No matter how difficult the night is, morning will always come.
Traps set by bandits, the appearance of Tang Geoh, intrusions by Demonic Cult members, and even battles. It was a tough night, but in the end, we were lucky to see the morning sunlight.
Of course, mentioning that Hwa Rin brought that luck like a four-leaf clover goes without saying.
“Antidote! We need the antidote!”
“Come here.”
Is it Hwa Rin’s ability? After touching the poisoned individuals a few times, she pulled out the poison from their bodies as if she were a mutant capable of manipulating iron objects as she pleased.
“Oh my….”
“This is the poison.”
“I thought it was a legendary being.”
Even though I’m a novice regarding poison techniques, it’s fascinating. How incredible must it be for those who can handle poison directly?
The guard unit members looked at Hwa Rin with expressions of disbelief, as if they had seen a friend whom they thought would remain a lifelong single bring a stunningly beautiful girlfriend to the gathering.
“Here! Bandages are needed.”
“Yes. Coming!”
I stood in awe of Hwa Rin’s miraculous ability and busily moved among the injured.
———–
“We’ll take care of the rest. Please rest.”
As I checked on the guard unit members rushing around, the ones who had gathered themselves started tending to their fellow comrades in serious condition.
“I’ll help if needed.”
I said with an apologetic expression while touching the area that a man had treated.
“The minor patients have been seen to. From here on, it’s best for those with medical knowledge to coordinate. You’ve been up all night, so please rest for a bit.”
As expected of the self-healing guard unit. I mean, saying that I would help them is like a civilian walking into an operating room.
“Alright. Then call me anytime if you need help.”
I sat down at a distance, careful not to disturb the treatment of the guard unit, but still in a position from which I could jump back in to help if needed.
“Were you resting?”
While I stared blankly at the guard unit members, Hwa Rin suddenly appeared in front of me. Was she done with her tasks?
“Yeah.”
“I want to rest now too.”
As she said this, Hwa Rin sat down next to me.
Why is she sitting so close even though there’s plenty of space? Should I tell her to sit further away? I decided against it, not wanting to disturb her mood, considering she was mentally and physically exhausted.
We quietly watched the busy guard unit members. The silence felt unnatural. I needed to say something.
“Did you become a poison master?”
Though I knew everyone already noticed, I said it casually as if it were a light topic, like commenting on the weather in the morning.
“Yeah.”
Hwa Rin looked at me and nodded slightly.
“Is your skin alright? When a friend became a poison master, their skin would get crushed or melt away.”
I said this with concern, thinking of the original Tang Hwa Rin.
“It was already weird.”
Hwa Rin answered, her lips puckered slightly, seeming dissatisfied.
“No, that’s not what I meant….”
Talking about skin might not be the best topic. But I couldn’t help worrying.
“If you want to check, go ahead and check.”
Hwa Rin said, glancing at her chest that she could see with just a slight bow of her head. What? Is she really suggesting I check there?
Common sense would say she meant to check her skin. But the real issue was that tempting sight. Just sneaking a glance made rational thinking impossible.
“I think it looks fine.”
I said, rolling up Hwa Rin’s sleeve to reveal her skin.
“Haah….”
Hwa Rin sighed with a complicated expression as she looked at me and the exposed skin on my hand.
“Now that I see, your face seems to have improved.”
Up close, there was definitely a difference. Of course, the spots on her face hadn’t disappeared, but it was clear that it was better than before we set out.
“Really?”
Her face lit up at my compliment.
“I bet guys are going to line up to throw compliments at you once you put on some makeup.”
It might take a bit of effort at her vanity, though. I can guarantee it. Once, during college, I accidentally saw the bare face of a junior, and she had tons of acne scars beneath her pretty face.
Suddenly, a sad memory came to mind. When she showed no concern about her bare face in front of me, I thought maybe she was being genuine with me. Was that a green light? I liked her for no reason.
