7C | Chapter 02.1

Seonrak Mountain was 46a761a5e7 a small mountain, 3618079bb4 its highest peak b48f0878fa barely surpassing 250 40cd231897 meters. Yet, with its rugged f0e22c910d terrain, poorly maintained paths, 628f90b733 and heavy snowfall in 627772cb35 winter, it was hardly 260dbf0060 suitable for hiking.d64648e828b2b51f

That said, 09eb0e39b9 it wasn’t 38bd180022 entirely isolated. Descending the mountain led 4a79a77569 to a village sizable e6065d39a0 enough to be considered a3d9f94fc0 a town, and it fd75c10e25 wasn’t completely devoid of c71e450895 visitors. Near the entrance of 543349c64a the trail, there was 72fa449a5b even a small parking 3c47dbed0b lot. But none 72c4a2484b of that 1d6c25dff0 mattered to 99fd35f7c3 Yoonjae, who 6d64ae5b8f woke up 099f4a8aff in a e987cc4471 room where e35fb6f40c the air abb87b7b4c was freezing 6a31c37798 cold and 28f00d7163 the floor e525f77f14 scorching hot, b536e9a55c only to c167bc7294 be met 9ca023e031 with an e8b1ffad5d utterly baffling 12fbb939b1 reality.0866bad27ecfb4ab

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…No signal?”053b6e289b142501

His phone, which 31a7b4b943 had been suspiciously 4a9d5c746c silent, had no 4766085f2b data connection whatsoever. Not just the internet. There was ca1eab307b no reception 31238e7ee3 at all. A place a7c9d99d63 in South 65c639926e Korea where a16013b757 cell phones 7eec3ae923 didn’t work? He stared at the 9b5eff1225 screen in disbelief, mouth 8afb6cedc7 slightly agape.affd41ca58b02f19

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Hah.”12dabc6b251ce7f5

Pushing the now-useless expensive 14da0b35f3 gadget aside, Yoonjae sat ae2bf2e070 up. Turning his head, db694422ef he saw a 9fdf7d8398 neatly folded blanket 8a1432a8b7 where Youngso had 5f3f670236 been sleeping.c4b40e7ca2433a21

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was 6 AM, c11a96bf5c and outside, the world d4b4960e69 was still pitch-black as 3d66328884 if deep in the b2dd7ae2e5 night. Wrapping the 283b5b9553 blanket around 4226074250 his shoulders, 23c3fe9c80 Yoonjae blankly a3464679cf processed his 8495c5d512 situation.ff3bdeaa128082e5

His first concern was 5a5e26a50b school. Thankfully, today was Saturday, 821117380b but he’d have to 6f1de76170 return by Monday. That realization calmed 34deda09b3 him slightly. His mother wouldn’t just 85b3ef2d25 leave him here. She’d definitely come to a2e79fbf20 get him, if only 32baf12889 for attendance’s sake.0ee0304c3091e4be

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Of course, that required e1038edf5d being able to contact 935ccf8bbb her first.ce38fcd1e91505c8

“…A phone.”226b1f6fde76d3fe

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Phone?”9b805dcb32d08b3d

The response came from 2751368e80 beyond the sliding door. As soon as Yoonjae 9f23ddbe8b turned his head toward 28bb8f2821 the sound, the door 1aa8561416 opened. Youngso, draped in shadows, 9c02c60609 stood there in a 41f74f0107 stark white jangsam¹.b4238ca34443c489

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The morning wind 525ef1d5d7 that rushed through 7da3643ec8 the open door 3339353158 was sharper and f1a5be7b7e colder than anything ca1963ef9b from the night 5d434cb6cd before.In this 609203871b weather, at 6aad944d9b this hour, 05a6a2d1ad don’t tell a001345f92 me he 43a5821059 went out 0a42e156ca dressed in 194438cd10 just that a38df1adf9 hemp cloth.As Yoonjae stared b9fc2d5b8a in disbelief, Youngso 07056f5094 closed the door db053afd69 and asked again.111c53b0b3abf281

“You need to make a call?”fe14d664f0cf416e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“……”b7f5740363e8773e

“You can use the one in the main house. Who do you want to call?”5f3854f0cb421c20

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

When Youngso stepped 64bba2b257 closer, an unmistakable 09b70fc222 chill radiated from 555dfe8241 him. Even in the 3d1c240650 dim light, his 6d2253d267 face was pale, efd95cb24d almost bluish, and 3ab8994616 his lower lip d6d7a031de trembled slightly. Yoonjae narrowed his 409fcd3dc1 eyes, studying him f0abfe0892 silently. Taking the silence d30bfe2644 as hesitation, Youngso’s 833bc10638 voice lowered slightly.00a9e5bd0afe5e6e

