Volume 1. Let the Game Begin
‘Bang bang bang!’
Once again, after stomping down hard several times, the iron net on this level finally let out a harsh screech—‘Creak~!’—and broke apart once more.
This time, the net didn’t break off on all four sides, but only on three… which also meant—
As I fell, my entire body practically slid right along the torn edge of the net.
There wasn’t even time to do anything extra—I immediately raised both hands to cover my head.
With a tearing sound on my arms, wounds appeared all over my body.
For a moment, the pain was so intense it nearly drove me insane, but now… I didn’t have the luxury to care, because that ‘patter patter’ of footsteps was practically lingering just above me.
It was clear that thing didn’t dare enter the dark, narrow space, but it was definitely chasing me from the outside.
‘Ssshhhhh~~~~’
With both hands pressed against the walls of the ventilation duct on either side, I barely managed to slide down another three floors.
This time… the scent of fresh blood filled my nostrils.
It was obvious—the injuries this time were starting to become unbearable.
I truly wondered… did I choose the wrong method?
If I had just leapt straight off the balcony earlier, would that have counted as fully escaping the building?
There was no time for regret, even less for hesitation.
Once again… I stomped down fiercely!
After two drops, I’d already found a bit of a trick.
While stomping, I simply supported myself with both arms, suspending my body as I kicked downward.
That way, there wouldn’t be any sudden falls, and I could also use my full strength.
Don’t forget, even though my body was only fifteen years old, my strength, bolstered by the Evil Spirit Form, was already no less than that of an adult male.
Compared to my weight of less than ninety pounds, this strength was pretty significant.
“I can’t get hurt again… Otherwise, with the amount of blood loss, I won’t make it. Even though girls bleed every month, no one can handle losing this much all at once…”
With hands braced against the duct walls, I slammed one foot downward.
The patter-patter footsteps above were still continuing.
But just as I kicked four times and the iron net started to loosen, a scream suddenly echoed from above!
It was a man’s scream—the kind filled with hysteria.
Then, I suddenly heard a dull thud from above.
Instinctively… I looked up.
And the next moment left me completely stunned!
A grown man… fell headfirst right down toward me!!
“What the hell!!”
I only had time to cry out in shock before I frantically raised my arms to shield my head.
The shaft was only wide enough for a single person—such a narrow space couldn’t accommodate two falling bodies side by side.
So, without a doubt, the top of my head took a heavy blow…
“Ugh!”
I couldn’t even react, and at the same time, the iron net beneath my feet—already weakened from four kicks—loosened completely.
It had barely been able to support my own weight, and now, with the added mass of a grown man, it let out a pained crack—‘Snap!’—and broke.
I had no control over my body and was crushed downward by the man… or rather, his corpse!
That’s right—he was already a corpse.
Although his eyes were wide open, they’d lost all luster.
Dilated pupils, no movement in his chest—everything confirmed that he was dead…
And not only that, his abdomen had been split open, with blood and organs splattered everywhere.
Naturally, I ended up drenched in blood and internal organs.
His long intestines were practically wrapped around my body!
The stench of rot and blood filled the entire ventilation duct.
I kept falling.
In that moment… I knew I couldn’t let myself become a stepping stone.
Otherwise, if not my right leg, then the pain in my left leg from the fall would definitely knock me unconscious!
In that split second, many thoughts flashed through my mind.
But in the end, I could only think of one solution…
I suddenly stretched out my hand, forcing down my nausea and fear, and grabbed onto… the man’s, what’s called medically, ‘subcostal angle’—the lowest center point at the base of the chest.
The slimy, soft sensation under my hand brought a strong wave of nausea.
Holding back the metallic taste in my mouth, I muttered, “Sorry!” and yanked downward with all my strength!!
My body was a bit thin—after all, I was only fifteen.
My bones weren’t fully developed, so they were relatively soft.
With that forceful pull, I managed to drag the corpse to my side.
Enduring the sickening feeling, I pressed him down hard!
Though I felt incredibly sorry for him, I had no choice but to use him as my cushion.
Since our bodies were practically pressed together, the fall was slowed significantly.
And at that moment, just as I pushed his corpse downward, the falling speed surged again.
I pressed both hands against the sides… but…
My hands were already soaked in wet blood!
There was no way to cushion myself—those decaying cloth strips snapped completely in that moment.
I fell straight down.
Just before I dropped, I barely managed to curl up and protect my head.
Then… I felt myself slam into something soft and mushy!
