FLIA 81

“Excuse me, excuse me?”

Yohan ignored the woman’s voice that kept calling after him and continued walking. By now, he could tell. This had to be another of Lee Chanha’s hallucinations. This woman, too, was just another figment of illusion. Yet even knowing that, the hallucination still felt too real. It was as if he were really standing in a subway station somewhere in Korea.

The cool underground passage, office workers on their commute, whether to or from work, he couldn’t tell. The sweet scent of pastries wafting from a kiosk at the station entrance, even the background noise… everything felt real. Cold sweat beaded on Yohan’s cheek. Standing still and doing nothing, he drew occasional glances from passersby. Trying to calm his trembling body, Yohan exhaled slowly.

I need to wake up from this hallucination, fast. First, I need to purify it. With that thought, Yohan summoned his purification power again. A faint silver light flickered from his hand. The moment it did, every single person in the station turned their heads to look at him. Yohan flinched at the horrifying sight that seemed like something out of a nightmare. Just then something happened.

Baaaaang! The familiar sound of a subway train approaching echoed through the station. A packed train pulled in beyond the screen doors. When the doors slid open, passengers briskly boarded and disembarked, yet their eyes remained locked on Yohan the entire time. Even as he tried to release light with courage, the sight was so terrifying that his knees nearly buckled.

“I just want to wake up, hurry… why won’t the purification work…?”

He intensified the light, but for some reason, the illusion refused to fade. The train left. Then again, Baaaaang–the horn of another train rang out as another pulled in. That was when Yohan felt a sense of déjà vu. This was the very first hallucination he had experienced in the Abyss. That terrifying, enormous creature pretending to be a subway train when he had been fleeing with Lee Hyunmook from the Flood.

The moment he realized it, Yohan knew he shouldn’t have let that thought surface.

Baaaaang! Another train approached. But this time, it wasn’t a train. It was a giant insect-like monster crawling in with a thunderous crash.

Wh… ■at the ■uck is thiiiii■■■■is?

I ■ee it■■I ■ee it■■I ■ee it■■I ■ee it■■I ■ee it■■

Pu■ify me! Clea■e me! I want to! I waaaaaaant to tooooooooo■■■■■!

Seeing the monster with Lee Chanha’s massive face made Yohan feel like he might faint. Crash! The creature smashed through the screen doors and charged toward him, bearing Chanha’s form. Even knowing it was all an illusion, Yohan screamed in terror and turned to flee.

He ran in the direction marked Exit ■. Behind him, he heard the constant sounds of things shattering. He didn’t dare look back and just kept running. He leapt over the turnstiles, frantically searching for the exit. From behind, Chanha howled, a distorted, incomprehensible scream of agony and despair unlike any hallucination before.

Le■ me g■■! Ughhh! Ughhhhhhhhhh! Gahhhhhhhhhh!

Like all nightmares, this hallucinated subway station had no real exit. Only endless, dark corridors stretched ahead. The faint light Yohan scattered was the only illumination. As he continued to purify himself again and again, Yohan suddenly realized something.

‘This isn’t some hallucinogenic substance… this is Lee Chanha’s ability.’

Just like Ju Hoyoung’s high-speed bursts or Lee Hyunmook’s shadows, this too was a power born from his corruption. Yohan had no idea how Chanha cast these illusions, but one thing was clear, his purification ability couldn’t dispel it. Compared to past hallucinations like the subway monster or the flower field, this one was more vivid and strong.

Does that mean there’s no way out of this?

Yohan began to despair. But then, once more, he felt a tug at his waist. It was a sensation he had felt every time he got lost in these illusions. Why did this always happen? He reached behind to feel his waist. There was nothing there, or was there? Digging through his memories clouded by the illusion, Yohan let out an “Ah”.

That’s right. This must be… the chain.

When they entered the Black Mountain, Yoon Seungryong had pulled out a carabiner and metal chain he had picked up somewhere and said,

‘If we lose our Yohan, it’s over, so let’s tie him up nice and tight!’

And that chain had never once come undone.

Yohan gasped and reached for his waist again. Yes, it wasn’t nothing. After fumbling a few times, he felt it, something wrapped around his waist. A chain. He could feel it tugging harder and harder.

