The Lucisa Boardroom, once the safest place in the Center, transformed into a heated debate chamber.
Board Member 1: "Do you not realize the immense shock the Center has endured? Restoration must be our priority!"
Board Member 2: "What are you saying? This is a golden opportunity! We must plant Lucisa's flag on that visible Earth before anyone else, regardless of the cost!"
Board Member 3: "I agree. Our primary business of waste cleaning has its limits. We need to seize that place first to move forward."
Board Member 1: "Do you think it's beneficial to plant a flag without proper investigation into the risks? How will we recover from our company's damages? Other companies won't stay idle. Since the United Government declared it a neutral zone, it's unreasonable to claim it first. Who would step forward without ensured safety?"
Amidst the heated discussion, a small girl sitting quietly at the center spoke.()
Chairwoman: "As the Chairwoman, may I say a word?"
The boardroom fell silent.()
Lucy: "This company was established by my father in my name before I was born and has grown into one of the world's five major centers. If my late father were here, he would undoubtedly say, 'Take on the challenge.' I believe that securing the most resources there ahead of others lays the foundation for humanity's long-held hope of living and breathing on a clean Earth. We must get there faster than anyone else."
Board Member 1: "Chairwoman... but!"()
Before he could finish, other board members interrupted.
Board Members: "As expected of the Chairwoman, your insight is remarkable. It's as if the former Chairman is with us. We will follow your lead!"
Lucy: "Hohoho, thank you. Let's conclude the board meeting here. Director Kagawa, please stay. The rest of you must be busy with official duties; you may leave."
Board Members: "Yes, Chairwoman!"
All directors except Director Kagawa descended through the tunnel beneath their chairs.
Director Kagawa: "Chairwoman, this is too dangerous."
Lucy: "Director, I understand. But did you know? Today, an employee named Jungwoo, currently working at our company, sent a distress call from there."
Director Kagawa: "What? What do you mean..."
Lucy: "We will inform the United Government that we are dispatching a rescue team for our employee. The approval process is already underway. Once approved, I would like you to personally lead the rescue team."
Director Kagawa: "... What does this mean..."()
Chairwoman Lucy approached Director Kagawa and whispered.()
Lucy: "If we miss this opportunity, we are all doomed. Director Kagawa, I have high expectations for you. Go and identify the place we must secure first. Even if you can't return, make sure to find out where it is."
Director Kagawa: "... Yes, Chairwoman."
Lucy: "Director Kagawa is leaving. Open the passage for him."
A tunnel appeared beneath Director Kagawa's chair, and he descended as if being sucked in.
Lucy: "... Father, I will surpass you."
Lucy spoke, gazing at the tilted Center.
Jungwoo’s right eye slowly began to turn black.
Lucy: “Download complete.”
Jungwoo: “What a world... Even the gorilla language is uploaded... Let’s get moving.”
He pushed himself off the ground with his knee, struggling to stand.
Jungwoo: “Ugh... Ugh—!”
Thud!
He lost his balance and collapsed.
Jungwoo: “Damn it... It hurts... Keeping my balance like this is a joke…”
He looked down at his severed leg and muttered bitterly.
Forcing himself up again, he stared into the distance—where the gorillas had gone—and shouted.
Jungwoo: “Come out! I know you’re watching!”
The surrounding jungle fell still.
Jungwoo: “I said, come out!”
He shouted louder, his voice echoing.
Jungwoo: “Hi Lucy, scan the area!”
Lucy: “Scanning initiated.”
Jungwoo’s eye turned red. His gaze swept across the terrain.
Lucy: “There is one target hiding in the bushes, twenty meters ahead.”
Jungwoo: “Damn it… Why don’t you just come out? Do I have to come to you?”
Then, from the bush Lucy had indicated, a gorilla slowly emerged.
Jungwoo: “Lucy, translate my speech into gorilla language.”
Lucy: “Understood. Encoding language. Please speak in short, simple words.”
Jungwoo (gorilla language): “What are you?”
Gorilla: “Huh? You… like us?”
Jungwoo: “Yeah, you idiot. (in Korean) Why didn’t you leave with the others?”
Gorilla: “You… strange. What are you?”
