Chapter 683: Ghost Spear.
She is a member of the Ghost Sword Corps, and among the few female demons.
Despite being a spear-user, like Dangdeok, she was a unique figure as a spearman affiliated with the Ghost Sword Corps.
As the name suggests, the Ghost Sword Corps was an organization created by gathering swordsmen led by the Great Swordsman, Geomma.
The presence of a spearman within that group had two implications.
One.
‘Considering that, she must be an outstanding talent deserving of this acceptance.’
Two.
‘She must be crazy enough to be accepted into the Sword Demon’s ranks.’
The one who fit both of these criteria was Guichang.
[Kyahahahahahahahahaha–!!!]
Witch of the battlefield.
It couldn’t have been that scary to see her running around with a long spear, piercing or slicing through her foes.
She always walked drenched in blood, with a gaze constantly searching for prey that was pure evil incarnate.
As you can see from this, she was a master who could annihilate three swordsmen with just one spear.
Furthermore, the deeds she performed with that spear were so cruel that the character “ghost” was included in her nickname.
In some ways, she was the perfect fit for the Ghost Sword Corps.
If there was a bit of a problem here, it would be this:
‘I guess she had some quarrels with the Green King.’
While Geomma had friction with Mageomhou, Guichang often had fights with the Green King.
‘The Green King was always meddling here and there, so he always had many enemies.’
There was a time when he dared to challenge me and was beaten to a pulp.
There was even an occasion when the Green King and the Black Horse were involved in a life-or-death confrontation, and the Celestial Horse intervened and turned the tables.
It’s no surprise that Guichang and the Green King didn’t get along.
‘What’s surprising is that this crazy lady only had bad blood with the Green King among all the past demons.’
Unlike the Black Horse and the Green King, she surprisingly had no issues with others.
She just kept fighting against the Green King…
‘It’s a miracle she didn’t die.’
The Green King is the leader of the Demonic Cult.
No matter how good Guichang was, she couldn’t have been compared to the Green King and the Sword Demon.
Yet, Guichang continued to survive the clashes.
‘Did the Green King let her live?’
It was a bit puzzling that that ignorant bastard kept Guichang alive.
He was the kind of guy who would tear apart women, old folks, and kids.
‘… It doesn’t really matter up to that point.’
It’s all in the past anyway.
The important point here is:
‘I need to use her now.’
In my current life, I must utilize Guichang.
‘Sick.’
Honestly, I have no idea how to make use of this crazy character.
There’s no other option.
‘I don’t know enough information anyway.’
The group I’m currently organizing has been formed using the knowledge I had from my past life.
In other words.
‘This is only feasible for those who knew what they were involved in during their previous lives.’
In the last three years, I’ve been corrupting only those useful to me, who know what they’re doing right now.
Guichang was one of them.
“Ugh…! A little harder…!”
“…”
I swung my legs at the eerie voice coming from right below me.
Bam-
“Kuuek!”
Guichang was hit and sent flying, rolling away on the ground.
Oh, I messed up.
I may have hit her a bit too hard?
‘I couldn’t control my strength because it was so grotesque.’
Guichang rolled around and got stuck by a rock, groaning.
Next to her, Seongyul was barely managing to rise, disheveled.
Seeing this, I burst into laughter.
‘What the hell is the Great Lord doing in such a state?’
It really was an odd sight to see Seongyul, the previous Great Lord of Guichang, in such a way.
“Ugh…”
“What are you?”
I asked the drooling Seongyul.
He looked at me, cradling his head as if he had a headache.
“What are you doing here?”
I instructed surveillance through Nahi, but I hadn’t given any specific orders to Seongyul.
Even though I was dragging Seongyul around, I never made him a demon since he wasn’t entirely mine.
Considering it was just a quick check-in, I had never assigned this kind of task to him.
What on Earth is he doing here?
In response to my question, Seongyul explained in a pained voice.
“… I felt an energy and came looking for you, but I was ambushed.”
