Chapter 87
Whenever I first entered a patient's dream, I'd always started right near them without a single exception so far. This time should be no different. If luck was on my side, I might run into them right away.
"Hmm..."
I quickly scanned my surroundings. Just a dusty plain. Not enough info to pin down the era or location.
...At least it doesn't look like a death trap from the get-go.
And my outfit? Loose sleeves on a white silk robe. I couldn't choose my starting clothes or location, but the initial garb was one clue to figuring out what kind of world this was.
"Nailed it, huh?"
Nam Hae-su was a huge wuxia novel fan, but his dream was set in the old-school era right before P's aptitude test machine came along. I'd been a bit worried this time too, but Mao Zai had gone with our guess: the "medieval" period.
That's when I spotted it. A group of people? My heart pounded. A long line of carriages was approaching from behind me.
"This is..."
Should I run? The carriages were escorted by a ragged mix of infantry and cavalry—probably fresh off some brutal battle, judging by their sorry state.
Whoosh~
"State your identity."
"...A lost traveler."
My heart raced. The man leading the carriage train had vanished from in front of me, only to appear at my back in an instant.
Shing—
And his sword was already at my throat.
When the hell?! I hadn't even reacted.
"My apologies. It was unseemly to draw steel on an unarmed commoner like you."
Shing—
He slowly sheathed his blade, then clasped his left palm over his right fist in apology.
Baoguan. The classic wuxia greeting. Not definitive yet, but it sure looked like I'd landed in a martial world.
Whether this is the world of Is This the True Story of the Heavenly Demon? is still up in the air.
No point rushing and getting myself killed pointlessly. For now, I'd settle for nailing the era.
"Think nothing of it. I was the one blocking the road."
"Hmph. Bandits haunt these parts often—best head back quick. Curiosity can bring big trouble."
"I'll keep that in mind!"
"...Very well."
Flutter~
The man dramatically swirled his baggy blue martial robes and returned to the caravan. But splitting like this meant zero info gained. So I spoke up first.
In situations like this...
I'd use the conversation tips from Song Seon-yeong's dad, the wuxia expert.
"Great hero."
"Hmph. 'Great hero' is too much—'young hero' suffices."
His words said one thing, but his face told the truth: pure delight!
Jackpot! Called him 'great hero' and his affinity shot right up.
Great hero. Literally "grand hero." A title reserved for respected martial artists in the jianghu. Subjective as hell, though—used like "boss" or "ma'am" these days.
"Fate's brought us together. Might I know the great hero's name?"
"'Great hero'... Ahem! I am Cheong-hun, first disciple of the Wudang Divine Sword Changwol, esteemed elder of the Wudang Sect."
"Whoa! The disciple of the Wudang Divine Sword great hero, who slays countless villains and once pushed the Sword Demon—right-hand man of the Heavenly Demon—to the brink of a cliff! Forgive my ignorance of such a legend!"
Wudang Divine Sword Changwol. That sealed it.
This is definitely the world of Is This the True Story of the Heavenly Demon?!
The Wudang Divine Sword was a bigwig like the vice-chancellor of the Wudang "university." Yet one of the Three Great Pushovers who showered priceless wisdom on the protagonist—a total outsider.
Wudang Divine Sword. Huashan Divine Sword. Je Wang Divine Sword.
In the wuxia novel Is This the True Story of the Heavenly Demon?, they're hailed as the Heavenly Three Swords.
But the key summary called them the "Pushover Three Swords" for their endless generosity to the protag.
"Haha! No need for flattery. Impressive that a non-martial artist knows so much."
"I'm a huge fan..."
Who wouldn't be? Bare-handed rock-smashing, sea-splitting martial arts.
"I see. If you've no other issues, care to travel to the city with us? As I said, bandits prowl here often, targeting caravans."
"I wouldn't dare impose..."
"Haha! Nonsense. Protecting commoners is a Wudang disciple's duty. Wuliangshou fo."
"Thank you."
"No burden at all. Truth be told, I could use the company."
True to his master, the Wudang Divine Sword's disciple! Generous to a fault.
How could I not like this guy?
For a cheapskate like me, my affinity for him skyrocketed. And I learned something key: the wuxia novel Is This the True Story of the Heavenly Demon? was veering wildly off-script.
"A fine chat."
"Hero Cheong-hun! My thanks for your kindness!"
"Haha! Stay safe ahead."
"You bet!"
Tak!
We parted as soon as we hit the nearest city. I bid farewell with a smooth baoguan I'd picked up in half a day.
...Nice start.
Not bad. But in this dog-eat-dog world crawling with martial artists, I was total prey. Until I learned some kung fu, stealth was survival.
Gurgle.
"......"