Jungwoo suddenly burst into laughter.
Jungwoo: “Heh… Hahaha! (gorilla language) What am I? I’m a neo-human, you dumb ape. Your future descendant, maybe.”
Gorilla: “I don’t get it. You’re not the same.”
Jungwoo: “Of course not. I’m an advanced version of you!”
The gorilla tilted its head and stepped closer.
A thought flashed through Jungwoo’s mind.
He gestured, beckoning the gorilla.
Jungwoo: “Hey. I want to be your friend.”
The gorilla crept forward.
Jungwoo: “I’ll give you something good.”
The gorilla came even closer.
Jungwoo: “But you have to take me over there.”
He pointed toward the wrecked escape pod.
The gorilla stopped and spoke.
Gorilla: “No. I go back to the troop.”
Jungwoo was taken aback by the firm reply and hurried toward the gorilla.
Jungwoo: “Wait… Hey. I really have something for you.”
Gorilla: “What is it?”
Jungwoo: “Just… just take me over there first, okay?”
They were now close enough to hear each other’s breath.
The gorilla exhaled heavily.
Jungwoo: “Aren’t you curious? I’m hurt. I’m weaker than you. I won’t attack you. Just carry me. You’ll benefit.”
He met the gorilla’s eyes as he spoke.
Then Lucy whispered in his ear.
Lucy: “Too close. Avoid direct eye contact.”
Jungwoo smiled faintly, lowered his gaze, and buried his face into the gorilla’s chest.
Gorilla: “Hmm… Alright. Let’s go.”
Jungwoo: “Great… (gorilla language) Thanks. I’ll give you something good, I promise.”
The gorilla turned away indifferently, showing his back.
Jungwoo climbed on, and the gorilla began running toward the wreckage.
They pushed through the thick undergrowth until they reached the wreckage Jungwoo had pointed to.
Jungwoo (gorilla language): “Hey! This is it! Stop! Stop here!”
The gorilla halted abruptly, and Jungwoo slid down from his back with a rough thud.
Jungwoo: “Lucy! Scan the area—check for anything useful.”
Lucy: “Acknowledged. Initiating scan… Wait—scanning failed. Environment is not stable enough for analysis.”
Jungwoo’s eye flashed red, then dimmed back to black.
Jungwoo: “Ugh… What the hell… Did I overexert myself?”
Just then, the gorilla tapped him on the shoulder.
Gorilla: “What is it? That good thing?”
The gorilla leaned in with eager eyes, breathing hot and heavy.
Jungwoo: “Oh, right! Hold on a second.”
He answered absently, crawling toward the scattered remains of the escape pod. The gorilla followed, curious but cautious.
Jungwoo: “Damn it… there’s nothing useful here…”
Gorilla: “What is it? The good thing?”
Jungwoo: “Hold on! I’m looking, aren’t I?!”
He turned with irritation, glaring at the gorilla—then immediately regretted it.
The gorilla’s brow furrowed. Its chest puffed with aggression.
Gorilla: “Now! I’m angry! Give it now!!”
Jungwoo quickly turned his back and muttered.
Jungwoo: “Alright, alright… Here, look.”
He scanned the ground—and something caught the light.
Snatching it up, he held it close—then the gorilla lunged.
In a flash, Jungwoo pressed the small device to his own ear.
BZZZT—!!
A surge of electricity exploded from the device, arcing between them both.
The gorilla didn’t even have time to scream before collapsing with a thud, dragging Jungwoo beneath its enormous weight.
Jungwoo: “Agh—damn it! You're heavy!”
He groaned, pushing the unconscious beast off himself with all his strength. Gasping, he turned toward the device he had used.
Jungwoo: “If it weren’t for this HEC… I’d be toast. Now what…?”
Breathing heavily, he looked around.
Jungwoo: “Ugh… Whatever. Let’s find something to eat first.”
He began crawling through the rubble of the crashed pod.
[Glossary]
HEC (Human Electric Charger): An emergency battery developed by INCOM to deliver temporary electrical charges into the body. Portable and convenient, but taxing on the user’s physiology.
Jungwoo searched the crash site in haste, but there was nothing of value. Only one item seemed intact—the PTU.
