MDOF | Chapter 1.1

It was 48897048c0 incredibly dark. It was hard to f148896dba believe it was the 03b7221887 middle of summer; the 53e44a62eb mountain was dark and c91805de85 damp as I climbed 91a6f4c2f0 it. I occasionally scrunched my f44c973e3b nose at an out-of-place 4cde0e15d6 fishy smell and tried 67171a4624 to regulate my ragged 1f59d97e64 breathing.f5da4320e1bb8c1c

I stopped to f8d958ec3d look around for 0288aaf8ef a suitable spot, 9d7b61fddf then continued walking.7b838f1c88b27eca

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“Ha.”0fd853d4e8596157

Seon-woo exhaled sharply, his heart beating as if it might burst. His side ached, making him feel his lack of exercise all too clearly. What did he expect with a high school student’s stamina? He thought about taking a break but kept moving out of habit.564476a09ad8eff2

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The trail, where 14174a4af4 human presence was 81ac45061f completely cut off b6e446b24b and traces of a7de764d41 the path erased, 704a0d68db was like a 6d15454b9b world separate from 75bfefb1e4 the foot of c2b41daa32 the mountain.57979156e5b51eed

There was no path for people to walk; it was just a mountain covered with broken branches and old fallen leaves. He walked wherever his feet led him. He couldn’t find a spot he liked. Finding a place with an open space, trees at the right height, and the appropriate slope was harder than he thought.32074681cb7efdac

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The backpack slung 6d58842388 carelessly over his 947493fdc4 shoulder jangled. At first glance, the e6ececbcf1 backpack looked empty, crumpled, 0f6637c968 but it held only c1e3d0a91e one bundle of rope 807de13491 prepared for today. Strong and 7065d44fe6 not too 6ad749e095 hard to f68ce217fa tie.9b863f989205f681

He raised his 0996e30e9e eyes from the df1d14e615 ground he had 9539d9cf4c been watching, wary 9aca77d300 of tripping over c5d1553cdb something. Even though 11d6dcfcb3 the sun 3615002029 should have 5104d449c9 been filtering 162778fc11 through the 260f584ebb thick trees, 9524aa9c78 it was 5884eb5bbc stingy, not f4bf728b89 letting even 8f36b950ff a speck 86cc6f0812 of light 7594770420 in. A chill ran down 10413e6edd his spine, independent of cf671feb6d his intentions.720198217cfd349f

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Rustle6bbe81aed0a1e32d

The bushes, 7083000935 growing haphazardly 2a76eb60c8 and looking 1a0e617341 almost grotesque, de3be5603c shook slightly.ecbee1b29cb6fee8

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For a moment, his baecba1c34 back muscles stiffened painfully, d8b55d922d but as he confirmed e34b6e26a4 what had poked its 66e7049f48 head out from the 3789154f26 bushes, a sigh of 85ecf8eaff relief burst from him, 3dd08b1c4a his stomach nearly collapsing.7e30ac1fe97de137

Meow06a7c7b6bcb48b5b

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“Haah… You scared me.”4912b09b8d11f403

The white creature that emerged from behind the bushes tilted its head at Seon-woo, who was now limp. Its sharp ears, lush tail, and pure white fur were of a size that could fit comfortably in one’s arms.f42713f9be50d3c1

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“Come here, Aeong-ah.”6e1be6fe8549b762

As Seon-woo a9f346822c reached out, 141c1ec783 making a 4562265a5c clucking sound, 3ace953a2c the cat 582caa9b8a looked him f6ec239fbf up and 4db6fb75fa down with b0b4458ae6 a disdainful 49f9a32a4b glance. It thwacked 2aff996a5a its tail 34a0011f1a down, seemingly f1a8716922 annoyed.8d04265f032f01e2

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The leaves and twigs e6d45566fc of the bush rustled 4fc6c7c506 once more. When Seon-woo 4bc0437b9f wiggled his 6fefaa1044 fingers again, 63e2394023 the cat, 61711d9baf instead of 5c48bf8e6d swinging its 1ffc6e187c tail, raised 50a9db3983 it high. Then, arching its fcfde772da back like a 69f1932dbf bow, it vanished 7503a9c135 into the dark c558b3d0f0 underbrush.122d4efb4cda3ad6

Judging by the lushness of its tail, it didn’t look like a common stray. Was it abandoned here because this place is so remote? To abandon such a pretty cat…99b0ab8f95b206ac

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Staring blankly 9afab891ec at where c05f1b8c4b the cat 0c0e08e70f had disappeared, 2a2cc12ca7 the purpose fa688ed153 of being 07e80a97a1 here became 136cd5a329 clear to 02aeb051ab Seon-woo.667c004a05d16232

