TGHD Ch 14

Cheon Ryubeom began gathering clues, one by one.

So far, all the bodies found at Wonjeung Pier were human and recorded as having no occupation. Did all these people from different generations take their own lives out of despair? Was it possible that they had some sort of gathering when three of them were found together at once?

He organized the clues he had collected and the information he had seen in the river. He had to piece together everything, from the moment he fell into the river to the strange phenomena he encountered before that.

Did he only see one mermaid? He encountered them three times in total, and it seemed to be the same mermaid each time… However, his focus and visual acuity, akin to that of a hunting beast, were unmatched. The first time he saw it in the river, the second time when he fell into the river, and the last time when he chased it to the very end.

They were all different in appearance.

This meant there were at least three mermaids in the Han River. They seemed to move together rather than separately. Perhaps moving as a trio made them more effective at luring their target. They might even have different roles.

If they were water-dwelling yokai, there could be other forms they could take, so why did they appear as mermaids? Was it because that form could invoke the most fear? And above all…

[…Get me out…]

That phrase kept bothering him. While it was partly because it was engraved in his mind in his father’s voice, Cheon Ryubeom pondered over it from another perspective.

Why specifically “Get me out”? Was it because they could read his deepest desires and knew that if his father said that, he would come? But if it was meant to lure someone, wouldn’t a plea for help or asking to be found be just as effective?

But if it wasn’t that, and they specifically said “Get me out”…

‘Does that mean something or someone is trapped somewhere?’

Following this endless chain of thoughts, Cheon Ryubeom headed to Wonjeung Pier. He planned to check the area outside the perimeter line. His gaze reflexively turned to the deep part of the river, but he forced himself to focus and searched the surroundings. And as soon as he arrived, Cheon Ryubeom noticed a strange change.

The ominous energy flowing around the river had intensified.

Even the humans standing guard seemed to feel something was wrong, as they were all tense and frozen. Seeing them attaching talismans to ropes, possibly obtained from somewhere, made Ryubeom’s expression darken.

The Han River was still calm, but he could feel the killing intent writhing beneath its surface. Could it be that he angered it by chasing the mermaids? But he hadn’t directly confronted them, and the killing intent now was too widespread.

In the calm before the storm, he began to search the area.

The reason Cheon Ryubeom had returned to Wonjeung Pier was a memory of seeing some sort of structure in the river. At first, he thought the bodies were drifting toward the pier, but now he wondered if there was something nearby. Was what he saw in the river really a building, or was it just a structure he mistook for one? He had to move to confirm it.

He retraced his memory, estimating the distance he swam from where he fell into the river at the pier. Fortunately, all the shops near Wonjeung Pier were closed, making it easy to look around unnoticed.

From early morning until late at night, Ryubeom didn’t stop searching. It happened to be the weekend, so he didn’t have to worry about the triplets’ school, allowing him to focus solely on the investigation. Though he thought he was simply looking for a suspicious building, his determination made him seem almost desperate.

As if he was searching for an opportunity to meet ‘him’ again. Or as if he was trying to find a valid reason to enter the river once more.

He didn’t sleep, dedicating himself entirely to the search. As a tiger beastman, he could go a day or two without sleep without any significant issues, so he naturally stayed up all night. Thanks to the elixir Yeohwi had given him, he was in excellent condition. Although it wasn’t intended for this purpose, he rationalized that solving the Han River issue would ultimately provide a safer environment for the triplets’ education.

On the third day of searching the area, Cheon Ryubeom finally discovered a strange building.

“…Animal hospital?”

Hanmang Animal Hospital.

The small building, with cute icons of a dog and a cat next to its sign, appeared to have been neglected for some time, as its exterior was worn down. Dust covered the steps at the entrance, and cobwebs clung to the wooden terrace. While this was not much different from the other deserted shops in the alley, the part that puzzled Ryubeom was the state of the interior.

Everything was left as it was. Documents were scattered on the desk, a pen lay beside them, a snack bag, a mug, and a coat draped over a chair. The scene, with a thick layer of dust settled over it, conveyed a sense of eeriness.

In the deep of night, Cheon Ryubeom quietly looked around. Not even the sound of insects could be heard in the alley, and there was no sign of life. Ryubeom silently grasped the doorknob. It was firmly locked from the inside, but he took a light breath and pulled the door.

