Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 15

Eunho continually showed wariness as he glanced at Yoonhwa’s Nine-Tailed Fox form.

His hand tightly grasped a talisman, and his gaze towards Yoonhwa was filled with caution.

Understanding Eunho’s attitude, Yoonhwa made an effort to bridge the gap between them.

“Y-Eunho, you don’t need to be afraid of me.”

Yoonhwa tensed briefly at the sight of his talisman but then spoke as calmly as possible.

“I’m not the kind of monster that harms people…!”

Eunho questioned with a skeptical look.

“How can I believe that…?”

Still wary, Eunho asked.

“…But why are you here at this hour?”

“Are you trying to enchant that human you’re holding…?”

Yoonhwa’s face turned beet red at Eunho’s words.

“No, it’s not like that… it’s really important…”

As Yoonhwa blushed in embarrassment, Hyun also seemed flustered, shifting awkwardly.

Yoonhwa carefully set Hyun down, whom she had forgotten about.

“W-We’re not like that.”

“I just came to find my cello.”

Hyun’s voice seemed small and shaky.

Seeing the reactions of the two, Eunho pondered for a moment before finally softening his expression.

Eunho, pointing at the cello, said.

“If you’re looking for this cello… I just found it in the square.”

Hyun’s eyes sparkled as he approached Eunho to confirm the cello.

“Yes- yes, this is my cello!”

“Thank you so much!”

“I’m glad I could help. I was a bit reckless. Sorry about that.”

Eunho lowered his head, putting away the talisman he had aimed at Yoonhwa.

Yoonhwa cautiously asked.

“I really enjoyed the food you gave me before…!”

“Since you have a talisman, does that mean… you’re an exorcist?”

Eunho hesitated for a moment at Yoonhwa’s question before admitting that he was an exorcist.

“Yes, I am a human who exorcises.”

Yoonhwa’s eyes sparkled at Eunho’s answer, and she carefully made a suggestion.

“If that’s the case… could you be friends with us?”

“Actually, I needed an exorcist’s help.”

Eunho seemed to contemplate Yoonhwa’s suggestion for a while, but soon accepted with a bright smile.

“…Of course. I wanted to be friends with you all.”

Yoonhwa beamed with joy at Eunho’s acceptance, sending him a warm smile.

“You’re really kind, Eunho!”

“Thank you so much for your help.”

Hyun also expressed gratitude to Eunho, and they began to head back to Seojin’s house while carrying the cello.

At that moment, Kangtae and Seojin were having a conversation.

“I hope they found it…”

Kangtae said anxiously.

Seojin replied with a smile.

“Well… if they didn’t, it can’t be helped…”

“I guess I’ll have to buy one.”

Kangtae said with an incredulous laugh.

“Hey… do you really have that much money?”

“Does money just grow on trees?”

“Oh—and that cello has Hyun’s memories attached to it.”

As they chatted, someone knocked on the door.

Hyun’s voice came from beyond the door.

“Seojin, open the door quickly.”

Seojin listened to Hyun’s voice and stood at the door.

The door wasn’t locked.

Yet, Hyun kept requesting to be let in from outside.

“Seojin, open up, please.”

“I can’t open the door since I’m carrying Yoonhwa.”

Seojin placed her hand on the doorknob but paused for a moment.

She was puzzled by Hyun’s statement that he was carrying Yoonhwa.

Hyun wasn’t strong enough to carry Yoonhwa, after all.

“Hyun, are you really out there…?”

“Carrying Yoonhwa? Is that even possible?”

Hyun’s voice from beyond the door sounded a bit flustered.

“Oh, that’s because… Yoonhwa got a bit hurt…”

“I’m helping her.”

Yoonhwa spoke from outside.

“—Yeah. — Yes, I’m being carried.”

Seojin still had her hand on the doorknob, but Kangtae cautiously whispered as he approached.

“Wait a second, Seojin… this is strange. How could Hyun carry Yoonhwa?”

