Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Perception
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“Before we dive in properly, let’s inhale this first.”
Kim I-seo restrained Kim Yul, who looked ready to charge ahead at any moment, and pulled a small device from her pocket.
It was an item like the inhalers commonly used by asthma patients. The pure white liquid inside swayed lightly with her gesture.
“It’s a mental stabilizer. It lasts for ten minutes and blocks most mental attacks. Of course, your own resistance is the most important, so don’t let your guard down.”
“Eugh, that stuff tastes awful.”
Kim Yul stuck out her tongue and grimaced. Ignoring it, Kim I-seo handed the inhaler to her.
“You’re not eating it for the taste. Better to take it now than get charmed later.”
“Ugh…….”
Though reluctant, Kim Yul squeezed her eyes shut and brought the inhaler to her mouth. Lee Min-su and Kim Mi-ryeo also inhaled deeply from theirs. Ian hesitated for a moment before carefully placing the device in his mouth.
Ian’s mental barrier wasn’t actually that weak. He’d never been charmed by anything up to now, nor even sensed it trying. Just the fact that he hadn’t fallen into the dream alone during the Monkey Dream incident proved his mental fortitude was far superior to the average person.
He wasn’t sure how he stacked up against agents. Deficient? No, that didn’t seem right either. It’d be absurd to say his mental defenses were lacking when he could wield a grimoire from an Outer God without issue.
Still, there was no reason to gamble by skipping the stabilizer. Better to handle preparations thoroughly, whatever the case.
“…….”
Ian carefully pressed the release button on the inhaler. At once, the liquid inside heated rapidly, turning to vapor. The white mist circulated through the chamber and rushed up the open passage toward the mouthpiece.
“Sip…….”
He inhaled the rising vapor slowly. A revolting taste assaulted his taste buds and nose in an instant, but Ian kept his eyes shut tight and drew it in. Moments later, the spent inhaler disassembled with a click and fell to the ground.
“......Urk.”
Ian forced down the surging nausea and chugged water from his bag. That helped a bit.
“......That taste is brutal. Made from food waste or something?”
“We don’t know the manufacturing process for the inhalers either, heh, but the liquid itself is made by Santa.”
Kim I-seo wiped saliva from her lips as she answered.
“I’ll show you how sometime if there’s a chance.”
“......Pass. Focus on the mission.”
Ian exhaled deeply and turned away. Kim Yul, who had inhaled first, was now drooling on the ground with her tongue lolled out, but she wasn’t the priority.
The village landscape as sunlight began to filter in. Through the windows of the few small houses, residents started to appear.
Their limbs, torsos, and legs looked no different from ordinary humans. No blood-smeared appearances either. But their expressions were somehow unnatural.
Faces caught between a smile and a scowl. Tears streamed from eyes curved like hooks, and grotesquely bent fingers picked something up.
It was leather. But not ordinary leather.
Human skin masks.
Tools made by peeling human faces and turning them into masks.
The residents donned the genderless masks, flipping them over their heads. Their bloodshot sclera glared through the hollow eye holes. The corners of the mouths were sewn with thread, fixed in a perpetual grin. From the real mouths beneath came endless, incomprehensible mutterings.
“Ugh!”
“Khup……!”
Even without coherent words, the moment they registered the mutterings, a hammer-like shock hit the brains of everyone except Ian.
A sensation like bugs crawling between brain folds. A horrific feeling that crushed their sense of self ravaged their minds. Fingers instinctively clawed at faces, desperate to rip off this cursed skin clinging to muscle.
Ah, why do humans wear such cumbersome leather? Why need expressions beyond smiling?
Laughter, happiness, smiles, radiance, praise, joy, pleasure.
It all stems from a bright expression. No reason for anger or sadness.
Humans must always be happy.
We have a duty to spread Buddha’s will, to bring happiness. A duty to paint smiles on all faces. To tear off their cumbersome leather and use it as a foundation for happiness.
It always starts with oneself. Change yourself to change the world.
Didn’t Shakyamuni say as much? The greatest victor conquers themselves.
We lowly beings always fight delusions.
Anxiety, misfortune, despair, ruin, frustration.
We must protect ourselves from emotions far from happiness and claim victory.
