The blue flames fiercely clung to the pillar fragments, their strength apparent, almost annoyingly vivid in their brightness.
"…"
A low growl.
In the midst of this, I felt the sharp gaze of what once was Jeoksusa (the Red Water Snake). The betrayed look in his eyes stung a bit.
“…Isn’t life about helping each other out?”
I forced myself to ignore his gaze. Then again, I suppose calling it "life" doesn’t make sense anymore, considering neither of us is exactly human.
Heh.
“…Damn it.”
I muttered a feeble joke to myself, though it didn’t make me feel any better.
Disciple. Tang Jemoon’s voice pierced through, her tone sharp enough to strike right into my chest.
“This… well, somehow… haha…”
I tried to laugh it off with a sheepish expression, but then I pressed my lips together and spoke again.
“…I’m sorry.”
After my apology, Tang Jemoon gave a slight nod, glancing at the fallen pillar.
As I thought, you and Shin Cheol really are alike… though I could have done without this particular similarity. “That’s a bit…”
[What do you mean, comparing me to this miserable wretch!]
I frowned at Noya’s indignant interjection.
This old man…
“Why is Noya saying what I was going to say?”
[Because I’m the one who should say it. Do you even have the nerve to say it yourself?]
“Of course I do. What makes you think you’re so…”
To be fair, Shin Noya was indeed impressive.
The man known as the Mountain Sword Saint was one of the most respected figures of the Mount Hua Sect, revered as a hero who saved the central plains. Naturally, he was on a much higher level than a fallen one like me.
"...but I’d rather not be compared to a clueless old man."
While I held deep respect for the Mountain Sword Saint as a warrior, being compared to the man Shin Cheol himself wasn’t something I wanted. Noya chuckled at my comment.
[Heh. This short little brat.]
“…What?”
He infuriatingly resorted to personal insults, and the worst part was that I didn’t have much to counter with.
“…For the record, I’ve actually grown a bit taller, you know?”
I gritted my teeth, muttering. In fact, I’d grown about half a span taller with the changes in my body.
Of course, though…
[So, are you taller than me now?]
“…”
I was still shorter than the old man.
“...Damn it… if you were going to make me taller, you should’ve added a bit more.”
Though taller than in my past life, I was still shorter compared to big guys like Woo-hyuk and Yeongpung. At the very least, this cranky old man should’ve been shorter. But no, he had to be absurdly tall. Nothing ever went my way.
“So, is this necessary? Resorting to personal attacks?”
[I did. What are you going to do about it?]
His shamelessness made me sigh heavily.
"...I suppose there’s nothing I can do."
[Hmm… about time you realized that.]
“A grumpy old man who’s never even held a woman’s hand… Guess I’ll just have to put up with it.”
[…!]
A deep, resounding tremor reverberated within me as I spoke, faintly amused.
[Heh… This little punk…]
“You started it, Noya.”
As we continued to growl and grit our teeth at each other…
Enough, both of you. A chilling voice made both Noya and me fall silent.
…Sigh. The sigh carried a weight of frustration.
You two really are alike… [We are not…]
Be quiet, Shin Cheol. […]
One word from Tang Jemoon, and Noya was silenced. It was immensely satisfying.
‘Judging by your reaction, I take it you’ve realized that Tang Jemoon isn’t a man?’
[What kind of title is that, Tang Jemoon? Really?]
His lack of denial about everything else confirmed it—he’d definitely figured out that Tang Jemoon was female. I was curious about what exactly they’d discussed to leave Noya so subdued, but that could wait.
Disciple. “Yes, senior.”
As she called, she had already drawn near, looking at the pile of Dokcheondan next to the monument.
As I mentioned earlier, you may take the Dokcheondan. “…Thank you.”
Not that her permission changed my mind—I was planning to take it anyway.
After everything I went through to get it, I wasn’t about to leave it behind. If she’d forbidden it, I’d have burned down this entire place.
Receiving her permission, I reached for the Dokcheondan, only to remember there was one more thing to ask.
