Clink.
Something cold and heavy pressed against his hands.
What is this?
âKuhâ¦â
With a faint groan, Gubong opened his eyes.
Had he lost consciousness? For how long?
As his thoughts raced to piece together what had happened, his eyes widened in alarm.
It came rushing back.
Being dragged alongside Gu Yangcheon by the familyâs people. And then⦠what happened after that?
The hazy memories spun in his head, a whirlwind of fragments he couldnât make sense of.
Shaking off the dizziness, Gubong forced himself to survey his surroundings.
Where is this?
Clang.
â...!â
The moment he tried to move, a restrictive sensation swept through his body.
He quickly realized his state and his eyes grew even wider.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âWhat theâ¦!â
What is going on? He struggled, confusion mountingâ
âYouâre awake.â
The voice came from ahead, freezing him in place.
Not because he wanted to stopâno, it felt as though his body was paralyzed against his will.
Hissâ¦
An inexplicable chill coiled around him, and the clear sight he once had began to darken.
Within moments, pitch-black darkness engulfed him.
It wasnât truly darkâhis mind just perceived it that way.
A nauseating, oppressive sensation that made him want to retch.
It was a feeling Gubong hoped never to experience again.
But it wasnât just the sensation he hated.
There was only one person in his memory who could evoke such a visceral reaction.
Someone Gubong both despised and feared down to his very bones.
And that person was now standing before him.
âHow have you been?â
A figure shrouded in darkness, their features obscured entirely, save for the faint outline of a chin resting in a contemplative pose.
Gubong swallowed dryly.
Even without seeing, he knew who it was.
How could he not? This figure still haunted his nightmares.