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“Querk!”

“Chyeeeek! Kyarrk!”

Frozen in shock, Jiwoon stood motionless in the river, unable to think or move.

Jiwoon was a fantasy novelist, someone who prided himself on knowing more about medieval and fantastical worlds than anyone else. He had even been fascinated by the monsters and demons of various European myths, dedicating time to studying them.

But orcs?

In the hierarchy of fantasy world monsters, orcs ranked at the very bottom. He had always dismissed them as insignificant.

At least, until he saw them with his own eyes.

“Kyekk!”
“Ugh…!”

Watching the horde of orcs approaching menacingly, Jiwoon was overwhelmed by confusion and primal fear. His mind blanked, and only a small flicker of instinct screamed at him to run.

But his body refused to move. It was as if he were paralyzed, stuck in place like a nightmare come to life.

Whoosh!

A spear thrown by an orc grazed Jiwoon’s arm before plunging into the water beside him.

The sudden, sharp pain snapped Jiwoon out of his daze.

“Agh…! Aaaah! Aaagh!”

Desperately flailing through the river, his survival instincts took over. The thought of escape consumed him completely. Even as he stumbled, half-submerged in the water, he kept moving. Water filled his mouth, but he didn’t care.

There was no time to look back. He couldn’t bear to.

If he turned around, a spear might pierce his back, or a wooden club might crack his skull.

“Kyahhhk!”
“Chyeeeek!”

The orcs’ monstrous cries drew closer, fueling Jiwoon’s frantic struggle to move faster. The far side of the river was within reach.

Behind him, the splashing sounds of orcs entering the water grew louder.

Instinctively, Jiwoon glanced back. He saw the orcs wading into the river, which was deep enough to submerge them up to their heads.

But the depth—or the swift current—didn’t seem to faze them. They pressed on with relentless determination. Their squat, sturdy bodies made them less affected by the water’s drag, and their speed didn’t diminish.

Jiwoon pushed himself harder, fighting against the current.

“Huff… Huff!”

Reaching the other side, he scrambled out of the water and bolted into the forest. Unlike the dense woods on the far bank, this side was more open, allowing him to run at full speed.

Branches scratched his face, drawing blood, but he didn’t feel the pain. He nearly tripped over exposed roots but managed to keep his balance and keep running.

“Kyahhhk!”

Even after what felt like an eternity of running, the orcs’ howls echoed behind him.

“Chyek! Chyek!”

Whoever claimed orcs were dumb, lazy, or poor runners was dead wrong.

The orcs were relentless and cunning. While Jiwoon was faster, the orcs had the advantage of familiarity. Jiwoon had no knowledge of the forest’s layout, but the orcs moved as if it were their backyard.

Moreover, the small bushes that blocked Jiwoon’s view and scratched his skin posed no such threat to the shorter orcs.

Ultimately, the hunted tires out before the hunter. The orcs, seasoned predators, knew this instinctively.

They believed Jiwoon would tire soon, just like other foolish humans who had ventured into their territory. Soon, they would catch him, just as they always did.

“Chyekk!”

One of the orcs let out a gleeful cry, saliva dripping from its sharp fangs at the thought of human flesh.

But no matter how long they chased, the distance between them and Jiun refused to close.

Something was different this time. The human should have collapsed from exhaustion by now. Normally, by this point, they would have already claimed their prize, stabbing their spears into his back and tearing him apart.

But this human kept running.

The orc leader tilted his head, puzzled.

---

Jiwoon wasn’t especially good at fighting or particularly athletic.

But he had one unique strength: endurance.

He wasn’t fast or agile, but when it came to long-distance running, Jiwoon had an unparalleled knack for it.

In school, he had always ranked in the top during long-distance events. During his military service, he never fell behind on grueling marches.

Now, with his life on the line, Jiwoon wasn’t going to fall behind so easily.

Desperation fueled him, squeezing out every ounce of strength.

But even Jiwoon was human. He was growing tired. His legs burned, and his lungs felt ready to burst, but the primal will to survive pushed him onward.

Panting heavily, his arms hung limply at his sides, but he clung tightly to the spear in his hand. Without it, he would be utterly defenseless.

---

Just when he thought he couldn’t go on, light suddenly flooded his vision.

“Ahh!”

The ground disappeared beneath him, and Jiwoon tumbled down a hill.

Rolling to a stop, he scrambled to his feet, dazed.

The forest had ended.

Before him stretched a vast, dazzlingly green plain.

Jiwoon wasn’t particularly skilled at fighting or blessed with extraordinary athletic abilities.

However, there was one thing in which he excelled beyond others—his stamina.

He wasn’t the fastest, nor the most agile, but when it came to long-distance running, Jiwoon displayed a talent so exceptional that it bordered on uncanny.

Jiwoon could walk for hours and run for even longer.

During his school days, he consistently placed first or second in endurance races.

In the military, no matter how grueling the march, he never fell behind.

So, it was unthinkable for Jiwoon to collapse as easily as the orcs might wish.

Especially now, when his life was on the line, he had to muster strength he didn’t even know he had.

But even Jiwoon was only human. Fatigue was inevitable.

At this point, he was running purely on sheer willpower, driven by a primal desire to survive.

“Huff, huff!”

His breaths were ragged, his lungs felt like they might burst, and his legs threatened to give out at any moment.

Yet, Jiwoon didn’t stop.

His arms hung limply by his sides, too tired to swing them, but he clung to his spear with unrelenting determination.

Without the spear, he would be utterly defenseless.

Though crudely made, the weapon was his last line of defense.

“Guh… gah!”

The pain was unbearable. He wanted to collapse and just lie there, orcs be damned.

But if he stopped now?

I’ll die! I’ll really die!

“Haaah!”
Summoning every ounce of strength, Jiwoon forced his trembling legs to move.

He didn’t want to die in this unfamiliar world.

He hadn’t lived his life to become an orc’s dinner.

The mere thought of being reduced to an orc’s meal in the middle of a desolate forest fueled his resolve.

Gritting his teeth, Jiwoon pushed forward.

“Hyaaaah!”
With an involuntary shout, he hurled himself through a cluster of branches blocking his path.

As he broke through, blinding light poured over him, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut.

“Argh!”

The ground disappeared beneath his feet, and he lost his balance.

Jiwoon tumbled down the hill, rolling uncontrollably until he finally came to a stop.

Dazed, he struggled to his feet, the rushing wind sending chills down his spine.

For the first time since encountering the river, Jiwoon could see sunlight—but the surroundings seemed unnaturally bright.

Opening his eyes wide, he gasped.

“It’s… gone?”

The dense forest was nowhere to be seen.

In front of him stretched an endless, vividly green plain, as if the forest had simply ended.

Hoooooonk!

A distant sound caught Jiwoon’s attention.

Startled, he realized the urgency of his situation and sprinted toward the source of the noise.

Glancing back over his shoulder, he paled.

“Huff, huff!”

The orcs were still there, chasing him even after the forest had ended.

Hooooooonk!

The sound of a horn echoed again—a noise Jiwoon had only ever heard in movies.

“Help! Somebody, help me!”

Jiwoon shouted desperately, running toward the sound.

Stumbling down a slope, he fell several times but barely felt the pain.

Forcing his exhausted body to rise, he screamed with all his might.

“Help me! Is anyone there? You bastards, save me! Aaaaah!”

