Chapter 1:
Save a cat, but be your girl S1
# 1
Guard 1: "Subject CX-21 spotted in the north corridor! Repeat, north corridor!"
Guard 2: "He's running faster than we expected. Capture him alive!"
Shin: "No... not now... I have to get out..."
Escaping Creature: "Please... don't leave me—aaaaargh!!"
Shin: "I'm sorry... I can't... I can't help you..."
Guard 1: "Quick! He turned into the generator room! Seal off access now!"
Guard 2: "He must not reach the ventilation!"
Shin: "Why don't you just give up...? I just want to be free..."
Guard 1: "You don't belong to the outside world, CX-21! Return to your cage!"
Shin: "I'm not... a thing! Not anyone's property!"
Guard 2: "Take him down if necessary!"
Shin: "I have to jump... now or I'll forever be a prisoner..."
Guard 1: "He jumped! HE JUMPED—"
Guard 2: "QUICK! FOLLOW HIM!!"
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# 2
Escaping Creature 1: "Shin! Help us!!"
Shin: running fast, gasping for breath "Sorry… I… I can't…"
Escaping Creature 2: "Don't leave us!!"
Shin: tears streaming down, voice breaking "I'm sorry… I'm… I'm so sorry…!"
Guard 1: "Visual contact! Subject CX-21 within range!"
Guard 2: "Don't wait! SHOOT!"
Shin: leaps past the guards nimbly, body injured but keeps running "Just a little more… the door…"
Escaping Creature 1: dragged back while screaming "SHIIIN—!!"
Shin: covering his ears as he runs "STOP IT!!"
He reaches the final corridor. At the end of it, a large metal door is slowly closing due to the active security system. Shin sees it—his last hope. He gathers all his strength and runs as fast as he can.
Guard 2: "Aim for his legs! Don't let him escape!!"
BANG!
Shin: screams in pain "AARRGH!!"
A bullet hits his left calf. He falls, his body hitting the hard floor. Blood drips quickly, but the door is nearing full closure.
Shin: crawling "No… not now…"
He drags his body, forcing himself even though he's barely able to move. With one last breath—he throws himself into the final gap of the door that's almost shut.
THUD!!
The door closes right behind him, just inches away from his body.
He collapses on the ground outside, his body trembling, blood flowing from his leg.
But he survives.
His breathing is ragged. His vision blurs.
But one sentence escapes his lips softly.
Shin: "Finally… I'm… out..."
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# 3
Shin: lying weak on the ground, gasping for breath, body covered in dust and blood
"They... they were captured..."
He hugs his trembling knees, the wound on his calf still bleeding. His sobs are quiet but piercing, mixed with the sound of waves crashing in the distance.
Shin: "Am I... cruel...? I left them..."
"I saw them being dragged... they called my name..."
Tears fall again, wetting his dirty face. He trembles, not just from the cold—but from guilt gripping his chest.
Shin: "I just... I just want to live..."
"I'm sorry... so sorry..."
He sits leaning against a large rock near some bushes, trying to take a deep breath. But the sound of a helicopter echoes in the distance, and lights begin appearing in the sky.
Shin: "They're... still looking for me..."
"I can't stay here... not now..."
He struggles to stand up, enduring the pain in his wounded leg. His knees are weak, but he forces himself to rise.
Shin: "I have to run... again..."
"If they catch me... all of this will be for nothing..."
He limps into the dark forest stretching before him.
Shin: "I'm sorry... wait for me... if I can come back someday..."
"I'll bring you all home..."
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# 4
Footsteps echo quickly. Heavy. Uniformed.
Shin looks back in panic, his breathing still erratic.
Shin: "That’s... boot sounds... they're coming...!"
Guard 1 (distant): "The blood trail leads this way! Don't let him enter the forest!"
Shin: "No... I can't be caught again..."
He forces himself to stand despite his leg feeling like it's burning in hellfire. He grabs onto a nearby tree trunk and starts limping toward the dense forest ahead.
Guard 2 (closer): "Subject CX-21 approaching the treeline!"
Shin: "Step forward... endure the pain... don't stop..."
Branches and roots scratch at his body as he pushes through bushes. Fresh blood drips from his wounds, but he keeps moving forward. Only one goal fills his mind: don’t get caught.
