Chapter 110
Listening to the car-splitting sound of the sirens, I took a moment to analyze the
current situation.
And I realized that I had made a grave error in judgment.
As I was being dragged away by the Security Chief, I hurriedly sent a message to Kwak Han-mook.
...I sent a message only to Kwak Han-mook.
In the midst of the chaos, Kwak Han-mook likely hadn’t thought to share the situation with Je Hyun-oh.
It would have been difficult for a guard to contact Prisoner No. 13 separately, and since I had urged him in my message to come as quickly as possible, that likely reinforced the secrecy.
Consequently, Je Hyun-oh was left alone in Sector X, knowing only that a trainee had been dragged away by the Security Chief in an ominous atmosphere.
From his perspective, there was no reason to wait patiently.
Naturally, he broke out and while he was at it, it seemed he took the liberty of letting the other creatures out of their cells as well.
Since the main quest was to ’Find True Freedom for the Creatures,’ it was a perfectly reasonable attempt.
It was the best judgment he could make given his situation.
However, a mass breakout of all creatures was a Bad Ending.
This was because they would wander aimlessly on a remote island in the middle of the ocean, unable to find an escape route, only to be recaptured by the guards and thrown back into prison.
Some of the escaped creatures would even be shot dead and dumped into the sea.
However, the breakout happening now was clearly different from the game.
’Because the one who led the breakout is Creature Prisoner No. 13.’
That was a role that didn’t even exist in the original game.
Since an anomaly had already occurred, I felt that things might flow in a direction other than a Bad Ending.
’A True Ending might still be possible.’
Of course, a True Ending wouldn’t be achieved under the current circumstances.
Because the ’true freedom’ the creatures desired was not a simple prison break.
I absolutely did not want to see The Cell X explode on the rooftop of the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency.
Just as I was feeling anxious that I had to clear this with a True Ending no matter what, a system window popped up.
◆ Ma?in? Que??st!!: Find the Escaped Finding the creatures while avoiding the guards will be far from smooth.
[For the eyes of the guards, hidden beneath their metal masks, reach very far.
You must find the creatures befo?re the guards find?reallyfind?canyoufind? them.]
[(Creatures found: 0/12)]
As soon as I saw the quest, I narrowed my eyes slightly.
The number of creatures to be found was twelve, not thirteen.
’Is the Lieutenant Colonel not included?’
It was then, while I was staring intently at the quest window.
Zzazt. Static noise crackled from the speakers.
A voice flowed out from the poor-quality speakers.
"Code Black. All guards to your positions."
’Doesn’t sound like the Security Chief.’
Seeing as a Code Black order was being issued, I wondered if it was the stubborn prison warden Kwak Han-mook had complained about.
As I listened closely for any clues, I flinched at the following announcement.
"Report immediately upon discovering the medical officer during the creature search."
Why are they looking for me?
But I didn’t even have the luxury to be curious.
As soon as the announcement ended, heavy sounds followed.
Thump, thump.
It was the sound of the prison sectors being sealed off.
Won Tae-beom gripped my forearm tightly and spoke.
"Trainee Han. We must move."
If I stayed here, I might get trapped inside the sealed prison and be framed for aiding the breakout.
I left Sector X with Won Tae-beom.
As he ran alongside me, he asked, "Do you have a plan in mind?"
"I have to find the escaped creatures. At this rate, even a Normal Ending might be difficult."
While answering, I sent a message to Je Hyun-oh.
[Lieutenant Colonel, I’m perfectly fine.]
[To clear the True Ending, I need to find the escaped creatures. I’d be grateful if you could hold back a bit and refrain from killing the creatures or the guards.]
[Please maintain your role as a ’good creature’.]
As I fired off the messages, my mind raced.
Saying I had to ’find’ the creatures essentially meant I had to scour every inch of the island.
Finding twelve creatures in the pitch-black darkness while avoiding guards was not going to be easy.
"I think I need to find the Lieutenant Colonel first."
Won Tae-beom immediately understood.
Above all else, finding Je Hyun-oh was the most urgent task.
I had sent a message, but there was no telling if he would listen.
Even if I found the other creatures, if Je Hyun-oh slaughtered all the guards, it would end in a Normal Ending.
I had to check his status first.
After running at full speed with Won Tae-beom, we were able to exit the prison shortly after.
A cold sea breeze whipped against my cheeks.
My hair fluttered wildly, and the searchlights scanning the area mixed chaotically with the sound of sirens.
Gasping for air, I looked up at the night sky.
And there, in the black sky, I spotted a being of an even darker hue.
He was... standing on top of the prison building.
Submerged in darkness, he stood with his metal hands hanging down, gazing up at the sky.
Yet, for some reason, he caught my eye instantly.
I followed Je Hyun-oh’s gaze.
In the night sky, blurred by the sea fog rising from the ocean, not a single star nor the moon was visible.
Despite that, Je Hyun-oh stared persistently at the sky.
His gaze, which seemed unwilling to leave the heavens, slowly shifted toward me.
As if he had known I was here from the very beginning.
It was a situation where every second counted.
And yet, the moment our eyes met, a random thought popped into my head first.
I thought that he was really suited to wide-open spaces.
Even though this insane situation had started because of his breakout..
I was satisfied that he had escaped from Cell 13.
I snapped back to my senses.
I felt as if the color of my eyes was about to change.
I quickly felt around my eyes with my hand, but fortunately, there was no heat.
At that moment, a searchlight scanning the ground pointed toward the sky.
Because the sea fog was thick, the light from the searchlights reflecting off the ground was bouncing back.
The reflection was actually obstructing visibility.
Thus, it seemed they intended to shoot the searchlights toward the fog layer to diffuse the light.
