Steeped in Evil (4)
The book's cover was made of human skin.
No one had ever thought of tearing it off and putting it in their mouth.
I mean, who in their right mind would chew on something made from human skin, something that radiated a ghostly, sinister aura just by looking at it?
It was sheer madness.
—Chomp, chomp!
Tough.
Mok Kyungwoon, with the human skin in his mouth, bit down hard and chewed relentlessly.
Strangely enough, no matter how much he bit, the skin was so tough it wouldn't tear, nor did it even damage his teeth.
But… it didn't seem to be entirely without effect.
—Haaagh!
The spirit of Cheongryeong contorted her beautiful brow, clutching her chest.
She was clearly in pain.
Seeing this, Mok Kyungwoon gnawed at the skin even harder.
—Damn mortal!
—Paaaaaaah!
In that moment, Cheongryeong's eyes glowed blood red.
She raised her long smoking pipe and swung it. The blood from Jo Ilsang's dead body, which had been pooling on the floor, suddenly lifted into the air, spiraling wildly.
What the hell?
It was no illusion.
The sight of blood droplets rising and spinning midair was utterly overwhelming.
Mok Kyungwoon's eyes trembled as he stared at the blood.
The droplets were spinning so fast they were almost impossible to track with the naked eye—but he kept following them anyway.
—This bastard…
Even Cheongryeong's spirit realized that Mok Kyungwoon was precisely locking onto the movement of the blood.
It was surprising. He was just a human with no training in any kind of spell or martial art.
Honestly, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say his body and reflexes far surpassed those of ordinary humans.
—Still just a mortal.
Cheongryeong pointed her smoking pipe at Mok Kyungwoon.
In an instant, all the rapidly spinning blood droplets inside the cavern surged toward him at once.
—Shhhhhh!
—Splat splat splat!
It happened in a flash.
As Cheongryeong swung her pipe, Mok Kyungwoon, who had been focused on the blood, suddenly slid across the floor, launching himself straight at her.
—Foolish.
He was just about to reach her.
A rain of blood fell across his chest and upper body, digging into his flesh.
—Papapapapapapa!
Mok Kyungwoon flinched.
Most pain didn't faze him much.
But this was different. The blood droplets, like sharp throwing needles, were tearing into his skin viciously.
Cheongryeong's spirit smiled cruelly, seeming to relish his agony.
—Hurts, doesn't it? Just spit it out.
—Clench!
She made a grasping motion with her hand.
Immediately, the blood that had pierced his skin burrowed even deeper, stimulating every nerve in his body.
"Grrgh…"
A groan escaped his lips for the first time.
Seeing that, Cheongryeong clicked her tongue.
Normally, by this point, any human would be thrashing around, begging for their life.
But… that was all he gave her.
—Are you just used to pain? Or are you stubborn to the point of stupidity? Hmph.
She bit down on her smoking pipe, inhaling deeply.
Then she exhaled a puff of cloudy smoke and, as if ready to finish things, extended her pipe toward him.
—Foolish mortal. Just die already.
At that moment, even while writhing in pain, Mok Kyungwoon muttered,
"Aseung."
—What are you babbling about?
"Aseuuuuung!"
His speech was slurred, thanks to the human skin still in his mouth, but what he shouted was unmistakable.
—Srrrrrrk!
Ma Seung appeared, materializing through the ceiling.
But something seemed… off.
Even for a wraith, who was normally faint and blurry, his form was now speckled with strange black dots all over.
Cheongryeong's spirit let out a little laugh at the sight.
—So it was you?
In response, Ma Seung dropped to one knee, bowing his head respectfully to Cheongryeong.
Why?
Mok Kyungwoon stared, unable to understand.
Was it because she was a more powerful spirit? But that explanation followed the logic of Bangsa's teachings, which, as the author of Basic Principles of Yin-Yang had said, was just a perspective—not an absolute rule.
Not completely reliable.
—Looks like you've got some spiritual talent, managing to link with a wraith like this. But too bad for you—this monk here is nothing more than my pawn.
Pawn?
Did they know each other from when they were alive?
If that was the case, this was bad.
Ma Seung was supposed to be Mok Kyungwoon's shikigami—but if he couldn't control him, Ma Seung was completely useless.
Which meant… he'd have to get out of this mess on his own.
—Clench!
Mok Kyungwoon started chewing the human skin in his mouth again.
—Hahk! You…!
Cheongryeong's spirit clutched her chest once more, glaring at him with eyes full of murderous intent, and swung her smoking pipe.
—Papapapapapa!
As she did, the blood droplets that had been burrowed inside Mok Kyungwoon's body suddenly withdrew.
It looked like she was letting him off—but that wasn't it.
—Shrrrrrrrrrk!
The blood droplets that emerged from his body merged together, forming a single sharp spike.
Cheongryeong made a downward flicking motion with her pipe.
Damn!
—Paaaaaah!
The sharp spike shot straight at Mok Kyungwoon's heart.
He rolled his body to the side, barely dodging it.
—Hmph!
Cheongryeong scoffed, as if saying he wouldn't be able to evade for long, and swung her pipe again.
The blood spike embedded in the ground twisted in midair, aiming for Mok Kyungwoon once more.
—Paaaaang!
It moved so fast that dodging was impossible.
But then—
—Thunk!
What?
Just as it was about to pierce his heart, something appeared and shoved Mok Kyungwoon out of the way.
It was Ma Seung.
—You damned monk! How dare you!
—...
Ma Seung flailed his hands awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
Mok Kyungwoon was just as baffled.
Only moments ago, Ma Seung had been kneeling with his head bowed—and now he was suddenly helping him avoid Cheongryeong's attack.
Why…?
Cheongryeong clicked her tongue and sneered.
