Gore.
-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆
"...who was he to seal their fate?"
That exact same line has been rehearsed by me in these past few days. But nothing changed, not the way I wish it were.
Nope. This isn't a drama scenario nor school project to make a movie. It's a cool phrase though, but this isn't any of those.
A web novel. That's it.
[DETAIL ↺]
That darned button. I swear, whoever invested that, fully aware they're mocking anyone who came across it. Well, curse you!
clack, clack, clack
My finger was a piston of pure spite, hammering the F5 key as I glared at the author's profile page. The "Last Updated" field stared back, unmoved.
"Oh, c'mon! Even the fanfic's author still uploading despite a robbery."
I'm nibbling on my thumb, growing worrisome as I stare at the screen of my computer. Did they mess around with us once more?
No. Let's not jump to a conclusion. They might be having an emergency or something. The world isn't over yet, this is fine.
Even so, remembering all the delays that were piling up...
"Heung! It's too much. Why did they do this if they just want to laze around? Don't you care about the backlash? You're screwing all the hard work!"
My face planted directly onto the surface of the table. Playing a few strands of hair with my finger.
To any outsider, this would look like the meltdown of the century. But really? It was just another Tuesday. Another reader's rant because his favorite web novel was on hiatus once more.
I should've fully expected this, but y'know... my heart couldn't take it to part away from the story. Even when the author's antics made my blood boil. What misdeeds I've done to deserve this?
Ack! Now that reminds me about my cursed luck back in high school. I shivered up slightly.
"Man, that's creeping me up."
I take a deep breath. The author promised to continue the series today, just to forget it entirely. Let's go back once more tonight, I hope it will be updated. Welp, time to check what other fans are up to.
My hand swiftly moves the cursor on the screen, setting aside the web novel site and let it working in the background. I opened several social platforms that are pinned on my homepage.
The keyboard warrior now will make his grand entrance!
"Hmm... don't think I should open Crown first. There's just too much trash posting from the English speaker."
That's unavoidable, though. The recent change in ownership dragged down the platform quality into mud. The predecessor isn't great either, but everyone agreed the rebrand makes it suck~
D'Café is the best choice to determine the overall fanbase's reaction. That's what I did now. The loading screen greeted me as per usual. Feeling hungry, I reach out to a transparent container that's been sitting on my desk for a day or two.
crunch, crunch
"Cough, cough... agh. The heck. Who makes mooncake this crisp?"
My eyes become watery. I rush out from my room and quickly grab a glass of water.
After downing two glasses, I finally set down my cup.
"Gasp! Haa, crazy. I seriously almost died there." I clench my fists tight.
This has to be reported to the Ministry, I swear. Not just a choke hazard, the cookie literally as hard as a brick. How insane a famous corporation that is one behind this?
Bzzt— [Attempt of transport failed. Looking for alternatives...]
"Huh?"
I quickly glance up towards the ceiling of my apartment. For a moment, something was floating right above my head. But as fast as I felt it, it disappeared immediately. All I saw was empty air where it was supposed to be.
"Didn't something pop up there a while ago? I could've sworn I saw a blue light there. Where is it?"
As I turned my head back and forth, I couldn't find anything. There's nothing suspicious here. Plates, kitchen utensils, rice cooker, stove... no oddity.
"Seriously, this isn't good for my well-being. Am I starting to hallucinate now?" I groans. Although I'm currently taking a paid time off from work.
"Wait. Am I... haunted by a ghost? In this board daylight?"
"Kunti? Or maybe, Kuyang? Aigo... Dear Lord, please don't."
My body trembling from the thought of it. Despite working out and having a quite muscular body, you can't strengthen your psyche at the same time. This is my personal experience.
Ghosts are #1 enemies of a scaredy cat.
And it doesn't help me at all. Since the place where I reside has infamous horror folklore that's been passed down for generations.
"I rather face Sadako than nonsense like this. I could've just shut my TV down."
I've been sweating bullets without realization. Ah... let's get out of here. I don't wanna die comically like in those movies. I remember I had to buy some groceries as well.
I grope my pocket. My phone and wallet are in there, but not my car keys. That's more than enough.
Without wasting time, I begin to move out from the kitchen. My head lowered down, casting my eyes to the floor. If my life were an animation, I could imagine vertical dark stripes pop up on my face. This is horrible.
I always make sure to avoid coming close to space underneath furnitures and tables. I ain't risking myself when a hand suddenly pops up and grabs my ankle. So scary!
creack...
