Demonic Human (1)

Nine days after leaving the Seonu Clan, we finally arrived at Gokjeong, the entrance to Yunnan Province.

By the time we arrived it was already evening, so we decided to stay at an inn here for the night and part ways with the wandering warriors tomorrow.

Just two mountain passes from here lay the frontlines.

Standing in front of the inn and looking at the entrance, the wanderers muttered with emotional expressions.

“Who would have thought it would take nine days to get here.”

“Even finding a proper inn took us nine whole days.”

“I’m so touched right now. I feel like crying.”

Feeling embarrassed, since I was largely responsible for the delay, I spoke up.

“Come on, come on. Let’s head inside. Since this is our last night together, let’s have a drink. It’s on me.”

“Oh! As expected of Young Master Seonu! I knew we could count on you!”

“A noble scion is truly generous!”

Seeing them brighten instantly at the offer, I couldn’t help but think maybe I’d been swindled into it.

By now, at the end of the journey, we had grown quite close.

They were unusually reliable for wandering warriors, and since I wasn’t someone who clung to social rank, we opened our hearts to each other naturally.

It was bitter to realize that I felt more affection for these men I had spent nine days with than for the clan members I had lived with for twenty years.

We quickly unpacked in our rooms, then all gathered around a table on the first floor, waiting for food.

“Warrior Gong, will you return home for good after this job?” I asked.

The good-natured Gong, who had once told me his wife’s poor cooking drove him to stay out late, laughed as he replied.

“Yes. I have a wife and children, so I can’t live off the blade any longer.”

At that, the quick-tempered Warrior Lee snorted.

“Tch, I told you before—wanderers shouldn’t start families!”

Hearing that, the mischievous Warrior Yang grinned and teased him.

“Then why do you look jealous?”

“Me? Hah! Not at all! You’re the one who looks jealous!”

“See, there you go again. You always get prickly when someone hits the mark, and then you can’t lie about it.”

“I said I’m not!”

As they bickered, the quiet and gentle Warrior Jong chuckled softly. Then their leader, Warrior Jang, raised his voice to draw attention.

“Come, come! Since it’s our last night with Young Master Seonu, let’s drink until we’re cross-eyed!”

“Excellent! Innkeeper! Bring us the liquor first!”

Led by Warrior Jang Gangseong, the five of them had been together for quite some time.

But after tonight, it seemed Warrior Gong, burdened with a family, would be leaving their company.

Since we were the only ones in the secluded inn, it felt like we had rented out the whole first floor, and the atmosphere was rowdy.

Just then, the inn door swung open and someone stepped inside.

“Oh my! Welcome, honored young lady!”

The errand boy exclaimed.

At his fussing, we naturally turned our eyes toward the entrance.

And froze in shock.

“Huh?”

“Isn’t that the girl from before?”

It was Cheong-yeon, the young woman who had been at the Seonu Clan not long ago.

With her bangs covering her eyes nearly to her nose, there was no mistaking her distinctive appearance.

As she scanned the room, her gaze fixed directly on us.

An awkward silence followed as we looked at one another. Then Warrior Jang whispered to me.

“Since you know her, why not invite her to join us?”

“Eh? Ah, yes, of course. Lady Cheong-yeon! What a surprise to meet you here!”

Meeting a familiar woman in an inn like this was a first in either of my two lives, and the situation was unbearably awkward.

But when I called to her, she walked over without hesitation.

“Haha! If you don’t mind, would you… oh, you’ve already sat down, hahahaha.”

She was as bold as ever.

Perhaps because her eyes were hidden, it seemed as if she paid no attention to others’ stares.

The wanderers tried to ease the tension with friendly words.

“Welcome, my lady. Fancy meeting you again here.”

“We’re about to drink—would you like to order food first?”

She answered in her usual flat, monotone voice.

But the content was anything but ordinary.

“I’m here to volunteer for the frontlines. I’ll order food later.”

What?

We blinked and asked again.

“…What did you say?”

“My lady, did you just say you’re volunteering for the frontlines?”

“Why on earth would you?”

It was shocking.

Even most martial artists didn’t know much about the front, other than that the death rate was appallingly high.

These days, even famed heroes avoided it, so much so that the Martial Alliance had to send compulsory draft orders to sects in Guizhou.

‘And she’s volunteering to go there? Alone, as a woman?’

Knowing what it was really like, I couldn’t understand it. It made me worry she was making a reckless decision out of misguided heroism.

Concerned, I asked her, “My lady, why would you want to volunteer there?”

But instead of answering, she stared at me intently and said,

“You’ve lost… quite a lot of weight.”

“Eh? Ah! Hahaha! Yes, preparing for life on the front has slimmed me down! So much that even you noticed!”

“Yes. You’ve grown very thin.”

“Hahaha! You flatter me! It’s not that much.”

No matter when or where, being told I had lost weight was always exhilarating.

Pleased, I let her lack of answer to my question slip away.

The wanderers, catching on, joined in the praise.

“Young Master Seonu worked tirelessly! It was inspiring, reminding us that nothing in the world is impossible!”

“Now that he’s slimmed down, I realize what a fine figure he has! Quite the handsome man!”

“Wahaha! I’ve heard that before—that I look better thinner!”

