Traitor Merchant (4)
Those who knew Simra often described him as a devil. He might possess abilities close to those of a demon, but in truth, he was nothing more than an immortal madman obsessed with deals.
Ju Kang-rim and Yoo Wol-ryeong boarded the fishing boat as well. As it pulled away, red glows began flickering one by one atop the cruise ship. Ju Kang-rim realized they were the same blazing eyes as those of the guards who'd escorted Simra earlier. Countless burning pupils glared down at him.
They're sending a warning.
Not all of them could be on the level of the escorts he'd encountered, but it was clear Simra commanded a force rivaling Gerald's Knight Order.
At the world's end, Simra had somehow ended up alone—for reasons unknown. But Ju Kang-rim's immediate impression was singular.
"Looks like a Christmas tree."
"Frankly, yes."
Yoo Wol-ryeong affirmed it calmly. Simra's cruise glided silently over the dark blue sea once more. The twinkling red lights, like a Christmas tree, burned on long after.
"So, what's next?"
"Hm, we're in Pohang for once—might as well grab something to eat..."
Ju Kang-rim said it like the thought had just hit him.
"No, we hit that doctor with the car, right? We gotta get him to a hospital first. Plus, deal with the Vito family assassin problem."
"Lots to do."
"Better hustle."
Yoo Wol-ryeong nodded and climbed aboard the fishing boat. Ju Kang-rim followed, flipping the bird at the departing cruise.
"Merry Christmas in advance."
As they headed for Mokpo Port, Ju Kang-rim pondered creative ways to torture the Ninja biker into spilling his name.
"Simra-nim."
Simra turned from the receding fishing boat at the voice calling him. The escorts who'd come down to the pier with him earlier approached.
"Yeomang, Sangyeo. What is it?"
"Even if they're Yeomra's people, wasn't that too rude? We could've shown them their place."
"Haha, you wanna attack Yeomra's crew?"
"Yeomra's been overly rude to you, Simra-nim. Truth is, without your help, Yeomra couldn't do a damn thing."
Simra eyed Yeomang, the female guard speaking with indignation. She had a point. Though he'd been ripped off at absurd prices, he'd provided crucial aid to Yeomra's world-saving scheme. Yet Simra had approached first, leaving him in the weaker position.
"If Yeomra's people are that low-level, we could handle it."
"Haha, you two alone?"
Simra asked with a crooked smile.
"Then tell me this first: how exactly do you kill an immortal?"
Sangyeo jumped in eagerly at Simra's question.
"Chew 'em up fine and digest every last piece..."
"That might work on low-tier immortals. But high-tier ones regenerate from a single strand of hair. A true immortal could even possess your body and mind, turning you into something else entirely."
Yeomang cut in swiftly.
"Don't we have regeneration suppressants? Endless flames? Or divine blades that sever souls? Wouldn't those kill immortals?"
"Same story. That only works on low-tier fakes below true immortals."
Simra toyed with his lips, murmuring.
"True immortals—the ones at the root of immortality—can't be killed. We've tried everything for ages, and nothing's worked. All it's done is spawn twisted immortals. Except for them..."
Simra's gaze drifted to the fishing boat on the horizon.
"...the harvesters."
Immortals came in many varieties. Long-lived ones who still looked purely human were the minority. Most had warped into curses and monstrosities while seeking ways to die—by foes or their own hands.
"The Vito siblings, the Siberian Duke, Crimson King, sacrificial lamb Camille... all twisted immortals are bastard children of failed death attempts. Only they can kill them."
Simra smiled at his two guards.
"Looks like you've put a lot of thought into slaying immortals."
Yeomang and Sangyeo bowed hastily in apology.
"We'd never dream of shaming you, Simra-nim. We just want to help..."
"I know. To honor our deal, I'll need to stick around a long while too."
Simra lazily turned his eyes to Incheon Port, now vanished beyond the horizon.
"But even if you had a one-in-a-hundred shot at killing immortals, those two are off-limits. Yoo Wol-ryeong alone could've taken you both."
Sangyeo tried to pass it off as a joke. But Yeomang knew Simra never joked downplaying his subordinates. Her face grew grave.
"Yoo Wol-ryeong? Is that messenger really that strong?"
"She was a monster before becoming a grim reaper. Now she's an unkillable one."
