I heard the sound of footsteps moving away.
He’s really going to abandon me here?
The moment I urgently tried to get up—
The lump of mud suddenly surged toward me like a tidal wave. Pushed back hard, I slammed my head against the iron bars and fell again.
“Argh!”
The mud writhed and wrapped around my entire body. It felt like a heavy, crushing pressure, as if I were trapped in a swamp.
That sewer smell….
All kinds of disgusting things were mixed into the mud. It was nothing short of a moving sewer.
The mud crept up little by little until it reached my face. Now it began to seep into my ears and mouth.
I used my ability with everything I had. From where my hands touched, a faint burning smell gradually spread.
Smoke slowly began rising from the mud. The more I used my ability, the more my body gradually pulled free from the mud.
The mud monster, faltering from the counterattack, shrank its body with a squelching motion. Then it dove with a splash into the nearby canal.
Freed from its grip, I fell straight to the ground. I propped myself up with my hands and retched.
“Ugh, kheok, ptui….”
My mouth was full of mud. Sewer mud, no less…. Aside from when I licked the sole of Choi Haegang’s shoe, I’d never eaten anything like it.
Finally coming to my senses, I realized I was holding something in my hand. It seemed I’d grabbed it while struggling. When I opened my hand, a small, round pearl appeared.
[Pearl in the Mud: When consumed, temporarily reduces presence by –100%]
Seeing the window pop up, it was an Artifact.
Similar effect to stealth, I guess.
I put it in my pocket for now and managed to get to my feet. This wasn’t the time to take it easy. If I couldn’t get out of here quickly, I’d starve to death inside the gate.
How do I get out?
I approached the iron bars. I’d seen Choi Haegang lock the door. I thought he’d thrown the key on the ground, but no matter how I looked across, I couldn’t see where the key had gone.
I gave the door a slight push to check.
But the door swung open without resistance.
Creak.
…? A trap?
Tensing my body, I stepped outside the iron bars. Just in case, I looked around, but Choi Haegang wasn’t there. It seemed he’d left with the kid and the man.
Had that Choi Haegang made a mistake of all things? Whatever had happened….
I was free. Laughter spilled out of my mouth.
“Ha ha….”
You couldn’t kill me this time either, Choi Haegang.
“Hahahaha!”
I laughed loudly without thinking, then covered my mouth.
The detector I’d brought along was still intact. All that was left now was to get outside without Choi Haegang noticing.
There were no obstacles to hide behind along the path. Besides, except for the occasional fork, the path stretched out in a straight line.
While looking around for a suitable spot, deep, dark water caught my eye.
***
“Choi Haegang, do you think that person really killed our dad?”
“Yes.”
“But then, why would he target me….”
Seeing the troubled look on the kid’s face, Choi Haegang spoke flatly.
“He’s probably dead, so forget about him.”
“!”
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s all just your imagination.”
“But, what if he was really innocent…!”
“You’re the one who asked me to kill him. You came along hiding a knife and everything, and now you’re changing your story?”
“…..”
Just as he had with Seo Sinwoo, Choi Haegang showed no leniency just because the kid was a child.
“I’m not your parent. I have no reason to put up with your whining.”
Choi Haegang turned to look at the kid. The large man looked down with an expressionless face, giving off an intimidating air.
“If you want to live, follow along quietly.”
Seo Sinwoo, peeking his face out of the water, clicked his tongue inwardly.
Tsk tsk, what a heartless bastard.
With me gone, the mood was a complete mess.
He wanted to go comfort the kid right away, but for now, not getting caught was the priority. Watching the two of them from a distance, the kid, who had been trembling, couldn’t hold back their frustration and turned away.
Seo Sinwoo hastily ducked his head into the water. The footsteps that had been rushing forward stopped beside him.
“Eek!”
“?”
“Um, over there… hair.”
Oh no.
Had he submerged too shallowly? His hair must have been floating on the surface. Seo Sinwoo hurriedly sank his body further down. Choi Haegang was approaching.
He’d managed to hide for now, but at this rate, his form would be clearly visible beneath the water.
[Pearl in the Mud: When consumed, temporarily reduces presence by –100%]
After a moment of hesitation, Seo Sinwoo swallowed the pearl.
Soon, Choi Haegang’s muffled voice could be heard from outside the water.
“There’s nothing there. You probably saw wrong.”
“No, there was definitely something! It was brown. Like that man.”
“…..”
