Spirits' Deep-Sea Scheme
Kang San almost asked what the two of them were up to down in those deep ocean waters but held back.
The crystal's desire to become a spirit burned stronger than the other three's, so it was probably overflowing with motivation, eager to do more. It had always been quick to read his moods, so he figured it was scheming something helpful for Bin-i.
Truth be told, he'd seen his share of entities competing to prove their loyalty. Especially amusing was that one of them had been an aberration.
Back when he'd been gleefully smashing aberrations left and right, their reactions upon spotting him fell into three categories.
One: Stand there dumbfounded until he crushed them.
Two: Freak out and flee at full speed.
Three: Approach in rapture, eyes glazed like they'd dosed on hallucinogens.
The first two were by far the most common; the third was a rare delight. At first, he'd dismissed it as a desperate bid for mercy. Even when they went berserk to prove their sincerity, he'd remained skeptical.
Why trust an aberration, after all?
But one had stood out among those suicidal devotees—the maddest of the lot. It had done something utterly bizarre to prove its loyalty...
"What... is this? Ah... don't... eat it."
"For real... just... curious... so..."
Gwang-jeong and Hwa-jeong's questions snapped him from his reverie, refocusing him on the matter at hand.
Right. This took priority. He needed to identify the evil spirit's origins, uncover why it had latched onto Bin-i, and satisfy the refined spirits' curiosity. They'd carried out his orders flawlessly, after all.
[This is the delusion pouch of an evil spirit. When a resentful spirit harbors one, it turns evil in an instant.]
"Danger... ous?"
[It can be useful depending on how you use it. But only for me.]
"If we... eat delusion pouch... we change. Remember... Master said."
[Exactly. Now, tap it.]
"Tap... it?"
[I'm curious why.]
Gwang-jeong tapped the delusion pouch at his command. The evil spirit had forgotten how to speak amid the refined spirits' relentless shredding, but persistent tapping elicited a response.
Its already twisted grimace crumpled further, shriveled lips parting.
So... unjust... Why... me alone... Why only... me...
[Tap harder. Much harder.]
Even in that state, its mouth was primed for lies. Gwang-jeong shifted from taps to solid thwacks, and a haze shimmered atop the delusion pouch's "head" like heat waves—emerging memories.
"Wha... whoa?"
"Ama... zing."
Not a particularly powerful evil spirit, so the visions weren't crystal clear, but they revealed its mortal sins plainly enough.
In short: A malicious troll who spammed hate comments on streamers, got slapped with lawsuits, faced prison, and offed itself.
"Escaped...?"
"Did some... bad thing...?"
[Did stuff that could kill people, then died itself.]
Gwang-jeong and Hwa-jeong peered at the haze with drawn-out "oohs."
Now, what to do with this delusion pouch? Useful, sure, but storage? Couldn't entrust it to the refined spirits... Ah, right—his Heavenly Wood in his right palm.
Currently purifying the Dark Heavenly Realm, that tree of purification and healing. Maybe it'd refine this into something usable?
He could wield it raw later, but not yet.
Moments later, scorching heat surged in his right palm—far hotter than the ambient warmth cycling through his body.
[Delusion pouch—to my right palm.]
Gwang-jeong complied instantly—
Gulp.
"Oh! Gone!"
"Ate... it!"
Hoo-hoo?
* * *
The crystal—now ferried by Gwang-jeong and Hwa-jeong to their master—reunited with Pung-jeong and hatched a scheme.
Elevated in realm, it could think more proactively, devising a perfectly rational plan: Just as it'd tempted Pung-jeong before, something to impress the master—"Make Master like me more."
Surveying the breakwater where Master's sister had led them, its logic flowed thus:
Kang Seol-bin is Master's sister > Help her, Master likes me more > More liking = more qi > How to help Kang Seol-bin? > She's fishing now > Fishing catches fish > Bigger fish better than small > Make her catch big fish > She happy > Master happy > More qi!
Judging by Master's affection for family, success was guaranteed.
"Plan... execute."
"I'll... help... together."
Pung-jeong whooshed excitedly.
"Quickly."
