The Radiant Ascension Diagram
Cheon Yu-un, who had fainted, only opened his eyes late in the evening.
He rose from the bed clutching his temple. His complexion still looked poor, as if the aftereffects lingered.
“…This is the lodging.”
Cheon Yu-un said as he looked around. Gathered about him were me, Jegal Mo-sun, Yeon Ye-ha, and Seomun So-ryeo. The entire First Squad had been waiting for him to wake.
“You’ve come to, sir. That’s a relief. Is there anywhere that still troubles you?”
Jegal Mo-sun asked him. Cheon Yu-un answered after drawing a slow breath.
“A slight headache. Nothing serious. …Can you tell me why I’m here?”
“Number 123 brought you back to the lodging.”
Cheon Yu-un’s gaze turned toward me, arms folded as I leaned against the wall.
“When the planned time came and you still hadn’t shown, I went looking. I happened to pick up a trail, followed it, and found you collapsed on a mountain path.”
“…A mountain path? I was lying on a mountain path?”
“That’s right.”
“Was it really a mountain path?”
“You don’t believe me?”
“It isn’t that. I simply can’t make sense of it. I was inside a certain cavern on Baeksan. That’s where I lost consciousness.”
“I know nothing about any cavern, but I did hear something collapsing somewhere nearby.”
Cheon Yu-un sank into thought. His mouth twisted for a moment. Then, recovering his composure, he bowed his head to me.
“Thank you for helping me. I won’t forget this debt.”
“Pay it back someday.”
“Of course. But was there anything near me when I was down?”
What Cheon Yu-un was looking for would be the White Yang Flower. That was already inside the Radiant Ascension Diagram, undergoing enhancement.
“There was something.”
“…There was? Where is it now?”
I gave Jegal Mo-sun a look.
“I’m currently examining that black heart.”
“…Black heart?”
Cheon Yu-un’s eyes widened. I spoke to him calmly.
“It was lying near you. Looked unusual, so I took it.”
“This is it. I’ve sealed it with talismans just in case… though it probably won’t do much.”
Jegal Mo-sun pulled the black heart, plastered with talismans, from a drawer and showed it.
“…A black heart, literally. What in the world is this? A human heart?”
“Judging by the shape, it is a human heart. There’s a puncture mark from a short blade. In my opinion it was a material for some sorcery. Similar ingredients go into creating jiangshi.”
“…I see. Can we track who made it, and where?”
“Sorcery that uses the human body is generally called heretical arts.”
“The unorthodox side, then.”
“Yes. And though I hesitate to say it, it could even be from our own Cult.”
“…….”
Cheon Yu-un closed his mouth and fell into thought again. He would be guessing at the identity of his attacker. I would not rise onto the list of suspects. Cheon Yu-un believed I was weaker than himself.
“Number 88. Aren’t you curious about the plan?”
At Jegal Mo-sun’s words, Cheon Yu-un snapped back to himself.
“I was too deep in thought. How did the plan go? Don’t tell me it failed.”
“It succeeded. Just as you suggested, placing the sorcery on the Wooden Man Peak and leaving it at the designated spot proved effective. It was an excellent location. The Heavenly Demon Cult, the Heavenly Righteous Alliance, and the Baeksan Geum Clan all discovered the Wooden Man Peak at the same time.”
“Good that it went according to plan. The Baeksan Geum Clan moved first, I assume?”
“Yes. The sorcery laid on the false Wooden Man Peak prevented them from judging its authenticity. With warriors of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Heavenly Righteous Alliance nearby, the anxious Baeksan Geum Clan moved to seize it.”
“So a battle broke out as planned. Who won?”
“Our Cult, of course. From the start the Heavenly Righteous Alliance had the weakest force here at Baeksan Fortress. We had to watch the Baeksan Geum Clan carefully, but fortunately when they stepped forward both the Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Cult ended up facing them together.”
“Our Ipmaso is currently at the Heavenly Demon Cult’s Baeksan Fortress branch.”
“Yes. The Head of Ipmaso and Number 567 performed outstandingly. Without Number 567’s efforts the plan might well have failed.”
“…Fortunate. I have no face to show. Because I fainted…”
“It’s fine. Things worked out. What we need to do now is not assign blame, but finish the plan.”
At this moment only we knew of the plan. We had devised and executed it in order to earn good marks on Ipmaso’s second examination.
To say it was merely for grades would be an understatement—Ipmaso held the rest of our lives in its hands.
“I’ll report to the Head of Ipmaso myself.”
“Will he believe it so easily?”
“I’ve already dropped bait for him. He’ll believe it. For the time being we have nothing to do, so rest well.”
“Good words. The plan succeeded and Number 88 seems all right, so let’s disband here.”
No one objected.
Everyone exchanged brief farewells and left. I naturally headed for the Doyang Gate. Before going I glanced at Cheon Yu-un’s face. It was set like stone, heavy with worry.
I entered Yeon Ye-ha’s room around midnight.
The door was unlocked. She sat quietly on the bed. She had expected me to come.
She turned her gaze toward me. I was wearing a mask.
“You didn’t use the transparency sorcery today.”
“There was a slight problem with the technique.”
