Mud That Betrays the Shadows

There was still mud caked on it.

He shook it off again, but the mud wouldn't come off completely.

"Should be enough, right?"

The two shared a laugh and resumed their search.

About twenty minutes in.

Krrrng.

Two Bengal tribe warriors and an archer had crept up close without a sound.

With so many trees around, spotting them before they got near was nearly impossible. Preemptive defense wasn't an option.

But that didn't matter.

"Wind!"

The preparation was already done.

Mu-hyuk hurled the mud, and the spirit Wind beat its wings. Gusts from all directions scattered the muck everywhere.

The Bengal warriors and archer activated stealth, but they couldn't dodge every flying glob of mud.

Wind's flapping ceased, leaving blobs of mud floating lazily in the air.

"There they are."

Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo exchanged glances.

Creak.

Sung Min-woo curled his lips in a grin and commanded his spirits.

Mu-hyuk directed his skeletons.

Mu-hyuk nocked an arrow to his bowstring.

Treating the floating mud as a target, he released.

Pang!

Mu-hyuk's arrow streaked out.

Bone arrows filled the space around it, embedding in the two Bengal warriors' bodies. Skeleton mages' and spirits' spells followed right after.

Kwa-gwang!

With stealth rendered useless, the foes were nothing but easy exp bundles.

*

They were scouring the mid-slopes of the Yabbe Mountains.

The sword and helmet from the auction had sold.

"Min-woo."

"Yeah?"

"Pascal gear sold. Total 342 gold."

He reached out a hand.

He selected Yes and transferred 177 gold.

"Whoa, thanks!"

Over 1.7 million won in cash at once—no way his mood wouldn't soar.

"Man, cash this in and grab some meat?"

"Meat?"

"Yeah, we've been glued to Illusion too much lately."

True, ever since Yabbe Mountains, they'd been hyper-focused on scouting and hunting.

"Day five already."

"Hmm, yeah."

"Time to chill."

He nodded in agreement.

Well...

They'd already collected a whopping 263 Bengal tribe teeth.

Warriors, archers, the occasional mage—groups popping up let them rack them up fast.

Of course, nullifying their stealth trait made it a cakewalk.

"Exp at?"

"92%."

"95% here."

"Whoa."

"One level, then log."

"For real?"

"Yeah."

Lunchtime now—plenty for one level before dinner.

Right on cue, monsters appeared.

Two Bengal warriors.

Two Bengal archers.

One Bengal mage.

Mud sprayed everywhere first. Enhanced Bones charged frontally while Bone Swords fanned out, encircling widely and slowly closing in.

Meanwhile, skeleton archers flanking Mu-hyuk loosed bone arrows.

Pang! Pabang!

Sung Min-woo's spirits moved nimbly too.

Wind supported Enhanced Bones or struck, Earth raised sand to hinder or punched. Fire and Water pinned the mage.

Bone Swords tightened the net from all sides.

Stealth or no, escape was impossible—they had no plays.

Soon they clustered in one spot, and that was when the skeleton mages' spells chained into a massive blast.

Kwa-gwagwang!

The Bengals didn't drop from that alone, of course.

Kiaaaak!

Finishing cornered rats is always trickier.

No gaps given.

Skeletons took heavy damage, but Mu-hyuk ignored the minor losses.

Victory mattered. Post-hunt rest healed all anyway—battle wounds were trivial.

How long did that reckless push last?

One Bengal archer toppled.

Archer down, momentum built.

Next warrior.

Mage fell next. The last archer and warrior, thrashing desperately, finally crumbled under the onslaught.

As they grayed out.

Pabat.

Mu-hyuk dashed forward into position.

"Corpse Dissection."

The dagger in his hand sliced the foe's skin.

By then, the rest had despawned.

Ah, damn.

Clicking his tongue in regret, Mu-hyuk stood and swapped bones in Strongbow 2.

Stamina down.

Strength up.

Nice.

Satisfied, they pressed on with the search.

That evening.

They hit one level, reaching 71.

Sun had set anyway.

"Catch you outside."

"Yeah."

They set a meet time and logged out.

Chiiik.

Out of the capsule, Mu-hyuk stretched first. Hands over head, he looked up at the ceiling. His back cracked satisfyingly, vitality flooding his stiff body.

