Not mechanical.
Not magical.
Something between the two.
As if countless tiny currents still flowed beneath the walls.
Kai reached the bottom.
Another corridor.
Longer.
Darker.
The glow along the walls pulsed gently.
Almost like breathing.
He had only taken a few steps—
When he heard it.
...
Squelch.
Kai froze.
The sound came again.
Wet.
Heavy.
Something dragging itself across the floor.
Squelch...
Squelch...
Squelch...
It wasn't close.
But it was getting closer.
Kai slowly leaned toward the corner ahead.
Just enough to peek.
His breathing stopped.
A massive yellow blob slowly slid across the hallway.
Nearly twice his height.
Its translucent body rippled with every movement.
Broken furniture, bones, and rusted metal floated within its gelatinous mass.
It had no visible eyes.
No mouth.
Yet somehow—
It stopped.
Its body quivered.
As if...
It had noticed something.
Kai immediately pulled his head back against the wall.
His heart pounded.
"...That..."
He whispered.
"...is definitely not a normal slime."
The corridor fell silent.
Neither moved.
Neither made a sound.
Then—
The slime began sliding once more.
Slowly.
Methodically.
Toward Kai's hallway.
Squelch...
Squelch...
Kai glanced behind him.
Only darkness.
Then back toward the approaching creature.
"...Yeah."
He quietly took one careful step backward.
"...I'm leaving."
The slime continued forward.
Unhurried.
As though it already knew...
Its visitor had nowhere else to go.