By Zephyria 
“I was already concerned because Black Tortoise hasn’t been moving… but since you’ve come walking right into my grasp, this works out well.”
“Hwa-seon! You son of a bitch! What are you doing? Hurry up and save me!”
Flames flickered in White Tiger’s eyes.
“Shut your mouth! You lunatic!”
“Haha, ahahaha! It is the great regret of my life that I couldn’t fuck your little whore of a servant!”
“You bastard!”
While spouting nonsense, Young-pa had been secretly chanting a spell. He suddenly leaped high off the ground. Simultaneously, a massive whirlwind slammed down upon Immortal Flower. In the brief moment Po Ui wrapped his arms around Immortal Flower to protect him, Young-pa leaped with all his might.
The reason it is so difficult to escape the wilderness is that the view is completely open. As Young-pa summoned black winds indiscriminately, sand scattered and veiled the ground.
Running for his life, Young-pa threw stones in every direction. Boom! Boom! The earth shook as if overturned, and sand and gravel sprayed frantically.
“You arrogant little rat!”
A roar thundered across the wilderness. The ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck, and a tiger as large as a mountain suddenly appeared above the sandstorm. Its ears were torn, and it glared with terrifying blue eyes. With its thick fur standing on end, it shook its head and scanned the surroundings. It growled, sensing its perceptions were confused by the winds rising from multiple directions.
“Your spirit is commendable. No, since you possess no such thing as spirit, I should call it reckless bravado!”
Young-pa struggled to flee, but the wilderness seemed endless. Even if he had bought some time, it was only momentary. He lacked the power to subdue White Tiger, and no matter how much of a Plain-Shattering Storm he caused on the wide plains, he could not completely escape those claws.
‘If things go wrong… I heard Po Ui has a cold and stern nature, making compromise impossible. We will be dragged down to the underground.’
Young-pa clenched his teeth, recalling Lee Shim’s words.
Every challenge comes with a risk. He had never thought that entering White Tiger’s territory to persuade Immortal Flower would be easy. In the worst-case scenario, he had even considered taking his own life rather than being captured by White Tiger and dragged underground.
Just then, a rumbling sound echoed, and fragments of earth floated upward.
‘Damn it, looks like I won’t even be able to die on my own terms.’
Young-pa ran, dodging the erupting rocks. A vortex of storm followed his trail, carving through the dry soil.
Thump!
Suddenly, White Tiger landed in front of Young-pa and slammed down a forepaw the size of a house. If Young-pa hadn’t narrowly rolled away, he would have been crushed into a pulp.
Young-pa immediately dug into the ground to hide, but White Tiger tore through the earth, creating a massive hole in his hiding spot.
As White Tiger peered inside with wide, blue eyes, Young-pa thrust the spiritual energy concentrated in his hand straight at the eyeball. Despite its massive size, White Tiger dodged with lightning speed.
“Where do you think you’re using such petty tricks!”
White Tiger vanished without a trace. Then, with an ear-splitting roar, the air grew heavy. At first, it just felt stifling, but before long, he found himself unable to lift his limbs, and eventually, he felt his internal organs being crushed.
Boom!
In the next instant, Young-pa was ripped from the ground and sent flying through the air.
Thwack!
A massive forepaw struck him mercilessly, sending him flying far away to crash into the ground. Without giving Young-pa a chance to stand, White Tiger leaped and pinned his waist with a forepaw.
“Ugh, urgh, ah, aaagh!”
“You insect!”
“Po… Ui, that piece of tra… aaaaagh!”
“You still dare to wag your tongue in this state!”
“What, you piece of sh… d-die… aaaaagh!”
Young-pa’s vision blurred from the agony of his spine crushing, but he did not stop cursing.
Infuriated, White Tiger trampled him as if intent on killing him. Amidst the screams, a faint smile appeared on Young-pa’s face. In just a little more time, his breath would stop.
He didn’t want anyone to feel relieved by his death. If he had to die without getting revenge on Black Tortoise, he wanted the world to be in shambles after he disappeared. That was Young-pa’s final wish.
