Living Dangerously with a 999-Year-Old Gumiho – Chapter 16

Yoonhwa completely subdued the Jangsanbeom.

Using magic, she bound the entire body of the Jangsanbeom with strands of light that acted like unbreakable steel, leaving the tiger with no room to move.

Despite being restrained, the Jangsanbeom glared at Yoonhwa, feeling powerless, but its fate was already in her hands.

“Ah… this fox… taking advantage of my guard..!!”

Eunho let out a sigh of relief as the situation came to an end.

Yoonhwa looked at Hyun with a concerned gaze and gently spoke.

“Hyun, are you really okay??”

“Wasn’t that a bit too bold…? You got hurt.”

Receiving Yoonhwa’s worried look, Hyun tried to muster a smile.

“It’s fine, Yoonhwa. Kangtae was more important.”

“It’s a bit painful… but this level of wound will heal quickly.”

Seojin confirmed the situation had calmed down and immediately went to look for first aid supplies.

He quickly returned with the tools and examined Hyun’s wound.

“Wait a minute, Hyun. Let’s take a look at this…”

Although not a professional, Seojin had basic knowledge of first aid.

He first took out antiseptic and cleaned the wound. The moment the antiseptic touched it, Hyun bit his lip at the sharp pain.

“Ouch… that hurts a bit…”

After applying the antiseptic, Seojin covered the wound with clean gauze and secured it with a bandage.

“This should do. You should go to the hospital tomorrow for a proper check-up.”

Hyun expressed his gratitude for Seojin’s calm handling.

“Thanks, Seojin. I would have been in trouble without you.”

Eunho, still feeling tense, watched Yoonhwa’s actions and felt a newfound respect for her courage and strength.

“Yoonhwa, you’re really amazing.”

“I’ve never seen someone subdue a monster before… it’s truly impressive.”

Eunho couldn’t hide his admiration.

“You were really cool too, Hyun.”

Yoonhwa pondered how to deal with the restrained Jangsanbeom.

The Jangsanbeom looked nervously between Yoonhwa and her friends, trying to gauge its fate.

While Yoonhwa was lost in thought, the Jangsanbeom expressed a hint of fear.

“So… what are you going to do with me?”

“Do you think it ends like this?!”

Yoonhwa let out a deep sigh and spoke to the Jangsanbeom.

“You threatened my friends to get my orb.”

“What kind of treatment do you expect from us after that?”

The Jangsanbeom sensed the gazes of Yoonhwa and her friends and realized his situation.

His voice was filled with anxiety and desperation.

“I… I don’t even know why I did this.”

“It was because of the Fox Orb…”

“But now that seems meaningless..!”

Eunho shot the Jangsanbeom a cold stare. Looking at him firmly, he said,

“I know very well what you did.”

“We don’t need monsters like you in this world.”

“Eliminating you is the best option.”

Yoonhwa hesitated at Eunho’s words but then turned her gaze toward the Jangsanbeom.

“Eunho’s right… you’ve caused us, especially Kangtae and Hyun, a lot of pain.”

“There are always consequences for your actions.”

With his injured arm held close, Hyun glared at the Jangsanbeom.

His voice was laced with anger and fear.

“I will never forget what you did to our friends, all of us.”

“You have committed an unforgivable act against us.”

Kangtae turned his eyes away from the Jangsanbeom and spoke with a trembling voice.

“I don’t care what punishment you receive.”

“I just… want this all to end.”

Seojin also glared at the Jangsanbeom.

“Yoonhwa won’t let you go easily?!”

Yoonhwa gazed at the Jangsanbeom, deeply contemplating.

She struggled with how to handle this monster. The Jangsanbeom watched Yoonhwa with a mixture of anger and fear.

“Is it true that you harmed me because of the Fox Orb..?”

Yoonhwa asked calmly.

The Jangsanbeom hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Yes, it was the Nine-Tailed Fox’s orb. I thought that if I obtained its power… no one would dare touch me.”

“I just wanted to gain power.”

Eunho felt anger at the Jangsanbeom’s excuse.

“To survive? Monsters like you deserve to die!”

He made his dislike for the Jangsanbeom abundantly clear.

The Jangsanbeom looked at Eunho with uneasy eyes.

“Why are you living with those humans?!!”

Yoonhwa raised her voice to calm the situation.

“Enough! We won’t kill you.”

“But if you ever try something like this again, we won’t forgive you.”

Yoonhwa hesitated for a moment and decided to release the magical bonds restraining the Jangsanbeom.

The Jangsanbeom’s eyes were filled with disbelief. With a mere gesture from Yoonhwa, the strands of light began to fade.

“Go on, tiger. But never harm my friends again.”

“If you show up in front of us again, next time, we won’t let you go and will make sure you truly can’t walk.”

Yoonhwa’s voice was resolute.

