SEOUl 7

Old Wounds Returning to Black Villisge

Black Village was a frigid region, marked by towering cliffs and the vast ocean to its southwest, near Sochengdo Island. It housed 35,000 inhabitants, including 10,000 members of the Jihoo clan. This was the land where his parents had once lived before they fled with seven exceptional boys—the heirs to a lineage destined to alter their history. They were the progenitors of the New Bloodline of Jihoo Hayoon Souel, the seven fathers.

As the sunset approached, the cycle of feeding concluded. J Hope would venture out to hunt, returning with fresh game, while Yoongi and JK were tasked with replenishing the supply of fresh blood. The sun dipped below the ridge, and Yoongi was already awake, anticipating the arrival of his brothers.

The door to JK's bedroom swung open, and he emerged into the hallway, stretching languidly. He was the first to draw back the tall drapes on the stairway windows, welcoming the moonlight. A gasp escaped him as he remembered it was time to hunt. Yoongi lurked in the hallway as JK ignited the candles.

"Little brother, you know we must hunt... go wake up Hyung. I'm famished," Yoongi murmured, eyeing JK from his doorway.

"I'm up and ready to go! Where's the gear? We need to hurry; Big Brother has a lot to do," Hobi said. JK lit the last candle and walked to the supply room to gather the supplies needed for storing fresh blood.

"Hey, no funny stuff tonight," Hobi warned, glancing at Yoongi who hissed back at him, then cunningly retracted his fangs.

In the shadows of the hall, RM stood listening. "You three, be vigilant and alert. We have trackers on our trail. If you encounter any, decapitate and burn them," RM instructed, revealing his large, sharp fangs.

"You have three hours, or I will come looking for you. Stay outside of town," RM added.

JK, Hobi, and Yoongi departed; RM was not in the mood for jokes.

V was awake; he went to check on Lila. Jin had not yet woken. Meanwhile, Jimin was already patrolling the grounds with the dogs.

RM entered the study, his mind burdened with heavy thoughts. He retrieved the family box that his mother had left behind. A visit to the elders was necessary; there were family crests, biographies, and legacy documents that required his attention.

This would mark the first encounter with his family since their birth.

RM's father had never met them, a consequence of his own father's defiance in concealing them from their grandfather. This very act had allowed the head hunters to locate them.

The forthcoming meeting would be fraught with complexity. The elders would likely struggle to accept the narrative of hybrids.

He had to deliver the letters penned at their births to his grandfather.

In appearance, RM bore a striking resemblance to his father.

V entered the kennel slowly, while Jimin, Boa, and Jia were also on their way there.

He noticed Lila, still in a daze, lying on the counter, her eyes covered but unmoving.

The first thing he inspected were her pads. The transformation was astonishing; her nails had morphed into miniature daggers, dark as the night. Gently rubbing her side to signal his presence, she lifted her head, and the cloth veiling her eyes tumbled to the ground. At that moment, Jimin entered.

"What the hell!!! You turned her," he exclaimed, taken aback that V hadn't informed them. "I couldn't let her die... we were planning to do it eventually; I merely expedited the process."

V examined her, admiring the exquisite development of her muscle mass. "Lila," he whispered. She faced him, her eyes the epitome of coldness, her hearing acutely sensitive.

Jimin, impressed by V's solitary effort in the transformation, inquired, "Okay... where is her wound? It's as if she was never stabbed." His gaze fixed on V, now equally astonished. "You're hiding something from us... what is it?" Jimin demanded, confronting him.