Wuyuan Pharmacy
Gangwan Village in Wuyuan County, Jiujiang Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, was much larger than I had anticipated. When I was told it wasn't a "large" village, I had pictured the rural countryside of Korea from my past life, but I was sorely mistaken. This place was large enough to easily be called a city. I suppose in China, where everything is massive, a place of this scale didn't even qualify as big.
"Are there other villages in Wuyuan County besides this one?" I asked.
"There are several other villages besides Gangwan," Biwol replied. "Most notably, Likeng, a countryside village where the great beauty of spring is said to melt into the landscape, is nearby. Would you like to visit?"
"No, that's alright. We haven't even finished exploring this place yet, so let's keep looking around."
As we strolled through the market district, the streets were bustling with people, likely because it was the middle of the day. Fortunately, since both Biwol and I—with our uniquely striking and highly conspicuous appearances—were wearing veils, we didn't draw too much attention. The scenery looked like something straight out of a manhwa or a movie, and I found myself slowly taking in the sights as we walked.
As we walked, I turned to Biwol and asked, "There is something I wish to ask you."
"Speak, and I shall answer in detail," she replied.
"Why do you hate the world so much?"
Through the sheer black fabric of her veil, I gazed into Biwol's crimson eyes. Her gaze seemed lost in thought. After a brief hesitation, she slowly began to speak.
"As you might have guessed from my appearance when we first met, I am from the North Sea Ice Palace."
"The North Sea Ice Palace. I see."
I nodded as if I understood, but having never cared for martial arts novels in my past life, I had no idea what the North Sea Ice Palace actually was. I simply assumed it was exactly what it sounded like—some place in the far north where people practiced ice-attributed martial arts—and let it go.
"My mother brought me with her when she traveled to the Central Plains alone," Biwol continued. "However, we were captured by bandits and were on the verge of being sold into human trafficking. Just then, martial artists of the Orthodox sects happened to be passing by. Naturally, we cried out for help."
She stopped walking and stood perfectly still.
"But they simply walked past. The bandits who had captured my mother and me were none other than the Green Forest Bandits, and it seemed those Orthodox martial artists were no match for them."
"My goodness... What happened then?"
"I managed to slip away under the cover of night, but my mother was... by those bastards..."
"You do not have to say any more."
"No, it is fine. It is all in the past now. At any rate, to exact my revenge on the Green Forest Bandits, I trained in martial arts on my own, begged for aid from anyone who would listen, and did everything within my power. Yet, not a single soul helped me. So, I resolved to fight them alone, even if it meant my death. But while I was away, a rather interesting thing occurred."
"An interesting thing?"
"When I arrived, the mountain stronghold was already burning, and there was nothing but corpses. Bandits were hanging by their necks all over the place, dangling like grotesque fruit."
"..."
"And left behind at the scene was a single name: the 'Blood Heaven Sect.' I spent years chasing their trail until I finally joined them. Once inside, I found countless others just like me."
As the wind stirred her veil, I caught a glimpse of her deeply subdued crimson eyes.
"Those who lost their wives and children to the conflicts of martial artists but received no help from anyone; those whose sisters were violated by the Unorthodox but ignored by the Orthodox; those whose wives were stolen by Orthodox hypocrites... Countless people like that had gathered there."
She turned her head and looked straight at me.
"They were all mad. It was impossible to survive without losing one's mind. To fight monsters, we became even more brutal monsters ourselves. We captured countless martial artists outside of our sect and offered them as sacrifices, grinding away tens of thousands of lives. And the god forged from those sacrifices stands right before my eyes."
"..."
"And I remained behind to serve you, Lord Unwol, as you take your first steps into the world."
"That is a heavy tale."
Staring into my eyes with her bottomless crimson gaze, she spoke.
"Lord Unwol, this is the story of the countless vengeful spirits dwelling within both my body and yours."
"...It is tragic, but I still have no intention of fulfilling your desires."
She stared at me for a long moment before slowly nodding once.
"Even so, I shall remain by your side until the very end. You possess infinite time, Lord Unwol, and I have become a being of the same nature. I merely wish to see how our desires ultimately unfold."
"..."
I stood frozen for a moment, then silently turned away and continued walking. I had expected as much, but hearing it directly left a bitter taste in my mouth. Still, I had absolutely no intention of acting according to their wishes.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind.
After all, it's just a game setting, isn't it? None of these people actually exist.
The moment that thought took root, everything around me suddenly felt alien. The wind fluttering through my hair, the drifting leaves and flowers, the people chatting with one another... The realization that all of this might be fake, nothing more than a pre-written script, made my heart sink like a heavy stone.
Maybe if I die, I'll finally return to my original world?
For a split second, the temptation to do as she said—to slaughter everyone and let myself be subjugated—flickered in my mind.
But what if it isn't? What if this isn't a well-crafted script, but actual reality...? I don't know what's real anymore. What on earth is happening...
Feeling my vision blur, I took a deep breath to clear my head. My will to perceive the world around me had grown slightly faint. I kept taking deep breaths, desperate to feel that where I stood was real.
The scent of spring flowers and fresh grass mingled together, filling my lungs and soothing my twisted stomach.
"Whew. Shall we keep going?"
Forcing a smile, I took a step forward. Just then, a loud commotion erupted inside a nearby tavern. The sound of shattering furniture and terrified screams echoed out.
