Chapter 385
Chapter 385
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 385
Chapter Title: God's Atlantis
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Ok-jeong headed toward the inn where the Uwangseong Legion was gathered, her heart tense. It was the best inn in the village where she had been staying.
The moment Ok-jeong stepped inside the inn, more than thirty legion members gathered on the first floor turned to look at her.
"Ok-jeong!"
"What the— you're safe!"
"The Master was making such a fuss, I thought you got dragged into some incident and got hurt, but you look fine, no injuries or anything."
The tense atmosphere that had prevailed until Ok-jeong's arrival instantly relaxed. They seemed eager to enjoy their vacation now, chattering noisily as they planned what to do next.
"Um... what brings you all here?"
"Oh, the Master was freaking out that you were in danger, so we came rushing. Ask him for the details... speak of the devil, here he comes."
A man came thumping down the stairs. He was a huge bear of a guy. His forearms and thighs were as thick as a person's waist, and his eyes were fierce and bulging. He had short brown hair and thick eyebrows. His most striking feature was the bushy sideburns plastered to his cheeks.
Gongheol.
The master of the Uwangseong Legion.
"Ok-jeong!"
Gongheol called her name in a voice as massive as his frame the instant he spotted her.
"M-Master."
Ok-jeong shrank back a little. Gongheol thumped over to her.
"Thank goodness you look unharmed! Ok-jeong!"
"Yes, I'm fine... But why did you bring the entire legion here...?"
"Oh, was it too much? Still, when I heard you were in a dire situation, I couldn't just sit idle. I didn't even have time to investigate what the danger was... And we're in the same legion, aren't we? We don't abandon our own."
"......"
Ok-jeong felt her heart grow heavy at Gongheol's words. She had to poison them all on her master's orders.
"...How did you know I was here?"
"Ah, the Blue Bird that Calls Dark Clouds told me. Said you were in danger... It wouldn't have just sent a simple message... What happened? I heard the innkeeper said you vanished suddenly."
"I went for a night stroll and ran into a monster... It's all sorted out now."
"I see."
Gongheol nodded as if that made sense.
As Ok-jeong looked at him, old memories surfaced. Gongheol was someone she'd known since the tutorial, a man who'd saved her multiple times. To be honest, she'd even harbored romantic feelings for him.
'Until I met Master...'
Recalling memories with the Uwangseong Legion calmed her heart. Thinking of Sung Yu-jin, on the other hand, set her body aflame with excitement.
"Ok-jeong?"
"Ah, yes."
"Sorry for crashing your solo vacation like this. But since we're all here now... how about spending the rest of the vacation with the legion members? What do you think?"
"I'm fine with that. It'd be even better if we can enjoy it together."
Ok-jeong smiled. She thought it was her usual smile, but to Gongheol, who had known her for so long, it seemed awkward and forced.
Gongheol asked her with a serious expression.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, I'm just a bit tired from the monster incident."
"Then you should rest in your room. We're planning a party with the legion this afternoon... Can you make it?"
"Yes, of course. A short rest and I'll be good."
Ok-jeong started toward her room but paused and turned back to him.
"Um, Master."
"Hm?"
"Would you hit me?"
"...What?"
Gongheol blinked. For a moment, he couldn't process what he'd heard.
"Just once is fine. Hit me, please. Anywhere's okay... Yeah, the stomach would be good."
Ok-jeong gazed at Gongheol with desperate eyes. The surrounding legion members stared at her like she was crazy.
But Ok-jeong was quite desperate. If Gongheol could satisfy her in Sung Yu-jin's place, she had no intention of betraying him. She still had lingering attachments to Gongheol and the Uwangseong Legion.
"I-I don't even know what you're talking about."
"It's okay. Just close your eyes and hit me once! Here!"
Ok-jeong thrust out her stomach toward Gongheol. He reflexively stepped back, then sighed.
"...Ok-jeong, you're acting weird today. You must be really exhausted."
Gongheol clenched his massive fist and struck Ok-jeong's stomach. To be precise, it was more like a light tap.
"That good enough?"
"......Yes. I'm tired, so I'll head up first."
Ok-jeong nodded solemnly and went to her room.
Ok-jeong was certain. Gongheol could never treat her as roughly as Sung Yu-jin.
'...And Master's dick is small.'
She'd seen Gongheol naked once before. When legion members went hunting or exploring dungeons, accidents happened. She'd accidentally spotted him bathing by a stream. Gongheol's flaccid dick had been smaller than her thumb.
Sung Yu-jin, by contrast? It was always erect whenever she saw it, incredibly long and thick. The time he'd slapped her face with that thick thing...
"Ngh..."
Ok-jeong felt her lower belly twitch.
"Ok-jeong?"
A nearby woman who sometimes ate with her called out worriedly.
"It's nothing."
Ok-jeong hurried up to the second floor and lay on the bed. Her hand naturally slipped into her pants. Beneath her slightly damp pubic hair, her pussy throbbed.
"Mmm..."
Ok-jeong touched her pussy as if to rip it out. Warm semen trickled from the hole.
"Hah! To think I'd become such a pervert... Ahh...!"
Lying on the bed, she writhed like a worm.
The Blue Bird that Calls Dark Clouds was so anxious she chewed on her finger.
