The Chase

The World They Create Together

Wang So

When the fate set up a test, he had already realized just how painful it could. But never just how much. Everything burnt, his ears were ringing, all he could taste and smell was blood. But his mind was still aware, and he never stop urging his body to keep on fighting. No matter how much his body burnt or how much the disgusting taste of blood never seem to leave his throat. He felt himself being moved, and being fed some liquid from time to time. Medicine. The royal doctors must be here. But what about Soo? From what he could remember Soo still was at Wook's residence, and because of her Unni's illness, the doctor should be nearby, but was that doctor a good one? What if no one was there to help her when she fell ill, Soo loves to walk and she could be stuck somewhere. But he could not feel his body, so how can he go to her? He just willed his body to get stronger as fast as it could. His body that was used to battles were suffering like this, to Soo's fragile body this will be torture beyond anything that she had to experience. He had to be able to move soon, he could not stay here without knowing about Soo's condition, without a chance to actually see her again.

Something cold touched his eyelid, a cloth wiping his sweat. And voices, the voices of his younger brothers. Of Eun and Baek-Ah. The voices that he will never forget, the ones that light up the frozen palace. Voices were not enough, he needed to see them. To make sure it was not a dream, that they were truly alive. Unlike before he could feel the separate parts of his body though the pain nor the bloody taste never left. Battling against all the pain that he felt in his body, he open his eyes and turn his head. There they were. His younger brothers. Laughing. Laughing and smiling. Like they used to before the coldness got them, before the darkness. Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth to speak. He want to reassure them, want to actually converse with them.

"Eun-ah….Baek Ah-ya…."

"Hyungnim! Are you awake? Your body? Call the doctor, are you alright?" The mother-hen Baek-Ah, and right beside him was Eun-ah looking so happy to see him. But it will never be compared to how he felt. How much his heart warms at the sight of Eun in front of him alive and well. He wants to continue to see them, but his body was failing him again. He could feel the darkness approaching, but just for a little while, he fought against it. He had to tell his precious brothers to be careful.

"Eun-ah, Baek-ah, be careful. Learn to fight. You can't die. Not my cute younger brothers." even if he took a lot of shaky breathes in the middle, at least he could speak to them. The mix of confusion and alarm on their faces meant that they heard him. But he did not have the strength yet to explain. But Baek Ah was smart, he will be able to figure it out. Smiling slightly to reassure them he let his eyes close and start to go back into the darkness. He could hear the cries of his name from Baek Ah and Eun filled with concern fill his ears but it seemed like an annoying background noise. But then he heard another voice. Such a distinct voice and the one that remained in his memory throughout his entire life.

"So-yah," his father was calling him. His father was here in his sick chamber. He did care about him if he was here. He could not disappoint the only parent that actually showed his any affection. He blinks his eyelids a couple of times till he could opened his eyes once again and he moves head a little till he could see him. His father dressed in his royal robes that was sitting at the edge of his bed, looking at him. The sight of him was enough for him to smile, and the fact that he was alive, he could feel his eyes watering slightly. But no matter how happy he was, if the king was here, then he was taking him away from his duties. The state of Goryeo was not stable yet, especially after the rite. The king had to be performing his duties. For him just the sight of him was enough for him to gain some strength, his father did not need to worry about him, as he will be back to full strength soon, he could feel it. His father had called him by his name, had worried about him, that was enough. He focus on making a sound pass through his throat and convey that message to him, using the last bit of strength in his body before falling into the darkness again.

"You shouldn't be here. You have a nation to protect. Pyeha, don't worry about me, I will survive. I am your son. Wang Geon's son. Go and do your duties and protect the royal family and Goryeo." That was all he could say before he once again fall into the dark, in his ears he could hear numerous voices calling out his name, in those voices, he could recognized his father's.

The next time, he woke. He could feel that he was on a horse's back and it was dark. From what he could see without moving his body too much, the masked assassins had him. They were planning to kill him then, as their leader, his Eomoni, will not allow anyone that know the truth to stay alive. But it will not be easy for them. He will not die. Rather it was them, that were in danger of dying, as he could now feel all of his limbs, though the fire was still burning underneath his skin, and there was still taste of blood in his mouth. All he had to do now was to wait for an opening, then attack. He could not feel any weapon on his body, so he will have to attack them physically using his speed as an advantage.

