In Buddhism, Avici Hell is where sinners suffer endlessly—no pauses, no reprieve. The term Abigyo Hwan refers to the wailing and cries of the damned in that place of eternal torment.

I’ve never seen it myself, of course.

But right now, judging by the state of the stone wall side... it might as well be Avici.

The spider threads spun by Yo-hwa to seal the stone wall’s cave mouths were acting like drumheads, amplifying every cry and scream from inside. The warriors trapped within howled as if their souls were being ripped apart. Their cries echoed into the night sky like the laments of the damned.

“Aaaagh! M-my eyes!”

“My nose!”

“Outta my way!”

“Move, damn you!”

And then, the clearest voice rang out:

“Graaagh! W-what is this!? Cough cough! What is this thing that won’t open!? Slash it with your blade!”

“I-it won’t cut!”

“Move! Let me try—grrk!”

“Oh—it's working!”

One warrior must have been skilled enough to channel inner energy into his blade, as the tip burst through the silk—a glimmer of hope.

But Yo-hwa instantly spun fresh silk and patched the breach.

—Kissit!

“Damn it all!”

Once thickened like that, her thread wasn’t something easily broken anymore.

Yo-hwa’s webbing can only be severed by fire or internal energy, but that’s only if it’s a single strand. Weaved and layered like this, its durability is insane—even against martial power.

Then, my sister-in-law stepped in, spear in hand, striking at any enemies trying to leap out through the upper holes. Hwa-eun too began launching piercing needles.

“Don’t even try it!”

“Come closer and you die!”

Soon after, despairing voices replaced the chaos inside.

Cough cough!

“S-someone... help...”

“Let us out—urgh!”

With that breach sealed, none of the other cave entrances had anyone strong enough to replicate the feat.

At the other entrances, silhouettes of faces and limbs would bulge against the sticky silk, then vanish—over and over. Each opening had five or six warriors frantically trying to claw their way out, their bodies plastered to the web, struggling in vain.

‘Looks like the stone wall sector is nearly wrapped up.’

I shifted focus to Bini’s underground team, checking in mentally.

『Bini, how’s it going down there?』

—Tssrrt. (The uncles caught four earlier. It's quiet now, Daddy.)

‘Yeah?’

—Tssrrr. (No more people coming. No sound from deeper in. Ranghyang says there’s no vibration either.)

‘Still, stay alert. If anyone jumps out with a weapon, hide behind the uncles, okay? Let them handle it. Be careful, alright?’

—Tssrr. (Okay, Daddy.)

I had expected more enemies to flee toward the passage. But things remained quiet. Since the upper exits were blocked, I warned Bini just in case—and turned my gaze back toward the stone wall.

Odd. It had grown quieter over there, too.

‘Why so quiet all of a sudden? They shouldn’t be dying just from that level of pain...’

Bini’s venom could torment larger creatures, but not outright kill them.

So it was strange... until I zoomed in with enhanced vision and noticed something hilarious.

Except for the cave where Hwa-eun and my sister-in-law were keeping watch, the others had become a parade of snotty, tear-streaked faces. The warriors had wedged their noses through the only exit point—the tiny smoke-vent holes Yo-hwa had intentionally left.

It looked just like fish in an overcrowded tank, mouths pressed to the surface, gasping for oxygen.

Even with spears and needles flying, they wanted to breathe just one mouthful of clean air—pathetic.

‘Disgusting. These monsters who thought nothing of human lives now clawing for survival like rats...’

Apparently, Sister Seol felt the same revulsion.

From a distance, she watched the Five Venoms warriors writhing at the holes—then stepped forward with cold fury in her voice.

With a twisted little smirk on her lips, she spoke:

“Hmm? Look at you squirm. So you do want to live after all? You maniacs who unleashed locusts on the Central Plains, potentially killing thousands?”

A voice shouted back, hoarse and venomous:

Cough cough. “Whoever you are, do you think you’ll get away with this!?”

At the same time, a hand lunged to grab her.

But Sister Seol dodged easily, her expression darkening as she raised her right hand.

Her fingers formed a flicking gesture—Tangji Gong, the finger flick technique.

Her mischievous smile shone in the moonlight, eerie and childlike.

And then—

—TAAACK!

—Tack... tack...

No, not watermelons splitting. It sounded more like a monk’s wooden clapper.

A pure, sharp crack echoed through the stone wall.

‘Ahahaha... that’s our Sister Seol.’

“AAAGH!!”

A scream tore through the night.

Sister Seol had used her inner strength to flick the forehead of the man who tried to grab her.

Satisfying. Absolutely refreshing.

As soon as I thought that, another crack rang out.

—Tack! Taack... tack...

