Chapter 104 – The Pedestrian II

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 104

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The Pedestrian II

4

Extermination wasn’t a choice; it was a necessity.

If the situation was left unchecked, tunnels worldwide would sequentially become infected like the Inunaki Tunnel.

Awakened individuals from both Korea and Japan agreed to unite their efforts. In a world where distribution networks had already collapsed, losing the tunnels was unthinkable.

But what kind of people are from East Asia?

“Since an underwater tunnel has appeared off the coast of Busan, why don’t we start the extermination there?”

“Nyaa~. Thanks for the suggestion, but adults should clean up their own messes. We’ll lead the Inunaki extermination!”

In East Asia, it’s customary to list countries in different orders depending on the country: ‘Korea-China-Japan’ in Korea, ‘China-Korea-Japan’ in China, and ‘Japan-China-Korea’ in Japan.

Questions about the relevance of national borders were meaningless. Citizens come first, and the state follows.

Even after a collapse, or perhaps because of it, those who claimed to represent each region clung to their authority.

“Heh. It’s admirable, but I hear your situation isn’t great lately... We’ve just cleared an underwater tunnel, but hasn’t your whole country turned into an ant nest? We’re always ready to help...”

“Nyahaha. Thanks for the concern! It would’ve been nice to have an extraordinary awakened one like the Doctor Jang! Too bad we’re unlucky compared to our neighbors, nya!”

The cheerful banter continued.

The conversation must have been entertaining because even the awakened individuals from China, who hadn’t been infected by Inunaki, subtly hinted, “Hey, what are you doing? Can we join in? Let’s have fun together.”

As the situation grew increasingly awkward, I stepped in calmly.

“The lead for this extermination is not the National Highway Management Corps or the Magical Girl Association. It’s me, the Doctor Jang, as an individual. I want to temporarily gather a party by inviting awakened individuals I know personally. I hope you’ll join me.”

“Hmm...”

“Nyaan.”

This proposal followed the long-standing Korean tradition of “volunteer soldiers.” Respecting tradition, my suggestion was quickly accepted.

A multinational party was formed under the premise of voluntary individual participation. The party members were as follows:

– From Korea: Doctor Jang (party leader), the Saintess (secret participant), and Yoo Jiwon (vice leader).

– From Japan: Manyo Neko (vice leader) and Void Blade.

Though it seemed like a grand Korean-Japanese extermination squad was formed, the number was modest, but it was enough.

As much as it’s embarrassing to say, I, Doctor Jang, was like a walking army. I only needed people to cover areas I couldn’t handle.

The Magical Girl Association even said, “We’re good with two or three people,” so they could only send a corresponding number.

“Excuse us.”

“Nya! Make yourselves comfortable!”

As we were guided to a luxurious ryokan in Japan, Manyo Neko whispered to me.

“Doctor Jang, Doctor Jang.”

“Hmm?”

“I understand that Ms. Yoo is the director of the National Highway Management Corps, but who is the girl with the light-colored hair? I’ve never seen her before.”

The person Manyo Neko pointed to was the Saintess. Only Noh Doha and I knew her true identity in Korea, so it was natural that the Magical Girl Association was unaware.

“She’s my girlfriend.”

“...!”

“We’ve been dating for two months. She was worried about me coming to Japan and insisted on joining. She’ll be staying here until the mission is over, so please take good care of her.”

“I thought Doctor Jang’s girlfriend was the Songstress of the Three Thousand Worlds!”

What the hell? How did that rumor spread across the sea?

“That’s completely false. She’s my first girlfriend.”

“Oh, I see. Sorry about that. With a few Valkyries among the magical girls... Anyway! Since she’s the Doctor Jang’s girlfriend, we’ll treat her as a VIP!”

Watching our exchange, the Saintess tilted her head, puzzled. Among our group, she was the only one who didn’t understand Japanese.

After settling in, we began the main meeting.

“The extermination will be conducted in Japan. However, if the mission is successful, I expect compensation from the association.”

“Compensation? What do you want?”

“A spirit camera.”

“Ah...”

“Specifically, the Polaroid OneStep. The 1977 model.”Upstodatee from n(0)/ve/lbIn/.(co/m

“Nyahaha, Doctor Jang, you’re really fixated on that item, huh?”

Manyo Neko scratched her cheek.

“I’d love to give it to you, but it’s such a rare item, and the association only has three... Anyway, I’ll discuss it with the higher-ups.”

As the name “Magical Girl Association” implies, the awakened individuals in Japan weren’t strictly hierarchical.

Each shrine had a magical girl who had received divine possession and managed their own territory.

The association’s headquarters was located on the Noto Peninsula, but compared to the status of the National Highway Management Corps in Korea, it was more of a nominal headquarters.

