#91 Nowhere to Be Found.
“Cheonma?”
Kang-ho echoed the word. The Ice Dragon nodded. She could hardly believe it herself. The 5th dimension, Murim. The supreme ruler of that era's martial world, the Cheonma. The wound from his unique martial art, Cheonryongmu, hadn't healed even after all this time. Far from it—ever since crash-landing on Earth a year ago, it had only tightened its grip on her body, growing worse by the day.
In that state, with her entire body shattered, she'd been ambushed by humans not long ago. Her wariness toward them had naturally reached its peak. And with her egg missing to boot, her rage had boiled over.
But—
“He's the absolute being of the dimension I came from.”
By now, the Ice Dragon had grown deferential. This astonishing human had instantly and completely healed the wound that had tormented her for ten years.
“Figures.”
Kang-ho rubbed his forehead. Having heard the full story from her, he mulled it over.
Murim, huh...
1st dimension: Earth.
2nd dimension: Mu Continent.
3rd dimension: Demon Realm.
4th dimension: Toon World.
5th dimension: Murim.
9th dimension: Izenbaum.
One by one, the secrets of these diverse worlds were coming to light.
Kang-ho slowly recalled the wounds covering her body.
Uses some bizarre power.
Cheonma. Another powerhouse to contend with. A real headache.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Kang-ho suddenly realized she was staring right at him.
“That egg? My friend found it and brought it here. I wasn't planning to steal it... well, no point denying it. Pretty much the same thing, so I've got nothing to say.”
“......I don't sense that same aura from you—the kind those humans who attacked me had.”
“Probably the Chinese guys. This country's called Korea.”
Kang-ho gave a wry smile before adding, “That said, sorry on behalf of humanity. Then or now, humans are the only ones wrecking places where wild things live just fine on their own. Must've been rough searching for your kid while feeling like crap.”
“......”
She blinked. His voice carried a sincerity she couldn't ignore.
“You should rest. You still look rough.”
“......You don't seem interested in me or my egg, do you?”
She gazed at him with her signature sapphire eyes.
“Interested...”
Kang-ho knew exactly what she meant. But he glanced back at Seol-a, who had quietly hidden behind him, and pulled her into a gentle embrace. The usually bold, battle-eager Seol-a acting shy like this was surprisingly adorable.
Seol-a snuggled tight into his arms, fidgeting with her fingers. Her three tails, normally perked up straight, were curled into neat spirals.
This one's tails curl when she's embarrassed.
A new discovery. He felt oddly proud, biting his lip to stifle a grin.
Turning back to her, he replied, “Couldn't say. Relax—we're not interested in either of you.”
Seol-a buried herself deeper in his chest. Stroking her cheek, Kang-ho caught the Ice Dragon's thoughtful gaze.
That... proud, majestic Silver White Fang subspecies clinging to a human like that...
She still looked like a young child, barely out of infancy. It was almost like a family scene.
“But I can't guarantee others won't be.”
It was the first time in her life she'd seen anything like it. Only then did she grasp his meaning. The knot of suspicion in her heart unraveled completely.
“......What's your name?”
“Choi Kang-ho. You?”
“My name is Han Su-hwa.”
“Han Su-hwa...”
Kang-ho thought of Seolhwa. When he'd named that child, snowflakes had bloomed across the world too. He nodded with a nostalgic smile.
“Pretty name.”
She hesitated, her lips—vivid red against her pale canvas of a face—twitching slightly.
Kang-ho flashed another warm grin. “No need to thank me. Like I said, just a misunderstanding on both sides. Oh—.”
He spotted King peeking from the side and stood up. “I've gotta explain things. Head inside first.”
As Kang-ho walked off, she stood there blankly, blinking. Somehow, she was already dressed in human clothes—a long-sleeved shirt that looked like his, warm pants, and fuzzy sleep socks. The comfort washing over her was a sensation she'd almost forgotten. After endless agony, her body felt like it was melting away in relief. Her core had fully recovered too, mana surging more vigorously than ever, coursing through her veins.
A fateful encounter! He was one, through and through.
“......Th-thank you.”
She murmured softly.
* * *
An odd cohabitation began.
“......”
King sat at the table, chin in hand, observing her as she took in the wonders of this world.
Man.
