Hyun Woo stood at the edge of the village, the faint scent of woodsmoke mixing with the cool night air. His gaze lingered on a modest hut where light flickered through the cracks.

His informant’s words echoed in his mind: 'The gumiho lives among them, pretending to be human.'

He approached silently, his blade at his side. Inside, a soft laugh reached his ears. He peered through the window—a woman, seated by the hearth, her smile warm as she spoke to an old villager. Hyun Woo tightened his grip on his blade.

“She doesn’t look like a monster,” he muttered under his breath.