episode_0022

There are some things that come to mind when you think of a cult.

Yes, the Yellow Turban.

However, they must have started to emerge in earnest around the 180s, so why have they emerged already? What does it mean that he mentioned it directly?

If that guy who was a member of the Five Elements or whatever was affiliated with the Yellow Turban Red Army that I know of, then there was no one other than Zhang Jia that he could call ‘him’. That means that Jang-gak pointed out Nana Jo-jo and ordered them to be kidnapped… but what was his intention?

Did they plan to kidnap him and then extort a lot of ransom money?

Even as the questions continued, I was squirming non-stop. It was a struggle to open the entrance of the bag, which was tied so dirty, just in case I could not get out of it.

If there is a gap that can fit at least a finger, it seems like I can do something with it, but how on earth is it tied up that it doesn’t open at all despite me struggling so hard?

It was stuffy.

This was especially true because there was virtually no way to check the situation outside other than the occasional sound.

If it’s difficult to get out through the entrance, let’s go out even if it means tearing up the sack.

I changed my mind and tried to use all the available means to tear open the bag that was swallowing my body, but it was no use. It was so tough that even when I tried using amman, it only stretched and showed no signs of tearing.

It was in the middle of a confrontation with Jojo that the voice of the lion who had been silent the entire time flowed into my ears again.

“Hmm, I guess the other guy woke up too. Seeing them struggling so violently, it looks like the situation is quite confusing…”

“Don’t even think about touching Soohyun.”

A voice full of sharp edges,

However, it didn’t seem to work for the other person. That’s because the sound of footsteps approaching me echoed throughout the cave.

“···I definitely warned you.”

As if in response, a much lower voice than before echoed along the cave wall… but the human being called Lion was much quicker to use his hands than to do something.

“Warning, you are so arrogant and weak that you can’t even protect yourself.”

The sound of something hitting,

“Ugh!”

And a sound similar to a scream rang out one after another.

The sound of something of moderate weight rising into the air and falling to the floor was a bonus.

“As I’ve said several times, it’s worth considering just your spirit…”

“Uuuu!”

“If you act like that when you don’t even have the slightest strength, you will only arouse the wrath of the powerful.”

The sounds that followed brought out unpleasant memories in my mind. These were memories from my time at the orphanage.

My eyes naturally fell asleep at the sound that could only be heard when a person ‘steps’ on another person, a sound that rang out non-stop.

“Tsk…, I just got my shoes dirty for no reason.”

“Soohyun, cough…! Don’t touch Suhyeon… If you touch me… I’ll kill you…”

“You’re so noisy about a weak topic. It would be better to put it to bed early.”

“Woo-eup…!”

“Don’t struggle too much, I’m trying to free you from the pain that fills this world.”

What did he do? Jojo’s voice, which had been resonating non-stop from earlier, suddenly cut off, making a sound as if he was forcing himself to swallow something. It was right after that that the sound of footsteps that seemed to be targeting me echoed into the cave once again.

“Then, shall we check the remaining one as well?”

With a cold voice, the entrance to the bag, which seemed like it would not be opened no matter what I did, slowly began to open. The person who appeared with him was a middle-aged man with half of his face covered with pitch-black bamboo ribs.

“Are you really Yoon Soo-hyun, Yoon So-pyeong’s child?”

As soon as I realized that our eyes had met, I fixed my gaze on the scenery over the shoulder of the middle-aged man who was asking me that question.

The traitor is sticking the handle of the fire piston I made for Jojo into his right eye and making a goofy laugh like ‘hehe…’

And even the image of JoJo sprawled out at the bottom of the cave wall, with empty, unfocused eyes.

The moment those things entered my eyes, I snapped my fingers without hesitation.

Taaah!

Then, I tried to engrave a hint on the lion, who was clearly in a trance, to obey my words.

“Keuuugh…?!”

For some reason, his condition was strange.

Why didn’t I go into a trance? What is that look of pain?

It must have been a moment when I unknowingly took a step back in an unexpected situation. The guy, with bloodshot eyes, was clutching his head with all his might so that the large veins bulged on the back of his hand, then suddenly started banging his own head on the floor.

Poop! Puck!

