Chapter 58
Chapter 58. My Pet Is Too Strong
Golden Poison.
The assassins from Dark Moon Pavilion who had ambushed me.
My friend who fought alongside me against them.
"That dog was still biting down on my arm even as it died."
……A loyal dog who protected me until the very end, even in its dying moments.
I could never forget it.
Living as the Poison Demon, whenever I saw a dog wandering the streets, my gaze would drift toward it on its own.
Because it reminded me of Golden Poison.
But I never kept one.
As the Heavenly Poison Blood Divine Art grew stronger, poisonous energy naturally flowed from my body.
Whether human or animal, drawing close to me was a path that led straight to death.
Even when I cultivated medicinal herbs alongside Shennong, I wore gloves and a face covering made from Heavenly Silkworm Silk.
The only animal that ever stayed by my side was the great steed, Black King.
That creature was a spiritual beast, capable of enduring even my poisonous energy.
Even then, after I had reached the realm of Poison Man, I'd had to mix antidote herbs into its feed.
Woof woof!
I, who could not be close to any person or animal.
It was the lonely road that a revenge demon had to walk—one who had declared war on the entire Jianghu.
* * *
Scrape, scrape! Slash!
"Ugh, so tough."
I worked the White Tiger Sword and painstakingly peeled off the hide of the White Night Black Wolf.
Its hide was a treasure.
Even in the old Jianghu, though my strength had faded, my hand-blade technique that could pierce through the bellies of ordinary black wolves had failed to penetrate the White Night Black Wolf's hide.
"If it's processed properly, it'd make a magnificent defensive garment."
What if I wore the White Night Black Wolf hide cloak over the Dark Tortoise Armor I was already wearing?
……That might be a bit excessive.
Aah, I miss the poison-and-blade-proof combat attire made of Heavenly Silkworm Silk from my past life so much.
I also pulled out the White Night Black Wolf's fangs. Two of them.
If properly sharpened, these too would make fine daggers.
According to what the climbers said, the White Night Black Wolf's fangs could pierce even a shield made of steel.
I'd started to pull out the claws as well, but decided to leave them.
Their size was around that of a silver blade, making them not particularly suitable for use as weapons……
"I could use them as hidden weapons."
Or I could sell them.
Ah, White Night Black Wolf.
He was a wolf who gave without holding back.
When I raised my head after finishing, the Black Wolf Squad members had fled— not a single one remained.
Nothing of particular note came from searching Choi Mu-jin's person.
Having thought something through, I wrapped his blood-soaked garments around the flute and tucked them away.
I also collected some of Choi Mu-jin's blood in a medicine vial.
I had hoped at least some gold would come out.
I wasn't too disappointed, though. The biggest prize still remained.
"Now, the last one."
I drew the Blue Dragon Spear and flicked off the blood of Choi Mu-jin that clung to its blade.
I walked to the edge of the cliff and leapt off.
Crash, crash, crash!
The Blue Dragon Spear, driven into the cliffside.
"There it is!"
A brilliantly glowing red blade of grass entered my vision.
"Red Spirit Grass."
I used Wind God Steps to climb back up to the top of the cliff.
A gust of wind whipped through my hair.
Time to return.
I gathered everything I had brought into the tower and everything I had gained, and wrapped it all in the White Night Black Wolf's hide.
Only then did I remember something I had forgotten.
【You have collected all fragments of the White Night Soul.】
"Where is the White Night Soul?"
I looked around, but could not find it.
Had I dropped it somewhere?
I searched the clifftop at length, even combing through the undergrowth, but it was nowhere to be found.
"Where did it go?"
If it was the reward for clearing the tower sub-mission, it would have been quite something—had I lost it?
Unable to believe I had made such a mistake, I spent a full hour searching, but ultimately failed.
"How did I lose that……."
I knocked my own head a few times in frustration, then resigned myself and returned to the medicinal and poisonous herb field.
Mmmmm-.
I threw the rewards I had brought out onto the ground.
