Seoul Object Story

In the back alleys of the Free City Alliance.

Qing had left the hideout after PIG ahjussi’s contact and was walking down a street where hazy neon lights flickered sporadically.

Fog so thick, visibility was near zero.

Toxic substances, floating like fog, writhed like living things, coiling around utility poles before coalescing and dripping down.

A strange sight, rarely seen anywhere else, fascinating no matter how many times she saw it.

Curiosity piqued, Qing reached out and touched a flowing blob of paint.

The yellow paint blob had a fluffy texture, gently wrapping around her fingers before sliding back off.

It felt like swimming through a deep ocean contaminated with colorful paints.

Only lonely neon signs blinked in the street, which felt submerged in deep water. People were scarce.

It was the kind of day even residents with Object lungs would avoid going out unless absolutely necessary.

As such, Qing walked the street more heavily armed than usual.

Hood, mask, goggles.

Armed from head to toe without any gaps.

Under her hoodie and baggy pants, she even wore a sealed suit like a wetsuit.

For Qing, who lacked Object skin, direct contact with pollutants was quite dangerous.

Still, she couldn’t use the weather as an excuse not to go out.

She was looking forward to the item PIG ahjussi had made for her, and she often went out on missions in weather like this, so she had no choice but to get used to it.

Qing walked cautiously, hugging the Orange Reaper perched on her head.

Walking down the deserted street, she began chattering to the Orange Reaper in her arms.

“Working as a mercenary, everyone recommends I implant Objects in my body.”

“From the brokers who bring jobs to the mercenaries themselves, everyone says it.”

“I absolutely don’t want to. I don’t want to cut off perfectly fine limbs and attach Objects.”

“But even wearing a mask, breathing seems to be getting harder. How long can I go on without Objects?”

From stories about mercenary work and Object bodies…

“They say the three major Families rule the Free City Alliance, but mercenaries think a bit differently.”

“The Colossus.”

“Many mercenaries think that man is the true ruler of the city.”

To stories about the most famous mercenary in the city…

“I need to earn a lot of money.”

“My mother’s keepsake is in this city. I came to the ‘Free City Alliance’ to buy it back.”

“And my plan includes leaving this city full of death again.”

“I just need to endure for three more years. Of course, just surviving here won’t be easy at all.”

And she even chattered about relatively important things like her dreams and future plans.

Why did I end up talking about this?

As Qing spoke, she sighed inwardly, feeling she had said too much.

It was common knowledge that Objects couldn’t properly understand human speech.

But strangely, she felt like she could communicate with the Orange Reaper, so she got carried away talking excitedly.

The Orange Reaper would shake its small, plump face side to side, or nod.

As if it understood her feelings.

Chatting with the Orange Reaper, they soon neared PIG ahjussi’s factory.

Passing through the back alleys of the neon-lit downtown, PIG ahjussi’s factory was located in the most remote part of the city.

To Qing, the area around the factory always seemed dark, littered with trash, like a scene from a dystopia.

She didn’t know why, but strangely, people avoided this area.

Perhaps because the ominous scenery looked like Scavengers might jump out?

Even so, it’s too quiet?

Feeling the overly quiet atmosphere was awkward, Qing hugged the Orange Reaper tightly and started walking slowly.

The closer she got to the factory, the stronger the sense of unease grew.

Too quiet.

Even with the thick, paint-like pollution flowing, there were too few people.

Even during heavy pollution, it didn’t seem this bad?

The moment that question arose, a sharp metallic glint flashed from empty air.

Qing instinctively tried to dodge, but she wasn’t fast enough to evade the blade that appeared without warning.

!

As the cold blade was about to sever her neck, Qing squeezed her eyes shut and hugged the Orange Reaper.