With a crack, the lock broke, and a bell rang.

Ding…

Ryubeom looked around once more before stepping inside. He walked over the remnants of the broken lock without hesitation.

However, even after entering the animal hospital, Cheon Ryubeom found nothing of significance. He checked the documents on the desk but found only information about the animals that had been treated there.

The first thing that caught his eye was the names column. Choco, Tofu, Milk, Yuzu, Injeolmi, Dumpling, Mocha… The endless list of food names made Ryubeom slightly uneasy. The animals were of various species, including dogs, cats, rabbits, ducks, parrots, and chinchillas, yet all had food names. Why do humans name their pets after food?

With that trivial thought, he flipped through the documents. Lack of sleep was causing his mind to wander. The only normal thought he had was that this must be a hospital for exotic animals, given the wide variety of species.

An entire wall was filled with anesthetics.

Do animal hospitals usually have this much anesthesia…? Cheon Ryubeom, staring at it blankly, suddenly felt his vision brightening and slowly turned his head to the side.

Through a small window, he could see the Han River. In the dawning light, the Han River glittered serenely yet exuded a cold, melancholic aura. Looking at the river always evoked two conflicting emotions. Its surface was dazzlingly beautiful, but beneath it lay a realm of death.

[…Get me out…]

Suddenly, a whisper echoed in his mind, causing Cheon Ryubeom to stagger and grab the wall for support. The vivid voice sent chills down his spine. Was he hearing this because he had been obsessing over those words for days, to the point of auditory hallucinations?

He had deliberately avoided sleep to avoid hearing that voice. Since the last time he dreamed of his father, Cheon Ryubeom hadn’t gone to bed. He couldn’t bring himself to sleep, fearing he would hear that voice again.

‘It’s already been three days…’

As he became aware of the passage of time, a heavy weariness pulled at his eyelids. Although he thought he could endure three days without sleep thanks to the elixir, he realized he might have been wrong. Ryubeom quietly sighed and headed outside. He began to feel that it was time to go home and rest. Come to think of it, he needed to help the triplets with their school dismissal today…

As Cheon Ryubeom walked toward the subway station in a daze, he suddenly felt someone approaching him from behind. Just as a hand was about to touch his shoulder, Ryubeom swiftly grabbed it first. His wariness shot up sharply.

“Ouch, ouch…”

However, when Ryubeom turned to see who it was, he was taken aback. The person had straight, tall deer antlers, through which the early morning light filtered, giving an almost sacred impression. But what surprised Ryubeom more than the antlers was that the person looked familiar. He had seen this person just a few days ago.

At Hn Entertainment.

On the day he went to watch Yeohwi at work, he had seen a few other staff members in the photo shoot area. The deer person in front of him now, and the rabbit person quickly running toward them from behind, were both there that day, working in the dimly lit studio. The deer person was a stylist, and the rabbit person was a makeup artist.

The rabbit person shouted urgently, “You idiot! How could you just run up and grab him like that!”

“I didn’t know his name…”

“You could have just said, ‘Excuse me!’ Ugh, I’m so sorry! You must have been really startled, right?”

Ryubeom, caught off guard by this unexpected encounter, belatedly released the hand he had grabbed. The deer person whimpered about a swollen wrist, but the rabbit person quickly grabbed him by the neck and made him bow in apology. Despite the significant height difference between the long-legged deer and the small-statured rabbit, the rabbit’s jumping power was impressive.

“You’re the person who visited Hn Entertainment a few days ago, right?” the rabbit asked cautiously.

Ryubeom, still bewildered, nodded. He had been sitting quietly in the corner of the studio with his hat pulled low, and their bags had been nearby, leading to a brief exchange of glances. Recognizing him by his similar outfit from that day, the pair’s faces lit up with excitement at Ryubeom’s confirmation.

“I knew it! We happened to see you passing by, and we wanted to say hi!”

“Uh, yes…”

“The CEO personally brought you, so we were really curious…”

The rabbit, smiling brightly, continued the conversation, with the deer naturally joining in. The rabbit, with droopy lop ears and a pink checkered beret on top, introduced herself as Song Jimyo, while the deer, who appeared around 180 cm tall but looked even taller due to his antlers and had a very gentle demeanor, introduced himself as Lee Irok.