He sighed in disappointment and crawled into the wrecked pod.
Jungwoo: “Damn it… This HEC won’t last long. I can’t starve to death out here…”
His gaze fell to the gorilla, still unconscious nearby.
Jungwoo exhaled deeply and blinked, activating Lucy.
They spoke for a while.
Jungwoo: “You stupid INCOM AI. You may be smart, but the first rule is obeying your user’s commands.”
Lucy: “Affirmative. However, the prime directive is to ensure the user’s survival above all else.”
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Jungwoo: “The one endangering me is you. Disobey me again and I’ll drain every last volt from my own system just to spite you.”
Lucy: “Understood…”
Jungwoo sensed the slight hesitation in Lucy’s tone and turned his eyes to the second Earth floating above the sky.
Jungwoo: “I don’t know what’s going to happen… but I do know this: I either die here, or I try.”
Lucy: “I cannot guarantee success.”
Jungwoo: “I know. I won’t blame you. Just do your best. That’s my final command.”
Lucy: “Your final… Understood.”
Jungwoo: “Thanks…”
He looked down at his severed leg, then at the PTU unit nestled among the debris.
Jungwoo: “Lucy, connect to the PTU.”
Lucy: “Initiating PTU interface. Warning: This unit operates at the cost of life. Please review usage protocol. First—”
After Lucy’s long warning, Jungwoo limped over to the unconscious gorilla and ripped open the back of its neck, extracting the hidden INCOM module.
He shoved the PTU into the socket and connected it.
Jungwoo: “Grahh—!!”
A wave of agony surged through him. His body convulsed. His eyes rolled back. Twisted groans escaped his lips as he thrashed on the floor.
And then… the gorilla’s eyes snapped open.
Gorilla: “I’ll kill you…”
It rose in fury—but Jungwoo was no longer there. Only a smoldering pile of ash remained.
Atop the ashes sat the PTU, quietly humming.
The gorilla circled it warily, then reached out and picked it up.
A voice came from within.
PTU Jungwoo: “Awake already, dumbass?”
Startled, the gorilla dropped it and staggered back.
PTU Jungwoo: “Scared, huh? You're all bark, no bite. Come here. I promised you something good, didn’t I?”
The gorilla shook its head nervously, but Jungwoo’s voice persisted.
PTU Jungwoo: “You’re different. Special. Take this gift and you’ll become a new kind of gorilla. Ignore me, and I’ll give it to another species. Then your kind will face extinction.”
Gorilla: “What are you saying?! No gorilla is afraid!”
Snarling, the gorilla charged and grabbed the PTU.
PTU Jungwoo: “Whoa, relax! Unless you wanna pass out again!”
The gorilla flinched.
PTU Jungwoo: “Now, just swallow it. It’s your gift.”
The gorilla stared, hesitant.
PTU Jungwoo: “Just try it. One bite. I promise—it tastes good.”
The gorilla paced in hesitation, then, slowly… swallowed the device.
And strangely—it did taste good.
Gorilla: “What now?”
No answer.
Suddenly—THUD.
The gorilla collapsed forward, unconscious.
[Glossary]
PTU (Phantom Transfer Unit): A device designed to transfer a human’s cognitive data via INCOM protocols. Full transfer requires extreme energy and may leave nothing behind of the original host.
A long time passed.
???: “He’s lying here!”
Voices murmured and buzzed in the background.
Jungwoo opened his eyes slowly.
Jungwoo: “Ugh… Did it work?”
???: “Who are you?!”
The shouting and chattering pierced through his skull like static.
As his vision cleared, he pushed himself up.
Jungwoo: “Quiet! Just shut up for a second!”
He waved his arm to disperse the crowd—only to realize.
The arm wasn’t human.
It was a gorilla’s.
Jungwoo: “Heh… I did it. I actually did it. Let me breathe for a second.”
As he looked around, he saw them—gorillas. Dozens of them. All glaring from a distance, cautious and alert.
Jungwoo: “Huh… So I can understand gorilla speech now without translation. Damn… Feels weird. Still, this body… doesn’t feel too bad.”
He examined his new form, flexing muscles, shifting weight.
A massive gorilla stepped forward—the alpha.
