Even a Tiger Dies Lying Down (1)
It had been ages since I last dreamed. Not of soaring freely through the skies, but of my days back home. Ordinary days... well, they weren't exactly that. My parents had died in an accident when I was young, leaving me to fend for myself. I didn't want to burden my relatives. They were good people, but I felt like too much of a nuisance. Besides, they weren't well-off themselves, so I couldn't bring myself to ask for help. If anything, I felt guilty and cut off contact. I just gritted my teeth and survived on my own.
I worked every odd job imaginable and barely scraped by at school. I managed attendance by the skin of my teeth, but it was plenty of time to wander aimlessly. College? Not even a pipe dream. After that, my memories blur like fog in my head. I was too focused on eating and staying alive.
Life was a total mess, but maybe that's why I didn't die. "Jong-hyuk, we're fine, so why not live with us?" "Hey, Park Jong-hyuk. Finish your shifts and let's hit the PC bang. Broke? I'll spot you." "You like soccer? Or baseball?" "You worked hard, so here's a bonus. Guys like you are rare these days."
I had what they call "people luck." My relatives genuinely worried about me, my friends looked out for my rough edges, and my bosses pitied my situation enough to pay well. If they showed me kindness, didn't I owe them some in return? It was just basic human decency. That's how I lived, steady and true.
The military was no issue either. Just do what you're told, and you're done. For someone with nothing, that rigid routine was a relief. I thought about settling down permanently but held off amid my wandering. What if I'd planted roots then? Pointless what-if.
God sure works in mysterious ways. I wasn't religious, but I didn't deny His existence. Curse Him in tough times, believe in good times. Or call on Him in a crisis. Human nature, I guess.
From my view, anyone offering kindness is God. To the struggling, what else is a helping hand? That's how I saw it. Even tossed into the Four Seasons Forest out of nowhere, faceless strangers extended aid without strings. Bonds I could never abandon.
Kindness for kindness. Gratitude for gratitude. Better to be the giver first. Even if they don't reciprocate, let it go. Call me a sucker, I don't care. Otherwise, those who helped me look like fools. At least, that's what I thought.
"Nngh..." I forced open my heavy eyelids. Vision still blurry, I blinked a few times. Where...?
My mind was foggy, thoughts sluggish. I checked what I could see. Gradually, my sight cleared to reveal a brilliant blue sky. Fluffy clouds drifted lazily. Pretty, I thought.
Why the sky...? What was I...?
Swoosh— The question hit, and something caught my eye. A relaxed, dopey expression. Kinda cute face. I stared, then realization dawned.
"Why are you here...?"
Before I could finish, memories from before I passed out flashed like lightning. The midnight ambush. Fierce battle with the massive tiger. Flesh torn by claws, then huge fangs piercing my body. Finally, smashing its skull—but collapsing during the mercy kill.
It all flooded back, jolting me upright. "Agh! Nngh...!"
But agony from my whole body—especially my right shoulder—flung me back down. Right, my shoulder was wrecked. No time for first aid amid the finishing blows.
Trepidation made me glance at it. "Huh?"
Surprisingly, my right shoulder looked fine. The uniform was shredded from tiger bites, but the skin beneath was pristine. What the hell? Then I spotted a glass vial rolling on the ground. Definitely the elixir from StarlightPrincess.
"...You poured this?"
"..."
I asked Ppareumbo in a dazed voice. He just wore his usual dumb look. But that was answer enough.
"Pfft." Laughter bubbled up. How many lives did I owe this guy? Without him, no way I'd survived.
What about the tiger? Clear sky meant morning. If I was still breathing, it must be dead. I craned my neck and saw the house-sized beast sprawled lifeless. No movement—definitely gone. Relief washed over me.
What time is it...? Sunny sky said morning had long passed. Grimacing, I staggered up. Better wounds needed rest, but on something softer than dirt.
Where's Wonmo? Stumbling to the cave, no sign of her. Not begging for food by my side—worrying.
"Wonmo! Wonmo, where are you?!"
"Kyuu?"
A reply from behind. I turned—nothing. Called again. "Wonmo?"
"Kyuuu."
Clear this time—from the tiger's direction. Puzzled, but soon solved.
"Kyuuu..."
She emerged from behind the fallen tiger, not jumping but clumsily climbing. Pitiful yet adorable. I smiled warmly—then spotted the oddity.
"Wonmo, what's that in your mouth? Blood?"
"Kyuu!"
She beamed proudly. Yup, blood. Unease crept in. "Where'd you get it? The tiger?"
"Kyuuu!"
Pawing the carcass—ground, to her. Facepalm time. She'd been gnawing the corpse while I was out. Neck was mangled—prime spot.
Sighing mixed relief and dismay, I told her, "Fine, eat your fill. Don't burst."
