Chapter 105: Hidden Soul Infiltration (5)
Gugwi pushed his body into the drainage entrance.
The narrow gap between the iron bars pressed against his shoulders, and the cold sensation of the tal scraped his skin.
Holding Jang Geunsoo tightly to his chest, he crawled inside.
Cold water brushing his knees, the stony ground, the damp, foul-slling moss clinging to his body—yet the narrow passage offered one advantage. Only one enemy at a ti could follow behind.
Inside the drainage channel, it was silent.
The shouts of pursuit grew distant. The thick stone walls seed to block even sound...
Gugwi carefully stood up.
The drainage was too low for him to walk upright, forcing him to move with a hunched back. If he straightened up, the rough stone ceiling scraped his head. Just like when he entered, it was quite the struggle.
“Haa… haak!”
Geunsoo's breathing grew more labored. His complexion had turned as pale as moonlight... sothing was wrong.
'Just hold on a little longer!'
Then, a stinging stench hit his nose.
‘This is… the sll of oil?’
A sweet yet nauseating odor filled the air.
Gugwi's face hardened.
Looking down, he saw a black liquid flowing like water. Sticky oil soaked his ankles… and his head reeled. The stench was so overpowering it made it hard to breathe.
‘These lunatics!’
Gugwi clenched his teeth.
He imdiately understood what was going on. Those lunatics from the Heavenly Sound Cult were flooding the area with oil.
Soon, this place would beco a blazing inferno.
'Then we’ve got to get out of here fast. There’s no ti.'
Gugwi’s thoughts grew frantic.
The sll of oil thickened. More of the black liquid flowed beneath his feet. Sowhere, a torch would be thrown—and this narrow passage would instantly turn into a sea of fire.
To make matters worse, Geunsoo's condition suddenly deteriorated.
The boy’s small body began to tremble in Gugwi’s arms. Sothing was going terribly wrong.
Gugwi looked down at Geunsoo.
His face was deathly pale. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead… and worst of all was his breathing. It was growing shallower and more desperate, like soone drowning and gasping for air.
‘What the hell is this, all of a sudden?!’
His chest fluttered like a frightened bird, his breaths ca in choking gasps, and his lips turned blue.
“Namgung Hoyoung!”
Gugwi called out to the Physician of the Spirit Union.
At the desperate cry… a blue light swirled in the air.
A faint figure appeared.
The figure drifted in search of a patient and approached Jang Geunsoo. But it didn’t take action. After seemingly touching Geunsoo, it turned away.
Ssss...
Namgung Hoyoung attempted to return into the Realm of the Threshold as if there was no patient to treat. The fading figure was a sign—he had nothing to do. In other words… the boy was beyond saving.
Gugwi spoke hastily, his voice trembling.
“I’m not asking you to save his life. Just keep him breathing as long as you can!”
Paaang!
His voice erupted from his heart.
Namgung Hoyoung’s fading form beca clear again.
Paaat!
A silver needle appeared in his hand. A fine, transparent ice needle emitted a blue light.
Namgung Hoyoung began inserting needles into Geunsoo’s neck and chest. At that mont—pang, pang!—tiny vibrations spread. Warm energy flowed from the tips of the needles and was absorbed into Geunsoo’s body.
Geunsoo's breathing stabilized a little. But it was only a temporary fix.
'We’ve got to get out of here. There’s no ti to hesitate.'
Gugwi hurried on.
Chik-chik! Chik-chik-chik!
Suddenly, a horde of rats ca rushing through the drainage.
Dozens scurried past at once. The sound of their tiny claws scraping the stone floor was deafening.
They had sensed danger and were fleeing.
‘They’re running on instinct.’
The black bundles of fur flowed like waves.
Gugwi’s eyes glead. An idea struck as he watched the rats. It was like a torch igniting in his mind.
‘A mole!’
Paaang!
He infused his Spirit Flow Core with thought. A burst of blue light exploded from his chest.
His thought spread across the entire Realm of the Threshold.
The wave extended beyond what could be seen. The ssage was transmitted to all spirits.
‘A mole. A spirit related to moles!’
Faint lights began gathering around the Spirit Flow Core. They flickered like fireflies.
Multiple lights floated around.
Gugwi chose one among them.
He reached out his fingertip toward the light.
That light… was the most unusual of them all. Faint yet tightly condensed. It shone like a small star. It seed like it could vanish any mont, yet had the fortitude to endure for a long ti.
From the light, Gugwi read the will—not to ascend.
A fierce obsession radiated from it, refusing to leave this place. Like a will as firm as stone.
Gugwi flicked the light toward the entrance of the Realm of the Threshold. The light shot forward like an arrow.
“Your na?”
“Moksoi.”
A low, rough voice replied. It sounded like it had been ground out of stone.
“Your job?”
“Keeper.”
Gugwi frowned. Sothing felt off.
“Keeper? Keeper of what?”
“……”
Silence fell.
Gugwi figured out the true aning of ‘keeper.’ His lips twisted.
“You’re a thief.”
“……”
“Moksoi. From now on, open the exit. Go beyond the Realm of the Threshold and make a way out!”
Gugwi’s voice was firm. It was a command.
Moksoi slowly materialized into a wispy, smoky shape.
Short and unimpressive in build. The face was unclear, but the eyes were sharp.
Ssss...
The figure glided along the drainage path.
Gugwi followed the figure.
Perhaps realizing the urgency, Moksoi picked up speed. Gugwi, even gasping for breath, could barely keep up—especially while carrying Geunsoo, it was extrely taxing.
“Huff… huff!”
