Chapter 127

Hair as vividly red as the autumn leaves blazing on the surrounding trees!

Could it be—Wonwoo, the one Moran had claimed to have lost from the cabin? His back was turned, so his face wasn’t visible, but the length of his hair tied back in a single knot and his height were similar to the Wonwoo in her memory.

But if that man really was Wonwoo, then how could he be walking around like that? Moran had said his stomach had been deeply pierced by a blade.

Yungak and Iyeok, who had the same thought, instantly turned their eyes toward Moran. Startled ever so slightly, Moran gave a small shake of her head, chin lifted as if to declare her innocence.

Let’s just watch for a little longer first.

If it turned out Moran had lied, they could always kill her later.

A moment later, when the man who appeared to be Wonwoo began to climb the mountain again, a red fox stepped in front of him to block his path. That must have been the source of the voices they had heard earlier.

He could’ve just kicked it aside and kept going.

Yet the man was talking to the animal as if conversing with a person. This made Yungak wonder if the man truly was Wonwoo. A grin stretched thin across Yungak’s lips in growing anticipation.

He had thought it was all over—having lost every means in his grasp—yet here was an unexpected opportunity. It felt like a final hope had appeared right before his eyes. It didn’t matter that the fox with him was a common red one instead of a rare snow-white fox.

If that man is really Wonwoo, then he must have hidden a white fox nearby.

Yungak leaned his upper body forward bit by bit, wanting to see the man’s face properly—or at least hear his voice.

But Iyeok blocked his chest with an arm, as if telling him to calm down.

How dare you…!

Yungak’s eyes crinkled in irritation, but Iyeok only shook his head slightly. He meant they should keep watching the situation.

We don’t have time for that right now.

If they lost sight of those two in this vast mountain, how would they find them again?

Yungak clenched his fists tightly. His lips felt parched, and his patience was wearing dangerously thin. No matter how much he tried to calm himself, his body leaned forward on its own—until a short branch brushed his chest, making the leaves tremble.

At that moment, the red fox suddenly turned its head toward them.

Foxes were known for their sharp hearing, and indeed, its quick reaction to the sound proved it. It seemed to be wary, scanning its surroundings as if certain someone was there. Then, as if to ask “What is it?”, the man presumed to be Wonwoo turned to look their way.

…Not Wonwoo.

Even without seeing his detailed features, Yungak could tell from here. The man’s aura was far gentler and weaker than Wonwoo’s, something that could be sensed even from afar.

Yungak’s eyes turned cold in an instant.

Then who is he?

They had deliberately chosen paths off the beaten track to avoid being detected, so normally there would be no one in such a deep mountain—unless it was Wonwoo himself fleeing from Moran after nearly being killed.

Could it be that Haban’s trackers had already followed them here?

If so, Yungak’s hand brushed against the hilt of the dagger at his side, ready to kill without hesitation. His gaze grew darker and more menacing. Iyeok and Moran, too, lowered themselves further, exchanging glances.

The red fox, still looking in their direction, eventually turned its head away after a long pause.

Should I kill them?

Yungak’s mood was already foul enough to make him want to kill both man and beast without distinction. The sight of steaming, bright-red blood spilling from a cooling body would be a small satisfaction.

But even in a remote mountain, someone might stumble upon a corpse eventually. Leaving traces would bring nothing but trouble. If it happened to be one of Haban’s search parties who found it, they’d be handing their enemy an advantage. It was better not to do anything suspicious.

Wait… that man…?

A memory flashed through his mind.

He felt like he had seen the man before. Thinking back, he remembered him briefly appearing at the Imperial Palace alongside Wonwoo as a member of the Ho Trading Company (Ho = “Fox” in Korean)1.

Is everyone in that company obsessed with foxes?

Talking to a fox like that… Was the man raising a red fox because white ones were so rare? Well, if white foxes were common, Wonwoo wouldn’t have risked so much to get his back.

In any case, since Wonwoo was heir to the Ho Trading Company, capturing this man—someone connected to them—could reveal Wonwoo’s location.

…No. Wait.

Yungak narrowed his eyes.

If this man had followed Wonwoo as far as the Imperial Palace, then knowing of Wonwoo’s injuries, it was more likely he was somewhere close—perhaps even here—rather than deep in the mountain alone.

Was this a waste of time?

At that moment, the man they had mistaken for Wonwoo walked past the fox. The red fox staggered as if injured, then followed after him.

Shall we go?

