No Escape from Hell
Among the leaders of the Red Fang Gang, Gakgwi was indisputably the most formidable. While the Leader of the Red Fang Gang possessed martial power at the mid-stage of the Peak Realm, Gakgwi was a martial artist who had recently breached its early stage. The other leaders were merely First-class experts, unable to manifest even a shred of Sword Qi. Gakgwi alone had attained the enlightenment necessary to shatter the barrier of the Peak Realm. It was for this reason that the gang leader had appointed him as the head of the Shadow Pavilion, the unit comprising their absolute elite. One could easily imagine how arrogantly Gakgwi had strutted through the isolated backwater of Wuyuan County. Yet today, the man once brimming with insufferable pride felt a primal, instinctive threat to his very survival for the first time in his life.
A crimson full moon cast an ominous, blood-red glow over the warriors of the Red Fang Gang. Gakgwi hastily channeled his internal energy, wrapping a shroud of sharp Sword Qi around his blade as he leveled it at the Extreme Blood Jiangshi. Watching his movements, the female Extreme Blood Jiangshi—the reanimated corpse of San Suhwa—let out a sickening, grinding sound as her fingernails elongated into razor-sharp talons.
As the Extreme Blood Jiangshi crouched, her weight pressing heavily into the earth in preparation to spring, the Shadow Pavilion warriors tensed, readying their respective martial techniques.
With a heavy thud, she stamped her foot violently against the ground and launched herself forward, hurtling toward them at a terrifying speed.
Seeing the creature close the distance with such unnatural, blinding speed, Gakgwi and the rest of the Red Fang Gang warriors panicked, frantically swinging their weapons in a desperate bid to keep her at bay.
The moment Gakgwi's Sword-Qi-infused blade clashed with her razor-sharp talons—
Clang!
A deafening screech of metal on metal rang out, and Gakgwi found himself steadily forced backward by the sheer, overwhelming force of the impact.
In that split second, a dark silhouette materialized from the shadows, a black cape fluttering behind him as the second Extreme Blood Jiangshi revealed himself. It was San Dogang, his grotesque, fanged ghost mask clicking its countless teeth as he lunged, swinging a skeletal, emaciated hand. Realizing he could not block the strike in time, Gakgwi abandoned all dignity. He threw himself to the dirt, executing a desperate, unsightly Lazy Donkey Roll to dodge the blow.
Where the Extreme Blood Jiangshi's talons sliced through the air, faint crimson claw marks lingered in the void like a bloody afterimage. The attack bore an uncanny resemblance to Sword Qi; Gakgwi knew that if he had failed to dodge, he would have been torn to shreds. Swallowing a dry lump in his throat, his tension spiked to an absolute peak. Just then, the Shadow Pavilion warriors finally shook off their stupor. They surged forward as one, throwing themselves in front of Gakgwi to shield their leader.
"Protect the Pavilion Leader!"
"Pavilion Leader! Are you alright?!"
Seizing the brief respite, Gakgwi scrambled to his feet and quickly composed himself, his mind racing as he analyzed the situation with cold, calculating precision. The monster wearing the face of the apothecary's daughter had effortlessly overwhelmed him, a master of the early Peak Realm. Beside her was the man in the fanged ghost mask, launching lethal ambushes from the dark. Even by the most conservative estimate, the martial prowess of these two creatures had to be at the late stage of the Peak Realm. There was no other explanation for how easily their raw, internal energy had crushed his own.
The situation was utterly bleak. On average, the Shadow Pavilion warriors ranged between Second-class and First-class. Even their strongest fighter had only recently breached the threshold of the First-class rank. Even if they pooled all their strength, there was no way they could stand against two monsters at the late Peak Realm. The chasm between a First-class expert and a Peak Realm master was an insurmountable wall. With a squad of men who couldn't even manifest proper Sword Qi, victory was a mathematical impossibility. Gakgwi's mind spun furiously as he scrambled for a way to escape this nightmare.
...Realistically, we can't defeat these monsters with just the men here. Our only sliver of hope is if the Gang Leader himself steps in...
At that moment, a bloodcurdling shriek tore through the air from the front line.
