The war had already begun anew.
Creak, creak!
“Ahh…”
The bed swayed like a ship on a stormy sea, and a woman’s breathless moans rose and fell with the motion.
Despite the roughness, there was no trace of discomfort on her face. Instead, she eagerly removed her top, revealing her bare skin, and looked up at someone with a slow, deliberate gaze.
Her eyes were now filled with a sticky longing, reminiscent of a woman yearning for a man.
“Huff… huff…”
A man, breathing heavily, tore through the curtain that shielded the bed and climbed on. His eyes, bloodshot and burning with intensity, were like those of a beast in heat.
As the woman’s red tongue flicked across her lips, the man’s last thread of restraint snapped. He collapsed onto her, and her hands wrapped around his back, pulling him closer.
As her fingers traced his muscular back, a fiery heat spread from the man’s mouth, igniting a blaze that quickly consumed the bed.
Melted by the heat, the man and woman clung to each other, lost in a frenzy of passion.
Was it the effect of a drug, the haze of alcohol, or simply the fire of desire?
The man was relentless, yet the woman seemed to revel in it, laughing wildly as she clung to him. Her laughter soon turned into a sultry melody, and then into soft whimpers.
As their cries reached a crescendo, the man’s body suddenly froze, trembling, and the storm of their lovemaking gradually subsided.
Through the white mesh curtain surrounding the bed, the man and woman could be seen, panting and gasping for breath.
When they had started, the sun was high in the sky, but now a soft twilight had settled outside the window.
The man, staring blankly out the window, was handed a cigarette by the woman, who lit it for him with a smile.
“Phew… Heeseon, I think I should head out after this smoke. I’ve stayed longer than I planned.”
At his casual words, Heeseon, the woman, looked a bit disappointed.
“Already leaving?”
“Already? We’ve been here for ages. It’s not good for either of us to be away for too long.”
“I told my sister I wouldn’t be back tonight…”
“You’re just a favored clan member. I have a mountain of work waiting for me.”
Though his words carried a hint of condescension, Heeseon didn’t seem to mind. Still, she couldn’t hide her disappointment.
“You said we’d have more time after this…”
“Heh. We have time now, don’t we?”
The man replied smoothly, flicking his cigarette as he got up to dress. As he buttoned his shirt, he paused and turned to Heeseon.
“By the way, how long has it been since those mercenaries went into the mountains?”
“Hmm… about a month and two, maybe three weeks? It’s almost two months now, so they’re practically missing. No word from them at all.”
“Almost two months, huh… And nothing from Monica’s side?”
“Quiet. I don’t know what orders they received, but they’re practically invisible these days.”
The man’s lips curled into a smirk, seemingly pleased with her report. As he adjusted his collar, Heeseon spoke up again.
“But Hyuk, are we really going to be okay?”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“You know, the mercenaries aren’t just any clan. I’ve heard the Shadow Queen’s information-gathering skills are unmatched.”
“Ah, the Shadow Queen. She’s a formidable user, no doubt. It’s hard to believe she changed so much from the killer she was five or six years ago. But only a few know that story. Ha ha.”
Hyuk laughed, but Heeseon wasn’t amused, her voice rising slightly.
“I’m not joking, Hyuk. What if they come back from the mountains?”
“Why worry? They’re still in the mountains. Even if they return, what can they do? We’ve erased all evidence and prepared to cut ties.”
“Yes, but… I’m just uneasy. It’s not just them. The Soo Clan is also making moves. We’re already struggling with internal conflicts…”
“Who says we’re struggling?”
Hyuk’s sharp retort made Heeseon flinch, her eyes trembling as she clutched the sheets.
Silence hung between them.
Hyuk’s gaze softened as he approached and gently stroked her hair.
“Heeseon, what’s done is done. After next week’s selection meeting, the temporary representative clans in the west will withdraw in a month. Understand? It’s more important to focus on what comes next.”
”…”
“And you don’t need to worry. Think about it. It takes two months just to go to the mountains and back. The internal meeting and vote are next week. It’s only a week. What could possibly happen?”
”…Still.”
“Still what? Are you feeling guilty?”
“No, I’m not.”
Heeseon shook her head, answering quickly. Hyuk smiled softly, withdrawing his hand. She glanced up at him, then lowered her gaze.
Hyuk spoke again.
“This is the world we live in… Remember, we didn’t start this fight. The Mercenary Clan did. We couldn’t say anything because there was no evidence. This incident is partly because of the western city, but it’s also payback. Got it?”
“Yes, I understand… By the way, how’s that guy doing?”
“That guy? Oh, he’s in my grasp. Probably doing well with the Soo Clan. It’s beneficial for me to ignore it for now… But you’re acting strange today. Why bring up something from a year ago?”
“Just… be careful.”
Heeseon continued seriously, then suddenly smiled brightly, sticking out her tongue. Hyuk smirked, turned, and headed for the door.
Just before opening it, he looked back at Heeseon, raising his left hand in a reassuring gesture.
“Don’t worry. The Mercenary Clan and the Soo Clan are both in my hands. Just focus on your clan. Tell that woman to cooperate.”
With those words, Hyuk left without hesitation.
Bang.
The door closed with a loud thud, leaving Heeseon alone in the room, still filled with the lingering heat of their passion and the scent of smoke.
Her smile slowly faded, replaced by the same worried expression she had when she first spoke.
Perhaps it was a woman’s intuition? Despite Hyuk’s confident assurances, she couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.
After staring at the door for a long time, Heeseon let out a long sigh.
The sky was painted in shades of red. The sun, once high, was now preparing to set, and the leaves that had basked in its light were now tinged with the hues of dusk.
