Chapter 359

After sliding down the square passage like a slide, they arrived at the Waste Disposal Site.

The place was filled with dried-up blood, blackened bones, and a putrid stench.

“Ugh.”

The gooey texture of the waste clinging to the floor made their stomachs churn even more.

The Silver-haired Girl felt like throwing up but crouched low to hide among the debris.

And the Brown-haired Girl had silently followed her down, sticking close behind.

The Brown-haired Girl also wore an expression as if she were about to vomit.

As they hid in the darkness, various sounds reached their ears.

Though the slaughterhouse was quite far from here, the ear-piercing emergency bell that had been ringing earlier now faintly echoed in the distance.

But unlike the bell, countless footsteps still reverberated around the waste disposal site.

Peering out from their hiding spot, the girls occasionally spotted people dressed in Human Corps uniforms rushing about.

“Are all these people Objects?”

At the sound of the Brown-haired Girl’s voice, the Silver-haired Girl turned her head to see the Brown-haired Girl continuing with a despondent look.

“Maybe there are people who’ve been deceived like us?”

“Hmm….”

Inwardly, the Silver-haired Girl thought they were probably all Objects.

Judging by the massive slaughterhouse and humans-turned-Objects, it didn’t seem like anyone was left alive.

Still, she kept that thought to herself.

After all, the Brown-haired Girl had once desperately wanted to join the Human Corps.

Once the cacophony of footsteps died down, the Silver-haired Girl slowly moved forward.

Her destination: the Sprout Object waving its hand and hopping joyfully in the distance.

It was still a bit suspicious, but it was their only adorable guide they could trust for now.

***

Escaping the facility, they found themselves in an abandoned Empty Building in a secluded area.

Exhausted, the two girls finally managed to reach this place after fleeing the facility.

Panting heavily, the Brown-haired Girl looked back to see the facility still bustling with chaos.

“Huff, we barely… escaped…”

Leaning against the wall, the Brown-haired Girl exhaled roughly. Her clothes were torn, and her face still brimmed with tension.

The Silver-haired Girl, maintaining a cautious expression, glanced back at the facility and responded.

“This is strange. Why did the pursuit suddenly stop?”

This caused the Brown-haired Girl to look anxiously at the Silver-haired Girl.

“You’re right. It almost feels like they let us go on purpose. Could it be a trap? But why would they bother setting one?”

Echoing the Silver-haired Girl’s thoughts, the Brown-haired Girl’s voice carried a subtle sense of unease.

Despite their pondering, the two runaway girls couldn’t figure out why someone would intentionally let them go when they had nothing.

“Ah, I don’t know! Even if it’s a trap, we have no choice but to keep running!”

The Brown-haired Girl suggested they stop dwelling on unanswered questions.

“But anyway, I never thought we’d leave the facility like this. What do we do now?”

Having spent her entire life in the facility, the Brown-haired Girl had no idea what to do next.

“A future where I can’t join the Human Corps…”

At this, the Silver-haired Girl stared blankly at a corner as if observing a small creature before replying.

“First, we need to get as far away from the facility as possible. Then, I want to check the surface. They said the surface is destroyed, but I won’t believe it until I confirm it myself.”

“Then should we head that way?”

The Brown-haired Girl gazed toward the massive passage far away.

It was a giant cave likely connected to the outside world.

***

The blue waves of the Pacific Ocean gently caressed the massive hull of the Exploration Vessel James Explorer as I leaned against the deck railing.

The endless horizon met the sky, and sunlight danced shimmeringly on the tranquil water.

I was aboard the famous ship constantly featured on the news.

Truthfully, I had no intention of boarding this ship.

Since it automatically hunted down Object incidents, there was no reason for me to come along.

However, my curiosity about the ever-present “James Explorer” news stories brought me here.

The ship was exactly as I had seen on TV—no, perhaps even grander and more splendid.

Its colossal body resembled a floating city.

The glossy white exterior adorned with golden decorations sparkled brilliantly under the sun.

The luxurious white color made it feel more like a cruise ship than an exploration vessel.

Of course, except for the advanced equipment, antennas, and cannons scattered everywhere.

Thump-thump.

Walking around the deck, I occasionally saw Mini Reapers playing with Attached Humans.

Golden Reapers holding onto the fingers of Attached Humans, laughing brightly while splashing in the pool.