Slash!
"Aaaargh!"
Before anyone could react, the ghost-masked monster had slipped through the shadows, its talons ripping open the belly of the foremost warrior. Even as he clutched his spilling entrails, the wounded man desperately swung his sword with his free hand, aiming a counterattack straight at the creature's throat. But the ghost-masked fiend contorted his body backward at a bizarre, bone-snapping angle, gliding away effortlessly before melting back into the darkness.
"Ugh... damn it..."
"Are you alright?!"
"I-I'm fine!"
As the warrior gasped for breath, the crimson mist swirling along the ground began to creep upward, slowly seeping into his open wound. Not a single soul noticed. Every eye was locked onto the female Extreme Blood Jiangshi, terrified of her next move.
Once more, the female Extreme Blood Jiangshi crouched, her razor-sharp talons gleaming under the moonlight as she prepared to spring.
"She's coming again! Steady yourselves!"
As the warriors braced, the Extreme Blood Jiangshi suddenly lunged forward a fraction of an inch and swept her claws through the empty air.
Swoosh!
For a brief second, the Red Fang warriors stared in confusion, unable to comprehend what she had done. But their confusion turned to sheer horror as the crimson energy rippling in the air condensed and shot forward like a volley of arrows.
"I-It's projected Qi!"
The warriors frantically raised their swords to parry, but the barrage of blood-red energy was too dense. Many were struck, suffering deep gashes across their bodies.
Slash! Splat! Tear!
"Argh!"
"Gah!"
Amidst the screaming chaos, the ghost-masked Extreme Blood Jiangshi infiltrated their ranks. He slipped past the wounded, launching vicious surprise attacks on those who had escaped the initial volley.
Slash! Stab!
"Kack!"
"Ugh!"
With terrifying agility, his skeletal hands gouged thighs and pierced arms before retreating into the mist. Whenever the ghost mask drew near, the sickening sound of its wooden teeth clacking together echoed through the fog. The sound drove the warriors to the brink of madness, knowing that the next clack could herald their death.
Click-click-click-click!
"Aaaaagh! Get away! Get away from me!"
Blinded by absolute terror, one warrior began thrashing his sword wildly in every direction, accidentally slashing his own comrades.
"Damn it! Get a hold of yourself!"
"Aaaaargh!"
But the panicked man was deaf to their shouts, completely consumed by hysteria. Watching the chaotic collapse from the rear, Gakgwi made his decision.
We must retreat. I have to fall back and report this to the Gang Leader.
Convinced that only the Gang Leader possessed the power to put these monsters down, Gakgwi began to stealthily back away.
Noticing his movement, a nearby warrior turned to him, his eyes wide with disbelief. "P-Pavilion Leader?"
Gakgwi's face contorted as he bellowed, "Hold them here! Buy me some time! I will bring the Gang Leader at once!"
"P-Pavilion Leader?! What do you mean—?!"
In that split second of distraction—
Squulch!
"Gah-cough!"
One of the warriors spat a fountain of blood as a blade pierced clean through his chest from behind. Shocked, the remaining Red Fang warriors whipped their heads toward the sound. There stood the warrior who had been the first to have his belly slashed. He was calmly driving his sword through his comrade's back.
"Y-You bastard! What are you doing?!"
"Have you lost your mind?!"
But as they stared in horror, their breath hitched. The attacker's eyes were dyed a brilliant, glowing crimson—the exact same shade as the monsters they were fighting.
"Grrr... gurgle..."
A bizarre, guttural groan escaped his throat as he raised his sword and lunged at another comrade.
"You crazy son of a—!"
Before they could subdue him, another wet squelch echoed from the rear.
Squulch!
"Aaargh!"
Yet another Red Fang warrior, his eyes burning crimson, had driven his weapon into the back of his ally.
"Has everyone gone mad?!"
But the madness was spreading like wildfire. Every single warrior who had been wounded had the crimson energy seep into their veins, transforming them into Blood Jiangshi. Within moments, almost every surviving member of the Shadow Pavilion had their eyes dyed a deep, glowing red.
"Grrr..."