Both my ears perked up, hearing the noise of a door hinge move. I take a quick glance to my left.
There, the door to the space I used for storage room was strangely open wide. The room was dimly lit by the sun through a small ventilation. That freaking room always locked! It must be a ghost, a ghost no doubt!
"I wanna puke now..."
The atmosphere suddenly became chilly, temperature drop significantly. This is in mid-hot season at the equator, yet I'm shivering now.
Nope, absolutely nope! I'm not going to investigate what's in there. Yep, don't look at it, just act like you don't see them. I can do this!
...
Huh? Is that... a man?
It's definitely human, right? I mean, they wore a sport brand jacket, his clothing not tattered nor missing limbs. He's just rummaging through the stuff in that storage.
"Phew. That's definitely reassuring. I'm almost freaking out."
Hum, hmm, mhm~
I'm humming a happy tune as I step forward casually, walking past the storage room. Let's see, which items I need to buy for groceries.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone and unlock it.
"Notes... where's that app? Ah, there it is."
My thumb pressed on the screen, and I was immediately greeted by a list of products.
As I scroll through the list and accounting to my budget, I'm failed to notice the man approaching from behind. He now stood up next to me, casting a shadow over.
"Huh?" I crank up my neck to look at him.
Not thinking much, I land my hand over his broad chest, pushing him back. Then I continue, "Move to the side, buddy. I need to focus here, wait for a bit."
What's up with him?
From a quick glance, I could tell this guy is attractive despite covering his face with a black mask. Yet, he is quite a bothersome gentleman. As a proud exemplary citizen, I ought to remind him the importance of personal space.
Now, let's see what to buy. A carton of milk, some eggs, tofu, doenjang (fermented soybean)... Doenjang is a bit hard to come across. There's this small Chinese shop nearby that sells that. But they're on opposite direction from the supermarket.
"It can't be helped. Let's take my car keys while at it."
As I'm about to turn around, I just realized my hand was still laid upon the man's chest. Due to reflex, my palm accidentally tightens and grope one of his pectoral muscles.
Ah? Surprisingly it's quite squishy, not rock hard as I thought. My other hand was on my chin. Dudes like him with large build tends to have solid, corded muscles. I suppose everyone is different, huh?
"Whoops, sorry. Didn't mean to do that," I swiftly withdraw my hand. "I got too absorbed with my screen, so yeah..."
I put on a smile, trying to be friendly and erase the impression as a creepy guy.
"..."
"..."
"Uh, hey? You alright, man?"
Wait... I just realized, this guy has been silent for minutes. I didn't hear him talk once. Seriously? I'm already apologizing, what else does he want now? Did he think I'm a freak that it scares him this much?
I gaze up curiously, gazing at his amethyst colour irises. What a sight.
That depressive expression of his doesn't suit him all. People might mistaken him as a ghost.
I grin, "You should smile some more. That frown doesn't suit you haha."
I didn't expect much, but surprisingly he's taken my advice. His frown now upside-down. Finally! Someone has taken my advice seriously. I'm proud of myself~
To be frank, his smile is quite... unique. What is the right term? Oh, yeah! Omnious. Yet I also sense dread at the same time, why?
...oh, right.
This is my own apartment. I'm no longer living in a dormitory like back in HS and university. I don't have any roommate now. Worse, I didn't knew this guy at all.
Old habits are hard to die, huh?
Haa... how great. It took me this long to realize he broke into my home. I didn't register the sense of danger from the unknown.
That's why you shouldn't kill your original personality.
To avoid being bullied years ago, I threw away my quiet self and decided to push myself. I start striking up conversations on random topics with classmates and fellow students.
Despite drained from energy and overthinking, I began to grow accustomed around my peers and other strangers. Now... everything start coming back to me.
I'm nearly choked from holding my breath.
No, please not now. I should find a way to distract him and escape. I still have my phone in my hand.
Let's relax, he's not being hostile yet. I hope he doesn't know I realize what's actually going on here. I'll try to continue pretending and see what could I work with.
"Heh. Finally come back to your sense?" A deep bass voice break the silence that has been stretched for quite some time. He spoke in a strange accent English.
Ah, yes. Me and my cursed luck.
"Something wrong, dear?" The man said, asking the obvious. Because my lack of reaction, he continues, "Little one, I admire your equanimity. Such a shame it was a misplaced attempt."
Equa- what?
Crap, I could tell the words he's using are fancy. But I barely understand anything at all. Don't expect me to respond you!
"Ah, I- I not..." I swallow my own saliva, unable to form any sentence.
