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Chapter 16
Beeeeep—
How much time had passed since her breath had stopped? After sinking into an eternal sleep, she opened her eyes. No—more precisely, it felt as if someone had called out to her.
Someone had dug up her corpse, laid her upon a circle drawn in blood, and was chanting incomprehensible incantations. Still lying down, she groped along the ground. Clink. Something cold brushed her fingertips. She instantly knew what it was: a large pair of scissors.
“Do you wish to have your grievance resolved?”
“Who are you?”
“I am the one who will ease your bitterness.”
“My bitterness?”
“Do you not wish to avenge your younger sister?”
“…I do. I wish it. I wish for the death of that wretch who killed my sister and murdered me!”
“Then answer my call.”
A whisper like a serpent’s hiss brushed against her ear.
“I shall make you a ghost.”
By the time she awakened as a ghost, the head of the Geum family had already died of old age long ago. Blood Palace Lord Ma Wolhu unleashed the newly-made spirit, Choryeong, upon Myongdo. Carrying the rattling scissors, she wandered the village in search of men. Even though the ones who had harmed her were long gone, a ghost sees nothing—everything before her was an object of hatred.
Such is a ghost: tragic and terrifying.
Clang. Clang, KANG!
Sa-yeol opened her eyes to this sound. When she looked, Choryeong was screaming as she clashed with Wol. He effortlessly slipped past the unpredictable swings of the giant scissors and slashed the ghost’s body using a sword wrapped in old cotton cloth.
But a ghost is already a dead body; such methods could not defeat it.
“It’s done.”
Now that Sa-yeol had awakened, everything would be resolved.
“Run.”
“To where?”
“To the burial ground of the Geum ancestors.”
At Sa-yeol’s words, Wol instantly lifted her into his arms and sprinted away. Behind them came the shrieks and metallic clattering of the scissors. The dragging of rotten intestines across the ground, torn-off nails and toenails dropping with dull thuds—an enraged ghost chased them with murderous fury.
“Faster.”
“Got it.”
Holding Sa-yeol, Wol raced toward the Geum family estate. To find the burial site of their ancestor, they needed someone from the Geum family—among other things.
Bursting out of the forest and leaping straight into the Geum residence, Wol stared at the terrified household members. The door he had kicked open toppled behind him. He asked the woman in his arms:
“Who do we take?”
“The head of the household.”
On Sa-yeol’s command, Wol set her down and seized the current head, Geum Sang-ho, who had rushed out in shock.
“What is happening!?”
Before he could get an answer, Wol grabbed him by the back of the neck. Sa-yeol lightly hopped onto the wall and asked:
“Tell me where your ancestor is buried.”
“O-our family grave, you mean?”
“Is there a family head buried a hundred years ago?”
“T-that one? To the west from here…!”
Then screams erupted outside. “A ghost! A ghost has appeared!” Hearing the chaos, Geum Sang-ho realized this was no ordinary situation.
“If you go straight west, you’ll find the grave of the family head from two generations ago!”
“Wol, let’s go.”
“Servants, bring tools to dig the ground!”
Wol dragged Geum Sang-ho by the scruff, following Sa-yeol as she vaulted over the wall. The terrified man’s screams mixed with those of the fleeing household. Wol dragged him along, barely letting his feet touch the ground, until they reached a single grave to the west.
The well-tended grave showed how comfortably its occupant had rested in a sunny, peaceful place. Sa-yeol stared at it with a cold expression. The sight disgusted her—the man who had caused the deaths of so many women now lay here in tranquil slumber.
Wol threw Geum Sang-ho down before the grave.
“Come here.”
Sa-yeol called the ghost that was chasing her. Then she spoke to Wol, who already seemed to know what he must do. Instead of facing the ghost, he drew his sword and aimed it at Geum Sang-ho.
“Do we need it?”
“We need the blood of the Geum line. Take only what’s necessary.”
“W-what are you doing!?”
“Your ancestor’s sins are great.”
Slash!
“Aaargh!”
Wol cut deep into Geum Sang-ho’s arm. His blood scattered across the grave. Sa-yeol murmured continuously, Come forth, come forth. Come to me.
“Your enemy shall open his eyes.”
Whoooosh—
A violent wind blew. It whipped her white hair wildly as the servants finally arrived, panting, tools in hand. Behind them, the fearsome, split-mouthed ghost approached, and they trembled in terror.
“Dig up the grave.”
“D-dig it up!?”
“H-how can we disturb the rest of the dead…?!”
“If you want to live, dig.”
Her tone was icy; her eyes held no mercy or pity. Geum Sang-ho, bleeding heavily, lay groaning nearby. He knew very well what kind of man his grandfather—the one buried here—had been. And so, he could guess why Sa-yeol was doing this.
“Don’t tell me… that ghost is connected to my grandfather?”
“Yes. To put her spirit to rest, we need her decayed body.”
“…If that’s the case—”
Clutching his bleeding arm, Geum Sang-ho shouted:
“Dig up the grave!”
“What?”
“I-is that truly allowed?”
“Hurry! Dig it up, now!”
At his order, the servants frantically began digging. With each strike of the shovel, neat grass was torn out and earth was thrown aside. Soon, a surprisingly well-preserved, high-quality coffin emerged.
Creak…
They pried open the coffin lid.
“Gasp…!”
Even after a hundred years, the corpse had not fully decayed. Although blackened and strangely warped as if charred, it still looked like a grotesque mass of half-rotten flesh.
Sa-yeol kicked the blood-soaked dirt from Geum Sang-ho’s wound into the grave. Clumps of bloodied soil fell onto the blackened body. Just then, more screams erupted—the split-mouthed ghost had arrived.
“Kyaaa!”
“Aahhh!”
The servants scattered, shrieking, but the ghost ignored them. Instead, she dove straight into the grave.
—It’s you! You!!
Dripping blood and trailing entrails, the ghost began hacking the ancestor’s corpse with her scissors. Slice, slice, crack, crunch. The long-dead flesh and bone, unable to decay because of the lingering resentment, shattered under each blow.
—You…!
Blood tears streamed down her face as the blood pouring into her torn lips was left unchecked. Ragged lips, bloody eyes, dangling intestines—all ignored as she violently tore the corpse apart.
Guuuuurk—
A strange sound gurgled from the corpse that had died a century ago. The blackened body twitched. As if alive, it writhed with each stab of the scissors.
—You…!
Her entire face was now crimson.
—I…!
CRUNCH!
Stabbing the scissors straight into its heart, she looked up at the sky. Stars twinkled beneath the dark heavens. Her torn lips closed; her reddened face slowly turned pale. The hollow black sockets regained beautiful dark pupils. Her tattered body reformed itself.
“At last… I can repent for the sin I committed against you…”
