By Zephyria 
“What use is there in arguing over right and wrong now, after all this time? Still, Yeongparang, the fact that you are my enemy remains unchanged.”
Vermilion Bird spoke bluntly, arms crossed. They sighed and continued.
“But… you aren’t entirely wrong. I will ask you this: why did you awaken me instead of leaving me to be torn apart by beasts and insects?”
“You are the deity who most resembles a human. A deity who is swayed by emotions and learns through mistakes, just like a human. While I was held captive underground for three hundred years, you suffered an equal amount of pain.”
“And so? Are you saying I’ve paid enough for my sins!”
Yeon Mu-geum shouted abruptly. Young-pa looked at him and spoke calmly.
“That is correct. I no longer hold a grudge against you. There is another opponent I must face; I only hope to receive your aid when the time comes, O Vermilion Bird.”
Vermilion Bird did not answer. After a long while, they let out a sigh so deep it shook the surface of the water.
“Arrogant human. You saved me expecting a reward.”
Yeon Mu-geum muttered to himself and whipped his head around.
“Well, fine. There is no such thing as a connection without a reason. First, I must get out of this unpleasant place.”
His body curled into a ball and transformed into a Bonghwang with enchantingly glowing red feathers. Intense yang energy exploded through the cave, pushing away the yin energy that had filled it, causing violent waves to crash upon the water’s surface.
Wudam, seeing the form of the deity filling the ceiling, fainted and collapsed. Yeon Mu-geum dipped one wing into the water to pull Young-pa and Wudam up, tucking them inside his beak.
“Hold on tight.”
Young-pa gripped the waist of the unconscious Wudam to ensure he wouldn’t fall. Young-pa squeezed his eyes shut as they soared upward, tearing through the layers of the cave walls like sheets of paper.
Before long, bright light poured over his eyelids. They had finally returned to the mortal realm. It had been midnight when they departed for the treasure vault, but it was already the hour of the eastern dawn.
“Ptooey!”
As soon as he reached the ground, Vermilion Bird spat out Young-pa and Wudam as if he had had something filthy in his mouth. He stretched and shook his wings wide before looking down at Young-pa.
“Though it was done by a lowly human body, a promise is a promise. Call for me when you need my strength.”
He flew away without looking back. The red bird rapidly shrank until he vanished from sight.
“Haa….”
Young-pa stood blankly and let out a sigh. Wudam lay collapsed on the dirt ground, but Young-pa had no energy left to tend to him.
He couldn’t think of anything. It felt as if everything in his head had vanished, leaving him empty.
As he stood there vacantly, he saw someone walking toward him from afar. In a situation like this, one would usually hurry, yet the man’s gait was inhumanly composed.
He was wearing a different outer robe instead of the robe he always wore, yet it suited him as if it were his own. For once, he wasn’t wearing that tedious bamboo hat, and perhaps he had bathed, for his slightly damp hair glistened in the sunlight.
‘He was alive.’
A smile spread across Young-pa’s lips. It was not a wicked smile nor a sneer of mockery, but a smile of relief and welcome.
Biryoo stopped, keeping a distance from Young-pa. The two simply looked at each other without speaking. It was Young-pa who broke the silence.
“I thought for sure you were dead, yet you managed to survive.”
The content was sarcastic, but the tone sounded joyful. Biryoo merely replied indifferently after seeing Young-pa’s drenched and ruined state.
“You’re later than I expected.”
Young-pa let out a hollow laugh. He wondered if the man knew everything or nothing at all. He was someone who consistently looked down on him, yet remained impossible to hate.
Driven by the desire to see his face up close, Young-pa stepped forward.
“It’s good that you’re alive, so I can see that handsome face once more.”
“You smell terrible, so do not come closer.”
Despite saying so, Biryoo did not step back or avoid him. Young-pa wanted to give a clever retort, but his head was spinning, and he could not stand. His vision blurred, and his body swayed.
A long shadow fell over his face, and a firm arm wrapped around his back. Held in Biryoo’s embrace, Young-pa lost consciousness.
≋ ≋ ≋
Young-pa did not wake for several days. When he finally opened his eyes, Lee Shim entered with a table full of his favorite foods, but Young-pa flew into a rage and threw the rice bowl. Whether it was Wudam, a servant, or anyone else, whoever entered that room was treated harshly.
Young-pa seemed to be in a constant state of dreaming. It was common for him to scream or wail in the middle of the night. He shouted curses at Black Tortoise and White Tiger loud enough to shake the entire house, yelled that he would eat them alive, and punched the floor or walls to vent his frustration. There were times he laughed without stopping for several shijin before fainting. Other times, he sobbed uncontrollably.
“Eight days have already passed. During this time, Master Young-pa has eaten nothing, and there are holes everywhere in the walls; I worry the night air will be too cold. What if something happens to him?”
