chapter 10
Episode 10: Little Butterfly.
“So. Where are you going today?”
Crow asked me after I was ready to leave.
“Hmm…As I said last time, we’ve recruited Haein to find out the information, so now we’re going to find someone strong enough to protect us.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
As I said, Crow glanced at Haein.
“..Heh..Heh..”
Looking at Haein lying on the sofa laughing and talking in his sleep, Crow smiled slightly.
Due to the aftermath of the party the previous day, Crow’s store was in a mess, and crows were flying around diligently clearing out the garbage.
“..Well, that’s not bad. The feeling of having a family.”
A small glimpse of longing appeared in Crow’s eyes for a moment like a shooting star, then disappeared.
I couldn’t help but be more surprised because Crow, who was always bright, said something with a sense of sadness.
“…Crow, you…”
“Ah! It’s okay, it’s okay. This kind of atmosphere doesn’t suit me!”
Crow put a paper bag into my arms when I was ready, then turned around and pushed it out the door.
“Now, wait.”
“Bring me the bright kid again!”
I handed out a small note to Crow, who was about to let me go.
“This, this! Give it to Haein and let him find information! If possible, buy it before I come!”
“..? Ok.”
Crow took the note and pushed me with his free hand.
…As expected, a real villain.
The power is incredibly strong.
I was pushed out of the store, I stayed in a daze for a while, then sighed.
“..I wonder if my father felt like this when he went out to work.”
I scratched my head and looked up at the sky.
The bright sun was beaming down toward the ground.
I instinctively frowned.
..I’m afraid of the night, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like the morning either.
I raised my hand to block the sunlight and walked away slowly.
As I came out of the alley, numerous sounds pierced my ears all at once.
The sound of late office workers spitting out short two-letter curse words and running away.
The sound of countless cars honking at each other as if in a race, trying to go faster.
It was a very familiar and nostalgic sound, but somehow irritating.
“..I have to work. To survive.”
I sighed and threw myself into the tiring waves.
*******
“Hmm? Come on!!”
When I opened the door and entered, someone greeted me.
In the place where the door was opened, the water was so hot that it lost its life and ascended to the sky, and the temperature was maintained at a cool temperature, unlike the outside where people moaned from the heat.
My body instinctively vibrates at the sudden temperature change and struggled to adapt to the temperature.
I walked over to the man who rubbed his arms and greeted me.
“Welcome. How can I help you?”
I looked around for a while.
The white-papered walls were supposed to look neat, but strangely, they didn’t give the impression that they were clean anywhere.
Is it because of the smell that has been gnawing at my nose ever since?
I averted my gaze as I slowed my breath slightly to stop the fishy smell.
As I lowered my gaze, the white color that covered my eyes disappeared and an intense red color rushed toward my vision like a wave.
The red meats lined up as if they were on display inside the transparent glass were showing off their red color as if to hurry up and buy them.
“..A guest?”
“…..”
The man called me again, and then I looked up and looked at him.
A fishy smell was emanating from the man’s body.
I promise you.
This will not be the bloody smell of a beast.
“..I want to buy something special today. Are there any new items coming in?”
When I said that, the man hesitated for a moment.
After that, it was different from before.
Creepy smiles for ‘real’ guests.
“Ah~ So you’re a customer. Fresh or slightly less fresh. What would you like?”
“To be fresh.”
The man’s gaze was brief, but it gave off a sinister light.
“What quality of meat do you want?”
“With the best quality. I’ll give you any amount of money.”
The man grinned again.
The gold that covered the teeth was glistening in the light.
“What stage are you going to bake?”
“..Medium rare.”
The man pondered for a while before saying.
“This time, our store is holding an event. Please sing any number 7.”
“2, 21, 20, 3, 8, 5, 18.”
The man looked a bit startled, but he soon regained his creepy smile and said:
“I see! Follow me!”
The man looks familiar, but he takes off his gloves with a rough hand and gestures to me.
I followed the man into the back of the store.
“Hey! Newcomer! Look at the shop! VIP is here!”
The man went inside the store and slapped the back of the head on a young-looking man who was sitting on a chair and sleeping.
“..Sigh!”
The young man hurriedly got up and ran to the counter.
As I ran to the counter, the young man’s eyes collided in the air.
And in the eyes looking at me, a strong emotion peeped out.
Jealousy.
…Crazy.
I frowned and followed the man deeper into the store.
The deeper I went into the store, the thicker the smell emanating from the man’s body.
But this time it wasn’t a human smell.
My nose was collecting the smells scattered in the air.
While walking like that.
An airport security checkpoint appeared.