At that moment, something emerged from the edge of the forest below.

It was exactly what Jiwoon had longed to see—humans.

Following the first figure, about ten more people appeared, their faces and outfits still a blur to Jiwoon.

All that mattered to him was that they were human, like him.

He sprinted toward them with reckless abandon.

“Hey! Over here!”

His voice was hoarse, a mix of terror and relief making him delirious.

He didn’t notice their faces or attire—all he cared about was that they were human.

However, clarity quickly returned.

Clang!

“Huh?!”
The sharp glint of a blade snapped Jiwoon out of his haze.

In front of him, a man had drawn a sword—a weapon Jiwoon recognized all too well.

About a meter long, with sharp edges on both sides and a pointed tip—it was a classic killing tool.

“W-what the hell?”

Jiwoon instinctively stepped back as the man advanced, flanked by others who pointed their spears at him.

“Do…ve! Who…?”

“W-what? What are you saying?”

The unfamiliar language left Jiwoon flustered.

“Don’t move! I said again, who are you?”

“Wait… What? Oh?”

It was English. He hadn’t realized it earlier in his panic, but the man was speaking English.

“Krrreeeeh!”

“Orcs!”
The men’s expressions hardened at the guttural roars of the orcs.

The sword-wielding man shouted an order, and the others sprang into action, moving with precision.

Jiwoon stood frozen, watching in disbelief.

The men charged past him, weapons drawn, toward the approaching orcs.

Despite their rage-filled cries, the orcs retreated in the face of armed resistance.

In open plains, the orcs stood no chance against the disciplined soldiers.

Outnumbered and outgunned, the orcs begrudgingly fled back into the forest.

The soldiers confirmed that the orcs had fully retreated before regrouping.

Jiwoon stood dumbfounded, watching them.

Spears, swords, chainmail, shields… The soldiers were dressed like something out of the Middle Ages.

The man who had drawn his sword earlier broke Jiwoon’s thoughts with a shout.

Although the orcs were gone, the soldiers’ expressions remained hostile as they surrounded Jiwoon.

With a swift motion, the man struck Jiwoon’s shoulder with the flat of his blade.

“Ugh!”

Two soldiers grabbed Jiwoon’s arms, twisting them behind his back.

Pain shot through his shoulders, forcing him to kneel.

Jiwoon’s arms were securely bound as the man barked another command.

“Back to…!”

“Oooooh!”

The soldiers cheered and began moving.

Jiwoon had no choice but to be dragged along.

From the word “back,” it seemed they were returning to their base.

Orcs, soldiers in medieval armor… Where am I? Could I really have fallen into a fantasy world?

Fear and unease welled up inside him.

Yet, frantically, a faint sense of curiosity began to stir.

The threat of inhuman monsters like orcs was terrifying, but the hostility of other humans felt more manageable.

Despite the danger and fear, Jiwoon’s mind couldn’t help but wander.

This is a fantasy world—a place I’ve only ever imagined.

The reality of being in such a world filled him with a strange mix of dread and fascination.

(Continued in the next chapter.)

The wind, which had rarely blown before, grazed his bearded face roughly and passed by. The occasional cries of an unidentified bird grated on his nerves even more.

The massive trunks filling his view and the tough shrubs with gnarled branches intertwined between them continued to exude a gloomy atmosphere. Still, it was some comfort that they looked a bit more like “living trees” compared to a few days ago.

Jiwoon settled in a suitable spot and did some calculations.

“Another day is gone…”

Three days had passed already.

But Jiwoon still hadn’t escaped the forest.

For an adult male, walking 3–4 kilometers per hour was typical on flat terrain. In the mountains, one could manage 3 kilometers per hour with a quick pace. But that was assuming there was a trail.

This forest, however, had no trails.

Occasionally, there were faint traces of animals passing through, but those were far from paths humans could use.

Pushing through this pathless forest while avoiding muddy swamps, Jiwoon estimated his pace to be about 2 kilometers per hour. Assuming he walked eight hours a day with breaks, he figured he’d covered no more than 40 kilometers over three days.

Three and a half days for just 40 kilometers. It wasn’t much, but in another sense, it was “quite an achievement.”

In other words, the forest was so vast that even after walking “a whole 40 kilometers,” its end remained unfathomable. Without a compass, he might have assumed he was going in circles.

Click!

“Whew…”

The thick cigarette smoke scattered as chaotically as his thoughts. It momentarily caught the sunlight filtering through the narrow gaps between the leaves, then disappeared into the darkness.

“How much further do I have to go? Damn it!”

Despite conserving as much as he could, Jiwoon was down to his last bit of animal meat. After today, he’d have nothing left. For drinkable liquids, he had a single can of ionized water and a pack of soju, which he had refrained from touching until now.

Surviving three days on just two cans of coffee was practically a miracle.

Jiwoon wasn’t a heavy drinker of water. Since childhood, he’d been peculiar in that even during hot summers, he didn’t drink much water. It wasn’t a health issue—just his unique constitution.

Well, at least I have one thing that sets me apart.

Jiwoon, who considered himself mediocre in most things, could at least claim to possess the rare skill of “surviving on minimal water.” Not exactly a point of pride, but still.

Thanks to his constitution, he hadn’t felt excessive thirst despite subsisting on so little. He figured he could stretch his remaining liquids for a week if he rationed carefully.

“Drinks are the least of my worries; it’s the food that’s the problem.”

Thinking about food brought a fresh wave of despair. Smoking on an empty stomach left his belly aching. The hunger gnawed at him, but there was nothing to eat.

He stared at the little meat left and pondered briefly.

Should I just eat it?

The decision didn’t take long. The meat would spoil by tomorrow anyway. Better to eat it now than let it go to waste.

And Jiwoon still had one last cup noodle left, saved for the direst of times.

“Whew…”

Tending the campfire, Jiwoon sighed deeply. It felt like navigating an endless maze.

The one comfort was that the forest environment had begun to change.

The soil was firmer and softer compared to where he’d first regained consciousness. By midday, he no longer encountered the shallow swamps that had sucked at his knees every hour before.

Though the air still felt heavy and gloomy, the green of the forest seemed to grow a bit more vibrant. The breeze, once rare, now blew refreshingly cool.

These are good signs.

The lack of visible animals remained troubling, but with such noticeable changes, Jiwoon felt he might see some soon.

He clung to this optimistic thought. While undue optimism should be avoided in dire situations, hope was essential to keep going.

“Yaaawn…”

As these thoughts crossed his mind, fatigue hit him. Jiwoon stoked the fire, then layed down for a while before heading where he was guided to.

---

“Haha… Ahahaha! I’m alive! I’m alive!”

Laughing like a madman, Jiwoon jumped for joy.

After three and a half days of wandering the forest—over 50 kilometers—he’d finally found something.

It was a river.

Before his eyes, a river about 20 meters wide flowed steadily. Overwhelmed by relief, Jiwoon let out a whoop of joy as though he’d discovered treasure.

His discovery was nothing short of miraculous, aided by his sharpened senses of smell and hearing, honed over the past three days in the wild.

Through the suffocating scents of the forest, Jiwoon had caught a whiff of salty water. Pursuing it relentlessly, he pressed forward.

Soon after, his ears picked up an unfamiliar sound piercing the quiet forest.

Whooooosh!

As soon as he heard it, Jiwoon ran like a madman.

His combat uniform tore on vines, and he tripped over roots, but he didn’t care.