Each flick brought another warrior’s shriek.

“GRAAAH!!”

“Gkkk!”

Getting flicked with no internal energy already hurts like hell—but with it? That’ll rattle your skull.

The warriors’ cries echoed through the canyon.

‘Damn, that looks fun...’

I wanted to climb up and join the fun myself, but as the operation commander, I had to remain at my post until the mission was complete. Frustrating.

So the cycle continued—one guy took a forehead flick and dropped, another moved up to take his place.

Meanwhile, I checked in with Bini again.

『Bini, how’s it going? Any more?』

—Tssrrt. (Two more came. We got them both.)

‘Alright, then let’s have Ranghyang...’

Still no sign of the Black Snake Unit Commander.

He was likely hiding deeper inside—Cheong-yu Sojeo had said someone like him could probably withstand Bini’s poison. Probably gathering strength.

It made sense to finish off the rest first.

Capturing him would be ideal, but Cheong-yu said that someone at that level might have self-destruct triggers—better to interrogate lower-ranking ones.

Just as I was about to order Ranghyang to release the cyanide-laced fog...

—CRRRACKK!

A loud noise came from the stone wall—different from before.

‘What was that? Did someone get their skull smashed open?’

I turned toward the sound.

One of the cave mouths—one with the most people—had partially collapsed. A sidewall gave way, and Five Venoms warriors spilled out.

Yo-hwa’s threads weren’t easily broken, but apparently, the rock around the tunnel wasn’t very strong.

‘Damn. Should’ve examined the geology better...’

It caught me off guard, but our team responded immediately.

They rushed in before the escaping warriors could regain composure.

My sister-in-law skewered one with her spear. Sister Seol, Hwa-eun, and my brother jumped in and began taking down the rest as they scrambled to get up.

“Die, you bastards!”

“Don’t get cocky just yet!”

Yo-hwa snatched one up with her thread, while Cho pinned another down.

But then someone shouted:

“B-break the wall! The stone is weak! We can get out!”

“Smash it open and escape!”

A chain reaction.

Other parts of the stone wall began to crumble—and more Five Venoms warriors started pouring out.

***

As soon as we took down the first wave of enemies, chaos erupted again by the stone wall.

Thankfully, most of the warriors spilling out were already weakened—gassed, panicked, soaked in tears and snot. They weren’t at full strength.

Yo-hwa moved swiftly, wrapping Five Venoms warriors in thread one by one. At the same time, Sister Jeokwol scattered her butterfly powder to confuse and obscure them.

Cho and Yeondu took to the air, grabbing enemies and flinging them off the cliff.

Hwa-eun, Sister Seol, my brother, and my sister-in-law formed up around Hyang and entered formation, pushing into combat.

My brother and Sister Seol held the front. My sister-in-law used her long spear for mid-range suppression. Hwa-eun, in the rear, showered the enemies with poison needles.

I was about to rush in too, but first I had to finish telling Bini what to do.

『Bini! Grab the uncles’ sleeves and pull them out! Everyone needs to get out of there—Mama’s position has been breached!』

—Tssrrt! (What!? Got it!)

‘Tell Ranghyang to release the poison before they come out!’

The underground team had to pull back, and Ranghyang had to fill the tunnels with ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) cyanide fog to flush out anything that remained.

Even though we had capable fighters like Yo-hwa and Cho above ground, if enemies scattered, we could lose control. I sent Orange to block the slope leading down from the stone wall and asked Cheong-yu Sojeo to push the snake line up to reinforce the area.

“Orange! The wall’s breached—block the slope up to the stone wall!”

—Skaaa! 『Understood, hyungnim!』

“Cheong-yu Sojeo! Please push the snakes toward the stone wall area!”

—Shia! 『Got it!』

At my command, the snakes surged like a living tide.

Orange shot ahead, coiling along the slope. The rest of the snakes swarmed beneath the wall, wrapping around the base like black waves.

“Cheong-yu Sojeo, let’s move together.”

—Shiaa. 『Agreed. Let’s go.』

I couldn’t leave her behind—so I turned to follow.

But then, from behind a rock near the pond, a blur shot toward me.

A hand unleashed a technique I knew well: Venomous Snake Grabs the Peach.

“Wahahaha! Finally! The Golden Crown Snake King, fully matured—even her soul absorbed! All I need is the horn, and I’m gone!”

“Sorry, young lady. I’ll be killing you again. No—consider it an honor. You were bred for the Cult Master anyway.”

Even though I knew the technique, the man’s speed and precision were absurd. His palm was nearly at my chest.

—Whoosh! CRACK!

Cheong-yu Sojeo’s tail slammed into the space where the attacker had stood.

