《I’m the Only One Who Can’t See Ghosts》 Chapter 1: It was summer Honestly, I thought it was a hidden camera prank. When I was in middle school, out of nowhere, kids started screaming and running out of the ssroom. The teacher, flustered, tried to stop them, but even she stepped back in rm after seeing something. Having seen this sort of thing in Japanese prank videos, I thought it was just a dull hidden camera joke and chose not to fall for it, sitting still. But then the teacher tried to drag me out, and I had no choice but to run with her. The principal, with a trembling voice, cried out for us to go home alive and meet again, promising a reunion. On my way back, I saw cars that had been in idents, abandoned on the roads, and that was when I realized this wasnt a prank. From that day on, people began to see spirits. Those things that normally only shamans or mediums could see, what they call ghosts. Of course, I still cant see ghosts. * * * Still, I pretended to see ghosts. If one asked why I lived like this, it was because a nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Ever since everyone awakened to the ability to see spirits, this world, engulfed in madness and terror, had been unforgiving to those who stood out. There was a video from the US of a boy being bullied because his soul looked like a demon. The boy cried, insisting he wasnt a demon, but people only tried to exorcise him, holding crosses and reciting the Bible. Among them was the boys own mother.Then, a man, unable to bear the fear, fired a 12-gauge shotgun at the boy. But, fortunately avoiding the shot, the boy with his tiny hands killed the man. Even then, the boy kept crying. People couldnt see the body within the soul. No matter how much the boy imed he hadnt changed, it was futile. Thus, no one saw the boys tears. Thements on the video read: That was the most poprment. Almost all thements shared a simr sentiment. Haa. I looked in the mirror. A decently handsome guy in a suit was smiling awkwardly. Of course, the decently handsome guy here was me. Objectively I was recognized as handsome (family certified), so I took it as apliment. If I fail this interview too, Im done for... This was my thirtieth interview. If I didnt get this job, I might have to start looking for the next one while being homeless. As it was, those weird medium guys (they seem like a psychokic to me) had taken all the part-time jobs. There werent many ces to work. They supposedly used deranged souls for unpaidbor. Honestly, I was not sure if souls really existed, but hearing that made me think that capitalism was scarier than vengeful spirits. Having to work part-time even in death. But Im grateful there are still ces like this. The ce I lived in was a newly built officetel on the outskirts of Seoul, yet the rent, including management fees, was only 50,000 won a month. Of course, with such low rent, there were minor issues like noise at night or having to clean the hallway myself. But aside from that, it was an incredibly sweet deal. Despite being such a great ce to live, there were only three neighbors. It was probably because this ce was known for its ghosts. The neighbors consisted of: A runaway girl, a middle-aged man always clinging to a bottle of liquor, and a crazy woman living in the basement. They were the typical mix of people one would find anywhere. Still, after living together for a few years, we had developed a certain camaraderie. Hey, mister, why are you sleeping on the floor again instead of in your house? I had grown fond enough of the drunken middle-aged man to wake him up when he passed out in the hallway. Ugh. Uhh. Oh. Is it morning? Yes, its morning. He got up, staggering. He didnt smell like alcohol, but he grimaced in pain, probably from a headache. Could it be, had he encountered a ghost? It didnt seem like the officetel was experiencing any paranormal activitytely. Hahahaha, its been a while since Ive been hit like this. I didnt even go through this much when I went on that hellish expedition. Hellish expedition? Like some kind of extreme military training? I had never heard about him being in the military. I supported the unsteady man. He didnt seem to be affected by ghosts, given he was talking coherently. But howe youre totally fine? ...? Even I had a tough night. And here you are, perfectly fine? What, really, I dont get why a monster like you isnt more well-known. I didnt drink with youst night. Mister, you need to sober up. Suddenly, the man was calling my drinking capacity monstrous. It seemed like he mistook me for someone he drunk withst night. Was this what alcohol-induced dementia looks like? Or maybe he was bewitched by a ghost. But that couldnt be it, right? It wasnt the season for this officetel to have its outbursts. The outburst season wasst week, so it must be the alcohol affecting the old man. After casually dumping the neighbor in his house, I headed out. I walked through the gloomy hallway and took the elevator. The old elevator made creaking noises, but what more could one expect from a 50,000 won residence? Its really outrageous that we dont even get delivery service in Seoul. No buses or taxise near my officetel. The local businesses hadpletely failed, and the surrounding area was just full of empty buildings. It took a few minutes of brisk walking through the alleys before reaching a ce that smelled of people. And the so-called lively area? Just shacks with charms stered all over their walls and doors. Those charms must cost over a hundred thousand won each. The cost of the charms is probably more than the rent. The shamans who painted those charms, They probably own apartments in Gangnam by now. Even shamans worshipping minor deities made more money than doctors. Even politicians groveled before those serving higher deities. Ha, who knew being a shaman could be such a lucrative profession? Once upon a time, I also had some connections with shamans. But that was all in the past now. ... Sometimes, just the thought of something could pierce ones heart. I boarded the bus without naming that sharp, stabbing feeling. * * * Mr. Yoo Hajin? Yes! Hmm. Your soul is quite ordinary. Do you have any special spiritual abilities? Well, no special abilities, but I do have a special kind of dedication! Ah. I see. I realized it just 10 minutes into the interview. I had failed this one too. Wow. The muscles of your spirit body are impressive! Yes. My soul partly takes the form of a gori. With that statement, the man pounded his chest. To me, this guy seemed even weaker than I was. But the interviewers thought differently. Impressive confidence. Thank you. Now, the person next to you. You said you have spiritual abilities? Yes. My spiritual ability is... And throughout the interview, I didnt get a single question. So there I was, having botched the interview, stopping by a convenience store. I grabbed a bag of snacks on sale and some soju, then took a seat. Life sucks. What was the point of spiritual abilities in an ITpany interview? Will my ancestors code on my behalf? Or perhaps they expect a program to exorcise inte ghosts that do nothing but eat and spew nonsense online? That cant be it. ording to Jamsuni, the website already had an unpaid administrator managing such spirits. I heard this golden, glowing admin didnt take any money and watches the site 24/7. In my opinion, that administrator seems more like a ghost. As I downed the soju, I wondered. Why didnt I have any spiritual abilities? Not even the ghost-seeing eyes that even newborns have. In an era where even the blind can sense ghosts, I am the only one... The soju tasted bitter. Maybe because it had been a while since Ist drank it. I was just about to grab another snack when... Boom- Bang- A loud explosion sounded in the distance. Followed by the wail of police sirens. Another chaos. Explosions and sirens in the evening. Just another ordinary night in Seoul. In reality, having spiritual abilities or handling a spirit body means possessing supernatural powers. And just as a powerful superhuman could pull out the Golden Gate Bridge and spin it around, a strong spiritual power wielder could turn a small city into literal hell. What could possibly scare those walking strategic weapons? They would confidently take on a country and not expect to lose. Naturally, they would scoff at something like public authority. Boom- Bang- Eventually, the police cars started fleeing with their sirens wailing. The so-called protectors of the people were running scared, afraid their batons would break. When I turned around, even the convenience store clerk had fled. Should I run too? But seeing the swaggering approach of the man, any desire to flee vanished. Its just that guy... Just a fat man in a suit, his hair half gone, and his posture a bit stooped. He didnt look particrly strong. But his expression was incredibly arrogant. So smug that even a real god would seem annoying with that look. You little fake cops. How dare you mess with Lord Cheonsus business? His voice was a bitical. But what happened next was not funny at all. A policewoman, helping evacuate civilians a little distance away, was grabbed by something invisible. Aaaahhh! The person being helped by the policewoman started panicking and running away, as if they had seen something they shouldnt have. Others nearby also fled in terror, as if a real monster was in their midst. The scared officer was trembling. Try to justify yourself. How dare a mere servant of secr power tread on the sacred ground of Lord Cheonsu, who serves the heavens in righteousness? I, we just responded to a report... The policewomans excuses only made the manugh. A report? Who made the report? Please, do something about these tentacles. Ugh. Tell me. If you tell me, Ill let you go. I, I didnt know that ce was Lord Cheonsus business. There was a report that girls were being gathered for some ritual, and turned into puppets. And then those girls were, were, being used or sold. Hmm. The mans face suddenly turned cold as he muttered. Theres a traitor inside? Please, please release these tentacles. Ah, I should let you go. As a disciple of Lord Cheonsu, I must keep my promises. His expression then turned vile. His hands were moving towards the policewomans pants. That crazy bastard. But you see, given the depth of your sins, and my spirit body requires quick release at each moment, or it gets difficult. Listen, miss. Stay quiet, and it will be over soon. I, I, I have a fianc. Even better. Hearing that, I smashed the soju bottle. On the groundy an idiot, his pants halfway down, bleeding from his head. It was summer. Chapter 2: Jamsuni When do you think a person''s life falls apart? Is it when their heart is pierced by a bullet? When they get an incurable disease? Or when they drink a soupced with deadly poisonousmushrooms? One might say that''s when a person dies. But... a person''s life really falls apart when they, in a drunken stupor, smash someone''s head with a soju bottle. I had ruined everything. Though I instinctively cracked the head of a rapist while drunk, I wasn''t so intoxicated that I didn''t understand the gravity of my actions. "Is this... a case of drunken violence?" I muttered to myself, looking at the idiot sprawled on the ground and the trembling policewoman. Instinctively, I pulled out my phone and opened the legal wiki. Drunken violence: A penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of no more than 5 million won, or detention, probation... Two years and a fine of 5 million won? My bank ount doesn''t even hold a hundred thousand won. And now a fine of 5 million won? And what was more, two years in prison if we couldn''t reach a settlement? My hands and feet began to tremble uncontrobly. "Um, excuse me, sir. Thank you, but..." "This, this, this reality is unbearable, ahhh!" 5 million won is absolutely impossible!!! I ran as if my life depended on it. "Aaaaaaah!" Failed another job interview and now my life was on the brink of ruin... Ah, what an utterly terrible day. * * * In Seoul, one could sometimes see people walking in the sky. Today was one of those days, with a man standing in the sky. But people didn''t pay attention to the man walking in the sky. To be precise, they pretended not to notice. After all, walking in the sky signified a powerful being looking down upon humanity. The man who walked in the sky muttered to himself as he took off his silver sunsses. "My disciple, in such a state." On the groundy a creature with tentacles, unmistakably one of his own disciples. He had sent this disciple to deal with some officer punkswho dared to meddle with his business. Who could have dared to touch his disciple? The man put his silver sunsses back on and read the celestial signs. To be able to take down that tentacle creature in one blow, he must be quite skilled. But who? Who dared to mess with a disciple of Cheonsu? Who was this insolent fool who dared to cross paths with his gang, known as Small Tyrant of Hongdae? Cheonsu mumbled to himself, searching the direction of the culprit''s escape. "Touching our crew won''t lead to an easy death." The celestial signs began to converge on a particr location. Cheonsu looked in that direction. "Ugh." There, like a small building, was an ominous presence. Just looking at it felt like a curse prating one''s eyes, a gateway to hell. "The training ground of the Three Honored Ones?!" Tears of blood trickled down from beneath his silver sunsses. Shivering with anger, Cheonsu muttered. "This crazy bastarddared to mess with the Three Honored Ones?!" The man floating in the sky extended his hand toward the tentacled monster. As he did, the creature exploded as if crushed by a giant fist. "Damn it. Damn it! Why did he provoke a monster like the Three Honored Ones?!" Cheonsu knew what that building was. He also knew about the three transcendent beings who could survive there. The Three Honored Ones, beings so powerful that not even hell could im them. And now, one of them had annihted his disciple. Cheonsu, the Small Tyrant of Hongdae, felt fear for the first time in a long while. *** The world is a frightening ce. Outside the nket is dangerous... Indeed, one cannot live with the burden of sin. Has the investigation started already? What excuse can I make if the police catch me? Thud, thud, thud - Someone was knocking at the door. Could it be the police? "Hey! Open the door! You didn''t get into trouble, did you? Answer me! Answer!" Oh, it''s Jamsuni''s voice. I rustled about and got up. "What''s up?" "Phew. I thought something had happened to you!" Upon opening the door, there stood Jamsuni, who ran away suspiciously after graduating or maybe while in the middle school. I couldnt help but burst intoughter at her worried expression. Who''s worrying about whom here? "Ugh, the smell of alcohol." "...I drank a bit and overslept. You better not start drinking this stuff." "Gross." Jamsuni turned her head away in annoyance. Jamsuni, she was one of my neighbors. Probably a runaway teenager and about in the third year of middle school. And probably suffering from some kind of adolescent syndrome. "And what? Alcohol?" "Yeah. I drink sometimes. I''m an adult, after all." "Damn, are you crazy? Really makes me want to give you a piece of my mind. Even I, who have reached the pinnacle of alcohol tolerance, stay sober these days. What? Alcohol?" Maybe she was not just suffering from adolescent syndrome. This kid was definitely in the throes of it. Reached the pinnacle of alcohol tolerance, really? If she had such a talent, she would have been scooped up by Cheonji Academy already. I smirked and flicked her forehead. "Don''t use badnguage." Thunk- Jamsuni whined after being flicked. "Ouch! Hey, you!" "I may not expect you to treat me like a Hyung, but watch yournguage. I''m letting it slide because it''s you. Try cussing at some crazy psychic outside, and see if it ends this simply." "How did you break through my defensive techniques...? Wait, are you drunk and suffering from a hangover right now?" Jamsuni clutched her head and asked. "Yeah. Feels like my head''s splitting." "Really? Is this my chance?" Jamsuni suddenly stepped back and started imitating hand gestures from a ninja manga. Seriously, this kid''s got a severe case of the ''middle school syndrome.'' "Today, you''re getting a lesson with 300 flicks on the forehead. Bankai!" "?" "Huh? Bankai!" Bankai? What''s that about Bankai. I slyly readied a flick. Take that, you brat. But then Jamsuni quickly shouted out. "Bankai! Bankai! Stop, stop it!" "So noisy this early in the morning." "Aargh. How can you block my Bankai in such a rough state...?" Ignoring the groaning Jamsuni, I went into the kitchen and turned on the gas stove. "Want to have breakfast before you go?" "Yeah." And so, I ended up preparing a luxurious breakfast set of kimchi omelette and ramen. Jamsuni, being at the age of growth, ate very well. Watching her, someone else came to mind. That was probably why I ended up preparing breakfast for a neighbor, despite my meager means. Well, there was also a promise involved. While eating the ramen, Jamsuni asked. "But why do you look like that?" "Like what?" "You look like someone who just got a margin call after pulling a big gamble on a gift leverage." What''s with that realistic analogy. "None of your business." "...Okay." Jamsuni showed a momentarily disappointed expression. What''s with that look? "Haa." After swallowing my ramen broth, I briefly exined what happened yesterday. Botched an interview. Then picked up a policewoman. And a lot happened in between. After my sinct exnation, Jamsunimented. "So, you mean you smashed the head of Cheonsu''s disciple with a soju bottle?" "Yeah." "Cheonsu, Small Tyrant of Hongdae, that Cheonsu?" "Small Tyrant of Hongdae?" When I asked again, Jamsuni made a face as if just looking at me was annoying and said. "You don''t know that? Howme~." "...It''s possible not to know." "Lame~ Bronze level~ Virgin~." But then Jamsuni suddenly leaned forward and asked. "You''re a virgin, right? You are, aren''t you?!" "...You''re loud. If you''re not going to tell me about Cheonsu, put your bowl in the sink and leave." "Ahem. I''ll tell you." Then Jamsuni began her exnation. "Cheonsu Doryeong. Hes famous for collecting a thousand rted spirits in his hand and controllingthem as one. His own spirit and techniques are nothing special, but born with an S-grade divine gift in his hands, that''s why he can do it." So that''s what Cheonsu (*Thousand hands) meant. A thousand hands. "Still, he''s considered strong among the weak, hence the nickname ''Small Tyrant.'' Of course, his brutal nature also ys a part in that title." "Brutal nature?" "Yeah. He tortures and kills anyone who crosses him, then sells the videos. He makes money off torture videos and promotes his psychopathic tendencies. It''s pure capitalism." It gave me chills. I was starting to get scared. The rapist I hitst night was under that guy? I shouldn''t be worried about the police catching me. "Why do they just let such a mess exist?" "Obviously, because they treat Cheonjiwith respect. There are probably people in Cheonji who take bribesfrom him." Cheonji, Korea''s strongest psychic organization. Members of Cheonji were said not to fear even the armies of powerful nations. The people at Cheonji Academy were among the world''s most formidable beings. "Cheonji should be taken down when there''s a chance." Jamsuni smirked and continued. "...If things get too bothersome, should I take care of everything for you? "Take care of?" "You don''t know ''take care of''? It means to kill." To be honest, Jamsuni was quite pretty. Instinctively, I knew she''d be stunningly beautiful when she grew up. No, Jamsuni was already beautiful. So, even knowing she was just indulging in her middle school syndrome, I couldn''t help but feel tense when she spoke so cruelly. Should I kill all the people rted to Cheonsu? "Stop talking nonsense." Thunk- My flicknded on Jamsuni''s head. "Ouch!" "You see the lines too? When will you cure your middle school syndrome? Talking about killing people isn''t something to do lightly!" I knew her bravado was just a symptom of her syndrome, but it was scary to think she might really go after those monsters. If she were truly that kind of genius, she wouldn''t be living in this cheap apartment but attending an academy for psychics. "Ugh. Fine. Then you kill them. Hmph." With that, Jamsuni, acting offended, didn''t even ce her bowl in the sink, threw a middle finger at me, and swiftly ran out of the room. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Thousand hands: The author used Chinese character ''ǧ'' in the () which literally trantes to ''Thousand hands''. ] Chapter 3: Preliminaries After sending Jamsuni back, I turned onmyputer and searched for Cheonsu Doryeong. "Haa" My sister warned me not to delve into psychics because of my peculiarities, but in a life-or-death situation, I had no choice. "Cheonsu Doryeong, 29 years old, runs a club and a restaurant in Hongdae..." A promotional article appeared alongside a photo of a man wearing silver sunsses. The article briefly mentioned that Cheonsu, despite his young age, was a sessful entrepreneur and a shaman. "Hmm." I tweaked my search terms a bit. Hongdaes gang leader, Cheonsu''s gang, Cheonsu videos. Still, I couldn''t find the brutal video Jamsuni had mentioned. However, I stumbled upon some intriguing posts: "This gang leaderseems to have a tight grip on the Hongdae drug scely." "Where did that guy go?" "Heard someone got their hand chopped off for messing with the bottom ranks of the Cheonsu''s gang." Confirming that if one messes with the Cheonsu''s gang, they risk losing their hand. Honestly, it was quite unnerving... I gently rubbed my wrist and continued to search the inte for more about Cheonsu. "No dine and dash at that store; it''s protected by Cheonsu." "These guys really do whatever you ask for. It''s beyond imagination." "Did you see the chaos at the club today? A drunk from the Cheonji side beat up the Cheonsu gang, and their executives came out and collectively bowed their heads." This was quite an interesting post. Clicking on it revealed a photo of some rough-looking guys bowing their heads to a handsome man. Thements read: "Even the gang leadersbow down to Cheonji. Such a loss of face, lol." "His own gangmember turned into a half-wit, and still, he can''t stand up to Cheonji." Now it was confirmed that the Cheonsu gangwas very subservient to those from Cheonji. I was beginning to get a clearer picture of what kind of person Cheonsu was. He seemed like a literal gangster shaman. He was the type who grovels before the strong and shows boundless cruelty to the weak. A ssic thug, the kind one often see in real life. I finally ventured into the deep web and searched for ''Thousand hand Scion.'' Minutester, I regretted that search. Videos filled the screen: a man being tortured for hours, a woman''s prolonged screams, an elder begging for death, a child ceasing to search for mom and dad. It was a grotesque collection. "Damn it..." I was as enraged as I was terrified. This guy Cheonsu. He was a truly despicable monster. And these videos were just the free samples. The ones avable for purchase were probably filled with even more horrifying scenes. "Crazy bastard." My hands trembled uncontrobly. The thought of possibly being the next one in those torture videos made me feel like I could wet myself any second. Wait, couldn''t psychics track where people have gone? I quickly searched for methods psychics use to track people. The answer was straightforward. Cheonsu was a powerful shaman. He probably, like my sister, could read the celestial patterns to find out where I''d fled. Ah, damn, this is hopeless. "Maybe I should write a will..." I spread out an A4 sheet and began to write my will. It went something like this. To the uncle next door: Drink less and exercise more. Feel free to take anything you need from here. And please format myputer. To Jamsuni: Go back to school and live a normal life. Cut down on swearing and picky eating. After the old man formatted theputer, it''s yours. And to our crazy girl Nayu: Honestly, I doubt you''ll understand this will, so I won''t write much. Just live well. Make sure to get treated by a shamanter. Tears inexplicably started to fall as I continued writing the will. "Why don''t I have any spiritual gifts?" That was really puzzling. Gically, I had a high chance of inheriting psychic abilities. My ancestors were generational shamans, and my sister was exceptionally gifted. But I couldn''t see ghosts. Even when people in the world couldnt see ghosts, my sister could snap the possessed back to their senses just by looking at them, without any ritual. Back then, I thought it was all just a show. If only I had such abilities... "I would have joined Cheonji." As a member of Cheonji, Id have shown the Cheonsu gangwhat real power is. Especially to that fanatic Cheonsu, I would have personally instilled the spirit of a true shaman. "...Wait." Something came to mind when I thought of Cheonji. My hands moved back to the keyboard. There was a hot topic in recent news. "That''s it." This news was at the top of the portal site: "The time hase to ascend to Cheonji. Who will be the remarkable talent this time?" It was the season for Cheonji to recruit new talents. Cheonji holds an annual exam to select new members, drawing global attention. The reason for the attention was simple. Thousands of selected psychics from various countries attempt the preliminaries, but only a few hundred make it to the finals. The finals were even more challenging. In the finals, more than a hundred participants often died. Even those who survived sometimes ended up disabled or severely impaired. I heard that only a few dozen were selected after such a grueling process. This was the notorious Cheonji examination. "Didn''t they say Cheonsu can''t touch anyone involved with Cheonji?" This meant that while I was taking the Cheonji exam, the likelihood of Cheonsu kidnapping me was practically nil. Though there was a high chance of dying during the Cheonji exam, it seemed a cleaner end than being tortured by the Cheonsu gang. Of course, with no abilities, my chances of passing the exam were nonexistent. But that was fine. My goal wasn''t to pass the exam, but to befriend someone strong enough who could. This thought reminded me of something my sister had said. "She warned me not to get close to psychics or even learn about psychic abilities since I can''t see ghosts." I had lived by that advice until now. But in a life-or-death situation, I had no choice. "The dream of extending life...!" I began to search urgently for information on the Cheonji exam. * * * I took a deep breath. Honestly, I was starting to feel nervous. Why? Because I was standing at the Cheonji exam venue. Arriving at the actual exam site, the tension skyrocketed. "Pyeon* Station." After the day when everyone''s spiritual eyes were opened, a subway station suddenly appeared. It was called Pyeon Station. Seeing it in person, there it was, the sign reading ''Pyeon Station.'' Surrounding me, numerous journalists and examinees had set up camp at the entrance of Pyeon Station. The examinees wore expressions of difficulty, murmuring amongst themselves. "This prelim is too intense, isn''t it?" "It feels twice as hard as thest one." Hearing this, I quietly despaired. The prelims are tough? Please, stop exaggerating. I needed to befriend those who made it to the finals. I prayed silently. To God, Buddha, and even the almighty Lucifer...! Please let me pass just the prelims. I envisioned a girl, angelic in appearance but devilish in y, wishing me luck... Somehow, that was not reassuring. Then, I greeted a man in a traditional hanbok standing at the entrance. He must be some sort of exam facilitator. "Ah, hello." "Hello. Are you an examinee?" "Yes. Where do I take the prelims?" The man in hanbok smiled and replied. "This is the ce for the prelims. Simply passing through the golden rope around the entrance of Pyeon Station counts as passing the prelims." I looked towards the entrance of Pyeon Station. There was a tightly strung rope with talismans attached to it. "...?" Is just passing through that the prelims? Are they mocking me? "Is that really it?" "Yes, it''s true. Don''t be too despondent. This exam is quite difficult, and we''ve raised the bar for the prelims to avoid unnecessary casualties..." Ignoring the man''s words, I lifted the golden rope at the entrance of Pyeon Station. It lifted easily. And just like that, I had passed through the golden rope. "...Does this mean I''ve passed the prelims?" "Ah, y-yes, of course." The man in hanbok looked at me, bewildered, and nodded. In my overwhelming joy, I found myself doing a cartwheel. But it didn''t matter. My knees might as well be made of adamantium. To thought the prelims would be this easy when I was preparing for the exam. I must have spent all my life''s luck here. "Hahaha." Now, time to meet those who''ve made it to the finals. * * * Cheonji''s examiner stood with his mouth agape, unable to close it. The reason was that a massive and solid barrier, akin to a giant fortress wall, had been breached in an instant. Of course, the core of this barrier was the golden rope, reinforced with talismans. But once the barrier was formed, finding that golden rope was an impossibility. How could anyone find the golden rope beyond the wall, especially with anti-prative magic in ce? Even if found, it posed a problem. How could one break through the wall and touch the golden rope? ''To breach a barrier that might not even yield to high explosives in an instant...'' Even he, affiliated with Cheonji, would need to pour spiritual energy for over ten minutes to break through this seal. Yet, it was effortlessly crossed in a blink. He, aware of many monsters within Cheonji, had never seen this type of monster. This exam wasn''t designed to brutishly break through barriers. It was meant to assess how examinees cleverly deceive, strategize, and sacrifice to pass. That was why he had never imagined such a scenario. "What kind of monster could that be?" The entrance to Pyeon Station, used as the prelim venue, buzzed with noise. Journalists murmured, "Did he just lift a barrier?" "Which family does that man belong to?" "Hey, quickly contact the desk, find out that man''s identity!" He sighed softly and then gently pped his hands. Instantly, everyone around Pyeon Station became mute. Not figuratively mute C literally. Despite their attempts, no sound came out. "Silence in the examination area." People looked at Cheonji''s examiner in horror, unable to speak. He remarked, "This exam is going to be quite interesting." It was because the monsterughed. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Pyeon: In buddhist terminology this word (''??'') means the afterlife after liberation but the literal meaning can be different base on the context. ] Chapter 4: Pyeon Station Chapter 4: Pyeon Station ========== WARNING ========== Located 10 meters underground, Pyeon Station is an impossible existence. Turn back immediately. Entering Pyeon Station may result in death, physical harm, mental contamination, and extraordinary phenomena. Turn back immediately. ============================= ========== WARNING ========== Located 5 meters underground, Pyeon Station is an impossible existence. Turn back immediately. Entering Pyeon Station may lead to encountering torn images, irreverent cries from the womb, singing voices, and the revtion of His name on the day the world ends. Turn back immediately. ============================= ========== WARNING ========== Beyond this point lies Pyeon Station. ============================= ========== WARNING ========== Pyeon Station begins here. ============================= ========== WARNING ========== This is Pyeon Station. Immediately turn away from beyond Pyeon . ============================= * * * What kind of ce was Pyeon Station? I had only heard rumors; frankly, even I didn''t know much. But ProfessorWiki knew everything. ording to the wiki, that was the case. The entrance was the same, but the name was changed, like Pyeon Station Exit 3. If one didn''t notice and enter, they are doomed. Honestly, how many people pay attention to the subway station''s name every day? Most are too exhausted and instinctivelymute by subway. How many would actually check the station''s name? I remembered this too. I waste to my part-time job when Line 9 stopped operating. Got fired that day. Damn it. I continued to gaze at Wiki. I looked over the first floor of Pyeon Station. Surprisingly, it was a clean subway station. The doors were shut, but there were stalls that seemed like they once sold snacks like Delimanjoo, and even newspaper stands, which were rare nowadays. And far off, near the exit''s emergency door, people huddled together. After noticing this, I looked back at Wiki. I know, damn it. I''m barely keeping my cool, pretending to be brave. This was my first time exploring an anomaly. I had lived my lifepletely disconnected from psychics and psychic abilities. I couldn''t let anyone know I couldn''t see ghosts, so I had no choice. With mixed feelings, I continued to stare at my smartphone. They should''ve told me this earlier. I cautiously lowered my gaze. Wait, I couldn''t see ghosts, so do I really need to look down? Honestly, I kind of wanted to see a ghost. What do other people see as they live their lives? What had my younger sister seen before her psychic eye awakened? I really wanted to see it, just once. Thinking this, I put down Wiki. ''As soon as you enter Pyeon Station, find the newspaper stand. There, you will find an escape manual created by the government to increase your chances of escaping Pyeon Station.'' That''s right. Jamsuni had exined it. ording to her, anomalies were like twisted, iplete ghost gates. Even when I said I didn''t want to hear about psychic abilities, she kept bragging about how amazing she was. Anyway, that kid had said that for a ghost gate to exist as a ghost gate, it must follow certain rules. Otherwise, it would break thew of being a passageway between the spirit world and the mortal world, and it would cease to exist as a gate. Therefore, there were specific rules in anomalies, and if one followed them well, even the weakest could survive. These rules werepiled in what was called an escape manual. I approached the newspaper stand and examined the papers. Newspapers from the early 2000s were neatly ced there, without a speck of dust. Among themy an out-of-ce newspaper. This must be the escape manual. I briefly skimmed through it. ========== Subway Daily ========== This document is a Pyeon Station escape manual disguised as a newspaper. Citizens, please do not lose hope and be aware that the Government of South Korea is doing its utmost to rescue you. Pretend to read the newspaper while thoroughly going through this manual. ================================ Huh, starts off with a bunch of nonsense. ''Trying their best to rescue us.'' As if they have the power to. I continued reading the manual. ========== Subway Daily ========== 1. Pyeon Station is a levelthree anomaly consisting of a waiting room, a B2 tform, and a B3 tform. A B4 level does not exist, so please avoid any means of going down from B3. 2. 3. In Pyeon Station, a malevolent spirit that bewitches people roams around. If you arrived at Pyeon Station alone, continue to move alone. If you havepanions, remember the number of people in your group. However, if youck strong psychic abilities, even if you notice the spirit, pretend not to. 4. There are two known ways to escape Pyeon Station. One is to buy a ticket and board a subway heading to Saengmun Station from the B2 tform. The other is to take a subway heading towards Miryang from the B3 tform. There is no third option. 5. You must never board the train heading to Cheonan from the B2 tform, nor the train to Seoul from the B3 tform. Simrly, you should not board subways heading to Saengmun Station or MiryangLake. 6. If an announcement is made about a training from beyond arriving at either the B2 or B3 tforms, quickly return to the waiting room. The Anomaly Response Headquarters has received information that something hostile to humans is on that train. 7. Subway tickets must be purchased with cash and coins. If the subway ticket office lists the price as ''tomorrow''s sweet dream'', ''a forgotten memory'', ''an unpleasant smell'', or ''the name of one of your parents'', do not pay it under any circumstances. After it takes your dreams or memories as payment, it will return them as a change in the form of dreams or memories about a being that emerges when a squirming, light-emitting baby hermit crab notices the insides writhing. If a colleague receives change, eliminate them immediately. It is for your survival and the safety of South Korea. Please make a decisive action. 8. 9. Upon escaping Pyeon Station, contact the South Korean Anomaly Response Headquarters immediately. We will provide a reward, treatment, and various benefits. We wish you luck. ================================ I finished reading roughly. But why were points 2 and 8 left nk? "Seems like they were rules that don''t apply anymore, so they were removed in thetest edition." Understanding it as such, I summarized the escape methods from Pyeon Station. First, buy a subway ticket with cash and coins at the waiting room. Second, go down to the second or third floor and board a train heading to Saengmun Station from the second floor, or towards Miryangfrom the third floor. That''s it? Sounds pretty easy. I hoped this wasn''t some sort of test to escape from here. I casually surveyed the waiting room. Nothing seemed dangerous at a nce. "Hmm." Let''s head to where the people are gathered. My goal was to get close to them. Despite my sister''s warning to stay away from psychics, in a life-threatening situation, I have no choice. As I approached the emergency exit, piercing stares met me. Most looked like students, viewing me as apetitor, their eyes wolf-like. This won''t be easy. Still, I needed to find someone who could fight against Cheonsu. What was the reason I even came down here? If I were alone, I would never have dared toe to a ce like Pyeon Station. The thought of it swarming with prodigy psychics was intimidating, but that was exactly what gave me the courage to descend. Ah, hello? No response came. The students just stared at me as if thinking, ''What''s with this crazy guy?'' Damn it. I don''t even want to be friends with you all. I''m scared you''ll notice something unusual about me. Feeling dejected, I hung my head. Damn. When will the proctor arrive? But I knew I had to muster up courage if I didn''t want to end up tortured and killed by Cheonsu. I tried speaking up again. Um, is anyone thinking about forming a team? I''m pretty strong, you know! Please be quiet. A woman''s voice came from beside me. She was dressed like a shaman. She looked older than Jamsuni, probably a high school student, but still too young to be an adult. What was unique about her was her pink-dyed hair braided into twin tails. Surely, the pink hair wasn''t natural, right? The pink-haired shaman girl spoke up. Considering I don''t sense any malevolent aura, it''s clear you''re neither possessed by an evil spirit nor a normal possessed individual. Of course not. If I were possessed, do you think the people here would have let me live? I looked at the students. Their eyes were intense, making it clear they were all significant psychics. Which n do you belong to? Who is your master? Oh, um, I don''t have anything like that. At those words,ughter echoed from around me. My n to make friends and allies among the students. Somehow, it felt like this n was plummeting into a pit. It''s quite surprising that someone as weak as you managed to survive and make it here. The pink-haired shaman girl was mocking me. "Weakling, please know your ce and stay quiet." "Know my ce, you say?" "Yes, or do I need to teach you your ce?" Click-click C As the pink-haired shaman girl twisted her wrist, the tiles around me began to vibrate. Just a twist of her wrist unleashing such power. Crazy, right. The exam participants are powerful psychics too. That means many here might be no different from Cheonsu. My n to befriend the students might have been wrong from the start. Maybe I should have run to a ce with no psychics at all. "Everyone, save your strength for the main exam, shall we?" Just then, a voice came from behind. "Is this the power of Cheonji''s proctor?" "Amazing. This is our proctor." At that, the impudent pink-haired shaman girl and the other mocking jerks all started taking a specific pose, bowing their heads. I thought about mimicking them, but it seemed like a step-by-step motion and I fumbled. Embarrassed, I simply bowed my head. Is this really a Cheonji proctor? I don''t feel any power. Honestly, I thought even someone like me without a trace of spiritual sense would feel something from a Cheonji proctor. But I felt nothing. "I apologize, Proctor. We caused a disturbance." However, it seemed like the psychics felt something. Even the pink-haired shaman girl who was being so nasty to me was now bowing her head in a tense salute. Of course, I could only stand there, dumbfounded. Honestly, I didn''t know much about the etiquette among psychics. I never had close psychic friends, and I kept my distance, not wanting to reveal that Icked spiritual eyes. I should have learned more about psychics. I followed my sister''s advice too strictly. Still, wanting to make a good impression after regaining my senses, I timidly bowed my head. The proctor noticed and smiled silently at me. That''s good, right? Then the proctor spoke. "I am Cheonji''s Instructor, overseeing this exam. Pleased to meet you." Chapter 5: Gamlo The hierarchy of Cheonji is broadly divided into three categories. There are the workers, known as Half-Immortals, the middle managers called Earthly Immortals, and the executives referred to as Celestial Immortals. Even a Half-Immortal are powerful individuals who possess extraordinary abilities to the extent that they can pass themselves off as divine beings within pseudo-religious groups. An Earthly Immortal can perform feats that would make even an atheist unwittingly seek divinity. And a Celestial Immortal? They are monsters against whom even twenty Earthly Immortals could not guarantee victory. Such a monster was casually sipping a drink, observing the examinees. "Ugh, that''s a monster? I''ve had a few drinks, but I''m not so drunk that I''d mistake that for a monster." The Celestial Immortal, Gamlo fromCheonji, tilted her head and muttered to herself. No matter how she looked, the man discovered by the Instructor seemed far from a monster. He even got tormented by a mere novice shaman. And didn''t even resist. Just look at him. "Weakling, please know your ce and stay quiet." "Know my ce, you say?" "Yes, or do I need to teach you your ce?" To stay silent even when insulted as a weakling. Doesn''t he have any pride as a man? If it were her, she would have torn open the mouth of that novice shaman and exacted the price of arrogance from their lineage. Gamlo chuckled, then filled her ss and took a sip. The mancked any impressive aura. His soul was too ordinary to be worth a nce. No special psychic powers were felt. He was, quite literally, just an ordinary man one could find anywhere. "Maybe it''s the alcohol, but his face does seem rather handsome." But beyond that, there was nothing else tomend. "Still, they let such a guy pass the preliminaries? What is the instructorthinking...?" Gamlo thought about the instructorand then lifted her ss again. It was filled with expensive Bordeaux wine. A bottle costing ten million won, but Gamlodrank such wine as if it were water. Then, she saw something. She was so surprised that she spilled a little of her drink. "Is that man looking at me?" Currently, she was in an invisible state. She had turned invisible using the power of her spiritual body, known as the Divine Cloud or Sacred cloud. With this cloud, she controlled water vapor to reflect light diffusely and used the mystical power of clouds and fog spread over the earth, blending the dreamlike power of illusion to achieve perfect stealth. To put it simply, this technique was also called Invisible Cloud. It was a useful skill even among the Celestial Immortals. But now, she was seen through instantly by a man she had never met before. "He saw through my Invisible Cloud in an instant." Gamlo had seen such monsters a few times. Among the 1,000 Celestial Immortals, a few strong ones, especially the tiger in charge of the White West, had shown such audacity. As soon as she thought of that tiger, Gamloalmost dropped her ss in tension. "A monsterparable to that tiger." After putting down her ss, Gamlolooked at the man. So, what kind of monster are you? A monster who became one because he couldn''t ept being a monster? Or became a monster to gain even greater power? So, what kind of monster are you?! At that moment, Gamlohad a question in her mind. "But why, why did that man spare the novice shaman who insulted him?" Gamlo was unfamiliar with such a type of monster. So, she eventually had no choice but to think this way. "Is he sparing them for a more miserable deathter?" * * * In oneic, the story went like this: A loan shark, dressed casually in a suit, watched busy office workers during their lunch break, sipping his drink. The loan shark drank, observing the office workers who looked at him, wondering if he was someone important, an executive perhaps, thinking, ''I wish I could drink like him!'' Likely, their very perplexity served as an appetizer to his drink. That woman over there, sipping wine while sitting on the waiting room chair, she must be drinking there for simr reasons. ''Damn, I''m envious.'' I turned my head away. Then the exnation of the test of Cheonji began. "Cheonji has been an organization of psychics guarding this world since before the day of Spiritual Eye Awakening. Does anyone know about Cheonji''s main duties?" The examinees raised their hands with enthusiasm, like Hermione in ss. The pink shaman girl sitting in front of me was no exception. But the instructor, ignoring all these Hermiones, continued speaking like Snape, focused on his words. "As you all know, Cheonji eliminates low-ss, high-ss, Demon King-ss, and Demon Lord-ss evil spirits, purging psychics who threaten the order." Purging psychics who threaten the order. So, it seemed Cheonji don''t see itself as a threat to ''order.'' "Does anyone know what these individualshave inmon?" "They all use paranormal phenomena." "Correct." This time, the instructordidn''t ignore the students who raised their hand. He continued. "Paranormal phenomena, an unfinished Ghost Gate where the physical and spiritual worlds intertwine, creating a dangerous space. Especially high-ss evil spirits often cause paranormal phenomena to take over a region. And psychics too, often upy these ownerless paranormal phenomena as fortresses." I had heard of it. There was an incident where an evil spirit caused a paranormal phenomenon in an elementary school, resulting in hundreds of deaths. "From Demon King-ss upwards, theyplete the Ghost Gates, so they''re not confined to one area, but well, none of you would have encountered a Demon King-ss spirit, right?" The instructorsaid with a smile. "If you had, you''d already be dead." Why does he have to say such scary things with a grin...? "Cheonji fights against evil spirits and corrupt psychics, destroying theirirs, the paranormal phenomena or what we call anomaly. If you, the examinees, wish to join Cheonji, you need to learn how to fight against these paranormal phenomena. And that''s a matter of talent. We''ll see what you''re capable of." The instructorannounced. "The first test is simple. Escape from Pyeon Station as quickly as possible. The first three hundred to do so will pass the test." Then, the instructor pped the hands. "Now, begin." With that, the examinees started to run. To be exact, some flew, while others dashed at inhuman speeds. "Damn it." Of course, I had no choice but to walk. * * * I had a feeling that something was not right. Why were there so few people at the ticket booth? Could there be another way to escape from here? ording to the manual, it was like this: 4. There are two known ways to escape from Pyeon Station: buying a ticket and taking the subway from B2 tform to Saengmun Station, or taking the subway from B3 tform to Miryang. There is no third way. The only way to escape from PyeonStation should be by buying a ticket and taking a specific subway. But why were there so few people? There seemed to be less than a dozen people at the ticket booth, including the pink shaman girl. The rest didn''t buy tickets and just went down. Could they be nning to board the subway without buying tickets? Or was there another way to escape? ording to the manual, there shouldn''t be any other way to escape except by taking the subway. Even more people were heading down to the B4 floor on the esctor. But ording to the manual, the B4 floor shouldn''t even exist? However, not knowing any other way to escape, I decided to stick to buying a ticket and taking the subway. * * * The instructorshook his head in disapproval as he watched the examinees ignore the ticket booth and head downstairs. To think these were the ones who aspire to join Cheonji. "Do they not know that fare evasion costs thirty times the normal price?" The PyeonStation subway charges based on a person''s emotions and memories for a ticket. Thirty times that cost. After paying that, one would be left an empty shell, devoid of memories. But the instructor understood why. It was because the manual said so. 4. There are three known ways to escape from PyeonStation. Sneak onto the subway at B2 tform heading to Saengmun Stationwithout buying a ticket. Take the subway from B3 tform to Miryang. The third way is to find the emergency exit going down from B3 tform. This was a manual distorted by Pyeon Station. Believing this manual would lead the examinees to death or ruin. "But doubting everything is a virtue of a psychic." That was why the instructor didn''t sympathize with them. And another part of the manual was strange too. 1. Pyeon Station is a paranormal phenomenon with three levels: the main hall, B2 tform, and B3 tform. There is no B4 floor, so avoid all means of going down from B3 floor. 2. However, if there are too many evil spirits or if apanion is vulnerable to PyeonStation''s mental corruption, use the esctor or stairs that directly lead to B4, and proceed immediately to the B4 Shopping Mall. The B4 Shopping Mall can be breached if you have psychic abilities, and it is the quickest way to escape from PyeonStation. The manual says to avoid all means of going down from B3. But item 2 encourages going down to B4. One of them had to be a lie. "Those with strong spiritual senses or belonging to powerful ns or sects would realize that item 2 is the false manual." If one had keen spiritual senses, they would instinctively feel a sense of ominousness from item 2. Those belonging to strong ns or sects would know that item 2 is a falsehood, having studied the PyeonStation manual created within their organization. Lineage and backing were also forms of power. The instructor acknowledged this fact. "Instructor." "Yes, Gamlo-nim." Even though the voice came from the empty air, the instructorwas not surprised. It was the voice of Gamlo. "Have you investigated that man?" "Yes, Yoo Hajin, twenty years old, neither from a notable family nor affiliated with any strong sect. Just an utterly ordinary man. It''s unlikely that he received an uncontaminated manual." "So, he instinctively realized that item 4 is corrupted and item 2 is erroneous. Possessing such strong spiritual power to see through me and also having instinctive senses?" The Instructor and Gamlosaid the same thing. "A monster." "Indeed, a monster." Of course, Yoo Hajin had never seen item 2 of the manual. Being unable to see ghosts, he couldn''t read the text generated by them. But Gamlo and the Instructor had no way of knowing this. Chapter 6: Imagination Breaker "But he''s still a young monster. He has many shorings." Gamlomented as she sipped on her expensive wine, worth tens of thousands of won per gulp. Yoo Hajin, was it? The fact that a mere twenty-year-old youth possessed such skills was indeed remarkable. However, to someone like herself, who had battled against evil spirits and corrupt shamans for many years, the youth still had much to learn. "What do you mean by shorings?" That kid still cannot open the Gate. Upon hearing this, Instructornodded in understanding. He knew exactly what Gate Gamlo was referring to. "The Ghost Gate..." The Ghost Gate, the pinnacle of psychic power. The difference between Earthly Immortals and Celestial Immortals. Even the weakest Celestial Immortal, unsuited for battle, could face dozens of Earthly Immortals if they could open the Ghost Gate. Those who could manifest their own Ghost Gate, the ability to potentially destroy a nation, were even referred to as strategic power wielders. "So, this man is still unable to use the Ghost Gate Manifestation?" "Right, huh. Talk about Ghost Gate Manifestation, it''s uncertain if he''s even reached the Fundamental Vow. His training level is significantlycking." Gamlo added after another sip of her drink. "Thats what makes him more valuable. Imagine what kind of monster he''ll turn into once he''s fully grown. Aren''t you excited?" "He might be a monster like the tiger." "Even so, it can''t be helped. The movements of the Ghost Kings and Nobles have been unusualtely. This time, they might be aiming for the annihtion of humanity. We need talented individuals." The world needed more monsters. Monsters to counter those aiming to annihte humanity. "Lets see then. Who will be the wheat and who will be the chaff." "There''s no need to select. They''ll sort themselves out." With that, amotion started at the ticket booth. * * * What would happen if tickets to Heaven were sold on a firste, first-served basis? Even those who appear as paragons of virtue would cut in line to be at the front. That was why none of this madness surprised me. "Hey, move aside while I''m asking nicely." "Did you reserve this spot? You brat." The psychics I had encountered were more akin to scoundrels than saints. It seemed unlikely they''d foolishly wait for someone else to grab a ticket in a firste, first-served game. "I vow as the ck snake that spits paralyzing poison." "I vow as the de that reaps souls." "I vow as the floral priestess whomunes with flowers and vines." The subway ticket booth area began to descend into chaos. Watching the examinees film their Super Ghost Showdownsmade me sigh in resignation. My n for camaraderie was doomed from the start. I watched as the examinees charged at each other, ready to kill. "Boom-Boom?" How should I put it? It was like watching an action scene without CGI. The kids were striking poses, shooting palm sts, waving their hands, and making jumping evasions, but it looked far from cool. To my eyes, nothing was visible. Of course, I could see the waiting room floor being ripped up, pirs copsing, and dust falling down. But I couldn''t see the powers. Boom- A loud explosion sounded behind me. Startled, I turned around to find the wall behind me blown apart. "What? Did I hit the target?" A man, posed to shoot an energy wave, was looking at me. What? Did he attack me without me doing anything? "Once more!" Boom- This time, the stall behind me exploded. I was surprised by the scene, and that jerk was surprised too. "Ow" A piece of rock from the shattered stall hit near my eye. It stings. But that was the only pain I felt. "Huh? Huh." So, I see. I can''t see ghosts, but I''m also unaffected by anything rted to them. I''m only now realizing such a simple fact. They say even a worm had its skill at wriggling, and it turned out I had my own knack too. I clenched my fist and shouted. Imagination Breaker!!! I threw a righteous punch at the startled jerk, trying to attack me. He took the hit and copsed on the spot. ''Lucky me.'' It really was a stroke of luck. It could have been troublesome if my opponent had been one who defended with physical force. ''How about that punch from me, once called the strongest middle schooler on the ground?'' "That guy''s skilled, isn''t he?" "To knock down the foremost disciple of the Qi Cultivation Sect in one blow. He was quite strong." "I didn''t sense any abilities from him. Yet he''s this powerful?" Numerous gazes pierced me. Gazes from monsters who could shatter concrete walls with a mere flick of their hand. "Anyone who wants to fight,e at me first." I imitated the macho men I had seen. "I don''t back down from a fighting my way." Right now, I was a lone, powerful warrior. A beast who does not shy away from fights, a chewed-up manly man who won''t sumb to TS male!!! Wait, thatstparison was a bit ominous. It was always those who talk like that who ended up sumbing. "..." In any case, the well-off psychic silver spoons red at me for a while, but couldn''t withstand my gaze, hardened by street fights, and turned their heads away. Even the pink witchshaman girl, who had been taunting me, quickly turned her head away with a strange ''Peep!?'' sound when our eyes met. Then a group of men started attacking her. "We kill the Fengchu here." "You guys. Why, why...? It''s, it''s cowardly to gang up like this...!" And thus, Super Ghost ShowdownPart 2 began. . . . "Phew." Finally, I could catch my breath. Damn, that shard hitting near my eye earlier still hurts. I rubbed my eye and collected my thoughts. I couldn''t see ghosts. Therefore, I couldn''t see psychic powers either. Hence, I was unaffected by ghosts and their psychic abilities. However I was affected by the physical force generated by psychic powers. I wasn''t affected by the Qi Cultivation Sect''s energy wave attack, but I was affected by the debris from the shop destroyed by that energy wave. Whoosh- Bang- Boom- The floor of the subway station flipped, and steel bars sprung out. Honestly, I thought I was going to wet myself when those steel bars, sounding like a missile without an explosion, flew toward the opponent. If I had gotten mixed up in that show of these superhumans, I wouldn''t have had a bone left intact. So, I intentionally bluffed to appear strong. Otherwise, I would have ended up split in half by those steel bars. So, what now? I picked up a suitably heavy brick, pondering my next move. Come to think of it, havent I once smashed the head of a disciple of Cheonsu with a soju bottle? This should work. A brick was a more powerful item than a soju bottle. If a soju bottle was like Attack Power 3, then a brick was around Attack Power 6. Meaning it was so strong that I didn''t even need to use anything else in return. I would have to wait for the right moment to smash the head of the most bastard-like guy to ensure they wouldnt dare attack me recklessly. Why? Because psychics only bowed to those who were stronger than them. That was what my sister officially said: If I don''t show strength when the opportunity arises, I''ll definitely be attacked 120%ter. Moreover, if I didn''t want to be exposed as a powerless person who couldn''t see ghosts, I needed to package myself as a strong psychic. So, I waited for the right moment. And who would be the most deserving trash whose head could be smashed with less guilt? I saw a few candidates. There, a group beating up a girl who was not clearly visible. The girl struggled and knocked down a few men, but it seemed hopeless against the gang-up. And on the other hands, more and more people were starting to fall and get injured. A psychic, seemingly overexerting his power, suddenly started rapping something like Ive heard of the darkness shedding its physical form from far away... and ran down to the B4 esctor. And another psychic kept banging his head on the ground till it was soaked with blood, shouting I surrender. I surrender. Please stop!!! I surrender!!! until he copsed. Even those standing didnt look too good. Some psychics were even calmly closing their eyes and enjoying meditation. Doing other things amidst a fight. Isnt this totally MZ* behavior? Anyway, good. With the fight quieting down, I can move. Ahaha. nning to see it through? Scary. Look at the concentration of psychic energy. What kind of technique is he nning to use? Wait, whats that guy doing? Why is he entering that dangerous line? The other kids murmured something, but I ignored them and focused on the back of the heads of the men beating up a girl... Whack- Whack- I delivered a "Justice Block Backhead Hit." To borate for those not versed in psychic powers, it meant hitting the back of the head with a brick. The two men groaned and copsed. Good, this should make my power clear. I spoke up. "Isn''t it about time to stop fighting?" Because, well, I had used up all the bricks. But to avoid showing that, I extended my hand to the girl who was being beaten. I may be a battle fanatic, but it was time to put the fight aside to save the girl C at least that was the impression I wanted to give. But who was she, for these men to gang up on her like that? "Peep...?" The girl had pink hair, unforgettable once seen. Her usually defiant eyes were filled with tears, and her cheeks were slightly swollen. Her mboyant shaman outfit was torn and frayed, losing its purpose as clothing. The bruises on her visible skin revealed how severely she had been beaten. The pink-haired shaman girl, wiping her tears incredulously, asked, "Why, why? Why did you save me?" Indeed. Even I wasn''t sure why I saved her. If it weren''t for that bastard Cheonsu, I would never have gotten close to a psychicdy like her. But a true man doesn''t retract an extended hand. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: MZ: The MZ stands for ''MZ Generation'', which is in South Korea refers to abination of Millennials and Generation Z, typically including people born from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. ] Chapter 7: The Incredibly Powerful Super-rich Psychic Girl Gamlo gazed at the floor. Shattered pieces of ss and deep burgundy wine were scattered abstractly across the surface. It was unbelievable. Not that she had dropped the ss, but rather, the actions of the man known as Yoo Hajin were beyond belief. "Gamlo-nim. That man..." The instructor Gooju also appeared shocked. However, Gamlo was speechless. Initially, she had thought this: The man named Yoo Hajin was also exceptionally intelligent. ''He doesnt attack others unless attacked first. But if he is attacked, he returns the favor. A tit-for-tat strategy indeed.'' Yoo Hajin was acting out a ssic tit-for-tat strategy. In a chaotic situation like this, such a strategy could be highly effective. The students, who had umted enemies from the outside world, would not intentionally attack Yoo Hajin, increasing their number of enemies. Yoo Hajin''s strategy was to simply wait for them to exhaust themselves fighting each other. Of course,Yoo Hajin was just floundering to live without much thought, but Gamlo, Gooju, and the students had no way of knowing this. Admiring Yoo Hajins strategy, Gamlo smashed another bottle of wine. After all, watching a fight without alcohol was unthinkable. Thus, the battle began. There were groups trying to assassinate the pink hair girl, Fengchu, and youngsters enmeshed in age-old vendettas fighting life-and-death battles. All of it made for an intriguing fight. The battle was intense enough to reveal who were the mere straws and who were the true grains. And so, the battle''s intensity began to escte. ''In the end, the Fengchuwill lose. In terms of psychicpower, she''sparable to that tiger. But if she dies here, then perhaps she wasn''t such a talent after all.'' Watching the betrayed and trampled girl, Gamlo felt a certain way, but suppressed those emotions, knowing they were of no help in living as a psychic. The Ghost Lords, the worst and strongest evil spirits, and the most dreadful ghosts that could only be referred to as gods. Thinking of them, ripples formed in the wine in the ss. To defeat these Ghost Lords, one had to be a monster themselves. And sympathy was unnecessary for a monster. The stronger the spiritual power one was born with, the more one was swayed by the essence of their soul, bing cruel, emotional, obsessive, and harboring grudges for a long time. ''That''s the nature of the soul.'' Therefore, powerful psychicability users were destined to be monsters. So when Yoo Hajin, who appeared to be a strong psychic ability user, walked into the death zone where everyones special moves were ready, Gamlo couldn''t help but be shocked. ''Has he abandoned the tit-for-tat strategy? No, why has he suddenly walked into danger?'' Gamlo''s mind was filled with questions. Why would he do that? If those special moves were activated, Yoo Hajin would have to take care of dozens ofpetitors on his own.Why would he step into that fray, potentially stopping the activation of these moves, risking being hit himself? Of course, Yoo Hajin didnt know about this. Seeing the students gather strength for their special moves, he thought, ''Has the fight finally stopped?'' He couldnt see ghosts, so he couldnt see the special moves of psychic ability users either. But Gamlo and Gooju didn''t know this fact. Why would someone walk into the danger zone, where powers were clearly amassing, even when some were using life-shortening, extremely risky attacks? They could only think this way. "Could it be hes trying to prevent more casualties?" Gooju beside Gamlooffered this wrong answer, but Gamlo had no choice but to consider it the right one. At that moment, a surge of emotion welled up inside her. "No, but to throw oneself into the fray like that? He must be a monster like us." Confused by Goojus voice, Gamlo''s heart also wavered. As psychicability users grow stronger, they be monsters, alienated from humanity. And Yoo Hajin was considered a monster of a high level. Yet, he made such a sacrifice. A sacrifice even ordinary humans wouldnt make. "Is he, trying, to save that child?" Even when Yoo Hajin saved that girl, who had insulted him, a single tear, for reasons unknown even to herself, fell from Gamlos eyes. Along with it, her ss also fell. "What are these tears...?" Gamlo couldn''t pick up the ss. She had to wipe away her tears with her remaining hand. And the students standing at the Pyeon Station felt emotions simr to what Gamlo experienced. Some were moved by the events, others felt the same but forcibly suppressed their emotions. Someughed at Yoo Hajin, calling him a foolish easy target, while others found him to be an enigma, sparking their curiosity. Some liked Yoo Hajin, while others felt shame upon realizing what they had done. And there was the pink girl. Overwhelmed with various emotions, the girl looked up at the man who had saved her, and, unable to understand the feelings welling up inside, she let out a few more tears. "Peep..." At that moment, Yoo Hajin spoke. "Everyone line up and draw your tickets in turn. I''ll draw minest." He showed another act of self-sacrifice. Gamlo bit her lip, watching him. * * * Honestly, it was a rather absurd situation. Fighting over who gets to pick subway tickets first? Do these guys even know what a subway is? The subway has fixed arrival and departure times. So getting a ticket first doesnt mean you get to board first. I looked at the timetable next to the ticket office. Trains to Saengmun Station, trains heading towards Miryang. The departure times for these two trains were still a while off. This meant it didnt matter if these kids got their tickets first and headed to the B2 or B3 tforms. It was even better that way. The ones who went down first would deal with the evil spirits on the B2and B3tforms. Im too smart. A real genius. From now on, I should call myself Genius Hajin. Leaning against the wall, I watched the students buy their tickets. For some reason, they nodded at me before purchasing them. Why are they doing that? I had no idea. But their acknowledging expressions didnt feel bad. "Haa." Anyway, what now? It seemed like the first phase of the exam was wrapping up. But I hadn''t made any friends. So much for my project to befriend a superpowerful girl to protect me from Cheonsu. Bing a freeloader in a rich girl''s life was my lifelong dream. "Where could a strong, superpowerfulgirl be?" Lost in such thoughts, the ticket office cleared out. I approached the booth and banged on the window until the message to pay cash appeared. Machines always work better after a little beating. After paying and getting my subway ticket, that was it. The train to Miryangwas arriving first, so I headed down to the B3 tform. Blood stained the steps intermittently. Judging from my ability to see it, it must be real human blood. Honestly, this exam was insane. How many people were going to die here? Pyeon Station was a ce where even talented spiritual ability users could get hurt. Should I at least pretend to be scared here? But as soon as I considered feigning fear, an inexplicable anger surged within me. How dare this thing make me? "...?" Because of this strange anger, it was impossible. I guessed I had to give up on pretending to be scared. Shaking my head, I continued downwards. On the second underground floor, everyone seemed exhausted, waiting for the train. It seemed they had finally realized that getting a ticket didn''t mean they could board the train right away. Idiots. Haha. Iughed at them and went down one more floor. There were only a few people on B3 tform. To be precise, only the examiner who introduced himself as Gooju, and a woman who seemed to be his superior, apparently an alcoholic. The examiners were gossiping about me. That man, did he sense that the underground B3 tform train would arrive first? "No way. No matter how good his senses are, its unlikely he felt the train from another dimension. Maybe he saw the timetable?" "Thats even less likely. That ticket booth is tainted with evil, the remnants of malice. No one can recognize something contaminated by evil." "Then what exactly is that man..." What are they talking about? I couldn''t hear them well. Something about evil, it seemed. Psychic ability users often spout nonsense in Korean. Truly a bizarre talent. I wanted to stay quiet, so I sat a bit away from them. The train should be here in 10 minutes. Maybe I''ll just zone out. "Why did youe down to B3?" My zoning out was interrupted by a pink-haired shaman girl. Her lips were split, her hair disheveled, and her outfit was tattered, but she still looked pretty, thanks to her natural beauty. "Didn''t you read the manual? You can catch a train from B3 too." "But the trains from B3 are much less frequent than from B2. If we do this, well fail the exam!" The timetable did show that. But right now, at this time, the train to Miryangfrom B3 wasing sooner. "It doesn''t matter what others say or do." "Peep?" pping her hands, she really resembled a chick. Was her name Fengchu? Meaning Phoenixs chick? If she got such a nickname, it meant this girl was definitely a monster-like supernatural being too. I should probably just brush her off. "Do you have something you want to say to me?" "I heard you earlier." "Heard what?" The pink-haired shaman chickpointed at herself and said, "I know you were looking for a strong, rich, superpowerful girl. Well, here I am." Hearing her words, I thought to myself. Is this girl crazy? Chapter 8: Regret The pink chick, iming to be an incredibly powerful, wealthy, superpowered girl, appeared. The chick said, "My soul takes the form of a young phoenix." "And?" I asked. "It means my potential is immense. When I grow up, I''ll be a phoenix!" "So you''re weak now? Then, I''ll return the words you said to me." What did this chick say again? Ah, right, it said, "Know your ce, weak and insignificant chick." "I don''t think I said it quite like that..." "?" I quietly observed the pink chick. "I''m sorry. I guess I don''t have the right to say anything..." Did she finally notice my antagonistic attitude? The chick turned away slightly and spoke, "I, I''m also the granddaughter of the head of the Seonghwa Jin Family. It''s embarrassing to say, but you could call me a ''silver spoon.''" "Oh? How much is your grandfather''s wealth?" Well, a suitable financialpensation might just heal the wounds her insolent words have caused to my heart. "What?! You don''t know the Seonghwa Jin Family?" "I really don''t." "It''s a powerful family, not to be taken lightly, even by the Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect." Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect? That sounds familiar. Right. The neighbor used to talk about it often. "Hajin, you''re the only one who can take over the head position of Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect." "Don''t you want to inherit the essence of Ilwol-Oak?" "You should be the next head of Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect." "Do you know about Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect...?" They kept asking if I wanted to take over Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect, saying I was the only suitable sessor. I remembered being annoyed by their persistence. But I never thought Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect was a real organization. Ah, I didn''t see iting. That uncle was just a copycat. Pretending not to know about spiritual abilities, what a scam. I just lost interest in spiritual abilities, that was all. "Is that Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect strong?" "Of course. They''re not just the top in Korea but also considered the top in East Asia. There are people in this world who dont even know what it is, but I never thought you''d be one of them." "Isn''t the top in Korea Cheonji?" "How should I put it... Cheonji is like the government, and Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect is the most powerful private organization..." I understood it in a sh. So, Cheonji represents South Korea, and Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect is like the top chaebol? This chick exins things well. "Now arriving is the train to Miryang. We ask that passengers please step back from the train." "Huh?!" The train arrived just in time. Ignoring the startled chick, I got up from my seat. "It''s too early for the train to Miryangto arrive, isnt it?" "How did you know that trains to Miryangare infrequent?" Judging by the way she spoke, she didnt seem to know the schedule. "My family told me." I was momentarily at a loss for words. A family that knows detailed information about Pyeon Station. Could this chick really be from a silver spoon background? So, the chick and I boarded the train heading towards Miryang. As I sat down, the chick naturally took the seat opposite me. "Is your family really that great?" "Well, speaking of my family..." Pride overflowed in the chicks expression. Right, that''s what I thought. I decided to finish my objective before her exnation got too lengthy. "So, including the cost of my insult and saving your life, can you take down someone for me?" "Do you mean to bring about their downfall?" "Yes." The chick hesitated before responding. "It would be difficult for anyone stronger than a Heavenly Immortal. A lot of the times, such strong figures have followers." "Do you know about Cheonsu of Hongdae, the ''Little Tyrant''?" "Cheonsu? I''ve heard of him." The chick said, "He''s said to be a Divine Hand of the Earth Immortal level, having received a divine blessing rted to hands. I think he runs a club in Hongdae." "Can you take him down?" ''What will be the response? Can Cheonsube taken down in exchange for the chick''s life value? I sincerely hope so.'' "I''ll look into it." "Are you serious?" "I am to be the next head of the Seonghwa Jin Family; I always repay my debts." With a unt, the chick struck a pose of arrogance. Does she not realize how funny it looked, trying to act superior after being beaten? Reluctantly, I decided to ''invest'' in this ''chick coin.'' After all, this pink shaman chick seemed to be my only shot at sess in my student-and-friends n. Suddenly, something unfolded outside the subway window. It was a sea of a very dark and sticky liquid. A liquid I had once handled. Its odd texture made me think I could make some money selling it as a slime toy to kids. "Peep!" However, judging by the chick, who looked slightly older than Jamsuni''sstartled reaction, cowering with her head down, it seemed unlikely to sell well. Now that I think about it, kids really hated that liquid. "Why do you keep chirping? Do you think you''re a real chick just because you''re called ''Fengchu''?" Th-this is something I cant help. The form of my soul is a chick. The form of your soul? Like a divine sign? The chick looked at me incredulously. "You don''t know the three major types of psychicability users?" "Due to personal reasons, I''ve avoided learning about psychicabilities." "There are Soulpsychics, who evolve their spirit bodies; Spell Psychics, who use spells centered around the principles engraved in their souls; and Shaman Psychics, who handle other souls resonating with their own. That''s the ssification. Of course, if you didnt attend a spiritual ability academy run by a family house, you might not know. Most people have some minor spiritual abilities anyway." Interesting. I should have researched this sooner. I followed my sister''s advice too well, not to inquire about other spiritual ability users. I gestured for the chick to continue. "So, as a Soul Psychic, I''m heavily influenced by the instincts of my spirit body. It''s inevitable for a chick to chirp, right? I don''t want to chirpeither!" "That makes sense. Other than chirping, a chick would have no other instincts. The reason you picked a fight with me was just your nasty personality." "Ugh. I was abrasive to avoid the chicks imprinting instinct..." Suddenly, the chick slumped down and started crying. Imprinting instinct, what''s that? "Peep, it''s already toote, I think." "What''s wrong? Are you hurt?" "Don''t talk to me so kindly..." She was causing a scene even though I was already on the chicks side. But since I''ve already invested in ''chick coin'', I had to provide some care. So, I decided to change the topic. "Why were you so terrified looking outside the subway?" "Why aren''t you afraid?" The chick whined. "Thats Miryangckwater, the ultimate negativity. It erodes the soul and corrupts it. Souls feel fear from it." "Negativity? I think I''ve heard of that. It''s like being tainted, right?" "Negativity is the opposite of the divine in our souls. Its inherent in our physical bodies. Every act of our physical existence taints us with negativity." I see. Our physical bodies are impure. Only the soul is pure. But why am I unaffected by that ck slime-like liquid? Maybe because I''m so tainted I can''t even see ghosts, it doesn''t matter to me. Adding negativity to negativity C is that how it works? "Those who beat you up. Did you know them?" "They were talents trained by our family. All of them had trained with me for years. It seems like one of the family elders tried to deal with me. Ha, as if I''d let them. Foolish, tainted people...!" The chick''s voice trembled. So this is what it feels like to hear pain in someone''s voice. I wrapped my coat around the shivering chick. Thinking about it, she''s a girl too. I shouldn''t have let her wander around in tattered clothes. Of course, I offered my coat because of my investment in ''chick coin.'' Otherwise, I would havepletely ignored her, girl or not, for picking a fight with me. "Why did you follow me?" "because of a chicks instinct." "Really? What a strange chick you are." After covering her with my coat, I was about to return to my seat when a small hand tightly grasped my sleeve. "I''m not a vulgar woman. I''m not someone who casually allows others to do things. You understand?" she said. "I get it, it''s all because of the chick in your heart, right?" Holding the girl, memories pricked my mind like needles, rolling around, each one a sharp stab. It was a snowy day. My youngersister had clung to me in the same way. ''Oppa, don''t go.'' And I had coldly pushed her away. I shouldnt have. I never wanted to do that again. So, I naturally sat down next to the girl. She then snuggled her head against my shoulder, peeping softly, and fell asleep. The girl''s face looked peaceful in sleep. I tried hard to find traces of my sister in her face. But I couldn''t find her likeness. That made me a bit sad. "Damn it." I sighed. "This station is Geumjeong, Geumjeong Station. The doors are on your left. This station is Geumjeong, Geumjeong Station. The doors are on your left." And like that, we escaped from Pyeon Station. Chapter 9: End of the First Exam Stepping off the subway, I was greeted by a sunset-drenched sky. How quickly time had passed. Looking around, I noticed there were people nearby. But these weren''t ordinary citizens. Their attire, intense gazes, and the peculiar objects they carried hinted they were all psychics, likely connected to the Cheonjior the examinees. "Gooju-nim, send someone to Saengmun Station. Arrange the rankings for those who exit, starting from third ce downward." "Have the first and second ces already been decided?" A woman, who had been drinking wine as if it were water, looked at me and a chick beside me, asking. "Who disembarkedfirst?" Who disembarked first? I couldn''t quite remember. I certainly didn''t want to draw unwanted attention from the psychicsby being ranked first. "This one here." "Cheep?!" "Indeed, you are... Hah, yes." The woman, who I presumed to be an alcoholic, shed a sly smile and turned to the chick beside me. "It''smon knowledge, but I''ll exin anyway. The one who tops the first exam of the Cheonjireceives special privileges." What? There are special privileges foring first in the exam? Why didn''t they tell us this sooner?! But it was toote to catch a ship that had already sailed. "You are truly remarkable. Do you wish for ''congrattions''? Do you wish for ''blessings''? Do you wish for ''prosperity''?" "If I may be so bold, I wish for congrattions." "Congrattions." The woman, presumably suffering from alcohol addiction, spoke up. "The term ''Chug [?]'' (Zh [ף]) refers to praying or wishing for something in front of an altar. Then what determines what you wish and pray for? It''s the word that follows, ''Ha [?]'' (H [R])." She continued. "...''Ha [?]'' (H [R])bines the character for ''shell'' used in trading with ''Ga [?]'' (Ji []), meaning ''to add''. Thus, ''Chugha [??]''(congrattions) can simply be interpreted as a prayer or wish to increase wealth." "Are you saying you''ll give money?" Could the first prize really be money? In a world where it was all about money, money, money. Did I just miss my chance to be rich? "Hehe. You''re such an interesting child. It''s not like we would give something as mundane as money. Our cultivators'' treasures are not judged by their mary value." I sighed inwardly. That was a relief. It felt like the pain had lessened. "Since you wished for ''congrattions'', I shall bestow them. ept it." "I gratefully ept, ma''am." The alcoholic woman handed over to the chick something resembling marbles used in ying marbles. The chick, unable to hide its joy, tightly clutched it as if it were precious. "This is a Golden Elixir made by the alchemist Gooju-nim, a spell bead. Once broken, you can use Gooju-nim''s spell once. Gooju-nim, can you exin your spell to the top scorer?" "It was originally made for that purpose." "Alright then." The alcoholic woman took out something that looked like a small ckboard from her bosom. Then, she began to write something on it with white chalk. "O esteemed recipient. You know what this item is, right?" "Yes, I''ve heard it''s used to convey confidential information that must not be disclosed to others." "The principle of this item is simple. It''s inspired by how demons corrupt manuals, pictures, and texts in the mortal world." Having finished writing on the ckboard, Gooju took it and slightly lifted it for everyone to see. "Using this board, you can corrupt the text so that it is visible only to the intended recipient, like this." I gazed at the ckboard. Written on it was this: So that was his ability. He makes his ownws and meets out punishments. That was utterly overpowered. But then, why could I see the writing on this ckboard so clearly? Could it be that I''ve been permitted to see it? "Yoo Hahjin, no matter how hard you stare, you can''t see the contents of this ckboard. No matter how powerful your spiritual energy is, thews of the soul are unchangeable." From the words of the alcoholic woman, it seemed I was wrong. It looked like the text was made invisible by something like a ghost or spiritual energy. But since I can''t see ghosts, maybe I can see the writing obscured by them. It''s probably not a good idea to reveal this fact. So, I changed the subject. "How do you know my name?" "Oh, haven''t we introduced ourselves yet? I am Gamlo. And you are Yoo Hahjin, right? Yes, that settles it." Is this Cheonji''s way of introduction? Lost for words, I looked up at the sky. "Everyone, got it?" "Yes, we understand." "We mustn''t recklessly divulge others'' abilities. There are many gifted individuals in this world, some even with the ability to read the memories of space itself. That''s why we use this item, ''Heuksulmyeong''." "I understand." "It''s easy to use and powerful. If sold, it would easily surpass a billion. Use it wisely." Hearing this, I copsed. More precisely, I clutched my stomach, writhing in pain. "Why, what''s wrong?" "Cheep?!" My stomach, it hurts so much. Darn it!!! Why is nothing going right!!! Why!!! Even after all that hard work!!! I haven''t even managed to save up a million won in my bank ount!!! Give me back my billion!!! Oh heavens!!! * * * I reached out toward the sky, but it remained indifferent, slowly darkening. I never really expected anything from the sky anyway. The world is inherently unfair, after all. Still, I couldn''t shake off the gloom. When feeling down, it''s best to think positive thoughts. At least the issue regarding Cheonsu was resolved. This chick said it would handle it. Plus, the pink chick had secured either a gold or silver elixir, which would surely boost her value. As I was basking in my mental victory, the chick spoke to me. "Um, you''re Yoo Hahjin, right?" "Yes." "Aren''t you curious about my name?" Right, I needed to get the chick''s name and phone number to rify our contract. That way, I could hold her ountableter. "What''s your real name?" "Jinari. Not just a chick." "So, shall we exchange phone numbers then?" "Cheep, a phone number. A man''s..." Jinari suddenly hung her head. What''s with this reaction? And so, we finished exchanging phone numbers. "See you at the next exam. Make sure to be there." "Yeah, sure." Though I said that, I had no intention of participating in the next exam. Considering how today''s exam unfolded, I couldn''t even guess how many had died. The blood-soaked subway floor, people losing their minds, and the indifferent examiners watching over it all. It was no different from Futaba Park, marked with three skulls. Not participating in such exams is the wise choice. I had no desire to die taking such absurd tests. Now that the Cheonsu issue was resolved, my exam was over. As I was about to leave the subway station, I noticed some suspicious charactersmunicating with a ckboard. Oh, Fengchu, they are talking about that chick, arent they? They''re nning to assassinate it during the second exam. The value of Chick coin is plummeting... No, it''s not just plummeting; it''s delisting! If the chick is assassinated, there will be no one left to handle Cheonsu. And though it might sound foolish, I didn''t want to leave the chick to die. I know we''ve only met for a day, and our meeting wasn''t exactly pleasant. But still... I let out a sigh naturally. "Phew." I''ll go home and think about this. * * * The second exam is said to take ce in the former DMZ in northern Gyeonggi Province. After North Korea''s downfall at the hands of evil spirits, the old DMZ has reportedly be a realherworld. Even ProfessorWiki didn''t know much about it. There was plenty of information about the DMZ before the ''Day of Awakening,'' but very little about it after that day. It''s just described as a hellish ce. A hell on earth with a survival rate of 1%. That''s all the exnation there was. However, there were plenty of research papers from the South Korean Bureau of Paranormal Phenomena, memoirs of those who''d ventured into the DMZ and managed to escape, and information on the types of evil spirits frequently encountered there. There was so much data it was hard to determine what was crucial. "Jamsuniwould know about this stuff." Jamsuni, with her inte ghost-like manner of speaking, was well-versed in such information. It was Jamsuniwho had told me about the broken spirit gate being a paranormal phenomenon. Alright. I''ll ask Jamsuniabout the DMZ. With that thought, I was about to enter my officetel. "Where have you been today?" But I couldn''t go in. Jamsuni was blocking my way. "You won''t believe where I''ve been." "It''s Pyeon Station, isn''t it?" Jamsuni''s expression turned icy as she spoke. Yikes, how did she know? But I wasn''t too surprised. Jamsuni, despite her bluster, had something akin to spiritual abilities. "Ah, this is so annoying. Which bitch put her spiritual energy on my stuff? Seriously want to kill her. Damn it." "Don''t, don''t use such harsh words." Jamsuni hurriedly covered her head as I slightly raised my hand. I found her reaction cute, so I shook my head and stroked her hair. "Don''t treat me like a child." Despite her protest, I found it amusing how her expression softened. Chapter 10: Young Jamsunis Melancholy After consoling Jamsuni with a pat on the head, I entered my room. As if it was the most natural thing in the world, Jamsuni followed me in. Want some dinner? Yeah. Tonight''s dinner was spicy pork stir-fry made with pork trotters. Trotters tend to get tough and vorless when they cool down, but they''re almost indistinguishable from regr cuts when eaten right away. At least that''s how I like it. I ced the stir-fry over rice to make a spicy pork rice bowl and took out some kimchi. Ah, this is like a silver spoon dinner. right? Spicy pork again? What do you mean by again? Is it spicy pork stir-fry again? Geez,ining about a free meal... Jamsuni... talking back?! Get out. No! I dont wanna! But Jamsuni started to resist my forceful eviction, rolling around. As I said before, trotters get tough when they cool. So we needed to eat quickly. Then shut up and eat fast!!! Ack!!! Thank you, Mr. Yoo Hajin!!! Only after kicking up a fuss did Jamsuni and I start eating. Munch munch- Jamsuni inhaled the spicy pork stir-fry and said, Why did you go to Pyeon Station? Its a crappy ce with weird phenomena, nothing worth getting. Oh, did you have to visit another dimension? Another dimension? Yeah, some trains there connect to hell or even worse ces. I used to go there with Uncle Park Il when we needed certain items. More nonsense. I need to tell Uncle to stop indulging this kids wild stories. Seems like her teenage fantasies are getting worse. I went for the first round of the Cheonjitests. The Cheonjifirst round? Why? Jamsuni was so surprised she dropped her spoon. I pondered how to exin this. I absolutely couldnt reveal that I cant see ghosts. Its not that I dont trust Jamsuni. Its that I dont trust this world. So, my exnation became vague. I had to keep it secret that I was involved with Cheonsu, knowing Jamsuni would likely boast about beating them. Given Cheonsu''s psychopathic tendencies, filming snuff regardless of age or gender, Id feel horribly guilty if Jamsuni got caught by them and something bad happened. The fact that I cant see ghosts must be kept a secret for life. So, I just vaguely mentioned getting a lot of help from a kid called Fengchu to pass the test. Fengchu? Youre talking nonsense. It wasnt her helping you; you were the one helping her. She keeps boasting about bing a tiger-ss, as if its that easy. This sharp little kid. How did she figure that out? Suddenly, Jamsuni''s expression turned cold. I guess theres no choice. Its a death sentence. What nonsense is a death sentence now. Thunk - I unintentionally gave Jamsuni a flick on the forehead. "Ouchhh!" "Oh, dear." "The head of the mightiest genius, even beyond gods, is in pain!" In a moment, Jamsuni''s expression became so beautifully cruel that I flicked her without thinking. This kid, when she grows up, she''s going to be a fearsome woman in many ways. "That''s why I told you not to use badnguage." Darn it. I learned that when raising a golden child, one should avoid violence as much as possible. But this kid isn''t an average golden child; normal rules don''t apply to her. "So, what''s your reason for wanting to join Cheonji? The only useful ones in Cheonji are the chief, the tiger, and the bastard child of Uga, right?" The bastard child of Uga? That has a nice ring to it. Now, what to say. "My goal is obviously employment." I casually mentioned that my goal was employment. Joining Cheonji, apany worthy of a triple-emphasis on greatness, where one would need to p thebined faculties of medicine,w, and business seventy-seven times, then finish with a pile driver and body m, was the aim of every psychic job seeker. "Employment? That''s funny. You just want to be part of a group, to belong to society." Is she suggesting I continue being unemployed? Faced with Jamsuni''s serious expression, I had no choice but to give a serious answer. "Yes. I want to belong somewhere too. No one can live alone, and you can''t run away from society forever." "No. People can live... alone..." Jamsuni mumbled with tears welling up in her eyes. "...Not possible. You''re right. That''s true." "Hey. Why are you crying?" "F*ck!!! I hate you!!!" Suddenly, Jamsuni sprang up, flicked me off, and ran away in a hurry. Only the empty bowl of spicy pork rice was left on the table. "She could have at least left it in the sink. That golden child, I swear." I shook my head. * * * To some, she was the one of the three Honored One, to others, the Mistress of Annihtion, and to some, simply known as Kim Sojin- the girly on the floor, silently shedding tears. "Are you going to leave after turning me into this impure being? If you made me this way, you should take responsibility to the end." Her silent wails made all the surrounding spirits hold their tongues. She was one of the three Honored One who defeated the invading Ghos king ''Gwizon'' in Seoul. In the eyes of these spirits, she was almost akin to a walking deity. "I never needed warmth, someone to cook for me, the anticipation of waiting for someone... nothing at all." A being that desired neither warmth, love from family, nor anything from others. A being who walked the world in pure innocence, untainted by even a hint of corruption. That was who she was. The child whose soul was engraved with the ''Principle of the Soul.'' The child who, therefore, was sold by her parents at a high price to the n alliance as a strategic weapon. That was who she was. The child who was deployed as a strategic weapon to self-destruct when the Gwizon, having devoured North Korea, descended to destroy South Korea. And the child who eventually annihted the Gwizonand became feared as a three Honored One. That was who she was. The child who sealed herself and destroyed her ego to be a weapon, then annihted those who tried to do so, umting numerous grudges and erasing them with violence. That was who she was. Living thus, she had never once desired someone. She lived a life pure of desire, cruel, obsessive, venting her spite, as a soul itself. But she came to want something. She came to desire something impure. "...Yet, I don''t want to lose this warmth." One of the three Honored One, the immortal, muttered to herself. "A warmth that I can trust, I never want to lose it..." The immortal Kim Sojin murmured, hugging herself. And lying there, she reminisced about the first time she met that man. A year ago. It was a day when the rain drizzled down. * * * That day was marked by a drizzling rain. Like any other day, it was also ordinary in the sense that Kim Sojin was disposing of assassins sent by the n alliance and eliminating the low spirits attracted to the corpse of Gwizon. In Seoul today, countless people were born and died. To Sojin, who knew where souls came from and where they went, this was an unremarkable scene. Just like the rain falling now. Human lives fell without reason, gathering and flowing towards one ce, only to fall againter. That''s why Sojin felt no emotion towards the assassin she killed. Nor did she expect to feel anything for the man approaching the corpse of Gwizon. "He''s not an assassin." He was just an ordinary man, without any discernible abilities. His soul was that of a regr human. He wasnt a Soul psychic, which meant he had no special principles in his soul. He wasnt a shaman psychic either. His soul didnt resonate with anything. He wasnt a Spell psychic. The only remarkable thing about him was his face. Everything else was mediocre. "Strange." It was all the more unusual. Normally, an ordinary person without psychic abilities, influenced by the corpse of Gwizon, would use nearby objects tomit suicide. It was their souls way of forcefully controlling their body to escape the Gwizons demoralizing aura. But the man seemed fine. This meant he was no ordinary person. Kim Sojin felt intrigued and jumped down from 60 meters above. Of course, she was fine. In fact, when Kim Sojinnded, the ground didnt even dent, nor was there anymotion. Shended as lightly as a feather. Kim Sojin naturally appeared in front of the man. Hey, you. Huh? Do you live around here? This was how Jamsuni and Yoo Hajin met. . . . Jamsuni was speechless upon meeting Yoo Hajin, who treated her like a child upon their first encounter. Do you know where Louisville is? It seems to be nearby, but its not showing up clearly on the Naver map. Louisville. The site where the Gwizonwas assassinated and where the three Honored One currently resided. It was also a special-grade phenomenon that even the strongest psychics couldn''t withstand for more than a few minutes. If you go there, youll die. Really? But if I dont go there, Ill just freeze to death outside. Help me out. Kim Sojins expression turned cold. This man seemed to have no special abilities, no matter how she looked at him. Going to Louisvillewould be a certain death for him, 120% sure. Even Kim Sojin, who normally wouldn''t want to clean up the corpse of a stranger without a grudge in her own neighborhood, had her limits. ''I need to scare him a bit.'' Kim Sojin began to activate the principle engraved in her soul. The Principle of the Soul. It was an overwhelmingly powerful principle that could control and subjugate the soul itself. "Spirit Energy, release to Valha." She directed the energy of a Grade 2 evil spirit she had eliminated before towards the man. This should have been enough to make him wet his pants and flee in utter panic, a preferable oue to turning him into a wreck. "Valha? Ah, you know about the Gods of War, Ragnarok." But the man was fine. And Kim Sojin was flustered. ''A Grade 2 evil spirit doesnt affect him? Then, even though it might turn him into a wreck, I have no choice but to use the energy of a Grade 1 evil spirit. It''s still better than death.'' Kim Sojin steadied herself. Then she murmured again. "Valha." But the man was still fine. And what was more ridiculous was that he was looking at her as if she were pathetic. "This is, what, like, a teenage fantasy? Nowadays, with people actually summoning ck me Dragons, having a teenage fantasy isnt that strange." Then suddenly, the man stroked her head. ''All my defensive spells are broken?!'' The man, who had just stroked the bewildered Sojin''s head, asked again. "Hey Jamsuni. Is that building Louisville?" "It''s Louisville." The girl, addressed as Jamsuni, made a dumbfounded face and shook her head. Chapter 11: Louisville I gazed up at the small officetel, pondering. So, this is where Lauis... no, Louisville is. Having dropped out of high school and left the facility, I was on my own. With little money, I sought the cheapest lodging I could find. I thought goshiwons* were the cheapest option. But who would have thought an officetel would be the most affordable? Just 600,000 won for a 12-month lease, including utilities, it was such a steal I immediately rushed to the real estate office and signed the contract. The contract had odd uses like No cancetion even if evil spirits appear and No contract termination once signed, but I didnt care. Legally, there was nothing wrong with the contract. Probably haunted. Otherwise, why would an officetel in Seoul be this cheap? But it was a non-issue for me. What does it matter if I cant see ghosts? Id rather have a powerful spirit around so I could actually experience what a ghost is. And to avoid getting caught for not seeing ghosts, a cheap ce was ideal. People living here werent likely to be strong psychics. Those Rich folks wouldnt live in a ce like this. And so, I entered Louisville. Right away, I encountered an old man. Who might you be? You dont seem like youre from Ilwol-Oakmoon sect. Me? Oh, hello. Im Yoo Hahjin, just moved in today. As a struggling neer, I cant offer much, but heres a trash bag... A trash bag? The old man looked at the trash bag with a nk expression. Perhaps it wasnt such a bad idea to give a bundle of trash bagsto the neighbor as a gift. Then, as I climbed the stairs, I heard the sound of someone kicking the door. A woman wearing a slightly oversized suit was staring at me, mumbling to herself. Im curious about you. Huh? I have a curious question! That woman, she seemed off, like a young person possessed by a ghost. Probably abandoned by her parents or from a poor background, unable to afford a shaman. Then, like me, dumped into a cheap officetel to fend for herself. She looked neglected and pitiable. Yet, with her natural beauty, she managed to create a unique charm despite her circumstances. The old man hastily advised. Ah, that girl is Nayu. Be careful with what she says. It could be dangerous without special skills. Shes a shaman of the sky itself... Oh, I get it. A pitiable sad story. Probably abandoned because no shaman could help, or her family couldnt afford one. Predictable. Uh, huh? You think shes pitiable? Yes, she is. Nayu feels pitiful! Did you say Nayu? It seemed pointless to give her a regr trash bag, so I decided to offer something else. I had intended to eat this as a snack after moving in, but oh well. I handed Nayu a pack of choctes. Nayu chocte, cho-cote. Nayu muttered as she held the pack of choctes. Nayu polite thank you. No need to be so formal. Wait, you understand what this child is saying? Im still barely getting it. The old man asked in astonishment. Yes, somewhat. Her way of speaking is a bit odd, though. Nayu shocked exmation! No need to be shocked. Having conversed with the neighbors, I arrived at my room, 302. This roughly eight-pyeong* officetel was now my castle. Just as I was about to unpack... Hey, you! A spirited young girl charged at me, wagging her finger. So, she was a resident here too, maybe like a daughter to the old man I met today. Tsk, I wont use a curse on someone like you. Im leaving. She formed hand signs like the ninjas in Naruto. The way she did it was quite stylish, almost like a theatre actor. Principle activation. Eternal Blossom Technique! Of course, nothing happened. How should I react to this? Ah, howe? Principle activation. Soul Submission Technique! She changed the hand signs and shouted something else. Again, nothing happened. I needed to show some reaction. Why, why is this... Then, Yin-Yang Reversal. Enlightenment Tower. Argh, Im hit. Did, did I defeat you? I pretended to fall, acting defeated. The girl, who looked about middle school age, burst into a bright smile and jumped for joy. Seeing her so happy was actually pretty cute. This must be why people enjoy ying with kids. Thats it. The Yin-Yang Reversal worked! Cough. Defeated, you say? Jamsuni, talking like that could bring the dead back to attack you. What, what? Jamsuni looked at me in shock. She really gets into ying, wholeheartedly. I never thought Id be cornered like this. Suddenly, Jamsunis expression turned serene. Honestly, I was now quite intrigued to see what kind of performance she would put on. She made hand signs again, like a ninja. Spirit Gate Opening. Paradise... Hold on, Sojin! Are you nning to see this through with no grudge at all?! And so, Jamsunis performance ended with the old mans intervention. She huffed and turned to look at him. Dont interfere! Do you have some grudge against this man? nning to unleash your arts without reason and bring chaos to the world again? Ha, as if I had no reason. You talk of honor and justice, yet show cowardice. Thats thest thing I want to hear from you. ... Watching their exchange, it was clear. They werent family. Looking around the officetel, it seemed there were only three residents: Jamsuni, the old man, and the crazy woman. That meant Jamsuni was also an abandoned child. What a world we live in. I said with a smile. Old man, dont be too hard on her. ying with Jamsuni was actually fun. What? You find her attacks amusing? Jamsuni, it seems you dont go to school. Come hang out tomorrow. Ill show you something fun. What, what? The old man and Jamsuni looked bewildered. And me, wondering what to have for dinner. Thats how another day in Louisvillepassed. * * * Park Il, the leader of Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect and a formidable figure with the soul of the sun itself, sighed after downing tequ. In his hand was a trash bag given by Yoo Hajin. What on earth is that guy? Yoo Hajin had given him a trash bag. Park Il couldnt help but ponder the meaning behind it. Hes definitely no ordinary man. The answer was clear. The corrupt executives of Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect. The trash bag symbolized the sects trash, and he, their leader, was being tasked to clean them up. Among them were his own children. Park Il grimaced, clutching the trash bag. The bag had nowpletely burnt to ash. It was a provocative statement. Daring to instruct a father to deal with his own children. Such words were directed at him, one of the three supreme beings who had eliminated the Gwizon* spirits. Despite his anger, Park Il acknowledged the man. After all, Park Il had lived his life pursuing honor and justice, growing his small me of a soul into the sun itself. No, honestly, Im impressed. The audacity to stand up for ones own justice. Park Il admired that courage. He also had to acknowledge the mans ability to understand Nayus words and effortlessly withstand the attack of a spirit. Park Il decided to keep an eye on this man. * * * The girl who was called Jamsuni today stood under the sky, watching someone. They were assassins, ready toy down their lives to take hers. Lightly - Kim Sojinnded softly on the grass. The startled assassins shouted. Prepare for battle! The witch has descended! Everyone, swear your vows to enhance your powers! A vow, a solemn promise sworn on ones soul. Swearing a vow could bring about restrictions like the Geas in Celtic mythology, but it also drew out greater strength. However, Kim Sojin was not so weak as to need to swear vows against such adversaries. Yet, Kim Sojin waited for her enemies toplete their vows. Then the battle began. Principle activation. Eternal Lotus Dew. A soul psychics inbat uses one of three methods. First, summoning strong controlled spirits to attack the opponent. Eternal Lotus Dew was such a technique. It summoned the collective spirits of the lotuses she had gathered, creating an eternal lotus. The dew formed on this lotus was irresistibly sweet to the soul. Damn it. The spirit bodies are losing control! Thats the technique of Heavenly Nectar! The spirit bodies, driven by instinct, drank the dew, and thus their souls were bound to Kim Sojin. The spirit bodies, nowpletely berserk, started attacking their ownrades. Damn! Why is that witch using the Nectar Technique?! It was merely a mimicry of the Nectar Technique. But those men were unaware of this fact. A few spirit bodies who resisted the temptation, along with spellcasters wielding the principles of closebat and martial arts, started charging at Kim Sojin. Kim Sojin was just a girl. It was certain shed be weak in closebat. However, Kim Sojin, unfazed, demonstrated the second method ofbat for a soul psychic. Principle activation. Soul Cirction Array. The second method: attacking the opponents soul directly. A user of soul principles wields greater control over souls closer to their own. Thus, they could extract a living soul to use as their own power or take it prisoner. Those spirit psychics who attempted closebat lost their souls in the process. Good. Begin! With thatmand, long-range attacks started flying in. It seemed like the senior disciples or elders of the Qi practitioners had arrived. Kim Sojin smirked and muttered. Yin-Yang Reversal, Buddhas Bell Tower. Every soul isposed of Yin and Yang spirits. However, most spirit psychics can only harness abilities belonging to the Yang essence. But a rare few monsters, who had reached the extreme, could also use abilities from the Yin essence of the soul. Just as Park Il, who had the soul of the sun, used Yin-Yang Reversal to wield the moons power, and Nayu, a shaman resonating with the sky, could resonate with the earth, Kim Sojin, a highly adept psychic, could also reverse her own principles. This was Yin-Yang Reversal. And this was the third method. Only the soul could hear the loud ringing of a bell, and all attacks directed at Kim Sojin were reversed. The nature of all iing spiritual forces was inverted. And those attacks rained down on the sorcerers and shamans. Hit by their own spells and techniques, they perished, their souls obliterated without even bing wandering spirits. A force capable of annihting an entire sect. That force was annihted in less than 10 minutes. Kim Sojin looked at the only survivor. Polluted Oil Technique." The Polluted Oil Technique. It summons impurity and coats the body with it. Impurity is shunned by all souls, so coating oneself in it can defend against anothers spirit abilities. Of course, one cannot use their own abilities until the impurity is removed. And... Coating yourself in impurity weakens the soul and diminishes power. But Ive survived the longest, havent I? Its bearable to this extent. Thats brave. Kim Sojin acknowledged this man. To survive, he had dared to coat himself in that fearsome impurity. So she muttered, Then Ill show you my ultimate technique. Kim Sojin formed a hand sign. And shouted, Spirit Gate Opening, Paradise Pce Gate. The surviving man, watching the spirit gate open behind the girl, thought there was no way to defeat her. This fight was foolish from the start. Thus, the 20-minute battle ended. After the battle, Kim Sojin thought, That man told me toe back tomorrow. ''Ill make sure to win tomorrow.'' With that resolve, Kim Sojin ascended into the sky. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Goshiwons: Goshiwons are small, affordable living spaces in South Korea, simr to tiny dorm rooms, typically used by students. They offer basic amenities and shared facilities, ideal for budget-conscious individuals. Pyeong: Pyeong is a traditional Korean unit of area measurement, often used in real estate to describe the size of rooms or buildings. Gwizon: Gwizon actually means noble or honoured one. It is a respectful form of address typically used in formal or official contexts. But here it is used as name for the level of the spirit.] Chapter 12: A Trustworthy Warmth (1) In the Louisville apartmentplex, which somehow feels like a ce where zombies might appear, there are several advantages. First, there are hardly any neighbors, so no worries about noiseints. Second, the electricity and water supply are exceptionally good. And third... well, Im not quite sure yet. There must be more perks, but I havent discovered them all yet. The important thing, however, is that electricity and water are free here. I managed to negotiate the rent for this ce at 600,000 won for the year, including maintenance fees. If electricity is free, what should I do? Obviously, its time for cryptocurrency mining. If only I had mining equipment, I couldve started my own rags-to-riches crypto tale post-divorce. But, s, I only had a desktop, mouse, and monitor. In modern society, thats enough to make money, if you have the grit. And soon, my grit would be delivered. Come out. Todays the day we face off. Ah, there you are, my grit! Grit? My name isnt Grit! I quickly opened the door. In front of it stood a middle school girl, brimming with what seemed like grit. I called her Jamsuni for short. Heh, no need for words. Here I go. Principle Activation, Spirit Sequence I grabbed Jamsunis hand as she posed. Hey, theres something much more fun than ying make-believe. I can tell just by looking at you. Youve never used aputer, have you? Aputer? Jamsuni showed immediate interest. Indeed, she was a true talent. I knew it when she was too busy fiddling with her phone to y pretend games. Jamsuni lived a pure life,pletely unrted to phones orputers. What if I teach her aboutputers? Shed literally stay up all night to use it. And if I introduce her to gaming? Shed be a living, breathing human macro. I settled Jamsuni down. Come on, take a seat. Ever used aputer before? Ne, never. Wow, the smell of a newbie is intoxicating. Press that power button there. As she did, a window for entering a password appeared. I instructed her. Just type staffrooma1b1c1! there. Th, that. What is it? Whats wrong? Oh, youve never typed before. Just take it slow, look at each key as you type. Jamsuni hung her head. Her face was flushed red. I cant write in Korean. Huh? I dont know how to write. I was momentarily lost for words. Really, this kid. Hasnt she even been to elementary school? But I wasnt one to give up so easily. Writing? Thats nothing. Ill teach you. Along with how to use a keyboard. Why? What do you want from me? Jamsunis expression immediately turned wary. This is why I dislike quick-witted kids. I was hoping you could y games on theputer while Im at work. In return, Ill provide you with meals twice a day. And you can use theputer at my house anytime you want. This is like a free PC cafe service, snacks included!!! Jamsuni murmured without dropping her guard. I dont trust you. Thats understandable. Trusting strangers is foolish. But Ill ept your offer. Even if its just to find your weakness. My, my weakness? Could it be she wants to find out if Im vulnerable to storylines where the title of the manga bes a crucial plot point? This kid is scary. Alright, fine. Thats how I ended up making a deal with Jamsuni. And time passed. Wow, your writing has improved quite a bit, hasnt it? Hmph, what did you expect? I may not be able to write Korean, but Im really good at drawing talismans. One monthter. Gaechu? What does that mean? Oh, that? Its like a cabbage shaped like a dog, called gaechu. What? Is there really such a thing? Two monthster. Whats for dinner tonight? Discounted chicken from the supermarket. F*ck Yeah. Where did you learn to say F*ck Yeah? ? You said that when you got an item. Several months had passed. Jamsuni now spent more time in my room than in her own. Her typing speed had surpassed 300 characters per minute, and her way of speaking had begun to change a bit. Whats for dinner tonight? I brought some leftovers from my part-time job. Woohoo~ Getto Daze*! Woohoo? Getto Daze? Jamsuni, like a kid who had just discovered the inte, was passionately immersed in theputer world. She tirelessly grinded in games, sold items, even did raids and PvP on behalf of others, and manipted rankings. Honestly, I never expected Jamsuni to be so good at gaming. As the money she earned started piling up, I felt a twinge of conscience for the first time in a while. The bank ount was swelling with money. No matter what, hogging it all to myself seemed like the act of a heartless scoundrel. Only someone whose inner moralpass hadpletely eroded could do such a thing. It seems like youre earning more than me now. Whats for dinner tonight? As I entered the room, Jamsuni immediately rushed over. Her expression was much brighter than when we first met, which I liked. Today, I brought jokbal. Jokbal! And cold buckwheat noodles! F*ck Yeah, lets eat quickly. Hey! Dont use ng like F*ck Yeah!! But was this really okay? Was I ruining a kids life? Your way of speaking is getting worse. One thing was clear: this kid, if she continued like this, was destined to be an inte addict. I was essentially turning Jamsuni into a recluse just for the sake of making money. Even though I knew the cold nature of capitalism, I wasnt supposed to be heartless to this extent. How did ite to this? As I was caught up in these troubling thoughts, a neighbor said to me, Can you really handle teaching Sojin how to read and use the inte? Well, shes just a middle schooler, you know. Sojin was already a huge troublemaker even before she knew how to read and use the inte. Now that she can ess information online... A huge troublemaker. Was our Jamsuni known as the Tyrant of Louisville or something? From the first time I saw her, she seemed like a runaway teen, a rebel. More precisely, she had a wild, untamed vibe. But one thing I can say for sure, Shes not inherently a bad kid. But considering the trouble Sojin has caused... Then its up to the adults to guide her better. Right. A child needs to be properly guided by adults. Having dropped out of high school several months ago, I was practically an adult myself. I couldnt just leave Jamsuni to her own devices. Dont go, Oppa, please dont leave. I promised never to leave her alone again. Never again. It was my responsibility that Jamsuni had be such an inte addict (in the making). I wouldnt let her be aplete recluse. But there are kids who are already too far gone. Adults who give up on those kids usually say that as an excuse. I said this while looking at the man. Im not one for making excuses. * * * After those words, Yoo Hajin left. But the leader of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect stood still as if his feet were rooted to the ground. He says he wont make excuses. Ah. Park Il and Nayu had a mission: to oppose the invading Gwizon in Korea and to eliminate the Gwizon-ss psychic who sought Koreas destruction. To them, the closest entity to a Gwizon-ss psychic in Korea was Kim Sojin. However, they didnt eliminate Kim Sojin. There were three reasons for this. First, even with Park Il and Nayusbined attack, they werent sure they couldpletely eliminate Kim Sojin. She was a monster of their caliber, certainly with several tricks up her sleeve. Second, Kim Sojins existence was beneficial for the survival of Korea. If any other Gwizon attacked again, it would be difficult to fend them off with just Park Il and Nayu, without Kim Sojin. Third, Kim Sojin was theirrade. Stabbing arade in the back was a dishonorable act. But there were many reasons to eliminate her. The continuous pressure from the n alliance, sanctionsing into Ilwol-Oakmoon sect, petitions from Nayus new family, and Kim Sojins increasingly cruel nature. Thus, Park Il and Nayu could do nothing but watch Kim Sojin. It was in this delicate bnce that he appeared. Yoo Hajin, a man who looked ordinary but was far from it. He took a liking to Kim Sojin and taught her how to read and use the inte. Park Il and Nayu thought Yoo Hajin was crazy. Kim Sojin had made enemies of numerous forces. Getting close to her would make Yoo Hajin an enemy to all of them. But Yoo Hajin didnt stop. Thats when indirect retaliation began. Those wanting revenge, yet not wanting to confront someone who mingled with the corpses of the Gwizon, started their sly machinations. Despite the curses that rained down on Yoo Hajin like a warning, the terrifying impurity that shook the soul itself with fear, and the agonizing screams of evil spirits that drove one to madness, the man did not stop. In fact, there was no reason for him to stop. From Yoo Hajins perspective, there was no way to know whether curses were being cast, impurity was being poured, or evil spirits were howling. Yoo Hajin could not see ghosts. Nevertheless, Yoo Hajin silently endured it all. Yet, he never left Kim Sojins side. Tsk, they hate me but are too scared to confront me, all of them clinging to this man. They even retaliate against me, annoyingly enough. But, at least theyve lessened their attacks on me. Kim Sojin looked at Yoo Hajin. But Yoo Hajin just smiled brightly as if nothing was wrong. Why are you smiling like that? Dont you resent me? Yet, why are you still by my side? Why do you kindly teach me letters and information? Of course, the reason Yoo Hajin smiled so brightly was different. He had learned about Kim Sojins incredible dynamic vision and reflexes and was nning to make use of them for a proxy. But Kim Sojin had no way of knowing that. Well done. Yoo Hajin smiled brightly and patted Kim Sojins head. Then, Kim Sojin had no choice but to bow her head hastily, as tears welled up. Why are you so kind to me? I really dont understand. Kim Sojin, for the first time in her life, felt an emotion she couldnt describe and shed tears, while Park Il and Nayu began to feel something akin to respect for a person for the first time. Teaching an abandoned child. Shielding the child from all attacks directed at them. Sacrificing oneself for another. Park Il and Nayu were watching all these scenes. Their hearts had been heavy for several months. But, to deny that heaviness, they approached Yoo Hajin with this question. Can you really handle teaching Sojin about letters and the inte? But Yoo Hajin asserted that Kim Sojins nature wasnt bad. If such a child did something wrong, it was more the adults duty to teach them properly. He wouldnt give up on the child, nor make excuses. The refusal to make excuses, Pierced their hearts like a dagger. Park Il and Nayu knew about the abuse Kim Sojin had suffered. Days when she was so tired of crying that no tears came. Yet, Kim Sojin had not be aplete demon despite such days and nights. Hearing this, Park Il and Nayu felt ashamed. And they decided to acknowledge the heaviness in their hearts. How shameful... So shameful! We should have been the ones to teach Sojin. Not anyone else, but us! Nayu, ashamed. Thus, Park Il and Nayu, Rejected all requests to assassinate Kim Sojin. