Chapter 39
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After the battle with the Heavenly Ghost Bird, the group relocated from the Yeongjong Sect's quarters back to an inn in town. With the sect reeling from the death of a disciple—and the shocking revelation that their vice sect leader had been the Heavenly Ghost Bird—they could no longer impose on their hosts.
Naturally, Dang So-yong, Ak Jung-hae, and Ma Hye-hyang moved with them, so Namgung Wan rented out an entire inn. The runaway Byeok Seong-yul never reappeared.
As soon as they pushed open the door with its dark red checkered pattern, a cheerful voice rang out.
"You're here!"
"You called for us?"
Ak Jung-hae had survived by the skin of his teeth. The physician who treated him said that even a moment's delay could have been fatal. He'd been unconscious all day before finally coming to. Just hearing his voice now, no one would guess he'd been injured at all.
If not for the thick herbal scent filling the room, they might have believed he was perfectly fine.
"Come on, come on, sit here."
Ak Jung-hae, gesturing energetically, tilted his head at me with a puzzled look.
"Huh? Why do you look so pale? You seem worse off than the guy who got hurt."
I rubbed my cheeks.
"Ah... is it that obvious? I didn't sleep well."
His eyes lit up at my words.
"Another dream? What was it this time?"
"...I don't really remember."
"Why not! Try to recall it. Come on?"
"Senior Brother, that's enough."
I gave them a small smile as I watched. It was a lie, of course—I remembered it vividly.
'Yahul.'
The bastard who'd severed my neck in my nightmare.
Right after my regression, I'd had that dream repeatedly for quite a while. But as time passed—like a healing balm—it faded away... until now.
Of all places, Father had been wounded in the throat by the Heavenly Ghost Bird. The gash on the back of his neck was deep; a little more, and no one could say what might have happened.
Seeing him return with blood soaking his collar, I'd nearly fainted myself. Covered in cold sweat, I'd even had that nightmare—it must have shaken me badly.
And in it, it wasn't me whose throat Yahul sliced this time... but him.
I shook my head to banish the horrific memory. Ak Jung-hae patted it gently.
"You know, I know the Supreme Elder of the Kunlun Sect. How about going to learn from him?"
"Pardon?"
I blinked at the sudden suggestion.
"Or what about the Wudang Sect? I don't know anyone there personally, but the Murim Alliance's Guardian Monk is from Wudang..."
"Senior Brother, stop it. You're scaring Ri-yeon."
"No, listen. She has spiritual insight, I tell you. How else could she have such spot-on dreams?"
"Ri-yeon, don't take Senior Brother Jung-hae too seriously. He's just teasing."
"Hey, I'm serious!"
I nodded eagerly.
"Yes! I'll ask Father when he gets back!"
"..."
"...Senior Brother, handle it yourself."
"Uh... Ri-yeon, you're not really going to ask Physician Senior, are you?"
I tilted my head innocently.
"Why not? Can't I ask?"
"Hmm, I don't think that's a good idea."
"But you said you'd introduce me to the Supreme Elder! I want to meet him!"
"Uh... Hye-hyang. When's your senior expected back?"
Ak Jung-hae rolled his eyes and changed the subject.
"Who knows? Word came this morning that they'd found the Heavenly Ghost Bird's lair, so he might be late today."
"What? They found the lair?"
Ak Jung-hae tried to leap up, but Ma Hye-hyang, startled, held him down.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You need to rest anyway."
"Still, you should have said something like this!"
Ah, they'd finally found it.
Father and Namgung Wan had halted the pursuit when it seemed the Heavenly Ghost Bird had slipped out of the area, shifting focus to its lair instead. It was all because of the abducted children.
Today marked the third day. I'd grown anxious with each passing hour, but it seemed they'd succeeded.
Ak Jung-hae rubbed his chin, his face turning serious.
"Did they find the kidnapped kids too?"
"If it's truly the Heavenly Ghost Bird's lair, they should."
"Yeah. Hope they're all safe."
But things wouldn't go as Ak Jung-hae hoped. From my memories, not a single child survived.
Regrettably.
