Kim Jongsuk was a historian and mythologist so famous across Asia that his reputation wasn't just built on knowledge — but on sheer eccentricity.
There was once a time he suddenly packed his bags and flew to Japan, all for the sake of guarding a certain stone — the Demon-Sealing Rock. It was said to have imprisoned a demonic nine-tailed fox, a creature so wicked and powerful it could spell the end of humanity if ever released.
And yet, despite believing he could protect others from the stone — or protect the stone from others — it had escaped. Or rather, she had escaped. Many times.
But this time, Jongsuk's sudden trip back to Vietnam wasn't because of mythology.
He'd just heard the worst possible news: his daughter had been kidnapped.
That night, he flew back in a fury.
Now, at Tuan Mo's pho restaurant, Jongsuk sat with two of his old friends — Tuan and Hung. The three men were anxious and tense. Jongsuk, bald and sweating, still clutched his suitcase as he paced around the restaurant.
"What the hell is going on here!?" he shouted, almost flipping the table. "Why would anyone kidnap Nayeon!? She's never done anything to anyone!"
Tuan and Hung exchanged uneasy glances. They didn't know where to start. Jongsuk muttered to himself, not waiting for their reply.
"That girl's stubborn and headstrong. Always doing things her own way, never asking for my opinion. Don't tell me she's gotten herself into trouble this time…"
Tuan finally spoke up. "I heard from that Duyen girl — sounds like the people who took Nayeon are a bunch of Taiwanese mafia. I don't know the full story either."
Beside him, Hung added, "They're not just random thugs. They're enforcers working under the Jou family."
Jongsuk's eyes narrowed.
"The Jou family!? Who the hell are they? What do they have to do with my daughter!?"
Hung sighed.
"It's a long story. But honestly, I don't think they're planning to harm her. At least, not physically. We just… don't know where she's being held."
Jongsuk slammed his foot on the floor in frustration.
"Those bastards! They dared to kidnap my daughter! Kim Jongsuk's daughter!"
But then, suddenly, his expression froze. His face went pale.
"Wait… no…"
Tuan and Hung looked at each other, confused by his sudden change of tone. His rage melted into dread. Hung frowned.
"They're just holding Nayeon, not hurting her. Unless…" He hesitated.
"Unless they plan to use her. For something."
The moment he said that, realization struck all three men. Especially Jongsuk — whose trembling lips hinted at a secret he'd been carrying for years. He muttered, teeth clenched.
"Then this is bad… very bad. Whoever they are, this must be connected to her."
"Her?" Hung blinked.
Jongsuk turned to them, scanning their faces to make sure they could be trusted. When he finally spoke, his voice was strained and urgent.
"Yes. The nine-tailed fox…"
The two men froze, but they weren't exactly shocked — they knew exactly who he was talking about. They just stayed silent and let him continue.
"The Nine-Tailed Fox was born from the sacred inferno beneath the deepest layer of hell — an eternal flame that never dies. She isn't a mere yokai or demon. Her existence transcends that… she's reached the realm of gods."
Tuan hesitated. "Isn't that a bit… exaggerated?"
Jongsuk snapped, "It's not! That's her true power! She wields a fire that can burn everything to ashes!"
The other two men fell silent, uneasy. They both knew about Shana's supernatural abilities — enough to realize she wasn't someone ordinary. Still, Jongsuk's words sounded so dramatic it bordered on divine myth.
But he wasn't done.
"I said she's as strong as a god, not that she is one," he continued sharply. "She's neither demon nor deity — something in between. But with power beyond imagination. Now tell me — how many people do you think would want to control that kind of power?"
That's when the other two finally understood. There must be a third party — someone well-versed in the supernatural — aiming for Shana's power.
Hung muttered, "That actually makes sense. But Shana's no fool. She's cunning, manipulative… she wouldn't fall easily."
Jongsuk's head jerked toward him.
"Shana? Shana Shigonami?"
"Ah—uh, I just said that by accident! No offense meant!" Hung waved frantically.
"No! I heard you loud and clear! How do you know her name!?"
Tuan and Hung exchanged another nervous glance.
"You two… you've met her, haven't you!?"
Before either could answer, the sliding door behind them creaked open.
A chill ran down Jongsuk's spine. The air grew thick with a sweet, dangerous fragrance — a deep blue scent that seemed to melt into the air itself. There was no mistaking it. It was her.