I approached her. With the blindfold I held I covered her eyes, then sealed her internal energy with the usual pressure-point strikes.
I considered binding her hands, then decided against it. What I intended tonight was not rape.
“Ten questions for one truth.”
“…That seems rather many. Make it five.”
“If you don’t like it, forget it.”
I drew a black cord from my robes—the cord meant for binding Yeon Ye-ha’s wrists.
“…All right. Ten questions.”
I stepped in front of her. I stripped off the stifling mask and every scrap of clothing. My cock stood stiff, more excited than usual—because of the battle that afternoon.
I slowly undressed her. Soft rustles of cloth against skin filled the quiet room. I unwrapped the bandages that compressed her breasts and pulled her panties down as well. The mound of her pussy, which she tended every day, was smooth and sleek.
“What’s the first question?”
I asked her. My voice was my own natural one. She would take it for Yeom Gu-seok’s.
“Were you present during the battle today?”
“What battle?”
“The Baeksan War that happened this afternoon. Warriors of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Heavenly Righteous Alliance, and the Baeksan Geum Clan fought. The citizens of Baeksan Fortress have already named it the Baeksan War.”
“…….”
I fell silent.
I thought desperately about the intent behind Yeon Ye-ha’s question. The suspects in her mind numbered roughly seven. Of those seven, only Cheon Yu-un and I had not taken part in the Baeksan War that afternoon.
I can guess the line of questioning. Questions aimed at me and Cheon Yu-un. In that case… it might be better to answer the first one with the truth.
After some thought I decided to tell the truth.
“No. I wasn’t there during the Baeksan War.”
Whether Yeon Ye-ha would believe the answer or not, I couldn’t know.
I’ll shift the target and frame Cheon Yu-un as the culprit. She already suspects he’s hiding his true strength… the circumstances line up nicely in several ways.
Yeon Ye-ha also knew Cheon Yu-un’s identity. Just as she had once done with Jegal Mo-sun, she could not treat Cheon Yu-un carelessly.
“…What should I do to cooperate? Spread my legs? Or bend over the bed?”
“I’m curious what you want to do. Do you want to suck my cock? Or do you want me to fuck you like a dog?”
“…I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it.”
“A week ago you squealed like a pig. A month ago you barked like a dog.”
“I did.”
“Today, how about meowing like a cat?”
“Meow. Meow.”
“…….”
Yeon Ye-ha imitated a cat’s voice. Not a flicker of expression crossed her face. I had expected the lack of reaction; it had been the same when she had sprawled on the floor and mimicked a pig.
“Boring. Forget the cat.”
“…….”
When I fell silent she did the same.
The silence was a little uncomfortable for me. I reached out and cupped her large breasts from below. Her face remained blank, yet her body had been thoroughly trained. A little kneading and her nipples stood stiff.
“Today… yes. That would be good.”
“…….”
Still expressionless, I lifted Yeon Ye-ha onto my thighs so that we faced each other. Of course she wore the blindfold and could not see me.
I pulled her tightly into my arms. Her breasts pressed against my chest; my cock pressed hard against her lower belly. My hands gripped her smooth back and firm ass.
“Think of me as your lover.”
“…Lover?”
“You said you’d cooperate. Don’t tell me you can imitate a dog and a pig but not a lover?”
“…Understood. I’ll think of you as my lover.”
I laid my palm against Yeon Ye-ha’s pussy. Without any real caress it was still dry.
“Is that all?”
“Just as you want, I’m thinking of you as my lover right now.”
“Is that so? Since you’re my lover, you love me, right? Say you love me.”
“…….”
Unlike usual, Yeon Ye-ha’s pink lips hesitated for about three seconds before parting.
“I love you.”
Her pussy twitched. With my hand against it I felt the movement clearly. I smiled without a sound.
“Sounds good. Keep saying it. Ah—when you’re my lover, call me Gaga.”
“…I love you, Gaga.”
“Wrap both arms around my neck… and make your voice softer. Put some affection into it.”
Her soft arms encircled my neck. Her body heat and smooth skin felt extremely pleasant.
“You’re making unreasonable demands. How am I supposed to put affection into my voice when I feel none for you?”
“Act as if the affection is there. You can manage a little acting, can’t you?”
“…….”
She quietly let out a breath.
Then she spoke in a voice softer than before.
“I love you, Gaga.”
The pleasant voice and the fairly convincing emotional performance made my cock throb. I stroked her back with one hand.
“Keep saying it.”
“…I love you. I love you, Gaga.”
She whispered the same words like a parrot. Yet the more I heard them the more aroused I became. I lifted the hand that had covered her pussy. My palm was wet with her juices. Despite the blank face, whispering love to me had sexually excited her.
I adjusted our positions. Lifting Yeon Ye-ha slightly, I aimed my erect cock at her entrance.
A wet sound. Her pussy, long accustomed to me, accepted my cock easily. The tamed hole felt as comfortable as home.
“…Hnn…”
“Don’t stop. Keep talking.”
“…How long do I have to keep saying these meaningless words?”
“You ask the obvious. Until I’m satisfied.”
“…I love you, Gaga.”
“I love you too, Ye-ha.”
Yeon Ye-ha’s pussy clenched tight around me.