When Wudam asked with a worried expression, Lee Shim sighed.
“I don’t know either. This isn’t the time for this….”
Lee Shim was anxious, not knowing when Black Tortoise would wake from sleep. He had heard that Black Tortoise’s winter sleep could last from a few days to several hundred years, and no one could predict it. He often dreamed of Black Tortoise suddenly visiting him. On such days, he would wake up drenched in sweat.
“Clan Head! The servants have a question. You told them to fill the largest portal first, but they aren’t sure which portal you mean….”
“I will go immediately after finishing my conversation with the Master.”
Wudam, having become the new clan head, was busy rebuilding the pacheondang, which had become a wasteland.
That day—the day Biryoo executed Dae Mang, the day Young-pa returned from the treasure vault, and the day Baemttong disappeared. At Wudam’s request, Lee Shim had searched the grounds thoroughly.
It was said that ten serpents lurked within the pacheondang; eight were killed by Biryoo and one by Young-pa, meaning one remained.
The last serpent was in the inner quarters. Just as Lee Shim realized this and tried to seize it, the clan head, Woo-pyeong, who had been unable to move, pulled out a knife hidden under his pillow. He died at Lee Shim’s hands.
As the serpent exited, Woo-pyeong’s body began to rot. It seemed the serpent had been inhabiting a corpse that had been dead for a long time. Beside him lay the bald head of the training director, dead. There were no signs of stabbing or head trauma.
Wudam wailed for a long time upon seeing his father’s corpse before fainting. He regained consciousness a day later and held the funeral. He dismissed all the practitioners who had swarmed the house and focused on repairing the interior with the main gates locked tight. This was because there were more than twenty hidden portals leading underground within the compound.
“Master Lee Shim, I must go check on the servants for a moment.”
“Go quickly.”
“Um, I ask for your help so that Master Young-pa may return to his old self.”
Once Wudam left, Lee Shim looked at the detached building with holes in the walls.
‘What on earth happened for that vicious man to lose his mind in an instant?’
According to Wudam, Young-pa had brought back some piece of iron from the bottom of the treasure vault, and Baemttong had transformed into Vermilion Bird. It seemed something monumental had occurred, causing him to confuse dreams with reality.
Lee Shim let out a heavy sigh. As far as he knew, there was only one way to calm Young-pa when he was rampaging under the grip of emotion. He wanted to avoid that method at all costs, but the fact that Young-pa had been like this for eight days weighed on his mind.
‘Surely he won’t harm me. Let’s be brave.’
Lee Shim took a deep breath and forced his reluctant feet forward. His destination was a private residence far from the detached building. His pace slowed as he drew closer.
Arriving at the courtyard of the tiled house, Lee Shim felt like crying. After hesitating, he tapped lightly on the door with his fingertips.
“Um, well… I have something… to tell you…. If it wouldn’t be a bother to your rest….”
When there was no response from behind the door, Lee Shim was inwardly delighted.
‘He must have gone out! Then it can’t be helped.’
Just as Lee Shim was about to turn away, the door opened.
Biryoo, visible through the gap in the door, was in a posture half-sitting and half-lying. Having desperately avoided him since that day, seeing him again after eight days made Lee Shim’s hands tremble and his body instinctively shrink.
“Pl-pl-please help Brother Young-pa, Lord Biryoo!”
When Biryoo frowned, Lee Shim’s words caught in his throat. Eyes as cold as ice. Just looking at that arrogant gaze, as if the whole world were beneath him, made Lee Shim’s knees shake.
‘With those eyes, he sliced Dae Mang into pieces.’
The sight of a mere human emitting a killing intent that overwhelmed the yin energy of the cave. The scene where eight ancient anacondas were slaughtered by one man. As the memories of the gruesome massacre surfaced, Lee Shim closed his eyes.
When Biryoo reached for the door handle, Lee Shim cried out in surprise.
“I-I… I have come because there is something I earnestly request of you.”
Lee Shim took a deep breath to steady his breathing and spoke quickly.
“It has been eight days since Brother Young-pa shut himself in his room. A day or two would be one thing, but since he’s been like this day and night, the clan head worries he might become a madman.”
“He was already a madman; why bring it up now.”
Biryoo’s cold reaction was disappointing even to Lee Shim, who wasn’t the one being spoken of. Still, it was something that he had answered. Lee Shim adjusted his expression and replied.
“That is true. He was always a peculiar madman, but now he’s reached a point where he doesn’t care for anything. He’ll suddenly fly into a rage and punch holes in the walls. He screams about tearing someone apart, chewing them up, or burning them to ashes….”
Biryoo looked profoundly bored, and Lee Shim was anxious that he might shut the door.
