Chapter 373

Chapter 373

Eat The World Tree.

Episode 373: Cornus Subjugation (1)

“Haa… haah.”

With each exhale of her panting breath, Sansuyu’s lying body convulsed.

Sweat, saliva, tears, and other bodily fluids seeped through her pure white mourning clothes.

“Permocyanin. About half, for now.”

-Creak, creak.

A man wearing glasses with magic circles gestured around him.

“Even if we’re in a hurry, slowly. This is the critical moment.”

The crimson liquid inside the tube was drawn into the hose.

As the sedative was injected into Sansuyu’s arm, where the needle was connected, her rough breathing gradually subsided.

“Add 40ml of Menedel.”

“……”

The man moved his hand, speaking softly.

A gruesome sight of flesh appeared as he sliced open her arm with a sharp knife.

At that moment, Sansuyu’s eyelids slowly lifted.

Her faintly opened eyes, gray pupils devoid of light, scanned her surroundings as if searching for something.

-Thump!

“…Lord. Why suddenly here?”

The lab door opened, and a middle-aged man entered.

Wearing leather gloves, he glanced around at the researchers and the lying Sansuyu, then immediately walked toward Sansuyu.

“I came to receive the experimental progress report. Is there a problem?”

“This is a sterile room… I told you I would compile the report and bring it to you around 7 o’clock.”

Hyukwon ignored the researcher’s words and looked down at Sansuyu.

Sansuyu’s eyes, seemingly blinded, captured Hyukwon.

“…Dad?”

At that one word, shadows fell over the researchers’ faces.

Even those who had been working on this with some sense of responsibility were at their wits’ end.

Just two days ago, a suicide occurred, plunging the experiment into a major crisis.

“Dad…”

Not ‘Father,’ but ‘Dad.’

Those who had interacted with her since her very young days bowed their heads at Sansuyu’s childlike demeanor.

“Damn it.”

One researcher muttered from a corner, utterly exhausted.

The man who cursed was also a member of the Cornus family.

They had been fanatically devoted to the research and even considered it honorable. They had even sacrificed their own daughters.

They considered even the deaths of their own family members as a noble sacrifice.

In the midst of this…

Perhaps as the family was on the verge of collapse… did they have a change of heart?

Sansuyu’s voice caused some researchers to lose their composure.

“Knife.”

Hyukwon broke the silence.

Snatching the knife from the researcher’s hand, Hyukwon stabbed her in the chest without hesitation.

-Thwack!

Instantly pierced by the blade without even the sensation of flesh being cut.

A spurt of blood caused several researchers to turn away.

-Thud!

As the blade was withdrawn, a mass of blood gushed out.

However, Sansuyu’s body no longer showed any wounds.

The wounds had regenerated in that short time, but even after witnessing this astonishing sight, Hyukwon remained unfazed.

“Her core is shattered.”

“…Yes.”

“A body that can’t even hold a sword properly. What’s her lifespan limit?”

“Probably, a week.”

That word meant only one thing.

“Is it a failure?”

The researchers bowed their heads at the dismal outcome.

Hyukwon lowered his gaze, looking at Sansuyu, who still had her eyes barely open.

“Sansuyu.”

“……”

“Do you resent me?”

Her emotionless pupils and corpse-like skin no longer trembled.

The size of her lungs had shrunk, and she couldn’t even absorb nutrients properly.

Her heart had become so faint that no one could hear its sound.

-Twitch.

Sansuyu’s head seemed to move diagonally for a moment.

No one knew if it was a nod or a shake.

However, only one person, her father, seemed to understand her meaning.

“…Ha.”

With a hollow laugh, Hyukwon’s coat was placed over Sansuyu’s body.

“Sansuyu’s experiment is over.”

He unbuttoned his shirt with his thick hands, one by one, and gestured to the researcher.

“Yes? But now, all of a sudden-”

“Implant the results into my body. I’ll take over next.”

“The suitable candidate is the young lady. All the other young ladies and young masters have left.”