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Getto Daze: This is what Ash uses when he catches any Pokemon. ] Chapter 13: A Trustworthy Warmth (2) Souls are cruel, obsessive, and harbor resentments. It''s said that those who study and manipte souls, the psychic, also tend to follow these traits. Thus, even if the powerful beings, Nayu of the Heavenly Shamans and Park Il, the incarnation of the Sun, refused to participate in the assassination of Kim Sojin, the psychic couldn''t give up on their vengeance against her. "My son is dead." "My nephew is dead." "My father is dead." They were aze with the desire for revenge. "A guest from the Divine Sect has arrived." Their hatred was so intense that they even sought the help of the renowned mad followers of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, universally acknowledged as lunatics. * * * How should one teach a child? Some say strictly. Others advocate for gentleness. I believe both are correct. Hence, today''s strategy is the carrot and the stick. The good cop, bad cop approach. First up, the bad cop, Dealing sternly with Jamsuni. I confidently opened the door and quickly scanned the room. Found her. Jamsuni. She looked at me, tilting her head curiously. "What are you doing?" "Hey, let''s have a talk." Seeing my serious expression, Jamsuni''s face turned serious too. "What? What do you want to talk about?" "Are you going to live like this forever? Without any dreams? Just ying games in your room?" Jamsuni was silent for a moment after hearing this. Then the girl spoke again. "Well, I don''t think this life is too bad." "How long do you think you can live like this? Aren''t you going to school? Don''t you want to make friends?" "I have friends online." "Stop joking and talk properly." Maybe she didn''t like my firm tone. Jamsuni started ring at me. "School? Friends? Those are for the weak, who need to flock together. A being like me doesn''t need that." "There you go again with your delusional talk. Right? Hey, you''re going to school from tomorrow. I''ll help with the procedures." "Why are you being so naggy today? There''s no way I can do anything outside." Jamsuni''s expression began to harden into a cold mask. Honestly, Jamsuni was objectively beautiful, which made every change in her expression strikingly clear. "Those people outside, they all want to kill me. You feel it too, right? The ce is swarming with ninjas in ambush. All those bastards have gathered with the intention of taking me down." What the hell? Could she be a victim of school bullying? Haa, but as an adult, I couldn''t just give up. Alright, maybe there are bullies like that. Honestly, I''m pretty good with my fists. I might not be as sure with weapons, but in a man-to-man fight, I can handle myself against three. "I''ll help you." "Bullshit. You can''t help." "Why do you think that?" "Why?" In that moment, Jamsuni''s expression looked sad. "Because you''re a sucker for kindness." Me, a sucker for kindness? I doubt a guy who deceives kids to make money onputers can be called kind. That thought pricked my conscience even more. "Let''s drop it. I''m tired of this annoying talk." Jamsuni tugged at my sleeve, her expression desperate. "Hey, stop standing there in serious mode and let''s y a game, huh? I just got the ck Ring in a raid, and its secondary options are..." I handed Jamsuni a bankbook. It was the money Jamsuni had earned. And I said, "This is your money. I haven''t taken a single penny." "Why are you giving this to me all of a sudden?" "Leave. And don''te back to this room." There are a few things I really hate: restaurants with delivery fees over 4,000 won,NTR plots, and the tears of a girl. So when Jamsuni started to cry, my heart almost softened. But I couldn''t let it soften yet. "Why, why are you doing this?" Jamsuni sobbed, and I wanted tofort her, but I steeled my heart. If things kept going like this, Jamsuni would end up as an inte-addicted, pretty hikikomori girla NEET girl. "Leave." "Why. Suddenly, why. You jerk." Jamsuni weakly flipped me off. But against my strength as a masculine male, she had no chance of resistance. Jamsuni was dragged out, kicking and screaming. "Damn it, I hate you. I hate you. Why are you doing this?" Jamsuni, realizing that resistance was futile, timidly formed a defiant gesture with her other hand as well. But my resolve remained firm. "Sob, Sob, waaaah!" Behind the closed door, the prolonged sound of a child''s crying echoed. I sat down, feeling the turmoil of a mental triangle spinning in my heart. * * * The leader of the Witch Hunting Squad regretted epting the proposal of the n alliance. But it was toote to turn back now. He, a man who hadmitted robbery and murder due to gambling debts, couldn''t refuse the offer: sess in the witch hunt would mean not only the erasure of his criminal record but also the clearing of his gambling debts. No matter how revered the Three Honors ones are, the target was just girls. How strong could they be? The leader had once thought this way. But the moment he saw the girl with tear stains still on her face floating in the sky, he instinctively knew he was doomed. She was like a whale, an abyss, a high mountain, an endless chasm. The leader''s soul began to scream in terror, sensing its impending annihtion. "I''m really not in a good mood today." The girl murmured in a muffled voice. "I won''t go after those who ran away, so disappear from my sight right now." But the Witch Hunting Squad couldn''t flee. Their souls were bound by a contract. No further dialogue was necessary. Both the girl and the squad shouted in unison. "Principle Activation." "Spiritual Manifestation." "Sensory Resonance with the Divine." A barrage of attacks flew towards the girl, resembling bullet storms in a shooting game. Yet, the girl didn''t dodge. Instead of evading, she counterattacked. "Principle Activation. Dangsan Wood Spear." From the girl''s left hand, a wooden spear began to form. This spear, crafted from the roots of the protective Dangsan trees of the vige, could only be wielded by Kim Sojin, who utilized the principle of the soul. The Dangsan trees served to bind evil spirits and wandering ghosts with their roots, trying to enter the vige. In doing so, they spiritually safeguarded the vige. And now, the girl had gathered the spirits of the destroyed viges'' guardian trees, merging them into one. The Dangsan tree had be an entity faithful to its principle of binding souls to itself. The barrage of attacks, like a bullet storm, was absorbed entirely by the iing spear. The spear, having absorbed all the attacks, glowed brightly, leaving a trail in the middle of the night. Thus, as the spear struck, nearly all of the hunting squad was annihted. It was at that moment. The souls of the hunting squad, offered as sacrifices, cursed the being that had killed them. This curse was a restriction on Kim Sojin''s actions. It was a curse of flight prevention. ck chains, formed by the curse, clung to Kim Sojin''s wrists and ankles. If it had been a more malicious spell, the consumed souls would have been quickly expended, making it easier to break free. However, this curse, limiting only movement, was not something even Kim Sojin could easily escape. ''If only these chains were made of soul, I could have subdued and released them. But by forcefully offering all the souls of the squad as sacrifices, they stripped away their spiritual properties.'' Kim Sojin bit her lip. It was a trap she would not have fallen into had she not been so agitated. A careful nce at the souls of the squad would have revealed the dreadful sacrificial ritual. Then some men appeared. The girl felt fear upon seeing them. "Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, suicide terrorists." More precisely, it was the impurity surrounding the men that instilled fear in her. Budooyu, a technique created by the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, known for their worship of extreme negativity. The sect, practicing various techniques using negativity, was feared by people who referred to these techniques as Heavenly Demon Arts. As the men, having activated Budooyu, approached, Kim Sojin did not cease her incantations. She activated a white barrier. "Principle Activation. Lotus Eternal Barrier." It was a barrier utilizing the purifying nature of the eternal lotus. Except for the extreme negativity known as Great Corruption, this barrier could not be prated. Kim Sojin spoke to them, trying to buy time. "It''s dangerous to cover oneself in negativity, even for those without spiritual abilities." No, it was more dangerous for non-psychic. While psychics could defend against negativity with their spiritual power, ordinary people couldn''t. The body is greatly influenced by the soul. If the soul is corroded by negativity, leading to illness and destruction, the body, being one with the soul, will also be sick and perish. Ordinary people have no defense against negativity. Even mild negativity can lead to irreversible conditions like osteoporosis, Crohn''s disease, or leukemia. Stronger negativity leads to death within days, and extreme negativity is unspeakable. For an ordinary person, mere contact results in instant death. Even for psychics, survival is only a matter of minutes. "Wearing negativity is dangerous?" A follower of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sectughs. "Wearing negativity is a blessing. It brings us closer to the Great Corruption." "So, you got lung cancer? You dont seem like a smoker by theck of tobo smell. How unfortunate for you, huh?" This was a fact Kim Sojin discerned through her spiritual sight. However, the follower of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect did not stop even upon hearing it. "It doesn''t matter." Then, he formed a hand seal. "If it means getting closer to our leader, it doesn''t matter." He then chanted a spell. "Infuse. Great Corruption (Infinite ck Body)." In this world exists something known as extreme negativity or Great Corruption. It''s a substance that erodes all souls, an absolute form of negativity, and only a few followers of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect are known to be able to handle it. As he draped this extreme negativity over himself, the man''s skin began to melt, and his hair started to fall out in clumps. He couldnt endure it for long, which meant he probably wasn''t a high-ranking official of the sect. As the girl contemted this, the extreme negativity began to break through the lotus barrier and flow toward her. Kim Sojin smiled at the sight. So, this is how she die today. How much weaker had that man made her over these past few months? But somehow, she didnt entirely dislike this weakness. "This is kind of scary." The girl closed her eyes as she faced the approaching negativity. Two figures emerged, having sensed the piercing aura of extreme negativity. Their names were Park Il and Nayu. They thought it was just another day of Kim Sojin eliminating assassins until they sensed the extreme negativity and rushed out. "Damn. This is horrific." But it was already toote. Kim Sojin was covered in extreme negativity. She might endure it for a while, being a monster of the same caliber, but she would eventually die if the negativity wasn''t removed. But who could touch such extreme negativity? Who would dare approach something so fearful, horrific, and terrifying? Who would touch a being engulfed in such negativity and wash it off them, knowing that in doing so, their own soul would be terribly damaged and destroyed? Even family couldnt do it. For anyone who could see and feel souls, the pain and fear were unbearable. Thus, despite their distress, Park Il and Nayu could not intervene. "Damn it!!!" So when a man suddenly burst out, they were shocked. "These crazy bullies are ganging up on a middle school girl!!! Dont they know how dangerous bullying is these days!!! You''re dead meat, you bastards!!!" Yoo Hajin immediately rushed out and confronted the followers of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect. The cultists resisted, casting negativity at Yoo Hajin, but he didn''t see ghosts. To him, it all seemed like a show. With a righteous dropkick, Yoo Hajin knocked down all the cultists. "Yoo Hajin Dropkick!!!" After defeating the cultists, Yoo Hajin turned his attention to Kim Sojin, now tainted with darkness. "Damn, these crazy bastards." Despite the soul-searing pain, Kim Sojin felt a sense of joy. She thought that if she died like this, that man would remember her forever. Imagining this, she managed a slight smile. So when the man carried her, Kim Sojin could only mutter, "Why?" She repeated the question, watching him ascend the stairs, his back stained with extreme negativity. Why was this man going so far for her? Why did he care so much for her? Can a person truly trust another? Can she trust parents who betrayed her? Can she trust the trainers who raised her as a tool for the noble family''s training? Can she trust the elders who ordered her to live and die honorably? Can she trust those greedy ones who broke promises and tried to enve her? Can a person truly trust another? Why hold onto a question that ends with ''trust is impossible''? What lingering attachment is there? Kim Sojin couldn''t answer these questions. All she knew was that this man was the only one in the world who treated her preciously. All she knew was that the warmth of the mans back made her want to trust. "Whats up, Jamsuni? Are you crying?" As Yoo Hajin ascended the stairs, he locked eyes with the neighbor. The neighbor looked at Yoo Hajin in shock. Yoo Hajin was slightly annoyed with the neighbor. Being here meant they had seen everything C wasnt there something they could have done, even if the police couldnt reach this neighborhood? But he also understood. In today''s world, getting involved with kids only leads to trouble. Plus, helping Jamsuni clean up could easily spiral into a scandalous headline like 40-year-old man with a middle school girl, both undressed. So Yoo Hajin nodded with a bitter expression. "I understand." Leaving only those words behind, Yoo Hajin walked away from Park Il, the leader of the Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect. Park Il stood there, stunned. *** Who could dirty themselves in extreme negativityfor the sake of another? No matter how much he thought about it, there was no such person. Because no one could withstand that fear and pain. So Park Il justified abandoning hisrade. But today, Park Il witnessed a miracle. And that miracle understood him. Proud of pursuing justice and belief his whole life, he felt both ashamed and moved by being understood despite showing cowardice. Tears streamed down his face as he stood in a daze. "That child, that child alone." That child should be the leader of the Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect. Not someone like him, not his worthless offspring, but that child should be the true sessor. Park Il resolved this amidst his madness. *** Nayu looked down at the cultists, who were murmuring: "The one who receives the love of extreme negativity. The Heavenly Demon, the Heavenly Demon has descended." "Ah, a body that even extreme negativity can''t corrupt. The body of the Heavenly Demon. I am content to die now, having seen the leader." The Heavenly Demon. The king of negativity, prophesied in legends. Nayu had heard of it too. It was like a vague, half-remembered legend. "Nayu vaguely remembers." With a puzzled tilt of her head, the Heavenly Shaman waved her hand, erasing the memories of the cultists and putting them to sleep. *** Kids these days are frightening. What''s with all this paint terrorism? Damn it, just when I start treating Jamsuni coldly, these guys attack. Talk about rotten luck. I immediately put Jamsuni in the bathtub and adjusted the water to a warm temperature. As the cold water turned warm, I made up my mind. "This isn''t a crime." To wash off this ck sludge, I had no choice. I''m doing this purely tonically, not in any Eros sense. I am not a lolicon. Never heard of ''Loli Requiem'', Your Honor!!! I ignored the count of "one, two, three"ing from somewhere. I had to do this, or I might end up in jail. I ced my hand on Jamsuni''s shoulder. Then, slowly, I started to undress her. *** "Phew, I''m exhausted." After cleaning Jamsuni up, Iid out fresh, clean bedding. She''ll have to spend the night here. "Sleep well." I decided to sleep under the bed. At that moment, Jamsuni murmured. "Don''t go..." I couldn''t bring myself to shake off her hand, desperately clinging to my sleeve. I was too weak against a girl who asked me not to leave. "This warmth, I can trust. At least this warmth..." So, Iy down next to Jamsuni. She tightly hugged my arm and murmured something before falling asleep. I tried to find my sister in the face of the sleeping child. But I couldn''t find her. That fact made me a little sad. Chapter 14: DMZ (1) They says that souls are cruel, obsessive, and holds grudges by nature. Kim Sojin had learned this too. After numerous battles, Kim Sojin came to understand the cruelty of the soul. When harming someone, there was no hesitation, and no regret after taking a life. Those were the traits of the psychopaths Yoo Hajin had taught her about. In front of Yoo Hajin, she decided to hide this aspect of herself. Betrayed by her parents, her mentors, and the elders of her n, Kim Sojin realized what grudge she harbored. It wasnt a grudge born of betrayal. She was harboring a grudge born of loneliness. If it had been about betrayal, She would have exactedplete revenge on everyone involved. She would have be aplete monster. But Kim Sojin did not do that. She did not be aplete monster but chose to live as a human. The reason for this, Kim Sojin realized, was meeting Yoo Hajin. In the end, she understood that she was a lonely being, yearning for someone. And now, as Yoo Hajin spoke of entering the Cheonji, Kim Sojin was realizing what her soul was truly obsessed with. I absolutely, absolutely cant lose this. The girls eyes turned cold and determined. * * * When I opened my eyes, it was morning. A morning when I had to go to the DMZ. Did the people who enlisted in the past also face such mornings? Having to go to the DMZ in an era when the conscription is gone. I had no one to me but myself for this predicament, yet after learning more about the DMZ yesterday, I felt even less inclined to go. To exin how hellish the DMZ is, one must start by exining the fall of North Korea. North Korea was amunist state, known for being atheistic, not only dismissing shamans and mediums as superstitious but also persecuting Buddhists and Catholics. Naturally, they destroyed vige guardian trees, totem poles, and other spiritual sites like seals and shrines. Theybeled these practices as barbaric and dragged those who performed them to political prisons, torturing and killing them. Even before the day of Spiritual Awakening, numerous gifted individuals had been tortured to death, and many spiritual sanctuaries had been destroyed. On the day when people began to see ghosts, a weekter, North Korea fell. The souls of corrupted shamans turned into evil spirits, and the copse of a system to fend them off synergized into turning North Korea into a living hell. The same happened in Northern China, turning it into a hellishndscape. The evil spirits from North Korea and China converged in Manchuria, giving rise to an entity known as the Ghost King, or Gwizon. Little was known about this Gwizon. All that was said was that it was a powerful evil spirit, and thankfully, it was kept at bay in Korea. North Korea became a hell, and the DMZ was the closestnd to this hell. In fact, its said that the DMZ is even more dangerous than the interior of North Korea. Ghosts are drawn to people, and since there are no people left in North Korea, the DMZ has be a gathering ce for these malevolent spirits. And I had to go to this DMZ. Damn, I really didnt want to go. So there I was, getting off the bus headed to Paju. Great, the bus only goes to the outskirts of Paju. I unfolded the electric scooter I had brought with me. It was a cost-effective mode of transportation, costing only about 20,000 won for a months rental. I had rented it for a week for about 10,000 won. Whirring along, I crossed the abandoned city of Paju on my scooter. Seeing a whole city deserted and crumbling felt like I was a character in some post-apocalyptic story. Should I build a bunker in preparation for the apocalypse? Given the state of the world these days, it wouldnt be surprising if it all fell apart. With that apocalyptic mindset, I took a selfie. Hmm, this is a pretty good spot. Looking at the photo, I felt like writing a nonsense post titled ''(Yoo Hajin Snapshot).'' Ill have to show it to Jamsuniter. I snapped a selfie in front of a shop and hopped back on my electric scooter. Seems like theres quite a distance to the DMZ. Everything was still too peaceful. I took another selfie in front of the iron bridge crossing the Imjin River and then crossed it. The Imjin River and the wends beyond disyed a beauty that seemed straight out of a documentary. Looking at the wends, I spoke to myself. Maybe I should bring Jamsuni here next time. That kid never leaves the house unless I suggest going out. Whirring along, I continued towards the DMZ. How far exactly are Paju and the DMZ from each other? Its too peaceful here. I saw some armored vehicles passing by, but I guessed it wasnt unusual given the proximity to the DMZ. Its a military area, after all; armored vehicles are to be expected. How far north had I gone? I came across a group of people who looked like theyd fit right into a description of war survivors. They stared at me, eyes wide with shock. Their injuries were severe. Being bandaged and bloodied was the least of it. From those who had lost limbs to those barely recognizable as living, it was like a field hospital in a war zone. What the hell is going on here? I tilted my head in confusion. * * * The DMZ is hell. No, its worse than hell. The spiritual power users or psychics deployed in the DMZ operation were united in a simr thought. It was inevitable. Getting to the DMZ must be the second phase of the test. Usually, joining Cheonji involves three tests. But this time, they announced that only two phases would be conducted. People thought this meant Cheonji needed more recruits, so they lowered the passing criteria. That was until they heard the second test would be conducted in the DMZ. At the outskirts of Paju City, dozens of armored vehicles were lined up. Their surfaces were etched with variousplex patterns in cinnabar, all effective against evil spirits. The armored vehicles themselves were designed for protection,cking offensive capabilities. Today, our n alliance will break through the DMZ. There are four main types of spiritual power groups in Korea. The hereditary shamans who inherit their positions through lineage and the alliance of the families, who are descendants of certain spiritual beings. This alliance is known as the Segas. Groups centered around strong spiritual power users, following the training methods established by them, are called Munpa, and their alliance is known as the Jungpa. Then there are the rogue spiritual power users who form gang-like groups for their own benefits, simply referred to as Sapa. Andstly, the Cheonji, who control these groups with power. Thus, these four groups could be divided. The owners of the armored vehicles gathered today were the n alliance, the Segas. They pooled their strength to take the children of the Segas who had passed the first test to the DMZ. I wont mince words. Breaking through Paju is dangerous. Despite dozens of specially armored vehicles, the charms and talismans provided to you, and the training of many powerful individuals, it will be a dangerous operation, said the operations leader, Park Jongcheol. But by carrying out this operation, if a member of our revered ns joins Cheonji, it brings the hegemony of Korea, and furthermore, the hegemony of this secr world, closer to us. the leader continued. Lets go! Lets imbue Cheonji with the power of the oldest ns! Lets make our name resound not just in this world, but in the spiritual realm as well! With that, the ns private soldiers boarded the armored vehicles. And the operation began. Even inside the armored vehicles, protected by cinnabar and consecrated steel, eerie sounds began to prate. The sound of water flowing. Something submerging. Gurgling as it sank. Something writhing in the deep sea. The creaking of the armored vehicle distorting under the pressure. Hearing this, a man inside an armored vehicle spoke up. Captain, we need to escape before we go deeper. This armored vehicle wont withstand the pressure. What are you talking about, kid? The Captainughed. This isnt the ocean, its a river. Cant even withstand the pressure of a river? We havent reached the sea yet. Rivers flow meaninglessly into the sea. Lets go to the sea. To the deep sea. To the boundless ck waters. Captain! Just then, one of the armored vehicles plunged straight into a sinkhole. Strangely, despite the vehicles disappearance, there was nothing but pitch-ck darkness inside the sinkhole. Meanwhile, in another armored vehicle: Captain and 13 members have entered Baekseok-ri. Please confirm again. The total number in the 7th toon is 10. Upon hearing this, the Captain turned to his squad members. Nine of them already had their heads severed, and the remaining three wereughing grotesquely. In another armored vehicle: Damn it. Damn it. Why are there so many evil spirits almost at the level of a Gwizon! Ive already seen four! Fuck, just survive and make it back. I swear, Im really loyal. Drive,drive faster but carefully! If we identally hit a grounded spirit, were both done for! Then you guys pump in more spiritual power! Thinking about the round trip is driving me insane! Everything outside the drivers window was unbelievable. Dancing evil spirits, evil spirits dancing while hanging upside down, evil spirits rummaging inside a stopped armored vehicle while dancing upside down. And a... ghost...? leisurely riding an electric scooter around the city of Paju. No, thats a person. But that made it even more unbelievable. Armored vehicles made of consecrated steel, coated in cinnabar, a vermilion pigment known for its demon-annihting properties, and inscribed with protective charms, yet chaos ensued. But someone crossing Paju on just an electric scooter? It was an incredible thought. As the driver was lost in confusion, the cabin behind him fell silent. Realizing what this silence meant, the driver pressed the guns muzzle against his temple. Missing, annihted, dead. Listening to all the reports, Park Jongcheol, sitting in themand armored vehicle, muttered to himself. This is a noble sacrifice. The oldest bloodlines will remember this sacrifice. It was impossible to save everyone. Then, it was right to save the most noble bloodlines. Seeing the decoy units being sacrificed ording to the n, Park Jongcheol nodded in satisfaction, a pleased expression on his face. But his expression soon twisted. Photos had been transmitted to him. They were of a man. A photo of a man crossing Paju city on an electric scooter, a photo of the man stopping in front of the second most dangerous shop in Paju to take a selfie, a photo of the man taking a selfie in front of the Imjin River bridge, where hordes of dangerous spirits gathered. Was he such a monster...? Looking at those photos, Park Jongcheol felt fear for the first time in a long while. Chapter 15: DMZ (2) Seeing people gathered, it looks like this is the DMZ. Or maybe not. "Urrrgh. Ugh." "Damn it, where did all the guys with healing abilities go?" The situation in the DMZ was a total mess. It was hard to tell if this ce was a testing ground or a field hospital. I shook my head and looked around. Those who were unharmed were staring at me as if I were some sort of monster. "He broke through Paju all by himself." "They say he devoured a dozen evil spirits on his way here." "A monster, do we really have topete with such a monster?" Who are they calling a monster? To me, you guys look more like monsters. "Of course, he wasn''t the culprit. I''ve known since the Pyeon Station thatyou are extraordinary." There were also those who burned with a fighting spirit upon seeing me. Damn, this kind of attention is troublesome. I have no intention of building friendships through fistfights with superpowered beings, like in a shonen manga. "Peep peep!" Just then, a familiar chirping sound reached my ears. Turning my head, I saw Jinari, a shaman girl with pink hair, also known as ''Chick''. "Ah, no. Sometimes I speak before I think. So, this is kind of an unavoidable instinct, I guess. I''m a human, not a chick." Embarrassed by her chirping, Her face turned as red as a tomato. She is the Chick. "I know, okay." Still, in my eyes, she''s just a pink-haired shaman girl. Those who can see ghosts might see something else, but I couldn''t. "Cough, ahem. Oh, right. Let me introduce you. This gentleman here is Mr. Park Jongcheol, themander of our family alliance. Uncle Jongcheol, this is Yoo Hajin, who helped me during the first exam." "Nice to meet you. I''m Park Jongcheol, in charge of this operation. You helped Miss Jinari, didn''t you? I sincerely thank you." Park Jongcheol, huh. Quite the spirited name. I looked at the man. The man introduced by Chick was a robust middle-aged man with bulging muscles, living up to his vigorous name. He looked like he could give me a good match if he knew martial arts. Dressed in a khaki coat and holding something that resembled a ckboard, he had the air of a high-ranking military officer. Well, as themander of the family alliance, I guess he technically was. The family alliance, after all, is one of Korea''s leading military factions. Anyway, there he was, themander of such a prestigious alliance, bowing deeply at a 90-degree angle to me. "Ahaha. It''s embarrassing for me when such a high-ranking person bows his head. Please, dont do this." Saying this, I also bowed my head. While bowing, I nced at the ckboard. This must be it, right? That ck board. Superpowered individuals have some oundish ways to extract information from others, but the information written on this ck board is said to be imprable. That''s why the most crucial secrets aremunicated through it. But I could see everything. With my head still bowed, I quickly read the information on the ckboard. Oh, I see. Lots of interesting information here. So this is how the family alliance ns to act in the DMZ. Taking care of the silver-spoon elites born with golden spoons in their mouths. They n to keep the martial arts ns in check like this. And these are the people of interest. There was a familiar name among those people of interest. === Yoo Ha-jin (Top Priority Subject of Interest) Find out why he approached Miss Jinari. Monitor with the White Response Technique of Baekga. A technique not easily detected. Be ready to respond if necessary, keeping the Jin family''s secret technique, Red Bow White Arrow, at the ready. === Hmm, why am I a top priority subject of interest? I''m not sure what Red Bow White Arrow is, but it doesn''t sound pleasant. From the information, it seems like some sort of arrow, and as an ordinary person, even one arrow can be life-threatening for me. How can I neutralize this threat? In situations like this, bluffing is the only way. As I lifted my head, Mr. Park Jongcheol also raised his. Smiling at him, I said, "I would like to be on friendly terms with the family alliance. If not friends, at least not enemies." "We feel the same. You are a benefactor to Miss Jinari, which makes you a benefactor to our alliance as well." Hearing that, I spoke seriously. "Does the family alliance usually monitor their benefactors with spells?" "What are you talking about?" "Hmm, I see." Pretending to sense something, I said, "A technique of Baekga, then. If it''s a surveince spell, it must be the White Response Technique." "!" The man who seemed like he would never be startled took a step back in shock and looked at me with disbelief. In truth, I had no idea about Baekga or the White Response Technique. I heard about them for the first time today. I continued to act. Surely, in the Manhua, the masters always sense killing intent. "The faint killing intent I feel... that''s it, isn''t it? Jin family''s Red Bow White Arrow. nning to use it on me if things go south, huh?" "No, no way. The Red Bow White Arrow is a treasured weapon of our family. We would never use it on a benefactor like you." Chick shouted in panic, but Park Jongcheol''s expression revealed that my bluff was working. Looking at his face, I said, "So, am I lying, then? Huh?" "I apologize. Respected one." Suddenly, Park Jongcheol prostrated himself before me. His swift action left me a bit flustered. "Please, take out your anger on just me and my subordinates. Spare the noble-blooded young masters and mistresses, I beg of you." I didn''t expect him to react like this. Everyone around was looking at us. Not just the people from the family alliance, but also the young masters from the orthodox and unorthodox factions were all staring at the middle-aged man prostrating himself. Me, I''m not into that kind of thing. I dont enjoy watching middle-aged men grovel!!! "Ahem, let''s not have this kind of situation again." After saying that, I quickly left the scene. Then Chick annoyingly followed me, trotting along. "Eek, I''m sorry. I never imagined the family alliance would go this far." "Don''t you have any shame? Why are you following me?" "Because of, of Chick''s instinct!" Chick has an instinct to follow men around? I cant see ghosts, but this is just ridiculous. So, I walked away quickly to shake her off, but Chick just waddled along behind me. * * * People were astounded. It was unbelievable to see Park Jongcheol, the stalwart of the family alliance, bowing respectfully to such a young man, even begging for the lives of the family''s young masters and mistresses. This meant that the man possessed a level of strength capable of annihting the family alliance''sbatants and threatening the lives of the young heirs. The participants who had passed the first exam consequently raised their estimation of Yoo Hajin. "Sure, but they''re just the creepy folks from the family alliance. Making a ve of such a sect bow doesn''t mean much to the real deal like us." Not everyone was impressed, though. One such person was Park Je-cheon, the leading disciple of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect and the grandson of the sect leader. "That''s right, brother." "Hehe, who could possibly stand against the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect?" Park Je-cheon aspired to make his father the next leader of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect and to seed him. His ambition was so intense that he wouldn''t hesitate to kill for it. ''Ilwol-Oakmoon sect is like an old conglomerate with its own army. They control various businesses through shares and manipte the media with their money. But unlike those conglomerates, they possess actual force.'' The core strength of Ilwol-Oakmoon secty in its martial power. The elders, senior members, and disciples of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect wereparable to a nation''s force. Bing the heir of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect was akin to being a crown prince. Park Je-cheonwanted to be that prince, to enjoy all the privileges of a king. ''To achieve this, I need to be acknowledged by the sect leader.'' His own grandfather, whom he had seldom seen, Park Il, the leader of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect. He needed his recognition. ''Hes not someone who gets close to even rtives, let alone friends, but if I show him my worth, perhaps he''ll dote on me as a grandson. Just like the youngest son of a wealthy family.'' The sect leader, as cold and strict as the opposite of the sun. If he could gain his approval, he would do anything. Even if it meant resorting to cowardly methods. Park Je-cheon''sgaze began to settle on Yoo Hajin. Unaware, Yoo Hajin continued talking to his neighbor. "Uncle, how is Jamsuni doing?" "Sojin, you mean? She''s terrifyingly efficient." "Haha." Yoo Hajin chuckled and then bowed his head. "Please be kind to her. If you do, Ill concede that I lost thest game of chess to you." "You teased me for losing twenty rounds and winning one, but this works out. Don''t forget what you said." Yoo Hajin really doesn''t want to concede. But he has no choice. "Ah, right." "And about the Cheonji exam, there are Ilwol-Oakmoonkids, right? With their reinforcements." "Should be." Yoo Hajin had seen the personal details of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sectparticipants on Park Jongcheol''s ckboard. They were all supposedly in the DMZ. "Get to know those kids and establish discipline. As the next leader of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect, you need to assert ranking." "Uncle, you''re talking nonsense again. I''m hanging up." As Yoo Hajin ended the call, Someone descended from the sky. "A lot of people died today too." It was the Guardianof Cheonji, the celestial and notorious drunkard, Gamlo. "Still, let''s kick off the exam with energy." C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 16: DMZ (3) People looked up at the sky. In that sky stood a woman. She was known as Celestial Immortals, and also as Gamlo, a name that echoed with mystique. She descended with the clouds. Or more precisely, she was the cloud itself. Her hair resembled wisps of fluffy cumulus, and her eyebrows, delicate feather clouds. Her silhouette was blurry, and her skin, as pale as fresh snow. A visage akin to a cloud shaped like a woman, a symbol of a high-ranking spirit psychic whose soul is fused with her body. Gamlo floated like a cloud, then descended like mist, fixing her gaze on a man. This man, standing beside a girl with chick-like fluffy hair, was tall and handsome. Amidst everyones bowing, he merely nodded, his expression devoid of any admiration. It even seemed, in a way, like he was critiquing. Why? Yes, perhaps hes ming her for administering a test that led to the demise of many souls. So many have perished today. Gamlo remarked casually, pretending not to care about the mans gaze. However, her heart was in turmoil. Lets begin the test energetically, regardless. How kind this man was. How honorable. An adept spirit psychic, desensitized to death yet mourning and raging for the demise of other souls C how benevolent. Unafraid to be despised by someone of high rank like the Heavenly Celestial Immortals, standing firm in his convictions C how honorable. Kind-hearted people have always been trampled upon. Those who strive to uphold honor ultimately betray it. Gamlo looked down at the man once more. His expression was still stern. To think such a man still exists. In that moment, Yoo Hajin, observing Gamlo, thought to himself. He hadnt forgotten the grudge of a billion. Ah, Miss Gamlo. Its you again? Yoo Hajin was merely infuriated about not receiving his billion. * * * Gamlo appeared. Ah, Miss Gamlo, you again? The nemesis who dyed the test rewards announcement and robbed me of my billion. Just thinking about it makes me want to kick my nkets in frustration. Gamlo was suddenly silent, brooding. ''Why the gloomy face? Shouldnt I be the one more upset about losing a billion?'' Why is Miss Gamlo behaving like that? I dont know. Gamlo-nim is like a cloud, and we cant read a clouds expressions. A cloud? As much as I observed, she hardly looked like one. She resembled more a pale, drunkard woman. Sure, her clothing was bulky, but her prominent contours were evident. Maybe that fluffiness could be likened to a cloud. No, calling her a cloud would be a stretch; Gamlo was rtively slim. It was just that certain parts were... prominently present. Damn, why am I thinking about this? Am I craving femalepany these days? Its all Miss Gamlo''s fault. ''Ah, Miss Gamlo, just start the test already.'' I red at Gamlo again. Then, as if by coincidence, Gamlo cautiously avoided my gaze and began to speak. Wee to thend of life and death confusion, the border. This very boundary will be the final gate before entry into Cheonji. Gamlo continued. In Pyeon Station, we tested battling domains of evil spirits, and from Paju to here, we tested dealing with spirits that dont create ghastly phenomena. So, what should the final test be? The candidates murmured at Gamlos question. Evil spirits that create phenomena, and those that dont... Whates next? A spirit beyond the ghastly phenomena. Are you referring to a Gwizon? Gwi-Gwizon? A Gwizon can open the Ghost gate. We cant handle that! Suddenly, a pping sound echoed from behind. It was the apuse of Cheonjis Gooju. Quiet, everyone. Please listen to what Celestial Immortal has to say. Thank you, Gooju-nim. And yes, you are correct. This test will involve evil spirits that have perfected ghastly phenomena, the Gwizon-level spirits. Gamlo took a sip of her drink and said, No, to be precise, this test is about defeating a newly createdGwizon. Then, after dropping her cup, she formed a seal. The gate of hell revealed. Could I finally witness something? A technique unfolded by Celestial Immortal Gamlo herself C even someone like me, who cant see ghosts, might feel something, right? Nectar Rain. And then, nothing happened. The sky was a brilliant blue. A beautiful day. Birds chirping, flowers blooming C on such a day, someone like her, who stole my billion, should be burning in hell... Ugh. What was I even expecting? Expecting leads to betrayal. Gamlo, youve betrayed me!!! But it seems like others could see something. In moments like this, I feel an indescribable loneliness. To change the weather in an instant. This is Gamlo-nims power. Even the chick beside me could say something like that. To my eyes, nothing seemed to have changed. Hmm, is that all? Why such a dull expression? The rain falling now is Gamlo-nims rain. They say if you get soaked in Gamlo-nims rain, your spiritual power, skills, and even lifespan increase. Havent you heard the rumors? What is this, a miraculous spring water? But I couldnt feel the rain. So, to me, those people enjoying the rain just seemed insane. So, I decided to change the topic. I didnt want to talk about the rain anymore. But why did Miss Gamlo create rain? Obviously, to suppress the Ghost Gate of the newly born Gwizon. The longer a Ghost Gate is open, the stronger its grip on reality bes. Thats why when Celestial Immortal-level psychicfight, the one who attacks is at a great disadvantage. The chick continued, chirping away. This little one sure is talkative. Because a Celestial Immortal-level psychicwould have already dominated that area with their... chirp. "?" Chirp? Chirp?! Did you say chirp? Not chirp, Ghost Gate! The more she chirped, the more excited the chick seemed. Trying to hide its flushed face, the chick muttered, Anyway, since Gamlo-nim opened the Ghost Gate first, even if the Gwizonopens its Ghost Gate, itll be overshadowed by Gamlo-nims. Otherwise, it would have to reveal itself by opening its Ghost Gate right now, which would mean... It would get instantly mobbed. Mobbed? What a vulgar word. I got the gist of it. Using the test as an excuse, Gamlo gathered a lot of people, then opened her Ghost Gate first to ensure Gwizon''s defeat. If the Gwizontries to resist by opening its Ghost Gate, it would face an immediate mass attack. So, what exactly is our test then? Lets begin the test, Gamlo announced, maintaining her hand seal. There are three escape routes for the Gwizon: a GP, a patrol path, and an underground tunnel. Candidates, guard these routes. Those who survive until the Gwizonis defeated will pass this test. As Gamlo finished, Gooju came forward to exin. That way leads to the GP, a fortress made of iron built at a specific time and date. Its a route even evil spirits dread. Then, he pointed in another direction. And that opposite way is the patrol path. It only has a barrier of gold threads, but simply patrolling this long path will count as guarding the route. And then he pointed downward. Lastly, the underground tunnel. Its a straight path, so setting up defenses without entering can create a bottleneck, making it easier to defend. Gooju continued. Now, which route will you choose? Of course, well distribute the candidates evenly, so its firste, first-served. And then Gooju pped his hands. As soon as the apuse rang out, the kids dashed off. Of course, I just stood there. Hajin! Why arent you running? The chick was flustered, but it was none of my concern. The most crowded ce was the GP. Apparently, the fact that it was a fortress made it appealing. The second most crowded spot was the underground tunnel. People who liked darkness or ying in dirt headed there. Or those who missed their chance at the GP route. Last was the patrol path. It was the least popr. So, naturally, the chick and I ended up on the patrol path. Good. I wanted to go that way anyway. Why the patrol path? Because its easier to escape. GP? Cant run if surrounded. Tunnel? Bottle-necked when escaping. Patrol path? Multiple escape routes. My life is precious. Thats why I chose the patrol path. And it was the only option for my secret n. Chirp chirp? Chirp chirp chirp! Ahhh. Seriously, I must find a way to break this imprinting. Why do I have this instinct with a chick... The chick struck a pose of an infuriated sparrow. No, did she think another route was safer? But theres no escape there. Hey, trust me. Dont, dont talk so kindly. The chick, muttering something about stronger imprinting, reluctantly followed me, and I, with the chick in tow, reached the entrance to the patrol path. There, about half of the gathered people looked at me strangely. They were looking at me like some kind of hero. He didnt run from the start. If he had, he wouldve been the first to reach the GP team. To think that a monster who could make Park Jongcheol kneel chose the weakest patrol team deliberately. He must havee to protect us. Ha, I never thought I, an elder candidate of Airbending Council, would need someones pity. ying the fool all the way from Pyeon Station. Hmph. Does he expect us to be grateful? Men and women alike were giving me odd looks. Whats with this ufortable attention...? C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 17: The Marvel of The Smartphone (1) The psychics stared at me with expressions that seemed to say, ''You are the hero of our vige.'' I was at a loss for words in front of these psychics. No, you guys should be carrying the team. I chose to be a supporter. And I n to stand out dramatically in team battles. I couldnt actually say this out loud. I couldnt risk revealing that I was a non-psychic who couldnt even see ghosts. Instead, I put on a stern and serious face and said, Ill take the front. The rest of you, follow me. I wanted to be at the front because I cant see ghosts. Peoples attention is usually focused on the front, not the back. If I were at the back and failed to see a ghost attacking from behind, it would be the end for me. But at the front, where everyones eyes are, even if I cant see the ghost, those behind me will react, shouting things like Thats a demon! No, its an evil spirit! What? Is it hard to run away from the front? Nonsense. As I said before, when you need to run, you just run to the side. The patrol path is open on three sides, except for one side blocked by a wire fence. In that sense, the front is the best position for me. But then the kids reactions became weird again. The most dangerous position when breaking through a ghostly phenomenon is the front. Tsk. How shameful. Damn, honestly, thats so cool. Tsk, its nothing. With a little more training, I could be that kind of man...! What? The frontis the most dangerous? Thinking about it, wouldnt it have been safest to be in the middle? Considering todays celestial signs... Ill take the third position from the back. Ive received divine revtions rted to the Guardians... But the psychics were already bustling among themselves, setting up their positions. Since they seemed engaged in professional discussions, I decided to maintain my solemn and serious demeanor. Just then, a man approached to greet me. His hair was white, and he was quite handsome. However, I wasnt one to meticulously analyze a mans face. Hello, Mr. Yoo Hajin. Who are you? Ah, I havent introduced myself. My name is Guon. Guon? Ive heard that name before. A chick beside me started to chirp. Speaking of which, Guon... Ive heard that name too. You were certainly a detective who received several requests from our family. Ah, Ive indeed taken many requests from the Jin family. Youre thedy of the Jin family, right? At this, the chick, wary, asked, Why do you act like you know us? Whats your purpose? Oh, sorry, I should have shown you this first. Despite the chicks brusque tone, Guon smiled as if it didnt bother him. So, this chick wasnt only sharp with me but also with other people. Here, this is your aunts token. My aunts token...! So, my aunt sent you! I was requested to protect the Jin Family''s daughter. In that regard, would you allow me to take the rear guard for Miss Jinari, Master Yoo Hajiin? What should I do about this? I recalled the ckboard order I had seen before. Surely, something like this had been discussed. Probably, this Guon is an assassin sent to kill the chick. But how do I exin this? Would the chick believe me without any proof? Hey, chick. Yes? Do you trust this Guon guy? To which the chick replied with conviction, Yes, I trust him. He has my aunts token. Shes one of the few people I truly consider family. So, you trust that token? Of course. Its a token created by a high-level psychic, imbued with her will. If Guon goes against my aunts wishes, the token will immediately disintegrate. ''I see.'' ''So, your aunt wants you dead.'' ''How do I convince you of this truth?'' It suddenly strikes me how impressive it is that my reliable Jamsuni, who whines but eventually listens to most of what I say, really is. So, if I try to keep this guy Guon away from you, whose side will you choose? Chirp...? Why are you asking that? Because I cant trust this man named Guon. At that, the chicks expression turned angry. Just as I thought, youre that kind of man too. Trying to imprint on me and control me at your will. Ive never tried to control you. I just said I dont trust that guy. But youre saying you dont trust my aunt. Trying to make me dependent only on you. What kind of nonsense is this? But the chicks expression looked serious. Ugh. Do you really see me as a mere chick just because I chirp? Ha, should I trust the man sent by my aunt or you? Sure, you saved me once, but that debt can be repaid by getting rid of Cheonsu, right? It was somewhat amusing to see the girl pping her arms in anger. Jamsuni had a charisma that even intimidated me when she was angry, butparing her to this chick suddenly made her seem all the more remarkable... Fine, think of me however you want, but make sure to get rid of that guy Cheonsu. And you can bring Guon along, just stay behind me. In my heart, I thought this chick doesnt deserve to win. I wanted to just tell her to lose, but I held back. In a way, this was our joint promotion battle. If the chick dies, I fail too. A disastrously intertwined fate. Hmph, Ill never be imprinted by someone like you. Even when the chick showed such a disrespectful attitude, I realized I just had to ept it and move on. ''Well, at least she didnt swear.'' Speaking of which, this guy named Guon. Ill have to keep a close eye on him. Was he called the Gray Spider? What abilities does a spider use? I searched for characters who use spiderwebs on my smartphone. Oh, interesting. They have these abilities. Using my smartphone got me weird looks from people. Even the sulking chick looked at me with a chirp of surprise. Using a smartphone during a ghostly phenomenon is againstmon sense. Whys that? Obviously, because information gets distorted. Thats why you shouldnt read books or stare at pictures for too long in these situations. Dont you know that? Ah, I see. But that didnt matter to me. I couldnt see ghosts. But I couldnt let that fact be known. It doesnt matter to me. I have a special psychic ability. Ignoring the chicks words, I moved towards the patrol team. The patrol team was waiting for me, adding theirments as I approached. Reading in the midst of a ghostly phenomenon and still unharmed. Truly an overwhelming genius...! Despite being close to my age, such strength is frightening. ''Your reactions are frightening to me too.'' With that thought, I shook my head and entered the patrol route. * * * The DMZ is known to be a convergence of numerous ghostly phenomena, a special type of phenomenon with so many intermingling rules and principles that its said to be impossible to create a manual for it. Thats why its hard to find the right answer. Thats why survival is difficult. I can feel the tension of the people behind me. The tension is palpable even to me, who cant sense ghosts, so I cant even imagine what theyre seeing. At that moment, a woman around the middle started babbling something like, Would you like to buy a dream? Please, buy a dream? Damn it. What kind of phenomenon is this? Theres no manual for this, who would know? Just eliminate her! Immediately, the team members moved to eliminate the woman. Wait! I stopped the team members and quickly searched on my smartphone. What is this phenomenon demanding us to buy dreams?! === The phenomenon demanding to buy dreams typically urs in groups withrades. When arade is possessed by this phenomenon, it is advised not to attack them. The Dream Merchant perceives even attacks as a means to buy dreams. The way to defeat a Dream Merchant is to forcibly sell dreams to it. When pressured to buy dreams, the Dream Merchant is known to mumble that its dreams are full and it cant buy more, then disappear. === I read the smartphone within 5 seconds and shouted, Hey, you shoddy merchant. Instead of selling that nonsense, how about buying my dreams? I cant buy dreams. Theyre full. Dreams of being murdered,mitting suicide, ck tentacles descending, idiots running away thinking they can escape. Dreams of people unable to stand still, banging their heads. Shut up and just buy my dreams. I cant, cant buy them. Too full. Cant buy!!! After saying this, the woman copsed. Then she staggered to her feet. Huhuhu. Ah, Im alive. Im alive! She said to me, crying, Thank you. Really, really thank you. I nodded and looked around. Dont act recklessly! Dont act recklessly, you uncivilized primitives who cant even use a smartphone!!! Do you think the South Korea Ghostly Phenomena Response Center is a joke??? Does the site of the Response Center, which has be half a ghostly phenomenon itself due to the overload of information, seem like a joke to you??? Then, the primitives nodded in agreement and began to praise me, the one armed with the tools of civilization. How do you know the countermeasures for such unheard-of phenomena? It shows how experienced he is. Thats a real pro. Amazing. I have to admit it. Extraordinary. To survive in a phenomenon so dense with evil spirits. Its a miracle. Speaking of which, even psychics are afraid of ghosts. Should I pretend to be scared of ghosts too? But something deep inside me refused to allow such a disgraceful act. ...? * * * A miracle indeed. Gamlo, unfolding a ghost gate in the center of the DMZ, said. Cheonjis regional guardian Gooju responded to his remark. What do you mean by a miracle? Not a single casualty in the patrol team. Thats impossible. Wasnt the patrol team the one to be sacrificed? Even the GP and tunnel teams have suffered many casualties. The patrol team was the most dangerous as they were not protected like GP or tunnels. That not a single casualty arose from such a team was unthinkable. Yoo Hajin, a man named Yoo Hajin is tackling all the phenomena. The others are merely following in his shadow. Hes saving everyone. No, even I would find that impossible. Suddenly, a tinge of emotion crept into Gamlos voice. I thought the word hero had lost its meaning in this world. Gamlo-nim. But it seems it hasnt lost its meaning yet. Gamlo bit her lip tightly. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 18: The Marvel of The Smartphone (2) The strategy of the patrol team was simple. Yoo Hajin would take on any bizarre phenomenon too strong for the other psychicsto handle. Those phenomena and evil spirits that could be defeated by the force of psychics would simply be eradicated by them. And now was the time when these beatable evil spirits and phenomena were emerging in droves. The psychics did not hesitate to start showcasing their powers. "Spiritual Manifestation." Jinari also assumed her stance. It was a unique posture where she brought her hands together and extended them forward. Then, like a chick covered in downy fluff, a red aura began to swirl around her arms. "me Wind!" A wind blew from the northeast, and the evil spirits and phenomena it touched instantly burst into mes. Her skill was of a high caliber, even among the top-levelstudents. "Is that the power of the Phoenix?" "Tch, a silver spoon born with even spiritual powers. It''s unfair." Their envious murmurs could be distinctly heard amidst the echoing sounds of battle. Jinari pped her small wings as she listened to these sounds filled with envy and jealousy. Ah, the power of the phoenix that everyone acknowledges. What expression would that man wear upon seeing this power? What if he bes enchanted by her ability and wants to join the Jin family? Then, wouldn''t it be okay to ept him until he gets over his imprinting? The girl''s daydreaming intensified. Thump-thump- With a fluttering heart, Jinari slowly looked toward the man. But he was just staring nkly. More precisely, he had a look of sudden realization, but Jinari, who was raised sheltered, did not know the term for such an expression. ''Is he not moved at all by my powers?! Just how powerful are the psychics he''s been around!!!'' Jinari was shocked by his reaction. A cry of dismay almost escaped her lips. Yet, Yoo Hajin still wore that same expression of realization. ''Is this some kind of performance art?'' Yoo Hajin couldn''t see ghosts. * * * I can''t see ghosts. So, I couldn''t see the abilities of psychics either. ''Is this some kind of performance art?'' That''s why, when watching psychics battle, I couldn''t help but think like this. Especially when the chick looked at me with world-ss eyes after her spirit invocation, I couldn''t help but wear the expression of a member who got kicked out of a hero party. What expression does a memberwho has been expelled from the hero party have? Obviously, it''s the look of someone hit by harsh reality, a face full of despair. Finally, the team''s CGI-less hero action scene was over. I got up to check if anyone was injured. Not a single person was hurt. It seems like this ce is filled with top-notch psychics. They all seem like elder candidates, young masters, mistresses, and top disciples C truly living up to their nicknames. "Then let''s head out." With that, we started moving again. Not long after we departed, there was a reaction again. "I hear a song. No, it''s a Ghost Melody!" "Everyone, cover your ears! Don''t listen to the song from the phenomenon for too long!" "Even if I cover my ears, the song ys in my head." "Damn it, a Ghost Melody that prates spiritual defenses. This is no joke. So, please shut up!" What song are they hearing? If it''s ying in their heads, it''s like those songs banned during college entrance exams. There''s only one way to deal with this. You have to rece one exam-prohibited song with another. I turned on NewTube. And searched for an appropriate song. Damn, NewTube eats up so much data when I turn it on. "Alright! We sing a military song while moving! The idol of YOASOBI!" "Idol?" "Tensai Teki na Idol-sama!!!" I red at my team members. For some reason, they were all scared of me. What can I do? Is there any other way than singing along to this geeky song? "Sing along!!!" "We, we don''t know Japanese songs!!!" "Does not knowing them end your life as a psychic?!! Just follow along as best as you can!!!" How to Exorcise the Ghost''s Song, the Melody. It''s exorcised with a song brimming with positive energy. What kind of song is overflowing with positive energy? It''s the song that otaku guys fervently sing along to, brimming with positive energy. These guys have so much pent-up sympathy that they never get a chance to release it. "Ugh." Suddenly, I felt an internal injury. I almost fell into a trance. "Masani Saikyo de Muteki no Idol!!!" "Masani Saikyo de Muteki no Idol!!!" But seeing these socially elite insiders, Singing otaku songs with all their might seemed somewhat healing. "Quick, move faster!!! And don''t stop singing!!!" What about my data usage!!! Are you guys going to pay for it??? So, hurry up, you uncivilized lot!!! And so, we escaped the Ghost Melody Zone. * * * After passing through the Ghost Melody Zone, the next was the Fog Zone. To be exact, it was the Ghost Fog Zone. Because I couldn''t see any fog. "Even with spirit vision, this fog can''t be pierced through." "They''re misusing Gamlo-nim''s technique." "If it''s a being that can misuse Celestial Immortal''s technique, it must be the Gwizon." "The Gwizon" As I listened to my team members muttering, I shouted. "Hey! Is it foggy back there too?" "Yes! It''s very foggy!" Lately, more people started speaking formally to me. Do I really look that much like an uncle? I sighed and called the team together. "We''re about to reach thest point of this patrol. Once we hit this point and return, the Gwizon should be eliminated by then." "I hope so." "There''s never been a wrong call from the leader." When did I be the leader? I''ve always avoided being the team leader in group projects as a principle. Being a team leader is definitely not my style. "I''ll lead the way this time too. And everyone, hold hands. If anyone lets go, shout immediately." "Leader, do you have a clever n to get through this fog? It''s a misuse of Gamlo-nim''s technique..." Huh, fog or whatever, I can''t see it, okay? I wish I could see the same things as you all. But I can''t say that, so I decided to divert the conversation. "I can break through this level of technique." "You mean to break through Gamlo-nim''s technique?" "I can''t believe it." My teammates looked at me with sparkling eyes. Even the chick chirped in surprise. Oh, I really don''t want this kind of attention. They''ll surely treat me like a fraud once they find out I''m powerless. "If everyone''s ready, let''s start moving. Roll call!" "One!" "Two!" "Forty-three!" "Forty-five!" "Hey, can''t you count?! Why is forty-fiveing out of nowhere? What happened to forty-four?" Ah, these hopeless cases. So good with spiritual powers but can''t even count properly. The man who was called out for missing a number tilted his head in confusion, not understanding why he said that. To be precise, everyone was tilting their heads. "Who, who was number forty-four?" "I, I can''t remember. There definitely was one." "Ah, I think I know. That guy''s neck was bent at a ny-degree angle. How did we not feel something was off then?" These clueless psychics. Can''t count, can''t recognize a ghost. Why is it that my teammates always have such bad luck? Are you all kindergarteners or what? In the end, I had to gather the team and count them myself. One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight... "Good. Everyone''s here. Everyone''s holding hands, right? Let''s go." And so, I led the team through the Ghost Fog Zone like a daycare teacher herding children. There were a few dorks who let go of hands and wandered in different directions from time to time, but what does it matter? La, off we go!!! * * * Thus, the patrol team reached the end of their route without a single casualty. They were moved by their own survival and felt gratitude towards the one man who saved them. "It''s a miracle we''re alive. I never expected such a fusion of bizarre phenomena." "Really no joke. Is this the old territory of the Gwizon?" "If it weren''t for Yoo Hajin, I would be miserably dead by now." And now, that man, Yoo Hajin, was sitting, fiddling with his phone. "This isn''t easy." Yoo Hajin seemed more serious now than when he was breaking through numerous bizarre phenomena. His teammates thought he was fighting against a more powerful entity through what appeared to be a smartphone, but was actually a talismanic artifact. However, Yoo Hajin was merely ying a game about making watermelons. He was just frustrated that the necessary oranges were not showing up. At that moment, a man approached him. This man was Baeksooho, of the prestigious Baekgafamily. "Excuse me, Mr. Yoo Hajin." "Hm? What for?" "May I take a look at that smartphone?" The Baekga family excelled in barriers, spellcraft, and talismans. So, Baekga recognized the value of the smartphone faster than anyone else. ''A device transmitting uncorrupted information in an area heavily influenced by bizarre phenomena.'' The prospect of examining a talismanic artifact as powerful as this smartphone, even at the risk of angering the formidable Yoo Hajin, was too tempting. Understanding its principles could propel the Baekga family to surpass the Jin family and be the top family in the sect. Hence, he took the risk to make such an audacious request. "For free?" "Of course not. Our Baekga family will..." "Then, how about ten thousand won for a rental?" Just ten thousand won? The Baekga heir hurriedly pulled out the amount from his wallet. "Here you go." "Wow, you''re really giving it. Just don''t break it." With that, Yoo Hajin easily handed over the phone. The Baekga heir quickly essed the inte. "It''s incredible." An inte connection unaffected by information corruption. If one could connect to such an inte amidst bizarre phenomena, they could request help or even look up strategies anytime. The Baekga heir hurriedly essed the website for Countermeasures against Bizarre Phenomena. He then began searching for information on anomalies in the DMZ. ==== Dangerous Anomalous Objects in the DMZ. Level 1: Suddenly Appearing Mines and Wild Boars. They can cause physical harm. Use spirit abilities for removal. Level 2: Suddenly Appearing Soldiers and Civilians. Soldiers and civilians do not exist in the DMZ. They are evil spirits, so use spirit abilities without hesitation for removal. Level 3: Suddenly Appearing Mothers and Fathers. Your parents cannot possibly be in the DMZ. They are Grade 2 or higher evil spirits capable of reading minds, so remove them with spirit abilities along with a teammate, or flee if impossible. Level 4: Suddenly Appearing Gods and Angels. There are gods in the DMZ. Level 5: This Sentence. If you read this sentence, suddenly you will slit your throat... === "Hey there." Yoo Hajin stood up and snatched back his phone. He had thought the man who borrowed it was taking deep breaths because he entered some adult site. One shouldn''t do such things on someone else''s phone. ''I lent it to him for a simple call, how dare he?'' When Yoo Hajin red, the Baekga heir bowed his head. "Thank you for saving my life." And then he hastily retreated to his seat. The smartphone wasn''t special. Through his discerning eye, the Baekga heir realized that the smartphone was just an old, cheap model. The fact that it tried to corrupt information immediately upon his inspection confirmed it. The special one was Yoo Hajin. Yoo Hajin was impervious to the information corruption of bizarre phenomena. Any corruption in objects he touched also disappeared. ''Has he pushed away the bizarre phenomena with his overwhelming spiritual power?'' Baeksooho looked up at Yoo Hajin with admiration. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 19: The Gwizon (1) In this world, there exists a concept known as a vow. A vow is a promise made to the heavens to fulfill one''s deepest desires. And within every soul lies its fundamental vow. ''As the queen of souls, I shall govern all spirits. Gathering all mes, I shall illuminate the entire world. In harmony with the heavens, I shall unfold my will upon the earth.'' Such vows are known as fundamental vows. Some refer to these as the ghost gate. In terms of the Cheonji order, those who fullyprehend their fundamental vow are called Earthly Immortals, and those who can manifest it are known as Celestial Immortals. +My vow.+ +My fundamental vow.+ Even the malevolent spirits have their fundamental vows. They too possess souls. No, they themselves are souls. The fundamental vows of these malevolent spirits are mostly simr. To eradicate all impurities and purify this world. The impurity of breathing, eating, speaking, smiling, crying, sharing warmth in love, spreading violence in hatred, dancing, sleeping, a baby wriggling its fingers. All these impurities shall be cleansed. Humanity, being the embodiment of impurity, shall be purified. The spirits known as evil spirits or demons mostly engrave such fundamental vows within themselves. And those who fully realize these vows are called First-ss evil Spirits or demons. By purifying numerous humans and consuming their souls, and through relentless training and refinement, a demon can manifest its fundamental vow. Once able to manifest its fundamental vow, That demon is henceforth known as the King of Spirits or Gwizon. My ghost gate is being manifested. A soul, once known as an evil spirit or demon, began to speak through its vocal cords. Having be the Gwizon, it is no longer a mere spirit of the shadows, is now eligible to challenge the dual gods, capable of creating a physical body to form a yang spirit In other words, from the Gwizon onward, a real physical body exists in reality. In a ce once known as Bulgogi GP, There was a man, marveling at his own hands as if they were a wonder. Around him were strewn numerous corpses. The states of the corpses varied greatly. A corpse with its eyes gouged out, one with its head split in half, A body severed between its upper and lower halves. But themonality among the corpses was that they all bore expressions of tremendous terror. "Congrattions on receiving your new title of nobility." Spoke a corporeal malevolent spirit. Beside it stood another demon with a physical body. "Every human who entered this area today will die!!! Especially the offspring of the Phoenix, they must be killed without fail!!!" "We will handle Gamlo; you focus on capturing and consuming the essence of the Phoenix to stabilize your realm. As for Gamlo, well, it''s like the clouds that fly away too quickly to be caught." The three Gwizoughed. Witnessing this, a man hiding nearby pressed a gun against the roof of his mouth and pulled the trigger. However, the bullet did not fire. "Ghh... Ghhk... Ghhh..." The three Gwizongazed upon the surviving man. He tried to bite his tongue tomit suicide, but it was impossible. His mouth had already disappeared. The man was unable to scream. * * * Gamlo realized that the situation was turning grim. The annihtion of what was thought to be the safest, the GP team. This was certainly impossible without the intervention of another Gwizon. "I thought at most one woulde as backup. My n was to quickly deal with the one who came as support and then eliminate the newly born Gwizon." The role of the students was to hold off the newly born Gwizonuntil Gamlocould eliminate the supporting Gwizon. However, Gamlohadn''t anticipated that not one, but two Gwizon woulde as backup. Without themand of a Supreme Spirit, it was rare for Gwizon to unite. Gamlo looked at the man and woman who appeared before him. They were all Gwizon. And they were famous for having destroyed several cities - ancient and powerful Gwizon. The old man with a bloodied mouth was known as Kuro, and the young woman with bloodied hands was called Chahwa. Both were experienced Gwizon, having ughtered hundreds of thousands of humans. "Gamlo, that''s quite an arrogant thought." "You damn b*tch!!! You underestimate us?! We''ll make sure to torment your corpse!!!" Speaking alone is enough to corrupt the mind with stickiness, and now two such Gwizonhave descended. Gamloformed a bitter smile and forged a connection. "The tiger is going to prey." "Bluster all you want. I know that all other Celestial Immortals, except you, have gone to seal the gaps in the Great Divine Gate. Especially the tiger, a key force, would surely not be missing." There''s a traitor within the Cheonji. Gamlo sent a telepathic message with a bitter smile. +Gooju-nim. Gather the survivors and escape through the DMZ. All students and reinforcements must evacuate.+ +What are your ns, Gamlo-nim?+ In that moment, Gamlothought of a man. The man was known as Yoo Hajin. +I will confront and fight.+ For humanity, it seemed right for her, a Celestial Immortal, to survive and use everyone here as a discardable piece. After all, the chances of them surviving and bing Celestial Immortals capable of confronting a Gwizon were slim. ''But that man would not make such a choice.'' Therefore, Gamlodecided to confront and fight today. When Gamlochose not to flee, the Gwizontwisted their mouths grotesquely and shouted. Manifestation of the Ghost Gate. Manifestation of the GhostGate. * * * Boom-boom - A loud noise could be heard from a distance. Such explosions usually ur when things are going awry. For instance, like being an extra in a Michael Bay movie or being part of a trio flying away chased by an electric mouse. "Tsk, why does it have to be so scary?" I kicked a stone in frustration. Because I felt uneasy. "Captain, it seems likely that a Gwizon might appear on our side. The heavenly energy is very unstable." "Right. If it had appeared somewhere else, the test would have been over by now. There''s nowhere to run there." "If a Gwizonappears, what do we do, Captain...?" The kids kept freaking out about the appearance of a Gwizon. So, I sneakily looked up ''Gwizon'' on Wiki. "Damn, why did I even search this." There was nothing but chilling information. Seeing that, I made up my mind. If a Gwizon appears, I''ve got to run like hell. We''re just Bronze and Silver level C what could we possibly do against something only a Celestial Immortal can defeat? It''d be a miracle if we didn''t mess up in a group fight. "AAAAAHHH! Over there! Over there!!!" Cough, cough. Cough. Ugh. "This can''t be happening, this can''t be happening." Suddenly, the kids start panicking. What the heck? Has a Gwizonreally appeared? I guess that old man will read my will and delete myputer files, right? Im f*cking terrified, damn it!!! I was tense and cautiously watched something approaching from beyond the bushes. "What is that?" It was a man. And not just any man, but aplete weirdo, walking around with his lower half exposed. His arms and legs were so skinnythat he probably weighed thirty to forty kilograms. "Guess he''d be ttened if he faced a Taekwondo 4th Dan." Sigh, at least I could see him, so he wasn''t a evil spirit. "Hey, you idiots, don''t be scared!!!" Even though I shouted for them not to be scared, the kids just trembled more. "Hey, you pervert!!! Because of you, our kids are freaking out!!!" As I yelled at the man, heughed as if amused and said, "This is the first time I''ve seen humans go crazy like this. Is it because the fear is so intense that they''ve forgotten their fear? Humans really are disgusting." What''s with this guy? This naked man ispletely insane. "For someone who dared to show courage, you seem to have no spiritual abilities at all. Fine. I''ll reintroduce you to fear. Melting a few of those kids over there should reignite the terror. Then, I''ll slowly devour you bit by bit." I pulled out some tools from my waist. They were tools I brought to fight a superpowered assassin named Guon, but I never expected to use them on a crazy guy who just appeared from the bushes. "By the way, who is Fengchu? Ah, that kid over there." I aimed the stun gun silently at the neck of the madman. If he''s looking for Fengchu, he must be one of the assassins. Good timing. These tools were meant to take down guys like you. "Beep, beep." A pink-haired girl was crying tears, Uttering strange noises in sheer terror. Just as the man''s hand was about to touch the chick''s cheek, I pressed the button on the stun gun. * * * Overwhelmed by unbearable pain, the Gwizonscreamed. "Aaaargh!" What the hell? What kind of power could prate the Gwizon''sdefensive spells? He had defended against all human spiritual abilities - the Qi waves of Gikongmun, Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect, the Holy mes of Jinga, everything!!! ''How dare a repulsive human inflict such pain on me.'' ''First, I will gnaw your limbs to the bone, and then, I''ll crack open your skull and feast on your brain while you''re still alive. I''ll show you what that kind of torment feels like.'' The woman in the tunnel who went through that begged to be killedter, betraying all herrades. The Gwizonturned around with an evil smile. But that smile soon disappeared. "For Gods sake, dont touch the chick, you bastards." The man was now in a boxing stance with knuckle dusters on. Eighty-four punches. Following the ancient rule of one strike per second under the bridge, a terrifying onught ensued. Each hit was a bone-crushing, flesh-tearing blow. "Th-that''s not the Eighty-four punches technique..." "Take it. Take this. Take it. Take this!!!" In just a few seconds, the Gwizonfelt a threat to its life. ''No, no way!!! I am a spirit of a m!!! ms have hard shells!!!'' But the man seemed oblivious to any shell, striking the Gwizonwith precision. The fact that a high-ranking spirit couldn''t defend itself in closebat was astounding. The difference in attack and defense was so overwhelming it defied all expectations. ''A Gwizonbeing outmatched inbat...?'' The pinnacle of humanity. The Honored ones and the highest echelons of Cheonji. Could it be that an unknownCelestial Immortal power was present here? The man''s assault momentarily ceased. In that instant, the Gwizon, its teethpletely knocked out, grinned with a toothless mouth. "Spiritual manifestation. Shell Poison Water." Intending to make the spirit fighter regret engaging in closebat, it opened its shell to release a cursed liquid. The man should have dissolved without a trace. But the man was unscathed. No, he looked as if he hadn''t been attacked at all. "Hey, I freaked out thinking you were a Gwizon because of you!!!" "Me, a Gwi-..." "Now take this!!!" The man''s relentless beating resumed. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 20: The Gwizon (2) When ''it'' appeared, the patrol team was filled with despair. It was as gigantic as a castle. Or perhaps, it might have looked like a giant m. But one thing was certain: it was not of this world. The shell of ''it'' was covered in iprehensible ancient script. Well, it was understandable, but one couldn''t gaze at it for long, knowing that understanding it would lead to gouging out one''s eyes whileughing. Suddenly, a voice burst out as the shell slightly opened. "Come here, save me, don''t enter, Im melting, it hurts, please..." In the gap, countless people were melting inside the m. They were the same people seen in the DMZ that morning. With melted bodies and empty eyes, they reached out and stared outside. As their screams, not quite screams, reached the living, panic was inevitable. "Aaaaaah! There! Over there!!!" "Sniffle, sniffle. Sniffle. Sniff." "It can''t be. It can''t be. It can''t be" A monster that devoured friends and colleagues they knew. A creature with a soul so different that just seeing it made one want to give up the fight. That was the Gwizon. A demon capable of opening the Ghost Gate and turning a region into hell. Yet, a man known as Yoo Hajin stood fearlessly before such a monster and shouted. "Hey, you idiots, don''t freak out!!!" Was it courage or recklessness? The patrol team was too terror-stricken to think. But the m, indifferent to such insignificant cries, looked at the patrol team with a hateful gaze. And from the abyss'' depths, the m, feasting on souls, stretched a greedy hand toward Fengchu. It must have thought that Fengchu as a meal fits its stature. "Beep, beep beep." Fengchu, facing that hand, was engulfed in extreme terror. She was scared. So scared. This world was too frightening. She acted strong, but she was not really. If she didn''t act strong, she would be outcast by her family. She wished someone would save her. She didn''t want to be devoured. That was the moment. Fengchu or Jinari looked at the back of a man. The back of the man protecting her. "Hey, don''t touch the chick. You bastards." And then, the man began to punch at the Gwizon. Astonishingly, his punches cracked the seemingly indestructible shell, freeing the souls trapped and tormented within the m''s flesh, and even made the Gwizonspew filthy blood. The patrol team looked at the man''s back. A single man was standing against the Gwizon, protecting them. He was sacrificing everything he had. "The captain is protecting us." "Even for a captain, it''s impossible to beat a spectral Gwizonwith a shell like that." "He must have drawn power from a vow. He swore to the heavens to protect us. Such a vow puts a tremendous burden on the soul." "Damn it, making me cry in a ce like this. With that kind of power, he could''ve just run away alone. Why is he fighting and risking his life?" Of course, Yoo Hajin had no idea he was beating up the Gwizon. He just thought he was beating up a pervert. Specifically, a pervert targeting a chick. But others didn''t know that. "Let''s fight too." "Are you crazy? How can we fight such a monster?" "Then what, if we don''t fight, do we have a way to survive?" "Right. If the captain is fighting like that, we can''t just stand by." Even though the Gwizonwas terrifyingly fearsome, Seeing the courage of Yoo Hajin, the man, inspired them to challenge it. The patrol team clenched their fists and stood up. Conquering the fear of the Gwizon, they felt their souls grow stronger. And then, they too began to punch at the Gwizon. "Die, Gwizon!!!" "Aaaaahhhhh!!!" "Nymph Punch!" "I''ll give you 500 won, go buy bread in 10 seconds!!" "Peep!!!" Originally, these were weak attacks that would be blocked by the shell, but now that Yoo Hajin''s Punchs had shattered it, things were different. The Gwizon, having wished for a hard shell as a m, faced the consequence that its interior was exceedingly fragile. It was even weaker than a typical first-ss evil spirit. This meant the patrol team''s attacks could prate it. "This, this can''t be." At that moment, the Gwizonsensed its impending death. It was inconceivable to die at the hands of such vermin. Unthinkable to perish to such impure beings. Two Gwizonfloating in the sky heard this silent scream. "No, that thing is dying, isn''t it?" "Even for an unstable Gwizon, to be defeated by those weaklings?!!" These were the Gwizons pushing back the Ghost Gate of Gamlo. Hence, they couldn''t interfere in the battle until the Ghost Gate was closed. "If that guy dies, the Demon Lord will be furious." "Damn it!!! These weaklings are causing trouble!!!" "We''ll have to use it. Regrettable, but necessary." But sending power was possible. The Gwizon, fearing the wrath of the Demon Lord, brought out something they had been saving. From the hands of the two Gwizons, a substance known as Ectosm, a condensed form of spiritual energy extracted by torturing human souls intoplete loss of will and individuality, began to form. Decades of collected Ectosm would be enough to recover and open the Ghost Gate. If the Gate opened, those insects could be crushed in an instant. And the m-like Gwizonthought the same. Like absorbing seawater, it sucked in the surrounding air while forming a seal. "Open the Ghost Gate!!!" But the Ghost Gate did not appear. The m-like Gwizonno longer had the power to open it. "No, how could this..." The ectosm sent by the other Gwizonswas futilely scattered by the hands of the man who had beaten it. It seemed the man wasn''t even aware that he had dispersed the ectosm. And there he stood, holding a stun gun in each hand. The man spoke up. "You know what?" "What, what do you mean?" "How do you not know!!! That Chidori splits lightning!!!" "What, what''s that!!! Aaaargh!!!" After Yoo Hajin''s Chidori was activated, the beating resumed. The patrol team, who had been frightened at the mention of ''Open the Ghost Gate,'' no longer hesitated. Even with the Ghost Gate about to open, they fearlessly fought the Gwizon, looking at Yoo Hajin with eyes full of respect. So, they followed Yoo Hajin''s lead. More precisely, they imitated his actions. "Die, Gwizon!!!" "Wooooooh!!!" "Not even awyer can dodge my punch!!!" "Where''s my bread!!! Haven''t you bought it yet?!!!" "Peep!!!" The punching did not stop. Not until the shell waspletely shattered. Not until all the tormented souls inside were gone. Thus, the Gwizonperished, leaving only the words ''It hurts too much.'' But Yoo Hajin mistook this disappearance for teleportation. If it had teleported, it mighte back to target the chick. So Yoo Hajin said, "Chick, stay behind me." "Peep peep. No, yes. Yes." The chick followed Yoo Hajin closely. At that moment, the entire surviving patrol team shouted. "We won!!!" "Damn, we, we annihted the Gwizon!!!" "Such leadership is unreal!!! Our captain is the best!!!" "My bread!!!" Yoo Hajin shook his head in disbelief at the team. What they just beat wasn''t the Gwizon. Because, he saw it with his own eyes. But there was no need to point that out. Just as Yoo Hajin was thinking of taking a break while on his phone, he noticed the chick trembling. "Why, is someone targeting you again, making you scared?" "I''m, I''m not scared. I''m a phoenix. My body, my body shaking like this is because peep, uh, stop making weird noises. Sniff." Yoo Hajin wasn''t great atforting kids. So, he just covered her with his coat. "Well, they say chicks are sensitive to cold." When the chick looked up at him with moist eyes, an embarrassed Yoo Hajin awkwardly turned his head and muttered. "They say chicks shiver when cold. So, it must be the chick inside your heart, right?" Hearing this, Jinari smiled. Yoo Hajin wanted to tease her that crying thenughing would grow horns on her butt, but refrained since she was a girl. * * * The absurd demise of a new Gwizon. The Gwizons murmured upon witnessing it. "If we don''t want to incur the Demon Lord''s wrath, we need to at least take the life of Gamlo." "Yes!!! Kill Gamlo and the phoenix, and the Demon Lord will forgive us!!!" As the Gwizons'' murderous intent became overt, Gamlopositioned herself in front of her Ghost Gate. Originally, the opening of the Ghost Gate is a technique to unleash one''s spiritual realm into reality through the gate, spreading the gate''s power in all directions. But what if that power was focused entirely on oneself? That thought led to the creation of an altered form of Ghost Gate Opening, the Defensive Gate Opening. By vowing not to leave the gate''s front and focusing the gate''s power onto oneself. The power of the Ghost Gate, which could turn the world into a realm of clouds and mist, began to concentrate solely on Gamlo. "Is she buying time?" "How boring!!!" At that moment, Gamlosaw something. And upon seeing it, she closed her own Ghost Gate and used Corruption Travel to defile her body with impurity, losing her spiritual abilities and falling to the ground. The Gwizons smirked at this iprehensible act. "What''s she doing? Gamlo, don''t you know once the Ghost Gate is closed, it can''t be reopened for several minutes? And each time it''s opened, the energy consumed is enormous. Hehe, you won''t be able to open the Ghost Gate again in this battle." "Foolish woman!!! Your choice will lead to your death!!!" Seeing Gamlo''s face distorted with fear, the Gwizons smiled with glee. They felt something odd, though. Why would Gamlo, who had been fighting them effortlessly, suddenly be paralyzed with fear? It was strange. Thus, the Gwizons turned their gaze to where Gamlohad looked. There stood a girl. A girl of cruel beauty. "Return what''s precious to me." Spoken by the girl, known to some as ''Jamsuni'' and to others as ''Spirit Lord.'' "Then I''ll let you die painlessly." C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 21: Whiplash with a pretty girl (1) ''Who dares to kill whom?'' The arrogant remark from the suddenly appearing girl caused the Gwizons to curl their lips in a bizarre smile. Daring to decide the life and death of a Gwizon, despite being an inferior human. "I won''t kill you, even if you beg me to." "I''ll ensure you experience what color and sound hell has to offer!!!" Hearing this, the girlughed. "I probably know much better than any of you what hell looks like and what taste it has." The girl was beautiful. Despite her youth, that was certain. However, her aura was terrifying enough to make even a Gwizon retreat. "That girl, she''s extraordinary!!!" Witnessing her cruel beauty, the Gwizons were certain the girl before them was at least of a Celestial Immortal. This meant that, like the ghosts, the human side now had two individuals capable of opening the ghost gates. Coming to this conclusion, the Gwizons didnt hesitate and flew towards the surface. Reverse the negativity and kill them from the sealed path. Thus, regaining the numerical advantage. Negativity is something that all souls fear, and thus it blocks psychic powers. However, just because one has reversed the negativity does not mean they can stop physical attacks. A Gwizon possesses a tangible body. If this physical body is strengthened, a powerless woman can be easily torn apart. The Gwizon''s face twisted grotesquely as he lunged forward. However, shackles materialized out of thin air, holding him immobile for a few seconds. It was the technique of Gooju. Gooju coughed up blood as a consequence of binding the Gwizon for those seconds. "Gooju-nim! I told you to run away!" "How can I abandon my master and flee? ording to myw, such a sin cannot be redeemed even in death!" You fool! Gwizoneasily shattered the shackles and opened his mouth wide. But someone blocked the Gwizon''s path. The girl spread her hands, creating a white wall, and spoke. Despite the Gwizon''s earlier rush to the surface, Kim Sojin had arrived even faster. She looked at the Gwizon, who was guarding himself, and spoke. "I never understood before. The idea of sacrificing oneself for someone precious. No, I didn''t even grasp the concept of someone being precious." The girl, smiling, addressed Gooju. "Are you the supreme teacher?" "Yes, I''m supreme teacher Gooju." "Since you''re supreme teacher, you might not know much about ghost gate battles. Let me exin a bit." The Gooju could only nod. Then, Kim Sojin turned to the Gooju and asked, "What''s the way to deal with a ghost gate?" "The first method is to attack from a long distance. Once a ghost gate is opened, it remains fixed in ce until it closes, so the user must stay nearby." "And the second?" The Gwizons, ignored by the girl, shook with uncontroble rage. But she paid them no heed. "If you can use a ghost gate, use it before your opponent does. The longer a ghost gate is open, the stronger it bes in the real world. A well-established gate can make it possible to defeat an opponent who would otherwise be unbeatable." "Any other method?" Is there another way? Gooju racked his brain. "To create a situation where the opponent must close their ghost gate..." "Wrong, that''s no different from a long-range attack." Gooju felt overwhelmed by the situation. Was there time for such a conversation in this urgent moment? "Is there another way then?" Gooju looked up at the sky. The heavenly energies were twisted so malevolently. The sky, long since having forgotten its natural blue, was now stained red and grey. In the red sky, numerous eyes were attached, and in the red-grey sky, the shadow of something devouring people loomed. The ghost gates of the two Gwizonshad been open long enough to push aside the surrounding heavenly energies and manifest their own hells. That was their domain. "You asked if there''s another way? I''ll show you now." The girl formed a hand seal. "Just overpower them with overwhelming strength. Ghost Gate Manifestation." "It''s toote, young human!" "Tsk, a child unaware of the nature of ghost gates. The longer a ghost gate is open..." The girl interrupted, "Nirvana Preservation Gate." With those words, the two Gwizonsfell silent. Suddenly, the sky turned golden, and Gooju, mesmerized by the golden color, reached his hands towardsit. "Gooju-nim! Maintain the negation stronger!" If it weren''t for Gamlosshout beside him, Gooju would have released the negation right then, ending up in the same situation as the Gwizons. Staring at the sky, mouth agape, tears streaming down. "That''s the strongest ghost gate, the NirvanaPreservation Gate..." Gamlo muttered. "That gate unleashes paradise. Since every soul desires paradise, in a battle of ghost gates, it''s overwhelmingly advantageous. It''s paradise, so it can''t be defended against." "To be precise, it''s not about not defending. People resist poison or curses, but not blessings, right?" Hearing this, Gooju despaired. A ghost gate was a technique to bring a controlled spiritual realm into the physical world. So, this girl, Kim Sojin, could manifest and control the realm of paradise? Kim Sojin smiled and said, "Unless you''re insane like devils, wearing negation, no one dislikes paradise. It''s literally heaven, right?" "Gooju. Never release the negation. Once you taste paradise, that''s the end. Paradise is the highest blessing, so there''s no way to block it, more so than the most evil curse! People instinctively take in what''s beneficial." Gamlo bit her lip and muttered. "What does she really want, this Eternal Being?" "Where are the Tiger and the Leaders of Cheonji?" "Why are you looking for them?" The atmosphere shifted abruptly. The heavy air made Gooju gasp for breath. "They''re trying to steal something precious to me. My most precious thing. Something I can''t let anyone take. It''s everything to me. To think they would take that person away. Damn it, I can''t forgive them..." The Tiger and the Leaders of Cheonji nning to steal something from one of the Three Honored Ones? It was unbelievable. But there was no way to refute it either. "So, I''ll kill them. I''ll kill them all." In front of one of the three Honored Ones, with their eyes filled with madness, Gamlo was left speechless. * * * "Where did Gamlogo?" I looked around. The DMZ was still quiet. I was tired of wandering around; was there a suitable building nearby? Ah, there''s one. "Let''s go in here for now." "Everyone, follow the Captain!" Since the test hadn''t ended, my patrol team and I entered a nearby building. It was a very ominous building. The smell of blood around it was so strong that it almost made me nauseous. And then, the numerous corpses strewn about the building. I closed my eyes at the sight of them. Damn, I''m almost certain to have nightmares tonight. Looking at what''s before my eyes, these must all be real people. A test where so many people die. I knew the DMZ was dangerous, but I didn''t realize it was this dangerous. Are there only monsters in this real world? Wandering through the corridor littered with bodies, I came across the CCTV room. The power was on in the CCTV room. To be precise, most of the cameras in the CCTV room were transmitting footage. "Wow, you can see all over the DMZ. The people who used to work here couldn''t have cked off because of this." Then, let''s use this to find Gamlo. Did she think she could embezzle my billion and run away from me? No chance. Absolutely no escape!!! "Where are you, Gamlo?" I quickly scanned through the CCTV feeds. And there, I found Gamlo. "Wait, what?" Next to Gamlo stood a girl. The girl''s back looked strikingly familiar. Jam... why is Jamsuni here? Shocked, I stepped back. Stepping back, I saw more corpses. Among the bodies was a girl who looked only a little older than Jamsuni. For a moment, the girl and Jamsuni seemed to ovep. Damn it, why did shee to such a dangerous ce? She''s not stupid enough not to know the dangers of the DMZ, especially when ying games or learning!!! I remembered Jamsuni whining and crying. She flipped me off and left without doing the dishes. "It must be because of me." I clenched my fist. Then I looked back at the CCTV. Is the kid, is she alright? Any injuries? She seemed unharmed. Thank goodness. Really, really a relief...! I clenched my fist again. Damn it, today I''m filming a whole episode of Whish with Jamsuni''s butt. I''ll teach her directly with her butt what ''Whish with butt'' means. ''Hmm, what to do with the chick.'' Right now, the chick was following me closely. I left her outside the CCTV room because she was scared, but the constant sounds from beyond the door made it seem like she wanted to stay by my side. Then she must trust what I say. After checking the map in the CCTV room, I spoke to the chick standing outside the door. "I have to go somewhere urgently." "Huh?" "I might not see you again, so I''m telling you now. Guon, sent by your aunt, is an assassin out to take your life." "That can''t be..." Hearing this, the chick burst into tears and started chirping frantically. From her reaction, it seemed she believed me. It was a bit sad, but the chick was a powerfuldy from a prominent family. Jamsuni was just a regr kid with modest supernatural abilities and a poor background. I needed to be there for Jamsuni. I had to produce a beatbox track with Jamsuni''s butt today. I''ll show off my beatboxing skills that rival Skeleton''s. "Tell the team members that I''ve nearly solved all the anomalies in this building, so they better not wander outside." "Chirp, chirp. Can''t, can''t Ie with you?" "Sorry." I unfolded the electric scooter I had carried on my back. I had charged it earlier in the CCTV room. "See youter." With those words, I mounted the electric scooter. * * * Gamlo sensed someone watching. The Giant Ghost Gates were being sealed, and the celestial lines began to return to the physical world. They shared their sight with Gamlothrough a spell. +Nirvana Preservation Gate. The strongest ghost gate?+ +Gamlo, how long can you maintain the negation?+ Gamlo replied that she couldn''t do it for much longer. +Still, drag it out as long as you can. The Tiger is on her way.+ Gamlo intuitively knew it would be hard to stall for time. The Eternal Being was maintaining the ghost gate more forcefully, erasing the negation from Gamloand Gooju. There must be other spells to erase negation, but they''re probably not being used to keep the strategy hidden for the uing prolonged war with Cheonji. "Killing us won''t get you any information." "You worry unnecessarily." Eternal Being Kim Sojin formed a hand seal. Then the NirvanaPreservation Gate began to close. "There''s no information that I can''t extract from a soul." Along with her words, screams echoed from the sky. Screams of the two Gwizon. "I was in paradise!!! I was in paradise!!!" "My, my paradise is gone!!!!" The two Gwizons wailed miserably, inflicting harm upon themselves. "Ah!!! Paradise, I know what paradise is!!! I don''t want to be in this ce, this ce!!!" "Paradise, please return my paradise, please!!!" At Kim Sojin''s gesture, the Gwizonsquickly flew over and bowed their heads. "Please, please send me back to paradise." "I''ll do anything. Anything." "Really? Then kill each other." At Kim Sojin''smand, the Gwizonsbegan a fight to the death. It was a desperate battle with everything on the line, leaving Gamloand the other celestials watching speechless. "Now, you understand the principle, right? Now you''ll tell me everything you know about Cheonji." Gamlo realized the true power of the NirvanaPreservation Gate. Complete domination of the soul using paradise. Not through curses or brainwashing, but through pleasure. Gamlo bit her lip. +It''s literally a drug of paradise. That''s the withdrawal symptom of the drug.+ +As expected of the Eternal Being! An incredibly powerful ghost gate!+ +How can such immense power reside in a girl like that.+ And so, Gamlo, watching the Gwizons fight desperately, made a resolute decision. +I shall take my leave now.+ +Gamlo, are you considering annihting your own soul?+ +Just wait a little. The Tiger is on her way!+ +The Eternal Being ns to engage us in a prolonged battle. She intends to use me as a hostage while concealing her techniques, luring you into her ghost gate. The Eternal Being is a cunning predator.+ Even as she resolved herself for the end, she didnt feel too bad. After all, today she fought to protect many lives. Just like that man. +If so, the very existence of Cheonji is at risk.+ The man with a tall stature and delicate features. His gaze, however, was incredibly sharp. Just like that man riding the electric scooter over there. "???" Gamlo was confused. An electric scooter?? In the ensuing scene, all the celestials were equally baffled. "Kim Sojin!!!" "Eh, what? Why, why?" "Why are you in the DMZ? You really think you can escape today without getting your butt whooped!!!" "Ah, no, its just... wait a moment." The man who appeared on the electric scooter suddenly grabbed the waist of the Eternal Being and shouted loudly. This caused Kim Sojin to start fidgeting uncontrobly. "How many spankings do you want?!!" The celestials were still floating question marks above their heads. +????+ C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 22: Whiplash with a Pretty Girl (2) The minds of the Celestial immortalswere clouded with confusion. Could it really be one of the Three-Honered ones, the girl whimpering in the grip of a man who suddenly appeared on an electric scooter? The samethree-Honered oneswho were known as the overwhelming powerhouse of despair and fear in sects? How many hits do you want to take?!! One, just one...? One?! As the man roared, the girl, still whimpering, asked again. Two, maybe two...? Two?! The girl shrunk further in front of the man''s renewed outburst. Watching this, Cheonji''s Celestial immortal Lee Jin-ryong was reminded of an incident from years ago. He had gone to stop a rampaging sorcerer at the sect''s request. The sorcerer was a young girl, so with the intention of mercy, he had said, Girl! How many times must I hit you before you stop this madness?! ...Trying to act tough, huh? Bring it on. How dare you, how dare you!!! As the ck Dragon, Lee Jin-ryong had lived for hundreds of years, but these words enraged him to the extreme. He charged at the girl, only to narrowly escape before bing a mere shadow of his former self in the snake soup. Thus, Lee Jin-ryong couldn''t believe the scene unfolding before his eyes. How powerful must one be to discipline this monster??? The ck Dragon Lee Jin-ryong came back to the present and looked again at the man and girl. This wont do. Talking about one or two hits, there''s no sign of remorse at all. Wait! p- The man''s hand struck the girl''s butthard. Ouch! That hurts! It''s supposed to hurt! Didnt I tell you not to do dangerous things? I warned you after thest time that if you did it again, I''d spank you hard! I, I forgot. Forgot? Im human too. I can forget, cant I! Witnessing the scene, Cheonji''s Celestial immortal Miro couldn''t help but recall an event from years ago. At that time, Miro was deeply engrossed in his training. Back then, Miro had expressed his frustration, saying, What must I do to reach the next level? The stages of a psychic abilities are usually divided as follows: First, the stage where ones soul vaguely grasps a vow. From this stage, one can begin to use spiritual powers. Second, the stage where ones soul fullyprehends a vow. From this stage, referred to as ''Earthly Immortals'' by the standards of Cheonji, one can wield powers akin to those of legendary immortals in myths. Third, the stage where ones soul brings a vow into reality. At this level, known as ''Celestial Immortals'' by the standards of Cheonji, one bes an existence nearly equivalent to a real deity. And fourth, the stage ofpleting the yin and yang of ones soul. If born as an evil spirit, one mustplete the yang aspect of the soul to exist like the living, and if born a living being, one mustplete the yin aspect, akin to ghosts. Only uponpleting both the yang soul of life and the yin soul of a natural spirit, can one receive the title of a true sage. Miro was currently at the third stage, known as Celestial Immortals. Despite centuries of training, he had not yet reached the fourth stage and was umting inner demons. That was when he saw a girl. Hearing that she needed to cultivate a yin soul to advance, she immediately began her ritual. Miro muttered to himself upon seeing this, Such an ignorant act, like that of a mere mortal. Thats not how onepletes a yin deity. Who are you calling a mortal? The girl, known as Kim Sojin,ughed cruelly and retorted, Wouldn''t it be you, who''s achieved nothing despite centuries of training? You, how dare you?! And then, Miro saw it. The girl, barely a day into her training,pleted her yin deity. Watching this, Miro fell into a trance. Thus, Miro couldnt believe the scene unfolding before him now. That transcendent being, calling herself a human??? His gaze returned to the present. To the man spanking the girl. I''m human too. I can forget, cant I! Who do you think you are, raising your voice?! p- The man''s hand sharply struck the girl''s butt. Ow! It hurts! It hurts! Didnt I tell youst time? Dont go to dangerous ces. If you end up like Nayu, haunted by ghosts, it would ruin your life. You''d be lucky to end up like Nayu!!! p- The man''s palm once again made a crisp sound. The girl twisted in pain. Going there could actually kill you!!! You cant undo death. Damn it, do you even know how ghosts and psychicscan kill people? Its toote to regret when it happens!!! Even fighting with Cheonji is dangerous too... Tears welled up in the man''s eyes. The girl, looking at his tears, bowed her head. She, too, was crying. I, Im sorry. You knew it was wrong and still did this?! Sob, sob. I wont do it again. I was wrong. Gamlo couldnt believe the scene unfolding before her. The notorious girl, apologizing? Knowing how to express regret? Gamlo recalled an event from a few years ago. Back then, this girl was a demon, mercilessly killing everything in her path. She didnt kill those who didnt challenge her, but if they did, it was a certain death rule. To convey a message from Cheonji, four Celestial immortals, including herself, had visited Louisville. Yeongzon*. Gamlo? You dont smell of alcohol today. Have you no intention of stopping the killing? Hearing this, Yeongzonughed. Stop killing? Why should I? Those guys, if left alive, will only be ve owners or abusers. Killing them is a service to this world. No, thats not true. Gamlo continued. What you kill are their subordinates. Killing them only leaves their children parentless, forced to be servants of the sect like you. Youve created hundreds, thousands of kids like yourself. Yeongzon said nothing in response. If you truly want revenge, storm their stronghold and eliminate only the real leaders. You wouldnt dare, right? Knowing the risks, as you do. So, you only torment those who cant resist you. Still, Yeongzon couldnt find words. So, stop the killing. If you do, Ill persuade the sect to... ...Ghost Gate. What? Ghost Gate, NirvanaPreservation Gate. Stunned by the revtion, Kim Sojin recklessly cast the NirvanaPreservation Gate, and Gamlo along with three other Celestial immortals barely escaped with their lives. The scene shifts back to the present. Where Yoo Hajin is spanking that Yeongzon. I, Im sorry. You knew it was wrong and still did this?! Sob, sob. I wont do it again. I was wrong. Yeongzon apologizing? Such a notorious figure? Gamlo couldnt believe it. Dont ever do this again. If you do, Ill make sure your buttturns from rice to pounded rice cakes. Got it?! I, I got it. And you, are you hurt anywhere else? Any pain? Seeing anything strange? My butt hurts Okay. Seems like everything else is normal. With that, the man picked up Yeongzon. The girl he carried clung tightly to him, sobbing. The man carrying Yeongzon spoke. I have a kid to take care of, so Ill be leaving now. Thank you for watching over her. To take care of... a kid??? I watched over her? You handle the test however you want. Finish it quickly and go take care of the kids. For Yoo Hajin, passing the test was no longer a concern. He had made a friend who could help him eliminate the Cheonsu. Thus, Yoo Hajin disappeared while performing the feat of riding an electric scooter with Yeongzon in his arms. The Celestial immortals, watching this, were left speechless and deep in thought. +Who exactly is that guy?!+ That was the first thought that came to mind. * * * And so, I returned home with Jamsuni. What a spectacr day it had been. On the bus back to Seoul, Jamsuni clung tightly to my arm, sobbing continuously. Did I overdo it? But if I hadnt been strict, she would surely have engaged in dangerous antics again. And man, am I exhausted. Rode the DMZ, fought a weirdo, received leader-like treatment, did it all. As I dozed off, Jamsuni whispered beside me. Fighting with Cheonji isnt that dangerous. It wasnt something to worry about to the point of crying What about Cheonji? A duel with cards on the line? Im too sleepy to understand what shes saying. Even with the Ghost Gate slightly open, everyone started seeing ghosts. If it opens more, the human world will definitely be doomed. Thats why, from Cheonjis perspective, they cant fullymit their forces to me I see. So Ghost Gateis the cause of all this. Or was it Ghost Gate? Whats it waiting for? Too drowsy to get it. Dozing off- Dozing off- Still, thanks. I thought itd feel good to be worried about by someone, but it hurts to be worried about by you. Im sorry. Peck- Something brushes my cheek. I wonder what it could be. I choose to believe its definitelynot the lips of a middle schooler. And like that, we returned to Seoul. * * * Next up in the news. Cheonji has announced the sessful conclusion of their selection exam. Especially noteworthy was the top scorer of the exam, hailed as a remarkable talent who will be a blessing for everyone. Lets find out more. The top scorer of the selection exam. Must be from some team other than our patrol team. I bailed before the exam ended with Jamsuni in tow, so Im obviously disqualified. The top scorer of this selection exam was described as a hero, in every sense of the word. Volunteering for the most dangerous group for the sake of everyone Was there such a sucker? I joined the patrol team because it seemed the safest. Maybe the GP team, with no escape, was the most dangerous? Demonstrating exceptional leadership, they efficiently overcame all sorts of bizarre phenomena Definitely not me. Lets recall what I did. Singing idol songs from start to finish, ying watermelon games in between. Zoning out while the kids were exorcising evil spirits. Thats all I did. Seems like there was a hard-working team leader in some other group. They selflessly inflicted a critical injury on an unbelievably powerful enemy. Cheonji is offering the top scorer a position akin to their executive staff and benefitsparable to a Celestial Immortals. We hope they will return Wow, benefitsparable to a Celestial Immortals? Thats almost like privileges of a head of state An unbelievably powerful enemy, huh? What happened? Did a real Gwizon show up in the other team? And benefitsparable to a Celestial Immortals. What benefits do Celestial Immortals get? Oh right, the license to kill. Killing without major consequences, right? Seems like there were many such outrageous perks. Beep- I turned off the monitor. Listening further would only make my stomach churn. Jamsuni! Time to eat! Food! Fresh meat! No meat though. No meat? And so, another day began. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Yeongzon(''??''): Yeongzon in Korean can have multiple meanings, including ''soulless'', or a state of being promoted to a higher position or title, or being in the presence of the spirit of the deceased. However, in the context here, it is used as a unique title. So to preserve the original vor I also didn''t change it. You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 23: GOD HAND (1) The abandoned chick cried out in a pitiful peep, peep. Exhausted from its sorrowful cries, it crouched down. "Peep, peep. From the beginning, you shouldnt have treated me kindly..." Clutching its chest in excruciating pain, it shrank in indescribable loneliness. Why does it hurt so much? Why so lonely? "That kid, what is she really...? I couldnt see her face, but she seems familiar..." The CCTV room where Yoo Hajin was located remained intact. It didn''t show news of the world on the brink of destruction or people performing human sacrifices, like someedy show. It was astonishing how the monitors worked perfectly even within the extraordinary anomaly of the DMZ. Jinari found it curious and sneaked a peek at the CCTV monitors. Actually, to be honest, she couldn''t take her eyes off Yoo Hajin and bravely faced her fear to look inside the CCTV room. So, Jinari saw everything clearly.She saw him restless upon spotting a girl on the CCTV, and as soon as he confirmed she was safe, he heaved a sigh of relief and immediately moved to go to her. With every move he made, Jinaris heart crumbled. But she couldnt hold onto Yoo Hajin. Because Jinari had given him nothing. Yet, Yoo Hajin had given her so much. Saving her when she was betrayed at Pyeon Station. Covering her with his coat when crossing the terrifying Miryang ck water. Fighting off anomalies as a patrol team. Standing against theGwizon to protect her. And once again,forting her. "Peep, peep..." What right did she have to hold onto him? Would it have been different if she had more power, more authority, or more wealth? Would he have chosen her over the girl he saw on the CCTV? "Miss, youre safe." It was then. The troubleshooter sent by her aunt. The voice of Guon, the Grey Spider, rang out. "Has the captain already left?" "...Yes. Hes gone." "I see. You must be heartbroken. From now on, let me take care of you." Guon approached with a friendly smile. Seeing his smile, Jinari also smiled faintly. "But Guon." "Yes, what is it?" "If youre going to spin a web, why do it so carelessly?" Hearing this, Guons smile faded, and so did Jinaris. No more words were needed. Guon swiftly contracted the spiderwebs he had set up. These webs, strengthened to their limits through a life-risking vow and a spirit elixir received from family, were potent enough to slice a normal psychicin half with just a single thread. There were hundreds of such threads. It was a death sentence for anyone, even for the strongest. In the thrill of murder, thats what Guonthought. The Phoenix, historically equated with the Zhuque or the three-legged crow, was symbolized by three powers: the summer of the four seasons, the south of the directions, and fire of the five elements. Jinaris powers were simr. She could draw strength from the south, was blessed by the summer season, and had a masterful ability to manipte fire. And now, it was summer. Jinari stood in the south. Hence, her mes were strong enough to envelop her entire body. Thats not some spirit manifestation. It''s merely unleashed power. And yet, to cause such damage...? Merely that was enough to burn hundreds of spiderwebs. The difference in spirit levels between himself, a mere spider, and Jinari was vast. Even with doping and all possible vows made, the power gap was insurmountable. Realizing this, Guonimmediately tried to flee. Is this the power of the Phoenix? One of the four strongest spirits of the East?! But he couldnt escape. His ankles were already engulfed in mes. Aaaagh! Now, tell me. Jinari, with tears streaming down her face, asked: Under whose orders are you targeting me? * * * A woman with long, carelessly tied white hair walked down the corridor of Cheonji. Her physique was a perfect blend of feminine curves and appropriate muscture. Her face was so stunningly beautiful, it could rival that of a top idol from a major entertainment agency. Indeed, until the day of her Spiritual Eye Awakening, she was the most promising trainee at a major agency. With her looks, effort, and talent, shecked nothing to be considered top-ss. She was so highly anticipated that she earned the nickname "Supernova." Normally, men would sneak nces at her, only to be scolded by their girlfriends, and women would openly send her looks of envy and admiration. But everyone in the corridor just trembled in fear. No one dared to look at her directly. Some were even on the verge of fainting. They were facing a fearsome, metaphysically transcendent tiger. She was a Celestial Immortal, known as the Tiger of Cheonji. She was the only one who ascended to the rank of Celestial Immortal after the day of Spiritual Eye Awakening in Cheonji. So, youre saying I have to bringthis man in? The Tiger muttered in a gloomy voice, to which a shadow replied. +Right. All the new recruits in Cheonji are his followers. He interfered in the Cheonji Selection Exam and turned an entire batch into his followers. Just like other ns and sects, hes trying to secure power within Cheonji through the Selection Exam.+ +He seems to have deep ties with Young Master. He even personally trained that Young Master.+ +He killed a Gwizon without using any powers. He wants to keep his abilities hidden from us. But its astonishing. To take down a Gwizon with mere physicalbat. He might be a monster on par with you.+ A monster of equal standing. The Tiger scoffed at the remark. Shut up. You, you do it. +But Tiger, arent you stronger than us?+ Why would beings who have trained their powers since before the Awakening of the Spiritual Eye parasite off a young girl like me? +You must help us to close the Great Ghost Gate. Only by helping us can you return to living a human life!