Lewd skill in a filthy world-Chapter 38. A nightmare

**

SPLATTER!!

A gush of warm liquid sprayed across her face, thick, iron-scented and warm.

She blinked.

Her cheeks, lips, even her tongue tasted it.

Blood.

Her father’s blood.

Her mouth opened, but no sound came. Her eyes shook so wide they seemed ready to burst from their sockets.

Her tiny fingers trembled, stained in red. Her knees buckled beneath her.

"No..." she whispered. A whimper as if she wasn’t ready to admit the reality in front of her.

"No!!"

Her chest burned. Her ribs rattled with every panicked breath. Her heart thumped like it wanted out, like it didn’t want to be part of this anymore.

She looked down.

His eyes were still open, some of the blood spilling out his mouth, and all he could do was grunt.

"I’m sorry, babey. This is where our family shatters! I’ll be waiting for you on the other side. Survive!!"

"Mom... no!!" she screamed. "Don’t do it! Don’t—"

SPLATTER!!

More blood. Everywhere. This time on her hands.

**

She shot up in bed.

"NOOOOO!!!" she screamed, drenched in sweat, her voice hoarse, her body shaking violently.

Shin lurched awake, eyes wide. "Ayaka!?"

"Mama!! Papa!!" she cried out, breath stuttering. Her hands reached for something—anything—before grabbing onto Shin’s arm like a drowning girl finding a lifeline.

Her whole body trembled.

Her eyes were bloodshot, wild. Her chest rose and fell like it couldn’t keep up. The room was dark, but the terror in her eyes lit it up.

Shin pulled her close, gripping her tightly, pressing her against his chest. She was cold. Then hot. Then cold again.

"It’s okay. I’ve got you," he murmured, voice soft but firm. "It was just a nightmare. You’re safe now. I promise."

But it wasn’t just a nightmare. Not to her.

She could still see it in her eyes.

Still smell it.

The blood. The dead stare in her mother’s eyes.

She sobbed—full-bodied, shaking, gasping sobs. Her nails dug into Shin’s back.

"Oni-chan..." she choked out. "She killed him... Then smiled... All for me..."

He didn’t say a word. Just held her tighter.

"I’m scared..." she whimpered.

"I’m here," he whispered, stroking her hair. "I won’t leave. I promise. You’re not alone."

"Don’t go... please don’t go..." Her voice was shrinking, fading.

She clung to him, like she might die if she let go.

And for the rest of the night, Ayaka slept with her ear pressed to his heartbeat, as if listening to it was the only thing keeping her in this world.

Morning finally came after a night heavy with sorrow.

Shin was already awake as he finished his morning push-ups. He glanced over at Ayaka. She had only just drifted to sleep, tears still staining her cheeks from crying most of the night.

He didn’t want to wake her, not yet. She looked peaceful for once. But peace was a luxury, and survival didn’t wait for grief to pass.

He had a plan. A dangerous one. One that could get them all killed if it went wrong. But Lilian and Yuki had agreed to it. Now, all that remained was for him to set it in motion.

He crouched beside Ayaka and gently shook her shoulder.

"Hey... wake up, sleeping beauty."

She groaned softly. Her lashes fluttered before she looked up at him. Despite the weight of everything, a small smile found her lips.

"Oni-chan..."

He offered a quick smile back. "Come on. We’ve got things to do. Big day ahead."

He gave her time just enough to wash her face and clear her head. Then, hand-in-hand, they walked out into the fractured daylight. The city was beginning to get busy.

Through his peripheral vision, Shin caught sight of someone familiar—Ado, seated casually on a stand to the left, sipping from a cup, nose buried in a book. But Shin could feel the weight of his gaze. He wasn’t reading. He was here keeping tabs on him.

Good. Let him.

Ado watched Shin disappear down the street, his stomach churning. He hated this feeling. As someone who’d always relied on charm, especially with men, he couldn’t understand why yesterday, Shin grimaced at him instead of being captivated. He acted as if he didn’t get even affected by his charm. Ado had a charm tha could turn a straight man into his own gay lover. But it didn’t work on Shin. That sting of rejection? It festered. He hadn’t told anyone about their last encounter... especially not that Shin had casually challenged the whole crew, asking them to come test their luck against him.

But Ado knew that no matter how confident Shin seemed, Tony—the group’s ace archer wasn’t someone to underestimate. That man was born for war.

Yet... Ado couldn’t stomach the idea of Shin dying before he got another chance at charming him.

He stood, masking his unease with a practiced smile.

"One more try," he murmured, starting to follow.

When Shin noticed that Ado was alone, he raised his brows. He had expected the whole crew. But well.... from his left, three other men began shadowing him, their faces twisted in smug little grins.

"There they are... the ones that wants to kill Ayaka."

Perfect.

He kept walking until he made it out of the safezone.

Ado’s breath hitched as he watched Shin stroll through the open gate—right into danger.

Is he insane? Walking out of the safezone in broad daylight? With a kid?! He’s gonna get ambushed!

But curiosity overrode hesitation, so he kept following.

Once Shin stepped past the gate, he turned quickly to the right toward the convenience store he’d "experimented" on Lilian the other day. The three goons followed, already drawing their weapons—swords and daggers gleaming under their jackets. If they’d had guns, things would’ve been worse, but Shin had already accounted for that.

That’s why he walked in a zigzag pattern between ruined buildings—to make it harder to aim or get a clear shot.

"Let’s catch our prey, boys!" one of the goons whispered with a smirk. "Looks like we even got a bonus, haha!"

They picked up speed, trailing Shin and Ayaka. Behind them, Ado continued to follow at a distance.

Shin reached the convenience store and calmly walked inside.

One of the goons stopped, suddenly amused.

"Wait—what’s this?"

Just outside the doorway, the ground was slightly uneven. Disturbed soil. Poorly hidden.

"A trap?" he mocked. He picked up a rock and tossed it onto the patch.

Crunch.

The ground collapsed, revealing a shallow four-meter pit lined with sharpened branches, jagged and splintered.

The men burst out laughing.

"Is this a joke?"

"Who does the kid think he is—Rambo?"

"Cute."

They stepped around the pit with smirks on their faces.

"Hey, kid!!" one of them shouted. "Be a good boy and hand over the girl. Maybe we’ll let you live!"

Shin remained silent. Inside, he was smiling.

He recognized them now—the same drunk loudmouths from the bar the other day. The ones who were gossiping about a wife who forced her man into a double suicide. And a child left behind... "pure gold," they’d said.

So it was Ayaka they were after.

He made no sound. Just waited.

Frustrated, one of them kicked open the door to the store.

Shin smiled.

The bait had taken the hook.

TBC

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