“Of course! Raging isn’t all. One day he’ll be grinning and then suddenly collapse, or he’ll lie motionless and shed buckets of tears….”
Biryoo, who had been listening quietly, raised an eyebrow.
“Tears?”
“Yes! I don’t know what’s so sorrowful, but even now he is wailing as if his eyes are about to pop out. I’m worried the house might wash away in the tears.”
Seeing Biryoo’s interest, Lee Shim became excited and exaggerated wildly. After hearing everything, Biryoo remained silent, as if lost in thought.
When he stood up as if reluctantly agreeing, Lee Shim felt so moved he wanted to clap his hands. Lee Shim waited for Biryoo to come out and followed him with short, quick steps.
“Although Brother Young-pa is ignorant, barbaric, violent, and eccentric, he still has a pitiful side. Isn’t that right?”
“That is not why I am going to see him.”
“Eh? Then why?”
“I cannot believe that vicious bastard is crying, so I must see it with my own eyes.”
‘What does that mean?’
Lee Shim stopped involuntarily at the unexpected answer, but soon caught up with Biryoo’s pace.
By the time they reached the detached building, a new hole the size of a tray had been punched next to the door, and smoke was drifting out. Lee Shim let out a nervous laugh.
“Haha, hahaha…. He was sobbing quietly just a moment ago, but well….”
Biryoo ignored his words and entered the room.
The ondol floor was heated warmly, but the air was cold due to the numerous holes in the walls. Young-pa was sprawled on the floor.
Between his disheveled hair, his eyes were bloodshot and swollen. His cheeks were gaunt, and his lips were dry and peeling.
Biryoo cleared his throat to announce his presence. Young-pa slowly opened his eyes, but he did not look at him.
“Now even you are interfering? Get out this instant.”
He muttered with eyes narrowed into triangles, sounding like a growling beast. Biryoo replied with an expressionless face.
“I shall do so once you hand over the promised item.”
“You son of a….”
Young-pa bolted upright like lightning and swung a fist toward Biryoo’s face. As Biryoo dodged, another hole was created in the innocent house. When his arm got stuck and wouldn’t come out easily, Young-pa let out a scream and tore the wall apart.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
Young-pa approached Biryoo, his bloodshot eyes glaring. Wind blades swirled around him. The fist Young-pa threw narrowly missed Biryoo’s cheek and shattered a chair into pieces.
“You bastard, you’re making me lose my temper!”
Young-pa shouted loudly and lunged at Biryoo with a flying turn. This time, Biryoo did not dodge. He did not use an object to push Young-pa away, nor did he counter with sorcery.
The fist, wrapped in a violent vortex, wavered in mid-air. Young-pa glared at his wrist, held by Biryoo, as if unable to believe it.
“Fuck….”
He tried to swing his fist anyway, but Biryoo, with a stern face, would not let go of the wrist. As Young-pa blinked, a tear rolled down his cheek.
“Ugh, uuu…. Let go, let go of this!”
Young-pa twisted his body violently and thrust out his other arm. As if he had no choice, Biryoo grabbed that wrist as well.
“Do you intend to destroy the house?”
“Let go! I said let go!”
“How much more damage will your temper cause….”
“I said let go, you fucking prick!”
Young-pa was struggling, kicking the air. When Biryoo pushed him away as if throwing him, Young-pa flew and crashed into the wall.
“Haa, haa…. I’ll kill you!”
He immediately pushed himself up and lunged at Biryoo again. A face stained with tears, eyes wide like a demon. Biryoo looked down at him calmly, then dodged the attack by leaning his waist. Before Young-pa could turn around, Biryoo pulled his clothes and tripped him.
As luck would have it, there was a bed right there, and Young-pa ended up flailing on top of the blankets. Biryoo gripped both his wrists, and his knee pressed down on Young-pa’s thigh. Young-pa screamed and struggled, but he could not escape.
“Hic, huh….”
Biryoo merely looked down at Young-pa with calm eyes. In the quiet room, the sound of ragged breathing echoed loudly.
“You… you knew everything, didn’t you? Even knowing who I am, you pretended not to know.”
A low voice leaked through clenched teeth. Biryoo replied without taking his eyes off Young-pa.
“I never pretended not to know.”
“You didn’t act like you didn’t know, or like you weren’t interested!”
The roar shook the room. Young-pa’s shout was closer to a wail.
“Even when I brought Vermilion Bird, you didn’t even blink. Did you know his identity and lead me to that mountain?”
“Yes.”
“And that I would have half of myself stolen and be split apart? Did you know that too?”
As Young-pa looked up, the pooled tears rolled down his cheeks. A strange energy flickered in Biryoo’s gaze, and he averted his eyes.
“I suspected it.”
