Korean Hospital (3)
His head burst open like a watermelon.
Worried that even a drop of filthy blood might splatter onto his parents, Yun-seok circulated his Blood Demon Divine Art and sucked up every bit of blood spraying in midair.
Afterward, he checked on his parents and let out a sigh of relief. As long as the machines weren't malfunctioning, their vital signs were stable. The bandage wrapped around his father's head was an eyesore, but it didn't look life-threatening. Though they must have slipped something into the IV—despite the commotion, neither showed any sign of waking.
It came from the walkie-talkie clipped to the waist of the headless corpse. He hadn't realized it before, but the guy's name was Kim Ik-cheol, apparently.
Yun-seok picked up the walkie-talkie.
"Can you hear me?"
"Yes."
Was this the team leader the challengers outside had been desperately calling for? Yun-seok let out a faint scoff at the incredulous voice crackling through the walkie-talkie.
Do you know what kind of place this is?
"I know."
He'd known the moment the elevator doors opened. This was a place where challengers used their abilities to heal the rich and sickly.
Suddenly, Yoo Hye-ri the reporter's words made sense. He wasn't defending the right to know or anything, but for these powers to be monopolized by the so-called elite? That seemed unfair.
Just next door in the general ward, there were probably people in far more desperate need of miracles than these geezers. While those folks died in agony, these ones clung to life through money and power.
He acknowledged it was a capitalist society. But whether this fit society's standards of right and wrong didn't matter. To Yun-seok, it just felt wrong.
"If these people are so important, then hurry up and come."
With that, he smashed the walkie-talkie and tossed it carelessly to the floor.
As he opened the hospital room door, he saw the challengers who had formed up to block the entrance.
"Don't rush in first!"
"We just need to keep that bastard from escaping until the team leader gets here!"
They'd probably glimpsed the headless corpse through the cracked door, yet they stood firm. The team leader must be someone they trusted deeply.
Yun-seok was quite looking forward to what the apparent leader would say. No matter what excuse he came up with, dodging responsibility wouldn't be easy.
Yun-seok stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind him. He had no intention of wasting time waiting.
As he raised his mana rank—increasing his limit—he manifested his Blood Demon Qi outside his body. He felt like he was on the verge of discovering a new application method.
Yun-seok concentrated the dispersed Blood Demon Qi in the air, thickening its density.
And then…
"Ugh!"
"Argh!"
The air grew heavy, as if gravity had multiplied several times over. Unable to withstand the downward pressure, they crumpled to their knees.
They stared in terror at Yun-seok, who had accomplished this without lifting a finger.
Currently, there was only one confirmed death—Kim Ik-cheol—but before they knew it, the hallway reeked of the fishy, metallic tang from the Blood Demon Qi.
Yun-seok withdrew the oppressive Blood Demon Qi. Yet not one of the kneeling men dared to stand.
Shaman's Law: All beings within the domain cannot speak falsehoods.
Thud.
A suffocating silence descended.
Yun-seok peered into the eyes of the man at the front.
"What sins have you committed in your life?"
"…W-what are you talking about?"
"Exactly what I asked. Answer."
"……."
The man fell silent. He seemed about to speak, but only his lips moved—no sound came out. He'd tried to lie.
Yun-seok snapped the man's finger. Thanks to Torture Technician, an absurdly ear-piercing scream erupted.
Yun-seok's expression didn't change as he spoke impassively.
"Anyone here with healing skills?"
A strange mood rippled through the group, then a man in his thirties cautiously raised his hand.
Yun-seok ordered him to heal the man. Then he posed the same question again. As the man's lips moved silently once more, Yun-seok reached for the freshly healed finger.
The man hurriedly spoke up.
"Back in school! I bullied a friend I didn't like!"
"And?"
"…That friend ended up committing suicide. I was just about to stop, I swear! Please believe me! It was a mistake from when I was young!"
"……."
Yun-seok clamped his mouth shut. He didn't need the plea—he believed him. Shaman's Law was absolute.
That made him even angrier. Even if it was true he'd planned to stop soon, the bullied kid had killed himself. Yet he called it a 'mistake' from youth, not a 'wrongdoing.' He truly believed that.
No need to hear more.
Crunch.
Yun-seok pulverized the man's head just like before, his indifferent gaze fixed ahead. The spilling blood floated into the air and absorbed into Yun-seok's body.
With his mana replenished, he could sustain Shaman's Law longer.
If there were many who'd lived righteously, he'd finish before questioning everyone. Otherwise, he'd ask them all the same.
"What sins have you committed in your life?"
Not changing a single word, Yun-seok asked the next man in line.
The pattern repeated. Perhaps seeing his comrade confess then die, the next man tried lying—got his finger broken—then confessed.
Petty sins like littering to buy time, or begging forgiveness? Impossible. Not the truth.
