By Zephyria 
108
Soon, Gil-sang’s sword severed the Devouring Ghoul’s neck. The head-lost Devouring Ghoul slowly fell backward, then crashed to the ground with a thud.
“……”
As expected, it’s Gil-sang. Ho-eun swallowed a breath mixed with joy. But then, a long, enormous shadow whooshed over his face. And at the same time, a thwack! sound was heard, and Gil-sang was instantly sent flying far away.
“Corporal!”
Startled, Ho-eun called out to Gil-sang.
Flying and flying, Gil-sang collided with a tree and groaned. He immediately stood up again. But he couldn’t stand up straight. Staggering, he frowned, clutching his thigh.
Only then did Ho-eun remember that he had injured his thigh. It couldn’t have healed completely yet. It would be impossible for him to fight with that body. But there was nothing that weak Ho-eun could do.
Kaaaah-ah-ah!
The Devouring Ghoul, hugging a huge tree with both hands, howled as if it felt refreshed. Then, it began to swing the tree around, striking other Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers nearby.
The soldiers, pushed by the tree, beaten, and struck, flew in all directions. Since swords and spears were not as long as the tree, it was not easy for the soldiers’ weapons to reach the Devouring Ghoul.
Meanwhile, another Devouring Ghoul stomped towards the staggering Gil-sang. Its jaws were wide open, as if it would tear off Gil-sang’s head and eat it.
“Seong-im. Seong-im, please help the Corporal. Please?”
Ho-eun shouted at Seong-im’s back. However.
“……”
Seong-im didn’t answer, nor did she move. She was just guarding Ho-eun, gripping her sword so tightly that her hands turned white.
She looked quite cold-hearted, but Ho-eun couldn’t dare to resent her, nor could he fail to understand her. If he felt this way, how much more must Seong-im feel?
He had to find another way. Another way to help Gil-sang. Then, suddenly, he thought of the Pistol. Ho-eun quickly pulled out the Pistol from his side. And aimed it at the Devouring Ghoul running towards Gil-sang.
But.
“……”
He couldn’t pull the trigger rashly.
After all, he couldn’t kill the Devouring Ghoul with a Pistol. He already knew that from shooting it in the village before. It would only get stuck in its Helmet Bone. And that Devouring Ghoul would probably get angry and rush at him.
Then what should he do? Seong-im, who was guarding him, would be the first to die. Then he would die, or maybe the girls would die before him.
“……”
Ho-eun’s Gun trembled. He had to shoot to save Gil-sang. But he mustn’t shoot to save Seong-im and the girls.
What should he do? What should he do?
Just as Ho-eun unknowingly closed his eyes from the encroaching helplessness and despair.
In an instant. Everything became quiet.
It wasn’t complete silence. The soldiers’ shouts, screams, and yells were still audible, but only the noise of the Devouring Ghouls, who had been loudly howling and rampaging, disappeared completely.
Could Tae-muk have come? Could he have killed all the Devouring Ghouls in an instant?
With such hope, Ho-eun opened his eyes wide.
“……”
The Devouring Ghouls were all standing on end. Sticking out their backs and staring at the empty air, they looked as if they had been simultaneously struck by dozens of invisible lightning bolts.
Squeak…….
Cough, cough…….
Their heads twitched intermittently. Their limbs fluttered and jerked. Ho-eun narrowed his eyes at the bizarre sight.
The Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers, not missing the opportunity, attacked the Devouring Ghouls. Gil-sang, who had regained his balance and stood up, also powerfully slashed the neck of the Devouring Ghoul that had come right in front of him.
The floor was instantly soaked with the blood of the Devouring Ghouls. The acrid stench of blood lingered around like a fog.
That was when half of the Devouring Ghouls had their necks cut, or their Helmet Bones broken or pierced. The Devouring Ghouls, as if angered, thrust their maws at the soldiers, waved their sharp claws, and, surprisingly… began to retreat little by little.
Then, in the end, one by one, they turned around and started running away altogether. Ho-eun’s mouth fell open. Could it be that they were…
“Running away?”
Devouring Ghouls? It was the first time he had seen Devouring Ghouls running away. No, he had never even imagined it. Because they were the ones who would desperately open their mouths to tear off flesh even after their necks were cut. So they should be doing that now. Why were they running away?
Gil-sang had said something like that before.
‘These bastards, they won’t attack if they think they can’t win. They probably went somewhere else to look for food.’
‘Does that mean they’re that smart?’
‘Well, smart or not, it’s the same as a rabbit not attacking a tiger.’
Was this an extension of that? Having lost nearly half of their numbers, did they sense defeat and run away? Ho-eun was staring blankly at the Devouring Ghouls, who were gradually disappearing between the trees.
“……”
The Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers did not follow the fleeing Devouring Ghouls. They were just maintaining their alert posture, their nerves on edge. Some were moving the injured and treating them. Gil-sang also returned to Ho-eun’s side.
“Corporal, are you alright?”
Ho-eun asked worriedly.
“Yes. I’m perfectly fine.”
