The Human-Faced Terror

The narrow path wound through the dense foliage, leading toward the valley where the mineral spring was located.

"Chef Yoon, shouldn't climbing a mountain feel refreshing and pleasant?" Man Hanseok asked in a strained voice, striding up the steep path with his massive frame without showing any signs of exhaustion.

"Feels damp and sticky, doesn't it?" I replied.

"There's that, but can I be completely honest with you?"

"Go ahead."

"It... feels like walking through a chestnut forest in early summer."

"To me, it smells more like a damp basement."

"Well, the urge to plug your nose is pretty much the same, isn't it?"

"I suppose you're right."

The faint, fishy odor that had lingered inside the inn grew thick and heavy the moment we neared the valley. With the stench assaulting us from all directions, it really did feel like stepping into a chestnut forest in early summer, just as Man Hanseok had described. For a man, it was a truly hellish scent. Man Hanseok and I grimaced as we continued our trek up the mountain path.

"If there really is a poisonous beast at the water source, what kind of creature do you think it is?"

"There are many possibilities, but for a creature to contaminate an entire water supply, it would have to be something massive—like the One-Horned Fire Python, or perhaps a Human-Faced Spider."

"Yuck. Aren't those giant poisonous beasts supposed to be way down south in the Southern Barbarian regions?"

"Who knows? Maybe some venomous creature discarded carelessly by the Sichuan Tang Clan slithered all the way here to Hebei."

"What? If the Sichuan Tang Clan heard you say that, they'd have your head..."

"Hey, people badmouth the Emperor himself behind his back. What's the big deal?"

"Heavens."

Man Hanseok flinched at how casually I lumped the Sichuan Tang Clan and the Imperial Court together in my disrespect. Perhaps my modern, liberal mindset was a bit too progressive for the people of the Central Plains.

"If I were an agent of the Eastern Depot, you would have been dragged away instantly, Chef Yoon."

"I bet the Eastern Depot agents badmouth the Emperor even worse. Who do you think created them, and who is their direct superior?"

Man Hanseok fell silent for a moment before shaking his head.

"Uh... I'm going to shut up now. I feel like if I keep talking to you, I'll actually end up in an Eastern Depot dungeon getting tortured."

"Fine, then go back to being fat."

At my silent declaration of 'If you've got a problem with that, you know the drill,' Man Hanseok shot me a deeply aggrieved look.

"Wow, you are truly wicked."

"Wicked? You're the wicked one here. After everything I've done to help you, you're ready to cut ties just because you're scared of a little torture?"

While I was busy badgering him with the classic 'ungrateful wretch' guilt trip, a dazed look crossed Man Hanseok's face as he pointed his spear toward a clearing.

"Look over there. Isn't that the spring?"

"Looks like it... Oh, sweet mother of..."

A curse nearly slipped past my lips, but I managed to swallow it just in time. A wide clearing opened up amidst the dense forest, but the smell was no longer just fishy—it was an indescribably pungent, rotting stench. Man Hanseok was already pinching his nose shut, while I resorted to mouth-breathing as I scanned the area. At this point, whatever poisonous beast was here might as well have put up a sign begging to be hunted. I couldn't stand being here a second longer either. I needed to wrap this up and get the hell out.

"It seems whatever it is has been living here for quite some time," Man Hanseok said, his voice nasal as he stared at the mineral spring trickling from a crevice in the rocks.

The water flowing directly from the rocks seemed odorless, but the pool where it gathered was a murky, pale gray, looking exactly like industrial wastewater. The foulest stench in the entire area emanated from this very pool. I didn't know where the beast was hiding, but it had likely made ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this pool its nesting ground, drinking from it regularly. As it did, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠its venom must have contaminated the pool, which then seeped into the ground, joined the groundwater, and eventually poisoned the inn's well. Just to be sure, I dipped a silver needle into the pool. It turned pitch-black instantly. Even just hovering my hand near the water made my skin tingle. This was an incredibly potent toxin.

"What kind of beast could corrupt a spring to this extent?"

"No kidding. This stuff is ridiculously toxic."

While Man Hanseok stood guard with his spear, I scanned the ground around the pool, searching for any traces of the creature.

"Huh?"

"What is it?"

The ground was covered in sharp, puncture-like indentations, as if a pointed horn had been repeatedly driven into the dirt. Even if some crazed animal was slamming its horn into the ground, there should have been paw prints or hoof prints. Yet, there were no footprints at all—only these sharp, repeating punctures. What did this mean?

"A poisonous beast with sharp, pointed legs."

"What? A poisonous beast?"

"Since it has legs, we can rule out snakes. And since the tips are needle-sharp, it's not a spider either."

It wouldn't be a bee, nor a toad. So what was left?

Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh...!

"A centipede!"