Feeling swept along, Cheon Ryubeom awkwardly shared that his name was “Ryubeom” and then asked, somewhat confused by the two pairs of round, clear eyes staring at him, “What were you curious about…?”

“Are you the heir to the fox family?”

“Did you visit to take over the entertainment business…?”

“…What?”

Cheon Ryubeom’s face immediately filled with bewilderment. The expression on his face gave Jimyo and Irok an answer, leaving their mouths agape.

“You came with the CEO and just sat quietly watching, so we thought you were the next in line!”

“And on the first floor, someone called you ‘young master’?!”

The two had assumed Ryubeom was part of the power succession at Hn Entertainment, so they had run all the way here to make a good impression on the potential future leader! Seeing the unfairness on their faces, Cheon Ryubeom was extremely flustered.

He had just been there to observe, but now it made sense why the staff seemed tense whenever he looked their way. It was all because of the term “young master.” The misunderstanding must have snowballed because people kept calling him that. Ryubeom thought to himself that he needed to do something to stop people from using that title, as he explained his situation. After days of being focused solely on the mermaid case, the sudden shift in focus made him relax, even causing him to let out a small, involuntary laugh.

“It’s not related to the Fox Clan, and I didn’t go there to inherit the business. Being called ‘Young Master’… it’s just a playful thing, so please don’t call me that.”

At this calm reply, Jimyoh and Irok exchanged glances. They wondered why the representative director of Hn Entertainment, who was said to be an elder of the Fox Clan, would playfully call him ‘Young Master.’ They were debating whether it was a matter kept confidential until the succession process was clear, but eventually, they nodded in agreement.

Seeing Ryubeom’s serious face gave the impression that he had never told a lie in his life. It felt like he might not even know that lies exist in the world, living only a pure and honest life.

Irok muttered with a hint of regret.

“I spent the whole day talking with the staff, and it turns out it wasn’t true…”

“…About me?”

“Ah. To be precise, we were debating whether ‘Young Master,’ or rather, whether Ryubeom or Yeohwi was the successor. Honestly, Yeohwi stands out a bit, doesn’t he? If the director had brought him in as a celebrity, there wouldn’t have been any doubt, but suddenly he was assigned to some trivial work. Who assigns menial tasks to someone with that face!”

Irok’s voice suddenly grew agitated. He lamented the director’s poor judgment in not bringing Yeohwi in as a celebrity, despite his perfect, unadorned appearance.

“But then one of the staff mentioned that he might be from the Fox Clan or a successor to Hn Entertainment, which seemed plausible. But when Ryubeom also showed up in the afternoon, I was surprised. I thought it was going to be a duality…”

“Since that day, Ryubeom hasn’t come, so the opinion that Yeohwi is the successor solidified. Still, we were secretly rooting for Ryubeom… but it turns out we were wrong…”

At Jimyoh’s regretful words, Ryubeom awkwardly nodded. He found it curious how company employees discussed so many different things. Since he didn’t yet understand the characteristic of employees who enjoyed everything except work, this was his impression.

At the same time, as he wondered if Yeohwi was really the successor of Hn Entertainment, Irok stared at Ryubeom and said.

“But seeing up close, Ryubeom doesn’t seem to be a Fox Beastman, does he?”

“…What, on what basis are you distinguishing?”

“Foxes, well, they have a mesmerizing quality when you observe them closely. Even while working together, I sometimes get startled.”

As a stylist, Irok had examined the faces of Fox Beastman idols very closely. Naturally, he had developed the ability to distinguish their atmospheres. Even with perfect humanization, each Beastman had a slightly different aura.

“But somehow, with Ryubeom, when you observe closely…”

“…When you observe?”

“It feels like I become automatically respectful. There’s a feeling that some instinct makes me shrink back without me realizing it. It feels like I should run away…”

“Talking nonsense again, you.”

Jimyoh shot a cold glance immediately, but Ryubeom cleared his throat awkwardly and turned his gaze away. He worried that perhaps he had overreacted due to being tired, especially since it was Irok’s approach that triggered the reaction.