+ What a joke. The Tiger smirked bitterly. Could closing the Great Ghost Gate really turn her back into a human? Even the Celestial Immortals feared her; could such a fearsome monster ever be human again? The Tiger gazed at the cosmetics in her room. They had be unnecessary, and she had been meaning to throw them away, yet she couldnt bring herself to do it. The person she saw in the mirror was still herself. Even though people saw her as a deity from another world, she always saw herself for who she was. The girl who once dreamt of being an idol. Of course, when she rxed her eyes, she too could see the monster. "Ugh, I am not this monster!!!" Her phone was filled with videos from her trainee days. Tiger spent the night until dawn, looking at thements on those videos. People admiring her beautiful self. The kindments they left. She stayed up until dark circles formed under her eyes, immersed in those memories. Could someone ever speak kindly to her again? Could there be someone who would love a monster like her? As these thoughts came to her, the Tiger closed her eyes. "Yoo Hajin, was it? Maybe I should find out what kind of man he is." Lying on her bed, the Tiger murmured in a mncholic voice. * * * I was on my way back from shopping. "Damn, the prices have gone up. I really need to find a job quickly." But in todays world, without spiritual abilities, even finding a decent job is tough. Sighing, I headed towards Louisville. In front of my Happy House Louisville, there was a woman lying on the ground. I wanted to ignore her, but I couldnt just walk past a familiar face. "Hey, Nayu. Youll get sick sleeping out here." "Nayu... it hurts so much..." Nayu would sometimes suffer like this. Uncle said it was because she was in tune with the heavens and thus afflicted by celestial punishment. Nothing could stop this punishment, so Nayu had to endure the pain. "But the old man was a liarThe Ilwol-Oakmoon sect, what nonsense. Probably Nayu is suffering like this because of a possession." "It hurts. Nayu hurts so much. It hurts." What should I do in such a situation? If it''s due to a spirit possession, theres no solution. Theres really nothing I can do. But if its physical pain, at least I could get her some medicine. Let''s check her temperature first. I cautiously ced my hand on Nayus forehead. And that''s when it happened. "Ah, ah. Nayu feels so good. Nayus sigh of relief." "Why, why are you reacting like this?" Suddenly, Nayu grabbed my hand tightly and started trembling all over. When I tried to pull away, frightened, she whimpered and kept pressing my hand to her forehead. "Nayu doesn''t hurt. Nayu can''t hear. Nayu likes this. This belongs to Nayu." "But that''s my hand, to begin with." Why was Nayu reacting like this? She even seemed blissfully shaking from the pleasure. All this from just touching my hand. Such abnormal behavior. When have I seen this kind of abnormal behavior before? Right, its simr to the reactions people have when psychics show off their powers. I pondered deeply. And then, I realized the answer. Thats it! That''s what it was!!! "Have I awakened my spirit abilities?" Finally, finally!!! It''s been such a long time of oppression. It''s time to return as the empowered Yoo Hajin. "I dont know what it is exactly, but it seems like an ability to give pleasure to women or possessed entities. A disastrous Hentaipower...!?" Since calling it Hentaipower might get me arrested, I''ll name this ability ''God Hand'' from now on. Anyints from other psychic? Come to Louisville. Jamsuni, the sour-fisted sweetheart of Louisville, will take care of you. I decided to test this ability further. "Nayu,e with me. Ill make you something delicious for dinner." "Nayu''s pleading to not go!" Luckily, Nayu agreed. Now it''s time to explore the capabilities of this God Hand...! C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 24: GOD HAND (2) As soon as I got home, I decided to test the God Hand. Nayu, lie down over there. Nayu obediently nods. I quickly moved aside the snacks Jamsuni was eating andid Nayu down. Jamsuni turned to me, annoyed. Ah, what now? Why did you bring this disaster ma? Dont be surprised, just watch. Behold my new ability. ...What now? Crunch-Jamsuni muttered while munching on potato chips. Back in my heyday, I used to develop a new ability every month. Wait, whats your rank? Thats when I noticed the monitor. Challenger with 1300 points? Is that even a humanly possible score? Jamsuni with her looks and Challenger-level skills...? Hey, hey, Jamsuni. Ever thought about streaming? Nope. I dont like the idea of selling my face to others. Oh, I got caught in a game. Doesn''t she know streaming is the trendthese days??? Jamsuni could be a legendary newbie. But since Ive decided not to make money off Jamsuni, I shook my head and looked at Nayu. Nayu was looking at me with a face full of anticipation. How do you usually activate an ability? Apart from making Nayu happy, I had no clue. This was a time to use Jamsuni-Wiki. Jamsuni, do people with spiritual abilities understand their abilities from the moment they awaken? Not really. Theyre called spiritual ability users or psychic once they vaguely realize their fundamental origin or vow through some catalyst. Most of them dont even know exactly what their ability is. Fundamental origin, huh. Ive heard that term before. So, its about realizing something through some catalyst. ... What have I realized recently? That the meat in instant noodles is actually fake meat made of soybeans? That mint chocte might actually taste good? Hmm...? Im getting hungry. Anyway, I havent really realized anything. Nayus excited face! Nayus gentle urging! Nayus eyes sparkled as she looked at me. Yes, even without any realization, my God Hand is activating. So how do those who have vaguely realized their abilities activate them? They use a means of assistance. Mostmonly, by reciting a spell. A spell? Click-click- Jamsuni spoke while gazing at the monitor. Incantation, enchantment, spell. Theyre all the same. Its about drawing out the ability with words that move your soul. There are other methods, too. Other methods? Vows. Making vows to the heavens. That way, you receive heavenly fortune and enhance your abilities. Jamsuniughed as she killed her enemies in the game. Yeah. Do you just make any vow? Of course, there are rules. You start by revealing your fundamental vow, your spiritual ability, and then you swear an oath to that ability. I will not retreat in this battle. I will definitely kill someone. Things like that. I remember seeing something like that at the DMZ. What happens if you break the vow? The heavens rage. You receive as much heavenly punishment as the fortune you received. And usually, the punishment is nine times stronger than the fortune. Heavenly punishment... I heard about it from uncle. A super-strong, surreal lightning from the angered heavens. Getting struck turns you into a superconductor, or so they say. Wait, the wrath of the heavens. Maybe even I, without spiritual eyes, can see that. If you make a vow about a fake spiritual ability, does the heavenly punishment still fall? Of course! The spiritual ability is your fundamental vow. Betraying your fundamental vow definitely enrages the heavens. Real heavenly punishment will fall as surely as a topner cursing a jungler. Hearing that, Iughed. Should I try getting struck by heavenly punishment? I must be crazy. Yes, I am crazy. But even at the risk of death, I want to see ghosts. So, what should I vow? At that moment, Nayu caught my eye. The crazy beauty with sky-blue hair. Probably a poor girl who was possessed and then abandoned by her parents, ending up in this 600,000 won studio apartment. I vow, with my ability, the God Hand that brings happiness, that I will someday save this poor Nayu with my own hands. In the doujinshiI read, women in the same situation often end up being happy, so its not entirely wrong!!! Right after I said that, Jamsuni quickly turned her head. Are you insane?! Damn you, the heavenly punishment, damn it! What, whats going on? Hey! I get that your defensive spells are legendary, but who the heck tests them on their own body like this! Saving someone cursed with heavenly punishment? Speaking such impossible nonsense is why the heavens are infuriated! Jamsunis chatter suggested the heavenly punishment had fallen. Ha, still cant see it. I really wish I could feel something, anything, even the heavenly punishment. Seriously. Nayu... salvation...? Nayu was staring at me with a nk expression. Oops, did I make her wait too long? I touched Nayus forehead, and she rubbed her forehead against my hand with a happy expression. There really is something about my hand. Nayu feels happy. Jamsunimented on this scene. Is Nayu over twenty? This generations priestess of the heavens has lived unusually long. But shell perish soon anyway. Its always the same with those cursed by the heavens. Jamsuni seemed displeased with what Nayu and I were doing, whispering something in a quiet voice. What are they doing? If she werent on borrowed time, Id scold them right now... And whats that about? Blocking the heavenly punishment meant for the cursed? Is he blocking the heavens response? How precisely must one control spiritual power to do that? But doing something like that is bound to infuriate those involved with the heavenly punishment... Jamsuni muttered something, but her voice was too soft to catch. So, what kind of power does my God Hand have? I wanted to experiment more, but I couldnt. Nayu had fallen into a deep sleep. It was a peaceful expression I hadnt seen in a long time. Ha. I gently covered Nayu with a nket. * * * The day after experimenting with the God Hand, I immediately turned on the monitor upon waking up. Activate The God Hand. Manipte fate!!! Hmm, starting the morning with crazy stuff again. I vow as the Golden Sun God Hand! To NTR fate with these hands!!! I rubbed my hands against the monitor. Please, my power, activate just this once! I may be fool for love, but this time, its okay!!! What? No heavenly punishment falling? Is Golden SunGod Hand really your power? Was the punishment yesterday because it involved Nayu? Hold on, I need to see what ising. Jamsuni, who was beside me, said something and left, but that wasnt what mattered now. -We now begin the 1112th lottery draw. This broadcast is live, with no maniption... At that moment, Nayu, who was awake, murmured. 7, 14, 22, 25, 29, 30, 43. Nayu, what did you say? Nayus sleepy yawn. As I turned around, the monitor announced. -Well start the draw. The first number is 7, lets see the next. The next number is 14, and the following number. The next number is 22. My jaw dropped open. Is this even real??? Thepleted numbers were exactly as Nayu had said. Not a single number was wrong, including the bonus number. I grabbed Nayus shoulder. This cant be happening. Nayu with a shy expression. Could it be that the ghost inside Nayu has supernatural powers? Powers so strong that it could predict the numbers of the lottery machine, which is safeguarded against the intervention of spiritual ability users? I never imagined Id have such a lucky charm beside me. Could it be that the sun is finally rising on my life? At that moment, I heard Jamsunis voice. Hey,e out with Nayu. There are people here to pick her up. Who are they? That, I dont know. Jamsuni avoids my gaze. Hmm, somethings off. Is it that Nayus newfound abilities have be known, and now some folks like her parents have appeared, suddenly iming parental rights? Of course, Nayu only demonstrated her extraordinary powers a few minutes ago, but thats not the main issue for now. I cant lose Nayu. Shes my chance for a life turnaround!!! I made up my mind and quickly went downstairs. The first floor was crowded with people who looked like powerful spiritual ability users. Who are you guys? Hmph, doesnt feel like you have much ability. Minions of the Three Realms, perhaps. The man leading them spoke arrogantly. Go and bring Miss Nayu. Yesterday, due to her neglecting her duties, many people suffered. So, they were after Nayu all along. Rage, rage began to boil within me. Parents who abandon their children, then shamelesslye running when the child seeds. And there are even those who appear only to im inheritance after their childs death. I cant let these people take away my chance for a life turnaround, no, Nayu. Honestly, fighting with spiritual ability users is intimidating, but I have no choice. Earning money is always tough!!! And I have a trick up my sleeve, so itll work out. What if I refuse? Has he lost his mind? Then youll di... My fist was three times faster than the mans hand movement. * * * The members of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect were shocked. A man who seemingly had no abilities had just obliterated their superiors face in one blow. However, their expressions remained unchanged. Biologically, it was impossible not to be surprised, but these individuals were trained to perfectly control even such biological reactions. They identified the man before them as an enemy and began to make their vows. As a grey wolf who bites to kill, I vow not to flee from the battle with this man before me. As one who wields the principles of the wind, I vow not to fall until the man before me is defeated. As one whomunes with nts and maniptes their souls, I vow against the man before me... And the man, now identified as the enemy, began his vow. As the God Hand who controls the minds of others with a smartphone, I vow that youre going to get a beating today. With a smartphone? Like a hypnosis app?! Is that even possible?! Hypnosis? Like in the doujinshi?! What kind of ability is that?! A false vow? But no divine punishment has fallen. Hypnosis with a smartphone? Since he dered it as a vow, it couldnt be a fake ability. Terrified by the prospect of being hypnotized, the Heavenly Ordeal Sect members averted their gaze from the mans smartphone. They absolutely couldnt fall victim to Hypnosis. For some reason, we must avoid Hypnosisat all costs!!! Cough!!! As they diverted their gaze from the mans smartphone, The mans fist came to greet them instead. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 25: GOD HAND (3) While undergoing the Cheonji Examination, I learned a fair bit about how to fight against those with psychicpowers. The first rule of fighting a psychicadversary is to focus solely on their physical form. All I can see is their body. So whether the ground twists or the trees shake, ignore it all and concentrate on the enemy before you. A psychicsent something flying while averting their gaze. Cracks formed on the surrounding buildings, but I ignored them. And then, a straight punch. Asura Blood Fist!!! Typically, psychicadversaries lose consciousness after that. Objectively speaking, my punch packs quite a wallop. Im the guy who beat up high schoolers as a grade-schooler and took on 13 bullies in middle school for bothering my sister. Until the day of the spiritual awakening in middle school, I even received offers to join national teams in various sports. Truly, the strongest middle schooler. Ugh, what kind of power is this? I casually lifted my smartphone. Immediately the man covered his eyes. Without hesitation, I knocked him down. But some, even with closed eyes, follow my movements. Thats when I use the second method ofbating psychicadversaries. The second method is this: I sped my hands together, pretending to do something. Is he using a technique?! The opponent also quickly sped his hands, ready to do something. This is the second weakness of psychics. Dare you use your hands in a fight against me?!! Psychic fighters sometimes join their hands, probably performing hand signs or seals like inics. But joining hands during a fight is a foolish act. I love it when my enemies do such foolish things. Only three left. The sight of rocks floating nearby seemed troublesome. Damn, Im weak against that type. Thats when I use the method I developed today. The third way to crush psychics. I dere as the God Hand of Thieving Extreme, the ability to steal active spiritual powers. I will now steal all your active abilities. No way!!! Can he really steal someones powers? But he made a vow. That means its a truth acknowledged by the heavens!!! Everyone, release your powers!!! If they release their powers, theyre all mine. Thus, I dealt with the remaining three. Phew, thats exhausting. So, what now? I looked at the struggling squad of people with special abilities on the ground. This has gotten too big. If theyre getting thrashed by me, they must be just low psychic trash. I think theyre called the local evil mafia. They may be called the localmafia, but they are definitely top-tier psychics. ''Admittedly, if I say she has the power to predict lottery numbers, its understandable theyd go crazy and attack.'' I dont know how these local scoundrels found out about her powers, but they didnt seem like theyd give up easily. I dragged a few who looked like leaders to Louisville. To know your enemy is the key to victory. I nned to interrogate, or rather, interview them. Alright, guys. Time to wake up. As I cranked up the wake-up bugle sound, the subjects began to stir. Where is this? Where? Ugh. Ugh. Please. No, no, no, no, no. I want to get out, I want to get out, I want to get out. Why are they reacting like this? Seeing the peculiar responses of the ones who had woken up, I... well, lets say I gently stroked their cheeks instead of pping them. Ahh. Feels like Im going to die. A little more, please. Ah, I almost died. Seriously. Like being attacked by evil spirits. Hehe. Ha. Their faces rxed in relief. Whats with that expression? They seem to enjoy getting pped by a guy. Could they all be masochists...? No, could this also be the power of my God Hand? BL tag is not allowed!!! Absolutely not. I shook my head and began the interview. Where are you guys from? Its ssified. I dere as the TS God Hand who can transform macho men into cute girls, that I will obliterate the fire egg of anyone who doesnt answer today. At this, the bound man started making a fuss. Wait, wait!!! I am the only son of my family!!! Lets negotiate!!! No TS, please!!! Everyone who undergoes TS initially says no, but in the end, they all like it. Now, be a cute girl and start streaming... We are from the Heavenly Ordeal Sect! Heavenly Ordeal Sect? Never heard of it. Reading my thoughts, the man said, Never heard of it? If you havent, I cant tell you. What was I saying?Oh, right, bing a cute girl and starting streaming is the norm, so start with the broadcasting equipment... I cant tell you because of the vow! But Ill tell you everything else that I havent sworn not to say! Okay, thats more like it. Where is your headquarters? Seoul Special Metropolitan Central District, Seonghwa Road 64-gil, underground. Captain! I casually raised my hand to silence the others. Why do you want to take Nayu? I cant say. But I really feel like telling you! Will you continue trying to take Nayu? If Miss Nayu fulfills her duty, we might consider having her stay with us. Miss Nayu, huh? They start using honorifics as soon as they learn Nayu can read lottery numbers and is a powerful spirit-powered person. No, Miss Nayu wille to us on her own. The time is not far. What do you mean the time is not far? The time for Miss Nayu to fulfill a vow she made. A vow is a promise made to the heavens. I wondered what sort of promise Nayu had made with the heavens. Its obvious, isnt it? What Nayus ability is. Predicting lottery numbers. She must have promised to do thatter for them. Im not exactly sure, but thats my guess. Even if I ask, Miss Nayu will just feign ignorance. That vow Miss Nayu made, was it really of her own will? ...That is Miss Nayus obligation. As I thought, these thugs coerced her into it. I cant let them take Nayu. Okay, I think I get it. Heres the truth. Nayu possesses the strongest, most beautiful, and mystical ability in the world to predict lottery numbers. These thugs threatened her and made hervow to predict the lottery numbers for themter. So, when her ability activated today, these scoundrels rushed over in a frenzy. Then a man standing next to the boss spoke up. You seem like an insider, you must have heard of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect? Dont oppose us. Even the Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect respects our Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Ive only recently learned about that Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect. What? Someone should at least know a little about a huge faction like Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect? But I didnt know. There was a reason for that. It was advice given by my younger sister. ''Oppa, you must never let anyone find out youre different from others. If that happens, itll be dangerous for both you and the world. Oppa, you must never reveal that.'' My sister was the best shaman I knew. Her words were never wrong. ''To stay undetected, keep your distance from other shamans, avoid eye contact with sorcerers, dont listen or inquire about them. Knowing someone means attracting their attention. So, lets just continue living a normal life together. Eating in the same house. Sleeping together. And...'' My sister is gone now, but her words remained with me. Keep distance from other spirit-powered individuals. Dont try to learn about them. Ive lived by that ever since. ''Damn it. If only I wasnt born without supernatural abilities, things wouldnt have gotten this twisted.'' The reason I moved into Louisville, the cheapest ce in Seoul, was also due to that. No one would think a resident of a rundown apartment like Louisville could be a powerful spirit-powered individual. But in Louisville, there was the Golden Legend Card, Nayu. Still, maybe Nayu will be okay? Upon hearing this, one of the men shouted. What do you mean Nayu will be okay? Nayu is the property of our Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Whos calling whom their property? Did this guye from the Joseon era? Get lost. I will never submit to you! Even if you turn me into a cute girl! Even if you dress me in girlish clothes to corrupt me! Even if you make me experience being scouted naked while walking down the street! I will never submit!!! So, try it if you dare!!! ? ? What kind of madness is this? Could it be...? I kicked them away and shouted. Get lost!!! Whether its the Heavenly Ordeal Sect or whatever, my lifes turnaround, no, Nayu is someone youll never take away!!! And with that, I drove away the pathetic thugs of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. * * * Nayuy quietly on the ground, listening. From the basement came the voices of the men. Among them, one voice was familiar to Nayu. Nayu listens to the voice. It was the voice of a man named Yoo Hajin. The man who taught the world to her, who fought against everything, and showed her how to live without fighting. Despite facing numerous attacks, he endured it all for her. And the man who protected her from the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Get lost!!! Whether its the Heavenly Ordeal Sect or whatever, my lifes turnaround, no, Nayu is someone youll never take away!!! That man was now standing up to the Heavenly Ordeal Sect to protect her. With his capabilities, he must know what kind of force the Heavenly Ordeal Sect is. The Heavenly Ordeal Sect. A group that shields people from the heavenly retribution that falls upon those who anger the heavens. Thus, they had close ties with high-ranking individuals in politics and finance. They manipted the Heavenly Punishment and controlled wealth and power, deterring anyone from daring to challenge them. Of course, Yoo Hajin was unaware of the gangs true influence. But Nayu didnt know that. Nayu... inexplicable... chest pain...? Nayu clutched her chest. She had never felt such pain before. She had never felt this pain even when fighting against the Noble One. Somehow, as a shaman resonating with the heavens, she felt this was a pain she shouldnt be experiencing. So Nayu closed her eyes tightly and calmed her emotions. As a representative of the heavens, may she hold no personal desires. May she absorb the heavenly retribution that falls upon themon people of the world. And through this, may she eventually return to the heavens. Nayu endured the heavenly retribution falling upon her with her eyes tightly shut. It was so painful, so unbearable that she wanted to scream, but she persevered. She wanted to cry from the pain, but she endured. Because thats the duty of a shaman of the heavens. Nayu, sleeping on the street again? Youll harm your body. Does your head still hurt today? Shall I put you to sleep like yesterday? A gentle voice reached her. Ah, it was that mans voice again. Nayu smiles broadly. When this voice was heard, the heavenly retribution didnt strike, and the pain ceased. Even the warmth of a kind hand made her feel good. Feeling guilty about this warmth, Nayu murmured. Nayu expresses concern. Huh? Why are you worried about me? Nayu shows great concern! And that dawn, a massive amount of Heavenly Ordeal Sect members gathered to eliminate the person, who dared oppose the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. It was an excessive attack, even for the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Three of their leaders copsed just to initiate this attack. A unified white divine punishment instantly fell towards the mans room. The man murmured as he faced the strike that even the heavens would fear. Did Iplete yesterdays quest? Thus, the man began the most serious contemtion of his day. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 3 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 26: The Full Course of the Heavenly Demon Cult (1) In the midst of a frantic search for his phone, the unemployed man known as Yoo Hajin was oblivious to the tumult unfolding within a grand mansion at the center of Seoul. Yoo Hajin, or should I say, the one marked by cmity, has been found alive. Could it be that Heavenly Ordeal has misfired? How can you utter such words and still call yourself a deity without shame? Heavenly Ordealis inevitable. Every creature walking this earth cannot escape the heavens wrath. Are you ignorant of even this fundamental truth? Your words are correct elder. The only way to evade the heavens wrathis through a shaman who can absorb it on their behalf. The marked one has withstood the heavenly ordeal on his own. Surveying their surroundings, the sight of three officers, copsed from summoning the heavenly ordeal, caught their eye. Even standing was a struggle for them due to exhaustion. Are you suggesting weve managed to fend offthe Heavenly Ordeal with the majority of our spiritual power, based on the power of Nayu Swallowing hard, the aged woman who appeared to be their leader responded. It seems we cannot ovee this with spiritual power alone. But we cannot simply give in. Our business... I am aware. Fiddling with a gemstone around her neck, the elderly woman spoke up. Theints from our clients will only intensify. The old woman added, Before ites to that, lets seek some assistance from our clients. The clients of the Heavenly OrdealSect had no choice but to aid them. The elderly woman kept this thought to herself. The Heavenly OrdealSect. A group of shamans that once shielded kings and nobles from misfortune. With the fall of dynasties and the rise of capitalism, they turned to protecting tycoons and the powerful from their own wrongdoings. Misfortune here meant the divine punishment stemming from the sinsmitted by tycoons and the powerful, and the evilspirits born from their actions. Only a shaman inmunion with the heavens could ward off such misfortune. They had the power to appease the heavens and take on the retribution in ce of others, thereby dispelling the cmity. However, in this era of spiritual awakening, the magnitude of misfortune was far greater than in the past capitalist era. The misfortune was so palpable it was as if one could see it with the naked eye. To think that even such misfortune could be averted. Is this the first time in the five hundred-year history of the Heavenly OrdealSect that a sky shaman has lived past twenty? Typically, a sky shaman inmunion with the heavens would die before reaching the age of twenty, having taken on such misfortune. But this time, the sky or heavenly shaman was different. Nayu had evolved one step further in her confrontation with a noble spirit. It was beneficial that she became stronger and could handle more heavenly ordeals, leading to a flourishing business. However... They say, when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. If Nayu was inmunion with the heavens, perhaps the heavens were also inmunion with Nayu. It was possible that Nayus will could be the will of the heavens. If that were to happen, the Heavenly OrdealSect might lose control over the heavenly shaman. Signs of this were already emerging. Have we exhausted Nayus usefulness? Nagu, the elderly woman and leader of the Heavenly OrdealSect, and Nayus spiritual mother, murmured in a cruel voice. We must deal with this Yoo Hajin, the cmity, first. Nagu picked up the phone. ''Yoo Hajin, I dont know how powerful psychic you are, but there is a certain order in this country. Die miserably for breaking that order.'' Nagu thought to herself as she dialed the number. * * * Nagu-nim. There is an order in this country. Taesan, one of the Five Evils of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect, surveyed the defeated members of the Heavenly OrdealSect. Around him stood the disciples of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect, expressionless yet with an aura as if they were about to slit throats. They were each holding onto an officer of the Heavenly OrdealSect. This order is thew of the survival of the fittest. Do you, mere receivers of the heavenly ordeal, dare to oppose the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect? Do you wish to experience hell while still alive in your twilight years? We never, ever had such intentions. Yet you dared to meddle with Lord Yoo Hajin? The heir to my master? And with the powers of this earthly realm? Taesan brought his hands together, preparing to form a mudra. The demonic portal... Wait, I swear we will not bother Lord Yoo Hajin ever again! I was about to open it, but the fact that youre an associate to my master gives me pause. Taesan lowered his head as he spoke. There wont be a second time. Understood. We understand. As Taesan turned away, the disciples of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect withdrew with him. They left so quietly that Nagu didnt even hear them leave. What on earth is the identity of this Yoo Hajin? The sessor of Ilwol-Oakmoon sect. Not even a disciple or child of Ilzon Park Il? What should we do now, leader? Shouldnt we negotiate with this Yoo Hajin? Indeed. Our Heavenly ordealSect has good rtions with the powers of this world, but we must acknowledge our levelpared to the true giants of the spiritual realm. So what are you suggesting? That we just watch as Yoo Hajin redirects the heavenly ordeals meant for Nayu onto our clients? If we cant eliminate Yoo Hajin, our business is doomed anyway! While Yoo Hajin was blinded by the allure of lottery numbers, offering bribes in the form of gentle pats to Nayu, the heavenly ordeals meant for her were returning to their rightful owners. More than ten clients had already died. At this rate, the entire business would copse. Contact the Heavenly Demon Cult. What? Leader, are you serious? Well deal with Yoo Hajin through the Heavenly Demon Cult. Madness red in the eyes of Nagu, the leader of the Heavenly ordeal Sect. * * * Dammit. I was on my way home after finishing a delivery gig when I encountered a group that screamed trouble. Young men and women d in ck hoodies had encircled me. Where are you from? The Heavenly Demon Cult. ...The Heavenly Demon Cult? It seemed they were educated in martial arts novels at home. Shamelessly iming to be from the Heavenly Demon Cult. I suppressed a sigh and responded. Ah, so youre from the Heavenly Demon Cult. Long live the Heavenly Demon. But, I follow a different faith. May I pass? Youre Yoo Hajin, right? You need toe with us for a bit. So, its going to be like this. I sped my hands together, pretending to perform some ritual. Everyone, raise your defenses! The enemy is about to use his powers! Negativity shield. Without hesitation, I threw a straight punch at the one who seemed to be the leader. It had been a while since my punch was blocked. Of course, blocking doesnt mean it wasnt painful. I could see the leaders face contorting in pain. Oh, you blocked it? Admirable courage. To strike at my body, engulfed in Negativity, with your physical technique! A crescent kick aimed at the liver, one of the most painful spots. Theres no way to train the liver to be less sensitive to pain. A direct hit is excruciating. Whats with that sloppy stance of yours? Their palms were wide open, abandoning any upper body defense. Who taught them such a fundamentally wed stance? Truly a powerful spiritualist. To be so lively despite the Negativity. But he wont have the same resistance as us believers. Lets press on. Negativity, huh. Suddenly, Im reminded of something the chick said. ''Negativityis the opposite of the sacred soul, inherent to our very flesh. Every act of living flesh is an act of umting Negativity.'' After saying this, the chick was terrified of the Negativityoutside the subway. Negativitymust be something akin to poison for psychics. And these guys must be capable of handling this Negativity. Ugh, this Negativitystings a bit. I pretended to be affected by the Negativity. That way, these fools would keep up their bizarre stances. As I staggered, the idiots rushed in, thinking they had the upper hand. And so, I became the martial arts geniuswho ughtered the Heavenly Demon Cult. Evil shall perish! A cultist fell at my strike. Ah, the peace of the martial world was preserved. The fallen losers murmured something. What kind of monster is this? Hes standing fine even after taking on the near-extreme Negativityof the grey kind? Ugh. We should have called the bishops. He must be purifying all the Negativitywith his immense spiritual power. Unbelievably strong. Cough, we need to pour more Negativity on him before he fully regains his spiritual powers. Good, now all thats left are the greenhorns who hesitated to join the fight. If I take care of these rookies, I can head home. I looked at the rookies. They were trembling. Run away, youre no match for him. Hes a very powerful psychic. If he starts using his full power, he could evaporate everything around here! How can we abandon our brothers and run away! Wow, impressive. Thats somemitment to the role. I chuckled and turned my shoulder. Thats when it happened. Come at me, monster. As believers, lets show ourst dignity. About ten rookies suddenly pulled out daggers, their hands shaking. A knife fight, now? The des looked sharp, definitely real daggers. You wanted to take me on? Honestly, I stand no chance against someone wielding a dagger. Today, Ive been defeated. What happens to me now? I surrender, I surrender. Ill let you take me. * * * Psychics are mostly cruel and arrogant. The followers of the Heavenly Demon Cult knew this better than anyone. Thats why they couldnt believe what the man in front of them was doing. What in the world is he up to? The low-ranking disciples of the sect, brandishing daggers, were still untrained in handling Negativity, utterly weak and inexperienced. In front of these kids, the man was dering his surrender. Yoo Hajin, a psychic so powerful that the Heavenly Ordeal Sectwould request his abduction. His resistance to Negativityindicated he was far stronger than imagined. A psychicof his caliber could easily take all of their lives with a single formation of any mudra. Yet, he chose not to. Instead, after ncing at the trembling kids holding daggers, he suddenly raised his hands in surrender. Why would he do such a thing? So that was it. The executives of the Heavenly Demon Cult finally understood the meaning behind the mans actions. He couldnt bring himself to kill the children. Rather than taking their lives, he chose to be captured. To show mercy, even to us followers of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Psychics despised the Heavenly Demon Cult members for dealing with Negativity. Surely, this man was no different. Yet, he chose to be taken by the Cult, which he despised, for the sake of these kids. The executives of the Heavenly Demon Cultbowed their heads, touched by a sentiment they hadnt felt in a long time. Thank you for sparing these kids. We will treat you with the utmost respect. The executives of the Heavenly Demon Cultlooked at Yoo Hajin with eyes full of respect. Receiving their gaze, Yoo Hajin thought to himself. Im screwed. I haventpleted my daily quests yet. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 27: The Full Course of the Heavenly Demon Cult (2) My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. After work, there was just so much to do: running daily quests, doingundry, teasing Jamsuni, and yet here I was, kidnapped by these pseudo-martial artists, being dragged into a secluded area in a ck Starex van. Life is a blessing in itself, oh Heavenly Demon. Existence is sacred in itself, oh Cult Leader. Despite the chaos in my mind, I couldnt keep silent. Maybe if I engaged in some small talk, these fanatics might hesitate for just two seconds longer before deciding to kill me. I said with a smile, From what Ive heard, everything we do in life is supposed to be a denial. Everything done with the body is said to lead to denial... Life is a blessing in itself!!! Existence is sacred in itself!!! Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon otakusbegan to bristle. I wasnt even insultingthe character of the Heavenly Demon. As the atmosphere turned weird, I found myself having to make excuses. Some chick said that. Then, that chick was wrong. The one who had told me this was a girl, probably around the same age as a high schooler. Psychicssay that to reach divinity, one must sever all human connections and shed all emotions attainable as a human. I see. I nodded in understanding. What do these psychicswhove reached such divinity do? They trample on the societies of ordinary people, dismissing them as mundane, and act like cruel monsters under the pretext of enlightenment. Thats... true. Someday, the Heavenly Demon will denounce all such enlightenment, revealing that the world called mundane, filled with connections and emotions, is the real world. Glory to the Heavenly Demon for all eternity! Boundless blessings to all! I was at a loss for words. The ck Starex began to veer off the main road. As we left the main road behind, a sizable vige came into view. This is odd. The people in the vige were strange. Each one had unusual skin or physical disabilities, or they acted like madmen possessed by ghosts. Is it the bodies that are strange? It wasnt that their bodies were strange, but the vigers themselves. However, unable to say, ''It seems like every one of your vigers is not normal,'' I just nodded. In this vige, where the Heavenly Demon Pce is located, the air is filled with negativity. This negativity neutralizes the curses and powers of psychicsthat afflict the people. Of course, you might find the air a bit ufortable. The girl pointed outside as she spoke. Its necessary if we want to save these people. I was astonished for two reasons at the moment. First, the group known as the Heavenly Demon Cult was quiterge. There was a ce called the Heavenly Demon Pce in the distance, resembling an oriental pce, and the size of the vige was no joke. Second, the Heavenly Demon Cult was a seriouslymitted group. One could tell just by looking into the eyes of these zealots. A sizable group of fanatics, indeed. This puts me in quite the predicament. How do I escape from here? And so, the Starex entered the oriental pce known as the Heavenly Demon Pce. * * * Bishop Oh Seol-hwa of the Heavenly Demon Cult adjusted the mask she was wearing. She had no choice but to hide her face, even by mistake, as it would cause inconvenience to many followers. So, this man named Yoo Hajin came in willingly. Yes, even though he could have killed all the followers, he couldnt bring himself to kill them because they were children. He is a far better man than I. I shall go meet him. The mask filled with negativity throbbed. However, Oh Seol-hwa liked this throbbing sensation. It felt like atonement, the more it hurt. Bishop Oh Seol-hwa rose from her seat and approached the center of the Heavenly Demon Pce, where she offered a bow to the ck Star Vessel, the sacred relic of the Heavenly Demon Cult that spewed out Boundless Dark Waters. The Boundless Dark Waters, known as the ultimate negativity, was the materialization of negativity that had attained divinity, much like an evil spirit acquiring a physical form upon achieving sanctity. It was, in essence, a divine negativity. This divine negativity symbolized the Heavenly Demon, and the one who could wield the Boundless Dark Waters was to be the leader of their faith. Yet, no news hade of such a persons appearance. Despite this, Oh Seol-hwa waited. She waited for the day someone would lift that chalice and ascend to the leaders throne. The distance to the ck Star Vessel was over 20 meters. Yet, the pain began as if her soul was shattering. Forgive me for the sins I am about tomit today, my Lord. Oh Seol-hwa bowed respectfully once more before taking her leave. A psychicso kind as to bestow mercy upon them. She truly does not wish to kill him. But if the client, the Heavenly OrdealSect, wishes it, she must act. It was a necessary evil to save more lives. Still, I wish to do whatever I can to help. Bishop Oh Seol-hwa murmured to herself as she went out to greet her guest. * * * This building, called the Heavenly Demon Pce, huh? Constructed from ebony and adorned with red dye, it exudes an overwhelming aura. Living in such a ce, one might indeed deserve to be called the Heavenly Demon. As I looked around, a woman wearing a mask courteously greeted me. Wee to our main branch, Mr. Yoo Hajin. May I know who you are? I am a bishop of our main branch. My name is Oh Seol-hwa. A ck mask paired with a ck Hanbok. She was a woman clearly embodying the concept of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Why have you brought me here? I will not lie to you. Its because of a request from the Heavenly OrdealSect. The Heavenly OrdealSect. Ah, those scoundrels. Theyve dragged an outsider into this since they couldnt handle it themselves. What, does the Heavenly OrdealSectwant you to mess with me? I havent received specific instructions on what to do. The request was merely to ensure your detainment, Mr. Yoo Hajin. What do they n to do by detaining me? Im hardly a valuable hostage. However, we also have our sins to atone for, no, if theres anything Mr. Yoo Hajin desires, we will do our utmost to fulfill it. If its women, then wo. Then, how about you start by showing me around this building? It was now clear. I needed to escape from here as quickly as possible. It was obvious how the Heavenly OrdealSect, who almost fell victim to my hypnosis, would view me. I had to escape before they could seek revenge. Yes, of course. Bishop Oh Seol-hwa bowed politely. To escape, I needed to know more about this building. Only with knowledge could I n my escape. And so, I began a tour of the Heavenly Demon Pce with Oh Seol-hwa and a few cult officials. The first stop was a massive training ground. Let me start by introducing this ce. This is the trainingHall of the Heavenly Demon Pce, where new followers learn the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique. So the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique is real? Indeed. It starts with the utilization of negativity and epasses all techniques that use negativity, all of which are handed down from our founding leader. Wasnt the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique supposed to be mastered by only one Heavenly Demon? This isnt martial arts!!! I wanted to scream in frustration, but being kidnapped, I had to keep quiet. This is the Medicinal Herb Hall. Its where we produce various medicinal pills and decoctions infused with negativity. Negativity is the antithesis of psychicpower. We pride ourselves on being able to heal injuries caused by psychicpowers better than anyone else. I see. It was quite arge herbal medicine hall. Seeing female herbalists bustling around treating patients made it hard to tell if this was the Demon Cult or the Martial Alliance. Why are these supposed demon cultists so benevolent? This is the Bishops Hall. The bishops are the true top officials of our cult, with four of them holding their positions. Its embarrassing to say this about ourselves, but our bishops could even stand against the Cheonji without faltering. I am no exception. So, despite the Heavenly Demon Cults hatred for psychics, the top officials end up being psychic? Two of the bishops have the ability to open the Ghost gate. Another is the Defender of the Law with the highest achievement in the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique within our cult. As for me, I can open the ghost gate but am not a psychic. What kind of nonsense is this? Judging by the reaction of the chick and the pervert I beat up, opening the ghost gate felt like a psychic'' realm. How can someone whos not a psychic use a psychic''srealm? Seeing my puzzled look, the bishop spoke up. Beings who are not psychan also open the ghost gate. Is that so? But what can I do about that? Its not like I know much about this field. Next is this ce. The atmosphere here was different from the other areas. While other ces were neatly arranged, this space was extravagantly decorated, even the ceilings and pirs were adorned with gold leaf. But in this vast room, there was nothing but an altar that resembled a fountain. Inside the deeply hollowed altar, something like ck jelly was undting, and right at the heart of the altar, a very expensive-looking ck ss cup was visible. This ce is the most sacred within our cult, the Boundless Dark Waters Shrine. Its where we enshrine the ck Star Vessel, the most important relic of our cult. Is that cup over there the ck Star Vessel? Yes, it is. Your soul must be in great agony, right? Well move it to another ce shortly. As soon as I heard that, I bolted. The most important relic of the cult? How could I resist after hearing that? I leaped straight towards the altar where the ck jelly was gathered. This jelly was the same slime that had clung to Jamsuni before. I pushed through the slime, advancing swiftly, and secured the ck Star Vessel. As soon as I got it, I eximed. Nobody moves!!! With a flick of my finger, this cup could turn into dust just like an item that failed to enhance. This cup was nothing more than a fancy-looking ss. Very easy to break. Just a squeeze and it could shatter. I needed to make this clear. Just so you know, Im the kind of person who can win rock-paper-scissors with scissors against rock. If you dont want to see this wine ss break, everyone should follow my words. The atmosphere turned strange. The cult officials were looking at me with disbelief. But soon, their expressions morphed into joy and awe. EternalGlory to the Heavenly Demon. A man standing next to the bishop murmured in awe. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 28: The Full Course of the Heavenly Demon Cult (3) The Great Master has descended... All hail the Heavenly Demon... To think I, I would live to witness such a spectacle. From afar, bishops and subordinates were shedding tears in streams. Judging by their reactions, it seemed this artifact could only be held by the Heavenly Demon, much like Excalibur could only be imed by the King of Britain. And the Boundless Dark Water was said to be the substance most feared by those with psychic powers. Yet, I was perfectly fine. Perhaps I should have pretended to be a bit hurt. Yoo Hajin, you blockhead... Watching the cultists bowing to me, I couldnt help but recall my past. * * * It was during my middle school years. To be precise, it was when there was a heated debate over whether my younger sister should be a shaman. I had advised her to give up the barbaric shaman practices and focus on preparing for her uing middle school entrance. Oppa, no. Ghosts do exist. What ghosts? Thats madness. I, uh, I even searched on Naver, and it all points to schizophrenia for such things. Back then, I was so frustrated with my younger sister. Our grandmother and mother had both disappeared after climbing up to a shamanic shrine on a high mountain, leaving behind words of gathering divine energy to prevent cmities. And now my sister wanted to take on this role. I felt like I was going to lose my mind. Ill go with you to the hospital. If I work more part-time jobs, we can cover the medical expenses. Please, Harin. Just listen to me this once, okay? No, theres no time. My sister looked up at me with her characteristic expressionless face. Then, she said something to the man behind her. At her words, the man bowed his head and knelt. Have you sent the message? Yes, Master. If its Mastersmand, even the ones who grovel at the top of the mountain will rise from their heavy bodies Im sorry. You, who are praised as noble by your Four Kings, to be troubled by such a task. Its no trouble at all. Following yourmand is of greater value to me. I looked at the man kneeling. A middle-aged man with sporadic grey hairs. Yet, his muscr build was not to be underestimated. The mans name was Joo Chul. He appeared out of nowhere beside my sister, a grade-schooler, and started acting like her servant, aplete creep. I really wanted to grab him and give him a piece of my mind, but never got the chance. ying historical drama again, huh? Hey, Joo Chul. What the hell are you doing? You sick pedophile. What kind of nonsense have you been filling the kids head with? Your choice of words doesnt match the asion. Please, watch your words. Stop! Joo Chul, dont tell my brother about this world. As you wish. With that, Joo Chul stepped back, and I grabbed my sisters shoulders and spoke up. So, lets say ghosts do exist. But youre just a grade-schooler. Who works from such a young age in this day and age? And as a shaman, no less! Youre a middle schooler and youre working part-time. ...Thats different. Im your brother. When I mped my mouth shut and said nothing more, my sister gently stroked my shoulder with her small hand. My family. The same blood runs in our veins. The reason I havent left this world. Yes, were family. I have no choice if I want to protect you. You are the Mara Papiyas* of this era. Mara Papiyas? I asked, and my sister shook her head. Yes, a being whose mere existence hinders the enlightenment of the devout. Thats why the powerful ones sought them out and killed them as soon as they were born. Its probably been five hundred years since a Mara like you survived. I wanted to tell her to stop talking nonsense. But sometimes my sister spoke as if she was making prophecies. Oppa, you must never let anyone find out youre different. Different how? Apart from being freakishly strong, I dont see it. I dont know why youre so strong either. Maras arent supposed to have such power. If they did... No, remember what Im about to tell you from now on. She said it was an implication of inserting her words deeply into the other persons mind with specific actions, tone, and gaze. My sister was good at implying. One day, youll realize youre a different entity from others. To keep that fact from being discovered, keep your distance from other shamans, avoid eye contact with sorcerers, and dont listen to or inquire about them. Knowing someone is like drawing their gaze. I took her words as a stark warning. If that happens, both you and this world will be in danger. Mara Papiyas... Brother, you must never let it be discovered. Nonsense. Its not nonsense. The sole reason I choose to walk the path of a shaman is for that purpose alone. To annihte those who would target you just for their own enlightenment. But Im still too weak for that. Hearing this, I couldnt contain my anger. But my sister remained expressionless. Yeah, so youre also not satisfied with wonder and want to climb up to some new shrine or something? To ces like Jirisan or Manisan, knowing what happened to grandma and mom? I need to go somewhere even farther. Are you, are you out of your mind? A familiar despair wrapped around me. When my mother and grandmother, lost in their madness, attempted to ascend to the shrine, I, who couldnt see ghosts, knew no other way but to beg them not to go, holding onto their hands. If only I could see ghosts like my family, I might have understood their actions and been able to protect them. Why cant I see ghosts? Why cant I see them? Because its all lies. Thats why. The whole shaman thing is nothing but a mental illness. I looked around the home I lived in. The thangkas* with Eastern deities, the shaman robes adorned in white and rainbow colors, and even the ceremonial swords and bells. Its all just cosy. Ghosts dont exist. Do what you want. But if you be a shaman? From that moment, you and I have nothing to do with each other. Oppa? I wonte back to this house again. Those weird paintings. The talismans. Even the five-colored ribbons hanging from the trees, I hate them all. Oppa, wait. That was the first time I saw it. The girl who had maintained her expressionless face even at our grandmother and mothers funerals, saying life and death were one, showed a look of panic for the first time. My sister, Yoo Harin, clutched my hand in panic and said, Once all this is over, lets live a normal life together. Eating in the same house, sleeping together, just continuing on like this. Okay? We just need to eliminate those targeting you. After that, Ill live normally too. I cant trust such promises. If youre going to continue with your shamanism... lets not see each other again. Oppa, Oppa... With that, I left the house as if fleeing. It wasnt that I never intended to see her again. I simply wanted to change her mind by doing so. Three dayster, I heard the news that the house had burned down. They said it was an idental fire caused by candles used during a ritual. A childs body was found in the house, burned beyond recognition. The only thing I could find from the house was the middle school uniform I had bought for my sister. From then on, I truly wished to see ghosts. I wanted to see what my grandmother, mother, and sister had all seen. And I wanted to burn those ghosts to ashes. But I was the only one who couldnt see them. * * * I buried the pain deep within me. It wasnt hard, as I did it often. Turning my attention, I saw the cultists putting on a show. More precisely, they were chanting and bowing like fans at a baseball game. Hail to the Leader. Supremacy of the Dark Path! The Heavenly Demon reigns!! All hail the Heavenly Demon... Silence!!! I shouted at the cultists to be quiet. Surprisingly, they all hushed at once. These guys really listen to me well. How many people were in this vast room? One bishop, four others who looked like officers, and about fifteen guards for the room. I gathered them all. And then I said, Lets keep what happened here a secret. My Lord? But the return of our Lord... Quiet! My sister had left me with onest piece of advice. She warned me not to let my unusual constitution be discovered. She said that simply by existing, I obstruct the enlightenment of those with spiritual powers, and if my identity were to be revealed, these individuals would seek to kill me. But imagine parading around as the Heavenly Demon. Wouldnt that draw the attention of all spiritual ability user in the world? Then, my true nature would certainly be exposed. Therefore, I had to ensure the silence of these people here. I had heard from Bishop Oh Seol-hwa. The cup that emitted the Boundless Dark Water, known as the ck Star Vessel, could only be wielded by one who is deemed worthy of leading the Heavenly Demon Cult. It was indeed like Excalibur. After organizing my thoughts, I said, Leader, well, I suppose thats doable. The Heavenly Demon reincarnated! All hail the Heavenly Demon... Quiet! Everyone, shut it. No more strange chants. After silencing the crowd, I spoke up. First, we must keep my identity a strict secret. May we inquire as to why, my Lord? They all looked at me with eager eyes. Probably all of them were anticipating the return of the Heavenly Demon. Mara Papiyas, in Chinese characters, would be ħ, abbreviated as ħ (the Heavenly Demon). But I was not the Heavenly Demon they envisioned. Icked the power to save them. However, I could at least offer them hope. No, initially, I had to provide them with the hope that would make them believe in me as their leader. I n to infiltrate Cheonji. In fact, I nearly passed the second round of Cheonjis testsst time but was ultimately eliminated. Are you considering joining those detestable Cheonji people? Yes, I am scheming to infiltrate Cheonji and dye it with the colors of the Heavenly Demon Cult from the inside. Of course, I had no such n. But its nice to see their expressions brightening up. So make sure my identity is kept a secret. As you wish, my Lord. Eternal reign of the Heavenly Demon! Enough! Are these guys on a loop? Every so often, Eternal reign of the Heavenly Demon just pops out. Well, fine. Lets get started then. As your Grand Master, the Heavenly Demon, Imand you. Bring me the property deeds and ledgers of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Considering the close call with the knife today, being kidnapped here, and almost having my identity exposed, I should im mental damages of 1 billion, no, 2 billion. Maybe even 3 billion? To add a bit more and buy something like a building, Id need at least 4 billion. Anyway, since its a cult, they must have plenty of money. Hehehe. I couldnt help but burst intoughter. I should aim to get around 5 billion won. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN: Thangkas: Thangkas are traditional Tibetan Buddhist scroll paintings on fabric that depict various religious subjects, such as deities, scenes from the Buddha''s life, and mands. They serve as important aids in meditation and teaching. Mara Papiyas: Mara Papiyas, often simply referred to as Mara, is a demon in Buddhist mythology who personifies unwholesome impulses, death, and temptation. He is known for attempting to distract the Buddha from his path to enlightenment. You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 29: The Full Course of the Heavenly Demon Cult (4) Sitting at the table in the bishop''s office, I pondered. These thick ledgers and documents, all reeking of money. The scent of it brought a smile to my face almost involuntarily. "Hehehe." Now I will now show them. The Demon Martial Arts of Wealth, the Demon Embezzlement. I opened the first page of the ledger. Beside me, Bishop Oh Seol-hwa, with hands politely sped, stood ready to assist. I knew I had to ask immediately if there was anything I didn''t understand. "Wow, are the profits really this huge?" Never in my life did I expect to see such an astronomical figure, in the billions. Is this for real? My heart is racing like crazy. "The donations from the congregation, battlemissions, and returns from diversified investments." "Ah, diversified investments, of course." And so, I continued through the ledger. To my surprise, it revealed a deficit exceeding 10 billion. "A deficit of 10 billion?" "I''m sorry, my Lord. It was our oversight." I quickly looked back at the top of the ledger. Money was flowing out towards something called Heavenly Demon Academy. "Where is this Heavenly Demon Academy?" "It''s an educational institution for children who have suffered at the hands of psychics." I immediately turned on my smartphone to look up Heavenly Demon Academy. It appeared to be a ce that educates children disabled by psychic powers. Incredible. In an era where even parents abandoned their children for fear of psychic retaliation. Like Jamsuni and Nayu. "So, a child attacked by a psychic is essentially at odds with psychics. Can the academy handle such retaliation? I''ve heard that these psychics are cruel and obsessive, and their vengeance is thorough." "Protecting the people of the mundane world from the enlightened ones is ourw." In that moment, Oh Seol-hwa''s eyes seemed to sharpen. "That is our creed." "I see. And what about this Heavenly Demon Medical Center?" A considerable sum was also going to the Heavenly Demon Medical Center. What exactly is this ce? "Heavenly Demon Medical Center is..." After an hour-long lecture from Oh Seol-hwa, one thing became clear to me. These folks were not a cult. They were essentially a vignte group and a volunteer organization. If they were going to live so righteously, why carry the character for ''demon'' in their name? I had also looked into real estate, but it was the same as the ledgers. Everything was being put to good use. Or, it was just this town''s real estate, filled to the brim with corruption. "Ha." Even if I was considered trash for abandoning my younger sibling, I couldn''t bring myself to embezzle this money. If I didn''t have money, I could just skip a meal, but for these people,cking this money meant immediate death. But giving up so easily wasn''t in my nature. Who am I? Nothing less than the leader of a pseudo-religious cult. And such leaders usually live off the donations of their followers. "I''ve looked through the ledgers and the real estate. Before I leave, there''s onest thing I want to do." "Speak, my Lord." I couldn''t leave like this. Leaving without earning a single penny would keep me up tonight, filled with indignation. So indignant I might just pull the plug on Jamsuni''s gaming session in frustration. "Gather the believers who wish to meet me. I will ept their donations." "If you''re speaking of those who wish to meet you, my Lord... everyone desires an audience." "But there are those who feel it''s urgent, aren''t there? People who think they won''t make it unless it''s now. Those desperately wanting to meet their leader to the point of madness. Bring those people to me." Such desperate individuals would likely fall for my amateur acting. And those willing to make donations are likely believers with means. epting donations from such followers wouldn''t prick my conscience!!! I''m the one who''s poorer!!! Thus began my Heavenly Demon Cult fundraising broadcast. * * * The man, who was simply referred to as the nameless one because he had no name, ran through the corridor. His arms were smeared with the blood of a Gwizon he had just killed, but there was no time to clean it. "The one who has lifted the ck Star Vessel has appeared?" It had been 500 years. After 500 years, a new Supreme Entity of Heavenly Demon had been born. Just thinking about that fact made the heart of the nameless one beat rough. Excitement, anticipation, and fear. It was a mix of these three emotions. What kind of being would the new leader be? Would this person change the direction of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult? Favoring the strong while despising the weak? A cruel being with no mercy? Would this person twist the legacy of the predecessors to whom the nameless onehad pledged loyalty? If so... The nameless oneshook his head in surprise at his own rebellious thoughts. He had to meet this person first. To understand what kind of being they were, he needed to see with his own eyes. Thus, the nameless oneobserved him from a distance. A man who could indeed be called handsome was sitting in the leader''s seat. "Seol-hwa has gathered the believers on the brink of spiritual extinction." Believers on the brink of spiritual extinction. Attacked so severely by psychics that even the healing powers of Heavenly Demon Divine Cultcouldn''t save them, these were the terminally ill followers. Their souls were so corrupted and decayed that they were on the verge of dissolving, causing even their fellow believers to recoil in disgust. They possessed nothing, with only the looming dissolution of their souls remaining. Yet, the leader treated them with utmost respect. "Wow, a ten thousand won donation... I mean, thank you for your ten thousand won support." The leader treated even the girl with the tormented soul before him with kindness. Of course, he had no choice. Yoo Hajin couldn''t see ghosts. To Yoo Hajin, the girl in front of him was just a supporter. And it was only natural to be kind to supporters if he wanted to prolong the broadcast. However, the nameless onewas unaware of this fact. To maintain a gentle tone even when facing such a disgustingly decayed soul, to ensure the believer was not hurt. The nameless onehad to look up at the ceiling, overwhelmed by his emotions. And he was left speechless by the scene that unfolded next. "The proper reaction for a ten thousand won donation is a demon embrace." The leader hugged the girl with the rotten soul. A soul so decayed that even the nameless onehimself would hesitate to touch. But the leader did not hesitate. At that moment, the vile subus filled with horrific lust clinging to the girl''s soul dispersed instantly. Feeling liberated, the girl embraced by the leader started to cry and sob. "This can''t be. My Lord, thank you. My Lord, my Lord, my eternal Lord." "If you liked it, subscribe and like. No, wait. If you liked it, let''s meet again." Thus, the leader met with believers on the verge of spiritual extinction. This time, it was a young boy protecting his mother, cursed and distorted. "Candy? Thank you for your candy donation. Your mother is very ill? Well then. A prayer is in order for your candy donation to help your mother recover. Come on, mother, give me your hand." Receiving the candy, the Lord proceeded to heal the child''s mother. The Lord, who did not hesitate to embrace even the most tormented souls. "A hundred thousand won! Thank you for the hundred thousand won donation. Your grandson is ill, you say? May I embrace him? And a hundred thousand won seems too much, so I shall ept only half. Let''s take a photo together. Come here. Sit on myp. The Heavenly DemonShot. Since we can''t show faces, please understand." It is said that one day all three thousand worlds will be immersed in enlightenment. But as long as the Heavenly Demonexists, that day is not today. As long as he is here, that day will nevere. The nameless onelooked around. Three other bishops next to him were shedding tears. The high-ranking officials standing behind were doing the same. And he himself was crying. "My Lord. My Lord." "I will simply follow. My Lord." "My eternal Lord. The Lord who shallmand obedience from all." Before he knew it, the nameless one found himself kneeling. The other bishops and officials did the same. The leader gave them a nod before dashing out of the Heavenly DemonPce at full speed. "That''s all for today''s broadcast." "Eh? My, my Lord?" The bishops were momentarily taken aback, unable to hold back the leader. * * * And so, I escaped from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. It was only around nine o''clock when I finally got off at a bus stop near Louisville. It''s been a while since I''vee home thiste. "But it''s okay." I can''t help but smile. Anyone would smile with around a million won in cash + candy received in donations from Heavenly Demon Cult. Who knew I had this in me? "Maybe I should debut as a VTuber." With a Heavenly Demon concept, of course. When I start the broadcast, I''ll announce my arrival with the Heavenly Demon''s Royal Decree, and when banning the viins, I''ll dere a Heavenly DemonDeath Beam. "Should I buy broadcasting equipment?" I can''t stopughing. Today, I''ll have to call Jamsuni, Uncle, and Nayu over for a meat party. That''s how I arrived in Louisville. "Hey! Why are you sote! Have you lost your mind? Hurry up and get going!" Uh, Jamsuni,e in. For some reason, Jamsuni''ssharp tone sounds especially pleasant today. Really, money is such a fascinating thing. "Hey Jamsuni, how about we have meat today?" "Meat? Wow, that''s awesome. I''ll prepare the green onion sd... Wait, didn''t you go out to meet some girl?" "I met both girls and guys, a variety of people." I pulled out the million won I received in donations from my pocket. "The important thing is, I''ve made a ton of money. Nayu!" "Nayu Speedy Run!" Nayu, with her blue hair and blue eyes, runs down the stairs as if sliding. Lately, Nayu has been very obedient to me. Maybe if I raise her affection a bit more, she''ll tell me the lottery numbers? "Uhhuh." Lottery, a billion, penthouse!!! Lost in blissful daydreams, I said to Nayu. "Nayu, how about we have meat today?" "Nayu Yummy Meat NomNom!" At that moment, I smelled something burning. Turning around, I saw Jamsuniburning my million won. "Hey!!! What, what are you doing!!!" "Where did you get such filthy money? Must''ve been with some really dirty stuff. It got cleaned up somehow, but there''s still a bit of a smell left. We can handle this money, but if you give it to those worldly people, they''d be so disgusted they''d vomit all day. You''re too strong, unaware of the weak''s hearts." "All money is dirty. Hey!!!" I iled around in front of the burning million won, lying spread-eagled on the ground. Nayu, finding this intriguing, started iling beside me as well. "Nayu il il!" "So, when are we grilling the meat? Should I go up and make the green onion sd?" "Ja, Ja, Jamsuni!!!" That''s when my super flick exploded on Jamsuni''shead. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 30: The Trend is Civil Service (1) Today is the day. The day Louisville reveals why its studio apartments cost 50,000 won. I called this TheDay of Attack. "Alright, let''s go." Nayu, lets fight! Everyone, give it your all. On this day, my three neighbors who can see ghosts lock themselves in their rooms and don''te out. They must each have their own way of enduring the Day of Attack. At first, out of concern, I meddled a bit and ended up getting pinched by Nayu. It didn''t really hurt, but I pretended it did. Left alone, I sighed. "Everyone''s gone inside." Truth be told, on the day Louisville has its Attack, I too refrain from going outside. To be precise, I roam around Louisvillewanting to see ghosts rather than venturing outside of Louisville. Considering my neighbors are on high alert, I assumed something would definitely happen. But nothing ever did. I''ve gone through this routine more than six times. Now, I''ve given up on expecting to see ghosts on the Day of Attack. "What to do now." With nothing else to do, I turned to my smartphone. Modern people tend to look at their smartphones when they''re bored. I idly scrolled through my smartphone, lost in thought. Since I hadn''t gone out on the Day of Attack before, maybe I should try going out for a drink this time? Maybe then I''d feel something... While I was engrossed in my thoughts, a text message caught my eye. === [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] A cautionary alert for abnormal phenomena has been issued across Seoul. Residents are advised to stay indoors as much as possible. === "Damn it." It''s said that when I decide to go out, that''s when the city hall advises against it. How typical that I receive such a message on the very day I decide to venture out. "Come to think of it, disaster alerts have always arrived on the Day of Attack." In my opinion, it seemed that the Louisvilleattacks were caused by these disaster alerts. Logically, that would make sense. Scratching my head, I pondered. Should I go out, or should I not? Given that ghosts are likely causing havoc inside Louisvilleas well, and the message indicates they''re also wreaking havoc outside, perhaps it would be better to stick with my original n and go outside. With that, I made up my mind and stepped out of Louisville. * * * In Korea, there exists a department known as the Anomaly Response Headquarters. Its purpose is straightforward: to protect the lives of citizens from disasters caused by supernatural phenomena. And now, with each anomaly posing a threat to the nation''s very existence, the Anomaly Response Headquarters has effectively be the supreme institution of the South Korean government. Even the president acknowledges the head of this department as the second most powerful figure in the government. "There''s no intention to protect the national entity known as South Korea." The Celestial and Earthly Immortals, Ilwol-Oakmoon sect, they have no intention of protecting the nation called South Korea. Lee Dok-jun, the director of intelligence at the Anomaly Response Headquarters, muttered to himself. He gazed at the information appearing on the screen. This was a ce where cameras, listening devices, and satellite observations were all impossible, so surveince could only be conducted through sensors installed in buildings within a 500-meter radius. These sensors were now signaling that a specialss anomaly known as Louisvillehad started to move again. "This country must be protected by us." Lee Dok-jun murmured, looking at the raging sensors. He nodded and then instructed his subordinates. "Control all inte ess. Search sites, socialworks,munity sites, and even personal blogs. Control everything." As soon as Lee Dok-jun finished speaking, a massive machine began to hum to life. A supeputer''s deep learning-derived algorithms had kicked into action. "Block all information rted to the major anomaly starting with ''Lau''. This includes ISPs, news agencies, and even personal mobile phones." The censorship and blocking of all information emanating from Korea. This was a capability unique to the South Korean Anomaly Response Headquarters. The institution responsible for South Korea. Thus, it stood at the apex of South Korean governance. This was a capability that could only be realized by the Anomaly Response Headquarters. "Ha. Have all the disaster alerts been sent out? Make sure the citizens can''t move!" Lee Dok-jun let out a sigh and looked at his smartphone. He needed to check if the disaster alerts had been sent out properly. === [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] An abnormal phenomenon cautionary alert has been issued across Seoul. Residents are advised to stay indoors. [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] An abnormal phenomenon cautionary alert has been issued across Seoul. If anyone in your family experiences hallucinations, hears voices, or perceives the truth, please quickly move outside and distance yourself from your family. [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Police Department] Searching for Lee Seo-dong (Male, 62 years old) missing in Dongjak District. 171cm, 74kg, wearing a khaki shirt, ck pants, and white slippers. [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] An abnormal phenomenon cautionary alert has been issued across Seoul. Residents are advised to familiarize themselves with the inte or evacuation centers before moving. [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Ministry of Public Administration and Security] The Ministry of Public Administration and Security does not exist. [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] An abnormal phenomenon cautionary alert has been issued across Seoul. Residents are urged to stay indoors. [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Ministry of Public Administration and Security] This is a misissued safety alert. Residents are advised not to check the safety alerts now. [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Police Department] Searching for Seo Jun-gu (Male, 71 years old) missing in Geumcheon District. 1124cm, 61kg, wearing blood-stained white clothes, a knife, and a torn smile. Didn''t I tell you not to look? [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] An abnormal phenomenon cautionary alert has been issued across Seoul. Residents are advised to evacuate to Louisville. === "What is this?" Lee Dok-jun muttered to himself after seeing the disaster alert. ''With the abnormal phenomenon alert issued, I should head to Luaisville. No, I need to stay inside. But I''m not inside right now, am I? Let''s go to Luaisville. But this ce is practically home anyway. It''s my workce, after all.'' Thwack - Lee Dok-jun delivered a sincere punch to himself. Blood streamed from his nose, and his sses flew off into the distance, but if one considered it a price paid for his life, it was a bargain. "Don''t check the disaster alerts, everyone! They''re contaminated!" To be precise, they were half-contaminated. As the director of intelligence, Lee Dok-jun knew how to handle such situations. "Disaster alert team, send more disaster alerts. We need to neutralize the information contamination. The more contaminated alerts there are, the more citizens will walk into the jaws of the major anomaly on their own!" After saying this, Lee Dok-jun donned a harness over his suit. He then began to gather talismans and protective amulets. Disaster alert team,send two messages together: one about the transformedws of the top-level supernatural phenomenon Luaisville and another one that says not to leave the house. "Director, you''re not nning to go there yourself, are you?" "Yes, damn it. Like other anomalies, there must be a newly appeared transmission tower near that thing that starts with ''Lua.'' It''s probably spreading the information contamination through that." After gathering all his gear, Lee Dok-jun said, "If we don''t stop the information contamination, the death toll will surpass a hundred thousand within four hours." "But, Director, the interior of that thing starting with ''Lua'' is too dangerous! We must leave it be until the Three Honored One handle it! That thing starting with ''Lua'' is a major anomaly! In times like these, we must prioritize your life, Director!" Hearing this, Lee Dok-junughed. "At the end of the day, I''m just another citizen." "Director!" But Lee Dok-jun didn''t respond to his subordinate''s pleas. There was no time. He quickly went down, took the wheel, and gathered his thoughts. "ident-prone area ahead." Louisville, considered a major anomaly surpassing even the DMZ inplexity, was an entity that literally created its own rules, defying any standard categorization. "After 30 meters, make a left turn at the signal ahead." As he drove, Lee Dok-jun encountered citizens weeping blood or wandering in delirium, drawn towards the major anomaly. If this information contamination isn''t addressed quickly, these people will walk into Louisvilleand perish. As the director of the Anomaly Response Headquarters tasked with protecting the citizens, Lee Dok-jun couldn''t stand idly by and witness such a tragedy. He sped through the heart of Seoul at 200 km/h. "30 meters remaining to your destination." Approaching Louisville, Lee Dok-jun realized his car didn''t have a navigation system. Upon this realization, he leaped out of the car. "Guh..." He rolled on the ground, sustaining injuries, but even these were a small price to pay for his life. Staggering to his feet, Lee Dok-jun looked in the direction the non-existent navigation had suggested. There, he saw a grotesque sculpture made of iron and flesh, resembling multiple cars fused with the humans inside them. They looked at Lee Dok-jun, mouths agape, begging for death. "The number of victims is increasing." Lee Dok-jun inhaled a powder through his nose that countered the negativity. It soured his mood, but his mind cleared somewhat. "Quickly, the transmission tower must be destroyed." He staggered forward. Where was the transmission tower? Lee Dok-jun surveyed his surroundings. All he saw were divine beings called Gwizon descending to ughter humans like harvesting crops, and airnes trailing red tentacles from their engines, contaminated by something. Lee Dok-jun inhaled the counteracting powder once more. Was this too much to handle? Such a level of mental contamination was entirely different from other anomalies. But he was the only one in the government equipped to deal with information contamination. If nothing was done, the death toll would surpass a hundred thousand. "Ah, ah." As his consciousness began to fade, Lee Dok-jun told himself he must endure. In the midst of being consumed by the major anomaly, a voice emerged from ahead. "Hey, mister, can you hear me?" It was a man. Tall and handsome, yet dressed in sweatpants, he appeared like an unemployed loafer. The man frowned and spoke. "What do we do with this? There''s no hospital nearby. Damn, no choice then. Get on." "Ah, ah." The moment Lee Dok-jun was somewhat forcibly hoisted onto the man''s back, his mind suddenly kicked into high gear. Thus, he was able toplete his sentence swiftly. "My name is Lee Dok-jun, director of the Anomaly Response Headquarters." "Huh? You''re joking, right? I heard the director of the Anomaly Response Headquarters is untouchable, even by members of parliament, a key figure in the national hierarchy. Why would someone like that be rolling around in the streets?" "I swear to the heavens, I am indeed Lee Dok-jun, director of the Anomaly Response Headquarters." At that moment, Yoo Hajin wondered if there was anyone else who could lie so grandly as a vow. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 31: The Trend is Civil Service (2) Can vows be made with falsehoods? I pondered deeply. Jamsuni mentioned that breaking a vow would bring terrible retribution, and the Celestial Immortals believed my false vow so thoroughly that they got a taste of their own medicine, just like rice bes sticky when pounded. From such circumstances, I deduced that making a vow with falsehoods was not possible. Then, this man must truly be the director of the Anomaly Response Department. The director of the Anomaly Response Department, no less. A director would be a high-ranking official, just below the head of the department. And from what I''ve seen in the news, even the division chiefs under the director were formidable figures. A mere division chief had the audacity to reprimand ministers from other departments and nag at CEOs of majorpanies. But to think this man is a director, ranking even above such division chiefs? Could saving the life of such a director possibly earn me a rmendation or significant advantage in interviews? Could this be my moment? Is the day I escape unemployment finally upon me? "Ah, the director of the AnomalyResponse Department. Why would such a person be here?" My lips curled into a smile involuntarily. A government official, with the four major insurances and a pension guaranteed. The most crucial point was the job security, almost impossible to get fired from. Even if myck of supernatural abilities were exposed, I could just brush it off saying, ''Well, I''m a government employee. So what are you going to do about it?'' Think they can fire a government employee just because Ick supernatural abilities? Moreover, an employee of the AnomalyResponse Department. The elite of the civil service. A ce I never imagined someone as inept as me could enter. "You, maintaining yourposure in this situation, seem like a strong supernatural being. Am I right?" The gentleman who introduced himself as Director Lee Dok-jun murmured. I smiled and entertained hisment. He''s going to be my superior in the future; best to be polite. "In a way, you could say I''m the strongest on earth." "The strongest on earth?!" I wasn''t lying. If ites to a fight without supernatural powers, I''m unmatched. Hearing this, Director Lee Dok-jun immediately grasped my hand. "If you''re such a powerful psychic, then you must be aware of the disdain and contempt our AnomalyResponse Department faces." "Disdain, you say?" This is my future workce, after all. Who would dare look down upon it? Whoever it might be, they wouldn''t dare say such things in front of me. "Still, could you possibly lend me your assistance? I''ll make it worth your while." "What exactly would I need to do?" No matter how desperate I am for a job, I can''t ept if it''s something dangerously out of my league. I''ll listen first and then decide. "There''s something around here that looks like a transmission tower. Actually, it must be a transmission tower." "A transmission tower?" Was there something like that around here? I don''t recall seeing anything of the sort. "We need to destroy that transmission tower. I beg of you, help me." "If it''s made of steel, well, I can crack concrete with my bare hands, but I can''t break steel." "No, I can take care of the transmission tower. Please, I beg you to help me. I''llpensate you generously." So, I just need to wander around the neighborhood, find something like a transmission tower, and I''ll getpensated? If it''s a reward from the government, it will surely add bonus points to my civil service exam. I might even be directly hired as a special case. Of course, since it''s a request from a director-level official, it seemed likely there was a catch. But if it''s a trap rted to ghosts, Well, if I can see ghosts, I''m not too worried because I want to see them. I opened my mouth. "Let''s give it a shot." * * * Lee Dok-jun, supported by Yoo Hajin, moved towards the transmission tower. The strange steel tower that seemed to absorb cars through the navigation system. That was the transmission tower. "We need to get rid of that tower before it gets any bigger." "So, what''s the method for removing it?" A man who looked ordinary on the outside but possessed monstrously strong psychic abilities spoke. Various anomalies of this high-level strange phenomenon, which strives to kill people, vanished in an instant as they tried to reach this man. Anomalies that turned people into grotesque chunks of meat disappeared as soon as they touched him, shrinking and vanishing. And paintings that imprisoned people''s minds in hellish realms tore apart and disappeared without a trace as soon as he nced at them. "You''re strong. To have broken through all of this." "I, I am pretty strong, yeah. Gosh, there''s so much of it. Are these enemies? Anyway, there are. And I can see them clearly!!!" This must be the deployment of power that only those who have fully awakened their fundamental vow, the transcendent psychic beings, can perform. Unlike other psychicswho have only a vague understanding of their fundamental vow, those at the transcendentlevel and beyond can use ultimate techniques of their abilities, such as materializing their spirit form or resonating with mystical forces. It must be a defensive power deployment. Lee Dok-jun thought so and asked again. "Did you ask about how to remove the transmission tower?" "Yes. Do you carry something like a bomb?" "A bomb, you say? Something like that." Lee Dok-jun pulled out a small keypad from his pocket. The keypad shimmered, ck as obsidian. "One of the legacies of the Heavenly Demon, the ForbiddenArtifact." "The Heavenly Demon''s legacy? It looks like a keyboard?" "Its form has adapted to the modern era. This is a relic left by an absolute supernatural being who fought a war against all the psychicsin the world 500 years ago. You must have heard of the Heavenly Demon." Of course, Yoo Hajin only knew the term Heavenly Demon and had never heard of the ForbiddenArtifact. There wasn''t much information left about the entity known as Mara Papiyas and the Heavenly Demon. ''To learn about the Heavenly Demon, is that cult the only option?'' Fortunately, before Yoo Hajin could inquire about the ForbiddenArtifact, the director exined it first. "Right, it''s understandable to not know about the ForbiddenArtifact. Anything rted to the Heavenly Demon from 500 years ago is virtually ssified. This ForbiddenArtifact is an artifact that activates by consuming enlightenment. The more it''s used, the more it weakens the user''s supernatural abilities. But in exchange, it wields a power unlike any other artifact." "Oh? So what happens to someone whose supernatural abilities arepletely depleted by using the ForbiddenArtifact?" Upon Yoo Hajin''s question, Lee Dok-jun''s face hardened as he responded. "Their soul vanishes. It''s called obliteration. The soul is sustained by enlightenment, and enlightenment is essentially supernatural ability. A soul without any supernatural ability cannot exist." Yoo Hajin was disappointed to hear this. He had thought that if enlightenmentpletely disappeared, people like him, who can''t see ghosts, would emerge. ''But then, if using it depletes supernatural abilities, and I alreadyck them, doesn''t that mean I can use it infinitely without any risk?'' Yoo Hajin looked at the ForbiddenArtifact with greedy eyes. After walking for a while, A garden that appeared so warm and peaceful unfolded to the right, while on the left, dozens of girls stirred a man''s desires by either shyly hiding their bodies or pretending to be shy while exposing themselves. "Ah..." Lee Dok-jun was exhausted. He wanted to rest, even if just for a little while. Thus, he took a step toward the garden. Internally, he deceived himself, iming he was moving away to avoid ying with those girls. Perhaps, this anomaly was designed to provoke such thoughts. He knew he shouldn''t go any further... At that moment, someone grabbed him. "Director, is that the transmission tower over there? The cars look like they''ve merged into some kind of superconductor." "Ah, yes, that''s right." The one who had grabbed him was the man supporting him. The fact that he wasn''t swayed in the slightest by the allure of a high-level anomaly, as if he couldn''t see anything at all, would have been admirable if the man wasn''t a powerful psychic. Director Lee Dok-jun acknowledged the man supporting him. This man wasn''t just physically strong. He was also endowed with tremendous mental fortitude. With his assessment of the manplete, Director Lee Dok-jun feltpelled to ask a question that had been lingering deep in his heart. "Why are you helping me so much?" Powerful psychics despise the government of South Korea. They say the country should fall and be reced by a new government established by them. If the leaders of Cheonjihadn''t intervened, the government might have already been overthrown and a new state established. "Our government binds you withws." No matter how powerful, all psychicsmust abide by thew. That was the will of the South Korean government. However, just because of that reason, powerful psychicssought opportunities to overthrow the government. So, Director Lee Dok-jun regretted his words the moment they left his mouth. ''All powerful psychicsare prideful and cruel. To make such a mistake...'' If this person took offense, he might abandon him right there, and then he would be left to suffer and die at the hands of this anomaly. But that wasn''t the most important thing right now. The transmission tower had to be destroyed at all costs. However, it was impossible without the help of this psychic. So, Director Lee Dok-jun was about to kneel and offer an apology for everything, but the words that came from the man''s mouth stopped him in his tracks. "Supernatural beings must abide by thew too." Yoo Hajin said with a serious face, Why would someone as high-ranking as Director Lee Dok-jun suddenly throw such a question? Of course, it had to be an interview. Yoo Hajin realized he was already in the middle of a special recruitment interview. ''It was strange to see someone of the Director''s stature rolling around alone, caught up in an anomaly without any subordinates. At first, I thought it might be some kind of trap, but this is a disguised interview. The real opportunity hase. I must make statements that are pro-government.'' Having finished his thoughts, Yoo Hajin spoke up. "Do psychicse into this world and grow up all by themselves? It''s because society exists that a helpless baby can grow up safely and be a strong psychic." Yoo Hajin said with a smile. And the Director was moved by his words. To respond with such words to his own impolite remark. In the six years since awakening his supernatural sight, this was the first time he had met a psychicwho was kind, strong, and good-hearted. "If the country known as South Korea didn''t exist, about a quarter of the psychicswho now boast about their strength wouldn''t have grown up safely. If they understand this, then abiding by thew is natural, and they should think about maintaining this country with their powers." After finishing his statement, Yoo Hajin silently apuded himself. With such pro-government remarks, he must have scored some points with the Director, right? Ah, the experience of having been to over a hundred interviews really shows. "Truly, I''m grateful for your work." Hearing this, Director Lee Dok-jun briefly lifted his head before lowering it again. Everything he was experiencing was being transmitted to themand center of the AnomalyResponse Department through a ck box. It was a tradition among the department''s employees to collect information about anomalies, even at the cost of their own lives. Information about the man before him had likely already been ryed. Now, all he hoped for was that the other employees of the AnomalyResponse Department would know that such a kind-hearted psychicexisted and that they wouldn''t lose hope. And so, they had arrived in front of the bizarre transmission tower made of intertwined cars. Looking at the tower, Director Lee Dok-jun murmured. "You, you''re truly someone I admire. It''s a shame we only met now." "Thank you for your kind words." Yoo Hajin thought with a smile. This is almost like a guaranteed pass. ''Harin told me not to get involved with psychics, and there are no strong psychicsamong the civil servants. All the strong ones are associated with ns or sects. The civil service, huh? It''s exactly the kind of organization I''ve been looking for.'' Yoo Hajin could almost see the civil service certificate in his hands. He began to ponder what he would buy with his first paycheck. At that moment, Director Lee Dok-jun pulled out the ck keypad from his pocket. It was the same keypad he had mentioned as the ForbiddenArtifact. Holding the keypad, Director Lee Dok-jun said, "Now, I''m off to meet my end. Leave my body here and go on without me." Yoo Hajin''s jaw dropped at the interviewer''s sudden deration of his own demise. Could it be that this man had overused the ForbiddenArtifact, losing almost all his abilities and now standing on the brink of extinction? "What?" Yoo Hajin''s vision of his civil service certificate was about to be torn to shreds. He had to prevent that at all costs. "Wait, stop!!!" C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 32: The Trend is Civil Service (3) At the center of the Anomaly Response Headquartersmand center, the overly bright ceiling lights erased every shadow, illuminating a room where artifacts crafted with the aid of the Heavenly Demon Cult were strategically ced on the floor in specific patterns. These instations were all prepared to prevent anomalies from infiltrating themand center. After all, anomalies despised light, and the impurities of the Heavenly Demon Cult even more so. On one side of themand center, there was a massive screen. It was the only screen in the world that could disy events from the anomalies without any information contamination. Currently, the screen was disying the face of a man. To think such a psychic with noble rules and powerful abilities existed. The officers of the Anomaly Response Headquarters were in awe, having never encountered such a psychic who was neither contemptuous of the headquarters norcking in strength. It was the leader of the Cheonji who had acknowledged the Anomaly Response Headquarters. To be precise, the leader had only promised to annihte psychics who threatened to destroy the Anomaly Response Headquarters and the government of South Korea. However, as long as the psychics did not bring about the countrys ruin with their misdeeds, the leader of the Cheonji turned a blind eye. Ultimately, it seemed that the leader had little concern for the safety of the citizens. Yet, to think there was a powerful psychic who cared for this country. The staff of the Anomaly Response Headquarters focused intently on the screen, hiding their astonishment. Now, Im off to meet my end. Leave my body here and go on without me. These were the words of Director Lee Dok-jun. And with that, he took out the ck brush from his possession. The ck brush, once a traditional brush in ancient times, had transformed into a keyboard-like device in the modern era, known as a tool of the Heavenly Demon. Such tools were called Forbidden Artifacts. A Forbidden Artifact is activated by consuming enlightenment. Enlightenment, in essence, is the soul. And Lee Dok-juns soul was nearly spent. The staff of the Anomaly Response Headquarters silently saluted him, honoring his final moments. Someday, they too might meet their end in the same manner. Honorable and in the service of saving tens of thousands of lives. Yet, some couldnt help but shed tears at this sight. It was at that moment. Wait, stop!!! Yoo Hajin, a psychic of the highest order, intervened before the Director could proceed. What he said next left everyone in the Anomaly Response Headquarters utterly astonished. Ill do it. * * * Wait, stop!!! Damn it, there goes my civil servant path! I rushed forward, shouting out loud. Ill do it. Have you lost your mind? Didnt I tell you that using this will weaken and eventually extinguish your psychic abilities? Extinguish psychic abilities? What the heck is that, you nerd? The scariest people in this world are those who have nothing to lose. And Ive got nothing to lose in terms of psychic powers. Still, its not more precious than a human life. What, what? Dont psychics kill Buddhas upon meeting them, kill their masters upon meeting them, and kill their parents upon meeting them, all in the pursuit of enlightenment? Im not one of those despicable people. Give it to me. But the director wouldnt hand over the keyboard. He looked at me and muttered. Think again. Losing your psychic abilities means losing the ability to read the heavens and foresee the future, losing the extended lifespan gained by epting the heavens with your soul, losing various abilities like flight, irvoyance, and mind maniption. You know this, right? Psychics really are something else. Honestly, Im jealous. Using this will make you lose those powers one by one. I appreciate the sentiment, but I cant let someone else do this. Then theres no helping it. I stealthily approached and snatched the keyboard from the director. Taking something from a middle-aged man was too easy for me. It sounds weird when I put it like that, doesnt it? At that moment, the director shouted loudly. You, dont do it, youll regret it!!! Ill regret it more if I leave the director to die. Why are you doing this... Leaving the director to die and losing the chance to be a full-time civil servant? I was so angry I felt like only putting vegetables on my te for a month. But then again, I realized vegetables are more expensive than meat. Anyway, thats how much Id regret it. Holding the keyboard, I approached the tower. It seemed to be based on a real car, visible to my eyes. But how do I use this keyboard again? Looking at the USB interface on the keyboard, I murmured. I guess I have to plug this in. Looking at the tower, there was a suspiciously ced USB port sticking out. What if plugging this in summons a demon to finish me off? Well, that would be even better. Without hesitation, I connected the keyboard to the tower. A hologram-like disy appeared. The hologram had the following messages: === [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] An anomaly alert has been issued for the entire Seoul area Citizens are advised to stay indoors [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Ministry of Public Administration and Security] [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency] [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] Safety alerts not issued by the government are currently being sent Citizens are advised to ignore any messages other than the stay-indoors alerts [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Pyeon Station] === What a mess. A few visible safety alerts among mostly invisible ones. What kind ofbination is this? Thinking about it, there were a few phrases in the Pyeon Station manual that I couldnt read either. Thats when the director spoke. Are you seeing the safety alerts? Most of those alerts are contaminated by anomalies. Dont look at them for too long. I see. The invisible alerts must have been written by ghosts. So, I couldnt read the ghost-contaminated messages after all. Wouldnt it be okay to let me read something like this? Im really curious about what writings by a ghost would look like. So, what should we do now? We need to create more safety alerts than those generated by the anomaly. The only thing that can beat information contamination is more information. The Forbidden Device, the ck brush, is an extraordinary artifact capable of fixing manuals or information corrupted by anomalies. We can contaminate the anomalies with our essence instead of being contaminated by them. So, youre saying we need to create a lot of correct safety alerts with this keyboard. If only I had a mouse, I could show off my copy-paste skills. Why is there a Heavenly Demon Keyboard but no Heavenly Demon Mouse? === [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] Safety alerts not issued by the government are currently being sent Citizens are advised to ignore any messages other than the stay-indoors alerts [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Ministry of Public Administration and Security] [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency] === Yikes. For every safety alert I created, those things were churning out three. Id need a typing speed of 800 characters per minute to keep up with this pace, but Im not even close to 300. And the speed at which theyre generating is increasing so rapidly that not even copy-pasting seems fast enough anymore. Is this really the only way? I started rewriting the messages. Ill overwhelm them with sheer numbers. You see, safety alerts actually originated in Ennd. === [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] This safety alert started in Ennd and is supposed to bring luck to the recipient as it travels around once a week. This message has now reached you and must leave your side within 10 minutes. If you do not forward this message, including this one, to a total of 20 people who need luck right now and then go inside your house... === Theres something funny about chain letters. Theyre called luck letters, but in reality, theyre more like curses. Ive expanded the target of this curse from ordinary citizens to anomalies and evil spirits. Lets see how they handle this message. My phone immediately started vibrating. === [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] This safety alert started in Ennd and is supposed to bring luck to the recipient as it travels around once a week. This message has now reached you and must leave your side within 10 minutes. If you do not forward this message, including this one, to a total of 20 people who need luck right now and then go inside your house... [Web Notification][Safety Alert] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] This safety alert started in Ennd and is supposed to bring luck to the recipient as it travels around once a week. This message has now reached you and must leave your side within 10 minutes. If you do not forward this message, including this one, to a total of 20 people who need luck right now and then go inside your house... === I was flooded with safety alerts of good fortune from people I barely knew from part-time jobs or those whose faces I couldnt even recall but somehow had exchanged phone numbers with. The safety alerts inspired by ghosts poured in so overwhelmingly that they obscured visibility, creating a veritable deluge of good fortune alerts. Weve solved one problem. I turned to Director Lee Dok-jun with a smile. Incredulous, he murmured into his phone, After sending the lucky message, you must return home. No, this is, this is the message of a benefactor. Its the message of a hero who sacrificed themselves to save others. I called out to him. Director Lee Dok-jun! Ah, ah. Youvee to your senses. Thank you, truly, thank you. Just then, unable to withstand the flood of excessive safety alerts, cracks began to spiderweb across the tower. Suddenly, the tower crumbled, breaking into pieces of what used to be a car. This sight would have been impossible if the tower hadnt been made from a real car. The director wiped away tears. Even grown men cry like this. I never thought Id live to see this day. With a look of deep emotion, the director said to me, You must have lost quite a bit of your ability? Im truly sorry. Its nothing. I was just doing my part as a resident here. Hows that for a max-level social skillment? Hearing my words, the director burst intoughter. A resident here, you say? To think a strong person like you would live in such a ce. No, you were protecting the poor here. I heard that an apartment called Louaville, eerily simr to that ominous ce, only charges 50,000 won a month. But they say theres always a victim every few months. There havent been any victimstely. Not many people live there, though. And its not Louaville, its Louisville. I didnt correct him. He might be my boss in the future, after all. The director, as if making up his mind, blinked and then handed me something from his pocket. It was a ck USB. Whats this? This is the biometric key for our Anomaly Response Headquarters website. By recognizing this, youll be one of the administrators of the Anomaly Response Headquarters site, just like our directors. You wouldnt believe how much the Celestial Order covets this, its quite a headache. Oh? An administrator of the site? Could this possibly mean an immediate job offer? Damn, I mean, thank you so much. I bowed deeply in gratitude. In response, the director bowed even deeper than I had. No, I should be the one thanking you. Truly. I wanted to outdo him by bowing even lower, screaming I cant lose! in my head, but I restrained myself. After seeing the director off at the nearby bus stop, I strutted back to Louisville with my shoulders as high as Everest. As soon as I got home, I performed the biometric recognition through the USB and created my ID. Now, I was an administrator of the Anomaly Response Headquarters site, essentially a civil servant. Wow, I can take down users posts at will, track what posts a user has made, and block them whenever I feel like it? This is practically being a tyrant of the site. But as a public servant, I must act with decorum. Just as I was about to delve deeper into the site functionalities, Ah, Im so exhausted I could die. Im going to take a shower. At that moment, Jamsuni entered my room, whining and soaked in sweat. Ugh, you stink of sweat. Go shower in your own room. My rooms a mess right now. Im crashing here tonight. Again? Jamsuni, youve been making a lot of excusestely. What can I do. The sound of water pouring echoed as Jamsuni spoke. Did something good happen today? Good thing? Ah, should I tell you about this. I chuckled and then told Jamsuni. I got a job. As a site administrator. Site administrator? What site? Its rted to anomalies... There are tons of sites rted to anomalies. No, what exactly do you do as an administrator? Good question. What do I actually do as an administrator? I hadnt asked about that. Taking down posts, blocking users, tracking users...? What? Thats just like a forum moderator. You idiot, how is that a job? Jamsuni, what, what are you talking about? Hey, forum moderators and admins work unpaid. Managing a site for free. What kind of nonsense is this? I eximed in shock again. Who in their right mind would do that for free? Ah, dont you know? Itsmon knowledge that wearing the badge means getting abused and removing objectionable content for free. I told you about this before. Ah, right. I think I heard something like that. Not getting paid and doing that 24/7??? Are anomalies even a big deal??? Those are the real anomalies!!! This world is too scary!!!! I copsed to my knees, murmuring. I should have started with a contract. And so, another day of uproar at Louisville passed. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 33: The Anomaly Response Headquarters The Heavenly Ordeal Sect never gave up. Like a certain organization that keeps targeting Electric Rats* every week only to face explosions and still persists, the Heavenly Ordeal Sect did not falter even after being beaten up for targeting the sessor of the Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect or being terrorized by the Heavenly Demon Cult for daring to aim at their precious figures. Theres no other choice now. If you say theres no other choice...? The leader of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, Nagu, muttered under her breath. Her eyes were bloodshot red. Well use the government. Well bury Yoo Hajin using the Anomaly Response Headquarters website. The Anomaly Response Headquarters website. A top-tier anomaly coveted even by the Cheonji for its management rights. Nagu decided to utilize it. The origin of the Anomaly Response Headquarters website went like this: It was a week after the day of spiritual awakening. Psychics attempted to overturn the government by storming into government departments, killing high-ranking officials one by one to force the governments surrender. Among those trapped in the building was a girl named Lee Sehwa, known as a genius hacker. She was there to receive an award for winning first ce in a national hackingpetition hosted by the government. But as she witnessed people dying in front of her, and even her sister, a government official, was tortured to death over an hour for trying to protect her, invoking the wrath of psychics, the girl went mad. To go mad means toe to a realization. Being mad, the girl fullyprehended her fundamental vow. On the day of the massacre, the girl looked up at the sky. The sky was so blue, and not a single drop of rain fell. Realizing everything, the girl began her vow with a voice filled with madness. I vow as a shaman who resonates with all the information in the world!!! I offer my life, my soul, everything I am as a sacrifice to create a single piece of information!!! Information that will overpower those demons!!! The girl couldnt finish her words. Before she could, her bodypletely vanished. In ce of her body, a site appeared in the inte world. The name of that site was the Anomaly Response Headquarters website. A site where methods to deal with anomalies are generated on their own. A site that also generates information about psychics and anomalies. And a site that can distort that information. Even now, the names of the psychics who stormed in that day are disyed in a wiki-document format on the Anomaly Response Headquarters website. The document still contains content that tantly distorts the truth with hatred and curses, left unedited. And the content of that document became a reality in the physical world. The psychics suffered endlessly, unable to die. The Anomaly Response Headquarters website. And the girl who moves the digital world centered around that site. That girl was the actual head of the Anomaly Response Headquarters. She is known among the psychics by the derogatory nickname Judag*. Nagu, the leader of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, thought of that girl and frowned. Right, the head of the Anomaly Response Headquarters is hostile towards psychics without even understanding the subject. Then, leader... However, the current South Korean government is at its weakest. They desperately need our help. They wouldnt refuse our offer to distort Yoo Hajins information in exchange for our assistance. Yoo Hajin was a powerful psychic, recognized as a sessor of the Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect and respected by the Heavenly Demon Cult. It was clear why the head of the Anomaly Response Headquarters would harbor unjustified hatred towards him. If the price is right, Nagu wouldnt hesitate to manipte Yoo Hajins information. After calcting her moves, she headed to the Anomaly Response Headquarters. Upon hearing of the arrival of the Heavenly Ordeal Sects leader, Lee Dok-jun, the director of information, immediately served her tea in a private room. A director-level position. He was practically the top executive of the Anomaly Response Headquarters, mockingly referred to as Pathetic. So, youre saying that if we manipte the information of one psychic, the Heavenly Ordeal Sect will fully support our government? Exactly. Nagu internally criticized the cheap quality of the tea she was served. Even if it wasnt tea leaves that cost hundreds of thousands for a single brew, it should at least be of a quality where one could discern its origin. As Nagu suppressed her dissatisfaction, Lee Dok-jun inquired about their target. Who is this person? His name is Yoo Hajin. He may look like a young man, but whether he truly is young is uncertain. Wait, Yoo Hajin...? As Lee Dok-jun trailed off, Nagu pulled out a photo from her pocket. It was a photo of Yoo Hajin. The CCTV in the room observed it, and something in the electronic sea connected to the CCTV saw it too. Yoo Hajin. The girl sleeping in the electronic sea remembered that name. The only being in this world she could look upon without feeling displeasure. Judag, as the head of the Anomaly Response Headquarters was called, despised all psychics in this world. The stronger the psychic power, the greater the hatred, but that didnt mean she liked those with weaker powers. After all, the girl was born from hatred towards psychics. However, after the day of spiritual awakening, everyone in the world possessed some degree of spiritual power, however slight. Thus, Judag couldnt help but dislike the human race. Yet, she protected the South Korean government because the position of head of the AnomalyResponse Headquarters was her reason for existence. Without that purpose, humanity would have faced the worst information contamination in history. Despite her hatred for humanity, the girl protected them. Judag eventually found someone. A human she didnt need to hate. His name was said to be Yoo Hajin. The girl had not yete to a conclusion about this question. But she was determined to find an answer someday. At that moment, the leader of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect made a pathetic request. Please manipte the information about this Yoo Hajin. Use the most miserable and pathetic phrases you can. If you do, the Heavenly Ordeal Sect will support you. Hearing this, Judag muttered under her breath. Yoo Hajin, he was her Pathetic*. To mess with her Pathetic was to be hostile towards her. Content about the Heavenly Ordeal Sect began to be edited within the Anomaly Response Headquarters website. === Heavenly Ordeal Sect. A group ofpsychicsin South Korea. Known as the worst trash of an organization... === At that moment, Nagu felt an information contamination pouring over the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Information was being imnted in her mind that the Heavenly Ordeal Sect was a trash group filled with second-rate thugs and that their assets were on the brink of bankruptcy due to foolish investments. Nagu shouted in surprise. What is this madness?! How dare you attack us?! Ah, it seems the head of the Response Headquarters has taken action. Thats the price for messing with our website administrator. Yoo Hajin is an honorary website administrator of our headquarters website. What nonsense. Yoo Hajin is a powerful psychic, one you hate! And now an honorary website administrator?! Hearing Nagus outcry, Lee Dok-juns face turned cold. Seeing his expression, Nagu could only flinch and stand up from her seat. We dont hate psychics. Lee Dok-jun said. We hate psychics who threaten the safety of our citizens. And administrator Yoo Hajin is our hero who has saved more of our citizens than anyone else. Hearing those mad words, Nagu quickly made her exit. These people were not normal. Nagu bit her lip tightly as she searched for the Rolls-Royce she had arrived in. But her Rolls-Royce had already been switched to a kia Morning car. Seeing her chauffeur sitting dazed in the Morning, Nagu couldnt contain her anger and shouted. You fools!!! * * * Whos badmouthing me? Im on the hunt for a part-time job, yet my ears are strangely itching. They say it happens when someones talking behind your back. Nayu with a bored expression. As Iy browsing my phone, Nayu, who was beside me, started fidgeting and edged closer to me. Every time Nayu, d in a tank top, innocently shed a bit of skin, I couldnt help but look away. A beauty with a vacant expression, clear eyes as blue as the sky, and sky-blue hair. Shes just so, so pretty. And the hair doesnt even feel out of ce, as if its dyed. And the curves of her body, so beautiful... I discreetly pulled up the nket. Get a grip, Yoo Hajin!!! Are you getting hot and bothered over someone whos out of their mind?!!! In my head, I started singing the national anthem*. Nayu with a curious expression. What, what are you curious about? But Nayu, oblivious to my inner turmoil, slowly started to approach. Na, Nayu? Nayu with a curious expression! Creeeak- Suddenly, Nayu tried to lift my nket. What, whats this? Nayus craziness kicking in at this moment? I jumped up from my lying position, leaping over Nayu, and rushed outside with just my slippers on. That was close. Is my phone alright? I nced at the smartphone screen. It seemed uncracked. Wait. This part-time job looks decent? The smartphone screen disyed a listing for a part-time job. It was a delivery job. But not just any delivery job, one that offered a high rate for skirting dangerous ghost spots. Without hesitation, I pressed the ept button. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN: Electric Rats: This is a reference to Pikachu and Team Rocket from pokmon anime. Pathetic: Here pathetic is referring to the website administrator. Judag ''??'': This is an inte term used on the DCInside website which is a Korean inte forum, referring to the owner of a gallery( this is kind of a sub-reddit where user can post images). The meaning varies slightly depending on the nature of the gallery, but it is simr to the metaphorical use of the term "cult leader" in everyday life. Singing the national anthem: Korean men usually say or do this when they want to change their attention from someone or something or any ''strange situation''. You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 34: King of Spirits, Yoo Hajin (1) Since the day of the Awakening, a new part-time job has emerged. Its called the high-risk delivery job. In ces with bad geomantic energy or contaminated ley lines, ghosts are more likely to appear, designating these areas as high-risk zones. The job of delivering items through or into these high-risk zones is what constitutes a high-risk delivery job. With pay ranging from 20 to 40 per delivery, its an unbeatable part-time job for someone like me, who cant see ghosts. Of course, due to its nature, these jobs are less in demandpared to regr delivery jobs. So, whenever one pops up, I make it a point to apply immediately. But today was different. The client offered 60. Usually, even for deliveries involving dangerous areas, the pay doesnt go above 40. Did you say 60? Yeah, 60. Just safely transport this box, and youll get 600,000 Won. Easy, right? Well, that sounds good, but... I scratched my head, looking at the box. It wasnt particrlyrge or heavy. The only notable feature was itsck of shine, being a in ck box. I dont have to go beyond Gyeonggi-do for this delivery, do I? No, no. Just the outskirts of Seoul. Theres a research facility or something in the outskirts of Gwanak-gu. Just deliver it there, and make sure it gets delivered. That phrase, make sure it gets delivered, sounded like a hint. A prettyme onepared to the hints my sister would give, but a hint nheless. But why would this nutjob suddenly start hinting at me? Having been subjected to my sisters far superior hints, I wasnt about to fall for such a shoddy attempt. Hmm, suspicious. I took a closer look at the box. Was this some kind of bomb? In an era where we can blow up flesh, a bomb would be rather outdated. Huh? What did you say? Nothing. Ill do it. Can I really afford to be picky about jobs anymore? In a month, Ill be so strapped for cash I wont even be able to afford cold leftovers. I had to find a way to make money, no matter what. And rejecting a job on the app would lower my ratings. Living off part-time jobs as it is, I couldnt afford to take that risk. The worst they could do was threaten me with ghosts, right? So, I hopped on my cost-effective electric scooter, heading for the outskirts of Gwanak-gu. * * * The journey to the outskirts of Gwanak-gu was uneventful. Curiosity got the better of me, and I shook the box a little. Aside from a rattling sound, there was nothing unusual. All quiet. I entered the abandoned factory building in Gwanak-gu outskirts as instructed by the note. I was supposed to take the elevator down to B1 and deliver it there. The elevators huge. Just as the note said, there was an elevator. It was muchrger than I expected, presumably used for heavy factory equipment. Pressing the B1 button, the massive elevator started its descent with a groan. Earning 600,000 Won for such a simple task. Is today my lucky day? With a ng, the elevator doors opened, revealing a corridor that looked like it belonged to a white, sterile research facility. In front of it stood three people in what appeared to be protective suits. Youve finally arrived. So, this is the ultrasonic? The revered one has taken an interest. A materialized soul, sanctified? A material with the same mechanism as the King of Spirits, Gwizon. The people in protective suits murmured among themselves. It was annoying, but I stayed quiet. I couldnt afford to leave without the money. What about this guy, then? That guy? Well use him as a test subject. Carrying the ultrasonic must have nearly evaporated his soul. A body void of the soul can be useful anywhere. Wait, lets use him to carry the ultrasonic until his bodypletely copses. Ultrasonic cant be carried by anything other than a living human. Test subject? A body void of soul? Complete copse of the body? So much for my lucky day. I was duped again today. I silently opened the ck box. Hey, hold on. What are you doing? Why can it move? Stop talking nonsense and put on the protective amulets now! The ultrasonic is getting released! Inside the box were pieces that looked like blue ss. They seemed fragile enough to break easily with my hands. Didnt something like this happen before? But I had no other choice. Shut up and hand over what Im owed. Give me my 600,000 Won, you jerks, unless you want to see this ss shatter. At the very least, I needed to recoup the time wasted today and the cost of the electric scooter ride. Holding the ss piece, I faced the three researchers. Two of them had already copsed in convulsions. The remaining one was barely standing, clutching some kind of talisman. To hold the ultrasonic with bare hands... Only the pinnacle of Yin energy could perform such a miracle. If were talking about the pinnacle of Yin... I dont want to chat with lunatics like you. Hand over what you promised, now. Could it be... We didnt expect you toe personally. Oh, King of Spirits. I nced at the ss piece in my hand. So, ordinary humans cant handle this, huh? Was this item meant only for a powerful spirit like the King of Spirits to hold? But I didnt feel bad tricking these scumbags. From now on, I am Yoo Hajin, the King of Spirits. I put on my sternest face and told the researcher. Yes, I am the King of Spirits. I dislike speaking with humans, so hand over what you promised. Of course, we must fulfill our promise to such a revered being. Please,e inside. Beep-beep - The researcher frantically pressed the keypad behind him. Damn, I might be a bit crazy, but not crazy enough to enter a suspicious facility like this. Id rather not go in. Just hand over what you promised, here. Your Majesty, the King of Spirits, the item can only be received inside the facility. You know this. Please show mercy. Things were gettingplicated. I just wanted the money, not something meant for the King of Spirits to receive. No choice, I had to bolt. 600,000 Won? Lets just chalk it up to a bad Bitcoin investment. Just as I was stepping back from the researcher, the doors of the facility burst open, and guards armed with batons swarmed in. They even had what looked like guns at their hips. Intruder!!! Ah, the air is thick with Yin energy. Everyone, activate your Yang energy shields!!! Everyone, prepare forbat!!! Wow, such intense Yin energy. Is that, is that a high-level evil spirit? But how does it have a physical body? No, to be precise, the ones at the back were aiming their guns at me. Damn, this is messed up. Why are they carrying such outdated weapons as guns in an era of psychic powers??? But it was a researcher who saved me. Wait!!! What are you all doing!!! This is a distinguished guest!!! Please, I beg of you, show mercy, oh King of Spirits!!! I mean, theres no mercy to give or not give here. Cant I just go home? Fine. Im busy today, so Ille back another time. No, didnt the revered one instruct you to bring that item as soon as possible? Thats why it was sent to be delivered into the hands of the King of Spirits. Here, this is the item for you. No, Im... The word of the revered one is absolute, and you, as a vassal king, follow the revered one. We are fully aware of this fact. Surely, you wouldnt want to disappoint. Judging by their talk, if I tried to go back to the first floor, theyd surely start doubting Im not the King of Spirits. Considering the elevator doors close and open slowly, pressing for the first floor might just get me a barrage of bullets. Im in a tight spot. No choice then. Lead the way. Escaping from here is the priority. Lets grab whatever item Im supposed to give to this revered one and make a run for it. * * * The head of the research facility felt his heart pounding like crazy. The King of Spirits, a king among evil spirits, opposing the celestials. A soul that has attained sanctity and acquired a physical body. That being was right before his eyes. Trying to hide his fear and trembling, the head of the research facility slowly introduced the facility. This is the specimen storage area. We store specimens collected from all over Seoul right here. They are mostly provided by sects that serve the celestials or the revered ones. Specimens of all ages, captured from across Korea, were looking up with faces filled with terror. The head of the facility looked down at them with cold eyes, then slowly observed the figure of the King of Spirits. The King of Spirits was visibly furious. Truly befitting a King of Spirits who loathes humans. Damn these bastards. He even cursed unconsciously, showing his disdain for humans. Is this the true nature of the King of Spirits? Such wickedness. The head of the facility looked at the King of Spirits with admiration. If youre not feeling appeased, I could offer some of these specimens. You can kill them to pass the time. You, you, you bastards, Ill kill on my way out. Just give me the code to that room. The head of the facility respectfully provided the code. Let me introduce you to the next area. The next ce the head of the research facility introduced was the most strictly guarded prison within the facility. There, a woman was kneeling, naked and bound by dozens of gray ropes. This woman is Kirieon, the founding master of the Qigong Sect and the pioneer of the Qigong Faction. Shes a traitor who killed many Kings of Spirits and wounded the revered ones in her foolish attempt to protect mere humans. It would have been impossible to capture her if not for the betrayal of the Qigong Sect and Qigong Faction ten years before the Awakening. The head of the research facility added, trying to score points with the King of Spirits. Sometimes, the followers of the revered ones who visit our facility take their revenge on her. If you promise not to kill her, I could give you the code to that room... Enough. Just give me the number already...! Such a furious expression. Seeing the hatred for Kirieon, its clear this is indeed an ancient King of Spirits. The head of the facility, now looking at the King of Spirits with respect, bowed his head and gave the number before moving on to the next location. There was a room where a dying animal and its offspring, tied up with the same gray ropes as Kirieon, were in agony. This facility is an experimental ground for taming divine beasts. If the offspring obeys, its mother is healed; if it disobeys, parts of the mothers extremities are gradually cut off as a system of reward and punishment to tame the divine beasts. Suddenly, a sh of white light thinly sliced off the left leg of the half-disappeared animal. The offspring, witnessing its mothers limb being cut off, wailed and scratched the walls frantically. At that moment, Yoo Hajin, the King of Spirits, inadvertently locked eyes with the offspring. Ugh. Seeing this, the King of Spirits made a pleased sound. Truly a King of Spirits, a being cruel enough to be revered. Give me the number for that room too. Now. Ah, are you nning to take the divine beasts blood or skin? Its only right we offer that as a token of our sincerity. The number for that room is... And so, the head of the research facility and the King of Spirits arrived at the final room. Here we are, at the heart of our facility, where we restore the cursed artifacts of the Heavenly Demon, the me Spirit. Today, Im truly delighted to introduce the restored me Spirit to the King of Spirits. With those words, the head of the facility opened the massive doors. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 35: King of Spirits, Yoo Hajin (2) Emotions can be such a nuisance. Despite clearly residing within my heart, theirings and goings are beyond my grasp. So, I wonder, when did this anger that now fills my heart first enter? I pondered this as I looked at the huge door being opened by theb director. Why did I smash the head of Cheonsus subordinate with a soju bottle? What made me so angry that I broke the promise to my sister? Thats when everything started to go awry, unable to contain that anger. Why didnt I pretend to be scared of the Spirits at Pyeon Station? The moment I thought about being scared of the Spirits upon seeing the blood on the floor of Pyeon Station, anger surged within me. Was it when facing the Dream Merchant? Why did I act indifferent upon seeing young psychics suffering in the DMZ? And when I tried to behave like other psychics, why did I get angry? And now, why am I so angry? Where does this angere from? The anger surges when I think of the people captured as test subjects, Kirieon being tortured for protecting humans, and the puppy crying as it watched its mother being butchered. Was I always such a righteous person? Even after abandoning my own family. Haa. It doesnt matter where this intense anger that makes my head throbes from. I dont care if they call me a fool. Today, I will destroy these bastards. Theb director nced at my decaying face and muttered to himself, Why is it opening sote? Shhh- White smoke spewed from the door. The giant door fully opened. Beyond it was a vast hall-like room. The only things in this huge room were a transparent ss disy case and the ck object it contained. What a tremendous waste of space. That right there is the Demonic Weapons ck Sheath. Theb director pointed at the disy case. Encased within was the ck Sheath, a long and dark object. It was too thick to be a sword,cked a handle, and wasnt sharp. Yet, it bore a resemnce to a sword. It looked just like a sheath. Without realizing, I blurted out, A sheath...? Indeed, your words are urate, Spirit King. The ck Sheath was the sheath for the ck sword, known as the strongest amongst the demonic weapons. It was the only sheath capable of containing the ck Sword. Theb director, perhaps excited, spoke rapidly. A sheath that canpletely suppress the ck sword. Do you grasp what this means? If the origin of a physical phenomenon is psychic power, this sheath can nullify it entirely. He continued without pause. Even if a master of the Qigong Sect could copse a mountain with their energy, the ck Sheath could nullify the kic energy of the falling rocks. And if a master of the Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect set a mountain aze, the ck Sheath could eliminate the thermal energy of the fire. Of course, such miracles require consuming enlightenment, but isnt it fascinating?! Shut up. Why is he so loud? Makes me want to hit him. Anyway, I got the gist of how to use this thing. It can disregard the physical effects resulting from a psychics power. With this, I wont have to worry about getting hurt by stone fragments like at Pyeon Station. But wait. Does it only nullify effects thate into contact with the ck Sheath? Yes, only the physical phenomena that touch the ck Sheathcan be nullified. Hmm, thats somewhat disappointing. Visible threats can be avoided anyway, and if somethings too fast to see, the ck Sheath wouldnt be able to stop it. But its still much better than nothing. Annoyed, I said, Ill take it. Bring it here. Yes, to your esteemed self, the truth. Theb director pressed something, and the transparent case opened, slowly bringing forth the sheath known as ck Sheath. He offered it to me with both hands, respectfully. Holding the ck Sheath, I murmured, Ill go see Kirieon after this. Lets release Kirieon, known for her strength. And then, lets wreak havoc here. Its an unwritten rule that test subjects trapped in ab always escape, and its standard for such secretbs to meet their end in an explosion. Today, Ill cause a proper chaos. * * * Kirieon lost track of time amidst the madness consuming her. She was filled with pain, bitterness, sorrow, and hatred, forgetting what she once dreamed of in life. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kirieons mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of killing. nk- nk- Even as the prison door opened, Kirieon didnt move an inch. It must be another tormentor, she thought. And this pain, too, would be swept away by time. Phew, Ive even received a vow from them, so there shouldnt be any eavesdropping or surveince. A mans voice was heard. Yet, Kirieon remained motionless. Up close, you look like youre just in your twenties. Is this person really the top master of the Qigong Sect and the pioneer of the Qigong Faction? Hearing about the Qigong faction and Qigong sect made Kirieon flinch slightly, but she remained still. Miss Kirieon? Kill. Huh? Oh, Im not an enemy, I came to rescue you. Kill. Kill. Its good to kill, but shouldnt we kill only the bad guys and save the ordinary people and victims who were captured here? Kill them all. Remembering how she ended up here trying to protect ordinary people and how she was betrayed. Now, she decided to live only for herself. She would kill everyone without hesitation. Kirieons eyes glinted menacingly as she finished her thought. The man fell silent upon hearing this. Then, he spoke again. Hmm. Being locked up here for so long, its natural to go mad. But your eyes still look sane; seems like you can handle yourself well. Kill. Ill kill even ordinary people. Ill kill you too. Still, Im going to save you. But Yoo Hajin had no choice. It was because only by causing chaos could Kirieon bring about the copse of this ce. However, Kirieon couldnt understand that. Save someone who says theyll kill you? Where on earth would you find such a foolish hero? Isnt that just like the old her? Thinking of her former self, Kirieon gritted her teeth. Youre annoying. Ill kill you. Yet, the man ignored Kirieons words and touched the gold-ted ropes. Anyone attempting to untie these would be cursed many times over what Kirieon had suffered. Seeing the man arrive unscathed made it clear he was a master. Such a master should have recognized the curse contained in those ropes. Still, the man began to tear apart the ropes with his hands, silently. Freeing someone who intends to kill him, despite knowing hed be cursed? Kirieon watched the scene with wide eyes. Why is this so tough? Its harder than tearing down barbed wire. After freeing Kirieon from all the gold-ted bindings, the man said, I heard that Miss Kirieon fought for many people. And thats how you ended up trapped here. Kirieon quietly looked up at the man. He had a cold but decent-looking face. So? The man didnt answer Kirieons question. He simply turned around and left the cell. The man thought his trivial words offort or apology might enrage the mad Kirieon, so he left. However, Kirieon saw the mans actions differently. ''Is he saying hell show me through his actions? I want to kill him. Hes too much like the old me.'' Not saying a word but showing his back. That was a promise to answer through actions. Kirieon truly wanted to know what that answer would be. And if the answer turned out to be pathetic, she would kill everyone here, along with himself. This guy is too bothersome. Too troubling. So troubling its driving me mad. Kirieon muttered as she stood up. Kirieon, a figure born of Yang and nearly reaching the pinnacle of Yin, was among the strongest of the strong. She mastered the essence of soul inscriptions, spirit techniques, and divine resonance without using Qigong techniques that manipte only Yang Qi and Yin Qi. Hearing those words meant that in this world, the only one with a sure chance of victory against Kirieon was none other than the Spirit King himself. Kirieon manifested her fundamental Qi, as one who had fully realized the essence of life belonging to Yang Qi, and instantly healed her body. After a light stretch, she concentrated Yang Qi in one hand and Yin Qi in the other. Yin-Yang Qi Technique. She then crouched down, bringing both hands together. Splitting Head Genesis Wave. With those words, the prison confining Kirieon evaporated. * * * Spirit King, did you enjoy yourself? Kirieon is currently... I ignored theb directors words and bolted. Kirieon would soon escape. Wheres the best ce in thisb to hold out? The only option was the specimen storage, where they prevented escapes. The fact that it was good for confining people meant it was also good for holding out from the inside. I had no choice but to flee there. Whoooom- Kwa-wa-wa-wang- An enormous roar began to shake the entire corridor. ncing back, the corridor in the distance seemed to have expanded threefold. She is really damn powerful!!! After such intensebor, she could take on ten squads alone!!! Shes a living bulldozer. A living forklift!!! I shouted at the security forces rushing towards the noise. Stop the intruder at once!!! By themand of the Spirit King!!! To the truth of the Spirit King!!! The security forces heeded my call and sprinted down the corridor. Then another roar echoed. We need to grab everyone and get out of here!!! Run, damn it!!! And so, I arrived at the specimen storage. I quickly punched in the code, and as the door opened, I was met with the terrified gazes of numerous people. You fool. I knew it woulde to this. Youvee to save the criminals, as expected. At that moment, an incredibly eerie voice echoed from behind. It was the entrance of Kirieon, a madwoman iparable even to Nayu. Kirieon stood before me,pletely bare, her arms smeared with blood. Aside from her expression being slightly off, she could have been mistaken for a charismatic mixed-race beauty, reminiscent of a war goddess from a Greek mythologyic book brought to life. Herbat prowess must rival that of a war goddess. The war goddess Kirieon spoke, Ah, this is too fun. Isnt he just like the old me? Kirieon pointed at me with her finger. Nervously, I gripped the ck Sheath as if it were a sword. Still, youve earned some merit by rescuing me, so Ill spare your life if you leave now. Can I take the people with me? Of course not. Youre as naive as I used to be. Who else but me would correct such folly? Kirieon shed a sly smile and then eximed, Yin-Yang Qi Technique, now, witness this power. Evade it. Sunset. Kirieon drew her finger from left to right. What was that supposed to do? However, screams soon erupted from behind. I cant believe it, what kind of power is that? Mom, Im scared. Its okay. Everything will be okay. That person is taking this on for us... What the hell. I couldnt see anything. But Kirieon, observing my inaction as if I saw nothing, suddenly burst into rage. Are you just standing there, taking this hit to protect the criminals?? I never thought thered be another idiot like the old me in this world!!! Kirieon wore a strangely amused yet angry expression as she wiped the corner of her eyes. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic! Someone as pathetic as you needs to have their habits corrected right from the start. Kirieon resumed her stance. She formed several hand seals with each hand, then brought them together in a peculiar pose. Extreme Yin Qi Technique. Absolute Chaos Epitome. A technique that even the leader of the Ilwol-Oakmoon Sect had to retreat from. A rookie like you wouldnt stand a chance. Run. Kirieon said with a sly smile. But still, I saw nothing. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 36: King of Spirits Yoo Hajin (3) It was hailed as the Absolute Chaos Epitome. By name alone, it sounded like a technique of immense power. Yet, to my eyes, it appeared no more than a deviant exposing her sensual body with both hands joined, without a hint of hesitation. Frankly, this situation was somewhat amusing... Uh. In such a serious moment, I couldnt let augh slip. I tensed my face as much as possible. Seeing this, Kirieon burst intoughter, thoroughly amused. Youre tense. As expected, youre inexperienced. Your expression is practically screaming to the neighborhood that youre nervous. Kirieon, in high spirits, continued. The pinnacle of Yin Energy, the Absolute Chaos Epitome, is the embodiment of a life-and-death situation in the form of a spear. Yin signifies the aura of death. Hence, the zenith of Yin Energy is synonymous with a lethal move. I see. Though I didnt quite grasp it, it sounded like a dangerous technique. However, my gaze kept following something swaying. It was an involuntary reaction as a man. So, I tensed my face even more. But Kirieonmerely smiled at my expression. Haha, I can see the fear in your face. Yet, you still n to stand against me? Would you really put your life in such grave danger just to protect mere criminals? I couldnt respond to that question. I felt like I might burst outughing if I opened my mouth. To think youre so scared, you cant even speak, yet you choose to fight me. Ha, hahaha. Where do such insane peoplee from? Kirieon nced at the ceiling for a moment and then muttered. Indeed, someone like you can only be taught this way. The Absolute Chaos Epitome. Kirieon made a motion as if throwing a spear, and I pretended to be hit. Arghh, ahhhhhh! And I let out a spirited scream. I had no choice but to act. Based on my guess, Kirieon wouldnt use physical techniques against a strong opponent. But if she realized that spiritual powers were ineffective, she would resort to physical means. Kirieon watched my act of agony, then casually waved her hand, slicing the fleeing researchers and the corridor in half. Naturally, chunks of concrete fell from the bisected ceiling. My prediction was spot on. Kirieons pattern seemed to be as follows: against the strong, she would use techniques that directly impacted the soul with minimal physical harm; against those with weak spiritual powers, she would deal physical blows to wipe them out in one fell swoop. I had to keep pretending to be strong so Kirieon wouldnt use her physical attack techniques. However, if I acted like they had no effect on me at all, shed surely catch on to something odd about me. So, I had to pull off a Hollywood-style performance. Facing techniques that could slice a corridor in half or triple its size would likely spell disaster just from the aftermath alone. Pretending to be in pain, I nced at ck Sheath. Actually, if ck Sheath''s abilities were real, there might be a chance to block even the aftermath. Yeah, it hurts incredibly, doesnt it? Being pierced by a spear close to the ultimate Yin, prating the soul, it must be hundreds of times more painful than a mere physical pration. That pain is the very truth of this world. Kirieon spoke with a mocking tone. No, to be precise, it was more like she was ruminating on something. I looked up at Kirieon and said, That seems a bit different from the truth I believe in. The truth Id like to believe in is that there are no ghosts in this world. And since Im not in any pain, I cant acknowledge pain as the truth of this world. What a fool. Kirieons expression now looked almost like she was crying. Die believing in your falsehoods as truths. Yang Energy, Scarlet World. And so, Kirieons nude acrobatic show unfolded once again. The swaying, the serious expression, the softness, the earnest movements. Bounce, bounce?!!! My eyes just couldnt help but follow. Ugh. So, I had no choice but to pour all my strength back into my face. I might as well bite down on my lips. I must endure!!! * * * Kirieon gazed at the man before her, a fool standing up to an overwhelming adversary to protect the criminals behind him. Seeing in him a reflection of her former self, Kirieon couldnt suppress her rage. How many attacks had she unleashed? Even though she wasnt fully recovered, it was enough to exhaust Kirieon. The man couldnt possibly be unharmed after such an onught. His expression was grotesquely twisted from enduring the pain, his lips bitten so fiercely that blood pooled at the corners of his mouth. Why go to such lengths!!! Kirieon gathered her strength once more. To kill. She didnt want to kill, yet she resolved to do so. But she hadnt decided whom she wanted to kill. With that, Kirieon prepared to end it, forming a hand seal. Yin-Yang Energy. Heavens Command. Humans are born with a bright soul, yet as beings destined to die, they also possess the energy of Yin. Most live utilizing only their Yang energy, unaware of how to control the Yin within. Heavens Command was developed for this reason. Bying into close contact with the opponent, it connects with their Yin energy, causing it to surge uncontrobly within them. Kirieon naturally closed the distance between herself and the man, activating Heavens Command. There were only two possible oues now: either the man would die, or he would seize the opportunity to kill Kirieon. Kirieon was indifferent to either conclusion. If the man died, she could kill her past self along with him. If the man killed her, it would be her broken self that died. Yet, the man simply turned his face away and pushed Kirieon, taking no further action. With your skill, you could have killed me while I was vulnerable from using Heavens Command. Why didnt you kill me? The man, evidently in pain from Heavens Command, adopted an awkward stance, clutching at his waist. He murmured in a faint voice, Because I promised to save you. In truth, the man had been too flustered to react because a suddenly naked woman had pressed herself against him. But he couldnt just admit to such a reason. So, he made up something more usible. Kirieon, however, was oblivious to this fact. Upon hearing his response, Kirieon simply bowed her head and then seemed to lose strength in her legs, copsing and trembling on the ground. What a fool. An idiot, just like me, aplete moron... Ah, aah. While lying down, she raised her hand and repeatedly mmed it into the floor. Bang- Bang- Bang- Each strike caused cracks in the floor and made the ceiling lights flicker. Why does someone I dont want to kill, yet feel an urge to destroy, appear before me like you...! *** Kirieon screamed out in anguish. Why does someone I dont want to kill, yet feel an urge to destroy, appear before me like you...! Kirieon was having a meltdown, crying and ranting. But this was no ordinary tantrum. It was an earthquake-level outburst. The artificial earthquake continued until the wall next to us cracked open, spewing a giant chunk of concrete towards the man. Damn it. I thought, and instinctively used ck Sheath to block it. Thwoom- The concrete chunk that should have hit me square in the face just dropped to the floor after touching ck Sheath. Is this the power of ck Sheath? It might be a better item than I thought. Ignoring Kirieons breakdown, I turned to the captured people and urged them. Everyone, get up and run! Take that elevator! Thank you, thank you. You blocked all those terrifying attacks for us. Thank you...! Fortunately, Kirieon was too busy crying and ranting to attack the fleeing people. After ensuring thest person had taken the elevator, I headed to where the puppy was held captive. Theb was in a horrific state. The mother, seemingly lifeless, wasnt moving, and what appeared to be her puppy, oblivious to her death, kept licking her wounds. Mew, mew. As the puppy looked up at me, I was at a loss for words and bowed my head. Theres some crazy woman tearing this building down. Lets get out of here first. Mew! Mew! I ced the mothers body in a duffel bag I used for delivery gigs, and then gently put the puppy beside it. The puppy just kept licking its mother, oblivious to everything else. It seemed like I had done all there was to do in thisb. What was I holding onto now? A gem called the Ultimate Yin and the box to seal it in, ck Sheath, the spirit orb that felt somewhat regrettable to return to the director at the headquartersst time, simr to that coveted keyboard. And the puppy I had rescued from the abusive researcher. There was nothing else to take. It was time to escape this hellishb. As I walked through the corridor and took the elevator, Kirieon remained curled up in a corner, sobbing, doing nothing else. ... She was a monster capable of causing earthquakes just by whimpering, so I figured shed find her own way out. I left Kirieon behind and pressed the elevator button. Reaching the ground floor, I was greeted by fresh air and unpleasant humans. The sight of these displeasing thugs, just by their faces, soured my mood. They had the people I had saved kneeling before them, ring at me with menacing eyes. Is this the guy who raided theb? Master Cheonsu ordered us to bring the person who has the ck Sheathalive. Just break his limbs, that should suffice. I cant stand it unless I mess up that annoying face too. But Master Cheonsu said Shut it. I make the calls on the scene. The suits these thugs were wearing gave them away. They were underlings of Cheonsu. Why were Cheonsus men here? Were these bad guysworking or something? One of therger thugs cracked his neck and addressed me. Hey, you, the pretty boy there, you know whats going on? What are you on about, punk? I was a rising disciple in the Qigong Sect. I would have been a master if it hadnt been for getting involved with that prostitute. Oh, is that so? I picked up ck Sheath. The thug with a background in the Qigong Sect said, If that whore hadnt run off with a gigolo like you, I might have... Ah, forget it. Its done. Ive settled my debts by killing them both. Got a big mouth, dont you? Are we doing this or what? But the problem was the sheer number of opponents. I wasnt nning on getting involved just yet, but if those dozens of people were to grab some tools, it would be quite a hassle to deal with them. To me, thugs are scarier than ghosts. Anyway, indulge my hobby a bit. Id love to give your face a little makeover. You crazy bastard. The n was to knock one out with a sincere punch first. Then, think about what to do next. Lately, it seems like Ive been finding myself in these group fight situations quite often. Youre young and immature. Even in such a situation, you hesitate to kill. With your skills, you could have easily killed them all by now. To think youre holding mercy in your hands in this situation. You keep making me worry, no, you keep catching my eye. Just then, I heard a voice from behind me. It was Kirieons voice. This crazy woman. When did she get out of theb? But our Qigong Sect thug didnt recognize Kirieon. He could act this way because he didnt know she was a monster capable of causing earthquakes just by thrashing around. And who is this woman? Hey, go kneel over there if you dont want a taste of my Qigong. Qigong? Yes. Youre not unaware of the Qigong Sects Yang Energy Qigong, are you? The life force dormant in the soul... Hearing this, Kirieon smiled slyly. Qigong? Sure. Show me your Qigong then. This crazy bitch. Master Cheonsu said its okay to kill a few. Dieeee! With that, the man shouted and threw a punch. But that punch never reached Kirieon. It was the mans upper body that flew off first. Even more astonishing was that it wasnt just the punching mans upper body that flew off, but the upper bodies of all the men, except for those who were kneeling, had flown off. How pathetic. This is how you use Qigong. You gather all the energy of the world and concentrate it into one point. You then use that point to create a line or a ne. What kind of Qigong are you practicing without even knowing about world concentration... Ah, why am I even bothering to lecture someone who isnt even my disciple? Kirieon looked at the man floundering with half his body gone andughed. Ahaha. Its refreshing to kill indeed. I want to kill more, much more. Kirieon. Man. Tell me your name. Kirieon, with augh, raised her hand towards those kneeling. If I resist, shell likely unleash something on them immediately, wont she? This crazy woman. My name is Yoo Hajin. You really resemble me a lot. Even more than my own parents. Thats why I took a liking to you. I dont see any resemnce at all. For starters, were of different genders. But faced with Kirieons earnest expression, I couldnt bring myself to voice such thoughts. Have you considered bing my disciple? If I say I havent thought about it, will you perhaps...? I knew youd say that. I would have said the same in my younger days. To give up the chance to reach the pinnacle of Qigong, you really are... Ha, Haha. Hahaha. Oh, how adorable. Upon hearing this, Kirieon gestured in the air, and suddenly, a small book-like object appeared as if summoned. She then threw the book at me. This is the introductory manual to my Secret Energy Qigong. My disciples betrayed me, coveting this secret. Thats unfortunate, isnt it...? Once you master this introduction, youll be moring to be my disciple. I will show you the right path, so you dont end up broken like me. Look forward to that time. Until we meet again, you naive and adorable child. After finishing her words, Kirieon simply jumped. With just one leap, she soared to where the clouds were. At this rate, she might even reach the moon. What a crazy monster. I couldnt help but utter those words upon seeing her. And as the tension eased, anger surged within me as well. Cheonsu, you bastard!!! She promised theyd be taken care of, didnt she?!! Then why are Cheonsus forces still perfectly intact??? I quickly opened KakaoTalk. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 37: The Fundamental Vow (1) Fengchu of Jin family, Jinari, looked at herself in the mirror. A girl, unable to hide her mncholy, stood before it. Haa. After learning that even her trusted aunt was plotting to purge her, Jinari had be wary of meeting people, immersing herself solely in her training. Training was the only time she could forget her fears. But alone in her room, the suppressed dread writhed, gently caressing Jinaris back. I am meant to be a phoenix. Jinari murmured to herself, gazing into the mirror. The girl in the reflection looked ordinary, except for the chick-like yellow feathers on her arms and the small yellow wings on her back. She hardly seemed the legendary phoenix incarnate. I will be a phoenix... Eventually, Jinari had to close her eyes and conjure up someone in her mind. The back that protected her from assassins. The back that shielded her from the terrifying Gwizon. Thinking of that man, Jinari felt her wings flutter. It was her inner chick, excited by the thought of him. Hoo. Jinari looked into the mirror again. The girls cheeks were slightly flushed, and her expression held a tender embarrassment, no longer tinged with sorrow. Startled by this realization, Jinari shook her head. It was all because of the chick inside her heart. Not having chirped for a week, it seemed the inner chick was upset. Jinari lightly touched her cheek. It was warm. Just then, her smartphone rang. Jinari nced at it before muttering, Cheep. In her surprise, she chirped. sping her mouth, Jinari looked back at the phones screen. It disyed: * * * Dragging my weary body, I arrived in Louisville. So much had happened today. It was really tough. I ced the duffel bag containing the corpse of the puppys mother and her puppy on the ground. They say everything about raising puppy costs money, but can I really handle this? Yet, the puppy, unaware or indifferent to my turmoil, continued to mewl and lick its mother. Then it began to lick my hand. Speechless, I stroked the puppy. What have you picked up this time? Suddenly, a voice came from behind. It was Jamsunis sharp tone. Turning around, I saw Jamsuni and the uncle standing together. Hmm, a young Haetae, perhaps. To think a living specimen still existed. Ah, such a rare breed. I heard the evil spirits had driven them to extinction. Where did you find this one? This puppy was indeed a remarkable being. To be experimented on in the viins secretb, it must be a fairly extraordinary breed of dog. Youve been through something spectacr, I bet. Why dont you tell me how vivid your imagination is? Speaking of which, a Haetae. Should I try to tame it? Jamsuni smirked and reached out to the puppy. Then the puppy yapped and bit Jamsunis finger. Jamsuni, bitten, looked down at the puppy with an incredulous expression. This, this damned beast bit me? Sojin, you do know that a creature like Haetaes stature cant be tamed, right? As Jamsuni raised her hand, I red at her. Was she really thinking of hitting a defenseless animal? Hmph. Now were down to taming beasts. Ignoring Jamsunis grumbling, I reached out to the puppy. As I did, the puppy nuzzled against my hand. Whats this? Uncle, I thought you said it couldnt be tamed? Um? No, whats going on here? Uncle and Jamsuni looked at me in astonishment. I was even more surprised by their reaction. I could see this puppy was of a remarkable breed. But to my eyes, it seemed inferior to the cherished spirit beasts raised by ns or sects. The creatures beyond my sight could slice dozens of trees with a mere wag of their tail and split rocks with a w swipe. I chuckled. If its not treated as abat beast like those spirit animals, why not just treat it like any other dog? This pup may be of a fine breed, but a puppy is still just a puppy. A puppy? A dog? Well, its technically canine, but... Look. Puppies naturally love humans. Jamsuni, if you try to grab them aggressively, theyll get scared. No, treating that thing like an ordinary puppy is whats strange. Do you know how dangerous it bes when it grows up? After saying that, I looked around the open space. I needed to find a ce to bury the mother dog. Where in Louisville would be the sunniest spot? As I searched for a sunny spot in Louisville, Jamsuni and the old man began to murmur to each other. They were too far away for me to catch what they were saying. I see. Remarkable talent. Ignoring the spiritual aspects of a divine beast and drawing out only its animalistic nature. Such a feat is possible because divine beasts are formed of spirit and flesh. Seems like it. Preventing even a trace of spiritual power from flowing into the touched part of the divine beast, yet not interfering with its own spiritual power. Theoretically, with such a technique, all divine beasts could be tamed. But its a technique that can only exist in theory. To read a divine beasts spiritual power with a handpletely devoid of spiritual energy, so dull... It has to be the next head of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect. Only a once-in-ten-thousand-years genius could... Who decided Yoo Hajin is going to be the next head of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect? Old man, you really want to throw down? Are Jamsuni and the old man arguing again? I couldnt hear them clearly, but from their tone, it seemed like another fight. I mean, whats with the old man arguing with Jamsuni given their age difference? Granted, Jamsunis attitude and behavior are quite infuriating. Ignoring them, I found an abandoned flowerbed. Therge bed was chaotically blooming with flowers, creating an atmosphere. Such flourishing flowers meant this spot received plenty of sunlight. I dug into the center of the flowerbed and ced the mother dog there. The puppy just looked up at me, whining. Theres something my younger sister used to say. Ha, what am I doing, saying this to an animal that cant understand? But I feltpelled to say it. Every living being has a soul, and that soul will eventually reunite with their loved ones. Could it really be? Does the soul truly exist? But my eyes saw nothing. Harin, are you here beside me now? Please, give me an answer. So, even if you lose your family, dont be too sad. Keep living bravely. That way, when you meet again, you can smile together. After saying that, I buried the mother dog. Then, gently stroking the puppy, I said, From now on, your name will be Myeong-Myeong. Meong! They say raising a dog can be costly. Well, I guess I could just take on a few more part-time jobs to manage. While I was bathing Myeong-Myeong and warming up some milk to put in a bowl, my phone began to vibrate. Another loan text, perhaps? ncing at it, this message was disyed: === Im sorry. Lets meet and talk. Please set a time and ce, and Ill be there. === Ha? Could this finally be my chance to meet the swindler? I set up the meeting time right away. It was for this very evening. * * * And so, evening came. The streets were bustling with people heading home from work. Upon spotting the Chick, I dashed out. Chickkkkk!!! My, my name is Jinari, as Ive told you before... Why did you break our promise?!! I grabbed the chicks shoulders and shook them. As I did, the chick stammered out some pitiful excuses. I was, I was preparing. Even for me, such a big task requires a lot of preparation. Dont you know making cowardly excuses is a sin??? Peep?! I was too agitated. I could feel the stares of people on the street. I let go of the chick and said, Miss Chick. You did say that if it involved the honor of your family, the task I asked for would be done, didnt you? My name is Jinari. And the target turned out to be more troublesome than expected... So, youre saying you nned to dine and dash on our agreement? I would never do such a thing. In that moment, I felt something in my stomach. Perhaps I was too excited. I urgently needed the restroom. ncing around, I spotted a public bathroom. Im going to the restroom. It might sound like an excuse. I headed towards the public restroom. But the chick just toddled along behind me. However, Cheonsu is a formidable figure known as the Hongdae King, uniting the vast factions of the Hongdae under the auspices of Cheonjis chosen. Of course, our family could obliterate such factions in a day, but... Chick. The chick didnt stop talking. And kept toddling along behind me. Mobilizing the familys main forces requires the consent of the head and the elders. Ive been trying to persuade them, but it seems it will take some time to gain their approval. So, Ive been assembling the forces I can mobilize... Chick. The chick kept chirping incessantly. And of course, kept chirping and following me. Weve gauged Cheonsus forces to an extent, but we havent been able to ascertain the full extent of Cheonsus own power, nor who among the Cheonji supports him... Chick!!! Standing in front of the mens restroom urinal, I said, Are you a pervert? Peep? The chicken looked around. Naturally, we were inside the mens restroom. Peep? No, why, why am I in such a ce? The chick began to whimper. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94] Chapter 38: The Fundamental Vow (2) I looked at the sobbing chick before me. This kid, quite the oddball, I must say. First off, the names a hoot. How can a persons name be Chick? Though it seemed like some also called her Jinari as a nickname, I, out of respect for personal names, n to keep calling her Chick. Nheless, this girl with her pink hair was beautiful. A beauty notmonly seen on TV or monitors. And to think, shes the daughter of a family wealthier than a chaebol, looking a bit older than Jamsuni,maybe a high schooler. Here was this precious youngdy, sobbing in front of me.Ugh, why, why am I in a ce like this? So, why did you tiptoe after me into the bathroom? Hey, Chick, calm down and step outside. Ill be out in a jiffy. To be in a mens restroom with such a distinguished youngdy. No matter how I thought about it, it seemed like a situation that could easily lead to a sentence of five years or more. Hey, hurry and get out. After pushing Chick away, I entered a bathroom. But soon after, Chick peeked in, looking at me. Are you a real pervert?! No, no, Im not. Only after keeping an eye on the chick like that, I able to finish up in the bathroom. Afterward, as Chick waited for me right next to the bathroom, I asked her. So, how much longer will it take to eliminate Cheonsu? Its not something that can be simply pushed through with force anymore. Its be a political issue now. A political issue? Seeing how she keeps borating, it seems I wont get the answer Im looking for. I looked at the chick with a disappointed expression. Just tell me how long it will take. About 6 months... 6 months? Six months. By then, Cheonsu would have figured out everything that happened in theb. Even though Kirieon caused a mess and destroyed theb, it seemed nothing would be impossible to find with superpowers. Moreover, since Cheonsu split his twenty subordinates who came to theb in half, its unlikely hed give up investigating the incident. Ugh... What a headache. Seeing me distressed, the chick spoke up. Why do you want to get rid of Cheonsu? Its personal grudge. Personal grudge, huh. Thats a serious matter. May I speak my mind honestly? Go ahead. I looked at the chick. The pink-haired beauty looked up at me and said, Youre honestly a powerful being, you acknowledge that, right? I suppose I am quite formidable. Thats considering a fight without superpowers, of course. Hearing my words, the chick nodded. How about this then? Somehow create an opportunity to meet Cheonsu. Then, capture him and force your demands on him. Force my demands? You dont mean... Make him swear a vow. The chicks expression suddenly turned icy. No. If your goal is to kill Cheonsu, seize the opportunity to do so immediately. I can handle any followers or the ensuing legal and political issues alone. To kill Cheonsu. Honestly, in a closebat, I might be able to defeat Cheonsu. Its likely he wouldnt stand a chance against my unique superpower techniques. But thats not the problem. Killing someone with my own hands. Cheonsu might deserve to die, but to kill him myself? The thought suddenly made my heart heavy. So, I decided to change the subject. So, how are we going to meet Cheonsu? How about causing a disturbance as a form of revenge at Big Hand, thergest of Cheonsus businesses in Hongdae, after losing money there? Surely Cheonsu wouldnt dare to ignore me, the esteemed Jin familys Fengchu(Phoenix). I see. But where is it? Big Hand? I think Ive heard of it. Right, its the secondrgest gambling establishment in Seoul. A gambling establishment? Was gambling legal in our country? Now that I think about it, I heard some underworld types are openly running drug operations too. Even the police cant touch their drugs. I pondered for a moment. Then, after organizing my thoughts, I spoke. Causing a scene at Big Hand is a bad idea. A rat like Cheonsu will only slip away even more. Then, theres no way hed confront threats in front of his subordinates fair and square. To catch such a rat, one would need to disguise oneself as a fool and snatch him up in an instant. It seems like the best time to strike is now, when he hasnt even started investigating theb incident. But how to make use of this timing? Lost in thought, the chick chirped in from the side. Or maybe hiring someone with great craftsmanship or a pianist could be a strategy. Ive heard Cheonsu likes such people. People with great craftsmanship, huh. This is gettingplicated. Why does Cheonsu like such people? Does Cheonsu mean a thousand hands? Argh, this is frustrating. Im not good at this brainy stuff. In times like these, a direct approach is best. Ah, this wont do. Chick, you got some time today? Ti-time? Im here because I have time, I came to meet you. Im usually busy, you know. Im not the kind of easy woman who just shows up when asked. I looked at the chick and said, Then lets scout out this ce called Big Hand today. Today? Well, its evening, prime time for the gambling establishment to be bustling. But to be outte with a man... Hmm. If not, Ill manage on my own. Manage on your own? You wouldnt be with another girl, would you? Uh, who, who said I couldnt do it. Hmph. The chick stepped out onto the street and flicked her hand, and a car that looked incredibly expensive silently pulled up beside her. I believe even without options, that car would be worth several hundred million. Get in. Yes. And so, I was off to Big Hand, a gambling establishment in Hongdae, in a car that made no noise even at 100 km/h. *** Wow, this ce is no joke. Its got style. Big Hand was almost like a hotel-level massive casino. The hotel was beautifully decorated with ornaments and gardens, and from the upper floors, it looked like wealthy people were enjoying expensive food; it could very well be a real hotel. So, this building I saw on the way here was Big Hand. Hmm, is that so? But then, the chick beside me suddenly spoke up. With a haughty expression, she snorted and opened her mouth. The flooring, the chandeliers on the ceiling, even the artworks hanging there are barely first-rate, scraping the bottom of the top tier. How should I put it? Its like a nouveau riche who has lots of money but cant ess the real deal tried to decorate? Its a bit low-level. Seeing the chick like this suddenly reminded me of someone. The tyrant of Louisville who makes me want to give a flick on the forehead every single day seems to be standing right before my eyes. In that moment, the chick hardened her expression and whispered, However, the quality of the troops inside is definitely first-rate. The souls of the officer-level personnel, excluding the spirit fighters, seem blurred. They must be skilled enough to hide their abilities with negative energy. And the lower-ranked troops are all carrying talismans. I too nced at the security forces. They all carried things like bells, dolls, or small wooden figurines. How do they fight with such things instead of knives or guns? Truly a curious era. Even in my family n, lower-ranked troops are only provided with guns and armor that have runes inscribed, yet here, all the troops are equipped with talismans. I could feel the chick was extremely tense. She was even shivering a little. So, I gently ced my hand on her shoulder. This would let her know Im beside her and maybe calm her down a bit. But the chick was startled. Peep, peep! Dont worry too much. Today, were just here to look around. Why, why are you touching my body without permission? Ah, sorry. You were shivering all of a sudden. I was about to hastily remove my hand. But then, the chick moved closer, maintaining the contact with my hand. Her face turned incredibly red in that moment. Th-this is because the chick inside my heart moved on its own, I never once thought that your hands are big or warm or that I liked being stroked. Ah, you understand, right? As the esteemed Fengchu of Jin family, I know what chastity means. Chick, are you rapping? Quite the fast talker, peeping away. Its the issue with the chick inside your heart again, huh? Ye-yes. I didnte here with the intention of doing anything either. Today is just for reconnaissance. Im not here to try and do something either. Seeing is believing. Just came to see what kind of ce Cheonsus crew has. And with that, we entered Big Hand Casino. *** Big Hand Casino was a dazzlinglyvish gambling establishment. First off, in the center was a huge piggy bank shaped like two hands, and beside it, a massive model racetrack and a giant roulette. Next to that, an endless row of slot machines stretched out. So this is Korea. Overwhelmed by the spectacle, I couldnt help butment. The chick, with a look of acknowledgment about the scale of the ce, surveyed the surroundings. Then, her gaze fixed on one spot. She pointed past the giant roulette wheel with her finger. That must be where the real yers gamble. The real ones? I mean the true powerhouses, not the ones with underdeveloped spirit abilities. Really? Should I take a look from afar? I casually made my way towards the area the chick was pointing at. She scurried after me. That must be the ce. What kind of ce? Where limbs are on the line. I found out about it while doing some research. The chick chirped as she followed me. I heard you can bet on anything there. Not just money and real estate, but also talismans, someones rights, and even their own lives. Thats insane. If they end up bankrupt, they have to cut off their right hand and offer it to Cheonsu to leave. Cheonsu really is a piece of work. I nodded and casually nced over. Dozens were clearly cing bets on something. And there was a faint smell of blood in the air. What on earth happens there? As I was looking over, a man in a suit approached me. Wee, guests. Were just looking around. From what I can tell, one of you is a master of negative energy, skilled enough topletely conceal your abilities, and the other seems to have a noble divine beast lineage. How could we not wee you as our guests? I looked at the man in the suit, not hiding my irritation. Were just looking around. But looking around in a casino usually means searching for something to bet on. If thats the case, its our duty to rmend some betting options. The man in the suit bowed exaggeratedly and pointed towards the piggy bank in the center of the gambling hall. If youre lucky enough, you could walk away with fifty billion in cash hanging there today. But thats just the beginning. If youre truly fortunate today, you could even take over the entire casino. Who would believe that? This casino is Cheonsu Crews stronghold. Are you saying youd wager your headquarters as the stakes? At the chicksment, the man in the suit bowed again. Yes, betting is all about staking everything you have to take everything from someone else. Of course, you would need to wager something of equal value. Perhaps, those delicate hands of yours. Whats with this man in the suit and his creepy gaze? I shielded the chick behind me and retorted, Ive heard a saying, the house always wins. In this day and age, theres no way the owners of this gambling hall havent rigged the game. I was waiting for you to say that. The man in the suit dramatically pulled out some cards from his jacket. They were transparent, allowing both the front and back to be seen through. The card he was holding was the Four of Spades, crudely drawn at that. I could draw that too if thats all it took. Ladies and gentlemen. Have you ever heard of ck Snow? I know. That card, resistant to abilities, seems to have something inmon with ck Snow. Yes, these cards cannot be peeked at by either us or the guests. Unlike ck Snow, the content on these cards is drawn with the dark arts of the Heavenly Demon cult and cannot be altered. It resonates with eyes and ice, lowering the temperature, I vow. The man in the suit shuffled the transparent cards. This game, yed with these cards, is true gambling. No spirit power can influence this game. You can only rely on your luck and skill to enjoy this game. After hearing this, I turned to the chick beside me. Jinari-nim. Why are you suddenly speaking so formally? Lend me some money. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 39: The Fundamental Vow (3) How much do you need? This Chick is truly a fascinating creature. To hear a request for a loan and then to smile so broadly. So, how much can you lend? How about I lend you ten million won to start? Ten, ten million won. Its astonishing that one can casually attach to start in front of ten million won. I nced at the man in the suit and asked. Can I get into the game with ten million won?Um, if its a small game, then yes. Right, lets start with the smaller games. I am, after all, the only person in this casino with the ability to see through things. Turning ten million won into a hundred million, and a hundred million into tens of billions is no big deal. Tens of billions. Just the interest from the bank would be enough to live on. I couldnt help but smile. Hehe. Excuse me. Uh, yes? Its okay if you lose all ten million won. I can lend you more. And if you lose that as well, theres no need to worry. You can work off the debt by working for our family. The chicks eyes began to sparkle. My personal butler makes over a hundred million won a year. So dont worry and just go for it. Theres a sense of madness in the chicks eyes. For some reason, I feel like I absolutely must not lose this money. Uh, okay. But, what was the reason I came here in the first ce? It was to meet Cheonsu and overpower him. If I end up winning a huge amount of money, Cheonsu will have no choice but to show himself. He would have to either threaten or persuade me. Thats when this chick woulde in handy. When I nced at the chick, she was already receiving chips from a casino employee. Here, these chips are worth ten million won. Oh, right, thanks. Lets go! The chick was excited and hurried along. Why, why this nervousness? I found myself half-dragged towards a secluded area behind the Big Hand Casino. And so, I entered a secret and dangerous game at the Big Hand Casino, one where fortunesand perhaps even limbswere at stake. *** Who would have thought, in a casino, its not poker but Seotda* being yed. As I looked around at the games being yed at each table, it was roughly 20% Texas Holdem and 80% Seotda. The sight of Seotda being yed withrge Hwatu cards, simr to poker cards, on Western-style tables was something I could never have imagined in a Western-style casino. Ahaha, many of the customers here have lived through much and enjoy the games of old. And even among the younger generation, there are many who reject foreign influences in ordance with the traditions of their ns and families. Had he noticed my surprised gaze? A casino employee standing nearbymented. It urred to me that with Korea bing a superpower in terms of psychic abilities, a sense of national pride had indeed grown stronger, fostering a Korean products only mentality. Likely, the leaders of the families and ns who wear Hanbok daily are driving this atmosphere. Seotda, huh? Thats even better. Even if I could see others cards in Texas Holdem, it didnt guarantee a win. But with Seotda, if I could see the other yers cards, there was almost no chance of losing. Shall we try a round? I smirked. Lets lightly make about 1 billion won first. No, my goal is to meet Cheonsu. So, I should earn about 2 billion won to meet him, right? Hehe. I followed the casino employee to a table where Seotda was being yed. *** How, how could you lose 200 million won by just a single point difference?!!! Unbelievable. Are you some kind of god of gambling?!!! Peep. Jinari was at a loss for words, watching the gambling unfolding before her eyes. In Jinaris learned knowledge, gambling meant ruin and disgrace. To her, gambling was a sure path to ruing massive debts and eventually bing enved to loan sharks. But who was this man in front of her? Starting with just a golden chip worth ten million won, and then stacking up tinum chips worth hundreds of millions on the table? Hey! That man is definitely using his probability maniption ability to win!!! A woman, having lost her money, clutched at a casino employee and said. But the casino employee only shook his head and responded: These cards reject abilities. To be precise, the cards will disintegrate if any psychic powers are applied to them. Try infusing your psychic energy into the cards yourself. They will turn to dust immediately. No, Im sure hes using some kind of irvoyance!!! Maam, these cards are simr to Boundless Dark Waters in both the material and manufacturing process. When you put them down on the table, only the customer can identify the card until 10 seconds have passed. I assure you, based on the principle of connecting winds, which I, myself, have vow by. In that moment, the casino employees gaze sharpened. By the way, maam, it seems the interest on the money you borrowed from our establishment has yet to be paid. Just wait, Ill win it back soon. Itll be quick. Shall we discuss the details behind the scenes? The woman was dragged behind another ckout curtain by the casino employees. So, there was another ckout curtain behind the casino, presumably leading to a VIP lounge. It must be the VIP lounge. But this wasnt the VIP lounge either. ording to the information Jinari had gathered, The VIP lounge was said to be a dreadful ce. Jinari looked around the gambling hall again. It wasnt a pleasant ce, but it wasnt as dreadful as she had feared. Being there with the man who was giggling while fiddling with tinum coins made the ce somewhat more bearable. Still, its regrettable. Who would have thought the man could y Seotda so well. Except for the case where one dies and gives up, the man had not lost even once. As if he could see the others cards, he raised the stakes without hesitation and took away the opponents coins. He easily won even the games decided by a margin of just one or two points. Even Jinari, who knew little about Seotda, could tell that the mans gambling skills were unnaturally good, almost divine. Could he possibly have the ability to read minds? She thought it unlikely. She had heard that even the witch who nearly brought the coalition of families to ruin could only read souls, not the thoughts those souls harbored. If that witch, considered to be a high-level psychic, couldnt read minds, it seemed unlikely that this man could. So, was it purely gambling skill? To be so good at both fighting and gambling. What exactly are you? Without realizing it, Jinari found herself moving closer to Yoo Hajin, staring intently at his face. *** The chick was staring at me intently. Could it be because of the ten million won I borrowed earlier? Jinari, here. A golden coin. This is worth ten million won. Hmph. The chick turned away, refusing to ept the coin. Whats the deal? I tried to give it back. Its not my fault she didnt take it. Just then, a casino employee approached me with a greeting. And then, with an unpleasant smile, he began to speak. Your skills are so exceptional that other tables are hesitant to include you. So, theyre all cowards, huh? The total amount Ive won so far is about 3.55 billion. While thats a tremendous amount, its hardly enough to meet Cheonsu. Moreover, my overwhelming skills seemed to have intimidated others, as I was no longer weed at other tables. How about a game with our casinos pride yer? Well stick to Seotda. Hey, is that like a professional gambler or something? Someone of a skill level simr to yours. An offer like this, in a situation where I couldnt y any more games, wasnt too bad, honestly. How skilled are we talking about? Isnt this yer a psychic specialized in cards? No. You may have heard of the vow that no psychic powers would work on these cards. Did divine punishment descend then? No, it didnt. I couldnt actually see if divine punishment had descended or not, so I had no way of verifying whether it happened. But considering those who made the vow seemed fine, I guess that means their im was true. Shall we y a game, then? Thank you. Please follow me this way. As I followed the casino employee, the gamblers began to murmur. Is he going to meet that man? His luck ends here. There are several who lost their hands to that man. Even I nearly lost all my wealth to him. Such a foolish youth. I feel sympathy for that kid. A friend of mine became crippled after losing to that man. Just who is this person that instills such fear? And so, I was about to meet the yer the casino took pride in. He was a middle-aged man with his hair beginning to thin. The game went smoothly. Or, to be precise, it appeared to go smoothly. I had drawn a Three March hand (both cards from March). And the old mans hand was a Poisonous Snake (January + April). Naturally, thinking it was my win, I confidently bet one hundred million won. But the old man, perhaps thinking it was all bravado, matched my hundred million bet and called for a double. Did he really think Id be intimidated? Call. And then, I lost. Youve got a Three March. But, see, Ive got a Four April. Just like that, I lost over two hundred million won in a single game. My hands and feet started to shake uncontrobly. No way, it was definitely a Poisonous Snake before, how did it turn into a Four April?? Where did that April card evene from?? And just like that, I lost again in the same manner. The four hundred million won that I had gathered through blood, sweat, and tears without a moments rest had now ended up in the hands of that pot-bellied old man. I was so shocked, my mouth wouldnt close. My, my money, the fruits of mybor...!!! That old man, he must be a shark. Otherwise, theres no way I could have lost. I red at the old mans hands with venom in my eyes. When, when did he switch the cards? The old man was rolling up his sleeves. That meant the only ce he could hide the cards was in his palms. As I stared intently, I began to notice some odd finger movements. The old man might have thought the cards were concealed, but I could see right through them. In the blink of an eye, the cards were switched. Even with my exceptional dynamic vision, if the card wasnt a clear one, I wouldve missed it. So, he was indeed hiding the cards behind his hand. Have I ever seen such cowardice? This game should be yed fair and square, just like I do! Upon witnessing that, I immediately charged at the old man and grabbed his hand. Why do you have an extra card in your hand? Eh, what? How? This, this card should be undetectable by psychic powers. Theres no such thing as absolute in this world. I forced the old man to his knees and searched him. Wait, his right arms skin color seems off? Specifically, a part of it looked unnaturally white, as if it had been skin-grafted. Could it be a fake skin with cards hidden underneath? I pressed down on the grafted skin. It felt normal, no strange sensation. So, I tore at the skin, and the arm itself began to open. I hadnt imagined such a gimmick. Ugh. It turned out, the old mans arm had been modified into some sort of card storagepartment. Seeing the cards wriggling inside the muscles was quite revolting. Was this cyberpunk? Wow, did you modify your arm just to cheat? How, how!!! Even the gods and immortals were deceived by this arm, which had the skin of a disguise ability user grafted onto it!!! I subdued the twitching old man and looked back at the casino employees standing there. They were visibly flustered. Smirking, I spoke up. Ive seen on my way here that many have fallen victim to this old man. Would it be alright to reveal this arm to the public? Pl, please, wait, just, just a moment, please. I beg of you. The casino employees were trembling, unsure of what to do next. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TN: Seotda- Seotda is a traditional Korean card game, usually yed with two yers. It uses a unique deck of 20 flower cards, each with different numerical values and symbols. The game''s objective is to achieve the highest score possible with thebination of cards dealt. You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 40: The Fundamental Vow (4) Well, what are you going to do? I looked at the casino staff with a smile. Its a well-known fact that casinos tilt the game in their favor. However, cheating in the game itself was something no one could forgive. To think Ive gotten such a big weakness in my hands. I quickly pulled out my smartphone from my pocket. No, no. You cant use smartphones here!!! Ding- But as I was about to take out my smartphone, I heard a familiar bell sound from behind. It was the unique bell sound I often heard as the son of a shaman.What are you doing right now? But the bell did not ring anymore. Because the chick had grabbed the wrist of the man holding the bell. The power, what kind of power. Why are you using divine power? Did we do something wrong? That, thats. Just a moment, please, just a moment. At that moment, the casino staff started frantically moving as if they were on fire. Yet, they dared not attack the chick. Almost, at this rate, almost a candidate for Cheonji. Youre practically a semi-immortal psychic. Damn, why is such a monster suddenly here. What does the boss say? No, when did west contact the boss! In that instant, the man who had been extinguishing the invisible fire on his body raised his hands to his lips and then shaped his fingers to mimic a smiling mouth. The embodiment of ones own souls form, the activation of principles using ones own souls principles, and the miraculous resonance that synchronizes ones own soul with surrounding objects. Seeing this, the chick took a stance. The pping that resonates with the hand, Cheonsu is here. The mans hands moved as if controlled by someone. But the movement was natural. Both hands frantically grabbed the mans chin and tongue, producing some words. We-, we invite you- to the VIP round-. VIP round, you say. Why should we enter there? Rest assured-. If youe to the VIP round-. You will be able to further realize- your fundamental vow-. The Fundamental Vow? Ive heard of it before. Its said to be the foundation of psychic abilities. An opportunity to deepen your understanding of the Fundamental Vow? Could the rumors actually be true? I hurriedly clung to the chick. And I asked, What rumor is that? Its said that Cheonsu knows how to increase the enlightenment of the Fundamental Vow, thereby gaining the support of the Cheonji. That rumor- is true-. You- pledge- to reassure- these people-. The moment the hands holding the mans tongue and jaw went down. Right after, the man eximed, I pledge, resonating with liquor and alcohol, to elevate or dispel intoxication. If you go to the VIP round, you will definitely gain a deeper understanding of the Fundamental Vow, even if just a little. To understand the Fundamental Vow even a bit more...? And definitely? Thats impossible. Theres no way theres a training method here better than our familys. The chicks breathing began to quicken. It was clear to see how excited it was. Is realizing the Fundamental Vow such an exciting matter? After all, this was all bullshit to meet Cheonsu. If Cheonsu was in the VIP lounge, then I had to enter. After setting the mood, I spoke to the casino staff who was being manipted. Lead us to the VIP lounge. As youmand. Boys, escort our guests. Its VIP time. And so, we were led behind the ckout curtains of the hidden casino, to the secret casino hidden even further behind. The Fundamental Vow. What on earth is it that has the chick this excited? As the curtains were drawn back, a new world was revealed. It was a quiet and eerie world. To be more precise, it was a giant grid of ck and white, filled with a chill. The floor shone in white, with ck lines stretching horizontally and vertically, and at various points along these paths, individuals were looking down at the white floor. The distance between these people was roughly over a hundred meters. And there were dozens of such people. This ce, just the ce itself, wasrger than Big Hand Casino. What exactly is this facility for? I couldnt help but swallow my saliva. This isnt a casino. No, it is indeed a casino. The response came from a man. A sturdy man wearing silver sunsses. I had seen this mans photo on the inte before. Cheonsu. Pleased to meet you. May I have your name? Thatdy there must be Fengchu of the Jin family, Jinari. It doesnt seem like were on a first-name basis yet. Upon hearing that, Cheonsu cracked a smile. Actually, I think so too. ... Cheonsu was keeping a distance from us. Just far enough for conversation to be possible. The implication of this distance was clear. Cheonsu was wary of us. To think I came to this suspicious ce to subdue the damn Cheonsu, only to find he was already on guard against us. Yet, Cheonsu merely continued with a gentle smile. However, if our conversation goes well, perhaps youll share your name. Follow me. As the owner of this establishment, I will help you deepen your understanding of the Fundamental Vow. I nced at the chick momentarily. The chick looked up at me with a look of desperation. I, I desperately need the enlightenment to be stronger. Is that so? Right. The chick had almost been assassinated by its own family. It seemed natural for such a creature to seek strength. Still, something felt off. Where is this feelinging from...? I suppressed that feeling and followed Cheonsu. Seeing us follow, Cheonsu began to speak. After the day of my psychic awakening, as soon as I looked at my hands, I vaguely realized what my Fundamental Vow was. Right after that realization, I stopped by a bookstore to buy an anatomy book. Cheonsu looked down at his hands. The major bone, minor bone, capitate bone, hook bone, triangr bone, pea bone, the bones of the hand wrist, starting from the lunate bone to the bones that form the base, middle, and tip of the fingers, I drew thousands of sketches following them. There was a hint ofughter in Cheonsus voice. And then, adding the muscles of the hand, the carpus, I again drew thousands of sketches. It seems like I spent about a year just drawing hands like some kind of shut-in. Cheonsu continued, My understanding of hands did increase. However, it was nowhere near enoughpared to the enlightenment of the masters you see on TV or NewTube. So, do you know what I did? What did you do? I cut off my biological fathers hand to study it. I researched in detail how it originally looked, how it moved, how the veins and muscles behaved when alive ... Why, do I seem like a madman to you? Haha, uhahaha. Hearing that, I had no choice but to stop in my tracks. This guy, hes an absolute madman. But Cheonsus words did not stop. If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha; if you meet a patriarch, kill the patriarch; if you meet an arhat*, kill the arhat; if you meet your parents, kill your parents. Only then can you achieve enlightenment. Cheonsu looked at me and smiled. You, too, possess high enlightenment, yet do you scorn such truths, Yoo Hajin? You... Look down. Only then did I realize what appeared to be the white floor was actually the ceiling of some studios. The people looking down were actually gazing into a studio. And those studios were pristine hells. The kind of hells where games often called death games unfolded. I told you, this ce is a casino. Ive let them participate in these games under the condition of erasing their debts and giving them new identities. If they survive, they get a new life; if they die, they be a noble part of others enlightenment. To my immediate right, a log game was taking ce. However, instead of water, the logs hovered over what seemed like hydrochloric acid. People were pushing each other off the increasingly shorter logs in a desperate bid to survive. A woman almost fell, and a man tried to save her, but both ended up falling together. They dissolved in agony in the horrific liquid. Above them, an old man in Hanbok stared intently at the scene. That customer possesses the principle of acid. Even at his age, he had achieved no more than semi-immortal enlightenment until he joined us. Now, hes nearing the enlightenment of the earthly immortals by realizing his Fundamental Vow. I looked to the left. There, naked men and women were being chased by wolves. The wolves mercilessly devoured them. Some men threw the women following them to save their own lives. Screens on the ceiling dispassionately disyed the survivors time. Above that ceiling, a woman smirked as she watched. Cheonsu pointed at her and said, You know her, right? As someone who possesses the spirit of a wolf, shes realizing what a wolf truly is. She had a surge of enlightenment after seeing a wolf devour a pregnant woman. Cheonsu then turned back to me. So, what do you think? For some reason, the esteemed Yoo Hajin, whom we respect, if you be our client, we can set up such a casino for you. Its only natural to do so since the esteemed one personally asked. And, because youre friends, I can set up a casino for Miss Jinari as well. I was too shocked to speak. That human lives could be trampled upon for the sake of enlightenment. This was, this was outrageously infuriating. Why am I so angry? What lies deep within my fundamental vow? Struck dumb by shock, Jinari spoke up in my stead. Shut it. I wont be stronger through such means. Oh? Lady Fengchu. If you dont gain enlightenment, it will be you who dies, wont it? I heard that after the head of the Jin family appointed you, the youngest granddaughter, as the heir, most of the Jin family has been plotting your death. I, I wont gain enlightenment through such means. Jinari took a stance, trembling and tears welling up in her eyes, but she never rxed her posture, ready to fight. When you saved me, I realized something then. Jinari looked at me with tears in her eyes. I dont want to betray that realization. Is that so? Then shall we see what the hand of a phoenix looks like? Cheonsu spoke after taking off his silver sunsses. It was a recent event. Alongside his words, a video appeared next to us. The video showed a boy protecting a young girl. Suddenly, a man approached and brutally broke the boys leg. After twisting the broken leg in a 360-degree turn, making the boy scream in agony, the man ordered him to strangle his own sister. As the man attempted to break the boys other leg, the boy, in a panic, began to strangle his sister. Cheonsuughed while watching the video. This video is filled with so much enlightenment. Look at that hand. Look at the tremble at the fingertips. Affection, betrayal, love, end, hatred, despair, resignation - its all there in those fingertips. Only because they were pure siblings who loved each other could such a video be made. Really, if their parents hadnt been in debt, I wouldnt have been able to gain this enlightenment. Im very thankful. And then, Cheonsu looked at Jinari and said, And with that video, I gained the enlightenment to manifest the Fundamental Vow. Miss Jinari. Still want to challenge me? Ah, peep. Ah, ah! Such a stupid bitch. Cheonsu sneered and formed a hand sign. Manifest the One-Mind Hand. As soon as Cheonsu finished speaking, Jinaris hands suddenly moved, mercilessly strangling her own throat. With tears streaming down her face, Jinari looked at me and managed to say, Sa... ve... me... At that moment, I realized where my anger came from. Yes, this was my Fundamental vow. My fundamental vow was filled with such monsters. Yes, I think Ive slightly realized what my Fundamental Vow is. Eh? Youve just now realized your Fundamental Vow? Nonsense. So what is it? Manifestation? Resonance? Activation? Ganglim*. My head felt as if it was aze with white fire. I felt dizzy, as if someone else was awakening within me. Without knowing, I performed a hand gesture and uttered words unknown to me. Heavenly Descent, negative eye. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Arhat: In Buddhism, an arhat or arahant is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved Nirvana and liberated from the endless cycle of rebirth. Ganglim: It means god or sacred thing descends from heaven. You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 41: The Fundamental Vow (5) The psychic known as Cheonsu Doryeong was taken aback. Heavenly Descent? I have seen it before. Those born with a very special Fundamental Vow can invoke power from Heaven without manifestation, activation, or resonance. Could it be that Yoo Hajin, this man, was a practitioner of the Heavenly Descent? Cheonsu used the Dog of the Ghost Gate, The Water Ghost Gate, turning all his power to defense. Nothing is activating? But this person is held in special regard even by the noble spirits. Therefore, Cheonsu remained on guard. However, even after more than ten seconds since the man proimed a Heavenly Descent, nothing happened. Whats going on?Cheonsu looked toward Yoo Hajin. Yoo Hajin hadid the unconscious Jinari to safety and was just staring intently at him. What is this? Is there a strategy? Was it to induce me to activate Water Ghost Gate? Water Ghost Gate, a variant of the Ghost Gate, channels the spirit realm generated by the Gate into the casters body to significantly boost defense. In return, the caster must pledge never to leave the front of the Gate. Ive been had. Hes sealed my mobility. So, Cheonsu closed his own Ghost Gate. The manifested Ghost Gate vanished, consuming a great deal of spiritual energy, and he had to wait more than ten minutes before he could open another. I wont be outdone. Cheonsu looked at Yoo Hajin again. Yoo Hajin was still just staring intently at him. Yet, still, nothing happened. What exactly is he doing? Admitting his pace had been broken, Cheonsu tried to attack Yoo Hajin conventionally. The first attack was with a p, meant to resonate with the opponents hands, taking control of them. But Yoo Hajins hands didnt move. And yet, there was no sign that the technique of Heavenly Descent had been activated. Nothing happened at all. As expected, it doesnt work. Even though his empathic attack failed against the opponents solid defense, Cheonsu was unfazed. He was the Overlord of Hongdae. Cheonsus domination of Hongdae wasnt through real estate investment. He was exceptionally skilled in spiritualbat. Thus, he prepared for his second attack. The second attack was to assault the opponent with a spirit, leaving behind only its hand. Originally, shamans specialized inmanding other souls that resonated with their own spirit. Therefore, they were greatly influenced by their environment. A shaman rted to fire would be powerless in the middle of the sea, and one associated with wood would be much weaker in the desertpared to other psychics. However, in the right environment, a shaman could be much more powerful than sorcerers and necromancers. And this was Cheonsus stronghold. There were too many vengeful spirits that had been left with nothing but their hands by Cheonsu. He smirked, looking at those spirits. What, whats going on? Why cant I see the spirits? But Cheonsu could not see the spirits. He couldnt even see a single ghost. On the day before his spiritual eye awakening, Cheonsu panicked upon realizing he had be as clueless as a criminal who hadnt grasped anything. What on earth is this technique?! Cheonsu looked again at Yoo Hajin. Yoo Hajin was just staring intently at him. Only then did Cheonsu realize that his optic nerve was being eroded by a strange negativity he had never felt before. Those eyes, looking into those eyes piles up strange negativity on the optic nerve. Thats why my spiritual vision disappeared. Damn it. If I had just closed my eyes from the start, I wouldnt have been forced into this situation. Finally understanding why Yoo Hajin was looking at him, Cheonsu closed his eyes and focused his spiritual energy on them. But this negativity was not easily purified. Cheonsu had never heard of such negativity. The negativity that is invisible, imprable, and even unfelt? If it were an extreme negativity, revealing itself openly, one could run away at full speed to avoid it, but what kind of malice is this? Wait, is this really negativity? A type of negativity that doesnt affect the body but negates spiritual power alone? By the principles of spiritual power, this was impossible. What in the world is this? Negating negativity? Negation of enlightenment? Cheonsu found a peculiar resonance in the term. No matter how much he pondered, this was not simple negativity. Damn it, if I dont carefully purify this bizarre negativity one nerve at a time, I might end up with a longsting disability of not being able to see ghosts... It was at that moment. A left hook exploded on Cheonsus jaw. The sharp pain snapped Cheonsu back to consciousness, and he inadvertently opened his eyes, making eye contact with Yoo Hajin again. Then, the negativity began to seep beyond the optic nerve into other nerves. What happens if this negativity breaches the optic nerve and infiltrates the brain? The brain, so crucial to spiritual abilities it could be called the Upper Field, was where damage could cause significant loss to spiritual powers, even if the soul remained intact, ording to academic consensus. But what if this bizarre negativity infiltrated the brain? Could it mean the loss of spiritual powers? Such a thing must never, ever happen. He will be a criminal lost without enlightenment, dancing in the mortal realm forever unaware of what the spirit realm is. With that thought, Cheonsu clenched his eyes tighter, even as Yoo Hajins fist, capable of crushing a car, smashed through all defensive spells and wrecked Cheonsus body. Of course, Yoo Hajins fist wasnt something that could be avoided just by closing ones eyes. Thus, Cheonsu tried to flee, but Yoo Hajin was too fast. This punch, this speed. Its a force that couldnt possiblye from a normal body. He uses power rted to negativity while being able to use spiritual power himself? How is that possible? In a moment, Yoo Hajin stopped his attack, and a sound of enduring pain could be heard. Cheonsu calmly assessed the situation. He almost panicked when a straight punch to his sr plexus made him spit blood, but Cheonsu was also the warrior who had conquered Hongdae. Thus, he understood Yoo Hajins level. He stopped his attack? Why? Ah, I see. Maintaining his power must have put a strain on his Upper Field. Just ten minutes of using his ability and its already straining? Yoo Hajin, this guy, is truly a beginner among beginners who has just awakened to his Fundamental Vow. That meant he couldnt sustain his power for long. And he mentioned Heavenly Descent. ording to ancient texts provided by the noble spirits, spirit users who employ Descent suffer much stronger side effects in their bodiespared to other spirit powers. Since the power emanates from Heaven and not from their own bodies. Trusting that ancient text, Cheonsu endured Yoo Hajins merciless punches. Even though three ribs and his right arm werepletely shattered, he had to endure. A neer on the path of enlightenment, capable of manifesting his Fundamental Vow, has pushed me this far? What kind of monster will this person be if he grows? No matter the talent gap, it was impossible for a lesser-ranked psychic to defeat a higher-ranked one. The hierarchy was almost absolute. Yet, the existence at the bottom of the psychics hierarchy was pushing him, a heavenly-ranked, this far. It was truly unbelievable. How powerful must his Fundamental Vow be? What would happen if this person gains just a little more enlightenment to be a half-celestial, or even, a celestial-ranked psychic? Indeed, even at the risk of inciting the noble spirits wrath, you must die here today. Cheonsu said as he spat out half-broken teeth. As a shaman resonating with hands and gestures, I pledge here today to take this persons life. With the pledge, he received a heavenly fortune from the sky. The received fortune immediately transformed into spiritual energy. With that, the spiritual energy needed to open the Ghost Gate was barely filled. In that moment, the once closed and locked Ghost Gate began to unlock. Ghost Gate Manifestation, Unified Heart Gate. Thus, Cheonsu immediately opened the Ghost Gate. As Cheonsus Ghost Gate opened, his spirit realm began to fill the studio ceiling. The VIPs, who had been watching the fight with interest, were caught off guard and captured by Cheonsus spirit realm. Hey, Cheonsu. What are you doing! Do you know how much Ive paid? This, this isnt good for any of us. Ignoring suchments, Cheonsu repaired his battered face, his eyes still closed. Of course, Yoo Hajins punches didnt stop either. However, several VIPs blocked Yoo Hajins punch flying towards Cheonsus face with their hands, like goalkeepers. You know, Yoo Hajin. Having fully restored his face and right arm, Cheonsu said, In this world, there are sorcerers who resonate with souls better than a celestial-ss shaman. Sorcerers who handle souls better than shamans, without the weakness of the environment. The world is truly unfair. Cheonsu said with augh, That sorcerer at their peak enved ten Ghost Kings and invaded the Sect Alliance alone. I thought the Sect Alliance would be destroyed that day. The sight of more than ten Gates opening simultaneously in the sky was truly spectacr. And then, Cheonsu formed a seal. I believe that scene represents the pinnacle of strength. Subjugating anothers spiritual power as your own to cover your weaknesses. Thats the goal I pursue. Instantly, the VIPs started forming hand seals at a rapid pace. They looked at Cheonsu in confusion as their hands formed seals on their own. Even those trying to flee ended up forming seals as they ran. Cheonsu, Mr. Cheonsu, please dont do this! Senior, please have mercy!!! What is this seal? But Cheonsu, still with his eyes closed, couldnt see their disgrace. However, forcing them to use their full power through the seal must be draining them significantly. Its a power not even close to that goddesss, but I believe its enough to kill a rookie. Farewell, terrifying talent. And with his eyes still closed, Cheonsubined the full powers unleashed by the VIPs and directed it all toward Yoo Hajin. *** My vision returned. My head felt like it was on fire, and my eyes were about to pop out. Damn, even my nose was bleeding. That hurts. Had I momentarily lost my mind because of all the infuriating things I saw? I seem to have said something as cringey as Heavenly Descent. I cant quite remember. Ah. Looking ahead, Cheonsu with his eyes closed was saying something. Its a power not even close to that goddesss, but I believe its enough to kill a rookie. Farewell, terrifying talent. Farewell? Whats this all of a sudden? I looked at the sky next to me. Nothing special was visible. There wasnt much else other than the giant rock made of rebar and concrete floating around. Oh, shit? Suddenly, that rock flew towards me. And it wasing fast. Wow, shit!!! This is crazy. I drew out the ck Sheath. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 42: The Fundamental Vow (6) I quickly assessed the situation. Seeing Cheonsus ridiculous behavior had infuriated me. In my rage, I recall glimpsing something monstrous within me. And then, I think I uttered some cringeworthy oath. After that, my memory faded until this moment when I regained consciousness. As I came to, I noticed a concrete meteor floating in the sky, then hurtling towards me. If it hit me squarely, not even ck Sheath, no, not even I with my superhuman physique could survive. Im still alive...? Chick?! But there was the chick behind me. A newly hatched chick, peeping away.Without hesitation, I climbed the wall in front of the chick. Chick, duck your head!!! Peep...? Gaining altitude, I used the wall as a pivot and leaped towards the meteor. I soared almost at a 90-degree angle. Crazy, I must be out of my mind!!! Then, the meteor and I collided. Activating ck Sheath, the meteor lost its momentum and fell right above Cheonsu and the VIPs, and of course, I fell too. I should be okay with a rolling fall, right? As soon as I hit the ground, I rolled. Thud-roll-roll- Gasp, I made it. My legs and shoulders hurt like hell, but Im alive!!! Damn, that was close... I couldnt finish my thought of relief. I remembered the meteor falling right behind me. No, this is bad... When the meteor hit right above Cheonsu and the VIPs, the impact was so massive that it sent me tumbling and shook the entire building. I crawled and tightly hugged the chick, hiding it within my embrace. The chick is from a very prestigious family. If she dies, I die too. No, I just dont want to see the chick die. Lets be honest. The powers, overwhelming powers are exploding in front of us. I, Im scared. Its okay. Just close your eyes. Youre going to protect me again? I could definitely hear the sound of the wind twisting rebar, fireworks exploding, and something sharp scraping across a wall. Hmm. But I dont see any ghosts. When Kirieon used her power to copse the corridor, I only heard the sound of it copsing, not feeling anything rted to the ghostly powers. To me, these are merely sounds. The echoes of powers at y. After a few minutes, the noise began to subside. I got up to survey the surroundings. Big Hand Casino is now out of service... The studios where the death games were happening, the wrist-cutting gambling hall in front of it, and even the regr gambling hall, were all destroyed. It looked like the aftermath of a nuclear bomb. My 3.5 billion went up in smoke as well. My heart aches so badly. It hurts so much that I might identally press the wrong button and mess up the character item enhancement Jamsuni was working on. Ill do it as soon as I get home today. No, thats not whats important right now. I looked towards ground zero where Cheonsu and the VIPs were standing. They were severely injured but still standing. Of course, they must have survived using some defensive supernatural powers, but even so... Insane bastards. Things have been off since I smashed that naked pervert who was after the chick during thest Cheonji test. Indeed, those so-called high-level power users arent just strong in abilities; their bodies are incredibly tough as well. Speaking of Cheonsu, hes still tightly closing his eyes. I dont remember exactly what power I used, but it seems like I showed them something they shouldnt see with their eyes. Then, I can use this method. Hey there, VIPs. Im going to use my power, so keep covering your ears!!! As soon as I shouted this, Cheonsu didnt hesitate to burst his eardrums with his palms. Truly a madman. Idiot. As soon as I saw blood streaming from Cheonsus ears, I yelled out. Hey, VIPs!!! Are you just going to take this??? If you dont take down Cheonsu now, he might harbor a grudge ande after you!!! Its said that psychics harbor deep grudges. And they always seek revenge. Right. This jerk made me use my true blood. Because of what happened earlier, I lost my defensive artifact. Ill make sure to pay him back. Betray me? Die die die die. It seemed unlikely that the VIPs who were betrayed by Cheonsu would forgive him. I merely reminded them of that fact. Thus, Cheonsu and the VIPs fought atop the crumbling casino like demons. Is this what enlightenment looks like for those engaged in such ugly and vile fights? Still, seeing Cheonsu getting beaten up was incredibly satisfying. What exactly is enlightenment? At that moment, something caught my eye. As the studio copsed, I saw people trapped in the murder game escaping. The moment the killing traps stopped, a woman ran to save a young girl. And in a studio filling with smoke, as soon as a crack appeared in the wall, an old man lifted a young boy and pushed him through the gap. People who knew nothing, saved others who knew nothing. All while those who imed to have realized so much were tearing out each others eyes and tongues, fighting desperately to rip out hearts. Feelingplicated, I picked up the chick. Chick, I have a favor to ask. What is it? No, isnt that not important right now! Are you okay? You took that hit head-on! Im okay. I was truly okay. In fact, I wasnt hurt at all. The only things that hurt were my shoulder and leg, which I used for my fall technique. Call the people from your family and help those trapped in the studio. We can at least do that while cleaning up after Cheonsu, right? Yes, yes. We will help. But you need to receive treatment, too. Our family has medical staff... Im fine. After saying that, I carried the chick and climbed down the wall of the VIP lounge to the ground. *** After helping with the rescue operations for those trapped in the death game alongside the people from the chicks family, it had already bete into the night, time to call it dawn. Only after seeing the sunrise on the horizon did I finally arrive at what I could call home, Louisville. At the entrance of Louisville, Jamsuni was standing in thin pajamas, pouting. You said you were just going to eat with a friend?! Why are you sote?! Time flies when youre eating and talking. What kind of nonsense is that? Do you want to die? Ugh, I cant take it anymore. Youre getting a beating today!!! Jamsuni, whining and thumping my shoulders with her hands. No matter how hard Jamsuni hit, it was only refreshing for my shoulders. Its actually good timing since my shoulder hurts. Keep massaging like this. While receiving a massage, I said to Jamsuni. Why is the enlightenment of psychics so cruel? From what I know, the enlightenment of Jesus or Buddha in religions was always aboutpassion. Hehe, hehe. What are you talking about? Thats the enlightenment humans believe in, which has nothing to do with real enlightenment. Real enlightenment? Haa, real enlightenment, the true truth. Eventually, Jamsuni gave up on the massage. And then she shook her hands as if they were numb. After that, Jamsuni opened her mouth. In this world, theres only truth. Theres no such thing as the truth of human morality. Truth has no good or evil. Ha, a kid who hasnt even finished elementary school is talking philosophically. I never even entered elementary school to begin with... Ha, let me, who is much smarter than you, exin. What it means that theres no good or evil in realizing the truth. Jamsuni said with a serious expression. Is the abolition of very a truth? Is very bad ording to the truth? Its the truth. Most people think so. But over 10,000 years of human history, very wasmon for about 9,900 years, right? So, for humanity, isnt very closer to the truth? Is that so? But acknowledging this fact makes me feel bad. Truth means an undeniable reality. Enlightenment means having understood a fragment of such truth. So, let me ask a few more questions. Jamsuni asked me with a concerned look. When war breaks out, people die. Is this true? Its true. Girls sold to bad men get raped. Is this true? What are you trying to say? Answer me. I bowed my head and then answered. That, youre really... Haa, its true. Then, a boy who grows up as a child soldier ends up killing people. Is this true? When I didnt respond, Jamsunis expression changed vividly. One thing was certain: she wore a worried look on her face, and seeing that, I couldnt bring myself to curse at her. Cant these facts be included in the truths of our world? After all, theyre truths that even people acknowledge. Jamsuni slowly began to speak. Does God love us? Is this a confirmed truth? Bing a Buddha means realizing everything is emptiness, yet bing infinitelypassionate. Have you ever seen someone act that way? Do you truly consider such propositions to be truth? When I didnt respond, Jamsuni answered for me. No, its something you believe to be truth. Jamsuni continued, this time with a serious tone. Yoo Hajin. You have to decide. Decide what? Do you want to believe in this world? Or do you want to know this world? Jamsuni took my hand. If you believe in this world, you will inevitably be betrayed someday. But if youe to know about this world, eventually, youll learn how to move it. I wish you woulde to know this world. How annoying. I cant even see ghosts, so what can I possibly know about this world? I shook off Jamsunis hand and ran to my room. I could hear Jamsunis sullen voice behind me. Idiot. Youre the only one I talk to like this. Being called an idiot by a kid who hasnt even graduated elementary school, losing 3.5 billion, staying up all night, and being in pain. Plus, Ive seen too many ordinary people die. Haa... Truly the worst day. No helping it. I guess I have to log into Jamsunis ount. This is definitely not because I was out-talked. *** There existed a space where everything you looked at was white in every direction. The only things not white in that ce were four individuals. They were the leaders of Cheonji, known as Baekdu. A part of the heavenly beings body has descended. Heavenly being? Ah, you mean those who use their fundamental vows from heaven? If were talking about the Heavenly beings whose whereabouts have been unknown until now, it would only be Heavenly Demon and Jinsun. A moment of silence passed among them. It was broken by the one seated alone on a white chair. Id prefer it if it were Jinsun moving. Heavenly Demon is dangerous. Dangerous, you say? Its not like we havent eradicated a few Heavenly beings ourselves. Another Baekdu responded to this. Heavenly Demon is of a different dimension than other Heavenly beings. A different dimension? As a Heavenly being ascends in the realm, they can descend more parts of their body. And when their realm rises enough to descend their entire body... What happens when their realm rises? Baekdu paused for a moment before continuing. That Heavenly being can open the Gate. Whats so special about that? If they realize their Fundamental Vow to such an extent that they can open the Ghost Gate, its a natural course... The Ghost Gate of Heavenly Demon is dangerous. The Baekdu seated on the chair took over the conversation. Everyone respectfully bowed their heads to the words of the Baekdu seated. We have no intention of repeating the tragedy from 500 years ago. The seated Baekdu spoke. Find Heavenly Demon. And how goes the Tigers training? The Tiger still shows azy attitude towards training. Continue to assist that childs training. There is no hope for the other Celestial Immortals. Among the current Celestial Immortals, that child is the only one who can ascend to Baekdu. The one seated looked off into the distance. A distant ce, yet one that belongs here. There, a vast crevice existed. So vast it was indiscernible what the crevice was of. Beyond that crevice, there was a girl. The girl stood beyond the crevice, quietly with her eyes closed, as if asleep. The power within the crevice brushed past the girls body, leaking out into the world. However, some of that power continued to be absorbed by the girls body. We are running out of time... The voice of the seated Baekdu, the voice of Cheonji, dissipated into the void. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 43: Even If You’re Caught in a Tiger’s Den (1) Cheonji is the strongest organization of psychics. Abroad, this title is met with skepticism, but none dare challenge it; in Korea, everyone acknowledges it, with only three individuals dismissing it outright. Like any organization, Cheonji also has various departments. As the foremost organization of psychics, these departments could justly be called the strongest departments. Among them, one department was highly esteemed. It was Cheonjis Intelligence Department. This department, likened to the CIA of modern times, employed psychics with abilities in stealth, disguise, and mind-reading as field agents, while those with irvoyance, prophecy, and informational powers provided backup. Indeed, many said it far surpassed the stature of the CIA. The unbelievable achievements of Cheonji, almost as if foreseeing the future, the movements of its divine agentsobserving them, one couldnt help but fear the eyes and ears of the Cheonji Intelligence Department. Thus, feared by many, the head of the Cheonji Intelligence Department read a top-secret document and remarked,An investigation about a psychic named Heavenly Demon. And its marked as the most urgent issue by the higher-ups. Just who is this person? However, questioning was not his role. His job was simply to create the information that the higher-ups desired. A week should be enough to crack this. . . . And a weekter, the head of the Intelligence Department was in despair. What do you mean, you couldnt even guess what powers he possesses? Watching the officers debate before him, the head was at a loss for words. Heavenly Demon, the Demon of the Heavens, seems to possess abilities simr to evil spirits. Perhaps he draws on the powers of a realm ssified as hell... Ridiculous. Heavenly Demon means a tempter in myths, luring Buddhas into corruption. Heavenly Demon must be a mental power user, specialized in seduction and brainwashing. Pfft, this is why those who dont operate in the field dont get it. You dont understand the nature of evil organizations. Leaders of such factions using the term Demon are usually violent and brutal. And with the inclusion of the word Heavenly in it. Haha. Its as if representing the dark form of the powers of Nayu, one of the Three Honored Ones... What nonsense is this? Why are they doing things without investigating the Heavenly Demon Cult that worships Heavenly Demon? The head of the Intelligence Department, annoyed, silenced his officers. Quiet, everyone. Have we investigated the Heavenly Demon Cult that worships Heavenly Demon? Isnt it likely that hes there? Weve interrogated a few followers, but... Why dont you finish your sentences? Chided by the head, an officer slowly spoke up. It seems we couldnt interrogate them using psychic powers since they deal with negativity, and being zealots, they gave up no information about Heavenly Demon. Plus, theres an agreement between the Cheonji and the Heavenly Demon Cult, so we officially cant press them... Enough excuses. What happened with that project? The one where we infiltrated our agents into the Heavenly Demon Cult. Well, about that... As the head red, the officer hurriedly continued. It appears theres evidence of betrayal by an agent. How disappointing. Bring me a written exnation immediately. The head mmed the table, refocusing the officers. What about the old records? Theyve all disappeared. It seems someone wanted to erase all historical evidence of Heavenly Demons existence. And the prophets? An officer answered the heads question. Heavenly Demons ability isnt just about handling negativity. Apart from that, the prophets have gleaned no further information. Getting more from them is impossible. So, its not about handling negativity. Heavenly Demon has little to do with the Heavenly Demon Cult, after all. So thats why. The reason why the officers had made various guesses about Heavenly Demons abilities. The head of the department swept his face with his hand, then addressed his officers. Mobilize all the information power users. At that moment, a goddess of the digital world in the form of a young girl smiled. Thus, the information power users, engulfed in negativity and going mad while looking at the distorted site, gathered information about the Heavenly Demon. Another departments officer watched the scene andmented. Is this information reliable? The information power users affiliated with Cheonji are the worlds best. Theres no reason to doubt the information they bring. The information they collected was as follows: Heavenly Demon is a woman. Heavenly Demon is immensely wealthy. Heavenly Demon resonates with darkness itself, as a shaman... *** Today, morning came again. As I rotated the galbi in the air fryer, I looked at the fridge. There were three eggs left. Just enough for me, Nayu, and Jamsuni to have one each. Looks like I have to go shopping again today. But theres hardly any money left in my ount. Haa. When will I ever livefortably? I swallowed the tears in my heart as I cracked the eggs. Breakfast was almost ready. Kimchi, gochujang pickles, three fried eggs, and galbi. Wow, even the youngest granddaughter of a wealthy family would drool at such a breakfast. As I ced thest fried egg on the te, familiar voices rang out. The smell of the galbi is insane. Nayu hungry, stomach rumbling. It was Nayu and Jamsunis voices. They naturally scooped rice from the rice cooker and sat down at their spots. I too turned on the news through myputer monitor and took my seat. Pretending it was nothing, I watched the news reporting the copse of Big Hand Casino. Yes, the scene is still chaotic. Three days since the copse of Big Hand Casino, and Cheonsu Group, which manages the casino, has yet to issue any statement. No statement issued. Could it mean that Cheonsu is dead? Cheonsu fought desperately, even though he was being beaten up by VIPs. I didnt know he could fight so well even when blind and deaf. And if my memory serves, I think Cheonsu had vowed to kill me. Since I am still very much alive, he would have to face the consequences of breaking his vow. They say its nine times the luck one gainsa divine punishment. So, hes probably dead. But I couldnt confirm his death. Egg yummy. T-this is Nayus! Nayus fried egg! Could Cheonsu really be dead? My feelings were bingplicated. But the news didnt care about how I felt. Cheonji has dered this murder game arena a serious vition of discipline, announcing a hunt against the psychics affiliated with Cheonsu Group. Henceforth, the Cheonsu Group will Did Cheonji really not know about this murder game arena? I dont think so. It seems like theyre trying to scapegoat Cheonsu Crew now that things have escted. Huff. When Im this annoyed, I need to eat a fried egg. Protein is always right. But there were no fried eggs left on the te. Huh? As I sneakily nced forward, I saw Nayu munching away, avoiding my gaze. N-Nayu knows nothing. *** Thus, I had to go to work without having had any eggs. Todays job was a delivery gig. Could I get tangled in another weird incident? Lately, doing delivery gigs, Ive gotten involved in many strange incidents. After a delivery shift, I ended up enjoying a full course at the Heavenly Demon Cult, and once, I even watched Kiriyeons erotic acrobatic show during a delivery. Im declining those kinds of incidents now. They didnt even pay well. I received the delivery items and marked the destination on my phone. Then, the map app gged it as a . I slowly looked at the location shown on the app. Its the Tigers Den. Its one of the three most dangerous ces in Seoul known as the Tigers Den. But Im not afraid of something like the Tigers Den; after all, I live in one of those three dangerous areas, and Ive done many deliveries to ces like it. Yet, Ive never actually seen a tiger. The most terrifying and fearsome entity in the world? Id really like to see one someday. With that, I slung the delivery items on my back and rode a cost-effective electric scooter, racing towards the Tigers Den. *** And indeed, nothing happened. It looks like todays delivery gig will end without any issues. Phew, young man. You flew here on your scooter again? In the old days, you would have been featured as a master on a variety show. Ahaha. I guess I have a good sense of bnce. I set down the packages I had carried on my back, one by one. Todays client was the owner of a supermarket located within the Tigers Dena reliable person who often entrusted me with delivery tasks. Heres your money. Thank you. Please call me again. Of course. Im more grateful. But uh Suddenly, the sound of people scrambling in panic filled the air. The supermarketdy began to tear up slightly and then, with a choking sound, she set down her goods and ran off. Ah, really, again today? Ive got the money, so should I just leave? But if I leave the goods like this, people might steal them. Its unlikely that the poor living in the Tigers Den wouldnt covet the supermarket goods. Look, theres a woman eyeing them already. Wow, and shes really beautiful. Her white hair is quite unusual. Its surprising that her stretched-out white tee cant hide her curves. Even her arms and legs seem muscr. And her face could rival the visual member of an idol groupwhats with that? If Nayu had a naive beauty, this woman had a sharp beauty. So beautiful, she almost didnt seem human. But the womans expression was very gloomy. She even looked like she might cry at any moment. I just, came out to buy some ramen. At that moment, my phone began to ring. === [Web Alert][Safety Notice] [Seoul Metropolitan Area] The tiger has been spotted. Please evacuate the area. === I muttered to myself as soon as I read the message. Damn it. I had to run. Just the presence of one tiger turned the Tigers Den into an incredibly dangerous ce. The fact that I was running away from something like this annoyed me for some reason. Every time, it felt like something inside me wasughing at me. The word descent suddenly came to mind. ...? Cant be helped. I have to leave this stuff behind. I was looking for a shelter hastily. At that moment, the woman behind me slumped down and started to sob. Its no use. If this doesnt work either. I just ran out of detergent, and I just, thats why I came out. Damn it. Im not helping her because shes pretty. Im just a bit of a pushover, thats why Im helping. Dont you have a phone? Nows not the time to be without one. Ah, are you talking to me? I took the womans hand. As I helped her to her feet, I said, Who else would I be talking to? Come on, lets head to the shelter. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 44: Even If You’re Caught in a Tiger’s Den (2) The tigers den was full of shelters. The closest one was just a three-minute walk away. Please open the door!!! But not a single shelter would open its door. Some people inside were crying and begging us to go somewhere else. Some even cursed at us like madmen when they saw me and the woman. Get lost, get lost, get lost, get lost. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Wow, theyre swearing like theyre rapping. Really, nopassion at all. Are they saying its okay if we get eaten by a tiger...? I dont exactly know what this tiger is. Probably some kind of monstrous phenomenon or evil spirit.One things for sure, its something so strong that even Cheonji cant defeat it. I have no desire to fight something like that either. We need to find a shelter or escape quickly, one or the other. Uh, maybe, its because of, me, Rejected and cursed at by every shelter, the woman behind me had crouched down and was trying to crawl into an abandoned box. What are you doing? We dont have time for this. The, the box isfortable. For me. Does she think shes a cat or something? Staying here wont stop the tiger from finding her. Feeling frustrated, I grabbed her hand and led her to look for another escape. Seeing her sullen expression, I decided to meddle a bit. Dont worry about what people say. Its a tough world, and people get sharp because of it. ...Huh. The woman looked at me with surprised eyes. So, I decided to meddle a bit more. You havent done anything wrong. Its the world thats wrong. I havent done anything wrong? Really? Yes, so stand tall and smile brightly. Stand, tall and, smile brightly? She awkwardly straightened her back and gave a sheepish grin. How should I put it? It was really awkward. But she was naturally pretty, so I couldnt take my eyes off her. Ahem, her cheeks are turning red. I might seem too eager like this. But I had to say it. You, youre really beautiful. Be, beautiful. Me. Really? Yes, one of the prettiest women Ive ever seen. Hearing that, the woman smiled shyly again. Hehe, hehe. Sheughed like that and then suddenly, a tear fell from her eye. Oh, sob sob. No, Im sorry. I didnt mean to make you feel bad. No, no. Its because Im such an idiot. You didnt do anything wrong. You, you, fool! Dummy! Suddenly, the woman started hitting her own head. Yep, this woman was clearly not in her right mind. Her madness felt different from Nayus. At that moment, my phone started ringing again. === [Web Alert][Safety Notice] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] The tiger is still roaming around. Citizens, please evacuate to shelters immediately. === Ugh, this is driving me crazy. How are we supposed to evacuate when the shelters wont open their doors? The tigers den is the slum area. That means the streets are like a maze due to haphazard development. Even with a map on my phone, its easy to get lost in thisbyrinth. y hide-and-seek with a tiger in this maze? I really have no idea where to run. This is nuts. Its my first timeing this deep into the tigers den. Just then, the woman behind me muttered. Um, excuse me. Yes? Would you like toe to my house? I mean, Im not forcing you. But since the shelters are all locked Is your house nearby? The woman nodded vigorously. Looks like we dont have much choice. Alright, Ill take you up on that offer. Grr. Great. Come, follow me. As soon as I finished speaking, she grabbed my hand and led me deep into the alley. This woman, shes surprisingly strong. Where is she taking me? Is there really a house deep inside the tigers den? And so, I followed her further into the tigers den. **** I never expected to find a ce like this deep in the tigers den. A mansion that cleverlybined above-ground and underground. The mansion she led me to was luxuriously decorated, like a grand cave. As she entered, a group of people respectfully bowed their heads. Wee back, miss. Mmm. This is my friend. Wee, friend. I greeted them with a slight nod. But these people, their eyes seemed unfocused. Almost as if they were spacing out. Well, I get it. Sometimes you space out while working. As soon as she entered the house, the woman threw her shirt far away. Grr, clothing soaked in sound helps conceal abilities? Nonsense, nonsense... Wait, hold on. The woman was now wearing only her underwear. Which meant I was suddenly staring at a strangers bra. What size is that? Definitely over a D cup, right? A ckce bra. Thats way too sexy. Her white skin and ample chest caught my eye. I quickly turned my head away. Why are you acting like that? However, the woman looked at me with a genuinely puzzled expression, as if she had no idea why I turned my head. She approached me, still lookingpletely clueless. Thats strange. Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Do you suddenly see me as a monster...? No, but why are you showing me your underwear when we barely know each other? Underwear...? Oh, my underwear. She tilted her head slightly. And something swayed with the movement. Sway, sway Should I just be honest about my desires??? No, control yourself, Yoo Hajin!!! You dont even know who this woman is, and youre going to stare at her chest? That would be sexual harassment!!! As I turned my head further away, the woman suddenly muttered in an excited voice. Could it be... that? She smiled sheepishly and said, Are you turning away because of my chest? Well, what else would it be? Put something on, quickly. But what do you think of my chest? This pervert, why is she asking that out of the blue? I shouldnt havee here. She really is crazier than I imagined. But seeing her desperate expression, I couldnt help but answer. Um, its totally my type, and its exciting, and why am I saying this? I really, really like it!!! Hehe, hehe. Sheughed like an idiot and then said, I shouldnt make things harder for you. Hehe, Ill put on some clothes. Of course, you should. She better not sue me for sexual harassmentter. Im scared. Terrified. But as she dressed, she was subtly conscious of my gaze. May I know your name? My name? Why? Why does she want to know my name? To sue me? But I have plenty to say for myself. If she wants to sue, let her sue. Its Yoo Hajin. Yoo Hajin...? She looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. My name is Baek Yoorin. Baek Yoorin. Baek Yoorin. Is that Yoorin as in urininate? I shook my head at the silly thought. Its been so long since theres been anyone in this house. Baek Yoorin looked around nervously. Then she nced at me and spoke. Are you hungry? I dont have much food since no one really eats here, but, should I make you some ramen or something? No, I dont even have ramen. No, you dont have to. Just letting me stay here is a huge help. Baek Yoorin continued to fidget nervously. Then, she suddenly grabbed my hand and said, Th-then, how about we y a game or something before you go? A game?! Surely she didnt mean that kind of game, right? Thankfully, her next words rified things. I used to look down on people who yed games, calling them hikikomori, but now that Ive be one myself, uh, theres nothing as fun as games. It feels like I have a lot of friends in the online world. Hehe. Oh, I see. A true gamer, huh. Shed get along well with Jamsuni. But I could y games at home, too. Theres no need to y games in a weird ce like this. Just then, my phone rang again. I nced at it and saw it was another safety alert message. === [Web Alert][Safety Notice] [Seoul Metropolitan Government] The tiger emergency has ended. Citizens, please return to your daily activities. === Its finally over. I put my phone back in my pocket and said, Im sorry, but Ill have to take a rain check on the game. The tiger emergency is over, so I should head back home. If Imte again today, the little one at home wont let me off easily. I didnt realize so much time had passed already. Lately, Jamsuni gets all fussy if Imte, so I better head home quickly. What? Uh, okay? Then, Ill be going now. W-wait. Im not ready yet. At that moment, something with considerable strength grabbed my wrist. Dont go... please... Baek Yoorin was clutching my wrist, her expression desperate. What kind of strength is this C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 45: Even If You’re Caught in a Tiger’s Den (3) What kind of strength is this I couldnt shake off Baek Yoorin. Why is she so strong? Even though shes a woman, shes far stronger than most men. No, this wasnt just about being strong. This was abnormal. The fact that I could barely put up a fight was strange. For the first time in six years, I felt the warm touch of a person. Baek Yoorin mumbled as she held onto my wrist, her head lowered.Six years... Does that mean she hasnt had any human contact for six years? But how does my voice sound to you? Just like a pretty girls voice... Ah, hehehe. Baek Yoorin muttered with a bitter smile. So it doesnt sound like the wail of an evil god from another world? Then maybe youll like my singing too. I used to sing well. An evil god from another world? Wailing sounds? So, thats how her voice sounds to others? Suddenly, I remembered an old video I saw on NewTube. There was a video of a boy in America being bullied because his soul was said to look like a demon. The boy cried, insisting he wasnt a demon, but people only tried to exorcise him with crosses and reciting the Bible. Without hesitation, they fired a 12-gauge shotgun at the kid who looked like an elementary school student. There was no hesitation at all. Thements were filled with calls to kill such a kid quickly. But to me, he just looked like an ordinary elementary school student. Just like Baek Yoorin in front of me now. I think Baek Yoorin is really pretty. But others must see something different. Thinking about it, there were many strange things. The shelter that fell into extreme fear at the sight of us. The girl living in a mansion deep in the tigers den. And she referred to herself as a powerful soulpared to a demon god, not just a monster. I see. Baek Yoorin was the tiger. Damn it. Im really in the tigers den now. Unaware of my trembling eyes, Baek Yoorin kept mumbling as she held onto me. I can dance well, and I sing well too. And you said Im pretty. Hey, I can also do naughty things. I dont really know what they are, but Im a genius at trying hard. If you teach me, Ill learn earnestly. W-wait a minute. I smiled desperately, trying to persuade Baek Yoorin. People say that inner qualities are more important than outward appearances. I, I liked your appearance, but I dont know much about your inner qualities... ...Dont look at my inner self. Ever. Crack- Baek Yoorins grip grew even stronger. Damn it, if it werent for me, my wrist would have been crushed a long time ago. Im pretty, arent I? Youre not touching my fur like the other celestial beings, but my skin. Isnt that enough? Ugh, why do I keep talking so much? Baek Yoorins expression was strange. Although she had no expression, it felt like she was seething with anger. Just stay with me. While Im asking nicely. Nicely? The tiger is showing its true colors. That wont do. I pulled Baek Yoorin into my arms. She let out a startled yelp and instinctively curled up. It was in that moment. I freed my wrist from Baek Yoorins grasp. And I ran back immediately. Why do I always get involved in this kind of stuff!!! My desperate shout echoed through the hallway. *** Why do I always get involved in this kind of stuff!!! Yoo Hajins shout echoed through the tigers den. He sprinted in the opposite direction. But there, the house servants were waiting. Dodge!!! Dropkick!!! He tried to break through them with a dropkick, but they lunged at Yoo Hajin without caring for their bodies. The Lordsmand is absolute. You cannot leave here. The Lordsmand is absolute. You will be devoured by the Lord. And most of them were psychics. And quite powerful ones at that. Damn, judging by their tough bodies, theyre probably as strong as the perverts or celestial beasts I used to fight back in the Cheonjis exam. Although Yoo Hajin overpowered them with punches, he couldnt easily knock them down. So Yoo Hajin fled to another corridor. But when the butler behind him cast a spell, that corridor quickly copsed. This is driving me crazy. However, Baek Yoorin, perhaps still flustered by the earlier hug, was still a hundred meters away, trying to calm her startled heart. Yoo Hajin swiftly looked down another corridor. At that moment, a burst of air exploded. All the furniture in the corridor jolted and fell, and a long mark like a cannonball trail appeared on the floor. And Baek Yoorin stood before Yoo Hajin. With legs that covered a hundred meters in less than a second, Yoo Hajin was left speechless. Baek Yoorin, her face bright red, mumbled. Take, take responsibility. For, for what? You hugged me. So, that means you made a move on me. Does it work that way? Yoo Hajin, momentarily flustered, shook his head. No, thats because you were trying to kidnap me. Wh-whatever. Now its not my fault anymore. At Baek Yoorins ridiculous logic, Yoo Hajin immediately readied himself. How many psychics had he defeated so far? Even if she was a tiger, in closebat, he felt he wouldnt lose. Ill take the tiger hostage and escape!!! But Yoo Hajins thoughts were shattered in just three seconds. Baek Yoorins hands and feet were far faster and stronger than anything he could have imagined. Even though she knew nothing about proper striking techniques, Yoo Hajin waspletely overpowered. He could only grit his teeth and raise his guard. Ugh!!! Baek Yoorin had been an idol trainee. Until the day she awakened her spiritual sight, she had never believed in anything like shamans. Thus, Baek Yoorin knew nothing about the techniques used in psychicsbat. She didnt know how to use or recite incantations, spells, or seals. But Baek Yoorin was strong. Among the celestials, she was one of the strongest. She was judged solely on her soul and physical abilities. Therefore, Yoo Hajin was continuously pushed back. Why doesnt she use any psychic power or anything? If she were to sp her hands together and put on a big show, Yoo Hajin could at least look for an opening to counterattack, but Baek Yoorin showed no such signs. Therefore, Yoo Hajin could only be flustered. When he touched Baek Yoorins skin, thinking she might be reinforcing her body with spirit power, she blushed and mumbled, Th-thats inappropriate. T-thats not what I meant!!! However, Baek Yoorin was also a bit flustered. Her tiger kitty punch wasnt working at all. Any ordinary celestial being would be knocked out with one hit. But her real hands and feet worked. So she could keep pressing forward. Baek Yoorin, with a soul so strong that she was called an outsider, had a body evolved to withstand that soul, cing her at the top tier of the superhuman category. And since that body was real, Yoo Hajin couldnt easily subdue her. But Yoo Hajin was skilled in brawling. Ive got it. Your pattern. Huh? Yoo Hajin had somehow grabbed both of Baek Yoorins wrists. He twisted them behind her back. Overconfident newbie suppression technique!!! Ouch, ouch! After subduing Baek Yoorin, Yoo Hajins eyes met with several others. The servants were staring at him. Oh, right, damn it. Master, well help you. Yoo Hajin was skilled in brawling. But even the best fighters cant handle multiple opponents at once. With Baek Yoorin and the servants attacking together, Yoo Hajin was soon overwhelmed and pinned down, barely able to utter a word. I, I surrender. Just dont eat me. Thus, Yoo Hajin, beaten and bound in thick chains, was dragged into the tigers room. Once inside, he was thrown onto a huge bed. Baek Yoorin, panting, climbed onto the bed. Uh, Miss Tiger? Huff, huff. Call me Baek Yoorin. I dont like being called a tiger. Why do you keep touching my pants? Yoo Hajin squirmed, resisting her touch. Uh, you dont n to use me like a bad guy, do you? I can do whatever you want like a pushover. Then untie me. Not just that. Ugh, huff. Ive never been good at talking. But Baek Yoorins hands didnt stop. H-how do you even untie this? Baek Yoorin struggled for a moment before simply tearing his pants apart. Ugh, ugh. Dont all men like this? Right? N-no. Wait. And Baek Yoorins hand reached toward Yoo Hajins sensitive area. *** In the newly built Louisville officetel, there was an old elevator. It was an elevator Yoo Hajin asionally used. And now, the old elevator in Luaville was moving. The disy showed strange characters like 1327F and &%-F. With the ding of the first floor, the elevator doors opened. Inside the elevator stood a man and a girl. Both of their clothes were stained with blood. However, the man lit a cigarette as if the blood meant nothing. So, Sojin, is this OmegaTech really thatpetent? Well, this elevator itself is a coboration between OmegaTech and your Ilwol-Oakmoon. You funded its instation and you dont know? I still thought of it as just another secr enterprise. The girlughed as she spoke. Old man, dont underestimate technology. Especially you old-timers. Just because a weapon doesnt use spirit power doesnt mean its ineffective. Yoo Hajin fell victim to this cutting-edge tech too. What? Yoo Hajin did? The girl proudly took out her smartphone. OmegaTechs Spy Underwear. If anyone other than Yoo Hajin touches his underwear, I get an immediate alert. Yoo Hajin, who avoids all kinds of tracking abilities, ispletely unaware and regrly uses these. Thats quite... extreme. The man shook his head. After exhaling a puff of smoke, he added, Also, during intimate moments, people usually take off their own underwear. R-really? Old man, tell me more. At that moment, the girls smartphone began to sh. She stared at the screen and muttered, ...Who is this? Suddenly, the girl emitted a murderous aura so intense that it made even the man flinch, and she soared into the sky. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 46: Even If You’re Caught in a Tiger’s Den (4) In front of the Louisville elevator, a girl was floating around, emanating a menacing aura. The man looked at the girl and thought, As expected, a childs true nature doesnt change easily. But her temperament has improved a lotpared to before. However, she hadnt improved enough to understand mercy. So, the man decided to talk to the girl to buy time for the one being targeted by the monster named Kim Sojin. But why underwear, of all things? Wouldnt it be better to use a bug instead? Yoo Hajin learned information distortion and contamination. And at a very high level too. Really? Well, geniuses are different, as expected. The girls eyes pierced through the city. She was likely scanning every soul at the coordinates disyed on her phone. Still, with this underwear, its possible to send the most crucial information at the most critical moment, just once.The most critical moment? The most crucial information? The mans head spun. What exactly is the most critical moment? Was that mans chastity that important? But while the man was flustered, the girl flew even higher. She was now at a height where his voice couldnt reach her. And then, the girl suddenly flew towards the city. Damn. The man, whose blood-stained hand was holding a cigarette, sincerely hoped that whoever had incurred Kim Sojins wrath would survive. **** The moment Yoo Hajins pants tore and became just a piece of cloth, the tiger lifted her head. Twitch- The tiger sensed danger approaching with her unique transcendent senses. Instinctively, she took a cat-like posture just before a leap, smiling. Grrr. With her back lowered and pelvis raised, her body swayed in that distinctive motion. W-wow. Despite being on the brink of assault, Yoo Hajin couldnt help but exim. And he couldnt help but exim again when, the moment the tiger jumped, the ceiling broke and the clear sky became visible. Wow, damn. This is half-underground, what the hell. Thud- Yoo Hajin brushed off his shoulders, covered in falling concrete dust. Then, he struggled to untie the thick chains binding his body. They were thick iron chains with no supernatural power. So, it was extremely tough for Yoo Hajin to undo them. Urgh! But he didnt necessarily have to break the chains to free himself from them. **** Kim Sojin stood in the sky, looking down at the world below. She saw, with a thunderous roar, a tiger-like monster emerge from the slums. In truth, it only resembled a tiger; it looked more like an evil god from another world. Each strand of fur writhed like a tentacle filled with malice, and the eyes sparkled with the truth of an absolute predator staring down its prey. Its hundreds of teeth were more closely packed than a typical tigers, and just looking at a single tooth felt like it could pierce through your body. And its body was asrge as a small building. Yet, its muscles were tightly packed, moving with a terrifying agility. Kim Sojin watched as the surrounding spirits fled in fear and said, So, its you? The tiger that devours Gwizons to turn them into ghastly spirits. Grrr. Grrr. Answer me. Roar!!! Twitch- How long had it been since she felt this kind of pressure? Kim Sojin momentarily forgot her anger and smiled. I suppose you can make your spirit form even bigger. Go ahead. Kim Sojin formed a hand seal. Since they were in the middle of Seoul, she couldnt open a ghost gate. She also couldnt use her area-wide skills or some of the top-grade spirits she had collected. Still, she thought it wouldnt take more than 30 minutes to kill that tiger. With a cold expression, Kim Sojin sped her hands together. Looking at the now muchrger tiger, Kim Sojin formed another seal. Principle activation. Spirit Summoning. Spirits under Kim Sojinsmand began to appear behind her. Without hesitation, the tiger also summoned the gwizons it had devoured. Grrr. Ghastly spirits, follow me. Seeing this, Kim Sojin sighed. A battle between spirits and gwizons. No matter how she looked at it, there would definitely be casualties. Haa, if there are casualties, that old man will threaten to tell Yoo Hajin everything again. What a bother. At that moment, the tigers front paw flew toward Kim Sojin. The girl dodged it lightly, muttering to herself. Your moves are too obvious. You cant even hide the intentions of your soul. A master like Yoo Hajin wouldnt be able to predict even a single flick. Ugh, boring. I got my hopes up because youre a tiger. Such predictable attacks. To someone who could read souls, it was almost like seeing a few seconds into the future. The attack was strong but of a low level. With a bored expression, Kim Sojin dodged the attack by a hairs breadth. To avoid getting nagged by that old man, I should finish you quickly, right? Easily dodging the tigers swipes, Kim Sojin seized a moment and ced her hand on the tigers left arm. It was less than a second of an opening. But for someone who could read souls like Kim Sojin, it was enough to know the tiger couldnt do anything to her during that brief moment. Yin-yang inversion. Soul Annihtion, Soul Severing. The tigers left arm was severed, and the feedback caused Baek Yoorins left arm to twist and shatter. Baek Yoorin shed tears, crying out in pain. Grrr! It hurts!!! It hurts? You sound human when it hurts. But what can you do? With a cold expression, Kim Sojin spoke. Youll die for messing with whats mine. **** -Ack, aaargh! -Phew, damn it! -Pant, pant. I somehow twisted the chains and managed to free my arm. Now, it was time to free my legs. This isnt working... But my legs seemed hopeless. They were tightly bound. What should I do? I felt my freed arm touch my pocket. Fortunately, my smartphone was still there. Now, I just needed to use this smartphone to escape from the tigers den. Should I call 112 and let the tiger experience the fear of the peoples protector? ... If I did that, the tiger would probably break the peoples protectors baton. Or maybe the baton would be too scared toe out of their pocket. In any case,w enforcement wasnt going to help in this situation. So, I searched how to unlock chains on Googgle. After all, Professor Googgle knows everything. But even Professor Googgle didnt know how to unlock such thick chains. I couldnt give up like this. I searched through other sites. Eventually, I ended up on NewTube. Interesting... Damn, I wasted three minutes watching shorts about forging chains in a foundry. I shook my head and searched for Baek Yoorin. After all, they say, Know your enemy, know yourself, and you will be undefeated in a hundred battles. While knowing your opponent doesnt guarantee victory, it does help. So, I quickly searched for Baek Yoorin. Baek Yoorin. Oh, she was a child actress. Then she joined a major agency. I found videos of Baek Yoorin dancing and photos of her with friends. She looked so bright back then. But thements were different. Judging by thements, even old photos seemed to be affected by her spiritual awakening. Next, I looked up the news. There werent many articles about Baek Yoorin before her spiritual awakening. There were a few entertainment articles, but most of them praised her beauty, her talent in singing, dancing, and acting. Normally, I would think these were paid articles by her agency, but Baek Yoorin was actually talented and beautiful enough to earn such praise, so they probably werent ads. After her spiritual awakening, the number of articles about Baek Yoorin skyrocketed. To be precise, the term tiger started appearing more frequently than her name. Articles about people having heart attacks after seeing the tiger. Articles about the tiger being appointed as a celestial being. Articles about tens of thousands of people protesting falling property prices after the tiger settled in a part of Seoul. Wow, these people value their property more than their lives. I found the article intriguing and decided to read it. The article featured Baek Yoorins voice. Appearing via a phone call in a video, she expressed her thoughts without showing her face. Ah, hello. Im heading to the deep mountains of Gangwon-do. So, please dont curse me too much. Im sorry. I have to stay here to protect Seoul ording to the Cheonji. This is not an excuse. So, um... Sa-save me!!! God? Is that the voice of a god? Ahahahaha!!! As soon as Baek Yoorin spoke, tens of thousands of people fled. They said that dozens died from stumbling while running away. There were no more protests after that. Instead, there were minor acts of terrorism at Baek Yoorins ce. It was reported that letters filled with curses and filth were thrown at Baek Yoorins house. However, there were no articles about Baek Yoorin retaliating. The next article was brief. It reported the death of Baek Yoorins only family member, her mother. Thements revealed the story behind the article. Sometimes, the circumstances of people I didnt know pierced my heart. What was this illusion that I could hear the cries of a boy hit by a 12-gauge shotgun and the younger Baek Yoorins cries in my ears? The following articles were not much different. An article argued that the tigers den should be called the safest area in Seoul, not one of the three most dangerous areas. It imed that the area had almost no damage from evil spirits. Another article reported that Baek Yoorin, under the name of Cheonji, had saved a foreign city. She reportedly saved tens of thousands of people abroad. That was all there was. At that moment, Crash- Crash- Crash- came sounds from the ceiling. Then, a blood-soaked Baek Yoorin broke through the ceiling and descended. Gasp. Damn. The sight was so horrific that I was at a loss for words. Baek Yoorin was gasping for air and crying. Her wounds seemed to be growingrger, as if she were cursed. It... it hurts... Mom... She looked like she was 120% going to die if left like this. Seeing her, I let out a deep sigh. Really, Im just a sucker. I freed my legs with the key at Baek Yoorins waist and then carried her on my back. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 47: Even if You’re Caught in a Tiger’s Den (5) The cruel queen who rules over souls, Kim Sojin, gazed coldly at the world. Beneath her, the traces of the tigers escape were spread out. She dodged this? It was rare for her full-power attack to miss. Had this ever happened with anyone other than Yoo Hajin? She had cast the attack with the intention of finishing her off. From what she could see with her soul-reading eyes, it was an undodgeable strike. Did she be stronger in that instant? Kim Sojin had morebat experience with spiritual abilities than anyone her age. She knew the tiger hadnt had much experience in fights between the truly powerful.Thats why she was confident in her 30-minute victory. Yet, for the tigersbat sense to rise to the point of dodging her full-power attack in an instant... Even Kim Sojin, who predicted everything in this fight, hadnt foreseen this. Should I chase her? But Kim Sojin couldnt chase the tiger. Where the tiger had fled, there was a man. Kim Sojin sighed as she looked at the tigers blood on her hand. I didnt want to show... this side of me... She had inflicted dozens of fatal wounds. And each one bore a powerful curse. No matter how strong the tigers vitality, she wouldntst ten minutes. With that, Kim Sojin turned back, leaving a sense of unease behind. **** I had no choice but to carry Baek Yoorin on my back. Because if I wasnt touching her, her wounds kept reopening. Why do the wounds keep reopening? Seeing as the wounds remained still when I was in contact with her, it seemed like they were caused by spiritual abilities. It made sense. To injure someone as powerful as a tiger, youd need someone withparable spiritual abilities. I carried the tiger on my back and stepped outside the mansion. It was curious how the servants were never around at times like this. Even if I take her to the hospital, they wont be able to treat her, right? If thats the case, then theres only one method left. I had to pray that method would work. So, I ran down the street wearing only my underwear. Judging by how my back was getting soaked, the amount of bleeding was no joke. There was no time to find pants and change from the mansion. Ugh... Why... Baek Yoorin murmured from my back. She asked why I was doing something so foolish. I didnt know the reason either. The word hogu (??) means tigers mouth. It also refers to a dangerous situation, as if youre in the mouth of a tiger. When used for a person, it means someone so gullible they might as well crawl into a tigers mouth themselves. Just like me now. Although it has a slightly different meaning, here I was trying to save the tiger that had tried to devour me. No one could be more of a fool than me. Are you... trying to save me... A monster like me...? Youre being too loud. I quieted the patient and gathered my thoughts. Jamsuni had asked me if I wanted to understand the world or believe in it. But I couldnt decide because of my indecisiveness. So, I decided to do this: When my heart wants to believe in the world, I will believe in it, and when my heart wants to understand the world, I will seek to understand it. In short, I would do whatever I felt like doing. And right now, my heart wanted to save Baek Yoorin. Baek Yoorin was a Celestial Immortal of Cheonji. It meant she was a powerful person. Moreover, she had promised to grant all my requests. So, if I could save Baek Yoorin, it would be beneficial. Various thoughts shed through my mind. No, lets be honest. I would have saved Baek Yoorin even without those reasons. And so, I arrived at the electric scooter I had abandoned. I looked around. There was no one in sight. It was hard to believe I was in the middle of Seoul. Probably, if I took her to a hospital, the hospital would look like this area. No hospital will ept you. ... So, I have no choice but to treat you myself. I opened the duffle bag hanging on the electric scooter and took out a ck rod. It was the ck Sheath. Is there anywhere I cany you down? There was an abandoned bench in a secluded corner. I spread my coat on the bench andid Baek Yoorin down. Ugh. Baek Yoorins right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg were all horribly broken. There were deep cuts on her waist and a puncture wound on her sr plexus. And there were many bruises. Even those bruises were blood bruises. Who did this? If Baek Yoorin were an ordinary person, these wounds would have killed her dozens of times over. But Baek Yoorin was faintly but definitely breathing. She even looked at me with sad eyes. To be conscious with such injuries Could this treatment method work? Im starting the operation now. I held ck Sheath in my right hand. ck Sheath. ording to theb director who was destroyed by Kirieon, it was made from the scabbard of a heavenly demon and could nullify all physical phenomena created by spiritual abilities. Then, could wounds inflicted by spiritual abilities be considered physical phenomena created by spiritual abilities? Lets consider the wounds on the body as physical phenomena. What would happen if ck Sheath touched those wounds? I had to find out. So, I brought the ck Sheath to Baek Yoorins right arm. Ugh! For a minute, nothing happened. The bleeding just slowed down a bit. As expected, is it impossible? As I murmured, the bleedingpletely stopped and the bones started to realign slowly. The broken bones retracted into the skin, and flesh began to fill in the gaps. Ah, is this... your... ability? I didnt answer Baek Yoorins question. There was still a lot to think about. ck Sheath recognized wounds caused by spiritual abilities as physical phenomena and nullified them. But why did it take so long to nullify them? No, no. I had misunderstood. When ck Sheath nullified the physical movement of the meteor at Big Hand Casino, the meteor just lost its physical force and fell to the ground. It didnt restore itself to its original state or anything like that. Then what is this situation now? A thought shed through my mind. Ah, I see. Its the time difference. Back then, I had only briefly touched the meteor with ck Sheath. It was probably in contact for about 0.5 seconds. But now, ck Sheath had been in contact with Baek Yoorins arm for several minutes. Initially, only the bleeding stopped; it didnt feel like healing. It was after a minute or so that the healing started. Does this mean that if ck Sheath is in contact with inanimate objects for a long time, the parts destroyed by spiritual abilities could be restored? For some reason, this hypothesis seemed useful. But thinking too much made my head hurt. Ughhhhhh. I let out a groan mixed with pain. Baek Yoorin, startled, murmured. A-are you okay? Im fine. I nodded and brought ck Sheath to the most dangerous-looking wound on his sr plexus. It might hurt, but bear with it. Ah! It doesnt, it doesnt hurt much. Ngh! Ugh. It doesnt hurt. At first, the bleeding stopped. Then, after a few minutes, the flesh started to regenerate. Watching human flesh regenerate was fascinating. Phew. Ipletely healed the visible wounds. Then, I lifted Baek Yoorin onto my back. Ah, um. What? Thank you. I, I was going to do something bad. So you know it was bad. I must have been crazy then. Well, what could I do if she was crazy? Considering she was a mighty tiger capable of beating me up, I had to take that into ount. I carried Baek Yoorin and got on the electric scooter. The streets were very quiet, and so were the roads. People were all afraid of the tiger. At that moment, Baek Yoorin cautiously spoke. C-couldnt you live with me? Live with a tiger. It didnt seem like a bad idea. Baek Yoorin was a Celestial Immortal, so she must be wealthy. Plus, Baek Yoorin was strong, so she could protect me in this crazy world. Really, I can do everything for you. Im good at cooking. I learned a lot from childrens programs when I was young. And I can sing lubies for you when you sleep. And, and... But I was Mara Papias. ording to my younger sister, it was something so dangerous to spiritual ability users that they would kill it as a baby. And the tiger was a powerful spiritual ability user. If we met asionally, it might be fine, but if we lived together, she would eventually find out about me. That I couldnt see ghosts. So, I dropped Baek Yoorin off in front of the mansion. Here, go in. Really, really cant you? Baek Yoorin clung to my sleeve with tears in her eyes. I was reminded of the moment my sister had clung to me, making my head spin. I swallowed and could barely utter a single sentence. Ha, Ille see you when I have time. Really? Really? Yes. Suddenly, she smiled brightly like that. I guess I am a man after all. I cant be cold when a pretty woman smiles like that. So, leaving those words behind, I hurriedly got on the electric scooter. How far did I go down the road? Only then did I feel a breeze on my legs. Oh, right. Pants. When I looked to my side, I saw police officers in a patrol car watching me intently. I smiled at them. Wait, officers. I have an exnation for this And so, I ended up spending todays part-time earnings on a fine. Lesson of the day: Even if youre caught in a tigers den, always wear pants. Ugh... **** Deep within Cheonji. There were several gigantic seminar rooms capable of amodating hundreds of people. But right now, only two people were using one of those seminar rooms. One of them was called Celestial Immortals Gamlo. Gamlo stood beside the ckboard, filling it with her elegant handwriting. She spoke slowly. The child you faced is a Kim Sojin. Kim Sojin? Is that the same Kim Sojin you exined yesterday? Yes.. Hearing this, Baek Yoorin nodded. After that, she diligently took notes on Gamlos exnation. By the way, tiger. Why did you suddenly be so eager in your training? Because I found a reason to be stronger. Well, I wont ask for the reason. As long as you follow the training, well do everything we can for you. After finishing her notes, Baek Yoorin raised her hand. Gamlo, who was teaching her, nodded. What do I do when ones physical body gets hurt after their spiritual body is prated? Just restore it through Yang energy... Ah, you must have gotten hurt beyond your life force while fighting a Kim Sojin. Its a miracle you survived. As expected of a tiger. Just give me the answer Gamlo pulled out a long pipe from her sleeve and spoke. We psychics often fight using our physical bodies, but ironically, its most dangerous when were hurt to the point we cant heal ourselves. Why is that? To heal the physical bodies, we have to prate the spiritual bodies. And prating the spiritual bodies requires destructive power. Using such destructive power while simultaneously applying restorative power to heal the physical body? Gamlo exhaled a puff of smoke. Thats a tough task. A really tough task. For weaker psychics, it might not take much effort to prate their spiritual bodies, so its not a big deal. But for strong psychics like us, it requires using our Heavenly Fortune through medicine food, and vows. Gamlo shook her head. Vows... Yes, for Vows, it usually involves sacrificing something precious. For example, your lifespan. As soon as she heard this, tears welled up in Baek Yoorins eyes. Gamlo, flustered, asked if she was okay, if the smoke was too strong, but Baek Yoorin just shook her head. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 48: Junk Food (1) In this neighborhood, there was a boy known as a genius. He wasnt called a genius because he excelled in his studies. Nor was he called a genius because he was great at sports. These days, children like that are not referred to as geniuses. One must possess strong psychic abilities to be called a genius. And the boy named Gujeon was a genius in this era. Just how much of a genius was this boy named Gujeon? Exining this boys genius didnt require many words. Simply saying that Gujeon attended Cheonji Academy was enough. Cheonji Academy, the only educational institution run by Cheonji, the worlds top organization of psychics, only admitted geniuses with psychic abilities.Haa. But the expression on that genius boys face was gloomy. I guess I need to work more delivery jobs. It was all because of money. Although Cheonji Academys tuition was free, items used within the academy, like charms and talismans, were not. To be precise, there were basic charms and talismans provided, but to avoid failing, better ones were needed. And those items were very expensive. So much so that his only family, his sister, had to go into debt. His feelings of being pathetic for barely avoiding failure and his guilt toward his sister tangled up inside him. Gujeon sighed deeply, then muttered with slumped shoulders. Sis, Im home. The house was quiet. Out working, I guess. Gujeon headed to the kitchen to at least prepare dinner. The kitchen was a small space with only a single electric stove and a sink. Gujeon thought calling this ce a kitchen was an overstatement and chuckled wryly. He opened the cupboard. Inside, there were piles of instant food. Whats this? Oh, is this what we got back then? Sometimes, a relief organization that roamed the slums handed out such items. He vaguely remembered hearing it was some religious organization. He recalled the time his sister had proudly brought home a box of relief food. It seemed the instant food in that box was what he was looking at now. Gujeons eyes scanned the cupboard. What should he eat? Curry seemed like a good choice. He decided to use up the leftover vegetables and meat. Gujeon took out two packets of curry from the cupboard. While taking out vegetables and meat from the fridge, something caught his eye. === [Food Type] Curry, Instant Food [Net Weight] 200g [Expiration Date] Until the date indicated on the top Ingredients: Wheat flour, dextrin, curry powder 12% [turmeric 31.95%, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, fennel, rosemary, bay leaf], blended edible oil, palm stearin oil, refined salt, corn flour, mixed seasoning, tomato powder, milk cream powder, sugar, spicy seasoning extract, fruit sauce powder, pepper powder === It was the ingredient list of the curry. Why did the ingredient list suddenly catch his eye? Fenugreek, whats that? Gujeon chuckled and looked at the next curry packet. === [Food Type] Curry, Instant Food [Net Weight] 200g [Expiration Date] Until consumed Ingredients: Wheat flour, dextrin, curry powder 12% [turmeric 31.95%, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, fennel, rosemary, bay leaf], blended edible oil, palm stearin oil, refined salt, corn flour, mixed seasoning, tomato powder, milk cream powder, sugar, generic extract, fruit sauce powder, pepper powder === Something seemed off. Expiration Date: Until consumed? What does that mean? Generic extract? What exactly was extracted? Gujeon felt a sense of unease and nced at the trash can. There was an already-eaten curry packet inside. As if drawn by somepulsion, Gujeon picked it up and looked at it. === [Food Type] Not Curry [Net Weight] 200g [Expiration Date] Until you die Ingredients: Powder, agrac, curry powder 1% [turmeric that, coriander, cumin, cumin, cumin, cumin, cumin, dark heart], blended edible oil, palm stearin oil, truth, corn flour, the end, tomato powder, Im watching you, sugar, generic extract, eat it, pepper powder === What is this? Startled, Gujeon threw the opened curry packet away. The packaging looked normal, but the ingredient list was bizarre. It was as if it had been contaminated by some ghostly information. Thud- Thud- At that moment, strange noises came from the bathroom. The boy turned in rm. Wait, if the curry packet is already opened... It meant someone had already eaten the curry. And the only ones living in this house were him and his sister. That meant... Sis!!! Gujeon rushed to the bathroom. He opened the bathroom door. And one secondter, he wished he could close it again. His sister was furiously banging her head against the wall. S-Sis. I see. I see. I see ghosts. These are not the usual ghosts I used to see. These are different. His sister wasughing as she spoke. Things I shouldnt see. Things I shouldnt look at. I see them. I see them. I see them. Gujeon tried to stop her, but she had a kitchen knife in her hand. Seeing that, Gujeon made a decision. Sis, get a hold of yourself!!! The boys desperate cry filled the corner of the vi. *** The boy ran. Blood was flowing from his arm, but he didnt care. The barrier sealing my sister wont hold for long. The boy set up a barrier around the bathroom. A barrier that even a second-grade evil spirit couldnt easily break. However, the barrier in the bathroom was gradually cracking. It wasnt something his sister, who knew nothing about psychic abilities, could do. The fact that she had broken through his defense and left a wound on his arm was strange to begin with. Why did my sister end up like this? The boy hurried into the police station. He quickly exined the situation. So, youre saying your sister ate something bad and is acting possessed by an evil spirit. Is that right? Yes, please, take action, please do something quickly. But if a student from Cheonji Academy cant handle it that means its an evil spirit of grade two or higher The police avoided the boys gaze. They muttered apologetically. This is beyond what we can handle. Sorry. What? But youre the police! If we go, wed only add to the body count. Youre a student at Cheonji Academy, right? Ask the Cheonji masters for help. Are you telling us to go and die? Instead of answering, Gujeon just muttered a curse under his breath. He ran out of the police station. Maybe I should contact the professors The professors at Cheonji Academy, the revered masters of Cheonji, did not take calls from students. More urately, they didnt take calls from students close to failing. Children whose lives would be ruined if they failed at Cheonji Academy. Kids whose families invested all their resources into their graduation. It was obvious what such calls would be about. If they fail, theyre doomed. Please, save me. Gujeon was one of those kids. But thews of Cheonji were strict. So, the professors didnt take calls from students. Damn it. Gujeon put his phone back in his pocket and ran. He needed help from a nearby shaman or sorcerer. No matter the cost. As long as he could save his sister. And this is what he heard from them: A great misfortune, an immense cmity. Give up on your sister. Are you crazy? Your sister is already doomed. Child, you seem to have some understanding. Dont you realize the situation yet? A student from Cheonji Academy? And you cant solve it? Theres no way I can solve something you cant. No one was willing to help Gujeon. His arms and legs trembled, the barrier seemed about to break. If the barrier broke, his sister would go on a rampage. He had to go back. Even if it meant being stabbed to death by his sister, he had to go back. Hey. Unlucky brat! Ive been seeing you a lottely. At that moment, a voice came from behind him. It was a mans voice he recognized. Gujeon remembered the mans face. Its the guy I kept running into while doing delivery jobs. He looks like a celebrity but is clueless, not living up to his looks. But for some reason, Gujeon wanted to cling to him. High-risk delivery jobs. Doing those means he must know how to handle evil spirits. I need to get help from him, even if its just him. With tears he had been holding back, Gujeon spoke. Please, help me. Whoa, kid. Why are you crying all of a sudden? My sister she Gujeon began to exin. The spoiled instant food. His sister seeing things that werent there. And then her going mad. Upon hearing this, the man frowned and got off his electric scooter. Seeing his expression, Gujeon realized how foolish he had been. To make such a request of someone I only ran into a few times at work. Even I would have cursed myself for being so naive. Theres no way a stranger would help with something this dangerous. The police couldnt help. He couldnt hire a shaman or sorcerer with money. So why would a stranger help him? Gujeon quickly wiped his tears and said, Im sorry. Forget I said anything. Then he ran back home. But the electric scooter was following him. The man on the scooter spoke. So, your sister ate some weird food and now she can see ghosts? Youre saying she can see ghosts that were invisible before? Really? Why, why is this man following him? Gujeon couldnt understand any of it. Kid, get on!!! Lets go to your house right now!!! Why? Why is he willing to help with this? Sitting on the back of the scooter, Gujeon cried like a child, not knowing the reason. He didnt notice the excited expression on Yoo Hajins face as he drove the electric scooter. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 49: Junk Food (2) On my way home, I met a kid I became friends with at my part-time job. This kid was said to be a genius, good enough to get into Cheonji Academy. And now, this genius imed there was a curry that let you see things you normally couldnt if you ate it. Curry that lets you see ghosts? I cant pass this up. No way I can resist this. My heart was pounding so hard I could almost hear the thumping. If I could see ghosts, would I be able to see my mom or grandma? And would I be able to apologize to Harin? And then, could I finally live a normal life? Would I stop being the demon, Mara Papias?Would I be able to see ghosts like other people? I had to find out. I got off my scooter and asked. Is it here? Yes, its on the third floor. We ran up the stairs. As soon as I opened the door, I heard a thudding noise. It was the sound of a bathroom door being smashed. A sharp kitchen knife was thrusting out with every thud. Is this a movie set or something? Uh, Ive sealed my sister in there. Seems like shes almost broken free though. Should we try talking to her first? I spoke to the girl trapped behind the bathroom door. Hey, can you hear me? I can see it, I can see it! Not the usual ghosts, but a spirit that could only be called a god. I saw a it!!! Whoa, shes really seeing something. I continued. Hey, how about we talk this out? Talk? Talk? If you cant see what I see, then shut up!!! If I can see it, will you talk? How about I eat that curry and then talk? At that moment, the chaos in the bathroom stopped. I heard a creepy chuckle, and then the girl behind the door spoke again. Eat it. If you eat that, Ill talk to you. Alright. So if I eat that curry packet, youll stop this craziness? Eat it. Hurry! Hurry!! Vow me. If I eat the whole curry packet, youll stop and stay still. I heard the creepy chuckle again from behind the bathroom door. Eat the whole thing? Not just a spoonful? The whole thing? Yes, all of it. Heh, hehe hehe, hehe. My tiny veins are flowing with evil intent. If you eat all of that, I wont move an inch. I turned to my friend and said, Hey, set the table. Seriously, youre going to eat that? Its really dangerous. Do you have any other ideas? Hurry up!!! Hurry, bring me the curry!!! I want to see ghosts too!!! I looked at my friend with desperate eyes. Why... why do you go this far for us...? The genius boy wiped his eyes once and ran to the kitchen. All the while, the eerieughter continued from behind the bathroom door. In three minutes, the curry and rice were ready. The genius kid, looking at the curry,mented. Its just three-minute curry, but it looks really delicious. Not to the point of losing my mind over it, but it definitely makes my mouth water and my hunger spike. Thats how curry always looks when youre hungry. Maybe, but its like, this curry tempts you just enough to make you incredibly hungry. Thats the strange part. It doesnt seem supernatural at all. Really malicious. Well, your mouth is watering a lot for someone saying that. I looked at the bathroom door. Through the half-destroyed door, I could see the girls eyes. I said to her, Watch closely. I mixed the curry with the rice. Then, I took a big bite. Munch, munch Gasp, this taste?! Its really ordinary. It was just an ordinary three-minute curry. I looked around. Nothing seemed to have changed in my field of vision. Maybe it was because I hadnt finished it all yet? Hehe, keekeek, huh? How how are you eating so much of that? As I kept eating the curry, the crazy sisterughing in the bathroom fell silent. I could only see her eyes, but I imagined she must have had a shocked expression. I finished the entire packet of curry. Eating curry while staring at the bathroom. Maybe thats why? It didnt taste that great. Theres nothing special about it. No, no way! It contains a tiny amount of their, their essence. Huh, huh. Thud the sound of someone copsing echoed. Gujeon hurried to the bathroom. Inside the bathroom, a woman was lying there, tears streaming down her face, paralyzed. Ah, right. She vowed not to move at all. That vow must be why shes paralyzed. But, is there a ghost in this bathroom? I couldnt see any ghosts. Just then, the genius kid waved his hand and said, There are pesky spirits clinging to us like flies. Damn. Pesky spirits? Were those here just now? But I couldnt see anything. Damn it, they said this curry would let me see invisible things!!! Hearing this, I thought. Could it be another case of Yoo Hajin got tricked ending? No, the hope wasntpletely gone yet. If I could learn the recipe for this food And find out the mechanism that makes the invisible visible... Sister, sister I cautiously spoke to Gujeon, who was holding his sister. Where did you get that curry? There are people who wander around the alleys handing out food. Once a month in the slums, a lunatic possessed by a ghost kills their family and disappears, and its all their doing. With these kinds of ready-to-eat meals? Yes. Of course. No matter how rough the neighborhood, its still within the boundaries of Seoul, so possessions shouldnt happen that often. Gujeon muttered with hatred. Ill kill everyst one of those bastards... Hey, shouldnt we save your sister first? People who use poisons usually have antidotes for them. I looked at the trembling, paralyzed woman and her brother. Maybe there was a way to get the recipe for this food that supposedly makes invisible things visible. I looked at Gujeon and said, I have an idea. **** The next day, we tracked down the scum distributing the tainted food. How did we find these people wandering around the slums of Seoul? We simply asked on the Anomaly Response Headquarters (ARH) website. Since this curry was akin to a paranormal phenomenon, we figured the ARH would know about it. Hey, does anyone know where the people distributing weird food are? Response: They are currently between Gu Mucheon Road 17th Street and 18th Street in northern Seoul. Be careful; they are strong enough to resist the actions of the ARH. The admin responded immediately. Thanks to that, we pinpointed where these bastards were. The culprits were a duo. Aside from their matching gray outfits, they looked like two ordinary men. They had piles of boxes filled with ready-to-eat foods like meatballs, curry, and spaghetti beside them. They were handing them out one by one to the people in the slums. Watching this, I muttered, These guys dont rest, do they? How many hours has it been now? About five hours, I think. Theyre like religious zealots with their dedication. Look at the smiles on those two. They seemed genuinely happy, smiling non-stop for the entire five hours, even while listening to theints of the people in the slums and not taking a single break for food. It was almost a sign of madness. Or maybe they were devout believers in some cult. Possibly both. But still, after working non-stop for five hours, they must be hungry, right? Of course. No way they arent hungry. Get ready. I gestured to Gujeon. He then pulled out arge pot from behind. Inside it was curry. **** Another fulfilling day was passing by. A man distributing food in the slums thought as he opened another box. He didnt feel fulfilled because he was feeding the poor. He felt fulfilled because he believed he was part of a much greater cause, far beyond the understanding of those he fed. We found one two days in a row. Yes, its lucky to find individuals with potential in their bloodlines consecutively. But its disappointing. So few can withstand the essence of His truth, even after consuming it. The young man expressed his disappointment, and the older man shook his head. Thats why we need to work even harder. Right. Lets finish distributing thisst box and then grab something to eat. At that moment, A handsome man approached, carrying a pot filled with curry. He smiled innocently and said, Thanks to the food you gave outst time, I didnt starve. I dont have much to offer, but I made some special curry to show my gratitude. If you havent eaten, would you like to join me? The two men looked at the curry. It smelled so delicious that their mouths watered and their stomachs rumbled. But they couldnt eat such curry. Something dire could happen. On the off chance that His essence was in there... Haha, we appreciate it, but were busy right now, said the older man, unable to take his eyes off the curry. What secret recipe made it smell so good? Could it be? The handsome man, looking a bit disappointed, set the curry on the table. I dont mean to interrupt your work. Ill eat this before it gets cold. Please, dont mind me. He poured the curry into a bowl and began eating it with relish, even eximing, Delicious! while twisting his body in delight. That looks genuinely tasty. Seeing this, the young man swallowed hard. Hey, if that guys eating it just fine... Yes, its probably just his special curry. If it contained the essence, he would have already... Eventually, the duo convinced themselves that the curry was safe. They couldnt shake the thought that the curry was safe to eat. The curry looked incredibly delicious. It was safe. They could eat it. The curry is definitely safe. Im sure of it. I think so too. The duo nodded to each other and sat down at the table where the curry was. We shouldnt ignore the effort you put into making this. Wow, it smells amazing. Regr three-minute curry never smells like this. Thats right. Its a special recipe. Let me serve you a generous portion. The handsome man served the curry to the duo. If you need more, just let me know. Thank you, we will enjoy this. As the duo started eating the curry, the handsome mans lips curled into a smile. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL:You cansupport the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 50: Junk Food (3) So, they ate it after all. I smiled as I watched the two men swallow down the curry. After taking another spoonful, the men looked at me with horrified expressions. I also nced at them and said a single word. Just as expected. I recalled the conversation I had yesterday. Without that conversation, I wouldnt have been able to use this method. It happened right after I finished eating the curry yesterday. When Gujeon stared intently at the leftover curry bowl, I had said something. Hey, youre not seriously enchanted by the curry, are you?No, its not that kind of phenomenon that could enchant me. If I think its dangerous, I can guard my mind against it. Dangerous, you say? Gujeon quickly washed the curry bowl and said, Yes, I consider everything rted to strange phenomena as dangerous. Danger acts as a mental shield. As long as I hold up this shield, I can block mental attacks from phenomena of this level. So, what happens if you think a phenomenon is safe? That would be like lowering the shield, and youd get enchanted instantly. Thats why I called this curry a severe phenomenon. It doesnt seem dangerous at all, yet it can knock people out in one go. Damn. Listening to him, I gathered my thoughts. Then I asked one more question. So, if you even momentarily think its safe, the phenomenon digs into that thought and enchants the person, right? Gujeon nodded at my words. And from this conversation, I was convinced. The Curry Tryout n would work. ording to Gujeons sister, this curry was something that was difficult to swallow even a single spoonful of. But to just gobble it up like that? Then those two must have momentarily thought it was safe. And this is the result. They already swallowed one spoonful of curry. And now they were staggering after taking a second. This, this curry. This truth. We need to act. Quickly. Oh, no. I can see it. Itsing, its visible. Before it bes clearer, quickly. The man stumbled with tears streaming down his face. Then he staggered and ran off somewhere. I didnt stop them. Instead, I turned to the boy beside me and said, Lets follow them. Yes. So we chased the food terrorists on our electric scooters. *** The duo turned a few corners and got into a ck van. As soon as they got in, the van sped down the road at a pace that was hard to follow on electric scooters. But I had Gujeon, the genius boy from Cheonji Academy, with me. I shouted to Gujeon, who was riding behind me. Activate the booster!!! Principle activation!!! Gujeon had something called the Principle of Output. It was a principle that could lower or increase the output of something. Thanks to that, we barely managed to catch up with the van. After about 20 minutes of chasing, the van stopped in front of what looked like an ordinary shopping district. We could see the two men, now crying tears of blood, being supported by some other men and descending into a basement. Without hesitation, we followed them inside. As we went underground, we were greeted by a wooden door engraved with strange symbols. It would have been a bit tricky if it were an iron door. But a wooden door? Do they really think this wooden door can stop my fist? The kid next to me muttered in surprise. This doesnt seem like an ordinary organization. Its a warded door made from consecrated wood, engraved with the territory of the descendants of Heaven. Even if you demolish the entire building, this door might remain. Is that so? Without hesitation, I punched the wooden door. In an instant, my fist went through the door. Then, a barrage of punches followed. In just 10 seconds, the wooden door transformed into wooden debris. Gujeon was shocked, and so were the people inside the room. Who, who are you? Sent by Cheonji? No, that cant be. The room was unexpectedly arge, oriental-style office. To be precise, it looked like a strange blend of a Buddhist temple and an office. There were about ten men and women in the room. Most of them were holding cute items like bells, dolls, gs, or mirrors. One person was holding a decorative sword, but the de was so dull it probably couldnt even cut an apple. But Gujeons voice trembled. Th-those are all high-grade talismans. Only elites from sects and ns use those. Reading Gujeons fear, the old man who seemed to be in charge rxed a bit and spoke. You barged in without even knowing who we are? Who are you? Anyway, were the people who almost got food poisoning because of you. Were here forpensation. I stretched as I responded. The old man spoke again. Oh, you came because of that incident. Poor souls. If you surrender now, Ill tell you how to resolve that issue. Iughed at his words. Then I clenched my fist. How about this? If you surrender right now, Ill stop at receiving appropriatepensation and a recipe. Arrogant. You dont seem to have any enlightenment. You just broke that warded door by chance. The old man nodded and spoke. Capture them alive if possible. With those words, a man and a woman rushed out from behind the old man. The woman jingled a bell at me while the man took out a colorful g one by one, trying to tickle me. Is this a circus act? I paused, feeling momentarily dumbfounded by their ridiculous disy. But the woman was dead serious, shaking the bell next to my ear like it was a tambourine, and the man, with an equally serious expression, tried to tickle various parts of my body with the g. I had to tense my face to suppress myughter. This is the power of a high-grade talisman! Truly, what an incredible performance. To think Id actually see it in use. Even the man and woman were spouting nonsense. This kind of situation really brings a sense of disillusionment. What am I even doing here right now? Why has the world turned out like this? Do ghosts really exist? Or has humanity collectively gone insane? I let out a small sigh. Then I grabbed the heads of the woman shaking the bell and the man waving the g and made them kiss each other. Of course, the overly aggressive kiss left them both with nosebleeds, and they copsed right there. As I looked down at their fallen bodies, Imented, Wow, these talismans are pretty strong. Hearing this, the old man shouted, Hes a formidable opponent! Pour all your strength into the talismans! We cant win in a direct fight. We need to leverage our talisman advantage! And so, the spectacle began. One guy started ying cards, a woman began stabbing a doll with needles, and another lunatic held up a mirror to my face, proiming certain victory. In moments like these, I never know how to react. Suppressing my disillusionment, I said, Oh, that hurts so much. And with that, I genuinely made them feel pain. At one point, the man ying cards started sweating as hepleted a royal straight flush, causing me to pause for a moment. Seeing his proud expression, I couldnt help but apud. Of course, it was tragic that the apuse ended with his head in the middle. Now, only the old man fervently spinning his rosary beads remained. Urrrrgh! The sound of his rosary beads spinning furiously filled the room. But spinning a rosary wasnt going to make me copse suddenly. Wham- And with that, the old man fell too. With everyone except Gujeon and me knocked out, I scanned the office and said, Alright, grab anything valuable. *** After an hour of searching the office, we discovered quite a bit. First, there were documents. ording to these documents, this ce was one of the offices of a cult called Mireukgyo*. A quick nce at the papers revealed that Mireukgyo was a religion iming that a messiah named Mireuk* would soon appear. There were also documents hinting at support from celestial Immortals. In the offices storage, we found boxes full of retort food products. And in the center of the storage, in a shrine sealed with talismans, were the retort food products that had caused all this trouble, reverently enshrined. I packed the retort food products. Then I instructed Gujeon to cook some of them. This office had a kitchen-like area, after all. The men who ate the curry were in the process of being healed with talismans stuck to their eyes. There was a bundle of talismans nearby, so I took those as well. As I gathered the talisman bundle, I asked, Do you know how to use these? Yes, I learned at Cheonji Academy. Judging by the spells written on them, they seem to repel traces of a very great being. Anyway, I think theyll work on my sister. But implying such a great being, what on earth is inside that curry? Anyway, this should be enough to heal Gujeons sister. Alright, have we searched everywhere? No, I havent searched their pockets yet. After searching, I found nothing significant. They didnt even have cell phones. But they had wallets, which I imed as the victors right. Nothing much here. Should I call the headquarters to pick these guys up? Finally, it was time to search the old man who seemed to be the leader. The old man didnt have a cell phone or even a wallet. All he had was a single, worn-out book. The title of the book was in Chinese characters. A quick search revealed the title: The Sutra of Maitreyas Majesty (f). The Sutra of Maitreyas Majesty. I turned to the first page of the book. The next page contained a photo of a girl. To be precise, it was a photo of a girl being worshipped by numerous people. My hand trembled as soon as I saw the photo. No, why? Why is her photo here? Beneath the photo were the words The revered face of Maitreya*. I, I knew this girl. She looked exactly like my younger sister, Harin. So, without realizing it, I said, Ha, Harins photo. Do not utter her revered name carelessly. The old man, who had been lying down, muttered. Then he stirred and got up. Afterward, he shouted in anger, Do not utter her revered name carelessly...! C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: Maitreya: Maitreya is a future Buddha prophesied in Buddhist eschatology. He is believed to be the sessor to the current Buddha, Gautama Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), and will appear on Earth in the future to achieveplete enlightenment and teach the pure Dharma. Maitreya is often depicted as a figure of hope and is associated with theing of a new era of spiritual prosperity. Mireukgyo and Mireuk: Mireukgyo is a Korean religious movement that centers around the worship and belief in Maitreya (Mireuk in Korean), the future Buddha. It emerged in the early 20th century, blending elements of Buddhism, shamanism, and Korean folk religion. Followers of Mireukgyo believe that Maitreya wille to establish a paradise on Earth, bringing peace and prosperity. The religion emphasizes moral living, spiritual cultivation, and preparing for the advent of Maitreya. You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 51: Mireuk Cult (1) Did he just tell me not to say her name? Is he saying an older brother can''t even call his sister by her name? I clenched my fist without hesitation. I drove my fist into the gut of the man who was babbling nonsense. He let out a groan and crumpled to the ground again. Then I turned my gaze back to the photograph. This child, looking down at the people with an indifferent expression. No matter how many times I looked, it was definitely my sister, Yoo Harin. The Harin in the photo looked just like she did in my memories.The same as when she was in the sixth grade, before I left home. That Harin was standing on a tform, receiving bows from a crowd of people. But when did Harin take this picture? When did she go to a ce like this and get worshipped by these people? My mind was a whirlwind of confusion. "Where did you get this photo?" I grabbed the man by the hair and demanded. But he just gave a slight smirk and said nothing. "Gujeon, go get the curry we were cooking." "Yes." While Gujeon went to fetch the curry, I tried to organize my thoughts again. Harin had been known as a very powerful shaman since she was young. A lot of people used toe to see her. After Mom and Grandma passed away, I stopped her from doing those things, but it was possible she had gotten involved with this kind of cult through old connections. I had to find out more. I took a big spoonful of the curry Gujeon had brought me. "Are you going to talk after you eat? Or just talk now?" "Kugh, kill me." "Hearing crap like this from a man is seriously disgusting. Open your mouth." Anyway, there were plenty of guys to question. All the squirming guys here were from the Mireuk Cult. I forced the mans mouth open and shoved the spoon in. "Eat up!!!" "W-wait. That, could it be the Truth of Darkness...?" "This stuff tastes like death!!!" "I-I''ll really die!!! Wait!!!" A man who seemed like their leader started panicking. Good. I set the spoon down slightly and said. "Alright then, talk. When was this photo taken?" "Seven years ago, when Lord Mireuk came to preach, we got permission to take a picture of Her Holiness." "The child you call Mireuk. Is she Yoo Harin?" "Do not speak her name lightly!!!" The man started to throw a fit again. But as soon as I picked up the spoon, he stopped. "Okay. So this girl in the photo is Harin. Then the next question. Why do you call Harin ''Mireuk''?" "Because when she returns, the world will face a great enlightenment." "Great enlightenment? She''ll return?" The manughed at my question. Then he spoke loudly. "Yes. Although she has temporarily left this world, she will descend again and bring true change to this world." Left this world. A phrase usually used when someone has died. I felt my heart turn cold as I murmured. "What was I expecting?" Was I really expecting Harin to be alive? That couldn''t be. If she were alive, she would havee to find me, her only family. And I had seen the photo of her charred corpse in the fire department''s records. There''s no way she could be alive. But what if she is? Even so, the lingering doubts didn''t disappear easily. In a world where superhumans and ghosts exist, there''s a religion worshipping Harin, who was just an ordinary girl. What on earth did they see in Harin to worship her? And what did they know to say she''d return? I was intensely curious about that. So I picked up the spoon again. And, forcing the man''s mouth open, I said, "Spill everything about the Mireuk Cult." I wanted to know more about the Mireuk Cult. To be precise, I wanted to know more about Harin. I wanted to show that this pathetic brother, who couldn''t even see ghosts, still couldn''t let go of his attachment. "Hurry up!!!" And so, I extracted information from the man. The information about the Mireuk Cult was as follows. The Mireuk Cult is a vast secret religion spread across East Asia. The man imed he was just a low-ranking official in the cult and nothing more. There are three ways to join the Mireuk Cult: through family, through enlightenment, and through the third method, which was the most problematic. The man, whining to avoid eating the curry, muttered, "To be a true member of the Mireuk Cult, you must offer a tribute and pass a trial." "Tribute?" "You offer a sacred item rted to Lord Mireuk. Then you earn the right to face the trial." "And what is the trial?" "I don''t know. I''ve only heard that those who pass the trial be the true Arhats of our Mireuk Cult." Arhat. I knew it as a term for an enlightened one. After myst fight with Cheonsu, I had looked it up. In the Mireuk Cult, it seemed Arhat referred to their officials. I nodded and spoke. "So you don''t know anything beyond this, and to learn the true secrets of the Mireuk Cult, you must be an Arhat?" "Yes. If it weren''t for someone like you desecrating this ce, I could have umted enough merit to receive a sacred item soon." "And after receiving the sacred item, you would offer it again?" "Of course." What a lunatic. Well, it''s impossible to understand fanatics. Anyway, if I wanted to learn more about the Mireuk Cult, I had to be an Arhat. "Arhat, huh." At that moment, a voice called out from behind me. Ah, they finally arrived. "Yoo Hajin, we''ve arrived!" The voice belonged to Lee Dok-jun, the director of the Anomaly Response Headquarters, and his subordinate civil servants. I had reported earlier, but I didn''t expect them to arrive so quickly. That''s what you get with efficient civil servants. I waved my hand and looked at them. The civil servants from the Response Headquarters were silently tying up the unconscious Mireuk Cult members with red cable ties. Seeing that, I made ament. "Are cable ties sufficient?" "These are cable ties made by Omega Tech. There''s nothing better for restraining these superpowered cultists." Omega Tech? It was apany Jamsuni asionally mentioned. Looks like they make good stuff. Still, catching the members of the Mireuk Cult is quite an achievement. Is the Mireuk Cult that formidable? Of course. The Mireuk Cult is a force so feared that even Cheonji hesitates to punish them. Despite suspicions that the Mireuk Cult is trying to revive the Dark Heart, Cheonji hesitates. It just shows Cheonji can''t be trusted. What is the Dark Heart? When I asked, Director Lee Dok-jun''s expression hardened. Then he slowly opened his mouth. Its the title of a now-extinct malevolent spirit. Its also known as the Dark Heart. This Mireuk Cult is suspected of trying to resurrect such a spirit. I had heard the term ''malevolent spirit'' before. It''s said to be even stronger than a ghost king or Gwizon. And these lunatics are trying to revive such a terrifying thing? Maybe there was something rted to the Dark Heart in the curry recipe. Judging by what Gujeon''s sister said. Damn it. It really had nothing to do with my spiritual eye after all. What a disappointment. As I grumbled, Director Lee Dok-jun spoke up. Are you alright? What? I''m sorry. Some weak spiritualists can have their minds cracked just by hearing the term ''Dark Heart.'' Of course, I didn''t think that would happen to someone as strong as you. I chuckled and shook my head. All it makes me think of is how it sounds like something from a teenager''s fantasy. Teenager''s fantasy or not, even I am forced to feel a sense of awe at the term ''Dark Heart.'' Director Lee Dok-jun then looked around awkwardly, his gaze stopping at the captured cult members being secured by his subordinates. Are all these your captures? Yes. Most of them got wrecked during the fight, which is a shame. I couldve made a nice profit selling those things. It pained my heart. There werent many intact cult belongings left. Some were destroyed by my punches, and others were broken by the cult members themselves just before I captured them. Only a few remained intact. Still, you managed to keep a couple of high-level ones. How about Fifty for helping with their capture and the remaining items? F-Fifty? My mind went nk. Surely he didnt mean Fifty thousand won? But the stalwart Director Lee Dok-jun took out a check without hesitation. Fifty million won. The rewards given by our Response Headquarters are tax-free. I apologize, as a civil servant, I can''t offer more than the regtions allow... Wha? I was so shocked I nearly fainted. Then Director Lee Dok-jun murmured softly. Is it still too little? F-From today. I stammered. Then I sprang to my feet and shouted. From today, the Response Headquarters and I are one!!! Any attack on the Response Headquarters is an attack on me!!! The Response Headquarters is my light, the Response Headquarters is my joy!!! Seeing me il about, the surrounding civil servants looked at me with moved expressions. As expected of Yoo Hajin. To react like that despite such a small reward. With the civil servants apuse, the Curry Disaster was over. I proudly went home with fifty million won. Of course, we had a meat party that day. Nayu grilled so much meat that she kept muttering, Nayus belly getting round and plump. As I stuffed myself with meat, I could momentarily forget the sorrow of not gaining a spiritual eye. *** And the next day, I received a text from Gujeon. It said his sister was feeling better. It said he was incredibly grateful for my help. It said that if I ever needed assistance, he''d be there without hesitation. A long, rambling text that filled up a thousand characters. I chuckled and replied with a simple, "Take care," then set my phone down. Am I not just the coolest guy? No sooner had I put down my phone than Myang-Myang started rubbing against me. Myang-Myang had been living in my room ever since being rescued from theb. "Myang-Myang!" As I petted Myang-Myang''s fur, I opened the website of the Anomaly Response Headquarters. I immediately searched for information on the Mireuk Cult. Even on the site, there wasn''t much information about the Mireuk Cult. However, the controversy section was filled to the brim, confirming that they were indeed bad news. I scrolled down the page. "The Mireuk Cult''s executive rank: Arhat." As I continued scrolling, I found a description of Arhat. The information on Arhat included the phrase . But I was a top-tier user of this site. There was no information I couldnt ess. Even if it was some colossal tactical nuke. I clicked on the information about Arhat. I scrolled down a bit further. "So much for secrecy." They say it''s a secret, yet I know everything. As expected from the Response Headquarters site. Anyway, the selection for Arhat. I need cash and a sacred item of Mireuk. But I had neither cash nor a sacred item. Missing this chance would mean not being able to learn about the Mireuk Cult for three years. My mind was restless. Then suddenly, a thought struck me. Wait, I do have cash. I thought about the fifty million won I received yesterday. Fifty million won? That''s a huge amount of money. It should be enough. It''s really painful to part with such arge sum, but for the sake of my sister, I have no choice. I can''t let go of my attachment to Harin. Alright, fifty million won. Let''s use it. Ugh. To think I''d have to spend fifty million won so soon. I shouldn''t have had that meat feast yesterday. Suddenly, the empty state of my bank ount caught my eye. Then Myang-Myangforted me. Myang-Myang? Myang-Myang... Suddenly, I felt like meowing along with Myang-Myang. Now, I just needed to find a sacred item of Mireuk. I nced at a corner of my room. There was a box containing things I couldn''t bring myself to throw away. These were Harin''s keepsakes. The house had burned down, leaving very little behind. There were Harin''s school uniform, which she never got to wear, and some underwear and thin shirts I had washed for her. These were the only things left. The uniform was out, as Harin never wore it. But the underwear and shirts were things she wore often. If Harin is Mireuk, then these would be Mireuk''s underwear. Wouldn''t these count as sacred items? I chuckled bitterly and said, An older brother offering his sister''s shirts and underwear. There''s no greater trash than this. I bit my lip in self-loathing. Then I closed the box again. I really have no choice. I paced around the room for a bit, fed Myang-Myang, and then opened the box again. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 52: Mireuk Cult (2) After the day of the spiritual eye awakening, new regions appeared on the map. To be precise, the names of the existing regions had changed. And they had taken on names filled with adolescent grandeur. A river where yang energy gathered and mes soared was now called Geukyangcheon. A valley where yin energy converged and everything froze was now called Geukeumgok. A in where winds blew strong enough to cut through steel was now called Salpungpyeongya. And then there was Jeonryusan, named for its flowing current of the otherworldly. I had arrived at Jeonryusan. Hmm.I got off the electric scooter and examined Jeonryusan. It was just a barren hill with no grass or trees. Far away, something that looked like a mountain lodge stood halfway up the hill. As expected, there was no sign of electricity in Jeonryusan. I had suspected as much when I heard about the otherworldly current. I quickly took off my boots and changed back into sneakers. Then I slowly climbed Jeonryusan. Without trees or grass, there was no risk of getting lost. In about 20 minutes, I reached the mountain lodge. I knocked on the door of the lodge and said, Ivee to offer my tribute. The door creaked open. A young woman stood in the doorway. Wee. You must be a trainee here to offer your tribute and receive the trial. Yes, thats correct. The woman wore a white hanbok and a peculiar mask. Naturally, I felt a bit tense. In these times, a hanbok was a symbol of strength. Its said that all the high-ranking members of powerful ns and sects wear hanboks. In fact, in those ces, you cant wear a hanbok until you reach a certain rank. As I hesitated, the woman spoke up. Would you like to have some tea while you wait for the others to arrive? Yes, tea sounds good. I followed the woman into the lodge. By the way, that mask she was wearing seemed familiar. I couldnt quite ce it. I sat at the table and was served tea. By the way, arriving so early must mean you are quite a formidable trainee. Haha, its nothing special. It really wasnt. I sipped my tea and looked around. The lodge had a Western exterior but an Oriental interior. It reminded me of thest office I visited. I also noticed a beautifully decorated altar. Whats that altar for? Oh, that altar holds a relic of Lord Mireuk. Any sizeable Mireuk cult residence always has at least one relic. A relic of Lord Mireuk. I wondered what kind of relic it could be. I fiddled with the bag I had brought. Fifty million won and Harins clothes. Would this really be enough? I wasnt sure. While I was pondering, the door to the lodge opened. Ugh, the otherworldly current. It stings. I lost three of my men to it. A huge middle-aged man entered. He had a shaved head and his hands and arms were covered in traditional tattoos. Wee, Leader. Yeah, yeah. Oh, whats this? Someone arrived before me? The middle-aged man strode towards me with long strides. With a sly smile, he extended his hand to me. "Nice to meet you. I am the Overlord of Hongdae, known as Makju." I decided to conceal my real name here. I didn''t want to share my true identity with people like him. "Hello. You can just call me Jin." "Jin? Never heard of it." He said this as he naturally took over the sofa. "But seeing as you made it here unscathed, your skills must be solid. Let''s get along. If you ever have dirty or bothersome tasks, feel free to request our Am-Mak." The Leader of Am-Mak. I had heard of him. Am-Mak is the thirdrgest criminal organization based in Seoul, centered around Hongdae. Therefore, the leader of Am-Mak was effectively a boss over the Hongdae Sub-King Cheonsu. To think such a top-tier piece of trash was standing before me. The world is full of surprises. Anyway, having such a notorious scoundrel participating suddenly made my fifty million won feel insignificant. Makju gazed out through therge window at the deste gravel field. Then, he chuckled and remarked, "It''s quite a sight. A forest made entirely of lightning. It would make a great tourist spot if it didn''t sh so much that you can''t see a damn thing." A forest made of lightning. Of course, nothing like that was visible to my eyes. After that, the door opened and new participants entered. Three men and two women. They all carried briefcases and treasure chests. As people gathered and time passed, the masked woman in the hanbok stood up and spoke. "Now that the time hase, we will ept the tributes. Will the first person offering tribute please step forward?" "I''ll go first." The one who stepped forward was none other than Makju. He signaled to his subordinates to open two briefcases. "Ten billion won. This should be sufficient, right?" "Ten billion won." The masked woman in the hanbok trailed off. This made Makju''s expression turn sour. "We appreciate your generous offering. Now, what about the relic?" At another signal from Makju, a white box was opened. "It''s the relic of the great prophet Ju-Hol, who predicted theing of Mireuk 500 years ago." "The relic of Ju-Hol. Is there a way to verify this?" "Do you not trust me? I am the leader of Am-Mak. Do you think I''d disgrace myself by bringing a fake?" Hearing this, the masked woman in the hanbok bowed. "No, but it is certainly a powerful relic. Although it''s a bit disappointing, we will ept this item." So even ten billion won plus a relic was barely enough. I started to consider if I should just run away. The next person to step forward was a swaggering man. From head to toe, he was dressed to show off his wealth. He spoke with a mocking tone, not hiding his disdain. "Makju, calling yourself an Overlord with just ten billion? Aren''t you being a bit stingy?" "Shut up. If it weren''t for having to clean up after Cheonsu..." The swaggering man snapped his fingers. Immediately, four briefcases behind him opened simultaneously. "Twenty billion won. Is this enough to satisfy the Mireuk Cult?" "Thank you for your generous offering." The woman in the hanbok bowed her head immediately. This was valuable information. Twenty billion won was enough to satisfy the Mireuk Cult! Damn. "Next, it''s time to present your relic. Please, step forward." From behind the man, a treasure chest-like box was brought forward. The man spoke proudly. "It''s an ancient manuscript of the Mireuk Sutra. Its at least a thousand years old." "Oh." The masked woman in the hanbok looked visibly pleased. She bowed her head and said, "Thank you for your offering." "Don''t mention it." The subsequent cash and items were no joke either. Amounts like twenty billion, fifteen billion, and thirty billion were tossed around like game money. The items included ancient Mireuk statues (SR), secret celestial reports on Mireuk (SSR), and more. Of course, there was one item I couldn''t quite understand. "This is a photograph of Lord Mireuks visage." With that, the woman handed a photo to the hanbok woman. Upon seeing the photo, the hanbok woman trembled and said, "This... this is a photo we''ve never had in our collection. A photo of Lord Mireuk gazing indifferently at the river. It is such a majestic picture." What kind of photo would elicit such a reaction? What is it? What kind of photo is it? Is it really a photo of Harin? I have so many photos of Harin. My mother loved taking pictures, so we have a lot of photos of Harin from when she was young. After my mother passed away, I took many photos myself. If I had known, I would have brought some photos of Harin. But is that really a photo of Harin? The man I met in the officest time also had a photo of Harin. "Such a precious relic. Thank you very much, Sister." "You''re wee, Sister." I was bursting with curiosity but couldn''t see the photo. Because it was my turn next. I awkwardly stood up and handed over five checks from my inner pocket. The masked woman in the hanbok tilted her head as she epted the checks. "Fifty million won." "Fifty million won? Just that?" The masked womans confusion was palpable even from where I stood. Before she could recover, I spoke up. Shall we move on to the relics? I opened my bag and took out Harins clothes. To be precise, it was her underwear. Damn, I never imagined Id do something like this in my life. The first item I introduced was this: A slightly stretched white shirt. These were clothes Harin wore at home. These are the clothes that Lord Mireuk wore more frequently than any other. What? What? Hold on. This is... Was it confusion or disbelief? The woman in the hanbok started trembling. Even the two heads of the criminal organizations, who seemed to sincerely believe in the Mireuk Cult, were shaking. Did they think it was an insult? Before things got worse, I had to exin the next item. Harins character underwear. Damn. I had to exin this with my own hands. These are underwear with characters from a cartoon that Lord Mireuk liked. She wore these frequently too. My sister, Yoo Harin, was indifferent to everything. She didnt particrly like anything except ying with me. Not toys, not TV. But sometimes, when I waste, she would watch a certain children''s cartoon. She would stare at the screen with her usual nk expression. Honestly, I found it cute. So when the time came to buy her underwear, I bought ones with characters from that cartoon. And then Harin took my hand and said, Thank you, Oppa. Really. It was quite a reaction for a kid who usually showed no emotion. It surprised me a bit. Anyway, these were underwear with those memories. It might sound strange, but they were quite precious to me. So please dont misunderstand me as a pervert. If you want to insult me, just call me trash. I really have no choice right now. If I can just confirm that Harin is alive, Id dly be trash ten times over. With these embarrassing thoughts in mind, I nced around. What I saw were people bowing to Harins panties. From the masked woman to several crime bosses, they were all bowing to Harins underwear. This, this, such a sacred, such a holy relic. Ugh, its good to be alive. So noble. So moving. To have this reaction to a girls underwear. And they were my sisters panties, no less. Damn, its utterly repulsive. And it seemed the Overlord of Hongdae, Makju, felt the same. Makju spoke up with a look of disbelief. Unbelievable. Bowing to a kids underwear? What a bunch of perverts... Wow, hes really speaking my mind. I was just about to say the same thing. But... At that moment, the masked womans hand shot into Makjus mouth. And without hesitation, she yanked out his tongue. Who did you dare call a kid? Mireuk? The masked woman in the hanbok spoke in a low voice. Everyone except me bowed their heads, clearly fearing her. Did you think you were anything more than an insect just because you opened the Ghost Gate? Ill ask again. Who did you dare call a kid, Makju? C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 53: Mireuk Cult (3) The masked woman had seized control of the situation, holding the tongue of Makju. Yet, Makju was smiling. Sensing something, the masked woman took a few steps back and assumed a defensive stance. In response, Makju nonchntly dusted off his suit and spoke. To describe someone as an insect and that sudden surge of emotion... Makju slowly approached the masked woman. However, she continued to retreat. Ive figured out who you are. And I can guess what kind of existence your master is. Wow, your Mireuk Cult is truly a crazy organization. How can you be like this? What is the identity of that masked woman? And why is Mireuk Cult a crazy organization? Despite the curiosity, Makju didnt provide any answers. If I cared about my pride, Id tear you to pieces right now, but I dont want to antagonize your master. Lucky you, to have such a good master. Answer a few questions, and Ill spare your life.The masked woman nodded in agreement. Why did you suspect the thing I brought but not those panties? When blessed by the Great Mireuk, one can recognize traces of her presence. Then why did you ignore me and contact Cheonsu? Hearing this, the masked woman in a hanbok bowed her head. Cheonsu initiated contact with us first. Oh, really? Thepdog was wagging its tail, wanting to bite the master, so you gave it treats to bite harder. So, shouldnt you be questioning why I provided the treats? We had no intention of antagonizing Am-Mak. Upon hearing this, Makjuughed again. It was augh flowing in a low tone. Do you think Im a pushover, huh? When the masked woman didnt respond, Makju looked disappointed. Sensing something, the masked woman suddenly started trembling. Ah, this is messed up. Originally, I was going to pretend to be a pushover to figure out who your leader is. But if youre this scared, you wont even make me a pushover, let alone an Arahan. Right? Makju shook his head and looked at me. Then he spoke to me. Your name is Jin, right? Yes. Why? Youre quite impressive. At your age, I wouldnt have reached half your level. Youre aiming to be an Arahan, arent you? Whats this talk about levels all of a sudden? I dont even know exactly how the levels of spiritual power are divided. But since it was true that I wanted to be an Arahan, I nodded. I heard that if you be an Arahan, you can meet the leader of the Mireuk Cult to receive a blessing. If you find out who the leader is, Ill open the ckout curtain for you once. Youre saying youd open the curtain just once? Haha. You think thats all? Youre quite something. Im really intrigued now. What does it mean to open the curtain once? But Makju didnt answer that. Anyway, think it over. With that, Makju slipped into the darkness of the hallway. Seconds passed. It had already been a long time since Makjus presence disappeared. After he vanished, I slowly looked around. The situation was dire. Most people were trembling and foaming at the mouth. Whats this? Ah, thats why Makju was talking about levels. The others were either unconscious or pushed back, but I was just standing still. Is this something like Conquerors Haki? Just as my delusions about Makju using supreme intimidation grew, a few staggering individuals began to regain their senses and speak up. Makju, so he was actually the Supreme Leader of the Evil Sect. They said Am-Mak is an elite group, but he was way beyond just being the third-ranking member of the Evil Sect. This isparable to the old Kirieon days. Judging by their reactions, Makju seemed to be an incredibly powerful figure. To me, he just looked like a bald guy with tattoos. At that moment, a white hand reached for my sisters underwear. I grabbed that hand in horror. Are you crazy right now? What? This is a holy relic for offering. The only thing Im offering is this shirt. No matter how I thought about it, I couldnt hand over my sisters panties to this crazy Lolita-worshipping cult. I put on a stern face and spoke with authority. Got a problem with that? You who are being pushed around by just Makjus power. Ugh. Even though I couldnt see her face, I could tell. The masked woman was obviously unhappy. But she was paralyzed, thinking I was some kind of strong figure. In the end, the masked woman, subdued by my bluff, carefully ced the shirt into a holy relic box. Meanwhile, she kept ncing at the panties in my hand. Damn, when I leave here, Im taking that shirt with me. I cant leave anything rted to my sister with these perverts. The masked woman kept looking at my hand with regret and then slowly spoke. There was a bit of amotion. We will now start the trial. As the masked woman formed a seal, the floor opened up, revealing stairs leading down. Judging by the size of the stairs, the underground facility must be quiterge. Please proceed to the trial site. We followed the masked woman down the stairs. While descending, she continued to speak. There are various types of trials. If you pass the most difficult trial, you can meet the leader of our sect and receive a blessing immediately. Meet the leader? Yes. Today, if you pass the trial. Who is the leader of the Mireuk Cult? Obviously, its Mireuk. And judging by these peoples reactions, Mireuk must be Harin. My heart started to race. Harin, are you really alive? My hands trembled, but I controlled myself with extreme patience. As I had guessed, the underground facility beneath the lodge was enormous. It looked like a grand underground church. The masked woman stood at the entrance, exining the facility. There are five main types of trials. The first trial, the trial of hunger and thirst, requires you to survive 30 days without eating anything. Its the easiest trial, but the blessing and truth you receive are lower. I see. The easiest trial is surviving 30 days without food. Basically, theyre saying youll die. The other trials were just as ridiculous. Surviving a week without showing any lust in a room full of prostitutes, reading the entire secret version of the Mireuk Scriptures in one day and memorizing it perfectly, and so on. All impossible tasks for me. So, I cautiously asked. What happens if I fail the trial? You wont fail the trial. Everyone here has already proven their eligibility to be an Arahan in the material and spiritual worlds through their wealth and relics. The masked woman let out a sinisterugh. But I must inform you that if you fail the trial, you wont leave here alive. The masked woman in a hanbok continued speaking. Let me exin the final trial. Thest trial tests your knowledge about the Great Mireuk who hase in this era. Its the most difficult and important trial. If you pass this trial, you will rise to the highest rank among the Arahans and immediately meet our leader. Knowledge about the Great Mireuk? Yes. You must answer questions about her likes, dislikes, and even her birthday. Harins birthday? Harins likes and dislikes? Who am I? Harins brother. This trial is practically made for me. Then the masked woman said, Now, please choose your trial. Everyone present chose different trials. Of course, I chose the quiz trial. Others gave me strange looks. Even those who be Arahans often die trying to take that test to be high-ranking Arahans. Knowledge about the Great Mireuk? They say its all top-secret information. Hes the man who withstood Makjus presence, he must have a n. I didnt have much of a n. I just got nervous because they were all murmuring suddenly. What if they ask about Mireuks powers or something? What if they ask about Mireuks faith from a thousand years ago? If that happens, I have no choice. Ill just have to run away. I clutched the ck Sheath hidden in my pocket and walked to the trial site. *** And so, the Mireuk quiz began. It was a simple format where a question would appear on a giant screen and I would speak my answer. It was just like a quiz show, minus the cameras. Fortunately, the questions were as I had expected. They were all about Harin. Like this: Third question: What is the Great Mireuks favorite food? Harins favorite food? This was an easy question. One time, I made cheese kimchi pancakes for dinner after finding the recipe in a book. Harin ate it and simply said, Delicious. She would eat things like chicken or jokbal without a word, but this time she reacted differently, which surprised me a bit. So, whenever Harin seemed upset, I would make cheese kimchi pancakes to cheer her up. She would eat it with a nk face, even burning her tongue a bit, which was so cute. Thinking of those times, I answered, Cheese kimchi pancakes. Correct. The Mireuk Cult followers behind me went wild. They were the ones managing this facility. Quick, write it down! The Great Mireuks favorite food is cheese kimchi pancakes. From today, Ill be the best cheese kimchi pancake chef. From now on, cheese kimchi pancakes are divine food. No objections. These people are truly insane. I was speechless as I waited for the next question. Fourth question: What kind of weather did the Great Mireuk like the most? Harins favorite weather. I wasnt quite sure. No, actually, I think I knew. I often engaged in outdoor activities, so whenever it rained, I woulde home early. That day, it was pouring, and I returned home earlier than expected. How long had she been waiting for me? Harin, waiting by the door, handed me a towel. As I dried my hair with it, I said, Rain is so annoying. Its the rainy season now, so I cant y outside. I like the rain. Why? Its humid, and getting wet is annoying. But Harin didnt answer. Why did she like the rain? Only now do I think I understand. When it rained, I mostly stayed home. With a bitter feeling, I gave my answer. Rainy weather. Correct. And the next question began. Fifth question: What time of day did the Great Mireuk dislike the most? The time he disliked the most? I closed my eyes and thought. What time did Harin dislike the most? When did it start? Harin seemed to particrly dislike school time. Especially when the bus separated for elementary and middle school. There was even a time like this. On the morning I was leaving for a school trip, Harin grabbed my sleeve as I was about to get off. I still cant forget the image of her expressionless face pulling on my sleeve. Morning school time. Correct. I kept answering correctly. Then the twelfth question began. Twelfth question: What did the Great Mireuk love the most? Who did Harin love the most? Mom? Grandma? Or an imaginary boyfriend? Yoo Hajin, you idiot. You already know the answer. Feeling a slight pang in my heart, I gave my answer. Her older brother. Correct. And the questions didnt continue. The voice that was asking the questions spoke something else instead. Why did the person who knows that abandon his younger sister? C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 54: The Mireuk Cult (4) Why did the person who knows that abandon his younger sister? Hearing those words, I couldn''t help but flinch. No, I never meant to abandon her. I just didnt want her to be like our mother. I never once wanted Harin to end up like that. I closed my eyes and bit my lip. Now wasnt the time to get caught up in such questions. Who are you? Haha. Guess. A mocking voice reached my ears. Hearing it filled my heart with a dark crimson me.Sure, I dont know who you are. But to use my sister to create this kind of cult? I dont care if its dangerous. Here and now, I have no choice but to fight. No, it doesnt matter who you are. I gripped the ck Sheath. I will make sure to crush you. As soon as the words left my mouth, I struck down the fanatic in the room. With a sincere blow from my ck Sheath, no one could withstand more than two hits. The mocking voice grew silent. A masked woman rushed in amidst the screams of the believers, but she couldnt match me. She tried to unleash some kind of power, firing something like a dagger, but it was too slow and predictable. I struck her abdomen, making her vomit, then held the ck Sheath to her neck. It wasn''t a sword, but it looked like one, perfect for intimidation. Is Harin alive? Do you want to get beaten up before you talk, or will you just talk? Cough, cough. Impossible. You, a mere human, challenging one who sits on the throne? What nonsense. Do you think I cant kill you? The masked woman whimpered. Ugh. Then kill me. Then die. I raised the ck Sheath high. Lets stop there. What pleasure is there in tormenting weak children? A voice spoke from behind. It wasnt from a speaker; it was a real person in this room. I turned around. There stood the one I knew. So, you were the owner of the voice from the speaker. The strange guy who used to serve my sister. It was Joo-cheol, whom I had always wanted to beat up. So, it was you, Joo-cheol. Long time no see. As soon as Joo-cheol appeared, something strange happened. Every person I hadnt beaten yet started crying, mming their foreheads to the floor at a speed that seemed to shatter their skulls. We bow to the noble one!!! Kill me, kill me, kill me, kill me. Even the ones I had knocked out got up and started banging their heads on the floor. We revere the noble one!!! It hurts, save me, my brain is merging. They continued to bow until their heads werepletely smashed, creating a grotesque scene. Watching them, I muttered to myself. "The Noble One? Are you the Noble One?" "Yes, in fact, I am also called the ''Noble One of Harmony.'' But I prefer the name Joo-cheol, which was given to me by the Master. Please continue to call me Joo-cheol." I had heard of it before. The Noble One. It referred to the strongest demon in the world. Could Joo-cheol really be that Noble One? "How can I believe what I see with my own eyes?" "The Demon King and the Noble One train their vitality, creating physical forms. Therefore, starting from the Demon King, they can imitate humans. Like this." Joo-cheol grinned widely, showing his teeth. They looked just like human teeth. "Really? Knowing you''re not human makes me feel relieved." As I listened to Joo-cheol''s nonsense, I tensed my muscles. Whether Joo-cheol was the Noble One or not didnt matter. What mattered was that Joo-cheol was showing the typical arrogance of a high-level psychic. My n was simple. Beat the crap out of Joo-cheol to find out Harin''s whereabouts. And if Joo-cheol really was the Noble One, then I would exterminate him right here today. "If you''re not human, then I can beat you to death without any qualms." "Killing me, you say. That''s an exciting proposition. Come to think of it, the only one who ever pushed me to the brink of death was the former Heavenly Demon." Joo-cheol smiled that unpleasant smile again. Then he continued to speak. "But you are weaker. Thus, in this era, there is no being stronger than the Noble One. By the words of children, I am the final boss, and by the words of the old ones, I am the end of the world. Even the so-called strongest of humanity, the Three-Honered One or the Saint, is no match for the Noble One..." As soon as his words grew lengthy, I charged. Just as I was about to reach Joo-cheol in an instant, a concrete pir rose up to encase me. "Did you think I wouldn''t know how to deal with a Demon King? The Demon King is a physical..." Bullshit. Joo-cheol, you know nothing about me. He doesn''t know how strong I am. My fists can crumble through such a thin concrete wall in an instant. Seeing this, Joo-cheol muttered. "This is insane." When my fist shattered the concrete wall, Joo-cheol''s face twisted. "The Heavenly Child of Mara, having such physical power is impossible-!" Joo-cheol couldn''t finish his sentence. Because my fist was already nted in his face. "Talk! Talk!! You bastard!!! What happened to Harin!!!" Say she''s alive. Say she''s alive. Say she''s alive!!! She was strong enough to drive people insane just by appearing. A psychic that strong wouldnt die just because her house burned down!!! Tell me my sister is alive!!! I stopped my punches to hear his answer. Then Joo-cheol, now covered in blood,ughed. His nose was broken, and his lips were split, yet heughed. "Ah, it hurts. Feeling pain for the first time in 500 years. Like the former Heavenly Demon, why are Heavenly Demons such troublesome beings?" "Tell me before I beat you more. What happened to Harin?" "The Master has passed away." "Don''t lie to me." I staggered involuntarily. Why, why am I so shaken? In the end, I had no choice but to acknowledge it. That bastard surely knew a side of Harin that I didn''t. After all, I was someone who couldnt see ghosts. But that guy was someone who saw ghosts like Harin did. Someone who knew Harin in the ghost world. Someone who had a foot in that bullshit spirit realm. But if even he said Harin was dead Then it meant Harin really was dead. That day, alone, abandoned by her brother, Suffering the excruciating pain of her body burning, If that was the truth, then she really had gone through such agony. That kind of truth is really, Really hard to ept. I cant ept that truth. While I staggered, Joo-cheol muttered something. "A bodyparable to the strongest tiger among all beings. And Mara possessing such a body. It''s a very dangerousbination." Whatever Joo-cheol was saying didnt register in my ears. All I could do was hold back my tears. "Whew, if only the Master didn''t care about you, I would destroy you right now." While I was in turmoil, Joo-cheol had already begun forming seals with his hands. "Principle Activation. Merge." In an instant, cracks spread throughout this massive underground sanctuary. No, the entire underground sanctuary was moving. "Stay quiet until the day the Master returns." What? Until the day the Master returns? Does that mean Harin is somewhere else right now? At that moment, the ground itself lifted. No, the whole world was being lifted. I looked down. Below, a vast open space had appeared. As far as I knew, there used to be a mountain called Jeonryusan down there. And that mountain was now disintegrating, surrounding Joo-cheol and me. It was an overwhelming power, one that could only be described as god-like. I spoke through gritted teeth. "Are you some kind of god?" "I have destroyed many gods of various myths. But I couldn''tpletely eradicate the god known as Mara Papias. Persistent." Suddenly, the ground seemed to shrink. It meant we were now over 100 meters high. In just one minute, he pulled off this monstrous feat after forming those hand seals. How can I possibly defeat such a monster? Damn it. This was a hopeless fight from the start. What are you going to do with me? I n to merge all of this into one and seal it. Ill infuse it with vital energy directly, so you dont need to worry about dying. But I didnt want to submit to such a monster. The frustration I felt at the Pyeon Station, the DMZ, and the researchb began to resurface. Yet, I had no viable method right now. I had no way to attack Joo-cheol, who was floating in the sky. He changed thendscape with a single technique. The scale of his abilities was different. I hid my tension and spoke. When this merges into one, itll be a giant rock. What will you do with that rock? Itll be a newndmark for this country, I suppose? Or not. If this much mass falls from this height, the surrounding tens of kilometers will be devastated. Joo-cheol spoke in a cold tone. It was truly the voice of a monster. But this is my true nature. He looked at me and continued. We were nothing more than the fierce wind blowing until the end of an era. Just a scorching wildfire and a surging giant wave. Until the Master gave us our names, we were merely a storm washing away corruption. Joo-cheols expression was inhuman as he spoke. This massacre is just another one of those. The merging stones then obscured my view. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 55: Mireuk Cult (5) The converging stones obstructed my view. As the space darkened, I bit my lip. Once Jeonryusan Mountain and its surroundings merge into one, it will weigh at least tens of millions of tons. If something that heavy falls from this altitude... It would be a situation worse than a nuclear bomb explosion. At the very least, the cities near Jeonryusan would be vaporized. Hundreds of thousands of deaths. I couldnt hesitate. ck Sheath. Please. I ced the ck Sheath against the stone encasing me. ording to my estimation, the ck Sheath nullifies physical phenomena created by spiritual power. But despite bringing the ck Sheath close, the stone didnt move.At that moment, a memory surfaced. It was a memory of scolding Harin long ago. Harin kept hurting herself, so I had scolded her. Harin, why are you hurting yourself like this? Seriously, lets go to the hospital with me. I need the blood. Dont worry too much, brother. Harin, with her characteristic nk expression, brought a brush to her wound. Do you know why blood is red? Why? Because blood is life. Life is yang energy, which is why its red. Then she brought the blood-stained brush to the bell. Even the blood of an ordinary person contains yang energy. This is the easiest and most convenient way to strengthen the bell. Upon hearing that, I immediately snatched the bell from Harin. She jumped around expressionlessly, asking me to give it back, but I didnt return it. But why is this memory resurfacing now? I looked down at the ck Sheath I was holding. Right, the ck Sheath is also a spiritual tool. It was said to be the tool of Heavenly Demon, the spirit of fire. So it meant it strengthened by consuming my blood. Without hesitation, I bit my thumb and drew blood. Then I brought the blood to the ck Sheath. Praying for a miracle, I rubbed the blood on the ck Sheath. Please. But there was no reaction from the ck Sheath. The reaction came from my eyes. I saw something strange. It looked like a blurry hologram. This didnt seem like spiritual power, but rather some advanced technology. The hologram spoke. The blurry hologram moved. It looked like a ck ghost. Then light emanated from the ck Sheath. It resembled the light of a movie screen. The light from the ck Sheath rapidly showed what had just happened and then disappeared. Thats not the important thing right now. The hologram spoke. Lend you my body? Rumble- Rumble- The sound of stones merging grew louder. If it can stop this massacre, fine. The hologram gradually faded away. And I felt a sudden wave of drowsiness. **** Yoo Hajin spoke with a nk expression. Descendant, remember this dream well. To be precise, it was Yoo Hajins body that spoke. His consciousness was half-asleep at the moment. We, the Heavenly Demon, are beings with souls. There is a part of the teaching that connects with cultivating the soul. Steal and learn that teaching. At this level, I can at least borrow a part of the body. The right eye, the right hand, no, the right leg will be good. Yoo Hajins body moved. To be precise, his right foot was raised high. Even in his half-asleep state, Yoo Hajin felt blood rush to his foot. With my step, all things will be freed from enlightenment. And then the right foot stepped down on the ground. Heavenly Descent. Heavenly Demon Liberation Step. At that moment, the stones that wouldnt crumble under the ck Sheath copsed and began to fall to the ground. This is the leg of the Heavenly Demon, the Right Leg. By stepping on the ground, I dere this area as Maras domain. Thus, for just a moment, I neutralize all spiritual powers in the entire area. The ck Sheath can only restore connected objects. The Unified Demon Lord likely maintained a vacuum between the stones encasing you and the outer stones. Seems they havent forgotten what happened with me long ago. At that moment, Yoo Hajins body staggered. Is time up already? Descendant, I have a shameless request from this defeated master. Yoo Hajins body spoke. His voice sounded desperate. Prevent the day when enlightenment rains down like a storm. All the stones began to free-fall. Released from the ominous power of spiritual abilities, the stones surrendered themselves back to gravity. And Yoo Hajin was no exception. Yoo Hajins body spoke. And you, escape from this cruel fate of Mara. With those words, Yoo Hajin shook his head. He had regained his consciousness. Damn it!!! The first thing he saw was the ground rushing up to meet him. **** As soon as I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the ground rushing towards me. Instinctively, I executed a fall-breaking technique before my head hit the ground, barely managing to save my life. Boom Boom Boom I looked around. Fortunately, I finished this task before Jeonryusan (or what was left of it) fully lifted, so the surrounding area was still intact. Wheres Joo-cheol? I nced around. At that moment, instead of Joo-cheol, I spotted the masked woman. I watched as the masked woman wriggled, trying to crawl away. She looked severely injured. You said youre not human, right? Ugh, my masters power merges souls into one. Even Im in this state, so how could anyone survive this unscathed? So Joo-cheol didnt just merge Jeonryusan into one. He merelybined the souls, and Jeonryusan came along for the ride? Hes truly a monster. Can I really beat him? No, thats not whats important right now. I looked down at the masked woman. Since shes not human, it doesnt matter how I treat her. I stepped on her to keep her from moving. Then I pointed the ck Sheath at her and spoke. Hey, wheres your master? I-I dont know. But there was no need to ask her further. Joo-cheol appeared in the sky. Youve been tormenting that girl since earlier, havent you? You really care for this woman, dont you? Shes quite a talented one. But to think you could use the Right Leg. It seems I cant subdue you right now. Joo-cheol gazed into the distant sky. Though my subordinates are carrying out a diversion, soon the Celestial beings of Cheonji will gather. It would be troublesome for both of us. Lets withdraw for now. Ah, thats good. Then just answer three questions and Ill let you go. And make a vow, of course. After sighing, Joo-cheol spoke. As the ruler of allbinations, I vow to speak only the truth. Upon hearing his vow, I immediately asked. Where is Harin right now? I had heard it clearly from this guy . Stay quiet until the master returns. That meant Harin was currently elsewhere. The master is beyond the Great Demon Gate. The Great Demon Gate? Its also known as the Gate of Spiritual Awakening. The barrier seems to be breaking, so quickly ask your next question. So I immediately asked the next question. Where is the Great Demon Gate? Cheonji constantly changes its location, so even I dont know. Is saying you dont know all you have to say? I have only answered truthfully. Quickly, ask yourst question. Annoying bastard. I shouldve hit him harder when I had the chance. It pisses me off that he already healed the wounds I inflicted earlier. Then how do I ess the Great Demon Gate? You need permission from Baekdu, themand tower of Cheonji. But since the Great Demon Gate is the most sacred ce Cheonji holds dear, even celestial beings are not allowed to approach it. Youll need another way. With that, my questions were over. But I had no intention of letting the masked woman go... Shes gone? The masked woman had disappeared without a trace. Seeing this, Joo-cheol spoke. Youre too naive, Heavenly Demon. Dont trust vows too much. The highest-ranking experts break their vows and just endure any divine punishment. What use is divine punishment from mere Heaven? What are you talking about? Are you saying you lied? Damn it, cant even trust vows? I clenched my fists tightly and red at Joo-cheol. He shook his head as if he had no choice. No, if you die believing in vows, our master would be saddened. Thats why Im telling you this. Joo-cheol was rising high into the sky, disappearing. As he vanished, he spoke in a sorrowful voice. Are you walking the fate of Mara after all? Something our master tried so hard to prevent. He left onest word as hepletely disappeared. If it would end like this, I should have revealed everything about this world from the start. As soon as Joo-cheol disappeared, I ran. Being caught by the celestials would cause many problems for me too. I ran and ran until I escaped into the city. **** Having escaped, I entered arge bookstore. Once inside, I was almost drawn to the section on spiritual powers. The book titles were like this: Harin had always told me not to delve into spiritual powers. I had lived by thatmand faithfully. But why? Why do I feel so betrayed by those words now, standing here? I cannot see spirits. Harin, if you knew what kind of being I was, shouldnt you have exined a bit more? Why didnt you tell me about your life and whereabouts? Why did you tell Joo-cheol instead of me? Im your family. You bad girl. In the end, I picked up the book. From now on, Im going to ignore everything Yoo Harin said. Ill learn everything about spiritual powers, shamans, and whatever else. And though I dont know what realm means, Ill work hard to advance in it too. To face a monster like Joo-cheol, I have no choice. And Ill also have to deal with Cheonji. Ill be strong and aim for the Great Demon Gate. Then Ill find Harin and give her a stern scolding. A spank on the butt that only Jamsuni has tasted. Iming to find you, Yoo Harin. I clenched my fists and chose two books. Its hard to find information on spiritual powers on the inte. Its as if the inte holds a grudge against spiritual powers, often leaving out crucial information. So this is a rational purchase. I brought these two books to the cashier. Ill start training hard with these two books. Both books together cost 42,000 won, sir. Is there any chance for a discount? Are you crazy, sir? Of course not. Of course, Ill also need to earn some money. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 56: Above You, Below Me (1) After reading both books, I thought, This is no joke. These two books were meant to teach the basics of psychic abilities. Yet, they were still difficult for me. The basics of psychic abilities are divided into three stages. These are referred to as stages of awakening. The first stage is called independent awareness. It is the stage of self-realization where one bes aware of their abilities without any guidance. Currently, I am at this independent awareness stage. I am aware of my abilities. Now, I just need to move on to the next stage. The second stage is called Enlightenment. It is the stage where one can sense the yin and yang energies in the world. Once you can sense these energies, you can move on to the next stage. The third stage is called Right Enlightenment. It is the stage where, having understood ones abilities and the yin and yang energies of the world, one can use these energies to utilize their abilities. When one can freely activate their abilities, they are said to have achieved Right Enlightenment. From this point, one can talk about principles of activation and spiritual resonance.Only those who achieve Right Enlightenment are treated as true psychics. Those who dont are merely ordinary people with awakened spiritual sight. There are many such ordinary people. This is tough. Right now, I am stuck at the second stage, Enlightenment. Yin and yang energy? What is that? Is it something you eat? I remembered that a stone known as Extreme Yin was in my room. I had taken it from the researchb raidst time. It was stashed away in a corner along with a sealed box. It was a strange stone that felt cold to the touch. At that moment, I heard Nayus voice from the right. Nayu Stretch Stretch. Youre tall enough already. Why are you doing these stretches? Go away! Nayu Stretch Stretch! On my monitor, a stretching exercise was ying. To get past the Enlightenment stage, I needed to feel the energy, and it was said that these stretching exercises were good for children at this stage. They were also said to help children grow taller. Could stretching really help with height? Amazing. Hajin Stretch Stretch! Im determined not to lose! Ugh, stop! So, the three of us did three sets of the stretching exercises. As a result, Jamsuni didnt grow even a centimeter, and, of course, I couldnt feel anything either. Is it really right to do childrens exercises for hours like this? In a moment of disillusionment, I turned off the monitor. Nayu seemed disappointed, but I had no choice but to say, As expected, this isnt it. I feel the same way. I guess Ill just have another ss of milk. How on earth am I supposed to feel the yin and yang energies? Yin and yang energy. Yin Qigong, yang Qigong, yin-yang Qigong. Kirieon. Oh, right. The Qigong sect and Kirieon specialize in yin and yang energy. I hurriedly pressed my smartphone. Are there any cheap Qigong schools nearby? In the past, Taekwondo schools were popr; now its Qigong schools that are in vogue. These Qigong schools are found in every corner of the country. Wouldnt training at one of these Qigong schools help me understand yin and yang energy faster? I quickly pressed my smartphone. Luckily, there was a Qigong school nearby. I memorized the location of the Qigong school. *** A month passed like that. For a month, I worked hard topensate for the scooter I wrecked at Mountain and to save up for the registration fee at the Qigong school. Is it here? With the money I had saved, I knocked on the door of the Qigong school. When the door opened, a woman who looked like an instructor greeted me. Ah, hello. What brings you here? Um, Im here to join the adult ss. The adult ss? Ah, we do have an adult ss. Our former master was quite remarkable, so there are people who have been attending since then. Former master? Then, who is the current master? The woman who looked like an instructor lowered her head. Well, Im the current master. Nice to meet you. My name is Lee Jin-yu. Master Lee Jin-yu looked to be in herte twenties. She had a gentle and charming appearance. However, as befitting a Qigong practitioner, there were times when her solid physique showed under her uniform. Shall we check your level? How much can you focus your energy? How much yin and yang energy can you sense? Um, well. I scratched my head and replied. I cant feel it at all. What? Really? Well, thats possible. Then you came to the right ce. Ill teach you the basics step by step. Led by Master Lee Jin-yu, I paid the registration fee and received my uniform. Training began the very next day. Master Lee Jin-yu handed me two small stones and said, Here, hold these stones. I held the two stones. Naturally, I felt nothing. Which stone feels hotter? Um, well. I cautiously replied, I cant feel anything. Its okay. Many adults cant feel this level of yin-yang energy. How about this one? Master Lee Jin-yu handed me another stone. Of course, I felt nothing from that stone either. This one too. How about this one? This one too. I cant feel anything. Master Lee Jin-yu brought out yet another stone. Ouch, hot. This one? I still cant feel anything. Master Jin-yu and I were both feeling dejected. What is this energy, really? I just cant understand it. Then Master Jin-yu, her voice trembling, said, Its, its okay. The important thing is your determination. An unyielding spirit! No matter how insensitive you are to yin and yang, Ill bring stones you can feel. For now, shall we start with the basics of Qigong? And so, we began learning the basics of Qigong. The basics involved movements designed to help you sense energy more easily. Ideally, you would hold two stones and feel the heat and cold while performing this dance. They said this would help you realize yin and yang. When I tried it, it looked a lot like the dance that Kirieon used to perform. Wow, you have a knack for moving your body. Thispletes Qigong Chapter 3. Phew. Thank you for your efforts. No, Hajin, you did a great job. With that, the ss ended. For a month, the sses went on simrly. Master Jin-yu would bring stones with strong yin and yang, I wouldnt feel anything, I learned up to Qigong Chapter 20, and I even watched Master Jin-yus yang qigong dance. I also learned about the ranking system of the qigong sect. Kirieon was counted as the first generation, her disciples were the second, and their disciples were the third, and so on. This hierarchy was absolute in the qigong sect. Those who rebelled against it formed the top-ranked qigong faction. Who would have known there was such a backstory? Honestly, it was quite interesting. Time passed by roughly like that. I believed today would pass just the same. But today was different. There was an uninvited guest at this small dojo. Hello Hey, Jin-yu. You havent forgotten the hierarchical order of our qigong sect, have you? I have never forgotten, Sir. When I entered the dojo, Master Jin-yu was bowing her head. And it was in front of a man. The man was also wearing the qigong sects uniform, indicating he was part of the sect. Yet you ignore the words of someone two ranks higher than you? Whack As the man kicked Master Jin-yu in the stomach, I didnt hesitate to step in andnd a punch on that bastards face. At that moment, Master Jin-yu quickly stood up and stopped me. Its okay, Hajin. This is an internal matter of our qigong sect. But The discipline in the qigong sect is quite strict. Ive heard about it before. The discipline in the qigong sect is notoriously harsh. Thats why they say more than ten peoplemit suicide every year. Master Jin-yu gave a sad smile before standing at attention again in front of the man. The man smirked at her stance and then delivered a strong punch to her abdomen. . My hands trembled. Should I just stand by and watch this? Hey, Jin-yu. This is a really good offer for you. Master Kim Dogun is someone who has trained under a disciple of someone who has seen the founder from afar. Hes a 13th-generation master! You dont understand how honored you should feel to be his concubine. Kids in your generation are lining up for this opportunity. Im sorry, sir. I have orders from the former master. Orders to keep this rundown dojo? Wasnt your previous master a 12th-generation? The man in the uniform took something out of his pocket. It looked like a portable scanner. His orders are now invalid. What? But The man ced the scanner on the floor and then pulled out a book from his pocket. It was an Oriental-style book decorated with gold leaf. The lineage of our qigong sect is proven by inherited secret manuals. Do you recognize the lineage of this manual? This foolish disciple does not know. But Master Jin-yus expression was filled with despair. She seemed to recognize whose manual it was. The man ced the manual on the scanner. The scanner disyed the words <9th Generation>. Its a secret manual from the 9th-generation grand master. You know that transporting such a manual without the masters permission would cause it to crumble immediately, right? This means the 9th-generation grand master has permitted Master Kim Dogun to take you. Is that so? I understand. Master Jin-yu looked like she was about to cry. Should I just stand by and watch this madness? Oh, right. I have the secret manual that Kirieon gave me, dont I? What generation does that make me in this hierarchy? As Kirieons direct disciple, I should be considered 2nd generation, right? Am I actually a 2nd-generation senior in the qigong sect? I suddenly felt like I understood how the military hierarchy worked without ever having been in the military. How dare a junior more than ten generations lower touch the master? Good, good. By the day after tomorrow, have this dojo cleaned up ande over to our side. Anyints? No, noints. I wouldnt dare question the orders of a higher generation. Wait a minute, Master. I have aint. I grabbed the shoulder of the man in the uniform. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 57: Above You, Below Me (2) -Tsk Tsk Tsk. A creepyugh echoed from the man in the uniform. And then, his counterattack came flying in. A spinning elbow strike. I dodged it slightly and thought. Attacking without a word? I get it, having your shoulder grabbed by a stranger can be upsetting. But will he understand my punch? Master! Hajin! Master, Hajin is just a regr member who doesnt know anything. Please show mercy-! This is insane-. Smack. Thud- The smack was the sound of the dojo master pping that guy, and the thud was my fist hitting his jaw.Fighting me while being distracted? Now both my fists and I were pissed off. Inded additional blows on the staggering man in the uniform. Naturally, he couldnt even raise a guard and was knocked downpletely. Judging by his rolled-back eyes, he wont regain his senses for an hour. Pathetic, acting all tough. I said, looking down at him. Then the dojo master beside me mumbled with a stunned expression. This... this master specializes in defensive Qi techniques. How did he get taken down in just three moves? Im a bit strong, Master. Are you okay? Uh, no. What do we do about this situation? Is this insubordination? But... I spent the next ten minutes calming down the panicked dojo master. I was the one who hit him. You wont face any repercussions, Master. No, Hajin was just trying to help me, and if I dont take responsibility... Master! I grabbed the dojo masters shoulder. It was surprisingly firm. No matter how I looked at it, the master seemed much stronger than that guy in the uniform. Yet, because of a lower rank, they had to follow his orders? This system seemed utterly ridiculous. With those thoughts in mind, I spoke to the master. I beat him up just because I didnt like him. Its not something you should worry about. By the way, what was he talking about? Something about bing someones concubine? Ah, in our Qi sect, we value unions among disciples. They believe it leads to children with high Qi talent. It was just my turn. The master continued. Master Kim Dogun is the son of the 9th-generation grandmaster and already has three wives. This time, with the 9th generations permission, he aimed for me... The master suddenly burst into tears. Embarrassed, she quickly wiped them away. When my masters master was the head here, Master Kim Dogun had given up on me. But now, theres no choice. Theyre no longer here. Master, this is just my personal guess... I began to speak. But arent you incredibly strong? From what I can see, you could take down that loser and twenty more like him. Theres a saying that a healthy body houses a healthy mind. After having a bout with a tiger, that saying felt a bit off. A strong body houses a strong soul. And while the master might not be on the same level as me or a tiger, she certainly had a superhuman physique. Shes strong. Thats my conclusion. So I said this. Why dont we just break through the entire dojo? Survival of the fittest. Lets go the way of the sects. Ill help you! As I thought about breaking through the other dojos of the Qigong sect, I wondered if we could acquire techniques or treasures that can help me to feel yang energy. However, this suggestion was met with fierce rejection. No! That means bing a Qigong sect! Our sects traitors. Ive been a practitioner of the Qigong sect since before I could speak. It was the Qigong sect that raised me after my parents abandoned me. Master Jin-yu nodded resolutely. Even if I die, I will die as a disciple of the Qigong sect. So, Hajin, you must escape quickly. Huh? Why would I run away? Are the Qigong sect membersing for me in a gang? Daring toe after me, a senior from the 2nd generation of the Qigong sect? The faction Master Kim Dogun belongs to is enormous, inheriting the Extreme Yang from the main sect. Honestly, I hate to admit this because its a dark side of our Qigong sect, but they have the power to eliminate someone without batting an eye. So, please, hurry... Wait a minute, Extreme Yang? Extreme Yang. Could it be simr to Extreme Yin? Extreme Yin, that strange stone that made me feel cold. Just taking it out of the box knocked out a few researchers at theb. Is the Extreme Yang simr to Extreme Yin? It seems you know about Extreme Yin. Yes, Extreme Yang is considered the sacred counterpart to Extreme Yin. Its a ce with such a powerful force that it inherits such a sacred object. Suddenly, Master Jin-yu grabbed my hand. Thank you for standing up for me. She smiled as she spoke. But there were still tear stains around her eyes. From now on, this is an internal matter of the Qigong sect, so please dont worry about it anymore. Ill exin things to Master Kim Dogun. No, wait a moment. And so, I was pushed out of the dojo, heading toward the door. I could have resisted her touch, but seeing her pitiful gaze made me think I should listen to her for now. As I left the dojo, I thought. The way to sense Yin and Yang energy was like this. By feeling the coldness of the stone containing Yin and the heat of the stone containing Yang, one couldplete the 30 stages of Qi cultivation. And I only felt cold from a sacred object like Extreme Yin. It would likely take a sacred object like Extreme Yang to feel the heat. I have no choice. I searched for Master Kim Dogun and his dojo on my phone. The name was Jin Yang Kwan, a venerable martial arts school existing since before the Awakening. The main building is quite arge gymnasium. It seems even bigger than something built by the government. But thats not the point right now. The head, what generation is the head? The head of Jin Yang Kwan, Master Jin Yang, was listed as from the 5th generation. 