"Y-you…" Jongsuk stammered as he turned around.
Standing before him was a breathtaking woman — hair the color of deep red, flowing like silk. Her body was wrapped in a tight dress that flaunted every perfect curve, dangerously beautiful. And those eyes… those glowing, sapphire eyes that seemed to devour one's soul.
Jongsuk's knees gave out. He pointed a trembling finger at her, shouting in terror.
"Fox! THE NINE-TAILED FOX DEMON!"
Shana laughed, her voice dripping with amusement.
"Long time no see, old man ~"
At that exact moment, Duyen burst in. She saw Jongsuk collapse and rushed over.
"Uncle Jongsuk! Are you okay!?"
He flailed, panicking. "D-Duyen! Run! She's dangerous! Don't let her catch you, or she'll—she'll—!"
"Alright, alright, stop being so dramatic," Hung sighed, helping him up while Duyen held his arm.
But Jongsuk was still trembling. "How can you all act so calm!? That's the Nine-Tailed Fox!"
No one else seemed fazed. In fact, the so-called terrifying entity casually waved at Tuan.
"Hey, can I get a bowl of beef pho? I'm starving."
Tuan exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke and poured her a cup of lá vối tea.
"It's eight at night, where am I supposed to get pho now? Just order hotpot with Duyen. Make it a big set — five people."
Shana grinned. "Yeah, yeah, I got it ~"
Jongsuk stared at the group in disbelief as they chatted like old friends. Even Hung and Duyen were asking her casual questions, acting like this was perfectly normal.
His voice cracked in outrage.
"What… WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?"
A little later, Shana had ordered a massive hotpot set to Tuan's restaurant. Everyone was busy with their own mess — some were still trying to find traces of Nayeon, others were dealing with the media fallout at the company. In short, everyone was starving, so they dug in right away without saying a word.
Only Jongsuk sat there blankly, holding his chopsticks and bowl, glancing around in disbelief. He still couldn't process everything that had happened. He mumbled.
"So you're saying… you came to Vietnam and became the president of OPA Group? And then Nayeon got kidnapped?"
Shana was chewing on a slice of beef as she spoke with her mouth full.
"Ah, well, a lot has happened. But I'll just give you the short version. That's basically it."
Jongsuk snapped.
"Do you even understand the consequences of what you've done!? Do you have any idea how many people are out there scheming to steal your power!?"
Shana slammed her chopsticks onto the table with a growl that made everyone flinch.
"Hey! No yelling during meals, got it? Now are you gonna let me finish this piece of beef, or do you want me to chew off your head instead!?"
Terrified, Jongsuk instinctively touched his neck, stammering,
"A-Ah… I-I'm sorry…"
Shana let out a small "hmph," picked her chopsticks back up, and continued eating.
"Look, I know you mean well, and I appreciate that. But let's be real — did you actually think that useless rock could keep me trapped? I've come and gone plenty of times. You just didn't notice. What's so shocking about that?"
Jongsuk's face froze.
"Wait— so you mean even the seal on that stone couldn't hold you?"
Shana nodded, setting her bowl down and resting her chin on her hand.
"Didn't you say my power could rival that of a god? Then do you really think some cheap little seal could hold me?"
Jongsuk blinked, nodding slowly.
"...I suppose you have a point. But if you could leave anytime you wanted, why bother splitting the stone in half?"
Shana looked surprised.
"Split the stone? I didn't do that. I just walked out like normal."
"Impossible…"
Jongsuk looked even more puzzled. None of this made sense. Meanwhile, Shana was calmly fishing food out of the hotpot.
"So that means the stone's seal has been broken. Guess I lost my resting place in Tochigi."
Her complete lack of concern only made Jongsuk more anxious, but he couldn't come up with a better explanation. If it wasn't Shana who did it… then who did?
Next to them, Duyen had also stopped eating. She'd been worrying about Nayeon the whole time, and after hearing their conversation, her thoughts grew heavier.
"Uncle," Duyen asked softly, "you said the people who kidnapped Nayeon were after Shana's power, right? Then what does Nayeon have to do with it? What do they even want from her?"
Jongsuk sighed. He hadn't planned to reveal this much, but it seemed pointless to hide it now.