But he'd used his head, confessing only light sins he considered wrongs.
It didn't take long to exhaust that.
"…I drugged a woman I met at a club and had sex with her."
Euphemistic phrasing, avoiding direct terms like rape for 'had sex.' Yun-seok felt indescribable revulsion.
Crunch!
Crushing the man's skull again, Yun-seok moved to the next.
Without pause, he asked the same of the one after.
What a spectacle.
Rape, kidnapping, murder for pleasure, financial crimes, fraud… Some old sins like the first man's, but most committed after gaining power in the Tower of Heaven.
Crunch! Crunch! Crack!
Excuses like "I had to change to survive this savage world" didn't fly. Nor did the fact most were exploited challengers under the Korean government.
Pot calling the kettle black? It was just trash fighting over scraps. The difference was power or lack thereof.
If they'd had Yun-seok's strength, the government and they would have swapped places.
"……."
How long had the judgment lasted? Only a handful of challengers remained alive. Some borderline cases teetered, but they hadn't crossed the final line. Yun-seok found no reason to kill them.
But the judgment wasn't over. Not everyone here was a challenger opposing him.
"W-what the hell! D-do you know who I am!"
"M-my son-in-law is Park Hyun-cheol! Park Hyun-cheol!"
"I-if I die, hundreds of thousands will be unemployed. I-is that what you want?"
Yun-seok dragged out everyone hiding in the rooms. Among them: a heavyweight politician on his umpteenth reelection, now a proportional rep; a chaebol matriarch; even a corporate tycoon spouting logic amid the chaos.
Their bluster might thunder to some, but not to Yun-seok.
"Yes, I know who you are. Well, honestly, I don't, but I get that you think you're hot shit."
Money, power, status, fame… Mere societal yardsticks of success, not measures of human worth.
At least not to Yun-seok.
So they'd have to prove it. If they were as valuable as they believed, they'd live. Otherwise, die.
"What sins have you committed in your life?"
Yun-seok asked.
And…
Not one survived the question.
* * *
"You fucking bastard!!"
Lee Do-seong, team leader of the Korean Challenger Management Bureau, hurled his smartphone to the floor.
After the walkie-talkie went silent, he'd tried contacting the hospital crew—no connections.
Whatever happened, it was a massive shitstorm.
That damn punk… Does he know what kind of place that is…!
The VIPs on the Korean Hospital's 11th floor—who were they? Each one richer than sin.
Who cared if bureau challengers died? Temporary losses—they were replaceable consumables.
But if something bad happened to the patients…
The fallout would land squarely on him.
How did I climb this far just to…!
Lee Do-seong requested backup from HQ, then floored the accelerator toward the hospital. His gripping hands fidgeted anxiously on the wheel.
Resentment toward the heavens surged. Everything was fine yesterday—why now?
Perfect timing too—he'd been away on business.
Choi Yun-seok, who knew he was this insane…
And not just crazy—strong enough to pull it off. Otherwise, the hospital line wouldn't still be dead.
His projected entry was less than a month ago—info wrong?
No clue how strong, but circumstances suggested beyond the hospital challengers. At least 6th floor… maybe 7th. Or a freakishly fast-growing duelist, S-tier even at 3rd or 4th.
No, don't jump to conclusions. Could just have comms jamming.
Lee Do-seong stayed cautious, refusing snap judgments or panic. He'd head to the hospital either way—truth would out.
Screech!
He parked haphazardly at the entrance and rushed in. Fire alarms blared from the VIP ward; staff evacuated people outside.
His body swayed—dizziness hit. But no smoke or burnt smell; he snapped out of it.
"Y-you can't go in!"
A doctor blocked him, but Lee Do-seong shoved him aside and bolted up the emergency stairs.
Reaching the 11th floor, he saw the collapsed stairwell. A few bureau challengers under his team stood clueless amid the debris.
"T-team leader!"
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"Debris blocked the way, so we were clearing it."
"You idiot fuckers! If it's this bad, you should've busted through the roof or something!"
"……."
No reply. Frustration boiled in Lee Do-seong. They didn't even look like they'd been trying.
Fucking cowards. Prioritized their skins over danger.
Sensible for them—nothing to lose. Not like him.
He shoved them aside and faced the debris.
"Fine. I'll go alone. You follow with backup like I said."
"U-understood!"
"Blink."
Blink allowed teleport up to 5m—a spell from his 3rd-floor dungeon clears.
Whoosh!
Cast complete, his body shifted—to the 11th-floor VIP ward, filled with Yun-seok and dozens of corpses.
"T-team leader!"
A resident healer challenger shouted as Lee Do-seong opened his eyes.
And…
"You're a bit late."
Overwhelming pressure bore down on his shoulders. He buckled to his knees.
A blood-soaked demon loomed over him.