Guard 1: “He’s entered Dreamland! Deploy trackers!”
Shin: “They’re still following me?!”
He glances back slightly, seeing flashlight beams dancing among the trees.
Shin: “I have to go deeper… I have to disappear…”
The sound of footsteps grows louder. The ground trembles slightly. But he keeps running, ignoring the pain and tears. Only the sound of his heartbeat remains in his ears.
Shin: “Don’t die… don’t die here…”
He slips further into Dreamland’s dark forest.
Not knowing where he’s going. But anything is better than their hands.
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# 5
Panting. Exhausted. His knees nearly give out. But Shin keeps forcing himself deeper into the forest. The sound of helicopters fades further away… but footsteps on the ground—grow closer.
Guard 1 (shouting): “TARGET SPOTTED! PERMISSION TO FIRE!”
Shin: “No… not now… I’m not free yet!”
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Gunshots echo from afar. Bullets hit nearby trees, missing their mark but tearing leaves and soil apart. A hailstorm of bullets—but none touch him.
Shin: “They’re really trying to kill me now?!”
Guard 2 (shouting): “DON’T KILL HIM! SHOOT TO DISABLE ONLY!”
Guard 1: “I’M TRYING! HE’S TOO FAST!!”
Shin: “Run! Focus, Shin! You have to keep running!!”
He ducks low, pushing through thorny bushes; his legs get cut again but he doesn’t care. The sound of bullets continues behind him, but all miss—as if the forest itself is protecting him.
Shin: “Why won’t you just give up?!”
BANG!
BANG!
Shin: “I won’t go back! NEVER!!”
He jumps across a small ditch, almost slipping. His body wobbles but he gets back up again. His breathing grows heavier; the pounding of his heart grows louder in his ears.
Guard 2 (from behind): “Don’t let him enter deeper into the forest zone! We’ll lose him!!”
Shin: “Too late… I’m already far…”
He keeps running through thin mist starting to form between ancient trees. His tracks slowly fade away. The guards’ footsteps grow fainter.
For now—he has escaped.
But Dreamland’s forest… has only begun pulling him further inside...
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# 6
Guard 1: "Hey, come back!!"
Shin: "Never!!"
Guard 2: "Shoot him!! Don’t let him escape!!"
Guard 1: "Don’t aim for the head! He’s still valuable!!"
Shin: "Stop chasing me!!"
Guard 2: "He’s going deeper! We’re losing visual contact!!"
Guard 1: "Keep chasing! Don’t give him time to hide!!"
Shin: "You’ll never catch me!!"
Guard 2: "Damn it! He’s too fast for someone injured!"
Guard 1: "Split into two teams! Cut off the eastern side!"
Shin: "I’d rather die... than go back to your cage!!"
Guard 2: "We’ve lost visual contact!!"
Guard 1: "Keep searching!! Don’t stop until he’s found!!"
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# 7
Captain: "Expand the search zone. Focus on the northeast direction; he’s heading there."
Guard 1: "But that’s a restricted zone, Captain. The inner part of Dreamland..."
Captain: "I know. But Subject CX-21 is the top priority. Expand the area. Now."
Guard 2: "Tracking drones are ready, Captain. Should we activate them from the control center?"
Captain: "Activate all units. Send coordinates to the ground teams as well."
Guard 1: "Drones are moving. Visual in five... four... three..."
Captain: "If he goes deeper, we’re out of time. He must be found before nightfall."
Guard 2: "Confirmed. All drones are spreading out. The farther area is now under surveillance."
Captain: "Don’t make any more mistakes. That subject—she’s not just an experiment."
Guard 1: "Understood, Captain."
Captain: "Keep tracking. I want updates every five minutes."
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# 8
Guards 1 and 2 (saluting): “Yes, sir!”
Captain: “Move now. Don’t give him any openings.”
Guard 1: “Coordinates received. Beta team advancing southwest.”
Guard 2: “Drone detects movement! 75 meters from our position!”
Captain: “That’s him. Surround him now!”
Shin: “Again...?! Why won’t you just stop?!”
Guard 1: “Visual contact! Direct engagement!!”
Guard 2: “He’s right ahead! Hurry up!”
