Choices

In just a few seconds, the young men had transformed into bear-like monsters. Lynch's cane struck their swelling muscles as if hitting rubber tires.

The four monsters had almost completely blocked the alley, which was instantly filled with the stench peculiar to beasts. Sharp claws scraped against the walls, leaving behind shocking gouges and emitting a teeth-gritting sound.

"Ah~~~"

Only then did the middle-aged man, Luke, realize what was happening. He let out a belated scream, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, instantly wetting his trousers.

However, the alley was dim and deep. The scream failed to attract any passersby and instead drew the gazes of all four monsters toward him.

Saliva dripped from their maws as the red-eyed monsters closed in. But by this time, Lynch had recovered from the recoil. He rushed to Luke's side before the monsters could reach him, grabbed the man's arm, and twisted his body with the agility of a cat to slip through the gap beside the creatures. In the blink of an eye, he vanished out of the alley like a gust of wind.

"Roar~~"

A muffled roar came from behind, but the creatures never left the alley. Ignoring the surprised looks of passersby, Lynch dragged Luke's arm all the way to the main road and jumped onto a waiting carriage.

"Follow the main road for now. Hurry."

Looking back, the monsters seemed wary of the passersby and had not pursued them. Lynch let out a soft sigh. How did actual monsters show up? The client didn't mention that.

No, wait. She herself is a monster, so why would she need to say anything? Forget it. At least he had saved this man's life for now. As long as he tricked him into leading the way home, everything would turn out fine.

He looked at the rescued Luke, who was currently pale, clutching his head, and gasping for air. His eyes were dull, and he kept muttering, "Monsters, there are monsters."

"Hey, buddy, wake up."

Seeing that the man had fallen into a semi-delirious state from panic, Lynch resorted to a physical calming method and slapped him across the face. The crisp sound was effective; the pale face immediately regained some color.

I am just using the most effective method to keep him calm, not being impatient because of some gender difference.

【Heh.】

"Calm down. You already knew there were monsters, so why are you acting like a lunatic?"

"I... are they real? I had never seen them with my own eyes before."

"Nonsense. Tch, so you were just repeating what you heard from others."

Lynch felt a wave of irritation, realizing this matter was even more troublesome than he had imagined. There was definitely a deeper story behind this man, and he would likely need time to figure it out. But now, he was soaked in filth and his condition was deteriorating; time was the one thing he lacked.

Besides Walker and the others, he wasn't the first to activate the file, and certainly not the first to endure the first round of erosion to enter this place. They couldn't have encountered something this troublesome, could they?

No, they all went mad. Perhaps they encountered even worse, or perhaps what I am facing is more troublesome than I thought.

Forget it. Time waits for no one. I must trick him into going home and finish the mission.

"Stop shivering. First, tell me what exactly... Coachman, where are you going?"

Lynch looked up and realized the environment outside was wrong. He had said to follow the main road, but they had already turned into an empty, side path. The surroundings were becoming quieter and dimmer.

Hearing the question, the coachman suddenly released the reins and leaped into mid-air. His body burst with a cloud of blood mist, and eight spider-like limbs extended from his back. His head split down the middle, revealing spider-like mouthparts as he lunged toward the two in the carriage.

Damn it, I'll choose a closed taxi next time.

Lynch was already numb. With calm focus, he kicked Luke out of the carriage, rolled out to the other side himself, and pulled out his revolver to fire three consecutive shots. He then immediately whipped out a multi-segmented lash, striking the coachman across the face.

You didn't expect that, did you? The bullets were just a diversion; I intentionally missed.

Bang.

The lash hit the target, causing the coachman to pause in mid-air. Losing his balance, the creature crashed beside Lynch, its dozen limbs struggling frantically on the ground. Meanwhile, Lynch had already brushed past it, running toward Luke, who was rolling on the ground.

However, just as Lynch brushed past the monster, a soft female voice whispered in his ear: "I've helped you this much. Hurry up and finish the mission."

Step. The next moment, Lynch had vaulted over the coachman, landed beside Luke, and hauled him up.

Damn it, it's actually controlled by those bloated monsters. No wonder these monsters appeared so conveniently.

Lynch covertly gave the coachman a cross-world friendly gesture, then dragged Luke back to the main road. He slammed the stunned Luke onto the ground and delivered another physical wake-up call to bring color back to his face.

"Don't just stare blankly. Wake up."

"Who, who are you?" Luke finally realized the question.

"A monster hunter. No more nonsense. Do you have any other family? Do they know about what you just mentioned? It would be best if they didn't. If they know, the monsters will soon find them, and once they find them, they can trace their bloodline to find you. You won't be able to run then."

