Chapter 128

Chapter 128
## Chapter: 128

### Chapter Title: Black Wolf (2)

—

“I don’t understand why the sound feels like it’s retreating further away.”

“It appears to be in constant motion.”

Cheol Woo and Noejeon, who had been pursuing the bellows of the Black Wolf, felt their impatience rise as the gap between them refused to shrink.

“What is wrong with you two?”

Sima Geon, having caught up to them from the rear, glared at his subordinates with visible irritation.

“The distance just isn’t closing, Boss.”

“Unbelievable. Has it been so long since we departed the Divine Demon Division that your brains have rotted? When did we ever resort to chasing our targets on foot?”

In a heartbeat, Cheol Woo and Noejeon stood paralyzed as the realization hit.

“We really are dim-witted.”

Cheol Woo struck his own head in a fit of self-annoyance, while Noejeon kicked at a pebble on the path, looking for any excuse to hide his embarrassment.

Sima Geon exhaled a breath of pure exasperation, shaped his lips, and released a piercing, sustained whistle.

The sound, powered by his internal cultivation, vibrated through the surrounding air and traveled a great distance.

*Woooooo!*

A feral howl echoed back in response.

The previously distant cries began to approach with startling velocity until, finally, the Black Wolf emerged, silhouetted against the pale glow of the moon.

“Kuhahaha! Black Wolf!”

Cheol Woo erupted into boisterous laughter, waving his limbs with frantic joy. The Black Wolf, already sprinting toward the group, accelerated even further.

“Wait? There is an object on its back.”

Noejeon, whose excitement had matched Cheol Woo’s, noticed something clinging to the creature’s spine.

“What? Oh, you’re right, there is.”

Cheol Woo, initially dismissive, squinted and rubbed his eyes to get a better look.

“It’s a human.”

“Yes. A person.”

The jubilant energy vanished from their faces, replaced instantly by grim focus.

The temperament of the Black Wolf was notoriously vicious. It permitted no one to come near except the Divine Demon Division members who had raised it from a cub. Anyone else who tried would have been torn apart by its legendary ferocity.

The fact that it was carrying someone—even if they looked half-dead—meant the rider was undoubtedly a comrade from the Divine Demon Division.

The Black Wolf skidded to a halt and began nuzzling Sima Geon’s leg with frantic energy. It was clearly a display of affection, but the men weren’t looking at the beast; their eyes were locked on the slumped figure it carried.

“Yes, it is good to see you as well.”

Sima Geon stroked the animal’s snout to settle its nerves. Meanwhile, Cheol Woo and Noejeon moved in to confirm the rider’s identity.

“Oh, it’s Big Sis Surin.”

Noejeon recognized So Surin’s features and reached out to help her down—

“Get back.”

Sima Geon’s command was sharp and sudden. Startled, Noejeon jumped back a few paces.

“What in the world…?”

Cheol Woo stood frozen, staring at the visible miasma of toxic energy radiating from So Surin as she hung limp on the creature’s back.

“Are you unharmed?”

Noejeon took several deep breaths to steady his racing heart before nodding at Sima Geon.

“I’m alright.”

“And you?”

Sima Geon turned his gaze to Cheol Woo.

“I can endure this. But damn, that’s some foul energy.”

“This is no common toxin.”

Even Sima Geon, a man whose body was immune to virtually all known poisons, spoke with a tone of caution. The corruption leaking from So Surin was so potent that the grass beneath the Black Wolf’s paws had already begun to shrivel and turn black.

“What on earth has she gotten herself into?!”

Cheol Woo barked in frustration, then quickly reached out to pet the flinching Black Wolf.

“I’m not yelling at you, pup. Don’t worry. You must have gone through hell to get here. You did well.”

The Black Wolf leaned into the familiar touch, emitting a low, contented growl and shaking its mane.

“You’re a resilient one. Living through this level of poison.”

“Is the animal truly okay? I know the Black Wolf is special, but the Division Leader looks worried. It’s dangerous. It looks like it’s been soaking in that poison for a while.”