‘Boom!!!’
I… landed on the man’s corpse.
Luckily, I wasn’t hurt.
Unluckily, my left leg took another hit, the pain almost made me cry out…
But… I didn’t get the chance.
The moment I landed, the iron net beneath gave way from the impact, and I fell again!
Just like that, I curled into a ball, shielding my head, dropping, pausing, then dropping again, crashing through layer after layer of iron net, falling all the way down!
‘Bang~~~ bang~~~ bang~~~ bang~~~’
With each impact, the iron nets couldn’t withstand the force, and my… head buzzed with ringing.
I didn’t even know when I finally stopped, but by the time I did, dizziness was already clouding my vision.
The man’s corpse had been shredded by the nets during the fall, and his whole body was a bloody mess.
I was also soaked in blood and bits of flesh—some from him, some from me…
“Uhhhn~”
I couldn’t help but groan.
I was still alive.
I couldn’t help but feel lucky.
But I wasn’t safe yet—I needed… to get moving.
I finally managed to crawl up.
Staggering, I opened the iron net in front of me…
Fortunately, I could already see the blood-red moonlight shining from the other side of the net.
The moment I opened it, I instinctively looked outside…
“The second floor?”
I’d made it to the second floor alive!
Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to crawl out of the ventilation duct, but my body was too weak…
I fell right out of the vent with a thud, landing on a bed.
My mind went blank from the impact, and everything went dark—I almost passed out!
I can’t pass out!
I can’t…
Barely holding on, I bit down hard on my tongue!
“Ugh~”
The salty, rusty taste spread through my mouth.
The thick blood swirled around my tongue.
The pain from my tongue snapped me back to clarity.
Forcing myself up from the bed…
“I can’t stop… Huh? A cane, perfect…”
Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly noticed the room was filled with canes.
I didn’t know which room this was, but although most of the canes were corroded, a few were still barely usable.
I grabbed two of them without hesitation, stacked them together, propped them under my left armpit, and forced myself to stand on my broken left leg.
Barely keeping my eyes open, I struggled to walk outside.
‘Tap~ tap~ tap~’
The cane thudded rhythmically against the ground, the echo ringing through the silent, empty corridor.
The door to this room had long since decayed to the point it couldn’t even lock.
With a gentle push, it opened, and I, using all my strength, began walking down the corridor… inching forward like a crawling snail.
My blood had long soaked through my entire outfit.
Even my shoes were filled with blood.
With every step, I left behind a bloody footprint.
The pain had started to feel numb, and my consciousness… was starting to drift.
I didn’t know if I could survive after escaping the hospital, but… at least there was still a sliver of hope.
If I stopped here, there would be no saving me.
I wasn’t afraid of dying.
What I feared… was becoming an Evil Spirit Form without emotions or consciousness after death, randomly hunting and devouring human souls…
I hated that feeling of losing control.
‘Tap~ tap~ tap~’
I knew I couldn’t fall now.
If I collapsed, I didn’t know if I’d have the strength to get back up.
So—I couldn’t fall.
Finally… I reached the top of the staircase.
Just as I began descending from the second floor to the first, a faint ‘patter patter’ sound echoed through the silent building.
It… had recovered after devouring that man’s soul.
Supporting myself with the cane, I took one step at a time down the stairs.
I was afraid of falling.
I was also afraid that I’d turn into an Evil Spirit Form after death.
So I carefully grabbed the Substitute Doll hanging on my chest and yanked it off, ready to throw it at any moment.
‘Tap~ tap~ tap~’
My consciousness started to blur.
My vision grew darker…
The world shifted from crimson to black and white…
Even the sounds around me gradually faded.
Yet I could still clearly hear that ‘patter patter’ of footsteps.
At last, I arrived at the first-floor lobby…
I didn’t know how I managed to hold on, but… right in front of me was the hospital’s main entrance.
Beyond the main door, it was pitch black—like a yawning abyss waiting to swallow me whole.
But I had no choice…
The footsteps grew louder and clearer.
I stepped forward a few more times, and the footsteps behind me… became unmistakably close.
It… had caught up.
Feeling that intense gaze, and despite my whole body being numb, I could still sense that bone-piercing chill.
Without looking back, I flung the Substitute Doll in my hand to the side.
Wherever it landed didn’t matter—at the very least, it could buy me ten seconds…
The moment I threw the Substitute Doll, I began silently counting in my mind, and continued moving… toward the darkness of the hospital’s main entrance.
‘One…’