Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 138

Kim Hak-cheol’s eyes widened as if they would tear apart. A black shadow rose from the darkness. A black shadow, neither human nor ghost, was silently looking down at him. “Do you know?” What was it asking? Kim Hak-cheol squeezed his eyes shut. This was a dream. There was no way this could be happening in reality. If he closed his eyes tightly and opened them again, everything in front of him would disappear. Kim Hak-cheol tried to reassure himself like that. Otherwise, he couldn’t possibly endure it. How could anyone experience something like this in their life? Kim Hak-cheol’s heart was on the verge of exploding as he witnessed a scene straight out of a horror movie with his own two eyes. Even with his eyes closed, his heart was pounding like crazy, telling him that this was reality, but Kim Hak-cheol could not accept that fact. If the black shadow in front of him was real, what on earth was he supposed to do? Thud, thud. But the footsteps of the black shadow grew more vivid in his ears as time passed. Closer, it was coming closer. Kim Hak-cheol’s heart pounded as he heard the footsteps, as if it would explode. Feeling something approaching his face, Kim Hak-cheol flinched and tried to back away. No, he tried to back away. But it was just a thought; his body didn’t move an inch. Soon, something seemed to approach his ear, and a low voice was heard. “What kind of hand should I extend?” Kim Hak-cheol’s body began to tremble as if he had caught malaria. “The head nun told me to extend a hand to the weak. Actually, that was very confusing to me. Because, you see…” A cold hand slowly caressed Kim Hak-cheol’s cheek. “In my eyes, everyone in the world looks weak.” What the hell was this crazy bastard talking about? What was with the head nun, and what was with the weak? “Do you know that feeling? That everything in the world is made of straw? It looks fine at first glance, but if you touch it, it feels like it will break easily. That’s why it’s interesting. Because telling me to help the weak is like telling me to help the whole world.” “Hoo, hoo, hoo…” Kim Hak-cheol began to gasp for breath, feeling as if something had been unblocked. His whole body was already wet with sweat. The strange words this crazy bastard was saying were making him even more nervous. ‘I feel like I’ve heard that voice somewhere before?’ It was definitely a voice he had never heard before. He was sure of it. There was no way he could forget such a low and distinctive voice. But strangely, it kept feeling like he had heard it before. That fact was driving Kim Hak-cheol crazy. The shadow looked at Kim Hak-cheol and chuckled. Every time the chuckling sound echoed, his heart felt like it was dropping. “I wanted to keep her words. But I had no choice but to fall into a dilemma again. Because the weak can also be evil. Should I help the evil just because they are weak? That wouldn’t be right, would it?” There was no way he could answer. But there was no need to answer. Soon, a sentence like a verdict fell upon him. “So, the conclusion has become simple. The hand I extend to you will have a slightly different meaning. For example…” The shadow’s hand, which had been touching his cheek, slowly moved down and grabbed Kim Hak-cheol’s collarbone. No way? “It would be something like this.” Crack! Along with the eerie noise that penetrated his ears, unbearable pain surged from his shoulder. “Kuh-uh-uh-uh!” The capillaries in his eyes burst, and the blood vessels all over his body writhed like earthworms. “Kuh-uh, kuh-uh…” Kim Hak-cheol struggled violently against the surging pain, but the shadow simply watched his suffering without the slightest disturbance. “Hoo.” Strangely, he couldn’t speak. Even his screams were suppressed. It felt as if someone was forcibly opening his mouth and blocking his throat, as if his mouth and throat were out of control. “Does it hurt?” Snap! “Kuh-uh-uh-uh!” Soon, the other collarbone was also broken. Kim Hak-cheol tensed his whole body and screamed at the indescribable pain, but it only stayed below his throat, unable to come out of his mouth. If only he could scream to his heart’s content, this pain would have been less. “They say there are people who cannot empathize with the pain of others. That’s strange. If you can’t feel the pain of others, you’ll know if you feel the pain yourself.” The part that was presumed to be the man’s head slowly approached Kim Hak-cheol’s ear. A very low voice. A voice so low that it gave him goosebumps was clearly heard in his ear. “Don’t you think so?” Crack! This time, it felt like his arm bone was being crushed whole. But Kim Hak-cheol couldn’t hear the sound. His mind, which should have heard the sound, was already filled with pain. The excruciating pain in his arm made his mind go blank. But he couldn’t faint. He wanted to faint and erase all this pain, but the more intense the pain became, the clearer his mind became. The shadow’s lips moved subtly. It was smiling. This bastard was definitely smiling. This devilish bastard was breaking his bones one by one while enjoying the sight. Why! Why! Why did he have to suffer like this? “Ugh-uh-uh!” Kim Hak-cheol began to thrash. He mustered strength from somewhere, tensing his whole body to the point where it felt like it was swelling. But he only managed to lift his body slightly; he couldn’t move any further. “Why are you making that face?” A soft laugh was heard. The laughter echoed in the boiler room. Kim Hak-cheol thought he was going crazy from the laughter that seemed to