Chapter 1: Twisting and turning

Chapter 1: Twisting and turning

Why do I have to die here like this?

What on earth is the country doing? I wish someone would help me....

After a while of being pessimistic, I tried to move my body, realizing that my consciousness was still present.

But my body wouldn’t budge at all.

I couldn’t tell if I was opening my eyes or closing them. All I could see was thick darkness.

Upon realizing the darkness, I felt dampness.

Not just in parts of my body, but I felt dampness throughout my whole body.

I thought I was dead, so why am I feeling these sensations? It’s puzzling.

By the way, where could I be that I feel this dampness all over my body?

If I miraculously survived, shouldn’t I be lying in an uncomfortable hospital bed?

Even if tightly wrapped bandages obstruct my vision, it’s bizarre to feel dampness.

One assumption flashed through my mind as I felt the dampness all over my body.

No way.

Have I become a brain in a vat?

If that’s the case, then everything makes sense.

My body melted away.

The dampness felt all over my body.

Is it possible that the science and technology of this country have reached that point already? At this rate, we might soon experience full-dive games as well.

If I have turned into a brain in a vat, then wouldn’t I be able to lead ahead of anyone else? I will be able to play all day long.

While indulging in foolish thoughts and escaping reality.

*Flutter.*

Along with the sensation, something leaped into my body.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com

It felt like it didn’t just touch me but literally ‘leaped in.’

Just as it became clear that my brain was not in a vat, I heard an animals cry.

Cries echoed throughout my entire body.

Something struggles vividly. It’s highly confusing. I couldn’t understand what was happening to me right now.

*Gurgle, gurgle....*

I heard a strange sound, and then a distinct taste of chewing raw meat hit me.

Then, a bitter taste followed, making me feel like I was drinking wrung-out dirty water.

I felt nauseous.

*Gulp!*

Feeling something draining from my body, I could finally move.

Splat!

Something disgusting, presumably what I just spat out earlier, entered my body again.

By now, the thought that something was wrong filled my mind.

Feeling the continued disgust, I headed towards the faint light in the distance to assess the situation.

*Squelch... Squelch.*

*Thump! Bubble... bubble.*

*Crunch! Slurp! Splurt!*

Meanwhile, something similar to a while ago kept happening to me.

Something entered my body, giving me a sensation like chewing raw meat and a disgusting taste.

Fortunately, as something continued to collide with me, my senses gradually became clearer.

I heard faint sounds of water flowing. The sound of something rushing into my body also reached my ears.

With a squelching sound, I realize I am on top of something solid.

*Thud, thud.*

I heard the sound of something slimy sticking to the floor and falling.

Before long, I realized I was lying on the floor.

Light.

The light was right above me.

As I felt that, I heard the sound of water flowing nearby.

It seemed like the water was flowing right in front of me.

Since the light was above, I wondered if my reflection would appear in the water.

However... there were too many imperfections to be classified as human.

Firstly, the bluish and translucent body revealed its insides.

Looking towards my head, I can see the rat that ran towards me a moment ago melting away with a bubbling sound.

Who would dare call this a human?

As I lifted something that looked like a hand, a sticky liquid flowed down in a continuous stream.

It feels like I’m drooling in front of a prey.

Since the water is murky and only the silhouette is visible, I do not know exactly what I look like.

I could only tell that I was very tiny.

As for peculiarities...

There was something circular and dark inside the body.

For some reason, it looked vital.

It felt precious, like something I wanted to hold tightly.

But when I tried to reach and touch it, my body clenched, preventing me from reaching it.

In conclusion.

I was now imitating the form of a tiny human... I had become something sticky.

If one had to draw a comparison, it seemed like I had become a creature similar to the ‘slimes’ from games or novels.

...I might have lived a past life in another world.

The only sure thing was that there was nothing definite.

Except for the fact that I had a sticky body.

Gross.

I decided to explore the place where it was damp.

It would be very sad if my only friends and dining companions were mice.

I’m not sure if they even consider me a friend.

Maybe they come running because they think of me as a friend?

They are such grateful fellows. To think they soothe hunger and loneliness. It may not be much in return, but if I manage to escape from here, I wonder how it would be to raise at least one hamster.

As I watch ‘Jerry,’ whom I named, melting away, I slowly wander around some unknown place.

*Thud, thud.*

I still hear sounds that I can’t get used to.

How long have I been wandering like this?

Since the only light came from bulbs on the passage, I couldn’t even tell how lost I was.

Looking at the mice that continuously ran towards me, I think...

That this place was considerably spacious.

I thought I might find an exit leading outside since I considered it a sewer... But I couldn’t find a way out.

Instead of finding a way out, I couldn’t even find a blocked area.

I thought it was a straight passage, but it has a complex structure like a maze.

Thanks to my friends, I didn’t have to worry about starving, but still, I didn’t want to live here, so I felt a bit lost.

Just because my body is becoming sticky doesn’t mean I want to live in a sticky place.

However.

I’m worried if I will be able to live properly once I step outside.

Although it might be a premature concern in a situation where I still don’t know where I am.

I felt like I would go crazy if I didn’t think that way.

It was inevitable.

Although I didn’t feel physical fatigue, I felt mentally exhausted.

To take a breather, I hesitantly sat down and hunched my body.

Surely resembling human silhouettes, the sticky body parts connect, attempting to merge into one.

... nothing was going as I wanted. It felt suffocating.

At that moment.

A loud noise could be heard from beyond the dark corridor.

A heavy and loud noise.

The sound was so loud that it felt like the whole space was shaking.

It was a very ominous sound.

It seemed like my friends were not the only ones living here.

I missed Jerry, who had melted earlier. My sticky body shivered.