At that moment, Lady Cheong-yeon suddenly stood and said,

“I’ll step out for a while.”

Something about her demeanor seemed oddly dispirited, but with my lack of experience with women, I couldn’t guess why.

Then the liquor arrived, and thoughts of her faded into the background.

Outside the inn, Hae Cheong-yeon walked away from the lively noise of Seonu Jin and the wanderers.

The sky was already dark, and the thick forest nearby loomed like black shadows.

She thought back to when she had left the Seonu Clan.

When she’d said she was going to volunteer for the frontlines, her friend Zhuge Seoyul had shouted in horror.

“What?! Are you insane?! Even for you, I won’t follow you there! What will you do if Great Hero Hae finds out?!”

“Father will understand.”

“Understand? More like give up on you!”

“Anyway.”

With her eccentric tastes, impulsive actions, and single-minded determination, her family had long since given up trying to stop her.

But even she knew the front was no simple matter.

If she was caught, she might truly be locked away at home this time.

Still…

There was no helping it.

“Phew.”

She remembered the first time she saw Seonu Jin.

She had been utterly shocked.

How could a living man look so much like her cherished doll, “Mandu”?

That doll-like face, his casual display of swordplay, the past she learned after investigating him—all of it had sparked her curiosity.

And when he declared he would run all the way to Yunnan and actually started running, she nearly fainted from shock.

That clumsy, adorable figure.

That unbelievable lack of stamina, collapsing after half a li.

Unacceptable.

How could such an adorably hopeless man be left to die at the hands of the Blood Demon Cult’s demonic humans?

She couldn’t accept it.

She had to protect him.

Having witnessed such hidden cuteness in the world, it was her duty as the discoverer.

That was why she had followed him this far…

But now, there was no “Mandu” doll to be found.

He was still somewhat cute, but he was simply an ordinary martial artist now.

Even bandits had supposedly fallen to him.

At first, she hadn’t believed it, but seeing him now, it seemed plausible.

So the passion that had burned bright upon finding a new obsession dwindled into disappointment.

She sighed deeply and muttered,

“Should I just go back?”

Going home after coming all this way was embarrassing even for someone like her.

But charging into the front without reason was even worse.

And she had family to think of.

“Yes. I’ll head back tomorrow.”

She made up her mind.

But just then, a scream rang out.

“Kyaaa!”

“Aaagh! Hel—!”

What?

It was close by.

Probably the house just beyond the thick grove she’d seen earlier.

And the second scream had been cut short mid-sentence.

Someone—or something—was attacking.

Hae Cheong-yeon leapt toward it at once.

“Who’s there?!”

She shouted to alert the foe as she flew forward.

Suddenly, something burst out from the bushes.

Whoosh!

A silent, sudden ambush—but Hae Cheong-yeon didn’t flinch.

“Haaaahp!”

Her blade shone in the darkness, slicing the air like a web.

Slash!

Her opponent was human.

Unarmed, defenseless, not even guarding himself.

One strike should have cut him to pieces.

But instead of flesh, she heard the ringing of steel.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Her sword bounced off as though striking iron.

Unbelievably, the man’s bare body had deflected her strikes as he lunged.

“What?!”

Startled, Hae Cheong-yeon barely blocked his swinging arm with her sword.

Crash!

“Urgh!”

It was flesh against steel, yet the impact was like being struck with an iron club.

Her body flew backward uncontrollably.

Whish!

She flipped midair and landed on her feet.

The man too landed from the rebound. In the darkness she finally glimpsed him more clearly—and gasped.

“A pervert?!”

He was completely naked.

Obscenely, he flaunted his grotesque manhood. Any ordinary woman would have screamed and shut her eyes.

But Hae Cheong-yeon was no ordinary woman, and this was no time.

The man charged again.

“Graaagh!”

His growl and movements were beast-like.

“Haaaahp!”

She poured her focus into her blade, unleashing top-class sword qi. Streams of blade light shot out.

Slashhh!

But the result was the same.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Her sword qi and blade all bounced harmlessly off his body.

“This… this can’t be!”

She staggered back in shock.

Just then, another shout came from the side.

“Who goes there?! Haaahp!”

It was one of the wanderers who had been inside with Seonu Jin—the sociable Warrior Yang.

He charged at the monster, swinging his saber.

Alarmed, Hae Cheong-yeon shouted,

“No! Don’t! That thing—!”

But it was too late.

Clang! Thud!

“Guhhhk!”

The creature blocked the saber with its head, then rammed its hand straight through Warrior Yang’s chest.

Instant death.

Blood seemed to gush backward.

Even Hae Cheong-yeon, who rarely lost composure, could see nothing now but the exposed neck before her.

Losing control, she slashed at its throat with all her strength.

“Haaaahp!”

Clang!

The neck remained uncut.

Only her hands trembled from the recoil.

“Urgh!”

Then it happened.

The monster reached up, clamped its hand on her sword, and turned its head toward her.

Though its eyes were closed, its mouth seemed to smile.

“No! Damn it!”

She yanked with all her strength, but the blade didn’t budge.

Then the monster aimed the bloodied hand it had pulled from Warrior Yang’s chest straight at her.

Her eyes filled with despair.

“No…”

The hand shot toward her chest.

Slash!