Determined not to reveal he was a Tiger Beastman, Ryubeom gathered his composure once more and changed the topic. In fact, something had been catching his eye for a while.

“By the way, why are you two here? Especially so early in the morning…”

“Oh, we came to pick up some sponsorship items in the early dawn.”

“And we also had a shoot in the morning… Ah, haha. Are you looking at the necklace on this antler?”

As Jimyoh spoke with a smile, a necklace was hanging from Irok’s tall deer antlers. There were not just one but two or three types, in various shapes and colors, catching the eye with their brilliant shine in the morning sunlight. Was it a necklace or rather an antler accessory?

Even though he learned that staring at a Beastman’s animal traits was not polite, Ryubeom’s gaze kept drifting, and he awkwardly apologized.

“I’m sorry for staring. I should stop…”

“What? No, it’s meant to be looked at! The necklace was chosen by Jimyoh, hehe. Even though I’m a stylist, Jimyoh chooses the most perfect necklace for me.”

Irok lowered his head and brought his antlers close, as if showing off. Though his gesture indicated that touching was allowed, Ryubeom hesitated, feeling uncertain about touching the antlers of a fully grown adult. Although Irok’s antlers were quite impressive…

He knew that many Beastmen live in society with their animal traits exposed. Perfect humanization is something only clans that handle magical power well can achieve. Thus, most Beastmen, like Irok, live with their traits exposed. Yet, perhaps because of what he saw at the triplets’ school recently, Ryubeom was suddenly concerned.

“They suit you very well… Hmm, is there any inconvenience with showing off your antlers?”

“It’s a bit inconvenient when taking the bus or subway. The antlers get in the way.”

“…I see.”

When Ryubeom seriously nodded at this quite understandable drawback, Irok soon burst into laughter. He waved his hand as if saying it was just a joke and spoke.

“Hehe, this is just a joke. I used to be self-conscious when humans stared at me a lot, but… well, deer antlers are quite sacred, aren’t they? So, it’s actually better to show them proudly. Oh, and Jimyoh taught me that too!”

“Actually, there are many who look down on herbivorous Beastmen, so if there’s something intimidating like deer antlers, it’s better to show them off.”

“Ah…”

“When I was young, there were humans who tried to tear off my antlers! They said Beastmen’s antlers are magical and better as deer antler velvet, or something like that. I was almost dragged away, but Jimyoh flew in and kicked them to save me. Did you know? Rabbit kicks are very strong!”

Irok’s cheeks reddened slightly as he described the first meeting with Jimyoh. It seemed that Jimyoh was not just a childhood friend but perhaps a first love. Ryubeom nodded, piecing together the fragments of his impressions. It was surprising that there were people who targeted young Irok’s antlers, but learning about other Beastmen’s lives was even more fascinating.

He knew that many Beastmen who live with their animal traits revealed are more common. After all, perfect humanization is a skill only clans with excellent magical power can achieve. Thus, most Beastmen, like Irok, live with their traits exposed. Nonetheless, it was intriguing to hear about the lives of other Beastmen, especially considering recent experiences.

Jimyoh, a rabbit Beastman with a gentle appearance, said that those who target Beastmen often do so because they are more familiar with physical strength than the law, leading to peaceful methods of using Irok’s antlers. Sharp and wide-spreading deer antlers naturally intimidate opponents.

“It’s how weaker Beastmen survive. Well, Ryubeom, you probably don’t need to worry about it.”

“…Pardon?”

“Aren’t you a predator Beastman, Ryubeom? And it seems like you’re from a quite devout clan. Considering Irok’s reaction earlier and how Beastmen who are revered and held in high regard manage their humanization impressively.”

Feeling envious, Ryubeom swallowed his sudden question. It seemed awkward to ask if their families were also revered. After all, the power of such families is ultimately related to the ecological pyramid, that is, to fear.

There is a difference between revering a being as sacred and upholding it based on fear. The latter essentially means that they will serve you willingly, so you should look upon them favorably. It is similar to how people in the past revered the mountain tiger as the Mountain Lord with awe.

“Anyway, why are you here, Ryubeom?”

“I… um, I was walking along the Han River.”