There had been great gains, but I was not at ease.
To miss a mission reward—what a pathetic thing!
Furious, I sat down and knocked my head against the ground in the field—
"Bark!"
……Hm?
Where did I hear a puppy's sound?
As I looked around—
"Bark!"
When I turned my body and looked back—
"Huff huff—."
Wagging its tail.
A White Night Black Wolf.
No—a puppy that looked exactly like it.
【White Night Soul: I lay down my life for you.】
* * *
"Bark!"
"Oh my, oh my."
"Bark bark!"
"Okay, okay."
"Bark!"
"That's not something you eat!"
Crash.
The puppy, rampaging about in excitement.
I picked it up just as it was about to chew on my medicinal herbs.
Good heavens.
It was so adorable!
To think that 'White Night Soul' referred to this little creature.
Its body was black, and from the crown of its head down its back to its tail, it was silver.
A creature with sparkling, bright eyes that were utterly adorable.
"I can't just keep it in the herb field."
For now, I took it out to my apartment.
"It's possible."
I had wondered, since it was called a soul, whether it only existed inside the Murim Tower or the herb field—but its presence felt tangible here in the present world too.
Pitter patter pitter patter—.
"Ugh! Paw prints."
The thing, with its dirt-covered paws, darted this way and that all around my apartment.
My mother would have had a fit if she'd seen it.
"Whimper—."
"Why?"
"Whine whine."
"Are you hungry?"
"Huff huff."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Tilt.
"If you don't understand, there's no food."
"Huff huff."
"Paw!"
Plop.
"Nose!"
Plop.
"It understands!"
"Huff huff."
Would this work too?
"Attack!"
Crack!
The creature's body slam sent the dining table made of Italian marble shattering into pieces.
"……Good heavens."
I gave it a firm scolding.
"You can't eat just anything."
"Huff huff."
"You can't attack just anyone, or smash things either."
"Huff huff."
"I'll give you food."
But what should I feed it?
It's a wolf, but should I treat it like a dog? Kibble?
I opened the refrigerator, and spotted some frozen Korean beef and a T-bone steak I'd put away.
"I'll thaw it out for you."
I was heading to the microwave with the Korean beef when the creature leapt up and snatched the frozen block of Korean beef right in its mouth and bolted.
"Hey!"
Crunch crunch crunch!
In an instant, the creature had chewed and swallowed an entire solidly frozen block of Korean beef.
Still small, but its razor-like teeth flashed brilliantly.
I looked down at the T-bone steak in my hand.
"I told you not to eat just anything."
"Huff huff."
"You didn't listen, so no food for you."
"Whimper—."
"Go over there and face the wall!"
Dash dash dash.
Standing with its head against the wall, staying perfectly still.
Ughhh……
Its backside was unbearably adorable!
"Come here."
"Huff huff."
I set the T-bone steak down on the floor.
A much harder block than the Korean beef from before—and a beef bone that could serve as a weapon.
Crunch, crunch!
Not even a problem while eating.
After finishing it in no time, it wagged its tail again.
"Again?!"
"Huff huff."
Can't be helped. I'd have to go out and buy more.
I picked the creature up and was about to head out the front door—
"Oh my!"
When I opened the door, my mother and Bo-reum were standing there.
"Oh, Mother?"
"Why do you look so startled?"
"No, it's nothing."
"What's that in your arms? A puppy?"
"Oh my! So adorable."
Bo-reum let out a shriek-like cheer.
Bo-reum's two hands extended toward it—
Growl!
"Don't!"
With a shout, I quickly moved the creature away.
"Why, why are you doing this, Oppa? I just wanted to hold it once."
"Ah, it hasn't been trained yet. It might bite."
"Psh, even if that little thing bites me, how much could it hurt?"
……You don't know. Your hand would be cut clean off.
We came inside.
My mother had come over, worried about whether I was eating properly, so she had gone shopping.
"Oh dear! Why is the dining table all smashed up?"
"Ahaha……."
"Did you get hurt anywhere?"