Not only his expression is menacing, the more he speak the more I felt my life shorten by years. Ack, the world seems to spin around me now. My legs almost to give out.
kung!
A sudden intense pain radiates from my back, snapping me back to reality. Just now, the man shove me to a wall nearby. Ah, yeah. It's illogical that the bad guy give time for his victim to think.
I wish I was born inside a fiction.
The dangerous man now staring back at me like a tiger. I couldn't utter a single word underneath that scrutiny, like my entire body just shrunken to that size of a hamster. W-what should I do? There's no way I could call emergency service.
"Having a thought to flee, hmm?" He ask gently. But the drawling in his tone more than enough to hint me. He's playing with his food, me.
"D-doun heurt, please..."[1] I tried to plead for my life. Forget about always having remedial in English subject. My life now within this foreign man's palm.
"Plea- please..."
Aah, I'm going to die. I wonder I would meet my mom and dad in afterlife.
My nose become stuffy, followed by a trail of tears dripping down my cheek. Stop, stop it dammit. Why I become a crybaby now? I'm not that weak like back then.
But then a snicker slipped out of his mouth. The man proceed to full blown laughter that echoes savagely through the room. Dread coursing through my veins.
Right that moment, a massive blade of knife visible as his hand ran through the jet black hair.
...a cleaver?
A memory resurface about an article I read recently, "Crazy Butcher".
Is he THAT human butcher?
"..."
The man proceed to cusp my chin, forcing my eyes to gaze at him directly. I tried my best to turn away, but his grip is solid. Tears blur my vision while my body weakened.
"Why the long face, my dear? You shall rejoice that I am here," The man chuckling sinisterly.
None that I could understand. Atleast he is now rubbing my cheek and erase the trail of tears left behind.
I want to run, to puke out of revulsion. But my energy has vanished into the thin air. I'm not in a movie, this is real life. How should I outrun a psychopath standing infront me, while holding a weapon that could chop my head off as he desire?
Dear God, Lord, Buddha, all Deities, Goddess on Heaven above. Please I beg to you, I just want to live for another day. Help me to escape from my death.
"Heuk, eungh... hic."
"Ssh. We don't want to disturb this lovely neighborhood, don't you agree sweetheart? It'll be more painless if you remains quiet."
"Wh-who, you? Why h-here?"
"Me?" The man points at himself in amusement. "I'm just someone who admire everything about you. As for the reason, you don't have to concern yourself over it. This won't be long~"
"I not k..now you. I need go, heuk... ple-please."
As he understands my broken English and stutters, he responds much more enthusiastic, "Ahh~ Why should I let you, little one? The system has destined you as the one I shall look for."
System...? What system?
Is this something related to occult ritual or government secret agenda?
The man continues blabbering, "It's a tad of hassle with its enforcement, nevertheless I have taken quite a fancy for it." He wave the hand that was holding the cleaver.
Now!
I propelled myself upwards and hit his elbow. The blow also hurt myself, but it definitely caught him off guard. My assessment was correct, he dropped the weapon because the surprise.
clang, trang!
Without giving him any chance to react, I launch my shin towards the back of his leg. More exactly the area between back thigh and calf. I used to mess around with my buddies there to throw off their balance.
I was so close to stun him, but his reaction speed was one of a cheetah.
His other arm quickly wrap around my slender body and clutching it tight. Then he push me with incredible amount of force, causing me to stumble, and drop to the ground.
BRAKK!
"Cough, cough... ackk. It hurt!"
His face plastered with a huge smug, a sign of victory over my tactic.
"A naughty kid, aren't you?"
The man now forcing his weight over my body, immobilize my limbs entirely. I could only gaze at him helplessly. What a cruel world. If you're not protagonist, you're destined to die.
"End it..." I said quietly, almost a whisper.
"My pleasure."
He proceed to pull out what looks like a pocket knife, and swing its blade with precise arc right before my eyes.
Instantly, a gush of warm blood ripping out from my neck's artery. Within seconds, a taste of coppery lingering on my tongue. In that moment, I knew I could no longer be saved.
The end to my tale is near.
I hope Shyn doesn't hate me when I'm gone before her.
Bzzt—
The same buzzing sound invading my tympanic membrane once again.
[A life-threatening wound has been detected. Imminent death of the potential savior is acknowledged.]
"Oh, there you are! Just a bit too late for the party, teach!"
In my flickering vision, I noticed that the man wave up at something behind him. I could only discern a blue hue emitting there.
What a psycho.
"Cough... cough. Eugh."
