With a sudden shock, the water channel burst open, and Na Yerin and Bi Ryu-yeon were instantly swept away by the powerful current.
The current was far stronger than they had expected. At first, Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin couldn't control their bodies at all.
But Bi Ryu-yeon had trained in Sulrae-bi (Water Lightning Flight) and had plenty of experience moving through water as if it were his own home. Lasting underwater for half a shichen was normal for him. He was skilled at fighting in water. The surprising one was Na Yerin. Fighting in water was her weak point. Out of everything she had mastered so well, there was only one thing she had never been able to master: underwater combat. It wasn't because of talent, but because of her environment.
Her already extraordinary beauty, combined with the tight, waterproof clothes clinging to her bare skin, could become a deadly weapon that drove thousands of men wild. On top of that, the danger was enormous. Wolves wanting to claim her came from every direction. Who could she trust? Even eunuchs couldn't be trusted.
Because of that, she had never been given the chance to learn water combat. Everyone around her had strictly forbidden it. That was why she was weak in water. Lasting long underwater could be fatal for her. Feeling suffocated, Na Yerin soon fainted. The water channel was still very long.
"Damn it!"
Bi Ryu-yeon grabbed the unconscious Na Yerin's hand and swam with all his strength. The problem wasn't himself, but Na Yerin. He had to get them out before she ran out of breath.
"I won't let you die! I won't!"
Bi Ryu-yeon swam with every ounce of his power. Thanks to the Mukryonghwan (Black Dragon Rings) on his hands and feet, his movements in the water looked more like light-body techniques than ordinary swimming. Every time he sank, a kick from his feet propelled him forward quickly.
Time had now become his greatest enemy.
* * *
A fisherman named Kang, who had earned his living fishing in Poyang Lake for thirty years, was suddenly considered crazy by the villagers one day. He only told the truth, but everyone thought he had lost his mind, to the point that Kang himself almost went insane.
"I'm serious! There's a dragon in Poyang Lake! I saw it with my own eyes!"
But the villagers ignored him. No one believed him.
"Hey, Old Jo. Yesterday I really saw a dragon in Poyang Lake. I'm not lying!"
Even his thirty-year best friend, Old Seok, didn't believe him.
"You must be overworked lately. Go home, wash your feet, and rest for a few days. You'll feel better."
Even though it was well-meant advice, it was clear Old Seok didn't believe him.
"I saw it! I really saw it! With my own eyes! I saw a dragon and a fairy in Poyang Lake!"
He shouted as if in pain, but still no one listened. Kang collapsed to the ground and muttered,
"I really saw it… I really saw it…"
* * *
It happened last night, under a bright moon. Kang was casting his net onto the dark lake surface for night fishing.
"Poo-ha!"
A human head suddenly broke through the dark, rippling water.
"Hieeeeek!"
Fisherman Kang, who was fishing under the moonlight, jumped in shock and fell backward. He almost tumbled into the water, but thirty years of experience saved him. At first he thought it was a ghost. But when he saw the beautiful woman being held by the figure, he immediately felt relieved. One thing he could conclude: there was a fairy living in Poyang Lake, and that fairy couldn't swim well.
The man who suddenly appeared from the water raised his hand and said, "Hello! Beautiful night!" Still dazed, Kang bowed in reply. By the time he stood up straight, the man and the fairy had already vanished.
"Hah? Hah? What the hell?"
He felt like he had been possessed. Kang looked everywhere for any trace of the two. Then he finally saw it. A long, massive body swimming across the moonlit lake surface! It had to be the dragon from the legends. There was no other explanation for a body that big and long. Kang's legs trembled in fear. He was afraid of being eaten. Fortunately that didn't happen. The dragon wasn't swimming in the middle of the lake; it was heading toward the shore. It seemed to be chasing the two people from earlier.
After the dragon's shadow disappeared, Kang finally sat down weakly in his boat after a long while. Then he gave thanks to the Dragon King for still being alive. He didn't know that it wasn't a dragon at all, but the Mukryeon-hyeolmang (Black Blood Dragon Vein) being pulled by Bi Ryu-yeon's Neungnyeongsa (Spirit-Capturing Thought), and the creature was already dead. Bi Ryu-yeon wasn't stupid enough to leave behind a blood vein that could be sold for a high price if cut into pieces, just because the situation was difficult.
