TGHD Ch 34

Despite receiving the call late at night, Ryubeom headed straight to the hospital. In the hospital’s CCTV footage, Jeon Seunghyeok appeared to be taking his usual walk in the garden after dinner, but then he suddenly ran away.

He fled as if being chased, not even changing out of his hospital gown. He was later seen on the annex CCTV taking a taxi. They tracked the taxi number, contacted the driver, and found out his destination.

Jeon Seunghyeok was headed to Yuseom Mountain.

“They said he has trauma related to Yuseom Mountain…”

Ryubeom murmured quietly at the foot of the mountain. According to the hospital, Jeon Seunghyeok would have a seizure just hearing the name Yuseom Mountain. Losing his family in a collapsed house there had left him with severe trauma.

So why had he willingly come to Yuseom Mountain today?

“Could he have been possessed and dragged here?”

Yeohwi was beside him. With Jeon Seunghyeok’s sudden disappearance jeopardizing the Sagwido search from the start, Ryubeom immediately informed him and they met at the foot of the mountain.

To Ryubeom’s question, Yeohwi slowly shook his head.

“…I don’t think so. It wasn’t clear from the video, but his eyes weren’t clouded, and the taxi driver’s account matched his usual behavior at the hospital.”

“Hmm, really? If he were possessed, he’d act differently…”

Recalling the sight of Kwon Namil in Hyojomyeon, Ryubeom nodded. While they needed to consider the possibility of a very strong spirit making it hard to tell, the hospital had reported nothing unusual as of just the day before.

As Ryubeom carefully assessed the situation, Yeohwi stared at him and abruptly asked. It was a somewhat impulsive question.

“…You’re remarkably calm?”

“Huh? Haven’t we always searched like this?”

Ryubeom looked at Yeohwi, puzzled. They had always gathered information and shared opinions while searching for the Sagwido.

Yet Yeohwi murmured, finding this ‘usual’ behavior strange.

“I thought things would be awkward for a while after yesterday.”

“Oh, that’s because… well, I thought you’d feel uncomfortable if I acted awkwardly.”

Ryubeom answered plainly. After parting with Yeohwi the previous day, he had pondered over his words and reflected on their meaning.

In truth, when he received the call about Jeon Seunghyeok’s disappearance, Ryubeom had felt somewhat relieved. The unexpected situation gave him a reason to contact Yeohwi immediately. He had worried it might get more awkward if too much time passed, so he was almost glad for the current situation.

But he didn’t show his excitement. The reason was obviously…

“I like you—I mean, I want to treat you well.”

“…Young master. You know changing the words doesn’t hide the meaning, right?”

“It doesn’t? I thought avoiding that word was enough?”

Ryubeom was startled. He had thought Yeohwi’s condition to ‘not verbalize that feeling’ meant simply avoiding the word ‘like,’ but it seemed synonyms were included too. At Yeohwi’s incredulous expression, Ryubeom apologized, looking dejected.

“I’ll be more careful from now on…”

“…You don’t have to be that cautious.”

Yeohwi shook his head, regretting having brought it up. He seemed to have mistakenly asked out of curiosity, seeing Ryubeom act as usual.

“Let’s start searching.”

Cutting off the conversation, Yeohwi gestured towards the mountain, and Ryubeom obediently followed.

They had a rough idea of where Jeon Seunghyeok might have gone in Yuseom Mountain. The house where the Jeokdan Corporation family had lived. Though the house had been demolished after the collapse, he might have come to check the site.

Gathering his energy, Ryubeom climbed the mountain. Though this area was a bit away from where the tiger family had caused chaos a few days ago, caution was still needed. Especially since it was nighttime.

Soon, an eerie landscape unfolded before their eyes. Once known as a wealthy area meticulously maintained, it had become completely abandoned after the Jeokdan family’s accident. The recent landslide had left it in even worse condition.

With no residents left, there was no effort to clean up. The roads were bumpy, and the remnants of collapsed buildings were scattered around. Worriedly, Ryubeom warned Yeohwi.

“Be careful walking. You could get seriously hurt if you fall.”

“You’ll end up carrying me.”

“…Is that okay?”

“…I’ll refrain from joking in the future.”

