Hoarding In Hell [EN]: Chapter 122

122. Fire Pit (1)

Kang Hyun-woo immediately sped onto the Gangbyeon Expressway.

The road was a chaotic scene after the sudden car explosion. The sounds of crashes echoed, mixed with screams.

Amidst the wreckage, Hyun-woo spotted Park Hwi-so’s car still ablaze.

A car swerved, narrowly missing Hyun-woo as he jumped onto the road.

“Chief!”

He didn’t believe anyone could survive inside the inferno.

As Hyun-woo hesitated, reaching for the handle, he heard hissing and crackling. Ignoring it, he yanked the door.

The crushed car door didn’t open; it tore off in his hand.

Thanks to his heat resistance, the pain was manageable, but the intense heat made it hard to breathe.

Hyun-woo cursed, realizing his mistake.

‘Damn it, I don’t have to jump right in, do I?’

Hyun-woo tried to summon Park Hwi-so using his subordinate ability.

He should have done this from the start.

But even as the black rift opened, Park Hwi-so didn’t emerge. Sensing his immobility, Hyun-woo reached into the rift.

Fierce heat seared Hyun-woo’s hand.

Gritting his teeth, Hyun-woo pulled at whatever he could grab. Soon, a charred, flaming mass was dragged out.

Its appearance made it impossible to confirm if it was Park Hwi-so. But as his master, he faintly sensed his subordinate’s life force.

“Hey! Is everyone alright?”

People who had stopped after witnessing the accident rushed over.

Some reported the incident, while others filmed with their phones. Hyun-woo felt Park Hwi-so’s life clinging by a thread, rapidly fading.

There was no time for complicated thoughts. Hyun-woo struck Park Hwi-so’s neck with his fingertips.

The sound of tearing flesh and splattering blood triggered screams. But there was no other choice.

Hyun-woo confirmed that Park Hwi-so’s life had ended completely.

‘Since he died by my hand, I can revive him.’

A subordinate could be revived if they died by their master’s hand. Of course, he didn’t know if everything would be normal upon revival.

Hyun-woo gritted his teeth, determined to find the culprit.

He then noticed the ring on Park Hwi-so’s finger: the Trust of Ur-Hast.

[Trust of Ur-Hast (Legendary): Temporarily doubles the wearer’s senses.]

Hyun-woo removed the ring, placed it on his own finger, and amplified his senses.

“Hello? Police? There’s a car accident and fire on the Gangbyeon Expressway!”

“Murder! Murder! Someone pulled a person from the car and stabbed them in the neck!”
The voices of the surrounding people buzzed loudly.

The vibration of car tires screeching on the ground.

The acrid smell of burning oil and leather from the vehicle.

The chaotic scattering of colors and lights.

A sweet taste on his tongue from burning thirst.

He began to filter out his senses one by one, searching for the enemy.

All sounds, smells, sights, tastes, and touch vanished.

Hyun-woo even stopped breathing. Only the sound of his heart remained. He needed more than human senses.

He needed the abnormal intuition that had saved and damned him in hell.

When even his heartbeat faded into silence due to his heightened senses,

Hyun-woo detected something that stood out amidst the countless presences.

A 5-star ability user.

‘That’s him.’

Hyun-woo immediately snapped his senses back and lunged toward the source of the presence.

People screamed and scattered as Hyun-woo suddenly bolted. But Hyun-woo had no time for trivial concerns.

The presence emanated from an overpass about 500 meters away. A distance a hunter could easily cover.

As Hyun-woo anticipated, the other party began moving as soon as Hyun-woo did.

‘The senses are fading.’

As his concentration wavered, the other party’s presence rapidly diminished. If he lost him now, he’d lose his only chance.

Park Hwi-so was more likely killed by a bomb than a skill.

Anyone could use a bomb, so there was no guarantee the culprit was an ability user, but he couldn’t shake the feeling it was connected to the person he was chasing.

A weak but distinct hostile intent. And 5-star.

His intuition screamed that something was definitely there.

‘I can just beat him up and ask.’

He sensed movement above the overpass. The other party seemed surprised by Hyun-woo’s swift arrival.

“You, you bastard… !”

Just then, a red rift cracked open before his eyes.

The moment Hyun-woo flinched, a massive monster squeezed through. A snake covered in red scales.

[Red Serpent (LV 60)]

[The effect of the ‘Strongest in Hell’ title increases stats compared to level.]

A formidable foe, like the Labyrinth Hounds he’d encountered in the Taean Dungeon.

The Red Serpent lunged at Hyun-woo as soon as it emerged from the rift. Its mouth was large enough to swallow Hyun-woo whole.

Hyun-woo barely dodged, but the road descended into further chaos.

Even the opposite lane, previously untouched by the explosion, suffered collisions as the Serpent’s body crashed into it.

The creature, nearly 60 meters long, dominated the road.

At that moment, Hyun-woo sensed the unidentified ability user fleeing.

He was moving at an impossible speed, far too fast to keep up. He was definitely in a car.

“Damn it!”

