Yama Rising

Countless pieces of yellow talismans slowly drifted down, and the restless rattle of chains could be heard everywhere. These were all from the living dead residing at the substratum of Gonjiam Asylum. Choi Tae-min’s resurrection had torn away the final layer of the seals here, and they… had also regained their freedom once more.

Endless clouds of Yin energy rolled about like dense plumes of smoke, while innumerable scarlet eyes slowly opened in the shadows of the darkness, gulping avariciously as they shuffled around.

However, not a single living dead walked into the heart of Gonjiam Asylum.

Because that was where the avengers were facing off against the ultimate villain.

Even the living dead could sense the overwhelming eruption of murderous intent in the vicinity. Anyone who dared interfere with the final standoff would instantly be torn to shreds. Besides, these were three special Yin spirits, two of whom were even ranked among the top ten. Their murderous intent was laced with a trace of wanton disregard to all around them, almost as though this were the moment that they were living for. As far as the living dead were concerned, the tension was so thick that it was difficult to breathe.

“Who the hell are you guys?” Choi Tae-min looked at the two Yin spirits standing in front of him. At once, he glossed over Kwon Kyung-ho and looked at Ryu Changmin.

What terrifying murderous intent… What intense resentment!

He’s also an Infernal Judge… so how could his abilities be even stronger than mine?!

“A natural-born Hellguard.” Kwon Kyung-ho’s eyes were bloodshot. With a soft chuckle, his lips tore apart from ear to ear, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth within. At once, the entire area was filled with the sound of rushing seawater.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! A split second later, a blood-coloured tide poured forth out of nowhere, almost as though the invisible floodgates of hell were opened all at once! The red waves were high as the skies, and it instantly filled the entire Room 402 with over a meter of red-tinted waters.

“My long lost friend…” Kwon Kyung-ho slowly marched towards Choi Tae-min. His nemesis was standing right before his very eyes, yet the intense hatred that filled every pore of his marrows caused him to move ever more slowly than before, almost as though he were savouring the moment.

Meanwhile, with each step he took, his body slowly began to fester, just like how one’s body would decay in an accelerated fashion in water. His skin slowly became whiter and whiter, while dark figures of teenagers slowly emerged from the depths of the scarlet seawaters.

“My parents…”

“My classmates…”

“They’re all waiting for you! AHHHHHH!!!” At once, he plummeted straight towards Choi Tae-min.

He didn’t use any techniques. His mouth was now open at least a meter wide, while his nails had grown at least a foot long. This was the purest, most unadulterated of melee between evil ghosts. This was also the best way of quelling the intense frustration and resentment that had been festering in the hearts of all who had died unjustly.

Meanwhile, blood had already begun to seep out of Ryu Changmin’s eyes. At the same time, the image of a pregnant lady and a little girl slowly coalesced beside him. Three evil ghosts in one. The rushing nethergale tossed their pitch-black hair about, but all six eyes remained trained on their target as they brandished their claws as though they were blades, “My mother...”

“My father…”

“And… me… an unborn fetus…”

“And the thousand passengers on board Train 7448 are all waiting for this moment!!! AHHHHH!!!”

At once, the three ghosts charged forward madly with bloody tears streaming down their cheeks!

Several years of resentment! Several years of rage! And the hatred and grievances of thousands on end! Everything was culminating in this one ephemeral encounter!

“DIE!!!” The terrifying screams caused the ground to shudder violently. Meanwhile, the roaring wind caused Choi Tae-min’s robes to flutter wildly. His lips trembled. Faced with several maddened Yin spirits, he subconsciously began to back away, “Hang on a minute… Are you mistaken about something? I’ve never even seen you before!”

“Never seen us before?! HAHAHA!!!” Kwon Kyung-ho’s eyes were bloodshot. At once, he dashed right behind Choi Tae-min and swiped down with his claws. Choi Tae-min raised his hand in self-defense, and the attack instantly tore apart the sleeves of his robes.

At once, the pregnant lady seized the opportunity to grab hold of Choi Tae-min’s leg. Then, without hesitation, she sank her teeth deep into his flesh just like a wild dog tearing after meat!

SSSS!!! Bursts of Yin energy filled the air in an instant.

“AHHHHHH!!! Seok-woo!!!!” [1] She had a hideous expression on her face. She had obviously just gnawed off a piece of flesh on Choi Tae-min’s thigh, but she sobbed at the top of her voice, almost as though the one who was hurt was her. And for the very first time, she spoke again.