“Please wait.”
Things did not go as Young-pa intended. As Immortal Flower intervened, White Tiger huffed and lifted his paw.
“That man is intentionally provoking you, Master. He intends to end his own life by your hand, and there is a deception of discord hidden beneath his actions.”
Po Ui’s eyes, burning with hatred, glared at Young-pa sprawled on the ground.
“If you kill him in a moment of emotion, you will cause a great conflict with Black Tortoise. Please reconsider. He is not a man worth such effort.”
The giant tiger was enveloped in a flashing radiance and transformed into human form. Po Ui grabbed Young-pa by the collar and hauled him up. Young-pa summoned his last bit of strength to attack his stomach, but Po Ui blocked it with a lazy gesture. Once his feet no longer touched the ground, Young-pa struggled with all his might.
“My wise human, I almost let anger blind me and ruin the matter.”
“I am glad my humble advice pleased you, Master.”
“Look at this one. Foolish, reckless, oblivious to his place, impatient, and barbaric—is he not just like a beast?”
“Indeed he is.”
“It is a pity I cannot simply bite him to death right now.”
Po Ui threw Young-pa back onto the ground and waved his hand to cast an arcane art. The soil surrounding Young-pa bubbled up and covered his shoulders. The earth hardened from the bottom up, turning into rock. It was so firm that no matter how much Young-pa struggled, he didn’t budge an inch.
“Aagh! Let me go! Let me gooooo!”
White Tiger gently stroked Immortal Flower’s hair and spoke softly.
“Human among humans. This is no longer a place for you to intervene, so wait at the fortress.”
“I shall do as you command.”
Immortal Flower leaped away, becoming a small dot before disappearing.
Without even glancing at the frantically screaming Young-pa, White Tiger tilted his head back. Then, he let out a roar so loud that all creation trembled and heaven and earth shook.
≋ ≋ ≋
Lee Shim was crawling on all fours, descending endlessly through a narrow passage.
“I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing.”
Though he had traversed countless snake caves, he had never felt this anxious and uneasy.
The principle of life that Lee Shim had maintained while surviving with mediocre talents was simple: stick to the strong. This time was no different, yet he didn’t know why his heart felt so heavy.
‘I think I shall show some mercy this time. Go before I change my mind.’
A strange friendship forged with a human. Could that even be called friendship? Biting off someone’s finger raw, beating him whenever there was a chance, shouting based on mood, threatening, mocking, throwing things…
“That human… thinking about it now makes me angry.”
Lee Shim made a scary face, as Young-pa often did, and slammed his tail against the wall, but only he ended up hurting. He rubbed his tail with his hind leg and moved forward.
Come to think of it, Young-pa had never done anything kind for him. Mercy, indeed—the man bragged at every turn and was second to none when it came to taking credit. Yet, why was his heart so heavy?
“Perhaps it’s because those times were actually enjoyable.”
Lee Shim had been alone his entire life. There was a time he grew up with siblings, and a time he had a romantic interest, but other than that, he never gave his heart to others and remained an outsider in the world.
In his youth, he lived only for survival. Upon reaching adulthood, he endured by training with the single-minded desire to become a dragon. After losing the wish-fulfilling orb, he gave up on life and focused only on gathering wealth. The serpents he met underground were either targets for flattery or insignificant creatures; there was no true connection.
The short time he spent as Young-pa’s lackey was different. Because he clashed so much with a human, he also laughed a lot. The friendship he built with the innocent and cute Baemttong left a deep impression on him. The ten days spent at the pacheondang were so comfortable that he even thought he wanted to live like that for the rest of his life.
“A dream that is nothing more than a bubble.”
Lee Shim was the culprit who released the prisoners and slaughtered the snake cave. He was in no position to expect such dream-like times. He had once held hope and viewed Biryoo and Young-pa as ‘the strong,’ but he had returned to his reality.
Young-pa was an overly hot-blooded reckless youth who didn’t value his own life; staying by his side meant it wouldn’t be strange to die at any moment. Running toward the wilderness was an act of suicide. No, it was worse than suicide.