Noejeon looked at the wolf with concern; the creature seemed happy to be reunited but kept its distance as if it sensed its own toxicity.

“It will survive. Have you forgotten? We’ve been feeding it rare elixirs since it was small. It’s consumed more spiritual medicine than most humans. Not to mention, it’s spent its life eating every poisonous herb and venomous snake it could find. It’s nearly died and recovered a dozen times over. And don’t forget the Celestial Pure Jade Milk from the Ghost Gate Clan…”

“That is enough,” Sima Geon interrupted quietly.

“Ahem, well, essentially, the beast has undergone bone transformation and fetal rebirth in its own way. It won’t be taken down by a little poison.”

“Ha! You really love to brag just because it lost some fur once. This isn’t the first time it’s happened.”

Noejeon rolled his eyes, prompting Cheol Woo to glare back with total seriousness.

“I am telling you it’s the truth! I saw it with my own eyes—the shedding of fur, the bone transformation right there. Use your head. Why do you think we call it Black Wolf? It was jet black from birth. Does it make sense for its coat to turn silver overnight for no reason?”

“Sure, sure. If you say so.”

Cheol Woo gritted his teeth at Noejeon’s dismissive tone.

On that specific night, following the mission at the Ghost Gate Clan that Sima Geon had labeled as destiny, the rest of the crew had been drinking themselves into a stupor. Cheol Woo was the only one who saw the wolf’s evolution. The tragedy was that nobody believed him.

“Damn, if the boss hadn’t been busy meditating, he would have confirmed it.”

“Be quiet. Let’s return,” Sima Geon said as he carefully lifted So Surin from the Black Wolf’s back.

“Boss, the danger—!”

Noejeon started to shout a warning but cut himself off.

Regardless of whether he heard, Sima Geon was already moving toward their camp with great speed.

“Fool. Who do you think you’re talking to? That’s the boss,” Cheol Woo teased, following behind with the Black Wolf, which was happily wagging its tail.

“What’s her condition?” Cheol Woo asked, his voice laced with anxiety.

“Her internal pathways are knotted, and her essence is in a state of violent chaos. It is a disaster. How she managed to stay conscious long enough to get here is a miracle.”

Sima Geon looked down at the unconscious So Surin with a flicker of sorrow.

“That bad?”

“Yes. I’ve suppressed the internal pressure for the moment, but her recovery will be difficult. There is something unnatural here.”

“What do you mean?”

“There is an alien energy rooted in her body. Something powerful. I cannot identify the source yet, but the poison she is emitting is likely a byproduct of it.”

“Did she train in some forbidden poison technique?”

“I don’t know. We will get answers when she wakes. For now, we wait.”

Sima Geon stepped outside for a moment to give the gathered, stunned group a brief explanation of the Black Wolf’s arrival and some stern orders.

“…That is the situation. It is extremely dangerous, so stay away from her room.”

Sima Hyeon and Sima Ho nodded, their faces drained of color by the warning. Manchu was frozen in place, his eyes glued to the massive Black Wolf standing in the courtyard.

“Don’t look so terrified. It won’t bite you. Just relax. If you get to know him, he’s as gentle as a house pet.”

Cheol Woo tossed a large piece of meat toward the beast and grinned.

Starving for real sustenance, the Black Wolf caught the meat mid-air and finished it in seconds.

“Want to try? You’re going to be living with it anyway—might as well make friends through its stomach.”

Cheol Woo gestured for them to come closer with a playful smirk.

Sima Hyeon, Sima Ho, and Manchu all stepped back, shaking their heads frantically, but Gwa Yu stepped forward to join Cheol Woo.

“Now that’s a man! Someone with actual courage. Here, take this. Don’t get too close, though. It might take a finger.”

“……”

“Kuhuhu! I’m only joking. It knows who is a friend. You’re safe.”

It wasn’t comforting.

