The situation outside was uneventful for Seomhwa Village. But that didn’t mean we could just ignore it.
I sent a letter through the postal service to Nam Chaehyun, the leader of Changwoon Temple.
Days later, after sending the letter to him, his reply arrived.
“If Dool among the Sahyung has awakened and is coming down from the north, then Teacher Yu’s judgment is correct. According to Daoist records, those who haven’t trained will inevitably be affected by strong beings.
However, the impact on the martial artists and soldiers shouldn’t be too severe, so there’s no need to worry too much. If you’re still anxious, just give the amulet called Anjeongbu that I’ve sent along to the talismancer in Seomhwa Village and have them create a similar one. With that amulet, you should be able to block the influence of the Sahyung.”
I checked the enclosed amulet. It was something I had never seen before in Heavenly Bright Moon.
Anjeongbu. Could it be named so because it helps stabilize the mind and body?
As soon as I confirmed the amulet, I went outside with Chaejin.
“Where are we going?”
“I need to meet Changju.”
Once I explained the contents of the letter from Nam Chaehyun, Chaejin nodded in admiration.
Though Chaejin had quite a bit of experience in the martial arts world, it seemed their knowledge in sorcery or spells was somewhat lacking.
“It seems like you’re not well-versed in that part either?”
“Haha. I’m not someone who knows everything.”
Heavenly Bright Moon didn’t have anything like Anjeongbu.
Perhaps because confusion had already taken root, people had grown accustomed to anxiety and volatility, even without the influence of the Sahyung.
But the situation was different now, so I couldn’t rely on Heavenly Bright Moon as a standard.
Chatting with Chaejin, I arrived at the government office and headed straight for Changju.
“Hmm? What are you doing here?”
Usually, Changju would be focused on using talismans, but today, she was casting a serious look at her divination tools. She looked up from the divination drawing she was inspecting when I spoke.
“Welcome. What’s the matter?”
“I’d like to request a production of this.”
I handed her the Anjeongbu, which she glanced at and tilted her head in curiosity.
“This seems to be written in Changwoon’s style. Do you have a connection with Nam?”
“I met him briefly before. But can you really produce it?”
“If we have the materials, it’s certainly possible. Let’s see…”
She wrote down the necessary materials on a piece of paper. Fortunately, they were all items handled at the store.
I told her I’d send them as soon as I returned, and Changju nodded before returning her focus to the divination drawing she had drawn.
“By the way, do you know how to cast divinations?”
“I’m a bit clumsy, but I can manage.”
“What kind of divination did you cast?”
Changju chuckled wryly.
“I was peering into the future of Seomhwa Village. Listening to the stories from the people who come to buy talismans, I get the feeling the atmosphere has been rather tense lately.”
“I heard the people coming to buy talismans say that the atmosphere lately has been a bit tense.”
“So? What was the outcome?”
“Not good.”
Changju said decisively, and Chaejin’s expression scrunched up. Changju chuckled at her.
“After all, the future isn’t set in stone. Reading fortunes is just glimpsing possibilities. The name Seomhwa Village will merely emerge vaguely from those possibilities.”
Chaejin’s face darkened further at Changju’s explanation. So, I gave her a reassuring pat on the back and replied.
“That’s not entirely wrong.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“The current transformation of Seomhwa Village into Seomhwaseong is underway. Naturally, the name Seomhwa Village is likely to disappear.”
“Oh. Is that so?”
“And…”
If I fail, the energy of Hongseongsan will go berserk, and whether it’s Iron Blood Clan or Dool, they won’t just leave Seomhwa Village alone.
One way or another, the name Seomhwa Village will inevitably vanish.
“And?”
“Nothing at all.”
“One of the two ways to irritate a person is to leave them hanging mid-sentence.”
“To explain it further, the Iron Blood Clan will launch an attack, and it’s very likely that Dool, among the evil monsters, will be joining in.”
“Ah. Hongryeon mentioned it, but Dool…”
Changju’s expression darkened as she seemed to be having conversations outside the usual ones due to her ties with Hongseong. I smiled at her.
“Don’t worry. I’ve already made all the preparations.”
After saying that decisively, I turned away.
“See you next time.”
Upon returning to the inn, I closed my eyes and contemplated. There were various ways to catch Dool in Heavenly Bright Moon. While pondering the most appropriate battle method for the situation, Chaejin approached me.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
“Thinking about how to catch Dool.”
“You know how to do that?”
“There have been many recorded methods for catching Dool. However, it will require a lot of power.”
“How much?”
Well, at least all members of Hongseong need to be dealing with Dool.
I also don’t think Dool has consumed all the evil monsters. He’ll probably use the evil monsters he’s taken in to attack Seomhwa Village. Those will have to deal with the martial artists of the Murim Alliance stationed here and the monster hunters operating from this base, as well as any regular martial artists they can muster.
