Chapter 45
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Bet (4)
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Ha Yoon knew instinctively that she was going to die.
She'd screamed that they were trying to kill her out of fear when the spiked knuckles hit her, but deep down, she hadn't really believed Hong Ryeon would actually kill her.
But things were different now. There was clear murderous intent in the way the cord dug into her flesh, squeezing her throat with brutal force.
"Guhk, keuhhk…!"
Ha Yoon let out a dying gasp as she flailed her short arms.
If only her hands were free, she might have at least grabbed at the cord biting into her neck, but all she could manage was futile thrashing.
"Hong Ryeon! What the hell are you doing? Are you insane?!"
"Shut up, Ryu Jin-ah. I need to kill this damn bitch to feel better."
No matter how much she beat or humiliated her, the relief would only be temporary. The rage burning inside her wouldn't fade.
And if the one taking the punishment wasn't even suffering that much, it would only make things worse.
So let's just kill her now. A freak who turns pain into pleasure—she'd probably squirt her juices even in death.
Hong Ryeon thought that as she yanked the cord tighter around Ha Yoon's neck.
Krrk— Ha Yoon's face turned from red to pitch black, foam bubbling at her mouth.
Seeing Hong Ryeon genuinely trying to kill her—not just playing around—Kim Seon-ah's face hardened as she stepped forward.
The bet didn't matter anymore. One wrong move, and there'd be a murder right here.
But she had to stop. Kim Seon-ah stared at Baek So-ra blocking her path and spoke in a suppressed voice.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"What needs to be done."
"What you need to do is stop Hong Ryeon from doing something crazy. Not me!"
"No, what I need to do is stop you from going to her."
"For real…!"
Kim Seon-ah clenched her fists, her face boiling with anger.
"I'm not holding back anymore."
She lunged forward. Baek So-ra braced to block her, but she never stood a chance.
Ha Yoon had once casually asked if she'd studied judo, and Kim Seon-ah had downplayed it as "just a little." But that was far from the truth.
She'd started judo in middle school, sweeping local tournaments with first-place wins and easily snagging gold at the city level.
By high school, she'd found studying more fun than sports and quit despite protests, but if she'd kept going, making the national team wouldn't have been a stretch. Her talent was that exceptional.
Baek So-ra, on the other hand, was an average civilian. Her idea of exercise was a casual walk— the poster child for "bookworm."
She and Ryu Jin-ah had managed to block Kim Seon-ah before by teaming up, but that was only because she'd held back for their sake.
"Huh?"
So it was no surprise when her arm was grabbed and the world flipped upside down. Her body lifted off the ground, then slammed back-first into the floor.
Bam—!
"Ugh, ahh…"
"Sorry."
Leaving Baek So-ra writhing and groaning, Kim Seon-ah lifted her head with fierce eyes and glared at Hong Ryeon.
Ryu Jin-ah hurriedly grabbed Hong Ryeon's hands, which were still squeezing Ha Yoon's throat, and shouted.
"H-Hong Ryeon! This is gonna go south for real! Stop it!"
"Shut up and go block Kim Seon-ah."
"Hong Ryeon!"
"I said go!"
Ryu Jin-ah flinched at the savage yell.
'What the fuck? Didn't you see Baek So-ra go down in one hit…?'
How was she supposed to block that monster alone?
Besides, what Hong Ryeon was doing was straight-up murder. A beating could be hidden somehow, but not a body.
And if anyone could guess the killer, it wouldn't be hard—especially since the prime suspects would be the three who hated her most, including Hong Ryeon.
Trainees fighting and causing injury was one thing, but murder? Ryu Jin-ah shuddered at the thought.
'No way. If that happens, we're all fucked.'
There'd been a case among the graduated trainees where a fight led to serious injury. One had shoved the other in anger, and she'd cracked her head on the bed frame.
She survived, but wandered around drooling like her mind had regressed, with massive brain damage.
The perpetrator? Shipped off to death row prison. She came back after a month in unspeakable condition.
One eye gouged out, three fingers gone, all teeth pulled. Her ankle was half-twisted, barely healed.
And her pussy and ass… Ryu Jin-ah didn't even want to remember the mangled mess. Guts spilling out.
Her body healed—minus the lost parts—but her mind never did. She'd jump at anyone calling her name or bump into someone and immediately kowtow, begging forgiveness.
"Don't cut off more fingers… no more eyes…" Like that.
Even the victim pitied her by graduation.
But now Hong Ryeon might end up worse if no one stopped her.
'I can't let that happen.'
Ryu Jin-ah steeled herself and approached Hong Ryeon from behind as she strangled Ha Yoon.
Hong Ryeon turned irritably at the shadow over her head.
"What are you doing? Go block that bitch—guh?!"