“There are customers who bring guns or something. Please come quickly!”
The man gave a brief explanation and passed the checkpoint.
I hesitated for a moment, then took my step.
My body crossed the checkpoint.
“……After.”
Fortunately, there was no sound.
“Come quickly!”
A man from afar was calling me from inside the elevator.
I speeded up my steps a little more.
That’s how I got into the elevator.
The man took a key from his bosom.
The retrieved key was lifted and inserted into the keyhole beneath the elevator’s buttons.
The man put the key in and started turning it wildly.
5 Times to the right.
#1 To the left.
Four times to the right again.
Six times to the left again.
The man’s hand, which had turned the key, headed for the elevator button this time.
A man started pressing the buttons of the elevator that existed from the 1st floor to the 26th floor in a specific pattern.
2Nd floor.
21St floor.
20Th floor.
3Rd floor.
8Th floor.
5Th floor.
18Th floor.
Let the man press all the buttons.
Rumble. Rattle.
The elevator shook and started to fall slowly.
Why do you use the word fall?
“……!!!!!!!!!!”
So what is this crash?
The elevator went down at a speed that I thought was a bit harsh, and I grabbed the handle in a fright.
“Crunch. It looks like you’re new to the depths.”
The man looked at me giggling at what was so funny.
Such an embarrassing and frightening moment has passed.
The elevator crashed safely to its destination.
“Chuck. Get down.”
The man giggled and got off the elevator.
..Damn it.
I finally regained my balance and got off the elevator.
As I regained my balance, my irrationality and coldness returned to me.
I managed to raise my head as I swallowed something crawling up from above and sent it down.
“…f*ck.”
Instinctively, the curse came out.
I wonder if this is what caused the feeling of vomiting that was boiling in my stomach just now.
In my field of vision, there were iron bars stretched left and right.
Coro inhaled an unfamiliar fishy smell.
I couldn’t help but frown at the disgusting smell created by the mixture of blood, flesh, and ooze.
“We have to walk further to the product section! Even if it is difficult, please bear with it!”
A man shouted in the distance.
“..Damn it. Damn it.”
Why am I in a place like this?
I clenched my teeth and stepped forward.
And then I regretted it.
Quack!
…………
An ominous sound came from under the soles of my feet.
..Ah. No.
I’m slow. Very slowly I lowered my head.
f*ck you.
******
I don’t remember much after that.
I walked almost as fast as I could and soon caught up with the man.
“Chuckling. You adapt quickly. After all, is VIP different?”
The man laughed and fumbled along the wall.
Tak.
Soon after, the man flipped the switch.
The light in the ‘product section’ turned on brightly.
“Please see for yourself and choose. I will wait.”
The man gave a long yawn and stood next to me.
..Look at it. The perspective given to me seems to be quite a lot.
I was silent for a moment and only moved my head vigorously.
It is important from here.
It was easy to convince Hae-in because he had a little good impression by helping him.
But this time there is no such thing, so this time… It will be purely my own ability.
I eagerly rolled my eyes to find her.
“…God.”
But it was increasingly difficult to roll her eyeballs.
The people in the ‘goods section’ are in better condition than the people in the ‘slaughter section’.
But… That didn’t mean it was in good condition.
No one was hurt, but they were thin somewhere.
“..The condition of the products are all nonsensical. It is not possible that they have been touched, right?”
I asked, and the man freaked out.
“We never touch the goods. The guys in the slaughterhouse play with the guys below.
“..I see.”
I answered briefly and continued searching for her.
…Serious.
I walked and looked for her.
Long black hair..Purple eyes..A face that takes your breath away.
I muttered to myself and looked around.
Jerbug. That buck
I continued walking.
Black hair…Purple eyes…?!
I found it.
I found her and moved closer to her behind her bars.
“..Uh…Uh?”
When the man saw me approaching the barbed wire, he exclaimed in fright.
“Guest!! Step back!!”
I instinctively stopped at the man’s cry.
Hung.
A strong wind hit me in the face and sent me back.
“Kuuk!”
I struggled with pain as I resented the wall that hit my back.
“Damn it! Are you okay?!”
The man helped me up.
…The man kept asking me something, but I couldn’t hear him.
..Did you just blow me away with the wind pressure of your fist?
“..hahahaha…”
I let out a low laugh and murmured softly.
“..Found it.”
I looked up.
I could see her.
A clear contrast to the surrounding landscape.
It looks like a wise man sitting quietly in a dizzy world.
Meditate with eyes closed sitting quietly like a hermit in an iron cage.
..Finally.
I finally found it.
A small butterfly.
Xiao Hudi.