"Kyuuu."
With her accounted for, back to the cave. I crashed on the soft mat for some R&R.
Oh, right. Time.
Logged into the Gallery. Please be morning. Ten unread messages—notification pinged more as I entered. Only Cheonma in my DMs. From her, no doubt.
Lunchtime already. Explains Wonmo's feasting. Battle took its toll; passing out for hours made sense. Without Ppareumbo's elixir splash, bled out for sure.
Reply to Cheonma first.
Into the shiny alert: one-on-one chat.
Cheonma: Noble one. No word this morning. Slept late? This lady understands.
Cheonma: Rising too late, it seems.
Cheonma: Noble one?
You haven't even logged in. Something amiss? Reply if you see this.
Cheonma: Lunch already. Truly, what troubles you? Worry mounts.
She fretted too much. Embarrassed, I eased her mind.
YasaengGrill: Sorry, Lady Cheonma. Huge tiger ambushed last night—passed out.
Cheonma: Huge tiger? How big?
YasaengGrill: Head towered over mine by more than a full one.
Cheonma: A true mountain lord. Body hale?
YasaengGrill: Fangs punched holes—nearly died. Ppareumbo doused me in elixir, saved me.
Cheonma: Fortunate. Long blackout?
YasaengGrill: Yeah. Bite still kills. Hurts like hell.
Cheonma: Desire painkilling herbs? Excellent effect.
YasaengGrill: Nah, elixir works. Resting now.
Cheonma: Post-battle, rest reigns supreme. Ease yourself. This lady trusted your return unwaveringly.
YasaengGrill: Thanks. Posting soon.
Encouraged, chat ended. Staggered to elixir, sipped, peeled off clothes slowly. Caked blood, holey body—tough work.
Flesh sucked in, then healed. Uniform blocked claws but not fangs. Too riddled for reuse. Still, insane performance from one piece.
Adventurers in uniforms? No joke.
Stripped, checked scars. Elixir couldn't erase heavy damage—thick marks remained, especially fang wounds. Sprayed extras just in case. Minor ones faded; deep stayed.
Others too. Applied everywhere against infection. Soon, pain eased—from can't-rise to can-walk.
No elixir? Disaster. Endless thanks to StarlightPrincess.
Into Gallery for survival report.
Where's Grill?
Did the guy bite it?
Grill's really dead?
Grill, come back.
Plenty hunting my status. Weird posts deleted quick—Judaek or Cheonma banning.
Left: my survival post.
Survival Check
YasaengGrill (Shoulder scar photo)
(P Bloody body photo)
Me. Last night massive tiger—nearly died lol. Out cold 10+ hours, just woke. Scars from bite. Resting today. Hurts too much to move;;
└SwordTasteStar Alive, good. Tigers aggressive, tricky... Dangerous.
└YasaengGrill Scared shitless lol.
└SwordTasteStar No one's around anyway lol. Even if you did, they'd get it.
└YasaengGrill SwordTasteStar, hunted tigers?
└SwordTasteStar Yes, big one.
└YasaengGrill I'll show mine later. Huge.
└PassingDwarf No goods today then?
└YasaengGrill Yeah, probs. Sorry;; Going there'd kill me.
└PassingDwarf Tomorrow then. Shoes soonish.
└YasaengGrill Thx thx, you're blessed. Grabbing adult mandrake if possible.
└StarlightPrincess Nasty scar... So much blood...! Used elixir?
└YasaengGrill Yeah, Ppareumbo while I was out. Wouldn't be here otherwise.
└StarlightPrincess Casual about horror. Glad you bought it.
└YasaengGrill Thanks to you. Truly grateful.
└StarlightPrincess I owe you my life. Recover fast.
└ChangguPrincess Uniform status~?
└YasaengGrill (Shredded uniform photo) Like this. Saved me multiple times. Thanks.
└ChangguPrincess Protective! Sending more later~!
└YasaengGrill Don't wanna just take—slowly. Got spares.
└Where's tiger?
└YasaengGrill Posting soon. Eating first.
└Selling that tiger?
└Duh, butchering sucks lol
└Know you wanna nom
└Busted lol
Nah, different plan. Was auctioning, but changed. Nearly killed me, hide's useful. Well-kept, versatile.
Butcher myself? Not bad. Wonmo already at it—time to level up. Might need to someday; now's chance.
└YasaengGrill Nah, DIY this time. Practice time.
└? You said you're hurt?
└YasaengGrill Yup, but gotta. Rot otherwise.
└If butchering, ask pros. Guaranteed advice.
└Like above. Nice folks. For real.
└They spill all knowledge. Tigers? Maybe not.
└YasaengGrill Reason?
└Trash talk gets stabbed. Friendly out of necessity.
Solid logic—trust boosted.
