The Mines (3)
Wang Anpyeong, the leader of the mines, was still deep in thought.
He couldn't bear to abandon Gurye Free City just like that.
Especially lately, all sorts of riffraff from outside had been pouring in nonstop.
Wasn't it the perfect environment for mines to thrive?
If only that idiot youngest hadn't screwed up.
Honestly, the vigilante corps didn't scare him.
Everyone except Lee Jeonghak was all bark and no bite.
The vigilantes had a fundamental weakness.
In Gurye Free City, where public authority was absent, a three-person standing committee and autonomous council members were filling the government's role.
Power was split three ways.
It mimicked separation of powers, but each had their own agenda.
Especially Lee Jeonghak, who held real military might, faced endless checks from the other two standing committee members, Min Dongyeol and Ji Gwangin.
They limited the number of Nogodan Guild members and blocked hiring strong awakeners from outside.
Just enough for basic city security and administration.
They allowed nothing more.
But what if the escaped one reported suspicions of mines?
A mine sighting was a national emergency.
The Jirisan monster legions right next door would swarm into their slum in Chilheuk-dong.
"Seop Widang."
"Yes, Leader."
"Where's the youngest? Why hasn't he come up yet?"
"Please wait a moment. I'll try calling again."
Seop Widang dialed the number.
Ring, ring, ring.
No answer.
"Not picking up?"
"Uh... he must be busy."
"Yeah?"
Wang Anpyeong frowned slightly.
His gut had felt off for a while now.
Once decided, they needed to leave immediately.
But then—
"Gaaahhh!"
A bloodcurdling scream that tore at their ears echoed from somewhere nearby.
"Huh?"
"A scream..."
Wang Anpyeong and Seop Widang stepped outside.
It was close. Very close.
Their house was the best in the Chilheuk-dong slum.
It had a spacious yard out front, with steep stairs leading up from below.
Something was slithering up those stairs.
"Gasp!"
"What the hell is that...?"
Like a giant slug.
Leaving a trail painted red like fresh paint.
Blood, as it turned out.
Blood gushing from its lower body.
"Guh... L-Lea... der..."
Only then did Wang Anpyeong recognize the slug-like monster.
"...Cheon Chorang?"
It was the youngest.
Seop Widang looked baffled too.
Why was he crawling like that?
In full monsterization, no less.
"L-Lea... der, sa-save... me..."
In that instant!
Thud. Thud.
A man followed silently behind the crawling Cheon Chorang.
A gray coat falling to his knees.
"Who the hell are you?"
Vigilante corps maybe?
No, not on closer look.
No facial tattoo.
Did this guy do that to the youngest?
Turn an expert-level mine into that?
One who'd achieved monsterization?
"Two more, huh?"
Good call not killing him back there and following instead.
Time to let this one go.
"Good work."
Whoosh!
Silver glinted from Kim Taeju's coat sleeve.
Tszzt!
The air ripped apart.
The silver leaf-shaped dagger plunged into the still-crawling Cheon Chorang's rear,
Splurt! Rip!
Piercing clean through and out his mouth.
Clang!
The small dagger, still humming with power, embedded itself in the house's concrete wall.
Cheon Chorang died on the spot, naturally.
"Y-You fucking bastard!!!"
Even as the youngest died before their eyes, Wang Anpyeong and Seop Widang couldn't move.
Who the hell was he?
Taeju was deeply satisfied.
"You reek. All of you do."
These guys stank too.
Mines, then.
He himself had been called a demon in the martial world.
Absolute Poison Demon Dang Gunak.
The man who'd slain more demonic cultists than anyone.
Mines had to die.
No mercy needed.
Jang Suncheol's friend had surely died by these scum.
He didn't know the face or have conversations, but he had to soothe that wronged young soul.
With revenge.
Revenge thorough enough to satisfy the dead.
Some said vengeance left a bitter taste, but that was only if it was half-assed.
Half-hearted mercy toward evil just doomed the good.
In the way of Absolute Poison Demon Dang Gunak, his soul parallel.
Make them tremble in terror until the end.
Meanwhile, Wang Anpyeong and Seop Widang's mouths went dry.
The man in the gray coat who appeared out of nowhere.
The intense killing intent radiating from him.
The overwhelming pressure like a storm.
Just meeting his eyes made their bodies shake.
Like facing a natural predator.
The way he'd killed Cheon Chorang too.
Probably toyed with him like a plaything.
Herded the prey back to the nest, then slaughtered the spent bait gruesomely.
Terror surged.
Fight or flee?
Flee, obviously.
But extreme fear clouded rational thought.
Seop Widang reacted first.
"Y-You... bastard! D-Die!"
Crunch, crunch!
He monsterized in an instant and leaped from the rooftop at Taeju.
Taeju didn't dodge.
Even in that split second, thoughts raced through his mind.
How to kill him?
A single Flying Waterfall Flash dagger was too merciful.
Poison, then?
It'd only last a few minutes.
Taeju recalled.
The countless martial arts of Absolute Poison Demon Dang Gunak.
Which was most fitting here?
'That'll do.'
Decision made, Taeju casually tilted his head to deflect the mine's claw swipe at his face.
Grabbed the arm, spun at lightning speed.
Crack!
The elbow joint snapped backward.
"Kyaaah!"
The technique that surfaced: Bone-Crushing Twelve Hands.
A joint-locking art that pulverized bones.
Monsterized or not, the base was human.
Joints worked fine.
Right after twisting the forearm, he seized the other wrist,
Crack!
"Kieek!"
Yanked the mangled wrist forward; the mine tumbled to the ground.
Taeju mounted his back.
Now the legs.
Pinned the hips with his knee, hooked the right calf under his arm, lifted and twisted.