There was no way Po Ui would kill Young-pa mercifully. He would subdue Young-pa and then demand an explanation from Black Tortoise. Once he discovered that Ji Seo-gu had entered winter hibernation, things would become uncontrollably complicated. The responsibility for the massive fallout would ultimately fall upon the jailer who had released Young-pa in the first place.
Lee Shim let out a heavy sigh. There were three paths he could choose. First, to keep a low profile and hide. But that future involved spending the rest of his life trembling in fear until he was discovered and killed by Black Tortoise. Second, to risk everything and follow Young-pa. This was the worst option, as it was essentially throwing his life away.
Lee Shim chose the third path. The most tedious and difficult road. A path where he could either live or die depending on his tact and resourcefulness.
Upon reaching his destination, Lee Shim disguised himself as a human and knocked on the door. The stone door slid open as if it had been waiting.
The room was not the type easily found in snake caves. The floor was laid with polished jade slabs, and the walls and high ceiling were paneled with crimson wood, making it not feel like a cave at all. Flames flickered softly in the candlesticks, and everywhere he looked, there was sturdy, antique furniture that looked like it belonged in a human royal palace.
“Respected elders, how do you fare… this lacking fellow has been too preoccupied to visit until now.”
As soon as Lee Shim entered the room, he prostrated himself flat on the ground. A serpent that had been in a bath tub crawled out and transformed into the appearance of a man. Another, sitting at a dining table, had been in the form of a woman from the start; she was wiping her mouth with a handkerchief, having just finished a meal. Both were dressed luxuriously, like royalty.
‘No wonder I smelled blood.’
They were the two leader serpents living in the white soul cave. The female was called Heavenly Crow Temple, and the male was called Temple of Forgotten Years. They did not touch anything other than humans; the female ate only young children, and the male chose only the elderly.
“Ah, it is Lee Shim. How long has it been?”
“We had no news for so long that we thought you were dead.”
They pretended not to know about the trouble Lee Shim had caused, though there was no way they were unaware. Lee Shim gave a bitter smile and stood up politely.
“As you likely know… Yeongparang, who escaped from the underground, is running around causing chaos.”
“That mad human… though he has a disease of acting out whenever he gets the chance, he should be locked in the deepest prison of the underground… Escape?”
Heavenly Crow Temple let out a fishy laugh. The pointed words felt like they were poking Lee Shim.
“You know the name of that cave is Shattered Hope. To date, no prisoner has ever escaped from there, so I do not know what you are talking about.”
Temple of Forgotten Years flickered his bifurcated tongue.
Sensing that they would not move as he wished, Lee Shim pulled a stone with a dark blue glow from his robe. At that, Heavenly Crow Temple’s eyes widened, and Temple of Forgotten Years trembled.
“Yeongparang’s gang has exorcised Elder Dae Mang.”
“I thought Dae Mang had disappeared because he went to find another human body… Not just one or two, but all eight were taken down?”
While Temple of Forgotten Years trembled with wide eyes, Heavenly Crow Temple seemed lost in thought.
“Lee Shim, you are indeed polite. To bring such a precious gift.”
Because he spoke so brazenly, Lee Shim had no choice but to hand over the bloodstone. Heavenly Crow Temple took the stone, licked it with his tongue, and looked down at Lee Shim.
“Why have you come to see us?”
“I have come because I am worried about the future of the underground. Will you elders simply stand by and watch Yeongparang’s atrocities?”
“Was the collapsing net cave not under your jurisdiction?”
“Surely it wasn’t because of your mistake, Lee Shim, that Yeongparang was released?”
The two looked at each other and then gazed at Lee Shim with innocent expressions.
“I cannot say it was entirely my fault. Did you two not send me there after receiving treasures? Did you not say the jailer position was vacant and a leisurely job with nothing to do?”
The eyes of Heavenly Crow Temple and Temple of Forgotten Years narrowed simultaneously.
“Hmph! Anyone listening would think we are rotten serpents who take bribes and hand out positions.”