"No."
"I bought some side dishes and meat—where should I put them?"
"Meat?"
"Craaaw?"
The creature and I simultaneously raised our heads.
Hm. Maybe this was a good opportunity to do a bit of training.
"Bo-reum, bring the meat over."
"Why?"
"To feed this one."
"Don't! It's still a baby puppy—puppies can't eat meat."
"It eats fine. Just bring it over."
While Bo-reum headed toward the refrigerator, I thoroughly educated the creature.
"These people are my family."
"Craaaw?"
"Never! Never bite or hurt them."
"Huff huff."
"If you understood, nod your head."
"Oppa, what do you mean a puppy would nod its he—wait, it did?"
My mother and Bo-reum, utterly astonished.
For some reason, my shoulders straightened up.
Right then—training time.
I showed the example first.
A chunk of meat in hand.
Korean beef.
Even for themselves, our parents always buy Korean beef for me.
I took a small piece and—
"Eat."
Nom. Chew chew.
"It eats just fine?"
"You try too, Bo-reum. Don't hold the meat in your hand—set it on the floor."
"Huh? Like this?"
Chew chew!
Fortunately, the creature did not bite Bo-reum, and quietly ate the meat.
"Now it's your turn, Mother."
"Here you go, puppy."
Nom. Chew chew.
"Oh my, good boy. Yes, such a clever one."
The creature wagged its tail.
Bo-reum asked,
"What's this one's name?"
"……."
"It doesn't have a name?"
"It does. Black Dog."
"……The worst."
But my mother and Bo-reum both screwed up their faces.
I thought it was rather cool.
"Tae-yang, what kind of a name is that?"
"Why?"
"Oppa, change the name!"
Why? I think it's good.
Then what other name could there be?
This one's original name was—
"White Night—"
"White Night? Wow! What a pretty name!"
Ah! That's not what I meant.
'White'—I'm not the Choi brothers.
I'd tried to name it Black Dog after Black King.
To be honest, since it was a wolf and not a dog, Black Wolf had come to mind first, but I hadn't chosen it.
That name carries bad memories.
"White Night! Nice to meet you. I'm Bo-reum."
"Bark bark!"
"Ugh! So cute."
Bo-reum holding White Night and rubbing her cheek against it.
My mother's expression brightened as well.
Just then, the news came on the TV.
[Violent crimes continue without end, day after day. Following the firearms incident a week ago, a knife attack occurred again last evening, resulting in two casualties.
The perpetrator was a former climber—it is reported that the altercation arose over items obtained inside the Murim Tower between climbers, leading to the stabbing.]
"Oh dear, the world is frightening."
"Really……. I wonder if we need to get a gun or something."
"No guns."
"But Oppa. Apparently they're circulating quietly here and there these days. They say any well-off household already has at least one pistol. Some people are even keeping large hunting dogs instead of guns."
"Like that woman in our apartment building?"
"Right."
"Ughhh. That woman seems like she's not quite right in the head. She goes around with what looks like a fighting dog. Is that even allowed?"
"My thoughts exactly."
The mother and daughter's expressions darkened.
I gazed quietly at White Night.
I felt something like fate.
Right. Now that it had come to this.
Shall I use this creature to protect my family.
"Mother. Would you like to raise White Night at home?"
"White Night? Oh dear, we've never kept a dog before."
"Mom! Let's raise it ourselves. Okay?"
I spoke to my mother.
"I somehow ended up taking charge of White Night, but living alone makes it hard to care for it."
"Right, Mom. They say leaving a puppy home alone causes separation anxiety!"
"Hmm."
"Let's keep it. Okay? Okay?! Please."
"Oh, stop. We're away from home at times too, you know."
"Come on! Mom only needs to hand over the red bean paste and mix for the Bungeoppang in the early morning anyway, and after that she's home the rest of the time. And I come straight home after school."
"Well, that's true……."
"It's so much better than Oppa?!"
My mother and Bo-reum looked at me.
"Will it be alright?"
"Of course."