"Exactly! What's living here is—"

"Chef Yoon, a centipede!"

"Yes, I just said that."

"No! I mean there is a literally massive centipede right in front of my eyes!"

I snapped my head up at Man Hanseok's shout. What in the world... was that?

At first, I thought it was just a heavy log lying between the trees. But logs didn't squirm and slither. It wasn't some kind of wooden training dummy. The sunlight reflecting off its glossy, armored shell revealed its true identity. Right in front of Man Hanseok, a monstrous centipede as thick as a tree trunk was writhing. On its sickeningly shiny head carapace, a pale white pattern resembling a human face was clearly visible.

"A Human-faced Centipede!"

The legendary giant centipede with a human face on its head, the Human-faced Centipede, loomed before us.

"Why ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on earth is a creature like that here in Hebei?!"

"How should I know?!"

I had seen it mentioned briefly in medical texts, under the chapter titled Strange Poisonous Beasts of the Southern Barbarians. By all accounts, it belonged in the far south. I had no idea what it was doing all the way up here in Hebei.

Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh...!

Making a bizarre, mocking hiss, the Human-faced Centipede lunged forward with terrifying speed.

Hiss! Clang!

To block the beast's strike aimed directly at his throat, Man Hanseok gripped his spear wide with both hands and braced himself.

"Ugh, g-grrr... This thing... is incredibly strong...!"

Man Hanseok's arms trembled violently as he held his ground. If Man Hanseok, who could withstand the force of my Baekyak-gwonkyeol (Hundred Medicine Fist Secrets) at the First Stage, was shaking like this, he wouldn't be able to hold out for long. I had to act immediately.

"Hold on for just a second!"

Boom!

The distance between Man Hanseok and me was about thirty feet. By channeling my inner qi into my feet and launching myself off the ground, I closed the gap instantly, despite the heavy toll on my energy. I immediately threw a powerful right hook infused with fist qi.

Thud!

"..."

Something was wrong. Setting aside the sensation of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠punching a thick iron lid, the moment my fist struck the armored shell on its back, a powerful repulsive force surged back into my qi-clad hand. There was no way a mere centipede could manifest the Protective Astral Qi reserved only for Absolute Masters, yet I couldn't fathom the source of this bizarre resistance.

"Ch-Chef Yoon!"

Screeech!

The Human-faced Centipede's mandibles scraped against the spear, trying to chew through it. Fortunately, it couldn't bite through the sturdy shaft, but the situation was highly critical. Beneath a centipede's jaws lie its venomous claws—the most lethal weapon against any living creature. A pair of orange venom claws scraped against the spear shaft, and a thick, dark gray liquid began to ooze from their tips.

"Aaaargh! What is this?!"

"Don't let it touch you! That's venom!"

"Yikes!"

With a shout from Man Hanseok, his spear shaft flashed briefly, and the slowly dripping, viscous liquid froze solid instantly. Did this kid just unleash his cold qi on command? I'd have to ask him about that later. For now, I drove my fist straight toward the three pairs of eyes on the right side of its head.

Crack!

Screeech!

Caught completely off guard while focusing solely on Man Hanseok, the Human-faced Centipede shrieked in agony. Man Hanseok, standing right in front of it, went pale and froze. Even as more venom began to seep from the beast, he remained paralyzed, unable to move a muscle.

"What are you doing, you idiot! Snap out of it!"

"Huh...?"

*Is this bear of a guy seriously terrified of a bug?* His bewildered expression, so utterly mismatched with his massive physique, made me want to facepalm.

"Use the first form of the Ice Limit Spear, First Stage!"

"B-but if I move, the centipede will...!"

"Just do it! Strike! Now!"

"I-I'm doing it! I'm doing it!"

Since I had rarely yelled at him like this, a panicked Man Hanseok immediately executed the first form of the Ice Limit Spear. The opening move involved pulling the spear back before thrusting it forward with explosive force. Thanks to the sudden, powerful motion, the frozen venom of the Human-faced Centipede shattered and fell harmlessly to the ground.

Shriek!

Startled by Man Hanseok's sudden counterattack, the Human-faced Centipede flinched and recoiled. I immediately shouted to Man Hanseok while channeling a massive surge of inner qi into my fist. A half-hearted strike would never work against this monster.

"Transition straight into the second form!"

"Y-yes, sir!"

Man Hanseok's stiffened body gradually loosened. Even without my prompting, his movements naturally flowed into the next form.

Shriek!

The Human-faced Centipede seemed utterly bewildered, struggling to cope with a martial artist so vastly different from the humans it had previously encountered.

"Good! Keep it up!"

"Uh, yes, yes, sir!"

He still hasn't fully recovered his wits. He was simply executing the forms by pure muscle memory. When Man Hanseok wielded the Ice Limit Spear, he focused heavily on the subtle art of variation. Faced with a dizzyingly unpredictable and ever-changing spear technique, the Human-faced Centipede was completely unable to mount a proper defense.