5th generation? How dare a lowly 5th generation touch my Extreme Yang, no, threaten my Master Jin-yu? These undisciplined fools. The Qigong sect has truly turned upside down. Seriously!!! As I rode my electric scooter, I thought. Indeed, these guys need a good scolding. I will start the discipline right away tomorrow. **** Master Kim Dogun was in a good mood. Finally, he could make Lee Jin-yu his own. Lee Jin-yu, known as the genius of the Qigong sect, was a girl who could defeat her peers single-handedly. Even Kim Dogun had challenged her and was humiliated with a single move. He still grinded his teeth thinking about how his father scolded him back then. But he couldnt forget her beauty either. If Lee Jin-yu had abandoned her masters and joined a higher-ranking disciple, Kim Dogun would have had no choice but to live under her. But that foolish woman stayed loyal to the dojo that raised her. She even used her winnings to protect the crumbling dojo. Pathetic woman. Because of this, Lee Jin-yu would now learn what defeat truly meant. He was determined to repay the humiliation he suffered tenfold, a hundredfold. He wouldpletely subjugate her and make her his ve. Master Kim Dogun looked down at Lee Jin-yu with a cruel gaze. The hierarchy of the Qigong sect is absolute. But you dared to live arrogantly, relying only on your skills. Im sorry. Apologizing without even changing your expression. Ill re-educate you until you know what real remorse is. Now, first, take off your clothes... Beeep- Beeep- Beeep- Suddenly, rms red. It signaled an intruder. Kim Dogun ordered the surrounding disciples. Quickly, go and stop the intruder. Lee Jin-yu, stay by my side for now. The intruder, Yoo Hajin, had already knocked down over forty Qigong sect disciples. These guys are such pushovers. They use their hands and feet. No weapons, meaning no threat of getting stabbed. Moreover, Qigongs techniques were ineffective against Yoo Hajin. Even as the Qigong sect practitioners chanted Yang Qigong techniques while dancing, it looked like nothing more than a silly dance to him. It was the perfect mismatch. Yoo Hajin went around beating people up like a fish in water. And Lee Jin-yu watched it all. Hajin, why... Why had hee here alone? He had only been a member for just over a month. Lee Jin-yoo bit her lip hard. Yoo Hajin broke through the hallway and entered the gymnasium. Hundreds of people were ring at him. I can handle beating up two people at a time in a hallway, but fighting surrounded by dozens in this wide-open space might be risky... Should I use that box now? Id prefer to save it. While Yoo Hajin was assessing his chances, a man who seemed to be the leader spoke to him. Why are you causing trouble at Jin Yang Kwan? Of course, for the Ex-... Why was he causing trouble? Naturally, it was for the Extreme Yang. But he couldnt say that now. So he decided to state his second reason. You took my master. Your master? Yeah, my master, the second strongest Qigong sect disciple Ive ever met. And you did it with some ridiculous military game. As soon as Yoo Hajin said that, the disciples burst intoughter. Except for one woman listening in the corner. She looked on the verge of tears. But the Qigong sect members, unaware of this, continued to speak. A Qigong sect disciple? And you dare cause a scene where higher-generation disciples are gathered?? Kneel down at once!!! Quickly, bring his master here!!! He looks like hes from the 15th generation!!! Kids these days have no respect!!! Then, they all suddenly took out books from their robes. As they held the books high, machines in the ceiling scanned them. And phrases like <10th Generation>, <7th Generation>, <12th Generation>, <11th Generation> appeared next to them. A man with <8th Generation> next to him spoke. Are you surprised? Its OmegaTechs technology. It urately identifies the generation of Qigong sect disciples. Why are you silent? Are you shocked by our generations? Do you understand the insubordination youvemitted? If you do, bow your head and apologize immediately!!! Yoo Hajinughed at those words. How much did they want to y this generation game to create such a machine? So he took something out from his robe and said, Then, you bow first. Wha-what? Lowly disciple talking back? The 8th generation master looked at the phrase next to Yoo Hajin. Next to Yoo Hajin, the phrase <2nd Generation> was disyed. What are you waiting for? Arent you all going to bow your heads? The 8th generation master turned around and saw that most of the disciples were already bowing their heads in fear. Even his own master, the 7th generation elder, was bowing. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 58: Above You, Below Me (3) Yoo Hajin looked at the book he had taken out. The cover of the book read, "Qi Lian Gong." Honestly, it was such a difficult book to understand that he hadnt even read half of it. ording to the original owner of the book, Kirieon, her disciples had betrayed her, coveting this secret manual. Yoo Hajin remembered this fact vividly. Now that Ive seen this book, staying here for long is dangerous. He had to quickly acquire Yang stone, rescue Master Jin-yu, and escape. With this in mind, Yoo Hajin surveyed his surroundings. There seemed to be quite a few people with bruises.Most of them were young people. Seeing this, Yoo Hajin couldnt help but ponder for a moment. Even so, I have to do what I must. Yoo Hajin looked at the Qigong Sect disciples who were bowing their heads. Honestly, he never thought they would bow their heads like this to a stranger just because of a book. This bad culture needed to be utilized No, punished. From which rank does the officer or lower ranks start here? From the 10th rank!!! All those from the 10th rank and above, stand up. Yoo Hajin spoke, barely holding back a smile. Everyone, take out your wallets immediately andpensate for every hit you give to your juniors. Ten thousand won per punch. And Ill collect all the remaining money as fines. We obey!!! Why was Yoo Hajin taking the fines? Some people wondered that. But the word <2nd Generation> floating next to Yoo Hajins name silenced those thoughts. The Second Generation, direct disciples of Kirieon. They were the monsters who had created the current Qigong Gate and Qigong Sect. Such monsters could kill everyone here within an hour. The Qigong disciples could only bow their heads. And one more thing. Vow not to hit your juniors in front of them anymore. Everyone does this. If anyone doesnt, Ill embed the Yin-Yang Qigong I learned from Master Kirieon in their sr plexus. W-We obey. Hurry up! Dont you know what to do?!! Yoo Hajin mimicked Kirieon. Then the Qigong sect people moved hurriedly. *** I remembered the erotic dance that Kirieon used to perform. Mimicking it, I shouted out. Hurry up! Dont you know what to do?!! Tsk tsk, in sect life, speed is crucial. And these guys, who don''t even know that, are supposed to be officers. The gymnasium was in an uproar. As some tried to sneak away, I assumed a stance to gather Qi, prompting the older ones to hastily make their vows. It was heartwarming to see them empty their wallets and share the money with the juniors. They had beaten the juniors so much that hundreds of thousands of won were just disappearing. One of the guys even showed his already empty wallet and bowed his head to the juniors. Most of them were in a simr situation. Wait, this means theres no money left for me? I mean, its absurd that I, who have transformed this garbage Qigong Sect into a harmonious sect of seniors and juniors, wont get a single penny... At that moment, a few men and women approached. They were all quite elderly. This is the money left afterpensating. Here you go. Please ept it. They offered me about fifty thousand won. Pocketing the money right away, I spoke with a pleased smile. You guys didnt hit the juniors much, huh? Did you make the vow? O-Of course we did. How could we lie in front of you? Look at them trembling. Do I look that scary? Honestly, I wanted to extort more money for turning this ce into a model sect, but I needed to move quickly since the real 2nd Generation could show up at any moment. You guys have Yang stone, right? I need to borrow it. The sacred Yang stone? But to transport Yang stone, special barriers and manpower are needed. Talking back to your superior? When I red at them, they fell silent again. Oh, right. There were other matters to settle too. And bring Kim Dogun and Master Lee Jin-yu here. Kim Dogun? You mean the 11th-rank Kim Dogun? What did that lowlife do wrong? Is there another person with the same name? If not, then it must be him. Hurry up. Do I have to spell everything out for you?!! When I shouted, the man ran off with a quick "Yes, sir." I then turned to the other officers. Where is Yang Stone? We, well show you. The officers hurriedly performed a group exercise. Then, a mural depicting Kirieon began to open. We will guide you to the sanctuary. Stop right there. It was at that moment. A thick voice came from behind. It, its It''s the Third Generation Master. T-Third Generation? Turning around, I saw a muscr old man, shirtless, staring at me. He looked at me suspiciously. I came after hearing the news. Are you really a direct disciple of Master? The Third Generation elder said, clenching his fist. Ive never seen a Second Generation senior who looks like you. Oh, I just joined recently. But why do you keep speaking so informally? I gulped. I didn''t expect a true old master to show up so soon. I fiddled with the box in my pocket. It seems the moment to use this has finally arrived. "Then prove it. Prove that you received the Master''s teachings." "I can prove it right away. Should I do it with a vow?" I am, after all, a master of vows. I''ll vow to anything. But the Third Generation elder shook his head. "Nonsense. A master should be able to dy divine punishment or endure attacks. A vow alone isnt enough to believe you." It wasn''t going to work. I spoke with a bit of bravado. "Then let''s spar. But if people at our level fight seriously, it would be a nuisance to those around us. How about we gauge our skills with just one move?" The Third Generation elder was silent for a moment before nodding. "With one move, I will expose your lie." "Give it a try." I said confidently, but I was a bit scared. The gymnasium quickly turned into an impromptu battleground for a duel between the fake 2nd Generation and the real 3rd Generation. Everyone else watched the sh of titans in silence, like low-ranking soldiers witnessing a battle of the stars. "Shall we begin?" "Let''s." The 3rd Generation elder said. "Yang Qigong!!." As I opened the box in my pocket, I said. "Extreme Yin Qigong. Absolute Life and Death." ording to Kirieon, Absolute Life and Death was a technique that embodied the ultimate essence of death itself, reaching the pinnacle of Yin Qigong. She added that it was powerful enough to make even the leader of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect retreat. Embodying the ultimate essence of death itself? Then fighting with Extreme Yin would make it Absolute Life and Death, right? Feeling my hand growing cold, I said. "Shall we?" "No way. Extreme Yin Qigong is one of the Master''s secret techniques. Did he really pass that on to someone else?" "Let me ask again. Shall we?" "I can''t believe it-!!!" The 3rd Generation elder shouted "Yang Qigong" as he charged. His shout alone made the roof shake and the arena begin to crack. Damn, he really is a strong one. It reminds me of Kirieon wrecking the researchb. This is dangerous. But I remained calm and took a pitcher''s stance. Lifting my leg, I threw with all my strength. With my transcendent strength and flexibility, it easily exceeded 200 km/h. -Thud The extreme yin shot out. Of course, the 3rd Generation elder dodged it. But the extreme yin struck the gym wall, creating a crack. Something seeping out from the crack seemed to scare people. The Qigong Sect disciples were frantically trying to get away from it. E-Extreme Yin?! Is this really Extreme Yin Qigong?!! Only Master Kirieon could handle the energy of death that is Extreme Yin. Seeing this, the 3rd Generation elder suddenly bowed deeply. New Senior Master, please ept my bow. W-Why are you doing this? As the 3rd Generation elder bowed, the rest of the Qigong Sect members started bowing too. But the elder, without caring about them, continued speaking tearfully. When Master returned and purged all the other 2nd Generation seniors and even punished my peers who tried to flee, I thought Master had given up on humanity. I see. The first thing Kirieon did after being freed was to deal with the Second Generation disciples and Third Generation apprentices who had betrayed her. But why is this old man still alive? The Third Generation elder answered that question. Only a few of us who were not involved in the betrayal survived, but seeing Master''s hatred and madness, we had no choice but to flee. But now, to think that Master has trained a new disciple. And that this new disciple hase to reform our decayed sect culture. Wait, the old mans words Theyre starting to change in a strange way. To eradicate the foolish culture that oppressed disciples out of fear of betrayal, built on betrayal. That this is your will. The Third Generation elders face was already stained with tears. To think Master hasnt abandoned us yet. Now I can die without regrets. Did Kirieon not abandon the Qigong Sect? Thats something no one can know. But after having a dance battle with me, where she said she wanted to kill everyone but didnt, she let us all live. Thats probably why this 3rd Generation elder is still alive. But Kirieon was half-insane. She didnt seem to have forgiven the Qigong Sect. She coulde back and start a massacre at any time. Thinking about that made me ufortable. But the 3rd Generation elder didnt know this. So he kept talking like this. You are truly the second-inmand of our Qigong Sect. All factions of the sect will follow your orders. This is too much pressure. Damn. If this goes on, my name will end up in the news. Then Kirieon will recognize me? Thats something I absolutely have to avoid. If Kirieon returns, its all over. So I decided to pass the buck immediately. No, I am not the one to reform the Qigong Sect. I looked around. And I found Master Lee Jin-yu next to a beaten man. Great. Master Lee Jin-yu is a good choice. Please take over my position. Master Lee Jin-yu,e up here. What? Yes, Senior Master. Master Lee Jin-yu came up, trembling. I tried to smile as brightly as possible to ease her tension. Seeing my smile, Master Lee Jin-yu began to smile slightly as well. "Everyone, listen up. From now on, this young woman will be my representative. Rebuild the Qigong Sect centered around her." "Ha-Hajin..." Master Lee Jin-yu looked at me with teary eyes. I spoke as I saw her expression. "Thanks to you, I was able to learn up to the 30th level of Qigong." "No, I... someone like me... receiving such immense grace... I will definitely reform the Qigong Sect as you desire." "I believe in you." With that, I left the Qigong Sects gymnasium amid everyones farewells. Of course, I didnt forget to retrieve Yang stone from the sanctuary. Yang stone was a hot stone. As I suspected, it took something like Extreme Yang and Extreme Yin for me to feel anything. I had good luck today. I made money, got Yang stone, and retrieved Extreme Yin. Now it was time to awaken Enlightenment. Awakening enlightenment should be easy... right? Oh well, Ill just rx today and start practicing tomorrow. With a light heart, I stepped onto my electric scooter. *** The Qigong Sect is uniting again? In a dimly lit office, Nagu, the leader of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, spoke. A teacup sat in front of her. Yes, the Qigong Sect is uniting under someone named Master Lee Jin-yu. Rumor has it that the Third Generation masters and numerous disciples of the Qigong Sect are passionately supporting her. Sip- it was the taste of instant coffee. No, instant coffee. Such cheap coffee sullying my pte. Nagu put down the teacup and murmured. Indeed, uniting the Qigong Sect would require power. She smiled with a vengeful expression. Finally, a force that can help us has emerged. Finally. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters aheadof the release here on Patreon:/Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 59: Heavenly Ordeal (1) Nagu, the leader of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, thought rationally. The Qigong sect operates on a system of generations. That meant, she only needed to persuade the masters of the third generation. No matter how skilled or charismatic Yoo Hajin was, the generational gap was unavoidable. Even if Yoo Hajin joined the Qigong sect, the highest he could achieve was being a fourth-generation disciple under the third generation masters. Though unlikely, I wish that were the case. This was because if he could control Yoo Hajin through the third-generation masters, there would be no one left to protect Nayu. This meant that the Heavenly Ordeal Sect could operate normally again. Time is really running out.Nagu bit her lip. Warnings had alreadye from Cheonji and the Sects. Heavenly Ordeal Sect was an organization meant to control Heavens Punishment. If they could no longer control Heavens Punishment, they would lose their reason for existencea chilling warning. Thus, in the reception room of the Qigong sect gymnasium, Nagu spoke, hiding her desperation. Nice to meet you, Director Lee Jin-yu. Nice to meet you too. You''re from Heavenly Ordeal Sect? Yes, I am Nagu, the leader of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Director Lee Jin-yu looked like a young woman. Was such a young-looking woman the new head of the Qigong sect? Nagu tilted her head slightly in her mind. She must be older than she looks. Masters often avoid aging. Having gathered her thoughts, Nagu slowly began to speak. Our Heavenly Ordeal Sect fully supports the newly unified Qigong sect. Thank you for saying that. I don''t know much about the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, but I''ve heard that Cheonji and the Sects have supported your organization since ancient times. Director Lee Jin-yu said with a bright smile. For an organization like yours to support us, there must be something you want? Yes. I will be honest with you. After swallowing once, Nagu continued. Heavens Punishment is the wrath of the heavens. Our Heavenly Ordeal Sect exists to channel this wrath and prevent harm to humanity. However, right now, some rogue forces are blocking this effort and threatening all of humanity. Nagu continued speaking. If the Qigong sect helps us stop these rogue forces, Heavenly Ordeal Sect will support the Qigong sect with the necessary tools and techniques. Director Lee Jin-yu remained silent at those words. The Qigong sect is a group that trains in Qigong. And Qigong is a technique suited for spiritual warriors who use their bodies. Because of this, the Qigong sect had far fewer shamans and sorcererspared to other organizations. This meant they were severelycking in the necessary tools and techniques. Having organized her thoughts, Director Lee Jin-yu nodded. Honestly, it''s an attractive proposal. Then...? Can you now tell me who these rogue forces are? Nagu smiled faintly at those words. Since the Day of Awakening, the word "information" had be a dangerous term. In this world, just knowing certain facts could threaten one''s very existence. And yet, to ask for information? It was as good as epting her proposal. His name is Yoo Hajin. Heres a picture. Hes a young man, only twenty years old. Yoo Hajin? Director Lee Jin-yu looked at the man in the photo. Yoo Hajin-nim, 2nd Generation Master. The second supreme master of the Qigong sect. My savior. Indeed. He was the one who saved her. No, he saved the entire Qigong sect. ording to what she heard from her third-generation senior, he might have also prevented the founder from goingpletely mad and bing a murderer. And yet, he had no greed, handing over all his authority to someone as inadequate as her before disappearing. Of course, Yoo Hajin had simply taken a break, but Director Lee Jin-yu didn''t know that. Was this woman asking her to betray someone like that? What was this trash in front of her saying? Seeing Director Lee Jin-yu''s face turn cold, Nagu prepared to flee. Somehow, this situation felt all too familiar. W-wait a minute. To daree to the main branch of the Qigong sect and ask me to betray the 2nd Generation Master... T-the 2nd Generation? But Yoo Hajin is only twenty years old. How could he be... But Nagu was already fleeing. As a shaman in tune with lightning, she had already transformed her body into lightning and was racing down the corridor. A voice echoed behind her. Yin-Yang Qigong. Thunder Strike. With those words, the corridor where Nagu had been disappeared. Hearing the sound of the corridor copsing, Nagu thought. A sessor of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect, an honorary director of the Anomaly Response Headquarters, and a direct disciple of the Qigong sects Kirieon? How can such a being exist? Even our Heavenly Ordeal Sect cant handle such a monster! As she fled, Nagu thought. She must give up on attacking Yoo Hajin. There''s only one option left. Make Yoo Hajine to us. Barely escaping from the rampaging Director Lee Jin-yu, Nagu set her resolve. At that moment, Yoo Hajin, the sessor of the Ilwol-Oakmoon sect and holder of many other titles, yawned as he woke up. Training is such a pain. He scratched his belly and looked at his phone. **** Training is such a pain. I scratched my belly and looked at my phone. Why does the world have so many fun things, yet I have to train? But I quickly changed my mind. I need to get stronger so I can punch those damn ghosts who have my sister under their spell and bring her back from beyond the great demon gate. So, it was time to get up. I stood up and picked up the box containing the seals of extreme yin and extreme yang. Today, my training will focus on the Yeongak stage. The Yeongak stage roughly meant this: Dokgak - The stage of realizing one''s own abilities alone. Yeongak - The stage of sensing the Qi of the world. Jeonggak - The stage of activating abilities through that Qi. And the best method to sense the Qi of this world was the Qigong sects 30 Qigong chapters. The Qigong sect is specialized in handling Qi, so it must be reliable. I hadntpared it to other groups online, but it must be trustworthy. But why is there so little information about spiritual power training on the inte? Is someone controlling the inte and dislikes spiritual abilities? Could that be? That''s just something you hear in ghost stories. Shaking my head, I stepped out of the house. I pressed the button for the old elevator in Louisville. I nned to go to the rooftop. The extreme yin and extreme yang energies were fine for me, but they seemed to be somewhat toxic to others. So, I intended to train on the rooftop, where no one woulde. Ding - clunk, clunk. The old elevator opened. Even if they dont pay the maintenance fees... I got in the elevator and looked at the buttons. Some buttons had &, %, #, or nobel at all. What is this, a phone keypad? Its odd, even though I see it every day. Anyway, I took that elevator up to the rooftop. As soon as I arrived, I could see the clear sky. And there, reaching toward the blue sky, was a girl. She was as mysterious and beautiful as her sky-blue hair. Nayu looked at me and smiled brightly. Nayu''s weing smile. Hey, Nayu. I approached Nayu and asked. Do you have any hunches about any numbers today? Nayu''s puzzled expression. Or do you have any sense of which stocks might go up or down? But Nayu didnt answer and hopped past me. Nayu shakes her head. Why, why? Why won''t she tell me? Ah, maybe she doesnt have a feeling yet? Nayu''s serious lecture. Nayu put her hands on her hips, pretending to be serious. But she was just cute no matter how serious she tried to be. Still, a serious lecture, huh. Tsk. Is she saying I shouldnt be so money-minded? Liking money isnt wrong. Most people like money. Nayu''s cautionary words about worldly desires. Hmph, Nayu, even you say that kind of thing. Pursue what cannot be seen. Follow the invisible values. But for someone like me, who couldn''t see ghosts, those metaphysical values were impossible to follow. What mattered to me was what I could see in front of me. And that was material things, which meant money. Money is visible. That''s why I like money the most in the world. Nayu''s expression of disapproval! What, what''s so pitiful! Tsk, forget it. Arguing with someone who knows nothing is pointless. I stepped away from Nayu and said. Nayu, go downstairs. Im about to do something dangerous. Nayus muttering refusal. Ahem. I decided to scare her a little by opening the seal box slightly. See, can you feel the dangerous aura? Go downstairs quickly. Nayu''s unyielding confidence! Unyielding, huh? Right, Nayu was a super shaman who could predict lottery numbers. Maybe she could withstand it. Still, I cautiously took out the extreme yin and extreme yang. But Nayu didnt flinch at all. She even had a confident expression on her face. So, Nayu was strong enough to withstand extreme yin and extreme yang. ...Still, donte too close. With that, I held extreme yang in my right hand and extreme yin in my left. Warmth filled my right hand, and coldness filled my left. Perfect. All the preparations to reach Yeongak wereplete. Feeling Nayus intense gaze on me, I opened the first chapter of Qigong from the Qigong sect. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 60: Heavenly Ordeal (2) Qigong Energy Work, Chapter 1. ce the object imbued with Yin and Yang and begin the prayer. To be precise, it was a gesture of sped hands in prayer. Qigong Energy Work, Chapter 2. After finishing the prayer, lift the object and offer the prayer to the ground. Of course, the motion of offering it to the ground follows martial arts techniques. Qigong Energy Work, Chapters 3 to 6. Offer the prayer to the east, west, south, and north. Each direction has its own distinct movements.And then Qigong Energy Work, Chapter 7. Raise the prayer to the heavens. Although Nayu was staring at me intently, my thirty chapters of Qigong Energy Work, which I had practiced for a month, were not shaken by such a mere gaze. Chapters 8 to 13: Movements for releasing energy. Chapters 14 to 20: Movements for absorbing energy. Chapters 21 to 29: Movements for circting energy. And finally, Chapter 30. ce the object containing Yin and Yang, and end with a prayer of gratitude for the energy. Phew, all done. I looked up at the sky again. The bright blue sky was in stark contrast to my wretched mood. I dont feel anything. Damn it. Despair washed over me. What am I doing on a sunny holiday morning? Then the asional inner demon visited. I copsed into an OTL pose. Ugh. Whether extreme Yang or extreme Yin, they felt no more than lukewarm hot packs or cool packs. If its like this, I might as well just train with hot and cool packs. Wait, do Yin and Yang energies even exist? Isnt it just a fabricated setting? Or have I gone mad? Am I in a mental hospital since Harin disappeared? Ugh. Or maybe theyre filming a The Truman Show around me. Ghosts? Psychics? Flying? Those can be faked with wires. Ugh. Or maybe everyone but me has gone crazy. They used to say eating fly agaric mushrooms made you see ghosts. Maybe its something like that. Maybe a ghost-illusion virus has spread from ab. This hypothesis is convincing, right? I need to make a vine from my blood immediately. Ugh. Nayu, worried look. Suddenly, a shadow fell over my vision. I looked up to see a beautiful girl with sky-blue eyes gazing at me with a worried expression. Nayus sky-blue eyes sparkled as she gently stroked my hair with her slender fingers. Nayu, helpless look. What do you mean by helpless? Nayu, teacher mode. Out of nowhere, Nayu pretended to adjust invisible sses. Whats with her? Is there some kind ofw that female teachers must wear sses? Then, suddenly, Nayu blushed. Nayu, em-embarrassed... She continued to fidget in embarrassment. Whats wrong with Nayu? I wiped the sweat off and stood up. Nayu, why are you... Nayu, embarrassed booby rub!!! Then suddenly, Nayu hugged me tightly. Very tightly. So much so that I could feel her soft parts against my back. N-Nayu, what are you doing?! To be honest, Nayu had great curves. She didnt have a body as fierce as the tigers, but she was definitely above average in softness. And here Nayu was, rubbing against me. As a man, I couldnt help but react. Energy suddenly gathered in my lower region. This was truly an involuntary physiological reaction. As I awkwardly stood there, Nayu stared at me with an intrigued expression. Then, meeting my eyes, she quickly turned her head. Why did Nayu suddenly do this? At that moment, I realized that the energy from the extreme Yang and Yin in my hands felt simr to the energy gathering in my lower region. To be precise, the energy from the extreme Yang felt simr. I unconsciously muttered to myself, Is this why they call it energy? Could this phenomenon, which starts from the feet, be due to the gathering of life force? Life force, blood, is Yang energy? Thinking back, when I stepped on the Mireuk cult, I felt blood rush to my feet. After the fight with Cheonsu, my eyes felt like they were about to burst. As if all the blood had rushed to them. I see. To use my abilities, I needed to concentrate blood in a specific part of my body. Just like in my lower region now. With this realization, I said, I see. Yang energy is life energy. Nayu, with a proud look, patted my head. Uncle Park Il had said Nayu was my age. Nayu, teacher pat. Getting patted by someone my age was quite embarrassing. I mumbled shyly with my head down, Ill make something delicious, soe over for dinner. Nayu, nod. With that, I half-ran toward the elevator. I felt Nayus gaze behind me, but I decided not to look back. After all, we would meet again this evening. **** After watching Yoo Hajin get into the elevator, Nayu ced her hand on her chest. Nayu, chest tingle. Why did her chest hurt? Nayu didnt know the reason. With her hand still on her chest, Nayu looked up at the sky once more. Massive lightning filled the sky. If that lightning struck the earth, many people would die. Nayu wanted to stop that lightning and protect the world. She closed her eyes, resonating with the sky. Her anger transformed into lightning, and the lightning took the form of somenguage. The lightning was speaking. It told Nayu to return to the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. To save the world with her sacrifice. For some reason, her heart ached again. But Nayu looked at the sky and answered, yes. **** Tonights dinner was braised short ribs and fresh kimchi. After washing the stainless steel bowl in which I mixed the kimchi, I removed my rubber gloves and thought. Soon, Jamsuni and Nayu would arrive. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I heard a rapid pattering of footsteps. Smells good! Youre here. Wash your hands and sit down. What are we having today? Braised short ribs? Wow, this looks insanely delicious. Quit making a fuss. I nced toward the door. Nayu was unusuallyte today. She usually arrived with Jamsuni. Before I knew it, Jamsuni had served herself some rice and ced a piece of braised short rib on top. Then she topped it with kimchi and devoured it in one bite. Mmm! This is fucking good. This is heaven. What kind of nonsense is that for a girl to say?! Eek! Nayu didnt arrive even after I smacked Jamsuni on the head. Eventually, we finished our meal and set aside Nayus portion of the short ribs, but she still didnt show up. Nayu, are you okay? Knock knock I went to Nayus house, but there was no response. Maybe she went out. Nayu is an adult, after all. She can go out sometimes. There were times when she disappeared before. Or maybe she just went to bed early today. Food tastes best when its fresh. With a sense of disappointment, I turned back. Then I went home and opened my book on developing spiritual powers. Having sensed energy, I had passed the initial stage. Now, I had to achieve the final stage, the state of Jeonggak. It says you can only achieve Jeonggak by aligning the correct spell, the correct hand seal, and the correct meridian points? The spell was probably something like activating principles or manifesting spiritual forms. For someone like me, it would be something dramatic like Heavenly Descent. The correct meridian points likely referred to concentrating energy in a specific part of the body. This was challenging to do consciously, but not entirely impossible. Thanks to Nayu, I now understood what energy was. But here was the problem. The correct hand seal. What does it mean to form a seal? This childrens book had various seals introduced. I decided to try them all. The first was the Knowledge Fist Seal, where the left hand points the index finger and the right hand wraps around it. It was said to represent the union of the spiritual and mundane realms, often used by psychics. Heavenly Descent. No feeling. The second was the Dharma Realm Concentration Seal, where both hands are ced on the abdomen with the palms facing upward. It was the most basic seal, widely used by those with psychic abilities. Heavenly Descent. This isnt it either. The third was the Turning the Dharma Wheel Seal, where both hands form the shape of a Dharma wheel. It symbolized the principle orw, often used by sorcerers. ...Heavenly Descent. There were many other seals like the Fearlessness Seal, the Wish-Granting Seal, and the Union Seal. I tried them all. Nothing feels right. Finally, I reached thest chapter of the seal section. The seal introduced here was the Subjugating Demons and Touching the Earth Seal. It involved cing the right hand in a position simr to the Dharma Realm Concentration Seal while pointing to the ground with the left hand. This posture seemed to crush earthly beings with enlightenment. It feels... unpleasant. No, it wasnt just unpleasant. Just looking at this seal made me feel slightly nauseous. Damn it. I looked at the books description. The Subjugating Demons and Touching the Earth Seal was said to crush the demon king, the enemy of enlightenment, with supreme enlightenment. Crush the demon king? Could the demon king be both the Heavenly Demon and the demon king? I thought about trying this seal but decided against it. This seal couldnt possibly be the one that resonated with me. What a waste of time. I closed the book and turned off the light. Tomorrow morning, Ill meet Nayu and give her the leftover short ribs. I wanted to hear her say, Delicious meat, Nayu yum-yum. *** And morning came. As soon as it did, I knocked on Nayus door. But there was no sound from inside. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 61: Heavenly Ordeal (3) Nayu disappeared. No matter how much I knocked on the door, there was no response. Nayu!!! Nayu!!! No matter how loudly I shouted, Nayu did not appear. Nayu was gone. The child, who was so naive that she would follow anyone who offered her candy, had vanished. This was practically the same as a child abduction. I searched for her all day, but she was nowhere to be found. Finally, I asked Jamsuni, and she shook her head and said,She must have gone back home. She is so gullible that she was probably deceived. Home? Dont you know? You beat them upst time. The Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Nayus new family is there. The Heavenly Ordeal Sect, Those TS fetishists. No, those trashy bastards. Those subhuman scumbags took my true master Nayu?! When? How? But that wasnt the important thing right now. The most important thing was that I had to get Nayu back. I found out the location of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect through the Anomaly Response Headquarters. It was on the 52nd floor of a mixed-use building in the Central District of Seoul. Living in such a nice ce, so undeservedly. I immediately boarded a bus heading there. **** What is the will of the heavens? Nagu looked at Nayu, who had changed into a white hanbok. Seeing Nayus forlorn smile, Nagu nodded. Humans are the heavens, so the will of humans is the will of the heavens. Nagu, the leader of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, stroked Nayu and then electrified her hand. As a shaman who resonates with lightning, she unleashed her power. As she etched the will into the heavens through lightning, Nayu, the shaman of the heavens, understood it as the will of the heavens. Nayu bowed her head in respect. Watching this, Nagu murmured, Prepare Nayu. As youmand. The attendants took Nayu away, leaving Nagu alone. Alone, Nagu turned on the monitor in the room. The monitor showed the entrance of an elevator. Nagu had long heard that Yoo Hajin wasing this way. No matter how great Yoo Hajin is. Nagu smirked unpleasantly. As sheughed, the wrinkles of the middle-aged woman, hidden by makeup, began to distort. He will never reach this floor. Yoo Hajin, seeing that elevator, would have no choice but to give up on Nayu. But it didnt matter if he didnt give up. He would be devoured by the infinite elevator anyway. Come, fool. Nagu sipped her mixed coffee and watched the monitor. **** Everything about the elevator was ordinary except for the buttons. In the corner of that elevator stood a man. The man took deep breaths, holding back his tears. He regretted getting on this elevator. To think he did something so dangerous just to get some trinket or relic. A dimension-hopping elevator, huh. It was indeed a dimension-hopping elevator. But the dimensions it arrived at were usually ones you could only call hell. It was just an elevator to hell. He had already lost fourpanions. The man bowed his head, reminiscing about that time. The firstpanion was lost on a floor that looked like a club. It was a floor where many people were dancing joyfully to EDM music. Since it didnt seem dangerous, they moved ording to the manual. While doing so, they stole items. Wallets from the dancing people, or objects causing abnormal phenomena. Wait a minute, these people. At that moment, one of thepanions noticed something. He saw something faint on the arms and legs of the dancing people. Looking closely, it was thread. Everyone dancing there was a sophisticated puppet. However, a few of the puppets emitted a rotting stench or a foul odor. It was as if they had originally been living people who were captured by the strings and forced to dance until they died. One of the female puppets spoke. The female puppet spoke while crying. Please, untie these strings. I cant feel my limbs, but Im still dancing. Continuously. Continuously. She wasnt a puppet. She was a person caught by the strings. I only came because a club opened up... As soon as they heard the womans words, thepanions ran. But due to the sudden attack by the puppets, they inevitably lost one of theirpanions. The downcastpanions cheered up when they saw their loot. To make money in a world gone mad, they too had to go mad. Still, this floor was rtively safe. It was worth it. Promising to share the loot with the lostpanions family, they aimed for the next floor. ording to the manual, here were the ways to avoid dangerous floors: === 116. When multiple people use the elevator. When multiple people use the elevator, it is best for one user to hold the open button to ensure safety. If the elevator door doesnt open immediately when you arrive at a dangerous floor, it could be problematic. 235. When its hard to determine danger based on the appearance of the floor. First, deploy a small creature onto the floor to check if it can survive. Canaries are rmended for this purpose. 492. When choosing the next floor (3) If you want to go to another floor using this elevator, avoid pressing the current floors number. If you press the current floors number again, the floor will start to observe you. 541. When you need to press the close button. Only press the close button in an emergency. Do not press the close button if its not an emergency. Pressing the close button in a non-emergency situation may result in being trapped in the elevator forever. 542. When you hear a voice in the elevator. If the elevator announces the floor number or starts talking to you, ignore it thoroughly. Responding even once will take you to that floor. 666. When the floor numbers change rapidly. As soon as the elevator arrives, get off quickly. If you stay, you will fall along with the elevator. === And as the elevator suddenly moved rapidly, thepanions prepared to get off immediately. Wait, wasnt there a manual that said one person should stay in the elevator? In an instant, the man realized the strangeness of manual 666. But by then it was toote. Two of hispanions had already gotten off at that floor. They got off immediately, following the manual. And then they saw the floor. The floor the floor the floor the floor the floor the floor the floor the floor. One of thepanions, smiling, ran toward the floor, while the other, crying, put a gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. And so the man was left alone. Alone, the man had no strength left to move. Meanwhile, the elevator disy continued to show strange floor numbers like 1194& or *>/?!. Sometimes it would show bizarre messages like get off now or those things are waiting. Letters appeared on the disy, which was only supposed to show numbers. Half-insane, the man shook his head and opened the elevator manual. The manual for the infinite elevator was a thick book, almost like an encyclopedia. The man hurriedly tried to find the section about when Korean characters appear on the disy. Found it. He quickly read the manual entry. === 1632. When Korean characters appear on the disy. The disy is talking to you. Listen to it listen to it believe it === After reading that, the man could no longer move. He just shivered and regretted getting on this elevator. At that moment, the door opened. There stood a man. This building looks fancy, but why is the elevator like this? **** This building looks fancy, but why is the elevator like this? I said, not hiding my annoyance. These Heavenly Ordeal sect bastards, everything rted to them pisses me off. Living in an expensive building in a nice neighborhood, but not maintaining the elevator? Just look at it. The elevator wasnt even managed by security, and it seemed like a homeless person was living here. I tried to avoid the homeless person and pressed the button. Did they say the Heavenly Ordeal Sect was on the 52nd floor? I read it on the inte, so it must be urate. Wait, dont press that button recklessly!!! Suddenly, the homeless man shouted. Startled, I asked. Why, why? This is no ordinary elevator. Its an A-grade paranormal phenomenon asionally found in buildings. The infinite elevator. You cant get to where you want by just pressing the button. What? What? I was busy trying to deal with the Heavenly Ordeal sect, and now I was caught in a paranormal phenomenon? But I had already identally pressed the button for the 2nd floor. Wait, I told you not to press it recklessly!!! Ding The elevator arrived on the 2nd floor without any issues. As I got off and looked around, it was indeed the 2nd floor of that building. Damn it, you scared me for nothing, old man. W-What? Why is this elevator working so smoothly all of a sudden? This cant be right. Its just a regr elevator,e on. Grumbling, I pressed the button for the 52nd floor. No!!! Manual 492! You cant press the same floor number twice!!! Of course, I ignored the homeless mans frantic warnings. He seemed mentally unstable, so I thought it best to humor him. Why is this door taking so long to close? Dont, dont press the close button!!! I rapidly pressed the close button. The elevator jolted, and the door finally closed. As the elevator started moving, the homeless man began to sob, muttering something about it being all over. Poor guy, must be really struggling mentally. Ding The elevator stopped at the 52nd floor. As the door opened, the Chinese characters for Heavenly Ordeal Sect greeted me. H-How? He ignored all the manuals and yet arrived safely. Why is this evil elevator sticking to the same building and dimension? Do you really think elevators travel through dimensions? What kind of paranormal nonsense is this? Get a grip, old man. As I got off, the homeless man followed. Looking around, he muttered something about this being reality and then copsed. Of course, this is reality. Stretching my fists, I headed towards the entrance of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. It was time to get Nayu back. **** Nagu of the Heavenly Ordeal dropped her coffee. It had only been a minute since Yoo Hajin boarded the infinite elevator, and he had already bypassed all the manuals and arrived at the headquarters of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. To reach the floor where the headquarters was located, one would need to know thousands of real manuals and dozens of hidden ones. Did Yoo Hajin figure all that out? How incredibly sharp must his spiritual senses be? A monster. Even the Triumvirate uses an Omega Tech-modified elevator. And he arrived here so quickly using a standard elevator. This implied that Yoo Hajins spiritual senses were better than those of the most elite members of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Nagu clenched her teeth, organizing her thoughts. I-I need to negotiate. There was no surviving a fight with such a monster. Nagu decided to negotiate with this creature. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 62: Heavenly Ordeal (4) I opened the door to the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. I was on edge, wondering what mighte flying at me, but nothing did. To be precise, there wasnt a soul in sight. The facilities of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect were a strange mix of good and bad. The interior design and furniture were top-notch, but the smaller items looked cheap. What kind of bizarre mismatch was this? But seriously, why was no oneing out? Are they not doing business? Looking into what seemed to be a conference room, I saw documents scattered everywhere.I quickly skimmed through them. === Baek Ho-sik Rating: VVIP (high-ranking businessman) Degree of Grudge: Medium-low (resentment from less than 100 people) Stole and corrupted other mens women, destroying families and umting grudges. There were numerous instances of violence and murder in the process of stealing these women. Although substantial evidence of these acts has been secured, it should only be used as ast resort due to the clients powerful connections. Go Jun-cheok Rating: VIP (three-term politician) Degree of Grudge: Minor (resentment from fewer than 10 people) Suspected to have umted grudges from rtionships with ssmates during high school and college. During the clients school years, there were more than two suicides in his ss. About fivemitted suicide after reaching adulthood. To better handle the clients grudge, more details need to be uncovered before it is resolved. Dok Go-min Rating: VVIP (high-ranking businessman) Degree of Grudge: Medium-high (resentment from more than 1000 people) Operates a house of pleasure for the elite. The elite can do anything they want in this house. The victims are mainly orphans or those dered dead, who do not exist in official records. The resentment from these victims is stronger than that of average souls, hence the adjustment to a medium-high grudge. Inform the client and increase service charges ordingly. Andrew Van Buren Rating: VVIP (global financier) Degree of Grudge: High (resentment from more than 10,000 people) === What is this? I kept looking through the documents. They detailed the horrendous deeds of various people. It seemed most of the clients of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect were such individuals. The next document exined the service ns of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. It outlined how one could avail of their services. Junior members get protection from minor grudges once, and if you subscribe and be a member, medium grudges are blocked twice a year? And if you be a VIP To be a member, one had to pay over 800 million won annually. 800 million won. I guess thats nothing for the rich. So how much do VIPs pay? If they didnt do things to deserve divine punishment in the first ce My fist clenched involuntarily. The document crumpled in my hand. I threw the document into the trash can and looked around. In the hallway next to it, the history of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect was depicted in paintings. Heavenly Ordeal Sect ims to have originated from shamans who would take on cmities on behalf of kings and nobles. These shamans sacrificed themselves, taking on tribtions with a sense of duty. In modern times, the Day of Spiritual Awakening arrived, and divine punishments became visible to people. They also became more powerful, beyond the capacity of Heavenly Ordeal Sect to handle. At that moment, when divine punishments were ruthlessly striking the world, a young girl with blue hair appeared and calmed all the tribtions. Heavenly Ordeal Sect educated this girl and established the current organization. Nayu. A premonition struck. That young girl with blue hair. No matter how I looked at it, she resembled a young Nayu. Now I began to understand. Why Nayu was always in pain. It wasnt because she was possessed by a ghost. She was calming the tribtions of those wretched scum. Using Nayu to make money like this. I was so furious I couldnt control my expression. I will save you. I promise. It was highly likely that Nayu was here. After organizing my thoughts, I walked deeper down the corridor. But seriously, why wasnt anyoneing out? Why was it so quiet? Did they all run away in the middle of the night? Well, I figured Id find something if I kept searching. I thought as I walked down the corridor decorated in an oriental style. ***** Nagu was confident she could persuade Yoo Hajin. ording to the Heavenly Ordeal Sects investigation, Yoo Hajin liked money. And he liked women too. Money and women. With the power of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, both could be provided infinitely. Nagu signaled the high-ranking members of the Dream Illusion Sect she had hired. They nodded and chanted, forming seals with their hands. +Yoo Hajin, Yoo Hajin, if you join our Heavenly Ordeal Sect, we will grant you incredible wealth. Among our clients are powerful and wealthy figures from the Middle East. We will share 10% of Heavenly Ordeal Sects wealth with you.+ Mountains of gold, a grand mansion, and beautiful servants. Finally, exquisite cuisine. All these visions unfolded before Yoo Hajins eyes. Even Nagu, who knew it was an illusion, was almost swayed by the intricacy of it. But Yoo Hajin was not moved by such illusions at all. Nagu was greatly surprised. And Nayu, who was suffering under the weight of the Heavenly Ordeal, was a bit surprised too. N-Nayu is a bit surprised. Nayu knew well. Yoo Hajin really liked money. Yet he was giving up so much money. He was even ignoring all that wealth, as if he couldnt see it, searching for someone. Realizing that the person he was looking for was her, Nayu smiled faintly. Despite the pain, being able to smile was truly amazing. Nayu wanted to protect such a world. At that moment, Nayus cheeks flushed. N-Nayus face feels hot. Nayu touched her cheeks. Why had her face grown hot? The fact that Yoo Hajin, who loved money so much, was giving it all up to find her was making Nayu feel strange inside. When the illusion of money didnt work, the next illusion unfolded. It was the illusion of power. The illusion showed Yoo Hajin leveling mountains with a gesture and manipting the news to control the world with another. +Yoo Hajin, Yoo Hajin, our Heavenly Ordeal Sect holds the weaknesses of numerous power holders. If you join us, we will grant you unrivaled power in this world. If there is a truth in this world, the public will only know the truth you choose to reveal. We will give you the power to decide what is true in this world.+ But Yoo Hajin ignored all these illusions. Seeing this made Nayus heart beat faster. Nagu, on the other hand, was in disbelief. Hes rejecting all these temptations? She stammered, unable to believe it. The illusionists, flustered, conjured the next illusion. As everyone marveled, only the suffering Nayu smiled. Then the next illusion unfolded. It was an illusion of lust. Beautiful young girls, half-dressed, frolicked around Yoo Hajin. Even a boyish-looking illusion sensually touched these girls, seducing them. Just hearing their sweet voices felt like it would melt ones brain in pleasure. In fact, a few members of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect watching the illusion copsed with their eyes rolled back. Amidst this erotic illusion, a voice spoke. +Yoo Hajin, Yoo Hajin, our Heavenly Ordeal Sect can fulfill your every desire. What are your preferences? What kind of y do you want? Heavenly Ordeal Sect has madams and strong connections to satisfy any preference or y.+ Yoo Hajin stopped walking. At that moment, it felt as if Nayus heart stopped too. Yoo Hajin looked at all the illusions and said one word. Nayu. Yoo Hajins expression was filled with rage. He didnt spare the illusions a single nce. Nayu stared intently at him. I will save you. With those words, Yoo Hajin walked down the corridor. The young girls let out sweet voices, trying to hold him back, but it was futile. Just by touching him, all the illusions shattered. Seeing this, Nayu clutched her chest. The countless resentments of people, the divine punishments materialized from those resentments, and the despair echoed within those punishments didnt matter right now. Her heart raced because the man, as if oblivious to all the illusions, was determinedly searching for her. Nayus heart, thump thump... Her heart was beating so fast. To feel this happy in the end, despite everything. Nayu really loved this world. Thinking about the world where Yoo Hajin would continue to live made her want to protect it even more. Then, a sound echoed from the distant corridor. It was the sound of a locked door being smashed by something like a hammer. As Heavenly Ordeal Sect members panicked, Nagu shouted. Dont panic, everyone! The barrier of this room was personally constructed by Celestial Immortals, it cannot be breached by an individual! So... But before Nagu could finish, the wooden door shattered. It was the core of the barrier. To tear apart that door with sheer force Everyone fell silent, staring at the man standing where the door used to be. No, to be precise, everyone mped their mouths shut and trembled. Ignoring them, the man looked for Nayu. Nayu. Then he found her. Nayu wasid on something like an altar. Seeing the man, she gave a faint smile. But the mans expression was filled with horror. Nayu? Nayus face was deathly pale. Blood was trickling from her eyes and nose. She looked as if she was on the brink of death. NAYU!!! Yoo Hajin shouted and rushed towards Nayu. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 63: Heavenly Ordeal (5) "Nayu!!!" I rushed toward Nayu. She was bleeding. Not only that, she wasid upon something resembling a cold altar. I cradled Nayu in my arms. Her face, so pale. Her hands, ice cold. Just then, a voice called out from behind. It was the voice of an old woman dressed in a hanbok."Yoo Hajin, please calm yourself. Nayu is already beyond help." "Who are you?" "I am the leader of Heavenly Ordeal Sect, Nagu. I am Nayu''s spirit mother." Spirit mother. A term I was familiar with,ing from a shaman family myself. A spirit mother is a shaman who bes a mentor to young shamans. While the biological mother provides bloodline, the spirit mother is revered more for passing down the divine lineage. But that wasn''t important right now. Nayu is beyond help? What nonsense is this? "What do you mean she''s beyond help?" "Nayu has been taking on the Heavenly punishments of others since she was young. The fact that she''s alive until now is a miracle." Seeing my re, Nagu continued. "Ordinary shamans who soothe cmities rarely live past fifteen. Nayu was exceptional. Even so, she lived to twenty, which is a blessing from the heavens, wouldn''t you say?" Rage welled up inside me. My fists clenched involuntarily. Seeing my furious expression, Nagu hurriedly spoke. "I understand why someone as powerful as Yoo Hajin is attached to Nayu. It''s to gain enlightenment on the Heavenly tribtions, right? If that''s the case, we can provide everything you need." With a p of her hands, someone appeared from behind her. It was Nayu. No, to be precise, it was young Nayus. The young Nayus stared at me nkly. What are they? As I looked at Nagu in shock, she spoke. "This is modern cloning technology. Unlike doppelgangers, these are true replicas of Nayu. We can offer you one of them." Clones of Nayu? Is human cloning technology real? Wasn''t that something out of a science fiction movie? Why did they create clones of Nayu? As I pondered, Nagu continued with a smile. "Nayu is a shaman of the heavens. As you know, Heavenly beings, ns, and sects do not want such monsters to exist. If Nayu had grown unchecked, another uncontroble being like the Eternal Sage would have arisen. Thus, I received my orders." Nagu smiled as she spoke. "So, as her spirit mother, I trained Nayu. I ensured she had no will of her own and wouldpletely obey the will of the heavens." Nagu''s expression turned cold as she looked down at the young Nayus. The young Nayus began to whisper. "Big sister once got caught reading a picture book in secret, and she had to have thorns put in her eyes for a long time. It hurt so much that she cried, but the more she cried, the bigger the thorns they stuck in her body." "Big sister once spoke out loud and had her throat operated on to stop her from talking. It was terrifying when she couldn''t speak." "Big sister had no legs and had to crawl around. She wasn''t trying to escape." Could those horrifying words be true? I stared at Nayu in a daze. But Nayu gave no response. Instead, Nagu answered for her. "Such measures were necessary to perfectly control Nayu. She was a monster that even the heavens and the great families feared. If the Spirit Invader hadn''t attacked, Nayu would have remained under our control. And if the Earth Protector hadn''t protected Nayu, we could have maintained our control over her..." "Shut up with your nonsense." Please, just shut up. Because of you, I''m losing hope in this world. But that wasn''t the main issue right now. "But those clones are much easier to control. They''re weak. Yet, they can resonate with the heavens like Nayu, allowing us to continue our business. Nayu is now a worn-out business asset." I ced my hand on Nayu''s forehead. Even so, her expression did not be peaceful. What on earth is the problem? At this rate, Nayu would really die. "Even with someone of your level of power, eradicating someone''s soulpletely to avoid grudges and thus Heavenly punishment is rare. Most people in this world are ordinary. When they umte grudges, they eventually face cmities and Heavenly punishment. Our business will continue to thrive." Please shut up. Every time you open your mouth, my hope for this world crumbles. So please, just shut up. Before Ie to hate this world. But Nagu''s mouth did not stop. "We are protecting this world. Everyone has both light and shadow. Even the great secr leaders who guide this world have shadows. If we lose those great leaders because of their shadows, the world would ultimately perish. I did not lie to Nayu." Nagu continued speaking without pause. "Yoo Hajin, join us. There''s no need to cling to Nayu anymore. If you wish to gain enlightenment about the heavens and Heavenly punishment, join us and take one of these clones each month. Number 21, follow this esteemed guest." A young Nayu was pushed toward me. I looked at the young Nayu, referred to as Number 21, and spoke. "Young Nayu, do you like this world?" "I do!" Since when? Tears welled up in my eyes. But the young Nayu smiled brightly and spoke. "Big sister likes this world too. That''s why she wanted the scary lightning not to hurt the world. I''ll do the same." "But then, you''ll suffer like this..." "Yes. I really hate the pain..." The young Nayu pouted. However, she smiled again. "But big sister likes people more than the pain. And most of all..." At that moment, a finger touched my tear-streaked cheek. It was Nayu''s finger. Nayu wasforting my tears. The young Nayu spoke. "Because people live on. Especially because it''s the world you live in, big sister and I will keep protecting it. We won''t let those countless lightnings destroy the world." "Even though you suffered because of people, you''ll still protect this world." Nayu''s responses were gradually fading. Her breathing was bing rougher, and her hands were getting colder. What on earth should I do? I wiped away my tears and looked at Nagu. "Why does Heavenly punishment take the form of lightning? Isn''t Heavenly punishment more diverse?" "T-that''s because lightning is the most basic form of Heavenly punishment." "I saw on my way here that the origin of Heavenly Ordeal Sect was to prevent cmities from befalling kings and nobles." Misfortune is not a word that solely means lightning. It signifies a fateful disaster. I know this because Ie from a shaman family. Misfortune manifests in various forms of cmities. Therefore, the ultimate form of misfortune, Heavenly punishment, also appears in numerous forms. Failed enhancement, bing impotent, stock market crashes, etc. Getting struck by lightning is not the only form of Heavenly punishment. So thats it. It was Heavenly Ordeal Sect that transformed Heavenly punishment into lightning. More specifically, it was that woman who did it. "I searched the Anomaly Response Headquarters website beforeing here, and it said that the leader of Heavenly Ordeal Sect, Nagu, resonates with lightning, right? Such a person brainwashing the shaman of the heavens could fix the form of Heavenly punishment as lightning, correct?" "Wh-why are you approaching me suddenly?" In that moment, Nagu attempted to flee by flying. But when I grabbed her ankle as she tried to take off, Nagu fell straight to the ground. "How could you, how could you grasp lightning?" Had Nagu transformed into lightning? But that wasnt the main issue right now. I stomped on Nagu and spoke. "You used Nayu to convert all misfortunes into lightning that you could control, didnt you? As you said, lightning is the most basic form of Heavenly punishment, so it wouldnt have been difficult. It wasnt that the day of awakening made Heavenly punishment appear as lightning; you fixed it so that all Heavenly punishments were lightning." Theres a reason why people say someone deserves to be struck by lightning. Lightning is indeed the most basic form of Heavenly punishment. And when the one who deserves it gets struck by lightning, thats Heavenly punishment. Even though lightning is a Heavenly punishment, only the heavens can retract it. Thats why the Heavenly Ordeal Sect needed Nayu. From the beginning, beings like the heavens or the great families would have tried to kill Nayu. I dont know much about them, but why would they let a dangerous element live? I pressed down on Nagu''s chest and spoke. "You used those lightnings to threaten the world, deceiving Nayu by saying that the world would be in danger if she didnt deal with those lightnings. Torturing young Nayu." "Thats right. But what will you do about it?" Nagu, caught by me, shouted. "Nayu already made a vow. She vowed to take on all the Heavenly misfortunes handled by the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Watching you search for Nayu, she solidified her resolve." She vowed to take on all the Heavenly misfortunes handled by Heavenly Ordeal Sect? I looked back at Nayu. Seeing this, Naguughed mockingly. "She made a fundamental vow, so the lightning wont fall from the sky but flow through the internal gate of hell. I dont know what kind of miraculous trick you used to block Heavenly punishment... but now its unstoppable. Nayu is finished." "No, shes not finished." Nagu still looked at me with a mocking smile. "What nonsense. No one, no one can break this heavenlyw." "If thew means that a kind soul like Nayu has to die, then screw thatw." I formed a hand seal. Of course, if I had to form a seal, it had to be this one. The Seal of Subduing the Demon. A seal that subdues the demon residing on earth with the power of the heavens. Does that mean that those who live on earth must submit to the unreasonable heavens? No, it does not. People ultimately reach out to the heavens. People werent born to kneel and bow. I took the Seal of Subduing the Demon. And the finger that pressed the ground now pointed to the heavens. It was a gesture with the intention of defying the heavenlyws from now on. I named this seal. "The Seal of Defying the Heavens." And then I chanted the incantation. "Heavenly Descent. Rejection of Evil." C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 64: Heavenly Ordeal (6) Yoo Hajin realized that he knew what Mara was. And he also knew that Mara was the one who denied enlightenment. With that, Yoo Hajin achieved independent enlightenment. Yoo Hajin understood that Yang was the very essence of the life force. He realized that Yang was infused into the blood. Thus, Yoo Hajin achieved sequential enlightenment. Then, Yoo Hajin formed a pact with incantations and seals. In this way, Yoo Hajin attained True Enlightenment. Heavenly Descent, you say? At the unfamiliar term, Nagus expression turned nk. But Yoo Hajin simply looked down at Nagu without a word. Nagu shrank under that gaze. For some reason, those eyes filled her with dread. The bloodshot eyes, on the brink of bursting with blood, terrified her. So Nagu looked back. The members of the Heavenly Ordeal sect were staring at something in disbelief. At the end of their gaze was Nayu, sleeping peacefully.Nayu was no longer tormented by Heavenly Punishment. This cant be. Nayu was no longer suffering from Heavenly Punishment. Yet, Nayu had vowed to take on all the Heavenly Punishment controlled by the Heavenly Ordeal sect. The Heavenly Punishment controlled by the Heavenly Ordeal sect. It was a grudge equivalent to one-fourth of the worlds resentment. The heavenly punishment concentrated from that grudge was something no individual could resolve. How could anyone possibly stop Heavenly Punishment? Especially when it surged from within the soul, not from external forces. Stop it. Please, stop this, Yoo Hajin-nim. Nagu pleaded earnestly. Nayu is an existence that society cannot bear! An existence that annihtes humanity, and an existence that can destroy humanity!! But Yoo Hajin remained unresponsive, merely continuing to look down at Nagu with cold eyes. Do you think the great powers will stand by and watch this happen?! Stop this now! Yoo Hajin-nim, do you intend to turn them into your enemies?! But Yoo Hajin did not stop. He did not cease his efforts to block Heavenly Punishment using the unheard-of technique called Heavenly Descent. Nayu unconsciously began to heal her body. Despite not having learned Qigong techniques, she was recovering at an astonishing speed. Nagu was genuinely frightened by Nayus talent. But there was something even more terrifying. It was the punishment of Cheonji and the sect Alliance. On the day the Heavenly Ordeal sect was overwhelmed by the sudden surge of information pollution, they were nearly wiped out because they couldnt respond properly. It was the Cheonji and the sect Alliance that saved them. But they didnt forget to issue a warning. Baekdu, withnguid eyes that wouldnt change even after killing dozens of children, personally ordered Nagu. He said their only value was in suppressing Heavens Punishment. He didnt care if they amassed wealth or yed power games using themon people, but they must never forget their mission. But now, Heavens Punishment was trying to break free from that suppression. Heavenly punishment is unavoidable; thats why its called punishment! Once Nayu has vowed, it will inevitably return to her! Please stop this foolishness! Nagu screamed desperately. If she disobeyed the mission given by Baekdu of Cheonji, Nagu would never die peacefully. Baekdu were all equally cruel gods. Foolishness. Yoo Hajin finally spoke after hearing Nagus desperate cries. What foolishness am Imitting? Arent you trying to stop Heavenly Punishment, the heavenly punishment turned into lightning? Heavenly punishment is a phenomenon that can only be stopped by shamans associated with the sky. Otherwise, it will continue to strike down endlessly. What is this shaman associated with the sky? Nagu continued speaking in response to Yoo Hajins question. I mean shamans who resonate with lightning or the heavens, like me. In the old days, shamans connected to the sky, like clouds and stars, passed down this spiritual work... Wait, why am I saying this? Nagu looked at Nayu again. There was no trace of Heavenly Punishment emanating from Nayu. No, is it even possible to block Heavenly Punishment so cleanly? Heavenly Punishment is supposed to keep striking until it hits its target. Do you still not understand? What exactly Im doing? At that moment, Yoo Hajin spoke. Im not blocking Heavenly Punishment. Nagu looked up at Yoo Hajin with a bewildered expression. Th-Then what exactly are you doing...? Nayu vowed to take on all the Heavenly Punishment that the Heavenly Ordeal sect controls. Ive simply fulfilled that vow. Yoo Hajin smiled faintly. The Heavenly Ordeal sect can no longer control any Heavenly Punishment. So theres no Heavenly Punishment left to fall on Nayu. The moment she heard those words, Nagu reached out to the sky, trying to resonate with the lightning. But the lightning gave no response. Panicked, Nagu looked around. But there wasnt a single spirit to be seen. She couldnt sense anything spiritual at all. Terrified, Nagu looked back at Yoo Hajin. But Yoo Hajin silently hoisted Nayu onto her back. As he turned to leave, he said, If youre someone who practices spiritual work, you should know the term karma. The karma of those whomit sins returns to its owner. What sin have youmitted? Viting the heavens and nullifying the grudge of tens of millions. Yoo Hajin echoed the words his younger sister had once spoken. His sister had said it like this back then. Can you handle the consequences of the sin youvemitted? At that moment, Nagu turned around. The karma had begun. The members of the Heavenly Ordeal sect were dying miserably. Some were electrocuted by sudden sparks from theirputers, others were crushed under copsing pirs. There were even those who were struck by shattered ss, their bodies bleeding profusely. They died as if they were criminals who hadnt realized anything. ...Something that could easily be blocked with spiritual power, and yet. And then Nagu realized. She had be a criminal no better than a bug. No. Nothing could be seen. Nothing could be heard. No...! Surely the karma wasing. But nothing could be seen or heard. No!!! Why, why cant I see anything!!! Nagu screamed in terror. *** No!!! Why, why cant I see anything!!! A scream of terror came from a wretch. Hearing that scream, I realized it for certain. The Rejection Eye really is a technique that nullifies the opponents spiritual abilities. I had inferred it from the hazy memories of the Big Hand Casino and from Cheonsus tightly shut eyes, and I was relieved to be right. Heavenly Punishment, the heavenly punishment in the form of lightning. The one who controls such Heavenly Punishment is the lightning shaman, Nagu. If you nullify Nagus spiritual power, then the heavenly punishment that the Heavenly Ordeal sect can control disappears. It was a perfect n. I really must be a genius. At that moment, another scream echoed. It was Nagus scream. Wh-Whats there?! Hmph, is not being able to see spirits that terrifying? Even without seeing spirits, one should live with determination, like me. I looked back at the young Nayus following me. There were about ten little Nayus. At some point, they had started trailing behind me. Alright, kids. Follow your oppa. We like Hajin oppa. Oppa, follow! I made several trips in the elevator, evacuating all of them from the building. At that moment, I heard Nayus voice. Nayu, follow oppa. Nayu! Youre awake! The Nayu on my back suddenly started trembling. She was fussing, wanting to walk on her own. I sighed and set her down. The moment she was on her feet, Nayu spoke. Nayu is shaking with anger! Why, why? Suddenly, Nayu began tapping my chest. Of course, it didnt hurt at all. Nayu says dangerous! Worrying feelings! So basically, this ce was dangerous, and she was upset because I came here and caused amotion, making her worry. Nayu, the shaman of the heavens. Nayus voice quivered as she spoke. Nayu says she knew. Nayu wanted to protect. Did she know the Heavenly Ordeal sect would do something like this? Well, considering shes someone who can predict lottery numbers, it makes sense she knew what theyd do. But the part about wanting to protect Nayu says she wanted to protect you. She wanted to protect me. Knowing everything, she went along with the Heavenly Ordeal sects orders to protect me. A girl who was still too young to be called a full-grown adult looked up at me. She had sky-blue hair, making her appear almost otherworldly. Sometimes, when something is so beautiful, words fail you. I gathered my thoughts and finally spoke. I wanted to protect you too. At that moment, Nayu fell silent. Her face turned a little red, and she started avoiding my gaze. I had already undone the Rejection Eye, so why was this happening? Just then, one of the young Nayus spoke up. Is big sister embarrassed? N-Nayu has an expression that says she knows nothing. No, big sister is happy! Nayu strongly shakes her head in denial. Listening to the chatter of Nayu and her little sisters, I sat down on a nearby flower bed. This is really painful. My eyes felt like they were about to burst, and my head felt like it was on fire. I suppose there really is a price to pay for using this power. If I want to understand this ability better, Ill have no choice but to contact the Heavenly Demon Cult. But contacting the Heavenly Demon Cult came with risks. That bastard Jucheol did warn me. Even Cheonji considers them a troublesome existence. Cheonji might even be trying to hunt down Heavenly Demon. I weighed the risks and potential benefits. Honestly, the risks of approaching the Heavenly Demon Cult were far greater than the benefits. But in this particr situation, it seemed the benefits might outweigh the risks. After all, the best ce to leave these kids I looked at Nayus little sisters. The only ce that would be safe for them, and that dislikes both Cheonji and the Sects, was the Heavenly Demon Cult. With that, I made up my mind. I would visit the Heavenly Demon Cult once more. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 65: The Private Debt Apocalypse of Yoo Hajin (1) Park Il, the head of theIlwol-Oakmoon sect, gazed up at the sky. The countless Heavenly punishments that once flowed through the heavens had suddenly vanished. The divine punishment had shifted into a different form, no longer manifesting as lightning. The Heavenly punishments has disappeared, he murmured, a sly grin spreading across his face. He mused to himself. The one responsible for this must be Yoo Hajin. That child, who once saved the Eternal One, has now even managed to rescue the Heavenly One. As expected, that child is far more heroic than he ever was. A changer of fate, indeed.Park Il had once tried to change their destinies himself. He had attempted to teach morality to the Eternal One to stop the battle with the Union of the Four Families. He had tried to teach Nayu the art of killing so that she could destroy the Heavenly Ordeal sect on her own. But both were impossible tasks. Kim Sojin, the Eternal One, was a tyrant who listened to no one, and Nayu, the Heavenly One, was too kind-hearted, incapable of even killing her sworn enemy, the Heavenly Ordeal sect. If not for that oath If not for that oath, he would have destroyed the Heavenly Ordeal sect himself. If not for the oath made with Cheonji and the other sects. The oath stated that if Park Il interfered in the affairs of the spiritual realm, Cheonji and the sect Alliance would unite to invadeIlwol-Oakmoon sect. But if Park Il remained inactive, they would acknowledge Ilwol-Oakmoon sect as the supreme sect of the spiritual realm. Back then, Park Il had believed that this would protect the mortal world and bring peace to the spiritual realm. But who could have predicted the invasion of the Demon Lord? And who could have predicted the emergence of children who would be called his equals? This too was all foretold by fate. The same fate that Park Il had once refused to believe in. Fate, indeed. If so, then what on earth is that child who defies fate? Yoo Hajin, who shatters and twists even the absolute spiritual force that governs the worldfate itselfwhat is he? Park Il stared into the distance. Then, he nodded. As expected, the one who will change the fate of this world is **** Sneaking into the Heavenly Demon Cult was simple. First, find a suitable inte caf. Then, visit an appropriate online forum and start badmouthing the Heavenly Demon. To be precise, you just need to spread ridiculous rumors online. Then, activate a VPN and send those posts to various popr forums. Jamsunis Special Technique: Multi-Clone Jutsu!!! Whenever Jamsuni wanted to wreak havoc on a sites forum, she would shout, Principle Activation: Multi-Clone Jutsu! and then proceed to cause chaos. When I asked why she did that, she said it was just out of boredom. But Im different. Im causing chaos because its necessary. Im not like Jamsuni. As I disyed my dazzlingputer skills, Nayu and Mini-Nayu, who were watching beside me, each made ament. Multi-Clone Jutsu? Nayu says its a bad thing to do. I-I know its bad, but its necessary bad. After flooding the site with posts for who knows how long, two suspicious peoplea man and a womanapproached me. Hey, you! On the inte Gasp! But as soon as they saw me, they dropped to their knees. Come on, whats this all about? I lifted the two people who were about to kneel before me. Then, I whispered quietly in their ears. I want to sneak into the Heavenly Demon Cult. And I want to do it with those kids over there. Y-Yes, sir! As you wish. Watching the Heavenly Demon Cult members tremble with emotion, I sighed. These guys really are monitoring the inte, arent they? Even after changing my IP address with a VPN, they found me so quickly. It seems the rumor that something controlling the inte from behind the scenes is helping the Heavenly Demon Cult might actually be true. Could it be some kind of AI? An AI that hates superhumans. It somehow reminds me of that Anomaly Response Headquarters website. Ill have to look into this more thoroughlyter. But that wasnt the most important thing right now. I looked to my side. Ten Mini-Nayus were staring at me intently. Hey, dont worry, okay? Worry? Not worried. I trust you, Oppa. I couldnt help but break into a wide grin as I listened to the chatter of the Mini-Nayus. Theyre just too cute. Were heading to a ce where the people are the most human-like Ive ever met. Theyve got their own hospital, school, and even a decent-sizedmunity. Youll all be safe there. The Heavenly Demon Cult. Sure, they kidnapped me, but I had to admit it wasnt a bad ce. To be honest, looking back, they seemed almost like saintspared to others. Compared to Cheonji , the Heavenly Ordeal sect, or other sects, this ce is really not bad at all. Its the kind of ce where Id trust the kids to stay. Trusting-Nayu-expression! Yeah, yeah. Just trust me. The Heavenly Demon Cult is a good ce to raise kids. At that moment, the cult member lowered their head. They imed to have found a secret way into the Heavenly Demon Cult. So we all hopped into a ck Starex van and arrived at the Heavenly Demon Cult vige. See? Not a bad ce, right? The kids can Huh? But the first thing we saw upon arrival was a series of red foreclosure notices. They were stered on houses, pirs, and even trees. W-What? Nayu-feels-bad. Foreclosure notices? Wait, who dared to put foreclosure notices on the Heavenly Demon Cult??? Looking down the street, I saw the cult leaders slumped in despair, in the ssic OTL pose. What on earth happened here? I dont know what happened, but one things for sure: the Heavenly Demon Cult is no longer a part of my life. I just hope I dont have to inherit any of their debts just because Im now associated with the Heavenly Demon. Thats something I absolutely cant allow. Never cosign for someone elses loan, even if its family. Thats the rule. I was about to make a run for it, but escaping with all the Mini-Nayus in tow made that impossible. Damn, I have to get these kids out of here too. At that moment, O Seolhwa, the bishop of the Heavenly Demon Cult, appeared wearing a mask and knelt in front of me. Cult Leader. W-Wait, dont call me that! There are too many people listening. Calling me the cult leader makes it sound like I have to pay off all these debts. Dont call me the cult leader!!! Just call me Hajin. Thats it. Hajin-nim. Im sorry. I didnt expect things to turn out this disgracefully. I looked around. Some foreign women in suits were scribbling something down and then started reapplying the foreclosure notices. W-What exactly is going on here? O Seolhwa, looking embarrassed, bowed her head. Then she slowly began to speak. Its embarrassing to say, but if youmand it, I will exin everything in detail If its too embarrassing to talk about, you dont have to say anything. And then, another woman in a suit appeared. The safest financial service in the world. Im Reba, the team leader from the Golden Dawn Society, and Id be happy to exin everything! Blonde hair, blue eyes. And with a monocle and a well-tailored suit. If not for the fact that she was a beautiful woman, she would have looked like a perfect British gentleman. Before we proceed, may I ask if you have any special rtionship with the Heavenly Demon Cult? Well, its a bit of an ambiguous rtionshipyou could say I may or may not be connected. I suspected as much when I saw your cult leader kneel before you. Could it be that Im wrong? Ugh, this is a dangerous development. At this rate, Im really going to end up buried in debts that I didnt even incur. Would a vow suffice? No, vows are part of the primitive culture of shamans. They say even strong shamans break their vows when struck by lightning. The Golden Dawn Society, offering the worlds safest financial services, doesnt believe in such things. Team Leader Reba pped her hands. The women in suits next to her opened ck briefcases. From those briefcases, a device resembling a speaker emerged. Instead, we believe in the truth. This is an artifact called MA-NAEGA-NGNG. It was restored by Omega-Tech. Its a pure piece of technology with absolutely no shamanistic skills involved. Reba fiddled with the artifact speaker. So, what exactly is this speaker? From the way shes talking, it doesnt seem to operate on spiritual power. This artifact is a lie detector from an ancient super-civilization. It can tell whether what someone says is true or false. Artifact, is it true that the Heavenly Demon Cult owes us arge debt? It is true. A voice saying It is true came from the speaker, which wasnt even connected to any electricity. How does this thing even work? Now, would you mind repeating what you said earlier? That you have no connection to the Heavenly Demon Cult? Damn it. The connection isnt exactly. That is false. I closed my eyes. How am I supposed to believe in a speaker like that? But with so many people watching, I couldnt just cause a scene. Haha! See? My eyes are never wrong. Could you tell me your name, sir? I dont want to tell you. But Ive already heard the name Yoo Hajin, havent I? Damn it. Then why did you even bother asking? I spoke with annoyance in my mind. How did the Heavenly Demon Cult end up buried in debt? Oh, you dont know? You must not have heard about the Electric Mountain, the copse of the Voltage Peak. She continued to exin. When Voltage Peak copsed, the electric currents from the otherworld were about to engulf the surrounding cities, and the Heavenly Demon Cult spent a fortune to dispel those currents with negative energy. At that moment, I learned that it was the Golden Dawn Society that lent therge sum of money. Things escted when the Heavenly Ordeal sect med the Heavenly Demon Cult to their clients, iming that the cult was responsible for the situation. The Heavenly Demon Cult, not being part of any major faction, was an easy target to sell out. Apparently, the cult had been at odds with the Heavenly Ordeal sect since I first arrived here. The Heavenly Ordeal sects clients cut off their funding. Then, the Golden Dawn Society started demanding repayment of the debt. And thats how this whole mess unfolded. Damn it, this all happened because of me. In the end, I couldnt help but ask cautiously. So, how much is the debt? Around I lost consciousness for a moment after hearing the amount. The figure was so shocking that it must have triggered some kind of PTSD. I subtly nced over at O Seolhwa. Is there any way we can solve this by force? No, there isnt. But it was Reba who answered. Artifact, is it true that the Golden Dawn Society has contracts with powerful individuals like the Saintess and the Grandmaster of the Holy Sword Order? It is true. The speaker answered truthfully. Are you seriously thinking of fighting against an organization as reputable as the Golden Dawn Society, which has such powerful allies? I didnt know who the Saintess or the Grandmaster of the Holy Sword Order were, but they sounded like formidable opponents. I bit my lip, speechless. The Heavenly Demon Cult is an isted group. The fact that no one is willing to help you means youck credibility. Thats why were forced to take this action. No. Frustrated by the situation, I asked again. What do you mean by credibility? Ive already exined. In this era, credibility means having close ties with shamans who are close to gods. Such divine connections are the most valuable form of credibility in this world. The Heavenly Demon Cult may be a strong group, but youck that kind of credibility. Especiallypared to our Golden Dawn Society. The women in suits spoke with a mocking tone. Credibility is everything in this world. Those with high credibility canmand those with low credibility. With enough credibility, even powerful superhumans like yourself could be made to kneel before someone like me, a normal human. Even if the world goes mad under the influence of shamans, the Golden Dawn Society will endure. As long as we have credibility, we wont be trampled. Ahem. Lets refrain from making rudements toward our clients. Now, well proceed with the acquisition process, so if you could Hold on, credibility means having connections with powerful individuals? Then could I possibly count that bastard Joo-cheol as a connection? And Joo-cheol was something incredibly powerfula noble one. Having organized my thoughts, I reached out to Reba. Wait. Then, I spoke again. Ill show you my credibility. Credibility? If its not on par with the Cheonjis Baekdu or the Heavenly Sage, then its better if you dont Ive known the noble one for a long time. W-What? Reba, who had been speaking with a strange tone, suddenly looked at the speaker in fear. The speaker responded. It is true. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 66: The Private Debt Apocalypse of Yoo Hajin (2) Is he saying he has known the noble one, the Demon King for a long time? Reba, the team leader of the Golden Dawn Society, was stricken with terror. She knew exactly what "Noble one" meant in Korean. In English, it tranted to "Demon King." It was a term that signified the ruler of spirits. However, despite understanding the gravity of the term, Reba had no choice but to feign ignorance and ask again. It was simply too unbelievable. "Are you saying the ''Noble one'' you mentioned really means the Demon King?" "It''s the truth." StaggerHow could a human possibly have known a being that signifies the very extinction of humanity for so long? Reba felt her legs wobble beneath her. Even the ce I once lived was destroyed because of the Demon King.A terrifying specter that could nket continents with supernatural power and permanently alter maps with sheer force. These beings, often called gods because there was no other fitting term, were each responsible for destroying a nation and turning it into a twisted, hellishndscape. That was the Demon KingThe noble one. Reba knew that fear all too well. And now, someone imed to have been acquainted with such a being for a long time. "." But Reba couldn''t afford to give up now. Number one in debt recovery. Golden Hands Reba. She couldnt just abandon that title. "But isn''t the Demon King humanity''s enemy? If you im to have been acquainted with him, doesnt that present a significant problem?" It was a sharp observation. Reba smiled once more after making that pointed remark. But Yoo Hajin''s next words wiped that smile right off her face. "I said Ive known him for a long time, not that we were friendly. He and I have always fought. Recently, I met him again and beat the crap out of himtotally wrecked his face. I should''ve killed him then." "Wha, What?" Reba staggered again, her disbelief overwhelming. Had he really fought the Demon King numerous times? And even beaten him so badly that he crushed his face? "It''s the truth." An artifact confirmed the mans words as truth. Hearing this, Reba copsed to her knees. It was so natural, as if it was the only possible response. If hes strong enough to fight the Demon King, just how powerful is he...? Reba was terrified of the man standing before her. But more than that, she was terrified of her reputation being shattered. As someone who had risen to the position of team leader despite being an ordinary person unable to awaken supernatural abilities, the thought of her downfall was horrifying. She feared losing herself more than anything else. So she spoke humbly, yet with a touch of dignity. Hajin-nim, no matter how much the world has changed, humanity has not crumbled into barbarism; we have maintained our civilization. And civilization is, after all, a society of trust. So, what are you saying? Thank goodness. Yoo Hajin might be a transcendent powerhouse, but he seemed like one who would listen to reason. It meant he wasnt the kind of Shaman King who would massacre without a second thought. If Hajin-nim uses his powers to nullify the Dawn Societys debt, the Society would suffer great damage, and many people would die. But I assure you of one thing: it would be quite troublesome for you as well. Reba lowered her head. Thats why, as a civilized person, I want to resolve this matter peacefully. Desperate but firm. Reba behaved like a gentleman on the brink of death . Yoo Hajin watched her and nodded. A peaceful solution, huh? I prefer peace too. Okay. Thank you. Then let me introduce you to the second mode of this Oparts. Ill show you the credit measurement mode. SnapAs Reba snapped her fingers, the other women in suits immediately began tinkering with the Oparts. This Oparts is designed for debt collectors. The Dawn Society always collects for legitimate reasons, but debtors often lie for unjust reasons. They im they have no money when they do, say they dont have goods when they do, and insist they have no people when they actually do. Reba continued. To deal with such debtors, we needed a machine that would always speak the truth. So, wemissioned the Omega Tech, who research ultra-ancient technologies, to restore this Oparts. Yoo Hajin quietly observed the speaker. Was this also a product of Omega Tech? A ce that researches ultra-ancient technology. A technology that doesnt use supernatural abilities at all. He was honestly a bit interested. But that wasnt the important thing right now. And the Dawn Society is civilized enough to apply technology wisely. Bybining our credit evaluation system with this truth-telling Oparts, we can measure creditworthiness on the spot. Before he realized it, a massive machine had been set up beside the speaker. With its radar spinning around, it looked like some kind of military system. With this credit measurement system, theres no longer any need to spill blood like savages. We just measure who has the higher credit, and follow the words of the one with higher credit. This is the true civilized way of resolving things. Unlike the primitive methods of a Shaman ahem. Yoo Hajin tilted his head, signaling that he didnt quite understand. Seeing this, Reba spoke again. In simple terms, when the Dawn Society and Hajin-nim face off, its aboutparing the connections each side can call upon. Ah, I see. Yoo Hajin immediately grasped the meaning behind her words. So, this was essentially a machine-mediated showdown of connectionsa system that would shout out, "Hey, do you know who my big brother is?" on your behalf before the actual fight even started. Connections, huh. Yoo Hajin thought about his own connections. Could he win this? If you manage to beat the Dawn Society in terms of credit, well write off all the interest and even cut the principal in half. However, if you lose, youll need to follow the Dawn Societys acquisition process. Of course, well carry out the acquisition as gently as possible. Hearing this, Yoo Hajin nodded. The Heavenly Demon Cult was drowning in debt. He needed to do whatever he could to reduce it. And losing in the credit evaluation wouldnt increase the debt anyway. It was a fight with nothing to lose. Not fighting in such a situation would be foolish. Deal. Then, let me start. Our Dawn Society has contracts with several shaman guilds across Europe, the most famous among them being Hexenacht and Hexenj?ger Reba spoke quickly, almost as if she were rapping. Beep beep beep beep- The Dawn Societys credit score rapidly increased. The final score they achieved was 100,000 points. Even to Yoo Hajin, who knew nothing about this system, that seemed like a pretty high score. Now it was his turn to speak. Im acquainted with the Demon King. But the score didnt change. Reba, smiling as if she had already won, spoke up. Hostile rtionships dont count towards credit. Only those who woulde to your aid in a battle can be considered creditworthy. Ugh So thats how it worked. Thinking it over, it made sense. After organizing his thoughts, Yoo Hajin continued speaking. All of the Qigong Cultivation sects. Beep beep beep beep- As soon as Yoo Hajin spoke, his credit score began to rise. W-Wait, all of the Qigong Cultivation sects?! Are you saying every single Qigong n will fight for you?! Reba eximed as the score climbed, but Yoo Hajin wasnt concerned with that. He kept going. And the Anomaly Response Headquarters! The Anomaly Response Headquarters? You mean that agency, which is practically synonymous with the Korean government, will move on your behalf? The rising score answered her question. Yoo Hajin racked his brain. Who else would fight for him? Jinari, the young master of the Jin family. The House of Jin? The noble house that ranks among the top two in power? Yoo Hajin continued. All current disciples of Cheonji. A portion of the Mireuk Cult members who know my identity. And the Am-Mak forces. I wasmissioned by the Am-Maks leader, and I can resolve thatmission immediately. Yoo Hajin had once been tasked by the leader of the Am-Mak at Mount Jeonryun to uncover the identity of the Mireuk Cults leader. And Yoo Hajin knew exactly who that leader was. And yet, Yoo Hajin''s list of connections hadnt run dry. "Ancestor Kirieon. If I leverage Kirieon, even the other Sect might lend a hand, right? And of course, the Heavenly Demon Cult should be counted towards my credit as well." Reba stared nkly at the Oparts. The entire ss of Cheonji disciples, a massive cult like the Mireuk Cult, and a superhuman criminal organization as powerful as Am-Makcould the Oparts possibly acknowledge all these connections as true? Indeed, it did. The resulting score: 170,000 points. A figure that far surpassed 100,000. Yet, even so, Reba didnt lose herposure. "Thats quite an impressive credit, Yoo Hajin-nim. Truly admirable. I wouldnt have guessed that one person could hold such high credit." "Without my connections, Im nothing but a corpse. So, now" "But the Dawn Society still has a bit of strength left. Please add the credit of the Holy Sword Order, the Order''s leader, and the Saintess." Beep beep beep beep- With that, the Dawn Societys credit soared to 200,000 points. Yoo Hajins expression twisted as he saw the score. "Now, do you see? If the Dawn Society and Yoo Hajin-nim were to go head-to-head, our Dawn Society would have a slight advantage. So, shall we proceed with the acquisition?" "Wait!" Yoo Hajin interrupted Reba. At this point, it was all or nothing. When it came to matters involving money, Yoo Hajin had no pride to lose. He would name-drop every person he could possibly think of. Heavenly Demon Divine Skill: Cheonji Connection Sale. "I-I havent finished yet. People who would fight for me Lets see, my younger sister Harin, and that little rascal Gujeon who just entered Cheonji Academy. Oh, and theres the tiger Baek Yoorin, one of the Cheonji Immortals. She might fight alongside me, and theres also thedy who runs the side dish shop I frequentshe might lend a hand too, though shes just a regr person. And, well, theres Jamsunishe doesnt have any particr powers, but shes amazing at causing chaos online. And our Nayu, shes a top-tier shaman." "Nayu credit, booming!" "And even though it might not be much help, the guy next door would fight with me too. Also, theres a ce I go to rent e-scootersmy rtionship with them got a little strained after I wrecked a scooter on Mount Jeonryun, but since Im a regr, they might still help. Plus, there are people I met while working part-time who Yoo Hajin continued listing names for five more minutes. Reba, staring at the runaway credit score, was at a loss for words. 300,000? How in the world did it reach 300,000? "It has surpassed 400,000, Team Leader." "Shut down the program." And then Reba suddenly dropped to her knees, trembling as she bowed deeply. "S-Spare me, please." C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 67: The Private Debt Apocalypse of Yoo Hajin (3) There was an ancient society in Europe that delved into the spiritual realm. This ancient society was called the Golden Dawn. As the Age of Reason dawned and shamanism was dismissed as mere superstition, the Golden Dawn gradually absorbed the crumbling mystic groups, adapting to the changing times. Then, when the power of the spiritual realm reached its peak, the Golden Dawn became the shadow government that effectively ruled Europe from behind the scenes. Thus, the credibility of the Golden Dawn was synonymous with the credibility of European civilization. But to think there could be an individual whose credibility surpassed that of such a civilization... And its still rising. So, Reba, the team leader of the Golden Dawn, couldn''t help but tremble as she bowed deeply. A monster capable of wiping out Europe with mere connections stood before her. Survival was the only priority now. Reba trembled, putting on the most pitiful disy she could muster."S-Spare me, please." **** "S-Spare me, please." Whats going on all of a sudden? Team Leader Reba is suddenly bowing to me, begging for her life. Whats gotten into her? Is my credit score really that high? I didnt know why, but that wasnt the point. The important thing was to use Rebas attitude to erase my debt. Spare your life, huh. I smirked wickedly. If you want to live, youll have to show some sincerity. If you want to live, you better show some sincerity. Aplete debt write-off would be a good start. S-sincerity? Could it be that you want...? Whether she understood or not, Reba immediately started moving. Yes, yes, start by taking off that suit... Wait, why are you taking off your suit instead of pulling out the contract? What the hell? Sob, sob. I thought this was a Japanese culture thing. But I see Koreans also do the nude dogeza... W-wait a second! Why is this foreign pervert suddenly stripping? I covered Mini Nayus eyes as I spoke. You shouldnt see this kind of thing. Nayu! Cover your eyes too! N-Nayu only half-cover. Dont just half-cover them, cover thempletely! Nayu pretended to cover her eyes but was watching the whole scene with wide, curious eyes. There were ten Mini Nayus, so I couldnt cover all their eyes either. Reba. Stop! What the hell are you doing? Sob. Im showing the utmost respect ording to Eastern customs... Thats not what utmost respect looks like! Put your clothes back on! After making sure Reba was dressed again, I said, Sincerity is expressed through this. Like this. I made a gesture that mimicked flipping a coin. A universal sign for money. Sob. Ill take it all off... You understood perfectly, so why are you saying weird things again? Suddenly, Reba crawled over and clung to my pants leg. H-how about collecting at least half of the principal... no, even a quarter of the principal back? A quarter? The amount was so massive that even reducing it by half wouldn''t make it any easier to pay off. I nced over at Bishop Oh Seol-hwa. Bishop Oh Seol-hwa bowed her head and replied, "It might be possible. However..." "However?" "It would require sacrificing a lot of our followers." In that moment, I recalled the scenes I''d witnessed while touring the full course of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. This ce was filled with people who had been broken by the psychic powers. In fact, most of them were like that. And the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult provided free treatment to these individuals. Now, it seemed that Bishop Oh Seol-hwa was suggesting that paying off the debt would mean giving up on treating some of these people. Sigh, this is... I turned to Reba. She was looking at me with tearful eyes. Ill repay the debt, just give me some time Hajin-nim! Our people have be refugees because of the Demon Kings, living on the mercy of the Golden Dawn. If I, as the representative of my people, fail, the Golden Dawn will punish us. What happens if they punish you? At that moment, the other women in suits clung to me as well. Well be banished to that hellish ce, where the Demon King rule. The Demon King They must be talking about that noble one. To be honest, I was well aware of this situation. Before the Day of Awakening, Seoul didnt have so many slums. Most of the Korean Penins was a safe ce. But after the Day of Awakening, everywhere except therge cities that could maintain the boundary barriers became dangerous. Sending a single delivery would cost ten times the usual delivery fee. The whole world had changed like this. And Europe, in particr, had the worst refugee crisis. With Africapletely devastated, refugees flooded in, and more than half of Europe was contaminated with strange phenomena. Rebas people must be among the refugees who arose from that chaos. Please, even if its just a quarter...! Whatever decision you make, our cult will follow. My head was pounding. Why was I the one making this decision? The suffering followers of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult? The unseen people of Reba''s nation? I dont want to make decisions like this, dammit!!! But in the end, I made up my mind. Come to think of it, there was a way out of this, wasnt there? Reba. Yes. Does your Golden Dawn deal in information too? Do you buy good information for a high price? Of-of course. I opened the door in front and said, Then wait right here. Today, Im paying off all the debt and making the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult rich. **** I headed back to the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Why? Because there was some incredible information. I distinctly remembered seeing documents detailing the horrific atrocitiesmitted by VIPs, along with evidence of those crimes. It was likely information the Heavenly Ordeal Sect had gathered to hold leverage over these VIPs. Among those VIPs were many foreigners In other words, it was a truly global collection of data. Even to someone as clueless as me, it was obvious that this information was incredibly valuable. Just exposing one of the VVIPs listed in those files would be enough to wipe out the Heavenly Demon Divine Cults debt cleanly. Yoo Hajin, you idiot. How could I leave such critical information just lying in a trash bin? Back then, I was too pissed off to even consider using it. Soon, I arrived in front of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect building, and I quickly got out and jumped into the elevator, heading straight for the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Ding-dongthe sect was eerily quiet. Could it be that everyones been killed by the Heavenly punishment? The thought sent chills down my spine. But then again, is a Heavenly punishment even real? Harin did say it existed, though. In a world where ghosts exist, I guess Heavenly punishment do too. I shook my head and started rummaging through the trash bin. Found it. It was a thick bundle of files. Documents detailing the atrocitiesmitted by the VIPs. The Heavenly Ordeal Sect had convinced me that to avoid heavenly punishment, they needed to know about the evil deeds these VIPs hadmitted, hence these files. With both hands full of the documents, I was about to leave the sect when I heard a strange noise behind me. Ki-gek. A-gak. What the hell was that sound? Was it a human making that noise? It was too eerie to be a person. So naturally, I moved in the opposite direction from where the sound wasing. Curiosity kills, after all. There was no reason to take unnecessary risks. I quickly got into the elevator and exited the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. **** Deep within the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, a man murmured to himself. He yawned, wearing azy expression. Hmm, a master. Not falling for the temptation, I see. The Heavenly Ordeal Sect had now be something akin to a half-hell. No, in some ways, it was even worse than the Demon King''s hell. Nagu of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, despite being horrifically broken beyond words, continued to speak. It was a miracle that she was still alive. Ki-gek. A-gak. Kill me, please. Baekdu Jo Baek-nim, I beg you. Why was Nagu still alive? It was because Baekdu Jo Baek had opened his Ghost Gate. The name of this Ghost Gate was the Gate of Life and Death Annihtion. It was a Ghost Gate that erased the very concept of ''death'' in the area it was deployed. The influence of this Ghost Gate now spread across the entire floor where the Heavenly Ordeal Sect was located. In a ce where the concept of death was nonexistent, those who feared death were inevitably drawn in. However, the intruder had entered the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, taken something, and left immediately. What incredible mental fortitude. Are you not afraid of death? As a result, Jo Baek had no choice but to acknowledge the intruder. At that moment, Nagu, half-mad, screamed out. Monster! How can a monster like you strut around like you own the world?! Kill me! Please, kill me! Why do you want to die? Jo Baek asked in anguid tone. If you die, your soul will merely reincarnate. Do you wish to repeat such a painful life? I dont care about any of that! Just kill me! You wretched bastard!!! Nagu''s body was quartered. Yet Nagu was still alive. And Nagu couldnt endure that fact. Jo Baek, however, just shook his head as if he found the whole thing bothersome. You think Im wicked? No, we Baekdu are the absolute good. We are the ones who will sever the cycle of reincarnation created by the noble one. Hah, what a joke! You call yourselves good? The day truth rains down like a storm will eventually... At that moment, all the Heavenly Ordeal Sect members, who had either lost their lower halves or been sliced into cubes, were sucked into the Ghost Gate. Some, with only their upper faces remaining, silently screamed without lungs, while hearts, still beating after being ripped from their owners, pulsed with the question, Why am I still alive? None of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect members could die. Nagu muttered as she witnessed this. Please, just stop. Nagu, bear the consequences of failing to fulfill Heaven''smand with your body. Please. I dont want to go in there. Please, no. After the Ghost Gate had swallowed everything, Jo Baek spoke. Should I chase after the intruder? Im so sleepy. But Jo Baek didnt move. He found it too bothersome to pursue the intruder. Since the scent is likely still lingering, maybe Ill leave it to the newly appointed Baekdu, the Tiger. She is already a Baekdu, huh? Truly an incredible genius. With a traditional Korean ir, Jo Baek, who had passed the troublesome task onto his junior, stepped into the still-open Ghost Gate. The demon''s gate opens, Chnage, Enter the ghost gate. And then, he vanished. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Chapter 68: The Private Debt Apocalypse of Yoo Hajin (4) With thick files tucked under both arms, I returned to the Heavenly Demon Cult. I had scraped together every visible document from the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. I pulled out one of the files and tossed it to Reba. It contained confidential information about the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. I couldn''t just hand over the VIP information since it had to be sold at a high price. "Take a look." Reba, who had been wearing a gloomy expression, began to review the document I threw at her. Gradually, the corners of her lips started to curl up. "W-Where on earth did you get this data?" "Its material I obtained from a ce called the Heavenly Ordeal Sect." "Heavenly Ordeal Sect!" I ced the stack of files on a nearby table. Reba''s gaze followed the pile. Her eyes were clearly filled with greed."That that''s quite arge volume. Could there be client information from the Heavenly Ordeal Sect as well? No, no way." "If you''re curious, buy it and see for yourself." I said. Reba hurriedly responded. "No, no. Information from the Heavenly Ordeal Sect... Whew. Our Dawn Association will purchase that information." "At what price?" "Wh-What?" "I mean, how much are you willing to pay?" For some reason, my hands began rubbing together on their own. And before I knew it, an evil smile had crept onto my face. Business Mode ON. "Don''t tell me you think you''re the only ones I can sell this information to? Didn''t you see my dazzlingwork earlier?" "B-But the Heavenly Demon Cult and our Dawn Association are in a debt rtionship" "Do you think this file might contain information about someone high up in the Dawn Association? How do you think they would react if they found out they missed out on this information?" Hehehehehehehehehehe What is this endless scent of money? Myughter morphed into something strange on its own. "No, information about the Dawn Association It absolutely must not fall into the hands of another faction. Is it really true?" "I told you, if you''re curious, buy it and see for yourself." I kept the contents of the file bundle as hidden as possible. Truthfully, I hadn''t even gone through the entire stack myself. Plus, it seemed like there was a lot of unimportant information in there. Information about the VIPs would be valuable, but I didn''t know how much it would sell for. Usually, if you hire a detective agency, theyll dig up all someone''s personal information for about ten million won. So, if youmission a super detective agency for a billion won, wouldn''t they expose all the VIP information too? Even with a hefty fee, I figured a super-ultra detective agency would only cost ten billion won. Ten billion won per person Even though it''s a staggering amount of money, its still far from enough to pay off the Heavenly Demon Cults debt. So I had to bluff as much as possible. "So, are you not going to buy it? This is a real bargain sale. Its information from the Heavenly Ordeal Sect, after all." Rebas eyes spun in circles. "T-The Dawn Association will invest in the Heavenly Demon Cult." "To what extent?" "First, with this amount as a non-repayable support and interest-free loan" Reba subtly handed me a tablet. An ambiguous sum was listed. "Is this the best you can do?" "Y-Yes As a mere team leader, this is the best I can offer." It was a lot of money. But somehow, it still seemed unsatisfactory. Damn, this amount would be enough for someone to livefortably for life, yet it feelscking. Its your fault my sense of money is so warpedtake responsibility. "Hey, bring out that speaker." "S-Speaker?" "You know, the artifact that always tells the truth." I gave an evil grin. "Shall we see if what you said earlier was true?" "A-Ah. Suddenly, I feel like the artifact might be broken." "Really? Well, why dont you bring it out anyway?" "Y-You want me to strip? Are you really just looking for an excuse to see my nude dogeza" Shes spouting nonsense again. I ignored her words and subtly reached out toward the box where the artifact was stored. The women in suits rushed to stop my hand, but it was an impossible task. "A-All right!!! Wh-What conditions do you want?" Only after hearing those words did I allow myself to smile. "My conditions? Nothing too demanding. First, the Heavenly Demon Cults entire debt" **** It wasn''t until the afternoon that we were able to reach a satisfactory agreement. The terms were as follows: 1. The Golden Dawn Association will repay all of the Heavenly Demon Cults debts. The Heavenly Demon Cult, which was practically a welfare foundation, had a structure where debts kept piling up. I had confirmed thisst time by checking the ledgers. The umted amount was truly dizzying. But the Golden Dawn Association agreed to pay it all off. As soon as she received the document, Bishop Oh Seol-hwa shoved her fist into her mouth and began to weep, whimpering as she did so. Impressive how she can perform such a feat even while wearing a mask. 2. The Golden Dawn Association will support the Heavenly Demon Cult. Simply put, this meant they''d cover some of the operating expenses for the facilities. Upon reading this use, Bishop Oh Seol-hwa let out a strange noise and copsed. 3. Reba receives my contact information. For some reason, Reba was desperately eager to get my contact info. So, I just gave it to her. Wow, I sold it for way more than I initially thought. After seeing off my precious customer Reba, I went over to where Bishop Oh Seol-hway. Bishop Oh Seol-hwa was still sprawled on the ground, overwhelmed with joy. I was happy too. I finally managed to pull this wretched Heavenly Demon Cult out of its miserable state. Perhaps the day wille when the Cult even turns a profit? When that happens, Ill start enjoying a life of passive ie with dividends as the cult leader. I stifled a grin and spoke, "Hey, Bishop." "Yes, Lord Hajin." As soon as I spoke, the bishop sprang to her feet. "Can you take care of these kids?" I introduced the mini-Nayus standing behind me. "Who are they?" "They''re unfortunate children. If left out in the world, too many people would take advantage of them. Id like you to take care of them." Bishop Oh Seol-hwa gently stroked the hair of one of the mini-Nayus. "I see. These children are also victims of the spirit world. Since it is the will of the Lord, we will follow it." "Ugh, I told you, stop with the ''Lord'' talk." I scratched my head as I spoke. "Please take good care of them. And by the way..." "By the way?" "Do you have any records on the previous Heavenly Demon? I''d like to read up on it." I was curious about how the previous Heavenly Demon trained and what abilities they possessed. I also wanted to know where the other restless spirits might be. But Oh Seol-hwa gave a disappointing response. "There are very few records about that individual. The previous cult leader ordered that information on the Heavenly Demon be kept from contamination. However, there is someone who knows the former cult leader better than any document could." "Who might that be?" Oh Seol-hwa answered my question. "The Grand Guardian of our sect, Master Mumyung. He is the only person who has seen the previous cult leader in person." Mumyung, huh? That''s a pretty cool name. But to think he met the previous Heavenly Demon in person I heard the previous Heavenly Demon lived 500 years ago. Could it be that hes lived for over 500 years? "When he returns, I will inform him to meet with you, Lord Hajin." "Yeah, sure. Tell him to take his time." I cant exactly rush an old man toe quickly. I nodded and then looked at Nayu. Nayu was gazing at the mini-Nayus with a somewhat wistful expression. When the mini-Nayus waved, Nayu, on the verge of tears, waved back. "Nayu, are you crying?" "Nayu not cry, that''s lie." "My Nayu. You even know how to lie now. Youve really grown up." "Nayu not child." She turned her head away as if she was sulking. Oh no, maybe I treated her too much like a child. I couldn''t let Nayu stay upset. I took her hand in mine and said, "Letse back to visit the kids. Together, you and me." "With Nayu?" "Yeah. And while we''re at it, we can grab something delicious to eat. But if we eat without Jamsuni, shell throw a fit, so we might need to bring some back for her too." "Nayu nods... in agreement..." As soon as I said that, Nayu seemed to perk up, the sulkiness disappearing as she looked at me again. Her eyes, still filled with tears, murmured something softly. "Nayu''s heart is pounding." "What was that, Nayu?" "N-Nayu said nothing." Her face turned bright red. Maybe it was the setting sun making it look that way from a distance. But one thing was clearif we didnt leave now, we wouldnt be able to have dinner in Louisville. And if that happened, Jamsuni would definitely start whining. I couldn''t let that happen, so it was time to head out. **** Reba sipped her whiskey as she reviewed the documents. "What the... there''s VIP information in here. Why did he hand over such valuable intel for so cheap?" She thought about the man who had given her these documents. Yoo Hajin. A monster strong enough to survive a confrontation with the Demon king, and with an extraordinarywork to boot. Yet, despite being such a terrifying individual, he had a kind heart. If Yoo Hajin had the typical nature of a Shaman Lord, Reba wouldn''t be alive right now. And if she had begged him for her peoples lives, he would have cruelly mocked her. But Yoo Hajin had listened to her story withpassion, as if he understood the plight of the powerless refugees. And in the end, he had brought her these documentsthese incredibly valuable documents. "VVIP information? I cant believe the data is of this caliber. This is truly..." As Reba examined the Heavenly Ordeal Sects documents at her hideout, she felt tears welling up in her eyes. The VVIP records from the Heavenly Ordeal Sectthis was beyond incredible. "This is such precious information. Why?" There was no way a man like Yoo Hajin didnt understand the value of these documents. And yet, he had given them to her. There could only be one reason for that. "Did he pity our people?" With this information, she could aim for a higher rank within the Dawn Association. She might even have a shot at bing a Master, one of the top leaders. If she could reach the rank of Master, she might be able to save her peoplethose who were sold as ves or suffering within the anomalies. These documents were nothing short of salvation. Salvation for herself and her people. At that moment, Reba felt a surge of self-loathing. She had intended to use Yoo Hajin, but he had saved her and her people without expecting anything in return. She had always believed this world was a cold, heartless ce. But to think there existed someone who would silently offer everything to save another... She couldnt believe such a miracle existed. Reba fought back her tears. She held them back for a long time. And she made up her mind. She would rise to the position of Master. She would be a Master and repay this miracle. Reba thought this to herself, fighting back her tears. **** By evening, we managed to arrive in Louisville. As soon as we reached, I spotted a familiar little figure. It was the kid known by her nickname, Jamsuni, though her real name was Kim Sojin. Jamsuni stood there with a sassy stance, her voice sharp as she spoke. "Where have you two been?" C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 69: Jamsuni in the Basement (1) I hesitated for a second when I heard Jamsuni''s question. Should I be honest? Or should I lie? Would Jamsuni believe me if I said I stormed into the hideout of the evil organization Heavenly Ordeal Sect and heroically rescued Nayu? No, she probably wouldnt. So, I decided to keep it vague. Nayu was in a bit of a tough situation, so I helped her out. A tough situation? I wasnt lying. No matter how young Jamsuni is, as an adult, I can''t just deceive her. Of course, sometimes adults have to tell white lies for the greater good. A tough situation, huh. But hearing those words, Jamsunis expression turned even colder. It was a little scary whenever she made that cold face. Getting intimidated by a middle schooler. I really have reached a new low. Jamsuni, still standing with a defiant stance, asked, It doesnt sound like it was just a tough situation. Tell me in detail. No, there''s nothing more to say. Let''s go inside. We need to have dinner. Nayu-teacher mode. Suddenly, Nayu struck a proud pose, cing her hands on her hips. I was so taken aback that I mumbled. N-Nayu? Nayu is all worried and teary. What? What does she mean by that? What? Because you were in pain, Yoo Hajin came running like crazy, crying? And how did Jamsuni even understand that? Then Nayu spoke again. Nayu''s little siblings, Nayu Nayu! W-What? Whats Nayu Nayu supposed to mean? What? There are kids just like you, and Yoo Hajin decided to take responsibility for them? Taking care of family. Thats, thats W-Wait a minute. Jamsuni, how on earth are you understanding this? Its not wrong, but something feels off. But Nayu didnt stop talking. Nayu Hajin date request! H-Haha. At least I could understand the Nayu Hajin date request. And it seemed like Jamsuni got it too. Jamsuni. To exin it in more detail. Screw you, I hate you! Jamsuni only left those words behind and ran off. I couldnt help but let out a sigh as I watched her go. When she gets like this, it usuallysts a week. This is such a headache. I nced at Nayu. But Nayu avoided my gaze and mumbled. Nayu telling the truth No, Ha. Never mind. I felt a bitplicated. It was because of some strange thoughts I had. Honestly, they were so twisted that I felt ashamed of myself. Feeling good about Jamsuni being so clingy to me like this? So, when I got home, I tried to clear my head while taking a shower. Jamsuni was obsessed with me. And that was probably not because of love. Ive seen young girls behave like this before. Thats why, whenever Jamsuni acted this way, I felt both nostalgic and tender. Why does Jamsuni act like this? Maybe, like my younger sister Harin, she doesnt want her only guardians attention to be elsewhere. After all, Im Jamsunis only guardian. And Ive fulfilled that role quite well for a long time. Why did I take on that role? Was it to use Jamsuni? Did I end up getting close to Jamsuni because of that? Have I been taking care of her all this time for such a trivial reason? Am I really that good of a person? Or could it be Could it be that Im seeing someone else in her? For some reason, I felt like I knew the answer to this question. And the answer is probably one of the things Ive been thinking. This answer is crap. It cant be true. Its so hard to lie to yourself. Aftering out of the shower, I was choosing a shirt to wear when I noticed a school uniform wrapped in stic. It was my sisters uniform. A uniform she never got to wear. For some reason, I thought it would be nice if Jamsuni could wear this uniform. Why would I think that? I couldnt bring myself to answer that question, so I shook my head. I decided to forget about that kind of question. Damn it. Jamsuni and I are just Lying to yourself is really **** Kim Sojin hated everything. She hated the detestable Heavenly Ordeal Sect members, she hated Yoo Hajins flustered face. But most of all, she hated herself, who was on the verge of tears. How did she be so pathetic? How did she end up bing so human? Humans were nothing but corruption. Breathing corruption, smiling corruption, eating corruption, walking corruption, staring at flowers corruption, waiting for someone they like with anxious hearts corruption, and ultimately, loving someone corruption. Every action humans take is corruption. To reach the pinnacle of enlightenment, one must discard all things human. But Kim Sojin couldnt do that. Even if this heart caused her so much pain, it was too precious to simply discard. Because this heart was everything to her. Then how could she reach new heights with this corrupt heart? How could she surpass Heavenly Ordeal Sect and that old man and im Yoo Hajin for herself? Kim Sojin found the answer to that question. She would harness the power of the fallen demon lord, Heuksim. Standing at the entrance of the Louisville basement, Kim Sojin muttered to herself. Im really out of my mind. I must be insane. The girl standing in front of the door judged herself to be crazy. But even so, she did not stop. After all, enlightenment can only be achieved through extreme hardship. Kim Sojin knew all too well that you have to be mad to reach the pinnacle. So, Kim Sojin opened the door to the basement of Louisville. It was the door that even the old man and the Heavenly Ordeal Sect members hesitated to enter. As soon as the door opened, the air changed. It wasnt that it became stale or that there was a foul odor. It was the sheer presence of hatred in the air. Hatred towards the corruption that tainted the world. In other words, it was hatred towards humanity. Kim Sojin scoffed at that hatred and descended the stairs into the basement. The first basement level was nothing remarkable. There were rusted boiler systems and pipes stretching in all directions, along with an infinite elevator installed. There were no spirits or malicious entities to be seen. Even the ominous infinite elevator wasnt functioning. Even evil spirits fear this ce. Kim Sojin infused her spiritual power into the infinite elevator, gradually corrupting it. Through this, she realized just how deep this basement extended. Descending underground holds great significance in mysticism. Its a ritual symbolizing a descent into the world of evil spirits, Sheol. Its an act of forsaking the light and embracing the dark energy. It signifies exile and self-istion. The girl knew this better than anyone. Why? Because she was once a weapon deployed in the most dangerous of battlefields. And for a psychics, the most perilous battlefield is an endlessly extending underground. This brings back memories. Kim Sojin smiled faintly, feeling as if she had returned home. And so, she arrived at the second basement level. The second level was also unremarkable. There were a few pipelines running along the ceiling, and the floor was marked with white lines in a grid pattern, suggesting it was once used as an underground parking lot. Nothing stood out. The girl descended to the third basement level. The third level resembled a storage room. The items stored there included first aid kits, tools, and wooden boxes with Cyrillic letters inscribed on them. The girl opened one of the wooden boxes and smiled. This one box alone could kill millions. She closed the lid of the box, thinking to herself. Then she murmured, So, this is how you want to y? The girl continued down to the fourth basement level. The fourth level was an abandoned server room. Dust-covered servers, no longer operational, were neatly lined up. The girl paid them no attention as she walked down the corridor. And then, pretending to look for the stairs, she nced at her phone. There was no Wi-Fi signal avable. So, this must be the problem. === Bluetooth My Device PM-M971N Registered Devices Sojin''s Buds Pro Avable Devices Its Brain Its Eyes Its Ears Its Stomach, Lungs, Liver, Intestines, Spinal Cord Devices to Connect His Heart HeartHeartHeartHeartHeart === Kim Sojin stared at the items disyed on her phone with indifferent eyes. Just as she expected. There were rules to every phenomenon, even the supernatural. Breaking those rules shoulde with penalties. But she had casually bypassed the first, second, and third floors. She had engaged in dangerous behavior along the way. Surely, she had vited several of this anomaly''s rules. Yet, no penalties had followed. Why was that? It was because this phenomenon was hiding itself from her. "But even an evil spirit is just a natural phenomenon. And natural phenomena cant stop themselves." Fire doesnt burn because it wants to. The wind doesnt blow because it desires to. The waves dont crash because they feel like it. The same goes for an evil spirit. An evil spirit simply brings destruction because it embodies the end of an era. So even if it tries to conceal itself, its instinctive malice towards humanity still slips through. Even if that human is a monstering to devour it. The girl infused her smartphone with spiritual power, using it to trace that malice. Specifically, through the device-scanning app on her phone. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 70: Jamsuni in the Basement (2) Kim Sojin descended to the fifth basement floor. There, a group of people had gathered. Senior, someones approaching. They look like a girl. Donte any closer. If you do, well assume you''re an evil spirit. Kim Sojin observed them carefully. In their hands were objects condensed with spiritual energy. Weapons of spiritual power. A group fully armed with these. Moreover, the leaders in traditional hanbok had spiritual realizations high enough to be on the verge of deploying their full power. They were experts just before reaching the peak of their training. This group seemed to be part of a top-tier organization, like the sect alliance or a great sect. If it had been any ordinary girl, she would have copsed from the oppressive force of their energy. Shes breaking through our spiritual pressure and approaching. Shall we attack? Wait. She could be an NPC of this strange phenomenon. Kim Sojin looked beyond them. Beyond them, the Infinite Elevator was open. Seeing the barricade theyd set up to keep the doors from closing, it seemed these people were skilled in using the elevator. For the elevator to suddenly stop in a dimension like this I''ve been to ces called hell, but this one ranks high on the list of ominous ces. As the girl-like figure trembled, a man smiled warmly and spoke to her. Dont be afraid. Ill protect you no matter what. Senior, thats so cringe What? I was being considerate, and now Im hurt. They were even exchanging casual banter. Truly, they seemed like professionals at exploring elevators. Kim Sojin, hearing their conversation, nodded. Its a familiar sight A well-trained team Kim Sojin mumbled with a smile, and the one who seemed to be the leader raised his hand, gathering the attention of the others. Each team member, gripping their weapon, stared intently at Kim Sojin. The girl, noticing this, stopped talking and looked at them. Then she spoke toward them. As one who governs souls, I vow not to attack you. Her vow. As soon as they heard the vow, some began to rx. A few even said: What? We were scared for no reason. She even made a vow. Everyone, ease up. Dont waste your energy. Kim Sojin silently watched them, then raised her hand. As the girl clenched her fist, several heads exploded in unison. Attack! Attack! Damn it! S-Senior!! Suddenly, the head of the teammate standing next to them exploded, spraying blood like a fountain. In shock, they could do nothing but stare at the girl. However, even amidst the chaos, the girl simply pointed at something with her finger. At the spot she pointed to was a grotesque creature, a twisted mix of tentacles and teeth, crushed and lifeless. The remaining teammates could recognize the face of their fallenrade on the corpse of the grotesque thing. It was a parasitic creature that had devoured therades head, reced it, and had been controlling the body. The surviving team members, horrified, spoke in disbelief. A Body Snatcher? Is it really a Body Snatcher? Ive only ever read about them in research papers. In terms of advanced biology, these creatures were known as Body Snatchersbeings that stole and controlled human bodies. Kim Sojin, with a faint smile, remarked: A well-trained team dies because they trust their teammates. Its always been that way. This is a familiar sight. Kim Sojin continued in a slightly amused tone. You guys dont remember? Itsmon sense not to talk about safety or reassurance in the middle of an anomaly, right? The moment one considers an anomaly to be safe, they fall under its influence. Thus, one should never feel reassured in the face of an anomaly. But several members of that team had been trying tofort each other, offering reassurance. Kim Sojin found this sight nostalgic. A team, slowly picked off by Body Snatchers, looked just like this. I saw this so much as a kid. One by one, theyd get taken over by Body Snatchers, and by the time there was only one team member left, all the fake teammates would stand around them, grinning with their mouths torn wide open. Thats just how Body Snatchers work. The first time I saw it, I almost wet myself. The surviving team members felt terror for two reasons. First, they didnt know when theirrade had been taken over by the Body Snatcher. What they did know for sure was that it didnt happen during this elevator exploration. There simply hadnt been any time for it. Which meant theirrade had been possessed long before. But when? And how many Body Snatchers were lurking back at their base right now? The team members felt a chilling fear from that realization. Secondly, they were terrified of the girl. A girl who saw a dead Body Snatcher and grinned like she was meeting an old friend. Body Snatchers were rare, advanced bio-creatures that only appeared in specific hells. Creatures you should never be happy to see. Advanced bio-creatures were beings whose originy in the spiritual world. And Body Snatchers, born in hell, were often referred to as demons. Yet this girl smiled at the sight of such a rare demon, as if she were d to see it. Even the veteran team members, known for their survival skills, couldnt help but stiffen and tense up at this sight. Her otherworldly beauty and surreal demeanor enveloped her, making it hard for the surviving team members to breathe under the weight of her presence. At that moment, the sound of the elevator moving echoed through the space. Even though it was operational, the team members didnt move. Kim Sojin asked them: What are you doing? Arent you going to get in? The moment they heard those words, the remaining members immediately bowed at a 90-degree angle and shouted, Thank you for sparing us, senior!!! before rushing toward the elevator, fleeing in panic. And so, Kim Sojin was left alone on the fifth floor. ...Come. Now alone, the girl threw her phone far into the distance. A few seconds passed. The space around her brightened as an overwhelming torrent of spiritual energy poured down, almost too bright to see her form. Was it when I was 8? Or 9? It was the same back then, too. Kim Sojin endured the pain, recalling her past. To deceive that sect, I had to make a false vow. The handlers never told me that making a false vow would bring down heavenly punishment. I nearly died back then... No, they probably wanted me to die. She clenched her teeth, suppressing the pain, but showed no other changes in her expression. The heavenly punishment hurt more in my heart than it did from my body burning. When the heart aches, sadness follows. When sadness takes root, the heart turns cold. A cold heart quickly bes cruel. And a cruel heart inflicts wounds upon others. Thats why the world grows crueler with each passing day. The girl realized this at a young age. And from that moment, she gave up hope in this world. Having endured the heavenly punishment, she wiped away her tears. But these werent tears of sorrow. They were reflexive, brought on by pain. Despite the agony that brought her to the point of tears, the girl didnt make any noise other than the asional groan. She was that ustomed to pain. She picked up her phone as if nothing had happened. When she touched the screen, a new Wi-Fi icon appeared. Without hesitation, Kim Sojin pressed on thework. === Wi-Fi Avable Networks - KillEveryoneButGetHeavenlyPunishmentLikeAnIdiot (locked) Secured with WPA2 - SeenMoreGhostsThanMyParents (locked) Secured with WPA2 - PrefersHellOverTheHumanWorld (locked) Secured with WPA2 - ThenWereTeammatesLOL (locked) Secured with WPA2 === Big talk when you''re scared stiff. Kim Sojins hands trembled slightly as she saw this. Go ahead, give me your best shot. Ill pay you back a hundredfold. With those words, the girl sprinted down to the next floor. *** It was a refreshing morning. The sky was blue, and the birds chirped merrily. Yet, there was a lingering sense of unease. Unease? Just saying that makes me feel like Im turning into some kind of pessimist. I brushed my teeth and sshed water on my face haphazardly. As I washed, memories of yesterday started creeping in, particrly the moment Jamsuni stormed off in a huff. Ah, maybe thats why Im feeling uneasybecause of Jamsuni running off yesterday. It wasnt the first time shed dashed off after getting upset recently. Was it when I said I was going to take the entrance exam for Cheonji? That little brat had shown up at the DMZ, of all ces! I nearly had a heart attack. Easily the scariest moment of the year for me. And this time, Jamsuni ran off again, upset over some petty argument. I have no idea where she went, but I trust she didnt head for somece dangerous like the DMZ again. I spanked her hard enoughst time; surely, she wouldnt make that mistake again, right? Besides, Im here now. Shell probably show up around breakfast, sulking and whining about how mad she was. -Gurgle, spit I spat out the toothpaste as I mulled it over. Looks like breakfast today is soy stir-fry. I can already hear Jamsunis voice, "...Soy stir-fry is the best!" Just then, I heard someone hastily opening the door. I wrapped a towel around myself and stepped out of the bathroom, only to find Nayu standing at the entrance. The moment she saw me, she shouted: Nayu! Breaking news! C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 71: Jamsuni in the Basement (3) Louisville had a basement. ording to the old man and Jamsuni, it was a dangerous basement where ghosts appeared. So, naturally, I visited often. Of course, when I tried to take a look, Jamsuni and the old man would nag at me, so I had to sneak in quietly. But, of course, there were no ghosts in that basement. The only surprising thing was that there were quite a few floors. I guess they built it that way to use it as an underground parking lot or something. Anyway, thats the kind of basement Louisville had. But after telling me not to go there, Jamsuni went down herself? Can you believe this double-standard brat? So, youre saying Jamsuni ran away to the basement? Nayu nods. Running away to the basement, huh.Can we even call that running away? Well, at least that kids got a good head on her shoulders. Instead of running off to some shady ce, she just goes to the basement. Nayu tilts her head? Whats with the head tilt? Harin... no, Sojin is still a good kidpared to most. Jamsuni really reminded me of that girl. The way she told me about things in the world I didnt know about. How she spoke smartly, yet couldntpletely shake off her childishness. Pretending to be cold, but actually having a soft heart underneathit was all the same. Thats why I... Ah, Im getting lost in pointless thoughts. Dont worry, Ill bring her back. Just wait here. Nayu looks worried. I told you not to worry. Actually, Ill let you in on a secretIve been all the way down to the basement myself before. The basement of Louisville was about 10 floors deep. The 10th floor was a room where some sticky, tar-like substance flowed across the floor. So naturally, I covered my mouth and nose. Yeah, I admit it. Going down 10 floors into an unventted basement might sound insane. I wouldnt me anyone for thinking I was out of my mind. But, honestly, the air quality wasnt that bad. Still, no one else would believe that. See? Even Nayus getting mad at me, isnt she? N-Nayu! Nayu shocked! Nayu worried! Nayu angry face! Nayu being mad wasnt scary at all. Honestly, seeing such a cute girl try to act tough was more adorable than intimidating. But, since I had to respect her feelings, I should probably act like I was in trouble. Sorry. Lets talk after I bring Jamsuni back. Nayu deres shesing along. No, you cant. If it were the old man asking toe along, I wouldnt have stopped him. But hed already gone to work long ago. And there was no way I could take Nayu with me. Why was this happening in the first ce? It was because of the whole Nayu Date Deration, wasnt it? Bringing her along now would only lead to Jamsunis frustration blowing up in surround sound. So, I ignored Nayu and closed the basement door. Then, I gently locked it. Just how far down did that kid go? I muttered, staring into the dark basement. **** Kim Sojin was breaking through the 7th floor. No matter how much she descended, only the 7th floor appeared in an infinite loop of strange phenomena. Sometimes, the murals on the walls wouldugh and shift form, or rust-colored liquid would fall from the ceiling like rain. On the walls, alongside the phrase Photo of your house, were eerie, grotesque pictures of hell. Photos of people eating others while chasing those fleeing. A picture of something that looked like a dragon made of tentacles flying through the clouds. And a house that, while it felt like she had never seen it before, lingered somewhere in her memories. A picture of all humansughing as they jumped into a dark sea. Which photo is your house? Except for one, all the photos were familiar. The picture of people eating people depicted the spirit realm of the Demon King of Cannibalism. The dragon-like figure made of tentacles was the Demon King Gudo-ryong. The image of humans jumping into a dark sea was the remnants of the Demon Lord Heuksim. They were all familiar ces. They were pictures of her long-time adversaries from when she was weak. The only unfamiliar photo was that of the ordinary house. Which photo is your house? The girl bit her lip. So, thats it. Was that house, the one she cant remember, was home? My house is Kim Sojin couldnt finish her sentence. She could only keep descending the stairs. It takes a lot of spiritual energy to create a space like this. The girl muttered as she went down the steps. And with that, she began to absorb all the spiritual energy from every 7th floor she had passed through. The countless 7th floors. All of the spiritual energy in those floors turned into a vacuum. It wasmon sense that when one space became a vacuum, air from other spaces would rush in to fill it. The same applied to spiritual energy. As soon as the spiritual energy was drawn into the vacuum, the girl stepped onto the next floor. Thus, she reached the 8th floor. Ive dealt with this pattern dozens of times. The girl broke through the 8th floor. Of course, these were all strange urrences she had faced before. The girl broke through the 9th floor. It was all a familiar hell. As the girl pushed through each floor, she had to admit one truth. She was more familiar with hell than with reality. That she could never live a normal life. That she was a monster that even monsters feared. Hah. She sighed on the staircase leading down to the 10th floor. This really does make me sound like Ive got a severe case of chuunibyou. Even though Ive never even been to middle school. Her eyes flickered for a moment. Now. Now, perhaps. Was there really a way to catch Yoo Hajins attention that didnt involve using strength? But how? She was still just a child. She wasnt tall, nor did she have any remarkable physical development. And Kim Sojin, the Eternal Exorcist, knew nothing of other methods. She knew nothing about how a normal child should act to receive love. The only things the girl knew were battle and exorcism. She could never be a normal child. She had already run too far down the path of bing a monster. They say that to turn back in life, it takes twice the strength you used to move forward. The girl had alreadye too far. There was no turning back now. So, the only path left was to move forward and be a perfect monster. A cruel heart wounds the hearts of others. Wounded hearts grow cold, Cold hearts be ruthless, And ruthless hearts turn cruel. A cruel heart can only continue to hurt others. That was the rule she had learned. An undeniable truth. So, thats the truth, isnt it? Kim Sojin, who had reached the 10th floor, saw a dark heart. It was already dead, yet it throbbed, waiting for a new body. It promised stronger power and enlightenment. So, reach out your hand. Ill bind youpletely to my will. Activate Principle. The girl reached out her hand. **** How far down did she go? I muttered as I looked into the dark basement. I turned on the shlight on my phone and shone it down the stairs to the next floor. Jamsuni!!! No answer. It seemed like she had gone down deep. I kept descending, thinking as I went. Was she hiding somewhere? Or could it be something happened because of the ghosts everyone talked about? I couldnt see anything, but if a real shaman like Nayu said it was dangerous, then there had to be something down here. Feeling more anxious, I shouted louder. Jamsuni!!! Its soy stir-fry for breakfast today!!! Your favorite breakfast!!! Still no response. My heart pounded in my chest. Or maybe Ill y with you all day today? We can do multiyer on Marinecraft together!!! This time, I promise I wont quit until we finish building the house!!! Why wasnt sheing out? This was way scarier than any ghost. Fine, Ill even mine diamonds and share them with you!!! **** Jamsuni The girl, who had reached out towards the dark heart, flinched. She had heard a voice from the upper floor. But the girl smiled and ignored it. Theres no way Im hearing a voice. Each of these floors is practically a separate dimension. Theres no way a human voice could cross through multiple dimensional barriers. But for the man, those barriers were invisible. And he had a strange talent for ignoring things he couldnt see. His voice was no exception. JamsuniIts soy stir-fry for breakfastYour favorite meal Soy stir-fry does sound deliWait, do you think Im obsessed with food or something? The girl called Jamsuni grumbled. Yet somehow, her expression looked oddly cheerful. Or maybe Ill y with you all day todayWe can do multiyer on MarinecraftThis time, I promise I wont quit until we finish building the house You, you made fun of itst time, calling it a game for kids. She trembled in frustration but then let out a sigh. What was she even doing right now? Ill even mine diamonds and share them with you! Pfft Jamsuni couldnt help butugh at that. He really thinks Im a little kid. Whats he going to do with diamonds anyway? Jamsuni lowered the hand she had extended toward the dark heart. She just didnt feel like doing this today. But at that moment The dark heart began to pulse, veins forming from it. As those dark veins crawled up her right hand, Jamsuni didnt hesitate to cut off her arm. So, when I reached out earlier, it was already toote. The dark energy had already consumed her right arm. And using the dense spiritual power stored in that arm, it spread its veins even faster. The dark blood... its been a while. Cleansing this stuff is a nightmare. Now its crawling through my veins. She staggered. It was because of the blood loss from her severed arm. The dark blood flowed through her veins, and in her effort to purify it, she had to pour almost all of her spiritual energy into it. That made it harder for her arm to regenerate. Of course, the dark heart didnt care that Jamsuni was in danger. It continued to expand its veins. Seeing this, Jamsuni murmured to herself. There was no way she could let the Demon Lord stir again. Thats what Jamsuni believed. But why? Upstairs, that man wasing down. So, Jamsuni did something she would never normally do. Activate PrincipleFull Deployment. Spirit Realm Release. Jamsuni had fully regenerated her right arm before she knew it. The girl pulled out a talisman from her pocket and used a lighter to set it on fire. The mes spread instantly. The sticky blood flowing on the floor acted as fuel, making the fire ze brightly. The blood on the floor was the real blood of the Demon Lord, and thus the mes that consumed it were real as well. The dark heart writhed in agony. It recognized these mes. These mes came from the Great Scorching Hell, a hell so intense it was sometimes called the Inescapable Hell, one of the closest hells to the abyss that even Demon Lords feared to some degree. And these were not just ordinary mes from the Great Scorching Hell. The ability Jamsuni used was called Spirit Realm Release. A portion of the Great Scorching Hell, which Kim Sojin had once stolen with her own powers, had now been unleashed here. The corpse of the already-fallen Demon Lord stood no chance against these mes. And neither did Jamsuni, who had nearly exhausted all her spiritual power. Foolish. Jamsuni slumped to the ground, watching the mes dance. Even though its from the Great Scorching Hell, why is it so cold? She pulled her shoulders closer to herself. **** I had descended to the 6th floor. But I still couldnt find Sojin. Where could she be hiding? With my phones shlight as the only source of light, it was hard to see anything clearly. Please, just answer me!!! At that moment, a bright light flickered from the lowest floor. What was that? No, those were mes. Why is there fire down there? Why is there fire there? I once saw a burning shamans house from afar. It was the only house on the mountainside, and the mes could be seen even from the city. I could never forget the color of those mes. The same color of the fire now rising from the basement. No. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 72: Jamsuni of the Basement (4) No. Yoo Hajin ran. He just ran. Like the time he watched what he once called home burn to the ground, he ran, forgetting even the fact that he was running. No. The yard filled with fire trucks. The streams of water raining down. Yet, the fire was not easily extinguished. That image never left Yoo Hajins mind. That moment devoured his years. So now, Yoo Hajin forgot where these mes wereing from.All he knew was that over there, The girl he had sworn to protect, Was there. Never again. It was what he had said the first time he fought with the girl after taking her in. At that time, the man had said, Never again, and vowed something. Never again will I lose...! The mes were rising from the stairs leading down to the 9th floor. Despite the hellish mes roaring up like a demon, the man did not falter. He swung his ck Sheath, creating a gust of wind that parted the mes, then charged through. The fire, as if it refused to die, singed his skin, but the man, holding the cane close to his body, healed himself. The pain meant nothing. He found the stairs descending through the raging inferno. Without hesitation, the man threw himself into the burning stairs that looked like the entrance to hell. Why did those stairs resemble the entrance to his old house? If so, was that child beyond them? This may be your sisters remains... It was the sight of a child, burnedpletely ck. Yoo Hajin had seen it with his own eyes. The remains are beyond the Great Ghost Gate. Beyond the Ghost Gate was the world of the afterlife. Yoo Hajin knew this, being the son of a shaman. Joo-cheol never said the child was alive. It was the truth he had been ignoring since his conversation with Joo-cheol on Jeonryusan Mountain. But now, things were different. Now, he could save her. That child. Even as his arms and back burned from the fire surpassing the healing power of his ck Sheath, the man couldnt stop. Beyond these stairs was the child who had been left alone. Never again. There was a child whose brother couldnt protect her And finally, Yoo Hajin reached the 10th floor and immediately began searching for the girl. I will never leave again. The heat from the mes made it hard to breathe. But the man did not stop looking around. So please... please...! And then, he found herthe girl, kneeling with a shocked expression, staring right at him. The mes of the Great Scorching Hellone of the deepest hells, excluding the Avici Hell. Even knowing the power of those mes, he came to save her. Without realizing it, the girl murmured to herself. Hajin... No more words were necessary. In an instant, the man ran to her and pulled her into his arms. Im sorry. Im so, so sorry. TightlyThe girl was startled, seeing the mans face soaked with tears. She was also surprised by the warmth of his embrace, as if he feared she might break. There was one w in Kim Sojins logic of the heart. Could wounds of the heart truly be healed? The man, holding the girl tightly, began to make his way out of the mes. Even as the fire from the Great Scorching Hell scorched his body, he held her close, shielding her as if he would never let her burn. Ill never leave you. Never again. She could hear the tremble in his voice. In this moment, wrapped in his arms, she felt like she wasnt the monster she had always believed herself to be. Youre just a normal kid. The man said to the girl he called his sister. Even though, in truth, she wasnt his sister. But right now, the truth didnt matter. The man wanted to say these words more than anything. Youre just a normal kid. Youre not some kind of monster like the adults say... Her grandmother, her mother, they all called his sister a monster. And every shaman and sorcerer said the same. So, the man had always wanted to say this. It doesnt matter if you dont have spiritual power or any kind of special abilities. Ill protect you, always. He finally said the words he had always wanted to tell his sister. And the girl, who wasnt really his sister, nestled deeper into his embrace, hearing them. Not knowing the truth Was her salvation. I just... I just want you to be happy. Stay away from ghosts and spirits. Dont do shaman stuff anymore, just... She didnt need to fight, he said. For the girl, who had been used as a tool of war her whole life, it was the first time she had ever heard such words. She had always thought that her only worthy in herbat skills. So, each word was a salvation. And for the man, this moment was salvation as well. It was as if time had rewound, And the past had been rewritten. Go to school, hang out with your friends like a normal kid who cant see anything, and just live happily. Thats all I could ever want. If the wounds of a wounded heart could be healed. And if, through that, the heart could be warmed. Perhaps that warmth could heal the hearts of others too. Even if it was all built on a lie. Ill protect you. With those words, the man staggered. He had inhaled too much of the burning smoke. I... Even as he copsed, the man never let go of the girl. This time, Ill... And with the words B3 level shing in his vision, the man finally lost consciousness. *** It was a familiar ceiling. Judging by the sunset outside, it seemed to bete afternoon. Ugh, my head is splitting. Why does my head hurt so much? Did I drinkst night? Wait, why am I waking up in the afternoon? As I slightly lifted my head, I saw Jamsuni and Nayu staring at me. Both of their faces were streaked with tears. N-Nayu... shouted Thank goodness!? Y-Yeah. Youre awake? And as soon as I saw Jamsuni, most of my memories flooded back. I had gone to look for her after her so-called runaway incident, witnessed that fire show down on the 10th basement floor, and then lost it due to the trauma. The memory of that moment when I lost control is blurry. Maybe its because I inhaled so much smoke. I must have run like a madman, not caring whether my body was on fire, to save Jamsuni. Wait a minute... What the hell did Kim Sojin, this crazy little brat, do to cause a massive fire in the basement? My expression must have turned from shock to anger because Nayu quietly stood up and left with a hasty, Nayus-not-running-away-but-a-valid-excuse. But Jamsuni just stared at me with a nk expression, even as my anger grew. Hey, Kim Sojin. What the hell did you do? Are you seriously insane? I know it was the 10th basement floor, but did you think the mes wouldnt reach the surface...? No, seriously, if the fire was that big, you shouldve run away before trying to put it out! Are you really that stupid? Do you even realize how damn worried Iugh, forget it. You...! But I couldnt bring myself to scold her. Jamsuni, lying down quietly, had already raised her hips. What... what are you doing? Hit me. I messed up this time, so... hit me. Making a middle schooler get into this kind of position... It made me feel like trash. Honestly, the only time I ever discipline Jamsuni like this is when she truly deserves it. As I stood there staring at her, Jamsunis body began trembling slightly. Hurry up and... hit me. Ha. Forget it. Get up. Jamsuni cautiously looked at me and said, I... I think Ill try going to middle school. W-What? You said youd help, so financially, there wont be any burden. Our little Jamsuni saying something this responsible... I suddenly felt like I was going to cry a river. Why... why are you stuffing your fist in your mouth? I cant just cry out loud like a kid. Wiping away real tears, I muttered, trying to hold back my emotions. Why did Jamsuni saying she wanted to go to middle school touch me so deeply? It felt as though a corner of my heart had been saved. And... Ill try to be a more normal kid. Hey, did you eat something weird? Why are you saying such responsible things? I patted Jamsunis hair. She quietly epted my touch. I was really nning on scolding you today, but Ill let you off this time. Hmph, you sound like such an old man. Im going. A-And... The girl, her face still streaked with tears, smiled. Oppa, thanks for today. What? I didnt catch that. Say it again? I-I dont know! You misheard!!! The girl yelled at the top of her lungs and bolted out of the room. Watching her, I mumbled to myself. She really feels like a little sister... *** A white space stretched infinitely in every direction. This ce, where the Baekdu of Cheonji gathered, was known as the Room of the End. And now, within this room, stood two figures. One was the leader of Cheonji, and the other was Baek Yoorin, who had newly ascended to Baekdu. Grrr... Baek Yoorin took a stance. Her hands pressed firmly against the floor, her thighs tensed and ready. It was a stance one would take only in the moments before a battle. Seeing this, the leader of Cheonji spoke. Stand down. Right now, from over there I know. The rage is pouring out from the Great Ghost Gate. The leader of Cheonji looked off into the distance. Beyond the door, where a girl always slept with an expressionless face, her brow furrowed ever so slightly, as if in anger. Just a tiny bit. Yet, even that small sign of anger was enough to make the tiger in front of him tense up like this. Who could have possibly angered that emotionless being? The leader of Cheonji fell into deep thought. Who could have stirred such rage? If that wicked god possesses emotions, perhaps those emotions can be manipted. As the one responsible for preventing the end of the world, the leader considered all possibilities. A grudge against Maitreya, or perhaps some n of the evil god had gone awry. Among all those possibilities, the idea of her position as a younger sister being threatened never crossed his mind. The leader of Cheonji couldnt even fathom such a notion. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Hello everyone! Im thrilled to announce that my friend Parth just picked up a new novel from the brilliant author of InterspeciesWives and WhyAreYouBingAViinAgain?! Though its still in its early stages with only a few chapters, this one feels even more promising than his previous works. Please do check it out. https://.readingpia.me/series/a-knight-who-protects-his-enemies You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 73: Myeong-Myeong and the Familiar League (1) A few weeks had passed since Jamsuni started attending school. At some point, Myeong-Myeong seemed to have lost its energy. "Myeong-Myeong seems pretty lethargic these days." "Myeong..." I looked at Myeong-Myeong''s food bowl, which was still half-full. For now, I had been feeding Myeong-Myeong dog food. "Are you not actually a dog?" "Myeong!" I picked up Myeong-Myeong. It was the cute creature I brought from theb after it had a dance battle with Kirieon. How could I describe its appearance?With its fluffy mane, it looked like a cartoonish lion, but when I touched the small horn-like bumps, it also kind of felt like a babymb. But from a distance, it just looked like a puppy. "Hmmm?" What exactly is Myeong-Myeong? A lion,mb, or dog? Carnivore, herbivore, omnivore? "I''ve figured out what you are." "Myeong?" "You''re probably a chobiom." Chobiom, a term used to describe newly discovered creatures that appeared after the day of psychic awakening. They are creatures that can use supernatural powers, hence the name chobiom. Wait, was it called that because they''re supernatural beings? Or maybe it was because they''re creatures that crossed dimensions? I remember something like that from when I worked a delivery job. Anyway, chobioms were different from ordinary creatures. So, their diet must be different too. Then what on earth should I feed Myeong-Myeong? I ced Myeong-Myeong on the bed and took a picture. I posted the photo on the Anomaly Response Headquarters website. [Showing off my puppy.jpg] I titled it like that and uploaded about ten carefully chosen photos of Myeong-Myeong. Jamsuni once told me that, ording to somew, you must post at least ten pictures of cute creatures. At the end of the post, I added, "So, what breed is this?" The Anomaly Response Headquarters website is pretty quick with answers, so I expected to know soon. [Site Admin] [Response: That creature is a Haetae*.] Haetae? You mean like the ones in front of Gyeongbokgung Pce? I lifted Myeong-Myeong and said, "You''re kind of a big deal, huh?" "Myeong!" "But why can I see you? Is it the same reason I can see the Ghost King?" Joo-cheol had exined once. Powerful spirit entities like the Ghost King or Demon Loads can create a physical form. Could it be that Myeong-Myeong is also some kind of powerful being? But thats not the issue right now. I typed another reply to the admin. [What do Haetaes eat?] [Response: Haetaes eat sins, they consume guilt.] Sins? Guilt? How do I even feed that? Does that mean they devour sinners or something? "Do you eat people, by any chance?" "Myeong-Myeong!" "I''ll take that as a no." I asked the site administrator again. [How exactly does it eat sins? Do they sell it like pet food?] [Response: Theres no need to feed a Haetae anything specific. Since the world has already reached its end times, sins are overflowing. A Haetae can gain power just by breathing.] Just by breathing? But Myeong-Myeong still seemed weak. At that moment, the admin posted a follow-upment. [However, the Haetae in your photos seems to be an immature specimen. In such cases, its necessary to use Sacred Blood to help strengthen it as a Haetae. This will likely allow it to grow up healthy.] Sacred Blood? The name alone sounded expensive. I hurriedly typed anotherment. [How do I obtain Sacred Blood?] [Response: You can acquire Sacred Blood by cing in the rankings of a tournament hosted by the Sega Union. The name of the tournament is the Sacred Blood Festival. Common folks often refer to it as the Familiar League.] The Familiar League. I had heard of it. Its a tournament where people battle using their familiars. Its one of those prestigiouspetitions hosted by the Sega Union, and while there arent any videos avable, it asionally makes the news. People whove attended say its quite fun to watch. [Advice: The preliminary rounds for the Sacred Blood Festival begin next Monday. Sacred Blood will greatly benefit a young Haetae, so if you have the opportunity, I suggest you participate.] That aside, Mr. Admin from the Anomaly Response Headquarters... Arent you being a bit too kind? [You always respond so kindly. Sniff, thank you, Sensei.] [Confusion: Its nothing. End of response.] I put Myeong-Myeong down and started searching for information on the Sacred Blood Festival. Its apetition where you fight using your own chobiom creatures. No other supernatural powers are allowed except for familiars. They use talismans to strictly monitor this, so dont even think about using any powers secretly. I like that. So, no psychic abilities allowed, huh? The next notable rule was this: Although the Sacred Blood Festival is hosted by the Sega Union, many of the winners dont belong to the union. However, there is some bias toward the Sega Union participants. No cursed tools or deadly weapons allowed. Well, thats obvious. Or is it? Something seems off. No cursed tools or deadly weapons allowed? Why would they even need to specify that? Do brawls break out inside or something? It feels strange. "Why would a tournament for battling familiars have a warning like this?" This is suspicious. But I still didnt have an answer. Perhaps the only way to figure it out is to experience it myself. Incidentally, they say this years Sacred Blood Festivales with the best rewards yet. Rewardssuch an enticing word. I stared at the poster for the Sacred Blood Festival disyed on my monitor. Various cute chobiom creatures I couldnt even name were illustrated on it. The instructions for how to participate were also clearly written. Next Monday. Exit 2 of Seoul Special District Central Station **** Seoul Special District. The heart of Seouls Grand Barrier, an area thatpletely urbanized the surface and underground of what used to be Namsan Mountain. From a distance, it looked like a fortress made of buildings. Actually, it didnt just look like a fortressit was a fortress. The reason the Central District took on this form was to protect the Grand Barrier located beneath the old Namsan. When you leave through Exit 2 of the subway station in the fortress, you find yourself underground again. To be precise, its more like the inside of a dome rather than a typical underground space. It was a district created after they hollowed out the mountain. Anyway, if you take the esctor in the northeast corner of the underground and ride it for quite a while, youll eventually emerge onto the surface where you can see the blue sky. There, a massive building in traditional Korean style stood. That building was called the Sacred Blood Hall. The Hall of Sacred Blood. It was a name that perfectly reflected the Sega Unions elitist sense of superiority. However, those who worked at the Sacred Blood Hall didnt see it as elitism. They simply considered it the natural way to describe things. The Sega truly believed they were the descendants of gods. For thousands of years, their bloodline had remained unbroken, with their ancestors writing the myths themselves. Even the genuine miracles of sacred mes The Sacred Blood Hall employee, who had been lost in thought, shook his head. Next, please! Today was the registration day for the Sacred Blood Festival preliminaries. There was no time to be zoning outtoday would be busy from morning until night. The employee greeted the man who approached and then looked at the small, human-like creature trapped in the sealed container he had brought. The employee spoke. Oh, is that a pure fairy? How did you manage to bind it? Haha. I joined an expedition to the Fairy Realm. I caught ten of them, but this is the only one thats been tamed. The man scratched his head, embarrassed. Meanwhile, the tiny fairy shivered inside its cage. Well, this qualifies for the preliminary inspection. Please take this participation badge and wait inside. Thank you. A pure fairy from the Fairy Realm. Quite a rare sight. Maybe this guy has a shot at winning. After finishing the paperwork, the man called the next participant. Next, please! Yes, hello. Haha. The next in line was a tall man. He was holding a dog carrier in one hand. A dog carrier? A dog carrier instead of a sealed orb, a binding talisman, or a spirit box? The employee couldnt hide his bewildered expression as he looked up at the man. Uh, could you please take out your familiar? Of course. Myeong-Myeong,e out. "Myeong!" What came out of the dog carrier was... a strange-looking dog. No, it wasnt even a dog. What is this creature? As someone who had seen countless chobioms, the Sacred Blood Festival official was puzzled. A chobiom he didnt recognize? Could this really be a chobiom? Or was it just a mutated dog? "This one is called Myeong-Myeong," the man exined. "Its species is a Haetae. A Haetae." A Haetae? The employees expression grew even more incredulous. A Haetae was a mythical creature, a divine beast. And divine beasts were notoriously difficult to tameso much so that even the Sega Union had failed to subdue most of them. They were creatures that defied human servitude. The employee nced at the man. He couldnt sense any psychic powers from him. That left only two possibilities. Either the man was amoner, or he had mastered dark qi techniques at a high level, allowing him to hide his abilities. Given that hed brought an odd dog in a carrier, he looked halfway to being an entricmoner, but the employee decided to y it safe. So... a Haetae, huh. Could you perhaps show me what this Haetae can do? Hehe, of course Ill show you. This man, Yoo Hajin, had trained hard as a familiar trainer for the past week. He believed his bond with Myeong-Myeong had reached a level that could break through the ceiling. Lets begin. Sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere, the employee grew tense. Yoo Hajin spoke. "Myeong-Myeong, paw!" "Myeong!" Myeong-Myeong wagged its tail and obediently lifted its paw. "Good job! Now, Myeong-Myeong, spin!" "Myeong-Myeong?" Myeong-Myeong tilted its head in confusion, but after a moment, it clumsily turned in a circle, as if it had finally figured out themand. Yoo Hajin was so delighted he spun around in the air, while the employee was on the verge of losing his mind. To think it would nail it in real-time! Thats our Myeong-Myeong! A genius Haetae! Myeong-Myeong! And finally, Myeong-Myeong, y dead! Myeong! And with that, Myeong-Myeong flopped dramatically to the ground. The employee was at a loss for words after witnessing these tricks. Naturally, it was a failure. If theres nothing else youd like to show... As he spoke, the employee used his abilities to examine Myeong-Myeong more closely. And then he felt it. Fear. This fear? It was the same fear he had felt when gazing from afar at the celestial entity that once visited the Sacred Blood Hall. Just for a moment, the employee had experienced that exact terror. This is fear caused by a difference in the level of our souls. Could it be? The employee, having handled chobioms for many years and possessing psychic abilities, began to understand why he was feeling such fear. This dog was indeed no ordinary dog. Youve... passed. Please take this participation badge and wait in the waiting room. Thank you! Phew, all that practice wasnt for nothing! Myeong-Myeong! The employee wiped the sweat from his forehead and finished writing up the paperwork. Species: Rural Mixed-Breed Dog. Special Notes: Possible traces of the divine beasts Sacred Blood were detected. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Haetae: Haetae is a mythical Korean creature that is said to have a lion''s head, a bell around its neck, and a horn on its forehead. You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 74: Myeong-Myeong and the Familiar League (2) After receiving my participant''s badge from the judge, I headed toward the Familiar League arena. The badge was a ck card that could be worn around the neck, much like an employee ID. When I showed the badge, the staff opened the doors for me. "Oh-ho." The Familiar League arena. No, the Sacred Blood Tournament hall was an enormous building. "As expected from the Sega Union. They''ve got plenty of money." And it wasnt just big. The decorations were extravagant.So extravagant, in fact, that parts of it looked like an obscene disy of wealth. "All participants for the Sacred Blood preliminary rounds, please gather at the north gate." As soon as the announcement came over the speakers, the crowd started moving in one direction. I didnt know where the north gate was, but following the people would get me there, I figured. Holding Myeong-Myeong, I followed the crowd. "Myeong-Myeong." Myeong-Myeong, snuggled in my arms, let out a soft cry. Seeing that, a group of people scoffed at Myeong-Myeong. "What breed is that? Doesnt look like a pureblood." "Is that a low-grade Familiar that doesnt even have a discernible breed?" Why were they picking a fight all of a sudden? Couldnt they tell Myeong-Myeong was a Haetae just by looking? How impressive must their own familiars be for them to mock mine? I casually turned my head to check out their cases or leashes. Of course, I couldnt see anything. There was just nothing. "Damn." As I thought, I couldnt see their familiars. Which meant I couldnt tell what kind of attacks their familiars wouldunch or even what forms they had. Should I close my eyes and focus on the sounds they make? But then again, I couldnt hear a ghosts sounds either. Chances were, I wouldnt be able to hear the chobiom familiars either. In the end, Myeong-Myeong would have to carry the team solo. Could my little Myeong-Myeong do it? Even though Myeong-Myeong was a Haetae, it had never disyed any special powers. Of course, Myeong-Myeong might have used its abilities without me noticing. Maybe I just missed it. But in situations like this, its always best to assume the worst. I patted Myeong-Myeong and muttered softly. Phew, if things get bad, well just run. Myeong? Is the Sacred Blood really only obtainable through the Sacred Blood Tournament? Since its a regrly held event with prizes, the Sega Union must have a way to acquire it. With that thought easing my mind, I looked up at the stage. Several employees of the Sacred Blood Tournament facility were standing there. "We wee all participants to this years Sacred Blood Tournament." One of the employees, who seemed to be the leader, spoke up. The leader introduced each person standing on the stage and said they would be responsible for overseeing this years preliminary rounds. I have something to tell the participants. This years preliminary rounds will be conducted differently from previous Sacred Blood Tournaments. Differently? I could hear the crowd murmuring around me. The Sacred Blood Tournament was originally apetition to select familiars deserving of the Sacred Blood. However, over time, it has be corrupted, with victories going to those who simply acquired familiars that were born powerful, rather than those who trained them. The lead employee continued. So, familiars It seemed the Sega Union referred to trainers as familiars. And the staff member continued speaking. Therefore, in this years Sacred Blood preliminary round, participants will need to prove how good of a familiar trainer they are. Without using any powers, you will have to correctly identify the most exceptional familiar with just your eyes. I was doomed. How was I supposed to pass a test that required me to see something when I couldnt see anything at all? But before I could voice my frustration, the crowd around me erupted in outrage. What kind of nonsense is this? Isnt finding a good familiar considered a skill? Who came up with this idea? No matter how skilled a trainer is, theyll never beat someone who relies on a naturally powerful familiar. The staff member listened to theints and then added one line. By the way, the person who decided to change the preliminary round format is one of the heads of this years Sacred Blood Tournament. With just that one sentence, the attitude of the participants changedpletely. Gasp. Of course, its important to assess a trainers skill. If someone just buys a strong familiar to win the Sacred Blood, its like theyre buying the Sacred Blood with money! Ive always thought there should be a preliminary round that focuses on the trainers ability. The head of the Sacred Blood Tournament must be someone very important Maybe thats why the rewards are more substantial this time. It was unsettling how their attitudes flipped 180 degrees so suddenly. But who exactly was this person? Unfortunately, no one seemed interested in answering my question. The finals will still be conducted as battles between familiars. And just so you know, youre not allowed to use any powers during the preliminary rounds. If you do, your participation badge will burn to ashes. So thats the purpose of this badge. I fiddled with the ck card hanging around my neck. The moment you lose your badge, you will be expelled from the tournament. So, make sure to take good care of it. Now, lets begin the preliminaries. With that, the lead staff member turned and started walking away, only to pause and return. Oh, right. I didnt mention this earlier because I thought everyone already knew. Participants who score high in the preliminary round will earn a higher seed in the finals. In thest tournament, there were byes up to the top 16. This time, since the preliminaries are harder, byes might be granted up to the top 8. Good luck to you all. Though he mentioned something about bye rounds, I wasnt really listening. I was almost certain Id be eliminated in the preliminaries anyway. After finishing his speech, the lead staff member disappeared. The other staff began spreading out, guiding participants. In that hallway, there are hundreds of chobiom creatures. You will need to choose the most exceptional one and exin why. Just so you know, participants cannot select the same creature, so its better to make your choice quickly. You have 10 minutes. As soon as the staff finished speaking, participants rushed forward. But the staff calmly stopped them and added, Oh, and during the preliminaries, you cannot receive help from your familiars. Please seal them in the provided containment devices. Groups of ten were then allowed to enter the hallway. After about 10 minutes, murmurs starteding from the people who hadpleted the test. They were saying things like, There were really hundreds of chobiom creatures in there, and Only the Sega Union would throw this much money at a preliminary round, and Isnt this a bit excessive, even for a prelim? Of course, they were careful not to mention exactly what creatures they had seen, since there were stillpetitors waiting to take the test. There wasnt much else to overhear. About two to three hours passed. Time for some mobile gaming. No more retries Just as I was engrossed in my phone game, I heard a staff member calling out. The next group, please enter! Is it finally our turn? I ced Myeong-Myeong into the containment case and spoke to him. Myeong-Myeong, Ill be right back. Myeong! The hallway doors slowly opened. As soon as the doors were fully open, the others in my group bolted forward. But I didnt run. What was I supposed to run for when I couldnt even see anything, for crying out loud? The hallway was empty. An empty hallway. ... My group members were frantically looking through the ss panels lining both sides of the hallway. Some of them had already made their choice and sat down, as if they were confident. Youve chosen this one. Why? A voice suddenly echoed through the hallway. Before I knew it, a woman dressed in a traditional hanbok had appeared. She was a young beauty with her hair pinned up with an ornate binyeo*. Her character was striking. That of a powerful individual. Huff. I cant believe someone of such high standing is personally judging the preliminaries! The reason I chose this me Monkey is because, first,pared to other me Monkeys, its fire... As the man began exining, the womans face immediately fell into one of disappointment. It seemed that wasnt the correct answer. After listening to his full exnation, the woman gracefully left the spot, muttering to herself. Disappointing. Not a single one meets my expectations. Should I just scrap them all? The chill in her voice sent shivers down my spine. Who was this woman to speak so ruthlessly? However, the others didnt seem to hear her words. They were too busy sending envious res toward the guy who picked the me Monkey (which, of course, I couldnt see). Anyway, only 6 minutes remained. I needed to choose a spot soon. But there were no partitions or anything, so I had no idea if there was even an chobiom creature near where I was about to sit. What if I picked an empty spot? Would that woman think I was mocking her and get genuinely mad? She already seemed pretty irritated. We clearly announced that this years Sacred Blood Tournamentes with a precious reward, yet no one has recognized it. Are todays trainers all such pitiful fools? Clearly, this woman held some high status. Angering someone like her was akin to dering you wanted to ruin your life. Ever since the Awakening of Spiritual Eyes, provoking a person of such standing was a one-way ticket to disaster. Maybe I should just forfeit? Sitting in an empty spot and waiting for her would be worse than giving up, right? But at that moment, the woman muttered again. And now, theres even one coward ready to quit just because theyre afraid of me. How pathetic, pretending to have noble blood. Its a shame I cant punish them more severely, being from a rival n. So, forfeiting wasnt an option either. Damn it. How did things get this bad? Theres only 1 minute left! Hiding my growing panic, I scanned my surroundings. Still, I couldnt see anything. Not a thing, damn it. But just then, something small caught my eye. At almost the very end of the hallway, I spotted a tiny creature. It was a snake. A small, ck snake. Nothing particrly specialjust a snake. It looked unimpressive, but the fact that I could actually see it mattered most. Without hesitation, I sat down in front of it. And before even 10 seconds had passed The woman with the binyeo was standing in front of me, a look of utter shock on her face. You why did you choose this creature? Her tone had suddenly changed. W-Wait, did I mess up somehow? Why would you choose such a in, unimpressive snake? Why? T-The reason is C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Binyeo: Binyeo is a Korean traditional hairpin. You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 75: Myeong-Myeong and the Familiar League (3) Why did I choose this snake? The reason was obvious. Because I couldnt see anything else. Of course, I couldnt say that out loud. I couldnt let them know I couldnt see the ghosts. So, I decided to ask the hairpin woman a question in return. Is picking this snake such a strange thing to do? Of course it is. Youre unable to use any abilities, and you have to judge the uniqueness of the chobiom with just your naked eyes. What on earth made you choose that ordinary-looking snake? I looked at the snake. The ck snake also slithered and stared back at me. No matter how much I looked, it did seem like just an ordinary snake.But it couldnt be just a normal snake. Because I could see it. If I can see it, its got to be something amazing. Or its just a snake. Probably brought in as food for some chobiom. So, I decided to keep my words vague. To me, it doesnt look ordinary. In fact, in this room, this snake is the most special creature. W-what did you say? Of course, it depends on what your standard for special is, but in this room, this snake is definitely the most unique creature. If that snake was actually a chobiom that I could see, then I was right. And if it was just a snake? Well, in a hallway filled with chobiom, its still special because its the only ordinary living thing here. I wasnt lying. Are you sure? Im sure. Activate confident mode! I imitated Nayu a bit. Seeing my face full of conviction, the hairpin woman stepped back and smiled. Well, if you say so. Then, she handed me something. It was a golden card-shaped token. A finely engraved emblem adorned the token. Take this and leave. Youve passed. P-passed? So, that snake really was special, huh. I just guessed and somehow passed the test. Thank you. I bowed politely and quickly turned to leave. **** As soon as the man turned his back, Lee Ryeo, the head of the ck Dragon n, began to dance. Her movements were graceful and elegant, so much so that if the man had seen her, he might have involuntarily uttered words of admiration. The ck snake slithered up her arm as she danced. When it reached her arm, she stopped and whispered to the snake. At least theres one useful guy. She continued speaking. He definitely has good instincts. But what about the other parts? She kept talking. What do you think, Imoogi? Do you think he could control my daughter? Could that man be my son-inw? Ssss- Sssssh The snake made some noise. Hearing that, the n leader spoke. As expected, I cant understand a word this Imoogi says. **** And just like that, I got the golden token and walked out of the preliminary test hall. I wasnt sure what this golden token meant, but since the woman who looked like a test examiner had given it to me and said I passed, it was probably some sort of pass token. So, I carried the token with me. If I held onto this, the staff would probably guide me to the finals arena, right? Would that make me look like too much of a newbie? Maybe I should ask directly. So, I decided to find a staff member while holding the token. Hey, you there. But instead of finding a staff member, a group of suspicious contestants appeared. Judging by the badges hanging around their necks, they were trainers. No, more like handlers for chobiom. Lets battle. Out of nowhere? It felt like I suddenly heard a background track going bam-bam-bam in my ears. Damn it. A battle, just like that? Guess these guys arent called trainers for no reason. If you dont want to battle, hand over that golden token and leave. What if I refuse? Then youll have to fight. In the Sacred Blood Festival, you cant refuse a challenge. Fine. I couldnt avoid a familiar battle anyway. For Myeong-Myeong to obtain Sacred Blood, I needed to rank in the finals. And to rank, I had to win quite a few familiar battles. Judging by the fact they were trying to steal my pass, they were probably eliminated contestants, right? I should take them down and gain some experience in how minion battles work. Myeong-Myeong, are you ready Ah. Myeong-Myeong wasnt by my side. I had left him behind because we werent allowed to use familiar during the preliminaries. Hold on, why are we battling now? We cant bring out our familiar until the preliminaries are over. You guys dont have your familiar either, do you? We cant have a familiar battle like this. Does that even matter? Of course it matters! In a familiar battle, the familiars are the key! Seeing my confused expression, a group of guysughed at me. Seems like you really dont know anything. What the hell are they talking about? What dont I know? Another man spoke up. The only thing forbidden in the Sacred Blood Festival is spiritual abilities and weapons. Violence isnt banned. As long as youre just using fists and no spiritual abilities, its perfectly allowed. Another guy chimed in. Why? Do you think its strange for handlers to throw punches? This must be your first time here. Handlers are the ones who need to know how to throw punches better than anyone else. Chobioms cant be controlled through spiritual powers. Theyre living creatures. Do they look like ghosts that tremble before spiritual abilities? What are they even talking about? To me, theyre all the same. None of them are visible to me anyway. The strength of life. You can only make them submit through the violence of the body, without using spiritual powers or weapons. A nasty-looking guy smiled as he spoke. Where have I seen this guy before? Ah, hes the one who brought a fairy earlier. Unlike spirits or ghosts, they only submit to stronger living beings. Even if you tortured their mother with spiritual abilities, they would get angry but never submit. Theyre tough creatures. And were the kind born to make them submit. We know how to inflict pain. So, while Im asking nicely... The nasty guy said something menacing. Then the one who seemed to be the leader of the group cut him off. You received that token without even knowing this? You do know that using spiritual abilities will get you disqualified, right? I trust youre not dumb enough to believe you can take us all on by yourself. You cant handle a group beatdown, huh? Its something Ive heard often enough in elementary and middle school. And Ive never lost to anyone who said that. I asked them. Hey, let me ask just one thing. What is it? When familiars fight each other, do they allow handlers to use violence too? Youre stating the obvious. Didnt I just say the only thing forbidden is spiritual abilities? Though I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to jump into a fight without using their spiritual powers. Thanks for the valuable info. I looked at them with a smile. Are you smiling? Yeah, Im smiling. Since youve been so kind with the information, Ill let you off with just a light knockout. What are you waiting for? Come at me already. Confident, arent you? Your soul seems so ordinary, but youre acting like a skilled psychic. But without spiritual abilities, youre just a bit stronger than the average person. The man muttered something, but I didnt care to listen. I grinned and said, Ill go first. That guy over there definitely isnt a strong psychic. If he were, hed be able to intimidate people with just his soul. Youre gonna talk your way out of this? Come at us already. This crazy bastard. One of the men threw a punch at me. I dodged and countered with an uppercut. His nose exploded in a spray of blood, and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Well, hes definitely stronger than a regr guy. If he were just a normal person, his face wouldve beenpletely destroyed. Like the Ghost King and Tiger, strong spiritualists also tend to have strong bodies. But honestly, even Joo-cheol, who imed to be the strongest in the world, was physically weaker than Tiger. If it was a purely physical fight, without any powers, Tiger wouldve beaten Joo-cheol easily. I guess the same would apply to me. Maybe thats the difference between a psychic and a sorcerer. Im not entirely sure, though. Why am I this strong, anyway? While I was contemting that, the men were whispering to each other. A psychic with the spirit of a fighting dog, and he loses? No way, getting taken out in one hit is too much. Dont be scared! He cant use spiritual abilities! We can overwhelm him with numbers! Dont forget whats at stake in this Sacred Blood Festival! Do you want to miss out on a life-changing opportunity? At the shout of the guy who seemed to be the leader, the others eyes gleamed with bloodlust. Wow, scary. But more importantly, whats at stake in this Sacred Blood Festival? Do you get a ton of money if you win? Now Im even more interested. Originally, I was just aiming for a decent rank, but now I have to win for sure. A prize big enough to turn your life around? Sign me up. At that moment, the leader spoke again. Everyone, rush him all at once. So youre all blinded by money, too. But the prize money is mine. How dare you aim for my reward? How dare youy a hand on my prize? W-what are you talking about?! And just like that, I took them all down. As the victor, I imed their wallets. Itsmon courtesy among trainers to take a prize after winning a fight, after all. Once the brawl was over, the preliminaries ended as well. It was time to go fetch Myeong-Myeong. **** I picked up Myeong-Myeong. As soon as Myeong-Myeong saw me, his tiny tail wagged enthusiastically. As expected, I cant ask such a cute one to fight. Hes too weak for battle anyway. Myeong-Myeong! What? No? You couldnt even beat Jamsuni and gotpletely crushed by Nayu. What are you talking about? Just as I was about to leave with Myeong-Myeong, the staff came up to me and bowed at a 90-degree angle. When I asked why, they said I had ced first in the preliminaries. For real? Myeong-Myeong! Could it be that no one else picked that ck snake? The staff exined that as a first-ce privilege, I would automatically advance to the quarterfinals. To be precise, I would have the right to challenge one of the winners from the round of 16 for a spot in the quarterfinals. Of course, I get to choose my opponent, so its definitely an advantage, but... What if I lose? Id be out, just like that. This is what they call a privilege? Feels a bitcking. But I didnt care. Now I had figured out the foolproof strategy for winning this battle. Myeong-Myeong, lets show them a body m. Myeong? Myeong-Myeong looked flustered. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 76: Myeong-Myeong and the Familiar League (3) Among the eight quarterfinalists, there was one with the surname Eom. He had a hefty, muscr physique, easily thergest among thepetitors who had made it this far. But that didnt mean Eom was weak. The tattoos on his arms and the expensive-looking watch he wore were clear signs that he wasnt someone to be taken lightly. Eoms familiars were a formidablebination: one controlled the wind, another the trees, one wielded fire, and thest was an insect with a rock-hard body. Many hadmented that his lineup posed a real threat to Jiseon. If Eom used his own abilities along with those of his familiars, it would be a fierce fight against Jiseon. And Jiseon was no pushoverhe was an esper, someone who could easily crush smaller ns or independent warriors. In other words, they were on a different level. Yet, to dismiss someone like him? Eom let out augh upon hearing a certain remark. It wasnt augh of amusement. It was augh born of anger.So, what youre telling me is... he picked me because he has the privilege of being the first in the preliminaries? Yes, the first-ce winner of the preliminaries has chosen you, Mr. Eom. Eight familiar handlers had made it to the quarterfinals. And they saw him as the weakest among them. Do I really look like the weakest out of everyone who made it through the round of sixteen? Eom, a man who lived and died by his pride, clenched his fist tightly. The chain attached to his hand trembled, causing his familiars to shudder in fear. And so, the seventh match leading to the quarterfinals began. On stage stood Yoo Hajin, cradling Myeong-Myeong in his arms, and Eom, whomanded four different elemental chobioms into strict obedience. Before the match began, Eom smiled and spoke. Do I really look like the weakest? Huh? Yoo Hajin tilted his head in confusion, further infuriating Eom. Ill make you pay for underestimating me. People might say this is a battle of familiars, but Ill show you why people leave this arena half-crippled. Eom was confident of his victory as he spoke. Look at that creature in his arms. Its nothing but a dog with a trace of yokai blood. Even at its best, it would only be able to use half of its original powermaybe less. A fire lizard alone should be enough to handle it. But just topletely crush Yoo Hajin, Eom summoned two beasts to fight. And then the match began. As soon as it started, Yoo Hajin murmured to himself. Myeong-Myeong. What? Youre saying, Go get him, Yoo Hajin? Myeong-Myeong? Eom didnt bother listening to him. Instead, he gavemands to his fire-wielding lizard and wind-manipting bird. Fire Beast, release your maximum power. Wind Beast, amplify that fire with your wind. As the fiery wave surged toward Yoo Hajin, he suddenly shouted. Hajin-Hajin! He tucked Myeong-Myeong safely into his chest and struck a starting position like a sprinter. Body m!!! And with that, Yoo Hajin charged straight into Eom, ramming his body against him. Eom was sent flying backward and crashed into a nearby concrete wall with his back. The match ended just like that. It was such an absurd oue. The spectators andmentators were left speechless. W-what just happened? He didnt even use his familiar! Is that allowed? Technically, theres no problem ording to the rules, but... to think someone can achieve that with just their physical body without any psychic powers. Hes like a rumored tiger. While the crowd murmured in disbelief, a woman seated in the VIP section, identified by Yoo Hajin as the hairpin woman, quietly muttered to herself. She was the head of the ck Dragon Yi family. Impressive. His body is incredibly strong. If we were to take his bloodline, a fine child would surely be born. The head of the ck Dragon Yi family, Lee Ryeo, turned to a girl sitting next to her. The girls hands were bound in front of her, her feet shackled, and she sat inside an iron cage. Despite this, the girl wore an elegant hanbok that looked expensive, giving her the appearance of a kidnapped princess. And the girl bore a striking resemnce to Lee Ryeo. They were mother and daughter. The family head spoke to her daughter. Hwa-ya, what do you think of that man? I do not know, Mother. Isnt it possible that the yokai he holds is amplifying his power? But if that creature is truly as powerful as it seems... The girl smiled as she continued. Then, all I wish right now is to face that man in battle. So, Mother, please release me. The iron bars holding the daughter, Yi Hwa, rattled as she spoke. This time, I wont kill. Ill just sever a few limbs. I wont torment the prey unnecessarily after capturing it. I promise to keep my word this time, Mother. Please. Seeing this, Ryeo thought to herself. As expected, my daughter doesnt respect humanws. The onlyw she follows is thew of the strong, an instinctual rule recognized by all living beings. The family head shook her head. She understood why her daughter was like this. The state of her daughter, Yi Hwa, was simple to exin. Her human heart had been consumed by the blood of the ck Dragon. And what was the essence of ck Dragon blood? A psychopathic thirst for killing life and proving strength. That was the nature of the ck Dragon bloodline. As someone who carried that noble blood, Lee Ryeo knew this better than anyone. Long ago, the traitor of our family, Yi Jinryong, lost his humanity in the same way. Yi Jinryong, the sibling of the familys ancestor, had once made a notorious name for himself in the spirit realm due to his cruelty. Even the most arrogant noble families, who regarded all other life as insignificant, had criticized his barbarity. But Yi Jinryong had ignored all their criticisms. If anything, he responded to them bymitting even more brutal murders. And yet now, what of Yi Jinryong? He worked as the head of Cheonji, saving countless lives. He had even betrayed his own family to do so. The reason for his change was simple. Yi Jinryong had been defeated and enved by the leader of Cheonji. Yi Jinryong, who never epted defeat, especially not in a one-on-one battle, had been humbled. But the leader of Cheonji had ovee all of Yi Jinryongs conditions and showed him what defeat truly meant. It was then that Yi Jinryong realized what emotions were. And he discovered them through love. Perhaps her daughter would experience the same thing. With that thought, Yi Lee Ryeo sighed deeply. I hope this opportunity brings forth the one who will be your husband. The family head stared at the girl inside the cage. In response, the girl shed a bright smile. Hmm. The family head felt a shiver of fear from her daughters smile. *** Despite winning the match with a body m, I couldnt fully enjoy the victory. I had just heard something strange. They said I should forfeit because that person ising? I stroked Myeong-Myeong, deep in thought. Some of the officials from the Sacred Blood Hall hade to me with what was essentially a thinly veiled threat. The conversation went something like this: Mr. Yoo Hajin, it seems youre not affiliated with any faction or receiving support from any noble family. And? Wouldnt this be a good time for you to gracefully bow out? Youre the only contestant among the final eight who doesnt have a powerful backer. The official continued. The remaining contestants are all formidable. You cant rely on luck like before. If you forfeit now, well offer you a handsomepensation. Though the word pensation made my eyes light up, I couldnt give up on the grand prizelikely referred to as a life-changing amount of money. On top of that, I needed to win the Sacred Blood for Myeong-Myeong. I also have a strong need to win, so Im afraid Ill have to decline. And if thats the case, you shouldnt have let me pass the preliminaries in the first ce. Thats because theres conflict between the powers managing the preliminaries and those involved in the final stages... Ahem. Mr. Yoo Hajin, we understand how you may perceive us. You probably think were asking you to bow out so that nobler individuals can advance, and you wouldnt be wrong. Im here because those distinguished individuals have requested it. The official sighed, as if sympathetic. This Sacred Blood Tournament is special. Its so important that that person is ensuring fairness. The one who will sit at the seat of the Sacred Blood Hall. The one hailed as the hope of the noble families is overseeing this event. Naturally, that person will favor the noble participants. That person? Who is this person? What is this, Voldemort? Why cant they say the name? That person is truly of high standing. I hope you make a wise decision. With that, the official withdrew. Just who is this person? I couldnt help but feel a bit nervous. To calm myself, I gently petted Myeong-Myeong. And so, the quarterfinals began. My opponent was a young noble from a powerful family. I couldnt quite remember his name. Why didnt you forfeit? Huh? The nobleman pointed at me, sneering. Clearly, you dont understand the fear that that person instills. Typical of lowborn blood. Do you even know whos in charge of this tournament? Hajin Hajin. He kept running his mouth, so I just charged at him. The nobleman, arrogant but not entirely foolish, dodged once. But dodging once didnt guarantee hed dodge twice. Lightning Strike! Arrrgh! The Yoo Hajin special, Lightning Strike. Also known as a low kick. This, this isnt lightning speed at all!!! What does a low kick have to do with lightning strikes anyway?! Huh, true. But since my low kick is as fast as lightning, its valid. Why havent you forfeited? Are you trying to get hit by my destruction beam? The Sacred Blood Tournament is a battle between chobioms! Wheres the ce for such barbaric nonsense?! Man, this guy sure has a long tongue. I raised my fist. Myeong-Myeong let out a little cry. Myeong-Myeong! Whats that, Myeong-Myeong? You want me tond the destruction beam right on his face? As expected of my trainerno mercy. But as a good human-mon, I had no choice but to follow orders. Hajin-Hajin! Myeong-Myeong? W-wait! I twirled my fist as I approached the fallen nobleman. The bond between Myeong-Myeong and me is unbreakable. Take this, destruction bea That person ising. Suddenly, the fallen nobleman muttered those words. Just moments ago, he had been trembling in fear, but now he was smiling. Who on earth ising? I looked around, and everyone was bowing. The arena had fallen silent, with only the noblemans murmurs filling the air. You have no idea who that person is, do you? I happen to be quite close to them. Weve even had three conversations. So who the hell is this person? Is it a Celestial? Or maybe the head of a noble family? Or perhaps a top-secret weapon from a noble faction? What kind of monster ising? The nobleman looked almost excited as he spoke. Ugh, once they arrive... youll see just how close I am to them... Close, my ass. You only talked to them three times! Thedy has arrived. Suddenly, the southern gate opened. Men in suits and women in hanboks lined the path in perfect order. And then that person walked through the center of the gate. I was shocked when I saw who it was. So, wheres the issue? she asked. The northwest arena, Miss, someone responded. The person in question was a girl with pink hair. A girl I knew very, very well. Who in the world dares to disturb this important tourname... hic?! Oh, for f I let out a sigh,pletely deted. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 77: Myeong-Myeong and the Familiar League (5) What was the first sacred thing humanity ever witnessed? It was fire. Untouchable by mere humans, it was sacred. It brightened the dark world, so it was sacred. It provided warmth like life itself, so it was sacred. It purified disease and burned away corruption, so it was sacred. There was a family that imed to have first mastered this holy fire. That family was known as the Jin family of the Sacred me. The strongest family in the Sect Alliance.The noblest bloodline. The first priests. And here stood the heir of that family. Who was this heir of the Sacred me? Someone born with the purest of the Jin familys blood, possessing the phoenixs spirit form, and whose connection to the primordial fire was unmatched. The one destined to reim dominance over the world one day from the Cheonji. That very person stood before them nowLady Jinari of the Sacred me n. My Lady! The young master, who had been struck down by Yoo Hajins lightning-quick low kick, muttered as he stared at Jinari, momentarily dazed. Lady Jinari was astonishingly beautiful. If she were an ordinary mortal, shed be of high school age. Though still too young to be called an adult, her beauty hinted at the future. So much so that the young masters heart thumped loudly. Without realizing his face had turned red, the young master thought. Lady Jinari would never tolerate such audacity. To dare threaten someone of noble blood like him in a sacred bloodpetition. Lady Jinari would punish this brute. With those thoughts in mind, the young master looked to Jinari. She, however, was blushing and fluttering her wings. ...? Something felt off. And so, the conversation between Jinari and Yoo Hajin began. Chick. Its been a while. Oh, oh its been a while you. Calling the great phoenix chick? Well, technically, a phoenixs chick is still a chick, so its not entirely wrong. The crowd was shocked by such bold words. But Yoo Hajin didnt notice the astonishment. So he casually continued. Hey, this doesnt break any rules, right? No rule vition? The Sacred Blood Competition is a contest of chobiom strength! Its not apetition for using brute force like you! yelled the fallen young master. Yet, Lady Jinari only shot him a cold nce. And you are? There was a difference in their status. And a difference in their familys rank as well. Dont you know its rude to interrupt others conversations? I-Im sorry. The young master could only bow his head in shame. To have angered such a being if it werent for the honor of his family, he wouldve wanted to flee immediately. To be fair, you couldnt really call him a coward. Most of the people present had simr thoughts. With just a single remark, Jinari silenced the entire arena. Yet, the man who called her chick continued speaking without stopping. Chick,e on. Answer me already. Wha-what did you say? Im asking, theres no problem with me fighting while holding Myeong-Myeong, right? He carefully avoided saying hed fight in ce of the beast. Such debates often hinged on word choices. The chick pondered over his words for a moment. I cant say there isnt room for controversy. This is unprecedented, after all. However, theck of rules on this matter is because thepetition exists to showcase the trainers physical prowess. So, in the end wait a second, Myeong-Myeong? Jinari nced at Yoo Hajins chest. There was a peculiar but adorable puppy in his arms. Is that a puppy with demonic beast blood? How did you manage toe this far with a creature like that? How did we make it this far? If its about our strength, we could even win the whole thing. Win the whole thing? Jinari repeated. Yoo Hajin nodded lightly. They said the grand prize for thispetition was extraordinary. A life-changing opportunity. That meant it must be something worth a fortune. Yoo Hajin could not give up on it. But the chick before him had other thoughts. The grand prize for thispetition was this: The right to summon Yi Hwa-ya, the youngest daughter of the ck Dragon Yi n. To summon Yi Hwa-ya meant bing the son-inw of the ck Dragon Yi n. The thought of Yoo Hajin marrying another woman... Pii For some reason, Jinari s heart darkened. With a trembling voice, she whispered, Your match is invalid. ...What? The Sacred Blood Competition is a contest topete over sacred blood that strengthens the trainers beasts. If thebeast doesnt fight directly, its meaningless! Wha-what?! Yoo Hajin stared at the chick in shock. Just a moment ago, hadnt she implied it was okay? She mentioned something about theck of rules and summoners strength. Why the sudden change of heart? Chick. ... But the chick simply turned her head away, sulking. **** Chick. ... The chick had turned her back on me. The chick betrayed me. Just like how the drama adaptation of The Youngest Son of the Sega n betrayed me, Jinari, the youngest granddaughter of the Jin family, has betrayed me too!!! Who wouldve thought Id be betrayed like this? I thought, since we were friends, shed be on my side. Even though that young master is from the same sect, how could she make such a tantly biased judgment? A kid, not even an adult yet, acting like they understand adult matters? I was furious, but there was nothing I could do. So what now? What can I do? Other than getting super angry or begging the chick, what else is there for me to do, you fool Yoo Hajin? Wait did I just say I could get super angry or beg? That means I can do that, right? Yeah, lets do it. I cant just let this chance to turn my life around slip through my fingers. First, Ill beg. And if that doesnt work, Ill get mad. I took a deep breath and called the chicks name. Jinari . Wh-why arent you calling me chick all of a sudden...? Im disappointed in you. I slowly continued. Winning? I dont care about that anymore. Of course, I needed to win. To be precise, I needed to get my hands on that prize money. But if I say I dont care, itll give me the moral high ground when I get angryter. I just wanted you to be on my side. That much was true. To be more precise, I wanted her to be on my side so I could win more easily. If Im being honest, I wanted her to make a biased decision in my favor. I... Her eyes wavered. Oh? Is this actually working? Of course, shes just a chick, after all. Shes got a soft heart. If it were someone like Jamsuni, they wouldve already brushed me off and started tea-bagging. But now that I see its working, Ive got to push a little harder. In fact, I wasnt even aiming for the prize. What I really needed was the sacred blood to heal this little one. And yet, here you are, trying to knock me out before the semifinals, not even the quarterfinals. You werent aiming for the prize? Wh-why didnt you want to win? Obviously, because of you. ...! If you look back at our conversation earlier, youll find the answer. At first, the chick seemed to be on the verge of siding with me over the young master. Then, the moment I mentioned Id win, her attitude did aplete 180, and she dered my match invalid. She must be under some obligation to make sure someone wins. If I pretend to give up on winning, shell fall for it. And sure enough, her reaction was promising. Peep, uh, youd give up winning because of me? The prize for winning the Sacred Blood Competition is that thing, and youd give that up because of me? Her face turned bright red. Then she just stood there, chirping to herself. Whats wrong with her...? Well, either way, it seems to be working. Ive heard you need to ce in the top ranks to get the sacred blood. I need it to save this little one. So, let me ask again. I looked at the chick and spoke. Is fighting with Myeong-Myeong really against the rules? Tell me clearly, right here and now. If the chick confirmed that it wasnt against the rules, then nothing could stop me from winning. Id be the top dog of the Sacred Blood Competition. Id just win it outright. What? I promised the chick earlier that I wouldnt win? I only said I wasnt thinking about winning at that moment. ns can change, right? As the one presiding over thispetition, Ill give you my opinion. The Sacred Blood Competition is also a test of the trainers physical abilities. Therefore, the way youre fighting alongside your beast isnt in vition of the rules The moment the chick started talking, a grin spread across my face. As soon as I get my hands on the prize, Ill blow it all on gacha pulls. Just then, a girl appeared in front of the chick. She seemed older than Jamsuni but younger than the chick. She was a traditional beauty with jet-ck hair and eyes, though her smile felt a bit awkward, like someone whod been taught how to smile but had never quite mastered it. I greet you. The ck-haired girl in a hanbok bowed to me. I am Yi Hwa-ya, the prize of thispetition and the daughter of the ck Dragon Yi n. You said you dont need to win? And youre willing to give up on me because of the phoenix chick? As the prize, I find that quite uneptable. The girl stood up gracefully, but her eyes were filled with murderous intent as she stared me down. Upon closer inspection, her hands were already stained with blood. Wait, what? This girl is the prize? What in the world is going on? The girl is not pleased. And with that, she pulled out a dagger. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 78: Myeong-Myeong and the Familiar League (6) The VIP section was inplete chaos. The head of the ck Dragon Yi familyy copsed, bleeding, and not a single one of her retainers was unharmed. Amidst them, a metal cage was shattered. At a nce, it looked as though something had escaped from the cage and wreaked havoc in the VIP section. Ugh. The head of the ck Dragon Yi family, Lee Ryeo, stirred slightly. She barely managed to lift her head. In front of her was the broken cage. The bars had been destroyed from the outside. This is insane, she muttered, wiping the blood from her lips.She whispered in disbelief, To think youd join forces with them As the head of the ck Dragon family and her retainers were focused on the match, a sinister aura, reminiscent of an evil spirit, seeped behind her. Sensing it, the head immediately prepared to eliminate the evil spirit with her power. But the hesitation came from the fact that it wasnt an evil spirit standing behind her. It was a human. To be exact, a human imbued with the power of an evil spirit. Those with spiritual abilities called such humans possessed. But to think, after all this time, one of her closest subordinates had been possessed. If its a possessed person with a mind of their own, it must be from Mireuks Cult. Has someone from the Sacred me Jin family aligned with Mireuks Cult? All to eliminate Lady Jinari Ugh, Im about to copse. Though Lee Ryeo staggered, her mind kept circling back to the incident that had just unfolded. She hesitated for a split second because it was someone shed known for so long. But for a possessed person, a split second was more than enough. The possessed immediately recited a vowa vow to sacrifice their entire being for a single, devastating strike. Once Lee Ryeo realized the gravity of the situation, she wasted no time in cutting down the possessed person. But the blow, empowered by the vow, had already shattered the cage. And then the possessed spirit sought a new host. It took over her daughter, who had been trapped inside the cage. Hahaha Ahahahah! The girl, now possessed by the evil spirit, broke all the remaining seals. In an instant, her strength surged to unimaginable heights. Perhaps, for a fleeting moment, she had grown so powerful that even a semi-Immortals being might struggle against her. She was no longer someone Lee Ryeo could deal with alone. Shes not fully possessed by the evil spirit But the girl hadnt been fully consumed by the possession. That girl was still her daughter. Ive merelye to understand more deeply what kind of monster I am. Because of that, Lee Ryeo couldnt bring herself to use a lethal technique on her daughter. But her daughter could wield both the bloodlines power and the evil spirits strength. I wanted so desperately to save you, no matter the cost. The result was this chaos. The mother, who had lost her daughter, bowed her head as she looked around the devastation. Im sorry I brought you into this world as a monster. A single tear fell onto the marble floor. And with that, Lee Ryeo, trembling, began crawling towards the arena. * Lee Yi Hwa-ya? She suddenly appeared here? Jinari instinctively prepared for battle as she sensed something strange. She drew upon her spiritual energy and formed her hand seals. How did Yi Hwa-ya escape? It was a pointless question. The only thing that mattered now was the rapidly shifting situation. With a smug expression, Jinari spoke, Can you feel the difference in power? Just stay still. The ranks of Cheonji were officially categorized like this: Half-Immortals, Earthly Immortals, Celestial Immortals, True sage or Baekdu. But the girl who had passed the Heaven and Earth trials knew there was an additional rank not included in that list. These were the interns of Cheonji, mockingly referred to as Semi or Half-Half-Immortals. The characteristics of Half-Half-Immortals Immortals were clear: As interns of Cheonji, they were young. They possessed outstanding talent, enough to stand out. However, they could only use the skills bestowed upon them by their souls and were incapable of creating new techniques. If you can use advanced spiritual abilities, youre Half-Half-immortal. If you can use the ultimate technique, Total Power Deployment, youre semi-immortal. Jinari was a Half-immortal. She had recently developed a new application technique. As for the girl standing before her, Yi Hwa-ya, the young head of the ck Dragon Yi family, she was likely a Semi-immortal. Having been confined for so long, it was certain she hadnt had time to train. Yi Hwa-ya of the ck Dragon family. Surrender quietly. What? You say your mission is to kill the youngdy? Thats your contract? Youll leave if you seed? Understood. Yi Hwa-ya muttered to herself while staring into the air. She looked like a madwoman. It was clearshe had been consumed by bloodlust. Finishing her hand seals, Jinari prepared to subdue Yi Hwa-ya. Girl, I apologize for the rudeness Im about tomit. If you think you can be rude, then go ahead and try. Yi Hwa-ya smiled slyly as she said this. Inside, Jinaris heart fluttered with amusement. Honestly, that was kind of cool. Who would think of me as a chick after seeing such a cool disy? Jinaris wings fluttered slightly. She imagined Yoo Hajin, watching her from behind, and it filled her with joy. She wanted to follow him around just to see his reaction. Wait, no! Im not some frivolous woman who would follow a man around But since she wasnt truly a chick, Jinari was able to suppress her desires. And so, the two girls faced each other. It was time for their showdown. The two immediately began chanting their incantations. Spiritual Manifestation: Vermilion Bird. Spiritual Manifestation: Total Power Deployment - ck Dragon River. Chirp, chirp? Total Power Deployment? The ultimate technique used by semi-immortal? Why was it being used here? Jinari was so startled by the phrase that she couldnt fullyplete her technique. But Yi Hwa-yas technique had already been perfected. Thanks to the aid of the evil spirit. A torrent of ck water surged towards Jinari, and immediately, the onlookers rose to their feet. Protect the youngdy! How did this happen?! Damn it, Total Power Deployment! If we knew this wasing, we shouldve intervened earlier! But none of them could move. Because Yi Hwa-ya was already standing behind Jinari, a cold de pressed against her neck. Did you say your name was Hajin? Yi Hwa-ya looked directly at Yoo Hajin as she spoke. Yoo Hajin, having put Myeong-Myeong down, nodded his head. Yeah, thats right. Im Yoo Hajin. How about a wager, young man? A wager. It was an offer he couldnt refuse. Seeing the trembling in the little chicks shoulders, there was no way Yoo Hajin could y ignorant and run away. With a wry smile, he gathered his thoughts. He hadnt lost a bet in a while. Especially not at Big Hand Casino, where his winning streak had boosted his confidence to new heights. With that baseless confidence, Yoo Hajin nodded. Alright, spit it out. What kind of wager are we talking about? Oh, how delightful! The wager Ive prepared is... Myeong ! At that moment, while Yi Hwa-ya was distracted exining the terms of the wager, the mystical beast Haetae stepped in to enforce justice. Haetae rammed its horn into the sinner. The girl, the one who had been judged, froze in ce. To be precise, her soul was being judged and evaporated, leaving only her body behind. The evil spirit that had possessed her dissipated with a final scream, and now it was the girls turn to face judgment. The sentence given to her was death. Despite being an enemy, she hadmitted the crime of killing a person cruelly. And, though not entirely her fault, she had nearly killed another while under the evil spirits control. With no one to stop the judgment, the girls fate seemed sealedeternal obliteration. Her mother, witnessing this, could only mutter, No, Hwa-ya No, please But there was no one capable of stopping Haetaes judgment. The people watching felt a sense of awe. The character forw () was inspired by Haetae itself. The sight of Haetae ramming into sinners gave birth to that character. A divine beast, the arbiter of all sins. As such, everyone in the arena feared they might be judged next, trembling as if they were criminals dragged before a judge. A divine beast that holds the power to judge, Haetae? Only those without sin could look upon such a creature without fear. And in this world, no such person existed. That was what everyone here believed. Until the man who lifted Haetae shouted in a loud voice. Myeong-Myeong! Have you lost your mind, you reckless little pup?!! What are you doing, pulling such dangerous stunts?! Myeong? Myeong-Myeong! Whatwhat gives you the right to shout so loudly? Wait, shouting at the judge? Who was this man? The members of the assembled noble families and their followers could only stare in stunned silence at Yoo Hajin. *** Alright, spit it out. What kind of wager are we talking about? Oh, how delightful! The wager Ive prepared is... It was a tense moment. What kind of insane bet would this girl, who seemed full of mischief, propose? There was no way it would be something as innocent as an eating contest. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Myeong-Myeong. Wait a second. Why is Myeong-Myeong over there? Before I knew it, Myeong-Myeong had somehow waddled its short legs over and was gearing up for a body m without even waiting for mymand. This is insane. Myeong-Myeong, no! But telepathy doesnt work on animals. Should I move to get Myeong-Myeong back? But if I do, that crazy girl might stab the chick with her sword. Myeong In the end, Myeong-Myeongunched himself into a body m. The crazy girl, who had just been hit by Myeong-Myeong, stared at the creature in disbelief. Now was my chance. Without hesitation, I dashed forward and delivered a solid flick to her forehead. Augh! The crazy ck-haired girl, dressed in a hanbok, crumpled to the ground. In one swift motion, I grabbed both the chick and Myeong-Myeong. Then I held Myeong-Myeong up and shook it furiously. Myeong-Myeong! Are you out of your mind, you reckless little pup?! What on earth were you thinking pulling such a dangerous stunt?!! Myeong? Myeong-Myeong! And what are you yelling about, as if you did something impressive?! Then, Myeong-Myeong let out what sounded suspiciously like a string of curses. Myeong-Myeong! Myeong-MyeongMyeong-MyeongMyeong-Myeong! You! Where did you learn such foulnguage? It was Jamsuni, wasnt it? That rascal. Tonights dinner is grilled mackerel. For the record, Jamsuni hated seafood. Seriously, these guys were like children. Just then, the ck-haired girl, still lying on the ground after my flick, muttered quietly. Young man, I dont understand. Why did you save me? ...? What is she talking about? As expected, its hard to make sense of what crazy people say. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 79: Myeong-Myeong and the Familiar League (7) Young man, I dont understand. Why did you save me? Save her? Did I ever save that girl? All I ever gave that crazy girl was a solid flick to the forehead. I''ve never heard of someone being saved by a flick before. Ah, I get it now. So, she''s asking why I didn''t finish her off after knocking her down. What a terrifying way to think. Are all psychic kids this ruthless? I looked at the crazy girl and said, I never even thought about killing you in the first ce. If you dont kill me now... you might regret itter the girl continued. Im a dangerous being... a wicked soul... she said, smiling. A dangerous being.A wicked soul. You might want to kill me now it could be for the best. For some reason, it reminded me of something my mom''s colleagues used to say when my little sister could barely speak. God, I hoped they weren''t serious. Actually, looking back, it''s a good thing I didnt act out back then. After the day of spiritual awakening, a few of my moms colleagues became famous faces on the news. Anyway, a dangerous being. A wicked soul. I only had one thing to say to that. A soul isnt all of you. If we broke it down, your soul wouldnt even make up 0.001% of what makes you human. I continued, A person is a warm, tangible being. So, a soul is just a tiny part of who someone is. What? A soul is just a tiny part of a person? Its a strange world. A world where people torment and kill others because of invisible ghosts, while the living, breathing humans are right in front of them. Im not going to kill you just because that tiny part of you is dangerous. At that moment, hurried footsteps approached. It was the woman with the hairpin who had helped me advance through the preliminaries. Hwa-ya! Now that I look at them, they really do resemble each other. I dont know if their souls are simr, but their bodies sure are. The mother hugged her daughter, who looked just like her. Myeong-Myeong Myeong-Myeong meowed sadly. Come to think of it, Myeong-Myeong lost its mother too. I silently picked up Myeong-Myeong. Without protest, Myeong-Myeong nestled into my arms. As Iforted Myeong-Myeong, I looked behind me. Youngdy, are you alright? Youre not hurt, are you? Were sorry. This was our fault. Who would have thought that a malicious spirit could break through the Holy Vessels defense? The chick was surrounded by adults, acting all tough, spouting nonsense like, Im fine, It was all expected, and How foolish toe after me with such a trivial trick. Quite the show-off. Anyway, the fact that the crazy girl is the grand prize for winning this tournament no thanks. I have no interest in a prize like that. I cant even tell if shes an adult or a high schooler. Im not looking to end up in handcuffs. Ill just take my winnings and leave. And so, the Familiar League continued. I won the semifinal match by default. The opponent backed out, saying something about a divine beast that deals true damage to sinners being too terrifying. How could they say Myeong-Myeong is scary when its this cute? I wanted to argue but held back. And so, I made it to the finals. Then, I forfeited. As long as I ced, Id still get the sacred blood, so it didnt matter. My opponent beamed when they heard I was forfeiting, while Myeong-Myeong meowed at me as if demanding to know why. From the VIP seats in the distance, there was a bit ofmotion. But none of that changed my decision to forfeit. As soon as the winner was confirmed, a booming voice echoed from the speakers. The winner of this Sacred Blood Festival has been decided! The winner of this years festival is Everyone was watching the Familiar League championor rather, the Sacred Blood Festivals championexcept for me, since I was already making my exit after my forfeit. Actually, the chick was doing the same. The chick didnt seem to care about the festivals winner either and was quietly heading somewhere. Where is that chick going? Cant they just hurry up, award the winner, hand out the sacred blood, and get it over with? But the chick, oblivious to my impatience, walked toward a transparent tent. Lower the curtain. Theres something I must handle quietly. As you wish. And then, the chick entered the tent. Is that even a tent? No, it looks more like a greenhouse. An empty greenhouse, at that. As soon as the tents p closed, the chick copsed to the ground. Then, out of nowhere, she began to cry uncontrobly. Ahhh Waaah! Peep sob sniffle Crying with such sorrow. Wailing with such grief. I I dont want to be the heir Wait, is it okay to cry that loudly? The chick has a reputation to uphold, right? But I didnt need to worry about that. ncing around, everyone was too focused on the winners speech to pay attention to the chicks whimpering. Why why did the head choose someone like me peep peep someone without talent like me The chicksmentations continued. Even though she was possessed by an evil spirit, sniff, even Hwa-ya could use full power deployment while she was trapped. And I I still cant do it. Why can Hwa-ya use divine arts and full power deployment? The chick wiped their tears with their sleeve. I I cant even use divine arts, peep, and yet they sent an evil spirit after me to kill me The chick pulled her shoulders inward as she sat there, defeated. Its its just too much now -Trembling. The chicks body shook. Come to think of it, Id heard that chicks are sensitive to the cold and need proper heating when raised. Even I, someone who knows nothing, could see that the chick was in danger right now. Watching her, tear-streaked and realizing she didnt even have a tissue or handkerchief to wipe their face with, I couldnt help but feel a little sorry for her. Guess I have no choice. At this rate, thepetition might not be able to continue. Ill have to calm her down. I grabbed a bundle of handkerchiefs and quietly made my way to the back of the transparent greenhouse. Lifting the stic cover slightly, I slipped inside. Peep?! H-how did you how did you get inside the tent? The chick stopped crying, startled by my sudden appearance. But just because she stopped crying didnt mean her tears had disappeared. The chick nced at the bundle of handkerchiefs in my hand and muttered. This bundle of handkerchiefs h-how did you know Id be crying? How did I know? I just figured. I couldn''t respond truthfully. To be honest, it''s been months since I started working in this field. Just by looking at this so-called greenhouse, I could tell it was probably something like the illusion tricks with that ckboard or the card games in Big Hand Casino. Thats why it was transparent to my eyes. But I couldn''t exin that. So, I shamelessly replied, "It''s just something I can sense, you crying." "N-no. I''m not a crybaby," she stammered. "Sure, sure. Says the chick who''s always peep-peeping and crying." "Peep, peep," she murmured, mping her hands over her mouth and lowering her head in embarrassment. "It''s because of the chick instincts" "I know, youre crying because of the chick in your heart," I said, handing her the bundle of handkerchiefs. **** "It''s because of the chick instincts" "I know, youre crying because of the chick in your heart." Jinari epted the bundle of handkerchiefs from the man. So many handkerchiefs. She had hidden herself inside the tent to cry, so there was no way anyone could have known she was crying. ''So, he just understood my feelings. The feelings no one else could see.'' For some reason, warmth filled a corner of her heart at that thought. It was only then that Jinari could truly stop her tears. Maybe the reason the chick peeped was because it wanted someone to see it, to acknowledge it. Smiling to herself, Jinari felt grateful. "Thank you." And so, Yoo Hajin and Jinari headed toward the stage. As promised, the winner of the Sacred Blood Festival was granted the right tomand the heir of the ck Dragon Yi family. Naturally, the winner was eager to exercise their right. A girl who called herself a youngdy, dressed in traditional Korean hanbok and looking like a beautiful young maiden. The winner could hardly contain their excitement aboutmanding her. But, of course, the result was as expected: The winner ended up gravely injured. "I said youd have the right tomand her. I never said shed obey," remarked Lee Ryeo, the head of the ck Dragon Yi family, gazing at the fallen winner. Lee Ryeo had no intention of acknowledging anyone except the man who saved her daughter. Thus, it became known that the Sacred Blood Festival''s victory was actually a trap. Meanwhile, the runner-up was awarded the promised Sacred blood. The Sacred blood was, literally, crimson-red blood. ording to the chick, the effects of the Sacred blood were as follows: This is the primordial sacred blood. It gives demonic beasts the opportunity to evolve into divine beasts and helps young divine beasts advance to the next level. And the chick thought to herself: ''It was powerful enough to subdue Hwa-ya, who was practically at the level of a semi-immortal. Could absorbing this blood even allow one to confront a heavenly sage?'' That was something to be determined from now on. Just how far could Myeong-Myeongs potential go? Could it, perhaps, even take on a semi-immortal, bing an ultra-powerful chobiom? "I really have no idea." Could such a chobiom even be controlled? Yoo Hajin pondered seriously. Then, he muttered to himself, "I really dont know. Will Myeong-Myeong evolve like a Pokmon? Or like a Digimon? I''m so curious!" And without hesitation, he tore open the packaging of the Sacred blood. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 80: Myeong-Myeong and the Familiar League (8) The Sacred Hall was the representative building of the Three Families Union. Thus, their eyes and ears were everywhere. And now, those eyes and ears were delivering unbelievable news. They said a Haetae had appeared. A divine beast Haetae, no less. And someone was controlling that Haetae. Unbelievable reports wereing from the Sacred Hall. News that would force the high-ranking figures of the Three Families to take action. As a result, the VIP seats began to fill up. Elders and notable figures from the families took their ces. In some cases, even the young heads and family leaders hade in person. And they were all looking down at one beast.It just looks like a puppy. A mutt with a bit of monster blood mixed in. ...Its immature. Thats no ordinary beast. Focus on its aura. The younger generation couldnt sense anything from that beast. But the elders and notable figures, who concentrated their senses, felt something. Something they could feel in the depths of their bloodline. This cant be Among the Three Families Union, there was a family that traced its origins back to the Haetae. They trembled as they instinctively realized that the small creature was indeed a young Haetae. A young woman, her eyes tightly covered, murmured. She was the head of the family that inherited the bloodline of the Haetae. Her name was Haeryeon, the youngest person in the Three Families Union to ever open the Ghost Gate. Thats really the Haetae Haeryeon murmured. The Haetae was an incredibly dangerous divine beast. As those who carried its blood, they knew that fact all too well. We must stop the granting of Sacred Blood. But how could they stop it? The Three Families valued tradition. And the ritual of granting Sacred Blood was one of the most sacred traditions in the Union. How could they interrupt such a revered ceremony, especially with so many eyes watching? And so, the ritual to grant the Sacred Blood began. Jinari, the young leader of the Jin family, epted the unsealed Sacred Blood from the runner-up. With solemn reverence, Jinaripleted the ceremony without a single mistake and held the vessel containing the Sacred Blood with great care. Yang energy sanctified bes Extreme Yang. Yin energy sanctified bes Extreme Yin. Corruption sanctified bes the Infinite ck Water. And spiritual energy itself, sanctified, is called the Sacred Blood. It was the ultimate ectosm, quite literally the blood of the gods. A faint trace of it flowed through the direct descendants of the Three Families. Because of this Sacred Blood, the bloodline of the Three Families was stronger than others of the same ability and rose in rank faster than those of lesser lineage. So what would happen if that Sacred Blood touched a divine being? The divinity within that being would be revealed. Look at that guy. It looks somon. A gigolo, handling a divine beast? Impossible. Right? Brother, dose he really thinks a noble divine beast would associate with such a lowborn? Most of the VIPs gazed at Yoo Hajin and Myeong-Myeong with disdain. That was, until Jinari poured the Sacred Blood onto Myeong-Myeong. As soon as the Sacred Blood touched Myeong-Myeong, everyone realized something. The Haetae consumes sin. The Haetae judges sin. In an instant, everyone in the VIP seats understood this truth. Haah haah Ugh, that thats The bloodlines of the Three Families reeled back in panic. The Haetae consumes sin. But what exactly is sin? It is the lingering soul of ones evil deeds. Among the bloodlines of the Three Families, there were those who hadmitted countless sins for the benefit of their family, and for their own personal gain. In fact, most of the people in the VIP seats were sinners. After all, as the predators of the human world, the Three Families had never hesitated to prey upon the weak. &%$#! Just hearing that cry was enough. That divine beast could devour their very souls. The divine beast is going berserk. It cant handle the sudden awakening of its divinity. Unless they were able to protect their souls with the force of their Ghost Gate, those in the seats could only tremble in fear. And this included the staff of the Sacred Hall. The guilt of lying to ones parents. The guilt of gossiping behind a colleagues back. Even those with such minor sins instinctively felt terror. Only those who could dere themselves without a shred of shame under heaven would not fear a Haetae like this. Theres no one like that in todays world. The family head who inherited the Haetae bloodline murmured. They, too, were using the Ghost Gates suction to hold onto their soul, so they had less to worry about being devoured by the Haetae. But that didnt mean they werent afraid. Everyone here was the same. A divine beast that had just awakened its divinity and was going berserk? ^$%$*! The divine beast howled in confusion. It was probably because it had seen the terrifying truth of human sin. The family head who inherited the Haetaes blood knew better than anyone that human sin was disgusting and terrifying. There were days she wanted to gouge out her own eyes. Thats why she tightly bound her eyes every day with a blindfold infused with yin energy and corruption. Because seeing humans through the eyes of a Haetae was too disgusting and terrifying. As her powers as a Haetae grew, she couldnt even look at her friends or family anymore. No, from the moment she saw their sins, her feelings for them turned grotesque. That Haetae would likely feel the same. Soon, it would begin sikje the consumption of sin. Just like she did when she was young. Such a thing must be stopped. Ill open the Ghost Gate. Even if its a pureblood Haetae, its still immature in terms of enlightenment. If we act now But, Head of the Family, the Haetae is the origin of our lineage. How can we, as its descendants, dare to attack such a sacred being? At those words, Haeryeon hesitated in forming the seal for the Ghost Gate. At that moment Head, theres a man, The family servant said something unbelievable. Hes calming the howling Haetae. Calming the Haetae? How could anyone calm a pure creature, born to abhor and fear the sins of this world, to the point that it consumes them? Only someone with no sin visible in their soul could manage such a feat. Unless there was a person whose soul waspletely unaffected by the highest mysteries of sin or fate. And Haeryeon knew better than anyone that such a person couldnt exist in this world. *#@# Myeong-Myeong Yet, the Haetaes voice was gradually quieting down. *** Dogs hate getting washed. And apparently, Myeong-Myeong was no different. When the mysterious liquid that the chick called Sacred Blood was poured onto Myeong-Myeong, the previously calm Myeong-Myeong suddenly started acting up. What the? Is it really evolving? With a series of barks and yelps, Myeong-Myeong looked terrified of something. Actually, it seemed scared of everything around it. Chick, is this normal? U-ugh Even the chick was acting strange. It was huddling up in fear, just like Myeong-Myeong. And looking around, I saw that the staff were also reacting in a simr way. Could this be because of Myeong-Myeong? Did everyone just get overwhelmed by Myeong-Myeongs charm? Myeong-Myeong, tone down the charm!!! I pulled Myeong-Myeong into my arms, and gradually, the barking and whimpering began to calm down. Once Myeong-Myeong had settled, I tried to put it back down, but it whimpered and clung to me, refusing to leave my arms. Well, its clear you learned some new skill. I stroked Myeong-Myeongs fur as I spoke, but it kept burrowing deeper into my arms, as if the outside world was too dangerous. What was going on? Why had Myeong-Myeong suddenly turned so needy? My legs At that moment, the chick murmured. My legs theyve gone weak Please hold me The chick lowered its head, looking like it was on the verge of tears. Peep What a disgrace to show myself like this during the Sacred Blood Ceremony Ugh It was about 98% of the way to crying out loud. I nced up toward the VIP seats high above. Though I couldnt see them clearly, I could feel the weight of countless gazes directed at us. If the chick broke down in tears in front of all those watchful eyes, its reputation would be over. I couldnt let that happen. I quickly covered the chick with my coat, Then took its hand. Peep? And I ran toward the greenhouse known as the dark tent. *** The high-ranking members of the Three Families watched the scene unfold, deep in thought. The rampaging Haetae. The man who had calmed the Haetae. And then, after a few words from Jinari, they quickly moved into the dark tent. They must be discussing their next move. So that man was someone who served Jinari? Was that man from the Seonghwa Jin family? To be precise, he must be part of the faction that supports Jinari. Hmph, this Sacred Blood Ceremony was just an excuse for the Jin family to announce theyve tamed the Haetae. I shouldnt have bothered showing up. One family leader lowered their hand. Just before removing their blindfold, they had heard that the man who calmed the Haetae had left. So they lowered their hand. As I thought, theres no such thing as a man with a spotless soul. Haeryeon, the head of the Hae family, murmured bitterly. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 81: Around Louisville (1) As soon as I arrived at the ckout greenhouse, I grabbed Chicks shoulder. Hey, wheres that stuck-up rich kid from Pyeon Station? I am Chick avoided my gaze. I met her eyes and continued, Wheres that world-ss act you were pulling at the DMZ? Uh, uh Chick mumbled, her face turning bright red. Its embarrassing Please, stop. Why are you embarrassed?She didnt answer, but I had a good idea why. Is it because you joined Cheonji? Ack, ugh. So, I was right. Chick had passed the entrance exam for Cheonji thanks to my carry. After entering, she mustve realized she was a big fish in a small pondor in this case, a chick in a small pond. Are there that many geniuses there? Of course. There are way more than you can imagine. Some of them, not much older than me, can open the Ghost Gate. And there are kids even younger than me who can use Sage Arts. Sage Arts? Yeah, a technique you can use from the Ground Line level of energy deployment. Chick continued chirping, I didnt even get to go to a ce that ordinary people call a schoolI learned Taoist magic before I learned to read. I trained so hard, staying up all night Suddenly, Chick slumped, defeated. I Im just a chick. All I can do is chirp. Chirp. Ah, I chirped again! A defeated chick. This was rare. But I had a duty to console her. Judging from todays events at the Sacred Blood Hall, our Chick seemed to be quite a high-ranking youngdy among the noble sons and daughters of her family. In other words, Chick was from a wealthy, powerful background. She maye off as a klutz sometimes, but among all my connections, there werent many as influential as her. As I watched her feeling down, I thought, well, it cant be helped. Ill have to show her my secret movethe ultimate technique of Heavenly Demon Martial Arts. The Heavenly Demons Caress. I know many psychic warriors. As soon as I spoke, Chick looked up at me. And you are one of the strongest among them. Me? Im one of the strongest? Yeah. To be honest, Id wanted to tell her this for a long time. I just hadnt found the chance. There were plenty of people at Big Hand Casino who were stronger than you in terms of rank. I gently ced my hand on her shoulder. But you made a choice that none of them could. A strong choice? Yes. A choice more important than enlightenmentthe choice to save people. Among all the psychic warriors there, only Chick had refused Cheonsus offerthe offer to help increase her enlightenment through a murderous game. Chick was a girl who had even faced assassination threats from her own family, just because she was considered weak. If it had been me, would I have been able to refuse Cheonsus offer in her situation? Thats why Chick was strong. Stronger than anyone there. Youre strong, Chick. So strong, I respect you for it. You you respect me? Yeah. I gazed through the ckout curtain, my eyes fixed on the people beyond it. One day, I want to make the same choice as you. I meant it. Youre stronger than anyone else. Hmph. And yet, the Heavenly Demons Caress didnt work. Chick turned her head away from me. You dont even know what energy deployment is, and you think you can tell me that? Just forget it. Wait, maybe it did work. The fact that shes already back to being her stuck-up self means it definitely worked. By the way, didnt you just say something earlier? Herees that world-ss expression again. I really want to flick her forehead. You said you respect me. Hmph. Hmmm. Hehe. Honestly, it wasnt such a big deal. Still, Chick was too noble ady for me to actually flick her forehead. So, I held back. Barely. Now that I think about it, I was kind of cool back then. Not to brag or anything I listened to her chirp on as the Familiar League Battle came to an end. When I got home, I checked on Myeong-Myeong. Doesnt seem like anythings changed on the outside. Myeong-Myeong had gone from being a dog that loved to take walks to a recluse cat that didnt want to leave the house. Is this some kind of evolution? Ugh. No, this feels like de-evolution. Myeong-Myeong? Want to go for a walk? Myeong! Myeong-Myeong! After meowing a bit, Myeong-Myeong jumped up and hid in the corner of the ceiling. What is he saying? Is he asking for 3,000 won? Is this some kind of rebellious phase? I fixed one problem only to end up with a bigger one. With aplicated feeling in my chest, I stared at Myeong-Myeong until I fell asleep. Then I rememberedtomorrow was that day. The day Jamsuni calls Day of the Fit. On that day, everyone in the area either evacuates or stays locked up in their homes, leaving the streetspletely deserted. Naturally, that also meant no deliveries. What am I going to do tomorrow? As Iy down, Myeong-Myeong quietly slithered under the nket. I stroked his fur, lost in thought. I figured Id probably end up wandering outside. **** Theres a saying around here: Neighborhood Super gangster. It used to refer to the local gangsters back in the day. Of course, the word gangster didnt just change to Super gangster for no reason. Gangsters had gained supernatural powers. And the boss leading them was an even stronger one. Back in the old days, an aging boss would have been worried about getting shanked or arrested by the police, limiting the gangs activities. But now, things were different. The boss was a monster who couldnt be harmed unless you brought heavy artillery, and the gangsters beneath him had powers that low-level police firepower couldnt match. So, they became bolder. Thats how gangsters turned into Super gangsters. Do we have enough of the goods? The ckstone n, one of those Super gangsters, had their n leader Jo Heuk-seok speaking to his subordinate. Yes, boss. Weve got more than enough. Even after handing it out to the guys tomorrow, well still have plenty left. Good. But make sure you keep them in check when things start. That stuffs strong. Remember what happenedst timesome idiot wentpletely nuts on it. Ill keep that in mind, boss. Jo Heuk-seok looked down from the window at the slums below, bustling with people. After the world mostly copsed, regr folks could only live in major cities protected by the barrier system. Because of this, Seouls poption had now swelled to over 45 million. It was a mix of refugees fleeing from the hellscape that was Manchuria and North Korea, along with disced Koreans who had lost their homes. In a ce like this, human life wasnt all that precious. To think Brother Cheonsu would go down like that Rumor had it hed almost unlocked the Ghost Gate. With the fall of Cheonsu, the Little Tyrant of Hongdae, the entire underworld of Seoul was in turmoil. The ckstone n, in particr, was feeling the heat since their main business partner was none other than Cheonsus crew. If they wanted to survive, they needed more power and more money. And that meant finding new business partners. Did you spread the location of the shelters to the boys? Yes, boss. Weve been drilling them hard for the past three days. They know how to pick locks and use the side streets. Good. Let them knowif they mess up tomorrow, theyre dead. Ill make sure they understand. Jo Heuk-seok looked down again. From this height, the world of ordinary people seemed so small and insignificant. It was a broken world. If it got a little more broken, it wouldnt make much of a difference. **** Hey! If you dont get up right now, Im really going to smack you! A girl, the eldest of five siblings, shouted. A tiny, six-pyeong* vi. This was the entirety of the home where the five siblings lived. The eldest girl was frying up some pink ham mixed with flour while getting dressed in her school uniform. The savory smell drifted through the house, and one by one, the kids started to wake up. Why ham today? Did you make some money, sis? Thats none of your business. Two slices per person, so dont you dare try to steal from your brothers or sisters. Then give me the biggest piece! The eldest girl took care of the kids, but she didnt forget to turn on the TV. In an age where smartphones were so advanced, who even needed a TV? Especially in a household like this. But for the eldest girl, this TV was precious. The old TV wasnt just for waking the kids up with noise. It had a far more important purpose, one that made it impossible to throw away. -Ba-ba-ba-bam! Ba-ba-ba-bam! The familiar news jingle yed in the background. The eldest girl nced at the screen. The title Todays News shed across it, listing the headlines they would be covering before the broadcast officially started. --- Todays News - Soaring prices and the growing burden on ordinary citizens - Cheonjis roadmap for reiming North Korea - Is the Anomaly Response Headquarters inte protection really safe? - Todays list of death row inmates announced --- Death row inmate announcements? In the morning? No way, she muttered. As soon as she saw that, the eldest girl bolted toward the TV. She barely managed to yank the power cord out before the screen turnedpletely red. Get up!!! She shouted, urgency ringing in her voice. Huh, sis, let me just finish eating No time, hurry!!! Could it really be today? She clenched her teeth. Shed been through this more than ten times already. Quickly gathering up the kids, the eldest girl hoisted one onto her back and sprinted toward the shelter. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: Pyeong is a Korean unit of area and floorspace. You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 82: Around Louisville (2) Seoul had excellent infrastructure. While facilities like transportation or conveniences might becking due to the overwhelming poption density, there was one piece of infrastructure that stood outpared to other cities. That was the infrastructure Seoul took pride inthe public shelters. Rumor had it that these shelters were installed by Cheonji itself, and they were considered far safer than the priest-run shelters, which were protected by sacred relics or talismans. Even wealthy people without supernatural abilities preferred to use the public shelters instead of the priest-run ones. So, there was no reason for a poor girl responsible for five younger siblings to hesitate in rushing to the shelter with the kids. The girl, as the head of the family, briskly walked toward the shelter. She moved as if she were in a bit of a hurry. At that moment, she noticed a sryman in the distance on his phone. In the midst of this chaos, it seemed far too odd for an ordinary sryman to be there.The man said, Ah, so the meeting location changed? Exit 4 of Pyeon Station? Ill head there immediately, before turning and asking, Kids, do you know where Exit 4 of Pyeon Station is? This is my first time around here too. Wheres Exit 4 of Pyeon Station? I need to hurry. Im alreadyte. The girl, still holding her siblings hands,pletely ignored it allwhether it was the clown looking down at her from the second-floor window, the streetlight that was still on despite it being morning, or the janitor who was smiling way too brightly while cleaning up something strange. She ignored it all. Looking around, it seemed that many others were behaving simrly. Acting as if they didnt see what was right in front of them, didnt hear what was clearly audible, and quickly walking without breaking into a run. After walking for about five minutes, the girl finally spotted the gray building. That gray building was the shelter for this area. The girl checked to make sure her two younger brothers and two younger sisters were all there, then descended the stairs into the shelter. As soon as she entered, she was greeted by a crowd of people. They all had faces filled with exhaustion and irritation. Their expressions seemed like the smallest nudge could set off a fight. Seeing such a familiar scene made the girls tension ease slightly. After finding a suitable spot, she sat down with the kids. I didnt get to eat breakfast. I had ham. Good for you. Were they going to have to spend the entire day in the shelter again? In the shelter, the only thing avable was drinking water from the water stations. They didnt provide any food. In other words, if you didnt bring any food with you, youd have to spend the entire day starving. The girl was already feeling a headacheing on, just thinking about the kids whining for food. There were already so many people who were on edge, upset about wasting a day in the shelter. If the kids started whining about being hungry, how much more trouble would that cause? The girl subtly raised her head to scan her surroundings. As expected, everyone was quietly angry. Except for one man. Whats with that guy? The man stood out with his appearance. Tall, he looked around the shelter with eyes twinkling, as if it were his first time being there. Could it be his first time in a shelter? A person who had never been in a shelter by his age? There were only two kinds of people like that. The first type. Someone from a wealthy family who could stay protected at home. Judging by his clothes, he didnt seem like a rich familys son. The second type. Someone who was so strong that they didnt need a shelter. But the second type didnt make sense. Why would someone who didnt need a shelter be in one? A shelter wasnt a hotel. All you could do here was drink water and sit or stand in one spot for hours. Ah, Im sorry. Watch where youre going. See? You had to be mindful of others, even when moving around in a shelter. And that man was trying hard to be mindful. Which meant he wasnt the second typesomeone so strong that they didnt need a shelter wouldnt bother with social cues like that. That left only one answer. The man was definitely a bit crazy. And its always best not to get involved with crazy people. But how wonderful would it be if the world moved ording to our thoughts? If anything happens, wake me up right away, the girl said as she crouched down and closed her eyes. When youre tired and sleepy, you can get a good nap even sitting down. How deep could you sleep sitting down? Deep enough to not wake up until the slightly crazy man had already gotten friendly with her siblings and started watching videos with them. Alright, youve watched the video, right? Now tell me, how does this shelter work? The man initiated a form of bartershowing bored kids YouTube videos in exchange for information about the shelter. My sister said its a space created with super strong powers, so no evil spirits can get in. Dont you know about Cheonji? Theres this super strong organization called Cheonji, and they made it. Well, the man had at least done some basic research beforeing here. He continued with another question. So, while youre in the shelter, you dont see any ghosts or anything like that? Ghosts? Can people really not see them here? Ah, no, of course not. The man, flustered, wiped the sweat off his forehead. Then the younger girl chimed in. If you show us just one more video, I think Ill remember. Hey, lets watch a hero video this time. I heard the hero rankings changed. No! Oppa, its my turn this time. After showing them another video, he finally got a clear answer. You can totally see ghosts, of course. From tiny ones to little ones, they all show up. I mean, youre seeing them too, right? R-right. The man had just learned something new. The shelter didntpletely block out ghosts. So, what exactly was it about this shelter that stopped strange phenomena? Then how do you know when its time to leave the shelter? You just know when the door opens. Wow, oppa, is this really your first time in a shelter? No way. Of course not. Im practically a shelter veteran. I was just testing you kids to see if you knew your shelter facts, the man, Yoo Hajin, barely dodged the boys suspicious gaze. Is there some kind of central control system here? Yoo Hajin thought. Could they remotely open and close the doors of the shelter? Then who was controlling the doors of this shelter? As Yoo Hajin pondered, the door opened. The sound of the door opening was immediately followed by cheers from the crowd. Damn, it ended a little early today. I was starving to death. Finally, were done. As people started filing out, the girl finally stood up. The girl, as the head of her family, checked that the door had opened and made sure her four younger siblings were all present before slowly getting up from her spot. A kid taking care of kids, huh, Yoo Hajin muttered under his breath in a bitter tone as he watched the family. He continued observing as people left the shelter. The mysterious public shelter that only opened when strange phenomena overtook realitythe sacred shelter that had blocked out almost all evil spirits. He had been hoping for something, even just a little. But all Yoo Hajin could see were strange symbols drawn on the concrete walls, floors, and ceiling. He couldnt sense any special power or mystery. Another wasted day. **** Another wasted day. I shook my head. I thought that if this public shelter, which ranks in the top three of Koreas national pride, was as great as they say, Id be able to see or feel something. But no, logically, since its a ce that blocks dangerous evil spirits and supernatural phenomena, this public shelter is probably the hardest ce to actually see any ghosts. I had the wrong idea from the start. I shook my head again, frustrated with myself. But the moment I reached the surface, I couldnt shake my head anymore. The people who had juste up with me were terrified. What... whats going on? You, who just came up, you better stand there quietly. A thug, who looked the part, muttered under his breath, holding an automatic pistol. His speech was slurred, almost as if he was drunk. But seriously, an automatic pistol? Damn it, Id heard that automatic pistols were the weapon that psychic warriors considered the most pathetic. Why? Because those pistols only worked on ordinary people who couldnt deploy barriers. And the history of automatic pistols was short, so there werent many enchanted ones, either. In other words, anyone using an automatic pistol was just a thug who bullied ordinary folks, and probably too poor to afford proper enchanted weapons. Looking at this guy now, it seemed like that was exactly the case. One man, ncing around, stammered, Th-thats a supernatural phenomenon, isnt it? Whywhy did the shelter open when theres a phenomenon happening? Was there still a phenomenon going on? Yeah, supernatural phenomena are everywhere around us. We know a safe way out. If you dont want to get eaten by one, shut up and walk. W-wouldnt it be better to return to the shelter? I dont know where you gentlemen are from, but... An older woman suggested cautiously to the man holding the gun. The thug grinned and pointed his gun right at her. Bang! Holy crap, these crazy bastards actually fired! Startled, I rolled toward the bushes next to the shelter. Damn it, so much for keeping my cool. But when you hear gunshots, your body moves on its own. Id die if I got shot too. Probably...? The thug yelled, Where did that guy go?! Why couldnt they see me all of a sudden? I wasnt exactly hiding. I was just lying in the bushes. I wasnt even wearing a ghillie suit, yet they couldnt see me, even though I was right in front of them? Hey, where did the guy who came out of the stairs go? A man whimpered and pointed to where Id disappeared. Suddenly... suddenly he got sucked into that phenomenon with the grass and flowers mixed in. It looked like he just rolled himself into it, though. Tch, he looked expensive. Did he really get eaten by the phenomenon just like that? Damn it. Its just like they said, the phenomena are going wild because its that day. The thug looked down at me. Who the hell are you looking down on, you jerk? Wait, when did these bushes turn into a phenomenon? Its that day, so the phenomena are overflowing? Well, we dont have a choice. Lets move out. The thugs with guns began leading the people from the shelter somewhere. Soon, all that was left in front of the shelter was me and the woman who had been shot dead. I gently closed the womans eyes and muttered under my breath. These damn bastards... I clenched my fists tightly without realizing it. This town was my home. I couldnt let thugs like them run rampant here. Of course, itd be tough to deal with armed thugs on my own. Even when the world goes to hell, there are some folks who never close their shops. I wonder if theyd still be open on the Day of Madness? C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 83: Around Louisville (3) Seoul, a city famed for having the world''s densest poption. Even in this cramped city, there were three areas where housing prices remained low. The first, a district of Seoul that doesnt exist. It doesnt show up on any maps or documents, but supposedly, if you go there, its very real. This ce has stores youve never seen anywhere else, and people who dont appear even in social media searches. But it wasnt simply because of these oddities that housing was cheap. The districts information just erases itself? That supposedly meant it was a perfect ce for secretive business. And so, ruthless groups filled the area. It became hell, but not one created by ghosts. This was hell forged by people. I avoid any high-paying delivery gigs in that area unless the pay is too good to resist. The second is Tigers Den. Sometimes, a tiger appears there. The third is the cursed ville district.Thats my neighborhood. These were the three cheapest areas to live in Seoul. But even these ces had people living in them. Quite a lot of people, actually. I climbed up to the rooftop of Louisville to survey the situation. This is insane. All the shelters around Louisville were under attack. I went in and found about a hundred people taking refuge in each shelter. Now, those bastards had hit ten shelters, meaning roughly four thousand people had been dragged out. Four thousand. The death toll was already spiraling out of control. Most of the dead had taken their own lives. If not, theyd run somewhere and jumped off. People rarely seemed to die from those jerks'' guns. Damn it. These powers everyst one of them is garbage. An all-too-familiar rage coursed through my veins. The deep hatred I felt in Pyeon Station, in the DMZ, in theb, in the casinoit started to stir again. O Heavens that bring true justice, Erase all the awakened from existence. Leave not a single one alive. ? For a moment, I had a spine-chilling thought. Shaking my head, I pressed the elevator button immediately. It was time to ask for help from the neighbors of this town. Would those folks still be running their shop even on Attack Day? I mumbled to myself on the electric scooter. They probably would. Theyd stayed open even during Ghost Typhoon, a disaster worse than Attack Day, and even during the North Korean (possibly) Seoul air raid. I doubted theyd close for this. So I rode my scooter down the empty street. Soon, I found the only lit sign on the road. [OmegaTech Service Station] [Repairs for Amplifiers and Electronics; Buying Used Electronics] I opened the door to OmegaTech. Hey, man! And there he was, a guy napping at the counter. It was Jongri Hyung, with as much belly as knowledge. Ugh, the unrefined, polluted reality has finally caught up to me. Oh, right, Hajin, whats up? Apparently, hed been dreaming, muttering something strange as he woke up. Dude, were in serious trouble! What now? Dont tell me youve lost that masterpiece of yours, the electric scooter, again? That was the story of the Mountain incident. Back then, Id parked my electric scooter near that Mountain, unaware it would getpletely obliterated. When the mountain was destroyed, I assumed my scooter had turned to dust along with it. When I told Jongri Hyung about it, hed copsed on the spot. However, thanks to his investigation, it turned out the electric scooter had barely avoided the destruction, so I was able to ride it again. Of course not. I parked it right outside. Jongri Hyung hugged the scooter, muttering, My masterpiece! Its not evenparable to the militarys ID tracker orwork detector from the main office This wasnt the time for this. Hyung, the situation outside is a total disaster. A disaster? I quickly exined everything that was happening. Jongri Hyung nodded and said: Interesting. So the Totemism Government and those primitive shaman ns decided to turn their backs on this area today. Jongri Hyung continued. And from what youre saying, the guns theyre using are likely double-action semi-automatic pistols. It irritates me that those uncultured bastards are handling such beautiful machines. Great, lets smash those jerks together. But Jongri Hyung stopped talking after that. Wait? Is that all? Hyung, people are getting kidnapped out there. Yes, its tragic that civilians are being abducted. I dread to think what barbaric ritual theyll use them for. He added, But its not my duty to save them. You dont have to save them yourself, I said. Just lend me some equipment like armor or weapons. Why do I have to be the one? I stared at him intently. With a reluctant sigh, he murmured, Fine, theres an umbre and a stun gun over there. Take them. Ah, the good old stun gun. My trusty Chidori. You know about that stun gun, right? Its no ordinary model; its a high-powered weapon. Its more of an assault tool than a defensive one. ording to superstition, electricity possesses the power to dispel evil. In terms of specs, it should work against high-level evil spirits, maybe even a demon king. Jongri Hyung continued. And that umbre is a bulletproof model. Itll block handgun bullets and even withstand up to three shots from an anti-materiel sniper rifle if needed. Just make sure to hold it tightly so it doesnt fly away from the impact. Thanks. I gathered the stun gun and umbre. Jongri Hyung looked at me slowly and asked, I really dont understand you. Why do you keep getting into these irrational fights? As soon as I heard that question, I thought of the nonexistent district. A ce left off all administrative records, abandoned by both the police and Cheonji, and now a paradise for those wretched rogue factions. That district had many markets. Markets selling curses, markets trading ves, markets dealing in human flesh It was an instinctive feeling. If these rogue scumbags seeded in sacrificing thousands here, other rogues would surely start crawling in. Then this neighborhood would turn into a ce like the "nonexistent district." In other words, a living hell. I couldnt let that happen. This town is where my friends live. Jamsuni, Nayu, the shopkeeper, Jongri Hyung, the side dishdy, and my sisterall of them live here. And this is my home too. I didnt want to deal with these disgusting rogues robbing me on my way to work and back. Jongri Hyung had asked me why Id fight such an irrational battle. Then I could only answer in one way. Why fight, you ask? Because those assholes are right over there. With that, I left OmegaTech. Now then, they said strange phenomena go wild on Attack Day, didnt they? I should make use of that. I opened the Anomaly Response Headquarters site for unusual phenomena. **** The ckstone Factions leader looked around. He saw way too many strange things forfort. It really was a day when countless bizarre urrences erupted. People floating in the sky, a bus standing still at a bus stop with no passengers around, and a mysterious man fishing on the side of the road, umbre raised. They all look like strange phenomena. To get out of this vi district, Ill have to pass through at least one of them. The floating people went without saying. The bus standing at the stop also went without saying. The fact that the driver, who should be exhausted, was smiling brightlyit made no sense. And then there was the man fishing on the roadside with his umbre up. Was he a strange phenomenon too? There was something odd, almost out of ce, about him. There was a simple way to check in moments like this. Strange phenomena dont get scared. But when a bizarre presence suddenly appears before someone, they instinctively flinch. The ckstone Faction leader secretly burned a talisman. It was a charm containing the soul of a brutally murdered victim. The twisted appearance of the soul, contorted by its horrific death, even made his trained self shudder. If it suddenly appeared, surely thered be a reaction. The talisman burnedpletely, and the victims spirit suddenly manifested in front of the fisherman. Yet the fisherman showed no sign of noticing anything at all. No change in expression whatsoever. No reactionit had to be a strange phenomenon. The leader signaled his men with a hand gesture to avoid engaging the mysterious man. Attacking a strange phenomenon was pointless. Of course, overwhelming force could work, but in a battle between phenomena of equal level and spiritual powers, you had to use the rules to exterminate or dispel it. At that moment, the fisherman phenomenon nced over at them and spoke. The tone was slightly off, almost awkward. This pond is nice. Much better than that two-story building. Do you think I can catch a big one here? As soon as he heard that, the leader shouted, Everyone, get into that two-story building! The ckstone faction members quickly entered the two-story building in perfect order. That was a hunting-type phenomenon. It would be satisfied and disappear once it had caught enough prey. To deal with this phenomenon, sacrifices would be necessary. Naturally, those sacrifices shouldnte from the ckstone faction. So, the faction members locked the door to ensure only they were inside the building. Just then, one of them mumbled as he felt water dripping down. Why is there so much water dripping here? Feels like Im in a shower or something. Whoosh Before he finished speaking, the fishermans fishing line flew over and tapped a certain button. It was the button for the electric shock deviceknown as an "electric assault weapon"that had been set up on the second floor. Arrrggh! Grrrrkk! This electric assault weapon had once delivered High-level damage to a demon king. For the faction members, whose powers didnt evene close to spiritual lines, let alone demonic gates, this electric shock felt almost like divine punishment. Now thats a big catch. Yoo Hajin, the aspiring human phenomenon, smiled. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 84: Around Louisville (4) I knew this neighborhood well. I knew where each building stood, which paths were quickest to get from one ce to another. And I even had a general sense of what was inside these buildings. Take that two-story house over there, for instance. No homeless person lives in that abandoned house. Youd think the empty buildings in Seoul might have squatters, but naturally, people think of strange phenomena instead. But that house wasnt abandoned because of any eerie urrence. Apparently, there was a major plumbing issue, so both the first and second floors were constantly flooded, making it unusable for the homeless. Well, to be exact, its not suitable as a ce to sleep. People do use it as a sort of shower or water source. I swung my fishing rod to retrieve my taser.Then I snuck a nce inside the building. Looks like everyones knocked out. The gangsters were all out cold. Thats the power of Chidori for you. This thing works wonders. Now, after sending these people back to the shelter, lets ask those guys why theyre doing this. I waved the fishing rod to get everyone moving. I am the fisherman of people!!! ... But no one seemed particrly scared. Your acting is pathetic. If youre a supernatural phenomenon, you shouldugh creepier than that! Laughing like some thug isnt gonna cut it. Even the little kids were roasting my attempt at a creepy act. Why? Id followed the instructions from the Anomaly Response Headquarters Site perfectly! ording to the site, heres how a human-shaped supernatural entity behaves: 1. No pauses while speaking. I learned this from my time at the DMZ, so I knew how to handle it. 2. Constantlyughing, crying, or getting angry in a disturbing way. People used to call me the Smiling Demon, well, the Smiling Demon Yoo Hajin, actually. Ill keep grinning in a way that creeps everyone out. 3. The abnormal within the normal. Strange phenomena are just thatstrange. They say anyone acting out of ce could be a phenomenon themselves. Seriously, if thats the case, then isnt Line 1 of the subway just a phenomenon hub? Judging by the number of strange people there, Line 1 is probably even more dangerous than the DMZ. Anyway, I decided to mimic the weirdest person Id ever seenthis one fishingdy who was a friend of my mothers. Shed sit on the roadside or in the mountains, casting her fishing rod into thin air like a lunatic. Still, she was one of the few who showed up to my moms funeral, bawling her eyes out. She even caused a scene at the funeral where it was just me and my sister. That conversation went something like this: You monster, how dare youdare to do this to my sister, your mother. I didnt do anything. Thedy sobbed uncontrobly, devouring beef stew between her tears, only to burst into fresh sobs, directing slurred words at my little sister. My sister, staring back with a nk face, had said, Are you nning to? If I can stand before the heavens, righteous and true, who cares if this hideous flesh perishes? A single life that burns and disappearswhat a small price. Come. I wont beg for anything from you. Hideous flesh? She wasnt hideous at all. In fact, she was probably the most beautiful woman Id seen in her thirties. Especially her figure. Hmm. P-Please, stop it!!! So, there I was, stopping my sister and thedy. Anyway, this whole fisherman of people act was based on thatdys vibe. But it didnt work. I looked at the knocked-out gangsters and muttered, Then why did those guys fall for it? Well, you didnt freak out when a terrifying ghost showed up, did you? Supernatural beings dont get scared, you know. True. Looks like there are limits to how convincingly someone without the Sight can act like a supernatural being. I should probably ask Jamsuni or Nayu to give me feedback on my creepy actter. No, wait, thats not what matters now. Does that matter now?! Why arent you all heading to the shelter?! I swung my fishing rod in a circle. p, p- After herding the people towards the shelter, I shook one of the unconscious gangsters awake. -p, p. You get a nice little p. Ugh, uhh The guy who looked like the leader stood up. I grabbed him by the cor and spoke. Who the hell are you guys? You seriously dont know, even after seeing this badge? Their suits bore the character Stone(ʯ). Stone n, huh? I felt like Id seen this symbol back when I was investigating the Cheonsu Crew. The ck Stone n that used to work under Cheonsu Crew? Thats right. Now, do you have any idea who youve messed with? Youve gotta be kidding. A bunch of nobodies from under Cheonsu Crew trying to act tough? Who am I? Im the guy who takes down cheats in casinos, the harbinger of Big Hand Casinos demise. I practically single-handedly wrecked Cheonsu Crew. Without hesitation, I punched the ck Stone n leader square in the stomach. Urgh Ugh. You broke my spiritual defense just like that. Youre stronger than me. How about we talk this out? Whats your n with all these people? I grabbed the ck Stone leader by his hair and asked. Cant you tell? Its business. Business? You idiots think you can manage by abducting thousands of people at once? Of course we can handle it; thats why were doing it. He sneered. People getting killed because shelters are breached? Its amon urrence overseas, right? It could happen here in Korea, too. Do you honestly believe a psychic with spatial memory reading abilities wouldnt catch on to this scheme? They wont. What psycho would willingly read the memories of a ce like this, on this day? Their minds would be overflowing with mental contamination. Damn. I had no words, so I punched him in the gut again. Ughhh! And how are you nning to silence thousands of people? What, are you going to brainwash everyst one of them? Dont be stupid. Brainwashing or reconditioning takes an insane amount of effort. Why would we invest that much into lowlifes living in a dump like this? The ck Stone leader exined. Thousands of people? Within a week, theyll all be dead anyway. What the hell are you talking about? Dont y dumb. Seeing as you broke through my spiritual defense, youre quite skilled. You must have attained the Hour of Realization, right? The ck Stone leader chuckled as he continued. After reaching the Hour, training bes nearly impossible, doesnt it? Youve felt it too. Those attuned to fire surround themselves with mes, pouring over every thesis on it, while those possessing snake spirits raise hundreds of snakes, crawling among them. The leader went on. Yet, even with all that, after seven years from the Day of Spiritual Awakening, most of them dont make an inch of progress. Thats where our product fits in perfectly. Wait, youre not saying the arena behind Big Hand Casino Behind Big Hand Casino, there was a deadly game arena. Madmen obsessed with enlightenment would watch that death match and gain their insights. So, you already knew about Cheonsu Crews business. Exactly. To grow stronger, those whove attained the Hour must utilize death. You feel it too, dont you? The ck Stone leader continued. Have you ever watched that game? Those criminalstheyre literally fighting for their lives. Id seen that game before, but I didnt answer him. The will to survive, to somehow win the gamethats the essence of the game. That intense drive for enlightenment. Eventually, their bodies are broken down ording to the rules of the game, and they die. Thats the decay that follows enlightenment. Its literally squeezing the soul for every bit of realization it can produce. He went on, smiling. And then, death itself bes significant. Only those skilled in opening the Ghost Gate can transcend dimensions on their own. But even amon criminal can transcend at death. The leader seemed strangely exhrated. A soul with no power suddenly gains the strength to descend to hell upon death. Just imagine how much enlightenment the form of death can provide. The ck Stone leader continued. Fate and death. These two are the ultimate psychic powers. You must have heard of it. But since we cant manipte fate, we ordinary folks have to settle for using death to gain enlightenment. The ck Stone leader extended his hand. Let me go, and Ill grant you enlightenment as well. Sorry, cant do that. Ive gained a bit of enlightenment myself. Just a little bit. But now, I could understand, even if just slightly, why Harin had kept things about ghosts and spirits from me. How did the Mara Papias gain their enlightenment? I felt it instinctively. They killed psychics to achieve enlightenment. Probably without distinguishing between good and evil, Regardless of gender or age, They killed any psychic they could to gain enlightenment. Kill all who are enlightened. Kill those who shake this world. Kill them allchildren and their mothers alike. Shut up. This was why Harin had hidden these things from me. I clenched my fist. Wait, wait a second. Even if you beat me to a pulp, its already toote to save the others. Weve mastered how to use phenomena, just like the skilled ones who use the Ghost Gate! I brought my fist down. Gah the shortcut to the non-existent district has already been opened! All the sacrifices theyre already gone to the district that doesnt exist. Our operation its all finished! I kept punching, over and over. I didnt stop until the leaders eyes rolled back. The moment he passed out, I searched the ground for a big rock. This has to end here. Im going to kill him. He deserves to die for what hes done. Thousands of people dragged to a non-existent district to be ughtered? These bastards, worse than demons, would meet their end by my hand. But then I remembered the way Chick had chirped, saying shed never gain strength by taking lives. She had chirped that she wouldnt betray her enlightenment. I wont betray that enlightenment. What on earth had Chick realized? In that moment, I felt a bit of respect for her. I dropped the rock. Anyway, the hordes of phenomena crawling around this area would deal with this bastard soon enough. Right now saving peoplees first. Then I grabbed onto the pipeline and started climbing up the wall. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 85: Around Louisville (5) As I climbed up the pipeline, I pondered. If thousands of people were all dragged to a nonexistent district, could I stop the psychic without killing them? Dont think of it as killing a human. Think of it as vanquishing a monster that devours people. It feels like this voice is echoing within me. Should I affirm this voice? A surge of anger stirred in my heart. It was the same anger Id felt since the Pyeon Station. The rooftop is nowing into view.What will I see from up there? Will I see a hidden path leading to the nonexistent district? Or will I see monsters lurking in that nonexistent ce? Will I encounter killers who only find thrill in agonizing murders, unable to feel any emotion from ordinary killings? Or perhaps the crazed games of lunatics who fancy themselves gods? Help, please someone save me. No! No!!! My baby!!! The memories of that delivery to the nonexistent district surfaced. My heart grows cold. I am I am actually Ill kill them. Ill definitely kill them. My mind goespletely nk. Do you hate psychics? Yes, is this my essence? Is my hatred toward psychics my core vow? Is this my essence? My core murmured. Even if I stain my hands with blood. Even if I get devoured by Maras enlightenment. Even if I someday regret this path, kill them. The shamans hand that performs incantations, sever it. The shamans tongue that utters bizarre words, slice it off. For the necromancer whos shed their human guise, strip away their filthy hide and end them. Thus, I ascended to the rooftop. Now, witness it. The Heavenly Demon of the Last Days . . . In front of me was the sight of the wicked psychics. And then I saw it. A boy, dressed as if cosying a hero, standing against hundreds of gangsters blocking the alley. The boy was drenched in blood, but he didnt stop forming seals. **** Cho Heuk-seok, Director of the ck Stone n, mercilessly beat the boy with all his might. Yet, the boy wouldnt easily fall. You seem to have talent. And guts, too. Cho Heuk-seok spoke, barely containing his rage. For this random brat to block the path leading to the nonexistent district With every second crucial to the sess of the operation, he had to somehow coax this kid into leaving. Youre too valuable to die here. Why dont you join us? Justice does notpromise with evil. As the brat said that, the kids they had brought as offerings cheered from behind. Booster Man! Sniff Booster Man really exists! Cho Heuk-seoks face twisted in irritation. Even he knew about those so-called heroes. They were the psychics who gained poprity with the public through NewTube. However, the Director of the ck Stone n, Cho Heuk-seok, knew that even the most famous so-called heroes ultimately became VIPs at Big Hand Casino. In the end, all those heroes were merely actors. Just content creators making money off views, subscriptions, and ads in psychic exorcism content. Feigning calmness, Cho Heuk-seok spoke. With all that fighting, you should have enough footage for decent content. Edit it well, and you might finally escape being a small-timer. Just back off now. Justice doesnt vanish before evil is eradicated. The brat struck a pose again. Booster On! With those words, the power levels of nearby machines either spiked or plummeted. The power surge affected the cars parked along the street, while the power drop hit theputers and TVs maintaining the hidden path to the nonexistent district. Damn it! A car revved up and lunged at Cho Heuk-seok. Of course, Cho Heuk-seok tore the car apart with his bare hands, shouting as he did so. Then die. Divine Resonance. Cho Heuk-seok resonated with the ck stone. Even the asphalt paving the road could resonate with ck stone. And ck metal was also a target for resonance. This was why every gun owned by the ck Stone n was ck. The asphalt writhed as if alive and swiftly transformed into sharp tendrils. The entire road, stretching for dozens of meters, was now under Cho Heuk-seoks control. If a shaman could exert a consistent power of 1, a psychic could fluctuate between 1.5 and 0.7, depending on their instinct that day. And a divine medium, like Cho Heuk-seok, could range from 3 to 0.3, depending on their environment. Even Nayu, known as the strongest shaman, could lose to an upper-tier Celestial Immortal in a cepletely severed from the sky. But if she fought in the vast skies, overlooking the earth, she would be the strongest among the Three Revered Ones. Even Kim Sojin, regarded as half a step ahead of the other Three Revered Ones, had no choice but to remain on the defensive, searching for an opening in such conditions. And a paved road was an ideal environment for Cho Heuk-seok. So much ck stone surrounded him here. He could tear that brat apart in an instant. Urgh, grrr! As the boy withstood the assault, Cho Heuk-seok retrieved a gun, crafting a ck de from it. A storm of ck des and whips made of ck asphalt rained down like a torrent. Booster Man evaded using boosters all over his body, but he couldnt dodge everything. The boys body began to tear apart. It was like witnessing an ancient punishment where a body was slowly cut piece by piece. Booster Mans fans turned their heads, some closing their eyes, sobbing, yet cheering for him. I, too, like that person The boy known as Booster Man thought of a man. A man who, to save his sister, didnt hesitate to swallow an entire bowl of curry, a man who had stormed into a terrifying hideout and discovered a cure. A man who saved people in life-or-death situations. A hero. Still holding onto his childlike innocence, the boy looked up to that man, eyes sparkling. Having always believed that kindness beyond his sisters was pure fantasy, this unexpected kindness hit him deeply. He wanted to be someone like that. He wanted to risk his life, just like that man did. But risking his life was terrifying. I Im not like him As the boy fled the relentless assault of asphalt whips, Cho Heuk-seok smirked and said. That brat calls himself a hero? He is a hero, so shut your mouth. Who the hell dares to talk back to me? Cho Heuk-seok turned around, and there stood a man. The mans face was mostly obscured by a mask. What the hell are you doing? Arent you gonna take down that punk? But none of Cho Heuk-seoks subordinates responded. **** How stupid, melting a gun to make a sword. Typical of those psychic bastards. The moment they lost their guns, Iid into them, hitting every one of them with a one-punch knockout. Sending people to the shelter while I beat up the gangsters. Just a bit longer. Booster Man!!! I know there are good psychics in this world like you!!! But seeing Booster Man in shambles, I realized I was toote. That brat calls himself a hero? He is a hero, so shut your mouth. That man looked at me andughed. Not out of amusement but anger. Its humiliating to feel anything remotely simr to this scumbag. A damn epidemic of crazy punks. Then he, who looked like the main leader, formed a seal. With it, a rain of asphalt whips poured down. Without hesitation, I opened my bulletproof umbre. This umbre could supposedly withstand the impact of a heavy machine gun. And this rain of asphalt whips didnt have nearly that much force. How do you n to stop me with an umbre? Youre not even a master. I pushed through the rain of asphalt, moving closer to Cho Heuk-seok. Justice doesnt get pierced. Youre one of those damn hero-preaching punks too!!! With a final outburst, Cho Heuk-seok condensed the ck asphalt into a single point. Then he fired it like a bullet. Divine Resonance. ck Spot!!! The force behind that asphalt bullet was probably stronger than an anti-materiel sniper round. It tore through my bulletproof umbre in an instant. But to ck Sheath, it was nothing more than a stone rolling on the ground. The stone fell with a thud the moment it touched ck Sheath. This This cant be. I used up all my psychic power in that attack. Justice always triumphs. I struck Cho Heuk-seoks limbs with genuine force. His limbs shattered in an unreal way, breaking apart like brittle crackers. Aaaargh! See? Thats what happens when you use up all your psychic power. If he hadnt, his limbs mightve just been moderately broken. Or maybe they shattered like that because hes always been weak? Not my concern. Oh, look beyond that path. I can see that cursed nonexistent district, cant I? Urgh no Just look at those mad cannibals wandering around on the streets there. Now that your limbs are busted and your psychic powers drained, I wonder how much a psychics meat fetches? W-what the hell are you saying?! Y-youre a hero! Youre supposed to turn me over forwful judgment! A hero. What nonsense is he spouting? Im a killer who ys any psychic. A Heavenly Demon, the viin of viins. Whats this supposed fundamental vow, anyway? Roughly tranted, it means a vow etched into the very essence of ones soul. But Ive never made any such vow. If he doesnt like it, he can bring a contract for me to sign. After all, there are good psychics in this world, like Booster Man. I spoke as I dragged Cho Heuk-seok along. Now, why dont you go find out how much youre worth as meat, yourself? Thats your homework, ck Stone-kun. You y-you crazy bastard!!! I threw Cho Heuk-seok into the nonexistent district. The men there, who looked like butchers, turned to him. Enjoy your stay. Hah. It was both satisfying and dissatisfying. Satisfying because Id ruined a psychic, dissatisfying because I hadnt ended him with my own hands. My core vow felt weak at this moment. If it could shake my will so much even at this low intensity, what kind of being would I be if this vow grew stronger? I lifted the fallen Booster Man. As I did, his mask slipped off. Booster Man was none other than Gujeon, the boy I had once saved. I knew youde, he said, smiling despite being covered in blood. ... My hero Then the boy fainted. With him slung over my back, I spoke. Im no hero And then I ran with him on my back. The wounds inflicted by asphalt, a tangible substance, didnt heal well with ck Sheath. It seemed I had realized toote that this was real psychic damage. To treat him, Id need to head to the side-dish shop. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 86: Around Louisville (6) ck Sheath wasnt a cure-all. There were more things it couldnt heal than it could. Baek Yoorin was an unusual case. Its likely Baek Yoorin suffered severe injuries due to pure spiritual energy. In that case, ck Sheath helps the wounds heal faster. But it cant heal something like being hit by a car. ck Sheath is a talisman that reverses physical phenomena caused by spiritual urrences. If the event was purely physical, ck Sheath cant do much. Then, what about wounds caused by a psychic throwing a car with telekinesis? The answer is yesit can be healed. However, it heals much slower than wounds inflicted by pure spiritual energy. I learned this during Jamsunis basement fire incident. Back then, the mes and smoke in the basement were real, as I could see them with my own eyes, and despite the effects of ck Sheath, I ended up copsing. And in this case, he was injured by something tangible: asphalt.I felt my back growing damp. The bleeding wouldnt stop. This wasnt like with Baek Yoorin. Baek Yoorin was far more resilient than this child. It was probably due to that invisible difference they called level among psychics. I turned the corner of the alley. And thats when a strange sign came into view. That was the sign for the side-dish store. Strange-looking for a side-dish store sign, isnt it? But they sold real side dishes. I think it was about two months after Id moved to Louisville. Since I was responsible for Jamsunis meals, I realized the need for a side-dish store. Waking up in the morning and preparing breakfast while getting ready for work wasnt exactly easy. I needed a system where I could just cook rice and pull side dishes out of the fridge. So, I searched for side-dish stores nearby. Or rather, I searched for food stores. As I was staring at the monitor, Nayu, who was beside me, made ament. Nayuwant-to-give-advice expression. An give-advice expression? Theres no need for that look. Just say it. When I looked at Nayu, she picked up a paper and pen beside her. She started sketching something with swift strokes. Nayufancy sketch! It was indeed a fancy sketch. Same as a fancy sketch by an eight-year-old. W-Whats this? Nayurmended shop! Upon closer inspection, it was a map. A map pointing to a specific shop. After I finally deciphered the map, Nayu gave an additional exnation. Nayudanger-warning statement. This shop is dangerous? Nayu nodded. Why on earth would this kid rmend a dangerous shop to me? Back then, I wasnt close to Nayu and had a bit of a guard up. Why rmend a dangerous ce? But Nayu just silently stared at my wallet. Wait, is this ce... cheap? Nayu nodded enthusiastically! I cant resist a good deal. With those words, I headed to the maze-like shop rmended by Nayu without a moments hesitation. And I became a regr there. The neon sign disyed this message, but there wasnt much to prepare for. All I had to do was walk down the hall after opening the door, and the shop appeared right away. Master, the maze of flowerbeds has been cleared. The speed of breaking through It must be that kid again A voice came as I was opening the door. As soon as I opened it, I was greeted by an endless array of potted nts. Miss Miro! Who are you calling Miss? A plump woman in her thirties with sses. Miro yelled in annoyance. I quickly corrected myself. Miro, my dear noona, I need a favor. I set down Booster Man Gujeon, who I had been carrying on my back. Please, treat this child. Oh. With all the hospitals closed, This was the only ce where I could save this child. Technically speaking, Miros shop wasnt quite a side-dish store. If anything, it would be better described as a vegan grocery store. The first time I entered Miros shop, she weed me with a face that had absolutely no trace of customer service spirit. Congrattions on passing the trial. Was the mazeplex enough for you? Maze? Was there one? I thought I heard a crackling sound. Did I say something wrong? Miro muttered, looking slightly irritated. Hoo, youre a bold one. Tell me what you desire. What do I desire? Obviously, side dishes. Specifically, the kinds I was toozy to make myself, like kimchi and pickles. Could I perhaps see some kimchi and pickles? Kimchi? Pickles? Thats all? Miro looked nkly for a moment. Then a young woman, who looked like a part-timer, chimed in. Did you reallye here just for kimchi and pickles? Not for something like raw flower blooms, amaranth, or World Tree elixir? Y-yes, yes. What the heck is World Tree elixir? Miro sold all kinds of vegetables and fruits from around the world. She even made kimchi, pickles, and jams from them. And they were all at pretty reasonable prices. They even tasted great. Every time I tried to haggle, shed go, Eh, eh, eh! Are they really sold for that price outside? and ended up giving me a discount. And so, this ce became my go-to side-dish store. Over time, I learned that this wasnt just a side-dish store. The side-dishes were a side gig; the main business was probably the nts. Some of those nts might even skirt thew. Maybe the side-dish shop was just a front. Like how some people sell fried chicken to cover for other businesses. But I didnt care. I wasnt exactly a stickler for thew. What mattered was that this Miro side-dish shop sold medicinal herbs that could save lives. Id seen a few customerse in bloodied and leave fully healed a few times. Back to the present. Miro examined the boy and spoke. With the way she was checking him, she almost seemed like shed been a doctor or nurse in the past. You want to heal this child? Hmm, the wound is deep. On top of that, hes exhausted almost all his spiritual energy, so his natural healing rate is significantly reduced. Well need both the Hon-Sali Flower and the Sal-Or Flower. The Hon-Sali Flower and the Sal-Or Flower? I didnt know what they were, but they sounded expensive. Miro added, These kinds of flowers cant be bought with money. So, I require people to pay their value through a trial in my maze. But for a genius like you, who pulled off stunts in the DMZ, my maze wont be much of a trial, will it? Hmph. Miros body trembled in annoyance. She muttered something under her breath. Then Ill give you a new trial. Go pick that flower over there. Its called the Mandragora, a mythical nt. They say it lets out a scream that curses the picker with a terrible fate. Miro continued with her ominous tone. A curse that bestows fate, huh? It sounds exactly like something out of a dark fantasy novelstrangely tempting. Could it be that I, too, have spiritual powers? Could today finally be the day I hear the voices of spirits? Fate and sin are inescapable spiritual forces. The curse of the Mandragora is no different, Miro went on. Anyone ordinary would die the moment they pull it. Even psychics at my level suffer a decline in ability if they try. So, how far are you willing to go for this boy? God, she talks so much. By now, Id already pulled out the Mandragora nt. Of course, I didnt hear any screams or curses. You already pulled it? Ive read enough of this boys memories to know you two arent particrly close. Are you really sacrificing yourself for someone like that? Miro looked at me, astonished. And I was equally surprised by what had happened. The boy, Gujeon, was already healed. Incredible. When did you treat him? Hmph, while you were off fetching the Mandragora. This child is a hero. A hero who saves others deserves fitting treatment. She was right. I nodded in agreement. Miro then added, I told you that just to mess with you. I didnt think youd actually pull the Mandragora without hesitation. Hmph. So shed healed him before I even touched the nt. And she kept mentioning the maze. There must be more to it than whats visible. After taking it all in, I asked again. This kid, hes over the worst of it, right? Yes. Hell probably regain his strength and wake up in an hour or two. I stood up from my seat. Well then, Ill be on my way. Please take good care of him. Haha, such a shy one, arent you? As I reached for the door, I heard her call out from behind me. Come to think of it, youre a regr, yet I never got your name. Whats your name? Yoo Hajin. Yoo Hajin. Ill remember that name. The hero who pulled the Mandragora for a young boy. Yoo Hajin. Being a shy type, I didnt respond to her and simply walked out. A hero? What a joke. It was time to head back to Louisville. By now, everything should be over. Time to go listen to Jamsunis endless whining. **** Ahh, right there, right there thats good. I pressed down firmly on Jamsunis back. After her episode ended, she kept whining, insisting I give her a massage because she had suffered so much. Shes been going to school diligently these days, so I figured I could at least do this for her. Jamsuni, in middle school. There was a nice ring to that. Ahh, hiss just a bit more, a bit gentler! As I continued pressing on Jamsunis back, I ended up voicing something that had been on my mind. Jamsuni, is a fundamental vow something that can never change? A fundamental vow? Jamsuni held back a groan and responded. A persons huff a persons essence cant be changed. Right there, a little more. If it could change, it wouldnt be fundamental, right? She squirmed, twisting her body as she continued. But you can change the direction of a fundamental vow. What? You can change a fundamental vow? Its not really changing it. To be precise, its flipping it. Like two sides of a coin. Jamsuni smiled as she spoke. In this world, theres something called Yin-Yang Reversal. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 87: The Tiger Who Became a Cat (1) What? Gender reversal? No, reversal of Yin and Yang. How on earth did you twist Yin-Yang reversal into gender reversal? I was currently massaging Jamsunis calf, kneading it gently. But suddenly, Jamsunis leg began wiggling and iling. She wanted me to focus on what she was saying. You know the saying, opposites attract, right? Who do you take me for, an idiot? Of course, I know that. Its just like that. Opposites do attract. The sun and the moon, the sky and the earth, the presence of a soul and its absence. They seem like pr opposites, but in reality, theyre two sides of the same core essence. By harnessing Yin energy, you draw in the opposing side of your fundamental essence. Wait, so if Nayu, the Shaman of the Heavens, learns Yin-Yang reversal, does that mean she could control the earth too? Are you telling me that the person whos been running around shouting, Nayus cute puppy! and chasing after Myeong-Myeong is that monstrous?This is totally OP. Its not OP at all. Its all the result of intense training. Jamsuni started squirming, trying to sit up. I quickly asked, Then, if you train in the opposite of your core essence, does it still count as training? Thats a sharp question. Ahhh. Jamsuni stretched, yawning as she spoke. The answer is yes. In fact, you can reach higher levels much faster than with regr training. Oh? So its possible to progress much quicker than with normal training? Now, thats interesting. But its just as dangerous. High-level fire attribute users can withstand evenva, but if they train with ice in the dead of winter, they risk freezing to death. My interest vanished instantly. Disappointed, I nodded. Got it. Whats with that grim expression? Jamsuni kept babbling on, but nothing she said after that really stuck with me. **** But then, what exactly is my opposite ability? As soon as Iy down to sleep, the thought popped into my head. My ability was the nullification of spiritual powers. And I had the minor inconvenience of being unable to see ghosts. So, whats the opposite of my ability? ? I couldnt quite grasp it. An ability that lets you see ghosts better than anyone else, maybe? Or perhaps a body that resonates well with spiritual powers? But how do you even train a body like that? ...? I dont know. I closed my eyes and thought. When was it that my power grew stronger? It was when I fought Cheonsu and when I faced Nagu, the head of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect. Ultimately, my core is ghost extermination. My ability strengthens when fighting psychics. So, to grow stronger quickly, Id have to fight anyone with enlightenmentregardless of age or gender... I remember that chick facing off against Cheonsu. A young hero guarding the crossroadses to mind. Hoo. This is frustrating. I at least want to grow to the point where I can use the Heavenly Demons Dominance Technique. Without that, theres no way I could deal with someone like Joo-cheol. Without it, Id just getpletely wrecked. I bet even the esteemed figures of Cheonji have an area-of-effect skill like Joo-cheols. Thats right. I intend to have a showdown with the high-ranking figures of Cheonji to retrieve my runaway younger sister. The esteemed figures of Cheonji. They call them Baekdu, dont they? The ones who guard the Great Demon Gate. They prevent anyone from approaching the Great Demon Gate. They said Harin is beyond the Great Demon Gate. Joo-cheol mentioned that Celestial Immortals couldnt get close to the Great Demon Gate. The esteemed figures of Cheonji... The only Celestial Immortals I knew was Gamlo. And my rtionship with Gamlo was just barely acquaintanceship. Wait a minute. The tiger I foughtst time, Baek Yoorin, is also a Celestial Immortals, isnt she? Could it be possible to approach the Great Demon Gate by using Baek Yoorin? ! I should visit the tigers den tomorrow. **** Deep within the tigers den, a woman, looking somewhat mncholic, sped her hands together. Her name was Baek Yoorin. Yang is the power of life. Baek Yoorin murmured, sitting cross-legged. Humans, being inherently alive, primarily train in Yang energy. Yang is life itself, and its through this energy that they wield spiritual powers. Yin is the power of death. And Yin is the power of death. When it meets Yang, it dissipates and vanishes. Masters who trained in Yin energy used this phenomenon to conceal their abilities and their power levels. This technique was called Yin Transformation. Right now, Baek Yoorin was practicing Yin Transformation. To be able to hide her abilities To mask such a monstrous form This form, even my mother didnt want to look at With her lips tightly pressed, Baek Yoorin focused on her training. Extinguish Yang with Yin. Extinguish Yang with Yin. Envision herself as something other than a monster. Imagine herself without a tail. Extinguish Yang with Yin!!! . Who knows how long she sweated like that? By the time her training suit was soaked, the fabric clinging to the curves of her chest, waist, and hips, she could feel the results. It was more than mere Yin and Yang energya strange, unfamiliar power enveloped her. ! The mighty spirit of the tiger had contracted and shrunk. It felt as though the spirit was retreating inward, like a tiger returning to its den. Did I seed? She tried to stand up. But her body felt incredibly heavy. Huh? Her body, which usually required careful restraint to avoid smashing through walls or the ceiling, was now so weighed down that she could walk around just like any ordinary person. Baek Yoorin picked up a nearby mug. And she tightened her grip. Yet, the mug didnt break. Her physical strength had returned to how it was before the awakening of her spiritual sight. This Yin Transformation seemed even more sessful than the one Gamlo had described. It was as if her power hadpletely disappeared. Thump, thump With a racing heart, Baek Yoorin steadied herself and stood in front of the mirror. She looked at her reflection. In the mirror, a version of herself without fur or a tail grinned back at her. I... I did it. I actually did it. A tear slipped down Baek Yoorins cheek. Forgetting she was drenched in sweat, she grabbed only her coat and hurried outside. She longed to talk to people. Since bing a monster, she had only spoken to other monsters of a simr level. More than anything, she craved an ordinary conversation. So, she stepped outside and began looking around, hoping to find someone to talk to. In Seoul, where the poption density graph skyrockets, finding people was easy, but for a tiger who hadnt spoken to an average person in seven years, finding someone to actually talk to was much harder. She wandered around town, walking awkwardly. No sirens red, and no one ran away from her. Wow. People nced at her now and then, as if keeping a slight distance, but she didnt mind. She wasnt a monster anymore. She could blend in. As Baek Yoorin strolled along the street, she noticed something she hadnt thought about in agesa restaurant. She carefully headed toward it. Maybe she could strike up a conversation with someone there. Um, hello... As Baek Yoorin entered the restaurant, she realized people were staring at her strangely. No, this wasnt just strangeit was a look of disgust. Her eyes began to tremble as the scornful gazes poured over her. Why... Why were they looking at me like this? Whats with that disgusting spirit? Ugh, it ruins my appetite. Wheres the patrol squad? Theyre on their way, honey. Patrol squad? Still shaken, Baek Yoorin only then noticed a group of men approaching her, holding blunt weapons. A human turning into an abomination? Wed better deal with it quickly. Ugh, that spirit Its terrifying. Dont chicken out, you idiot. Just look at her; she seems weak as hell. It was then that Baek Yoorin understood. People cant smell their own scent. Nor can they see whats behind them. The same applied to spirits. Baek Yoorin had thought her spirits appearance was perfectly normal, but to others, she appeared as a small monster from another world. Her soul was that of a fearsome tiger from a different dimension. Having lived with that power, Baek Yoorin had grown desensitized to the terrifying energy of her spirit. She didnt realize how much fear and revulsion it inspired in people. S-sorry. Ill just go Baek Yoorin tried to leave, but the people didnt stop. Thuda pipe swung and struck her arm. Ow! It hurt. A lot. Baek Yoorin felt fear and stepped back. Looking around, she saw more people gathering. Their gazes were icy cold. I... I Baek Yoorin was on the verge of tears, but no one saw themjust as no one had noticed the tears of a boy who had once been a demon. And so, Baek Yoorin ran, with stones being hurled at her back. Chase her down! We have to kill that monster before it grows any stronger! It hurts. It really hurts. Its like the time she fought Kim Sojin. No its even scarier than that. Baek Yoorin ran towards the Cheonji Divisions branch near the tigers den. She was a Baekdu of Cheonji; with their power, she could escape these terrifying people. She finally reached the hidden branch of Cheonji, but the guardian, Banseon, standing at the gate, simply said: What? You im to be Lady Baek Yoorin? What a joke. How dare you impersonate a Baekdu. A disgusting act from someone with such a disgusting spirit. You should be grateful Lady Baek Yoorin isnt here to shed blood. What what? I am Baek Yoorin. Is it just because my spirit changed a little that they dont recognize me? Baek Yoorin felt a mix of injustice, frustration, sadness, and fear. Even Jiseon, her loyal follower, looked at her from a window with a face twisted in contempt. No one recognized her. Get lost, Banseon said, raising his hand. And from behind, the patrol squad was closing in. I I am Baek Yoorin she whimpered, reduced to a frightened girl. **** When I arrived at the tigers den, people were all rushing toward one ce. Stepping off my scooter, I asked a nearby bystander: Whats going on? A festival? No, its a funerala monsters funeral. A monsters funeral? I hated hearing that phrase. It always meant one thing: a witch hunt was in full swing. Come to think of it, its been ages since thest witch hunt. People with spirits categorized as monstrous either died in witch hunts or leveled up enough to be true monsters and escape persecution. So, there hadnt been a witch hunt in a while. When will this primitive custom finally disappear? I quietly climbed up a nearby signpost. If Im not toote, Ill try to stop them. With Baek Yoorins power, I should be able to scatter a crowd like this easily. From my elevated view, I scanned the area to locate the center of the mob. Who was the target of this witch hunt? In the middle of it all was Baek Yoorin. Baek Yoorin stood there, bleeding from her forehead, trembling in fear. Why is Baek Yoorin there? ? No waymy Cheonji connection! And with that realization, I dashed forward. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ] Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 88: The Tiger Who Became a Cat (2) In this world, theres a skill called parkour. Parkour is the art of moving quickly by freely climbing walls and rooftops to reach your goal. Yoo Hajins Parkour!!! And Yoo Hajins parkour is a step above the ordinary. Jumping between walls while runningthink of it like the double-wall jump from tformer games. The advantage of this technique? It lets youpletely ignore the crowds below. In a narrow, crowded alleyway, it gives you propulsion far beyond what the designers of such spaces could ever anticipate! Whoosh- Baek Yoorin, her lips split and her hair yanked, was sobbing and wailing. To see her, once so dignified, reduced to such a pitiful state How did ite to this? Stop!!!I stepped in front of Baek Yoorin and shouted. What the hell are you all doing?! From behind me came Yoorins trembling voice, full of sobs. Ha And before me, the crowds faces were twisted in madness. Who the hell are you? Are you crazy? Hey, does that thing even look human to you? Get lost! If we let something like that live, itll turn into a monster that eats people! They were armedpipes, bricks, and even kitchen knives. While pipes and bricks were one thing, the kitchen knives were a bit too much. No, beating down this many people was impossible. Not a question of whether I could or couldntit just wasnt an option. If I got into a fight with this crowd and it turned into a full-blown brawl, how much would I have to pay in settlements? Itd be bankruptcy. in and simple. The mob edged closer. Honestly, this kind of situation was terrifying. Ghosts that tear people apart, or eldritch horrors that devour the living? Those dont scare me. People, though? People terrify me. I mmed my fist into the ground. BAM! With a deafening sound, the asphalt cracked and caved in. Everyone, freeze!!! The Third Act of Heavenly Demon Performance: The Power User Act. From what Id seen, the stronger a psychic, the greater their physical capabilities. Its like the old sayinga sound mind in a sound body. By showing off raw physical strength like this, you can easily project the image of a powerful psychic. And as expected, the crowd shrank back in fear. H-hes a psychic. Young man, why are you protecting that monster? Right! Sir, dont you know? Things like that grow up to be butchers or turn into demons and wreak havoc! The crowd buzzed, muttering all sorts of things. But none of it mattered. I answered them simply: This girl for the past sixno, seven years, shes lived more kindly than any ordinary person ever has. I still remembered it vividly. The sight of Baek Yoorin, helpless and distraught, caught in the middle of a protestining that the presence of a tiger was lowering property values. Even then, she didnt retaliate. She respected the people who scorned her. Thats why shed tried to leave the tigers den in the first ceto amodate them. And now these same people, treating her like this? Unforgivable. I narrowed my eyes and spoke coldly. To me, youre the real monsters here. If you dont stop right now, Ill shove my abilities straight down your throats. The crowd hesitated, stepping back in confusion. What? Why is he saying that? Wait, doesnt he see our souls? Why are we the monsters? Feigning confidence, I made an exaggerated gesture, mimicking a hand seal. Hmph, deploying full power should be enough to crush you all. Full power? You mean, like the celestial arts used by immortals? Among the mob, the chatterboxes came in handy, exining things for me as I went along. Their murmurs quickened the retreat. At that moment, a voice rang out from above. So, youre skilled in the celestial arts, it seems. A man stood in midair, looking down at us. Dressed in the symbolic hanbok of the strong, he was clearly someone of importance. On his chest was an embroidered (Cheonji), marking him as a psychic affiliated with Cheonji. For someone like you to protect the seed of such an abomination I cannot let this pass, the man said with a smile. Whats going on? Why is a psychic from Cheonji targeting Baek Yoorin, who is also a Cheonji Celestial? I turned to Baek Yoorin, but she only looked back with a puzzled expression, as if she had no idea either. *** In everyrge organization, there are factions. Cheonji was no exception. And within Cheonji, these factions were often led by the Celestials. In the pce of Celestial Leader Lee Jinryong, a quiet conversation was underway. What did you say? The tigers soul has disappeared? To rify, sir, the tigers soul has reentered its physical body. Lee Jinryong muttered to himself as he received the report. The soul has merged with the body? He could feel his scales writhing with unease. If he were human, he might have felt goosebumps. Negative Harmonization. Negative Harmonization: a technique where one embraces negation, the pr opposite of spirit power, and lets it seep into their body. Also known as the Way of Negation, it seals all of ones spiritual abilities but grants extreme resistance to the spirit powers of others. Gamlo mentioned teaching the tiger Yin Transformation. Yin Transformation was a technique to obscure ones spiritual state by harnessing yin energy. It was a skill typically mastered by those born into spiritual families or houses after decades of rigorous trainingoften by their forties. However, for those with the talent to reach the level of Earthly Immortals, such a skill could be realized by their early twenties. So they were training Yin Transformation, but instead, theyve instinctively awakened Negation? But Negative Harmonization? It was an art so difficult to master that even those with the aptitude to reach Earthly Immortals or Celestial Immortals could rarely achieve it, even after fifty years of practice. Negation is the very antithesis of spiritual power. Negative Harmonization is the technique of embracing and embodying negation itself. Even for someone like Lee Jinryong, mastering this technique had taken decades of practice. But this tiger to achieve it after only a few months of training? How much of a monster are they, really? For a brief moment, a memory shed through Lee Jinryongs mind. It was the memory of a girlcalled by some the Eternal One and by others simply Jamsuni. A monster among monsters, who stood as an equal to the Celestial Immortals before she could even speak, and waged war against them before the age of ten. Lee Jinryong recalled the moment she invaded that n household,manding more than ten Demon Kings as her ves and draped in a cloak of countless spirits. She was an Eternal Quasi-Demon Sovereign. And now, Lee Jinryong saw that same terrifying potential in the tiger. A lowly lineagenot a descendant of hereditary shamans or the great houses. Yet her strength was maddening. An ugly surge of inferiority twisted in Lee Jinryongs chest. They had surpassed her to be the Baekdu of Cheonji. They had risen above her to be her superior. If they were to be destroyed, it had to be nowbefore her mastery of Negative Harmonization fully settled and her spiritual power recovered. Lee Jinryongs eyes gleamed as he gave his order. I will issue themand. Yes, my lord. Even if theyve suppressed their spiritual power through negation, we cannot simply obliterate their soul. Its essence is too dangerous and terrifying. Leave no trace. Use themoners to eliminate her. *** For someone like you to protect the seed of such an abomination I cannot simply stand by, the man repeated. And so, the situation had escted to this. A sh between a subordinate of Lee Jinryong, tasked with inciting the mob to eliminate Baek Yoorin, and a man who looked more like a ruggedly handsome rogue than an opponent. The Earthly Immortal assessed the man before him. I cant read his spiritual state at all. His soul seems entirely ordinary. The realization unsettled him. He immediately pushed his spiritual energy to its limits. Yin Concealment, is it? From the way the man had shattered the asphalt earlier, it was clear he was truly psychic. But to so perfectly conceal his spiritual state? Could he really be on the level of Earthly Immortal? The thought nagged at him. But he isnt using his abilities to chase off the mob. He must have some kind of moral code or vow rted to themon people. In that case, Ill simply use the crowd against him. And so, with a smooth smile, the Earthly Immortal spoke. But youre saying that thing isnt a monster? Thats right. Then take a good, hard look at it. Doesnt it feel monstrous to you? The man looked at Baek Yoorin. His expression didnt change in the slightest. Unbelievable. Even I cant help but bite my lips and clench my fists when I look at the tiger. But this man his reaction was entirely natural, almost serene. Normally, he would use this moment to rile up the crowd further. Something along the lines of, See? Even you grimace when you look at that monster. You cant deny its a monster, can you? So why use us? But this man? He just stood there, quietly observing the tiger as if admiring something beautiful. His self-control is remarkable. Suppressing his frustration, the Earthly Immortal forced a calm tone. It doesnt look like a monster at all, the man said casually. The Earthly Immortal shot back, Monsters and anomalies dont have families. Even their own blood rtions abandon them, disgusted by their corrupted souls. If you truly dont see it as a monster, then prove it with your actions. Prove it, and all this stops? Yes. If its truly someones beloved family member, it cant possibly be a monster or an anomaly. Monsters and anomaliescked humanity. Thats why they had no one to love themno family to care for them. It wasmon knowledge in todays world. Well, the Earthly Immortal continued, if its a cherished person, surely you wouldnt hesitate to kiss them? The Earthly Immortal was confident. Who in their right mind would kiss that? The crowd seemed to share his sentiment. A kiss? Whats the matter? Cant do it? So, in the end, you see it as a monster, too But before the Earthly Immortal could finish, Yoo Hajin let out a small chuckle. . . . Cant do it? Bullshit. Kissing such a stunning beauty out of nowhere? Sure, it might cause a few problemster. That was the only reason for hesitation. To Yoo Hajin, this wasnt a test. It was a reward. Miss Baek Yoorin. Y-yes? Given the situation, I dont think we have much choice. Is that okay with you? Uh y-yes. But this is my first kiss. And with someone like me? I can feel it now. Even though my soul has diminished, its still so disgusting and frightening. I I But Yoo Hajin didnt see any of that in her soul. There was no need for further words. Yoo Hajin gently reached for the nape of her neck and drew her closer. Baek Yoorins face turned as red as a cherry. And then, Yoo Hajin kissed her. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]
Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 Chapter 89: The Tiger Who Became a Cat (3) What determines a psychics talent? Typically, a psychics talent is categorized into three aspects. First, the caliber of their soul. To be precise, its the ability of the soul itself. For a psychic, what kind of spirit they possess; for a Sorcerer, the principles they harness; for a Shaman, what they resonate withthese define their talent. Second, spiritual energy. Whether its ether, ki, mana, ectosm in its unmaterialized stateall these words mean spiritual energy. The extent of this energy determines the skill level of the psychic. Third, the sense of the soul. To put it urately, its the talent to manipte the soul.Humans have parts of their body that are immovable. Yet, some individuals can move even those parts. Then, what about moving the soul itself? Learning the sense to move a soul is a task on apletely different scalepared to learning to move parts of ones body. Some spend years training and still fail to move their soul, while others awaken to their spiritual eyes and immediately handle their soul as if it were a new limb. These three aspects constitute a psychics talent. And Baek Yoorin, the tiger, excelled in all of them. No, she wasnt simply excellent. She was a genius in every aspect. Now, with her souls caliber and spiritual energy sealed due to corruption, her third talenther sense of the soulwas sharper than ever. It was like how blind individuals develop heightened sensitivity in other senses. Because of this, Baek Yoorin could sense it. With her honed soul sense, she could see the corrupted soul coated in negativity. I hate it. I hate it so much. Baek Yoorin stared at the shop windows and shed tears. She was still a monster. Even with her tiger concealed, even with her power stripped away, she was still a monster. A creature of another realm that could never belong in this world. That was her essence. A child born as a monster. A woman who could never be loved. I just I just want to cry. Baek Yoorin looked at the crowd. As a tiger, she was something terrifying, something people ran away from. But now, their expressions were differentones she had never seen before. The people despised her. They found her revolting, disgusting, hateful. I dont want to live anymore. Those expressions reminded her of the cruelments she once received. Her heart felt as though it were being torn apart again. What? If its someone precious, isnt a kiss possible? At that moment, Cheonjis Earthly Immortal spoke. A kiss? Why not? Is there a reason it cant be done? As if she could kiss someone. As if someone like her could kiss another. As if a monster like her could be loved by anyone. A kiss? With someone like me? Even I can feel it nowhow repulsive and terrifying my soul is, no matter how much its diminished. And yet. And yet But Yoo Hajin didnt reply to her words. Instead, he gently pulled her closer by the nape of her neck. His embrace tightened slowly. Baek Yoorins face turned bright red. The unfamiliar sensation made it hard for her to even stand upright. To be loved by someonehow could it feel this incredible? Was this better than any drug? Baek Yoorin thought there was no way drugs could feel better than this. And then, the two shared a kiss. **** A Kiss. Truthfully, this was my first kiss too. Sure, there had been a few girls Id shared some invisible something with in the past, but for some reason, things never worked out. Every time I tried to start a rtionship, it felt like the universe was out to get me. Even the girls I dated seemed to have bad luck piled on them. And just when I thought we could push through it all, something would happenlike Harin suddenly needing my attentionand it would all fall apart. But kissing Baek Yoorin? Honestly, Baek Yoorin was stunning. Even considering how she didnt care to dress up, the faint air of decadence around her, or the fact that she was a little muscrit would still be hard to find anyone more beautiful than her. Maybe Nayu coulde close, at best. Still, a kiss with Baek Yoorin? Honestly, this felt like a reward for me. Smooch Soft lips pressed against mine. If you think about it, kissing is such a simple act. But seeing Baek Yoorin, eyes tightly shut, trembling slightly, her face flushedI couldnt help but feel a bit embarrassed myself. It felt naughty, in a way. As I started to pull away, I felt a force holding me back. Baek Yoorin was gripping me. Her strength was weak, so it wouldnt take much to break free if I wanted to. But the desperation in her movements, the way she stood on tiptoe to keep the kiss goingit was impossible to pull away. So, I stayed, sharing the moment with her. Honestly, aside from the embarrassment, it was kind of nice. Haah When the kiss ended, Baek Yoorin looked up at me with a dazed expression. A teary-eyed beauty, staring at me with a blissful facehonestly, it was so overwhelming I had to look away. See that? ...Wow, this is insane. Earthly Immortals incredulous voice broke the silence, along with the murmurs of the stunned crowd. I turned to them and spoke clearly. This girl isnt some savage murderer or a monster. Shes a normal person who can love and be loved. So stop judging people by their appearances and just leave. At my words, the crowd began to disperse. Well, if hes even kissed her, guess we cant argue. She must be someone really important to him. Fine, well let it go this time. But dont parade her around in public too much, alright? As they muttered among themselves, they finally scattered. Only Earthly Immortal from Cheonji remained behind. Not leaving? Ill take my leave too. I apologize for my rudeness earlier. Farewell. With that, Earthly Immortal turned away. He threw on a translucent cloak that looked a bit like a shadowy veil, almost blending into the surroundings as he slipped into the background. Oh, great. Was this one of those people who hovered around quietly, like a little chick chirping behind its mother hen? Yeah, it looked just like that. Earthly Immortal ended up standing silently behind Baek Yoorin. Clearly, Yoorin, who seemed to have lost her usual sharpness, didnt notice her presence. Um, Hajin? Yes? Whats up? You you can speakfortably to me. Like you didst time. Oh, did I? I pretended not to notice Earthly Immortal. And the moment he sped her hands to form a seal, I immediately delivered a punch straight to his face. Seriously, why do people insist on sping their hands dramatically in the middle of a fight? If youre forming seals, your hands are upied, you idiot. Gahh! H-How?! Earthly Immortal stumbled back, clutching his face where my punch hadnded. Without missing a beat, I closed the distance and hit his again with a flurry of strikes. Who in their right mind tries to hide so obviously and thinks no one will notice, huh? You moron. Of course, I couldnt admit that I had almost missed his presence. Earthly Immortal staggered, mumbling incoherently, Even so How could you your soul sense, of all things! Leaving those words behind, he fled. I probably went a bit too hard on him, so I doubted hede back anytime soon. Wait. Hold on. Did I just beat up someone from Cheonji whileing here to build connections with Cheonji? From the looks of it, Baek Yoorin had lost her abilities and was basically just an ordinary person now. And if Earthly Immortal had tried to eliminate her, then it was safe to assume Baek Yoorin was already deemed useless in Cheonjis eyes. Turning to Baek Yoorin, who was still blushing furiously, I asked, How the hell did things end up like this? Well, um, I was training, and Apparently, she lost her powers while practicing something called Yin Transformation. Not that I had any clue what Yin Transformation was. First time hearing about it in my life. From what I could gather, though, Baek Yoorin had lost her abilities, and the moment she did, Earthly Immortal pounced to assert dominance. So Cheonji was one of those strength-above-all organizations, huh? Goddamn it. Just my luck that my Cheonji connections were falling apart like this. I sighed deeply and asked Baek Yoorin, So, whats your n now? I was thinking of asking Gamlo for advice. Gamlo? You mean Cheonjis Celestial Immortal Gamlo? Yes, thats right. I knew who Gamlo was. She was the woman who had been drinking during the Cheonji Selection Trials. That chick had chirped about her being a sage or Immortal capable of opening gateways to the afterlife or something. So if I stuck with Baek Yoorin, Id get to meet Gamlo? The thing is, to meet Gamlo, Id have to go deep into the caves. But without my powers, Im not sure if I can make it Ill help you. An opportunity to meet Gamlo? No way I was letting this slip by. Right now, I desperately needed connections with Cheonjis higher-ups. If I wanted to figure out the path to the Great Ghost Gates, Id need their help. When I firmly said Id help, Baek Yoorins face flushed even redder. W-Why are you helping me so much? Baek Yoorin stared at me intently. Her gaze was so piercing that it felt overwhelming. For some reason, I felt like I couldnt lie to her. Its because this involves someone important to me. S-Someone important Before I knew it, Baek Yoorin was clutching my sleeve tightly. Then lets go. Ill guide you to the cave. Y-Yeah, okay. And so, I followed Baek Yoorin back into the Tigers Den. *** In this world, there was something called telepathicmunication. And right now, Baek Yoorin was hearing a message from Gamlo through that very method. +I heard you suddenly lost all your abilities. However, once someone reaches enlightenment, they never fall into delusion again. While a soul may perish, the abilities tied to it can never truly disappear.+ Baek Yoorin and Yoo Hajin were making their way toward the entrance of the Tigers Den. +However, enlightenment can sometimes be obscured by corruption. This is called corruption transmutation. There are two ways to ovee this corruption: the first is the Heavenly Demon Cults method of applying the oil of corruption, also known as corruption anointment. The second is a method like yoursoveing corruption through sheer talent.+ The two stepped deeper into the den. +Its the same way malicious spirits perceive human corruptionby sensing it through the soul. You likely gained your corruption in this way.+ Baek Yoorin turned to Yoo Hajin. We need to go deeper into the cave to properlymunicate with Gamlo. Got it. Lets go. As they walked, Baek Yoorin continued her telepathic exchange with Gamlo. +Now, Ill teach you how to erase the corruption you gained through corruption transmutation.+ But Baek Yoorins mind wasnt on the lesson. Kiss That kiss from earlier Her thoughts were utterly consumed by the memory of their earlier kiss. And so, Baek Yoorin and Yoo Hajin ventured deeper into the Tigers Den, her face faintly tinged with a blush as she absentmindedly reyed that moment over and over in her mind. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]
Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 90: The Tiger Who Became a Cat (4) The tigers den was a fascinating structure. True to its name, it was a building carved into a mountain, stretching underground. Honestly, calling it a den felt inurateit was more like a bunker. But since Cheonjis architecture leaned toward appreciating the essence of nature, lets stick with calling it a den. However, it didnt look like a typical den. Instead, it resembled a Western-style mansion. Not just any simple mansion, eitherit was the kind of grand estate youd imagine a noble would live in. A Western mansion built underground with no natural light? It was the perfect setting for a horror movie. And it had no shortage of bizarre features. There were gimmicks like spears suddenly shooting up from the floor or walls opening to spray something unexpected. It was practically a dungeon. Even though this was my second time seeing it, I couldnt help but find it absurd. Eventually, I had to ask Baek Yoorin.How do you even live in a house like this? D-do you want to live with me here? No, geez. Forget it. I decided to drop it. Baek Yoorin was in a state of panic after losing her abilities. In other words, she wasnt in her right mind. This was someone who, as one of Cheonjis Celestial Immortals, could have devoured twelve servings of mango bingsu, kept up with her one eating a day routine, and maxed out every gacha game character she wantedall without breaking a sweat. And now, shed been weakened to this point. She wouldnt be earning money anymore. Her social reputation mustve plummeted as well. If it were me, Id have lost it already. So I could understand why Baek Yoorin was so out of it. But her dazed state was bing excessive. At this rate, things could get dangerous. Especially considering that this mansion was far from normal. This wont do. I bent down and said, Get on. W-what? Get on my back. Its dangerous. **** Baek Yoorin, now piggybacking on Yoo Hajin, fell into deep thought. Had she ever been carried by someone before? In her faint memories, she could recall being carried by her mother a few times as a child. Its warm I like it Cling To think someone was carrying her. To think someone was embracing this disgusting, revolting version of herself. Baek Yoorin felt like she might actually cry. But just as her emotions started to swell, they were interrupted by Gamlos serene voice in her mind. +To erase the negative, you must first understand its nature.+ Gamlos voice continued. +Why does negativity obscure your spiritual power and prevent you from using your abilities? Its because negativity denies your foundational wish.+ So that was it. At that moment, Baek Yoorin had been denying herself. She had wished for this monstrous form to disappear. And so her soul had granted that wish. +Therefore, affirm your fundamental vow with all your strength. Only then will you reim your spiritual power.+ Affirm her fundamental vow? How was she supposed to do that? How could she possibly affirm this? +You must erase the negativity as quickly as possible. Dont forget, many are targeting you. Right now, I and most of the Celestial Immortals are busy suppressing the Great Demon Gates outbursts. Im sorry to say, but no one cane to help you.+ No one coulde to help her. The World Always Leaves You Alone Its funny how they make it sound like theyre helping. They didnte to help even before she was nearly torn apart by Kim Sojin. The world is a ce where you survive on your own. For a monster like her, thats the only way to live. Grr Baek Yoorin bit her lip and looked off into the distance. Toward where the intruders were nearing the barrier of the Tigers Den. Whats wrong? Baek Yoorin, are you hurt? W-what? Suddenly, Yoo Hajinsrge hand reached out toward her. Gently, he pressed his palm against her forehead. The world was a ce where you survived on your own. For a monster like her, that was the only way. You dont have a fever. P-probably just hungry She couldnt afford to lose her strength. If she didnt recover, she wouldnt be able to keep this person here. And yet, she couldnt bear the thought of letting him go. So, she scrambled for an excuse. They say the Great Demon Gate is throwing a tantrum, and Gamlo and the other Celestials are busy dealing with it. Until Gamlo arrives, would you like to join me for a meal? I wasnt able to treat you properlyst time. Back then, all I had was instant ramen, but things are different now. Cooking it used to be one of my hobbies When Yoo Hajin visitedst time, shed only had instant ramen to offer. She remembered how embarrassed she felt and had since made sure her pantry was stocked. But Yoo Hajin was focused on something else entirely. Wait, the Great Demon Gate? Yes, thats right. He paused for a moment, then nodded. Alright. I never say no to free food. The man grinned widely. And Baek Yoorin smiled back just as brightly. She couldnt even remember thest time she had shared a meal with someone. After bing what she was, every dish she cooked had been imbued with her spiritual power, making it impossible for others to eat. But now that my abilities are sealed If her powers were dormant, wouldnt it be possible to cook without imbuing her energy into the food? The thought made Baek Yoorin smile faintly as she began preparing herself. Then, she started undressing. I heard men like aprons. Especially... **** Free Food is the Best Food Thats what I told myself as I took a seat at the table next to the kitchen. The Great Demon Gate was causing chaos, huh? Gamlo had said she wasing after dealing with that. That meant I could ask Gamlo for more details about the Gate. Just as I organized my thoughts, Baek Yoorin began taking off her clothes. What thewhat are you doing? H-huh? Oh, I cant cook in clothes imbued with my spiritual energy. I was going to change into a clean apron. Ill admit it: her silhouette was beautiful. Her white skin stood out against the ck lingerie she wore beneath. The Art of Cooking and Rediscovering Oneself The subtle but beautifully defined back muscles, the elegant curve of her spine, and the gentle sway of her hips, thighs, and calves. I shut my eyes tightly and began singing the national anthem in my head. And I thought to myself. Wait, is it actually necessary to avoid wearing clothes infused with spiritual energy while cooking? Is this some new piece of spiritualmon sense Ive just learned? If thats the case, I had no choice but to ept it naturally. But watching her hips and waist sway while she cooked, I felt something stirring within me. ncence Baek Yoorin, catching my reaction, gave me a sly, teasing smile. What was that smug, cheeky grin supposed to mean? Chop chop chop Sizzle Slice slice slice Now that I thought about it, I hadnt eaten anything since breakfast this morning. As the aromas began to waft through the air, my hunger surged. Potato soup with plenty of bacon simmered on the stove. Shrimp sizzled in garlic and olive oil. Meat roasted to perfection in the oven. It smelled amazing. I couldnt wait to dig in. Meanwhile, Baek Yoorin continued to move gracefully. It was distracting. I lowered my gaze again, trying to focus on anything else. She noticed and chuckled softly once more. But that smile didntst long. Ugh, its ruined. Even like this, my spiritual energy still got into it. I I really cant do anything, can I? ? Looking at the potato soup, shrimp, and roasted meat, Baek Yoorin fell into despair. Then, to my horror, she moved as if to throw it all away. What the hell?! Did she not see how hungry I was?! Waitwhat are you doing?! **** Baek Yoorin looked up at me nkly. I was already devouring the potato soup like it was life itself, peeling the shrimp, and tearing into the steak fresh out of the oven. Is is it good? Its amazing. Like, ridiculously good. Baek Yoorin used to love cooking back in middle school. But ever since the day her spiritual sight awakened, she hadnt been able to cook anything. Every dish she made would cause people to fall to their knees in reverence, throw up, or cry out in fear for their mothers the moment they saw it. To create something meant to share a part of her spiritual energy with it. But Yoo Hajin was eating her foodthe food imbued with her energyso happily, so naturally. Watching him, Baek Yoorin couldnt help but shed a tear. Is it really that good? Im telling you, its incredible! Wow, I cook a little myself, but I think I could learn from you. Whats in this steak sauce? Its genius! Im happy. Someone is enjoying the food I made. I want to cook for him every day. I want to share my spiritual energy with him every day. Baek Yoorin trembled slightly before shaking her head. But she felt ita small piece of her strength had returned. I was told to affirm my fundamental vow. For the first time in a long while, she felt a small affirmation of her fundamental vow. So this was how she could erase the negativity within her. She nodded silently to herself. She needed to regain her self-esteem. And to do that, she would have to show off what she was most confident in. Um by the way -Nom nom. Huh? What is it? Did you know I used to be an idol trainee? Yoo Hajin nodded absentmindedly as he took another bite. Since theres still some time before Gamlo gets here, would you like me to show you a song I practiced back then? I mean, if you dont want to, thats totally fine! Im also curious about how it sounds to someone else What kind of man would turn down a cute girl offering to sing and dance for him? Yoo Hajin, without thinking too deeply about it, nodded. **** The tiger had many enemies. From hordes of malevolent spirits and unorthodox sects like the Mireuk Cult to even rival factions within Cheonji. The moment rumors spread that the tiger had been tainted by negativity and had its spiritual realm sealed, some of those enemies immediately made their move. The tiger was hated that much. Thus, an assassination squad breached the barrier of the Tigers Den. They navigated through countless traps, steadily advancing into its depths. Wait, stop. The squad leader issued amand in front of what appeared to be a kitchen. Sensing a powerful sense of foreboding, the leader cautiously entered the kitchen, scanning the surroundings. Their gaze eventuallynded on the dishes piled in the sink. Hehe hehe. The leader chuckled at the sight. Theres an old saying: Its better to live as an ordinary person than a mediocre spiritualist. Ordinary people flee in terror when faced with the truths emanating from malevolent spirits or higher celestials. But spiritualists, unlike ordinary people,prehend a fragment of that truthsomething that was never meant to be understood. Hehehehe. This is the Absolute Predator Just as the leader turned to warn the others, the teamunched an all-out attack on their own leader. In an instant, the leader was reduced to nothingnot even a scrap of flesh remained. This ce is dangerous. We abandon the kitchen. The squad leader decided to pull back their team. The tiger was no longer the overwhelming predator it once was, now reduced to a seemingly ordinary state. However, even in this weakened state, the tiger was capable of killing them all with ease. In such a scenario, it was unlikely the tiger would be hiding in such a dangerous spot. The leader quicklymunicated this assessment to the entire squad, from the vice-captain down to the youngest member. The youngest member nodded in admiration at the leaders sharp judgment. The search of the Tigers Den continued. They were nearing the end of their hunt. This hallway is thest one. The youngest thought back to the rumorshow the tiger had lost all its spiritual guardians after fighting Kim Sojin. If the spiritual guardians were still around, this wouldnt have been so easy. With a smirk, the youngest followed the others into the hallway. From the distance, faint idol music could be heard. The door to the room was ajar. With just the words I love you, I love you Hearing such a cheerful song in a gloomy mansion was grotesque. Tension mounting, the youngest waited for the seniors to make a move. So thats what it is, the captain muttered. Were all about to have our innards devoured by that predator. The captains words sent shivers through the group. Its too terrifying. Ah, ah But this is the truth, isnt it? Aaaaah We have no choice. Aaaaaahhhh The captain turned to look at the youngest. Then, the captain ripped off their mask, letting out a bloodcurdling scream. Thats what this is! AAAAAAAAAAAH! Seeing this, the youngest also screamed in horror. ***** The Idols Encore I sat there, listening to Baek Yoorin sing and dance. No, honestly, I couldnt really think at all. Was she really just a visual trainee for a major agency? How could someone supposedly just there for their looks be this good at singing and dancing? She must have practiced relentlesslyeven after being kicked out of her agency and joining Cheonji. Even now, she must have kept practicing. With just the words I love you, I love you Waaaah kyaaaa paaah No, no, no. Dont fall for this! Pull yourself together, Yoo Hajin! But then, Baek Yoorin approached with a shy expression, sped her hands together, and formed a heart. With a dramatic gesture, she shot the heart at me. I feel like I cant express this feeling enough So this is why people go to idol concerts. Before I realized it, I was screaming at the top of my lungs. WAAAAAAH! YOURE THE BEST!!! **** In front of the passage leading to the Great Demon Gate, celestial beingsy scattered like fallen leaves. The leader of Cheonji could no longer contain their frustration and roared into the void. Oh, malevolent god! What exactly is your grievance?! C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]
Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 91: The Tiger Who Became a Cat (5) Before the day ends I want to meet you again I want to meet you! Baek Yoorin loved singing. She also loved dancing. And she loved showcasing that even more. Thats why Baek Yoorin wanted to be an idol. It was a foolish dream, but she was a girl who longed for the stage more than money. So Ill take the first step Ill take the first step! Baek Yoorin beamed. Ah, I really wanted to be an idol.I wanted to stand on stage. And in front of that man, she could be an idol again. Watching the man cheer and dance with a glowing lightstick, Baek Yoorin smirked. It felt as though her heart was being filled. It felt like she could finally affirm herself. Energy surged through her. So much so that she could dance with even more power. No, it wasnt just that. She wasnt just regaining her strengthshe was bing stronger. For that one audience member, Baek Yoorin gave it her all. Of course, Yoo Hajin, who was watching the dance, could only think in awe. When Baek Yoorin took a step forward, performing her bouncy boing-boing dance, all he could see was boing-boing. When she turned her back to finish the move, all he noticed was her beautifully defined back muscles. And when she arched her back with her hips extended Wow. Or swayed her hips gently before sitting down gracefully Wo. Or when she approached slowly,nding a soft, teasing kiss in front of his eyes Ahh, I think my hearts going to explode. Yoo Hajin was beginning to forget why he hade to the tigers den in the first ce. **** The assassination squad members were also starting to forget why they were there. The tiger dances. The tiger glints its eyes. The tiger smiles. The tiger sings. No, thats Baek Yoorin. One assassin, holding on to his sanity through sheer willpower, muttered to himself. He looked around, tears of blood streaming from his eyes. The squad sent by the ns was tearing each other apart, wailing Aaaahhhhh! Meanwhile, the team from the Miruk cult was offering their own intestines in the hallway. ?? If its for the one who devours life, then I have no choice. If I must present my offering, I have to do it now. No. Far in the distance, the tiger grew more excited. A creature that could only be described as a godsomething so monstrous there were no words for itspoke in an exhrated tone. I want to kiss you Ah. Right. The assassin, barely holding on to his reason, looked down at himself. From his hands to his limbs, he waspletely drenched in red. Why is it so red? Thats right. To get out of here, I have to satisfy the tiger. I better prepare a feast quickly. With that, the assassin drew his de and charged at the nearest survivor. **** I want to kiss you Baek Yoorin was truly beautiful. I stared at her with a nk expression. Wh-what? Baek Yoorin slowly approached and sat on top of me. What? Is this part of the performance? Do idols do performances like this? Baek Yoorin lightly sat on my waist. She felt soft yet firm at the same time. And there was a dampnessprobably from the sweat she had worked up while dancing. Baek Yoorin smiled sweetly and spoke. I want to kiss you. A k-kiss, you say? Baek Yoorin was staring at me with a nk expression. Her pupils were slightly unfocused, which was honestly creepy. Still, Baek Yoorin had lost her powers for now. Which meant I could easily overpower her. Without much concern, I asked, A kiss? All of a sudden? Why? Why? Grrr. Do I need a reason? Of course, you do. Who just kisses someone out of the blue? Something felt off. I subtly tried to push Baek Yoorin away. But she didnt budge. You kissed me earlier, didnt you? And so passionately at that pretending like you dont remember Muttering under her breath, Baek Yoorin began unbuttoning my shirt one button at a time. Damn it. At least she wasnt tearing it off like she did with my pants thest timethat was a small blessing. You kissed me because you wanted to, didnt you? Grrr. That was to save you! Hey, wait. Suddenly, Baek Yoorin regained her strength. No, maybe she had her strength all along? Was she just pretending to be weak to fool me? As she took off my shirt and pressed her body against mine, I could distinctly smell her sweat. You bad guy Youre the one who seduced me first, werent you? Right? What kind of twisted logic is that?! Yoo Hajin, you are being fooled again! Im so done with these kinds of endings!!! Damn it. When strength levels are simr, escaping from the bottom position is no easy feat. If I ever get the chance, I really need to learn some ground techniques. When I tried arching my back to slip out, Baek Yoorin clung to me, murmuring, Ah, my lower belly feels so warm. Why is that? and grabbed both of my arms. Our strength was evenly matched, but I had better potential for a brawl. Yet Baek Yoorin started using grappling techniques. It was a chaotic back-and-forth. Youre the bad one here. Watching my performance with such a cute smile, cheering so earnestly. Its no different from begging me to jump you. Why are you enchanting me like this? Squeeeze Baek Yoorin pressed her body tightly against mine. And with that, my arms werepletely restrained. Youre the bad one. Y-you male gigolo. Oh no, was that too harsh? I mean, you host. Baek Yoorin was sweating profusely. It was even damp enough to feel around her pants area. At this rate, my Neo Armstrong cyclone Jet Armstrong cannon was bound to react. Actually, it already started reacting during her dance!!! Wait, is this a mans thing? W-wow. Baek Yoorins eyes were filled with excitement. Ovee by instinct, her hand slowly slid toward my pants. Which meant one of my arms was now free. I immediately pushed Baek Yoorins face away. Again?! Is this happening again? I trusted you this time!!! Trusted me? Ugh, fine. Lets just date. Ill treat you well, okay? Ill cook for you every day, dance for you, sing for you. And, Im Baekdu of the Cheonji. Thats someone higher than Celestial Immortal! Ill give you plenty of allowance too. You can buy anything you want! W-what. Youre rich? I can buy anything? Wait, hold onBaekdu? So stop resisting. You dont want to get hurt, right? Just listen to me, and Ill be gentle. Grrr. Should I just date Baek Yoorin? Not because of the money, obviously. Anyway. But Baekdu? Does dating Baek Yoorin mean I get VIP ess to the Great Demon Gate? But I didnt think of Baek Yoorin as someone I loved. Though, if we dated, I might fall in love eventually, right? Or I could do the same thing she didpretend. Pretend to love her while using her to infiltrate the Great Demon Gate. At that moment, an image of my younger sister, crying alone in the burning ruins of Louisville, shed in my mind. No, wait. Jamsuni. Thats not important right now. In any case, seeing how obsessed Baek Yoorin was, pretending to date her might be the only way to survive here. But then what happens to Jamsuni? Could I bring Jamsuni here to live? Probably not. It was absolutely impossible. The moment Jamsuni saw the tiger, shed wet herself and run for her life. After all, the tigers mere breath could kill heran overwhelmingly dominant spiritual being like that was out of her league. Pretending to date Baek Yoorin meant abandoning Jamsuni. Damn it. Theres no other way. The Great Demon Gate is right in front of me. Im closer than ever to Harin. I looked at Baek Yoorin and said, I cant date you. ! W-why not? I have someone to take care of. Tears started to fall from Baek Yoorins eyes, one drop at a time. Youre so mean. You tantly seduced me, and now this. Youre awful. I never seduced you! You stole my first kiss! It was my first kiss too. Really? Truly? Ugh. Baek Yoorin suddenly smiled. Even crying, she was a beautiful woman. Then this will be your first time too, wont it? Grrr. I love it so much its making my lower belly ache. But being beautiful didnt mean she wasnt insane. Baek Yoorin was still targeting my pantsspecifically, my groin. Hehe, hehehe. I promise Ill be gentle, so just stay still. Wait, hold on Damn it, I shouldve learned some ground techniques. All this time, I relied solely on my physical strength, and now I deeply regretted it. Baek Yoorin, this crazy woman, was using grappling techniques right now. Stop using those skills to pin people down!!! W-who is it at such a crucial moment?! Just then, Baek Yoorin suddenly stood up. Thank goodness. Finally, I was free from Baek Yoorins soft yet sturdy thighs and her full, firm chest. Though I felt oddly disappointed. Disappointed? Am I insane? I must have gonepletely mad. Why would I even feel disappointed? At that moment, Baek Yoorin stared into the air. She muttered something as she gazed into the void. Three Thousand Worlds Gate, Cheonji, the ruler of the skies andnds! And then, a woman appeared out of thin air. It was a woman I knew well. Or rather, someone who looked very much like a woman I knew. Baek Yoorin. While the skies of Cheonji are toiling, youre here having all the fun. The woman, who resembled Nayu, immediately grabbed Baek Yoorin by the back of her neck. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]
Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 92: Phantom Company (1) A woman resembling Nayu stared at Baek Yoorin with an indifferent expression. Baek Yoorin avoided her gaze, her face scrunched up like a scolded child. Baek Yoorin muttered under her breath. President-nim. I told you not to call me President-nim. Cheonji is no longer the agency you work for. I turned to look at the woman who resembled Nayu. This woman, who had suddenly appeared, was simr to Nayu but distinctly different. For one, her hair was pinned up with a binyeo, a traditional Korean hairpin, which was unusual. Unlike Nayu, whose default expressions were always cheerful and bright, this womans face was sharp and serious, as though she had endured every trial life had to offer. She looked like a battle-hardened version of Nayu. I heard you used the Yin Transformation and had your rank sealed, but you seem perfectly fine.I finally learned how to undo it. Youve already learned how to erase the Yin Transformation? The woman resembling Nayu nced at the open door of the room. She smiled softly as if she had seen something amusing in the hallway. So, you devoured all the sacrifices? Impressive. I believed Celestial Immortals envy and jealousy, the publics narrow-minded hatred, and the assassins malice would help elevate your rank. It seems I was right. After all, truth knows no good or evil. W-what? Baek Yoorin was visibly flustered by her words. But the woman paid no mind and continued speaking to herself. What a pity. Nayu should have consumed sacrifices like you and realized the darker truths of the world. Thats what the Thousand Tribtions Pill was for. Ha, who on earth stole the sacrifices meant for that child? The woman looked genuinely regretful. There isnt much time left, but I should be able to prepare sacrifices for her again. Yoorin, dont you think so? Y-yes, I think so. So, could you please let me go! Baek Yoorin struggled in her grasp, but she couldnt break free. Baek Yoorin is someone nearly as strong as me. And yet, she couldnt escape those slender fingers? And one more thing, Baek Yoorin. The world might be on the brink of destruction, and here you are, fooling around with men. Shameful. Well, its not exactly like that As the head of Cheonji, I cannot overlook such disgraceful behavior. Come. First, well stop the outburst of the Great Demon Gate, and then Ill begin your disciplinary action. What did she just say? That woman is the head of Cheonji? The woman who looks like Nayu? I was so thrown off by this sudden revtion that I couldnt even think of what to say. Hopefully, she wouldnt figure out that Im Mara. Given what she mentioned earlierNayu, the Thousand Tribtions Pillits clear shes someone deeply connected to Nayu. But what exactly is their rtionship? ? Discipline or whatever, just just fix this stabbing pain in my stomach first! I mean, just one more kiss! Quiet. Go and stop the Great Demon Gate. With a flick, the head of Cheonji hurled Baek Yoorin into the air. Baek Yoorin disappeared without a trace. She must have been thrown into some invisible ghost gate or passage that I couldnt see. With Baek Yoorin gone, the pink room felt eerily silent. The head of Cheonji smiled, a smile reminiscent of Nayus but tinged with sympathy. A criminal like you must be losing your mind after being caught by such a terrifying tiger. Is that so? Am I losing my mind? Of course not. Im perfectly fine. At least, I havent been discovered as Mara. So, I tried to put on the most vacant expression I could manage. Baek Yoorin might not have noticed because she awakened her spiritual powers after the Day of Awakening. She doesnt know much about my abilities or traits. But the head of Cheonji is a veteran spiritualist who has led Cheonji long before the Day of Awakening. If I act strange, she might figure out somethings off. Sure, I could pretend to be a skilled expert hiding my strength, but pulling such a stunt in front of the head of Cheonji is far too risky. Shes too much of a powerhouse to take lightly. If I slip up, it could lead to a martial arts nightmare, like a Ten Masters vs. a Heavenly Demon showdown. Thats the kind of fight I want no part of. As I stood there, too stunned to say anything, the head of Cheonji spoke. Im sorry. In the end, I couldnt stop the end times. She looked genuinely apologetic. Ill erase all your memories of today. This day isnt like truth falling as gentle rainits more like a waterfall crashing down. Forget it all and just live your life. She ced a finger on my forehead. Then, as she turned and disappeared, she spoke her final words. Ill do my best to stop the end of the world. With that, the head of Cheonji vanishedpletely. Watching her disappear, I muttered under my breath. My heads a mess. I closed my eyes and tried to organize my thoughts. Why does the head of Cheonji look like Nayu? Why were Baek Yoorins hips so plump and bouncy No, thats not the point. The head of Cheonji mentioned Nayu. Could Nayu also be part of Cheonji? And why were Baek Yoorins pants soaked with sweat? No!!! If Nayu is part of Cheonji, why does she live in a rundown officetel like Louisville? And why does Baek Yoorin have so many risqu doujinshi? Her rooms practically like that of a middle-school boy. Should I be relieved there werent any adult toys lying around? Rustle, rustle. Without realizing it, I started rummaging under Baek Yoorins bed. No, no. This isnt the issue right now. The real issue was the rtionship between Nayu and Cheonji. Could someone as na?ve and innocent as Nayu really be involved with Cheonji? Then again, if someone as lecherous as Baek Yoorin could hold a key position in Cheonji, anythings possible. Nope, I cant do this. Being here is making me think too much about Baek Yoorin because of all these questionable vibes. In the end, I packed my things and left this den of confusion as quickly as I could. **** Later that evening, I sat Nayu down for an interview. Nayu-ssi? Nayu-head-tilt. Do you know what kind of organization Cheonji is? Nayu nodded. Of course, she would. Even I, who didnt know much about spiritual powers, had heard of Cheonji. Nayu-ssi, are you affiliated with Cheonji by any chance? Nayu-strong-denial! Strong denial usually means affirmation, you know? N-nayu-moderate-denial. Honestly, I didnt want to doubt Nayu. No, I didnt even have the right to doubt her. Even if Nayu was part of Cheonji, what harm had that done to me? Its not like Im at odds with Cheonji. But Cheonji is the group that manages the Great Demon Gates. And all I want is ess to the Great Demon Gates. I nced at Nayu. She looked a bit embarrassed, her cheeks slightly flushed. Hmm, you really do look alike but Nayu is definitely prettier. Nayu-shocked-face! N-nayu-shocked-face-thats-not-shocked-statement! Saying that, Nayu covered her face with her hands. Hmm, I wanted to observe her a bit more, but thatll have to wait. At that moment, the sound of a door opening echoed. A brash girl entered the room. I called her Jamsuni. Ugh, the homeroom teacher was so damn long-winded. Oh, youre here. Youre a bitte today. Yeah, seriously, if the closing session had gone five minutes longer, Id have totally snapped. Nayu-strict-warning! Nayu jumped up and shouted. Jamsuni smirked and replied. Rx, dummy. Cant you take a joke? Seriously, you guys cant even recognize sarcasm? Nayuedy-genius-statement. Nayu-prepping-ultimate-joke-mode. And so, listening to Nayus terrible, ice-cold jokes, another day passed. **** Late Night. I Picked Up My Phone. Naturally, I ended up scrolling through NewTube. The moment I clicked on a video, an ad started ying. A man appeared and said: Are you poor? Then youre an idiot. What the hell? Did the ad just insult me? No, its not like Im broke or anything. It wasnt that. I was so dumbfounded that I forgot to press the skip button for a moment. In an era where making money is this easy, if youre poor, its certain youre eithercking intelligence or suffering from some mental illness. This method works even for physically ill people to make money easily. Make money, huh? What a provocative statement. Maybe I should listen for a little longer. This era is all about making money through your soul. Your body can stay idle while your soul alone moves to earn tens, hundreds, even thousands. But most people dont know how to move their souls. Souls? The moment he mentioned souls, my interest plummeted. But with our Nesone Soul Network, members can learn how to earn money through their souls Oh, screw this. I skipped the ad. Its not like I have the brainpower to understand all that soul nonsense. Muttering to myself with the same bitter resignation as the fox who couldnt reach the sour grapes, I said: Why doesnt anyone crack down on these guys? But of course, the cops who wont even bother going after scammers wouldnt touch something like this. So, how exactly do they make money? Annoyed, I closed the video and decided to search for information about Nesone Soul Network. It seemed people abbreviated it to Nesone. Nesone*. Sounds like your loss in Korean. Who came up with this name? Its honestly kind of funny. Anyway, Nesone turned out to be a fairlyrgepany. Apparently, Nesones business involved using the souls of ordinary people who didnt know how to use them themselves, turning those souls into profit. Members were supposedly paid for simply lying down, listening to music, or staring at artwork. The payment corresponded to the time spent using thepanys products. Moreover, using stronger products would earn more money. Can you really get paid just for that? Hard to believe. Should I try it as a side hustle? Intrigued, I put my phone down to find out how to join Nesone. **** Search Results: -1100% Returns! Learn About the Emerging Eco-Friendly Company Nesone Soul Network -Still Dont Know About Nesone? From Side Hustles to Full-Time Jobs -Anomaly Response Headquarters Expresses Regret Over Denied Investigation of Nesone Soul Network -The Ordinary Persons Hope: Nesone. Membership Application Requirements? -Neriver Blog C My Visit to Nesone (With Map) -Oh, someone even wrote a review? I clicked on the blog post at the bottom. C C C The End of The Chapter C C C [TL: The name Nesone sounds simr to the Korean phrase ? ?? (ne sonhae), which means your loss. You can support the trantion and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /Bill94 Join Our Discord for regr updates and have fun with othermunity members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]
Support /novel/232694 Join Discordinvite/SqWtJpPtm9 The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!