Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Moonlit Flight
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"Empress Ap-hos!!! W-wait, just a second!!"
"Chances like this don't come around often! Open your eyes, Min-woo!"
"Uwaaaah!! I-I'm dying! I'm gonna die!!"
My scream echoed through the night sky over the forest.
It wasn't an empty cry. My heart really felt like it was about to burst out of my chest.
I was flying through the sky right now. Or more precisely, I was dangling like luggage, forcibly "jumping" along.
"Haha! Crying so cutely when you're not even in bed. Feels that good, huh?"
"No! No! Not 'dying' like that—my heart's really dropping out!!"
I clung desperately to the nape of her neck, howling.
Amusement park rides had terrified me since I was a kid. I couldn't even handle roller coasters or swings, let alone this—naked freefall from the mountain peak with no safety bar!
Here's what had happened.
A little earlier, we'd finally ditched the car.
Driving into the city covered in blood and guts would've been suicide. We shoved it deep into the woods and decided to hoof it the rest of the way.
At first, the mood was great.
A quiet mountain road lit only by moonlight, no streetlights in sight.
The fresh air and chirping crickets instead of city smog.
And a massive full moon hanging over the ridge.
Normally, it'd scream horror movie backdrop, ghost central. But with the world's strongest empress sis hooked arm-in-arm beside me, it felt anything but scary—more like a romantic date.
Her body heat and faint scent made it downright dreamy.
But that romance shattered after exactly one hour.
"This road just goes on forever."
Empress Ap-hos yawned.
"I wanna get home and order delivery. Chicken or pizza or something."
"Huh? You just ate four people. Hungry already?"
"Hmph, human bodies are all water and no flavor. Plus, those guys were doped up—terrible nutrition."
She stuck out her tongue and added,
"A woman's got a separate dessert stomach, you know. Gotta cleanse the palate."
In the middle of this conversation that would've made any normal person faint, she turned to me with a sly grin.
"Come to think of it... I saw it on YouTube."
"Yeah?"
"Lovers do this 'night sky date' thing. Whisper sweet nothings while gazing at the city lights?"
"Oh, uh... yeah, like at Namsan Tower or some observatory."
"Is that so? Then let's do it."
"Here? Is there an observatory ar—uwaaaah!!"
I didn't even finish the sentence.
Empress Ap-hos snatched my waist and kicked off the ground, rocketing upward.
Boom—!
The earth cratered like an explosion, and in an instant, we shot past the treetops into the clouds.
And now, back to the present.
"Kweeeek!"
The tentacle sprouting from my butt was screaming in terror too.
In a panic to survive, it instinctively wrapped tight around Empress Ap-hos's thigh. Not to be outdone, I buried my face in her chest like a cicada clinging for dear life.
Squishing her ample breasts flat as pancakes.
"Puhaha! You two are such scaredy-cats."
Empress Ap-hos giggled, petting my back and the tentacle at the same time. The wind roared in my ears, but her laughter rang crystal clear.
"Open your eyes, Min-woo. You're missing a killer view."
"N-no way! I'm gonna die!"
"You won't die. Trust me."
Her voice slipped softly into my ear.
I cautiously pried open my trembling eyelids.
"...Ah."
My breath caught.
Below my feet stretched an endless black sea of forest, with the distant city lights twinkling like scattered jewels far off.
And overhead... a massive, brilliant full moon so close it felt like I could touch it.
Atop a silent sky where all the world's noise had vanished.
Only the wind's howl and the steady thump of Empress Ap-hos's heartbeat filled my ears.
"How's that? This is the world I see."
Empress Ap-hos whispered.
Bathed in moonlight, her face looked more than mystical—it was divine.
Black hair whipping in the wind, golden eyes glowing, a confident smile radiating power.
Like the goddess of night itself, lording over all creation below.
"Beautiful..."
I murmured without thinking.
Not the view. Her.
The fear was gone.
This height, the dread of falling—none of it registered anymore.
As long as this strong, beautiful being held me, I knew I'd never fall.
No—even if I did, it wouldn't matter. With her, I could plunge to the ends of hell and back.
"Yeah. It is beautiful."
Empress Ap-hos looked down at me with a smile.
Her gaze wasn't on the nightscape. It was locked on my eyes.
"Hold on tight. We're heading down."
She planted a light kiss on my forehead, then surrendered to gravity, plummeting toward the earth.
I didn't scream this time.
Instead, I hugged her neck tighter and savored the fantastical freefall.
The next morning.
In a Yeouido securities firm building.
"Ugh, that damn section chief. Nagging my ass first thing in the morning."
Deputy Im grumbled as he shuffled into the break room.
He brewed his coffee and habitually pulled out his smartphone.