Gil-sang smiled faintly. After briefly meeting eyes with Seong-im, he shook the Devouring Ghoul’s blood-soaked sword in the air once, and then entered an alert posture like the others.
How long had it been? Amidst the silence, familiar footsteps began to approach through the trees. Hearing those footsteps, Ho-eun released the strength in his arms that had been embracing the girls. The girls widened their eyes as if asking why.
“It’s okay now.”
Ho-eun smiled faintly at them. And at the same time as that, Tae-muk appeared from the forest. One side of his cheek was wet with blood, and in his hand he held the head of a Devouring Ghoul. It was a Devouring Ghoul with a large, leaf-shaped antenna attached to the middle of its Helmet Bone, and the spinal bone was attached to the torn neck for about three spans, dangling.
He must have been dealing with the Devouring Ghouls in an unseen place while they were wondering where he had gone.
Ho-eun pursed his lips without realizing it. He knew it was an urgent situation, but did he really have to go around alone like that? Couldn’t he have gone with Dong-ja, or Gil-sang, or at least one of them? That’s what he was thinking.
“……”
Tae-muk quickly scanned the Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers and the refugees. Of course, those he scanned included Ho-eun.
Confirming that most of them were unharmed, he slammed the head of the Devouring Ghoul he was holding upside down against a tree with a bang! The antenna attached to the middle of the Helmet Bone was crushed like a stepped-on persimmon.
Everyone watched Tae-muk in silence. Tae-muk, accustomed to such gazes, tossed the Devouring Ghoul’s head and said in a monotone voice.
“Prepare to depart.”
At that, the Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers began to move all at once. They packed their luggage, brought the horses, and took care of the refugees.
Around that time, Ho-eun got up from his seat. Entrusting the children to Gil-sang, he immediately ran towards Tae-muk.
“Are you hurt?”
At those words, Tae-muk chuckled.
“If I’m hurt, so what? What are you going to do?”
It was a strangely playful tone, but Ho-eun didn’t smile. Rather, he hardened his face and asked again.
“Answer me properly. Are you hurt?”
“I’m not hurt.”
Tae-muk replied insincerely. Anyway, at the negative answer, Ho-eun let out a sigh of relief, “Haa……”. Tae-muk quietly looked down at Ho-eun. Then, feeling the blood flowing down his temple tickle, he roughly wiped it away with his palm. Ho-eun took out a handkerchief from his pocket.
“I’ll wipe it for you.”
“……”
Tae-muk glanced at the white handkerchief embroidered with flowers. Then, without saying anything, he slightly bent his waist. Still, he was still tall, so Ho-eun could only wipe his blood after slightly lifting his heels.
Ho-eun carefully wiped away the sticky blood. Even though he knew it wasn’t Tae-muk’s blood, he strangely became careful. As he wiped the red marks as if pressing them down, he asked in his unique, neat voice.
“The Devouring Ghouls ran away. Could it be related to the Commander killing that Devouring Ghoul with the antenna?”
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t figure it out. The Devouring Ghouls suddenly stopping all at once like puppets with cut strings, running away, and the head of the antenna Devouring Ghoul in Tae-muk’s hand.
“That’s right.”
“Then is that Devouring Ghoul the leader of the group?”
“From what I’ve seen so far.”
“So you killed that one first.”
Ho-eun nodded as if he understood. But there were still many things he didn’t understand. How did the Devouring Ghouls know that they had lost their leader, that is, that Tae-muk had killed their leader? It seemed like they were so far away that they couldn’t even see. And why did they stop at that moment, and why did they run away?
Ho-eun opened his mouth to ask something else.
“Captain.”
A soldier called out to Tae-muk.
“Yeah.”
Tae-muk straightened his hunched body. Ho-eun, who was raising his hand holding the handkerchief along with him, soon let go of his cheek.
“Ah, I haven’t finished wiping it yet…”
“It’s okay.”
Tae-muk said nonchalantly and immediately headed somewhere following the soldier. It seemed like they were talking about how many were injured, how many refugees were missing, and so on.
“……”
Ho-eun stared at his receding back. Then, without realizing it, he turned around.
Under a gaunt tree, the head of the Devouring Ghoul that Tae-muk had thrown down a little while ago was lying scattered about.
The leader of the Devouring Ghouls.
That meant that Devouring Ghouls also had ranks. If so, did they also have units, groups? They usually traveled in groups, but they didn’t seem to interact with each other.
Even if that were the case, how were those groups divided, and how was the leader determined? Were the antennae something they were born with from the beginning?
…Born?
Yes, Devouring Ghouls must be born too. Just like humans and beasts. Then how are they born? How are they raised?
Do they also have parents and families? If so, do they also have a place to stay? Like people living in towns or houses?
“……”
Ho-eun was staring at the head of the Devouring Ghoul with a serious face.
“Young master, we’ll be departing soon. Let’s go.”
Gil-sang led him away.
“Ah, yes.”
Ho-eun quickly followed him. Even so, he kept looking back at the head of the Devouring Ghoul.