Epilogue 2/4: The Return of the Red Fang
As soon as we stepped out of the warp gate, the familiar sight of the city greeted us.
“We’ve arrived in Barbara,” Go Yeon-ju remarked, following closely behind. I nodded in agreement and looked up at the sky.
It was late afternoon. The sun had already begun its descent to the west, and the shadows were lengthening, preparing for the evening.
“Su-hyeon, should we just head back now? The meeting’s been delayed again anyway. We could just return tomorrow morning.”
“Hmm.”
Her suggestion made sense, and I pondered it for a moment.
Three days had passed since the battle ended. The Western Gate unit, which had suffered the most, was excused from cleanup duties and given a three-day rest. On the fourth day, we were to gather in Barbara for a meeting.
Today was that fourth day.
However, the meeting, originally scheduled for this morning, had been postponed to the afternoon due to battlefield cleanup. We set out to arrive on time, only to receive word at the warp gate that it had been pushed to tomorrow morning.
The excuse of battlefield cleanup was a convenient one, but it ultimately meant they weren’t ready yet.
Despite having the option to rest for another day, I chose to come to Barbara. Our clan was small, so it didn’t take long to regroup, and we’d had ample rest.
But more than anything, I was curious. The end of a war doesn’t mean everything is resolved. I wanted to know about the aftermath, what happened to the Golden Lion, if any renowned users had perished, and the extent of the damage.
Besides, I didn’t have much else to do.
Most of these questions would be answered in tomorrow’s meeting, but it wouldn’t hurt to get a head start.
“Su-hyeon? What do you want to do?”
Standing at the warp gate, I surveyed my surroundings and made up my mind. Rather than waste time, I decided it was better to take a look around since I was already here.
“Yeon-ju, you can head back if you want.”
”…….”
“I’ll stay in Barbara tonight and return after the meeting tomorrow.”
”…Sigh. You’re impossible.”
What did that sigh mean?
I soon found out.
As I left the warp gate, I sensed someone trailing closely behind me.
‘I really don’t mind if she goes back…’
I had declined the company of other clan members, so being alone in Barbara was fine by me. There was no need for me to get involved in the cleanup, and I was the only one required at the meeting.
But it seemed Go Yeon-ju had other ideas.
“Su-hyeon~. Let’s go together~.”
Feeling her gently link her arm with mine, I couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward.
We strolled through the bustling streets, an odd pair amidst the lively crowd, and I took in the sights around me.
I’d heard that users from the western cities had been brought to Barbara. Perhaps that’s why, despite the approaching night, the city was lively and crowded.
As we wandered aimlessly, Go Yeon-ju suddenly spoke up.
“Su-hyeon, how about we check the control room? They should have some statistics by now.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll take a look around the city first and head there before nightfall.”
After a couple of nods, Go Yeon-ju released her hold on my arm.
“Alright. I’ll see you later at the central square.”
“Wait, what about you?”
“You said you’d stay in Barbara tonight, right? I should find us a place to stay.”
Her voice was languid, and I scratched my head. It was just a casual remark, but she seemed to take it seriously.
But since we were already here, it wasn’t a bad idea. Better to stay the night and attend the meeting directly than deal with the crowded warp gate in the morning.
“Alright. I’ll look around. Let’s meet at the central square later.”
“Sure. But what if there are no rooms?”
“Don’t worry about it. It was just a suggestion. If there are no rooms, we can head back to Monica.”
“Hehe. Just kidding. What do you take me for? With my connections, finding a room is a piece of cake. I’ll be quick.”
With a cheeky grin, Go Yeon-ju left. Watching her retreating figure, I fell into thought.
I should take a look around and then head to the control room, as she suggested.
‘That means I’ll pass through the square.’
Thinking the Golden Lion’s clan house might be the control room, I headed towards the square.
Once alone, the city’s landscape truly came into view.
Barbara, once a grand city of the northern continent, was now a shadow of its former self, ravaged and worn.
However, considering it was taken without bloodshed, it was in better shape than expected. Aside from the completely destroyed western wall, the city still retained some semblance of its structure.
‘They needed a place to stay, after all.’
With that thought, I refocused on the path ahead and entered the square.
In the wide open space, about thirty users sat scattered in silence.
”…….”
”…….”
Despite their numbers, they were eerily quiet, as if drained of energy.
This wasn’t unique to the square. Every place I’d passed through had a similar atmosphere. Even with the occasional priest rushing by, most people seemed as despondent as the users before me.
‘It’s hard to tell who won or lost just by looking.’
I clicked my tongue but then recalled the first timeline. Back then, it was a near-defeat, and the situation was far more dire. I was a novice at the time, but I remember the atmosphere being much grimmer.
In any case, it’s better than before. Time will heal, as it always does. And it’s no longer my concern.
With that, I intended to pass through the square quickly.
Step by step, my footsteps echoed in the quiet square.
Some users sitting around the broken fountain looked up as I passed. I glanced at them briefly, intending to move on.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
The moment I locked eyes with one of the men, I stopped in my tracks.
