Chapter 71 The Strongest Monster in Korea
It happened in an instant, like a natural disaster.
“Sa, save us!”
“I’ll save you now! Quickly, grab my hand!”
A mother and daughter trapped under the rubble of a building.
Although it had been over an hour since Yoo Che-ran arrived at the scene to rescue people in the inferno that had become the streets of Hongdae.
Even though her whole body was drenched in sweat, she didn’t back down and was determined to find survivors on her own.
Because that was what being a Hunter was about.
“Hoo… No matter how many I save, it never ends.”
Hongdae, a place always overflowing with laughter and positive energy.
How powerful must the monster be to turn such a place into this living hell?
At least it was strong enough to slice through A-rank Hunters like tofu.
If such a creature encountered the current group of refugees, they would be annihilated without a chance to resist.
“Now, we’re going to move outside! Everyone, follow me!”
“Ah, yes!”
She had already rescued more than 50 people by herself.
Most of them were injured, with problems in their arms or legs, so Yoo Che-ran carefully but swiftly guided them to the outskirts of the street.
“Kekekekekeke!”
“…!”
As time passed, the national disaster-level monster grew accustomed to its instincts and sensed the crowd of people.
Until it caught the eye of the monster Lee Hee-jeong.
“There are too many humans here~!”
“Kyaaaah?!”
“H-Hunter!”
“A monster! …No, wait, is that Researcher Lee Hee-jeong?”
Lee Hee-jeong, who had smashed through the rubble of collapsed buildings, ran towards the group of refugees.
Yoo Che-ran, who was taking a combat stance, momentarily recalled seeing her at the Association building and let down her guard for a moment.
Thunk.
In that moment, the force of being pushed sent her flying into a building in an instant.
“Ugh?!”
It was just a brief contact.
She already felt several bones break from a light ‘shoulder bump.’
Even trying to get up immediately, Yoo Che-ran couldn’t regain her composure as she coughed up blood.
Meanwhile.
“Hello hello~.”
“Kya, kyaaa!”
“A m-monster!”
“Yes. That’s right. I’m the monster who came to kill you all~.”
If she had lived as a researcher, she would have just watched these humans pass by.
Seeing these primitive creatures fear her and bow down in terror, trying desperately to survive, Lee Hee-jeong felt an inexplicable thrill in the situation.
“Kyahaha! I love this! I’m so happy! So, should I kill a few as an example?!”
“…!”
“Wa, wait a moment!”
“…Hmm?”
At that moment.
Just like pouring cold water on a good atmosphere, a sturdy young man walked out from among the terrified refugees.
“You seem capable of speaking, so how about we ‘negotiate’?”
“…Negotiate?”
“Yes. I’m a soldier on leave. If you have any demands, it would be best to discuss them with me, a representative.”
He stood with his hands up, as if he had already surrendered, showing no intention to fight.
However, even though he had surrendered before fighting, he felt no shame.
Because he believed this was the way everyone could survive.
Rather than dying in vain, this seemed like a hopeful strategy for survival.
Crack-.
“…!”
The soldier thought so.
“Shit… You’re just trying to look cool in front of the girls, aren’t you?”
“…What?”
From the moment she became a high-level monster, her appearance had become grotesque.
But as her anger grew, Lee Hee-jeong’s face, merged with the monster, twisted even more hideously.
“What’s your rank?”
“Sergeant…”
“Shit, what is a conscripted soldier like you trying to show off for?!”
Lee Hee-jeong immediately changed one of her arms into a sharp blade, intending to cleanly slice through the sergeant.
“It’s dangerous!”
Swoosh.
At that moment, if it hadn’t been for a Hunter rushing in and taking the blow on their back.
“Ugh…!”
“Hunter!”
“I-I’m fine… So please, run away…!”
“R-Run away…?”
“But…”
“Quickly!!”
Yoo Che-ran, who somehow regained her senses, hurriedly ran in front of the courageous soldier.
As a result of being their shield, she suffered a deep wound on her back, exposing her bones.
But even in that state, she quickly took charge and led the dazed refugees.
At first, they hesitated, but at her urgent cries, they began to move away one by one.
“Hey, you! Hey!”
Following her monster instincts, Lee Hee-jeong tried to chase and kill all the scattered refugees.
“No, you can’t…!”
But she stopped in her tracks, baffled by an old colleague from work who somehow managed to stand and firmly hold onto her.
“You can’t…!”
“…Ha. Che-ran, were you always this foolish?”
“Never, I… won’t, let, you…!”
Even though she knew she couldn’t stop her, Yoo Che-ran tightened her grip, shouting to buy time.
But that was a mistake.
“Are you sure you want to hold me that tight?”
“?!”
Slash.
Lee Hee-jeong intentionally turned only the part of her skin that touched Yoo Che-ran into a sharp blade.
Yoo Che-ran’s body, suddenly embracing a blade, became a bloody mess as her flesh and bones were sliced.
“Ugh, ugh…!”
Even so, seeing her try not to fall.
“Hmm…”
Lee Hee-jeong suddenly wanted to see her ‘submit.’
“Che-ran, that’s a shame.”
“…?”
“If this were America, there would’ve been plenty of support already, and someone like you, a mere C-rank, wouldn’t be suffering like this~.”
“……”
She wanted to see Yoo Che-ran display the same despair she had as a human.