“Even if the Sword Saint participates, Hongseong needs to be all-in, then?”
“Are you serious?”
“Oh. Not really.”
The Sword Saint should be on the side opposing the Iron Blood Clan.
“…Um. Why is that?”
“Because I want to reduce the number of senseless sacrifices.”
I recalled the last time I fought against the New Dark Lotus. Just like back then, my “it would be better if” syndrome always hoped for the best outcome, even at the cost of many resources.
What I wanted was to minimize the number of deaths.
For that purpose, I was prepared to expend some of the assets I had gathered so far.
Money can be earned again, but dead people can’t be brought back.
Chaejin looked at me intently and shook her head.
“Really. You always push yourself too hard.”
“Strategizing is the job of Hyeonryeong, while fighting is left to warriors like you. Those in support can’t voice complaints.”
“That much is allowed.”
“Haha. If it really comes to that, I will.”
Not that I expected it would come to that. I smiled, and Chaejin shook her head as if saying she couldn’t stop me.
I contacted Hyeonryeong and invited him to the office. Normally, it would be fitting for me to go, but since there was so much data, it was better to discuss it here.
When Hyeonryeong entered the office, he let out a deep sigh at my suggestion.
“Are you seriously suggesting we go through that trouble again?”
“Just suffer a bit and then you can rest. Hahaha.”
“If a person is too nice, it can be a problem.”
“But you’ve already succeeded, haven’t you?”
“Ugh…”
Hyeonryeong groaned and let out another sigh.
“Fine. I understand. But this time I can’t guarantee anything.”
He agreed to my request to lead the battle in a way that would minimize the depletion of personnel and damage. That guy really is too nice.
“If you need anything, I’ll support you.”
“Do you have a lot of money?”
“I won’t say I don’t have any.”
“Seriously? Then…”
During the last martial arts tournament, I selected capable individuals as special military officers. In order to train them and use them as squad leaders, what I really needed were proper martial arts techniques and equipment.
“Martial arts can be dealt with somehow, but… ultimately, the equipment is the problem.”
Better weapons and armor.
And things like warhorses.
As for defensive structures, Hyeonryeong said they were already prepared to upgrade Seomhwa Village to Seomhwa Fortress, so he just needed to be ready to gather those.
I knew it would be like that.
I placed the separate voucher I had set aside on his hand.
“…Did you calculate that I would need this much?”
“I thought so.”
“Ugh…”
Hyeonryeong let out a bitter laugh and stood up.
“Thanks to you, Yu Seonsaeng, I’ll end up doing all sorts of crazy things.”
“Anything goes, huh?”
“If you want to rise higher, you have to do that, don’t you?”
I laughed at the Hyeonryeong.
“Lord Seongju.”
“Do you think if I become Seongju, Yu Seonsaeng will just remain an ordinary innkeeper? I heard from General Cheon that you’re soon rising to an official position.”
“Yeah, well.”
“Brace yourself.”
He left with a mischievous laugh and a threat.
Ha ha. I’m looking forward to it.
*
It was a night when even the moon hadn’t risen.
A huge man with a bizarre tattoo on his face scanned the area.
In his hand was a wooden training sword. As he walked calmly, he suddenly stopped at one spot.
“Is that the center of the territory?”
With a voice as rough as grinding stones, something emerged from the darkness.
It wasn’t darkness created by night, but the kind drawn by a hideous and ominous presence.
The man slowly turned his head.
What brought the darkness was a monster with a tiger’s body and a human head.
Seeing the evil monster’s impressive large mouth and sharp fangs, the man grinned.
The monster, with yellow fur, had black markings that seemed born to defile the heavens and worship evil.
It was Dool, one of the Sahyung.
Even in front of a cunning and malignant monster that could talk like a human, the man showed no fear.
He simply drove his wooden sword into the ground.
And then it happened.
The wooden sword turned red and began to emanate a sinister aura.
From the sword, dozens of tendrils slowly emerged, forming an eerie shape.
As the tattoos on the man’s face and body deepened, Dool laughed wickedly.
“Absorbing the corrupted spirit energy and gaining power. Humans are more like monsters than I am, aren’t they?”
His voice dripped with mockery and scorn.
It made Dool laugh maniacally at the sight of a man willingly abandoning his humanity to create an eerie shape.
Cheolhyeolmokje Mok Gwan-yeong calmly replied,
“Stop the silly jokes. Are you ready?”
“Ah, yeah.”
Dool chuckled leisurely.
As the spirit energy of this place faded and the chaos grew, monsters would emerge.
His next meal!
“It’s coming soon.”
Yes, it’s coming soon.
Cheolhyeolmokje thought of the power he gained from the absorbed spirit energy of the North, smiling coldly.
Soon, he would take the vast spirit energy of Hongseongsan that those fools left behind.
And lead the world into chaos.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
