Chapter 349
Chapter 349
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 349
Chapter Title: Worry or Fear
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Fssshhh—
The tips of his fingers crumbled away into pitch black.
A virulent pain like deadly poison seeped in from his fingertips. It spread rapidly to his fingers, the back of his hand, his wrist.
Not so much aging as decay or erosion.
“……”
Heo Sanghyeon swallowed a groan and pulled his hand back.
Fssshhk—
His wrist, the back of his hand, and fingertips regenerated, drawing in the abundant yin energy and darkness from inside Jangmyeongsan.
‘No.’
Heo Sanghyeon clenched and unclenched his left hand, now returned to its original form, muttering silently to himself.
‘Regeneration? That’s the wrong word.’
Wasn’t it just a corpse that should be dead, shambling around imitating a human?
The dictionary definition of regeneration suddenly came to mind—one meaning “processing old things to make them usable again”—and Heo Sanghyeon let out a self-deprecating laugh.
—Enough with the nonsense. You should head back now.
—Come back. You can’t go outside in that body.
Voices of the dead echoing from the eerie forest deep within Jangmyeongsan.
As expected, he couldn’t leave Jangmyeongsan.
This wicked forbidden zone, built by Heo Joo and inherited and advanced by Kim Sinhwa—this was the only place where life was permitted.
“……”
Heo Sanghyeon knew well that ruminating on how grotesque a being he was would gain him nothing.
“Better turn back.”
Heo Sanghyeon turned his body and walked through the forest of Jangmyeongsan with silent footsteps.
Purple mist pierced by bewitching moonlight.
Kyarr—
Tiny souls scampering between the trees.
Black bodies with white faces. Talisman-like patterns drawn in place of facial features.
Fssshhh—
Slime-like shadows oozing down from the darkness of the branches. Silvery-gray eyes gleaming between the shadows whispered toward Heo Sanghyeon.
—Did Kim Sinhwa die? Or is she wandering around as a monster?
—Doesn’t matter either way. She’s not coming back.
—Now you’ll be the master of this mansion.
“Enough of that.”
Heo Sanghyeon issued a light warning to the souls that might have once been his kin.
He didn’t know what relation they’d originally had to him.
They probably didn’t remember either. Crushed by Heo Joo and kneaded like clay, they’d lost their individuality.
And Heo Sanghyeon had been Heo Joo’s diligent assistant and trusted partner.
* * *
“What…… I could do it myself, but I’d prefer if Sanghyeon helped me. Yes, I want it to activate in a way that can’t be undone.”
Those were Kim Sinhwa’s words to Heo Sanghyeon not long ago.
An absurd request to implant a Shoggoth seed. Madness enough to shock even Heo Sanghyeon, a cultist.
In the past, the Elder Things who ruled this land had created Shoggoths using a fragment of the [Great Source].
The Elder Things saw the Shoggoths as mindless monsters and used them as slaves, but the Shoggoths escaped their control.
Because of that, even after the Elder Things’ civilization perished, the Shoggoths they created still lingered on this land.
Anyone with skill believed they alone could subjugate a Shoggoth, but that belief always returned as fatal betrayal.
Even setting aside the stability of the ritual, control would be impossible the moment the Shoggoth awakened.
“It’s fine. I don’t plan on controlling it. Just grant this one condition. Look at this paper. Ugh, don’t read it out loud. Yes. Set it to activate the moment that beast bites me.”
Why on earth……
“My enemies seem to have done something weird to my mind. So right now, I can’t even trust myself. My choices, my thoughts, even my desires—they’re all suspect.”
Contradictory logic.
If that was true, then even the decision to implant a Shoggoth could be an enemy trap. Or even if not a trap, a misjudgment born from distorted perception?
No, even a sound mind couldn’t accept it.
This was truly insane.
“The only person I can trust right now is you, Sanghyeon.”
In the end, Heo Sanghyeon picked up the needle stained with the sins of piercing hundreds of humans and stitched it through Kim Sinhwa’s left hand.
