The Salt Mountain (3)
“Jeon Myeong-hoon!!!”
I stepped inside and found Jeon Myeong-hoon sitting in the main hall. A sword rested in his hand, his clothes torn in several places, and every inch of him was marked with self-inflicted wounds.
“…”
I scanned the inner rooms. Colorful noises drifted from one direction. I rushed over, threw the door open, and saw Geum So-hae and his children lying in a heap—unconscious. It was clear Jeon Myeong-hoon had knocked them out.
I closed the door and faced him again.
“Have you come to your senses?”
“…Seo Eun-hyun.”
“…”
Jeon Myeong-hoon lifted his empty eyes and looked at me.
“Kill me.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“I’d rather pretend I was just having a nightmare. After all… this is a fantasy… right? If I die here, I’ll just wake up again, won’t I?”
“…”
“If you don’t kill me… what am I supposed to do?”
“…”
“Here! So-hae is alive!”
Jeon Myeong-hoon clung to me with a small, broken voice. He was trying to keep his own voice down while still sobbing—terrified that Geum So-hae and the children might wake.
“So-hae is alive. Yeah? Then what do I do? Yeah? It’s so real. Eun-hyun. It’s not just her hands. Her breath, her gaze, her personality, her scent… every single thing is the same. The same! So what am I supposed to do? I have no choice but to stay here. If I become king of this fantasy world… the fantasy breaks, right? I can’t bear to watch it with my own eyes. I’d rather die.”
“…”
“I know this world is a fantasy. And I know the Geumsincheonroemun disciples over on Earth still believe in me. I see it clearly! I know I’ll have to wake up someday! Because… I have to get revenge! Heavenly punishment! Heavenly punishment!”
He couldn’t even string his words together, clinging to me like a drowning man.
“So I can’t stay here! But… I can’t bear to watch with my own eyes! Please, Eun-hyun. Kill me. Even if you kill me… it’s just a fantasy… I’ll live again. Yeah? Yeah? Eun-hyun…”
Crack!
I slapped Jeon Myeong-hoon across the face.
“I’ve lost people too!!!”
Jeon Myeong-hoon fell silent.
“I’ve lost them too!!! Don’t keep whining like a lunatic only you can!”
He probably thought I was talking about Hong Su-ryeong. But it wasn’t just her.
Buk Hyang-hwa. Kim Yeon.
Every time I saw a face that looked exactly like theirs, I wondered how I felt inside after so many regressions—after watching their hearts change while the faces stayed the same.
Would he even understand that? A regressor whose memories and time had been ripped away, not knowing who or what to hate or mourn?
“Get up! You worthless piece of trash! We’re moving now! Stop your stupid whining and do what I say!!!”
Crunch.
Jeon Myeong-hoon bit his own lip. His jaw split open, bright crimson blood pouring down.
I grabbed him by the collar and dragged him outside. My companions were beginning to regain their memories. Yuk Rin was clearly plotting something.
Above us, the destiny of the Reclamation marked for me within this formation. In this Goryeok realm I would always suffer. So I had to overcome it no matter the cost. I could not let go of even one thing I held in my hand. There would be no second chance. I had to be fully present with what I possessed right now.
Yeon Wi and Jeon Myeong-hoon, who held the highest reputation in the Mugeuk Sect and Geumsincheonroemun, had already awakened. I led them toward the prison I had built in the mountains behind Tae-eul Village.
It was a prison where I had subjugated ghost and water spirits with my sword, then locked away countless warriors and humans who had rushed in to attack Tae-eul Village. Naturally, many of my old comrades were held there. From their perspective I was the Demon King, the most feared figure in the world, so they had no choice but to cooperate.
Ghosts obeyed the logic of power because they had no minds, but rational beings could not be forced. People tied to Mugeuk Sect and other factions. We arrived in front of the prison where Oh Hyun-seok was held.
Oh Hyun-seok had already snapped his chains and bent the iron bars, stepping out.
“Are you alright, older brother?”
“Honestly… not great. I feel sick.”
“…”
“On Earth… my wife miscarried. Here I became a father to that child, tried to live up to my wife and child by swearing I would wipe out the Demon King and serve my country.”
“…”
“It’s all just a fantasy… I’m so angry it hurts.”
“…”
“Anyway, let’s go. They’re starting to wake up. Isn’t that why we were supposed to seize the capital and become king?”
“Yes.”
I nodded and set out with Oh Hyun-seok, Jeon Myeong-hoon, and Yeon Wi.
Unfortunately, Kim Young-hoon, Kim Yeon, and Buk Hyang-hwa had not regained their senses. They probably didn’t have many people who treasured them besides the Mugeuk Sect.
Kim Yeon had Goe-gun, but the Goe-gun faction cared only for itself, so I didn’t know if they truly valued her.
I captured Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon with the ghost and water spirits—Wishi-hun and Eomwa—and brought Kim Young-hoon and Yuk Yo, who had been taken as prisoners, along with them.
The two walked with resignation as I carried Jeon Myeong-hoon, Yeon Wi, Oh Hyun-seok, and Seo Ran on my back.
“Let’s go! To the capital!”
Before Yuk Rin could make another move!
