BSW 257
“What do you see?”
Gil-sang asked. To this, Ho-eun replied in his characteristic composed tone.
“I am not entirely sure. It is an egg, but… one where the Devouring Ghouls have pressed their heads together to form a sphere.”
“But why are they goin’ over there? The Captain is on the opposite side…”
Gil-sang turned his head toward the opposite direction. The egg the Devouring Ghouls were currently gathering around was not under threat. He didn’t know about later, but at least for now, it wasn’t.
“…”
Ho-eun scrutinized the specific egg once more. Yet, strangely… the egg felt darker. That is to say, the Helmet Bones of the Devouring Ghouls forming the mass were pitch black. Should he call it polished? Ah, yes, they were glossy. Almost… like healthy Devouring Ghouls.
If one looked closely at the other starving Devouring Ghouls, their hides had become brittle and coarse, but only the ones forming that egg looked healthy.
How is that possible? Those things are hidden deep within the swarm; since the battle began, they wouldn’t have even seen a human, let alone eaten one, he thought. Just then.
Kieeee…
Kireuk, kiiiii…
The Devouring Ghouls slammed their heads beneath the egg and began to push it upward. The ghouls that arrived afterward burrowed underneath [Read [visit our site]on Read BL Novels]to push their heads up, and the ghouls that arrived after them did the same.
Consequently, the sphere gradually rose into the air, ascending toward the sky. It looked as if the egg were perched atop a tower made of Devouring Ghouls.
The height continued to increase, eventually reaching a level comparable to the mountainside. With only a black egg floating over the flat plains, it looked as if a black sun had risen. The sky stretching behind it was as red as if it were on fire, making the sight feel even more grotesque and bizarre.
“What… what are those things doin’…”
Gil-sang stammered, unlike his usual self.
“…”
Seong-im also turned pale, her mouth hanging open.
“…”
Ho-eun was so shocked he nearly forgot to breathe. It wasn’t just them; every soldier on the battlefield felt the same. Everyone stopped moving, lowering their weapons as if dropping them, staring at the eerie spectacle as if possessed.
The riverbank became empty. This was because most of the Devouring Ghouls were being used as the tower supporting the egg. Thanks to that, Ho-eun was able to spot Tae-muk, Byeonguk, and Dong-ja, who were some distance away, sprinting toward the tower at full speed.
“General…”
Unconsciously calling out to him, Ho-eun brought the telescope to his eye. As he slowly turned the dial to focus, he saw Tae-muk, Dong-ja, and Byeonguk clearly, their entire bodies covered in yellow mucus.
They were running forward, not knowing why the Devouring Ghouls were supporting the egg or what was inside it. Their appearance seemed reckless, yet magnificent and admirable.
Because of them, Ho-eun snapped back to his senses. Lowering the telescope, he turned to Gil-sang and asked.
“Will the cannons reach that far?”
That egg had to be destroyed. He didn’t know what was inside, but whatever it was, it couldn’t possibly be beneficial to them. It had to be dealt with now, while it was defenseless.
“Eh? Ah, yes! It’ll reach. We shot all the way to the river, after all. Just a moment!”
Gil-sang almost left his post instinctively, but remembering his duty, he ordered another soldier nearby. The soldier who received the order quickly hurried down the mountain. And shortly after.
Boom! Kaboom!
Shells were fired. They struck the egg soaring in the sky with a satisfying hit. With a thunderous roar—Kugung! Kung!—murky grey smoke enveloped the egg. Ho-eun, Gil-sang, and Seong-im all watched with expectant eyes. They expected the Devouring Ghouls forming the egg to have been killed. However.
“How…”
The egg was intact. Far from breaking, there wasn’t even a dent. Though there were scratch marks on the Helmet Bones, it still maintained its perfect circular shape.
“…”
Ho-eun frowned. The ones that had been starving until now were blown to pieces from head to toe by the shells, so why was only that egg so unscathed? Was it encased in iron armor?
Ho-eun examined the egg through the telescope again, searching for a difference between it and the other eggs. But at that moment.
Grrrrrk.
With a strange sound, the egg began to open slowly. The Devouring Ghouls that had been packed tightly together to form the outer wall shifted their positions to create a gap. It was strange. Those things had clung to their positions even in death to protect the egg. To reveal the interior of their own volition…
But the strangeness didn’t end there. From the opening gap.
Chwaaaaa…
A crimson liquid began to pour out like a waterfall.
