Ch.106Before the Storm

“Ugh, so noisy.”

“Urgh… ugh…”

“Uh, urp…”

Gu Seo-ryong frowned and flicked her fingers forcefully, completely reversing the senses of the two women.

Their faces turned pale as nausea surged up.

“Honey? They both seem too drunk, so would you mind carrying them to the bathroom?”

“Is the conversation over?”

“I think I’ve heard everything I needed to.”

“Sa Gu-gu is full.”

As I lifted the two women by their necks, Gu Seo-ryong walked ahead and opened the bathroom door.

Click, click, click—confusing the senses of people inside the establishment, Gu Seo-ryong reached the bathroom and released the two women, who both rushed to the toilet and leaned over it.

“Bleeeurgh…”

“Keh-hack, keh-hack…”

“Did you learn anything from that conversation just now?”

Curious about what could be gleaned from the conversation so far, I asked, and Gu Seo-ryong pulled out her phone, opened a map of A City, and said:

“I think I know where the laboratory is.”

“You figured out the laboratory’s location from that conversation? How?”

“The information in your head and what I know are quite different. I’ve been searching for the laboratory for four years, remember?”

“Fascinating.”

“Need an explanation?”

“It’ll be long, won’t it?”

“Hohoho, I’ll keep it simple.”

Tap, tap… Gu Seo-ryong looked up at the ceiling, tapping her lips before snapping her fingers with a click.

“First, Cage’s weakness? From what these girls were saying, Cage’s driving force seems to be something like revenge for what happened during that incident. He doesn’t seem to know much about the laboratory yet, but with that kind of incident, he’d likely be hostile toward and try to eliminate everyone involved. So people connected to the laboratory would have moved to avoid Cage, right?”

Beep, beep, beep, Gu Seo-ryong marked something on her phone and showed me the screen.

Three marked locations in the closed zone outside A City.

“That guy is really thorough when searching… Excluding targets Cage has already investigated, places he’s already checked, and places that are related. That leaves three locations.”

“Why outside A City rather than inside?”

“Electris and Baskerville are both S-rank specialists in tracking and detection, right? They both seem to be under Cage. So facilities within A City, which are within range of their abilities, are excluded. We’ll have to check directly, but if we’re lucky, we might find the laboratory hidden in A City as soon as tomorrow. I’m excited.”

“Meow!”

After finishing her explanation, Gu Seo-ryong tossed her phone, and Sa Gu-gu, who had been playing with water in the sink, jumped up to catch it.

The phone, wedged between her palms, disappeared into the space beyond.

“Well then, shall I clean up a bit…”

“Heh, hee… wh-what is this? Uh, oh…?”

“Ah, ah… aaaah…”

Gu Seo-ryong lifted one of them from the toilet, pushed both into one stall, and dug her fingernails into their necks.

Saliva dripped from their naturally parted lips, their four legs twitching and flapping.

The thick scent of pleasure rose up, boiling over so violently that it erased even surface thoughts.

“What are you doing?”

“Making them feel good to erase their memories. Bleaching them like this before manipulating their memories makes it cleaner.”

“Urgh, eck, hack…”

“Heeack…”

It seems she’s trying to manipulate their memories to avoid suspicion later, since she made them say quite a lot.

“Honey, would you take Gu-gu ahead? Just in case, I’ll organize these girls’ memories before I leave.”

“Understood.”

“Did these unnies pee?”

I covered Sa Gu-gu’s curious eyes and left the bathroom.

#

“Oppa? Sa Gu-gu is bored. Want to play!”

“Hmm.”

Leaving the complicated matters to Gu Seo-ryong, I took Sa Gu-gu out and followed the scents in the air until we reached a park.

The area we’re in now is where the upper class of A City resides.

Seeing the spacious park, Sa Gu-gu got down on all fours in human form and ran around.

“Umyamyamyamya!”

“Don’t rush at people.”

“My goodness, she still looks so young.”

“She’s incredibly fast.”

After letting Sa Gu-gu loose, I went to a nearby vending machine, tapped my superhuman registration card, and got lots of snacks and drinks.

In the park, not only Sa Gu-gu but also children who seemed to have abilities were playing.

Children who floated slightly in the air and glided around, children playing catch with fireballs on stone floors designed not to catch fire.

Ordinary children were playing too, but there were so many superhuman children that no one said anything when they saw Sa Gu-gu.

It was like seeing a world exclusive to superhumans.

“So, what do you all think? Will he really do it?”

“I think he will.”

“Looking at what he’s done so far, it’s certain.”

At a small café next to the bench.

People were whispering beside me as I sat eating snacks while watching Sa Gu-gu.

