Chapter 1244: Scorched World

“……”

“……”

We couldn’t say anything, our eyes locked. It was that kind of moment. How could I not be surprised?

The woman, covered in blood and wearing a ferocious expression, immediately relaxed her features upon seeing me.

Who would have known an unexpected person would pop out here?

Especially.

‘Why is Poison Phoenix here…?’

It was even more so because there were people who hadn’t attended the Sword Dance Festival. If it were someone who was inside, maybe. Because she hadn’t attended.

“……Why are you here-.”

Just as I was trying to ask, holding back my surprise.

“Young Master Baek…!”

Whoosh-!

Poison Phoenix suddenly hugged me. Ah, damn it. The blood got all over me. It felt incredibly gross.

“N-no way, I can’t believe I’m meeting you here…! Is this really fate?”

“Could you let go first… No, why are you squeezing tighter?”

My bones are going to break. I struggled to twist my body away. As I somehow managed to break free, Poison Phoenix wore a disappointed expression.

“I’m sorry. I was just so happy to see you.”

“……”

Hearing that, I looked behind me. It was the space where the sounds of heavy drinking had been heard right up until moments ago. Looking around, the demonic beasts were already lying on the floor, lifeless.

It seemed Poison Phoenix had dealt with them. Judging by their state, it looked like she had taken them down in a single blow.

‘……As expected.’

Seeing that, I looked at Poison Phoenix.

‘This one is stronger.’

Tang Cheongi, the former Poison King and current Poison Dragon. I felt Poison Phoenix was stronger than that guy, who would later become the head of the Tang family.

This was something I had confirmed when I saw her last time.

“Are you alright, Miss Tang?”

“Me? I’m fine……”

Poison Phoenix, mid-sentence, rolled her eyes.

“……I might be a little tired. Ah, I feel dizzy……”

“So you’re saying you’re fine.”

“……Ah, yes.”

I shut it down before she could do anything weird.

“Ah… well. It’s dangerous here, shall we move?”

“Move?”

“Yes. I’ll guide you to a safe place.”

Her eyes widened as if surprised. That statement meant she had already prepared a hiding place.

‘How, in such a short time?’

It hadn’t been long since I regained consciousness. Even considering any time difference, was it possible to prepare it already? While looking at Poison Phoenix with curiosity.

“In that case, I’ll leave it to you.”

Seeing it with my own eyes was the priority, whatever it was.

---

After moving with Poison Phoenix for a moment. She seemed quite familiar with crossing the forest.

She strode through the forest nonchalantly, as if she had been here many times before.

While puzzled by her footwork, I followed behind her.

After a short while, we reached the hideout she mentioned.

‘A cave.’

It was a cave located in a corner of the forest. It didn’t seem very deep.

“Is this it?”

“Yes, it is.”

Poison Phoenix spoke and went inside first. I followed her again this time.

The place we entered was calm but filled with darkness, yet Poison Phoenix, seemingly accustomed to it, headed downwards.

I wondered how she was navigating without a single torch.

“If we light a fire, the demonic beasts might react.”

Poison Phoenix explained to me. Hearing this, I narrowed my eyes.

Something felt off.

The longer we talked, the stranger things felt.

“Hey.”

Just as I was about to ask because of that.

“We’ve arrived.”

Poison Phoenix announced that we had reached the destination.

I paused and examined the interior. I looked at the space inside. Opening a wooden door, I could finally see the light that had been hidden.

Several torches were stuck in the walls, and seeing the beds laid out, it seemed there were more people.

“Everyone’s out right now, so they aren’t here, but they’ll be back soon.”

“……”

“Would you like to sit for a moment?”

Poison Phoenix dragged over a chair. It looked crude, but it was indeed a chair.

“Thank you.”

After sitting on the chair she brought, I looked at Poison Phoenix.

“Ah……”

Meeting my gaze, Poison Phoenix blushed and averted her eyes.

“If you look at me like that… I….”

“……Miss Tang.”

“Yes… Yes.”

I spoke, breaking the quiet atmosphere. Poison Phoenix paused but then met my eyes.

Her flushed eyes held a subtle emotion. Seeing that, I asked her.

“You know, perhaps.”

“I like it too.”

“……Like what?”

“Huh?”

What is she suddenly agreeing to? I faltered at her strange remark.

“Oh. Isn’t that it?”

“……What is ‘it’?”

“……It’s nothing.”

It’s clearly not nothing. What is wrong with this person.

It was quite unsettling that she left something unsaid, but I decided to ignore it for now. Because what I needed to ask was more urgent.

Just as I was about to say something while looking at her.

“Right no-.”

“No-nim. I’m back……”

Someone appeared at the door. It was Tang Cheongi. He entered the space and paused. Suddenly, his eyes met mine as I sat there.