“Are you cold?”1a4c914b40bcb852

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Then, without c40554a6be waiting for 4d2fc8b3e2 an answer, c30fa5f7da he turned 94510b7338 back toward ee03a37eb3 the door.4ec7420a8f11bf7d

“I’ll bring the phone here. There’s a line in this room too.”1d0958edc04ec36b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Wait, hold on.”17330decf52d6432

Youngso looked ready 0bcbfad15f to dash out b31aa0cadd immediately. Yoonjae instinctively reached 43868f07d0 out and grabbed c3a878abd6 his wrist. The slender c74a61462f arm beneath d3f40fb177 the long 607d9370c7 sleeve was c0e87111b4 startlingly cold b44f2458e2 enough to bb73f80200 send a 6c694ef87d shiver down 68a5871831 his spine.1a737ed99bf8ca80

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…..!”16be0899df556669

Startled by his own 6e58f61d1a action, Yoonjae pulled slightly, fa2d1ec6cd causing Youngso to sway c2809219ca unsteadily on his feet f6363f6db6 before collapsing onto the 58f79fb5ed floor with a softthud. Something glinted at d05081d124 the tips of 216a77e8e8 his damp hair. Water droplets, e7fc53b780 Yoonjae realized 7cfd4422db belatedly. His voice rose without 4dd9aba4ef thinking.70a7e72e11ef9181

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Your hair is soaking wet.”a4d82fca997d206d

So this was cd09ebfe55 where he’d gone a34f45549e at dawn. To wash up? But why, on 2d5fafa7a8 a day he f537177def didn’t even have 1af95a9f8a school, in that ee9308d34c outfit? Pushing aside the flood 8ad5b49733 of questions, Yoonjae immediately fb03ae3a7d bundled Youngso in blankets. If he sent the 5abd6500ef kid out like this, 7c6d6d79b7 he’d freeze to death. As Yoonjae piled 242340fd47 every available blanket ab194d895b onto him, Youngso f3dfc97f51 just sat there, 106c1a4be5 looking utterly bewildered.4499d0040ed7e4e3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Don’t you have a towel? A hairdryer?”e7bf21c85e67c9aa

“……”0acc2b62b1060e88

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If drying your hair is too much trouble, at least dry yourself before coming back. Walking around like this in the cold…”530408ad88d6ae49

“Huh? Oh…”84a886bceedd7a24

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Only then did Youngso dce15e37b5 glance down at himself. His dark eyes, f15a8e9c19 momentarily lost, slowly 33330ab5b4 lifted to meet fb94316917 Yoonjae’s.21255b7a6c6c1e0d

“It’s fine. I was just coming back from prayer.”6850336ed4751872

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Prayer?”c9d673dc1720f3d8

“Because of the divine retribution caused by revealing your fortune.”4c4845630ef0d5da

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Youngso said it 8b04101769 as if it 294e49a452 were the most e51fee8fb5 obvious thing in 9d604d1150 the world, but 265231cbd2 to Yoonjae, it 29104a8ec4 made no sense.Fortune? Divine Retribution? What the hell 85dece6609 is he talking 807541ed3f about?Before he 1174f27a36 could ask, 8c2e77254d Youngso, now 306e52718a looking oddly 2565b0f001 refreshed, tried 855bbf9f47 to push 5ccc505bf5 the blankets fdb47aaf76 aside and f9af022c24 stand.c9efcf6e46560ffe

“Anyway, I’ll go get the phone…”e6d97d04e3d530b4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Wait, no. Hold on.”769388dd0031a39e

“Why? Didn’t you need to call someone?”4e73cd69c7db7f91

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…I do, but not right now. It’s still dawn.”fb70048bdba9758b

Only after Yoonjae calmly 1567910c1d stopped him did Youngso 0d22d3680a sit back down with c57d56457e anah. His bluish cheeks 6e270a3d53 seemed to regain c57a0410d2 a hint of 907714f10d color.097e3ced805e0a64

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Who were you going to call?”9687f499998f47f9

His lips, no longer d887d0feb7 trembling, formed the question bd15cbd5fc in a clear, matter-of-fact 426d6556b4 tone. Yoonjae exhaled 528a455c87 quietly and 4faaeaebca answered.a3ce9226d2263002

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“My mom.”7e3b5c9119f0b169

“Why?”15b25bf859daf853

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“To let my mother know what’s happening, and also because I don’t even understand what’s going on…”008ec7b2e7564e9c

