Chapter 196
“Damn it, what the hell do I do?”
He had to venture inside and find that bastard's hideout, but the risks were way too high. Then again, the guy had been so terrified of Forest 1 that he'd barely explored five hundred meters a day. Hanyaseong wasn't much different. Sure, he could just assume it was safe and push ahead, but if even a sliver of danger caught him off guard, it could all be over in an instant. He had no choice but to proceed with caution.
This felt just like Russian roulette with no clue if there was a bullet in the chamber. If you knew it was empty, you could press the barrel to your head and pull the trigger all day long. No harm done. But without knowing? No way in hell would you risk it—not unless you were a complete idiot. One bullet, and you're dead.
That's exactly where Hanyaseong stood right now.
“Aw, screw it. What now?”
It seemed like it might be fine to go in, but what if that jellyfish-looking freak unleashed some deadly poison? He knew too little. Information was scarce. Forest 2 was a whole new world, stirring up constant hesitation and unease.
In the end, Hanyaseong had no choice but to shelve the search for the bastard's lair.
“Gotta bring one of the Yadongis. Can't do this alone.”
Regaining his senses, he retreated from Forest 2. Charging into that deadly forest solo? His guts had ballooned right out of his belly. He'd gotten all hyped at the campsite traces and done something stupid.
Standing at Forest 1's boundary, Hanyaseong berated himself while staring into Forest 2. Cross that line, and it was a completely different realm. Who knew how many hundreds or thousands of such forests lurked here? No room for rash moves.
“Need someone who knows this place inside out.”
Hanyaseong returned to the heart of Forest 1 and gathered the wild animals.
“Anyone here know that forest over there? You guys?”
Snack in hand, he gestured wildly toward Forest 2. The dozens of wild animals were too fixated on the treats to even glance that way, heads bobbing eagerly.
After explaining for ages with no takers, Hanyaseong shook his head in resignation and tossed them the crumbs. These local Yadongis had never been to Forest 2, it seemed. Time to call in the original Yadongi for backup.
Telling the Yadongis he'd be back later, Hanyaseong headed to his Forest 0 lodge. As he prepped dinner, the original Yadongi returned, looking relaxed and stress-free—clearly had a good time out.
Hanyaseong, on the other hand, was pale and haggard from all the worry.
“That bastard came inside.”
He dumped the three-minute curry packet into boiling water and recounted the Forest 1 incident. Yadongi ignored him, eyes locked on the curry, waiting for it to heat.
“Hey, if that guy makes it here, we're screwed. Could even die.”
Yadongi let out a gya-rung, basically saying deal with it yourself, while eyeing the golden gold bar pointedly. That should be payment enough.
Hanyaseong felt suffocated.
“What the hell even is this thing? What do you use it for?”
Pressing harder, he got another gya-rung before Yadongi scratched a rough drawing into the dirt with his paw. It looked like a massive giant clutching that golden gold bar.
Hanyaseong squinted at the sketch, eyes narrowing.
“The giants who built this temple used it? The temple owner's a giant?”
Yadongi seemed done, gaze back on the steaming curry pouch. Always so food-obsessed...
Hanyaseong sighed and picked up the golden gold bar.
“If it's from the temple builders... it has to have some purpose.”
He'd need to dig. Deep and wide. But without knowing exactly where, anything could pop up anytime. Was scouting Forest 2 for the lair faster, or unearthing something by digging? Safety-wise, digging won—no chance of dying from pickaxe slips or shovel mishaps. But it could take months. Too damn long.
What if that bastard showed up with his gun in the meantime and shot him dead? Everything lost: the lodge, weapons, gold bar. Yadongi would just cozy up to the new owner with some food. No loyalty, no revenge.
As Yadongi gya-runged impatiently for the curry, Hanyaseong tore open the pouch, mixed half into rice for him, and sighed again. Useless for big help—this glutton knew nothing but eating. Not even a proper foodie.
Hanyaseong, stomach rumbling, whipped up bibimbap with curry, perilla leaves, seaweed flakes, and sides, shoveling it down.
If Yadongi came along to Forest 2, they could've nabbed the lair first—but no dice. He couldn't go solo. Not ready to die yet. Getting offed pointlessly in there would be too unfair.
“Yadongi, you really won't go to Forest 2? I could if you did.”
One last pitch, but Yadongi just gya-runged and scarfed his curry rice. No way.
“Is it that dangerous? Poison plants? Something floating around in there?”
A dismissive zzap-zzap. No answer.
Hanyaseong shook his head and ate his own meal.
“Screw it. Whatever. Fuck.”
One moron had slunk in and ruined everything. Without the gun, he could take the guy in a chance encounter later. But that gun was the problem. No amount of training mattered—bullet hits, you die. Even the greatest martial artists dropped to gunfire.
“Filthy American bastards. Selling guns like candy.”
His agitation spilled into curses. America was the only country hawking guns to its own people. Every mass shooting spiked sales by millions, boosting gun company stocks. And unregistered black-market guns numbered in the millions. Middle schoolers packed heat; even elementary kids got busted sneaking family guns to school. No wonder he was wary.
If only that bastard didn't have the gun. Of all people, an American had to show up and complicate shit. Everything else? Fine. Guns? Terrifying. A sniper shot, and he might drop dead without knowing, skull pierced.
Hanyaseong finished his bibimbap and brewed two coffees—one for Yadongi too. Sipping his, he gazed into the darkening outdoors.
Priority one: deal with Forest 2's intruder and dig up whatever was buried. If the gold bar was the giants'—temple builders—then it surely held special power. Uncover that while prepping defenses against the American assault.
“Yadongi, seriously not coming to Forest 2? I'll bring tons of treats.”
Gya-rung, slurping coffee from both paws. Stubborn as hell. No.
Hanyaseong had to solve this mess alone.
“Guess it's digging while hunting him down. No other way.”
Next morning, he rounded up the wild animals at the temple ruins again. Bribing with leftover chocolate bars and snacks, he set them to work. Twenty or so Yadongis dug for two hours before quitting cold. No more motivation.
Handing out every last treat, Hanyaseong grabbed a shovel and dug solo. He cleared a decent area, but it was nowhere near enough. At least a month more.
By lunchtime, his back ached; he called it quits.
“Heading home today.”
Drinking and washing at the stream, Hanyaseong planned his return. No more treats tomorrow—no bribing the Yadongis. He'd need to stock up on food again for labor. For now, back to base.
“Damn that idiot.”
Without him, he'd be digging leisurely right now. All the blame landed on that intruder.
Frustrated, Hanyaseong munched yellow berries for their calming effect. Lunch with Yadongi, then boredom led him to grab the crossbow and longsword for Forest 1.
Wild animals trailed him begging for food, but he had none left—promised later—and reached the boundary. No new traces; same as yesterday. No sign of the guy returning.
Hanyaseong eyed Forest 2. Where the hell did that bastard come from? Forest 2 proper, or beyond? Zero intel.
Made him think about buying a drone. Launch one, and he'd see what lay past the trees.