Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: Toward Seong Mountain, Nowon-gu Breakthrough Operation (8)
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18.
Ruuuuumble────!
The train spewed steam and smoke as it barreled through the heart of Nowon-gu.
“Wheeeen! Keehihihihihihihih!”
A blaze erupted like an explosion.
A snail monster, engulfed in flames, let out a shriek before tumbling outside as a charred lump.
Damn it...
They just keep coming, endlessly.
Shin Tae-yeop wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, panting heavily.
This was the lead car of the steam locomotive.
Atop the roof of the most critical compartment, housing the firebox and engine room. Shyrak barked worriedly.
“Shishishi!”
“I’m fine. For now...”
A fierce blizzard swept in, carrying biting cold.
Shin Tae-yeop left Shyrak to cover him and peered around through his whipping hair.
Nowon-gu.
The northernmost district of Seoul.
It had developed more eco-friendly than urban, a peculiar trait that seemed preserved even in this adjusted civilization.
Parks, forests, and fields dotted the landscape.
And from them... endless swarms of snail monsters.
“Yeah, Shyrak. These things might’ve overrun Seodaemun-gu too.”
Whirrrril────!
A boomerang sliced through the air.
It struck a snail monster lunging at Shin Tae-yeop, flinging it off the train.
“Yi Ha-ram...?!”
Yi Ha-ram caught the returning boomerang with flair and shouted.
“If Kim Baek-jun hadn’t killed Song Chan-un... you guys would’ve been in deep shit for real.”
Who doesn’t know that?
He was about to retort when Yi Ha-ram’s face twisted in horror.
“That can’t be...?”
Shin Tae-yeop whipped his gaze to where she stared... and blinked.
“Huh...?”
Atop the old Nowon Station clock tower—now called the [Altar]—something stood.
The blizzard obscured details. Then—
Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew!
A flash of icy blue light streaked.
Freezing shots poured down in a barrage, tracing azure trails.
[Unique skill, 《Fire Long Box》 activated!]
His combat memory triggered an instant reaction.
Magic formula deployment, mental calculation, derivation.
And... alteration of reality’s laws. A full 6-star spell.
────Kwarrr rumble!
Flames scattered fiercely into the air.
They enveloped the train’s upper section in a rectangular barrier, blocking the onslaught of ice shots.
“What the hell is that...?!”
He didn’t know exactly.
But instinct told him a direct hit would’ve doomed the train.
“Im Ga-hee! It’s Im Ga-hee! We have to stop that bitch!”
Yi Ha-ram yelled urgently, her face pale.
“Who? Im Ga... what?!”
That was it.
Screeech──! The train skidded violently with a metallic groan.
No time to process.
Shin Tae-yeop’s body flew off from inertia...
“Wha... what the...?! ”
...and the next moment, he dangled upside down beside the speeding train. His ponytail scraped the ground.
“W-wah, wah wah wah...!”
“Shishishishishi!”
“You’re flying ahead—help me up... wait, hold on.”
How ironic...
Only in this crisis could he finally see what happened.
“What is this?”
Ice. The road’s iced over.
Where those shots hit... it froze in an instant.
Which means...?
That guy who attacked Choi Uk in Dongdaemun-gu...?
“U... uwaaaaaah!”
A sudden kiai rang out.
Shin Tae-yeop’s body shot upward, then slammed back onto the roof.
“Get your head straight! If you wanna die, jump in the Han River.”
“Shishishishi!”
“You watch your owner better!”
There stood Heo Cheon-gyeom, breathing raggedly.
“Heo Cheon-gyeom caught me...?”
“That’s why I talk like shit?”
“Well, if someone’s grabbing me, better a cutie like Ha-ram.”
“You think I’d say ‘sorry’? Fuck off!”
“Kidding, kidding! This is an American joke!”
“Bullsh────”
Yi Ha-ram shoved past the fuming Heo Cheon-gyeom and shouted desperately.
“────This isn’t the time to chat! If we don’t stop her, we’ll flip in a second!”
Shin Tae-yeop objected to her concern.
“I get she’s dangerous. But she’s up on that clock tower. We’re on a moving train. Doesn’t distance shake her off?”
He pointed at 《Fire Long Box》 and the old Nowon Station.
The former was fading but holding; the latter was already half-passed.
“Don’t get comfy!”
“...?!”
“Im Ga-hee’s a sniper! She aims for the wheels, we’re done!”
Blood turned to ice in his veins.
Then what do we do here...? Can’t stop the train... Do Ye-jin would die.
“What’s to do?”
A chilling, hollow voice echoed low.
“Just have one or two stay back and block her.”
That voice...?
He turned and flinched.
“Smartasses are the problem.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong was there.
Armed just like Kim Baek-jun back in the day.
“Too much thinking. On the battlefield, that gets your head shot off.”
[Goblin Helmet].
Black leather coat, single-breasted.
Armament differed sharply: daggers, shortsword... and a large-caliber pistol.
“Stay behind? Here?”
Shin Tae-yeop shot back incredulously.
“Look around! Monsters everywhere—whoever stays is as good as dead!”
“...”
“And sis, you’re one-on-one specialist, not one-vs-many! You wanna die?”
Jeong Ha-kyeong sneered coldly at his point.
“Probably if I lose.”
“Huh...?”
“Win, and I survive. Why overthink?”
Pew... pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew!
Pale gunfire echoed from the clock tower again.
“Ah, that fucking bitch.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong drew a dagger in a flash.
