Lookism: Legend of Oni

While the scene in front of them had been horrifying enough, what came next froze every viewer of the stream.

Ha-Joon, who just moments ago had been sitting cross-legged in the middle of a pile of dead snakes, calmly chewing on the charred remains of a venomous one, suddenly vanished.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared right beside Soomin.

Soomin, still staring wide-eyed at the spot where Ha-Joon had just been instinctively rolled his camera, he didn't even realize what had happened until a calm voice brushed his ear.

"Curiosity's dangerous, my friend," Ha-Joon whispered.

"Fu**." Soomin cursed out loud and turned his camera. The instant camera caught the sight of Ha-Joon, his chat exploded.

@WOLF_5247: "Holy Mother Jesus. HOW IS HE BEHIND YOU??"

@4bdu1: "I REWOUND 3 TIMES. HE JUST VANISHED ENTIRELY."

@LoveVenerable: "Bruh you're gonna die 💀💀💀"

@GreatLove_Immortal: "NAHHHHH MAN THIS MUST BE EDITED 😭😭😭"

@SilentAutumn: "TOP 10 CREEPIEST FOREST MOMENTS CAUGHT ON CAM"

@Jeffmiste: "He teleported like an anime character???"

...

"Mind if I borrow your phone?" Ha-Joon asked, waving his hand in front of dazed Soomin.

Soomin, still shaking, stared at him, trying to process what was happening. "M-my phone?"

"Yeah." Ha-Joon gave a light nod. "Just one quick call."

Still stunned, he handed over the phone. The livestream, still rolling, caught every second of it. Ha-Joon walked a few steps away, dialed a number from memory, and brought the phone to his ear.

"Hyun-Woo. It's me. Come pick me up, near the northern basin. You'll smell the snake pit before you see me."

"Ohh.. And don't forget to get me a new clothes."

 After giving instruction he hung up, walked towards Soomin, and handed the phone back with a faint smile.

"Thanks friend. And hey," he added, glancing at the camera still pointed at him, "maybe skip posting this part online, Ok? Some things aren't meant to go viral."

He gave Soomin a gentle pat on the shoulder.

Then, without another word, Ha-Joon turned and disappeared back into the jungle.

While the scene was broadcasted live on VTube, once again the chat went wild.

@WOLF_5247: "OHH HELL NAW.. I'M NOT SLEEPING TONIGHT AFTER WHAT I SAW"

@OmniversalEmperor: "HE JUST VANISHED TWICE WTF IS GOING ON"

@ActionLover: "Main character energy. Bro's not even hiding it."

@DaoistgBZH9Y: "Bro look at his eyes. They are literally tattooed. He's a menace for tattooing his eyes."

Soomin nervously glanced at chat and slowly turned off the stream with trembling hands. He had no idea what just happened.

But one thing was certain.

He wasn't going back into that jungle ever again. In fact, right there, still shaking and soaked in sweat, Soomin swore on the spot that he would never step foot into any jungle again, let alone livestream from one.

From now on, no more "Ark Adventures." and no more thrill-seeking wilderness content.

"From now on..." he muttered under his breath, slowly packing up his gear with trembling fingers, "...I'm sticking to café reviews."

After packing his camera and other stuff, he shakingly left the Jeju island.

.....

Ha-Joon washed up quietly by the riverside, splashing water on his face and wiping the dirt from his body.

"Has it really been six months?" he muttered under his breath, looking at his own reflection in the water. "Guess I stayed here longer than planned."

He had planned to train in wilderness for a month or so, but he hadn't expected to be engrossed in his training so thoroughly that he had lost the track of time.

Before that, he'd spent a full year in Japan, solidifying the foundation of his plan. The crew system he had implemented, an idea borrowed from a future Charles Choi, had already begun to take root.

With it, money started flowing, while he himself began forming connections at various places, and his influence expanded faster than anticipated.

He had stayed longer than expected to oversee the creation of his company and ensure every piece was in place.

But for now, he needed to head to Cheonliang as soon as possible, as Seongji Yuk was waiting.

A few months back, Seongji had called Ha-Joon out of the blue, inviting him to visit. What exactly he meant by the things he said over his ear, whether they were true or not, had still lingered in Seongji's mind.

He wanted to confirm whether Ha-Joon's words held true or not.

Ha-Joon of course was happy to visit him.

Few hours later,`

A familiar black SUV pulled into view.

The door opened, and Hyun-Woo stepped out, brushing off his jeans as he approached with a casual gait.

"Boss," he called.

Ha-Joon nodded. "Took you long enough."

Hyun-Woo gave a crooked grin. "You try finding someone in a snake-infested jungle with barely any signal."

He opened the trunk, pulled out a small bag, and walked over. "Figured you'd get sick of eating raw snake meat and all, so I brought something decent."

He handed over a steaming container of rice, grilled mackerel, and some kimchi neatly packed in foil.

Ha-Joon smiled slightly and took the food. "Thanks."

He dug in without hesitation. The warm food hit differently after months of survival instincts and jungle meals. Every bite almost made him shed his tear.

Hyun-Woo leaned on the hood of the SUV, arms crossed, watching his boss eat like a beast.

After finishing, Ha-Joon wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up. "Let's go. We're heading Cheonliang."

"What about Minjae?" Hyun-Woo asked, already heading to the driver's seat.

Ha-Joon smirked. "Leave him be for now."

Hyun-Woo chuckled and started the SUV's engine.

They didn't waste time. As the SUV moved out of the Jeju ferry port and onto the highway, Ha-Joon remained silent in the back seat.

A year and a half had passed since his last visit to Cheonliang. By now, Seongji had likely gathered his own small circle, his little family right?

Ha-Joon smiled slightly, just the thought of Seongji accepting his help made Ha-Joon's job easier.

Another piece had stepped onto the board, Ha-Joon mused inwardly.

The SUV past through the rural outskirts, gradually ascending Cheonliang's mountain path.

A short while later, the SUV slowed to a stop just near the road that led to Seongji's modest home in the mountains.

Ha-Joon opened the door and stepped out, stretching slightly as he looked up the hill.

Hyun-Woo rolled down the window. "Want me to come?"

"No," Ha-Joon replied calmly. "This one's just between him and me."

Having said that, Ha-Joon strolled forward, and approached the wooden doorway of Seongji's home.

Just as his hand neared the doorframe, a familiar voice drifted from inside.

"Welcome to my humble home,"

....

Can anyone clarify the age of character who had appeared during Cheonliang arc. Just the second generation character ok!! Ohh and also gun and goo.

Man.. I've been so confused of their age which is why i hadn't introduced the Cheonliang fam in this chap.