After what felt like forever, Jiwoon finally saw it—a river.

“Ahahaha! A river! Water! Ahahaha!”

Wading into the river, Jiwoon reveled in the cool sensation of the flowing water. Hunger didn’t matter anymore. He drank the clear river water greedily.

“Oh! Fish! Haha!”

In the transparent water, fairly large fish swam freely. Jiwoon tried to catch one with his bare hands, but they slipped away easily.

“Damn it! Right, a spear!”

Rushing back to the riverbank, Jiwoon grabbed a wooden spear and carefully waded back in. He spotted a few palm-sized fish swimming along the current and thrust the spear.

Thud!

Though the sound was satisfying, it missed its mark.

“Damn it…”

Thud! Thud!

He tried predicting the fish’s movements, aiming slightly off, but the result was the same.

Of course, no fish was foolish enough to get caught by an amateur.

“Damn it… This isn’t as easy as it looks.”

Abandoning the spear, Jiwoon lit a cigarette and thought of another plan. A less effort-intensive way to catch fish…

“That’s it!”

Heading back into the forest, Jiwoon gathered tough vines. He planned to make a net.

With an abundance of tangled vines, he quickly collected enough to get started. Using his Swiss Army knife, Jiwoon worked diligently—twisting, tying, cutting, and weaving.

In about 20 minutes, he’d fashioned a small net big enough to catch a single fish.

Inside the net, he placed an empty coffee can that still had a few scraps of meat clinging to it, using it as bait. He also added two fist-sized stones for weight.

“Done. Let’s see how this works.”

Removing his combat boots and rolling up his pants, Jiwoon cautiously waded into the water. He spotted a few fish swimming nearby and gently lowered the vine net into the river.

---

“Burp!”

Jiwoon let out a long belch as fish bones piled up around him. The vine net he had crafted worked absurdly well, catching fish in no time. Snaring around ten fish took only moments.

After gorging himself on roasted fish until his belly felt ready to burst, Jiwoon lit a cigarette. Sleepiness crept over him—it was natural, considering he’d fasted for an entire day before feasting.

But Jiwoon shook his head vigorously, dispelling the drowsiness. Though he’d quenched his thirst and filled his stomach, he still had a long way to go.

“Guess I’ll wash up first.”

His appearance was a mess. Stripping off his combat uniform, Jiwoon pulled out soap and shampoo from his wash kit.

“This grime’s no joke.”

As he scrubbed his body with soap, dark streaks of filth spread in the once-clear river. Jiwoon didn’t mind, washing his hair and brushing his teeth with satisfaction.

“Phew… now that’s refreshing!”

Finally, after washing his undergarments, Jiwoon felt content. Once his combat boots were mostly dry, he prepared to set out again. He carefully tied his still-damp underwear to his bag and began walking along the riverbank.

Life originates from water. Ancient human civilizations were often born along rivers. Jiwoon figured this place wouldn’t be any different, so he followed the river downstream.

Pebble-covered stretches alternated with dense vegetation, and just as he’d get through the thick bushes, another narrow pebbled bank would appear. As the river gradually widened, Jiwoon held onto hope that he’d soon come across a small village.

“Huh?”

Pushing through a patch of tall grass, he emerged onto a spacious pebble field. The river narrowed here, making it possible to cross to the other side.

Quickly, Jiwoon moved toward the pebble field. The narrowing current was rough, but crossing seemed feasible.

“Alright.”

Putting his bag above his head, Jiwoon stepped into the water without hesitation. The current was far stronger than it looked from the outside, making it difficult to keep his balance. The shifting water threatened to topple him with every step, but Jiwoon pressed forward, cautiously regaining his center each time.

Then it happened.

Fwoosh!

“Huh?”

A sudden sound came from just two meters ahead of him, as something zipped into the water at high speed. Jiwoon couldn’t tell what it was, but one thing was clear—it had come from behind him.

His head whipped around.

“What…?”

In the forest beyond the pebble field, a small figure moved. It was too dark and distant for Jiwoon to see clearly, but one fact stood out: the figure walked on two legs.

“A person?”

Startled, Jiwoon forgot he was still in the river. Hastily, he tried to move, nearly losing his footing and falling into the water before regaining his balance.

With renewed hope glimmering in his eyes, Jiwoon turned back toward the figure and called out.

“Hey! Over here! It’s a person! Hello! Can you hear me?”

There was no response.

Jiwoon waded back toward the shore, shouting repeatedly.

“Is anyone there? Hello? Please, look this way!”

From deep within the forest, something emerged. Whatever it was, it walked on two legs as well.

A person—it’s a person!

Jiwoon’s emotions surged, tears of relief welling up in his eyes. He pushed through the water, yelling.

“Here! I’m here! Hey! Please, say something!”

But the “person” stood still, unmoving.

Then, more figures emerged from the forest—several of them.

Seeing the group, Jiwoon cried out in mixed relief, excitement, and desperation.

“Wait there! I’m coming! Please, talk to me! Say something!”

There was no way they hadn’t heard his shouts. Yet, they remained silent.

Soon, the group grew to about ten figures, all walking closer. Jiwoon, likewise, hurried toward them, splashing through the river—until he stopped dead in his tracks.

“What…?”

Jiwoon’s half-squinted eyes widened in shock, growing impossibly large in an instant.

What approached him had the shape of “people,” but they were anything but human.

Ragged clothing, crudely crafted clubs, and a few even carried what resembled makeshift spears. At first glance, they might have been mistaken for primitive tribesmen from remote African or Pacific islands around the early 20th century.

But what filled Jiwoon with dread was something else entirely.

Their grotesque proportions—short, stocky bodies no more than four feet tall. Sickly green skin that looked dirty and unnerving. Bald heads, short, thick limbs, and oversized faces twice as large as a human’s.

As a fantasy novelist, Jiwoon recognized these creatures better than anyone.

They were…

“Orcs?”

Orcs.

A staple of fantasy fiction since Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, where they first appeared. Ever since, they’ve been an indispensable part of fantasy literature.

Their origins are debated—some say their name comes from the “Oak” trees they were said to inhabit; others trace it to the barbarian hordes that ravaged medieval Europe. But nothing is certain.

Typically, orcs are depicted as less intelligent than humans and fearful of sunlight. Yet in some stories and games, they are portrayed as powerful creatures of darkness.

Most often, though, orcs are described as weaker and dumber than humans, cowardly and deceitful, moving in packs.

But no matter their intelligence, skin color, or societal structure, one truth about orcs remains constant:

Orcs are hostile towards humans.

(To be continued…)

Even without recalling the survival training he underwent during his military service, Jiwoon knew that the most crucial thing in his current situation was food. Yet, all he had to eat was two cups of instant noodles, one bottle of sports drink, and three cans of coffee.

“This is nowhere near enough,” he muttered. The scant provisions barely qualified as sustenance, leaving him uneasy. Perhaps that was why he desperately convinced himself he was still on Korean soil. Hunger was a terrifying thing—something he had learned all too well during his time in the military.

But this…

This is a different world.

Once that premise was set in his mind, Jiwoon’s judgment and actions became unexpectedly precise and coldly efficient. After all, he was an adult.

“Ugh, I’m starving…”

Since waking up, all Jiwoon had consumed was a single can of coffee. Unable to endure his hunger any longer, he gnawed on dry instant noodles. As he crunched on the noodles, he wondered, What about plants? Are they dangerous?