I nodded.
Before sending it home, I thoroughly educated White Night.
"Mission! Protect my family. Success earns Korean beef."
"Bark!"
"There's also Father in our family. Here's a photo."
"Bark!"
"Don't misunderstand what 'protect' means. It doesn't mean biting everyone to death."
"Bark bark!"
"You should only step in when someone is trying to harm my family."
"Bark!"
"You just barked once and then twice—does barking twice mean no?"
"Bark!"
……Good heavens, have I ever seen such a clever dog.
Hm?
"Hey! I said no biting anyone to death!"
"Bark!"
After training at length, I sent it to my parents' house.
My mother called my father ahead of time, worried he would be surprised.
"Honey, are you almost done with work? The thing is, Tae-yang brought a puppy home. What? Absolutely no dogs? But honey, Bo-reum likes it too, and Tae-yang says he can't raise it himself. Ah, please don't get so angry. Oh, this man! Fine, make dinner yourself!"
It sounded like my father was firmly saying no.
"What do we do, Tae-yang?"
"Don't worry."
"Will it be alright?"
"Of course."
A few hours later.
"Dad's home."
"Bark bark—!"
"Oh no! In the end!"
My father, with a stern expression.
But very soon—
"White Night. Paw!"
"Huff huff."
"Other paw!"
"Huff huff."
"Backside!"
Wiggle.
"This is a genius dog!"
My father became White Night's biggest fan.
He even slept holding it.
"This feels a little heartbreaking, somehow. You never used to hold me."
"Ahem!"
"Oh, what am I saying……."
"Harrumph! Haarrumph!"
Still, just in case, I stayed up all night keeping watch over White Night.
After all, if it truly was the White Night Black Wolf I remembered, it was like living with ten ferocious beasts.
Fortunately, nothing happened.
The following day at lunchtime.
"I should get going now."
"At least eat lunch before you go."
"I already ate breakfast. I have something to do at lunch. Well then, I'll be off."
I returned to my apartment.
I washed up and was sitting down to circulate my energy when a call came in.
"Oppa!"
"What?"
"It's about White Night."
"What happened?!"
"It's strange!"
"Lock the door and stay still! I'll be right there!"
Dammit!
To think something like this would happen the moment I left the house.
Bo-reum's urgent voice came through the receiver.
"No, that's not it!"
"Then what?!"
"I took White Night on a walk this morning, holding it—and then this enormous large breed dog suddenly started growling! You know the weird woman I mentioned who keeps a hunting dog in our apartment building? So I screamed—and White Night leapt right down, grabbed that dog by the throat, and slammed it straight into the ground! My goodness! Is it even a puppy?"
"……Ahh."
So that's what it was.
"We had only just moved in, and the residents were already saying that dog is incredibly vicious, and the owner's personality is something else too, so to be careful."
"The dog's owner wouldn't have left it alone."
Bo-reum's voice grew even more animated in response to my question.
"Of course there was a scene! That woman even called the police. But do you know what happened?"
"What."
"When the police came and the woman explained the situation, they didn't believe her at all. They said how could a baby puppy like White Night body-slam that big dog, and instead treated her like a liar."
Well, good.
"The woman started acting up even more, so the police got angry too. They kept demanding to know whether she had a dangerous dog breeding permit or something— and in the end, they actually took the woman away for a violation. And after that whole incident, we suddenly became neighborhood heroes! Everyone's saying we're brave, and now even the block representative is saying we should take the position?"
I hung up Bo-reum's call and laughed to myself.
Looks like there's no need to worry about our household.
A few hours later, my mother called this time.
"Tae-yang! What on earth did you feed White Night?"
"Why?"
"This one won't eat anything but 1++ Grade Korean Beef! It can tell the difference between American and Australian cuts with uncanny precision!"
"Ahh……."
My energy suddenly drained right out of me.
Bark bark—!
White Night's sound came through the receiver.
'Ahh…….'
A money-devouring demon had come rolling in.
An extraordinarily powerful one.