Chapter 28: Killing the Monster

As Ji-hoon led the monster away from the exit, his heart raced with adrenaline. He could hear its thunderous footsteps close behind him, echoing through the abandoned hallway, his breath ragged as he pushed himself to keep ahead of the relentless pursuit. Every turn he made, every obstacle he navigated, brought him closer to the edge of exhaustion, but he couldn't afford to stop. His only thought was to lead the monster away from the others.

After a few minutes of running away, Ji-hoon surmised that the others should have escaped and he had to think of an escape plan now. Based on everything that had happened since the chase began, the monster seemed unintelligent just like Eunji had said earlier so he just had to find a way to lose it and he'll be able to escape.

It also seemed like he would soon reach the end of the building, after all, there was only so much space he could lead the monster through while avoiding the exit and the room, the others were in. He quickly scanned his surroundings as he tried to come up with an escape plan. His eyes suddenly lit up as he saw a door by his right.

Hoping that it was open, he quickly rushed towards it avoiding a swing of the monster's hand. He turned the knob immediately and entered the room avoiding another swing and immediately closed the door.

As Ji-hoon entered the room, his eyes quickly scanned the area, searching for any means of escape or potential weapons to use against the monstrous threat outside. To his surprise, he spotted several gas cylinders neatly stacked in a corner, their metallic surfaces gleaming faintly in the dim light filtering through the room.

His eyes then fell upon a nearby box containing flares with ropes—a fortunate discovery that sparked an idea in his mind. He had planned to jump out of the window in the room and used the time the monster used to destroy the wall to escape but it seemed like he could possibly kill it with this discovery.

With a determined resolve, Ji-hoon swiftly grabbed one of the flares, its rope dangling ominously as if beckoning him to action. He hesitated for a moment, contemplating his plan, before decisively tying the flare to the cylinder's valve.

As he finished securing the flare, Ji-hoon's heart raced with anticipation. This was his moment—a daring gamble that could either secure their escape or seal their fate. Taking a deep breath to steel his nerves, he glanced once more at the gas cylinder, now primed to become a makeshift explosive.

With a swift motion, Ji-hoon lit the rope with a lighter he had kept with him and immediately dashed toward the open window, his adrenaline-fueled instincts driving him forward. As he leaped out into the open air, he spared a fleeting glance back at the room, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination.

Outside, the monstrous creature continued its relentless assault, unaware of the danger lurking within the confines of the room.

As the flare's rope burned steadily, Ji-hoon sprinted away from the building, his senses heightened as he awaited the inevitable explosion. Moments later, a deafening blast reverberated through the air, sending shockwaves rippling outward as the gas cylinder detonated with tremendous force.

In the chaos that followed, Ji-hoon stumbled forward, he hadn't escaped the range of the explosion and he felt something hit him from behind, pushing him on the ground, his ears ringing and his vision blurred by the billowing smoke and debris.

As Ji-hoon struggled to regain his senses, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him, and darkness began to creep into the edges of his vision. His knees buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground, consciousness slipping away like sand through his fingers.

Just as he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness, a voice echoed in his mind, faint yet distinct amid the chaos surrounding him. The voice sounded strangely robotic and unsympathetic.

'Requirements met for integration, system activation in process.'

'Integr.......'

That was all he heard as darkness engulfed him, and Ji-hoon surrendered to oblivion, his world dissolving into blackness.

.......

As Soo Won and the others waited anxiously at the camp's entrance, concern gnawed at their insides like a relentless predator. Ji-hoon's absence weighed heavily on their minds, each passing moment amplifying their fears for his safety.

Then, in a deafening roar that shattered the silence, an explosion rocked the air, sending shockwaves of panic rippling through the group. Soo Won's heart lurched in her chest as she exchanged alarmed glances with the others, dread knotting her stomach like a tangle of thorns.

"Ji-hoon!" she gasped, her voice trembling with fear and urgency.

With a sense of desperation driving them forward, Soo Won and the others raced towards the source of the explosion.

As they reached the scene of the explosion, smoke billowed into the air, obscuring their vision and stinging their eyes. All that was left of the building they were trapped in earlier was rubble and debris.

Frantically, they scanned the chaotic scene, searching for any sign of Ji-hoon amidst the rubble and debris.

"Guys, over here!" Min-ji called out, her voice shaken.

Soo Won's heart skipped a beat as she hurried towards Min-ji's voice, her pulse racing with a mixture of dread and hope.

"What is it?" she asked breathlessly as she reached Min-ji's side.

Min-ji pointed towards a figure lying motionless amidst the rubble, its form almost indistinguishable under all the rubble it was buried.

Underneath the wreckage, they could barely see the monster that had been their source of terror not long ago, now lifeless, its once-menacing presence reduced to a crumpled heap.

The sight filled them with a mixture of relief and disbelief. They couldn't believe Ji-hoon had really killed the monster. They just had to find him now.

They continued their search for him and eventually found him some distance away from the wreckage, it almost seemed like someone had moved him away from the destruction.

Soo Won ran to his side immediately and breathe a sigh of relief when she saw that he was breathing. He had a lot of bruises but atleast he was alive.

Mr Park carried him and Soo Won led them the rendezvous point where they had planned to meet. They were all unaware of two pair of eyes watching them from a distance each with their own intentions as they stared at the group.