Night of August 8, 2013, the same day the riots in China subsided, an equally captivating story unfolded in the eastern region of South Korea...
This is an ancient mountain, one bearing the same name as its Chinese counterpart—Mount Wutai.
Mount Wutai in South Korea features gentle slopes and boasts the nation's largest forested area. Designated as a national park and a key protected site, it serves as an excellent retreat for South Korean citizens seeking leisure and tourism. That day, Mount Wutai welcomed a group of exceptional "visitors."
"So exhausted..." 36 leaned against a sturdy ancient tree, sitting on the ground and panting heavily.
The others, though not as dramatic as him, were also thoroughly fatigued. Hideaki was indeed Hideaki; he executed the plan with extraordinary caution to evade suspicion from 13 and his companions. Along the way, they intercepted where necessary and pursued relentlessly. For eight individuals over several days, it was nearly 24 hours of constant fleeing, breaking through sieges, evading pursuers, and stealthy movement. For 13 and his group, it wasn't much of an issue. Baozhu kept up well, and the uncle, being a mercenary veteran, handled it fine. However, Jung-hyun and the lunatic, who only knew how to drive, became the most obvious liabilities. Jung-hyun fared a bit better, striving to keep pace and feeling ashamed for slowing everyone down. In stark contrast to that other liability, the lunatic—at least in attitude, one was worlds apart. Despite holding everyone back, that guy who merely grinned foolishly all day showed no awareness whatsoever. It seemed as if it were everyone's duty to protect him; incredibly, during combat, he strolled leisurely, and 13, responsible for covering him, took more than his share of bullets. One might say there was no real danger, but getting hit still hurt!
What was most infuriating was how clever this fellow was... Whenever 36 tried to lose his temper, he would apologize instantly, his expression of remorse as pitiful as if he had committed a grave offense. Having become a team, seeing him like that, how could one not forgive? It would make oneself seem petty. Yet, after forgiving, the same thing happened next time. 36 was utterly defeated when facing the lunatic.
"Are we almost there?" 13 stood beside Jung-hyun and asked.
"Yeah, we're nearly there," Jung-hyun gasped for breath; the long trek was indeed taxing for someone who had been a young lady just days before. Who could blame her strong sense of pride? The uncle and 13 had offered to carry her, but she adamantly refused.
"I think everyone's worn out. Let's rest for a bit. Heading there tomorrow won't make a difference," 1 voiced the decision everyone endorsed.
They chose to spend the night by a small stream. True to its status as a national park, when one paused to appreciate it, it was undeniably refreshing. As the team leader, 1 began assigning tasks. 36 and the lunatic formed one group, responsible for gathering firewood. 24 and Baozhu formed another, tasked with scouting the surroundings and maintaining vigilance. Meanwhile, 1 teamed up with the uncle to prepare the evening meal. When Baozhu protested about 13 having no assignment, 1, 24, and 36 chorused, "He has more important and grander duties."
The crowd dispersed in a flurry, leaving the once noisy environment now eerily quiet with just the two of them. Jung-hyun sat wearily by the stream. Listening to the gentle flow of water, it felt as though one's soul was being cleansed. Occasionally, the chirps from the underbrush resembled crisp notes of a scale, haphazardly arranged yet forming a melodious tune.
She dipped her feet into the water, letting the stream wash away the fatigue. With a slight sway, water splashed, creating dancing droplets that dampened Jung-hyun's thin clothing. But who cared about that now?
Closing her eyes, she savored this moment of tranquility.
13 quietly sat down beside Jung-hyun. Due to the limited space, 13 had no choice but to submerge his feet in the water as well. Perhaps sensing the change in the current, Jung-hyun opened her eyes and looked at 13 in his black armor.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," 13 apologized calmly.
"It's nothing," Jung-hyun replied softly, followed by another stretch of silence.
After a moment.
"Are you feeling better?" 13, unaccustomed to expressions of concern, asked in an odd tone.
"Mm," Jung-hyun nodded.
"That's good," 13 truly didn't know how to console others.
"What about your injury?" Jung-hyun recalled 13's broken ribs.
"Oh, it's nothing serious; I can fight without issue," 13 touched his chest armor with one hand.
"Could you remove your helmet? I want to see your face," Jung-hyun said curiously.
Without hesitation, 13 quickly unfastened his helmet. As it came off, his hair fell naturally. Upon closer inspection, he looked no different from before—still those gentle eyes and cold countenance.