My own blood has pouring into my throat as well. I'm occasionally let out a wet, choking gargle. My breath become strangled. I could felt the rapid organs shutdown begin across entire body system.
But my stupid body refuses to simply laying down, on the crimson pool that's formed recently.
"Heuk... guh, hakkk..."
I begin to crawl on the cold floor with trails of red behind me. Despite my conscious slipped in and out occasionally, I dragged my body ahead. I don't know where I'm heading to.
"It's ...ready don.... few... then the deed... finis... Yep. ....ansport back... come on... look... no longe..."
The man's voice begin to become incoherent from my hearing, hinting the massive amount of blood that I have already lost.
My hand bathed in my own blood, now grasp at a solid object. As I look up, I notice the surprise expression from him.
Ah, I must've gone to hold on to his leg.
With no direction what to do, I roam my hand up to his large thigh, then come across with his pocket. Maybe I could find anything to left him injured as well.
He doesn't seems trying to stop me, neither I am giving up on my objective.
After what feels like hours and shivers has run through my body, I pull out a long rectangular shape object. A wallet.
I intentionally roam my hand across it surface entirely, coating it with my blood and leaving my fingerprints behind. After that, I proceed to flip open the leather wallet.
A surprising jolt coursing through my nerves system. There, exactly at the transparent plastic display, a photo of mine with youthful energy.
I still remember it vividly. It was taken right after my high-school graduation. I'm standing infront of our school gate together with my close friends, it was a perfect moment when the cherry trees still blossoming.
It's a shame I failed my first CSAT (Suneung), since my aim for SNU College of Medicine were inhumane. There's still insanely genius peers out there despite being a top-ranker in my school.
But how this man came across my young picture?
I left it behind back in my homeland before settling down here.
"..."
Ah... unless he is my stalker. I see.
It's not a surprise for Koreans to know how crazy obsessive one's stalker could possibly be. There's one infamous stalker that stalk an entire family back then.
But I couldn't dwell in that.
If he knew me, then I should know who he is. I quickly rummage through several pockets inside the wallet. There it is.
syuuk!
I pull out an identification card that belongs to my stalker.
"To-Tobias... Hermann, uhh..."
I rub my eyes, trying to view it clearly. But I only made it worse by coating my eyelids with blood.
"It's Hermann Tobias Schäfer, darling," he whispers on my ear, while one of his hands gripping my shoulder tight. Then with a sudden move, the knife he still held plunge deep into my stomach.
"...!!"
Ah, whatever. I'll die at any moment now.
My body crumbles back to the cold floor. As I laid down, my mouth begin to cough up blood. Trickles of crimson fluid coming down my chin.
Tobias, huh?
He must be an European some sort.
As I let darkness and frigid air enveloping my body, another sharp buzz echoes inside my mind.
[Dear, host. As a compensation for your impending death, the system will provide you a new skill and a wish to be granted. Please state what is your desire.]
Skill? What nonsense this person saying? Shut up, it's annoying. Let me die already, I finally able to escape a planet full of misery.
[Your wish is invalid. Please rephrase your words with a proper plausible statement.]
There it is again.
Look, my stalker has taken my life now. Don't bothering me, I want to go to the afterlife with full tranquility.
"..."
It reminds me this won't happen if not because my coward nature. I could've escape and lock myself inside a room, buying some time to wait for the police to come.
Though, it's already far too late to stop the inevitable.
Choosing between facing ghosts or a stalker. I would pick the later. Why?
Physical harm much better for me compared to physiological dread and terror from the unknown. My childhood filled with abuse anyway.
[The request is invalid. Please—]
Argh, fine fine!
You want to know my wish, huh?
Then I wish I would dragged down that infuriating author to hell with me! They basically freeloading at this rate. Curse 'em, I don't care anymore...
"..."
"..."
"..."
It's gone.
Ahh. Finally...
Now I could leave this world without any lingering remorse.
I'm coming to the other side, see ya...
With that, the pale hand of a young Korean man now laying on the ground. Without any consciousness to clutch on the blood soaked wallet anymore.
The man who responsible of it, only stood still in amusement. Enjoying the life essence slowly drained from the young lad. With the boy completely limp, now his business has been taken care of.
"Alright, let's bring us now."
With that, a massive blue hue light covering them both swiftly. After a dance of the light, the body of the young man and the guy has dissappear into the thin air.
What left is two pool of crimson liquid, with the later much smaller and has a trace of something dragged out from the first one.
[1] Please appreciate his attempt to speak in English))