He did the same. His previously lifeless eyes flickered with recognition. Though his face was unfamiliar, there was something about him that seemed familiar.
A thought crossed my mind.
“U….”
“Kim Su-hyeon?”
I almost blurted out his name but managed to hold back.
‘Does it matter?’
But then I realized it didn’t. After all, we both came from the same user academy.
The man before me was Woo Jeong-min, someone I’d encountered during the rite of passage and who had been the clan lord of the “Red Fang” in the first timeline. I never expected to meet him here….
“User Woo Jeong-min.”
He reacted to his name. I turned my steps towards him, abandoning my plan to pass through the square.
Seeing me approach, Woo Jeong-min seemed to regain some composure and slowly stood up.
We exchanged a light handshake, a customary greeting.
“It’s been a while, User Kim Su-hyeon.”
“It has.”
Woo Jeong-min’s voice was hoarse, and he blinked at me. He scanned me from head to toe, then tilted his head.
“You look well.”
“I was with the Western Gate unit. We regrouped in Monica and just arrived.”
“The Western Gate unit?”
Woo Jeong-min tilted his head again, then nodded in understanding.
“Right. The Mercenary Clan…. I’ve heard the rumors. It must have been tough.”
“I’m better now. But you….”
“Me…?”
Woo Jeong-min’s gaze dropped, and a shadow of worry crossed his face.
Seeing that, I sensed something bad had happened to him. His face, and the faint tremor in the hand I still held, told me as much.
“Were you involved in this war too?”
Woo Jeong-min nodded silently.
“Zero-year users weren’t forced to participate. You must have volunteered.”
He let out a deep sigh and finally spoke.
“Well, I guess you could say that…. I was living in Halo.”
I began to understand. Woo Jeong-min hadn’t joined the eastern forces; he was caught in the western assault.
Our hands parted. Woo Jeong-min brushed his hair back, his voice trembling.
“I was blind. Damn it. I should have fled sooner.”
“Fled? Oh. Don’t tell me….”
“Heh.”
I fell silent. Woo Jeong-min chuckled hollowly.
“Yeah, I arrived in Barbara two days ago. After Halo fell, I’ve been a prisoner ever since. Captured by those bastards.”
Woo Jung-min’s words echoed through the quiet square. A few people hunched over, suggesting they might have shared similar fates.
“That must have been incredibly difficult.”
“Difficult? It was beyond that. It was hell itself. The pain was so unbearable, I wanted to die. They’re demons, pure and simple.”
”…”
“We were treated like livestock, nothing more, nothing less. Never in my life did I imagine being treated that way. As time went on, my comrades started to fall apart, one by one. Do you know what happened? Hye-soo went mad, and Seung-hyun took his own life.”
Jung-min’s voice turned into a murmur, as if he were talking to himself. His vacant eyes made him look like he might shatter at any moment.
Suddenly, I wondered about another person who had been with them. Someone who would later become one of the top ten users. What was their name…?
“What happened to the others? I remember there was one more person…”
“Every day was truly hell. A never-ending nightmare… Who?”
“Sun Yoo-woon?”
“Ah, Yoo-woon…”
Jung-min repeated the name as if lost in thought, not answering immediately. It seemed he was wrestling with something in his mind.
A little time passed.
Just as I began to fear the worst, his tightly sealed lips slowly parted. Then, Jung-min looked up at me.
“Kim Soo-hyun.”
”?”
“Do you have a moment?”
I glanced at him briefly, then nodded.
Jung-min led me to a spacious white building. Priests wandered around the entrance, and the sounds of groans came from inside, suggesting it was some kind of relief center.
Once inside, my suspicions were confirmed. The interior was quite large, but it was clear the place had been hastily put together. Makeshift beds and cloths were scattered across the floor, with various users lying on them, each displaying different reactions.
One notable thing was the lack of people with visible severe injuries. Despite that, the atmosphere was chaotic.
I lowered my gaze. In front of me was a woman draped in white cloth, seemingly unconscious, and a man tending to her. The emblem on his chest indicated he was a user who had participated in the war.
The mage, who had been chanting over the woman, turned to a waiting priest.
“It seems… she’s pregnant too.”
“Tsk. Send her over there.”
“Understood.”
Watching the man support the limp woman and walk away, I began to understand what kind of place this was.
“This way.”
I followed Jung-min as he led me through the room, carefully stepping around about thirty people. Eventually, we stopped in front of a familiar face, a man sleeping peacefully. It was Sun Yoo-woon.
“Is he alright?”
“Yoo-woon is holding up. He’s always been mentally strong… Even after everything, he managed to endure.”
“What do you mean by ‘everything’?”
Jung-min hesitated for a moment, then let out a bitter laugh and spoke in a somber voice.
“Among the Westerners, there are quite a few who enjoy… men.”
“That’s…”
“At least he’s alive. That’s something.”
”…”
“Let’s go. He just fell asleep.”