When he feel the horse stopping, he knew that this was his chance. He waits for the rider to get off and move near where he was on the horse's back. As soon as he see the rider's back in front of him, he reach forward with his arms and twist the rider's neck. Getting off the horse, he could hear more men approaching him. As he stood up, he could feel his body's tiredness and he knew that he was not too far from collapsing, but it was no time to rest. Depending on the rush of strength he usually experience when he is fighting, he waits for the other two men to attack him. When the men are surrounding him, that was when he attacks. Kicking one man directly on the neck to make him collapse as he dodges a sword strike from the other, then jumping on the other man and strangling him with his arms till he falls unconscious.

The moment the two man fell, he could feel the blood rising in his throat and he just vomits it all. There was so much blood, that he could still feel the drops dripping down from his chin. But it was not a time to rest at all. He first had to leave a clue for the royal guards so they need to catch the assassins before they made another attempt on the Crown Prince. He see a piece of paper, peeking out from a collar of one man, so he yank it out. Using the pool of blood around him as ink, he wrote what he could without being made an accomplice, adding the line of him going somewhere to tell them that he was safe. Folding the paper in half, he places it between the grass.

Now he had to leave this place, and go find Hae Soo. Standing up with heaving breath, he reached for the horse's reins, then slowly climb onto it. He had promised Soo that he will see her at the prayer tower and he will not break his word. After guessing his location, he turns his horse around till he was facing Songak, and starts to ride towards his brother's residence. The most likely place that Soo was likely to be in. Moving as fast as he could which his body that need to rest so often as he continues to throws up blood.

When he was just around the corner from the residence, he saw horses. There were more masked men, and one of them was carrying something over his shoulders that he laid it down on top of the horse. His eyes could pick out that form, no matter how much times have passed. Hae Soo. That was his person that they were kidnapping. It did not matter much to him what they did to him as he was used to it, but to Soo. When they bring harm to her, then that was when they had crossed the line, and it guarantees their death. That too by his own hands. As the horse riders start to move, he follows them from behind, making sure to not gallop loudly as that will expose his presence. Whenever he finds out who was behind this kidnapping of Soo, they will be captured alive and tortured. Those individuals will not have any mercy upon them. That is if they were not killed by him already. Touching even a finger on Soo with the intent on harming her was a death sentence in the eyes of Emperor Gwangjong.

He could see the horse stopping ahead, so he stops his horse and dismount. Then with silent steps he approaches them from behind. The man that was riding the horse that Soo was laid upon, foolishly placing his sword down on the ground, before turning to get his luggage off the horse. As the man moves, he could finally see Soo's form. She was in her sleeping garments, ropes tied around her arm and one rope over . The ropes were tied too tight and from what he could guess it was digging into her skin. None of the three men did not even attempt to care for Soo, not take that rope off so she could breathe. Just looking at Soo being treated this way was enough, his control over his temper snapped. Now he was the Wolf-Dog, hunting the one that hurt his mate.

Making sure that the men were looking the opposite direction, he creeps behind them, before taking the sword from the ground. With a weapon in hand, his temper out of control, he step forward to kill all the men he could find, the moment he sliced the belly of one, another new one appeared. It did not matter, he just spun and slash the spine on this one. He just strike with his sword at all the men that was stopping him from reaching her. There men were the one to cause her pain, he will not stop till all of them were on the ground. Though he did not kill all of them. No, the ones with non-fatal wounds that had fainted, he will be back for them. They will confess the name of the mastermind, even if he had to beat them himself. But for now, he just used the ropes that he found to tie them to the trees around him. Finding more paper from the men's clothes, this time, he wrote two messages using the blood on him, and all around him. One to interrogate these men, the other to leave a clue as to where he was going. Then he wiped away the blood that was still leaking out of his mouth from when he had throw up, right after the last man went down, before he made his way to the horse where Soo was.

Using what strength he had, he got up on the horse and lifted her form off the back neck of the horse. Untying the ropes, he looked over her form, searching for any injuries. Thankfully they were none. He had thought her to be drugged but it seems she was simply in a heavy sleep with no fever and no blood on . It seemed that she had been healed from the poisoning and now was simply resting. Shifting her body on the horse, so that he could hold her body to his with one arm, and hold a weapon in the other, he starts to ride away from the scene of blood. Riding as softly as he could, with the stolen sword from the assassins held tightly in one hand.

