Chapter: 745
Swish.
I opened my eyes.
The light suddenly poured in, dazzling my eyes.
Maybe it was because I had been in a dark place for too long, but it felt incredibly intense.
“Old Prince…!”
I heard a voice.
In an instant, my body recognized the situation.
I was grabbing the wrist of the guy who had been flying right in front of me.
Youngpung was staring at me with trembling eyes.
“…”
What was happening just before this?
I thought for a moment and then recalled it just in time. Looking at my remaining hand, I saw I was holding a holy spear.
Right.
With this, I was threatening Youngpung… no, I was actually threatening the old man inside Youngpung.
My head was spinning.
While it was nice to return to the real world, my body felt a bit stiff, maybe from the aftereffects.
Hwaruk-!
As I retrieved the holy spear, I quickly adjusted my body.
It was to assess the condition.
Hmm.
With a few short spins, I felt the energy gathering in my heart, instantly confirming my physical state.
… As expected.
Everything went as I predicted.
My physical body was exactly as it was before entering the mental space.
The damage I had sustained there hadn’t followed me back.
If that was fortunate, then great; if obvious, then well, of course.
“Phew.”
I exhaled evenly.
I didn’t have the strength to examine my surroundings any further. My complicated thoughts just felt heavy.
“…What’s going on?”
When I suddenly retracted the holy spear, Youngpung showed a puzzled reaction.
Shhh-!
Thump-!
“Break…?”
Before he could continue his reaction, I swung my hand and hit Youngpung right in the jaw.
With his chin slightly turned, Youngpung slumped to the ground.
Crack-!!
The plum leaves that had been floating in the air burst apart instantly.
It must be because the caster lost consciousness.
Saah-…
Slowly, the energy began to fade.
I roughly supported the collapsed Youngpung.
‘… I feel a bit bad about this.’
Youngpung lay there helplessly.
I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh as I saw him.
I had originally thought I’d give him a little more mercy.
I could have ended it in one hit. But this was also for the sake of the changed Youngpung.
Knowing his target was me, I didn’t exactly feel sympathy for him—more a sense of responsibility for his actions.
So let’s give him a little chance.
I had certainly intended to do just that.
‘Things are starting to get annoying.’
The situation had become quite the mess.
In that moment of watching the fallen Youngpung,
“Sanseogu wins Guyangcheon!”
The referee finally announced that the match had concluded.
Waaaaaaaah—!!
Immediately, cheers erupted.
Cheers continued to ring out.
Even while I heard the sounds, my expression wasn’t particularly bright.
It was a celebration I had vaguely longed for, but my circumstances always seemed to hinder me from truly enjoying it.
This time was no different.
Right after a short yet long conversation with the old man.
As I looked at him, I realized I had a choice.
That choice was to absorb him.
Though he was a spirit, the old man was part of Youngpung’s possessions, so I expected it would be possible to absorb him using the Demonic Absorption technique.
It probably wouldn’t be any different than when I absorbed the divine sword.
If that were to happen, my collection of pottery would grow, which would definitely benefit me.
Also, since he had a strong presence, if he remained as a spirit, he could possibly be as helpful as the Shin Noya I knew…
But I didn’t feel the need to pursue that option.
This was partly because I didn’t need more pottery.
It was also a feeling of guilt toward Shin Noya, who used to be with me.
The most fundamental reason was that I had doubts.
‘If the old man really existed before Yeonilcheon returned…’
The very fact that he had come to the world I was in now was absurd.
This clearly seemed to suggest someone’s intention and necessity.
That would also explain why there were two Guijeongs and two Shin Noyas.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I tapped my fingers against my knees more frequently.
‘Who could it be?’
Who on earth had created this situation?
A being capable of intervening in a world that might have long since disappeared and creating such an anomaly.
At least, it didn’t feel like it could be a human.
I thought of all kinds of people, but none fit the bill.
If that’s the case, what was the intention behind it, separate from existence?
‘It’s too much to dismiss it as mere coincidence.’
If it were just a miracle or chance, I would feel at ease, but I had to assume and calculate that it wasn’t the case.
Knock.
I stopped tapping my fingers and examined my left arm.
This was the arm tied up with Guijeong.
So, what would happen with this Guijeong?
Suddenly, that issue crossed my mind.
Let’s accept that there are two ghosts.
‘… Is this truly Noya’s hometown?’
If this artifact came from another world… then this one is genuine, and the other one is…?
“Ugh, damn it… .”
After pondering it for a while, I spat out a curse.
It felt like an endless loop of issues.
Anyway.
This was why I didn’t absorb the old man.
The causes and reasons were uncertain.
Bringing the old man could pose many issues, especially considering the Blood Demon might have been involved.
Furthermore,
‘… This is something I should discuss with Noya.’
I thought it would be best to consult Shin Noya.
Normally, I might have disregarded the old man’s opinion and just acted on impulse…but this time, it didn’t feel right.
‘The problem is, how should I get to see that old man…?’
It’s a headache.
It had been about two years since Shin Noya vanished with Kkureungi. He had promised he would come back soon, but here I am still waiting.