Jiwoon chuckled to himself. There was no point in pondering whether something was dangerous or not. Towering trees radiating ominous energy bore fruit too high to reach, and the few fallen fruits he found on the ground were either rotten or crawling with bugs—he had no courage to eat them.

The bushes, standing about three or four meters tall? Out of the question. Their tiny fruits, no bigger than fingernails and tinged red and black, didn’t look remotely edible. Even if they were, eating dozens of them wouldn’t fill him up. Most of the trees were half-rotted and swarming with insects anyway.

That left hunting. But that wasn’t easy either. The strange bird cries he occasionally heard while walking made him wonder whether he would eat them—or they would eat him. And he hadn’t even seen the birds making the sounds.

What about smaller animals, like rabbits or rats? Unfortunately, he hadn’t encountered a single one.

No, I must have been too focused on finding my way to notice any animal tracks or signs. This forest might be inhabitable to humans, but there’s no way it’s devoid of animals.

A forest this untouched by human hands would almost certainly have an ecosystem starting with small herbivores.
Wait… ecosystem?

Jiwoon’s thoughts froze. The presence of an ecosystem didn’t just mean small animals. It also meant predators—ones that could hunt him as easily as he might hunt a rabbit.

“Hm…”

Unnerved, Jiwoon instinctively glanced around. Fortunately, he sensed no immediate threat. Still, he couldn’t just sit idle. He rummaged through the pile of branches he’d collected for firewood to find something useful. Predictably, everything was too small or flimsy to serve as a weapon.

Though he couldn’t secure food right away, ensuring his safety for the night was top most priority. Jiwoon grabbed his flashlight. The dense forest was oppressive; even during the day, it had been dim, and now it was completely dark. Lost in thought by the campfire, he hadn’t noticed how late it had gotten.

Shaking the flashlight vigorously for about 30 seconds activated its LEDs, casting bright light several meters ahead. “Not bad. Definitely not a cheap knockoff.”

He searched the area until he found a branch about the thickness of his wrist and a meter long. Picking it up, Jiwoon muttered, “Firewood’s running low. I should gather more.”

With his flashlight clenched between his teeth, he scoured the ground for more branches and vines. Once his arms were full, he returned to the fire, grumbling, “This feels like Robinson Crusoe, except I’m older. Or maybe a modern-day 15 Boys on a Dead Man’s Chest scenario…”

He dropped the firewood and selected the sturdiest branch to crat a weapon. Drawing his Swiss Army knife, he began carving. Thanks to his military days, when he often made walking sticks during mountain excursions, he found it easy to shape the branch into a spear.

It wasn’t perfect—his small knife was hardly ideal for the task—but it beat using stones. Jiwoon silently thanked Changhwan, the friend who had gifted him the knife, as he worked.

Eventually, he finished. The result was a long, sturdy wooden spear with a sharp, rock-honed tip—suitable for both striking and stabbing in an emergency. Though far from the polished walking sticks he once made, it seemed reliable enough to fend off wild dogs.

With his weapon ready, Jiwoon found himself with nothing left to do. He had enough firewood, and while he was still hungry, there wasn’t much he could do about it.

He briefly considered reading a book but shook his head. What kind of situation am I in to think about reading?

“Let’s just smoke and get some sleep,” he muttered, tucking his flashlight and knife within easy reach. Stretching, he lit a cigarette and glanced at his watch. Past 9 PM. The alignment of the sunset and the time suggested he wouldn’t need to adjust the watch.

As fatigue from wandering the forest all day caught up with him, Jiwoon felt sleepy. Feeding more wood into the fire, he lay down near the flames and curled up to sleep.

---

Jiwoon was a light sleeper. Though he could fall asleep quickly and wake up refreshed even after a short rest, the faintest noise—like the vibration of his phone on a desk—could rouse him.

In the dead silence of the forest, the growl of a predator was impossible to miss.

Grrrrr!

“What… what was that?”

Startled, Jiwoon grabbed his spear in one hand and his flashlight in the other, leaping to his feet. The sound had come from the dark shadows ahead, where the firelight didn’t reach. The campfire was barely flickering, its flames dying out.

Jiwoon hastily turned on his flashlight, its beam slicing through the darkness. In its light, he caught a fleeting glimpse of something terrifying—a pair of glowing red eyes, glinting ominously before vanishing.

Swallowing hard, Jiwoon fought to steady his trembling hands. His body screamed at him to run, but he forced himself to stay put. The eyes had disappeared into the shadows, but he could feel it—the thing was still out there, watching him.

Gripping his spear tighter, Jiwoon stirred the fire with its blunt end, kicking dry grass and twigs into the embers. Flames sputtered and grew. If it was an animal, it would fear fire. Or so he hoped.

Sweat dripped down his back, and his legs shook, but he managed to keep the fire alive. The glowing eyes reappeared, fixed and unblinking in the distance.

“Stay calm, Han Jiwoon. Stay calm,” he muttered, adjusting his grip on the spear. His body instinctively settled into a stance that allowed for both stabbing and swinging—an instinct born of survival, not training.

Then, without warning, the creature charged.

Whoosh!

Jiwoon swung his spear with all his strength. For a moment, there was a dull thud, followed by a rough cry. The creature staggered back, and Jiwoon’s eyes widened as he finally saw it clearly—a hulking beast with dark, matted fur, sharp fangs, and an unsettling resemblance to both a wolf and a kangaroo.

Its crimson eyes narrowed as it snarled, saliva dripping from its maw. Jiwoon tightened his grip, bracing for another attack.

There had never been any record of a beast like this existing on Earth. If it did, someone would have to rewrite the entire animal encyclopedia.

Grrrr… Graaah!

The beast swiped its forelimbs through the air in a menacing display, letting out an intimidating roar directed at Jiwoon.

In that instant, Jiwoon aimed his flashlight directly at the creature’s head.

Graah!

Startled by the intense beam of light, the beast leaped back on its powerful hind legs. At a range of four or five meters, the concentrated beam from the flashlight was enough to make any creature instinctively close its eyes, especially one that had spent its entire life in the dim shadows of a dense forest. Encountering such artificial brightness for the first time was bound to be overwhelming.

This reaction gave Jiwoon a chance to collect himself. His heart was still pounding violently, but compared to when the beast first lunged at him, he felt a measure of composure returning.

“Come on, you bastard!” Jiwoon shouted, forcing his voice to sound as loud and sharp as possible.

He remembered hearing that even in battles between animals, victory could sometimes be decided by the ferocity of their cries. Imitating the beast’s growl, Jiwoon let out guttural cries of his own, Krrk! Krrk! Meanwhile, he continuously flicked the flashlight beam across the creature.

Grrr!

However, his attempts didn’t seem to intimidate the beast much. It kept growling and began circling him, cautiously narrowing the distance.

The standoff, brief in reality but feeling as long as the agonizing wait for an ex-girlfriend’s reply to a heartfelt confession, was suddenly broken.

The beast lunged, covering a staggering three-meter gap in a single leap, hurtling toward Jiwoon.

Graaaah!

“Damn it!”

This time, Jiwoon kept his eyes wide open. He had steadied himself since the first attack and knew that shutting his eyes could mean his end. With a reflexive motion, he thrust the spear he gripped tightly, aiming horizontally.

Swish!