“Energy?”
His words made me immediately look at Nahi.
“Didn’t you set up a barrier?”
“I’m sorry.”
Nahi quickly apologized to me.
Hearing that, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What are you apologizing for? I hit her directly in the face.”
“…”
As I stepped into this area.
I definitely sensed the traces of the blow. It was just that the intensity was weak, so I hit again.
This implies Nahi had set it up beforehand.
Still, it was right for Seongyul to notice.
“However, if it ended up with Seongyul catching me, it was indeed a mistake on my part.”
“No need to go that far. This guy is just weird.”
It’s likely the strange sensitivity in his instincts.
Shaking my head, I approached Seongyul and Guichang… no, Bongsoon.
By the way, Bongsoon is the name I assigned to her.
When I first found her, she was nearly animalistic and nameless, so I christened her.
“So, you tried to fend off the ambush and ended up getting hit?” “Yes…”
“That can’t be all.”
“…”
Seongyul promptly clamps his mouth shut upon my rebuttal.
I already know Bongsoon’s capabilities.
She wouldn’t falter much against Seongyul, and if it came to a life-or-death scenario, Seongyul would win by a slim margin.
If he was truly intent on killing, Seongyul, who is capable of slaughtering thousands, would certainly gain the upper hand.
And right now, Bongsoon is bound and exhausted, which means there’s zero chance of Seongyul being taken by surprise.
In that context.
“Why did you deliberately allow yourself to get hit?”
“…”
She knew it was coming and yet chose to endure.
That judgement must be accurate.
Upon asking Seongyul, I saw him hesitate.
It confirmed my suspicion.
“Yep, you let yourself get hit on purpose. I want to know why.”
“… Well, it’s…”
Seongyul seemed to realize he was backed into a corner as he finally spoke.
“… It’s a bit tough to fight against a woman…”
Bang-
“Ugh!”
My hand inadvertently struck my head in disbelief at such a statement.
It couldn’t be helped.
“Are you spouting nonsense that doesn’t suit you?”
“… Ugh…”
Be it women, the Green King, or the Black Horse, they all marauded indiscriminately.
As I looked at Seongyul, the absurdity just grew.
Moreover.
“If you let her go because she’s a woman, do you suppose you’d come to your senses only if you get a knife in the neck?”
This silly reasoning was infuriating.
“Otherwise, get a grip. Wake up to reality.”
“… Understood.”
Seongyul nodded vigorously, though an expression of confusion remained.
‘This is what happens when kids lack real-world experience.’
It’s been ages since I heard someone say they couldn’t engage because it’s a woman.
For a swordsman, it might be a somewhat ‘normal’ response.
‘But that’s what gets you killed in a flash.’
Every one of those who uttered such things during war ended up dead, without exception.
Watching someone perish like that a few times tends to alter one’s perspective.
‘I’ve always known that.’
Nodding, I turned to Bongsoon beside me.
“Ugh… It hurts…”
Bongsoon staggered to her feet as if I had struck her hard.
I grimaced at the sight.
‘… I intended to knock her out, but she’s up and about.’
I worried that I might’ve unconsciously killed her due to lack of strength control.
Although the original goal was to knock her out, Bongsoon woke up without issues.
Then she fixed her purple eyes—the ones representing demons—on me.
“Cult leader.”
“What?”
“Why did you hit me?”
Are you genuinely asking because you don’t know?
“Because you were babbling nonsense.”
“Why? Why? I’m a person! I can’t make a fuss! Oh, but maybe I can?”
“…”
What should I do?
Should I just kill her?
We barely had a conversation, and I’m already irritated.
“Then why did you pounce on me? I told you to stay put.”
Bongsoon yelled back, reacting to my sigh.
“It’s the leader’s fault! You said you’d mate with me! You called and didn’t do it, then just tied me up! You stomped on me! Ah, but the last little stomp felt nice. I think it could happen again next time.”
