You Fight!
Kim Taeju placed an order for a full set of gear.
Fantasy fox leather coat, wrist and ankle guards, belt, vest and pants, willow leaf flying knives for Ilseom, stormflower needles and blood acupuncture needles for Bipok, butterfly-shaped Blood Butterflies…
He'd have to wait a week for delivery.
In the meantime, he figured he'd stockpile plenty of antidote ingredients.
With that, he gathered toxic herbs, processed them into stock solutions.
Sales of the mosquito antidote were going smoothly too.
Revenue had dipped a bit, but it still sold out whenever supplies ran low.
The media had finally caught on, ramping up their coverage.
The local paper, Gurye Free Times, ran these headlines:
Baek's Drugstore's Mosquito Poison Antidote Sweeps Gurye
Developer Kim Taeju: Who Is He? We Know His Name and Age—Nothing Else
Raid Team Members in Gurye Rave About It: Universal Praise
Mosquito Antidote Saves Gurye: Monster Wave Risk Drops
Citizens Cheer Baek's Drugstore Success: Longtime Efforts for Gurye's Marginalized Pay Off for Owner Baek Hongpyo
Something felt off, though.
Despite Baek's Drugstore dominating Gurye's pharmacy market with the mosquito antidote, things were eerily quiet.
The other pharmacies and pharma companies must be taking massive hits. By now, you'd expect some kind of pushback.
Maybe they were panicking, testing the waters, or desperately analyzing the formula.
Trying to whip up a generic knockoff, at least.
Raid meds had streamlined approvals but basically no patent protection—as long as the ingredients weren't identical, it didn't infringe.
Mix in a few vitamins with a similar antidote, and you're golden.
But good luck cracking the processing method of Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong.
'That'll take 'em at least two years.'
Maybe longer.
The mosquito antidote.
It'd be a reliable cash cow for years.
Taeju ate breakfast in his hotel room via room service.
A life of luxury he'd never dreamed of.
Even back in Paju Territory, it hadn't been this plush.
Not even close, really.
Paju had been a poor fiefdom.
With breakfast done, he was gearing up to head out.
Then—
Ring ring!
His phone rang the moment he slipped into his outing clothes.
'Baek probably.'
Nope.
—Hey, Kim!
“...Ah! Hello.”
The broker he'd met during his brief stint as a porter.
—Hard to get a glimpse of you these days? You quit or what? You sick?
“Yeah, just taking a break. Hope you're doing well?”
—Sigh, hanging in there, but porter demand's exploding lately. Tons of gigs, not enough bodies. Gurye's crawling with raid teams thanks to that mosquito antidote.
“Sounds rough.”
Butterfly effect of the antidote, apparently.
Gurye Free City was booming again, raid teams pouring in from everywhere.
The Jirisan jungle was infamous in the Samhan Empire for its monster density.
The damn mosquitoes had always tanked hunt satisfaction rates, but not anymore.
—So I've got a favor to ask.
“What's up?”
—One porter flaked. Help out just this once?
“...Uh.”
—Sub in for him? Pay's generous.
He hesitated.
He didn't need to porter anymore, but...
“Sure. I'll help. Just this once.”
—Oh! Thanks, man. Really appreciate it.
Couldn't say no.
When he'd first hit Gurye penniless and started as a day-labor porter, this guy had helped him out big time. Sure, Taeju had pulled his weight too.
Repay favors tenfold, they say.
Maybe not that much, but this was the least he could do.
Grudges? A hundredfold.
Taeju pulled out his oversized porter backpack.
Meant to toss it, but whatever.
He left the hotel and headed to the meetup spot.
The old Jirisan National Park parking lot.
'That's them.'
The broker had texted a photo of the raid leader.
“Hello. Kim Taeju, subbing in as porter.”
The leader scowled and snapped.
“Fuck, why're you so late? Know how much time you've wasted?”
“...I told you I was subbing.”
“So? What now? Shut up and grab your pack. Follow.”
Wrong crowd, clearly.
Now he got why the original porter flaked.
'Team's short-handed.'
Standard was fifteen.
Here: seven total.
Two porters, three mana compatibles, two awakeners.
Even with antidote sales shrinking teams, this was ridiculous.
“We going with this crew?”
“Huh? Cheeky little porter shit... Wanna die?”
“Hey hey, easy! Kill him and who's hauling? And you! One more peep, and I'll chop your limbs off for monster bait. Got it?”
“...”
Birds of a feather, huh? Both awakeners were assholes.
The support compatibles weren't any better.
“Gurye porters must be living large? The hell! With this crew? First time hearing a porter mouth off like that.”
“Quit hitting him. He'll bolt.”
“Kekeke, he's here now—what's he gonna do? Run? I'll kill him.”
“Tsk tsk, let's move. Before the pros get pissed.”
Awakeners, compatibles.
What the hell were these guys?
He'd portered plenty, but these were the rudest yet.
Killing intent surged in Taeju's core.
'Gotta kill 'em.'
Not here—somewhere quiet.
Infuse his military machete with poison, one stab, and they'd drop before seven steps.
Compatibles and awakeners might last a tad longer?
'Can't leave evidence. Poison all six, melt the bodies in a cremation pit...'
Ah, no pit yet.
Dump 'em in the jungle?
Monsters would clean up, like always.
Suddenly—
'Huh?'
His mind snapped clear.
He'd been thinking murder way too casually.
'Why...'
Six innocents, even the fellow porter.