“What if I killed that man and now his ghost….”
Just as Choi Haegang grabbed his sword to check inside the canal—
Splash!
Suddenly, a fish-shaped monster leapt out of the water. The fish, having jumped high, fell onto the path. Between its sharp teeth, it held a strand of brown thread.
Hair?
Had Seo Sinwoo’s corpse fallen into the water? Choi Haegang glanced at the frightened kid. Their condition was already bad enough; he couldn’t show them a human corpse.
The Hunter let go of his sword and stepped back.
“Let’s go.”
The kid, trembling with fear, followed Choi Haegang. Without noticing the air bubbles rising to the surface of the water.
Bloop, bloop.
Damn it, my hair.
Some random fish had suddenly latched onto his head. Seo Sinwoo felt the bitten part to check, then carefully poked his face out of the water.
It seemed the Artifact had worked — Choi Haegang continued on his way without any sign of suspicion.
Phew.
Still, he didn’t know how far this effect would hold, so he had to be careful. He swam after the two of them. Now that the survival issue was settled, another desire surfaced in his mind.
How do I lure the kid back to my side?
From the conversation earlier, it seemed like the kid missed Seo Sinwoo himself too.
While he was waiting for an opportunity, Choi Haegang happened to start fighting a giant crocodile that was holding a whip. Judging by how the detector reacted, following the monster’s movements, it seemed like the core was inside the monster’s body.
While he fought, the kid was left alone a little ways behind.
Racking his less-than-sharp brain, Seo Sinwoo searched through his jewelry box. He found some gum. He discarded the contents and unfolded the wrapper.
No writing tools.
He bit his finger to draw blood.
[I’m alive Don’t tell Choi Haegang]
It was a bit smudged, but this much should be legible. The paper was too small to write more than a short message. He’d just write several of the same and deliver them one by one.
Climbing out of the water, Seo Sinwoo crept up quietly behind the kid.
***
Tap.
The kid, who had been standing still, flinched. They’d been feeling an unknown gaze on them for a while now. They turned around, but there was no one in the dimly lit canal.
A chill ran through them. The kid pulled Choi Haegang’s coat, which they were wearing, tightly closed. Just then, a bloodstained piece of paper fell from the coat’s pocket.
Was something like this in the pocket…?
Swallowing hard, the kid picked up the paper. The ordinary-looking gum wrapper was damp with blood and water.
Unfolding it with trembling hands—
[I’m alive Don’t tell Choi Haegang]
“…!”
The letters written in blood were still red. A chill ran down their entire body.
The small head whipped around, looking around frantically.
A ghost…!
The image of the man trapped in the mud flashed through their mind. They’d left the door open, but there was every chance he hadn’t managed to escape the monster. His injuries had been serious, after all.
He hadn’t survived. And he must hold a grudge against them.
The kid threw away the cursed note, hoping the Hunter would finish the fight quickly. They crouched down, clutching the cross necklace with both hands desperately.
A moment later.
Tap.
[Why throw it away Follow me]
“!”
[You have to get revenge I’ll help you]
Revenge… on me?
Tap.
[Once we get out Get away from Choi Haegang]
Get away? Does that mean kill him?
Nothing but ominous messages. From the next note onward, the kid threw them all toward the canal without even opening them.
As their fear of the ghost grew, their survival instinct rose. The goal of escaping the dungeon dominated their thoughts.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
An unknown presence kept circling around them, touching their body. The kid, face pale, squeezed their eyes shut. All they could do was stand still and endure. It was a hellish stretch of time.
Thud!
After the kid’s desperate endurance, the giant monster finally collapsed. Choi Haegang searched the corpse for the core. As he stabbed somewhere with his sword, a black hole opened up. It was the escapeape gate.
Choi Haegang turned to look at the kid. Still expressionless and covered in monster blood, he looked frightening, but the kid’s face lit up. The face that had been hateful until now felt welcome at this moment.
Done! We can get out soon…!
Just as they felt relieved—
Plop.
Something fell at their feet. This time, the note was already unfolded.
[Mojueun wants to go with you]
Their own name was written there — a name they’d never even told the Hunter.
“…ugh.”
Unable to bear it any longer, the kid clawed at their hair.
“AAAAAAH!”
“!”
Choi Haegang came running.
“A, a ghost is after me…. It wants me to go with it to the afterlife together….”
After that, it took a fairly long time to calm the rambling, trembling kid and get them outside.
