Chapter 103
Following the Security Chief, I thought about Creature No. 13.
Originally, in the game, Creature No. 13 did not exist, and naturally, solitary cell No. 13 was empty.
Depending on the weekly schedule that changed every week, the operational guidelines simply dictated whether one should act as if someone were in No. 13 or act as if it were empty.
’I hope there aren’t too many anomalies.’
The creatures were a crucial trial, so it would be troublesome if any more variables popped up.
Still. I was curious about a new creature.
I walked forward, half-worried and half-curious.
Sector X, where the thirteen solitary cells were located, was far gloomier than in the game.
A damp chill, something I hadn’t felt in the game, clung to my skin, making me shiver.
Along the long corridor stretching to both sides, twelve solitary cells faced each other, and the final thirteenth cell sat alone at the very end of the hall.
Beyond the thick iron bars, the cells were incredibly cramped.
The only place where light entered was through a small, palm-sized hole of a window.
Even that was so densely packed with iron bars that it couldn’t serve as a sufficient light source to illuminate the interior.
I felt eyes watching me.
They were the gazes of the creatures, their bodies half-shrouded in darkness.
I deliberately kept my eyes fixed forward without turning my head.
I must not look at them right now.
The creatures imprisoned here were in an extremely sensitive state.
If I approached them rashly, my suspicion level would immediately hit 100, and they would close their hearts.
I slowly passed the cells.
As I passed cell No. 6...
"Roasted Chestnut. Can you hear the sound of the sea?"
It was a bit difficult...
But I still forced myself not to look and kept walking.
I reached solitary cell No. 13, located in the innermost part, deeper than the other twelve prisons.
Prison guards were already swarming the place.
With two-meter-tall beings crowding in front of the cell, my view was completely blocked.
Through a brief gap, I could see that the prison door was open.
It seemed they were in a standoff, unable to put Creature No. 13 inside the cell.
Among the guards, I spotted a slightly shorter one with red hair.
Beneath the metal mask covering half his face; Kwak Han-mook’s mouth was set in a hard line.
It seemed Creature No. 13 had caused a severe riot.
The incarceration process for creatures was entirely different.
Human violent criminals are transferred to prison after trial, undergo a belongings check, and are assigned a room after brief orientation.
However, creatures are imprisoned the moment they are transferred from the outside laboratory to the prison.
Unlike humans, there was no concern about them concealing items, and it was easier to manage them if they were kept in special cells.
Creature No. 13 must have been dragged to Sector X immediately after being transferred from the lab, and it seemed he had attacked the guards during the process.
Seeing as they still hadn’t subdued him, he must be a considerably strong creature.
I belatedly noticed the damage at the guards’ feet.
A guard lay there, dead and sliced in half.
Instead of red blood, a thick, neon-green liquid flowed from the dead guard.
The cross-section of the sliced flesh was simply pitch black, like black jelly.
Taking a breath, I checked the dead guard’s name tag.
Then, I closed my eyes tight and sighed. It was such a tragic sight.
’Why of all people!’
The one who died was the one who had the least interest in the medic.
Since it had come to this, it would have been better if the most annoying guard had died.
Coincidentally, that very guy was reporting to the Security Chief.
"It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a creature as ferocious as that one. I lost an arm because of him."
He was missing the part below his left forearm. Neon-green liquid streamed from the severed arm.
Honestly, it felt like he was exaggerating.
This was because guards were easy to repair even if they got slightly injured.
Something like a severed arm could be fully restored, and one had to take a certain amount of damage to actually reach death.
’By the way, do the guards not have any feelings for each other?’
Even though a fellow guard had died, no one showed any reaction toward him.
They were only angry at the creature’s riot.
I felt there wasn’t much interaction between guards in the game, and it seemed that camaraderie didn’t exist among them in reality either.
Perhaps it was the price for gaining power by discarding their humanity.
"Security Chief. We should just execute that bastard."
The guard clutching his injured arm spat out a curse and stepped aside.
It was to show the Security Chief Creature No. 13.
Standing behind him, I also naturally came to see Creature No. 13... and..?
I blinked repeatedly.
I stared blankly at Creature No. 13, then rolled my eyes to look at Kwak Han-mook again.
Looking at him now, Kwak Han-mook’s stiff mouth wasn’t due to tension.
He was holding back a laugh....
Realizing the truth belatedly, I screamed internally.
’Why on earth is the Lieutenant Colonel classified as a creature!’
It was maddening.
I had never heard of a creature prisoner role in The Cell X, let alone a human prisoner.
Dominic, who witnessed Creature No. 13 with me, was also puzzled.
"Did Roasted Chestnut’s subordinate commit a crime?"
At his question, the bad thought reflexively crossed my mind that he probably did commit many crimes.
I hurried to chase away the stray thoughts and tried to calmly accept the situation.