Standing before the cave they'd uncovered after scouring the mountains that morning, Baek Ri-gang couldn't help but hear his daughter's voice in his mind.
"I have a feeling it's in some cave in the mountains!"
"Would the Heavenly Ghost Bird hide its lair somewhere so obvious?"
"It's predictable, but no one suspected it of kidnapping children at first! Hmm, maybe a cave inaccessible without martial arts?"
And she'd been right.
They'd found traces of the Heavenly Ghost Bird in a cave any ordinary person would dismiss and pass by.
Dang So-yong turned to Namgung Wan.
"No signs of entry or exit for at least a week."
"So it didn't come this way. Hmm, but that kid was spot on—using a cave as a lair."
Namgung Wan stroked his chin, amused.
"Maybe she really does have spiritual insight?"
"Haha, her words came to mind, so I checked more closely just in case..."
"Coincidence."
Baek Ri-gang cut off Dang So-yong's amused remark curtly. Namgung Wan frowned at him.
"Of course it's coincidence. Just means Ri-yeon's got good luck. Second time now, right?"
"..."
Namgung Wan eyed him suspiciously before resuming discussion with Dang So-yong on how to proceed. Listening as Ri-yeon's name faded from conversation, Baek Ri-gang felt a slight relief.
...Yeah, just coincidence.
But no matter how he thought about it, it felt uncanny.
Ever since she'd awakened from her qi deviation, his daughter had changed completely. At first, he'd simply been grateful.
But as time wore on, something felt off. Could a person change so utterly overnight?
He'd heard tales of those who returned from death's door utterly transformed. But for Ri-yeon to suddenly alter her personality—she was too young for that.
Didn't such shifts usually come from those burdened by life's regrets? At just six, what regrets could she have?
Perhaps it was her true nature emerging as she adjusted to the Baek family. He'd barely spent time with her anyway—practically none.
So maybe he just hadn't known her real self.
But... somehow, that didn't feel right.
The recent fuss over her nightmare. Had it really been just a dream?
A child who'd never done so before suddenly throwing a tearful tantrum—and then the exact events unfolding. Pure coincidence?
Yet he couldn't voice these suspicions to anyone.
And if Ri-yeon was hiding something, the cause could only be him. Because he hadn't been a reliable father...
"Ui-gang, let's go in. We've checked everything here. So-yong, guard the entrance."
"Yes. Everyone, be careful."
The cave started narrow, requiring them to hunch low, but widened as they delved deeper. Light faded with distance from the entrance until pitch darkness swallowed everything.
Soon, they hit a dead end—solid rock walls on three sides, save the path behind.
Baek Ri-gang, crouching, brushed the floor with his fingers. Namgung Wan spoke.
"It's been a while. At least a month, looks like."
Dried, dark red bloodstains.
Namgung Wan's face hardened as he scanned around. Baek Ri-gang, examining similarly, gripped his torch tight and leaped up.
The torch flame nearly died, plunging the cave into shadow. He stepped off a wall protrusion twice before landing.
The flickering torch reignited with his motion.
But they no longer needed it.
A vast cavern yawned before them. Part of the impossibly high ceiling had broken open, letting in bright light.
Kurrr rumble.
It sounded like the ceiling collapsing—but no. A waterfall's roar.
Namgung Wan, following, spoke in an admiring tone.
"Hiding here, no wonder we couldn't find it."
Inaccessible without martial arts—the perfect hideout.
A bedding pile held scattered furs and blankets; a corner had a cauldron, utensils, and stacked firewood. Clear signs of habitation.
Yet Namgung Wan's expression darkened further at the traces.
Even for a martial artist, the access was arduous. If the Heavenly Ghost Bird had brought kidnapped children here... it likely had no intention of taking them out.
"Why on earth did the Heavenly Ghost Bird kidnap those kids?"
Baek Ri-gang spoke up.
"There's something I should tell you."
"What?"
From the moment he'd known the Heavenly Ghost Bird was the culprit, Baek Ri-gang had abandoned hope for the children's survival.
"The Heavenly Ghost Bird kidnapped the children because..."
At that instant, a voice echoed from the far side of the cavern—Shim, the deputy officer.
"There's a survivor here!"