Chapter: 431
By the time the banquet was over, the night was fully settled in.
There was a full moon in the sky, and I was leisurely walking along the path of the Tang Gate.
Woo Hyuk claimed the banquet food was delicious and insisted on eating more.
I had a feeling Cheoljiseon thought the same, so I just left it behind and stepped out.
Hoo.
Tonight’s night was exceptionally bright.
The lanterns hanging here and there were illuminating the streets.
The rising full moon was sparkling with an unusual brilliance.
Quite the opposite of my feelings.
The world still appeared bright as ever.
With my darkened eyes surveying the surroundings, I quietly opened my mouth.
“What about the White Lotus Sword?”
At my question, Dangdeok, who had been trailing behind me from a distance, lifted his head.
-I heard she was drinking alcohol.
“I figured as much.”
If it’s that lady, she’d probably do that. I chuckled lightly and resumed my walk.
“Go back to your room and wait quietly. I’ll head back after a bit of walking.”
“….”
Dangdeok glared at me with a pointed look at my command, but soon started moving away.
Keeping that guy hanging around for too long was a problem in itself.
After confirming Dangdeok had vanished, I paused momentarily.
I patted my body once with my hand.
And then I remembered.
About the death that the god had spoken of.
‘Death, huh.’
Didn’t he say that the bowl reached its limit?
‘No wonder.’
I had been wondering why the pounding headaches and mood swings I’d been experiencing lately were so severe; it seems this was the issue.
With my body’s balance gradually becoming distorted, the effects were gradually spreading.
Tuapacheonmu was correcting my body and undertaking an artificial transformation.
If a complete transformation were to occur, the original vessel would also increase in size.
But is it possible to keep pace with the rate of its breaking apart?
Moreover, I heard that the more you increase your energy, the sooner the vessel shatters. Practicing martial arts itself is in a precarious state.
Paejon said that at this rate, I would reach that level within twenty years.
Learning martial arts and undergoing transformation in just twenty years?
That’s an astonishing speed.
Yet, was I right to assume that I only had ten years left?
They said I could live until forty, so maybe I had more than twenty years ahead.
Still, it was reasonable to think of it as just ten years.
What were the chances of achieving full transformation within that time frame?
In addition, could I choose to build up my skill level with a impending bloody calamity looming near?
I think not.
‘Ten years?’
I repeated the thought coldly in my mind.
How much time was left until the war?
The timeline had been accelerated, advancing a few years, so I needed to account for that too.
Perhaps adjusting my future plans slightly might suffice.
Was there a way to gather more strength?
I also needed to seek out secret elixirs and relics hidden across the nation.
After bolstering my strength, I had to revamp the Murim Alliance once.
I had to accomplish all that within five years.
After that, the remaining five years would be all about the war.
“Ha ha.”
As I reflected on this, I abruptly burst into laughter.
Plans are always so concise, yet accidents tend to happen in unexpected places.
Not everything would go as planned.
My demise was one such example.
“Not good.”
Death didn’t frighten me.
I had anticipated this might happen someday.
I also knew that continually upending the expected course would likely lead to situations like this.
Even though I knew it all along, when it hit, many thoughts emerged.
‘Didn’t the divine say he wouldn’t give me medicine?’
With the divine’s medicine, I could live for ten years, but without it, I might die as soon as tomorrow.
Perhaps not tomorrow, but within a year.
If shorter, then half a year, or maybe just one month.
Not too shabby.
That doesn’t mean the inevitable arrival of death is a pleasant thing.
‘I met the divine here.’
That meant it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Even Paejon likely remained oblivious to the issues within my body.
He is a martial artist, not a physician.
Surely, he couldn’t have known about the bowl’s problem.
If he had known, he wouldn’t have pushed me so hard to train…
‘…No, he might have done it even if he knew.’
That could very well be the case given that madman’s personality, but I didn’t think so.
This was a mere coincidence.
Fate aligned when I encountered the divine here, and it was by chance he recognized something was amiss with my body.
Moreover, it was coincidental he realized he could craft a potion that might prolong my life from death.
He claimed he wouldn’t provide me with medicine?
Judging by the expression in his eye, I knew it was genuine, and he likely wouldn’t explain that lightly.
I didn’t care.
As my mind cooled, so did my gaze.
Despite his sharp tongue and rough demeanor, Shin-ui was actually quite affectionate.
Even after years apart, it was evident by how he looked at me.
And that’s not the end of it.
‘You have too many weak spots, divine.’
He clearly had a vulnerability.
Jegal Hyuk.
From the time I spent with him at the residence, I learned one thing.
The reason he roamed the Central Plains was because of Zhuge Hyuk.
I didn’t know the full story, but I was certain of that much.
So what was the aim of this wandering?
He also probably didn’t know much, but I had a few guesses, most of which revolved around weaknesses of the divine.
If not that, pushing further still.
Zhuge Hyuk himself was the divine’s weakness.
