When Jiho, who had been fast asleep, opened his eyes at dawn, his surroundings were still dark.
The reason Jiho opened his eyes was because of a concerning sound.
“Euk, eugh…”
It was the sound of Joo Yiwon in pain.
As soon as Jiho realized that the pained moans were coming from Joo Yiwon, his sleepiness disappeared.
Jiho never went to bed last night, but he woke up in his bed. Not only had he been changed into a clean pair of pajamas, but he also smelled like body wash, even though he doesn’t remember taking a bath.
Because this wasn’t the time to get angry at Yiwon for changing Jiho’s clothes on his own, Jiho quickly looked over at Yiwon.
Yiwon was covered in cold sweat like an extremely sick person. On top of that, his face was as white as a sheet of paper.
As this was the first time Jiho’s ever seen Yiwon in pain, Jiho’s thoughts fell into disarray.
Before he awakened, Joo Yiwon had never even caught a cold before. Yet as an SS-rank now, what could be causing him so much pain?
Jiho wanted to adjust Yiwon to lie in a proper position before calling Chungram Guild. But right then, Jiho smelled the bitter scent of blood.
‘Was he hurt?’
If he’s hurt, then performing first aid with potions is the first step. Without a second thought, Jiho immediately ripped off Yiwon’s pajama shirt.
At the terrible sight under his clothes, Jiho went speechless.
“What, what is this….”
A ghastly wound was on Yiwon’s left chest. Where a human’s heart should be located was a hideous gash, as if something had been ripped out of him. Yiwon’s appearance was appalling; not only was his skin and flesh barely hanging on, but a bit of the bright red organ was even visible.
Though a barrier skill was blocking outside infections, all that skill could do was prevent the current situation from worsening.
“Hey. Joo Yiwon….”
Jiho’s head turned white from his shock and fear. Yiwon’s condition was so bad that Jiho doesn’t understand how Yiwon was able to function normally.
Unable to decide if he had to wake Yiwon up or not, Jiho pulled an item out of his inventory.
Information
| Ambrosia | |
| Rank | S |
| Description | Consumable item. This fruit that cultivators are known to eat looks like a peach. Once consumed, all injuries are healed, HP and MP are restored, and fatigue disappears. |
| Creator | Jeong Cho Hui |
It was the item Jiho received as a gift from Kim Tae Yong last time, [Ambrosia].
Jiho grabbed [Ambrosia] with trembling hands. But in order for the peach-shaped item to take effect, it has to be consumed. Since it’s a soft peach, Jiho thinks that Yiwon should be able to swallow it as long as it gets past his throat, but….
“I don’t know, just eat it.”
Jiho cut a small piece of the [Ambrosia] with his dagger before pushing it into Joo Yiwon’s mouth. Even though Jiho shoved his finger in Yiwon’s mouth in an attempt to force the fruit down, Yiwon ended up spitting it back out when Jiho accidentally poked his throat. After continuous failures, Jiho’s hand trembled even harder. Despite multiple attempts, all Yiwon did was moan. He didn’t look like he was going to eat it.
“…”
Jiho looked awkwardly between the [Ambrosia] and Yiwon before biting his lip.
“This is just CPR. Okay?”
Jiho whispered to who knows who and then, with a determined expression, pushed the [Ambrosia] into his own mouth. Jiho slowly lowered his head and brought his lips down onto Yiwon’s.
Yiwon’s lips were both rough and hot, and they also smelled like blood. Jiho felt like he wanted to cry as he pried Yiwon’s lips apart.
Jiho moved the small piece of fruit from his mouth to Yiwon’s, using his tongue to push the fruit deeper into Yiwon’s mouth. Although Jiho was bothered by Yiwon’s tongue moving around and touching his, it did make it a little easier to feed Yiwon. Jiho tried his best to ignore the feeling of Yiwon’s tongue as he bit off pieces of the [Ambrosia] and fed them to Yiwon.
“Ha….”
After feeding Yiwon about half of the [Ambrosia], Jiho pushed himself up with a complicated look on his face. Even though [Ambrosia] is known for a taste just as outstanding as its effects, Jiho didn’t have the energy to think about that right now. Despite eating half of an S-rank recovery item, there wasn’t much improvement in Yiwon’s body.
“As if he wouldn’t have eaten something like this already….”
Jiho finally realized something. Joo Yiwon is the hunter with the most S-rank items in the world. If he wanted to, he could use S-rank recovery items like they’re water. He’s probably already used items better than [Ambrosia]. There’s no way that a single [Ambrosia] will be of any help at this point.
Jiho was so nervous that he only thought of this after he had already fed half of the item to Yiwon…. It’s not that the item was a waste, but he wasted so much time. And Jiho was also embarrassed by his action of feeding the item to Yiwon with his mouth.
Jiho cut the sweet-smelling [Ambrosia] in half and slipped the untouched half back into his inventory before putting the rest of the fruit into his mouth again.
‘Let’s just feed him the rest of what he was eating.’
