Chapter 3 – Secret of the Dragon King

In the forest, Fox Lee Yeon puts herbs on the scratch Nam Ji Ah got from the man. She complains his hands are hot. A spider like web appears under her skin. Ji Ah grabs Lee Yeon's throat. But it isn't Ji Ah. The entity smiles and tells Lee Yeon it has been awhile. Lee Yeon asks who she is. The entity says she's the ones he's been waiting for. She strokes his face and asks why he killed her.

Flashback…12 hours ago…A man is desperate for water and appears to die while drinking from a toilet. Fox Lee Rang (Kim Bum) smiles as he holds an item with the man's face and the word death underneath.

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Ji Ah can't believe the man died from overindulging in water. She learns he was a fisherman that from the boat that found the skull. Lee Yeon is repulsed by the smell. Ji Ah's nose isn't as sensitive.  Lee Yeon finds the man is holding dark hair. He smells the sea and duvet of the man's house.

The daughter sits by the sea after the ritual with the shaman. She pricks her finger and sprinkles the blood over items similar to what Lee Rang found.

Lee Yeon says this is the fisherman whose skull was found. He assumes others will die. Ji Ah wants to stop future deaths. She drags along an uninterested Lee Yeon.

The second survivor of the fishing boat hides. She hears a man's voice. She is startled by the man that is there.

The third survivor gorges himself sitting in front of the refrigerator.

Ji Ah and Lee Yeon go to the third survivor's home. He orders them out. He pulls a knife on Lee Yeon who disarms him and asks for what happened. The man says the missing fisherman was swept to sea but the of three survived. Ji Ah talks to him.

Flashback…The survivors are desperate for water.  The father with the daughter is injured. His co-survivors look at him like a pack of wolves would an injured animal.

Ji Ah says the survivors didn't lose much weight. She asks what they ate. The man says he didn't do it.

Flashback…The survivors kill the father of the daughter.

The man says he didn't do it. He says he's hungry for meat. He stares at Ji Ah and calls her meat. Lee Yeon pushes him to the ground then stands in front of Lee Yeon. The man chokes and gags. Ji Ah founds black hair in his mouth. The man is dead.

The daughter sits by the sea and cries for her father. Lee Rang stands next to her. He says her wish came true. He says only survivor remains. What will she give him?

At the Afterlife Immigration Office, Granny complains that someone on the list just died. Her husband, Hyun Ui Ong, tries to soothe her. He promises to help fix it. Granny wonders what trouble is coming.

Ji Ah finds the spot where the second survivor was hiding. She finds the painting that the other survivor had in his house. The painting gives her the chills. She googles and finds the painting is of the Dragon King. Lee Yeon arrives and startles her. He's much more blasé about the deaths than she is. Ji Ah snaps there must be death that haunts him.

Flashback…Lee Yeon remembers A Eum's death.

Lee Yeon says that is the Dragon King and he knew him back in the day. She notices the dragon has no feet and therefore is an Imoogi.

Lee Rang meets the shaman. She tells him Lee Ryong the spirit of immortality is in the capped well. Lee Rang chuckles that the spirt tangled with his brother and his woman and died because of his brother. The shaman says her family was entrusted with a portion of his body. He tells the shaman he'll take care of his brother, half-brother to be exact. The shaman asks why Lee Rang would help a spirit that would hurt his brother.

Lee Yeon wants Ji Ah to leave the island for her safety. She refuses noting she's here to find why her parents visited.

Lee Rang asks if the shaman heard about his brother when he was the mountain spirit. Lee Rang claims Lee Yeon sliced his belly and flashes his scar. He says it is payback time. He wants to go to the underworld with his brother. He leaves.

Ji Ah asks Pyo Jae Hwan (Ji Ah's coworker) to search for incidents on the island. She remembers the village ladies said this wasn't the first skull.

Lee Yeon calls Granny about the Imoogi. She points out he killed the Dragon King. Lee Yeon worries he's been reincarnated as the Imoogi and will hurt Ji Ah.

Ji Ah finds the daughter reading at her house. The daughter is reading Moby Dick. Ji Ah says the girl isn't the daughter. Lee Rang appears. He says she's alone and approaches. He knows his brother isn't nearby as Ji Ah claims. Ji Ah guesses he killed the survivors.

