Chapter 8 : Transaction?

I was stunned by what I saw.

How could this creature get so close without making a single sound? Even though I had been watching the hallway closely, there had been no sign of its presence—no footsteps, no shifting shadows, not even heavy breathing like the creature before. Only the empty stare of black eyes behind a strange mask now locked directly onto me.

Its body was small, child-sized, with pale skin wrapped in coarse, brown clothing—something that looked like it was made from animal hide. The mask covering its face appeared to be thin, rusted metal, etched with strange symbols I couldn't understand. Slung across its back was a large, heavy-looking bag, yet it carried it as if it weighed nothing. But what stood out the most were its ears—large, wide, and drooping to the sides like folded bat wings.

My instincts kicked in as tension surged through me. I drew my katana with a soft whisper of steel and held it in a defensive stance. My muscles tensed, I held my breath, and my heartbeat thundered in my ears.

But the creature… just stood there. Still. Motionless. It didn't try to approach.

Then suddenly, it extended a small hand toward me. Its fingers were long and bony, and there was something unsettling in the way they moved—like living roots gently writhing through the air in search of something.

I braced myself. If it made a single wrong move, I would strike. But… there was no attack. Just that outstretched hand. Still. As if… asking for something.

I narrowed my eyes, reevaluating the interaction. Could it be this creature didn't mean to harm us? Could this be a form of communication? Despite its eerie appearance, its body gave off no threatening aura. Unlike the monsters we had encountered before, this one exuded no killing intent.

Its gaze seemed focused on something. I followed its line of sight—the chocolate bar in my hand.

"...Do you want this?" I whispered, barely audible.

Carefully, I broke off an uneaten piece of chocolate and stepped slowly toward the creature. I kept the katana firm in my right hand, just in case. We were only two meters apart. At that range, everything could change in the blink of an eye.

As I extended the chocolate, the creature didn't snatch it. It paused, as if considering something. Then its hand moved, gently taking the chocolate from my palm. No aggression. No trickery. Just a quiet exchange—like some kind of silent transaction.

It tucked the chocolate into a pouch at its side, then opened the large bag on its back and began rummaging through it. The soft rustle of items filled the hallway. I tensed again. My grip on the sword turned slick with sweat. But the creature simply pulled out a small box and held it out to me.

I slowly took it from its hand.

The creature… was offering something in return?

Curiosity burned within me. Was this creature... a trader?

I opened the box and found a green substance inside, resembling balm, with a strong herbal scent that hit me immediately. My mind jumped to Olivia. She was still wounded. This kind of medicine would be a huge help.

I quickly roused the others.

"Hyunsuk, Olivia. Wake up. I need you to see this."

Hyunsuk stirred, still half-asleep. Olivia opened her eyes slowly, clearly tired, but alert.

"What is it, hyung? Is it my shift already?"

I pointed toward the creature, still standing silently at the end of the hallway, slightly hunched from the weight of its pack.

"A monster!" Hyunsuk shouted, jumping to his feet and preparing to run.

"Wait. Calm down. It's not hostile. In fact… it just traded something with me. Chocolate, for this." I held up the balm box.

Olivia eyed the box, then the creature. Her eyes widened.

"It's… a trader?"

I nodded. "Like in a game. A wanderer or roaming merchant. We might be able to get valuable supplies from it."

"Then... let's trade more!" Hyunsuk said eagerly, his energy completely shifted.

With their agreement, I gathered some of our spare supplies—snacks, a lighter, tissues, and a bottle of water. I offered them one by one.

The results were surprising. We received two rolls of bandages, a small folding saw, ten sheets of white paper, a stick of mysterious metal, a pack of cigarettes, a bottle of unknown pills, and a full magazine of pistol rounds. My breath caught when I saw the bullets. If there were bullets… there had to be a gun.

I tried trading more, hoping for a firearm. But the outcome changed: three packs of toilet paper, a glass jar filled with silver coins, a cooling spray, and an antique wristwatch.

When I took the watch in my hand, I examined it closely. Unlike our digital watches, this one had ticking hands—and to my astonishment, it was working. The first functioning timepiece we'd seen since arriving here.

"It's actually running?" Olivia stepped closer, inspecting it. "But all our watches stopped working when we first got here."

I nodded slowly. "If this really works… this is huge. We can start keeping track of time again. Make schedules. Build routines."

"It's like carrying a piece of the old world," Hyunsuk murmured."