Became a Failed Experimental Subject Novel - Chapter 9

“Kueoeo….”

Why is gukbap so delicious?
The crispness of this jeongguji, or is it chives? This vegetable with so many names, how incredibly refreshing it is.
Should I call it refreshing, or invigorating? Anyway, this rich, savory, and weighty warmth filling my belly—the profound sense of satisfaction at that moment is truly difficult to express in words.
“Uh…aren’t you hot?”
“It’s warm.”

The sturdy ddukbaegi bowl is also the best. It’s easy to control the pace of eating, and the temperature is just right, allowing me to endlessly drink the broth.
Today’s meal was 1Zero bowls. I tried to restrain myself a little, but perhaps due to my monster-level eating, I was still hungry.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“What the heck? You’re chugging down gukbap like it’s makgeolli…”

I wanted to eat more, but I was short on money.
After paying, I left and headed to the meeting place.
I drove the truck, loaded the monster corpse, and roughly secured the foundation of the collapsed building.
That’s it for today’s work. Today, a building with a few more floors than usual collapsed, so Lee Han-yeong was diving deep underground.
“Whew…There are no more survivors…I’m sorry for preventing you from using the drill.”
“No, thanks to Bongbab, we were fine.”
“It’s actually good for me. Thanks to Bongbab, I can work comfortably.”
“Give me more money for doing more work today.”

Today, all the work finished at a single location. This is both good and bad about high-rise buildings. There’s no downside of having to waste time moving around, but it also means fewer monster corpses.
“Today’s timing is awkward. It’s too late to go to another site, but it’s a bit early to call it a day.”
“Well, that’s good. Everyone should go home early and rest today.”

Even though the work ended early, everyone seemed tired, and there was a sense that we should wrap things up for the day.
And I, feeling the source of their fatigue in my whole body, suppressed my presence.
Ultra-low frequency, the monster’s wave that stiffens humans.
Something is searching for prey from a distance that is not observed by human equipment.
“Whew…”

A sigh escapes as I feel a mix of discomfort and stuffiness, as if I were in dirty water.
The strength of the monster felt through the wave wasn’t clearly perceptible.
Then the owner of this wave is of my level, or even higher.
A true Despair-class monster has arrived in W city.

Although there is a Despair-class monster, I wasn’t particularly worried.
The Esperes who were chasing me, having been on alert for Despair-class monsters, would be able to quickly respond to its sudden appearance.
There was also an Esper in my body who could inflict fatal damage on a Despair-class monster.
It’s just a bit stuffy, and I simply don’t want to fight unnecessarily, so it’s just tiring that I’m suppressing my presence as much as possible.
Like parting a single strand of hair vertically…maintaining a uniform, unbroken speed, cutting off the leakage of presence in the middle…

“Bongbab-ssi?”
“Hmm.”

My concentration was broken by Lee Han-yeong’s voice, heard nearby.
A momentary lapse, like a strand of hair being severed. I immediately regained my composure and suppressed my presence, but…a very slight gap.
With it, the damp pressure I felt throughout my body disappeared.
What? Is it gone?
“Uh…Bongbab-ssi?”
“Hmm, what?”
“Uh…do you have some time today? Once I load the waste disposal people, the work will be over…”
“Hmm.”

What’s going on? I felt new questions piling up on my existing ones as I looked down at Lee Han-yeong.
She blinked rapidly, took something out of her pocket, and offered it to me.
“Bongbab-ssi…you like alcohol?! This is a free dumpling coupon. How about we…go together later? You like ramen, right? They say the beer is good there!”

I assumed it was an invitation to eat together, and I always welcome restaurant recommendations.
But…if it involves alcohol, I’m a bit hesitant.
Besides, there was a restaurant I wanted to try today.
“I don’t like alcohol.”
“Oh…”
“I’ve already decided what I’m eating today.”

The beautiful words “all-you-can-eat”—I was determined to visit that restaurant.

Is infinity truly infinite…? Then, will I be able to fill my stomach with a cheap meal?

Full of anticipation, I rejected Lee Han-yeong’s request, but I wanted a recommendation for a good restaurant, so I continued speaking.
“I like dumplings. Let’s eat them together next time.”
“Eh? N…next time?”
“Wasn’t it that we should eat together?”
“Ah! Yes! Next time! Then…um, on the weekend! U…Mr. Bongbab doesn’t have a phone, right?”
“Ask the boss. Wait at the place where I always get on the truck.”
“Yes, yes! H-here’s a coupon! You’ll definitely come?!”
“Mm.”

I put the free dumpling coupon in my pocket, waved to Lee Han-yeong, and got on the truck.

The place where I board the monster corpses disposal truck is always the same.
Now, just unload the corpses…that’s it. I thought that was the end of today.
“…Mm.”

The truck bed was cramped, and sitting on the bag containing the monster corpses, I frowned at a strange feeling.

Killing intent…no, a rushing presence.
A Despair-class monster.
The monster is heading towards the place where I was just a moment ago.
Has the hunt begun…? The alarm hasn’t gone off yet.
At that moment, I felt a slight incongruity.

The scene where a monster’s attack had just swept through, there are hardly any people there.
Why would a monster that attacks to eat many humans target such a place?
The answer is simple.

The monster’s prey is another weaker monster; my presence, which was slightly leaking out without being hidden.
Its prey is not human.
It’s the monster emitting a weak presence—me.