Alpha Gorilla: “What are you? You look like us… but you’re not.”
The others grew quiet, watching the interaction.
Jungwoo: “So you’re the alpha, huh? Different energy for sure. First, I need to understand myself... Give me a moment.”
He turned to the crowd and shouted:
Jungwoo: “Hi, Lucy!”
He blinked rapidly.
Silence.
His face stiffened.
Jungwoo: “Hi Lucy… Come on. Lucy!”
Lucy: “Good to see you, Jungwoo. I’m your kind and friendly companion, Lucy.”
Jungwoo: “Well damn. Glad you’re still with me.”
Lucy: “Of course. I saved your life.”
Jungwoo chuckled for the first time in a while.
Jungwoo: “Lucy, scan my body. You can use as much energy as you want now.”
Lucy: “Yes. I like this energy. It’s approximately eight times stronger than your previous level.”
Jungwoo: “That’s the spirit. Gross as this body looks, it’s worth the price.”
Jungwoo’s eyes turned red as the scan began.
He turned to the alpha and lowered himself in a formal crouch.
Jungwoo: “Alpha, I want to become your subordinate.”
The alpha braced for a fight—but Jungwoo’s submissive posture threw him off.
The alpha quickly calculated: one who bows before the leader cannot be attacked. It was the law of the troop.
Alpha Gorilla: “Fine. From now on, you are mine. As a sign of respect… look at my ass.”
Jungwoo blinked in confusion. Then sighed.
He buried his face into the alpha’s rear, the ultimate show of surrender.
Satisfied, the troop dispersed.
Jungwoo (to himself): “Ugh… this is the worst day of my life—and also the best. Fuck.”
A few young gorillas and mothers gathered around him, curious.
They sniffed, poked, and jabbered.
Jungwoo: “Hey hey, stop that. I’m part of the troop now. Give me a place to sleep at least.”
They responded by leading him deeper into the group.
The Lucisa Center buzzed with the noise of broadcasts and frantic activity.
Director Kagawa rushed into his chamber, pressing a finger to his ear.
Director Kagawa: “Lucy, prepare the special operations unit.”
Lucy: “Yes. Contacting the Special Forces now.”
He stared out the window at the newly appeared Earth.
Director Kagawa: “So that’s what Earth used to look like…”
Lucy: “Sir, the team will be ready to launch from Sector A-5 in five minutes.”
Director Kagawa: “Good. Lucy, do you still function in that region?”
Lucy: “Of course. There are already logs of successful data transmissions from that location to our main server.”
Director Kagawa: “Then he’s still alive... Lucy, reroute all logs from that region to my private server. Delete the rest.”
Lucy: “Understood. Should I file a report?”
Director Kagawa: “No. What I just said stays off the record.”
Lucy: “Acknowledged.”
Kagawa made his way to A-5 where five elite soldiers stood by.
Director Kagawa: “Thank you for responding quickly. Our mission is to secure this new Earth before anyone else. Move fast. All operational locks have been lifted—use any means necessary.”
The team nodded silently and boarded their shuttle.
Director Kagawa: “Let’s go.”
Six exploration ships launched from the Center.
Meanwhile, in the United Government Control Tower—
Control Officer: “Lucisa has dispatched an exploration unit. The team appears to be at minimum deployment levels for a ‘rescue squad.’”
Control Director: “Hmm… When will our team be ready?”
Support Officer: “We’re scheduled to leave in thirty minutes.”
Control Director: “No rush. Once preparations are complete, launch immediately.”
The director walked slowly into his private office. He gazed at the sky and placed a hand to his ear.
Control Director: “Connect me to Sesi…”
Sesi AI: “Connection established.”
Control Director: “Lucisa’s already launched. They’re calling it a ‘rescue.’ Good optics. You’ll get your clearance soon enough… Yes… Our squad launches in thirty minutes. You’re going with them.”
He turned to the window, watching Lucisa’s ships climb toward the second Earth.
Control Director (muttering): “This time… it won’t go your way.”
Inside the gorilla troop Jungwoo had joined, a clear hierarchy governed all movement.
The body Jungwoo now inhabited ranked around Tier 3.