He couldn't stop marveling. It had been three days since she'd arrived. Her recovery speed was nothing short of miraculous.
At this rate...
She outclassed even Korea's top SS-rank Awakeners. King himself wouldn't stand a chance. It gave him a glimpse of just how potent an Eternal Crystal truly was. And she was wielding it perfectly.
But King was used to this house by now. Everyone who showed up here defied common sense. This was almost tame by comparison. The real shocker was...
Is there really a beauty like this in the world?
She was unreal—exuding an air of noble dignity that bordered on the ethereal.
Squatting on a chair at the table's edge, knees tucked together, she cradled her egg close while crunching on ice cream.
Truly...
King thought,
What a world.
Suddenly, she stood and approached Kang-ho, who was lounging on the sofa watching TV. The news was in full swing.
Kang-ho glanced up. “That your doing too?”
She shook her head. “No...... That's just the weather.”
“Got it.”
She peered out the window, then spoke after a moment's thought. “Watch my egg for a bit.”
“Hm?”
Kang-ho looked up at her. “Gonna step out.”
......
Xiao Shin gnashed his teeth and downed another shot of hard liquor. Empty bottles piled up on the luxurious hotel bar table.
“Damn it.”
He was in a foul mood. Losing all his jiangshi to some low-tier S-rank wasn't enough—getting utterly humiliated in front of his men had pushed him over the edge.
Me, suffering this disgrace over one damn Fantasy Beast?
He was one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the proud Chinese world. Overshadowed a bit by Zhang Wei, sure, but that tyrant's whims often drove Xiao Shin mad.
—New jiangshi will be ready soon.
Recalling Zhang Wei's words, he chugged another bottle.
China's wars raged on. The four-way split rivaled nation-on-nation conflicts in scale. The continent was vast, and its battles always exceeded imagination.
His mighty jiangshi symbolized his power. As a Daoist, what Chinese sorcerers cherished like life itself were the talismans they poured their souls into crafting. Storing spells in talismans took time upfront, but that's what made them devastating. Daoists were infamous for outgunning peers in raw firepower.
Without them, though, he was half the man—or less. He knew it all too well.
First, that bastard Hades.
He began plotting revenge meticulously. Subdue him, then leave him neither dead nor alive. Figure out how he'd neutralized the jiangshi.
That ability's the mystery.
Crack it, and he could topple countless evil Daoists. Next, the Ice Dragon—and her egg while he was at it.
Zhang Wei...!
He knew exactly why Zhang Wei desperately sought her. Had to be the Eternal Crystal.
If I had that power...
That mystical force in Zhang Wei's Kirin had crowned him China's strongest.
That power...
He could probably take Zhang Wei's head.
Xiao Shin staggered out of the hotel. Subordinates bowed. He waved them off and shuffled into the street.
Rumble—
Crunch—
The overcast night sky felt oppressively ominous. Subordinates followed, but he waved them away again. Alone, he trudged on, lost in thought—until a strange cry pierced the air.
Rumble rumble—
Clouds blackened further. Xiao Shin looked up. A single snowflake drifted down, landing on his cheek.
A sinister smile curled his lips. “Even the weather's different in this puny nation.”
Everything about the place grated on him.
Whoosh—
Snow soon poured from all sides, building into a ferocious blizzard. Visibility dropped to zero in the whiteout.
“Tch.”
As he spat and turned—
“Hm?”
A ghostly woman stood before him. Amid the raging storm, she stood out vividly, almost otherworldly and mystical.
Xiao Shin tilted his head.
She approached slowly. A staggering beauty. The blizzard's aura evoked scenes from Chinese myths.
“Do you remember me?”
She spoke. Xiao Shin cocked his head again.
As she flicked her hand lightly, he thought,
Huh?
CrackcraCKCRACK—
Before his senses could react, ice seized his body.
CrackcraCK—
Xiao Shin frantically summoned his mana. But the oppressive mana radiating from her was no joke.
“You... you!”
His eyes bulged. “No way...!”
Through the blizzard, only her unnaturally vivid blue eyes burned into his mind.
Crack—
In moments, he froze solid without a fight.
Whoosh!
Gales whipped through. As they died down, the blizzard eased into gentle flurries. Clouds lightened, snow settling softly everywhere.
But on the street, Xiao Shin and the blue-eyed woman were nowhere to be found.