Lee Yeon arrives at the last survivors house. He sees the Dragon King picture. Lee Yeon asks why he has this painting.

Ji Ah believes the deaths are a distraction that Lee Rang has created. He commends her for guessing correctly. He claims he can help find her parents. He asks if that is her wish?

The survivor says the Dragon King is good luck to fishermen. He got the painting from the village ladies who brought it from the mainland. He hypnosis the man to forget their conversation. The man says a pretty boy just came by and headed up to the daughter of the skull fisherman. That gets Lee Yeon's attention.

Lee Rang urges Ji Ah to request his help. She declines his offer. She says the debt that she'd owe him wouldn't be worth it. She calls him a jerk to take advantage of other's pain. He gets snippy. He warns Ji Ah not to trust Lee Yeon. He knows once she learns what Lee Yeon really wants, she'll be sorry.

Lee Yeon finds Ji Ah at the house. She tells him Lee Rang left. She says Lee Rang said he could help find her parents but she declined. She says Lee Yeon is the fox she's put her trust in. Ji Ah suggests Lee Yeon leave the island because Lee Rang is plotting against him.

On the mainland…Vet Gu Shin Joo watches Ki Yoo Ri socialize with others during a meal at the Snail Bride eatery. The hostess says Yoo Ri is the director of a department store. He guesses that fox broke taboo and stole a human's life. Yoo Ri locks eyes with Shin Joo.

Lee Yeon and Ji Ah munch on ramen. Lee Yeon says he couldn't live her without mint ice cream. He says the island has dirty secrets. Ji Ah asks if he has dirty secrets. Lee Yeon asks how long she's been searching for her parents. Ji Ah says she misses them. Lee Yeon says he misses someone too. Ji Ah wants details. Lee Yeon says he fell for a human woman. He admits he's waiting for her to be reincarnated.

At the eatery, Shin Joo catches Yoo Ri trying to sneak into the staff area. He asks how she got to Korea. She admits she was smuggled. Yoo Ri kisses his check then puts a gun to his side. She takes his necklace and walks away from a stunned Shin Joo.

Shin Joo calls Lee Yeon to complain that without the necklace he can't understand the animals that come to his clinic. Lee Yeon chides his friend for falling for a beautiful woman. Shin Joo points out Lee Yeon did the same. Shin Joo says he can't retrieve the necklace because Yoo Ri has a gun due to a scare by a hunter in his past.

The shaman bows to the sea.

Lee Yeon heals a broken branch on a tree. He senses something is coming.

Jae Hwan tells Ji Ah that the first incident occurred on 1954.  She remembers the spirit of the guardian tree stating an evil spirit arrived after the Korean war. Jae Hwan provides the dates in 1954, 1961, 1979, 1987. Ji Ah realizes these are the same lunar calendar date. Ji Ah says today is that date on the lunar calendar. Jae Hwan urges her to exit the island.

Ji Ah spots the last survivor. He attacks Ji Ah but Lee Yeon intervenes. He goes to hurt the man but Ji Ah stops him. Lee Yeon puts herbs on Ji Ah's scratch from the man. She complains his hands are hot. A spider like web appears under her skin. Ji Ah grabs Lee Yeon's throat. But it isn't Ji Ah. The entity smiles and tells Lee Yeon it has been awhile. Lee Yeon asks who she is. The entity says she's the one he's been waiting for. She strokes his face and asks why he killed her.

Flashback…Lee Yeon remembers sword fighting with A Eum.

Lee Yeon demands to know who she is. The woman says he shouldn't have stopped her from crossing the river to the other side. Lee Yeon doesn't believe it is A Eum noting only he can recognize her. She smiles and says he's clueless. Then Ji Ah is back in the control and complains about the wound on her shoulder. Lee Yeon stares in disbelief. The scratch is gone. Lee Yeon demands to know who she is. Ji Ah says she's Ji Ah. Lee Yeon realizes she wasn't in control moments ago.

He throws a rock and Lee Rang catches it. He grabs Ji Ah's hand and pulls her away. Lee Rang throws the rocks at Ji Ah who shields her. Lee Yeon tells her to run. Lee Rang takes off after her. The men fight. Ji Ah runs deep into the woods. She realizes she doesn't have her cell phone.