“……You……”

“Oh……”

So Tang Cheongi was here too. Fortunately, it seemed the two of them were close. Seeing that, I tried to greet him out of relief, but…

Shing-!!

Tang Cheongi drew his short sword and aimed it at me.

“How dare this guy be here.”

“……Huh?”

What do you mean, ‘how dare I be here’?

“Your No-nim brought me here.”

“……What?”

At my explanation, Tang Cheongi quickly looked at Poison Phoenix.

“No-nim…?”

As their eyes met, Poison Phoenix gave an awkward smile.

“Hehe…?”

“……”

Tang Cheongi wore a dumbfounded expression, seemingly lost for words for a moment. He looked utterly incredulous. Furthermore, other people appeared behind Tang Cheongi.

“Poison Dragon. What is the matter?”

“Is there some kind of problem……”

There were more people than expected, and individuals with unfamiliar faces appeared, scrutinizing me.

“Hello-“

Just as I was about to greet them first.

Clang-!

The warriors immediately drew their swords. Their Ki energy wrapped around the somewhat dulled blades.

“……An intruder?”

“Damn it. Has the news already reached this far?”

There was considerable hostility. An extreme sense of tension and wariness was palpable.

“How did you find this place!”

“……Like I said earlier……”

“Wait, that face…?”

One of the warriors shouted after seeing my face.

“Bloodfang Hound…!”

“What? Bloodfang Hound?”

“If it’s Bloodfang Hound… that’s the guy. The one who made Chu Yeongyeon wet himself.”

“That’s Bloodfang Hound? Wasn’t he Littlefang Hound?”

“The nickname isn’t important right now!”

“……Bloodfang Hound or Littlefang Hound, they’re all sons of bitches.”

My head is starting to throb. It was strange how the nicknames hadn’t been unified yet.

Someone recognized me and reacted, but the reaction wasn’t exactly positive.

“……Madfang Hound? How could you.”

“Didn’t you just say Bloodfang Hound?”

“Bloodfang Hound. How could you.”

“……Ah, right. It’s good that the correction is fast.”

Thanks for accepting the correction so quickly, really.

Holding back a sigh, I spoke again.

“Is it that I shouldn’t be here?”

“What matters is which faction you belong to.”

“Faction…?”

“Or perhaps you aren’t human in the first place.”

I frowned at the warrior’s words as he pointed his sword at me.

Not human?

“What do you mean? Not human?”

“Are you trying to pretend you don’t know? If so, it’s too late.”

“No. I’m genuinely asking because I don’t know.”

“Shut up-!”

I was trying to explain, and they told me to shut up. That kinda hurt.

It seemed like talking wouldn’t get through to them right now. The tip of the sword in front of me. Looking at it, I casually scratched my nose.

The guy’s gaze shifted to my fingertips. At that moment.

Thwack-! Bang-!!

“Kuhk!?”

I snatched the sword from his wrist and took it. Then I subdued him.

“L-let go of me……!”

“See……! I knew he was an intruder……!”

“Damn it……!”

Seeing his grim expression, I said with annoyance.

“I’m not that, so stop talking nonsense and just explain. I just grabbed you because you kept waving your sword in front of me.”

“How are we supposed to believe that?”

I released the hand I had subdued, letting the warrior go.

“Huk……”

The freed man looked at me with surprised eyes.

“Just in case you’re thinking about it. Don’t even think about swinging your sword. Next time, I’ll take your shoulder.”

“……”

Hearing the warning, the warrior flinched. Fortunately, he seemed to understand and didn’t raise his sword.

The guard posture remained, but it felt less tense than before.

This seemed like the right moment.

“I’ve been meaning to ask this for a while now.”

My gaze shifted from the others to Poison Phoenix. She too had grasped a dagger before I knew it. If there was anything different about her.

‘……It feels like she’s aiming at someone else, not me?’

The point is, she seemed to be aiming at the opponent, not me.

It must be my imagination?

It has to be.

I decided to let it go for now. I organized my thoughts.

This place, and the reactions of those people… This situation was more than just a little strange.

So, I could finally ask what I had been wanting to ask.

“Miss Tang.”

“Yes?”

“I have a question for you.”

I asked, looking at her.

“How long has it been since you arrived here?”

“Huh? What do you mean……”

“I mean, how long has everyone been arriving in this world?”

“……Uh……”

Poison Phoenix rolled her eyes. She seemed to ponder for a moment, rolling her eyes back and forth, then…

“I’ve never counted, so I don’t know exactly, but…”

Soon.

“It seems to be about a little over a year.”

She gave the bad answer I had been dreading.

“……A year?”

“Yes.”

Hearing that, I bit my lip. The cave, the people, their reactions… I had felt something was different, and now…

‘The arrival time is different from mine.’

A whole year, no less.

The others had entered this world much earlier than I had.