“I see now that this lesser dragon is using deception to pin the blame on us.”
The two transformed into serpents and approached Lee Shim. Lee Shim collapsed to his knees under the killing intent they emitted.
“T-that is not the issue. Yeongparang is running toward White Tiger’s wilderness!”
The serpents stopped abruptly.
“At this rate, it is only a matter of time before he is captured. White Tiger will demand the truth, and in doing so, he will discover that Lord Ji Seo-gu has entered winter hibernation.”
Temple of Forgotten Years hissed in displeasure.
—Damn it! That mad tiger already harasses the underground whenever he can; what is this calamity now?
—But how did you know that Lord Ji Seo-gu has entered winter hibernation? That is something only a few serpents know.
As Heavenly Crow Temple pointed this out sharply, Lee Shim shrank back.
“Yeongparang has been spreading the rumor; I don’t know where he picked it up.”
—What a human, fit to be swallowed in one gulp!
Excited, Temple of Forgotten Years smashed the table with his head. Meanwhile, Heavenly Crow Temple sank into thought.
—Originally, the season when the Master enters hibernation is a harsh time for us creatures of the underground. It is the season when the yang energy of the world of light grows strong and land beasts run wild. Though you’ve made things troublesome by causing an accident this time, we can simply execute you, preserve your corpse, and offer it to the Master once he awakens.
“No, you are mistaken, Elder.”
Lee Shim widened his eyes and spoke out desperately.
“If White Tiger discovers that Black Tortoise has entered winter hibernation, he will dispose of Yeongparang as he pleases. The mortal realm will oppress the underground, and the tiger will make a hobby of biting serpents to death. When Black Tortoise eventually awakens from his sleep… what will he think when he sees that sight?”
As Lee Shim finished speaking, fear appeared on Temple of Forgotten Years’ face.
—Now that I hear it, the brat has a point. The Master does not like having anything taken from him. I am beginning to fear the aftermath.
—Even so, what is there for us to do? It is not our fault that human has been running around… The best course of action is to eat one more meal before the Master awakens.
—How can we live in fear, not knowing when he will awaken? Moreover, if he finds out we sent that brat to the collapsing net cave…
—Then what do you suggest we do? Is there a way?
“There is a way, Elders.”
As Lee Shim intervened, the two serpents looked at him.
“We must go to the wilderness immediately and retrieve the prisoner.”
Lee Shim also didn’t know what the correct answer was. He just knew he had to stop White Tiger from getting his hands on Young-pa at any cost, so he had come to the strongest serpents he knew.
A gamble with everything on the line. This was the third path he had chosen.
The long pupils of the serpents distorted in bewilderment. Heavenly Crow Temple’s scales turned pale, and Temple of Forgotten Years hid his head under the table.
—He’s lost his mind, completely lost his mind.
—This brat has gone utterly mad. Why on earth should we pick a fight with White Tiger? I must have misheard.
The serpents hissed violently back and forth. Though they were the serpents among serpents, those of high power, they were only concerned with avoiding the immediate crisis, unaware of the uncontrollably great danger approaching.
“There is no time, Elders! If not you two, who will stop this? Must I… wake Lord Ji Seo-gu?”
The two serpents gaped. They looked at each other and burst into laughter.
—Good heavens, what did you just say? W-wake Lord Ji Seo-gu?
—In all my life, I have never heard such a hilarious thing!
“Please, Elders… stop White Tiger immediately… and correct this wrong. If you do, if you do so, Black Tortoise will recognize your loyalty and grant you rewards in the future.”
Heavenly Crow Temple opened its maw with a harsh, grating sound. Lee Shim closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight of those terrifying fangs.
―Where do you think you’re playing tricks? Do you think I don’t know your intentions? You seem intent on surviving by borrowing someone else’s hand; do we look like fools to you?
Suddenly, Temple of Forgotten Years coiled around Lee Shim’s waist and neck. As its body constricted his waist, Lee Shim found himself unable to breathe.