* * *
And two days ago.
Heo Sanghyeon realized the spell he’d set was activating.
The Shoggoth beginning to move meant something had happened to Kim Sinhwa.
Or—
Or—
Heo Sanghyeon’s eyes widened as he gazed at the purple-misted forest of Jangmyeongsan, thinking.
Perhaps it meant there was a problem with his own ritual.
Fwoosh—
A portion of the tangled soul-shadows twisted into the form of a two-headed bluebird and flew to Heo Sanghyeon’s fingertip.
—If you’re so curious, use Heo Joo’s method.
—Contract with some suitable abyssal being and gain new power.
—Lure in a human and steal their body.
Typical temptation.
Heo Sanghyeon was about to respond when the bell on the smartphone in his hand rang.
A call.
He checked the name on the screen, narrowed his eyes, and shook his head.
“Someone can go in my place. It’s fine.”
With that, he sent the bird flying away. It vanished into the purple darkness of the forest without another word.
“Hyeondeok. How did it go?”
—I found the mage!
Heo Sanghyeon’s eyes widened as he drew in a sharp breath.
“Where is she? Is she okay?”
—Uh…… Sorry. I should’ve said ‘I think I found her.’
Even though the other couldn’t see him, Heo Sanghyeon gave a calm smile and asked gently, like coaxing a child.
“You mean you obtained promising information from somewhere?”
—Ah, yes! Yes! There’s a Lakeside Park in Unjeong-dong, right?
Heo Sanghyeon recalled the map of Paju for a moment.
A park in central Paju, about 4km southeast from Jangmyeongsan—not far.
“Yes. Closer than I thought.”
—A fixer I know said they saw a masked lunatic drinking something bitter over there.
The moment he agreed with Jang Hyeondeok’s words, Heo Sanghyeon realized he too associated ‘masked lunatic’ with Kim Sinhwa, but he had no choice but to reply.
“I’ll need to check out Lakeside Park. Please handle it. Let me know if you need any magical support.”
* * *
Contrary to Kim Sinhwa’s opinion, Jang Hyeondeok wasn’t an idiot.
He could guess that the [magical support] Heo Sanghyeon mentioned would come with eerie phantoms, bizarre screams, and the stench of death.
So he politely gathered sociable words, declined profusely, and hung up.
“Aaah……”
Jang Hyeondeok tapped his forehead with his index and middle fingers, then flashed a V-sign into the air.
“Thoughtful and polite Jang Hyeondeok. Scored another one today.”
In truth, he’d used words that weren’t particularly thoughtful or polite, leaving Heo Sanghyeon mildly disappointed, but Jang Hyeondeok didn’t realize that.
“Hmm, Lakeside Park.”
He’d be there soon.
Vrooooom—
The thrilling roar of a 2021 mana stone engine.
A sleek, aerodynamic body shaped to minimize air resistance.
A responsive steering wheel and supremely comfortable seat.
Jang Hyeondeok soon arrived near the park, slowed down, and scanned the surroundings.
“Huh, what’s that?”
He’d spotted something odd.
Meeeow—
A small shadow swaying under the eerie glow of a streetlamp.
Meow~ Nyaa~
A flirtatious cry from the darkness.
“A cat?”
Jang Hyeondeok grimaced, tugging at the hair poking out from his bandages, when a hazy blue light gathered in his eyes.
Even [True Sight] showed nothing unusual.
Just an ordinary cat.
But it was a truly bizarre sight.
Weeoo— Meow—
One or two cats trotting along a wall wasn’t a big deal.
Three or four?
Might bring a pleased smile, depending on one’s tastes.
Five or six?
A curious spectacle. Posting a photo on SNS might get good reactions.
But what about twenty cats moving in unison in one direction?
Meow— Mee-meow—
Weeong— Miyaang— Myaong—
A horde of cats marching en masse in one direction.
“No way, over twenty?”
A supernatural phenomenon.
The direction was obvious.
