Free Web Novel“The moment our eyes met, I felt the air around me freeze.
Although it hadn’t shown its full form yet, Taeeon instinctively knew the thing beyond was a blood fiend.
His heart pounded, and sweat soaked the hand gripping his shovel.
‘Stay calm.’
They say even if you enter a tiger’s den, you can escape if you keep your wits about you.
I don’t know why a blood fiend that only hunts at night is here now, but at least it’s still daytime, so there’s hope.
Taeeon recalled the “How to Handle a Blood Fiend Encounter” poster that had been tacked up on the department bulletin board a few days ago. He’d glanced at it without thinking—never expected to use it so soon.
He backed away slowly without breaking eye contact with the blood fiend. Fear like he’d never known made him wonder, ‘Am I even doing this right?’ But nothing else came to mind—only the thought that he didn’t want to die. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
“크르르.”
No matter how many steps he took back, the distance to the fiend didn’t increase. Before long, it revealed its full form and closed the gap by as much as Taeeon had created.
Of all things, he’d forgotten his phone, so he couldn’t call for help.
‘Am I really going to die like this?’
The panic he’d been pushing away tightened its grip on his throat. The shovel he held shook noticeably. He wiped his hand, but the sweat just kept coming—he was terrified he’d drop the shovel.
‘What do I do? I’m so scared.’
Continuing deeper into the farm was a losing proposition. Maybe he should turn around now and trap the fiend inside the farm? But how? Could someone who wasn’t even an Awakener subdue a blood fiend?
Unfortunately, there was only one exit, and Taeeon and the fiend faced off in the middle of that path.
Thunk—
Taeeon’s foot caught on a rock, and he staggered violently.
‘No...!’
To regain his balance, his arm swung the shovel hard. At that moment, the fiend lunged at Taeeon, deciding he was the attacker.
“키에에엑!”
Taeeon, scrambling to steady himself, swung the shovel with all his might. Daylight would have weakened the fiend—maybe he could succeed? But it wasn’t nearly enough. The moment the shovel struck the fiend’s head, Taeeon was flung into the trees.
“커흑!”
The impact was so great he could barely breathe, but he clamped his mouth shut. If he made a sound, the fiend would pounce—he forced down even a groan.
Only ten paces separated them. Fortunately, fiends have poor eyesight and can’t distinguish shapes well. As expected, the fiend that attacked Taeeon was busy gnawing on the dropped shovel.
That was all. If Taeeon tried to move, any sound would draw the fiend’s attention again.
There was nothing more he could do.
Then—
“Boss! Where are you! Boss, come out!”
A nightmare customer burst into the farm.
✧
The reason this pest made it to the farm was simple. Even when Hojin—pretending to be unconscious—was loaded into the ambulance, the kid kept calling for the boss. He swore he’d avenge his brother or whatever.
The manager, realizing Roy wasn’t an ordinary nuisance, reluctantly told him Taeeon’s location, then immediately contacted Taeeon. But for some reason, the boss didn’t pick up the call.
Having no choice, the manager left a text and returned to work. Meanwhile, Roy looked up the farm’s address and hopped into a taxi.
“Driver! Double fare!”
He urged the driver to speed and texted Hojin.
[Roy: Hyung. I’ll be there soon, so keep playing dead!]
And that’s how he arrived at the farm.
But stepping out of the taxi gave him a chill. The air...
“It’s cold—guess it’s because it’s in the mountains?”
His S-rank monster-like senses instantly detected danger, but his flower-brain misinterpreted it completely. The worst threats he’d faced were evil edits or obsessives trailing him in taxis—he never once considered a blood fiend.
“Where is it? That must be the place?”
Excited at the thought of reuniting with Taeeon, Roy bounced toward the entrance.
Huh? The door’s open? Was worried it might be locked—but it wasn’t. This time, unlike when he first met Hojin, he wouldn’t make a ridiculous mistake.
Reminding himself of his role (probably nuisance customer), Roy flung the door open and shouted, “Boss! Where are you! Boss, come out!”
What confronted him was Taeeon, on the brink of being devoured by a blood fiend.
“...Huh?”
This wasn’t the scene I expected. Why is he just... standing there?
【Scattered ally ‘Kim Taeeon (Not Awakened)’ found.】
【Gather allies (2/4)】
The welcome status window appeared. Normally I’d wipe away tears and launch into a joyous hug, but there was no time for that now.
