Chapter  14

“Stay here.”

Suji shook her head, refusing.

“I’ll be right back,” Rex said firmly, ready to leave, but Suji’s hand didn’t release his clothing. When he turned back to her, he noticed the glint of moisture at the corners of her eyes—not from sadness, but from fear. The memory of being abducted by strangers while alone clung to her, compelling her to grip his waist like a lifeline.

Rex opened his mouth as if to speak but then closed it, offering his hand instead. If she wanted to come, so be it. It wasn’t particularly difficult, just… inconvenient.

Suji’s expression brightened instantly as she clasped his hand eagerly. The gesture seemed almost romantic to her, but before she could relish the thought, she was swept up in one fluid motion and slung over Rex’s shoulder. And then—then it was all a blur as they sped through the forest at an almost unimaginable pace.

‘We’ve arrived.’

As soon as Rex stopped, Suji let out a gasp of relief, feeling like she’d barely survived the journey. He set her down gently on the ground and immediately began climbing a tree, plucking tough leaves from the upper branches to patch the leaky roof. Meanwhile, Suji lay flat on her back, not daring to move.

‘That was faster than—’

She thought back to a childhood memory of riding a free-fall amusement park ride. The drop on that ride now felt slow compared to Rex’s extraordinary speed. The way the trees blurred past her, their leaves scratching her cheeks as they rushed by, left her disoriented. Suji couldn’t even begin to comprehend how he navigated the terrain so effortlessly, moving faster than her eyes could track.

‘He’s like a monkey—or Tarzan.’

The way he bounded from branch to branch with such ease seemed almost supernatural. Even the birds in the trees might fall out of sheer astonishment. Suji watched, blinking in awe as Rex tirelessly moved about, collecting leaves and vines. Occasionally, he tucked the gathered materials into his belt and even grabbed some small green fruits. It was both industrious and oddly endearing, like watching a squirrel preparing for winter.

‘I should help too.’

Determined not to feel like a useless burden, Suji sat up and looked around. She spotted some fallen fruits beneath the tree—similar to the ones Rex was gathering—and decided to make herself useful by collecting them in her makeshift cloth basket. As she picked through the fruits, her gaze fell on an unusual yellow one among the green.

‘What’s this?’

Curious, Suji reached out toward the yellow fruit, but before her hand could touch it, Rex dropped from the tree and blocked her path in an instant. The yellow fruit burst with a soft pop, releasing an inky black substance that sprayed over him.

The black liquid clung to Rex like a living thing, spreading across his pale skin in ominous, creeping patterns. Suji’s eyes widened in alarm, and she instinctively reached out to him. But Rex coldly swatted her hand away.

“Don’t come closer. It might spread to you.”

Suji froze. The ink-like substance continued to spread, creeping from his chest to his arms, legs, and neck before finally reaching his face. His forehead darkened as his features turned to stone-like blackness, and Suji’s heart clenched in terror.

‘Is he going to die because of me?’

Rex, however, was calm, observing the foreign substance wrapping around him like a cocoon. There was no clear form or target to attack, and he surmised that it was a parasitic organism of sorts. If he remained passive, it would eventually reveal its vulnerabilities.

While Rex remained composed, Suji was anything but. Her face pale, she circled him anxiously, calling out, “Hey! Are you okay?” But there was no response. Even his earlier dismissive gesture felt like a distant memory. Grabbing a stick nearby, Suji tentatively poked at the black mass covering Rex. The substance clung to the stick, confirming her fears—it was contagious.

‘What do I do?’

Panicked, she spotted the burst yellow fruit nearby. Its broken shell exposed a vivid yellow pulp, and Suji cautiously picked it up. As she turned it over in her hands, she noticed that the liquid inside dissolved a bit of the black substance when they came into contact.

‘This might work.’

With renewed determination, Suji looked up. Several yellow fruits were still hanging high in the tree. She tied a vine around her waist for support and began climbing.

It was no easy task. The swampy environment made the trees sticky, and her hands were soon covered in sap. Her clothes snagged on branches, and insects buzzed annoyingly around her, but she gritted her teeth and pushed forward. Just a little further, and she could reach the fruit.