Bi Ryu-yeon first dragged the unconscious woman to the shore and laid her on dry ground. He checked her nose, but there was no sign of breathing.
In a situation like this, there was only one way: mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Bi Ryu-yeon laid Na Yerin down neatly, then tilted her graceful neck to open her airway. Having drunk more than twelve buckets of water during Sulrae-bi training and survived dozens of near-drownings, Bi Ryu-yeon was also skilled at performing artificial respiration and first aid.
Normally artificial respiration required strong enough chest pressure to break ribs, but Bi Ryu-yeon was a martial artist, so he wouldn't break Na Yerin's ribs. He simply placed his hand between those "prominent breasts" and blew air gently.
Swoosh!
Bi Ryu-yeon slowly placed his hand between Na Yerin's breasts. It was a sacred space that no man had ever touched, and now he was boldly stepping in—or more precisely, placing his hand there—for the first time.
Thump! Thump!
Suddenly his heartbeat quickened, blood seemed to flow faster, and Bi Ryu-yeon's face began to flush.
'What? What is this?'
Even though he didn't particularly like this strange physiological reaction, Bi Ryu-yeon still did what had to be done.
He placed his palm on Na Yerin's chest and blew air. The goal was to press the heart through qi flow. Even though people who knew Bi Ryu-yeon might be shocked, he had absolutely no dirty thoughts or intention of moving his hand even slightly. Bi Ryu-yeon wasn't the kind of lowlife who would do that without permission.
The next step was to deliver air to the lungs through the mouth. Of course, a kiss couldn't be avoided. Na Yerin's ruby-red lips, while she was unconscious, appeared right in front of him. Bi Ryu-yeon unconsciously swallowed.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.
His heart was beating two and a half times faster than before.
'Why? Am I going to die from a heart explosion? It wasn't like this before!'
But he couldn't stop just because his heartbeat was abnormal. Bi Ryu-yeon's lips touched Na Yerin's lips.
Whoosh!
With a heart full of respect, Bi Ryu-yeon placed his lips on Na Yerin's and blew air. Of course he didn't forget to pinch her nose.
Once, twice, three times.
Bi Ryu-yeon alternated between chest compressions and breaths. According to the instructions, chest compressions and breaths should be done in a fifteen-to-one ratio. But as a martial artist, Bi Ryu-yeon could simplify the procedure very easily.
Rub the chest (?) then artificial respiration… What to do after artificial respiration…?
'Of course tongue to tongue!'
Bi Ryu-yeon shouted in his heart. Of course that step didn't exist in the artificial respiration procedure. Bi Ryu-yeon had simply created an extra procedure himself.
"Cough! Cough!"
Na Yerin coughed and spat out water. Soon her breathing returned to normal. At that moment Bi Ryu-yeon's face lit up. It was pure joy. He wasn't disappointed at all that he couldn't carry out his own extra procedure. Though maybe a little disappointed.
"Yerin! Yerin! Wake up, Yerin!"
Bi Ryu-yeon kept calling Na Yerin's name. It took a moment for his voice to break through the abyss of unconsciousness and reach the surface of her mind. Fortunately Bi Ryu-yeon had the patience to wait that short time.
"…Ryu-yeon?"
Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes like black jewels filled with the stars of the night. Bi Ryu-yeon's face was reflected in that lake holding the night stars.
"You're awake?"
Bi Ryu-yeon asked with a smile.
"Are we safe?"
"Of course! We still have three or four hundred years left to live!"
"Thank goodness."
Na Yerin, still in his arms, smiled softly. Her smile was more beautiful and captivating than any gem. A smile that stole a person's soul in an instant.
"I always smile whenever I see you."
Na Yerin felt she had smiled more often after meeting Bi Ryu-yeon than in her entire life. It was a fact she didn't want to admit, but it couldn't be denied.
* * *
With a sudden shock, the water channel burst open, and Na Yerin and Bi Ryu-yeon were swept away by the current.
The extremely strong current made Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin unable to control their posture at first.
Forty-four days had passed since the collapse of the Illusion Demon Cave, yet not a single corpse—not even one survivor—had been found. At this point only two people were missing: Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin. Whether by divine intervention or their own skill, there were no fatalities despite the massive explosion. It was a miracle. But the number of injured was enormous. Among them were some who became disabled because their limbs were crushed under the rubble.
