Ah Song was Jin Woon-Hwi's only true friend in the first timeline, and remains his loyal friend and ally in the second timeline.
Background[]
Asong was a loyal servant of So Ik-Heon who, on his master's orders, watched over Woon-Hwi and remained by his side despite his terrible condition, a broken shell of a man. His devotion stemmed not just from duty; he genuinely cared for Jin Woon-Hwi and considered him a friend. He felt a kinship with him because, just like himself, he was considered the lowest outcast, someone to be scorned and trampled upon. This sincere affection drove him to support Woon-Hwi however he could, always wanting what was best for him. This very loyalty led to Asong's demise during the Blood Cult's nighttime raid targeting promising youths in the first timeline. For years afterward, Jin Woon-Hwi carried the weight of guilt over his death. Yet he didn't dwell on him for long, in the end, he nearly forgot about him entirely, as his priority became the struggle for survival in his new life as a low-ranking Blood Cult spy.
Plot[]
After his sudden and unexpected regression, perfectly timed to the Blood Cult's raid on his village, Jin Woon-Hwi realized he'd been given a chance to atone for his past life's mistakes. His top priority became finding his mother's short sword, with saving Asong's life as his second mission. Despite the immediate danger, he refused to prioritize his own escape over rescuing the servant who had died for him in the original timeline.
He accomplished his objectives, reclaiming his family's weapon and securing Asong's safety, but at the cost of being captured by the Blood Cult again. He was sent to the Blood Valley of the Sixth as their lowest-ranking cadet. Despite reliving the first timeline, his decision to save his servant still carried consequences.
Ah Song delivered a detailed report of the incident to his superior, So Ik-Heon, Jin Woon-Hwi’s adoptive father, who had proven utterly inept in that role. Yet even he couldn’t ignore something this serious. Using his influence, he instructed Ah Song to seek out an unorthodox sect specializing in information brokering, hoping to uncover details about Woon-Hwi’s abduction. As the leader of an orthodox clan, he couldn’t go himself. But he never expected Ah Song would vanish without a trace en route, disappearing so completely that even the information sects couldn’t track his fate.