’No, come to think of it, it would be weird for him to be a human prisoner.’
Je Hyun-oh, dressed in a crow set from head to toe, wouldn’t fit in among the prisoners.
I thought of other roles in The Cell X, but there was nothing he would suit.
The most fitting would be a guard role, but that would be difficult since he’d have to obey orders from superiors.
When you think about it, being Creature No. 13 was actually the best option.
It’s just a bit absurd... and a bit funny...
"Can’t we just kill that bastard?"
The guard who lost his left shouted in excitement. It seemed he wanted his head taken off by Je Hyun-oh this time.
I secretly observed Je Hyun-oh, hidden from the Security Chief and the guards.
He stood still in front of solitary cell No. 13, like a robot that had been powered off.
From his metal hand, thick neon-green liquid was dripping, stretching out in long strings.
It was more unsettling because the lights on his goggles weren’t on.
I felt a belated regret.
’I should have asked Captain Kwak if he had been displaying emoticons on his goggles all this time.’
Since being hit by illusion magic in the S2P, Je Hyun-oh had lived with the lights on his goggles off.
Seeing that they were dark now, I had a feeling he wasn’t in a good state.
Checking the surroundings, I quickly sent a message.
[Lieutenant Colonel, are you alright?]
The system window I sent popped up in front of Je Hyun-oh.
He, who hadn’t moved an inch, tilted his head slightly to the side.
Then, he turned his face slightly to look toward me.
After a moment of hesitation, I sent another message.
[If you’re in a bad mood and want to kill everyone, please make a ’clink’ sound once. If it’s bearable. Please ’clink’ twice.]
I planned to change my plan depending on Je Hyun-oh’s mood.
Of course, there was a high possibility that Je Hyun-oh would ignore the message, so I intended to act accordingly if there was no answer.
However, while staring at me, Je Hyun-oh moved his metal hand.
Clink.
...It was once.
I strained my ears to see if a second sound would follow, but there was nothing.
It would have been better if it were two clinks, but I was satisfied that I had at least gauged his condition.
Just then, a cold voice rang out.
"Execute Creature No. 13."
The Security Chief had given the order to kill.
The guards simultaneously drew their guns. They were guns loaded with creature-slaying ammunition.
Just as they were about to pull the triggers without hesitation...
"Wait a minute!"
I practically rolled forward.
And there I was, surrounded by gun muzzles, wearing an awkward smile.
There was no way Je Hyun-oh would die from being shot.
However, he was currently classified as ’Creature No. 13’ within the trial.
While many trial rules were bypassed for him as Zero’s infected, there were naturally cases where rules still applied.
There was a very real possibility that he could be seriously injured by creature-slaying bullets.
As for me, I wanted to eliminate any dangerous possibilities.
"Lamb. What do you think you’re doing?"
The Security Chief approached me with slow steps. The muzzle of his gun pressed coldly against my head.
"Do you wish to be executed along with it?"
"I am!"
I shouted urgently.
"A creature expert...!"
I could see the guards smirking at my statement.
Regardless, I quickly continued.
"The reason I was assigned here is because of my extensive knowledge of creatures. This Creature No. 13! There is no need to execute him. I will subdue him and put him in the solitary cell."
I gave a servile smile, suggesting that keeping him alive would be far more valuable.
The Security Chief, who had been looking down at me, twisted his lips.
He pushed my head away with the muzzle of his gun, and I stumbled backward.
The Security Chief looked down at me with a sneer.
"Go ahead. Try it."
His thought that someone like me couldn’t possibly do anything was evident even through the mask.
I could also feel his contempt, thinking it would be a miracle if I didn’t run away crying.
Maintaining my wide smile, I thanked him.
"Thank you, Security Chief.
At the same time, I quickly sent a message to Je Hyun-oh.
[Lieutenant Colonel, I request your cooperation.]
Then, a single clink sound was heard.
No, I didn’t tell him to express himself in that way...
It seemed he had no particular desire to cooperate, but I had no choice.
I sent another message.
[You only need to cooperate once.]
While doing so, I crept closer to Je Hyun-oh.
I felt the guards watching with great interest.
The way they nudged each other and showed fingers made me feel like they were betting on my life.
Of course, I had absolutely no intention of dying.
Really, just once-
While diligently sending messages, I finally arrived in front of Je Hyun-oh.
Now that I was close, he didn’t seem to be injured anywhere. I didn’t think I smelled blood, either.
Je Hyun-oh looked down at me silently.
My face was reflected on the polished surface of his goggles.
As if to make a point, Je Hyun-oh moved his metal hand again.
Clink.
The moment I heard the sound, which was still only once...
I realized what kind of message I had to send.
A system window popped up in front of Je Hyun-oh.
[I’m not going to that castle siege]