Welcome To Hell

“…When are the reinforcements coming?”

Seo Jong-dae spoke while glancing at Shin Yul.
Shin Yul shook her head.

“I don’t know. My brother would.”

It was Shin Gi-yang who had left for the Evil Heaven Alliance branch.
Even her hand gripping the spear had begun to tremble.
At that moment, a crack formed in one of the pupae.
Tuk.
It was too far away for the sound to reach them, yet it felt as though it rang clearly in their ears.
Tududududududuk.
It felt like a tiny insect had crawled into their ears and was rustling inside.
Their ears itched. But this time, it was not merely a sensation.
The sound came through more clearly than before.

“…I hope the reinforcements aren’t late.”

Seo Jong-dae raised his fans as he spoke.

“Everyone, get ready.”

Kung.
Following Shin Yul’s lead, the Shin Clan Unit raised their spears.
Their gazes changed.
The situation was unbelievable, but what they had to do was clear.
Jjeueuk-
At last, an insect tore through the membrane and crawled out.
It had the shape of a mosquito.
A proboscis stretching out like a spear, opaque wings, and a disproportionately large head.

“What a disgusting thing.”

Shin Yul clicked her tongue.

“It’s smaller than the ones we saw before.”

Tang Ho spoke briefly. The Tang Clan was renowned for its exceptional eyesight.
He could assess the enemy more accurately than anyone there.

“It doesn’t seem like size is the only difference.”

After emerging, it merely flew in circles nearby.
Perhaps because its wings were wet, it could not fly properly and moved as though drunk.
Meanwhile, the others were beginning to hatch one by one.

“…Either way, that means now is our chance.”

Shin Yul licked her lips.
Even without Shin Yul saying it, the others felt the same.

“This is insane, though.”

Seo Jong-dae let out a laugh.
He thought of his Great Sahyung.
Gyo-ha.
Had he been there, he would have charged in with a delighted grin.
But Gyo-ha wasn’t there.

“What am I even doing?”

Seo Jong-dae sighed and launched himself forward. Tang Ho also began running without a word.

“We barely have enough to defend ourselves, and we’re charging straight into enemy territory.”

Shin Yul rested her spear on her shoulder.

“I like it!”

The Shin Clan Unit followed Shin Yul and began moving across the mountain.
Downhill.
Using even their lightness arts, their movements were like the wind.
They reached the lake in an instant.
The lake, overrun by black pupae, hardly looked like something that belonged in the human world.
Kkumteul, kkumteul.
It was even more horrifying up close.
The entire lake seemed to be alive.

“Everyone, hold your breath.”

Tang Ho’s quiet voice.
Yet no one failed to hear him.
As he ran, Tang Ho pulled a pouch from his robe.
Poison powder.
A cloud of poisonous mist drifted toward the mosquitoes on the wind.
However, it did not appear to have any effect.
The mosquitoes seemed to notice them and turned.
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiing.
As they drew closer, the beating of wings grew deafening.
The mosquitoes swarmed toward the group.
It was like a cloud rolling in.
At that moment, Tang Ho took a small tool from his robe.

“Some poisons are more useful for purposes other than poisoning.”

Chwareuk.
As sparks flew, flames spread in an instant.
Hwareureureureuk.
The flames engulfed the mosquitoes in an instant.
A foul stench rose as the mosquitoes burned.
The mosquitoes, unable to endure it, fell into the lake.
However, they were only a fraction of the swarm.
The flames quickly died down.
Instead, the mosquitoes that escaped the fire rushed at them in fury.
Chwaak!
The head of an incoming mosquito was severed.
Swoosh, a small fan returned in a semicircle.

“Watch their proboscises. If one pierces you, it will drain your blood in an instant!”

With Seo Jong-dae’s shout, the mosquitoes and humans clashed.
In truth, spears were ill suited for fighting small enemies like mosquitoes.
However, that was only when fighting in small numbers.
When used as a group, few weapons were as dangerous as spears.

“Defensive formation!”
“Thrust!”