Gugwi gasped as though his chest would rip apart. In that instant—
Puk-puk! Puk-puk-puk-puk!
The sound of digging echoed. A hazy figure began to dig into the ceiling of the drainage passage. The hands moved terrifyingly fast and strong—each ti the smoke brushed by, holes burst open.
Puhk! Puk!
With sharp sounds, holes opened in the ceiling of the passage. And through those holes, a torrent of filth ca pouring down. Brown sewage drenched the tops of their feet as it flowed.
“Uugh!”
The stench alone could trigger vomiting. It wasn’t just any filth—it was nearly rotting. The sll was so vile one would instinctively want to block their nose.
Gugwi grimaced. His eyes watered from the stench.
“Isn’t there another spot? This sll…”
But Moksoi didn’t respond. The form only flickered. No—like smoke, it faded. It seed he had no strength left. He was already at his limit.
“Hoo…”
Gugwi let out a sigh. There was no choice.
He held Geunsoo tightly and climbed up into the ceiling.
Sticky filth sared over his entire body. From all directions, the cold, stinking, foul liquid clung to him.
He retched so hard it felt like his throat was burning.
Maybe it was the stench of rot, but his head throbbed, and his eyes stung.
Gugwi quickly sealed the entrance with the filth. He gathered mud and sewage with his hands and plugged the open hole. The hiding place was dreadful, but perfect to avoid what was coming.
No one would imagine soone hiding in a place like this.
He held Geunsoo tightly to his chest, careful not to let the boy touch the filth. Though they were both already covered.
A mont later, strange sounds ca from the drainage. Like wind… or like flowing water.
Ssshhiiiik!
It was the sound of fire catching.
Flas were spreading through the oil. The scent of burning reached his nose.
‘Those maniacs really did it!’
In an instant, the entire drainage passage beca a sea of fire. A wave of hot air rushed in, followed by an explosion.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Explosions in succession. The walls shook and stones crumbled from the ceiling. Over the years, the drainage had accumulated poisonous gases… they all ignited at once in the flas.
A deafening roar.
BANG! Fwwoooosh! KWAANG!
The roar shook the entire underground. Stones fell from the ceiling, and dust rose in thick clouds.
Gugwi held Geunsoo even tighter.
“This is it!”
anwhile, outside, Jin Geonmu heard the explosions. The ground shook so hard he felt it through his entire body. The stones beneath his feet trembled.
His face, standing guard at the drainage entrance, stiffened.
‘This isn’t good.’
The lines on his face deepened. Even without explanation, he could tell sothing had gone wrong.
Sasa-sat! Sasasasasat!
Martial artists of the Heavenly Sound Cult were converging from all directions. Black shadows drew closer.
Jin Geonmu unwrapped the cloth and tied it to his spear and hand.
The cloth tightened around his wrist—a vow not to let go of the spear, even in death.
‘This is where I’ll die today. Heh… Eunhwa, it seems I won’t be able to help you ascend.’
His wife’s face appeared in his mind.
Her warm smile, her desperate death… the final tear in her eyes… he rembered it all. The pain tore at his chest.
‘If the Lord escapes, she can still ascend. But I’m dying here… heh… Eunhwa, I did my best.’
A cold light settled in Jin Geonmu’s eyes as his gaze hardened like ice. Strength surged into the fingers gripping his spear. The spirit of a man prepared to die radiated from his entire being.
The Heavenly Sound Cult martial artists tightened their encirclent. Their footsteps drew near.
Soul-Summoners were among them. Spirit Union martial artists began to appear, blue mist rising around them.
But Jin Geonmu did not move. He stood like a boulder.
The foremost enemy charged with a sword. The blade flashed under the moonlight.
Jin Geonmu’s spear moved like lightning, its tip piercing the enemy’s chest. A sound of steel puncturing flesh followed.
Blood spurted like a fountain. The crimson stream scattered through the air.
The second and third enemies attacked in succession. Swords poured down like a rainstorm.
Jin Geonmu’s spear traced a circle.
Two heads flew off at the sa ti, rolling on the ground. But more enemies sward in—endless.
Jin Geonmu’s spear technique had reached the level of a school of its own. Since eting Gugwi, he had gained a miraculous encounter. He had been strong before, but now he was three or four tis stronger.
His spear coiled like a dragon, sweeping through the enemies. The Blood Spear Triple Strike unfolded in succession, raising a storm of blood.
But there were too many. Like an ocean.
From all directions, swords and spears flew in—a storm of steel.
Jin Geonmu spun his spear to block them. The clash of tal was thunderous. Sparks burst in all directions. A sword grazed his shoulder, spilling red blood. His clothes tore.
The Soul-Summoners unleashed Spirit Union martial artists.
The scent of death spread. Mountain Spirits, Water Spirits, Blood Spirits surrounded Jin Geonmu. Blue eyes glead.
It was impossible to block all directions with just one spear.
Puhk!
A spear struck his back, grazing his spine.
“Urgh!”
Jin Geonmu groaned.
Even so, he did not retreat. He yanked out the spear and threw it in counterattack. The enemy took the spear to the forehead and collapsed, brain matter spilling out.
But he could endure no longer. His strength drained. His whole body was wounded, blood pooling beneath him. His breathing was ragged. His knees buckled, and he leaned on his spear for support.
The enemies charged again—like a black tide.
Jin Geonmu raised his head.
There was no regret in his eyes. Instead, they were calm.
‘Still, I protected the Lord.’
Dozens of swords flew in at once—silver bolts of lightning.
Jin Geonmu’s body blood like a flower. Crimson petals scattered in all directions. Blood fell like a rain of blossoms.
But even to the end, he did not let go of his spear.
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