At first, she'd thought it would be easy. And it had been. The man named Sung Yu-jin was no different from a dog in heat. Even with all the suspicious signs, he hadn't cared much.
The assassination using her contractor Ok-jeong's poison had succeeded perfectly. But then Sung Yu-jin came back alive, and the situation flipped.
When Ok-jeong had been caught by Sung Yu-jin, she'd immediately messaged Uwangseong Legion's master, Gongheol. It cost a hefty penalty, but better than losing Ok-jeong. Ok-jeong was a rare exile with a unique trait that was hard to find.
She'd assumed Uwangseong Legion would eliminate Sung Yu-jin. But as Ok-jeong started changing, things went awry. And finally, Ok-jeong had decided to betray them.
The Blue Bird that Calls Dark Clouds tried to inform Gongheol right away.
But.
Everything was blocked.
The system wouldn't allow it.
"System! I'll pay any price! I'll offer part of my existence—just let me send a message to Gongheol!"
"You're breaking the rules too! Answering that human's question...! You violated the rules!"
She ground her teeth hard.
When issues arose between Thrones and humans, the system stayed neutral while subtly siding with the humans. To minimize Throne interference and protect the weak humans. That way, Atlantis ran more smoothly.
Normally, she'd accept it, but as the one directly involved, it made her want to scream and jump.
"...You think there are no other ways?!"
"You dare warn me?!"
She scoffed at the system.
There were ways. Force it with power or get help from other Thrones. She'd been about to contact a few friendly ones. If not for the notifications that popped up next.
Cold sweat beaded down her spine.
She knew the identities of the Lord of the Heavens and the King of the Demon Heavens. She knew they were Thrones on a level far beyond her own.
No need to overthink why they'd messaged her. It was a clear warning: don't do anything stupid.
"......"
She bowed her head. There was nothing she could do.
The Uwangseong Legion gathered at Platinum Lake and started their party.
Everyone enjoyed it in their own way. Some jumped into the sparkling Platinum Lake under the sunlight. Others ate food, while some sat in the shade, quietly resting.
Here, Ok-jeong slipped her colorless, odorless poison—prepared in her room—into the food. For those not eating, she handed out water, drinks, candy, and such to make them consume it.
No one suspected Ok-jeong. She'd been a member since the legion's founding.
Ok-jeong knew every Uwangseong Legion member had ingested the poison. It would take effect and claim their lives in about thirty minutes.
Ok-jeong didn't run. She was certain they'd all die. Fleeing prematurely would only make them suspicious. Besides, watching their deaths was her small atonement and a sign of respect.
"Hurk!"
The first was a young man who'd been swimming energetically in the lake. He came ashore, drank some water, and was about to dive back in when he clutched his chest and collapsed.
"You oka... Urk..."
Those around the young man clutched their chests and fell too. Their hearts had stopped beating.
"Agh!"
"My chest!"
"Kgh!"
One by one, they died.
"Ok-jeong! It was you?!"
"You bitch! Trying to kill us... Grk!"
"Ok-jeong!!!"
The quick ones realized she'd poisoned them and tried to attack, only to collapse and die. The active ones went first; the leisurely ones lasted longer.
"Ok-jeong!!"
"......"
Voices filled with hatred called her name. Ok-jeong kept her head down. She couldn't bear to look at them.
"Ok-jeong! What... have you done...! Why?! What was your goal in poisoning us?!"
Gongheol, the sole survivor, thumped toward Ok-jeong. He wasn't normal either. His body trembled slightly, blood streaming from his nose and mouth. He was definitely poisoned. One of his skills just gave him some resistance.
"Master..."
"Answer me! Ok-jeong!"
"......"
Ok-jeong clamped her mouth shut.
The furious Gongheol raised his massive fist, red aura rippling around it, ready to smash Ok-jeong. Suddenly, a knight in full plate armor appeared from the side and kicked Gongheol in the side. Gongheol's body flew over 20 meters before splashing into Platinum Lake.
Gongheol wasn't dead yet.
Sensing it instinctively, Sung Yu-jin drew his sword.
"Well done."
"...Master!"
"That guy's not going down to poison, so I'll finish him. You stay back."
I drew my sword.
'Astrape.'
Astrape
Lightning power surges into the sword.
Activating the skill infused the sword with lightning power. I glared at Gongheol, the Uwangseong Legion's master, emerging from Platinum Lake.
I knew from that earlier strike. Gongheol was stronger than me. He overwhelmed me physically. If not for the poison, I'd have been the one flying into the lake on his counterattack.
"Who the hell are you...?"
He growled like a beast.
Gongheol's body turned red. Probably his unique trait or a skill. Likely boosted physical abilities.
"Can't you tell from the armor? I'm a knight."
"I'm asking why a knight is targeting us! You must be the one who made Ok-jeong betray us! What's your goal in all this?!"
Thud! Thud thud!
The ground shook slightly with each step as Gongheol approached.
"Because if I didn't kill you first, you would've killed me."
Gongheol's face twisted savagely.
"You call that a reason...?! We...! We don't even know who you are! We don't know your name! You think we'd buy that ridiculous excuse?!"
"Normally, yeah. But you're being used by a Throne right now."