“Ah, ah…! Lord…! no! It’s not like that…!”

The word ‘brainwashing’ came to mind as I looked at him, not caring at all whether his forehead hit the stone floor and was torn open or not, or whether the blood that flowed down from there dyed his forehead darkly.

‘no way···.’

Suddenly, a thought popped into my head and my expression hardened.

If my guess is correct, it wasn’t the time to be like this.

I quickly rolled my eyes and looked around. I picked up the traitor’s sword I found that way.

The weight was difficult for a child’s strength to handle, so his body stumbled for a moment, but he regained his balance, which was on the verge of collapsing, by holding his sword against the floor as if he were holding a cane.

I tightly gripped the sword by applying strength to the hand connected to the handle. I lifted the sword with all my strength to prevent it from slipping out of my hand.

Perhaps it was because of the weight of the sword in his hand, but his heart was pounding as if it were broken and his breathing became rapid.

The more I did this, the more strength I put in gripping the sword handle.

Just like that… I slashed my sword towards the back of the guy who was lying on the floor as if he was bowing.

Even if it is only a small amount of weight, carry it with all your might,

“Kuhhh!”

A sound that rings the cave walls,

And the burning sensation that spreads through the palm of your hand,

Ignoring everything, I walked towards JoJo, who was lying on the floor.

It was confirmed that Jojo’s condition was serious. All I had was a small cut on my palm, but Jojo’s entire body was stained purple, and in the case of his forearms, it was not only purple, but even dark blue.

“···Hey.”

Is it because of something that that lion guy forced Jojo to eat? I called close by, but there was no response.

“If you’re listening… wake up.”

The same thing happened when I tried to shake my body by holding my shoulder, ignoring the burning sensation that had suddenly taken over my palm.

A situation where you can’t move like this,

So-

“Hu-eup…!”

He forced Jojo, who was sprawled on the floor, to his feet, then pulled his arm, which seemed to be okay, and placed him on his back.

Of course, it was easier said than done. Even though my body was more developed than my peers, there was an insurmountable wall of three years between me and JoJo. Additionally, it was difficult to use my strength because of the scars on my palms.

Nevertheless, I somehow succeeded in carrying him on my back… but my blood-covered hands kept slipping through my clothes. Because of the inevitable height difference, Jojo’s feet dragged on the ground.

Still, I had to go.

If you use the power of suggestion, it won’t be that difficult to deal with the traitor behind there or the fellows who are watching outside the cave, but as time goes by like that, Jojo’s condition will worsen.

I didn’t want to let that happen.

No, I thought I couldn’t let that happen.

I’m definitely not a good person, but I don’t think I’m so rotten that I leave an eight-year-old child like this who ended up like this while trying to protect me.

I took a step.

Is it because I was forced to move while carrying something almost as big as my body on my back? My legs were shaking uncontrollably, but I gritted my teeth and took one more step.

So it must have been the moment when we finally reached the corner.

“Ouch…?!”

A terrible pain ran through my body.

“Hehe, hehe… Where are you going… I can’t go… You guys can’t go anywhere…! If I can’t take you to him, I’d rather—”

The last struggle of a human being consumed by fanaticism, burning away what little life was left, it was sticking out of my side in the form of a dagger.

It felt like sparks were flying in front of my eyes.

My vision… turned pure white.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

it hurts.

sick.

Why does it hurt so much?

They say it’s a fake body, but it hurts too much.

What happens if I fall like this?

I just want to collapse like this.

I want to feel comfortable.

However, if I fall here, what will happen to the little boy who is currently on my back, who must have been scared and scared himself, but who mustered up the courage to stand in front of adults who were several times bigger than him to protect me?

I gritted my teeth. I gritted my teeth and gave an order.

Move, he says.

Despite the command given in a firm voice, my body, which had been long ago taken over by pain, did not even move from its place.

You’re wrong, you’re already at your limit.

The feeling of despair began to stick to my body.

It was then that enlightenment suddenly came to me.

‘···ah.’

I see

That was all I had to do.

I forced my hands, which were covered in blood and slippery, to move.

Exactly!

The moment the small sound of finger snapping finally reached my ears… it whispered to ‘me’.

‘Walk.’