—Hah. So you've decided to fulfill your duty as a shikigami?
—...
Ma Seung couldn't hide his discomfort.
Mok Kyungwoon almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. He didn't know exactly what kind of relationship these two had, but Ma Seung's fidgeting, even after helping, showed he was stuck between them.
For whatever reason, Ma Seung was helping him, even against his own will.
That was critical in this situation.
"Ma Ga!"
—Srrrrrk!
At Mok Kyungwoon's shout, Ma Seung instinctively stepped forward, blocking Cheongryeong's path.
It was clear—Ma Seung couldn't disobey Mok Kyungwoon's orders.
If that was the case… then maybe, just maybe, even if Cheongryeong was of a much higher level, he could be forced to fight her…
—Thunk!
No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than Cheongryeong closed the distance in a blink, grabbing Ma Seung by the neck.
—Fine. I'll kill you both.
—...
Ma Seung, caught by the throat, was completely immobilized.
Even though Ma Seung's body was much bigger, he couldn't move at all. It had to be because of the sheer difference in their power.
Not all wraiths were created equal.
—Chomp, chomp!
Mok Kyungwoon bit down hard on the human skin again, trying to help Ma Seung break free.
Cheongryeong's face twisted in anger.
—You really are desperate to die, aren't you?
She snarled and swept her pipe through the air.
Immediately, the scattered blood droplets around the room floated up again.
—Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The blood transformed into sharp spikes, spinning rapidly around Mok Kyungwoon.
This time, she really seemed ready to end it.
And in that fleeting moment, Mok Kyungwoon's thoughts took a turn Cheongryeong never could have anticipated.
—Gulp!
He swallowed the human skin whole.
!?
Cheongryeong's blood-red eyes wavered.
No one had ever thought to chew that thing, let alone swallow it.
—You insane mortal!
She swung her pipe furiously at him.
All the blood droplets that had been circling Mok Kyungwoon surged toward him in unison.
—Papapapapapapapapap!
Tch!
As the sharpened blood droplets pierced into him, Mok Kyungwoon's body twisted involuntarily.
The blood wasn't just invading his nerves—it seemed to be locking up his muscles too, forcing them to spasm and contort against his will.
—I'll tear your body to shreds and—
Cheongryeong's spirit didn't finish her sentence.
Her hand, which was gripping the smoking pipe, suddenly began to tremble, and her face twisted in agony.
—Wh-what… the hell…?
She glared at Mok Kyungwoon, bewildered.
It had hurt her when he was just chewing the human skin earlier, but this was on another level entirely.
Her entire body, made of spirit, felt as if it were fracturing apart.
She's in pain.
Mok Kyungwoon didn't fully understand why.
But one thing was clear: ever since he forced himself to swallow the human skin, an intense heat had ignited in his belly.
My insides…
The heat felt like it was burning his organs from the inside out.
It reminded him of the pain he'd first experienced when he'd taken poison long ago. Despite the searing sensation, a crooked smirk tugged at Mok Kyungwoon's lips.
He was no stranger to pain that started from deep within.
And then, in that instant—
—Clench!
Cheongryeong, her face contorted with rage and agony, suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her hand around Mok Kyungwoon's throat.
—You worthless mortal!
—Schlrk!
Mok Kyungwoon's eyes widened.
From Cheongryeong's furious eyes, bloody tears were streaming down her cheeks.
The sight was chilling—and yet, it somehow suited her perfectly. The depth of her lingering hatred made the term "vengeful spirit" feel utterly appropriate.
—How dare someone like you…!
She gripped his throat with both hands now, strangling him.
As the air was choked out of him, Mok Kyungwoon instinctively grabbed her wrists, struggling.
—Clench!
In that exact moment, something strange filled his mind.
A vivid vision: a grand hall, drenched in blood, countless bodies lying dead, slain mercilessly.
And in the center, someone, blood-soaked, gasping for breath, clutching a sword stabbed into the floor.
It was Cheongryeong.
[Haa… haa…]
She was a wreck.
She looked like she could die at any moment.
Still, she turned her head to look up at the throne in the grand hall.
Someone was sitting there, arrogantly.
Their face was hidden in shadow, but Cheongryeong's eyes burned with hatred as she stared at them.
[...]
She spat out blood, screaming toward the one on the throne.
Strangely, though, no sound reached Mok Kyungwoon's ears.
Cheongryeong, shaking with rage and coughing up more blood, gripped her sword tightly.
Then she tore at her clothes, wrapping the fabric around her wrist to secure her grip—readying herself for a final charge at the figure on the throne.
—Thud!
[!!!!!!!]
In the blink of an eye, the one on the throne appeared in front of her, plunging their hand straight into Cheongryeong's chest.
And then, slowly, they pulled something out of her.
It was—
A heart?
A still-beating heart, thudding and pulsing.
How often does one get to see their own heart while still alive?
And beyond that—what does it feel like to watch your heart crushed by someone else's hand?
—Crunch!
And then—
—Aaaaaaaaaarrrgh!
A gut-wrenching scream pierced his eardrums, sharp as a blade.
The vision abruptly disappeared.
Now, before him, was Cheongryeong, her ceremonial crown knocked askew, her hair disheveled, her face frozen in shock.
Was she… a woman?
With her sharp, intimidating aura and regal crown earlier, it had been hard to tell—but now, there was no mistaking it.
Yet why was she reacting like this?
As Mok Kyungwoon puzzled over it, he noticed something—a red, thread-like filament stretched from his body to hers.
What is this?
And that wasn't all.
The thread was also connected to Ma Seung.
No way…
He was starting to get an inkling of what was going on when Cheongryeong suddenly clutched at her hair, screaming in anguish.
—Aaaaaaaaah! Me—a shikigami?!