Her throat was parched, as if something rough was scraping the inside. Her body burned like a fireball, sinking deeper into an endless darkness.
As she descended, a strange sensation approached—cool yet warm, gentle.
"Ah…"
The woman slowly opened her eyes. As she barely lifted her heavy eyelids, she saw a dim ceiling and someone holding her hand.
"Who…"
She saw a pale-faced young man.
Even in her hazy state, a flicker of alertness stirred. But the moment she noticed the black Taoist robe he wore, her tension eased.
"Taoist…"
She vaguely recalled the sound of a Taoist prayer she had heard while her consciousness blurred.
"Ah…"
As she opened her mouth to speak, a clear voice pierced her ear. A young female Taoist with braided pigtails spoke.
"Are you awake?"
It was strange. Though she was definitely seeing this female Taoist for the first time, the sight of that Taoist robe somehow reassured her. After all, no one wearing a Taoist robe would harm civilians.
"How is she feeling?"
When the female Taoist asked, the man holding her pulse replied,
"Much more stable now."
"Then step back and rest. Sahyung's body isn't in good shape either."
"I'm fine."
"…Seriously, he's stubborn and won't listen, even when I say he doesn't have to do it."
"Still okay. I can endure it."
"Yes, yes. Do as you please. But I'll report this to the sect leader and elders."
The woman, listening absentmindedly to their bickering, suddenly shuddered as she recalled something.
"Ha, Haki… my Haki…!"
"Oh my. Look at me!"
The pigtail-haired woman ran to one side, then returned holding something wrapped in a thick blanket.
"Your child is fine."
The woman took the child with trembling hands. Only after confirming the peaceful face visible through the swaddling did calmness settle over her.
"Ah…"
Her hand gently stroked the child's cheek.
"The child fell asleep from exhaustion. There's no health problem, so please don't worry. The child woke earlier and cried loudly once."
"Thank you… truly thank you…"
"Not at all."
Filled with relief and emotion, the woman was about to speak when suddenly the door burst open with a thud.
"You're awake?"
Dark-clothed men rushed inside. Startled, the woman looked at those running in.
They were also Taoists wearing black robes. Despite the swords at their waists, they didn't feel very threatening—likely because of their clothes and the worry and concern on their faces.
"Be quiet, you lot! There's a patient here!"
"…Yes."
"Sorry…"
"We just got a bit excited…"
When the pigtail-haired woman shouted sharply, the men who had been running in cheerfully all dropped their shoulders and bowed deeply. Their crumpled appearance reassured the woman.
"But this place is…"
"Ah, this is inside a boat."
"A boat…?"
The pigtail-haired woman, Tang Soso, smiled and replied,
"Yes. Hangzhou no longer seems livable, so we took her in first. We're heading north of the river now."
The woman momentarily stiffened and stared at the ceiling.
The moment she heard "Hangzhou," hellish scenes flashed vividly in her mind. Overwhelmed by fear, her body stiffened and curled up. Then, the Taoist beside her held her hand, and a cool yet gentle qi surged through her.
The qi flowed through her body, pushing the fear away once more.
"Ah… I see."
The woman didn't ask further. How Hangzhou had fared, what had happened to others—she already knew all of that.
"You all are…"
"We are Taoists of the Mount Hua sect."
Baek Cheon, standing just behind Tang Soso, spoke slowly, trying not to sound threatening.
"Mount Hua…"
"Yes. It's a Taoist sect in Shaanxi."
Baek Cheon glanced at his disciples beside him and spoke calmly.
"Though we look like this, surprisingly, we are Taoists. We are not bad people, so don't worry."
"…Is it right to judge by appearances?"
"Gul."
"What? Sahyung, aren't you offended with…"
"It's okay for Sasuk though."
For a moment, Jo Gul was speechless and glanced up at Baek Cheon's face. Then, with a dark expression, he muttered something unintelligible, probably complaining about the filthy world and its inequalities.
"You don't have to worry anymore. The Demonic Cult that attacked Hangzhou has all retreated."
"…You saved me…"
"You were lucky."
Hearing the calm voice, the woman was silent for a moment. Then tears welled up in her eyes.
"…Thank you."
As her trembling voice escaped, everyone held their breath.
"Thank… you. Truly… truly thank you…"
The disciples of Mount Hua, unsure what to say, silently looked at the woman. Then, Un Geom, watching from behind, smiled gently and spoke.
"We only did what any Taoist should do. We apologize for being late."
"No… Thank you."
Jo Geol, wiping his nose awkwardly, changed the subject while looking at the child in the woman's arms.
"That kid looks really smart. Reminds me of myself as a child."
Criticism erupted from all sides.
"How dare you speak rudely to a child!"
"Is that something a Taoist should say? You despicable scoundrel!"
"Shut your mouth!"
