165

After setting up a base and finishing the nearby exploration, the Crimson Rain Brigade began searching for the Devouring Ghoul’s hideout in earnest. They started by eliminating the Devouring Ghouls, and although they had found and killed them several times, they hadn’t discovered anything significant.

The Devouring Ghouls wouldn’t carry maps, nor would they leave traces of dwellings like humans. Even trying to spot footprints was futile, as the heavy snowfall quickly erased them.

“Hmm…”

Ho-eun pressed his lips together tightly, then released them, looking frustrated. He had hoped that coming to a place where Devouring Ghouls frequently appeared would make a difference… At this rate, finding their hideout would take longer than expected.

He let out a sigh with a puff of white breath.

Crack, crack…

Creaaak, squeak, crack!

In the distance, the Devouring Ghouls, which had been frozen in place, twisted their bodies and groaned strangely. It seemed that the ones who had been frozen as if broken by the disappearance of the leader after Tae-muk dealt with the Antenna Devouring Ghoul had regained their senses.

“Young master, get behind me.”

Gil-sang, who had been guarding Ho-eun’s side, drew his sword. Ho-eun obediently stood behind Gil-sang.

The Devouring Ghouls, shaking their heads jerkily, soon turned and began to flee. Dong-ja, who was not far away, pulled a spear from the Helmet Bone of a Devouring Ghoul he had just killed, and with a hearty shout, threw it at another Devouring Ghoul.

“Euratcha!”

Swoosh- The flying spear pierced the head of the fleeing Devouring Ghoul with a thud! His strength was so great that half of the spear protruded from the front of its head. The Devouring Ghoul squeaked… and then stood upright before falling forward. The heavy body collapsed with a thud! The ground shook.

Other Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers chased after the Devouring Ghouls, stabbing them with spears and slashing them with swords, killing them. The skilled members of the Crimson Rain Brigade stepped forward, and the Devouring Ghouls were quickly cut to pieces, pierced, and butchered.

At that moment, a Devouring Ghoul with its jaw torn raggedly tried to pass by Gil-sang and Ho-eun.

Kieeeeeeeee! Keck, keck!

The Devouring Ghoul’s cry was strangely sharp because its jaw was torn off. Gil-sang slightly lowered his upper body, preparing to deal with the Devouring Ghoul. Ho-eun asked him in his usual calm and polite voice.

“Sergeant, may I deal with that Devouring Ghoul?”

“Ah, go ahead.”

Gil-sang nodded and stepped aside. Ho-eun took out a Gun from his side and aimed it at the approaching Devouring Ghoul. Then, bang! He pulled the trigger without hesitation.

With a clang, the Devouring Ghoul’s front teeth shattered like icicles.

“……”

Ho-eun blew air out of his nose. He wanted to take it down in one shot like Dong-ja, but it seemed his skills were not yet sufficient to hit the Devouring Ghoul’s eyeball in one go.

Ho-eun took a short, deep breath, faced the Devouring Ghoul, and pulled the trigger again.

Bang!

This time, thick blood splattered from the Devouring Ghoul’s left eyeball. The Devouring Ghoul collapsed. The obese body, still carrying its momentum, slid across the snowfield, and the snow pushed by its body rolled up like a blanket.

Ho-eun inhaled with a happy breath. Did I kill it? Did I kill it? He stretched his chin out and examined the Devouring Ghoul.

“Oh, young master. You took down another one today. Good job.”

Man-soo, with a spear slung over his shoulder, walked through the blood-soaked ground and praised him.

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Ho-eun smiled shyly at the words. He could shoot calmly because Dong-ja, Man-soo, and Gil-sang were by his side. If he were alone, he would have been terrified and trembling. Still, everyone looked at him kindly and praised him, which gave him strength.

Ho-eun cautiously approached the Devouring Ghoul he had just killed. But that one was nothing special either.

“Looks like there’s nothing here either, right?”

Gil-sang, who was examining the Devouring Ghoul with Ho-eun, asked.

“Yes. It seems so.”

Ho-eun looked around carefully. The forest, with nothing but trees and snow, was an ordinary forest with no buildings, caves, or even pits. It didn’t seem like the Devouring Ghoul’s hideout would be in a place like this.

Another wasted day.

Ho-eun sighed repeatedly as he looked at the corpses of the Devouring Ghouls, which had dyed the surroundings red. The soldiers who had been scattered while dealing with the Devouring Ghouls began to return one by one. Ho-eun looked at each of them, who had now become as familiar as family. He was checking to see if anyone was hurt or if anyone was particularly late.

Then, he suddenly felt an empty space.

“It feels empty because Byeonguk isn’t here.”

It was because Byeonguk, who had left for Hanyang to fill out the records, was not there. It had already been more than ten days since he left, but he still couldn’t get used to the empty space.

“Even with so many sons, you can tell right away when one is missing, right?”

Gil-sang, who was next to him, nodded in agreement.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“It seems like you’ve become a Crimson Rain Brigade soldier now, young master.”

At those words, Ho-eun looked at Gil-sang with wide eyes. Gil-sang seemed flustered and twitched his chin as he stammered, uncharacteristically.