Yeohwi sighed deeply, marveling at how effective this method was at stopping his jokes.

Ryubeom knew the true meaning behind Yeohwi’s words but had replied instinctively. Embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his neck. Despite knowing that Yeohwi could handle such paths from their past searches together, he couldn’t help but worry.

Since realizing his feelings, all his attention was on Yeohwi, even surprising himself.

This behavior must be burdensome. Ryubeom decided to focus seriously on the search again.

“Hmm, the path is disrupted, but… it seems to be this way based on the photos.”

There were occasional articles with photos of the site after the Jeokdan family’s house had collapsed. Titles like “10 Years After Jeokdan’s House Collapse…” accompanied photos of the cleared site. Though the recent landslide had altered the landscape, Ryubeom carefully sought the location.

Arriving at the location, Ryubeom’s eyes lit up.

“It seems Jeon Seunghyeok really came here.”

He found the bracelet Jeon Seunghyeok always wore, which he had seen in the photo from the hospital. The round wooden prayer bead bracelet was covered in grime from prolonged wear. Each wooden bead was cracked, which Ryubeom found odd.

Was it simply due to long-term wear or frequent handling? He had heard Jeon Seunghyeok treasured this bracelet…

“What did he do here? There’s nothing…”

“Hmm, it seems he went over there.”

As Ryubeom examined the bracelet, Yeohwi pointed to a spot. The area was covered with fallen leaves, except for one spot that was conspicuously clear, as if someone had hastily cleaned it.

Curious, Ryubeom approached and found a handle on the ground.

“A basement cellar?”

The handle was almost the same color as the ground, making it hard to spot. Once noticed, a large rectangular door became visible. Ryubeom knelt and carefully pressed his ear to it. Could Jeon Seunghyeok have gone down there?

But he heard nothing from inside. Knocking produced no response. If a person in an unstable mental state were inside, they might have been startled by the noise, but there was no reaction. Convinced that no one was below, Ryubeom opened the door without hesitation.

Creak…

A rusty iron door revealed stairs leading down. After checking the metal stairs attached to the wall, Ryubeom told Yeohwi to stay outside. There could be danger inside, and someone needed to monitor the situation outside. Yeohwi nodded with a complex expression.

But despite his heightened alertness, the basement cellar was empty. Neither the narrow hallway nor the wide-open space at the end contained anything, leaving Ryubeom puzzled.

It was too small for an emergency shelter, and there were no traces of stored items, making it hard to believe it was a storage facility. Concentrating his energy, Ryubeom took another look around the dark space.

“Broken pottery shards…”

All he found were shards scattered across the floor, as if pottery had been shattered. So something had been stored here…

The space, untouched for a long time, was thick with dust. Handprints on the dust indicated Jeon Seunghyeok had been here. It seemed he had taken something stored there.

With nothing else found, Ryubeom trudged back to the entrance, where Yeohwi leaned over and asked.

“Did you find anything?”

The moonlight slanted across his face. In the dark space, looking through the square opening at the bright scene, Ryubeom blinked, mesmerized by Yeohwi’s beauty, and mumbled.

“…No, nothing…”

“You’re staring at me too intently, young master.”

“It’s because your face is shining so brightly right now.”

“…Where did you learn to say things like that?”

“From you…?”

“…”

Yeohwi fell silent at Ryubeom’s seemingly sincere response. He glanced at Ryubeom with a complex look, then covered his mouth with his hand, touching the corner of his lips.

“I chose the wrong answer yesterday…”

Eventually, Yeohwi shook his head and told Ryubeom to come up. Watching from below, Ryubeom felt a bit downhearted.

The moonlight was indeed shining brightly, making Yeohwi’s face look more dazzling than usual. If he said things he normally wouldn’t, it was probably because he had picked them up from Yeohwi. After all, Yeohwi was the only one he spent time with. And this time, he wasn’t the one who started the conversation; he had only answered a question…

But Ryubeom admitted he had let his guard down. His focus kept drifting to Yeohwi, making it hard to concentrate on the search. This behavior wasn’t appropriate given that Jeon Seunghyeok was missing.

Refocusing, Ryubeom exited the basement and reported his findings.