Slowly closing her eyes, Jung-hyun inched closer. 13 knew what she intended; Xiaowu had taught him, but compared to Xiaowu's stolen kiss, this time 13 had ample time to prepare. Unlike most people's instincts, 13's instinct was to evade, for a kiss was the most fervent way to express love, and 13 wasn't sure if he loved the girl before him.
Faced with the approaching lips, 13 chose to remain still, resulting in the kiss landing strangely on the side of his face.
Turning his head aside, 13 didn't know what expression Jung-hyun wore.
"Don't misunderstand; I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me," Jung-hyun's breathing was somewhat rapid.
"Oh, it's... nothing," Only 13 would believe such an excuse.
Women are peculiar like that; they can claim not to like what they clearly do.
"May I borrow your shoulder for a moment?" Jung-hyun asked with a pleading tone.
"Mm," 13 nodded.
Closing her eyes again, Jung-hyun leaned sideways into 13's embrace. Only then did she realize how gentle and reliable 13's arms were. As long as she could nestle like this, even sleeping for a thousand years wouldn't be an issue.
"If you two want to be affectionate, find a secluded spot. This is too conspicuous!" 36 quipped as usual.
Jung-hyun swiftly pulled away from 13's embrace, yet without the blush typical of a girl—perhaps that's the difference between a lady from a prominent family and an ordinary girl. 13, accustomed to 36's manner of speaking, showed no unusual expression. Conversely, 36's face revealed a hint of disappointment.
Glancing back at 36, she noticed the stark contrast with the lunatic beside him. 36 held a large bundle of dry wood in his arms, while the lunatic toyed with just a couple of sticks, one in each hand.
"You two are quite the hilarious pair..." 13 meant it as a joke, but his calm face lacked any humor, making it seem like pure sarcasm.
"Ah! I can't take it anymore!" 36 dropped the wood and glared angrily at the still-smiling lunatic.
"Are you deliberately opposing me?! We agreed to gather firewood. I collected so much, and you only got that little—are you messing with me?" 36 pointed to his pile on the ground and then to the sticks in the lunatic's hands.
"I have no such intention; I was just following behind you, and you picked up all the wood along the way. Finding these two was already a steal for me. Clearly, you're an expert at this," the lunatic said with a serious expression, giving a thumbs-up.
"You rascal..." 36 was speechless.
"You're back quickly!" 1 and the uncle returned as well.
"There's nothing suspicious nearby; I've also set up some simple alarm devices and traps," 24 and Baozhu followed.
"Alright, now announcing 13's task," 1, 24, and 36 all turned their gazes to 13, "Your task, of course, is to prepare the meal!"
"Him?" The lunatic, the uncle, and Baozhu exclaimed in unison. Jung-hyun also looked at 13 with a puzzled expression. Probably, few in the world could imagine 13 wearing an apron.
"Just as I thought..." 13 sighed deeply.
At night, a gentle breeze swept over the stream's edge, not departing empty-handed; it carried away an enticing aroma.
1, 24, and 36 watched 13 prepare the meal with anticipation, while the other four observed his skilled movements with bewilderment. One had to admire 1 and the uncle's resourcefulness; not only did they procure the main ingredient—fish—but they also obtained basic seasonings from a nearby temple. When 13 requested bamboo, it took them no more than 20 minutes to fetch it.
Due to limitations, 13 decided to make steamed fish in bamboo tubes. It lacked a few ingredients, so he thought it might not be exceptional, but seeing the drool at 36's mouth, 13 knew it wouldn't be too bad.
When 13 said, "It's ready," everyone grabbed their bamboo tubes at once, carefully lifting the lids. The aroma, almost overwhelmingly pungent, drove this group, who hadn't had a proper meal in days, into a frenzy. Even Jung-hyun ate ungracefully with her hands.
"Are you some kind of monster? Even your cooking is this delicious?" Baozhu acknowledged 13's skill.
"Yeah, it's really great, even better than what Baozhu makes!" The uncle's honest comment earned him a glare.
"You probably handle a spatula better than a gun..." The lunatic praised while eating.
"See? I told you his culinary skills are top-notch!" 36 boasted as if it were his own doing. Suddenly, he struck quickly, slapping away the lunatic's hand that had reached into his bamboo tube. The meal turned into a veritable war. In the end, out of sheer necessity, 13 agreed to make another batch. Thus, dinner was had twice over until everyone settled down to sleep. Honestly, this was the most relaxed night since they met; whatever awaited them tomorrow, only fate knew.