“No, you were a Crimson Rain Brigade soldier from the beginning, but, uh…”

“I know what you mean. Thank you.”

Ho-eun smiled, his eyes crinkling. He had become a Crimson Rain Brigade soldier. It was the best compliment he could receive.

When he first left home, he ate alone, worried alone, and feared alone, wondering when he would become close to the Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers and become a full-fledged soldier. Now, Gil-sang recognized him as a Crimson Rain Brigade person. It was no exaggeration to say that it was the greatest achievement Ho-eun had ever made in his life.

Gil-sang smiled along with Ho-eun, relieved by Ho-eun’s bright smile.

It was then.

“Commander, you’ve arrived.”

A soldier nearby looked back and greeted him. Ho-eun quickly turned his head. Tae-muk stood between the trees, holding the head of an Antenna Devouring Ghoul.

“Did you find anything?”

He asked. Gil-sang quickly ran to him, bowed his head, and said.

“No. There was nothing special. Just snow.”

At those words, Tae-muk clicked his tongue and approached Ho-eun. Then, he held out the Devouring Ghoul’s head as if presenting a gift.

“This bastard has sprout-shaped antennae. I was careful when tearing off its head so that the antennae wouldn’t get damaged.”

Then, he spun the head around, showing the sprout-shaped antennae, with brain fluid dripping from the torn neck.

“……”

Ho-eun unconsciously pulled his head back. He had gotten used to the corpses of the Devouring Ghouls, but it was still painful to see them this close. The greasy and musty smell of blood wasn’t very pleasant either.

But Tae-muk was looking at Ho-eun with a strange expression. It was as if he wanted to be praised for neatly tearing off the Devouring Ghoul’s head. Ho-eun hesitated for a moment before slowly parting his lips.

“Yes. I see. You did a good job. Seeing it this close, I think I can draw it in more detail next time…”

Then, Tae-muk grinned, showing his teeth.

“Should I just tear off the antennae?”

“……Yes.”

Ho-eun wanted to refuse, but he couldn’t ignore Tae-muk’s sincerity, so he nodded. Gil-sang, who was standing next to him, was snorting, trying to hold back his laughter, but Tae-muk didn’t seem to notice.

Tae-muk pulled the antennae from the Helmet Bone of the Devouring Ghoul. At the sound of the tearing, Ho-eun flinched and then straightened his neck. Goosebumps ran down his spine. Soon, Tae-muk held out the torn antennae to Ho-eun. It looked as if he was presenting a flower.

“……”

Just as Ho-eun was about to receive the antennae, which had nerves dangling like threads and blood dripping from it, the quick-witted Gil-sang took the antennae instead.

“I’ll take care of this.”

“Why?”

“The young master might get blood on him.”

Tae-muk raised one eyebrow, then nodded as if agreeing. Gil-sang, who had taken the antennae, said he would put it in his pocket and left. Tae-muk watched Gil-sang walk away for a moment, then casually threw away the useless Devouring Ghoul’s head.

But at that moment, Ho-eun’s eyes narrowed. Something was on Tae-muk’s hand, no, it was stuck in it.

“General’s hand…”

At those words, Tae-muk looked at his hand. A large, thick Devouring Ghoul’s tooth was piercing his palm. Tae-muk seemed to realize it only now, raised his eyebrows, and pulled out the tooth. The tooth, tangled with flesh, fell with a sticky sound.

“It’s nothing.”

He threw the tooth on the ground and said in an indifferent tone. He even shook his hand in the air. Following his gesture, drops of blood fluttered. Red drops of blood formed roundly on the pure white snowfield before seeping in.

“How is that nothing?”

Ho-eun, painfully contorting his eyes, stood close to Tae-muk. There was a hole in his palm that was so red it was almost black, and he could see the scenery behind it through the hole, but he said it was nothing. Ho-eun frowned and abruptly held out his hand. It was an invitation to take it. But Tae-muk took a half step back.

“It’ll get blood on you.”

“What’s wrong with getting blood on me? Take it.”

Ho-eun stubbornly took a step closer. His hand was still outstretched.

“……”

Tae-muk stared down at Ho-eun’s hand. The clean, white, and slender hand was too… what should he say, ah, yes, it was too precious to get blood on.

Tae-muk put his hands behind his back as if he didn’t want to. At that, Ho-eun bit his lip and suddenly stretched out his arms.

“Then hug me.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to wash my hands. To the valley nearby.”

“Where’s a valley nearby?”

“I don’t know. But don’t you know, General? You should be able to hear it.”

“Ha…”

Tae-muk scoffed in disbelief. Whether he did or not, Ho-eun kept his arms outstretched. He had an expression that said, ‘What are you doing? Hurry up and hug me.’ At that, Tae-muk scoffed again and obediently bent down and picked up Ho-eun.

By Zephyria

Hello, I'm Zephyria, an avid BL reader^^ I post AI/Machine assisted translation. So the quality is not guaranteed. Please just read it to fill your curiosity. You can support me on my ko-fi. Thank you!

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