Instagram notifications were exploding in red numbers.
[1,248 Likes]
[350 Comments]
"Kuh... yeah, that's more like it."
Deputy Im smirked as he checked the post.
The photo he'd uploaded yesterday: his wrist wrapped with a gleaming Rolex.
Hashtags: #Rolex #Submariner #LimitedEdition #SymbolOfASuccessfulMan #FightingTodayToo.
In truth, he was miles from success.
A local college grad scraping by in sales at a mid-tier brokerage. His salary barely covered his credit card bills and loan payments.
The foreign luxury car he drove? Maxed-out lease on a whim, peak car-poor life.
But on Instagram, he was a different beast.
His feed plastered with upscale restaurants, designer bags, and luxury whips—anyone would peg him as a hotshot young financier.
And this watch had crowned that flex.
He admired it fondly on his wrist.
A premium model even boutiques struggled to stock. Retail at 15 million won, resale hovering at 25 million.
And he'd snagged it for a measly 1.2 million.
Still made him chuckle.
'That idiot... girl? Wait, guy?'
Deputy Im recalled the Carrot Market meetup a few nights back.
First glance at the listing? Total scam vibes.
The photo showed a dead-ringer for the 25-million-won resale model, priced at 1.2 million? No way.
But hey, nothing to lose. He showed up.
And there stood a petite figure under the streetlight.
A frail silhouette, all hunched and timid.
Shabby black jacket over a white shirt, beat-up sneakers, clothes hanging loose like an afterthought.
No makeup, but porcelain skin and huge, deer-in-headlights eyes.
'Oh yeah, jackpot.'
He fist-pumped inwardly.
Clear case: ditched by live-in boyfriend, snuck out with valuables. Or fought and rage-selling in a huff.
No other explanation for bagging a gem like that in plastic.
"Mind if I check it out?"
Heart pounding, he inspected... holy shit, the real deal.
Mint S-grade, barely a scratch.
Pulse racing, but he played it cool. Time to milk this mark dry.
"Gift from someone, right?"
"Y-yeah? Uh, from a friend..."
"Looks fake to me. Finish work's off from genuine. Guess your boyfriend didn't explain properly."
Bingo.
Her face flushed beet red, stammering. Total clueless newbie.
Then came the kicker.
"Uh, well... ex-boyfriend, actually... not a boyfriend anymore..."
"Huh?"
His brain short-circuited.
A guy? That face?
Now that he looked closer, faint Adam's apple, husky undertone—yeah, male.
But the soft jawline peeking through the fringe, the sultry waist curve, that weirdly feminine vibe... uncanny.
'What the... pretty boy? Trap? No, tranny?'
Honestly, shocked.
Thought she was just a frumpy chick. A dude?
But his first thought wasn't 'screwed'—it was 'thank you'.
A guy meant zero drama, especially this naive type untouched by the world.
Sex didn't matter. This fool had no clue what they were selling. Ultimate mark.
"S-sorry! My bad... you just have such refined features, I assumed..."
Deputy Im whipped out his wallet fast.
"It's in pristine shape. Quick deal like you said—1.2 million."
"Huh...? B-but you said it's fake? Should knock off a bit then..."
"Nah. A-grade quality, and I need it ASAP. Thanks for the gem."
"Oh, uh... thank you!"
Worried they'd catch on, he shoved the cash and bolted.
And that doofus bowing gratefully?
Lotto jackpot.
'Thanks to you, bro's living large. Being dumb's a crime, huh.'
Deputy Im cackled, closing the comments.
- Whoa, insane! How'd you score that? Bro's got skills.
- Jealous af ㅠㅠ
- Fake? S-grade reps are fire these days.
"Piss off. Broke losers who can't afford it."
He blocked the trolls easy.
Then—
[Ding-dong—]
Push notification.
Profile pic? Jackpot.
50k followers, Pilates instructor-slash-influencer with a killer bod.
- Wow, that watch is stunning! Rare model—you're impressive!
- I'm into watches too. Got time for dinner? Love to check it out up close? ㅎㅎ
"Oh... here we go!"
Deputy Im pumped his fist.
Men need watches. Strapped on one, and babes come crawling.
Why not seal the deal proper? Crotch twitched.
- Wow, gorgeous! Love food adventures too ㅎㅎ
- Tonight work? I'll pick you up.
Reply in under a minute.
- Perfect! See you at 7 at XX Hotel lounge.
"Yes!"
He shadowboxed in the break room, cheering solo.
This was life blooming.
25-million-won watch for peanuts, hot influencer date on deck.
Deputy Im whistled till quitting time.
Section chief could bitch, workload pile up—didn't care. Tonight was paradise.