These people drinking something as tasteless as coffee were probably parents who brought their children.

Most of them were superhumans too.

“He says it’s villain cleanup, but why bother when he’s already absorbed most villains into Cage’s faction?”

“And most of those he’s caught were small fry connected to the government.”

“The high-ranking ones have already fled to B City after hearing Cage was making a move.”

“Did you hear Meister briefly left the city?”

“Anyone can see that Meister was excluded from the purge targets because he’s a fellow superhuman.”

They spoke about Cage with tension, but their emotions leaked out like steam—complicated yet expectant.

“It’s really not just a rumor anymore… even some citizens have noticed.”

“Cage is the type to act first if he thinks it’s necessary, right? He’ll definitely do it.”

“When will it start? I want to evacuate my family.”

“Don’t know. Could be today, could be tomorrow…”

I wonder what they’re talking about.

I continued eating potato chips, turning my attention away from the complex problems before me.

[Honey? I’m done, where are you?]

“At the park.”

Gulp, gulp, after finishing a whole bottle of cola, I heard Gu Seo-ryong’s voice after she finished manipulating memories and told her my location.

Tap tap tap, a cat rose from the shadow being tapped at my feet and answered Gu Seo-ryong.

[Myamyamyang.]

[You’re cute, but I can’t understand you even if you say that. Could you guide me as a cat?]

[Meow.]

I directed the cat to guide her to the park, then got up from the bench and finished the remaining potato chips.

Sa Gu-gu was nowhere to be seen—she must have gone somewhere.

It seems she’s not running wild anywhere, given how quiet it is.

As I passed by the café looking for Sa Gu-gu, the superhumans continued their conversation.

“There will be quite a backlash from people. The shock will be huge too.”

“So what? In the monster era, humans are rightfully obsolete.”

“From now on, it’s the era of new humans like us.”

Cage, monster experiments, female ghost, Yeo Un-jae…

I came to A City just because the laboratory might be here, but there seem to be many complicated matters.

Are human affairs always this complex?

Looking at situations tangled like a skein of thread makes me want to just swat it with my front paw.

It would be easier to just smash everything.

I just hope Gu Seo-ryong finds the laboratory.

I don’t want to worry about the process.

“Sa Gu-gu.”

Sa Gu-gu was in a corner of the open space, in a sandbox with some children.

Her tail poked out from between her legs, gently swaying, even when I called her and she didn’t answer.

I went around to see what she was so focused on, and found children younger than Sa Gu-gu playing with dolls.

“Hello, I’m Pappakung.”

“I’m Yuikung.”

“Who is Sa Gu-gu?”

“Unnie is Nanakung!”

It must be the Pipikung game.

I was also forcibly included in this play by children at the Black Cat Playground in W City.

Children who have toy dolls named Pipikung all play this game.

Come to think of it, Gu Seo-ryong told me not to teach Sa Gu-gu about Pipikung.

I’ve never taught her, so it should be fine.

I grabbed Sa Gu-gu by the neck as she held a doll.

“Sa Gu-gu is… not Nanakung…? Sa Gu-gu is…”

“Sa Gu-gu, get up. Gu Seo-ryong is calling…”

And at that moment, when I lifted her up and our eyes met.

I couldn’t help but freeze at Sa Gu-gu’s expression—one I’d never seen before.

“Who… is Sa Gu-gu…?”

Her expression was confused, her emotions turbulent.

Like ripples spreading under a sheet of paper, Sa Gu-gu’s inner self was unstably shaking.

At that moment, part of my core moved on its own.

A faint wave, through the skin contact of hand and neck, my heartbeat resonated with Sa Gu-gu’s.

Blinking, Sa Gu-gu returned to her usual sparkly yet vacant gaze and smiled brightly at me.

“Oppa? It’s Oppa!”

“Mm.”

Sa Gu-gu rushed to me, clung to my body, and waved the doll in her hand in front of my eyes.

“Oppa! This is Nanakung? That’s Pipikung? Is Pipikung Nanakung’s friend?”

“No! This is Pipikung Magical Princess Form!”

“This is Pappakung Sapphire Prince Form, and sapphire is blue.”

“My shoes shine.”

Amid the noisy children’s conversation, I uncomfortably grabbed Sa Gu-gu’s head and gently detached her from me.

“…Sa Gu-gu, Gu Seo-ryong is calling.”

“Mommy… Mommy?”

Sa Gu-gu tilted her head questioningly, blinked several times, then focused her gaze in one direction and opened her eyes wide.

“It’s Mommy!”

“Oh, my?! Wait, slow down…! Kyaak!”