Thus I marched at the head of a massive army of ghosts toward the capital.
* * *
Kugugugugu!
Far off, the capital appeared. The capital of Bongrae Kingdom was built around a massive mountain—the very Salt Mountain I had seen when we first entered Bongrae Island. It was probably the center of this formation.
I looked up at the summit of the Salt Mountain. Just as I had seen on our first entry, a grand palace had been erected on the peak, built entirely of white salt crystals. The queen of Bongrae Kingdom and the mother of Yuk Yo lived there.
As we crossed the city walls, thunder and lightning crackled above the Salt Mountain, and protective dragons appeared to guard the royal palace.
【Arrogant! Who dares intrude here?!】
“Climb!”
Ignoring the dragons’ roars, my ghost army leaped straight up the Salt Mountain. The dragons began spewing flames.
“Grrrrraaaaarrrgh!!!”
From Oh Hyun-seok’s body—still treated as human—the purple soul energy surged, and he punched straight through.
Kwaaaang!
The fist from Oh Hyun-seok canceled the dragons’ fire outright. When the dragons looked stunned, I ordered Siho.
“Jump!”
Geng-jung—
Siho planted his foot on the peak of the Salt Mountain and leaped into the air. I stepped on him, felt the air he was crushing beneath me, and drove him even higher with all my strength.
Puaaah!
I added the force of Siho’s own propulsion to the power that had launched me, and I shot upward like a rocket. In an instant I reached the eyes of the protective dragons, seized one by the beard, and climbed.
The dragon thrashed wildly, but I never let go of its body. I drew my sword and slashed.
Bwoong!
Shuk!
Since becoming Demon King, the sword I had ordered from a master blacksmith had become a famed blade. It pierced straight through the dragon’s scales.
The dragon’s scales were hard, but my understanding of the sword was even more unbreakable. I danced a sword dance on the dragon’s back.
Shuk, shuk, shuk-a-gak!
Wounds appeared across the dragon’s body, and it roared. There were only three protective dragons guarding the royal palace. I subdued one in a flash.
Siho and Oh Hyun-seok simultaneously took down another far away, while countless other ghosts used tactics to overwhelm the last one.
“Do not kill them! Enter the palace!”
I leaped back onto Siho’s back and raced toward the center of the palace. While rushing past a library, I caught a glimpse of countless sutra scrolls inside.
‘Not the time to look now.’
At the heart of the palace, countless ministers trembled as they waited for us. In the center, on the king’s throne, sat a woman who looked strangely like Yuk Yo. A jade seal rested on her lap.
I spoke flatly.
“I request the throne. Please lend it to me for a moment.”
She sighed with the same emotionless expression.
“…So it’s you again. Dreamers.”
“There are many things I want to ask… but we’re in a hurry. Please lend us the throne and the jade seal.”
She shook her head.
“I cannot…”
I twitched my eyebrow, then understood. Behind her throne, Jin Ma-yeol and Yuk Rin walked forward. Jin Ma-yeol smiled slyly.
“Sorry, but…”
I drew my emergency sword from my belt and hurled it at him without a word. The sword pierced Jin Ma-yeol’s forehead and he died on the spot.
I looked at the stiff-faced Yuk Rin and said,
“Stop your nonsense, Yuk Rin. Even if you seize the throne, nothing will change. This master holds the strength of Integration Grand Completion, and countless Integration-level powers—my Ghost King, conquest fleets, and countless demons—stand with me. If you submit peacefully and lay down your arms, I will return Jeong-ryong Palace and the Wijeong Sea to you, and restore your lordship.”
Yuk Rin stared at the dead Jin Ma-yeol, then spoke in a trembling voice.
“Actually… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“…What?”
“I am merely the prince of the sea dragon kingdom that has an alliance with Bongrae Kingdom… I don’t even know what’s happening right now…”
“…”
My face twisted in anger.
The queen sighed and spoke to me.
“You seem like a filial dreamwalker…”
“…”
“Ah, no? Anyway, a dreamwalker who knows how to respect elders… congratulations. It looks like your force has won.”
She removed her crown and jade seal, pointing at them as though her head hurt.
“Take them. I know you’ve always wanted this.”
She rose from the throne.
“Sit. Come, sit here and quickly find what you came for on our land, then leave. According to my daughter’s words, you seem trustworthy… so please do not wound my heart as deeply as your predecessors’ letters did.”
The palace ministers watched the ghosts and trembled, yet they wailed.
“Your Highness!!!”
“How can you hand over the ancestral halls and soil of Bongrae to the Demon King?!”
“Your Highness!!!”
They simply wept, innocent and ignorant of everything.
I stood behind the crying Yuk Rin, the queen offering me the throne with a defeated look, and my companions. A storm of confusion raged inside me.
But I approached with a hard face and reached for the crown and jade seal. For now, it was a race against time.
I placed the Bongrae Kingdom crown on my head, gripped the jade seal, and sat upon the throne. The queen of Bongrae Kingdom shouted in irritation.
“From this moment, the king of Bongrae Kingdom is here…”
And in my mind, Yuk Rin’s voice rang out.
[Activation. Purple Soul Filling the Heavens.]