As the searchlights hit the fog, an artificial glow was created, faintly illuminating the area around the prison.
With the surroundings looking as if bathed in bright moonlight, it became much easier to catch the escapees hiding in the dark.
The searchlights aimed at the sky also found Je Hyun-oh on the roof.
Trapped in the light, he made no move to react, even though he knew he had been discovered.
He simply looked at me.
It might be an exaggeration, but it felt as if he were waiting to see what I would do.
A Lieutenant Colonel waiting for a trainee.
Thinking it was nonsense from start to finish, I sent him a message.
[Please draw the guards’ attention while I look for the creatures.]
Honestly, I felt he would do at least this much.
A vague confidence that the escaped Je Hyun-oh didn’t seem to be in a bad mood played a part.
I also sent a message to Kwak Han-mook, asking him to lure as many guards as possible toward the Lieutenant Colonel if possible.
Then, I turned to Won Tae-beom.
"While the Lieutenant Colonel distracts the guards, I’m going to find the creatures. I’ll start with Creature Prisoner No. I-"
I stopped mid-sentence, a puzzled expression on my face.
It was because Won Tae-beom wasn’t looking at me, but behind me.
Just as I wondered why he looked so shocked-
"..Ack!"
I was snatched up and yanked into the air.
With Won Tae-beom’s bewildered expression as my last sight, I was instantly distanced from the ground.
The back of my guard uniform stretched taut as if it were about to rip.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a metal hand but a crow glove, so the fabric barely held on.
Since the uniform was made of a special material, it didn’t seem like it would tear.
The vine plant on my forearm, startled by the sudden change, wrapped itself around me almost completely.
Dominic, his ears flattened by the fierce wind, expressed his polite dissatisfaction.
"Roasted Chestnut. As I mentioned before, kin made of black metal require education."
If I were capable of educating Je Hyun-oh, I wouldn’t be a trainee; I’d be the Commissioner of the Agency.
No, I don’t think he’d even listen to the President.!
While I was lost in these idle thoughts, Je Hyun-oh, who had snatched me, stopped in mid-air only after we had ascended sufficiently.
I instinctively looked down.
And I saw a magnificent sight.
The sight of every single guard sprinting toward Je Hyun-oh to capture him...
It was a pity; if only I hadn’t been taken, it would have been the perfect time to go find the creatures.
"Goyo."
Je Hyun-oh called my name very calmly.
His voice was so composed that anyone listening would think he was calling me while eating cake at a cafe.
"Yeees..."
As I answered listlessly, he looked at me.
"Have you lost it?"
At those words...
I immediately realized why Je Hyun-oh had snatched me.
Currently, I was still wearing the guard set I had used during the new guard training course.
Since a kid who was supposed to be a medical officer suddenly appeared in a guard uniform, Je Hyun-oh likely judged this to be ’Butler Part 2’ from 3Clean.
From his perspective, he needed to verify if I was in my right mind.
I hurriedly informed Je Hyun-oh of my status.
"I’m normal! I’m a medical officer, but it turned out like this because of that Security Chief bastard."
I cursed the Secunty Chief fervently while dangling in mid-air.
Then, Je Hyun-oh moved one of his metal wings and flicked the vine plant.
The trembling vine plant jumped in surprise and tightened its grip on my forearm.
"And this?’
"Ah, this is part of Creature Prisoner No. 1."
I quickly and concisely summarized the series of events for him.
However, it seemed that wasn’t the answer Je Hyun-oh wanted.
Staring at me through his sleek goggles, he continued to flick the plant with his metal wing.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
It seemed he was asking why on earth I was carrying this thing around.
I gave a pathetic excuse.
"Well... this friend is very timid.... I felt bad leaving him somewhere."
Then, I pleaded as pitifully as possible.
"Lieutenant Colonel. I really have to go find the creatures."
I struggled to get my plan approved, arguing that the True Ending would be impossible if I didn’t find them now.
"And if you find them all?"
I could guess the meaning behind the short question.
He was likely asking if I intended to send the creatures back to Sector X.
"For now... since you went through the trouble of breaking them out, it would be a bit much to put them back in prison, so I’ll think of another way."
Clink.
The sound of metal wings moving echoed.
As I watched the guards draw their guns and aim, I heard Je Hyun-oh’s voice.
"Find them quickly, Goyo."
He spoke like a very generous Lieutenant Colonel.
"Before I feel like killing all the guards."
And then, he flew off somewhere.
"...!"
And he just threw me.
I fell without even being able to scream.
’Lieutenant Colonel!!’
Just as I was screaming internally and pouring out my resentment toward Je Hyun-oh, who had completely forgotten our camaraderie, the place Je Hyun-oh dropped me was behind the prison wall, in a spot where light rarely reached.
Just as I thought I was going to slam straight into the ground and tried to wrap the vine plant around me.
Something wriggling in the dark shadows reached out toward me.
My eyes widened.
The moment I recognized it as a plant stem, a form hidden by the darkness became visible.
Dark green and brown vines were intertwined, writhing in a circular motion.
No flowers were visible on the thick, rough stems, but leaves sprouted here and there.
A massive creature, appearing to be about 3 meters long, extended its stems toward me.
The vine plant wrapped around my forearm also extended its stems toward the creature.
The separated beings touched, intertwined, and gradually became one.
My falling body was caught by the stems reaching out from all directions, losing its momentum.
As I lay there, tangled in stems like a fly in a spiderweb, a notification appeared.
[You have found Creature No. 1.!]
[(Creatures found: 1/12)]
Simultaneously, a small firecracker sound echoed, and a system window appeared.
[Affection 100 has been achieved!]