Chapter 2: “Shadows In The Forest”

"Yuri!?" Yoona's voice pierced the air, laced with a mixture of surprise and concern.

Cultivator 1, a man hardened by years of training, turned his gaze towards her. "Do you know him?"

Yoona hesitated, her mind racing. "I'm his..."

Before she could formulate a plausible explanation, Yuri interjected, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Servant!"

Yoona's eyes widened in confusion, her cheeks flushing with a mixture of embarrassment and hurt.

Cultivator 1 raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Servant?"

Yoona stammered, "Ah, yes, I'm his servant. I'm here to take him out."

Cultivator 1 studied her for a moment, his gaze unwavering. "Well, Miss. We just need some questionings, would you mind?"

Yoona swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. "Oh, sure..."

With a sigh of resignation, Yoona followed the cultivator, leaving Yuri standing alone in the puppet show house.

Yuri clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Tsk. (Why does she have to be here?)"

Minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. Finally, the cultivator returned, his expression apologetic.

"Okay, you're out now," he announced, his voice tinged with regret.

Yuri, his arms crossed and his face set in a scowl, retorted, "What took you so long?"

Cultivator 1 rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes darting nervously. "Oh, well. We're sorry, we didn't know you're from the Masaru clan. We're truly sorry."

Yuri merely grunted, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Hmpt..."

Cultivator 1, clearly unnerved by Yuri's demeanor, stammered, "(confuse)"

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Yuri turned and strode out of the puppet show house, leaving the bewildered cultivator in his wake.

As he emerged into the bustling market, he saw Yoona engaged in a conversation with the elderly woman who had accused him of theft.

"Well, thank you so much," the woman said, her voice dripping with gratitude.

Yoona smiled, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "No problem, are my compensation enough?"

The woman chuckled, her face creasing into a network of wrinkles. "Well, it was more than enough. If I only know his from the Masaru clan, I shouldn't have reported him."

Yoona's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Thank you, for your understanding."

"I'll be going now, miss," the woman said, turning to leave.

"Bye," Yoona replied, her eyes fixed on Yuri, who was approaching them with a thunderous expression.

As the woman disappeared into the crowd, Yoona turned to Yuri, her voice laced with concern. "Oh, Yuri?"

Yuri, his jaw clenched and his fists clenched, demanded, "Where's my mother?"

Yoona's face fell, her eyes clouding with sadness. "Oh, she had a business to deal in Congseong. That's why I'm the one who bailed you."

Yuri, his anger momentarily forgotten, stared at her in disbelief. (speechless)

Yoona, sensing his unease, offered a reassuring smile. "Let's go now."

Yuri, his mind still reeling from the events of the day, remained silent.

Together, they walked towards a waiting carriage, the silence between them thick with unspoken emotions.

As they settled into the plush seats, Yoona turned to Yuri, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and apprehension. (smiles)

Yuri, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery, couldn't help but wonder, (Why is she smiling for?)

Yoona, gathering her courage, cleared her throat. "Uhm..."

Yuri, his patience wearing thin, sighed heavily. "What is it?"

Yoona, her voice trembling slightly, confessed, "I know, you don't want to be engage with me. But..."

Yuri, his brow furrowed in confusion, stared at her intently. (confuse)

Yoona, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, continued, "You know... it hurt's me too, identifying me as your servant."

Yuri, his face devoid of emotion, retorted, "What's the problem with it?"

Yoona, her voice rising in desperation, cried out, "You really hate me, don't you?"

Yuri, his eyes hardening with defiance, snapped, "So what!?"

Yoona, her voice barely a whisper, pleaded, "What I'm trying to say is... with our marriage, your family will not fall apart from one of the most wealthiest clan's in Gwangnan. I'm just trying to help. That is why, please treat me a little bit... kind?"

Yuri, his mind struggling to comprehend her words, scoffed, "Huh! (Treat you kind?) I don't understand anything you have said. My clan falling apart from the wealthiest clan's in Gwangnan? IMPOSSIBLE!"

Yoona, her face etched with despair, stared at him in disbelief. (speechless)

Yuri, his voice cold and dismissive, declared, "Whatever happens, nothing will change between us! Remember that!"

With that, Yuri abruptly left the carriage, slamming the door behind him.

Yoona, her heart breaking, cried out, "Wait, don't!"

Yuri, his back turned to her, retorted, "Don't follow me!"

Yoona, her voice laced with desperation, pleaded, "But we're still ahead, get back inside now. Yuri!"

Yuri, his pace quickening, ignored her pleas and continued to walk away.

Yoona, her mind filled with worry, cried out, "YURI!?" (It's dangerous for him to be left alone at night)

As Yuri disappeared into the darkness, Yoona, her heart heavy with concern, commanded her two servants to follow him.

Minutes later, the servants returned, their faces etched with failure.