Because such a massive amount of liquid was falling from a great height, it truly sounded like a waterfall. The drop was so great that a red mist blurred the surrounding area.
However, the sound of the pouring water was not refreshing or clear like a waterfall. The viscosity was strangely thick and sticky… and among the liquid, there were lumps—or perhaps chunks—unidentifiable things mixed in sporadically.
“…”
“…”
Everyone lost their words. It was because they had realized what that red liquid and those lumps were.
Uuugh…
Some clung to trees and gagged, while others collapsed [stolen content]to the ground and vomited. Ho-eun also felt unauthorized copyhis stomach churn, forcing himself to swallow hard and clutch his chest.
“Are those bastards… carryin’ people around wrapped up like rice balls?”
Gil-sang spoke, his face colder than ever before.
“…It seems so.”
A pale Ho-eun replied in a strained voice.
What had come out of the egg was none other than people. To be precise, human corpses. By the looks of it, they had gathered human corpses inside. Since ‘hunger’ was their weakness, they had essentially packed a kind of rice ball for the road.
Yes, thinking about it, there was no way such clever creatures wouldn’t be aware of their own weakness. Just as they packed rice balls when setting out on a journey, there was no way they wouldn’t bring food while moving the main force.
“Crazy bastards!”
“Son of bitches!”
The surrounding soldiers spat out curses filled with rage. Regardless, the Devouring Ghouls opened their mouths wide and excitedly devoured the human flesh and blood pouring down from above.
Karrrrrk!
Kak, kareuk, kueeeeek!
The food plunged down their throats. They swallowed it greedily without even pausing to breathe.
Watching this, Ho-eun gasped. He then hurriedly approached Gil-sang.
“They will become strong again. We must deal with them before that happens. Tell them to fire everything—cannons, machine guns, bows—all toward that direction. We need to notify the soldiers at the foot of the mountain as well; can we do that?”
“Of course.”
Gil-sang signaled a few soldiers. One climbed up the mountain, and two others headed down.
Gil-sang drew his sword. Seong-im did the same. A sword couldn’t do anything to enemies that far away, but they did it because it felt as if something was about to happen at any moment.
Ho-eun also raised his gun. Then—Bang! He began shooting the heads of the creatures, regardless of whether they were Tentacle Plant Monsters or ordinary Devouring Ghouls, as they greedily drank the blood.
Starting with the sound of Ho-eun’s gun, shells flew—Boom, bang!—machine guns fired—Tatatata!—and arrows rained down—Swaeeeeek!
Under the assault, one side of the tower made of Devouring Ghouls began to collapse. The egg at the top lost its balance and wavered. The pouring stream of blood surged violently and splashed onto the ground. The Devouring Ghouls below slammed their faces into the dirt, licking and scooping it up with the soil.
Watching this, Ho-eun suddenly frowned.
Isn’t the food… too little? Even if the egg was filled entirely with blood and flesh, it seemed it wouldn’t be enough to fill the bellies of even half the Devouring Ghouls. That was only because many had died; if 100,000 of them had remained, eight out of ten would still be starving.
The Crimson Rain Brigade’s military rations weren’t exactly abundant, but they weren’t so scarce that eight out of ten would starve.
Is it perhaps food for a select few? Prepared for the Tentacle Plant Monsters, for example? stolen [unauthorized copy]contentWhatever it was, the fact that they couldn’t all be fed was welcome news.
“It’s okay.”
This is manageable. We can win. Nothing has changed. We just have to kill them faster.
Ho-eun pressed his lips tight and aimed his gun again. Just as he was about to pull the trigger.
Kiaaaa…
A bizarre cry echoed. It was a sound that was neither human nor that of a Devouring Ghoul. It began like a man’s shout but ended like a woman’s scream. It also sounded like the unpleasant friction of rusted rebar.
And in an instant, a piercing light struck his retinas. The light was so brilliant and bright that for a moment, the entire world seemed to burn white. Ho-eun, as well as every soldier present, squinted their eyes shut or blocked their vision with their hands.
Then, when they finally adapted to the light and opened their eyes.
“…”
“…”
The whole world fell silent. It was because everyone in the space had stopped breathing. Even the Devouring Ghouls ceased their movements. They stopped their gluttonous meal and stared blankly up at the ‘sun’ floating in the sky. Their posture and aura were as if they were beholding a god.
Yes. It was like a god.
Not a great god to be revered, but a god that should not exist in this world. A god that should never have set foot upon this land.
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