Iyeok signaled with his eyes, suggesting they leave since the man seemed irrelevant. Yungak licked his lips in reluctant disappointment before nodding.

Once the two figures had nearly vanished from view, Yungak rose to his feet, silently motioning for the group to withdraw. They slipped away quietly.

It was the first time in a while they were heading toward the village. But since they had to deliver unfortunate news, there was no joy in the journey.

Bisol rubbed his forehead with one hand, sighing. In front of him, Wonwoo let out a low, harsh growl.

“With that injured body, what are you trying to do following me?!”

Where was his usual proud, imposing figure now? His ears drooped, and his tail hung lifelessly.

Just looking at him made Bisol seethe. That wretched little white fox was probably living comfortably somewhere, while the innocent Wonwoo—who had tried to save him—was left like this!

“Move!”

“…”

“This time, even the Elder won’t be able to protect him!”

When had the Elder ever shielded Dori as if he were his own child? Between the two foxes who were always treated the same, the Elder had acknowledged and cherished only Hori; Dori had always been alone.

Wonwoo dug his front claws hard into the ground. As expected, Dori needed him.

Once Bisol prevented him from entering the red fox village, he would have to go find Dori right away. For once, the painful bond mark tying him to his mate felt like a blessing—it kept his fading consciousness awake.

Having just woken from his sickbed and exerted himself climbing the mountain, a long strand of drool now hung from Wonwoo’s muzzle. Even panting heavily, he refused to retreat.

“You’ll collapse before you even reach the village at this rate.”

In truth, Wonwoo was in very bad condition. Not only had his stomach been deeply pierced by a blade, but he was also suffering the effects of being separated from his mate, Dori—something Bisol didn’t know.

If he had drunk Dori’s blood back at the palace, it might have been better. But after assuming he would soon succeed in bonding with Dori at the cabin, he had stopped drinking it, and the effects had worn off.

Being apart now was even worse—the pain had grown more intense than before. When Bisol had brought him to the trading company, he had lost consciousness for quite some time.

Bisol had intended to head for the red fox village after settling Wonwoo down, but worried he might die in his absence, he stayed by his side for a while.

During that time, Wonwoo’s father had called Bisol and made a request:

“Since Wonwoo is bedridden, his mate Hori must also be struggling without him. I’d like to send Wonwoo back to the village so they can rest together in their true forms amid nature, but he’s still unconscious. So please, go and bring Hori here.”

Wonwoo’s father, convinced beyond doubt that Hori was his son’s mate, was even hoping this would lead to them producing cubs resembling both of them—making Wonwoo’s future position as Elder more secure.

It was natural for Bisol, as both a red fox and the trading company’s informant, to be entrusted with the task.

“I think I’ll have to visit the village,” Bisol murmured, sitting down next to Wonwoo again before leaving.

Wonwoo still couldn’t open his eyes, lying in fox form under a blanket.

…I’ll make sure to tell the Elder exactly who hurt you. That you were injured trying to retrieve the sacred relic that wretched white fox stole for the sake of the village. When they hear that, everyone will be shocked. Then I’ll ask the Elder to help me—and this time, I’ll kill that white fox for sure.

Before long, Bisol packed lightly and left the trading company.

Half-conscious, Wonwoo had overheard his muttering. When he woke and asked his mother—who was changing his water cloth—where Bisol had gone, she answered that he had left for the red fox village.

The moment he heard it, Wonwoo realized it hadn’t been a dream. So he had pushed himself to follow Bisol here, no matter what.

“You’ll get yourself killed like this. You haven’t recovered, and you’re still in your true form—you could be hunted by humans at any moment!”

“…”

Indeed, it had been a huge risk to come this far from the trading company in fox form. On the way, Wonwoo had tried to avoid human eyes as much as possible; when spotted, he had run without rest until the humans gave up the chase, despite his pain.

The Dori he knew was foolish—always hanging around other village foxes and seeking the Elder’s approval despite being disliked. That was exactly why he would walk straight into a trap without realizing it.

Now Bisol irritated him. So did the other red foxes in the village, and even the Elder.

“That white fox brat—I won’t let him off!”

When Wonwoo kept blocking his way, Bisol shouted, then spun once in midair. In the next moment, his clothes fell to the ground like a shed skin, and in his place, a red fox shot up the mountain at full speed.

Footnotes

1. Ho (狐) – The Sino-Korean character for “fox.” In this context, Ho Sangdan (Ho Trading Company) literally means “Fox Trading Company,” suggesting its members have a deep connection or obsession with foxes. ↩