I thought only drowning people couldn’t breathe, but I was wrong.
The fire completely wrapped around his body, pushing his breath to the limit.
The irregular breathing, unable to inhale or swallow, became rapid and repeated the cycle of speeding up and slowing down.
The realization of being in the flames covered Chaeha’s back with a terrifying level of fear.
Indeed, the temperature was burning like lava, surpassing the hot level.
The flaming red flames, which seemed to tear the eyes just by looking at them, were beyond anything imaginable.
Had Seowon’s father been commuting to such a place every day?
Indeed, she could now think that he might have had pride in it.
“Darn it! We need to hurry…!”
Running non-stop upwards, but his feet moved slower than intended.
He could taste blood from the tender flesh in his mouth, thinking that the child’s life might be at stake.
As soon as they arrived, Chaeha threw himself without a moment’s hesitation.
There was no need to think deeply.
He instinctively knew. Uju would be on the top floor.
He brought the child to an abandoned building and set it on fire.
It certainly wasn’t an accidental incident.
Then, it was undoubtedly in the most difficult place to find.
In the rising anger, Chaeha ground his teeth again.
Upon checking the address, he immediately knew it was a deserted building owned by Myunghan Construction.
And this cunning method of manipulation was Baek Sara’s specialty.
The time for giving chances was over.
If he left now, there would only be merciless retaliation.
Of course, before that, he had to rescue Uju. His son. Kwon Chaeha and Min Seolwon’s son.
The most precious being in the world, Kwon Uju.
“Now, is it the last floor…!”
Finally, he set foot on the entrance to the 7th floor.
However, due to the thick smoke, it was challenging to secure visibility.
“Uju!”
Calling Uju’s name into the unseen space, Chaeha’s nose and mouth, which had been blocked, started to be filled with acrid smoke.
It was dangerous.
If he hesitated a little longer in this state, the child’s life could be in danger.
Desperately pushing through the flames, he moved forward.
Something continued to cling to his feet, hindering him, and flames from the ceiling were falling to the floor, swelling in size.
“Uju! Where are you? Uju! Answer me!”
It was heartbreaking. He was keenly feeling what it meant for the breath to be cut off and severed at this moment.
It felt maddening.
If he could save the child, he wouldn’t mind throwing away his life, but the faint smile of the child did not appear. It wasn’t captured.
Thunk! A burning iron pillar fell to the ground.
It nearly hit his body, but fortunately, thanks to that loud noise, he could detect the faint voice of the child.
Likewise, it was because of the surprise at that sound, or perhaps it was because a faint groan came from behind the pillar.
“Ugh….”
“Uju!”
This time, there was no time for the pillar to fall or not, or for any thoughts.
Chaeha leaped over the burning pillar and ran towards where the groan was heard.
“…Uju!”
Like the world’s smallest and most fragile creature, Uju was crouching there.
Though the child seemed to be trying to avoid the flames in his own way, it was impossible for a young child to escape alone from a 7-story building with raging flames.
Seeing the face of the child, which was once fair and pale, now covered with wounds and soot, Chaeha felt his blood run cold.
As if Uju heard his name, the child weakly opened his eyes.
There was no vitality in the clear and transparent pupils.
In an instant, tears welled up from his heart, and Chaeha quickly embraced Uju.
The child’s breathing was feeble, as if it might be cut off at any moment.
“…”
Uju seemed to want to say something, but there was no strength left for him to utter a word.
In that pitiful state, tears filled Chaeha’s eyes.
“It’s okay, Uju.”
“…”
“Dad’s here. Dad… came to save Uju.”
“Dad…dy…”
As if struggling, Uju’s tiny lips opened for a moment, but soon his eyelids and lips closed weakly.
Above, thick smoke began to flow through Chaeha’s nose and mouth.
It was dangerous.
In this state, if he hesitated a little longer, the child’s life could be in danger.
After tightly wrapping Uju to prevent him from inhaling smoke, Chaeha started to run down the stairs he had climbed earlier in one leap.
Desperately flailing his body to avoid a single flame from touching Uju’s body.
Finally, the outside began to be visible through the hazy view.
His heart was beating frighteningly fast, almost as if it might stop at any moment.
Beyond the door, the sight of firefighters descending from the fire truck and the citizens surrounding the area came into view.
And the surprised and anxious face of Choi Jaeyoon.
Five steps, three steps, the last step.
Heaving, panting.
Gasps that wouldn’t come out from between the clenched teeth and palms.
Finally, Chaeha handed Uju over to their embrace intact.
“Uju! Kwon Chaeha!”
“There’s a person here…!”
“There’s a child!”
The murmuring voices faded away from his ears.
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