"Clara, Nara."

The panicked, dazed Luke finally regained some of his senses. Ignoring the question of who Lynch was, he looked around, chose a direction, and ran toward his home.

Looks like it worked.

Lynch watched Luke's retreating figure, but there was no joy on his face.

It's understandable for them to send a few monsters as backups, but was it necessary to be so eager? It was as if they were afraid I wouldn't find their house. If they were so worried, wouldn't it be more reliable for them to do it themselves?

Something feels off. Besides, killing an entire family—do I really have to do this?

He pursed his lips and hesitated for a few seconds before gritting his teeth and chasing after him, saying loudly as he kept pace with Luke:

"Hurry. Whatever happens, let's go back and save them first. I'll help you."

He had only gone out for a drink to drown his sorrows, so naturally, he wouldn't go too far from home. After ten minutes of rapid walking, they arrived at his apartment building.

Looking up from below, a row of windows glowed with dim, warm light—full of the atmosphere of life. Yet, Lynch had no heart to appreciate it. He followed Luke inside without a word, heading straight to the second floor and bursting into his home.

"Ah."

The screams of two women rang out from inside the room but were immediately cut short.

Lynch sighed. It seemed all three were there.

That makes things easier.

He walked into the room expressionlessly, loading his pistol as he moved, then carefully closed the door.

Inside were a middle-aged woman and a seven or eight-year-old girl. Their clothing and the room's furnishings were simple. The three were huddled together, and Luke was stuttering as he told them what had just happened.

However, he hadn't spoken more than a few words before he noticed his wife trembling in his arms. He then saw her staring at the space behind him with a pale face.

Turning around, he realized that the stranger who claimed to be a monster hunter had already closed the door, and the pitch-black muzzle of a gun was aimed directly at the three of them.

Two adults and one child, the family of three huddled together, eyes wide, not daring to make a sound, staring blankly at the cold barrel.

"Sorry, I was entrusted by someone to clean up those who know the truth. If you want to blame someone, blame yourselves for knowing too much. For the sake of my own way out, I have no choice but to send you on your way."

As he spoke, before the three could scream, Lynch applied pressure to his finger and pulled the... Damn it, I can't do it.

Anyone who kills frequently knows that the first time is never easy. Moreover, the nature of this act was unique—it was akin to murdering three innocent people to save one's own life, just like hunting one's own kind to fill an empty stomach.

It might be normal for a beast, but I am human. Do I really want to defy my own will, cross the bottom line of being human, and turn myself into a beast?

A wave of intense agitation surged in his chest. A faint red mist seemed to be emanating from his body, though Lynch didn't notice. He just pressed his lips together, aiming the gun at the family.

He wasn't a saint. In comparison, he was more willing to survive himself, so he struggled repeatedly in his heart, his finger tightening several times.

They are just NPCs. I've killed plenty in games before.

So what if they seem like real people? So what if they are real? Everyone for themselves, or heaven and earth will destroy them.

It's so simple to solve the problem, so why am I hesitating? Do I really want to bring trouble upon myself? I... hmm? Simple?

Lynch frowned, hesitating. He realized that when the monster girl had left earlier, she had mentioned it quite casually.

They could have done this themselves. The reason for handing it to Lynch was simply to please them and give them a good show.

The question is, would following them here and gunning down their entire family really count as a good show? Especially when they helped facilitate it several times.

Who would expect this result? Unless... the real show hasn't started yet, and pulling this trigger is what makes the real show begin.

That was close.

Lynch finally realized he had almost stepped into a trap. For a moment, he felt endless malice closing in from all sides, and his body grew cold as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. Only then did he notice that red mist was diffusing from his body—a sign that the filth within his soul was becoming unstable.

He was one step away from his defensive line breaking.

Those things are so vicious; who knows what would happen the moment he pulled the trigger. Lynch sighed, lowered the muzzle, and softened his voice:

"Knowing more isn't always better; sometimes it brings disaster. What you said in the bar just now was clearly not a visual description but a declarative narrative. It sounded more like someone told you rather than something you saw with your own eyes. So, if you don't want to die, tell me the whole story. Maybe we can still find a way to solve this."

You said I could refuse, monsters. Then, forgive me for refusing. I will find my own way out and show you.

"It, it was last week when I was drinking at the bar. A woman holding a black fan asked me if I wanted my life to change." The man looked around his simple home. "I said yes, and she gave me a book to read on the spot."

"What book?"

"《Goddess of the Black Fan》. I didn't understand it, but after I finished reading, I dreamed of a place with beautiful scenery when I slept that night. A few days ago, I took Clara and Nara on an excursion there."

Damn it, are the people in this world all this brave?