“I only found shards of what seemed to be broken pottery and some handprints. It looked like something was stored there, but there’s no significant energy…”

“Hmm. Are there any folktales about ghosts or monsters causing landslides?”

Since they had previously deduced the Sagwido based on folklore, Yeohwi asked if Ryubeom had found anything. But Ryubeom shook his head.

“There are too many ghost stories related to mountains to narrow it down yet. The connection between the Jeokdan family’s house collapse and the landslide isn’t clear either. And the landslide is too massive…”

Even the Imugi of Jeju Island could only create storms, not landslides.

“It would take something almost god-like to cause a landslide.”

Ryubeom murmured in confusion. They said the mountain melted like water—could a ghost or monster wield that much power? Historically, landslides were seen as divine punishment.

And the rumors Ryubeom had heard from residents near Yuseom Mountain didn’t align with the landslide. The stories were too vague to even be called rumors. People just felt unusually eerie near the Jeokdan family’s accident site and heard footsteps.

So Ryubeom wondered if the Sagwido of Yuseom Mountain could be a victim of the Jeokdan family tragedy. But they were all ordinary humans—could a human cause a landslide?

They needed more clues.

“If we find Jeon Seunghyeok, we might learn more.”

About three hours had passed since Jeon Seunghyeok arrived at Yuseom Mountain. Had he gathered something from the basement and returned to the foot of the mountain in that time? It seemed unlikely that an ordinary human could easily navigate the rugged, landslide-affected paths. And descending would be just as difficult.

Jeon Seunghyeok was probably still on the mountain.

PM11:34. Checking the time, Ryubeom moved cautiously.

“Why would he come to the mountain at night… Did he take advantage of the caretakers’ evening break?”

“Or he might have urgently needed to find something.”

It must have been urgent for him to willingly come to Yuseom Mountain, where he usually had extreme reactions. Without any clear answers, Ryubeom focused on finding Jeon Seunghyeok first.

Though the landslide had altered the paths, Jeon Seunghyeok might have been following ‘old’ paths from before the neighborhood was abandoned and the landscape changed.

Following his hunch, Ryubeom soon found signs of a human presence.

“Ugh…”

A man lay curled up at the bottom of a hill, groaning. His unkempt hair covered his eyes, his skin was pale, and he was emaciated. He looked to be in his forties or fifties, matching the description of Jeon Seunghyeok from the hospital.

He appeared to have tumbled down the hill, his white hospital gown in shambles and his ankles swollen. Climbing the mountain in just slippers—it was a wonder he wasn’t hurt worse.

“Mr. Jeon Seunghyeok.”

Jeon Seunghyeok flinched at Ryubeom’s call. Though it was natural to be startled by someone approaching quietly, Jeon Seunghyeok couldn’t calm down even after confirming Ryubeom wasn’t a threat. He pressed himself closer to the rock, trembling.

“Go away. This will protect me. It will protect me…”

Jeon Seunghyeok clutched something tightly in one hand, covering it protectively with the other. What could he be holding? Sensing something unusual, Ryubeom spoke deliberately. He informed Jeon Seunghyeok that he had come to find him after receiving a call from the hospital, then lowered himself to match Jeon Seunghyeok’s eye level.

“Are you in danger? Is someone chasing you?”

“Go away…!”

But there was no proper conversation. Jeon Seunghyeok curled up even more, frantically waving his other arm. Ryubeom, after some thought, recalled the bracelet. The hospital had mentioned that Jeon Seunghyeok cherished it, so he showed it, hoping for a reaction.

“Mr. Jeon Seunghyeok, this…”

“That’s useless now!”

Contrary to Ryubeom’s expectations, Jeon Seunghyeok pushed it away.

“Such bad manners…”

Yeohwi, observing from behind, frowned slightly and muttered. Ryubeom looked between the fallen bracelet and Jeon Seunghyeok.

Useless? Was it not just a simple bracelet? Although the beads were all broken and impossible to examine properly, Ryubeom thought the characters engraved on it seemed familiar. Quickly recalling, he remembered something similar.

A spell to erase one’s existence.

The necklace worn by Kwon Namil in Hyojomyeon also had such a spell. Ryubeom’s expression darkened further.