Jung-min gritted his teeth audibly, then led me away again.
The next place we arrived at was where a woman lay, also covered in a single cloth. Her face was familiar, likely Won Hye-soo.
“Heh heh. Heh heh heh.”
The woman was awake, and I studied her closely.
Her eyes were unfocused, her mouth hung open, drool trickling down. The occasional burst of hollow laughter made it clear she wasn’t in her right mind.
‘Was this some kind of rite of passage?’
Shut up! Hye-yeon is! No, you’re lying! She can’t be dead! You’re lying, right? Right?
Yeah. I’ve gone mad. I wish I could just go insane. So let go. I said let go!
“Hee hee. Hee hee hee.”
‘She said she wanted to go mad… and she really did.’
As I clicked my tongue internally, Jung-min calmly wiped Hye-soo’s mouth. Straightening up, he spoke in a gloomy tone.
“They say she’s pregnant.”
”…”
“They can’t ask her, so they want me to decide whether to terminate it or not. What am I supposed to say to that?”
“That’s a tough decision.”
I answered clearly while assessing their conditions with my third eye.
‘Yoo-woon is definitely mentally strong. But Hye-soo…’
While there was hope for Yoo-woon, Hye-soo was truly lost. Her mental state was so severe that it wouldn’t be surprising if she took her own life at any moment.
“Will she get better?”
”…”
“She will, right?”
“I don’t know…”
I answered honestly. It was better to face reality than to offer false hope.
This wasn’t a physical wound but a mental one. And given the extent of her mental collapse, any treatment seemed far off.
I felt a pang of sympathy for Jung-min. I didn’t know how they had grown in the early days, but considering their later fame as the “Red Fangs” clan, this might just be another trial for them.
“Hee hee. Hee hee hee. Hoo hoo. Heh…”
A silence settled between us. After a while, Jung-min turned to me.
“By the way, what brings you here? I heard you started a clan.”
“I have a meeting tomorrow.”
“A meeting?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re attending?”
I nodded quietly.
‘Seems like he only heard about the clan being formed.’
A soft chuckle came from beside me.
“Heh. We went to the same user academy, but look at me now.”
”…I was just lucky. So, what do you plan to do next?”
“I don’t know… I really don’t know what to do anymore.”
I finally tore my gaze from Hye-soo and looked at Jung-min. His eyes, once sharp in the first round, were now dry and distant.
I pondered for a moment, then spoke impulsively.
“I have a clan house in Monica.”
Jung-min’s laughter stopped abruptly. He stared at the ground for a moment before slowly looking up at me.
“Are you pitying me?”
“That’s up to you. User Woo Jung-min.”
”?”
“Whether you accept pity, find resolve, or ignore it, the choice is yours.”
Jung-min seemed momentarily at a loss for words.
But soon, understanding the meaning behind my words, he closed his eyes gently.
“It’s up to me…”
This was an unexpected situation for me, a gamble of sorts. A high-stakes bet with a big payoff if it succeeded. Jung-min and Yoo-woon could be valuable cards.
“It’s up to me…”
Jung-min repeated to himself, then suddenly opened his eyes wide. In a low voice, he continued.
“If… if I do come…”
“Yes.”
“…can I bring Hye-soo?”
“You’re welcome to.”
I answered immediately, feeling a glimmer of hope.
‘Time to leave.’
Staying too long might be burdensome, so I decided to take my leave. Jung-min needed time to think, and Go Yeon-ju might be waiting for me in the square by now.
I patted Jung-min’s shoulder lightly and gestured with my eyes.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“Oh, you’re leaving?”
“Yes, I should get going. Take care.”
Despite saying “you’re leaving?” Jung-min nodded.
With that, I turned and looked toward the building’s entrance. Just as I was about to take a step, I felt a sharp sensation.
‘Huh?’
It was an intense gaze.
Someone nearby was staring at me intently.
”…”
I turned my head to find the source and saw a woman sitting on a cloth, three people away from the entrance.
At that moment, I felt my eyes widen.
Large, gentle eyes. A pure, kind face. Soft, light brown hair… though it was no longer flowing. Whatever had happened, her hair, once cascading past her shoulders, was now cut short at her neck.
‘If she’s here, then…’
Her eyes were lifeless, like a dead fish. But as soon as our eyes met, I saw the light brown hue slowly return to her gaze.
I checked the user information floating in the air and spoke again, louder this time, so she could hear.
“User Woo Jung-min. There’s something I need to tell you.”
“You haven’t left yet… huh?”
“By now, one of my clan members should have secured a place for us in Barbara. We’ll be staying there tonight, so if anything comes up, you can find me at a nearby inn. I’ll do my best to help you.”
”…Thank you.”
Noticing the subtle tremor in their eyes, I added softly, “Even if it’s in the middle of the night.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
I apologize. I finished the first draft early this morning but fell asleep before I could revise it. I quickly edited it during my free period with my ultrabook. I have a class at 2, so I need to head in right away.
Wishing all my readers a wonderful day!