Everyone was asleep, but no serious external injuries were found. The number matched the missing people, and Seowoo was also able to safely find the landlord grandfather and granddaughter among them.
Soon, the Purifiers achieved purification to the extent that one or two people could pass through. It was decided that members would quickly enter there, gather up the people, and come outside, and that task was naturally handed over entirely to Team 1 as they stepped forward first. It was before Team 2 could show any reaction.
Seowoo guessed that perhaps Team 1 was moving enthusiastically so as not to fall behind in achievements since Team 2 had discovered the location of the hostages. Though no one in Team 2 cared about that, and rather Jin Gwangmin was muttering, “They’re exercising for us. Be grateful”…
However, Jin Gwangmin seemed to feel uneasy about something and tilted his head.
“Why on earth would they gather the hostages like that? Since human fear is nourishment for ghosts, it would be better to keep them awake.”
Seowoo also found that story puzzling. As Jin Gwangmin said, ghosts seemed to very much enjoy tormenting humans. The evil spirit he’d met at the movie theater also chased after him saying let’s play hide-and-seek since watching terrified humans was most enjoyable, and also trapped him in the elevator laughing gleefully.
They’d tried to gain power from human despair while even stirring up trauma, so why had they put all the humans to sleep here?
Looking at the peaceful faces of the people lying in the pavilion, it didn’t seem like they were having nightmares either. The landlord grandfather was snoring the loudest, and the granddaughter was also mumbling in her sleep. Hearing her murmur about adding cheese to her hamburger, large-sized fries, and even a milkshake… it seemed she was having an amazing feast in her dream.
Do Seonhwa also cupped her chin with one hand and speculated.
“Right. What’s this evil spirit’s ulterior motive?”
Since each Guiyeok had different evil spirit attack methods so they had to respond to different variables each time, this was the first time hostages had been gathered like today. While she carefully examined the people, Cheon Yijae looked around the pavilion and soon clicked his tongue.
“Of all things, an annoying bastard got involved…”
He seemed to have a headache as he briefly touched his forehead with his hand, then when Do Seonhwa and Jin Gwangmin looked back in puzzlement, he pointed to the back of the pavilion.
On that dirt floor, there were traces as if some giant creature had crawled around.
“This time it’s a yokai. Those bastards want to eat the flesh of the living.”
At the remark that this place was a warehouse where prey was gathered, Jin Gwangmin gasped “Hiik” in horror and Do Seonhwa’s face also paled. Team 1’s members also drew in breaths with stiff force.
Yokai?
Seowoo chewed over that unfamiliar word while looking around. Did it refer to a monster with a physical form rather than a spirit body like evil spirits? Did such things actually exist? Well, seeing ghosts while doubting the existence of yokai would be strange, but…
Kugugugugugugung—
However, before he could continue any thoughts, a loud roar struck his ears. Not only that, but a vibration large enough to shake the entire mountain rang out, and everyone hurriedly took defensive positions.
Something was approaching.
“Ah, looks like it finally noticed!”
Do Seonhwa sighed. Since they’d infiltrated the Guiyeok quietly, she’d hoped that taking the missing people out could also proceed secretly, but apparently that was too difficult.
First, they laid the sleeping people on flat ground away from the pavilion and created a protective barrier. While Team 1’s members and Do Seonhwa together hurriedly drew a protective formation, Jin Gwangmin looked anxiously at the other side. The vibration gradually grew larger and fear naturally welled up.
Through the dense trees, some giant form rapidly crawled down. As it approached while hiding its body in the shadows, its sound gradually, yet very clearly, echoed through the space.
Ssasasasasassat—
“Kyaaaah, why does it have to be a bug! I hate bugs more than ghosts!”
Jin Gwangmin let out a scream upon discovering a centipede so large it was difficult to take in at a single glance. He was repulsed as if the slick dark red shell and dozens of legs were horrifying, and Seowoo also narrowed his brow slightly.
Jin Gwangmin, who confirmed that his complexion had darkened, belatedly coughed. Still, it seemed he’d made too much of a fuss in front of a newcomer at a scene for the first time, so he quickly straightened his posture with an embarrassed face.
Jin Gwangmin spread his shoulders wide, trying to show his appearance as a senior, and said,
“Ahem, you don’t need to be too scared. Heun’s combat shamans will handle it splendidly, so Seowoo-nim just needs to watch safely from behind!”