Thus, this is the cornerstone. Peel your own face skin, the foundation to become Buddha. The first step toward nirvana—
Crack!
The intrusive thoughts sank with excruciating pain.
Blood poured from his bitten tongue. The bleeding was heavy from the nerve-rich area, and the pain intense. But it snapped him back.
“Kuugh……!”
Kim I-seo spat out the pooling blood in her mouth and scanned her surroundings. Far off, villagers emerged slowly from houses; her team still hadn’t recovered.
Despite the stabilizer, the mental attack had nearly shattered their egos in an instant. Kim I-seo recovered thanks to a similar childhood experience from Hansel and Gretel, but the others hadn’t.
Lee Min-su and Kim Mi-ryeo clawed madly at their faces. Kim Yul giggled vacantly.
And Ian……
“Hoo…….”
Stared at the villagers with utter calm.
*
The disaster struck suddenly. The moment the residents donned the human skin masks, everyone but Ian went slack-faced. Then they clawed at their own faces as if to tear them off.
Lee Min-su and Kim Mi-ryeo were worst hit. Their faces were smeared with blood. Not deep wounds—just bleeding from scraping skin with nails. Painful as hell, but not life-threatening.
Kim Yul just laughed blankly. Drool dripped from her open mouth. Her wide eyes reddened from dryness.
Unlike the other two, she hadn’t fully lost it; her trembling hand gripped her pinky tightly. Left alone, she’d probably snap it backward to wake herself.
Kim I-seo, her lower face bloodied as if her mad laughter had been a lie, approached.
“......S-Special Agent Shin Ian. Are you alright?”
Ian nodded down at her.
“I’m fine. Not affected at all.”
“H-How…….”
“My mental barrier’s tougher than yours, I guess. Anyway, is this situation okay as is?”
Ian shifted his gaze back to the villagers.
Around thirty in total. All wearing human skin masks, approaching slowly with kitchen knives or axes.
None ran. They all muttered something as they walked.
“Can’t make out what they’re saying. Is it even Korean?”
“......You can’t hear them?”
Kim I-seo rose shakily on trembling legs.
“‘Those whose minds are restless and who do not know the dharma, like beautiful flowers with fine color but no fragrance, are fools. But if a fool recognizes his folly, he is already wise. Associating with the wicked transfers their evil deeds to you, and the stench does not fade even after long association…’ Everything they’re muttering is from Shakyamuni.”
“......In Korean?”
“Yes. But hearing it normally probably means…….”
“You’re charmed.”
Ian clicked his tongue, opened his grimoire with one hand, gripped his pistol with the other, and nodded.
“Those two will flip sides if left alone. Wake them first with a shock.”
“R-Right. Then Kim Yul the mage—”
“I’ll handle her.”
Kim I-seo nodded at Ian’s words. She spat fresh blood from her mouth, drew her knife, and stabbed down without hesitation on Kim Mi-ryeo and Lee Min-su’s shoulders. She twisted the blade against their shoulder bones, scraping the surface.
“Kuaaaak!? Khuuup……!”
“Urk……!”
The agony sharpened their vacant eyes. They quickly assessed, grabbed their weapons, and steadied their breaths.
Ian stood before Kim Yul, looking down. Her bloodshot eyes fixed on him, quivering.
Mind awake, body unresponsive. Ian holstered his pistol briefly, gently grasped the hand clutching her fingers, and said,
“Going.”
No reply, naturally. Ignoring that, Ian used her hand to snap her finger backward.
Crack!
Joint and skin tore with a gruesome sound. Her rigid body jerked alive.
“Water, heed my will and respond. Become a wave to pierce them!”
Regaining her senses, she chanted.
Rumble……!
Flasks at her waist shattered in unison, condensing into one spot. They surged like a small wave, crushing the legs of the lead villagers.
Blood mixed into the rippling water. The reddened torrent smashed the fallen torsos and vanished.
“Haa, haa…… haak……!”
Kim Yul, panting roughly after the spell, turned to Ian.
Sweat beading, she grinned.
“Thanks.”
Ian didn’t reply, just drew his gun and fired at the villagers.
Bang bang bang!
Gunpowder scent overpowered the fishy water smell.