But then her foot slipped, and Suji let out a startled cry as she slid down the trunk.

Suji looked at her palm, now red and raw with bleeding, and glanced back up at the tree. She needed to climb again. Gritting her teeth, she pushed through the pain, determined to reach the yellow fruits. After several attempts and slips, she finally got high enough to gather them. Using a stick to ensure no black liquid burst forth, she carefully plucked each fruit one by one.

Meanwhile, Rex, encased in the black cocoon, observed the creature responsible for his predicament—a peculiar bug-like monster unique to this swamp. As soon as he became fully enveloped, the creature revealed itself, its flattened, grotesque form emerging to consume him.

Rex acted swiftly. He lunged and bit into the creature’s neck, easily subduing it. It twitched in shock, as though caught off guard, and Rex tore through the cocoon-like black fibers, emerging into the open air once again. His sharp gaze fell immediately on Suji.

“…!”

She sighed deeply with relief upon seeing him, her eyes radiating gratitude and warmth. For a brief moment, Rex’s attention was stolen by the sheer life and vitality in her gaze. But then, his sharp perception caught the details: her clothes and skin were smeared with sap and dirt, her hands were raw and bleeding, and yellow juice dripped from her fingers. Beside her lay a small pile of the yellow fruits she had painstakingly gathered. Rex quickly pieced together the situation.

“You worked hard to save me,” he muttered, his brow furrowing.

The reason the creature had been so easily subdued became clear—it must have been weakened by the yellow fruit. The fruit, while appearing to be a safe hiding spot for the creature, contained an inner juice that was toxic to it. Rex himself had learned to avoid these fruits after a previous encounter. Suji, however, had no such knowledge and had likely touched them without realizing the risk.

Yet Rex wasn’t angry because she had handled the fruit.

“You tried to save me.”

That was what infuriated him. Saving her was his job, his purpose. It was unacceptable for him to rely on someone else. For Rex, depending on another meant losing his identity as a weapon, his reason for existence. And for him, that was no different from a death sentence.

“Thank goodness!”

But Suji’s joy upon seeing him shattered his train of thought. She threw her arms around him, relief pouring out in her embrace. In that instant, Rex’s frustration dissipated, replaced by an overwhelming awareness of her warmth. Her survival mattered more than anything. For the first time, Rex understood what it meant to prioritize life above all else.

His body stiffened as though ambushed. Her touch was electric, sending shocks through his entire being. It was as if her presence was rewiring him, correcting his movements, his instincts—everything he thought he knew about himself.

“I was worried I’d never see you again,” Suji murmured, her voice trembling with emotion.

Her breath, her heartbeat, her words—all of it struck Rex like a thunderclap. Slowly, he raised a hand to touch her. His fingertips tingled as they brushed against her, but the sensation quickly spread, becoming a strange, soothing warmth that filled him. It felt like her vitality was sinking into him, making him whole.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” he whispered into her ear, his voice soft and uncharacteristically tender. “But… thank you for saving me.”

It was the first time in his life that he’d genuinely thanked someone. Even if she didn’t understand his words, she seemed to sense his sincerity. Her face lit up with a gentle smile, soft and feather-light.

A moment later, Suji glanced at Rex’s face before reaching out her battered hand. Seeing the fresh wounds on her palm, Rex’s brows knitted tightly in concern. Suji seemed to recall his earlier reaction when she refused treatment, and now she looked up at him nervously, apologetically.

“I’ll treat it,” Rex said, his voice surprisingly gentle.

As his expression softened, Suji relaxed, her smile returning. But it didn’t last long—exhaustion finally caught up with her, and she collapsed. Rex immediately caught her, checking her condition. She was simply asleep, her body worn out from everything she had endured.

Lifting her onto his shoulder, Rex gathered the yellow fruits and leaves she had collected. Along the way, he hunted a passing animal, ensuring fresh meat, and even found some pristine white eggs—something he knew she’d appreciate.

With everything prepared, he made his way back to their shelter.