Black Reapers transforming into large hats to shield Attached Humans from the sun.

Passing by the Mini Reapers playing with Attached Humans, I got a strange feeling.

For some reason, it seemed like there were more Mini Reapers than humans.

Moving closer to the deck railing and looking down at the sea, I noticed Black Reapers clinging all over it.

Inspecting the nearby lifeboats hanging off the deck, they were packed with Golden Reapers like chicks.

“Ah, Mommy!”

“Mommy!”

Tired of being bothered by the cheerful Golden Reapers asking to play, I tossed them all into the Pacific Ocean before heading inside the deck.

Even inside the deck or cabins, Mini Reapers were swarming everywhere.

Looking out the window, a Golden Reaper stuck outside grinned widely with shining eyes.

Between the decks and interiors, soft golden glows spread subtly.

Naturally, it must’ve been happy Golden Reapers hiding cheerfully, so I didn’t bother checking.

“Hmm.”

The James Explorer felt less like an exploration vessel and more like a Mini Reaper Theme Park.

While wandering around, I strangely spotted a small cabbage sitting alone.

What’s with the random cabbage?

On closer inspection, the cabbage on the table wasn’t actually a cabbage—it was a Green Reaper.

A Mini Reaper nestled inside a cabbage, sleeping soundly.

“Come to think of it, there was a steamer in the dining area making dumplings.”

Seeing the Green Reaper reminded me of a fun prank I used to pull.

Putting Golden Reapers into the steamer designed for mantou buns.

Of course, the Golden Reapers lounged comfortably inside the steamer like it was a sauna, leisurely munching on mantou.

Feeling that putting the Green Reaper into the steamer might elicit an interesting reaction, I picked up the “cabbage” Green Reaper and headed to the dining area.

Arriving at the dining room, I opened the steamer.

Inside were three dumplings and an Orange Reaper sleeping peacefully.

“….”

Stunned, I paused momentarily as a broadcast began echoing throughout the ship.

[Emergency Situation Alert.]

[An unidentified island has appeared on our route. Repeat, an unidentified island has appeared.]

[There is a high possibility this is an Object. All research personnel, please immediately gather at the emergency assembly point.]

[This is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill.]

***

Under the fake starlight of the Dark Cave, the silver- and brown-haired girls staggered along.

Their faces were etched with extreme fatigue, and their clothes were stained with dirt and sweat.

“Are you okay?”

The Brown-haired Girl worriedly glanced at her friend beside her.

The Silver-haired Girl nodded weakly.

“Yeah, I’m just a little tired.”

The two girls stopped briefly, catching their breath while remaining vigilant.

Their eyes were filled with fear and caution.

The events of the past few days had mentally drained them.

“I still can’t believe it.”

The Silver-haired Girl whispered softly.

“How could the people in the city all be fakes?”

The Brown-haired Girl nodded.

“I still remember that shopkeeper. He was such a jolly guy… and he was an Object…”

The two girls fell silent for a moment.

The world they knew had crumbled away so quickly.

Life underground in the facility.

The last bastion of humanity, the soldiers.

The “humans” they occasionally encountered during permitted outings.

All of it had been a massive deception.

If it weren’t for the cute guide by their side…

If it weren’t for the Sprout Reaper beside her, the Silver-haired Girl might have collapsed long ago.

Suddenly, a strange noise echoed from deep within the cave.

The two girls instinctively crouched low.

“We have to go.”

The Silver-haired Girl grabbed the Brown-haired Girl’s hand and urged her onward.

“Our destination is just ahead. We can make it if we hold on a little longer.”

The Brown-haired Girl nodded, lifting her head.

Before them loomed an enormous passage too massive to describe.

The cave forbidden to the children of the facility.

The girls suspected this cave undoubtedly led to the surface.

“There it is.”

“If we pass through there, we’ll finally…”

[Be careful, human!]

Before they could finish their conversation, the Sprout Reaper’s warning rang out as thick fog enveloped them from all directions.

So thick they couldn’t even see each other.

The Silver-haired Girl could only sense the presence of the Brown-haired Girl through their tightly clasped hands.

In the midst of the fog, a man emerged from the haze.

Even though the thick fog obscured everything else, his figure remained eerily clear.

“Lost lambs struggling with hope.”

A perpetually hunched man shuffled forward.