Episode 71
‘Itchy.’
Yoo-seong woke up feeling itchy all over his body. However, his eyes remained closed.
Ordinary people opened their eyes and raised their upper body upon waking. Professionals like Yoo-seong kept their eyes closed – to orient themselves and to clear their senses.
Yoo-seong then felt a sticky substance all over him.
‘Oil?’
It must be similar to castor oil that he used at home when he was younger. However, it smelled much worse.
“Open your eyes. I know you’re fully awake,” he heard a voice.
“Sorry,” Yoo-seong spoke. “I didn’t mean to faint.”
With a sigh, he opened his eyes. Yang Jeong-cheon was sitting cross-legged by the foot of his bed.
“You look good,” the older man commented.
Yoo-seong observed him. He didn’t look fine at all.
Yang Jeong-cheon’s left arm, which had been cut in half during their battle, was bound with thick bandages.
Yang Jeong-cheon followed Yoo-seong’s gaze. Then, he lifted his left shoulder.
“If you say something lousy about this, I’ll kick your mouth right there,” he said.
“What is that?” Yoo-seong gestured with his chin toward Yang Jeong-cheon’s arm.
Yang Jeong-cheon sighed. “I put the severed arm back on, then tied it back with bandages.”
Yoo-seong was serious. “Do you think that will work?”
The severed arm lay on the ground for a while.
Morevoer, the temperature around it was at boiling point because of Yang Jeong-cheon’s Psy.
No matter how cleanly it was cut, it was impossible for the burnt ends to stick together.
“It’s not a problem you should worry about,” Yang Jeong-cheon sighed.
“But your arm is…”
“This is what’s important,” Yang Jeong-cheon’s voice was firm.
“If you didn’t severe my arm, it would have been your neck that was cut off.”
Yoo-seong went silent.
“I dealt with you with all my power,” Yang Jeong-cheon continued.
“To do that meant that I myself bear the corresponding risk. It was fortunate that I did not lose my life, just an arm. Isn’t it a pretty cheap price?”
Yang Jeong-cheon shook his head and chuckled. “Besides, you don’t even know what you look like.”
There was a small hand mirror on the bedside table. Yoo-seong picked it up.
“Are you still worried about my arm after seeing yourself?” Yang Jeong-cheon asked him.
He couldn’t respond right away.
The reflection staring back at him was a monster’s. His skin was covered with oil, and a pale blue translucent bandage, similar to fish scales.
It was the Red Dragon Society’s special burn treatment therapy.
Of course, the scales themselves didn’t ruin his appearance. What made him hideous was the blistering red skin beneath the bandage.
Yoo-seong could not even blink.
It was entirely shocking.
Yang Jeong-cheon coughed to break the silence.
As he said, Yoo-seong couldn’t care about his arm after seeing what happened to himself.
It was a fair result from a fair battle.
Yang Jeong-cheon wouldn’t even have felt guilty if it was Yoo-seong’s arm that was cut off.
But he can’t help but feel pity at that moment.
“Don’t be so heartbroken,” he advised the younger man. “Our Red Dragon burn treatment is the best in the world.”
He understood Yoo-seong’s reaction.
Much value has been associated with external beauty these days.
Even Biyeon, who liked him, had started painting her face these days.
“Besides… real women should recognize a man’s character rather than their appearance… Take Biyeon-i, for example.”
Yang Jeong-cheon stopped himself. It was probably too soon to talk about it.
That day, she looked appropriately sad about her father’s arm.
Yang Jeong-cheon thought that it was just her nature. She had always been good at hiding her emotions. However, when she saw Yoo-seong…
She looked absolutely devastated, with tears shamelessly dripping from her eyes.
Yang Jeong-cheon shook his head as he remembered the scene.
‘I raised my daughter in vain,’ he thought.
Tuk-!
Yang Jeong-cheon raised his head. It was the sound of liquid hitting the floor.
Tuk-!
“What the…” Yang Jeong-cheon’s eyes widened when he found the source of the sound.
Yoo-seong’s appearance was changing, looking more and more like a monster every second. The blisters on his burnt skin burst all at once.
Pus dripped down, wetting the sheet and oozing down the floor.
***
Yang Jeong-cheon’s mouth hung open as he watched Yoo-seong’s body adapt.
The damaged layer of his dermis began sucking in oil to compensate for what it had lost. Meanwhile, his outer epidermis continued to discharge pus until it ran out.
Then, the raw wounds began to harden quickly and heal. It continued for a few minutes, then-
“Good God!” a Red Dragon doctor, who came in to bring medicine, dropped the bowl he brought.
Fortunately, Yang Jeong-cheon caught it before its contents spilled.
“Be careful,” he told the doctor.
“At this age, I thought nothing could surprise me anymore,” the elderly doctor groaned.
“I can’t blame you,” Yang Jeong-cheon nodded.
The scene they were watching right now seemed pretty horrific.
Yoo-seong was standing before them, seemingly petrified.
He was covered in the remnants of the translucent blue bandage and the deep orange pus. They weren’t even sure if he was still breathing.
Yoo-seong stayed still for a few minutes.
Then…
Tuk-!
His right arm moved. The burnt skin and the bandages covering his elbows and shoulders tore.
