Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

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4: The military has really let something major slip through the cracks this time

“Seriously, don’t even think about messing with that monster,” Seojun couldn’t help but warn, though he wasn’t exactly trying to change Johan and the others’ minds. His eyes were glued to Bobby’s sweaty collar, and he couldn’t look away. Feeling Seojun’s intense stare, Bobby started to fidget.

“Stop staring at me.”

Seojun finally broke his gaze after Bobby’s muttered request. Meanwhile, Johan casually flicked his wrist, making the key ring spin lazily in the air.

“Okay. Got it, Jun. I’ll be careful,” Johan said, his tone light and reassuring as he strolled over, looking totally at ease.

“Johan, we really need to talk about—”

“Hold that thought, Jun,” Johan cut in, his index finger pressed to his lips, signaling for silence. Seojun heard it too—a creepy, rustling sound of something huge moving through the grass. It was a sound so unnatural, they couldn’t just ignore it.

Seojun clamped his mouth shut as the heavy tension in the air started to lift, sending a chill running down his arms. He wished he could take a peek at whatever was out there, but their makeshift kitchen was windowless. The only way in or out was through a banged-up door.

After an agonizing stretch of silence, Johan finally whispered, “It’s gone, Jun,” pulling Seojun down by the wrist.

“Yeah,” Seojun whispered back. He lay flat on the ground, trying to peer under the door, but it was too dark and the gap too small to see anything.

“Can’t see a thing,” he announced, standing up and brushing off his knees.

“Need a hand with your back and thighs too?” Johan whispered, leaning in close.

Seojun was taken aback by Johan’s odd and hushed offer. Why on earth would he suggest something like that in such a secretive tone?

“No, I’m good.”

He fiddled with the lantern, adjusting its brightness and hoping that the monster was truly gone.

“So, what’s the deal with this corpse?”

“You really do turn everything into a joke, don’t you?” Bobby remarked, a comment that Seojun chose to ignore. He bent down, immediately regretting it as the foul stench of the lifeless body on the floor hit him.

Bringing the lantern closer, its orange glow flickered, revealing the body’s advanced state of decay.

Bobby, standing beside him, gagged. Now fully in the light, the upper part of the body looked even more gruesome. Trying to suppress his nausea, Bobby pushed the lantern away.

“Why are we even looking at this?”

“Come on, Bobby, think about it. Try using that brain of yours for once.” Seojun replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Johan stepped forward, poking the body with his key ring. The light leather flipped easily as he mumbled, “Is this a military uniform? He could be a military enthusiast.”

Despite the decay, the clothes were surprisingly intact. The guy was wearing a digital camouflage shirt and a vest. Seojun figured the lower half, now missing, was probably dressed in a similar fashion.

“A soldier in Wraithwood Warren? He’s probably just some loser into military cosplay,” Bobby snorted. The neighborhood was usually quiet, but recently it had become a hunting ground for a serial killer and some mysterious man-eating monster. That was his point.

Seojun’s lips parted slightly, a name and a vivid image of vulgar gestures flashing through his mind.

“Butcher Bren!”

“Bren? The famous dancer? Mr. Tango himself?”

It’s uncertain if Bren was actually good at dancing, but he did joyfully move his body along the night road with Brass. Seojun ignored the useless information Bobby was providing and quickly continued speaking.

“Brass said he saw a military truck at dawn. I thought he was seeing things, but maybe this soldier was on that truck…”

Seojun’s voice faded away, leaving an unsaid conclusion hanging in the air. Both Johan and Bobby could easily fill in the blanks: this poor soldier had probably met a gruesome end before the break of dawn.

“So, this monster killed him, huh? Such strange world we live in.” Johan mused.

“Yeah, but where the hell did this monster come from in the first place?”

“From outer space.”

While Johan and Seojun were deep in discussion over the body, Bobby, who had stepped back a bit, chimed in. Seojun turned to see Bobby, his face a mix of excitement and fear. He was pale, but his cheeks and nose were flushed, and his eyes were shining as he stared at the mutilated torso.

“Guys, this proves the Hannah O’Lantern stories were true! The military was trying to cover up the monster, but they got attacked instead.”