The total number of participants was 321, with 0 dead, 151 injured, and 2 missing. The two missing people were Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin.
More than twenty people were rescued from under the cave rubble after ten days, their bodies emaciated. The last person found buried was rescued after eighteen days. But even after digging with all their might, Na Yerin and Bi Ryu-yeon were not found. After more than a month, people's hopes began to fade.
The two empty coffins placed on the dressing table were only temporary, because their bodies had not been found. An altar was set up to pray for the peace of their souls, and memorial tablets with their names were placed there.
Spirit of the Deceased Bi Ryu-yeon
Spirit of the Deceased Na Yerin
Then the funeral was held.
Under the leadership of Guru Giok Oxian from the Wudang Sect, scriptures were read, fragrant incense was burned, and hymns were sung. Many people gathered at the site. Most of them came not to mourn Bi Ryu-yeon's death, but Na Yerin's death.
Fwoosh!
Finally paper money was burned. The burning paper money turned to ash and scattered in the wind. If Bi Ryu-yeon had been there, he would have been angry: "Paper money is still money, why burn it like idiots?"
At first many people strongly opposed placing Bi Ryu-yeon's and Na Yerin's coffins together. Especially the Bingfeng Flower Guards who led the opposition, and many enthusiastic male followers who supported them. Their main reason was that it was an insult to the late Na Yerin. They argued there was no reason for a joint cremation since the two were not husband and wife. But the academy ignored their opinion citing the hassle and cost of two separate funerals. When faced with practical financial issues, no one could remain idealistic.
The presumed death of Na Yerin cast a shadow of sorrow over the hearts of many men. At first they didn't believe she had died. They were also convinced Na Yerin was still alive and actively participating in the rescue mission. Cheonmu Academy formed the greatest rescue team in history, consisting of more than a hundred elite martial artists. They dug and dug like madmen with shovels. Their work speed was extraordinary. Because they were all elite martial artists, their work efficiency was more than ten times that of ordinary laborers. That meant a hundred elite martial artists could work like a thousand strong laborers.
But the work didn't go smoothly. There were many obstacles during the digging. First, the rocks in the collapse area were extremely hard, like diamonds. It was as if iron was mixed inside them. Because of that they asked the best blacksmiths at Cheonmu Academy to quickly make picks and shovels equal to divine weapons. Only with those tools could the Illusion Demon Cave's rocks be pierced. Besides, if they didn't use great spiritual energy while digging, only a little dust would fall and not even a small scratch would appear on the rock. Every swing of the pick had to be done with full heart as if performing a martial arts technique. As a result the work was naturally delayed.
Day after day, week after week passed. Even though the chance of survival grew slimmer, they didn't give up. The death of such a beauty was a great loss to the world. As for Bi Ryu-yeon's life, that wasn't their concern. Bi Ryu-yeon could die as he pleased. But Na Yerin's life had to be saved at all costs. Their tremendous work spirit was driven by their desire for Na Yerin.
The people dug the earth like madmen. The rescue team, mostly made up of the Bingbaek Flower Guards and Na Yerin's followers, worked tirelessly as if they had forgotten rest. The entire digging process was led by Dokkulgum, an elder of the Cheongi Sect who was an expert in formations and machinery. Without guidance from a digging specialist, the tunnels could collapse at any time, so they needed a digging expert (though Dokkulgum would definitely be angry if he heard that title).
Following Cheongisu's instructions, they installed supports at every interval and dug in three rotating shifts, day and night.
'Aish! Who would have thought I'd have to dig up the Illusion Demon Cave that my own ancestors built…'
The ancestors of the Cheongi Sect had been involved in planning this Illusion Demon Cave, whose purpose was to imprison spirits, not physical bodies. The Illusion Demon Cave was originally the joint work of the previous Cheongi Sect Leader Hwanshin-gun Jo Eolhwan, the previous Tang family head Cheonhwansin-su Tang Yugi, and the head of the Je Bulgak Mantong Seonsaeng Je Bulgak Cheonu.
But because it had collapsed this badly, restoration was impossible. Seeing the rescue operation proceeding extremely quickly, people's faint hopes began to flare up again. That hope grew brighter when survivors were found on the 8th, 10th, and 12th days.