"Ugh, uuuuh...!"

Then water, face wash.

Changed clothes, prepped to head out, finally grabbed his phone.

A KakaoTalk waited.

It was Yura.

The read receipt vanished.

Read receipt gone, but no reply.

Busy?

Pocketed phone, headed out.

Drove the BMW to their meet spot in Hongdae. The street teeming with young folks—it was nice just soaking in that youthful energy.

I used to be like that.

Mu-hyuk was thirty now.

In a week...

Another year older.

Mentally more mature, of course. Seven-plus years paralyzed—it added up. Factoring that, he was nearing forty.

A hollow smile crossed his face.

Eh, whatever.

Arrived. Parked in the big lot by the meat joint. Entered, grabbed a table.

"Party of?"

"Two."

Not here yet, but soon.

Phone out to kill time.

Oh, Kakao.

About ten minutes old.

Mu-hyuk paused, eyes gleaming.

He grinned at the reply.

As he wrapped KakaoTalk, Sung Min-woo walked in.

Speak of the devil.

"Bit late?"

"Nah."

"Orders in?"

"Not yet."

He sat across.

Tilting his head at Mu-hyuk's sly grin.

"Why the smirk? Christmas Eve with bros that fun?"

"Flaw in your words."

"Flaw?"

"Yeah."

"Wtf sudden?"

"'Bros.'"

Sung Min-woo cocked his head.

"Bros. Got a girl or what?"

"Yeah, called one."

"What? A g-girl?"

"Yep."

"Wh-who? Age?"

"Secret. See for yourself."

Reveal Yura and her friend? Instant freakout.

But holding back and unveiling live? Bigger shock.

"Killing me curious."

"Hence, see."

"Argh, fine! Epic anyway! True bro!"

"True bro over this."

"Whatever! Shoulda said sooner—woulda dolled up."

"Just messaged."

"Tch, gotta check mirror in bathroom."

"Orders?"

"Handle it."

Sung Min-woo to bathroom.

Mu-hyuk called waiter: samgyeopsal, moksal.

"Soju too."

"Yes, sir!"

Charcoal out, grill on.

As sides and meat arrived, Sung Min-woo emerged.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Took forever."

"Fussed hair. How's it?"

Stared hard.

"How?"

"Decent?"

"Same dude."

Expected it, ignored, stared phone screen as mirror.

Twisting to check face.

"Pretty tho?"

"Prob."

"Prob? Be sure."

"Temper expects."

Mu-hyuk dialed down hype deliberately.

Bigger the surprise.

Thought of it, laughed again.

"What?"

"Nothin'."

Grilled and chatted.

Drdrdr.

Vibrate.

Phone Kakao.

Mu-hyuk looked up.

"Says here."

"F-for real?"

"Yeah."

Sung Min-woo cleared throat, straightened.

Door opened.

Ding.

Bell with two women: Yura and one equally stunning.

*

Sung Min-woo couldn't focus on hunting.

"Snap out—keep spacing?"

"S-sorry..."

"That hooked?"

"Yeah, thought angel descended. How's a person that pretty? Even cuter than Yura. How'd you befriend her? Looked like sworn enemies then."

"Kinda happened..."

"Hate-love thing."

"Maybe."

"That's scariest. Watch—oppa, then hubby."

"Shut it. Help search."

"Sir yes sir!"

Shook head at playful Sung Min-woo.

Well...

Meat and soju last night bonded them: Mu-hyuk with Yura, Sung Min-woo with her friend Han So-yeon. Numbers swapped too.

Five years solo—his hype made sense.

Me, ten...

Shoved stray thoughts, pushed huge rock.

"Hup...!"

Didn't budge.

"Help."

"That?"

"Yeah."

"Huge. Tough..."

"Think?"

Agreed, Mu-hyuk summoned skeletons.

Enhanced Bones, Bone Swords—all charge.

Skeletons slammed rock.

Thud.

It rocked.

"Nice!"

Pulled skeletons back, charged again.

"Short."

Sung Min-woo summoned spirits for muscle. Not just commanding—they charged too. Rock finally gave way.

"Huh?"

Dark hole yawned.

The popup filled his vision.