Chapter 9: The Supernatural Affliction(2)

Mok Gyeong-un's pupils remained motionless, like those of a dead person. Myosin had never seen such eyes on a living being before, and for a moment, he couldn't tear his gaze away from them. "How can a human have such eyes?" he wondered. However, he was soon brought back to reality by someone's voice.

"What's going on here?" It was Go-chan, the guard who had escorted Mok Gyeong-un. He stared in confusion at the room, which was filled with red threads strung with silver coins. He had thought it strange that there was no one around the main building, but now this peculiar scene before him raised even more questions. Who was this person engaging in such bizarre activities?

"Excuse me, who are you and what are you doing here?" Go-chan demanded. 

Mok Gyeong-un glanced around the room and remarked, "You don't appear to be a doctor."

Myosin, feeling a sense of urgency, waved his hands frantically and said, "I don't know who you are, but it seems you haven't received the message from the Madam. This is a crucial moment, so please leave immediately."

"Madam?" Go-chan asked, puzzled.

"This is a moment that must not be interrupted," Myosin insisted.

Indeed, it was a critical juncture. In the midst of controlling the supernatural entity burrowing into the master's heart, a reversal had occurred due to the presence of death energy. This situation would only serve to strengthen the malevolent force.

"Please, leave now!" Myosin urged, feeling he had no time to waste.

Go-chan frowned at Myosin's insistence and muttered, "Could he be a shaman?"

"Yes, yes, I am a shaman. Now please, hurry and go..." Myosin confirmed impatiently.

"Why is that person like that?" Mok Gyeong-un suddenly asked, nodding towards the bed.

Myosin turned to look and saw someone on the bed, their back arched like a bow, coughing violently. "Master Jang?" he exclaimed in surprise.

'The master?' Mok Gyeong-un's expression turned quizzical.

The state of the master was beyond bizarre. His back was arched, chest pointing upwards, and his throat was visibly convulsing. He appeared to be in immense pain.

"What's wrong with Master Jang?" Go-chan asked, alarmed.

"Get out! I said get out!" Myosin shouted, trying to push Mok Gyeong-un and Go-chan out the door.

Just then, a loud gulping sound came from Master Jang, audible to everyone in the room. Looking at him, they saw that while his back was still arched, the convulsions in his throat had ceased. His expression, which had been contorted with pain, now seemed more relaxed.

Suddenly, Master Jang's eyes, which had been closed, snapped open. "Master Jang?" Go-chan exclaimed, wondering if he had regained consciousness.

At that moment, Myosin let out a small, harsh sound. "Damn it!" He quickly reached for a talisman marked with the character for "suppress" from the pouch at his waist and rushed towards the seemingly awakened Master Jang.

Without warning, Master Jang's head turned to the side in an unnaturally abrupt motion. Go-chan's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Master Jang's bloodshot eyes, which were completely red except for the pupils. The combination of his arched back and the unnatural turn of his head was truly unsettling.

Myosin began to chant an incantation, forming a hand seal with his left hand: "Il-bong-tu-cheon-jeong, il-seo-gwi-sin-gyeong, tae-sang-hwa-sam-cheong, geup-geup-yeo-yul-ryeong-chik!"

The yellow talisman on Myosin's right finger straightened out with a snap. He attempted to press it against Master Jang's forehead, but before he could, Master Jang let out an inhuman shriek.

The ear-splitting sound reverberated through the room, causing Myosin to stagger backward. Go-chan, too, was affected by the sudden outcry, clutching his ears in pain from the assault on his eardrums.

Master Jang had been a high-level martial artist, and his shout naturally carried his inner energy, causing pain to those who heard it. Go-chan, while covering his ears, glanced at Mok Gyeong-un and was surprised to see him merely furrowing his brow slightly. How could someone who hadn't cultivated inner energy be so unaffected?

As Go-chan pondered this, Master Jang turned his head and began to straighten his back, attempting to rise from the bed. However, the red threads tied around his wrists and ankles tightened, preventing him from fully standing up.

A faint haze accompanied by an acrid smell emanated from where the red threads were bound. Master Jang let out another bestial roar and yanked his right hand with all his might. The force was so great that it tore the door frame, snapping the red thread.

"Damn it!" Myosin exclaimed, unable to hide his dismay. He had secured the red threads tightly, but these intruders had ruined everything by opening the door and entering.

Black veins bulged on Master Jang's forehead and face, his eyes still bloodshot. Myosin realized that the master had been completely possessed by the supernatural entity. In this state, there was no hope of fulfilling Madam Seok's request to discover the master's official seal and secret martial arts manual.

As Master Jang attempted to break the remaining red threads, Myosin knew he had to act quickly. The situation had escalated beyond the point of worrying about the original mission. He rushed towards Master Jang once more, trying to attach the talisman to his forehead.

However, with a single swipe of his hand, Master Jang sent Myosin tumbling to the floor. The shaman was shocked by the immense strength the possessed master now possessed. It far exceeded the usual increase in strength seen in those overtaken by supernatural entities.

As the red thread binding Master Jang's left wrist was on the verge of breaking, Myosin called out to Mok Gyeong-un and Go-chan, "Please, help me! Don't let him break the threads!"

Despite their confusion, both men rushed to assist. Myosin warned them not to make eye contact with Master Jang and to let go immediately if they felt a cold sensation or a chill down their spine.

Go-chan managed to grab Master Jang's right arm, but the possessed master's strength was overwhelming. In a sudden turn of events, Master Jang seized Go-chan's wrist with crushing force.

Just as the situation seemed dire, Mok Gyeong-un unexpectedly sliced off Master Jang's hand with a sword he had taken from the wall. The supernatural entity, visible as black veins, began to retreat back into Master Jang's body.

Seizing the opportunity, Myosin attempted to subdue the entity with his talisman and incantations. However, Mok Gyeong-un continued to surprise everyone by decisively cutting off more of Master Jang's limbs as the entity tried to move through his body.

Myosin was shocked by Mok Gyeong-un's actions, but the young man calmly stated, "Isn't this better than trying to force it back into his body?"

The severed limbs on the floor writhed and pulsed with dark energy, while Master Jang's pale face gradually regained its color. The room fell into a stunned silence as they all tried to process the unprecedented turn of events.