Eun Sook acted quickly. The wolves were closing in. With a calm but steady hand, she pulled out three arrows from her quiver. Without wasting any time, she snapped the sharp tip of one arrow and dipped the other two in the pot of an already brewed poison. The poison glistened under the dim light.
She wasted no time. The first wolf was closest to Kwon Bi, and she took aim. The arrow flew, hitting the wolf's eye with deadly accuracy. It collapsed, howling in pain, before falling silent.
The second wolf was faster, ready to pounce on Kwon Bi. Eun Sook shot the broken arrow at Bi's feet, making her fall onto the snow. As Bi tumbled, Eun Sook quickly aimed her poisoned arrow and shot it straight at the oncoming wolf. The arrow hit the wolf's chest, and it fell to the ground, writhing as the poison took effect.
Both wolves were dead.
Kwon Bi scrambled up, her breath quick. She ran toward the brewing hut, where her uncle was, and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Lady Jang!" she cried.
Eun Sook didn't respond. She turned, her face cold, and left the hut. She walked alongside Gwang Woo, heading toward the wolves' bodies. Together, they dragged the carcasses to a nearby clearing, where they set them on fire.
Master Kwon, looking troubled, approached the fire with old books and scrolls in hand. He added them to the flames. These were the records of the blood blossoms, knowledge that could now never be used again. The fire consumed everything.
Meanwhile, in the wilderness, Seo Jin was sleeping soundly, camping with Go Nam. But his peace was shattered by the nightmare that always haunted him. He woke in a cold sweat, his heart racing. He saw his father laying in a pool of his blood, and the white-flowered hairpin—the one that belonged to Hae Mi Hyang lying on the floor covered in his father's blood. The images haunted him, and he screamed in his panic.
Go Nam stirred beside him, groggily waking up. "What is it, My Lord?" he asked, confused.
"I feel something," Seo Jin said, sitting up, his voice heavy with unease. "Something's wrong. We need to leave. Now."
Go Nam raised an eyebrow. "It's midnight, my lord. The road are dark. We can't leave now. Can't we wait till dawn?"
"I don't care what time it is," Seo Jin snapped, his tone urgent. "Prepare to leave. We're going to Hwaju now!"
Back in Hwaju, the brewing process was taking longer than expected. The blood blossoms, in large quantities, had to be brewed in batches, and it was taking precious time. Dawn was already approaching, and the final batch of poison wasn't ready.
Master Kwon stood by the fire, muttering apologies. "I'm sorry, My Lady. I wish I could hurry it, but we must be patient."
Eun Sook said nothing. She simply nodded, her expression unreadable. Time was running out.
Meanwhile, in the capital, a messenger arrived at the Jang residence with a note. Na Mu hurriedly read the message, his eyes narrowing as he saw the new instructions. Eun Sook was to kill everyone after securing the poison. No one who knew about it should remain alive.
Na Mu quickly rewrote the message in a small note, attaching it to Eun Sook's falcon. He sent the bird soaring into the sky, heading toward Hwaju.
Time was slipping away. Eun Sook gathered the workers and quickly gave orders. "Take the remaining flowers and the poison that's already made. Leave now, with Kwon Bi."
Kwon Bi hesitated. "But… my uncle…"
"Go with them, Bi," Eun Sook said firmly. "I'll make sure the rest of us are safe. You must leave first."
Kwon Bi's eyes filled with tears, but she nodded and ran to join the others.
Gwang Woo, Master Kwon, and Eun Sook would return with the rest of the supplies. As they left, the brewing hut was still smoking from the fire, the last batch not yet ready.
Finally, the last batch of poison was ready. They prepared to leave just as the first light of dawn broke through the horizon.
But as they made their way toward the exit, disaster struck.
A group of barbarians had arrived. The man Eun Sook had killed before—their leader's son. The barbarians had tracked her here, seeking revenge.
The fight began immediately. The barbarians charged in, swinging their weapons with fierce power.
Eun Sook drew her sword and bow. The sword was for close-range combat, the bow for those at a distance. She fired arrows with deadly precision, her body moving like a shadow between each shot. Gwang Woo was at her side, his sword cutting down the enemies that dared get too close.
Master Kwon, however, wasn't a fighter. He had to defend himself using the only thing he knew—poison. He poured some of the poison into the eyes of one of the barbarians. The man screamed in agony, clawing at his eyes, and Master Kwon, in his panic, grabbed the hot metal from the fire. He plunged it into the barbarian's chest, ending his life.
On the outskirts of Hwaju, Seo Jin and Go Nam arrived. They saw workers leaving but didn't recognize them. To their relief, they thought they were just random villagers.
When they entered the village, however, all they found were dead bodies. The villagers had been killed, their blood staining the ground. There was only one person left—an old man hiding in a corner. He looked terrified.
Seo Jin approached him, his voice cold. "Do you know about the blood blossoms?"
The old man nodded, shaking in fear. "They're to the east, through the valley. But you must not go there My Lord. The barbarians are heading that way!"
Seo Jin turned to Go Nam. "Stay here. It seems dangerous. Protect the man. We may need him incase we find nothing. I'll go alone."
Back at the valley, the fighting continued. The barbarians just kept coming. But they were pushing them back, slowly. Gwang Woo fought with strength and precision, cutting through the enemy with his sword. Eun Sook moved like lightning, striking from the shadows with both her bow and sword.
They reached the close to the barn, where the horses were kept. They were so close to escaping. But then three more barbarians appeared—these three were stronger than the others.
The plan was simple: two of them would leave on horseback, while the other stayed behind to fight. Gwang Woo volunteered to stay and hold the line. The others would go.
But they didn't realize there was another barbarian hidden, waiting.
Master Kwon reached the horses first and untied them, his hands trembling. Eun Sook followed, shooting an arrow at the barbarian who had been trailing them.
But just as they were about to leave, the barbarian leader appeared.
He swung a massive axe at Master Kwon, hitting him with full force. Master Kwon was thrown to the ground, blood pouring from his wounds.
He kept hitting him his axe over and over again. Master Kwon's blood covered his face.
Immediately the barbarian leader turned to Eun Sook, his eyes burning with fury. He lunged at her, aiming to strike. He swung his axe at her, use blocked it with her sword, the impact was strong so she fell to the ground. He grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off the ground, strangling her.
He uttered a foreign language as his eyes burned with rage. Eun Sook gasped for breath as he strangled her.
Just then, Seo Jin arrived, his sword drawn. The barbarian leader turned, He quickly shot an arrow at the barbarian leader. The arrow hit his shoulder, but he barely flinched. He tossed Eun Sook aside like a rag doll, her body hitting the ground with a sickening thud.
As the barbarian leader turned to face Seo Jin, Eun Sook quickly pulled her scarf over her face, hiding her identity.
She mounted her horse, just as Gwang Woo had finished off the other two barbarians. He covered his face ran toward her, and they were about to escape when they saw the barbarian leader face off with Seo Jin.
Eun Sook hesitated, her hand on her bow. She had to act quickly. She drew an arrow and aimed it....