Slashed her left arm, spraying blood into the air.
Then... what’s this power?
The incoming ice shots vaporized into steam mid-air.
Melted?
No, something else.
A sudden scream.
Huh...? Shin Tae-yeop turned... and doubted his eyes.
Kee, kee kee kee kee────
Coupling.
The coupling froze and snapped.
────Kaaaang!
Car 2 wobbled briefly.
Then detached from Car 1, tumbling wildly across the icy road.
Kwarrr rumble rumble rumble!
Car 2 rolled madly.
Soon, it crashed into a building wall, halting its death spin.
Eardrum-shattering boom.
Shockwave reached them.
Sssshhhh....
Black smoke rose from the train... agonized screams leaked faintly.
...Ah, ahh, aaaah.
Chilling laughter followed, snail monsters converging.
Left like that, all inside would die. In this white chaos. Shin Tae-yeop stared blankly.
“You kids, go save Do Ye-jin... now.”
“Sis... what about you?”
“Can’t tell? Hey, Gong Min-young! Focus the hounds there—guard Car 2!”
Gong Min-young chirped, “Yes~ sis~!” and promptly put a flute to her lips.
“Hey, Shin Tae-yeop.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong gripped his shoulder.
“I’ll mop up those bastards and catch up. Buy time up ahead. Got it?”
“...?”
“Answer me, you dogshit!”
Shin Tae-yeop nodded dazedly; she seemed to flash a smile.
“Good. See you alive.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong leaped off the roof.
Augmented leg strength. Landed on a rooftop above, then hopped roof to roof.
“See ya later too!”
Gong Min-young waved and jumped off.
A massive hound scooped her up, charging toward Car 2.
“Crazy... they’re insane.”
Yi Ha-ram and Heo Cheon-gyeom muttered blankly. Shin Tae-yeop gaped.
“Shishishishishi....”
The train pressed on through the snow.
Jeong Ha-kyeong and Gong Min-young vanished into the pale blizzard.
19.
「Hwang Ga-in.」
Hwang Ga-in’s ‘real’ son appeared around the explosion’s roar.
「Why are you so anxious?」
Crystal clear like ice.
Sharp as icicles.
Hwang Ga-in’s face, glaring at Do Ye-jin, lit up.
“Sai!”
The boy called Sai ignored her, introducing himself to Do Ye-jin.
「I am Saitonan. The divine name Father bestowed.」
Saitonan...?
Primal dread in that name.
Do Ye-jin barely inhaled, glancing up.
A pure white pretty boy.
Maybe five years old.
But... ghostly pale skin, white hair to his waist.
And.
Eerie white haze writhing around him.
“Why’d you come out, my prince? Not much of a show.”
What is that kid...?
Looks like a boy, but no human.
Like a human skin over something else... uncanny vibe.
「I heard Mother’s sighs over that thing.」
Eye contact with the boy.
Do Ye-jin’s body shrank; mind blanked in white chaos.
Like a frog before a viper.
Those... eyes...
Ickilas’s wicked pure-white pupils, writhing chaos piercing human reason...
「If you’re that uneasy, no need to feed it to Shealzbel and drag it as Ickilas.」
“Why?”
「I can peer inside its soul right here.」
Hwang Ga-in looked flustered at Saitonan’s words.
“No. It’ll stink. That’s filthy. Dirty. So dirty.」
「Fine. Body stench fades eventually.」
What...?
Who’s parent here? The son gently schooling his mother.
「Time’s short. Hunters coming soon.」
“What...?”
「Feed it now or I peek. Latter’s better—I can brainwash as my subordinate.」
One step.
Saitonan neared Do Ye-jin.
“Hmph, bring it. Lead Hunter’s dead—what’s to fear?”
「Don’t underestimate. Im Ga-hee just died too, seems.」
Another step.
That instant, evil intent crashed.
Hunters flanking Do Ye-jin convulsed like lightning-struck, fainting.
“What?”
What’s this...?
That brat Saitonan? The glowing orb in his hands—suspicious glow.
“No... it’s fine. Sin-yul went down earlier. No rush.”
Hwang Ga-in smirked, patting Saitonan’s shoulder.
「Choi Sin-yul cares little for our affairs.」
Saitonan eyed his mother coldly, shaking his head.
「Freshly demigod, still fixated on earthly matters.」
“...?”
「Sadly, Choi Sin-yul’s lover isn’t you.」
Hwang Ga-in frowned for the first time at Saitonan’s words.
「Didn’t know? What he truly loves is the sword.」
“Sai? What’re you saying?”
「Ah, precisely—the one wielding it.」
Another step.
Closer to Do Ye-jin... what... what’s this...?
Sssssssss...
Oppressive weight.
Body crawling with bugs—revulsion. Do Ye-jin swallowed a scream.
「Choi Sin-yul’s chased the strong below. Finds a worthy foe, Mother won’t care.」
So saying.
Step by step.
Finally before Do Ye-jin, Saitonan smirked coldly.
「Hmph... pathetic up close. Losing absolute divinity for this worthless flesh.」
Do Ye-jin’s pupils...
Beyond, deep into the soul, he peered long.
「Truly worthless shell. Nothing inside.」
Wanted to turn away.
Couldn’t resist... that eerie pressure pinned him.
「Look here.」
Next instant.
Saitonan grinned.
Thrust the outer-dimensional glowing orb before Do Ye-jin’s eyes.
「I’ll make it quick. Best for you. Promise. You’ll feel nothing.」