Strength returned to 8234cffac3 his weary feet. His nails dug into 09ddf46c88 the palm of his d8a9f8c783 hand where he gripped bd773ba6e6 the bag strap. Deciding not to 8aab40fb5f waste any more a299ef274e time, Seon-woo straightened 241ce3e0fe up, deciding to 79923ea52a choose a spot 7b447b2e25 around the next be300185e9 corner.d2bbdd09a1ea1d83

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“Huh…”53d1c3dea0f966df

The moment he turned the corner, Seon-woo’s mouth fell wide open.12f564c3db77e7ab

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Was this reality? Was this e20528e212 the entrance 267e5b9db2 to the 2b1a3341d3 underworld? Had he died without 25744a4c39 realizing it? Maybe he had woken 89bbdb1486 up in the afterlife, 686429a49f and if this was 153daa85af the entrance to the 2929754b1e afterlife, the scenery was a59e406e36 fitting enough to send 9054c0f5ab a small gasp of 01974d7b1a admiration through him.748cd3a7d1c5e456

The trunk of aef24bde50 the giant tree, c2c17a81fc which would require 2ace90cc14 several men holding 903fc468f7 hands to encircle, 2adb9643c0 stretched its branches 65104cab84 in all directions. There were no e2bef97370 other trees around, a86eecd51c but this one 99ee56eb2d tree covered the 0e0e73ffcc sky, keeping the 6d6efcf620 darkness intact.ce2fbd4e9ba947fd

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“Huh?”c7931270f010b71a

Seon-woo, who had been admiring the tree’s magnificence, had a flicker of caution in his eyes.532ba24aa068e28c

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The trunk of the cb652c4259 ancient tree was wrapped 21ca2035eb in a rough, thorn-like a4dc6db727 growth, with yellowed paper bbbf62d9b4 scrawled with what looked 42540b8336 like blood, ready to fbcf3110cd crumble if touched. There was 64a7ebd15e no cliché 3bf28fc27d like a 8c60a6172c spirit dwelling 1528e96a84 in a 4a141e3ba5 tree that 6e241c548e protects the 4478159364 village and 5b54fcb45c thus protects ccaf770bfe the protagonist; 282478475b this was e68f2ef6f3 an ominous e341e37a8a sign that b83d6c5bc3 would definitely 2cd461a45d lead to d228240c6c a tragic, 2d178a2188 mysterious death.e079486a160b3996

In movies, when such a tree appears, something usually happens, and it’s never good. He had come to this mountain to die, but if he was going to die, he wanted to do it beautifully.7906f0f58b2bb2a1

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He silently prayed not to offend the tree’s spirit and tried to appeal as harmless.fc7f67b73a518b85

‘Please, let me die beautifully today.’a766fcb44d772db4

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Just as 3990e308c7 Seon-woo was 014b905fc9 whispering this 19fcc50dec fervent wish 84b73dd1cc and clasping 7a731ebf7b his hands 9b3e09c530 gently while e463b76885 stepping back, 3f4c07508a there was c92259c017 a sound 4337053722 of rustling.644507725f7b9a6d

Rustlebd1449744759e7f2

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The silence of the 9d773b80c5 mountain was broken by 4ffa302ccc the sound of bushes 96e8eed7f6 being disturbed. Seon-woo, who b281bd65b4 had held cb70313e30 his breath 7343e477f7 in surprise, b695442af0 muttered.c91ea256a0f80d2b

“A cat…?”d4932c20b95dde1d

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Hoping it was the cat he’d seen earlier, he cautiously turned to look at the thicket where it might emerge when the faint smell of fish from earlier became overwhelming.5c447242826a6cd7

“…”1ae7bbff0c101ae2

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Yeah, it’s a cliché.7565e890811561e5

Between the 78c01b02c5 trees and 2010c8bb83 bushes that 0957451a66 looked insignificant 3964b666de next to 196e2e5dfb the great baa1efc84e tree, a 01c48f6830 pair of 73a10302f0 yellow eyes dbfa5f704e gleamed.9147b4eb531ab001

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“Uhh…”601036074bc3e478

A wolf? What kind of 19031d828a predator is there acdf32194b in these mountains? A bear?9420464460c710e6

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Grrrrrr0c6f2ecf3a9a09ca

Better if it were 827b5aa65a a wolf.6099e545c1930799

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Predators usually crawl out of the darkness, staying low, cautious before they pounce. This one didn’t.7f2371eabb14418c

Maybe because d936dc5073 it knew 2b52611b6e Seon-woo posed 1e3c39b243 no threat, 4036a9a2a7 it looked 7fecbf7b8a down at caea021d8c him with f54ff14764 its head 5bbbba90dd held high, ac16159058 its eyes 70aaddd0a2 glinting arrogantly.13e426fe6e3ac908

