Chapter 193
Chapter 193
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: Paju Samneung
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A massive full moon hung high in the dark night sky.
We were approaching Gongeung Mountain in a van that Yeom Geum-ja had arranged for us.
It was barely a mountain in terms of height, but the slope was steep enough. As we reached a spot where we could overlook the surroundings, Seo Cheon-seul spoke up.
"Kim, is that it? Paju Samneung?"
"Yeah."
"Those filthy goblins have unleashed snakes on the tombs."
My eyesight couldn't make it out that far, but I'd expected as much.
Paju Samneung consisted of three tombs—Gongeung, Yeongeung, and Suneung—arranged in a triangle across about 600 meters of space.
They'd probably released an insane number of snakes at all three sites.
"It's a ritual to amplify the yin energy."
"Hmm, overflowing with yin energy, just as you said. Looks like the ceremony's already underway to some extent."
"It's not too late yet. In fact, it's perfect timing."
For a moment, my senses picked up something odd.
"Ugh, this is as far as we go. Driver, pull over."
"Yes, sir."
The stoic driver that Yeom Geum-ja had assigned stopped the van. If Jang Hyeon-deok's car hadn't been totaled, we could've gone farther, but this one couldn't handle it.
"We walking from here?"
"Yeah, there's a barrier. We're almost there anyway."
After getting out and taking a few steps, we reached the expansive barrier enveloping Gongeung Mountain.
It was hard to see in the darkness, but let's take a look... Yeah. Red-tinged haze was rising from it.
Confirming the barrier, Seo Cheon-seul's face darkened with anger.
"Ugh, it's made the same way as the one around Thousand Gold Hall. Those rotten goblins, twisting King Man-geum's teachings like this."
Just as Seo Cheon-seul said, it was a similar incantation to the one surrounding Thousand Gold Hall. But unlike the yang energy overflowing there, this barrier was made of blood and yin energy.
No, wait. Besides blood and yin—
"Cheon-geum, there's something else mixed in too, right?"
"Chuksi Sangchung-sal. Looks like those greedy bastards are making full use of the mountain offerings you brought them."
"Ah, ox and sheep energy?"
It was a different foundation from my magic, so it was hard to identify. Fortunately, Seo Cheon-seul elaborated on the barrier's effects.
"It repels outsiders, sows discord, severs brotherly bonds, deteriorates health, causes financial losses, and even summons nightmares."
The health decline, discord, and sibling strife seemed like side effects, but the rest weren't negligible.
"Financial ruin and nightmares. It's aimed at Cheon-geum, huh?"
"Spot on, Kim. That's why it's a bit inconvenient for me to break through."
Since his foundation was gold and dreams.
"Don't worry. I'll handle it."
"You were acting like you'd never seen it before, and now you're breaking it?"
"Once you know the components, they're all pretty similar."
In the game, I never had a chance to understand the detailed structure. No need to—I just hit a button.
But now it was different.
My Intelligence stat and the knowledge I'd gained from studying magic tomes allowed for new insights.
"Yin energy just needs to be overwhelmed with yang, right?"
I raised the Sa-in Cham-jeong Sword.
Sa-in (Four Tigers).
Forged in the hour, day, month, and year of the Tiger, it embodied the power of the tiger itself. Even King Man-geum, master of gold and dreams, had consecrated this blade.
[SSS-grade weapon Sa-in Cham-jeong Sword (Green Lord) unique function 'Heavenly Flame Image' activates.
// Heavenly Flame Image: All flame-based magic effects increased by 100%.]
[Flames that burn sin.]
Roooar—
Empowered by the tiger's energy, the pure yang flames burned white-hot, devouring the yin barrier.
Craaaack—
'Big enough for us to pass through, so carefully now.'
Seo Cheon-seul could smash it with brute force too.
But that would draw every cultist and goblin inside.
I restrained the flames from spreading wildly and adjusted the range.
A clean hole sliced open like with a scalpel.
Kiiiiik—
And reconstruction.
[System: Hidden trait 'Inheritor of the Corpse Pile' activates.]
Not meant for this purpose, but I invoked it to supply yin energy.
The barrier stabilized with a hole just big enough for the two of us.
"There. Easy, right?"
"Breaking it like that is no issue. Impressive precision."
Whoever made it wouldn't even notice something was wrong with their own barrier.
Seo Cheon-seul, who had looked amazed, turned serious for a moment.
"But Kim, that wasn't just King Man-geum's power. You drew on someone else's too?"
"Uh—"
Not an expression I could brush off with a joke.
"—Yeah."
"Even humans, goblins, or those vile goblins don't carry as many things as you do, Kim."
"True."
"If those goblins could serve both King Man-geum and Blood Demon King at once, they would have. Hoard too many, and eventually you'll go mad—or your soul and spirit will shatter."
Unfortunately, I was already mad.
And my recent mental fractures might not be insanity, but symptoms of a shattered soul and spirit.
"Anyway, later for that."
I pointed ahead as I spoke. Seo Cheon-seul grinned the moment he looked.
"Ah. We've got work to do."
He flipped on his half-face mask.
"Wh-who goes there!?"
A cultist from the Gourmet Expedition finally spotted us.
Grotesque with a horn on his forehead, but his magic power was nothing special.
This was near the peak of Gongeung Mountain. Probably a lookout.
[Shadow Veil]
[Sound Distortion]
Shadows blocked his vision, and a barrier warped sound around us.
Understanding my intent, Seo Cheon-seul yelled "Alright!" and charged with his vajra staff.
BOOM!
A massive noise, flash, and shockwave erupted, but no one else would hear or see it.
Seo Cheon-seul twisted and slammed the captured cultist, subduing him completely before bursting into laughter.
"Bwahaha! Looks like we're reenacting the legend of the egg goblin crossing Bongil Valley!"