Even that suitable candidate had failed.

No matter how superior he was to anyone else here, there were things he couldn’t do.

The Cornus family’s long-cherished wish had nothing to do with physical ability.

“And Sansuyu was deemed suitable… wasn’t it because of her mother’s factors?”

There was no reply. Despite the researchers’ dissuasion, Hyukwon simply prepared himself.

Sansuyu’s birth was the Cornus family’s golden opportunity.

It had brought greater progress than the results of the past eleven hundred years.

The impossible wish was transformed into hope, all thanks to Sansuyu.

Just one more step.

The researchers began to move again in perfect unison.

“We will move the young lady to the resting chamber.”

Seong Jiho, who had been watching the entire process through the outside glass, belatedly entered and pulled the bed on which Sansuyu lay.

“Don’t do life-sustaining treatment.”

At Hyukwon’s cold words, Seong Jiho replied softly.

“This time, may I refuse?”

“……”

Eyes filled with not just resentment, but also hatred and contempt.

Nevertheless, the fact that Seong Jiho remained here meant that he still had loyalty towards Sansuyu.

Knowing this, Hyukwon merely frowned for a moment but did not stop him.

“Foolish fellow.”

-If you receive something from someone, return it more than you received. What a kind young lady.

His foolish mother had said.

-Could you take care of Sansuyu?

The young lady’s mother was the same.

All the mothers in the world were the same.

-Creak, creak.

In the empty space where only the sound of wheels turning echoed, Seong Jiho clenched his fist, suppressing his resentment.

His parents were still alive at his main residence.

His parents, who would have died long ago without treatment, were able to live long and healthy lives thanks to Sansuyu’s grace.

“……”

-Click.

The door to the hospital room opened and closed.

Seong Jiho, sitting on the chair next to the bedside table, simply placed his hands on his knees and closed his eyes as if praying, without saying a word.

‘I.’

He was fine. He repeated over and over.

His mother had also told him to return the favor if he had received any.

He believed that she would be a little sad but would fully understand her son’s intentions.

Seong Jiho knew about the mother Sansuyu didn’t remember.

The woman with abundant bright yellow hair, always smiling brightly.

Despite being human, she was followed by everyone, a person who resembled Sansuyu’s innate goodness from her childhood.

No, that was not right.

Sansuyu inherited the lady’s personality.

-They say I’m immune to some kind of drug.

The woman he met by chance was excessively young.

Considering she was twenty-five when they first met, it was as if she had given birth to Sansuyu immediately after becoming an adult.

Despite the unwanted marriage, she was always cheerful.

Even Seong Jiho, who watched her, thought she might be foolish.

-Well, isn’t this fortunate? The guild my father built has also prospered.

-The only regret is not being able to see our Suyu grow up.

Seong Jiho had memories Sansuyu couldn’t recall.

He hadn’t undergone experiments like Sansuyu, nor had parts of his brain ceased functioning.

The lady picking baskets of red berries in the green garden, smiling brightly, was still beautiful enough to be remembered occasionally.

Her face kept coming to his mind today.

His heart was leaning towards a different direction than he initially thought, to die with the young lady.

‘…Lee Shiheon.’

A white swing flashed before his eyes. The young lady and sitting on her mother’s lap.

Sansuyu berries held in the hands of the harmonious mother and daughter.

-I won’t be around when the child grows up… and her father isn’t someone I can trust, so Jiho, please take care of her.

Crunch.

His teeth clenched, and blood vessels in his eyes burst.

Thump, thump, thump. His heart pounded. Seong Jiho gasped for breath.

His arms trembled as if he were having a seizure. There were no cameras around.

Seong Jiho forced himself to calm his breathing and tightly closed his eyelids.

He thought.

‘I have to save her.’

“Here it is.”

The quality of the accommodation was poor.

Since they had started controlling the area around the Cornus family’s bunker, it took quite a while to find a place where they wouldn’t be discovered.

“There are stairs in front of the king.”