Each word she spoke was truly artistic.
“…Mating?”
At this moment, Seongyul, who had been listening in, looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“What the heck, you little punk. Don’t you have proper eye contact?”
“… No.”
It was quite a site to see him narrowing his eyes, perhaps having strange thoughts.
This is a bloody mess, a total mess.
“When did I ever do that, you lunatic? I said I wouldn’t do that.”
“Then why did you call? Wasn’t that what you meant to do?”
“Of course, I called for a reason!”
“Then no mating?”
“This is insane.”
The conversation wasn’t moving forward at all.
This isn’t even a discussion with an animal!
“Haa… Alright… Did you do everything I told you to do?”
“Uh-huh!”
Bongsoon answered with a bright smile.
“I only killed those who needed killing! I spared the old men I saw this morning! I listened to you well. So now for that mating—”
“How exactly did you do it?”
Cutting off the nonsense, I got straight to the point.
“Huh? What?”
“You said you only killed those who needed killing. How did you handle that?”
“Ah, I see.”
Understanding my question, Bongsoon nodded.
“It was a bit tough to kill just one… so I captured them all and said I’d spare their lives if they took out that old dude! They all got giddy about that! I think I’m kinda smart.”
“…”
After hearing that, I rubbed my face with my desiccated hands.
She uttered the world’s most terrifying words with such a cheerful demeanor.
Calling for Nahi, I asked.
“Nahi.”
“Yes, master.”
“How did you deal with the witnesses?”
“None of them actually saw the spear’s face. However, there were many aspects they could infer about the spear, so most of them had to be dealt with.”
“You mean you killed them all?”
“Not quite. I only dealt with those specified in the list you provided and then sealed the others’ mouths to silence them.”
“Sealing, huh? A bit worrisome.”
“Should I issue an order? The Duke is in that area.”
“Let it be. Leave the innocent human beings alone for now. If anything arises, I’ll take care of it then.”
As I spat out the words, I clenched my fist and struck Bongsoon’s head quite hard.
Kaboom-
“Kuieek!”
Bongsoon screamed and grasped her head.
Ignoring her pain, I grabbed her by the hair.
Clench-
“I’m sure Jegal Hyuk was sent with you. Why did this mess happen? Hmm? You didn’t listen again, did you? Right?”
“Ughh!!! Master, it hurts!!!”
“I’m saying it hurts! Hurts!”
“But! It’s uncomfortable to listen to that nerd’s words…! Gyaaaaak!”
“If you’re not going to listen to him, then you’re saying you won’t listen to me either?”
It was I who gave the order to Jegal Hyuk.
Thus, since Jegal Hyuk issued a command to Bongsoon, that command would equate to mine.
A chilling gaze emerged as emotions ran cold in my eyes.
“…!!”
As Bongsoon screamed, sensing the malice, her body went rigid.
“Are you playing games with me right now?”
A harsh voice escaped me.
“I told you clearly, did I not? If you won’t take my words properly, there’s no point.”
“Cult, cult leader…”
“I don’t need a long-term pawn that doesn’t follow orders. Should I just kill you right here?”
“…Huuuuu…”
Tears began to well up in Bongsoon’s eyes as she cowered.
I quietly stared at her small trembling shoulders and reddening eyes.
“Alright…I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I won’t do it again…”
Finally, Bongsoon emitted an apology.
Only after hearing that did I release her from my hold.
“Ugh…ugh…”
“Stop whining; it’s annoying.”
“Gah…!”
Tsk.
She’s such a tedious and irksome character.
Bongsoon was akin to a ticking bomb, ready to explode, with her skills hanging in the balance.
It’s burdensome to keep her, and I haven’t got the time to teach her things anymore.
Even if her skills were high, if she couldn’t be controlled, she was of no use. And since her demeanor was pure, even commands given with magic wouldn’t take effect properly.
In this regard, it’d be more beneficial to simply eliminate Bongsoon since those more violent might simply use her effectively.
