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To deceive him, it had to be something that wouldn’t directly impact him. If it had even the slightest direct effect, of course, he would have caught on.

Even if it wasn’t now, Park Jinseong back then would have definitely been aware.

That’s for sure.

The magic combined with survival instinct reacted sensitively to threats, and during that time, he was in a mindset of courage while being fiercely protective of himself, inherited from the nature of a mercenary.

How could anyone not want to live, even in a lowly state?

There aren’t any beings who wouldn’t want to live just because they might be considered insignificant, and no creature exists that doesn’t wish to pass on their lineage to future generations. This was a matter beyond ego or the meaning of existence.

To live, and to continue.

That’s what life is.

Then, it had to be indirect magic, in an extremely subtle form that even Jinseong would not notice.

Manipulation or concealment.

That’s for sure.

“It’s ignorance that isn’t strange, but at the same time, ignorance is fear.”

Jinseong, who had treated parasites and protozoa like weapons, knew that fear included ignorance.

What is the scariest parasite?

A bug that hatches eggs in muscles and eats people alive?

A creature that crawls into the ears and eats away at the brain?

A parasite that invades the central nervous system and causes meningitis?

Or one that clings to the walls of the stomach, sucking blood, causing inflammation, eventually leading to water retention in the belly, or various complications?

A parasite that, upon infection, invokes searing pain, and to remove it, one must either carve out the infected area of the body… or grab hold of its end and, while writhing in horrific pain, roll it out on a wooden stick?

Humans are fragile animals, and even bugs that are barely visible can be so horrifying and cruel.

But among them, what is the most brutal?

What truly terrifies a person?

“It’s the unknown.”

Have you heard of the Guinea worm?

Also known as Dracunculus medinensis, this creature is a common parasite seen without much difficulty.

It breeds in contaminated water and has the ability to infect humans across Asia, America, and Africa. They enter through infected water containing water fleas, which is naturally ingested by humans and dogs.

Once inside, the Guinea worm grows by sucking the host’s nutrients.

And then it begins to move, horrifyingly burrowing through flesh until it reaches the host’s feet.

Naturally, the host cannot escape pain from this.

In fact, the Guinea worm knows how to utilize that pain to its advantage efficiently.

Once it reaches the foot, it molts into an adult and inflicts unbearable, searing heat.

The pain feels as if it is being burned, unbearable to the point where one cannot help but let out sounds of anguish. Desperate to escape this pain, the host naturally seeks to cool down the burning sensation.

The simplest way to cool down?

By using water.

Thus, the host goes to water to soak their feet.

To alleviate the heat coming from their feet.

And that moment, the parasite does not miss.

It breaks through the skin and returns to the water, starting to breed.

Breeding, spreading larvae, and contaminating the water.

And those larvae enter back into the water fleas, starting to infect humans and dogs again.

Using contaminated water as the medium.

A horrible and painful parasite.

Famous enough to serve as the motif for ‘the snake of Asclepius’ or ‘the serpent of fire’ mentioned in the Bible.

People feared and loathed this dreadful parasite.

But we must think.

Is that fear still ongoing?

In modern times, do we still fear ‘the serpent of fire’ while drinking water, worrying that if we feel heat in our feet, a parasite might crawl out through our skin? Do we live in fear or dread of our twisted, deformed feet when those parasites run through them?

No.

While this parasite historically instilled great terror and made a significant mark in history,

Ironically, it is now on the verge of extinction because of that fear.

Isn’t that ironic?

That the fear made it widely known, led to caution, and ultimately contributed to its end?

That such a simple act as distributing filters and preventive education caused it to reach that point?

That’s how the principles of the world work.

Fear comes from ignorance, but when that veil of ignorance is lifted, people will inevitably overcome that fear. They move forward using that fear as motivation, figuring out how to resolve the very source of that fear.

That’s the very power that has allowed humans to survive and continue onward.

Thus, the most frightening thing is what hides behind the veil of ignorance.

Because it is something unknown, there is no way to counter it or find a solution.

No matter how human one is, fighting off a newly encountered disease effectively is difficult, and realizing the existence of yet-unknown parasites is equally hard.

What truly threatens one from within that ignorance is the essence of real threat…

“Hmm.”

Jinseong was convinced that the magic of the one who deceived him was that kind of threat.

Just as the tale of the Guinea worm illustrates, it was like parasitic creatures that continue to be discovered.

Creatures that have existed naturally for a long time but are only now beginning to be recognized.

This kind of unknown presence was undoubtedly that.

Something that exists naturally but is not particularly perceived.

Like air, making sure we coexist with things that are invisible.

So naturally burying us in ignorance while being indifferent, and yet appearing suddenly like a blade to reap their lives.

“I’ve made eye contact; thus, I have recognized your existence. Hee hee hee. Research, after all, begins with recognition, so you too must realize that I have acknowledged you….”

Jinseong brushed his fingertips against the stain on the wall and chuckled.

“A terrorist being connected to America means that this must also be related to America.”

He recognized it now.

He understood.

He definitely realized his own ignorance.

And recognition can reverse perception.

He truly understood the meaning whispered to him by his elevated mind and spirit like a star.

Like a wall with a single brick missing.

Like a castle wall with just one stone missing.

If he knew the lack, simply filling it would suffice. If filling it proves challenging, searching for something that fits would be the way to go. If searching becomes difficult, then one could create from the emptiness, couldn’t they?

Such a basis is something precious.

Through such a clue, we arrive at the essence.

Just like those who faintly sense the end of something grasping the end bit by bit, finally making a grand discovery and invention.

“This is quite exciting.”

Jinseong felt intrigued by the one who had made eye contact with him.

What sort of information they had been hiding.

What kind of magic they didn’t know, and what might that magic be used for.

Ah.

If he could grab hold of a clue and actually touch its essence, what could lie at the end?

Jinseong felt as if he was experiencing the same joy he had when exploring ancient ruins.

Thus, he felt grateful.

Grateful for the chance to discover something he had not known before, something newly unveiled.

Thanks to this twisted time, he was given a chance to face it…

***

“Ugh.”

Bloodshot eyes glaring red.

Heat like burning fire swirling in his eyelids.

Even as he covered his face with both hands and pushed down on his eyelids, the torment would not easily let go.

He could feel a hot liquid trickling down from between his closed eyelids.

Was it tears or blood?

It was undoubtedly hot liquid, certainly tears, but due to the pain in his eyes, it felt like blood.

Blood tears.

He couldn’t see himself in the mirror, but… he was definitely shedding blood tears.

The pain spoke.

It said he was shedding blood tears…

“This is why I didn’t want to get entangled with other shamans.”

And worse than the pain he felt in his eyes was the fact that he had become involved with another shaman.

A shaman…

A kind of race with twisted, bizarre minds.

There was nothing good about getting tangled up with such beings.

Not only did they carry a multitude of variables but their very existence itself was like a variable.

Controlling them was impossible, and even guiding them was challenging. Now he found himself entangled with one of them.

And that too, so absurdly.

As if by a causality, forced to meet their gaze, caught up in a shamanic spell he had never heard of before.

“This is truly… troublesome.”

The man could only manage a bitter smile over that fact.

…The fact that a variable had recognized him was certainly a bad sign.

 

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