Snap-crunch!
"Guh... ugh!"
Finally, Taeju drew a dagger from his waist.
Slashed the left Achilles tendon without hesitation.
Slice!
"Kek!"
Half-severed ankle.
He hadn't just cut.
Coated in poison, naturally.
San-gong Poison and spore poison.
Mobility and regeneration gone; now the internals would melt slowly.
Seop Widang writhed in agony.
One arm reversed at the elbow, one wrist shattered, right knee rotated, left Achilles severed.
Couldn't even crawl like Cheon Chorang.
Just twitched on the ground.
"C-Cruel... j-just... k-kill me..."
"Cruel? At least I won't eat you."
He'd leave him be.
Death in slow agony anyway.
'One more down.'
Taeju looked up ahead.
But no one there.
The boss-like one had been there moments ago.
'Funny guy.'
Thought he could escape.
Pat-pat! Pat-pat-pat!
Panting footsteps fleeing that way.
Taeju moved too.
Mine hunt begins.
Wang Anpyeong fled blindly.
What a mess.
Running from one guy.
He'd reached regular-rank as a mine.
Monsterized, he could handle mid-experts easily.
But the gray coat...
'At least superior expert.'
Maybe master.
Wang Anpyeong's dream since choosing the mine path: mine master.
How thrilling.
Becoming master as a mine outstripped normal awakeners by miles.
Dramatic transformation.
Stamina, speed, mana capacity, physical power, dark aura.
The pinnacle mine: demon king.
Master monsterized became a mass of black aura.
Could smash anything in passing.
One European mine master had razed a whole village alone.
Even with a regional garrison; slaughtered and devoured everything alive.
Still at large.
A bit more time, and he'd reach expert as a mine, eyeing demon king heights.
But when gray coat brutally killed Cheon Chorang and crushed Seop Widang's limbs without blinking, he knew.
Better to flee than fight.
Monsterized, maybe he could hold his own.
He was far stronger than his brothers.
But then what?
Identity exposed.
Vigilantes or army join, he's dead.
He'd sworn blood brotherhood with Cheon Chorang and Seop Widang.
Die together same day.
But sweet loyalty? Never there.
'My survival matters most.'
Escape Gurye.
Worst case, flee to Samhan Empire proper.
Downhill gained speed.
Narrow alleys, sometimes rooftops, leaping house to house.
Below lay the Jirisan Dark Forest entrance.
Once inside, done.
Leaving Gurye anyway; snack on a few awakeners or compatibles in the woods, recharge.
Then—
Chill!
Sharp killing intent at his nape.
"Damn!"
Snap-crunch!
Whirled, monsterized instantly,
Swish!
Clang!
Slapped away the thrown weapon with his hand.
'When did this bastard...'
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Coattails whipping, charging at ferocious speed.
'How's he so fast?'
Artifact shoes?
Couldn't shake him fleeing.
'Shit...'
No choice.
Fight. Win or lose.
'Fucking bastard, think I'm easy 'cause I ran?'
Wang Anpyeong always had a trump card.
Small hip pouch at his waist.
Inside: gas mask and two gas grenades.
Not ordinary.
Enhanced sarin gas.
Supercharged with mana crystals; lethal poison.
No antidote? Even masters dead in minutes.
Couldn't fight regardless.
Problem: open outdoors, effect halved.
'Lure to enclosed space...'
Perfect spot nearby.
Chilheuk-dong was hillside.
Natural cave nearby.
Single entrance, sealed space; gas would fill fast.
Wait inside, masked.
Taeju didn't rush.
Could've embedded a leaf dagger in his skull, but held back.
This seemed the boss.
Special treatment warranted.
Taeju's dilemma: how to kill for maximum legend?
Right then!
Prey veered.
Toward forest? No—ducked into cave-like hole.
'What's that? ...A cave?'
Asking to die?
Or hidden ace?
Awakener with trait; stronger in dark maybe.
Didn't matter.
Dead either way.
Taeju strolled into the cave.
Dark, winding passage.
Presence deeper in.
Taeju slipped leaf daggers between fingers.
Then!
"You're one crazy bastard. Cruel fucker."
The voice echoed from within.
"...Can't be crueler than you cannibals."
"Heh heh heh, fair point there. But what can ya do? Most efficient power-up."
Taeju tilted his head.
Imperial tongue, but odd accent.
Gas mask muffling?
Nah.
Other mines sounded similar.
So...
"Chinese?"
"Yeah, descendant of that great nation once called the People's Republic of China."
"Great nation my ass—no country left, and you become a mine instead of living right as an imperial citizen?"
"...Fine. Let's end this. Wonder if you can still yap after inhaling this."
"What?"
Dark cave, but he saw fine.
Gas mask on the guy's face.
Why?
"Die, idiot!"
Bang! Bang!
Hiss! Hiss!
Pale smoke filled the narrow passage.
Two cylinders spewing nonstop on the floor.
He'd half-expected it.
"Guh."
Poison, as hoped.
Taeju inhaled deeply.
"Urk!"
Breath caught.
Lungs burning.
Airways damaged, actually.
Regenerated instantly, of course.
"Cough cough."
Uncontrollable coughing.
Gas seeped into bloodstream via lungs.
Dizzy, head spinning.
Taeju staggered, poisoned.
Finally dropped to one knee.
"Fuck, this is..."
Electrifying.
Spicy poison searing veins.
Drunk on booze or poison? Indistinguishable.
Like chugging a 90-proof vodka bottle.
Generous with such treasure.
Good mine?
His poison core thrummed wildly, naturally.
New poison!
Human-made chemical toxin.
Felt vividly.
The core's joy at fresh prey.