Growl… Yurim's stomach growled loudly, and she jolted awake from her sleep. She noticed Yunho and Rian were still asleep, as if they might never wake up. Feeling extremely hungry, she got up and went to the kitchen.
After a while, a loud scream echoed through the room. Rian jolted awake and ran toward the kitchen, where Yunho was panicking, slapping Yurim's cheeks.
"Is she… dead?" he murmured .
Rian let out an exasperated sigh.
Yunho giggled. "You passed out because you were hungry?"
"I haven't eaten anything since I came to this world," Yurim replied, stuffing her mouth with whatever they had given her.
"How did you meet Rian?" Yunho asked. Yurim just stared at him, unsure of what to say.
He continued, teasing, "Do all human girls look like you?…..Unattractive?"
Yurim glared at him. He laughed at the glare on her face.
Meanwhile, Rian, preparing to go out, gave an uninterested look and was about to open the door when a knock came.
Meanwhile back in the lab..
Everyone wandered among strange inventions and glowing tubes. A loud announcement echoed through the hall: the scientists—contestants for the evening's competition—had arrived.
The crowd gathered as three groups of scientists stepped forward, three in each group. Their appearances were unusual, almost otherworldly, but they smiled and waved confidently. Fans cheered, chanting their names like celebrities.
The host raised his hand, silencing the crowd. "Tonight's competition is not ordinary. We will show you things you've never imagined."
Huge jars containing bizarre, wriggling creatures were brought forward. The contestants leaned in, murmuring to one another. Somewhere behind the lab doors, the man trapped in chains writhed violently, vomiting in pain. His skin twisted and changed color unnaturally, and he let out a guttural roar.
At Rian's house, a loud voice called from outside: "Rian! Open the door!"
Hearing the landlady's shout, Rian froze. Yunho dove under the couch, whispering urgently, "Send her off quickly… if she finds out I'm here, we're dead!" Yurim crouched beside him, panic written across her face.
Rian glanced at them and opened the door. The landlady stood there, a plastic bag in hand. "Take this, I made some dumplings," she said with a smile, pressing the bag into his hands.
Her nose twitched almost immediately. "I smell something… strange in this house," she muttered, stepping forward.
Yunho groaned, hiding, "Nooo… Rian, do something!"
Rian tried to stay calm. "It might be that perfume you smelled this morning," he said.
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "No… there's another smell mixed in with that perfume," she said, advancing further into the house.
Rian quickly turned on the TV. "It's live… your favorite scientists' competition," he said.
"Oh yes, I should be going," she said, backing toward the door. He exhaled in relief, but she paused. "Where's your rich friend? That stupid little boy. If he shows up, tell me immediately."
Rian nodded, and she finally left.
Yunho and Yurim crawled out from under the couch. Yunho muttered, "Why does she hate me this much? What did I even do?"
Rian glared at him. "Aren't you the one who told her we're rich, we like each other, and that our parents would come begging to get us back—and pay her loads of money for giving us cheap rent?"
Yunho laughed awkwardly. "Only if her stupid little kid hadn't overheard our conversation, she would've never known the truth," he hissed.
"So now pay your rent, stupid," Rian snapped.
Yurim's eyes widened at their bickering, and she burst out laughing.
"I will—" Yunho started, but then his eyes locked on the TV. His face went pale. "Wait… isn't that your grandmother, Rian?"
All three turned to the screen. There she was—Rian's grandmother—looking disturbingly different, almost like she wasn't herself at all.
Rian's chest tightened. Without a word, he rushed out the door. Yunho and Yurim quickly followed
In the lab, the contestants began their experiments.They pulled wriggling creatures from glass jars and injected them with glowing liquids. Soon, the creatures transformed—some became stunning, otherworldly beings, while others twisted into bizarre and grotesque shapes.
The crowd cheered, chanting the contestants' names in excitement. But in the middle of all the noise, Rian's grandmother fixed her unsettling gaze on a little girl. With a smile that didn't reach her eyes, she lured the child away without anyone noticing.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed from the heavy door where the strange man had been locked away. The cheering stopped. Panic spread through the crowd as the door burst open.
Out stepped a monstrous figure—its face pale and lifeless, its jaw stretched unnaturally wide, the flesh puffed out on either side of its mouth. Its arms were long and grotesque, dragging against the ground, while its legs looked half-formed and unstable. Its entire body was the color of dried blood.
Gasps and screams erupted. Even the contestants froze in shock before panic broke loose. People scattered in every direction, desperate to escape. In the chaos, the little girl's mother spotted her daughter. Heart racing, she yanked the child into her arms and ran. Rian's grandmother's eyes blazed with fury at being thwarted, but she could do nothing as they escaped.
The monster roared, shaking the walls, and slammed its arms down, destroying everything in its path. Glass shattered, flames burst out, and the entire lab descended into chaos.
Meanwhile, Rian, Yunho, and Yurim were hurrying toward the lab when they saw people fleeing in terror. Smoke and debris clouded the air, and through the broken remains of the building, they caught sight of the towering monster. Their eyes widened in fear.