Miho the Killer
Chapter 49: Getting Started (Warning: Gore)

Chapter 49: Getting Started (Warning: Gore)

Note: This Chapter contains graphic violence. It’s probably worse than Minji’s ’eternal fire’. Please skip this Chapter if you are uncomfortable with gore.

Shin, as always, came promptly at 2:00 AM. I managed to get a little bit of sleep, but very lightly. I woke up to the sound of his knocking on the door immediately, put on my beige cardigan again, and went to get the door.

"Are you ready to leave now?"

Shin went straight to business.

"How is Miho?"

I took no detour either.

"Same."

"I see. Let’s go then."

Shin’s car was parked outside the gate of Lily Garden with the engine on but the lights off. As soon as I got into the car Shin handed me the blindfold that I’d gotten used to by now but still didn’t like.

"Seriously? Even at night?"

"Can never be careful enough."

Says the guy who’s a living danger to humanity.

I sighed and put on the blindfold. As soon as I did, Shin started to drive.

The drive was mostly smooth but with a lot of curves, some going up the slopes and going down. It was hard to tell whether we were ending up somewhere on higher altitude or lower, or North or South or East or West from Lily Garden for that matter. Although there wasn’t really anything to gain from it, I tried to keep track of the road we were taking but soon gave up. I even lost sense of time as I sat in complete darkness with nothing to feel except the hum of the engine and the car’s momentum.

The car finally stopped, and Shin still made me keep the blindfold on. Just like when we went to Juho’s facility then. I was led with my left palm placed on Shin’s shoulder, feeling his muscles and bones rhythmically move with each step he took.

"We are going down the stairs. Mind your steps."

Shin told me as he slowed down and I took his advice. There was a clunky sound of a metal door opening, I counted 60 steps on the way down. There was another clunk of a metal door, followed by a somewhat quieter and muted sound of yet another door opening.

As we went in, I heard the clicking sound of a light switch flipping yet I was still in the dark.

"This is your final chance. You can decide to stay in the dark, or I take that blindfold off you and you face the reality."

Although I made it all the way here and was mentally prepared to accept whatever visceral horror that may await me, I still hesitated a little before I made my decision. If I opened my eyes now, the image will be etched in my mind forever. I don’t know what Shin has done so far, but I knew how it was going to end - acid burn. That would be at least equal to the sight of watching Minji get immolated to death, which I still hadn’t recovered from.

But seeing this final scene - I felt this was the only way to bring closure for Minji and Miho. They weren’t here to witness it, and I was filled with a weird sense of duty to see this circle of death end. The scar it will leave in my soul was my cross to bear. By committing this sin I shall bring redemption to what Miho had done. It won’t change all the other wrongs she had done, but avenging Minji would absolve Miho of her sin, making me the sinner instead.

"I have decided. I will see through this."

I gave my final answer to Shin and without confirmation, he undid my blindfold.

I still kept my eyes closed for a few seconds, then opened them slowly.

I was blinded by the sudden brightness of the room coming from maybe an hour of darkness but as my eyes adjusted I felt every fiber of my body twist with disgust and the weight of guilt.

There was Kwon.

Crucified on a wooden cross, bleeding.

I immediately winced and closed my eyes, but then forced them open to take in everything.

He was completely naked. It looked like he had quite a few horrific scars on his body that were covered in blood and pus. I studied his body from head to toe, and I saw that he was missing a few digits on his feet. My stomach turned and I instantly threw up, but Shin was ready with a sizable bucket to catch the vomit.

"Well, I knew this was going to happen. It always does."

Shin shrugged.

I felt repulsed to the core of my body, about what I saw, and about what I let - no, what I ordered to happen.

"Are you done?"

Kwon asked me with an emotionless voice, calmly.

I wiped away the swell of tears that formed in my eyes. I couldn’t tell if it was from the physical stress of puking or from some sort of remorse that was too late to feel.

"Yes."

"Right, I will give you a run down."

Kwon was unconscious with his head drooping down low. Shin went over to a table and put the kettle on. I almost thought he was going to offer me some coffee and decided I would reject it, but he didn’t.

Instead, he took a few more steps to reach a trolley - much like the ones they use at the restaurant - and rolled them my way.

"I didn’t do too much really. The guy is a real wuss. I started off with the standard procedure of cutting off his big toe. After that, he spilled everything. Almost everything. He confessed to his involvement in your friend’s death by contracting Miho. He gave the PIN numbers for his bank accounts and cards. He gave the password for the Public Certificate he had saved on his for all the financial apps. It was a smooth transaction, mostly. And by the way, these were the gardening scissors I used for the toe."

I was here to observe, witness, and take it all in. I listened attentively although every word Shin spoke was stabbing my heart with large, heavy nails. Much like those that held Kwon in place on the cross.

"And this is a potato peeler I used for those scratches you see on his body. Nothing fancy, but it’s a handy tool that always works. Especially to a guy like him who’s not used to this sort of thing."

"If you... got everything out of him with the toes-, why did you have to do that?"

"Because it wasn’t everything. He lied about a few things. Each lie earned him a peel. But no biggie. It worked and I managed to get more out of him. It turns out he had quite a large sum hidden away in crypto coins. Probably tax evasion and to use for dirty business."

"So... you got everything out of him after that?"

"Yes. But then I found that he needed some extra punishment. So I nailed him on the cross and gave a few more peels."

"What... what was it that he did?"

"I found some pictures and videos on his phone that he shouldn’t have."

"I thought you didn’t do anything more than what was required by the terms of the contract?"

"I do apologize. I did take some pleasure in bringing pain to a guy who used the young and vulnerable for his own pleasure. I hope you can forgive me."

The implication sickened me but made me slightly more accepting of the brutality that was done to him.

Then there was a loud click sound from the kettle on the table, signaling that it was fully boiled now.

Shin walked over casually and grabbed the kettle, approached Kwon, and splashed the boiling water on the wound on his side that I now knew was inflicted with a potato peeler.

Kwon came around with a primal scream of extreme pain.

The night was only getting started.