“I’m not helping them—I’m doing this for myself.”
I tightened my grip on the catapult’s lever.
“Because later, my conscience might try to chew me out. I need to have something to say back to it, don’t I?”
“Huh?”
Amy gave me a look like I’d just spewed absolute bullshit.
“I’m saying one act of mercy is necessary to keep at least a shred of humanity intact.”
Nox and Ethan nodded, seeming to understand my reasoning. I added another point for Amy.
“And while I don’t think you’re lying, we don’t actually know for sure that those people came here to take the mansion. I need to be careful too.”
Amy was someone I’d only met today—and a very rebellious person at that. It was too early to tell who I could trust.
“That doesn’t mean I’m opening the doors for them.”
I had no desire to gamble my survival just to soothe my conscience.
I knew it too—I wasn’t some noble, selfless person.
“Sir Ethan, could you get a fix on their positions?”
As I pulled the catapult lever back with all my strength, Ethan raised the binoculars to check the surroundings.
“They’re cut off and can’t move. If this keeps up, they’ll all be wiped out.”
The monsters had their prey cornered, so there was no way they’d notice a bundle of firewood flying toward them. At best, it would only buy a little time.
‘Still, I have to try.’
At the very least, I could scatter the monsters long enough to give those people a chance to escape—if they were smart enough to take it.
Just as I was about to release the lever—
“Wait. It looks like they’re fighting each other.”
“What?”
I eased the catapult back into position and followed Ethan’s gaze.
Aside from the three corpses used as bait, there were seven survivors.
Among them, a handsome middle-aged man in a chef’s uniform and a graceful, well-dressed woman were clutching each other’s hands, facing off against the rest. What the hell was going on?
“What a mess.”
Nox leaned against the railing, resting his chin on his hand as he watched. Amy mimicked his posture and nodded.
“They should’ve just begged for help from the start. Like I did.”
Amy mumbled, and I had to admit she was right.
I wasn’t selfless, but if they’d immediately surrendered and shown they weren’t enemies, I might’ve opened the gates.
“Cherry, fire on my signal.”
Ethan’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I gripped the lever tightly and waited.
‘But this isn’t the time for that.’
They were already surrounded. There was no way out.
*****
Meanwhile, outside the mansion...
Victor, the chef, held Emma’s hand tightly. Jackson, the gun shop owner, tried to persuade him in a calm voice.
“Look, Victor. Someone has to be sacrificed.”
Victor’s eyes flared in disbelief.
“Sacrifice? That’s not sacrifice—that’s murder.”
“Don’t be so damn difficult. The rest of us need to survive. Emma’s frail anyway—she won’t last long.”
Jackson’s words made Victor’s expression harden even more.
The other villagers standing beside Jackson loudly agreed and demanded Victor give up Emma.
Victor saw devils in their faces.
“You’re all talking shit.”
He tightened his grip on Emma’s trembling hand. Jackson stomped his foot in frustration.
“We don’t have time for this, Victor! We need to get into that mansion—kill those things and take it over!”
“We never planned to take it over by force. We were going to ask the lady inside for help.”
“Help? Are you serious? Look at them up there!”
Jackson jabbed a finger toward the mansion.
“They’re staring down at us like gods from the heavens! They’re not going to help us!”
Jackson sounded as if the mansion’s occupants had forced their hand, justifying their decision to seize it.
Victor let out a bitter laugh.
“You were planning to take her down and steal the mansion from the start. Don’t act like you’re being rational.”
Groooowl.
Monsters rushed toward them.
Panicking, Jackson shoved one of the corpses toward the creatures.
Kraaah!
The monsters tore into the body, but Emma clung to Victor’s arm, her face pale with terror.
“Victor, he’s right. I’m weak and useless anyway.”
“Cut the crap! You’re not useless! I need you! If you’re gone, then I’m useless too—so let’s just die together!”
Emma’s eyes widened at Victor’s outburst.
It was the first time he’d ever spoken so openly about his feelings.
Jackson, who had been watching the swarming monsters, grinned and turned back to Victor.
“Perfect. If that’s how you feel, then you and her can both be bait for the rest of us—”
“You son of a bitch!”
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Victor lunged at Jackson, but Emma barely managed to hold him back.
In the process, she spotted the people standing on the mansion’s roof.
It was the so-called ‘Ghost Lady’—Cherry Sinclair.
Emma couldn’t make out their expressions, but she knew they were watching through binoculars, taking in every detail.
Biting down hard on her lower lip, Emma grabbed Victor’s hand and took a deep breath.
Then, with all the strength she could muster, she screamed at Jackson.
“You’re an irredeemable piece of shit!! Stealing this mansion from Cherry Sinclair?! Do it yourself, you scum!”
Her voice sounded as stiff and awkward as if she were performing in a play, but she didn’t care. What mattered was making sure her words reached the people on the roof.
After shouting, Emma glanced toward the mansion to see if they’d heard her.
The people on the roof were now talking amongst themselves.
The loud yell had drawn the monsters’ attention, but there was no other option.
Emma kept stealing nervous glances at the mansion’s roof.
“Emma, are you okay?”
Victor, having just killed one of the monsters, rushed to check on her, his face filled with concern.
Emma had never raised her voice before—not even once in her life. Given the situation, Victor was understandably worried about her.
Kwaaah!
Another wave of monsters surged forward.
Panicked, Jackson threw the remaining two corpses toward the creatures.
Thud! Crack!
The monsters tore through the bodies, and in an instant, the remains disappeared among the swarm.
The first monster to turn its attention toward the survivors was a three-headed serpent-like creature with a long, coiling body.
Victor stepped in front of Emma, gripping a butcher knife so tightly his knuckles turned white.
His heart pounded in his chest—too fast, too hard. Sweat poured down his temples.
Crrkkk.
The monster’s three heads snapped their jaws, grinding their teeth. It looked like it was savoring its meal before even taking a bite.
Emma clung to Victor’s arm, trembling.
Victor clenched his jaw.
The monster seemed to be carefully choosing its appetizer, scanning the group with deliberate hunger.
Everyone held their breath. The air was thick with the grotesque sounds of monsters feasting on flesh and the distant wails of the dying.
“H-heuh... Please... Please save me...”
The innkeeper, trembling and crying, finally broke down into sobs.
The monster’s eyes—all six of them—immediately locked onto him.
Its pupils dilated, then shrank.
The middle head opened its mouth wide.
Rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth filled the gaping maw, layered in spirals.
A rotten stench wafted out as the monster lunged, swallowing the innkeeper whole.
Even as he was devoured, the innkeeper reached out toward Jackson.
“Ugh—! H-help me! Jackson, please! Help me!”
Jackson recoiled, stumbling backward.
Then his eyes fell on Emma.
Without hesitation, he ran over and grabbed her arm.
The villagers took Jackson’s lead, seizing Emma’s other hand.
“You bastard! Let go of her!”
Victor roared, but Jackson refused to budge.
Emma burst into tears, clinging desperately to Victor’s hand as the others tried to drag her away.
“Damn it! Who cares if it’s shitty—we have to survive!”
Even then, Jackson shoved the vegetable vendor toward the approaching monster.
“Argh! Fuck you, Jackson! Save me—save me!”
Screams, blood, and chaos exploded all at once.
It was a scene straight out of hell—an absolute pandemonium.