Shin: “I said STAY AWAY FROM ME!!”
Captain: “Hold your fire. Capture him alive!”
Guard 1: “You won’t escape again, CX-21!”
Shin: “I’m already free... I’M FREE!!”
Guard 2: “He turned left! Heading toward the cliff!”
Captain: “Don’t lose him!! NOW!!”
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# 9
Guard 2: “Target still moving! Ready to fire!”
Captain: “Sniper, clear his path. Shoot only to disable!”
Sniper (over comms): “Target locked... firing.”
BANG!
Shin (screaming): “AARRGH!!”
“My arm... my arm...!”
Guard 1: “He’s hit! He’s slowing down!”
Captain: “Capture him now before—”
Shin (yelling): “Enough...!!”
Guard 2 (confused): “What is that...?!”
Shin (furious): “You forced me…”
Captain (alarmed): “Wait... he’s activating his powers!”
Shin (shouting): “If you want a fight... THEN FINE!!”
WHOOSH!!
Guard 1 (panicking): “Fire! He’s using fire!!”
Guard 2 (coughing): “Thick smoke! I’ve lost visual contact!”
Captain (commanding): “Drones, activate thermal tracking! Don’t let him escape!”
Helicopter Pilot (reporting): “Visual from above remains clear. Target is heading east at high speed!”
Captain (firmly): “Don’t lose track of him! Keep following! He must not escape again!”
Shin (determined): “I can’t lose now... I WON’T LOSE!!”
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# 10
Bullets rain down from above, hitting the ground and trees around Shin. The deafening sound fills the air as Shin lets out a small scream and keeps running—his legs bleeding, his arms barely movable.
Shin (desperate): “They won’t stop… they really want to kill me!!”
Helicopter Pilot (over comms): “Target is still moving despite injuries. Initiating warning shots.”
Drrrat-drrrat-drrrat!!
Shin (terrified): “AAAH!!”
He leaps behind a tree, nearly losing his balance. Bullets hit the side of the large tree trunk he uses for cover.
Shin (panting heavily): “I can’t keep this up… my legs… my arms… everything hurts…”
“I’m weak… but… I can’t stop either…”
Guard 1 (over radio): “Helicopter, drive him toward the northern cliffs. We’ll intercept below.”
Helicopter Pilot (confirming): “Understood. Adjusting firing direction.”
Shin (realizing): “The cliffs...? They’re trying to trap me?!”
The barrage of bullets grows closer. Shin forces himself to stand again, his body trembling violently. But the pressure of gunfire and the helicopter above pushes him forward despite his dragging and limping steps.
Shin (resolute): “If I stop now… it’s all over…”
“I… have to run… I HAVE TO!!”
He plunges deeper into the forest—darker, denser, farther away from anyone he knows.
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# 11
Shin was panting, his body nearly collapsing, but the roar of the helicopter and the bullets continuously hitting the ground forced him to keep running. From behind the bushes, two guards emerged, blocking his path.
---
Guard 1: "STOP!! HANDS UP!!"
Guard 2: "YOU'RE SURROUNDED!!"
Shin: "Get out of my way... I SAID GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!"
He raised his trembling hands. Red light flared in his palms. In one breath, a fireball formed—larger than before.
Guard 1: "CRAP—HE'S USING MAGIC!!"
Shin: "GO!!"
WHOOOM!!
The fireball shot forward, hitting the ground in front of the two guards. A loud explosion shook the air, sending them flying to the side, and fire scorched the surrounding bushes and branches.
Guard 2: "AAARGH!! IT BURNS!!"
Guard 1: "THE PATH IS OPEN! HE'S RUNNING!!"
Shin: "You won't stop me... Not NOW!"
He burst through the gap created by the explosion, continuing to run, gasping for breath. The wounds on his body were still gaping, but his eyes only stared ahead—toward an uncertain freedom.
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# 12
Shin's steps faltered. His legs kept being forced to move, but the world around him had begun to blur. Wet leaves, sharp roots, and the sound of the helicopter above mixed into one... until finally—
Shin: "Huh...?!"
His feet stopped suddenly. In front of him... only a cliff. Deep. Dark. Wind from below slapped his face. One more step and his body would fall freely.
---
Shin: "No... No way... I'm trapped?!"
