(Author's Note Before the Chapter- Please Read – Hello all, Little Devil here, this novel, will and continue to have dark content every now and then, this will not be common, but will be present in some aspects. If you are not okay with this I highly recommend skipping this chapter. The Extreme warning tag will be present whenever these aspects are present. Lengthy author's notes before the chapter will not. If you are wondering why there isn't the 'Dark' tag in genres it is because these aspects will be few and far between.)
Gu Erin was shown to a room in the back of the living space, compared to the luxurious doors the other rooms had, this door looked like it was highly reinforced and technologically on a whole new level compared to the ones before.
Kei Sung opened the door with a code and optical scan, with a loud clunking sound the door finally slid open on its own. What Gu Erin saw behind that door was a young man, in his late twenties or perhaps his early thirties. As the door opened he looked up from his lap. Reflexively the man pulled on the restraints that kept his hands bound to the arms of the chair.
Not phased in the slightest Gu Erin went to take the salt from Lucy, however, when he was about to grab it she pulled away. "Na uh I wanna see what a little wimp like you has got." She said through her laughter.
Shrugging Gu Erin did not answer and simply walked in. "Well, uh, good luck." Kei Sung said before doing an about face and leaving. Gu Erin noted this change from his friend. In fact, most of his darker habits and insights came from Kei Sung himself. So, he was curious of what might have happened to him to make him like that instead of the meek chicken before him.
When the door finally shut Gu Erin knew that his last road of retreat was gone as well, he felt slightly bad for this man, but he was now an obstacle towards his path of power. He needed to prove himself to obtain the loyalty of the Blood Jackets. Their worth far outstripped this man's and his past morals.
Gu Erin inspected some of the tools already there, he frowned at the lack of cleanliness, but figured that anyone who previously came into this room was as good as dead. He secretly hoped he wouldn't be in the same position.
The business man made muffled sounds, his mouthed gagged, no doubt he was trying to bargain or plead, but unfortunately that was no longer on the table for him. Gu Erin silently apologized to the man in his heart, but it would not stop him. This was a job.
Lucy put the salt down on the table before leaning against the wall lighting another cigarette. "What's wrong? Get started." She said mockingly. In her mind, she was about to watch a good show of a young man peeing his pants, waiting for that calm façade to fall. Little did she know that the mask like façade was Gu Erin's true face. He no longer cared for his fellow man like he used to. He knew in order to protect them he had to become something he loathed. This was just a small step on this path.
Taking a pair of plyers Gu Erin walked over to the man who was dressed in a torn-up suit, it looked like he had already been beaten half to death, black and blue marks littered his face and body. With each step towards him the man flinched. Finally arriving at his side and without much thinking Gu Erin grabbed one of the man's hands, before isolating his index finger.
With a slow-motion Gu Erin used the plyers to tear off the man's fingernail. All the while the man was thrashing in his chair his screams and sobbing muffled by the gag. Gu Erin was thankful for that gag in his heart, but still no emotions appeared on his face. In his mind he was trying to overlay the face of someone he truly hated over his victim's.
Not pausing Gu Erin continued to pull off the rest of the man's fingernails of his right hand. Gu Erin then stopped and moved back to the table, the muffled sobs finally lessening in pitch as the main tribulation was done with. However, Gu Erin would deliver the suffering the Blood Jackets ordered. Gu Erin then took the salt.
Lucy finally reacted as her face slightly paled, she had underestimated this youth's viciousness, although they had someone who did this they did not do such things. More or less, it was simple and concise, enough to make the client satisfied. However, if he was about to do what she thought he was…
Gu Erin poured some of the salt in his hands and roughly pressed it into the open wounds of the man's freshly peeled fingernails. The man paled like a ghost before howling like a rabid animal, not even the gag could stop his screams as the man thrashed around in the seat.
Lucy found that the smoke from her cigarette tasted foul, but she refused to show it on her face. She watched as Gu Erin did the same thing to the man's other hand. She had grown used to the man's constant screams, but it still affected her, unlike Gu Erin she wasn't prepared for this. She was prepared to watch a good show of a wimp wanting to scurry out of the room in fright. She did not expect this frail looking kid to go through with it. The part that shook her the most? Gu Erin kept that same indifferent mask on.