The Despair-class monster might have felt the incongruity of the faintly leaking presence, just as I felt it.
Another Despair-class, or a slightly weaker individual…hiding its body means it’s injured.

Was it because it sensed my presence that it came to W City?
If it’s the same Despair-class, humans are not even comparable—top-tier prey, the essence of evolution.
‘See you on the weekend!’

I immediately put my hand on the edge of the truck.
“…I’m getting off.”
“What?”
“I’m leaving the unloading…no, I’m leaving today’s pay. Just use it all if I don’t come.”
“Wait, what are you saying? B-Bongbab?!”

After getting off the truck, I kicked off the asphalt and leaped high into the air.
Landing on a high place, atop a building, I saw the two people sitting in the truck bed looking up with surprised eyes.
There’s no time.

A Despair-class monster is in front of Lee Han-yeong.
I leaped through the buildings and transformed into a monster.

A siren wails between the buildings.
Two loud sounds.
They are gradually getting closer.
***

“Despair-class monsters, two of them! Both at the same time! They’re getting closer, right now!”
Yoo Anna gritted her teeth in the worst-case scenario.

Code Zero was simply hiding its presence; this means that Code Zero is probably much stronger and was aiming for Code Alpha’s weakness.
From now on, W City will be the battlefield of two Despair-class monsters.

Finally, it begins, the civilization-erasing battle of two Despair-class monsters.
“Send a support request to neighboring cities! Evacuate all surrounding citizens! What’s the affected area! Restrict the destruction to that area as much as possible!”
“What’s the plan?”
“It takes time for an Esper to cross an entire city! Abandon the area, and the Esperes will form a ring!”

All the Esperes of W City will surround the area, restricting the battlefield where the two monsters will rampage to one location.

Barely one Esper—a Despair-class monster is easy prey to eliminate, but during a battle with a monster of the same class, even a slight interference can change the tide of battle, making getting close a difficult obstacle.

Sacrificing some of the city to save the rest. This is the best option humans can choose.

It’s a painful choice for humans as well, but it’s better than letting the two Despair-class monsters destroy the entire city.
However, the situation that actually unfolded was even more serious.

“W…wait, two! There are two more Disaster-class monsters around the Despair-class monsters!”
“What? Minions?”

Two more Disaster-class monsters; that means there are lower-level monsters acting as minions for the monsters.
If that’s the case, the range of the two monsters’ battle will expand further, and the Esperes will be unable to properly perform their barrier role.

However, if we leave things as they are, one of the Despair-class monsters will be overwhelmingly defeated, inevitably forcing an Esper to face a perfectly healthy Despair-class monster.

No matter what choice we make, the damage will increase.

Except for one.

Yoo Anna, who had been closing her eyes and listening, jumped up from her chair.

“We’ll handle the two Disaster-class monsters.”

“What? Are you crazy? If we do that…”

“The battle between the two Despair-class monsters will be prolonged. But that’s our chance.”

If one Despair-class monster and two Disaster-class monsters cooperate and run wild, it will be harder to control than two Despair-class monsters fighting each other.

Unlike monsters that only eat humans, Esperes who protect humans must control the situation to minimize casualties.

“Just like Despair-class monsters, Disaster-class monsters will be hesitant to approach the ring if they have an equal opponent.”

So, let the Despair-class monsters fight each other, and Yoo Anna, along with other Esperes, will deal with the two Disaster-class monsters.

This is the only way to minimize casualties.

The Esperes who agreed with Yoo Anna’s conclusion exchanged glances.

“Hurry, we don’t have time.”
***
A wolf leaping like it was propelled by moonlight.

Standing atop the ruins, it raised its head high, as if searching for something.

Below, on the messy ruins, two smaller wolves.

They were playing with their prey.

“Huk, ha…heuk…”

Tearing off legs, cutting off knees, bit by bit, slowly consuming the lower body.

Like savoring delicious candy, they filled their bellies and quenched their thirst.

The ground around was dug out in the shape of a wolf’s mouth, as if bitten along with the ground where the victim had submerged to escape.

I watched the scene and slowly approached.

“Woo woo woo…”

“Woo woo woo woo…”

The wolves became wary and stopped their bloody meal.

I looked at Lee Han-yeong lying beneath them.

It’s too late.

She’s already on the verge of death.

As I slowly approached, the wolves distanced themselves warily.

Above, the largest wolf looked down at me with interest, then turned its head.

I also felt it, the encirclement formed by the Esperes.

The wolf seemed to welcome this, sending out a killing intent as if it would definitely devour me here.

“Black…go, sheep…”

Appearing before Lee Han-yeong in the form of a black panther, I looked down at her, already half-eaten.

I felt it…the smell of fear and terror, the trembling of a human overwhelmed by a monster.

After hesitating for a moment, hoping to allow Lee Han-yeong to close her eyes peacefully, I deactivated my monster transformation.

“Woo woo…!”

“Woo woo woo woo…!”

The wolf monsters, seeing this incomprehensible phenomenon, seemed startled and increased their wariness.

I was relieved they didn’t immediately attack. Looking at Lee Han-yeong, she seemed surprised and looked at me.

Even though there should be no blood left, she reached out to me with trembling hands.

“Ah…”

“You…will die.”

Carefully taking Lee Han-yeong’s hand, I delivered the cold verdict.

Because there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes, as if expecting to live.

Knowing that hope can sometimes be painful, it was the least kindness I could offer her.

“I…know…”