Wuyuan Pharmacy — Gathering Shadows
The thick darkness that had blanketed the night finally receded, giving way to a bright morning. At that very moment, the treatment of the Black Summit Sect martial artists at Wuyuan Pharmacy came to an end. San Dogang and San Suhwa wiped the sweat from their brows, exhaling deeply.
"For now, all the urgent treatments are complete. Do not overexert yourselves for the time being. Rest quietly, and you will recover in due time."
Lying on the cot, groaning in lingering pain, one of the Black Summit Sect martial artists offered his heartfelt gratitude. "Thank you, Doctor. Truly. Thanks to you, my companions and I have survived."
They slowly pushed themselves up, taking heavy, labored steps toward the exit of the pharmacy. "I must emphasize, it is crucial that you do not force yourselves to move too much," San Dogang called out.
The Black Summit Sect martial artist carrying an unconscious comrade on his back nodded in response. "I will keep that in mind."
Once the Black Summit Sect men had completely vanished from sight, San Suhwa spoke up, her voice laced with worry. "Um, Father... If we help the Black Summit Sect like this, won't that man, Gakgwi of the Red Fang Gang...?"
Before she could even finish her sentence, San Dogang cut in with a heavy sigh. "I will handle that. Go and get some rest now. You worked hard helping me through the night."
With those words, San Dogang trudged wearily toward his bedchamber. San Suhwa watched his retreating back with a lingering gaze, letting out a deep sigh. Seeking a breath of fresh air, she stepped out of the pharmacy and into the courtyard.
As she opened the door, her eyes fell upon a familiar white-haired man sitting on a wooden bench in the courtyard. San Suhwa flinched slightly in surprise. Hearing the creak of the door, Unwol spoke.
"It seems you have finally finished."
"...You have come again today."
"Yes. I was waiting because I felt I might need some treatment as well, but the sun has already risen."
"...You must have been waiting for a long time. My father has gone to rest, so if you would like, I can..."
"No, it is fine. You have labored through the night; it would be shameless of me to impose upon you further. It is not urgent, so I shall return another time."
Unwol rose weakly, preparing to leave. Yet, for some reason, his retreating figure looked so incredibly fragile and precarious that San Suhwa reached out a hand and called after him before she could stop herself.
"No, please. I am quite alright. If there is anywhere you feel unwell, please tell me."
At her words, Unwol froze in his tracks.
"..."
He hesitated for a brief moment, and then, slowly, he spoke.
"If... just hypothetically... what if this entire world were fake? How would you feel?"
"Pardon? What do you mean by..."
"What if this gentle breeze, the fields and flowerbeds stretching out in the distance, and even the sun shining above us right now... what if all of it were nothing but a meticulously crafted lie?"
San Suhwa was visibly taken aback by Unwol's sudden, bizarre question. It was not only something she had never once considered, but it also sounded utterly absurd.
Yet, intuitively, she sensed that her answer to this very question would serve as a critical crossroads for the man standing before her.
After pondering in silence for a moment, she replied in her usual calm, earnest voice.
"Well... it is indeed something I have never thought about. But even if I were to learn that it was all a lie, I do not think my life would change very much."
"...Why is that?"
"There is a saying, Hojieojimong—the Butterfly Dream. I am not highly educated, so I do not know its deepest philosophical nuances, but they say it means life is like a dream. Even if my current life is nothing but a fleeting dream, as long as I am happy, is that not enough?"
"..."
"I have a father whom I deeply respect, and a younger brother who is dearer to me than anyone. Together with my family, I can reach out to those in need. That is more than enough for me."
The man stood still, seemingly lost in thought. Then, his white hair fluttering in the wind, he slowly turned his head. His crimson eyes caught the brilliant morning light.
Unlike his heavy demeanor moments ago, a refreshing, familiar smile graced his lips as he spoke.
"I knew coming here was the right choice. Thank you for your kind words. They have been of great help to me."
With that, he walked away with an easy, leisurely stride. San Suhwa watched his retreating figure until her gaze was caught by something wriggling near the courtyard gate.
A moment after Unwol vanished from sight, the wriggling figure that had been hiding suddenly sprang up and came dashing toward her at full speed.
"Ireong?"
"S-Sister! Are you okay?!"
"Why are you only coming home now? You went out yesterday, and a whole day has already passed..."
San Suhwa looked at her younger brother, San Ireong, with worried eyes. He was panting heavily, his words tumbling out in a frantic, disjointed rush.
"Sister! That man! You have to stay away from him! He's a demon! He drains people's life force! The... the Absorption Demon Art! Yes! He learned the Absorption Demon Art and killed people!"
As San Ireong spewed everything out at once without any context, a bewildered San Suhwa tried to calm him down.
"H-Hold on, Ireong. Take a deep breath. I'm not going anywhere, so speak slowly. What on earth happened?"
San Ireong caught his breath and, trying his best to remain calm, recounted everything he had witnessed. He told her about the rumors surrounding Unwol, and how the woman accompanying him, Biwol, had the chilling, bloodshot eyes of a demon.