"I don't even know how I ended up with that thing. It's a mirror — or rather, a fragment of one. I only have a single piece left. When Nayeon was little, I had it made into a pendant for her, to keep her safe from nightmares and evil spirits. But… no one else knows she has it."
Shana froze. Her eyes lowered slightly as she muttered,
"So that's what you mean… the Mirror of Lies…"
"It's not the Mirror of Lies!" Jongsuk snapped back immediately. "It's one of the sacred relics of the goddess Ama! It's the Mirror of Truth!"
"IT'S THE MIRROR OF LIES!"
Shana suddenly shouted, her voice echoing like thunder. A surge of blue energy burst from her body, swirling through the room like a storm. Everyone's faces went pale.
Why was Shana suddenly so furious?
But Duyen quickly placed a hand on her shoulder, and the invisible pressure around them faded at once.
"What's wrong, Shana? Are you okay?" Duyen asked, her tone full of worry.
Something in Shana's gaze softened. She smiled faintly and placed her hand over Duyen's.
"I'm fine, sweetheart. Don't worry."
Watching that sudden shift in her demeanor — and the way Shana looked at Duyen — Jongsuk couldn't help but notice. There was definitely something between those two. No wonder Duyen could calm down a nine-tailed fox like that. But was their strange bond a good sign… or a bad one?
Jongsuk sighed.
"Whoever those people are, they'll force Nayeon to hand over the mirror. That thing is dangerous, Shana. You need to be careful."
But Shana didn't look worried at all. She simply shrugged and wrapped an arm around Duyen's waist.
"Maybe you should worry about your daughter instead. As for the mirror— don't fret. I've seen it before. It's not as dangerous as you think."
Jongsuk nodded slowly. He'd heard stories about Shana and that mirror — stories that carried a deep, shameful regret tied to his family's past. That regret was the reason he felt responsible for her now.
Meanwhile, Shana muttered under her breath,
"First that troublesome lady Kamakiri, now Kim Nayeon and her freaky mirror. Seriously, too many damn problems."
The sudden mention of Mina made Duyen fall silent. Shana had already told her what had happened behind the Kamakiri family's walls — and it was horrifying to think Mina had grown up in such a dark, twisted household.
Duyen worried not only for Nayeon, but also for Mina and whatever she was planning.
Could Mina really be trying to kill Valko, even indirectly? Duyen hoped, deep down, that Shana's theory was wrong.
---
Sitting in his luxurious apartment, Dylan was chatting animatedly on the phone, his face glowing with excitement.
"…And then I told him, 'Don't flirt with her,' and the guy just bolted!"
Dao, on the other end, burst into laughter.
"This time you keep bringing her up, huh? Don't tell me you've fallen for Duyen already?"
At those words, Dylan froze for a second. He thought about Duyen — her graceful look, her bright, genuine smile. He wasn't even sure when it started, but somehow, she'd taken root in his mind and refused to leave.
"Of course," he said finally, his tone softening.
"She's beautiful — not just that, she's warm and kind. On the surface, she always acts strong, but deep down she's really feminine and shy. Honestly, it's hard not to like her."
Dao nodded on the other end. She couldn't disagree. Duyen had that quiet kind of charm — the kind that grew on you until you realized, too late, that you'd fallen for her completely. But the problem was… Duyen happened to be Mina's person.
Dao cleared her throat abruptly, cheeks flushing as she tried to change the subject.
"Anyway, about that girl Duyen's been looking for — I heard she was kidnapped or something?"
Dylan nodded, his expression turning serious.
"Yeah. Duyen mentioned she thought the people behind it were Taiwanese. But honestly, I don't understand what they'd want with such a fragile girl. Hopefully, it's not some kind of scam ring or worse."
"Taiwan?"
Dao repeated, a sudden thought flashing across her mind.
Taiwan? That couldn't be just a coincidence… Could it be they were connected to Valko?
Dao recalled the morning news — the scandal had exploded everywhere: Valko caught cheating with Haruna, Mina's older sister. She'd tried calling Mina so many times, but Mina never picked up. Not even when the food poisoning scandal involving SCJ broke out — there hadn't been a single word from her.
Ever since that Yelsulin alumni meeting, Mina had grown strangely cold. Almost like… she was plotting something.
Could all of this — the missing girl and Mina's silence — be connected somehow?