818 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

Corpse Poison(屍毒), as its name suggests, is a poison made from human corpses. However, the poison itself is not inherently toxic. After all, humans are not creatures that naturally harbor venom. Allow a corpse to decompose thoroughly, and all you'll have is a decaying body; it's not as though a lethal toxin will suddenly surge from it. In truth, the venomous nature of Corpse Poison does not arise from the components of the original materials but rather from the negative emotions harbored by the dying—a desperate desire to live, despair at the unbearable situation, feelings of injustice, and pain—these emotions seep into the solution. Objects imbued with such resentment are generally called Cursed Objects(呪物) and are used as materials for all sorts of suspicious and horrifying sorcery. Corpse Poison is indeed of such a category. And those in Zhongyuan recognized as the most adept at utilizing Corpse Poison were none other than the Blood Cult(血教). It was used in the blood for various sorcerous formations, as materials to create monsters like Agwi and Jiangshi, and even mixed into sinister drugs like Jamramdan... Crack! Qing clenched her teeth with a grating sound. These Blood Cult bastards—what on earth is their biggest grievance to act like this? ---- Night is a time when emotions rise and swell. Qing's homeland had scientifically explained how emotional surges at night were due to the functioning of the left and right hemispheres of the brain, or something to that effect. In any case, keeping vigil was especially prone to absorbing the night’s emotions. The air was filled with the pleasing sounds of grass insects amidst the quiet; countless stars flowed across the night sky, creating a feeling as if the world was solely theirs (for it was well known that leaving watch duty to one person typically resulted in them dozing off). Those who have stood vigil during military service have likely experienced the emotional storm unique to nighttime vigil. People who would normally kill time playing ball, singing, or watching pop stars on screens would suddenly find themselves having serious musings about the future, recounting beautiful memories from the past, or engaging in philosophical discussions. Such was the magic of the night. And here too, there was one person completely entranced by the magic of this night. Upon relaying the story of a romance due to the insistence of his senior, a lingering homesickness for the lover left behind seemed to press upon him during the silent night. "The night sky is the same here as it was back home. We used to lie down and look up like this. Do you think she is looking at the same sky? If we are gazing at the same sky, perhaps it's like being together despite the physical distance..." "Wow, you've become quite the poet. After we drive out those Zhongyuan bastards, maybe you should try writing some poetry. Who knows? You might leave your name in history." "Haha, what poetry would come from an illiterate guy like me? It's just the night making me say peculiar things. But what about you? Don't you miss your wife back home?" "Ah, miss her? The nagging woman? Not at all. But our son... I can't help but see his face whenever I close my eyes." "Oh, your nephew? How old is he this year?" "Let's see, one, two, three... so, six or seven? Hmm?" "At that age, he must be quite adorable." "......" "They say that’s the age when they’re at their cutest, right? At four, they’re mischievously troublesome, and by ten, they start doing everything they’re told not to. Is that true?" “……” "Brother?" The young man turns his head to look for his brother. And there was no one there. As if there was never anyone to begin with, not a single trace of presence remained. The young man swings his torch around to scan the surroundings. But only the flickering shadows of the torchlight dance in the black darkness. A chill creeps down the young man's spine. The person he was speaking with vanished in just a few steps, and what sort of sorcery could this be? Then, who was the person he was talking to all this time, and where on earth did they disappear to? N2Q1UkN6Sk9iTEJZNGlLdU5pL0JqalY0dnE1eEx0aUFNenZPejZ3dTBxUWNaVk1sZXlSUlhwcEd1Qmh1N2I0OA “Brother? Stop messing around, where are you?” The young man's voice quivers with a tremor. It was at that moment. From the darkness, two pale-white hands quietly extend towards the sides of the young man's head. Then, suddenly, one hand clamps around his neck, while the other tightly closes over his mouth. With a thud, the torch drops and rolls away. “Mm, mm.” The young man claws and struggles against the arms tightening around his neck. But the struggle is brief. An acrid smell, like strong alcohol, seeps through the coarse cloth clamped over his mouth, forcing its way into his lungs. His eyes roll upwards, and he droops limp. The man collapses onto the ground with a thud. White hands grasp the young man’s hair. Even the flickering firelight reflects on those pale and slender hands, as beautiful as an enchanting witch's. Qing holds onto a handful of hair on each side and drags them as she moves her steps. “Click.” All that talk was laughable. These beasts pile corpses like mountains, yet they miss their women and care for their children. And what? Rid the Zhongyuan of our presence? These bastards were unmistakably Blood Cult members. Qing, holding two heads by their hair, drags them directly towards the mine entrance. Through the unguarded, wide-open entrance and into the shadows, there lay guards unconscious from the patrol, tangled together as they lay. Two more bodies are tossed atop them. Casting a cool gaze upon the sight, Qing turns silently and moves