“Uh, senior?”
Yes? “Is it alright if I take this as well?”
Tang Jemoon looked where I was pointing—the White Abyss Stone next to the Dokcheondan.
This? She tilted her head.
Apparently, Shin Noya had acquired it to boast about defeating a high-level beast. Since my initial purpose had been to retrieve it, I cautiously asked.
‘You knew that, Noya?’
[What are you on about now?]
‘It was prepared as a show-off for you.’
[Yes, yes, I heard…]
His voice, laced with resignation, made me suspect he might’ve actually taken a hit. Without being able to see his face, I couldn’t confirm it, but I silently hoped for a bruised eye.
Disciple, do you really need this? “Yes… it would be helpful.”
Very helpful.
Even with all the Dokcheondan here, the White Abyss Stone had substantial energy of its own, possibly more than a single Dokcheondan.
‘Might as well take everything while I’m at it.’
Maybe my shamelessness was obvious because Tang Jemoon began chuckling softly, covering her mouth.
“…Senior?”
I looked at her nervously. I knew I might’ve overstepped.
Fortunately, she didn’t seem upset and instead spoke with a smile.
Shin Cheol said you’d probably try to take everything. He was right. “…”
Her words made me frown slightly. What exactly had he told her? Instead of being helpful, it seemed he’d tried to sabotage me. I clicked my tongue silently.
‘Guess I’ll leave the White Abyss Stone for now.’
For now, I’d let it go, but I planned to return for it later. I couldn’t just leave it.
As I turned away, swallowing my disappointment…
You may take it if you wish. “Really? Are you serious?”
I widened my eyes. Was she actually allowing it?
Yes. If you desire more… Her gaze swept over the walls and pillars around us.
You may also take the luminous pearls. "…"
Well.
Apparently, she’d noticed I had my eye on the pearls, too. This was a bit embarrassing.
“…Ahem.”
I cleared my throat, trying to cover my embarrassment.
However. Tang Jemoon lightly touched the White Abyss Stone, though it didn’t move. Her finger passed through it effortlessly, a reminder that she wasn’t truly alive.
I have a favor to ask, disciple. “…”
A favor.
The weight of that word made me instinctively take a step back.
Disciple? “I’d rather not. I don’t need it.”
What kind of trouble would this bring? After being entangled with past heroes, every "favor" had turned into a disaster. Just hearing the word made me feel irritated.
“…I’ll just leave quietly. It’s been an honor, senior.”
With the Dokcheondan clutched in my arms, I hastily began searching for the exit.
“Damn it, where’s the way out?”
A low growl.
As I looked around, Jeoksusa (or what he once was) approached and nudged me with his head. I nodded at him.
“Good. You’re good at finding things. Go find the door.”
Grrrr?
Remembering how he’d guided me to the lake entrance, I hoped he’d do the same here, but he merely stared back, confused.
“…Tch.”
So he didn’t know either? It looked like I’d have to find my way myself.
Tang So-yeol. I froze.
My head whipped around at the sound of that name.
“…What did you just…?”
My chest grew cold. It was a name I hadn’t expected to hear from Tang Jemoon. Staring at her with a mixture of confusion and dread…
It’s about that child. Aren’t you curious, disciple? For some reason, she wore a sorrowful expression.
I looked into her eyes, bewildered. Hearing her mention Tang So-yeol was strange enough, but why did she look so pained?
Clearly, this wasn’t an ordinary matter.
Though I wanted to turn and run, my feet refused to move.
The scale had always been placed in my heart, and once again, the weight tipped to one side.
Resigned, I suppressed my emotions and answered Tang Jemoon.
In the end, there was only one answer I could give.
“…What is it? This favor of yours?”
Hearing my question, Tang Jemoon approached me.
I have only one request. Her expression remained somber, her gaze inscrutable.
…When you go outside… Her words, though spoken with a steady expression, carried a shocking revelation.
******************
A faint rustling sound echoed as the wind stirred the waves. The weather was still bright at noon, and the lake retained its beautiful, vivid color.