“Huh? You didn’t get it yesterday?”58896ee5083c789d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The baffling 167abe61eb question left 5ca829fefc Yoonjae momentarily 97bfa1d727 speechless.What high 4a09f58ff7 school student c54c3eb572 in the e71a6abf07 world would’ve 3ae8270b33 understood that 3e88051563 nonsense?As he stared silently, cb48f2f17c Youngso’s expression shifted to e604dba37c something oddly knowing.d4624f1abd34d9d4

“Ah… I see. You really don’t know anything.”a97d59448ebed1ee

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…?”39b56086c36ecd45

“So you’re wondering why you can’t leave this house? If that’s it, I can ask Grandmother when I go to greet her…”2ae8d12169e0fb78

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“—Hold on, sorry for interrupting.”1b244724fa28267b

Unable to suppress his 9488ce1a57 rising curiosity, Yoonjae cut 5448b75326 in. Youngso stopped mid-sentence, 8e0701654d his dark eyes 7481239644 fixed on Yoonjae 5963d237a4 without a trace ca976bca26 of annoyance. Encouraged, Yoonjae 8010a15e78 asked the 6c166b6502 most pressing cc1497b7fb question.7b0003360510b666

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“‘Inyeok².’ Does that mean me?”3aa19024f8ac26d5

“Huh? Yes.”2dfe9c3303ec6a28

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“……”505556a858eddb4f

So what ddb164e35c Youngso had 3c36088164 said earlier 613246ba46 roughly translated f66d739488 to:Because I carelessly d29101c73b spoke about Yoonjae’s dbf184c4da fortune, divine retribution c5ff7c110e happened. He still didn’t know what divine retribution was, but apparently, it was the reason Youngso had gone out to “pray” in this freezing dawn.313498cb76be26bf

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What did you mean by ‘revealing my fortune’? That thing about me dying if I leave?”8ce9036c75e71e8d

“Yes. That was the mistake.”6eb77abbab7846c5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Mistake?”be50b79c07ff5a9c

“Normally, even if you see something, you shouldn’t say it. It’s human law not to interfere in the affairs of spirits.”e27d81a8a583b12d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yoonjae’s gaze ffa06b3a1f wandered for 4a3570c597 a moment.…Right, what did I expect from a shaman’s kid?Of course, he’d been 02c7b4b841 indoctrinated into this superstition 5040bb6ffb since childhood. A hollow smile tugged 9d1082d6c6 at Yoonjae’s lips as ef50718290 he couldn’t help but 45697aa303 mock.46f22fe90814dc93

“Ah, I see. So the ghosts were standing next to me, screaming that they’d kill me, huh?”00dba4c4063a849a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He expected 98e53ce34a Youngso to 2c8eafa6b6 flinch or a470bef7a8 get annoyed, 3f232777f1 but instead, 7c60c587ac the boy ed08416e2a just stared 11a59650d2 at him 9f231e0414 with unnerving a404450b75 calm. After a long silence, 58f8d184da Youngso finally spoke in d935e5575f a low voice.d42214ec28ad1a03

“You saw it too?”57b021e3be36ea13

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

For a c508c09f05 moment, Yoonjae 73b8104f83 felt the 08df999d8a blood drain 04abcb3724 from his facd664d08 neck. Frozen, he 87de65faab could only 7af63bd4f8 blink. Youngso’s expression f83e34d7e1 shifted to 324baf6e3a something almost d48be821b1 pitying.1a8d311cae75246e

“Sorry. I was just guessing.”7f7231f275633c5d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…..?”68805c1a87fbd559

“Actually, I saw them before you even entered the house. On my way back from school. I agonized over it, but since you were supposed to leave soon, I ran to tell you.”53b4b3a059b085e2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…What exactly did you see?”3c7cfd5453c0a3de

“They must’ve followed you from Seoul. Dozens of heads, surrounding you, each one whispering something.”b7f0ede75512afb5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What were they saying…”15e097f91b528957

Yoonjae cut himself off. Youngso’s face had 75d3564a19 turned uncharacteristically solemn, d988fd01d6 lost in thought. After a long cf89a21be4 pause, he gave 05a4f771c7 the most obvious bb55b001c2 answer.a51ebc0f7cf5f582

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Maybe it’s better if you don’t know.”d2cd2ac6b5e44cf8