Damn it. If I had known this was going to happen, I should have just told him not to go.
Phew… .
A sigh escaped me.
Was it truly the right choice to let him go like that?
It didn’t seem so, no matter how I looked at it.
“…What’s the point in pondering over it now?”
It felt like a futile regret.
The water had already spilled. Now that things had gotten so tangled up, I needed to focus on how to fix them.
To do that,
‘First, handle what’s in front of you.’
It was another world. There were matters with Noya and the Blood Demon.
For that sake, it was right to finish the work waiting ahead of me first.
Just as I finished that thought,
“…Have you finished thinking?”
A tired voice called out from ahead.
I looked up to see Cheoljiseon, frowning at me.
“What’s with those eyes? Our Ji-seon seems rather fierce today?”
“That’s not something you should be saying.”
“… What does that even mean?”
As I clenched my fist, Cheoljiseon pretended not to see and took a sip from his cup.
He had certainly grown quite a bit.
Now he’s even throwing shade back at me?
I thought about giving him a gentle hit, but I held back, thinking it would be bad if I accidentally hit him too hard and he ended up crumpling.
After I showed that I was playing nice, it seemed Cheoljiseon was willing to start chatting again.
“…What happened that gave you that expression since earlier?”
“Just some contemplations about parallel worlds and my messed-up life.”
“…I don’t understand any of that.”
“What? Shouldn’t you have studied a bit more?”
“This has nothing to do with studying…? Plus, I did study a little.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at Cheoljiseon’s irritation.
True enough. Even back in the Shinryong court era, Cheoljiseon had done remarkably well academically.
Only,
“I was the top student. You weren’t.”
“…”
I merely ranked higher.
As I brought up my past achievements, Cheoljiseon’s mouth tightened in response.
It seemed he had nothing to counter with.
Seeing his expression turn grim, I waved my hand slightly.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s just something bothering me.”
“…If Yangcheon says something’s bothering him, it’s usually a major deal.”
“…What have I done that warrants that…?”
I started speaking only to hesitate.
It might have been true.
I recalled the time I had brought turmoil in the Sacheon branch, where the branch manager had said something strange was bothering him.
In reality, he was the one who engaged in backdoor dealings with Sapa, and at that time, we had to take out all the crazies called Mukryongpa to erase the rumors.
At the moment where I said the situation in Gwangju was bothering me, there had been guys making explosives to commit massacres.
Evidence of my atrocious luck had indeed emerged over the last few years.
“…Great.”
I chuckled awkwardly as we clinked our cups together.
The longer we lingered, the more we’d lose.
Slurp.
I took a sip of tea to soothe my throat.
I had barley tea, while Cheoljiseon poured himself more alcohol.
I had recently discovered that Cheoljiseon was more of a drinker than I had assumed.
“So…”
Just after we shared a few more drinks,
Cheoljiseon, seemingly a bit tipsy, spoke with a slight flush on his face.
“What are you planning to do now?”
“Hmm….”
This was also the reason I had arranged to meet face-to-face with Cheoljiseon today.
In this quiet guest room.
The surroundings, which should have been lively, were utterly quiet.
It was only natural.
I had reserved this entire room through Mo Yong-hee, setting up barriers around it.
Given the amount of attention I had attracted in recent days, something like this was necessary.
“Now that the Tang Confucius event is over…. He must be undergoing torture right now. Have you received any reports?”
“I know. Nahi had already explained everything to me.”
“What on earth are you thinking?”
As I looked at the tipsy Cheoljiseon, I thought perhaps he had drunk to loosen his tongue in front of me.
“Yangcheon, why on earth are you doing this?”
“What?”
“Why did you let him be a victim of torture when you knew full well?”
Dangdeok was currently imprisoned underground in the Murim Alliance, suffering through torture.
Wasn’t that something that bothered Cheoljiseon? I burst into laughter at his demeanor.
“You’re really angry, aren’t you, our Cheoljiseon?”
“Why do you ask something like that right now…?”
“Well then, if it bothers you, should I be angry instead?”
I sensed that he might have picked up on my discomfort.
Cheoljiseon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“I told you earlier that it’s all part of the plan.”
“The plan doesn’t make sense to me. What could drive you to go this far…?”
“You already know everything.”
“…”
As I interrupted him with that line, Cheoljiseon’s expression crumpled.
It wasn’t merely a reaction to being cut off in speech.
He knew. It was remarkably irritating to him.
“Since you already know everything, why do you keep asking?”
“You….”
“Then you tell me. Is there a better situation than this?”
Slurp.
I poured another cup of tea into the empty glass.
And while pouring, I continued.
“In a bit, Hwangbo Gaju will make his move.”
When I heard about Dangdeok’s arrival.
“And he’ll go to inform the leader.”
This was promised not to anyone else but Nahi.
-I have received updates from the intelligence division.
-They say the Demonic Cult is planning to attack the guild to retrieve prisoners.
As early as now.
At the latest, by tomorrow.
That piece of news would spread throughout the Murim Alliance.
“Was that the purpose of Hwangbo Gaju?”
Cheoljiseon, eyes wide, asked.
I shook my head.