Spearheads flashed in every direction.
Attack and defense.
Their coordination fell perfectly into place.
The mosquito swarm rapidly dwindled.
Shin Yul stood out among them.
Swoosh.
Each time the shaft of her spear moved, a mosquito’s head was smashed apart.
Moreover, Seo Jong-dae and Tang Ho, who already had experience fighting them, performed brilliantly.
Thanks to them, the Shin Clan Unit soon found some breathing room.
It seemed as though there was hope. But it didn’t take long for them to realize that it was an illusion.

“The second wave is coming!”

A shout from an unknown voice.
Those who turned their heads understood what it meant.
Another dark cloud was rolling in.
There were more than in the first wave.

“Damn it.”

Someone cursed, but everyone else felt the same.
Some of them looked in one direction while killing mosquitoes.
Tang Ho.
Noticing their gazes, Tang Ho shook his head.

“The wind is swirling. If I use it, we’ll be caught in it too!”

The subject was omitted because they were in the middle of battle, but everyone understood.
The battle had already devolved into a melee.
It was not an environment suited for using poison.
Moreover, the area was surrounded by mountains.
The wind circulated within them, so there was no knowing when it might change direction.

“If you have time to talk! Kill! One more!”

It was Shin Yul.
Her bangs clung to her forehead.
They were soaked with sweat.
At her shout, the martial artists fell silent.
As she said, they had no time to talk. The beating of wings came from every direction.
Black shapes blocked their vision.
Just looking at them made their eyes sting.
Then.

“Keuk!”
“Shin Gwang!”

One of the martial artists fighting beside them shriveled in an instant.
A mosquito had buried its proboscis in the martial artist’s arm.
It was different from the ones they had faced so far.
Both in size and shape.
It hid itself among its companions again.
A martial artist who saw it shouted.

“There are strange ones mixed in among them!”

But there was more than one.

“You bastard!”

An angry shout rang out from elsewhere as well.
Shin Yul also spotted one of the creatures the martial artists had mentioned.
A mosquito rushed in, waiting for an opening.

“Tch.”

She quickly knocked it away with her spear shaft, and it disappeared back into the swarm.
It had judged that it couldn’t win in a direct confrontation.

‘…They can even think?’

Shin Yul swung her spear shaft at the mosquitoes rushing in.
Then her eyes met Seo Jong-dae’s in the distance.
Seo Jong-dae gave a slight nod.
These were the ones.
These were the mosquito yokai Seo Jong-dae had spoken of.
The others were merely oversized mosquitoes.
They hid among their underlings and targeted the martial artists.
It was behavior well suited to mosquitoes.
Shin Yul twisted her lips as she stared at the writhing darkness.

The fans in his hands moved ceaselessly.
He had grown fairly accustomed to using them by now.
But they could not compare to a sword.

‘My body is getting heavier.’

How much time had passed?
Two hours? Four?
He could not tell. Every time he moved, he stepped on the corpses of dead mosquitoes.
Some seemed to still be alive, twitching the moment he stepped on them.
But he didn’t even have the luxury of paying attention to them.
He couldn’t even tell how many enemies remained. Everything around him was pitch-black.
His hearing was already useless because of the deafening wingbeats.
It wasn’t just his hearing.
Even breathing had become difficult.

‘…I can’t last much longer.’

It was a miracle he hadn’t collapsed already.
Moreover, the true yokai were hidden among the mosquitoes.
They were growing stronger by feeding on the martial artists’ blood.

“Fuck! When are they coming?!”

A shout came from beside him.
It was Shin Yul. As though she still had energy to spare, her voice cut through the deafening buzz of the mosquitoes.
Thanks to that, a smile appeared on Seo Jong-dae’s lips.

“Shin Gi-yang! Just you wait until you get here! I’m going to kill you!”

It wasn’t a shout so much as a scream.
Without that, it would have been hard to endure.
Then, at that moment, an answer that should never have come reached them.

“You don’t even call me your brother anymore?”
“…!”

A quiet voice.
But to the group, it sounded louder than thunder.
A spear soon split the sky.
In an instant, the cloud of mosquitoes was torn apart.

“Brother!”
“Young Master!”