“It won’t protect me anymore… I… I… need to capture it myself…”

Staring at Jeon Seunghyeok, who was trembling with his hands clenched, Ryubeom suddenly grabbed his wrist. He had a bad feeling.

Though Jeon Seunghyeok struggled fiercely, an ordinary human could not overpower a tiger Suin. Ryubeom pried the object from his hand and his face hardened as he inspected it.

A yellow talisman with the character for “Suppression” (抑壓) written in red.

The paper, old and tattered, had lost much of its power, but Jeon Seunghyeok clung to it as his last hope, desperately trying to retrieve it.

A hidden underground storage near the Jeokdan family’s house. Jeon Seunghyeok had retrieved a talisman with a suppression spell from there. And if his bracelet had a spell to erase his existence…

“Mr. Jeon Seunghyeok. What were you holding in the basement?”

“Give it back! It’s going to come after me…!”

“Did whatever you were suppressing escape and collapse the house? What exactly were you holding…”

Boom!

As Ryubeom was about to press for answers, the ground suddenly shook. Accompanied by a rumbling sound, dark clouds swiftly covered the moon, and a chilling air swept through the area.

“Eek…!”

Jeon Seunghyeok panicked. He seemed familiar with this phenomenon, turning pale and trying to flee. His struggling to escape Ryubeom intensified.

“We… we need to get down. We need to run…”

“…It’s midnight.”

Yeohwi checked the time. Midnight. Suddenly, Ryubeom remembered the information he had heard from the hospital while asking about Jeon Seunghyeok.

‘Tomorrow is his birthday, so we were planning a small party…’

They often celebrated long-term patients’ birthdays in a small way.

A birthday—the day a person came into the world, the beginning of life, the day when one’s life force was strongest.

Rustle…

Something was quickly approaching through the underbrush. A crawling sound through the foliage, and beyond… thud, thud, thud, thud! A booming noise grew louder. The ground shook as if it would collapse.

“Yeohwi, take him and get to safety.”

With a firm voice, Ryubeom stepped forward. Something was chasing Jeon Seunghyeok. And it was undoubtedly the entity that had been suppressed under the Jeokdan family’s house.

Perhaps they were the main culprits behind the opening of Yuseom Mountain’s Sagwido.

Though it seemed like Jeon Seunghyeok’s family had done something suspicious, he couldn’t be left to die now. He was the sole survivor of Jeokdan Corporation and needed to be protected to gain information.

Ryubeom drew his sword from his chest. Though he had received substantial support from the tiger family and could have replaced it with a better weapon, Ryubeom continued to use the one given by Yeohwi. He attached a charm to miniaturize it, making it easy to carry by reducing its size.

Infusing the small sword with his energy, it soon returned to its original size. Ryubeom gripped the hilt and took a deep breath. Though he hadn’t expected to face an evil spirit so soon…

Perhaps he could converse with the spirit to gather clues.

Ryubeom focused intently on the approaching figures in the darkness. As his amber eyes began to glow golden, they finally arrived. Even in the moonless night, Ryubeom could easily see their forms—black, beast-like figures.

There was more than one.

“…?”

Ryubeom was momentarily confused. It wasn’t just their numbers, size, or their abnormally elongated bodies that startled him. They had the bodies of snakes with legs, but more disturbing was…

[……. ……! ……]

They had no mouths.

Their mouths were either melted away or torn off, leaving them with grotesque, disfigured faces. Though they moved their jaws as if to speak, no sound emerged.

Their grotesque appearance was unsettling. The sound of their mouths opening and closing, a wet, sticky noise, was unpleasant.

But even without hearing their words, one thing was clear.

[……!]

They were targeting Jeon Seunghyeok.

Their blood-red eyes all focused on the space behind Ryubeom. However, they hesitated to charge past him, exchanging glances.

Suddenly, one of them darted between the trees. It was a surprise attack, exploiting a gap. Ryubeom swung his sword wide and low.

Slash!

The force of the swing, even without infusing energy, pushed the spirit back. The others, who had been ready to follow, hesitated and retreated. Ryubeom observed them with a curious eye.

Their energy is weaker than expected.