"Not... too late."
Crystal and Pung-jeong plunged into the sea, descending swiftly.
In search of a fish so impressive even their fearsome master would gasp, "Whoa! Incredible! Qi reward incoming!"
They'd ignored fish before, ignorant of species, but had glimpsed other anglers' keep nets—good reference.
Plus, they'd seen her joy in reeling battles, so she loved a good fight.
Skip keep-net fish. Skip similar sizes unseen there.
Deeper they went.
Light faded, darkness thickened, pressure mounted, life twisted grotesquely for survival.
Thus, to the abyssal 500-meter depths.
"First... time here."
"Me... too."
Humans might panic in the void, but to nature spirits, surface or abyss—same sea.
Uperturbed, they scouted for the perfect catch to hook on Kang Seol-bin's line.
"That... fish?"
"Big... mouth only."
"That... one?"
"Just... long."
"Then... that one?"
"Weird... shape."
"You're... picky."
"Master... picky too. So... perfect."
"Ah... right. Master... scary."
No ideal specimen yet, still prowling—
"There... that fish?"
"Oh!"
Pung-jeong's point: Crystal approved instantly. Near rocks, a 1.7-meter behemoth chomping squid. Size, bulk—perfect.
"That's... it!"
"That one?"
"Yes! Perfect."
"Looks... good to me too."
Grinning in satisfaction, they began.
First: Shunt it upward to Kang Seol-bin's bait spot.
"Lift... carefully."
"Don't... kill."
Fierce currents shoved it abruptly. The beast spat its squid, jammed pectorals into rocks—but Crystal and Pung-jeong's tandem force prevailed.
Dragged up, bladder bubbling air, flailing from pressure shift. Fearing death, they monitored closely.
Finally, target reached.
"There?"
"Yes... there."
They hooked its maw on her line, then stroked the recovering monster.
"This... hook? Seems... weak."
"Help... till caught."
* * *
"Yaaawn—"
Kang Seol-bin covered her mouth, yawning hugely. Sleep deprivation hitting hard.
"Sheesh. Switched rods to wake up, but no bites..."
"Haha, got it. If it's dead quiet, I'll switch spots or pack up. Fishing can't always be hot."
Then—
Ping!
"Whoaaa?!"
The instant she felt it, her grip tightened on the rod—heavy pull!
Kang Seol-bin yelped in thrill.
"Something's on! A big one!"
Eyes wide, she sprang up, rod locked tight. Lose it now, and it'd drag the rod away.
Sleep? Vanished.
"Uwaaaah! Guys! Rod's gonna snap!"
Feet planted firm, she battled the unseen beast below, eyes sparkling.
Viewers chatted leisurely while tense Seol-bin gripped tight.
What is this?! So huge!!
She'd hooked mackerel, horse mackerel—but this thrill, this pressure? Unprecedented.
"Wh-what is it?! What the heck?!"
Flailing yet clinging, nearby anglers perked up.
"What's up? Making a racket."
"Look at that rod dive."
"Monster on the line?"
"Bushiri?"
"Nah, too much even for that."
Chiming in, they abandoned rods, sidling closer.
Fishing etiquette: Ignore your float till a biggie hits—then crowd for advice and thrills.
Don't snap it! Ease up—no, reel! Gaff? Cooler? Ice it!
Ping!
Line sang again—rod bowed deeper. Miraculous it held.
"Whoa!"
"What is it?!"
"No biggie tales from here—"
"Whoooaa!"
Seol-bin wailed as rod neared breaking point—
"Now!"
Crystal seized pectoral and caudal fins.
Wham!
Pung-jeong booted it skyward.
Splash!
"Hiii?!"
The colossal fish arced high then flopped—Seol-bin gawked at its majesty.
"Wh-wh-what! Guys! It's huge!"
Screeching breathlessly—
"Huh?! Why here?!"
"Gaff! Big gaff! It'll revive!"
"Heavens! Not here!"
"Gaff! Gaff!!!"
"Cooler? Nah, tank! Get a tank!"
"Tank where?! Net and tie it! Big net guy!!"
Anglers gaped, then erupted.