What Yadoong Saw
"Yadoong!"
Han Yaseong jolted awake in shock. He was utterly stunned that the Yadoong beast was still alive.
"What happened to you? You're alive?"
Excited, he hurried closer, but Yadoong growled low and ducked behind the entrance to the shelter, peeking out cautiously. It seemed downright frightened—like it was staring at some terrifying predator.
"What's wrong with you?"
Puzzled, Han Yaseong tried to approach again, but Yadoong growled once more and backed away slowly. Stay back, the message was clear. Han Yaseong froze and didn't press further.
"Why are you acting like this?"
For a fleeting moment, he wondered if it was because he really was a ghost. Animals were supposed to bark or cower at spirits, after all. Maybe that's what had spooked Yadoong.
"Anyway, I'm just glad you're alive too. But you're not... dead, right?"
He couldn't be sure. Nothing made sense, so he wasn't convinced Yadoong was truly among the living. For all he knew, the beast might have died and become a ghost itself.
That's when Yadoong, lingering a short distance from the shelter entrance, growled again. Han Yaseong glanced back and saw the stew bubbling over.
He quickly pulled the pot off the fire.
"You came for food, huh."
That explained the sudden appearance—the smell must have drawn it in. It only reinforced the idea that Yadoong was alive. A ghost wouldn't trek all the way here just for a meal.
"Alright, eat up first."
He'd get the details later. With Yadoong so skittish, pushing now might scare it off for good.
Han Yaseong set the stew and rice near the entrance. The beast wouldn't come inside, clearly wary of him for some reason he couldn't fathom.
Why is it so afraid of me? Because I'm a ghost? Or something else?
No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn't figure it out. Shrugging it off, he dug into his own meal first.
Mixing rice into the steaming stew, he slurped it down noisily. Yadoong crept closer to the entrance, eyeing the food warily before finally starting to eat.
Han Yaseong glanced over, then turned his back completely and ate in silence. Best to pretend he wasn't there, with the beast so on edge.
Slurping sounds echoed from behind. It was eating well.
Han Yaseong slurped his own stew, then pulled out a pack of seaweed snacks and crunched into one. The crisp texture and savory steam filled his mouth, and Yadoong growled from behind—gimme some.
"Here."
He tossed a full pack over his shoulder. Yadoong snatched it midair and tore it open with its paws.
Why the hell is it so scared?
Without answers, wild guesses swirled in his head.
A good while later, the meal ended. Han Yaseong was bursting with questions, but he held back, afraid Yadoong might bolt if pressed.
He needed the beast to come to him first.
"Whew, I'm stuffed..."
He stretched out comfortably on the blankets, patting his belly. Yadoong stayed by the entrance, refusing to venture in, still watching him warily, sizing him up.
Something must have happened after that monstrous bird attack. That's why it was so guarded now. Nothing else explained it.
Craving something sweet, Han Yaseong lay there unwrapping a chocolate bar and casually asked, "Yadoong, what happened back then?"
He expected a growl, but none came. Fine, speak when you're ready.
Han Yaseong closed his eyes and munched away, waiting. The food lull hit hard—maybe post-meal drowsiness, or lingering fatigue—and soon consciousness faded.
When he opened his eyes, night had fallen. He couldn't tell if the portal had appeared yet or not, but it didn't matter. He could skip today; tomorrow worked fine.
First priority: get the full story from Yadoong.
But when he sat up, the beast was gone—off somewhere else again. Instead, something was scratched into the dirt floor. Paw marks made it obvious Yadoong had done it.
Grabbing a flashlight, Han Yaseong knelt to examine the drawings closely.
There were three distinct images, and they shocked him to his core. They matched exactly what he'd seen in his dream.
"What the...?"
The first showed him as a giant. A tiny figure suddenly ballooned in size, ripping the monstrous bird apart. Even clawed by paws, it was unmistakable—straight from his dream.
How in the world...
He half-wondered if Yadoong had dreamed the same thing. But that was impossible. No, the beast had witnessed it firsthand, probably hiding in the bushes during the fight.
Han Yaseong rushed to the next drawing. This one depicted him clad in armor—something equipped onto his body. It mirrored the dream so closely that, without it, he might not have grasped the meaning.
The final one showed something floating ethereally. Just like the mysterious substance from his dream. He didn't know what it was, but there it hovered.
Han Yaseong felt lost in a maze.
What the hell happened? Does that mean it wasn't a dream?
His mind reeled in chaos. He had no clue what had gone down. The gold bar, maybe? Had it unleashed some mystical power?
That was the only possibility. Nothing else but that giant's gold bar could explain it. It must have done something when he lay dying, crushed by the bird's talons.
But the how and why still eluded him.
Han Yaseong stepped outside, calling for Yadoong—the key witness.
"Yadoong!"
He shouted at the top of his lungs, but no answer. The beast had scarfed the food and wandered off again. He considered tracking it down but shook his head. No point; it'd just flee and hide.
Better to lure it back with delicious smells, like before. Build trust with good eats, ease its fears.
The next morning, as he cooked breakfast, Yadoong slunk over to the entrance as expected. Less guarded than yesterday, it stood there eyeing the bubbling stew over the fire.
Han Yaseong glanced once and said nothing. Still too much fear lingering for easy questions.
They ate and parted simply that morning.
Han Yaseong trained hard until lunch, sweating buckets with kicks and sparring drills.
He didn't know the full story, but he was alive—and that felt great. Like the dream, like Yadoong's crude sketches, the gold bar had pulled through somehow. No doubt about it.
No more digging for buried treasure, maybe. Or wait until he heard Yadoong's side before deciding whether to sell it.
"Hoo..."
After a long session of kicks and grappling, he exhaled heavily, drenched in sweat.
Being alive was wonderful. Even rolling in dog shit, this world beat the next. Well, that old saying was slave-owners' propaganda to stop suicides, but now, with all he had, life was sweet.
Sick and broke? Yeah, he'd probably regret coming back. But he had plenty now. Back home, Choi Eugene and Jang Eun-ah would take turns spreading their legs, and billions in cash were coming soon.
With that kind of money, anything was possible. Happiness was just starting—no way he'd die now.
From here on, no more risks. One brush with death was enough.
He bathed in the stream, returned, and prepped lunch. Boiling ramen with canned tuna and ham, and sure enough, Yadoong appeared.
But this time, he didn't set a plate at the entrance. He placed it by the fire as usual—come eat if you want.
Han Yaseong slurped his ramen, ham, and tuna with gusto. Yadoong growled irritably and crept cautiously inside the shelter.
Still no idea why it's so spooked. But if it'd seen what those drawings depicted for real, yeah, terror made sense. Who wouldn't doubt their owner's sanity?
Gluttony won out, though. Soon it was at the fire, slurping ramen from the plate noisily.
Just grab it? Close enough to lunge and catch. But no—force wouldn't help. He needed Yadoong to open up willingly.
Han Yaseong mixed in rice, ate his fill, and flopped onto the blankets. Full and drowsy, sleep tugged at him.
Yadoong would wander off and return for dinner anyway.
He napped awhile, waking to find the beast curled up asleep in the corner. The wariness had faded significantly.
Scared I'll go berserk or something? Like turning giant from the dream...