on. Shortly after Qing leaves, a muscular giant appears, depositing another unconscious man, and heads out again. A moment later, a man with a handsome gaze, even visible through a masked face, discards another unconscious person before disappearing. And following that, two women arrive with a rattling cart. One was pushing, the other pulling, yet even with such simple teamwork failing, they grabbed the handles on both sides and kept a noticeable distance, suggesting a sour relationship. This way, they appeared, dumping people off the cart in heaps. As more and more people piled up, masked figures finally gathered before this mound of bodies. Lastly, Qing found her spot among the masked individuals. "This seems to be all of them." The group had collectively gathered the patrolmen and dragged out the miners sleeping in the building before the mine. Oddly enough, the miners were merely unconscious, not dead bodies. Killing is far too convenient. For me and for them as well. I've never really understood how films or comics portray acts of revenge. How is it revenge if you just cleanly kill them? They won't wake up in the afterlife, pounding the ground in regret, right? True revenge is making them suffer as much as possible, making them groan in pain and despair, isn't it? That's why, though cumbersome, we used a drug. Tang Clan's Dream-Confounding Drug, the "Three Steps, One Bow." Dream-Confounding Drug is a general term for substances that cloud a person’s consciousness. The Dream-Confounding Drug from Tang Clan, the top pharmaceutical house in Zhongyuan, was infamously renowned as a premium product. Rumor had it if inhaled, one would collapse before walking three steps, losing their senses instantly, and fall into a bowing posture. Thus, "Three Steps, One Bow." Three steps, and then a bow. But really now, why does Nanah carry things like this around? Though our Nanah is the prized gem of the Sichuan Tang Clan, this seems a bit excessive as a self-defense item, doesn’t it? Of course, Tang Nanah intended to scoff. Despite the side effects of lung damage, it was designed to subdue, not kill. Our Tang Clan doesn't even consider such mild poisons as true poisons. "So, shall we awaken them?" With a swish, Tang Nanah slipped her hand into her flowing sleeve, rummaging around. Then, she pulled out a small glass vial, opened it, and sprinkled its contents in the air. The scent of something akin to refreshing mint filled the cave, followed by soft groans emerging from everywhere. Qing clapped her hands sharply. "Alright, everyone, attention!" "Gasp!" "Where—" "Who—" "Look here. Glitter, glitter. And, shh. Silence. Keep quiet." Qing smiled brightly as she released her sword aura. In reality, there's no more effective way to silence Zhongyuan people than with something glittering. But still, waking up in an unfamiliar ceiling? Who could stay quiet? Although, to be accurate, it wasn't an unfamiliar ceiling but a familiar one—the rock ceiling of the mine. "Sh**—what the hell—ugh!" The man who tried shouting out curses immediately froze like a stone. When a cold blade is suddenly thrust into your mouth, the courage to move forsakes you. "Shh. Quiet. Didn't I tell you to be silent? Want to die?" The man shook his head desperately. With a blade digging into his mouth, shaking it left and right bore the appearance of trembling wildly. "Anyway, rules are rules. A penalty must be given. Here, a little sting." One of Qing's principles, or rather her conviction. When a sword penetrates an enemy’s body, it must never exit from the same direction. Once an enemy's mouth had been pierced, it had to exit another way. "Agh, aagh!" As the man grabbed his face and collapsed, the pain erupting from his torn cheek drew out a wrenching scream from him. But only for a moment. "Shh. I told you to be quiet?" "Mmph! Mmgh!" At the sight of the bright blade gently piercing the stone ground right before him, the man clamped his mouth shut tightly. With even the one with the torn mouth stifling a scream, the other miners were surely no exception. Qing nodded her head in satisfaction. "Alright. Just to show you in case any of you get funny ideas, here we have, glitter number one." "Glitter number two." "……Three." Seo Lily and Peng Daesan released their aura. Regrettably, the original 'glitter number two', Gyeon Poo Hee, was assigned as the caregiver and was not present. "See? Don’t entertain thoughts like, ‘Maybe we can win if we all rush them.’ Alright, everyone rise. Keep your mouths shut, use only your feet, and quietly follow." As Qing instructed, she took the lead, holding a lamp, moving backward into the depth of the mine. After all, peeling one’s eyes away from desperate escapee glances was unthinkable. "Didn't you hear? Want to die?” With disdain-colored derision, Tang Nanah's sharp voice spurred the reluctant miners into motion. Even as their eyeballs practically rolled audibly from exchanging glances, that was irrelevant. Qing confidently strode backward. And the further they walked, the greater the bewilderment and anxiety on the miners’ faces grew. These bastards seemed to have realized where they were being led. Their dismal expressions made Qing inadvertently smile wide. While observing the fools, the flow of air brushed against her back, indicating they had reached a dead-end at the blocked rocky wall. Qing set the lamp on the ground, flipping a nearby metal plate. But then a foul miasma engulfed them. A putrid odor nearly impossible to endure permeated the air. "Ugh." "Blech." A chorus of retching erupted simultaneously. Not that it mattered if some couldn't hold back and vomited. Regardless, Qing was finally ready to proceed. "Alright, you all know how to use rope ladders, right?"