Chapter 109
Chapter 109
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Into the Concrete Building
-----------------------------------------------------------------
We waited a long while for the people who'd set up camp and gone inside the building to come back out. All so we could ambush them and snatch their sacred relic.
Thankfully, thanks to the onmyoji setting up barriers and the shrine maiden bestowing blessings while we waited, no yokai or demonic beasts came after us.
But no matter how long we waited, the ones who'd gone in showed no sign of coming out. In the end, Ha-rin, who'd reached the limit of her patience, came over to me.
"They're not coming out. Should we keep waiting?"
"Uh... well. Ha-rin, how long have we been waiting?"
"Um... almost four hours."
"Ha... shit. Guess we have to go in. Doesn't look like they're coming out no matter how long we wait."
In those four hours, not a single person emerged—not even a hint of movement. That meant either everyone inside had died, or there was another exit they'd slipped out through. Waiting longer wouldn't bring good news.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
'No way there's another exit... The Shadow Moth spotted a bunch of people going in, so dozens must've entered. No word at all? Probably all dead.'
There was no other choice now. Sure, we could skip this ominous, creepy building altogether, but if one of the Three Sacred Treasures was inside, we'd be wasting time—and we might never find this place again.
"Everyone, gather up. We're going into that building. But I think just four of us should go."
"Just four?"
I nodded at Ha-rin's question.
"Yeah. It's cramped inside a building, so eight of us charging around would be too tight."
"Wouldn't it be better to split into teams with the inseparable couple necklaces?"
Eun-ji had a point.
But they might miss each other inside, or one team could trigger something and get wiped out.
Besides, Samurai Hiro—slightly better than a basic warrior—wouldn't help much searching for relics, and Hee-sun Noona's combat power would drop sharply in a concrete structure. Leaving them to guard the entrance seemed smarter.
With a samurai strong in man-to-man fights and Hee-sun Noona, who shone even more amid trees, holding the entrance, they could handle anyone coming in later or anyone escaping with a relic.
Adding Eun-ji, whose shadow walker class outdid samurai in PvP, and Sora the shrine maiden, who could generate light to repel yokai and beasts, would make it perfect.
"Eun-ji, you stay too. Handle anyone approaching the building. If anyone slips out, kill them all and check for relics."
"Uh... for real? Me too?"
"Yeah. Need you here for communication with the shrine maiden and samurai. Mostly, I can relax knowing you're holding it down."
"Got it...! If it puts your mind at ease, of course I'll stay!"
So, entering the building: the glasses-wearing Japanese guy, the gyaru, Ha-rin, and me. Four total.
The glasses guy was clumsy with Korean but knew enough to communicate. And to deal with whatever yokai lurked inside, we needed either the shrine maiden or onmyoji. Better to leave the crybaby shrine maiden outside, so onmyoji it was.
'Once we're home... time for some proper mental training.'
I glanced at the shrine maiden, who'd been teary-eyed and terrified since earlier. She was cute and soft-bodied—perfect otherwise—but way too cowardly.
'My commands can control actions, but not morale or mentality...'
Telling her not to whine might stop the tears, but she'd still stress internally, draining her mental strength. If she collapsed or got possessed by a ghost or yokai, we'd be screwed.
'Ha Jin-seong said last time possession happens in an instant... Too risky taking her into this weird building with shaky resolve. Better the onmyoji, whose mentality seems sturdier. And with his girlfriend the gyaru along, he'll fight harder to survive.'
Bringing the gyaru boosted the onmyoji's morale and provided her lockpicking skills for any locked doors, cabinets, or boxes.
Sure, I could smash them or melt with my impure touch, but smashing made too much noise, and melting reeked, drawing beasts. Without knowing what was inside, caution was key.
'When you don't know what's there, move undetected—best strategy.'
Odor eliminator spray to mask scents, Ha-rin scouting enemies ahead. The interior might differ vastly from the outside, so avoid fights if possible.
'That warehouse full of old books we rested in earlier was way bigger inside.'
This building was likely the same—far larger within.
"Eun-ji, if we're not back in 10 hours, come get us. Got it?"
"Got it... Be careful."
"Jun-ah... come back safe."
"You and Hee-sun Noona stay safe too. Anything approaches, no talking—just kill."
"Yeah yeah...!"
"Got it. We'll kill 'em all!"
The shrine maiden and samurai—understanding some Korean after I briefed the glasses guy—exchanged farewells too.
I grabbed Samurai Hiro's shoulder mid-convo.
"Hey. If it's dangerous, tank it with your body. Sacrifice in a crisis. Don't die unless I say. Orders."
