There Are No Humans in the Monster Company

Beside me, Lee Seong-hoon let out a stunned exclamation.

The corridor on the left was the same as the ones we had traveled through so far.

“…Huh?”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“Hyung, look… look over there! adjust It’s a normal path!”

However, the corridor on the right was so clean that it was unsettling.

A continuation of that hell filled with black rust running down the walls, crushed chunks of flesh, and dampness mixed with the smell of blood.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“Seong-hoon.”

“…Yes? abandon Hyung, it’s that way! alert If we go there, maybe we can get out!”

Hope lit up Lee Seong-hoon’s eyes.

As if drawn by a magnet, he tried to take a step toward the corridor on the right.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I stopped him with a cold, firm voice.

“Calm down and step back.”

I looked at the corridor on the right.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

It looked so perfectly normal that it made one forget we were inside an eroded distorted zone.

And an orderly atmosphere.

Fluorescent lights flickering at regular intervals.

A spotless floor.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

The pendant hidden beneath my shirt began to emit an unpleasant sense of presence.

But the necklace hanging around my neck told a completely different story.

‘…Something isn’t right.’

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Pulses and heat seeped through it.

Its weight increased.

Under the vision it granted me, that clean corridor did not appear as a beautiful white color.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

So faint it seemed transparent.

Yet permeated with a chill capable of wearing down bones.

It was an artificial red.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“H-hyung… that place really looks safe… why are you acting like this?”

I answered quietly while holding the necklace.

Lee Seong-hoon looked at me with a frightened expression.

“When something looks that perfect, it usually means there’s an even bigger problem.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I pointed at the obsessively clean corridor.

“Think about the prison guards we saw earlier. amber Every corridor we’ve passed through was filled with blood, flesh, and corpses. abstract Because they’re spaces used by prisoners.”

“…And why is that…?”

“But this is too clean. acquire Too normal. adjust Too orderly.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Lee Seong-hoon swallowed and lowered his head.

“If it’s a space maintained that perfectly, it means whoever manages it must use it frequently.”

The hope that had appeared in his eyes was once again replaced by deep fear.

He looked back at the corridor on the left.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I smiled bitterly and stepped forward first.

“It’d be nice if some sort of rule manual or something showed up, but for now, let’s keep moving.”

That horrible path filled with pools of blood and the stench of decay.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

But at least it was more honest than that deceptively perfect corridor on the right.

In this place, the only survival rule I could choose for myself was to trust a familiar mountain of corpses more than a beautiful hell.

The path on the left was still covered in the yellow warning haze displayed by the necklace.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

We turned one corner.

Behind me came the trembling footsteps of Lee Seong-hoon.

The sound of our feet sinking into the sticky floor echoed loudly.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

For a long time, we walked without speaking.

Eventually, we practically stopped talking altogether.

Then another.

And another.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

When we looked away, the figures inside the cells stared at us.

Simply walking felt as though it were slowly wearing down our minds.

When we breathed, the stench entered our lungs.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

The air itself seemed alive, pressing against the backs of our necks.

And the sensation of our ankles sinking into flesh and bones repeated itself over and over again.

The floor was viscous.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Lee Seong-hoon finally spoke.

At the end of the corridor stood a single iron gate embedded in the wall.

“…There are bars.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Only darkness.

It was rusted.

Unlike the countless cells we had seen so far, there was no prison behind those bars.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I grabbed the bars and slowly opened them.

But we had no other choice.

And dried bloody handprints remained on it.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

The space changed again.

The gate we had entered through vanished.

And at that moment—

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Old bookshelves were arranged at regular intervals.

And before us appeared—

“…A library?”

It was a small library.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Most of the bookshelves had collapsed.

Or maybe a high school.

Perhaps one belonging to a middle school.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

The books had been torn out and scattered across the floor.

Between the shelves.

On the chairs.

But there weren’t only books.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

And all over the floor.

The blood had hardened around them.

One still slumped over a desk wearing glasses.

There were corpses mutilated so badly that it was impossible to recognize their original forms.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“This place…”

I interrupted Lee Seong-hoon.

Another remained frozen in front of a bookshelf with a broken neck.

“First, let’s rest for a moment.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Or rather, an imitation of one.

It looked like a school library.

“There are no signs of prison guards. legend At least for now.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

The shelves had collapsed.

And torn books were mixed with severed arms on the floor.

A recreation covered in blood and flesh.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Death.

I stayed near the entrance for several seconds, sniffing the air.

Moisture.

Decay.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

And above all, I wanted to get away from those unbearable cell corridors filled with aberrant voices as quickly as possible.

But nothing moved.

If a prison guard were nearby, we would have noticed immediately.

It wasn’t a very large place.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I chose a chair and sat down.

I brushed away the dust.

After checking the area once more, I walked deeper inside.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘It’s ridiculous to feel something like this in the middle of a field of corpses.’

Subtly pushed aside some bloodstains.

And leaned back.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

For the first time in a long while, I felt the accumulated tension loosen.

Lee Seong-hoon also approached and sat down cautiously.

But still.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Then he noticed the blood smeared across it and flinched.

But even that seemed like a luxury at the moment.

He tried to lean against the backrest.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I didn’t turn my head.

Lee Seong-hoon whispered.

“…We’re still alive.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“Hyung… do you really think we’ll be able to escape like this?”

“I guess that’s true, but…”

“To try escaping, you first have to stay alive.”

Lee Seong-hoon muttered to himself.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I simply closed my eyes and pretended I hadn’t heard anything.

I didn’t answer.

“This place is too scary… This isn’t a dream, right…?”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“Where are your companions, hyung? aspect Is there any way to find them?”

“……”

I also pretended not to hear the words that came next.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“……”

I didn’t even respond with single-syllable answers.

