Chapter 419: Opening the Western Continent
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 419: Opening the Western Continent
“Damn… Baek Ahyeon is seriously out of her mind.”
“Is she?”
“Yeah. Seriously… It’s not just that she creates an atmosphere of terror. Baek Ahyeon is terror itself.”
“I know…”
To me, she was just an adorable woman, but she didn’t show that side to everyone else. She was especially strict with those possessed by demons. Of course, Choi Seulgi wasn’t complaining about Baek Ahyeon. For one thing, the expression on her face looked far too pleased. It was the most vibrant and happy I’d seen her look recently, as if some great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
“You should have seen it… I thought I was pretty good at tormenting people, but compared to Ahyeon, I’m nothing. It really made me realize there are levels to this. I kind of get what So-Hye told you now…”
“……”
“I finally understand what it means when they say even the screams are different. It’s the same pain, but the screams are truly different. Can you believe that? And that’s not all. I’ve never seen a man with his tongue cut out scream so powerfully. Seriously.”
“Really?”
“Kuh… So that’s why they all talk about Baek Ahyeon. The fact that she has holy power is a huge advantage, too…”
I hadn’t seen it, but I could somehow guess what had happened. I was hesitant to ask, so I just swallowed nervously, and Choi Seulgi spoke again, likely about to give me the details.
“Baek Ahyeon…”
“Yeah.”
“She starts by… opening them up.”
“O-Opening what?”
“Everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yeah, she starts by opening everything up. From head to toe, she opens it all up. Wow… even Eunju-unni was gagging next to me. They say she’s softened up a bit these days, but she used to be the master of a murderer clan, right? Even if she wasn’t directly involved, she’s someone who’s been through it all and seen all sorts of things… It was the first time I’d ever seen her grimace. At first, I had no idea what I was watching. From the midpoint on, I watched with the intention of learning, but I’d rather not see it again if I can help it.”
“……”
“Where on earth did you meet her?”
At Choi Seulgi’s question, I carefully kept my mouth shut. In truth, it was extremely rare for Baek Ahyeon to get her own hands dirty. Usually, her inquisitors handled things, and I thought she had taken a step back from the front lines after the temple in the East was built. I guess she must have been training herself even while she was resting.
“I almost threw up myself. I was especially horrified when I saw her pull out his intestines and try to force-feed them to him. Seeing that made me worry about Ha Yuri… Seriously, what if Ha Yuri can’t handle it either?”
“The underground isn’t that bad. The inquisitors are just imitations of Ahyeon, after all… And at that point, you might as well consider him dead. If it weren’t for Baek Ahyeon, they wouldn’t have been able to keep him alive. He would have died from shock or blood loss at some point.”
“So it’s something only Baek Ahyeon can do.”
“You could say that.”
Something only Baek Ahyeon can do… Ordinary torturers don’t possess holy power on the level of her followers. Judging by the amount of holy power she used to save Choi Eunju during the battle with the undead, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Baek Ahyeon’s holy power ranked within the top three on the continent.
Naturally, those with that much holy power have no interest in torture techniques like Baek Ahyeon does. It would be more accurate to say they are typically gentle-hearted and strong in their faith. It was the kind of holy power usually obtained by those revered as saints, and Baek Ahyeon possessed it.
She was a prime example of what happens when a priest, confident she can save anyone no matter what she does to them, goes down the wrong path. That Jang Jaehyun fellow will probably spend the rest of his life regretting his past actions. It was a truly horrific price to pay for running his mouth a few times. I knew he was headed for this fate the moment he angered Choi Seulgi, but things seemed to have progressed more severely than I’d expected, and for a moment, I pitied the man.
“Did you get anything out of it?”
“Of course. After seeing that, you think the other bastards would hold out? They were tripping over each other to be the first to talk. Not that they could move in the first place… Not a single one of them was tight-lipped. Then again, it wasn’t like they knew much either. I got annoyed listening to them and just shipped them all off to the East… Still, I’d say I have a rough grasp of the Western Continent’s style. Firearms? Are they kidding… It’s laughable. This is a place where a single spell can cause hundreds of casualties, and they’re banking on those toys…”
“You only blocked them so easily because it was you. Don’t assume everyone else can do the same. To some people, those weapons could be a genuine threat. And that can’t be all they have. Even if the humans are a lost cause, the dwarves are probably not half bad.”
“I know. There’s no such thing as an easy war. I was just saying it’s funny that that’s the source of their confidence. You should have seen the looks on their faces…”
In reality, the weapons they possessed were a type with clear limitations. However, they couldn’t be considered weak. From the perspective of those who had reached a certain level, they might look like simple toys, but to those who hadn’t, they would seem like highly effective weapons.
The firepower they could display in a large-scale battle or siege would be beyond imagination, and there might even be someone who had gained a unique ability related to firearms. There was also no guarantee that firearms were all they could use. In short, information on them was urgently needed. As I mulled over various thoughts, tapping my fingers on the table, Choi Seulgi spoke again.
“By the way, what happened with the meeting?”
“Ah, you wouldn’t know.”