Though it might not be of great help, wouldn’t it at least be of the tiniest bit? And since, from a hygienic perspective, it’s best to get rid of the parts that were bitten out of, Jiho once again lowered his body over Yiwon’s.
‘This probably won’t count as a first kiss, right?’
Although they’ve rubbed their lips against each other’s plenty of times already, Jiho still felt complicated. But since they’ve already been rubbed, it’s too late to regret it now.
With his complicated thoughts, Jiho was about to feed Yiwon the last piece of the [Ambrosia] when.
Jiho’s body suddenly flipped.
“OW!”
Yiwon grabbed Jiho and pushed him down into the bed.
“Hey, if you make sudden movements like that, your wound is going to open!”
Jiho hurriedly checked where Yiwon’s wound was. Though it didn’t change much from when he first saw it…. It does look like it got a little better from up close.
But when Jiho looked up at Joo Yiwon’s face, Yiwon’s face was the palest he’s ever seen. Yiwon was in terrible condition: not only was he dripping in cold sweat, but his lips were split as well. Yet his golden eyes were vicious enough to kill.
“I thought I told you that if you played another trick like this again, I will kill you.”
Chills ran down Jiho’s entire body when he heard the low growl.
‘Is he saying that to me?’
There’s no way. Jiho was so shocked that he couldn’t say anything, just blinking up at Yiwon.
Yiwon glared at Jiho’s silence and expressionlessly brought his hands around Jiho’s neck. Even though this action was threatening, because the other was Joo Yiwon, Jiho didn’t feel any sense of danger. However, despite Jiho’s trust, Yiwon tightened his hold.
“Die.”
The low voice laced with murderous intent. The strength blocking his breath. Under the relentless force of Yiwon’s hands, Jiho couldn’t breathe.
…He’s really trying to kill him.
Finally realizing the danger he was in, Jiho started to kick his feet. Although Jiho was trying his hardest to escape, Yiwon’s hand was like a rake, not letting Jiho go.
With Yiwon’s strength, it’d be easy to snap Jiho’s neck just like that. Yet Yiwon didn’t put any more power into his grip and just calmly looked on, as if he was enjoying Jiho’s pain.
Jiho was more afraid of Yiwon’s unfamiliar gaze than his neck being strangled.
The eyes of someone enjoying another’s pain–no, the eyes of a bloodthirsty murderer, who no longer finds the slightest bit of joy in this low level of stimulation.
Is this a dream?
Nothing feels real. Not Yiwon getting hurt, not him strangling Jiho’s neck, nothing. None of this can happen in reality.
“Joo, Yiwon…!”
If this is a dream, Jiho wants to wake up. Jiho doesn’t want to dream a nightmare like this. When Jiho desperately called Yiwon’s name, Yiwon froze and took his hands off of Jiho’s neck.
Finally relieved, Jiho curled his body up into a ball and coughed. His previously blocked airway was in such pain that tears came to Jiho’s eyes.
“Cough, cough…!”
“I was going to let you die in one piece.”
A chilling voice was heard from above Jiho’s head. Jiho looked up at Joo Yiwon with teary eyes. Right now, Joo Yiwon was releasing an incomparably murderous energy.
‘The sea….’
Despite the situation, an uncharacteristically peaceful thought passed through Jiho head. The great amount of mana flowing out of the enraged Yiwon resembled the deep sea.
Unlike Jiho, Yiwon was not calm. He violently grabbed Jiho’s head and slammed it into the bed. Even though the mattress was soft, Yiwon was so strong that Jiho’s body where he hit the bed ached. Through his hazy consciousness, Jiho opened his mouth.
“Hey, Joo Yiwon. Wake up….”
“Stop talking like Jiho.”
Yiwon fiercely growled. Hearing this warning, Jiho, who was accused of talking like himself, felt extremely wronged.
Who is this bastard mistaking him for? His sleeping habits are too extreme to just brush them off.
However, those words were stuck in his throat. That is because Yiwon’s mana suddenly forced itself into Jiho.
“ACK…!”
The sharp mana surged into Jiho’s body and moved around in it.
Something is dangerous.
Jiho instinctively felt that he can’t let Yiwon do this. Then.
System Management
| XX skill is not applicable. |
System Management
| XX skill has been nullified. |
…With these system windows, Yiwon’s mana melted away from Jiho.
Yiwon glared at Jiho, as if he couldn’t believe what had happened just now. Then, he tried to use the skill again, and again.
After a couple of repeats and checks.
“Ah.”
Yiwon softly sighed. At the same time, Yiwon’s expression softened, as if he had never shown such a violent expression. In an instant, like two sides of a coin. To a perfectly different appearance, like night and day.
Yiwon looked at Jiho like he was looking at the most lovely thing in the world. Love, warmth, longing…. A bright smile appeared on the pale face as it slowly turned red. Yet Yiwon still stared at Jiho intently.
“So this is a dream.”
“…”
“I didn’t know this was a dream, sorry. But it’s been a while since you’ve visited me in my dreams.”
Jiho doesn’t understand why Yiwon keeps mistaking him for a fake or a dream. He should’ve just called Chungram Guild before he fed Yiwon the [Ambrosia].