Though Jo Gul, a wealthy child raised with care, looked very aggrieved, unfortunately Mount Hua was a ruthless sect that didn't care about individual grievances.
"No, look! This cheek here…"
Jo Gul pressed the child's cheek with his index finger. At that touch, the child opened its eyes and suddenly burst into tears.
"Uh, uh? I-I didn't mean that…"
"But this brat really!"
In the end, Yoon Jong's fist mercilessly struck Jo Gul's jaw. Jo Gul, fearing to startle the child, couldn't even scream and collapsed right there.
"Looks like the child is hungry."
"Ah…"
The child's mother looked at the crying child, then turned her gaze to the disciples of Mount Hua.
"Can we help with something?"
"What should we do?"
"Just tell us!"
Everyone panicked and blurted out whatever came to mind. Tang Soso's forehead veins bulged.
"Sahyungs."
"Yes?"
"…The child needs to be breastfed. Please leave immediately."
"Yes."
The men of Mount Hua rushed out without looking back. Chung Myung also got up and left with them.
"Anyway…"
Tang Soso clicked her tongue, shook her head, and firmly closed the open door. Meanwhile, the woman nursing the child slowly stroked her child's cheek and head. Tang Soso spoke in a surprisingly gentle voice.
"We'll prepare some rice gruel soon, so please wait a little."
"I can't trouble you so much…"
"Trouble? It's only natural for us to do this. Don't worry. Our sahyungs may be a bit foolish, but they're capable people."
Tang Soso added with a slight smile.
"Everyone here is kind too. They're just a bit too good-hearted…"
The woman silently looked at Tang Soso. Tang Soso's gaze toward the walking people was warm. It clearly showed how much she cared for and liked them.
'This is a good place.'
Just from that relationship, she felt that everyone here must be warm-hearted.
Then the woman hesitantly spoke with a suddenly darkened face.
"Where should I go now…"
"Huh? Ah!"
Tang Soso turned to the woman and suddenly remembered, then explained,
"Hangzhou has become too dangerous to live in, so we plan to take you somewhere safe. Do you have anywhere to rely on?"
The woman shook her head with a helpless and sorrowful expression.
Those who cultivate the land usually live with their families in one area as a cluster. If she can't return to Hangzhou, it means she and her child have nowhere to settle in this vast Central Plains.
"Hmm. Then… there's the option of relying on a village by the Yangtze River…"
Tang Soso scratched her cheek as she spoke. Raising a child alone in a foreign place is a very difficult and dangerous task.
"If you have nowhere to go, you could go to Sichuan or Shaanxi. In Sichuan, the Tang family is building a new village, and Shaanxi's Hua-Um is a very good place to live with kind people."
The woman's face hardened. Sichuan and Shaanxi—she had only heard the names, not knowing where they were. The thought of going there alone to raise a child filled her with sudden worry.
But at that moment, someone tightly held her hand.
Turning her head, she saw a woman who had been there unnoticed, holding her hand with an indifferent expression. A calm voice flowed out.
"It's okay."
"…"
"Because they're all good places."
An expressionless face. Though her features were cold and somewhat frightening, the warmth of her hand strangely brought reassurance.
Yu Yiseol, not used to dealing with people like this, desperately tried to reassure the woman.
Tang Soso saw Yu Yiseol and smiled gently, then cheerfully added,
"Yes, that's right. Don't worry too much. Our sect leader will handle those things somehow. Just focus on recovering your body."
"…Yes."
The woman holding the child clenched her hand.
The clenched hand seemed to say she would protect her child no matter what. Yu Yiseol released her hand and stood up.
Tang Soso spoke.
"Then rest a bit. We'll bring rice gruel soon."
"…Thank you."
She quietly left the cabin with Yu Yiseol. As soon as the door closed, Yu Yiseol asked Tang Soso,
"Is it really okay?"
"Yes. Thanks to Chung Myung sahyung pushing himself too hard."
"…"
"Anyway, he's unstoppable. Even though his body isn't well, he can't help but nag."
"Because he's that kind of person. Always."
"Yes, he is. I know that, but…"
Tang Soso sighed deeply. She understood the worry but hoped others would realize that he too was someone to be worried about. Though it wouldn't be easy.
"The child…"
"The child is fine too, Sago. Don't worry."
Yu Yiseol nodded slightly and stared at the rippling Yangtze River. After a while, she spoke softly.
"My mother too…"
"…"
"Did my mother look at me with eyes like that?"
Tang Soso quietly reached out and gently held Yu Yiseol's hand.
"She probably did."
"…"
"I am certain of it."
Yu Yiseol slowly nodded. After a moment, she asked,
"How do you cook rice gruel?"
"…I'll do it."
"I asked how to cook it."
"I'll do it."
At that soft but firm answer, Yu Yiseol pouted slightly.