She watched as Gu Erin proceeded to take off the man's shoes, she no longer cared what this devil wanted to do, if this was before she would have mocked him for having a foot fetish, but she didn't dare to speak now. She watched as Gu Erin slowly, painfully slowly skinned away the sole off the bottom of each foot with the old scalpel. Lucy was starting to feel nauseous, and she had no doubt that the client who was linked into the feed and the other Blood Jackets watching were in the same boat.
She tried her best to keep her gaze off the man as Gu Erin poured even more salt in the man's discarded shoes. The man seeing what was about to happen went berserk trying with all his might to break free and escape the devil in front of him. His eyes were bloodshot and streams of blood ran down from his eyes and mouth.
Lucy watched unable to turn away as Gu Erin forcefully slipped the shoes back on their original owner. Lucy finally stopped smoking as she found just breathing in the smoke was now very difficult, as she watched Gu Erin continually torture the man.
As Gu Erin was half way done skinning the man's arm. Lucy could no longer take it, breathing deeply she took out her gun and aimed it at the man. Lucy and the victim made eye contact. The man's eyes were pleading even through his screams and tears. Lucy had to admit the man had an incredible will for staying conscious. Without any further thought Lucy pulled the trigger.
The bullet didn't stop in the man's head instead passing through and painting the wall behind him in thick clumps of red and gray brain matter. Gu Erin did not hesitate to stop, he stood up breathing deeply. Lucy could see slight beads of sweat on the young man's brow. This small imperfection in his mask gave the slightest comfort to Lucy, but she was still wary of the monster she shared a room with.
"I think that's enough." She finally said, though it was more of a whisper, slight hints of disgust were evident in her voice.
Gu Erin only nodded, he was currently in a state of slight panic, although his outward appearance had seemed calm he had been praying for Lucy to do this. He did not know when enough was enough. Although when he finally turned back and he saw the slight fear in the young lady's eyes it startled him, it finally made him look at himself as if he had snapped out of a trance. His hands were covered in the man's blood, and he could finally smell the scent of iron in the air. Hell, he could practically taste it.
Although this sight wasn't foreign to him it brought to light a whole new feeling Gu Erin hadn't felt in a long time. Extreme guilt, the likes he felt after taking his first human life. He needed to meditate after this. This state of mind was incredibly dangerous.
Although he had made a resolute decision to redraw his moral lines, actually crossing them had brought a feeling that he did not like in the slightest. However, everything had its price. Gu Erin was now certain that one of the last parts of his remaining humanity died with that man.
"Are we…. Done?" Gu Erin asked, his voice steady, but it took everything he had to make sure that it didn't betray him.
Lucy looked at him oddly, did he not hear her from before? Thinking of something she nodded in her heart, perhaps he wasn't as big of a monster as she had thought. If he was completely unaffected by this she would have been tempted to put him down here and now. Although she knew that she wasn't a good person she still had some morals. She still didn't expect this young man to go this far.
Lucy decided to extend a verbal hand to the young man. "What's your name? You never introduced yourself?" In her mind this was as much for her as it was for him, the need to fill the silence after the man's screams was nearly maddening.
Gu Erin meanwhile had his focus on his bloodied hands, he did not give it much thought and answered Lucy. "Its… Gu Erin."
"Well, Gu Erin I think I need a drink, we can leave this to someone else." Lucy said before opening the door waiting for Gu Erin to follow her.
Snapping out of his daze Gu Erin followed Lucy his mind still in turmoil, he had a lot to reflect on, he had to reevaluate his determination once again. What was he willing to lose to achieve his goals? Was it worth what he would sacrifice along the way? All Gu Erin knew right now was that the world around him seemed dull and soundless.
It wasn't till he was shaken that his mind refocused. He looked at Lucy who had stopped him midway through the hallway. Seeing the look in her eyes seemed to help ground his mind. Although they weren't full of concern, they still had a slight if not fleeting tone of softness for just a second.
Gu Erin simply bit his lip, drawing a slight bit of blood leaving the taste of iron in his mouth. The pain made his gaze became far more focused. The time for contemplation wasn't now. Lucy, seeing that Gu Erin had woken up from whatever world he had been in started walking again. She had received word that the big boss was back, and he wanted a word with their new acquaintance. First however, she still had the courtesy to show Gu Erin to the bathroom, she didn't want bloodstains in their common room.