“At such an early hour? And in this direction…”

Jimyoh and Irok glanced subtly behind them. While Ryubeom’s exact direction of arrival was unclear, there happened to be a dock for the Wonjeong ferry nearby. Irok fussed with concern.

“Be careful around here! You might get dragged away by a mermaid.”

“…Thank you for your concern.”

With a single nod, Ryubeom seemed quite calm, which made Jimyoh marvel at him.

“There’s also a rumor about hearing baby cries around here in the early morning. Weren’t you scared at all?”

“…Crying?”

“There’s a story that it’s made by a mermaid in the Han River! People think it’s a baby crying and approach out of worry, only to be lured by the mermaid and fall into the river!”

As Irok excitedly recounted the story, Ryubeom quietly processed the information. There is indeed a historical record from the Joseon era about a baby mermaid being captured by fishermen and making baby-like crying sounds. Was this inspired by the characteristics of Joseon mermaids? The mermaid Ryubeom saw a few days ago didn’t make any sounds…

Despite the eerie story, Ryubeom’s calm demeanor made Jimyoh admire him again.

“Are you not afraid of predators or anything like that?”

“Not particularly, it’s not really about that… But you two are here at this early hour as well, aren’t you?”

“This is a shortcut. We need to prepare quickly, after all.”

Ryubeom, witnessing the power of capitalism in this place following Hyojo’s earlier display, sighed softly and nodded. His reaction made Jimyoh and Irok smile.

Ryubeom exuded a very serene atmosphere, making it hard to approach him, but when speaking directly to him, he seemed somewhat simple, which made them laugh. The contrast between his appearance and reactions actually made him more likable.

“When I saw you at the company, I was afraid to speak to you, but seeing you outside, you seem unexpectedly gentle.”

“Grabbing my wrist was scary, though.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for…”

“Hehe, it’s just a joke! Just a joke! Anyway, let’s have a meal together sometime!”

At their cheerful exclamation, Ryubeom awkwardly twitched his lips. In truth, he still found it unfamiliar to build friendly relationships outside. Even though the offer to have a meal was a casual greeting, it felt burdensome. No Beastman from his family ever spoke to him like that during external events.

However, remaining silent for too long might make the other party uncomfortable, so Ryubeom eventually nodded.

The world outside his family was truly unfamiliar, awkward, and thus fascinating.

A few hours later.

By morning, Cheon Ryubeom planned to return to his villa. However, having partially woken up during his conversation with Jimyoh and Irok, he decided to search the surroundings a bit more. He thought he might look for the place rumored to have baby cries, which he had learned about during their conversation.

Fragments of clues floated chaotically in his mind. Although he seemed to have collected many puzzle pieces, he was unsure how to piece them together.

While wandering through the alleys, Ryubeom felt a vibration from his pocket. Curiously pulling out his phone, he sighed as soon as he saw the screen.

Geumo.

He had forgotten the triplets’ school dismissal time.

As soon as Ryubeom answered the phone, the children’s voices poured out.

— What’s going on? Where are you Beom?

— You haven’t been home all weekend…

— We’re currently at the snack shop in front of the school gate. We didn’t come in for a snack, but rather moved inside because we thought you might feel burdened waiting outside.

The voices of Geumo, Euno, and Dongo came in turn. Ryubeom sighed deeply while rubbing his forehead. Normally, the children would leave school around five in the afternoon because of the after-school care program, but today was a day they didn’t have it. He should have left earlier, but his mind was completely elsewhere.

“Sorry. I forgot about it today…”

It would take quite a while to get to the school. Ryubeom immediately turned in the direction to head there and spoke.

“Can you wait for just an hour? I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

— Hmm, is Beom busy right now?

“…Why do you ask?”

— It’s just that we can walk back on our own!

— We’ve memorized the way home now!

Dongo said confidently. In fact, the reason Ryubeom had been helping the triplets with their school departures was that the distance between their home and school, about twenty to thirty minutes, was still unfamiliar to them. However, now they proudly claimed they could manage on their own.

Ryubeom felt a bit anxious. While it was reassuring that they were together, he was still concerned about the possibility of accidents. Over the past few days, he had seen how energetically they played. They were full of curiosity about the world.