"Uh... wakata..."
Samurai Hiro nodded, my command implanted. Not the strongest class, but he'd die for us if needed.
I left Ebony Cockroach and Shadow Moth behind and headed in.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Haa... haa..."
"Sis... where... are we...?"
"No idea. Just shut up and walk."
Inside the concrete building.
Lee Ju-ha and her sister Lee Eun-ha, ethnic Koreans who'd fled inside just before being captured as playthings by the Chosun-jok.
Now lost deep within.
"But sis, don't get so mad. You know those bastards are crazy, right?"
"Fuck, hey. You think I can just not get pissed after this? Those rotten pig-snouted fucks. We shouldn't have messed with 'em, even if they can't unite. Rotten bastards."
Ju-ha was on the verge of exploding at her sister Eun-ha's words. She'd always hated the Chosun-jok brokers who screwed over North Korean defectors.
Growing up hearing their atrocities, her own life—surrendering to communism with no hope of escape—felt pathetic. Now they'd slunk here to wreak havoc; she itched to tear them apart.
But there were too many. With her sister hostage, she'd given up fighting, biding her time.
Then, as they camped at the entrance before entering, she snapped the neck of her guard, grabbed Eun-ha, and fled inside.
"Those damn pig-headed fucks. If I see 'em again... I'll boil 'em alive."
"Sis... shh... getting too worked up's bad. No telling where they are."
"Ugh... fucking hell. Can't even vent. Where the fuck's the exit?"
They crept silently down endless corridors.
The building's innards were so bizarre, its layout defied mapping. Same door: open and close, leads somewhere else. Like one giant teleport trap—an infinite box with no outlet.
—Uaa!! You damn bitches!! Where'd you go!!
—Hey! Quit raging and stay calm!
—Yelling gonna help? Just hold it in.
—Look, brothers. We crawled in here to catch those bitches—what kinda fuckup is this? They tore us up—know that? I said let 'em go...
—Ugh... yeah. Know, but too late now.
—Ugh... those shitty cunts... if I catch 'em, they ain't getting off easy. Yeah?
—Damn... tempers suck...
Voices of pursuing Chosun-jok echoed from afar. Eun-ha and Ju-ha clamped mouths, crouching low.
"They won't come this way, right?"
"Yeah... but sis... how much mana left?"
"Mana?"
"Yeah."
"Dunno... not much."
"Whew... caught, we're done."
"Yeah... that's why... please... just go, you pig-snouts..."
The sisters waited, holding breath till the Chosun-jok passed. Not a normal building— as long as they didn't open corridor doors, they'd teleport elsewhere.
—Kiiik...
But the world ain't kind; wishes don't always come true.
"Hey! There!! They're there!!!"
"Hah!! Those bitches!! Thought hiding'd fool us!!! Get 'em quick!!"
"Those sluts!! Gonna slaughter ya!!"
Five Chosun-jok spotted them. Plenty had entered the Missing Persons' Forest. System lumped them with Chinese, bloating numbers.
Fewer than other Chinese, but still hordes. They recognized each other by dialect, teamed as "compatriots."
Skipped shrines for relics—instead hunted Koreans, Chinese, Japanese to kill, eat, or rape.
No intent to leave the forest. Just ambush relic-hunters, steal goods. Their scummy ways aided survival.
"Sis!!"
Fleeing the charging Chosun-jok, Eun-ha tripped over her own feet.
"Shit!!!"
Ju-ha hesitated at her fallen sister. Ditch and run? Or stop and fight?
Ditching? Eun-ha'd suffer horrors—tortured plaything, maybe eaten alive.
They did cannibalism without batting an eye. Not all Chosun-jok were psycho, but these were.
"Eun-ha!!"
Ju-ha chose to fight protecting her sister.
"Get up!! Run, now!!!"
"Sis!!"
"Go!!! I'll kill these fucks and follow—just go!! You're in the way!!"
Eun-ha glanced at her sister facing five awakened Chosun-jok, then bolted.
Unawakened, she was useless in combat—just a liability. Best to flee, not hinder.
Three hours in the forest taught her: baggage. Better not get captured as hostage again.
She believed her sole sister Ju-ha could survive the fight. Wanted to believe.
Fleeing back-turned, tears flowed.
"Yeah, go on. Eun-ha..."
Ju-ha side-eyed her departing sister, refocused ahead. Chosun-jok drew machetes and tools.
Ju-ha had only her hands.
They'd taken her weapons hours ago.
But hands sufficed.
Her nails lengthened.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