Since Young-pa stopped resisting, they ended up in a position with their bodies overlapping. Biryoo released Young-pa’s wrists and moved aside. Young-pa’s lips trembled violently before he barely managed to speak.
“That Black Tortoise and White Tiger… conspired to tear me apart? Did you know that too?”
When Biryoo did not answer, Young-pa’s breathing became ragged.
“Why, why… didn’t you tell me?”
“Is there any reason I should have done so?”
“Yes, there isn’t! Because your head must have been full of thoughts of how to use me!”
Young-pa bolted upright and lunged at Biryoo. Biryoo’s patience had also reached its limit; he pushed Young-pa’s shoulder and threatened in a low voice.
“How many times must I endure this behavior?”
“You bastard, am I wrong? Am I wrong!”
“Stop it!”
“I’m asking if I’m wrong, fuck!”
“I told you to stop!”
Biryoo scolded him as if he were fed up, but it was meaningless as Young-pa’s voice was far louder.
Because Young-pa, unable to contain his anger, began punching, they ended up tumbling over each other again. Since grabbing his wrists was useless, Biryoo simply hugged his upper body. Young-pa screamed and struggled within Biryoo’s embrace.
“It must have been quite a sight! I must have looked so pathetic! Having all my humanity stripped away, knowing nothing… while you watched me act like a fool… how much did you sneer, calling me vile, vulgar, and heartless!”
Young-pa screamed at the top of his lungs, but his mouth was blocked by Biryoo’s clothes, so the sound did not ring out as loudly as before. He struggled violently, but as Biryoo still would not let go, his resistance gradually subsided.
Once Young-pa stopped moving, Biryoo’s shoulder began to grow damp. Even after Biryoo released his arms, Young-pa continued to sob where he lay.
“I wanted to know… who I was…. What kind of person I was, what I liked….”
Biryoo sighed and sat back, creating distance between them.
“They say Yeongparang spent his whole life upholding purity and brotherly love. They say he was a righteous leader. That… that isn’t me. I am not even human. I am merely his shadow, his residue. Then… what am I?”
Biryoo, who had been looking elsewhere, shifted his gaze to examine the ruined and drenched face.
“I have nothing left. Only things others have discarded… anger and murderous intent… greed, deceit… lewdness… and such.”
“I thought you were quite clever, but it seems you only know one side of the coin.”
Young-pa raised his tear-filled eyes to look at Biryoo. Biryoo was smiling silently.
“Do you wish to pretend to be a leader of humans again, looking like that?”
“Who said I wanted to do that? I’m saying… those bastards took everything good and left only the bad! They said I’m the dregs!”
As Young-pa growled, clenching his fists, Biryoo tilted his head as if puzzled.
“Is that something to be so angry about? In my eyes, you and that so-called great Yeongparang are two peas in a pod.”
Whether it was meant as comfort or mockery, Young-pa glared at Biryoo’s composed face.
“Did you say your humanity was stolen?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think humanity is? Humans are inherently filthy and despicable creatures. You are the most human of all, so what is there to worry about?”
“You little….”
Young-pa wanted to explode in rage, but he found he wasn’t that angry anymore. Looking at Biryoo’s calm expression, his emotions began to settle. Biryoo’s logic—that humans are rotten beings and thus Young-pa was nothing special—made his worries feel pointless, regardless of how unpleasant it felt.
From the beginning, Young-pa had thought only of revenge against Black Tortoise. Even now, having regained his memories of the past, that feeling remained unchanged. Revenge was the one truth that Black Tortoise and White Tiger had failed to steal from Young-pa. If that, too, was humanity.
Gluttony and greed, lewdness, meanness, deceit, rebellion, trickery, betrayal. The barbaric and crude traits that Biryoo despised were Yeongparang’s flaws and Young-pa’s entirety. If that, too, was humanity.
The way his heart fluttered and the blood rushed through his veins simply because he was sitting close and talking with Biryoo. Was not lust the most human emotion of all?
Young-pa blinked, his mouth hanging open blankly. His confused heart and cluttered mind seemed to organize themselves a little.
“Stop acting so pitiful. Who do you think you are to expect perfection?”
Young-pa closed his eyes, his shoulders trembling. The pooled tears flowed down his cheeks and dripped from his chin.
Biryoo turned his back abruptly. Just as he was about to leave, Young-pa spoke to the back of his head.
“You could have comforted me kindly, yet you just pour out poison and leave.”
“How much of your malice did you expect me to tolerate?”
“You are too heartless.”
“Go deal with that smell of rotten dishwater.”
Biryoo muttered that he would have to throw away his clothes as he stepped over the threshold. Young-pa burst into laughter at the ruthless words.
A pleasant tension arose. As always, Young-pa threw out a tease, telling him that if he were to take off those clothes, he should do it in front of him.
― Continued in Volume 2 ―