Because that would make her feel relieved.
I had bowed down to this shitty Korea, but it irritated her to see Yoo Che-ran, as a Korean Hunter, stand up again.
“Che-ran, since we’re colleagues from the same Association building, I might just spare you.”
“……”
“So, stay still here. I’ll let you live.”
It wasn’t just a lie to manipulate an enemy but words from her heart.
Because she wanted to see Yoo Che-ran fall that way.
Hunter or whatever.
Responsibility or whatever.
Isn’t anyone who keeps such things in a capitalist society the real fool?
In a world where responsibility and pride now ranked below money.
How long could a person like Yoo Che-ran, pretending to be righteous, last?
Seeing Yoo Che-ran, who seemed about to fall at any moment.
Lee Hee-jeong smirked.
82
“…Che-ran, what the hell are you doing? That?”
Instead of cowering or blaming others.
Yoo Che-ran silently stood up, trying to cover her wound, which looked like her insides would spill out, with her bio-suit, and prepared to fight again.
“Che-ran, do you really think you can beat me?”
Despite Lee Hee-jeong’s words, she only thought of thrusting her clenched fist forward.
But, of course.
Swoosh.
Without a chance, this time, an entire side of her ribcage was sliced off.
“Ugh?!”
“Che-ran, apologize. Then I’ll let you live…?!”
“Gasp! Gasp…!”
But Yoo Che-ran stood up again.
And took her fighting stance once more.
Seeing this, the disgust Lee Hee-jeong felt as a human combined with the monster’s instincts, twisting her face into an even more grotesque expression.
Swoosh.
This time, it was one eye.
“…Che-ran, apologize.”
“Ugh…!”
Swoosh.
This time, it was one fist.
“Che-ran, what are you going to do? Now you can’t even do the taekwondo you love. You’re missing a fist~.”
“Hoo… Hoo!”
She sprang up.
“……”
Slash!
As she tried to stand up again, Lee Hee-jeong sliced off one of her legs so she couldn’t get up at all.
“Gah?!”
“Kya hahaha. What now, Che-ran! You can’t stand up, so you can’t act tough anymore, can you?”
“…Hoo!”
“?!?!!”
Crazy bitch.
Truly a crazy bitch.
The people you are trying to protect are just refugees whose faces you don’t even know.
At this point, you should be satisfied and blame others as you retreat.
Why.
Why do you keep trying to stand up?
Using her remaining arm to prop herself up in place of her missing leg.
Yoo Che-ran, kneeling, glared fiercely at Lee Hee-jeong with her one remaining eye.
No matter how the monster in front of her twisted its face into a red snarl.
“You bitch!”
Bang!
Lee Hee-jeong, feeling that she might actually kill her if this continued, started stomping on Yoo Che-ran’s head with her foot, intending to make her submit before she died.
“What! Are you! Doing! Admit! That! You lost! Already! You idiot!”
Was she overly excited?
A few seconds later, as she came back to her senses and looked down, she saw a Hunter, head bloodied, lying cold and still.
“I told you I’d spare you. Stupid bitch…”
Even though she had won, it didn’t feel like a victory.
But in the end, the one who died stubbornly was her.
Shrugging off the unpleasant memory, Lee Hee-jeong tried to move on as if it was nothing.
“Ah, no… You can’t…!”
“!?”
She intended to kill the humans who had fled past her quickly.
“I…won’t…let…you…!”
A disgusting presence crawled on the ground, using its chin to move and biting down hard on her ankle.
Seeing Yoo Che-ran, still alive like a cockroach, Lee Hee-jeong could only sigh in exhaustion.
“Wow. Che-ran, you’re really something. No wonder you’re a stubborn old maid who’s never had a boyfriend at your age?”
“……”
“Sigh. This makes me really want to make you submit. So, from now on, I’ll pull out one tooth at a time. So, if you feel like surrendering, scream then, okay? Please~.”
With that, Lee Hee-jeong grabbed the gray hair below her and lifted her to eye level.
Laughing at her bloody, stubborn face was a given.
And to break that stubbornness, she decided to start with her front teeth.
“Alright, let’s pull them out~.”
As she prepared to extract the first tooth.
“Hey!!!”
A fierce shout made her body tremble for a moment.
Even though she was a monster classified as a national disaster.
“…What is this?”
She turned in the direction of the voice, a sneer forming on her lips.
“Puhuh!”
The reason being, the reinforcement who had come to help our injured and stubborn Hunter was just some weak-looking Korean guy.
He had a pretty face, but he was just a nerdy guy with glasses.
“Kya hahaha! Che-ran, can you see?! Korea is truly an amazing country~. Sending someone like that as field support!”
Lee Hee-jeong purposely showed Yoo Che-ran to him, wanting her to taste even greater despair.
She thought the cries that would soon follow would be the lullaby for today.
However.
“Ah, you came…”
Contrary to her expectations, Yoo Che-ran was delighted.
And the nerdy guy, despite facing a national disaster-level monster like her, was engulfed in such deep rage that only the whites of his eyes were visible.
‘…What is this?’
Before Lee Hee-jeong’s senses could even sound the alarm of danger.
“Uwooooooo!!”
He let out a tremendous roar, emitting black lightning from his body as his true form was revealed.
“Eek?!”
83
The monster of Jamsil finally revealed itself after a long time.