Suddenly, I Became a Slime

Chapter 6: Choice

Around 13:10, entered ██-KR, initiated search for ███-KR-1.

Around 15:17, reached the depths of ██-KR, encountered ███-KR-B and ███-KR-1 simultaneously under the judgment of the on-site commander. Simultaneously conducted suppression fire on ██-KR-B and capture of ███-KR-1.

• Newly detected intelligent movements from ███-KR-1 now:
  1. Shows intelligence by using ██-KR-B as a shield.
  2. Presumed to be aware of the surrounding situation by blending in and hiding under subdued ██-KR-B.

Around 15:47, as ██-KR-B regenerated, the silhouette of ███-KR-1 was revealed.

• ███-KR-1’s altered appearance determined to resemble a small girl’s silhouette.
  1. Cross-verified testimonies of the members indicated that it looked like a small girl.
  2. Judged to be different from the anticipated situation.
  3. Attached are photos taken on-site.

*(Blurry photo suspected to show ███-KR-1 hanging from ██-KR-B’s nostril) (Censored)*

Around 15:49, the situation was deemed beyond control, and the team started withdrawing from ██-KR as per the commander’s decision. Failed to secure ███-KR-1.

Around 17:20, commenced evacuation from ██-KR followed by blocking entry points.

Around 17:25, ██-KR entrance was completely sealed off.

1. Based on this, a request for analytical support is being made.
2. Reconsideration of the identification name of ███-KR-1 is requested.

End.

██ Branch, Deputy Manager Hwang██

1. Ensure thorough surveillance of ██-KR’s entrance.
   • As there are unstable entrances close to the main entrance, regular checks need to be conducted.
   • For more details, please refer to section 10 of Research Report No. 9 on ██-KR.
2. Approval for dispatching the analysis team.
   • However, personally, I don’t think there’ll be much gain. (Censored)
3. Propose expanding the search area if ███-KR-1 is not found after a 7-day search, considering the possibility of ██-KR having escaped.
   • I have a feeling things are getting serious… But isn’t it exciting? (Censored)
4. Accepting the chief’s request to classify ███-KR-1 as a unique point separate from ███-KR, assigning a new identification code and a new handler.
   • Looks like it might be me. (Censored)
5. In preparation for the expanding search area, information regarding civilians suspected of being fused with ███-KR-1 is attached.
   • Just in case. (Censored)

End.

██ Branch, Acting Station Chief Han██

Near the entrance of ██-KR, there is running water, and there are places where iron bars are stuck. The passage is so narrow that only small beings, such as Entities 1, 3, and 5, can pass through, let alone humans.

*(Photo of tightly packed iron bars in the passage)*

The destination of the flowing water has not been identified yet. Therefore, to find out, we decided to send out a large number of signal transmitters.

*(Photo of personnel with blurred faces gathering and deploying signal transmitters)*

However, since no response was received from the sewer, it was determined to vanish due to the nature of anomalies.

At that time, a signal was received from outside ██-KR instead of from inside, and as a result of dispatching agents, we confirmed that our deployed signal transmitters were the source.

It seems as though it is being ‘discharged’ to somewhere else, but it is not certain.

Therefore, it was decided that it would be better to conduct more diverse attempts, such as biological experiments, to clearly investigate.

• Additional experiment rejected.
• Reason (Censored)

I found the exit, but I couldn’t leave through it.

As soon as they left, it was as if the cover was immediately closed, with a bang, and the light disappeared.

Even if it had been open, I didn’t think I could have left through there anyway.

I’m not sure what kind of people they are, but judging by their extreme caution, they are probably guarding it like a fortress.

Unless knocking allows passage, it seems difficult to leave through the same exit those people used.

In that case, what choice do I have left…

I gazed at the tightly woven iron bars next to the passage they took.

Beyond that thing swallowing the sewage with a ‘shoaaa’ sound, it was incredibly dark.

It’s a far cry, even from the tiny light bulb hanging here.

It is as if saying this place and that place are different.

*Shoaaaa!*

The sound coming as if a waterfall is pouring down is truly deafening.