―This one is half-witted. Who in the world would stand against that ferocious tiger! Are you not asking us to do what you yourself cannot? He is a wretch who wouldn’t be enough even if killed a hundred times.
―He should have just lived his life tomb-robbing as usual, instead of acting out by picking up the likes of Yeongparang or White Tiger. I cannot bear to watch this sight with open eyes.
Realizing his plan had gone awry, Lee Shim felt his heart sink.
He had tried to coax the serpents into stopping Po Ui. He believed it was the only way to survive. However, the fear of Temple of Forgotten Years ran deep, and the vigilance of Heavenly Crow Temple was not easily swayed.
Feeling the serpent’s body tightening around him, Lee Shim realized the end was near. He stretched his neck long and let his body go limp.
―Damn it, I really don’t feel like sinking my teeth into a lesser dragon’s neck.
―You eat old humans just fine, so why the fuss now? Just finish it quickly.
―What? What about you? With that stomach of yours that finds milky-scented humans delicious, you do it.
―Will you shut your mouth?
Feeling the grip around his waist loosen, Lee Shim opened his eyes slightly. Heavenly Crow Temple and Temple of Forgotten Years were baring their teeth at one another, fighting.
―I am the problem for having lived with a fellow like you until now! Go die, you useless wretch!
―What nonsense is that? If anyone allowed anyone to live, it was me allowing you to live!
Lee Shim felt a sense of relief that he hadn’t died immediately, but he was also bewildered.
The two serpents fought violently. Jade slabs shattered under the strike of their tails, and furniture was turned to dust. Watching the savage fight, Lee Shim kept a keen eye on them and began to step backward. If he was going to die anyway, there must be a better way than being bitten to death by these manic serpents.
Tuk.
The heads of the serpents, who had been attacking each other as if to kill, snapped toward Lee Shim. While walking stealthily, Lee Shim had accidentally brushed against a piece of jade with his heel.
―Look at this fellow.
―Did he try to drive a wedge between us and now intends to slip away?
Heavenly Crow Temple and Temple of Forgotten Years shared a twin-like, madness-filled gaze.
―This is no time for us to be like this. Let’s kill him first.
―Wait, a wonderful idea has occurred to me… You’ll be surprised when you hear it.
Heavenly Crow Temple whispered to Temple of Forgotten Years without taking its eyes off Lee Shim. Temple of Forgotten Years’ mouth opened wide as if it were about to tear.
―Hahaha, ahahaha! As expected, you are a genius. I truly made a brilliant marriage.
―Have you only realized that now? You are my one and only spouse.
As if they had never fought, the two rubbed against each other affectionately and approached Lee Shim with a sly demeanor.
―Lee Shim, Lee Shim. Shall we grant your wish?
“Ah… are you… saying you won’t kill me?”
Heavenly Crow Temple smiled, opening its mouth wide.
―How could we kill a lesser dragon as virtuous as you? That would be a sin against the world.
―How many years have we benefited from you? At least one pillar of this room must have been furnished with the treasures you gathered.
Temple of Forgotten Years trailed off while looking at the pillars that had all collapsed.
―Anyway, you are a subordinate we cherish, so we wish to give you a reward.
Lee Shim didn’t know what they were planning, but he had no choice but to say thank you. The two serpents chuckled, locking eyes, and coiled their tails around his ankles. Then, they shot out of the room like arrows.
“Ugh, uaaaah, aaaaagh!”
As he was dragged violently, his body flipped and dirt poured over him. Because the serpents did not go to an existing cave but bored through the raw earth, he could not gauge the direction.
‘I used every trick in the book, yet in the end, I die miserably.’
Was it such a great greed to simply want to live an ordinary life? Lee Shim swallowed a sorrowful cry as he looked back on his insignificant life. He struck his head against a large rock and lost consciousness.
≋ ≋ ≋
―He isn’t dead, is he? Even for a lesser dragon who failed to become a dragon, I didn’t think he’d be this weak.
―He’s still breathing, however faintly, so let’s wait.
Lee Shim woke up to the sound of the serpents chattering. It was a miracle he was alive despite his entire body stinging in pain.
