Lanzhou Was That Way, Right?

“So you’re not incapable of learning? You redirected the flow of power by applying external force.”

Thanks to that, he was able to lessen the damage.

The woman laughed as if amused, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Gyo-ha — seeing him for the first time not as prey, but as an individual.

Limping, Gyo-ha swung his hand toward the one remaining iron shackle.

The shackle broke easily.

With that, all the shackles were gone.

‘I’m going to get scolded by Master for this.’

It wasn’t easy to forge shackles of that size.

Naturally, the cost wasn’t small either.

Gyo-ha scratched his cheek.

But that was for later. He had to make it out alive to even get scolded.

Gyo-ha glanced down at his leg.

One ankle was swollen red.

The bone was broken. On top of that, without his shackles, he couldn’t exert as much force.

But it wasn’t all a disadvantage.

Gyo-ha jumped up on one foot. Tong!

The moment his foot hit the ground, his figure blurred.

The shackles had been like restraints to Gyo-ha.

Now that they were gone, his body felt lighter than ever.

In an instant, Gyo-ha shot to the woman’s side and threw a punch.

Up to that moment, the woman didn’t react.

‘Got her.’

She turned her head belatedly, but it was already too late.

Just as Gyo-ha’s fist was about to strike—

His fist stopped.

Not just his fist.

His entire body, suspended midair, froze in place.

Gyo-ha turned his head to look at his own hand.

His hand was entangled in something.

Thin spider silk.

His entire body was wrapped in silk before he realized it.

He tried to move, but couldn’t budge.

“My, you startled me flying at me like that. I nearly cut you without realizing.”

As she spoke, pain flared around his neck.

A drop of blood trickled down.

Had the woman’s web not caught him, his neck would have been severed.

The woman turned her body and reached a finger toward Gyo-ha.

A pale, slender finger.

It was beautiful like porcelain.

But Gyo-ha had seen firsthand what that finger could do.

“I don’t care for corpses, but I suppose there’s no helping it.”

The white finger pointed toward his forehead.

Death crept closer, inch by inch.

It had shattered iron shackles and crushed bone. So what would it do to his skull?

It would turn his head to pulp.

But the hand suddenly stopped.

The woman narrowed her eyes.

“…You were planning to bite my hand, weren’t you?”

“…Huh?”

Gyo-ha blinked.

Her soft laugh answered his questioning look.

His neck, at least, could still move.

“How could I not notice when you’re staring at it so obviously?”

She flicked her finger, and silk wrapped around his mouth.

“Mmph!”

He twisted his head, but soon even his head was wrapped tight.

His head couldn’t move.

Only his fingers and toes could twitch faintly.

As he kept twitching them desperately, the woman looked at him with a curious gaze.

A normal human would feel fear in this state.

Or struggle to escape.

Then fall into despair when nothing changes.

But Gyo-ha was different.

He wasn’t struggling to run.

The fire in his eyes hadn’t gone out.

Resting her chin on her hand, the woman spoke.

“What a pity it is that you’re human. Even worse is that you bear Kunlun’s lineage.”

“…!”

Gyo-ha’s eyes widened.

The woman smiled at his reaction.

Her hand traced slowly from his forehead down to his chest.

“Hm?”

Her brow furrowed.

Tilting her head, she stared intently at him.

“You’re mixed… So that’s why.”

Leaving Gyo-ha bewildered, she tapped her red lips.

Her face grew serious as she pondered.

“There’s another who came out before me? No… even if so, the timing doesn’t match. Could it be… one remained in this land?”

Muttering to herself, she hummed softly.

Then she looked at Gyo-ha again.

“You said there’s no predator that spares its prey, didn’t you? You’re wrong. A full predator sometimes lets one go.”

He didn’t know what she meant, but he could understand the gist.

The woman smiled faintly under his gaze.

“Consider yourself lucky today. But we’ll meet again soon… child of Kunlun.”

Saying that, the woman lightly tapped his forehead.

His eyes slid shut.

Gyo-ha breathed evenly. He had fallen asleep.

The woman watched him for a moment, then turned her gaze.

There, a severed arm lay alone.

When her attention was on Gyo-ha, he had cut off his arm and escaped.

Yet no displeasure showed on her face.

“The surface world truly is entertaining.”

The woman looked toward the Human-Faced Spider beside her.

The spider, wounded and missing legs, rubbed its head affectionately against her.

“Bear with it a little longer. I’ll help you molt soon.”

The woman gazed at it with motherly affection.

“In that case, we’ll need a new home. Somewhere rich with prey.”

Her lips curved in a captivating smile.

Even after regaining consciousness, everything before his eyes was dark.

He couldn’t even tell if his eyes were open.

‘Am I dead?’

The thought crossed his mind, but he soon realized that wasn’t it.

Twitch.

There was sensation at the tips of his fingers.

He wriggled his fingers hard, and something began to tear.

From his fingers to his wrist, from his wrist to his elbow.

Pop! The tearing grew louder until he could move his body again.

He flopped like a fish, and a ripping ‘Jjijik!’ sound followed.

Then a faint ray of light seeped through.

Gyo-ha slid his hands into the gap and pried it open.