Gwa Yu took the meat, paused for a tense second, and then held it out to the Black Wolf, which was staring him down with intense yellow eyes.

Though he tried to look brave, cold sweat was running down Gwa Yu’s spine, and his hand trembled at the thought of the wolf mistaking his arm for a snack.

As if sensing his fear and finding it amusing, the Black Wolf deftly snatched the meat and walked away.

Cheol Woo and Noejeon laughed at the display, while those watching from the safety of the back could only stare in silence.

About an hour later, So Surin, who had been in a deep coma, finally woke up.

Sima Geon had to flow his own energy into her to stabilize her surging qi as she woke up with a scream of agony.

“Haa… Haa…!”

As the pain finally receded, So Surin gasped for air, her clothes soaked with perspiration.

“Are you alright?” Cheol Woo asked softly.

“I had such a strange dream… a giant bear was jumping around. So it was just you, Cheol Woo.”

So Surin managed a wide, weak grin.

“You crazy woman! Boss, if she’s talking trash like she used to, she’s going to be fine.”

“What do you mean trash? It hurts. Everything hurts so much.”

When So Surin tried to sit up, Sima Geon placed a firm hand on her shoulder to keep her down.

“Do not move.”

“Thank you, Division Leader. I finally found you.”

“How did you know where to find us?”

At Sima Geon’s question, So Surin’s expression darkened for a brief second.

“That madman Yin Jeokso told me. He said you and this brute were here.”

“Yin Jeokso? Who is that?” Cheol Woo asked, trying to recall the name.

“A lunatic. A monster. The enemy I am going to rip apart with my own bare hands.”

The sheer malice in So Surin’s voice made even Cheol Woo flinch.

“The name doesn’t ring a bell. How does he know us?” Sima Geon asked, narrowing his eyes.

“He said you were the one who killed him.”

“Killed who?”

“Yin Seolhui.”

“No… from the Ten Thousand Poisons Valley?” Sima Geon’s eyes widened in realization.

“Exactly. Her younger brother. We thought that entire bloodline was wiped out, but this bastard survived. He was always unstable, but his sister’s death pushed him over the edge. Now he is on a warpath for vengeance against the man who took her life.”

Sima Geon clenched his fist tight.

It didn’t take much to realize where the insane wrath of Yin Jeokso was being aimed.

“Are the others in his custody as well?”

So Surin nodded weakly.

“All twenty of them?”

“Yes. How did you know there were twenty captured?”

“I got word from an informant. I thought you were being held in the Brain Prison—why were you at the Ten Thousand Poisons Valley?”

“We weren’t in the prison long. Maybe two weeks. Then we were sent straight to the valley.”

“Like throwing a fish into a cat’s mouth,” Cheol Woo muttered.

So Surin’s eyes flared with anger.

“Shut up—are we the fish?”

“It was just a metaphor.”

“Ha! You’re still just a stupid deputy.”

So Surin turned her head back to Sima Geon, who remained stoic.

“The moment we arrived at the Ten Thousand Poisons Valley, that psychopath began his experiments on us. Two of us died on the first day. Five more followed within the week. But do you want to know the funny part?”

So Surin looked at Sima Geon with eyes that were hollow yet filled with hatred.

“We all prayed for death. We were jealous of the ones who died early.”

“Surin!”

Cheol Woo gripped her shoulder.

“What did that monster do to you?”

“Are you trying to break my shoulder? Still relying on your muscle for everything, I see.”

“Ah! My mistake!” Cheol Woo pulled his hand away quickly.

“It doesn’t matter. In the past, I would have screamed, but now? I can’t feel a thing.”

So Surin looked at her own hand and let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.

“That bastard claimed he would make us immune to every poison and as durable as diamonds. It seems he wasn’t lying. We’ve been turned into true monsters.”

“You didn’t answer the question. What exactly did he do?”

Sima Geon’s voice was low and heavy.

To an outsider, he might have sounded calm, but So Surin and Cheol Woo could feel the underlying tremor of a man fighting to keep his rage under control.