who ended up confused. They dropped to their knees like they’d been saved, clasped their hands together, and cried. Though watching grown men bawl like babies wasn’t very pleasant, I felt sincerity and soon a sense of duty filled my Jelly.
—
Of course, this kind of reaction implies that word of me has spread widely throughout this Foundation thing or whatever. A feeling of approval I’d never experienced before welled up in me, lifting my spirits despite the grim situation. Moving forward, I stepped inside.
—
The cheerful picnic-like feeling instantly evaporated when I saw the world bathed in crimson.
—
There’s a phrase, “Bloody Ocean.” I’m not sure if people really use it; I think I read it in some martial arts novels.
—
But anything described that way—well, what’s before my eyes now—is certainly… ghastly. The scene unfolding in front of me is no different.
—
Injured people groan all around, others wander aimlessly, clearly unable to help each other. From what seems like their escape route, buildings inside are filled with screams, explosions, and the familiar sounds of gunfire.
—
There’s no time to bask in the afterglow of accomplishment. Heading inside, a sinister smell mixed with darkness hits me.
—
People passing by me have split reactions. Some look at me with hope, as those at the checkpoint had, while others scream in terror and rush back inside, only to be held back by the hopeful ones and dragged outside.
—
It’s a bizarre scene, but there’s no time for contemplation. Moving forward is what’s important.
—
Soon, I realized that those screaming had the better end of it.
—
Everywhere I looked were remnants of humans—or at least, what used to be humans. Those maintaining their form were already fortunate; others had transformed so grotesquely, they looked like literal chunks of meat. Among them were non-human beings, implying that this catastrophe wasn’t limited to humans.
—
…Or maybe humans had caused it.
—
So far, everything I’d experienced was terrible, but what I’m witnessing now is especially horrifying.
—
A landscape where neither humans nor Singularities are left alive.
—
I deeply regretted leaving the two behind. Spotting a protrusion I assumed was the neck of a Singularity attacking a human, I sliced it off. Still moving after losing its head, I had to sever all its limbs before it stopped.
—
When the Singularity ceased its movement, a woman lying on the floor, her hands covering her face, cautiously peeked around in horror. Upon seeing the dismembered Singularity, relief crossed her face, but then she noticed me, smeared with strange fluid, and she gasped.
—
I braced myself, thinking she would scream and rush back inside, but instead, she softly sobbed and abruptly embraced me.
—
“J, damn it… I, I believed… You, existed… uh, uhuh…”
—
Hmm…
—
She didn’t seem well. It looked like she might be mistaking me for someone else, but I understood why she’d react this way. Extending my Jelly, I gently pulled her away and nudged her toward the exit. Realizing her survival instinct had kicked in, she staggered toward the outside.
—
…May she find the strength to endure.
—
Having saved one, I moved on to save another. The white corridors, usually pristine, felt strange because they were now stained crimson.
—
How did we end up this way?
—
Now I understand that this so-called Foundation is a group trying to control Singularities… even without being told. I’ve read plenty of conspiracy theories and fictional stories about such things back when I was a human. Of course, I never believed they were real, but still…
—
Reality is so cold.
—
Is it even possible to contain these Singularities like this? I feel I could escape easily if I really wanted to now.
—
I don’t know.
—
Given that I didn’t even know they existed before, their efforts must have been effective until now.
—
…Will they continue to be effective going forward?
—
It’s not my concern, but still… let me save people for now.
—
While saving people in this manner…
—
A place exuding a strangely bright and chaotic atmosphere emerged. Thinking that people unable to escape might still be there, I quickly ran toward it.
—
There.
—
I saw Jelly flying toward me, emitted from the direction a bright light was coming from.
—
…Huh?
—
Following the Jelly trail, I found the person I’d been searching for in the sea.
—
Sosik?
—
Why are you here…? Oh, wait, my bones are aching! Except, I don’t have any bones anymore!
—
Meeting Sosik again was nothing short of disastrous.