But their hope didn't last long. Heaven seemed indifferent. Maybe the men's prayers reached the gods slower than the women's prayers. It was quite irritating that heaven seemed to discriminate by gender, because there was no trace of Na Yerin at all. They dug up all the collapsed and interconnected tunnels, but strangely there was no sign of her or her appendage, Bi Ryu-yeon.
It had been one month and fourteen days since the accident—forty-four sunrises and sunsets. Once a month had passed, hope for her survival had already faded. How could she possibly survive in there without food? Now they also had to accept the reality of her death. They couldn't hold back the pain.
Human stamina clearly had limits, and they had already passed those limits. The shoulders of the once-enthusiastic people began to slump slowly.
Even though no one said it out loud, they all agreed that the chance of Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin returning safely was very small. Realizing that their idol had vanished overnight, they felt the futility and sorrow of life.
Finally fire was lit on the dressing table where the two coffins were placed. The fire blazed up immediately, swallowing both coffins and burning fiercely, emitting a red light thicker than dusk. Beside the blazing fire, the leader of the Baekdo martial alliance, Na Baek-cheon, cried uncontrollably, forgetting his dignity and pride.
"Yerinnn! My beloved Yerinnn… Who did this to you, Yerinnn…"
Ma Jin-ga tried to calm him, but he only received Na Baek-cheon's cold gaze and could do nothing. Na Baek-cheon had only one daughter in his old age. A child he cherished more than his own eyes.
The jewel in the palm of his hand. He had raised her with extreme care, like a jewel in his hand… But that daughter had died. How could his sorrow and anger be expressed in words?
"Was this the work of Cheon-geop-u?"
A terrifying murderous intent slowly radiated from Na Baek-cheon's entire body. The killing intent was so strong that even a high-level expert like Ma Jin-ga flinched.
"That is the highest possibility. Only they could use Yeom-ma-roe, the signature lightning bomb of the forbidden weapon Cheon-geop-ryeong. If not them, who else would dare to do something this crazy? Someone must have detonated it inside the Illusion Demon Cave."
"So there was a spy among the participants?"
"Of course. Everyone is under strict surveillance!"
Just as Ma Jin-ga said, all the Illusion Demon Cave exam participants were under strict surveillance by Biyounggak. But no clues had been found yet.
An extraordinary murderous intent radiated from Na Baek-cheon's eyes.
"I swear I will wipe those perpetrators from this world and offer their blood as mourning for my daughter's death!"
He had the power to do it. One word from him could mobilize the entire martial world.
"Very well. You must do it."
Ma Jin-ga answered. Whether the conspirators plotting in the dark could withstand this giant's rage remained to be seen.
"Ryu-yeon! I can't believe someone like you—who seemed impossible to kill even if murdered a hundred times—finally died. You who always rose again, died in such a ridiculous way…"
Jang Hong sat near the blazing fire, gulping down alcohol. Everyone was finding their own way to cope with the grief of losing the two. Moyong Hwi stared at the fire with a tense face. Beside him, Eun Seol-ran wiped away tears. The slow-witted Moyong Hwi didn't even think to comfort her and just stood stiffly, confused. On the other hand, Hyorong was busy comforting the sobbing Lee Jin-seol. Her tears flowed heavily like a broken dam in the rainy season.
"Aaaaah! Sister! Sister! Sister!"
Hyorong felt sorry seeing her cry. But all he could do was stand beside her and watch over her. Tears like blood flowed from Dokgo Ryeong's single eye. He swore revenge, standing in front of the empty coffin. Blood dripped from his clenched fist. The Mukhwan Group members only stared blankly at the dressing table. They still couldn't believe Bi Ryu-yeon was dead. Even the words "can't believe" were still too weak for them.
"I will definitely uncover the mastermind behind this and settle your grudge. So rest in peace in the afterlife!"
Jang Hong seemed to be seeking comfort in alcohol. He kept pouring drink down his throat. But for some reason, he wasn't getting drunk at all.
"Damn it! No matter how much I drink, it doesn't work. I can't even get drunk right now…"
He pressed the gourd bottle to his lips and drank straight from it.
Gluk! Gluk! Gluk!