They would stop to admire flowers, suddenly climb hills, or chase butterflies… It was somewhat unsettling, but Dongo’s words gave him a bit of trust.

After a few quick splashes of water on his face, Ryubeom asked,

“Are you really sure you can make it back on your own?”

— We’re like foxes! We’re good at finding our way now!

“Well, that’s a relief… Ah, is there no problem with that kid who used to snatch your milk carton robot? He’s not bothering you anymore, right?”

He asked with a worried tone, recalling past events. He knew the triplets had been in a domineering atmosphere since that day, but he wanted to make sure.

However, the response he received was bright and clear.

— He transferred to another school.

— Yes, he suddenly moved far away!

Ryubeom blinked slowly. Had he moved so quickly after just starting elementary school? He suddenly recalled a conversation with Yeohwi from the past.

“You need to set the tone early.”

Yeohwi had said this when he heard about the bullying of the triplets. He wondered if it had anything to do with that kid’s transfer. Yeohwi had previously blamed himself for being an inadequate guardian. Or perhaps, Yeohwi mentioned talking with Guil—could Guil have…?

Ryubeom shook his head, pushing away the myriad of thoughts. Regardless of the reason, it was good that the element of conflict with the triplets had been removed.

He shouldn’t worry any further…

“So, you can really get home safely on your own?”

— We’ll make sure to complete the mission!

— We’ll manage it…!

— Will Beom come back tonight? Let’s play together!

Dongo, Euno, and Geumo shouted in turn, and Ryubeom smiled faintly. However, he couldn’t immediately respond to Geumo’s last question and merely wiggled his lips before reluctantly promising to see them later.

“That… um. Let’s play together after I finish my work.”

The triplets seemed a bit disappointed, but they all cheerfully agreed with a ‘Promise!’ After hanging up, Ryubeom stared at the now dark phone screen and sighed deeply. He felt absurd for having lost track of time.

Maybe he should buy some snacks to bring home. He vaguely planned as he started walking again.

The midday sunlight poured coolly onto the streets.

* * *

By sunset, Cheon Ryubeom arrived at the villa.

After finishing the call with the triplets, he searched for a couple more hours but began to feel the limits of sleep deprivation and decided to return home.

However, he could sense that the Han River’s aura was becoming increasingly ominous, and he thought he might want to talk to Yeohwi tonight. There might be other issues if a fox Beastman saw anything unusual. Of course, he would need to handle it alone as delving too deeply could be dangerous…

He bought a lot of snacks that the triplets liked in a daze. The villa, situated on a high hill, was always a bit exhausting to climb.

Just as he was about to ascend the stairs after arriving at the villa, Ryubeom encountered someone coming down.

“Oh, Sir!”

“…Guil? What are you doing here…?”

It was an entirely unexpected encounter. Reacting in surprise, Guil awkwardly smiled and scratched the back of his neck. The bag he was holding was full of fruit.

“I had some free time, so I came to see the kids after a long time. I heard Yeohwi would be late today, so I came to stay with them for dinner, but…”

“…The kids are not here?”

“Yes. I thought you might be coming with them, but… Hmm? They’re not even here.”

Guil checked behind Ryubeom with a puzzled expression. He mentioned that he thought the triplets hadn’t answered their phones, assuming it was because they couldn’t hear the ring while playing loudly.

As Ryubeom stood frozen, a past remark suddenly resurfaced in his mind.

‘There was a kidnapping rumor around here about six months ago.’

Slowly, Ryubeom’s face hardened. Though he hoped it wasn’t true, his voice trembled as he gathered his composure and explained the situation: that he had not been able to help with the triplets’ school departure today due to errands near the Han River and that the children had said they would go home on their own during the last call.

“The kids said they’ve memorized the way home…”

The more he spoke, the larger his mistake seemed. To have been so careless after hearing about the nearby kidnapping incident.

Guil, noticing Cheon Ryubeom’s pale face and his rambling, told him to calm down and picked up his phone to call the children again.

But still, there was no answer.

At that moment, Ryubeom caught a faint ringing in his ears. Although it was coming from a considerable distance, Ryubeom immediately determined the location and ran towards it. He ran with a glimmer of hope, but his face hardened further when he reached the scene.

On the ground lay Geumo’s phone with a shattered screen.

