Author's Note: This time, we go back to the Korean twins. We haven't heard from them in a while. Well, here they are. Looks like they are about to get themselves in more trouble. I have more plans for them next season. (Yes, there is going to be a season twelve later this year.) There are two more matches left before the season finale. I already know who I going to focus on and how I might end it. Stick around for that. For now, enjoy this week's match.
Match Thirty-Two: Kumiho:
Back on duty again. This time, both the Korean twins were on shift. Im Yong looked over at his sister.
"Ready to do this?" he asked. Mi-Soon straightened up her hat.
"Yeah," she said. Im Yong rolled back his shoulders.
"Let's get this over with," he said. They were going into the mountains this time. There had been reports of strange fires out there. The first team that had been out there to investigate hadn't come back. Im Yong should be used to it by now. But something didn't feel right about this mission.
"What exactly are we doing again?" Im Yong asked.
"We're looking into the fires and where the team went," Mi-Soon said.
"Right," her brother said. They sat silently with the rest of their team in the back of the truck. Did their comrades sense that something was wrong? They didn't show it if they did. Lately, things have been restless. The problem's been tracked in Europe but it might be spreading to Asia.
The truck pulled up to a tall wooden gate.
"This is as far as I can go," the driver said. "You all are going to have to walk the rest of the way." One soldier raised his hand.
"Is there anyone to open the gate?" they asked.
"No," the driver said. "Hang on." He climbed out of the truck and walked up to the gate. To his surprise, it was unlocked. The driver pushed open the gate.
"Okay, everyone! All clear!" he shouted. The driver climbed back into the truck as the soldiers got out. Im Young stayed by Mi-Soon's side. She already had her rifle on her back.
The soldiers all marched in a single file. Im Yong stayed behind. He isn't afraid, but he can't shake that feeling.
"Hey, Mi-Soon," he whispered. His sister glanced over her shoulder. He lifted his chin.
"Stay by me, okay?" he whispered.
"Oi! Quiet back there!" their squad leader yelled. The younger Korean soldier closed his mouth.
"Yes sir!" Mi-Soon shouted.
"Keep up!" the leader yelled.
"Yes, sir!" everyone shouted back. They marched in silence. The sun had already gone down. The path was quiet tonight. Too quiet. There weren't even any crickets outside. The leader turned on his flashlight. He sniffed the air like a dog.
"Do you smell that?" he whispered. His team took a smell of the air.
"Something is burning," one of the soldiers said.
"Burning hair," another one added. The twins could smell it too. Mi-Soon was ready to grab her gun. Im Yong had his weapons. The leader took a moment to listen. The rest of the troop did likewise.
Suddenly, the leader froze.
"Yoon?" one of the soldiers asked. The leader didn't respond. He turned and started marching down the path. He looked like a puppet marching away on strings.
"Yoon!" everyone yelled.
"I… I… I don't know what's wrong with me!" Yoon shouted. "My body is moving by itself!" He marched further down the rocky path. The soldiers tried to figure out what just happened. Suddenly, another soldier's body went stiff.
"Oh no! Not me too!" he shouted. The soldier began marching down the path. The rest started to follow Yoon one by one. Mi-Soon grabbed Im Yong by the arm. Her brother whipped his head around.
"Stay by me," she hissed under her breath. Im Yong stared at her for a moment before he nodded. The twins watched as the last soldier was marched away. They didn't dare to move. Im Yong turned to his sister. She didn't speak as she held her breath. The twins waited.
Moments later, Mi-Soon looked down the path.
"Let's go," she mouthed at him. She held her brother's arm as they walked down the path. Im Yong didn't dare to speak until they got off of the path. Something or someone was watching them. No, there were multiple somethings or someones. Im Yong started to get a good item of what happened to the teams. The question was, where did go?
Mi-Soon narrowed her eyes as they kept walking down the narrow path. She wouldn't let go of her brother. The younger twin trained her ears to listen. Im Yong took a listen for himself. Not even the wind was blowing by. Still, something wasn't right.
Im Yong looked up when he felt a tugging on his arm. Mi-Soon began running down the path. He didn't get time to ask questions. Something else caught his attention.
What is…? What is that?
Meanwhile, Mi-Soon kept running. She too started to pick up on what's wrong.
The campsite was empty. The fire pit had been long cold. The tents were all smashed up. Pieces of equipment lay scattered everywhere. One set of footsteps led away from the camp. The twins followed the trail down to the barren site. Mi-Soon held out her arm.
"What is it?" Im Yong asked.
"Shhh," his sister whispered. She wouldn't let go. The soldier took a step forward. She walked up to a worn boot. Mi-Soon kicked at the sole. This looked like one of their soldiers' boots. Im Yong was just happy to not see a foot stuck in it. He used his free hand to shine the flashlight around.
"What the hell?" he asked.
"Shhh!" Mi-Soon hissed.
"Okay, okay," her brother said. The twins looked around at the ruins. Mi-Soon put up her hand again.
"Do you smell that?" she whispered. Im Yong paused and took a smell. He reeled back, covering his nose.
"What is that?" he whispered.
"Demons," his sister said.
"What? You can't be serious?" Im Yong asked. Mi-Soon turned her head. Her brother's stomach dropped when he noticed the worried look on her face. She only managed to say one thing before it all went black.
"We've just walked into a trap," Mi-Soon said. Before her brother could ask, the twins vanished into thin air.