Ch.156Treacherous Path

# The World Occult Association uses phone booths for communication.

There are two ways to find them.

Either be a person with special abilities, or use anomalous observation.

Or simply find an actual public phone booth.

“Serim is resting right now.”

Serim is completely exhausted and panting.

The communication with the World Occult Association was difficult to establish.

It required a lot of physical contact, which put a significant burden on her body.

“I’ll find the phone booth.”

So this time, I need to take on the role.

“Um… Daju?”

“Yes. Get on my back.”

Daju immediately comes over to carry me.

“No. Not now.”

“What?”

“First, we need to clear a path.”

Another sound comes from outside.

The sound of walls being pounded, floors shaking, and people screaming in agony.

“The Fifth Apostle. The same thing that drove Mr. Sungjin mad back then.”

“Ugh…”

Daju shudders.

“We saw it in the Professor’s lab last time too.”

“Yes.”

“Listen carefully. This is about the entity called the Fifth Apostle.”

This is important information.

I called everyone else to gather around.

“Everyone else, come here and listen too.”

I waited until everyone approached, then slowly began explaining.

“Its mere presence drives people mad with blood. It makes them take blood and create idols to worship it.”

“Those are the drawings we saw in the lab last time.”

“Exactly.”

The Fifth Apostle is both a religion and a phenomenon.

Simply being near it turns humans into its ‘apostles.’

Apostles of an apostle.

What do followers of followers become?

At the very top is the incomprehensible malice of the entity that created the universe.

The Fifth Apostle makes its ‘believers’—those who fall under its influence—obsessed with blood.

Then it takes their blood to create idols of itself.

“Until now, it was bound in chains, but now that it’s free… it probably can’t be controlled.”

Everyone’s expressions harden.

“And one more thing. As these people increase in number, disasters will increase as well.”

“Why is that?”

Seok Hyunmin asks.

“Because as the idols increase, its influence grows stronger.”

The idols made of blood and flesh by the Fifth Apostle’s followers.

This goes beyond simply drawing patterns.

Living miracles.

Stigmata.

Flesh and the crucified.

As the idols increase, its influence grows stronger.

“So we always need to keep that in mind. Earthquakes. Plagues. Wars. Things like that.”

I took out a towel and wiped Serim’s sweat.

“I can see it now. Maddened people have already started entering this building.”

The noise of lunatics echoes through the corridor.

Seok Hyunmin mutters quietly.

“We didn’t see them when we went out. When did they come in?”

“Just now.”

“But how do you know the people outside are related to the Fifth Apostle?”

“…An ominous aura.”

Yebin mutters.

I added to her comment.

“Yes, that’s it.”

Seok Hyunmin nods.

“I understand now. It wasn’t just fear.”

The ominous aura carried by those influenced by the Fifth Apostle.

Goosebumps that rise for no reason.

A faint stench.

Screams echoing in your ears.

Its influence was strong enough for everyone to feel, regardless of their aptitude for anomalous observation.

“Now we need someone to lead the way and clear a path. But Daju needs to carry me.”

“I’ll go.”

It was Jung Haewon again.

I’d normally let him do as he pleases, but this time I want him to rest.

“Jung Haewon, you should rest.”

“What?”

“You’ve been running around a lot. Stay in the back and help protect me.”

“…”

“Alright.”

Instead, Seok Hyunmin and Heo Yoon stepped forward.

They were armed with weapons brought from the apartment.

“And since we’re going outside the theater, everyone needs to wear earplugs. You know there are still strange radio waves being sent by the Foundation, right?

And also… if you see any patterns drawn in blood on the corridor walls, never look at them. You might fall under the Fifth Apostle’s influence.”

The list of precautions seems endless.

That’s how dangerous this is.

But it’s something we must do.

We need to escape from here and join the Global Occult Association.

I used the communication cards to convey the same message to Robin, Riko, and Dan.

Robin nods.