The man dodged back—three more figures in similar uniforms appeared behind him.

‘—Shiiia! 『Be careful, So-ryong! That’s the Black Snake Commander and his elites!』

‘Damn it—there must’ve been another passage nearby!’

They showed zero signs of being affected by Bini’s poison. They must’ve come from a hidden route.

‘Bini! Bring the uncles to me—bad guys just popped up here!’

—Tssrrrt! 『What!? Are you okay, Daddy!?』

I ordered Bini to bring the underground team topside. Just then, the enemy advanced.

“Everyone’s distracted by the wall—deal with them fast and escape!”

“Yes, Commander!”

“Yes, sir!”

As they charged, Cheong-yu Sojeo shouted:

—Siii! 『I’ll take the Commander! So-ryong, hold out!』

‘Understood!’

She must’ve noticed I’d called for backup—her goal was to buy time until they arrived.

Without hesitation, she launched herself at the Black Snake Commander, locking him down. The remaining three rushed at me.

“Die!”

“I should be saying that!”

I hadn’t expected to fight, so Hyang was with Hwa-eun, and Hongdan was paired with Sister Seol.

I was on my own.

Individually, these guys weren’t stronger than me—but together? Their coordination made things rough.

My inexperience in real combat began to show, and one landed a hit on my shoulder.

—Thud.

“Khugh...”

As I staggered back, Cheong-yu Sojeo’s voice rang out:

—Whoosh!

—Sii! 『So-ryong! Are you okay!?』

“I’m fine!”

She was worrying about me mid-fight. I stepped back, trying to check her condition.

What I saw stunned me.

Cheong-yu Sojeo was overpowering the Black Snake Commander.

The Golden Crown Snake King isn’t considered physically strong—by spirit beast standards.

But her speed was beyond human.

The Commander was barely keeping up.

But then, he noticed I’d stepped back—and exploited the opening.

He tossed something from his sleeve—yellow dust that glittered in the moonlight.

—Ssshh!

—Shiaaah! 『Ghhhk!』

Cheong-yu Sojeo recoiled, clutching her face—she hadn’t fully dodged it.

Some kind of powder... poison?

The Commander lunged for her heart.

“Cheong-yu Sojeo!”

I ignored everything else. Burned my inner energy and unleashed Toad Explosive Palm at full force, targeting the two in front of me.

Even if blocked, Hwayang’s venom would infect them.

“Take this! Your own technique—Toad Explosive Palm!”

—BOOM!

The two flew back.

I dove between the Commander and Cheong-yu Sojeo, shielding her.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

—Thud!

“Urgh!”

The third man struck me in the back—but I managed to block the Commander’s palm with both hands.

Even so, his Snake Life-Seizing Hand seeped through my arms and hit me in the chest.

—WHAM!

Luckily, I was wearing Yo-hwa’s silk vest—it didn't pierce. But the blow felt like getting hit with a sledgehammer.

We both flew backward and crashed at the base of the statue.

—CRASH!

“Kugh...”

—Siii... 『Kyaah...』

That smell—sulfur.

That yellow dust earlier must’ve been sulfur powder.

Forget the myth about alum—sulfur works. Snakes hate it. On contact, it burns. The scent alone wrecks their ultra-sensitive noses.

No wonder Cheong-yu Sojeo recoiled.

—Huurgh...

As I tried to get up, blood welled up in my throat.

I scanned the area—no sign of Bini’s team, and Moji and Soji weren’t visible in the sky.

This... this was Spicy Fabre’s death flag moment.

“Heh heh... Kill this guy, take the Golden Crown Snake King’s horn... the Cult Master will be thrilled.”

The Commander approached, grinning.

As I struggled to stand, Cheong-yu Sojeo suddenly hugged me tightly—and smiled.

—Shia. 『So-ryong... I didn’t realize. We have a new friend here.』

“...What?”

What the hell was she saying in a moment like this?

Before I could ask again, she rose—still holding me—and blew a cloud of blue smoke from her mouth.

—Shiaaaaaaah!

“You think I’m stupid, young lady? The Golden Crown Snake King never had venom like—like...”

He faltered mid-sentence.

—Krrkkkk!

A tremor beneath us—his eyes widened in horror.

“W-what!?”

—CRUNCH!

A black shadow loomed.

—Fwoosh!

The two warriors I’d hit with the Explosive Palm caught fire, illuminating the figure.

Revealed in the flames—white and crimson scales.

The Commander and his last elite were engulfed by it.

—Sssss. Shiii...

Twin hisses echoed through the air, and the blue smoke from Cheong-yu Sojeo’s mouth was absorbed by the glowing red-white scales.