“And these books seem really old too… Even though it’s strange, they aren’t organized. acid It’s different from the corridor earlier, but…”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I was grateful that he had followed me without breaking down in tears.

Beyond my personality, this was not the time to share emotions through words.

I didn’t want to prolong the conversation.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

But beyond that, it was something I couldn’t handle.

“Hyung, that bookshelf over there…”

Even so, Lee Seong-hoon spoke again.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“Get some rest.”

“…Yes?”

“Seong-hoon.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

This prison was alive.

I heard him hold his breath.

I rested my chin on one hand and looked around.

But he immediately fell silent again.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Will Director Mok and Supervisor Shik know that I disappeared?

The paths distorted themselves whenever they had the chance.

The spaces changed constantly.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Before opening that door, Director Mok had sensed something.

He even changed our direction slightly.

He said he felt a presence.

He said it was strange.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Could he detect my location as well?

What if all of us had been separated?

Would the other two still be together while I was the only one separated?

Or had all three of us been scattered apart?

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Then again.

I rubbed my face once.

I let out a short sigh and covered my face with both hands.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘At least it helps reduce useless anxiety.’

The rosary tightened.

A pulse.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I pulled the extractor from my clothes.

They allowed me to maintain only thoughts focused on survival.

In a cold way.

The company’s items were genuinely useful.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

20%.

The device, stained with half-dried blood, rested heavily in my palm.

A red indicator glowed on the front panel.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

At that moment, Lee Seong-hoon spoke once more.

It was still not enough.

‘Even so…’

I tried to put the extractor away again.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

That meant he should stay quiet.

“Hyung.”

I had told him to rest.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Just as I was about to turn my head, Lee Seong-hoon pointed at something with a thin, trembling finger.

Without moving my head, I followed the direction of his finger with my eyes.

I frowned.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Behind the shadows.

Between the library shelves.

‘…What is that?’

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Two figures were standing there.

Beside him stood a woman with short hair and a physique that did not pale in comparison to the man’s.

One was a sturdy man who looked to be in his early twenties.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Unlike the corpses in the library, they were standing on two healthy legs.

Both appeared human.

They were moving.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“…Seong-hoon, behind me.”

“Are they people?”

They were alive.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I slowly stood up.

“There are many things that look like people without actually being people.”

And focused my attention on those two figures.

Very slowly.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

A tense silence.

They didn’t say anything either.

I didn’t speak to them.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

And at the point where our gazes met, a thick tension flowed, as heavy as the very air of Gangsol Prison.

The two figures finally came into view.

The man looked to be in his early twenties.

A man and a woman cautiously peering out from between the bookshelves.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

He carried a backpack on his back.

The woman was slightly shorter.

He was tall and wore sportswear covered in blood.

But her gaze was sharp.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

She had short hair and wore dark athletic clothing.

Instinctively, I lowered my body.

And she watched in my direction with empty hands.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Without making a sound or revealing his presence, he hid behind my back.

It was Lee Seong-hoon.

I sensed movement behind me.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

My hand naturally slid inside my clothes.

“Don’t move.”

I muttered quietly as I lowered one knee to the floor to maintain my balance.

The cold surface of the bone pen touched my fingers.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

First, I needed to understand the situation.

I didn’t have a proper weapon for subduing someone.

But I also didn’t want them to discover that I was practically unarmed in the middle of this hell.

Who were they?

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

The man slowly raised both hands and spoke with a smile.

Then—

“Oh, wow, you scared us! zenith It’s okay, it’s okay. action Relax.”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

Cheerful.

A carefree voice.

Far too light for a situation like this.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“We’re… uh… from the Anomalous Disaster Management Department. absorb We’re from the Control Team! amateur You know us, right? amateur The Control Team! matrix We’ve come to rescue you.”

That unexpected name momentarily took my breath away.

The Anomalous Disaster Management Department?

As he casually looked around the blood-covered library, he continued speaking.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“My name is Agent Min Do-hyeon. amber Wow, this place is really terrifying, isn’t it? altitude Honestly, even horror games don’t go this far. crystal Are you two okay?”

‘How strange.’

Instead of answering, I narrowed my eyes.

I felt the strange pulse of the necklace beneath my shirt.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“Exactly! anchor We arrived a bit late, didn’t we? admire The paths kept changing, so it took us quite a while. aspect Ah, and we have some food in the backpack, first-aid supplies, and a few tools. audit Not much, but you’ll be safe if you come with us.”

That man who claimed to be Min Do-hyeon.

And he said he belonged to the Anomalous Disaster Management Department?

“A rescue agent?”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

And athletic shoes.

He continued speaking completely naturally.

He wore black high-mobility tactical clothing.

But I was more focused on his appearance than his words.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

And on top of that, he was supposedly an agent exploring a distorted zone.

Both Yeom Hwi and Seo Ryu had worn elegant formal suits and dress shoes, as though attending a funeral.

He looked nothing like the agents of the Anomalous Disaster Management Department I had seen before in the endless corridors.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

‘He doesn’t have a firearm.’

Yet all he carried was a knife and an expandable baton.

No matter how I looked at him, he was completely different from the genuine agents of the Anomalous Disaster Management Department I had seen before.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

I slowly turned my head and looked at my own clothes.

Even though they were a mess from blood and chunks of flesh, I was still wearing a suit.

I needed to confirm the truth before deciding how to deal with them.

It was worth taking the gamble.

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

“…Because I belong to the Anomalous Disaster Management Department.”

“Really? acoustic I don’t remember seeing you before.”

“Huh?”

Content of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 43: Gangsol Prison (4) published by TrungTu Reads.

For a fraction of a second, the other person’s eyes wavered in a strange way.