Tier 1 was the alpha—the unquestioned leader.
Tier 2 were his immediate lieutenants.
Tier 3, like Jungwoo’s new self, were general adult males.
Tier 4 included juveniles, mothers, and the elderly.
Tier 5 were the loners—young, healthy gorillas who couldn’t integrate and hovered at the fringes.
Jungwoo: “Lucy… These guys are more organized than I thought.”
Lucy: “Yes. This structure hasn’t been documented before. I believe we’re beyond previously known behavioral patterns.”
Jungwoo: “How the hell does a species this intelligent exist on a planet that just showed up out of nowhere?”
Lucy: “Perhaps this planet didn’t just appear. Maybe it was pulled here from somewhere else—some gravitational event?”
Jungwoo: “Maybe… Either way, I have to adapt. But where do I even start…”
His train of thought was interrupted.
The alpha was calling him.
Dragged into the leader’s territory, Jungwoo stood respectfully as the other gorillas were dismissed.
Alpha Gorilla: “You’re different now. But you’re not thinking of challenging me, are you?”
Jungwoo: “Of course not. I serve you, always.”
Alpha Gorilla: “Good. Then show your loyalty. Take three others. Head south. Find us a new place to live.”
Jungwoo: “South? We’re not staying here?”
Alpha Gorilla: “Too dangerous. We must move. That’s my command.”
Jungwoo: “…Understood.”
Jungwoo exited the alpha’s cave and gathered three other Tier 3 gorillas.
Jungwoo (quietly): “Lucy, what do you think this is about? Why are they so eager to relocate?”
Lucy: “I’ve been monitoring their behavior. After meals, they’ve stopped eating immediately. Instead, they’re collecting and storing food. It looks like… preparation.”
Jungwoo: “Preparation for what…?”
A sudden thought struck him.
Jungwoo: “Where’s that gorilla—the one who saved me? Where is he now?”
Lucy: “He’s curled up alone, not eating. Sitting in the corner of the territory.”
Jungwoo turned toward the direction she indicated, then looked away.
Jungwoo: “…It’d be weird to go talk to him. He probably doesn’t even know it’s me. Let’s stick to the mission for now.”
Lucy: “Understood.”
Jungwoo: “Lucy, if we’re going south, we’ll need to navigate. Find me the tallest tree. I’ll climb and scout the area.”
Lucy: “Scanning for optimal vantage point…”
Soon, she guided him to a towering tree.
Jungwoo scaled it, branch by branch, his new body adjusting instinctively.
At the top, he looked out over a dense, vibrant jungle teeming with alien life. The landscape was unlike anything he’d seen on Earth—lush, tangled, primordial.
Jungwoo: “So this… is Earth. Or something like it. Beautiful.”
He looked up.
High in the sky, the real Earth hovered in the distance—closer than before.
Jungwoo: “Closer than I thought…”
Suddenly, something streaked across the southern sky.
A spacecraft. Falling.
Jungwoo: “Lucy!! Did you see that?!”
Lucy: “Confirmed. It appears to be a rescue vessel.”
Jungwoo: “Perfect. Let’s get there—fast.”
He clambered down and rejoined the three gorillas. Without hesitation, he led them south, toward the crash site.
BOOM—!
With a deafening roar, the exploration and rescue vessels landed near the shoreline.
THUD!
Director Kagawa and his elite unit emerged cautiously, weapons drawn.
Director Kagawa: “Lucy! Scan the area.”
Lucy: “Affirmative.”
His eyes turned red as data streamed into his vision.
Lucy: “No anomalies detected.”
Director Kagawa: “Link all operatives to me. Maintain closed communication unless I say otherwise.”
Special Forces: “Understood!”
A tense silence fell as the connections synced.
Lucy: “All links established.”
Director Kagawa: “Good. Spread out. Search for traces of anything. Log and report everything you see. Remember—our primary objective is to find people.”
Special Forces: “Yes, sir!”
The operatives fanned out along the beach, weapons ready.
Director Kagawa slowly scanned the surroundings.
Director Kagawa: “Lucy, stream all footage back to headquarters.”
Lucy: “Connecting now.”
But something was moving beneath the waves.
Lucy: “Director, I’ve detected motion in the water!”