Iron bars that seem impossible for a human body to pass through.

… Right now, with my current body, passing through those iron bars seems possible.

But… should I really do it?

That is still the issue.

But in reality, there is no alternative other than that.

Somehow, although I had been searching for a long time, they seemed to find the passage effortlessly.

There seems to be something I don’t know… Unless there is a status window or something, it might be difficult for me to figure it out.

…There is probably not enough time for that.

It was clear that they came to catch me, so it was certain they would come down again.

However…

Being caught might also be a strategy, right?

Not that I didn’t think about that, but the image of those ‘groups’ floating in my head wasn’t very pleasant.

Back then, it was just a joke, a fictional play, but now it’s a real story for me. It has become non-fiction.

If I were sucked into that vacuum-like thing, countless experiments would be awaiting me immediately, wouldn’t they?

Living hidden in the sewer might actually be a better life.

Truly a gutter life…

In this serious situation, only half-baked thoughts keep popping into my mind.

Perhaps my mind is still too close to that of an average person to fully accept this situation.

I feel that way sometimes.

Perhaps it was a wishful thought that if I could prove I was originally human, they would help me.

Very tempting.

I felt like pounding on something blocking the exit and shouting that I was there, wanting to do it right away.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

But something inside me seemed to warn me that I shouldn’t do that.

Like when I was chased by wild dogs.

That something didn’t react when I was hanging from a crocodile’s nostrils…

Yeah, ‘sensation’.

Some sensation came over me.

I grabbed onto the iron bars.

Accompanied by a cool touch.

*Whoosh!*

Pitch-black darkness.

A complete darkness where nothing could be seen welcomed me.

A sight that evoked a sense of terror.

…Well, I might as well try my luck anyway.

If I go in here and come out into the sewer again, I’d be miserable. I’ll have to survive while trembling with the uncertainty of when they might come again.

If… I could go to a completely new place, that’d be great. Escaping from here. If I disappear from here, maybe they won’t be able to find me.

Well, in the worst-case scenario, I might just end up dead.

I decided to trust my quite sturdy body, even though I was a bit hesitant.

In the end, the water is flowing, so if I just go with the flowing water, wouldn’t it work?

Let’s think positively.

With determination, I boldly pushed my body through the iron grating.

Feeling like I had become a villain from an old movie, I passed through the iron grating.

I felt an irresistible force pulling me in a huge current.

Instinctively grabbing onto the iron grating, I soon let go of my sticky hand.

I, who had yearned for exploration and discovery, had set out on the adventure of the unknown and mystery I had so desired.

Letting my body go with the flow felt like riding a slightly larger slide in a pool. But all around me was blocked off, with not a single ray of light coming in.

It looked like nothing… I couldn’t tell if I was flowing or falling. Nothing was visible.

Just feeling the cold touch against my soft body, I could only determine that I was still submerged in water.

The massive current kept dragging my tiny body somewhere continuously.

A complete darkness where even the change in sight could not be felt.

…If I had been in a human body, wouldn’t I have already fallen into terror and struggled?

At that moment, I sensed something entering my body.

In the blink of an eye, information about its taste flowed into my mind.

It felt like putting Lego in my mouth and gagging, so I spat it out.

What on earth had entered my body?

Since then, occasionally, things have entered, and I immediately spat them out.

As fear, pleasure, or whatever came, I somehow felt like everything was okay.

*Shoooo…*

At some point, I realized I was looking up at the sky.

Although the stench lingered, the vast sky I had never seen before in that sewage-like place spread out before me.

The sky wasn’t clear. Thick rain clouds poured heavy raindrops down.

The fat raindrops splattered on my face.

Raindrops fell as far as the eye could see.

They flowed over my soft body, mixing with the water passing by me, and streamed somewhere.

Now, they seemed to shed tears for me, as I could no longer shed them myself.

I stood silently, letting the raindrops hit me, gazing at the sky.

Who knew that a gloomy sky could look so beautiful.

It was an experience beyond what I could have ever imagined, even in my dreams.