I flicked a lighter on, staring into the small dancing flame. For a moment, I felt strangely mesmerized, my thoughts melting into the fire.
"Yeah… I'm mesmerized by it, but where the fuck am I?" I muttered, lifting my head to look around.
I snapped the lighter shut and stuffed it into my pocket. "This place looks like fucking India." I clicked my tongue, suddenly pinching my nose as a wave of stench hit me.
"It smells like shit here," I mumbled.
I pushed myself up from the ground and
started walking along the sidewalk, eyes scanning everything around me. I searched desperately for something—anything—familiar.
But there was nothing.
No landmarks. No signs. No comfort.
"So I'm in a different fucking WORLD!!" I shouted up at the sky.
"Pipe it down, kid!" someone barked back.
My mouth snapped shut instantly, heat crawling up my face in embarrassment.
Later on…
I ended up in an alleyway, dim and narrow.
Now what? I grabbed my chin, thinking.
I'd read novels like this shit before, but those guys were main characters. I wasn't. I didn't have plot armor—I had bad luck and zero preparation.
My eyes landed on a trash can.
An idea sparked.
"Fuck it, we ball."
I walked over and started rummaging through it, ignoring the filth. "Aha! Got one!" I yanked something out dramatically—
A fucking wallet.
Empty.
"…Fuck."
I kept digging through trash cans up and down the alley for who knows how long.
…
I wiped sweat from my forehead. "Hehe… I got stuff."
Thirty ahn.
And a rusty knife.
I feel like this world isn't just gloomy and lonely… it's dangerous. I stared at the ground for a moment before shaking my head hard.
I pocketed the items and left the alley.
It's turning dark now. I glanced up at the sky, my chest feeling hollow.
I missed my old world.
I missed my family—even if they were assholes half the time. They were still… mine.
I forced the thoughts down. The past was the past. All I had now was the future—whether I survived long enough to have one or not.
I kept walking. "This world's like my old one… but more like India," I chuckled weakly.
Modern buildings stood beside cracked roads, cars passing by—but not many.
AGHHH!
A distant scream echoed.
"The fuck?" I muttered, stopping. "…Maybe this world isn't just gloomy and boring."
I turned around immediately and walked the other way. I wasn't a hero. I wasn't Superman.
I was just trying to live.
Night fully settled in. Darkness swallowed the streets, though the stars faintly illuminated the road.
"Haa…" I sighed, wandering aimlessly like a damn hobo.
Then suddenly.
A guy ran up to me, gripping a small knife. His eyes were wide, panicked, desperate.
What the fuck? Robbing me when I've got nothing? This guy was insane. Or maybe this world was.
"Give me your money!" His voice cracked.
I raised an eyebrow. "Why would I?"
"I-I… I'll stab you!!" He shouted, knife shaking in his hands.
I scoffed. This was almost funny.
Then pain flared.
Something sharp pierced my skin.
I looked down.
This idiot actually stabbed me.
The guy froze in terror, hands trembling as he let go of the knife lodged in my stomach and stumbled back.
"Fuck!" I yelled, yanking it out as blood slowly poured down. Thank god it wasn't deep.
He kept backing away, ready to bolt.
You're not running, fucker.
I lunged.
He didn't even try to dodge he just closed his eyes and took it.
I beat him until my arms burned.
Eventually, I stood over him, drenched in sweat, breathing hard.
"Fucking hell…" My shirt was soaked in blood.
Time to rob his ass.
Adrenaline drowned the pain as I searched his pockets. He just lay there, curled up and crying.
Feel bad for him… but he tried to rob me. And stabbed me.
I took what he had and walked away, still bleeding.
Two thousand ahn.
And cigarettes.
…Worth it.
I kept walking until something caught my eye.
"Nannie's Clinic."
A clinic. How lucky.
I knocked repeatedly.
Waited.
And waited.
Finally, the door opened. A tired-looking man stood there—messy brown hair, white coat—confusion on his face until he noticed the blood.
"Come in."
He turned and walked away. I followed.
While he went to the back, I looked around.
The place was clean. Surprisingly so.
I sat down and waited.
Minutes later, he returned holding a red
medical case.
"Take off your clothes."
I did, revealing the small but bleeding wound.
"Hm. Got robbed, huh?" he said, grabbing a spray.
"Yeah. Guy didn't even wear a mask."
"You're lucky—it's shallow."
He sprayed disinfectant.
Pain exploded.
I clenched my teeth, face twisting.
"Easy there," he chuckled. "You might shit yourself."
After cleaning and patching me up, he
stepped back.
"Thanks." I reached for my wallet.
"Free," he said, stopping my hand. "Since you got robbed."
"…Alright. Thanks a lot."
I turned to leave.
He grabbed my shoulder.
"Leaving at a time like this?"
"What do you mean?"
He pointed to a bed. "Stay. It's dangerous outside. Sweepers roam at night."
"…Sweepers?"
"The name's Nannie," he added, walking away.
I stared out the window.
Creatures in black outfits.
Black masks.
Red glowing tanks on their backs.
Sickles in their hands.
"…What the fuck is this world."
Fear wrapped around my chest.
This place wasn't normal.