Chapter 14
“Tiger! Why didn’t I think of that sooner?”
The altar set up at the entrance of a village with no inhabitants was meant to feed the tiger well and send it away.
Only now did the strange offerings make sense. Raw meat was a staple for predators, and rice cakes had long been said to be a tiger’s favorite food.
“So then, the dried persimmons and weapons…”
These were precautions in case the tiger attacked human homes even after receiving the offering. It was well known, even among children, that tigers feared dried persimmons.
And the weapons, which didn’t fit with the village’s ordinary setting, must belong to the Chakho Gapsa, the government hunters sent to eliminate the tiger. Just as Ian had said, it seemed the local authorities had dispatched a hunting squad to the village.
The outcome didn’t look particularly promising, though.
“Red bean porridge and chicken blood are obvious. They’re just temporary measures to fend off the spirits of those killed by the tiger.”
The ghosts of those killed by tigers became vengeful spirits, luring others and offering them as prey to the mountain god. Their victims were usually family members and close relatives.
“No wonder the whole village ended up like this.”
After running for some time, Kalisia stopped near the village entrance. Ian, who had been following without understanding why, stopped alongside her.
○○ Village
Kneeling before a rock, Kalisia began writing something on the dirt ground.
虎
患
村
Ian compared the characters on the ground with the patterns carved into the rock. Though the surface was partially damaged, he could tell they were the same.
“They match.”
“Yes, it’s Hohwan Village.”
Kalisia dusted her knees off and stood, staring at the rock.
[Keyword Achieved]
Boom—
Thud!
At that moment, a thunderous drumbeat echoed from the sky. The sound was so loud it seemed to shake the ground, and the two immediately went on alert.
[Chapter 1: People of Hohwan Village]
Hohwan Village, ravaged by a ferocious mountain god. Exhausted by tyranny, the villagers form a hunting squad to hunt the tiger…
? Command: Join the Hunting Squad
! Reward: Proceed to Next Chapter
x Failure: Register for Entry into Hohwan Village
※ A foreigner has been detected. Automatic translation services applied.
Then, a semi-transparent silk scroll appeared before Kalisia and Ian.
“What… is this?”
Whoosh—
Before Kalisia could finish speaking, a sharp dagger cut through the scroll. It was Ian. He looked at the paper, intact except for the slice, and readjusted his grip on the dagger.
“What is that?”
Kalisia, bewildered, turned to Ian.
“What is?”
“The dagger. Where did it come from?”
“My ankle.”
Ian gave a brief reply, still staring at the scroll with a sullen expression.
“You brought a dagger with you when you came to my room?”
“….”
“Planning to stab someone if things go south? Wow, you’re a scary one.”
Kalisia circled Ian, jaw agape. She had hidden the blade well under such thin clothing.
“It’s only for emergencies.”
“What kind of emergency?”
“Don’t you know? Emergency means an unexpected urgent situation…”
Boom—
Thud!
While they were bickering, the drum sounded again. The whole village was plunged into darkness.
A moment later, a large beam of light shot down like a stage spotlight. Under the light appeared a group of men. Armed with spears and bows, they wore robes that seemed straight out of the Joseon Dynasty.
The scene looked like a stage had opened, leaving Kalisia and Ian stunned.
The heroes of the mountains fail to guard the peaks and come down to slaughter humans! Blood fills the earth and sky, and resentment reaches its peak!
A booming voice announced the start of the spectacle.
“I can’t stand it anymore!”
A man with a mole on his cheek pounded his chest in frustration.
“Must humans live trembling in fear of a mere beast?”
Another man nearby shouted in agreement.
“Brother Axe speaks rightly! Whether we die here or there is the same! But when I die, I will make sure to rip the tiger cubs’ throats first!”
“Today, I will avenge the girl who died before me!”
The men each voiced their determination.
“Hey! Who are you people?”
The man called Axe spotted Kalisia and Ian and aimed his spear at them. Two outsiders appearing in this already tense village were not going to be welcomed.
From their perspective, Kalisia and Ian were foreigners who had crossed mountains and rivers.
“Step back.”
Faced with the threat, Ian raised his dagger. Though there were many of them, they were just farmers—he could handle them.
“Lower your weapon. Now!”
Kalisia panicked and pressed down Ian’s wrist.
“Bad hand! Bad hand!”
She slapped Ian’s arm and smiled at the men.
“You outsiders? Why have you come here?”
Axe’s words made Kalisia roll her eyes. Outsiders, not color-coded traders or white-faced foreigners.
In most naturalizations, everyone had a role, and in the men’s eyes, she and Ian likely looked like worthless pests.
“Who are you people!”
A man next to Axe shouted in a harsh tone.
“Rude. We’re from the Western Arkea… Ikines…”
“Ike? What? What does that mean?”
“Where did you come from? I don’t understand a word of it.”
The men murmured, confused by the unfamiliar words.
“Hey! Lakies! Lakies!”
Seeing the villagers’ reactions, Kalisia shot Ian a wide-eyed look, silently urging him to get it together.
“Didn’t you see what was written on that paper? If you don’t join the hunting squad, you’ll be trapped in this village forever!”
She made a throat-slitting gesture to warn Ian.
“Haha, sorry. This guy has a fiery temper.”
Kalisia pressed Ian’s head down with a smile.
“Don’t touch me,” Ian whispered, teeth clenched, before brushing her hand away like swatting a fly.
“We are… from Dongmakgol! I am Kim Yuha, and this is Soeddong. I’m Kim Yuha, and he’s Soeddong.”
Kalisia laughed gently, looping her arm around Ian’s shoulder.
“Want to die?”
“Do you think I want to? Smile, haha. Unless you want to live peacefully here with me.”
Kalisia attempted ventriloquism.
“Dongmakgol? Never heard of it. So why are you here?”
One of the men waved a spear and asked.
“Well… the Chakho Gapsa came to the village recently, right?”
Kalisia asked with a sad look, hoping to calm their suspicions by appealing to shared suffering.
“Most of the Chakho Gapsa hunting tigers lost their lives on the spot. A few survived, but injuries were severe—they couldn’t last more than a few days.”
“From what we heard earlier, you’re heading out to hunt the tigers. Could we come along?”
“Better to check the hill behind the village. We’ve made a small grave for the fallen Chakho Gapsa. Light some incense there and return quickly.”
“This is Soeddong, the younger brother of a Chakho Gapsa who was killed by a tiger in this village. Please help him avenge his brother.”
Kalisia pushed Ian forward in front of the hesitant men.
“He’s not as good as his brother, but he’s skilled in martial arts. He won’t cause trouble.”
Suddenly receiving everyone’s attention, Ian frowned and looked back at Kalisia.
“Show a few sword techniques. You always practiced at the training ground, remember?”
Kalisia whispered to Ian, hands neatly clasped.
“I’m not a circus, and my swordplay is not a showpiece.”
“Since you’ve been refusing to cooperate, does that mean you want to stay here with me forever? Is this a proposal? Am I missing something?”
Kalisia shot out words like a machine gun.
Ian’s face turned red and blue repeatedly at her talk of spending a lifetime together.