“Ah, yes. It’s disgusting but I’m not scared, so I’m fine.”
“…What? But your expression doesn’t look so good?”
At Seowoo’s calm answer, Jin Gwangmin was bewildered. He said there was no need to hide being nervous, that newcomers naturally went through such a process so there was no need to be embarrassed, but he calmly shook his head.
“No. I was just thinking that it might be difficult for Sojunim to eat a centipede.”
“…Ah. Really, well, that’s a part I didn’t think of.”
“But centipedes have poison too.”
As Seowoo spoke in a regretful tone, Jin Gwangmin sighed, “Huh.” Since they’d said earlier that what Jaegui swallows is connected to Sojunim’s stomach, he seemed concerned about that part…
Should he be amazed that he had such impressions even while facing a yokai, or should he be surprised that he was concerned about ‘that’ Sojunim? Jin Gwangmin answered with confused feelings.
“Well, he doesn’t eat things with physical forms well…”
“Ah, then that’s a relief.”
“Right…”
While Jaegui could eat not only evil spirits’ spirit bodies but also yokai’s physical forms, swallowing physical forms took a bit more energy, and especially Cheon Yijae’s resistance was severe. So when he explained that he didn’t eat yokai and just subdued them, Seowoo nodded as if relieved.
Jin Gwangmin gave up on understanding Seowoo, who wasn’t surprised by this ominous story either. At least he clearly knew that Seowoo’s acceptance capacity was truly tremendous.
“Prepare for battle! Organize the formation!”
Just then, the Team 1 section leader’s shouted command rang out loudly. The plan was for the strongest shamans to take on the head, which was presumed to spew poison, and the rest to grab the tail to block movement. Since the yokai’s size was so gigantic that a landslide was a concern, they wanted to quickly subdue it before it could twist its body.
Cheon Yijae seemed quite annoyed at cooperating with others, but eventually stood at the front together with Im Gyuyong.
[To sneak into this place… As expected, shamans are… in the way…]
Soon the yokai, which had drawn near, raised its head and made a hissing— sound. It only opened and closed its mouth a few times, but its will was read into their minds.
Whether it was communication through Ghost Energy, the black fog-like energy spread around the yokai vibrated slightly. While tense tension hung in the surroundings, Seowoo examined where the centipede’s vocal cords might exist.
Cheon Yijae nodded indifferently.
“Aren’t you the one crawling?”
[Haa… Heun’s dog has come to hold us back again…]
“Since a bastard with so many ankles is saying that, it sounds even more annoying.”
The shamans were shocked at Cheon Yijae’s words, remaining composed even while facing a giant yokai. Regardless, Cheon Yijae scanned the legs densely attached to the centipede’s body and furrowed his eyes.
Meanwhile, Jin Gwangmin took out some round horn-rimmed glasses from his bag and put them on. Thinking the circular pattern engraved on the lenses looked quite cartoonish, Seowoo asked,
“What are you doing?”
The combat shamans were organizing their attack formation, barrier masters were strengthening spiritual power in the formation protecting ordinary people, and the Purifiers had withdrawn to the back on standby. Do Seonhwa seemed to be a barrier master as she was adding spiritual power together with Team 1 members, but Jin Gwangmin was just sticking right next to him.
To think he was just guarding the newcomer’s side, he was observing the centipede yokai very closely. Even though he occasionally made “Eueu” sounds finding it disgusting, he persistently looked at it.
“Ah, I’m in the middle of grasping that yokai’s origin.”
“Origin?”
“Yes yes. I’m in the exploration category. Since yokai active in this land are generally based on folklore, I grasp what kind of bastard it is—its ‘true name’—to obtain clues for destroying it.”
At the explanation that the glasses were a tool to concentrate spiritual power, Seowoo slowly nodded. Was it a similar role to someone who analyzed monster strategy methods in games and wrote posts on bulletin boards?
He’d heard his college classmate Park Dongju introduce it as his hobby, emphasizing that users who analyzed raid patterns and organized hunting methods were very important. So writing posts on game bulletin boards during exam period wasn’t goofing off but a beneficial act for other users, or something like that.
In fact, Seowoo barely played games so he hadn’t properly understood his story, but in the current situation, he realized that necessity. To be able to find out that giant monster’s weakness.