The spear cut through the air but missed its mark, tracing a futile arc. As his strike failed, Jiwoon instinctively swung his left arm toward his face in a defensive move.

Thud!

The impact sent Jiwoon and the beast tumbling to the ground together. By some stroke of luck, the beast’s head, which had been aiming for his face, collided with Jiwoon’s wildly swinging arm. The collision caused the beast to lose its balance mid-air and fall right into Jiwoon’s chest, while Jiwoon, unable to counter the force, toppled over with the creature in his arms.

Graaah!

“Urgh!”

Man and beast hit the ground together, but the beast’s agility far outclassed Jiwoon’s. Even as they fell, its claws raked violently across his chest.

“Argh!”

But being so close made the attack less effective. Jiwoon clung to the beast’s neck with one hand and grabbed its thick mane with the other, yanking with all his might to throw it off.

Graaah!

The beast let out a furious roar, leaping free from Jiwoon’s grasp as he yanked out a fistful of its fur. Scrambling to his feet, Jiwoon grabbed the spear that had fallen nearby and took a defensive stance.

Grrr…

The beast, now enraged, bared its teeth, inching closer with murderous intent.

“Haah… haah…”

Breathing heavily, Jiwoon locked his gaze on the creature, fully aware of its speed. A single lapse in concentration, and he’d be finished.

Suddenly, without warning, the beast charged again, this time without any delay. Its attack was swift and relentless, unlike the earlier lunges that had given Jiwoon a brief moment to react.

Whoosh!

Jiwoon thrust the spear with all his might, slicing through the air just as the beast pounced.

Kyaaang!

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the silent forest. The spear pierced through the beast’s abdomen, leaving it writhing in agony as it crashed past Jiwoon, grazing his shoulder in the process.

“Ugh!”

Pain flared across Jiwoon’s left shoulder where the beast’s claws had raked him.

Huff! Huff!

The beast lay on the ground, wheezing and thrashing weakly. It was clear that its end was near, though it hadn’t succumbed yet.

Ignoring the searing pain, Jiwoon approached, pulling the spear free. The creatures attack were weak, its claws barely grazing the air.

Thud!

Jiwoon stomped on its head with his combat boot, silencing its resistance.

“Die, you bastard! Just die!”

Jiwoon’s composure snapped. Overcome with adrenaline and rage, he repeatedly drove the spear into the beast.

Kreek! Kreek!

Its agonized cries faded, replaced by the sickening sound of flesh being torn. Blood sprayed, staining Jiwoon’s face and clothes, but he didn’t care.

“You worthless piece of crap! Die! Die!”

Thud! Thud!

At some point, the beast’s cries stopped. The only sounds left were Jiwoon’s breathless shouts and the rhythmic pounding of the spear against its lifeless body.

Then, suddenly, Jiwoon froze, his hands trembling. He threw the spear aside and let out a shuddering breath.

“Hah… hah… Damn it… What the hell…”

Tears rolled down his bloodstained cheeks.

He looked at the unrecognizable lump of flesh and fur before wiping his face with trembling hands. Slowly, his lips curled into a weak, bitter smile.

“I’m… I’m still alive…”

Jiwoon roughly wiped his face, smeared with blood and tears, with a towel and pulled out a pack of soju.

“Ugh!”

As he took off the top of his combat suit, a wave of pain he’d momentarily forgotten surged through him.

Stripping down to his T-shirt, Jiwoon glanced at his left shoulder. The last time he’d felt this kind of pain was when he was a kid and fell off the edge while riding a bicycle, cracking the back of his head. Back then, he had cried out of fear rather than pain. But this time, the pain itself brought tears to his eyes.

Opening the soju pack, Jiwoon cautiously poured some onto the wound.

“Argh!”

The cold alcohol stung like fire, amplifying the pain twofold. He nearly dropped the pack but clenched his teeth and retrieved a clean undergarment.

He wasn’t a survival expert, but he knew how infested wild animals could be with parasites. Thorough disinfection was essential.

After pouring about half the soju, Jiwoon wiped the wounded area clean with the undergarment.

“Damn it! You filthy beast!”

The curse slipped out involuntarily. Normally, Jiwoon refrained from swearing, believing that language reflects one’s character. But in moments like this, even a saint would curse.

Fortunately, the wound wasn’t too deep. Though a bit of flesh had been torn, leaving a scar inevitable, he was lucky it wasn’t worse.

“Ow, ow… phew.”

Once his first-aid was done, Jiwoon leaned back against a rock. It was around 5 a.m. according to his watch.

In any other place, the darkness would have started to lift around this time, but the forest showed no signs of dawn breaking. Muttering curses under his breath, Jiwoon lit a cigarette. The movement sparked pain in his shoulder again.

As he stared at the fire for a while, his gaze naturally shifted to the lifeless body of the beast, now reduced to a hunk of meat.

He remembered once beating a fearsome dog with a stick as a child and, during his military service, hunting snakes, rabbits, and pheasants for food. But this was different.

The fight earlier had been a battle for survival. If his wooden spear had been less forceful or missed, he might have been the beast’s meal instead of the other way around.

The thought sent chills down his spine. The idea of becoming food for a mere animal made him shudder anew.

Exhaling a long plume of smoke, Jiwoon spat in the direction of the beast.

“Trying to eat a human? Serves you right, you filthy mutt.”

After venting his frustration one last time, he stubbed out his cigarette and grabbed a suitable stick from the fire. With a flashlight in hand, he approached the beast’s carcass.

Squatting in front of it, Jiwoon ignored the foul stench of blood and flipped the body over.

Under the moonlight, the creature had seemed enormous in his terror. Now, limp and lifeless, it resembled nothing more than an oversized dog. Despite the matted blood and flesh, its mane appeared surprisingly soft.

“Damn it…”

Rummaging through the mane, Jiwoon scowled. Crawling insects teemed everywhere. Skinning the beast was a must, but the revulsion was unavoidable.

“Still, it has to be done. Damn it!”

When hunting and eating wild animals, caution was paramount. Simply skinning and roasting it wasn’t enough. Even domesticated dogs could harbor bacteria, so it was no surprise that a wild creature would be teeming with far more.

“Ugh…”

Jiwoon grimaced further but steeled himself. He dragged the beast closer to the fire, threw in every remaining branch and blade of grass, and watched the flames rise higher. Without hesitation, he shoved the beast into the fire.

As the fur burned, a bitter smell filled the air. Once most of the fur was singed off, Jiwoon retrieved the corpse with his wooden spear.

Most of the fur and the parasites clinging to it had been incinerated. Jiwoon pulled out his Swiss Army knife and slit the beast’s belly, extracting its organs.

After a long while, he managed to remove the contents of the beast’s stomach and chest. If there had been a stream nearby, he could have cleaned it more thoroughly, but this was the best he could do for now.

Switching between a razor blade from his shaving kit and his knife, Jiwoon carefully prepared the carcass. Surprisingly, the work wasn’t as difficult as he’d anticipated.

He flipped the gutted beast and pushed it back into the fire. The nameless animal’s meat began to roast, emitting a greasy aroma.

---

Though still dim, the forest was brighter compared to the pitch-black night when even a flashlight couldn’t reveal a foot ahead. Now, Jiwoon could make out his immediate surroundings.

After drinking a can of coffee, Jiwoon retrieved the empty can he had used the day before. Using his Swiss Army knife, he cut the tops off both cans.

