Chapter 17
The villagers gathered together with straw in their hands, making je-ung, straw effigies shaped like human figures—substitute sacrifices.
They were decoys meant to fool the tigers and chang-gwi, something to confuse their eyes. Tonight, the je-ung’s purpose was to make the intruders seize the straw effigies instead of living people.
“Hey, Dung-for-brains. You’re going to snap the kid’s neck.”
Kalisia scolded Ian, who was helping the villagers make the effigies. The one he made looked like a ragged, mangled mess.
“You practically drew and quartered it. Drew and quartered.”
Declaring his useless, Kalisia shoved Ian’s straw doll aside. He had pressed so hard that every woven piece of straw was bent and broken.
“The neck isn’t broken.”
Ian protested with a sullen expression as his hard work was tossed away. Then he subtly put the doll back where it was.
“Not broken? Its head is dangling like this.”
Kalisia shook the effigy’s head, telling him to have some shame.
“Listen, Dung-for-brains. You have no talent for doll-making. Just accept it and go slice the meat over there.”
She pointed toward the fresh meat laid out on the altar at the village entrance.
“Slice it thin! We need to wrap it around the je-ung!”
The reason they wrapped raw meat around the straw bodies was because of the tigers’ cunning. The effigies and talismans might fool their eyes, but not their noses.
They needed meat resembling human flesh—
and human blood.
“Alright, if you’re all done, hands off!”
Kalisia pulled a needle from inside her clothing and grinned.
At the Village Entrance
Jeombagi handed a jar filled with blood to Kalisia. He trembled, eyes fixed on the ground. The clear water had gradually turned a deep, dark red.
“Now the guardian will be able to sleep easy.”
Kalisia peered into the jar and nodded. The eyes of the small jangseung totems glowed brightly, saturated with the life-force of the living.
“Brother, dig a bit of dirt in front of the big jangseung there.”
“H–Here? This spot?”
A jangseung god never steps into a place contaminated with impurity, so they needed to give him a new body.
“That’s good enough.”
Kalisia set the small jangseung upright on the ground and covered it with soil. When the moonlight fell, the deity would inhabit its new form.
Kalisia straightened her back after drawing a large sigil in the dirt with a tree branch. She sprinkled a circle of salt around the completed talisman.
It was a kind of bunker meant to protect her and Ian from the tigers and ghosts.
“That’s enough over there too, Dung-for-brains.”
She waved to Ian, who was spacing the effigies along the path.
“You really think this will work?”
Ian glanced doubtfully between the tiny jangseung and the straw dolls.
“They may be small, but they’ll soon hold divine power. Stronger than the two of us, probably. Oh—and I sent one je-ung to every household. If the tigers or ghosts enter the village, they’ll grab those instead of people.”
With that said, Kalisia sat in the middle of the road and began checking an old drum. It had barely been rescued from the home of a shaman who once lived here.
When ability fell short, good equipment was always the answer.
“And Dung-for-brains—your job is cover fire. Meaning don’t rush in and stab the damn tiger first.”
She emphasized the point sternly. The tigers in this mountain had eaten dozens of people—they were practically monsters.
They were not to be underestimated.
“Just saying—but don’t rely too much on your ability. It might not work properly here.”
Kalisia looked up at Ian standing beside her. Holding a long spear, he looked surprisingly reliable.
“Don’t worry. I’m not an idiot who neglects swordsmanship because of a special ability.”
Ian lowered his gaze as he cleanly dismissed her concern.
“That’s true. In the training yard, your physique was just—”
Seeing his reaction, she made a playful whistling gesture.
“…Haah.”
Ian ran a hand through his hair, exasperated.
Night descended on Tiger-Calamity Village.
The villagers locked their doors and held their breaths.
Kalisia and Ian prepared themselves for the tigers.
Sitting within the salt circle, they watched the path lit only by moonlight. Their breathing was the only sound in the heavy silence.
“…They’re coming.”
Kalisia, sharpening her spiritual senses, snapped her eyes open. She sensed the rancid smell of tigers approaching.
Doom—
Doom—
Doom—
Kalisia raised her thick wooden drumstick and struck the drum. Ian straightened, focusing his energy and tightening his grip on the spear.
“Taesang Nogun says—Hwangmyojingyeong Taesang Wongukdaedo Taesang…!”
She recited loudly, calling upon the celestial spirits for aid.
—Grrrr….
Moments later, four house-sized tigers appeared at the village gate. They’d already devoured some effigies—bloodlust burned in their eyes.
—……
The small jangseung totems glowed bright red at the sight of the intruders. Awakened, they breathed life into several je-ung, making them move to confuse the tigers.
—S-Save me!
—You damned beasts!
—H-Hrrk! Ack!
Crawling figures, one charging with a plow, one wetting itself and fleeing, one frozen stiff—each effigy played its part well, blocking the tigers’ path.
—KRAAGH!
But it was brief. The tigers’ claws and teeth ripped the effigies apart one by one. Blood sprayed across the bright moon, flesh sticking everywhere.
—Grrr…
After devouring every je-ung in sight, the tigers stepped deeper into the village.
SHHHHHHHH—!
Suddenly, blazing heat erupted from the ground and bound their paws. The startled tigers snarled and recoiled.
It’s the Jangseung God!
Relief washed across Kalisia’s face as she beat the drum. The rising heat transformed into a man and woman, each with a great blade at their waist.
“None who lack permission shall dare pass us.”
The booming voice of the Jangseung Gods crashed down upon the tigers.
—RUAAAAH!
The tigers hesitated, then lifted their yellow eyes and howled. Their faces split grotesquely, gray smoke seeping out.
Chang-gwi.
Kalisia tightened her grip on the drumstick. The smoke slipped past the jangseung and into the village.
The tigers would be blocked—
but the ghosts they commanded were her problem.
Doom! Doom! Doom!
“Taesang says—Taesang Nogun commands—let the underworld be born, let the earth be steady…!”
Kalisia chanted the Taeeul Bosinjeong, a scripture to protect oneself from evil spirits. Normally, she would’ve used an exorcism chant, but tonight was about defense.
With the tigers so close, exorcism alone wouldn’t drive the chang-gwi away. She had to seal people’s ears so they wouldn’t hear the spirits’ whispers.
Doom-doom-doom!
Feeling the surge of ghostly energy, Kalisia drummed with everything she had. Pain furrowed her brows with each swing.
Her palms were torn and bloody from the wood scraping against them. Her arms shook, strength fading with each strike.
“Hngh…”
Clenching her teeth, she raised her arms again. Just a little longer—the chang-gwi would soon drag the remaining effigy away. Then the tigers would have no reason to stay.
The issue was time.
Every second felt cruel as Kalisia forced her trembling body to continue.
What kind of useless body is this?! These arms are basically paper! And the heart is broken, the stamina is gone—unbelievable!
She swallowed curses as she lifted her near-dead arms again.
Dooong—
Dooong—
The drumbeat slowed to almost nothing. Finally, her arms collapsed.
“Relax.”
A familiar voice brushed her ear. A cool breath touched the back of her neck. Kalisia turned her head.
At some point, Ian had wrapped his arms around her from behind, golden light blazing in his eyes as he glared at the tigers.
“Look forward.”
A large shadow covered her small, wounded hands. Thick fingers intertwined gently with her thin ones.
“You do your job. I’ll help you.”
Ian raised both their arms. Their tightly interlocked hands lifted high into the air.
Doom! Doom! Doom!
The drumbeat, once fading, thundered through Tiger-Calamity Village once more.