Shin Yul cried out brightly. Shouts from members of the Shin Clan Unit rang out from all around.
It wasn’t merely because they were glad to see him.
They were telling their companions who had failed to hear Shin Gi-yang’s voice.
Reinforcements had arrived.
So hold on.
Do not give up.
And Shin Gi-yang answered their hopes.

“Shin Gi-yang! Joining the battlefield!”
“Good heavens. This is real?”
“I-I’m out. I don’t want to fight in a place like this.”

Footsteps retreated.
But not everyone fled.

“What will you do if you run? Abandon your clan and flee to another region?”
“This is fucking insane.”
“Ah, screw it.”

Voices rang out from every direction.
They belonged to the Evil Heaven Alliance martial artists Shin Gi-yang had brought.
As befitted Unorthodox martial artists, many of their voices were rough and unruly.
With their arrival, the darkness thinned.
With more people present, the swarm’s forces were spread out.
Thanks to that, Seo Jong-dae could see Shin Yul and Tang Ho.
Both were already exhausted.
Yet neither bore any wounds. That was only natural.
Any wound would become fatal in an instant.
If their blood was drained in an instant, they wouldn’t even be able to move properly.
Even if they tore off the creature attacking them, they would merely become food for the others.
Shin Yul bit her lip as she looked at the dead members of the Shin Clan Unit.
But there was no time to mourn them.
There were still many enemies.
Shin Gi-yang forced his way through them.

“You’ve all done well.”

Bewilderment showed on his face as well. However, his spear shaft moved without rest.
He quickly surveyed the battlefield.
As expected, Shin Gi-yang’s expression darkened when he spotted the dead members of the Shin Clan Unit.

“Looks like about half of them ran away.”

He was referring to the Evil Heaven Alliance martial artists he had brought.
In truth, considering the nature of Unorthodox martial artists, it was surprising that even half had joined him.
But judging by their origins, most were from nearby.
They knew that if they fled, their families would be in danger.

“There are stronger ones hiding among the mosquitoes! Be careful!”

Shin Yul’s shout reached not only Shin Gi-yang, but also the newly arrived Evil Heaven Alliance martial artists.
However, there was no need for an explanation.
Because the swarm’s forces were spread thin, the creatures’ forms were plainly exposed.
It was difficult for them to hide as they had before.

“They’re still just fucking mosquitoes!”

An Unorthodox martial artist swung his saber with a triumphant shout.
A head flew into the air.
However.
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiing!
Another dark cloud was rolling in.
Mosquitoes filled the gaps in an instant.

“What the…”

Bewilderment appeared on the faces of the newly arrived Evil Heaven Alliance martial artists.
Shin Gi-yang was no different.
But the group and the Shin Clan Unit, who had already been fighting, merely swung their weapons with fed-up expressions.
They no longer even had the strength to curse.
Shin Yul spoke in their place.

“Welcome to hell.”

An endless hell.
Never seen mosquito swarms that keep coming without end, have you?
At Shin Yul’s cheerful laugh, the martial artists cursed and swung their weapons.

“…Do you really have to provoke them like that?”

Shin Gi-yang, who had made his way to Shin Yul’s side, sighed.

“More importantly, what about the Murim Alliance?”

Shin Yul asked between ragged breaths.
Since he had moved together with the Evil Heaven Alliance, he should’ve received some information.
The Evil Heaven Alliance had the Hao Gate. Their eyes reached throughout the Central Plains.

“We heard that masked martial artists left the Tang Clan. They lost their trail after that.”

The Hao Gate had failed to track them.
That was no small matter.

“The Black Snake Guard.”

It was Tang Ho.
The group’s gazes gathered on him.
It was a name they had never heard before.

“They are a unit of my clan dedicated to assassination and espionage.”

The Sichuan Tang Clan, one of the Five Great Clans.
However, little was known about its units.
Not only did they rarely operate openly, but their methods were ruthless.
The Tang Clan did not move easily. But once it did, nothing remained in its wake.
Kindness repaid twofold, grudges repaid tenfold.
It was a saying that embodied the Tang Clan.
They did not act unless they intended to see the matter through to the end.