Although the beast had plenty of meat, he couldn’t carry it all. In the damp forest, it would spoil quickly. Jiwoon ate as much as he could and cut the best-cooked portions to save.

He packed the meat tightly into the opened coffee cans, sealing them with the removed lids. There was no better way to preserve the meat in these conditions.

Still unsatisfied, Jiwoon fashioned sticks from small twigs, stripping the bark with his knife, and stored them in his travel bag. The meat inside would last him about a day and a half.

“Oh, almost forgot.”

Jiwoon grabbed the half-empty soju pack he had left near the rock the night before. Taking a sip, he gargled and spat it out before drinking another small mouthful. Then he sealed the pack’s opening tightly with a leaf.

He doubted it would spill much while walking, and two more rounds of disinfection would suffice. By then, the soju’s purpose would be fulfilled.

“Phew…”

After packing up, Jiwoon double-checked his gear and pulled out a compass to confirm the southwest direction. Using the wooden spear as a walking stick, he was finally ready.

Glancing back at the spot where he had fought for his life, Jiwoon saw the traces of the battle still evident.

He stared for a moment before resolutely turning away.

If he had seen his reflection, he might have been startled by his own steely and determined expression.

As he walked, Jiwoon thought to himself: The real struggle for survival might just be beginning.

The forest remained endlessly deep and dark.

(To be continued.)

“Dammit! Hell!”

Jiwoon cursed under his breath as he trudged forward. He could tolerate the stinking, muddy ground that swallowed his boots with every step. After all, he wasn’t wearing sneakers or dress shoes. His reserve army uniform included decent combat boots—though a bit stiff from lack of wear, they were still reliable.

The constant buzzing of flies or mosquitoes near his ears, sticking to his sweat-soaked neck and face, was also manageable. It was spring, after all—a season of life. In a forest like this, the absence of such creatures would be stranger.

“Damn this forest! Is this even part of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea?”

It was the forest itself that irritated Jiwoon the most. He had never seen such a flat, featureless expanse of trees. After walking for an hour, there was no sign of valleys or ridges—terrain he’d expect, even from his time serving in the rugged DMZ of Gangwon Province.

“This is weird. Really weird.”

Sweat dripping and swatting at insects, Jiwoon’s mind drifted to a memory of his school days, backpacking in Europe. He once saw forests like this while traveling by train: vast, dark green expanses stretching to the horizon. A local passenger sitting nearby had warned him that once you ventured inside such a forest, you could lose your way and never emerge.

He remembered hearing about the ancient forests of England and southern Europe, which, before World War II, spanned dozens of kilometers. Even viewed from an airplane, their depths were impenetrable. Inside, the trees blocked most sunlight, leaving the forest dim even at midday. Swamps scattered throughout added to the danger, while the climate made the air humid and windless.

Such forests, with their tall, dense trees, seemed picturesque at first glance. But once inside, those who ventured in would quickly find fear and unease replacing admiration.

“This is just too strange…” Jiwoon muttered.

It was a ridiculous thought, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this forest was one of those primeval places.

“Damn it. Can’t I find a place to rest? Ah, that looks decent.”

Spotting a tree root resembling a massive tunnel, Jiwoon heaved a sigh and plopped down.

“Phew. Let’s see…”

He pulled off his bag and checked its contents. Inside were two clean sets of underwear, a black shirt, and three pairs of socks, along with toiletries from a convenience store and two clean towels. He was glad he’d taken the time to wash and dry his clothes earlier—something he wouldn’t normally bother with but had felt compelled to do while stuck in this unfamiliar place.

There were also two books: one about medieval European political economy and history for his next novel, and a collection of poems by modern English and American poets, including his favorite, Edgar Allan Poe. Jiwoon chuckled at the thought of what kind of poem Poe might write about this situation.

Continuing his inventory, he found a can of sports drink, four cans of coffee, and two small bottles of soju he’d picked up on a whim but hadn’t opened. He also had plenty of cigarettes—four cartons and four packs, plus three lighters he’d found in his pockets. Finally, there were two cup noodles left from rations he’d accidentally kept after a night exercise.

“Should’ve grabbed some from the other platoon,” he muttered, though the thought was pointless. Jiwoon prided himself on not stooping to take leftovers home, even in tough times. The cup noodles he did have were there only because he’d thrown them into his bag without thinking.

“Ha! Gotta thank Changhwan for this,” Jiwoon said with a smirk, pulling out two critical items from the bag: a portable flashlight and a Swiss Army knife.

The flashlight, gifted by his freeloading friend Changhwan, could run on batteries or be hand-cranked. In this forest, if nightfall caught him off guard, it could become his most valuable tool. The Swiss Army knife, which Jiwoon usually carried as a keychain, was bound to prove indispensable.

“Thanks, buddy,” Jiwoon muttered, deciding to treat Changhwan to some grilled pork belly when he got back.

He popped open a can of coffee and lit a cigarette. Even in this unsettling forest, the combination gave him a moment of solace. After exhaling a deep puff of smoke, Jiwoon pulled out his phone, only to see the same frustrating “No Signal” message. Clicking his tongue, he powered it off to conserve the battery.

Taking out the Swiss Army knife, he checked the small compass attached to it. It seemed functional. He decided to head southwest, reasoning that the reserve base was in that direction—and so was Seoul.

“Alright. Let’s keep moving…” Jiwoon muttered with a hint of unease. Though he refused to acknowledge the thought fully, part of him feared that this might not be South Korea at all.

---

Hours later, at 5:30 PM, Jiwoon’s eyes widened in disbelief and despair. After four hours of trudging southwest, he had finally reached a break in the forest. Bright sunlight spilled through, signaling an end to the endless trees.

Overcome with relief, Jiwoon ran toward the clearing. But as he neared it, an inexplicable sense of dread began to creep over him. The sunlight grew brighter, but it contrasted with an unnatural darkness welling up inside his mind.

Pushing down his unease, Jiwoon pressed on—until he saw it.

Beyond a steep slope lay another expanse of dense, dark forest stretching as far as the eye could see. The vibrant blue sky above only made the sea of dark green treetops below seem more ominous.

Jiwoon sank to the ground, his legs giving out beneath him.

“Where… where the hell am I?”

The forest offered no answers, only an eerie, unfamiliar birdcall that echoed through the oppressive silence.

It seemed almost impossible to find dry twigs and grass to start a fire in this perpetually damp environment. However, by sheer luck, the steep slope of the cliffside allowed sunlight to reach farther down, enabling Jiwoon to gather some fairly flammable branches beneath it.

The ground, soaked enough that his combat boots sank in with each step, made it difficult to find an open space suitable for a fire or even for resting. After another ten minutes of searching, Jiwoon finally found a spot he could consider satisfactory.

It was a flat patch of land near a large boulder, roughly the size of a small car. Thanks to the boulder being deeply embedded in the earth, even the strange, twisted trees that dominated the forest couldn’t take root there.

“The soil’s good too. Alright, this will do,” he murmured.

The ground here wasn’t sticky with moisture but instead felt crumbly and dry, as if long-eroded particles from the boulder had settled around it. Jiwoon used the heel of his boot to clear an area and then dug a small pit with scattered rocks he found nearby.

He placed dry vines and grass at the bottom of the pit, layered branches over them, and struck his lighter. Contrary to his fears, the fire caught quite well.

