Chapter 28: They Fall Like Dominoes

With the start of the first full day, Ki Jung has Phong Ahn and Chanming team up, while she teams up with Min Joon. They head out in different directions to gather food to help stretch what they brought along. They are to return to the cave before nightfall. Min Joon already described what to look for to his fellow students based on what the two of them found the previous day; thus, everyone is as ready as possible when they take off.

Each team covers many acres of land during their outing. A variety of tubers, berries, herbs, fungus, and edible gourds are picked and stored to bring back. As they travel, all of them make continuous use of their Pakchulbong based senses to stay aware of possible dangers. This is not as effective for the students, as they have yet to open their first Qi-locks, but using it is the only way to improve.

Phong Ahn and Chanming were alert as they go about their day in search of food. Still, it isn’t good enough to prevent them from encountering a solitary beast that decides they will be its next meal.

The beast rushes out of a copse of trees less than ten meters away. It had been outside of the range of their senses and to their rear when it burst forth. Fortunately, they were paying attention as Master Lee had taught them. They hear the Fleet-footed Assassin before it their Qi based senses pick it up and give warning.

Spears in hand, at all times, they are able to turn quickly and face the oncoming attack. The fight is hard-won, but in the end, they prevailed. They require rest after the battle. They are tired and have sustained a number of injuries. Each consumes a minor healing potion. Chanming won’t be going anywhere with a broken ankle, and Phong Ahn wouldn’t be able to fight effectively, or gather food, with fractured fingers. Soon, the healing potions do their thing and the injuries are repaired.

The two of them rest for another half hour while drinking water and eating a snack to replenish the lost energy used up by the healing potions. Then, they are back on their feet and on task.

On the bright side, they each have their first breakthroughs in Pakchulbong, which increases their range of detection from two to five meters radius. What surprises the two of them the most was that they actually forgot decorum and hugged one another and even shared a brief kiss in the excitement that accompanies such a significant occurrence. The main reason it didn’t last longer was the pain. This was before they took the healing potions. If anyone had been there to witness this event, they would have noticed both of them blushing furiously. They were also acting shy for an extended duration: the time it took for them to rest before moving on, in fact.

Min Joon and Ki Jung were having a similar experience, though KI Jung had allowed the creature to attack so that Min Joon might benefit from it. At all times, she is ready to help him and keep him safe from real harm. Min Joon is proving to be quite adept at applying his skills to new situations. This allows Ki Jung to step back and watch as he takes on two Sharp-beaked Terrors at once.