be coming from all directions and the pain he felt in his body. “You should smile. Right?” Crack. His other arm was broken again. Kim Hak-cheol’s body convulsed as if he had caught malaria. Tears streamed from his eyes, and snot and saliva flowed incessantly from his nose and mouth. “Kuh-uh-uh.” “Chuck, chuck, chuck.” The shadow did not stop its low laughter as it watched the scene. “You should smile.” It was scary. It was so scary. The mental pain of looking at the guy in front of him now felt like it had surpassed the pain that was crushing his body. Kim Hak-cheol’s pupils wandered aimlessly, unable to find a place to settle. It was hard to endure his ragged breathing. His eyes questioned. The fundamental thing. More difficult than the pain that was coming to his body was the confusion and doubt about why he was suffering so much here. “Are you curious?” The shadow quietly asked him. As if it was looking into his mind. Kim Hak-cheol nodded frantically. As he nodded repeatedly, the corners of the shadow’s mouth drew a strange arc. “Do you think I’ll tell you?” The shadow approached him again and whispered. “You don’t need to know. You just need to feel it.” “Let’s make a bet. How many days do you think it will take? How long will it take for you to let go of yourself? I bet it won’t take a week. What do you say? Do you want to bet?” The shadow began to chuckle. The low laughter soon turned into a loud laugh, and then into a roar that echoed through the ceiling. ‘He’s, he’s crazy.’ The guy in front of him was crazy. Whether it was a human, a ghost, or a demon… he was definitely crazy. The demon, who had been holding his face and laughing like crazy, suddenly brought his face right in front of him. The moment he looked into the red-tinged eyes, he knew what it meant to say that one’s soul would freeze. Not a single fingertip, not a single hair, responded to his will. “Now, remember. It’s a week. Let’s start now.” “Kuh-uh-uh.” His throat was tightening. Slowly, very slowly. Without constricting his carotid artery, but subtly blocking only his windpipe, carefully ensuring that he did not lose consciousness… slowly, very slowly, his breath was being blocked. The fear of death washed over him. He was going to die. It was different from the pain that had been inflicted on his body so far. The attachment to life flared up like a fire, and the fear of death crushed his soul. The feeling of slowly, slowly approaching death. When the colors of the things in front of him faded, and his whole body lost strength, causing him to wet his pants, a low voice penetrated Kim Hak-cheol’s ears. “Maybe he felt that way too. So you should feel it too.” Kim Hak-cheol lost consciousness. “Aaaaaaah!” “Ah, shit!” Kim Hak-cheol screamed and got up, startling Noh Su-bong, who cursed in surprise. “Hey, you crazy bastard! If you’re going to dream, dream nicely!” “Hah! Hah! Hah!” Kim Hak-cheol, who was breathing in like a giant pump, looked around, unable to control his trembling hands. “Dream?” “Yeah, you bastard! Did you have a nightmare or something? Ha, this blockhead, seriously.” Kim Hak-cheol touched his arm. ‘It’s not broken.’ The bones in his collarbone and arm that had been broken were intact. ‘Was that a dream?’ It was so vivid. Kim Hak-cheol trembled. As soon as he recalled the memory from just now, his whole body vibrated as if he had been thrown naked into the dead of winter. “Was it a dream?” Yes. It had to be a dream. It was something that could not have happened unless it was a dream. He had been under too much stress lately, which was why he had such a terrible dream. Kim Hak-cheol tried to think that way. But… The vibration and smell of oil from the huge boiler behind him. The dampness and faint smell of mold from the floor. And the pain that had been transmitted to his body… Those eyes! The moment he recalled those bloodshot red eyes, Kim Hak-cheol tore at his hair. “Aaaaaaah!” “No! What’s wrong with this bastard!” Noh Su-bong was startled and jumped up from his seat when he saw Kim Hak-cheol suddenly screaming and crouching. “Hey! Go get some cold water.” “Yes!” As the kids ran to the water purifier to get cold water, Noh Su-bong grabbed Kim Hak-cheol’s shoulder and shook him. “Hey, Kim Hak-cheol! Kim Hak-cheol!” “…Yes.” “Are you okay?” “…Yes, yes.” “You’re completely out of it, aren’t you?” Kim Hak-cheol slowly shook his head. He was weak, but it was a clear sign of denial. “I’m, I’m okay.” “What kind of dream did you have to be like this?” Noh Su-bong looked at Kim Hak-cheol with a mixture of annoyance and worry. “I had… a terrible nightmare.” “It seems like your body is weak. Hey, just in case, call the medic and have them check his temperature. I’ll go report to the officer of the day.” “Yes.” Kim Hak-cheol lowered his head and kept repeating. ‘It’s a dream, it was a dream. Get a grip. It was a dream.’ It was embarrassing to make such a fuss over a dream. Kim Hak-cheol took a deep breath, as if he had finally calmed down. Noh Su-bong, who had gotten up from his seat and put on his slippers, turned his head as he was about to leave the barracks. “Hey, Kim Hak-cheol.” “Corporal, Kim Hak-cheol.” “But, what’s wrong with your neck?” “…My neck?” “Yeah. There’s something like a handprint? Did you strangle yourself while sleeping?” Kim Hak-cheol desperately supported his trembling legs and got up from his seat. He almost clung to his locker as he opened the drawer and looked at his neck in the mirror. There, a clear handprint was imprinted. A handprint with long, sharp fingernails, like a demon’s hand, was all too clear.