Alcohol flowed endlessly down his throat. After drinking for a long time, his head felt heavy, and only then did a slight buzz of drunkenness begin to appear. Right at that moment, a shadow appeared behind him. The shadow asked,
"Whose funeral is this?"
"Your funeral!"
Jang Hong answered without thinking. And because he was drunk, he didn't seem to realize who he was talking to or what was happening.
"Oh, really? Did you collect a lot of condolence money?"
The shadow seemed more interested in the condolence money than the funeral itself.
"Unfortunately not much. It was quite simple. On the other hand, Lady Na Yerin's side was very crowded."
The line of mourners for Na Yerin's coffin stretched endlessly.
"I have to teach my students a lesson. This isn't about ability, it's about sincerity."
Crack! Crack!
The shadow said while cracking his knuckles. The shadow was Bi Ryu-yeon. He seemed to blame his students for not being good at selling because the condolence money was low. He had found this place full of fire while looking for somewhere to dry his wet clothes.
"Yes… indeed. Huh?"
Jang Hong, who had been chatting with Bi Ryu-yeon for quite a while, suddenly widened his eyes. He turned around and shouted,
"Ryuyeon!"
The voice was so loud it shook the entire funeral hall. His shock and surprise were enormous. Jang Hong couldn't believe his own eyes.
"What?"
"What did you say?"
"What?"
"Why?"
"Damn it!"
Shouts of shock exploded from various places.
The eyes of the people who had been scattered and lost in their own grief immediately turned toward Jang Hong. Their gazes, which had first gone to Jang Hong as the source of the sound, shifted to Bi Ryu-yeon standing awkwardly under Jang Hong's sharp stare. Various thoughts crossed people's minds.
'Why is that guy still alive?'
'Huh? Wasn't he supposed to be dead? How could he survive?'
'Oh God! Why are You testing me like this!'
'Damn heaven! Go to hell!'
Strange and irritated reactions like that became the main current. Most of the people reacting that way were Na Yerin's followers.
"Why is it so noisy, Ryu-yeon?"
With a voice like heavenly music, everyone's gazes turned to the dark area behind Bi Ryu-yeon.
Swish, swish!
Her pale cheeks were illuminated by soft moonlight! Jet-black hair that hadn't dried yet, graceful curves clearly visible through the wet clothes clinging to her body. People's eyes seemed unable to believe what they were seeing. Emerging with graceful steps from behind Bi Ryu-yeon's covering figure was the beautiful Bingbaek Na Yerin. Even after more than a month of isolation and harsh conditions, nothing could steal the dazzling light of her beauty. On top of that, the tight clothes clinging to her body were truly captivating.
"Waaaah! Woooooh!"
Cheers exploded from every direction at once. As expected, their reactions were completely different when they confirmed Bi Ryu-yeon was still alive. The people roared in a frenzy of worship.
"Oh, Yerinnn! This isn't a dream, is it?"
Na Baek-cheon reached out and stroked Na Yerin's cheek with an incredulous face. She was clearly a flesh-and-blood human, not a ghost.
"Yes! Father! I'm back."
Na Yerin hugged her father.
"Oh! Gods! Thank you!"
Na Baek-cheon cried with deep emotion. A touching father-daughter reunion took place. Bi Ryu-yeon watched for a moment with a little envy, but that envious look quickly disappeared.
When Na Yerin woke from her faint, Bi Ryu-yeon felt they needed to dry their clothes. So he looked around and saw the fire here. That was why Bi Ryu-yeon, while hiding the Murin Blood Vein in a secret place, came here with Na Yerin. But he never imagined that the fire was burning their own coffins.
Bi Ryu-yeon also had people welcoming him.
"Glad you returned safely, Master!"
Yeomdo said with a strange smile.
"You must be quite disappointed that I didn't die, huh?"
Bi Ryu-yeon winked.
"Ah, no…"
Yeomdo's thoughts were in chaos. He didn't know if he was happy or sad.
'Considering I've always been ordered around and treated like that, I should be jumping for joy at his death…'
When he heard the news of Bi Ryu-yeon's death, there had been an emptiness in the corner of his heart. But that didn't mean he was happy right now. It was a complicated and delicate emotion, hard to explain. Beside him, Binggum, with a face like he had eaten a bitter fruit, felt the same way.