The moment the Jangsanbeom regained his freedom, he cautiously stood and surveyed his surroundings.

His gaze was still full of vigilance and anxiety, but at the same time, everything seemed to feel grateful.

He could still clearly remember that sensation around his neck.

Once freed, the Jangsanbeom mocked Yoonhwa.

“Did you think you won, fox?!”

“I’m just… stepping back for a while.”

“Look forward to our next meeting, fox.”

“You’ve made a big mistake. You should have killed me then.”

Yoonhwa replied calmly.

“Should I go kill you now..?”

“Just don’t come back to this village.”

“This is a warning.”

The Jangsanbeom hesitated at Yoonhwa’s words but soon burst into laughter and backed away into the forest.

“Warnings… do you think I’ll be afraid of that?”

“See you next time, Yoonhwa. I hope you last till then.”

He cast one last glare at Yoonhwa and her friends before turning away and leaving.

Kangtae, Seojin, Hyun, and Eunho all watched the situation, dumbfounded.

In particular, Kangtae, after escaping the clutches of the Jangsanbeom, trembled and expressed his gratitude to Yoonhwa.

“Yoonhwa, Hyun… thank you so much. Thanks to you…”

Kangtae’s voice trembled with relief.

As the tension eased, Seojin’s emotions burst forth. She spoke through tears.

“I was really scared… worried about Kangtae and Hyun getting hurt…”

“If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what would have happened to all of us..!”

Yoonhwa comforted Seojin, gently patting her.

“Seojin, it’s okay. We’re all safe, right?”

“Because I’m here!”

Seeing Seojin’s tears, Yoonhwa stepped closer and hugged her tightly.

Kangtae patted Seojin’s shoulder with a smile, reassuring her.

“Seojin, we’re okay. We’re in this together.”

Kangtae said playfully.

“Our Seojin shouldn’t cry. If you cry, I’ll tease you later, so don’t cry now.”

At Kangtae’s words, Seojin stopped crying.

Then, while wiping her tears, Seojin pointed at Eunho.

“What… what’s this kid doing?…”

“Since he’s holding a talisman, is he a exorcist?”

Eunho momentarily froze but then introduced himself with a smile.

“Oh, my name is Eunho. I’m not a kid… I’m 25 now.”

Seojin nodded in surprise.

“Ah!.. Is that so? Sorry, Eunho. I misunderstood..”

Eunho answered with a smile.

“It’s okay. I’m happy to be with you all. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

As the situation eased a bit, Kangtae friendly engaged Eunho.

“Eunho-, we don’t need to use honorifics between us. Let’s speak casually, alright?”

Eunho looked momentarily troubled but politely responded.

“Ah, thank you, but I’m more comfortable using honorifics with older friends.”

“Would you mind?”

Kangtae seemed a bit disappointed but respected Eunho’s decision.

“Okay, I got it. Do what’s comfortable for you~.”

Seojin burst into laughter at the scene.

“Our Kangtae got rejected~”

“Eunho is really polite, huh.”

After a brief silence, Eunho carefully asked the friends.

“How old are all of you?… ”

Kangtae, Seojin, and Hyun answered almost simultaneously.

“We’re all 27 years old.”

Eunho nodded as if he understood.

“That’s the perfect age.”

At that moment, Yoonhwa chuckled and added.

“I’m a bit older than you—999 years old.”

“Next year, I’ll finally turn 1000 and become a Nine-Tailed Fox.”

The friends were shocked by Yoonhwa’s words.

Seojin’s eyes widened.

“999 years??!”

“That’s… about 980 years older than us?!”

Hyun was also shocked.

“I knew it was just a year left.. really?!”

Seojin laughed and said.

“Then it makes sense that I should call you ‘unni’~!”

Kangtae also teased Yoonhwa.

“Then I should call you ‘sister.’ Yoonhwa unni~”

“Ah, stop it! Don’t call me that.”

“Just call me Yoonhwa.”

The friends enjoyed Yoonhwa’s shy reaction.

Seojin added playfully to Yoonhwa’s reaction.

“No, unni—! You’re really amazing. We’re still just kids next to you.”

Kangtae continued to tease Yoonhwa.

“We want to learn your secrets to live until 1000 too–.”

Hyun, watching Yoonhwa’s reaction, smiled playfully.

“Just like your ancestor~ you shouldn’t use casual speech!”

Eunho watched quietly, smiling at the cheerful atmosphere among his new friends.

“You all seem to get along really well.”

Yoonhwa burst into laughter, blushing at her friends’ playful words as they continued.

“Okay, let’s stop talking about age! Just call me Yoonhwa.”

“And you can all use casual speech with me.”

“We’re not that different in age—.”

Seojin was momentarily surprised but soon smiled and responded to Yoonhwa.

“Okay, got it, Yoonhwa. I’ll speak casually from now on!”

Kangtae and Hyun exchanged smiles.