Their black bodies and red eyes were typical of evil spirits, but something felt off. They didn’t attack recklessly, and the energy he sensed from the one that approached was faint. Usually, the presence of an evil spirit brought a sense of malevolent energy…

Could they be hiding their energy? Ryubeom adjusted his energy cautiously. Clang! Clang! A few exchanges followed. If they had attacked fiercely, Ryubeom would have fought with full strength, but their passive behavior made him hesitate.

“Do you hold a grudge against Jeon Seunghyeok? Do you want revenge on the Jeokdan family?”

[……Ugh…… Grrr……]

Unable to communicate, Ryubeom gripped his sword in frustration. What had Jeon Seunghyeok and the Jeokdan family done? Were these spirits really the ones who caused the landslide in Yuseom Mountain? Why were they bound here?

Without knowing the situation, he couldn’t perform a ritual.

Biting his lip, Ryubeom glanced back. Jeon Seunghyeok was flailing his arms, his face pale.

“Eek, go away. Please let me go…!”

He seemed to recognize the spirits. Jeon Seunghyeok likely anticipated their appearance on his birthday and, knowing the bracelet’s power had waned, had rushed to Yuseom Mountain at night.

Struggling to escape Yeohwi, Jeon Seunghyeok’s flailing arms were not threatening, but Yeohwi, finding it bothersome, let go. However, Jeon Seunghyeok didn’t get far, tripping over a red string tied to his ankle. The other end of the string was in Yeohwi’s hand.

“I didn’t tie it around his neck, did I?”

Seeing Ryubeom’s disapproving look, Yeohwi explained. It was better to restrain him this way than to be distracted by his resistance. Ryubeom nodded.

As long as Yeohwi held Jeon Seunghyeok, he wouldn’t be in danger. If he ran off alone, the spirits would surely catch him.

Screech!

At that moment, a spirit lunged at Jeon Seunghyeok. Taking advantage of Ryubeom’s distraction, it approached stealthily. Ryubeom immediately rushed over, swinging his sword.

But it was a decoy. As Ryubeom moved to intercept it, the other spirits surged forward. Emerging from the darkness of the mountain, they rushed in, and Ryubeom took a deep breath. Using energy to cut them might make them disappear, so he needed another method.

“Wait, stop!”

The tiger’s roar echoed menacingly through the space. The air crackled, and a sudden silence fell, crushing the noise.

[Hiss…]

The spirits crouched, glaring at Ryubeom. Their bellies nearly touched the ground, their eyes fierce. Perhaps their beast-like forms made them more sensitive to the tiger’s roar. Ryubeom raised a hand and spoke calmly.

“I’m not here to destroy you. First, let’s understand the situation…”

Thud!

But before he could finish speaking, a loud noise echoed, sending chills down his arm. His instincts were warning him of danger.

Thud! Thud! Thud…!

Ryubeom tilted his head back. He realized belatedly the presence of a sound he had missed. He had heard it from the beginning, but his focus on the mouthless spirits had made him forget. Watching the approaching figure, Ryubeom’s eyes widened.

It was as if a hill was moving.

He couldn’t discern its exact form. Something massive was approaching, covered in darkness, its shape indistinct. Though he couldn’t make out its form, one thing was clear. The darkness clinging to its body was filled with unmistakable resentment. Terrible and desperate.

That was the leader.

The leader also had no mouth. Its blood-red eyes were fixed on Jeon Seunghyeok. The overwhelming murderous intent made Ryubeom’s whole body tremble as he gripped his sword again, their eyes meeting.

[Groan, ugh…!]

A sound like a tortured groan echoed from its throat, through its mangled lips. As if it were a signal, the spirits charged at Ryubeom.

[Screech!]

[Screech!]

Ryubeom flinched as he blocked their attacks with his sword. He had intended to deflect them, but their ferocity was much greater than before. His wrist tingled with tension. Had the leader’s appearance provoked them? Now, they were attacking only Ryubeom, ignoring Jeon Seunghyeok. With dozens charging at once, Ryubeom had no choice but to use his energy.

Slash!

Golden energy burst brightly in the darkness. Spreading his energy like a net, Ryubeom aimed to subdue, not destroy, the spirits. Seeing them trapped in the golden net, he moved forward but hesitated at the sight.