"Aaaargh..."
"Krrrk..."
With hollow, vacant stares devoid of any humanity, the newly turned Blood Jiangshi slowly turned their heads to look at their commander, Gakgwi.
"Y-You... all of you..."
Faced with this unprecedented, spine-chilling horror, cold sweat drenched Gakgwi's back as his knees trembled violently.
"You bastards! How dare you betray the Red Fang Gang! Do you still call yourselves war—"
Gakgwi's voice died in his throat. He realized there was no intelligence left in their eyes. Looking around in sheer panic, he finally connected the dots: the crimson mist flowing along the ground was seeping into their wounds, corrupting them from within.
"N-No... no..."
The realization struck him like a physical blow. Gakgwi stumbled backward, then spun on his heel and bolted, screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Aaaaaaargh!"
Watching Gakgwi's retreating figure, Jigok-do slowly pursued him, controlling the bodies of San Suhwa and San Dogang.
"You... will... die... by... my... hand... without... fail..."
The eerie, disjointed voice rasped from San Suhwa's throat, riding the waves of the undulating blood mist to spread through the surroundings. Wherever the blood mist flowed, San Ireong could project his voice. Naturally, Gakgwi, who was desperately fleeing from Wuyuan Pharmacy, heard the chilling words loud and clear.
"Hiiieee!"
Gasping for breath, Gakgwi ran like a man possessed, not daring to look back.
"Running... is... useless..."
At that exact moment, the sound of heavy footsteps rushing toward him was accompanied by a terrifying clattering.
Click-click-click-click-click!
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Unable to resist, Gakgwi stole a glance over his shoulder—and nearly fainted on the spot. The sight of the ghost-masked monster pursuing him at a breakneck pace was the stuff of pure nightmares. Behind the fanged mask, two crimson eyes burned with a trail of bloody light. Its limbs were bent at impossible, disjointed angles, allowing it to scurry forward on all fours like a giant insect. The wooden teeth of the mask clattered incessantly, a rapid, rhythmic drumbeat of death. But worst of all was its speed. It was moving with a grotesque, unnatural velocity that defied all laws of physics.
"Gah!"
The breath caught in Gakgwi's throat, choking out his scream. The crimson blood mist had risen to his waist, carrying with it that eerie, disembodied voice, while the ghost-masked fiend closed in rapidly through the fog. At this point, it was a miracle Gakgwi hadn't lost his mind or fainted from sheer terror. He sprinted down the hill, his legs pumping furiously, but—
Click-click-click-click!
The clattering of the wooden teeth sounded right at his ear. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, Gakgwi lost his footing and tumbled head over heels down the slope.
With a heavy thud, Gakgwi hit the ground.
"Aaargh!"
Groaning in agony, Gakgwi looked down to see why he had fallen. His right leg was mangled, a gaping hole torn through the flesh with shattered bone protruding outward, spurting arterial blood. The moment his eyes registered the wound, a tidal wave of agonizing pain finally hit him.
"Aaaaaaargh!"
Thrashing wildly in the crimson mist, Gakgwi wept tears of absolute terror, letting out a pathetic, desperate wail.
"Please! Spare me! Spare me! Spare me!"
Click.
Click.
Click.
The slow, deliberate clacking of the teeth drew closer.
"No! No! Stay away!"
Overwhelmed by a cocktail of excruciating pain and primal dread, Gakgwi's sanity finally shattered. He dragged his mangled body forward, clawing at the dirt in a pathetic attempt to crawl away.
"Please... save me... save me..."
Through the thick crimson haze, he sensed someone watching him from the top of the hill. Clinging to the final, fraying threads of his consciousness, he forced his eyes to focus. Standing beneath the blood-red sky were two demonic figures, their white hair fluttering in the wind, their eyes burning with a dark, reddish-black light. Clad in black and white robes respectively, they looked down at him with cold, expressionless faces, like grim reapers waiting to harvest his soul. Realizing that his end had finally come, Gakgwi let go of everything. A hysterical, broken laugh bubbled up from his throat.
"Heh... hehe... hehehe..."
Click.
Click.
Click.
Squulch!