Hearing the whole story, San Suhwa was deeply shaken. If what San Ireong said was true, a cold shiver ran down her spine at the thought of what might have happened had she answered Unwol's question negatively or reacted strangely.
Indeed, from their very first meeting, she had sensed a gloomy, ominous aura about him that set him apart from ordinary people, a strange dissonance lurking behind his bright smile.
"Is that really true?"
San Suhwa asked again, her face filled with disbelief, but San Ireong cried out in frustration.
"I'm telling you the truth! I saw that woman's eyes—they were pitch-black and blood-red! I'm sure that Unwol guy is the same!"
San Suhwa tried to organize her thoughts regarding the man named Unwol. He certainly had his strange quirks, but he didn't seem like an inherently evil person. He simply looked... somewhat lost and lonely.
I don't think he would go around committing such atrocities as the rumors claim...
San Suhwa spoke soothingly to San Ireong. "Alright, I will be careful, just as you said. But your sister is very tired right now and needs to rest."
Having assisted her father with the treatments all night without a single moment of rest, San Suhwa was utterly exhausted. Showing her fatigue, she stepped back inside the pharmacy. San Ireong cast a fearful glance at his surroundings before quickly following his sister inside.
As the conflict between the Red Fang Gang and the Black Summit Sect intensified, the rumors regarding Unwol and Biwol spread like wildfire throughout Gangwan Village. Consequently, Unwol and Biwol had no choice but to relocate to Yigeng Village, a short distance away.
Though the rumors would undoubtedly catch up to Yigeng Village in due time, for now, they enjoyed a temporary respite. The real issue, however, was that the news had also reached the ears of the Red Fang Gang, whose headquarters was located in Gangwan Village.
What sect would sit idly by after their own martial artists had been brutally slaughtered by a demon? Thus, the leaders and high-ranking members of the Red Fang Gang had gathered for an emergency meeting.
Clad in a lavishly adorned red martial robe, the leader of the Red Fang Gang, Jeok-un, sat heavily upon his grand armchair and spoke in a low, ominous tone. "So, you are saying it is the Absorption Demon Art?"
The leader's calm yet oppressive voice weighed heavily upon the room. As everyone hesitated to speak, Gakgwi, the Shadow Pavilion Leader who had personally inspected the scene, cautiously broke the silence.
"Sect Leader, there is no mistake. Our men were found dead, shriveled up like mummies in a grotesque display. It must be the Absorption Demon Art. Even if it is not, they were undoubtedly slain by an equally vile and wicked demonic art."
"Hmm. Is that so?"
Jeok-un appeared lost in thought for a moment, his expression souring with displeasure. "And do we know where these demons are currently hiding?"
"I dispatched our men to investigate, but their exact whereabouts remain unknown. However, we have confirmed that they paid a visit to Wuyuan Pharmacy."
"Wuyuan Pharmacy?"
"Yes. Several witnesses reported seeing a white-haired man and woman, matching the descriptions of the demons, heading toward Wuyuan Pharmacy."
Jeok-un stroked his chin, pondering briefly before questioning Gakgwi again. "And what did the people at Wuyuan Pharmacy have to say about this?"
"Ah, well... we have not yet investigated that far..."
As Gakgwi stammered, Jeok-un snatched a wine cup from the table beside him and hurled it straight at Gakgwi's head.
Shatter!
The cup shattered on the floor right in front of Gakgwi, sending a wave of cold sweat through the other leaders as the tension in the room spiked.
"Foolish wretch. That is always your problem. You never tie up your loose ends properly."
"Forgive me, Sect Leader." Gakgwi quickly bowed his head, begging for mercy. "I will go immediately and torture those pharmacy bastards to extract the location of the demons, no matter what."
"Hmph. Have the rest of you heard anything?" Jeok-un swept his gaze across the other leaders, but none of them dared to open their mouths.
"Pathetic. Utterly useless, the lot of you." Jeok-un grimaced, making no effort to hide his disgust.
Yet, one could hardly blame the leaders or Gakgwi for their hesitation. A legendary demon who had mastered the dreaded Absorption Demon Art had suddenly appeared; who in their right mind would dare to charge in blindly?
What was the Absorption Demon Art? It was the worst, most formidable demonic art spoken of only in legends. Even within the notorious Demonic Cult, no one had been known to wield it in recent memory. There was no way the leaders of a mere local Unorthodox gang ruling a single county could ever hope to stand against it.
To confront such a monster without proper preparation was to court a gruesome death, destined to end up as nothing but a desiccated mummy. In that light, Gakgwi's immediate offer to take action despite the tongue-lashing was a testament to his remarkable loyalty.
Knowing this, yet consumed by frustration, Jeok-un barked at his subordinates. "Go to Wuyuan Pharmacy and find out where those demons are hiding immediately. I have tolerated those pharmacy fools because we owed them a few favors, but I cannot let this slide."
""""Yes, Sect Leader!"""" the leaders of the Red Fang Gang bellowed in unison, bowing deeply.