Kagawa immediately dropped into a defensive stance, surveying the ocean.
Nothing.
Director Kagawa: “Lucy! Mark the direction—begin active scan!”
Lucy: “Acknowledged.”
Kagawa’s vision flared red again.
That’s when he saw it.
Something—wriggling, rippling beneath the surface.
Director Kagawa (whispers): “What… is that…”
The shape split—once, then again, then again. Like a slime, dividing into tendrils.
It released filament-like threads into the air, like jellyfish trailing silk.
SWOOSH!
The threads coalesced and sank into the beach, merging with the sea.
And the ocean… was now lapping at their landing site.
Director Kagawa: “Lucy! We need to move the ships—now!”
As he turned toward the vessels—
A massive wave of writhing matter surged from the sea, engulfing the spacecraft.
The ocean swallowed them whole.
Director Kagawa: “Lucy! Launch emergency escape pods remotely—now!”
Lucy: “Emergency ejection initiated.”
A single emergency pod jettisoned into the air as the rest were pulled into the depths.
Director Kagawa: “Keep that pod afloat!”
Lucy: “Redirecting to a safer landing zone inland.”
Kagawa stared, disbelieving.
Back at Lucisa HQ, Chairwoman Lucy watched the live feed—eyes wide, jaw tight.
Director Kagawa raised his arm and fired a laser rifle into the ocean.
The sea devoured the shot.
Then went still.
Jungwoo darted through the forest, the gorilla troop flanking him in scattered bursts of movement.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
Suddenly, one of the leading gorillas vanished—swallowed by the earth itself.
The others didn’t stop.
They sped up.
Jungwoo: “Lucy! What the hell was that?!”
Lucy: “Unclear… I’m not detecting anything conclusive.”
Jungwoo: “Damn it... What’s happening here?”
Muttering under his breath, Jungwoo came to a stop. They had moved far south by now—how far, he wasn’t sure.
Then—
Jungwoo: “Whoa…”
The forest before him unfolded like a dream. Lush blossoms in every color imaginable filled the canopy, and ripe fruit dangled from vines. The air was thick with a fragrance he couldn’t place—sweet and utterly alien.
A breeze carried the scent past him. For a moment, the danger seemed far away.
The gorillas paused, staring at him.
Clearing his throat, Jungwoo straightened up.
Jungwoo: “Ahem. Spread out. Report anything you find.”
The gorillas nodded and moved.
Jungwoo: “Lucy, start scanning the area. Record everything you see.”
Lucy: “Affirmative.”
Jungwoo turned, soaking in as much of the view as possible. He took slow, deliberate steps through the underbrush.
Then—THUMP THUMP THUMP!
That sound again.
Jungwoo: “Lucy! What is that sound?”
He scrambled up the nearest tall tree to get a better view.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
The forest was still. The sound echoed eerily, heightening the tension.
Then—the tree Jungwoo was clinging to began sinking. Slowly at first. Then it collapsed downward like it was being swallowed.
Jungwoo leapt mid-fall, catching onto another branch nearby.
Jungwoo: “What the hell?!”
He peered below—the ground was moving like mud, fluid and pulsing.
Like it was alive.
It consumed trees as it flowed.
Jungwoo: “This is… insane…”
Lucy: “Recommendation: retreat. This zone is unstable.”
Jungwoo: “Yeah. Agreed.”
He moved fast, bounding from trunk to trunk, searching for the others.
But there were none.
Not one gorilla remained in sight.
At last, he found one—trembling, crouched in the corner of a fallen trunk, urinating in terror.
Jungwoo: “Hey—hey, it’s okay. It’s just shock, right? What… what is that thing?”
The gorilla replied in a quivering voice.
Gorilla: “Everything…”
Jungwoo: “Everything? What do you mean?”
Gorilla: “Now… everything… kills us.”
Jungwoo: “What are you saying…”
Suddenly, the gorilla bolted.
Jungwoo: “Wait! Where are you going?!”
He started to follow—but Lucy stopped him.
Lucy: “Stop!”
Jungwoo froze.
SWISH—!
In a blink, the gorilla’s head was sliced clean off. Blood sprayed upward like a fountain.