They were eating the net. Moving their mangled mouths, they tore and swallowed the net, growing larger. Though tiger energy was a desirable meal, consuming a binding spell should have been difficult.

“…Young master. Something seems off. Let’s leave the mountain for now.”

Yeohwi, watching the scene, suggested uneasily. Ryubeom bit his lower lip, assessing the situation. It was night, and if these were indeed the Sagwido spirits of Yuseom Mountain, the mountain was their domain. Fighting them at their strongest was unwise.

Moreover, he was reluctant to confront them without any information. Ryubeom nodded, and Yeohwi moved first.

As Jeon Seunghyeok descended, the spirits’ eyes followed him. Yeohwi subtly signaled Ryubeom. They should split up to divide the spirits’ attention. Though reluctant to separate, Ryubeom nodded. As long as they didn’t stray too far, he could protect both of them while descending.

Decision made, Ryubeom swung his sword wide. Sharp energy created distance, and he turned to descend.

But at that moment, crash! Ryubeom was slammed into a tree.

“Ugh…!”

[Groan… ugh…]

The massive leader pinned Ryubeom down. Though he had thought it slow, it had grabbed and thrown him into the tree in an instant. The unexpected pain left his back stinging. The damp, sticky grip pressed down, slowly choking him.

“Let… go…!”

Struggling, Ryubeom unleashed his energy. Brilliant golden light spread fiercely, tearing at the impurity. He had been holding back, but now he used his full strength to escape.

But as the golden light touched the black body, it slid off uselessly.

“It doesn’t work…?”

Ryubeom was stunned as the energy seemed to bounce off. The spirit, angered by Ryubeom’s attack, pressed down harder.

Suddenly, its blood-red eyes were right in front of him. The eyes visible through its melted face made Ryubeom hold his breath.

Such powerful resentment. This was no ordinary ghost or monster. It was beyond an evil spirit…

A presence close to an evil god.

[Harm… Tiger…]

A voice, as if sobbing or trembling with rage, emerged between its mangled lips. The disjointed words echoed chillingly in his ears, making it clear these beings were not originally without mouths.

But Ryubeom had no time to ponder. The evil god’s pressure on him grew, and despite his efforts to gather his energy, the malevolent aura suppressed his power. The more he met its blood-red eyes, the more the intense resentment muddled his mind.

He could barely breathe, his vision darkening.

“Yeohwi…!”

He faintly heard Yeohwi shouting from behind, sounding alarmed for the first time. Was he calling his name? Ryubeom tried to hold onto his slipping consciousness but failed repeatedly.

At that moment, the air vibrated, and a brilliant red light surged into view. It was a familiar energy, yet far more vivid and distinct than anything he had felt before. As he sensed it forcefully wedge between him and the evil god, enveloping him.

Tinkle…

A faint bell sound resonated.

Even through his haze, the sound struck his mind sharply. It was a familiar and comforting tone.

Simultaneously, the evil god’s grip on his neck weakened. Then, with a crackling sound…

“Ugh, cough, cough…!”

The tree Ryubeom had been leaning on broke, sending him rolling to the ground. Suddenly able to breathe, he coughed harshly. The red energy had forcibly pulled him out of the clutches of the evil god.

However, the reason Ryubeom was able to escape from the evil god was not only due to the red energy but also the sound of the bell.

Ryubeom lifted his head to see ahead. His vision blurred with tears from coughing, but through the haze, he saw the evil god and spirits retreating.

They were withdrawing.

As the dark clouds that covered the sky cleared, the moonlight poured down, creating a surreal scene. The spirits moved towards the other side of the mountain as if being led by something. Among them, he glimpsed opaque silhouettes. People? One, no, three, five…

Struggling, Ryubeom turned to check behind him. Yeohwi was looking at him with a shocked expression, and below him, Jeon Seunghyeok was sitting, hugging his head and sobbing. Despite the spirits retreating, he trembled like a leaf, terrified by their malevolent energy.

“Stop, please… You’ve already killed so many…”

Jeon Seunghyeok, having wet his pants, shook in fear. Repeating his plea to stop, he suddenly swung his arm.

“We only got what we deserved!”

