A few days after their most heartfelt conversation, Yi Shi-woon's life took an unexpected turn. While walking home from school, he noticed a strange atmosphere in his neighborhood. Unfamiliar cars were parked on the streets, and groups of tough-looking men were gathered on street corners, staring at passersby with piercing gazes.
Shi-Woon felt a shiver of unease. Something wasn't right. He remembered Master Goo's warnings about his enemies and the possibility that they were watching him.
He quickened his pace, intending to get home as quickly as possible. But before he could reach his door, he was intercepted by two of the men he'd seen on the street. They were burly and muscular, with visible scars on their faces, and their presence radiated a palpable threat.
"Are you Yi Shi-Woon?" one of the men asked, his voice gruff and authoritative.
Shi-woon stopped, feeling fear take hold of him. He knew these men weren't just street thugs. They had the same dangerous aura as the attackers in the park.
"Who are you?" Shi-Woon asked, trying to remain calm.
The other man smiled maliciously. "We have a message for your master, Goomoonryong. And you're going to be the one to deliver it."
Before Shi-woon could react, the two men grabbed him by the arms with surprising strength. He tried to break free, but they were too strong. They dragged him down the street, ignoring his protests.
Shi-woon's fear turned to panic. He was being kidnapped, and he knew it was connected to Master Goo's past. Everything his master had told him about the dangers of the Murim was coming true.
They led him to a waiting car with the engine running and pushed him into the back seat. Another man, with a cold face and a calculating gaze, was driving.
During the journey, Shi-woon tried to obtain information from his captors, but they refused to tell him where they were taking him or what they wanted from him. They only told him that his master would understand the message.
Finally, the car stopped in front of an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. The men pulled him out of the vehicle and led him inside the dark, dilapidated building.
Inside the warehouse, Shi-woon saw a group of armed, dangerous-looking men. In the center of the room, sitting in an old, worn chair, was an older man with a scar across his face. He had an air of power and authority that intimidated Shi-woon.
"So you're Goomoonryong's apprentice," the older man said, his voice deep and measured. "You don't look like much."
Shi-woon looked at him defiantly, trying to remember his master's lessons in self-control. He couldn't show them his fear.
"What do you want from me?" Shi-Woon asked, his voice, though shaky, showing a hint of bravery.
The older man smiled coldly. "We want you to tell your master that we've taken someone he cares about. If he wants to see him again, he'll have to hand over the Azure Dragon Tablet to us. And this time, we won't accept excuses."
Shi-woon's heart sank. He'd been used as bait to lure Master Goo out. He realized his training had barely begun, and he was already in the middle of a conflict far larger and more dangerous than he'd ever imagined. The test had come sooner than he'd expected, and his master's survival, and his own, depended on how he handled this unexpected situation.
To be continued...
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