Johan gave Bobby’s trembling shoulder a reassuring pat. “Easy, Bobby. It could just be some messed-up government experiment, maybe something radioactive.”

Seojun couldn’t help but roll his eyes. America was full of conspiracy theories, and here were two perfect examples. Bobby, getting more worked up, continued.

“No way! The way Hannah O’Lantern’s friends died, and how this soldier died, it’s just too similar. This proves that whatever Hannah encountered is back. And on Independence Day, no less!”

“Hannah O’Lantern, Jack O’Lantern, whatever. It’s like traveling from space to Earth is a piece of cake, right? It’s as if Earth has its own ‘Wraithwood Warren’ station or something.”

“Ugh…”

Bobby rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed, but Seojun couldn’t help but chuckle. In his mind, the monster was just a laughable creation from some B-list director. And even though he fancied himself possessed by the spirit of a horror movie, he was being incredibly narrow-minded and stubborn.

“If that thing actually came from outer space, I’d strip down and dance naked. I’d even show off the mole under my balls and all.”

Was Seojun using this moment to vent some of his pent-up frustration towards Bobby, who was always quick to point the finger at him? He certainly didn’t hold back, making a bold and crude bet to prove his point.

“Wait, I’m actually starting to buy the space theory too,” Johan suddenly said.

“What?”

Seojun, who had been enjoying Bobby’s occasional gagging, spun around in surprise. Johan, who had been all about government conspiracies just a moment ago, seemed to be jumping on the alien bandwagon.

Johan kept going, “Just think about it, Jun. We’ve all heard stories about animals and plants mutating due to radiation, but what about something from space? In an era where we’ve been to the moon, it’s not so far-fetched to consider that the government might be experimenting with alien life forms. Maybe that military truck was transporting one of them.”

Seojun listened, feeling like he was caught in a whirlwind of government conspiracies and alien theories. He shone the lantern directly onto Johan’s face, trying to gauge his sincerity. Johan’s blue eyes were wide open, and he looked utterly serious.

“You’re quite talkative today, aren’t you, Johan?” Seojun remarked.

“I’m just being my usual, perfect self,” Johan responded, unfazed.

Seojun decided to let Johan’s nonsensical comment slide and bit his lip in thought. At this moment, he believed Christina, the main character of this horror story, was the only person he could truly rely on. He assumed that the more challenges she faced, the stronger she would become. The more she had to scream and fight, the longer she would survive. Seojun sincerely hoped he could stick close to her and ride on her coattails.

“By the way, do you guys think Christina made it out okay? Running into Gas Mask would be… problematic.”

He was fairly certain that Christina wouldn’t fall victim to Gas Mask, but he wasn’t as confident about William and Airi’s fate. Bobby, overhearing Seojun’s mutterings, hesitantly asked, “Is that Gas Mask thing for real?”

“Bobby, I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop acting like I’m going to chase you around with an axe just to scare you,” Seojun replied, slightly annoyed.

“Don’t worry too much, Jun. Willy is with her,” Johan reassured him.

Typically, in stories like these, the muscular male characters who aren’t the protagonist often end up meeting a gruesome end, either getting their heads chopped off or being stabbed from behind during a steamy sex scene. Seojun expected William’s fate to be no different.

Rubbing his forehead with his free hand, he sighed, “I should’ve warned her about the chef.”

“Chef? What chef?” Johan asked, gently pulling Seojun’s hand away from his forehead and rubbing it himself. Feeling the warmth of Johan’s touch, Seojun looked up to find Johan’s face filled with genuine concern. His heart raced as he swallowed and answered.

“There’s someone here with scars that look like they were made by a bear.”

“That person’s not a chef; he’s the camp manager. He said he’s going to cook for us tomorrow, but he didn’t seem very skilled in the kitchen,” Bobby interjected, cutting into the conversation. Seojun couldn’t bring himself to scold him, though. He just hoped that what Bobby was saying was one of his typical exaggerations.

However, Johan didn’t indicate that he thought Bobby was joking. Seojun slowly began to recall his first encounter with Gas Mask at Hamon Camp and the building he had emerged from.

It was the guardhouse.