Money was a must to avoid starving or sleeping rough. How long till I fixed this broke-ass start every dream dive?
Long road ahead.
If not for Seon-yeong's key summary, I'd be screwed for real.
The approach differed from the romance fantasy I Became the Youngest Daughter of the Count Family. Kim Eun-jeong as Lady Anjilina Chimac only cared about collecting hot guys—and she feared derailing the plot. Ended up failing anyway, since she couldn't mimic the protagonist.
But this patient? "What a pain."
Mao Zai wasn't following the plot at all. No qualms about his whims rewriting the future. No clue which volume we were even at. Total mess!
So centering on the protagonist "disciple of the Heavenly Demon" wouldn't help. Only immutable lore worked—like spots hiding powerful martial manuals.
"If east is that way..."
Sun rises east, so leaves and vines grow that way for max light. Plug in the rough map of this world and treasure spots? Off to the nearest "treasure" from this city.
Gurgle.
"...Gotta hustle."
Tempting to snatch a street vendor's dumplings and bolt, but it'd brand me "that passing thief" instantly. Pass.
Day labor? I'd rather eat desert lizards and camp!
Decision made.
Headed for the rocky mountain hiding the treasure.
* * *
In the wuxia novel Is This the True Story of the Heavenly Demon?, Mao Zai had probably claimed all the "major treasures." But he couldn't remember every spot from volume 215—didn't expect to end up here himself.
"...Bingo."
A cave mouth naturally carved by eons of cracking rock. Spiderwebs and dry vines screamed "undiscovered."
Swish swish~
I swept obstacles with the staff I'd made en route and pushed inside. My dust-caked clothes were rags already. Sturdy modern sneakers? These flimsy things were holey messes.
Didn't think of this.
Dark. Pitch black, zero light.
Tap tap.
Like a blind man, I probed ahead cautiously with the staff, inching forward. One misstep into a pit or cliff in this void? Survive by luck, sure—but starve lost in the dark!
Too deep...?
The novel glossed over it: "The badly wounded protagonist fled into the cave." No biggie, I thought. But hindsight: to shake the absolute top-tier Wudang Divine Sword? This depth made sense.
"......"
Deeper in, breathing grew labored. Even pro swimmers would tap out—my Olympic lungs were barely holding.
No.
Martial artists with their superhuman powers? This was a joke to them. Only sucked 'cause I was a powerless commoner, like his disciple said.
Am I gonna die like this?
Worried now. Too far to backtrack. Get lost and croak? Next dive starts here—total reset. Worst case.
Death weakens the body again, wastes Seon-yeong's summary prep.
Unforeseen crisis! Die pointless, and my real-world athleticism drops to normie levels—bye, pro career.
Drip...
Not really dying, but sweat poured from tension anyway. How far did I go like that?
Twinkle!
"Gah!"
Faint blue-green light seeped into the black void.
Twinkle twinkle!
Closer, brighter, stronger.
Night-luminescent pearl!
Wuxia staple: self-glowing gem, electric-free fluorescent light. Rare and pricey...
Means this is the spot.
The treasure hideout I sought.
Twinkle twinkle!
"Whoa..."
The pearl's soft green bathed a spacious chamber. Breathing still sucked, but a small pool from wall drips could quench thirst.
Drinkable?
Arm-thick white fish swam peacefully. Novel never mentioned them—edible unknown. Lizard from earlier not fully digested, so last resort.
"Alright then..."
Now the real deal. This cave: protagonist's hideout after fleeing the Wudang Divine Sword. He dodged pursuit, looted a dead martial artist's relics...
"Hey there. Bummed it's not the protagonist?"
"......"
No reply from the skeleton on the flat rock.
"He said your kung fu sucked and gifted it to his girlfriend. Harsh, right?"
"......"
"But I'll put it to good use. Your lifetime of inner energy essence too."
A pea-sized orb sat in the skeleton's pelvic bones. Inner energy essence. Power crystallized.
Most martial artists? Dead is dead. But prepared natural death like this? Different.
Protag used it as a healing pill...
For empty-handed me? Rain in drought.
"Just swallow?"
What if it digests to shit? Worse than protag's waste.
"......"
Original owner, just bones, stayed silent.
Oh yeah, the manual!
The martial arts manual! The tragic one the protag forgot after gifting. Never used till volume 215 end. I gingerly picked up the book detailing acquisition methods and opened it.
"Hmm..."
This the kung fu formula?
「The virtuous are teachers to the deficient self; the wicked, a source of wealth to the abundant. Honor the nameless successor of the Way, and bestow broadly upon the people like even dew on leaves.」
"No clue."
Song Seon-yeong's jab hit me: You're the world's most pathetic fool if you can't even eat what's given.
In deep shit.
Gonna turn into a real idiot.