“It’s burning! Ha, it’s burning!” Jiwoon laughed out loud, his face lighting up with relief.

It had been a struggle. As he dug the pit with rocks, he couldn’t help but yearn for the modern collapsible military shovel he had used during his reserve army training. With that, he could have fashioned a proper shelter.

He sighed wistfully, then shook his head. What kind of lunatic would smuggle a military shovel out of reserve training?

But he couldn’t help amending his thought almost immediately.

“If it were Changhwan, that guy definitely would’ve snuck one out,” he muttered, chuckling.

He pictured his roommate Changhwan, with whom he often clashed despite their closeness. The memory brought a faint smile to his lips, but it was short-lived. The thought that he might never see his best friend again sent a heavy pang through his chest.

“No, that won’t happen,” Jiwoon reassured himself. But another thought intruded. Where am I, really?

He tried to dismiss it, but deep down, he couldn’t believe he was still in a forest somewhere in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. This wasn’t a new suspicion; it had been forming since about 30 minutes into his walk. But now, after hours of exploration, it felt almost certain.

For one, there were no signs of forest thinning or tree clearing. In a forest of this size, managed thinning would be standard practice to preserve the ecosystem and promote healthy growth. Yet here, there was nothing—a true primeval forest untouched by human hands.

Moreover, Jiwoon hadn’t seen a single pine tree, not even one. Even in the smallest of Korean forests, pine trees were almost ubiquitous. Yet, after trekking through this forest for over five hours, he hadn’t encountered a single one.

The undeniable truth was that this massive, unbroken wilderness—free of pathways, pine trees, or any trace of humanity—didn’t resemble anything that could exist in Gyeonggi Province.

Still, Jiwoon couldn’t completely convince himself he was no longer in Korea. The reason was simple: If not Korea, then where? How does this make any sense?

None of it did.

These kinds of events only happened in the fantasy novels Jiwoon wrote. Such things were impossible in the real world, let alone in 21st-century Korea. Yet here he was, experiencing what felt like the plot of one of his own stories.

“Haah…” Jiwoon sighed as he lit a cigarette and took a long drag.

The smoke calmed him, allowing him to methodically retrace his thoughts.

One thing is clear: this isn’t anywhere near Gyeonggi Province. That has to be the starting point.

Theories about being in another dimension or in Earth’s distant past were less critical. What mattered was this: he should have drowned in a river, but instead, he had woken up in a forest—a forest so alien in its natural environment that it couldn’t possibly be in Korea.

Jiwoon decided it was time to face the uncomfortable truth head-on.

“This isn’t Gyeonggi Province… or even Korea. Not a chance.”

This forest didn’t match anything he’d ever seen or heard of in Korea. And he, who should have been either dead or gravely injured, was somehow alive and unharmed.

He had enough material to formulate his grand assumption. The pressing question now was, What next?

“Hmm…” Jiwoon hesitated. A growing unease weighed on him as he forced himself to confront the worst-case scenario.

Still, he knew he needed to stay calm. His next actions and decisions depended on clearly defining a guiding premise—and once that premise was set, he needed to stick to it unwaveringly.

Finally, Jiwoon exhaled deeply and voiced the thought aloud, as if speaking it would give him courage.

“Did I… end up in some unknown world?”

The weight of those words settled heavily on his chest, like a stone pressing down on his heart.

(To be continued)

The Beginning of Survival (1)

The sky stretched high above, and the gentle spring breeze carried flower petals swirling in a dance that momentarily blurred Jiwoon’s vision. As he stared blankly, a petal adhered to his cheek. He instinctively brushed it off and lowered his gaze. A wide, fan-shaped crimson flower—geranium.

“Man, every time I do reserve training, it feels like I’m breaking down even more. My whole body aches,” one of the reservists complained loudly, patting his shoulder exaggeratedly. Jiwoon dusted his hands off and chuckled at the fuss.

The speaker was one of the reservists Jiwoon had grown close to during training. The oldest among them, with a friendly demeanor, he had naturally become the spokesperson for the group.

“Well, you’d better take care of yourself, big brother. Your wife’s probably waiting for you anxiously at home,” Jiwoon joked, grinning.

The reservists burst into laughter. The man, surnamed Park, scratched the back of his head sheepishly and gave Jiwoon a playful nudge with his elbow.

The three-day reserve training concluded by noon, marking the end of all activities. The reservists picked up their bags, exchanging farewells with fellow trainees and active-duty soldiers they’d grown familiar with, and started passing through the camp’s main gate.

Some, finding old acquaintances, banded together to grab a taxi, planning to hit a barbecue restaurant in Seoul for drinks.

“Hey, Han Jiwoon! Wanna join us? Yongcheol’s running a barbecue spot in Sinchon.”

“No, I’m good. You guys have fun!”

“Aw, come on. Well, if you change your mind, give us a call!”

“Sure thing.” Jiwoon nodded lightly to the reservist waving his phone at him, seemingly reluctant to part ways after sharing a bunk for three days.

“Where the heck is that guy?” Jiwoon muttered, glancing back toward the parade as the trickle of people leaving the camp slowed.

At that moment, a soldier came dashing toward him from the distance.

“Senior! Han Jiwoon, senior!”

“Hey, Corporal Oh! Took you long enough!”

“Sorry, the team’s work ran late. Here, I’ve got it—your two cartons and an extra pack.”

“More than I expected. Thanks, Corporal Oh.”

“Ah, it’s no big deal. The guys who don’t smoke didn’t want theirs anyway. And at 1,500 won a pack, it’s a steal for us.”

Grinning broadly, Corporal Oh handed over a plastic bag filled with military-issued cigarettes. Jiwoon pulled out his wallet, handed him seven 10,000-won bills, and said, “Here’s for the smokes, and keep the rest. You’ve worked hard putting up with all the reservists’ grumbling these past few days.”

“Oh, no, sir! I can’t accept this. Let me give you your change,” Corporal Oh exclaimed, flustered, waving his hands as he fumbled for his back pocket.

Jiwoon stopped him with a warm smile. “Just take it. Our squad didn’t even have a proper meal together. I’ve already given a little to the other reservists to hand out to the guys they liked. Don’t worry about it.”

“But still—this is a bit much…”

Seeing Corporal Oh hesitate, Jiwoon patted his shoulder lightly. “I said it’s fine. Back when I was active-duty, I used to get pocket money from townsfolk during community support missions. Is it too little or something?”

“Oh, no, not at all! Thank you, sir. I’ll use it well,” Corporal Oh replied, finally relenting.

Jiwoon’s joke left Corporal Oh flustered as he waved his hands wildly, eventually slipping the cash into his pocket with an apologetic expression.

Jiwoon liked Corporal Oh, who, despite his rank and experience, often displayed an endearing naivety. Patting the younger man’s shoulder a few times, Jiwoon offered a warm farewell.

“Alright, no need to feel too grateful—it’s not much anyway. Take care of yourself in the military. I’m off now.”

“Yes, sir! Take care!”

“Ugh, you’re going to burst my eardrum. Fine, loyalty!” Jiwoon chuckled, responding playfully to the salute before walking out of the base’s main gate.

---

The sun was still high in the sky, but with the lively reservists gone, the surroundings grew noticeably quiet. Jiwoon placed the plastic bag of cigarettes in his backpack and strolled toward the bus stop.

