Since entering the hotel, it had been ages since I felt the urge to sleep in. After spending the night with Go Yeon-ju, a wave of drowsiness washed over me, and I drifted off. The last thing I remembered was her face, smiling contentedly as she held me close.
Her gentle hand stroked my hair, making me want to keep my eyes shut, but the occasional soft laughter coaxed me to peek through my lashes. There she was, Go Yeon-ju, with a sweet smile on her face. Wait, what was I just thinking?
“Oh my, is our little one awake?”
“…?”
“Look at those blinking eyes! Are you hungry? Does our baby want some milk?”
I cleared my throat loudly and sat up straight. Memories of last night, particularly of being unable to escape her embrace, flooded back, and I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. Seeing my reaction, Go Yeon-ju widened her eyes and burst into laughter.
“Gosh, I can’t get used to this. Is this really Kim Soo-hyun? Why are you so adorable in bed? I just want to bite you!”
With that, she threw herself into my arms. I worried she might smother me like Ha-yeon used to, but thankfully, she just nestled her face against my chest, allowing me to hold her. Yet, she burrowed deeper, and I had no choice but to lie back down.
The bed dipped under our weight, and her scent enveloped me. It was only then, seeing her clothed, that I realized I was still naked. I almost squirmed in embarrassment but managed to keep a straight face, knowing she’d laugh again if I didn’t. What’s gotten into me?
“Did you sleep well? You look a bit dazed.”
“I just woke up, that’s all. It’s been a while since I slept so soundly. Did you have a good night too, Yeon-ju?”
“I usually feel sluggish, but today I’m full of energy. If I’d known, I would’ve snuggled up to you sooner.”
She licked her lips playfully, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. She watched me intently, then blushed slightly before speaking again.
“And…”
“Yes?”
“This morning was the most exhilarating I’ve ever had. Thank you. Last night was wonderful.”
Her candid words left me scratching my head. I had things I wanted to say, but they just lingered in my throat. Instead, I gently stroked her hair as she rested against me, and that seemed to be enough, as she closed her eyes contentedly.
We exchanged a few light-hearted words before getting up. I tried to be discreet, but when I asked if she could step out so I could get dressed, she just laughed again. Instead of leaving, she helped me dress, fastening my belt with a care that made her seem like a wife.
“Go have a smoke outside. I’ll tidy up and make us some breakfast. You deserve a reward for last night, don’t you?”
“Alright, sounds good.”
Leaving her to tidy up, I finally opened the door. Everything felt different from when I’d first arrived last night. The most significant change was the blurred line between us, now replaced by a deeper connection.
Feeling a bit awkward, I stepped out of the room and headed outside the inn. I had a habit of enjoying a cigarette in the morning whenever I had the chance.
The morning air was quite chilly. I took a deep drag, letting the cold wind brush against my face.
After a while, I flicked the cigarette away and was about to head back inside when I opened the door and saw someone peeking into the kitchen. Startled, she turned around. It was An Sol, with her innocent face and bright expression.
“Sol?”
“Oh, it’s you, brother. Did you sleep well?”
An Sol greeted me with her usual polite bow. Although I’d slept well by my standards, it was still early morning, and I was curious why she was up at this hour. I raised a hand in response to her greeting and spoke in a calm voice.
“You must be hungry, wandering around the kitchen so early. Just wait a bit. Yeon-ju will be out soon.”
“No, it’s not that!”
“Hmm, I thought I heard your stomach growl.”
“No, it didn’t!”
She waved her hands frantically, denying my teasing. Her earnest denial, with her head and hands shaking, only made her look more adorable.
“Ha ha. Did the sun rise in the west today? What’s got you up so early?”
“Well, I should still be sleeping, but today…”
I was just teasing, but she answered seriously, furrowing her brow in thought. Watching her, I wondered if something was wrong.
Her next words, however, left me stunned.
“Today, I just felt… uneasy. Like something was off, and I had to get up and go to the kitchen quickly…”
“…!”
“But seeing you, brother, all that unease just vanished. Hehe.”
Watching her smile, I felt a cold sweat trickle down my back. Was it a woman’s intuition or some effect of her luck stat? As she toddled over to me, I realized I needed to be cautious of her unpredictable abilities.
I decided to change the subject. Seeing her reminded me of something I’d been meaning to discuss since our exploration of the Screaming Cave. I’d been preoccupied with other matters, but it was about her luck ability. I planned to make my case, but first, I wanted to hear her thoughts and respect her opinion.
“Sol, can we talk for a bit?”
“Yes! I’d love to!”
“Great. Come sit over here…”
Just as I was about to lead her to a nearby table, a white orb suddenly popped out from her clothes, blocking my path. It hummed with a faint glow, as if ready to shield her at any moment.
I paused, taken aback, and An Sol’s face twisted in annoyance. Her sleepy demeanor vanished, and with nimble fingers, she snatched the orb and smacked it with her hand.
“You! What do you think you’re doing?”
The orb buzzed in response.
“Who taught you to be so rude to your dad? Did your mom teach you that?”
The orb’s hum softened.
“Be quiet! What are you crying about?”
“…”
I was speechless, watching An Sol scold the orb. It was just a simple orb, yet it seemed to respond to her every word with a faint vibration. Each hum made it seem like the orb was sulking. Wait a minute. Did she just say… dad?
“Did you just call it… dad?”
I blurted out, recalling something odd I’d heard. An Sol, in the middle of her scolding, suddenly let out a strange squeal, “It needs to be punished… or not… eek!”
“…”
“Uh, um…”
I gazed at her intently. Unable to withstand my stare, she squirmed uncomfortably. I remembered her words from the clearing in the Screaming Cave.