"Egg goblin?"
"Yeah. Legend has it faceless goblins and half-faced ones roam these parts, bewitching folks."
"Ah?"
What nonsense, like something out of Jang Hyeon-deok's mouth.
"I thought it was just street gossip, but maybe it was prophecy for today."
"Nah, I think it's just street gossip."
"Bwahaha! Anyway, great. Looks like we go that far and we're done."
Seo Cheon-seul zipped ahead.
The cultists' ritual was warping reality around here.
Thanks to that, he could cover three or four steps in one stride.
"Ugh—wait up!"
My frail body wasn't used to mountain hiking. Catching a hyped-up goblin was impossible.
Seo Cheon-seul had already reached the peak ahead, smashed another cultist—thwack! "Argh!"—and was watching me pant.
"Not just naturally frail—curses cling to your body. Magic items and divine relics compensate, but the curses are too strong to fully benefit."
[Stamina Reduction], [Muscle Weakness], [Health Decline]... The names of the curses on me.
"Haa—hoo. I got other things in exchange for enduring them."
"You're in a dangerous state no matter how you slice it, Kim."
"The most dangerous thing tonight isn't me—it's Bongil Valley. Look. It's starting."
Crimson magic power surged from all directions.
And in the center of Paju Samneung, an otherworldly ritual unfolded.
"Damn. I've heard 'blasphemous ritual' tossed around, but this is the real deal."
* * *
Gongeung Mountain, where Kim Shin-hwa and Seo Cheon-seul stood, lay to the west of Paju Samneung.
A bit farther east.
Gongeung, where Queen Dowager Yejongbi Jang Sunwanghu slept, and Suneung, where Gonghye Wanghu, consort of King Seongjong, rested.
And Yeongeung, for Crown Prince King Jinzong Sohwangje and Hyosun Sohwanghu.
In the center of the triangle spanning some 600 meters, a truly bizarre ritual was underway.
"Hehehe—heh-heh—huh-ah—eh-heh—eh—heh-eero-ya—"
"Eh—heh eh-eh—heh-eero-ya—"
"Yah—heh-eh—uh-heh—uh—huh-ee—uh-heh—ya."
Under the glaring full moon, eerie songs and music spread out hauntingly.
Not real words with meaning, but those with innate talent could draw special power from these vocalizations.
Dokkaebi of alien forms sang and danced as they dug into the earth.
"Ugh—indigestion."
The elephant-headed shaman clutched his belly, grimacing.
Amid gut-wrenching pain, something snakelike or tentacular writhed beneath his skin.
"That bastard Ho Sang-hyeon."
A pig-headed woman approached him.
"The one who ruined the masquerade?"
"Yeah. Tougher than expected."
"If the Captain bestows power, you'll digest it soon enough."
"Right. And preparations are nearly complete."
The Gourmet Expedition cultists watching the Dokkaebi ritual let out grotesque laughs.
Dozens of them, heads resembling oxen, pigs, and sheep—not masks, but actual mutations.
"Looks like preparations are almost done."
The Dokkaebi pit was nearly finished.
Like digging a grave.
Indeed, they planned a fourth tomb here in Paju Samneung, unneeded.
"The Dokkaebi have completed the 귀혈."
Ssssh—
Hundreds of snakes swarmed the graves in three directions.
Yeom Geum-ja had prepared fewer, but they multiplied by splitting.
The massive snakes tangled and twisted into horrific, repulsive shapes.
"Now pour in the sacred blood!"
Dokkaebi hidden in shadows approached, dancing in chilling, bizarre ways.
"Eh-eh-eh—heh-heh-huh-ah—eh-heh-heh—huh-ee-ya!"
"Heh-eh-ee—eh-ya—no-ho—ho-oh-heh—"
All with grotesquely swollen bellies.
At the pit, they vomited the blood they held.
"Guweeeek! Guoooork!"
Torrents of blood poured out.
The wickedly enchanted dry pit writhed like a starving beast's maw, greedily gulping it down.
Blood-red yin-infused magic shot toward the sky.
"If we could achieve the Captain's descent tonight, but this ritual lays the foundation for the great descent to come!"
The shaman shouted to the cultists and Dokkaebi around.
"The day the [White Servant] returns from beyond our world. Our Captain shall feast on the banquet's offerings and awaken with crimson blood!"
Cultists, steeped in religious zeal and evil madness, clamored.
"Our buried Captain will grant miracles."
"The only way to survive annihilation!"
"Yes! True salvation!"
"Humanity saved by our efforts!"
Their hearts were pure and upright.
Even straightforward and clear.
"With this, all humans will gain power like ours!"
"Share the ability to eat anything!"
"Even the faithless will eat rocks, dirt, monsters, and yokai like us!"
Watching the cultists' cries, the shaman smiled in satisfaction.
"Yes, yes. That's the mark of a true believer."
A proper faithful heart follows teachings of great salvation, saving even the nonbelievers.
* * *
Meanwhile, farther east from the ritual site.
Beyond Suneung, where hundreds of snakes writhed, in the forest.
Three trucks arrived at the limit of vehicle access.
Their cargo beds held massive iron cages draped in thick tarps.
The contents thrashed, emitting foul odors and noises even now.
"We've arrived."
The lead driver's cautious words to Yeom Geum-ja in the passenger seat.
"What a shitshow."
Muttering curses with eyes closed, Yeom Geum-ja slowly opened them.
She pulled out her smartphone and called Kim Shin-hwa.
"We're here. Exactly 200, all alive, like you said."
- Good, spot on. I see them from here. I'll open the barrier and signal soon. Get ready.
Kim Shin-hwa hung up after finishing.
Yeom Geum-ja closed her eyes again and muttered.
"Damn it, how'd I get dragged into this crap..."