“Changmin!!!”

“Mama’s getting revenge for you!!!”

Chomp! As she shrieked, she took yet another bite at his leg. It was almost as though she were hell bent on tearing out all of the flesh on Choi Tae-min’s leg!

That’s right. It was a pure, unadulterated melee.

No techniques were used.

Rather, no techniques were required.

In fact, it was only by such means that they would be able to release all of the pent-up anger and hatred in their hearts!

Meanwhile, the little girl hugged tightly onto Choi Tae-min’s right leg, tearing her mouth wide open from ear to ear and gnawing away at his flesh, basking in the Yin energy that poured out from his body.

“Daddy… Mommy! Grandma!!! Wuuu-wuu-wuu!!! AHHHH!!!! Hahahaha!!!!” Streams of bloody tears rolled off her cheeks and stained Choi Tae-min’s legs, “I listened to you… I listened to you and hid! That’s how I managed to survive the disaster!”

“So, why!!! WHY!!!!”

Qin Ye sighed wistfully.

All beings were equal when they stood before Hell to account for their crimes.

There was always someone watching from up above.

Someone was watching as the guilty smiled complacently when they got away scot-free.

Someone was watching as the recalcitrant offended evaded the long arms of the law time and again.

Most of all, someone was watching as the masterminds of the most heinous of crimes took shelter under the wings of a system as they declared themselves transcendent beings who lived beyond the law.

No matter what one has done, Hell… would always make you account for every bit of it - even if it were nothing but a gentle prod, or an innocent peek, and even when there was no evidence. After all, Hell needed no evidence. Hell would examine one’s heart and force the truth from one’s lips!

Qin Ye paused for a moment and took stock of the time that had elapsed. There was still approximately three and a half minutes.

Choi Tae-min’s entire body was fraught with excruciating pain. He could no longer care about who they were. After all, he had indirectly caused the death of far too many people in his lifetime, and had already grown numb to the act of murder. Yet, despite all that, he wanted nothing more than to live.

SSS!!!! His thighs were nothing more than miserable white bones by now. At once, the Yin energy in his body surged and instantly erupted.

At once, innumerable bone spurs began to emerge from his body, forcefully tearing apart his skin. Moments later, he shrieked wildly as a two-meter tall figure shed the skin of Choi Tae-min and emerged from within his body.

That’s right. No one could ever be resurrected. This was against the Heavenly Dao.

Therefore, the so-called resurrected Choi Tae-min wasn’t human to begin with. These were mere pretenses.

He was nothing more than a monstrosity wearing the skin of a human being.

The tattered robes still hung loosely over the frame of his skeleton, barely concealing his muscles that had winding tendons wrapping around them on the outside. Foot-long bone spurs protruded everywhere, making him look no different from a horrifying thorned beast. Scarlet flames blazed in the depths of his eyes, and he promptly sought to retreat, yelling at the top of his voice, “Do you know who I am?! I’m the best friend of the former prime minister!! What do you want? Just name it! I can give you everything you want!!!”

He had already realized since a little while ago that he wasn’t a match for the Yin spirits around him.

Unfortunately, the only response he got were bloodthirsty screams and resentful roars.

As well as an unrelenting wave of murderous intent that seemed to follow him wherever he went!

Clunk… Ryu Changmin was also an Infernal Judge, and an even stronger one on the list of special Yin spirits to boot. At once, he caught up with the Odious Spirit of Filth and pounced on his neck, and plunging his teeth down into Choi Tae-min’s neck at once!

Kkkrrr!

There was a sickening crunch, and Choi Tae-min screamed in agony. Mustering every bit of energy within his body, the bone spurs on his body suddenly extended and plunged straight into Ryu Changmin.

“Let… GO!!!” The netherflames in his eyes instantly turned red as he glared at Ryu Changmin, tugging desperately at Ryu Changmin’s head as he fought to break free of his grasp. Unfortunately, this was a qualitative suppression of ranks between special Yin spirits. Ryu Changmin had seen to it that he wasn’t even given the opportunity to employ his special abilities.

Evil ghosts knew themselves best.

And most of all… they knew how best to kill each other.

In particular, they knew that tearing each other apart in the purest, most unadulterated form of melee combat was the best way.

The more Choi Tae-min screamed, the harder they tore at his flesh and gnawed at his bones. Sickening crunches filled the air in an instant. The hard bones were nothing to the reinforced teeth of the evil ghosts. Meanwhile, Choi Tae-min cried out with great despair as the netherflames in his eyes flickered and waned!