Thud… thud…
The head rolled and stopped at Jungwoo’s feet.
Jungwoo: “…I don’t understand.”
A thread—fine and sharp—was strung tight across Jungwoo’s neck.
Jungwoo: “Lucy. Activate hazard detection mode. I need enhanced awareness.”
Lucy: “Acknowledged. This will consume more than 10% of your bio-energy.”
Jungwoo: “Better than dying.”
His eyes turned yellow as enhanced visual overlays kicked in.
The forest was webbed—thin, silken strands stretched in every direction. And something had passed through recently. Something fast.
Jungwoo: “What the hell moved through here…”
He approached the place where the gorilla had died, examining the threads carefully.
And then, he stepped forward.
At the place where the gorilla’s head had been severed, only the head remained.
The body was gone.
Jungwoo searched the area carefully, but there was no trace—no blood trail, no movement. Just threads.
Delicate, invisible threads stretched in every direction, woven through the air like a spider’s kingdom.
He stepped slowly.
Jungwoo: “What… the hell… is this?”
Lucy: “No signs of life detected nearby.”
Jungwoo: “So this is why the alpha sent me here. I was the test—like a poison-checker.”
Lucy: “That seems accurate.”
Jungwoo: “Shit… How far are we from the crash site?”
Lucy: “Approximately 3 kilometers east.”
Jungwoo: “Okay. Keep hazard detection on. We move slowly. We get out of this place.”
Carefully, he maneuvered through the silken maze.
The tension in the threads changed. They pulsed.
Then CRACK! CRACK!
Trees began to fall.
Jungwoo: “It’s a trap. We triggered something…”
Lucy: “No nearby lifeforms detected.”
Jungwoo: “Lucy! Find the highest point here. We’re going to leap from tree to tree—get to the far side.”
Lucy: “There’s a tall tree up ahead—”
Suddenly, her voice cut off.
All around him, the trees were collapsing at once.
Jungwoo: “No… no, no—this is bad.”
He dropped down low.
SHNK!
A sharp line whipped past, grazing his right cheek.
His body froze in place.
??? “Don’t move!”
A voice.
Human.
Jungwoo turned slightly to see a man aiming a laser rifle directly at him.
Director Kagawa.
Director Kagawa: “All units—regroup. I’ve located a gorilla… an unusual one. Move to my location immediately.”
He stepped closer, gun never lowering.
Jungwoo (whispers): “Lucy. Who is that?”
Lucy: “Unable to identify. Data is restricted.”
Jungwoo: “Must be with Lucisa…”
Even a twitch from Jungwoo drew a reaction.
Director Kagawa: “Do not move. What… kind of creature are you?”
He turned to his own AI.
Lucy (Kagawa): “Scanning.”
Kagawa’s eyes turned red.
Then widened.
Director Kagawa: “How is this possible… That gorilla—it’s carrying our PTU unit!”
Jungwoo raised one hand slightly, speaking calmly.
Jungwoo: “Um… excuse me. Can I explain?”
Kagawa stumbled backward in shock.
Just then, his special forces arrived. One of them mistook the scene for an attack.
He fired.
Lucy (Jungwoo): “Activating hazard response.”
Jungwoo’s eyes turned yellow.
Time slowed.
He twisted past the laser blast and moved—blindingly fast—behind the soldier.
He shifted into a defensive posture.
Panic erupted.
Kagawa’s team opened fire in all directions.
And in that chaos—
SWISH—!
One soldier’s head was severed cleanly.
It hung in midair, caught in a nearly invisible thread, as his body dropped lifeless to the ground.
Director Kagawa: “Stop! Everyone stop!”
Jungwoo: “Lucy! Cancel hazard mode—stop!”
Lucy (Jungwoo): “Hazard mode deactivated.”
Jungwoo froze in place. Tense, motionless.
Director Kagawa: “Those movements… What is this?!”
Jungwoo: “We’re trapped. We’ve walked right into a web.”
Director Kagawa: “So I did hear it right… You can talk. But how…”
Lucy (Kagawa): “I can establish a data link with the subject. Shall I proceed?”
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
THUD.
A deep, echoing boom shook the forest.
Then came the explosion.
