The Ghost Daoist's Miscalculation
When Awakeners and Returnees first appeared, society descended into chaos.
Would those who gained power be content merely playing the hero by slaying monsters inside gates?
Some turned their strength against those around them. Others moved with ambition.
Countries like the United States and South Korea handled the situation reasonably well. Their governments acted swiftly, embracing Awakeners and Returnees and integrating them into the democratic system.
The failures came from places like China and Russia. In nations already under communist rule, leaders were replaced by Awakeners who possessed power—or reduced to mere puppets.
China was the prime example. The president remained in name, but in reality, Returnees now ruled the country from behind the scenes.
The Ten Venerables. Ten individuals who had split China into ten regions and controlled them from the shadows.
I've heard the name, but this is the first time I've learned their true identity. To think this old man is one of the famous Ten Venerables.
Lim Dojun was currently reading the memories of the man who had attacked him.
That was how mental-type techniques worked. Success could reduce the target's mind to mush or enslave them, but failure could easily reverse the outcome.
The Ten Venerable who had foolishly tried to invade Lim Dojun's mind had come face-to-face with the Crystal Dragon's lingering will and was now in a groggy state.
His name was Wang Chen.
Even during his military days, Lim Dojun had heard of the Ten Venerables. Back then, the Special Counter-Abnormal Team had been too busy handling domestic incidents to do more than learn the names of famous overseas Returnees.
A voice echoed in his ears.
Lim Dojun could now see the man's appearance. A gaunt old man dressed in a pitch-black robe, blood tears streaming from both eyes as he sat inside an ancient-looking palace.
Lim Dojun muttered as he looked at him.
He hadn't read the full memories, only fragments, but he had at least learned the name and the nature of the power being used.
It was a technique that manipulated spiritual power. Those who advanced further became cultivators seeking immortality.
The man was a Returnee from the world of Daoists and cultivators.
The old man shouted in fury, and the connection between them snapped. Lim Dojun returned to his own body.
Honestly, he was quite surprised.
He had thought he was completely defenseless after being properly countered, yet the man had managed to defend himself in such a manner.
Even though Lim Dojun was weak against mental and soul-type magic, this opponent was genuinely formidable.
"Ghost Daoist Wang Chen."
At least he had confirmed the man's identity.
One of the Ten Venerables who ruled the Northeast—Manchuria region from the shadows.
He had also roughly pinpointed the location of the man's body.
* * *
"Kuhak… Hah… Keuuugh…"
The absolute ruler who dominated the Chinese and ethnic Koreans in Manchuria.
To outsiders, the government still appeared to function normally, but this land was actually the domain of one of the Ten Venerables.
And at the heart of that domain—
Wang Chen, seated on the top floor of a twelve-story palace, was writhing in agony.
It felt as though his brain was being torn to shreds, and blood tears continued to flow from the eyes that had been the projection point of the attack.
But the more serious damage was to his legs.
—Crack…
His head and eyes could likely be restored, but both legs were encased in ice, frozen solid.
"Kuh… If I had been even a little slower… my entire body would have turned into a block of ice…"
Wang Chen let out a self-deprecating laugh.
He had never imagined that such a small country would contain someone capable of countering his Daoist arts.
If he had known, he would never have approached in that manner.
"Just what is that guy? Simply by looking at him, this kind of backlash occurs…"
It felt just like when he had been in the other world.
During his long stay there, Wang Chen had encountered several absurd monsters known as cultivators. Beings whose power was on an entirely different level—entities that felt less like humans and more like gods.
He had felt something similar when he dove into Lim Dojun's mind.
He wasn't sure exactly what he had seen, but the sheer shock upon witnessing it had been overwhelming.
—Bang!
"My lord! Are you all right…???"
"Ah, no!? What happened here?"
His subordinates, having noticed his injury, rushed inside and were shocked by his condition.
They had only ever seen him ruling from the shadows. This was their first time witnessing such a sight.
"We must treat you immediately…"
"Quiet! Treatment is not the priority right now. Check the security first! We need to leave this place immediately!"
He had barely escaped the monster's influence, but his location had likely been exposed.
For a Returnee of this caliber, Korea and China were practically next door.
Wang Chen had to get away from this place as quickly as possible.
And if the other Ten Venerables learn of my injury, they won't stay still…
Though the Ten Venerables maintained a facade of peace, they were constantly watching for opportunities to kill one another.
If they discovered Wang Chen in this state, an attack would come immediately.
For the time being, he would have to lie low like a dead mouse.
* * *
It wasn't only Wang Chen's subordinates who noticed his injury.
Korea, Japan, Thailand, and several other Southeast Asian countries.
Among them were those who had caught Wang Chen's eye and received his slave brand.
Some had received it because of their skill, while others had received it because they held power in society.
"…The lord's presence has disappeared."
Ordinary people who had received the brand remained unaware, but Returnees could tell that the brand's power had nearly vanished.