Thump! Sa Gu-gu kicked off my body, jumped down, and ran to Gu Seo-ryong in the distance, leaping at her.

Wham! Gu Seo-ryong, hit in the stomach by Sa Gu-gu’s full-speed headbutt, flew across the lawn and slid.

“It’s Oppa! It’s Mommy!”

“Ow ow ow… what’s with her? She hasn’t been like this lately, why suddenly now?”

Sa Gu-gu, mounted on top of Gu Seo-ryong, pressed down on her with both hands, then held out what she had been holding.

I arrived at the fallen Gu Seo-ryong on the grass, following Sa Gu-gu, and silently watched her.

“And this is Nanakung!”

“Don’t tell me you rushed at me because you want me to buy this?”

“Sa Gu-gu wants Nanakung Luxury Palace!”

“Oh my, I see… Honey? Say something?”

Seeing Sa Gu-gu’s usual behavior, I said nothing.

“By the way, Gu-gu? Which do you like better, Nanakung or dakgalbi?”

“I want Pipikung Princess Palace too!”

“You can’t eat Pipikung Princess Palace? You can eat beef? Gu-gu likes beef, right? Should I buy you beef?”

“I want Pappakung Prince Carriage too!”

“Haah… how many did you see in that short time? Honey, isn’t this too much?”

“Sa Gu-gu found out on her own.”

I had to refute Gu Seo-ryong’s accusation because it was unfair.

#

“Nyaaaaa! No! No! I want it!”

“Gu Seo-ryong, just buy it for her.”

“Okay, okay! I’ll buy it!”

“Meow.”

The next morning at the hotel.

Sa Gu-gu, completely obsessed with Pipikung, threw a tantrum as soon as she woke up, saying she wanted Pipikung.

After suffering all night, Gu Seo-ryong finally gave up and agreed to buy Pipikung. Sa Gu-gu, who had been lying on the floor flapping her limbs, got up as if nothing had happened and pulled Gu Seo-ryong’s arm.

“Where on earth did you learn to throw tantrums like this?”

“Kids at the park taught me!”

“Don’t play with those bad kids anymore. If you do, I won’t buy you anything.”

“Have a good trip.”

“Haah… we really need to find the laboratory…”

After being tormented by Sa Gu-gu all night, I stayed alone at the hotel and fell asleep.

After sleeping well, I woke up to find the sun already setting.

Wondering if they hadn’t returned yet, I focused on the cat I had attached to Gu Seo-ryong and heard her and Sa Gu-gu’s voices.

[Pipikung broke…]

[It hasn’t even been a day since I bought it! Didn’t Mommy tell you not to play roughly?]

[New Pipikung! Want it!]

[This is why I didn’t want to buy it in the first place…!]

[Want it! Want it!]

[Okay, okay, will you help Mommy first? If you stay quiet, I’ll buy you another one when we’re done. Be good, okay?]

[Sa Gu-gu is a good child!]

[Haah… I hope this one is the right answer…]

Gu Seo-ryong, having successfully calmed Sa Gu-gu and put her in the shadow, walked quietly between moss-covered buildings.

It seems she’s already investigated other places and is now checking the next location.

I can leave her be and go when she calls.

Having slept enough, I got up from the bed and left the hotel.

My destination was a hot dog stand near the hotel. I confidently took out my superhuman registration card and ordered what I wanted.

“Five hundred hot dogs.”

“Eek… Oh? Card? Th-thank you? But, five hundred… that’s difficult…”

“One hundred.”

“Heeek.”

The shop owner, with an expression that was somehow both happy and sad, diligently grilled hot dogs.

As I devoured each hot dog as soon as it was ready, I sensed a strange wave spreading through the air and paused.

An ability wave covering the entire city.

My monster sense detected that the ability user was searching for something.

“Hmm?”

“Hee, heek! It’s a magic bullet!”

At that moment, a bullet about the thickness of an index finger whizzed past me.

Baskerville’s ability—the magic bullet circling around me fell next to a hot dog and made a beep sound before speaking.

[Hey, promising one. Can we talk for a moment?]

“What’s this?”

[I’d like you to go somewhere without people. Preferably somewhere with walls.]

Had he placed a tiny communicator inside the bullet? Curious, I picked up the bullet, and Baskerville made a strange request.

I gathered the remaining hot dogs, placing one between each finger, and stood up.

“Give the remaining hot dogs to hungry people.”

As I entered a nearby alley, Baskerville’s magic bullet escaped from my hand on its own and embedded itself in the wall.

With a click, light shot out from the back of the bullet, projecting an image on the dark wall.

[I won’t talk long since we might be bugged, but from now on, don’t head to this area no matter what. If you have family, evacuate them to another district.]