Reality hit though when a slightly better-looking friend showed up, and she quickly blushed and ran away. I realized I had not been in her radar all along.
“You too?”
While I was lost in thought about my sad memories, Hwa Rin looked up at me and asked.
“Huh?”
“You too?”
“Uh? Uh oh.”
I stammered, confused by the sudden question.
“What’s with that vague response?”
I thought I was revealing my flustered reaction. Why is she suddenly acting like this?
My radar that detects green lights with girls had come alive after a while. Of course, previously, whenever the green light turned on, the hit rate for correct answers was 100 percent wrong anyway.
Did we experience so much in just one night that we were both mentally exhausted?
“We never know when the next trouble might strike! Move quickly!”
As I pondered what to say, I heard the guard unit leader’s shout. It’s surprising to be alive after getting injured, yet he’s still leading everyone amidst this chaos.
“Hwa Rin, it seems we can’t take your mother due to circumstances.”
As Hwa Rin and I looked at the guard unit leader, one of the members approached us with an apologetic expression, informing her about her mother’s remains.
“Yes. Please handle her with the others.”
“Yes. Then I’ll proceed with the arrangements.”
The member nodded and returned to his position.
“Will you be alright?”
I asked Hwa Rin, who was silently watching the departing member.
“I can’t be a burden.”
Hwa Rin muttered, seemingly dejected.
I had nothing to say. Even though things weren’t good between them, witnessing her mother’s death would surely be a shock. Offering comforting words might only hurt.
As I pondered how to help, I felt a heavy weight on my shoulder. Instinctively, I brushed it off as if rejecting the head of a drunken man sitting next to me on the subway.
Hwa Rin glared at me, electricity crackling in her stare. Sorry, I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I slightly tilted my body, creating a space for her on my shoulder.
Hwa Rin leaned her head back against my unprotected shoulder.
“Stay strong.”
“I’m not sad, but it feels weird. Because of those damn things, my life has become damn.”
“There will only be good things from now on.”
Should I pat her? I cautiously reached out and wrapped my arm around her other shoulder. I could feel her shoulder quivering slightly with awkwardness, but thankfully, she didn’t refuse.
“Ahem.”
“Youth, huh.”
“Why would I cry over this?”
The guard unit members awkwardly cleared their throats as they glanced over at us.
Feeling embarrassed that they probably heard our entire conversation. Hwa Rin seemed to react to the sound too, suddenly widening the gap between us.
“Hwa Rin.”
To lighten the awkward mood, I decided to ask her something I really wanted to know.
“Yes?”
“About that poison kill space you mentioned earlier.”
“Ahhh!”
Hwa Rin screamed like a gargoyle the moment she heard my question and jumped up.
“Haha!”
I could barely contain my laughter at her bright red face.
“Don’t laugh!”
“Hehehe!”
Hello, Tea and Book Club members. Hwa Rin here just used a poison kill space!
“Don’t laugh!”
Hwa Rin grabbed my shoulder and began shaking me violently. I was shaking like a dancing balloon in a store opening as I kept laughing.
“Seriously. I think I need to die.”
Hwa Rin mumbled with a ghostly expression as I couldn’t stop laughing. What do you mean, you can’t die!
I managed to suppress my laughter and spoke to Hwa Rin.
“You were truly amazing. The martial art you showcased was way cooler than what I imagined.”
“R-really? Was it cool?”
Hwa Rin’s lips curled into a smile. Yes, it was clearly an awesome moment to witness. She probably wanted to boast about her martial art too.
“I never expected you to deliver the lines perfectly.”
“Uuuuu!”
Hwa Rin’s face turned increasingly red. How cute she looked as she struggled with the mention of her past embarrassment.
“Since I couldn’t hear it properly from afar, mind saying that line again in front of me?”
“Yoon Ho. Do you really want to die?”
“By that poison kill space?”
“Ahhhh!”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
Just as I was about to burst with laughter, the guard unit members approached us.
“Is something going on?”