Normally, this only happened when the caster released it or when their Daoist arts wavered. Since Wang Chen would never release it willingly, it had to be the latter.
"Who on earth… Did the Ten Venerables clash with each other?"
Everyone was shocked that one of the mighty Ten Venerables had been injured, but in any case, it was good news for them.
And in Korea, there was someone who could guess the cause.
"Kuhuhu. Could it be that person from back then…?"
The masked elder who led the Ghost Temple smiled faintly.
The one who had felt the power of the Crystal Dragon.
Just in case, he had handed over the experiment records, and not even a few months later, the slave brand had lost its power.
Could these two events truly be a coincidence?
It didn't seem so.
* * *
The government official involved in the Crystal Dragon summoning—Deputy Minister of National Defense Gang Taebeom.
Wang Chen, one of the Ten Venerables ruling the Manchuria region of China.
These were the people Lim Dojun needed to take revenge on.
He had obtained clues, but unfortunately, he couldn't move immediately.
The Deputy Minister was an ordinary person, so assassinating him would be easy at any time, but killing people so casually would cause social unrest.
Going to China wasn't easy either.
He had been able to counter the Daoist arts, but he still didn't know if he could win if the man used his full power.
Of course, with the power of dragon soul magic, he didn't think he would lose, but…
The Crystal Dragon's will is starting to waver.
That was the problem.
Wang Chen had sensed the Crystal Dragon's will and suffered a fatal injury, which had caused the will to begin running wild slightly.
It wasn't serious yet, but if he didn't extinguish the sparks before they grew, they could turn into a massive blaze.
Therefore, Lim Dojun headed to Astelgard first.
"Huu…"
He shut himself inside the training room and focused on calming his body as much as possible.
A full week.
That was how long he had spent holed up in the training room.
He had focused solely on stabilization the entire week, yet he still hadn't returned to his previous state.
I need to raise the Dragon's Body percentage as quickly as possible.
Otherwise, he would have to find another Dragon Heart fragment, but that seemed far too difficult.
It was better to achieve the easier goal first.
It's about time the topic of the Elder position came up… I should go see my master.
He had been recommended for the Elder position on Delcrein's recommendation.
Becoming an Elder of the Blue Magic Tower would greatly expand his freedom of movement and allow him to build a faction under his command.
He planned to have them search for items made from dragon bones.
With that thought, Lim Dojun stepped out of the training room.
"Ah, Dojun. You're out?"
"Senior?"
He encountered Jo Difel, who had been waiting outside.
"Are you all right?"
"Haha… No. I've been running experiments and haven't slept for a week now."
Jo Difel looked exhausted, his eyes sunken as he swayed like a zombie.
"But why are you…?"
"Ah. I wanted to ask you for a favor."
"What is it?"
Even before hearing the details, Lim Dojun wanted to help Jo Difel as much as possible.
After all, it was thanks to Jo Difel obtaining information about the Dragon Heart dungeon that he had been able to acquire dragon soul magic.
Debts must be repaid.
Lim Dojun was different from trash like Yeo Juhwan.
Even if Jo Difel didn't realize what he had done for him, Lim Dojun had no intention of ignoring the favor he had received.
"Um… Could I possibly get some Drake scales?"
"Scales?"
"Yeah. With those, the experiment would succeed, but I can't obtain them with contribution points, and they're hard to find even at the auction house."
Drakes could only be found deep within Monster Land, and while hunting them was already difficult, there was high demand for materials like their scales and bones.
It was natural that there were no listings on the market under normal circumstances.
"You have a Drake you're raising, right? Is there any way to get even a single piece?"
"Hmm… That might be a bit…"
Lim Dojun made an apologetic expression.
If it required his own effort, that would be one thing, but tearing off the Drake's scales felt wrong.
The creature had brought him Frost Fox pelts and made traveling to dungeons much easier.
"Ah… I see. Sorry for asking something difficult. It's really fine, so don't worry about it."
Feeling even more apologetic at Jo Difel's words, Lim Dojun asked,
"What kind of experiment is it? Can't it be done with other materials?"
"Remember the dungeon we went to together? Among the records there was an ancient experiment about injecting a dragon's body or blood into a human. That's how they created Dragonians."
"Oh… I see."
This sounded similar to his own situation, Lim Dojun suddenly thought.
"But there was no record of creating Dragonians. Instead, there was a record about a potion that stabilizes rampaging Dragonians. If I can succeed with that, my skills should improve significantly. The key ingredient needed for it is Drake scales."
Stabilizing a rampaging Dragonian?
Could this… possibly work on me?
He wasn't a Dragonian, but the way his Dragon's Body percentage caused rampages was similar.
If that potion could help…
He didn't expect much.
Even if it had only a slight effect, it would be worth trying.
After all, he had nothing to lose.
"Let's go tear some off right now."
Lim Dojun stood up immediately.
Sorry, Dreck.
But the master has to survive first, doesn't he?