"I'm truly glad you're back. Congratulations on your safety once again. Glad you survived."
Even though he didn't know what was really in their hearts, Bi Ryu-yeon decided to believe they were genuinely happy he had survived. Once Yeomdo and Binggum finished their greetings of safety, his friends including Hyorong and Jang Hong crowded around him. Then some people came running hurriedly from there. They were the Mukhwan Group – Jujak Group. They ran toward him with mixed expressions: joy, sadness, resentment, and unfairness.
Bi Ryu-yeon smiled at them. Then he decided to bring up the condolence money.
"How was it inside the cave?"
Ma Jin-ga asked. He wanted to speak directly with Bi Ryu-yeon, who had miraculously survived.
"Quite comfortable. An interesting experience. Being with a peerless beauty for that long in a cramped space isn't an experience you get easily. Maybe some people would pay a million gold for this experience."
His words hit like a hammer to the men listening with full attention. Imagining what they were thinking, everyone flinched and looked uneasy. They sadly tried to control their jealousy and hold back their emotions by comparing their fading sanity with Bi Ryu-yeon's martial prowess. The fire on the dressing table was still blazing fiercely. If they could, they would definitely throw Bi Ryu-yeon into that fire. But who had the ability to dare throw Bi Ryu-yeon in there?
"Your survival is truly a miracle. Heaven's luck has helped you. I must bow and thank heaven many times! My beloved nephew has also returned safely thanks to you! Your virtue is enormous!"
Ma Jin-ga said in admiration.
"You're praising me too much. I was indeed lucky, but my skills are greater."
Bi Ryu-yeon answered with a bright smile.
"May I ask one thing?"
"Of course. Ask anything!"
"Did we pass?"
It had been quite a while since the exam ended, so Bi Ryu-yeon was curious. He wondered if coming out extremely late and in a different way from the others could be a reason for failure. Because of that he wanted to confirm. After all, if he had passed the exam, he was impatient to explore the martial world.
"What did you see inside?"
Ma Jin-ga asked before revealing whether Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin had passed or failed.
"Something I had to overcome! And myself."
Bi Ryu-yeon answered without the slightest hesitation. Ma Jin-ga nodded. But that wasn't all. Bi Ryu-yeon had seen something else. After thinking for a moment, Bi Ryu-yeon opened his mouth again.
"Ah! And one more thing, I met a beautiful fairy inside. A cold fairy who smiled at me."
Ma Jin-ga nodded with a satisfied smile.
"You passed! Of course Na Yerin did too!"
After a short pause, Ma Jin-ga asked carefully,
"May I ask just one thing?"
"Yes, ask away."
Then with a serious face, Ma Jin-ga whispered in his ear,
"Did nothing really happen in there?"
* * *
"Yerinnn!"
"Yes, Father!"
Hearing Na Baek-cheon's call, Na Yerin answered politely.
"Father has one question."
Na Baek-cheon's words were careful, as if walking on thin ice.
"What is it?"
"Did anything happen while you were trapped inside?"
Na Yerin's face stiffened as she understood her father's meaning.
"…"
Na Yerin didn't find an answer right away. Na Baek-cheon saw his daughter's stiff reaction and immediately drew his own conclusion without waiting for an answer.
"Did… that bastard dare to seduce you? Did something happen?"
Na Baek-cheon's only worry was that. He knew very well how men obsessed with his daughter's beauty lost control and did certain things, even if they didn't succeed. That was why his concern was very reasonable.
Na Yerin answered with a slightly flushed face,
"Nothing happened, Father!"
But Na Baek-cheon wasn't easily convinced. His suspicion only grew stronger. Na Yerin had blushed when answering… as if the layer of ice on his daughter's face had melted. A parent's instinct was indeed very sharp.
"If you were wronged, tell Father without hiding anything! Father will tear that bastard into pieces and throw him to the wolves."
This was yet another proof that the leader of the Baekdo martial alliance was a father blinded by excessive love for his daughter.
"Nothing happened, Father! Please don't put me in a difficult position again. I'm leaving now."
The angry Na Yerin turned and disappeared from Na Baek-cheon's sight.
"Something definitely happened…"
The father relied on his parental instinct. But he couldn't clearly know what it was. The luckiest thing was that his daughter had returned safely and without injury.
It was a miraculous return after 44 days.