“Of course not… I’m on probation. Still am, actually.”
Come to think of it, Choi Seulgi was on probation for her outburst in the conference room. What was baffling was that she didn’t look like she was on probation at all. Since she had fulfilled everyone’s unspoken wish, Han So-Hye and many others were probably turning a blind eye. I looked at Choi Seulgi and held out a piece of parchment.
“The official document.”
“Ooh…”
“It’s nothing special, but…”
It was the original copy of the document held by Han So-Hye, Jang Ye Ri, Alisha, and me. Choi Seulgi, who couldn’t have heard the news, began to read the parchment I gave her with a curious expression. She was probably checking to see if it contained what she was hoping for, but I didn’t think she needed to bother.
[ The Eastern Continent is an official achievement of the East. As such, its ownership and authority are shared by the Brother's Land, Garia, and the Eveluse Kingdom. Those whom the Western Continent claims are suffering underground are war criminals who started the past war, and we officially announce that they are being punished according to the ways of the East. ]
“Not bad.”
“I didn’t write it, so I wouldn’t know.”
[ Furthermore, we judge that the Western Continent's reckless interference in the affairs of our alliance clearly contains the intent of meddling in our internal affairs. Considering the insult to the Great Tribe Leader of the Green Skins, His Supreme Dignity Blood Dagger, and the Queen of the East, Jang Ye Ri, as well as your absurd clauses, we believe your rudeness has crossed the line. We hereby officially demand an apology. ]
The look on her face as she mumbled and glanced at me was truly amusing. I could guess what she found so funny.
“Supreme Dignity?”
“I didn’t write it.”
“Who did?”
“I think it was drafted in the East…”
[ First, the Western Continent shall immediately open up everything in the West. This continent has judged that it must protect the victims of the Western Continent who serve a foolish leader. We formally request that you create a road from the East to the West so that we may travel. This road must be great and magnificent, and we declare here and now that should it fail to meet the standards of this continent, we will once again hold the Western Continent accountable for its crimes. ]
[ Second, Maria of the Western Continent shall, immediately after liberating the people of the West, officially admit to and apologize for her crimes. We formally request that appropriate compensation for these wrongdoings be made through the Great Tribe Leader of the Green Skins, Blood Dagger, and the Queen of the East, Jang Ye Ri. ]
Choi Seulgi, who was reading the parchment, chuckled and muttered.
“This is… exactly the same, isn’t it?”
“The consensus was to give them a taste of their own medicine. We don’t have time to waste on a document like this, so we decided to just be appropriately sarcastic.”
[ Third, we request that Maria of the Western Continent, immediately after admitting her guilt, receive just punishment through the Western Continent. Fourth, we formally request that you deliver the dwarves detained and imprisoned by the Western Continent to us along the road created as per the second clause. Fifth, we formally request that all who have aligned with the Western Continent not interfere in this matter. Should all of this not be carried out swiftly, we will consider it a sign that the Western Continent desires war with us. We will mobilize all our military might to completely neutralize your continent. ]
[ Furthermore, we believe that the atrocious pack who have been spouting bullshit until now have shown no respect for the Supreme Dignity of the East, and thus there is no need to show them mercy. We will make you feel the worst pain imaginable. ]
After reading the entire parchment, Choi Seulgi nodded with great satisfaction.
“So, to put it simply, it’s this, right? ‘If you don’t get on your knees and beg right now, we’ll turn the Western Continent into a sea of fire.’ No, wait. ‘We’ll turn it into a sea of fire even if you beg,’ isn’t it?”
Perhaps inspired by the phrase “Supreme Dignity,” Choi Seulgi muttered as she looked at me.
“Of course. It was already decided that we would fight anyway, so a piece of paper like that is meaningless. There was an opinion to just ignore it, but we decided to respond in the exact same manner from start to finish. I quite like it… and everyone else is satisfied…”
“Hmm… You look happy, don’t you? Kim Taesung?”
At Choi Seulgi’s words, I smiled faintly. I felt like she had seen right through me. Not that I intended to hide it, but it was a sharp observation, probably the result of watching me for a long time.
“You’re thinking something weird, aren’t you…”
“Not really.”
“Tell me.”
She looked genuinely curious. I looked at her, a smirk playing on my lips as I spoke. It was something I had been thinking about from the start. The Green Skins, who were currently living peaceful lives, needed a new stimulus. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the Western Continent had appeared at the perfect time, right after I became the Great Tribe Leader.
As I continued to grin, Choi Seulgi spoke again.
“Hurry up and tell me, you bastard. Are you going to keep me in suspense?”
It wasn’t something I needed to hide anyway. I tapped my fingers on the table and answered her.
“I’m going to open up the Western Continent.”
“……”
“What do you mean? Can you just do that?”
“This isn’t something I’m asking their permission for. It’s just about lifting the restrictions that have been in place until now.”
She was smart, so she probably understood what I was saying. At my words, Choi Seulgi nodded as well, a pleased smile spreading across her face.
“Fucking hell… Kim Taesung, you devil bastard…”
I really didn’t think I’d be hearing that from Choi Seulgi, of all people.