Guard 1 (from afar): "DON'T MOVE!! YOU'RE CORNERED!!"
Guard 2: "SURRENDER!! DON'T TRY ANYTHING!!"
Shin: "I... have to turn back...!"
He looked back, but the sound of the two guards' footsteps was getting closer. They were almost halfway to closing off the only gap.
Guard 1: "You have no way out, Shin!"
Guard 2: "Come back quietly! We won't hurt you if you give up now!"
Shin: "You're lying..."
"You always lie..."
His feet unconsciously stepped back slightly—gravel came loose from his heels, fell into the ravine, disappeared without a sound.
Shin: "One wrong move... and I fall..."
Guard 1: "We're almost got him!"
Guard 2: "Take him from the right, I'll cover the left!"
Shin gritted his teeth, his breathing short and hot. His eyes remained fixed on the edge of the cliff, which was only a handspan away from his feet.
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# 13
Shin retreated slowly. Cold sweat drenched his face, his knees trembled, and the wound on his leg bled more profusely. Behind him, there was only a deep, dark ravine. In front of him—two guards who kept approaching.
---
Guard 1: "Don't do anything stupid, Shin."
Guard 2: "You have no other choice. Enough. This is the end of your escape."
Shin: "You think... I'll obey... just because there's no way out?!"
Guard 1: "We don't want you to die. But if you fall, there's nothing we can do."
Shin: "If I go back... I'd rather die."
He stepped back a little more. His heels were already hanging in the air. A small rock at the edge of the cliff came loose and fell... there was no echo from below. Too deep.
Guard 2: "Shin... enough. Lower your hands, and come with us. You can still live."
Shin: "Live? That's not living. That's a cage. Hell."
Guard 1: "We're ordered to bring you back alive. Don't force our hand."
Shin: "I... won't go back. Even if this is my end..."
A cold wind blew up from the ravine below, his hair fluttering softly. His legs trembled, one more step—everything would be over. But his eyes still burned… as if he hadn't chosen to give up.
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# 14
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Shin: (shouting as loud as he could)
*"I'D RATHER DIE THAN BE WITH YOU!!"*
He jumped—his body was thrown into the air, the wind slapped his face hard. The guards screamed in surprise, while time seemed to slow down. As his body floated freely, a shot rang out—
BANG!!
Shin: "AAAGH!!"
Blood spurted from his shoulder. His body spun in the air, falling freely into the darkness of the ravine.
Guard 1: "SHOOT!! HE'S FALLING!!"
Guard 2: "HE'S SHOT, BUT...!!"
As he was about to touch the sharp, rocky bottom of the ravine...
SCREEEEE—!!!
A loud screech pierced the air. A giant eagle emerged from the side of the cliff, its wings spread wide, striking the wind with great force. In an instant, its talons grabbed Shin's body, then soared high with incredible speed.
Guard 1: "WHAT IS THAT?!"
Guard 2: "A HUGE EAGLE?! NOT A NORMAL SPECIES!!"
Captain (over the radio): "Visual lost! What's happening?!"
Guard 1: "An unknown aerial creature is carrying the target—they're flying out of the search zone!"
Guard 2: "We lost him... we really lost him!"
In the air, Shin was semi-conscious, blood dripping from the wound on his shoulder, but his lips formed a soft word...
Shin: "...free...?"
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# 15
In the air, Shin's body felt light. The great eagle carried his body steadily, cleaving the sky above Dreamland. The cold air stung, but the pain began to fade... replaced by a sensation of emptiness, like floating without a body.
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Shin: "Heh... so light..."
Shin: "Am I... already dead?"
Shin: "This wind... it's so calm... like an embrace..."
Shin: "No sound of bullets... no screams..."
His eyes were half-open. He saw the orange sky at dusk, blurred by blood and tears. His body trembled, not from fear—but because his body was beginning to go numb.
Shin: "If this is heaven... it's not bad, huh..."
Shin: "I don't want to wake up... let me just stay like this..."
Shin: "I'm sorry... everyone... I couldn't save you..."
Shin: "But at least... I could be free for a little while..."
His eyes closed slowly. His breathing weakened. And unconsciously... he fainted in the gentle grip of the eagle that carried him away from all that horror.
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