Slowing his pace, he took in the surroundings, still lush with foliage and towering trees.
But it wasn’t as ominous as when he had entered. The thick fog had lifted, and there was no sign of the lurking dead. Only a gentle breeze stirred the twilight-draped forest.
The landscape of the mountain range, where the dragon slept, was breathtakingly beautiful.
“Damn it. That blasted thunder-naked bastard.”
As I turned my gaze toward the grumbling voice, I saw Heo Jun-young with a scowl on his face. On his back was Ahn Hyun, still asleep and oblivious to the world. Heo Jun-young had been carrying Ahn Hyun since we left the fortress. His grumbling likely stemmed more from his dislike of Ahn Hyun than from the physical burden.
“Hey, Kim Soo-hyun.”
“What?”
“I heard a lot of the users we rescued have woken up since we left the ruins.”
“But Ahn Hyun is still out cold.”
“Exactly. Aren’t you curious? Is he unable to wake up, or is he just pretending? I can’t wrap my head around why the last one in is the last one to wake up.”
“So, you’re suggesting he’s faking it?”
I chuckled at Heo Jun-young’s words. The idea was absurd. If Ahn Hyun were pretending, both Heo Jun-young and I would have caught on by now.
Though I was a bit concerned about Ahn Hyun not waking up, not all the other users had regained consciousness either. Plus, my third eye hadn’t detected anything amiss, so I was somewhat reassured.
The dense foliage around us began to thin, revealing occasional clearings. Soon, darkness would fall completely. The location seemed suitable, so I decided it was time to set up camp. I glanced back at the clan members and the users who had woken up. Some users were still being carried by clan members.
Vivian and Helena were deep in conversation, while Da-eun and Hannah whispered and giggled together. In the past, I might have scolded them, but I held my tongue. We hadn’t encountered any undead since leaving the ruins, suggesting the area was clear, and they were still keeping an eye on the surroundings.
Sensing my gaze, Da-eun looked over, her eyes sparkling. She blinked rapidly, then pressed a finger to her lips, slowly drawing it into her mouth while locking eyes with me. I smiled wryly. It was her way of signaling she was feeling particularly “hungry” and wanted to play tonight.
I chose to ignore Da-eun’s pleading eyes and surveyed the area once more before stopping and raising my voice.
“Everyone, halt! We’ll camp here for the night. Start setting up.”
The clan members, seemingly expecting this, sprang into action. Those carrying users gently set them down, looking a bit weary.
Thud!
“You little brat.”
Heo Jun-young set Ahn Hyun down roughly and gave him a light kick, more of a nudge really, before turning to meet my gaze and flinching.
I spoke calmly, “If you’re going to kick him, do it without getting caught.”
”…I’ll keep that in mind.”
I was quietly amused by Heo Jun-young’s sheepish expression when a voice called out from behind me.
“Clan Lord!”
I turned to see Shin Jae-ryong approaching quickly.
“Clan Lord, we’re setting up camp and preparing meals. I was wondering about the night watch. Should we do it the same as yesterday?”
I was about to nod but then remembered Hanbyul and shook my head.
“No, it seems this area is clear of monsters. We can relax a bit. Let’s switch to pairs instead of groups of four. I’ll assign the teams and shifts after dinner.”
“Understood. Also…”
Shin Jae-ryong glanced around before stepping closer and lowering his voice.
“I’ve spoken to the clients who were with Ahn Hyun and Han-gyeol. It’s time to start gathering information, isn’t it?”
“Gathering information…”
I closed my eyes, lost in thought. I already had a rough idea of the situation. Although the clients had woken up, I doubted they knew more than Kim Soo-jung or Han-gyeol. From what Han-gyeol told me, this wasn’t just an accident.
We couldn’t just celebrate conquering the ruins forever. In the grand scheme, it was just one more ruin claimed.
It was time to shift focus.
We had successfully conquered the Dragon’s Sleeping Mountain Range, reaped great rewards, rescued users, and made significant progress on our stamina issues.
Everything seemed to be going well.
However.
I had no intention of letting this go.
I still didn’t know which bastard was behind this or why they targeted our clan.
But once we returned to the city and started tracking them down…
The Shadow War.
The thought brought a smile to my face.
I didn’t know much yet, but the idea of closing in on them made me smile. Or perhaps I was recalling my past life in the shadows.
“Cl-Clan Lord? Are you alright?”
Shin Jae-ryong’s stammering voice snapped me back to reality. He was stepping back, his mouth slightly open, his throat moving slowly. I quickly composed myself.
“Haha, it’s nothing. Just lost in thought. I’ll handle the users, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
”…”
“Go on. Oh, and tell Hanbyul to prepare for the first watch with me tonight.”
”…Understood.”
Shin Jae-ryong nodded and calmly turned to head back the way he came.
He was sharp enough to grasp the meaning behind my words. He wasn’t suited for the stage that was about to unfold.
Watching him walk away, I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and lit it, gazing up at the sky.
A thin wisp of smoke rose into the deep red sunset.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
A new character has appeared. Once this part is settled, we’ll head into the Steel Mountain Range. Demons will appear, there will be some scuffles, and once we complete the Steel Mountain Range… the end will start to come into view. Haha.
The beginning of this part might be a bit confusing. You might wonder, “Who is this? What’s going on?” It was similar at the start of the Dragon’s Sleeping Mountain Range. But as we progressed, everything was revealed.
The Shadow War arc will be similar. The confusing parts now are foreshadowing for this part and will be explained in due time.
The scale is larger than you might think. Simply catching a few culprits wouldn’t be satisfying or fun. Haha.
PS. Please help me come up with lines for the character poll. I’m stuck on Han So-young and Hannah. ㅜ.ㅠ