So, saying “the association possesses three spirit cameras” was more accurately “three magical girls who own spirit cameras are part of the association.”

Without individual persuasion, they wouldn’t easily give up such precious items.

Of course, I was well aware of the association’s situation. Therefore, I made a difficult request first and then backed off subtly.

“Then, at least, could you tell me where you originally found the Polaroid camera?”

“Nyaa?”

“I’m a huge fan of that item. Think of me as a collector. Of course, receiving the actual item would be ideal, but if that’s not possible, I’d like to gather as much information as possible.”

That way, I could swoop in and grab the item during the next turn.

Manyo Neko’s face brightened up.

“Nyaa! If that’s all, I’ll definitely get that information for you! Leave it to me, nya!”

Normally, the location of important item drops would be classified, but since we were offering to exterminate Inunaki in Japan instead of Korea, she obliged.

I glanced up at the sky. Right on cue, the Saintess’s voice resonated.

[We’re ready, Doctor Jang.]

Perfect.

I rarely felt this confident before tackling an anomaly. We advanced, maintaining an extremely positive atmosphere.

‘I have a good feeling about this.’

We boldly demolished the stone wall at the entrance and entered the tunnel. The cozy darkness of the tunnel embraced our four figures.

66 minutes later.

The Korea-Japan alliance party was wiped out like dogs.

5

Again.

Next, the 142nd turn.

“Nyaa! From today, the Inunaki Tunnel will be renamed Nekonaki Tunnel!”

“That’s a good spirit. Excellent. But before that, there’s something we need to confirm.”

“...Nyaa?”

The outcry to boost morale was met with a stern expression that lowered the surrounding temperature by a degree.

Of course, I hadn’t suddenly awakened any temperature control ability. Literally, the temperature around the Inunaki Tunnel entrance was dropping in real-time.

“The anomaly has already sensed our approach. Manyo Neko. Did you bring the spirit camera?”

“Nyaa? I did bring it...”

“Take it out and take a picture.”

“...Understood, Captain.”

Sensing the shift in my demeanor, Manyo Neko’s face turned serious as well. She pulled the camera out of her backpack without any complaints.

Yoo Jiwon remained expressionless, used to my behavior. Void Blade stayed calm.

Manyo Neko carefully lifted the spirit camera, one of only three in Japan, with one hand.

“Where should I take the picture?”

“At the entrance of the tunnel. Include the surrounding scenery in one shot.”

“Roger that.”

*Click*

The flash went off. The instant camera soon developed the film and spat it out with its thin lips.

All five of us—me, Yoo Jiwon, Manyo Neko, Void Blade, and even the absent Saintess—looked at the photo together.

Void Blade’s expression hardened.

[This is...]

In the spirit photograph, corpses were nailed to the cedar trees lining the tunnel like temple pillars. They were wearing extravagant outfits adorned with frills and decorations, unsuitable for ordinary people.

They were the corpses of magical girls.

“Are they familiar faces?”

[Yes. Though the photo quality isn’t great, judging by the costumes, they seem to be our comrades who went missing in previous extermination attempts. Some of them disappeared seven years ago.]

As expected.

I maintained a calm expression. The leader of an extermination squad must always remain steadfast.

The question came from a team member instead of me.

“What the heck is this? How...?”

“It’s a taunt. As I said, the anomaly already knew we were coming. It’s daring us to come closer.”

“But still... it doesn’t make sense. Both I and Void Blade aren’t spiritual power weaklings. How could we not notice anything until we took a picture with the camera...?”

[Wait a moment.]

I turned my head.

Void Blade was staring intently at one corner of the hazy instant photo.

[The bodies here. These ones hanging right next to the stone wall.]

“Nyaa?”

[Even though it’s a bit blurry... don’t their faces resemble ours?]

“...”

The sound of cicadas filled the air.

The Japanese called it kanakana. But as with all languages, it was a unique sound that couldn’t be fully captured by words.

Perhaps it was a lament that couldn’t quite become a cry, just a series of raspy gasps. The sound echoed continuously through the cedar forest surrounding us.

“Take another picture, Manyo Neko. This time, focus on the stone wall.”

“Got it, nya.”

*Click*

The flash went off.

At that moment, the cicada sounds in the entire forest stopped. It might sound strange, but it felt as though thousands of insects were all staring at us.

Jiiiiiing-

The Polaroid camera slowly developed the picture, making an excessive noise.

We looked at the photo once again.

“...”

The corpses in the picture were now lighter.

Everything was the same as the first photo, except now the heads and arms were missing from the bodies hanging on the cedar trees.

No, on closer inspection, there was another difference.

On the stone wall at the tunnel entrance, covered in various graffiti, there was now a bright red message that hadn’t been there in the previous photo.

– Welcome back.

[Proofreader – Gun]