Suddenly, I Became a Slime

A strange sense of déjà vu swelled in the jelly girl's mind.

Descending the warped, flesh-covered corridor, she’d heard a peculiar sound. While not identical, the similarity to that memory was unmistakable.

Now standing at a landing, her jelly quivered with unease at the eerie noise emanating from below. It wasn’t fear, but the vibrations left her unsettled.

As the vibrations subsided, the jelly girl unconsciously rubbed her stomach, lost in thought.

‘It feels similar to what I swallowed before… but did I miss something? I can’t remember.’

Shrugging off her confusion, she poked the jelly sitting atop her head. The slightly frozen jelly squelched as her fingers prodded its firm exterior.

The addictive sensation reminded her of popping bubble wrap, and she absentmindedly poked it again.

‘What now? Do I keep going? Why isn’t the necklace saying anything?’

She sighed. The necklace rarely gave clear directions, leaving most decisions to Han Seori. Reflecting on the vague guidance she’d received, she pressed harder into the firm jelly, marveling at its texture.

Suddenly, a sharp cracking sound interrupted her reverie.

‘Huh?’

She blinked as shards of the jelly on her head clattered to the floor. The unexpected incident left her frozen, staring at the shattered pieces scattered like broken porcelain.

Lowering herself, she gathered the fragments, which were hard and completely frozen. A chill ran through her jelly as she examined the shards.

It was her first time seeing jelly freeze like this. She quickly inspected her own body, fearing she might suffer the same fate. However, her form remained soft and pliable.

‘I’m fine… I think.’

Her hands still squishy, she gently touched the necklace around her neck. It felt as sturdy as ever, but she wondered if it had stopped functioning.

‘Maybe it broke when I rolled down the railing earlier?’

She recalled the tumble she’d taken, which had left her unharmed but might have damaged the device. Shrugging, she decided it didn’t matter.

If no instructions came through, she’d just keep moving forward—as always.

Pressing the frozen jelly fragments into her body, she felt only mild sadness. After all, these weren’t her own jellies but unexpected additions.

If they’d been her creations, perhaps she’d feel differently. Instead, she resumed her descent.

The staircase grew colder with each step. The air chilled to the point where a human’s bare feet would likely crack and bleed.

The jelly girl, unbothered by the cold, focused on the echo of her squishy steps. Her mind wandered to simpler thoughts as she tried to distract herself from the encroaching darkness.

‘How far do I have to go? What if the necklace really is broken?’

The frozen steps groaned beneath her weight, seemingly unable to bear the icy conditions.

She tapped the railing with stiffened fingers, its fragile state creaking under even the slightest pressure. The peculiar frailty of the staircase nagged at her, though she couldn’t pinpoint why.

‘Dr. Han, tell me what’s going on…’

But the silence persisted, leaving her with no choice but to continue.

Occasionally, she’d hear the strange noises from below, reminding her that her journey wasn’t in vain.

Icicles clung to the railings now, some resembling her jelly—translucent and faintly colored. She reached out to touch one but stopped, sensing it was better left untouched.

‘No need to poke every icicle.’

Resuming her descent, the jelly girl noticed fatigue creeping into her thoughts, though her body remained tireless.

The darkness pressed down on her as her mind raced with questions. She trudged forward, her steps steady but her thoughts chaotic.

Eventually, a faint green glow appeared ahead. The emergency exit sign flickered, its light a beacon in the void. Drawn to it, she approached like a moth to a flame.

The green glow revealed a door unlike any she’d seen before. Under the emergency sign, its surface shimmered with an otherworldly hue.

The peculiar noise she’d been following grew louder, originating from behind the door.

Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand on the handle.

‘Guess I’m going in.’

The necklace remained silent.

"We’ve lost contact."

Hwangbo Yul frowned at the technician’s report. The man scratched his head, mumbling about possible malfunctions.

‘The feed went haywire before cutting out entirely. Looks like it took a hit.’

Hwangbo sighed, recalling the jelly girl’s nonchalance about the necklace. Though she understood its purpose, she clearly didn’t care much for it. This wasn’t the first time it had broken.

But this time was different. Beyond that door lay an endless expanse. Without contact, the jelly girl might keep descending indefinitely.

‘That’s not good.’

She turned to the technician.

‘Can we send a signal? If she keeps going, it could be dangerous.’

He shrugged. "It’s a singularity. A tricky one at that. Not much we can do."

Hwangbo’s face tightened. Though she agreed logically, her gut churned.

‘I’ll see what I can do.’

Dismissing the technician, she stared at the door leading to the endless staircase. Uncertainty gnawed at her as she muttered under her breath.

‘What am I supposed to do?’

All she could do was hope the jelly girl returned safely.