Guil, who had arrived late, also had a serious expression. His face was filled with worry, but even more so with confusion and panic.

“Hmm, this is… unexpected…”

Seeing Guil’s troubled expression, Ryubeom said in a subdued voice.

“I’ll start searching the area immediately…”

“Oh, it’s alright. We can track the kids’ location. You know the earrings, right?”

“…Yes?”

Ryubeom hesitated for a moment, then barely recalled that the triplets had gold, silver, and bronze earrings. He thought they were just for identification purposes, but they had tracking functionality? It was surprising but also somewhat reassuring, thinking it might be a way the fox clan protects its members.

However, Cheon Ryubeom’s anxiety returned. Would merely tracking their location be enough to resolve everything? The anxiety that had settled in his heart from the moment he realized the triplets might have been kidnapped made his heart thump heavily.

As he reached a state of heightened anxiety, his mind was a whirl of chaotic information.

“There were humans who tried to tear off horns when I was young! They thought the horns of Suin were mystical and better than deer antlers, so they almost got dragged away…”

The chilling words he had heard from Irok hours earlier resurfaced in his mind. The sound of a baby crying near the Wonjeong Pier, and…

“Um, it’s showing near the Han Animal Hospital now. The location seems a bit odd.”

Like a malfunctioning robot, Ryubeom stared at Guil’s phone screen. On the map showing near the Wonjeong Pier, a red dot extended in a straight line from the Han Animal Hospital… and into the Han River.

Guil shook his phone, puzzled by the red dot on the blue background.

“Could it be a malfunction…?”

But Ryubeom remained frozen as he looked at the screen. The hundreds of anesthetics and unusually diverse animal records from the animal hospital flashed through his mind, and suddenly, records of mermaids from the Joseon Dynasty crossed his thoughts.

People who treated mermaids like meat in a butcher shop.

And…

[…Save me…]

The echoing voice he had heard at the animal hospital.

The reason a creature appearing in the Han River looked like a mermaid, and the background behind why those without jobs kept dying…

Cheon Ryubeom, with a grim face, hurried back towards the Han River. Guil stopped him and offered to drive, so they traveled in his car. Ryubeom chewed his lips, recalling the layout of the animal hospital. No matter how much he retraced it, there were no other doors.

The car soon arrived near the Wonjeong Pier. Guil was horrified by the sight of the Han River.

“The aura…”

The river appeared to be churning with an ominous presence. It was even more sinister than when Ryubeom last saw it. The aura seemed to be enough to easily sweep away an ordinary person. Indeed, the guards around the river were watching the area with anxious expressions.

“We need to report this to the police… No, first, we should contact Yeohwi…”

Guil muttered as he made a call. After a brief conversation, he approached Ryubeom with a very cautious expression and handed over his phone.

— Sir, where are you right now?

Yeohwi’s voice was a bit subdued. Hearing about the triplets’ kidnapping, he was more calm than surprised or flustered. However, his calm tone made the atmosphere even colder, causing Ryubeom to swallow hard. This was all his fault.

“…I’m sorry. I’ll take care of it somehow.”

Instead of offering excuses, he needed to act. Ryubeom, after that one line, handed the phone back to Guil and headed towards the pier. Although there were guards in front, he quickly bypassed them by knocking down nearby trees, shifting the perimeter in an instant.

Leaving behind the murmurs and chaos, Ryubeom walked towards the pier. At dusk, his shadow stretched long under the setting sun. His steps were filled with regret, self-reproach, and fear, but he did not stop.

He didn’t know the exact location of the triplets.

But he felt he knew the way to where they were.

It was a gamble, but he had a nearly instinctive certainty. Cheon Ryubeom bit his palm until it bled, and as blood dripped down his fingers, he exhaled a deep sigh and continued walking towards the river.

Splash!

The crimson surface of the river, reflecting the sunset, spread with his blood. Tiger’s blood was an incredibly alluring food for any monster, and especially so if it was the powerful blood of the Cheon clan.

Finally, Cheon Ryubeom felt the approaching darkness from afar.

Slowly, but overwhelmingly.

Ryubeom waited calmly in the swirling currents around him, not trying to escape. Eventually, his vision was completely filled with darkness.