He barely opened his eyes and saw that his surroundings were dark. It had been broad daylight when he entered the white soul cave, but since the sun was now setting, it seemed he had been unconscious for quite a while.
―Just in time, the fellow has awakened. Lee Shim, I was sad thinking you had died.
―You brat! If you’re alive, you should say you’re alive! Didn’t you surprise us!
Lee Shim’s lips trembled as he opened his mouth.
―Elders… I was… I was wrong, so please spare me. I… I will never set foot in the underground again… and I shall live as if I were dead.
He no longer had any spiritual energy left to do anything. He wanted to wander the low places and live as if dead until the day Ji Seo-gu awakened.
―How has he survived this turbulent world being so fragile?
―With a temperament as soft as silk, what? Stop Po Ui? Wake the Master?
Lee Shim had no words to respond to the mocking tones. It was all because he was dull that things had gone wrong; it was clear that the great fortune that had led him to survive until now had finally run dry.
―Lee Shim, why are you so dispirited? Wouldn’t it be more enjoyable for us if you acted out excitedly like you did before?
―Indeed. We’ve brought you all this way, yet seeing you lying there so miserably is disappointing.
Only then did Lee Shim look around.
He was at the bottom of a valley lined with bizarre stone mountains. The sheer cliffs were so high that just looking at them made him dizzy. It was a place more peculiar than anything he had seen even in his dreams.
―Where… is this?
―We brought you here because you said there was something you absolutely wanted to tell the Master.
The serpents giggled with excitement.
A massive cave lay wide open before Lee Shim’s eyes. The pitch-black portal inspired fear just by looking at it. It was a place he wouldn’t want to step into even if offered the most valuable gold and silver treasures.
―Then, is this… the pl-pl-place where Black Tortoise sleeps?
―Yes. Was it not your wish to wake him from his slumber?
Temple of Forgotten Years’ tail gave Lee Shim’s back a gentle push. Lee Shim tried to hold his ground with his feet, but he was pushed over by the serpent’s strength. Temple of Forgotten Years and Heavenly Crow Temple were greatly amused by the sight.
―Quickly, quickly go and do what you desire! Kehehehe!
Was it even possible to wake Black Tortoise from his sleep? However, as Temple of Forgotten Years’ tail whipped his back, Lee Shim was pushed forward, shedding tears.
―Get in quickly! You brought this upon yourself, so where is this act of playing pitiful?
Lee Shim had no options left. He crawled on all fours into the pitch-black cave. As he took another step, feeling as if he were being swallowed by the darkness, he heard Heavenly Crow Temple’s laughter from behind.
―Do you think a corpse will remain, or not?
―He will vanish without a trace. I’m willing to bet on it.
―Still, I think Black Tortoise might leave a tail or something as an example.
―He’ll kill him in his sleep; does that make any sense?
As he walked further in, the voices of the serpents grew distant.
Lee Shim crawled into the cave for a long time. Despite being born with eyes that could see well in the dark, he could see nothing. The place was chillingly silent. All he could feel was a damp chill and the yin energy that dominated the space. The further he went inside, the stronger the urge to simply die became.
“Ah, ugh!”
The ground beneath his feet suddenly gave way, and Lee Shim lost his balance and tumbled down.
Eventually, as he reached out his front paw to brace himself on the ground, he recoiled in shock. The sensation touching his skin was not earth, but smooth scales. Realizing there was something—something indescribably massive—before him, Lee Shim hurriedly backed away.
―Haa, haa… Ji, Ji Seo-gu… sir?
Torn between the impulse to just die right there and the survival instinct to bolt immediately, he slapped his own cheek hard.
Barely regaining his composure, Lee Shim created light within the cave. The faint light sphere was immediately extinguished by the yin energy dominating the cave, but upon seeing the long, reclining form, his heart nearly stopped. The reptile, bearing a massive shell on its back, had the head of a serpent and a long tail.
‘I’ve finally come this far. Now it’s either death or a miracle.’