“Ugh, playing the generous guy is tough when you’re broke. 8,000 won… I could’ve stretched that for two meals if I’d been frugal. Maybe I went overboard.”

8,000 won. It wasn’t a huge amount, but for Jiwoon, it was far from negligible. At 28 years old, his cautious thinking might seem stingy, but his circumstances made it necessary.

Jiwoon’s profession was that of a novelist—specifically, a fantasy novelist, a genre considered niche and borderline fringe literature. Making ends meet in such a career wasn’t easy, and the royalties he received were just enough to support himself. To make matters worse, his publisher had recently gone bankrupt, leaving unpaid manuscript fees and making him acutely sensitive to any loss, big or small.

“Well, 70,000 won for four cartons of cigarettes… guess I made 10,000 won off this deal. Let’s think of it as a win,” Jiwoon muttered with a faint grin, amused by how his financial worries now extended even to such small sums.

---

After waiting for a while, the bus to the train station arrived. By the time Jiwoon had waited for Corporal Oh, most of the reservists eager to leave had already departed, leaving him the sole passenger boarding the bus.

“Empty, huh?”

Given the remote military base location and the bright midday hour, the bus had no other passengers. Not one to mind solitude, Jiwoon felt a touch of relief and settled into the backmost seat.

As the bus began its journey, Jiwoon leaned against the window, gazing out as drowsiness began to creep over him. He shook his head, trying to stay awake.

Corporal Oh had said it would take six stops to reach the train station, but if he fell asleep, he could easily miss it. However, three days of exhausting training, combined with his sedentary writer’s lifestyle, quickly eroded his resistance to sleep.

Don’t fall asleep… you can’t fall asleep… Despite his best efforts, Jiwoon’s head began to nod as he drifted off.

---

Screeeech! Bang!

“Huh?”

A deafening noise jolted Jiwoon awake, followed by a jarring impact. His eyes flew open just as his body was flung from his seat, tumbling wildly across the bus. Everything blurred in the chaos, and the driver’s seat seemed ominously empty.

“Urgh!”

Another violent thud threw Jiwoon’s body across the cabin. Outside, the scenery spun erratically before his consciousness slipped away.

---

Swoosh…

Wind howled through a dark forest, rustling through decaying vines and twisted, gnarled trees. It swept over a motionless figure sprawled on the forest floor before vanishing into the distance.

The figure, face-down on the ground, slowly lifted their head.

“Ugh…”

Jiwoon groaned, clutching his forehead as he tried to rise, only to collapse back to his knees. The pain coursing through his body was overwhelming, but the pounding headache rendered him unable to stand.

Remaining on his knees, Jiwoon pressed his thumbs against his temples, lifting his gaze. His head felt heavy as a stone, and his limbs throbbed with discomfort.

“Damn it…”

Rotating his neck a few times, his vision finally steadied, revealing his surroundings.

“What the…?”

The ground beneath his hands was damp and unpleasantly squishy. Around him loomed grotesquely contorted trees, their species indiscernible, in a forest dimly lit by the feeble sunlight filtering through the canopy.

“This… what is this?”

A forest wasn’t inherently unusual, but the last thing Jiwoon remembered before blacking out was the narrow valley and dark blue river beneath the plunging bus.

Now, there was no valley, no river—just an eerily quiet forest.

“Where the hell am I?”

Panicked, Jiwoon scrambled to his feet and surveyed the area. No matter which direction he turned, all he saw was forest. The air was thick with the stench of decay and the musty aroma of dying plants, making him recoil.

“This can’t be real… Wait!”

Reaching into his pocket, Jiwoon hastily pulled out his phone. No signal. The screen displayed “Out of service area.”

“What’s going on here? Damn it! Then again, in a forest like this…” Jiwoon sighed. “Alright, first things first—”

Though his body ached terribly, Jiwoon forced himself to move, searching the area. Yet, no matter how thoroughly he scoured the vicinity, there was no sign of the bus or any wreckage.

“Okay, it’s a forest. But where’s the bus? Even if it was destroyed…” He stopped himself mid-sentence, shaking his head.

Defeated, Jiwoon slumped against a nearby tree stump.

“Alright… let’s think calmly. Slowly.”

Taking deep breaths, Jiwoon’s thoughts began to settle. Though he couldn’t fully grasp the situation, one thing was clear: he had survived and now found himself inexplicably in a forest. His body ached, and his head throbbed, but he had no visible injuries, and his belongings, including his backpack, were intact.

As unsettling as the mysterious forest was, Jiwoon reassured himself that he was likely still somewhere in South Korea. He figured he’d find his way out in a few hours or, with luck, regain a phone signal soon.

“Alright, let’s move. All I need is a signal,” Jiwoon said, forcing himself to think optimistically as he ventured deeper into the forest.

The ominous atmosphere unsettled him, but Jiwoon steeled his nerves, focusing on the fact that he was alive.

(To be continued…)

Han Forlan Giscard de Jiwoon, Viscount (1432(?)~1465(?))

An individual of uncertain origins who, through certain dealings, had his title of Baron recognized by the Marquess of Wakefield.
Employing deceit, fraud, intimidation, and even shows of force, he manipulated public opinion and secured his political footing, ultimately revitalizing the House of Frederick.

It is an undeniable fact, even acknowledged by this author, that the “Six Wolves of Cromwell” were knights among knights and the loyal swords of Count Frederick.
However, the claim by some that the title “Seven Wolves of Cromwell” included Jiwoon and that he was a knight is one I cannot support.
The notion of him being a “Dragon Knight,” furthermore, is not even worth addressing.

As will be discussed later, recognizing the existence of dragons is nothing less than an insult to human history and to our one and only sacred Lord.
To refer to his swordsmanship as that of a knight would be an insult to true knights who have honed their skills through rigorous training and life-or-death duels.
Acknowledging such a mere charlatan as a member of the true and shining swords, the “Six Wolves of Cromwell,” is an offense not only to all knights but also to the very principles they stand for.

• From the preface of The True Nature of Giscard de Jiwoon, the Devilish Politician by Josh Marse, Baron of the United Kingdom of the Quern Kingdom

---

Han Forlan Giscard de Jiwoon, Viscount, was a great statesman and a pioneering scholar who first academically documented the principles and systems of politics, economics, and war prior to his time.
He was also a thinker of action who upheld and practiced his beliefs, a saint blessed by the Lord, and a literary giant who redefined the meaning of literature and the history of art, leaving an indelible mark on history.

His middle name, “Giscard,” is not, as certain unfounded essays (unworthy of being called scholarly works) claim, a name acquired through some transaction.
Before his emergence, how many people truly believed in the existence of dragons? And among them, had there ever been a human who earned the honor of having a dragon inscribe their name?

Even so, the fact that some dismiss this historical event as a mere “deal” fills this author with lamentation.

Believe it: he was a knight acknowledged by a dragon.
He was the “Seventh Knight,” the leader of the “Wolves of Cromwell,” the seven swords of Wayne Langster de Frederick. He was a Dragon Knight recognized by the transcendent being, “Bradkio Palsionia Rom Giscard,” lord of the Dragon Mountains, and stood as a bridge between our sacred Lord Reyes and humanity itself.

This historical truth is undeniable.

From The Biography of Han Forlan Giscard de Jiwoon by Alfred Wilba de Rossi, Chief Professor of the Royal Academy of the Kingdom of Prim

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T/L : Don’t get confused; this is a biography written by other people about the MC.