Shouting, Jeon Seunghyeok threw something. It arced through the air and landed at the evil god’s feet—the talisman with the suppression spell.

The crumpled, rolled-up talisman hit the evil god’s back and fell to the ground. It posed no threat, especially since its power was nearly gone.

But the action was enough to enrage the evil god.

[Groan…!]

The evil god trembled with rage, far more than Ryubeom had anticipated. Blood dripped from its eyes as it stared at the fallen talisman.

The atmosphere turned ominously tense. The tension felt like a string pulled to its limit, and a whirlwind kicked up, swirling leaves, branches, and even fist-sized stones dangerously.

As Ryubeom crouched to avoid being swept away, the evil god launched something.

A black liquid shot towards the ground.

Ryubeom was horrified. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but it was undoubtedly a curse filled with intense resentment. It could kill an ordinary human on contact. And… Yeohwi was right next to Jeon Seunghyeok.

‘No.’

Ryubeom sprang up and leaped in front of the curse. His body moved faster than his thoughts. He had to block it before it reached them. Wiping the blood from his mouth, he hastily drew a barrier.

Crack.

But the curse pierced the golden barrier, bursting like a water balloon. Hit in the abdomen, Ryubeom rolled on the ground, coughing. The black liquid seeped into his body, and soon, his coughs were tinged with blood.

Tinkle… The bell sound faintly echoed again. As the evil god turned its head towards the sound, the tension that seemed ready to explode dissipated.

“Young master!”

Yeohwi rushed to Ryubeom, his face pale with shock. Jeon Seunghyeok had fainted, foaming at the mouth from the evil god’s murderous intent. His body, tied with the red string, shook violently, but Yeohwi paid no attention.

Ryubeom, confirming the spirits’ retreat, slowly turned his gaze to Yeohwi. Seeing that Yeohwi was unharmed, he relaxed, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

“Thank goodness…”

Mumbling faintly, Cheon Ryubeom lost consciousness. His vision flickered out.

* * *

Blink, blink…

Cheon Ryubeom slowly opened his eyes, then closed them, repeating the process as he gradually focused. He saw a round fluorescent light, unfamiliar wallpaper, and the dark night beyond a square window…

His vision kept blurring, making it difficult to discern his surroundings, but it was clear that he was in an unfamiliar place. Where am I? Ryubeom tried to sit up, groaning as pain twisted through his body, forcing him back down.

“Ugh…”

It felt like his entire body was on fire. Curled up in bed, writhing in pain as if his brain was melting, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Reflexively, Ryubeom tried to swat it away, but paused when he realized it was Yeohwi. He was looking at him with a slightly subdued gaze.

“Drink this. It will calm you down for a while.”

“Huh…?”

“Hurry.”

Even his voice was lower than usual, so Ryubeom, feeling dazed, opened his mouth to drink what Yeohwi gave him. It was the same precious remedy Yeohwi had given him when his energy channels twisted and he was vomiting blood after chasing a mermaid in the Han River. Definitely a valuable medicine.

Yeohwi tilted the cup to help him drink. Ryubeom gestured that he could drink it himself, but Yeohwi didn’t retreat.

Only after finishing did Yeohwi’s hand move away, and Ryubeom awkwardly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before asking.

“Where am I…? What about Jeon Seunghyeok? Did the spirits completely retreat?”

“Aren’t you going to ask about your own condition?”

Ryubeom blinked at the slightly sharp tone. Yeohwi’s demeanor seemed different somehow. Though unsure of the reason, the answer to his question came immediately.

“Well, since I was hit by the spirits’ curse, it makes sense that it hurts, right? Knowing the cause, there’s no need to ask. It’s more painful than I thought, but… I can bear it.”

“I wonder when you’ll ever say you can’t bear it. You were just groaning and writhing in pain.”

At Ryubeom’s matter-of-fact response, Yeohwi let out a dry laugh.

“You were pinned by that spirit and couldn’t escape, so you know how strong it was. Why did you take the curse head-on? There are limits to recklessness.”

“Huh? Because the curse was headed towards you and Jeon Seunghyeok…”

“Did it not occur to you that I might be able to avoid it?”