“키에에엑!”
“Ah! What is that?!”
A grotesque zombie was charging at him.
Isn’t that a blood fiend? Why is a blood fiend here?!
Grabbing the tripod hoe and hand trowel by the entrance, Roy bolted while shouting to Taeeon, “Ah! Why’s there something like that on the farm! Hyung, call the police!”
“키에에엑!”
As sharp claws swiped at his back, Roy stepped on a bucket and leapt high.
Clatter!
By a hair’s breadth he hooked his foot on a ceiling pipe and dangled there, his heart pounding.
‘That was close.’
Every hair on his body stood on end. If he’d been a moment slower, those claws would’ve ripped him in two.
‘I was thinking of a touching reunion with hyung. How did it come to this?’
Trembling as he hung from the ceiling, Roy looked toward Taeeon. Through the broken wood, Taeeon’s face, sprawled like laundry, looked pale.
‘Is he hurt?’
He wanted to check on Taeeon right away, but he couldn’t—down below, the fiend was desperate to pull him down.
This is driving me crazy.
Roy glanced at the fiend and tried to intimidate it. “Hey, you! Go away, you disgusting thing!”
But seeing it up close was stranger than watching AV clips in class. The fiend was far more horrifying and repulsive than he’d imagined. Roy tried to chase it off with a roar, but his attitude flipped instantly.
“No, wait. Don’t go. Stay here. Hey, hey, look! Look at me!”
If the fiend’s attention shifted from Taeeon to him, his brother’s life would be at risk.
“Hey, try and catch me. Come on, catch me.”
He dropped a leg, then lifted it again. Roy began desperately drawing aggro like he was playing with a cat.
“키에에엑!”
The fiend, fired up, swung its hand again and emitted a chilling shriek. But something about the fiend at Roy’s feet was off. In class, he’d learned fiends have 20–30 cm claws, blood-shot eyes, and sharp fangs—and childlike intelligence of a 3–5-year-old, making them tricky adversaries. This one’s claws were short and it seemed stupid.
‘Did it just turn into a fiend? Or is it because it’s still daytime?’
Considering fiends only hunt late at night, maybe. He didn’t know why it was out now, but the farm’s shade could explain it.
‘First, I need to draw the fiend away from Taeeon.’
Best would be to lure it outside—but then I’d have nowhere to hide. How can I solve this without anyone getting hurt?
Suddenly Roy’s ears caught Taeeon’s voice.
“Over here! You fiend!”
Taeeon had suddenly claimed troll status.
“????”
Is he crazy? Roy’s eyes widened as Taeeon gave a faint smile.
“I’ll draw its attention, so you run away!”
“You’re nuts?! I told you to call for help, not do crazy stunts!”
“But—”
“I go to Awakener High School, remember? I’m better than you, geez.”
But it was too late. The fiend decided Taeeon—who hung from the ceiling—was the better target.
“키에에엑!”
Roy dropped to the floor and hurled the hand trowel at the fiend charging Taeeon.
Crunch!
The trowel struck the fiend’s skull and embedded itself.
As the fiend froze and turned, Roy unleashed a taunt.
“Ha! I’m here now—come try and catch me—”
“키에에엑!”
“키에엑!”
Then, as if summoned, two more fiends appeared and charged Roy.
“Ah! Shit! What is this?!”
I never said I had friends! Screaming, Roy bolted away.
Meanwhile Taeeon watched in bewilderment.
‘I thought you said you go to Awakener High School....’
Didn’t they teach you never to turn your back on a fiend? freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Taeeon’s gaze said ‘You’re the most pathetic person I know.’ Then he snapped back to reality and struggled upright.
‘I don’t know how this kid ended up at a farm, but if I leave him there, he’s ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) dead.’
Hobbling up to the office, he immediately searched for his phone. There was a missed call from the café, but he had no time for that. He dialed the fiend emergency hotline and anxiously waited for the call to connect.
[Operator: How can we assist you?]
“Please help! There’s a blood fiend here—agh!”
Clang!
No sooner had he spoken than a window shattered and a tripod hoe flew through, embedding itself in the wall.
[Operator: Hello? Is this an emergency? We’re dispatching immediately. Please stay hidden in a safe place until the rescue team arrives. Hello? Can you hear me?]