“Okay, Yoonhwa. Let’s keep it natural.”

Kangtae said.

Hyun nodded in agreement with Yoonhwa’s words.

“Yoonhwa, really thanks… Let’s be closer from now on.”

Eunho slowly warmed up to the friendly atmosphere, smiling at his new friends.

“You really seem like close friends.”

As night deepened, in a distant house in another village, a woman sat elegantly in a massive ancient-style chair.

Her bearing was dignified, and a cold authority could be felt in her gaze.

Before her knelt seven people of different ages, clad in different clothing, all focused solely on her, holding their breath in silence.

In her hand was a special object.

The object, with a thread passing through the center of a coin, rattled when she merely waved it with her fingertips, producing strange sounds.

In front of her face, something flickered as if the air rippled, letting out a slight laugh while whispering to her.

“The one who obtains the Fox Orb will grasp immense wealth and power.”

The voice was mysterious, yet at the same time, it was seductive.

And that captivating voice added.

“The Nine-Tailed Fox possessing that orb lives in a neighboring village with humans.”

The whispering voice in front of her seemed otherworldly.

It was like the sound of wind gently caressing the leaves in a silent forest.

Yet, mixed within that sound were the cries of wild animals, making it both mystical and grotesque.

The voice occasionally flowed with a gentle melody but would suddenly shift to a sharp tone that tickled her ears.

The whispers resembled a beautiful melody but held a forceful, commanding message within.

The voice seemed to speak directly to the woman yet also echoed from a distance.

It felt as if multiple voices entwined to form a single resonant sound.

Sometimes softly whispering, sometimes compelling her to speak about the Nine-Tailed Fox.

The flickering presence became clearer and drew an image of Yoonhwa in her heart.

“Her name is Yoonhwa.”

Yoonhwa stood with a serene demeanor, as if excitedly conversing with someone.

A mystical light danced in Yoonhwa’s expression.

Her tails shone beautifully, and even the air around her seemed influenced by her presence.

The woman smiled at this information.

Her eyes were calculating, and in her mind, she began forming plans to find Yoonhwa and seize the orb.

Excited by this information, she wore a strange smile.

She slowly shook the odd object made of thread weaving through the coin.

At that moment, an elderly woman who had been kneeling rose and took extreme action by ending her own life.

In that instant, the air became thick with heavy silence.

An elderly woman knelt in the room stood up shakily.

Her face was etched with a complex expression of despair and compliance.

The elderly woman made the drastic choice to end her life with the sharp object hanging from her neck.

As her body slumped to the ground, the space filled with deep joy.

Yet the flickering presence appeared to relish this brutal spectacle as a cruel source of entertainment.

As the elderly woman’s life faded, it began to laugh in satisfaction, feasting upon her corpse.

That laugh deepened the stillness in the room.

The woman coldly observed the entire scene, smiling with bright eyes in the darkness.

In her heart, she held only one objective.

To find the Nine-Tailed Fox Yoonhwa and seize the mysterious orb she possessed.

She lightly brushed her dress and elegantly rose from her seat.

Every movement of hers was calculated and exuded authority.

Her gaze was filled with confidence in victory and brimming with ambition. She walked as if she had already secured her triumph.

She was ready to embark on a journey to find the Nine-Tailed Fox Yoonhwa and acquire that powerful orb from her.

In her heart already lay the glorious future after obtaining the orb, and she moved step by step toward that goal.

The woman looked coldly at the six people kneeling in the room.

Their eyes lacked vitality, merely prepared to obey her commands.

There were no traces of any distinct personalities on their faces.

Like mere shells of humans, they displayed unconditional compliance before her.

“One of you, stand up.”

“Go find Yoonhwa and bring me that orb.”

One of the puppets moved slowly to rise. In his hand was a small knife, and his gaze remained expressionless. He mechanically exited the room, while the woman maintained a cold smile as she watched his retreating figure.

The flickering presence seemed to whisper to her with satisfaction.

“…If you bring me that orb,”

“You will become the most powerful being in this world.”

This woman envisioned herself holding the orb in her hands. In her imagination, she ruled the world with infinite power given by that mighty orb.

Her eyes sparkled with greed and thrill, and she laughed wildly, awaiting the moment her ambition would be realized.

Her laughter filled the room, resonating with the surrounding air.

It sounded as if the certainty of grasping all the power in the world had fueled her laughter.

Her laughter grew louder and more frenzied, and her eyes sparkled with the assurance of victory.

At that moment, even those in the room were silenced by her manic laughter, staring at her.

Fear and awe flickered in their eyes, as they realized how insignificant they were before her ambition.

The woman was filled with the conviction that her plan would succeed flawlessly, and her laughter seemed unending.

She was already convinced that she would become the most powerful being in the world and that no one could hinder her ambitions.

She resumed her seat, imagining the future that lay ahead of her, sweeping her dress aside.