“Was our Hyun really that strong?”

“Wasn’t Yoonhwa really tall…?”

Seojin’s eyes filled with suspicion.

“True, it does feel… odd for Hyun to be carrying Yoonhwa.”

Kangtae leaned closer to Seojin’s ear, seeming to recall something.

“Do you remember when Yoonhwa mentioned the Jangsanbeom…?”

“She said it could mimic voices, right?”

After exchanging glances, Seojin and Kangtae carefully decided to crack the door open just a bit.

Seojin turned the doorknob slowly and peeked outside.

Standing there was someone who looked just like Hyun.

But it was unclear if he was actually carrying Yoonhwa.

Hyun spoke in a cold voice.

“Yoonhwa is really heavy. Open the door quickly.”

“Stop joking around.”

Hyun said, sounding angry.

Seojin opened the door a bit more to get a better look at him.

It was undoubtedly Hyun. There was something unnatural about him, but first, she had to check if he was indeed carrying Yoonhwa.

“Yoonhwa is… missing—!”

Seojin said to Kangtae in a fearful voice.

“I could have sworn… I heard Yoonhwa’s voice…?”

Kangtae, scared, shouted.

“Hyun… where’s Yoonhwa? You said you were carrying her?!”

“You… must be the Jangsanbeom!”

In that instant, Hyun’s figure started to distort beyond the door.

His body twisted, skin reddening, eyes shining red.

Growing to the size of a tiger, fur began sprouting all over.

His face became more ferocious, transforming into that of a tiger.

Kangtae was startled by the sight and slammed the door shut with all his strength.

Even though he stood firm against the door, the Jangsanbeom pushed through with overwhelming power and presence.

Kangtae tried with all his might to close the door, but he was no match for the Jangsanbeom’s strength.

As if mocking Kangtae’s resistance, the Jangsanbeom easily pushed the door aside with one hand.

As the door swung wide open, Kangtae was knocked back by the beast’s formidable force.

The Jangsanbeom bent down to enter the house through the doorway.

The living room was filled with the overwhelming fear of the Jangsanbeom’s enormous size.

Its giant frame and terrifying claws sent Seojin and Kangtae into a panic.

The Jangsanbeom stormed into the living room and shouted at Seojin and Kangtae.

“Where’s the fox? Are you hiding her?”

Seojin and Kangtae were taken aback by the Jangsanbeom’s sudden and threatening attitude. Kangtae replied with a tense voice.

“W-We don’t know where Yoonhwa is..!”

“There’s only us here…”

The Jangsanbeom frowned at their response.

“Don’t lie! I can sense the aura of that monster.”

“I know the fox was here!! Tell me where they are!”

Despite the pressure from the Jangsanbeom, Seojin responded calmly.

“Yoonhwa went outside with Hyun.”

“I don’t know where they went…!”

The Jangsanbeom stared at Seojin and Kangtae for a moment, then plotted quietly.

“Fine, if that brat isn’t here, I’ll wait until they return.”

“I must get my hands on whatever that fox has…”

The Jangsanbeom began to pace around the living room before suddenly lunging at Kangtae.

Kangtae jumped back in surprise, but he couldn’t evade the Jangsanbeom’s swift movement.

The Jangsanbeom grabbed Kangtae’s arm and pulled him close.

“I’ll borrow your life for a while.”

“When that fox returns, she’ll surely give up her charm to save you!”

The Jangsanbeom’s grin was sinister.

Kangtae shouted in astonishment, still firmly caught in the Jangsanbeom’s grip.

“What the hell are you doing! Let me go…!!!”

Seojin felt a wave of despair as the situation rapidly deteriorated.

She shouted at the Jangsanbeom.

“Let Kangtae go!! Why does he have to be the hostage…!”

The Jangsanbeom tightened his grip on Kangtae and glared at Seojin.

“This is just insurance.”

“If that fox doesn’t bring me what I want, this man will die.”

The Jangsanbeom looked at Seojin, smirking as he asked.