Just to avoid traces.
'Gotta watch it.'
Taeju knew why.
His other self.
The influence of Absolute Poison Demon Dang Gunak.
A poison heart that chose killing over overlooking annoyances.
'Whew.'
Deep breath. He quelled the killing intent and trailed the raid team from the rear.
A middle-aged fellow porter sidled up quietly.
“Good restraint, Taeju.”
Familiar face now.
Someone he'd portered with before.
“Ah! It's you, hyung.”
“Yeah. Once we're in the jungle, swallow the bullshit. Those guys snap, we're real monster chow.”
“...They'd actually do that?”
“Other awakeners, maybe not. These? Totally. Word's out.”
“You knew 'em?”
“Kwon Dongseok Raid Team. Recent drifters in Gurye. Those compatibles are their crew.”
Figured.
Even in lax Gurye, that shit wouldn't fly for long.
“Word like what?”
“Few days back, porters who went with 'em vanished.”
“Autonomy Committee let it slide?”
“Proof? No complaints filed. It fizzles.”
Normies and compatibles vs. awakeners? Normies lose every time.
Mana adapters had boomed the population explosively.
Samhan Empire alone topped 600 million.
More people, cheaper lives.
Mana rejectors? Don't even bother investigating.
“Why'd you come then, hyung? Porter gigs everywhere.”
“Knew it was him? Hell no. Flake Park probably saw his face and bailed.”
“Ah...”
Got played.
Whatever. He'd porter it out.
The team plunged into Jirisan Dark Forest.
As always, Blind Raid Team's target: blade-tooth martens.
Weasel kin, pricey pelts.
Fangs too.
Hunt went smooth.
Small crew, but antidote-dosed and bug-suit-free, the fighters moved freely.
Slash!
Stab!
Awakeners downed martens; compatibles skinned and de-fanged; porters stuffed byproducts.
“Energy crystal!”
“Ooh! Bring it here!”
“Great vibes. Ditching the suits feels like flying.”
“Kekeke, no mosquito worries? Easy as pie.”
Then they eyed Taeju.
“Hey! You questioned the crew size earlier? Answer enough? Scaredy porter trash...”
“That's why you're stuck portering.”
Taeju ignored them.
No response, or the killing urge might win for real.
'Sucks, but it'll end quick.'
Mosquito antidote was revolutionizing raids, apparently.
Five fighters bagging martens like pros.
But that only worked against blade-tooth martens.
Soon, they ran into a Jirisan nightmare.
Grrrrrr...
Deep, rumbling growl.
Every hair on him stood on end, dread from toes to scalp.
“Uh...”
“W-Why's that here?”
Red-furred wolf.
Huge build, tough hide blades barely pierced, savage aggression—and worst...
Grrrr.
They always hunted in pairs.
Wooooh!
Awoooo!
Classic wolf howls. Two red-furred wolves, one front, one rear.
“Sh-Shit!”
Beginner awakener Kwon Dongseok froze.
Wolf turf? No thanks.
Even four beginner awakeners would struggle.
He'd planned marten hauls and bail.
Fellow awakener Jang Wonjun stammered.
“D-Dongseok! W-What now?”
“What? Run!”
Don't show back, though.
Wolves targeted tails first.
How to escape?
Their usual play.
Sacrifice the useless ones.
Wolves closed in slow.
Kwon eyed Jang first.
Jang knew the drill.
Bait and bolt.
Their MO for crises.
Support compatibles nodded, circling the porters.
Old trick. One to front wolf, one to rear.
Dump 'em as wolves pounce, then run.
Taeju clocked it.
'Ha! These fuckers?'
This blatant?
Well!
Jirisan jungle.
Two porters dead? Normal. Dead men tell no tales.
“Push!!!”
Kwon pointed at Taeju, yelling at the compatibles.
Right then!
Tzzt!
Silver flash from Taeju's hand linked to the front wolf's crown.
Thud!
Military machete buried hilt-deep in wolf skull.
Afterimage lingered.
Blinding speed. Pinpoint.
“Huh?”
“D-Dead?”
“C-Crazy!”
Awakeners and compatibles rubbed their eyes.
What the—?
Something flashed from that cocky porter, and a wolf dropped.
Taeju strode forward.
Yanked the machete from the corpse.
Snap.
Mid-blade snapped clean.
Military grade, monster bits reinforced, even.
“Aw, broke. Military surplus sucks...”
Kwon and Jang gawked.
How?
Red-furred wolf tough for two awakeners tag-teaming.
Porter trash one-shot it?
Grrr... grrr!
Mate dead, survivor snarled hatred.
It sensed the gap, crouched low, teeth bared, no rash moves.
Rage in that howl chilled Kwon and Jang.
But survival possible.
If the mystery porter took the last one.
Whole team stared at Taeju.
Finally, he spoke.
Flat gaze at Kwon and Jang.
“Fight.”
“What? Uh... yeah?”
“I got one. Yours.”
“N-No, what do you—”
“Fight! We're porters. You're fighters.”
Gulp.
Kwon swallowed hard.
Handle a bereaved wolf's fury?
“C-Could you? We'll pay big. All byproducts and crystals yours...”
Then.
Zip!
Something grazed Kwon's right cheek.
Sting! Warm liquid trickled down his face.
He touched it.
“Aaagh!”
Gushing crimson.
Right ear gone.
Clink clink.
Taeju rolled coins in his palm.
“Don't even think run. Unless you want one in the skull. So fight!”