Hyun-woo cursed and tried to pursue even the faintest trace of the unidentified ability user.

But the Red Serpent’s massive body blocked his path.

“Get lost, you snake bastard!”

“Shaaaaa!”

The Red Serpent, of course, ignored his words and attacked.

When Hyun-woo dodged, the floor was carved into the shape of a tooth mark.

Hyun-woo drew Tum [his sword] and slashed the monster’s side. Blood splattered, but it was a mere scratch on the monster’s immense body.

The unidentified ability user was already too far away. Catching up was now impossible.

Hyun-woo glared at the Red Serpent that had interfered.

“Now that it’s come to this, I’ll have to dissect you.”

Its level was similar to the Labyrinth Hounds, but its size was far greater. Besides, he couldn’t summon Kirson or Khazrat [his summons] with so many civilians watching.

‘But this guy doesn’t have the immortal attribute.’

That meant that with some effort, he could take it down.

***

Kwaaaaa, Kuung!

As the Red Serpent thrashed, cars were swept away like leaves.

Since people had quickly evacuated the road after Hyun-woo began fighting the Red Serpent, there were no further casualties.

The police could only watch helplessly.

“What’s the situation?”

“The road is closed, and the closest hunter standby team has arrived, but they say they’re outmatched. We’ll have to wait for higher-level hunters.”

The hunters who responded to the call were also powerless.

In terms of size, strength, and abilities, this monster belonged in a 5-star dungeon.

5-star dungeons were considered ‘out of standard’ even among hunters. Ordinary hunters couldn’t handle this.

“Kaaaa!”

The Red Serpent slammed its body against the overpass and twisted wildly. The police gripped the railing in terror as the structure vibrated.

“It’s a relief it’s not trying to escape, but why is it acting like this?”

“Well, witnesses say it’s been like that since it swallowed someone earlier.”

“Swallowed? Was there a victim?”

“I’m not sure… The witness’s credibility is questionable…”

Just then, the Serpent convulsed again and stiffened, its body straightening into a line. Then, it crashed onto the road and went limp.

After that, it only twitched slightly.

‘Is it finally over?’

The hunters cautiously exchanged glances and began to approach.

Just then.

Jjeoeok. The sound of rough skin tearing echoed as the center of the Serpent’s belly split open.

People screamed as a swarm of bloody rats poured out of the opening.

“Someone’s coming out!”

A figure covered in the Serpent’s venom and gastric juices struggled to emerge.

The man, using a sword as a cane, approached the police with something tucked under his arm.

They had assumed it was a monster, but it was definitely a person. He seemed fine, save for an unpleasant expression.

“O, oh, Kang Hyun-woo?”

A JeonNeungRyeon [All-Powerful Union] hunter recognized him and stammered.

He had come after hearing about the monster on the Gangbyeon Expressway, but it was beyond his capabilities.

He had been waiting for a higher-level hunter like Kang Hyun-woo or Oh Dae-sung, but Kang Hyun-woo had suddenly emerged from the monster’s stomach.

Hyun-woo glanced at the hunter and handed him something.

“Hold this for a second.”

The hunter inadvertently accepted the black, blood-covered object and recoiled in horror.

It was Hyun-woo’s left hand.

It seemed like he had equipment on his hand, but it was hard to tell because it was covered in blood.

Hyun-woo took out a potion, poured it on the severed surface, and reattached his hand. As the wound healed, it began to reattach.

“Wh, what is this? Where did this come from? I’ve never heard of a monster outbreak.”

“I don’t know either. I’ll have to find out.”

Hyun-woo checked that his arm was functioning and approached the Red Serpent again.

At that moment, the Red Serpent let out a final, weak cry and collapsed. It then began to dissolve into a cloud of red dust.

“No!”

Hyun-woo rushed forward, but the Red Serpent had already completely disintegrated.

All that remained was dust blowing in the wind. He checked, but it was just dust.

Hyun-woo cursed and kicked the dust.

“You bastard! I’ll find you and kill you!”

The police surrounded him, unsure how to handle the situation.

But no one dared approach Hyun-woo, who was shouting like a madman. The murderous intent radiating from him felt suffocating.

“… Hoo.”

Hyun-woo calmed down after a moment.

Anger wouldn’t solve anything. First, he had to revive Park Hwi-so and find any remaining clues.

As Hyun-woo turned, the police, who had been struggling to breathe under his oppressive aura, reflexively drew their guns.

Hyun-woo’s expression twisted.

“What is this now?”

He was already on edge, and now guns were pointed at him.

The flashing police lights only made things worse.

Even if he could avoid the bullets, the fact remained that getting shot meant death.

“K, Kang Hyun-woo.”

Amidst the tension, an old sergeant finally spoke.

“We received a murder report. If you cooperate quietly…”

Squeak! The sound of screeching tires cut through the air. Someone shouted and ran from afar.

“Don’t say anything! Don’t say anything! Oppa [term of endearment for older brother or male friend]!”

The person who pushed through the police was Yoo-min.

Yoo-min slipped past the police and ran to Hyun-woo.