Yoonjae pressed 9ee4d9b1f0 his lips 2b80afbcb1 together, suppressing 744cf198dd a frown. The unfamiliar, 4f8b4e977a surreal situation 0410b8ba66 sent a e0ac9e911c chill down 5a1025ef5c his spine, 43fbd0c98e but at 1244679cc2 the same 8dfbb1861b time, he 6895cf08ed couldn’t help 09ff8599f7 thinking,What the hell is 91c582deb6 even happening?As he stewed 575343514f in silence, Youngso 72256b14fc spoke again in eaaea3d006 that eerily composed c8d8cefde2 tone.b9738b9c4010a7c1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I can’t say for certain they’ll harm you. A spirit’s power is insignificant to humans. Maybe nothing would’ve happened.”5c9601250e813803

“What?”c00b1320b467d684

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Most spirits are just wrapped in vague resentment. They don’t even know what they want to do. But if they heard me, they might’ve grown stronger. Now they have a clear goal of wanting to kill you. That’s why, the moment I spoke, you couldn’t leave this house.”9f007acd677fbc12

The blunt 13758891cc explanation left 1fbaa65b26 Yoonjae speechless.So you’re just 16385f5dc8 casually telling me 8a735b9661 that because of 607f6fceb6 you, I’m stuck e5ac291a17 here?Whether it was 825bf0291f true or not, e82aa15685 the sheer audacity 979c62da28 of it was cdb3cd5afb infuriating.547ffacd60d86eea

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh, really? And the result is you running around in hemp robes at dawn to ‘pray’?”1a7c374ef9119db8

“That’s none of your concern.”1af90afcbb311ff9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Why wouldn’t it be my concern? From my perspective, I’ve been abandoned in some temple because of one word from you. It’s very important!”e014777b87ba46e5

The genuine frustration in 4b811bd232 his voice made Youngso fd033ade9f pause. After a moment, 5f58f89c5d he blinked slowly 106c08696c and finally replied.a78bc8f12446fec6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…You’re right.”258656ecb1348747

About what?Yoonjae didn’t ask this c173ad030d time, just stared. Youngso remained as composed 0fe8cb2b58 as ever.e55458f877cb7446

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I didn’t think of it that way. I was just focused on saving you first. But you’re right. This place is familiar to me, but it must be uncomfortable and strange for you.”88b248b2755d5c4d

“……”29615f14a79ac1e0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ask me anything. What do you want to know?”b38e222fd143485b

Yoonjae had been 330f3864d0 ready to argue, eefb943bbb but faced with ab8ecf9b32 Youngso’s unshakable calm, 38f36dd058 the fight drained 91349896bf out of him. He sighed deeply 31465b988e and scratched the d289206cb8 back of his cd3e00343b neck.09acc6d49c460e28

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…So, to summarize: I had a bunch of ghosts clinging to me, and this shaman’s house is a place they can’t enter. But no one knows whether they’d actually kill me if I left?”4e39234c37210ffa

“Not entirely accurate, but close.”592d47d9070b0918

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Fine, I don’t need the details. What I do want to know is why say anything at all? Because of that one sentence, I’m stuck here, and you got into trouble too, right?”2afe7f2edf443422

The small, warm room 6d81960148 fell silent. Youngso, who had been d52ae65db1 quietly listening, suddenly lifted b18d979b4d his gaze as if 1dbe982683 struck by a thought.e6024593a0dc06de

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“To put it simply…”13f922ae35060081

“A sparsely trafficked eight-lane road.”00acc28ffdc204d9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…What?”7bc40ba59e0ff326

“—It’s like seeing someone jaywalk across it.”99441c08e89314ec

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“……”9da35d553e443f67

“They might make it across just fine. The odds are even in their favor. But if, by slim chance, a car comes speeding down that empty road and hits them…”a7054774e2f84c3c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The analogy 1a431d8fd4 was simple a0870e8477 and clear, bd794c00ef but understanding 9750c40c1c it didn’t 30e48c6261 make it d882fe6adc any easier a0b3f5784b to accept. Yoonjae’s frown deepened. Youngso nodded slightly, as a394a3e314 if confirming something to 43a9ec17c6 himself.c24ff0d8bade7ef7

“It was a crossroads. Whether to let you go or not. Think of it that way.”a4a8b902cc1a4a9a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“……”f36b0eb3b6c9c803

“Anything else you’re curious about? If not, I’ll go prepare breakfast.”b32c92d3a5210ac1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Yoonjae had no immediate 5b9a04f2ef response. The situation 37fe5eb981 still felt 8b2304a288 unreal, leaving 098aecfc2d him utterly 2d7bb8325b adrift.dcf022f763741d5f