Riko grips my hand tightly and says something that sounds encouraging.

I couldn’t understand the Japanese, but I could understand her feelings.

And Dan takes the lead with his shotgun.

Seok Hyunmin and Heo Yoon. Dan took the front position.

“Everyone knows, right? People who have already become ‘believers’ can’t return to normal.”

“Yes. I know.”

Heo Yoon answers with a resolute voice.

“They’re like zombies, right?”

“Yes.”

I got on Daju’s back.

“Even if you have to kill them, don’t hesitate too much.”

Serim has rested enough. We’re ready to leave the theater.

“Everyone put in your earplugs now! We’re going out right away!”

Everyone puts in their earplugs.

Dan, Riko, and Robin also instinctively put earplugs in their ears.

It’s time to move.

Just as we left the apartment to go outside,

We’ll leave the theater for the Global Occult Association.

“Let’s go.”

Heo Yoon took the lead with her shotgun.

As soon as we exit the theater door, a horrific scene appears.

Under the bright lights of the shopping center.

The floor was red and wet.

All human blood.

Forming pools, glistening and reflecting the light.

At the center, several corpses were piled on top of each other.

Their ashen skin, having lost all blood, stands out.

“Should we just pass by?”

Seok Hyunmin asks, looking back.

In a very small voice.

Twitch.

Among the pile of corpses. A tiny movement of ashen fingers.

It seemed I was the only one who noticed it.

I lowered my voice and whispered.

“No.”

I used anomalous observation on the corpses.

It didn’t take much effort.

Soon, information about them was observed.

Name Kim Jae-young■Age■■■Want to■■live■■■■■■Name Choi■■Age 17 Gender■Scared■■■■■■Blood■too much■■coming out I need to stop the bleeding quickly.■■■■■■■■■■■■Name Kim Min-jung Age 28 Gender Female■What’s happening all of a sudden?■■■■■■■■

Characters form a band floating before my eyes.

At first, they were mixed with noise and couldn’t be seen properly.

But gradually, the meaning of the sentences becomes clear.

ScaredScaredScaredScaredScaredScaredScaredScaredScaredScaredScaredScaredWantToLiveWantToLiveWantToLiveWantToLiveWantToLiveWantToLiveWantToLiveWantToLiveWantToLiveWantToLive

Before falling under the Fifth Apostle’s influence.

These were the victims’ final thoughts.

They were desperate, but too small to matter.

The thoughts form a band, twisting into a loop where the ends meet.

What I could see was a Möbius strip made of text.

A Möbius strip rotating in midair.

Drip.

Drip.

Black substance falls from it.

As if it were shedding tears.

Or it looked like it was bleeding.

…I closed my eyes tightly and opened them again.

“They’re all alive.”

No.

To be precise, they’re ‘captured.’

Unable to die.

Under the influence of the Fifth Apostle.

Twitch.

Twitch.

A voice comes from the corpses.

“We need more of the red substance.”

“Form the altar.”

Many voices overlap, reciting the same sentence simultaneously.

The voice was chillingly emotionless, but underneath were the screams of people.

It was like playing a recording made right in front of a murder scene.

The twitching gradually grew stronger until everyone could notice it.

The pile of corpses moves as one body.

“Those who build idols for the Apostle. Will be liberated.”

How long had everyone been standing there in a daze?

Soon after, Heo Yoon shouts sharply.

“What are you doing! Shoot quickly!”

Bang!

Heo Yoon is pushed back slightly by the shotgun’s recoil.

The bullet flies and hits the pile of corpses.

But the corpses don’t budge. They only continue to increase their movement.

“Shoot!”

Seok Hyunmin and Dan join in, pouring firepower.

Despite wearing earplugs, the deafening explosions continue one after another.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

It rises to its feet.

Under the Möbius strip.

Now the name of the unified entity is written.

‘Flesh Mass’

A victim of the Fifth Apostle, and an apostle who serves it.