It wouldn’t be particularly challenging for me to leverage that.
“…”
I marveled at how rational I felt, recalling details one by one.
Was it because Zhuge Hyuk would eventually play a significant role in the Bloody Calamity?
‘No.’
No.
The truth was, neither Shin-ui nor Jegal Hyuk held much significance for me.
The mindset that I could discard anything.
That wretched, heavy sensation nearly made me retch.
Suppressing feelings of self-loathing, I moved my legs.
Sabak.
I took a step.
And thought.
So, what is important?
Does my death really matter?
Not really.
I didn’t harbor much attachment to this life.
It had been that way since the moment I returned.
A second chance? What purpose does it serve?
Was it a chance to atone for actions I took in my past life, made with my own hands?
Ha ha…
What a fruitless endeavor.
Inquiring whether what I did in my past life can be redeemed at this point, could it really be called atonement?
That’s mere self-satisfaction.
Just an illusion that I’ve repaid my sins.
Then, what motivates me to cling to life while not truly wishing to live as I am now?
I didn’t need to ponder that for long.
The reason was painfully clear.
“Confucius?”
“…”
Someone looked at me, sounding surprised.
It was Wi Seol-ah.
Why is Wi Seol-ah here?
As I pondered that and scanned my surroundings, I realized I had arrived at the lodging where Wi Seol-ah was staying.
The fact that Wi Seol-ah is here….
I slightly tilted my head to the side.
Namgung Bi-ah was also sitting next to me, observing me.
They mentioned they shared the same living space.
Namgung Bi-ah silently watched me as I appeared out of nowhere, then widened her eyes and approached.
Wi Seol-ah did the same.
“… Confucius? Is something wrong…?”
The two approached, looking at my face with concerned expressions.
Seeing that made me smile bitterly.
Apparently, I’m not very good at concealing my expressions.
They caught me entirely.
I wish they hadn’t discovered this.
“Nothing happened.”
“…Liar.”
Namgung Bi-ah looked at me as if she couldn’t believe a word I said.
Still, it was beyond my control.
‘I must have ended up here while walking.’
Absently walking and walking, I instinctively found my way here.
It’s not like I’m a dog; why would I think it’s such nonsense?
Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah seemed to sense something was off based on my condition.
After all, if I had suddenly shown up like this, it would raise suspicions.
What should I say?
I pondered for a moment.
Nothing specific came to mind.
So for now, I opted to simply express my feelings as they were.
“I just wanted to see you.”
“…!”
“So, I came to visit for a bit.”
Because I suddenly felt like seeing them.
It seemed that was all I could muster to say right now.
I stepped a bit closer to the two, who widened their eyes in surprise.
It’s an incredibly odd sight to see them looking as stiff as stone.
I chuckled at the sight and reached out my hand.
Swish.
“…!”
Oh…!
I cautiously wrapped my arms around them.
In that instant, I felt a fleeting resistance, but quickly relaxed, and the two melted into my embrace.
Their hair swayed gently, tickling my nose.
The subtle warmth of their presence helped lighten my previously heavy heart.
If I had suddenly hugged them, I might have blurted something out in shock.
But the two didn’t utter a word.
Were they simply that startled?
Just as I began to feel a twinge of guilt.
Swish.
I felt a gentle hand brushing down my back. Perhaps they thought providing comfort was more important than blaming me.
As I felt that touch, I closed my eyes.
‘They’re tiny.’
I felt the smallness of the two in my arms.
Delicate and fragile.
Despite receiving inexplicable solace from them, my mind remained tangled.
Reasons to cling to this dull existence.
I contemplated that.
‘Ah…’
Then, I recalled.
The tranquility and peace that Cheonghae Ilgeom had spoken of.
The image of the old man with wrinkled eyes who asked where my peace was surfaced in my mind.
I also remembered the answer I hadn’t been able to give then.
‘This must be my peace.’
May those who died for me find peace.
And may the lives of those cradled in my arms lead to tranquility, going forward.
A life lived for those who’d sacrificed theirs for me, even if I hadn’t held them in my arms.
If living for that is the purpose of my life, then this existence has been sufficient.
I think he mentioned ten years.
In that time, I shall bring the bloody calamity to an end.
Even if I can’t, I will strive to achieve it.
Somehow, I’ll succeed.
The notion of giving up was tossed away long ago.
For that, I can sacrifice anything.
I could become anything.
Gook.
I squeezed them tighter and buried my face in their shoulders.
And I thought.
‘I can do it.’
I will not fall apart.
I continually reminded myself of that.
The next morning, as dawn broke, I came face to face with the Poison King.
“I apologize for being so early, Your Majesty.”
Others were just beginning their morning practice.
At a time when I hadn’t even managed to eat properly.
The Poison King frowned as he saw me approaching.
Noticing that, I smiled slightly and remarked.
“The lake I mentioned before. Can I see it now?”
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
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.