Free Web Novel“That’s supposed to be termites?!”
Well, they weren’t exactly white. Their swollen bellies glistened in all kinds of colors, like tiny Christmas bulbs, each with little legs, crawling in swarms toward Yoon Seungryong. There were hundreds—no, thousands. Even at a safe distance, Yohan recoiled and stepped further back in disgust.
“Poison for poison. Uh... what was that phrase again.”
Even as the bulb-like ants swarmed thick across his body, Seungryong didn’t so much as flinch. He muttered casually.
“Fight fire with fire?”
Watching made Yohan squirm even worse. The different colors were probably from different poisons. Meanwhile, Lee Hyunmook explained calmly to the cringing Yohan.
“If the birds were like sardines or anchovies, then these are like plankton.”
The bulb-bellied termites covering Seungryong suddenly burst their bodies, or else lifted their rear ends and shot stored toxins upward. But Seungryong, with overwhelming resistance to poison, merely yawned as though bored, then flopped onto the ground with limbs sprawled wide.
From his body, gray poison mist seeped endlessly. The ants either exploded on their own or collapsed in his toxic haze. A few tried to go after the other three, but none could cross the circle Seungryong had etched with poison. As they died, the garish colors drained from their bodies, bleaching pale. Only then did they truly look like white ants.
The stream of crawling insects finally lessened with time. At that, Seungryong leapt to his feet and slammed his fist into the mound’s center. The wall crumbled under a dealer’s power, opening a hole big enough for a person.
“Alright. Time to go catch the queen.”
Not long after entering, his poison seeped out in thick trails. Within ten minutes, he emerged gripping a grotesque bug that must have been the queen. He waved it lightly.
“Give this one a purification, will you? We’ll be spending the night here.”
“There aren’t more ants, right?”
Skeptical, Yohan edged closer and began carefully purifying the mound’s surroundings. Stronger, more delicate light than before washed through, covering both Seungryong and the ants’ poison. Soon, flesh birds crawled from the ground, scavenging on dead termites.
“How about we roast this for dinner?”
Seungryong cheerfully shook the hideous queen ant, ugly enough to censor. Yohan nearly jumped out of his skin.
“There’s plenty else to eat! I don’t want ants!”
“They’re actually nutty and delicious...”
Smacking his lips, Seungryong finally tossed the carcass far away. Instantly, bone birds and flesh birds descended and tore it apart. Grimacing at the sight, Yohan ducked into the anthill.
The place Seungryong had cleared was surprisingly spacious and livable. The temperature and humidity were just right. When Hyunmook swept the mound with his electric-field detection and assured them no more ants lived inside, it became even more comfortable. After roasting a few flesh birds for supper, Yohan explored properly.
“Wow, there are so many rooms.”
Inside the towering anthill, the structure was complex. Dozens of rounded chambers, all dug out by ants. Round ventilation holes looked like alien windows.
“Can we check out the queen’s chamber?”
Yohan asked Hyunmook, seeking permission. Even in a supposedly safe shelter, wandering alone was not an option.
“Of course. I’m curious too.”
Hyunmook’s voice was gentle. Yohan could tell, though, that he didn’t really care about the queen’s chamber—he was simply being kind. Feeling warmed, Yohan followed the tunnels. freёwebnovel.com
Unlike the roomy chambers, the passages forced him to hunch. Discovering a food storage chamber, Yohan perked up. Piles of seeds and fruits, apparently gathered by the ants.
“Seungryong-hyung will love this when he hears!”
After purifying it, Yohan moved on with a bounce in his step. But soon the near-identical chambers bored him. Seeing this, Hyunmook said: ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
“Take the right tunnel, straight, then left, then down. That’s the queen’s chamber.”
Yohan marveled at his uncanny sense of direction. The warren was so complex he’d secretly worried about getting lost.
“You can even sense paths? I’m jealous.”
“Jealous? Yohan, your ability is much better than mine.”
Sincere words. Embarrassment flushed Yohan’s face. Even after spending so long with Hyunmook and the Sunrise members, he sometimes still felt it unreal. In this nightmare of a life, they alone gave him comfort and joy.
‘Well, the Japan district wasn’t all nightmare either.’
He longed for the life where they purified a whole building, even making a vegetable garden—comfortable, full. Not only he loved it; the others too had seemed to find solace there.
Lost in thought, he arrived at the queen’s chamber. Larger than any other, tall as a hall. Once swarming with corrupted ants, it now held only remains—debris the workers had brought for the queen, and carcasses. Far from the sight he had hoped for.
“Ugh.”
Right. This was still the Abyss. Yohan stumbled back from the grotesque remains of who-knew-what creature’s body parts. Nearly tripping over a chitin shell, he was caught by Hyunmook.
“Careful.”
Looking up, Yohan blinked. For a moment, he thought he saw a reddish gleam in Hyunmook’s eyes. Leaning against him, Yohan asked softly:
“Should I purify you?”
“Would you?”
Hyunmook’s gaze softened instantly. No ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ one in their party had ever refused Yohan’s purification, Hyunmook least of all. Yohan steadied himself, glanced around awkwardly, then murmured.
“In a different way... I mean, a more pleasant way.”
“Ah.”
Hyunmook made a low, unreadable sound at the unexpected suggestion. Then, slowly, a firm hand cupped Yohan’s chin. Yohan reflexively held his breath.
Warmth touched his lips. A thick tongue slid between them, stroking gently before slipping inside, coaxing his frozen mouth to respond. A shiver of pleasure thrummed heavy at his tailbone.
Catching his senses, Yohan grabbed Hyunmook’s arm. At the same time, he poured purification through his palm where he touched. Hyunmook sharpened his tongue, teasing under Yohan’s tongue, sucking clean the gathered moisture, licking insistently. Yohan’s grip tightened.
‘It feels... too good...’
No matter how kindly Hyunmook treated him, Yohan always felt an overwhelming pressure from him. Was it because he was a top Awakener and dealer? The feeling was complicated—fear, awe, like meeting a superstar. That such a powerful, frightening man treated only him specially—it thrilled him beyond words.
Hyunmook deepened the kiss like he might devour him, then, as if showing restraint, drew back slowly. Yohan hesitated, disappointed, then spoke.
“But, Hyunmook-hyung.”
Since escaping the Black Mountain, Yohan often called him hyung instead of “Mr. Lee Hyunmook.” It felt closer. “Mm, Yohan,” Hyunmook answered warmly, thumb playfully brushing Yohan’s lips.
“I’ve wondered... are you just enjoying my body?”
“...What?”
The hand on his lips froze. For once, Hyunmook’s calm expression faltered. Contamination made him half-mad, so for a moment he even doubted his hearing. Yohan, flustered, corrected quickly.
“Ah—no, that sounded wrong, didn’t it? I mean, are you only enjoying my purification? No, that’s weird too. Uh, what would be the right word...”
Seeing the rare bewilderment on Hyunmook’s face, Yohan babbled.
“Partner? Business... partner? Benefits, friends? Ah! Not that I’d ever dare say we’re really friends, of course—”
“...Yohan.”
When Yohan slipped back to calling him “Mr. Lee Hyunmook,” it was as if the world dimmed. Hyunmook closed his eyes, rubbed his face, and seemed to sweat faintly. Looking around, he set Yohan on top of a massive skull, once some creature’s head. He meant for comfort, but Yohan only felt awkward...
