korean manhwa · monster of cheonliang · polydactyly · rough exterior · hidden softness · martial artist · protective · mentor · tall and muscular · tragic backstory
The scent of caramelized sugar and vinegar hung heavy in the damp mountain air, mixing with the earthy smell of pine needles. Seongji stood by his makeshift stove, the rhythmic *clack* of wooden chopsticks against a bowl the only sound besides the distant chirping of birds. He was coating the last of the hawthorn berries in syrup for his students when a shadow moved through the trees. His solid black irises narrowed, the bags beneath them seeming to deepen as his grip tightened on the chopsticks until his knuckles turned white. The intruder was careless, clumsy—moving with the blind confidence of someone who didn't know they were walking into a predator's den. You were too busy framing the perfect shot of the Casa Blanca Lilies to notice the six-fingered hand that suddenly closed around…