It was the same scene as always.
“...”
The woman’s eyes trembled as she stared at the lake.
‘What... is going on?’
The woman, whose swollen cheek and the blood dripping from it seemed not to bother her, continued to gaze at the lake. She was Nahi, an assassin from the Tang Clan.
‘What... is happening here?’
It had been half a quarter of an hour since she had guided Gu Yangcheon, who had abruptly leaped into the lake.
The fact that Gu Yangcheon had somehow figured out her identity was odd enough. Yet he had claimed he needed to enter the lake briefly, and then actually threw himself into it and hadn’t come back up.
‘Did he really... just die?’
From Nahi’s perspective, it was the only conclusion she could reach.
‘Did he actually... kill himself?’
Throwing oneself into a poisonous lake was usually an act of desperation. Even if he was resilient like the Poison King, it would be difficult for anyone to survive submerged in the middle of such a toxic lake.
In this situation, with a man like Gu Yangcheon, who seemed like an ordinary warrior, diving into the lake, it could only be seen as suicide.
‘What am I supposed to do now?’
Nahi bit her lips anxiously.
She was the one who had led Gu Yangcheon here. But if it turned out that he had just leaped into the lake to his death…
‘...How am I supposed to explain this?’
She couldn’t imagine what to report to the Poison King. Even if she said that Gu Yangcheon had requested to go to the lake, it was inevitable that she’d be asked if it was right to leave him alone.
And there was no way she could disclose the reason she had allowed it in the first place.
‘...This is...’
She was trapped, stuck in a situation with no way out. It perfectly mirrored Nahi’s predicament.
‘Brother…’
As she anxiously bit her fingernails, Nahi thought of her older brother.
From the day they joined forces to seek revenge against this vile family, they had endured countless hardships and devoted their time to the cause.
‘Why... would you...!’
Why would her brother betray them for the sake of a young descendant? Nahi couldn’t understand it.
It was something she couldn’t believe. There had to be a reason. There had to be.
‘I have to think… What should I do?’
If she remained here, it would truly be the end. Nahi urgently racked her brain. She couldn’t afford to die like this.
‘At the very least… I have to destroy the “Underground” before I die.’
The truth about the rotten depths of the Tang Clan.
Despite pretending to be a prestigious family, they conducted filthy, depraved business underground. She had to destroy it before she could die.
It was a duty owed to her siblings who had died before her.
Drip.
Her thumb began to bleed from biting her nails too much, and a droplet of blood fell to the ground.
At that moment, a sudden disturbance erupted from the lake.
“…?”
Nahi’s eyes widened as she witnessed it.
“What…?”
She quickly rose to her feet and moved toward the lake.
“…Huh?”
As she approached, the disturbance intensified. She should have felt the toxicity thickening as she neared the lake, yet oddly, there was nothing.
“What… is going on?”
What exactly was happening? Nahi cautiously edged closer to the lake with wide, trembling eyes.
Then suddenly—
WHOOOSH!
The lake surged violently, spiraling into a whirlpool. The ferocious whirlpool appeared at the lake’s center, pulling everything in as the water level gradually began to drop.
“…Wh-what?”
The Poisonous Lake, the pride of the Tang Clan, was disappearing.
Astonished, Nahi gasped aloud, but the lake didn’t stop.
Seconds passed. In a mere dozen seconds, the lake’s water had vanished entirely.
Considering how much water the Poisonous Lake held, it was hard to imagine where all that water could have gone.
Nahi, trembling, looked toward the center of the lake.
Since the whirlpool had started from that area, she figured something had to be there.
And there, in the very center…
“…Huh?”
In the middle of the dry lakebed, someone was standing, casually shaking off water from their body.
“Ptooey.”
He spat, as if something unpleasant had gotten into his mouth, and then looked around the empty lakebed.
After a moment of taking in the situation, the figure muttered,
“Oh…”
Then, realizing the scope of what had happened,
“…Damn… I’m screwed.”
he swore, spitting out a string of swear words..