"I'll let you hit me all you want later, so spare her now!"
"Ryu… Jin-ah…!"
Ryu Jin-ah wrapped her arm around Hong Ryeon's neck, crossed with her other arm, and squeezed just enough to restrain. Hong Ryeon dropped the cord and clawed at the arm with her nails.
"You… traitor bitch…! Ack!"
"It's not betrayal—I'm helping you…!"
Ryu Jin-ah winced at the sharp pain of nails raking her arm. Fuck, how are her nails this sharp when she fucks Baek So-ra every day?
"Ha Yoon-ssi!"
While Ryu Jin-ah wrestled with Hong Ryeon, Kim Seon-ah rushed to Ha Yoon, collapsed forward.
Her eyes rolled back, foam at her mouth. Kim urgently unwound the leash from her neck—sticky blood coated it.
It wasn't just choking; it'd nearly severed her throat. Kim squeezed her eyes shut at the gruesome wound, then snapped to and checked for breathing.
As expected, not even a faint breath. Less than a minute, but the deep gash made it inevitable.
Kim ripped off the tape binding her limbs, laid her flat, cleared the airway, and started CPR.
She'd learned it with judo, unsure if she'd get it right, but her body moved on instinct. Hands clasped, heel of the palm pressing hard on the chest.
Crack—crack—bones compressing. She knew it had to be hard enough to dent the ribcage, but doing it for real made her hesitate.
Kim gritted her teeth and kept going. She didn't skip rescue breaths—chest rose and fell as she blew air in.
But no sign of consciousness.
"Please… please…!"
Kim murmured desperately, repeating the compressions.
How much time passed? Midway through another breath—
"Cough, keuhhk!"
"Ha Yoon-ssi! Are you awake?!"
"Urk, heuk… K-Kim Seon-ah…?"
"Yes, it's me! Are you okay?"
Regaining awareness, Ha Yoon's eyes widened at Kim Seon-ah, tears streaming as she gasped.
"Th-Thank you… really, thank you so much…"
"Wh-Why are you crying? Does your throat or chest hurt?"
"For saving me… I was so scared, thinking I'd die like that…"
Ha Yoon sniffled, mumbling through sobs.
She remembered the moment consciousness faded all too clearly. Vision blacking out, mind bleaching white. Nothing like the brain-melting haze of endless orgasms.
It was pure shutdown—every bodily function halting before encroaching death.
Terrifying enough that, if not for the strangling, she'd have thrashed and screamed wildly.
That's why she clung to Kim Seon-ah, bawling and mumbling.
"Sorry… really sorry… Stabbing you with that knife last time must've hurt so much… I won't do it again…"
"Knife? Oh, no. I've already forgotten about that. It's fine. You don't need to apologize for it."
It was scissors, not a knife. Kim thought inwardly as she soothed Ha Yoon sobbing in her arms.
But it was short-lived. Crash—! Noises drew their eyes toward the source.
"F-Fuck… let go…?!"
"Ah, stop! Calm down, you crazy bitch!"
Hong Ryeon thrashed wildly, face beet-red, teeth bared like a demon. Ryu Jin-ah strained to hold her neck with her whole body.
A proper choke would've knocked her out ages ago, but unable to go that far, Ryu had only restrained her—leading to this mess.
Sweat pouring, Ryu Jin-ah blocked the flailing while whipping her head toward Kim Seon-ah.
"Hey! Kim Seon-ah! Help if Ha Yoon's okay!"
"…Why should I?"
"Ugh, seriously! I helped you! Just once!"
"Haa… Fine, I'll be right back."
Kim looked annoyed but couldn't deny Ryu had a point. She ruffled Ha Yoon's hair, told her that, and stood.
"Let go. I'll handle it."
"For real? I'm releasing?"
"I said yes."
At Kim's word, Ryu unwrapped her arm and scrambled back on all fours.
"You… fucking bitches…!"
Hong Ryeon rose, disheveled red hair hanging like a ghost's.
Kim snorted and took stance, as if daring her to come at her.
That cocky ease fueled Hong Ryeon's rage.
"You're pissing me off!"
Thud—! She charged. Kim exhaled long and muttered.
"Who's the one making who pissed?"
"Yaaah—!"
The punch with her kiai looked painfully slow. Like a rabbit next to Ha Yoon's tortoise? No—opposite.
Kim casually voiced the thought as she caught the extending arm with both hands.
Hoisted her by the shoulder mid-charge, then slammed her down with full seoi-nage power—unlike with Baek So-ra.
Kwaaang—!
A sound several times louder than before. Hong Ryeon's back hit the ground; she blacked out without a scream.
"…All talk, no bite."
"Hiek…"
Ryu Jin-ah, watching from nearby, sucked in a sharp breath at the glimpse of Kim's old athletic days.