“I know that much, don’t overdo it.”

“Yes.”

He lay down on the bed, supported by Aori.

He was dumbfounded to be like this right before going to save Sansuyu, but it couldn’t be helped. The more he conserved his strength, the worse his body became.

[Master…]

[Are you alright, Master?]

The two birds expressed their concern.

The only way to alleviate it here was to use mana… but that would only deplete his power.

He had to move in the best possible condition.

“Listen while you’re lying down, and I’ll briefly go over a few things.”

As Taeyang gathered their attention, Aori and the two birds looked at him.

[Hmph, what are you nagging about when Master is sick? Your yellow hair makes you look like a complete punk.]

“……Master.”

“Eleonore, come here.”

[Kyaa~ Please pet me~!]

Taeyang rubbed his temples, looking at Eleonore.

“Anyway…”

Taeyang resumed his explanation.

“We’ve already planned the route to save Sansuyu, and I believe the spirits on that side know it too.”

[Hmph, I’ve already heard.]

[I have heard.]

Based on Seong Jiho’s information and help, they could enter the bunker’s entrance without bloodshed, avoiding exposure to artifacts.

Since the artifacts moving outside the bunker were the biggest threat, being able to infiltrate before they were neutralized was ideal.

[It’s easy, chirp!]

“…Of course.”

Taeyang, lightly ignoring Eleonore’s reaction, lowered his voice.

“Once inside, there will be many variables, so we’ll mainly focus on protecting you… but the probability of dying is high.”

Taeyang and Aori had followed him knowing this.

The possibility of death was always a tag along, whether they were raiding dungeons or going anywhere, but this time, the weight was different.

It was practically turning their backs on the world.

“There’s a lot to worry about after death, but shouldn’t we focus on staying alive first?”

Taeyang took out a photo.

The chairman of the Hunter Association’s general meeting and the chairman of the Korean Hunter Association.

“Mugung. If you encounter this old man… run away first. Whether it’s you or Aori.”

“Taeyang, why?”

“There’s someone we can’t possibly defeat, no matter what we do.”

Their goal was always to rescue Sansuyu.

It was right to minimize fighting and avoid strong enemies as much as possible.

“We also need to consider the Flower’s movements, just in case. If Cistus suddenly brings her clones, this area will be devastated.”

Be thoroughly prepared to use spatial magic.

He nodded at Taeyang’s words.

“And San Hyukwon. The head of the Cornus family. We need to be careful of him too.”

[Why that tree? His rank wasn’t very high.]

“……”

Taeyang smiled bitterly.

“That’s how it seems for now. That man is the biggest variable. If, by any chance, the experiment succeeds, we’ll have to run like hell.”

“……”

“I know what you’re thinking, but my priority is saving you.”

He understood.

Taeyang, exchanging glances with him, clapped his hands lightly to change the atmosphere.

“I’ll tell you the rest as we go. The spirits should return, and let’s get some sleep.”

-Click.

Immediately, the lights went out, and Eleonore and Luci returned to the spirit realm.

There were five of them now, but when they moved, they would be joined by a few selected ant warriors and mercenaries prepared by Seong Jiho.

A small elite group moving with minimal personnel.

Yet, the probability of success wasn’t very high.

He lay on the bed, staring at the faintly floating status window.

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= ==== == ===== == = ==

【 □ □□ 】

-Strength 2□ . 2

-Durability □8 .□

-Agility 23. 9

-Stamina 2 1□2

-Mana 2□ .3

【Abnormal state. May hinder the exertion of full power.】

【Change □ needed □.】

【□ □?】

【□?】

= == = = = == = == = == == =

It crumbled.

Turning into dust, the letters slowly scattered into the air, becoming blurry.

Non-material shapes, broken like dots and turned into polygons, fell beneath his eyelids as if they were a representation of his breaking vessel.

【The ‘World Tree of □□’ expresses concern.】

He closed his eyes, succumbing to the overwhelming drowsiness.