Chapter 176 – 176. Curse Everywhere

Cheshire opened his eyes. Immediately, she looked around.

Fortunately, I didn’t feel anything. The Underground Guard hadn’t noticed their intrusion yet. It’s still safe. Not yet.

“Ugh..”

Shortly after, Han Ah-ram fell from behind Cheshire, hitting her buttock.

“This is…”

“Shh. I have to say little..”

“Ah yes..”

Han Ah-ram immediately shut her mouth at Cheshire’s warning. As soon as she enters, it becomes very difficult if she is caught. She couldn’t get past the first floor and had to go back again.

‘If so…’

The security will be more strict, and the attack on the basement floor will have to promise the following. And I didn’t know when the next one would be.

Because it will take a great deal of time before the tension-filled underground layer loosens up again. Cheshire wanted to recover a piece of her soul with this challenge. She felt that this expedition was as if the world was helping her.

‘Let’s see…’

In the meantime, Han Ah-ram activated the dark monitoring skill and secured her sight. Since it was a place with no light sources, the help of skills was desperately needed. If you create artificial light, you’ll be caught right away.

Soon, due to the effect of Dark Watch, my eyes gradually got used to being in the dark without any light sources. Han Ah-ram, who began to see the surrounding scenery, felt that she had fallen in the middle of an infinite maze.

‘Strange smell… This is… Margie…’

In addition, Han Ah-ram sensitively sensed the demonic energy that was subtly spreading in the air of the labyrinth. The moment she felt her demonic energy, she began absorbing her demonic energy as if it were natural. It was almost like an air purifier, befitting a demon slayer that gets stronger as it absorbs magic.

Cheshire smiled with satisfaction as Han Ah-ram began to absorb the magic. Those who are not Magi users continue to receive dot damage just by entering and exiting this place. However, thanks to Han Ah-ram’s existence, that happened.

Han Ah-ram was helping this expedition with her existence and herself.

‘By the way… What is this…?’

Due to the effect of the Dark Watch skill, Han A-ram can completely see through the darkness. Her eyes began to see Cheshire waiting for the rest of the group and the interior of the first basement floor.

While Cheshire was rummaging through her bag for a while, she looked around her labyrinth and saw an unknown letter carved into a dark hallway carved out of stone. As she followed the letters, she found a wall that was densely embossed. Han Ah-ram tried to take a closer look at the paintings on the wall. This series of actions was a kind of attraction beyond her will.

Han Ah-ram was drawn in from the moment she saw the letters on the wall in the first place. She didn’t notice the malice etched on the wall, and she faced it. If she hadn’t been able to see an inch ahead…She might have preferred that side.

‘A human who pulls out a heart… And a worshiped… Devil..? Maybe… God…’

As soon as I started reading the pictures and letters that seemed to have been engraved by a survivor of an ancient civilization at the cost of her life, Han Ah-ram was immediately fascinated by the wall. The painting on the wall was beautiful, she felt. She fell in into the trap.

‘I want to see more, more…’

What motivated her was her curiosity. Yes, this was an intellectual quest. No, this is to get to the truth…

‘Sacrifice… Worship… Praise… Tribute… Advent… Crown?’

She started cracking the cognitive-impairment goggles she was wearing. Han Ah-ram put the sledgehammer she was firmly holding onto the floor. She had let go of the demon hunter’s karma. Han Ah-ram couldn’t get her way because of the devil’s temptation.

Soon, non-mosaic, uncensored, unrecognizable, nefarious, and evil information tried to enter Han Ah-ram’s head. Han Ah-ram felt that her mind was expanding in the process. It was like a blessing.

If left alone, Han A-ram will be sucked into the wall and taken to the ‘king’s residence’.

It was such a curse engraved on the wall.

It was the king’s guidance for the successor.

Also, this is the desire of the greedy.

Those who have fallen under the curse of knowledge must have proper formality.

[So, Uzi with qualifications, wear the crown.]

[Although it is stained with blood, it is still dazzling nonetheless.]

[The crown will lead you to the truth.]

Human greed calls the crown.

Half-man, half-horse blood boils.

A fair succession will take place.

The truth is recited slowly.

Truth discusses love.

Han Ah-ram opened his ears and overheard the truth.

[Treat others without discrimination.]

[Do good deeds equally.]

[You, love everyone.]

[Gyeom-Ae(兼愛) is sorrow(悲哀).]

