Blue Woman #4
As the ghost energy welled up, Saseon-nyeo watched me with evident interest. This was my secret technique, but for survival's sake, I had no choice but to reveal it. My only shot at living was to pique her curiosity. I put on the best show I could, hoping to draw her in even a little more.
"Hah!"
Ghost energy coiled around my Thunderclap Sword. I shaped the surging power and swung fiercely at the empty air.
—Shwaaaaack!
The unleashed ghost energy exploded in an instant, spreading a sinister chill. At the same time, my head spun, and strength drained from my body.
"Huff... huff...!"
I collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. I'd burned through so much inner energy battling those corpse ghosts on the city walls today. With barely any left, I'd squeezed out everything just to survive—now I could hardly stay conscious... Fuck.
Man, I missed that Amtobang rice ball today. Were you feeling like this too?
"Wow. Impressive."
—Clap clap clap.
Saseon-nyeo applauded in admiration.
"I've never seen a power like that. But Gui-gyeok-cham? What's that?"
"A name I came up with myself for the move."
"Fits perfectly. Ah, if you're naming techniques, you must have a name for the power itself. What is it?"
"Well... it feels like this eerie energy, so I called it gui qi."
"Gui qi, huh. Not bad. It's neither inner energy nor yokai energy."
She figured it out just from seeing it? Whatever—at least I'd hooked her interest. This might actually save my ass.
I forced my happiness circuits to fire, clinging to consciousness.
"With this power, maybe... I like it. Nachal-ssi? I'd love to study it personally. You'll allow it, right?"
"Study it? How exactly...?"
The word "study" sent a sticky wave of dread through me. It wouldn't be gentle like Ha-young's experiments... Worst case, she'd dissect me!
"Oh, you know, dissection or whatever? Study means dissect, dissect means study."
"Dissection?!"
This crazy bitch treating me like a frog! No way in hell!
"Please! Please spare me, Fairy Lady! I earned those survival points fair and square!"
"Hehehe, no need to worry. I know—I gave them to you myself. Think I'd forget? I'll let you live, Nachal-ssi."
She cradled my kneeling face like she was soothing me, her voice soft and gentle.
"Really?!"
I almost relaxed at that... but then what was all that dissection talk?!
"Yes. But... you won't be moving much, will you?"
It hit in that instant. An absurd malice—no, something even more horrific—coiled around my entire body as invisible energy.
"Huh? What do you—"
Her smile deepened. A demon's grin.
"Until my interest fades. Trapped in a little jar. Subjected to all sorts of nasty things."
"Huh? Hu...?"
The whole sky seemed to twist into terror—a crushing helplessness and overwhelming pressure.
"Survival points are a huge prize. No matter how badly you're treated, you won't die until they're all used up."
"Fairy Lady?"
Suddenly, a small jar appeared in my vision. An ornate box, smaller than my torso. I imagined myself stuffed inside.
"Th-the jar's kinda small..."
"I'll pack you in nice. Here, here. And here too."
—Shhhk.
Her pale, delicate fingers trailed over my limbs.
"Rip off the unnecessary bits. Keep only the vital organs. Tuck you in my jar. And every day, so much fun. We'll study together. Sound good?"
Tears burst out uncontrollably.
"Why... why are you doing this... sob!"
Memories flashed through my mind.
"I got the questions right...!"
"That was just a joke problem."
"I answered so hard, showed my enthusiasm!"
"That's why I'm sparing you. Hehe."
"What did I do to deserve this horror?!"
Terror overwhelmed me!
"Because that power intrigues me so much. It needs studying. It might even be... very important to me."
"I'll cooperate! Anything you say! Please!"
"We'll do it together from inside the jar, Nachal-ssi."
Saseon-nyeo stroked my head like she was petting a piglet before slaughter. She looked utterly delighted, as if my desperate struggles and pleas were the best entertainment.
This wicked witch just loved human suffering! Why me...! Why fucking me!
"Once you're in my special jar, you'll be immortal. For a very long time. Sure, in that state... but you'll be with me, so it'll be fun, right?"
Helplessness. Terror. The horrific aura crushed not just my body but my mind. I felt like I'd pass out.
My whole body trembled, tears streaming. But fainting here meant the end...! I had to thrash and scheme to survive!
"Please, please...! Fairy Lady! That's too cruel! Just once, have mercy, please...!"
"Ah, should I? Okay, I'll spare you once."
"Yes?"
Really?!
"Yes. I spared you once. But now the second round starts right away? No regrets since I spared you once, right? Now, be good and climb into the jar?"
No, you fucking bitch!!! No! Do something!
On the verge of madness, I screamed on instinct.
"Mommy!!!"
"Eh?"