Ji Ah finds a cabin in the woods. The shaman approaches her. She asks for directions to the village. Ji Ah shows the pictures of her parents. The shaman says the woman in the photo was pregnant. She offers Ji Ah tea. As Ji Ah sips, the shaman says the umbilical cord was wrapped about the baby's throat. The parents prayed to the Dragon King in the cave for an easy delivery. The shaman says the Dragon King shielded the island from a typhoon and they continue to pray to the Dragon King during ghost festival which is today on the lunar calendar. Ji Ah states the woman is a shaman, and the woman in the photo is a doctor that would have sought medical care. The shaman says Ji Ah can't leave. Ji Ah counters she didn't drink the tea. She starts to walk away but is stopped in her tracks. She falls to the ground. The shaman says the tea wasn't the problem, the incense was. Looking in the mirror, Ji Ah sees the shaman is actually an old woman.

Lee Rang says Ji Ah will be a sacrifice and Lee Yeon only has moments to find her. Lee Yeon searches for Lee Yeon.

The shaman prepares to unleash the spirit.

Lee Yeon searches for Ji Ah.

Ji Ah is tied up next to the shaman who sharpens a knife. The shaman says her mother came to the island voluntarily. The shaman says Ji Ah tricked her mother in the womb.

Lee Yeon calls to the spirits for help. Nothing happens. Then the breeze increases. Glowing dots appear in the sky. They surround Lee Yeon. The lead Lee Yeon through the woods.

The shaman drags Ji Ah to the well where the spirit is captured. The shaman tells Ji Ah she can't escape. The shaman says she'll become another sacrifice. The shaman says she's a special person. The shaman tells the trapped spirit the time has come. She goes to stab Ji Ah with the knife. They struggle.

Lee Yeon follows the dots through the woods. He's blocked by the line the shaman made in the grass. Lee Yeon can't cross the line. He calls the shaman to stop. The shaman taunts him to walk forward if he can. Lee Yeon asks who gave the shaman the extra life. The shaman yells she can't be stopped. She laughs.  Lee Yeon tries to cross the line but can't. The shaman cuts Ji Ah's hand. Lee Yeon flashes back to holding a dead A Eum in his arms. Ji Ah starts to fall into the well.

Lee Yeon's eyes glow and an aura appears behind him. It begins to rain. He crosses the line to the amazement of the shaman. He orders her to return to the earth. She disappears. Lee Yeon grabs Ji Ah before she falls into the wall.

Granny declares Lee Yeon just took a human life.

Lee Rang watches it rain.

Lee Yeon bandages Ji Ah's cut. She tells Lee Yeon she can walk if he helps her. She struggles to walk. Lee Yeon carries her. Ji Ah asks who the shaman was. Lee Yeon says she was a woman that wished to live longer. Ji Ah says she wanted to smack her. Lee Yeon notes she nearly died.

The spirit in the well stirs.

Shin Joo is upset at what Lee Yeon did. Lee Yeon agrees there will be consequences to his actions. Shin Joo says involvement with A Eum isn't good for him. Lee Yeon shares there is more to Ji Ah than meets the eye. Shin Joo suggests Lee Rang is playing a trick. Shin Joo feigns a bad connection and buys fruit with Lee Yeon's credit card.

Lee Yeon finds Ji Ah drinking and eating. She pours him a drink. Ji Ah asks why he keeps saving her when most humans don't matter. She asks if she's what he's looking for.

Flashback…A Eum stares at Lee Yeon (just like Ji Ah is).

Ji Ah thanks Lee Yeon for saving her when she was nine and now at 30. She says she'll return the favor one day.,

Flashback…A Eum vows to save Lee Yeon one day (just like Ji Ah did).

Lee Yeon wonders if Ji Ah is A Eum. Ji Ah asks if he can get more soju by wishing it. He says no and they drink.

The village members approach the uncapped well. They stare down into the well.

A baby's cries can be heard. Lee Rang gives the baby to a man that appears to be Ji Ah's father.

The next morning, the daughter confirms that she sacrificed her leg to save her father. Lee Yeon warns her not to play with the spirits in the future. He says karma can be bad. Ji Ah rushes and tells Lee Yeon every human on the island is gone.

The island is silent. Lee Yeon and Ji Ah look for the village members, but no one is there.