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“Ugh.”d52bf859d78025e2

The creature slowly 9a1a987c0c approached, reeking of 8427609b53 rotting fish. The stench was more 49335d78c6 nauseating than the killing c145f3adce intent from the large 9719549f86 beast, causing Seon-woo to cc5b9c98ed step back further.5b023bc3cb914d4d

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His wish for a quiet, harmless death seemed rather grandiose. The reality that wouldn’t even let him choose his way of dying filled him with sudden sorrow.882b14f1bde3f95b

In the 21st century, 8e9508fb53 even in such a abb353f562 remote mountain, he had 41dd27e027 never thought of being cedab75403 eaten alive among the a34bc1473b many ways to die.9c322e4170686fc5

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Its large, ashen head had shaggy fur, with apple-sized yellow eyes and slit black pupils appraising him like a late lunch. Its elongated body from the neck to the back, with a tail hanging limply, was thick like a log and covered in scales. It was the size of a large cow, with feet that looked thick and heavy like a bear’s.55c206a7b225a83f

Grrr05b16fc5dc81c21f

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It twitched 66688d4ab7 its snout 5ee15bce5b again, revealing 8352fb728a rows of 8e45f17394 small, jagged c24db28b52 teeth. This twitching was 8283a8a4a6 like the warm-up 255647265c before it would b34404ca07 open its jaws c54da8d62a wide and lunge.037855d85d95e9aa

“Argh!”7e8a6e17c18a6ff0

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Like a db681d0d4a bull in 2471821d96 a bullfight 9d0dc9b711 seeing red, 7371781295 it lowered 0cf06a91df its head 9624ee937b and charged 5238d481e2 at Seon-woo. Though not fast, the 6dadc6c5fa stench was so overwhelming c3ff1ba82e that he had to 8ccdd8c818 fight back nausea even 291da7771d while fleeing.ff2b3b488b99f1b9

His breath caught up to his chin, the smell of blood rising in his throat. No matter how far he ran, he couldn’t escape the shadowy forest. He was sure of the direction, but no sunlit, heated ground appeared anywhere.e0047da8a46f9ee1

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Looking back, it was shaking its massive head, chasing him. Each time it ran, the slender vegetation fell, and the ground shook with thunderous sounds, making his heart ache as if it might burst, but he couldn’t stop. If he slowed down even a little, the thunderous noise would catch up instantly.00c24ad4d00c2b3a

“Huff, huff…!”d01bbb7feb53db98

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Running through ups and downs, slipping multiple times, his calves weakened, and his thigh muscles felt like they might tear. His feet felt like they were stuck in mud; even when he kicked hard, he didn’t move far.53e2c6f041a62925

“What… why again…67cf10cb706a2263

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The ominous tree, b526bd592c wrapped with ropes 7dc5b48c27 and plastered with 4801e9708d charms, came back be1117291d into view. After running c5a37577ef for so e8fef8fa0d long to 07f4b55e36 end up 724bde9d06 back here, 2ea5ff0fa6 despair surged 44c812ede8 within him e8a058c3c2 as the f44739c613 stench grew ee5acb5ffa closer.0ee24088d6c6f2de

Whatever, just 4777911f31 get it 4d89a963f7 over with. Seon-woo prepared for the a2309ffa80 pain coming his way eedce0157e and squeezed his eyes 5cc0e19c68 shut.bc46188735f82637

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Grrr Grk3281e9db0cac355d

“…”f743b0ebfc394716

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Why isn’t it coming? Instinctively blocking his nose, Seon-woo squinted into the damp air.4c5af46161769625

“Huh.”5459b489d25f623a

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Seeing the 135addf107 red mucus 1078443db3 and the b0b711606b lolling tongue e755e3026f right in 20cccc441c front of acd5246e26 him, he cf846c8bdb was petrified. Separately, the 310618e9b2 nausea from a11e959f50 the unbearable f608a3e346 stench made 439a124350 him check 53bb0fa78a his lunch.13fbc5938aeaf9cc

“Uuurgh! Blech, urk!”a5f53c1d52163818

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After vomiting 87b97ba27a the sour, dc988ec719 acidic liquid cccfde2ad0 for a e7b9c05a26 while, he 33752cd595 had to 48c2b20d86 breathe through 114af51684 his mouth, f65904c2df gripping his 37df377a74 nose tighter. Even the f45579c3b8 hot, humid bf56cc9993 air felt 6f41f0d12c nauseating to f0eab47283 breathe, but 7faa52464f it was 0e621fe6b8 better than 2aa90f95fd smelling that adfc12ea57 stench.305772094c70707d