Meanwhile, I continued to concentrate my inner qi into my fist. It was something I would normally avoid at all costs, but the circumstances left me with no choice. My hand was not only glowing a fiery red, but it was also swelling up as if having an allergic reaction. My acupoints felt like they were screaming at me to stop. Ugh. I stared at Man Hanseok's broad shoulders and back in front of me. If he loses just a bit more fat and replaces it with pure muscle, he'll easily become the ultimate tank of the Central Plains. Well, that was a plan for after we survived this. I quietly slipped toward the rear of the Human-faced Centipede and shouted to Man Hanseok once more.

"Hanseok! Give me the grandest, most powerful form from the Second Stage!"

"Severing the Midnight Hour!"

Swoosh!

Unlike his previous moves that relied on swift variations, this form was packed with sheer, crushing weight. True to its name, which meant to slice through the dead of night, a devastating and heavy strike swept toward the Human-faced Centipede.

Sh-sh-sh!

However, as if anticipating the trajectory, the Human-faced Centipede dodged the blow with fluid ease. But as the beast recoiled backward, I was already waiting. Positioned directly behind it, I lunged forward, aiming my fist straight at its head.

Shriek!

Too distracted by Man Hanseok to notice my approach from behind, the Human-faced Centipede flinched. It tried to whip its head around to face me, but it was already too late.

"You sacrilegious overgrown centipede!"

With a roar that sounded like an inquisitor purging a heretic, I slammed my fist down onto the exact center of the Human-faced Centipede's head.

Crunch!

The armored carapace of its head shattered with satisfying ease, incomparable to my previous attempt. This was exactly the sensation I had been aiming for. If you attacked the Human-faced Centipede with mediocre internal energy, its shell would deflect the force right back at your fist. I figured that if I delivered a blow that exceeded its threshold of resistance, I could crush it. My hypothesis was correct.

Sh... sh-sh...

The Human-faced Centipede weakly twitched its antennae. After writhing on the ground for a long moment with my fist still embedded in its skull, the beast finally lost all strength and collapsed onto its side.

Thud!

As the monster fell, Man Hanseok retrieved his spear and stared at me with eyes as wide as saucers.

"Pant, pant... Ch-Chef Yoon? What on earth was that?"

"The Inquisition of Yoon Gomyung."

"An inquisition...? Are you religious?"

"Knowing too much will only get you hurt."

Ah, damn it. My fist. It was swollen and bruised a deep, angry purple. If I didn't treat this immediately, my right hand would be completely useless for the rest of the day.

"Hey, Hanseok."

"Pant, pant... Yes?"

As a heavily breathing Man Hanseok whipped his head toward me, I offered him a sly grin.

"Let's find the poison core."

"The... the poison core?"

"A poisonous beast of this size is guaranteed to have a poison core. If we sell it to someone like the Sichuan Tang Clan, wouldn't they absolutely love it?"

"W-well, yes, but... wait, you didn't come all the way out here just to harvest a poison core, did you?"

"Tsk, watch your mouth. What do you take me for? Helping those in need is the very definition of righteousness. We are, after all, a staff member and a student of the Mutual Righteousness Academy, an institution dedicated to cultivating righteous martial artists. We came here purely to demonstrate our righteousness."

The poison core was merely a side benefit.

Man Hanseok stared at me with a look of utter disbelief, clearly exhausted by my shamelessness.

"I... somehow feel deeply disappointed in you, Chef Yoon."

"And what are you going to do about it if you're disappointed?"

"...Keep looking at you with these pitiful eyes, I suppose."

"Tsk. You shouldn't look at your elders like that."

Ignoring Man Hanseok's disappointment, I used my left hand instead of my bruised right to rummage through the split head of the Human-faced Centipede. That was when I noticed a tiny inscription carved near its shattered head.

Blood ().

At first, I thought it was just a natural pattern, but looking closer, it was clearly a character carved into the carapace with a sharp tool. This was highly suspicious. I pried off the piece of carapace bearing the inscription and slipped it into my pocket before resuming my search for the inner elixir. And finally...

"Oh?"

A greenish-gray, walnut-sized sphere caught my eye amidst the cracked skull.

"Did you find it?"

"Is this the poison core?"

I poked it with a nearby twig to be sure.

Sizzle...!

The twig dissolved into ash instantly.

"Yep, that's definitely it."

Man Hanseok watched the twig disintegrate in silence before turning his gaze to me.

"Chef Yoon."

"Yeah?"

"Finding the poison core is great and all... but how exactly do you plan on carrying that back?"

His question left me momentarily speechless. I obviously couldn't just carry a highly corrosive poison core in my bare hands. What now?