The guardhouse was completely empty and had an eerie quietness to it. What’s more, the door, notorious for its squeaky hinges, was unexpectedly unlocked. As Seojun turned the handle, it swung open easily, and to his relief, there was no sign of an ambush from someone in a gas mask or any tentacled monster.
“I can do this! I can help too!”
Bobby, with his tin pot now slid down to his nose, was puffing with effort, his cheeks flushed. Maybe Johan’s earlier encouragement had lit a fire in him, or maybe he’d found a rare burst of courage.
To reach Zone D, the guardhouse, one had to first pass through Zone A, which included the campfire area and the campsite.
As Seojun stepped into the campfire area, he couldn’t help but clutch his trembling arm.
A shiver of realization ran down Seojun’s spine as he acknowledged that he had naively pigeonholed the chef into a single, clichéd role. But looking at the rundown state of the campsite, he began to second-guess his initial impressions.
“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.
Watching Airi with a heart clouded by selfish thoughts, Seojun was suddenly pulled back to reality by Christina’s enthusiastic waving.
“Airi and William are safe!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos and bringing a wave of relief.
Airi attempted to step back, but the sight of intestines spilling from the mutilated corpse caused her to falter. Even for someone as nimble as Airi, the floor, now a treacherous expanse of blood and fat, proved too slippery to maintain her balance.
As they joked around, William couldn’t take his eyes off Airi, feeling a twinge of regret for not joining the conversation sooner. He scolded himself silently. Seojun, who noticed this, let out a quiet sigh amid the group’s casual chatter.
“Hannah O’Lantern?”
Seojun’s mind immediately jumped to the image of a carved pumpkin. Isn’t it usually Jack O’Lantern? he thought, amused by the odd name.
Seojun eyed Bobby’s delicate shoulders and twig-like arms, clicking his tongue in disapproval.
Bobby and I are practically the same size. If we run into Gas Mask, neither of us will stand a chance...
Stepping out from the dense forest path, Seojun was immediately assaulted by a pungent, acrid odor.
What is that?
Gripping his axe tightly, Seojun momentarily halted his frantic pace. He narrowed his eyes, scanning his surroundings.
Nestled at the heart of Hamon Campground, a spacious clearing revealed itself. At the center was a towering stack of firewood, with several triangular tents scattered around it.