Startled, Ryubeom realized why Yeohwi had been so cold. Given his knowledge of various spells, he might have had other options. Yet, Ryubeom had rashly intervened and taken the curse himself, understandably frustrating him.

Lowering his gaze, Ryubeom spoke.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disregard you… I thought you might have trouble avoiding it while taking care of Jeon Seunghyeok. And since I’m a tiger Suin with a strong body and fast recovery, I judged it was better for me to take it…”

“……”

“Truthfully, I just wanted to protect you… No, wait. I wasn’t supposed to say things like that.”

Ryubeom awkwardly corrected himself, recalling that he had promised not to express such feelings to Yeohwi. Fortunately, this was a promise he had made before their trip to Jeju Island.

He added an excuse-like explanation that he was merely trying to keep his promise, hoping it wouldn’t violate Yeohwi’s condition.

“Ha…”

Yeohwi let out a sound that was half a laugh, half a sigh, at Ryubeom’s cautious attitude. He covered his mouth with his hand, remaining silent for a moment. Ryubeom thought he might be hiding his expression, maintaining a calm exterior but with a hint of forced composure.

After briefly looking out the window, Yeohwi shook his head and explained the situation. The spirits had disappeared, Jeon Seunghyeok had fainted and been taken to the hospital, and they were currently in an empty house near Yuseom Mountain. Ryubeom had woken up after about four hours, in the depths of the night.

Listening intently, Ryubeom let out a sigh of relief.

“No major issues after I passed out… That’s a relief.”

Even as he lost consciousness, he had been worried. Though he had seen the spirits move away, entranced by the bell sound, he feared they might turn back and attack Jeon Seunghyeok. In such a case, Yeohwi would have to face them alone, and the leader had been immensely powerful.

Unexpectedly encountering the spirits at the start of their search had been confusing without significant information, but they had gathered various clues. He would organize them and continue the pursuit.

When Ryubeom spoke about his future plans, Yeohwi asked curiously.

“…Do you know what condition your body is in right now?”

“Huh? Thanks to the elixir you gave me, I feel much better.”

Ryubeom responded, puzzled. Though he had felt immense pain upon waking, the elixir had quickly alleviated it. The burning sensation throughout his body and the headache had subsided. However, Yeohwi looked at him with a peculiar expression and muttered.

“Have you become numb to pain from enduring too much…?”

Quietly murmuring, he suggested, “Try standing up.” Ryubeom obediently tried to rise, only to collapse as his knees buckled. Though he thought he was fine, his body lacked strength. Even slight movement brought a twisting pain in his gut.

Deliberately turning his head, Ryubeom took a deep breath. Yeohwi was already frustrated by his decision to take the curse, and showing more pain would only burden him further. Ryubeom tried to speak calmly.

“A day or two of rest should be enough…”

“No, this isn’t a curse that can be naturally detoxified.”

Yeohwi shook his head firmly. He had already given Ryubeom the elixir several times while he was unconscious, but his condition hadn’t improved. It only provided temporary relief.

“After analyzing it, I think it’s a curse of ‘Chamhye’ (慘害). It seems to be a curse that gnaws at you from deep within, based on intense resentment… It’s strangely entrenched, making it hard to remove.”

“Entrenched?”

“Yes. The curse has almost mixed with your blood. The spirit must have been incredibly strong…”

Yeohwi spoke uncertainly. Even though the barrier had been hastily drawn, it shouldn’t have been easily penetrated by the spirit’s curse.

Recalling the black liquid seeping into his body just before he collapsed, Ryubeom sighed. Had he been hit by a more dangerous curse than he thought? Though it was chilling, he was still relieved to have taken it instead of Yeohwi.

“And your condition is worsening over time. The elixir is slowing it down, but unless the curse is lifted, it’s useless.”

“…Is there a way to remove the curse?”

“That…”

Yeohwi hesitated.

A subtle silence settled. Though it was just Yeohwi pausing, Ryubeom sensed something. Suddenly, a memory from the past surfaced.

When Cheon Ryubeom had been affected by the mermaid’s Yogi in the Han River, Yeohwi had kissed him. Though his memories were hazy from the mermaid’s influence, he vividly remembered that moment with Yeohwi.