Trembling violently, Lee Shim crawled toward where Black Tortoise’s head lay. He took a deep breath and shouted in the loudest voice he could muster.
―Yeongparang has escaped from the underground!
He feared a thick tail would crush him instantly, but Black Tortoise did not make a single sound.
―O… O Great Black Tortoise. Your doll, Yeongparang, has escaped the underground and is causing chaos in the world. L-Lord Dae Mang has also perished by his hand.
Lee Shim summoned a bit more courage and spoke directly into the deity’s ear.
―White Tiger is trying to catch Yeongparang…
Flash! A bright orange light, nearly crimson, filled the cave. Slit pupils sharply searched for the source of the sound. The moment Lee Shim saw those eyes, the strength left his legs, and he collapsed onto the ground.
Gugugugung.
The cave shook, and stone fragments fell from the ceiling.
―What… did you say.
A voice like an earthquake. Realizing that anger was mixed into that voice, Lee Shim no longer wished to exist in this world. He simply wanted to die. He only hoped it would be painless.
―O Great Master, please k-kill your servant. Yeongparang… has escaped from the collapsing net cave. He has killed Dae Mang and is sowing discord, and so, I felt I must inform you… and have come.
―You could have simply captured him; do you disturb my sleep for a mere reason such as that?
Ji Seo-gu’s breath was as cold as ice. Lee Shim could not understand why he was still alive. He continued speaking, tears falling like rain.
―Yeongparang has headed toward White Tiger’s fortress to meet Immortal Flower. I fear that Po Ui… Po Ui may capture him alive…
Black Tortoise, who had been as still as death until then, let out a horrific shriek and twisted his body. Struck by the tip of his tail, Lee Shim was sent flying and slammed into the cave wall.
―Who dares touch what is mine? Po Ui?
It was a pain so great that not even a scream could escape. Lee Shim only shed silent tears.
―Will you not report clearly!
At the deity’s roar, Lee Shim could only curl up, feeling himself shrink and wither, as if all the blood had drained from his body.
Just then, a humming sound echoed, and the cave shook slightly. A furious beast was howling outside. As the faint sound grew louder, the vermilion eyes rolled upward. Ji Seo-gu opened his maw and hissed sharply.
―That beast has saved your life.
A sharp gaze turned toward Lee Shim once more. Black Tortoise glared at him and muttered fiercely.
―If my doll is stolen, you shall pay the price, so keep your neck clean and wait.
Kwagwagwagwang!
In the blink of an eye, Ji Seo-gu burst through the cave and vanished. Left alone in the cave with the ceiling blown away, Lee Shim fainted atop his own tears and urine.
The Assembly of Deities
When White Tiger’s howl echoed across the land, every beast roaming the earth hurriedly hid. Even the birds of the sky retreated to their nests, and the rain of walls fell silent.
Young-pa guessed who Po Ui had summoned. And when none of those vicious beings appeared, he sneered.
“Isn’t the voice a bit too quiet?”
White Tiger glared with piercing eyes and growled once more. A momentum that could make the heavens and earth shake and the mountains tremble in fear. It was a summons that could not be missed, even by accident.
Despite being held by White Tiger, Young-pa remained confident. There was one thing he relied on: the fact that Ji Seo-gu had entered winter hibernation. No matter how much he was called, Black Tortoise would not come, and Azure Dragon, who had no interest in the affairs beneath the heavens, would surely ignore Po Ui’s call.
If so, the only one likely to respond was Vermilion Bird, and they were not a being harmful to Young-pa. Thus, forgetting his fear of being dragged underground, Young-pa acted as if he had a heart of steel.
Before long, a bright red flame flickered in the sky. A child appeared, enveloped in red hair, red eyes, and garments as brilliant as flames. Because Po Ui was so large and imposing, Yeon Mu-geum looked like a sparrow.
Vermilion Bird shot a glance at White Tiger, then looked bewildered upon seeing Young-pa captured.
“Tsk, what a meddlesome human. Is there nowhere you won’t stick your nose in?”
White Tiger smiled. It was a smile that felt somewhat uncomfortable.