“How precious is this guy to you?”

“Is he a close friend?”

Kangtae struggled to break free from the Jangsanbeom’s grip, but his strength was too overwhelming.

Seojin felt a pang of regret as she looked at Kangtae, but it was far too dangerous to confront the Jangsanbeom.

“Of course he’s my friend…!!! Let him go!”

“Is there some grudge against us…!!?”

Yoonhwa, Hyun, and Eunho returned to Seojin’s house together.

Yoonhwa was still in her pajamas, and Hyun clutched his cello protectively.

Eunho appeared a bit tense, but he also felt excitement at being with new friends.

As soon as they arrived home, Yoonhwa paused at the door.

“The aura of a demon…?”

“Why’s the door open again?!”

Yoonhwa and Eunho quietly walked inside.

What they found inside was entirely different from what they had expected.

Kangtae was captured by the Jangsanbeom, and Seojin was struggling to resolve the situation.

Seeing Kangtae in danger, Yoonhwa was alarmed.

Her gaze sharpened, and she prepared to charge at the Jangsanbeom.

“Jangsanbeom, how dare you harm our friend…!?!”

Her voice mixed anger and concern.

Hyun, grasping the situation, carefully set his cello aside and spoke.

“What… what’s going on?”

“Kangtae!! Are you okay?!”

Eunho, still a bit flustered by the new environment, was trying to understand the situation.

He pulled out the talisman he’d hidden and glared at the Jangsanbeom.

“W-What in the world is that…?”

“Why is the Jangsanbeom in this neighborhood…?”

“Do you have some grudge against you guys?”

This time, his voice contained a hint of panic.

Standing firm against the Jangsanbeom’s threat, Yoonhwa spoke confidently.

“Jangsanbeom! Let my friend go. I’ll give you whatever you want.”

Kangtae strained against the Jangsanbeom’s grasp, but he couldn’t withstand the beast’s power.

His eyes held both fear and a glimmer of hope for salvation.

The Jangsanbeom laughed triumphantly, grasping Kangtae even tighter.

“What can a fox like you do to me? This human is already in my hands.”

“If you so much as inch closer to me, I’ll crush this guy.”

Kangtae’s body stiffened and trembled at the Jangsanbeom’s words.

Yoonhwa was in a panic, desperate to figure out what to do, as Kangtae was the one in danger.

Hyun felt anger ignite within him at the Jangsanbeom’s mockery but quickly switched gears in thought.

He planned to provoke the Jangsanbeom to make it release Kangtae.

Though trembling, Hyun tried to sound as natural as possible.

“Right, you pretend to be a strong demon… but in the end, you’re being toyed with by this little fox, aren’t you?”

“Any truly strong demon could deal with someone like me in a single blow…?”

Hyun’s provocation caused the Jangsanbeom to explode in rage, tossing Kangtae aside and lunging at Hyun.

Hyun did his best to dodge, but the Jangsanbeom was far too fast.

The beast’s claws grazed Hyun’s arm, leaving a deep wound.

Seeing her friend hurt ignited fury in Yoonhwa.

She charged at the Jangsanbeom and grasped its neck in her hands.

With incredible strength, Yoonhwa immobilized the Jangsanbeom.

The Jangsanbeom’s body tensed, trying to resist, but couldn’t match Yoonhwa’s strength.

Yoonhwa pulled the Jangsanbeom back with all her might, slamming it down to the ground.

The impact knocked the breath out of the Jangsanbeom for a moment, and Yoonhwa seized the opportunity to completely restrain it.

Using magic, Yoonhwa bound the Jangsanbeom with glimmering chains of light.

The light chains wrapped around the Jangsanbeom like steel, completely sealing off any chance for the tiger to escape.

Trapped, the Jangsanbeom glared at Yoonhwa, feeling utterly powerless, knowing its fate lay in her hands.

“Aah… this fox…”

“Caught me off guard…!!!”

Eunho sighed with relief as the situation came to an end.