The palace

The captain was once again in front of the King. In the room was the Astronomer Choi, the Crown Prince, and also the 10th and 13th prince. Kneeling in front of the King, he started to give his report.

"Pyeha, as you had ordered we searched all the temples through Songak. We found a temple that Queen Yoo had sponsored that had assassins with no tongue but sadly before we could capture them, they were all killed or have committed suicide, before burning their temple. Thus there was no capture of the assassins at the exorcism rite."

"What about the horse tracks?"

"The tracks from the 8th prince's residence went south of Songak till it reached near the ocean. We found a few of the horses, where.."

"What was it? Is there something you are hiding from the King, Captain?"

"Never, Pyeha. The area where we found the horses, we found several dead assassins and a few alive ones tied up to a tree. The dead were killed in a quick manner, but the living had multiple bleeding cuts. We had taken the living into custody, while the dead have been brought to the morgue. However there is no doubt that it was the 4th prince who killed them as we once again found messages from him." The captain stood up and passed the two papers to Ji Mong who handed them over to the king.

In the king's eyes, these papers were even more blood-stained from the first one. However, the writing seemed to be more controlled, though they were still blood splatters. His son was still coughing blood but his body seemed to be in control. The first one simple had "interrogate the living, they will bleed but will not die." The second was a bit longer. "Soo is with me. Tell her cousin that she is fine, and I will bring her back. Going to the Baek Ah's musical hut, send for the doctor. I am fine." That crazy son, telling him that he is fine while he is most likely to be bleeding and weak. But the fact that he had survived was what mattered the most. Looking at his three sons, who seemed to be sicken at the sight of the blood on the paper, he could see that So had someone there for him that care about him.

"Interrogate them till they confess, Captain. Baek Ah, where is the musical hut? Apparently both the 4th and Lady Hae Soo are there."

"So-Hyungnim and Soo are alright."

"Yes, Eunnie Hyungnim they are alright. Pyeha, the musical hut is an old servant quarters of my grandmother, we store some of our instruments there. I can lead the guards."

"I will also go with him, Pyeha. Please grant us permission to go out of the palace with the doctor, I fear that So's condition may have worsened."

"Kure, permission granted. Ji Mong, make sure that the noble clans do not know what exactly was in the poison, and keep the kidnapping quiet." The king left the chamber once again and went to the temple to give his bows of gratitude. The crown prince with the 10th and 13th prince quickly left the court, to get the doctors and the guards before going out of the palace.

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Tahali #1
Chapter 82: I'm still here, waiting for the continuation of this beautiful story.
Hope you are well and come back soon.
kuroihikari #2
Chapter 82: I wish you could continue this story too!!!
ANNAYUAN #3
I hope you continue this story!! I’ve reread so many times and I love it!
Tahali #4
Chapter 82: hello I really hope you are well and that soon you can follow this great story ....
Sorry if my English is not understandable, I don't speak it well at all and I read your story through google translator
Ahonakh #5
Chapter 82: Please update this book it's so heartwarming and fun to read please do continue it
ggexotica #6
Chapter 82: Hi..
I reread this story n in love with it all over again.
How are you? Hopefully you're doing well especially with this pandemic going on.
It's almost a year since you've updated this story n I wonder if you'll continue this story? I really hope you'll continue, because I love this story. I'm also curious how the story goes, especially after Yo changing his views toward SoSoo n their family and listen well n patiently to Seol. What will happen in the next chapters?
Take all the time you need to update this story. But...maybe a new chapter soon? (。・ω・。)
Naaah. Take all time you need. Stay safe :)
Tahali #7
Chapter 82: Hello
I have reread all the chapters, I hope you are well and soon you can continue it
Nonik1288 #8
Chapter 82: Please continue this story
How are you?
are you fine?
Eva_abril #9
Chapter 82: update please ...
The story is interesting, I love it.
Eva_abril #10
Chapter 36: Actualiza por favor...
Esta interesante la historia..
Ya quiero leer mas