The Women In White

The forest thinned as Kang Jinhyuk walked forward.

After hours of walking, the smell of blood was finally replaced by something else—

Smoke.

Food.

People.

“A village…”

Through the trees, he saw it.

A small Murim settlement surrounded by wooden fences. Merchants, travelers, and martial artists moved in and out.

For the first time since arriving in this world—

Civilization.

Jinhyuk stepped inside.

The moment he entered, several eyes turned toward him.

His clothes were stained with blood.

His presence… unsettling.

Whispers spread quietly.

“Who is that guy…?”

“Bandit?”

“No… worse…”

Jinhyuk ignored them.

He walked calmly through the street, observing everything.

Weapons. Herbs. Martial artists.

This place was full of opportunities.

And prey.

Just as that thought crossed his mind—

He felt it.

A presence.

Different from the others.

Sharp.

Cold.

Watching him.

Jinhyuk stopped.

Slowly, he turned his head.

And then he saw her.

A woman in white robes stood near a tea stall.

Her long black hair flowed down her back like silk. Her expression was calm, almost emotionless.

But her eyes—

Were fixed on him.

Unlike the others…

She wasn’t afraid.

She was observing him.

Analyzing him.

Jinhyuk smiled slightly.

“Interesting.”

The woman began walking toward him.

Each step was light, silent.

But the surrounding martial artists instinctively moved out of her way.

She stopped a few steps in front of him.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then she said—

“You smell like blood.”

Her voice was soft.

But sharp.

Jinhyuk shrugged.

“I just came from the forest.”

Her gaze didn’t change.

“You killed them.”

Not a question.

A statement.

Jinhyuk chuckled.

“And if I did?”

The air between them grew heavier.

Some nearby people quietly backed away.

They could feel it.

Something dangerous was about to happen.

The woman spoke again.

“Five bandits.”

“One low-level martial artist with basic Qi.”

“You absorbed his energy.”

Jinhyuk’s smile widened.

“Oh?”

“That’s impressive.”

“Are you following me?”

The woman ignored the question.

Instead, she asked—

“What are you?”

Jinhyuk tilted his head.

“That’s the second time someone asked me that today.”

He stepped closer.

“Why don’t you tell me?”

For the first time—

A faint change appeared in her eyes.

Curiosity.

“…You’re unstable.”

Jinhyuk laughed.

“Congratulations. You figured it out.”

But inside—

He felt it again.

The whispers.

Stronger this time.

Louder.

His vision flickered for a split second.

The woman noticed.

Her gaze sharpened.

“…You’re losing control.”

Silence.

Jinhyuk’s smile slowly faded.

“Am I?”

The energy inside him stirred violently.

For a moment—

Killing intent leaked out.

The ground beneath them trembled slightly.

Several nearby people froze in fear.

The woman didn’t move.

Instead—

She raised her hand calmly.

A faint, pure energy gathered around her fingers.

Unlike Jinhyuk’s chaotic aura—

Hers was stable.

Clean.

Sharp like a blade.

“If you lose control here,” she said quietly,

“I will kill you.”

No hesitation.

No emotion.

Just fact.

Jinhyuk stared at her.

Then—

He started laughing.

A genuine laugh.

Loud.

Unrestrained.

“Kill me?”

“That’s the first interesting thing I’ve heard since coming here.”

The tension between them peaked.

For a moment—

It felt like the entire village stopped breathing.

Then suddenly—

Jinhyuk turned away.

“Relax.”

“I’m not in the mood to destroy a village… yet.”

The killing intent disappeared.

Just like that.

The pressure lifted.

People around them finally breathed again.

The woman lowered her hand slowly.

But her eyes never left him.

“…What do they call you?” she asked.

Jinhyuk paused.

Then answered without turning back—

“I don’t have a name here yet.”

He glanced at her slightly.

“But I guess…”

“…you can call me something when I become famous.”

A faint smirk appeared on his face.

He walked away.

Leaving behind silence.

The woman stood still.

Watching his back disappear into the crowd.

After a few moments—

She murmured quietly—

“…A monster.”

But there was something else in her voice.

Not fear.

Not hatred.

Interest.

That night—

From the rooftop of a nearby building—

She continued watching him.

“Someone like him…”

“…should not exist.”

But deep inside—

She knew.

Murim had just changed.

And that man…

Would either destroy it—

Or reshape it completely.

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