"Mommy, Mommyyyy!!!"
I lunged, hugging her slender calf and rubbing my face against it, pleading. It was humiliating, but desperation was all I had left. I'd debase myself to live.
"Fairy Lady! I'll serve you as my mother! My lifelong mother—just please spare me!"
Lü Bu, the undefeated warrior called the God of War, right before execution, switched faces completely and begged Cao Cao to let him live as his grandson, vowing eternal loyalty. In Confucian culture, serving as a grandson was even stronger than serving parents—it meant absolute devotion. He wailed pathetically before his lifelong enemy: "Please save this worthless grandson Lü Bu! Educate this foolish brat and make him human!" Of course, it fell on deaf ears, and Lü Bu was executed. But this was all I could do.
"This idiot fool got cocky with his weird power and forgot his place! Mother! Please pity this worthless son and show mercy! Mother!"
"Goodness."
And the result...!
"Heh, hehehe. Ahh, this is hilarious. Really, so funny."
A wicked laugh. Saseon-nyeo wiped a tear from her eye after bursting out.
"Mother...?"
If it amused her, maybe she'd spare me? Trembling in fear, she squatted and placed a hand on my head.
"Turning an unmarried maiden into a mom. This girl is shocked."
"Please...! I'll serve you as mother forever—show mercy, Mother!"
"Serve as mother forever, huh. Hehe, first time hearing that. Nachal-ssi. Can you take responsibility? Serving this girl as mother, becoming her son?"
"Of course!"
I had no idea what "responsibility" would entail, but it didn't matter. From the moment she appeared, she could force anything on me. She could toy with my life on a whim. Talk of responsibility was just empty noise.
"Good. Mommy will do it."
"Yay!"
It worked?! My desperate flailing actually worked...! She wouldn't backstab me now, right? She totally could, but for now, I was just grateful to be alive.
"Hehe, this is quite fun. Suddenly having a grown son... How should I take care of him?"
Crazy family roleplay.
"Ah, right. Son? You can't hide things from Mommy."
"Of course not!"
"Sit."
The crushing malice lifted from my body. That sadistic, murderous intent vanished. I felt it instinctively. I could finally exhale.
If I wasn't hallucinating, I'd bought some time.
"Sitting, Mother!"
"Good boy, listening well. Well, I won't stuff my son in a jar. You can relax now."
Thank god...! I nearly ended up worse than Crown Prince Sado.
"But we'll still study it."
"Gasp...!"
"Of course, I can't be too harsh on my son... So I'll let you go free for now. But if Mommy wants, you'll cooperate anytime?"
"I'll obey Mommy only!"
"Hehe, good."
I'd answered in panic, but now it sank in. I'd survived.
I'd ended up serving the most wicked, horrific great witch in the Central Plains as my mother. And this bond could shift on her slightest whim.
"Shall we start the first study?"
Already...?
"How did you cultivate that gui qi, son?"
"Ah, that! It was from yokai cores I accidentally absorbed!"
"Yokai cores...?"
"I mistook them for inner pills at first and ate them. Normally, that'd cause qi deviation, right?"
"Mm, yes."
"But amazingly, it became my power! I absorbed more after, and they all boosted my inner energy! So I kept eating them!"
"Oh my?"
Saseon-nyeo's eyes widened at my earnest explanation. A hint of surprise.
"How is that possible?"
"I don't know exactly."
"Well, we'll figure it out in time."
With that, she slipped her fingers into her ample cleavage. Wait, her tits were almost Ha-young-sized... no, a bit smaller? Whatever—thinking of her as my mom made it awkward as hell.
Anyway. She pulled out a purple orb from between her breasts.
"What's that?"
"Here, son. Aaahn."
Feed me?
"Hmm? Mommy's offering milk, but you won't eat?"
"I'll eat!"
It was definitely poison. Or something vile. No choice now. I swallowed the orb immediately.
Something hit right away.
"This is...!"
"A yokai core. From an udu yacha."
Udu yacha—stronger than ma-du nachal...! Direct subordinate of the Horse Demon King!
—Whoosh!
The udu yacha's core slid down my throat. My esophagus and stomach burned like fire. The energy was so intense, I couldn't hold onto consciousness.
I wanted to scream, but everything blurred. Next thing I knew, I was on a bed, and Saseon-nyeo was fiddling with my body, doing something.
"Hng... ahh, this is truly... how can such power exist..."
My mind faded. A whisper reached my ear as blackout loomed.
"Son. Keep today's meeting with Mommy a secret. Got it?"
"..."
"Grow that power hard. Good sons obey Mommy, right? Disappoint me, and I'll have to discipline you... Be a good boy?"
Guess I'd fallen into hell.