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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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-Crackle, Crackle!
The crackling campfire was a cheerful sound, but In-ho felt anything but cheerful.
“Here you go.”
He stared at the face of the dead woman, a stranger whose life he would never know.
‘How did this monster kill her?’
‘Quickly, painlessly? Or slowly, torturously?’
‘Did she taunt her, giving her false hope before snuffing it out?’
The dead woman offered no answers, her lifeless eyes staring blankly ahead.
“Ugh…”
Nausea welled up, and In-ho clapped a hand over his mouth.
But the revulsion was too strong, and he vomited, the meager contents of his lunch splattering onto the ground.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”
She asked, her voice laced with concern, as if genuinely puzzled by his reaction.
He retched, then took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his stomach.
The metallic scent of blood made him gag, but he gritted his teeth and swallowed it down.
During their journey from the Black Heaven Cult, he had learned to recognize the signs of Namgung So-yeon’s impending madness.
He had learned how far he could push her, what words triggered her rage, before she lashed out.
He had been choked, beaten, and thrown to the ground countless times, learning her limits through painful experience.
It allowed him to resist her, subtly, without crossing the line.
It was the least he could do for his dead friends.
But his resolve, his carefully constructed facade of obedience, was about to crumble.
“Stop it! Just stop!”
He screamed, his voice cracking with a mixture of anger and despair.
His anguished cry echoed through the forest, silencing the chirping insects and the hooting owls.
“Young Master Kang?”
“Why… why are you doing this?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You weren’t like this… you were normal… you were kind!”
“…Young Master?”
“What happened to you… why did you change…?”
He pounded his fist on the ground, his voice choked with sobs.
Namgung So-yeon’s face twisted into a grotesque mask of confusion.
“You said you believed in justice! You said you wanted to help people with your martial arts!”
He continued, his words pouring out, heedless of the growing danger.
“Why did you do this?! Why?! Why did you kill innocent people?! Why did you attack the Black Heaven Cult?!”
“Shut up!!!!”
Her amplified roar ripped through the forest and the force of it sent In-ho sprawling backwards.
The pressure ruptured capillaries in his eyes, and tears of blood streamed down his face.
Namgung So-yeon strode towards him, grabbed him by the collar, and lifted him into the air.
“Gah…!”
She looked down at him, her face a terrifying mixture of tears and rage.
She rambled, her voice rising and falling, her head jerking spasmodically with each word.
“Let… go of me! You crazy… bitch!!”
In-ho kicked at her, but it was like kicking a rock. His blows had no effect.
She stared at him, her eyes unfocused, then her face brightened, as if she had suddenly remembered something.
“Oh! I almost forgot.”
Her madness vanished, replaced by a cheerful smile. It was as if she had just solved a difficult puzzle.
“You don’t remember anything, do you? I was asking too much of you.”
“What… what are you talking about?!”
“I’ll explain everything. Just try to remember.”
She held up the severed head of the woman she had killed.
“Just a moment~”
She tilted her head back and greedily drank the blood dripping from the severed neck, letting it pool in her mouth.
Then, she grabbed his face and forced her mouth onto his.
“!!!!”
The metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth and the warm liquid flowed down his throat.
“Mmmppphh!!!”
He struggled, his body convulsing with disgust and terror, but her kiss was relentless.
Blood dripped from their mouths, staining their clothes and the ground beneath them.
After forcing the blood into his mouth, she thrust her tongue into his mouth, lapping up any remaining traces of blood.
She swallowed, her eyes rolling back in her head with a look of pure ecstasy on her face.
She shuddered, her body trembling with pleasure.
“Ah…”
She writhed, her body flushed.
Her first kiss had tasted of blood.
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