Chapter 234

The moment I awoke in Yerin’s arms, having severed the connection with the corpse, a massive body loomed into view.

The firewood that had been burning white was now dying down, and the halo above my head had vanished as well.

But even so, it still exuded an imposing presence just by its sheer size.

When I looked up from Yerin’s embrace, it felt as if it touched the sky—so overwhelmingly large.

It didn’t move, but those hollow eyes seemed to be staring right at me.

And like that, without collapsing or behaving naturally, the corpse began to be dragged somewhere.

Just like the ‘Red Monster’ that was pulled into a spatial crack, the black corpse got sucked into the [Unchanging Black Sphere].

Though the situation and atmosphere were different, for some reason, it gave off a similar vibe.

Once the corpse was completely sucked in and the [Unchanging Black Sphere] returned to its original position in the Mini Reaper Garden, it finally felt like it was over.

For some reason, looking at that corpse always made me tense.

Is it because it’s too big?

Or is it because it belongs to a high-ranking entity?

While lost in these thoughts, bundles of bandages with legs suddenly gathered all around me.

Even though they couldn’t see where they were going, they somehow detected my direction and kept running around, bumping into each other and causing chaos.

As soon as I jumped out of Yerin’s arms and stood on the floor, the bandage bundles swarmed toward my feet, bouncing and heading straight for me.

“Mommy!”

“Mommy!”

“Mommy!”

With pure joy radiating from them, they shouted “Mommy!” full of enthusiasm.

Though Sehee Research Institute had been attacked, it seemed we successfully repelled the threat. The Mini Reapers were floating around excitedly.

The Black Reapers watched enviously as the Golden Reapers ran around as bandage bundles, then decided to join in.

They reshaped their bodies into bandage forms and started hopping around.

What was already a chaotic garden filled with Mini Reapers became even more hectic when the Black Masses joined in.

Hehe.

I laughed softly while pushing over one of the giant bandage bundles belonging to the Mini Reapers.

Watching the fallen Mini Reaper flail its limbs brought back the feeling that normal life had truly returned.

***

A semi-legal research facility tucked away in a corner of Seoul.

Hardly deserving the title of “research institute,” this makeshift setup housed nothing more than a converted home. From within, the sound of a TV could be faintly heard.

[The zombie outbreak that swept through Seoul has finally begun to subside.]

[Currently recorded victims alone have reached staggering numbers. However, with many missing people still unaccounted for, the scale of the disaster is expected to grow further.]

Despite time passing, the aftermath of the “brain-eating zombies” that ravaged Seoul remained unresolved.

“If only the Golden Reaper hadn’t been there… what would’ve happened?”

A woman clad in a worn lab coat shuddered as she recalled the past.

If she hadn’t abducted the Golden Reaper, her name would surely have ended up on that list of fatalities.

At one point, death felt nearly 100% certain.

Whether it was tracking human scent or using some other method, the brain-eating zombies could always find humans no matter how deeply they hid.

Even the woman, who had barricaded herself in her lab early on due to sensing something strange, wasn’t spared.

Though far from ideal, her makeshift isolation facility should’ve been sufficient enough to stay hidden.

No sound escaped, no light leaked out, not even a trace of smell—but they still found her.

The instant the zombies broke through the steel hinges of the door, the woman hastily shoved herself into the Golden Reaper’s isolation chamber.

Though incredibly cramped, the material designed for object containment promised durability, allowing her to hope it might last long enough until rescue—or starvation—took her.

But maybe buying the cheapest isolation unit online was a mistake.

Contrary to claims of blocking most physical attacks effectively, cracks began forming the moment a zombie struck, threatening immediate collapse.

One more hit, and this thing would crumble into pieces.

“It’s over…”

As the zombie clawed toward her isolated cell, the woman clenched her eyes shut, bracing for the worst.

Yet strangely, the expected sound of destruction never came.

Peeking open her eyes, she saw the Appearance of the Golden Reaper moving at incredible speed, neutralizing the zombies with fierce efficiency.

“Ah…”

Only then did it dawn on her—the overlooked information about the Golden Reaper she’d skimmed over.

[The aggressive abilities of the Golden Reaper remain unclear.]

[However, objects/humans/subjects believed to have been attacked by the Golden Reaper bore holes shaped like the Golden Reaper itself.]