“It has been a long time, Vermilion Bird.”
“I’ve spent three hundred years rotting away, so I ought to be recuperating for at least that long; why the hell did you call me?”
Yeon Mu-geum’s attitude was utterly cold.
“This human is a being that should not be alive. Although I have captured him, it is not a matter to be handled alone, so I called everyone. It has nothing to do with you, so you may return.”
As Po Ui pointed toward the distant sky, Vermilion Bird frowned. Their winged garment fluttered.
“Ordering me around as you please!”
“I show you the consideration to recuperate, and yet you make a fuss.”
“Consideration? You dare utter the word consideration?”
Flames seemed to ignite from Yeon Mu-geum’s small body. In contrast, Po Ui’s attitude remained freezing. The atmosphere was such that it wouldn’t be strange if the two divine beasts started fighting immediately.
White Tiger narrowed their eyes and growled low.
“You’ve lost everything because of that temper, yet you still haven’t come to your senses.”
“Wha-what?”
“The one I called is Ji Seo-gu. Azure Dragon has nothing to do with this and wouldn’t show his face anyway… Whether you stay here or not is irrelevant, so do as you wish. The world turned just fine while you were gone.”
Even seeing Po Ui provoke them, Yeon Mu-geum crossed their arms and wore a confident smile.
“I also have a connection with that human, so why do you conclude it’s irrelevant?”
The one surprised by those words was White Tiger, who looked back at Young-pa as if ready to bite him to death.
“We are quite close; I once gave him a ride on my back.”
With his limbs bound, Young-pa could do nothing but wag his tongue. As White Tiger reacted sensitively, Vermilion Bird swaggered as if they had found a weakness.
“The serpent you’re waiting for is nowhere to be seen, so let’s discuss the disposal of this human among ourselves.”
“Black Tortoise could not have missed my call. If he deliberately does not respond, this fellow is mine.”
“What are you talking about? Now that I’ve come, he is not yours!”
Po Ui rolled his blue eyes, showing the whites.
“He is my prisoner, captured within my territory!”
“Who cares? I won’t let you do as you please.”
“Yeon Mu-geum! This is not a place for you to interfere!”
“You interfere in everything, so why can’t I!”
Just as the conflict between the two divine beasts reached its limit, the shadow of the rock holding Young-pa moved faintly.
Young-pa’s eyes widened, and terror dominated his entire body. Without time to think, he stuck out his tongue and bit down hard. However, he was instantly blocked by black energy that surged into his mouth.
“Ugh, uaaaagh! Fuck… ge-get it off!”
The black smoke soon transformed into the shape of a solid bit. Young-pa screamed even louder, but far from committing suicide, he was rendered unable to speak a proper word.
“Ji Seo-gu has arrived.”
Seeing this, Yeon Mu-geum muttered with a disappointed expression.
“You are late, Black Tortoise.”
Po Ui’s tone was also unwelcoming.
Even after suppressing Young-pa, Ji Seo-gu did not come out and remained hidden within the shadow. Every time Young-pa writhed, the shape of the shadow changed.
“Fighting over an object that has an owner; it is not a pleasant sight.”
A gloomy voice echoed from the darkness.
“I have much to say about that. First, tell me what this creature’s identity is!”
As Po Ui shouted, a dust storm raged across the wilderness. The black shadow writhed for a moment, and then Black Tortoise’s voice slowly flowed out.
“Merely the dregs peeled away from your human. Is there a problem, White Tiger?”
“Why didn’t you inform me that you created such a thing? This changes the story, does it not?”
“I handed over the flawless human you desired; what problem is there in what I do with the discarded materials?”
White Tiger closed their eyes and took a deep breath as if to suppress their anger.
“Let’s say I concede that point for a moment. Then, while that thing was causing a commotion on the surface, what was the great Master doing!”
He placed his hand on his hip and lowered his upper body to glare at the shadow. His blue eyes shone meaningfully.
“Since you had let go of the reins so much, I wondered if you had perhaps entered winter hibernation.”