“No way. Would I use such a precious card for only that? I’m just using it as I can.”
A phrase that treated people as mere objects.
Perhaps because of the tone, Cheoljiseon’s expression darkened a bit.
But I didn’t care.
That was how I intended to communicate.
“I think this is sufficient for my expectations. You never know, though; from Hwangbo Gaju’s tone, someone might just feel a bit cautious.”
Are they really going to try to attack?
This was Hanam, not some random place.
A gathering spot for all the authoritative powers.
Even the most distinguished masters boasted of their martial skills were all here.
Knowing this, would the Demonic Cult dare to strike?
That could be dismissed as nonsense.
Of course, honestly speaking, the chances of that happening were slim.
However, this was a statement made by the head of the Hwangbo family.
The weight that name carried would make the alliance act as I expected.
But one could never know.
So I had one more strategy in mind.
“When Hwangbo Gaju shares the news, one more person will make a move shortly after.”
The chief of the Amipa will spring into action.
Originally not part of the plan, but as it came into my hands, it was another possibility I’ll utilize.
“So how will the leader counteract?”
A point mentioned at the same time by both Hwangbo Gaju and Amipa Jang Moon-in.
Even if they claimed ignorance about the intelligence they utilized, they had prepared evidence and justification.
“I’d guess that the alert level would be raised.”
Growing anxiety about the mysterious Demonic Cult.
Such anxiety would escalate to a point where they might plot an attack on the Alliance.
That revealed two things.
One: the Demonic Cult might possess the sufficient strength to hit Hanam directly.
Two: it meant Dangdeok was someone crucial to the Demonic Cult.
After hearing this much, Cheoljiseon asked,
“…If you say there’s a chance of an attack, isn’t there a risk that the martial arts contest could get canceled?”
That was a valid argument.
The question was whether it had crossed my mind.
But.
“There’s no way they’ll stop it. Why would they? They’ve invested too much into it.”
If we considered the implications of the martial arts contest, it could never be called off.
The Shinryong Martial Arts Festival was a celebration held to obscure the dangers of the present era.
It was essential to uphold the Murim Alliance’s guise as a symbol of peace.
In such times, that a crisis should dictate the martial arts be concluded is absurd.
“The Swordmaster, he would never do that.”
Even outside of swordsmanship, this would be akin to self-inflicting fatal damage.
The followers of a righteous faction, living for honor while dying for fame, wouldn’t act so rashly, would they?
Furthermore.
“There’s no situation safer than a martial arts contest. There won’t be a halt.”
With masters from around the Central Plains converging.
It indicated that Hanam had now turned into an impregnable fortress made up of the finest talent.
Just looking at the gathered information revealed several elite teenagers.
When had Hanam ever been safer than now?
The leader must surely recognize the benefits of the martial arts contest, as it only enhances their security.
‘He’ll try to maintain this, no matter what.’
For the sake of reputation, safety, or merely for the sake of upper-class eyes, the martial arts had to continue.
Then, what options remained for the leader at this time?
If he only had information that the Demonic Cult could attack.
Seeing Hanam in a seemingly safe state, knowing why.
He would only have one choice available.
‘Strengthening security around the prisoner.’
Or alternatively, relocating the prisoner to the most secure location.
Without doubt, he’d be scheming something.
‘It doesn’t particularly matter which one happens.’
I’d welcome either.
If only he took some action, it would wind up being beneficial for me.
“So….”
At that moment.
This was the response of Cheoljiseon after hearing all this.
“…So…. That was why you had the Tang dynasty captured and tortured?”
“Exactly. He was the most fitting choice.”
With a body nearly indestructible, he’s also resilient to pain.
The lack of toxicity posed a problem, but his survivability was commendable. Plus, having been corrupted by the magic, he wouldn’t be readily spilling any secrets.
Who could be more qualified for this?
‘I had intentionally revealed my presence to the shaman for this. Naturally, I would use him.’
Towards the time I planned to ambush the shaman, I had exposed Dangdeok to the others.
All of this had been orchestrated for this moment.
Bait and trap.
The trap was laid with Dangdeok as the bait.
Information was subtly disseminated, acting as the bait.
So a few days later, the politicians would slowly begin to converge.
That would be the starting point.
And this was merely a few days away from now.
Even after hearing the explanation, Cheoljiseon’s expression remained tightly knit. But I paid no mind.
It was likely related to a moral dilemma.
That didn’t matter.
‘Your silence indicates that you know too.’
While it may not be the best method to pursue, it was assuredly the swiftest.
And it was evident the outcome of this method aligned with your own desires.
How contradictory.
Or should I maybe label it as human nature?
As much as I lamented Dangdeok’s plight, in the end, I accepted the decision.
This could stem from Cheoljiseon fearing me or perhaps be from his own desires.
But the fundamental contradiction remained unchanged.
Only.
‘So, does that mean I find Cheoljiseon despicable? No, not at all.’
Regardless of the circumstances, it didn’t matter to me anymore.
What truly mattered was that this matter had advanced to this stage.
At the conclusion of this event, would I find myself in the desired position?
That was the only aspect of significance for me.
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