Though the ‘Object Catalog’ purchased from a bookstore primarily contained profit-driven details, it provided enough context to understand the current situation.

Zombies becoming incapacitated with Golden Reaper-shaped holes drilled through them.

Mesmerized by the bold and majestic figure of the Golden Reaper, the woman couldn’t help but be captivated.

Her thoughts drifted back to the Golden Reaper as she turned her gaze toward the screen.

There stood the Golden Reaper outside the isolation room, happily munching on dried crackers—a vast stockpile kept by the impoverished researcher to save on calories.

Cheap, tasteless, and offering little nutritional value beyond being rock-hard human sustenance.

Noticing her gaze, the Golden Reaper grinned broadly, setting down the crackers and holding something in its hand to offer her.

“Something yummy!”

Its face beamed with excitement, encouraging her to partake in whatever treat it held—a star-shaped candy clutched tightly in its fist like a baseball.

“Aww, how cute.”

Charmed by the Golden Reaper, the woman giggled and accepted the star candy, popping it into her mouth.

Surprisingly, it tasted several times better than usual. She grabbed another piece and placed it into the Golden Reaper’s mouth.

With cheeks bulging from the star candy, the Golden Reaper rubbed its face happily while laughing.

Hehe.

It was a joyful day for both the Golden Reaper and its Attached Human.

***

Among the Mini Reapers, the bundle of bandages continued to draw attention.

These kids love eating but wearing masks that cover their mouths? Strange!

“Bandages!”

“Mummy!”

Apparently, one Mini Reaper knew about mummies because they were now playing mummy games, wrapping themselves in bandages and running around.

The Golden Reaper playfully bit at the Mini Reapers while enjoying the mummy game.

Caught up in the excitement, the Blue Reaper accidentally dropped its hat while wrapping itself in bandages.

The Red Reaper wrapped itself in bandages, leaving only its limbs exposed, crawling around like a spider.

The Mini Reapers played various games, running around with bandages wrapped around their bodies, biting each other like zombies, and having fun.

The people of Sehee Research Institute watched their antics with warm smiles.

Feels kind of like Halloween, doesn’t it?

Still, where did they hear about mummies in the first place?

After searching for the source of the rumor, I found one Golden Reaper responsible.

An Affectionate Human who enjoyed watching movies with their Golden Reaper realized the latter didn’t understand them, so…

She explained the movie to the Golden Reaper while watching it together!

Such a bothersome task, yet she did it all for the Golden Reaper.

“Affectionate Human is amazing!”

Moved by the effort, the Golden Reaper gleefully bragged endlessly about it.

My dumb Golden Reaper getting smarter? Weird!

Thinking about the possibility of a Mini Reaper surpassing me in intelligence made me slightly uneasy.

Weaker than a Mini Reaper and now less intelligent too?

Feeling irritated, I tousled the Golden Reaper’s hair while it enthusiastically praised its Affectionate Human.

“?”

The Golden Reaper tilted its head in confusion, its messy hair adding to its puzzled expression.

Leaving it there, I began wandering around the Courtyard of Sehee Research Institute.

Thump-thump.

Even amidst the chaos of the zombie outbreak in Seoul, the soft atmosphere of Sehee Research Institute remained unchanged.

In the midst of my stroll, I stumbled upon a heartwarming scene.

A good human sharing a delicious cookie with a Mini Reaper.

“This is the last cookie!”

The final mini-cookie offered to an Affectionate Human by the Golden Reaper.

“Haha, I’ve eaten enough.”

The Affectionate Human smiled and declined.

Of course, the emotionally perceptive Golden Reaper knew this was a lie meant for its benefit and happily munched on the snack with a grin.

A prank idea popped into my mind.

Hehe.

***

Thump-thump.

Walking around the parking lot of Sehee Research Institute, I pondered something crucial.

Probably the most important decision in my Object life.

When? And whom?

Since I thought of a funny prank, when and on whom should I pull it?

Such a tough question left me deep in thought.

Then something unusual entered my field of vision.

Color Hungry Ghosts pulling a large cart were rushing toward me.

Judging by their antennae twitching at the sight of me, I seemed to be their target.

“?”

“What is this?” I wondered aloud, tilting my head in curiosity.