[Loving everyone is the same as hating everyone.]

[So resent and hate others.]

Han Ah-ram stood at the crossroads of choosing whether to surrender to the huge attraction or to reject it and maintain his humanity. She desperately resisted the urge. She rejected and resisted her self-destructive desire to surrender herself to the flow and just be free.

She knew very well that getting caught up in it would only lead to ruin.

Of course, even that ruin was so sweet that she had the urge to go beyond it.

“Aram.”

At that time, Cheshire’s voice was heard as if to hold on to the encroaching spirit.

Han Ah-ram couldn’t tell if it was really Cheshire’s voice.

She was only pulled back by physical oppression.

-Kudangtang!!

“Huh…!!!!”

“Aram, are you okay?”

“Uh.. Sister.. Sister.. Me..”

Cheshire pulled Han Ah-ram, who was pressing her face against the wall.

Had it been a little too late, Han Ah-ram would have died.

No, she wouldn’t have died…But she would have been better off dead.

If that happened, it was obvious that the operation to rescue Han Ah-ram would have started, not Cheshire’s soul search. Perhaps, an all-out war with the devil was started by Jang Jo-jun, who was angry.

Of course, Cheshire, who noticed the eerie movement of the devil before that, rescued Han Ah-ram. Han Ah-ram owed Cheshire her life.

“Oooh…”

“It must be mind contamination. Aram, eat one of these…”

Cheshire immediately started first aid. Curses run rampant in the basement, so we had to pay attention to each other at all times.

‘I bet… You wouldn’t have been caught as something just now…’

Cheshire begged fervently that he didn’t. This is because if the name demon reveals its existence, future plans will be greatly twisted.

Up until this point, it would be easy to misunderstand because Jo Joon had been walking around slaughtering demon possessors, but demon possessors and real demons are different.

Even among the named demons, the ones with high numbering couldn’t handle it. If a named demon with a higher numbering appeared… It could be said to be a catastrophe.

“Here, water.”

“Oh, thank you..”

First of all, Cheshire prayed for good luck to herself and handed Aram a pill to relieve mental pollution and the number of mushrooms she had. Cheshire didn’t blame her, because it wasn’t her fault that she was possessed by the vicious characters carved on her wall.

You never know when and where you will be cursed here. It was because there were beings who cursed directly, and a curse full of evil could be overwritten in an unexpected place. That’s why Cheshire had to think that the curse on the wall that Aram almost fell into happened because he was just a little bit unlucky.

-Gulp. Gulp…

Han Ah-ram took the pills and water that Cheshire handed to her and drank. The water was the number of mushrooms, but she didn’t mind. She just wanted to quench her dizzying thirst, to the point that she couldn’t wash it right away.

She must have been able to get a glimpse of it, and she couldn’t get out of her mind that she might have reached a higher level.

‘This..’

Han Ah-ram shook her head. She then cleared her thoughts. Going blank. That was her Han Ah-ram’s specialty. Soon, she buries everything she had seen and heard before and blew it away from her memory.

It was a wise decision.

The more I think about Paimon’s crown, the more I long for it, so it was better to ignore it.

“Ugh..!”

“Frog!”

Soon, Keshia and Keker also fell underground. Following Cheshire’s warning, they also shut up. Since both of them had lived in the dark depths of the sea or in the gloomy swamps, they quickly adapted to the darkness.

Afterwards, Jo Jun and Ayla, who landed quietly, gathered together before they could move forward. For reference, Han Ah-ram did not bother to tell Jo Joon what happened a while ago. Because she didn’t want to cause any trouble.

Cheshire warned her party not to look at the letters or pictures carved on the walls as much as possible. Everyone nodded their heads as they listened to Cheshire’s whispering voice.

“See…”

Soon, Ayla pulled a necklace from her bosom to figure out which direction her party was heading. Then she stretched it out and let her magic flow. Then, the transparent crystal at the end of the necklace gave off a soft light, pointing in the direction they had to go.

“Go straight that way.”

Finding her direction, Ayla quickly put her necklace back into her arms. She didn’t need long exposure to light. It was better to lock her up as far as possible while she wasn’t caught yet.

In silence, the party moved forward. Noise was suppressed as much as possible, with no words or conversation except for the occasional Ayla using her necklace to orient her.

Thus, they continued to move forward, keeping silent against the terrible darkness. Until you find the hole that will lead you to the second floor… Keep going…

And something was stalking them.