That same evening, Jang Hun finished his usual work at the market, but something subtle had changed. As he carried the crates, he muttered inwardly:
"What tired me yesterday… now feels light, like moving feathers. And my speed? It's clearly increased."
But this time, he didn't return to the alley where he usually slept with the two children. Instead, he stopped at a shadowed corner, watching a group of Bai Xuan Sect guards on patrol.
There were four of them. Two were chatting, one was yawning... and the fourth stood alone at the entrance of a narrow alley, glancing around with boredom, as if the night had weighed down his eyelids.
This is my chance.
Jang Hun moved lightly, as if his steps belonged to the shadows, not the ground. And when the guard turned his head the other way…
In a blink, the sword vanished from its sheath—and Jang Hun melted into the crowd like mist in fog.
The guard shouted behind him, but all he saw was the back of a boy running like the midnight wind—before vanishing from sight.
Later, in a deserted alley near the market, Jang Hun carefully hid the sword behind a pile of wooden crates, then rushed back to the children.
**
When he arrived, Bai Su was awake. He looked at him with narrowed eyes and said:
"Am I imagining things… or have you gotten a little taller?"
Then he added, eyeing him closely:
"And the signs of hunger on your face… I don't see them anymore."
Bai An chimed in, sitting with his head leaned against the wall:
"I think so too. Your face… doesn't look gaunt like before."
A tight feeling stirred in Jang Hun's chest.
"Are the changes in my body that noticeable already?"
But he masked it with a faint smile and said calmly:
"You're not wrong… maybe the food helped a bit."
Then he changed the subject quickly, pretending to feel sleepy.
**
That night, after the two boys had fallen asleep peacefully, Jang Hun quietly rose and slipped out of the alley.
He returned to the deserted alley and retrieved the sword he had hidden. Gripping it firmly, he began testing it...
He swung it around aimlessly a couple of times… then suddenly stopped.
"Awful…" he muttered, staring at his tense grip.
"My swordsmanship is terrible… like this, I won't survive a real fight."
He fell silent for a moment. Then a thought lit up in his mind.
"But… maybe I don't need traditional training."
He raised the sword again and said to himself:
"Fighting is the best teacher. I'll learn as I fight… or die."
**
The next morning, before heading to the market, Jang Hun sat before the children and said quietly:
"Get ready. We're going on a trip this evening."
Bai Su raised his eyebrows in surprise:
"A trip? Where to?"
Jang Hun replied:
"The Beast Forest."
The two boys exchanged a worried glance. Then Bai An asked in a hushed voice:
"What's the Beast Forest?"
"A place full of all kinds of beasts. The deeper you go, the stronger and fiercer they get. But we won't go far in—we'll stay near the edges, where the beasts are weak and the danger is low."
Bai Su asked:
"And why are we going there?"
Jang Hun gave a cold smile and said:
"For training… and money. Beasts are valuable."
**
But he didn't go straight to work. Instead, he headed to the same small tavern where he had met Li Mu before, and sat in his usual corner.
He waited.
And as he expected, Li Mu walked in a few minutes later, with quiet steps and sharp eyes scanning the room.
He approached and sat down in front of him without waiting for an invitation.
"So… why did you want to meet?"
Jang Hun replied directly:
"I'm going to the Beast Forest tonight."
Li Mu raised an eyebrow and smiled:
"Oh? And why are you telling me?"
Jang Hun looked at him steadily and said:
"Because I know you were going to follow me there."
Li Mu chuckled quietly:
"Caught me, huh?"
"Instead of sneaking after me… you can just come along."
Li Mu asked, amused:
"And what do you want in return?"
Jang Hun answered calmly:
"Not much… but they matter."
Li Mu gestured:
"Go on."
"First, I need new clothes. I'm sure you know I stole a sword last night—and I think the guard might recognize what I'm wearing."
"Second, I need something to store the beasts I'll be hunting."
"And third, I want your help selling those beasts. I don't know market prices—and this city is full of swindlers."
Li Mu nodded and said:
"Simple enough. The clothes—I'll bring them to you before you go to work."
Then he pulled a small metallic ornament from his pocket and said:
"As for the second, I have a storage tool. You can store the beasts in here."
Jang Hun's heartbeat sped up. He thought inwardly:
A storage tool?! Those are incredibly rare… Who is this man really? The more I think I understand him… the more mysterious he becomes.
He feigned composure and asked:
"How much can it store?"
Li Mu replied:
"Dozens. More than you'll need for a single trip."
Jang Hun felt a jolt inside—but as usual, he hid it well. A single thought echoed in his mind:
"I must never make this man my enemy."
Li Mu added with a smile:
"And your third request? Easy. I can sell the corpses for you at the best price."
**
A short while later, Li Mu left the tavern, and returned soon after carrying a new dark-colored robe made of durable, practical fabric.
He handed it to Jang Hun without a word. Jang Hun smiled and said:
"See you after work."
He left the tavern and made his way to the alley where he had hidden the sword. There, he changed out of his old clothes and put on the new robe—then headed to work…
Disguised in a new form, with eyes set on a forest that would test everything.