“Hyunmook hyung.”

Are you there? Murmuring softly, Yohan followed the chain with his hand. His head followed suit. The chain led straight into Lee Chanha’s monstrous mouth, who was still chasing him and wailing. Yohan squeezed his eyes shut. He suppressed the instinct to run. Instead, he turned his body toward the pull and walked in that direction. A cold gust of wind brushed past his forehead, carried on the creature’s scream, but no pain followed.

That’s right, Yohan. I’m right here…

It felt like someone was whispering in his ear–no, someone really was. He was sure of it.

“You promised you’d never leave me alone again.”

The voice he heard this time was vivid. Now that he recognized the chain, and the one at the other end of it, Yohan’s fear subsided. Yohan shut his eyes tightly and clung to the chain. His forearm burned with warmth. Someone was holding his arm tightly. It was definitely Lee Hyunmook, right beside him.

Good. Calm down. Yohan repeated to himself. Even as the keening wails and crashing debris nearby kept his nerves on edge, he didn’t open his tightly shut eyes. He believed Hyunmook would protect him.

How can I break free from this hallucination?

One thing was clear, vision was the most vulnerable. Hearing seemed the next weakest, but touch was still able to detect that something was wrong with this illusion. Yohan focused on the sensation of touch. And slowly, the hallucination seemed to be a little more distinct.

What can I do to shake Chanha’s illusion?

Focusing on the feel of the chain, he checked his purification energy. The power swirling inside him was something Lee Chanha couldn’t control. As he focused, Yohan felt something else too.

‘This… is Hoyoung’s buff.’

The buff cast during their climb through Black Mountain was still active. Moving his other hand, Yohan finally realized he was holding something else. Feeling around, he recognized it. It was the weapon Lee Hyunmook and Seo Yakrin.made for him. The moment he identified it, his heart, which had been pounding wildly in fear, began to slow.

Yoon Seungryong had obsessed over food. Ju Hoyoung over his gaming console. Seo Yakrin had thrown everything away in rage at her enemies, regardless of the risk. And Lee Chanha, he had obsessive-compulsive disorder. His fixation was on cleanliness. He was terrifyingly obsessed with purity.

Then he need to show him a kind of cleanliness he’s never seen before, one he never could.

But it had to be more than just clean. It had to be beautiful. Visibly, undeniably clean. Only then could Chanha be shaken.

And the perfect place to do that was nearby.

“Please take me to the Black Mountain.”

Yohan murmured. Unsure whether Hyunmook had heard, he shouted.

“Hyunmook hyung, take us to Black Mountain….take me to the highest peak!”

The warmth that he had felt on his arm now wrapped around his waist. The sensation of falling came and went, then stopped. After waiting for a moment, Yohan took a deep breath. He had no choice but to believe Hyunmook had done what he asked.

Trusting only in Hyunmook, Yohan raised his weapon. Infusing it with purification energy, he stabbed it into the ground. Crack! He felt it dig into rough gravel. Gritting his teeth, he let the purification field explode outward.

The same power that had once purified an entire Reed Sea surged in every direction. Even as he poured his all into it, Yohan wasn’t sure it was working. He prayed with all his heart.

Please, please… Lee Chanha, look over here. There’s something clean and beautiful right here. The very thing you’ve been longing for.

And after a short while.

The suffocating sensations of the illusion began to fall away, one by one. The station, the ghostly screams, the chilling air… they all faded. The warmth surrounding him became clearer. Hyunmook’s hand, once only a vague presence, now wrapped gently around Yohan’s neck. As their lips met in a soft kiss, Hyunmook whispered,

“You did well, Yohan. You can open your eyes now.”

Finally, Yohan-ah opened his eyes.

And saw the world he had created.

Everything beneath his feet was glowing. As if a giant had taken a scoop from the earth with an ice cream scoop, an enormous circle of space sparkled with pastel-colored Eternal Stones. The light matched his own purification power. They were pure white and beautiful.

“My sweet little Yangyang.”

The eyes gazing at Yohan, affectionately stroking his cheek, were infinitely gentle. Yohan beamed.

“That’s right! It’s Yangyang!”