‘That’s why I’m in a bind.’
Should I just kill her?
If she’s tough to control, it’s likely better to get rid of her.
Maybe I should just do away with her altogether.
As I pondered, I finally decided.
“…Okay.”
“…Ugh…Huh…yeah…”
Ultimately, I chose to put up with it.
Everyone I’ve gathered thus far has their own utility, and Bongsoon, the one I dubbed a spear-wielder, is no exception.
I need her.
Especially during times like these.
Watching Bongsoon hold back tears, I recalled.
‘The bloodline of the Eulryeong Sword Master.’
At a moment when no one in the world knew, she was the daughter of the former Eulryeong Sword Master.
I needed her more than I needed Bongsoon.
Because the Eulryeong Sword represented one of the greatest shames Maeng kept hidden and one of the sharpest daggers I was preparing.
‘I must utilize her for that.’
So, she shouldn’t be killed off.
At least not until I’ve made my use of her.
Holding back my irritation, I then addressed Bongsoon.
“Tomorrow, go to Maeng and register for the martial arts competition.”
“Huh…? Martial arts competition?”
Bongsoon tilted her head after hearing this.
“What’s that?”
“It’s where foolish folks fight and compete against each other.”
“Oh! That sounds fun! I want to do it!”
“…Yeah, I figured you’d enjoy it. So, tomorrow…”
Glancing around, I looked at Seongyul.
“Let’s go with him and submit the application.”
“Huh!”
“Y-yes…?”
Seongyul suddenly wore a perplexed expression when called out, but I ignored it.
“There’s nothing else for you to do anyway. Follow along.”
“…I understand.”
His expression held a distinct reluctance.
I guess just looking at it, going with Bongsoon might evoke some nerves.
It’s not like he had done anything strange previously.
“But you know what, leader.”
“What?”
Bongsoon, wearing an excited look like she had just heard me shed a tear, asked me a question.
“If there’s a competition, is there a prize?”
“There should be, right? Why? Do you need it?”
It was definitely said that they would distribute something like a great fortune or a sword.
So, when I asked Bongsoo if she needed it,
“If I win everything there, can I mate with the cult leader!?”
Bongsoon blurted out, raising her enthusiasm.
Hearing that, I was hit by a massive headache.
“Please, just stop with that nonsense about mating.”
I can’t fathom why she keeps fixating on such an embarrassing matter.
Who taught her such things?
“Isn’t it no good? You said there would be a prize!”
“…No…Haa.”
I attempted to explain, but in frustration, I fell silent.
I felt a deep pity for myself for having to clarify this.
“Alright… Go ahead; if you win everything, I’ll think about it.”
Thus, I presented something utterly unattainable.
Bongsoon could never pull it off, even if she resurrected from death.
Then, upon hearing my words, Bongsoon sprang to her feet.
“Is that sincere!? If I win it all, you’ll really do it?”
“Sure. If you win everything, I’ll give it some thought…”
Just as I attempted to wave dismissively to deflect the conversation.
Woof-!
“…?”
I turned around, sensing something.
I felt something brewing.
Instantly, I tried to widen my perception to check.
‘This…’
The air barrier I had set up prevented my sense from flowing.
This is why thick barriers pose a problem.
The hints coming from the outside weakened considerably.
Phew-
Quickly retrieving the barrier, I then belatedly expanded my sense to feel.
“What?”
Nothing emerged.
I could only detect the signs I had identified previously.
No special presence could be felt around.
‘Is this an illusion?’
Well, it could happen since the barrier was a bit thick.
Thinking this way, I nodded.
Soon after, I witnessed something unusual.
“Oh my, my lord!”
“…”
“What a coincidence, isn’t that right, Seol-ah?”
“…Yes, indeed. What a coincidence.”
In front of the martial application desk that I found again, I came across Dang So-yeol and Wi Seol-ah.
Quite by coincidence.
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