Then, the freed right hand grabbed his face.
Jeewhook-
In one swift motion, Yoo-seong tore off his skin.
“Oh, oh, oh!” the doctor panicked at the sight.
“You must peel oranges well,” Yang Jeong-cheon remarked.
Before them, Yoo-seong remained standing.
This time, however, there were no scars or wounds on his skin. His complexion was just pale, unblemished, pink, just like a newborn baby.
“Oh… ummm…” Yoo-seong ran a hand through his scalp.
It was bare.
“Well,” Yoo-seong turned his attention to the men before him.
“Those things that fell from your body,” the doctor spoke in a trembling voice. “Can I study them?”
As soon as Yoo-seong nodded, the doctor gathered the waste at his feet. Then, the elderly doctor of the Red Dragon Society rushed out of the room.
Yoo-seong felt Yang Jeong-cheon’s eyes scanning him from head to toe.
His eyes paused for a while at Yoo-seong’s mid-section.
“Well,” Yang Jeong-cheon tilted his head. “A great leader needs a long sword…”
“Hey!” Yoo-seong pulled a sheet and wrapped it around his body.
“How long have I been out?” he changed the subject.
“A little less than two days.”
Yoo-seong’s brows furrowed.
He had come without even telling Seoyu where he was going.
Excluding the time he spent preparing for the duel, he had been gone for a full three days.
“There was something special that happened while you were asleep,” Yang Jeong-cheon added.
Yoo-seong poured himself a glass of water.
“What is it?”
“I spoke with your employer. It seems like you came without telling Tenz where you were going. I decided I don’t want them to find you here, unconscious.”
“Thank you for your consideration,” Yoo-seong said.
“This morning, Yeon-i received an invitation.”
“Yes?”
“I heard you’ve had experience with it. She was invited to a Dive.”
Yoo-seong’s eyes widened.
“You look very surprised,” Yang Jeong-cheon observed.
“No. However, it is not a common operation in our country.”
Yoo-seong had heard rumors that some countries, including China, did Dive operations secretly.
“I thought it was done very secretly,” he told Yang Jeong-cheon.
“That’s right. In fact, you’re not even supposed to reveal that you’re invited to a Dive. I just know because she’s under the Red Dragon, and I am Red Dragon’s head. Nobody else knows.”
“Wait,” Yoo-seong raised his hand. “Then why are you telling me this right now?”
“I told you. Something special happened,” Yang Jeong-cheon told him.
In China, Dives were not done solo.
A nominated hunter could view the list of other nominees, to help them decide whether they wanted to participate.
Yang Jeong-cheon stared at Yoo-seong, before he continued.
“Your name was on the list as well.”
…
Yoo-seong walked quickly along the mansion’s hallway.
He felt numerous eyes watching him.
Everyone in the Red Dragon Society knew about his duel with Yang Jeong-cheon.
Yoo-seong looked around as he continued his brisk pace. Everyone’s expressions looked sorrowful. Yang Jeong-cheon, whom they considered as the sky, was defeated.
Now, the person who cut off their Master’s arm didn’t even have any injury.
“They look good, don’t they?” He heard a voice.
He turned to find Yang Jeong-cheon walking behind him.
“That’s a crazy way to put it,” he replied.
“No,” Yang Jeong-cheon shook his head. “Everyone seems to have a heavy heart right now.”
”But now, some of them will train harder than ever because the summit has been reached. It had been possible to break through the sky,” Yang Jeong-cheon continued.
“Just by having those guys, the Red Dragon Society has gained enough. It’s worth more than an old man’s arm.”
Yoo-seong walked quietly.
“Have you seen anyone here who looked like they hated you?” Yang Jeong-cheon asked him.
“No. No one,” Yoo-seong was sure.
Suddenly, they ran into two members at a corner. The two young Red Dragon members immediately greeted Yang Jeong-cheon.
Then, they looked at Yoo-seong.
“Hello,” they quickly bowed, and went on their way.
There was absolutely no hostility in their greetings, just respect and awe.
Yoo-seong was the strongest who won a battle against the Master. The members and every hunter in the land couldn’t help but respect that.
“The Red Dragon Society will change,” Yang Jeong-cheon spoke. “Thanks to you.”
At that moment, the two arrived in front of Jeokryong-dong. Everyone except Yang Biyeon was barred from stepping foot in it.
Yoo-seong took his cellphone out and turned the screen on.
‘315 missed calls.’
He groaned.
Yoo-seong’s contract allowed him free time if there were no operations.
The calls could only be about one thing.
The Dive.
He felt torn.
Of course, he had Dive experience. But that was in Korea.
There was no need to ask if his invitation had any precedent. A foreigner who signed a free agent contract getting invited into a Chinese Dive?
‘I’m going.’
Yoo-seong’s eyes turned to the tall iron gates in front of them.
He won against Yang Jeong-cheon in battle. It was his reward.
The secrets of the Red Dragon Society lies beyond them. Secrets that had been passed down through generations.
They were waiting for Yoo-seong.
[AT NOTE: This is it for today, I’ll make up for it next week. After adding Wed and today’s we should have hit a good amount of releases. I apologize for the delays!]
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