A massive number of cats heading toward Unjeong Lakeside Park.
As if entranced by something.
Meow— Nyeeoong—
In a way, an eerie scene.
“Uuuuuum— Mage?”
Information that he’d [heard] someone [saw] a masked lunatic.
Already two degrees removed, so low reliability—now with the keyword [supernatural phenomenon] added.
“Did the mage do something?”
Jang Hyeondeok followed the cats by car as far as he could go, then hesitated, unable to move right away.
‘Hmm, kinda scary……’
The forest inside the park.
To go further, he’d have to get out of the car. Into the dark woods where who knew what might happen.
Tough for a driving expert to accept.
But Jang Hyeondeok took a deep breath and stepped out with resolve.
‘Yeah. They’re just cats anyway. Think cute. Ah— so cute, kitty……’
Cats are yokai, the saying went. Tales and legends flooded Jang Hyeondeok’s mind. As a driving expert, he inevitably picked up all sorts of info. Three years ago? He’d seen a fixer’s corpse torn apart by a cat-like monster. Japan had the nekomata cat demon. Some cultists used cat-like critters for creepy rituals. Are these really cats?
Caw! Caw! Caaaaw!
Crows taking flight in panic at the cats’ group movement, screeching.
Trees growing wild without care.
An atmosphere as gloomy as [Tanhyeon].
“Uuu…… Why this trial for me……”
Groaning in abject terror—Jang Hyeondeok followed the leading cats into the dark woods.
* * *
I slowly extended my slightly spread right hand.
Meow—
A moist pink nose approached my fingertips.
After sniffing for a moment, it pulled back a bit, showing its characteristic haughtiness.
There we go.
I spread my right hand and lightly summoned mana.
A tiny fireworks display bloomed in my palm. Orbs of light scattered in all directions.
Its black eyes, filled with curiosity and starlight, widened and sparkled.
Whiskers flared wide, tail swishing.
Finally, it pawed at my palm with its white, cotton-ball front paw.
“Cute little thing, come here.”
I lightly scratched under its chin, then stroked its whiskered cheeks—over the shoulders, back, hips, and tail.
A low purring vibration.
Before long, it let down its guard and climbed into my lap.
“There, there.”
Meow— Nyaa—
My lap was already piled with a heap of cats. More clung to my back and shoulders as I sat on the dirt ground.
Another approached me cautiously.
Takes time. But almost done.
“Mage?”
A familiar dopey voice.
I kept my eyes on the new cat as I replied. This one’s wearing a tuxedo.
“You’re here?”
“Huh? That’s all—‘You’re here’?”
Only three socks? Where’d it lose one?
Meow—
I stroked the black-patterned tuxedo cat as I answered.
“Seems longer than I thought?”
“……It’s been two days.”
Two days?
Only then did I look up at Jang Hyeondeok.
“Sanghyeon must be worried.”
Why’s that guy making that face?
“Can I yell? I wanna get mad.”
“No. Cats’ll run. Yell quietly.”
Jang Hyeondeok pondered for a moment, then spoke softly.
“What are these cats?”
“Lured ’em with magic.”
Meow—
This one’s cute. Come closer.
“Not going home?”
“Almost done. This is the 95th. No, 97th. Ah, thanks, Nile. 97. Three left.”
“Three? 97 plus…… Petting about 100 cats triggers something special, huh?”
Jang Hyeondeok’s sarcastic tone.
Probably meant as a joke, but—
“Yeah.”
Jang Hyeondeok’s face went blank at my reply.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. There’s a ‘Pet 100 Cats’ achievement. Gives an amazing reward.”
“Huh? Achievement?”
Oops, wrong word.
“Er, it’s a kind of ritual. Important, so wait a bit. Ah, 98 now. Hey. Dangerous, so put on a mask too. I’ll lend you one.”
Jang Hyeondeok looked at me like the world’s most pitiful person. Or just like someone eyeing a masked lunatic.
“You’ll be okay, Mage. You can get better.”
Hmm, need to explain.