In order to call them now, Jiho pushed his body up. But Yiwon was faster, pulling Jiho into his embrace.
“Hey, wait….”
“No.”
“What do you mean ‘no’?” Let me call someone. Does Noona know you’re going around like this too? If you’re this hurt, you should be resting, not working. Why are they overworking a person? They’re too much, really.”
Angered, Jiho spat all of this out at once. Hearing this though, Yiwon’s eyes curved in satisfaction.
“You talk like the real Jiho today. I like this kind of dream too.”
“I talk like the real Jiho because I am the real Jiho!”
“Eung, I missed you.”
“No…. Ha, you’re the one who didn’t come home.”
“You really talk like Jiho. This doesn’t feel like a dream.”
“Like I said, this isn’t a dream. But you, do you dream of me? If you dream anything weird, I’m going to kil….”
“Jiho-ya, I love you.”
Their conversations couldn’t be continued. Jiho gave up on trying to talk more and instead pushed Yiwon off. At this, Yiwon turned slightly violent again, pulling Jiho into a tighter embrace.
“Shin Jiho….”
“Ah! Hey, move!”
Their bodies were too close, touching each other. Jiho tried to push Yiwon, who was uncomfortably close, away, but Yiwon’s leg locked Jiho in place. No matter what Jiho did to escape, Yiwon’s arm stayed tightly wrapped around Jiho’s waist and wouldn’t let it go.
“Joo, Joo Yiwon….”
Jiho suddenly felt fear. The other person felt like a stranger, not the Joo Yiwon that he knows.
Yiwon looked excitedly at Jiho’s fear-filled eyes before letting out a low breath. The warm breath tickled Jiho’s ear and neck.
“Why are you afraid, Jiho-ya….”
Yiwon’s lips, which had been chanting Jiho’s name over and over again, fell lower. Jiho felt something soft touch his neck. Before he could do anything else, sharp teeth bit into his skin.
“ACK!”
The weird sensation hurt so much that Jiho almost lost consciousness. Yiwon, who had bit Jiho’s neck hard enough to draw blood, moaned in ecstasy and hugged Jiho even tighter. With this, the pain on Jiho’s neck increased.
“Ah, euk….”
Soon, the pain disappeared as if he had taken an anesthetic. Instead, Jiho suddenly felt something being sucked out of him.
“Ah…!”
A great power inside of Jiho, a power Jiho didn’t even know he had, was being sucked away by Joo Yiwon. Jiho’s head instantly spun. He felt like everything was falling away.
It’s been a while since Jiho felt this dizzy. Jiho lost all strength to fight back and fell limp.
| Stop! |
| Stop! |
| You evil bastard! |
| You ungrateful bastard! |
| Thief! ᕕ(ꐦ°᷄д°᷅)ᕗ |
A system window blinked rapidly in front of Jiho’s eyes. But Jiho didn’t have the energy to try to understand what it was saying.
When Jiho felt like he had no more strength left, Jiho lost consciousness.
Morning.
Jiho doesn’t even know when he fell asleep. Shocked by the sunlight shining on his eyelids, Jiho sprang up.
Reflexively, Jiho turned his head. Joo Yiwon was sleeping peacefully next to him.
“…”
Jiho recalled everything that had happened before he fainted. Although Yiwon biting him and the strange sensation of his vitality being sucked out was horrible, he was more concerned about another issue: Yiwon’s wound. The wound that looked like his organs were going to fall out at any second.
Jiho started to pull on Yiwon, who had changed into a pair of pajamas before falling asleep on someone else’s bed without their permission, to take his shirt off. But because Yiwon had fallen asleep facing Jiho, it wasn’t easy.
In the midst of this struggle, Yiwon’s eyes opened. Slightly sleepy-eyed, Yiwon showed a lewd smile.
“Honey…. You’re very proactive this morning.”
“Move your arm.”
Jiho yelled. Still half-asleep, Yiwon obediently moved his arm. Jiho violently ripped off Yiwon’s pajama shirt.
“…I’m embarrassed, Honey.”
Yiwon shyly lifted his hands to cover his chest. Instead of covering it though, Yiwon placed his hands in an awkward position, thus accentuating his pectoral muscles….
That’s right. Muscles. Smooth skin laid over perfectly fine muscles.
The terrible wound Jiho saw last night had disappeared, as if it had never existed. Rather than disappearing, it looked like there had never been a wound there in the first place.
‘Was it a dream?’
Were all of the strange things that happened last night just a really bad nightmare? Everything felt a little too real to mistake as a dream, but… after all, there’s no way Yiwon would suddenly jump at Jiho to kill him.
While Jiho was thinking this way, there was a faint bite mark on Jiho’s neck, but it soon disappeared.
LaZ Bird Corner
A VERY interesting chapter… Any guesses on the wound or what Yiwon was talking about?
Also not Jiho’s number one concern being Yiwon’s wound and not him literally being strangled…
!!Update Notes!!
There will be a one week break! The next chapter, Chapter 70: Level Up! (1) will be up Thursday 5/2!
In the meantime….
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