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The fog flapped about with a huge sound.

It emitted a gigantic, thunderous noise reminiscent of an illegally modified motorcycle, flashing its invisibly tiny eyes, with thorn-like hairs sticking up as it took off. At the end of its legs was a spear small yet able to pierce delicate skin, harboring sharp teeth ready to gnaw flesh and burrow inside.

Pests.

A swarm of pests took to the air.

Countless insects swarmed like black smoke, rushing in a wave towards Lee Jae-soon.

To punish that foolish one who dared provoke him.

And to fulfill the command from his master, to prosper and thrive.

These insects were faithful, yet closest to instinct.

Booaaang-!

“What the heck is this—!”

Lee Jae-soon fiercely resisted as the black fog attempted to envelop him.

Twisting his waist with all his strength, flailing his arms here and there.

Boooom-!

That didn’t suffice; he spun his arms around desperately in a whirl.

To push away that fog and prevent it from coming near him, no matter what.

Booaaang-!

But what approached him was no ordinary fog.

Not composed of tiny droplets, nor smoke that dissipated upon a breath.

It was pests.

A swarm of pests.

Creatures that could not be held back by a mere gust of a fan.

Boooom-!

No, even if they were stronger than a fan’s breeze, it would be futile to keep them at bay.

They were coming closer, denser than swarms of locusts that could turn a country into a wasteland. Even blowing wind would not deter them easily.

Acting on instinct, or perhaps following Jinseong’s orders, they altered their movements and shapes.

That’s how they breached through.

Hence, Lee Jae-soon had no choice but to surrender.

“Kuhaaack-!”

Disregarding Lee Jae-soon’s desperate resistance, the black fog clung to his body.

It dyed his outstretched arms black like a whip and stuck to every bare part of him. Moreover, it didn’t stop there; it even slipped beneath his clothes.

“Fwuump, puuuuuh!”

Yet still, the insects were not satisfied.

Due to their overwhelming numbers, even as they covered his entire body, the remaining pests sought a way to cling to Lee Jae-soon.

And that way was through holes.

The places a person inevitably possesses.

Nostrils.

Ears.

Mouth.

His eyes tightly shut couldn’t be accessed easily, but the others were different.

His nose was wide open, so they could simply enter, and his ears were also clear, allowing easy access.

The mouth too must be opened for breathing now that his nose was blocked, meaning they could get in whenever there was a crack.

Thus, the bugs struggled to crawl into Lee Jae-soon.

Through his nostrils and throat, they entered his insides, gnawing at his guts.

They entered through the ears, tearing the eardrum and burrowing further in.

They clawed at the skin that protected his body, trying to worm their way in, stabbing him repeatedly to suck his blood and lay eggs.

Prey.

Yes, right now, Lee Jae-soon had become prey.

He was being devoured alive by this horde of pests.

Yet even while being eaten alive, Lee Jae-soon could not scream.

“The ancestors said that fairies are wicked and bizarre beings; to get close to them is to invite calamity.”

As soon as he opened his mouth to scream, countless insects would surely rush in.

They would undoubtedly pour in like a flood to tear apart his insides far more horrifically than now!

“The tricks of fairies show no mercy to those they torment. They drag you into the water to drown for sport, transform newborns into their own children and then abuse those taken away to raise them.”

Thus, Lee Jae-soon twisted his body in silent screams.

To somehow rid himself of these itching insects that were trying to burrow into his skin.

To shake off these dreadful bugs that gladly clawed at his skin and sought to invade him!

“They lure men tempted by beautiful women into the dens of beasts, and transmute stones or animal dung into precious items to sell to merchants. Sometimes they twist a person’s leg backward or contort their neck into grotesque shapes.”

Crash!

Crash!

Perhaps due to their vast number and size?

With each tumble on the floor, incessant sounds of breaking echoed.

It sounded like stepping on a plastic bag, popping bubble wrap, or like the noise made when dancing joyously after pouring snacks onto the ground.

“The wickedness of these fairies begins with bewitching humans. Fairies make it impossible to distinguish between truth and lies, thus leading people into peril. Therefore, one must be ever vigilant against fairies. They do not believe in God and must be wary of those who lean towards evil; this should be etched into your heart.”

Creeeak.

Crack!

Lee Jae-soon rolled and rolled on the ground.

Like a madman, he shook his head vigorously, and with his arms grown too long, he could not use his hands properly, continuously swiping at his face with his forearms to shake off the insects.

Simultaneously, he jittered his limbs violently, thrashing against the ground as if to shatter them.

Crash!

Crash!

Was that the sound of an insect’s body bursting?

Or was it the sound of bones shattering in the struggle to shake off the pests clinging to him?

He had no idea.

He couldn’t tell.

To realize that, Lee Jae-soon had become too bizarre.

His arms elongated, and his waist twisted, making it hard to consider him a normal human anymore.

“And this holds true when imitating a fairy. Even if one mimics it, what is reflected is not the essence. Rather, like a reflection in the mirror, it’s an imitation that may look similar but is not truly a fairy; it merely reflects the fairy’s semblance.”

Therefore, only Lee Jae-soon could know what was broken.

The pain felt in his body was the only index to signify that.

But that index was too dark.

Overwhelmed by the black bugs, the pain surging from both inside and outside his body was unbearable.

So Lee Jae-soon could not fathom what was breaking.

“The moon shining on the surface of the water is an illusion. But what is clearly reflected in it is closer to reality, serving as a guide to true positions while paradoxically existing yet not existing. The fairy mimicry is the same; as mentioned earlier, it may appear like the essence, but it is not the essence; though it seems real, it remains unreal. A fleeting dream that vanishes when you wave your hand, and that which disappears without a trace when the position shifts.”

Crash!

Creeeak!

A multitude of sounds rang in Lee Jae-soon’s ears.

Perhaps it was thanks to the insects that had burrowed into his ears and crawled out after rolling about?

Or maybe, it was merely the hallucination brought on by excessive pain?

He could not tell.

He couldn’t know.

What had taken over Lee Jae-soon.

And why he had become this way.

Why, when he had been launching attacks unilaterally, had he ended up like this?

Why he, who had just moments ago prided himself on effortlessly slaying a warrior with his bare hands, was enduring this disgrace now.

He could understand nothing.

“Smickling. Infection of experiences, superstition of shoes.”

He couldn’t comprehend.

Why.

Why….

Why?

“The illusion of the spirit. The anomaly of the brain. The dream that seeps into the broken mind. Do you understand? Smickling also signifies the infection of experiences, but do you know it also implies being infected by another?”

“…Hah.”

Lee Jae-soon opened his tightly shut eyes.

And he spat out thick curses at that bizarre masked figure approaching him.

Like someone retching to expel what he had deeply swallowed.

Like he was trying to calm the boiling inside by vomiting.

“I don’t know, you old geezer.”

Hearing that, Jinseong smiled softly.

“Ah, my young friend. Then, let me enlighten you now.”

And he reached out towards Lee Jae-soon, covered in the remains of insects, whispering:

“You have been infected.”

 

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