"Apologies, Lady Yoona," Man 1 said, his voice filled with regret. "But he ran so fast."

"We can't find him everywhere," Man 2 added, his eyes downcast.

Yoona, her face pale with worry, cried out, "No! We need to find him!"

Man 1, his voice firm, cautioned, "But, Milady. It would be dangerous, it's night and monsters or demons maybe roaming."

Man 2, his expression grave, added, "We need to head back now, Milady. Your father will get angry if something bad happens to you."

Yoona, her heart torn between her own safety and her concern for Yuri, whispered, "But, Yuri?"

Man 1, his voice reassuring, said, "We will call for help when we get back."

Yoona, her shoulders slumping in defeat, murmured, "Okay. (sad)"

Man 2, his hand outstretched, urged, "Get inside now, Milady."

With a heavy heart, Yoona obeyed, and the carriage lumbered forward, leaving Yuri alone in the darkness.

Meanwhile, Yuri, his anger still simmering, stormed through the forest, his thoughts consumed by Yoona and her unwanted affections.

"That woman!" he muttered to himself, his fists clenched. "Always think she can marry me!"

As he continued to walk, the forest grew darker and more ominous, the trees looming over him like silent sentinels.

Yuri shivered, his anger momentarily forgotten. (It's cold)

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the air, sending a shiver down Yuri's spine.

Yuri, his senses on high alert, froze in his tracks. (cautious)

Driven by a mixture of curiosity and fear, Yuri cautiously made his way towards the source of the scream.

As he crept through the undergrowth, he caught a glimpse of a clearing ahead. (What the?)

Yuri, his heart pounding in his chest, ducked behind a thicket of bushes, peering through the leaves.

In the clearing, he saw two figures locked in a deadly embrace.

"No! Don't do this, Master," one of the figures pleaded, his voice filled with terror.

The other figure, his face hidden in shadow, replied, his voice cold and menacing, "You're really cunning."

"Master! Please spare me, please!" the first figure begged, his voice cracking with desperation.

Yuri, his eyes wide with disbelief, wondered, (What the? What is he doing to him?)

The figure in the shadows, whom the other had called "Master," was holding the first figure by the neck, his grip tightening with each passing moment.

"I told you, I will kill you. You traitor!" the figure snarled, his voice dripping with contempt.

Yuri, his mind racing, thought, (Is he a demon or something?)

"Master, I only did it because my daughter is sick," the first figure pleaded, his voice barely audible. "And I need fortune for her meds."

The figure in the shadows scoffed, his grip tightening even further. "What you did is against cultivator's law. Whatever your reason is, it's unacceptable."

With a swift and brutal movement, the figure in the shadows began to suck the life force from the first figure, his body convulsing violently.

"Master! No! Help!" the first figure screamed, his voice fading into a gurgling whimper.

With a final shudder, the first figure went limp, his body collapsing to the ground.

Yuri, his eyes wide with horror, gasped, "Hah! (shock)"

The figure in the shadows, alerted by the sound, turned his head sharply, his eyes piercing the darkness. (cautious)

Yuri, his heart pounding in his chest, realized that he had been discovered. (Sht)*

Without a second thought, Yuri turned and fled, his feet pounding against the forest floor.

(What the?! He killed him? I don't know, what I need to do now is to run) he thought, his mind racing with fear.

As he ran, his thoughts swirled with confusion and terror. (Why is that man called him Master? Is he a cultivator, his like a demon to me)

His foot caught on a root, sending him sprawling to the ground. "Ahh!" he cried out, his body wracked with pain. (hurt)

As he struggled to his feet, a voice, cold and menacing, echoed through the trees.

"Stop running."

Yuri froze, his blood turning to ice.

With a swirl of energy, the figure in the shadows teleported in front of Yuri, his eyes glowing with an eerie light.

Yuri, his body trembling with fear, closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable. (No! His going to kill me)

(I'm going to die) he thought, his mind filled with terror.

Suddenly, a sickening thud echoed behind him, followed by a chorus of guttural growls.

Yuri squeezed his eyes shut, his body tensing with terror.

I'm going to die.

A sound of struggle echoed behind him, then fell silent— the monster had been slain.

Huh?

"You lost?"

Yuri's eyes snapped open. He stared at the stranger in confusion. "Huh?"

The man frowned. "What is a human doing wandering the forest at this hour? There are monsters everywhere here."

Yuri stammered, "Ah, I... I..."

The man cut him off, gesturing toward the distance with one hand. "That way leads to the village. Once you're there, you'll be safe."

"Oh... thank you," Yuri managed, but when he looked up again, the man was already gone.

He didn't kill me!?

A wave of relief washed over him, and he let out a quiet breath.

A village... Now I see— that man must be a cultivator. But his eyes... they were so frightening.

Shivering in the darkness and cold, Yuri made up his mind. He turned and set off along the path that the man had pointed out.

End of chapter 2

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