“Why won’t you touch me? Stroke my hair, pinch my cheeks… or anywhere else is fine too…”
Unconscious Reveal, was it? In hindsight, her words were quite bold. I realized I hadn’t been paying much attention to her lately, so I took a step forward to pat her head. But An Sol, with a flurry of unintelligible sounds, darted away. Watching her dash up the stairs with unprecedented speed, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
I decided to sit and wait for breakfast. Surely, she’d come back down, and I was curious to see how she’d react then.
Breakfast was a lively affair. Go Yeon-ju, brimming with energy, showcased her culinary skills to the fullest. Her companions, delighted by the recent string of delicious meals, expressed their gratitude, to which Yeon-ju responded with a subtle smile. The only thing marring the otherwise pleasant meal was An-sol’s inability to meet anyone’s gaze.
After breakfast, I settled into a corner to thoroughly read through the records I had brought from Go Yeon-ju’s room.
“Here, have some tea. If anything confuses you while reading, make a note of it. I’ll gather more information.”
“Thank you.”
Sipping the tea she had brought, I delved into the records. It was a peaceful moment.
Suddenly, thoughts of the Golden Lion Clan’s expedition crossed my mind. How far had they ventured by now? If my predictions were correct, they were likely in the midst of a fierce battle. The creatures encountered at the outset were formidable, requiring specific strategies to defeat. Without proper preparation, they were bound to suffer heavy losses.
“Slurp.”
“Hey! Someone’s here looking for you!”
I turned my head at the sudden sound of Yoo-jung’s voice. She was pointing towards the inn’s entrance with a puzzled expression.
“Who is it?”
“I don’t know. They said they’re a messenger about the clan’s founding. They won’t come in, though.”
“What?”
I quickly got to my feet.
Chaos reigned within the Iron Mountains, a scene reminiscent of hell itself. There were about two hundred users, but the devastation was near total. Few remained unscathed, most bearing wounds of varying severity. Considering the priority given to potion supplies and priest allocations for the expedition, their current state was dire.
“Ahhh… Help… We need a priest, quickly…”
The group was scattered, a far cry from the orderly departure. Some users might not have even reached this point, having fallen behind. Park Hyun-woo bit his lip as he surveyed the scene. It had been a day since they lost contact with the main group. He had tried to follow their trail, but it was no use. He was at his limit, and he couldn’t push the users any further.
The only options left were to set up camp and wait for rescue or recover and resume the search. Both options seemed like a death sentence, a fact Park Hyun-woo knew all too well. He felt a sense of helplessness he hadn’t experienced since joining the Golden Lion Clan.
Thud!
A massive tremor shook the camp, so strong that all the supplies rattled. The users’ throats tightened as they watched items fall with a clatter. Park Hyun-woo steadied himself and stepped outside, his face tense. He desperately hoped it wasn’t them.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
But reality paid no heed to his wishes. As the sound drew closer, the ground beneath them rippled with each impact.
“Is it them again?”
“Ahhh!”
Someone muttered in terror. The users, who had been crying out in pain, fell silent, feeling the vibrations through the earth. They hoped their fears were unfounded, that someone would tell them otherwise, but their expressions were all the same—faces frozen in fear.
Then it happened.
“Raaaargh!”
“Everyone, get up! Prepare for battle!”
“Ahhh!”
A blood-curdling scream echoed from the right, reverberating through the mountains. Park Hyun-woo realized it was too late. The creatures that had driven them to the brink of annihilation were closing in. He shouted for battle readiness, but his voice was drowned out by another scream. And with that, mournful cries erupted from all around.
“Screeeech!”
“Get away! Ahhh…!”
Crunch! Crunch!
The sounds of tearing, screams, and gnashing filled the camp. Soon, the users could see the creatures emerging from the shadows. They were enormous, dinosaur-like beasts, swinging their sharp claws, sending blood and flesh flying through the air.
“Argh! Save me… Gurgle!”
A user trying to flee into the bushes was suddenly lifted into the air, impaled by a claw that pierced through his abdomen. Dangling from the claw, he let out a final scream before going limp, dead in an instant.
“What kind of place is this… What are we supposed to do…”
A female user who witnessed the scene up close collapsed to the ground. Staring blankly at the claw that had skewered and torn apart bodies like paper, she could only mutter in shock.
“Heyoung! Run! Get out of here, Heyoung!”
A voice shouted in her ear, but Heyoung couldn’t turn her head. All she saw were two glowing eyes fixated on her, the terrifying claws closing in. Overwhelmed by fear, she squeezed her eyes shut.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
(Apologies, there will be no reader replies today. I’ll combine them with the next chapter. Thank you for your understanding.)
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
Today, I’d like to share some insights into the user stat settings in the Rite of Passage.
The reason I haven’t disclosed this information before is due to potential spoilers. If I reveal the calculation formula, some mathematically inclined readers might predict a user’s growth based on their initial stats. Although I’ve included some variables to mix things up.
When humans are summoned to Earth through the
Regarding the stat settings, they are expressed as a ratio, X:Y. X represents real-world abilities, while Y adds each individual’s potential to the mix. The two aren’t directly proportional. (As mentioned in the story, elites can become beggars, and beggars can become elites in the Hall Plain.) Even if X is high, Y can be low, and vice versa. However, Y’s influence on growth is much greater than X’s. Training, reward points, and equipment can also alter these values.
I’ve been reflecting lately. The role of a father, especially in Korea, is truly admirable. Many things have happened recently, and I’ve been hesitant to read some of the messages. As a child, I didn’t understand, and during my teenage years, I was just scared. But after serving in the military, I’ve come to see my father as a towering figure. His advice has been invaluable during tough times.
Thank you to everyone who has commented and sent messages. Some of the more intense messages will be taken as lessons for my growth. However, I believe we can all communicate with kinder words. :)
Have a peaceful night, everyone. (__)