Simra stopped there, saying no more. Yeomang pondered, then asked.
"Fine, Yoo Wol-ryeong aside—what about Ju Kang-rim? Can't we handle him? He didn't seem that impressive."
"Ah, purely in terms of raw power? Sure."
Simra leaned loosely on the railing, muttering.
"But consider the backer shoving him forward with all they've got right now. Best not touch him. He hates broken toys as much as ruined plans."
Simra recalled his deal with Yeomra and clicked his tongue.
"Maybe Yeomra'll finally honor a deal."
Screeech.
A police car pulled into a remote mountain clearing an hour from Mokpo. Ju Kang-rim stepped out and rapped on the trunk. He didn't expect the severed heads inside to reply.
Exchanging a glance with Yoo Wol-ryeong, he drew his Saingeom and popped the trunk.
Clunk.
Something lunged at him with ferocious momentum. But Yoo Wol-ryeong snapped the arm first. Ju Kang-rim whipped it around and slammed the owner face-first into the ground.
"Gah...!"
"Huh?"
Ju Kang-rim blinked at the pinned figure. It should've been just a head, but now it was a short-haired boy who looked under ten. The androgynous age made it iffy, but that groan was definitely a boy's voice.
The assassin—no, boy—shuddered but gripped a dagger in his other hand, aiming at Ju Kang-rim.
Even in an unwinnable spot, his desperate effort was both pitiful and chilling.
"Guess that's what they mean by 'a wolf bites even with just its head.'"
"You prepared for a counterattack well."
"Gotta, with a shapeshifter."
Ju Kang-rim had seen Vito family hunters pull reversals via transformation on death's door multiple times. Shapeshifters demanded zero complacency till the kill.
He glanced inside the trunk. Originally two heads, now one missing—empty helmet.
"Where's the other one? The blonde bombshell."
"..."
The boy just glared venomously. Ju Kang-rim felt an odd familiarity in those eyes—identical to the ones from the neck he'd severed.
"What, you're a guy?"
No answer. Leather-clad head to toe, but he'd clocked as a knockout beauty on sight. The Vito family's obsession with looks was terrifying.
As Ju Kang-rim approached, the boy slashed wildly with the dagger. Fierce spirit, but he'd barely reformed a kid's body after losing most of it. Even an immortal couldn't endure that stamina drain.
He doubted the other fled—then this one wouldn't stick around either.
Ju Kang-rim voiced his hunch.
"You ate him?"
"...!"
The boy gnashed his teeth, glaring. His emotions leaked; physically and mentally weakened. Memories might not be intact.
The boy rolled his eyes, conflicted. Mission critical, but no way he could take Yoo Wol-ryeong and Ju Kang-rim now.
He soon turned to bolt—but froze.
Sizzle.
Sunlight hit his foot, scorching the skin.
"Argh!"
He stumbled back. Ju Kang-rim hadn't grabbed him on purpose. Full sprint? Child's pace. Easy catch anytime.
Approaching, Ju Kang-rim said,
"Real vampire, huh. Ate your buddy for regen juice, burns in sunlight, shapeshifting too. If that's not a vampire, what is?"
Outraged, the boy finally spoke.
"I didn't eat him—he entrusted his soul to me!"
"Entrusted his soul?"
"Blood is our clan's soul, conviction, life itself! Murjick told me to drink and bide my time! Don't insult him with your crude 'eating'!"
Ju Kang-rim eyed Yoo Wol-ryeong. Murjick must be the other immortal.
He knew little of immortals' core principles. But if like zombies, souls held the key.
So Vito family absorbs souls via blood to bolster their own, prevent damage. Fits vampire myths perfectly if souls dwell in blood.
"If a soul gets absorbed, does that count as death? Or do we stop it?"
Yoo Wol-ryeong answered without hesitation.
"Any soul not reclaimed by the underworld lives on. Just a wandering ghost."
Simple, but tricky. Ju Kang-rim mulled it.
By that logic, zombies with black cores in their brains were immortals too. More immortals accelerated gates. Vicious cycle.
"Hey, if you can't revive that Murjick, you basically just ate him."
"Y-you ignorant fool! Murjick's essence lingers in me! Refill the soul, and he'll live!"
Ju Kang-rim unwittingly groaned in pity. An enemy spilling beans so straightforwardly?
If all foes were like this, life would be a breeze.