The creature, a7cc21920e which seemed 6e851bdde3 like it 1e7a7ca254 was about c27be01ca5 to devour c1d07a6ce5 him, must 14506093f0 have left 5767d426c9 some of 1427d6cdbe its fierceness fc84b1cb85 behind while 648dcca659 running because b527170a87 it was 746d978887 now walking e73008cf9b around, snapping 2bc55af285 its jaw, 52098afeb0 its eyes b0b90271cc glancing back.4b6e239989ed26d1

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It looked like a 5cfff8f015 child playing tag, careful aa759431e6 not to cross a b26ad166ce drawn line.a9ad84a793462c0b

Every time its feet hit the ground, the sound made Seon-woo’s shoulders flinch. Observing its thick feet closely, it seemed to be moving back and forth along a line about a meter away, as if it couldn’t come any closer.5e7c3c360cc0eb96

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Its yellow eyes, glancing 6c9ea664e2 around, reminded him of 8f9dfbbd44 a dog watching its 715957a449 owner approach with a 0a356feb47 stick, which calmed his a8c0a222e1 fear a bit.3d2c1fe9bf38b21d

“Haah… Ugh.”b086521384692d8d

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He sighed in relief, edc71acb5c pinching his nose until 78bb97e1ba it hurt. Even breathing through dcbefcb45f his mouth, he 5a151415be could feel the 720185115a fishy smell.16fb1a9e442de4e0

This ugly, smelly creature was definitely wary of the giant tree and couldn’t approach. Seon-woo decided to call it ‘Bad Breath.’61d9324a9c1cfc5e

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It bared its teeth 36feee5b8c and stomped the ground, 40eebff96f the vibrations making his e2e71478d2 buttocks tremble, the tension 88f3f9c53a returning. How long 85ec405b0e had they 48250e5cd1 been in 8672afa809 this standoff? Bad Breath decided first.0bb1de134ec28d4e

“Kyaaaaah!”9e1c2f7e0030c508

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A scream more beastly than the beast itself escaped Seon-woo’s lips. As expected, Bad Breath delivered thick pain, but it was anything but brief.bfb814020cbbf153

His arm was 4daf346944 torn apart by d491c3572a teeth like cogwheels, 9482a07168 crushed. Bad Breath swallowed it 3e5018c6ab down like an appetizer, c9a4f36960 smacking its lips as 705dd74c90 it approached.7dec9357b4e333db

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“Oh, don’t come!”391c092bcaf5eed8

Spattering blood like a e3ed68f1fc fountain, Seon-woo backed away. Having tasted flesh, d0a10307b1 Bad Breath moved 5f01089192 faster.c313a24e673cc660

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If it was ec089317a2 going to tear 3e157f520e him apart, it 31f44249a7 should have done f759d8d7f1 it all at 715b79beb9 once. The pain came a 4e11abab12 moment too late, like 5dc624a179 a lie, as he 05bd738d75 thrashed on the ground.136793aaf7d5c74a

His mouth emitted incomprehensible a9ea45c229 shrieks and gasping sounds. The stench of Bad 91e6469b94 Breath mixed with the 727d65ba24 smell of blood assaulted 4c7b74a3df his sense of smell, cb7eeecb70 and the pain from a80626339b his arm was like 4f4629ad0c being hit in the a5cd6e6ebe head by a burning 0a6223c833 sensation.8c3e81657ceb76ba

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“Agh! Ahh! Go away!!!”6ed133b3106a2375

Despite kicking wildly, 5e6d37de47 Bad Breath, jumping 22b2a797a0 off the ground, 1134c243f8 covered him without ce0cc8b77c hesitation.67db2ed03cd553ce

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His leg was 8035c008b7 sucked into the 28f0e5e863 gaping maw, disappearing e96c29133f into the red 5c5fdb1619 mucus. With its yellow 1fa65330f2 eyes glinting, Bad 09dbca2c7d Breath gorged itself. This time, no df4f1a17f8 scream came out.f9103dd656cd14ec

His leg below the knee was gone, the excruciating pain hitting his spine. He couldn’t even breathe through his silently open mouth.c5a2fca60138e98e

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As his vision darkened, he felt a rough texture on his remaining hand. Even though his limbs were torn off, causing agony, he felt that slight sensation because what he touched was impossibly cold…8543d771e1078c73

Despite the pain, 7f7771007c his sense of dce20ab878 smell was still cdde0eee4d intact, and when 12475b290b the foul smell 2ca1771026 disappeared, replaced by 2816232b4e the fresh scent d5f9469866 of the forest, 4a66a73f83 he thought, even 73a5817159 as he was e56839ac59 dying:bc412442da33a3a2

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‘I’m going to live.’2dccb9688f39f6ee

‘It hurts… I’m cold. It’s dark. Is it over now?’7d953eafb293d98f

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His fading consciousness sank 1559704a9e into some unknown place.d968e57b25148f68