“Intelligence is a scary thing. Look at beasts. As long as you don’t mess with them, they just hunt what they plan to eat and live, right?”“Here he goes repeating his drunken ramblings.”“I don’t hunt Anomalies. They seriously give me the creeps. Have you seen them play with people and bob their heads? Seen it? Fuck, makes me wanna puke… ugh.”“Aaah! You crazy bastard, stop puking and whining!”PTSD isn’t uncommon among mercenaries. Though severity varies, most carry at least some trauma.Some get seriously messed up. Those big, strapping guys with skill who only take cheap jobs tend to be the worst. Usually they survive a disaster, then neuroses kick in. High-grade Anomaly incidents are more than just casualties—they’re outright horror shows.These things, intelligence a fraction of a beast’s, toyed with humans as they killed them. They’d bite off a head, hold it in their jaws, then chase the victim’s friends. Or drive someone into a dead-end and enjoy watching them thrash.Most Anomalies you meet are low-grade idiots you trap easily. But some are cunning—monstrous bastards whose instinctual malice turns your stomach.When they mess with people, they pull these sick stunts: dropping a body from a height just to see it hit, throwing rocks at it afterward...“Get on the bike.”Jin Muhae’s voice was as hard as steel. If those mercenaries weren’t idiots, the creature that toyed with them was strong and clever. He came to hunt 귀호, not battle an Anomaly. Fortunately, none were around now, so escaping the scene quickly was top priority.The moment Joo-o grabbed his waist, Muhae retraced his path and roared off on the bike.“What about the hide?”Joo-o asked, and Muhae hesitated. After renting an expensive small craft, it’d be a shame to give up so easily. Besides, the goal was a new jacket. Better to scour a safer zone for hide.“We’re going. To find the hide.”As if he’d been waiting, Joo-o pressed his cheek against Muhae’s shoulder and giggled. He was so cute when he split hairs. What was there to like in this situation?“Now the hide will come to us.”Whispering something half-metaphorical, half nonsense, Muhae took a deep breath. No doubt Joo-o was sniffing someone else’s scent again.“Hope it shows up on its own.”Muhae replied lightly, pivoting toward the far side of the lake.Anomalies vary wildly in physical abilities and traits. They’re lumped together only by spawning with the crystal blue—no surprise they differ so much.Since dropping into the game, Joo-o had never encountered another of his kind. He hummed a tune, leaning on Muhae’s shoulder. Muhae’s broad, sturdy shoulder made a comfortable pillow. The scent from his neck tickled Joo-o’s belly, making him feel good.“Soon it’ll be a hidden jacket.”Muhae swatted his head to shut him up, but then praised him, playing with his head, ears, and cheeks. So he decided to indulge him. If Joo-o could get the hidden item without any prodding, he’d watch on—but of course, he’d only scouted the crash site and Anomaly involvement before trying to leave.Unbeknownst to Muhae, Joo-o had picked up an item and stashed it in his inventory. Soon an event would trigger.“This doesn’t look like a tiger either.”Muhae muttered while checking the radar. Right—this wasn’t a 귀호. A 귀호 would appear after scanning both left and right shores of the lake. Then you could snatch a hidden hide—but why bother hunting a /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ tiger?Joo-o had been mum whenever Muhae asked questions. He never lied, just didn’t help much. Hm. He took another deep sniff of Muhae, pressed his cheek, rubbing against that broad shoulder. Whenever he exhaled, Muhae’s nape twitched. Was it ticklish? For reasons unknown, Joo-o found it hilarious—now every time they mounted the bike, he’d blow on his neck.Then—jiriit. Suddenly from the crown of his head came a sharp sensation like a blade. The awaited event began. Joo-o rubbed his head against Muhae one last time, then withdrew a handkerchief from his inventory.Between the dried bloodstains, a faint scent of someone’s cologne tickled his nose.“Jin Muhae.”Cunning Anomalies never forget a scent, especially one they’d toyed with days ago.“Get ready.”Before Muhae could finish speaking, Hiaaaaak-! A scream echoed from the right, like a pubescent boy cracking his voice.Hunting a 귀호 is a nerve-wracking side quest for new La Vida Blue players. You witness a gruesome scene unrelated to the 귀호, and just as you pocket loot from the dead, the Anomaly’s howl begins—periodically echoing.If you endure the horror and pick up a certain item, the real chase starts.The “Monsoon’s Handkerchief.” A worthless-looking trinket that only a thorough search could reveal—no value except triggering the hidden hide. Maybe it was a gift from a mercenary’s little sibling, and the one-armed victim never let its first use soil such a precious gift, only gripping it tight on jobs. Whatever the backstory, it’s irrelevant to quest progress.You just need to carry the handkerchief and check its description before leaving the east side of the lake. Those conditions unlock the hidden path.“Goodbye, handkerchief.”Flap. The soft yellow cloth floated away in the wind, and the real quest began.Hiaaaaak-!Beep- Beep- Beep-!A strange shriek echoed again and the radar blared warnings.“Damn, where is it coming from?!”Muhae swerved and slammed the brakes at the cry ahead. Joo-o’s body lurched, and he hugged Muhae’s waist tight. His gear pressed into Muhae’s chest, but he didn’t care.“Go left, Muhae.”“Left look better?”“Well… better than anywhere else?”No matter which way they turned, they’d run into the Anomaly. Not some lowly grade 3 or 2, but a grade 1 Stone Carver.‘Weird name.’Joo-o had probably thought the same in some forgotten past moment. The Stone Carver got its name from dagger-like bones on its forepaws. It would impale prey’s head like a spear or smash terrain as needed.This one’s rock-throwing hobby might be new to its kind, not name-related—but it fit oddly well, making it interesting.Hiaak, hak, hak-! The cry that seemed distant just moments ago suddenly sounded close again. Even the howl had changed, like it was suppressing laughter.The instinctual revulsion in that sound reminded Muhae that this game carried a horror tag.“…Get off.”Muhae cut the bike and stopped with a chill face, eyes on the radar. If the Anomaly reappeared so quickly, it meant a hidden chase route. Hearing it so close and not getting ambushed? It was probably observing them from a high vantage point, waiting to strike. Like it liked to toy with prey, assuming it could catch them no matter which way they ran.“Draw weapons.”“Okay.”No point fleeing crazily—they’d just be caught vulnerable. So Muhae rifled through his bag, scattered mine-like grenades around, and used the bike as a barricade. He pulled Joo-o next to him.The makeshift defense was impressive. Joo-o met Muhae’s eyes, hiding his bared teeth.‘Don’t get excited. Looks weird.’Joo-o, who’d joined Muhae, Gil Sajang, and Dr. Jeong in the “Return” crew, had been weaning off his foolish antics. Now that Muhae finally listened, he worried that if Joo-o bounced around here, he’d lose Muhae’s trust.“Use your gun.”“I hate it. I like this.”Muhae still doubted Joo-o’s combat effectiveness—but it didn’t matter. He realized Muhae was kinder when he was subdued rather than hyper.“I see it.”Joo-o, pulling out a stun grenade, tapped Muhae and whispered. Though their view was blocked by a hill, he offered intel.“It’s got huge arms. The head looks bruised. Creepy…”At that, Muhae clenched his brow. He immediately recognized the pursuer was a grade 1 Stone Carver.

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