And already an idol.

It completely blocks the path we need to take.

The stench of blood and flesh mixed and rotting wafts over.

Among us, reactions begin to appear in order of those with the weakest anomalous resistance.

“Urgh.”

Heo Yoon keeps dry heaving.

Daju is panting as if short of breath,

Riko crouches on the floor, muttering incomprehensible words.

Me too.

I’m starting to feel nauseous.

I trembled at the creepy feeling, like an incomprehensible fear being forcibly injected into my body.

But.

We’re not unprepared.

Entities like this. There are countless many in the apartment.

We didn’t survive in there for nothing.

“Yebin. Throw it!”

Yebin takes out something she prepared in advance and throws it at the creature.

Splash-

The liquid in the plastic bottle sprays evenly over its clothes.

On the tattered synthetic fiber clothes.

On the disgusting flesh where blood and meat are mixed together.

“Oppa, light the lighter quickly!”

“Got it!”

Click.

Seok Hyunmin lights a tissue soaked in kerosene with his lighter.

A fire starter to create a bigger fire is made.

All according to plan.

The fire starter is thrown toward the ‘Flesh Mass.’

Whoosh-

The flames grew instantly.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Aaaaaaaaaah!!!”

A terrible concert of screams from multiple people began.

They say the pain of burning is the greatest pain a human can experience.

“…”

It can’t be helped.

This might be better for them too.

The idea that burning pain is the most painful is only within the realm of common sense.

The pain of being eternally bound to the Fifth Apostle is immeasurable.

The influence of the ‘Flesh Mass’ disappeared instantly.

I could see life returning to people’s eyes.

Daju has found much more stability, and the people following us catch their breath.

The Flesh Mass writhes engulfed in flames, and the fire continues to burn.

But it remains our only passage.

“Hey. Let’s run through it.”

“Really?”

When I speak, Seok Hyunmin asks with wide eyes.

“Yes.”

“…Alright.”

I tried to convey the same message to those behind us using the communication cards.

[Follow me.]

[No matter what.]

But it seems Jung Haewon has already finished explaining.

“What? How did you do that?”

“I just used words I know.”

“What about Riko? She’s Japanese.”

“I only know a few Japanese words.”

“Oh…”

He really is an otaku.

With limited Japanese skills and even more limited English.

But somehow Jung Haewon seems to communicate with people from foreign countries.

First, Heo Yoon, Seok Hyunmin, and Dan run and jump over the fire.

Through the burning flames.

Thanks to clearing some of the ‘Flesh Mass’ remains in front, a narrow path has opened.

“Daju. Ready?”

“Yes, oppa.”

“Let’s go.”

And Daju starts running.

She maintains considerable speed even while carrying me.

Next are Yebin and Jung Haewon.

And then everyone else.

We all safely cross the flames and reach the opposite side of the corridor.

“Phew!”

Heo Yoon shakes her head to get rid of the nausea from earlier.

Others are also gradually returning to their normal state.

“It should be safe to take off the earplugs for a moment here.”

Not as much as in the theater, but the walls are still thick.

For a short while, it’s okay to take off the earplugs and rest.

We were waiting to set off again after resting in this safe place.

“By the way, Lim Dabin, did you just call him oppa?”

Heo Yoon pokes me and asks.

She’s referring to when I called Seok Hyunmin earlier.

“Well. I got confused because of what I said before…”

“Hmm?”

Her gaze seems somewhat suspicious, which made me flustered.

“No! You were the one who said it was strange first! That I was using the wrong terms of address!”

“Hmm.”

“Ah, why… It was just a mistake. A mistake.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

“Then it doesn’t matter.”

Heo Yoon turns around and goes back to her original position.

Then she suddenly wraps her arm around Seok Hyunmin’s neck.

“What the…”

What’s the big deal about saying “oppa.”

I just felt like Heo Yoon was being defensive toward me.