Rearing Demons
Chapter 79: The Run

Chapter 79: The Run

"Mom," Luna called out as her mother limped back into the hut.

"Baby, are you still awake?" Rose collapsed beside her daughter with a painful sigh. Another night of humiliation—another night with so many... so many! Inwardly, she wept; her body ached from all that had been done to her. Bite marks covered her in places she could barely reach—places only her husband had once touched.

"Are you alright?" Luna asked, worry evident in her voice. The thick clouds obscured the moon, leaving little light to reveal Rose’s battered face. "Your voice sounds so tired."

"I’m a bit tired," Rose murmured, gently rubbing her daughter’s head. "Why don’t we talk about your date?"

"Ca—"

"AHH!"

Luna began, but before she could continue, a sudden, piercing shriek filled the air.

"Hide, quickly!" Rose cried. Instinctively, she draped a cloth over Luna and pulled her close. "Stay here. Do not move!"

Without waiting for a response, Rose crawled out of the hut, momentarily forgetting her own exhaustion.

"AH!!! RUN!"

Another weak shriek rang out, and Rose’s face paled.

"DEMONS!"

That final scream terrified her. Racing back to the hut, she yanked off the cloth. "Luna, hurry! We have to run!"

"What’s happening?!" Luna asked, scrambling to her feet, fear in her tone.

"I don’t know, but we must go!" Rose replied, without hesitation dragging her daughter outside as they ran away from the screams.

"ARAA!" Suddenly, an agonizing shriek tore into their ears, nearly overwhelming them both.

"ARG!" Luna immediately vomited; blood trickled from her ears. "Mom!" she cried, voice trembling with pain and fear. "It hurts!"

"I know, baby!" Rose replied, her own pain intensifying but determined to hold it together. Her ears, nose, and eyes bled, yet she pressed on.

"Come on, keep running!" Without wasting a second, she grabbed Luna’s hand and pulled her toward the woods.

Normally, the woods would be patrolled by guards to keep beasts away from the slave camps, but now she had no choice. Guards might humiliate them, but a demon would do far worse. And with all the commotion, few guards would remain.

"Mom, my ears are ringing," Luna complained as they ran, a sharp pain pulsing through her ears, nearly making her vomit again.

"Just keep running, Luna. I know it hurts, but we must go," Rose urged, summoning every bit of strength.

Through the dark forest, they sprinted as fast as they could. Rose cared little for anyone or anything at that moment, whether it was her husband or other children along the path, nothing mattered except her daughter, the only one she truly loved in this cursed world.

"Rose!" A familiar voice broke through the chaos.

Turning her head, Rose saw someone she had been distancing herself from; not out of hatred, but humiliation.

"Jin." It was her husband, the one she had been forced to let go of.

"Luna," Jin exclaimed as he rushed over, enveloping both daughter and wife in a deep embrace. "I’m so glad you’re all right!" Tears streamed down his face as he kissed them both profusely. "I rushed to the hut, and when I couldn’t find you, I knew you’d run inside."

"Daddy, it hurts!" Luna sobbed, clutching his arm.

"I know, my baby. Climb onto my back," he instructed, quickly helping her. "Rose, let’s leave—now!"

Rose nodded and ran beside him, though she couldn’t meet his eyes.

"ARAA!!"

A sudden demon’s shriek nearby knocked Jin to the ground.

Rose vomited.

"Rose, Luna!" Despite his own immense pain, Jin struggled to rise, his nose broken from the fall. His eyes were bloodshot and crimson dripped from his mouth.

"Daddy!" Luna cried, her eyes bleeding and her body trembling uncontrollably.

She vomited on Jin’s back, but he ignored it.

Quickly, he tore his shirt into strips and wrapped them around Luna’s eyes. "Keep your eyes closed for now! It will help," he said, uncertain but hopeful.

Then he did the same for Rose. "My love, keep your eyes closed; I’ll protect you both."

"No, no, I can run myself," Rose protested, trying to resist.

"Rose, I know you can, but let me help," Jin insisted gently as he secured the cloth around her eyes. "You shouldn’t be walking, let alone running, in your condition." His gaze lingered on the bite marks covering her legs, neck, and chest.

Though his lips trembled, he bit down hard, suppressing feelings he could not express.

"I am stronger than you both, for they allowed me to keep some of my cultivation," he murmured as he helped Luna back onto his back and then lifted Rose as if she were a princess. "I can carry you both, at least for now."

Rose, unable to decipher his true feelings, simply nodded. "Alright."

Ever since her previous life had collapsed, she had come to despise Jin for their fate, but could she truly blame him? No one could have saved them, no one could have changed their fate. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, yet she resented him and kept her distance.

Despite trembling legs and blurred vision, Jin held on tightly.

Pushing against the ground, he ran even faster. When others caught up, his hardened heart drove them aside; he had to stay ahead.

I don’t need to be the fastest! I just need to stay ahead!

In his mind, he vowed to do whatever it took to remain in the lead. Speed was not on his side, so he had to play dirty; it was him or them.

"It’s getting closer!"

Screams erupted, and Jin felt the pressure mounting.

"Ah!" With a deep growl, he pushed himself to run even faster.

Finally, he reached a chaotic river, its waters roiling violently. He leaped in.

"AH!" Luna and Rose yelped as the frigid water lashed against their skin.

"Both of you, hold on tight! Don’t let go!"

Luna and Rose clung to him even tighter, their arms locked together. The river tried to pull them apart, but it could not.

Jin gripped them firmly, even shifting Luna in front for protection.

"J-Jin! The current! It’s getting stronger! The ground..." Rose gasped as she felt the water’s sudden change; Jin frowned as he looked ahead.

He discovered that the river abruptly ended at a waterfall. He couldn’t tell how deep it was or how dangerous the fall might be.

They had fortunately floated far enough in the river to avoid a potential demon attack, but the waterfall threatened to be their undoing.

"Both of you, grab onto each other, don’t let go!" Jin shouted.

With desperate effort, he hauled them toward the riverbank.

The two felt something brush against their sides and instinctively reached out, grabbing onto the long, sturdy grass.

"Luna, go first!" Rose urged, summoning inner strength to pull Luna up despite the river’s force.

Landing on stable grass, Luna gasped for air. "Luna, help me up," Rose called urgently.

Luna found Rose’s hand on the ground and helped pull her up. "Almost there!"

Exhausted, they collapsed onto the bank. Luna lay down briefly while Rose quickly freed herself of her bindings, frantically searching for Jin.

"Jin!" she cried, spotting him barely clinging to the river. She couldn’t fathom how he managed to stay afloat.

Quickly, she grabbed a thick stick long enough to reach him and stretched out her hand. "Grab this, hurry!"

Jin, his face etched with agony, reached out and clutched the stick.

"Come on!" she urged, pulling with all her might. "Luna, help!"

Calling for her daughter, Luna removed her blindfold and scrambled toward her mother.

Together, the two pulled the stick, and Jin groaned as he was finally dragged to the riverbank.

Rose clutched his arms and helped him up.

Jin reached stable ground, collapsing onto his back as he stared up at the dark sky, huffing heavily.

"Jin, your feet!" Rose exclaimed in shock, noticing deep, gaping wounds.

Looking down, he sighed in pain. "Don’t worry about them," he managed, a bitter smile flickering before he closed his eyes to catch his breath.

We made it.

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