SSS!!! Ryu Changmin raised his head violently and chewed off a large piece of his flesh, swallowing it with two quick bites. His voice trembled with great excitement, “Do you know how long I’ve been dreaming about this day?”

“Day and night… I’ve been thinking and planning how best to kill you. I’ve even rehearsed how everything would pan out thousands of times on end, and yet…”

He chomped down onto Choi Tae-min’s neck forcefully.

Crunch! Choi Tae-min’s head dangled loosely off what little remained of his neck.

“I still find tearing you to shreds with my own lips the best way to quell the endless hatred and resentment in my heart!”

“No…. AHHHHHH!!!!” Choi Tae-min had lost it. He absolutely lost it. It was almost as though Ryu Changmin didn’t care about pain in the slightest bit. The bone spurs protruding from his body had all run straight through Ryu Changmin’s body, turning it into a sieve, but… he didn’t even think about dodging!

A split second later, the pregnant lady, the young girl and Kwon Kyung-ho charged over at once and piled onto Choi Tae-min’s body as well.

Crunch, crunch… Sss… The air was filled with the sound of incessant gnawing, while the Yin energy from Choi Tae-min’s body splattered everywhere.

Qin Ye watched from afar. At the beginning, the bone spurs that were protruding from Choi Tae-min’s body was still desperately extending out into the bodies of the few Yin spirits that were gnawing away at his flesh and bones, yet… it didn’t stop them or inhibit the Yin spirits in the slightest.

Then, about a minute later, the only sound that remained were the sounds of sickening squelches of flesh and crunches of bones. Meanwhile, Choi Tae-min’s voice gradually grew feebler and feebler, while the bone spurs extending out of his body moved slower and slower.

Two minutes later, Choi Tae-min lay completely motionless on the ground.

After yet another ten seconds, the four evil ghosts finally stood up and took a step back.

All that remained was a single head on the ground.

Choi Tae-min’s entire body had been completely devoured in just slightly over two minutes. The netherflames in his eyes had already flickered out, and yet one could still vaguely make out an expression of abject disbelief on his face.

He’d been resurrected.

Yet the welcome that awaited him was a completely different kind of hellish experience than what he had expected.

“Haa…” Kwon Kyung-ho stood where he was, slightly dazed. Tears of blood were still streaming down his face. Moments later, with a dull thud, he finally fell to his knees and desperately kowtowed towards the south.

“Did you see that? Did you all see that?!”

“I’ve avenged you guys… I’ve actually managed to avenge you guys!!! Ahhhhhhhh!!!!”

He started off with an intense roar, almost as though he were venting the rest of his anger and frustration. Yet, moments later, it turned into a loud wail, accompanied only by the soft rustle as he dug deep grooves in the ground with his fingers. His voice was no longer audible, and yet he continued to kowtow madly as though paying his respects to the departed.

On the other hand, Ryu Changmin didn’t cry.

He simply stood there in a daze, allowing the blood and tears to flow all over his body as his body shuddered violently.

“Train 7448…” He stared blankly into the air, “Rest in peace…”

“I’ve… finally avenged you guys…”

“Just like how you guys had died back then… I’ve also gnawed him up on your behalf…”

“I… miss you guys…”

One vented overtly, while the other remained introspective. Yet both of them clearly bore the same kind of burden, pain and hurt of ages past. Qin Ye sighed softly. By his estimations, it was almost time. Thus, he slowly walked past them and made his way over to Choi Tae-min’s head.

“How strange. Why didn’t it disintegrate? Is he not dead yet?” He furrowed his brows and kicked the head softly. Just then, the head split right open from the center!

Whoosh… In an instant, its appearance began to change from that of bone and tattered flesh to… something that appeared to be made of paper…?

The air distorted slightly as his transformation grew quicker and quicker. In fact, it even began to emit traces of golden light on the surface of the skull. Then, three seconds later, it exploded with a loud bang, and dazzling light filled Room 402, almost as though a sun had appeared in its place.

However, there was no sun. Rather, it was a small golden parchment scroll that had unraveled itself in mid-air, and it clearly bore the writings of the Russian underworld.

Every single word was written with Yin energy. At once, Qin Ye knew exactly what it was. His body was still incredibly weak from his debilitating injuries, but that didn’t stop his heart from skipping a beat and thumping wildly.

This was… the true form of the script of death!!!

1. Seok-woo is the name of the father