Curious, I stepped inside the tavern to see what was happening. Two groups of thugs were facing off, weapons drawn. One side wore red martial robes, indicating they were likely from the Red Fang Gang, while the other side wore mismatched clothing, though they seemed to be martial artists of the Black Summit Sect.
"You son of a bitch! You think you can pull this crap in our territory and walk away?!"
"You bastards were the ones who picked a fight with the Black Summit Sect first!"
They snarled at each other before instantly lunging forward, swords clashing in a chaotic brawl. Their numbers were roughly equal, but the Red Fang Gang fighters possessed superior skill, gradually pushing the Black Summit Sect martial artists back.
Slash!
"Argh!"
One of the Black Summit Sect fighters took a deep slash to the chest, spraying blood as he collapsed. Soon, the other Black Summit Sect members, suffering various wounds and finding themselves utterly overwhelmed, exchanged quick glances before turning tail and fleeing in unison.
"Get those bastards!"
"Don't let a single one escape!"
The Red Fang Gang thugs rushed to pursue the fleeing men, heading straight for the exit. But as they did, one of them slammed hard into me as I stood near the entrance.
Thud!
The Red Fang thug who collided with me bounced off and tumbled backward onto the floor. Embarrassed by his clumsy fall, he scrambled to his feet, pointing a trembling finger at me in a fit of rage.
"You dare?!"
As the Red Fang thug screamed at me, even his companions who had been chasing the Black Summit Sect turned around to look.
"Do you have any idea who we are, standing there with your back so straight?!"
I offered a thin smile and asked, "And who might you be?"
He scanned my appearance. Noting my rather luxurious robes, he suppressed his anger slightly and barked, "Ha! I don't know where you're from or who you are, but I am a martial artist of the Red Fang Gang! Apologize to me this instant!"
"Ah, is that so?"
"Yes! So—"
"Then stop bothering me and get the hell out of my sight."
A sudden silence fell over the tavern. The trembling patrons, the terrified waiter, and even the other Red Fang thugs stared at me in stunned silence.
The thug standing in front of me wore a look of utter disbelief. My mind was already a chaotic mess, and the thought of some trash-tier game NPC getting angry at me made my words come out harsh and biting.
"Y-You bastard! What did you just say?!"
"Should I repeat myself?"
I replied, my voice dropping to an even colder register. "Go back to doing whatever it was you were doing. And stop annoying me."
"You arrogant bastard!"
He thrust his sword toward me with blinding speed.
Whoosh!
I stepped back slightly, easily dodging his blade, but the wind generated by the strike blew my veil away. Startled by the sudden revelation of my pale skin and striking crimson eyes, the thug froze, staring at my face in shock.
I swiftly reached out and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground. Perhaps because of the Blood Demon's physical strength, lifting a grown man with a single hand felt as effortless as holding a feather.
"C-Cough... You...!"
"I gave you a chance, yet you insisted on testing my patience."
Instinctively, I realized I could drain this man's energy. Channeling the sensation of absorbing the power circulating within his body into my hand, the man's flesh began to wither, rapidly shriveling up like a dried mummy.
Once I had drained every last drop of his essence, I felt his life slip away and tossed his desiccated corpse onto the floor. I felt one of the countless lives existing within my body being newly replenished.
Watching this unfold, one of the remaining Red Fang thugs shrieked in terror.
"T-The Absorption Demon Art?!"
I turned my head to glare at the speaker. Extending my hand toward one of the three remaining thugs, I unleashed a burst of blood energy. The energy manifested as a spectral hand, instantly wrapping around the man's neck and dragging him violently toward me.
Grab!
I seized his throat and immediately drained all of his energy as well.
"Aaargh!"
The two surviving thugs scrambled to escape, desperate to get as far away from me as possible.
"A-A demon!"
"Save me!"
As I watched them calmly, Biwol leapt forward like a flash of lightning, her straight saber slicing through both of their necks in a single fluid motion.
Slash!
Their heads flew from their shoulders, and their headless bodies stumbled for a moment before collapsing in heaps.
With all four Red Fang thugs dead in the blink of an eye, the tavern patrons stared at us, holding their breath in sheer terror. Now that the deed was done, I suddenly wondered if I had committed an act of evil.
...Well, those thugs were the ones causing trouble in the tavern. So technically, didn't I just do a good deed?
Letting out a soft sigh, I quickly spoke up in a bright, cheerful tone.
"My, my. How dare those thugs cause such a ruckus in a tavern. Well, there is no need to worry, everyone. I have taken care of them."
Despite my reassuring words, the crowd remained frozen, not daring to move a muscle.
"Well... please, go back to enjoying your meals."
Feeling incredibly awkward, I maintained my smile and stepped out of the tavern. The moment I emerged, I was met with the sight of the village folk, all stiff with tension. Given our appearance—white hair and clothes drenched in fresh blood—their reaction was entirely understandable. To make matters worse, my veil had been blown away because of that thug.
I raised a hand to brush my hair back, but stopped when I noticed the blood coating my fingers. Feeling the weight of everyone's terrified gazes, I kept my smile intact and spoke.
"It is nothing to worry about. I merely punished some wicked men, so please, carry on with your day."
With a pleasant grin, I leisurely made my departure.