“Hwa Rin, was that martial art you used our Tang Family’s martial arts?”
One of the members asked Hwa Rin on behalf of the team.
“It’s a martial art that Yoon Ho and I created.”
“Then you indeed used the Tang Family’s rise of the poison kill space?”
“Umm… Yes.”
Hwa Rin nodded shyly, slightly embarrassed. The atmosphere around us became lively.
“I told you! I did hear it!”
“It’s indeed a possible martial art!”
“Hwa Rin, the moment you yelled ‘Poison Kill Space,’ I felt victory in my bones!”
“The Tang Master herself, truly, is the embodiment of the Tang Jung of this era.”
“If that poison kill space is a martial art you prepared for volume 3, is that the last move?”
“N-no. Um…”
Hwa Rin appeared flustered by the excitement of the crowd.
Regardless of her reactions, the members continued chanting in excitement.
“That line you boldly proclaimed before the Demonic Cult! Please say it again!”
“I was about to shed a tear when I heard that line. I would love to hear it once more.”
“Ugh…”
Hwa Rin could just refuse, but it seemed she wasn’t used to such positive attention in front of many people.
“Uh, come, to my poison kill space.”
She just updated her embarrassing past.
“Ooohh!’
“Poison! Kill! Space!”
“Hwa Rin! I am a butterfly wandering in darkness. Come, to my poison kill space!”
“Hwa Rin, while you’re at it, let’s update your embarrassing history with a little upgrade.”
“Oh, that line is so cool! Was it written specifically for you by Writer Ho Pil?”
“Yes. That line suits Hwa Rin perfectly!”
“I agree!”
“Rise of the Tang Family! Rise of the Tang Family!”
“Poison Kill Space!”
“Poison! Kill! Space!”
“You all are really going to die!”
Eventually, unable to contain herself, Hwa Rin exploded.
————————
As the mess was being cleaned up, the guard unit leader approached Hwa Rin.
“May I give you a check-up?”
It seemed the guard unit leader wanted to assess Hwa Rin’s condition after she became a poison master.
“Yes.”
As Hwa Rin extended her wrist, the leader checked her pulse.
In just a moment, the leader’s expression suddenly turned serious.
“W-what is this? Bring me the medicinal herbs over there immediately!”
“What’s going on?”
I immediately asked the guard unit leader.
“Quickly. Sit in a lotus position and contemplate internally.”
Ignoring my question, the guard unit leader spoke to Hwa Rin in an agitated voice.
“Y-yes.”
Hwa Rin looked bewildered but sat in a lotus position and closed her eyes.
“Everyone needs to retreat at least 50 steps immediately!”
At the leader’s shout, all the members nearby quickly created distance. Was something wrong?
“Uh?”
As if realizing something, Hwa Rin opened her eyes wide and looked at the guard unit leader while remaining in her lotus position.
“This is not the time to be surprised! Child! Draw the poison to one side!”
“No way!”
Hwa Rin shouted urgently.
“Impossible! If the poisonous substance’s attraction restricts its movement, bind the poison with the toxic substance as much as possible! Hurry!”
“Y-yes!”
Hwa Rin closed her eyes again, returning to her lotus position.
Did a problem arise regarding her ability to handle poison? Was she not fully a poison master yet?
A heavy silence pressed down around Hwa Rin. How much time passed? Hwa Rin opened her eyes sadly, looking for someone.
She spotted me among the crowd and smiled sadly.
“Yoon Ho… I’m sorry. I think I failed too.”
With that, Hwa Rin collapsed.
“Hwa Rin!”
“It’s still dangerous! Don’t come closer!”
“What in the world is going on!”
She was fine just a moment ago. Why did she collapse? I barely stopped myself from rushing over to Hwa Rin and shouted at the guard unit leader.
The leader looked at me and Hwa Rin with a solemn expression before finally opening his mouth.
“Right now, we need to go to the Sichuan Tang Family to save this girl.”