Light flooded in, and his body was freed.

But a moment later—Koong!—pain struck his head.

“Ughk.”

He rubbed his head where he’d landed.

A lump had formed there.

Lifting his head, he saw the torn cocoon.

It hung from the ceiling, swaying slightly.

And that wasn’t all.

His abdomen and wrists were tightly wrapped like bandages.

“…Did she heal me?”

She hadn’t seemed the type to be that considerate.

Blinking, Gyo-ha peeled off the remaining web strands.

The wounds had healed cleanly.

Only faint traces of injury remained.

And somehow, his skin had turned pale and smooth.

He stood up and gave a few light hops.

Even with a light jump, he easily cleared his waist height.

“Ooh! I’m lighter than before! Ah, right—the shackles are gone.”

Nodding, Gyo-ha closed his eyes.

His once-empty dantian was now half-filled.

He must’ve been asleep for quite a while. Looking around, he surveyed his surroundings.

The cavern connected to the chamber where he’d fought.

There were still spiders around, but far fewer than before.

Neither the woman nor the Human-Faced Spider was anywhere to be seen.

They seemed to have already left.

Clicking his tongue in mild regret, something unfamiliar caught his eye.

A sphere, slightly larger than a fist.

Not just one.

They were piled against one wall like a hill.

He picked one up and felt its rough, uneven surface.

“…This…”

Gyo-ha’s brow furrowed.

He had realized what they were.

‘Humans.’

They had been human once.

Their bodies had shriveled into these forms.

Only bones and skin remained.

Every ball rolling across the floor was a corpse.

“She really was one terrifying lady.”

Gyo-ha clicked his tongue.

He clasped his hands and bowed toward the spheres.

He offered a brief prayer for their souls.

Then he stepped out into the chamber where the battle had taken place.

Beyond the rocks, the river was still swirling violently.

Grrrgle.

At the sight of the water, hunger struck him.

But with the current so strong, no fish were in sight.

When he looked up, he saw the hole where sunlight poured in.

‘If I’m getting out, it’ll have to be through there.’

But even Flying Dragon Chasing Lightning couldn’t reach that height.

It wasn’t a simple cliff. It slanted inward.

Even for Gyo-ha, climbing it wouldn’t be easy.

At least, not before.

Gyo-ha leapt and thrust his hand forward.

Instead of breaking, his hand sank straight into the wall.

One hand after another.

He climbed by embedding his hands into the stone.

“This really is a fine martial art.”

Gyo-ha smiled with satisfaction.

Had Darkshadow Mountain Ghost seen it, he would’ve been speechless.

A few rocks broke loose and nearly sent him falling, but he reached the top safely.

Only when the blazing sunlight poured down did he truly feel alive again.

The cavern connected midway up the mountain.

A small opening, just wide enough for three grown men to pass through.

Beyond the hole, it was pitch black.

Looking down from above, it was truly terrifying.

Even the sides were obscured by trees.

A single misstep would send him tumbling back into the cavern.

Gyo-ha checked his condition.

His wounds had all healed—and since he wore nothing, it was easy to tell.

“I’ll need to find clothes… and food.”

He scratched the back of his head.

He couldn’t go looking for his companions looking like this.

He could hunt for food, but what about clothes?

Maybe gather some hide and stitch something together?

Even Gyo-ha knew he couldn’t walk into a village naked.

As he walked in thought, faint sounds of people reached him.

There was not one, but several people.

And that familiar stench.

“It’s the mountain bandit elders! If they’ve got anything—eh?”

Men in leather outfits emerged, startled.

And for a good reason, as Gyo-ha had nothing on him.

He wasn’t just empty-handed, but also completely unclothed.

As bare as the day he was born.

His body, covered in muscle and scars, looked brutal.

And something dangled between his legs.

The bandits instinctively stepped back.

But Gyo-ha didn’t stop, and even waved cheerfully at the bandits.

It was a face full of friendly delight.

Fear of the unknown filled the bandits’ faces.

A little later, Gyo-ha descended the mountain, patting his full belly in satisfaction.

Then he stopped and checked his stride.

“…Did I get taller?”

Gyo-ha tilted his head.

He placed his hand on top of his head to check.

But that wasn’t enough to tell.

He twisted and stretched his body in every direction.

His tight leather outfit creaked in protest.

It looked ready to burst with the slightest flex.

Still, it was better than nothing.

“Eh, whatever.”

Giving up on checking, Gyo-ha turned his head.

“Lanzhou was that way, right?”

And with light steps, he leapt forward.

Moments later—

Figures in Taoist robes appeared where Gyo-ha had been.

“Hmm?”

“What is it, Martial Uncle?”

The middle-aged Taoist stared off to one side, then shook his head.

“It’s nothing. More importantly, the bandit stronghold—was it supposed to be near here?”

“Yes, if what the locals said is true, we should find it a bit farther ahead.”

“Good. We’ve been delayed long enough. Let’s finish this business and head to Lanzhou.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle.”

Following the middle-aged Taoist, the group began to walk.

They walked the steep mountain path as if taking a casual stroll.

A breeze blew from somewhere, fluttering the hems of their robes.